Of the fugitives, the men were either scourged back by the Spaniards into the city, or hanged up along the road-side.

The women were treated, leniently, even playfully, for it was thought an excellent jest to cut off the petticoats of the unfortunate starving creatures up to their knees, and then command them to go back and starve at home with their friends and fellow-citizens.

A great many persons literally died of hunger.

Matrons with large families poisoned their children and themselves to avoid the more terrible death by starving.

At last, when Vilvoorde was taken, when the baseness of the French King was thoroughly understood, when Parma's bridge was completed and the Scheldt bridled, Brussels capitulated on as favourable terms as could well have been expected.
ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS: College of "peace-makers," who wrangled more than all Military virtue in the support of an infamous cause Not distinguished for their docility Repentance, as usual, had come many hours too late HISTORY OF THE UNITED NETHERLANDS From the Death of William the Silent to the Twelve Year's Truce--1609 By John Lothrop Motley History United Netherlands, 1585 Alexander Farnese, The Duke of Parma.