FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   553   554   555   556   557   558   559   560   561   562   563   564   565   566   567   568   569   570   571   572   573   574   575   576   577  
578   579   580   581   582   583   584   585   586   587   588   589   590   591   592   593   594   595   596   597   598   599   600   601   602   >>   >|  
in contemplation, in recompense for his distinguished services, and by advice of Leicester, to bestow great honors and titles upon him, and to appoint him Viceroy of Ireland--of that very country which he was now proposing, as an enemy to his sovereign and as the purchased tool of a foreign despot, to invade. Stanley's subsequent fate was obscure. A price of 3000 florins was put by the States upon his head and upon that of York. He went to Spain, and afterwards returned to the Provinces. He was even reported to have become, through the judgment of God, a lunatic, although the tale wanted confirmation; and it is certain that at the close of the year he had mustered his regiment under Farnese, prepared to join the Duke in the great invasion of England. Roland York, who was used to such practices, cheerfully consummated his crime on the same day that witnessed the surrender of Deventer. He rode up to the gates of that city on the morning of the 29th January, inquired quietly whether Tassis was master of the place, and then galloped furiously back the ten miles to his fort. Entering, he called his soldiers together, bade them tear in pieces the colours of England, and follow him into the city of Zutphen. Two companies of States' troops offered resistance, and attempted to hold the place; but they were overpowered by the English and Irish, assisted by a force of Spaniards, who, by a concerted movement, made their appearance from the town. He received a handsome reward, having far surpassed the Duke of Parma's expectations, when he made his original offer of service. He died very suddenly, after a great banquet at Deventer, in the course of the sane year, not having succeeded in making his escape into Spain to live at ease on his stipend. It was supposed that he was poisoned; but the charge in those days was a common one, and nobody cared to investigate the subject. His body was subsequently exhumed when Deventer came into the hands of the patriots--and with impotent and contemptible malice hanged upon a gibbet. This was the end of Roland York. Parma was highly gratified, as may be imagined, at such successful results. "Thus Fort Zutphen," said he, "about which there have been so many fisticuffs, and Deventer--which was the real object of the last campaign, and which has cost the English so much blood and money, and is the safety of Groningen and of all those Provinces--is now your Majesty's. Moreover, the effect of this
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   553   554   555   556   557   558   559   560   561   562   563   564   565   566   567   568   569   570   571   572   573   574   575   576   577  
578   579   580   581   582   583   584   585   586   587   588   589   590   591   592   593   594   595   596   597   598   599   600   601   602   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Deventer
 

States

 
England
 

Provinces

 
Roland
 

Zutphen

 

English

 
escape
 

succeeded

 

making


poisoned
 

overpowered

 

supposed

 

assisted

 

Spaniards

 
stipend
 

expectations

 
original
 
received
 

handsome


surpassed

 

service

 

appearance

 

banquet

 

reward

 

concerted

 

movement

 

suddenly

 

fisticuffs

 

object


results
 

campaign

 

Majesty

 
Moreover
 

effect

 

Groningen

 

safety

 

successful

 
imagined
 
subsequently

exhumed

 

subject

 
investigate
 

common

 

patriots

 

highly

 

gratified

 

gibbet

 

impotent

 

contemptible