, pensionary of Holland, keeper of the great seals there, and stadtholder
, pensionary of Holland, keeper of the great seals there, and stadtholder of the Fiefs, was born in Zealand, 1577. He was an ingenious poet, as well as a dexterous politician. He divested himself, however, at length of all employments, for the sake of cultivating poetry and letters; nor was he drawn afterwards from his retirement, but at the reiterated application of the states, who, in the critical season of Cromwell’s protectorate, sent him ambassador into England. Upon his return, he retired to one of his country-houses, where he died in 1660. His poems have been printed in all forms, the Hollanders highly valuing them: and the last edition of his works was, 1726, in 2 vols. folio.
, the famous pensionary of Holland, was the second son of Jacob De Witt, burgomaster
, the famous pensionary of Holland,
was the second son of Jacob De Witt, burgomaster of
Dort, and deputy to the states of Holland; and born in
1625. He was educated at Dort, and made so great a
progress in his studies, that at twenty-three he published
“Elementa Curvarum Linearum
” one of the ablest books
in mathematics that had appeared in those days. After
he had taken the degree of LL. D. he travelled for some
years; and, on his return in 1650, became a pensionary
of Dort, and distinguished himself early in the management of public affairs. He opposed with all his power the
war between the English and Dutch, representing in strong
colours the necessary ill consequences of it to the republic:
and, when the events justified his predictions, gained so
great credit, that he was unanimously chosen pensionary
of Holland; first to officiate provisionally, and afterwards
absolutely into the office. On this occasion, some of his
friends, reminding him of the fate of his predecessor Barnevelt, he replied, that “human life was liable to trouble
and danger; and that he thought it honourable to serve
his country, which he was resolved to do, whatever returns
he might meet with.
” The continuance of the war was so
visibly destructive to the commerce and interest of the
republic, that the pensionary with his friends used all their
skill to produce a negociation. Ambassadors were sent to
Cromwell, who by this time had called a new parliament. To
this assembly the Dutch ministers were directed to apply,
but quickly found them very different people from those
with whom they had been accustomed to deal; for they
entertained the ambassadors with long prayers, and discovered a total ignorance of the business, telling Cromwell, that, if he would assume the supreme authority, they
might soon come to a right understanding. This was precisely what he wanted; and though he rejected their advice in words, declaring himself an humble creature of the
parliament, yet he soon after found means to get rid of
them, and took upon him the government under the title
of protector. He then made a peace with the Dutch; the
most remarkable condition of which was, the adding a secret article for the exclusion of the house of Orange, to
which the States consented by a solemn act. But the
article of the exclusion raised a great clamour in Holland:
it was insinuated to be suggested to Cromwell by De Witt;
and the pensionary and his friends found it difficult to carry
points absolutely necessary for the service of the people.
The clergy too began to meddle with affairs of state in
their pulpits; and, instead of instructing the people how
to serve God, were for directing their superiors how to
govern their subjects. But his firmness got the better of
these difficulties; and so far overcame all prejudices, that
when the time of his high office was expired, he was unanimously continued in it, by a resolution of the States,
Sept. 15, 1663.
Elias Oldenbarnevelt, pensionary of Rotterdam, and brother to the grand pensionary of Holland, dying in 1613, the city of Rotterdam offered that
Elias Oldenbarnevelt, pensionary of Rotterdam, and brother to the grand pensionary of Holland, dying in 1613, the city of Rotterdam offered that important place to Grotius; but it was some time before he yielded to the offer. By the ferment of men’s minds he foresaw that great commotions would speedily shake the republic, which made him insist, that he should never be turned out; and, upon a promise of this, he accepted of the post, which gave him a seat in the assembly of the States of Holland, and afterwards in that of the States-General. Hitherto he had tut very little connexion with the grand pensionary Barnevelt; but i'rom this time he contracted an intimate friendship with him, and it was even reported that Barnevelt designed to have his friend succeed him as grand pensionary of Holland*.
y; which probably prevented her from marrying, as she might have done advantageously v.ith Mr. Cats, pensionary of Holland, and a celebrated poet, who wrote verses in her praise
Her father, who had settled at Utrecht while she was an
infant, and afterwards removed to Franeker for the more
convenient education of his children, died there in 1623.
His widow then returned to Utrecht, where Anna Maria
continued her studies very intensely; which probably prevented her from marrying, as she might have done advantageously v.ith Mr. Cats, pensionary of Holland, and a
celebrated poet, who wrote verses in her praise when she
was only fourteen. Her modesty, which was as great as
her knowledge, would have kept her in obscurity, if Rivetus, Spanheim, and Vossius, had not made her merit known.
Salmasius also, Beverovicius, and Huygens, maintained a
literary correspondence with her; and, by shewing her
letters, spread her fame into foreign countries. This
procured her a correspondence with Balzac, Gassendi, Mersennus, Bo chart, Conrart, and other eminent men; persons
of the first rank paid her visits, and cardinal Richelieu
likewise shewed her marks of his esteem. About 1650, a
great alteration took place in her religious system. She
performed her devotions in private, without frequenting
any church, upon which it was reported that she was inclined to popery; but she attached herself to the famous
mystic Labadie, and embracing his principles and practice,
lived some time with him at Altena, in Holstein, and attended him at his death there in 1674. She afterwards
retired to Wiewart, in Friseland, where the famous Penn,
the Quaker, visited her in 1677; she died at this place in
1678. She took for her device these words of St. Ignatius:
“Amor meus crucifixus est.
”
ed to distinguish himself, and his efforts were perfectly successful. Mr. Slingeland, then the grand pensionary of Holland, conceived a friendship for him, and much advanced
On the accession of George II. in 1727, whom he had
served with steadiness for thirteen years, lord Chesterfield
seemed to have a right to expect particular favour. In
this he was disappointed, owing to his having paid his
court to the king’s mistress lady Suffolk, instead of applying to the queen, which her majesty, as well as the king,
who always preserved a high respect for the queen, resented; but in 1728 he was appointed ambassador to Holland, in which station he was determined to distinguish
himself, and his efforts were perfectly successful. Mr.
Slingeland, then the grand pensionary of Holland, conceived a friendship for him, and much advanced his diplomatic education. Having by his address preserved Hanover from a war, he received high marks of his majesty’s
favour in being made high steward of the household, and
knight of the garter. He came over in the summer of
1730, to be installed at Windsor, and then returned to his
embassy. He was recalled in 1732, on the plea of health;
and when he recovered, began again to distinguish himself in the House of Lords; and in the same year, on the
occasion of the excise-bill, went into strong opposition
against sir Robert Walpole. He was immediately obliged
to resign his office of high steward, and so ill received at
court that he desisted from attending it; He continued in
opposition, not only to the end of sir Robert’s ministry in
1742, but even against the men with whom he had acted
in the minority. It was not till the coalition of parties in
1744, by what was called “the broad-bottomed treaty,
”
that he was admitted into the cabinet, and then very much
against the will of the king, who now had long considered
him as a personal enemy. In the course of this long opposition he had frequently distinguished himself by his
speeches; but particularly on the occasion of the bill for
putting the theatres under the authority of a licenser,
which he opposed in a speech of great animation, still extant in his works. During the same period we find him
engaging in marriage with Melosina de Schulenburg, countess of Walsingham, to whom he was united in September 1733; but still constantly attentive to the education
of his natural son by a former connection at the Hague.
By his wife he had no children. In 1741 and 1742 he was
obliged to pay temporary visits to the continent on account
of his health, at which time it appears that he wrote regularly to his son, then only ten years old.