Lives of the last four princesses of the royal house of Stuart

1653.] LOYAL RIOTS OF DUTCH BOYS. 57
would soon Lave pulled down his house about his ears,
had not the States of Holland sent immediately their
guard to his assistance, who soon dispersing them, with-
drew.
The guards were no sooner gone but the boys got together
again, and fell most vehemently on the Fiscal's house, but a
troop of horse coming towards them struck some terror into
them, and they left off flinging stones. Night approach-
ing, they perceived they could not effect anything there,
since all the passages were guarded, but they all came
about nine of the clock at night, in most violent manner to
the house of the Pensionary De Witt, crying, " Where is that
rogue, that Prince betrayer ?" beating out all his glass
windows, till there was not one whole one left ; and if there
had not come on the sudden some horse and foot, they had
levelled his house. From thence the boys and rabble went
to the lodgings of the lords of Amsterdam, and broke all
their windows, till they were frightened away by the soldiers.
From thence they came to the houses of the two burgo-
masters, the officer and the scout, and broke all their
windows ; but being always pursued by the soldiers, they
gave over breaking windows. Since that time the towns-
men have been constantly in arms.*
The Princess of Orange held Lady Balcarras in such high
esteem for her many virtues, that she was desirous of con-
stituting her governess to her son, the little Prince of
Orange ; but Charles II. prevented the appointment from
being made, for what reason is not known.
Lady Balcarras being in great distress, applied to her
friend the Princess for aid, who was most desirous of
assisting her, but being at that time, wholly destitute of
the means, wrote this kind and considerate letter to her.t
* Thurloe's ' State Papers,' vol. i. p. 191.
t Lord. Lindsay's ' Lives of the Lindsays.'