were left unburied to moulder on the gibbet.  On the 2d June, Villars, the leader in the Daalem rising, suffered on the scaffold, with three others.  On the 3d, Counts Egmont and Horn were brought in a carriage from Ghent to Brussels, guarded by ten companies of infantry and one of cavalry.  They were then lodged in the “Brood-huis” opposite the Town Hall, on the great square of Brussels.  On the 4th, Alva having, as he solemnly declared before God and the world, examined thoroughly the mass of documents appertaining to those two great prosecutions which had only been closed three days before, pronounced sentence against the illustrious prisoners.  These documents of iniquity signed and sealed by the Duke, were sent to the Blood-Council, where they were read by Secretary Praets.  The signature of Philip was not wanting, for the sentences had been drawn upon blanks signed by the monarch, of which the Viceroy had brought a whole trunk full from Spain.  The sentence against Egmont declared very briefly that the Duke of Alva, having read all the papers and evidence in the case, had found the Count guilty of high treason.  It was proved that Egmont had united with the confederates; that he had been a party to the accursed conspiracy of the Prince of Orange; that he had taken the rebel nobles under his protection, and that he had betrayed the Government and the Holy Catholic Church by his conduct in Flanders.  Therefore the Duke condemned him to be executed by the sword on the following day, and decreed that his head should be placed on high in a public place, there to remain until the Duke should otherwise direct.  The sentence against Count Horn was similar in language and purport.

That afternoon the Duke sent for the Bishop of Ypres, The prelate arrived at dusk.  As soon as he presented himself, Alva informed him of the sentence which had just been pronounced, and ordered him to convey the intelligence to the prisoners.  He further charged him with the duty of shriving the victims, and preparing their souls for death.  The bishop fell on his knees, aghast at the terrible decree.  He implored the Governor-General to have mercy upon the two unfortunate nobles.  If their lives could not be spared, he prayed him at any rate to grant delay.  With tears and earnest supplications the prelate endeavored to avert or to postpone the doom which had been pronounced.  It was in vain.  The sentence, inflexible as destiny, had been long before ordained.  Its execution had been but hastened by the temporary triumph of rebellion in Friesland.  Alva told the Bishop roughly that he had not been summoned to give advice.  Delay or pardon was alike impossible.  He was to act as confessor to the criminals, not as councillor to the Viceroy.  The Bishop, thus rebuked, withdrew to accomplish his melancholy mission.  Meanwhile, on the same evening, the miserable Countess of Egmont had been appalled by rumors, too vague for belief, too terrible to be slighted.  She was in the chamber