enforced, and for which he endeavoured at that period to make the Duke appear responsible.  The barren clemency which the Grand Commander had been instructed to affect, had deceived but few persons, and had produced but small results.  The King was, perhaps, really inclined at this juncture to exercise clemency—­that is to say he was willing to pardon his people for having contended for their rights, provided they were now willing to resign them for ever.  So the Catholic religion and his own authority, were exclusively and inviolably secured, he was willing to receive his disobedient provinces into favor.  To accomplish this end, however, he had still no more fortunate conception than to take the advice of Hopper.  A soothing procrastination was the anodyne selected for the bitter pangs of the body politic—­a vague expression of royal benignity the styptic to be applied to its mortal wounds.  An interval of hesitation was to bridge over the chasm between the provinces and their distant metropolis.  “The Marquis of Havre has been sent,” said the King, “that he may expressly witness to you of our good intentions, and of our desire, with the grace of God, to bring about a pacification.”  Alas, it was well known whence those pavements of good intentions had been taken, and whither they would lead.  They were not the material for a substantial road to reconciliation.  “His Majesty,” said the Marquis; on delivering his report to the State Council, “has long been pondering over all things necessary to the peace of the land.  His Majesty, like a very gracious and bountiful Prince, has ever been disposed, in times past, to treat these, his subjects, by the best and sweetest means.”  There being, however, room for an opinion that so bountiful a prince might have discovered sweeter means, by all this pondering, than to burn and gibbet his subjects by thousands, it was thought proper to insinuate that his orders had been hitherto misunderstood.  Alva and Requesens had been unfaithful agents, who did not know their business, but it was to be set right in future.  “As the good-will and meaning of his Majesty has, by no means been followed,” continued the envoy, “his Majesty has determined to send Councillor Hopper, keeper of the privy seal, and myself, hitherwards, to execute the resolutions of his Majesty.”  Two such personages as poor, plodding, confused; time-serving Hopper, and flighty, talkative Havre, whom even Requesens despised, and whom Don John, while shortly afterwards recommending him for a state councillor, characterized, to Philip as “a very great scoundrel;” would hardly be able, even if royally empowered, to undo the work of two preceding administrations.  Moreover, Councillor Hopper, on further thoughts, was not despatched at all to the Netherlands.