The Life and Death of John of Barneveld, Advocate of Holland, 1618-19

Life of John of Barneveld,
1618-19

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Title: The Life of John of Barneveld, 1618-19
Author: John Lothrop Motley
Release Date: January, 2004 [EBook #4896] [Yes, we are more than
one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on April 24,
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THE LIFE AND DEATH of JOHN OF BARNEVELD, ADVOCATE
OF HOLLAND
WITH A VIEW OF THE PRIMARY CAUSES AND MOVEMENTS
OF THE THIRTY YEARS' WAR
By John Lothrop Motley, D.C.L., LL.D.

MOTLEY'S HISTORY OF THE NETHERLANDS, Project Gutenberg
Edition, Volume 96
Life and Death of John of Barneveld, v10, 1618-19

CHAPTER XIX
.
Rancour between the Politico-Religious Parties--Spanish Intrigues
Inconsistency of James--Brewster and Robinson's Congregation at
Leyden--They decide to leave for America--Robinson's Farewell
Sermon and Prayer at Parting.
During this dark and mournful winter the internal dissensions and, as a
matter of course, the foreign intrigues had become more dangerous than
ever. While the man who for a whole generation had guided the policy
of the Republic and had been its virtual chief magistrate lay hidden

from all men's sight, the troubles which he had sought to avert were not
diminished by his removal from the scene. The extreme or Gomarist
party which had taken a pride in secret conventicles where they were in
a minority, determined, as they said, to separate Christ from Belial and,
meditating the triumph which they had at last secured, now drove the
Arminians from the great churches. Very soon it was impossible for
these heretics to enjoy the rights of public worship anywhere. But they
were not dismayed. The canons of Dordtrecht had not yet been
fulminated. They avowed themselves ready to sacrifice worldly goods
and life itself in defence of the Five Points. In Rotterdam,
notwithstanding a garrison of fifteen companies, more than a thousand
Remonstrants assembled on Christmas-day in the Exchange for want of
a more appropriate place of meeting and sang the 112th Psalm in
mighty chorus. A clergyman of their persuasion accidentally passing
through the street was forcibly laid hands upon and obliged to preach to
them, which he did with great unction. The magistracy, where now the
Contra-Remonstrants had the control, forbade, under severe penalties, a
repetition of such scenes. It was impossible not to be reminded of the
days half a century before, when the early Reformers had met in the
open fields or among the dunes, armed to the teeth, and with outlying
pickets to warn the congregation of the approach of Red Rod and the
functionaries of the Holy Inquisition.
In Schoonhoven the authorities attempted one Sunday by main force to
induct a Contra-Remonstrant into the pulpit from which a Remonstrant
had just been expelled. The women of the place turned out with their
distaffs and beat them from the field. The garrison was called out, and
there was a pitched battle in the streets between soldiers, police officers,
and women, not much to the edification certainly of the Sabbath-loving
community on either side, the victory remaining with the ladies.
In short it would be impossible to exaggerate the rancour felt between
the different politico-religious parties. All heed for the great war now
raging in the outside world between the hostile elements of Catholicism
and Protestantism, embattled over an enormous space, was lost in the
din of conflict among the respective supporters of conditional and
unconditional damnation within the pale of the Reformed Church. The
earthquake shaking Europe rolled unheeded, as it