While their negotiations were still pending, four special envoys from Don John arrived at Middelburg.

To this commission was informally adjoined Leoninus, who had succeeded to the general position of Viglius.

Viglius was dead.

Since the memorable arrest of the State Council, he had not appeared on the scene of public affairs.

The house-arrest, to which he had been compelled by a revolutionary committee, had been indefinitely prolonged by a higher power, and after a protracted illness he had noiselessly disappeared from the stage of life.
There had been few more learned doctors of both laws than he.