possession of my person has cost you much money and much blood, my death will be a loss to you, my life may become a source of profit to you, put me in an iron cage, set a price upon the exhibition of me, and send me through Europe, thus will you in the end be the gainer by me.” The bishop saw through his object which was the dastard preservation of his forfeited life, and accordingly ordered him to be put to death with a refinement of cruelty, at the relation of which human nature sickens, abhorred as the victim was. Two executioners tore his flesh slowly asunder with red hot pincers, and after the mitred conqueror and his followers had glutted their eyes with his writhings, and their ears with his screams, a javelin pierced his heart, and his mangled body was thrown into a cage, and exposed to the birds of the air from the steeple of St. Lambert’s church. It has been observed by some travellers, that the Dutch are much given to a tremulous motion of the head. I saw no instance of this national trait except, where I expected to find it, among old and paralytic persons. The practice of bowing is not confined to the Dutchman, though adduced against him as a sort of blemish by every Englishman who extends his rambles no farther than Holland: throughout Germany the same courtesy is displayed, and even among the common Russian boors the practice of exchanging bows is quite common. I was not much gratified with the church of St. Peter, the principal one in the city; it is a large ponderous building, in the worst style of gothic architecture. In this structure the English and Russian soldiers were confined when taken prisoners at Alkmaar. The poor Russians, who expected no quarter, looked upon the brass chandeliers which are suspended in the body of the church, as the instruments of execution, to each of which they thought of being fastened by the neck. The Russians, in their first campaigns with the French, entertained the same apprehension, and were most agreeably astonished on one occasion, which presented a memorable display of French sagacity, to find that, instead of being shot or guillotined, they were presented with new clothing of the Russian uniform, and offered their liberty. CHAPTER XIII. THE PRESS OF LEYDEN ... ITS STAPLE TRADE ... ANECDOTES OF GERARD DOUW ... OF JEAN STEEN ... HIS SINGULAR PAINTING OF THE DELUGE ... ANECDOTES OF FRANCIS MIERES ... THE PICTORIAL CONTEST ... ANECDOTE OF VANDERWELDE ... THE VILLAGE OF RHYNSBURG ... SINGULAR RELIGIOUS ASSOCIATION ... A CURIOUS CUSTOM ... EXPLOSION AT LEYDEN ... CONDUCT OF THE KING ... HAARLEM ... ITS CELEBRATED ORGAN DESCRIBED ... ANECDOTE OF HANDEL ... MR. HENRY HOPE’S HOUSE.