to deale with the gentlemen about the same this commission ensuing That they should hold and obserue the points contained in the letters of protection and for that she perceiued the great and imminent necessitie then raigning she was content that the said lords should enter into an accord with the confederated gentlemen and certifie them that the common people laying downe their armes in such places where as the preaching was then presently exercised and keeping themselues from giuing any cause of scandale or disordered actions there should no wrong nor iniurie be done vnto them nor to any others that should for that purpose trauell to and from them vntill such time as his Maiesty with the aduice of the counsell of estate should take other order therein vpon condition that they should not in any wise hinder the proceedings of the Catholicke religion but should suffer the Catholickes freely to enioy their churches in manner as they had them before Giuen in Brussels the thirteenth of August 1566 with this charge to deale and conferre with the confederated gentlemen she sent the prince of Orange the earle of Egmont the earle of Horne the baron de Hachecourt and the counsellor Dassonuille which met and consulted with the deputies of the gentlemen being Lodowicke earle of Nassau Eustace de frenes baron D'esquerdes Charles de Reuel baron Dandreguyes Bernard de Merode baron de Rumen Charles vander Noot baron de Risoire George de Montigâ—…t baron de Noyles Martin de Serlues baron de Sterbeeke Philip van Marbays baron de Lounerual Iohn de Montigni baron de Villers Charles de Lieuin baron de Famars Frauncis de Haeslen Iohn le Sauage baron de Descouberque These after long conference at the last drew vnto a conclusion agreement and accord in his Ma. behalfe which for that it is of so great importance and consequence and that all the troubles and warres that after ensued had their foundation from the same I thought good to set downe the true copie both of the proclamation and act made in manner of a securitie or protection Marguerite by the grace of God Duchesse of Parma and Plaisance Regent and Gouernesse for the king my lord in these his countries to all to whom these presents shall come greeting Whereas many gentlemen of these countries haue presented in Aprill last a petition to the end that it would please his Maiestie to take away and abolish the Inquisition and both the old and new Edicts which they said were too rigorous and therefore might not be put in execution and to make others in their places by the aduice and consent of the generall estates of the countrey requiring that the said petition might be sent by vs vnto his Maiestie to prouide accordingly Whereupon wee held many great consultations with the gouernours of prouinces knights of the Order and counsellors of State to his Maiestie And after that wee had represented all with our aduice vnto the king for that wee thought it good that by reason the said gentlemen might haue some doubt or scruple that his Maiestie would not take in good part the said petition together with the compromise which they had thereupon made together nor that which followed after and that such doubt might be the cause of greater mischiefe and trouble in the countrey wee by the same aduice haue also entreated That his Maiestie would be pleased to giue them letters of assurance that hereafter nothing shall bee imputed vnto them vpon that occasion whereupon his Maiestie had aduertised vs of his good will and pleasure According vnto the which we desiring the good quiet and tranquilitie of the said countries and to make the gentlemen petitioners more willing to yeeld all obedience and seruice vnto his Maiestie according vnto that whereunto they are bound both by nature and oath and as they haue alwayes offered themselues wee haue at their request and according to the power and authoritie giuen vs by his Maiestie and as Regent and Gouernesse generall of the said countries and by the aduice of the knights of the Order gouernours and counsellors of State being with vs giuen for their assurance this writing signed with our hand in forme as followeth Her highnesse hath caused the gentlemen petitioners to returne the twentieth of August for answer of their petition during the which time she hath happily receiued letters from his Maiesty whereby she shall haue the better meanes to giue them a certaine and absolute answere And first she lets them know that his Maiesty hauing regard to her highnes informations seeing that they which are at this day altered for Religion or otherwise offer to submit themselues vnto that which shall be decreed by his Maiesty with the aduice of the generall estates for the good of Religion and the quiet and tranquilitie thereof with the aduice of the lords knights of the Order and counsellors of state is content that the Inquisition whereof they haue complained shall cease Secondly his Maiesty hath consented That there shall be a new Edict made but it was not fully resolued if it should be done by the generall Estates or otherwise yet her highnesse hopes that by the first she shall haue a resolution according vnto that which his Maiesty hath written vnto her wherein she will alwaies do her best endeuour that his Maiesty may graunt it as she hath already done by sundry letters And in regard of assurances whereof they make mention in their last petition that her highnes was well aduised to giue it them so farre forth as lay in her as presently she can assure them seeing his Ma. hath consented giuing her full authoritie to do it in what forme and manner shee shall thinke fit Wherefore she lets them vnderstand That his Maiesty desiring to free them of all suspition who might thinke that he were ill informed of them and to take away all distrust which was the cause of these troubles meaning to shew his accustomed clemencie abhorring nothing more than bitternes is content that her highnes for the auoiding of al diffidence and distrust shall giue them such letters of assurance as she shall thinke fit and requisite for their greater securitie and for that which is past so as they carry themselues like good and faithfull vassals subiects to his Maiesty hoping they will not faile in the duties which they owe him The which her highnes is presently ready to effect And as they haue full satisfaction in this point her highnesse will not refuse the offer which they haue often made to employ themselues in the seruice of his Maiesty and her highnesse for the peace quiet of the countrey as they are bound by nature and their allegeance according to the which her meaning is they should giue their Faith First That they shall not do nor procure directly nor indirectly any thing against his Maiesty his estates nor subiects but shall employ themselues to doe all things that good
the first instituter and soueraign of the order of the golden Fleece Where he sets downe in what cases a knight cannot be depriued of his order and why hee may leaue it without forfeiting And that the head and soueraigne onely of the said order together with the knights ioyntly and no others can take knowledge of the crimes wherewith any of their fellow knights are charged The said earle of Hoochstraten as borne in the countrey of Brabant did also produce fiue articles drawne out of the antient priuiledges called the Ioyous entrie of the Prince to the Duchie of Brabant concluded in old time by a perpetuall contract betwixt the duke and the three estates of the said country and solemnly sworne by them for an inuiolable law First that wee shall be to them that is to all our vassals and subiects of our countrey of Brabant hereafter specified good and vpright iusticers and loyall lords and not suffer any force or violence whatsoeuer to bee done vnto them nor intreat them nor suffer them to bee intreated otherwise than by lawfull sentences and proceedings yea we shal inioyne that all our prelats hospitals barons noblâ—…s and the good subiects of our townes and liberties as well within the countrey of Brabant as beyond the Meuse shal proceed in all things to obtain sentence and iustice according to the law of those places where it doth appertaine and that the judges in our said countries shall be bound to determine of causes without any delay that shall grow through their fault or negligence onely the judges may prorogue the day of pleading once and no more Item that we shall neuer bind our selues as duke of Brabant and Limbourg for causes touching the iurisdiction and seigniories of the said countries to make warre with any one or to make or cause to be made against any one reprisals or seizures but with the aduice will and consent of our townes and countrie of Brabant and that we shall not suffer any other causes nor shall not seale any whereby our countries limits and towns nor any of the said countries or their rights liberties and priuiledges may be violated or diminished or our countries and subiects damnified in any sort By the which seuen the chancellor and the counsellors of the counsel of Brabant or others presently added vnto them or that by succession of time it shall please vs to adde vnto them we our gouernor or gouernesse general shal make knowne and determine all causes of the said countries concerning iustice and all that shal depend thereon be it by prouision ordinarie iustice statutes proclamations edicts ordinances commandements or otherwise that is by the aduice of our gouernor and counsell of Brabant aboue mentioned without any hinderance or molestation that may be done vnto the inhabitants or that they shall bee subiect vnto the ordinances of any other but of vs our gouernor or gouernesse generall Item Whosoeuer shall be taken in our said countries of Brabant and beyond the Meuse we shall not our selues lead nor suffer them to be led prisoners out of our said countries Item That hereafter the officers by themselues or by their sergeant shall not in our townes liberties and villages of our countrey of Brabant draw any one out of his house nor take him there or make any search for any cause whatsoeuer no further than the customes priuiledges and vse of the place where it shall happen or shall bee needfull and also that shall bee lawfull will allow except our townes of Louvaine Antuerpe and Boisleduke where their ample priuiledges and customes are to be obserued The said earle of Hoochstraten did also produce an extract of three articles drawne out of the Ioyous entrie of king Philip in the yeare 1549. Hauing heard read seene and vnderstood all the Ioious entry of our lord and father with the letters of adiunctions and additions thereof together with other adiunctions letters and concessions of our great grandfather touching the last article thereof with the alterations and moderations thereof and what is added thereunto according to the contents of the act and all faithfully translated into the Spanish tongue desiring according to the loue which our lord and father bare to all the countrey of Brabant and to the inhabitants vassals and good subiects thereof to entertaine and obserue their rights priuiledges and liberties customes vses and also prescriptions in respect of the many great and faithfull seruices and fauours done to the duke and duchesse of Brabant our predecessors and many others to our lord and father the emperour as good subiects are bound to do vnto their naturall lord and as wee trust they will hereafter do to vs We haue in this our reception and inuestiture vnto the seigniory of the said countrey giuen and granted in the towne of Louvaine with the priuitie and consent of our said lord and father and of our certaine knowledge and meere motion doe giue grant and consent vnto the priuiledges articles cautions and assurances of law which follow Item We confirme and ratifie to all our prelats hospitals cloysters barons knights townes and liberties and to all other our good subiects of our countrey of Brabant and beyond the Meuse all their rights liberties priuiledges charters customes vses and prescriptions as well those which haue beene giuen granted and sealed vnto them by our predecessours dukes and duchesses as also those which they haue enioyed kept and prescribed Yea that which was granted to the three estates by duke Philip our great grandfather at the time of his entrie In like sort two other letters of our said great grandfather the one in the yeare 1451 the 20 of Septemb. and the other in the yere 1457 the 18 of Nouemb. And moreouer the two additions of our lord father the emperor the one giuen at Gand the 12 of April 1515 and the other at Brussels the 26 of the same moneth yere Promising them all in generall and euerie one in particular for vs our heires and successors to obserue and keepe them inuiolably foreueâ—… without breaking them in any sort whatsoeuer Item We do promise them for vs our heirs and successors that we shall not alledge nor pretend noâ—… cause to be alledged that we are not bound to entertaine the said liberties rights priuiledges charters customs vses prescriptions the which we haue heretofore confirmed and ratified vnder colour that we haue not giuen and granted them or promised them by some especiall article The which we will shall be no let molestation or preiudice vnto them And for that we wil and desire that all the points articles gifts and promises confirmations and ratifications aboue mentioned may remaine firme and stable without any breach wee haue faithfully promised and haue sworne vpon the holy Euangile personally for vs our heirs and successors to hold them to all in generall that is to the prelats monasteries hospitals barons knights townes and liberties
sword where-with his subiects and members of all the Netherlands vntill that time had beene persecuted and most grieuously tormented with vnspeakeable vilde cruelties brought vnto their ends and vtter destruction they for their partes promising in all worldly causes to bee obedient vnto his Maiestie and to serue him as faithfully as euer any of his subiects in times past had done For the securities proferred said they many pitifull examples do sufficiently shew how they may be estemed by al the world especialy if the townes castles shippes and artilery were deliuered ouer before the Spaniards and other strangers were gon out of the Netherlands and that the estates generall should haue taken good order for al inconueniences therefore to avoyd al difficulties and so to proceed to the beginning of a good security they knew no better way then that according to the contents of there request presented in writing the strangers should be sent out of the contry which might the rather be don without cause of suspition for that the Prince States of Holland Zeeland had not any manner of dislike nor quarell with the rest of the other Prouinces but held and esteemed them as their good friends allies neighboures offering to standvnto all reasonable security that there should be no new matter deuised nor vnlawfull act attempted by them during the time graunted for their departure out of the country vntil such time as the general estates might assemble to gether to consult about a good order to be taken in al causes of policy good gouernment Further although their offer aforesaid was sufficient yet would they in the aboundance of their true intents and desires of peace offer more that it might appeare both before GOD and the world that they nether desired nor yet sought their owne welfare and ease noâ—… yet pretended any other thing then the welfare and common good of the country That although those amongst them that had settled their consciences in the true apostolike religion had rather loose both their liues and goods then they would in any wise deny the same or once do otherwise then it requireth They are neuer-the-lesse content so his maiestie will desist from denying their request touching their religion that not onely that but the point of security and all other causes difficulties and differences should be determined and ended by the lawfull assembly of the generall estates of the Netherlands And for as much as that by withdrawing away of all strangers out of the country all troubles and Insolencies would cease and all the Prouinces without doubt would be fermly vnited together they offered to stand vnto all reasonable condition of security whereby on both sides they might liue in perfect peace betweene the departing and with-drawing of the strangers out of all the Prouinces and the assembling of the generall estates Where-vnto they desired and praied that they might haue an vnâ—…ained and a Catholike answeare with an absolute yea or nay vnto every perticular point of there request While this treaty of peace continewed the Commander generall assembled his counsell of estate priuy counsell and tresorers with certaine of the principale Lords of the state and other councelors of good estates and quality to heare their opinions touching the peace as then in question and the answeares made therevnto by the deputies of the Prince of Orange and his adherents who after long conference gaue there aduice saying that the most assured way was to maintaine the Catholike Romish religion and the Catholike persons in Holland c. as also for the better securing of the Kings inheritances vnto him selfe for that the Prince had giuen forth that he knew those that had a good will to take the same into their handes saying further that seeing the point of sending out of strangers was agreed vpon that it ought to be effected vpon good security the King hauing naturall Netherland Catholike Souldiars inough whereof the experience was euidently to be seene in the time of the regent the Duches of Parma that had pacefied all the controuersies in the country with the subiects of the same which as then were well trusted before the comming of the Duke of Alua and now are in a manner distrusted when as their loyaltie was once againe tried in the yeare 1568. when the Prince of Orange entred with an army into the country and they kept him out they likewise found it expedient that the generall estates should bee assembled where unto they submitted themselues and likewise esteemed it not to be so hard a matter to permit and graunt them freedom of conscience without scandale and exercise thereof as also to stay and dwell within the Countrie as other forraine marchants both Dutch-men and Englishmen of contrary Religion did for that in the meane time GOD might so worke in their hearts by good sermons and instructions as they would be conuerted and that in all places the catholike religion might be erected and giue good examples of honest life and conuersation vsing many such like arguments with allegation of diuers old customes and examples but this would not bee liked of by the counsell in Spaine who had an other desseine intending an absolute conquest which not-with-standing it is said that the great commander himselfe did often complaine of in his death bed and after that the Spaniards themselues These articles being in this sort set downe in the name of the King yet could not the Prince of Orange beleeue that it was the Kings meaning to send the Spaniards out of the Netherlands and for that cause desired to see the Kings owne hand and seale vnto the same which was shewed him by the Baron de Rassinghen who for security thereof kept the same against the Commanders will who imagined that the offers that were made would not haue bin so well accepted and for that cause would haue it proceed no further saying that the King was no marchant or would bee constrained vnto any thing and that hee liberally offered and presented such conditions which they should haue accepted of when they had time and place and so seeking all delaies hee caused his deputies to make answeare that hee would send all the proceedings of that peace into Spaine and attended an answere from thence asking foure moneths time for the same where-vpon the deputies of Holland c. vpon the foureteene of Iuly for there farwell made a declaration in writing the contents whereof were to shew how little the Kings deputies were alwaies afected to deale vprightly in the contracts of peace and that therefore they for there discharges both before GOD and the world would make it knowne vnto them and euery man how they for there parts had alwaies fought and labored to haue an end of the warres and so breefely declared from the beginning to the ending what had past from the first request sent vnto the King by meanes of Monsier Champigny vntill there last declaration which offers
before the French her naturall enemies In this â—…ort the requests of the vnited states were refused giuing them leaue notwithstaÌ„ding to leuie men and munition within her realme for their money and to transport it so pâ—…ssed the yeare 1575. the Spaniards remaining before Ziricxzee At this time the Commander greâ—… bare of money so as there began a generall alteration by reason of the soldiers insolencies being vnpaied wherevpon hee sought all meanes to taxe euery towne at his discretion as hee had done the villages of the champian country asking 28000. gilders monethly of Antwerp to pay Colonel Hannibal Vander-Ens regiment who threatned the towne if they would not pay it Then was the King of Spaine found to be indebted to the Spanish Genoa other marchants called Foukers in the summe of fouerteene Millions and a halfe of crownes or duckets besides what he ought vnto his soldiars which summe did rise so heigh by reason of the intrest money whereof the Pope being aduertised he gaue the King a dispensation of all his promises contracts and morgages whereby he might lawfully breake and recall the same where vpon the King vpon the first of September 1575. made a proclamation and an other the fift of December 1577. whereby he called in disanulled and made voyd his contracts and promises made vnto all his creditors reducing his debt to a smaser summe This want of money in the King and his great debts were not to be wondred at for at the same time the Netherland warres had cost him aboue forty two millions of duckets whereof the most part came out of Spaine besides all the losse which the Netherlands had susteined by the daily spoyles and ruine of townes villages Castells and houses This want of money and the Kings falling in debt in this Gouernors time bred a contempt of the Commander so as in steed of receiuing money the Prouinces complayned some demanding restitutioÌ„ of their liberties others to be freed of their garrisons according to his promise others demand an accompt as they of Flanders who had promised 100000 gilders vpon condition that out of the same they should deduct the losses they had susteyned by the Spaniards and should haue a due account of all that had beene disbursed to the soldiars for seruice and lodging money as also that the soldiars should depart out of Flanders and bee punished for the wrongs and insolencies they had commit ted that good marshall discipline should be obserued that goods confiscated should be restored according to their preuiledges that the bloudy councell might be put downe and no other appointed in the place thereof but that all causes might be decided by the Prouinciall councells That all preuiledges might be restored and the taxe of the tenth peny vtterly abolished for the which all the Prouinces in generall made great instance where-vpon the Contributions ceased neither did the commisaries pay or receiue any mony for which cause the Commander was aduised to assemble the generall States or their deputies in Brusselles who being there assembled made a petition the cheefe auther whereof was Richardot Bishop of Arras a learned and well spoken man The cheefe points whereof were protesting first that they would not abandon the Catholike Romish religion nor their due obedience to his maiesty intreating that al strangers might be sent out of the Netherlands and that the Nobility and naturall borne in the country might be imployed in their places that marshall discipline might be obserued and that the contributions of the country might be imployed to the vse that they were granted that their priuileges might be mantayned and kept that the King might be duly informed of all things and that he might haue a councell of Netherlanders by him to haue a care of all things that concerned those Countries and that the mutined Spaniards might be punished and the bands of ordinance new erected This request being presented vnto the Commander who was then in Duyueland he was much troubled crying out Dâ—…os nos libra de estos estados and so came presently to Antwerp where he made knowne the reason why he had assembled the estates which was to haue mony and they presented him a petition where-vnto he made answere that he would doe his best endeauor to perswade the king to yeeld to their desiers Whilest that the Spaniards wer at worke before Ziricxzee the protestants were not idle in Holland for the 11. of February 1576. they tooke a great fort called Crimpen in the gulph of the riuer of Leck by the which they did warrant all places betwixt Dordrecht and Rotterdam After the taking of Schoonhouen the Seignior of Hierges went to beseege the towne of Woerden the which he did blocke vp very straightly for that he could preuaile nothing by battery by reason of the Inondation neither could he approch his cannon so nere as to plant it in battery for there were two peeces drowned which he had planted being not able to retire them During the seege of Ziricxzee which the Spaniard pretended to get by famine don Lewis of Requesens great Commander of the castile Gouernor and Lieutenant generall to the King of Spaine in the Netherlands died the 5. of March in Brusselles of a pestilent feuer or else of the plague it selfe After whose death the King not able so soone 〈◊〉 dispose of another gouernor which the States required might be a Prince of the bloud according to the priuiledges and oth of the said king the gouernment of the said coâ—…tries was put into the hands of the councell of State which caused some alterations as we will presently shew Chiappin Vitelli Marquis of Cetona marshall of the king of paine armie died a little before being falne out of his coach from the top of a dike in the land of Ziriczee otherwise called Schouwen wherewith he was sore brused being a heauy and a corpulent man he was put into a barke to be conueied to Antwerp but he died by the way he had bin a braue soldier of great experience but a scorner of all religion being accustomed to say Morto mi morto mi Caual which is as much as to say when I am dead all the world is dead which is the prouerbe of an Atheist The Duke of â—…orence had sent him to serue the King of Spaine to bee rid of him for some hard conceit he had of him It was said that some by the dukes command had plaid him this trick vpon the dike vnlesse as some said the diuell himselfe did it The Prince of Orange hearing that Ziriczee was so distressed as without speedy succours it would be lost hauing endured a siege of seuen moneths came into the I le of Walchren to aduice of the meanes to succor it The Zelanders prepared an army by sea to victuall it but all the passages were so garded by the Spaniards the riuer so strictly shut vp as thinking the 13. of Iune
whatsoeuer had neuer bin vsed as the hundreth and the tenth penny whereby some Prouinces vpon mere extremity had with-drawne them-selues from the absolute subiection of the said Duke which to reduce againe vnder his authority he prepared certaine fleets of shipes and vnder pretence thereof he vnfurnished the townes of their ordinance and armes and after that sent part thereof secretly into Spaine and an other part thereof was lost making account that a disarmed country was not greatlie to be feared and to the end that he might pourchase the fauour and loue of the soldiars as the tyrants Sylla Synna and Marius in Rome did he suffered them to vse al the tirrany they could deuise against the townes of the Netherlands as to Mechelen Naerden Harlem and others after whome followed Don Loys de Requesens great Commander of Castille a man of the same humor who hauing for a while playd the foxe brought likewises all the priuileges of the country in question whereby the mutinous soldiers after there victory at Moukerheyde without any great cause were suffered in his presence to force the townes as they did at Antwerp and compell them to pay them their entertainements whereas the Barron de Champigni had good meanes to haue hindred them from the same by which meanes the said soldiers tooke occasion and imboldened them selues to thinke that it was permitted them with the aide of the neighbours garrisons to ouer-rule ransake and spoyle the townes where they lay in garrison which had likewise happened in the towne of ould Naerden where he was gouernor if God had not giuen him the grace to preuent it in such sort that Spaine it selfe woundred at the Netherlands great submission and patience thinking it strange that after the death of the Commander the country did not kill and destroy all those mutinous soldiers when as the light horse-men mutined as the States had beene well informed out of Spaine which mutinous and insolent dealings were certefied vnto the King himselfe both in the Commanders time and sence and whereas the said Commander had twice sent to sommon the Knights of the order of the golden fleese the gouernors of the Prouinces and the Bishops and presidents of the Prouinciall councels with the counsell of estate and the secretaries that conuenient order might be taken therein it was there generally agreed and consented vnto to preuent further inconueniences that they should seeke to agree and make peace with the Prince of Orange and the states of Holland and Zeeland that all the Spanish and other strange soldiers both horse and foot-men should be sent out of the Netherlands that so the Catholike Kings seruice might the better bee effected That the Generall estates should be assembled that all other points of controuersie and contention happened betweene the Kings seruants and the aforesaid estates might be ended alwaies obseruing the old religion and the lawfull soueraignite of the King which there resolution being writen and signed by the parties aforesaid was sent into Spaine vnto the King where-vpon the King taking long consultation and aduise in the meane time more inconueniences happening through the proud and insolent behauiour of the Spaniards the King made answer that it was his onely care to find the best meanes to preuent all the said disorders and that as sone as he could he would send the Marquis of Haurec with order for the same At the last the King by his letters written vnto the States consented and agreed vnto their desires and willed the same to bee made knowne vnto the perticuler Prouinces as it was don according to the aduise of the aforesaid counsell of estate But the effect execution and charge thereof was remitted vnto Don Iohn de Austria as then nominated by the King to be sent gouernor into the Netherlands to cause the said country to be better counâ—…d of him as the Kingâ—… letters specified and contayned In the meane time after the winning of Ziricxzee the Spanish soldiers beginning againe to mutine tooke in Herentales and after that Alost liuing therein at discretion as euery man saw The Lords of the counsell of estates perceauing the mischiefe like a canker more and more to spred abroad within the Netherlands thinking it to be necessary to vse a speedy remedy fearing a generall reuolt of the country and that of mere necessity and pouerty quia noscit plebs ieiuna timere declared the mutinous soldiers in Alost and there adherents to be rebelis and meaning to punish them according to their deserts had determined to raise certaine tropes and to that end wrote to assemble the estates in Brussels there to take councell about the affaires of the land and to cause the Spaniards and all other strangers to depart out of the Netherlands and yet not without contenting them of their paines according to their accounts and reckonings but they to the contrary made a mock at all reasonable motions carrying themselues more insolently then before openly boasting that they would cut the throats of all their enimies and wash their hands in their bloud So as the estates could doe no lesse then by authority of the councell of state then ruling to take armes for their defence and securities as it is permitted both by godly naturall and humaine lawes and so made peace with the Prince of Orange the estates of Holland and Zeland determining after the driuing out of the strangers to haue a generall assembly of the estates to take order for the keeping and maintaining of the catholike religion the honor and authority of the kings maiesty their maister therby to preuent a greater mischiefe which meere necessity forced them vnto that they might not suffer the ruine of so goodly Prouinces before Don Iohn could come thether saying that her Maiestie might thereby well vnderstand what had past in the Netherlands and what reasons moued the generall estates by order from the Lords of the councell of estate then gouerning and representing the person of the King their soueraigne Lord to haue their refuge and recourse vnto armes And for that cause desired her Maiesty to consider if that they were therein to bee blamed when as they neither sought alteration of religion nor change of Prince but onely desired to serue the king and sought to deliuer and free themselues from the bloudy practises of the Spanish soldiers and to maintaine themselues in their ancient lawes rights and priuiledges which his Maiestie had confirmed by oath as also to bee gouerned by naturall borne persons of the land as they had beene in times past all which their so lawfull and reasonable causes the deputies of the generall estates knowing her Maiesty to be a princes of great vnderstanding and wisdome farre from all ambition and yet most pittifull had giuen him in charge to shew vnto her hoping that she of her gracious fauour clemencie and good will would not forsake nor abandon them in a matter of so necessary and of so great
abilities to performe it hoping that there would bee some Noble-men and Princes found that would giue both their words and bonds for their good behauiors therein But for that they got no answer presently here-vnto in regard of the waightinesse of the cause vpon the seauenth of Iuly being foureteene dayes after they gaue a second request wherein they sought to satisfie certaine doubts as if there were no securitie to bee found from the Protestants if they should graunt their request And therefore that there should bee no alteration they propounded and set downe that in euery towne some of the Magistrates might bee appointed to take particuler knowledge of all oppressions and abuses or certaine good Burgers men of good name and same ofâ—… both religions equall in number to whom should bee committed the inquiry and repayring of iniuries and wrongs offered on eyther side both by word and deede and that in euery Towne some of the principall Burgers on both sides should answere for their parties with promise that they should not protect not defend the peace breakers but rather vse all the diligence they could that they might bee punished And besides that all Preachers Elders and Deacons should likewise promise the same as on the contrary side the Priests Deanes Pastors Vicars and Treasurers of the Parishes should doe the like That they would also faithfully promise and protest before GOD not to practise to hurt nor trouble any of the Prelates or Spirituall persons that make profession or shew of the Romish Catholicke religion neither in their persons goods nor in the vse or exercise of their religion but as much as in them lyeth to hinder the same And that if it proceed so farre that any such thing should bee pretended and come vnto their knowledge that they would make it knowne vnto the Magistrate that order might bee taken therein as cause required Where-vnto the chiefest persons amongst them should make promise to performe the same in such places or townes where the free permision of the sayd religion should bee granted and in such number as they should thinke good Once againe promising according to the contents of the first request to intreate some great Lords or Princes to giue their words for them requiring the like of them that made profession of the contrary religion desiring nothing else but to liue peaceably vnder the protection of their Magistrates and that the breakers of the common peace might bee punished To pacifie and satisfie the people touching this request the Arche-duke Mathias the Prince of Orange the counsell of Estate and the generall estates after long and mature deliberation deuised a religious peace in Antwerp for all such townes as would desire the same the which did not in any sort contradict the pacification of Gant so that thereby the prouinces of Brabant Flanders Arthois and Henault were not bound one vnto the other but remained free at liberty amongst them to do as they should thinke conuenient and that so likewise they of Holland and Zeeland might not attempt any thing in the other prouinces against the Catholicke Romish religion and for that the pacification tended onely to the driuing out of the Spaniards and other strange garrisons they thought it a necessary peace and politicke vnion for that as then it was no time to trouble molest persecute kill or murther one the other for religion while they had so great a warre in hand Many and seuerall causes too long to beâ—… rehearsed mooued the sayd estates to yeeld there-vnto as by the sayd religious peace more at large appeareth and for that cause I haue set it downe verbatim as it was deuised Euery man apparantly knoweth that the tyrranous proclamations which had before beene made touching religion by the secret counsell and practises of strangers specially of the Spanish nation with-out hearing the estates of the Netherlands once speake therein and since that great rage and extremitie hath bin showne for the vpholding of the same which are the causes of all our present calamities for that by meanes thereof the priuileges rights and lawdable customes of the countrey haue in some sort beene broken and troden vnder-foote and in fine procured a miserable warre which is vndertaken by the enemies of our natiue countrey onely to bring vs into vtter ruine and slauerie and for that there was no other remedie to withstand the same but to bring all the Prouinces into one vnitie and accorde thereof proceeded the pacification of Gant which after many and seuerall deliberations and consultations taken therein as well by the Bishops and Diuines as by the counsell of estate and others from that time forward had beene approoued confirmed and by publicke oth sworne vnto not onely by the estates of all the Netherlands both spirituall and temporall in generall and particuler but also by Don. Iohn of Austria in the name of the King making an accord with the estates aforesayd touchching the pacifying of the warre and the auoyding of all other inconueniences and although wee hoped that in the obseruing of the same no faults would bee committed by the sayd Don Iohn whose office specially was as beeing appointed to gouerne and rule the sayd Netherlands to haue holden and maintained the same in peace and tranquillitie neuer-the-lesse dooing the contrary hee had broken the sayd pacification in many points and by diuerse meanes contrary to his oth made shewe hee would not bee satisfied there-with so that the afore-sayd warre is once againe renewed by him which hath for the preseruation of our naturall libertie and defence mutually to beare armes together beeing thereby and by meanes of the extremities where-into the sayd warre as the mother of all disorders and insolencies hath brought vs forced to doe and permit diuers things that are preiudiciall to religion and the obedience due vnto his Maiestie which wee otherwise neuer thought nor pretended and at this present cannot with-stand as at diuerse times before the begining of this warre we haue protested both by letters and Ambassadors sent vnto his Maiesty and also vnto the said Don Iohn and although wee want neither will nor meanes to procure our defence not-with-standing for that the diuersity of the prouinces and of mens opinions hinder the cause it is to bee douted that neither our good wills nor yet our abilities will preuaile vnlesse we proceed to a more strict and stronger band of amity indissoluble accord and vnion especially in the matter of religion for considering that not onely by reason of the warre but also in regard of the ineuitable frequentation and conseruation of the marchants and other inhabitants of the countries and Prouinces bordering vpon vs as of France England Germany and others hauing the pretended reformed religion amongst them the same religion hath for some time beene followed and maintained in diuers Prouinces of the Netherlands so it is much to be feared that if the liberty and exercise of the same as well as
good effect if it had not pleased God to take him so sodainely out of this world But now that his present Maiestie their Prince and Lord hauing succeeded the King his father not onely in his realmes and Estates but also in his Christian and Godly vertues to follow his steppes in the entertainment of amitie good neighbor-hood and correspondencie with the sayd vnited Prouinces by demonstration of the loue and affection which hee beares them desiring nothing more then to see them discharged of these miseries and calamities and of whatsoeuer might grieue or annoy them which desire and zeale hath mooued his Maiestie to send them as his Ambassadors vnto his Excelencie and their Lordships to vnderstand if they had any inclynation and could bee content that his Maiestie with other Christian Princes and Potentates should deale and labour that these long warres and publike calamities common to them all might once bee supprest and quencht and peace so much desired generally setled and planted hoping that the King of Spaine their aduerse partie might in like manner bee drawne vnto it And the generall Estates may rest well assured that the King their Prince would not herein seeke nor procure any thing that should bee preiudiciall to the Protestants religion in the which his Maiestie hath beene borne bred and brought vp and with the grace of GOD will continue vnto the end but onelie procure the meanes by the which they might bee preserued and maintained with increase of their happinesse Wherevpon his Maiesty doth most affectionatly intreat the sayd Prince and Estates that they will giue eare vnto it and resolue to propound conditions and Articles whereby they may bee inclined to enter into conference and that the King their Master might bee thereof informed by them which his holie and Godly intention his Maiestie had made knowne vnto the renounced Queene of England Elizabeth his deare Sister and Allie with all good and holesome admonitions and exhortations vpon the horrible amazements doubtfull euents and iminent dangers of this war as in like sort he would haue them represented vnto his Excelency and their Lordships His Maiesty requiring also the sayd Estates that all neutrall persons which haue no community with this bad warre might haue free nauigation comerece and traffick of Marchandise into any place whatsoeuer so as they forbeare to carry any munition of warre vnto the enemie And much lesse that his Maiesties naturall subiects should be restrained in regard of the perpetuall contracts neighbour-hood friendship and good correspondency which hath alwaies beene betwixt his subiects and them of the vnited Prouinces to whom the like is freely allowed in all his hauens passages and straights Then afterwards hauing beene intercessors for Steyn Maltesen Amptman of the castle of Bahuysen in Denmarke that he might bee paied the arrerages of his account for the seruices which hee had done to the particular Estates of Holland and Friseland The sayd Ambassadors hauing in his Maiesties name wisht all happinesse and prosperitie vnto Prince Maurice and the Estates with offer of his loue and good neighbor-hood in im◅tation of his Ancestors and especially of the deceased King his Lord and Father And they for their parts did offer vnto the Estates their humble seruice Beseeching them aboue all that they might carry vnto the King their Lord and Master in the Estates behalfe a good and a pleasing answere Wherevpon the generall Estates of the vnited Prouinces made aswere vnto the sayd Ambassadors as well by mouth as by writing the foure and twenty day of October as followeth THat the Lords of their assemblie deputed and representing the sayd generall Estates had beene exceeding glad to here and vnderstand the good remembrance which his Maiestie had retained of the friendship neighbour-hood correspondency and ancient contracts which had bin of long time betwixt the crown of Denmark Norway c. with the Prouinces of the Netherlands in generall and especiall of the good opinion which the worthie King Frederic the second of that name King of Denmarke c. had of them and of the worthy remēbrance which he hath had of the deceased VVilliam of Nassau Prince of Orange c. The said Estates hauing neuer had any doubt of the loue and good inclynation of the sayd King to the vnited Prouinces which giues them the greater cause of ioye for that his Maiesty doth offer to continue and perseuer therein for the which they did most humblie thanke him Hoping that they neither haue nor euer will neglect any endeauor that may serue to entertaine and augment his Maiesties good will and affection to them and the sayd Prouinces That the sayd Estates will neuer forget the good affection which the deceased King did carry to these Prouinces desiring to retire them from vnder the heauy burthen of warre and to restore them to peace and rest assuring themselues that his Maiesty now raigning hath not onely inherited his fathers Kingdomes and Estates but also his vertues and the same inclination which hee had to the friendship good neighbourhood and correspondency with the said Prouinces Whereby they do firmely beleeue that his Maiesty desires nothing more then to see the prosperity and health of these countries by the rooting out of all acts of hostility and of all that might be preiudicial and chargeable vnto them for the which they hold themselues so much the more bound vnto his Maiesty And as they do herein know his good will so they hope that by the reasons hereafter produced his Maiesty will beleeue that the sayd Estates haue neuer desired any thing more then once to see an end of this warre and it changed into a good and firme peace for the attayning whereof they haue done what possible they could for their safeties preseruation of their religion and good of the country Whereas contrariwise on the Kings behalfe and of the councell of Spaine in all conferences of peace as well in his name as otherwise they seeke nothing but practises and cunning shifts to surpresse the countrie and the good Inhabitants thereof As it appeared by the first conference in the yeare of our Lord 1574. betwixt the Lord of Champigny in the King of Spaines name and the signior of Saint Aldegonde for the Prince of Orange and the Estates of Holland and Zeeland the which went to smoake for that they would not yeeld to the least point that was demaunded for the safetie of religion beeing the Spaniards onelie intention during the sayd conference to breed a diuision betwixt those two Prouinces and so beeing masters of the good towne of Leyden to lodge themselues safely in the heart of Holland The which by the fidelitie and good endeauors of the sayd Prince and Estates together with the besieged in the sayd towne by the helpe of GOD was preuented The like was seene in that solemne assemblie held at Breda in the yeare of our Lord 1575. at the intercession of the Emperour Maximilian hauing sent the
admirall of Arragon duke of Veraguas marquesse of Guadaleste gouernour c. had entred with an armie of about thirtie thousand horse and foot into the duchie of Cleues and had taken the towne and castle of Orsoy chasing away the dukes garrison and passing a good part of his armie ouer the Rhine had fortified the village of Walsom right against the sayd towne From thence hee went into the duchie of Mont and besieged the castle and abode of the noble lord Wirick van Daun earle of Falckenstein seignior of Broeck which castle of Broeck which is a fee of the sayd duchie of Mont hee had besieged and battered and notwithstanding that the sayd earle vpon condition of faith and promise made of libertie both for bodie and goods as well for his owne person as for his souldiers some beeing the dukes and some his had yeelded by composition yet the souldiers were some of them stript and murthered and some ransomed and then the sayd earle was secretly murthered with a strange and vnheard of crueltie whose widow was come to complaine vnto them notwithstanding that he was a neuter and had alwayes carryed himselfe as an officer and faithfull seruant to the said duke his lord hauing before demaunded 〈◊〉 safegard from the admirall expecting nothing lesse than any such violence spoyling and carrying away all that they found in the sayd castle Moreouer the Spaniards and the admirals men had taken in the countries of Cleues the townes of Burick Dinslaken Holt and Rees by force committing great insolencies and outrages taken the frontier forts murthered and chased away the garrisons that were in them ransomed the towne of Wezel at an hundred thousand dollers and one thousand quarters of corne We doe not speake how that within these two dayes they haue summoned some townes in the countrey of Munster and forced them to receiue garrisons for the king of Spaine besides they haue ouer-run and spoyled the quarters of Essen and Werden the seigniorie and castle of Frankenbergh belonging to the earle of Schauwenbourg and Wenelickouen in the countie of Benthem the castles and forts of Loe Wynendael Driersfort Resau Impel Dornic Luchausen all the countrey of Cleues without any respect vnto the duke making his residence in the sayd countrey spoyling and robbing monasteries and churches and reducing the poore country people into so miserable estate for these eight weekes space as it is impossible to write it and for the which they neuer can answer before God And that in the meane time the Estates of the vnited prouinces were also crept into the duchie of Cleues and had seized vpon the towne and castle of Seuenter and the fort of Tolhus the which they had battered with their artillerie and taken many prisoners both clergie and lay men out of the countrey of Munster That Dom Gaston Spinola gouernour of Limbourg vnder colour of the execution of the sentence of proscription giuen against the imperiall towne of Ayx had forced two gentlemens houses Frankenburch and Heyden from which places his men did great outrages to all men they incountred And in like maner the Spanish garrisons exacted certaine thousands of dollers from the villages of the high quarter of Gueldres with many other complaints Requiring therefore that it would please their excellencies to be mediators to his imperiall Maiestie that some remedie may be had c. Whereupon the sayd princes electors did write on the 12 of December the sameyere 1598 emperour after this manner Most gratious Emperour we doubt not but your Maiestie hath beene fully informed not onely of the lamentable complaints of the afflicted circles of Westphalia which are too apparant but also you haue heard by common fame how vniustly the countries of the duke of Iuilliers haue beene in hostile manner inuaded by the armies of the two parties in the Netherlands especially by the King of Spaines souldiers his townes and places taken his poore subiects spoyled taken ransomed murthered and otherwise tormented whereof they would more amply informe his imperiall Maiestie by the instructions thereunto adioyned quoted A. B. C. Saying That they must needs confesse that such attempts will sound strangely throughout all the empire to the scandall of his Maiestie and contempt of his decrees which may prooue verie preiudiciall to the members and estates of the sayd empire if such vnreasonable attempts irruptions and insolencies of strange souldiers were not preuented by good and sufficient meanes and their boldnesse supprest That not onely the circles and countries at this present afflicted would bee vtterly ruined but also that they the princes electors and neerest neighbours could not otherwise coniecture but that in the end they should bee paied with the same money inuaded and drawne into the like calamities Nothing doubting but that his imperiall Maiestie doth consider how contemptible this may be both to the holy empire and his imperiall Maiestie and that without attending any aduertisements from them hee hath forecast how for the greater safetie of the countrey those things might bee preuented this present fact beeing a matter of wonderful consideration that the guiltlesse members of the empire vpon the sodaine without any cause giuen and contrarie to the promise and good words of the deceased king of Spaine and the late gouernours of his Netherlands and as we hope against the will and commaundement of our most deere lord friend and cosin Albert archduke of Austria should bee spoyled and made a prey to these strange souldiers And to all the admonitions and intreaties that can be made they haue no other answer than that they can giue no other reason for all this but that it is so decreed in the counsell of Brussels that the holy empire with all the dependances and allies should bee subiected vnto their intollerable seruitude and submit themselues vnder the gouernment of Brussels as it should please them to commaund as beeing bound to beare all such vndeserued burthens as it would please them to impose Wherefore in consideration of these causes aboue mentioned we princes electors not onely vpon the complaints of these afflicted countries but in regard of the consequence which may follow of all these oppressions haue giuen order to our men to remaine in some commodious place and to bee watchfull ouer all and foresee how they might preuent those inuasions of the enemie by whose reports the forces of either side seeme so great as in our iudgements there must be fit remedies vsed yet wee haue giuen the said archduke and the cardinall of Austria's vicegouernor at Brussels to vnder stand of all these disorders to the end they should command the captaine generall of the kings armie to forbeare hereafter from all such outrages and insolencies with order for the restitution of townes and places and the dammage they had endured hoping that they like renowned German princes will with their hearts affect the health good and honour of the empire and that they would not fayle of their
towne accompanied with the Earle of Moeurs and the Earle of Heynsbergh nad Iohn his sonne the lord of Bâ—…ren Prouost of Aiz and about 300. horse besides his ordinarie traine The Duke attended at the Port the Bourgeoises hearing thereof held a councell where it was agreed that the Duke should enter with his ordinarie traine of 120 horse and no more Seuen of the Bourgesses went vnto him who hauing opened the Port the first entred and the rest thrust forward in a prease the Duke entring with the last into the towne The Reuward went with him to the court the next day the Duke came vnto the Towne-house and let the councell vnderstanâ—… that his comming thither was to to entreat some good accord with his brother and the Barons But the Reuward was gone to Louvaine to the Assembly of the Nobles The Duke fearing that hee should returne with him into Brusselles and seaze vppon his person demaunded of the magistrates that if it should so happen wheâ—…her they would open him the gate or not They to assure him said that if hee had any doubt thereof they would deliuer vp the Keyes of the gates into his handes wherewith he remained satisfied But the inhabitants were not in quiet to see those strange soldiers bragging in Tauernes with their swords in their hands that they should be all rich before they went out of Brabant so as the night following they assembled in Armes vppon the market place being aduertised of some dissein of the Earle of Heynsberg and others who should seaze vpon the Market place that night at the sound of a bell and then of the whole towne some soldiers were also found armed vppon their beddes The inhabitants therefore sent in all haste for the Reuward who came posting from Louvaine with all the Nobilitie and Deputies of townes Entring into Brusselles he thanked the Bourgesses for that they had so constantly preserued the towne and day being come hee went to the Court to the Duke where hee caused most of his houshold seruants to be apprehended dismissing others that were not prisoners and soone after hee suffered them to depart that were come into the towne with the gentlemen strangers but the masters as the Earles of Moeure and Heynsbergh with other gentlemen to the number of 150. were deteyned prisoners The lord Reuward seazed vppon all the horse and armes of the Earle of Heynsberg and others and disposed of them to whom he pleased The Emperor Sigismond writ for these Noblemen that were prisoners to the states of Brabant for their libeâ—…ties threatning them with a proscription of the Empire The like letters were written by the Princes Electors to the Reuward to whom he made no other answer but that hee had caused them to be iustly stayed according to the custome of the Countrey as they themselues had required and therefore their cause remained doubtfull vntill they had wonne the fauour of Gerrard vand Zype chiefe counsellor and most familiar with the Reuward who by the perswasion of the saide Vande Zype freed them out of prison vpon certaine conditions All things being thus past and the troubles ended the Earle of S. Pol Lord Reuward resigned vp his office of Reuward which is a dignitie which the States of Brabant haue power according to their Priuiledges to giue vnto whom they please to reduce their Dukes vnto reason when they stray from their duties into the hands of duke Iohn his brother who was by the said Estates confirmed in the gouernment of his Countrie Before that the Earle of S. Pol went out of Brabant there were beheaded Euerard of Tserclaes knight Steward to the duke Adolph of Coudenbergh William of Pipenpois and some 14. of the cheife of Brusselles who had beene the cause or at the least had wincked at the dessigned treason and trouble of Brusseles and there were 600. Crowns promised to him that should bring in the signior of Asschen aliue or dead for that hee had beene the motiue of the unkindnesse and quarrell betwixt the Duke and his wife Then the Earle of S. Pol retyred into France the Contesse and her mother remaining still at Quesnoy discontented still with duke Iohn for some of the said Ladyes councell found not the Bull of her marriage lawfull hauing not been allowed but held it to bee fraudulent and of no force By reason whereof in the yeere 1423. she went into England from whence she sent to cyte duke Iohn to the court of Rome to heare his marriage declared voyde according to the Canons Pope Martin referred this businesse to two Cardinals to determine thereof who assigned a day for the Duke to appeare before them and he appointed certaine Proctors at Rome to defend his cause The Countesse Iaqueline hearing that the Processe would be teedious and long without attending a definitiue sentence allyed her selfe by a promise of mariage to the Duke of Glocester vncle to King Henry the sixth of England then raigning vppon condition that the marriage with the Duke Iohn being declared vnlawfull shee should obtaine a dispensation from the Pope to marry againe Soone after the duke of Glocester came with the Contesse Iaqueline his betrothed Spouse vnto Calais with a great Army marching toward Henault and therefore hee diuided his Armie into three battailions The Lady Marguerite of Bourgongne mother to the Countesse requested the Nobilitie of Henault to accompany her and to goe and meet them and so by assistance and fauour of the lord of Haures Lieutenant to Duke Iohn they entred into Henault The duke of Brabant demanded succors from the duke of Bourgongne and Iohn of Bauaria who promised him all assistance The Duke of Bourgongne sent him the lords of Croy Lisle-dam and Mailly with good troupes of souldiers In the yeare 1423. Iohn van Vlyet had his head cut off at the Hage in Holland being accused by some of the Cabillautin faction that he had poisoned Iohn of Bauaria whereof he had been sick and recouered for the which hee was quartered and his quarters hung at the entrance of foure of the chiefe townes in Holland Iohn of Bauaria hauing receiued letters from the duke of Brabant demanding succors sent him word that if his health would giue him leaue hee would come vnto him with good Troupes within three weekes But hauing his armie readie to march he fell suddenly sick it may be the poison had not been well purged and dyed at the Hage on Twelffe day and was buryed there in the Iacobins Cloister Hee being dead all the Noblemen that had been of his faction called in Iohn duke of Brabant and receiued him for their prince notwithstanding that Iaqueline their Contesse was married againe to the duke of Glocester who hearing how hee had beene receiued held a counsell with her friends by what meanes she might seaze vpon some townes and castles in Holland and to that end she sent Floris of Kifhoeck with men to surprize the
to bring him to the duke These two came to Wyke for the lord of Brederode and the Baylife Amerongen before they were deliuered the bishop would haue the lord of Brederode put againe to the Rack in the presence of Noblemen and that before hee was laied vpon it hee should take a sollemne oth to answere the truth to that which should bee demanded him wherevpon a Notarie and certaine witnesses were called this proceeding continued two whole daies hee was once stript and layed vpon the banke but seeing they could drawe nothing from him without greater torments nor from Amerongen they suffred them to goe with the sayd Comissioners who led them to Berghen vpon Some to the duke but they found him not there being gone to the seege of Amiens so as they conducted them to Ruppelmond in Flanders wheras they were detained almost a whole yeare At the dukes returne the processe beeing referred to the iudgements of the knights of the golden fleece to heare the sayd lord in his iustifications his Accusers were cited to bring proofe of their accusations seeing that by tortures hee did not confesse any of those crimes wherewith hee was charged But none of his Accusers appeering the duke sitting in his seate of iustice with the knights of the order among the which were Engelbert Earle of Nassau Barron of Breda the lordes of Crequy Lalain and others to the number of twelue Barrons the sayd lord of Brederode was adiudged free and absolued of all crimes imposed vpon him and was restored to all his Estates goods and honours to the great content of all these Noblemen and knights who complained much of the great wrong that had beene done him and he was honorably receiued of all men Hee liued not aboue two yeares after hee died in the yeare 1473. and was interred at Vianen let vs heereby consider of what force enuie is which spareth neither great not small Two yeares after Iohn of Amerongen was found innocent of the crimes that were obiected against him notwithstanding his confession vpon the Racke and in like sort absolued inlarged and restored to his Office of Baylife to the great content of the Bourgeses of Vtrecht As for Ghysbrecht Prouost Cathedrall brother to the lord of Brederode before hee could recouer his liberty hee was forced to resigne his Prouostship to an other and to sweare neuer to keepe his residence in Vtrecht the which hauing performed hee was set at liberty in the yeare 1470. and went to liue at Breda where hee died a yeare after and was buried at the Chartreux by Geertruydenbergh Duke Charles not satisfied with the annuall contribution or tribute which the Frisons payed him according to the last appointment writ vnto them that they should send their deputies to the towne of Enchuysen the seauenth of Aprill 1470. to heare what should bee propounded vnto them on his behalfe They sent their Deputies But the duke beeing troubled with the warres of France came not in person but sent Philip of Wassenare lord of Woerburch and others his commissioners There were many things ambiguously and doubtfully propounded and debated and so many cauillations found out to intrappe the Frisons as it did much displease the Noblemen of Friseland who retyred themselues and would not treate in that fashion desiryng to goe plainely and roundly to worke Yet the Clergie and Deputies of townes remayned who willing to haue a finall ende desired to knowe what the dukes demaunde was It was sayd vnto them that hee demaunded a siluer pennie of his coyne vpon euerie chimney for all the countrie of Friseland in generalll The Deputies demanding of what valour this penie should bee for that they had no charge from the Estates to yeelde to aboue three Liards or a soulz at the most the which the dukes commissionars would haue referred to the dukes discretion The Frisons in like sort demanded a day of aduise to make report thereof vnto the Estates The report made they would no waies yeeld vnto it but concluded that if the duke would force them they would defend themselues and hinder his entrie into the coūtry The duke at his returne into France came into Holland hauing heard by his Deputies the intention of the Frisons hee resolued to force them to his will by armes and therevpon caused a great fleete of shippes to be prepared to imbarke his men at armes and to land in Friseland But it fell out happely for the Frisons that Edward the forth King of England being expelled his realme came into Zeeland to the duke his brother in lawe to demande succors of him against the Earle of Warwike who had chased him out of his Kingdome The which the duke promised sending this fleete appointed for the ruine of the Frisons to succor the sayd King Edward the which carried him backe into England Afterwardes the duke had so great warres against the French Suisses and Lorrains in the which in the end hee was slaine as the Frisons remayned in peace without any further disturbance In the yeare 1470. Lewis the leauenth the French King had a great desire to bee reuenged of the brauary which the duke of Bourgongne had done him at Peronne practising vnder hand to haue the townes vpon the Riuer of Some reuolt the which being hard to effect by secret practise hee must attempt it by open warre true it is that hee had iust cause to apprehend the dukes affronts at Peronne who had forced him to make a peace and to go against the Liegeois that were before his friends yet hee beganne it some what fearefully although he had a great desire to it The Earle of Saint Pol Constable of France and the duke of Guiennes people desired warre rather then peace betwixt these two Princes for two considerations the first was for feare to loose their Estates the other was they perswaded the King that if hee had not some forraine warre he should haue ciuill dissention at home The Constable offred the towne of Saint Quentin pretending that hee had great intelligences in Flanders and Brabant where hee would cause many townes to rebell The duke of Guienne offred for his part to serue the King with fiue hundred men at armes The King meaning to beginne this warre with solemnity called a Parliament at Tours whereas many Iudges assisted there it was concluded according to the Kings intention that the duke should bee adiourned to appeere in the open Parliament at Paris The King assuring himselfe that hee would answere proudly or that hee would doe some-thing contrarie to the authority of the court hee should therefore haue more iust cause to make warre against him An Vssher of the Parliament went to Gand to adiorne him being vnder the souerainty of the crowne of France which he did at his comming from the masse whereat he was much amazed and discontented hauing caused the Vsher to be put in prison yet soone after he suffred him
restrained like a very prisoner in the towne of Bruges some townes of Flanders as Alost Deudermonde Oudenarde Hulst others insteed of liking and approuing the folly of the Ganthois Brugeois did them contrariwise much mischiefe by spoyling and burning euen vnto their very Ports making them to taste of the wrong they did vnto their Princesse father holding him so treacherously and presumptuosly prisoner The which imprisonment was no sooner come to the knowledge of the Emperour Frederic the Kings father but hee made his moue to the Princes of the Empire complaining of the presumption and treacherie of the Ganthois and Brugeois requiring them that all affaires and excuses set aside euery one would come with his forces according to his estate to the Rendezuous that hee should assigne them and so with their vntited forces marche towards Flanders and deliuer the King his sonne Many Princes Earles and Barons came about mid-May others sent their Lieutenants with forces and so did the Imperiall townes The Pope was also intreated to interpose his authoritie wherein Herman of Hessen Archbishop of Cologne was imployed to perswade them of Gaunt Bruges and Ypre by threats and ecclesiasticall censures to set at libertie the King his Officers and houshold seruants within a certaine time limited or that otherwise hee would proceed against them by way of excommunication These Flemings not so much for feare of the Popes thundring as of the storme which approched by the Emperor set the King at libertie suffring him to goe where he pleased yea they made meanes vnto him to pardon them and that hee would bee reconciled vnto the foure members of Flanders Wherevnto the King did not refuse to giue eare The which did much discontent the great Councell of Macklyn and the Prouinces of Holland and Zeeland who by the Emperors comming whom they did expect would gladly haue seene these mutinous Flemings punished Notwithstanding some deputies of Brabant and Zeeland assisted by Adolph of Cleues Lord of Rauesteyn came to Bruges to the States of Flanders Whereas matters were so handled as it was concluded that the King should bee contented for certaine thousands of Crownes to renounce the gouernment of Flanders where there should bee appointed certaine Curators vntill the Prince Philip were come to age But the States of Brabant Holland Zeeland and West-Frisland would not haue nor acknowledge in their Prouinces any other Curator or head then the King of Romaines father to their Prince wherein they had reason There were also in this conference many points agreed vpon which seemed to be profitable for the country the King and their Prince according to the which the King was deliuered but not his seruants Yet hee pardoned them all and tooke a solemne oath to entertaine this accord for assurance whereof he left Philip of Cleues sonne to the Lord of Rauesteyn in hostage In the meane time the which was cause of great warre and miseries which followed the Archbishop of Cologne proceeding to the execution of his Commission the Flemings hauing not inlarged the King by the day limitted pronounced the sentence of excommunication against the townes of Gaunt Bruges and Ypre the which made them odious to all the world calling them excommunicated and damned persons no man being willing to conuerse nor to haue to doe with them Yet afterwards by the intercession of the French king soueraigne Lord of Flanders held immediatly of the Crowne of France they so purged themselues to the Pope as he absolued them from the Archbishops cursse Whilest that matters were thus handled in Flanders the Emperor Frederic aduanuanced still with his armie and that of the Princes and Imperiall Townes vntill hee came to Macklin whereas Maximilian King of the Romaines his sonne went to meete him and to receiue him being accompanied with the Princes Barons Noblemen Knights and chiefe Captaines of his traine whom hauing thanked for the great paines they had taken to come and succour him comming before the Emperor his father he cast himselfe vpon his knees beseeching him most humbly to pardon them as hee had done them of Bruges if it were but in respect of the oath which he had made and the faith which hee had giuen them wherevnto the Emperor would by no meanes yeeld some Prelates perswading the King that his oath did not binde him to people that were excommunicated The Ganthois knowing that the Emperour came in Armes against them intreated Philip of Rauestein to be their generall as it had beene agreed at the treatie of Bruges the which he accepted There were with him in the Citty of Gaunt the Earle of Vendosine and many Noblemen Captaines come out of France to succour them You may see how the French Kings councell not-with-standing the peace sought all meanes to annoy the King of the Romaines and the estate of Prince Philip his sonne The Lord of Rauesteyn being in field with his Ganthois surprised by pollicie the Towne of Scluse in Flanders which is the onely Sea Port by the which the Brugeois haue accesse into the Brittish Seas The Emperor and the Noblemen of Germanie marched with their Armie vntill they came about Gant and Bruges spoiling the champian country onely without any other memorable exployt They incountred some-times with the Flemings but they neuer came vnto a battaile neither did they take any Townes one from another The Germaines thought once to surprise Dam where there is a stay of the Sea-water betwixt Scluse and Bruges but their enterprise succeeding not they were repulst with great losse among others a brother of the Marquis of Brandenbourgs was slaine The 21. of May thinking to do as much at Gaunt many of their men being entred marching in the street that was before them thinking that they had wonne the towne the Ganthois hauing suffered as many to enter as they thought good and might easily maister they cut downe the Port-cullis of the gate where they were taken likewise in a trappe and were all slaine or drowned In the end the Emperor seeing that he should with great difficultie preuaile ouer these mightie Townes of Gant Bruges and Ypre his horsmen hauing ruined all the countrie of Flanders and eaten all that was to bee found so as there was nothing left hauing done no memorable act worthy the writing and the hard time of winter approching the Germaines louing their Stoues too well after that they had furnished the Townes of Alost Oudenard Deudermonde Hulst and other Townes with good garrisons the Emperor retired into Germanie leauing with the Archduke Maximilian his sonne king of Romaines Albert Duke of Saxonie Landtgraue of Misnia whom he made Gouernor of the Netherlands to make warre as well against the Flemings as the Frisons as we will briefly shew ALBERT DVKE OF SAXONY LANDâ—… graue of Misnia second Gouernor Lieutenant and Generall for the Prince in his Netherlands ALBERTVS DVX SAXONIâ—… GVBERâ—… BELGIâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Flemings and the Frison race The which the
their afaiers they caused a booke to be Printed wherein they shewed by many reasons that the motiue of this warre was relligion and that all the Emperors other pretexts to punish some rebells was but to diuide the confederats and so to ruine them one after an other to settle the Popes doctrine They also published an other Booke against Iohn of Brandenbourg who being of their League and confession had taken armes against them And although the Emperor thought to surprise them yet they vsed such dilligence and found so many resolute men to carrie Armes in this warre as the 16. of Iuly in the yeare 1546. the Landtgraue went to field with his army and presently after began open warre betwixt them and the Emperor The 20. of Iuly the Emperor published his leters pattents in the which after that he had made a long complaint against Iohn Frederic Prince Elector of Saxony and Phillip Landtgraue of Hessen hee banisht them as periured rebâ—…les seditious guilty of high treason both against GOD and man and perturbers of the publike quiet meaning to punish them according to their deserts that hee might after-wards prouide for the affaiers of State and doe that which should belong vnto his duty for bidding all men to succor them or to ioyne with them vpon paine of forfeiture both of body and goods dissoluing all Leagues and compositions and absoluing the Nobility and subiects from the faith and oth which they ought vnto these Princes to whom he gaue the publicke assurance if they did obey adding that such as did refuse should be punished like vnto them But the Protestants did shew that the Emperor had no quarrell to them but for their relligion wherein hauing sought all meanes of accord they were excusable if to mainetaine the liberties of their consciences and the quiet of Germany they defended themselues being there-vnto aduised by the resolution both of Lawyers and Diuines In the meane time the Protestants army aduanced and tooke the strong fort of Ereberce scituated vpon a mountaine which stopt the passage from Trent for Italy to Enepont and withall the towne of Fiesse belonging to the Bishop of Ausbourg and passing on they tooke Dilline and Donavert The Emperor was then at Ratisbone ill prepared to make head against them Soe as if their affaiers had beene gouerned by one only commander the Emperor had beene in great danger The 7. of August in the towne of Macklin which is one of the 17. Prouinces of the Netherlands whereas the Great councel or Parlament of the said countries did remaine lightning fel among the gonpouder which was in great quantity in a tower of the wal at the port which they cal Necbecspoel the which at first ouerthrew both the Tower and the gate then it tooke hold of the buildings both within and without the Towne and aboue 500. paces round about so as it ruined and defeated the whole Towne the trees were pulled vp by the roots burnt the water in the towne ditches was drawne out and the fishes cast farre out into the fields There were about 150. burnt slaine in this accident with the ruine of houses besides those that were grieuously hurt and recouered and such as died of their wounds which were very many Many came two three and foure daies after out of Caues where they saued them-selues others were smothered or dyed for honger A great number of Cattell with the stables was also consumed by this fier The wall where the Tower stood was shaken aboue 200. paces long The domage that was done by the fier could not be repaired in a long time Then grew the warres hotte in Germany betwixt the Protestants and the Emperour To whome the Prince of Saxony the Landtgraue of Hessen and their companions sent letters the XI of August by the which according to the vse and lawes of armes they gaue him to vnderstand their resolutions and after they had informed him of his duty and how hee was bound to them and the Empire by his othe and that it was for relligions cause that hee made this warre against them they concluded with these words Matters standing in this sort and seeing weare allied to the end that it may be lawfull for vs to perseuer in this relligion though some would surmize other causes of discontentment against vs wee haue beene forced to put our selues in defence the which wee may lawfully doe both by the lawes of GOD and nature And although that through thy pernicious desseines we are not in any sort bound vnto thee and therfore was needles to let thee vnderstand our will yet for the better assurance we renownce the faith and duty we owe thee not to diminishe the honour and good of the Empire but rather to preserue and maintaine it Wee doe therefore protest this publickly and according to the sollemne custome being resolued to repell this warre attempted by thee and by thine Allyes This letter was sent by a young Gentleman and a trumpet according to the custome to the Emperours campe neere vnto Land shupt but hee was so farre from receiuing it as hee commanded them vppon paine of their heads to returne them backe againe to their people Hee said moreouer that if hereafter any one came vnto him from them in steed of a chaine of gold hee would present him a halter then hee gaue them the proclamation of their banishment charging them expresly to deliuer it vnto their Lords whereof hee likewise sent a coppy vnto Duke Maurice of Saxony cousin to Iohn Frederick Prince Elector perswading him to seaze vpon his country before that an other layed hold of it To the accusations and criminations contained in the said proclamation of banishment the Protestant Princes published an ample answer in print the contents whereof was that the intention of the Pope and Emperour was to roote out all them of the relligion the which hee had declared vnto the French Kings Ambassadour from whose mouth all was knowne and vanquish Germany as hee had long before disseigned c. But from words and writings they fell to blowes The two armies beeing neere one vnto the other the Landtgraue was of an opinion to charge the Emperors campe before the arriuall of the Earle of Buren with his supplies who brought with him 4000. horse 10000. choyce men out of the Netherlands but the destinies of these Princes would not suffer them to follow this good Councell for the Emperor was nothing so strong as the Protestants who seeing them so neere vnto him and hauing endured a whole day the thundring of their cannon shewed a gallant resolution if they had come to assaile him soone after the Earle of Buren arriued so as the Emperour hauing all his forces together those of the Protestants began by little and little to disband and in the meane time Duke Maurice according to the Emperors aduise molested the Prince Elector of Saxony in his Country Where-vppon
thereof for that they could neuer know who were the doers thereof no man was euer heard to brag or boast thereof no quarrel nor strife was amongst them nor any man hurt which was a great wonder aboue all the rest considering that it was done in the night time and so many stones wood and other stuffe broken and rent in pieces Meane time the magistrates and the townes-men stood abashed and amazed all night in their armes as if they had beene bewitched and knew not what they were best to doe euery man hauing seuerall conceits thoughts feares and suspitions in his head The Romish catholickes thought that it was done by them of the reformed Religion and that they ioining with such companions might be too strong for them and therefore were in feare to be assailed and set vpon The reformed church thinking that the doing therof would be imputed vnto them thought it their best way to looke vnto themselues that they might not bee surprised on the sudden And while on both sides the one thus feared the other they were both in one common doubt and opinion That the Image-breakers hauing begun to ransacke the churches would not so content themselues but would fall vpon the rich marchants and townes-mens houses and search for the Idols in their purses and their chests vnder pretence of breaking downe of Images or els worke some other vilanie or treason Thus the magistrates and the townes-men being in great perplexitie stood with heauie hearts and hands and yet in armes and in good order one counselling and admonishing the other to a vnitie and to be carefull that no murther nor bloud shedding might ensue wherin they all agreed as the Spaniards say being carefuller and readier to defend their owne liues and goods than the holy Romish reliques and seruice of God and although in the said breaking of Images and ransacking of the churches many things of great worth were stollen and secretly conueyed away neuerthelesse great store of iewels siluer workes and other things were brought into the towne-house and other places and some handycrafts and guilds did likewise intreat the people to giue them diuers faire costly and cunning pictures in regard and loue of the great art and workmanships therein shewed which they tooke and bare away with them In the morning as soone as the gates of the towne were opened a great part of the Image-breakers got out and went to S. Bernards a cloyster about a mile and a halfe from Antuerp and from thence to all the villages round about the town with great boldnes and fiercenes pulling downe and breaking all their Images the rest that remained within the towne ceased not all that day and two daies after to run about the towne into euery church breaking downe and spoiling all the relicks whatsoeuer they found standing whole therein no man daring once so much as say or do any thing vnto them But at the last when they began to breake downe a faire crucifix that stood in the great church ouer the great quier dore it falling vpon the armes of the knights of the order of the goldē fleece which were painted round about ouer thé seats in the quier being the armes of all those that were then liuing when the said feast was holden in Antuerpe in Anno 1555 the magistrats and the townes men began to be moued therat and being somewhat better encouraged repulsed those that sought to haue done the like taking ten or twelue of them prisoners three that were found doing the deed vpon the eighteenth of August were hanged in the market place and three others banished out of the towne the rest punished in other sort Presently thereupon the magistrate vsed all the diligence he could to keepe those of the reformed Religion frō preaching in the churches which they had alreadie begun to admonish and withdraw the people from spoyling and robbing the church and to mooue and incite them to peace submissiuenesse and obedience but at the last they left off in regard of the honour and reuerence of the magistrates who vpon paine of hanging commaunded That all the things that had beene taken out of the churches should within foure and twentie houres after be brought vnto the Wiekemasters and that no man should meddle with breaking downe of any more Images which they likewise caused to bee certified vnto them of the reformed Religion by their pentionary M. Iacob Wesenbeek who for that cause vpon the 24 of August tooke occasion both by writing and by word of mouth to shew the magistrate Iacob vander Heyden bourgmaster that they in truth would and might protest before God that the breaking down of the Images was done without their knowledge and consents and that they allowed not of the manner of doing the same if it were not done by order and authority of the magistrate although the great idolatrie vsed in that towne had well deserued no lesse and that they blamed and detested the theeuerie ransacking and other insolencies vsed therein and that their preachers in their sermons should admonish the people to restore the stolne things into the magistrats hands That they of the reformed Religion were ready to be obedient vnto the magistrat in all things touching the resisting and with-holding of all insolencies and forcible actions That they acknowledged the lords and magistrats of the towne to be their lawfull magistrats appointed by God to rule and gouerne them and that therefore they were bound to be obedient vnto them according to the word of God so consequently bound and would willingly pay al assesses imposts taxes and other burthens as duty required And to that end they said that the preachers rulers of their churches were ready to take their oaths of faith and obedience vnto them in al causes next after God and his word for the conseruation welfare and furtherance of the inhabitants of the towne that therby the people might be maintained in peace and vnitie desiring that vnder the name and authoritie of the magistrats they might be suffered to preach in some conuenient churches and to vse the exercise of their Religion excusing themselues that they vntill some order were taken therein did vse some churches for their aduantage Lastly That they pretended not to compell any man by force vnto their Religion being well content to liue in peace and to thanke God for the meanes they had to serue him according to their consciences crauing that it might be ordained that no man should molest iniure nor disquiet one the other for Religion By meanes of this declaration request admonition in the end the matter was so brought to passe that they of the reformed Religion were suffered to preach in the new towne by authority of the magistrats to hinder them from preaching in the holied churches but the preacher of Kiel which preached after the confession of Ausbourg was suffered to preach in S. Georges church as being the chiefe church of the Kiel therby to
hauing gotten this libertie since the breaking downe of Images leauing the fields did appropriate vnto themselues certaine churches within the townes so as they were forced with the Gouernesse consent to suffer them to build new Temples in Antuerpe for their exercise with some rules and ordinances ouer all to auoid scandales and disorders after that those of the Consistories of the Religion and the Ministers Iohn Taffin Herman Modet and George Siluain for the French Dutch churches had made their excuses by writing vnto the magistrat of Antuerpe in manner as followeth My masters we protest in truth as before God that what hath beene done touching the beating downe of Images was without our priuitie or consent As for the spoyles robberies drunkennesse and other dissolutenesse and insolencies we both blame them and detest them Wherfore the Ministers of the Word shall exhort as they haue already done their auditors in their sermons to abstaine and to deliuer into your hands what hath bin stolne away Those of our Church are ready to yeeld you all obedience and to oppose themselues vnder your command against all violences thefts and other insolencies We will acknowledge you to be established by the lord in the office of magistrat and therfore we are bound to obey you not only for feare of punishment but also for conscience sake and by consequence we ought and will faithfully pay all taxes imposts customes subsidies tithes and other duties ordinarie and extraordinarie that shall be imposed vpon vs. We confesse that such as shall refuse shall deale fraudulently offend God and are to be punished by you For the better assurance whereof the Ministers of the Word and others committed for the gouernment of the church are ready if need be to take an oath to be faithful and obedient vnto you in all things except against God and his Word for the good and profit of the towne and of the inhabitants beseeching you that vnder your authoritie and protection we may be suffred to assemble in some Temples fit and capable for the exercise of our Religion and not to take it in ill part if wee make vse of some according to the present necessitie vntill you haue otherwise prouided In the meane time we pretend not to force any one in his conscience nor constraine him to our Religion contenting our selues and praysing God that wee haue meanes to serue him according vnto ours hoping that you will prouide so as both the one and the other may haue cause of content giuing charge that they shall not doe any iniurie or outrage one vnto another for matter of Religion Vpon which request there was a certaine accord made in Antuerpe betwixt the one and the other Religion whom the magistrat tooke equally into his protection the second of September the said accord containing seuenteene articles Signed by the prince of Orange and vnderneath Ex mandato Dominorum Polites The like in a manner were made in Vtrecht and Amsterdam then at Gaunt Tournay and other places to entertaine the inhabitants in concord and loue one with another and to assure the townes from all eminent danger vntill the king had otherwise prouided by the aduice of the generall estates the which was done by the particular gouernours and magistrates of townes as well in Brabant Flanders Holland Zeeland Vtrecht Friseland Gueldres as other prouinces of the Netherlands whereby the reformed Religion did wonderfully encrease and the Protestants had for a time some cause of content seeing themselues freed from that odious Inquisition from the new bishops bloudie Edicts persecutions and obseruation of the counsell of Trent enioying the libertie of their consciences and the preaching of their doctrine The confederate gentlemen holding themselues well assured by the letters which the Gouernesse had giuen them after that they had written vnto the Consistories to carry themselues modestly in their assemblies they retyred euery one to his owne house And soone after there followed an Edict by the which to giue the people the better satisfaction the Inquisition and the Edicts against them of the Religion were surceased by the authoritie of the court commaunding notwithstanding to punish both in body and goods the breakers of Images causers of tumults robbers and disturbers of the publicke quiet vpon paine of the losse of their priuiledges for such as should not doe their duties forbidding expressely the carrying of armes to the preaching Yet the people did not altogether forbeare carrying of armes but in many places did assemble like men of warre for which cause the Seignior of Backerzeel a chiefe counsellour to the earle of Egmont who had beene one of the deputies for the nobilitie and had signed the compromise issuing out of the Audenarde with some bourgesses and pesants fell vpon a troupe of these armed men neere vnto Gramont whom he surprised suddenly not fearing any such encounter defeated them and put them to rout whereof hee slew twelue and tooke one and twentie prisoners the which were afterwards hanged This was the first exploit that was done by armes against them of the Religion and afterwards they began by little and little by vertue of letters and secret commaundements from the Gouernesse to pursue them in diuers places whereof some seeing this change and that the consederate gentlemen had thus abandoned them and withall that the earle of Egmont notwithstanding his permission to preach within his gouernment of Flanders was the first that did persecute them began to retyre out of the countrey some here some there and they had at the first retyred in greater numbers if the duchesse had not giuen them a new assurance that his Maiestie comming into those parts would heare their complaints and entreat them as a good and mercifull prince assuring them that he had no entent to vse rigor against his subiects with the which and many other goodly reasons shee sought to persuade them And in the meane time she sent secret instructions to thâ—… gouernors and particular magistrats to punish such as were culpable whereby those that were not the most rigorous nor forward in the execution of her secret instructions found that al the duchesses persuasions did not tend so much to grace in retaining them that would retire as to punishment Wherupon the magistrat of Alcmat in West Friseland writ vnto the Gouernesse in what perplexitie they were in by these latter letters written in secret directly contradicting the letters of assurance and the kings bountie whereof she made so great brags desiring to haue a more ample resolution therupon Wherunto she answered that notwithstanding any obiections made by them of West-Friseland which are the townes of Alcmar Horne Enchuysen and Medenblyc they should gouern themselues according vnto the instructions sent to the officers particular magistrats This passing in this sort in the Netherlands and the contract aforesaid being sent into Spain to the king he was not a little grieued and offended thereat being as then at
stupiditie to his owne perdition and the totall â—…uine and desolation of his house or that God the punisher of our offences being iustly incensed against these prouinces for their disordered libertie being giuen to all vices voluptuousnesse and wickednesse after that they had once begun to tast the fruits of peace which he had giuen them after such long and bloudie warres against the French or that Egmont had not yeelded the onely honour vnto God of those two goodly victories of S. Quintines and Grauelingues hauing often braued it more than was fit to the contempt and disgrace of them that lost them not acknowledging that it was God onely that gaue him power to win those victories and that men are but his instruments they could neuer persuade him to thinke otherwise of his affaires eyther by a retreat as the prince and others had done or by opposing himselfe and redressing the vnion to encounter and repulse the duke Neither could he euer discouer any thing vntill that he was taken in the toyle as we will presently shew The duke of Alua being arriued at Brussels the eight and twentieth of August was honourably receiued of the Regent which informed him of all thinges at large and shewed him by what meanes and how according vnto her opinion hee should pacifie the countrey and bring the prince of Orange and other noblemen and gentlemen that were sted to become well deuoted willing and readie to doe the king seruice and that if there were but a meane vsed therein there should be no cause to feare but that all things would bee peaceably and quietly ended But the duke supposing and presuming that the most part of the troubles in the Netherlands were procured and continued by the sayd Regents lenitie and slackenesse thought to rule the matter in other sort and at that time shewed his commission vnto the Regent and the States but not altogether for his was greater and extended further than that of the Regents as hauing authoritie to place and displace all gouernours of prouinces and townes and all other officers beeing made captaine generall of the kings forts holds and souldiers hauing full power and authoritie ouer the counsels of estate and the Treasurers He caused as much of his commission as hee thought good to be put in print that euery man might know it and yet he had a further and more absolute commission to giue iudgement and take order in all causes of crimes and rebellion to punish and pardon all offences and to recompence and reward men for their good seruices as it appeared by a particular instruction made and giuen vnto him by the king himselfe bearing date in Madril the last of Ianuarie 1566. Which when the Regent saw and perceiued that the duke tooke all authoritie vpon himselfe and that he made shew to take an other course suffering her to keepe the court but without traine and that hee lodged in the house of Culenburgh and had all the company following him she thought that she had nothing to do there and for that cause sent vnto the king to craue leaue to depart from thence that she might go into Italie to the duke of Parma her husband The duke being in the gouernment he caused all his souldiers to lodge round about him in the neerest townes as the regiment of Naples in Brussels all Spaniards the regiment of the earle of Lodron in Antuerpe discharging many of the Wallons whom he mistrusted He tooke the keyes of the gates from the townes-men whereof they of Gand by a request presented vnto him by the earle of Egmont made complaint which put the duke in a great rage and said That he would doe what he thought best to be done for the kings seruice and not otherwise And presently as soone as he saw himselfe established in the gouernment in steed of moderating the proclamation and other things requested and sought by the lords and gentlemen of the Netherlands he ratified confirmed and ordained the old proclamation and the Inquisition to beâ—…d and executed in the same and in steed of assembling the generall states hee appointed 〈◊〉 of twelue men that had full power to deale in all things that in any sort touched oâ—… concerned the aforesaid troubles and to take order therein which was called the bloudy counsell and in French the counsell of troubles This counsel consisted of Netherlanders mixed with straÌ„gers as the barons de Barlamont Noircarmes the presideÌ„ts of FlaÌ„ders and Artois but the chiefe and principallest of them were the Licentiat Iohn Vergas doctor Bois del Rio the Fiscale of Burgundy Iohn de la Porta aduocat Fiscale the counsellor Iacob Hessel the counsellor Belin Brese aduocate Fiscale of Mechlin and du Bois attourney generall wherof the duke himselfe was president but in his absence Vergas sat as president in his place of whom it is reported That for rauishing an orphane child committed to his custody he was banished out of Spaine a man aboue all others most sterne and cruell seeking nothing but riches and bloud But the Spaniards said That the cankered wounds of the Netherlands had need of so sharpe a knife as Vergas was to cut away their dead flesh The secretaries were Vlierden la Torre Praeâ—…s and Mesdagh The first two or three moneths the duke and the lords assembled and sat in counsell euery forenoone and afternoone all being directed by the duke himselfe whose meaning was that the opinion of the counsell should be but consultiue as counsell giuers and not absolute as giuing iudgement in any cause and so intended to haue all things depend vpon him alone and they to stand to the iudgement that hee should giue For which cause the said counsell for that many of them could not endure the crueltie therin propounded sought meanes to be discharged thereof others being ashamed stayed at home whereby the said counsell being twelue was oftentimes but fiue foure and sometimes but three persons as it appeareth by diuers iudgements and sentences of life and death giuen out by them and particularly by that of Anthonie van Stralen which was signed onely by the aforesayd president Vergas doctor Boys del â—…io and Secretarie de la Torre And by this counsell and by the duke himselfe all power and authoritie was taken from the prouinciall counsels of the land and the inhabitants robbed and dispoyled of all their ordinances iurisdictions appeales and resorts cleane contrarie to the priuiledges of the land with an expresse prohibition sent forth vnto all iudges and officers not to take any knowledge of any thing touching the last vprores yea and the counsels themselues both high and low were forced to stand to the iudgement of the said counsell which had commaund ouerall noble and vnnoble spirituall and temporall so that the dukes will was an absolute law without suffering or allowing any appeale reformation or reuiewing of their sentence once giuen and pronounced by the duke hauing full and soueraigne
hee might see the great confidence and estimation we haue alwayes had of him Yet the said prince hauing had small regard vnto his honour and to the othe of fidelitie and loyaltie which hee hath sworne vnto vs as to his Soueraigne Prince and by reason of the said estates and offices hath made himselfe the head author aduancer fauourer and receiuer of rebels conspirators seditious practisers and disturbers of the publike good and quiet As also prâ—…sently after our departure from these countries towards our realmes of Spaine his designe with some others was to vsurpe the whole administration and gouernment of these countries and to that end had many pernitious practises hauing forgotten himselfe so much as to take armes against vs and to exclude vs out of those countries from the which hee had not desisted but for want of meanes doing all offices vnder hand with our subiects to diuert them from the affection and fealtie which they haue alwaies shewed to vs and our predecessours yea which is much more detestable and abhominable vnder the colour and cloake of religion and by false persuasions that our intention was the which was neuer to bring in the Inquisition of Spaine into those our countries so as by his seductions and false impressions many of our said subiects haue risen rebelled against vs. And namely that the said prince had fiâ—…st seduâ—…ed corrupted and incited a great part of the nobilitie so as they haue made leagues and conspiracies and sworne by the same to defend and fortifie themselues against vs and our ordinances the which haue beene alwaies kept and obserued in the said countrey the assemblies being made to that end in his owne house as well at Breda as in this our towne of Brussels And that since hee had receiued the said rebels into his protection and safeguard with promise of all assistance who also haue gone armâ—…d to field against vs in diuers places And that the said prince had counselled and assisted the lord of Brederode chiefe of the said rebels to fortifie the towne of Vianen against vs hauing suffered him to inroll souldiers in our towne of Antuerpe in the view of all the world against our expresse lawes then newly made and published imbarking them for the towne of Vianen with all munition of warre furnishing also the said Brederode with some peeces of ordnance Besides the said prince had forbidden any of our townes and forts to receiue any garâ—…ison in our name and among others in our countrey of Zeeland whither he had sent men expâ—…esly to surprise it and thereby to stop vp our passage by sea And the said prince being sent vnto our towne of Antuerpe to pacifie the troubles and popular tumults had of his owne priuat authoritie and beyond the charge giuen him in that towne suffered and allowed the free exercise of al sects indifferently giuing them leaue to build many temples and consistories for the sectaries whereof haue followed the dangers and inconueniences that euerie man-knowes Suffering leuies taxations and collections of money to be made which should be afterwards imployed in the entertainment of the said souldiers Doing moreouer many other acts which our said Atturney will declare more at large in time and place all tending to his designe thereby to vsurpe vpon our said countries the which is not tollerable but deserues punishment and exemplarie iustice requiring that it would please vs to grant him a commission for the apprehending and taking of the said prince of Orange All which things considered at the request of our said counsellor and atturney generall wee giue you commission and authoritie that with such aid and assistance as you shall thinke fit you shall take and apprehend the bodie of the said prince of Orange in what part soeuer you shall find him in these our countries and shall bring and conduct him vnder a good guard to our towne of Brussels to bee iustified before our well beloued cousin the Duke of Alua Knight of our order Gouernour and Captaine generall for vs in these our countries c. appointed by vs especially to that end and to receiue such punishment for the said crimes and conspiracies as shall be thought fit and conuenient And if you cannot apprehend him you may adiourne him Giuen at Brussels the 18 of Ianuarie 1568. This commission was proclaimed by a sergeant and six trompets and the relation of the adiournement was set vp in the court at Brussels whereunto the prince of Orange after that hee had beene aduertised answered the atturney generall by his letters as followeth Master Atturney I haue receiued the copie of an adiournement the which you haue caused to be executed by a publike proclamation finding my selfe grieued with the accusations contained therein as a noble man of my qualitie ought to doe desiring nothing so much as I hope I shall make it appeare than to haue meanes to contest and answere for my selfe hauing no intent to leaue an impression in the hearts of the ignorant that I haue not discharged mine honour and the duetie which I owe vnto the king and that I haue acquited my selfe ill and vndutifully of those charges estates and offices wherewith it hath pleased his Maiestie heretofore to grace mee but rather I hope by the discourse and relation of my defences to shew that the good long and loyall seruices expence and losses which I haue incurred by reason thereof shall much exceed my bonds and rewards Hauing therefore cause to desire no lesse that they should enter into this calculation than hee that attends a reliefe in his affaires by the conclusion and end of his account But as that which wee desire most is oftentimes the last put in execution proceeding duely and orderly as it is fit For as the Physian or Surgeon doth not seeke to heale and close vs a wound before he hath searched the bottome and disposed the humor neither doth the Architect build a house before he hath laid a good foundation I am by the qualitie of your adiournement forced to deferre the allegation and explication of my said defences vntill that your accusation may bee made before a competent judge and not suspect and in whom there may bee hope that there shall bee such regard had to that which shall bee propounded as shall bee fit and that they will proceed to absolution or condemnation according to the â—…xigence and merit of the cause And in the meane time I must comfort my selfe with the examples whereof the hystories are full of such as hauing with the hazard of their liues expence of their goods preserued and amplified the estates countries and reuenewes of theiâ—… princes and lords haue not onely beene infamously adiourned and proclaimed but in stead of reward haue receiued corporall and exemplarie punishment haue beene chased away banished slaine and executed seeing the fruits and recompences of their seruice attributed to them that least deserued it I find it no lesse strange in our
bloudie counsell punish such breach of promise as rebellion and lay their heads at their feet with all such as vpheld and maintained the same and that generally specially to the states of Flanders great fauour had been shewed vnto all the states hauing all deserued no lesse rigour at the kings hands than the earles of Egmont and the prince of Orange had and that in recompence and redemption thereof the king was content to accept the said taxe of the tenth penie but hee might haue gotten a great deale more for the king by confiscations if hee would haue vsed that meanes as hee might well haue done than by the tenth penie caring not for the pretended priuiledges of the particular prouinces and townes specially the Ioyous entrie of Brabant which hee said they as well as those of Vtrecht had forfeited and lost Whereupon some made him answer That the declaration and sentence of depriuation or forfeiture must first bee published and that the attempting thereof would bee dangerous He made answer That hee would rather suffer himselfe to bee cut and hewed in peeces than to endure that the countrey should not hold their promise and that the Sunne and Moone should first loose their light before hee would faile of the tenth penie The states perceiuing the dukes resolution and intent at the last thought it requisit in the beginning of the yeare 1572 each prouince to send one into Spaine in their behalfes vnto the king which he neuerthelesse commanded to come backe again threatning them with death but yet they got through into Spaine but before any resolution was taken therein there happened an alteration in the Netherlands by the taking of the Bryele Flessingue and other places as hereafter shall bee shewed without the which alteration the messengers in Spaine had surely beene in great danger of their liues The duke notwithstanding in the meane time sought to raise the tenth penie in some particular townes appointing his officers to receiue the same and first in Brussels where he thought best to begin but they of Brussels shut vp all their shops and would sell nothing that they might not bee compelled to pay the tenth penie The Bakers nor Brewers woâ—… neither bake nor brew whereby there grew a great confusion and desperation amongst tâ—… people which to preuent the duke intended to deale by force resoluing in March 1572 to hang seuenteene of the chiefe townes men in Brussels that were against him whose names hee had al eadie written in a scroll in the night time before their doores or else hee would make them graunt to sell their wares and to pay him thereafter the which to effect hee had giuen charge vnto the executioners to bee readie with ladders and cords to execute them the next night after the newes came into Brussels that the earle Vander Marke had taken the towne of Bryele which losse of the said towne of Bryle made him see that hee had done better to haue put garrisons into the hauen townes and to haue dealt in milder sort with the people rather than to haue sought to haue his owne wil so much and to taxe the land at his pleasure whereas the Netherlands offered such great summes as that the state of the land could hardly raise Thus by meanes of the taking of the Bryele the raysing of the tenth and twentieth penie was stayed although it hath since beene sought and required They of Amsterdam because they would not absolutely consent to his demaund of the tenth penie were fined to pay the summe of fiue and twentie thousand gulderns towards the buylding of the castle at Flessingue but they excused themselues by their great losse endured by the great flouds and the mending and making of their ditches and aboue all that they dayly indured so great losse by the water Gueux that tooke their fleets comming from the East and West Indies As I said before a great number of banished and fugitiue persons of the Netherlands hauing prepared ships kept at sea and were conducted by certaine gentlemen and others who most by pouertie were driuen to seeke some recompence of their losses and hinderance by force and extremities After that other ioyned with them hauing a further intent to do something tending to the deliuerance and good of their natiue countrey This number daily increasing and doing great hurt vnto their enemies round about Holland as in the Vlie Texel and the Ems harbouring most commonly vnder England in the downes and at Douer and thereabouts amongst the which the prince of Orange as admirall by force of his letters of Mart had his officers that receiued the tenth penie of their prizes The duke of Alua made meanes to the queene of England to intreat her not to suffer them to harbor there alledging that she ought not according to the contracts made betweene England and the Netherlands to suffer the kings rebels to haue so open passage to and from her hauens The queene although shee had cause ynough to dislike of the duke in March 1572 made proclamation That they should all depart out of her hauens forbidding her subiects to sell them any victuals neuerthelesse with this condition That her English rebels should bee driuen out of the king of Spaines dominions Whereby they were constrained to depart and to enterprise something in the countries of the Netherlands whereunto they knew themselues not to bee strong ynough This necessitie compelled them to vse order and discipliâ—… amongst them and to that end they all put themselues vnder the commaund of William earle Vander Marke free heire to Lumey lord of Serrain Borset and Minderleyt and heire of Franchimont c. eldest sonne of Iohn lord of Lumey and of Marguerite youngest daughter of Iohn lord of Wassenare This earle Vander Marke made himselfe admirall and his lieutenant Bartel Entes van Meutheda viceadmirall hauing with him captaine William de Bloys called Threlon the lord of Sweten Lancelot van Brederode Iacob Cabilleaw one of Egmont Iaques Schooneual Antonis Wenthoue Antonis van Rhine William de Graue van Egmont Iaques Metens Nicholas Ruythauer captaine Eloy Iock and Iohn Abels Marinus Brandt Roybol Iaques Hennebert Iohn Clauson Spiegel Iohn Simonson Merten Merous Walter Franson captaine Ielande and diuers others All these together hauing about fortie ships most flie-boats in the moneth of March put out of England and tooke a great ship of Antuerpe laden with Spanish wares and another ship of Biskaie Their meaning was to saile to North-Holland although their enterprise there was as then not fully readie but determined in the meane time to spoyle certaine ships of war belonging to the duke that lay at Amsterdam and Enchuysen but the wind beeing against them they put into the Bryel the island being called Voorn and the town Bryel there to take certaine ships lying in the Meuse readie to sayle to Spaine but they perceiuing them to enter the Meuse hoysed sayle and went vp to Rotterdam whereby the earle
richest marchāts were made poore and the very beggers o◅ the Spaniards were inricht in an instant but some did not long inioy their great wealth for there were simple soldiars which lost ten thousand Crownes in a day at dice vppon the Bursse which was their playing place Other not knowing what to do with their treasure made hilts for rapiers and daggers of pure gold yea whole Corslets A goldsmith hauing made one the Spaniard desirous to haue it varnished that it might not be discouered to bee of gold the workman fled away with it and came to Flessingue The riches that was taken there was so great as some haue affirmed that there was aboue some fortie tunne of golde spoiled in ready money There was a soldiar which tooke out of a windowe of a house seuentie thousand Florins Captaine Ortis made choise of a bootie which no man else dreampt of which was the prison where hee set at libertie for great ransomes all the prisoners that were in it as well for ciuill and criminall causes as them of the religion among the which there was some ministers and many Anabaptists whereby hee gathered a great treasure The Cittie of Antwerpe being thus miserably subiected vnder the enemies yoake the Spaniards fearing that the States to cut of the passage of the riuer towards Gant should build a Forte at Burcht before the which all the shippes must passe that went to Gant Tenremonde Macklin and Brusselles made hast to preuent them and to build one there which they gaue in gard to Francisco Valdes with 400. Spaniards DON IOHN OF AVSTRIA BAStard sonne to the Emperor Charles the fift Gouernor of the Netherlands for the King of Spaine JOANNES AVSTRI CAR. V. F. PHIL. RE. CAT. NOM◅ APVD BELGAS GVB ET CAPIT GENERA Although I issued from an vnlawfull bed Yet was I not the lesse esteem'd but greatly honored For when the Emperor dying did acknowledge me To be his naturall sonne the King did hold me for to be His bastard brother and did such affection beare To me that to most great affaires he did me stil prefer The Turke I fear'd not but did him ouerthrow And forc'd the Granadian Moores obedience to shew My minde aspiring vnto high conceites was bent And made me practise many things to further my intent But being hether sent chiefe Gouernor to be Death crossed al my purposes and made an end of me DON Iohn of Austria bastard brother to the King of Spaine sent to gouerne the Netherlands arriued in the towne of Luxembourg in Nouember 1576. the verie daie that the Spaniards practised their furie in Antwerp by murthering burning and spoyling of the Cittie sparing no age sex nor qualitie Being there hee writ his letters to the Spaniards in Antwerp and to the generall Estates assembled at Brussells seeming in his letters to the States to bee somewhat discontented for the insolencies that had beene committed in the Netherlands promising to take due punishment so as they would shew due obedience vnto the King and maintaine the Romish Catholike relligion whereas on the other side if they continued obstinate he was not onely prouided but resolued as well for warre as peace according to the instructions of the Spanish councell The councell of Estate merueyled much at the first that hee came not personally to Brussells but they were much amazed at the contents of his letter which seemed to threaten them who thought to haue executed their charge wisely and carefully shewing himselfe therein not as their Gouernor but as their aduersary which iealousie of theirs encreased the more for that hee would not come among them but vpon hostages desiring also to haue their troupes vnder his priuate commande or a great part of them for his securitie as if they were his enemies This seemed very strange vnto the generall Estates and the whole Countrie and bred ill bloud in them and the rather for that they discouered that the mutinous and rebellious Spaniards first secretly and after openly had all fauour and accesse vnto him and that hee affected the sole gouernment to himselfe that so hee might punish and controule reward and honour whom hee pleased being held strang in Spaine that the Netherlanders who were there esteemed as a conquered people and subiects to the King should vndertake such great matters as had beene effected all much derogating to the Kings prerogatiue and honour and so much the more intollerable for that in Spaine they were generally suspected and held for Lutherans and heretiks The generall Estates being likewise assembled at Brussells consisting of the deputies of the spirituallty the nobilitie townes and members of the Prouinces vnder the lawfull subiection of their naturall Lord after declaration made touching their preuiledges customes lawes ancient liberties sworne vnto by their Prince himselfe they found the proceeding of Don Iohn to bee verie strange and the rather for that they vnderstood out of Spaine that the oppressions and insolent behauiour of the Spanish souldiars were rather applauded then disallowed and that in steed of exemplarie punishment there were more rewards and honours appointed to bee giuen vnto their captaines and Commanders and they found by certaine letters that Don Iohn had charge to follow such instructions as Ieronimo Rhoda had left in Antwerp with a Spanish Marchant called Ieronimo Lopez and that Rhoda had the managing of all the Netherland causes in Spaine The effect of Don Iohns instructions were that hee should vse all the faire meanes hee could to winne the hearts of the common people that by their aide hee might subdue Holland and to punish the rest according to their desarts and that in the meane time hee should dissemble which instructions although they were not knowne at the first yet were the generall Estates and the Nobilitie presently estranged from him by meanes of his disorderly proceeding for which cause they sent vnto the Prince of Orange beeing an old experienced councellor in affaires of State and then a member of the Netherlands to heare his aduice who in the end of Nouember writ vnto them from Middelbourg as followeth A letter written by the Prince of Orange To the Generall estates of the Netherlands assembled at Brussells the last of Nouember 1576. MY maisters you haue before seene by my letters what in my opinion vnder your correction I thought fit to be treated of with Don Iohn of Austria And although it may seeme vnto you that what I do so often re-iterate proceeds from some priuate passion or to entertaine this country in alteration Notwith-standing I may call GOD to witnesse with a good conscience that my disseigne was neuer other but to see this Country gouerned as it hath allwaies beene by the generall Estates Which consists of the ◅lergie Nobilitie and the townes members depending thereon vnder the lawfull obedience of their naturall Prince And as since by the length of time this gouernment hath beene by little and little abolished
out of the dukedome of Luxembourge with in other twenty dayes or before if it be possible wherein our aforesaid good brother shall imploy him-selfe with all his power and during the said time of forty daies all and euery one of our said soldiars shall and must behaue them-selues honestly and peaceably without any robbing exacting ransacking and spoyling or in any-wise misusing of our said Netherlands and the subiects of the same nor any of the neighbour countries and inhabitants thereof And touching the time of the departure of the aforesaid high-Duch soldiars they shall and must depart out of our sayd Netherlands presently after that the Estates shall haue contented them as it is further and more at large declared In the 15. article of this our perpetuall edict of peace which is after that they shal be reckoned withall and all and euery reasonable educations made out of their paies as it shall be found to fall out And that all our sayd souldiars Spaniards High-duches Italians Burguignons and all others must and shall at their departures out of our sayd castles and townes leaue all the victualls ordinance and munition of warre beeing therein behind them in our sayd castles and townes which sayd townes and castles with the victualls ordinance and â—…unition wee will by the aduise of our sayd councell of estate appoint to bee deliuered into the hands of such persons as are naturall borne subiects of our sayd Netherlands and as the preuileges of the sayd Netherlands import and such as at this time are acceptable vnto them And touching the oppressions extortions and forcible compossitions which by any of our souldiers whosoeuer they be haue beene done in our sayd Netherlands during the time that they haue beene and continued therein wee will deale in such sort touching the same as right reason and equity requireth and when time serueth as neere as wee can content euery man therein and shall likewise cause inquiry to bee made not onely amongst the captaines and commanders of our sayd souldiars but also amongst all and euery one of our sayd souldiers who in any sort whatsâ—…euer haue misused and disordered themselues either in our Netherlands or the countries adioying and will do right and iustice therein whether it bee in our Netherlands or in our kingdome of Spaine or any other place where wee shall thinke it meet and conuenient Wee ordaine decree and appoint that all and euery one of the prisoners which are holden in prison by reason of the alterations and troubles in the sayd Netherlands on both sides shal be freely and frankly set at liberty and released of their imprisonment without paying any ransome prouided alwaies that touching the sending againe of our couzin Philip William van Nassau Earle of Buren into our Netherlands wee will take orderâ—… that the sayd Earle shall bee freely sent againe into the sayd Netherlands as soone and presently after that the generall Estates shall haue assembled and the aforesayd Prince of Orange for his part shall haue truely and effectually performed that which by them at the sayd assembly shal be ordained and appointed for him to do Item wee ordaine decree and appoint that the question contention and doubt touching the restablishing and placing of certaine Lords and Officers in their gouernments and offices from whence they haue beene discharged and put out by reason of the alterations and troubles aforesayd shal be suspended and referred vntill the end of the assembly of the generall Estates and that then the sayd question contention and doubt shall bee committed vnto the arbitrement and determination of the councell and ordinary iustice of the Netherlands respectiuely by them to bee decided and ended according to law Further wee promise vpon our faith and word of a peace to hold and maintayne and to cause our sayd good brother and all other Gouernors and euery one of them generally and perticularly which hereafter shall by vs and our successors bee placed in our sayd Netherlandes to hold and maintaine all and euery one of the old preuiledges customes vses rights and lawes of our sayd Netherlands and that wee will not suffer any to serue vnder vs our aforesayd good brother nor any other gouernors of our sayd countries neither for councellors nor otherwise in the administration of the common gouernment of the sayd Netherlands but onely such as are naturall borne people and subiects of our sayd Netherlands And likewise the Estates aforesayd for their parts do promise vpon their consciences faithes and honors before God and man to maintaine vphold and defend and cause to bee maintained vpholden and defended the Holy Catholike Apostolike and Romish faith and religion and the authoritie and obedience due and belonging vnto vs in all places of our sayd Netherlands wheresoeuer and not to doe any thing contrarie vnto the same Item the sayd Estates likewise haue promised to leaue breake of renownce and shall and do promise to leaue breake of and renounce all and euery League and confederations which they for their protection and defence haue made heretofore with any forrein Prince or Potentate since the alterations and troubles aforesaid The sayd estates likewise and in like manner haue promised and by these presents doe promise to discharge and send out of our sayd Netherlands all and euery one of the forraine Souldiers which they haue intertained or caused to bee intertained in their paye and to hinder let and withstand that from hence-forth there shall no more forraine Souldiers enter into the same Item whereas the sayd estates in witnesse of their true intent as also of the sincere and good affection which they beare vnto vs and our seruice haue liberally agreed and offered vnto vs the summe of sixe hundred thousand pounds of fortie Flemish groates the pound they doe by these presents promise to pay and deliuer the one halfe thereof in ready money vnto the hands of the aforesayd Lords Ambassadors and messengers of the Empire and the Deputies or Committies of the aforesayd Duke of Iuilliers and Cleue which said halfe part the sayd Ambassadors Messengers and Committies shall pay and deliuer ouer vnto the hands of our aforesaid good brother or vnto such as hee shall appoint by the consent of the sayd Lords Ambassadors and Messengers to cause our sayd Souldiers Spaniards Italians and Bourguignons and other strange soldiers to depart out of our Castle and Towne of Antwerpe and out of all and euery other of our Castles Townes and Forts except the high Dutches aforesaid vntill such time as they shall be reckond and accounted withall as in the next article shall be declared And for the other halfe the said estates shall make it ouer by billes of exchange to Genoa there to be paid vnto those that by our said good brother shall be appointed to receiue the same within two moneths after the said Spaniards Italians and Burguignons aforesaid shall be departed out of our towne and castle of Antwerpe And further the
made betweene the Duke of Aniou and the States their power hauing so great an army and mony like wise to maintaine the same saying that he might depart with honor when as his departure should be procured by the Mediation and intercession of the Emperor the King of France and the Queene of England which dying they said hee might assure the Netherlands vnto their naturall Prince and by that meanes procure the maintenance and furtherance of the Romish Catholiks religion touching the said articles the Ambassadors had many conferences and meetings betweene them the estates and Don Iohn speaking with Don Iohn him-selfe at Lovuain and there abouts but it was al in vaine for that Don Iohn would haue the states to giue ouer their armes to send the Prince of Orange into Holland and then he said he would harken to a peace yet telling them plainely that hee would permit no new religion and many things else and yet hee made a shew as that in regard of the miseries of the country hee would haue consented to a truce for a time that so hee might deale further about the conditions of peace propounded but this was done onely to winne time and in the meane while to gather more forces and to make the States weary but the States there affaires not permitting it would not harken to it Don Iohn likewise for his part hauing gotten more soldiars and being aduertised that the States men wanted pay at the last he made answeare to the Ambassadors that the King of Spaine had referred the whole dealing for the peace vnto the States only to whome full power and authority should bee giuen for the same being indeed some-what iealous of France and England and to that end hee shewed them lettters so thanking them for their paines hee tooke his leaue and departed and by that meanes that treatie of peace proued frutelesse The generall estates thinking verely that they had well secured and assured the Catholike Romish Religion by the new publication of the pacification at Gaunt found it to auaile them little for that they were forced neuer-the-lesse to satisfie and content the mindes of the peolpe in euery place thereby to maintaine the warres and that they had need of such soldiers as they might trust which they esteemed to be Hollanders and those of the religion and therefore in euery place they put such as were of the religion into offices within the townes as knowing them thereby to bee bound not onely for the loue and good will they bare vnto their natiue country but also in regard of the religion to bee faithfull trusty and true obseruing that it was not onely the meanes for them to defend their bodies liues goods wiues and children but chiefly for the honor of GOD as they were perswaded whereby many being of the reformed religion and aduanced to offices in diuers places of the Netherlands were forced by all the meanes they could to further the said religion although some through simple zeale dealt vnaduisedly therein From these and the like causes it fell out that they of the reformed religion imbouldned them-selues to present a request vnto the Arch duke Mathias and the generall estates bearing date the twenty two of Iune therein shewing that they desired to liue according to the reformed religion and that they had separated them-selues from the Romish Church for many causes as it appeared by diuers bookes put in Print containing the summe and contents of their faith which many had sealed with their bloods and that the more it had beene persecuted the more it had spred abroad and increased as it appeared by the tiranie of the Duke of Alua that had put eight-teene or nine-teene thousand persons to death by the hand of the executioner after whome followed Don Loys de Requesens the great Commaunder of Castile who also had driuen an innumerable number of good men out of the Netherlands and caused all traficke and good handycrafts wherein the chiefe riches of the land consisted to be caried into strange and forrene countries by which meanes the warres began shewing the Spaniards practises and desseignes and their reddinesse and willingnesse to defend their natiue country and that yet neuer-the-lesse they feared that they should bee once againe put to the slaughter after that the countrie should haue made vse of them and by expence and losse of their liues and goods gotten the victory which must of necessity procure great vnwillingnesse from whence many difficulties were to bee expected by nise vsing liberty amonst the Burgers and the townes men which difficulties and inconueniences by meanes of the free permission of the reformed Religion would be let and hindered where-as to the contrary the refusing and deniall thereof would bee the originall of all euill intents and of such enterprises which neither the Protestants would like of nor they them-selues bee well pleased withall They likewise showed that they were content to put in securitie to them of the Romish religion that they desired not to roote them out nor yet to take their goods from them nor to doe any thing that should bee contrary to the duties of good Townes-men and fellow Burgers but alwayes to bee ready for the common cause to defend and maintaine their natiue countrey whereby all discord beeing layd away a perfect peace might bee established They likewise hoped that touching the reformed religion some order would before that time haue beene taken by the generall estates which by many hinderances had beene put off and chiefly by the meanes and practises of the enemy or else by some that hoped the enemy being ouercome once againe to roast the Protestants at a fire and therefore they desired that no credit might bee giuen vnto such men as reiected the pacification of Gant thinking that two religions could not bee maintayned in one kingdome and that there could bee no securitie giuen to the spirituall persons saying further that the enemy had manifestly broken the pacification of Gant and that for as much as it concerned the land they might by common consent breake mitigate expound and declare the same for the good of their natiue countrey thereby to resist and with-stand the secret practises of the enemy yet they desired that it might not bee broken but that rather according to the contents thereof the point concerning the free exercise of their religion might bee discided by the generall estates Shewing further by their request that two religions might well bee indured in one countrey by examples of the first Christians and their Emperors and after that in our times permitted by foure Emperors and by the Kings of France Poland the great Turke and the King of Morocus and others yea and by the Pope himselfe that permitted the Iewes to haue their Synaguogues And touching the securitie for spirituall persons they desired that the States would set downe an order for the same and that they were ready according to their
by the aduise and order of the generalitie of this vnion be fortified at the charge of the townes of that Prouince where they bee scituated being assisted by the generalitie with the one moitie But if it bee found expedient to build any new fortes or to demantell any in the sayd Prouinces that it shall bee done at the charge of the generalitie And to supply the expences they must bee at in this case for the defence of the sayd Prouinces it hath beene agreed that through-out all the Prouinces there shall be imposed and farmed out from three moneths to three moneths to them that will giue most certaine customes or excises vpon all sorts of wine and beere vpon the grinding of corne vpon salâ—… and vpon cloth of golde siluer and wollen cloath vpon cattle that shall be killed vpon all horses or oxen that shall be sold or exchanged vpon all goods that shall bee subiect to the great ballance and vpon all other goods which by a generall consent shall bee thought fit according to the orders and decrees which shall be set downe and that to the like end they shall employ the reuenews of the King of Spaine the ordinary charges deducted The which meanes may bee augmented or diminished raised or abâ—…ted according to the exigence of affaires confirmed onely to supply the common defence and that which the generalitie shall be forced to vnder-goe the which may not bee applyed to any other vse in any kinde or sorte whatsoeuer That the frontier Townes and all others where need shall require shall bee at all times bound to receiue such garrisons as the sayd vnited Prouinces shall thinke fit and conuenient and that by the aduise of the gouernor of the Prouince where those townes are that require garrison the which they may not refuse And the sayd garrisons shall bee payed by the vnited Prouinces and the Captaines and Soldiers besides the generall oth shall take a particular oth to the Towne or Prouince where they shall bee placed the which shall bee set downe in the Articles of their entertainment Also there shall be such order and discipline obserued among the men of warre as the Bourgers and inhabitâ—…nts of the townes and countrey as well Clergie as Laye-men shall not bee ouer-charged nor opprest contrary to reason which garrisons shall bee no more exempt from excise and imposts then the Bourgers and Inhabitants of those places where they shall be imposed so as the generalitie of the sayd Bourgers pay them for their seruice and giue them lodging as hath beene done hetherto in Holland And to the end that in all occurrents and at all times they may bee assisted by them of the countrey the inhabitants of euery of the sayd vnited Prouinces both in towne and countrey shall within one moneth after the date of these presents bee mastered and inrolled from the age of sixeteene yeares to three score that the number being knowne at the first assembly of the confederates they may determine for the better assurance and defence of the countrey as they shall finde it most conuenient No accorde nor treatie of truce nor peace to bee made no warre begun no imposts raised nor any contributions imposed concerning the generalitie of this vnion but by the aduise and common consent of all the sayd Prouinces And in all other things touching the entertainement of this confederation and that which depends thereon they shall gouerne them-selues according vnto that which shall bee resolued by the pluralitie of voices of the Prouinces comprehended in this vnion the which shal bee gathered as they haue hetherto done in the generalitie of the Estates and that by prouision vntill it shal be otherwaies decreede by the generall consent of the confederates But if in the treaties of truce peace warre or contributions the sayd Prouinces cannot agree togither the sayd differences shal be referred by prouision vnto the Gouernors and Lieutenants which are now in the sayd Prouinces who shall reconcile the parties or decide their controuersies as they shall finde most reasonable And if the sayd Gouernors and Lieutenantes did not agree togither they may call any to assist them whome they please so as they bee not partiall and the parties contending shal be subiect to entertaine and performe whatsoeuer is determined by the sayd Gouernors and Lieutenants That none of the sayd Prouinces Townes or Members may make any cofederation or alliance with any Noblemen or neighbour countries without the consent of these vnited Prouinces and of their confederates It is notwithstanding agreed that if any Princes or neighbour countries shall desire to ioyne in League and confederation with these vnited Prouinces that they shal be admitted and receiued by the aduise and consent of them all That touching coynes in the course and valuation of gold and siluer all the sayd Prouinces should conforme and gouerne themselues according vnto the Orders which should bee set downe at the first oportunitie the which the one cannot alter nor change without the other As for the point of Religion they of Holland and Zeelande may carrie themselues as they please and in regard of the other Prouinces of this vnion they may gouerne themselues therein according vnto the Proclamation of the Archduke Mathias Gouernor Generall of the Netherlands set forth by the aduise of the Councell of State and the generall Estates touching the libertie of Religion Or else they may either in generall or in particular set such order as they should thinke most fit and conuenient for the peace and quiet of their Prouinces Townes and particular members both Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill euerie one in the preseruation of his goods rights and prerogatiues so as no other Prouince may giue them therein anie hindrance or let euerie one remayning free in his Religion and not anie waie to bee troubled or called in question according to the pacification of Gant That all Clergie-men or lyuing in conuents according vnto the sayd pacification shall enioye their goods lying in anie of these Prouinces respectiuely and if there were anie Clergie-men which during the warres of Hollande and Zeelande against the Spaniards that were vnder the commandement of the sayd Spaniards and haue since retired themselues out of their Conuents or Colleges and are come into Holland and Zeeland that they shall cause sufficient maintenance to bee giuen them during their liues from them of their sayd Cloisters or Conuents and they shall doe the like vnto them of Holland and Zeeland that are retired into anie of these vnited Prouinces That in like sort entertainment shal be giuen during life according to the commodities and reuenues of their Cloisters or Conuents to all persones of these vnited countries that would depart or are alreadie departed bee it for Religion or for any other reasonable cause Alwaies prouided that such as after the date of these presents shall goe to liue in these Cloisters and Conuents and afterwards would depart againe the shall haue no entertainement
not being brought in but vsed otherwise than it ought to be or politikely and deceitfully withholden was no lesse and that therefore he for his part had beene vniustly charged and blamed for such disorders for that without money and aid he could not effect the thing they desired and that such as slandred him therin soughtnothing else but the ruine of the land and yet were beleeued and credited by many And although hee perceiued the vnthanfulnesse of them in whose presence his sonne was taken and carried away and for whose sake he had lost three brethren and run himself into great debt his lands goods being taken from him that persuaded him to accept such reasonable conditions as were offered vnto him during that treatie of peace and otherwise yet notwithstanding for the honour of God and to preferre the welfare of this countrey hee had not esteemed thereof but rather with great paine and labour and almost without any meanes vpon good credit that hee had amongst the souldiers vntill that time had hindered the enemie from making any further inuasion into the countrey although he had not ceased by all policie subtile deuices and force to seeke to inuade the same And whereas the vnited prouinces offered him the office of Lieutenant generall of the Netherlands hee well knowing and considering what crosses he had had therein gaue them to vnderstand that for his part he was content that the same should bee laid vpon some other man whom it should please the said prouinces to nominat and appoint promising according to his power to doe his best endeuour for the seruice of the countrey as hee had formerly done Neuerthelesse for that it was their desires to haue him to accept of the said Lieutenant generals place as hauing wholly deuoted himselfe to the seruice of God and their natiue countrey of the Netherlands hee wished and desired the said Prouinces to giue eare and hearken vnto the causes of the aforesaid disorders that better order might bee taken therein Saying first That there was no prouince nor towne that had beene required to receiue garrisons but as much as in them lay refused the same and that hauing receiued any garrison did not presently make all the friends they could to bee discharged and vnburthened thereof againe whereby whole prouinces and townes were lost as it appeared by Aeth Alost Mechelen and others And whereas at that time all the townes were persuaded to take in garrisons yet in so small numbers as they were not able to make any sallies by that meanes to molest and trouble the enemie but were forced to stay within their townes and by that meanes vnexperienced in armes and martiall affaires so as the enemie did what hee would in the playne countrey euen to the verie gates of the said townes And for that cause also the small townes and villages how neere soeuer they lay to the great townes were forced either to haue garrisons or else must be lost meane time the poore countrey man was on all sides â—…ansacked and vtterly spoyled Secondly he said That the disorder daily more and more increased by means that the prouinces in regard that they were so much wasted and spoyled were not able to raise and bring in their contribution wherewith they were taxed Which to preuent he said There was no fitter nor more conuenient meanes to bee vsed than to keepe good and strong garrisons within their forts and townes which might hinder and keepe the enemie from spoyling of the champion countrey whereby the rest of the countrey might be assured and vnburthened of so many vnnecessarie small garrisons and the souldiers better paid in such sort that fourteene or fifteene companies well paid and kept in good discipline would doe lesse harme and not commit so great disorders in a towne as three or foure companies vnpaid did considering that without pay they were not to bee kept in any good order And therefore he desired first that hee might haue full power and authoritie to take order for the garrisons of the frontier townes as he should thinke good not onely for the defence and preseruation of the said towns but also with more conuenient meanes to inuade the enemie Desiring also That they would consider what in times past had been done in Holland and Zeeland where the townes made no difficultie to receiue garrisons into them so that they were not onely defended but did also greatly annoy the enemie Also desiring thereby to auoid and preuent all secret practises and vnexpected inuasions of the enemy whereof hee should be secretly informed that he might passe out and in with any souldiers through any towne whatsoeuer without let or contradiction Desiring also That for the auoiding of all delayes in the execution of things there shold be a counsell of state erected He said moreouer That great difficulties were growne for want of money to maintaine the charges of the warres and that thereby all good meanes occasions and aduantages to driue and expell the enemie out of the countrey were vtterly lost which the enemie himselfe by his intercepted letters confesseth that he should haue beene forced to haue done As also that the contribution money ordained to be paid was not gathered and that if it were gathered it was disbursed againe at euerie mans disposition and therefore he thought it necessarie that when any contribution should be granted all particularities that were found faultie in the paiment or that refused to pay the same should presently be forced thereunto by order of law Alwaies prouided that they shall haue leaue to haue their recourse vnto the generality of their prouinces and townes Thus much I thought good to set downe touching these articles thereby to shew the estate of the countrey at that time he that desireth to see more may read the articles themselues The prince caused this his counsell and aduice with all speed to be put in print that euerie prouince and towne might read and consider thereof to the end that at the next assembly of the generall estates in Antuerpe they might be sent with full power and authoritie for the ful determination of that which should be found requisit and necessarie to be done according to the vnion and contract made yet many things were not then determined of For which cause vpon the ninth of Ianuary 1580 the generall estates being assembled in Antuerpe the prince once again shewed them of the difficulties and troubles that were like to fal vpon the Netherlands if speedie remedie were not had especially for that there was not a counsell of estate appointed that had authoritie to determine vpon things that concerned the generalitie for that as then euerie particular prouince and towne did that which they thought fit and conuenient for their owne particular benefit without respecting what they the country in general lost by not aiding assisting euery particular towne when need required which proceeded from want of a bodie or chiefe
assembly wherunto the particular members ought to bee subiect Saying That it was sufficiently knowne vnto them how often he had desired and sought that they should entertaine certaine horse and footmen in continuall pay which if they had done the countrey of Tourney and West-Friseland should not haue fallen into so great extremitie as they then felt neither should the towne of Mastricht haue beene lost but they might haue beene able to set vpon the enemie or else haue caused him to haue broken vp his siege For that to make an army out of the garrisons he said it was impossible without a counsel of estate that had authoritie to dispose therof for that otherwise euery prouince and towne would discharge and send away their garrison hauing no need thereof and they that had need would not suffer their garrisons to depart out of their townes prouinces or commands and many other such like disorders he said would arise onely by that means which by a counsell of estate that had full and absolute authoritie might be preuented By the which and such like disorders he sayd That diuers good men were discontented and vnderstanding not the ground of the cause layed the blame vpon them that were most blamelesse whereby it fell out that they were forced to see and behold first one towne then another to reuolt and to be lost and that those that were most zealous became faint and weake hearted also that no prince potentate nor any strange nation offered to ioyne themselues with them neither yet any of the enemy once came to yeeld to them or take their parts all making excuses vpon their bad resolution so that it was to be wondered at that the countrey endured no greater losse Seeing then that their bad resolutions were the onely causes of the aforesaid difficulties and the bad accomplishing of that which was resolued vpon therfore he said it was requisit that the same should be foreseene and amended before all other things whatsoeuer for that there were yet many good people in the Netherlands that would earnestly proceed therein especially for that as then there was much more disorder found to be amongst the enemy than was amongst them as want of money powder and all kind of munition contention factions and deaâ—…h of all things amongst the souldiers wherewith their townes flowed whereby they might easily reape profit and commodity if the prouinces hauing means strength ynough would once determine to bring an armie into the field of foure thousand horse twelue thousand footmen and twelue hundred pioners with artillerie and munition fit for the same besides the garrisons in which case it were requisit to shew vnto the colonels captaines commaunders what means they had to pay their souldiers for that otherwise no good nor honest souldiers would offer their seruice and bad souldiers that come more to get meat and drinke with impouerishing of the land than of any good will or desire to do them seruice were not fit for their turnes at such a time and that if they could not well get any other horsemen but Dutch they should be carefull to take order what colonels they should chuse and that if they ought them any thing for their fore-passed seruices that they should see them satisfied In the collections of the contributions he said there was likewise great disorder for that euery prouince receiued and vsed their owne mony for their best aduantages and not for the profit and commoditie of the generalitie as also that some collected their common taxes with too much partialitie whether it were to draw more traffique vnto their townes or els by reason of negligence or carelesnesse That there should great respect bee had touching the oath that was vsually taken of the colonels captaines officers and common souldiers for that many of them which were in seruice were of opinion that by reason of the oath they had taken vnto the king they might enterprise and vndertake any thing against the estates And that therefore for more securitie there was a certaine forme to be vsed which was what style should bee obserued in all proclamations ordinances decrees and other acts touching the titles of the soueraigntie And for that by reason of the reuolting of the most part of the nobilitie and naturall borne gentlemen of the Netherlands vnto the enemie to his great griefe they were not sufficiently prouided of men of quality to be commanders they ought to be very carefull what colonels they should chuse and that they might be well vsed and payd thereby to encourage them to be the willinger to do the country good seruice Touching all these points he said it was more than requisite to be considered of and that many things would be repaired and amended if they would follow his aduice and chuse certaine persons that should haue the ordering and managing of al causes with assured and faithfull promise to be made by them which should be so chosen to be obedient in all things that they should not need so often to heare the ordinarie answere and excuse which hath disappointed and hindered all good counsels and resolutions which was that we haue no commission nor charge from our townes or prouinces not that we should sayd hee giue such deputies authoritie to appoint and ordaine new impositions or power to deale in all causes according to their owne wils and pleasures or such like things but onely to take order about the collection of the generall meanes of contributions publickly agreed vpon or that should be ordained and appointed and to dispose them for the most profite and aduantage of the countrey to cause the souldiers to assemble together and the same againe when occasion serued to send into garrisons and to take knowledge of all politicke causes for the seruice and welfare of the Netherlands And whensoeuer this should be done he doubted not but that in short time they should find a good alteration The deputies of the estates being assembled together in Antuerpe vpon the thirteenth of Ianuarie there was another matter propounded vnto them touching the changing of their soueraigne lord that they might make report thereof vnto their townes and prouinces that so the generall estates might once againe be assembled with full power and absolute authoritie to resolue thereupon which was in effect as hereafter followeth For that the present estate of the Netherlands was such as they could make nothing but a defensiue warre which was onely to defend their townes and prouinces and yet very hardly and with great difficultie by reason of the bad vnitie and concord which was amongst them together with the euill order which had beene taken touching the countries causes both for warre and otherwise as also the delaying and deferring of matters wherby all good occasions and oportunities were let slippe and neglected and although good order were taken in all things yet they could not as it is said before make nothing but a defensiue war which
might well endure long and yet they must of necessitie loose more than they should win therby for that many would be tyred with the warres thinking that no townes which were once besieged by the enemie could be relieued and therfore would reuolt and cause more suspition and distrust And that further it was to bee considered That the continuall spoyling of the countrey would weaken and decay their power and take from them all meanes of money and other necessaries and that therefore it was requisite resolutely and couragiously to resolue vpon making of peace or else of proceeding with the warres As for peace they found that it could not be made vnlesse they yeelded themselues once againe by as good meanes as they could vnder the king of Spaines subiection Touching the king of Spaines meaning and intent they sayd it was well and sufficiently discouered by the articles of peace propounded in the towne of Cologne which articles they said could not be receiued nor accepted without bringing the Netherlands into imminent danger to be reduced and subiected vnder the Spanish yoke more than euer it had been before to the vtter ouerthrow and ruine of an innumerable company of the inhabitants of the land especially those that made profession of the reformed religion which would breed great confusion misery and destruction to the Netherlands together with the abolishing of al trade of marchandise so that there was no other means to be propounded for their security but only to maintaine warre And for that it was impossible in mans iudgement to vphold the warre in such sort as it had in times past beene done therefore it was requisite that they should resolue vpon some other proceedings thereby to shorten the warres and to rid the countries of the enemie And for that of themselues they could not find the meanes they must be forced to seeke it by some other potentate and rebus adhuc stantibus the sooner the better before they fell into greater danger for that it was to be doubted that they in the next Summer being vnprepared and not readie either should be ouer-run by the enemy which they well knew made himselfe strong or else forsaken by their reuolting friends wherein their enemy vsed all the meanes and subtill practises he could deuise That in all Christendome there was no king potentate nor prince that had offered them more fauour and friendship than the duke of Aniou brother vnto Henry the third king of Fraunce who likewise had the best meanes to annoy and hurt their enemie vpon the borders of Fraunce from whom they were to expect most aid and assistance and who of himselfe would willingliest vndertake the same with lesse feare and prompter resolution And therefore they were to determine whether they should yeeld themselues into the hands of the said duke vpon such conditions as should be propounded vnto him or not the principall causes why they had so long borne armes being these First for the reasonable and lawfull gouerning of the Netherlands vnder the command of naturall borne inhabitants of the same Secondly for the restoring and perpetuall vpholding of the rights lawes statutes priuiledges and freedomes of the land Thirdly for the eschewing and auoiding of all vnreasonable persecutions and for the permission of the exercise of the reformed religion which was found requisite and necessarie to be suffered for the common peace and quietnesse of the same All other causes in respect thereof being of much lesse importance and therefore it was to be considered whether they could agree better with the king of Spaine than with the duke of Aniou touching the same First it was most certaine and without all doubt plainely and manifestly to be seene that the will meanes and power to bring the Netherlands into subiection and vnder a strange yoke were without comparison greater in the king than in the duke for that the king would haue all the lords of the land commaunders and other officers whom he would appoint and ordaine at pleasure at his deuotion and vnder his subiection so that euery one would striue to be the first that should be receiued into his good grace and fauour not they alone that of long time had been affected vnto his seruice and hoped for reward but also those which had alwayes beene his enemies for that it had beene seene that a great number of those which had beene most earnest against the Spaniards had suffered themselues to be seduced by Monsieur de la Motte and vpon hope to be made rich were reuolted from the other prouinces and townes and so were bound and vnited together by oath Whereby euery man might easily iudge what was to bee expected from them and such as they are if they besides the passions which had drawne them thereunto should adde the respect of their duties whereby they should thinke themselues bound vnto the king To the contrary the duke of Aniou could not in many yeares purchase so great credite with the people as the king had alreadie obtained for that the king had many townes in his hands whereby hee had more meanes to attayne to his desire than the duke of Aniou although his will were good being likewise much mightier especially if hee once recouered Portugall into his hands whereby his power would euery way be too great for the Netherlands if they sought not another protector or else tooke better order in their affaires That the kings euill will towards the Netherlands was manifest for that hee was greatly mooued and incensed against the same and therefore whether it were to maintaine his honor or to giue the rest of his subiects an example and warning that they should not hereafter attempt the like or else of his owne nature desire of reuenge he would espie and watch all oportunities to be reuenged vpon the Netherlands as addicted thereunto by nature Which by his former actions and proceedings in the country of Granado India and Italie and especially in the Netherlands appeareth to bee most true for that the bloud of the principallest lords most lamentably brought vnto their ends by sword torment and poyson against all lawes of God and man and his owne promises was yet in a manner warme besides many gentlemen and great multitudes of the common people that with fire and sword and most cruell torments ended their liues with great numbers that were forced to flye out of the countrey and to liue miserably in other strange countries with their poore wiues and children whereby the trade of the land and diuers kinds of manuall occupations were carried into forraine countries and the wealth and welfare of the Netherlands much hindered and impaired It was likewise seene that vnto those against whom he had the greatest spleene and was resolued to punish them hee wrot the most pleasing and gracious letters that could be deuised And whereas hee made shew as if he had altered his mind and seemed to begin another more pleasing and peaceable
will of God is that with his blessing wee should vse the meanes which are giuen and distributed vnto vs by that singular prouidence of God Wherefore looking vnto that which God puts into his hand to vse it to his glorie if many times councels and resolutions succeed not as he desireth yet hee comforts himselfe in that he hath obeyed God putting that in practise which he hath made him to see and beeing nothing grieued after that he hath done his dutie that God doth make it knowne that he is the master and controller of all our councels wisdoms and resolutions This is the cause why he doth first seeke so to vnite the hearts of all these prouinces as with one resolution and will they may repulse the violence of their enemies he hath hitherto felt many contradictions for diuers towns and many priuate persons some through want of courage and others through manifest treacherie haue chosen the enemies partie choosing rather not the delights of Egypt but the cruell yoke of Pharaoh which they will feele too late to be insupportable rather than to endure with the people of God a temporal affliction And as her Maiestie and the lords of her councell know well that there is in the world great diuersitie and peruersitie of willes and iudgements he doth also beseech them to consider that euen among them which hold firme against the Spaniard there are many whereof part through pride part by couetousnesse and some through errour doe very much hinder the aduancement of that which is most profitable for them The which the prince will forbeare to discourse of for the small delight her Maiestie would take in such a subiect and he in deliuering it the which he referres to the sufficiencie and discretion of the Seignior Norris who for his long continuance in these parts is able to satisfie her Maiestie if it please her to do him the honour to demand it This designe was managed a whole yeare and more and yet the said prince to his great griefe could neuer effect his intentions so as euery one gouerning himselfe after his own fantasie and he hauing only a goodly name and title of honour could not execute any matter of importance neither in assailing nor defending hauing not the meanes nether yet could he aide as he desired the townes and priuate prouinces for that they haue relected his counsell and the meanes which he laid open vnto them as well to vse the meanes which they had as to seeke succour and an assured support in Germanie when it was time By these errours there haue not onely ensued losses but also such confusions in the publike and priuate affaires of prouinces and a generall ignorance of that which was done and treated or that should be done as the said prince could not with his honour write to any nor aduertise them of that which was vnknowne vnto him and ouer the which hee had no power nor authoritie The which the said prince intreats generall Norris to represent vnto her Maiestie and to beseech her most humbly to hold him excused in this point And moreouer to let her vnderstand how long the said prince had beene in speech with him to take the opportunitie of his voyage to aduertise her Maiestie more particularly of all things concerning the affaires of these countries The said prince then seeing such disorder and foreseeing yea feeling by effect the miseries that might ensue continuing notwithstanding the solliciting of this generall vnion of all the prouinces not in name title or paper but in resolution will meanes and faculties hee hath thought it necessarie to deuise the meanes vntill that this generall vnion might be concluded and put in practise to vnite most of the townes and prouinces he could that they may serue as a firme rampar for a time to oppose against the violence and furie of the enemie whilest that the others should resolue in one will And in the meane time also to preuent all extreamities that the said prouinces in case that worse should happen should defend themselues by their owne proper forces and meanes and also succour their neighbours allies and confederates according to their small power and forces hoping that God would blesse and prosper their resolutions According to the which the said prince hath of late set downe a proportion of horse and foote which may be entertained at the charges of the said prouinces which haue committed vnto him the charge of the warre with the which he will endeauour with the help of God not onely to defend the said prouinces but also to succour the rest as hee hath done within these fewe daies and doth now at this present hauing sent what forces he could to hinder the enemies incursions into the dutchie of Gueldres and to chase them out of the said countrie if it may be He hath not also omitted by the same meanes and forces to succour the countrie and countie of Flanders in releeuing the towne of Oostend and forcing the enemie to raise his siege making it knowne to all the world that the enemie did not thinke to take the townes of Flanders by force but by practises and amazement for as soone as they found men resolute to resist them they thought it best not to spend their time against such but to continue their designes with them that had other discourses which were ill grounded ouer whom they haue easily preuailed holding it for a great honour the which they haue not purchased by force but by the in esolution of many who it is said held their partie Since to fauour the towne of Gant which was resolued against the Spaniard and to keepe the enemie from taking away the nauigation to Antuerp he hath caused Terneuse to be fortified with the same forces and by the same meanes to entertaine the garrison the which besides the benefit which our men hold and retaine thereby hath disappointed many of the enemies enterprises And thus the said prince is resolued to continue according to the occasions which shall be offered beeing well assured that a conuenient armie to oppose against the enemie and to chase him away were very necessarie But hauing not the meanes without some better resolution of the prouinces and forraine succours to raise it he is content with that which hee can doe which is but little if it please not God to assist him from aboue as he praies and hopes The prince doth what he can to perswade them that haue not this resolution to embrace it that by their vnited forces they may breake the course and proceedings of the enemie in the which he will labour vnto the end seeing that such as will not giue eare to this resolution are some of them vndone and some in the way to be vndone through their owne follies And although that these affaires be so great and so waightie as it is impossible for the said princeto beare them without the singular assistance of God yet besides all these
intrappe the cheefe Commanders Collonels and Captaines of English This marchant adressing him-selfe to the Earle of Leicester and some of the deputies of the Estates giuing them to vnderstand that he had good intelligence with many officers and soldiars of the garrison of Graueling and that vnder coullor of carying of corne thether by sea bringing men into the hauen they might easely enter into the towne His desseigne was found reasonable and he had mony giuen him to buy corne and to imbarke it This exploit was to bee done by Sir Philip Sydney and other commanders But this marchant hauing bought and imbarckt his corne and brought it into the hauen hauing assured them that those hee carried with him and those of the garrison which were of his confederacie should open the port at a certaine houre appointed to Sir Philip and his men he being come neere the towne and finding the port wide open sooner then he expected hee began to doubt for that some things fayled which had beene concluded in this enterprise the which staied them from passing any further La Motte and his men who attended them with great deuotion were greedy of their prey and thought it long vntill they entred sending two or three soldiars to wish them to make hast but their marchant kept still within the towne and neuer shewed him-selfe which made them to doubt the more and in the end to retyre La Motte seeing this fell vpon them that were entred with the marchant who at the first were well entertained by them of the counterset and deceitfull faction but in the end they smarted for all the rest being about some thirtie of the English-men that were slaine The affaires of the vnited Prouinces were some-what impayred by the losse of Graue Venlo and other places the which the Prince of Parma had won who prospered more and more There fell out among the sayd Prouinces and some particular townes a secret iarre and disagreement as it happens often in an estate where as many command the one seeking to be freed from chage to day it vpon his companion And with all Collonel Schenke during the time that hee serued the King of Spaine had noted some men who gaue cause to suspect some of the estates as if they were not to bee trusted on the other side the Earle of Leicester newly made gouernor of diuers Prouinces euery one hauing seuerall preuiledges and freedomes being heretofore vnited together vnder one Prince by heriditary successions alliances of marriages guifts pourchase and otherwise retayning yet still their liberty and the preheminences of their estats hee perswaded him selfe that the authority which he ought to haue by reason of the place which he held in the said Prouinces was much diminished for that the gouernment and absolute command depended not vpon him alone nor of his councell but that the generall estats of the vnited country according to their ancient rights although that in the Duke of Aluas time this order had beene broken had in regard of them great authority to take knowledge of all things concerning their Estates This bred a ielousie and distrust the which was after-wards the cause of a greater mischiefe for Maister Paul Buys some-times aduocate of the particular Estates of Holland and appointed a Councellor to the Earle of Leicester beeing at Vtrecht was put in prison and there kept without proceeding iudicially against him nor knowing who was his aduerse partie The captaines which had taken him sayd they had done it by the Earles commandement the which he denied There were also some of the chiefe of the towne among others the signior Nicholas van Zuylen Scout or Baylife and some other priuate men who were dismist and commanded to depart the towne by sunne setting who retired into Holland from whence they sent their complaints in writing vnto the Earle who made himselfe ignorant of all so as no man could iudge whether it were by his commandment or not They of Vtrecht being more incensed against their Burguers that were sent away they banished them not onely out of their iurisdiction but also out of Holland and out of all the vnited Prouinces for a certaine time vpon paine of consiscation of such goods as they had in their signeury and Diocese The states of Holland seeing with what rigour they of Vtrecht proceeded against their fellow Cittizens would gladly haue pacified this spleene but not able to preuaile any thing many of these banished men past the Seas some going to liue in the East-countries and the rest in some other neutrall places some carelesse of this rigorous proscription remained in Holland In the meane time Maister Paul Buys remaining still a prisoner and no proceeding against him by practise or rather by suffrance of some of the prison found meanes to escape out of Vtrecht and to retire into Holland whereas his inlargement was confirmed being bound vpon the penalty of 25000 Florins to appeare and to answer to all that should bee obiected vnto him but neuer any man came to accuse him During these losses which the vnited Prouinces had susteined and the alteration in the gouernment of their affaires their mindes were much troubled with a new apprehension of feare being diuulged and spread abroad that the Queene of England was intended to make a priuate peace with the King of Spaine for her owne estates without any regarde of the safety and liberty of the vnited Prouinces her neighbors To satisfie their distracted mindes and to free them from these doubts and iealousies her Maiestie sent ouer Mr. Thomas Wilkes with letters to the councell of Estate whereof I haue thought good to inserte the coppy as followeth A Letter from the Queene of England to the estates of the vnited Prouinces sent by Mr. Thomas Wilkes the 19. of Iuly 1586. MY Maisters and our good friends wee haue beene aduertised of late that not-with-standing the assurance which wee haue already giuen you by Sir Thomas Hennedge of our firme resolution to proceed in this action wherein wee haue so willingly imbarkt our selues for your defence and preseruation there are some bad instruments among you who neither well affected to vs nor desirous of the publick good of their owne countries haue giuen it out that wee haue an intent to make an accorde with the King of Spaine and to yeeld to make a priuate peace for our owne proper aduantage not comprehending the vnited Prouinces nor caring any more for their safety and preseruation and that you could attend but one yeares succors from vs at the most with other such like inuentions rather maliciously deuised then grounded vpon any discourse of reason For it is apparent to all men of any sence or iudgement that there is such an indiuisible concurrence betwixt the estate of affaires and the publicke good of both countries as we cannot abandon your cause and leaue you to the mercie of your enemies being so farre ingaged in this action and
whom the contributions are to bee gathered might not be ouer much burthened That the garrisons might bee payd which the Commanders ouer them complained of fearing mutinies and reuolts in regard that the fourth part of the contribution gathered in Holland would suffise to pay their frontier garrisons and the halfe of the contribution of Zeeland for the garrisons of Zeeland and that therfore the three parts of the Hollanders contribution and the other halfe of the Zeland contribution would serue for the rest of the garrisons That no pioners nor laborers Wagons should bee forcibly taken out of the country villages contrary to the ordinances That according to their priuileges no man should be summoned to answere to the law out of the Netherlands That the authority of Magistrats which was much diminished and decaied namely of Vtrecht might be vpholden and restored againe That Vtrecht might not be seperated from Holland but be againe reduced vnder the gouernment of Prince Maurice That the proclamation dated the fourteenth of August concerning traficke and nauigation and the letters of the fiue and twenty of August forbidding the carrying forth of any kind of wares or marchandises tending to the ruine and ouerthrowe of the Netherlands might be called in againe and free liberty permitted vnto all men That the mony belonging to the admiralty should not bee distributed nor vsed to any other end then to the same for which it is appointed That new or strange manner of collection of contributions might no more be vsed and that no more question might be made against the administration of spirituall goods That concerning the contributions of Holland Zeeland and Friseland not touching matters of policie neither yet in the administration thereof there should bee no audience nor good credit giuen vnto any person what soeuer that had beene any dealer in the treasory of Brabant Flanders or other the enemies countries not hauing any knowledge or vnderstanding of the state of these Prouinces and that his Excelency in all causes concerning the contribution policie or such like affaires would vse the aduise and Councell of the sayd Prouinces Vnto these demandes and complaintes the Earle of Leicester made many excuses and diuerse faire promises that all should bee amended but that as now hee had some occasion to goe into England in regard that some matter of importance and great waight was then to bee handled in the high Court of Parliament in England The states sought all the meanes they could to stay him from going but it was in vaine and so the reformation was deferred tell his returne againe wherevpon they desired him to leaue some good order for the gouernment of the Netherlands during his absence for which cause vpon the three and twenty daie of Nouember hee made an act whereby hee committed the gouernment thereof to the Councell of Estate with this clause that all should bee done by aduise of the generall States authorising them with full powre to consult and dispose of all causes whatsoeuer with as full authoritie as if hee himselfe were personaly present not onelie for Marshall causes but also for policie according to their good discretions for the preseruation and welfare of the Netherlands common peace and quietnesse of the State and the resistance of the enemie with this prouiso that all dispatches and commissions should bee made and vnder written In his name with his expresse commaundement and authoritie by his Cousin Prince Maurice Earle of Nassaw and one of the Councell of the Noble Estate beeing there for the Queenes most excelent Maiestie or in their absence by two other of the sayd Councell of Estate and that the sayd Councell of Estate should deale in all other causes according to their ordinarie instructions without deminishing any of his authoritie and that the garrisons of townes and fortes should bee placed altered and changed according to their aduise and counsell but in his name and that the commissions and authorities of the same as also the passes and lodging of the souldiers in the champian countrie should in like sort be made in his name and no man to deale or meddle there-with notwithstanding any commission or commandement to the contrary and that the warre by Sea and the moneys appointed to that end should rest in the disposition of the Admirall and the counsell of the Admiraltie And further for the ordering of the warre the sayd counsell of estate should appoint a sufficient and experienced man that should sit and consult with them in the said counsell commanding all gouerners Coronels and Captaines of horse and foote both by sea and land and all Magistrates what-soeuer c. to bee obedient vnto the sayd counsell of estate as if he were personally present and that during his absence or till that it should bee otherwise appointed by the generall estates promising vpon his princely word to allow maintaine and ratifie and cause to be allowed maintained and ratified all and whatsoeuer the said counsell of estate in his absence should decree and ordaine Dated the 24. of Nouember 1586. subscribed Robert Leicester and vnder by order from his excellencie Signed Gilpin The same day the Earle of Leicester made an other act of restraint or recalling of the counsell of estates authoritie aforesaid the effect whereof was as followeth That although his Excellencie had committed the gouernment of the country vnto the counsell of estate with full power and authoritie both by water and by land commanding they should be obayed in all things as his owne person as by his act appeared yet his Excellencies intent and meaning was that neuerthelesse during his absence hee would reserue certaine causes to his owne will and disposition and therefore decreed by this other act that the aforesayd councell of estate notwithstanding the aforesayd commission and generall absolute and free power vnto them committed and granted should not alter nor change any thing touching the gouernment and command of places by his excellencie already giuen and bestowed nor touching the keeping of any Castles or Fortes as also that they should not meddle with the chiefe officers of armies as generalls of horse and foote nor their Lieutenants nor with any other principall officers vnlesse it were with the knowledge and consent first had from his Excellencie and when any one should chance to dye they should not put any other in his place but with prouiso They should not discharge any prisoners nor yet take any assurances They should not dispose of confiscations and spirituall goods without his knowledge or pre-consent And further that they should put to their helping hands that the order concerning the English companies may be obserued As also touching the carrying of victuals out of the Prouinces especially of that which groweth within the same that they should haue a speciall care regard that it were done as much as might be to the profit of the Netherlands and so he could bee well contented therewith and
gouernor of Gelder Vtrecht and Oueryssel so as he hath brought in diuers gouernors with equall power in one Prouince the which could not bee without confusion Yet there was no redresse not-with-standing many admonitions that were giuen vnto the Earle They complayned also that that the towne of Deuenter and the great fort before Zutphen which were two of the keyes of the country had beene comitted to Stanley and Yorke contray to the liking of the Estates who held them to bee no beter then traytors And although the Earle had ingaged his person and honor for their fidelities yet they found by experience and to their losse that errors committed in matters of State are not to bee repayred by gage pledg nor caution And as it seemed that these flatterers and bad councellors sought nothing more then the ruine of the country The Nobility and townes to discouer the ground of all had seazed vpon the person and papers of Stephen Perret whereby it was knowne that the said Ieames Ringault was the cheefe motiue and conductor of all the troubles a mortall enemie to the Estates and the country secretly reconciled to the Spaniard and making profession to ouerthrow all good dessigns and aduise and to breake of all good correspondency betwixt the Estates and the Earle as it appeared sufficiently by the banishment of the best Bourgers of Vtrecht whome he called vetus fermentum All which hauing bin imparted vnto the Earle by the deputies of the priuat Estates of Holland and finding it true he decreed that Ringault should be put in prison promising to do good Iustice and commanding the Prouinciall councell of Holland and west Freezland to make his processe yet hee wrought so by the meanes of his adherents and partisans as he was inlarged and for that hee should not be answerable to the iurisdiction of Holland he was led to Vtrecht there to be hed of the mutins and to deuide Vtrecht withall that diocesse from Holland vsing perswasions without ground to the Earle and to some English Noblemen that the Estates and the councell of Estate were enemies to religion and to the Earles authority for which cause the sayed Ringault was discouered by the papers that were seazed on being a very hipocriticall Spaniard and a dissembling counterfet seeking but to enrich him-selfe with the countries mony then to play banquerout and so retire to the enemies party As hee did since where they scorne him suffring him to dye in prison at Brusselles like a beggerly rascall being deteyned for his old and new debts Finally to the end their councells and practises should not be hindred by the Earles absence and retreat into England they caused him to signe this last act whereof mention hath beene made by the which the authority of the Estates and councell was restrayned in the maine points concerning the preseruation of the country the which he reserued to his own will and disposition especially the change and renuing of English garrisons holding the cheefe townes and forts of the country The which was done so secretly as neither the generall Estates the councell of estate or any priuat person did euer heare speake of it vntill that Stanley refus'd to obey the counsell of Estate producing the said act for his defence They declared also that after the yeelding vp of Deuenter and the forts of Zutphen if the fidelity of generall Norris and some Englishmen that were of the councell of State had not beene it was to be feared that the garrisons of Berghen vp Zoom and Ostend after the example of Stanley and Yorke had done the like considering the familiarity they had with the enemy to whome the English soldiars fled by troupes leauing their Sentynells and Corps de gard Where-vpon amidest so many doubts and distrusts so many practises and factions among the commons so many complaints of soldiars for their bad pay considering also the danger that might grow by the want of a Commander the generall Estates of the vnited Prouinces thought it expedient hauing no other meanes to bee assured from so mighty an enemy seeing that the respect of her Maiesty of England and the Earles authority fayled them then to take some course them-selues restoring the gouernor's of Prouinces to their first authority and setting a good order for their soldiars for the preseruation and fortification of their frontiers and to send their shippes of warre to sea against the enemy the better to incorrage the subiects They remembred also the pasports giuen in England by the Secretary Bourgraue vnder the Earles name as gouernor of the vnited Prouinces the which they said could not be good in law for that a gouernor hath no command out of his prouinces and besides it was against the good of the country They also gaue a reason for the enlargement of Paul Buys concluding in the end that the letter of the fourth of February had beene written aduisedly and with mature deliberation by the estates who haue beene alwaies accustomed to proceed roundly and plainely and without any dissimulation to impart vnto their Lords Princes and gouernors any thing that might greeue or charge the people The which they haue alwaies found the most safest course and least offenciue to their Princes that vsed reason and iustice seeing that for the loue of the commons they descouered the naked truth vnto them to disswad them from that which slanderous and false practises might induce them to beleeue and so abuse them to the preiudice of their honors and reputation As also there shall bee nothing found in the sayd letter but the pure truth proceeding from the sincere affection which they beare vnto their deere country to her Maiestie and to the honor and authority of the sayd Earle And fearing happily that her Maiestie by some sinister impression of the sayd letters had with-drawne the affection which she did beare vnto their affaires whereon depends the health of their estate and that at other times the like had happened vpon their petitions they found nothing more expedient then to send her a coppy relying vpon her Maiesties singular bountie and wisdome whereof they had heretofore tasted when shee should be more particularly informed of the whole estate of the countrey whereby she may be the better inclined to graunt them some extraordinary succors to repaire that which was shaken according to the tenor of the said letters This answer and ample declaration was made by the generall Estates the seuenteene of Iune with the which the Ambassadors and some other of the English nation after many disputes and replies had cause of contentment But the Earle of Leicester was not well pleased there-with as he shewed afterwards by his iustification the which hee caused to bee printed at his returne from England comming to succor Scluse being much discontented with the Lord of Buckhurst Doctor Clarke Maister Wilkes and especially with generall Norris whom hee caused to bee called home to be sent into Ireland to his
this moneth thinking that you haue vnderstood sufficiently thereby that he hath no other care but to restore these countries the inhabitants thereof to a sincere durable and not counterfeit re-vnion and although some yeares past they haue often tended to the same end and made some trials but in vaine yea hauing set down some forme of an accord they haue by mistaking of some whome it is not needful to name and I would to God there were no memorie of thē falne into the precedent wars so as your Lordships hauing conceiued some Ielousies and distrust seeme inclined to reiect all such conferences and treaties especially for that of late yeares your affayres haue a little succeeded according vnto your Lordships desires Yet his Highnes trusting that you will not wholy relye vppon this momentarie prosperitie which is subiect to alteration whereof the motiue causes may easily fayle would wish as all others doe that loue the publike good that your Lordships would resolue in laying before your eyes first that all worldly things haue their times and seasons And as there are times of Ielousies and distrust so likewise there come times of confidence when as they should trust one an other and prouide as well for their owne safety as for their posterities Secondly that there was neuer in any part of the world any such dessertion or controuersie but at length it was ended and reconciled more by treaties and good accords then by force of armes for that warre produceth fruites so preiudiciall to the good of the people as commonly one dislike or quarrell breeds an other Thirdly that it was neuer profitable for any Princes Estate or common weale to haue refuzed or reiected honourable and assured treaties of peace Whereof wee had rather passe ouer the examples which we haue in our memorie with silence then by the rehersall thereof to publish the errors and omissions of any And whereas your Lordships may at this present bee restrained by some distrust speaking vnder correction and with reuerence it is against reason for that the treatie which is now offered is in an other time and season vpon diuers occasions and dispositions yea it is left to the discretion and arbitrament of your Lordships with other persons that is with his Highnesse issued out of the house of Austria whose sinceritie iudgement and virtues are proper and befitting a Prince well bred whereby wee haue seene seauen or eight Princes of the house successiuely attaine vnto the Imperiall Diademe not by right of inheritance which doth admit as well bad Princes as good but by the free and voluntary election of the Princes Electors and the commissioners of the Estates of the Empire grounded vpon the virtues and constancy of the Prince whome they choose as it appeared of late in the person of the Emperour Maximilian the second his highnesse father hauing bene so milde and temperate as he is to bee held a rare and singular instrument to reconcile all controuersies in his time concerning religion and the common weale holding them in such equall ballance and ending them in such sort as his like hath beene seldome seene Whose examples and steppes his Heighnesse desiring to imitate thought it good to send you his letters by vs Which we doubt not but your Lordshippes haue receiued with as good an affection as we are assured they are written with truth and sinceritie Wherefore wee doe most hartely and humbly beseech you that it would please your Lordships to consider duly of the contents thereof and to giue such answer vnto his Heighnesse as both he and all men of honour may haue speedy cause of content in the expectation and hope which they haue of your Lordships wisdomes and discretions Offering that if your Lordships representing this honourable Assemblie or any priuate person shal bee offended or doubt in any point or article touching the vnderstanding of his highnesse letters we are ready hope in that which concernes our duties to giue them such reason as they shal haue cause of contentment this is the effect of that wee had charge to deliuer vnto your Lordship by virtue of your letters of credit intreating you to take it in good part And withall by your leaue and libertie wee will adde that his Highnesse vnderstanding that by the declarations and confessions of a certaine prisoner he is charged to haue attempted to haue the Prince of Nassaus Excellencie murthered by the hands of the said prisoner or otherwise according to the charge and order which hee had from the Earle of Barlaimont hee saith that it is an impudent insupportable slander being a thing which neuer entred into his Highnesse thought out of whose house there neuer proceeded so infamous and trecherous an act neither by the grace of God neuer shall And for the knowledge of the meere truth we haue thought it good to require your Lordships in his Highnesse name that it would please you to send the prisoner with a good and safe gard with Commissioners deputed to Antwerp or to Brussells vpon his Highnesse promise to be returned safe sound into their powers at the time and place limited Or else to cause him to be transported to Breda a town vnder your Lordships command and Iurisdiction there to be examined confronted with the Earle of Barlaimont who being accompanied with certaine Commissioners in his Highnesse name shal appeare there in person vpō certaine circumstances particularities such as shall bee thought fit and expedient graunting sufficient pasport respectiuely to that end Or else that your Lordship wil appoint some other forme of proceeding such as they shall find most expedient in that case to descouer the truth which may serue to discharg his heighnes and to proue his innocency to the honor of the iudges heere the which in that case no man would in any sort suspect that for certaine priuat considerations such words had bin deliuered by the said prisoner or otherwise to haue bruted it abroad to the preiudice of an others honor or to hinder some desseigne intended by his heighnes This was Doctor Hartius oration but he was required to deliuer it in writing the which hee did and being signed by him-selfe and Coemans it was answered by the Estates as followeth The generall Estates of the vnited Prouinces in their assembly hauing opened and red the letters of the mighty and most famous Prince Ernestus Archduke of Austria Duke of Bourgongne c. being closed vp and sealed with his heighnes seale of armes in Brussells the sixt of this present moneth of May and receiued the twelth of the same by the hands of Otto Hartius and Ierome Coemans lawiers and vpon the insinuation made by them the next day being the thirteeneth and hauing heard them propound on the fifteeneth what they had in charge by vertue of a clause of credit inserted in the said letters the which they haue exhibited by writing To make their good and sincere intention
haue and doe seeke against equitie right and reason to oppresse and ruine the Inhabitants thereof to bring them to perpetuall bondage and to make them slaues for euer 3 Item they of Groning shal hold and inioy al their priuiledges libertles rights and freedomes 4 Item the towne and the Ommelands comming to appeare and to giue their voice vnto the generalitie with all that may depend thereon they shall gouerne them-selues according vnto the which after hearing of the cause shal be set downe and decreed by the generall Estates 5 That the most Noble William Lewis Earle of Nassau shall be receiued and held for Gouernor of the towne and country of Groning according to the commission which hee hath receiued from the said generall Estates And that the controuersie which is betwixt the Towne and the Ommelands or that may grow shall remayne suspended vntill it bee ended by the said generall Estates or their Committies 6 That in the towne and countrie of Groning there shall bee no other excercise but of the reformed religion such as is at this present vsed throughout all the Prouinces and that no man shall bee disquieted nor molested for his conscience And that all Monasteries and Clergie men shall remaine in the estate they are in at this present vntill that the Estates haue sufficiently redrest the Estate of the towne and countrie of Groning And then order shall bee giuen for the inioying of the goods and entertayning of Clergie men prouided alwaies that the Commanderies of Wyrsum Wytâ—…ert and Osterwyrum shal be held intreated as other Commanderies lying in the vnited Prouinces 7 That for assurance of the generalitie and of the towne and to preuent all inconueniences betwixt the Burgers and Inhabitants they of Groning shall receiue 5. or 6. companies of the generalitie and with the aduice of the Magistrate and with the least oppression of the Inhabitants that may be they shall haue money furnished them at such a rate as shall be hereafter agreed vppon by the said Cont William and the towne and country togither 8 Touching the razing of Forts it shall bee done as need shall require and with the knowledge of the said generall Estates 9 That the towne and countrie of Groning shal for the leuying of meanes and contributions for the good of the common cause be bound to conforme themselues hereafter with other Prouinces that are contributary 10 All taxations and contributions which vnto this day haue beene contributed and receiued as also the reuenues whereof accountes hath beene made the accountes shall bee held good and that which hath not beene brought they shall come and accoumpt for before the old Law but yet they shall haue no authority to receiue the remainder 11 That all such as are fled or banished out of Groning or the Ommelands or their heires shall be restored to all their goods that are not alienated wherein modesty shal be vsed 12 And in regard of moueable goods which haue beene alienated bee it for debt or for morgage as also those which haue beene confisked the interessed may take their goods againe vnto them redeeming them for their owne vses within foure yeares restoring the money that was payed and the rent of the money Out of the which they shall defalke the reuenues which the purchaser hath receiued And if there grow any question they shal bee referred to the decision of a competent and ordinary Iudge 13 It shal be lawful for al Burgers and Inhabitants of the â—…wne of Groning Clergy or Secular to remaine freely within the towne or to retire into any other neutrall townes and places where they shall thinke good and there reside inioying their owne proper goods but not go to the enemies party 14 In this treatie shall bee comprehended al strangers of what qualitie or nation soeuer remaining at this present in the said towâ—… and there to continue their residence taking the oth of fidelitie or else they may retyre againe to a neutrall place 15 All letters of rent morgages pensions debts and charges of all Abbots Prelates and ecclesiasticall persons as well strangers as naturall being during the troubles retired into the towne of Groning appointment for their nourishment and intertainement shall remaine at the decision of the Estates or the Magistrate of the Prouince or towne vnder which those Monasteries or Colledges are scituated from whence they grow to doe as they shall thinke fit according vnto right and equitie 16 The Deputies of this Towne of Groning beeing at Brusselles in commission with their seruants and goods shall be also held for reconciled and comprehended in this accord prouided alwaies that they returne within three moneths 17 The Burgers that were taken prisoners during the seege shal be set at liberty paying their ransomes 18 The gouernement of the Towne shall belong vnto the Magistrate Prouided notwithstanding that the said magestrate and the Iurates of the commons shall for this time only be established by his Excelency and the said Cont William with the aduice of the councell of Estates And from that time forward the election of them of the Law shall be made according to the ancient custome 19. They may not by conformity of vnion transport nor resigne the towne of Groning to any Kings Princes Lords townes or common weales without his good liking and common consent nor yet build any cittadells 20. Those of the Magistrate Burgers and Inhabitants of Gronning shall take the oth of fidelity required to the generality as other townes haue done 21. All prouisions be it of mony or munition of warres victualls artillery or other things sent into Groning or belonging vnto the King of Spaine or that haue beene otherwise brought in during this warre shall bee deliuered vnto the generality or to their commissaries The accord for the men of warre the which was made with captaine Lankama lieutenant to Collonel Verdugo captaines and officers as well for them-selues as for their soldiars hauing beene in garrison in the towne of Groning and at Schuyten-dyep was after this manner First that the said Lieutenant Collonel all the capaines officers and soldiars except such as had serued vnder the Estates their wiues followers and baggage may freely depart with their ful armes without any molestation or stay to their persons or goods onely they shall be bound to deliuer their Enseigns into his Excellencies hands which done they shall be safely conducted by the Drent towards the Gouernor Verdugo wheresoeuer he shall be found to haue planted his campe and from thence beyond the riuer of Rhine with promise for 3 moneths they shall not serue on this side that riuer His Excelency for the more easie transporting of their baggage wiues children sicke and hurt men the which may endure to be carried in wagons shall cause them to be furnished with eighty wagons to serue them and to be led by a comissary and a safe conuoy such as it shall please his Excelency to appoint the
made vnto vs haue not beene much pleasing to vs to heare touching the conduct of the king of Spaines armie seeing they might well thinke and consider that such a passage of a royall armie would be burthensome to your Excellencie and your subiects and that the lodging which they had taken in the towne of Orsoy would make many to censure it diuersly But so it is whereof you may rest assured that we neuer had any thought to preiudice your lands and countries with the kings armie nor to giue you any occasion of complaint But seeing that wee were once mooued to assaile his Maiesties rebels and them of your Excellencies by armes the which beeing concluded in councell by mature deliberation whereof wee haue thought good to make you acquainted that it must be exploited in that manner your Excellencie no more than our deere and well beloued cousin wee hope will not take it otherwise than in good part As for that wee doe presently leaue the towne of Orsoy as you demaund and ruine the fort of Walsom your Excellencie shall vnderstand that for the present time we cannot vse any other passage ouer the Rhine to effect our designe but wee will doe it vpon the first opportunitie according to our promise and that the kings souldiers in their passages and in the quarters where they are presently lodged shall be held in such order and discipline as neither your Excellencie nor the duke your brother shall haue any more complaints of their subiects as they haue hitherto had and that we will entertaine good and loyall neighbourhood together the which we thought good to signifie vnto you by these presents with our sincere intention c. Contrary to these promises all this moneth of September whilest that the admirall did soiourne at Orsoy his men being dispersed ouer the countrey of Cleues took the towns of Alpen Santhen Calcar Goch Gennep not without murthers a world of insolencies 300 of whose horse went before the town of Cleues where the duke was in his palace seeking to enter into the town vpon promise that they would leaue the duke peaceably in his castle the which being refused them they returned with disdaine and fiue dayes after they returned making the like demaund saying that they had charge from the admirall and that in case they refused they would seeke some other meanes but they returned as il satisfied this second time as at the first In this assembly of the Estates of Cleues the duke and his sister beeing there in person the princesse behaued her selfe couragiously incouraging the said Estates and their nobilitie yea sometimes with teares in her eyes And there were letters written on the dukes behalfe and hers vnto prince Maurice thanking him for the good order hee held to keepe their countries from oppression intreating him to continue it and to preserue them as much as he could and not to be discontented against them that the enemie had lodged so long in their countrey but rather that he should haue pitie and commiseration of them And as the deputies of the inferiour circles were then assembled at Dortmont they were required by the Estates of Cleues to send cont Vander Lippe to the admirall to pursue the restitution of Orsoy but it was farre from thence and the admirall made no account to leaue it so lightly Prince Maurice whilest that the admirall did fortifie Orsoy meaning to take a view of his whole armie he caused it to be put in battaile by squadrons vnder the mountaine of Elten in a great plaine of heath if haply the Spaniard who had past the Rhine should haue any desire to charge them but no occasion being offered the prince was glad to see the good order of his horse and foot and their resolution and desire to affront the enemie The admirall hauing finished his fort of Walsom nere Orsoy on the 29 of September hee sent to summon the towne of Rhineberck by friendly letters written to captaine Schaef gouernor of the towne whom he knew to be verie sicke of the plague the which was at that time verie hot in the towne who made him no other answer but That they were in conference with the prince elector of Cologne to deliuer it into his hands whereof hee expected an answer wherefore he could say no more vnto it at that present Before Berck there was a little island in the middest of the Rhine whither prince Maurice expecting it would bee besieged had sent three companies to intrench themselues there who finding the place not onely discommodious but that at a low water the enemie might passe easily ouer and cut their throats they retired into the towne although they died verie fast there hauing not aboue foure hundred men left The admirall not content with this answer writ againe to captaine Schaef sending him word That notwithstanding the said conference hee should deliuer the towne into his hands by prouision And he did in like maner write vnto the captaines wife promising to giue her a good recompence if she could persuade her husband But it was all labour lost besides prince Maurice hearing of Schaefs sicknesse had appointed captaine Hedduic to be gouernor of the towne so as the admirall being forced to vse other materials than inke and paper on the 10 of October he came to inuest it They of Wezel the chiefe towne of Cleueland goodly rich and a place of great traffique and thinking to light a candle before the diuell they resolued to send him some goodly presents to appease his wrath that he should not force them as he had done other townes of the same countrey on the other side of the Rhine writing vnto him and desiring a pasport for their deputies horses and wagons that they might bring him the said gifts and presents safely Whereunto the admirall answered in substance That it was not his intent nor custome to accept any presents to diuert him in any sort from his duetie for the profit and seruice of his friends but rather he required that they all together according to the necessitie of the time should do their indeuors with him and labour to take away the occasions and causes of all the miseries wherewith the Church and Commonweale were so torne and dismembred By reason whereof seeing the chiefe point to serue the common good and to purchase his fauour consisted therein that they could not send him a greater present than to let him vnderstand that they indeuour to cut off the causes of this mischiefe and to restore the Church and Commonweal to the estate they were in before the troubles the which hoping should be accomplished by them they should therein make him great presents and might spare the charge and danger of sending to him From Orsoy the 12 of September The earle Vanden Broek did in like maner write the twentieth of the moneth vnto the admirall intreating him to send him a safegard for his castle of Broek
to haue a delay for the deliuering of his propositions the which he said he would at large in writing on the sonday following At which day the said cōmissioner being in the assembly of the deputies he presented a certain iustificatory writing in the admirals name promising as soone as might be to retire the Spanish forces out of the limits of the empire The letters which the admirall had written vnto the deputies of the circles assembled at Cologne from Rees the twentieth of Ianuarie to excuse himselfe were full of allegations pretending an vrgent necessitie which had moued the king of Spaine to come and lodge his armie in those quarters that hee might the better by that meanes subdue his enemies the Estates laying before them the great benefits which the empire had receiued from the king of Spaine and the house of Burgoigne wherefore it was reciprocally bound to serue and accommodate him therein saying that he was not come thither with any bad intent to incorporate any mans lands or countrie or to wrong any man but through extreame and vrgent necessitie and with sincere affection which hee bare vnto the empire and the preseruation thereof accusing as much as possibly hee could the Estates of the vnited prouinces to bee the onely and chiefe cause of these miseries for that they would neuer reconcile themselues vnto the king notwithstanding so many goodly treaties which haue bin offered with the intercession of the emperour other kings and princes of Germanie nor yet the grace which the king of Spaine hath done them to haue transported all his Netherlands to the Infanta his daughter with the archduke Albert so as they haue bin forced to take a very rigorous course And seeing that the king the said archduke had made him Generall of their armie to imploy it as soone as might bee and to march into the kings countrie which was held by the enemies they haue thought they might well allow them so much as to passe by the frontiers of the empire to take from the enemie those places they held and afterwards restore them to their lords In the meane time by the long expectation of the prince elector of Cologn after the yeelding of Rhinberck and the retreat of the enemies shippes vpon the Rhine the said armie by the diligence of the archduke pretending to ruine Schencks fort situated vpon one of the corners of the Rhine had staid still but afterwards beeing suspected of delaie in the pursuit of this designe wee haue brought it said hee along the Rhine to aduance that businesse by his presence and ours And beeing come thither the which by reason of the treaties and negotiations was a long worke it was forced to remaine there as well to assure the riuer of Rhine and defend the towne of Orsoy as for other considerations They were forced to vse the towne of Burick to disappoint the enemies and to hinder their designes In the meane time victuals and forrage beeing wasted considering the complaints of neighbours many things haue past among others the fact of cont Vanden Broeck who for his accustomed cruelty and for the hatred he had formerly borne them falling vpon them that went to forrage and putting them to the sword remembring it and beeing incensed to reuenge for former affronts hauing neglected and contemned our brotherly admonitions desiring rather to practise armes than to entertaine amitie if any thing hath happened vnto him more than wee would it was with our griefe and dislike and whereof wee are resolued to doe iustice And when as the neighbour countries came vnto vs to complaine of the wrongs and oppressions which they said they had endured wee haue giuen them iust and lawfull excuses to euery point so as after wee had taken Bergh to preuent the pollicie of the enemie as soone as wee had receiued money and victuals from them of Wezel according to their redemption and accord made with vs to distribute among our men and to raise the army which wee brought to Rees and hauing well furnished it wee came to Emerick in view of the enemie a towne seated vpon the Rhine neere vnto Schencks skonce the which beeing strong both by art and nature of hard accesse by reason of the waters ill to batter and worse to assault leauing it there wee tooke the high countrie and went before Deutecom the which yeelded and so did the castle of Schuylenbourg Whilest this past beeing in counsell what was to bee done whether to lead the armie vp higher and farther into the enemies countrie or not considering the varietie of the season raine cold and swelling of the riuers the depth of marish and muddie waies and the poore estate of the souldiers beeing impossible to hold them longer in the raine and wind after long consultations by the reasons of warre the iniurie of the time and the preseruation of the armie it was held most expedient to winter in the neerest places that is in the countries of Cleues Munster Marck Cologne about the Rhine and beyond the Meuse that they might thereby both stoppe the enemies courses entertaine the kings armie all the winter and haue it euer in a readinesse By reason whereof wee haue seene what the common necessitie required which was the shortest course and the most expedient for vs to hasten as wee haue courteously done according vnto militarie order seeing that through the shortnesse of time wee had not leisure to demaund nor attend the consent of superiours who by their difficulties and tedious disputes might haue beene the cause of greater danger Against the which as many by reason of the strangenesse of the fact neither knowing the danger necessitie nor profit thereof haue made their complaints vnto their princes who apprehending the hindrance of their subiects haue also complained vnto vs wee haue answered them courteously commending the good amitie of the confederate lords of the Rhine and of their countrey against all inconueniences putting them in mind of the kings great benefits and of his hazard to preserue the countrie territories of the empire from vtter ruine to the preiudice of his own affaires Finally we gaue them to vnderstand the kings iust intention and ours in this action hauing demaunded nothing more of them but that wee might winter for a time not to hold any thing nor to doe any manner of wrong or oppression earnestly intreating them to put in ballance according to equitie the benefits which they haue receiued from the king against the small hindrances which the lodging and entertaining of his souldiers may cause them suffer in regard of that which his enemies had caused them to endure if this armie of the kings had not restrained them Finally hauing laid before them the assurance there was were it by peace or warre that rest and tranquillitie would ensue that it would please them to beare this common fortune modestly betwixt them and the king and containe their subiects for a time with
their highnesses haue also had since their first comming into these countries the which had beene long since effected if the time spent in their instalments in these their countries had not beene some let being necessarie for them to begin with that ceremonie not only to giue the common people contentment thereby but also to accomplish that which was promised before my lord the archdukes your princes departure into Spaine and now hauing proceeded thus farre the cause of this assemblie being well knowne to euerie one of you for that you may haue beene particularly informed thereof in each of your seuerall prouinces it shall not be needfull to make any long discourse of that which is here to be done touching the aduancement of the countries cause for that your princes long much to heare what you intend to propound vnto them beeing well informed of the businesse hauing also no intent to offer any new matter vnto you but that wherewith you are alreadie made acquainted And their highnesses thinke it sufficient that you know and are assured that they are come hither to liue and dye with you and to do all offices befitting good and mild princes hoping withal that you for your parts wil not faile to do the dueties of good and faithfull subiects And if you desire to vnderstand more of their loues and affections towards you it shall appeare by that which they now desire at your hands which is To be carefull and prouident for the present estate of your countrey which to their great griefe they find to be in farre worse estate than they would haue it It discontents them to see you surcharged with so great burthens yet they haue not vndertaken to disguise any thing vnto you nor yet to feed you with any vaine hopes or to hold you in suspence for they know there are many great difficulties to surmount the which we must both labor and sweat hauing no better meanes to be vnburthened thereof and to free our selues from these difficulties which seeme to enuiron vs round about than to shew our power and force according to our abilities alwayes with the helpe and assistance of God the which shall neuer be wanting if we pray heartily vnto him The chiefe cause therefore of this assembly in regard of the great and generall complaints and the disorders which grow daily by such long and bloudie warres is That their highnesses desire that all in generall and euerie one of you in particular will endeuor your selues to giue him counsell how it may be effected and to set downe the necessarie meanes to be vsed for the maintenance of the common cause the setling of some good course for the profit and commoditie of the countrey I do not prescribe in what manner it should be done wherein they desire to haue your wise aduice and counsell hauing no other intent but to gouerne all things well as their future actions shall make manifest But to proceed to a point of greater importance whereon we must resolue is either Peace or Warre Peace were more beneficial vnto vs which without doubt is that which you much desire and your princes much more than you being naturally inclined therunto and desiring to gouerne you in peace and quietnesse If therefore you know any means how to attain vnto it you shal doe well to impart it vnto their highnesse wherein they will heare you with all attention and stand alwayes readie with open armes to receiue the strayed members and to vnite them againe to the whole bodie from the which to their owne great preiudice through the persuasions and instigation of some men they haue indiscreetly seperated themselues and which is worst of all haue so hardned their hearts as no reasons offers nor meanes haue hitherto been of force to draw them to any reconciliation If this then bee no more successefull than the former wee must of force take armes in hand and prepare to war for the maintenance whereof we haue a million of aduantages aboue our enemies for besides that God doth commonly aid the iust cause wee our selues are without all comparison the stronger yet wee will not denie but wee haue our meanes and chiefe maintenance from that great monarch of Spaine whereas the vnspeakable treasure of Peru and the Indies lye open vnto vs in regard that the yong king loueth the high and mightie Infanta his sister so deerely and sheweth more bountie vnto her than the deceased king her father But it is true all must not come from thence we must put to our helping hands that we may once free our selues from these miseries and for that cause you are called to this place to aduise with one consent of the meanes how to maintaine the wars vntill it shall please God to send vs a good peace That which is allowed monethly by the king of Spaine amounteth vnto two hundred and fiftie thousand crownes and what more is to bee added thereunto must bee raysed in these countries wherein you must resolue what course you thinke fittest to imploy the money comming out of Spaine and that which shall be leuied here thereby to keepe better martiall discipline to suppresse all complaints and disorders and to content the common people Moreouer you must haue a care for the paiment of your ordinarie garrisons and the repayring of your frontier towns and forts the which must necessarily bee done for that they are in great danger Besides all this you know that euerie man must liue of his owne the which is to be vnderstood both of princes and priuat men The inheritance and patrimony of our princes is their demeanes whereof in times past the dukes of Bourgoigne who were our princes and their predecessors did liue reseruing it for themselues and their houses but being once vnited with Spaine our princes grew so mightie hauing so many other estates and kingdomes as they made no estimation of the reuenues of these countries for their owne maintenance but did bountifully imploy and pawne the reuenues of these countries for the necessities of the war and for the defence and preseruation of the countrey in such sort as it is scarce able to pay the rents whereunto you must haue a great regard as being bound by nature to discharge those debts which were made for you that our princes may haue meanes to liue and not bee burthensome vnto their subiects It is to be hoped that this may bee effected in few yeares whether it be by such meanes as you your selues shall find out or that their highnesses shall propound vnto you In the meane time they desire you to prouide them meanes whereon to liue vntill their reuenues may bee freed from all such debts If these things may bee effected we shall haue meanes to bridle our enemies to keepe our souldiers in discipline to preuent all disorders and to pacifie the daily complaints which are verie great and many to the great trouble and griefe of their highnesses and of all