He was always ready to negotiate, he was especially anxious to obtain a suspension of arms from the rebels during negotiation; but his agents were instructed to use great dexterity and dissimulation in order that the proposal for such armistice, as well as for negotiation at all, should appear to proceed, not from himself as was the fact, but from the emperor as a neutral potentate.

The king uniformly proposed three points; firstly, that the rebels should reconvert themselves to the Catholic religion; secondly, that they should return to their obedience to himself; thirdly, that they should pay the expenses of the war.

Number three was, however, usually inserted in order that, by conceding it subsequently, after much contestation, he might appear conciliatory.

It was a vehicle of magnanimity towards men grown insolent with temporary success.

Numbers one and two were immutable.
Especially upon number one was concession impossible.