FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   959   960   961   962   963   964   965   966   967   968   969   970   971   972   973   974   975   976   977   978   979   980   981   982   983  
984   985   986   987   988   989   990   991   992   993   994   995   996   997   998   999   1000   1001   1002   1003   1004   1005   1006   1007   1008   >>   >|  
by thousands, it was thought proper to insinuate that his orders had been hitherto misunderstood. Alva and Requesens had been unfaithful agents, who did not know their business, but it was to be set right in future. "As the good-will and meaning of his Majesty has, by no means been followed," continued the envoy, "his Majesty has determined to send Councillor Hopper, keeper of the privy seal, and myself, hitherwards, to execute the resolutions of his Majesty." Two such personages as poor, plodding, confused; time-serving Hopper, and flighty, talkative Havre, whom even Requesens despised, and whom Don John, while shortly afterwards recommending him for a state councillor, characterized, to Philip as "a very great scoundrel;" would hardly be able, even if royally empowered, to undo the work of two preceding administrations. Moreover, Councillor Hopper, on further thoughts, was not despatched at all to the Netherlands. The provinces were, however, assured by the King's letters to the Brabant estates, to the State Council, and other, public bodies, as well as by the report of the Marquis, that efficacious remedies were preparing in Madrid. The people were only too wait patiently till they should arrive. The public had heard before of these nostrums, made up by the royal prescriptions in Spain; and were not likely to accept them as a panacea for their present complicated disorders. Never, in truth, had conventional commonplace been applied more unseasonably. Here was a general military mutiny flaming in the very centre of the land. Here had the intense hatred of race, which for years had been gnawing at the heart of the country, at last broken out into most malignant manifestation. Here was nearly the whole native population of every province, from grand seigneur to plebeian, from Catholic prelate to Anabaptist artisan, exasperated alike by the excesses of six thousand foreign brigands, and united by a common hatred, into a band of brethren. Here was a State Council too feeble to exercise the authority which it had arrogated, trembling between the wrath of its sovereign, the menacing cries of the Brussels burghers, and the wild threats of the rebellious army; and held virtually, captive in the capital which it was supposed to govern. Certainly, the confirmation of the Council in its authority, for an indefinite, even if for a brief period, was a most unlucky step at this juncture. There were two parties in the provinces,
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   959   960   961   962   963   964   965   966   967   968   969   970   971   972   973   974   975   976   977   978   979   980   981   982   983  
984   985   986   987   988   989   990   991   992   993   994   995   996   997   998   999   1000   1001   1002   1003   1004   1005   1006   1007   1008   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Hopper

 

Council

 

Majesty

 

authority

 

Councillor

 

provinces

 

hatred

 

public

 

Requesens

 
broken

insinuate

 
malignant
 
country
 

orders

 
gnawing
 

prescriptions

 

manifestation

 

proper

 
seigneur
 

province


native

 

population

 

hitherto

 
conventional
 
commonplace
 

disorders

 

complicated

 

accept

 

panacea

 

present


applied

 
centre
 

plebeian

 

intense

 

flaming

 

mutiny

 

unseasonably

 

misunderstood

 
general
 

military


Catholic
 
virtually
 

captive

 

capital

 

supposed

 

rebellious

 

Brussels

 
burghers
 

threats

 
govern