The Prince had that year been chosen unanimously by the four “members” of Flanders to be governor of that province, but had again declined the office.  The inhabitants, notwithstanding the furious transactions at Ghent, professed attachment to his person, and respect for his authority.  He was implored to go to the city.  His presence, and that alone, would restore the burghers to their reason, but the task was not a grateful one.  It was also not unattended with danger; although this was a consideration which never influenced him, from the commencement of his career to its close.  Imbize and his crew were capable of resorting to any extremity or any ambush; to destroy the man whom they feared and hated.  The presence of John Casimir was an additional complication; for Orange, while he despised the man, was unwilling to offend his friends.  Moreover, Casimir had professed a willingness to assist the cause, and to, defer to the better judgment of the Prince:  He had brought an army into the field, with which, however, he had accomplished nothing except a thorough pillaging of the peasantry, while, at the same time, he was loud in his demands upon the states to pay his soldiers’ wages.  The soldiers of the different armies who now overran the country, indeed, vied with each other in extravagant insolence.  “Their outrages are most execrable,” wrote Marquis Havre; “they demand the most exquisite food, and drink Champagne and Burgundy by the bucketfull.”  Nevertheless, on the 4th of December, the Prince came to Ghent.  He held constant and anxious conferences with the magistrates.  He was closeted daily with John Casimir, whose vanity and extravagance of temper he managed with his usual skill.  He even dined with Imbue, and thus, by smoothing difficulties and reconciling angry passions, he succeeded at last in obtaining the consent of all to a religious peace, which was published on the 27th of December, 1578.  It contained the same provisions as those of the project prepared and proposed during the previous summer throughout the Netherlands.  Exercise of both religions was established; mutual insults and irritations—­whether by word, book, picture, song, or gesture—­were prohibited, under severe penalties, while all persons were sworn to protect the common tranquillity by blood, purse, and life.  The Catholics, by virtue of this accord, re-entered into possession of their churches and cloisters, but nothing could be obtained in favor of the imprisoned gentlemen.

The Walloons and Malcontents were now summoned to lay down their arms; but, as might be supposed, they expressed dissatisfaction with the religious peace, proclaiming it hostile to the Ghent treaty and the Brussels union.  In short, nothing would satisfy them but total suppression of the Reformed religion; as nothing would content Imbize and his faction but the absolute extermination of Romanism.  A strong man might well seem powerless in the midst of such obstinate and worthless fanatics.