the millions of tears and death-cries which had beep shed or uttered in
the lowly places of the land. It was obvious; then, that all
intercession must thereafter be useless. Philip was fanatically
impressed with his mission. His viceroy was possessed by his loyalty as
by a demon. In this way alone, that conduct which can never be palliated
may at least be comprehended. It was Philip's enthusiasm to embody the
wrath of God against heretics. It was Alva's enthusiasm to embody the
wrath of Philip. Narrow-minded, isolated, seeing only that section of
the world which was visible through the loop-hole of the fortress in
which Nature had imprisoned him for life, placing his glory in
unconditional obedience to his superior, questioning nothing, doubting
nothing, fearing nothing, the viceroy accomplished his work of hell with
all the tranquillity of an angel. An iron will, which clove through
every obstacle; adamantine fortitude, which sustained without flinching a
mountain of responsibility sufficient to crush a common nature, were
qualities which, united to, his fanatical obedience, made him a man for
Philip's work such as could not have been found again in the world.

The case, then, was tried before a tribunal which was not only
incompetent, under the laws of the land, but not even a court of justice
in any philosophical or legal sense. Constitutional and municipal law
were not more outraged in its creation, than all national and natural
maxims.

The reader who has followed step by step the career of the two
distinguished victims through the perilous days of Margaret's
administration, is sufficiently aware of the amount of treason with which
they are chargeable. It would be an insult to common sense for us to set
forth, in full, the injustice of their sentence. Both were guiltless
towards the crown; while the hands of one, on the contrary, were deeply