A certain painter of Brussels affected conversion to the new religion, that he might gain admission to the congregation, and afterwards earn the reward of the informer.  He played his part so well that he was permitted to attend many meetings, in the course of which he sketched the portrait of the preacher, and delivered it to the Duchess Regent, together with minute statements as to his residence and daily habits.  Nevertheless, with all this assistance, the government could not succeed in laying hands on him.  He escaped to Breda, and continued his labors in spite of persecution.  The man’s courage may be estimated from the fact that he preached on one occasion a sermon, advocating the doctrines of the reformed Church with his usual eloquence, in a room overlooking the market-place, where, at the very, instant, the execution by fire of several heretics was taking place, while the light from the flames in which the brethren of their Faith were burning, was flickering through the glass windows of the conventicle.  Such was the man who preached a sermon in Culemburg Palace on Parma’s wedding-day.  The nobles who listened to him were occupied with grave discourse after conclusion of the religious exercises.  Junius took no part in their conversation, but in his presence it was resolved that a league against the “barbarous and violent inquisition” should be formed, and, that the confederates should mutually bind themselves both within and without the Netherlands to this great purpose.  Junius, in giving this explicit statement; has not mentioned the names of the nobles before whom he preached.  It may be inferred that some of them were the more ardent and the more respectable among the somewhat miscellaneous band by whom the Compromise was afterwards signed.

At about the same epoch, Louis of Nassau, Nicolas de Hammes, and certain other gentlemen met at the baths of Spa.  At this secret assembly, the foundations of the Compromise were definitely laid.  A document was afterwards drawn up, which was circulated for signatures in the early part of 1566.  It is, therefore, a mistake to suppose that this memorable paper was simultaneously signed and sworn to at any solemn scene like that of the declaration of American Independence, or like some of the subsequent transactions in the Netherland revolt, arranged purposely for dramatic effect.  Several copies of the Compromise were passed secretly from hand to hand, and in the course of two months some two thousand signatures had been obtained.  The original copy bore but three names, those of Brederode, Charles de Mansfeld, and Louis of Nassau.  The composition of the paper is usually ascribed to Sainte Aldegonde, although the fact is not indisputable.  At any rate, it is very certain that he was one of the originators and main supporters of the famous league.  Sainte Aldegonde was one of the most accomplished men of his age.  He was of ancient nobility, as he proved by an abundance of historical and heraldic evidence, in answer to a scurrilous