towards himself or the community. "Put yourself, Sir, quite at your
ease," said he. "His Highness is in no respects dissatisfied with you,
nor prone to conceive any indignation against this poor people." He
assured the burgomaster that he was not suspected of lightness, nor of a
wish to delay matters, but he expressed solicitude with regard to the
threatening demonstrations which had been made against him in Antwerp.
"For," said he, "popular governments are full of a thousand hazards, and
it would be infinitely painful to me, if you should come to harm."

Thus it would appear that it was Sainte Aldegonde who was chiefly anxious
to effect the reconciliation of Holland and Zeeland with the King. The
initiative of this project to include all the United Provinces in one
scheme with the reduction of Antwerp came originally from him, and was
opposed, at the outset, by the magistrates of that city, by the Prince of
Parma and his councillors, and, by the States of Holland and Zeeland.
The demonstrations on the part of the preachers, the municipal
authorities, and the burghers, against Sainte Aldegonde and his plan for
a secret interview, so soon as it was divulged, made it impossible to
carry that project into effect.

"Aldegonde, who governs Antwerp," wrote Parma to Philip,
"was endeavouring, eight days ago, to bring about some kind of
negotiation for an accord. He manifested a desire to come hither
for the sake of a personal interview with me, which I permitted. It was
to have taken place last Sunday, 16th of this month, but by reason of a
certain popular tumult, which arose out of these circumstances, it has
been necessary to defer the meeting."

There was much disappointment felt by the royalist at this unsatisfactory
result. "These bravadoes and impertinent demonstrations on the part of