their application to
the stadtholderess, and entreated her to send the Prince of Orange,
as the only person capable of saving the city from destruction.
The duchess was forced to adopt this bitter alternative; and the
prince, after repeated refusals to mix again in public affairs,
yielded, at length, less to the supplications of the stadtholderess
than to his own wishes to do another service to the cause of his
country. At half a league from the city he was met by De Brederode,
with an immense concourse of people of all sects and opinions,
who hailed him as a protector from the tyranny of the king, and
a savior from the dangers of their own excess. Nothing could
exceed the wisdom, the firmness, and the benevolence, with which
he managed all conflicting interests, and preserved tranquillity
amid a chaos of opposing prejudices and passions.

From the first establishment of the field-preachings the
stadtholderess had implored the confederate lords to aid her for
the re-establishment of order. De Brederode seized this excuse for
convoking a general meeting of the associates which consequently
took place at the town of St. Trond, in the district of Liege.
Full two thousand of the members appeared on the summons. The
language held in this assembly was much stronger and less equivocal
than that formerly used. The delay in the arrival of the king's
answer presaged ill as to his intentions; while the rapid growth
of the public power seemed to mark the present as the time for
successfully demanding all that the people required. Several of
the Catholic members, still royalists at heart, were shocked
to hear a total liberty of conscience spoken of as one of the
privileges sought for. The young count of Mansfield, among others,
withdrew immediately from the confederation; and thus the first
stone seemed to be removed from this imperfectly constructed
edifice.

The Prince of Orange and Count Egmont were applied to, and appointed
by the stadtholderess, with full powers to treat with the
confederates. Twelve of the latter, among whom were Louis of
Nassau, De Brederode, and De Culembourg, met them by appointment
at Duffle, a village not far from Mechlin. The result of the
conference was a respectful but firm address to the stadtholderess,
repelling her accusations of having entered into foreign treaties;
declaring their readiness to march against the French troops should
they set foot in the country; and claiming, with the utmost f