regard to his transactions at Tournay, he had, throughout them all,
conformed himself to the instructions of Madame de Parma. As to the cry
of "Vivent les gueux," he should not have cared at that moment if the
populace had cried 'Vive Comte Horn', for his thoughts were then occupied
with more substantial matters. He had gone thither under a special
commission from the Duchess, and had acted under instructions daily
received by her own hand. He had, by her orders, effected a temporary
compromise between the two religious parties, on the basis of the Duffel
treaty. He had permitted the public preaching to continue, but had not
introduced it for the first time. He had allowed temples to be built
outside the gates, but it was by express command of Madame, as he could
prove by her letters. She had even reproved him before the council,
because the work had not been accomplished with sufficient despatch.
With regard to his alleged threat, that he would oppose the King's
entrance with 15,000 men, he answered, with astonishing simplicity, that
he did not remember making any such observation, but it was impossible
for a man to retain in his mind all the nonsense which he might
occasionally utter. The honest Admiral thought that his poverty, already
pleaded, was so notorious that the charge was not worthy of a serious
answer. He also treated the observation which he was charged with having
made, relative to his marching to Spain with 50,000 men to rescue
Montigny as "frivolous and ridiculous." He had no power to raise a
hundred men. Moreover he had rejoiced at Montigny's detention, for he
had thought that to be out of the Netherlands was to be out of harm's
way. On the whole, he claimed that in all those transactions of his
which might be considered anti-Catholic, he had been governed entirely by
the instructions of the Regent, and by her Accord with the nobles. That
Accord, as she had repeatedly stated to him, was to be kept sacred until
his Majesty, by advice of the states-general, should otherwise ordain.