“These are in Your Highness’ confidence?”
“Oh, say what you have to say, Sir Edward,” cried the Prince impatiently.
Seymour was considering him curiously.
“My lord Buckingham made an offer to Your Highness——”
“Which I refused.”
“—in the hope of detaching the English from the French alliance,” added Sir Edward. “You now see, Sir, that such a hope is useless.”
“Well?”
“It is my embassage to repeat that offer to Your Highness. To show the consideration in which their Majesties hold you—they again offer you the sovereignty of Holland—in exchange for the towns not yet in King Louis’ possession.”
William III. looked at him straightly.
“I thank you and your master for these proposals,” he said coldly, “but they are renewed twenty-four hours too late.… Yesterday I took an oath of fidelity to the States as Stadtholder.… You have my answer.”