under the pretence that such heavy taxation served to free them from the
tyranny of Spain, those of sense and quality reproved them and knew the
contrary to be true. "Many here know," continued these traitors in the
heart of the state council, "how good it would be for the people of the
Netherlands to have a prince, and those having this desire being on the
frontier are determined to accept the son of your Majesty for their
ruler." The conditions of the proposed arrangement were to be that the
Prince with his successors who were thus to possess all the Netherlands
were to be independent sovereigns not subject in any way to the crown of
Spain, and that the great governments and dignities of the country were
to remain in the hands then holding them.

This last condition was obviously inserted in the plan for the special
benefit of Prince Maurice and Count Lewis, although there is not an atom
of evidence that they had ever heard of the intrigue or doubt that, if
they had, they would have signally chastised its guilty authors.

It was further stated that the Catholics having in each town a church and
free exercise of their religion would soon be in a great majority. Thus
the political and religious counter-revolution would be triumphantly
accomplished.

It was proposed that the management of the business should be entrusted
to some gentleman of the country possessing property there who "under
pretext of the public good should make people comprehend what a great
thing it would be if they could obtain this favour from the Spanish King,
thus extricating themselves from so many calamities and miseries, and
obtaining free traffic and a prince of their own." It would be necessary
for the King and Archduke to write many letters and promise great rewards
to persons who might otherwise embarrass the good work.