The Rise of the Dutch Republic, 1572 | Page 8

and Utrecht, and that they would use their influence
with the other provinces to procure his appointment as Protector of all
the Netherlands during the King's absence. His Highness was requested
to appoint an Admiral, on whom, with certain deputies from the
Water-cities, the conduct of the maritime war should devolve.
The conduct of the military operations by land was to be directed by
Dort, Leyden, and Enkbuizen, in conjunction with the Count de la
Marck. A pledge was likewise exchanged between the estates and the
pleni- potentiary, that neither party should enter into any treaty with the
King, except by full consent and co-operation of the other. With regard
to religion, it was firmly established, that the public exercises of divine

worship should be permitted not only to the Reformed Church, but to
the Roman Catholic--the clergy of both being protected from all
molestation.
After these proceedings, Count de la Marck made his appearance
before the assembly. His commission from Orange was read to the
deputies, and by them ratified. The Prince, in that document, authorized
"his dear cousin" to enlist troops, to accept the fealty of cities, to
furnish them with garrisons, to re-establish all the local laws, municipal
rights, and ancient privileges which had been suppressed. He was to
maintain freedom of religion, under penalty of death to those who
infringed it; he was to restore all confiscated property; he was, with
advice of his council, to continue in office such city magistrates as were
favorable, and to remove those adverse to the cause.
The Prince was, in reality, clothed with dictatorial and even regal
powers. This authority had been forced upon him by the prayers of the
people, but he manifested no eagerness as he partly accepted the
onerous station. He was provisionally the depositary of the whole
sovereignty of the northern provinces, but ho cared much less for
theories of government than for ways and means. It was his object to
release the country from the tyrant who, five years long, had been
burning and butchering the people. It was his determination to drive out
the foreign soldiery. To do this, he must meet his enemy in the field. So
little was he disposed to strengthen his own individual power, that he
voluntarily imposed limits on himself, by an act, supplemental to the
proceedings of the Congress of Dort. In this important ordinance made
by the Prince of Orange, as a provisional form of government, he
publicly announced "that he would do and ordain nothing except by the
advice of the estates, by reason that they were best acquainted with the
circumstances and the humours of the inhabitants." He directed the
estates to appoint receivers for all public taxes, and ordained that all
military officers should make oath of fidelity to him, as stadholder, and
to the estates of Holland, to be true and obedient, in order to liberate the
land from the Albanian and Spanish tyranny, for the service of his royal
Majesty as Count of Holland. The provisional constitution, thus made
by a sovereign prince and actual dictator, was certainly as disinterested
as it was sagacious.
Meanwhile the war had opened vigorously in Hainault. Louis of

Nassau had no sooner found himself in possession of Mons than he had
despatched Genlis to France, for those reinforcements which had been
promised by royal lips. On the other hand, Don Frederic held the city
closely beleaguered; sharp combats before the walls were of almost
daily occurrence, but it was obvious that Louis would be unable to
maintain the position into which he had so chivalrously thrown himself
unless he should soon receive important succor. The necessary
reinforcements were soon upon the way. Genlis had made good speed
with his levy, and it was soon announced that he was advancing into
Hainault, with a force of Huguenots, whose numbers report magnified
to ten thousand veterans. Louis despatched an earnest message to his
confederate, to use extreme caution in his approach. Above all things,
he urged him, before attempting to throw reinforcements into the city,
to effect a junction with the Prince of Orange, who had already crossed
the Rhine with his new army.
Genlis, full of overweening confidence, and desirous of acquiring
singly the whole glory of relieving the city, disregarded this advice. His
rashness proved his ruin, and the temporary prostration of the cause of
freedom. Pushing rapidly forward across the French frontier, he arrived,
towards the middle of July, within two leagues of Mons. The Spaniards
were aware of his approach, and well prepared to frustrate his project.
On the 19th, he found himself upon a circular plain of about a league's
extent, surrounded with coppices and forests, and dotted with
farm-houses and kitchen gardens. Here he paused to send out a
reconnoitring party. The little