Rise of the Dutch Republic, the — Complete (1566-74) eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 645 pages of information about Rise of the Dutch Republic, the — Complete (1566-74).

Rise of the Dutch Republic, the — Complete (1566-74) eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 645 pages of information about Rise of the Dutch Republic, the — Complete (1566-74).
any more than Orange or Egmont, to prevent the presentation of the petition.  In the consultation at the state-council which ensued, both he and the Prince were for leaving Brussels at once, while Count Egmont expressed an intention of going to Aix to drink the waters.  Yet Count Egmont’s appearance (proceeded this indictment against another individual) exhibited not a single sign of sickness.  The Admiral had, moreover, drank the toast of “Vivent leg gueux” on various occasions, at the Culemberg House banquet, at the private table of the Prince of Orange, at a supper at the monastery of Saint Bernard’s, at a dinner given by Burgomaster Straalen.  He had sanctioned the treaties with the rebels at Duffel, by which he had clearly rendered himself guilty of high treason.  He had held an interview with Orange, Egmont, and Hoogstraaten, at Denremonde, for the treasonable purpose of arranging a levy of troops to prevent his Majesty’s entrance into the Netherlands.  He had refused to come to Brussels at the request of the Duchess of Parma, when the rebels were about to present the petition.  He had written to his secretary that he was thenceforth resolved to serve neither King nor Kaiser.  He had received from one Taffin, with marks of approbation, a paper, stating that the assembling of the states-general was the only remedy for the troubles in the land.  He had, repeatedly affirmed that the inquisition and edicts ought to be repealed.

On his arrival at Tournay in August, 1566, the people had cried “Vivent les gueux;” a proof that he liked the cry.  All his transactions at Tournay, from first to last, had been criminal.  He had tolerated Reformed preaching, he had forbidden Catholics and Protestants to molest each other, he had omitted to execute heretics, he had allowed the religionists to erect an edifice for public worship outside the walls.  He had said, at the house of Prince Espinoy, that if the King should come into the provinces with force, he would oppose him with 15,000 troops.  He had said, if his brother Montigny should be detained in Spain, he would march to his rescue at the head of 50,000 men whom he had at his command.  He had on various occasions declared that “men should live according to their consciences”—­as if divine and human laws were dead, and men, like wild beasts, were to follow all their lusts and desires.  Lastly, he had encouraged the rebellion in Valenciennes.

Of all these crimes and misdeeds the procurator declared himself sufficiently informed, and the aforesaid defendant entirely, commonly, and publicly defamed.

Wherefore, that officer terminated his declaration by claiming “that the cause should be concluded summarily, and without figure or form of process; and that therefore, by his Excellency or his sub-delegated judges, the aforesaid defendant should be declared to have in diverse ways committed high treason, should be degraded from his dignities, and should be condemned to death, with confiscation of all his estates.”

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Rise of the Dutch Republic, the — Complete (1566-74) from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.