And now began the long debate about the cessation of arms.

The English claimed an armistice for the whole dominion of Philip and Elizabeth respectively, during the term of negotiation, and for twenty days after.

The Spanish would grant only a temporary truce, terminable at six days' notice, and that only for the four cautionary towns of Holland held by the Queen.
Thus Philip would be free to invade England at his leisure out of the obedient Netherlands or Spain.

This was inadmissible, of course, but a week was spent at the outset in reducing the terms to writing; and when the Duke's propositions were at last produced in the French tongue, they were refused by the Queen's commissioners, who required that the documents should be in Latin.

Great was the triumph of Dr.Dale, when, after another interval, he found their Latin full of barbarisms and blunders, at which a school-boy would have blushed.