Francis Guion, the Calvinist, son of a martyred Calvinist, was
in reality Balthazar Gerard, a fanatical Catholic, whose father and
mother were still living at Villefans in Burgundy. Before reaching man's
estate he had formed the design of murdering the Prince of Orange, "who,
so long as he lived, seemed like to remain a rebel against the Catholic
King, and to make every effort to disturb the repose of the Roman
Catholic apostolic religion."
When but twenty years of age he had struck his dagger with all his might
into a door, exclaiming as he did so, "Would that the blow had been in
the heart of Orange!" For this he was rebuked by a bystander, who told
him it was not for him to kill princes, and that it was not desirable to
destroy so good a captain as the Prince, who, after all, might one day
reconcile himself with the King.
The "inveterate deliberation," thus thoroughly matured, Gerard now
proceeded to carry into effect. He came to Delft, obtained a hearing of
Villers, the clergyman and intimate friend of Orange, and was somewhat
against his will sent to France, to Marechal Biron, who, it was thought,
was soon to be appointed governor of Cambray. Through Orange's
recommendation the Burgundian was received into the suite of Noel de
Caron, Seigneur de Schoneval, then setting forth on a special mission to
the Duke of Anjou.
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