men and women in his contemporary society. He came up with a simple solution the problem of lust: sexual liberty for the educated men of the higher ranks of society, who could responsibly enjoy the unavoidable sin. Berverland adopted some forms of pantheism and also argued that human reason is incapable of controlling the sexual force of lust both in the mind and in the body. This conception was closely similar to the Spinoza's view of conatus of all beings as the "natural desire to persevere in their existence", but it also opposed to the liberating power of the intellect, like it had been described in the last part of the Spinoza's Ethics. In the De Stolatae Virginitatis Iure (On the Law of Draped Virginity, 1680), his work on female lust, Berverland outlined practical solutions on how to deal with the problem of lust in human nature in general and the abundance of sexual misbehaviour in his contemporary Dutch society in particular. He proposed for instance that prostitution should be legalized. Banishment and exile During a provincial Synod in Gouda in July 1679 Beverland’s works were discussed by members of the Dutch Reformed Church. Concluding that his study on sex and sin was licentious and injurious, deputies from the Synods of North- and South-Holland sent a request to the States of Holland. On 12 September 1679 the States approved the request of the deputies of the Synods, in which they had asked to prohibit and repress Beverland’s publications to conserve God, his Word, and the Dutch Reformed religion, and to protect young people in Dutch society from Beverland’s ideas. The States concluded that the University of Leiden, where Beverland was enrolled as a student at the time, should advise them on the appropriate course of action. On 26 October 1679 Beverland was arrested. While in prison, he managed to have a third edition of his work on sex and sin printed, titled Poma Amoris (The Fruits of Love). Beverland’s arrest was handled by the university court of the University of Leiden (Academische Vierschaar). The prosecutor Johan Dirckszoon van Vesanevelt submitted a request to the university court, in which he pleaded for Beverland’s conviction. It was discussed by the Vierschaar on 11 November 1679. Beverland made his first appearance before the university court during a private hearing on 15 November. He responded to Van Vesanevelt’s accusations by asking the judges to