Cleves, to present to you in
person their wishes and requests. But since your Electoral Highness would
not have the kindness to grant us an audience, but referred us to your
minister, his excellency Count Schwarzenberg, we have preferred to intrude
upon your Electoral Highness with a written document, in order that your
highness might be made acquainted with the desires and petitions of the
duchy of Cleves by means of our own writing, rather than by the mouth of
his excellency your minister."

"It pleases you, gentlemen, to impugn the character of my minister, Count
Schwarzenberg?" asked the Elector. "You would insinuate that he might
represent things differently from what they actually are? I give you to
know, though, that Schwarzenberg is a servant singularly true and devoted
to his Elector, and that I have much more reason to trust him than the
estates of the duchy of Cleves, who have dared to make known to me through
you their strange requests. I have had you summoned now in order to have
confirmed by you orally what is stated in this paper, for it seems to me
nothing less than sheer impossibility that the estates should venture to
propose to their liege lord what you have proposed. Repeat to me,
therefore, by word of mouth the demands of the states of Cleves, then I
will return you my answer. Which of you is spokesman?"

"I, Baron van Velsen, your Electoral Highness."

"A Dutch name, as it seems to me."

"My family came originally from Holland, but settled in the duchy of
Cleves fifty years ago."

"Speak then, Baron van Velsen. I am ready to hear you."

"Your Electoral Highness, the states of the duchy of Cleves send us to
seek succor from you their liege lord in this time of their necessity and
distress. On all sides we are oppressed by soldiers, and perpetually in
danger of being seized and consumed by one or other of the contending
potentates, princes, and lords. In the Netherlands the contest is still
going on between the States and the Spaniards, and daily threatens to
involve us in the calamities and perils of war, and equally alarming to us
is the neighborhood of the Imperial and Swedish troops. Oppressed by all,
downtrodden by all, there is only one assured means of deliverance. It is
this, that your highness nominate the Electoral Prince stadtholder of the
duchy of Cleves, and permit him to take up his residence among the trusty
people of Cleves."

"Just tell me, you wise and prudent deputies from