Of possible help from without, Orange at this time had most hope from the German chiefs. Nothing effective came from the Huguenots in France; even less came from Elizabeth. This is the epoch at which long and earnest despatches pass between Orange and the Elector of Saxony, the Landgrave of Hesse, the Counts of Nassau, Wittgenstein, and other leading nobles of the Empire. William, Louis, and, to a great extent, John of Nassau, press for a league of the German princes to save the existence of the Reform in the Netherlands. One after another the princes urge acceptance of the Lutheran Confession of Augsburg. They do not put it quite sharply; but their terms amount to this—that the Netherlanders must abandon Calvinism and accept Lutheranism as a condition precedent to receiving aid. William is now inclined to adopt the Lutheranism of his House and of his only powerful friends; but he saw that Lutheranism had no real hold on the masses of his own land, and that it was useless to attempt any further pressure to modify their Calvinistic fervour. He pleads their cause earnestly, piteously, and skilfully. He says that he is thinking of declaring himself to be a Lutheran, but that Philip regards Lutherans as just as bad as Calvinists. "Surely the German Protestants will not see these innocent, helpless Christians crushed without an effort." But he pleads in vain.
"I am no Calvinist," wrote the Prince to the Landgrave of Hesse, "but it seems to me neither right nor worthy of a Christian to seek, for the sake of differences
