greed ill with other advices received by
Grotius; and he wrote to Du Maurier, July 30, 1624, that he consulted
his ancient friendship more than the situation of affairs; that his
enemies were so powerful he did not see there could be any hopes for
him; and that he was endeavouring to provide himself with patience to
support perpetual banishment and the inconveniences annexed to that
unhappy situation.

One would imagine the death of Prince Maurice must make a speedy
revolution in Grotius' favour: the friendship with which he was honoured
by Prince Frederic Henry gave his friends ground to hope for it; but he
himself was of a different opinion. July 31, 1625[164], he wrote to his
father that his return was an affair of great consequence, which perhaps
must not be mentioned at present. He sent his wife into Holland in the
spring 1627[165], that she might enquire herself how matters stood. She
found many friends[166]; but as she was convinced of her husband's
innocence, and knew that in all Holland there was not a man capable of
labouring so effectually for the interest of his Country, she imagined
they ought to make the first advances, ask him to forget what was past,
and pray him to return. This was to suppose the return of the Golden
age; and experience ought to have informed her better. She would not
therefore have recourse to petitions and entreaties to obtain Grotius'
return, lest they should be taken for some acknowledgment of a fault.
This encreased the malevolence of his enemies, and they fought to
revenge themselves on his brother-in-law Reigersberg, to whom they
wanted to make a crime of his corresponding with Grotius by letters; but
their malice was ineffectual, because the calumnies to which they had
recourse were too easily confuted. However his friends bestirred
themselves in his favour: of which Grotius being informed, he begged of
them to promise nothing in his name, that there might be no ground to
imagine he solicited leave to return. "For (he writes to his brother)
that is what my enemies want, that they may reproach me with asking
pardon for my pretended faults." The endeavours of his friends were
fruitless; and his brother wrote to him (February 21, 1630) that there
was no hope of success.

If they did not obtain his return they at least made him gain a cause of
consequence. He reclaimed[167] his effects which were confiscated,
grounding on the privilege of the Burghers of Delft; and his demand was