of the parties —­Advice of Orange—­Opening of negotiations at Breda—­Propositions and counter-propositions—­Adroitness of the plenipotentiaries on both sides—­Insincere diplomacy and unsatisfactory results—­Union of Holland and Zealand under the Prince of Orange—­Act defining his powers—­Charlotte de Bourbon—­Character, fortunes, and fate of Anna of Saxony—­Marriage of Orange with Mademoiselle de Bourbon—­ Indignation thereby excited—­Horrible tortures inflicted upon Papists by Sonoy in North Holland—­Oudewater and Schoonoven taken by Hierges—­The isles of Zealand—­A submarine expedition projected—­ Details of the adventure—­Its entire success—­Death of Chiappin Vitelli—­Deliberations in Holland and Zealand concerning the renunciation of Philip’s authority—­Declaration at Delft—­Doubts as to which of the Great Powers the sovereignty should be offered—­ Secret international relations—­Mission to England—­Unsatisfactory negotiations with Elizabeth—­Position of the Grand Commander—­Siege of Zieriekzee—­Generosity of Count John—­Desperate project of the Prince—­Death and character of Requesens.

The Council of Troubles, or, as it will be for ever denominated in history, the Council of Blood, still existed, although the Grand Commander, upon his arrival in the Netherlands, had advised his sovereign to consent to the immediate abolition of so odious an institution.  Philip accepting the advice of his governor and his cabinet, had accordingly authorized him by a letter of the 10th of March, 1574, to take that step if he continued to believe it advisable.

Requesens had made use of this permission to extort money from the obedient portion of the provinces.  An assembly of deputies was held at Brussels on the 7th of June, 1574, and there was a tedious interchange of protocols, reports, and remonstrances.  The estates, not satisfied with the extinction of a tribunal which had at last worn itself out by its own violence, and had become inactive through lack of victims, insisted on greater concessions.  They demanded the departure of the Spanish troops, the establishment of a council of Netherlanders in Spain for Netherland affairs, the restoration to offices in the provinces of natives and natives only; for these drawers of documents thought it possible, at that epoch, to recover by pedantry what their brethren of Holland and Zealand were maintaining with the sword.  It was not the moment for historical disquisition, citations from Solomon, nor chopping of logic; yet with such lucubrations were reams of paper filled, and days and weeks occupied.  The result was what might have been expected.  The Grand Commander obtained but little money; the estates obtained none of their demands; and the Blood Council remained, as it were, suspended in mid-air.  It continued to transact business at intervals during the administration of Requesens, and at last, after nine years of existence, was destroyed by the violent imprisonment of the Council of State at Brussels.  This event, however, belongs to a subsequent page of this history.