FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   2109   2110   2111   2112   2113   2114   2115   2116   2117   2118   2119   2120   2121   2122   2123   2124   2125   2126   2127   2128   2129   2130   2131   2132   2133  
2134   2135   2136   2137   2138   2139   2140   2141   2142   2143   2144   2145   2146   2147   2148   2149   2150   2151   2152   2153   2154   2155   2156   2157   2158   >>   >|  
t their heads." The excellent Leicestrian entertained hopes, however; that mutiny and intrigue might still carry the day. He had seen the fat militiaman of Naarden and other captains, and, hoped much mischief from their schemes. "The chief mutineers of Gertruydenberg," he said, "maybe wrought to send unto 'the States, that if they do not procure them some English governor, they will compound with the enemy, whereon the States shall be driven to request her Majesty to accept the place, themselves entertaining the garrison. I know certain captains discontented with the States for arrears of pay, who will contrive to get into Naarden with their companies, with the States consent, who, once entered, will keep the place for their satisfaction, pay their soldiers out of the contributions of the country; and yet secretly hold the place at her Majesty's command." This is not an agreeable picture; yet it is but one out of many examples of the intrigues by which Leicester and his party were doing their best to destroy the commonwealth of the Netherlands at a moment when its existence was most important to that of England. To foment mutiny in order to subvert the authority of Maurice, was not a friendly or honourable course of action either towards Holland or England; and it was to play into the hands of Philip as adroitly as his own stipendiaries could have done. With mischief-makers like Champernoun in every city, and with such diplomatists at Ostend as Croft and Ropers and Valentine Dale, was it wonderful that the King and the Duke of Parma found time to mature their plans for the destruction of both countries? Lord Willoughby, too, was extremely dissatisfied with his own position. He received no commission from the Queen for several months. When it at last reached him, it seemed inadequate, and he became more sullen than ever. He declared that he would rather serve the Queen as a private soldier, at his own expense--"lean as his purse was"--than accept the limited authority conferred on him. He preferred to show his devotion "in a beggarly state, than in a formal show." He considered it beneath her Majesty's dignity that he should act in the field under the States, but his instructions forbade his acceptance of any office from that body but that of general in their service. He was very discontented, and more anxious than ever to be rid of his functions. Without being extremely ambitious, he was impatient of control. He
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   2109   2110   2111   2112   2113   2114   2115   2116   2117   2118   2119   2120   2121   2122   2123   2124   2125   2126   2127   2128   2129   2130   2131   2132   2133  
2134   2135   2136   2137   2138   2139   2140   2141   2142   2143   2144   2145   2146   2147   2148   2149   2150   2151   2152   2153   2154   2155   2156   2157   2158   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

States

 

Majesty

 
accept
 

extremely

 

England

 

authority

 

discontented

 

captains

 

Naarden

 
mischief

mutiny

 

Ropers

 
Valentine
 

wonderful

 

mature

 
countries
 

Willoughby

 

service

 

anxious

 

destruction


Ostend

 
ambitious
 

stipendiaries

 

impatient

 

Philip

 
control
 

adroitly

 
diplomatists
 

functions

 
makers

Without
 

Champernoun

 

office

 
formal
 

considered

 

beneath

 
declared
 

dignity

 

private

 
limited

conferred

 

devotion

 
soldier
 

beggarly

 

expense

 

sullen

 
acceptance
 
commission
 

forbade

 
received