re determined
to issue forth, in the hope of rescuing their friends ere the whole of
them were destroyed. Meantime the young bride of Tholouse was seen
flying from street to street, calling on the Calvinists to save their
brethren on the point of destruction. Fully 10,000 men were up in arms;
but the gates had been closed by order of the Prince of Orange, and they
found it impossible to force their way out. The whole city was in a
state of commotion. The Lutherans as well as the Calvinists had flown
to arms. Some of the fiercest proposed to avenge the death of the
patriots by the slaughter of the Roman Catholics. The latter also, in
consequence, in their own defence, had taken up arms. A most sanguinary
outbreak was, therefore, every moment expected.

Had it begun, no one could say when it would end, or the number of lives
which would be sacrificed. While the dreadful scenes I have described
were going on, we hurried down from the walls to the open place near the
Red Gate, still hoping that there might be some time to render
assistance to the defeated patriots. At this moment the Prince, without
any guards or attendants, rode in among the crowd collected there.
Instead of the usual signs of respect with which he was greeted, he was
now received with howls of execration. A thousand hoarse voices called
him the Pope's servant, the minister of antichrist, a traitor to his
country. Some even proposed to cut him down on the spot. An arquebus
was pointed at him, but, ere it was discharged, a hand from the crowd
struck it away. Even before this the postern of the Red Gate had been
forced open, and a number of the Calvinists were issuing forth.

The Prince sat calmly on his horse; then, lifting up his hand, he
addressed the multitude. As he spoke, every voice was hushed. He told
them that he came for their good, that the battle was over, that their
friends had been cut to pieces, and that the victorious enemy were
retiring; while, brave as those who heard him might be, should they go
forth, they would be unable to retrieve the fortunes of the day. He
pointed out to them that they were ill-armed and without discipline, and
that the same force which had captured the camp at Ostrawell might with
equal ease destroy them.

The remarks of the Prince seemed so just, that I persuaded A'Dale to
give up his design of marching out to the relief of the remnants of the
patriot force. Some hundreds, however, still insisted