The Rise of the Dutch Republic, 1580-82 | Page 4

upon him of placing himself
personally in the hands of his creditors and making over his estates to
their mercy until the uttermost farthing should be paid. In his two
campaigns against Alva (1568 and 1572) he had spent 1,050,000 florins.
He owed the Elector Palatine 150,000 florins, the Landgrave 60,000,
Count John 670,000, and other sums to other individuals.]
During this wrangling, the country was exposed to the forces of Parma,

to the private efforts of the Malcontents, to the unpaid soldiery of the
states, to the armed and rebellious peasantry. Little heed was paid to the
admonitions of Count John, who was of a hotter temper than was the
tranquil Prince. The stadholder gave way to fits of passion at the
meanness and the insolence to which he was constantly exposed. He
readily recognized his infirmity, and confessed himself unable to
accommodate his irascibility to the "humores" of the inhabitants. There
was often sufficient cause for his petulance. Never had praetor of a
province a more penurious civil list. "The baker has given notice,"
wrote Count John, in November, "that he will supply no more bread
after to-morrow, unless he is paid." The states would furnish no money
to pay the, bill. It was no better with the butcher. "The cook has often
no meat to roast," said the Count, in the same letter, "so that we are
often obliged to go supperless to bed." His lodgings were a half-roofed,
half- finished, unfurnished barrack, where the stadholder passed his
winter days and evenings in a small, dark, freezing-cold chamber, often
without fire-wood. Such circumstances were certainly not calculated to
excite envy. When in addition to such wretched parsimony, it is
remembered that the Count was perpetually worried by the quarrels of
the provincial authorities with each other and with himself, he may be
forgiven for becoming thoroughly exhausted at last. He was growing
"grey and grizzled" with perpetual perplexity. He had been fed with
annoyance, as if--to use his own homely expression--"he had eaten it
with a spoon." Having already loaded himself with a debt of six
hundred thousand florins, which he had spent in the states' service, and
having struggled manfully against the petty tortures of his situation, he
cannot be severely censured for relinquishing his post. The affairs of
his own Countship were in great confusion. His children--boys and
girls--were many, and needed their fathers' guidance, while the eldest,
William Louis, was already in arms for the-Netherlands, following the
instincts of his race. Distinguished for a rash valor, which had already
gained the rebuke of his father and the applause of his comrades, he
had commenced his long and glorious career by receiving a severe
wound at Coewerden, which caused him to halt for life. Leaving so
worthy a representative, the Count was more justified in his departure.
His wife, too, had died in his absence, and household affairs required
his attention. It must be confessed, however, that if the memory of his

deceased spouse had its claims, the selection of her successor was still
more prominent among his anxieties. The worthy gentleman had been
supernaturally directed as to his second choice, ere that choice seemed
necessary, for before the news of his wife's death had reached him, the
Count dreamed that he was already united in second nuptials to the fair
Cunigunda, daughter of the deceased Elector Palatine--a vision which
was repeated many times. On the morrow he learned, to his amazement,
that he was a widower, and entertained no doubt that he had been
specially directed towards the princess seen in his slumbers, whom he
had never seen in life. His friends were in favor of his marrying the
Electress Dowager, rather than her daughter, whose years numbered
less than half his own. The honest Count, however, "after ripe
consideration," decidedly preferred the maid to the widow. "I confess,"
he said, with much gravity, "that the marriage with the old Electress, in
respect of her God-fearing disposition, her piety, her virtue, and the like,
would be much more advisable. Moreover, as she hath borne her cross,
and knows how to deal with gentlemen, so much the better would it be
for me. Nevertheless, inasmuch as she has already had two husbands, is
of a tolerable age, and is taller of stature than myself, my inclination is
less towards her than towards her daughter."
For these various considerations, Count John, notwithstanding the
remonstrances of his brother, definitely laid down his government of
Gelderland, and quitted the Netherlands about midsummer. Enough had
not been done, in the opinion of the Prince, so long as aught remained
to do, and he could not bear that his brother should desert the country
in the hour of its darkness, or doubt the Almighty when his hand was
veiled in clouds. "One