done this heretofore in presence of Emperors, Kings, Queens, and Regents,
and they had not taken offence. He did not, at this hour, tremble for
his grey head, and hoped his Majesty would grant him a hearing before
condemnation. The firm attitude of the President increased the
irritation of the Viceroy. Observing that he knew the proper means
of enforcing his authority he dismissed the meeting.

Immediately afterwards, he received the visits of his son, Don Frederic
of Vargas, and other familiars. To these he recounted the scene which
had taken place, raving the while so ferociously against Viglius as to
induce the supposition that something serious was intended against him.
The report flew from mouth to mouth. The affair became the town talk,
so that, in the words of the President, it was soon discussed by every
barber and old woman in Brussels. His friends became alarmed for his
safety, while, at the same time, the citizens rejoiced that their cause
had found so powerful an advocate. Nothing, however, came of these
threats and these explosions. On the contrary, shortly afterwards the
Duke gave orders that the tenth penny should be remitted upon four great
articles-corn, meat, wine, and beer. It was also not to be levied upon
raw materials used in manufactures. Certainly, these were very important
concessions. Still the constitutional objections remained. Alva could
not be made to understand why the alcabala, which was raised without
difficulty in the little town of Alva, should encounter such fierce
opposition in the Netherlands. The estates, he informed the King, made
a great deal of trouble. They withheld their consent at command of their
satrap. The motive which influenced the leading men was not the interest
of factories or fisheries, but the fear that for the future they might
not be able to dictate the law to their sovereign. The people of that
country, he observed, had still the same character which had been
described by Julius Caesar.