History of the United Netherlands, 1607b | Page 2

as this, and the courtiers now
declared openly that the archduke was the cause of the royal and
national humiliation. Having no children, nor hope of any, he desired
only to live in tranquillity and selfish indulgence, like the indolent
priest that he was, not caring what detriment or dishonour might accrue
to the crown after his life was over.
Thus murmured the parasites and the plunderers within the dominions
of the do-nothing Philip, denouncing the first serious effort to put an
end to a war which the laws of nature had proved to be hopeless on the
part of Spain.
Spinola too, who had spent millions of his own money, who had
plunged himself into debt and discredit, while attempting to sustain the
financial reputation of the king, who had by his brilliant services in the
field revived the ancient glory of the Spanish arms, and who now saw
himself exposed with empty coffers to a vast mutiny, which was likely
to make his future movements as paralytic as those of his immediate
predecessors--Spinola, already hated because he was an Italian, because
he was of a mercantile family, and because he had been successful, was
now as much the object of contumely with the courtiers as with the
archduke himself.
The splendid victory of Heemskerk had struck the government with
dismay and diffused a panic along the coast. The mercantile fleets,
destined for either India, dared not venture forth so long as the terrible
Dutch cruisers, which had just annihilated a splendid Spanish fleet,
commanded by a veteran of Lepanto, and under the very guns of
Gibraltar, were supposed to be hovering off the Peninsula. Very
naturally, therefore, there was discontent in Spain that the cessation of
hostilities had not originally been arranged for sea as well as land, and
men said openly at court that Spinola ought to have his head cut off for
agreeing to such an armistice. Quite as reasonably, however, it was
now felt to be necessary to effect as soon as possible the recal of this
very inconvenient Dutch fleet from the coast of Spain.
The complaints were so incessant against Spinola that it was
determined to send Don Diego d'Ybarra to Brussels, charged with a
general superintendence of the royal interests in the present confused
condition of affairs. He was especially instructed to convey to Spinola
the most vehement reproaches in regard to the terms of the armistice,

and to insist upon the cessation of naval hostilities, and the withdrawal
of the cruisers.
Spinola, on his part, was exceedingly irritated that the arrangements
which he had so carefully made with the archduke at Brussels should
be so contumaciously assailed, and even disavowed, at Madrid. He was
especially irritated that Ybarra should now be sent as his censor and
overseer, and that Fuentes should have received orders to levy seven
thousand troops in the Milanese for Flanders, the arrival of which
reinforcements would excite suspicion, and probably break off
negotiations.
He accordingly sent his private secretary Biraga, posthaste to Spain
with two letters. In number one he implored his Majesty that Ybarra
might not be sent to Brussels. If this request were granted, number two
was to be burned. Otherwise, number two was to be delivered, and it
contained a request to be relieved from all further employment in the
king's service. The marquis was already feeling the same effects of
success as had been experienced by Alexander Farnese, Don John of
Austria, and other strenuous maintainers of the royal authority in
Flanders. He was railed against, suspected, spied upon, put under
guardianship, according to the good old traditions of the Spanish court.
Public disgrace or secret poison might well be expected by him, as the
natural guerdons of his eminent deeds.
Biraga also took with him the draught of the form in which the king's
consent to the armistice and pending negotiations was desired, and he
was particularly directed to urge that not one letter or comma should be
altered, in order that no pretext might be afforded to the suspicious
Netherlanders for a rupture.
In private letters to his own superintendent Strata, to Don John of
Idiaquez, to the Duke of Lerma, and to Stephen Ybarra, Spinola
enlarged upon the indignity about to be offered him, remonstrated
vehemently against the wrong and stupidity of the proposed policy, and
expressed his reliance upon the efforts of these friends of his to prevent
its consummation. He intimated to Idiaquez that a new deliberation
would be necessary to effect the withdrawal of the Dutch fleet--a
condition not inserted in the original armistice--but that within the three
months allowed for the royal ratification there would be time enough to
procure the consent of the States to that measure. If the king really

desired to continue the war, he