11. During the reign of Charles V as emperor of Germany, the lowland
countries were permitted to go on in their career of prosperity, with
the exception of a religious persecution. Charles was a bigot, and,
for a time, he tried to put down heresy with a strong hand; but,
finding the new doctrines firmly established in the hearts of the
people, he relaxed his persecutions, and permitted things to take
pretty much their own course.

12. On the abdication of Charles V, in 1555, Spain and the low
countries fell to the lot of Philip II. Notwithstanding the riches
which had poured into Spain from the plunder of Mexico and Peru, the
Netherlands were the richest part of Philip's dominions, yielding him
a princely revenue. But the free spirit manifested by these artisans,
in their homes by the sea, was contrary to all Philip's ideas of
government, and was constantly galling to his personal pride. So he
determined to reduce his Teutonic subjects to the same degree of
abject submission that he had the residents of the sunny lands of
Spain. To give intensity to his resolve, Philip was a cold-blooded
bigot, and in carrying out his state designs he was also gratifying
his religious animosities, and giving expression to his almost insane
religious hatreds. His policy was directly calculated to ruin the most
prosperous part of his own dominions--to "kill the goose which laid
the golden egg."

13. Philip spent the first five years of his reign in the Netherlands,
waiting the issue of a war in which he was engaged with France. During
this period his Flemish and Dutch subjects began to have some
experience of his government. They observed with alarm that the king
hated the country and distrusted the people. He would speak no other
language than Spanish; his counselors were Spaniards; he kept