The Rise of the Dutch Republic — Volume 04: 1555-59 — John Shaqi
The Rise of the Dutch Republic — Volume 04: 1555-59Motley, John Lothrop
History
The Rise of the Dutch Republic — Volume 04: 1555-59
Motley, John Lothrop
Netherlands -- Church history; Netherlands -- History -- Eighty Years' War, 1568-1648
protector--hardly even a dead body which could be recognized; and thus
the ghastly procession of more than three thousand women, many with
gaping wounds in the face, many with their arms cut off and festering,
of all ranks and ages, some numbering more than ninety years, bareheaded,
with grey hair streaming upon their shoulders; others with nursing
infants in their arms, all escorted by a company of heavy-armed troopers,
left forever their native city. All made the dismal journey upon foot,
save that carts were allowed to transport the children between the ages
of two and six years. The desolation and depopulation were now complete.
"I wandered through the place, gazing at all this," says a Spanish
soldier who was present, and kept a diary of all which occurred," and it
seemed to me that it was another destruction of Jerusalem. What most
struck me was to find not a single denizen of the town left, who was or
who dared to call himself French. How vain and transitory, thought I,
are the things of this world! Six days ago what riches were in the city,
and now remains not one stone upon another."
The expulsion of the women had been accomplished by the express command
of Philip, who moreover had made no effort to stay the work of carnage,
pillage, and conflagration. The pious King had not forgotten, however,
his duty to the saints. As soon as the fire had broken out, he had sent
to the cathedral, whence he had caused the body of Saint Quentin to be
removed and placed in the royal tent. Here an altar, was arranged, upon
one side of which was placed the coffin of that holy personage, and upon
the other the head of the "glorious Saint Gregory" (whoever that glorious
individual may have been in life), together with many other relics
brought from the church. Within the sacred enclosure many masses were
said daily, while all this devil's work was going on without. The saint
who had been buried for centuries was comfortably housed and guarded by
the monarch, while dogs were gnawing the carcases of the freshly-slain
men of Saint Quentin, and troopers were driving into perpetual exile its
desolate and mutilated women.
The most distinguished captives upon this occasion were, of course,
Coligny and his brother. Andelot was, however, fortunate enough to make
his escape that night under the edge of the tent in which he was
confined. The Admiral was taken to Antwerp. Here he lay for many weeks
sick with a fever. Upon his recovery, having no better pastime, he fell
to reading the Scriptures. The result was his conversion to Calvinism;
and the world shudders yet at the fate in which that conversion involved
him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account