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History of Protestantism in the Netherlands - James Aitken Wylie

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est hopes <strong>of</strong> succours from France. The net was<br />

be<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>n woven for <strong>the</strong> Huguenots, and <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

great chief, Admiral Coligny, was be<strong>in</strong>g caressed at<br />

<strong>the</strong> court <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Louvre. "I will fight Philip <strong>of</strong> Spa<strong>in</strong><br />

on <strong>the</strong> soil <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Ne<strong>the</strong>rlands," said that<br />

consummate dissembler, Charles IX. "William <strong>of</strong><br />

Orange shall not want for money and soldiers,"<br />

cont<strong>in</strong>ued he, with a frankness that seemed <strong>the</strong><br />

guarantee <strong>of</strong> a perfect s<strong>in</strong>cerity. Coligny suffered<br />

himself to be persuaded <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> good faith <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

k<strong>in</strong>g, and labored to produce <strong>the</strong> same conviction<br />

<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> m<strong>in</strong>d <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Pr<strong>in</strong>ce <strong>of</strong> Orange, bidd<strong>in</strong>g him<br />

expect him soon at <strong>the</strong> head <strong>of</strong> 15,000 Huguenots.<br />

William, believ<strong>in</strong>g that France was at his back,<br />

thought that <strong>the</strong> campaign could have but one issue<br />

-- namely, <strong>the</strong> expulsion <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Spaniards, and <strong>the</strong><br />

liberation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Ne<strong>the</strong>rlands from <strong>the</strong>ir unbearable<br />

yoke. But his hopes were dest<strong>in</strong>ed to a cruel<br />

overthrow. Instead <strong>of</strong> an army <strong>of</strong> Huguenots to<br />

help him on to victory, <strong>the</strong>re came tid<strong>in</strong>gs that<br />

felled him to <strong>the</strong> earth. Three weeks from <strong>the</strong> date<br />

<strong>of</strong> Coligny's letter, William received <strong>the</strong> terrible<br />

news <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> St. Bartholomew Massacre. The men<br />

who were to have emancipated <strong>the</strong> Low Countries<br />

322

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