The congress of Vervins, already begun, was still continued.  Henry sincerely desired a general peace:  and accordingly ordered Mess. de Bellievre and de Silleri, his plenipotentiaries, to obtain from the Archduke Albert a truce of four months between Spain and Holland; hoping that means of reconciliation might be found in that interval.  The Archduke at first refused it:  and this denial had well nigh broke off the congress:  he consented at last to a truce of two months:  but the Dutch would not accept it, finding the term too short.  The only advantage which the States drew from this embassy was a promise from the King to assist them, in four years, with two millions nine hundred thousand florins; as Barnevelt informs us.

Grotius, who had a strong inclination to see France, seized the opportunity of the Dutch ambassadors journey:  he accompanied the Grand Pensionary, for whom he had the highest esteem, and justly regarded as one of the principal supports of the infant Republic.

The learned Youth was advantageously known in France before.  M. de Buzanval, who had been ambassador in Holland, introduced him to the King, by whom he was graciously received:  that great prince presented him with his picture and a gold chain.  Grotius was so transported with this present, that he caused a print of himself, adorned with the chain given him by Henry, to be engraved.  He gives the history of this Embassy in the seventh book of his Annals:  but is so modest not to mention himself.  He reflects, however, with pleasure, in some part of his[25] Poems, on the honour he had of speaking to such a great King.  “I had the honour to kiss the hand of that Hero, who owes his kingdom only to his valour.”

Grotius took advantage of this journey to get himself created Doctor of Laws.

FOOTNOTES: 

[24] Mem. de Bellievre & de Silleri, T. 2. p. 348.

[25] In Pasch. 1612.

IX.  After having been near a year in France, he returned to Holland.  He had the greatest pleasure in his journey:  one thing only was wanting to his satisfaction, a sight of the celebrated M. de Thou, the person among all the French whom he most esteemed.  He had fought to get acquainted with that great man; but did not succeed.  As soon as he returned to Delft, he wrote him[26] that he had been a year in France; had the pleasure of seeing a fine kingdom, a great king, very valuable noblemen, but had the mortification of not seeing him; that he would endeavour to repair this misfortune by his letters; and that he took the liberty to present him with a book he had just dedicated to the Prince of Conde.

This Letter was extremely well received by the President; and from that time to the death of M. de Thou, notwithstanding the disproportion of their age and fame, a most intimate correspondence subsisted between them.