have no regard to any such obligation. She further implored her brother
to come forth as soon as possibe to avenge the injuries inflicted upon
the ancient church, adding, that if deprived of that consolation, she
should incontinently depart this life. That hope alone would prevent her
death.

This was certainly strong language. She was also very explicit in her
representations of the influence which had been used by certain
personages to prevent the exercise of any authority upon her own part.
"Wherefore," said Margaret, "I eat my heart; and shall never have peace
till the arrival of your Majesty."

There was no doubt who those personages were who, as it was pretended,
had thus held the Duchess in bondage, and compelled her to grant these
infamous concessions. In her secret Italian letters, she furnished the
King with a tissue of most extravagant and improbable falsehoods,
supplied to her mainly by Noircarmes and Mansfeld, as to the course
pursued at this momentous crisis by Orange, Egmont, Horn, and
Hoogstraaten. They had all, she said, declared against God and against
religion.--Horn, at least, was for killing all the priests and monks in
the country, if full satisfaction were not given to the demands of the
heretics. Egmont had declared openly for the beggars, and was levying
troops in Germany. Orange had the firm intention of making himself
master of the whole country, and of dividing it among the other
seigniors and himself. The Prince had said that if she took
refuge in Mons, as she had proposed, they would instantly convoke the
states-general, and take all necessary measures. Egmont had held the
same language, saying that he would march at the head of forty thousand
men to besiege her in that city. All these seigniors, however, had
avowed their determination to prevent her flight, to assemble the