out, as every sensible person had foretold, that on account of its unwieldy size it was utterly impossible to steer it, and it could hardly be floated by the highest tide. With great difficulty it was worked as far as Ordam, where, deserted by the tide, it went aground, and fell a prey to the enemy.

:

The attack upon the Cowenstein dam was the last attempt which was made to relieve Antwerp. From this time, the courage of the besieged sank, and the magistracy of the town, vainly laboured to inspirit with distant hopes the lower orders, on whom the present distress weighed heaviest. Hitherto the price of bread had been kept down to a tolerable rate, although the quality of it continued to deteriorate; by degrees, however, provisions became so scarce, that a famine was evi dently near at hand. Still hopes were entertained of being able to hold out, at least, until the corn between the town and the farthest batteries, which was already in full ear, could be reaped but before that could be done, the enemy had carried the last outwork, and had appropriated the whole harvest to their use. At last the neighbouring and confederate town of Malines fell into the enemy's hands, and with its fall vanished the only remaining hope of getting supplies from Brabant. As there was, therefore, no longer any means of increasing the stock of provisions, nothing was left but to diminish the consumers. All useless persons, all strangers, nay even the women and children were to be sent away out of the town, but this proposal was too revolting to humanity to be carried into execution. Another plan, that of expelling the Catholic inhabitants, exasperated them so much, that it had almost ended in open mu tiny. And thus St. Aldegonde at last saw himself compelled to yield to the riotous clamours of the populace, and on the 17th of August, 1585, to make overtures tc the Duke of Parma for the surrender of the town.

THE RELIGIOUS

DISTURBANCES IN FRANCE

THAT PRECEDED

THE REIGN OF HENRY IV.

TRANSLATED BY

L. DORA SCHMITZ.

THE DISTURBANCES IN FRANCE

THAT PRECEDED THE

REIGN OF HENRY IV.1

THE reigns of Charles VIII., Louis XII. and Francis I. had introduced a brilliant period in the history of France. The campaigns of these monarchs in Italy had reawakened in the French nobility the heroic spirit which had been almost stifled in them by the despotism of Louis XI. But enthusiastic chivalrous sentiments were again becoming manifest, and were encouraged by an improved system of politics.

În a struggle with their inexperienced neighbours, the French had learned their superiority. The monarchy had become firmly established and the constitution had assumed a more regular form. The defiant spirit of the all-powerful nobles, hitherto so unmanageable, had been brought within bounds by legislature that demanded obedience from all in common. A regulated system of

1 From the collection of Historical Memoires, Part II., vols. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.-Dr. Rob. Boxberger, in his edition of Schiller, from which the present English translation has been made, says that Schiller's chief authority for this treatise was Anquetil's Esprit de la Ligne, and on various occasions quotes corresponding passages from the French author to show how closely Schiller followed his source. Goedeke, says Boxberger, was the first to point out whence Schiller had mainly drawn his material.-TRS.