I might have the pleasure of his conversation.  He answered, God had ordered it otherwise.  I desired him to prepare himself for a happier life, to acknowledge that he was a sinner, and to repent of his faults:  and happening to mention the publican, who acknowledged that he was a sinner, and asked God’s mercy, he answered:  I am that publican. I went on, and told him, that he must have recourse to Jesus Christ, without whom there is no salvation.  He replied, I place all my hope in Jesus Christ. I began to repeat aloud in German the prayer which begins Herr Jesu[437]; he followed me, in a very low voice, with his hands clasped.  When I had done, I asked him, if he understood me.  He answered, I understand you very well. I continued to repeat to him those passages of the word of God which are commonly offered to the remembrance of dying persons, and asking him if he understood me, he answered, I heard your voice, but did not understand what you said. These were his last words:  soon after he expired, just at midnight.  His body was delivered to the Physicians; who took out his bowels.  I easily obtained leave to bury them in our principal Church, which is dedicated to the Virgin.”

Thus died this celebrated man, on the 28th of August at night, or rather in the morning of the 29th, 1645.  A number of falshoods were published on occasion of his death.  Du Maurier relates[438], that a Roman Catholic Priest, and Ministers of different persuasions, hearing that Grotius was dying, came to him to dispose him to die in their communion:  that he made them no answer, but, I don’t understand you; and on their silence said to them, Exhort me to die like a Christian.

Quistorpius’s relation, ill understood, has given rise to several groundless stories.  M. Arnaud[439] assures us that he had the particulars of Grotius’s death from one of his Secretaries, who told him, that when he was at Rostock a Lutheran Minister came to see him in his illness, and speaking to him of religion, Grotius answered, I don’t understand you; willing to let him know that his conversation was not agreeable.  M. Jurieu[440] maintains, that he died without making any profession of religion, and that he answered those who exhorted him to prepare for death in these words, I don’t understand you:  turning his back to them.

If we may believe the Menagiana, the Minister who came to wait upon him at his death, said to him what was very poor; and Grotius, to gain time, and let him know that he could well dispense with his exhortations, said to him, I am Grotius.  To which the Minister answered, What! are you the great Grotius?  M. Le Clerc[441] mentions his having seen in an English book that Grotius said when dying, “By undertaking many things I have accomplished nothing.”

Not even so much as the cause of his death has escaped without misrepresentations.  M. Le Clerc informs us, that some of his enemies spread a report, that he was killed by lightning:  and not long ago, he adds, a learned man of my acquaintance asked me by letter if it was true.