placed two of the most beautiful women in Antwerp, clad in allegorical
garments to represent righteousness and peace. The staircase and
platform were lined with officers, the square was beset with troops, and
filled to its utmost verge with an expectant crowd of citizens. Toward
the close of a summer's afternoon, the Duke wearing the famous hat and
sword of the Pope, took his seat on the throne with all the airs of
royalty. After a few preliminary ceremonies, a civil functionary,
standing between two heralds; then recited the long-expected act of
grace. His reading, however, was so indistinct, that few save the
soldiers in the immediate vicinity of the platform could hear a word of
the document.

This effect was, perhaps, intentional. Certainly but little enthusiasm
could be expected from the crowd, had the text of the amnesty been heard.
It consisted of three parts--a recitation of the wrongs committed, a
statement of the terms of pardon, and a long list of exceptions. All the
sins of omission and commission, the heresy, the public preaching, the
image-breaking, the Compromise, the confederacy, the rebellion, were
painted in lively colors. Pardon, however, was offered to all those who
had not rendered themselves liable to positive impeachment, in case they
should make their peace with the Church before the expiration of two
months, and by confession and repentance obtain their absolution.
The exceptions, however, occupied the greater part of the document.
When the general act of condemnation had been fulminated by which all
Netherlanders were sentenced to death, the exceptions had been very few,
and all the individuals mentioned by name. In the act of pardon, the
exceptions comprehended so many classes of inhabitants, that it was
impossible for any individual to escape a place in, some one of the
categories, whenever it should please the government to take his life.
Expressly excluded from the benefit of the act were all ministers,