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diff --git a/4825.txt b/4825.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..dbad0db --- /dev/null +++ b/4825.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2515 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook The Rise of the Dutch Republic, 1576 +#25 in our series by John Lothrop Motley + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**EBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These EBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers***** + + +Title: The Rise of the Dutch Republic, 1576 + +Author: John Lothrop Motley + +Release Date: January, 2004 [EBook #4825] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on March 26, 2002] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + + + + + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE DUTCH REPUBLIC, 1576 *** + + + +This eBook was produced by David Widger + + + +[NOTE: There is a short list of bookmarks, or pointers, at the end of the +file for those who may wish to sample the author's ideas before making an +entire meal of them. D.W.] + + + + + +MOTLEY'S HISTORY OF THE NETHERLANDS, Project Gutenberg Edition, Volume 25. + +THE RISE OF THE DUTCH REPUBLIC, 1576 + +By John Lothop Motley + +1855 + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + Assumption of affairs by the state council at Brussels--Hesitation + at Madrid--Joachim Hopper--Mal-administration--Vigilance of Orange-- + The provinces drawn more closely together--Inequality of the + conflict--Physical condition of Holland--New act of Union between + Holland and Zealand--Authority of the Prince defined and enlarged-- + Provincial polity characterized--Generous sentiments of the Prince-- + His tolerant spirit--Letters from the King--Attitude of the great + powers towards the Netherlands--Correspondence and policy of + Elizabeth--Secret negotiations with France and Alencon--Confused and + menacing aspect of Germany--Responsible, and laborious position of + Orange--Attempt to relieve Zierickzee--Death of Admiral Boisot-- + Capitulation of the city upon honourable terms--Mutiny of the + Spanish troops in Schouwen--General causes of discontent--Alarming + increase of the mutiny--The rebel regiments enter Brabant--Fruitless + attempts to pacify them--They take possession of Alost--Edicts, + denouncing them, from the state council--Intense excitement in + Brussels and Antwerp--Letters from Philip brought by Marquis Havre-- + The King's continued procrastination--Ruinous royal confirmation of + the authority assumed by the state council--United and general + resistance to foreign military oppression--The German troops and the + Antwerp garrison, under Avila, join the revolt--Letter of Verdugo-- + A crisis approaching--Jerome de Roda in the citadel--The mutiny + universal. + +The death of Requesens, notwithstanding his four days' illness, occurred +so suddenly, that he had not had time to appoint his successor. Had he +exercised this privilege, which his patent conferred upon him, it was +supposed that he would have nominated Count Mansfeld to exercise the +functions of Governor-General, until the King should otherwise ordain. + +In the absence of any definite arrangement, the Council of State, +according to a right which that body claimed from custom, assumed the +reins of government. Of the old board, there were none left but the Duke +of Aerschot, Count Berlaymont, and Viglins. To these were soon added, +however, by royal diploma, the Spaniard, Jerome de Roda, and the +Netherlanders, Assonleville, Baron Rassenghiem and Arnold Sasbout. +Thus, all the members, save one, of what had now become the executive +body, were natives of the country. Roda was accordingly looked askance +upon by his colleagues. He was regarded by Viglius as a man who desired +to repeat the part which had been played by Juan Vargas in the Blood +Council, while the other members, although stanch Catholics, were all of +them well-disposed to vindicate the claim of Netherland nobles to a share +in the government of the Netherlands. + +For a time, therefore, the transfer of authority seemed to have been +smoothly accomplished. The Council of State conducted the administration +of the country. Peter Ernest Mansfeld was entrusted with the supreme +military command, including the government of Brussels; and the Spanish +commanders; although dissatisfied that any but a Spaniard should be thus +honored, were for a time quiescent. When the news reached Madrid, Philip +was extremely disconcerted. The death of Requesens excited his +indignation. He was angry with him, not for dying, but for dying at so +very inconvenient a moment. He had not yet fully decided either upon his +successor, or upon the policy to be enforced by his successor. There +were several candidates for the vacant post; there was a variety of +opinions in the cabinet as to the course of conduct to be adopted. In the +impossibility of instantly making up his mind upon this unexpected +emergency, Philip fell, as it were, into a long reverie, than which +nothing could be more inopportune. With a country in a state of +revolution and exasperation, the trance, which now seemed to come +over the government, was like to be followed by deadly effects. +The stationary policy, which the death of Requesens had occasioned, +was allowed to prolong itself indefinitely, and almost for the first +time in his life, Joachim Hopper was really consulted about the affairs +of that department over which he imagined himself, and was generally +supposed by others, to preside at Madrid. The creature of Viglius, +having all the subserviency, with none of the acuteness of his patron, +he had been long employed as chief of the Netherland bureau, while kept +in profound ignorance of the affairs which were transacted in his office. +He was a privy councillor, whose counsels were never heeded, +a confidential servant in whom the King reposed confidence, only on the +ground that no man could reveal secrets which he did not know. This +deportment of the King's showed that he had accurately measured the man, +for Hopper was hardly competent for the place of a chief clerk. He was +unable to write clearly in any language, because incapable of a fully +developed thought upon any subject. It may be supposed that nothing but +an abortive policy, therefore, would be produced upon the occasion thus +suddenly offered. "'Tis a devout man, that poor Master Hopper," said +Granvelle, "but rather fitted for platonic researches than for affairs of +state." + +It was a proof of this incompetency, that now, when really called upon +for advice in an emergency, he should recommend a continuance of the +interim. Certainly nothing worse could be devised. Granvelle +recommended a reappointment of the Duchess Margaret. Others suggested +Duke Eric of Brunswick, or an Archduke of the Austrian house; although +the opinion held by most of the influential councillors was in favor of +Don John of Austria. In the interests of Philip and his despotism, +nothing, at any rate, could be more fatal than delay. In the condition of +affairs which then existed, the worst or feeblest governor would have +been better than none at all. To leave a vacancy was to play directly +into the hands of Orange, for it was impossible that so skilful an +adversary should not at once perceive the fault, and profit by it to the +utmost. It was strange that Philip did not see the danger of inactivity +at such a crisis. Assuredly, indolence was never his vice, but on this +occasion indecision did the work of indolence. Unwittingly, the despot +was assisting the efforts of the liberator. Viglius saw the position of +matters with his customary keenness, and wondered at the blindness of +Hopper and Philip. At the last gasp of a life, which neither learning +nor the accumulation of worldly prizes and worldly pelf could redeem from +intrinsic baseness, the sagacious but not venerable old man saw that a +chasm was daily widening; in which the religion and the despotism which +he loved might soon be hopelessly swallowed. "The Prince of Orange and +his Beggars do not sleep," he cried, almost in anguish; "nor will they be +quiet till they have made use of this interregnum to do us some immense +grievance." Certainly the Prince of Orange did not sleep upon this nor +any other great occasion of his life. In his own vigorous language, used +to stimulate his friends in various parts of the country, he seized the +swift occasion by the forelock. He opened a fresh correspondence with +many leading gentlemen in Brussels and other places in the Netherlands; +persons of influence, who now, for the first time, showed a disposition +to side with their country against its tyrants. Hitherto the land had +been divided into two very unequal portions. Holland and Zealand were +devoted to the Prince; their whole population, with hardly an individual +exception, converted to the Reformed religion. The other fifteen +provinces were, on the whole, loyal to the King; while the old religion +had, of late years, taken root so rapidly again, that perhaps a moiety of +their population might be considered as Catholic. At the same time, the +reign of terror under Alva, the paler, but not less distinct tyranny of +Requesens, and the intolerable excesses of the foreign soldiery, by which +the government of foreigners was supported, had at last maddened all the +inhabitants of the seventeen provinces. Notwithstanding, therefore, the +fatal difference of religious opinion, they were all drawn into closer +relations with each other; to regain their ancient privileges, and to +expel the detested foreigners from the soil, being objects common to all. +The provinces were united in one great hatred and one great hope. + +The Hollanders and Zealanders, under their heroic leader, had well nigh +accomplished both tasks, so far as those little provinces were concerned. +Never had a contest, however, seemed more hopeless at its commencement. +Cast a glance at the map. Look at Holland--not the Republic, with its +sister provinces beyond the Zuyder Zee--but Holland only, with the +Zealand archipelago. Look at that narrow tongue of half-submerged earth. +Who could suppose that upon that slender sand-bank, one hundred and +twenty miles in length, and varying in breadth from four miles to forty, +one man, backed by the population of a handful of cities, could do battle +nine years long with the master of two worlds, the "Dominator Of Asia, +Africa, and America"--the despot of the fairest realms of Europe--and +conquer him at last. Nor was William even entirely master of that narrow +shoal where clung the survivors of a great national shipwreck. North and +South Holland were cut in two by the loss of Harlem, while the enemy was +in possession of the natural capital of the little country, Amsterdam. +The Prince affirmed that the cause had suffered more from the disloyalty +of Amsterdam than from all the efforts of the enemy. + +Moreover, the country was in a most desolate condition. It was almost +literally a sinking ship. The destruction of the bulwarks against the +ocean had been so extensive, in consequence of the voluntary inundations +which have been described in previous pages, and by reason of the general +neglect which more vital occupations had necessitated, that an enormous +outlay, both of labor and money, was now indispensable to save the +physical existence of the country. The labor and the money, +notwithstanding the crippled and impoverished condition of the nation, +were, however, freely contributed; a wonderful example of energy and +patient heroism was again exhibited. The dykes which had been swept +away in every direction were renewed at a vast expense. Moreover, the +country, in the course of recent events, had become almost swept bare of +its cattle, and it was necessary to pass a law forbidding, for a +considerable period, the slaughter of any animals, "oxen, cows, calves, +sheep, or poultry." It was, unfortunately, not possible to provide by +law against that extermination of the human population which had been +decreed by Philip and the Pope. + +Such was the physical and moral condition of the provinces of Holland and +Zealand. The political constitution of both assumed, at this epoch, a +somewhat altered aspect. The union between the two states; effected in +June, 1575, required improvement. The administration of justice, the +conflicts of laws, and more particularly the levying of monies and troops +in equitable proportions, had not been adjusted with perfect smoothness. +The estates of the two provinces, assembled in congress at Delft, +concluded, therefore, a new act of union, which was duly signed upon the +25th of April, 1576. Those estates, consisting of the knights and nobles +of Holland, with the deputies from the cities and countships of Holland +and Zealand, had been duly summoned by the Prince of Orange. They as +fairly included all the political capacities, and furnished as copious +a representation of the national will, as could be expected, for it is +apparent upon every page of his history, that the Prince, upon all +occasions, chose to refer his policy to the approval and confirmation +of as large a portion of the people as any man in those days considered +capable or desirous of exercising political functions. + +The new, union consisted of eighteen articles. It was established that +deputies from all the estates should meet, when summoned by the Prince of +Orange or otherwise, on penalty of fine, and at the risk of measures +binding upon them being passed by the rest of the Congress. Freshly +arising causes of litigation were to be referred to the Prince. Free +intercourse and traffic through the united provinces was guaranteed. +The confederates were mutually to assist each other in preventing all +injustice, wrong, or violence, even towards an enemy. The authority of +law and the pure administration of justice were mutually promised by the +contracting states. The common expenses were to be apportioned among the +different provinces, "as if they were all included in the republic of a +single city." Nine commissioners, appointed by the Prince on nomination +by the estates, were to sit permanently, as his advisers, and as +assessors and collectors of the taxes. The tenure of the union was from +six months to six months, with six weeks notice. + +The framers of this compact having thus defined the general outlines of +the confederacy, declared that the government, thus constituted, should +be placed under a single head. They accordingly conferred supreme +authority on the Prince, defining his powers in eighteen articles. He +was declared chief commander by land and sea. He was to appoint all +officers, from generals to subalterns, and to pay them at his discretion. +The whole protection of the land was devolved upon him. He was to send +garrisons or troops into every city and village at his pleasure, without +advice or consent of the estates, magistrates of the cities, or any other +persons whatsoever. He was, in behalf of the King as Count of Holland +and Zealand, to cause justice to be administered by the supreme court. +In the same capacity he was to provide for vacancies in all political +and judicial offices of importance, choosing, with the advice of the +estates, one officer for each vacant post out of three candidates +nominated to him by that body. He was to appoint and renew, at the +usual times, the magistracies in the cities, according to the ancient +constitutions. He was to make changes in those boards, if necessary, +at unusual times, with consent of the majority of those representing +the great council and corpus of the said cities. He was to uphold the +authority and pre-eminence of all civil functionaries, and to prevent +governors and military officers from taking any cognizance of political +or judicial affairs. With regard to religion, he was to maintain the +practice of the Reformed Evangelical religion, and to cause to surcease +the exercise of all other religions contrary to the Gospel. He was, +however, not to permit that inquisition should be made into any man's +belief or conscience, or that any man by cause thereof should suffer +trouble, injury, or hindrance. + +The league thus concluded was a confederation between a group of +virtually independent little republics. Each municipality, was, as it +were, a little sovereign, sending envoys to a congress to vote and to +sign as plenipotentiaries. The vote of each city was, therefore, +indivisible, and it mattered little, practically, whether there were +one deputy or several. The nobles represented not only their own order, +but were supposed to act also in behalf of the rural population. On the +whole, there was a tolerably fair representation of the whole nation. +The people were well and worthily represented in the government of each +city, and therefore equally so in the assembly of the estates. It was +not till later that the corporations, by the extinction of the popular +element, and by the usurpation of the right of self-election, were +thoroughly stiffened into fictitious personages which never died, and +which were never thoroughly alive. + +At this epoch the provincial liberties, so far as they could maintain +themselves against Spanish despotism, were practical and substantial. +The government was a representative one, in which all those who had the +inclination possessed, in one mode or another, a voice. Although the +various members of the confederacy were locally and practically republics +or self-governed little commonwealths, the general government which they, +established was, in form, monarchical. The powers conferred upon Orange +constituted him a sovereign ad interim, for while the authority of the +Spanish monarch remained suspended, the Prince was invested, not only +with the whole executive and appointing power, but even with a very large +share in the legislative functions of the state. + +The whole system was rather practical than theoretical, without any +accurate distribution of political powers. In living, energetic +communities, where the blood of the body politic circulates swiftly, +there is an inevitable tendency of the different organs to sympathize +and commingle more closely than a priori philosophy would allow. +It is usually more desirable than practicable to keep the executive, +legislative, and judicial departments entirely independent of +each other. + +Certainly, the Prince of Orange did not at that moment indulge in +speculations concerning the nature and origin of government. The +Congress of Delft had just clothed him with almost regal authority. +In his hands were the powers of war and peace, joint control of the +magistracies and courts of justice, absolute supremacy over the army and +the fleets. It is true that these attributes had been conferred upon him +ad interim, but it depended only upon himself to make the sovereignty +personal and permanent. He was so thoroughly absorbed in his work, +however, that he did not even see the diadem which he put aside. +It was small matter to him whether they called him stadholder or +guardian, prince or king. He was the father of his country and its +defender. The people, from highest to lowest, called him "Father +William," and the title was enough for him. The question with him was +not what men should call him, but how he should best accomplish his task. + +So little was he inspired by the sentiment of self-elevation, that he was +anxiously seeking for a fitting person--strong, wise, and willing enough +--to exercise the sovereignty which was thrust upon himself, but which he +desired to exchange against an increased power to be actively useful to +his country. To expel the foreign oppressor; to strangle the +Inquisition; to maintain the ancient liberties of the nation; here was +labor enough for his own hands. The vulgar thought of carving a throne +out of the misfortunes of his country seems not to have entered his mind. +Upon one point, however, the Prince had been peremptory. He would have +no persecution of the opposite creed. He was requested to suppress the +Catholic religion, in terms. As we have seen, he caused the expression +to be exchanged for the words, "religion at variance with the Gospel." +He resolutely stood out against all meddling with men's consciences, +or inquiring into their thoughts. While smiting the Spanish Inquisition +into the dust, he would have no Calvinist inquisition set up in its +place. Earnestly a convert to the Reformed religion, but hating and +denouncing only what was corrupt in the ancient Church, he would not +force men, with fire and sword, to travel to heaven upon his own road. +Thought should be toll-free. Neither monk nor minister should burn, +drown, or hang his fellow-creatures, when argument or expostulation +failed to redeem them from error. It was no small virtue, in that age, +to rise to such a height. We know what Calvinists, Zwinglians, +Lutherans, have done in the Netherlands, in Germany, in Switzerland, and +almost a century later in New England. It is, therefore, with increased +veneration that we regard this large and truly catholic mind. His +tolerance proceeded from no indifference. No man can read his private +writings, or form a thorough acquaintance with his interior life, without +recognizing him as a deeply religious man. He had faith unfaltering in +God. He had also faith in man and love for his brethren. It was no +wonder that in that age of religious bigotry he should have been +assaulted on both sides. While the Pope excommunicated him as a heretic, +and the King set a price upon his head as a rebel, the fanatics of the +new religion denounced him as a godless man. Peter Dathenus, the +unfrocked monk of Poperingen, shrieked out in his pulpit that the +"Prince of Orange cared nothing either for God or for religion." + +The death of Requesens had offered the first opening through which the +watchful Prince could hope to inflict a wound in the vital part of +Spanish authority in the Netherlands. The languor of Philip and the +procrastinating counsel of the dull Hopper unexpectedly widened the +opening. On the 24th of March letters were written by his Majesty to the +states-general, to the provincial estates, and to the courts of justice, +instructing them that, until further orders, they were all to obey the +Council of State. The King was confident that all would do their utmost +to assist that body in securing the holy Catholic Faith and the implicit +obedience of the country to its sovereign. He would, in the meantime, +occupy himself with the selection of a new Governor-General, who should +be of his family and blood. This uncertain and perilous condition of +things was watched with painful interest in neighbouring countries. + +The fate of all nations was more or less involved in the development of +the great religious contest now waging in the Netherlands. England and +France watched each other's movements in the direction of the provinces +with intense jealousy. The Protestant Queen was the natural ally of the +struggling Reformers, but her despotic sentiments were averse to the +fostering of rebellion against the Lord's anointed. The thrifty Queen +looked with alarm at the prospect of large subsidies which would +undoubtedly be demanded of her. The jealous Queen could as ill brook the +presence of the French in the Netherlands as that of the Spaniards whom +they were to expel. She therefore embarrassed, as usual, the operations +of the Prince by a course of stale political coquetry. She wrote to him, +on the 18th of March, soon after the news of the Grand Commander's death, +saying that she could not yet accept the offer which had been made to +her, to take the provinces of Holland and Zealand under her safe keeping, +to assume, as Countess, the sovereignty over them, and to protect the +inhabitants against the alleged tyranny of the King of Spain. She was +unwilling to do so until she had made every effort to reconcile them with +that sovereign. Before the death of Requesens she had been intending to +send him an envoy, proposing a truce, for the purpose of negotiation. +This purpose she still retained. She should send commissioners to the +Council of State and to the new Governor, when he should arrive. She +should also send a special envoy to the King of Spain. She doubted not +that the King would take her advice, when he heard her speak in such +straightforward language. In the meantime, she hoped that they would +negotiate with no other powers. + +This was not very satisfactory. The Queen rejected the offers to +herself, but begged that they might, by no means, be made to her rivals. +The expressed intention of softening the heart of Philip by the use of +straightforward language seemed but a sorry sarcasm. It was hardly worth +while to wait long for so improbable a result. Thus much for England at +that juncture. Not inimical, certainly; but over-cautious, ungenerous, +teasing, and perplexing, was the policy of the maiden Queen. With regard +to France, events there seemed to favor the hopes of Orange. On the 14th +of May, the "Peace of Monsieur," the treaty by which so ample but so +short-lived a triumph was achieved by the Huguenots, was signed at Paris. +Everything was conceded, but nothing was secured. Rights of worship, +rights of office, political and civil, religious enfranchisement, were +recovered, but not guaranteed. It seemed scarcely possible that the King +could be in earnest then, even if a Medicean Valois could ever be +otherwise than treacherous. It was almost, certain, therefore, that a +reaction would take place; but it is easier for us, three centuries after +the event, to mark the precise moment of reaction, than it was for the +most far-seeing contemporary to foretell how soon it would occur. In the +meantime, it was the Prince's cue to make use of this sunshine while it +lasted. Already, so soon as the union of 25th of April had been +concluded between Holland and Zealand, he had forced the estates to open +negotiations with France. The provinces, although desirous to confer +sovereignty upon him, were indisposed to renounce their old allegiance +to their King in order to place it at the disposal of a foreigner. +Nevertheless, a resolution, at the reiterated demands of Orange, was +passed by the estates, to proceed to the change of master, and, for that, +purpose, to treat with the King of France, his brother, or any other +foreign potentate, who would receive these provinces of Holland and +Zealand under his government and protection. Negotiations were +accordingly opened with the Duke-of-Anjou, the dilettante leader of the +Huguenots at that remarkable juncture. It was a pity that no better +champion could be looked for among the anointed of the earth than the +false, fickle, foolish Alencon, whose career, everywhere contemptible, +was nowhere so flagitious as in the Netherlands. By the fourteenth +article of the Peace of Paris, the Prince was reinstated and secured in +his principality of Orange; and his other possessions in France. The +best feeling; for the time being, was manifested between the French court +and the Reformation. + +Thus much for England and France. As for Germany, the prospects of the +Netherlands were not flattering. The Reforming spirit had grown languid, +from various causes. The self-seeking motives of many Protestant princes +had disgusted the nobles. Was that the object of the bloody wars of +religion, that a few potentates should be enabled to enrich themselves by +confiscating the broad lands and accumulated treasures of the Church? +Had the creed of Luther been embraced only for such unworthy ends? +These suspicions chilled the ardor of thousands, particularly among +the greater ones of the land. Moreover, the discord among the Reformers +themselves waxed daily, and became more and more mischievous. Neither +the people nor their leaders could learn that, not a new doctrine, but a +wise toleration for all Christian doctrines was wanted. Of new doctrines +there was no lack. Lutherans, Calvinists, Flaccianists, Majorists, +Adiaphorists, Brantianists, Ubiquitists, swarmed and contended pell-mell. +In this there would have been small harm, if the Reformers had known what +reformation meant. But they could not invent or imagine toleration. +All claimed the privilege of persecuting. There were sagacious and +honest men among the great ones of the country, but they were but few. +Wise William of Hesse strove hard to effect a concordia among the jarring +sects; Count John of Nassau, though a passionate Calvinist, did no less; +while the Elector of Saxony, on the other hand, raging and roaring like a +bull of Bashan, was for sacrificing the interest of millions on the altar +of his personal spite. Cursed was his tribe if he forgave the Prince. +He had done what he could at the Diet of Ratisbon to exclude all +Calvinists from a participation in the religious peace of Germany, +and he redoubled his efforts to prevent the extension of any benefits +to the Calvinists of the Netherlands. These determinations had remained +constant and intense. + +On the whole, the political appearance of Germany was as menacing as +that of France seemed for a time favorable to the schemes of Orange. +The quarrels of the princes, and the daily widening schism between +Lutherans and Calvinists, seemed to bode little good to the cause of +religious freedom. The potentates were perplexed and at variance, the +nobles lukewarm and discontented. Among the people, although subdivided +into hostile factions, there was more life. Here, at least, were +heartiness of love and hate, enthusiastic conviction, earnestness and +agitation. "The true religion," wrote Count John, "is spreading daily +among the common men. Among the powerful, who think themselves highly +learned, and who sit in roses, it grows, alas, little. Here and there a +Nicodemus or two may be found, but things will hardly go better here than +in France or the Netherlands." + +Thus, then, stood affairs in the neighbouring countries. The prospect +was black in Germany, more encouraging in France, dubious, or worse, in +England. More work, more anxiety, more desperate struggles than ever, +devolved upon the Prince. Secretary Brunynck wrote that his illustrious +chief was tolerably well in health, but so loaded with affairs, sorrows, +and travails, that, from morning till night, he had scarcely leisure to +breathe. Besides his multitudinous correspondence with the public +bodies, whose labors he habitually directed; with the various estates +of the provinces, which he was gradually moulding into an organised and +general resistance to the Spanish power; with public envoys and with +secret agents to foreign cabinets, all of whom received their +instructions from him alone; with individuals of eminence and influence, +whom he was eloquently urging to abandon their hostile position to their +fatherland; and to assist him in the great work which he was doing; +besides these numerous avocations, he was actively and anxiously +engaged during the spring of 1576, with the attempt to relieve +the city of Zierickzee. + +That important place, the capital of Schouwen, and the key to half +Zealand, had remained closely invested since the memorable expedition to +Duiveland. The Prince had passed much of his time in the neighbourhood, +during the month of May, in order to attend personally to the +contemplated relief, and to correspond daily with the beleaguered +garrison. At last, on the 25th of May, a vigorous effort was made to +throw in succor by sea. The brave Admiral Boisot, hero of the memorable +relief of Leyden, had charge of the expedition. Mondragon had surrounded +the shallow harbor with hulks and chains, and with a loose submerged dyke +of piles and rubbish. Against this obstacle Boisot drove his ship, the +'Red Lion,' with his customary audacity, but did not succeed in cutting +it through. His vessel, the largest of the feet, became entangled: he +was, at the same time, attacked from a distance by the besiegers. The +tide ebbed and left his ship aground, while the other vessels had been +beaten back by the enemy. Night approached; and there was no possibility +of accomplishing the enterprise. His ship was hopelessly stranded. With +the morning's sun his captivity was certain. Rather than fall into the +hands of his enemy, he sprang into the sea; followed by three hundred of +his companions, some of whom were fortunate enough to effect their +escape. The gallant Admiral swam a long time, sustained by a broken +spar. Night and darkness came on before assistance could be rendered, +and he perished. Thus died Louis Boisot, one of the most enterprising of +the early champions of Netherland freedom--one of the bravest precursors +of that race of heroes, the commanders of the Holland navy. The Prince +deplored his loss deeply, as that of a "valiant gentleman, and one well +affectioned to the common cause." His brother, Charles Boisot, as will +be remembered, had perished by treachery at the first landing of the +Spanish troops; after their perilous passage from Duiveland.--Thus both +the brethren had laid down their lives for their country, in this its +outer barrier, and in the hour of its utmost need. The fall of the +beleaguered town could no longer be deferred. The Spaniards were, at +last, to receive the prize of that romantic valor which had led them +across the bottom of the sea to attack the city. Nearly nine months had, +however, elapsed since that achievement; and the Grand Commander, by +whose orders it had been undertaken, had been four months in his grave. +He was permitted to see neither the long-delayed success which crowded +the enterprise, nor the procession of disasters and crimes which were to +mark it as a most fatal success. + +On the 21st of June, 1576, Zierickzee, instructed by the Prince of Orange +to accept honorable terms, if offered, agreed to surrender. Mondragon, +whose soldiers were in a state of suffering, and ready to break out in +mutiny, was but too happy to grant an honorable capitulation. The +garrison were allowed to go out with their arms and personal baggage. +The citizens were permitted to retain or resume their privileges and +charters, on payment of two hundred thousand guldens. Of, sacking and +burning there was, on this occasion, fortunately, no question; but the +first half of the commutation money was to be paid in cash. There was +but little money in the impoverished little town, but mint-masters were +appointed by the: magistrates to take their seats at once an in the Hotel +de Ville. The citizens brought their spoons and silver dishes; one after +another, which were melted and coined into dollars and half-dollars, +until the payment was satisfactorily adjusted. Thus fell Zierickzee, +to the deep regret of the Prince. "Had we received the least succor in +the world from any side," he wrote; "the poor city should never have +fallen. I could get nothing from France or England, with all my efforts. +Nevertheless, we do not lose courage, but hope that, although abandoned +by all the world, the Lord God will extend His right hand over us." + +The enemies were not destined to go farther. From their own hand now +came the blow which was to expel them from the soil which they had so +long polluted. No sooner was Zierickzee captured than a mutiny broke +forth among several companies of Spaniards and Walloons, belonging, to +the army in Schouwen. A large number of the most influential officers +had gone to Brussels, to make arrangements, if possible; for the payment +of the troops. In their absence there was more scope for the arguments +of the leading mutineers; arguments assuredly, not entirely destitute of +justice or logical precision. If ever laborers were worthy of their +hire, certainly it was the Spanish soldiery. Had they not done the work +of demons for nine years long? Could Philip or Alva have found in the +wide world men to execute their decrees with more unhesitating docility, +with more sympathizing eagerness? What obstacle had ever given them +pause in their career of duty? What element had they not braved? Had +not they fought within the bowels of the earth, beneath the depths of the +sea, within blazing cities, and upon fields of ice? Where was the work +which had been too dark and bloody for their performance? Had they not +slaughtered unarmed human beings by townfuls, at the word of command? +Had they not eaten the flesh, and drank the hearts' blood of their +enemies? Had they not stained the house of God with wholesale massacre? +What altar and what hearthstone had they not profaned? What fatigue, +what danger, what crime, had ever checked them for a moment? And for all +this obedience, labor, and bloodshed, were they not even to be paid such +wages as the commonest clown, who only tore the earth at home, received? +Did Philip believe that a few thousand Spaniards were to execute his +sentence of death against three millions of Netherlanders, and be +cheated of their pay at last? + +It was in vain that arguments and expostulations were addressed to +soldiers who were suffering from want, and maddened by injustice. They +determined to take their cause into their own hand, as they had often +done before. By the 15th of July, the mutiny was general on the isle of +Schouwen. Promises were freely offered, both of pay and pardon; appeals +were made to their old sense of honor and loyalty; but they had had +enough of promises, of honor, and of work. What they wanted now were +shoes and jerkins, bread and meat, and money. Money they would have, and +that at once. The King of Spain was their debtor. The Netherlands +belonged to the King of Spain. They would therefore levy on the +Netherlands for payment of their debt. Certainly this was a logical +deduction. They knew by experience that this process had heretofore +excited more indignation in the minds of the Netherland people than in +that of their master. Moreover, at this juncture, they cared little +for their sovereign's displeasure, and not at all for that of the +Netherlanders. By the middle of July, then, the mutineers, now entirely +beyond control, held their officers imprisoned within their quarters at +Zierickzee. They even surrounded the house of Mondtagon, who had so +often led them to victory, calling upon him with threats and taunts to +furnish them with money. The veteran, roused to fury by their +insubordination and their taunts, sprang from his house into the midst of +the throng. Baring his breast before them, he fiercely invited and dared +their utmost violence. Of his life-blood, he told them bitterly, he was +no niggard, and it was at their disposal. His wealth, had he possessed +any, would have been equally theirs. Shamed into temporary respect, but +not turned from their purpose by the choler of their chief, they left him +to himself. Soon afterwards, having swept Schouwen island bare of every +thing which could be consumed, the mutineers swarmed out of Zealand into +Brabant, devouring as they went. + +It was their purpose to hover for a time in the neighbourhood of the +capital, and either to force the Council of State to pay them their long +arrears, or else to seize and sack the richest city upon which they could +lay their hands. The compact, disciplined mass, rolled hither and +thither, with uncertainty of purpose, but with the same military +precision of movement which had always characterized these remarkable +mutinies. It gathered strength daily. The citizens of Brussels +contemplated with dismay the eccentric and threatening apparition. +They knew that rapine, murder, and all the worst evils which man can +inflict on his brethren were pent within it, and would soon descend. +Yet, even with all their past experience, did they not foresee the depth +of woe which was really impending. The mutineers had discarded such of +their officers as they could not compel to obedience, and had, as usual, +chosen their Eletto. Many straggling companies joined them as they swept +to and fro. They came to Herenthals, where they were met by Count +Mansfeld, who was deputed by the Council of State to treat with them, +to appeal to them; to pardon them, to offer, them everything but money. +It may be supposed that the success of the commander-in-chief was no +better than that of Mondragon and his subalterns. They laughed him to +scorn when he reminded them how their conduct was tarnishing the glory +which they had acquired by nine years of heroism. They answered with +their former cynicism, that glory could be put neither into pocket nor +stomach. They had no use for it; they had more than enough of it. Give +them money, or give them a City, these were their last terms. + +Sorrowfully and bodingly Mansfeld withdrew to consult again with the +State Council. The mutineers then made a demonstration upon Mechlin, +but that city having fortunately strengthened its garrison, was allowed +to escape. They then hovered for a time outside the walls of Brussels. +At Grimsberg, where they paused for a short period, they held a parley +with Captain Montesdocca, whom they received with fair words and specious +pretences. He returned to Brussels with the favourable tidings, and the +mutineers swarmed off to Assche. Thither Montesdoeca was again +despatched, with the expectation that he would be able to bring them to +terms, but they drove him off with jeers and threats, finding that he +brought neither money nor the mortgage of a populous city. The next day, +after a feint or two in a different direction, they made a sudden swoop +upon Alost, in Flanders. Here they had at last made their choice, +and the town was carried by storm. All the inhabitants who opposed +them were butchered, and the mutiny, at last established in a capital, +was able to treat with the State Council upon equal terms. They were +now between two and three thousand strong, disciplined, veteran troops, +posted in a strong and wealthy city. One hundred parishes belonged to +the jurisdiction of Alost, all of which were immediately laid under +contribution. + +The excitement was now intense in Brussels. Anxiety and alarm had given +place to rage, and the whole population rose in arms to defend the +capital, which was felt to be in imminent danger. This spontaneous +courage of the burghers prevented the catastrophe, which was reserved for +a sister city. Meantime, the indignation and horror excited by the +mutiny were so universal that the Council of State could not withstand +the pressure. Even the women and children demanded daily in the streets +that the rebel soldiers should be declared outlaws. On the 26th of July, +accordingly, the King of Spain was made to pronounce, his Spaniards +traitors and murderers. All men were enjoined to slay one or all of +them, wherever they should be found; to refuse them bread, water, and +fire, and to assemble at sound of bell; in every city; whenever the +magistrates should order an assault upon them. A still more stringent +edict was issued on the 2nd of August; and so eagerly had these degrees +been expected, that they were published throughout Flanders and Brabant +almost as soon as issued. Hitherto the leading officers of the Spanish +army had kept aloof from the insurgents, and frowned upon their +proceedings. The Spanish member of the State Council, Jerome de Roda, +had joined without opposition in the edict. As, however, the mutiny +gathered strength on the outside, the indignation waxed daily within the +capital. The citizens of Brussels, one and all, stood to their arms. +Not a man could enter or leave without their permission. The Spaniards +who were in the town, whether soldiers or merchants, were regarded with +suspicion and abhorrence. The leading Spanish officers, Romero, +Montesdocca, Verdugo, and others, who had attempted to quell the mutiny, +had been driven off with threats and curses, their soldiers defying them +and brandishing their swords in their very faces. On the other hand, +they were looked upon with ill-will by the Netherlanders. The most +prominent Spanish personages in Brussels were kept in a state of half- +imprisonment. Romero, Roda, Verdugo, were believed to favor at heart the +cause of their rebellious troops, and the burghers of Brabant had come to +consider all the King's army in a state of rebellion. Believing the +State Council powerless to protect them from the impending storm, they +regarded that body with little respect, keeping it, as it were, in +durance, while the Spaniards were afraid to walk the streets of Brussels +for fear of being murdered. A retainer of Rods, who had ventured to +defend the character and conduct of his master before a number of excited +citizens, was slain on the spot. + +In Antwerp, Champagny, brother of Granvelle, and governor of the city, +was disposed to cultivate friendly relations with the Prince of Orange. +Champagny hated the Spaniards, and the hatred seemed to establish enough +of sympathy between himself and the liberal party to authorize confidence +in him. The Prince dealt with him, but regarded him warily. Fifteen +companies of German troops, under Colonel Altaemst, were suspected of a +strong inclination to join the mutiny. They were withdrawn from Antwerp, +and in their room came Count Uberstein, with his regiment, who swore to +admit no suspicious person inside the gates, and in all things to obey +the orders of Champagny. In the citadel, however, matters were very +threatening. Sancho d'Avila, the governor, although he had not openly +joined the revolt, treated the edict of outlawry against the rebellious +soldiery with derision. He refused to publish a decree which he +proclaimed infamous, and which had been extorted, in his opinion, from an +impotent and trembling council. Even Champagny had not desired or dared +to publish the edict within the city. The reasons alleged were his fears +of irritating and alarming the foreign merchants, whose position was so +critical and friendship so important at that moment. On the other hand, +it was loudly and joyfully published in most other towns of Flanders and +Brabant. In Brussels there were two parties, one holding the decree +too audacious for his Majesty to pardon; the other clamoring for its +instantaneous fulfilment. By far the larger and more influential portion +of the population favored the measure, and wished the sentence of +outlawry and extermination to be extended at once against all Spaniards +and other foreigners in the service of the King. It seemed imprudent to +wait until all the regiments had formally accepted the mutiny, and +concentrated themselves into a single body. + +At this juncture, on the last day of July, the Marquis off Havre, brother +to the Duke of Aerschot, arrived out of Spain. He was charged by the +King with conciliatory but unmeaning phrases to the estates. The +occasion was not a happy one. There never was a time when direct and +vigorous action had been more necessary. It was probably the King's +desire then, as much as it ever had been his desire at all, to make up +the quarrel with his provinces. He had been wearied with the policy +which Alva had enforced, and for which he endeavoured at that period to +make the Duke appear responsible. The barren clemency which the Grand +Commander had been instructed to affect, had deceived but few persons, +and had produced but small results. The King was, perhaps, really +inclined at this juncture to exercise clemency--that is to say he was +willing to pardon his people for having contended for their rights, +provided they were now willing to resign them for ever. So the +Catholic religion and his own authority, were exclusively and +inviolably secured, he was willing to receive his disobedient +provinces into favor. To accomplish this end, however, he had +still no more fortunate conception than to take the advice of Hopper. +A soothing procrastination was the anodyne selected for the bitter pangs +of the body politic--a vague expression of royal benignity the styptic to +be applied to its mortal wounds. An interval of hesitation was to bridge +over the chasm between the provinces and their distant metropolis. +"The Marquis of Havre has been sent," said the King, "that he may +expressly witness to you of our good intentions, and of our desire, +with the grace of God, to bring about a pacification." Alas, it was +well known whence those pavements of good intentions had been taken, and +whither they would lead. They were not the material for a substantial +road to reconciliation. "His Majesty," said the Marquis; on delivering +his report to the State Council, "has long been pondering over all things +necessary to the peace of the land. His Majesty, like a very gracious +and bountiful Prince, has ever been disposed, in times past, to treat +these, his subjects, by the best and sweetest means." There being, +however, room for an opinion that so bountiful a prince might have +discovered sweeter means, by all this pondering, than to burn and gibbet +his subjects by thousands, it was thought proper to insinuate that his +orders had been hitherto misunderstood. Alva and Requesens had been +unfaithful agents, who did not know their business, but it was to be set +right in future. "As the good-will and meaning of his Majesty has, by no +means been followed," continued the envoy, "his Majesty has determined +to send Councillor Hopper, keeper of the privy seal, and myself, +hitherwards, to execute the resolutions of his Majesty." Two such +personages as poor, plodding, confused; time-serving Hopper, and flighty, +talkative Havre, whom even Requesens despised, and whom Don John, while +shortly afterwards recommending him for a state councillor, +characterized, to Philip as "a very great scoundrel;" would hardly be +able, even if royally empowered, to undo the work of two preceding +administrations. Moreover, Councillor Hopper, on further thoughts, was +not despatched at all to the Netherlands. + +The provinces were, however, assured by the King's letters to the Brabant +estates, to the State Council, and other, public bodies, as well as by +the report of the Marquis, that efficacious remedies were preparing in +Madrid. The people were only too wait patiently till they should arrive. +The public had heard before of these nostrums, made up by the royal +prescriptions in Spain; and were not likely to accept them as a panacea +for their present complicated disorders. Never, in truth, had +conventional commonplace been applied more unseasonably. Here was a +general military mutiny flaming in the very centre of the land. Here had +the intense hatred of race, which for years had been gnawing at the heart +of the country, at last broken out into most malignant manifestation. +Here was nearly the whole native population of every province, from grand +seigneur to plebeian, from Catholic prelate to Anabaptist artisan, +exasperated alike by the excesses of six thousand foreign brigands, +and united by a common hatred, into a band of brethren. Here was a State +Council too feeble to exercise the authority which it had arrogated, +trembling between the wrath of its sovereign, the menacing cries of the +Brussels burghers, and the wild threats of the rebellious army; and held +virtually, captive in the capital which it was supposed to govern. + +Certainly, the confirmation of the Council in its authority, for an +indefinite, even if for a brief period, was a most unlucky step at this +juncture. There were two parties in the provinces, but one was far the +most powerful upon the great point of the Spanish soldiery. A vast +majority were in favor of a declaration of outlawry against the whole +army, and it was thought desirable to improve the opportunity by getting +rid of them altogether. If the people could rise en masse, now that the +royal government was in abeyance, and, as it were, in the nation's hands, +the incubus might be cast off for ever. If any of the Spanish officers +had been sincere in their efforts to arrest the mutiny, the sincerity was +not believed. If any of the foreign regiments of the King appeared to +hesitate at joining the Alost crew, the hesitation was felt to be +temporary. Meantime, the important German regiments of Fugger, +Fronsberger, and Polwiller, with their colonels and other officers, had +openly joined the rebellion, while there was no doubt of the sentiments +of Sancho d'Avila and the troops under his command. Thus there were two +great rallying-places for the sedition, and the most important fortress +of the country, the key which unlocked the richest city in the world, was +in the hands of the mutineers. The commercial capital of Europe, filled +to the brim with accumulated treasures, and with the merchandize of every +clime; lay at the feet of this desperate band of brigands. The horrible +result was but too soon to be made manifest. + +Meantime, in Brussels, the few Spaniards trembled for their lives. The +few officers shut up there were in imminent danger. "As the Devil does +not cease to do his work," wrote Colonel Verdugo, "he has put it into the +heads of the Brabanters to rebel, taking for a pretext the mutiny of the +Spaniards. The Brussels men have handled their weapons so well against +those who were placed there to protect them, that they have begun to kill +the Spaniards, threatening likewise the Council of State. Such is their +insolence, that they care no more for these great lords than for so many +varlets." The writer, who had taken refuge, together with Jerome de Roda +and other Spaniards, or "Hispaniolized" persons, in Antwerp citadel, +proceeded to sketch the preparations which were going on in Brussels, +and the counter measures which were making progress in Antwerp. "The +states," he wrote, "are enrolling troops, saying 'tis to put down the +mutiny; but I assure you 'tis to attack the army indiscriminately. To +prevent such a villainous undertaking, troops of all nations are +assembling here, in order to march straight upon Brussels, there to +enforce everything which my lords of the State Council shall ordain." +Events were obviously hastening to a crisis--an explosion, before long, +was inevitable. "I wish I had my horses here," continued the Colonel, +"and must beg you to send them. I see a black cloud hanging over our +heads. I fear that the Brabantines will play the beasts so much, that +they will have all the soldiery at their throats." + +Jerome de Roda had been fortunate enough to make his escape out of +Brussels, and now claimed to be sole Governor of the Netherlands, as the +only remaining representative of the State Council. His colleagues were +in durance at the capital. Their authority was derided. Although not +yet actually imprisoned, they were in reality bound hand and foot, and +compelled to take their orders either from the Brabant estates or from +the burghers of Brussels. It was not an illogical proceeding, therefore, +that Roda, under the shadow of the Antwerp citadel, should set up his own +person as all that remained of the outraged majesty of Spain. Till the +new Governor, Don Juan, should arrive, whose appointment the King had +already communicated to the government, and who might be expected in the +Netherlands before the close of the autumn, the solitary councillor +claimed to embody the whole Council. He caused a new seal to be struck-- +a proceeding very unreasonably charged as forgery by the provincials--and +forthwith began to thunder forth proclamations and counter-proclamations +in the King's name and under the royal seal. It is difficult to see any +technical crime or mistake in such a course. As a Spaniard, and a +representative of his Majesty, he could hardly be expected to take +any other view of his duty. At any rate, being called upon to choose +between rebellious Netherlanders and mutinous Spaniards, he was not +long in making up his mind. + +By the beginning of September the, mutiny was general. All the Spanish +army, from general to pioneer, were united. The most important German +troops had taken side with them. Sancho d'Avila held the citadel of +Antwerp, vowing vengeance, and holding open communication with the +soldiers at Alost. The Council of State remonstrated with him for his +disloyalty. He replied by referring to his long years of service, and by +reproving them for affecting an authority which their imprisonment +rendered ridiculous. The Spaniards were securely established. The +various citadels which had been built by Charles and Philip to curb the +country now effectually did their work. With the castles of Antwerp, +Valenciennes, Ghent, Utrecht, Culemburg, Viane, Alost, in the hands of +six thousand veteran Spaniards, the country seemed chained in every limb. +The foreigner's foot was on its neck. Brussels was almost the only +considerable town out of Holland and Zealand which was even temporarily +safe. The important city of Maestricht was held by a Spanish garrison, +while other capital towns and stations were in the power of the Walloon +and German mutineers. The depredations committed in the villages, +the open country, and the cities were incessant--the Spaniards treating +every Netherlander as their foe. Gentleman and peasant, Protestant and +Catholic, priest and layman, all were plundered, maltreated, outraged. +The indignation became daily more general and more intense. There were +frequent skirmishes between the soldiery and promiscuous bands of +peasants, citizens, and students; conflicts in which the Spaniards were +invariably victorious. What could such half-armed and wholly untrained +partisans effect against the bravest and most experienced troops in the +whole world? Such results only increased the general exasperation, while +they impressed upon the whole people the necessity of some great and +general effort to throw off the incubus. + + + + +1576-1577 [CHAPTER V.] + + Religious and political sympathies and antipathies in the seventeen + provinces--Unanimous hatred for the foreign soldiery--Use made by + the Prince of the mutiny--His correspondence--Necessity of Union + enforced--A congress from nearly all the provinces meets at Ghent-- + Skirmishes between the foreign troops and partisan bands--Slaughter + at Tisnacq--Suspicions entertained of the State-Council--Arrest of + the State-Council--Siege of Ghent citadel--Assistance sent by + Orange--Maestricht lost and regained--Wealthy and perilous condition + of Antwerp--Preparations of the mutineers under the secret + superintendence of Avila--Stupidity of Oberstein--Duplicity of Don + Sancho--Reinforcements of Walloons under Havre, Egmont, and others, + sent to for the expected assault of Antwerp--Governor Champagny's + preparations the mutineers--Insubordination, incapacity, and + negligence of all but him--Concentration of all the mutineers from + different points, in the citadel--The attack--the panic--the flight + --the massacre--the fire--the sack--and other details of the + "Spanish Fury"--Statistics of murder and robbery--Letter of Orange + to the states-general--Surrender of Ghent citadel--Conclusion of the + "Ghent Pacification"--The treaty characterized--Forms of + ratification--Fall of Zierickzee and recovery of Zealand. + +Meantime, the Prince of Orange sat at Middelburg, watching the storm. +The position of Holland and Zealand with regard to the other fifteen +provinces was distinctly characterized. Upon certain points there was +an absolute sympathy, while upon others there was a grave and almost +fatal difference. It was the task of the Prince to deepen the sympathy, +to extinguish the difference. + +In Holland and Zealand, there was a warm and nearly universal adhesion to +the Reformed religion, a passionate attachment to the ancient political +liberties. The Prince, although an earnest Calvinist himself, did all in +his power to check the growing spirit of intolerance toward the old +religion, omitted no opportunity of strengthening the attachment which +the people justly felt for their liberal institutions. + +On the other hand, in most of the other provinces, the Catholic religion +had been regaining its ascendency. Even in 1574, the estates assembled +at Brussels declared to Requesens "that they would rather die the death +than see any change in their religion." That feeling had rather +increased than diminished. Although there was a strong party attached to +the new faith, there was perhaps a larger, certainly a more influential +body, which regarded the ancient Church with absolute fidelity. Owing +partly to the persecution which had, in the course of years, banished so +many thousands of families from the soil, partly to the coercion, which +was more stringent in the immediate presence of the Crown's +representative, partly to the stronger infusion of the Celtic element, +which from the earliest ages had always been so keenly alive to the more +sensuous and splendid manifestations of the devotional principle--owing +to those and many other causes, the old religion, despite of all the +outrages which had been committed in its name, still numbered a host of +zealous adherents in the fifteen provinces. Attempts against its +sanctity were regarded with jealous eyes. It was believed, and with +reason, that there was a disposition on the part of the Reformers to +destroy it root and branch. It was suspected that the same enginery of +persecution would be employed in its extirpation, should the opposite +party gain the supremacy, which the Papists had so long employed against +the converts to the new religion. + +As to political convictions, the fifteen provinces differed much less +from their two sisters. There was a strong attachment to their old +constitutions; a general inclination to make use of the present crisis to +effect their restoration. At the same time, it had not come to be the +general conviction, as in Holland and Zealand, that the maintenance of +those liberties was incompatible with the continuance of Philip's +authority. There was, moreover, a strong aristocratic faction which was +by no means disposed to take a liberal view of government in general, and +regarded with apprehension the simultaneous advance of heretical notions +both in church and, state. Still there were, on the whole, the elements +of a controlling constitutional party throughout the fifteen provinces +The great bond of sympathy, however, between all the seventeen was their +common hatred to the foreign soldiery. Upon this deeply imbedded, +immovable fulcrum of an ancient national hatred, the sudden mutiny of the +whole Spanish army served as a lever of incalculable power. The Prince +seized it as from the hand of God. Thus armed, he proposed to himself +the task of upturning the mass of oppression under which the old +liberties of the country had so long been crushed. To effect this +object, adroitness was as requisite as courage. Expulsion of the +foreign soldiery, union of the seventeen provinces, a representative +constitution, according to the old charters, by the states-general, +under an hereditary chief, a large religious toleration, suppression +of all inquisition into men's consciences--these were the great objects +to which the Prince now devoted himself with renewed energy. + +To bring about a general organization and a general union, much delicacy +of handling was necessary. The sentiment of extreme Catholicism and +Monarchism was not to be suddenly scared into opposition. The Prince, +therefore, in all his addresses and documents was careful to disclaim any +intention of disturbing the established religion, or of making any rash +political changes. "Let no man think," said he, to the authorities of +Brabant, "that, against the will of the estates, we desire to bring about +any change in religion. Let no one suspect us capable of prejudicing the +rights of any man. We have long since taken up arms to maintain a legal +and constitutional freedom, founded upon law. God forbid that we should +now attempt to introduce novelties, by which the face of liberty should +be defiled." + +In a brief and very spirited letter to Count Lalain, a Catholic and a +loyalist, but a friend of his country and fervent hater of foreign +oppression, he thus appealed to his sense of chivalry and justice: +"Although the honorable house from which you spring," he said, "and the +virtue and courage of your ancestors have always impressed me with the +conviction that you would follow in their footsteps, yet am I glad to +have received proofs that my anticipations were correct. I cannot help, +therefore, entreating you to maintain the same high heart, and to +accomplish that which you have so worthily begun. Be not deluded by +false masks, mumming faces, and borrowed titles, which people assume for +their own profit, persuading others that the King's service consists in +the destruction of his subjects." + +While thus careful to offend no man's religious convictions, to startle +no man's loyalty, he made skillful use of the general indignation felt +at, the atrocities of the mutinous army. This chord he struck boldly, +powerfully, passionately, for he felt sure of the depth and strength of +its vibrations. In his address to the estates of Gelderland, he used +vigorous language, inflaming and directing to a practical purpose the +just wrath which was felt in that, as in every other province. "I write +to warn you," he said, "to seize this present opportunity. Shake from +your necks the yoke of the godless Spanish tyranny, join yourselves at +once to the lovers of the fatherland, to the defenders of freedom. +According to the example of your own ancestors and ours, redeem for the +country its ancient laws, traditions, and privileges. Permit no longer, +to your shame and ours, a band of Spanish landloupers and other +foreigners, together with three or four self-seeking enemies of their own +land, to keep their feet upon our necks. Let them no longer, in the very +wantonness of tyranny, drive us about like a herd of cattle--like a gang +of well-tamed slaves." + +Thus, day after day, in almost countless addresses to public bodies and +private individuals, he made use of the crisis to pile fresh fuel upon +the flames. At the same time, while thus fanning the general +indignation, he had the adroitness to point out that the people had +already committed themselves. He represented to them that the edict, +by which they had denounced his Majesty's veterans as outlaws, and had +devoted them to the indiscriminate destruction which such brigands +deserved, was likely to prove an unpardonable crime in the eyes of +majesty. In short, they had entered the torrent. If they would avoid +being dashed over the precipice, they must struggle manfully with the +mad waves of civil war into which they had plunged. "I beg you, with all +affection," he said to the states of Brabant, "to consider the danger in +which you have placed yourselves. You have to deal with the proudest and +most overbearing race in the world. For these qualities they are hated +by all other nations. They are even hateful to themselves. 'Tis a race +which seeks to domineer wheresoever it comes. It particularly declares +its intention to crush and to tyrannize you, my masters, and all the +land. They have conquered you already, as they boast, for the crime of +lese-majesty has placed you at their mercy. I tell you that your last +act, by which you have declared this army to be rebels, is decisive. +You have armed and excited the whole people against them, even to the +peasants and the peasants' children, and the insults and injuries thus +received, however richly deserved and dearly avenged, are all set down. +to your account. Therefore, 'tis necessary for you to decide now, +whether to be utterly ruined, yourselves and your children, or to +continue firmly the work which you have begun boldly, and rather to die +a hundred thousand deaths than to make a treaty with them, which can only +end in your ruin. Be assured that the measure dealt to you will be +ignominy as well as destruction. Let not your leaders expect the +honorable scaffolds of Counts Egmont and Horn. The whipping-post and +then the gibbet will be their certain fate." + +Having by this and similar language, upon various occasions, sought to +impress upon his countrymen the gravity of the position, he led them to +seek the remedy in audacity and in union. He familiarized them with his +theory, that the legal, historical government of the provinces belonged +to the states-general, to a congress of nobles, clergy, and commons, +appointed from each of the seventeen provinces. He maintained, with +reason, that the government of the Netherlands was a representative +constitutional government, under the hereditary authority of the King. +To recover this constitution, to lift up these down-trodden rights, he +set before them most vividly the necessity of union, "'Tis impossible," +he said, "that a chariot should move evenly having its wheels unequally +proportioned; and so must a confederation be broken to pieces, if there +be not an equal obligation on all to tend to a common purpose." Union, +close, fraternal, such as became provinces of a common origin and with +similar laws, could alone nave them from their fate. Union against a +common tyrant to nave a common fatherland.. Union; by which differences +of opinion should be tolerated, in order that a million of hearts should +beat for a common purpose, a million hands work out, invincibly, a common +salvation. "'Tis hardly necessary," he said "to use many words in +recommendation of union. Disunion has been the cause of all our woes. +There is no remedy, no hope, save in the bonds of friendship. Let all +particular disagreements be left to the decision of the states-general, +in order that with one heart and one will we may seek the disenthralment +of the fatherland from the tyranny of strangers." + +The first step to a thorough union among all the provinces was the +arrangement of a closer connection between the now isolated states of +Holland and Zealand on the one side, and their fifteen sisters on the +other. The Prince professed the readiness of those states which he might +be said to represent in his single person, to draw as closely as possible +the bonds of fellowship. It was almost superfluous for him to promise +his own ready co-operation. "Nothing remains to us," said he, "but to +discard all jealousy and distrust. Let us, with a firm resolution and a +common accord, liberate these lands from the stranger. Hand to hand let +us accomplish a just and general peace. As for myself, I present to you, +with very, good affection, my person and all which I possess, assuring +you that I shall regard all my labors and pains in times which are past, +well bestowed, if God now grant me grace to see the desired end. That +this end will be reached, if you hold fast your resolution and take to +heart the means which God presents to you, I feel to be absolutely +certain." + +Such were the tenor and the motives of the documents which he scattered-- +broadcast at this crisis. They were addressed to the estates of nearly +every province. Those bodies were urgently implored to appoint deputies +to a general congress, at which a close and formal union between Holland +and Zealand with the other provinces might be effected. That important +measure secured, a general effort might, at the same time, be made to +expel the Spaniard from the soil. This done, the remaining matters could +be disposed of by the assembly of the estates-general. His eloquence and +energy were not without effect. In the course of the autumn, deputies +were appointed from the greater number of the provinces, to confer with +the representatives of Holland and Zealand, in a general congress. The +place appointed for the deliberations vas the city of Ghent. Here, by +the middle of October, a large number of delegates were already +assembled. + +Events were rapidly rolling together from every quarter, and accumulating +to a crisis. A congress--a rebellious congress, as the King might deem +it--was assembling at Ghent; the Spanish army, proscribed, lawless, and +terrible, was strengthening itself daily for some dark and mysterious +achievement; Don John of Austria, the King's natural brother, was +expected from Spain to assume the government, which the State Council was +too timid to wield and too loyal to resign, while, meantime, the whole +population of the Netherlands, with hardly an exception, was disposed to +see the great question of the foreign soldiery settled, before the chaos +then existing should be superseded by a more definite authority. +Everywhere, men of all ranks and occupations--the artisan in the city, +the peasant in the fields--were deserting their daily occupations to +furbish helmets, handle muskets, and learn the trade of war. Skirmishes, +sometimes severe and bloody, were of almost daily occurrence. In these +the Spaniards were invariably successful, for whatever may be said of +their cruelty and licentiousness, it cannot be disputed that their +prowess was worthy of their renown. Romantic valor, unflinching +fortitude, consummate skill, characterized them always. What could half- +armed artisans achieve in the open plain against such accomplished foes? +At Tisnacq, between Louvain and Tirlemont, a battle was attempted by a +large miscellaneous mass of students, peasantry, and burghers, led by +country squires. It soon changed to a carnage, in which the victims were +all on one side. A small number of veterans, headed by Vargas, Mendoza, +Tassis, and other chivalrous commanders, routed the undisciplined +thousands at a single charge. The rude militia threw away their arms, +and fled panic-struck in all directions, at the first sight of their +terrible foe. Two Spaniards lost their lives and two thousand +Netherlanders. It was natural that these consummate warriors should +despise such easily slaughtered victims. A single stroke of the iron +flail, and the chaff was scattered to the four winds; a single sweep of +the disciplined scythe, and countless acres were in an instant mown. +Nevertheless, although beaten constantly, the Netherlanders were not +conquered. Holland and Zealand had read the foe a lesson which he had +not forgotten, and although on the open fields, and against the less +vigorous population of the more central provinces, his triumphs had been +easier, yet it was obvious that the spirit of resistance to foreign +oppression was growing daily stronger, notwithstanding daily defeats. + +Meantime, while these desultory but deadly combats were in daily +progress, the Council of State was looked upon with suspicion by the mass +of the population. That body, in which resided provisionally the powers +of government, was believed to be desirous of establishing relations with +the mutinous army. It was suspected of insidiously provoking the +excesses which it seemed to denounce. It was supposed to be secretly +intriguing with those whom its own edicts had outlawed. Its sympathies +were considered, Spanish. It was openly boasted by the Spanish army +that, before long, they would descend from their fastnesses upon +Brussels, and give the city to the sword. A shuddering sense of coming +evil pervaded the population, but no man could say where the blow would +first be struck. It was natural that the capital should be thought +exposed to imminent danger. At the same time, while every man who had +hands was disposed to bear arms to defend the city, the Council seemed +paralyzed. The capital was insufficiently garrisoned, yet troops were +not enrolling for its protection. The state councillors obviously +omitted to provide for defence, and it was supposed that they were +secretly assisting the attack. It was thought important, therefore, +to disarm, or, at least, to control this body which was impotent for +protection, and seemed powerful only for mischief. It was possible to +make it as contemptible as it was believed to be malicious. + +An unexpected stroke was therefore suddenly levelled against the Council +in full session. On the 5th of September, the Seigneur de Heze, a young +gentleman of a bold, but unstable character, then entertaining close but +secret relations with the Prince of Orange, appeared before the doors of +the palace. He was attended by about five hundred troops, under the +immediate command of the Seigneur de Glimes, bailiff of Walloon Brabant. +He demanded admittance, in the name of the Brabant estates, to the +presence of the State Council, and was refused. The doors were closed +and bolted. Without further ceremony the soldiers produced iron bars +brought with them for the purpose, forced all the gates from the hinges, +entered the hall of session, and at a word from their commander, laid +hands upon the councillors, and made every one prisoner. The Duke of +Aerschot, President of the Council, who was then in close alliance with +the Prince, was not present at the meeting, but lay forewarned, at home, +confined to his couch by a sickness assumed for the occasion. Viglius, +who rarely participated in the deliberations of the board, being already +afflicted with the chronic malady under which he was ere long to succumb, +also escaped the fate of his fellow-senators. The others were carried +into confinement. Berlaymont and Mansfeld were imprisoned in the Brood- +Huys, where the last mortal hours of Egmont and Horn had been passed. +Others were kept strictly guarded in their own houses. After a few +weeks, most of them were liberated. Councillor Del Rio was, however, +retained in confinement, and sent to Holland, where he was subjected to a +severe examination by the Prince of Orange, touching his past career, +particularly concerning the doings of the famous Blood Council. The +others were set free, and even permitted to resume their functions, but +their dignity was gone, their authority annihilated. Thenceforth the +states of Brabant and the community of Brussels were to govern for an +interval, for it was in their name that the daring blow against the +Council had been struck. All individuals and bodies, however, although +not displeased with the result, clamorously disclaimed responsibility for +the deed. Men were appalled at the audacity of the transaction, and +dreaded the vengeance of the King: The Abbot Van Perch, one of the secret +instigators of the act, actually died of anxiety for its possible +consequences. There was a mystery concerning the affair. They in whose +name it had been accomplished, denied having given any authority to the +perpetrators. Men asked each other what unseen agency had been at work, +what secret spring had been adroitly touched. There is but little doubt, +however, that the veiled but skilful hand which directed the blow, was +the same which had so long been guiding the destiny of the Netherlands. + +It had been settled that the congress was to hold its sessions in Ghent, +although the citadel commanding that city was held by the Spaniards. The +garrison was not very strong, and Mondragon, its commander, was absent in +Zealand, but the wife of the veteran ably supplied his place, and +stimulated the slender body of troops to hold out with heroism, under the +orders of his lieutenant, Avilos Maldonado. The mutineers, after having +accomplished their victory at Tisnacq, had been earnestly solicited to +come to the relief of this citadel. They had refused and returned to +Alost. Meantime, the siege was warmly pressed by the states. There +being, however, a deficiency of troops, application for assistance was +formally made to the Prince of Orange. Count Reulx, governor of +Flanders; commissioned the Seigneur d'Haussy, brother of Count Bossu, +who, to obtain the liberation of that long-imprisoned and distinguished +nobleman, was about visiting the Prince in Zealand, to make a request +for an auxiliary force. It was, however, stipulated that care should +be taken lest any prejudice should be done to the Roman Catholic religion +or the authority of the King. The Prince readily acceded to the request, +and agreed to comply with the conditions under which only it could be +accepted. He promised to send twenty-eight companies. In his letter +announcing this arrangement, he gave notice that his troops would receive +strict orders to do no injury to person or property, Catholic or +Protestant, ecclesiastic or lay, and to offer no obstruction to the Roman +religion or the royal dignity. He added, however, that it was not to be +taken amiss, if his soldiers were permitted to exercise their own +religious rites, and to sing their Protestant hymns within their own +quarters. He moreover, as security for the expense and trouble, demanded +the city of Sluys. The first detachment of troops, under command of +Colonel Vander Tympel, was, however, hardly on its way, before an alarm +was felt among the Catholic party at this practical alliance with the +rebel Prince. An envoy, named Ottingen, was despatched to Zealand, +bearing a letter from the estates of Hainault, Brabant, and Flanders, +countermanding the request for troops, and remonstrating categorically +upon the subject of religion and loyalty. Orange deemed such +tergiversation paltry, but controlled his anger. He answered the letter +in liberal terms, for he was determined that by no fault of his should +the great cause be endangered. He reassured the estates as to the +probable behaviour of his troops. Moreover, they had been already +admitted into the city, while the correspondence was proceeding. The +matter of the psalm-singing was finally arranged to the satisfaction of +both parties, and it was agreed that Niewport, instead of Sluys, should +be given to the Prince as security. + +The siege of the citadel was now pressed vigorously, and the +deliberations of the congress were opened under the incessant roar +of cannon. While the attack was thus earnestly maintained upon the +important castle of Ghent, a courageous effort was made by the citizens +of Maestricht to wrest their city from the hands of the Spaniards. The +German garrison having been gained by the burghers, the combined force +rose upon the Spanish troops, and drove them from the city, Montesdocca, +the commander, was arrested and imprisoned, but the triumph was only +temporary. Don Francis d'Ayala, Montesdocca's lieutenant, made a stand, +with a few companies, in Wieck, a village on the opposite side of the +Meuse, and connected with the city by a massive bridge of stone. From +this point he sent information to other commanders in the neighbourhood. +Don Ferdinand de Toledo soon arrived with several hundred troops from +Dalem. The Spaniards, eager to wipe out the disgrace to their arms, +loudly demanded to be led back to the city. The head of the bridge, +however, over which they must pass, was defended by a strong battery, and +the citizens were seen clustering in great numbers to defend their +firesides against a foe whom they had once expelled. To advance across +the bridge seemed certain destruction to the little force. Even Spanish +bravery recoiled at so desperate an undertaking, but unscrupulous +ferocity supplied an expedient where courage was at fault. There were +few fighting men present among the population of Wieck, but there were +many females. Each soldier was commanded to seize a woman, and, placing +her before his own body, to advance across the bridge. The column, thus +bucklered, to the shame of Spanish chivalry, by female bosoms, moved in +good order toward the battery. The soldiers leveled their muskets with +steady aim over the shoulders or under the arms of the women whom they +thus held before them. On the other hand, the citizens dared not +discharge their cannon at their own townswomen, among whose numbers many +recognized mothers, sisters, or wives. The battery was soon taken, while +at the same time Alonzj Vargas, who had effected his entrance from the +land side by burning down the Brussels gate, now entered the city at the +head of a band of cavalry. Maestricht was recovered, and an +indiscriminate slaughter instantly avenged its temporary loss. The +plundering, stabbing, drowning, burning, ravishing; were so dreadful +that, in the words of a cotemporary historian, "the burghers who had +escaped the fight had reason to think themselves less fortunate than +those who had died with arms in their hands." + +This was the lot of Maestricht on the 20th of October. It was +instinctively felt to be the precursor of fresh disasters. Vague, +incoherent, but widely disseminated rumors had long pointed to Antwerp +and its dangerous situation. The Spaniards, foiled in their views upon +Brussels, had recently avowed an intention of avenging themselves in the +commercial capital. They had waited long enough, and accumulated +strength enough. Such a trifling city as Alost could no longer content +their cupidity, but in Antwerp there was gold enough for the gathering. +There was reason for the fears of the inhabitants, for the greedy longing +of their enemy. Probably no city in Christendom could at that day vie +with Antwerp in wealth and splendor. Its merchants lived in regal pomp +and luxury. In its numerous, massive warehouses were the treasures of +every clime. Still serving as the main entrepot of the world's traffic, +the Brabantine capital was the centre of that commercial system which was +soon to be superseded by a larger international life. In the midst of +the miseries which had so long been raining upon the Netherlands, the +stately and egotistical city seemed to have taken stronger root and to +flourish more freshly than ever. It was not wonderful that its palaces +and its magazines, glittering with splendor and bursting with treasure, +should arouse the avidity of a reckless and famishing soldiery. Had not +a handful of warriors of their own race rifled the golden Indies? Had +not their fathers, few in number, strong in courage and discipline, +revelled in the plunder of a new world? Here were the Indies in a single +city. Here were gold and silver, pearls and diamonds, ready and +portable; the precious fruit dropping, ripened, from the bough. Was it +to be tolerated that base, pacific burghers should monopolize the +treasure by which a band of heroes might be enriched? + +A sense of coming evil diffused itself through the atmosphere. The air +seemed lurid with the impending storm, for the situation was one of +peculiar horror. The wealthiest city in Christendom lay at the mercy of +the strongest fastness in the world; a castle which had been built to +curb, not to protect, the town. It was now inhabited by a band of +brigands, outlawed by government, strong in discipline, furious from +penury, reckless by habit, desperate in circumstance--a crew which feared +not God, nor man, nor Devil. The palpitating quarry lay expecting hourly +the swoop of its trained and pitiless enemy, for the rebellious soldiers +were now in a thorough state of discipline. Sancho d'Avila, castellan of +the citadel, was recognized as the chief of the whole mutiny, the army +and the mutiny being now one. The band, entrenched at Alost, were upon +the best possible understanding with their brethren in the citadel, and +accepted without hesitation the arrangements of their superior. On the +aide of the Scheld, opposite Antwerp, a fortification had been thrown up +by Don Sancho's orders, and held by Julian Romero. Lier, Breda, as well +as Alost, were likewise ready to throw their reinforcements into the +citadel at a moment's warning. At the signal of their chief, the united +bands might sweep from their impregnable castle with a single impulse. + +The city cried aloud for help, for it had become obvious that an attack +might be hourly expected. Meantime an attempt, made by Don Sancho +d'Avila to tamper with the German troops stationed within the walls, was +more than partially, successful. The forces were commanded by Colonel +Van Ende and Count Oberatein. Van Ende, a crafty traitor to his country, +desired no better than to join the mutiny on so promising an occasion, +and his soldiers, shared his sentiments. Oberatein, a brave, but +blundering German, was drawn into the net of treachery by the adroitness +of the Spaniard and the effrontery of his comrade. On the night of the +29th of October, half-bewildered and half-drunk, he signed a treaty with +Sancho d'Avilat and the three colonels--Fugger, Frondsberger, and +Polwiller. By this unlucky document, which was of course subscribed also +by Van Ende, it was agreed that the Antwerp burghers should be forthwith +disarmed; that their weapons should be sent into the citadel; that +Oberstein should hold the city at the disposition of Sancho d'Avila; that +he should refuse admittance to all troops which might be sent into the +city, excepting by command of Don Sancho, and that he should decline +compliance with any orders which he might receive from individuals +calling themselves the council of state, the states-general, or the +estates of Brabant. This treaty was signed, moreover; by Don Jeronimo +de Rods, then established in the citadel, and claiming to represent +exclusively his Majesty's government. + +Hardly had this arrangement been concluded than the Count saw the trap +into which he had fallen. Without intending to do so, he had laid the +city at the mercy of its foe, but the only remedy which suggested itself +to his mind was an internal resolution not to keep his promises. The +burghers were suffered to retain their arms, while, on the other hand, +Don Sancho lost no time in despatching messages to Alost, to Lier, to +Breda, and even to Maestricht, that as large a force as possible might be +assembled for the purpose of breaking immediately the treaty of peace +which he had just concluded. Never was a solemn document, regarded with +such perfectly bad faith by all its signers as the accord, of the 29th of +October. + +Three days afterwards, a large force of Walloons and Germans was +despatched from Brussels to the assistance of Antwerp. The command of +these troops was entrusted to the Marquis of Havre, whose brother, the +Duke of Aerschot; had been recently appointed chief superintendent of +military affairs by the deputies assembled at Ghent. The miscellaneous +duties comprehended under this rather vague denomination did not permit +the Duke to take charge of the expedition in person, and his younger +brother, a still more incompetent and unsubstantial character, was +accordingly appointed to the post. A number of young men, of high rank +but of lamentably low capacity, were associated with him. Foremost among +them was Philip, Count of Egmont, a youth who had inherited few of his +celebrated father's qualities, save personal courage and a love of +personal display. In character and general talents he was beneath +mediocrity. Beside these were the reckless but unstable De Heze, +who had executed the coup; d'etat against the State Council, De Berselen, +De Capres, D'Oyngies, and others, all vaguely desirous of achieving +distinction in those turbulent times, but few of them having any +political or religious convictions, and none of them possessing +experience or influence enough, to render them useful--at the impending +crisis. + +On Friday morning, the 2nd of November, the troops appeared under the +walls of Antwerp. They consisted of twenty-three companies of infantry +and fourteen of cavalry, amounting to five thousand foot and twelve +hundred horse. They were nearly all Walloons, soldiers who had already +seen much active service, but unfortunately of a race warlike and fiery +indeed, but upon whose steadiness not much more dependence could be +placed at that day than in the age of Civilis. Champagny, brother of +Granvelle, was Governor of the city. He was a sincere Catholic, but a +still more sincere hater of the Spaniards. He saw in the mutiny a means +of accomplishing their expulsion, and had already offered to the Prince +of Orange his eager co-operation towards this result. In other matters +there could be but small sympathy between William the Silent and the +Cardinal's brother; but a common hatred united them, for a time at least, +in a common purpose. + +When the troops first made their appearance before the walls, Champagny +was unwilling to grant them admittance. The addle-brained Oberstein had +confessed to him the enormous blunder which he had committed in his +midnight treaty, and at the same time ingenuously confessed his intention +of sending it to the winds. The enemy had extorted from his dulness or +his drunkenness a promise, which his mature and sober reason could not +consider binding. It is needless to say that Champagny rebuked him for +signing, and applauded him for breaking the treaty. At the same time its +ill effects were already seen in the dissensions which existed among the +German troops. Where all had been tampered with, and where the +commanders had set the example of infidelity, it would have been strange +if all had held firm. On the whole, however, Oberstein thought he could +answer for his own troops: Upon Van Ende's division, although the crafty +colonel dissembled his real intentions; very little reliance was placed. +Thus there was distraction within the walls. Among those whom the +burghers had been told to consider their defenders, there were probably. +many who were ready to join with their mortal foes at a moment's warning. +Under these circumstances, Champagny hesitated about admitting these +fresh troops from Brussels. He feared lest the Germans, who knew +themselves doubted, might consider themselves doomed. He trembled, lest +an irrepressible outbreak should occur within the walls, rendering the +immediate destruction of the city by the Spaniards from without +inevitable. Moreover, he thought it more desirable that this auxiliary +force should be disposed at different points outside, in order to +intercept the passage of the numerous bodies of Spaniards and other +mutineers, who from various quarters would soon be on their way to the +citadel. Havre, however, was so peremptory, and the burghers were so +importunate, that Champagny was obliged to recede from his opposition +before twenty-four hours had elapsed. Unwilling to take the +responsibility of a farther refusal, he admitted the troops through the +Burgherhout gate, on Saturday, the 3rd of November, at ten o'clock in the +morning. + +The Marquis of Havre, as commander-in-chief, called a council of war. +It assembled at Count Oberstein's quarters, and consulted at first +concerning a bundle of intercepted letters which Havre had brought with +him. These constituted a correspondence between Sancho d'Avila with the +heads of the mutiny at Alost, and many other places. The letters were +all dated subsequently to Don Sancho's treaty with Oberstein, and +contained arrangements for an immediate concentration of the whole +available Spanish force at the citadel. + +The treachery was so manifest, that Oberstein felt all self-reproach for +his own breach of faith to be superfluous. It was however evident that +the attack was to be immediately expected. What was to be done? All the +officers counselled the immediate erection of a bulwark on the side of +the city exposed to the castle, but there were no miners nor engineers. +Champagny, however, recommended a skilful and experienced engineer to +superintend; the work in the city; and pledged himself that burghers +enough would volunteer as miners. In less than an hour, ten or twelve +thousand persons, including multitudes of women of all ranks, were at +work upon the lines marked out by the engineer. A ditch and breast-work +extending from the gate of the Beguins to the street of the Abbey Saint +Michael, were soon in rapid progress. Meantime, the newly arrived +troops, with military insolence, claimed the privilege of quartering +themselves in the best houses which they could find. They already began +to, insult and annoy the citizens whom they had been sent to defend; nor +were they destined to atone, by their subsequent conduct in the face of +the enemy, for the brutality with which they treated their friends. +Champagny, however; was ill-disposed to brook their licentiousness. They +had been sent to protect the city and the homes of Antwerp from invasion. +They were not to establish themselves, at every fireside on their first +arrival. There was work enough for them out of doors, and they were to +do that work at once. He ordered them to prepare for a bivouac in, the +streets, and flew from house to house, sword in hand; driving forth the +intruders at imminent peril of his life. Meantime, a number of Italian +and Spanish merchants fled from the city, and took refuge in the castle. +The Walloon soldiers were for immediately plundering their houses, as if +plunder had been the object for which they had been sent to Antwerp. It +was several hours before Champagny, with all his energy, was able to +quell these disturbances. + +In the course of the day, Oberstein received a letter from Don Sandra +d'Avila, calling solemnly upon him to fulfil his treaty of the 29th of +October. The German colonels from the citadel had, on the previous +afternoon, held a personal interview with Oberstein beneath the walls, +which had nearly ended in blows, and they had been obliged to save +themselves by flight from the anger of the Count's soldiers, enraged at +the deceit by which their leader had been so nearly entrapped. This +summons of ridiculous solemnity to keep a treaty which had already been +torn to shreds by both parties, Oberstein answered with defiance and +contempt. The reply was an immediate cannonade from the batteries of +the citadel; which made the position of those erecting the ramparts +excessively dangerous. The wall was strengthened with bales of +merchandise, casks of earth, upturned wagons, and similar bulky objects, +hastily piled together. In, some places it was sixteen feet high; in +others less than six. Night fell before the fortification was nearly +completed. Unfortunately it was bright moonlight. The cannon from the +fortress continued to play upon the half-finished works. The Walloons, +and at last the citizens, feared to lift their heads above their frail +rampart. The senators, whom Champagny had deputed to superintend the +progress of the enterprise, finding the men so indisposed, deserted their +posts. They promised themselves that, in the darkest hour of the +following night, the work should be thoroughly completed. Alas! all +hours of the coming night were destined to be dark enough, but in them +was to be done no manner of work for defence. On Champagny alone seemed +devolved an the labor and all the responsibility. He did his duty well, +but he was but one man. Alone, with a heart full of anxiety, he wandered +up and down all the night. With his own hands, assisted only by a few +citizens and his own servants, he planted all the cannon with which they +were provided, in the "Fencing Court," at a point where the battery might +tell upon the castle. Unfortunately, the troops from Brussels had +brought no artillery with them, and the means of defence against the +strongest fortress in Europe were meagre indeed. The rampart had been +left very weak at many vital points. A single upturned wagon was placed +across the entrance to the important street of the Beguins. This +negligence was to cost the city dear. At daybreak, there was a council +held in Oberstein's quarters. Nearly all Champagny's directions had been +neglected. He had desired that strong detachments should be posted +during the night at various places of Security on the outskirts of the +town, for the troops which were expected to arrive in small bodies at the +citadel from various parts, might have thus been cut off before reaching +their destination. Not even scouts had been stationed in sufficient +numbers to obtain information of what was occurring outside. A thick +mist hung over the city that eventful morning. Through its almost +impenetrable veil, bodies of men had been seen moving into the castle, +and the tramp of cavalry had been distinctly heard, and the troops of +Romero, Vargas, Oliveira, and Valdez had already arrived from Lier, +Breda, Maestricht, and from the forts on the Scheld. + +The whole available force in the city was mustered without delay. Havre +had claimed for his post the defence of the lines opposite the citadel, +the place of responsibility and honor. Here the whole body of Walloons +were stationed, together with a few companies of Germans. The ramparts, +as stated, were far from impregnable, but it was hoped that this living +rampart of six thousand men, standing on their own soil, and in front of +the firesides and altars of their own countrymen; would prove a +sufficient bulwark even against Spanish fury. Unhappily, the living +barrier proved more frail than the feeble breastwork which the hands of +burghers and women had constructed. Six thousand men were disposed along +the side of the city opposite the fortress. The bulk of the German +troops was stationed at different points on the more central streets and +squares. The cavalry was posted on the opposite side of the city, along +the Horse-market, and fronting the "New-town." The stars were still in +the sky when Champagny got on horseback and rode through the streets, +calling on the burghers to arm and assemble at different points. The +principal places of rendezvous were the Cattlemarket and the Exchange. +He rode along the lines of the Walloon regiments, conversing with the +officers, Egmont, De Heze, and others, and encouraging the men, and went +again to the Fencing Court, where he pointed the cannon with his own +hand, and ordered their first discharge at the fortress. Thence he rode +to the end of the Beguin street, where he dismounted and walked out upon +the edge of the esplanade which stretched between the city and the +castle. On this battle-ground a combat was even then occurring between a +band of burghers and a reconnoitring party from the citadel. Champagny +saw with satisfaction that the Antwerpers were victorious. They were +skirmishing well with their disciplined foe, whom they at last beat back +to the citadel. His experienced eye saw, however, that the retreat was +only the signal for a general onslaught, which was soon to follow; and he +returned into the city to give the last directions. + +At ten o'clock, a moving wood was descried, approaching the citadel from +the south-west. The whole body of the mutineers from Alost, wearing +green branches in their helmets--had arrived under command of their +Eletto, Navarrete. Nearly three thousand in number, they rushed into the +castle, having accomplished their march of twenty-four miles since three +o'clock in the morning. They were received with open arms. Sancho +d'Avila ordered food and refreshments to be laid before them, but they +refused everything but a draught of wine. They would dine in Paradise, +they said, or sup in Antwerp. Finding his allies in such spirit, Don +Sancho would not balk their humor. Since early morning, his own veterans +had been eagerly awaiting his signal, "straining upon the start." The +troops of Romero, Vargas, Valdez, were no less impatient. At about an +hour before noon, nearly every living man in the citadel was mustered for +the attack, hardly men enough being left behind to guard the gates. Five +thousand veteran foot soldiers, besides six hundred cavalry, armed to the +teeth, sallied from the portals of Alva's citadel. In the counterscarp +they fell upon their knees, to invoke, according to custom, the blessing +of God upon the Devil's work, which they were about to commit. The +Bletto bore a standard, one side of which was emblazoned with the +crucified Saviour, and the other with the Virgin Mary. The image of Him +who said, "Love-your enemies," and the gentle face of the Madonna, were +to smile from heaven upon deeds which might cause a shudder in the depths +of hell. Their brief orisons concluded, they swept forward to the city. +Three thousand Spaniards, under their Eletto, were to enter by the street +of Saint Michael; the Germans, and the remainder of the Spanish foot, +commanded by Romero, through that of Saint George. Champagny saw them +coming, and spoke a last word of encouragement to the Walloons. The next +moment the compact mass struck the barrier, as the thunderbolt descends +from the cloud. There was scarcely a struggle. The Walloons, not +waiting to look their enemy in the face, abandoned the posts which whey +had themselves claimed. The Spaniards crashed through the bulwark, as +though it had been a wall of glass. The Eletto was first to mount the +rampart; the next instant he was shot dead, while his followers, +undismayed, sprang over his body, and poured into the streets. The fatal +gap, due to timidity and carelessness, let in the destructive tide. +Champagny, seeing that the enemies had all crossed the barrier; leaped +over a garden wall, passed through a house into a narrow lane, and thence +to the nearest station of the German troops. Hastily collecting a small +force, he led them in person to the rescue. The Germans fought well, +died well, but they could not reanimate the courage of the Walloons, and +all were now in full retreat, pursued by the ferocious Spaniards. In +vain Champagny stormed among them; in vain he strove to rally their +broken ranks. With his own hand he seized a banner from a retreating +ensign, and called upon the nearest soldiers to make's stand against the +foe. It was to bid the flying clouds pause before the tempest. Torn, +broken, aimless, the scattered troops whirled through the streets before +the pursuing wrath. Champagny, not yet despairing, galloped hither and +thither, calling upon the burghers everywhere to rise in defence of their +homes, nor did he call in vain. They came forth from every place of +rendezvous, from every alley, from every house. They fought as men fight +to defend their hearths and altars, but what could individual devotion +avail, against the compact, disciplined, resistless mass of their foes? +The order of defence was broken, there was no system, no concert, no +rallying point, no authority. So soon as it was known that the Spaniards +had crossed the rampart, that its six thousand defenders were in full +retreat, it was inevitable that a panic should seize the city. + +Their entrance once effected, the Spanish force had separated; according +to previous arrangement, into two divisions, one half charging up the +long street of Saint Michael, the other forcing its way through the +Street of Saint Joris. "Santiago, Santiago! Espana, Espana! a sangre, a +carne, a fuego, a Sacco!" Saint James, Spain, blood, flesh, fire, +sack!!--such were the hideous cries which rang through every quarter of +the city, as the savage horde advanced. Van Ende, with his German +troops, had been stationed by the Marquis of Havre to defend the Saint +Joris gate, but no sooner, did the Spaniards under Vargas present +themselves, than he deserted to them instantly with his whole force. +United with the Spanish cavalry, these traitorous defenders of Antwerp +dashed in pursuit of those who had only been fainthearted. Thus the +burghers saw themselves attacked by many of their friends, deserted by +more. Whom were they to trust? Nevertheless, Oberstein's Germans were +brave and faithful, resisting to the last, and dying every man in his +harness. The tide of battle flowed hither and thither, through every +street and narrow lane. It poured along the magnificent Place de Meer, +where there was an obstinate contest. In front of the famous Exchange, +where in peaceful hours, five thousand merchants met daily, to arrange +the commercial affairs of Christendom, there was a determined rally, a +savage slaughter. The citizens and faithful Germans, in this broader +space, made a stand against their pursuers. The tesselated marble +pavement, the graceful, cloister-like arcades ran red with blood. The +ill-armed burghers faced their enemies clad in complete panoply, but they +could only die for their homes. The massacre at this point was enormous, +the resistance at last overcome. + +Meantime, the Spanish cavalry had cleft its way through the city. On the +side farthest removed from the: castle; along the Horse-market, opposite +the New-town, the states dragoons and the light horse of Beveren had been +posted, and the flying masses of pursuers and pursued swept at last +through this outer circle. Champagny was already there. He essayed, as +his last hope, to rally the cavalry for a final stand, but the effort was +fruitless. Already seized by the panic, they had attempted to rush from +the city through the gate of Eeker. It was locked; they then turned and +fled towards the Red-gate, where they were met face to face by Don Pedro +Tassis, who charged upon them with his dragoons. Retreat seemed +hopeless. A horseman in complete armor, with lance in rest, was seen to +leap from the parapet of the outer wall into the moat below, whence, +still on horseback, he escaped with life. Few were so fortunate. The +confused mob of fugitives and conquerors, Spaniards, Walloons, Germans, +burghers, struggling, shouting, striking, cursing, dying, swayed hither +and thither like a stormy sea. Along the spacious Horse-market, the +fugitives fled toward towards the quays. Many fell beneath the swords +of the Spaniards, numbers were trodden to death by the hoofs of horses, +still greater multitudes were hunted into the Scheld. Champagny, who +had thought it possible, even at the last moment, to make a stand in the +Newtown, and to fortify the Palace of the Hansa, saw himself deserted. +With great daring and presence of mind, he effected his escape to the +fleet of the Prince of Orange in the river. The Marquis of Havre, of +whom no deeds of valor on that eventful day have been recorded, was +equally successful. The unlucky Oberstein, attempting to leap into a +boat, missed his footing, and oppressed by the weight of his armor, was +drowned. + +Meantime, while the short November day was fast declining, the combat +still raged in the interior of the city. Various currents of conflict, +forcing their separate way through many streets, had at last mingled in +the Grande Place. Around this irregular, not very spacious square, stood +the gorgeous Hotel de Ville, and the tall, many storied, fantastically +gabled, richly decorated palaces of the guilds, Here a long struggle took +place. It was terminated for a time by the cavalry of Vargas, who, +arriving through the streets of Saint Joris, accompanied by the traitor +Van Ende, charged decisively into the melee. The masses were broken, but +multitudes of armed men found refuge in the buildings, and every house +became a fortress. From, every window and balcony a hot fire was poured +into the square, as, pent in a corner, the burghers stood at last at bay. +It was difficult to carry the houses by storm, but they were soon set on +fire. A large number of sutlers and other varlets had accompanied the +Spaniards from the citadel, bringing torches and kindling materials for +the express purpose of firing the town. With great dexterity, these +means were now applied, and in a brief interval, the City-hall, and other +edifices on the square were in flames. The conflagration spread with +rapidity, house after house, street after street, taking fire. Nearly a +thousand buildings, in the most splendid and wealthy quarter of the city, +were soon in a blaze, and multitudes of human beings were burned with +them. In the City-hall many were consumed, while others, leaped from the +windows to renew the combat below. The many tortuous, streets which led +down a slight descent from the rear of the Town house to the quays were +all one vast conflagration. On the other side, the magnificent +cathedral, separated from the Grande Place by a single row of buildings, +was lighted up, but not attacked by the flames. The tall spire cast its +gigantic shadow across the last desperate conflict. In the street called +the Canal au Sucre, immediately behind the Town-house, there was a fierce +struggle, a horrible massacre. A crowd of burghers; grave magistrates, +and such of the German soldiers as remained alive, still confronted the +ferocious Spaniards. There amid the flaming desolation, Goswyn Verreyck, +the heroic margrave of the city, fought with the energy of hatred and +despair. The burgomaster, Van der Meere, lay dead at his feet; senators, +soldiers, citizens, fell fast around him, and he sank at last upon a heap +of slain. With him effectual resistance ended. The remaining combatants +were butchered, or were slowly forced downward to perish in the Scheld. +Women, children, old men, were killed in countless numbers, and still, +through all this havoc, directly over the heads of the struggling throng, +suspended in mid-air above the din and smoke of the conflict, there +sounded, every half-quarter of every hour, as if in gentle mockery, from +the belfry of the cathedral, the tender and melodious chimes. + +Never was there a more monstrous massacre, even in the blood-stained +history of the Netherlands. It was estimated that, in the course of this +and the two following days, not less than eight thousand human beings +were murdered. The Spaniards seemed to cast off even the vizard of +humanity. Hell seemed emptied of its fiends. Night fell upon the scene +before the soldiers were masters of the city; but worse horrors began +after the contest was ended. This army of brigands had come thither with +a definite, practical purpose, for it was not blood-thirst, nor lust, nor +revenge, which had impelled them, but it was avarice, greediness for +gold. For gold they had waded through all this blood and fire. Never +had men more simplicity of purpose, more directness in its execution. +They had conquered their India at last; its golden mines lay all before +them, and every sword should open a shaft. Riot and rape might be +deferred; even murder, though congenial to their taste, was only +subsidiary to their business. They had come to take possession of the +city's wealth, and they set themselves faithfully to accomplish their +task. For gold, infants were dashed out of existence in their mothers' +arms; for gold, parents were tortured in their children's presence; for +gold, brides were scourged to death before their husbands' eyes. +Wherever, treasure was suspected, every expedient which ingenuity; +sharpened by greediness, could suggest, was employed to-extort it from +its possessors. The fire, spreading more extensively and more rapidly +than had been desired through the wealthiest quarter of the city, had +unfortunately devoured a vast amount of property. Six millions, at +least, had thus been swallowed; a destruction by which no one had +profited. There was, however, much left. The strong boxes of the +merchants, the gold, silver, and precious jewelry, the velvets, satins, +brocades, laces, and similar well concentrated and portable plunder, were +rapidly appropriated. So far the course was plain and easy, but in +private houses it was more difficult. The cash, plate, and other +valuables of individuals were not so easily discovered. Torture was, +therefore; at once employed to discover the hidden treasures. After all +had been, given, if the sum seemed too little, the proprietors were +brutally punished for their poverty or their supposed dissimulation. +A gentlewoman, named Fabry, with her aged mother and other females of the +family, had taken refuge in the cellar of her mansion. As the day was +drawing to a close, a band of plunderers entered, who, after ransacking +the house, descended to the cellarage. Finding the door barred, they +forced it open with gunpowder. The mother, who was nearest the entrance, +fell dead on the threshold. Stepping across her mangled body, the +brigands sprang upon her daughter, loudly demanding the property which +they believed to be concealed. They likewise insisted on being informed +where the master of the house had taken refuge. Protestations of +ignorance as to hidden treasure, or the whereabouts of her husband, who, +for aught she knew, was lying dead in the streets, were of no avail. To +make her more communicative, they hanged her on a beam in the cellar, and +after a few moments cut her down before life was extinct. Still +receiving no satisfactory reply, where a satisfactory reply was +impossible, they hanged her again. Again, after another brief interval +they gave her a second release, and a fresh interrogatory. This +barbarity they repeated several times, till they were satisfied that +there was nothing to be gained by it, while, on, the other hand, they +were losing much valuable time. Hoping to be more successful elsewhere, +they left her hanging for the last time, and trooped off to fresher +fields. Strange to relate, the person thus horribly tortured, survived. +A servant in her family, married to a Spanish soldier, providentially +entered the house in time to rescue her perishing mistress. She was +restored to existence, but never to reason. Her brain was hopelessly +crazed, and she passed the remainder of her life wandering about her +house, or feebly digging in her garden for the buried treasure which she +had been thus fiercely solicited to reveal. + +A wedding-feast was rudely interrupted. Two young persons, neighbours of +opulent families, had been long betrothed, and the marriage day had been +fixed for Sunday, the fatal 4th of November. The guests were assembled, +the ceremony concluded, the nuptial banquet in progress, when the +horrible outcries in the streets proclaimed that the Spaniards had broken +loose. Hour after hour of trembling expectation succeeded. At last, +a thundering at the gate proclaimed the arrival of a band of brigands. +Preceded by their captain, a large number of soldiers forced their way +into the house, ransacking every chamber, no opposition being offered by +the family and friends, too few and powerless to cope with this band of +well-armed ruffians. Plate chests, wardrobes, desks, caskets of jewelry, +were freely offered, eagerly accepted, but not found sufficient, and to +make the luckless wretches furnish more than they possessed, the usual +brutalities were employed. The soldiers began by striking the bridegroom +dead. The bride fell shrieking into her mother's arms, whence she was +torn by the murderers, who immediately put the mother to death, and an +indiscriminate massacre then followed the fruitless attempt to obtain by +threats and torture treasure which did not exist. The bride, who was of +remarkable beauty, was carried off to the citadel. Maddened by this last +outrage, the father, who was the only man of the party left alive, rushed +upon the Spaniards. Wresting a sword from one of the crew, the old man +dealt with it so fiercely, that he stretched more than one enemy dead at +his feet, but it is needless to add that he was soon despatched. +Meantime, while the party were concluding the plunder of the mansion, the +bride was left in a lonely apartment of the fortress. Without wasting +time in fruitless lamentation, she resolved to quit the life which a few +hours had made so desolate. She had almost succeeded in hanging herself +with a massive gold chain which she wore, when her captor entered the +apartment. Inflamed, not with lust, but with avarice, excited not by her +charms, but by her jewelry; he rescued her from her perilous position. +He then took possession of her chain and the other trinkets with which +her wedding-dress was adorned, and caused her; to be entirely stripped of +her clothing. She was then scourged with rods till her beautiful body +was bathed in blood, and at last alone, naked, nearly mad, was sent back +into the city. Here the forlorn creature wandered up and down through +the blazing streets, among the heaps of dead and dying, till she was at +last put out of her misery by a gang of soldiers. + +Such are a few isolated instances, accidentally preserved in their +details, of the general horrors inflicted on this occasion. Others +innumerable have sunk into oblivion. On the morning of the 5th of +November, Antwerp presented a ghastly sight. The magnificent marble +Town-house, celebrated as a "world's wonder," even in that age and +country, in which so much splendour was lavished on municipal palaces, +stood a blackened ruin--all but the walls destroyed, while its archives, +accounts, and other valuable contents, had perished. The more splendid +portion of the city had been consumed; at least five hundred palaces, +mostly of marble or hammered stone, being a smouldering mass of +destruction. The dead bodies of those fallen in the massacre were on +every side, in greatest profusion around the Place de Meer, among the +Gothic pillars of the Exchange, and in the streets near the Town-house. +The German soldiers lay in their armor, some with their heads burned from +their bodies, some with legs and arms consumed by the flames through +which they had fought. The Margrave Goswyn Verreyck, the burgomaster Van +der Meere, the magistrates Lancelot Van Urselen, Nicholas Van Boekholt, +and other leading citizens, lay among piles of less distinguished slain. +They remained unburied until the overseers of the poor, on whom the +living had then more importunate claims than the dead, were compelled by +Roda to bury them out of the pauper fund. The murderers were too thrifty +to be at funeral charges for their victims. The ceremony was not hastily +performed, for the number of corpses had not been completed. Two days +longer the havoc lasted in the city. Of all the crimes which men can +commit, whether from deliberate calculation or in the frenzy of passion, +hardly one was omitted, for riot, gaming, rape, which had been postponed +to the more stringent claims of robbery and murder, were now rapidly +added to the sum of atrocities. History has recorded the account +indelibly on her brazen tablets; it can be adjusted only at the judgment- +seat above. + +Of all the deeds of darkness yet compassed in the Netherlands, this was +the worst. It was called The Spanish Fury, by which dread name it has +been known for ages. The city, which had been a world of wealth and +splendor, was changed to a charnel-house, and from that hour its +commercial prosperity was blasted. Other causes had silently girdled the +yet green and flourishing tree, but the Spanish Fury was the fire which +consumed it to ashes. Three thousand dead bodies were discovered in the +streets, as many more were estimated to have perished in the Scheld, and +nearly an equal number were burned or destroyed in other ways. Eight +thousand persons undoubtedly were put to death. Six millions of property +were destroyed by the fire, and at least as much more was obtained by the +Spaniards. In this enormous robbery no class of people was respected. +Foreign merchants, living under the express sanction and protection of +the Spanish monarch, were plundered with as little reserve as Flemings. +Ecclesiastics of the Roman Church were compelled to disgorge their wealth +as freely as Calvinists. The rich were made to contribute all their +abundance, and the poor what could be wrung from their poverty. Neither +paupers nor criminals were safe. Captain Caspar Ortis made a brilliant +speculation by taking possession of the Stein, or city prison, whence he +ransomed all the inmates who could find means to pay for their liberty. +Robbers, murderers, even Anabaptists, were thus again let loose. Rarely +has so small a band obtained in three days' robbery so large an amount of +wealth. Four or five millions divided among five thousand soldiers made +up for long arrearages, and the Spaniards had reason to congratulate +themselves upon having thus taken the duty of payment into their own +hands. It is true that the wages of iniquity were somewhat unequally +distributed, somewhat foolishly squandered. A private trooper was known +to lose ten thousand crowns in one day in a gambling transaction at the +Bourse, for the soldiers, being thus handsomely in funds, became desirous +of aping the despised and plundered merchants, and resorted daily to the +Exchange, like men accustomed to affairs. The dearly purchased gold was +thus lightly squandered by many, while others, more prudent, melted their +portion into sword-hilts, into scabbards, even into whole suits of armor, +darkened, by precaution, to appear made entirely of iron. The brocades, +laces, and jewelry of Antwerp merchants were converted into coats of mail +for their destroyers. The goldsmiths, however, thus obtained an +opportunity to outwit their plunderers, and mingled in the golden armor +which they were forced to furnish much more alloy than their employers +knew. A portion of the captured booty was thus surreptitiously redeemed. + +In this Spanish Fury many more were massacred in Antwerp than in the +Saint Bartholomew at Paris. Almost as many living human beings were +dashed out of existence now as there had been statues destroyed in the +memorable image-breaking of Antwerp, ten years before, an event which had +sent such a thrill of horror through the heart of Catholic Christendom. +Yet the Netherlanders and the Protestants of Europe may be forgiven, if +they regarded this massacre of their brethren with as much execration as +had been bestowed upon that fury against stocks and stones. At least, +the image-breakers, had been actuated by an idea, and their hands were +polluted neither with blood nor rapine. Perhaps the Spaniards had been. +governed equally by religious fanaticism.--Might not they believe they +were meriting well of their Mother Church while they were thus +disencumbering infidels of their wealth and earth of its infidels? +Had not the Pope and his cardinals gone to church in solemn procession, +to render thanks unto God for the massacre of Paris? Had not cannon +thundered and beacons blazed to commemorate that auspicious event? +Why should not the Antwerp executioners claim equal commendation? Even +if in their delirium they had confounded friend with foe, Catholic with +Calvinist, and church property with lay, could they not point to an equal +number of dead bodies, and to an incredibly superior amount of plunder? + +Marvellously few Spaniards were slain in these eventful days. Two +hundred killed is the largest number stated. The discrepancy seems +monstrous, but it is hardly more than often existed between the losses +inflicted and sustained by the Spaniards in such combats. Their prowess +was equal to their ferocity, and this was enough to make them seem +endowed with preterhuman powers. When it is remembered, also, that the +burghers were insufficiently armed, that many of their defenders turned +against them, that many thousands fled in the first moments of the +encounter--and when the effect of a sudden and awful panic is duly +considered, the discrepancy between the number of killed on the two sides +will not seem so astonishing. + +A few officers of distinction were taken, alive and carried to the +castle. Among these were the Seigneur de Capres and young Count Egmont. +The councillor Jerome de Roda was lounging on a chair in an open gallery +when these two gentlemen were brought before him, and Capres was base +enough to make a low obeisance to the man who claimed to represent the +whole government of his Majesty. The worthy successor of Vargas replied +to his captive's greeting by a "kick in his stomach," adding, with a +brutality which his prototype might have envied, "Ah puto tradidor,-- +whoreson traitor, let me have no salutations from such as you." Young +Egmont, who had been captured, fighting bravely at the head of coward +troops, by Julian Romero, who nine years before had stood on his father's +scaffold, regarded this brutal scene with haughty indignation. This +behaviour had more effect upon Roda than the suppleness of Capres. +"I am sorry for your misfortune, Count," said the councillor, without +however rising from his chair; "such is the lot of those who take arms +against their King." This was the unfortunate commencement of Philip +Egmont's career, which was destined to be inglorious, vacillating, base, +and on more than one occasion unlucky. + +A shiver ran through the country as the news of the horrible crime was +spread, but it was a shiver of indignation, not of fear. Already the +negotiations at Ghent between the representatives of the Prince and of +Holland and Zealand with the deputies of the other provinces were in a +favorable train, and the effect of this event upon their counsels was +rather quickening than appalling. A letter from Jerome de Roda to the +King was intercepted, giving an account of the transaction. In that +document the senator gave the warmest praise to Sancho d'Avila, Julian +Romero, Alonzo de Vargas, Francis Verdugo, as well as to the German +colonels Fugger, Frondsberger, Polwiller, and others who had most exerted +themselves in the massacre. "I wish your Majesty much good of this +victory," concluded the councillor, "'tis a very great one, and the +damage to the city is enormous." This cynical view was not calculated to +produce a soothing effect on the exasperated minds of the people. On the +other hand, the estates of Brabant addressed an eloquent appeal to the +states-general, reciting their wrongs, and urging immediate action. +"'Tis notorious," said the remonstrants, "that Antwerp was but yesterday +the first and principal ornament of all Europe; the refuge of all the +nations of the world; the source and supply of countless treasure; the +nurse of all arts and industry; the protectress of the Roman Catholic +religion; the guardian of science and virtue; and, above all these +preeminences; more than faithful and obedient to her sovereign prince and +lord. The city is now changed to a gloomy cavern, filled with robbers +and murderers, enemies of God, the King, and all good subjects." They +then proceeded to recite the story of the massacre, whereof the memory +shall be abominable so long as the world stands, and concluded with an +urgent appeal for redress. They particularly suggested that an edict +should forthwith be passed, forbidding the alienation of property and the +exportation of goods in any form from Antwerp, together with concession +of the right to the proprietors of reclaiming their stolen property +summarily, whenever and wheresoever it might be found. In accordance +with these instructions, an edict was passed, but somewhat tardily, in +the hope of relieving some few of the evil consequences by which the +Antwerp Fury had been attended. + +At about the same time the Prince of Orange addressed a remarkable letter +to the states-general then assembled at Ghent, urging them to hasten the +conclusion of the treaty. The news of the massacre, which furnished an +additional and most vivid illustration of the truth of his letter, had +not then reached him at Middelburg, but the earnestness of his views, +taken in connexion with this last dark deed, exerted a powerful and +indelible effect. The letter was a masterpiece, because it was +necessary, in his position, to inflame without alarming; to stimulate the +feelings which were in unison, without shocking those which, if aroused, +might prove discordant. Without; therefore, alluding in terms to the +religious question, he dwelt upon the necessity of union, firmness, and +wariness. If so much had been done by Holland and Zealand, how much more +might be hoped when all the provinces were united? "The principal flower +of the Spanish army has fallen," he said, "without having been able to +conquer one of those provinces from those whom they call, in mockery, +poor beggars; yet what is that handful of cities compared to all the +provinces which might join us in the quarrel?" He warned the states of +the necessity of showing a strong and united front; the King having been +ever led to consider the movement in the Netherlands a mere conspiracy of +individuals. The King told me himself; in 1559," said Orange, "that if +the estates had no pillars to lean upon, they would not talk so loud." +It was, therefore, necessary to show that prelates, abbots, monks, +seigniors, gentlemen, burghers, and peasants, the whole people in short, +now cried with one voice, and desired with one will. To such a +demonstration the King would not dare oppose himself. By thus preserving +a firm and united front, sinking all minor differences, they would, +moreover, inspire their friends and foreign princes with confidence. +The princes of Germany, the lords and gentlemen of France, the Queen of +England, although sympathizing with the misfortunes of the Netherlanders, +had been unable effectually to help them, so long as their disunion +prevented them from helping themselves; so long as even their appeal +to arms seemed merely a levy of bucklers, an emotion of the populace, +which, like a wave of the sea, rises and sinks again as soon as risen." + +While thus exciting to union and firmness, he also took great pains to +instil the necessity of wariness. They were dealing with an artful foe. +Intercepted letters had already proved that the old dissimulation was +still to be employed; that while Don John of Austria was on his way, the +Netherlanders were to be lulled into confidence by glozing speeches. +Roda was provided by the King with a secret programme of instructions for +the new Governor's guidance and Don Sancho d'Avila, for his countenance +to the mutineers of Alost, had been applauded to the echo in Spain. Was +not this applause a frequent indication of the policy to be adopted by +Don John, and a thousand times more significative one than the unmeaning +phrases of barren benignity with which public documents might be crammed? +"The old tricks are again brought into service," said the Prince; +"therefore 'tis necessary to ascertain your veritable friends, to tear +off the painted masks from those who, under pretence-of not daring to +displease the King, are seeking to swim between two waters. 'Tis +necessary to have a touchstone; to sign a declaration in such wise that +you may know whom to trust, and whom to suspect." + +The massacre at Antwerp and the eloquence of the Prince produced a most +quickening effect upon the Congress at Ghent. Their deliberations had +proceeded with decorum and earnestness, in the midst of the cannonading +against the citadel, and the fortress fell on the same day which saw the +conclusion of the treaty. + +This important instrument, by which the sacrifices and exertions of the +Prince were, for a brief season, at least, rewarded, contained twenty- +five articles. The Prince of Orange, with the estates of Holland and +Zealand, on the one side, and the provinces signing, or thereafter to +sign the treaty, on the other, agreed that there should be a mutual +forgiving and forgetting, as regarded the past. They vowed a close and +faithful friendship for the future. They plighted a mutual promise to +expel the Spaniards from the Netherlands without delay. As soon as this +great deed should be done, there was to be a convocation of the states- +general, on the basis of that assembly before which the abdication of the +Emperor had taken place. By this congress, the affairs of religion in +Holland and Zealand should be regulated, as well as the surrender of +fortresses and other places belonging to his Majesty. There was to be +full liberty of communication and traffic between the citizens of the +one side and the other. It should not be legal, however, for those of +Holland and Zealand to attempt anything outside their own territory +against the Roman Catholic religion, nor for cause hereof to injure or +irritate any one, by deed or word. All the placards and edicts on the +subject of heresy, together with the criminal ordinances made by the Duke +of Alva, were suspended, until the states-general should otherwise +ordain. The Prince was to remain lieutenant, admiral, and general for +his Majesty in Holland, Zealand, and the associated places, till +otherwise provided by the states-general; after the departure of the +Spaniards. The cities and places included in the Prince's commission, +but not yet acknowledging his authority, should receive satisfaction from +him, as to the point of religion and other matters, before subscribing to +the union. All prisoners, and particularly the Comte de Bossu, should be +released without ransom. All estates and other property not already +alienated should be restored, all confiscations since 1566 being declared +null and void. The Countess Palatine, widow of Brederode, and Count de +Buren, son of the Prince of Orange, were expressly named in this +provision. Prelates and ecclesiastical persons; having property in +Holland and Zealand, should be reinstated, if possible; but in case of +alienation, which was likely to be generally the case; there should be +reasonable compensation. It was to be decided by the states-general +whether the provinces should discharge the debts incurred by the Prince +of Orange in his two campaigns. Provinces and cities should not have the +benefit of this union until they had signed the treaty, but they should +be permitted to sign it when they chose. + +This memorable document was subscribed at Ghent, on the 8th of November, +by Saint Aldegonde, with eight other commissioners appointed by the +Prince of Orange and the estates of Holland on the one side, and by +Elbertus Leoninus and other deputies appointed by Brabant, Flanders, +Artois, Hainault, Valenciennes, Lille, Douay, Orchies, Namur, Tournay, +Utrecht, and Mechlin on the other side. + +The arrangement was a masterpiece of diplomacy on the part of the Prince, +for it was as effectual a provision for the safety of the Reformed +religion as could be expected under the circumstances. It was much, +considering the change which had been wrought of late years in the +fifteen provinces, that they should consent to any treaty with their two +heretic sisters. It was much more that the Pacification should recognize +the new religion as the established creed of Holland and Zealand, while +at the same time the infamous edicts of Charles were formally abolished. +In the fifteen Catholic provinces, there was to be no prohibition of +private Reformed worship, and it might be naturally expected that with +time and the arrival of the banished religionists, a firmer stand would +be taken in favor of the Reformation. Meantime, the new religion was +formally established in two provinces, and tolerated, in secret, in the +other fifteen; the Inquisition was for ever abolished, and the whole +strength of the nation enlisted to expel the foreign soldiery from the +soil. This was the work of William the Silent, and the great Prince thus +saw the labor of years crowned with, at least, a momentary success. His +satisfaction was very great when it was announced to him, many days +before the exchange of the signatures, that the treaty had been +concluded. He was desirous that the Pacification should be referred for +approval, not to the municipal magistrates only, but to the people +itself. In all great emergencies, the man who, in his whole character, +least resembled a demagogue, either of antiquity or of modern times, was +eager for a fresh expression of the popular will. On this occasion, +however, the demand for approbation was superfluous. The whole country +thought with his thoughts, and spoke with his words, and the +Pacification, as soon as published, was received with a shout of joy. +Proclaimed in the marketplace of every city and village, it was ratified, +not by votes, but by hymns of thanksgiving, by triumphal music, +by thundering of cannon, and by the blaze of beacons, throughout the +Netherlands. Another event added to the satisfaction of the hour. The +country so recently, and by deeds of such remarkable audacity, conquered +by the Spaniards in the north, was recovered almost simultaneously with +the conclusion of the Ghent treaty. It was a natural consequence of the +great mutiny. The troops having entirely deserted Mondragon, it became +necessary for that officer to abandon Zierickzee, the city which had been +won with so much valor. In the beginning of November, the capital, and +with it the whole island of Schouwen, together with the rest of Zealand, +excepting Tholen, was recovered by Count Hohenlo, lieutenant-general of +the Prince of Orange, and acting according to his instructions. + +Thus, on this particular point of time, many great events had been +crowded. At the very same moment Zealand had been redeemed, Antwerp +ruined, and the league of all the Netherlands against the Spaniards +concluded. It now became known that another and most important event had +occurred at the same instant. On the day before the Antwerp massacre, +four days before the publication of the Ghent treaty, a foreign cavalier, +attended by a Moorish slave and by six men-at-arms, rode into the streets +of Luxemburg. The cavalier was Don Ottavio Gonzaga, brother of the +Prince of Melfi. The Moorish slave was Don John of Austria, the son of +the Emperor, the conqueror of Granada, the hero of Lepanto. The new +Governor-general had traversed Spain and France in disguise with great +celerity, and in the romantic manner which belonged to his character. +He stood at last on the threshold of the Netherlands, but with all his +speed he had arrived a few days too late. + + + + +ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS: + +A common hatred united them, for a time at least +A most fatal success +All claimed the privilege of persecuting +Blessing of God upon the Devil's work +Daily widening schism between Lutherans and Calvinists +Dying at so very inconvenient a moment +Eight thousand human beings were murdered +Everything was conceded, but nothing was secured +Ffanatics of the new religion denounced him as a godless man +Glory could be put neither into pocket nor stomach +He would have no Calvinist inquisition set up in its place +He would have no persecution of the opposite creed +In character and general talents he was beneath mediocrity +Indecision did the work of indolence +Insinuate that his orders had been hitherto misunderstood +King set a price upon his head as a rebel +No man could reveal secrets which he did not know +Of high rank but of lamentably low capacity +Pope excommunicated him as a heretic +Preventing wrong, or violence, even towards an enemy +They could not invent or imagine toleration +Unmeaning phrases of barren benignity + + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE DUTCH REPUBLIC, 1576 *** + +****** This file should be named 4825.txt or 4825.zip ******* + +This eBook was produced by David Widger + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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