_Enter Provost, Captaines & Guard with Barnavelt_.
_Bar_. My dutie to your Highnes and theis Princes And an increase of wisdome to your Lordships, For which the world admires you, I wish to you. Alas, what troble do's a weake old man, (That is, being out of all imployment, useles) The bag of his deserts, too, cast behind you, Impose upon this Senat? My poore life (Which others envy makes your Instruments To fight against) will hardly be a Conquest Worthie such great performers.
_Vand_. Mounseiur _Barnavelt_, 'Tis no mans envy that hath brought us hether To sitt as Judges on you, but your owne. Your owne late actions they have raisd a war Against your former merritts, and defeated What ever then was ranckt for good and great, For which your Enemies, those that you thought frends, Triumph, not wee.
_Bre_. We rather wish you could Acquitt yourself of that for which we have Too evident prooffes, then labour to intrap you.
_Bar_. I must beleeve and suffer whatsoever Your Lordships charge me with: yet would gladly heare What my faultes are.
_Vand_. Read the Confessions Of _Leidenberch_ and _Taurinus_.
_Officer reads_. First, that the _Arminian_ faction (of which Sir _John Van Olden Barnavelt_, late Advocate of _Holland_ and _West Frizeland_ and Councellor of State, was without contradiction the head) had resolved and agreed to renounce and break the generallity and unitie of the State.
Secondly, Change and alter the Religion, and to that end, without the Consent of the Generall States, had raysed up and dispeirsed 3000 Arminian Soldiers.
Thirdly, To degrade the Prince of _Orange_.
Fourthly, To massacre the people of the Townes which were their greatest Enemies or offered resistaunce.
Fiftly, yf that fayled, to take in assistaunce of some forreigne Potentates, as _Spaine_ or _Brabant_, delivering unto them _Utricht, Nunweghen, Bergen op Zone_, and the _Brill_--
_Bar_. And that, with others, this was _Barnavelts_ purpose? For so your Lordships take it.
_Vand_. Too many and strong proofes invyting us To creadit it.
_Bar_. Yf you will have them such, All truth I can bring to dyvert your Lordships From your determinate opinion that way Will not remove them. Yet 'tis strange that man Should labour to devide those Generall States That had no weak hand in unyting them,-- That _Barnavelt_ (a name you have remembered When you have thought by whom you were mad happie)-- That _Barnavelt_ (alowd I dare repeat it), Who, when there was Combustion in the State, Your Excellence, Grave _William_ and Count _Henrie_, Taking instructions for your Commaunds From one that then ruld all; the Provinces Refucing to bring in their Contributions And arguing whether the West _Frizelander_ And _Hollander_ had powre to raise such Tribut, When many of the Governours stood ill Affected to you, all our Garrisons Not sworne then to the Generall States but others, Which the promiscuous multitude gladly followed: When _Graves_ and _Vendloe_ were held by the _Spaniard_ And _Nunweghen_ with violence assaulted, Confusion with one greedy gripe being ready To seaze on all; then when the _Sluice_ was lost And all in muteny at _Midleborough_, Who then rose up or durst step in before me To doe these Cuntries service? Who then labourd More then the now suspected _Barnavelt_ T'appease seditions and compound all Quarrells? Who pacified the Malcontents? Who taught you To stand upon your Guards and trust yourselves? O, you forgettfull, all this I performd And in the golden fagot of faire Concord Bound safely up those strengthes which Mutenies, Corruption and homebred Traitors scatterd.