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He was governor of Harlem after the famous siege, and exerted himself with some success to mitigate the ferocity of the Spaniards towards the Netherlanders at that epoch. He was marshal-general of the camp under Don John of Austria, and distinguished himself at the battle of Gemblours.

If he refused upon this occasion a general battle, those who reflected upon the usual results to the patriot banner of such engagements, might confess, perhaps, that one disaster the more had been avoided. Don John, finding it impossible to accomplish his purpose, and to achieve another Gemblours victory, fell back again to the neighbourhood of Namur.

At Jemmingen, Alva had lost seven soldiers, and slain seven thousand; in the Antwerp Fury, two hundred Spaniards, at most, had fallen, while eight thousand burghers and states' troops had been butchered; and now at Gemblours, six, seven, eight, ten Heaven knew how many thousand had been exterminated, and hardly a single Spaniard had been slain!

Again I set myself to calm him, as I had so often done before, and again I was the shield between Escovedo and the royal lightnings, of whose menace to blot him out the fool had no suspicion. For months things hung there, until, in January of '78, when war had been forced in earnest upon Spain by Elizabeth's support of the Low Countries, Don John won the great victory of Gemblours.

In Brussels, on the other hand, there was less consternation excited by these events than boundless rage against the aristocratic party, for the defeat of Gemblours was attributed, with justice, to the intrigues and the incapacity of the Catholic magnates.

In Brussels, on the other hand, there was less consternation excited by these events than boundless rage against the aristocratic party, for the defeat of Gemblours was attributed, with justice, to the intrigues and the incapacity of the Catholic magnates.

By John Lothrop Motley 1855 Orange invited to visit Brussels His correspondence upon the subject with the estates general Triumphant journey of the Prince to the capital Stop put by him to the negotiations with Don John New and stringent demands made upon the Governor His indignation Open rupture Intrigue of Netherland grandees with Archduke Matthias Policy of Orange Attitude of Queen Elizabeth Flight of Matthias from Vienna Anxiety of Elizabeth Adroitness of the Prince The office of Reward Election of Orange to that dignity His complaints against the great nobles Aerschot Governor of Flanders A storm brewing in Ghent Ryhove and Imbize Blood- Councillor Hessels Arrogance of the aristocratic party in Flanders Ryhove's secret interview with Orange Outbreak at Ghent Arrest of Aerschot, Hessels, and others of the reactionary party The Duke liberated at demand of Orange The Prince's visit to Ghent Rhetorical demonstrations The new Brussels Union characterized Treaty with England Articles by which Matthias is nominally constituted Governor-General His inauguration at Brussels Brilliant and fantastic ceremonies Letter of Don John to the Emperor His anger with England An army collecting Arrival of Alexander Farnese Injudicious distribution of offices in the States' army The States' army fall back upon Gemblours, followed by Don John Tremendous overthrow of the patriots Wonderful disparity in the respective losses of the two armies.

He had reached Luxemburg, on the 18th of December of that year, in time, as we have seen, to participate, and, in fact, to take the lead in the signal victory of Gemblours. He had been struck with the fatal change which disappointment and anxiety had wrought upon the beautiful and haughty features of his illustrious kinsman.

During his absence Don John defeated the Dutch Protestants in the battle of Gemblours, on January 31, 1578. He then wrote a letter full of chivalrous loyalty to Escovedo and Perez at Madrid. He would make Philip master indeed of the Low Countries; he asked Escovedo and Perez to inspire the King with resolution.

If he refused upon this occasion a general battle, those who reflected upon the usual results to the patriot banner of such engagements, might confess, perhaps, that one disaster the more had been avoided. Don John, finding it impossible to accomplish his purpose, and to achieve another Gemblours victory, fell back again to the neighbourhood of Namur.