But his present encouragement to William was little more than good wishes, for to him too the Provinces seemed lost.
It was in late July, when William was almost ready to take the field, that a knight with a few attendants rode into Strasburg and demanded to see the Prince of Orange.
He had no difficulty in obtaining his wish, for the German officers recognized him as the Landgrave William, son of Philip of Hesse and cousin to Anne of Saxony.
He found William and Count Hoogstraaten together in an upper chamber of the modest house where they lodged.
It was a sultry night and the windows were wide open; between them sat the Prince at a plain table writing by the light of a little copper lamp.
He was writing to his wife, and the words he penned as the Landgrave entered were these:—
"I go to-morrow, but when I shall return or when I shall see you I cannot, on my honour, tell you with certainty. I have resolved to place myself in the hands of the Almighty that He may guide me where it is His good pleasure that I should go. I see well enough that I am destined to pass this life in misery and labour——"
As he heard the door open, he closed his letter hastily and put it away.