Vessels now went every week from Sandwich to Antwerp, laden with silk, satin, and cloth, manufactured in England, while as many but a few years before, had borne the Flemish fabrics of the same nature from Antwerp to England.
It might be supposed by disinterested judges that persecution was at the bottom of this change in commerce.

The Prince of Orange estimated that up to this period fifty thousand persons in the provinces had been put to death in obedience to the edicts.

He was a moderate man, and accustomed to weigh his words.

As a new impulse had been given to the system of butchery--as it was now sufficiently plain that "if the father had chastised his people with a scourge the son held a whip of scorpions" as the edicts were to be enforced with renewed vigor--it was natural that commerce and manufactures should make their escape out of a doomed land as soon as possible, whatever system of tariffs might be adopted by neighboring nations.
A new step had been resolved upon early in the month of March by the confederates.

A petition, or "Request," was drawn up, which was to be presented to the Duchess Regent in a formal manner by a large number of gentlemen belonging to the league.