court of the Castle of the Hague[84] returning home from the Assembly of
the States of Holland, one of the Prince of Orange's guards, attended
with some soldiers, commanded him, in the name of the States-General, to
follow him: He was carried to a room in the Castle, and there confined.
The Prince had sent to acquaint Grotius and Hoogerbetz that he wanted to
speak with them: they immediately came, and were arrested.

The same day was published the following Placard: "Messieurs the
States-General desire to acquaint all persons, that to avert the great
peril which threatened the United Provinces, and restore and establish
in the said Provinces harmony, peace, and tranquillity, they have caused
to be imprisoned John de Barnevelt, Advocate-General of Holland and West
Friesland, Romulus Hoogerbetz, and Hugo Grotius, it having been
discovered and made manifest that they were the first authors of the
insurrection at Utrecht, and of an attempt which would have been not
only highly prejudicial to the country and Province, but to several
other Cities. For these causes they have ordered, that the said three
persons be arrested and confined in the Castle of the Hague, till they
give an account of the administration of their offices." This Placard
was without any signature.

A report was at the same time spread by the prisoners enemies, that
Barnevelt and Grotius received money from the Spaniards to deliver up to
them the United Provinces; that they took money in 1609 to conclude the
truce; that they fomented the disputes in order to disunite the
Provinces; and that they had engaged to introduce into Holland the
public exercise of the Roman Catholic Religion.

It is said that Barnevelt had notice of the resolution taken to
apprehend him; that he talked of it to his friends; and told them he was