And thus, while the country is paralyzed with present and expected woe, the swiftly advancing trumpets of the Spanish army resound from beyond the Alps.  The curtain is falling upon the prelude to the great tragedy which the prophetic lips of Orange had foretold.  When it is again lifted, scenes of disaster and of bloodshed, battles, sieges, executions, deeds of unfaltering but valiant tyranny, of superhuman and successful resistance, of heroic self-sacrifice, fanatical courage and insane cruelty, both in the cause of the Wrong and the Right, will be revealed in awful succession—­a spectacle of human energy, human suffering, and human strength to suffer, such as has not often been displayed upon the stage of the world’s events.

     Etext editor’s bookmarks: 

     God Save the King!  It was the last time
     Having conjugated his paradigm conscientiously
     Indignant that heretics had been suffered to hang
     Insane cruelty, both in the cause of the Wrong and the Right
     Sick and wounded wretches were burned over slow fires
     Slender stock of platitudes
     The time for reasoning had passed
     Who loved their possessions better than their creed

MOTLEY’S HISTORY OF THE NETHERLANDS, PG EDITION, VOLUME 14.

THE RISE OF THE DUTCH REPUBLIC

By John Lothrop Motley
1855

1567 [Part iii., Alva, chapter 1.]

Continued dissensions in the Spanish cabinet—­Ruy Gomez and Alva—­ Conquest of the Netherlands entrusted to the Duke—­Birth, previous career and character of Alva—­Organization of the invading army—­ Its march to the provinces—­Complaints of Duchess Margaret—­Alva receives deputations on the frontier—­Interview between the Duke and Egmont—­Reception of Alva by the Duchess of Parma—­Circular letters to the cities requiring their acceptance of garrisons—­Margaret’s secret correspondence—­Universal apprehension—­Keys of the great cities demanded by Alva—­Secret plans of the government, arranged before the Duke’s departure—­Arrest of Orange, Egmont, Horn, and others, determined upon—­Stealthy course of the government towards them—­Infatuation of Egmont—­Warnings addressed to him by De Billy and others—­Measures to entrap Count Horn—­Banquet of the Grand Prior—­The Grand Prior’s warning to Egmont—­Evil counsels of Noircarmes—­Arrests of Egmont, Horn, Bakkerzeel and Straalen—­ Popular consternation—­Petulant conduct of Duchess Margaret—­ Characteristic comments of Granvelle—­His secret machinations and disclaimers—­Berghen and Montigny—­Last moments of Marquis Berghen—­ Perfidy of Ruy Gomez—­Establishment of the “Blood-Council”—­Its leading features—­Insidious behavior of Viglius—­Secret correspondence, concerning the President, between Philip and Alva—­ Members of the “Blood-Council”—­Portraits of Vargas and Hessels—­ Mode of proceeding