a store of ammunition
to overawe the inhabitants. The chief people of the city, therefore,
resolved to send to the Prince of Orange, to request his presence, in
order to try and pacify all parties. He reached Antwerp on the 13th of
July. The inhabitants of the city were wild with enthusiasm at the
thought of his coming. Thousands, I may say tens of thousands, from all
parts of the city went forth from the gates to bid him welcome. A'Dale
and I were among the number. The road along which he was to pass for
miles was lined with human beings. The roofs of the houses--the
ramparts--every spot whence a sight of the street could be obtained, was
packed close with eager and expectant faces. A long cavalcade of
citizens, with Count Brederode and a number of confederates, rode forth
to escort him into the city. As soon as he appeared at the head of a
small body of gentlemen, his demeanour calm and unmoved, Brederode and
his companions fired a salute from their pistols. It was the signal for
loud and reiterated shouts from the assembled multitude, while again and
again the cry of "Long live the Beggars!" was repeated. In vain the
Prince entreated them not to utter that cry.

"I have come," he said, "not to side with any party, but to endeavour to
restore tranquillity to the city."

The general feeling was that he had both the power and ability to keep
his word. Day after day he was engaged in endeavouring to quiet the
public mind. All classes of the people were consulted. At length it
was agreed that the exercise of the Reformed religion should be excluded
from the city, but tolerated in the suburbs; and that an armed force of
the citizens should be kept in readiness to suppress insurrection. To
these arrangements the people agreed, and the Regent highly commended
the Prince for what he had done: King Philip pretended also to approve
of his conduct, but in reality took no steps to abolish the Inquisition
or to renounce persecution. He, as was suspected, only awaited his time
to destroy the Prince himself.

Shortly after this the Prince was called away to Brussels, to attend a
council held by the Regent. About the same time a meeting of the
confederates had been held in Duffel, the result of which was that Louis
of Nassau, with twelve associates, laid before the Regent a statement of
their views. They declared that they were ever ready to mount and ride
against a foreign foe, but that they would never draw a sw