Gutenberg Literary Edition #4822

Previous career of Requesens--Philip's passion for detail--Apparent and real purposes of government--Universal desire for peace-- Correspondence of leading royalists with Orange--Bankruptcy of the exchequer at Alva's departures--Expensive nature of the war-- Pretence of mildness on the part of the Commander--His private views--Distress of Mondragon at Middelburg--Crippled condition of Holland--Orange's secret negotiations with France--St. Aldegonde's views in captivity--Expedition to relieve Middelburg--Counter preparations of Orange--Defeat of the expedition--Capitulation of Mondragon--Plans of Orange and his brothers--An army under Count Louis crosses the Rhine--Measures taken by Requesens--Manoeuvres of Avila and of Louis--The two armies in face at Mook--Battle of Mook- heath--Overthrow and death of Count Louis--The phantom battle-- Character of Louis of Nassau--Painful uncertainty as to his fate-- Periodical mutinies of the Spanish troops characterized--Mutiny after the battle of Mook--Antwerp attacked and occupied,--Insolent and oppressive conduct of the mutineers--Offers of Requesens refused--Mutiny in the citadel--Exploits of Salvatierra--Terms of composition--Soldiers' feast on the mere--Successful expedition of Admiral Boisot

The horrors of Alva's administration had caused men to look back with fondness upon the milder and more vacillating tyranny of the Duchess Margaret. From the same cause the advent of the Grand Commander was hailed with pleasure and with a momentary gleam of hope. At any rate, it was a relief that the man in whom an almost impossible perfection of cruelty seemed embodied was at last to be withdrawn. it was certain that his successor, however ambitious of following in Alva's footsteps, would never be able to rival the intensity and the unswerving directness of purpose which it had been permitted to the Duke's nature to attain. The new Governor-General was, doubtless, human, and it had been long since the Netherlanders imagined anything in common between themselves and the late Viceroy.

Apart from this hope, however, there was little encouragement to be derived from anything positively known of the new functionary, or the policy which he was to represent. Don Luis de Requesens and Cuniga, Grand Commander of Castile and late Governor of Milan, was a man of mediocre abilities, who possessed a reputation for moderation and sagacity which he hardly deserved. His military prowess had been chiefly displayed in the bloody and barren battle of Lepanto, where his conduct and counsel were supposed to have contributed, in some measure, to the victorious result. His administration at Milan had been characterized as firm and moderate. Nevertheless, his character was regarded with anything but favorable eyes in the Netherlands. Men told each other of his broken faith to the Moors in Granada, and of his unpopularity in Milan, where, notwithstanding his boasted moderation, he had, in reality, so oppressed the people as to gain their deadly hatred. They complained, too, that it was an insult to send, as Governor-General of the provinces, not a prince of the blood, as used to be the case, but a simple "gentleman of cloak and sword."

Any person, however, who represented the royal authority in the provinces was under historical disadvantage. He was literally no more than an actor, hardly even that. It was Philip's policy and pride to direct all the machinery of his extensive empire, and to pull every string himself. His puppets, however magnificently attired, moved only in obedience to his impulse, and spoke no syllable but with his voice. Upon the table in his cabinet was arranged all the business of his various realms, even to the most minute particulars.