History of the United Netherlands, 1597-98 — John Shaqi
History of the United Netherlands, 1597-98Motley, John Lothrop
History
History of the United Netherlands, 1597-98
Motley, John Lothrop
Netherlands -- History -- Eighty Years' War, 1568-1648
least half the infantry lay dead or wounded in the field, while the
remainder, throwing away pipe and matchlock, were running helter-skelter
for their lives.
Besides Prince Maurice himself, to whom the chief credit of the whole
expedition justly belonged, nearly all the commanders engaged obtained
great distinction by their skill and valour. Sir Francis Vere, as usual,
was ever foremost in the thickest of the fray, and had a horse killed
under him. Parker erred by too much readiness to engage, but bore
himself manfully throughout the battle. Hohenlo, Solma, Sidney, Louis
Laurentz, Du Bois, all displayed their usual prowess; but the real hero
of the hour, the personal embodiment of the fortunate madness which
prompted and won the battle, was undoubtedly Marcellus Bax.
Maurice remained an hour or two on the field of battle, and then,
returning towards the village of Turnhout, summoned its stronghold. The
garrison of sixty, under Captain Van der Delf, instantly surrendered.
The victor allowed these troops to go off scot free, saying that there
had been blood enough shed that day. Every standard borne by the
Spaniards in the battle-thirty-eight in number--was taken, besides nearly
all their arms. The banners were sent to the Hague to be hung up in the
great hall of the castle. The dead body of Varax was sent to the
archduke with a courteous letter, in which, however, a categorical
explanation was demanded as to a statement in circulation that Albert
had decided to give the soldiers of the republic no quarter.
No answer being immediately returned, Maurice ordered the five hundred
prisoners to be hanged or drowned unless ransomed within twenty days, and
this horrible decree appears from official documents to be consistent
with the military usages of the period. The arrival of the letter from
the cardinal-archduke, who levied the money for the ransom on the
villagers of Brabant, prevented, however, the execution of the menace,
which could hardly have been seriously intended.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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