Enclosed in this document was an inventory of the property that constituted the treasure.  At the head came an almost endless list of jewels, all of them carefully scheduled.  These were the first three items: 

“Item:  The necklace of great pearls that I exchanged with the Emperor Charles when he took a love for sapphires, enclosed in a watertight copper box.

“Item:  A coronet and stomacher of rubies mounted in my own gold work, the best that ever I did, which three queens have coveted, and none was rich enough to buy.

“Item:  The great emerald that my father left me, the biggest known, having magic signs of ancients engraved upon the back of it, and enclosed in a chased case of gold.”

Then came other long lists of precious stones, too numerous to mention, but of less individual value, and after them this entry: 

“Item:  Four casks filled with gold coin (I know not the exact weight or number).”

At the bottom of this schedule was written, “A very great treasure, the greatest of all the Netherlands, a fruit of three generations of honest trading and saving, converted by me for the most part into jewels, that it may be easier to move.  This is the prayer of me, Hendrik Brant, who owns it for his life; that this gold may prove the earthly doom of any Spaniard who tries to steal it, and as I write it comes into my mind that God will grant this my petition.  Amen.  Amen.  Amen!  So say I, Hendrik Brant, who stand at the Gate of Death.”

All of this inventory Dirk read aloud, and when he had finished Lysbeth gasped with amazement.

“Surely,” she said, “this little cousin of ours is richer than many princes.  Yes, with such a dowry princes would be glad to take her in marriage.”

“The fortune is large enough,” answered Dirk.  “But, oh! what a burden has Hendrik Brant laid upon our backs, for under this will the wealth is left, not straight to the lawful heiress, Elsa, but to me and my heirs on the trusts started, and they are heavy.  Look you, wife, the Spaniards know of this vast hoard, and the priests know of it, and no stone on earth or hell will they leave unturned to win that money.  I say that, for his own sake, my cousin Hendrik would have done better to accept the offer of the Spanish thief Ramiro and give him three-fourths and escape to England with the rest.  But that is not his nature, who was ever stubborn, and who would die ten times over rather than enrich the men he hates.  Moreover, he, who is no miser, has saved this fortune that the bulk of it may be spent for his country in the hour of her need, and alas! of that need we are made the judges, since he is called away.  Wife, I foresee that these gems and gold will breed bloodshed and misery to all our house.  But the trust is laid upon us and it must be borne.  Foy, to-morrow at dawn you and Martin will start for The Hague to carry out the command of your cousin Brant.”

“Why should my son’s life be risked on this mad errand?” asked Lysbeth.