History of Protestantism in the Netherlands - James Aitken Wylie

the most joyous demonstrations of the
Provinces;[2] and to gratify him, the public
exercise of the Popish religion, which for some
time had been prohibited in Antwerp, was restored
in one of the churches. But a cloud soon overcast
the fair morning of Anjou's sovereignty ill the
Netherlands. He quickly showed that he had
neither the principle nor the ability necessary for so
difficult a task as he had undertaken. Bitter feuds
sprang up between him and his subjects, and after a
short administration, which neither reflected honor
on himself nor conferred benefit on the Provinces,
he took his departure, followed by the reproaches
and accusations of the Flemings. The cause of
Protestantism was destined to owe nothing to a son
of Catherine de Medici. Matthias, who had
dwindled in William's overshadowing presence
into a nonentity, and had done neither good nor
evil, had gone home some time before. Through
neither of these men had the intrigues of the
Romanists borne fruit, except to the prejudice of
the cause they were intended to further.
The Duke of Anjou being gone, the States of
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