Don John of Austria, Governor-General, arrives in the Netherlands--His Character and Conduct--The States send an Envoy to Elizabeth of England--She advances them a Loan of Money--The Union of Brussels--The Treaty of Marche-en-Famenne, called the Perpetual Edict--The impetuous Conduct of Don John excites the public Suspicion--He seizes on the Citadel of Namur--The Prince of Orange is named Protector of Brabant--The People destroy the Citadels of Antwerp and other Towns--The Duke of Arschot is named Governor of Flanders--He invites the Archduke Mathias to accept the Government of the Netherlands--Wise Conduct of the Prince of Orange--Ryhove and Hembyse possess themselves of supreme Power at Ghent--The Prince of Orange goes there and establishes Order--The Archduke Mathias is installed--The Prince of Parma arrives in the Netherlands, and gains the Battle of Gemblours--Confusion of the States-General--The Duke of Alencon comes to their Assistance--Dissensions among the Patriot Chiefs--Death of Don John of Austria--Suspicions of his having been Poisoned by Order of Philip II.--The Prince of Parma is declared Governor-General--The Union of Utrecht--The Prince of Parma takes the Field--The Congress of Cologne rendered fruitless by the Obstinacy of Philip--The States-General assemble at Antwerp, and issue a Declaration of National Independence--The Sovereignty of the Netherlands granted to the Duke of Alencon. CHAPTER XII TO THE MURDER OF THE PRINCE OF ORANGE A.D. 1580--1584 Proscription of the Prince of Orange--His celebrated Apology--Philip proposes sending back the Duchess of Parma as Stadtholderess--Her son refuses to act jointly with her, and is left in the exercise of his Power--The Siege of Cambray undertaken by the Prince of Parma, and gallantly defended by the Princess of Epinoi--The Duke of Alencon created Duke of Anjou--Repairs to England, in hopes of marrying Queen Elizabeth--He returns to the Netherlands unsuccessful, and is inaugurated at Antwerp--The Prince of Orange desperately wounded by an Assassin--Details on John Jaureguay and his Accomplices--The People suspect the French of the Crime-- Rapid Recovery of the Prince, who soon resumes his accustomed Activity--Violent Conduct of the Duke of Anjou, who treacherously attempts to seize on Antwerp--He is defeated by the Townspeople-- His Disgrace and Death--Ungenerous Suspicions of the People against the Prince of Orange, who leaves Flanders in Disgust--Treachery of the Prince of Chimay and others--Treason of Hembyse--He is executed at Ghent--The States resolve to confer the Sovereignty on the Prince of Orange--He is murdered at Delft--Parallel between him and the Admiral Coligny--Execution of Balthazar Gerard, his Assassin--Complicity of the Prince of Parma. CHAPTER XIII TO THE DEATH OF ALEXANDER, PRINCE OF PARMA A.D. 1584--1592