There were but three of them, the Genoese, the Spaniard, and the Burgundian—­Spinola, Mancicidor; and Richardot.  Of the two Netherlanders, brother John was still in Spain, and Verreyken found it convenient that day to have a lame leg.

President Richardot, standing majestically before the States-General, with his robes wrapped around his tall, spare form, made a solemn farewell speech of mingled sorrow, pity, and the resentment of injured innocence.  They had come to the Hague, he said, sent by the King of Spain and the archdukes to treat for a good and substantial peace, according to the honest intention of his Majesty and their Highnesses.  To this end they had sincerely and faithfully dealt with the gentlemen deputed for that purpose by their High Mightinesses the States, doing everything they could think of to further the cause of peace.  They lamented that the issue had not been such as they had hoped, notwithstanding that the king and archdukes had so far derogated from their reputation as to send their commissioners into the United Netherlands, it having been easy enough to arrange for negotiations on other soil.  It had been their wish thus to prove to the world how straightforward were their intentions by not requiring the States to send deputies to them.  They had accorded the first point in the negotiations, touching the free state of the country.  Their High Mightinesses had taken offence upon the second, regarding the restoration of religion in the United Provinces.  Thereupon the father commissary had gone to Spain, and had remained longer than was agreeable.  Nevertheless, they had meantime treated of other points.  Coming back at last to the point of religion, the States-General had taken a resolution, and had given them their dismissal, without being willing to hear a word more, or to make a single proposition of moderation or accommodation.

He could not refrain from saying that the commissioners had been treated roughly.  Their High Mightinesses had fixed the time for their dismissal more precisely than one would do with a servant who was discharged for misconduct; for the lackey, if he asked for it, would be allowed at least a day longer to pack his trunk for the journey.  They protested before God and the assembly of the States that the king and princes had meant most sincerely, and had dealt with all roundness and sincerity.  They at least remained innocent of all the disasters and calamities to come from the war.

“As for myself,” said Richardot, “I am no prophet, nor the son of a prophet; yet I will venture the prediction to you, my lords the States-General, that you will bitterly rue it that you did not embrace the peace thus presented, and which you might have had.  The blood which is destined to flow, now that you have scorned our plan of reconciliation, will be not on our heads but your own.”