“So far as this, your highness, that our stadtholder would shield and protect us against the encroachments of inimical powers, and by his openly expressed neutrality secure us against the claims of all parties.  The salvation of the duchy depends wholly and solely upon our having a neutral chief resident among us, and we beseech and implore your Electoral Highness to grant us such an one in the Electoral Prince, and to send his lordship your son to the duchy armed with plenipotentiary powers.[1] It is for the second time that the states of Cleves appeal with this earnest, humble entreaty to the heart of their liege lord, and most urgently we beg that this time we may have a hearing.”

“Are you done, or have you anything further to say?” asked the Elector impatiently.

“Your highness, only this have we to say besides, that the Prince of Orange has promised to support our petition to your Electoral Highness, and that he also is of opinion that the welfare of Cleves depends upon her possessing a ruler, resident in the land and neutral.”

“The Prince of Orange has only written to me that the states of Cleves were of this mind, and had besought him to introduce it to my favorable notice,” exclaimed the Elector warmly.  “Since you are now through with your repeated suit, and have nothing more to say, I will give you my answer without delay.  But you might have known beforehand—­you might have been sure that if a sovereign has once made his subjects acquainted with his wishes and opinions, he can not be influenced and made to swerve in purpose by renewed application, but that he holds to what he has once determined upon.  And so I tell you now for the second time, that I can not grant their petition to the states of Cleves.  In the first place, because I will not have the Electoral Prince longer separated from me, since he has already been absent from here three years, and in these troublous times we wish to have our son near us.  In the second place, the presence of the Electoral Prince in Cleves might not have the wished-for result.  It is rather to be feared that those in opposition to the Emperor’s majesty and the empire will not accommodate themselves to the strict treaty of peace, nor forbear making aggression upon the Electoral Prince’s lands, and pay so little regard to the person and presence of the Prince that his safety perhaps might be imperiled.  But, in the third place,” continued the Elector with raised voice—­“but, in the third place, I can not grant your request because such repeated demands almost force us to the conclusion that you are weary and disgusted with our rule, and therefore would seek to make of our son a sovereign lord, thus inciting the son to offer opposition to his own father."[2]

“Your Electoral Highness,” cried the Lord van Velsen, “I swear that it never crossed our minds, we—­”

“Silence!  I gave you no leave to speak!” thundered the Elector.  “This is now our final decision.  We have taken it in ill part that you have reiterated your request, and have even approached the Electoral Prince himself on the subject, as if the son durst decide anything or act, without reference to his father and lord, since he is bound to be an obedient subject, as all the rest of you.  Communicate this to the states of the duchy of Cleves, and herewith you are dismissed.”