In exchange for this work, any thing which you think proper to offer to him as a reward, will be capital well invested; but it must not be given until the job is done." But the job was hard to do, and Sainte Aldegonde cared nothing for the offered bribe.

He was, however, most strangely confident of being able to overcome, on the one hand, the opposition of Holland and Zeeland to the hated authority of Spain, and, on the other, the intense abhorrence entertained by Philip to liberty of conscience.
Soon after the capitulation, he applied for a passport to visit those two Provinces.

Permission to come was refused him.

Honest men from Antwerp, he was informed, would be always welcome, but there was no room for him.
There was, however--or Parma persuaded himself that there was--a considerable party in those countries in favour of reconciliation with Spain.

If the ex-burgomaster could gain a hearing, it was thought probable that his eloquence would prove very effective.
"We have been making efforts to bring about negotiations with Holland and Zeeland," wrote Alexander to Philip.