PkOM THE SPAKiSH MONARCHY. 



21 1 



The firft feeds of it were fown in the Netherlands by 

 v the proteftant traders who reforted to Antwerp and 

 Amflerdam. The german and fwifs troops, brought 

 into thefe parts by Charles, and the great concourfe of 

 trench, german, and englifh fugitives, who here fought 

 a refuge, from the fword of perfecution that was drawn 

 againft them at home, in the liberties of Flanders-, ad- 

 vanced its propagation. In an unmixed and fecluded 

 nation, it might be ftifled in its birth — the confluence 

 of people from fo many and fuch diverfe nations in the 

 marts of Holland and Brabant, would fcreen its firft 

 rife from the eyes of the government, and give it time 

 to gain ftrength under the covert of concealment. A 

 difference in opinion could eafily be allowed room 

 where there was no common national character, no 

 famenefs of manners and laws. In fine, in a country 

 where diligence is the mo ft reputable virtue, and beg- 

 gary the moft detefted vice, an order of fluggards, I 

 mean the monks, muft have long been ofTenfive. The \ 

 new religion, which zealoufly ftrove againfi it, found 

 infinite advantage in having the opinion of the nation 

 already on its lide. Fugitive writings, full of the 

 keeneft invective and the bitterefl fatire, to which the 

 newly invented art of printing gave a quicker circula- 

 tion, and the Rederykers, as they were called, or 

 troops of vagrant orators, who, in theatrical reprefen- 

 tations or ballads, ridiculed the abufes of the times, 

 contributed not a little to leffen the refpect that was 

 paid to the romifh church, and to prepare the minds 

 of the people for a favourable reception of the doctrines; , 

 of the reformation. 



p % Theit 



