iv	SEDITION—REBELLION—WAR	73
Prince's soldierly courage, declares that Orange then
saved the city from pillage and massacre; and, though
men chiefly applauded him for protecting the Catholics
by bringing the Lutherans and foreigners to their aid,
the old Catholic writer believes that it was the Calvinists
who have most cause to thank him for saving them, the
weaker party, from the condign chastisement they were
about to receive. Fortunately we have an excellent eye-
witness in our own Sir Thomas Gresham, who wrote
thus to Cecil: " The Prince very nobly hath travailed,
both night and day, to keep this town from manslaughter
and from despoil, which doubtless had taken place, if he
had not been,-—to the loss of 20,000 men; for that I
never saw men so desperate willing to fight." The
Prince himself, in a letter to a German friend recounting
these terrible days, says that order was preserved only
by great effort and labour, and common risk of life and
limb; that their escape from death was so marvellous
that they feel as if the grace of God had vouchsafed
them a second life. It will earn us little thanks at
Court, he knows; but they must look for reward to
God, their consciences, and honest people. " I know
not how we can find a way out of this strait," he adds,
"and we can only commend ourselves to God and the
prayers of our friends."
Everywhere the ill-starred outbreaks of the Pro-
testants in arms were savagely crushed. Egmont re-
duced Flanders. Noircarmes, having subdued Tournay,
marched against Valenciennes. He cut to pieces a
miserable rabble of half-armed insurgents at Lannoy
and Watrelots, slaying and burning some thousands, and
laid siege to Valenciennes, which, with the aid of Egmont,