the ancient church of St. Gudule. To these places, especially to Santa
Clara, the people now flocked, as to the shrine of a martyr. They threw
themselves on the coffin, kissing it and bedewing it with their tears,
as if it had contained the relics of some murdered saint;[1171] while
many of them, taking little heed of the presence of informers, breathed
vows of vengeance; some even swearing not to trim either hair or beard
till these vows were executed.[1172] The government seems to have
thought it prudent to take no notice of this burst of popular feeling.
But a funeral hatchment, blazoned with the arms of Egmont, which, as
usual after the master's death, had been fixed by his domestics on the
gates of his mansion, was ordered to be instantly removed; no doubt, as
tending to keep alive the popular excitement.[1173] The bodies were not
allowed to remain long in their temporary places of deposit, but were
transported to the family residences of the two lords in the country,
and laid in the vaults of their ancestors.[1174]

Thus by the hand of the common executioner perished these two
unfortunate noblemen, who, by their rank, possessions, and personal
characters, were the most illustrious victims that could have been
selected in the Netherlands. Both had early enjoyed the favor of Charles
the Fifth, and both had been intrusted by Philip with some of the
highest offices in the state. Philip de Montmorency, Count Hoorne, the
elder of the two, came of the ancient house of Montmorency in France.
Besides filling the high post of Admiral of the Low Countries, he was
made governor of the provinces of Gueldres and Zutphen, was a councillor
of state, and was created by the emperor a knight of the Golden Fleece.
His fortune was greatly inferior to that of Count Egmont; yet its
confiscation afforded a supply by no means unwelcome to the needy
exchequer of the duke of Alva.

[Sidenote: CHARACTER OF EGMONT.]

However nearly on a footing they might be in many respects, Hoorne was
altogether eclipsed by his friend in military renown. Lamoral, Count
Egmont, inherited through his mother, the most beautiful woman of her
time,[1175] the title of prince of Gavre,--a place on the Scheldt, not
far from Ghent. He preferred, however, the more modest title of count of
Egmont, which came to him by the father's side, from ancestors who had
reigned over the duchy of Gueldres. The uncommon promise which he early
gave served, with his high position,