This eBook was produced by David Widger
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HISTORY OF THE UNITED NETHERLANDS
From the Death of William the Silent to the Twelve Year's Truce—1609
By John Lothrop Motley
MOTLEY'S HISTORY OF THE NETHERLANDS, Project Gutenberg Edition, Volume 46
History of the United Netherlands, Volume 46, 1586
Forlorn Condition of Flanders—Parma's secret Negotiations with the
Queen—Grafigni and Bodman—Their Dealings with English Counsellors
—Duplicity of Farnese—Secret Offers of the English Peace-Party—
Letters and Intrigues of De Loo—Drake's Victories and their Effect
—Parma's Perplexity and Anxiety—He is relieved by the News from
England—Queen's secret Letters to Parma—His Letters and
Instructions to Bodman—Bodman's secret Transactions at Greenwich—
Walsingham detects and exposes the Plot—The Intriguers baffled—
Queen's Letter to Parma and his to the King—Unlucky Results of the
Peace—Intrigues—Unhandsome Treatment of Leicester—Indignation of
the Earl and Walsingham—Secret Letter of Parma to Philip—Invasion
of England recommended—Details of the Project.
Alexander Farnese and his heroic little army had been left by theirsovereign in as destitute a condition as that in which Lord Leicester andhis unfortunate "paddy persons" had found themselves since their arrivalin the Netherlands. These mortal men were but the weapons to be used andbroken in the hands of the two great sovereigns, already pitted againsteach other in mortal combat. That the distant invisible potentate,the work of whose life was to do his best to destroy all Europeannationality, all civil and religious freedom, should be careless ofthe instruments by which his purpose was to be effected, was but natural.It is painful to reflect that the great champion of liberty and ofProtestantism was almost equally indifferent to the welfare of the humancreatures enlisted in her cause. Spaniards and Italians, English andIrish, went half naked and half starving through the whole inclementwinter, and perished of pestilence in droves, after confronting theless formidable dangers of battlefield and leaguer. Manfully andsympathetically did the Earl of Leicester—while whining in absurdhyperbole over the angry demeanour of his sovereign towards himself-represent the imperative duty of an English government to succour Englishtroops.
Alexander Farnese was equally plain-spoken to a sovereign with whomplain-speaking was a crime. In bold, almost scornful language, thePrince represented to Philip the sufferings and destitution of thelittle band of heroes, by whom that magnificent military enterprise,the conquest of Antwerp, had just been effected. "God will be weary ofworking miracles for us," he cried, "and nothing but miracles can savethe troops from starving." There was no question of paying them theirwages, there was no pretence at keeping them reasonably provided withlodging and clothing, but he asserted the undeniable proposition thatthey "could not pass their lives without eating," and he implored hissovereign to send at least money enough to buy the soldiers shoes.To go foodless and barefoot without complaining, on the frozen swamps ofFlanders, in January, was more than was to be expected from Spaniards andItalians. The country itself was eaten bare. The obedient Provinces had