reformed ministers. She published an edict reciting the
terrible penalties of the law against all offenders in this way, and she
enjoined the authorities to enforce the execution of it to the
letter.[873]

The Protestants loudly complained of what they termed a most perfidious
policy on the part of the regent. The right of public preaching, they
said, naturally included that of performing the other religious
ceremonies of the Reformed Church. It was a cruel mockery to allow men
to profess a religion, and yet not to practise the rites which belong to
it.--The construction given by Margaret to her edict must be admitted to
savor somewhat of the spirit of that given by Portia to Shylock's
contract. The pound of flesh might indeed be taken; but if so much as a
drop of blood followed, woe to him that took it!

This measure was succeeded by others on the part of the government of a
still more decisive character. Instead of the civil magistracy, Margaret
now showed her purpose to call in the aid of a strong military force to
execute the laws. She ordered into the country the levies lately raised
for her in Germany. These she augmented by a number of Walloon
regiments; and she placed them under the command of Aremberg, Megen, and
other leaders in whom she confided. She did not even omit the prince of
Orange, for though Margaret had but little confidence in William, she
did not care to break with him. To the provincial governors she wrote to
strengthen themselves as much as possible by additional recruits; and
she ordered them to introduce garrisons into such places as had shown
favor to the new doctrines.

The province of Hainault was that which gave the greatest uneasiness to
the regent. The spirit of independence was proverbially high amongst the
people; and the neighborhood of France gave easy access to the Huguenot
ministers, who reaped an abundant harvest in the great towns of that
district. The flourishing commercial city of Valenciennes was
particularly tainted with heresy. Margaret ordered Philip de
Noircarmes, governor of Hainault, to secure the obedience of the place
by throwing into it a garrison of three companies of horse and as many
of foot.

When the regent's will was announced to the people of Valenciennes, it
met at first with no opposition. But among the ministers in the town was
a Frenchman named La Grange, a bold enthusiast, gifted with a stirring
eloquence, which gave him immense ascendancy over the mas