A little later a more vehement reply was published anonymously in the shape of a pamphlet called ‘The Balance,’ which much angered the Ambassador and goaded his master almost to frenzy.  It was deemed so blasphemous, so insulting to the Majesty of England, so entirely seditious, that James, not satisfied with inditing a rejoinder, insisted through Carleton that a reward should be offered by the States for the detection of the author, in order that he might be condignly punished.  This was done by a majority vote, 1000 florins being offered for the discovery of the author and 600 for that of the printer.

Naturally the step was opposed in the States-General; two deputies in particular making themselves conspicuous.  One of them was an audacious old gentleman named Brinius of Gelderland, “much corrupted with Arminianism,” so Carleton informed his sovereign.  He appears to have inherited his audacity through his pedigree, descending, as it was ludicrously enough asserted he did, from a chief of the Caninefates, the ancient inhabitants of Gelderland, called Brinio.  And Brinio the Caninefat had been as famous for his stolid audacity as for his illustrious birth; “Erat in Caninefatibus stolidae audaciae Brinio claritate natalium insigni.”

The patronizing manner in which the Ambassador alluded to the other member of the States-General who opposed the decree was still more diverting.  It was “Grotius, the Pensioner of Rotterdam, a young petulant brain, not unknown to your Majesty,” said Carleton.

Two centuries and a half have rolled away, and there are few majesties, few nations, and few individuals to whom the name of that petulant youth is unknown; but how many are familiar with the achievements of the able representative of King James?

Nothing came of the measure, however, and the offer of course helped the circulation of the pamphlet.

It is amusing to see the ferocity thus exhibited by the royal pamphleteer against a rival; especially when one can find no crime in ‘The Balance’ save a stinging and well-merited criticism of a very stupid oration.

Gillis van Ledenberg was generally supposed to be the author of it.  Carleton inclined, however, to suspect Grotius, “because,” said he, “having always before been a stranger to my house, he has made me the day before the publication thereof a complimentary visit, although it was Sunday and church time; whereby the Italian proverb, ’Chi ti caresse piu che suole,’ &c.,’ is added to other likelihoods.”

It was subsequently understood however that the pamphlet was written by a Remonstrant preacher of Utrecht, named Jacobus Taurinus; one of those who had been doomed to death by the mutinous government in that city seven years before.