Rise of the Dutch Republic, the — Volume 29: 1578, part III eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 67 pages of information about Rise of the Dutch Republic, the — Volume 29.

Rise of the Dutch Republic, the — Volume 29: 1578, part III eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 67 pages of information about Rise of the Dutch Republic, the — Volume 29.
the Prince in the coin with which narrow minds and jealous tempers are apt to discharge such obligations—­ingratitude.  The friendship which he openly manifested at first grew almost immediately cool.  Soon afterwards he left Ghent and departed for Germany, leaving behind him a long and tedious remonstrance, addressed to the states-general, in which document he narrated the history of his exploits, and endeavored to vindicate the purity of his character.  He concluded this very tedious and superfluous manifesto by observing that—­for reasons which he thought proper to give at considerable length—­he felt himself “neither too useful nor too agreeable to the provinces.”  As he had been informed, he said, that the states-general had requested the Queen of England to procure his departure, he had resolved, in order to spare her and them inconvenience, to return of his own accord, “leaving the issue of the war in the high and mighty hand of God.”

The estates answered this remonstrance with words of unlimited courtesy; expressing themselves “obliged to all eternity” for his services, and holding out vague hopes that the monies which he demanded on behalf of his troops should ere long be forthcoming.

Casimir having already answered Queen Elizabeth’s reproachful letter by throwing the blame of his apparent misconduct upon the states-general, and having promised soon to appear before her Majesty in person, tarried accordingly but a brief season in Germany, and then repaired to England.  Here he was feasted, flattered, caressed, and invested with the order of the Garter.  Pleased with royal blandishments, and highly enjoying the splendid hospitalities of England he quite forgot the “thirty thousand devils” whom he had left running loose in the Netherlands, while these wild soldiers, on their part, being absolutely in a starving condition —­for there was little left for booty in a land which had been so often plundered—­now had the effrontery to apply to the Prince of Parma for payment of their wages.  Alexander Farnese laughed heartily at the proposition, which he considered an excellent jest.  It seemed in truth, a jest, although but a sorry one.  Parma replied to the messenger of Maurice of Saxony who had made the proposition, that the Germans must be mad to ask him for money, instead of offering to pay him, a heavy sum for permission to leave the country.  Nevertheless, he was willing to be so far indulgent as to furnish them with passports, provided they departed from the Netherlands instantly.  Should they interpose the least delay, he would set upon them without further preface, and he gave them notice, with the arrogance becoming a Spanish general; that the courier was already waiting to report to Spain the number of them left alive after the encounter.  Thus deserted by their chief, and hectored by the enemy, the mercenaries, who had little stomach for fight without wages, accepted the passports proffered by Parma.  They revenged themselves for the harsh treatment which they had received from Casimir and from the states-general, by singing, everywhere as they retreated, a doggerel ballad —­half Flemish, half German—­in which their wrongs were expressed with uncouth vigor.

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Rise of the Dutch Republic, the — Volume 29: 1578, part III from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.