It has been seen that the King had used this opinion of Granvelle in the response presented to the Archduke.  Although he did not condescend to an argument, he had laid down the fact as if it were indisputable.  He was still more delighted to find that Charles had revoked the treaty of Passau, and eagerly wrote to Granvelle to inquire where the secret instrument was to be found.  The Cardinal replied that it was probably among his papers at Brussels, but that he doubted whether it would be possible to find it in his absence.  Whether such a document ever existed, it is difficult to say.  To perpetrate such a fraud would have been worthy of Charles; to fable its perpetration not unworthy of the Cardinal.  In either case, the transaction was sufficiently high-handed and exceedingly disgraceful.

     ETEXT editor’s bookmarks: 

     Age when toleration was a vice
     An age when to think was a crime
     Business of an officer to fight, of a general to conquer
     Cruelties exercised upon monks and papists
     For faithful service, evil recompense
     Pathetic dying words of Anne Boleyn
     Seven Spaniards were killed, and seven thousand rebels
     The calf is fat and must be killed
     The illness was a convenient one
     The tragedy of Don Carlos

MOTLEY’S HISTORY OF THE NETHERLANDS, PG EDITION, VOLUME 17.

THE RISE OF THE DUTCH REPUBLIC

By John Lothrop Motley 1855 1569-70 [chapter V.]

Quarrel between Alva and Queen Elizabeth of England—­Spanish funds seized by the English government—­Non-intercourse between England and the Netherlands—­Stringent measures against heresy—­Continued persecution—­Individual cases—­Present of hat and sword to Alva from the Pope—­Determination of the Governor—­general to establish a system of arbitrary taxation in the provinces—­Assembly of estates at Brussels—­Alva’s decrees laid before them—­The hundredth, tenth, and fifth pence—­Opposition of Viglius to the project—­Estates of various provinces give a reluctant consent—­Determined resistance of Utrecht—­The city and province cited before the Blood Council—­ Sentence of confiscation and disfranchisement against both—­Appeal to the King—­Difficulty of collecting the new tax—­Commutation for two years—­Projects for a pardon-general—­Growing disfavour of the Duke—­His desire to resign his post—­Secret hostility between the Governor and Viglius—­Altered sentiments of the President—­Opinions expressed by Granvelle—­The pardon pompously proclaimed by the Duke at Antwerp—­Character of the amnesty—­Dissatisfaction of the people with the act—­Complaints of Alva to the King—­Fortunes and fate of Baron Montigny in Spain—­His confinement at Segovia—­His attempt to escape—­Its failure—­His mock trial—­His wife’s appeal to Philip—­ His condemnation—­His secret assassination