the frantic people would not listen, and one more daring than the rest presented his musket at him, calling him a traitor. With tumultuous shouts, they demanded the key of the Red Gate, which he was ultimately forced to deliver into the hands of the preacher Hermann. But, he added with happy presence of mind, they must take heed what they were doing; in the suburbs, 600 of the enemy's horse were waiting to receive them. This invention, suggested by the emergency, was not so far removed from the truth as its author perhaps imagined; for no sooner had the victorious general perceived the commotion in Antwerp, than he caused his whole cavalry to mount, in the hope of being able, under favour of the disturbance, to break into the town. I, at least, continued the Frince of Orange, shall secure my own safety in time, and he who follows my example will save himself much future regret. These words, opportunely spoken and immediately acted upon, had their effect. Those who stood nearest, followed him, and were again followed by the next, so that at last the few who had already hastened out of the city, when they saw no one coming after them, lost the desire of coping alone with the six hundred horse. All accordingly returned to the Meer Bridge, where they posted watches and videttes, and the night was passed tumultuously under arms.

The town of Antwerp was now threatened with fearful bloodshed and pillage. In this pressing emergency, Orange assembled an extraordinary senate, to which were summoned all the best disposed citizens of the four nations. If they wished, said he, to repress the violence of the Calvinists, they must oppose them with an army strong enough and prepared to meet them. It was therefore resolved to arm with speed the Roman-Catholic inhabitants of the town, whether natives, Italians, or Spaniards, and, if possible, to induce the Lutherans also to join them. The haughtiness of the Calvinists, who, proud of their wealth and confident in their numbers, treated every other religious party with contempt, had long made the Lutherans their enemies, and the mutual exasperation of these two Protestant churches was even more implacable than their common hatred of the dominant church. This jealousy the magistrate had turned to advantage, by making use of one party to curb the other, and had thus contrived to keep the Calvinists in check, who, from their numbers and insolence,

were most to be feared. With this view, he had tacitly taken into his protection the Lutherans, as the weaker and more peaceable party, having moreover invited for them, from Germany, spiritual teachers, who, by controversial sermons, might keep up the mutual hatred of the two bodies. He encouraged the Lutherans in the vain idea, that the king thought more favourably of their religious creed than of that of the Calvinists, and exhorted them to be careful how they damaged their good cause, by any understanding with the latter. It was not, therefore, difficult to bring about, for the moment, a union with the Roman Catholics and the Lutherans, as its object was to keep down their detested rivals. At dawn of day, an army was opposed to the Calvinists, which was far superior in force to their own. At the head of this army, the eloquence of Orange had far greater effect, and found far more attention than on the preceding evening, unbacked by such strong persuasion. The Calvinists, though in possession of arms and artillery, yet alarmed at the superior numbers arrayed against them, were the first to send envoys, and to treat for an amicable adjustment of differences, which by the tact and good temper of the Prince of Orange, he concluded to the satisfaction of all parties. On the proclamation of this treaty, the Spaniards and Italians immediately laid down their arms. They were followed by the Calvinists, and these again by the Roman Catholics; last of all, the Lutherans disarmed.

Two days and two nights Antwerp had continued in this alarming state. During the tumult, the Roman Catholics had succeeded in placing barrels of gunpowder under the Meer Bridge, and threatened to blow into the air the whole army of the Calvinists, who had done the same in other places to destroy their adversaries. The destruction of the town hung on the issue of a moment, and nothing but the prince's presence of mind saved it.

Noircarmes with his army of Walloons still lay before Valenciennes, which, in firm reliance on being relieved by the Gueux, obstinately refused to listen to all the representations of the regent, and rejected every idea of surrender. An order of the court had expressly forbidden the royalist general to press the siege, until he should receive reinforcements from Germany. Whether from forbearance or fear, the king regarded with abhorrence the violent measure of storm

ing the place, as necessarily involving the innocent in the fate of the guilty, and exposing the loyal subject to the same illtreatment as the rebel. As, however, the confidence of the besieged augmented daily, and emboldened by the inactivity of the besiegers, they annoyed him by frequent sallies, and after burning the cloisters before the town, retired with the plunder-as the time uselessly lost before this town was put to good use by the rebels and their allies, Noircarmes besought the duchess to obtain immediate permission from the king to take it by storm. The answer arrived more quickly than Philip was ever before wont to reply. As yet they must be content, simply to make the necessary preparations, and then to wait awhile to allow terror to have its effect; but if, upon this, they did not appear ready to capitulate, the storming might take place, but, at the same time, with the greatest possible regard for the lives of the inhabitants. Before the regent allowed Noircarmes to proceed to this extremity, she empowered Count Egmont, with the Duke of Arschot, to treat once more with the rebels amicably. Both conferred with the deputies of the town, and omitted no argument calculated to dispel their delusion. They acquainted them with the defeat of Thoulouse, their sole support, and with the fact that the Count of Megen had cut off the army of the Gueux from the town, and assured them that if they had held out so long, they owed it entirely to the king's forbearance. They offered them full pardon for the past; every one was to be free to prove his innocence before whatever tribunal he should choose; such as did not wish to avail themselves of this privilege were to be allowed fourteen days to quit the town with all their effects. Nothing was required of the townspeople but the admission of the garrison. To give time to deliberate on these terms, an armistice of three days was granted. When the deputies returned, they found their fellow citizens less disposed than ever to an accommodation, reports of new levies by the Gueux having, in the mean time, gained currency. Thoulouse, it was pretended, had conquered, and was advancing with a powerful army to relieve the place. Their confidence went so far, that they even ventured to break the armistice, and to fire upon the besiegers. At last, the burgomaster with difficulty succeeded in bringing matters so far towards a peaceful settlement, that twelve of the

town counsellors were sent into the camp with the following conditions. The edict, by which Valenciennes had been charged with treason, and declared an enemy to the country, was required to be recalled, the confiscation of their goods revoked, and the prisoners on both sides restored to liberty, the garrison was not to enter the town, before every one, who thought good to do so, had placed himself and his property in security; and a pledge to be given, that the inhabitants should not be molested in any manner, and that their expenses should be paid by the king.

Noircarmes was so indignant with these conditions, that he was almost on the point of ill treating the deputies. If they had not come, he told them, to give up the place, they might return forthwith, lest he should send them home, with their hands tied behind their backs. Upon this, the deputies threw the blame on the obstinacy of the Calvinists, and entreated him with tears in their eyes to keep them in the camp, as they did not, they said, wish to have anything more to do with their rebellious townsmen, or to be joined in their fate. They even knelt to beseech the intercession of Egmout, but Noircarmes remained deaf to all their entreaties, and the sight of the chains which he ordered to be brought out, drove them reluctantly enough back to Valenciennes. Necessity, not severity, imposed this harsh procedure upon the general. The detention of ambassadors had, on a former occasion, drawn upon him the reprimand of the duchess; the people in the town would not have failed to have ascribed the non-appearance of their present deputies to the same cause as in the former case had detained them. Besides, he was loathe to deprive the town of any out of the small residue of well disposed citizens, or to leave it a prey to a blind, foolhardy mob. Egmont was so mortified at the bad result of his embassy, that he, the night following, rode round to reconnoitre its fortifications, and returned well satisfied to have convinced himself that it was no longer tenable.

Valenciennes stretches down a gentle acclivity into the level plain, being built on a site as strong as it is delightful. On one side enclosed by the Scheldt and another smaller river, and on the other protected by deep ditches, thick walls, and towers, it appears capable of defying every attack. But Noircarmes had discovered a few points where neglect had allowed

the fosse to be filled almost up to the level of the natural surface, and of these he determined to avail himself in storming. He drew together all the scattered corps, by which he had invested the town, and during a tempestuous night carried the suburb of Berg, without the loss of a single man. He then assigned separate points of attack to the Count of Bossu, the young Charles of Mansfeld, and the younger Barlaimont, and under a terrible fire which drove the enemy from his walls, his troops were moved up with all possible speed. Close before the town, and opposite the gate, under the eyes of the besiegers, and with very little loss, a battery was thrown up to an equal height with the fortifications. From this point, the town was bombarded with an unceasing fire for four hours. The Nicolaus tower, on which the besieged had planted some artillery, was among the first that fell, and many perished under its ruins. The guns were directed against all the most conspicuous buildings, and a terrible slaughter was made amongst the inhabitants. In a few hours, their principal works were destroyed, and in the gate itself so extensive a breach was made, that the besieged despairing of any longer defending themselves, sent in haste two trumpeters to entreat a parley. This was granted, but the storm was con tinued without intermission. The ambassador entreated Noircarmes to grant them the same terms, which only two days before they had rejected. But circumstances had now changed, and the victor would hear no more of conditions. The unceasing fire left the inhabitants no time to repair the ramparts, which filled the fosse with their débris, and opened many a breach for the enemy to enter by. Certain of utter destruction, they surrendered next morning at discretion, after a bombardment of six-and-thirty hours without intermission, and three thousand bombs had been thrown into the city. Noircarmes marched into the town with his victorious army under the strictest discipline, and was received by a crowd of women and children, who went to meet him, carrying green boughs, and beseeching his pity. All the citizens were immediately disarmed, the commandant and his son beheaded; thirty-six of the most guilty of the rebels, among whom were La Grange and another Calvinistic preacher, Guido de Bresse, atoned for their obstinacy at the gallows; all the municipal functionaries were deprived of their offices, and the town of all