Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/407

 I577-] THE SPANISH TREATY. 387 The diiFerences of opinion already existing were not likely to be diminished by this message. To the Hol- landers, religion was the soul and centre of the revolt. If they would have yielded on that one point, they might have been quit of the Spaniards, and have had their country to themselves when they pleased, without seeking assistance from Elizabeth. After five weeks' confusion and correspondence, the States proposed, and Don John agreed, that the Spanish army should be paid the arrears of its wages and should go ; and that the Government should be carried on as before the rebellion by the States themselves. So far, the pacifi- cation of Ghent was accepted. The further clauses stipulating for the suspension of the laws against heresy, were to be referred to Philip's pleasure, and were to stand in force till that pleasure was known. Orange was no party to this arrangement. Advantage had been taken of his absence from Brussels to hurry it to a conclusion. There was no representative present from the Northern States, not only not from Holland and Zealand, but neither from Utrecht, Gelderland, Friesland, Grdningen, nor Overyssel. Efforts had been Feb. 17 Ma te qui sceussiez qu'elle ne permet- troit en 39011 quelconque que nou- veaute y fust introduite et moins qu'on intentast chose prejudiciable a 1'obeissance de nostre souverain Prince et Seigneur naturel on a la religion Catholique en la quelle estions nez et nourries et nostre Prince vouloit que nous fussions maintenez.' The Prince of Orange to Davison, January 4 and 5, 1578 : MSS. Flanders. Orange, to whom truth and false- hood in these matters were not only of principal but of exclusive import- ance, who had taken up arms for no other cause whatever except liberty of conscience, was unable to compre- hend so sublime a development" of indifferentism.