Don John of Austria, or Passages from the history of the sixteenth century, MDXLVIIMDLXXVII . CHAPTER VII. AFFAIRS OF THE NETHERLANDS ; FROM THE END OF JULYTO THE MIDDLE OF SEPTEMBER 1577- HE seizure of the citadel ofNamur was not the onlysurprise by which DonJohn of Austria hoped tostrengthen his own hands,and embarrass the policyof his opponents. Nor,indeed, was Namur thestronghold which he wasmost anxious to visit of the Queen ofNavarre gave him a goodexcuse for repairing thither,and perhaps determined him to conduct in person the enterprisewhich had been so easy and successful.
Don John of Austria, or Passages from the history of the sixteenth century, MDXLVIIMDLXXVII . CHAPTER VII. AFFAIRS OF THE NETHERLANDS ; FROM THE END OF JULYTO THE MIDDLE OF SEPTEMBER 1577- HE seizure of the citadel ofNamur was not the onlysurprise by which DonJohn of Austria hoped tostrengthen his own hands,and embarrass the policyof his opponents. Nor,indeed, was Namur thestronghold which he wasmost anxious to visit of the Queen ofNavarre gave him a goodexcuse for repairing thither,and perhaps determined him to conduct in person the enterprisewhich had been so easy and successful. But the fortress ofAntwerp, commanding the commercial capital and the great riverof the Netherlands, was the place which above all others he desired. CHAP. VII. AFFAIRS OF THE NETHERLANDS. 245 to see in the possession of troops firmly attached to the royalcause. The citadel of Antwerp had been entrusted, with the approvalof the Estates, to the command of the Duke of Aerschot. Thisnobleman, although he had used every art to ingratiate himselfwith Don John of Austria, had not succeeded in obtaining hisfull confidence, and probably had not been able to conceal fromthe observation of the Governors spies the fact that he was alsoin frequent communication with the Prince of Orange. PossiblyAerschot might have been bought; but his slender abilities andhis unstable character rendered the purchase unadvisable. DonJohn therefore removed him from Antwerp by requiring hisattendance at Namur to meet the Queen of Navarre, an orderwhich was fulfilled with the greatest alacrity by the Duke, whomMargaret describes as one of the most gallant old courtiers who waited on Philip II. in Flanders and England, and delighted in Courts and attendance on the
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