been governed by no other motive than to bring all the rest of Christendom under his dominion, while at the same time he forced upon those already placed under his sceptre a violent tyranny, passing beyond all the bounds that God, nature, and reason had set to lawful forms of government.  In regard to nations born under other laws than his, he had used the pretext of religion for reducing them to servitude.  The wars stirred up by his family in Germany, and his recent invasion of England, were proofs of this intention, still fresh in the memory of all men.  Still more flagrant were his machinations in the present troubles of France.  Of his dealings with his hereditary realms, the condition of the noble provinces of the Netherlands, once so blooming under reasonable laws, furnished, a sufficient illustration.  You see, my masters, continued the envoy, the subtle plans of the Spanish king and his counsellors to reach with certainty the object of their ambition.  They have reflected that Spain, which is the outermost corner of Europe, cannot conveniently make war upon other Christian realms.  They have seen that a central position is necessary to enable them to stretch their arms to every side.  They have remembered that princes who in earlier days were able to spread their wings over all Christendom had their throne in France, like Charles the Great and his descendants.  Therefore the king is now earnestly bent on seizing this occasion to make himself master of France.  The death of the late king (Henry III.) had no sooner occurred, than—­as the blood through great terror rushes from the extremities and overflows the heart—­they here also, fearing to lose their opportunity and astonished at the valour of our present king, abandoned all their other enterprises in order to pour themselves upon France.

Buzanval further reminded the States that Henry had received the most encouraging promises from the protestant princes of Germany, and that so great a personage as the Viscount Turenne, who had now gone thither to reap the fruit of those promises, would not have been sent on such a mission except that its result was certain.  The Queen of England, too, had promised his Majesty most liberal assistance.

It was not necessary to argue as to the close connection between the cause of the Netherlands and that of France.  The king had beaten down the mutiny of his own subjects, and repulsed the invasion of the Dukes of Savoy and of Lorraine.  In consideration of the assistance promised by Germany and England—­for a powerful army would be at the command of Henry in the spring—­it might be said that the Netherlands might repose for a time and recruit their exhausted energies, under the shadow of these mighty preparations.

“I do not believe, however,” said the minister, “that you will all answer me thus.  The faint-hearted and the inexperienced might flatter themselves with such thoughts, and seek thus to cover their cowardice, but the zealous and the courageous will see that it is time to set sail on the ship, now that the wind is rising so freshly and favourably.