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The articles were to be signed by the stadholders, magistrates, and principal officers of each province and city, and by all the train-bands, fraternities, and sodalities which might exist in the cities or villages of the union. Such were the simple provisions of that instrument which became the foundation of the powerful Commonwealth of the United Netherlands.
"See you not," said he in a private letter to a friend, "that this whole work is brewed by the Nassaus for the sake of their own greatness, and that they are everywhere provided with the very best crumbs. They are to be stadholders of the principal provinces; we are to content ourselves with Overyssel and Drente.
He had debased the coin of the country, and thereby authorized unlimited swindling on the part of all his agents, from stadholders down to the meanest official. If such oppression and knavery did not justify the resistance of the Flemings to the guardianship of Maximilian, it would be difficult to find any reasonable course in political affairs save abject submission to authority.
The banished Reformers, who had swarmed back in droves at the tidings of peace and good-will to all men, found themselves bitterly disappointed. They were exposed in the Walloon provinces to the persecutions of the Malcontents, in the Frisian regions to the still powerful coercion of the royal stadholders. Persecution begat counter-persecution.
At the same time strong family influence was brought to bear upon Henry Casimir of Friesland, and a reconciliation between the two stadholders was effected. William thus found himself, before the year 1685 came to an end, able to pursue his policy without serious let or hindrance.
Secret negotiations for peace Two fresh armies assembled, but inactive Negotiations at Cercamp Death of Mary Tudor Treaty of Cateau Cambresis Death of Henry II. Policy of Catharine de Medici Revelations by Henry II. to the Prince of Orange Funeral of Charles V. in Brussels Universal joy in the Netherlands at the restoration of peace Organization of the government by Philip, and preparations for his departure Appointment of Margaret of Parma as Regent of the Netherlands Three councils The consulta The stadholders of the different provinces Dissatisfaction caused by the foreign troops Assembly of the Estates at Ghent to receive the parting instructions and farewell of the King Speech of the Bishop of Arras Request for three millions Fierce denunciation of heresy on the part of Philip Strenuous enforcement of the edicts commanded Reply by the States of Arthois Unexpected conditions Rage of the King Similar conduct on the part of the other provinces Remonstrance in the name of States General against the foreign soldiery Formal reply on the part of the crown Departure of the King from the Netherlands Autos da fe in Spain.
The States-General at the instance of the two stadholders, May, 1617, declared for the summoning of a National Synod by a vote of four provinces against three. The Estates of Holland, again with a sharp division of opinion but by a majority, declined to obey the summons. An impasse was thus reached and Maurice at last openly declared for the Contra-Remonstrant side.
In the first place the stadholders, the military and naval leaders, the Calvinist clergy, and the great majority of the traders honestly believed that a peace would be detrimental to all the best interests of the States, and were thoroughly distrustful of the motives which had prompted the archdukes and the Spanish government to make these advances.
A lugubrious spectacle, but less painful certainly than the hangings and drownings and burnings alive in the previous century to prevent secession from the indivisible church. It is certain that stadholders and all other magistrates ever since the establishment of independence were sworn to maintain the Reformed religion and to prevent a public divine worship under any other form.
"Relatives and cousins, male or female," he said in September to Metternich, "are all worthless. I should not have left a throne in existence, even for my brothers. But one grows wise only with time. I should have appointed nothing but stadholders and viceroys." This policy he thenceforward adopted.
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