The Spanish Fury: Antwerp, November 1576

At the end of 1576 De Castro left Antwerp and travelled through Germany and France. In the preface of his Paris print of 1580, which contained chansons, madrigals and motets, dedicated to François De La Porte from Lyons, he explained why he had fled the Low Countries:

"Le malheur du tems nous a amené de telles & si facheux troubles en nostre païs bas ... plusieurs gens de bien se sont retirez en païs estranges, pour être en seureté ... du nombre desquels m'estant trouvé." ("Unfortunate times have brought so much troubles to our Low Countries ... that several good people have retired abroad to be in safety ... amongst whom I am myself.")

Most presumably De Castro did not only refer to the overall chaotic state in the Low Countries caused by the Spanish Catholic dictatorship in the Low Countries (since the 1550s) and the Protestant rebellion against it, but he also must have witnessed the Spanish Fury, the ravaging riot by the Spanish soldiers in November 1576, when their payments were continuously postponed. The terrors of this mutiny impelled De Castro to flee the city.

"Complainte du XVIe siècle" Antwerpen ... Noyt rijcker Stadt En was ter weerelt vonden, Vol weelden abondant, Lieflijck en playsant Schoone van timmerage; Maer duer de Spaengiers quat Leeft ghy nu desolaet, Jammerlijck, vol quellage." [Translation] "Complaint of the 16th Century" Antwerp ... There never was a richer city in the world, With abundant wealth, Lovely and pleasant Beautifully built; But because of the Spanish evil You now live abandoned, Miserably and in agony."

Cited in P. Génard, La furie Espagnole. Documents pour servir à l'histoire du cas d'Anvers en 1576, Antwerp, 1876, p. [3].