They were told of this irregularity, and saw they were in the wrong: to remedy it, they declared, a whole year after the trial, without rehearing the cause, that their intention was to condemn Grotius and his accomplices as guilty of high-treason; which step was the more irregular[101], as delegated judges cannot, by law, add to their sentence after it is passed.

This addition deprived Grotius's wife of the liberty of redeeming, at a moderate price, her husband's estate; a privilege which the law allows in all cases but those of treason.

His estate was therefore confiscated: but by this he was no great loser.

At that time he was very far from being rich: his father being alive, what properly belonged to him was only the savings of his salary and his wife's fortune.
FOOTNOTES: [91] Hug.

Grotii votum, p.