French terms, the stadholder replied, “all that stands in the proposal is unacceptable; rather let us be hacked in pieces, than accept such conditions”; and when an English envoy, after expressing King Charles’ personal goodwill to his nephew, tried to persuade him to accept the inevitable, he met with an indignant refusal.  “But don’t you see that the Republic is lost,” he is reported to have pleaded.  “I know of one sure means of not seeing her downfall,” was William’s proud reply, “to die in defence of the last ditch.”

The firm attitude of the prince gave courage to all; and, whatever might be the case with the more exposed provinces on the eastern and south-eastern frontiers, the Hollanders and Zeelanders were resolved to sacrifice everything rather than yield without a desperate struggle.  But the fact that they were reduced to these dire straits roused the popular resentment against the De Witts and the system of government which had for more than two decades been in possession of power.  Their wrath was especially directed against the council-pensionary.  Pamphlets were distributed broadcast in which he was charged amongst other misdoings with appropriating public funds for his private use.  While yet suffering from the effects of his wounds De Witt appeared (July 23) before the Estates and vigorously defended himself.  A unanimous vote declared him free from blame.

Cornelis de Witt was, no less than his brother, an object of popular hatred.  In the town of Dordrecht where the De Witt influence had been so long supreme his portrait in the Town-hall was torn to pieces by the mob and the head hung on a gallows.  On July 24 he was arrested and imprisoned at the Hague on the charge brought against him by a barber named Tichelaer, of being implicated in a plot to assassinate the prince.  Tichelaer was well known to be a bad and untrustworthy character.  On the unsupported testimony of this man, the Ruwaard, though indignantly denying the accusation, was incarcerated in the Gevangenpoort, to be tried by a commission appointed by the Estates.  Great efforts were made by his friends and by his brother to obtain his release; but, as the prince would not interfere, the proceedings had to take their course.  John de Witt meanwhile, wishing to forestall a dismissal which he felt to be inevitable, appeared before the Estates on August 4, and in an impressive speech voluntarily tendered his resignation of the post of council-pensionary, asking only for the redemption of the promise made to him that at the close of his tenure of office he should receive a judicial appointment.  The resignation was accepted, the request granted, but owing to opposition no vote of thanks was given.  Caspar Fagel was appointed council-pensionary in his place.