venerable judge, aided by De Groot, or Grotius, a noted
Dutch scholar and statesman. The opposition were styled 'remonstrants.'
The judge was charged with a plot to hand his country over to the
tyranny of Spain; and though he was a pure patriot, he was condemned and
executed. Grotius, by an expedient which would have been deemed
improbable in a novel, escaped from the Castle of Loevestein.

"At the expiration of the truce, Spain renewed her efforts to conquer
Holland; but, after a war of twenty-seven years, the independence of the
country was acknowledged in the peace of Westphalia. During this period
the Dutch maintained their supremacy on the sea, attacking the Spanish
possessions in all parts of the world, and especially in the East
Indies, where they commenced the foundation of their empire in that part
of the globe.

"The growing naval power of Holland excited the apprehensions of
England, and war was the consequence, in which the Dutch Admirals Van
Tromp De Ruiter, and De Witt, as well as Admiral Blake of the British
navy, won imperishable renown.

"Prince Maurice was succeeded at his death by his brother Henry; but, in
1650, the office of Stadtholder was abolished, and that of Grand
Pensionary substituted. John De Witt held the position.

"In 1668, France having seized upon the Spanish Netherlands, Holland
united with England and Sweden to check the power of the French monarch;
but Charles II., subsidized by Louis XIV. of France, deserted his ally.
England and France united, won Sweden over, and formed a league against
Holland. Louis invaded Holland with an army six times as large as the
Dutch could bring into the field, and conquered three provinces. The
quarrel between the house of Orange and the party headed by the Grand
Pensionary still continued to rage. The supreme power was in the hands
of the States General. De Witt proposed to establish the government of
Holland in the East India possessions, as Portugal did in Brazil, rather
than submit. The representative of the house of Orange encouraged the
people to resist at home, and declared that he would 'die in the last
ditch.' As the formation of the country rendered it exceedingly probable
that the 'last ditch' was to be found somewhere in Holland, the advice
of this Prince of Orange was adopted. The popular current turned in his
favor, and against the Grand Pensionary, who was murdered by a mob at
The Hague.

"The Prince of Orange was elected Stadthold