The Rise of the Dutch Republic, 1577 part 2

The Rise of the Dutch Republic,
1577 part 2

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Title: The Rise of the Dutch Republic, 1577
Author: John Lothrop Motley
Release Date: January, 2004 [EBook #4828] [Yes, we are more than
one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on March 26,
2002]

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MOTLEY'S HISTORY OF THE NETHERLANDS, Project Gutenberg
Edition, Vol. 28
THE RISE OF THE DUTCH REPUBLIC, 1577
By John Lothrop Motley
1855

CHAPTER III
.
The city of Namur--Margaret of Valois--Her intrigues in Hainault in
favour of Alencon--Her reception by Don John at Namur--Festivities in
her, honor--Seizure of Namur citadel by Don John--Plan for seizing
that of Antwerp--Letter of the estates to Philip, sent by
Escovedo--Fortunes and fate of Escovedo in Madrid--Repairing of
dykes--The Prince's visit to Holland--His letter to the estates-- general
on the subject of Namur citadel--His visit to Utrecht-- Correspondence
and commissioners between Don John and the estates-- Acrimonious
and passionate character of these colloquies--Attempt of Treslong upon
Antwerp citadel frustrated by De Bourse--Fortunate panic of the
German mercenaries--Antwerp evacuated by the foreign
troops--Renewed correspondence--Audacity of the Governor's

demands-- Letters of Escovedo and others intercepted--Private schemes
of Don John not understood by the estates--His letter to the Empress
Dowager--More correspondence with the estates--Painful and false
position of the Governor--Demolition, in part, of Antwerp citadel, and
of other fortresses by the patriots Statue of Alva--Letter of
estates-general to the King.
There were few cities of the Netherlands more picturesque in situation,
more trimly built, and more opulent of aspect than the little city of
Namur. Seated at the confluence of the Sombre with the Meuse, and
throwing over each river a bridge of solid but graceful structure, it lay
in the lap of a most fruitful valley. Abroad crescent-shaped plain,
fringed by the rapid Meuse, and enclosed by gently rolling hills
cultivated to their crests, or by abrupt precipices of limestone crowned
with verdure, was divided by numerous hedgerows, and dotted all over
with corn-fields, vineyards, and flower gardens. Many eyes have gazed
with delight upon that well-known and most lovely valley, and many
torrents of blood have mingled with those glancing waters since that
long buried and most sanguinary age which forms our theme; and still
placid as ever is the valley, brightly as ever flows the stream. Even now,
as in that vanished, but never-forgotten time, nestles the little city in the
angle of the two rivers; still directly over its head seems to hang in
mid-air the massive and frowning fortress, like the gigantic helmet-in
the fiction, as if ready to crush the pigmy town below.
It was this famous citadel, crowning an abrupt precipice five hundred
feet above the river's bed, and placed near the frontier of France, which
made the city so important, and which had now attracted Don John's
attention in this hour of his perplexity. The unexpected visit of a
celebrated personage, furnished him with the pretext which he desired.
The beautiful Margaret of Valois, Queen of Navarre, was proceeding to
the baths of Spa, to drink the waters. Her health was as perfect as her
beauty, but she was flying from a husband whom she hated, to advance
the interest of a brother whom she loved with a more than sisterly
fondness-- for the worthless Duke of Alencon was one of the many
competitors for the Netherland government; the correspondence
between himself and his brother with Orange and his agents being still
continued. The hollow truce