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In the course of the autumn, an attempt was made to play the same game at Amsterdam. A plot was discovered, before it was fairly matured, to seize the magistrates of that important city, to gain possession of the arsenals, and to place the government in the hands of well-known Leicestrians.
Your Excellency will do well to thank the old President de Meetkerk far the honesty and valour of his son." Count Maurice and his natural brother, the Admiral, now undertook the succour by sea; but, according to the Leicestrians, they continued dilatory and incompetent. At any rate, it is certain that they did nothing.
It would have seemed that real patriots, under such circumstances, would hardly hesitate in their choice, and would sooner accept the dominion of "Beelzebub," or even Paul Buys, than that of Philip II. But the Leicestrians of Utrecht and Friesland patriots as they were hated Holland worse than they hated the Inquisition. Willoughby encouraged them in that hatred.
But De Villiers, the governor of the Province, had been made a prisoner by the enemy in the last campaign; Count Moeurs had been appointed provisional stadholder by the States; and, during his temporary absence on public affairs, the Leicestrians had seized upon the government, excluded all the ancient magistrates, banished many leading citizens from the town, and installed an entirely new board, with Gerard Proninck, called Deventer, for chief burgomaster, who was a Brabantine refugee just arrived in the Province, and not eligible to office until after ten years' residence.
The council of state, mainly composed of Leicester's creatures, whose commissions would soon expire by their own limitation, could offer but a feeble resistance to such determined individuals as Maurice, Buys, and Barneveld. The party made rapid progress. On the other hand, the English Leicestrians did their best to foment discord in the Provinces.
Now the Princess Chimay, besides being of honourable character, was a sincere and exemplary member of the Calvinist church, and well inclined to the Leicestrians. She was daughter of Count Meghem, one of the earliest victims of Philip II., in the long tragedy of Netherland independence, and widow of Lancelot Berlaymont.
Dangerous Discord in North Holland Leicester's Resignation arrives Enmity of Willoughby and Maurice Willoughby's dark Picture of Affairs Hatred between States and Leicestrians Maurice's Answer to the Queen's Charges End of Sonoy's Rebellion Philip foments the Civil War in France League's Threats and Plots against Henry Mucio arrives in Paris He is received with Enthusiasm The King flies, and Spain triumphs in Paris States expostulate with the Queen English Statesmen still deceived Deputies from Netherland Churches Hold Conference with the Queen And present long Memorials More Conversations with the Queen National Spirit of England and Holland Dissatisfaction with Queen's Course Bitter Complaints of Lord Howard Want of Preparation in Army and Navy Sanguine Statements of Leicester Activity of Parma The painful Suspense continues.
Utrecht, the stronghold of the Leicestrians, was wavering and much torn by faction; Hohenlo and Moeurs had "banquetted and feasted" to such good purpose that they had gained over half the captains of the burgher-guard, and, aided by the branch of nobles, were making a good fight against the Leicester magistracy and the clerical force, enriched by the plunder of the old Catholic livings, who denounced as Papistical and Hispaniolized all who favoured the party of Maurice and Barneveld.
Besides their democratic doctrines, the Leicestrians proclaimed and encouraged an exclusive and rigid Calvinism. It would certainly be unjust and futile to detract from the vast debt which the republic owed to the Geneva Church. The reformation had entered the Netherlands by the Walloon gate.
When at last the resignation of Leicester presented to the States by Killegrew on the 31st March seemed to promise comparative repose to the republic, the vexation of the Leicestrians was intense. Their efforts. to effect a dissolution of the government had been rendered unsuccessful, when success seemed within their grasp.
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