be too painful to detail, but they afforded Agostina an opportunity of displaying her intrepidity. She threw herself into the most perilous positions, to rescue the unhappy beings wounded by the bombs or by the falling of timbers. She went from house to house, visiting the wounded, binding up their hurts, or supplying aid to the sick or starving. The French, by their indomitable perseverance, and, from step to step rendered themselves masters of nearly half the city. Lefevre thought his hour of triumph had now certainly arrived—he sent to the commandant, Palafox, to demand a capitulation. Palafox received this in public; he turned to Agostina, who stood near him, completely armed—"What shall I answer?"
The girl indignantly replied, "War to the knife!"
Her exclamation was echoed by the populace, and Palafox made her words his reply to Lefevre.
Nothing in the history of war has ever been recorded, to resemble the consequence of this refusal to capitulate. One row of houses in a street would be occupied by the Spanish, the opposite row by the French. A continual tempest of balls passed through the air; the town was a volcano; the most revolting butchery was carried on for eleven days and eleven nights. Every street, every house, was disputed with musket and poignard. Agostina ran from rank to rank, everywhere taking the most active part. The French were gradually driven back; and the dawn of the 17th. of August, saw them relinquish this long-disputed prey, and take the road to Pampeluna. The triumph of the patriots—their joy, was unspeakable. Palafox rendered due honours to the brave men who had perished, and endeavoured to remunerate the few intrepid warriors who survived—among them was Agostina. But what could be offered commensurate with the services of one who had saved the city? Palafox told her to select what honours she pleased—anything would be granted her. She modestly answered that, she begged to be allowed to retain the rank of engineer, and to have the privilege of wearing the arms of Saragossa. The rest of her life was passed in honourable poverty, until the year 1826, when she died,
"By all her country's wishes blest!"
AGREDA, MARIE D'
Superior of a convert at Agreda, in Spain, founded by her parents, wrote a fanatical book on the life of the Virgin Mary, which she said had been revealed to her from heaven. A translation of this extravagant book, which was prohibited at Rome, was published at Brussels in 1717. Notwithstanding the absurdities of this work, it was deemed so fascinating and dangerous by the theological faculty of Paris, that it was thought proper to censure it. A violent opposition was made to the censure by some of the doctors of the Sorbonne, which, on this important occasion, were divided into two fierce parties, to one of whom the name of Agredians was given, which they long retained. One of the propositions of this singular work was—"That God gave to the holy virgin all that he would, and would give her all that he could, and could give her all that was not of the essence of God."
Marie d'Agreda died in 1665, aged sixty-three. Great efforts were made at Rome to procure her canonization, but without effect.
