Many a lagging craft fell into the enemy's hands, when, as a matter of course, the men, women, and children, on board, were horribly mutilated by the Spaniards, and were then sent drifting in their boat with the tide--their arms, legs, and ears lopped off up to the city, in order that--the dangerous nature of this provision-trade might be fully illustrated.
Yet that traffic still went on.

It would have continued until Antwerp had been victualled for more than a year, had not the city authorities, in the plentitude of their wisdom, thought proper to issue orders for its regulation.

On the 25th October (1584) a census was taken, when the number of persons inside the walls was found to be ninety thousand.

For this population it was estimated that 300,000 veertell, or about 900,000 bushels of corn, would be required annually.

The grain was coming in very fast, notwithstanding the perilous nature of the trade; for wheat could be bought in Holland for fifty florins the last, or about fifteen pence sterling the bushel, while it was worth five or six florins the veertel, or about four shillings the bushel, in Antwerp.
The magistrates now committed a folly more stupendous than it seemed possible for human creatures, under such circumstances, to compass.