presence was rendered superfluous. It was not surprising that the common
people gave him the name of Greffier, or registering clerk to the Prince;
for his functions were almost limited to the signing of acts which were
countersigned by Orange. According to the stipulations of the Queen of
England, and the views of the whole popular party, the Prince remained
Ruward of Brabant, notwithstanding the appointment of a nominal Governor-
General, by whom his own duties were to be superseded.

The articles which were laid down as the basis upon which the Archduke
was to be accepted; composed an ample representative constitution, by
which all the legislative and many of the executive powers of government
were bestowed upon the states-general or upon the council by them to be
elected. To avoid remaining in the condition of a people thus left
without a head, the states declared themselves willing to accept Matthias
as Governor-General, on condition of the King's subsequent approbation,
and upon the general basis of the Ghent treaty. The Archduke, moreover,
was to take an oath of allegiance to the King and to the states-general
at the same time. He was to govern the land by the advice of a state
council, the members of which were to be appointed by the states-general,
and were "to be native Netherlanders, true patriots; and neither
ambitious nor greedy." In all matters discussed before the state
council, a majority of votes was to decide. The Governor-General, with
his Council of State, should conclude nothing concerning the common
affairs of the nation--such as requests, loans, treaties of peace or
declarations of war, alliances or confederacies with foreign nations--
without the consent of the states-general. He was to issue no edict or
ordinance, and introduce no law, without the consent of the same body
duly assembled, and representing each individual province. A majority of
the members was declared necessary to a quorum of the council. All acts
and despatches were to be drawn up by a member of the board. The states-