Cornelius van Baerle's Will
Rosa had not been mistaken； the judges came on the following
day to the Buytenhof； and proceeded with the trial of
Cornelius van Baerle。 The examination； however； did not last
long； it having appeared on evidence that Cornelius had kept
at his house that fatal correspondence of the brothers De
Witt with France。
He did not deny it。
The only point about which there seemed any difficulty was
whether this correspondence had been intrusted to him by his
godfather； Cornelius de Witt。
But as； since the death of those two martyrs； Van Baerle had
no longer any reason for withholding the truth； he not only
did not deny that the parcel had been delivered to him by
Cornelius de Witt himself； but he also stated all the
circumstances under which it was done。
This confession involved the godson in the crime of the
godfather； manifest complicity being considered to exist
between Cornelius de Witt and Cornelius van Baerle。
The honest doctor did not confine himself to this avowal；
but told the whole truth with regard to his own tastes；
habits； and daily life。 He described his indifference to
politics； his love of study； of the fine arts； of science；
and of flowers。 He explained that； since the day when
Cornelius de Witt handed to him the parcel at Dort； he
himself had never touched； nor even noticed it。
To this it was objected； that in this respect he could not
possibly be speaking the truth； since the papers had been
deposited in a press in which both his hands and his eyes
must have been engaged every day。
Cornelius answered that it was indeed so； that； however； he
never put his hand into the press but to ascertain whether
his bulbs were dry； and that he never looked into it but to
see if they were beginning to sprout。
To this again it was objected； that his pretended
indifference respecting this deposit was not to be
reasonably entertained； as he could not have received such
papers from the hand of his godfather without being made
acquainted with their important character。
He replied that his godfather Cornelius loved him too well；
and； above all； that he was too considerate a man to have
communicated to him anything of the contents of the parcel；
well knowing that such a confidence would only have caused
anxiety to him who received it。
To this it was objected that； if De Witt had wished to act
in such a way； he would have added to the parcel； in case of
accidents； a certificate setting forth that his godson was
an entire stranger to the nature of this correspondence； or
at least he would during his trial have written a letter to
him； which might be produced as his justification。
Cornelius replied that undoubtedly his godfather could not
have thought that there was any risk for the safety of his
deposit； hidden as it was in a press which was looked upon
as sacred as the tabernacle by the whole household of Van
Baerle； and that consequently he had considered the
certificate as useless。 As to a letter； he certainly had
some remembrance that some moments previous to his arrest；
whilst he was absorbed in the contemplation of one of the
rarest of his bulbs； John de Witt's servant entered his
dry…room； and handed to him a paper； but the whole was to
him only like a vague dream； the servant had disappeared；
and as to the paper； perhaps it might be found if a proper
search were made。
As far as Craeke was concerned； it was impossible to find
him； as he had left Holland。
The paper also was not very likely to be found； and no one
gave himself the trouble to look for it。
Cornelius himself did not much press this point； since； even
supposing that the paper should turn up； it could not have
any direct connection with the correspondence which
constituted the crime。
The judges wished to make it appear as though they wanted to
urge Cornelius to make a better defence； they displayed that
benevolent patience which is generally a sign of the
magistrate's being interested for the prisoner； or of a
man's having so completely got the better of his adversary
that he needs no longer any oppressive means to ruin him。
Cornelius did not accept of this hypocritical protection；
and in a last answer； which he set forth with the noble
bearing of a martyr and the calm serenity of a righteous
man； he said；
〃You ask me things； gentlemen； to which I can answer only
the exact truth。 Hear it。 The parcel was put into my hands
in the way I have described； I vow before God that I was；
and am still； ignorant of its contents； and that it was not
until my arrest that I learned that this deposit was the
correspondence of the Grand Pensionary with the Marquis de
Louvois。 And lastly； I vow and protest that I do not
understand how any one should have known that this parcel
was in my house； and； above all； how I can be deemed
criminal for having received what my illustrious and
unfortunate godfather brought to my house。〃
This was Van Baerle's whole defence； after which the judges
began to deliberate on the verdict。
They considered that every offshoot of civil discord is
mischievous； because it revives the contest which it is the
interest of all to put down。
One of them； who bore the character of a profound observer；
laid down as his opinion that this young man； so phlegmatic
in appearance； must in reality be very dangerous； as under
this icy exterior he was sure to conceal an ardent desire to
avenge his friends； the De Witts。
Another observed that the love of tulips agreed perfectly
well with that of politics； and that it was proved in
history that many very dangerous men were engaged in
gardening； just as if it had been their profession； whilst
really they occupied themselves with perfectly different
concerns； witness Tarquin the Elder； who grew poppies at
Gabii； and the Great Conde； who watered his carnations at
the dungeon of Vincennes at the very moment when the former
meditated his return to Rome； and the latter his escape from
prison。
The judge summed up with the following dilemma：
〃Either Cornelius van Baerle is a great lover of tulips； or
a great lover of politics； in either case； he has told us a
falsehood； first； because his having occupied himself with
politics is proved by the letters which were found at his
house； and secondly； because his having occupied himself
with tulips is proved by the bulbs which leave no doubt of
the fact。 And herein lies the enormity of the case。 As
Cornelius van Baerle was concerned in the growing of tulips
and in the pursuit of politics at one and the same time； the
prisoner is of hybrid character； of an amphibious
organisation； working with equal ardour at politics and at
tulips； which proves him to belong to the class of men most
dangerous to public tranquillity； and shows a certain； or
rather a complete； analogy between his character and that of
those master minds of which Tarquin the Elder and the Great
Conde have been felicitously quoted as examples。〃
The upshot of all these reasonings was； that his Highness
the Prince Stadtholder of Holland would feel infinitely
obliged to the magistracy of the Hague if they simplified
for him the government of the Seven Provinces by destroying
even the least germ of conspiracy against his authority。
This argument capped all the others； and； in order so much
the more effectually to destroy the germ of conspiracy；
sentence of death was unanimously pronounced against
Cornelius van Baerle； as being arraigned； and convicted； for
having； under the innocent appearance of a tulip…fancier；
participated in the detestable intrigues and abominable
plots of the brothers De Witt against Dutch nationality and
in their secret relations with their French enemy。
A supplementary clause was tacked to the sentence； to the
effect that 〃the aforesaid Cornelius van Baerle should be
led from the prison of the Buytenhof to the scaffold in the
yard of the same name； where the public executioner would
cut off his head。〃
As this deliberation was a most serious affair； it lasted a
full half…hour； during which the prisoner was remanded to
his cell。
There the Recorder of the States came to read the sentence
to him。
Master Gryphus was detained in bed by the fever caused by
the fracture of his arm。 His keys passed into the hands of
one of his assistants。 Behind this turnkey； who introduced
the Recorder； Rosa； the fair Frisian maid； had slipped into
the recess of the door； with a handkerchief to her mouth to
stifle her sobs。
Cornelius listened to the sentence with an expression rather
of surprise than sadness。
After the sentence was read； the Recorder asked him whether
he had anything to answer。
〃Indeed； I have not；〃 he replied。 〃Only I confess that；
among all the causes of death against which a cautious man
may guard； I should never have supposed this to be
comprised。〃
On this answer； the Recorder saluted Van Baerle with all
that consideration which such functionaries generally bestow
upon great criminals of every sort。
But