Heroes of Holland: the founders and defenders of the Dutch republic

Preface

*M> WRITE this book for the instruction djfr especially of American youth, who need ^2 to know whence came those principles and methods of civil and religious liberty which make the glory of our republic, and to be familiar with the history of those great souls who in the dark and stormy past sowed the seed from which we reap the harvest.

Those who wish to read more on this subject will find ample satisfaction in the three great works of the lamented Motley, "The Rise of the Dutch Republic," "The History of the United Netherlands," and "The Life and Death of John Barneveldt, " which have been my chief and best authorities for these pages.

C. K. T.

Chapter I

Philip II accedes to the Spanish Throne — His Character — Duchess of Parma made Governor of the Netherlands — William of Orange — The "Geux" — Disturbance — Alva appointed Viceroy — Battle — De la March — William invades Brabant and Other Provinces — Alva recalled — Don Louis de Resequens — Siege of Leyden — Pacification of Ghent — Don John of Austria — Foundation of the Republic — Henry of Anjou is chosen Sovereign — His Death — William of Orange elected in his Stead — lie is assassinated, Page II

Chapter II

Action of the Estates after the Death of William — His Widow and Sons — Siege of Antwerp — Count Maurice in" the Battle of the Dike — The city capitulates — Alliance with England — Maurice and his Mother in Relation to it — William Lewis, son of John of Nassau — Maurice plans the Capture of Axel — Death of Philip Sidney at Zutphen — Leicester's return, . 27

Chapter III

Count Maurice — Leicester departs again — Deventer — The Fort of Zutphen — Waum and Gelders surrendered by

Contents.

Traitors — Wretched State of the English Troops — Elizabeth's Contemptuous Treatment of the Dutch Envoys — Sends Burkhurst to Netherlands — Parties in the Land — Intolerance of the Calvinists — Maurice made Commander-inchief — Leicester's return announced — Bad Treatment of Sir John Norris, Wilks, and Burkhurst on their return to England Page 52

Chapter IV

Siege of Sluys — Expeditions of Drake — Philip II preparing to invade England — Elizabeth Anxious for Peace — Leicester's Infatuation about the Sovereignty of Netherlands — He is finally recalled — Spanish Armada sels sail — Storm off Cape Finisterre — The Battles in the Channel — Fire-ships — The Armada is chased into the North Sea- — Scattered by a Tempest, and more than half of the Vessels destroyed, 64

Chapter V

Capture of Breda — The Duke of Parma chngrined by it — Philip sends him to the Relief of Paris, besieged by Henry IV — His Success and Return to Brussels — Maurice captures Zutphen and Deventer — Delfryl — The Forts of Opslag, Yemen til, and Lettebest are taken — He sweeps across the Country — Returns, and takes Knodsenburg — Parma departs for Spa — Maurice takes Hulst — Returns, and takes Nymegen, 86

Chapter VI

Parma ordered to go to France — Siege of Rouen raised and Paris relieved — Parma is wounded, and returns to

Contents.

Spa — Dies at Arras, and is buried at Parma — Henry IV is converted to the Roman Church — Maurice captures Steenwyck — His Military System — Siege and capture of Coevorden, , . . Page 101

Chapter VII

Famous Siege of Gertruydenberg by Maurice — Verdugo attempts to recapture Coevorden — Siege of Groningen — Archduke Ernest succeeds Parma — Attempts to assassinate Maurice — Investment of Grol — Mondragon marches to relieve it — Maurice takes Position at Bislich — Ambush and Counter Ambush of the Hostile Armies — Archduke Albert succeeds Ernest, deceased — Philip William, Eldest Son of William the Silent, accompanies Albert to Brussels 116

Chapter VIII

The Archduke takes the Field against Henry IV — Calais is taken by De Rosne — Expedition of the English and Dutch to take Cadiz — Philip fits out a Second Armada — It is wrecked at Sea — Great Victory of Maurice over the Spanish troops at Turnhaut — Martyrdom of the Maid-servant, Anne Von der Hove — Nine Towns surrender to Maurice — Embassy of Barneveldt and Others to Henry IV and Queen Elizabeth, 130

Chapter IX

Death of Philip II — Arctic and Antarctic Expeditions of the Dutch — Outrages on Neutral Territory by the Spanish Commander — Maurice defends the Territory of s

Contents.

the Republic — Crevecceur taken and recovered — Walloons desert to Maurice, Page 145

Chapter X

States General order the Invasion of Flanders, against the Judgment of Maurice and Count William Lewis — The Dutch Army march by Land to Nieuport — Defeat of Count Ernest at the Bridge Leffingen — Great Battle at Nieuport — Victory of Maurice — Caputre of Rheinberg and Meur — The Archduke besieges Ostend — Comic Device of Sir Francis Vere to delay the Assault, 155

CHAPTER XT.

Maurice lays siege to Grone— Treats with the Mutineers in Hoogstraeten — Exploits of Dutch Privateers in the Indian Ocean — Universal East India Company — Siege of Ostend goes on — Death of Queen Elizabeth and Accession of James I — Cecil Prime Minister — Philip III of Spain — Sully Prime Minister of Henry IV — Arrival of Spinola at Ostend — Operations of Maurice — Takes the Island of Cadzand — Captures Sluys, 176

Chapter XII

King James makes Treaty of Peace with Philip III and Archduke Albert — Rejoicing at Paris and London at the Fall of Sluys — Spinola is made a Prince — Hainault destroys a Fleet conveying Spanish Troops — Operations of Maurice and Spinola — Defeat of the Dutch Cavalry at Mulheim — Spinola captures Grol and Rheinberg — Maurice takes Lochern — Lays Siege to Grol, but retires at the

Contents.

Approach of Spinola — The War ends — Treaty of Peace — Naval Victory at Gibraltar, Page 194

Chapter XIII

Philip III hesitates to sign the Treaty of Peace — It is rejected — Another Form is accepted — Peace Project denounced by Maurice and his Party — Spanish Commissioners meet the States General at the Hague — Stormy Debate and Rejection of the Peace Project, and a Truce of Twelve Years agreed to — Death of Duke of Cleves and of Professor Arminius — Rival Claimants of the Duchies of Cleves, Bergh, and Zulich — Bishop Leopold gets Possession of Zulich — France and Holland take sides against him — Henry IV forms a Grand Project — Falls in Love with the Princess of Conde — Insurrection of Utrecht, . . 209

Chapter XIV

Assassination of Henry IV — Maurice lays Siege to Zulick, and captures it for the Protestant Claimants — Their Jurisdiction is divided — Vorstius appointed Professor at Leyden — Theological Strife — Antagonism of Maurice and Barneveldt — Remonstrants and Counter - remonstrants — Religious Disturbances at the Hague — States of Holland object to a National Synod — States General decree it, 225

Chapter XV

Religious Riots — Maurice revolutionizes the Governments of all the Provinces but Two — Barneveldt appeals to Holland to protect him from Libelous Pamphlets — Appeals to Maurice in Vain — Maurice is welcomed in

TO

Contents.

Triumph at Amsterdam — Deputation from Utrecht to Maurice — He disbands the Waartgelders — The States General decree their Disbandment everywhere — Barneveldt, Grotius, and Hoogerbeets are arrested — The Confederacy is converted into a Nation — Reference to Rev. John Robinson and the Plymouth Pilgrims, Page 245

Chapter XVI

Ledenberg's Suicide — Synod of Dort — Trial and Execution of Barnevehlt — Grotius is condemned to Perpetual Imprisonment — His Escape — Siege of Bergen-op-Zoom — Conspiracy of Barneveldl's Sons to kill Maurice — Siege of Breda — Maurice is taken ill and dies — The Accession of Frederick Henry — His Descendants, 259

HEROES OF HOLLAND.