government established in Holland after the Dutch threw off the Spanish
yoke. The work is dedicated to the States of Holland and West-Friesland,
March 16, 1610.

The States were extremely pleased with it: they returned their thanks to
the author, and made him a present[56]. He afterwards added notes,
serving for proofs of the several facts: these were carried away with
his other papers at the time of his arrest; but the Elzevirs, intending
to publish a new edition of it, acquainted Grotius, who was at pains to
get the notes returned; and they are now printed at the end of the
Elzevir edition. His love to his country led him to advance several
things in this work, which he afterwards owned to be mistakes[57]; in
particular, that the Batavi had always been free, and not subject to the
ancient Franks[58].

While this book was in the press, Grotius, and his father, who commonly
assisted him in his writings, translated it into Dutch[59].

FOOTNOTES:

[56] Apolog. C. 1.

[57] Ep. 635. p. 947.

[58] Grotii manes, Conringius, Pope, p. 947.

[59] Ep. 662. p. 834.

XXI. Elias Oldenbarnevelt, Pensionary of Rotterdam, and brother to the
Grand Pensionary of Holland, dying in 1613, the city of Rotterdam
offered that important place to Grotius, whose name was so famous,
foreigners sought to draw him to them by offers of honours and lucrative
posts, which love to his Country made him constantly reject. It was some
time before he yielded to the desires of Rotterdam. By the ferment of
mens minds he foresaw that very great commotions would speedily shake
the Republic; this made him insist with the gentlemen of Rotterdam that
he should never be turned out of his place of Pensionary: and on their
promising accordingly, he accepted the employment, which gave him a seat
in the assembly of the States of Holland, and afterwards in that of the
States General.

Hitherto Grotius had had very little connection with the Grand
Pensionary; but from this time contracted an intimate friendship with
him, which gave him the greater pleasure as he was most desirous of the
counsels of a man of so much experience, who had been himself nine years
Pensionary of Rotterdam, and above thirty years Grand Pensionary of
Holland (in which employment he had done his Country most essential
services) and who was famous not only in Holland, but in foreign
countries, for his many embassies, and acknowledged prudence and
abilities.

The great intimacy bet