pecuniary absorption
     Leading motive with all was supposed to be religion
     Past was once the Present, and once the Future
     Sages of every generation, read the future like a printed scroll
     Sewers which have ever run beneath decorous Christendom
     Wrath of that injured personage as he read such libellous truths

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 66, 1594

CHAPTER XXX.

Prince Maurice lays siege to Gertruydenberg—­Advantages of the new system of warfare—­Progress of the besieging operations—­Superiority of Maurice’s manoeuvres—­Adventure of Count Philip of Nassau—­ Capitulation of Gertruydenberg—­Mutiny among the Spanish troops—­ Attempt of Verdugo to retake Coeworden—­Suspicions of treason in the English garrison at Ostend—­Letter of Queen Elizabeth to Sir Edward Norris on the subject—­Second attempt on Coeworden—­Assault on Groningen by Maurice—­Second adventure of Philip of Nassau—­Narrow escape of Prince Maurice—­Surrender of Groningen—­Particulars of the siege—­Question of religious toleration—­Progress of the United Netherlands—­Condition of the “obedient” Netherlands—­Incompetency of Peter Mansfeld as Governor—­Archduke Ernest, the successor of Farnese—­Difficulties of his position—­His unpopularity—­Great achievements of the republicans—­Triumphal entry of Ernest into Brussels and Antwerp—­Magnificence of the spectacle—­Disaffection of the Spanish troops—­Great military rebellion—­Philip’s proposal to destroy the English fleet—­His assassination plans—­Plot to poison Queen Elizabeth—­Conspiracies against Prince Maurice—­Futile attempts at negotiation—­Proposal of a marriage between Henry and the Infanta—­Secret mission from Henry to the King of Spain—­Special dispatch to England and the Staten—­Henry obtains further aid from Queen Elizabeth and the States—­Council—­Anxiety of the Protestant countries to bring about a war with Spain—­Aspect of affairs at the close of the year 1594.

While Philip’s world-empire seemed in one direction to be so rapidly fading into cloudland there were substantial possessions of the Spanish crown which had been neglected in Brabant and Friesland.

Two very important cities still held for the King of Spain within the territories of what could now be fairly considered the United Dutch Republic—­St. Gertruydenberg and Groningen.

Early in the spring of 1593, Maurice had completed his preparations for a siege, and on the 24th March appeared before Gertruydenberg.

It was a stately, ancient city, important for its wealth, its strength, and especially for its position.  For without its possession even the province of Holland could hardly consider itself mistress of its own little domains.  It was seated on the ancient Meuse, swollen as it approached the sea almost to the dimension of a gulf, while from the south another stream, called the Donge, very brief in its course, but with considerable depth of water, came to mingle itself with the Meuse, exactly under the walls of the city.