"I doubt not," he wrote to Jacques de Maldere, the distinguished
diplomatist and senator, who had recently returned from his embassy to
England, "that this beautiful proposition of de Russy has been sent to
your Province of Zealand. Does it not seem to you a plot well woven as
well in Holland as at this court to remove me from my post with
disreputation? What have I done that should cause the Queen to
disapprove my proceedings? Since the death of the late king I have
always opposed the Third, which they have been trying to fix upon the
treasury, on the ground that Henry never spoke to me of restitution, that
the receipts given were simple ones, and that the money given was spent
for the common benefit of France and the States under direction of the
King's government. But I am expected here to obey M. de Villeroy, who
says that it was the intention of the late king to oblige us to make the
payment. I am not accustomed to obey authority if it be not supported by
reason. It is for my masters to reply and to defend me. The Queen has
no reason to complain. I have maintained the interests of my superiors.
But this is not the cause of the complaints. My misfortune is that all
my despatches have been sent from Holland in copy to this court. Most of
them contained free pictures of the condition and dealings of those who
govern here. M. de Villeroy has found himself depicted often, and now
under pretext of a public negotiation he has found an opportunity of
revenging himself . . . . Besides this cause which Villeroy has found
for combing my head, Russy has given notice here that I have kept my
masters in the hopes of being honourably exempted from the claims of this
government. The long letter which I wrote to M. de Barneveld justifies
my proceedings."

It is no wonder that the Ambassador was galled to the quick by the
outrage which those concerned in the government were seeking to put
upon him. How could an honest man fail to be overwhelmed with rage