So little, however, did these republican fathers foresee their coming
republic, that the resolution to renounce one king was combined with a
proposition to ask for the authority of another. It was not imagined
that those two slender columns, which were all that had yet been raised.
of the future stately peristyle, would be strong enough to stand alone.
The question now arose, to what foreign power application should be made.
But little hope was to be entertained from Germany, a state which existed
only in name, and France was still in a condition of religious and
intestine discord. The attitude of revolt maintained by the Duc
d'Alencon seemed to make it difficult and dangerous to enter into
negotiations with a country where the civil wars had assumed so
complicated a character, that loyal and useful alliance could hardly be
made with any party. The Queen of England, on the other hand; dreaded
the wrath of Philip, by which her perpetual dangers from the side of
Scotland would be aggravated, while she feared equally the extension
of French authority in the Netherlands, by which increase her neighbour
would acquire an overshadowing power. She was also ashamed openly to
abandon the provinces to their fate, for her realm was supposed to be a
bulwark of the Protestant religion. Afraid to affront Philip, afraid to
refuse the suit of the Netherlands, afraid to concede as aggrandizement
to France, what course was open to the English Queen. That which,
politically and personally, she loved the best--a course of barren
coquetry. This the Prince of Orange foresaw; and although not disposed
to leave a stone unturned in his efforts to find assistance for his
country, he on the whole rather inclined for France. He, however, better
than any man, knew how little cause there was for sanguine expectation
from either source.

It was determined, in the name of his Highness and the estates, first to
send a mission to England, but there had already been negotiations this