the petition. He had arranged all these matters, in consultation with
the other nobles, at the interviews at Breda and Hoogstraaten. He had
refused the demand of Madame de Parma, to take arms in her defence. He
had expressed his intention, at a most critical moment, of going to the
baths of Aix for his health, although his personal appearance gave no
indication of any malady whatever. He had countenanced and counselled
the proceedings of the rebel nobles at Saint Trond. He had made an
accord with those of "the religion" at Ghent, Bruges, and other places.
He had advised the Duchess to grant a pardon to those who had taken up
arms. He had maintained, in common with the Prince of Orange, at a
session of the state council, that if Madame should leave Brussels, they
would assemble the states-general of their own authority, and raise a
force of forty thousand men. He had plotted treason, and made
arrangements for the levy of troops at the interview at Denremonde, with
Horn, Hoogstraaten, and the Prince of Orange. He had taken under his
protection on the 20th April, 1566, the confederacy of the rebels; had
promised that they should never be molested, for the future, on account
of the inquisition or the edicts, and that so long as they kept within
the terms of the Petition and the Compromise, he would defend them with
his own person. He had granted liberty of preaching outside the walls in
many cities within his government. He had said repeatedly, that if the
King desired to introduce the inquisition into the Netherlands, he would
sell all his property and remove to another land; thus declaring with how
much contempt and detestation he regarded the said inquisition. He had
winked at all the proceedings of the sectaries. He had permitted the cry
of "Vivent les gueux" at his table. He had assisted at the banquet at
Culemburg House.

These were the principal points in the interminable act of accusation.
Like the Admiral, Egmont admitted many of the facts, and flatly denied