cry to the soldiers: “It is I; it is the wife of your governor who
marches at your head, and braves death for the service of her country.
Follow my example. I would rather quit life than the breach!” She
spoke, and rushed amidst the carnage. She was wounded in the arm. The
sight of her blood only animates her: she redoubles her efforts; all
fly, all disperse before her. The besieged, zealous to imitate her,
eagerly follow her, and fight with such ardour, that the Spaniards are
repulsed and retreat, after having lost a vast number of men. The hopes
of prompt succour alone supported the citizens of Tournai; but as soon
as they found their expectations frustrated, they perceived it was
impossible to defend themselves longer, and resolved to surrender. On
the 29th of November, the garrison was permitted to march out, with its
arms and its baggage. The city redeemed itself from pillage; and the
intrepid Amazon who had so bravely defended it, left Tournai, with her
arm still in a scarf, amidst the enthusiastic acclamations of the royal
army, and, in some sort, with all the appearance of a glorious triumph.
FIFTH SIEGE, A.D. 1667.
No monarch ever went to war more wantonly and unnecessarily than Louis
XIV. Inflated with vanity and self-love, intoxicated with flattery, he
seemed to look upon military glory as the only thing wanting to his
fame and his happiness. But never did monarch receive a much stronger
rebuke from an overruling Providence! He was taught that the prosperity
of nations is not to be trifled with for the gratification of one man’s
pride; and the wars he undertook so rashly and wickedly proved to be
the sources of misery to which his arrogant self-sufficiency would have
led him to believe he could not be subjected.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account