Title:  History of the United Netherlands, 1590(b)

Author:  John Lothrop Motley

Release Date:  January, 2004 [EBook #4862] [Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on April 9, 2002]

Edition:  10

Language:  English

Character set encoding:  ASCII

*** Start of the project gutenberg EBOOK history united Netherlands, 1590(b) ***

This eBook was produced by David Widger widger@cecomet.net

[Note:  There is a short list of bookmarks, or pointers, at the end of the file for those who may wish to sample the author’s ideas before making an entire meal of them.  D.W.]

HISTORY OF THE UNITED NETHERLANDS From the Death of William the Silent to the Twelve Year’s Truce—­1609

By John Lothrop Motley

MOTLEY’S HISTORY OF THE NETHERLANDS, Project Gutenberg Edition, Vol. 62

History of the United Netherlands, 1590(b)

CHAPTER XXIII.

Philip’s scheme of aggrandizement—­Projected invasion of France—­ Internal condition of France—­Character of Henry of Navarre—­ Preparation for action—­Battle of Ivry—­Victory of the French king over the League—­Reluctance of the King to attack the French capital—­Siege of Paris—­The pope indisposed towards the League—­ Extraordinary demonstration of ecclesiastics—­Influence of the priests—­Extremities of the siege—­Attempted negotiation—­State of Philip’s army—­Difficult position of Farnese—­March of the allies to the relief of Paris—­Lagny taken and the city relieved—­Desertion of the king’s army—­Siege of Corbeil—­Death of Pope Sixtus V.—­ Re-capture of Lagny and Corbeil—­Return of Parma to the Netherlands —­Result of the expedition.

The scene of the narrative shifts to France.  The history of the United Netherlands at this epoch is a world-history.  Were it not so, it would have far less of moral and instruction for all time than it is really capable of affording.  The battle of liberty against despotism was now fought in the hop-fields of Brabant or the polders of Friesland, now in the:  narrow seas which encircle England, and now on the sunny plains of Dauphiny, among the craggy inlets of Brittany, or along the high roads and rivers which lead to the gates of Paris.  But everywhere a noiseless, secret, but ubiquitous negotiation was speeding with never an instant’s pause to accomplish the work which lansquenettes and riders, pikemen and carabineers were contending for on a hundred battle-fields and amid a din of arms which for a quarter of a century had been the regular hum of human industry.  For nearly a generation of mankind, Germans and Hollanders, Englishmen, Frenchmen,