The Rise of the Dutch Republic, 1582-84

The Rise of the Dutch Republic,
1582-84

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1582-84
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Title: The Rise of the Dutch Republic, 1582-84
Author: John Lothrop Motley
Release Date: January, 2004 [EBook #4834] [Yes, we are more than
one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on March 26,
2002]

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Language: English
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DUTCH REPUBLIC, 1582-84 ***

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MOTLEY'S HISTORY OF THE NETHERLANDS, Project Gutenberg
Edition, Vol. 34
THE RISE OF THE DUTCH REPUBLIC, 1582-1584
By John Lothrop Motley
1855

CHAPTER VI
.
Parma recals the foreign troops--Siege of Oudenarde--Coolness of
Alexander--Capture of the city and of Nineve--Inauguration of Anjou at
Ghent--Attempt upon his life and that of Orange--Lamoral Egmont's
implication in the plot--Parma's unsuccessful attack upon Ghent--
Secret plans of Anjou--Dunkirk, Ostend, and other towns surprised by
his adherents--Failure at Bruges--Suspicions at Antwerp--Duplicity of
Anjou--The "French Fury"--Details of that transaction-- Discomfiture
and disgrace of the Duke--His subsequent effrontery-- His letters to the
magistracy of Antwerp, to, the Estates, and to Orange--Extensive
correspondence between Anjou and the, French Court with Orange and
the Estates--Difficult position of the Prince--His policy--Remarkable
letter to the States-general--Provisional arrangement with

Anjou--Marriage of the Archbishop of Cologne-- Marriage of Orange
with Louisa de Coligny--Movements in Holland, Brabant, Flanders,
and other provinces, to induce the Prince to accept sovereignty over the
whole country--His steady refusal-- Treason of Van den Berg in
Gueldres--Intrigues of Prince Chimay and Imbize in Flanders--Counter
efforts of Orange and the patriot party --Fate of Imbize--Reconciliation
of Bruges--Death of Anjou
During the course of the year 1582, the military operations on both
sides had been languid and desultory, the Prince of Parma, not having a
large force at his command, being comparatively inactive. In
consequence, however, of the treaty concluded between the United
states and Anjou, Parma had persuaded the Walloon provinces that it
had now become absolutely necessary for them to permit the entrance
of fresh Italian and Spanish troops. This, then, was the end of the
famous provision against foreign soldiery in the Walloon treaty of
reconciliation. The Abbot of Saint Vaast was immediately despatched
on a special mission to Spain, and the troops, by midsummer, had
already begun to pour, into the Netherlands.
In the meantime, Farnese, while awaiting these reinforcements, had not
been idle, but had been quietly picking up several important cities.
Early in the spring he had laid siege to Oudenarde, a place of
considerable importance upon the Scheld, and celebrated as the
birthplace of his grandmother, Margaret van Geest. The burghers were
obstinate; the defence was protracted; the sorties were bold; the
skirmishes frequent and sanguinary: Alexander commanded personally
in the trenches, encouraging his men by his example, and often
working with the mattock, or handling a spear in the assault, Like a
private pioneer or soldier. Towards the end of the siege, he scarcely
ever left the scene of operation, and he took his meals near the outer
defences, that he might lose no opportunity of superintending the labors
of his troops. One day his dinner was laid for himself and staff in the
open air, close to the entrenchment. He was himself engaged in
planting a battery against a weak point in the city wall, and would on
no account withdraw for all instant. The tablecloth was stretched over a
number of drum-heads, placed close together, and several, nobles of
distinction--Aremberg, Montigny, Richebourg, La Motte, and others,
were his guests at dinner. Hardly had the repast commenced, when a

ball came flying over the table, taking off the head of a, young