The Rise of the Dutch Republic, 1567 part 2

The Rise of the Dutch Republic,
1567 part 2

The Project Gutenberg EBook Rise of the Dutch Republic, 1567
#14 in our series by John Lothrop Motley Copyright laws are changing
all over the world. Be sure to check the copyright laws for your country
before downloading or redistributing this or any other Project
Gutenberg eBook.
This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project
Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the
header without written permission.
Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the
eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is
important information about your specific rights and restrictions in how
the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a
donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved.
**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts**
**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since
1971**
*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers*****
Title: The Rise of the Dutch Republic, 1567
Author: John Lothrop Motley
Release Date: January, 2004 [EBook #4814] [Yes, we are more than
one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on March 19,
2002]

Edition: 10
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE
DUTCH REPUBLIC, 1567 ***

This eBook was produced by David Widger

[NOTE: There is a short list of bookmarks, or pointers, at the end of the
file for those who may wish to sample the author's ideas before making
an entire meal of them. D.W.]

MOTLEY'S HISTORY OF THE NETHERLANDS, PG EDITION,
VOLUME 14.
THE RISE OF THE DUTCH REPUBLIC
By John Lothrop Motley
1855

1567 [Part III., ALVA,

CHAPTER 1
.]
Continued dissensions in the Spanish cabinet--Ruy Gomez and Alva--
Conquest of the Netherlands entrusted to the Duke--Birth, previous
career and character of Alva--Organization of the invading army-- Its
march to the provinces--Complaints of Duchess Margaret--Alva
receives deputations on the frontier--Interview between the Duke and
Egmont--Reception of Alva by the Duchess of Parma--Circular letters
to the cities requiring their acceptance of garrisons--Margaret's secret
correspondence--Universal apprehension--Keys of the great cities
demanded by Alva--Secret plans of the government, arranged before
the Duke's departure--Arrest of Orange, Egmont, Horn, and others,
determined upon--Stealthy course of the government towards
them--Infatuation of Egmont--Warnings addressed to him by De Billy

and others--Measures to entrap Count Horn--Banquet of the Grand
Prior--The Grand Prior's warning to Egmont--Evil counsels of
Noircarmes--Arrests of Egmont, Horn, Bakkerzeel and Straalen--
Popular consternation--Petulant conduct of Duchess Margaret--
Characteristic comments of Granvelle--His secret machinations and
disclaimers--Berghen and Montigny--Last moments of Marquis
Berghen-- Perfidy of Ruy Gomez--Establishment of the
"Blood-Council"--Its leading features--Insidious behavior of
Viglius--Secret correspondence, concerning the President, between
Philip and Alva-- Members of the "Blood-Council"--Portraits of Vargas
and Hessels-- Mode of proceeding adopted by the council--Wholesale
executions-- Despair in the provinces--The resignation of Duchess
Margaret accepted--Her departure from the Netherlands--Renewed civil
war in France--Death of Montmorency--Auxiliary troops sent by Alva
to France--Erection of Antwerp citadel--Description of the citadel.
The armed invasion of the Netherlands was the necessary consequence
of all which had gone before. That the inevitable result had been so
long deferred lay rather in the incomprehensible tardiness of Philip's
character than in the circumstances of the case. Never did a monarch
hold so steadfastly to a deadly purpose, or proceed so languidly and
with so much circumvolution to his goal. The mask of benignity, of
possible clemency, was now thrown off, but the delusion of his
intended visit to the provinces was still maintained. He assured the
Regent that he should be governed by her advice, and as she had made
all needful preparations to receive him in Zeland, that it would be in
Zeland he should arrive.
The same two men among Philip's advisers were prominent as at an
earlier day--the Prince of Eboli and the Duke of Alva. They still
represented entirely opposite ideas, and in character, temper, and
history, each was the reverse of the other. The policy of the Prince was
pacific and temporizing; that of the Duke uncompromising and
ferocious. Ruy Gomez was disposed to prevent, if possible, the armed
mission of Alva, and he now openly counselled the King to fulfil his
long-deferred promise, and to make his appearance in person before his
rebellious subjects. The jealousy and hatred which existed between the
Prince and the Duke-- between the man of peace and the man of
wrath--were constantly exploding, even in the presence of the King.

The wrangling in the council was incessant. Determined, if possible; to
prevent the elevation of his rival, the favorite was even for a moment
disposed to ask for the command of the army himself. There was
something ludicrous in the notion, that