The Beggars' Penny is the story of three children told against a background of the besieged city of Leyden. Representative of three social and religious groups, they played their part in saving the city. It is also the story of the wise Burgomaster Van der Werf who, with infinite care and foresight, wove the diverse Leydeners into a single-minded group. Only a faith in freedom and in the Sea and Land Beggars—plain everyday Dutchmen determined to throw off the yoke of Spain—sustained the weary, starving people. Self was merged in sacrifice. It is also the story of one of the greatest miracles of history. In a great storm that flooded the meadows the Rescue Fleet swept right up to the walls of Leyden.

Like our own times, the period of the story was one of great social change, the stirring of independence and tolerance that was the prelude to our own independence and representative form of government.

From the dust jacket