Alva, Weyler's Predecessor

Crossing the Flemish borders, Alva aid siege to all the chief towns, and very triumph he gained was sullied by :he most vindictive cruelty. In capitaating the garrisons were shown no mery, and "every atrooity which greed of apine, wantonness of lust and bloodhirsty love of slaughter could devise was perpetrated by nis express direciou. ' ' In spite of these horrors the war f liberation amongthe Dutch went on, nd the beacon flres of freedom were verywhere lighted. Unfortunately at the time Queen Elizbeth of England had re-established tiendly relations with Spain, and the "rading merchants and hardy marinera of the Netherlauds were excluded from he kingdom. These "beggars of the ea," as they styled themselves, driven )ack by necessity upon their own counry, sought to establish a base for their atriotic operations and feil upon the Spanish garrisons in the Dutch seaports of Brill and Flushing, and, expelling hem, raised the banner of their Orange Leliverer. Alva was in time sacceeded by his on, Don Frederio, but affairs took no )righter hue for the Dutch. Towns were aken by assault, and in spite of Spansh promises to spare life and property Alva could boastfully write to King Philip that they had cut the throats of he burghers and all the garrison (of baarden) and had not left a mother's on alive. -