bloudy warres betweene the three Henries Fredericke and Philip and an insinite nomber of other Emperours agaīst the Popes of Rome but for because that the same Emperours woulde not obey their Commaundementes sometimes when they willed them to make warre in all hast vppon the Sarrasins sometimes when they woulde haue them leaue of that title which they had receiued by succession of their auncestours sometimes when the Popes themselues would be put in possession of certaine townes and territories which they said they should inherite as the patrimony of S. Peter and finally vppon any cause that it pleased them to picke whereof all the Chronicles and Histories be filled And what was the cause why Pope Alexander marched in publique place vppon the necke of the Emperour Fredericke Barbarossa adding thereunto many wordes full of reproche and shame And what is the cause againe why euen at this day they make the Monarks and kinges to kisse their feete but onely in signe and token of subiection which they claime as due And presently if they be not obeyed they thunder againste them and pronounce absolution vnto all their subiectes although they reuolt frō that fidelitie which they owe of duty Wherfore seing that the kīg is so much subiect to the Pope of Rome whō in no wise we cā acknowledge to be our superiour since that he feareth so much his thūdrings excōmunications How can you either say or beleue that his Ma. doth cōmaūd absolutely amōgst vs what he listeth himself specially in such a matter wherin the Pope pretendeth to haue more interrest than any man aliue I beseech you if the king woulde here our requests finding thē grounded vppon good reasons were willing to graūt vs the exercise of our religiō do you thīck that it were lawfull for him so to do Your selfe haue tould me very plainly that if the king would cōdiscēd to any such matter you would take armes agaīst him cause to your power the whole coūtrie to rebell And this I am sure your self wil not denie to haue said whē I was with you at Mountford Wher thē remayneth the fre auctoritie of the king to cōmaund where is the greatnes of his Ma. yea rather what becommeth of his liberty of your Maxime that no subiecte may take armes in hād without the appointmēt of his king lord seing that one only vassal wil to his power cause al his Estats to rebell if that the aduice opinion of his Maiesty touching the cause of his Coūtry subiects shal not agre with his cōceite But I am contente to pardon you herein consideringe the zeale which you beare to the Romishe Religion vppon condition that you will imagine that oure zeale which we beare vnto our Apostolicall Religiō of the Gospel is not a whit lesse althoughe peraduenture it is nether so plausible in mans capacitie neyther so profitable to them that maintaine it Yet haue we examples very freshe of the Emperour Charles of noble memorie who escaped very hardly from beinge excommunicated by Pope Paulus 3. for that hee graunted vnto the Almaynes but onely the Interim which was almost conformable in all poincts vnto the decrees of the Pope And I pray you what ado was there when he willed that a generall Councell shoulde be called in Almaine where the Almaynes might be harde in free disputacion And finally was it not the Pope that constrained him to make warre vpon the Christiās and did oftentimes threaten him with thundringes if he wente not to worke with speede in such sort that the Emperour was constrayned to couer the pretence of his warre with the cloke of rebelliō to th ēd he might draw vnto him Mawrice and th' other Princes which were confederates of the Smalcaldiens I speake nothing here of the holy Inquisition of Spaine nor of the Prelates of the Counsayle which be of the Popes creation and haue made a solempne othe vnto him neuer to agree to anye matter that they shall thinck to be preiudicial to the aduaūcement of the Sea of Rome but that they shall reueale the same and resist it with all their power Who seeth not how that our king is so possessed with them as hee is not able by anye meanes in the world to iudge any thīg in this matter contrary to their opinions aduice vppon paine of being condempned for a rebel vnto the sea of Rome Howe then can that be true where you say that wee make warre vppon the king Take away once the respect of the Pope and his Prelates and bringe to passe that either the king himself be not subiecte vnto him or els that he be content that we may be free from his lawes and then shall you see how soone and how soundlye wee will yeld our selues vnto the perfect obedience of our king naturall Prince as to one annointed of God himself to do vs right Iustice And if you esteeme this to be vtterly vnreasonable and that you meane to make the minde of oure Prince to be at the commaundemente of other mennes willes do not maruaile I pray you if we pretend to be no rebels in seeking that he maye gouerne vs by his absolute Auctoritie withoute receyuing lawes from others I come now to that other poinct where you say That it is a very straung thing for subiectes to force their Prince to assemble Estats at their pleasure Surely this seemeth very wonderfull considering that you cannot be ignorant how that the king himself by his owne pure will hath tyed himselfe thereunto as to the firmest ground and surest staffe whereuppon his auctority power Regall doth chiefly yea I may say onely leane rest For seing the Estates in a fourme of politique gouernement are none other thing but the chiefe and principall heads of the people representing the body of the multitude What thing is there that can bee so naturally vnited vnto a good king who desireth to be both father and Pastour of his people as are the Estates of his Country Euē as for exāple there is nothing that hath such affinity with the head of a mās bodye as those members which are called vital for that they be the chiefest Instrumēts by the which the vitall spirits proceding from the braynes to diuers sinewes are communicated in generall to the whole body and to euery member and by the which likewyse euery member retayneth his perfecte vnity and naturall knitting to the body Euen so a good king being the head of his people doth by the meanes of his Estates communicate and imparte vnto the whole body of his cōmon wealth not onely his fauoure grace priuiledges whereby he keepeth them in vnitie but also his bounty Iustice and wisedome from the which as out of a quicke fountaine do springe good lawes Ordinaunces whereby the people are still gouerned in good discipline as it were in the liuely being and naturall motion of the same This is the cause why our auncestours excelling in
these your calamities And thus I leaue prayinge to God M. Iunius that he graunte you that which is for your health From Anwerpe this xviij of August 1574. Your frend to his power Iohn Perrenot ¶ To Monsire my Lord the Barō of Renare of Aspremont Seigniour of S. Loup and of Champagny Gouernour of the Citie of Anwerpe SIr I haue receiued not lōg since your Lordships letter dated the xiiij of August iogether with the request of the Estates and townes of Holland and Zeland which Mōsire de Monte S. Aldegonde brought vnto you at Mountford all the which I deliuered presently into their handes I found that they marueyled greatelye were perswaded that the reasōs alledged within your letter were in no pointe sufficient to reiect and send back their foresaid request after such a sort the which peraduenture might very well haue serued to haue done some greate good Wherefore seinge themselues to be so handled not like subiectes or vassals of the king as they haue alwayes shewed themselues especially where there hath bin any question of the honour preheminence and greatnes of his Maiestie but rather like to the greatest Infidels Turkes or Iewer that liue in the worlde yea and like enemies sworne againste his Maiestie they haue hereuppon cōcluded that they are not hereafter to hope for any good at their hāds who seeke by such meanes to abuse the name of the K. to their vtter ruine and confusion And therefore they haue agreed by Counsell and determined amongest themselues to imploye their whole power to seeke oute other meanes by which they maye better prouide for their surety hereafter againste that so barbarous iniquitie and tyrannie of those whoe couer their owne priuate passions wyth the cloake and collour of the name of the Royall Maiestie Protestinge that since of themselues they haue no accesse to the eares of his Maiestie and are likewyse forestalled from that meanes which both by God and mans lawes hath bin euer graunted to the vilest fellons traytours disloyal rebels that either are or euer were in the worlde surely they seele themselues to bee forced by such excessiue wickednes and tirāny to seeke for such meanes as shall please their good God to put into their handes Desiring you that you wil be a witnes to all the worlde how that they haue presented the foresaid request and thereby haue satisfyed some part of their dutie And so maye you moste truly excuse and iustifie them if any question do arise hereof And to th end that your Lordship may know the grounde and cause of their complainte and wherefore they thincke themselues so extremely iniured by the sendinge backe of their foresaid request I haue thought good to gather together in forme of discourse the principall Articles of all their cōplaint vpon your last letters the which I mēt to haue sent you before this time but that I wayted for your mans comming to me for my aunsweare to yours whoe beinge come receiued his dispatche without any long staying Desiring you wel to consider and thinck of the reasons and groundes alledged by them vppon your said letter I haue annexed them hereunto but so neuertheles as that this my writinge maye in no pointe be preiudiciall to the saide Estates and Townes or to their resolution For my zeale is good for the quiet of the coūtry my affecliō great to do your Lordship seruice Well I will remit my selfe vnto the discourse wherof I pray you excuse the lēgth and impute the fault therof either to my vnabillitie or els to the difficulty of th'affayres that are treated of therein Thus recommending my selfe most humbly c. He that would be glad to take away the stoppe that hindereth me frō doinge agreable seruice to your Lordship I. Iunius de lenghe H DISCOVRSE SIR first men may thinck it straunge that the opinions of your Court ingenerall haue bin so farre alienated from those agreements which our men did most desire that as your letter mencioneth you durste not once open your mouth any further touching that matter For it is altogether vnlikely that you whō I haue accompted alwayes and do accompte to be a noble gentleman desirous both of the preseruatiō of his Maiestie and of the quiet and tranquillitie of the common weale haue withdrawen your self from a busines so much importing the seruice of the king and the generall quiet and safety of the whole country vppon the opinion of certaine priuate men and of small countenaunce in the court For therein you should not onely do wrong to that noble minde and valiaunte courage which I haue alwayes seene in you but also it mighte be a discredite to the greate duty and truste you owe to his Maiestie Wherefore I saye that their opinions of whom you spake haue proceeded from certaine of the priuie Councell in these estates vpō whom the king hath reposed his chiefest confidence touchinge the gouernment and rule of these Coūtryes The which Councellours are sworne to reueale make knowen euery thing which in their cōsciences may any way bee preiudiciall to the kinges highnes or commoditye They make vs thinck assuredly that you haue not conferred at all with thē of any such matter for if they had receiued any incklinge at all thereof of necessity it muste haue come to the kinges eares or at the least to their eares who had full power and auctoritie to deale therein Wee cannot comprehend nor imagine what should so much coole your courage and make you afearde to preferre openly our requeste the which of necessitie as you know must come to their vnderstanding And the rather because that with you they doe altogether condempne and mislike the doinges of certaine confederate gentlemen who preferred the like suite vnto Madame de Parma in the yeare 1566. especially because that they did not rather vse a meane more ordinary either by some of the Estates or els by some one principall man in the Courte who in their names might haue exhibited their supplication and not to haue aduaunced themselues so boldly and in such maner as they did Notwithstandinge by this your example you seeme to allow and iustifie them For you say that if the Courte cannot digeste a supplication or suite it is great folly for any one man thoughe of auctoritie as your selfe is to take vppon him the preferringe vppe of anye suche matter but rather by sendinge it backe againe to incurre all daungers which maye happen for wante of exhibitinge the same in conuenient time But whereas you saye that you haue not broken the matter to any mā but onely groped their mindes a farre of surely it seemeth to be nothīg answerable to that professed zeale and great affection you haue alwayes seemed to beare vnto the Mat. of the king good of his coūtrie The which in my iudgemente seemeth most manifest in that you were aserd to present a request so expedient both for the king and his countrie Wherfore if the euent
is to be maintayned by all the iust and rightfull executers of it for if the Lawe be not maynteined the life of the whole common wealth is lost This mayntenaunce of the Lawe no man doubteth vvhether it ought to bee or no for it is th ende vvhy Counsellers vnder magistrats are appoīted yea it is the cause of placing the highest Magistrate hymselfe So that to maintayne the Lavv is iudged meete by all men if the Lavv be iust But whether the Law may be mayntayned agaynst the Highest Magistrate or no that is the doubt For here upō this maintenance of Law is called resistāce and is called Rebellion This question doth imply a contradiction for it importeth that th one is agaynst thother no man can serue two Maisters so stādeth the vvhole case in the righteousnes of the Lavv which for the present purpose is presumed to be most iust most holy VVhy then The Person that is agaynst this Lavv goeth aboute to disanull that that is most iust and most holy laboureth to bring in that that is most vniust most vnholy For touchinge his owne person the question and debate standeth not but for thinforcing of the subiects to the same VVHY then there is no doubt but as it is confessed of all mē both that neuer knew God and of them that do professe God that iustice is to be maintayned against iniustice Godlines against vngodlines God against the deuill els were the law no law neither the subiect a subiect being as I sayd before a person licenced to liue in liberty of law Thus by the nature of Gouernment the subiection it is euidente that the rightest Magistrate may be resisted this resistance is truly a maintenaunce of Law equitie and so to be termed and vntruly and vniustly called Rebellion For these words of rebellion and suche like cannot iustlye bee vsed but where the wyll of the Ruler and the law are concurrent and agree in one By this that hath bin saide of the Gouernment it selfe ensueth a right aunswere to the cause of resistāce Nothing may cause resistance to the Magistrate but the maintenaunce of righte and equitie for there is no equitie in this that the will of the subiect should stand for a lawe to the Prince where the subiect thinketh it vnmeete that the wil of his Prince should stande for a law of his subiection This is against Iustice distributiue which the Heathen teach in their common wealth flatly against the rule of GOD Thou shalte not do to thy Neighbour that thou vvilt not haue don to thy selfe SO then he that hath law maintaineth the law is resisted on which part soeuer he be he that resisteth the law is a rebell and traitour whosoeuer he be for the law is the life of the cōmon weale And the consideration of resistance stādeth not in the person vnlesse hee haue the law with him if he be not Lex loquēs he is not resisted but resisteth But euery man may not resist They onely that are made keepers of the Lawes to thē it belōgeth otherwyse there would be a confusiō and euery man encroche vpon an others office The shedding of bloude is murther in euery priuate man but if a Magistrate do it he doth it lawfully and is excused before man and doth his dutie to God For hee beareth not the sword in vaine IN sum where the kind of Gouernment is tempered by Law the Prince hath aswell to liue by law as the subiect if the Prince wil breake this Law which is iust enforce an obedience to a law vniust against the will of the Subiects the law may be maintayned agaīst him by such as are appointed from God the law to be Gardians kepers of the law But the case of the Prince of Orenge his associats stādeth in the same termes The king with whom he hath to deale had auctoritie Temperatam Laegibus hee was sworne aswel to the keeping of those lawes and bringing in of no new as the subiects vvere if hee brake his othe they vvere quit of all obedience This appeareth in Forma iuramenti vvhich hee toke at his Ioyous entraunce This othe Lavv vvas broken by brīging in a nevv lavv of Inquisition vvhich tended to the vtter supplāting of the Prince and states of the country vvhich notvvythstanding they endured for a season vsing al dutiful meanes by complaints made from the counsell states at diuers sōdry times as are to be seene but coulde haue no redresse in deede though oftentimes they had faire promises VVhen iustice could not be had by vvay of iust complaint from the Coūsell States the Prince States toke the maintenaūce of the lavv into their ovvne hands and so retaine it by Iustice reseruing the auncient liberties lavves to the benefite of all the subiects so that none cōplayneth of wrōg done vnto him but the will of that Prince who woulde his will shoulde preuaile agaīst Law to the subuersion of the whole state as appeareth in their Records Therfore this maintenaunce of law by the Prince of Orenge is right against the breaker of Lawe and bringer in of Tyrannie the Spanish kinge They say brīger in of Tirāny breaker of Law for that contrary to his oth wherby both he all the Erles of Holland Zelād haue bin receiued into that gouernmēt no otherwyse but vpon those condicions limitted to them by their said oth he altereth the whole state of gouernmente leaueth no law but his own wil so vseth himself as though he had neuer bin sworne nor taken the countries vvith condicion but had entred as an absolute conquerour Farre inferiour therin to Heathē barbarous Prīces VVe read of Cyrus the greate Monarche of the Easte that aboue all his singuler vertues which purchased him so greate a Fame as euer any Prince had hee had this in him that he suffered all Natiōs vnder his Monarchie to enioye their owne Lawes customes liberties religion and made no alteration against their wills The like we finde recorded of Alexander the Greate who vsed himselfe after the same sort in all his cōquests contenting him onely with the Soueraignties ouer the Natiōs which he subdued without any alteratiō of their Estate And did not the auncient Romaynes walke after the same sorte whē they subdued any Nation to their obediēce Did they euer alter the state of any coūtry which they conquered enforce their people to receiue their lawes and Religion VVhat course vsed Iulius Caesar in his Conquests of Fraūce ▪ Did he chaūg any one iote of the state of those Citties which he conquered Thus was the behauiour of those barbarous Princes euen in their Conquests such moderation and equitie vsed they euē in the middes of their fire sword The kinge of Spaine came not in by force he was receyued by curtesie receiued as a Patrone and Protectour of their liberties and vpon
this condition onely had the Seigniories giuen him as to his predecessours before him that hee should keepe those Lawes and liberties safe sound by vertue of which for preseruation wherof they cast vpon him the Erledom as they had don in former times vpon his auncesters Vppon this condition he toke it to this conditi he swore as all his aūcesters did submitting yelding himselfe to the like dishonour that other had incurred before him by whose fall his auncesters came into that preferment if he committed the like trespasse against the states To this I say he was boūd by oth let himself be demaunded if he cā denie it they are cōtent to stand to the condemnation of all the world as falsaccusers of so mighty a Prince in charging him wyth periurie a most horrible crime both before God man But hee wil not hee doth not denie it it is confessed of himself and published by Print in his owne books vnder his owne Priuiledge How thē stādeth his case theirs was he not boūd by oth to obserue their lawes And in case he or any of his officers Ministers did not obserue but breake theim did he not expresly charge enioyne al his subiects by the same oth to make resistance against him them and in no wyse to yeld him any obedience vntil he stoode and yelded to the fulfilling of his othe The matter as I sayde is to euident books imprīted vnder his owne Priuiledge vouch it to all the vvorlde And shall they that stand for the maintenance of a law so iustly being further charged thereto by the kings owne oth be notvvithstandinge deemed for rebels Surely if there be no more than so wee haue no reasō so to esteme or iudge of thē Mē might do no more if either the kings auctority ouer thē vvere absolute or they had contrary to all right of obediēce made resistāce there where they ought to haue shewed all obediēce But as the vvorld is not able to charge them vvith the one so the king I suppose will not chaleng vnto himself the other VVe finde recorded by all that are learned as vvell heathen as Christians as vvell in lavves of the Gētiles as in the lavves of God that it is one thing to be Princeps supremus a Superiour highest gouernour an other thing to be Senior absolutus an absolute lord The one importeth a soueraintie chieftie of all that are within one list of lavv as the highest minister of the lavv but yet he himselfe vvithin the compasse of the same lavv the other noteth a person vvithout the compasse of al iurisdiction a cōtroller of all men to be controlled of none VVhoso vvould chaleng this latter point to be the right of the kings tititle in those coūtryes I meane that he would make him an absolute Lord not a Supreme and highest Gouernoure hee should greatly discredite his honour in taking his othe For force any personne what soeuer he bee to take an othe and not to mynde to keepe it is in that degree of dishonoure as carryeth wyth it an impietie against GOD himselfe and ingendreth a iuste suspicion in all men that shall haue to deale with him for who would contract with that mā in any sorte that can will make so small accompte of that which hee hath called God himselfe to witnes of vowed to his Maiestie to keepe in the presence of the Angels I can not thinck so euill of the honour of a Prince as that he would enter into so greate impietie I iudge honourably of the Kinge of Spaine and therefore I may not deeme that he was of the Nature of that wicked Heathen that sayd for excuse of himselfe in a case of like quality Lingua iuraui mentem iniuiuratam gero I svvore wyth my tongue so that my tongue standeth bounde by othe but I cary a minde and hart about me that hath not sworne ne standeth so tyed Be it farre from any Christian to haue so euill an opinion of any Christiā wee haue not so to thincke of any Heathen vnlesse we heare him speake and protest so as that wretched caitife did VVe see euidently by his ovvne confession testimonie of all the world that such an oth he toke and the honourable opinion that we oughte to conceyue of the Maiestie of a Kinge muste needes persvvade vs that hee meant them as he swore As he swore I say when hee in the same article exempted them from all obedience and armed them that should attempte ought to the contrary If hee svvore this and mente this then are they no rebelles in fulfillinge that vvhich hee charged them vppon theyr othes But vvhat saye they that vvil notvvithstandinge iustifie the Kings doinges and blame the subiectes with so greeuous a crime For no one iote of that that is aforesayd can be denyed They saye that the Pope who hath from GOD Plenitudinē potestatis Fulnes of povver did dispense vvith him from this othe Firste if that bee so that the Pope hath freed him from his othe then hath hee by the same facte freed them from their obedience for they vvere in no wyse nor by vertue of any title subiecte to him but by vertue and title of his othe Take the grounde of their subiection avvay and they are not subiect but free But vvhether it he so or no that the Pope hath throughe his absolute power which he calleth Plenitudinē fulnes of povver freed him from that othe I knovv not onely this I know that the Bishop of Arras aftervvard Cardinal of Granuile gaue him suche Counsell sayd the Pope should do so And if it followed so in effect as it may be wel cōiectured by the sequel for no doubte a king would not stād so stoutly to the defence maintenaunce of such impietie against God man as periurie is vnlesse he had some better ground warrante this wil be a Caueat and a lesson for all Princes States to teach them to bevvare howe they deale anye more with the kinge of Spaine or any other that giueth such credite to the Pope For what assurance cā they haue of all their Contracts and Leagues that passe and are made betwene them if the othes taken may be dispensed withall at the Popes pleasure That were nothing els in deede and effecte but to bring all true Christian Kinges and Princes vvhich make conscience and put a Religion in the bretch of their othes into bondage slauery to make them serue the pleasure and profite of the other Romishe kinge vvho mindeth no further to obserue his then shall stande vvith his benefite or pleasure of that higher power of Rome If the case stand so what faults soeuer Princes haue committed in former time in this behalf I doubt not but they wil be wyser and more circumspect hereafter I meane they will make no leagues nor take anye othes of the Pope ☜ or any Princes
of thinges hereafter shall happen to frustrate deceiue their opinions whose minds you haue but groped a farre of assure yourselfe it is impossible for you to eschew some excedinge greate blame in that you reiected and sente backe without any occasion a request of such importaunce For thoughe you ment not to follow the matter your selfe yet mought you haue vttered it openly excepte by your owne auctoritie you woulde seeme to depriue both King and countrie of so necessary a meanes as to haue consulted and determined concerning the pointes of a generall pacificatiō Moreouer if those Courtiers in auctoritie and of the priuie counsell haue seene the foresaid requeste and would not make the Kinge acquainted therewith yet should they at the least either haue published that selfe same thing which they wolde not communicate or els haue geuen somme good aduice counsaill vnto vs withowt vsurping after that sorte their aucthoritie in a matter that so particularly did touche the Kings owne person For if you respect but the othe only whereby his Maiestie was sollemly sworne there vpon admytted in to this countrie neuer to refuse or reiect any Bill or supplicaciō whatsoeuer of any of his Subiectes howe meane soeuer and muche lesse of corporacions and whole Prouinces Surely you nyghte haue showed a singuler care and earnest desyer for the perfourmaunce of the same Moreouer yt is altogether disagreeing from the lawe of nature the which worketh effect in all people and nations that a Prince to whom the people haue committed their forces to th end they may be gouerned by iustice and equitye and haue their causes harde should reiect them withowt making any care or coūtenance to vnderstand them This did Adrian the Emperour know very well being a Pagan and one that knew not God who hauing a supplicacion presented him in the streetes by a poore woman aunswered that he had not conuenient time to looke vpon suche small matters but she nothing dismayed replyed that if he had not leysure to peruse the particuler requestes of his poore subiectes he shoud haue farre lesse leysuer to rule commaunde her reason was becaus yt was the duty of a King to dooe Iustice With which aunswere he feeling himself touched to the quick forth with acknowledged his fault and afterwards perusing her request gaue her presently her righte By theis we are tolearne in how great faulte they ar which make the King culpable bothe before God and the worlde in taking away from him the meanes to heare and vnderstand the requestes of his subiectes yea of his townes and whole Prouinces The which is not only disagreeing from the naturall care of Princes to their Subiectes but also against the profession of a Christian yea and cōtrary to the particuler othewhich he is sworne vnto And sure in theis respects owr Prince is more heauely charged and hathe more to aunswere for than had that Emperour Adrian But since you alledge some apparaunce of reasons whereby it semeth we ought many wise to cōmit the Iudgmēt of this Present quarel to the arbitriment of the Prince I beseeche you consider of what force your perswasions may bee with them of Holland and Zeland Marke whether they cā be made to beleeue the contrarye but that by theis meanes they haue been moste yniurioustye dealt withal and the Maiestie of their Prince the King of Spaine and Coūte of Holland moste extremely abused and set at nought You say they vvould that the King shoudle disarme him self Surely if it weare soe Yet might they aunswere that so long as the King did holde the sworde in his hand redy to murther them at his pleasure yt were great folly but more daunger for them to humble them selues and to shew that dutye which ought to be in subiectes to their Prince For what could minister a greater likelyhod to haue all their throtes to be cutt by creditt than this For if he bee not armed against them they will neuer wishe him to laye asyde his weapens And contrarywise if hee bee it followeth that hee becommeth not as their King that is to say as their father and pastour but which is more proper for him their vtter enemye and destroyer But God forbid that those good Subiectes of Holland Zeland which haue alwaies borne an especiall dutie and honour to their prince likewise haue fownde in him a singuler kinde of clemencie towardes them shoulde bee constrained to thinck that their king is in armes against them and so bent to their ruine and destruction as that he will not giue eare or harken to their complaintes Nay they cōplayne rather that certen straūgers suche as are not knowen to the King neither allied by blood nor affinitie nor that once can cary good meaning to theis low countries are cōme in the Kings name armed at all pointes to exercise barbarous and Turkish Tyrannies of their owne aucthorities nothing esteming the solemne othe firme composicion which the King had made but haue brought in with thē a new world aswell contrarye to the auncient pollecie custome of lawes priuileges As also against the auctoritye of the Kings Maiestratie and officers whom they pray with all humilitie that yt woolde please him by his aucthoritye to cause them to lay aside their weapons and to retire thē selues leauing the country to that gouernment which was vsed before tyme of long cōtynewaunce by the predicessours of the Kings Maiestie of glorious memorye The which if it were brought to passe there should be no subiectes more dutifull ▪ none more redy to acknowledge the aucthoritie of the Prince ouer them nor none more ioifull to accōplishe what soeuer shoulde be commaunded them And I pray you how coulde you lay I will not say any foundaciō of peace but only some fained apparance of an agreement except that theis as ringleaders doe first geue vp their weapens and get them packing owt of this coūtrie vnlesse you thinck that the meanes to attaine to peace dothe consist in setting straungers yea straungers of such cōditiō in possessiō of the Subiectes goods moueables ymmoueables to let thē vyolate their wynes and children and that for a full end of such their benifites and fauours the subiects mighte doe well to interteme cherish them to cut al their throtes so as they might at once plead full possession and the King be ryd of his trew subiects But you say that they demaūde that the Kinge shoulde not be serued of any but of suche as they themselues vvoulde appoint him It shall neuer bee founde that euer they did so muche as ymagine that the Ki. might not make warre against his enemies whosoeuer or of what cōdicion soeuer they weare with suche and so many as he thought good and that they be not so euill aduised as to prescribe any lawes to his Ma. especially in a thing sovnreasonable But they hūbly beseeche his Ma. that Straūgers be not lycensed only vpō priuate quarrels to
wisedome and perfecte pollioy haue very well ordeyned heretofore that especially the king should very straightly be bounde and vnited with the Estates of the Country not to do any thing of importaūce without communicating the matter vnto them firste as they on the other side oughte to behaue themselues vnto theyr Prince as to their heade giuen to theim of god From hence is proceeded the great and vniforme loue and Fidelitie which Princes in these partes haue borne to their people and they likewise to them And surely this principle appeared in the person of the good Duke PHILIP who at the firste vnited all those low Countries into one body and made many lawes the assured vnitye which either is or oughte to bee betweene a Prince and his people Esteeminge it better to be beloued called father by them than to be feared and redouted of thē For he knew well ynoughe that loue is the surest grounde and faithfullest garde of all gouernmēts and preheminēces in such sort that they be greatly to be detested and to be accōpted publique pestilēces who to bringe thēselues in credite by villanies and seruile flatteries vnder the pretence of maintayning the auctoritie of our Prince haue whispered in the eares of his councell that whosoeuer talketh of the generall assemble of the Estates doth catch at the Crowne from his Maiesties head For surely these be the auctours of all tyrānies troubles and insolencies these be the disturbers of our common quiet these be the enemies both of God and the worlde although they attribute neuer so much wisdome and experience vnto themselues doing in this case not vnlike vnto him that would dismember the parts of the body from the head and depriue them of their vertues and naturall actions vnder the pretence of doing good to the head True it is that for a time they seeme to yelde as it were a staye and proppe vnto the power of Princes in causinge theym in generall to be more feared than loued but in th ende they shew themselues to seeke noughte els but the fall of Princes and the ouerthrow of all their people at one time as wee see most clearely by th' example of the kingdome of Fraunce the calamitie and ruine whereof hath not proceded from any thing els but by the breaking of thordinaunces of the Estates generall and by sufferaunce that the kinge mighte gouerne at his owne appetite with absolute authoritie without hauing regard either to the body politique or to them that should represent the same I would to GOD that this poore Country of ours would behold it selfe in this glasse which is so cleare so neare vnto it without fallinge into the same inconueniences But our sinnes being already growen to a certaine rypenes haue hastened our vtter ouerthrowe in blindinge the eyes of such gouernours as haue perswaded our Princes to thinck that their ruine consisteth in the Assemblie of the generall Estates of the country whose order is a common consente to resolue vppon such pointes as do concerne the tranquillitie of the same whereas if at the least this had bin lookt vnto in the begīning before that those troubles did breake out into so great a flame according to those instructions which the Gentlemen of the confederates gaue vnto his Maiestie surely then might all the incōueniences which haue happened since haue very well bin auoyded Yet at length let vs looke although very late first which be the grounds and occasions that hinder vs from hauinge recourse vnto that so ready and wholsome a remedie which in times past hath alwayes bin the refuge both of Prince People when any incōuenience did threatē them You say That since that these Countries do consist vppon diuers Seignories vvhich in degree iurisdictions and customes haue nothing to do the one vvith the other but onely a neighbourhode vnder one Lord therefore they are not to compell the king to assemble the estates generally I beseech you then sirs If wee shoulde demaunde of the kinge to assemble onely the Estates of Holland and Zeland which Prouinces haue alwayes bin ioyned together and that by their aduise hee woulde ordaine some conuenient remedies for these present troubles calamities euen as his Maiesties predecessours the Princes of Bauier were wont to do in the like cases not adding any other to these Prouinces except it were Hainault and Ostrenant woulde you iudge then that wee had any reason on oure sides At the leaste your argumente whereon you seeme to ground moste would seeme to be of no force And I surely do thincke that this particuler assembly since that you cannot abyde the generall were much fitter for the people of Holland and Zeland than th' other weare which they demaunde But I pray you consider what wrong they of Holland Zeland haue committēd in submitting themselues in their foresayd request vnto thorder of their Prince without presuming to prescribe any law vnto him or in referringe themselues to the Iudgement of the generall Estates of all the low Countries to whō they were content to submit thēselues to th end that they might not seeme to seeke to be iudges in their owne cause And if there be no reason at all to assēble the generall estates of so many and diuers Prouīces in a matter that toucheth only one particuler Prouince then I pray you why should that protestatiō which the Estats of Brabant Flaūders presōted wherin they would admit Religion but that of Rome bee preiudiciall vnto them of Holland and Zeland Howe be it surely if all be well considered this disease is growen so generall in all these prouinces as it cannot be remedied but by a medecine generally taken For who knoweth not howe that in this cause there are ioyned to Holland and Zelande in a maner all Gelderland Phriseland and Ouerijsel wyth many both of the townes and peoples of Brabant Flaunders Hainault and Arthois who vnderstandeth not that when this request was presented by those gentlemen in the yeare 66. there were almost as many of oure Prouince as of any other yea and that the nomber of them of Hainaulte Arthois and Nanin did farre exceede them of Holland and Zelande Wherefore if some haue bin frighted by force and threatninges some other oppressed by the tyranny of the Duke of Alua and some againe haue not bin able to finde oute the oportunities and open wayes which they of Hollande and Zeland haue founde is it therefore to be saide that they ought to be barred from giuinge ayde and remedie to quench this great fier and generall cause of Ruine No for this is certaine that the harme which proceedeth of these warres doth touche the other Prouinces as neere as it doth Holland and Zeland For if it happen that these Countryes bee either destroyed or alienated from the obedience of the Kinge Consider I pray you whether Braband and Flaunders with many other Prouinces shal be subiect to any inuasion that first will assaulte them or not
his Maiestie in a generall assemble of all owr estates shewing therin that they feared not at all to haue their cause brought to light before the face of the whole world and of his Maiestie because they felte themselues cleare from all crimes which wrongfully were laide to their charge And if their religion were so wicked as the Kinge is informed that it is what can they do more sincerely than with humble sute to request that it might be iudged and tryed euē by those who haue protested most plainly that they will by no meanes admit or receiue the same Cā there be any thing more conueniēc for the dignity and honour of his Maiestie or for to expresse their owne faithfull seruice than to submit themselues wholly to the iudgment of his Ma. and of those Estates which he shall lawfully call together It seemeth certainly that you amongst you do feare and flye from the iudgement and aduice of the kinge and that you take him to be so childishe as that he cannot discerne white from blacke or els that your selues must prescribe him what he shall do For you hindered our request from cōminge to his cares It falleth out now that your selues are they that make the king a Ward in that you will not suffer him to here the cōplaints and sutes of his subiectes This is to take the Crowne from his Maiestyes head to make your selues kinges Considering that the dignity and prehemiēnce of Royalty doth not so much consist vpon titles and ritches as in the discerninge iudging of the cōplaints and requests of his subiects in administrīg Iustice vnto them The pretēce then of these Hollāders Zelāders is so farre frō makīg him a Warde as that the onely mark that they tēd vnto is to set him at his ful liberty again which is to iudge lawfully accordinge to the custome of his Auncestours vpon all the controuersies complaints of his people which libertie you haue cleane berest him of yelded the same vnto the Italian Pope to the Prelats of the inquisiciō barred him clene both from hearing iudging of his subiects causes As touching the last point wherin you say That in your opinion his Maiestye ought not to yelde vnto our request no not one iote Surely I do most of all marueile that you woulde wish the K. to iudge no otherwyse than as you list If you be vassall to the K. leaue the choise to his Maiestie whether he wil yelde or not and do not you prescribe a law before that he himself haue first herd our requests afterwards giuen his iudgement vppon the same Otherwise you will giue the worlde to vnderstād how that you take the king to be so ignoraunt as that he cannot iudge of his owne affayres or els that your opinion must be a law whereby his Maiestie must of force be ruled Well if your opinion which you haue groūded vpon your owne conceite be so fast settled in your stomacke as that you will not alter the same Yet I woulde ye considered that all the Estates and Cities in these quarters be of an other minde And peraduenture it may bee that if the opinion of all the Estates in general may be vnderstood the greater part of thē wil be of our minde If you thinck otherwyse why do yee not suffer the matter to come to proofe by leauinge to his maiestie full liberty to iudge discerne of all sutes requests except your meanīg be that we must of force take your opinion for the kings determinaciō But surely for mine owne parte I cannot yet be so well perswaded of your great modestie wisedome Wherefore I am to request you that without suffering your selfe to be any longer blinded wyth these cauilling pretences you indeuour your self in good faith true meaninge to further the tranquillity and quiet of these Countries the which cannot by anye meanes be reestablished but by this that the king may haue his auctoritie kept to himselfe inuiolablie in hearing and cōsidering the requestes and controuersies of all such his Subiectes as crye and call for his helpe and mercye that hee may see some remedie for the same by the common aduice of the generall Estates of the Countrie and that he suffer vs not to bee oppressed by the cruell tiranny of Strangers who seeke nothing els but to satisfie their couetous mindes and greedines of gaine with the price of our bloude and wyth the vtter ouerthrow desolacion of his maiesties inheritaūce in these Prouinces to the great diminishing of his Maiesties Royall Estate not caringe a point though all this go to wracke so that they may returne into their Countries againe loden charged with the spoile of vs from the which I hope that Almighty God will defende vs with his puissant Arme as he hath done heretofore ⧠IMPRINTED AT London in Fleetestreate by Thomas Marsh. Anno. 1576.