It was appointed not to try, but to condemn the prisoners.
Oldenbarneveldt protested in the strongest terms against the court's competence.

He had been the servant of the Estates of the sovereign province of Holland, and to them alone was he responsible.

He denied to the States-General any sovereign rights; they were simply an assembly representing a number of sovereign allies.

These were bold statements, and they were accompanied by an absolute denial of the charges brought against him.

It was quite useless.