resistance. The
citizens had in their minds the horror of the sack of Zutphen. They
repulsed one assault after another and the siege, begun in December
1572, was turned into a blockade, and still the Spaniards could not
enter. The heads of the leaders of relief armies which had been
defeated were flung into Haarlem with insulting gibes. The reply to
this was a barrel which was sent rolling out carrying eleven heads, ten
in payment of the tax of one-tenth hitherto refused to Alva and the
eleventh as interest on the sum which had not been paid quite promptly!
It was in July 1573, when the citizens had been reduced by famine to
the consumption of {94} weeds, shoe-leather, and vermin, that the
Spanish army entered Haarlem.

The loss on both sides was enormous, and William had reason to despair.
Only 1600 were left of a garrison of 4000. It seemed as if the courage
of Haarlem had been unavailing, for gibbets rose on all sides to
exhibit the leaders of the desperate resistance.

But the fleets of the Beggars rode the sea in triumph, and the example
of Haarlem had given spirit to other towns unwilling to be beaten in
endurance. Alva was disappointed to find that immediate submission did
not follow. He left the country in 1573, declaring that his health and
strength were gone, and he was unwilling to lose his reputation.

Don Luis Requesens, his successor, would have made terms, but William
of Orange adhered to certain resolutions. There must be freedom of
worship throughout the Netherlands, where all the ancient charters of
liberty must be restored and every Spaniard must resign his office.
William then declared himself a Calvinist, probably for patriotic
reasons.

The hope of assistance from France and England rose again inevitably.
Louis of Nassau obtained a large sum of French money and intended to
raise troops for the relief of Leyden, which was invested by the
Spaniards in 1574. He gathered a force of mixed nationality and no
cohesion, and was surprised and killed with his gallant brother Henry.
Their loss was a great blow to William, who felt that the
responsibilities of the war henceforward rested solely on his shoulders.

Leyden was relieved by the desperate device of cutting the dykes and
opening the sluices to flood the land around it. A fleet was thus
enabled to sail in amidst fields and farmhouses to attack the besieging
{95} Spanish. The Sea-Beggars were driven by the wind to the outskirts
of Leyd