History of Protestantism in the Netherlands - James Aitken Wylie

he found himself in possession of the castle, that
this was the first day of his regency: it might with
more propriety have been called the first day of
those calamities that pursued him to the grave.
Intercepted letters from Don John to Philip II.
fully unmasked the designs of the governor, and
completed the astonishment and alarm of the
States. These letters urged the speedy return of the
Spanish troops, and dilating on the inveteracy of
that disease which had fastened on the Netherlands,
the letters said, "the malady admitted of no
remedies but fire and sword."
This discovery of the viceroy's baseness raised
to the highest pitch the admiration of the Flemings
for the sagacity of William, who had given them
early warning of the duplicity of the governor, and
the cruel designs he was plotting. Thereupon the
Provinces a third time threw off their obedience to
Philip II., declaring that Don John was no longer
Stadtholder or legitimate Governor of the
Provinces.[4]Calling the Prince of Orange to
Brussels, they installed him as Governor of
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