The Rise of the Dutch Republic, 1564-65 | Page 5

assured her, she said, that there were
grave doubts touching the orthodoxy of Viglius. He had consorted with
heretics during a large portion of his life, and had put many suspicious
persons into office. As to his nepotism, simony, and fraud, there was no
doubt at all. He had richly provided all his friends and relations in
Friesland with benefices. He had become in his old age a priest and
churchman, in order to snatch the provostship of Saint Bavon, although
his infirmities did not allow him to say mass, or even to stand erect at

the altar. The inquisitors had further accused him of having stolen rings,
jewels, plate, linen, beds, tapestry, and other furniture, from the
establishment, all which property he had sent to Friesland, and of
having seized one hundred thousand florins in ready money which had
belonged to the last abbe--an act consequently of pure embezzlement.
The Duchess afterwards transmitted to Philip an inventory of the
plundered property, including the furniture of nine houses, and begged
him to command Viglius to make instant restitution. If there be truth in
the homely proverb, that in case of certain quarrels honest men recover
their rights, it is perhaps equally certain that when distinguished public
personages attack each other, historians may arrive at the truth. Here
certainly are edifying pictures of the corruption of the Spanish regency
in the Netherlands, painted by the President of the state-council, and of
the dishonesty of the President painted by the Regent.
A remarkable tumult occurred in October of this year, at Antwerp. A
Carmelite monk, Christopher Smith, commonly called Fabricius, had
left a monastery in Bruges, adopted the principles of the Reformation,
and taken to himself a wife. He had resided for a time in England; but,
invited by his friends, he had afterwards undertaken the dangerous
charge of gospel- teacher in the commercial metropolis of the
Netherlands. He was, however, soon betrayed to the authorities by a
certain bonnet dealer, popularly called Long Margaret, who had
pretended, for the sake of securing the informer's fee, to be a convert to
his doctrines. He was seized, and immediately put to the torture. He
manfully refused to betray any members of his congregation, as
manfully avowed and maintained his religious creed. He was
condemned to the flames, and during the interval which preceded his
execution, he comforted his friends by letters of advice, religious
consolation and encouragement, which he wrote from his dungeon. He
sent a message to the woman who had betrayed him, assuring her of his
forgiveness, and exhorting her to repentance. His calmness, wisdom,
and gentleness excited the admiration of all. When; therefore, this
humble imitator of Christ was led through the streets of Antwerp to the
stake, the popular emotion was at once visible. To the multitude who
thronged about the executioners with threatening aspect, he addressed
an urgent remonstrance that they would not compromise their own
safety by a tumult in his cause. He invited all, however, to remain

steadfast to the great truth for which he was about to lay down his life.
The crowd, as they followed the procession of hangmen, halberdsmen,
and magistrates, sang the hundred and thirtieth psalm in full chorus. As
the victim arrived upon the market-place, he knelt upon the ground to
pray, for the last time. He was, however, rudely forced to rise by the
executioner, who immediately chained him to the stake, and fastened a
leathern strap around his throat. At this moment the popular indignation
became uncontrollable; stones were showered upon the magistrates and
soldiers, who, after a slight resistance, fled for their lives. The foremost
of the insurgents dashed into the enclosed arena, to rescue the prisoner.
It was too late. The executioner, even as he fled, had crushed the
victim's head with a sledge hammer, and pierced him through and
through with a poniard. Some of the bystanders maintained afterwards
that his fingers and lips were seen to move, as if in feeble prayer, for a
little time longer, until, as the fire mounted, he fell into the flames. For
the remainder of the day, after the fire had entirely smouldered to ashes,
the charred and half- consumed body of the victim remained on the
market-place, a ghastly spectacle to friend and foe. It was afterwards
bound to a stone and cast into the Scheld. Such was the doom of
Christopher Fabricius, for having preached Christianity in Antwerp.
During the night an anonymous placard, written with blood, was posted
upon the wall of the town-house, stating that there were men in the city
who would signally avenge his murder. Nothing was done, however,
towards the accomplishment of the threat. The King, when he received
the intelligence of the transaction, was furious with indignation, and
wrote savage letters to his