the Governor-General to execute his prisoner, and he was obliged to
submit to the vexation of seeing a leading rebel and heretic in his
power, whom he dared not strike. Both the distinguished prisoners
eventually regained their liberty.

The Duke was, doubtless, lower sunk in the estimation of all classes than
he had ever been before, during his long and generally successful life.
The reverses sustained by his army, the belief that his master had grown
cold towards him, the certainty that his career in the Netherlands was
closing without a satisfactory result, the natural weariness produced
upon men's minds by the contemplation of so monotonous and unmitigated a
tyranny during so many years, all contributed to diminish his reputation.
He felt himself odious alike to princes and to plebeians. With his
cabinet councillors he had long been upon unsatisfactory terms.
President Tisnacq had died early, in the summer, and Viglius, much
against his will, had been induced, provisionally, to supply his place.
But there was now hardly a pretence of friendship between the learned
Frisian and the Governor. Each cordially detested the other. Alva was
weary of Flemish and Frisian advisers, however subservient, and was
anxious to fill the whole council with Spaniards of the Vargas stamp.
He had forced Viglius once more into office, only that, by a little
delay, he might expel him and every Netherlander at the same moment.
"Till this ancient set of dogmatizers be removed," he wrote to Philip,
"with Viglius, their chief, who teaches them all their lessons, nothing
will go right. 'Tis of no use adding one or two Spaniards to fill
vacancies; that is only pouring a flask of good wine into a hogshead
of vinegar; it changes to vinegar likewise. Your Majesty will soon be
able to reorganize the council at a blow; so that Italians or Spaniards,
as you choose, may entirely govern the country."