Antwerp.  Many new taxes were imposed by his direction, both upon income and upon consumption.  By his advice, however, and with the consent of the states-general, the provinces of Holland and Zealand held no community of burthens with the other provinces, but of their own free will contributed more than the sums for which they would have been assessed.  Mr. Leyton, who was about to return from his unsuccessful mission from Elizabeth to Don John, was requested by the states-general to convey to her Majesty a faithful report of the recent correspondence, and especially of the language held by the Governor-General.  He was also urged to use his influence with the Queen, to the end that her promises of assistance might be speedily fulfilled.

Troops were rapidly enrolled, and again, by the same honest but mistaken policy, the chief offices were conferred upon the great nobles—­Aerschot, Champagny, Bossu, Egmont, Lalain, the Viscount of Ghent, Baron de Ville, and many others, most of whom were to desert the cause in the hour of its need.  On the other hand, Don John was proceeding with his military preparations upon an extensive scale.  The King had recently furnished him with one million nine hundred thousand dollars, and had promised to provide him with two hundred thousand more, monthly.  With these funds his Majesty estimated that an army of thirty thousand foot, sixteen thousand cavalry, and thirty pieces of artillery, could be levied and kept on foot.  If more remittances should prove to be necessary, it was promised that they should be forthcoming.

This was the result of many earnest remonstrances made by the Governor concerning the dilatory policy of the King.  Wearied with being constantly ordered “to blow hot and cold with the same, breath,” he had insisted that his Majesty should select the hot or the cold, and furnish him with the means of enforcing the choice.  For himself, Don John assured his brother that the hottest measures were most to his taste, and most suitable to the occasion.  Fire and sword could alone save the royal authority, for all the provinces had “abandoned themselves, body and soul, to the greatest heretic and tyrant that prince ever had for vassal.”  Unceasing had been the complaints and entreaties of the Captain-General, called forth by the apathy or irresolution of Philip.  It was—­only by assuring him that the Netherlands actually belonged to Orange, that the monarch could be aroused.  “His they are; and none other’s,” said the Governor, dolefully.  The King had accordingly sent back De Billy, Don John’s envoy; with decided injunctions to use force and energy to put down the revolt at once, and with an intimation that funds might be henceforth more regularly depended upon, as the Indian fleets were expected in July.  Philip also advised his brother to employ a portion of his money in purchasing the governors and principal persons who controlled the cities and other strong places belonging to the states.