The Life and Death of John of Barneveld, Advocate of Holland, 1610a

Life of John of Barneveld, 1610a

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Title: The Life of John of Barneveld, 1609-10
Author: John Lothrop Motley
Release Date: January, 2004 [EBook #4887] [Yes, we are more than
one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on April 22,
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THE LIFE AND DEATH of JOHN OF BARNEVELD, ADVOCATE
OF HOLLAND
WITH A VIEW OF THE PRIMARY CAUSES AND MOVEMENTS
OF THE THIRTY YEARS' WAR
By John Lothrop Motley, D.C.L., LL.D.

MOTLEY'S HISTORY OF THE NETHERLANDS, Project Gutenberg
Edition, Volume 87
The Life and Death of John of Barneveld, v2 1609-10

CHAPTER II
.
Passion of Henry IV. for Margaret de Montmorency--Her Marriage
with the Prince of Conde--Their Departure for the Country--Their
Flight to the Netherlands-Rage of the King--Intrigues of
Spain--Reception of the Prince and Princess of Conde by the
Archdukes at Brussels-- Splendid Entertainments by Spinola--Attempts
of the King to bring the Fugitives back--Mission of De Coeuvres to
Brussels--Difficult Position of the Republic--Vast but secret
Preparations for War.
"If the Prince of Conde comes back." What had the Prince of Conde,

his comings and his goings, to do with this vast enterprise?
It is time to point to the golden thread of most fantastic passion which
runs throughout this dark and eventful history.
One evening in the beginning of the year which had just come to its
close there was to be a splendid fancy ball at the Louvre in the course
of which several young ladies of highest rank were to perform a dance
in mythological costume.
The King, on ill terms with the Queen, who harassed him with scenes
of affected jealousy, while engaged in permanent plots with her
paramour and master, the Italian Concini, against his policy and his life;
on still worse terms with his latest mistress in chief, the Marquise de
Verneuil, who hated him and revenged herself for enduring his caresses
by making him the butt of her venomous wit, had taken the festivities
of a court in dudgeon where he possessed hosts of enemies and
flatterers but scarcely a single friend.
He refused to attend any of the rehearsals of the ballet, but one day a
group of Diana and her nymphs passed him in the great gallery of the
palace. One of the nymphs as she went by turned and aimed her gilded
javelin at his heart. Henry looked and saw the most beautiful young
creature, so he thought, that mortal eye had ever gazed upon, and
according to his wont fell instantly over head and ears in love. He said
afterwards that he felt himself pierced to the heart and was ready to
faint away.
The lady was just fifteen years of age. The King was turned of fifty-
five. The disparity of age seemed to make the royal passion ridiculous.
To Henry the situation seemed poetical and pathetic. After this first
interview he never missed a single rehearsal. In the intervals he called
perpetually for the services of the court poet Malherbe, who certainly
contrived to perpetrate in his behalf some of the most detestable verses
that even he had ever composed.
The nymph was Marguerite de Montmorency, daughter of the
Constable of France, and destined one day to become the mother of the
great Conde, hero of Rocroy. There can be no doubt that she was
exquisitely beautiful. Fair-haired, with a complexion of dazzling purity,
large expressive eyes, delicate but commanding features, she had