The Rise of the Dutch Republic, 1563-64 | Page 2

private profit, the writers asked leave to retire from the state council.
Neither their reputation, they said, nor the interests of the royal service
would permit them to act with the Cardinal. They professed themselves
dutiful subjects and Catholic vassals. Had it not been for the zeal of the
leading seigniors, the nobility, and other well-disposed persons, affairs
would not at that moment be so tranquil; the common people having
been so much injured, and the manner of life pursued by the Cardinal
not being calculated to give more satisfaction than was afforded by his
unlimited authority. In conclusion, the writers begged his Majesty not
to throw the blame upon them, if mischance should follow the neglect
of this warning. This memorable letter was signed by Guillaume, de
Nassau, Lamoral d'Egmont, and Philippes de Montmorency (Count
Horn). It was despatched undercover to Charles de Tisnacq, a Belgian,
and procurator for the affairs of the Netherlands at Madrid, a man
whose relations with Count Egmont were of a friendly character. It was
impossible, however, to keep the matter a secret from the person most
interested. The Cardinal wrote to the King the day before the letter was
written, and many weeks before it was sent, to apprize him that it was
coming, and to instruct him as to the answer he was to make. Nearly all
the leading nobles and governors had adhered to the substance of the
letter, save the Duke of Aerschot, Count Aremberg, and Baron
Berlaymont. The Duke and Count had refused to join the league;
violent scenes having occurred upon the subject between them and the
leaders of the opposition party. Egmont, being with a large shooting
party at Aerschot's country place, Beaumont, had taken occasion to
urge the Duke to join in the general demonstration against the Cardinal,
arguing the matter in the rough, off-hand, reckless manner which was
habitual with him. His arguments offended the nobleman thus
addressed, who was vain and irascible. He replied by affirming that he
was a friend to Egmont, but would not have him for his master. He
would have nothing to do, he said, with their league against the
Cardinal, who had never given him cause of enmity. He had no
disposition to dictate to the King as to his choice of ministers, and his
Majesty was quite right to select his servants at his own pleasure. The
Duke added that if the seigniors did not wish him for a friend, it was a

matter of indifference to him. Not one of them was his superior; he had
as large a band of noble followers and friends as the best of them, and
he had no disposition to accept the supremacy of any nobleman in the
land. The conversation carried on in this key soon became a quarrel,
and from words the two gentlemen would soon have come to blows,
but for the interposition of Aremberg and Robles, who were present at
the scene. The Duchess of Parma, narrating the occurrence to the King,
added that a duel had been the expected result of the affair, but that the
two nobles had eventually been reconciled. It was characteristic of
Aerschot that he continued afterward to associate with the nobles upon
friendly terms, while maintaining an increased intimacy with the
Cardinal.
The gentlemen who sent the letter were annoyed at the premature
publicity which it seemed to have attained. Orange had in vain solicited
Count Aremberg to join the league, and had quarrelled with him in
consequence. Egmont, in the presence of Madame de Parma, openly
charged Aremberg with having divulged the secret which had been
confided to him. The Count fiercely denied that he had uttered a
syllable on the subject to a human being; but added that any
communication on his part would have been quite superfluous, while
Egmont and his friends were daily boasting of what they were to
accomplish. Egmont reiterated the charge of a breach of faith by
Aremberg. That nobleman replied by laying his hand upon his sword,
denouncing as liars all persons who should dare to charge him again
with such an offence, and offering to fight out the quarrel upon the
instant. Here, again, personal combat was, with much difficulty,
averted.
Egmont, rude, reckless, and indiscreet, was already making manifest
that he was more at home on a battle-field than in a political
controversy where prudence and knowledge of human nature were as
requisite as courage. He was at this period more liberal in his
sentiments than at any moment of his life. Inflamed by his hatred of
Granvelle, and determined to compass the overthrow of that minister,
he conversed freely with all kinds of people, sought popularity among
the burghers, and descanted to every one with much imprudence upon
the necessity of