This ineffectual siege of Leyden is the most remark able transaction of Requesens in the Low Countries. It WEIS followed (1575) by some abortive attempts at nego elation, the Emperor Rodolph, and our Queen Elizabeth, acting as mediators. Neither party was in a mood for ncgociating ; and Philip instructed Requcsens to prose cute the war with fresh vigour. The latter endeavoured to comply ; he was beaten back at Woerden ; but he re duced Ziriczee, had entered Zealand, and was medi tating an attack on Holland, when death overtook him suddenly, and the Netherlands were left without a go vernor.
The death of Requesens, at this juncture, was a keen blow to the Spanish interests. The troops had receiv ed no pay for many months ; thc absence of a general made them clamorous in their demand ; and as no funds existed to satisfy it, they renounced the controul of their officers, spread over the country in search of plunder, sacked the city of Antwerp with the most horrible out rages, and seized upon the fortress of Alost, from which they threatened other towns with a similar violence. The southern provinces had hitherto participated ra ther in the feelings than the actions of their revolted countrymen ; and the seat of war had been chiefly in Holland and Zealand. But this fearful visitation roused even the most timorous : In 1576 all the states united themselves by a treaty,named the Pacification of Ghent, having for its object to expel the foreign soldiery, and restore the ancient liberties of the country ; and Don John, the new governor, found all the Netherlands, ex cept Luxemburg, shut against his approach. Don John's ambitious views induced him to temporise : he affected to sanction the Pacification of Ghent ; was received peacefully into his government ; and the country had liberty to breathe for a moment. It was but for a mo ment. Don John watched his opportunity to seize the castle of Namur : he recalled the Spanish troops, and the fire of war was kindled again. His opponents were little able to rcsist, and their strength was still farther weakened by intestine division. The Prince of Orange's guarded and patriotic behaviour could not appease the iealousy of the Catholic confederates, or quench the en vy of his ancient rival, the Duke of Arshot, who affect ed to lead them, as William (lid the Protcstant party. While the latter, therefore, made application to Queen Elizabeth for assistance, the other privately invited the Archduke 'Matthias, brother, and afterwards successor of the emperor Rodolph H. to come and take upon him self the office of governor. The Prince of Orange was too quick-sighted, and too public-spirited to let slip so fair an opportunity of at once acquiring strength by fo reign connexions, and sowing discord between the Ger man and Spanish members of the Austrian family. He
accordingly welcomed Matthias on his unexpected ar rival at Antwerp, and persuaded the States to set him at their head. The Prince himself was appointed his lieutenant ; and Arshot's plan was doubly unsuccessful. But neither did William's turn out according to his hope. Matthias received no support from Germany, ancl soon fell into contempt; while Don John, reinforced by the celebrated Alessandro Farnese, Prince of Parma, with 18,000 veterans, had beaten the army of the States at Gemblours, and was making rapid progress in the subjugation of the provinces. Don John died soon after, poison, by Philip, it was suspected, or of chagrin Lt the failure of his schemes on thc English crown, which he had dreamed of obtaining with the hand of Mary Queen of Scots ; but his death brought no relief to the confederacy. Matthias returned without honour to Prague ; the Dukc ol Ank,u, who was next called in, could be of little service ; and, while Parma was ad vancing in his conquests, the Duke of Arshot was smoothing the way for him, by fostering divisions and cabals among the provinces to be attacked.
To obviate the evils of dissension, William assembled the Northern or Protestant States, atnong whom his in fluence was the most extensive, and who hitherto had stood the brunt of the war alone. Ile was fortunate enough at last, to combine them into a permanent whole. On the 23d of January, 1579, was signed the famous UNION OF UTRECHT, at the city whose name it bears, by deputies fiorn the provinces of Holland, Zealand, Utrecht, Friesland. Groningen, Overyssel, and Gelder label. It was the fundamental article of the Dutch Re public, destined after to become so conspicuous an agent in the political transactions of Europe. The main sti pulations, for the present, were, that the Seven Pro vincts should join themselves in interest as one, each individual still retaining its own private customs ; that in disputes between two, the rest should interfere only as mecitatois, and that all should assist each with life and foitune against every foreign enemy. Separately, the provinces were weak ; and though united as firmly as the bundle of arrows, the badge and emblem of their alliance, it might still seem doubtful il this new repub lic would survive its infancy. Its members hacl not faltered in the contest, but thcy doubted of the issue themselves. Their first coin was stamped with the im age of a. ship struggling amid the waves without oars or sails ; and the motto was, Incerturn quo fata ferant.