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Show 38 39) {offered the open breach of their charters, and the people fubmitted to the molt humiliatinginfracrron of their liberties ; while Alva, being lD‘.‘CllCCl With the government, erected the court of twelve, cal- led t/Je council qf blood, and caufed great numbers to be condemmd and executed on account of the infurrec'lions. Univerlal complaints infued on this dilute of the ordinary courts oflaw and the introduc.. tion of the army: but complaints were 1n vain, and all murmurs defpifed. The people became en- raged ; but without a leader, they were ov er-awed. " The army ( fays Sir William Temple ) was fierce and brave, and deflrom of not/Jim to much ma r:(ml/ion of the country." All was feizure and procefs, down befixe ii, fill it 50 divided info a'g'fli'rmzf channel} by arts, or by chance; or till the fprings, which are the humonrs that fed it, come to be fpent, or dry up of themfelves." * During feveral centuries, hiftory informs us, that no monarch in Europe was either {0 bold, or f0 powerful as to venture on any fieps towards .the introduction of regular troops. At lall, Charles the 7th of France, feiz-ing afavoura- ble opportunity in 1445, executed that which his predeceffors durlt not attempt, and efiablilhed the firft {landing army known in Europe. Lewis the 11th, fon, and fuccelfor of Charles, finding him- confilcation and imprifonment, blood and horror, felf at the head of his father's forces, was natu- infolence and dejection, punifhmcnts executed and meditated revengeBut though the multitude threat- rally excited to extend the limits of his ancellors, in the levies of money and men. Charles had not been able to raife upon his l‘ubjefts two milli- ned vengeance, the threats ofa broken and un- ons, but the army he left his fucceflbr enabled armed people excited. contempt and not fear. Alva redoubled his impolitions and ravages, 1223.: edic‘ls were pub/i/lycd for rafflng monies wiflmm‘ {be [072fent of the flate, and 1.71.:fo/diers were cal/ed to levy the exafiiom by farm-But the event fhewcd, that the timidity and tamenefs of mankind, like every thing human, will have a period. The patience " continual pay a ierrz'b/e band of men of arms, of the miferable iiiflei'ers came to an end 3 and thofe " which gave the realm (fays the Hiltorian Phil- commotions began which deluged great part of Europe with blood, and finally freed THE UNITED PROVINCES from the yoke of Spain and the inquifidon-What conflicts too {harp-what horrors too. dreadful to endure for fuch a happy deliverance" fuch a glorious ifli'ic? l‘hus" the firlt period of the low-country troubles (fays the fame ingenious writer) proved to King Philip (of Spain) a dear experirme, how little the boldelt armies and belt conduct are able to withitand the torrent of ‘1 flubborn and enraged people, whiz/J ever 19mm all dcu‘n him to levy near five, The father eltablilhed an army of about leventeen hundred, which " he kept " in good order and placed for the defence of the "‘ realm" ; but this army, though thus difciplined and fiationed, enabled the fon to maintain "in " lip de Commines )a cruel wound of which it bled many years." 4, lIow regular, correfpondent and uniform are the rife and progreflion of military calamities in all ages .' How replete with infiruclion--how full of admonition are the memorialsof difiant times-efpecially when contracted into the View, and held up in comparifbfl With the prefent. . Charles * See Temple's obf. upon the united Provincefi Pr 1;. Ii:- {7' '9' 1" Sixth Book of the Lesion Edit. 1614,. Hift. of 1'12: 1); Lomanins p. 2:"): |