His wife however was wholly employed in contriving how to set him at liberty.  He had been permitted[110] to borrow books of his friends, and when he had done with them, they were carried back in a chest with his foul linen, which was sent to Gorcum, a town near Louvestein, to be washed.  The first year his guards were very exact in examining the chest when it went from Louvestein; but being used to find in it only books and linen, they grew tired of searching, and did not take the trouble to open it.  Grotius’ wife observing their negligence, purposed to take advantage of it.  She represented to her husband that it was in his power to get out of prison when he pleased, if he would put himself in the chest that carried his books.  However, not to endanger his health, she caused holes to be bored opposite to the part where his face was to be, to breathe at; and made him try if he could continue shut up in that confined posture as long as it would require to go from Louvestein to Gorcum.  Finding it might be done, she resolved to seize the first favourable opportunity.

It soon offered.  The Commandant of Louvestein[111] going to Heusden to raise recruits, Grotius’ wife made a visit to his lady, and told her in conversation, that she was desirous of sending away a chest full of books, for her husband was so weak, it gave her great uneasiness to see him study with such application.  Having thus prepared the Commandant’s wife, she returned to her husband’s apartment, and in concert with a valet and a maid, who were in the secret, shut him up in the chest.  At the same time, that people might not be surprised at not seeing him, she spread a report of his being ill.  Two soldiers carried the chest:  one of them, finding it heavier than usual, said, There must be an Arminian in it:  this was a kind of proverb that had lately come into use.  Grotius’ wife, who was present, answered with great coldness, There are indeed Arminian books in it.  The chest was brought down on a ladder, with great difficulty.  The soldier insisted on its being opened, to see what was in it; he even went and informed the Commandant’s wife that the weight of the chest gave him reason to think there was something suspicious contained in it, and that it would be proper to have it opened.  She would not; whether it was that she was willing to wink at the thing, or through negligence:  she told him that Grotius’ wife had assured her there was nothing but books in it; and that they might carry it to the boat.  It is affirmed that a soldier’s wife who was present, said there was more than one example of prisoners making their escape in boxes.  The chest however was put into the boat, and Grotius’ maid, who was in the secret, had orders to go with it to Gorcum, and put it into a house there.  When it came to Gorcum, they wanted to put it on a sledge; but the maid telling the boatman there were some brittle things in it, and begging of him to take care how it was carried, it was put on a horse, and brought by two