348 AN INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL FOR EUROPE. 



twelve towns on the Baltic ; a system that was afterwards extended 

 to eighty cities and towns of Central Europe. 



For two centuries this League of Arbitration flourished, main- 

 taining peace with surrounding nations, until, becoming rich and 

 powerful, equipped with fleets and armies, it waged successful 

 wars with Waldemar II., King of Denmark, which created jealousy 

 among the other Powers, and, after the course of some years, it 

 gradually dissolved 'into the Hanseatic League consisting of the 

 three towns of Lubeck, Hamburg, and Bremen. 



The next important confederation of peace was established in 

 1308, representing the States of Switzerland, commonly called the 

 Helvetic Union. 



Its Public Law is to be found in the Treaty of Sempatch, of 1393, 

 and also in the Treaty of Arau, of 17 12. 



By these Treaties, the Helvetic Union became a perpetual 

 defensive alliance, to protect itself by force, within, from insur- 

 rection, and without, against all the foreign enemies of the 

 Republic. 



For 500 years, this Tribunal of Arbitration in Switzerland, con- 

 sisting of twenty different States, differing from one another in language, 

 religion, laws, forms of government, manners and customs, has 

 united together, not only for the purpose of resisting foreign aggres- 

 sion, but also for maintaining peace with one another, and it has 

 been wonderfully successful in both, and remains to this day, an 

 honour to its founders, a blessing to posterity, and the admiration 

 of Europe, and therefore, worthy of universal adoption. 



The great scheme of Henry IV. of France, commonly called 

 Henry of Navarre, follows next in order of date. It was drafted by 

 his Prime Minister, De Rosny, Duke of Sully, upon the model of the 

 ancient Council of Greece, and consisted of Ministers of all Christian 

 Governments, who were to assemble as a Senate, "to pacify 

 quarrels, and to clear up and determine all the civil, political, and 

 religious affairs of Europe." 



This project of Henry IV. for the formation of a Court, for the 

 appeal of nations, deserves credit as an attempt to unite all the 

 nations of Europe in one grand Confederate Republic of Arbitration 

 of fifteen nations, consisting of eleven monarchies, and four 

 republics. 



Elizabeth, Queen of England, gave the scheme her warmest 

 support, and, had it not keen for the dagger of Ravaillac, who cruelly 



