The Life and Death of John of Barneveld, Advocate of Holland, 1618 | Page 3

in Amsterdam, and among the papers thus
found was a list of wealthy merchants of that city who had contributed
to the expense of its publication. The opposition of Barneveld to the
West India Corporation could never be forgiven. The Advocate was

notified in this production that he was soon to be summoned to answer
for his crimes. The country was weary of him, he was told, and his life
was forfeited.
Stung at last beyond endurance by the persistent malice of his enemies,
he came before the States of Holland for redress. Upon his
remonstrance the author of this vile libel was summoned to answer
before the upper tribunal at the Hague for his crime. The city of
Amsterdam covered him with the shield 'de non evocando,' which had
so often in cases of less consequence proved of no protective value, and
the notary was never punished, but on the contrary after a brief lapse of
time rewarded as for a meritorious action.
Meantime, the States of Holland, by formal act, took the name and
honour of Barneveld under their immediate protection as a treasure
belonging specially to themselves. Heavy penalties were denounced
upon the authors and printers of these libellous attacks, and large
rewards offered for their detection. Nothing came, however, of such
measures.
On the 24th April the Advocate addressed a frank, dignified, and
conciliatory letter to the Prince. The rapid progress of calumny against
him had at last alarmed even his steadfast soul, and he thought it best to
make a last appeal to the justice and to the clear intellect of William the
Silent's son.
"Gracious Prince," he said, "I observe to my greatest sorrow an entire
estrangement of your Excellency from me, and I fear lest what was said
six months since by certain clerical persons and afterwards by some
politicians concerning your dissatisfaction with me, which until now I
have not been able to believe, must be true. I declare nevertheless with
a sincere heart to have never willingly given cause for any such feeling;
having always been your very faithful servant and with God's help
hoping as such to die. Ten years ago during the negotiations for the
Truce I clearly observed the beginning of this estrangement, but your
Excellency will be graciously pleased to remember that I declared to
you at that time my upright and sincere intention in these negotiations
to promote the service of the country and the interests of your
Excellency, and that I nevertheless offered at the time not only to resign
all my functions but to leave the country rather than remain in office
and in the country to the dissatisfaction of your Excellency."

He then rapidly reviewed the causes which had produced the alienation
of which he complained and the melancholy divisions caused by the
want of mutual religious toleration in the Provinces; spoke of his
efforts to foster a spirit of conciliation on the dread subject of
predestination, and referred to the letter of the King of Great Britain
deprecating discussion and schism on this subject, and urging that those
favourable to the views of the Remonstrants ought not to be persecuted.
Referring to the intimate relations which Uytenbogaert had so long
enjoyed with the Prince, the Advocate alluded to the difficulty he had
in believing that his Excellency intended to act in opposition to the
efforts of the States of Holland in the cause of mutual toleration, to the
manifest detriment of the country and of many of its best and truest
patriots and the greater number of the magistrates in all the cities.
He reminded the Prince that all attempts to accommodate these fearful
quarrels had been frustrated, and that on his departure the previous year
to Utrecht on account of his health he had again offered to resign all his
offices and to leave Holland altogether rather than find himself in
perpetual opposition to his Excellency.
"I begged you in such case," he said, "to lend your hand to the
procuring for me an honourable discharge from My Lords the States,
but your Excellency declared that you could in no wise approve such a
step and gave me hope that some means of accommodating the
dissensions would yet be proposed."
"I went then to Vianen, being much indisposed; thence I repaired to
Utrecht to consult my old friend Doctor Saulo Saul, in whose hands I
remained six weeks, not being able, as I hoped, to pass my seventieth
birthday on the 24th September last in my birthplace, the city of
Amersfoort. All this time I heard not one single word or proposal of
accommodation. On the contrary it was determined that by a majority
vote, a thing never heard of before, it was intended against the solemn
resolves of the States of Holland,