Deputies of both parties met at
Antwerp, and on the 9th of April following, a truce for twelve years
was concluded upon. It was forthwith ratified by the States and the
Archdukes, and published on the 14th of April.

"On the 7th of July, 1609, at Segovia, the King of Spain explicitly
and without reserve ratified this truce, viz.

'His Majesty having seen the contents of the articles of truce and
capitulation, which his dear and well beloved brothers, the Archdukes
Albert and Isabella Clara Eugene have sent him, concerning the truce
granted in the name of his Majesty, by his representative, and in that
of their Highnesses by themselves, to the States-General of the United
Provinces of the low countries, and having maturely considered it,
declares that he applauds, approves, confirms, and ratifies the said
truce, in so much as concerns him, &c.'

"The first article of this truce was in the words following.

'First, the abovementioned Archdukes declare, in their own name and in
that of the King, that they are content to treat with the said
States-General of the United Provinces, in the character of, and
holding them for a free country, estates, and provinces, over which
they have no claims, and to make a truce with them in the name and
under the character above described; and this they do on the
conditions hereinafter described and declared by these presents.'

"On the 30th of January, 1648, a treaty of peace was concluded between
Spain and the United Provinces.

"The full powers or commission given by the King of Spain to his
plenipotentiaries for making this peace, were dated near two years
before, viz. 7th of June, 1646, and they show clearly, that he
negotiated with those Provinces as with independent States, on that
occasion.

"The tenor of this commission is very different from that of Mr
Oswald. The following is an extract from it.

'All the powers, which are concerned in this war, having by common
consent chosen the city of Munster as a place for holding the Congress
and negotiations for the peace aforesaid; we have thought proper to
name plenipotentiaries there to treat with the States of the free
Provinces of the low countries, or with their Ambassadors and
plenipotentiaries, authorised and deputed for this purpose, &c.'

"From this detail it appears, that the Dutch ever after their
declaration of independence, in July, 1581, uniformly treated with the
neighboring nations on an _equal footing_, and al