Philip was accordingly deposed justly, legally formally justly, because it had become necessary to abjur a monarch who was determined not only to oppress; but to exterminate his people; legally, because he had habitually violated the constitutions which he had sworn to support; formally, because the act was done in the name of the people, by the body historically representing the people.
What, then, was the condition of the nation, after this great step had been taken?
It stood, as it were, with its sovereignty in its hand, dividing it into two portions, and offering it, thus separated, to two distinct individuals.

The sovereignty of Holland and Zealand had been reluctantly accepted by Orange.

The sovereignty of the united provinces had been offered to Anjou, but the terms of agreement with that Duke had not yet been ratified.

The movement was therefore triple, consisting of an abjuration and of two separate elections of hereditary chiefs; these two elections being accomplished in the same manner, by the representative bodies respectively of the united provinces, and of Holland and Zealand.

Neither the abjuration nor the elections were acted upon beforehand by the communities, the train-bands, or the guilds of the cities--all represented, in fact, by the magistrates and councils of each; nor by the peasantry of the open country--all supposed to be represented by the knights and nobles.