VIII. The United Provinces had bravely defended their liberty for
several years: it was a subject of astonishment to all Europe, that such
a small State should be able to resist the formidable power of King
Philip II. Henry IV. having triumphed over the League, had nothing more
at heart than the restoring peace and order to his kingdom that had been
exhausted by a long series of misfortunes, and found it impossible to
bring about this without making peace with Spain. He communicated his
intentions to the Dutch[24] above a year before there was any talk of
negotiating: for though he had not been their adviser to take up arms,
he wished they might make their peace at the same time he did: but the
States would have no peace on the conditions on which Spain pretended to
grant it: the French king's resolution, of consequence, put them in a
great consternation, because they foresaw the whole force of Philip II.
was coming to fall on them. They took a resolution to send to Henry, in
1598, Count Justin of Nassau and the Grand Pensionary Barnevelt, to
intreat him to continue the war, and not make a separate peace.

The Dutch Ambassadors, in conjunction with Lord Cecil, Ambassador from
England, omitted nothing to determine the King to conclude a new treaty
of perpetual alliance with Holland and England against Spain. The King
prayed them to consider, that the state of his affairs required him to
make peace; but, for the rest, it would not hinder him, in case the
Queen of England and the States did not chuse to be comprehended in the
treaty, from doing them service; that the peace itself would enable him
to assist them with money, without leaving Spain any room to complain,
as he could pretend that he only repaid what money they had lent him in
his greatest wants.

The congress of Vervins, already begun, was still continued. Henry