The Life and Death of John of Barneveld, Advocate of Holland, 1609-14 | Page 3

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Catholics had contrived to acquire and keep the municipal ascendency,
secretly supported by Archduke Albert, and much oppressing the
Protestants with imprisonments, fines, and banishment, until a new
revolution which had occurred in the year 1610, and which aroused the
wrath of Spinola. Certainly, according to the ideas of that day, it did not
seem unnatural in a city where a very large majority of the population
were Protestants that Protestants should have a majority in the town
council. It seemed, however, to those who surrounded the Archduke an
outrage which could no longer be tolerated, especially as a garrison of
600 Germans, supposed to have formed part of the States' army, had
recently been introduced into the town. Aachen, lying mostly on an
extended plain, had but very slight fortifications, and it was
commanded by a neighbouring range of hills. It had no garrison but the
600 Germans. Spinola placed a battery or two on the hills, and within
three days the town surrendered. The inhabitants expected a scene of
carnage and pillage, but not a life was lost. No injury whatever was
inflicted on person or property, according to the strict injunctions of the
Archduke. The 600 Germans were driven out, and 1200 other Germans
then serving under Catholic banners were put in their places to protect
the Catholic minority, to whose keeping the municipal government was
now confided.
Spinola, then entering the territory of Cleve, took session of Orsoy, an
important place on the Rhine, besides Duren, Duisburg, Kaster,
Greevenbroek and Berchem. Leaving garrisons in these places, he
razed the fortifications of Mulheim, much to the joy of the Archbishop
and his faithful subjects of Cologne, then crossed the Rhine at
Rheinberg, and swooped down upon Wesel. This flourishing and
prosperous city had formerly belonged to the Duchy of Cleve. Placed at
the junction of the Rhine and Lippe and commanding both rivers, it had
become both powerful and Protestant, and had set itself up as a free
Imperial city, recognising its dukes no longer as sovereigns, but only as
protectors. So fervent was it in the practice of the Reformed religion
that it was called the Rhenish Geneva, the cradle of German Calvinism.
So important was its preservation considered to the cause of
Protestantism that the States-General had urged its authorities to accept
from them a garrison. They refused. Had they complied, the city would
have been saved, because it was the rule in this extraordinary campaign

that the belligerents made war not upon each other, nor in each others
territory, but against neutrals and upon neutral soil. The Catholic forces
under Spinola or his lieutenants, meeting occasionally and accidentally
with the Protestants under Maurice or his generals, exchanged no
cannon shots or buffets, but only acts of courtesy; falling away each
before the other, and each ceding to the other with extreme politeness
the possession of towns which one had preceded the other in besieging.
The citizens of Wesel were amazed at being attacked, considering
themselves as Imperial burghers. They regretted too late that they had
refused a garrison from Maurice, which would have prevented Spinola
from assailing them. They had now nothing for it but to surrender,
which they did within three days. The principal condition of the
capitulation was that when Julich should be given up by the States
Wesel should be restored to its former position. Spinola then took and
garrisoned the city of Xanten, but went no further. Having weakened
his army sufficiently by the garrisons taken from it for the cities
captured by him, he declined to make any demonstration upon the
neighbouring and important towns of Emmerich and Rees. The
Catholic commander falling back, the Protestant moved forward.
Maurice seized both Emmerich and Rees, and placed garrisons within
them, besides occupying Goch, Kranenburg, Gennip, and various
places in the County of Mark. This closed the amicable campaign.
Spinola established himself and his forces near Wesel. The Prince
encamped near Rees. The two armies were within two hours' march of
each other. The Duke of Neuburg--for the Palatine had now succeeded
on his father's death to the ancestral dukedom and to his share of the
Condominium of the debateable provinces--now joined Spinola with an
army of 4000 foot and 400 horse. The young Prince of Brandenburg
came to Maurice with 800 cavalry and an infantry regiment of the
Elector- Palatine.
Negotiations destined to be as spectral and fleeting as the campaign had
been illusory now began. The whole Protestant world was aflame with
indignation at the loss of Wesel. The States' government had already
proposed to deposit Julich in the hands of a neutral power if the
Archduke would abstain from military movements. But Albert, proud
of his achievements in Aachen, refused to pause in his career. Let them
make the