This eBook was produced by David Widger
[NOTE: There is a short list of bookmarks, or pointers, at the end of thefile for those who may wish to sample the author's ideas before making anentire meal of them. D.W.]
THE LIFE AND DEATH of JOHN OF BARNEVELD, ADVOCATE OF HOLLAND
By John Lothrop Motley, D.C.L., LL.D.
MOTLEY'S HISTORY OF THE NETHERLANDS, Project Gutenberg Edition, Volume 93
Life and Death of John of Barneveld, v7, 1614-17
The Advocate sounds the Alarm in Germany—His Instructions to Langerac and his Forethought—The Prince—Palatine and his Forces take Aachen, Mulheim, and other Towns—Supineness of the Protestants—Increased Activity of Austria and the League—Barneveld strives to obtain Help from England—Neuburg departs for Germany— Barneveld the Prime Minister of Protestantism—Ernest Mansfield takes service under Charles Emmanuel—Count John of Nassau goes to Savoy—Slippery Conduct of King James in regard to the New Treaty proposed—Barneveld's Influence greater in France than in England— Sequestration feared—The Elector of Brandenburg cited to appear before the Emperor at Prague—Murder of John van Wely—Uytenbogaert incurs Maurice's Displeasure—Marriage of the King of France with Anne of Austria—Conference between King James and Caron concerning Piracy, Cloth Trade and Treaty of Xanten—Barneveld's Survey of the Condition of Europe—His Efforts to avert the impending general War.
I have thus purposely sketched the leading features of a couple ofmomentous, although not eventful, years—so far as the foreign policy ofthe Republic is concerned—in order that the reader may better understandthe bearings and the value of the Advocate's actions and writings at thatperiod. This work aims at being a political study. I would attempt toexemplify the influence of individual humours and passions—some of themamong the highest and others certainly the basest that agitate humanity-upon the march of great events, upon general historical results atcertain epochs, and upon the destiny of eminent personages. It may alsobe not uninteresting to venture a glance into the internal structure andworkings of a republican and federal system of government, then for thefirst time reproduced almost spontaneously upon an extended scale.
Perhaps the revelation of some of its defects, in spite of the facultyand vitality struggling against them, may not be without value for ourown country and epoch. The system of Switzerland was too limited andhomely, that of Venice too purely oligarchical, to have much moral forus now, or to render a study of their pathological phenomena especiallyinstructive. The lessons taught us by the history of the Netherlandconfederacy may have more permanent meaning.
Moreover, the character of a very considerable statesman at an all-important epoch, and in a position of vast responsibility, is always anhistorical possession of value to mankind. That of him who furnishes thechief theme for these pages has been either overlooked and neglected orperhaps misunderstood by posterity. History has not too many reallyimportant and emblematic men on its records to dispense with the memoryof Barneveld, and the writer therefore makes no apology for dilatingsomewhat fully upon his lifework by means of much of his entirelyunpublished and long forgotten utterances.
The Advocate had ceaselessly