of the corporations had intended to hamper his government, did not come
into more than nominal existence.

The articles of union having been agreed upon, the Prince, desiring an
unfettered expression of the national will, wished the ordinance to be
laid before the people in their primary assemblies. The estates,
however, were opposed to this democratic proceeding. They represented
that it had been customary to consult; after the city magistracies,
only the captains of companies and the deans of guilds on matters of
government. The Prince, yielding the point, the captains of companies
and deans of guilds accordingly alone united with the aristocratic boards
in ratifying the instrument by which his authority over the two united
provinces was established. On the 4th of June this first union was
solemnized.

Upon the 11th of July, the Prince formally accepted the government.
He, however, made an essential change in a very important clause of the
ordinance. In place of the words, the "Roman religion," he insisted that
the words, "religion at variance with the Gospel," should be substituted
in the article by which he was enjoined to prohibit the exercise of such
religion. This alteration rebuked the bigotry which had already grown
out of the successful resistance to bigotry, and left the door open for a
general religious toleration.

Early in this year the Prince had despatched Saint Aldegonde on a private
mission to the Elector Palatine. During some of his visits to that
potentate he had seen at Heidelberg the Princess Charlotte of Bourbon.
That lady was daughter of the Due de Montpensier, the most ardent of the
Catholic Princes of France, and the one who at the conferences of Bayonne
had been most indignant at the Queen Dowager's hesitation to unite