himself to the momentous conference, was a very smooth Flemish friar, who
seemed admirably adapted, for various reasons, to glide into the rebel
country and into the hearts of the rebels. He was a Netherlander, born
at Antwerp, when Antwerp was a portion of the united commonwealth, of a
father who had been in the confidential service of William the Silent.
He was eloquent in the Dutch language, and knew the character of the
Dutch people. He had lived much at court, both in Madrid and Brussels,
and was familiar with the ways of kings and courtiers. He was a holy
man, incapable of a thought of worldly advancement for himself, but he
was a master of the logic often thought most conclusive in those days;
no man insinuating golden arguments more adroitly than he into half-
reluctant palms. Blessed with a visage of more than Flemish frankness,
he had in reality a most wily and unscrupulous disposition. Insensible
to contumely, and incapable of accepting a rebuff, he could wind back to
his purpose when less supple negotiators would have been crushed.

He was described by his admirers as uniting the wisdom of the serpent
with the guilelessness of the dove. Who better than he then, in this
double capacity, to coil himself around the rebellion, and to carry the
olive-branch in his mouth?

On the 25th February the monk, disguised in the dress of a burgher,
arrived at Ryswick, a village a mile and a half from the Hague. He was
accompanied on the journey by Cruwel, and they gave themselves out as
travelling tradesmen. After nightfall, a carriage having been sent to
the hostelry, according to secret agreement, by Recorder Aerssens, John
Neyen was brought to the Hague. The friar, as he was driven on through
these hostile regions, was somewhat startled, on looking out, to find
himself accompanied by two mounted musketeers on each side of the
carriage, but they proved to have been intended as a protective escort.