Orange and Egmont, in as
good set phrase as if they had been expressly reported by the parties
themselves for publication. The Italian historian affects a degree of
familiarity with the proceedings of this secret conclave by no means
calculated to secure our confidence. Guerra di Fiandra, pp. 123-128.

[859] "Siesse qu'elle jure que s'et la plus grande vilagnerie du
monde..... et que s'et ung vray pasquil fameulx et qui doit ettre forge
pardecha, et beaucoup de chozes semblables." Archives de la Maison
d'Orange-Nassau, tom. II. p. 400.

[860] "En fin s'et une femme nourie en Rome, il n'y at que ajouter foy."
Ibid., p. 401.

Yet Egmont, on his trial, affirmed that he regarded the letter as
spurious! (Correspondance de Marguerite d'Autriche, p. 327.) One who
finds it impossible that the prince of Orange could lend himself to such
a piece of duplicity, may perhaps be staggered when he calls to mind his
curious correspondence with the elector and with King Philip in relation
to Anne of Saxony, before his marriage with that princess. Yet Margaret,
as Egmont hints, was of the Italian school; and Strada, her historian,
dismisses the question with a doubt,--"in medio ego quidem relinquo." A
doubt from Strada is a decision against Margaret.

[861] Correspondance de Philippe II., tom I. p. 474.

[862] Ibid., p. 491.

[863] Strada, De Bello Belgico, tom. I. p. 282.

[864] Ibid., ubi supra.

[865] Hopper, Recueil et Memorial, p. 109.

[866] Ibid., p. 113.

[867] Archives de la Maison d'Orange-Nassau, tom. II. p. 391.

[868] "Praeterea consistoria, id est senatus ac coetus, multis in urbibus,
sicuti jam Antverpiae caeperant, instituerunt: creatis Magistratibus,
Senatoribusque, quorum consiliis (sed antea cum Antverpiana curia, quam
esse principem voluere, communicatis) universa haereticorum Resput.
temperaretur." Strada, De Bello Belgico, tom. I p. 283.

[869] Archives de la Maison d'Orange-Nassau, tom. II. pp. 455, 456.

[870] Ibid., p. 496.

[871] I quote almost the words of William in his famous Apology, which
suggests the same explanation of his conduct that I have given in the
text.--"Car puis que des le berceau j'y avois este nourry, Monsieur mon
Pere y avoit vescu, y estoit mort, ayant chasse de ses Seigneuries les
abus de l'Eglise, qui est-ce qui trouvera estrange si cette doctrine
estoit tellement engravee en mon coeur, et y avoit jette telles racines,
qu'en son temps elle est venue a apporter ses fruits."