The Rise of the Dutch Republic — Volume 13: 1567, part IIMotley, John Lothrop
History
The Rise of the Dutch Republic — Volume 13: 1567, part II
Motley, John Lothrop
Netherlands -- Church history; Netherlands -- History -- Eighty Years' War, 1568-1648
At four o'clock, the dinner being finished, Horn and Egmont, accompanied
by the other gentlemen, proceeded to the "Jassy" house, then occupied by
Alva, to take part in the deliberations proposed. They were received by
the Duke with great courtesy. The engineer, Pietro Urbino, soon appeared
and laid upon the table a large parchment containing the plan and
elevation of the citadel to be erected at Antwerp. A warm discussion
upon the subject soon arose, Egmont, Horn, Noircarmes and others,
together with the engineers Urbino and Pacheco, all taking part in the
debate. After a short time, the Duke of Alva left the apartment, on
pretext of a sudden indisposition, leaving the company still warmly
engaged in their argument. The council lasted till near seven in the
evening. As it broke up, Don Sancho d'Avila, captain of the Duke's
guard, requested Egmont to remain for a moment after the rest, as he had
a communication to make to him. After an insignificant remark or two,
the Spanish officer, as soon as the two were alone, requested Egmont to
surrender his sword. The Count, agitated, and notwithstanding every
thing which had gone before, still taken by surprise, scarcely knew what
reply to make. Don Sancho repeated that he had been commissioned to
arrest him, and again demanded his sword. At the same moment the doors
of the adjacent apartment were opened, and Egmont saw himself surrounded
by a company of Spanish musqueteers and halberdmen. Finding himself thus
entrapped, he gave up his sword, saying bitterly, as he did so, that it
had at least rendered some service to the King in times which were past.
He was then conducted to a chamber, in the upper story of the house,
where his temporary prison had been arranged. The windows were
barricaded, the daylight excluded, the whole apartment hung with black.
Here he remained fourteen days (from the 9th to 23d September). During
this period, he was allowed no communication with his friends. His room
was lighted day and night with candles, and he was served in strict
silence by Spanish attendants, and guarded by Spanish soldiers. The
captain of the watch drew his curtain every midnight, and aroused him
from sleep that he might be identified by the relieving officer.
Count Horn was arrested upon the same occasion by Captain Salinas, as he
was proceeding through the court-yard of the house, after the breaking up
of the council. He was confined in another chamber of the mansion, and
met with a precisely similar treatment to that experienced by Egmont.
Upon the 23d September, both were removed under a strong guard to the
castle of Ghent.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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