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At this time likewise, two Netherland hulks, when half seas over on their way from Portugal to Tercera, were met by four English ships belonging to the queen, commanded by Sir John Hawkins, by whom they were stopped; but he let them go again uninjured. According to the report of these Netherlanders, each of these ships carried 80 pieces of ordnance.
The Government of England was more hostile than its people to the United Provinces. James never spoke of the Netherlanders but as upstarts and rebels, whose success ought to be looked upon with horror by the Lord's anointed everywhere.
Yet the Netherlanders and the Protestants of Europe may be forgiven, if they regarded this massacre of their brethren with as much execration as had been bestowed upon that fury against stocks and stones. At least, the image-breakers, had been actuated by an idea, and their hands were polluted neither with blood nor rapine. Perhaps the Spaniards had been. governed equally by religious fanaticism.
Birth and parentage of Don John Barbara Blomberg Early education and recognition by Philip Brilliant military career Campaign against the Moors Battle of Lepanto Extravagant ambition Secret and rapid journey of the new Governor to the Netherlands Contrast between Don John and William of Orange Secret instructions of Philip and private purposes of the Governor Cautious policy and correspondence of the Prince Preliminary, negotiations with Don John at Luxemburg characterized Union of Brussels Resumption of negotiations with the Governor at Huy The discussions analyzed and characterized Influence of the new Emperor Rudolph II. and of his envoys Treaty of Marche en Famine, or the Perpetual Edict, signed Remarks upon that transaction Views and efforts of Orange in opposition to the treaty His letter, in name of Holland and Zealand, to the States-General Anxiety of the royal government to gain over the Prince Secret mission of Leoninus His instructions from Don John Fruitless attempts to corrupt the Prince Secret correspondence between Don John and Orange Don John at Louvain His efforts to ingratiate himself with the Netherlanders His incipient popularity Departure of the Spanish troops Duke of Aerschot appointed Governor of Antwerp citadel His insincere character.
The princes of Germany, the lords and gentlemen of France, the Queen of England, although sympathizing with the misfortunes of the Netherlanders, had been unable effectually to help them, so long as their disunion prevented them from helping themselves; so long as even their appeal to arms seemed merely a levy of bucklers, an emotion of the populace, which, like a wave of the sea, rises and sinks again as soon as risen."
Moreover, he instinctively felt that within this religious liberty which the Netherlanders claimed was hidden the germ of civil liberty; and though no bigger than a grain of mustard-seed, it was necessary to destroy it at once; for of course the idea of civil liberty could not enter the brain of the brilliant general of Philip II.
During a great portion of Philip's reign the Netherlanders, despite their rebellion, had been permitted to trade with Spain. A spectacle had thus been presented of a vigorous traffic between two mighty belligerents, who derived from their intercourse with each other the means of more thoroughly carrying on their mutual hostilities. The war fed their commerce, and commerce fed their war.
It is enough simply to remind the reader that although so late as the time of Charles V., the provinces had been declared constituent parts of the empire, liable to its burthens, and entitled to its protection; the Netherlanders being practical people, and deeming burthens and protection correlative, had declined the burthen because always deprived of the protection.
When the attempt failed these enemies, including the king's mother, persuaded the king that Coligny and the Huguenots were plotting against him, and goaded the king into ordering the murder of all the Huguenots in Paris and the other cities of France. Thousands of Huguenots perished. When the Netherlanders heard of what had befallen Coligny and his followers, they were crushed with grief.
The Marquis Berghen, the younger Mansfeld, the Baron Montigny, openly refused to enforce the edicts within their governments. Men of eminence inveighed boldly and bitterly against the tyranny of the government, and counselled disobedience. The Netherlanders, it was stoutly maintained, were not such senseless brutes as to be ignorant of the mutual relation of prince and people.
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