Governor, therefore, taken the states' commissioners at their word,
and left the decision of the religious question to the general assembly,
he might perhaps have found the vote in his favor. In this case, it is
certain that the Prince of Orange and his party would have been placed in
a very awkward position.

The internal government of the insurgent provinces had remained upon the
footing which we have seen established in the autumn of 1574, but in the
course of this summer (1575), however, the foundation was laid for the
union of Holland and Zealand, under the authority of Orange. The selfish
principle of municipal aristocracy, which had tended to keep asunder
these various groups of cities, was now repressed by the energy of the
Prince and the strong determination of the people.

In April, 1575, certain articles of union between Holland and Zealand
were proposed, and six commissioners appointed to draw up an ordinance
for the government of the two provinces. This ordinance was accepted in
general assembly of both. It was in twenty articles. It declared that,
during the war the Prince as sovereign, should have absolute power in all
matters concerning the defence of the country. He was to appoint
military officers, high and low, establish and remove garrisons, punish
offenders against the laws of war. He was to regulate the expenditure of
all money voted by the estates. He was to maintain the law, in the
King's name, as Count of Holland, and to appoint all judicial officers
upon nominations by the estates. He was, at the usual times, to appoint
and renew the magistracies of the cities, according to their
constitutions. He was to protect the exercise of the Evangelical
Reformed religion, and to suppress the exercise of the Roman religion,
without permitting, however, that search should be made into the creed of
any person. A deliberative and executive council, by which the jealousy