ular esteem. When he heard of their arrest he nominated Thumeri de
Boissise his Ambassador extraordinary to Holland, ordering him to repair
thither, immediately, and join Du Maurier the Ambassador in ordinary, in
soliciting the States-General in favour of the Accused, and labouring to
restore the public tranquillity.

December 12, 1618, they presented to the States-General a Writing from
the King, asking that the prisoners might have justice done them; that
their judges might be persons impartial and dispassionate; that the
States would rather chuse mild, than rigorous measures: "And, said the
Ministers, his Majesty will take for a high offence the little regard
you pay to his counsels, his prayers, and his friendship, which for the
future will be as much cooled as it was heretofore warm in your
interest."

The States made answer on the nineteenth of December following, that
they would act with all the lenity and clemency which justice and the
safety of the State would permit; and that they hoped the King would
leave it to their prudence.

The French Ambassadors continued their solicitations[88]; but the answer
made them March 23, 1619, must have left them no hope: it represented
the Prisoners as turbulent men, suspected of very heinous crimes, and
almost convicted of conspiring against the Republic, and projecting and
attempting to destroy the Union and the State. This answer was certainly
concerted with Prince Maurice, who was highly offended that the King of
France should interest himself so much to save men whom he looked on as
his declared enemies. Boissise quitted Holland, leaving Du Maurier alone
to act in favour of the Accused. On Monday morning, May 13, 1619, the
Ambassador was informed, that sentence had been passed the Day before,
and that Barnevelt was to be executed that day. He went immediately to
the Assembly of the States to get the execution suspended, but was
refused audience: he wrote to the States, conjuring them by the regard
they ought to have for the King his master, not to spill the blood of a
Minister who had served them so faithfully; and, if they would not
pardon him, to confine him to one of his country houses, his friends
being bound for him; or banish him the country for ever. This Letter had
no effect: their resolution was taken to destroy him. When the Grand
Pensionary was informed of his sentence, he seemed less moved at it,
than for the fate of Grotius and Hoogerbetz: he asked if they