particular States of the Provinces there was one great objection,
namely, the certainty of drawing upon himself a new proscription,
because the power was in the hands of his greatest enemies. Those who
wished to see him pass the rest of his days in France thought he should
get himself naturalized a Frenchman, because the King by that would
necessarily become his protector: they farther represented that this
formality would qualify him to hold a place in France.

What kept him in suspense was to know whether he should put himself
under the protection of the parliament, or ask a safe-conduct from the
king. In the beginning of the year 1623[142] he seemed resolved to
present a petition to the Parliament, and afterwards write to the
States-General. He was in doubt whether to write to the Prince of
Orange; at length he took the most proper step, which was to apply to
the King. He presented a petition to his Majesty to be protected against
the above-mentioned Edict, "which imported that he should be apprehended
wherever found;" these are the terms of the _Mercure François_; "and his
Majesty took him into his special protection, the letters for that
purpose being issued at Paris, Feb. 26, 1623."

Although the greatest part of the Roman Catholics would have found
nothing amiss in his _Apology_, yet many of them in the Low Countries
were scandalized that he had not spoken of religion as they would have
spoken: and it was condemned at Antwerp as dangerous to be read[143].

This work was never answered. Some years after its publication[144] a
report being spread that a private person had written against the
Apology without being employed by the States-General, Grotius desired
his brother to enquire into it. It is probable this news was without
foundation: at least we know nothing of that work. The malevolence of