so secure in his innocence, he did not fear to take even his enemies for
judges, if any should dare to attack his conduct. It was represented to
him, that there were seasons of fanaticism and fury, in which innocence
was sacrificed to the violence of powerful enemies: but the testimony of
a good conscience hindered his attending to these remonstrances.

A few days after Grotius' arrest, his wife presented a petition, praying
that she might have leave to stay with her husband till the end of the
process. This grace was refused: she was not even permitted to see him;
and having asked to speak to him in presence of his guards, they were so
hard-hearted, as to deny even this slight favour.

Some days after these imprisonments, the Prince of Orange and the
Deputies of the States-General made a tour through the towns of Holland.
They had the power in their hands, and the Arminians were in the
greatest consternation. The Prince met with no opposition to his
designs: he deposed such magistrates as were relations or friends of the
three illustrious prisoners, putting in their place others that were
wholly devoted to him; and obliged some towns to receive a garrison,
particularly Rotterdam. The Arminians had hitherto been the more
powerful party there[85], and had excluded the Contra-Remonstrants from
preaching in the great Church: but the Prince took that church from
them, and gave it, with all the rest, to the Gomarists, leaving only two
to the Arminians. He placed a garrison of an hundred men in the town and
turned out and banished the Ministers who had distinguished themselves
by their zeal for Arminianism, such as Vorstius, Utengobard, and
Episcopius. Ledenberg, Secretary of Utrecht, hearing of these violences,
was so terrified, that he made away with himself in prison.

FOOTNOTES: