They summed up the whole of his intellectual resources.

It was inevitable, therefore, that he should at once have recourse to both on such an emergency as the present one.
At the same time that he sent his answer to the nobles, he wrote an explanatory letter to the Regent.

He informed her that he had received the communication of the three seigniors, but instructed her that she was to appear to know nothing of the matter until Egmont should speak to her upon the subject.

He added that, although he had signified his wish to the three nobles, that one of them, without specifying which, should come to Madrid, he in reality desired that Egmont, who seemed the most tractable of the three, should be the one deputed.

The King added, that his object was to divide the nobles, and to gain time.
It was certainly superfluous upon Philip's part to inform his sister that his object was to gain time.