the first authors of the
insurrection at Utrecht, and of an attempt which would have been not
only highly prejudicial to the country and Province, but to several
other Cities. For these causes they have ordered, that the said three
persons be arrested and confined in the Castle of the Hague, till they
give an account of the administration of their offices." This Placard
was without any signature.

A report was at the same time spread by the prisoners enemies, that
Barnevelt and Grotius received money from the Spaniards to deliver up to
them the United Provinces; that they took money in 1609 to conclude the
truce; that they fomented the disputes in order to disunite the
Provinces; and that they had engaged to introduce into Holland the
public exercise of the Roman Catholic Religion.

It is said that Barnevelt had notice of the resolution taken to
apprehend him; that he talked of it to his friends; and told them he was
so secure in his innocence, he did not fear to take even his enemies for
judges, if any should dare to attack his conduct. It was represented to
him, that there were seasons of fanaticism and fury, in which innocence
was sacrificed to the violence of powerful enemies: but the testimony of
a good conscience hindered his attending to these remonstrances.

A few days after Grotius' arrest, his wife presented a petition, praying
that she might have leave to stay with her husband till the end of the
process. This grace was refused: she was not even permitted to see him;
and having asked to speak to him in presence of his guards, they were so
hard-hearted, as to deny even this slight favour.

Some days after these imprisonments, the Prince of Orange and the
Deputies of the States-General made a tour through the towns of Holland.
They had the power in their hands, and the Arminians were in the
greatest consternation. The Prince met with no opposition to his
designs: he deposed such magistrates as were relations or friends of the
three illustrious prisoners, putting in their place others that were
wholly devoted to him; and obliged some towns to receive a garrison,
particularly Rotterdam. The Arminians had hitherto been the more
powerful party there[85], and had excluded the Contra-Remonstrants from
preaching in the great Church: but the Prince took that church from
them, and gave it, with all the rest, to the Gomarists, leaving only two
to the Arminians. He placed a garrison of an hundred men in the town and
t