Sainte-Aldegonde

Summary

[In 1581 the Netherlands declared their independence from Catholic Spain and became the United Provinces, embracing Calvinism as the religion of the people. In his article on the patriot Philippe de Marnix, Bayle seized the chance to show support for a republican uprising that had turned out well. De Marnix who, in the cause of liberty, had taken up pen, diplomacy, song writing, and even the defence of dancing, deserved fulsome praise. Yet Bayle had some advice for successful revolutionaries. Having overthrown the oppressor, they had invariably to learn that it was unjust to punish minorities who held opinions different from the new orthodoxy. For that would be to imitate the tyrant they had replaced, and they would be reduced to the absurdity of asserting that the dissenters' doctrines were heretical and that their own were true.]

Sainte-Aldegonde (Philippe de Marnix Seigneur du Mont). Born in Brussels [(A)] in the year 1538, he became famous through his deeds and his writings. He took refuge in Germany when liberty of conscience was oppressed in the Low Countries by the Spaniards, and he was honoured in Heidelberg with the office of advisor to the ecclesiastical counsel. He returned to his country in 1572 so that he might offer his talents to the cause of liberty and to the good of the Reformed religion [(B)]. He was highly esteemed by the Prince of Orange to whom he rendered many important services, not so much by his sword as by his pen [(C)].