"Nearly all the people of Belgium are Roman Catholics, there being but about thirteen thousand Protestants and two thousand Jews; but the largest religious liberty is allowed to all sects. A portion of the salary of ministers of all denominations is paid from the national treasury. While the Catholics receive seven hundred thousand dollars from the state, the Protestants obtain eleven thousand, and the Jews two thousand dollars. The salary paid by the state to the archbishop is four thousand two hundred dollars, and to a bishop about three thousand.
"The history of Flanders is substantially the early history of Belgium. Many changes were made in the territorial limit of the country from time to time, in the hands of its different owners. The first mention of this country in history is in the time of Julius Cæsar, who conquered the Low Countries, and the Romans held them till the year 400, when they were joined to the empire of the Franks. They formed part of the vast realm of Charlemagne.
"After the Romans had abandoned the territory, several independent nobles established themselves in the southern part of the Netherlands. Among them were the Counts of Flanders, who became very powerful and influential men. They are to be regarded as the founders of the Flemish provinces. Having no male heirs, their possessions went to the house of Burgundy. Philip, Duke of Burgundy, married Margaret, Countess of Flanders, and, upon the death of her father, she brought to him the country of Flanders and other valuable possessions.
"During the succeeding hundred years, Namur, Brabant, Limbourg, Hainault, Holland, Zealand, Friesland, and Luxembourg, all of which now belong to Holland and Belgium, were added to the territories of the Dukes of Burgundy. At this period appears the powerful but rash and cruel Charles the Bold. His life was spent in open or secret strife with Louis XI., king of France, whose suzerain, or nominal vassal, he was. The king was instrumental in stirring up rebellion in several cities of the Low Countries, which the duke put down with his accustomed severity.
"Charles, in revenge, having leagued with some discontented French princes, Louis secretly fomented an insurrection in Liége. When the blow was first struck, the crafty king was paying a visit to his cousin of Burgundy, as he called the duke, who, on hearing the news, retained his sovereign as a prisoner, threatening to kill him for his perfidy. The cunning prince tried to pacify his enraged host. He was but partially successful, and could only obtain his liberty by submitting to the most humiliating terms. The duke compelled his royal guest to march in person with him to the revolted city, and assist his vassal in putting down the rebellion he had himself instigated.
"Charles the Bold was slain in battle, and his death ending his line of dukes, Louis seized upon several of the provinces. Mary, the daughter of Charles, was married to the Archduke of Austria, who claimed the Burgundian provinces in right of his wife. He obtained possession, however, of only Franche-comté and the Low Countries. The conflicting claims for these territories kept Austria and France at war for a long time.
"The Archduke Maximilian, who married Mary of Burgundy, became Emperor of Germany on the death of his father. He had two children by her, Philip and Margaret, the former of whom married Joanna, daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain. They were the parents of Charles V., Emperor of Germany and King of all Spain. During this period the Low Countries were governed by Maximilian, Philip, and Charles, deriving their right from Charles the Bold.
"Charles V. was succeeded as King of Spain by Philip II., his son, who also inherited the Flemish provinces. Mr. Motley's incomparable History of the Rise of the Dutch Republic, commences at this point, with the abdication of Charles V., and the accession of Philip II. I hope all who have not read this work will do so, as many of you can, here in the midst of the scenes described in its glowing pages.
"Philip was a bigot and a tyrant, and his despotism, which included the establishment of the Inquisition, drove the people to madness, and provoked them to rebellion. During the reign of Charles V. the Reformation had made considerable progress in Germany, and its principles were firmly planted in the Low Countries. Philip imposed upon himself the duty of rooting out the obnoxious doctrines, and of restoring the supremacy of the Catholic church.
"After his accession to the Netherlands, the king remained four years in the country, and then departed for Spain, from which he did not again return. He made his sister regent, and she was to be assisted by Granvelle, Bishop of Arras. William, Prince of Orange, and the Counts Egmont and Horn, were associated with the bishop as councillors, but they had no real power or influence.