acceptance, yet at some future period another project would be matured
for settling the matter to universal satisfaction--such were the
propositions of the Crown. Nevertheless, Philip thought he had gone too
far, even in administering this meagre amount of mercy, and that he had
been too frank in employing so slender a deception, as in the scheme thus
sketched. He therefore summoned a notary, before whom, in presence of
the Duke of Alva, the Licentiate Menchaca and Dr. Velasco, he declared
that, although he had just authorized Margaret of Parma, by force of
circumstances, to grant pardon to all those who had been compromised in
the late disturbances of the Netherlands, yet as he had not done this
spontaneously nor freely, he did not consider himself bound by the
authorization, but that, on the contrary, he reserved his right to punish
all the guilty, and particularly those who had been the authors and
encouragers of the sedition.

So much for the pardon promised in his official correspondence.

With regard to the concessions, which he supposed himself to have made in
the matter of the inquisition and the edicts, he saved his conscience by
another process. Revoking with his right hand all which his left had
been doing, he had no sooner despatched his letters to the Duchess Regent
than he sent off another to his envoy at Rome. In this despatch he
instructed Requesens to inform the Pope as to the recent royal decisions
upon the three points, and to state that there had not been time to
consult his Holiness beforehand. Nevertheless, continued Philip "the
prudent," it was perhaps better thus, since the abolition could have no
force, unless the Pope, by whom the institution had been established,
consented to its suspension. This matter, however, was to be kept a
profound secret. So much for the inquisition matter. The papal
institution, notwithstanding the official letters, was to exist, unless