Book 1., 1566

1566 [Chapter viii.]

Secret policy of the government—­Berghen and Montigny in Spain—­ Debates at Segovia—­Correspondence of the Duchess with Philip—­ Procrastination and dissimulation of the King—­Secret communication to the Pope—­Effect in the provinces of the King’s letters to the government—­Secret instructions to the Duchess—­Desponding statements of Margaret—­Her misrepresentations concerning Orange, Egmont, and others—­Wrath and duplicity of Philip—­Egmont’s exertions in Flanders—­Orange returns to Antwerp—­His tolerant spirit—­Agreement of 2d September—­Horn at Tournay—­Excavations in the Cathedral—­Almost universal attendance at the preaching—­ Building of temples commenced—­Difficult position of Horn—­Preaching in the Clothiers’ Hall—­Horn recalled—­Noircarmes at Tournay—­ Friendly correspondence of Margaret with Orange, Egmont, Horn, and Hoogstraaten—­Her secret defamation of these persons.

Egmont in Flanders, Orange at Antwerp, Horn at Tournay; Hoogstraaten at Mechlin, were exerting themselves to suppress insurrection and to avert ruin.  What, meanwhile, was the policy of the government?  The secret course pursued both at Brussels and at Madrid may be condensed into the usual formula—­dissimulation, procrastination, and again dissimulation.

It is at this point necessary to take a rapid survey of the open and the secret proceedings of the King and his representatives from the moment at which Berghen and Montigny arrived in Madrid.  Those ill-fated gentlemen had been received with apparent cordiality, and admitted to frequent, but unmeaning, interviews with his Majesty.  The current upon which they were embarked was deep and treacherous, but it was smooth and very slow.  They assured the King that his letters, ordering the rigorous execution of the inquisition and edicts, had engendered all the evils under which the provinces were laboring.  They told him that Spaniards and tools of Spaniards had attempted to govern the country, to the exclusion of native citizens and nobles, but that it would soon be found that Netherlanders were not to be trodden upon like the abject inhabitants of Milan, Naples, and Sicily.  Such words as these struck with an unaccustomed sound upon the royal ear, but the envoys, who were both Catholic and loyal, had no idea, in thus expressing their opinions, according to their sense of duty, and in obedience to the King’s desire, upon the causes of the discontent, that they were committing an act of high treason.

When the news of the public preaching reached Spain, there were almost daily consultations at the grove of Segovia.  The eminent personages who composed the royal council were the Duke of Alva, the Count de Feria, Don Antonio de Toledo, Don Juan Manrique de Lara, Ruy Gomez, Quixada, Councillor Tisnacq, recently appointed President of the State Council, and Councillor Hopper.  Six Spaniards and two Netherlanders, one