the case of Aerschot. That nobleman was liberated on the 14th of
November, under the condition that he would solemnly pledge himself to
forget and forgive the treatment which he had received, but the other
prisoners were retained in custody for a much longer period. A few weeks
afterwards, the Prince of Orange visited Ghent, at the earnest request of
the four estates of Flanders, and it was hoped that his presence would
contribute to the restoration of tranquillity.

This visit was naturally honored by a brilliant display of "rhetorical"
spectacles and tableaux vivants; for nothing could exceed the passion of
the Netherlanders of that century for apologues and charades. In
allegory they found an ever-present comforter in their deepest
afflictions. The prince was escorted from the Town-gate to the Jacob's
church amid a blaze of tar-barrels and torches, although it was mid-day,
where a splendid exhibition had been arranged by that sovereign guild of
rhetoric, "Jesus with the Balsam Flower." The drama was called Judas
Maccabaeus, in compliment to the Prince. In the centre of the stage
stood the Hebrew patriot, in full armor, symbolizing the illustrious
guest doing battle for his country. He was attended by the three estates
of the country, ingeniously personified by a single individual, who wore
the velvet bonnet of a noble, the cassock of a priest, end the breeches
of a burgher. Groups of allegorical personages were drawn up on the
right and left;--Courage, Patriotism, Freedom, Mercy, Diligence, and
other estimable qualities upon one side, were balanced by Murder, Rapine,
Treason, and the rest of the sisterhood of Crime on the other. The
Inquisition was represented as a lean and hungry hag. The "Ghent
Pacification" was dressed in cramoisy satin, and wore a city on her head
for a turban; while; tied to her apron-strings were Catholicism and
Protestantism, bound in a loving embrace by a chain of seventeen links,
which she was forging upon an anvil. Under the anvil was an individual