The Rise of the Dutch Republic, 1576-77 | Page 9

have been sent away beforehand; beware, meantime, of
disbanding your own, for that were to put the knife into his hands to cut
your own throats withal." He then proceeded to sketch the out lines of a
negotiation, such as he could recommend. The plan was certainly
sufficiently bold, and it could hardly cause astonishment, if it were not
immediately accepted by Don John; as the basis of an arrangement.
"Remember this is not play", said the Prince, "and that you have to
choose between the two, either total ruin or manly self-defence. Don
John must command the immediate departure of the Spaniards. All our
privileges must be revised, and an oath to maintain them required. New
councils of state and finance must be appointed by the estates. The
general assembly ought to have power to come together twice or thrice
yearly, and, indeed, as often as they choose. The states-general must
administer and regulate all affairs. The citadels must be demolished

everywhere. No troops ought to be enlisted, nor garrisons established,
without the consent of the estates."
In all the documents, whether public memorials or private letters,
which came at this period from the hand of the Prince, he assumed, as a
matter of course, that in any arrangement with the new Governor the
Pacification of Ghent was to be maintained. This, too, was the
determination of almost every man in the country. Don John, soon after
his arrival at Luxemburg, had despatched messengers to the
states-general, informing them of his arrival. It was not before the close
of the month of November that the negotiations seriously began.
Provost Fonck, on the part of the Governor, then informed them of Don
John's intention to enter Namur, attended by fifty mounted troopers.
Permission, however, was resolutely refused, and the burghers of
Namur were forbidden to render oaths of fidelity until the Governor
should have complied with the preliminary demands of the estates. To
enunciate these demands categorically, a deputation of the
estates-general came to Luxemburg. These gentlemen were received
with courtesy by Don John, but their own demeanour was not
conciliatory. A dislike to the Spanish government; a disloyalty to the
monarch with whose brother and representative they were dealing,
pierced through all their language. On the other hand, the ardent temper
of Don John was never slow to take offence. One of the deputies
proposed to the Governor, with great coolness, that he should assume
the government in his own name, and renounce the authority of Philip.
Were he willing to do so, the patriotic gentleman pledged himself that
the provinces would at once acknowledge him as sovereign, and sustain
his government. Don John, enraged at the insult to his own loyalty
which the proposition implied, drew his dagger and rushed towards the
offender. The deputy would, probably, have paid for his audacity with
his life had there not been by-standers enough to prevent the
catastrophe. This scene was an unsatisfactory prelude to the opening
negotiations.
On the 6th of December the deputies presented to the Governor at
Luxemburg a paper, containing their demands, drawn up in eight
articles, and their concessions in ten. The states insisted on the
immediate removal of the troops, with the understanding that they were
never to return, but without prohibition of their departure by sea; they

demanded the immediate release of all prisoners; they insisted on the
maintenance of the Ghent treaty, there being nothing therein which did
not tend to the furtherance of the Catholic religion; they claimed an act
of amnesty; they required the convocation of the states-general, on the
basis of that assembly before which took place the abdication of
Charles the Fifth; they demanded an oath, on the part of Don John, to
maintain all the charters and customs of the country.
Should these conditions be complied: with, the deputies consented on
the part of the estates, that he should be acknowledged as Governor,
and that the Catholic religion and the authority of his Majesty should be
maintained. They agreed that all foreign leagues should be renounced,
their own foreign soldiery disbanded, and a guard of honor, native
Netherlanders, such as his Majesty was contented with at his "Blythe
Entrance," provided. A truce of fifteen days, for negotiations, was
furthermore proposed.
Don John made answers to these propositions by adding a brief
comment, as apostille, upon each of the eighteen articles, in succession.
He would send away the troops, but, at the same time, the states must
disband their own. He declined engaging himself not to recal his
foreign soldiery, should necessity require their service. With regard to
the Ghent Pacification, he professed himself ready for a general peace
negotiation, on condition that the supremacy of the Catholic Church
and the authority of his Majesty were properly secured. He would settle