In the course of events, however, it soon became evident that the real power of the government was exclusively in the hands of the consulta, a committee of three members of the state council, by whose deliberations the Regent was secretly instructed to be guided on all important occasions.

The three, Viglius, Berlaymont, and Arras, who composed the secret conclave or cabinet, were in reality but one.

The Bishop of Arras was in all three, and the three together constituted only the Bishop of Arras.
There was no especial governor or stadholder appointed for the province of Brabant, where the Regent was to reside and to exercise executive functions in person.

The stadholders for the other provinces were, for Flanders and Artois, the Count of Egmont; for Holland, Zeeland, and Utrecht, the Prince of Orange; for Gueldres and Zutfen, the Count of Meghen; for Friesland, Groningen and Overyssel, Count Aremberg; for Hainault, Valenciennes and Cambray, the Marquis of Berghen; for Tournay and Tournaisis, Baron Montigny; for Namur, Baron Berlaymont; for Luxemburg, Count Mansfeld; for Ryssel, Douay and Orchies, the Baron Coureires.

All these stadholders were commanders-in-chief of the military forces in their respective provinces.