History of the United Netherlands, 1588b

John Lothrop Motley
嵒History of the United Netherlands, 1588b

The Project Gutenberg EBook History of The United Netherlands, 1588
#56 in our series by John Lothrop Motley Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook.
This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the header without written permission.
Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is important information about your specific rights and restrictions in how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved.
**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts**
**EBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971**
*****These EBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers*****
Title: History of the United Netherlands, 1588
Author: John Lothrop Motley
Release Date: January, 2004 [EBook #4856] [Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on April 5, 2002]
Edition: 10
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HISTORY UNITED NETHERLANDS, 1588 ***

This eBook was produced by David Widger

[NOTE: There is a short list of bookmarks, or pointers, at the end of the file for those who may wish to sample the author's ideas before making an entire meal of them. D.W.]

HISTORY OF THE UNITED NETHERLANDS From the Death of William the Silent to the Twelve Year's Truce--1609
By John Lothrop Motley

MOTLEY'S HISTORY OF THE NETHERLANDS, Project Gutenberg Edition, Vol. 56
History of the United Netherlands, 1588

CHAPTER XVIII
. Part 2.
Dangerous Discord in North Holland--Leicester's Resignation arrives --Enmity of Willoughby and Maurice--Willoughby's dark Picture of Affairs--Hatred between States and Leicestrians--Maurice's Answer to the Queen's Charges--End of Sonoy's Rebellion--Philip foments the Civil War in France--League's Threats and Plots against Henry--Mucio arrives in Paris--He is received with Enthusiasm--The King flies, and Spain triumphs in Paris--States expostulate with the Queen-- English Statesmen still deceived--Deputies from Netherland Churches --Hold Conference with the Queen--And present long Memorials--More Conversations with the Queen--National Spirit of England and Holland--Dissatisfaction with Queen's Course--Bitter Complaints of Lord Howard--Want of Preparation in Army and Navy--Sanguine Statements of Leicester--Activity of Parma--The painful Suspense continues.
But it is necessary-in order to obtain a complete picture of that famous year 1588, and to understand the cause from which such great events were springing--to cast a glance at the internal politics of the States most involved in Philip's meshes.
Certainly, if there had ever been a time when the new commonwealth of the Netherlands should be both united in itself and on thoroughly friendly terms with England, it was exactly that epoch of which we are treating. There could be no reasonable doubt that the designs of Spain against England were hostile, and against Holland revengeful. It was at least possible that Philip meant to undertake the conquest of England, and to undertake it as a stepping-stone to the conquest of Holland. Both the kingdom and the republic should have been alert, armed, full of suspicion towards the common foe, full of confidence in each other. What decisive blows might have been struck against Parma in the Netherlands, when his troops were starving, sickly, and mutinous, if the Hollanders and Englishmen had been united under one chieftain, and thoroughly convinced of the impossibility of peace! Could the English and Dutch statesmen of that day have read all the secrets of their great enemy's heart, as it is our privilege at this hour to do, they would have known that in sudden and deadly strokes lay their best chance of salvation. But, without that advantage, there were men whose sagacity told them that it was the hour for deeds and not for dreams. For to Leicester and Walsingham, as well as to Paul Buys and Barneveld, peace with Spain seemed an idle vision. It was unfortunate that they were overruled by Queen Elizabeth and Burghley, who still clung to that delusion; it was still more disastrous that the intrigues of Leicester had done so much to paralyze the republic; it was almost fatal that his departure, without laying down his authority, had given the signal for civil war.
During the winter, spring, and summer of 1588, while the Duke--in the face of mighty obstacles--was slowly proceeding with his preparations in Flanders, to co-operate with the armaments from Spain, it would have been possible by a combined movement to destroy his whole plan, to liberate all the Netherlands, and to avert, by one great effort, the ruin impending over England. Instead of such vigorous action, it was thought wiser to send commissioners, to make protocols, to ask for armistices, to give profusely to the enemy that
Continue reading on your phone by scaning this QR Code

 / 23
Tip: The current page has been bookmarked automatically. If you wish to continue reading later, just open the Dertz Homepage, and click on the 'continue reading' link at the bottom of the page.