The Rise of the Dutch Republic, 1567 part 1

The Rise of the Dutch Republic,
1567 part 1

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Title: The Rise of the Dutch Republic, 1567
Author: John Lothrop Motley
Release Date: January, 2004 [EBook #4813] [Yes, we are more than
one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on March 19,
2002]

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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE
DUTCH REPUBLIC, 1567 ***

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MOTLEY'S HISTORY OF THE NETHERLANDS, PG EDITION,
VOLUME 13.
THE RISE OF THE DUTCH REPUBLIC
By John Lothrop Motley
1855

1567 [

CHAPTER IX
., Part 2.]
Calvinists defeated at Lannoy and at Waterlots--Elation of the
government--The siege pressed more closely--Cruelties practised upon
the country people--Courage of the inhabitants--Remonstrance to the
Knights of the Fleece--Conduct of Brederode--Orange at Amsterdam--
New Oath demanded by Government--Orange refuses--He offers his
resignation of all offices--Meeting at Breda--New "Request" of
Brederode--He creates disturbances and levies troops in Antwerp--
Conduct of Hoogstraaten--Plans of Brederode--Supposed connivance
of Orange--Alarm at Brussels--Tholouse at Ostrawell--Brederode in
Holland--De Beauvoir defeats Tholouse--Excitement at Antwerp--
Determined conduct of Orange--Three days' tumult at Antwerp
suppressed by the wisdom and courage of Orange.

It was then that Noircarmes and his "seven sleepers" showed that they
were awake. Early in January, 1567, that fierce soldier, among whose
vices slothfulness was certainly never reckoned before or afterwards,
fell upon the locksmith's army at Zannoy, while the Seigneur de
Rassinghem attacked the force at Waterlots on the same day.
Noircarmes destroyed half his enemies at the very first charge. The
ill-assorted rabble fell asunder at once. The preacher fought well, but
his undisciplined force fled at the first sight of the enemy. Those who
carried arquebusses threw them down without a single discharge, that
they might run the faster. At least a thousand were soon stretched dead
upon the field; others were hunted into the river. Twenty-six hundred,
according to the Catholic accounts, were exterminated in an hour.
Rassinghem, on his part, with five or six hundred regulars, attacked
Teriel's force, numbering at least twice as many. Half of these were
soon cut to pieces and put to flight. Six hundred, however, who had
seen some service, took refuge in the cemetery of Waterlots. Here,
from behind the stone wall of the inclosure, they sustained the attack of
the Catholics with some spirit. The repose of the dead in the quiet
country church-yard was disturbed by the uproar of a most sanguinary
conflict. The temporary fort was soon carried, and the Huguenots
retreated into the church. A rattling arquebusade was poured in upon
them as they struggled in the narrow doorway. At least four hundred
corpses were soon strewn among the ancient graves. The rest were
hunted, into the church, and from the church into the belfry. A fire was
then made in the steeple and kept up till all were roasted or suffocated.
Not a man escaped.
This was the issue in the first stricken field in the Netherlands, for the
cause of religious liberty. It must be confessed that it was not very
encouraging to the lovers of freedom. The partisans of government
were elated, in proportion to the apprehension which had been felt for
the result of this rising in the Walloon country. "These good
hypocrites," wrote a correspondent of Orange, "are lifting up their
heads like so many dromedaries. They are becoming unmanageable
with pride." The Duke of Aerschot and Count Meghem gave great
banquets in Brussels, where all the good chevaliers drank deep in honor
of the victory, and to the health of his Majesty and Madame. "I saw
Berlaymont