The Hollanders protested that there was no design whatever, so far as they knew, against his princely dignity or person.  All were ready to recognize his rank and services by every means in their power.  But it was desirable by conciliation and compromise, not by stern decree, to arrange these religious and political differences.

The Stadholder replied by again insisting on the Synod.  “As for the Waartgelders,” he continued, “they are worse than Spanish fortresses.  They must away.”

After a little further conversation in this vein the Prince grew more excited.

“Everything is the fault of the Advocate,” he cried.

“If Barneveld were dead,” replied Grotius, “all the rest of us would still deem ourselves bound to maintain the laws.  People seem to despise Holland and to wish to subject it to the other provinces.”

“On the contrary,” cried the Prince, “it is the Advocate who wishes to make Holland the States-General.”

Maurice was tired of argument.  There had been much ale-house talk some three months before by a certain blusterous gentleman called van Ostrum about the necessity of keeping the Stadholder in check.  “If the Prince should undertake,” said this pot-valiant hero, “to attack any of the cities of Utrecht or Holland with the hard hand, it is settled to station 8000 or 10,000 soldiers in convenient places.  Then we shall say to the Prince, if you don’t leave us alone, we shall make an arrangement with the Archduke of Austria and resume obedience to him.  We can make such a treaty with him as will give us religious freedom and save us from tyranny of any kind.  I don’t say this for myself, but have heard it on good authority from very eminent persons.”

This talk had floated through the air to the Stadholder.

What evidence could be more conclusive of a deep design on the part of Barneveld to sell the Republic to the Archduke and drive Maurice into exile?  Had not Esquire van Ostrum solemnly declared it at a tavern table?  And although he had mentioned no names, could the “eminent personages” thus cited at second hand be anybody but the Advocate?

Three nights after his last conference with the Hollanders, Maurice quietly ordered a force of regular troops in Utrecht to be under arms at half past three o’clock next morning.  About 1000 infantry, including companies of Ernest of Nassau’s command at Arnhem and of Brederode’s from Vianen, besides a portion of the regular garrison of the place, had accordingly been assembled without beat of drum, before half past three in the morning, and were now drawn up on the market-place or Neu.  At break of day the Prince himself appeared on horseback surrounded by his staff on the Neu or Neude, a large, long, irregular square into which the seven or eight principal streets and thoroughfares of the town emptied themselves.  It was adorned by public buildings and other handsome edifices, and the tall steeple of St. Martin’s with its beautiful open-work spire, lighted with the first rays of the midsummer sun, looked tranquilly down upon the scene.