BARNEVELDT, Jan van Olden, Grand Pensionary of Holland, who played a great part and rendered the most signal services to his country in the long conflict with Philip II. of Spain, was born in 1547. He was a native of Amersfoort in the province of Utrecht, and could boast of a long line of noble ancestors. Endowed with superior abilities, he was educated for the profession of the law, and commenced practice as an advocate at the Hague in 1569. He sympathized deeply with his countrymen in their resolution to throw off the hated yoke of Spain, and served as a volunteer at the sieges of Haarlem and Leyden. In 1575 he married; and in the following year he was appointed to the honourable post of counsellor and chiefpensionary of Rotterdam. In 1585, when, in consequence of the assassination of the sagacious and resolute leader of the Dutch, and the general success of the Spaniards under the Prince of Parma, the cause of the patriots seemed almost hopeless, Barneveldt was chosen head of an embassy to Queen Elizabeth, to ask for her assistance and to offer her the sovereignty of the United Provinces. The queen agreed to give aid both in money and in men, but refused to accept the sovereignty. An expedition was sent under the command of Dudley, earl of Leicester, on whom the Dutch conferred supreme and absolute authority. Barneveldt was then raised to the high office of advocate-general of Holland and West Friesland. Dissatisfied and indignant at Leicester’s incompetence, arrogance, and mismanagement, he endeavoured to limit his powers. For this purpose he succeeded in persuading the States to appoint Maurice of Nassau, the young son of the late Prince of Orange, stadtholder and captain-general of Holland and Zealand, thus contributing to place in the highest position the man ...