on the one part, and those of
England on the other.

"The Spaniards requested the King to mediate a peace between the
Archduke and the United Provinces _on reasonable and equal terms_. The
English answered, that it was not their business, and that they could
treat together, without saying anything of the United Provinces.

"On the 28th of August, 1604, peace was concluded between Spain and
the Archduke on the one part, and England on the other.

"On the last of May, 1605, the States, in answer to the propositions
for peace made by the Emperor, Electors, Princes, and States of the
empire say, 'that they had been legally discharged from their oaths to
the late King of Spain; insomuch that all impartial Kings, Princes,
and States did at present acknowledge and hold the Low Countries for a
_free State_, qualified of right to govern itself in form of a
republic, or to choose another Prince.

'That as to what they had been advised, viz. to enter into any treaty,
contrary to the free government right, which they had obtained, and
which they still enjoyed, they considered it as _contrary to God,
their honor, and their safety_.'

"About the end of February, 1607, there came from Brussels to Holland,
as Deputy from the Archduke, the Commissary-General of the minor
brothers, whose father had formerly been well acquainted with the
Prince of Orange.

"He came to learn the reasons, which had prevented the propositions of
the Sieur Horst from being successful. After speaking often in private
with Prince Maurice, he came to the Hague, where he also had an
audience of Prince Maurice, to whom he said, that it was not the
intention of his Highness _either to better or to lessen his right by
any treaty of truce, but to treat with the States in the state in
which they were_. And on being given to understand, that the Archduke
_must acknowledge the State for a free State before they would enter
into any treaty_, he undertook to bring the Archduke to consent to it,
in order to avoid the effusion of blood. On the 9th, he went in Prince
Maurice's boat to Antwerp, and returned on the 17th of March to the
Hague, and did so much, that both parties finally agreed to come to
some mutual treaty, agreeable to the conditions of the following
Declaration, viz.

'The Archdukes have found it proper to make the following declaration,
offer, and presentation _to the States-General of the United Provinces
of the Low Countries_.

'That the Archduk