Acknowledged head of the Puritan party of England (Leicester)
     Geneva theocracy in the place of the vanished Papacy
     Hankering for peace, when peace had really become impossible
     Hating nothing so much as idleness
     Mirror ever held up before their eyes by the obedient Provinces
     Rigid and intolerant spirit of the reformed religion
     Scorn the very word toleration as an insult
     The word liberty was never musical in Tudor ears

HISTORY OF THE UNITED NETHERLANDS

From the Death of William the Silent to the Twelve Year’s Truce—­1609

By John Lothrop Motley

History United Netherlands, Volume 51, 1587

CHAPTER XIII.

Barneveld’s Influence in the Provinces—­Unpopularity of Leicester intrigues—­of his Servants—­Gossip of his Secretary—­ Its mischievous Effects—­The Quarrel of Norris and Hollock—­ The Earl’s Participation in the Affair—­His increased Animosity to Norris—­Seizure of Deventer—­Stanley appointed its Governor—­York and Stanley—­Leicester’s secret Instructions—­Wilkes remonstrates with Stanley—­Stanley’s Insolence and Equivocation—­Painful Rumours as to him and York—­Duplicity of York—­Stanley’s Banquet at Deventer—­He surrenders the City to Tassis—­Terms of the Bargain—­ Feeble Defence of Stanley’s Conduct—­Subsequent Fate of Stanley and York—­Betrayal of Gelder to Parma—­These Treasons cast Odium on the English—­Miserable Plight of the English Troops—­Honesty and Energy of Wilkes—­Indignant Discussion in the Assembly.

The government had not been laid down by Leicester on his departure.  It had been provisionally delegated, as already mentioned to the state-council.  In this body-consisting of eighteen persons—­originally appointed by the Earl, on nomination by the States, several members were friendly to the governor, and others were violently opposed to him.  The Staten of Holland, by whom the action of the States-General was mainly controlled, were influenced in their action by Buys and Barneveld.  Young Maurice of Nassau, nineteen years of age, was stadholder of Holland and Zeeland.  A florid complexioned, fair-haired young man, of sanguine-bilious temperament; reserved, quiet, reflective, singularly self-possessed; meriting at that time, more than his father had ever done, the appellation of the taciturn; discreet, sober, studious.  “Count Maurice saith but little, but I cannot tell what he thinketh,” wrote Leicester’s eaves-dropper-in-chiefs.  Mathematics, fortification, the science of war—­these were his daily pursuits.  “The sapling was to become the tree,” and meantime the youth was preparing for the great destiny which he felt, lay before him.  To ponder over the works and the daring conceptions of Stevinus, to build up and to batter the wooden blocks of mimic citadels; to arrange in countless combinations,