's "Analecta
Belgica." Hopper was a jurist, a man of learning and integrity. In 1566
he was called to Madrid, raised to the post of keeper of the seals for
the affairs of the Netherlands, and made a member of the council of
state. He never seems to have enjoyed the confidence of Philip in
anything like the degree which Granvelle and some other ministers could
boast; for Hopper was a Fleming. Yet his situation in the cabinet made
him acquainted with the tone of sentiment as well as the general policy
of the court; while, as a native of Flanders, he could comprehend,
better than a Spaniard, the bearing this policy would have on his
countrymen. His work, therefore, is of great importance as far as it
goes. It is difficult to say why it should have stopped _in mediis_, for
Hopper remained still in office, and died at Madrid ten years after the
period to which he brings his narrative. He may have been discouraged by
the remarks of Viglius, who intimates, in a letter to his friend, that
the chronicler should wait to allow time to disclose the secret springs
of action. See the Epistolae ad Hopperum, p. 419.

[853] Correspondance de Marguerite d'Autriche, p. 206.

[854] "Questo e il nuvolo che minaccia ora i nostri paesi; e n'uscira la
tempesta forse prima che non si pensa. Chi la prevede ne da l'avviso; e
chi n'e avvisato, o con intrepidezza l'incontri, o con avvedimento la
sfugga." Bentivoglio, Guerra di Fiandra, p. 118.

[855] "Nullum prodire e Regis ore verbum seu private seu publice, quin
ad ejus aures in Belgium fideliter afferatur." Strada, De Bello Belgico,
tom. I. p. 281.

[856] An abstract of the letter is given by Gachard, Correspondance de
Philippe II. tom. I. p. 485.

[857] "Sa Ma^te et ceulx du Conseil seront bien aise que sur le pretext
de la religion ils pourront parvenir a leur pretendu, de mestre le pais,
nous aultres, et nous enfans en la plus miserable servitude qu'on
n'auroit jamais veu, et come on ast tousjours craint cela plus que chose
que soit." Archives de la Maison d'Orange-Nassau, tom. II. p. 324.

[858] Egmont's deposition at his trial confirms the account given in the
text--that propositions for resistance, though made at the meeting, were
rejected. Hoorne in his "Justification," refers the failure to Egmont.
Neither one nor the other throws light on the course of discussion.
Bentivoglio, in his account of the interview, shows no such reserve; and
he gives two long and elaborate speeches from