General Valdez had mercilessly surrounded Leiden with his Spanish troops. Rather than attacking the city, he let a different weapon do the work. This weapon was hunger. Hardly anyone could get into the city or out of it, and the hunger, together with the black death wreaked death and sickness among the citizens.
Elisabeth Govaerts was having trouble keeping her father and brother as well as their lodger Boudewyn fed and in good shape. It was therefore a feast when Martin Meulenberg managed to creep through the Spanish fortifications and bring Elisabeth food. But the time was short since Martin wanted to join the Sea Beggars again. He left the city with reports of starving people. Even so, the Prince of Orange was doing his best to free Leiden. But even after the dykes had been breached by the Sea Beggars the water would not rise, and thus the Sea Beggars could not sail into Leiden to liberate it. Help seemed impossible.
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