it recognized Catholicism as the state religion, conceded, to a certain extent, liberty of conscience.  An immense stride had been taken, by abolishing the edicts, and prohibiting persecution.  If that step were now retraced, the new religion was doomed, and the liberties of Holland and Zealand destroyed.  “If they make an arrangement with Don John, it will be for us of the religion to run,” wrote the Prince to his brother, “for their intention is to suffer no person of that faith to have a fixed domicile in the Netherlands.”  It was, therefore, with a calm determination to counteract and crush the policy of the youthful Governor that William the Silent awaited his antagonist.  Were Don John admitted to confidence, the peace of Holland and Zealand was gone.  Therefore it was necessary to combat him both openly and secretly—­by loud remonstrance and by invisible stratagem.  What chance had the impetuous and impatient young hero in such an encounter with the foremost statesman of the age?  He had arrived, with all the self-confidence of a conqueror; he did not know that he was to be played upon like a pipe—­to be caught in meshes spread by his own hands—­to struggle blindly—­to rage impotently—­to die ingloriously.

The Prince had lost no time in admonishing the states-general as to the course which should now be pursued.  He was of opinion that, upon their conduct at this crisis depended the future destinies of the Netherlands.  “If we understand how to make proper use of the new Governor’s arrival,” said he, “it may prove very advantageous to us; if not, it will be the commencement of our total ruin.”  The spirit of all his communications was to infuse the distrust which he honestly felt, and which he certainly took no pains to disguise; to impress upon his countrymen the importance of improving the present emergency by the enlargement, instead of the threatened contraction of their liberties, and to enforce with all his energy the necessity of a firm union.  He assured the estates that Don John had been sent, in this simple manner, to the country, because the King and cabinet had begun to despair of carrying their point by force.  At the same time he warned them that force would doubtless be replaced by fraud.  He expressed his conviction that so soon as Don John should attain the ascendency which he had been sent to secure, the gentleness which now smiled upon the surface would give place to the deadlier purposes which lurked below.  He went so far as distinctly to recommend the seizure of Don John’s person.  By so doing, much bloodshed might be saved; for such was the King’s respect for the Emperor’s son that their demands would be granted rather than that his liberty should be permanently endangered.  In a very striking and elaborate letter which he addressed from Middelburg to the estates-general, he insisted on the expediency of seizing the present opportunity in order to secure and to expand their liberties, and urged them to assert