JAMES, a distinguished civilian, politician, and Dutch poet, was born at Brouwershaven, in Zealand, in the year 1577. After having made several voyages, he fixed Caucasus at Middleburg, and acquired by his pleadings such reputation, that the city of Dort chose him as its pensionary; and some time afterwards Middleburg followed its example. In 1634 he was nominated pensionary of Holland and West Friesland, and in 1648 he was elected keeper of the seal of the same state, and stadtholder of the fiefs; but some time afterwards he resigned these employments, in order to enjoy the repose which his advanced age demanded. As the post of grand pensionary had been fatal to almost all those who had held it, from the beginning of the republic till that time, Catz delivered up his charge upon his knees, before the whole assembly of the states, weeping for joy, and thanking God for having preserved him from the inconveniences which seemed attached to the duties of that office. But though he was resolved to spend the rest of his days in retirement, the love of his country induced him to comply with the desires of the states, who importuned him to go on an embassy to England, at the delicate conjuncture when the republic found itself compromised during the protectorate of Cromwell. On his return, he retired to his fine country seat at Sorgvliet, where he lived in tranquillity till the year 1660, in which he died. He wrote a great number of poems in Dutch, most of which are on moral subjects, and so greatly esteemed that they have been often reprinted in all different sizes; and next to the Bible, there is no work so highly valued by the Dutch.

CAUBUL. See Afghanistan.