Father Petau mentions him again in another letter, written to Cardinal Francis Barberinus[668].  His Eminence had applied to that learned Jesuit for information in what state Grotius had left, at his death, his work on the Antiquities of Sweden.  Father Petau makes him this answer.  “I had some connection with Hugo Grotius, and I wish I could say he is now happy.  Our love to learning began our acquaintance, which I kept up in hopes of being useful to him.  Accordingly I saw him often, and he also visited me, and wrote to me frequently.”  He concludes with assuring the Cardinal, that he would enquire of his widow about his work relating to Sweden.

Grotius’s several attempts to restore the peace of Christendom made him be looked upon as a good man by pacific people; but they occasioned him much uneasiness from those, who, being obstinately attached to the opinions of the first Reformers, regarded all that kept any measures with the Romish Church as Apostates.  He laid his account with contradictions.  Feb. 23, 1641, he writes to Israel Caski[669], “Those who had the same design that I have were generally evil-treated by both parties, and met with the fate of such as would separate combatants:  but the God of peace will judge them with justice.  They have also on their side pious and learned men, whose merit outweighs the number of the others.—­I believe, says he to his brother[670], my Remarks on Cassander will please few, because there are not many skilled in the Scriptures and Antiquity:  most people are bigotted to their opinions.  I except against such Judges; I regard them not; nor have I any desire to know what they say.  I have granted nothing to the Roman Catholics, but what antiquity gives them.”  The zealous Clergy, not content with writing against him themselves, every where stirred him up enemies:  he speaks in his letters[671] of one Seyffectus of Ulm, who, instigated by Rivetus and others of that party, wrote against him.

Several learned men, who had the highest esteem and the most perfect friendship for Grotius, conceived a violent hatred to him on seeing him lean towards the Catholics.  He had been extremely intimate with Salmasius:  he had received letters from him filled with the most expressive testimonies of friendship[672]; and Grotius had informed him of the happy change of his fortune, because he looked upon him as one of his best friends:  they had long kept up a learned correspondence by letters, in which we find a reciprocal esteem and the greatest politeness; but when Grotius set up for a Mediator, Salmasius publicly declared, that he disapproved of the way of reconciliation proposed by Grotius[673]; and from that time his friendship changed into bitter enmity.

Sarrau, Counsellor in the parliament of Rouen, who had been one of Grotius’s best friends, as we may see by the letters that passed between them, withdrew his friendship when he thought him in the interest of the Romish Church.  May 31, 1641, he writes[674], “What is reported for certain, that Grotius is gone over to the Popish party, is not true:  but with great concern we see him every day employed in something very like it:  he will not suffer us to rank him in any class of Protestants whatever, because he has used them all too ill in his Treatises on Antichrist and the Consultation of Cassander.”