Thus by the Union of Utrecht on the one hand, and the fast approaching reconciliation of the Walloon provinces on the other, the work of decomposition and of construction went Land in hand.
ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:
Are apt to discharge such obligations—(by) ingratitude
Like a man holding a wolf by the ears
Local self-government which is the life-blood of liberty
No man ever understood the art of bribery more thoroughly
Not so successful as he was picturesque
Plundering the country which they came to protect
Presumption in entitling themselves Christian
Protect the common tranquillity by blood, purse, and life
Republic, which lasted two centuries
Throw the cat against their legs
Worship God according to the dictates of his conscience
MOTLEY'S HISTORY OF THE NETHERLANDS, Project Gutenberg Edition, Vol. 32 THE RISE OF THE DUTCH REPUBLIC By John Lothrop Motley 1855 [ [!-- H2 anchor --] ]
CHAPTER II.
Parma's feint upon Antwerp—He invests Maestricht—Deputation and
letters from the states-general, from Brussels, and from Parma, to
the Walloon provinces—Active negotiations by Orange and by Farnese
—Walloon envoys in Parma's camp before Maestricht—Festivities—The
Treaty of Reconciliation—Rejoicings of the royalist party—Comedy
enacted at the Paris theatres—Religious tumults in Antwerp,
Utrecht, and other cities—Religious Peace enforced by Orange—
Philip Egmont's unsuccessful attempt upon Brussels—Siege of
Maestricht—Failure at the Tongres gate—Mining and countermining—
Partial destruction of the Tongres ravelin—Simultaneous attack upon
the Tongres and Bolls-le-Duo gates—The Spaniards repulsed with
great loss—Gradual encroachments of the besiegers—Bloody contests
—The town taken—Horrible massacre—Triumphal entrance and solemn
thanksgiving—Calumnious attacks upon Orange—Renewed troubles in
Ghent—Imbue and Dathenus—The presence of the Prince solicited—
Coup d'etat of Imbue—Order restored, and Imbue expelled by Orange
The political movements in both directions were to be hastened by the military operations of the opening season. On the night of the 2nd of March, 1579, the Prince of Parma made a demonstration against Antwerp. A body of three thousand Scotch and English, lying at Borgerhout, was rapidly driven in, and a warm skirmish ensued, directly under the walls of the city. The Prince of Orange, with the Archduke Matthias, being in Antwerp at the time, remained on the fortifications; superintending the action, and Parma was obliged to retire after an hour or two of sharp fighting, with a loss of four hundred men. This demonstration was, however, only a feint. His real design was upon Maestricht; before which important city he appeared in great force, ten days afterwards, when he was least expected.
Well fortified, surrounded by a broad and deep moat; built upon both sides of the Meuse, upon the right bank of which river, however, the portion of the town was so inconsiderable that it was merely called the village of Wyk, this key to the German gate of the Netherlands was, unfortunately, in brave but feeble hands. The garrison was hardly one thousand strong; the trained bands of burghers amounted to twelve hundred more; while between three and four thousand peasants; who had taken refuge within the city walls, did excellent service as sappers and miners. Parma, on the other hand, had appeared before the walls with twenty thousand men; to which number he received constant reinforcements. The Bishop of Liege, too, had sent him four thousand pioneers—a most important service; for mining and countermining was to decide the fate of Maestricht.
Early in January the royalists had surprised the strong chateau of Carpen, in the neighbourhood of the city, upon which occasion the garrison were all hanged by moonlight on the trees in the orchard. The commandant shared their fate; and it is a curious fact that he had, precisely a year previously, hanged the royalist captain, Blomaert, on the same spot, who, with the rope around his neck, had foretold a like doom to his destroyer.