After the mishap at Mons, the young Princess journeyed to other of her
loyal towns,—to Delft, to Leyden, to Amsterdam and Haarlem. Though all
these cities paid homage to Jacqueline as their sovereign, and supported
her claims to Zealand and Hainault, there was a strong party growing up
against her, chiefly on account of her youth, and because she was a
girl.
The headquarters of this party was at Dordrecht, the one city which
refused to pay homage to Jacqueline. Here in Dordrecht the leaders of
the opposing party were joined by one of the uncles of Jacqueline, known
as “John the Pitiless,” who was eager to rob his niece of her
inheritance. He proposed to be appointed governor, and in this way
gradually get into his own hands the whole power.
Now indeed Jacqueline showed that she was strong at heart, for though
but sixteen, she immediately took steps in person to suppress all such
designs on the part of her uncle, and levied troops, gathered supplies,
and started towards rebellious Dordrecht.
Right bravely she looked, our little Princess, as she rode at the head
of her troops, and ever from time to time she turned to her mother with
a bright smile, and some such word as—
“Courage, dear Madame, ever saw you troops with braver front than ours?”