The Life and Death of John of Barneveld, Advocate of Holland, 1619-23 | Page 7

seemed the very castle of despair.
"Abandon all hope ye who enter" seemed engraven over its portal.
Situate in the very narrow, acute angle where the broad, deep, and
turbid Waal--the chief of the three branches into which the Rhine
divides itself on entering the Netherlands--mingles its current with the
silver Meuse whose name it adopts as the united rivers roll to the sea, it
was guarded on many sides by these deep and dangerous streams. On
the land-side it was surrounded by high walls and a double foss, which
protected it against any hostile invasion from Brabant. As the Twelve
Years' Truce was running to its close, it was certain that pains would be
taken to strengthen the walls and deepen the ditches, that the place
might be proof against all marauders and land-robbers likely to swarm
over from the territory of the Archdukes. The town of Gorcum was
exactly opposite on the northern side of the Waal, while Worcum was
about a league's distance from the castle on the southern side, but
separated from it by the Meuse.
The prisoners, after crossing the drawbridge, were led through thirteen
separate doors, each one secured by iron bolts and heavy locks, until
they reached their separate apartments.
They were never to see or have any communication with each other. It
had been accorded by the States-General however that the wives of the
two gentlemen were to have access to their prison, were to cook for
them in the castle kitchen, and, if they chose to inhabit the fortress,
might cross to the neighbouring town of Gorcum from time to time to
make purchases, and even make visits to the Hague. Twenty-four
stuivers, or two shillings, a day were allowed by the States-General for
the support of each prisoner and his family. As the family property of
Grotius was at once sequestered, with a view to its ultimate
confiscation, it was clear that abject indigence as well as imprisonment

was to be the lifelong lot of this illustrious person, who had hitherto
lived in modest affluence, occupying the most considerable of social
positions.
The commandant of the fortress was inspired from the outset with a
desire to render the prisoner's situation as hateful as it was in his power
to make it. And much was in his power. He resolved that the family
should really live upon their daily pittance. Yet Madame de Groot,
before the final confiscation of her own and her husband's estates, had
been able to effect considerable loans, both to carry on process against
government for what the prisoners contended was an unjust
confiscation, and for providing for the household on a decent scale and
somewhat in accordance with the requirements of the prisoner's health.
Thus there was a wearisome and ignoble altercation, revived from day
to day, between the Commandant and Madame de Groot. It might have
been thought enough of torture for this virtuous and accomplished lady,
but twenty-nine years of age and belonging to one of the eminent
families of the country, to see her husband, for his genius and
accomplishments the wonder of Europe, thus cut off in the flower of
his age and doomed to a living grave. She was nevertheless to be
subjected to the perpetual inquisition of the market-basket, which she
was not ashamed with her maid to take to and from Gorcum, and to
petty wrangles about the kitchen fire where she was proud to
superintend the cooking of the scanty fare for her husband and her five
children.
There was a reason for the spite of the military jailer. Lieutenant
Prouninx, called Deventer, commandant of Loevestein, was son of the
notorious Gerard Prouninx, formerly burgomaster of Utrecht, one of the
ringleaders of the Leicester faction in the days when the Earl made his
famous attempts upon the four cities. He had sworn revenge upon all
those concerned in his father's downfall, and it was a delight therefore
to wreak a personal vengeance on one who had since become so
illustrious a member of that party by which the former burgomaster had
been deposed, although Grotius at the time of Leicester's government
had scarcely left his cradle.
Thus these ladies were to work in the kitchen and go to market from
time to time, performing this menial drudgery under the personal
inspection of the warrior who governed the garrison and fortress, but

who in vain attempted to make Maria van Reigersbergen tremble at his
frown.
Hugo de Groot, when thus for life immured, after having already
undergone a preliminary imprisonment of nine months, was just
thirty-six years of age. Although comparatively so young, he had been
long regarded as one of the great luminaries of Europe for learning and
genius. Of an ancient and knightly race, his immediate ancestors had
been