As for the religious objection to Anjou, on which more stress was laid than upon any other, the answer was equally ready.  Orange professed himself “not theologian enough” to go into the subtleties brought forward.  As it was intended to establish most firmly a religious peace, with entire tolerance for all creeds, he did not think it absolutely essential to require a prince of the Reformed faith.  It was bigotry to dictate to the sovereign, when full liberty in religious matters was claimed for the subject.  Orange was known to be a zealous professor of the Reformed worship himself; but he did not therefore reject political assistance, even though offered by a not very enthusiastic member of the ancient Church.

“If the priest and the Levite pass us by when we are fallen among thieves,” said he, with much aptness and some bitterness, “shall we reject the aid proffered by the Samaritan, because he is of a different faith from the worthy fathers who have left us to perish?” In short, it was observed with perfect truth that Philip had been removed, not because he was a Catholic, but because he was a tyrant; not because his faith was different from that of his subjects, but because he was resolved to exterminate all men whose religion differed from his own.  It was not, therefore, inconsistent to choose another Catholic for a sovereign, if proper guarantees could be obtained that he would protect and not oppress the Reformed churches.  “If the Duke have the same designs as the King,” said Saint Aldegonde, “it would be a great piece of folly to change one tyrant and persecutor for another.  If, on the contrary, instead of oppressing our liberties, he will maintain them, and in place of extirpating the disciples of the true religion, he will protect them, then are all the reasons of our opponents without vigor.”

By midsummer the Duke of Anjou made his appearance in the western part of the Netherlands.  The Prince of Parma had recently come before Cambray with the intention of reducing that important city.  On the arrival of Anjou, however, at the head of five thousand cavalry—­nearly all of them gentlemen of high degree, serving as volunteers—­and of twelve thousand infantry, Alexander raised the siege precipitately, and retired towards Tournay.  Anjou victualled the city, strengthened the garrison, and then, as his cavalry had only enlisted for a summer’s amusement, and could no longer be held together, he disbanded his forces.  The bulk of the infantry took service for the states under the Prince of Espinoy, governor of Tournay.  The Duke himself, finding that, notwithstanding the treaty of Plessis les Tours and the present showy demonstration upon his part, the states were not yet prepared to render him formal allegiance, and being, moreover, in the heyday of what was universally considered his prosperous courtship of Queen Elizabeth, soon afterwards took his departure for England.