Rise of the Dutch Republic, the — Complete (1555-66) eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 669 pages of information about Rise of the Dutch Republic, the — Complete (1555-66).

Rise of the Dutch Republic, the — Complete (1555-66) eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 669 pages of information about Rise of the Dutch Republic, the — Complete (1555-66).

In short, the Cardinal, little by little, during the last year of his residence in the Netherlands, was enabled to spread a canvas before his sovereign’s eye, in which certain prominent figures, highly colored by patiently accumulated touches, were represented as driving a whole nation, against its own will, into manifest revolt.  The estates and the people, he said, were already tired of the proceedings of the nobles, and those personages would find themselves very much mistaken in thinking that men who had any thing to lose would follow them, when they began a rebellion against his Majesty.  On the whole, he was not desirous of prolonging his own residence, although, to do him justice, he was not influenced by fear.  He thought or affected to think that the situation was one of a factitious popular discontent, procured by the intrigues of a few ambitious and impoverished Catilines and Cethegi, not a rising rebellion such as the world had never seen, born of the slowly-awakened wrath of, a whole people, after the martyrdom of many years.  The remedy that he recommended was that his Majesty should come in person to the provinces.  The monarch would cure the whole disorder as soon as he appeared, said the Cardinal, by merely making the sign of the cross.  Whether, indeed, the rapidly-increasing cancer of national discontent would prove a mere king’s evil, to be healed by the royal touch, as many persons besides Granvelle believed, was a point not doomed to be tested.  From that day forward Philip began to hold out hopes that he would come to administer the desired remedy, but even then it was the opinion of good judges that he would give millions rather than make his appearance in the Netherlands.  It was even the hope of William of Orange that the King would visit the provinces.  He expressed his desire, in a letter to Lazarus Schwendi, that his sovereign should come in person, that he might see whether it had been right to sow so much distrust between himself and his loyal subjects.  The Prince asserted that it was impossible for any person not on the spot to imagine the falsehoods and calumnies circulated by Granvelle and his friends, accusing Orange and his associates of rebellion and heresy, in the most infamous manner in the world.  He added, in conclusion, that he could write no more, for the mere thought of the manner in which the government of the Netherlands was carried on filled him with disgust and rage.  This letter, together with one in a similar strain from Egmont, was transmitted by the valiant and highly intellectual soldier to whom they were addressed, to the King of Spain, with an entreaty that he would take warning from the bitter truths which they contained.  The Colonel, who was a most trusty friend of Orange, wrote afterwards to Margaret of Parma in the same spirit, warmly urging her to moderation in religious matters.  This application highly enraged Morillon, the Cardinal’s most confidential dependent, who accordingly conveyed

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Rise of the Dutch Republic, the — Complete (1555-66) from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.