The reply was careless, flippant, almost contemptuous.  It is very certain that William of Orange was not yet the “father William” he was destined to become—­grave, self-sacrificing, deeply religious, heroic; but it was equally evident from this language that he had small sympathy, either in public or private, with Lutheranism or theological controversy.  Landgrave William was not far from right when he added, in his quaint style, after recalling this well-known reply, “Your grace will observe, therefore, that when the abbot has dice in his pocket, the convent will play.”

So great was the excitement at the little court of Cassel, that many Protestant princes and nobles declared that “they would sooner give their daughters to a boor or a swineherd than to a Papist.”  The Landgrave was equally vigorous in his protest, drawn up in due form on the 26th April, 1561.  He was not used, he said, “to flatter or to tickle with a foxtail.”  He was sorry if his language gave offense, nevertheless “the marriage was odious, and that was enough.”  He had no especial objection to the Prince, “who before the world was a brave and honorable man.”  He conceded that his estates were large, although he hinted that his debts also were ample; allowed that he lived in magnificent style, had even heard “of one of his banquets, where all the table-cloths, plates, and every thing else, were made of sugar,” but thought he might be even a little too extravagant; concluding, after a good deal of skimble-skamble of this nature, with “protesting before God, the world, and all pious Christians, that he was not responsible for the marriage, but only the Elector Augustus and others, who therefore would one day have to render account thereof to the Lord.”

Meantime the wedding had been fixed to take place on Sunday, the 24th August, 1561.  This was St. Bartholomew’s, a nuptial day which was not destined to be a happy one in the sixteenth century.  The Landgrave and his family declined to be present at the wedding, but a large and brilliant company were invited.  The King of Spain sent a bill of exchange to the Regent, that she might purchase a ring worth three thousand crowns, as a present on his part to the bride.  Beside this liberal evidence that his opposition to the marriage was withdrawn, he authorized his sister to appoint envoys from among the most distinguished nobles to represent him on the occasion.  The Baron de Montigny, accordingly, with a brilliant company of gentlemen, was deputed by the Duchess, although she declined sending all the governors of the provinces, according to the request of the Prince.  The marriage was to take place at Leipsic.  A slight picture of the wedding festivities, derived entirely from unpublished sources, may give some insight into the manners and customs of high life in Germany and the Netherlands at this epoch.