states.

Meantime, Don John thundered forth a manifesto which had been recently
prepared in Madrid, by which the estates, both general and particular,
were ordered forthwith to separate, and forbidden to assemble again,
except by especial licence. All commissions, civil or military, granted
by states' authority, were moreover annulled, together with a general
prohibition of any act of obedience to such functionaries, and of
contribution to any imposts which might be levied by their authority.
Such thunders were now comparatively harmless, for the states had taken
their course, and were busily engaged, both at home and abroad, in arming
for the conflict. Saint Aldegonde was deputed to attend the Imperial
diet, then in session at Worms, where he delivered an oration, which was
very celebrated in its day as a composition, but, which can hardly be
said to have produced much practical effect. The current was setting
hard in Germany against the Reformed religion and against the Netherland
cause, the Augsburg Confessionists showing hardly more sympathy with
Dutch Calvinists than with Spanish Papists.

Envoys from Don John also attended the diet, and requested Saint
Aldegonde to furnish them with a copy of his oration. This he declined
to do. While in Germany, Saint Aldegonde was informed by John Casimir
that Duke Charles of Sweden, had been solicited to furnish certain ships
of war for a contemplated operation against Amsterdam. The Duke had
himself given information of this plot to the Prince Palatine. It was
therefore natural that Saint Aldegonde should forthwith despatch the
intelligence to his friends in the Netherlands, warning them of the
dangers still to be apprehended from the machinations of the Catholic
agents and functionaries in Amsterdam; for although the Reformation had
made rapid progress in that important city since the conclusion of the