No man saluted the governor as he passed through the streets.  Hardly an attempt was made by the people to disguise their abhorrence of his person:  Alva, on his side, gave daily exhibitions of ungovernable fury.  At a council held on 25th September, 1571, he stated that the King had ordered the immediate enforcement of the edict.  Viglius observed that there were many objections to its form.  He also stoutly denied that the estates had ever given their consent.  Alva fiercely asked the President if he had not himself once maintained that the consent had been granted!  Viglius replied that he had never made such an assertion.  He had mentioned the conditions and the implied promises on the part of government, by which a partial consent had been extorted.  He never could have said that the consent had been accorded, for he had never believed that it could be obtained.  He had not proceeded far in his argument when he was interrupted by the Duke—­“But you said so, you said so, you said so,” cried the exasperated Governor, in a towering passion, repeating many times this flat contradiction to the President’s statements.  Viglius firmly stood his ground.  Alva loudly denounced him for the little respect he had manifested for his authority.  He had hitherto done the President good offices, he said, with his Majesty, but certainly should not feel justified in concealing his recent and very unhandsome conduct.

Viglius replied that he had always reverently cherished the Governor, and had endeavoured to merit his favor by diligent obsequiousness.  He was bound by his oath, however; to utter in council that which comported with his own sentiments and his Majesty’s interests.  He had done this heretofore in presence of Emperors, Kings, Queens, and Regents, and they had not taken offence.  He did not, at this hour, tremble for his grey head, and hoped his Majesty would grant him a hearing before condemnation.  The firm attitude of the President increased the irritation of the Viceroy.  Observing that he knew the proper means of enforcing his authority he dismissed the meeting.

Immediately afterwards, he received the visits of his son, Don Frederic of Vargas, and other familiars.  To these he recounted the scene which had taken place, raving the while so ferociously against Viglius as to induce the supposition that something serious was intended against him.  The report flew from mouth to mouth.  The affair became the town talk, so that, in the words of the President, it was soon discussed by every barber and old woman in Brussels.  His friends became alarmed for his safety, while, at the same time, the citizens rejoiced that their cause had found so powerful an advocate.  Nothing, however, came of these threats and these explosions.  On the contrary, shortly afterwards the Duke gave orders that the tenth penny should be remitted upon four great articles-corn, meat, wine, and beer.  It was also not to be levied upon raw materials used