negotiations with France and Alencon--Confused and
menacing aspect of Germany--Responsible, and laborious position of
Orange--Attempt to relieve Zierickzee--Death of Admiral Boisot--
Capitulation of the city upon honourable terms--Mutiny of the
Spanish troops in Schouwen--General causes of discontent--Alarming
increase of the mutiny--The rebel regiments enter Brabant--Fruitless
attempts to pacify them--They take possession of Alost--Edicts,
denouncing them, from the state council--Intense excitement in
Brussels and Antwerp--Letters from Philip brought by Marquis Havre--
The King's continued procrastination--Ruinous royal confirmation of
the authority assumed by the state council--United and general
resistance to foreign military oppression--The German troops and the
Antwerp garrison, under Avila, join the revolt--Letter of Verdugo--
A crisis approaching--Jerome de Roda in the citadel--The mutiny
universal.

The death of Requesens, notwithstanding his four days' illness, occurred
so suddenly, that he had not had time to appoint his successor. Had he
exercised this privilege, which his patent conferred upon him, it was
supposed that he would have nominated Count Mansfeld to exercise the
functions of Governor-General, until the King should otherwise ordain.

In the absence of any definite arrangement, the Council of State,
according to a right which that body claimed from custom, assumed the
reins of government. Of the old board, there were none left but the Duke
of Aerschot, Count Berlaymont, and Viglins. To these were soon added,
however, by royal diploma, the Spaniard, Jerome de Roda, and the
Netherlanders, Assonleville, Baron Rassenghiem and Arnold Sasbout. Thus,
all the members, save one, of what had now become the executive body,
were natives of the country. Roda was accordingly looked askance upon by
his colleagues. He was regarded by Viglius as a man who desired to repeat
the part which had been played by Juan Vargas in the Blood Council, while
the other members, although stanch Catholics, were all of them
well-disposed to vindicate the claim of Netherland nobles to a share in
the government of the Netherlands.

For a time, therefore, the transfer of authority seemed to have been
smoothly accomplished. The Council of State conducted the administration
of the country. Peter Ernest Mansfeld was entrusted with the supreme
military command, including the government of Brusse