We have seen how much additional reputation was acquired by Requesens in the provinces. The expedition against Duiveland and Schouwen, was, on the whole, the most brilliant feat of arms during the war, and its success reflects an undying lustre on the hardihood and discipline of the Spanish, German, and Walloon soldiery. As an act of individual audacity in a bad cause, it has rarely been equalled. It can hardly be said, however, that the Grand Commander was entitled to any large measure of praise for the success of the expedition. The plan was laid by Zealand traitors. It was carried into execution by the devotion of the Spanish, Walloon, and German troops; while Requesens was only a spectator of the transaction. His sudden death arrested, for a moment, the ebb-tide in the affairs of the Netherlands, which was fast leaving the country bare and desolate, and was followed by a train of unforeseen transactions, which it is now our duty to describe. ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS: As the old woman had told the Emperor Adrian Beautiful damsel, who certainly did not lack suitors Breath, time, and paper were profusely wasted and nothing gained Care neither for words nor menaces in any matter Distinguished for his courage, his cruelty, and his corpulence He had never enjoyed social converse, except at long intervals Human ingenuity to inflict human misery Peace was desirable, it might be more dangerous than war Proposition made by the wolves to the sheep, in the fable Rebuked the bigotry which had already grown Reformers were capable of giving a lesson even to inquisitors Result was both to abandon the provinces and to offend Philip Suppress the exercise of the Roman religion The more conclusive arbitration of gunpowder MOTLEY'S HISTORY OF THE NETHERLANDS, Project Gutenberg Edition, Volume 25. THE RISE OF THE DUTCH REPUBLIC By John Lothop Motley 1855 CHAPTER IV. 1576