[Sidenote:  Feuds of the Remonstrants and Contra-Remonstrants.]

He was much affected by the bad success of his mission:  he was seized with a fever, which nearly proved fatal to him.  Many of his friends sought to persuade him to retire from the contest:  he told them that he had taken his resolution after deep deliberation; that he was aware of his danger, and that he submitted the event to providence.

The next effort of the States of Holland to pacify the troubles, was to prepare a formula of peace, which the ministers of the two parties should be obliged to sign.  It contained nothing contrary to the doctrine of Calvin; it referred the five articles to future examination, and prescribed, in the mean time, silence upon the parts in dispute.  Grotius drew up the Formula; it was shewn to Prince Maurice, and rejected by him.

[Sidenote:  CHAP.  V. 1610-1617.]

Matters now converged to a crisis:—­we have more than once mentioned the opposite politics of Prince Maurice and Barneveldt, the Grand-Pensionary; the former wishing to draw the whole sovereign power to himself; the latter endeavouring to preserve and stabilitate the the constitution of the Provinces, as it had been settled by the Act of Union.  We noticed that the Gomarists sided with the Prince; the Arminians with the Grand-Pensionary.  As the Prince was aware that the States of Holland were favourable to the Arminians, that the States General were opposed to them, and that the clergy of each denomination partook of the civil and ecclesiastical opinions of their flocks, he convened a national synod of the clergy; and, that be might the more overawe his opponents and strengthen his own party, he appointed the synod to meet in Holland.  Against this synod the provinces of Holland, Utretcht, and Overyssell protested.  Barneveldt was so much affected by the disturbances, and a view of the evils with which they appeared to threaten his country, that he sought to resign his place of Grand-Pensionary; but the States of the province of Holland, which needed more than ever the counsels of such an experienced minister, sent a deputation to him, beseeching him not to abandon them in times of so much difficulty.  He thought it his duty to yield to their entreaty, and continued to exercise the functions of his office.

[Sidenote:  Imprisonment of Barneveldt, Grotius and Hoogerbetz.]

To frustrate the designs of Prince Maurice, several cities favourable to the Arminians levied bodies of militia, and gave them the name of Attendant Soldiers.  The States-General, at the instigation of Prince Maurice, enjoined the cities to disband them.  The cities generally disobeyed these orders.  In this they were justified by the established constitution:  the Prince, however, treated their conduct as rebellious; and, in concert with the States General, marched in person, at the head of his troops, against the refractory cities.  Wherever he came, he disarmed and disbanded the new levies; deposed the Arminian magistrates, and expelled the ministers of their party.