, women and children flocked to
the governor, and, with tears in their eyes, implored him to submit. A
brief bombardment would cause the death of hundreds, and would lay the
city in ashes. "I had rather," the governor replied, "be carried a
corpse to my grave, than to surrender the city."

The civic authority, the clergy and the commanders of the Burgher
corps, promptly assembled in the City Hall and drew up the following
earnest remonstrance, which was immediately presented to the governor
and his council. We give it slightly abbreviated.

* * * * *

"Right Honorable! We, your sorrowful subjects, beg to
represent, in these sad circumstances, that having maturely
weighed what was necessary to be done, we cannot foresee,
for this fort and city of Manhattans, in further resistance,
aught else than misery, sorrow, and conflagration; the
dishonor of women, the murder of children, and in a word the
absolute ruin of fifteen hundred innocent souls, only two
hundred and fifty of whom are capable of bearing arms.

"You are aware that four of the English king's frigates are
now in the roadstead, with six hundred soldiers on board.
They have also commissions to all the governors of New
England, a populous and thickly inhabited country, to
impress troops, in addition to the forces already on board,
for the purpose of reducing New Netherland to his Majesty's
obedience.

"These threats we would not have regarded, could we expect
the smallest aid. But, God help us, where shall we turn for
assistance, to the north or to the south, to the east or to
the west? 'Tis all in vain. On all sides we are encompassed
and hemmed in by our enemies. If, on the other hand, we
examine our internal strength, alas! it is so feeble and
impotent that unless we ascribe the circumstance to the
mercy of God, we cannot sufficiently express our
astonishment that the foe should have granted us so long a
reprieve. He could have delivered us a prey to the soldiery
after one summons.

"We shall now examine your Honors' fortress. You know that
it is incapable of making head three days, against so
powerful an enemy. Even could it hold out one, two, three,
four, five or six months, which to our sorrow it cannot do,
it is still undeniable that it cannot save the smallest