WILLIAM THE SILENT. 
By Mr. J. S. MACKIE. Sth November, 1904. 
The Lecturer gave an interesting and enlightening review of 
the stirring times of William the Silent in the Netherlands, and 
the struggle for religious liberty in the Sixteenth Century. 
*¢ Silent,” the surname of William, was a misnomer. He was 
neither silent nor taciturn, but affable, cheerful, and the most 
eloquent man of his age. The edicts of Philip against religious 
liberty were received with a howl of execration. The commerce 
of Holland became paralysed, and merchants and artisans left 
the country, carrying their capital and genius to other lands. 
England was an asylum for thousands who laid the foundations 
here of many of the arts and of our textile supremacy. 
In the discussion which followed, the President (Mr. W. L. 
Grant) said the trade of Antwerp was largely transferred to our 
shores, and they could date the commercial supremacy of London 
from that time. One-third of the manufacturers and merchants 
of famous Antwerp of those days, found a refuge on the banks of 
the Thames. 
Mr. J. Kay, J.P., said they were also indebted to the Nether- 
landers for the introduction into England of that useful foot- 
gear of the Lancashire operatives—clogs—which came from the 
Dutch ‘ sabots.”’ 
Mr. Jas. Lancaster commented on the glories of Antwerp, 
which he had visited with pleasure, and on the traces of the 
refugees on our east coast. 
Mr. H. L. Joseland, M.A., eulogised the grand work done by 
William the Silent in breaking the power of Spain, and rendering 
possible the great development of France in the next century. 
Mr. F. J. Grant, J.P., mentioned that to the refugees was 
offered the crypt of Canterbury Cathedral, and there they 
worshipped every Sunday morning. 
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