to the cause of the heretics. We should use these advantages well, and
to do so we should not immaturely pursue greater ones. Fortune changes,
flies when we most depend on her, and delights in making her chief sport
of the highest quality of mortals."

Thus wrote the Archduke sensibly, honourably from his point of view, and
with an intelligent regard to the interests of Spain and the Catholic
cause. After months of delay came conditional consent from Madrid to the
conventions, but with express condition that there should be absolute
undertaking on the part of the United Provinces never to send or maintain
troops in the duchies. Tedious and futile correspondence followed
between Brussels, the Hague, London, Paris. But the difficulties grew
every moment. It was a Penelope's web of negotiation, said one of the
envoys. Amid pertinacious and wire-drawn subtleties, every trace of
practical business vanished. Neuburg departed to look after his
patrimonial estates; leaving his interests in the duchies to be watched
over by the Archduke. Even Count Zollern, after six months of wrangling
in Brussels, took his departure. Prince Maurice distributed his army in
various places within the debateable land, and Spinola did the same,
leaving a garrison of 3000 foot and 300 horse in the important city of
Wesel. The town and citadel of Julich were as firmly held by Maurice for
the Protestant cause. Thus the duchies were jointly occupied by the
forces of Catholicism and Protestantism, while nominally possessed and
administered by the princes of Brandenburg and Neuburg. And so they
were destined to remain until that Thirty Years' War, now so near its
outbreak, should sweep over the earth, and bring its fiery solution at
last to all these great debates.