He was ever careful to keep the Provinces of Holland and Zeeland safe from every foreign master.

That spot was to be holy ground.

Not out of personal ambition.

God forbid that they, should accuse his memory of any such impurity, but because he wished one safe refuge for the spirit of freedom.
Many years long they had held out by land and sea against the Spaniards, and should they now, because this Des Pruneaux shrugged his shoulders, be so alarmed as to open the door to the same Spaniard wearing the disguise of a Frenchman?
Prince Maurice also made a brief representation to the States' Assembly of Holland, in which, without distinctly opposing the negotiation with France, he warned them not to proceed too hastily with so grave a matter.
He reminded them how far they had gone in the presentation of the sovereignty to his late father, and requested them, in their dealings with France, not to forget his interests and those of his family.

He reminded them of the position of that family, overladen with debt contracted in their service alone.