History of The United Netherlands, 1585


CHAPTER V., Part 1.

Position and Character of Farnese--Preparations for Antwerp Siege--
Its Characteristics--Foresight of William the Silent--Sainte
Aldegonde, the Burgomaster--Anarchy in Antwerp--Character of Sainte
Aldegonde--Admiral Treslong--Justinus de Nassau--Hohenlo--Opposition
to the Plan of Orange--Liefkenshoek--Head--Quarters of Parma at
Kalloo--Difficulty of supplying the City--Results of not piercing
the Dykes--Preliminaries of the Siege--Successes of the Spaniards--
Energy of Farnese with Sword and Pen--His Correspondence with the
Antwerpers--Progress of the Bridge--Impoverished Condition of Parma
--Patriots attempt Bois-le-Duc--Their Misconduct--Failure of the
Enterprise--The Scheldt Bridge completed--Description of the
Structure

The negotiations between France and the Netherlands have been massed, in
order to present a connected and distinct view of the relative attitude
of the different countries of Europe. The conferences and diplomatic
protocolling had resulted in nothing positive; but it is very necessary
for the reader to understand the negative effects of all this
dissimulation and palace-politics upon the destiny of the new
commonwealth, and upon Christendom at large. The League had now achieved
a great triumph; the King of France had virtually abdicated, and it was
now requisite for the King of Navarre, the Netherlands, and Queen
Elizabeth, to draw more closely together than before, if the last hope
of forming a counter-league were not to be abandoned. The next step in
political combination was therefore a solemn embassy of the States-