The Revolt of The Netherlands, book 3 | Page 2

did not fail to make use of this class of people who stood idle
in the market and ready to be hired. These very men whom at any other
time the merchants, in the pride of riches, would most probably have
looked down upon, now appeared likely to do them good service
through their numbers, their courage, their credit with the populace,
their enmity to the government, nay, through their beggarly pride itself
and their despair. On these grounds they zealously endeavored to form
a close union with them, and diligently fostered the disposition for
rebellion, while they also used every means to keep alive their high
opinions of themselves, and, what was most important, lured their
poverty by well-applied pecuniary assistance and glittering promises.
Few of them were so utterly insignificant as not to possess some
influence, if not personally, yet at least by their relationship with higher
and more powerful nobles; and if united they would be able to raise a
formidable voice against the crown. Many of them had either already
joined the new sect or were secretly inclined to it; and even those who
were zealous Roman Catholics had political or private grounds enough

to set them against the decrees of Trent and the Inquisition. All, in fine,
felt the call of vanity sufficiently powerful not to allow the only
moment to escape them in which they might possibly make some figure
in the republic.
But much as might be expected from the co-operation of these men in a
body it would have been futile and ridiculous to build any hopes on any
one of them singly; and the great difficulty was to effect a union among
them. Even to bring them together some unusual occurrence was
necessary, and fortunately such an incident presented itself. The
nuptials of Baron Montigny, one of the Belgian nobles, as also those of
the Prince Alexander of Parma, which took place about this time in
Brussels, assembled in that town a great number of the Belgian nobles.
On this occasion relations met relations; new friendships were formed
and old renewed; and while the distress of the country was the topic of
conversation wine and mirth unlocked lips and hearts, hints were
dropped of union among themselves, and of an alliance with foreign
powers. These accidental meetings soon led to concealed ones, and
public discussions gave rise to secret consultations. Two German
barons, moreover, a Count of Holle and a Count of Schwarzenberg,
who at this time were on a visit to the Netherlands, omitted nothing to
awaken expectations of assistance from their neighbors. Count Louis of
Nassau, too, had also a short time before visited several German courts
to ascertain their sentiments.
[It was not without cause that the Prince of Orange suddenly
disappeared from Brussels in order to be present at the election of a
king of Rome in Frankfort. An assembly of so many German princes
must have greatly favored a negotiation.]
It has even been asserted that secret emissaries of the Admiral Coligny
were seen at this time in Brabant, but this, however, may be reasonably
doubted.
If ever a political crisis was favorable to an attempt at revolution it was
the present. A woman at the helm of government; the governors of
provinces disaffected themselves and disposed to wink at
insubordination in others; most of the state counsellors quite inefficient;
no army to fall back upon; the few troops there were long since
discontented on account of the outstanding arrears of pay, and already
too often deceived by false promises to be enticed by new; commanded,

moreover, by officers who despised the Inquisition from their hearts,
and would have blushed to draw a sword in its behalf; and, lastly, no
money in the treasury to enlist new troops or to hire foreigners. The
court at Brussels, as well as the three councils, not only divided by
internal dissensions, but in the highest degree--venal and corrupt; the
regent without full powers to act on the spot, and the king at a distance;
his adherents in the provinces few, uncertain, and dispirited; the faction
numerous and powerful; two-thirds of the people irritated against
popery and desirous of a change--such was the unfortunate weakness of
the government, and the more unfortunate still that this weakness was
so well known to its enemies!
In order to unite so many minds in the prosecution of a common object
a leader was still wanting, and a few influential names to give political
weight to their enterprise. The two were supplied by Count Louis of
Nassau and Henry Count Brederode, both members of the most
illustrious houses of the Belgian nobility, who voluntarily placed
themselves at the head of the undertaking. Louis of Nassau, brother of
the Prince of Orange, united many splendid qualities which