the negotiations with Anjou advanced, and as the corresponding abjuration
of Philip was more decisively indicated, the consent of the Prince to
this request was more warmly urged. As it was evident that the provinces
thus bent upon placing him at their head, could by no possibility be
induced to accept the sovereignty of Anjou--as, moreover; the act of
renunciation of Philip could no longer be deferred, the Prince of Orange
reluctantly and provisionally accepted the supreme power over Holland and
Zealand. This arrangement was finally accomplished upon the 24th of
July, 1581, and the act of abjuration took place two days afterwards.
The offer of the sovereignty over the other united provinces had been
accepted by Anjou six months before.

Thus, the Netherlands were divided into three portions--the reconciled
provinces, the united provinces under Anjou, and the northern provinces
under Orange; the last division forming the germ, already nearly
developed, of the coming republic. The constitution, or catalogue of
conditions, by which the sovereignty accorded to Anjou was reduced to
such narrow limits as to be little more than a nominal authority, while
the power remained in the hands of the representative body of the
provinces, will be described, somewhat later, together with the
inauguration of the Duke. For the present it is necessary that the
reader should fully understand the relative position of the Prince and of
the northern provinces. The memorable act of renunciation--the
Netherland declaration of independence--will then be briefly explained.

On the 29th of March, 1580, a resolution passed the assembly of Holland
and Zealand never to make peace or enter into any negotiations with the
King of Spain on the basis of his sovereignty. The same resolution
provided that his name--hitherto used in all public acts--should be for
ever discarded, that his seal should be broken, and that the name and