She had also learned that a letter had been received from Valdez, in which he had pledged his word of honor as a nobleman, to spare the city, if it would surrender itself to the king's "mercy," and especially to grant Burgomaster Van der Werff, Herr Van der Does, and the other supporters of the rebellion, free passage through the Spanish lines.

The Castilians would retire and Leyden should be garrisoned only by a few German troops.

He invited Van der Werff and Herr von Nordwyk to come to Leyderdorp as ambassadors, and in any case, even if the negotiations failed, agreed to send them home uninjured under a safe escort.

Maria knew that her husband had appointed that day for a great assembly of the council, the magistrates, and all the principal men in the city, as well as the captains of the city-guard--but not a word of all this had reached her ears from Peter.

She had heard the news from Frail Van Hout and the wives of other citizens.
During the last few days a great change had taken place in her husband.
He went out and returned with a pallid, gloomy face.