country where
so much baseness, cruelty, and treachery was habitually practised by men
of high position, as was the case in the Netherlands; it is something in
favor of Matthias that he had not been base, or cruel, or treacherous.
The states voted him, on his departure, a pension of fifty thousand
guldens annually, which was probably not paid with exemplary regularity.

CHAPTER V.

Policy of electing Anjou as sovereign--Commode et incommode--Views
of Orange--Opinions at the French Court,--Anjou relieves Cambray--
Parma besieges Tourney--Brave defence by the Princess of Espinoy--
Honorable capitulation--Anjou's courtship in England--The Duke's
arrival in the Netherlands--Portrait of Anjou--Festivities in
Flushing--Inauguration at Antwerp--The conditions or articles
subscribed to by the Duke--Attempt upon the life of Orange--The
assassin's papers--Confession of Venero--Gaspar Anastro--His escape
--Execution of Venero and Zimmermann--Precarious condition of the
Prince--His recovery--Death of the Princess--Premature letters of
Parma--Further negotiations with Orange as to the sovereignty of
Holland and Zealand--Character of the revised Constitution--
Comparison of the positions of the Prince before and after his
acceptance of the countship.

Thus it was arranged that, for the--present, at least, the Prince should
exercise sovereignty over Holland and Zealand; although he had himself
used his utmost exertions to induce those provinces to join the rest of
the United Netherlands in the proposed election of Anjou. This, however,
they sternly refused to do. There was also a great disinclination felt by
many in the other states to this hazardous offer of their allegiance, and
it was the personal influence of Orange that eventually carried the
measure through. Looking at the position of affairs and at the character
of Anjou, as they appear to us now, it seems difficult to account for the
Prince's policy. It is so natural to judge only by the result, that we
are ready to censure statesmen for consequences which beforehand might
seem utterly incredible, and for reading falsely human characters whose
entire development only a late posterity has had full opportunity to
appreciate. Still, one would think that Anjou had been sufficiently known
to inspire distrust.

There was but little, too, in the aspect of the French court to encourage
hopes of valuable assistance from that quarter.