Baron Capres, whom Sarrasin—­being especially enjoined to purchase him—­ had, in his own language, “sweated blood and water” to secure, at last agreed to reconcile himself with the King’s party upon condition of receiving the government-general of Artois, together with the particular government of Hesdin—­very lucrative offices, which the Viscount of Ghent then held by commission of the states-general.  That politic personage, however, whose disinclination to desert the liberty party which had clothed him with such high functions, was apparently so marked that the Prior had caused an ambush to be laid both for him and the Marquis Havre, in-order to obtain bodily possession of two such powerful enemies, now, at the last moment, displayed his true colors.  He consented to reconcile himself also, on condition of receiving the royal appointment to the same government which he then held from the patriot authorities, together with the title of Marquis de Richebourg, the command of all the cavalry in the royalist provinces, and certain rewards in money besides.  By holding himself at a high mark, and keeping at a distance, he had obtained his price.  Capres, for whom Philip, at Parma’s suggestion, had sent the commission as governor of Artois and of Hesdin, was obliged to renounce those offices, notwithstanding his earlier “reconciliation,” and the “blood and water” of John Sarrasin.  Ghent was not even contented with these guerdons, but insisted upon the command of all the cavalry, including the band of ordnance which, with handsome salary, had been assigned to Lalain as a part of the wages for his treason, while the “little Count”—­fiery as his small and belligerent cousin whose exploits have been recorded in the earlier pages of this history—­boldly taxed Parma and the King with cheating him out of his promised reward, in order to please a noble whose services had been less valuable than those of the Lalain family.  Having thus obtained the lion’s share, due, as he thought, to his well known courage and military talents, as well as to the powerful family influence, which he wielded—­his brother, the Prince of Espinoy, hereditary seneschal of Hainault, having likewise rallied to the King’s party—­Ghent jocosely intimated to Parma his intention of helping himself to the two best horses in the Prince’s stables in exchange for those lost at Gemblours, in which disastrous action he had commanded the cavalry for the states.  He also sent two terriers to Farnese, hoping that they would “prove more useful than beautiful.”  The Prince might have thought, perhaps, as much of the Viscount’s treason.

John Sarrasin, the all-accomplished Prior, as the reward of his exertions, received from Philip the abbey of Saint Vaast, the richest and most powerful ecclesiastical establishment in the Netherlands.  At a subsequent period his grateful Sovereign created him Archbishop of Cambray.

Thus the “troubles of Arras”—­as they were called—­terminated.  Gosson the respected, wealthy, eloquent, and virtuous advocate; together with his colleagues—­all Catholics, but at the same time patriots and liberals—­died the death of felons for their unfortunate attempt to save their fatherland from an ecclesiastical and venal conspiracy; while the actors in the plot, having all performed well their parts, received their full meed of prizes and applause.