ssible: and at the same time wrote
to his son to come to him as soon as he should be at liberty, that they
might consult together what was best to be done. Diederic sent his
father the history of the unfortunate action in which he was taken; and
Grotius printed it to give copies to his friends, and to send others to
the Swedish Ministry. Diederic was carried to Tubingen, from thence to
Ulm, and confined in a citadel between Ulm and Augsburg: he did not
continue there long: immediately on receiving his father's letter, the
Duke of Bavaria gave orders that Diederic might be set at liberty, after
settling his ransom, which was fixed at a thousand florins. He came to
Paris, and on his arrival Grotius wrote a letter of thanks to the
Elector of Bavaria, telling him, that as he had but one way to express
his gratitude, namely by promoting a general peace, which his Electoral
Highness wished for, he would do all in his power to bring it about. He
wrote to Ketner the Bavarian Minister to the same effect.

Diederic went back to serve under Marshal Turenne in Germany, and made
the campaign of 1644. He was again taken Prisoner, but soon released;
and served in the end of the same campaign. He was detached by the Duke
d'Anguien and Marshal Turenne to take Fridelshem and Neudstad, and was
afterwards sent by them to the Landgravine of Hesse: he acquitted
himself with honour of all the commissions that were given him. The Duke
d'Anguien spoke of him in the highest terms; and the Landgravine
received him in the best manner, in consideration of the services which
his father had done to the house of Hesse: he was sent a second time by
Marshal Turenne to the Landgravine. The Duke d'Anguien promised to take
care of this youth's fortune; and the approbation of a prince, who was
the Mars of his time and knew men so well, is the highest elogium that
could be given of Diederic.

He came to an unhappy end when but young and unmarried. Queen Christina
having abdicated the Crown in favour of Charles Gustavus, Diederic and
Cornelius Grotius took a resolution to wait on that Prince, who had
known and highly esteemed their father in France, with an intention to
offer him their services, and get employment. Setting out from Holland
with this design, they were got between Embden and Bremen, halfway to
Hamburg, when a villain, who had served Diederic several years as his
valet, resolved to murder both the brothers for the sake of their money:
he went i