The Rise of the Dutch Republic, 1568 part 1 | Page 4

threat of his viceroy. Early in the year, the most
sublime sentence of death was promulgated which has ever been
pronounced since the creation of the world. The Roman tyrant wished
that his enemies' heads were all upon a single neck, that he might strike

them off at a blow; the inquisition assisted Philip to place the heads of
all his Netherland subjects upon a single neck for the same fell purpose.
Upon the 16th February, 1568, a sentence of the Holy Office
condemned all the inhabitants of the Netherlands to death as heretics.
From this universal doom only a few persons, especially named; were
excepted. A proclamation of the King, dated ten days later, confirmed
this decree of the inquisition, and ordered it to be carried into instant
execution, without regard to age, sex, or condition. This is probably the
most concise death-warrant that was ever framed. Three millions of
people, men, women, and children, were sentenced to the scaffold in:
three lines; and, as it was well known that these were not harmless
thunders, like some bulls of the Vatican, but serious and practical
measures, which it was intended should be enforced, the horror which
they produced may be easily imagined. It was hardly the purpose of
Government to compel the absolute completion of the wholesale plan
in all its length and breadth, yet in the horrible times upon which they
had fallen, the Netherlanders might be excused for believing that no
measure was too monstrous to be fulfilled. At any rate, it was certain
that when all were condemned, any might at a moment's warning be
carried to the scaffold, and this was precisely the course adopted by the
authorities.
Under this universal decree the industry of the Blood-Council might,
now seem superfluous. Why should not these mock prosecutions be
dispensed with against individuals, now that a common sentence had
swallowed the whole population in one vast grave? Yet it may be
supposed that if the exertions of the commissioners and councillors
served no other purpose, they at least furnished the Government with
valuable evidence as to the relative wealth and other circumstances of
the individual victims. The leading thought of the Government being
that persecution, judiciously managed, might fructify into a golden
harvest,--it was still desirable to persevere in the cause in which already
such bloody progress had been made.
And under this new decree, the executions certainly did not slacken.
Men in the highest and the humblest positions were daily and hourly
dragged to the stake. Alva, in a single letter to Philip, coolly estimated
the number of executions which were to take place immediately after
the expiration of holy week, "at eight hundred heads." Many a citizen,

convicted of a hundred thousand florins and of no other crime, saw
himself suddenly tied to a horse's tail, with his hands fastened behind
him, and so dragged to the gallows. But although wealth was an
unpardonable sin, poverty proved rarely a protection. Reasons
sufficient could always be found for dooming the starveling laborer as
well as the opulent burgher. To avoid the disturbances created in the
streets by the frequent harangues or exhortations addressed to the
bystanders by the victims on their way to the scaffold, a new gag was
invented. The tongue of each prisoner was screwed into an iron ring,
and then seared with a hot iron. The swelling and inflammation which
were the immediate result, prevented the tongue from slipping through
the ring, and of course effectually precluded all possibility of speech.
Although the minds of men were not yet prepared for concentrated
revolt against the tyranny under which they were languishing, it was
not possible to suppress all sentiments of humanity, and to tread out
every spark of natural indignation.
Unfortunately, in the bewilderment and misery of this people, the first
development of a forcible and organized resistance was of a depraved
and malignant character. Extensive bands of marauders and highway
robbers sprang into existence, who called themselves the Wild Beggars,
and who, wearing the mask and the symbols of a revolutionary faction,
committed great excesses in many parts of the country, robbing,
plundering, and murdering. Their principal wrath was exercised against
religious houses and persons. Many monasteries were robbed, many
clerical persons maimed and maltreated. It became a habit to deprive
priests of their noses or ears, and to tie them to the tails of horses. This
was the work of ruffian gangs, whose very existence was engendered
out of the social and moral putrescence to which the country was
reduced, and who were willing to profit by the deep and universal
hatred which was felt against Catholics and monks. An edict thundered
forth by Alva, authorizing and commanding all persons to slay the wild
beggars at sight, without trial or hangman, was