roject of "Moderation"--Religious views of Orange--His resignation
of all his offices not accepted--The "Moderation" characterized--
Egmont at Arras Debate on the "Moderation"--Vacillation of Egmont--
Mission of Montigny and Berghen to Spain--Instructions to the
envoys--Secret correspondence of Philip with the Pope concerning the
Netherland inquisition and the edicts--Field-preaching in the
provinces--Modet at Ghent--Other preachers characterized--Excitement
at Tournay--Peter Gabriel at Harlem--Field--preaching near Antwerp--
Embarrassment of the Regent--Excitement at Antwerp--Pensionary
Wesenbeck sent to Brussels--Orange at Antwerp--His patriotic course
--Misrepresentation of the Duchess--Intemperate zeal of Dr.
Rythovius--Meeting at St. Trond--Conference at Duffel--Louis of
Nassau deputed to the Regent--Unsatisfactory negotiations.

The most remarkable occurrence in the earlier part of the year 1556 was
the famous Compromise. This document, by which the signers pledged
themselves to oppose the inquisition, and to defend each other against
all consequences of such a resistance, was probably the work of Philip de
Marnix, Lord of Sainte Aldegonde. Much obscurity, however, rests upon the
origin of this league. Its foundations had already been laid in the
latter part of the preceding year. The nuptials of Parma with the
Portuguese princess had been the cause of much festivity, not only in
Brussels, but at Antwerp. The great commercial metropolis had celebrated
the occasion by a magnificent banquet. There had been triumphal arches,
wreaths of flowers, loyal speeches, generous sentiments, in the usual
profusion. The chief ornament of the dinner-table had been a magnificent
piece of confectionary, netting elaborately forth the mission of Count
Mansfeld with the fleet to Portugal to fetch the bride from her home,
with exquisitely finished figures in sugar--portraits, it is to be
presumed--of the principal personages as they appeared during the most
striking scenes of the history. At the very moment, however, of these
delectations, a meeting was held at Brussels of men whose minds were
occupied with sterner stuff than sugar-work. On the wedding-day of Parma,
Francis Junius, a dissenting minister then residing at Antwerp, was
invited to Brussels to preach a sermon in the house of Count Culemburg,
on the horse-market (now called Little Sablon), before a small assembly
of some twenty gentlemen.