History of the United Netherlands, 1595 | Page 4

new
governor-general, and took a peaceful farewell of him. "Your Majesty
knows very well what he is," wrote Fuentes: "he is nothing but talk."
Before leaving the country he sent a bitter complaint to Ybarra, to the
effect that the king had entirely forgotten him, and imploring that
financier's influence to procure for him some gratuity from his Majesty.
He was in such necessity, he said, that it was no longer possible for him

to maintain his household.
And with this petition the grandee of the obedient provinces shook the
dust from his shoes, and left his natal soil for ever. He died on the 11th
December of the same year in Venice.
His son the Prince of Chimay, his brother, and son-inlaw, and the other
obedient nobles, soon accommodated themselves to the new
administration, much as they had been inclined to bluster at first about
their privileges. The governor soon reported that matters were
proceeding very, smoothly. There was a general return to the former
docility now that such a disciplinarian as Fuentes held the reins.
The opening scenes of the campaign between the Spanish governor and
France were, as usual, in Picardy. The Marquis of Varambon made a
demonstration in the neighbourhood of Dourlens--a fortified town on
the river Authie, lying in an open plain, very deep in that
province--while Fuentes took the field with eight thousand men, and
laid siege to Le Catelet. He had his eye, however, upon Ham. That
important stronghold was in the hands of a certain nobleman called De
Gomeron, who had been an energetic Leaguer, and was now disposed,
for a handsome consideration, to sell himself to the King of Spain. In
the auction of governors and generals then going on in every part of
France it had been generally found that Henry's money was more to be
depended upon in the long run, although Philip's bids were often very
high, and, for a considerable period, the payments regular. Gomeron's
upset price for himself was twenty-five thousand crowns in cash, and a
pension of eight thousand a year. Upon these terms he agreed to receive
a Spanish garrison into the town, and to cause the French in the citadel
to be sworn into the service of the Spanish king. Fuentes agreed to the
bargain and paid the adroit tradesman, who knew so well how to turn a
penny for himself, a large portion of the twenty-five thousand crowns
upon the nail.
De Gomeron was to proceed to Brussels to receive the residue. His
brother-in-law, M. d'Orville, commanded in the citadel, and so soon as
the Spanish troops had taken possession of the town its governor
claimed full payment of his services.
But difficulties awaited him in Brussels. He was informed that a French
garrison could not be depended upon for securing the fortress, but that
town and citadel must both be placed in Spanish hands. De Gomeron

loudly protesting that this was not according to contract, was calmly
assured, by command of Fuentes, that unless the citadel were at once
evacuated and surrendered, he would not receive the balance of his
twenty-five thousand crowns, and that he should instantly lose his head.
Here was more than De Gomeron had bargained for; but this particular
branch of commerce in revolutionary times, although lucrative, has
always its risks. De Gomeron, thus driven to the wall, sent a letter by a
Spanish messenger to his brother-in-law, ordering him to surrender the
fortress. D'Orville--who meantime had been making his little
arrangements with the other party--protested that the note had been
written under duress, and refused to comply with its directions.
Time was pressing, for the Duke of Bouillon and the Count of St. Pol
lay with a considerable force in the neighbourhood, obviously
menacing Ham.
Fuentes accordingly sent that distinguished soldier and historian, Don
Carlos Coloma, with a detachment of soldiers to Brussels, with orders
to bring Gomeron into camp. He was found seated at supper with his
two young brothers, aged respectively sixteen and eighteen years, and
was just putting a cherry into his mouth as Coloma entered the room.
He remained absorbed in thought, trifling with the cherry without
eating it, which Don Carlos set down as a proof of guilt: The three
brothers were at once put in a coach, together with their sister, a nun of
the age of twenty, and conveyed to the head-quarters of Fuentes, who
lay before Le Catelet, but six leagues from Ham.
Meantime D'Orville had completed his negotiations with Bouillon, and
had agreed to surrender the fortress so soon as the Spanish troops
should be driven from the town. The duke knowing that there was no
time to lose, came with three thousand men before the place. His
summons to surrender was answered by a volley of cannon-shot from