story United Netherlands, Volume 81, 1608

CHAPTER L.

Movements of the Emperor Rudolph--Marquis Spinola's reception at the
Hague--Meeting of Spinola and Prince Maurice--Treaty of the Republic
with the French Government--The Spanish commissioners before the
States-General--Beginning of negotiations--Stormy discussions--Real
object of Spain in the negotiations--Question of the India trade--
Abandonment of the peace project--Negotiations for a truce--
Prolongation of the armistice--Further delays--Treaty of the States
with England--Proposals of the Spanish ambassadors to Henry of
France and to James of England--Friar Neyen at the court of Spain--
Spanish procrastination--Decision of Philip on the conditions of
peace--Further conference at the Hague--Answer of the States-General
to the proposals of the Spanish Government--General rupture.

Towards the close of the year 1607 a very feeble demonstration was made
in the direction of the Dutch republic by the very feeble Emperor of
Germany. Rudolph, awaking as it might be from a trance, or descending for
a moment from his star-gazing tower and his astrological pursuits to
observe the movements of political spheres, suddenly discovered that the
Netherlands were no longer revolving in their preordained orbit. Those
provinces had been supposed to form part of one great system, deriving
light and heat from the central imperial sun. It was time therefore to
put an end to these perturbations. The emperor accordingly, as if he had
not enough on his hands at that precise moment with the Hungarians,
Transylvanians, Bohemian protestants, his brother Matthias and the Grand
Turk, addressed a letter to the States of Holland, Zeeland, and the
provinces confederated with them.

Reminding them of the care ever taken by himself and his father to hear
all their petitions, and to obtain for them a good peace, he observed
that he had just heard of their contemplated negotiations with King
Philip and Archduke Albert, and of their desire to be declared free
states and peoples. He was amazed, he said, that they should not have
given him notice of so important an affair, inasmuch as all the United
Provinces belonged to and were fiefs of the holy Roman Empire. They were
warned, therefore, to undertake nothing that might be opposed to the
feudal law except with his full knowledge. This letter was dated the 9th
of October. The States took time to deliberate,