History of the United Netherlands, 1585 part 1 | Page 7

the attaching and attractive qualities of his nature revealed
themselves; with crisp curling hair, surmounting a tall, expansive
forehead--full of benevolence, idealism, and quick perceptions; broad,
brown, melancholy eyes, overflowing with tenderness; a lean and
haggard cheek, a rugged Flemish nose; a thin flexible mouth; a slender
moustache, and a peaked and meagre beard; so appeared Sainte
Aldegonde in the forty- seventh year of his age, when he came to
command in Antwerp.
Yet after all--many-sided, accomplished, courageous, energetic, as he
was--it may be doubted whether he was the man for the hour or the post.
He was too impressionable; he had too much of the temperament of
genius. Without being fickle, he had, besides his versatility of intellect,
a character which had much facility in turning; not, indeed, in the
breeze of self-interest, but because he seemed placed in so high and
clear an atmosphere of thought that he was often acted upon and
swayed by subtle and invisible influences. At any rate his conduct was
sometimes inexplicable. He had been strangely fascinated by the
ignoble Duke of Anjou, and, in the sequel, it will be found that he was
destined to experience other magnetic or magical impulses, which were
once thought suspicious, and have remained mysterious even to the
present day.
He was imaginative. He was capable of broad and boundless hopes. He
was sometimes prone to deep despair. His nature was exquisitely
tempered; too fine and polished a blade to be wielded among those
hydra-heads by which he was, now surrounded; and for which the
stunning sledgehammer of arbitrary force was sometimes necessary.
He was perhaps deficient in that gift, which no training and no culture
can bestow, and which comes from above alone by birth-right
divine--that which men willingly call master, authority; the effluence
which came so naturally from the tranquil eyes of William the Silent.
Nevertheless, Sainte Aldegonde was prepared to do his best, and all his
best was to be tasked to the utmost. His position was rendered still
more difficult by the unruly nature of some of his coordinates.
"From the first day to the last," said one who lived in Antwerp during
the siege, "the mistakes committed in the city were incredible." It had

long been obvious that a siege was contemplated by Parma. A liberal
sum of money had been voted by the States-General, of which Holland
and Zeeland contributed a very large proportion (two hundred thousand
florins); the city itself voted another large subsidy, and an order was
issued to purchase at once and import into the city at least a year's
supply of every kind of provisions of life and munitions of war.
William de Blois, Lord of Treslong, Admiral of Holland and Zeeland,
was requested to carry out this order, and superintend the victualling of
Antwerp. But Treslong at once became troublesome. He was one of the
old "beggars of the sea," a leader in the wild band who had taken
possession of the Brill, in the teeth of Alva, and so laid the foundation
of the republic. An impetuous noble, of wealthy family, high
connections, and refractory temper--a daring sailor, ever ready for any
rash adventure, but possessed of a very moderate share of prudence or
administrative ability, he fell into loose and lawless courses on the
death of Orange, whose firm hand was needed to control him. The
French negotiation had excited his profound disgust, and knowing
Sainte Aldegonde to be heart and soul in favour of that alliance, he was
in no haste whatever to carry out his orders with regard to Antwerp. He
had also an insignificant quarrel with President Meetkerk. The Prince
of Parma--ever on the watch for such opportunities--was soon informed
of the Admiral's discontent, and had long been acquainted with his
turbulent character. Alexander at once began to inflame his jealousy
and soothe his vanity by letters and messengers, urging upon him the
propriety of reconciling himself with the King, and promising him
large rewards and magnificent employments in the royal service. Even
the splendid insignia of the Golden Fleece were dangled before his eyes.
It is certain that the bold Hollander was not seduced by these visions,
but there is no doubt that he listened to the voice of the tempter. He
unquestionably neglected his duty. Week after week he remained, at
Ostend, sneering at the French and quaffing huge draughts in honour of
Queen Elizabeth. At last, after much time had elapsed, he agreed to
victual Antwerp if he could be furnished with thirty krom-stevens,--a
peculiar kind of vessel, not to be found in Zeeland. The krom-stevens
were sent to him from Holland. Then, hearing that his negligence had
been censured by the States-General, he became more obstinate than
ever, and went up and down proclaiming that if people made

themselves