dinal Granvelle,
who, forgetting his own disgrace, for which he had been indebted to
Egmont perhaps as much as to any other person, now generously interceded
in behalf of his ancient foe. He invoked the clemency of Philip, as more
worthy of a great prince than rigor. He called to mind the former good
deeds of the count, and declared, if he had since been led astray, the
blame was chargeable on others rather than on himself.[1118] But
although the cardinal wrote more than once to the king in this strain,
it was too late to efface the impression made by former communications,
in which he had accused his rival of being a party to the treasonable
designs of the prince of Orange.[1119] This impression had been deepened
by the reports from time to time received from the regent, who at one
period, as we have seen, withdrew her confidence altogether from Egmont.
Thus the conviction of that nobleman's guilt was so firmly settled in
the king's mind, that, when Alva received the government of the
Netherlands, there can be little doubt that Egmont was already marked
out as the first great victim to expiate the sins of the nation. The
arguments and entreaties, therefore, used on the present occasion to
dissuade Philip from his purpose, had no other effect than to quicken
his movements. Anxious to rid himself of importunities so annoying, he
ordered Alva to press forward the trial, adding, at the same time, that
all should be made so clear that the world, whose eyes were now turned
on these proceedings, might be satisfied of their justice.[1120]

Before the end of December the attorney-general Du Bois had prepared the
articles of accusation against Egmont. They amounted to no less than
ninety, some of them of great length. They chiefly rested on evidence
derived from the personal examination, sustained by information gathered
from other quarters. The first article, which, indeed, may be said to
have been the key to all the rest, charged Egmont with having conspired
with William and the other banished lords to shake off the Spanish rule,
and divide the government among themselves. With this view he had made
war on the faithful Granvelle, had sought to concentrate the powers of
the various councils into one, had resisted the Inquisition, had urged
the meeting of the states-general, in short, had thwarted, as far as
possible, in every particular, the intentions of the king. He was
accused, moreover, of giving encouragement to the sectari