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!'"

In 1582, however, the news had gone out that Jaureguy had killed the
Prince at Antwerp, and Gérard felt that his mission was at an end. But
when the Prince recovered, his murderous enthusiasm redoubled, and
he offered himself formally and with matter-of-fact precision to the
Prince of Parma as heaven's minister of vengeance. The Prince, who had
long been seeking such an emissary, at first declined the alliance:
he had become too much the prey of soldiers of fortune who represented
themselves to be expert murders but in whom he could put no trust. In
Motley's words: "Many unsatisfactory assassins had presented themselves
from time to time, and Alexander had paid money in hand to various
individuals--Italians, Spaniards, Lorrainers, Scotchmen, Englishmen,
who had generally spent the sums received without attempting the
job. Others were supposed to be still engaged in the enterprise,
and at that moment there were four persons--each unknown to the
others, and of different nations--in the city of Delft, seeking
to compass the death of William the Silent. Shag-eared, military,
hirsute ruffians, ex-captains of free companies and such marauders,
were daily offering their services; there was no lack of them, and they
had done but little. How should Parma, seeing this obscure, undersized,
thin-bearded, runaway clerk before him, expect pith and energy from
_him_? He thought him quite unfit for an enterprise of moment, and
declared as much to his secret councillors and to the King."

Gérard, however, had supporters, and in time the Prince of Parma came
to take a more favourable view of his qualifications and sincerity,