however, on
hearing of the disturbances, was seized with the greatest alarm. When
the news reached Philip, he swore a deep oath that they should bitterly
pay for what they had done. Owing to the representations of the Prince
of Orange, in the meantime liberty of worship was granted in places
where it had already been established; and it seemed at first as if the
Reformers were about to obtain all they required. Bands of insurgents
appeared in various places. In the city of Valenciennes the Reformers
had completely gained the upper hand. But the city was declared by the
Regent in a state of siege; and a body of troops under the fierce Papist
Noircarmes was sent to invest it. Sad news shortly afterwards reached
us, that most of the Protestant bands had been cut to pieces by
Noircarmes and his troops.

The Prince of Orange was governing Antwerp, with the brave young noble,
Hoogstraaten, under him, while Brederode was also in the city secretly
raising troops for the defence of the liberal cause. On two occasions I
attended Sir Thomas Gresham, when invited by the Prince of Orange to
dine with him. The Prince received my patron with great courtesy at a
magnificent banquet. From the conversation of the Prince, it was very
clear that he was anxious to ascertain from Sir Thomas Gresham the
disposition entertained by Queen Elizabeth and her ministers towards the
revolutionary party.

"Do you think," he said, "that she will aid our noblemen and other
chiefs, as she did those in France, for the sake of their religion?"

Sir Thomas, in reply, asked whether the noblemen to whom the Prince
alluded had demanded any help of her Majesty. He said that he could not
tell. Then said Sir Thomas, "I am myself no judge, nor can I interfere
in a matter of so much importance."

Soon after this, Sir Thomas again returned to England. It was now that
some of the leading Protestants in Antwerp memorialised Sir Thomas
Gresham, explaining that the outbreaks which had lately occurred in the
city were greatly contrary to their wishes, and entreating him that he
would petition the Queen Elizabeth in their behalf, and that the ruin
with which the Low Countries were threatened might be averted. They
begged that she would address King Philip, in order that he might be
brought to accede to their reasonable request: that they might be
allowed liberty to worship God without molestation, asserting that they
were perfectly ready to "render to Cae