The Golden Grasshopper: A story of the days of Sir Thomas Gresham

by William Henry Giles Kingston

  CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

  A BATTLE OUTSIDE ANTWERP.

  An important event was about to occur in Antwerp. The Reformers weretriumphant. They had taken possession of three churches, and in each,one of their principal preachers was to deliver an address, and offer upprayer and praise. The magistrates were greatly alarmed, believing thatsuch a proceeding would draw down on the city the vengeance of theRegent. In their alarm, the Pensionary, Vesembeck, was sent to entreatthe ministers to postpone their exercises. One of them, Taffen, afamous Walloon preacher, agreed to do so; but the others were not soeasily persuaded to abandon what they believed to be the right course.Herman Modet especially was very firm. He had come into the city onpurpose to preach in the cathedral, and he naturally longed for theopportunity of making known the simple Gospel of salvation, where for somany ages false teaching had alone been heard. Aveline had been veryanxious to listen to a Flemish sermon from a Protestant minister; and Ihad promised, should Sir Thomas not object, to accompany her. On theevening before the proposed sermons were to be delivered, a strangerpresented himself at the house, desiring to see Sir Thomas. He sent uphis name to the room where we were seated at supper.

  "Master Overton; he has come from Switzerland," said my patron. "Do Iremember that name?"

  "Yes, sir," I remarked; "it is the name of the priest who, abandoningthe Romish faith, came over with us from Ipswich."

  "Go and see, Ernst," said Sir Thomas. "If you are right, I shall betruly glad to receive him."

  On going to the hall, I was glad to see my old acquaintance; and Ishould have known him immediately, though his countenance wore a farmore happy expression than formerly, and he had altogether lost thesallow complexion of a priest of Rome. I gladly ushered him into thesitting-room, where he was cordially welcomed by Sir Thomas, andintroduced to Madam Clough and the rest of the party. He had beenministering, he told us, in Switzerland for some time past to a smallcongregation; but at length, being anxious to revisit England, and thereassist in spreading the truth among his countrymen, he had resigned hispost. Aveline had so grown since he last had seen her, that henaturally did not recognise her. She now timidly approached him.

  "You are my uncle," she said, taking his hand; "indeed, I know of noother relative I possess on earth."

  I need scarcely describe the satisfaction with which Master Overtongreeted his niece.

  I had never met a man whose whole heart was more given to the desire ofadvancing the cause of his Saviour than was Master Overton. Scarcelyeven did John Foxe surpass him. I have said little of that goodminister. He had now obtained, we heard, a church in Wiltshire; andfrequently Master Gresham used to send him money wherewith he might helphis poorer neighbours. When Master Overton heard of the proposedpreaching, he seconded Aveline's wish to be allowed to go and hear it.

  "I will accompany her myself," he said.

  Sir Thomas no longer objected; and it was arranged that we should setout the following morning, in time to secure a place near the preacherin the cathedral. Although Margery could not understand what was said,she also begged leave to accompany her mistress. We thus formed aconsiderable party when we entered the cathedral. We found Herman Modetready to ascend the pulpit, round which were piled up the variousarticles which had been broken off the images. Already a considerablenumber of people had collected within the building, and soon after weentered, vast numbers kept pouring in, till the whole edifice wascrowded. Just then a body of magistrates appeared in their officialgarments, headed by Vesembeck, who again appealed to the preacher toabandon his intentions. Earnestly as he pleaded, warning the ministerof the danger which might occur, he did so without effect. All HermanModet would agree to was to shorten his address, and, supported by thepeople, he refused to agree to any other arrangement.

  At length, completely discomfited, those of the magistrates who wereRoman Catholics withdrew, while the remainder stopped to listen to thepreacher. Ascending the pulpit, in a sonorous voice he gave forth apsalm, the words and air of which were well-known to the vast assemblagebelow. Hitherto a low murmur had alone been heard throughout thebuilding. But now, many thousand voices swelled up together to thepraise of Him who came on earth to die for man--the just for the unjust,that all, by trusting in Him, might have everlasting life. I have notspace to give all the sermon, though I made notes of it at the time. Itwas eloquent, fervent, and convincing. I cannot fancy that anyright-minded Romanists, inquiring for the truth, could have heard it andyet not have yielded to its arguments. I should rather say, that it issurprising that they could resist them. Yet there were, I know, manyRomanists there who, though perhaps moved at the moment, went awayretaining their former opinions.

  Herman Modet, though he had consented to preach for a short time,carried away by his feelings, continued to pour forth his words of firehour after hour, no one wearying even by the length of his discourse.Once again there rose a hymn of praise such as had never before beenheard within those walls--not to Mary, not to any of the saints, but tothe Lamb without spot or blemish, slain for the sins of the whole world,that all who believe on Him might not perish, but have everlasting life.No thoughts can be more pure and simple and holy, more full of Gospeltruth than are those found in the hymns of Marot. Although we had beenstanding so long, we yet left the cathedral with regret. Several of ourparty could only comprehend a very small portion of what they had heard.Margery, indeed, did not understand a word, and yet there was thatpower in the speaker's manner alone which riveted her attention, whilesometimes A'Dale, and sometimes I, explained to her the substance of thediscourse.

  Madam Clough, when we returned home, could scarcely believe that we hadbeen so long a time at the cathedral, or that we could have been asinterested as we professed with the discourse we had heard.

  I must now give a short account of the numerous public events of deepinterest which occurred after this.

  I have said that Master Overton proposed returning to England; but whenhis presence in Antwerp was known, several Protestant Englishmen, aswell as Reformers of other nations in the place, earnestly requested himto remain and minister to them. Sir Thomas Gresham also urging him todo so, he consented to take the charge of a Reformed Church at Antwerptill another should be found to supply his place. This was a greatadvantage to Aveline especially, as she thus had a relative to whom shecould go for advice and instruction, which certainly her friend MadamClough was unable to afford.

  Similar scenes to those I have described in Antwerp took place innumerous towns throughout the Netherlands. In Flanders alone, fourhundred churches were sacked, in Mechlin, in Tournay--a citydistinguished for its ecclesiastical splendour--in Ghent, and inValenciennes. In not one of them, however, was a single human beinginjured.

  On the return of the Prince of Orange, he expressed his regret at whathad occurred. At the same time, he did not appear disposed to treat theimage-breakers with much severity. The Regent Margaret, however, onhearing of the disturbances, was seized with the greatest alarm. Whenthe news reached Philip, he swore a deep oath that they should bitterlypay for what they had done. Owing to the representations of the Princeof Orange, in the meantime liberty of worship was granted in placeswhere it had already been established; and it seemed at first as if theReformers were about to obtain all they required. Bands of insurgentsappeared in various places. In the city of Valenciennes the Reformershad completely gained the upper hand. But the city was declared by theRegent in a state of siege; and a body of troops under the fierce PapistNoircarmes was sent to invest it. Sad news shortly afterwards reachedus, that most of the Protestant bands had been cut to pieces byNoircarmes and his troops.

  The Prince of Orange was governing Antwerp, with the brave young noble,Hoogstraaten, under him, while Brederode was also in the city secretlyraising troops for the defence of the liberal cause. On two occasions Iattended Sir Thomas Gresham, when invited by the Prince of Orange todine with him. The Prince received my patron with great courtesy at a
magnificent banquet. From the conversation of the Prince, it was veryclear that he was anxious to ascertain from Sir Thomas Gresham thedisposition entertained by Queen Elizabeth and her ministers towards therevolutionary party.

  "Do you think," he said, "that she will aid our noblemen and otherchiefs, as she did those in France, for the sake of their religion?"

  Sir Thomas, in reply, asked whether the noblemen to whom the Princealluded had demanded any help of her Majesty. He said that he could nottell. Then said Sir Thomas, "I am myself no judge, nor can I interferein a matter of so much importance."

  Soon after this, Sir Thomas again returned to England. It was now thatsome of the leading Protestants in Antwerp memorialised Sir ThomasGresham, explaining that the outbreaks which had lately occurred in thecity were greatly contrary to their wishes, and entreating him that hewould petition the Queen Elizabeth in their behalf, and that the ruinwith which the Low Countries were threatened might be averted. Theybegged that she would address King Philip, in order that he might bebrought to accede to their reasonable request: that they might beallowed liberty to worship God without molestation, asserting that theywere perfectly ready to "render to Caesar the things which areCaesar's," should they be allowed to "render unto God the things whichare God's."

  I mentioned just now that Brederode was raising men in Antwerp. Withhim was associated the brave and gallant young nobleman, Marnix ofTholouse. He had left college in order that he might draw his sword inthe cause of religious liberty.

  The Prince of Orange at length thought it necessary to prohibitBrederode's enlistments. He and his followers accordingly left thecity, and embarked on board several ships which they had seized. Moremen having joined them, Brederode took his departure for Holland, wherehe hoped to raise more troops. In the meantime Marnix of Tholouse, withhis newly collected force, sailing up the Scheld, landed and attackedthe little village called Ostrawell, about a mile from Antwerp. Here heposted himself with considerable judgment. In his rear he had theScheld and its dikes, on his right and left the dikes and the village.In front he threw up a breastwork and sunk a trench. On this spot mighttruly be said to have been first hoisted the standard of liberty.A'Dale and I paid a visit to the camp. Daily numbers of men flocked tohis standard, till he had collected fully 3,000 round him. If thebravery of one man could have supported a great cause, the gallant youngstudent might have succeeded. His followers, however, had nodiscipline, and consequently no dependence on each other. Brederode hadpromised to join him shortly with a body of troops; and it was hopedthat he would himself infuse his own spirit into his men, and bring themunder discipline.

  As the ground was perfectly level between the city and his camp, we wereable from the ramparts to see all that was taking place within it.

  Although the Prince of Orange would not give his open support to thepatriot band, yet he did not feel himself called upon to interfere withthem; indeed, he had been fortunately furnished with no troops withwhich he could have done so. Affairs in the city therefore went onquietly.

  One morning, however, at early dawn the sound of firing from thedirection of Ostrawell called a vast number of the people of Antwerp tothat side of the ramparts. It soon became evident that Tholouse hadbeen suddenly attacked, and that a fierce battle was raging. No onecould tell by whom he was assailed. In a short time the roofs of thehouses, the towers of the churches, and the higher parts of the walls,were covered with eager spectators. We were among them. We could hearthe sound of drums and trumpets, and the sharp rattle of musketry. Thencame the shouts of victory, the despairing cries of the vanquished. Theglitter of the helmets and spears, the bucklers and corslets of theassailing party we could clearly see, while their standards--they werethose of Spain--showed their exact position. The young Count hadgreatly won our admiration, on account of his youth, his gallantbearing, his talents, and his bravery. He had become a staunchProtestant, and for that cause was ready to lay down his life. A shorttime before, he had married a very charming young lady, who shared hisenthusiastic desire to establish the liberty of their country. She wasnow in the city, and we could not help thinking what must be herfeelings on finding that the camp had been attacked. We could see theenemy approach the breastwork in front of the camp. Alas! it wasdefended but for a short time: on came the assailants; now they enteredthe fort. Onward they pressed, some shooting rapidly, while the swordsof others were kept in constant exercise.

  "What say you, Ernst; shall we go forth to their support?" exclaimedA'Dale. "We shall find hundreds of brave fellows ready to accompany us;and I for one cannot stand here and see our friends butchered by theirtyrants. See! see! the enemy are advancing; there is no time to lose,if we are to give them any real help!"

  I was as willing as my friend on most occasions to rush into danger; butit seemed to me that already the enemy had gained the day, and that ourassistance would come too late. They pressed on till we could seehundreds of the patriots driven into the Scheld. On one side was afarmhouse; round it for some time the battle raged furiously. Then theflames were seen to burst forth. Again the assailants advanced. Smallbodies of the patriots who had escaped from the fight were rushingtowards the town. Soon the excitement became uncontrollable. It wasnot surprising that the Calvinists within the city should have felt fortheir brothers who were thus being destroyed. For a short time, fromevery street and alley in the city, people were seen coming forth armedwith lance, pike, and arquebus; some bearing huge two-handed swords,which had belonged to their fathers, others, battle-axes, and somecarried huge sledge-hammers over their shoulders. All were determinedto issue forth, in the hope of rescuing their friends ere the whole ofthem were destroyed. Meantime the young bride of Tholouse was seenflying from street to street, calling on the Calvinists to save theirbrethren on the point of destruction. Fully 10,000 men were up in arms;but the gates had been closed by order of the Prince of Orange, and theyfound it impossible to force their way out. The whole city was in astate of commotion. The Lutherans as well as the Calvinists had flownto arms. Some of the fiercest proposed to avenge the death of thepatriots by the slaughter of the Roman Catholics. The latter also, inconsequence, in their own defence, had taken up arms. A most sanguinaryoutbreak was, therefore, every moment expected.

  Had it begun, no one could say when it would end, or the number of liveswhich would be sacrificed. While the dreadful scenes I have describedwere going on, we hurried down from the walls to the open place near theRed Gate, still hoping that there might be some time to renderassistance to the defeated patriots. At this moment the Prince, withoutany guards or attendants, rode in among the crowd collected there.Instead of the usual signs of respect with which he was greeted, he wasnow received with howls of execration. A thousand hoarse voices calledhim the Pope's servant, the minister of antichrist, a traitor to hiscountry. Some even proposed to cut him down on the spot. An arquebuswas pointed at him, but, ere it was discharged, a hand from the crowdstruck it away. Even before this the postern of the Red Gate had beenforced open, and a number of the Calvinists were issuing forth.

  The Prince sat calmly on his horse; then, lifting up his hand, headdressed the multitude. As he spoke, every voice was hushed. He toldthem that he came for their good, that the battle was over, that theirfriends had been cut to pieces, and that the victorious enemy wereretiring; while, brave as those who heard him might be, should they goforth, they would be unable to retrieve the fortunes of the day. Hepointed out to them that they were ill-armed and without discipline, andthat the same force which had captured the camp at Ostrawell might withequal ease destroy them.

  The remarks of the Prince seemed so just, that I persuaded A'Dale togive up his design of marching out to the relief of the remnants of thepatriot force. Some hundreds, however, still insisted on going forth.Again and again the Prince and the Count Hoogstraaten, who had a shorttime before arrived on the spot, entreated them to abandon their design,warning them that their blood would be upon their own head
s should theypersevere.

  Five hundred marched forth. The enemy were seen scattered about thecountry pursuing the fugitives. On the appearance of the city force,they were quickly again summoned together by the sound of the trumpet;and now, in a compact mass, they advanced towards the city, with drumsbeating and colours flying. Just before this a rapid firing was heardin the rear of the enemy. We at the time little knew what it was.Alas! the savages were shooting their prisoners, three hundred of whomthey had captured, intending to ransom them. When, however, they foundthey had again to enter into a fresh battle, they shot the whole of theunfortunate men. Thus, in reality, this unadvised sally of the citizenswas the cause of the death of a large number of their countrymen. Thecitizens, finding themselves outnumbered, and not relishing the firmbearing of the Spaniards, retreated rapidly into the city, the gatesbeing shut only just in time to prevent the entrance of the Romanistforce. The enemy, then advancing close to the city walls, planted thebanners of the unfortunate Tholouse on the margin of the moat, soundingat the same time a trumpet of defiance. The Prince and his lieutenantexerted themselves to prevent another sally, well knowing the thoroughlytrained force the citizens would have to encounter. In the opinion ofthe Prince the time for fighting had not yet arrived.

  During the period I have been describing, the whole city continued in astate of the fiercest commotion. The Calvinists in vast numbers hadtaken possession of the Mere; it was here the market was held: it is along wide place, too wide almost to be called a street, with finebuildings on either side--the streets which enter it communicating withthe Exchange and many other public edifices. This place had beenbarricaded with paving stones, upturned waggons, and other articleswhich came to hand. A large body of the people had forced their wayinto the Arsenal, and obtained a supply of ammunition and severalfield-pieces; these they planted at the entrance of every street andpassage. Another party stormed the city jail, and liberated theprisoners with whom they were crowded. These eagerly took up arms, andassembled in the Mere for its defence.

  A'Dale and I, standing well with the Calvinists, were able to go inamong them; but what we heard gave us great cause for anxiety. A largenumber were sincere and devoted men, excited at that moment to thehighest pitch of religious enthusiasm. There were, however, no smallnumber of ruffians, eager to commit any crime which came in their way.Some proposed pillaging the churches and the houses of the Romanists,the images only having before been destroyed.

  "Let us collect all the wealth which has been so long hoarded up bythese wretched drones!" cried out some; others proposed even sacking thewhole of the city, and setting up a Republic of their own.

  The report of these proposals spread rapidly through the city: nothingcould exceed the terror and alarm of the rest of the inhabitants. Itwas fearful to hear the cries of the women and children, who everymoment expected that the place would be given over to rapine andbloodshed.

  Night was approaching: it was impossible to say what would take placeduring the coming darkness. Meantime the Prince summoned the Board ofAncients, the Deans of Guilds, and the Ward Masters, to consult with himat the Council Room: he had also caused eight companies of Guards, whichhad previously been enrolled, to be mustered on the square in front ofthe City Hall for its protection. It was rapidly arranged, at hissuggestion, that terms should be offered to the insurgents; but who wasto carry the message?

  "I myself will go forth," he said; and listening to no remonstrances, hethrew himself on his horse, and rode down to the Mere. He was allowedto pass by the guns, till he was once more in the centre of the fiercemob. He told them that they must appoint eight deputies to treat withhim and the magistrates at the Town Hall. The deputies were soonchosen, and accompanied him back. Six articles were drawn up, providingthat the keys of the city should remain in his possession; that thewatch should be held by burghers and soldiers together; that themagistrates should permit the entrance of no garrison; and that thecitizens should be entrusted with the care of their own charters. Thedeputies and the City Government at once gave their cordial assent tothese articles. When the deputies returned, their constituents were notvery well pleased with what had been done, declaring that they would notsubmit to be locked up at the mercy of any man, nor would they trust tomercenary troops for guarding their city. The Prince, hearing this,agreed that the burghers, Calvinists, Lutherans, as well as Romanists,should be employed to guard the city.

  These arrangements were not made till dark. A'Dale and I returned home.I may say that not one of the household could be persuaded to go tobed. Master Clough's anxiety was very great, especially on account ofhis wife. A'Dale and I, therefore, willingly undertook to go forthagain and learn the news. As we approached the Mere, where an army ofnot less than 15,000 Calvinists still remained encamped, with gunsloaded, and artillery pointed, we heard cries, "Long live the Beggars!"

  "Down with the Papists!" and similar shouts. We waited for some time:again and again they were repeated, till we felt convinced that theywere about to march forth, and carry out the threats they had previouslyuttered. Thus the night passed away.

  We were not the only people who kept awake. Few, I believe, slept; butthere was one who, with his associates, laboured hard the whole time--that was the Prince of Orange, so we afterwards heard. He was employingevery means he could devise to save the city. He had interviews withthe leaders of various parties; among others, he saw the ministers andnotable members of the Lutheran Churches, and induced them to persuadetheir congregations to take up arms for the preservation of order. Healso engaged the assistance of the chiefs of the various foreignmercantile associations--the English, Italian, Portuguese, and others--and ordered us to remain under arms at our respective factories, readyto act at a moment's warning. The Romanists also were assembled, andurged to unite with all those who wished to support order. As may besupposed, they were eager enough to do so, as certainly they would bethe first to fall, should an outbreak take place.

  There were thus three parties in the city--the Calvinists, theLutherans, and the Romanists. In the two latter were generally foundthe richest people of the community, though they were the leastnumerous. They, therefore, would have suffered the most, had a battlebeen fought in the city. Nothing could have been more horrible thansuch an event--desolation and destruction would have been brought intoevery house. Yet, strange as it may seem, all parties were willing andeager to fight. Fresh articles were drawn up, and approved by those whorepresented the Lutheran and Romanist parties. The Prince resolvedearly in the morning to present them to the Calvinists; attended byHoogstraaten and a committee of the municipal authorities, with a guardof a hundred troopers, he once more rode towards the Mere. It had beenarranged that all who were anxious to preserve order were to wear a redscarf over their armour. Thus distinguished, he and his partyapproached the camp. The Calvinists appeared fierce and threatening asever; but, notwithstanding, he was once more allowed to ride into themiddle of the square. It was a moment of the greatest anxiety. One ofthe magistrates with a loud voice read the articles by the command ofthe Prince. For some time it seemed doubtful whether they would beaccepted. But he in a few words expressed their meaning.

  "And now, my friends," he said, "let me entreat you, by the love youbear your wives and children, by the love you bear your faith, by yourduty to your country and to your Maker, to agree to these terms. If youdo so, repeat the words with which I will conclude my address."

  There was a pause. Then he cried with a loud voice, "God save theKing!"

  Again there was a pause. The Calvinists were swayed by conflictingemotions, but the calmness and gentleness of the Prince overcame allother considerations.

  "_Vive le Roi_!" they shouted; and the cry was taken up throughout theirranks.

  "I thank Heaven that it is so!" he again cried, when silence was oncemore procured. "Now let me entreat you quietly to return to your homes,and show that you bear your fellow-citizens no ill-will for what hasoccurred."


  In a short time, those in charge of the artillery restored them to theArsenal, where all arms which had been taken were replaced. And now thecitizens of all classes were seen addressing each other in friendlyterms--the Calvinists, Lutherans, and even Romanists. The passions ofsome fifty thousand armed men were appeased. The lives of numbers werepreserved, and the beautiful city of Antwerp was saved, by the wisdomand courage of William of Orange.