Barneveld probably thought it not worth his while to reply that Philip, with those funds and those troops, had done his best to become King of France, and that his failure proved nothing for the argument either way.

Neyen then returned once more to Brussels, observing as he took leave that the decision of the archdukes as to the king’s consent was very doubtful, although he was sure that the best thing for all parties would be to agree to an armistice out of hand.

This, however, was far from being the opinion of the States or the stadholder.

After conferring with his masters, the monk came down by agreement from Antwerp to the Dutch ships which lay in the, Scheld before Fort Lillo.  On board one of these, Dirk van der Does had been stationed with a special commission from the States to compare documents.  It was expressly ordered that in these preliminary negotiations neither party was to go on shore.  On a comparison of the agreement brought by Neyen from Brussels with the draught furnished by Barneveld, of which Van der Does had a copy, so many discrepancies appeared that the document of the archdukes was at once rejected.  But of course the monk had a number two, and this, after some trouble, was made to agree with the prescribed form.  Brother John then, acting upon what he considered the soundest of principles—­that no job was so difficult as not to be accomplished with the help of the precious metals—­offered his fellow negotiator a valuable gold chain as a present from the archdukes.  Dirk van der Does accepted the chain, but gave notice of the fact to his Government.

The monk now became urgent to accompany his friend to the Hague, but this had been expressly forbidden by the States.  Neyen felt sure, he said, of being able by arguments, which he could present by word of mouth, to overcome the opposition to the armistice were he once more to be admitted to the assembly.  Van der Does had already much overstaid his appointed time, bound to the spot, as it were, by the golden chain thrown around him by the excellent friar, and he now, in violation of orders, wrote to the Hague for leave to comply with this request.  Pending the answer, the persuasive Neyen convinced him, much against his will, that they might both go together as far as Delft.  To Delft they accordingly went; but, within half a league of that place, met a courier with strict orders that the monk was at once to return to Brussels.  Brother John was in great agitation.  Should he go back, the whole negotiation might come to nought; should he go on, he might be clapped into prison as a spy.  Being conscious, however, that his services as a spy were intended to be the most valuable part of his mission, he resolved to proceed in that capacity.  So he persuaded his friend Dirk to hide him in the hold of a canal-boat.  Van der Does was in great trepidation himself, but on reaching the Hague and giving up his gold chain to Barneveld, he made his peace, and obtained leave for the trembling but audacious friar to come out of his hiding-place.