The Rise of the Dutch Republic, 1568 part 1

The Rise of the Dutch Republic,
1568 part 1

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Title: The Rise of the Dutch Republic, 1568
Author: John Lothrop Motley
Release Date: January, 2004 [EBook #4815] [Yes, we are more than
one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on March 19,
2002]

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Language: English
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DUTCH REPUBLIC, 1568 ***

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MOTLEY'S HISTORY OF THE NETHERLANDS, PG EDITION,
VOLUME 15.
THE RISE OF THE DUTCH REPUBLIC
By John Lothrop Motley
1855

1568 [

CHAPTER II
.]
Orange, Count Louis, Hoogstraaten, and others, cited before the
Blood-Council--Charges against them--Letter of Orange in reply--
Position and sentiments of the Prince--Seizure of Count de Buren--
Details of that transaction--Petitions to the Council from Louvain and
other places--Sentence of death against the whole population of the
Netherlands pronounced by the Spanish Inquisition and proclaimed by
Philip--Cruel inventions against heretics--The Wild Beggars--
Preliminary proceedings of the Council against Egmont and Horn--
Interrogatories addressed to them in prison--Articles of accusation
against them--Foreclosure of the cases--Pleas to the jurisdiction--
Efforts by the Countesses Egmont and Horn, by many Knights of the
Fleece, and by the Emperor, in favor of the prisoners--Answers of Alva

and of Philip--Obsequious behavior of Viglius--Difficulties arising
from the Golden Fleece statutes set aside--Particulars of the charges
against Count Horn and of his defence--Articles of accusation against
Egmont--Sketch of his reply--Reflections upon the two trials--Attitude
of Orange--His published 'Justification'--His secret combinations--His
commission to Count Louis--Large sums of money subscribed by the
Nassau family, by Netherland refugees, and others--Great personal
sacrifices made by the Prince--Quadruple scheme for invading the
Netherlands--Defeat of the patriots under Cocqueville--Defeat of
Millers--Invasion of Friesland by Count Louis--Measures of Alva to
oppose him--Command of the royalists entreated to Aremberg and
Meghem--The Duke's plan for the campaign-- Skirmish at
Dam--Detention of Meghem--Count Louis at Heiliger--Lee-- Nature of
the ground--Advance of Aremberg--Disposition of the patriot
forces--Impatience of the Spanish troops to engage--Battle of
Heiliger-Lee--Defeat and death of Aremberg--Death of Adolphus
Nassau--Effects of the battle--Anger and severe measures of Alva--
Eighteen nobles executed at Brussels--Sentence of death pronounced
upon Egmont and Horn--The Bishop of Ypres sent to
Egmont--Fruitless intercession by the prelate and the
Countess--Egmont's last night in prison--The "grande place" at
Brussels--Details concerning the execution of Egmont and
Horn--Observation upon the characters of the two nobles--Destitute
condition of Egmont's family.
Late in October, the Duke of Alva made his triumphant entry into the
new fortress. During his absence, which was to continue during the
remainder of the year, he had ordered the Secretary Courteville and the
Councillor del Rio to superintend the commission, which was then
actually engaged in collecting materials for the prosecutions to be
instituted against the Prince of Orange and the other nobles who had
abandoned the country. Accordingly, soon after his return, on the 19th
of January, 1568, the Prince, his brother Louis of Nassau, his
brother-in-law, Count Van den Berg, the Count Hoogstraaten, the
Count Culemburg, and the Baron Montigny, were summoned in the
name of Alva to appear before the Blood- Council, within thrice
fourteen days from the date of the proclamation, under pain of
perpetual banishment with confiscation of their estates. It is needless to

say that these seigniors did not obey the summons. They knew full well
that their obedience would be rewarded only by death.
The charges against the Prince of Orange, which were drawn up in ten
articles, stated, chiefly and briefly, that he had been, and was, the head
and front of the rebellion; that as soon as his Majesty had