Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 February 2012
This authoritative plea for religious peace was published before the special session of the States General at Antwerp in March and April 1579, where the prince of Orange intended to raise this subject again.
I think that we have elucidated well enough the true meaning of the Pacification of Ghent and the ensuing negotiations and shown that the States in no way violated the principles involved when they drafted the decree of religious peace. The Religions-Frid is the only means of keeping peace and harmony among the inhabitants of these provinces; and the principal intention and aim of the Pacification and the Union was to establish peace. Consequently all those who stir up discord or make war because of some points of detail and justify this by referring to the Pacification and the Union, should be considered violators of both because they contravene their principal intention. It is the general intention which must be taken as the rule to be applied to all ensuing cases. And should any difficulty on that subject arise, it must be solved not at the whim of some private persons but by the States who are the authors of the Pacification and Union. We shall develop this point somewhat further. Obviously contracts can never be concluded between men in so valid a way that there will never be need for revision. The acts of men are never perfect; man is far too ready to seek his own advantage and to surprise his partner by interpreting the contract concluded with him in a partial manner. It is this which is at the root of so many misunderstandings between men.
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