ll his friends in its favour; that no injuries
should ever make him cease to love it; and that he stifled every thought
of revenge as utterly repugnant to the precepts of the Gospel.

He did not however think this disposition ought to hinder him from
labouring to manifest to the world the innocency of his conduct, and
that of those who were condemned with him.

He had even collected when in prison some materials for his apology: the
President Jeannin advised him to finish it while the facts were fresh in
his memory, and he might print it at a favourable opportunity.

Grotius followed this advice, and his Apology in Dutch was finished in
the beginning of the year 1622. If it had appeared only in that language
it could not have been read out of Holland; but as he intended that
wherever he was known, that is to say, throughout all Europe, every one
might be enabled to judge of the regularity of his conduct, he
translated it into Latin: He was also desirous of having it done into
French, that it might be printed at the same time in the three
languages: but he could not find a French translator. He expected that a
work, which set in the clearest light the injustices and prevarications
of men in place, would increase their hatred to him: but this
consideration did not restrain him from publishing it, because he was
persuaded the laws of God and of nature allowed every man unjustly
accused to justify himself.

His Apology was soon translated into Latin, for it was published at
Paris in the year 1622. In the dedication to the people of Holland and
West Friesland the Author explains his reasons for so long delaying his
vindication. During his nine months confinement at the Hague he could do
nothing in it; when removed to Louvestein he wanted several necessary
pieces; since his happy escape he was much busied; besides it required
time to range the several parts of his defence in proper order. The work
is divided into twenty Chapters: in the first he shews that each of the
United Provinces is sovereign and independent of the States-General,
whose authority is confined to the defence of the Provinces: in the
second, that each Province is possessed of the Sovereignty in matters
ecclesiastical, and that this sovereignty resides in the particular
States of the Province: in the third and fourth, that the different
opinions about Predestination ought to be tolerated: in the fifth, that
the convocation of a Synod in the situation of a