e and Dumas' The Black
Tulip. There are also two books written for boys by G. A. Henty which
are worth looking over: one, By Pike and Dike, dealing with the siege of
Haarlem, and the other, By England's Aid. Ruth Putnam's life of William
the Silent should be read.
VI--AFTER THE WAR
Holland, in spite of her terrible losses by death in battle, by
starvation, and by torture, and the immense destruction of property, and
the cost of carrying on the war, was yet left in a strong position. She
was at once enriched by the coming of thousands of intelligent merchants
and artisans from the south, flying from persecution, and her trade and
colonies were uninjured. The great Bank of Amsterdam flourished, and had
an interesting history. The curious event of the time was the "tulip
mania," a wild speculation which was disastrous to the nation.
VII--HOLLAND AND PROTESTANTISM
All over Europe religion and politics intermingled, and it was so in
Holland. The country as a whole followed the Calvinistic form of faith,
and this led to internal difficulties. It was really a question whether
Church and State should be united or separated. Maurice, Barneveldt, and
Grotius were the leaders. Barneveldt, a truly able statesman, was
beheaded; Grotius, the famous scholar, escaped from imprisonment to
Paris. Complications arose from the coming of persecuted peoples; the
Albigenses from France, the Waldenses from Italy, and the Anabaptists.
In the end democracy won, religious liberty was assured, and Church and
State were kept apart. At this point tell the story of the Pilgrim
Fathers in Holland, and show how far ahead of the times Holland was in
her religious position.
VIII--TROUBLES BETWEEN HOLLAND AND ENGLAND
Both Holland and England had colonies in India and elsewhere, and now
their trade conflicted. The antagonism thus roused was increased by the
fact that the Dutch had given shelter to the Stuarts. The English forced
on Holland a two-years' war which was entirely on the sea, and was led
by four great admirals: Blake and Monk on the side of the English, and
Tromp and De Ruyter on the side of the Dutch. The story is full of
interest; the result favored the Dutch.
The great political leader, John De Witt, came into prominence at this
period; he was called "The Wisdom of Holland." He had the descendant of
William the Silent educated, and later originated the plan of having him
marry Mary, the daughter of the Duke of York, later
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