Noircarmes had argued, from the tenor of Saint Aldegonde’s letters, that the Prince would be ready to accept his pardon upon almost any terms.  Noircarmes was now dead, but Saint Aldegonde still remained in prison, very anxious for his release, and as well disposed as ever to render services in any secret negotiation.  It will be recollected that, at the capitulation of Middelburg, it had been distinctly stipulated by the Prince that Colonel Mondragon should at once effect the liberation of Saint Aldegonde, with certain other prisoners, or himself return into confinement.  He had done neither the one nor the other.  The patriots still languished in prison, some of them being subjected to exceedingly harsh treatment, but Mondragon, although repeatedly summoned as an officer and a gentleman, by the Prince, to return to captivity, had been forbidden by the Grand Commander to redeem his pledge.

Saint Aldegonde was now released from prison upon parole, and despatched on a secret mission to the Prince and estates.  As before, he was instructed that two points were to be left untouched—­the authority of the King and the question of religion.  Nothing could be more preposterous than to commence a negotiation from which the two important points were thus carefully eliminated.  The King’s authority and the question of religion covered the whole ground upon which the Spaniards and the Hollanders had been battling for six years, and were destined to battle for three-quarters of a century longer.  Yet, although other affairs might be discussed, those two points were to be reserved for the more conclusive arbitration of gunpowder.  The result of negotiations upon such a basis was easily to be foreseen.  Breath, time, and paper were profusely wasted and nothing gained.  The Prince assured his friend, as he had done secret agents previously sent to him, that he was himself ready to leave the land, if by so doing he could confer upon it the blessing of peace; but that all hopes of reaching a reasonable conclusion from the premises established was futile.  The envoy treated also with the estates, and received from them in return an elaborate report, which was addressed immediately to the King.  The style of this paper was bold and blunt, its substance bitter and indigestible.  It informed Philip what he had heard often enough before, that the Spaniards must go and the exiles come back, the inquisition be abolished and the ancient privileges restored, the Roman Catholic religion renounce its supremacy, and the Reformed religion receive permission to exist unmolested, before he could call himself master of that little hook of sand in the North Sea.  With this paper, which was entrusted to Saint Aldegonde, by him to be delivered to the Grand Commander, who was, after reading it, to forward it to its destination, the negotiator returned to his prison.  Thence he did not emerge again till the course of events released him, upon the 15th of October, 1574.