“The disturbances of Holland are generated from the hereditaryship of the stadtholder.”

“In Holland the sovereign is considered as a stadtholder rather than as a king.”

“William's followers in the States of Utrecht on 26 April 1674 appointed him hereditary stadtholder.”

“William Frederick only received the stadtholderate of Friesland and Frederick Henry after 1640 was stadtholder in the other six provinces.”

“Despite these successes, the House of Orange did not attain great respect among European royalty, as the Stadtholdership was not inheritable.”

“First, it was a republic with a stadholder as head of state, not a monarchy or empire like almost everywhere else.”

“But the stadholder refused to let him go, fearing his influence in other places.”

“Plainly there was no room in the Commonwealth for the Advocate and the stadholder.”