This eBook was produced by David Widger
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By John Lothrop Motley
1855
1567 [CHAPTER IX., Part 2.]
Calvinists defeated at Lannoy and at Waterlots—Elation of the government—The siege pressed more closely—Cruelties practised upon the country people—Courage of the inhabitants—Remonstrance to the Knights of the Fleece—Conduct of Brederode—Orange at Amsterdam— New Oath demanded by Government—Orange refuses—He offers his resignation of all offices—Meeting at Breda—New "Request" of Brederode—He creates disturbances and levies troops in Antwerp— Conduct of Hoogstraaten—Plans of Brederode—Supposed connivance of Orange—Alarm at Brussels—Tholouse at Ostrawell—Brederode in Holland—De Beauvoir defeats Tholouse—Excitement at Antwerp— Determined conduct of Orange—Three days' tumult at Antwerp suppressed by the wisdom and courage of Orange.
It was then that Noircarmes and his "seven sleepers" showed that theywere awake. Early in January, 1567, that fierce soldier, among whosevices slothfulness was certainly never reckoned before or afterwards,fell upon the locksmith's army at Zannoy, while the Seigneur deRassinghem attacked the force at Waterlots on the same day. Noircarmesdestroyed half his enemies at the very first charge. The ill-assortedrabble fell asunder at once. The preacher fought well, but hisundisciplined force fled at the first sight of the enemy. Those whocarried arquebusses threw them down without a single discharge, that theymight run the faster. At least a thousand were soon stretched dead uponthe field; others were hunted into the river. Twenty-six hundred,according to the Catholic accounts, were exterminated in an hour.
Rassinghem, on his part, with five or six hundred regulars, attackedTeriel's force, numbering at least twice as many. Half of these weresoon cut to pieces and put to flight. Six hundred, however, who had seensome service, took refuge in the cemetery of Waterlots. Here, frombehind the stone wall of the inclosure, they sustained the attack of theCatholics with some spirit. The repose of the dead in the quiet countrychurch-yard was disturbed by the uproar of a most sanguinary conflict.The temporary fort was soon carried, and the Huguenots retreated into thechurch. A rattling arquebusade was poured in upon them as they struggledin the narrow doorway. At least four hundred corpses were soon strewnamong the ancient graves. The rest were hunted, into the church, andfrom the church into the belfry. A fire was then made in the steeple andkept up till all were roasted or suffocated. Not a man escaped.
This was the issue in the first stricken field in the Netherlands, forthe cause of religious liberty. It must be confessed that it was notvery encouraging to the lovers of freedom. The partisans of governmentwere elated, in proportion to the apprehension which had been feltfor the result of this rising in the Walloon country. "These goodhypocrites," wrote a correspondent of Orange, "are lifting up theirheads like so many dromedaries. They are becoming unmanageable withpride." The Duke of Aerschot and Count Meghem gave great banquets inBrussels, where all the good chevaliers drank deep in honor of thevictory, and to the health of his Majesty and Madame.