ng fleet.
The Spanish soldiers, whom he let loose upon the people, were cruel,
as well as highly trained. Men, women, and children were tortured,
robbed, burnt to death, killed in battle, and murdered in cold blood
by thousands. Few things, if any, more terrible have been known in the
history of the world.

The chief Protestant leader was that Prince of Orange called William
the Silent, of whom you must often have heard. After the contest had
continued for some years, instead of being dismayed, he was more
resolute than ever, and persuaded the Southern or Belgian part of the
Netherlands, and the Northern or Dutch part, to promise that they
would help each other, and fight against the Spaniards till they were
free.

But in a very short time the Southern and the Northern Netherlands
drifted apart. The Dutch stood firm, and were saved in the long, weary
struggle. They shook off the yoke of Spain, and gained their liberty.
The Belgians halted between two opinions, and were lost. Most of them
were Catholics, which made it easier for them to submit to Philip. But
the most industrious of the population fled, and the trade and
manufactures which had made their country prosperous went to Holland.
After that, a great historian says, "the Flemish and Brabantine cities
were mere dens of thieves and beggars."

The Spaniards ruled over Belgium, which was now called the "Spanish
Netherlands," till a daughter of Philip's, Isabella by name, married
an Austrian Archduke called Albert. They received Belgium as a
wedding-gift. The bride's father, the tyrant Philip, died about that
time, and Albert and Isabella went to Brussels, where the people, in
spite of the miserable state of their country, had a fine time of it
with banquets, processions, and fireworks.

But two more changes were at hand. When Albert died Belgium went back
to Spain; and once again, after long wars, during one of which
Brussels was nearly all destroyed by fire, it was handed over to
Austria. This was in the year 1714; and after that it was called the
"Austrian Netherlands."

Thus, you see, the Belgians were constantly being passed from one set
of masters to another, like a race of slaves. They had not stuck to
the brave Dutch, and fought on till they were free, and so never could
tell who were to be their next rulers.

This could not be good for the character of any people. However, they
were, on the whole, happy under the House of Hapsburg till an Emperor
cal