CHAPTER XXXIV. Mission of the States to Henry to prevent the consummation of peace with Spain--Proposal of Henry to elevate Prince Maurice to the sovereignty, of the States--Embarkation of the States' envoys for England--Their interview with Queen Elizabeth--Return of the envoys from England--Demand of Elizabeth for repayment of her advances to the republic--Second embassy to England--Final arrangement between the Queen and the States.The great Advocate was now to start on his journey in order to make asupreme effort both with Henry and with Elizabeth to prevent theconsummation of this fatal peace. Admiral Justinus of Nassau, naturalson of William the Silent, was associated with Barneveld in the mission,a brave fighting man, a staunch patriot, and a sagacious counsellor; butthe Advocate on this occasion, as in other vital emergencies of thecommonwealth, was all in all.The instructions of the envoys were simple. They were to summon theking to fulfil his solemnly sworn covenants with the league. The States-General had never doubted, they said, that so soon as the enemy had begunto feel the effects, of that league he would endeavour to make acomposition with one or other of the parties in order to separate them,and to break up that united strength which otherwise he could neverresist. The king was accordingly called upon to continue the war againstthe common enemy, and the States-General offered, over and above the fourhundred and fifty thousand florins promised by them for the support ofthe four thousand infantry for the year 1598, to bring their wholemilitary power, horse and foot, into the field to sustain his Majesty inthe war, whether separately or in conjunction, whether in the siege ofcities or in open campaigns. Certainly they could hardly offer fairerterms than these.Henry had complained, and not unreasonably, that Elizabeth had made no