The Rise of the Dutch Republic — Volume 23: 1576Motley, John Lothrop
History
The Rise of the Dutch Republic — Volume 23: 1576
Motley, John Lothrop
Netherlands -- Church history; Netherlands -- History -- Eighty Years' War, 1568-1648
Meantime, the Spanish cavalry had cleft its way through the city. On the
side farthest removed from the: castle; along the Horse-market, opposite
the New-town, the states dragoons and the light horse of Beveren had been
posted, and the flying masses of pursuers and pursued swept at last
through this outer circle. Champagny was already there. He essayed, as
his last hope, to rally the cavalry for a final stand, but the effort was
fruitless. Already seized by the panic, they had attempted to rush from
the city through the gate of Eeker. It was locked; they then turned and
fled towards the Red-gate, where they were met face to face by Don Pedro
Tassis, who charged upon them with his dragoons. Retreat seemed
hopeless. A horseman in complete armor, with lance in rest, was seen to
leap from the parapet of the outer wall into the moat below, whence,
still on horseback, he escaped with life. Few were so fortunate. The
confused mob of fugitives and conquerors, Spaniards, Walloons, Germans,
burghers, struggling, shouting, striking, cursing, dying, swayed hither
and thither like a stormy sea. Along the spacious Horse-market, the
fugitives fled toward towards the quays. Many fell beneath the swords
of the Spaniards, numbers were trodden to death by the hoofs of horses,
still greater multitudes were hunted into the Scheld. Champagny, who
had thought it possible, even at the last moment, to make a stand in the
Newtown, and to fortify the Palace of the Hansa, saw himself deserted.
With great daring and presence of mind, he effected his escape to the
fleet of the Prince of Orange in the river. The Marquis of Havre, of
whom no deeds of valor on that eventful day have been recorded, was
equally successful. The unlucky Oberstein, attempting to leap into a
boat, missed his footing, and oppressed by the weight of his armor, was
drowned.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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