At any rate, France could not be worse—­could hardly be so bad—­as their present tyranny.  “Better the government of the Gaul, though suspect and dangerous,” said Everard Reyd, “than the truculent dominion of the Spaniard.  Even thus will the partridge fly to the hand of man, to escape the talons of the hawk.”  As for the individual character of Anjou, proper means would be taken, urged the advocates of his sovereignty, to keep him in check, for it was intended so closely to limit the power conferred upon him, that it would be only supreme in name.  The Netherlands were to be, in reality, a republic, of which Anjou was to be a kind of Italian or Frisian podesta.  “The Duke is not to act according to his pleasure,” said one of the negotiators, in a private letter to Count John; “we shall take care to provide a good muzzle for him.”  How conscientiously the “muzzle” was prepared, will appear from the articles by which the states soon afterwards accepted the new sovereign.  How basely he contrived to slip the muzzle—­in what cruel and cowardly fashion he bathed his fangs in the blood of the flock committed to him, will also but too soon appear.

As for the religious objection to Anjou, on which more stress was laid than upon any other, the answer was equally ready.  Orange professed himself “not theologian enough” to go into the subtleties brought forward.  As it was intended to establish most firmly a religious peace, with entire tolerance for all creeds, he did not think it absolutely essential to require a prince of the Reformed faith.  It was bigotry to dictate to the sovereign, when full liberty in religious matters was claimed for the subject.  Orange was known to be a zealous professor of the Reformed worship himself; but he did not therefore reject political assistance, even though offered by a not very enthusiastic member of the ancient Church.

“If the priest and the Levite pass us by when we are fallen among thieves,” said he, with much aptness and some bitterness, “shall we reject the aid proffered by the Samaritan, because he is of a different faith from the worthy fathers who have left us to perish?” In short, it was observed with perfect truth that Philip had been removed, not because he was a Catholic, but because he was a tyrant; not because his faith was different from that of his subjects, but because he was resolved to exterminate all men whose religion differed from his own.  It was not, therefore, inconsistent to choose another Catholic for a sovereign, if proper guarantees could be obtained that he would protect and not oppress the Reformed churches.  “If the Duke have the same designs as the King,” said Saint Aldegonde, “it would be a great piece of folly to change one tyrant and persecutor for another.  If, on the contrary, instead of oppressing our liberties, he will maintain them, and in place of extirpating the disciples of the true religion, he will protect them, then are all the reasons of our opponents without vigor.”