Antwerp—­His patriotic course —­Misrepresentation of the Duchess—­Intemperate zeal of Dr. Rythovius—­Meeting at St. Trond—­Conference at Duffel—­Louis of Nassau deputed to the Regent—­Unsatisfactory negotiations.

The most remarkable occurrence in the earlier part of the year 1556 was the famous Compromise.  This document, by which the signers pledged themselves to oppose the inquisition, and to defend each other against all consequences of such a resistance, was probably the work of Philip de Marnix, Lord of Sainte Aldegonde.  Much obscurity, however, rests upon the origin of this league.  Its foundations had already been laid in the latter part of the preceding year.  The nuptials of Parma with the Portuguese princess had been the cause of much festivity, not only in Brussels, but at Antwerp.  The great commercial metropolis had celebrated the occasion by a magnificent banquet.  There had been triumphal arches, wreaths of flowers, loyal speeches, generous sentiments, in the usual profusion.  The chief ornament of the dinner-table had been a magnificent piece of confectionary, netting elaborately forth the mission of Count Mansfeld with the fleet to Portugal to fetch the bride from her home, with exquisitely finished figures in sugar—­portraits, it is to be presumed—­of the principal personages as they appeared during the most striking scenes of the history.  At the very moment, however, of these delectations, a meeting was held at Brussels of men whose minds were occupied with sterner stuff than sugar-work.  On the wedding-day of Parma, Francis Junius, a dissenting minister then residing at Antwerp, was invited to Brussels to preach a sermon in the house of Count Culemburg, on the horse-market (now called Little Sablon), before a small assembly of some twenty gentlemen.

This Francis Junius, born of a noble family in Bourges, was the pastor of the secret French congregation of Huguenots at Antwerp.  He was very young, having arrived from Geneva, where he had been educated, to take charge of the secret church, when but just turned of twenty years.  He was, however, already celebrated for his learning, his eloquence, and his courage.  Towards the end of 1565, it had already become known that Junius was in secret understanding with Louis of Nassau, to prepare an address to government on the subject of the inquisition and edicts.  Orders were given for his arrest.

A certain painter of Brussels affected conversion to the new religion, that he might gain admission to the congregation, and afterwards earn the reward of the informer.  He played his part so well that he was permitted to attend many meetings, in the course of which he sketched the portrait of the preacher, and delivered it to the Duchess Regent, together with minute statements as to his residence and daily habits.  Nevertheless, with all this assistance, the government could not succeed in laying hands on him.  He escaped to Breda, and continued his labors in spite