These, then, were the sentiments of the party now about to negotiate.  The mediator was anxious for a settlement, because the interests of the Imperial house required it.  The King of Spain was desirous of peace, but was unwilling to concede a hair.  The Prince of Orange was equally anxious to terminate the war, but was determined not to abandon the objects for which it had been undertaken.  A favorable result, therefore, seemed hardly possible.  A whole people claimed the liberty to stay at home and practice the Protestant religion, while their King asserted the right to banish them for ever, or to burn them if they remained.  The parties seemed too far apart to be brought together by the most elastic compromise.  The Prince addressed an earnest appeal to the assembly of Holland, then in session at Dort, reminding them that, although peace was desirable, it might be more dangerous than war, and entreating them, therefore, to conclude no treaty which should be inconsistent with the privileges of the country and their duty to God.

It was now resolved that all the votes of the assembly should consist of five:  one for the nobles and large cities of Holland, one for the estates of Zealand, one for the small cities of Holland, one for the cities Bommel and Buren, and the fifth for William of Orange.  The Prince thus effectually held in his hands three votes:  his own, that of the small cities, which through his means only had been admitted to the assembly, and thirdly, that of Buren, the capital of his son’s earldom.  He thus exercised a controlling influence over the coming deliberations.  The ten commissioners, who were appointed by the estates for the peace negotiations, were all his friends.  Among them were Saint Aldegonde, Paul Buis, Charles Boisot, and Doctor Junius.  The plenipotentiaries of the Spanish government were Leoninus, the Seigneur de Rassinghem, Cornelius Suis, and Arnold Sasbout.

The proceedings were opened at Breda upon the 3rd of March, 1575.  The royal commissioners took the initiative, requesting to be informed what complaints the estates had to make, and offering to remove, if possible, all grievances which they might be suffering.  The states’ commissioners replied that they desired nothing, in the first place, but an answer to the petition which they had already presented to the King.  This was the paper placed in the hands of Saint Aldegonde during the informal negotiations of the preceding year.  An answer was accordingly given, but couched in such vague and general language as to be quite without meaning.  The estates then demanded a categorical reply to the two principal demands in the petition, namely, the departure of the foreign troops and the assembling of the states-general.  They, were asked what they understood by foreigners and by the assembly of states-general.  They replied that by foreigners they meant those who were not natives, and particularly the Spaniards.  By the estates-general