harge against him, and proved
the scriptural part of his answers from the gospel. The judge told him
the only alternatives were, recantation or death; and concluded by
saying, "Will you die for the faith you profess?" To which Coomans
replied, "I am not only willing to die, but to suffer the most
excruciating torments for it; after which my soul shall receive its
confirmation from God himself, in the midst of eternal glory." Being
condemned, he went cheerfully to the place of execution, and died with
the most manly fortitude, and christian resignation.

William Nassau fell a sacrifice to treachery, being assassinated in the
fifty-first year of his age, by Beltazar Gerard, a native of Franche
Compte, in the province of Burgundy. This murderer, in hopes of a reward
here and hereafter, for killing an enemy to the king of Spain and an
enemy to the catholic religion, undertook to destroy the prince of
Orange. Having procured fire arms, he watched him as he passed through
the great hall of his palace to dinner, and demanded a passport. The
princess of Orange, observing that the assassin spoke with a hollow and
confused voice, asked who he was? saying, she did not like his
countenance. The prince answered, it was one that demanded a passport,
which he should presently have.

Nothing farther passed before dinner, but on the return of the prince
and princess through the same hall, after dinner was over, the assassin,
standing concealed as much as possible by one of the pillars, fired at
the prince, the balls entering at the left side, and passing through the
right, wounding in their passage the stomach and vital parts. On
receiving the wounds, the prince only said, Lord, have mercy upon my
soul, and upon these poor people, and then expired immediately.

The lamentations throughout the United Provinces were general, on
account of the death of the prince of Orange; and the assassin who was
immediately taken, received sentence to be put to death in the most
exemplary manner, yet such was his enthusiasm, or folly that when his
flesh was torn by red-hot pincers, he coolly said, If I was at liberty,
I would commit such an action over again.

The prince of Orange's funeral was the grandest ever seen in the Low
Countries, and perhaps the sorrow for his death the most sincere, as he
left behind him the character he honestly deserved, viz. that of Father
of his people.

To conclude, multitudes were murdered in different parts of Flan