101 Millennial Esquire values a Century Marquis
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103 Dutch Potter ‘s
104 In Bergen-Op-Zoom, between Rotterdam and Antwerp, in the year 1100, Cornelis de Pottere was an esquire with Knight Godfrey of Bouillon, lord of Lorraine, future King. His son Geraert was an esquire with King Charles The Rash, marquis of Antwerp. Not much later, their nephew Roelant, Jacob’s son, studied in Bruges and was Prelate of Zeeland. Zeeland and Breda: In 1600, Henricus, son of above Roelandt, was admiral of a Dutch-Scottish fleet protecting trade in Zeeland and had a big house in Noord Gouwe. Amsterdam: Cousin Abraham, important textile trader, is a descendant of the relatives from Renaix who escaped the bloody duke of Alba, catholic inquisitor. He is portrayed here by the famous Carl Fabritius with Helena and children.
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107 Roeland de Potter
108 Born in Bruges in 1602, cousin Roeland was a missionary in Holland who came to Delft to serve the congregation in 1621. He was always willing to assist the sick in their disease, baptize children, and bless marriages. He could stop people from committing sins, help them to get back on the right path and help virtue take root. That was his personal appeal and mission on earth in Holland. He was so active that he did as much on his own as was normally done by six priests. His missionary congregation proposed him as Saint to the Pope! He took care of families in Gravezande, Wateringen, Rijswijk, Voorburg, Delft, Leidschendam, Zoetermeer, Akkersdijk, Papsou, DenHoorn and many surroundings of The Hague. At a point in time, Roeland and his Society were even threatened with a huge fine of six hundred guilders for their work… He often had to keep himself hidden, so that some people could not speak to him for several weeks. It was then so risky for the fathers that he did not dare to go out during the day. When he had to visit the sick, he put on a dark skipper's jersey; so he went unseen in the dark of the night to help people and remain unknown. Roeland was going into the cities to help people at their home and at night, always from one house to another. Once with Agata Sandelin,
109 then with Jan De Passer, or with Trijntje Willems, Sasbout van der Dussen or Willem Aeriens. He was once chased by the Bailiff while he was disguised with a cloth merchant. It remained unknown how he could get away. I was told that he laid a piece of cloth over his shoulders with a red apron from a dry-shovel servant, and passed the guard of the Beguinage with the help of Neeltje Jacobs, the sister of Father Duyst. He also managed to escape disguised like a woman! During official celebrations, it was always risky to help people. Roeland was also hiding with Mr. Dassegny. Aafje van der Velde's parents also helped him in trouble. He often preached at night and early in the morning. In a difficult period, on an Ash Wednesday, he gave the holy ashes for a hundred people who came and quickly went away. I don’t know how many sick people, suffering from the terrible “black disease”, he helped but is was enormous. Roeland suffered as well but always treated them kindly. He was not allowed to baptize, not to marry or to administer the Holy Oliesel, but he did it. It all happened well because of his modesty and the fact that he showed himself the least possible. He even replaced other priests while their hoirs had the plague! In Voorburg, for example, a whole family died of 'the disease': 7 people. In another house an old woman died of 'the black disease': she had been abandoned by all her friends. A mass by Roeland was held at Wateringen for example. Many people gathered, both at the butter farmer, and at the honey farmer. Those were tragic times, but Roeland was never caught by a Bailiff nor the sickness. In the Rietveld, during the great illness period, a man and a woman received Roeland’s confession at night, just in time. The next morning they were both dead.
110 In the Doelenstraat he helped three people during the great illness. There were already two deaths in the house. The three others were also dead the next morning. The father stayed in a house for more than an hour, where the illness was raging. In the guest house 'In the Armed Swan', two officials confiscated possessions and fulfilled their duties. Other persons were sick of the “Spanish smallpox”. Roeland stayed with them. There was no cure for those people who had contracted that disease through no fault of their own. In the Kloksteeg a family was assisted at night; also in the Giststeeg and also in the Poppesteeg. A woman of eighty years in the Begijnesteeg, who had not confessed for 60 years, was helped at night by Roeland. Another old man was helped to fulfill his ecclesiastical obligations. They had asked for a priest at the Begijnhof, but they refused to come. It was too risky. Roeland was in Zoetermeer with Joost Scheepmaker, and kept a church there during the risky time. An attorney had come to live in the region and had not noticed that the disease was there. The priest stood by him unconcernedly when he became ill. The man died a day or two after that. A daughter of that prosecutor became ill three days later. The priest helped the whole family; they all had the plague; he was there for two or three hours, with danger for his own life.
111 It was hard, when back to Delft in the winter, staying one and a half hours outside the city, straight against the wind with heavy snow. Roeland said: "You are not in need. Those snowflakes are not stones; the snow melts, "the priest said. "The stones stuck harder!" Roeland was as cheerful as a perfect man. Always positive and fighting. The following year, in Voorburg, It was again cold and risky. He held a mass there with the blind widow of Jasper Jacobs. That night he had eighty communions. He then held another mass at the same time with three hundred people; over a hundred communions, and all that with bread baskets for the poor people! The next morning, he had to leave again and bring the corporal with the consecrated hosts to Mr. Stalpaert. He held the next mass south of The Hague. When Roeland was there, they did not want him to perform pastoral duties. That is why he had to bring the corporal with the holy, blessed sacrament to pastor Stalpaert. And the priest said: "Shall we continue to listen to the sermon?" Roeland proposed to do “as people wanted" but himself was never in doubt whether he would leave or stay. The tax people from The Hague were often there and the meeting was then caught, and all the names were written down. Mr. Stalpaert was put in farmer's clothes between the farmers so that he would not be recognized. Roeland had foreseen all these things and could have all people escape and be protected from all sorts of disasters. In the middle of the winter a big meeting was held at night, with about five hundred people, and certainly more than a hundred confessions. It lasted until four o'clock at night, but around three o'clock Roeland left. It was so dark that he did not know where he was, he had no light at the Leidse Dam. He was in danger of drowning. He had no fear to run such dangers for his folks.
112 Again, in the middle of the winter, Roeland went to Rhoon to talk about a few works of art. It was about some ornaments that would be made for the church. It was bad weather at night: During the day it had snowed and frozen, and in the afternoon it had thawed. When Roeland left, it was so bad that he did not know how to get over the Maas in Schiedam. It became so dark that he was in danger of having an accident before we had reached the bridge. Once in Schiedam, he did not know how to get to Overschie in darkness. It had frozen again that night. Roeland hired a barge to Overschie. Between Schiedam and Overschie the barge creaked through the ice, it seemed as if it would run to the ground. When he arrived in Overschie, he was wet and stiff with cold; this is how he waited for the last barge of Rotterdam. That's how he arrived in Delft at nine o'clock in the evening. These conditions and dangers were his everyday life…! In the middle of the winter, Roeland was taken to a sick person in the country of Den Briel, endangering his own life. The Brielse Gat was frozen and he did not know if the ice would hold. But the venerable man went there alone across it to his folks.
113 During the great mortal plague, Roeland stayed with Miss Anna Sandelin. The lady noticed how much Roeland’s support helped the ill persons. She was so angry about her situation but "Father Roeland was coming” and they were not so scared of the illness anymore. Roeland was with so many sick people. I have no idea how many, there were so many! And when he came home from helping the sick at night, my wife took a bucket of water. We put it in the middle of the room. In the morning there was a thick ice membrane on the bucket of water. In the houses where he came, there was always a fire. Then he held his cloak before it. That is very good against the disease. And the lord saved him. Roeland was equally cordial and willing for all the sick across the years. He had a catalog of all the streets of the whole city. He was equally concerned for maids and servants or rich persons. He was so worried to help the people that I cannot describe it with a pen! He never asked: "Who is it?" He went straight to the child, when he knew in which house he was, for him to be baptized. If someone asked for Roeland ‘s proposed spiritual things that affected the souls, Roeland said all the things that suffering person needed to know without delay. Father Makeblijde organized the school for Maria Bartolomeus. She was a good sister, along with another sister named Anna Jans. Because Anna was less appreciated than Maria, Father Makeblijde put the school in the name of Anna Jans, in case the Sheriff or the Magistrates would do something against the school, at unfavorable moments. Roeland then became a guardian of the school. He and Marie worked conscientiously. They did everything for the school with accuracy.
114 When the times were evil and dangerous, Roeland would still hold a mass on the Begijnhof in the evening, with Neeltje Jacobs Duyst. It was already dark. I would be on the lookout to see if there was no danger. He would start the sermon when the Bailiff's officer came to ask if missionaries had a meeting somewhere in the Begijnhof. I said, "Young man, you are wrong. Where is that meeting supposed to be?" The officers of the Bailiff then came back with four large dogs, and believed they could then catch Roeland. But the birds were our friends and the priests themselves were on good terms with the sheriff. That is how he passed through difficult times. Although his mother lived at the Begijnhof, he did not dare to stay with her. He went to help Grietgen Huijbrechts. He assisted her in illness and made her comply with ecclesiastical obligations. There was a wanderer in the yard who heard Father Roeland address her warmly and with comforting words, as you do to a sick person. In those evil times, Roeland once held mass at Arien Flooren in Voorburg at night behind the village. There was a great meeting. But the dogs barked so loudly that Father feared that the barking would be heard in the village. Father called me to him and asked: "Let the householder put those dogs somewhere they would not attract the Bailiff’s police”. During Easter, he held a mass in Voorburg with Job Jacobs. And the agents of the chief came to look for Easter eggs. And they feared that they actually came to do an invasion. Roeland did not know where to hide, there was so much commotion around the house. But the agents disappeared when they had the Easter eggs. They were hungry too! Roeland held a meeting at night in Voorburg, at Jan Leeuwen’s church. There was such a big storm with heavy rain and wind that
115 evening that it seemed like winter. No weather to go there. De Pottere had to do the work in those evil times, bring all things along: chalice, ampoules, mass bread, wax candles, candlesticks, even the wine for the sacred service we had to bring with us. That was how concerned he was. On and on, he visited the Gasthuis hospital and the old people's homes. Disguised, he visited sick persons at home and organized secret public masses. When Roeland left Delft, he said to me: "Here you have two bags of money. All in all, twelve hundred guilders; six hundred in each bag. "One bag I brought to Mr. D. in the Begijnhof, and the other bag of six hundred guilders I brought to Mr. W. at the Begijnhof. There you can see if the father has exercised charity. Such a person was Roeland de Pottere. All of that was so risky and Roeland had to find ways to achieve his mission. He would take a pump on his shoulders and discretely enter the Gasthuis; then he spoke to the sick person as if he were a pumpmaker, and as if the sick person was his friend. And so he had the sick person meet his ecclesiastical obligations in the Hospital !
116 At other times, he would carry a sheet of skin, as a paint shearer who makes a sheet! In this way he has allowed sick people to fulfill their ecclesiastical obligations, and assisted them in their distress. Roeland has been so concerned and responsible that, to his knowledge, no human being should ever die without spiritual help. For example, he has repeatedly put himself at risk and assisted the entire poor and ill inhabitants of the whole city of Delft. They sometimes thought he had the plague too… But the ill missionary did not die; he recovered from his cold again. He even had a sick person meet his church obligations inside a Mayor's home, not the best friend of the missionaries. The Mayor warmly opened his house to him. The sick person was a servant of the Mayor and lay in the back of the garden. I was also visiting the sick person, upon the orders of Roeland. Father has done all such things in Delft. He never allowed himself to be misled, but, on the contrary, always tried his best not to let anyone die without help. When the French had committed their crimes of murder in Tienen, and plundered the people of the prince, fugitives were cut off from their retreat. They could not return to France as they intended. Many French who lost themselves came to Holland on foot or on horseback to beg. There were sick soldiers everywhere; among them were many Catholic French. In the inn at the Haagpoort, Father asked if they wanted to confess. The Frenchmen who were sick, said yes. Roeland went straight there. Reportedly they had an army disease. Paternally, Roeland helped them completely, had them fulfill their ecclesiastical obligations, gave them the Holy Oilsel and assisted them very kindly. Father confessed the Frenchmen because of what they
117 had done to the Holy Church. I heard that they said to Father in French, "But, sir, we did not know at all the things that we were going to do to the Church." Left alone by their “monkey war” generals, French soldiers invading the Spanish Netherlands, visited Roeland de Potter. They were sick on their horses…! Some of them were even attached onto the poor animals. Others had died on the way, carrying sicknesses to Holland and Brabant. They would never have reached Rotterdam, if Roeland had not been charitable to them…! Roeland always wanted to administer the sacraments in time. He did not make a distinction between soldier or peasant, rich or poor. Only kids came first served. He was always concerned about whether someone was ill, or whether a child should be baptized or if he could have someone fulfill his church duties. Even though those people were uninterested, he walked there, without first having to be called. Towards the end, Roeland had a serious illness, when the big plague was over. He was sick with Agata Sandelingh near him. I took care of
118 him fourteen days and nights. Thank God he recovered from that illness. Once he was healed, Roeland went to work again day and night, sometimes by giving catechesis and then teaching the youth again. In Voorburg, he almost went from door to door to teach the children, and the adults there. Such a pure soul has been this father. But for all those virtues he was very well seen among the people. He was equally friendly to all, whether they came to confess to him or go to another priest, he was always friendly. He was also wise and cautious, in all his behavior, and practical in respecting the household companions. He loved each one equally. That was right in heart. He tried not to interfere or quarrel with anyone. He went against rich people as hard as against poor, when they had done something wrong. He never left anyone without help. Roeland then became seriously ill again. After all this enormous work, he had caught a major illness at the home of Mr. Van der Velde. The doctors had already given him up. Roelandt de Pottere, pure heart, medicine man, silently passed away in Delft on April 13, 1675. Until today, no-one described his virtues like life companion did here, in a diary held by priest Paul Begheyn and priest A. van den Akker. He was forgotten for always, except by you today!
119 Agreement dated 1563 between the Spanish King’s representative, prince Willem of Orange Nassau and the Zeeland authority represented by Roelandt de Pottere(father). In 1620, cousin Dominique de Pottre was buried in the cathedral of Breda, he had been an advisor-treasurer of... the prince Philippe of Orange. The middle coat of arms, with the 10 stones from an allied family (van der Steene) is also found in the same period in the steering committee of the Hospital de Potterye in Bruges, built with ancient support of the bishop of Tournai-Liège who had dispatched Créstien de Potterie there when the ancient hospital started.
120 Amsterdam: Poetry writer Dirc left Courtrai to The Hague. Writer Pierre and his son Paulus (de) Potter (Museum for Fine Arts). His father was made noble man for his work for the family of Orange. Paul died at 26 but produced over 100 paintings of landscapes! “Huis de Pottere”, Noord-Gouwe, Zeeland. The family archives of this branch mention Renaix as origin. Part of this branch, which was managing a division of the big Oost India Company, moved to the Northern harbours in Germany where they we active in the import of table dishes. “Castle de Pottere”, Middelbourg, Zeeland.
121 Potter’s castle and coat of arms, 1748, Zeeland. Potter van der Loo (unlisted linked to Brussels branch of Jan)
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123 Jan de Potter
124 As indicated in the origins of the family in Renaix, the brave Liévin de Pottere was assassinated by the blood-thirsty Duke of Alba around 1520, because of his personal beliefs. He was a protestant. Only a few lines were written in the “Chronicle of Flanders” (Royal Archives of Bruges, 1878), in the context of the killing, by the Church’s Inquisitor, of MM. van Coppenolle, t’Sersanders, Egmont, Hoorn and other protesting personalities. Here are details, with the help of the well-known “Daily Diary Logbook” of cousin Jan de Potter, Brussels city representative. The analysis will be pursued in the chapter about Louis de Potter, author of “The History of the Church” offered to Stendhal, that “Louis’ family was the victim of the terrible persecutions of the horrible Vatican Church inquisitor, the Duke of Alba”. Jan’s father, Antoine de Potter was found by: the Leuven expert, Jacques de Potter, Eric Devos, Antoine Maes and Oscar Delghust. He is “the cousin of Liévin de Potter who left Renaix at the times of persecutions”.
125 Antoine de Potter, head of Brussels guild with his medals, caldron pots casts chiseling of the Nations (Ommegang crafts), with his coat of arms engraved on the pot (right). Artwork of Antoine de Potter, father of Jan, exhibited in the Castle of Laarne (Ghent), son of Jan, Gerard, had a daughter who married Gerard d’Udekem
126 Fernand de Potter, and his French partner Françoise de Casaubon, committed a research made by the Leuven expert. With our guidance, while seeking after the famous chronicle writer Jan de Potter, he found evidence of the complete match with the “blue lineage” up to Jan de Potter, and even before (“Who is Who in the Late Middle-Ages”, Royal Archives). Also, in his Diary of 1550-1575, Jan de Potter designates Anthonis as his father, who was, like cousin Liévin in Renaix, victim of the persecutions by the awful Duke of Alba, inquisitor of the church. Although we have no register’s reference, based on this accurate testimony, with now three entries, we consider Jan’s father as the great silverware manufacturer in Brussels, who originated in Renaix. His branch occupied elected positions in Brabant and carried the three pots (caldrons) before switching to the crescent and stars. We found that his brother Philippe had inherited a brewery in Antwerp before 1567 and his cousin Mathew had acquired a soap factory, also in Antwerp, in 1598, while another cousin Peter Antoine was member of the Council of Malines in 1620. As stated in the “Who was Who in Brussels in the 14th Century”, Jan’s family was at the head of the “Arts and Crafts guild” of Brussels. Their metal work profession entitled them, and the whole family today, to be included in the “Ommegang Silversmiths Guild” and in the “Brussels City Nations”. The detailed genealogy of this new family line is available at the Royal Archives in Brussels, as well as in the online list of marriages de Potter (1400-1600) of the Royal Genealogy Heraldic Office.
127 Ancient Families of Brussels, Brussels City Archives Façade of the Brussels City Hall
128 Yet another alliance UDEKEM X POTTER
129 DIARY OF JAN DE POTTER 1550-1620 Chronicle writer, Jan de Potter (pen name “Pottre”) seems to represent a real patriot of the ancient times in our cities. People had respect for any citizen keeping such day-to-day records. Jan was a good Catholic but admired the novelties proposed by the Reformation, contradicting both Kings Philips II and William the Silent. He was born in Brussels in 1525 as son of Anthonius de Potter and Margaretha van Assche. He became a wealthy citizen who worked in the urban administration of the city. He was a man with limited acquaintances, simple but of a righteous and virtuous nature. His parents were merchants and shortly after the death of his father in 1549 Jan took the same role as him in the City Council. He did this until 1557 and then moved into a house on the Cheese Market. On 30.11.1549 he married Magdalena Trijsens, of whom he had 5 children. The eldest son, Henneke, later became a priest, called Jan as well. Another son Pauwel (1552) studied law in Leuven. Jan (father) had 2 sisters: 1. Lijsken (she married 4 days before Jan married Magdalena) on 26.11.1549 and 2. Margaretha, who was nun in the monastery of Jericho in Brussels and who died there in 1553. In 1558 Jan became “charitable man of the poor” in the St. Nicholas Church near the Grand ‘Place of Brussels, and stayed in the ministry for 2 years. In 1564 he was a merchant again and we now find him in the Mercers craftsmen guild. In 1570, he sold his house to escape persecutions and excessive demands of the soldiers who were staying with him and robbed and tormented him in every way. He then moved to the guild of charcoal masters, who, as a Canon of St. Goedele, was probably free of such lodgings. He stayed with them for over a year. On 26.06.1576 Jan then became counselor of the City of Brussels.
130 When the Calvinists became leaders of the State around 1580, all Roman religious exercises were forbidden. The mass was secretly read at the home of the Potter on the Cheese Market, which exposed Jan's family to the greatest dangers… Jan de Potter was one of those who saw the fatherland on the edge of the abyss, when they signed the request of reconciliation with King Philip against Calvinists. As a result, he was badly hit by the new taxes, as the new government in Brussels alleviated them to punish us for the loyalty.
131 In 1555, king Philip took the oath of Brabant and the emperor, his father, gave him the power. It had been a wet summer, so people did not get wood from the forests and the prices were high. Everything was very expensive, butter costed 2 schillings per pound and eggs 40 sch. and the wheat 22 sch. because there was another war going on with the French. In 1556 everything was even more expensive. On 10.09, Jan’s son, Peter, was born. May 1557, wheat and corn increased and made the bread very expensive. Jan de Potter on the façade of the Brussels City Hall In 1557 the city of Saint Quintens was forcefully conquered and the Admiral of Sea, was captured. On 18.09.1557 Jan’s brother, Philips, died, he was about 12 years old. In 1558 Jan bought the house at the cheese market and his son Anthonius was born on 05.12.1558. In that year, many great princes and princesses died, such as the Emperor and his 2 sisters, the Queen of France, the King of England,
132 the wife of our King Philip, the King of Portugal and the wife Marie, governess and sister of the emperor. In 1559 peace was proclaimed and we got back all the cities that we had lost and the French had their own cities again. And our king married the daughter of the French king who died as a result of a jousting! On 11.08.1559 my father-in-law, master Jan Trijsens died. The king traveled to Spain and made his bastard sister, Duchess of Parma, Govern the country. In 1559, Jan was named Caretaker in St. Claes church with Bouwens. I then joined the Kramers Crafts Guild. In 1560 Jan renewed his laundry house and his son Henneken, laid the 1st stone. They made a living room, kitchen and room upstairs and Pauwels, my other son then also laid the 1st stone. The wash house and the stool, kitchen and the iron loam at the dining room cost all together 6c 11 gld. In that year, they worked at the foundation of the new city hall of Antwerp. In 1561 the first ships arrived, those of Antwerp and Zierikzee and Alkmaar and Vilvoorde. In 1562 the Emperor of Rome was crowned. His parent Don Fernandus was established in Frankfurt and his son Maximilian, was crowned King of Rome. In the year 1564 there was a very large cold and frost for 18 days. It started eight days before Christmas and it was said that in 50 years it had never been so cold. There was a lot of snow. Occasionally a slight thaw, but it continued for 9 weeks. There were no more ships to sail. After 1581, the citizen did not hear much from Jan. He died 09.10.1601, aged 76 years… The manuscript of the Potter's diary rests in the Royal Library in Brussels, in the collections of the Manuscripts, numbered 15885. Anthonius his 3rd son, continued the diary until 03.08.1602.
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144 Sorry for so much text in ancient Dutch but we translated it and discovered that it’s the instrument to unite our families!
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146 This Diary of Jan de Potter was quite an act of bravery because the States General and the Archduke were powerless while citizens were starving again... Flanders and Brabant did not take side between the Catholic alliance of the South and the Calvinist alliance of the North. Also, uncle Liévin de Potter plus the counts of Egmont and Horne got their head cut off in 1568 and fear was still present everywhere in the region.
147 Almost all narrative sources, both Protestant and Catholic, show the animosity of the artisans (metal engravers such as Jan’s father) and the common people against the alderman oligarchies. The aversion to the ordinary man against the magisterial group is a tradition deeply rooted since King Charles The Fifth. Reporter Jan de Potter could not forgive the aldermen such rude a conduct towards citizens in Brussels. Here are more extracts of his diary: “Political indecision culminated at the beginning of 1570 when the States-General exhorted Utrecht about the great difficulties that arose for the "common homeland", from the fact that these local authorities no longer sent any delegates to the meeting in Antwerp.” Almost all remonstrance of states and cities demand measures against the crimes of the Spanish soldiers. Jan de Potter said that the thefts and the bullying by the Spanish soldiers stationed with him in Brussels were legion. There is no doubt that, under Alva, the immense aversion to the presence of the Spanish troops (the army of the “legal prince”!) caused a “widespread awareness”. Citizens felt more and more became like a form of foreign domination in their free countries. Jan de Potter depicts the aldermen and their daughters, who celebrated with Spaniards in February 1572 in Brussels, as a kind of "collaborators of the enemy"... Protestantism had taken away the power of the States everywhere, handing it over to the people's government of the cities. Brussels and Antwerp adapted to Ghent's example.
148 In Brussels, where the patriots have been so powerful since 1575, the majority of the population remains Catholic. To avoid being exposed to such a danger, five squadrons of Scots were recruited by the bourgeoisie and a Military Council was set up, which, with the help of the soldiers, seized the government of the congregation and began to prosecute the Catholics... Citizen had to comply and be “pleased” with the military and demagogic system that, contrary to the old privileges, now reserves all ministries to the Calvinists. The number of Protestants and Catholics was almost balanced in Brussels, but city leaders, as convinced Orangists, did not want the city to reconcile with the king, despite the wish of the Calvinists... As early as June 1579, the priests on the street no longer dared to circulate, no longer accompany the funerals, etc. The “religious peace” was replaced by the exclusive practice of the radical Reformation... At that time, everywhere in the houses, in town and on the farms in the countryside, people began to celebrate masses, sometimes preaching sermons at home. The whole day long, the bells were sounding loud, as a custom. People were astonished that the Duke of Alba did forbid to celebrate masses, at home… Forbidden to practice the last sacraments at home for a dying person!? For the Spanish Catholics, under the Duke of Alba, imagine all the changes that people had to face... For example, instead of celebrating Christmas Day on the 25th of December according to ancient custom, the Duke forced Christmas to be celebrated on the 15th of December. In case of refusal it was
149 very seriously sanctioned by the Court of Justice of Brabant. These changes were applied suddenly everywhere by the Duke of Alba. Any unhappy person was told that these changes were imposed by Rome. All these were published, just one day before, while it took at least seven days for people to prepare Christmas celebration (e.g. brewing Christmas beer, cleaning the premises, etc.). On June 23, the city of Harlem fell into the hands of the troops of Don Frederico, son of the Duke of Alva, after an 8-month siege. His men killed all foreign soldiers, as they did with many prominent “bourgeois”, plus French and English soldiers who came to fight in Brussels and Malines. Some bourgeois, faithful to the Prince of Orange got their head cut off, or, were thrown alive into the water with tied hands and feet, despite having surrendered for lack of food. The city of Haarlem having fallen, the Spanish troops of the Duke of Alba forced inhabitants to pay ransoms and reveal the names faithful of the Prince of Orange, who gave shelter to rebels. The duke therefore decided to celebrate his victory noisily. Incidentally, even by triumph, he removed his Italian and Spanish officers from the procession that accompanied him through the city, to be followed only by the conciliatory nobility, the Chimay's, the Egmond's, the Aremberg's, the Mansfeld's, etc.! The maritime city of Flessinghes-Vlissingen, which became Calvinistic, close to the Scheldt, was soon decorated with triumphal arches, colored columns, banners and emblems! How can we understand and accept such cruel a behavior of the Duke of Alva, and his son, imposing his revenge on everyone with such a heavy reign of lies and terror, aimed at completely annihilating the
150 rebellion! Especially in towns where the Emperor Charles V was always received and celebrated with the highest honors. They should have stayed in Spain! Nevertheless, the day of the Ommegang festival was all beautifully prepared, Don Juan, unlike the Duke of Alva, came to the Brussels City Hall to take part in the commemorations and stayed for the banquet while feasting with the Great Sirs (Magistrates of the city, Notables etc.) and their Ladies. Don Juan liked to maintain the old customs of Brussels as well as for his love of tradition he was named "King of the Spruce" (Tournament and jousting) in Leuven. He also sent the best wines in thanks to the officials of the city. The prince of Orange could conquer the city of Bergen-op-Zoom with great subtility, on a Friday whereas the doors were open, entering the city with hundreds of horses and pedestrian soldiers without anyone being aware of it… Letting also chariots come in at night, until the next morning, capturing the whole city with great subtility, without any injured nor dead person! At the same time, he captured other cities with mercenaries, having expelled the French in less than eight days as people said that his army strong was, with hundreds of soldiers, while citizen were joining the new leader otherwise they were being killed with the French soldiers as well… Thereafter, any citizen staying in town, who did not need to stay, would suffer great destruction to his possessions if the Spaniards were not recognized as their new masters.