History of the Reign of Philip the Second, King of Spain Part 69 (1/2)

[701] Henry the Fourth, when a boy of eleven years of age, was in the train of Catherine, and was present at one of her interviews with Alva.

It is said that he overheard the words of the duke quoted in the text, and that they sank deep into the mind of the future champion of Protestantism. Henry reported them to his mother, Jeanne d'Albret, by whom they were soon made public. Sismondi, Hist. des Francais, tom.

XVIII. p. 447.--For the preceding paragraph see also De Thou, Hist.

Universelle, tom. V. p. 34 et seq.--Cabrera, Filipe Segundo, lib. VI.

cap. 23.--Brantome, uvres, tom. V. p. 58 et seq.

[702] It is a common opinion that, at the meeting at Bayonne, it was arranged between the queen-mother and Alva to revive the tragedy of the Sicilian Vespers in the horrid ma.s.sacre of St. Bartholomew. I find, however, no warrant for such an opinion in the letters of either the duke or Don Juan Manrique de Lara, major-domo to Queen Isabella, the originals of which are still preserved in the Royal Library at Paris. In my copy of these MSS. the letters of Alva to Philip the Second cover much the larger s.p.a.ce. They are very minute in their account of his conversation with the queen-mother. His great object seems to have been, to persuade her to abandon her temporizing policy, and, instead of endeavoring to hold the balance between the contending parties, to a.s.sert, in the most uncompromising manner, the supremacy of the Roman Catholics. He endeavored to fortify her in this course by the example of his own master, the king of Spain, repeating Philip's declaration, so often quoted, under various forms, that ”he would surrender his kingdom, nay life itself, rather than reign over heretics.”

While the duke earnestly endeavored to overcome the arguments of Catherine de Medicis in favor of a milder, more rational, and, it may be added, more politic course in reference to the Huguenots, he cannot justly be charged with having directly recommended those atrocious measures which have branded her name with infamy. Yet, on the other hand, it cannot be denied that this b.l.o.o.d.y catastrophe was a legitimate result of the policy which he advised.

[703] ”On voit journellement gens de ce pays aller en Angleterre, avec leurs familles et leurs instruments; et ja Londres, Zandvich et le pays allenviron est si plain, que l'on dit que le nombre surpa.s.se 30,000 testes.” a.s.sonleville to Granvelle, January 15, 1565, Correspondance de Philippe II., tom. I. p. 392.

[704] ”Il y a longtemps que ces Pas-Bas sont les Indes d'Angleterre, et, tant qu'ilz les auront, ilz n'en ont besoing d'aultres.” Ibid., p.

382.

[705] Meteren, Hist. des Pays-Bas, tom. I. fol. 39, 40.--Correspondance de Marguerite d'Autriche, p. 17.

[706] Supplement a Strada, tom. II. p. 293.

[707] Ibid., ubi supra.--Strada, De Bello Belgico, tom. I. p. 212.

[708] Correspondance de Philippe II., tom. I. p. 402.--Strada, De Bello Belgico, tom. I. p. 212.--Correspondance de Guillaume le Taciturne. tom.

II. p. 132.

[709] Supplement a Strada, tom. II. p. 294.

[710] ”Ostant l'Inquisition, qui en ce temps est tant odieuse ... et ne sert quasi de riens, pour estre les Sectaires a.s.sez cognuz; moderant quant et quant la rigeur des Placcarts ... publiant aussy quant et quant pardon general pour ceulx qui se sont meslez de laditte Ligue.” Ibid., p. 295.

[711] ”Le Prince d'Oranges et le Comte de Hornes disoyent en plain conseil qu'ils estoyent d'intention de se voulloir retirer en leurs maisons, ... se deuillans mesmes le dit Prince, que l'on le tenoit pour suspect et pour chief de ceste Confederation.” Extract from the Proces d'Egmont, in the Archives de la Maison d'Orange-Na.s.sau, tom. II. p. 42.

[712] ”De laquelle estant advertis quelques quinze jours apres, devant que les confederes se trouva.s.sent en court, nous declarames ouvertement et rondemen qu'elle ne nous plaisoit pas, et que ce ne nous sambloit estre le vray moyen pour maintenir le repos et tranquillite publique.”

Extract from the ”Justification” of William, (1567,) in the Archives de la Maison d'Orange-Na.s.sau, tom. II. p. 11.

[713] This fact rests on the authority of a MS. ascribed to Junius.

(Brandt, Reformation in the Low Countries, vol. I. p. 162.) Groen, however, distrusts the authenticity of this MS. (Archives de la Maison d'Orange-Na.s.sau, tom. II. p. 12.) Yet, whatever may be thought of the expedition against Antwerp, it appears from William's own statement that the confederates did meditate some dangerous enterprise, from which he dissuaded them. See his ”Apology,” in Dumont, Corps Diplomatique, tom.

V. p. 392.

[714] ”Les estatz-generaulx ayans pleine puissance, est le seul remede a nos maulx; nous avons le moyen en nostre povoir sans aucune doubte de les faire a.s.sembler, mais on ne veult estre gueri.” Archives de la Maison d'Orange-Na.s.sau, tom. II. p. 37.

[715] ”Ils veullent que a l'obstination et endurciss.e.m.e.nt de ces loups affamez nous opposions remonstrances, requestes et en fin parolles, la ou de leur coste ils ne cessent de brusler, coupper testes, bannir et exercer leur rage en toutes facons. Nous avons le moyen de les refrener sans trouble, sans difficulte, sans effusion de sang, sans guerre, et on ne le veult. Soit donques, prenons la plume et eux l'espee, nous les parolles, eux le faict.” Ibid., p. 36.

[716] ”Ire Ma^{t.} gar ernstlich bevelt das man nitt allain die sich in andere leren so begeben, sol verbrennen, sonder auch die sich widderumb bekeren, sol koppen lasen; welges ich wahrlich im hertzen hab gefult, dan bei mir nit finden kan das cristlich noch thunlich ist.” Ibid., tom.

I. p. 440.

[717] Ibid., tom. II. p. 30.

[718] Ibid., tom. I. p. 432.