[2] It was not without cause that the Prince of Orange suddenly
disappeared from Brussels in order to be present at the election
of a king of Rome in Frankfort. An assembly of so many German
princes must have greatly favored a negotiation.
If ever a political crisis was favorable to an attempt at revolution, it
was the present: a woman at the helm of government; the governors of
provinces disaffected themselves, and disposed to wink at
insubordination in others; most of the state counsellors quite
inefficient; no army to fall back upon; the few troops there were, long
since discontented on account of the outstanding arrears of pay, and
already too often deceived by false promises to be enticed by new;
commanded, moreover, by officers who despised the Inquisition from their
hearts, and would have blushed to draw a sword in its behalf; and
lastly, no money in the treasury to enlist new troops or to hire
foreigners. The court at Brussels, as well as the three councils, not
only divided by internal dissensions, but in the highest degree venal
and corrupt; the Regent without full powers to act on the spot, and the
King at a distance; his adherents in the provinces few, uncertain, and
dispirited; the faction numerous and powerful; two-thirds of the people
irritated against popery and desirous of a change--such was the
unfortunate weakness of the Government, and the more unfortunate still
that this weakness was so well known to its enemies!
In order to unite so many minds in the prosecution of a common object, a
leader was still wanting, and a few influential names, to give political
weight to their enterprise.
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