rofession of Consulting Advocate: with this view he
desired his brother, in a letter dated February 16, 1632, to send him
what law books he had, and which he might need for the proper discharge
of his office.

He could make no use of these books: for the States-General, thinking
themselves affronted by his boldness in continuing in the Country
without their leave, and by the repugnance he shewed to ask them pardon,
on the tenth of December, 1631, issued an Ordonnance enjoining all the
Bailiffs of the Country to seize his person, and give them notice. No
body would execute it: which obliged the States to renew it, on the
tenth of March in the year following, upon pain to those who would not
obey of losing their places; and with a promise of two thousand florins
to any one who would deliver Grotius into the hands of justice. There
were many who interested themselves for him: besides private persons he
was favoured by the Nobles, the Towns of Rotterdam, Delft, and
Amsterdam. But the States-General were his Judges and his Adversaries.

We do not find that the Prince of Orange, on whose friendship he had
some reason to depend, protected him on this essential occasion. The
intrigues of his enemies diverted him from it. They were at great pains
to prejudice the Stadtholder against Grotius, by representing that he
professed an inviolable attachment to the privileges of his Country;
and, being of Barnevelt's principles, would support them with equal
firmness; and that the Prince could never agree with him because he
would always oppose his views. These reasons made an impression on
Frederic, who being of the same character with all the Princes, of his
house, wanted, says Du Maurier, to be Prince of Holland. He approved
therefore of the proceedings of the States-General, who intended to give
Grotius to understand by their last Ordonnances, that they condemned him
to perpetual banishment.

It will perhaps be wondered at that a wise man, such as Grotius, would
hazard a journey to Holland without succeeding in the projects he had
formed for obtaining permission to stay there: but on some occasions it
is prudent to run hazards. The point is whether the appearance of
success was such as a man of sense ought to build on. He was sensible
this would be objected to him, and in some of his letters he endeavours
to justify his return. He writes to Martinus Ruarus, January 19, 1632,
that he came to Holland at the solicitations of his Frien