This and similar missives, circulated throughout the province of Holland, produced a deep impression.  In accordance with his suggestions, the deputies from the nobility and from twelve cities of that province assembled on the 15th July, at Dort.  Strictly speaking, the estates or government of Holland, the body which represented the whole people, consisted of the nobler and six great cities.  On this occasion, however, Amsterdam being still in the power of the King, could send no deputies, while, on the other hand, all the small towns were invited to send up their representatives to the Congress.  Eight accepted the proposal; the rest declined to appoint delegates, partly from motives of economy, partly from timidity.’

These estates were the legitimate representatives of the people, but they had no legislative powers.  The people had never pretended to sovereignty, nor did they claim it now.  The source from which the government of the Netherlands was supposed to proceed was still the divine mandate.  Even now the estates silently conceded, as they had ever done, the supreme legislative and executive functions to the land’s master.  Upon Philip of Spain, as representative of Count Dirk the First of Holland, had descended, through many tortuous channels, the divine effluence originally supplied by Charles the Simple of France.  That supernatural power was not contested, but it was now ingeniously turned against the sovereign.  The King’s authority was invoked against himself in the person of the Prince of Orange, to whom, thirteen years before, a portion of that divine right had been delegated.  The estates of Holland met at Dort on the 15th July, as representatives of the people; but they were summoned by Orange, royally commissioned in 1559 as stadholder, and therefore the supreme legislative and executive officer of certain provinces.  This was the theory of the provisional government.  The Prince represented the royal authority, the nobles represented both themselves and the people of the open country, while the twelve cities represented the whole body of burghers.  Together, they were supposed to embody all authority, both divine and human, which a congress could exercise.  Thus the whole movement was directed against Alva and against Count Bossu, appointed stadholder by Alva in the place of Orange.  Philip’s name was destined to figure for a long time, at the head of documents by which monies were raised, troops levied, and taxes collected, all to be used in deadly war against himself.

The estates were convened on the 15th July, when Paul Buys, pensionary of Leyden, the tried and confidential friend of Orange, was elected Advocate of Holland.  The convention was then adjourned till the 18th, when Saint Aldegonde made his appearance, with full powers to act provisionally in behalf of his Highness.