FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   1590   1591   1592   1593   1594   1595   1596   1597   1598   1599   1600   1601   1602   1603   1604   1605   1606   1607   1608   1609   1610   1611   1612   1613   1614  
1615   1616   1617   1618   1619   1620   1621   1622   1623   1624   1625   1626   1627   1628   1629   1630   1631   1632   1633   1634   1635   1636   1637   1638   1639   >>   >|  
ls might be again employed in its restoration. The citizens, impoverished and wretched, humbly demanded that the expense of building the citadel might be in part defrayed by the four hundred thousand florins in which they had been mulcted by the capitulation. "I don't marvel at this," said Parma, "for certainly the poor city is most forlorn and poverty-stricken, the heretics having all left it." It was not long before it was very satisfactorily established, that the presence of those same heretics and liberty of conscience for all men, were indispensable conditions for the prosperity of the great capital. Its downfall was instantaneous. The merchants and industrious artisans all wandered away from the place which had been the seat of a world-wide traffic. Civilisation and commerce departed, and in their stead were the citadel and the Jesuits. By express command of Philip, that order, banished so recently, was reinstated in Antwerp, as well as throughout the obedient provinces; and all the schools and colleges were placed under its especial care. No children could be thenceforth instructed except by the lips of those fathers. Here was a curb more efficacious even than the citadel. That fortress was at first garrisoned with Walloons and Germans. "I have not yet induced the citizens," said Parma, "to accept a Spanish garrison, nor am I surprised; so many of them remembering past events (alluding to the 'Spanish fury,' but not mentioning it by name), and observing the frequent mutinies at the present time. Before long, I expect, however, to make the Spaniards as acceptable and agreeable as the inhabitants of the country themselves." It may easily be supposed that Philip was pleased with the triumphs that had thus been achieved. He was even grateful, or affected to be grateful, to him who had achieved them. He awarded great praise to Alexander for his exertions, on the memorable occasions of the attack upon the bridge, and the battle of the Kowenstyn; but censured him affectionately for so rashly exposing his life. "I have no words," he said, "to render the thanks which are merited for all that you have been doing. I recommend you earnestly however to have a care for the security of your person, for that is of more consequence than all the rest." After the news of the reduction of the city, he again expressed gratification, but in rather cold language. "From such obstinate people," said he, "not more could be extracted t
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   1590   1591   1592   1593   1594   1595   1596   1597   1598   1599   1600   1601   1602   1603   1604   1605   1606   1607   1608   1609   1610   1611   1612   1613   1614  
1615   1616   1617   1618   1619   1620   1621   1622   1623   1624   1625   1626   1627   1628   1629   1630   1631   1632   1633   1634   1635   1636   1637   1638   1639   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

citadel

 

heretics

 

grateful

 
achieved
 

Philip

 
citizens
 

Spanish

 

acceptable

 

Spaniards

 
agreeable

supposed

 

pleased

 

easily

 

inhabitants

 

country

 

accept

 

induced

 
garrison
 
events
 
observing

mentioning

 

triumphs

 
alluding
 

frequent

 

remembering

 

Before

 

present

 
mutinies
 

surprised

 

expect


battle

 

person

 

consequence

 

security

 

merited

 

recommend

 

earnestly

 
reduction
 

obstinate

 
people

extracted

 

language

 

expressed

 

gratification

 

exertions

 

memorable

 

occasions

 

Alexander

 

praise

 

affected