e
Grotius a visit: he told him that the Protestants apprehensions of ill
offices from the Pope were without foundation; that he knew from the
Nuncio that the Legate was ordered to concern himself only with the
affairs of the Roman Catholic Princes, and had no intention to
intermeddle with those of the Protestants: he added, that Pessaro, whom
the Republic of Venice had nominated her Plenipotentiary to the
Congress, was extremely well affected to the Swedes. Grotius could not
discover whether the Venetian came of himself, or was sent by the French
Ministry: he suspected that Cardinal Richelieu, who wanted him
[Grotius] out of the kingdom, wished he might go to Cologn.

The learned Godefroy[306], whom the Court of France nominated to
accompany and direct the Plenipotentiaries, had several conferences with
Grotius concerning the peace which they seemed desirous to conclude. The
Swedish Ambassador gave the High Chancellor an account of them in a
letter of the 22d of January, 1637. [307]He acquaints him that Godefroy
himself thought the Swedes ought not to send Plenipotentiaries to
Cologn. He gave for his reasons, that the whole town hated the Swedes;
that the Legates had such aversion to the Protestants, that at Vervins
the Legate declared he would withdraw rather than admit the English
Ministers to the conferences; and that the disputes, which would
infallibly arise between the Plenipotentiaries concerning precedency,
would serve only to sour their minds.

This discourse from one, who was only to speak agreeable to the
intentions of the French Ministry, made Grotius doubt whether Cardinal
Richelieu ever sincerely desired peace. Godefroy also insinuated that
the King of France ought to have the first place after the Emperor, in
political assemblies. Grotius would not allow this claim: he maintained
that the rank granted to Princes in Ecclesiastical Councils ought not to
serve for a rule in Congresses, because in the former regard was only
had to the time of their embracing Christianity; and that the Archbishop
of Upsal had proved at the Council of Basil that the Kingdom of Sweden,
on account of its antiquity and extent, the two most decisive arguments
that could be used in this matter, ought to take place of all others.
Godefroy opposing to them the French King's possession of the
precedency, Grotius, like a zealous Minister of Sweden, maintained, that
that title could only serve against such as had never disputed it; that