The Rise of the Dutch Republic, 1569-70

The Rise of the Dutch Republic,
1569-70

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Title: The Rise of the Dutch Republic, 1569-70
Author: John Lothrop Motley
Release Date: January, 2004 [EBook #4817] [Yes, we are more than
one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on March 19,
2002]

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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE
DUTCH REPUBLIC, 1569-70 ***

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MOTLEY'S HISTORY OF THE NETHERLANDS, PG EDITION,
VOLUME 17.
THE RISE OF THE DUTCH REPUBLIC
By John Lothrop Motley
1855

1569-70 [

CHAPTER V
.]
Quarrel between Alva and Queen Elizabeth of England--Spanish funds
seized by the English government--Non-intercourse between England
and the Netherlands--Stringent measures against heresy--Continued
persecution--Individual cases--Present of hat and sword to Alva from
the Pope--Determination of the Governor--general to establish a system
of arbitrary taxation in the provinces--Assembly of estates at
Brussels--Alva's decrees laid before them--The hundredth, tenth, and
fifth pence--Opposition of Viglius to the project--Estates of various
provinces give a reluctant consent--Determined resistance of
Utrecht--The city and province cited before the Blood Council--
Sentence of confiscation and disfranchisement against both--Appeal to
the King--Difficulty of collecting the new tax--Commutation for two

years--Projects for a pardon-general--Growing disfavour of the
Duke--His desire to resign his post--Secret hostility between the
Governor and Viglius--Altered sentiments of the President--Opinions
expressed by Granvelle--The pardon pompously proclaimed by the
Duke at Antwerp--Character of the amnesty--Dissatisfaction of the
people with the act--Complaints of Alva to the King--Fortunes and fate
of Baron Montigny in Spain--His confinement at Segovia--His attempt
to escape--Its failure--His mock trial--His wife's appeal to Philip-- His
condemnation--His secret assassination determined upon--Its details, as
carefully prescribed and superintended by the King-- Terrible
inundation throughout the Netherlands--Immense destruction of life
and property in Friesland--Lowestein Castle taken by De Ruyter, by
stratagem--Recapture of the place by the Spaniards-- Desperate
resistance and death of De Ruyter.
It was very soon after the Duke's return to Brussels that a quarrel
between himself and the Queen of England took place. It happened thus.
Certain vessels, bearing roving commissions from the Prince of Conde,
had chased into the ports of England some merchantmen coming from
Spain with supplies in specie for the Spanish army in the Netherlands.
The trading ships remained in harbor, not daring to leave for their
destination, while the privateers remained in a neighbouring port ready
to pounce upon them should they put to sea. The commanders of the
merchant fleet complained to the Spanish ambassador in London. The
envoy laid the case before the Queen. The Queen promised redress, and,
almost as soon as the promise had been made, seized upon all the
specie in the vessels, amounting to about eight hundred thousand
dollars--[1885 exchange rate]-- and appropriated the whole to her own
benefit. The pretext for this proceeding was twofold. In the first place,
she assured the ambassador that she had taken the money into her
possession in order that it might be kept safe for her royal brother of
Spain. In the second place, she affirmed that the money did not belong
to the Spanish government at all, but that it was the property of certain
Genoese merchants, from whom, as she had a right to do, she had
borrowed it for a short period. Both these positions could hardly be
correct, but either furnished an excellent reason for appropriating the
funds to her own use.
The Duke of Alva being very much in want of money, was furious

when informed of the circumstance. He immediately despatched
Councillor d'Assonleville with other commissioners on a special
embassy to the Queen of England. His envoys were