He told the states-that he felt some hesitation in expressing his views.  The blame of the general ill success was always laid upon his shoulders; as if the chances of war could be controlled even by a great potentate with ample means at his disposal.  As for himself, with so little actual power that he could never have a single city provided with what he thought a sufficient garrison, it could not be expected that he could command fortune.  His advice, he said, was always asked, but ever judged good or evil according to the result, as if the issue were in any hands but God’s.  It did not seem advisable for a man of his condition and years, who had so often felt the barb of calumny’s tongue, to place his honor, again in the judgment scale of mankind, particularly as he was likely to incur fresh censure for another man’s crime.  Nevertheless, he was willing, for the love he bore the land, once more to encounter this danger.

He then rapidly reviewed the circumstances which had led to the election of Anjou, and reminded the estates that they had employed sufficient time to deliberate concerning that transaction.  He recalled to their remembrance his frequent assurances of support and sympathy if they would provide any other means of self-protection than the treaty with the French Prince.  He thought it, therefore, unjust, now that calamity had sprung from the measure, to ascribe the blame entirely to him, even had the injury been greater than the one actually sustained.  He was far from palliating the crime, or from denying that the Duke’s rights under the Treaty of Bordeaux had been utterly forfeited.  He was now asked what was to be done.  Of three courses, be said, one must be taken:  they must make their peace with the King, or consent to a reconciliation with Anjou, or use all the strength which God had given them to resist, single-handed, the enemy.  With regard to the first point, he resumed the argument as to the hopelessness of a satisfactory arrangement with the monarch of Spain.  The recent reconciliation of the Walloon provinces and its shameful infraction by Parma in the immediate recal of large masses of Spanish and Italian troops, showed too plainly the value of all solemn stipulations with his Catholic Majesty.  Moreover, the time was unpropitious.  It was idle to look, after what had recently occurred, for even fair promises.  It was madness then to incur the enmity of two such powers at once.  The French could do the Netherlands more harm as enemies than the Spaniards.  The Spaniards would be more dangerous as friends, for in cases of a treaty with Philip the Inquisition would be established in the place of a religious peace.  For these reasons the Prince declared himself entirely opposed to any negotiations with the Crown of Spain.