was not believed, for there are some who heard La Montangie say, that had not The Secretary the Secretary brought a false report, the affair would have never happened. brings false reports. ^^^^.^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ othcrs who know it, and almost every one believes it, to be so, and indeed it seems very likely. No confidence was placed in Fiscal Van der Hooykens in consequence of his drinking, in which all his science consisted

neither had he any experience in this country, and at the commencement, frequently cursed the war as being against his will, so that the responsibility

remains and must rest with the Director and Secretary Thienhoven. To the Director was intrusted the supreme authority; did any one advise (35) him to the country's ruin, he must not follow such advice, and afterwards endeavor to throw the blame off his shoulders on people who will excuse themselves although The petitioners not they are, in our opinion, not wholly blameless. We believe the war to have entirely innoceni. ^^^^ caused by the exactiou of the contribution, for which the Director said he

HOLLAND DOCUMENTS: IV. 305 had the order of the Majores, and by his own imprudent expeditions, which manifested themselves ciiiefly in the mysterious toast ; but there are friends whom tiiis closely concerns and who have already undertaken it. We shall leave of"'« sovereignty. the matter to them, and give a few specimens of his aspirations after sovereignty, omitting several others for the sake of brevity. At this point we are met by one Franciscus Douthy, an English clergyman here, and one Arnoldus van Hardenbergh, a free merchant, also of this place but as ;