secretly Catholic and still more secretly disposed to effect a revolution
in the government, the object of which should be to fuse the United
Provinces with the obedient Netherlands in a single independent monarchy
to be placed under the sceptre of the son of Philip III.

A paper containing the outlines of this scheme had been sent to Spain,
and the King at once forwarded it in cipher to the Archduke at Brussels
for his opinion and co-operation.

"You will see," he said, "the plan which a certain person zealous for the
public good has proposed for reducing the Netherlanders to my obedience.
. . . . You will please advise with Count Frederic van den Berg and
let me know with much particularity and profound secrecy what is thought,
what is occurring, and the form in which this matter ought to be
negotiated, and the proper way to make it march."

Unquestionably the paper was of grave importance. It informed the King
of Spain that some principal personages in the United Netherlands,
members of the council of state, were of opinion that if his Majesty or
Archduke Albert should propose peace, it could be accomplished at that
moment more easily than ever before. They had arrived at the conviction
that no assistance was to be obtained from the King of France, who was
too much weakened by tumults and sedition at home, while nothing good
could be expected from the King of England. The greater part of the
Province of Gelderland, they said, with all Friesland, Utrecht,
Groningen, and Overyssel were inclined to a permanent peace. Being all
of them frontier provinces, they were constantly exposed to the brunt of
hostilities. Besides this, the war expenses alone would now be more than
3,000,000 florins a year. Thus the people were kept perpetually
harassed, and although evil-intentioned persons approved these burthens