Sebastian, slain during his chivalrous African campaign (4th of August,
1578). The contest for the succession which opened upon the death of the
aged monarch was brief, and in fifty-eight days, the bastard Antonio,
Philip's only formidable competitor, had been utterly defeated and driven
forth to lurk, like 'a hunted wild beast, among rugged mountain caverns,
with a price of a hundred thousand crowns upon his head. In the course
of the succeeding year, Philip received homage at Lisbon as King of
Portugal. From the moment of this conquest, he was more disposed, and
more at leisure than ever, to vent his wrath against the Netherlands, and
against the man whom he considered the incarnation of their revolt.

Cardinal Granvelle had ever whispered in the King's ear the expediency
of taking off the Prince by assassination. It has been seen how subtly
distilled, and how patiently hoarded, was this priest's venom against
individuals, until the time arrived when he could administer the poison
with effect. His hatred of Orange was intense and of ancient date. He
was of opinion, too, that the Prince might be scared from the post of
duty, even if the assassin's hand were not able to reach his heart. He
was in favor of publicly setting a price upon his head-thinking that if
the attention of all the murderers in the world were thus directed
towards the illustrious victim, the Prince would tremble at the dangers
which surrounded him. "A sum of money would be well employed in this
way," said the Cardinal, "and, as the Prince of Orange is a vile coward,
fear alone will throw him into confusion." Again, a few months later,
renewing the subject, he observed, "'twould be well to offer a reward of
thirty or forty thousand crowns to any one who will deliver the Prince,
dead or alive; since from very fear of it--as he is pusillanimous--it
would not be unlikely that he should die of his own accord."

It was insulting even to Philip's intelligence to insinuate that the