Don John of Austria, or Passages from the history of the sixteenth century, MDXLVIIMDLXXVII . John.But the tremendous odds which wereformerly on the side of Spain hadnow disappeared. Instead of an armyof mercenaries raised mainly by theresources of a single family and a few towns, the liberties of theNetherlands were now defended by a large national force. Atthe head of this force appeared an Archduke of Austria—apuppet, it is true, but a puppet with a great name at home andabroad ; and around Orange, the real chief, had now rallied thebest blood of the country. The cause of liberty was in the

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Don John of Austria, or Passages from the history of the sixteenth century, MDXLVIIMDLXXVII . John.But the tremendous odds which wereformerly on the side of Spain hadnow disappeared. Instead of an armyof mercenaries raised mainly by theresources of a single family and a few towns, the liberties of theNetherlands were now defended by a large national force. Atthe head of this force appeared an Archduke of Austria—apuppet, it is true, but a puppet with a great name at home andabroad ; and around Orange, the real chief, had now rallied thebest blood of the country. The cause of liberty was in theascendant. In spite of the victories of Alba and Requesens, theroyal cause had every year lost ground ; and the recall of thesoldiers who had gained these victories had been at last wrestedfrom the King. The Netherlanders were going to fight the battleover again, but at a time and on ground chosen by themselves. Fair as were the prospects of the Estates, they would havebeen still fairer had it been possible for them to commenceactive warlike operations some months before. When Don John. CHAP. IX. AFFAIRS OF THE NETHERLANDS. 285 retired from Namur to Luxemburg there were no more than fourthousand troops who would obey his orders in the Netherlands.These were the three German regiments, a small body of Walloons, and a still smaller band of Spaniards who had returned to hisstandard from France. But the Germans were shut up in Bergen-op-Zoom and Breda, which places they eventually surrendered tothe forces of Orange ; and the handful of Walloons and Spaniardswas, in truth, the only force on whose spirit Don John could rely, and whose services he could actually command. Orange and theEstates had in different parts of the country at this time troopsamounting to about fifteen thousand men. Had the Governortherefore been followed and closely pressed at that critical juncturehe might have been compelled to surrender himself a prisoner, orhe might at least have been blockaded at Luxemburg