The cardinal point in his policy, as it had ever been in that of William the Silent, was to maintain close friendship with France, whoever might be its ruler.

An alliance between that kingdom and Spain would be instantaneous ruin to the Republic.

With the French and English sovereigns united with the Provinces, the cause of the Reformation might triumph, the Spanish world-empire be annihilated, national independence secured.
Henry assured the Ambassador that the treaty of Vervins was indispensable, but that he would never desert his old allies.

In proof of this, although he had just bound himself to Spain to give no assistance to the Provinces, open or secret, he would furnish them with thirteen hundred thousand crowns, payable at intervals during four years.

He was under great obligations to his good friends the States, he said, and nothing in the treaty forbade him to pay his debts.
It was at this period too that Barneveld was employed by the King to attend to certain legal and other private business for which he professed himself too poor at the moment to compensate him.