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MOTLEY'S HISTORY OF THE NETHERLANDS, Project Gutenberg Edition, Vol. 32
By John Lothrop Motley
1855
Parma's feint upon Antwerp—He invests Maestricht—Deputation and letters from the states-general, from Brussels, and from Parma, to the Walloon provinces—Active negotiations by Orange and by Farnese —Walloon envoys in Parma's camp before Maestricht—Festivities—The Treaty of Reconciliation—Rejoicings of the royalist party—Comedy enacted at the Paris theatres—Religious tumults in Antwerp, Utrecht, and other cities—Religious Peace enforced by Orange— Philip Egmont's unsuccessful attempt upon Brussels—Siege of Maestricht—Failure at the Tongres gate—Mining and countermining— Partial destruction of the Tongres ravelin—Simultaneous attack upon the Tongres and Bolls-le-Duo gates—The Spaniards repulsed with great loss—Gradual encroachments of the besiegers—Bloody contests —The town taken—Horrible massacre—Triumphal entrance and solemn thanksgiving—Calumnious attacks upon Orange—Renewed troubles in Ghent—Imbue and Dathenus—The presence of the Prince solicited— Coup d'etat of Imbue—Order restored, and Imbue expelled by Orange
The political movements in both directions were to be hastened by themilitary operations of the opening season. On the night of the 2nd ofMarch, 1579, the Prince of Parma made a demonstration against Antwerp.A body of three thousand Scotch and English, lying at Borgerhout, wasrapidly driven in, and a warm skirmish ensued, directly under the wallsof the city. The Prince of Orange, with the Archduke Matthias, being inAntwerp at the time, remained on the fortifications; superintending theaction, and Parma was obliged to retire after an hour or two of sharpfighting, with a loss of four hundred men. This demonstration was,however, only a feint. His real design was upon Maestricht; before whichimportant city he appeared in great force, ten days afterwards,when he was least expected.
Well fortified, surrounded by a broad and deep moat; built upon bothsides of the Meuse, upon the right bank of which river, however, theportion of the town was so inconsiderable that it was merely called thevillage of Wyk, this key to the German gate of the Netherlands was,unfortunately, in brave but feeble hands. The garrison was hardly onethousand strong; the trained bands of burghers amounted to twelve hundredmore; while between three and four thousand peasants; who had takenrefuge within the city walls, did excellent service as sappers andminers. Parma, on the other hand, had appeared before the walls withtwenty thousand men; to which number he received constant reinforcements.The Bishop of Liege, too, had sent him four thousand pioneers—a mostimportant service; for mining and countermining was to decide the fate ofMaestricht.
Early in January the royalists had surprised the strong chateau ofCarpen, in the neighbourhood of the city, upon which occasion thegarrison were all hanged by moonlight on the trees in the orchard. Thecommandant shared their fate; and it is a curious fact that he had,precisely a year previously, hanged the royalist captain, Blomaert, onthe same spot, who, with the rope around his neck, had foretold a likedoom to his destroyer.
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