[239] Wackernagel, Das deutsche Kirchenlied von der ällesten Zeit bis an zu Anfang des xvii. Jahrhunderts, iii. 3.
[240] Brandt, History of the Reformation in the Low Countries (London, 1720), p. 51.
[241] The history of the struggle with the Anabaptists of the Netherlands is related at length by S. Blaupot ten Cate in Geschiedenis der Doopsgezinden in Friesland (Leeuwarden, 1839); Geschiedenis der Doopsgezinden in Groningen (Oberijssel, 1842); Geschiedenis der Doopsgezinden in Holland en Gelderland (Amsterdam, 1847). A summary of the history of the Anabaptists is given in Heath’s Anabaptism (London, 1895), which is much more accurate than the usual accounts.
[242] Cf. Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, of the Reign of Henry VIII., IV. iii. 2685 (Halket to Tuller).
[243] Cf. below, pp. 432 f.
[244] Cf. i. 96 ff.
[245] Several references to the Anabaptists of the Low Countries are to be found in the Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, of the Reign of Henry VIII. Hackett, writing to Cromwell, says that “divers places are affected by this new sect of ‘rebaptisement,’” vii. p. 136. He tells about the shiploads of emigrants (pp. 165, 166), and says that they were so sympathised with, that it was difficult to enlist soldiers to fight against them; that the Regent had sent 10,000 ducats to help the Bishop of Münster to crush them (p. 167); and a wild report was current that Henry VIII. had sent money to the Anabaptists of Münster in revenge for the Pope’s refusing his divorce (p. 185).
[246] The Royal Academy of Belgium has published (Brussels, 1877-96) the Correspondance du Cardinal de Granvelle in 12 volumes, and in the Collection de documents inêdits sur l’Histoire de France there are the Papiers d’État du Cardinal de Granvelle in 9 vols., edited by C. Weiss (Paris, 1841-52). These volumes reveal the inner history of the revolt in the Netherlands. The documents which refer to the revolt in the Papiers d’État begin with p. 588 of vol. v. They show how, from the very first, Philip II. urged the extirpation of heresy as the most important work to be undertaken by his Government; cf. Papiers d’État, v. 591.
[247] “Philip struck the keynote of his reign on the occasion of his first public appearance as King by presiding over one of the most splendid auto-da-fés that had ever been seen in Spain (Valladolid, Oct. 18th, 1559).” Cambridge Modern History, iii. 482. It is a singular commentary on sixteenth century Romanism, that to burn a large number of fellow-men was called “an act of faith.”
[248] Papiers d’État du Cardinal de Granvelle, v. pp. 558, 591.