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to yield precedence to the Dutch。 They; at least in the case 

of Aristides; contented themselves with banishing him。 



John de Witt; at the first intimation of the charge brought 

against his brother; had resigned his office of Grand 

Pensionary。 He too received a noble recompense for his 

devotedness to the best interests of his country; taking 

with him into the retirement of private life the hatred of a 

host of enemies; and the fresh scars of wounds inflicted by 

assassins; only too often the sole guerdon obtained by 

honest people; who are guilty of having worked for their 

country; and of having forgotten their own private 

interests。 



In the meanwhile William of Orange urged on the course of 

events by every means in his power; eagerly waiting for the 

time when the people; by whom he was idolised; should have 

made of the bodies of the brothers the two steps over which 

he might ascend to the chair of Stadtholder。 



Thus; then; on the 20th of August; 1672; as we have already 

stated in the beginning of this chapter; the whole town was 

crowding towards the Buytenhof; to witness the departure of 

Cornelius de Witt from prison; as he was going to exile; and 

to see what traces the torture of the rack had left on the 

noble frame of the man who knew his Horace so well。 



Yet all this multitude was not crowding to the Buytenhof 

with the innocent view of merely feasting their eyes with 

the spectacle; there were many who went there to play an 

active part in it; and to take upon themselves an office 

which they conceived had been badly filled;  that of the 

executioner。 



There were; indeed; others with less hostile intentions。 All 

that they cared for was the spectacle; always so attractive 

to the mob; whose instinctive pride is flattered by it;  

the sight of greatness hurled down into the dust。 



〃Has not;〃 they would say; 〃this Cornelius de Witt been 

locked up and broken by the rack? Shall we not see him pale; 

streaming with blood; covered with shame?〃 And was not this 

a sweet triumph for the burghers of the Hague; whose envy 

even beat that of the common rabble; a triumph in which 

every honest citizen and townsman might be expected to 

share? 



〃Moreover;〃 hinted the Orange agitators interspersed through 

the crowd; whom they hoped to manage like a sharp…edged and 

at the same time crushing instrument;  〃moreover; will 

there not; from the Buytenhof to the gate of the town; a 

nice little opportunity present itself to throw some 

handfuls of dirt; or a few stones; at this Cornelius de 

Witt; who not only conferred the dignity of Stadtholder on 

the Prince of Orange merely vi coactus; but who also 

intended to have him assassinated?〃 



〃Besides which;〃 the fierce enemies of France chimed in; 〃if 

the work were done well and bravely at the Hague; Cornelius 

would certainly not be allowed to go into exile; where he 

will renew his intrigues with France; and live with his big 

scoundrel of a brother; John; on the gold of the Marquis de 

Louvois。〃 



Being in such a temper; people generally will run rather 

than walk; which was the reason why the inhabitants of the 

Hague were hurrying so fast towards the Buytenhof。 



Honest Tyckelaer; with a heart full of spite and malice; and 

with no particular plan settled in his mind; was one of the 

foremost; being paraded about by the Orange party like a 

hero of probity; national honour; and Christian charity。 



This daring miscreant detailed; with all the embellishments 

and flourishes suggested by his base mind and his ruffianly 

imagination; the attempts which he pretended Cornelius de 

Witt had made to corrupt him; the sums of money which were 

promised; and all the diabolical stratagems planned 

beforehand to smooth for him; Tyckelaer; all the 

difficulties in the path of murder。 



And every phase of his speech; eagerly listened to by the 

populace; called forth enthusiastic cheers for the Prince of 

Orange; and groans and imprecations of blind fury against 

the brothers De Witt。 



The mob even began to vent its rage by inveighing against 

the iniquitous judges; who had allowed such a detestable 

criminal as the villain Cornelius to get off so cheaply。 



Some of the agitators whispered; 〃He will be off; he will 

escape from us!〃 



Others replied; 〃A vessel is waiting for him at Schevening; 

a French craft。 Tyckelaer has seen her。〃 



〃Honest Tyckelaer! Hurrah for Tyckelaer!〃 the mob cried in 

chorus。 



〃And let us not forget;〃 a voice exclaimed from the crowd; 

〃that at the same time with Cornelius his brother John; who 

is as rascally a traitor as himself; will likewise make his 

escape。〃 



〃And the two rogues will in France make merry with our 

money; with the money for our vessels; our arsenals; and our 

dockyards; which they have sold to Louis XIV。〃 



〃Well; then; don't let us allow them to depart!〃 advised one 

of the patriots who had gained the start of the others。 



〃Forward to the prison; to the prison!〃 echoed the crowd。 



Amid these cries; the citizens ran along faster and faster; 

cocking their muskets; brandishing their hatchets; and 

looking death and defiance in all directions。 



No violence; however; had as yet been committed; and the 

file of horsemen who were guarding the approaches of the 

Buytenhof remained cool; unmoved; silent; much more 

threatening in their impassibility than all this crowd of 

burghers; with their cries; their agitation; and their 

threats。 The men on their horses; indeed; stood like so many 

statues; under the eye of their chief; Count Tilly; the 

captain of the mounted troops of the Hague; who had his 

sword drawn; but held it with its point downwards; in a line 

with the straps of his stirrup。 



This troop; the only defence of the prison; overawed by its 

firm attitude not only the disorderly riotous mass of the 

populace; but also the detachment of the burgher guard; 

which; being placed opposite the Buytenhof to support the 

soldiers in keeping order; gave to the rioters the example 

of seditious cries; shouting;  



〃Hurrah for Orange! Down with the traitors!〃 



The presence of Tilly and his horsemen; indeed; exercised a 

salutary check on these civic warriors; but by degrees they 

waxed more and more angry by their own shouts; and as they 

were not able to understand how any one could have courage 

without showing it by cries; they attributed the silence of 

the dragoons to pusillanimity; and advanced one step towards 

the prison; with all the turbulent mob following in their 

wake。 



In this moment; Count Tilly rode forth towards them 

single…handed; merely lifting his sword and contracting his 

brow whilst he addressed them:  



〃Well; gentlemen of the burgher guard; what are you 

advancing for; and what do you wish?〃 



The burghers shook their muskets; repeating their cry;  



〃Hurrah for Orange! Death to the traitors!〃 



〃'Hurrah for Orange!' all well and good!〃 replied Tilly; 

〃although I certainly am more partial to happy faces than to 

gloomy ones。 'Death to the traitors!' as much of it as you 

like; as long as you show your wishes only by cries。 But; as 

to putting them to death in good earnest; I am here to 

prevent that; and I shall prevent it。〃 



Then; turning round to his men; he gave the word of command; 

 



〃Soldiers; ready!〃 



The troopers obeyed orders with a precision which 

immediately caused the burgher guard and the people to fall 

back; in a degree of confusion which excited the smile of 

the cavalry officer。 



〃Holloa!〃 he exclaimed; with that bantering tone which is 

peculiar to men of his profession; 〃be easy; gentlemen; my 

soldiers will not fire a shot; but; on the other hand; you 

will not advance by one step towards the prison。〃 



〃And do you know; sir; that we have muskets?〃 roared the 

commandant of the burghers。 



〃I must know it; by Jove; you have made them glitter enough 

before my eyes; but I beg you to observe also that we on our 

side have pistols; that the pistol carries admirably to a 

distance of fifty yards; and that you are only twenty…five 

from us。〃 



〃Death to the traitors!〃 cried the exasperated burghers。 



〃Go along with you;〃 growled the officer; 〃you always cry 

the same thing over again。 It is very tiresome。〃 



With this; he took his post at the head of his troops; 

whilst the tumult grew fiercer and fiercer about the 

Buytenhof。 



And yet the fuming crowd did not know that; at that very 

moment when they were tracking the scent of one of their 

victims; the other; as if hurrying to meet his fate; passed; 

at a distance of not more than a hundred yards; behind the 

groups of people and the dragoons; to betake himself to the 

Buytenhof。 



John de Witt; indeed; had alighted from his coach wit

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