The Rise of the Dutch Republic, 1578 part 1 | Page 2

a state of complete defence, and to assemble
forthwith new troops to take the place of the army just annihilated. The
victor gained nothing by his victory, in comparison with the profit
acquired by the states through their common misfortune. Nor were all
the towns which had recently fallen into the hands of Don John at all
comparable in importance to the city of Amsterdam, which now, by a
most timely arrangement, furnished a rich compensation to the national
party for the disaster of Gemblours.
Since the conclusion of the Ghent Pacification, it had been the most
earnest wish of the Prince, and of Holland and Zealand, to recover
possession of this most important city. The wish was naturally shared
by every true patriot in the states-general. It had, however, been
extremely difficult to arrange the terms of the "Satisfaction." Every
fresh attempt at an amicable compromise was wrecked upon the
obstinate bigotry of the leading civic authorities. They would make no
agreement to accept the authority of Orange, except, as Saint
Aldegonde expressed himself; upon terms which would enable them
"to govern their governor." The influence of the monks, who were
resident in large numbers within the city, and of the magistrates, who
were all stanch Catholics, had been hitherto sufficient to outweigh the
efforts made by the large masses of the Reformed religionists
composing the bulk of the population. It was, however, impossible to
allow Amsterdam to remain in this isolated and hostile attitude to the
rest of Holland. The Prince, having promised to use no coercion, and
loyally adhering to his pledge, had only with extreme difficulty
restrained the violence of the Hollanders and Zealanders, who were
determined, by fair means or foul, to restore the capital city to its
natural place within his stadholderate. He had been obliged, on various
occasions, particularly on the 21st of October of the preceding year, to
address a most decided and peremptory letter to the estates of Holland
and Zealand, forbidding the employment of hostile measures against
Amsterdam. His commands had been reluctantly, partially, and only
temporarily obeyed. The states desisted from their scheme of reducing
the city by famine, but they did not the less encourage the secret and
unofficial expeditions which were daily set on foot to accomplish the

annexation by a sudden enterprise.
Late in November, a desperate attempt had been made by Colonel
Helling, in conjunction with Governor Sonoy, to carry the city by
surprise. The force which the adventurer collected for the purpose was
inadequate, and his plans were unskilfully arranged. He was himself
slain in the streets, at the very commencement of the action; whereupon,
in the quaint language of the contemporary chronicler, "the hearts of his
soldiers sank in their shoes," and they evacuated the city with much
greater rapidity than they had entered it. The Prince was indignant at
these violent measures, which retarded rather than advanced the desired
consummation. At the same time it was an evil of immense
magnitude--this anomalous condition of his capital. Ceaseless schemes
were concerted by the municipal and clerical conspirators within its
walls, and various attempts were known, at different times, to have
been contemplated by Don John, to inflict a home-thrust upon the
provinces of Holland and Zealand at the most vulnerable and vital point.
The "Satisfaction" accepted by Utrecht, in the autumn of 1577, had,
however, paved the way for the recovery of Amsterdam; so that upon
February the 8th, 1578, certain deputies from Utrecht succeeded at last
in arranging terms, which were accepted by the sister city. The basis of
the treaty was, as usual, the nominal supremacy of the Catholic religion,
with toleration for the Reformed worship. The necessary effect would
be, as in Harlem, Utrecht, and other places, to establish the new
religion upon an entire equality with the old. It was arranged that no
congregations were to be disturbed in their religious exercises in the
places respectively assigned to them. Those of the Reformed faith were
to celebrate their worship without the walls. They were, however, to
enjoy the right of burying their dead within these precincts, and it is
singular how much importance was attached at that day to a custom, at
which the common sentiment and the common sense of modern times
revolt. "To bury our dead within our own cities is a right hardly to be
denied to a dog," said the Prince of Orange; and accordingly this right
was amply secured by the new Satisfaction of Amsterdam. It was,
however, stipulated that the funerals should be modest, and attended by
no more than twenty-four persons at once. The treaty was hailed with
boundless joy in Holland and Zealand, while countless benedictions
were invoked upon the "blessed peace- makers," as the Utrecht deputies

walked through the streets of Amsterdam.