When  the  shooting  of  Orange  was  known  in  Antwerp,  the
Flemings  believing  he  was  dead  raised  the  cry  of  "  death  to  the
French,"  but  as  soon  as  Orange  recovered  his  senses  he  sent  word  to
the  Burgomasters  that  the  duke  of  Alen9on  had  come  thither  at
his  request  to  defend  them,  and  as  he  was  so  great  a  prince  and  of
the  Blood  Royal  of  France,  they  should  duly  respect  him  and
fittingly  protect  his  person.  As  for  him,  he  said,  his  day  had  come,
but  they  must  not  think  that  any  suspicion  attached  to  the
French  in  the  matter  of  the  pistol-shot,  as  he  was  quite  sure  that
the  matter  had  been  ordered  by  your  Majesty.  This  pacified  the
people,  although  they  all  say  that  if  the  lad  had  only  waited  until
the  evening,  when  there  was  a  great  banquet  to  be  given  by
Alengon,  the  latter  would  have  been  killed,  and  every  Frenchman
in  the  place.  It  is  impossible  to  exaggerate  the  grief  which  the
affair  causes  to  the  Queen  and  her  ministers.  They  are  so  sad  and
disheartened  that  on  the  day.  that  the  news  came  it  was  the  same
as  if  she  had  lost  the  crown  and  they  were  all  ruined.
