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The whole garrison, twelve hundred strong, was butchered, and the city thoroughly sacked; for Farnese had been brought up in the old-fashioned school of Alva; and Julian Romero and Com-. wander Requesens. Thus Lagny was seized before the eyes of Henry, who was forced to look helplessly on his great antagonist's triumph. He had come forth in full panoply and abounding confidence to offer battle.
Effect of the death of Farnese upon Philip's schemes Priestly flattery and counsel Assembly of the States-General of France Meeting of the Leaguers at the Louvre Conference at Surene between the chiefs of the League and the "political" leaders Henry convokes an assembly of bishops, theologians, and others Strong feeling on all sides on the subject of the succession Philip commands that the Infanta and the Duke of Guise be elected King and Queen of France Manifesto of the Duke of Mayenne Formal re-admission of Henry to the Roman faith The pope refuses to consent to his reconciliation with the Church His consecration with the sacred oil Entry of the king into Paris Departure of the Spanish garrison from the capital Dissimulation of the Duke of Mayenne He makes terms with Henry Grief of Queen Elizabeth on receipt of the communications from France.
A rumour became very current, moreover, that the garrison had opened negotiations with Alexander Farnese, and accordingly Maurice of Nassau of whose patrimonial property the city of Gertruydenberg made a considerable proportion, to the amount of eight thousand pounds sterling a years after summoning the garrison, in his own name and that of the States, to surrender, laid siege to the place in form.
Among others, one picture represented Count Peter lying tied hand and foot, while people were throwing filth upon him; Count Charles being pourtrayed as meantime being kicked away from the command of a battery of cannon by, De la Motte. It seemed strange that the Mansfelds should, make themselves thus elaborately ridiculous, in order to irritate Farnese; but thus it was.
But never was honest soldier more mistaken than he, when he added: "The Papists will make her Highness afraid of a great fleet now preparing in Spain. We hear it also, but it is only a scare-crow to cool the enterprise here." It was no scare-crow. On the very day on which Wilford was thus writing to Walsingham, Philip the Second was writing to Alexander Farnese.
He announced his intention of proposing at once to treat, and to protract the negotiations as long as possible, until the wished-for sails should be discerned in the offing, when he would at once break faith with them, resume hostilities, and so make fools of the besiegers. This was a device worthy of a modern Alexander whose surname was Farnese.
There was a screech from Farnese that ended in a gurgle, and suddenly the blood spurted from his neck as from a fountain. Galeotto let him go. He dropped to his chair and fell forward against the table, drenching it in blood.
They paid a tribute to the character of Farnese, who after gaining infinite glory in arms, had manifested so much gentleness and disposition to conciliate.
His own soldiers were terrified at his danger, and a cry arose in the town that "Holofernese" as the Flemings and Germans were accustomed to nickname Farnese was dead. Strange to relate, he was quite unharmed, and walked back to his tent with dignified slowness and a very frowning face.
This Elizabeth Farnese, in spite of her quiet life at Parma, soon showed herself to possess a capacity for government which no one could have suspected, for she had studied and was far better acquainted with history and politics than the majority of women, spoke several languages, and had an intelligent appreciation of the fine arts.
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