The Rise of the Dutch Republic: A History, Vol. 2 (Classic Reprint)

Berghen and Montigny arrived in Madrid. Those ill-fated gentlemen had been received with apparent cordiality, and admitted to frequent, but unmeaning, interviews with his Majesty. The current upon which they were embarked was deep and treacherous, but it was smooth and very slow. They assured the King that his letters, ordering the rigorous execution of the inquisition and edicts, had engendered all the evils under which the provinces were laboring. They told him that Spaniards and tools of Spaniards had attempted to govern the country, to the exclusion of native citizens and nobles, but that it would soon be found that Netherlander were not to be trodden upon like the abject inhabitants of Milan, Naples, and Sicily. Such vords as these struck with an unaccustomed sound upon the royal ear, but the envoys, who were both Catholic and loyal, had no idea, in thus expressing their opinions, according to their sense of duty, and in obedience to the King sdesire, upon the causes of the discontent, that they were committing an act of high treason. When the news of the public preaching reached Spain, there were almost daily consultations at the grove of Segovia. The eminent personages who composed the royal council were the Duke of A lva, the Count do Feria, Don Antonio de Toledo, Don Juan Manrique de Lara, Euy Gomez, Quixada, Councillor Tisnacq, recently appointed President of the State Council, and Councillor Hopper.f Six Spaniards and two Netherlander, one of whom, too, a man of dull intellect and thoroughly subservient character, to deal with the local affairs of the Netherlands in a time of intense excitement !T he instructions of the envoys had been to represent the necessity of according three great points abolition of the inquisition, moderation of the edicts, according to the draft prepared in Brussels, and an ample pardon for past transactions. There was mu
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