The conference between the King and Sully and between both and Francis Aerssens, ambassador of the States, were of almost daily occurrence.

The minute details given in the adroit diplomatist's correspondence indicate at every stage the extreme deference paid by Henry to the opinion of Holland's Advocate and the confidence reposed by him in the resources and the courage of the Republic.
All the world was claiming the heritage of the duchies.
It was only strange that an event which could not be long deferred and the consequences of which were soon to be so grave, the death of the Duke of Cleve, should at last burst like a bomb-shell on the council tables of the sovereigns and statesmen of Europe.

That mischievous madman John William died childless in the spring of 1609.

His sister Sibylla, an ancient and malignant spinster, had governed him and his possessions except in his lucid intervals.

The mass of the population over which he ruled being Protestant, while the reigning family and the chief nobles were of the ancient faith, it was natural that the Catholic party under, the lead of Maximilian of Bavaria should deem it all-important that there should be direct issue to that family.