he was sold to Spain, the Reformed religion was to be trampled out in the Provinces, and the Papacy and Holy Inquisition established on its ruins.  Nothing could be more diametrically the reverse of the fact than such hysterical suspicions as to the instructions of the ambassador extraordinary from France, and this has already appeared.  The Vorstian affair too was still in the same phase, the Advocate professing a willingness that justice should be done in the matter, while courteously but firmly resisting the arrogant pretensions of James to take the matter out of the jurisdiction of the States.

“I stand amazed,” he said, “at the partisanship and the calumnious representations which you tell me of, and cannot imagine what is thought nor what is proposed.  Should M. de Refuge make any such propositions as are feared, believe, and cause his Majesty and his counsellors to believe, that they would be of no effect.  Make assurances upon my word, notwithstanding all advices to the contrary, that such things would be flatly refused.  If anything is published or proven to the discredit of Vorstius, send it to me.  Believe that we shall not defend heretics nor schismatics against the pure Evangelical doctrine, but one cannot conceive here that the knowledge and judicature of the matter belongs anywhere else than to My Lords the States of Holland, in whose service he has legally been during four months before his Majesty made the least difficulty about it.  Called hither legally a year before, with the knowledge and by the order of his Excellency and the councillors of state of Holland, he has been countermined by five or six Flemings and Frisians, who, without recognizing the lawful authority of the magistrates, have sought assistance in foreign countries—­in Germany and afterwards in England.  Yes, they have been so presumptuous as to designate one of their own men for the place.  If such a proceeding should be attempted in England, I leave it to those whose business it would be to deal with it to say what would be done.  I hope therefore that one will leave the examination and judgment of this matter freely to us, without attempting to make us—­against the principles of the Reformation and the liberties and laws of the land—­executors of the decrees of others, as the man here wishes to obtrude it upon us.”

He alluded to the difficulty in raising the ways and means; saying that the quota of Holland, as usual, which was more than half the whole, was ready, while other provinces were in arrears.  Yet they were protected, while Holland was attacked.

“Methinks I am living in a strange world,” he said, “when those who have received great honour from Holland, and who in their conscience know that they alone have conserved the Commonwealth, are now traduced with such great calumnies.  But God the Lord Almighty is just, and will in His own time do chastisement.”