WILLIAM I. 374 WILLIAM OF WYKEHAM leader in the Dutch war of independ- ence; born in Dillenburg, Nassau, April 14, 1553, of Lutheran parents, but descended from the ancient counts of that principality, B^ing trained to political employments at the court of Charles V., he conformed outwardly to Catholicism, and had become gover- nor of the provinces of Holland, Ze"a- land and Utrecht while the reformed doctrines were spreading, and events were ripening for the revolt of the Netherlands. Philip II., King of Spain, having ap- pointed Margaret of Parma, a natural daughter of his father, Charles V., stadtholdress, with the Cardinal of Granville for her adviser, the latter be- gan his career by persecuting the Prot- estants, and was preparing to intro- duce the inquisition, when, in 1566, the nobles went in procession, and petitioned Margaret against this measure; and as WILLIAM I. OF NASSAU, PRINCE OF ORANGE they were treated with contempt, their remonstrances v;ere followed by popular commotions. On this, Alva was sent, at whose approach 100,000 of the most in- dustrious Flemings took refuge in foreign countries. This was the crisis at which William came forward, and raised the standard of independence. Though the cruel Alva was recalled at the end of six years, 1574, and replaced by a milder ruler, the Dutch continued the war, and Holland was liberated by the relief of Leyden, which William ef- fected by laying the whole country under water in 1575. He was now elected stadtholder, and Calvinism became the established religion, to the exclusion of Lutheranism as well as the Roman Catholic faith. By the "Pacification of Ghent" in 1576, William united all the provinces in one confederation, but he found it impossible to heal these internal causes of disunion, and the Spaniards, taking advantage of them, were able to repossess themselves of the S. provinces, under the Duke of Parma, whence arose the present distinction between Holland and Belgium. Philip had now set a price on William's head and, in 1582, an attempt was made to assassinate him, but he recovered from the wound. A second attempt, in 1584, was but too suc- cessful. One Balthaser Gerard, being introduced to the stadtholder on the plea of business, suddenly drew a pistol loaded with three balls, and shot him in the body at Delft, July 10, 1584. WILLIAM AND MABY COLLEGE, an educational non-sectarian institution in Williamsburg, Va.; founded in 1693; reported at the close of 1919 : Professors and instructors, 15; students, 232; presi- dent, J. A. C. Chandler, Ph. D. WILLIAM HENRY, FORT, a fort at the head of Lake George, N. Y. ; in the town of Caldwell. It was taken from the English by the French and Indians under Montcalm, in August, 1757. WILLIAM OF MALMESBURY, an English historian; born about 1095. He was librarian of the monastery at Malmesbury. He wrote : "History of the English Kings," and its continuation "Modern History," the two being the source from which all subsequent histories of England have drawn; "History of the Prelates of England"; "Lives" of St. Patrick, St. Dunstan, St. Wulfstan; several books of miracles; etc. He died in Malmesbury, about 1142. WILLIAM OF NEWBURGH, an English chronicler, one of the chief au- thorities for the reign of Henry II.; born in Bridlington, Yorkshire; lived from 1135 to 1200. His "History of Affairs in England" is divided into five books, ex- tending from 1066 to 1198. It is clear, sound, and unprejudiced, the characters drawn with discrimination, and the nar- rative is especially valuable as an authority on the struggle between Becket and the king. WILLIAM OF TYRE, a Syrian his- torian; born about 1137. He was Arch- bishop of Tyre (1175). He wrote "His- tory of the Sovereigns of the East," and "History of Events in the Lands Across the Sea," a fine record of the Crusades from 1127 to 1184, first printed in 1549. There are German and French transla- tions of the latter. WILLIAM OF WYKEHAM, an Eng- lish statesman ; bom in Wykeham, Hamp- shire, England, in 1324. He received a liberal education from the lord of the
