He therefore now offered to withdraw his opposition to the Bavarian claim, provided a portion of the disputed inheritance were assigned to him in consideration of his disinterestedness and moderation.

William was perfectly willing and even eager to treat on this basis.

The first demands of Lewis were, as might have been expected, exorbitantly high.

He asked for the kingdom of Navarre, which would have made him little less than master of the whole Iberian peninsula, and for the duchy of Luxemburg, which would have made him more dangerous than ever to the United Provinces.

On both points he encountered a steady resistance.