32._
Motley, in his "Rise of the Dutch Republic" (part 3, chap. 2), tells how
Philip II of Spain--who declared that he would "never consent to be the
sovereign of heretics"--sent the Duke of Alva to take over the
Netherlands:
"Early in the year the most sublime sentence of death was
promulgated which has ever been pronounced since the creation
of the world. The Roman tyrant [Nero] wished that his enemies'
heads were all upon a single neck, that he might strike them
off at a blow; the Inquisition assisted Philip to place the
heads of all his Netherlands subjects upon a single neck for
the same fell purpose. Upon February 16, 1568, a sentence of
the Holy Office condemned all the inhabitants of the
Netherlands to death as heretics. From this universal doom only
a few persons, especially named, were excepted. A proclamation
of the king, dated ten days later, confirmed this decree of the
Inquisition, and ordered it to be carried into instant
execution, without regard to age, sex, or condition. This is
probably the most concise death warrant that was ever framed.
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