Чорний тюльпан
Cornelius van Baerle’s Will
Thejudgesummedupwiththefollowingdilemma:—
“EitherCorneliusvanBaerleisagreatloveroftulips,oragreatloverofpolitics;ineithercase,hehastoldusafalsehood;first,becausehishavingoccupiedhimselfwithpoliticsisprovedbytheletterswhichwerefoundathishouse;andsecondly,becausehishavingoccupiedhimselfwithtulipsisprovedbythebulbswhichleavenodoubtofthefact.Andhereinliestheenormityofthecase.AsCorneliusvanBaerlewasconcernedinthegrowingoftulipsandinthepursuitofpoliticsatoneandthesametime,theprisonerisofhybridcharacter,ofanamphibiousorganisation,workingwithequalardouratpoliticsandattulips,whichproveshimtobelongtotheclassofmenmostdangeroustopublictranquillity,andshowsacertain,orratheracomplete,analogybetweenhischaracterandthatofthosemastermindsofwhichTarquintheElderandtheGreatCondéhavebeenfelicitouslyquotedasexamples.”
Theupshotofallthesereasoningswas,thathisHighnessthePrinceStadtholderofHollandwouldfeelinfinitelyobligedtothemagistracyoftheHagueiftheysimplifiedforhimthegovernmentoftheSevenProvincesbydestroyingeventheleastgermofconspiracyagainsthisauthority.
