general That they might never be divided from Brabant and Holland While these Matters were argued pro contra Maximilian the Emperour much troubled thereat and also taking into commiseration the Prince of Aurarge his Condition so suddainly thrust out by violence from such great Estates and Prehemnences though that Design of his wrought no milder Temper toward those Dominions sent his Brother Charles into Spain to inform the King in his to wit the Emperours Name and the rest of the Princes of Germany That they thought it not convenient for the Publike Good that the Netherlanders should be used so harshly any longer But Philip as well as he could dissembling his Anger yet churlishly commanded to be returned for Answer That the Care of managing his own Affairs belonged properly to himself who as he knew when it was fit to shew Mercy so likewise he was not to learn when to use Severity to such who having first laid aside their Duty towards God would in a short time not fear to shake Hands with Obedience to their Prince and that it would be an Action more safe and honourable for them if they would desist to intermeddle in Affairs in which they were altogether unconcerned There were some that counselled the regaining of those Parts of Lower Germany by Warre which had been torn from the Body by the strong Hand of their Lords But the Emperour of his own Nature always loving Peace and being lately allyed to the Spaniard by a new Tye of Affinity sate down and medled no more But a few of the Germans either out of their regard to Piety Envy of the Spanish Greatness or Hatred of Alva too well known among them did aid the Prince of Aurange with Men and Money and it may be also moved with Suspition that Alva had a Design upon some Cities near the Rivers Rhene and Amasis to subject them to his Master because they had been Receptacles to many of the Netherlanders banished for their Religion Many of the Neighbouring People had bound themselves by Hostages to be true to and assist the Prince of Aurange in his Expedition and something also was given by the Netherlanders who now being compelled to inhabit abroad either the Desire of return to their Country or private Wishes of enjoying Liberty at Home prompted But many of those Promises failed in their Event so that having by the Dictates of his own Judgment and Fore-sight gathered together Six Thousand Horse and Fourteen Thousand Foot chiefly and the greatest part out of Germany where great Multitudes of Men caught with the Bait of present ready Money never thought of the future nor minded whose part they took but were ready for any that would hire them best the remainder of the said Army was made up partly of Netherlanders themselves and partly of French These Forces letting slip the first Opportunity of fighting Alva at the Passage of the Maze being then unprovided were afterward by him easily weakned and brought to nothing by not fighting getting the more noble sort of Victory Which Policy of evading Fight had before that been fortunate to him â— Italy when he stood in opposition to the Duke of Guise Therefore for three and twenty days together he lay stilâ— in the Rear of them as they marched with his Camp so circumspectly and with Prudence fortified toward the Enemy that they could never force him to fight with their Desperation Then was put in practice that Villany which will never be left off to wit that both Parties should maintain their Right by Countries living in Peace for whether a Passage was given or denied through the Lands of Cleve or Leige always the one Party would revenge it self either by robbing the Country or burning it However at last this great Army being neither admitted by one City nor relieved with any Provision in a short time mouldred away through an extream want of all things but chiefly of Pay with the slender Remains whereof the Prince of Aurange being hardly able to march into France carryed thither together with it all his Hopes where for some time finding Employment in that Forreign Warre though the cause thereof were something his for Alva had sent thither Forces also to help the King yet by the suddain making of Peace he was disappointed and not onely so but Traps laid to insnare him The Army being thus broken whereby without doubt the Nassauian Strength was much impaired and exhausted as he grew very wary how he ran into Dangers So Alva great now with Success esteeming himself a Conquerour of those People whom he had yet never felt as Enemies did ambitiously desire the Glory of his Authority thus won as he supposed by Conquest And under this Notion and Name of Conquerour he is presented with a Consecrated Sword from the Pope with an Inscription of his Deeds as Fame had reported them which being a Piece of most excellent Workmanship he placed in the beautiful Castle of Antwerp that serves to no other use than to keep under the People as the Scituation thereof averted from the River doth plainly testifie Moreover he erects a Statue in his Honour with a large Eulogy thereon to wit that by appeasing the Sedition destroying and punishing the Rebels and promoting of Justice he had restored Peace to these Provinces At this time he setled many things no lesse profitable than specious as concerning money Merchandises punishment of vices and enormities and rash divulging of Books works in themselves so good that they will never be forgotten unless by the Odium of his name who was the first settler thereof But now the Inquisition as to matters of Religion the Acts of the Councel of Trent the new Bishops and things hitherto winked at if not utterly repudiated were received willingly as it were for otherwise it was in sight that would compel them their hatred being now grown to that heighth that who over had been baptized by the Protestants according to the Rules of Christianity should yet be re-baptized though contrary to the institution and practice of the Antients Nor did this new Tribunall grow lesse furious against the old crimes of Treason to the number of whom were added all such as were but suspected to have wished good success to the late undertakings of the Prince of Aurange or to have grieved at the ill fortune and miscarriage thereof yet while these things are thus doing there was a way studied how to make their Victory seem more honourable by the report of Clemency which was this By setting out an Edict in the Kings name wherein a Pardon should be granted to all that would come in and confess their former misdeeds but still excepting and reserving to punishment all Teachers and Ministers of Religion and those which did assist or harâ— them all those whose impious villanies violated the Sacred â—cesses of Churches or holy places and all such as here Arms â— took preferment or were consenting to the confederacy of tâ—
many and great Advisers of Concord the States in effect gave one and the same Answer the words onely varyed but they wrote to the Dane with more civility than any of the rest I will here briefly relate the Reasons of this their Resolve so often before-mentioned least that passe for currant with the Reader which they began by often hearing and repeating the same things to nauseate They insisted that both by the French and English Allyance and afterwards by the great vertue of Prince Maurice they were so obliged that they could not in private either accept or suffer any Articles of Peace which as it would be wicked so likewise would it be dangerous for them to think because the thoughts of Peace though frivolous yet makes all men more remiss in matters of War and for the most part from the liberty and Leagues of Cities springs discord and hatred And at this time were certain Letters written by William Clement the Spanish Orator to the Emperour discovered which did set forth such hopes and that the Germans had onely gotten envy from the Hollanders by their motioning of Peace And then were added the examples of divers things done at Breda Gaunt Colen and in Brabant and Flanders which had much promoted the Enemies snares After which things they averred that they could never hope for an end of the War from the Spanish infidelity but by the goodness of God the onely Ruler of Armies if perchance then the Netherlanders consent might prevail A word or two now for the cause how and under what necessity of labouring they were compelled to those things whereof no agreement could make them secure It was the Interest of their Neighbours least the King of Spain being eased of so great a War should grow greater by the addition of those Forces which should by Peace become subject to him which if he once attained he might have alwayes in readiness an Hundred Thousand Men. Now to oppress and enslave one anon another That it was a frequent Speech in the mouths of the Spaniards that the Hereticks were to be Conquered by the blood of Hereticks nor did they by that Name comprehend the followers of the Reformed Religion as it is called but also those of the Augustane Confession both by their own and the Popes Judgement and because that name is no less hated now by the Common-wealth then of old was that name of King among the most puissant Romans and yet there remain some tracks thereof with those People which affect such a Soveraign Dominion as is next of all to liberty neither is that Form of Government which the Polanders publickly maintain so much grounded upon the Right of Birth as the consent of Election whereof also the German and Dane retain a Similitude giving almost the same account of their Governments They say the Netherlanders were never enslaved but had alwayes a moderated Empire bounded by Laws That the care of the Laws was committed from their Ancestors to such as gave particular Testimonies of Valour and Vertue That the Inclinations and Affections of Governing by Justice passed from Father to Son for then there was no infinite unbounded and Arbitrary Power but it was kept within Assemblies which made the Name of King be wholly unknown Then both Prince and People had a Confidence and Faith of each other untill Philip not onely by perverting Judgement and exacting things never granted violated the Oath he had taken but also on the other side he contemned and said aside contrary to all Justice and Equity the true intents of Embassies dipping his hands in the blood of innumerable Innocents That which Nature Commands all Creatures which is the Principle of self-preservation we have done and not promiscuously as Libertines but under the Conduct of a worthy Prince the Prince of Aurange In the interim many Supplications were made to Philip and the Neighbour-Princes solicited him to mitigate the severity of his Resolutions But after that Treachery and Revenge were found to lie hid under the pretences of his peace We removed which is no new thing among Subjects him doing by his power such things as were contrary to his duty as a Prince and this by a publick Decree wherein were set forth all the Causes and Motives thereof And then again it seemed good to some to Elect for their Prince the King of France his Brother while others submitted to the power of the Prince of Aurange which they had no sooner done but forthwith he was assassinated by Spanish Treachery and the Succession of Government by his death devolving to Prince Maurice who now being supported by the Allyances of sundry great Princes defendeth and enlargeth our limits by Arms. I have in this manner declared these things that among Remote Nations the Report of Affairs then might be known from the use of matters at present Nor were the Hollanders satisfied to shake off the offers of Peace but that they incited others to take up Arms objecting against the Spaniardâ— his ambition and thirst after Kingdoms and the greatness of his Power to do mischief Reproaches of a long standing which great Empires very hardly or never can escape And for the better winning of Credit hereto besides the manifest Examples of France and Brittain were published all Albertus his Demands against many Cities of Germany and also a fresh document from Erabant what might be hoped for touching Religion The Relation thereof followes Anna Hovia a Maid living in Family with her Sisters to whom she was in nature of a Servant being suspected of dissenting from the Popes Sanctions was thrown into Prison and when they overcome either by the threats or prayers of her Friends or the allurement of life wherewith even the greatest minds are made to sloop had begged her Pardon by acknowledging her ignorance she alone was nothing moved but in the interim with modest Speeches she obtested that being a Woman and so both by Sex and Fortune exempts from troubles and as she her self believed maintaining no false Opinion but if it were so that she was guilty of error who could pardon her for it for that was an offence not against men but God and he would take vengeance for the same if any one overcome by fear against the thoughts of their heart should recant although it were thereby to maintain the truth of whom the Senate advising whether they should give judgement or â—â— Albertus is reported to have made answer Let the Laws be put in execution You may the more justly wonder hereat that so cruel and inhumane a punishment should yield delight or satisfaction to any Spectators for she was buried alive under ground at Bruxells the Authours of this Barbarisme probably expecting she would have repented But she now descending into the Cave and being placed between Death and the Priests ready to give her absolution without any shew of fear calling onely upon God she was covered over with the Earth and buried alive This Womans
should be raised onely in their Name and should fight under their sole Command and at their Charge And from thenceforth the so much envyed Authority of the English Embassadour was absolutely taken away Yet still the Queens Priviledge of nominating an Assistant to sit with the Senate was reserved If the Queens Enemies should invade her either by Land or Sea or the Queen should think sit to make War upon her Enemies the Dutch upon notice should add to her Fleet 30 or 40 lusty and stout Ships together with an Army of Five Thousand Foot and Five Hundred Horse Upon these Articles and Covenants a firm Agreement was made but reserving to the Queen her Right that she might vindicate her cause against the Netherlander under the King of Spain's Jurisdiction There was excepted out of this League Palavine's Debt of Fourscore Thousand Florens which was afterwards privately compounded It was not that England chose Peace rather than War by this League but that as it was eased of a Burthen so it had gained thereby a Fortification Not long after this some were taken who went about to poyson Queen Elizabeth and in Ireland by one happy Fight and the taking of a Castle was the cruel Tyrone made Prisoner while he was drawing the Province of Munster to partake in his Rebellion No more did the Hollanders repent them of their Old Resolution although there was a new Face of Affairs with the Enemy and many ways were sought to invite them Aod now the Report of the New Marriage grew every day more frequent these being Letters brought to the Netherlanders by Friasio whereby the whole Government of them was turned over to the Princess Isabella The Causes and Articles of which King Philip published to be these When by the Pope's Licence he had destined and by the Consent of all his Relations Resolved to bestow his best Beloved Daughter in Marriage upon his Kinsman he conceiv'd it would be of great Advantage to the Netherlanders to the advancement of Peace and settlement of the present Government that they might always have their Prince present among them which their Ancestors could not be in regard of their many and great Cares and therefore he did give and grant unto his said Daughter all the whole Country of the Netherlands and every part thereof together with Charlois and the County of Burgundy together with the Name of Duke of Burgundy for the French had long since got the possession thereof yet so that himself and his Successours Kings of Spain should enjoy the Honour of the same Title with the chief place among the Knights or Companions of the Golden Fleece being an Order instituted by his Fore-Fathers Adding moreover all other Things that were thought fit by Men learned in the Law for Confirmation of the Premisses by which the Rights of Principality and the Revenues and all other Incidents pertaining thereto might the more rightly descend and pass unto the said Isabella and her Posterity These Things were the more remarkable because Philip using the word Clientole did declare That he gave all those Dominions to his Daughter in Fee And this seems to be added because the greatest part of the Lands were held of the Empire and other part of the Crown of France and then because by his Command the Oath which the Nobles had formerly taken was to be alter'd now from the Obligation to himself in a New Obedience to his Daughter And if any thing contained in these Instruments seemed to contradict the Law in my point that he did confirm by his Supream and Royal Authority And if it should happen that no Children should proceed of this Marriage or that Issue Male or Female did ever fail all the aforesaid Premisses and the Right thereof to revert to the Kings of Spain And this was given as a Reward to the Merits of Albertus that he might have the Government of the Netherlands as a Comfort to his Wiâ—owship And if there were any Issue then the use and profits thereof but nothing to descend to the Heir besides the Revenue of the Dutchy of Lutzenburg and the County of Chiny There was also prescribed an Order of Succession First to the Male then to the Female and so to the Younger and the Elder Daughters Nephew should procede the Younger Son That it should not be lawful to divide or alien the Lands unless by the King's Licence And it was provided also that this Gift should return to the Donor many ways As if any Woman should for the future attain the Netherlands that it should presently return to the Hands of the King of Spain or his Heirs neither might it be lawful for a Son or Daughter being Princes of the Country to marry or otherwise alter their condition unless by the Consent of the same King Moreover They are forbidden by themselves or their Ministers to intermeddle in the Trade of America or the Indies and that every one coming to that Government is to swear to these Articles and also to maintain the Romane Catholike Religion And if any thing be done to the contrary the Right of the Netherlands to come to the Spaniards These Instruments were signed by the Father and attested by Witnesses the Sixth of May. The same day the King's Son and Heir Philip also by Name gave his Consent to the same by Writing carefully taking Cautions according to the Laws There were divers Speeches concerning this matter and they disagreeing among themselves as is usual in such Cases Some accused this as an Evil Custom that the Heads of Free-men or any private Service should be rated and valued That it was onely used by Barbarians to give and bestow Dominions For of what value was a Prince among them who never knew what belonged to Lordship But to them that make a distinction between Right and Wrong it is nothing ambiguous because the matter belonging to the People makes the Government from thence be called a Commonwealth The ordering whereof as it is in some places committed to the Nobles or Senate so with most it is setled under the Tuition of a Prince Nor was there ever any just Empire but what begun by the Consent of the People who have trusted the Defence thereof either to one Single Person or else by reason of Faction in Suffrages to more who have this onely Reward of their Honour that next to their own Welfare they take Care of the benefit of their Subjects Which as it is true every where so is it more manifest among the Netherlanders who being neither Conquer'd by Arms nor yet willing of their own accord to serve will not suffer their Princes to do many Things but with a Limited Power and Revenues it being chiefly forbidden left at any time they should break any part of the Trust commiâ—ted to them And therefore in former Time the Daughters were put off with a small Portion in Money To the rest of the Children were given Governments and other small Offices the
so do other places 319 320 Namur and Lisle refuse Spanish Garrisons 325 Nassau Philip of Nassau slain 392 Netherlanders Letters to King Philip concerning his Daughters Marriage with Albertus 529 530 Netherlands turned over to Albertus and Isabella the causes and Aâ—cles thereof declared by King Philip. 562 563 564 Several Opinions concerning his 〈◊〉 564 565 Netherlanders set 〈◊〉 to their obedience 567 568 Their desires to the Arch-Dukes 651 652 Newport a Town in Flanders besieged by Prince Maurice 667 Nassau Count Ernests worsted 〈◊〉 fight by Albertus at Leffingen Bridge 670 671 Newport Battel the beginning and end thereof and Victory gotten by Prince Maurice 678 679 ad 680 The number of the slain and names of the prisoners 685 686 Netherland States summoned to meet at Bruxells and the Arch-Dukes Speech to them 688 Notte Colonel succeeds Dorpe in the Government of Ostend 760 Nassau John his death and Character 856 857 Naya Francis who he is employed by the Arch-Dukes about making peace with the Hollanders 878 His desires to the States and their Answer 889 890 Netherlands under the Arch-Dukes their bounds 892 Naya appointed to rende at Delf and why 893 He hath a private meeting with Cornplius Asten Secretary to the States and the effect thereof 983 984 Nassau Adolphus slain and how 949. O. OAth imposed by the Regent on the Commander and why and who took the same 4â— Ocean breaks over its bounds with a great distruction 5◠〈◊〉 Issell Doway and other places submit to the Duke of Parma upon Condition and the heads of the same 105 106 Oâ—denard besieged stormed and taken by Parma 127 Oath imposed by the Confederate States when why and on whom 1◠〈◊〉 Michael his Ship burned and â—ow becomes a booty to the English 2â—1 â—arson Garrisoned by the Prince 291 Delivered to the Spaniard 316 323 â—al an Irish Title abjured by whom and why 403 Ostend the Siege thereof threatned but no more blocked up by Albertus 50â— â—sen 〈◊〉 by Prince Maurice 519 Ostend taken also by the same and dismantled 519 〈◊〉 and Mulsem fortified and why and by whom Orseo besieged 592 593 〈◊〉 blocked up with Form by the Spaniards 6â— Besieged by Albertus with a large descriptiâ— of the Town and the whole Siege from the beginning to the end with the Surrender thereof upon honourâ— Conditions and the names of the several Governments during the time 698 699 700 701 ad 705.708 ad 710.713 ad 717.760 ad 762.774 ad 777 Oldeâ—zpole besieged by Spinola and yielded 800 801 〈◊〉 French Colonel killed 812 〈◊〉 Burnâ—velt perswades to peace 877 In suspected and layes down his Offices in the Common-wealth had â—on desire takes them up again 944 945 P. POpe when he attained his heighth of Power and how and by what degrees 14 Philip the second King of Spain departs out of the Netherlands 21.23 〈◊〉 to consent to the States Request for removal of the Souldier 22 〈◊〉 great affection to the Netherlanders but quite contrary 29 Send his Wife Elizabeth with the Duke of Alva to a Conference at â—ajon with the French King and his Mother 30 Displeased with several of the great Men and why 32 Disappointed of rising Forces and how 36 Popes Authority denyed and by whom 38 Publike Commotions first begin in the Low-Countries and why and by whom 37 Philip talks of going into the Netherland 43 Hâ—s churlish answer to the Emperours Message by his Brother to him 52 53 His name used in all Cases by the Union 70 75 Peace Treaty of Peace at Breda between whom and the refuse thereof 76 77 Philip dischargeth his Creditors without payment 82 Approves the Peace made at Gaunt 85 Desired to make peace with the Hollanders and by whom and why 90 Parma the Duke of Parma succeeds Don John in the Government of the Netherlands his Character 103 104 He besiegeth Maestricht and takes it 104 110 111 Peace Treaty at Colen and the result thereof 104 105.110 Portugall Kingdom claimed by King Philip and Conquered by Alva to his use 114 115 Parma Duke receives Recruits from the King 1â—8 170 He pitcheth his Camp between Gaunt and Bruges 141 Takes Dendremuâ—d and Vâ—lvorde 148 Plicentia a Castle in Italy delivered to Parma by the Spaniard and why 161 Parma made a Knight of the Golden Fleece 162 He wins divers Towns and Forts to the Spaniard 172 Peace Treaty of peace between England and Spain and the heads thereof 184.186 187 Provinces under the Spanish obedience which and how many and which under the United States 188.193 Pope sets out Bulls against Q. Elizabeth and exposeth it to Conquest 205 Parma's Councel and the Marquess of Santa Cruz rejected 206 Parma collects above 30000 men with other Provisions to help the Spanish Fleet. 207. He is kept close in Dunkirk 209. Wants Seamen and why 210 Piementel Didaco with his Ship taken in Zeland 214 Parma blamed envied and hated by the Spaniards and why 231 232. He falls sick and goes to the Spaw 232 Philip of Spains pretence to the Kingdom of France 240 Parma receives gracious Letters from Spain 253. He takes a new Journey into France 254. Frees Paris from a Siege 260 The many troubles attending his return 261. Discontented at his loss before Knolsenburg He goes to the Spaw waters 273. He marcheth into France with an Army 282. Returns thence into the Netherlands having first received a wound 283. While he intends another Journey into France he dyeth 298 The causes of his death and his Character 299.300 Philip King his Declaration against the French King 348 Peace desired by all and a Treaty to that purpose between whom and what Commissioners 368. Their Speech to Prince Maurice and his Answer 369 370 371 The Treaty broken off and why with several opinions thereon 371 372 373 Philip King of Spain in great distress for money and why 454 He dischargeth all his Creditors without payments and the â—ssue thereof 455.456 Peace concludeâ— between England and France and the heads thereof as also the like with the Hollanders 461 462 463 Poland the ingrateful Speech of the Polish Embassador and upon what occasion with the States Answer thereto 492 493 Peace Reasons why the Hollanders refused peace 494 495 496 Padilia sent from Spain with a Fleet to invade Brittain being broken by Tempests and returning is removed from his Command 501 502 Philip King of Spain incline to peace and why 515 Peace treated off between France and Spain at St. Quintins by whom and upon what tearms 526 527. The Treaty goes forward to which are sent English and Holland Embassadors 544 545.553 Various opinions concerning it in the English Court and what and among whom 551 552. Treaty removed to Verbin where a Peace is concluded and the heads thereof 557 558 Philip King his death and the manner thereof 575 576. His Character 576 577. His Son Philip named the 3d succeeds him 578 Priest the noble Speech of a Priest to Mendosa 611 Peace
preparing other Remedies which might repress this Evil now getting Age The Cause above all others and which we may with most Reason conjecture was the Pope's Authority by which he had ordered many of these things to be done For having obtained by the general Consent of so many Nations to Distribute of Kingdoms and to be a Moderator and Judge of Law Equity and Right while he by submissive Obedience and large Gifts was made their Friend and Ally they might confidently rest assured in the Success of their Affairs which he had throughly learned by his Fathers and his own Experiments How terrible it was and injurious to his Affairs to have that Power adverse to him from which even they who had Conquered it in War were glad to crave a Pardon These were the state of Affairs and these the Conditions of the People when upon the Departure of King Philip strife began about the Chief Government In the attaining whereof both the Prince of Aurange and Count Egmond had pitched their Hopes and Expectancie but neither of them had it for this Reason least either of them singly being preferr'd should by perpetual private Feudes disturb the Peace of the Common-wealth There was likewise Ambitions of the same sort among Women to wit Christian that had marryed Francis Duke of Lorrain Uncle of the Emperour Charles and Margaret base Daughter of the said Charles first marryed to Alexander Medices afterwards to Octavius Farnese Duke of Parma The Prince of Aurange and the Netherlanders endeavoured by all means to promote Christian but Ferdinande Alvares of Toledo Duke of Alva and Anthony Perenot Granvell Bishop of Artoyes having been jointly Servants and Counsellors to his Father in his greatest Affairs and by Philip received with the like Honour were of a contrary Opinion for Margaret Alva one of the greatest and noblest Spaniards in many places esteemed a great and famous Souldier by the getting some notable Victories for the Emperour had won great Renown Perenottes Father one Nicholas a Burgundian as he was of a mean Stock so he was more readily obsequious and by his extraordinary Watchfulness and Industry so acquired the Humour of the Court that he became a Privy Counsellour and had the keeping of the Emperours Seal in which having performed his Duty by the space of Twenty Years he at last left the same to the enjoyment of his Son But as Alva's proud and cruel Nature so Perenottes subtle Disposition while they onely seek to inlarge the Grandezza of the Prince who likewise desired nothing so much they do both of them find fault with as many Nations as they knew especially the Germans who imputing the Landgrave's Imprisonment to no other than their Counsels did esteem and reckon their too great Power among the principal Causes of the War Again when it came to the Point of giving the Government of the Netherlands to Margaret although there wanted not specious Causes enough for the giving of that Counsel as such a Tye of Bloud and that her Husband would be a Pledge for her Fidelity and her Person be in the Command of the Spaniards both in the City and Castle Yet the departure of the King no less suspected by the Great Ones than bewailed by the meaner sort inflamed the angry Minds of the Nobles And that very Day was the chief in which Philip was sollicited for Liberty and that the Netherlanders shewed themselves contumacious or sawcie towards their Prince For just upon his Departure resolving to leave a Garrison of above Three Thousand Spaniards under pretence of defending the Borders against the French but in truth that he might at his pleasure bridle the Licentiousness in Religion which had been increased by a Company of Forraign Souldiers in the Wars The Prince of Aurange and Count Egmond whom he appointed Commanders of those Forces on purpose to asswage their Envy refused the Charge as being contrary to their Laws and at the very instant of the Kings going away the Assembly of the States whom he had onely called together to give a Farewel to asked him That he wou'd remove away with him those Souldiers when they would not endure adding also a Warning or Monition That he should use the Counsell of none but Netherlanders in the Government of the Netherlands And from hence there sprung an implacable Hatred because they seemed to give out as if they understood the Art of Governing and fore-saw the approaching Tyranny But openly He agreed to their Request and thereupon forbore to adde Gemessa Figueroa â— Spaniard and Earl of Feria unto that Great Councel though lately destined to that Intent But in this Dissimulation he nourished Anger in his Heart and in his Mind studied nothing but Revenge So departing but disdaining to pass the Borders of Strangers he went by Sea where in the Shipwrack of his Fleet through many great and imminent Dangers with much ado he got safe to the Port of Gallicia The Souldiery for a little while after remained there but very unruly and burdensom untill at Gerbis or the Island of Gelues called by the Antients Meninx having received a loss by the Turks they were taken from them as the Netherlanders interpreted it not so in favour of them as to supply the Loss there received In the mean while the Government of the Netherlands Nominally was in Margaret but in Deed and Power in Granuel in whom Industry Vigilance Ambition Luxury Covetousness and in truth all manner both of Good and Evil were eminently to be seen Nor did he advantage himself more by his own Prudence than by the Folly and Sloth of Others who growing weak by Riot had let slip those Opportunities of present Power which of old was not without great difficulty and hazard to be attained He therefore minding cunningly to oblige his Prince by diving into Secrets and by advancing his Followers contracted unto himself the Intriques of all Embassies and all sorts of Characters and what ever else was to be known either by Spies or Pensioners Between this Grandee and Count Horn there were some old Gudges first concerning Lalayn Count Horn's Sisters Husband whom he taxed with the Crime of an ill performed Embassie Another was that Horn had missed the Praefectureship or Lieutenancy of Gelderland which he had much sought after for want onely of one word's speaking of his He had not yet Declared himself to the Prince of Aurange the onely hope of increasing his Dignities resting upon him but as the Custom of Ambition is had hitherto onely looked upon him with an evil Eye least he should grow too great for him For which cause when Magistrates were to be chosen at Antwerp he had endeavoured to procure him to be absent But the Prince of Aurange who above all things the empty Boast or bare Title of Honour and that one Man a stranger and of men Extract should possess what he listed not without the disgrace both of himself and others stirred up with many provocations Count Egmond
the Netherlands and spend his Old Age quieâ—ly in Germany But besides the other cause of Diffidence his Mind that never was greedy after Wealth and in that respect unsullied and upright was greatly satisfied to perceive with what great Expence the Spaniard would gladly free himself from the Dread of him The Treaty at Colen being ended Areschet and some Priests fell off to the King from some of those Parts whence Legates had come for understanding that they must for the future else be Enemies to the King being reconciled by Letters and accepting the same Articles which they of Artoys had But all those Councils either of War or Peace which they had Registred and taken Notice of were scorned by the Spaniards and by that Nation that never likes any Forreign Thing made a meer May-Game of In that Treaty it plainly appeared how great a Difference there is between the Aims and Intentional Designs of the Prince and the People Of old time when first the Nobility here made Insurrections for fear of Forreign Lords and Tyrants the Evil was not incurable But afterwards being more obstinately oppressed they drew the Commons into Parties under pretence of Religion and the Vulgar Rout learning that they were they that kept Kings in awe or made them to be Reverenced and that they could be caught by nothing but Credulity presently imagined that Despair of Pardon was the firâ— Step to Liberty Hence they did not act indifferently or moderately but would onely do such things as were too fool to admit of Repentance and going back and by this means they arrived at that height that afterwards they would debate the Commodities of Peace but never mind the Hazards of Warre They go beyond the wonted Custom with Domestick and Intestine Arms while thence ariseth and springs the unlimitable Thirst of Rule and Revenge This makes a kind of Pleasure even in Danger and there is somewhat of Honour in the Depth of Misery But then surely there was not one general Army but the Warre was scattered here and there by small Parties and every several Nation almost had his own distinct Warriers This Fault of the Commonwealth did quickly shew it self for there not being a Soveraign Power vested in one chief City as there was in the Antient States both of the Greek and Romans and is at this day in most flourishing Dominions but an equal Power residing among many Cities itit comes to pass that what should be properly the care of every one from the Nations Industry exercised in the getting and keeping of Riches under the false Name of the Publike the Common Benefit is perverted and carryed into a wrong Channel Thus Moneys could very hardly be gotten by reason whereof the Netherlands might have been in great danger had not the Enemy been infected with the same Disease for Portugal eat up all the Kings Money as well by War as by seeking to win the Love of the Nobles For Sebastian the King being lost in the great African Battel and his Successour Henry being dead the People had Elected Anthony who was sprung from the Royal Stock to be King because they were infested by the Castilians according to the Evil Custom of Bordering Nations But Philip advancing the Propinquity of his Bloud among and before others sent thither the Duke of Alva with an Army to conquer and bring into subjection by Force those that would not submit willingly and at last by his Endeavours the Kingdom of Portugal was added to the King his Master By whom before he had lost the Netherlands so much more easie was it to win a Kingdom Nor indeed could any thing have fallen out more happily for Philip not onely because all Spain was now reduced under one Government but because the Portugeze who had by long Navigations compassed the greatest part of the World possessed the great Islands of the Mediterranean Sea and by Command or Traffike was Seated and Inhabitant on trie Coasts both of Aethiopia and the Indies By the Event hereof the Netherlanders who might hope for some Ease to themselves while the Wars in Portugal lasted besides the increase of their strength found also another greater discommodity which was That the Spaniards would now hinder all the Trade thence wherein the main Wealth of their Cities did consist for although hitherto the Ports of the Kingdom of Castile had not forbidden or denied them as if there had been no cause of Arms or War out of the Bounds of the Netherlands yet there was from the Clergy great danger and injurious detentions of Ships sometimes used by Kings even toward Strangers dis-incouraged them which the Portugezes had promised they would never do Nay more there was Provision made that they should be bound to appear in Judgment before suspected Judges or forced to any long Suits But after both Kingdoms were joyned in one and yet the Necessity of the one not at all lessened by the enjoyment of the others Trade both having the same King by various Names of Extortion and Force the Sea-men and Masters of Ships were defrauded of the greatest part of their Gain but yet not by a continual Trouble but by such Intervals and Breathings that under hope of amendment and by the unconscionable Avarice of the Merchants to get all ever some new Booty came in afresh In the mean time by reason of the want of Money there hapned many Seditions on both Sides in the Netherlands But the Spaniards had the advantage in the more easie appeasing and suppressing those on their part because in lieu of Pay they gave them Licence to do what they would and Impunity for the same However the Duke of Parma got some small Towns in Henalt which the Confederate Prâ—virces had Garrison'd and not long after surpriz'd Courtray in Flanders Altpen delivers Breda also to him the Castle on a suddain whence he easily set upon and got the rest Lanove on the other hand to whom the chief Care of the War in those Parts was committed regained from the Enemy Nienove and other places in Flanders At this time it fortuned that some eminent and brave men were taken prisoners as Egmond and Selley in Towns that were taken and contrarily Laâ— himself who was taken at an unhappy Fight in a Siege before a certain Castle and was esteemed by the Enemy of so great quality that they would not exchange him for 〈◊〉 others The English who were in Pay with and fought for the Vnited Provinces took Mechlin by Storm whose Avarice was so prophanely expressed in their Victory that they did not spare the very Sepulchres of the Dead the Stones whereof they took away and afterwards openly sold them in England Many other Counsels and Resolutions of suddâ—n Actions the more powerful Enemy diverted very few Tokens of Victory remaining to the Dutch by reason of the penury of them that fought in their Defence At this time the Duke of Parma's Mother came to her Son at Namar being
many intestine discords yet from the hatred of the present Lords it still chose other being ignorant of that good for which Arms are taken away from the people Thus first experimenting the Bishop of Utrecht it fled from them for fear of the Saxons to the protection of some living beyond the Ems then to Gelders and lately devolved to the House of Austria yet the Groeningers kept to themselves a power of chusing all Magistrates one onely excepted who was the Prince's Legate or Deputy who sate as Chief in the Supream Assembly of the Judges that had Cognizance of the Rights of possession in Lands In this Warre wherein all things have been unrivetted being vexed with most horrible Seditions at last it consented to the Spanish Dominion under the pretence of Liberty This was not as other Cities tormented with Disterences in Religion for when the Laws aged most furiously against all the Professors of the New Religion those that fled from all other places found here a Refuge and shelter But because there arose great Discords between them and the Citizens the Confederate Lords either out of a Love to Turth or in favour of the Nobility gave Sentence against the Citizens But the Spaniard being more crafty favoured the City and there upon it submitted to his Government being perswaded by this one thing they rejected Religion and all Leagues to follow Renneberg so prevalent in all men is Thirst of Hatred and Revenge It is to be remembred as we before declared that the Groeningers had refused a Garrison for so they had agreed with the King who also to gratifie them indulged them with the freedom from many Burdens But of the common for of Spaniards they hired Three Thousand The Forreign Souldiers to the number of Nine Hundred kept the Suburbs There was hardly any where to be found so great a quantity of Provisions Guns Gunpowder and other Military Engines as was here The Camp was placed a great distance from the City that the great Artillery might do the less harm to the Houses but was most strongly fortified both against Invaders from within and without A firm and wholesom Plain extended it self between the Rivers Horn and Scuyâ—diep which Rivers beginning in the Marishes of Drente 〈◊〉 through the Trenches of Groeningen and intermingle with the Sea at a place called Reidiep And because all the Army was not sufficient to incompass the City therefore on this side they thought fit to make their Assaults and Approaches being here also able to receive the Enemy if he came that so they might by opening the Rivers overflow all the circumjacent parts And it was found by Experiment that the adjoyning Waters were no less advantageous to the Tows for keeping away the Enemy than it was prejudicial to the inclosed Succours And the Prince also carryed the Rivers so that he might easily bring his great Guns over the Fields against the scattering Forts some whereof being deserted were easily won But the best and noblest of them all named Adoardysel when the Governour had defended it with more Resolution than the present necessity requir'd the Bridges and Ladders being taken it was assaulted by the Souldiers with so great fury mad to revenge the slaughter of their Companions made in the same place the Year before that neither the too late delivery was accepted nor the word of Command how and when to give the Onset was staid for Thus they made a great slaughter which was also increased by an accidental fire then hapning This Fort being taken provisions were more easily brought out of Frizeland into the Camp the people of Embden sending in no small quantity until Verdugo terrified them with Threats bidding them take heed they betrayed not their Affection Some successful Sallies were made both out of the Town and Suburbs the Keepers of the New Works being tyred out with continual showâ—s for those Works out of a Military Ambition were more hastily than warily promoted The next and greatest Care was by little and little to undermine on both sides the Port the one whereof was defended by the Bulwark adjoyning to the Trench the other by an outlying Foâ—t The great Guns on both sides plaid very furiously and however the Rampires â—nd other Works made of Earth resisted the Force of the Attempt yet the Bridges Gates Towers and other Buildings were utterly overthrown And some Letters being taken that were sent to Verdugo it appear'd by them that their store of Gunpowder what between a prodigal Expence thereof and other Accidents was well near consumed They were advised therefore least being left by their Associates some of whom were in France and other continued mutinous and full of Sedition that they would not being thus shut up by the Army rashly and without reason seek their own ruine To this it was answer'd but not as if it came from the Besieged but such as were proud with the Memory of their older and more novel Affairs That they should not be provoked by the greatest of their Commanders without danger although they were not all of one mind but had many causes of difference among them The Assemblies of the Commons whose Authority was greater in the publike Affairs than was necessary had deliver'd all their power to the Magistrates and a little before the Siege they had sent Messengers to get them some Succours But the Netherlandish Cities took no Thought of their so great danger all their Labours and Endeavours being busied about the New Regent they knew so profusely to wast their Money as if they had not known that by the want thereof many times the greatest Affairs are hazarded and Opportunities lost Therefore there were some who proposed that the City should be deliver'd to the Duke of Brunswick Hohenlo was a main stickler in that Advice because if it succeeded he promis'd to himself that he should be his Deputy-Governour But the Siege utterly blew away all those Imaginitions which being once begun there follow'd frequent Treaties between the Besiegers and Besieged sometimes that they might bury their Dead other times that they might exchange Prisoners and upon many the like occasions Sometimes also they made short Truces which at lâ—st the Townsmen desire one to be continued until they could send to Bruxels for a more certain Reply but it was meritedly refused Jorgius who was the principal person among all the Magistrates before that the Coâ—sul and now a Collonel withstanding Peace and confirm'd therein by the incouragement of the Jesuits had drawn unto himself the Rout of the poorer sort of People who had neither any hope or fear in the continuance or change of the Weal-publike These threatned death to all Messengers that should come from the Enemy and likewise to every one else who but spoke well of Peace not abstaining in the interim from committing Murthers and Rapines But now the Ravelins and other nearer places began to preach Ruine among which Evils it was far the most miserible Spectacle
to the King by Letters of the small Authority the Spaniards had with Ernestus which he supposed the chief cause of all the present Evils Taxis was more subtle to pâ—y into Dangers and did perswade to win the Netherlandish Nobles with great Pretension of Honour but to keep the ordering of the King's Treasure still in the hands of the Spaniards whereby as with a private Knot tie unto himself all other Matters Ernestus having heard out Areschot and being in his own Nature full of delay and knowing that he could by that means best pâ—event their Violence answer'd He would advise with the King to whom he would also be an Intercessor for attaining such things as related to the Peace This hope supported their Minds although their Evils were not yet remov'd For after both the Kings of Spain and France had proclaimed War the lesser Towns of Lutzenburg being possessed which could not resist the Storm the Count de Bulloin wasted all round about nay and ranged even to places far distant with Fire and Sword But yet the Enemy met with four Troops belonging to Philip of Nassaw which they either killed or put to flight being circumvented by Ambushes and the overflowing of the Rivers and afterwards in a greater Battel of Horse the Victors prosecuted their good Fortune Against the more potent Cities Policy was rather used than Force yet the Success was not therefore answerable There was Chance which really might have increased more Parties to the War and made it break out in all the Borders if there had not been more difficulty in keeping than acquiring of which this is compassed often by Boldness and Temerity but that must be maintained with Care and many excellent Policies Hoye is a Town of the Bishoprick of Leige which Authors believe to be the Remains of a greater and more Cities spoiled of old by the Incursions of the Barbarians and the Scituation perswades this from the running of the River Maes through it which a Stream breaks into that runs with more violence than scantiness of Water maketh shew of this Brook gives Name to the place The Soil that is all about it is very rugged by reason of Iron Mines and answers to the Nature of the People It hath an Arched Bridg the Rising Bank on the right side is over-looked by a large Castle seated upon a little Hill It is a choice place of Recess for the Bishops in regard of its pleasantness and no less difficult to be Assaulted because of its steep Ascent But while it was assured both by Peace and Right those few that by there in Garrison and spent their time in Riot and Idleness and did their Souldiery Duty as a Work of Supererogation and by the like neglect all the Buildings Erected upon the Rock were equal to the Foundation of the Castle One of these Houses by the consent of the Owner Heraugier the Inventor of such Stratagems who was Governour of Breda by him taken commanded to be fill'd with Thirty Souldiers who in the Night by the help of the Window and Ladders going out and first using silence then by continual beating of Drums and Shouting hindring the Prospect they took the Keepers of the Castle and bound them in help of whom while it was yet but the Dawning of the Day their Captain came with six hundred Horse and one Thousand five hundred Foot But the Townsmen though at the beginning of the Tumult they ran to their Arms when they saw so many Souldiers at their Gates and others over their heads affrighted with that double Terrour losing their Courage they submitted Then Heraugier placing therein a Garrison sent his Horse abroad into the Fields and the Country within the Maes which were subject to the Spaniard to collect Tribute This Exploit of War committed against a Prince who was at Peace and however he did not affect the Hollanders yet in regard there had been no Hostility declared against him according to the Custom of War might with more facility be answer'd to the Spaniards than excused to him Not was it altogether unlike that of Bonne and Berck which being formerly taken in War should be retained now that the whole Archbishoprick of Colen was in peace When therefore Bojoarus the Bishop of Leige and Colen had sent to examine the matter and it was answer'd by the States That it was rather out of present Necessity than any Right they claimed neither would they do any Damage to his Government or Subjects but onely having taken a Town from the publike Enemy they were ready to restore it when Arms were laid down on both sides And that Bojoarus did not deal justly with them in suffering the Spaniard to enjoy it and thereupon the Conditions were refused wherewith they were sollicited to Rendition being in themselves very reasonable but that the conveniency of the place perswaded the contrary for that Castle was a great Safeguard to their Journey that the Holland and French Forces might the more securely meet and in that Town they intended to place those Italians which had formerly deserted the War being far from the Borders of Holland and in a rich Country where they might have their fill of Plunder As soon as the Bishop saw himself slighted or at least deluded with Procrastiuation gathering together some New Souldiers whereto were added fifteen hundred Foot seven hundred Horse and fifteen pieces of Artillery under the Leading of Lamot he besieged the place on both sides for the King's Commanders voluntatily gave their Assistance their Interest being no less concerned than the Bishops lest thereby the Hollanders should come to possess all the parts have the Maes and so connect the Country Nor did the Spaniard's want an honest pretence because the Country of Leige was fiduciary to the Princes of Brabant by severall Leagues of Philip Duke of Burgundy and Philip the First of Austria The Town was easily gained by Scaling Ladders and Breaches for it was but meanly fortified and all in it that resisted were slain The greatest part fled into the Neighbouring Castle But from the next Hill which the Hollanders had neglected to possess being higher than the Foundation of the Castle it was sorely batter'd and below it was undermined For there was present a great Number of the Native Inhabitants who being accustom'd to dig for Mettal in the Iron Mines were very skilful in the Art of undermining Heraugier judged that the Garrison might have held the place longer and with the hopes thereof he had gather'd together Forces for their Relief But fearing at length lest his Journey should be hindred by the overflowings of the Rivers although there were in the Castle Subterfuges and Seluces to prevent the inraging of the Enemy at the Siege the Castle was surrendred being observed by many that he was better at suddain Enterprizes than the patient enduring of tedious Hazard He complained That the Succours promised both from the French General and the Italians at Sichem 〈◊〉 fell short
be content in their present estate and not seek change or alteration Observe also what a pernitious Example he induceth who however for Ambition and Dominion sake he hath voluntarily submitted himself to the Yoke commands all Kingdoms to bow to the Pope and calls not onely the People thereof whom he hires to Sedition but the very Kings themselves Rebels Certainly to this man there will never be wanting either a cause or a pretence for War but that he may sometimes want hopes next to God Almighty it lies Great Queen in your Hands and if you resolve with Us to Conquer We shall be ready to run the extreamest Hazards for our Social Fidelity and we hope you will rather maintain your wonted Constancy than neglect Advantage and by the ruine of your Friends promulgate and corroborate the Enemies strength The Consultations upon this Matter in the Queen's Court were various and both Opinions had strong Supporters to know whose Behaviour and Affections will not be from the purpose that it may appear how the Perswaders Authority bore sway in the Publike Counsels The Earl of Essex as we have elsewhere declared being a young man and burning with the desire of Glory was a Liberal Giver beyond the Ability of his Estate wholly spending himself in compassing the Love of the Nobles Commons and Souldiers having no hopes in Peace but putting great Confidence in the Friendship of the Hollanders and therefore he being General of all Forces in England was for the War with Spain affirming That it could not be put off unless at once both the Queen's Security Credit and Charges should all be hazarded On the other side the Lord Burghly from a private Person being called to the Court and advanced to the high Honour of being Lord Treasurer of England minding wholly the Care of the Treasury especially now in the declining of his Age and his Parsimony agreeing with that of the Queen being also very rich and well-grounded in Experience and so by his Authority preceding the others Favour This man with grave Words praising Christian Concord debated among all the doubtful Counsels what was the most pious and honest to be follow'd He said That a present Commodity ought to be preferr'd before the Incertainties of Suspition and that Peace would not be more profitable to the Enemy than to the English and is the strength of out Countrey so little known that it cannot be safe but at the pleasure of the Hollander when in the mean time the French out of common fear and the Hollanders themselves out of their Care of Religion are tyed with stronger Bonds against Danger by Necessity than by a League Besides the Spaniard is willing to be quiet out of a sense of his own infirmiâ—y And then Peace would follow without more ado both in Ireland and elsewhere Queen Elizabeth either really wavering in her Mind or else willing to express all other Things by her fear of Peace made Answer in a very temperate manner That from the beginning she had done nothing without the Advice of her Allies that it was acceptable to her that they had declared their Minds so freely yet there were many and great causes both for her Self and the French that moved them to desire an end of the War and to make her trust to Peace by removing or disbanding her Armies for since the Spaniards old hopes have been crossed by the Netherlanders abjuring him the loss of France and so many other slaughters and misfortunes if he should think fit to re-assume his Arms the same God that had helped them before would she doubted not assist them again to maintain their Right by the Sword but if they thought fit to continue in Arms things more certain ought to be offer'd This thing the Peers of England interpreted thus That there was no Fault more heinous than to defraud the Queen of her Rights and Duties sometimes by Cavillings otherwhiles by deceitful Supplications and Pretences of Poverty which the Wealth of the Cities in Holland and their well-stocked Treasury openly consuted Nor was it more to be endured that the English should lose the Trade of Spain for them and yet they preferr'd their own Gain before the famishing of their Enemies and so make Merchandize of the War At last this Delay was put to the Pacification that Embassadors from both should go to take notice of the French Affairs And to that purpose by the Queen were sent thither the before-mentioned Cecil and Wilks with whom the hopes of Peace was grown dead by being at the Treaty at St. Quintins for the Spaniards preferred by the Name of Allies those whom the French Peace would advantage giving out at last that they onely should be included in the Treaty who observed the Romane Rites in point of Religion The Embassadors from Holland came a little later by reason of contrary Winds The King at this time was at Angeires busie in pacifying Bretayn which is otherwise called Armorica which as yet Duke Mercury one of the Lorrain Princes the Fury of both Parties being asswaged forcibly detained having deliver'd to the Spaniards the Port of Blavette that they might with more ease land with Supplies But he seeing the King's Army prepar'd on the one hand and a Pardon offer'd in the other and knowing well that when an end is put to a War all subsequent Offences are with severity punish'd obtains for himself and his noble Conditions and an Augmentation of Honour The King at this time was happily without a Wife Margaret of Valois being divorced from him but though his Body was exercised in Military Matters yet his Mind was liable to the Darts of Love for he was absolutely taken with one Gabrielis Estraea a Noble Woman but led aside from the Embraces of her vowed Husband This Woman what with her Beauty and what with her sweet Temptations and alluring Arts had so vanquish'd the King that advancing her to the Title of a Dutchess which was then a Novelty in France so heightned her Pride that though but a Concubine she aspired beyond the Greatness and Authority of a Wife And she also was numbred among the Causes that induced the King's Mind to be inclinable to Peace that he might the more securely enjoy his pleasures with her She had a Son by the King that was four years old and at that time called Caesar whom the King with great Obtestations gave in Charge to Mercury this Woman had also by the King a Daughter very young and appoints to the said Mercury a great Allowance of Money and bestowing upon his Son the Dukedom of Vendosme and the Government of Bretaign And now the Embassadors of Holland just arrive and find the King puffed up with these Matters together with the Spanish Pacification and yet if by chance that had failed he had called a Council of the Brittons to consult about the Siege of Blavette Mounsieur Buzanvale who was well-skill'd in Affairs of that sort and one of the
and since they could not without a most pernitious example suffer their Judgments to be contemned and their undertaken care to be depraved Count William though prone to mercy is commanded with a party of Souldiers by force to reduce the Townsmen to their duty but he moderated with prudence the sharpness of this Command by restraining the Souldiers from doing injuries and taking no notice of the words of the incensed vulgar Yet disarming the Citizens lest while they remained in their fury they should as formerly fâ—ll to acts of Hostility that he might not diminish his Forces by leaving a great Garrison among them he bridled them with a Castle wherewith their courages were quite lost for that from a City that had ever been free they were now glad to receive a token of extreme servitude 'T is true these things are usual with such as rule by force nor could any thing more have been done to Enemies It was time certainly to lay down the Arms which they had taken up against Castles if the Authours of liberty would rather chuse to imitate than revenge such things And they also desired that part of the rest might be remitted to them but the remembrance of old faults had banished their long offered Clemency especially considering at present their contempt and disobedience yet the event mollified and abated the envy of this action for the movers of these troubles were afterwards carryed onely to the Hague without any other punishment and the Magistrates being translated to People of more peaceable temper their right of suffrage in the Council was restored to them and all things afterwards transacted with equity In Frizeland also a great contention arose concerning Taxes laid upon Cattell and Pastures the Townsmen urging it and the Country-People that lived all over Eastergoo and Westergoo gainsaying it so that soon after out of an ambition of eminent Offices which as is usual nourished the differences came to that heighth that part went to Faniker while other part of them remain at Liewert and both under pretence of publike Counsel distracted the Common wealth and drained the Treasury in which Affairs Count William interposing himself and first calling the Authority of the Judges and then taking Arms against those that were departed did not escape the envy of having affected the Government beyond the allowance of the Laws At last when the Associated Provinces all interposed themselves the matter by the appointment of the Deputies was re-setled in peace according to the old form as an addition to those evils a sorrowful Messenger arrived bringing tydings of a Treaty of Peace between the Arch-Duke to whom the Spaniard had left the managery of the Affair and the Queen of England whose Embassadors were then met together at Bulloyn The truth is both of them had cause enough to desire peace the great undertakings and bold attempts of the English both in Spain and America terrifying King Philip so that he was forced to the vast expence of great Fleets to defend those far distant Navigations and besides it was hoped the Hollander would be more ready to hearken to peace when their hopes of Ayd from England was utterly quashed But the English were fore-warned of their danger by the successes of Tyrone and new Rebellions and Commotions in Ireland springing from a late Edict of the Pope and the Forts of Ulster and Munster being difficultyl regained and with much labour there yet remained severaâ— lurking places in the Rebels hands After three moneths it was perceived that the Embassadors could not be drawn to agree the English refusing to be preceded and the Spaniards hating to have any equalls Nor was there any better progress by intercuâ—rent Messengers while those as much fear a peace as these desire it Thus they parted at that time and the Affair was left to be treated of in Writing untill the Queens Death and Successor as we shall shew in its proper place put an end thereto In the interim Embassadors came to the Hollanders from the Emperour because the States had sent Letters to meet them by the way as to their Resolve concerning peace These Embassadors being Herman Count Mansfeldt and Charles Nuisell came notwithstanding pretending they had other things in Command Their words seemed more to advance the Dignity of the Antient Empire then the fortune of the former year merited Namely That they should restore all places they held in Germany and give satisfaction for the damages done by the Souldiers That they should not defend themselves like their Enemies otherwise as they were equally guilty of the fault so they should equally suffer punishment with their adversaries That they would treat nothing of Peace yet they should know that Treaties could not be always waved without great suspition and that they would no longer bear the Taxes laid upon Commerce which by pretence of the War should be continued Hereto it was afterwards answered and not without desert That the losses should be imputed and the places taken for defence be laid to the fault of them that first brought an Army into a peaceable Country and if that were to be pardoned in the Spaniard they hoped it would not make them more guilty having been necessitated to do the like As to the Islands of Gravewaert and concerning Peace they gave the same answer which they had often before done But because the Spaniard had relinquished Rees it seemed convenient to them that Emmeric also should be delivered that so the Enemy might the more justly be blamed for the retaining of Bercke Some Discourse there was at this time of matters of less moment a mention of a Truce being thrown in by the by which the States gently denyed as not suitable to the times And a Trumpeter desiring a safe Conduct for Deputies which were sent by the States under Albertus his obedience to the United States concerning a Peace being for some dayes retained that they might not discover the great preparations for War that were then on foot was commanded soon after to carry back Letters wherein before they would speak of Peace they admonished them first to free their Country from foreign force for after it was determined with the Souldiers in Fort-Andrew it fell out that the rest in those parts moved with no less madness acted things no less disadvantagious so that the States of the United Provinces supposing it necessary to make use of the Enemies discord bent their studies to greater undertakings The War now being transmitted into Flanders was attended with very great want and scarcity of all things which was both the cause and nourishment of Seditions for they knew nothing could more straiten the Treasury nor put their troublesom Affairs into a greater confusion then to possess that Country which was most abundant in all products of the Field and in a manner wholly belonged to the Enemy it was also full of Ports and Harbours from whence the Sea might either be infested or guarded and commerce
them in Order of Battel yet hiding from the Souldiers the loss of the former Fight In the Van-Guard was Sir Francis Vere with a double Band of English and Frizons and two Ensigns more the one belonging to the Prince the other to Count Hohenlo who was absent being to guard Holland the Middle Ward or Battel was made up of French Switzers and the New Souldiers from Fort Andrew and of this Count Solmes had the Leading The Rereward consisted of Hollanders and Germans the last of which was all that remained of Count Ernestus his Forces There was also a Bard of Utrechers Commanded by Collonel Vctrembrouch The Horse were partly in the Front other part attended the Battel and some waited upon the Rear-Guard Thus the Prince order'd his Army according to the Antient Policy of famous Captains and then commanded the Ships to depart which by this time were in great Number come to him and to steet their Course to Ostend That the danger being equal to all so all hopes or causes of flight should be utterly taken away but they which had setled themselves in the Haven before could not presently obey that Order until they were assisted by the Tide Besides some Companies were left about Newport to keep in the Souldiers there that they might not break out on the Bank of the Prince's Men when they were engaged to fight And now the Morning being half pâ—ssed and Noon approaching the Enemies Horsemen going a great distance before their Battel came in sight and after some short Skirmishes with Pistols being driven from the Shore retreated to the Hills where a Band of Foot-men tarryed for them against whom moving in a slow pace towards the Sea the Cannon on both sides plaid very fiercely Some there were with Prince Maurice who advised at that time to meet the Enemy for that would inflame the Souldiers Valour and increase their Courage and Alacrity But others with more Wisdom that it was more fit to abide in the same place whereby they might repel the more easily the Enemies Fury after their long March over the difficulties of the Sands which when they had concluded and the Horse dispersed which had taken away the Prospect Prince Maurice from the Tops of the Hills which he had possessed for his Advantage in the Battel spyed the Enemy drawing nearer and in this manner ordered There were Three Battels according to Custom of which the Middleward being double fill'd the whole breadth of the Shore wherein were four great Bodies of Pikes to each of which were added as Wings both greater and lesser Shot which we call Musketiers and Bow-men They of Diest under many Captains having but one Standard made the first Battel wherein Mendosa was present The Right Wing of the second Battel which consisted all of Spaniards was commanded by Monteregio and Villars The Left made up partly of Italians was order'd by Sapena and Avilos Between these Two Bodies was a select Number of Horse which were the Arch-Duke's Life-Guard appointed to stand In the last place were the Netherlanders led by Barlotte and Bucquoy with Auxiliaries out of Ireland whose Captain was Bastuck The General of the Horse by reason of Landriano's infirmity was Peter Galen onely they of Diesl had their own Offiches whose power was no more over them than at pleasure And as they differ'd in Language or their Arms being either Lances Guns and Breast-Plates so were they drawn our and disposed into Troops The Day decaying as the Battels grew nearer each to other the wiser Spaniards thought fit to take Advice Whether they should engage in a general Battel and try the doubtful Chance of War For they did not find as was believed the Enemy hastning his slight into the Ships or running away but standing with Resolution to sell their Lives and revenge their Deaths Thus the Battels being prepar'd and all the Souldiers on both sides encouraged to fight That whoever was the Conquerour could not but expect great effusion of bloud They were to take care that they did not drive him to hope who being unawares fallen into so great Dangers was brought to such a condition that he could not fear or decline fighting That they had better besiege him since all the Countrey was theirs and the Enemy had no place of Retreat In the mean while the Souldiers should rest themselves being wearyed with long Journeys and one onely Fight But there were others of Opinion That they should make it their first care and business to recover the Fort Albertus before spoken of And besides the Minds of the Souldiers were so elate I with the success of the former Battel that they believed they were come thither rather to take Prey than to fight that old saying of the Spaniards being frequent in the Mouths of most The more are the Moors the more glorious the Victory Nay it was almost come to that That they would not go off without Battel though the Enemy seemed to decline the same And many of the Commanders thought that Alacrity of the Army and vehemency of their Minds was to be encouraged wherefore laying aside all further delay which was look'd upon rather as specious than advantagious They thought fit by Exhortations to raise the Souldiers Courage already inflamed That they would perfect the Victory already begun increase the Spoils already gotten and not onely slay the main Body but the very Remains of that Army begun to be Conquer'd by them That they themselves were men practised in Fights those ignorant and Rebels to God and their Prince till this time having received so great presumption as to pitch their Colours against Us on purpose onely to be destroy'd and are at this time ready to fight because they can find no means ready to fly Here are no Ditches to pass no Rampires to scale nor any Defences for Sloth or Cowardise but as Out-casts they come out of their lurking places having nothing but Arms and those depraved and made of no force by the guilt of their Consciences That it now lay in their viz. the Spanish Armies hands to make their Prince as great as they would have him for this one day would fully restore his Dominion to him if they would strive for the Victory nor should there be any further occasion of War for this would be the first and last Battel 'T is true indeed at Turnholt they kill'd some of the Spanish Army but what were they such as chose rather to run away than to meet the Enemy neither at that place was there either a Battel or an Army or a Prince whereas at this time he for them they fought should be a Witness of their Valour whose great Victories at Calais Hulst and Amiens they should call to Mind and each of them take Example from his Valour Constancy and Industry These were the general Exhortations used by the Nobles to all but to the Spaniards they were more particular repeating to them many famous Acts both of antient and
sent to assist Embden which entred the City at the same time when Enno drawing near with his Forces hoped to have been admitted by those of his Faction but now being kept out thence he entreth the Villages round about and erects several Forts for the shutting up of the City and the River The States being informed thereof and now after the taking of Grave having some leisure to consult about their neighbours affairs at the request of the City sent Warner Dubois a Colonel of Horse thither with some Troups of Horse and almost nineteen Companies of Foot He within a few daies assaults and wins all the Forts and sets free the City from those rude and ignorant maintainers of Warre Enâ—o that he might remove this disgrace out of his sight with as much envy and bitterness of language as he could invent disputed the Hollanders incroachments upon the rights of anothers dominion of which the States being conscious they published in Print the cause of that action of theirs and the danger that was like to have fallen not onely upon themselves but all Germany by the Count's deeds The Twelfth BOOK of the History of the Dutch AFFAIRES THE Hollanders being oppressed with the French Peace were attended with a greater evil which was the death of Queen Elizabeth about this time whereby they were more deeply plunged in a Warre yet had lost that assistence which as it was the first so had it continued unto the last She died the third day of April being by the length of daies arrived to the toils of life from whence she supposed her old age which she had spun out even to the seventieth year now grew contemptible and that the hopes and counsels of those in whom she had put her greatest confidence were turned towards her successor It was a long reign for a Woman and famous not onely at home but abroad which produced many various censures some conjecturing at the future according as they were led by fear or hope others from the memory of former actions reckoning what prosperity and adversity she had seen during her long life Here was remembred the beheading of her Mother and that for no small fault but onely the supposed crime of Adultery whence arose those many bitter taunts of her Enemies as if she had been the Issue of an unknown Father Soon after when her Sister fate in the Throne she was cast into Prison Which was no small affliction of so great a spirit until by the means and intercessions of Philip King of Spain to whom she owed her Liberty if not her Life she was freed from thence though afterwards she requited his kindness with a long and sharp Warre Besides her Reign was accounted cruel by the execution of so many Noblemen for no other pretence but that they professed the Romane Catholick Religion and also in that no less novel then odious example to all Princes though indeed excusable enough from the necessity that by the command of a Woman not onely a Woman but a Kinswoman and she a Suppliant not as a common person but a distressed Queen was put to death Also there were some that stuck not to exprobrate the divulsions of Ireland and seditions of the English Souldiers in the Low-Countries as if they had been commanded Certainly it was the greatest of her misery that she lived so long without a Husband from whence came the incertainty of her Heir and very various were the several opinions concerning her many objecting her love to the Earl of Leicester and after him her endearments of Essex whose hot and over-hasty youth together with his contempt of her decaying and aged beauty was punished with the loss of his head though soon after her minde was more changed from hatred to repentance then before it had been from love to hatred so that it was by many judged to be the main cause of her sickness and death On the other side it was said that the long continuance of her Government and life manifested the same to be well-pleasing to God and that instead of the customary evils of youth she had shewed great prudence in her carriage and behaviour in the enjoyment of both good and bad fortune Nor was it so great a wonder that her security was established by the death of some Rebels and by Warres as that a Woman's Government after four and fourty years had not onely made England safe but flourishing nor had she at any time taken Arms but for most just causes Religion was by her reformed to the example of King Edward not by force or according to her own fancy but upon debate of the matter in the great Council of the Kingdome and in a lawful manner Nor did she rage with cruelty against those that were of another judgement unless it were when it was too late when by the doctrine and instruction of the Jesuites they had thrown off all reverence love to their Country and Government at once By her help Scotland was vindicated from the French the Prince of Conde's Party from their adverse faction and much of the Netherlands from the Spaniards And although she had so many great allurements to increase her Dominion yet she remained content with her own not desiring from all her victorious atchievements any other thing then the liberty of that Religion by her promoted and to set limits to power that was or might be defervedly suspected Thus did she restore the Towns which she possessed in France preserved Scotland for a Child and rejected the desires of the Hollanders intreating her to take the Dominion over them And now lately the old Garrisons in Ireland being taken and new ones fortified some of the Nobles being taken here some there their faction was so infeebled and the very strength and pretence thereof so weakned and Tyrone himself so broken that falling upon his knees before the Lord Lieutenant he humbly requested pardon of all his offences For that excess of Honour happened to him a little before his fall She had been courted to Marriage not by the English onely but by Charles of Austria brother of the Emperour and by Henry and Francis brothers to the King of France as also by some Kings themselves to wit Philip of Spain and Ericus of Sweden That she was thus sought was her happiness but that she refused all was her prudence because as it was unfit for her Greatness to marry a Subject so the Subjects of England were afraid she should marry a Foreiner The reproches that were spred concerning her took their beginning from her sex and the elegancy of her beauty together with the customary liberty of Princes and could onely be refuted by manlike care and diligence Nor was she onely well skilled in the arts of Government but was learned in the ancient and modern languages an excellency rarely found in Women of a private fortune which made her Name and renown great and famous and not onely terrible to and
he requires the Hollanders not to prohibit the Britans to come out of the Sea into the Scheld to pass to Antwerp paying Customes equal to their Subjects But they excused it by shewing that they had good reason for their Decree that none should goe to the Enemy unless they first changed their Ships that so they might the more certainly have knowledge of all things Nor ought he to take it ill that they imposed Laws upon a River within their own Jurisdiction when the Spaniards durst deny the passage of the Seas even to their friends And so that he might convert the English who were accused as infamous for Piracy to innocent gain he forbad any to fight at Sea under a forein command but conniving at any that went hither or thither to a land Warre By another Edict the Jesuites and all other Ecclesiastical persons that received not sacred Orders according to the custome of the Kingdome of Britain were banished thence setting out for cause that that sort of men taught that the Pope might absolve Subjects from their obedience to Kings of another Religion then which there is not any opinion more dangerous to Government But at the same time the same Jesuites were restored in France upon some conditions from whence they had formerly been banished when by their instructions a young man fought to murther the King But now the monument was destroyed which kept the memory of that fact fresh together with the Jesuites infamy the Parliament of Paris crying out that by that one work the authority of the most honourable Order and the security of France were subverted together But the King with his own great danger as many ominously feared unterrified merely to gratifie the Pope admitted and favoured these stout defenders of his power Between this King and the Spaniard arose some new causes of hatred upon old discontents Monsieur Villeroy a person highly entrusted and favoured by King Henry had a servant named Hostius whose industry and ingenuity himself being much imployed otherwise he used in the decyphering and reading of Letters and private Characters This man being hired gave intelligence of all the greatest affairs of State to one Monsieur Raffee a French-man but banished and living in Spain who discovered them to King Philip's Counsellors by which having such insight into all the private counsels of France it was easie for them to guess at all things else Some things also being discovered to the King of Britain had ingendred animosities and jealousies This Treason being detected by Raffee Hostius first by flight and afterwards by a sudden death prevented further inquisition There was also at this time another matter stirred up by a Woman which was this Henrica the daughter of Monsieur Interaque was esteemed among the first for her beauty and pleasantness of wit wherewith the King being allured to whom there was hardly any other crime to be objected then these loose Affections the better to compass the end of his unlawful desires had promised her marriage if she bare him a Son and this promise he confirmed to her by writing After Medices was preferred before her in marriage she was compelled to pacifie the Queen to deliver up this writing of the King 's Whereupon dissembling higher designs under the pretence of solitude and Religion she aimed to compass forein wealth wherewith she might secure her Son against the Queen's anger and malice and not onely so as she publickly declared and as others interpreted it but also that he might therewith assert his right and claim to the Kingdome The King of Britain refused to give any ear to them for the disturbance of another's Kingdome but the Spaniard approved her cause and promised largely to assist her therein When these things first became known the Lady her self her Father and Brother the Count of Auvergne were taken but King Henry pardoned them acknowledging his own misdemeanour in their crime But Philip fearing lest Henry enraged with these things should from thence take a cause to make Warre he ended the quarrel begun about the Customes which he had lately raised by Edict and turning his fury against the Hollanders commanded all of that Nation to depart out of his Dominions and all Merchandise afterwards brought in to be forfeited This year was celebrated in the Netherlands a solemn Funeral pomp for Count Peter Mansfelde who for fourty years had faithfully served the Spaniard in the highest Commands being then President of Lutzenburg who though all his life conversant in Warre had yet by rare fortune lived even to the extremity of old age And among the Hollanders died Lewis of Nassau being but a young man yet emulous of the glory of his Ancestors and in whom there appeared great hopes of a noble and circumspect Vertue The Fourteenth BOOK of the History of the Dutch AFFAIRES THE charges of the now superannuated Warre increasing every year and that great demonstration of their equal Forces appearing at Ostend restored to some that hope which they had a long time laid aside to wit that the extreme fury of the Warre would at length conclude in a Peace hence every one as their hopes or desires led them delivered their opinions both in discourses and Books Such of the Netherlanders as affected the Austrian Government believed and so said having great emulation to the Cities of Holland and malicious inclinations that they would fall under the weight of that Greatness they had drawn upon themselves or else would become a prey to forein Princes unless they returned to their old obedience whereof for so many ages they had had experience onely with these additions to the old Laws That the Netherlandish Government should not revolve to the Spaniard That the right of Commerce should be free and indefinite That Religion should not be forcibly or with punishments urged in hope of making a more united Concord That as well the forein Souldiers as that plague of mankinde the Jesuites faction should be expelled That the chief honours should remain in the Citizens and all affairs of greatest concernment should be handled in the General Councel of the Provinces which liberty would continue more substantial if it were used with moderation On the other side some in France persuaded the Netherlanders to separate themselves from the House of Austria That the name of Archduke was but a vanity without power without authority his Forces being consumed by the Enemy his Authority swallowed or devoured by the Spaniard and when the Netherlands should be exhausted and Spain impoverished what hopes had they of protracting the Warre certainly onely this one the wealth of the Indies which also in time would fail them and become a propriety to him that is most prevalent at Sea That the twenty several Mutinies and Seditions of the Souldiers have made Albertus his Government infamous and if while those jealousies and hatreds encreased among them the French should have stirred they might have lain upon the Country and
in so great mutations and of what advantage Forreign Affairs were to Ours or Ours to them The whole North which consisted of Kingdoms of old replete with many Priviledges and Liberties was broken out into Arms almost for the same causes that the Hollanders War began for Sigismund following the Dictates of the Jesuites had lost Sweden with great difficulty retaining Poland For in Sweden Charls laying aside he name of Duke and by the Decree of his Nobles taking the name of King and repairing his Forces after the loss he had received at the Siege of Riga approached near the borders of Livonia In Poland Amoseius the Chancellor of that Kingdome while he lived had by his Wisdome and the reverent esteem that was had of him prevailed both with the King and Nobles for the observation of Peace and support of the Law But when he was dead first discontents and hatred arose which afterwards broke out into open Force And some there were that said The Nobles were advised soon after his Funeral that their Liberty had been attempted with many artisices That he had left the Commonwealth in as good a Condition to those that survived as it was when he first received the Charge of it and therefore now They should take care that nothing therein might go amiss either out of Ignorance or Sluggishness And in truth not long after the chief of the Noblemen that are there called Palatines broke out into Arms accusing the King That after the death of his first Wife without the advice of the States of Poland he had marryed the Sister of his deceased Wife thereby at once polluting the Kingdome with Incest and by a private League obliging himself to the House of Austria and that in the disposal of Honours he carried not an equal hand but preferred Romanists before Protestants they desired also that the Jesuits might be expelled out of the Jurisdiction of Craâ—ovia and that the contentions growing among Priests should be decided by Domestique Judges and not at Rome whither they must make long Journies with vast charge And thereupon the Great Council of that Kingdome being summoned they called the King before them to purge himself of his Crimes adding threats That unless he appeared they would transfer those Imperial Ensign of Majesty the Crown and Scepter which by the Custome of the Countrey they had the keeping of to another But the King collecting his Army and winning to him many by gifts although at first he was answered with divers successes yet preferring Peace a League was concluded at Sendomir whereby the Old Laws were strengthened and confirmed by New But for all this it might rather he called a laying down of Arms then a taking awâ—y of Offences for as he contemned the Subjects as Conquered so their impunity made them again grow confident so that the Peace was neither safe nor durable Besides these faults before mentioned this also was objected That without the consent of the Publick he intangled Poland in a war by sending aid to Demetrius This Demetrius after Boris had invaded the Dominion sought to slay the Son of the most noted Basilides by cruelty and after him enjoyed Muscovy professing himself the Brother of Theodore another being put into his place that should be killed while he was carryed into Poland where he long dissembled the Nobility of his bloud but at last prevailed in the over-perswading many by shewing upon his body divers private marks But he managed his Arms unfortunately against Boris who was now grown old and experienced both in the Arts of War and Government When he dyed he left a son named Theodore whom we mentioned before in his tender age to be left to his Mother but a great part of the Russians who equally hate the Government of Women and Children fell to Demetrius and presently the common people let him into Mosco the Principal City slaying in favour of their new Lord both the Widow and Son of Boris But the Fortune of his Kingdome was short for the Priests were offended at the Authority of the Jesuites by whose perswasions it was reported That he had sent to the Pope with intent to change the Greek Ceremonies for the Latine Nor were the Noblemen less enraged because he chose for the Guards to his person Foreiners and made use of none but Polanders both in his Court and Privy Counsels But the common people who hate or love not voluntarily but as they are lead and instructed were provoked by common report That he was not the Demetrius as was supposed but a Fugitive Monk instructed by Magick Art and but a slave sent by the Polanders to disturb the Affairs of Russia At the time of his Marriage which he celebrated with a young Polonian Lady the daughter of the Palatine of Sendomer a great tumult arising Demetrius or whoever else he was for even after his death it remained a doubt in vain striving to avoid his ruine by leaping from on high to the ground being weakned by the fall he was presently killed And his death was attended with a great slaughter of Polonians while one Scutskye that had raised this commotion seized the Empire at first indeed very unstable and tottering while their minds were astonished with the cruelty and being very slowly drawn to consent to a new Prince but afterwards it was soon setled by fear add punishments as is usual among Barbarians Now also had the sedition of the Imperial Souldiers involved Transilvania and the parts adjoyning upon Hungary in great troubles which were also increased by the Rapines of the Governours and debarring the Protestants the liberty of their Religion the envy of the War here also being thrown upon the Jesuits as the daily fomenters of mischief At this time also broke forth divers long concealed complaints That they plainly saw they were slighted for the Prince violated that antient Custome of his Predecessors of being present in their Assemblies and hearing the Requests of his People But Robolfus keeping himself within the Court kept the chief maâ—agety both of Arms and Counsels in the hands of Foreiners which is a thing very grievous even to such as are enslaved and therefore the more intollerable to them whose Laws and Foundations of Government are so confirmed to them by the Oaths of their Kings that it is accounted to them neither disgrace of Crime to resist all that would make an infringement thereupon And thus on a sudden they fell to fighting and besieging of Cities to the great rejoycing of the Turk from whom the Crown and Scepter of Hungary was sent to Steplxn Botscay a chosen Captain of the Malecontents who was besides the Publick inflamed with private injuries yet he persisted to refuse the same contenting himself with Transilvania and the Title of Prince But Peace set an end to this short War of which this was the third year The Turk being weakned by the Persians Victories and a new Rebellion in Asia and Botscay endeavouring nothing further
Holland to carry home the wounded Men and the Body of Hemskerk which Admiral for the better preserving thereof was embalmed The Report of this Battel at Gibralter which was fought the 25 day of April was not yet arrived to the knowledge of the Hollanders but then supposed to have been brought by speedy Messengers out of Spain into Brabant when Naya then Resident at the Hague desired the Assembly of the States the 27 of April setting forth to them That he lately at their Request promised the Arch-Dukes should take care that the King of Spain should confirm the Articles when he had no such thing either in his Charge or Instructions And that the Arch-Dukes when they might have refused that Authority yet out of love to Peace by promising the same had made good his assurance to them Now therefore it was but just that as those Princes had by an extraordinary belief omitted nothing that might be conducible to Peace so the States on the other side should remove all things that might be Obstructions to the same intent and consequently should recall their Fleet out of Spain which had lately been sent thither to spoil all the Maritime Parts of that Country Moreover he desired That those things which had lately been agreed of late concerning the forbearance of encamping and invading each others Country might be declared in more express and plain tearms for that the words wherein they were expressed were more ambiguous And since many Things might happen before the first of September which ought to be published by the States in the Arch-Duke's Names He required Instruments of publike Credit and safe Conduct by vertue whereof he might without hazard go up and down between both Parties And now the greatness of the business in hand had wrought upon all Mens Minds insomuch that some of the principal Persons of each Province came and were present at the daily Debates of the Council At the first there was much hesitation concerning the recalling of the Fleet some Rumours of the Victory at Gibraltar being scatter'd abroad Whereupon some averred That it was convenient to prosecute their good fortune and that Peace should not be discoursed of but in the heat of War Others were of Opinion That they ought to shew as well in words as reality that their Minds were not averse from a true Peace which if it were not at that time brought to pass not onely the Sea should be secured but they would all unanimously resume their Arms not so much for Revenge of old Injuries as of their delusive Peace And it had almost hapned that they who desired Peace by making the Spaniard more secure and they that were against it putting the Enemy in fear and seeking after the Causes why Peace should be sought that they had brought to nothing their own Counsels Among these Transactions Embassadours came out of France the chief of whom was Mounsieur Peter Janine of old a great Supporter of the Guisian League but returning to his Obedience towards the King together with the Duke de Mayn and from thence forward was a Minister of great Fidelity and of great Estimation and Authority among the chief Counsellors for his great and eminent Experiments in points of Prudence having a Wit rarely skilful in handling Affairs of State and not onely knowing in the Theory and Practice of the Law but throughly instructed in all other good Arts Besides he was so prevailing both in Countenance and Words that when he endeavour'd most to hide himself his Judgment would most evidently appear With him were joyned Mounsieur Buzenvale formerly the King's Agent with the States and Mâ—unsieur Elias Playce who was Commanded to succeed Buzenvale in that Dignity It seems the King took it ill that they had begun to lay the Foundation of so great a Matter onely by the Knowledg and Advice of a few which he judged they ought not to have begun without his Approbation as well in regard of his Grandeur as the Benefits he had often done to the Hollanders Therefore the Embassadors according to the Directions given them premising many Things by which they declared how highly the King had deserved of that Commonwealth They presently fell to Complaints first bitterly inveighing against them who seeming to love the Thing yet spoke sharply of him as being ambitious to get the Dominion over them Afterwards when they had involved Themselves in Treaties with the Enemy they made a Clandestine Application to the King which also he could not but take in very evil part yet nevertheless he would not forbear at this time with Courtesie to set forth his Friendship by this his Embassie declaring That he would for the future assist them if they were necessitated to make War Or if they thought fit to make Peace He would by his Authority make the same to them just at the present and permanent for the future That some might be chosen out of the Assembly of the States that should before the Embassadors weigh the Ability of the Treasury and the ways and means conducing to Peace And lest the French Kings Authority might offend other of the Hollanders Allyes it was judged necessary to request the Kings of Great Brittain and Denmark as also the Prince Palatine and Marquess of Brandenburg to be aiding and assisting by their Counsells in these doubtful and ambiguous Affairs Upon Naya's demands after long debate that part prevailed who were for Peace Whereupon it was Decreed That the Fleet should be recalled from Spain assoon as king Philip should have confirmed the Articles granted by the Archdukes and that in the interim neither any new ships should be sent thither nor any provisions That in the Neighbour Sea which is enclosed within the Streights and narrow passage by Bulloin from thence forward should be a cessation of arms but upon this condition That none but Fishermen should be permitted to go out of the Ports of Flanders And as soon as Philips Instruments of Confirmation came the like cessation of Arms should be in all that Sea that runs by France and Spain as far as Cadiz and from thence all over the more inland Sea They consulted also for the same nearer to them by Land And thus the United States enclosed their jurisdiction and security within the famous boundaries of the Eemes the Vider the Issel the Rhine the Wael and below Grave the Maes all great Rivers of note but the Archdukes Countreyes were bounded with less famous Rivers such as Demmer and Gatt in Brabant Ley and Amand in Flanders All that lay without these Borders was subject to War excepting only the Cities Forts and Castles yet so as no bounds should defend the Souldiers themselves offering injuries one to the other either by Sea or Land Thus before Naya departed it appeared how little in vain be protracted his time among the Hollanders Notwithstanding all this it would not be granted that he should stay at the Hague for that the minds of
be re-united Besides the Indian Ships are fit and ready for War whereof some are always at home â—it for suddain Service and without any publick charge would be a publick Fleet But what would the Spanish Fleet nothing but at pleasure take booty from their Enemies Let the gain thereof here be shared with their Enemy and let him there also partake of their most plentiful advantage and by that meanes the Spanish Wealth now too great to let the World enjoy peace will be lessened And that it may be the better discerned what ought to be denyed to King PHILIP it is to be observed what he most earnestly demands which may be imagined the cause of his desiring peace Those antient LORDS of that poor Kingdom are beholding to India and America for the great raising of their Fortune which at this time hath made them so proud as to despise Kings for herein is concerned the cause of most neighbour Princes to whom by the loss of the Sea the Hollander would be of no use If we look upon the Enemy aright we shall find him bend all his endeavours thither that he may be able to do injuries when and where he pleaseth The Hollanders labour for this only that they may not be compelled to suffer If either Justice or power be sought they have on their side all Laws both Divine and Humane who have given to all a right of Navigation and Merchandise as Nature hath disposed to all an equal share both of Ayr and Earth Although before the Wars the Hollanders did not sail to the Indies yet that they had a right and might have done it nor can the longest possession prevail against the Authority of the Law of Nations They that would shut up the Sea and challenge Merchandise to themselves alone what other thing do they then Pyrates and Ingroffers of Provision Antiquity averred Arms to be justly taken up against them who excluded any from their Harbors how much more then against them who would drive them from the Ports belonging to others Peace without Trade is not Peace but a perpetual hostility where the right of Defence is utterly taken away And now the hitherto unspotted fidelity of the Hollanders could not be sullyed by a more no able example then if they should leave and betray the Indian Kings and People confederate with them to the Spanish cruelty If the Spaniards resolve to perform what shall be agreed on let the business now be perfected as it will be when the Hollanders are declared Free and when they have agreed then that each shall quietly enjoy what at the present he shall possess for nothing ought to be limited to Freemen and Traffick admitted in all places whereof they have Possession But that they should set so high an esteem upon Philip for yielding up a part of his Dominion there was little reason truly for the same since it was not a gift but a confession of the truth without which there was no hopes of concord It were more honourable for him to give or take Peace then while his Affairs succeeded so well to sell it which if he would not believe he should eft-soons experiment it The fruit of forty years bloudshed would be utterly lost and in vain were Arms taken up for Liberty and against that terrible bugbear of Commerce the tenth raised by Alva if now as great a slavery should be voluntarily admitted to and they suffer themselves to be deprived of the greater part of the World by their Enemies which they â—ould never have endured from any Prince These things were urged by them A few on the other side averred That this was private business and ought not to hinder the publick Peace at leastâ—ise that the cause of some Maritime people ought not to be handled alone when the evil of War extended to all Lastly where the Spanish Negotiation was short and safe it â—â—ticed Seamen by their good will to avoid long Voyages which are frequently obnoxious to diseases Upon mature consideration of the matter by the United States these things seemed to them to be just causes why they would not desert and quit the Indies yet that they â—ight not leave any thing untryed for the ending the War after much dispute they offer the Spaniards their choise either that they would make a firm Peace with freedome of Navigation or else according to the example of France and Brittain all beyond the line should be left to the decision of Arms or else to conclude a Peace here and only a Truce â—â—ere But the Spaniards would neither permit that negotiation saying that Peace and War mingled resembled a Prodigy but at last they gave hopes of a Truce in the Indies if when the time thereof was elapsed they would abstain from any further Navigations to those parts But the States that abhorred those conditions revived the Counsels of the American society lately laid aside if perchance they could work upon the Enemy by fear But they quickly understood these were but threats nor indeed did that matter proceed any further while they who were desirous of Peace among the Hollanders were afraid to be severe towards dissenters Without doubt this state of Affairs was very prejudicial to the people of the United Provinces Arms being only forbidden as uncertain whether there should be Peace or War whereupon many of the common people who got their living by War were not apt to apply themselves to any other business and so were afflicted with two evils idleness and penury and therefore the States esteemed it more convenient to hasten the end of the Treaty to this purpose they advised the Spaniards That they should on both sides propose the chief heads of what was to be insisted on They alledged it to be an unusual thing to make new Proposals before the former were concluded yet at length they consented not that they would distinctly and plainly offer the particulars but only the chief points in general and that in obscure tearms for they said there remained yet to be treated of concerning their limits the restitution of goods Forreign commerce money and those immunities which were granted to the English or others in the Netherlands as also of Religion and Neighbouring Princes Being asked when they mentioned Religion since the same was contained in King Philips Letters whether this were their meaning That they which passed up and down should not be infested under pretence of Religion or whether they would prescribe Laws to the Hollanders whereby Divine matters among them should be ordered They answered This was a matter concerning which they would advise with their Prince and after the other things were seâ—led when they came to that they would more clearly procure and produce their determination On the other side the States delivered not a few and those ambiguously contrived but eight and twenty branches or heads contained in plain words such as usual for the confirmation of Peace or taking away the injuries of War
Language wherein he said that he did not use to set aside Ministers of State without hearing and perpending their cause of Complaint but if he could not have his Revenue upon whose payment he did depend he would that some of them should come to him from whom being present he would take cognizance of the whole matter They earnestly write back again That it was not for them to lay crimes to any ones charge but they believed it was a part of his duty rightly and truly â— have informed his Prince but whether he had so done or not the imminent danger if they should be silent would speak and they hoped that their Births and Merits would gain no lesse credit â— their betters than their words but now chiefty when the absenâ— of Governours from their Charges could not be well admitted The King was much moved at these lines but finding necessary a little to yield he sends secretly to Grannell whom now these fore-going passages began to vex partly aâ— a by-stander and partly as being guilty to himself of the deadly hatred of the people towards him commanding him to depart into Burgundy whither he was ordered to retire for avoyding the danger of his life so much fought and layd wait for by his enemies And a long time after he kept all the Netherlands or the greatest part in fear of his return but few joyning with him in his hopes till at length either by Command or his own free will he went to Rome There they who hitherto had been kept out of office were at the Request of the Regent Margaret recalled in the Senate of Assembly and that they might give some proofs of themselves they begin with all diligence to advise and take notice of choice things of others there was no great need And the praise and thanks of dissembling their Crimes was so much the greater towards them by how much he would divert them from the sense of their evill so that now acting wholly as Victors they had taken all things into their own hands whether belonging to publick accounts or to the Law saying it was the Soveraign pleasure of the Senate and that to it all the other Assemblies ought their Service and Obedience But how many faults do attend where some few bear the Sway and in how little time do they grow ripe The Kings Revenew neglected the Authority of the Law among potent discords laid aside the greatest Crimes and villanies unpunished Honours given for favour either much done through ambition by such as coveted the praise of all or else evils never to be remedied overcharge the Credit of the great ones They dissembled less in point of Religion maintaining it was better taught by perswasion than compulsion till at length they found what they supposed as remedies proved rather food to nourish the Disease But when they granted this in favour of the People whether it were out of their own disposition averse from cruelty or that they suspected under the veil of the Inquisition that there lay hid slavery or danger to the valiantest men I will not undertake to discover But this is most evident that they themselves did not depart from the Ceremonies of the Church of Rome and he who was the chief in all these Consultations in his own Principality of Aurange would suffer nothing in matters of Religion to be changed Besides this and for other weighty Causes Egmond was sent into Spain to pry into the Kings nature and affections and is there received with so much Honour and such high Gifts as no man before him ever had the like Here Philip protests much of affection to the Netherlanders and that he may prevent any desire of his return to them again he sayes he hath resolved in himself for the Turkish Warre and likewise gave him some hope that he would moderate the rigour of the Sentence and Edict of the Bishops least either by severity or impunity he might provoke the Secturies licentiousness whereas in truth he intended to make it far more strict For when first he came into Spain and found there many and some of the chief of the Covent of St. Isidore to think otherwise than they ought of the received Rites and Doctrine he was not onely content to have commanded into the fire Learned men and noble Women but rejoyced to see the same with the terrour whereof having appeased the discords there he believed either the sloth or timidity of his Judges hindred if not envyed him the like success in the Netherlands And at this time Elizabeth his Wife Sister of Charles King of France being sent together with the Duke of Alva to â—ajon whether the same Charles and his Mother Medicos met at a Conference for rooting out innovators and disturbers of Religion he bound himself by some private Covenants to be assistant equally therein The like League was made between Henry and Philip after the Peace of Cambray and this being by the imprudence of Henry discovered to the Prince of Orenge in his Embassy into France as he was by chance â— hunting made him often assert with Protestations that he onely feared those Counsels which were concealed Egmond was scarce returned full of his vain hope but the Kings Letters immediately followed cruelly commanding the Inquisitors to execute judgement upon violators and novelties in Religion adding certain other Assistants to the number of the Judges and though Viglius and many with him perswaded the contrary presently they were published to the great trouble of all mens mindes and shortly after were the Decrees of the Councel of Trent put forth by whom nothing being amended either in Doctrine or Ceremonies some whole Nations separated and fell off from the Church of Rome onely there was a Decree made for reformation of Priests Lives and Manners wherewith indeed they were offended but never cured And truly in the Netherlands those mens lives were most vicious who being admitted into the Sacred Order of Priesthood got nothing thereby but the name and Revenues yet were these men most fierce for the publishing of these Decrees which in some places were obeyed but with exception underwritten to which Philip had consented that they should not derogate from any mans right which was added by reason of Patronages of Churches and bounds of Jurisdictions But the Brabanders with one free consent went further First their Cities and afterwards the Senate or States of their Nation did Declare That this Custome of the Inquisition insensibly creeping in daily in a high manner into their Countries was against the Law by which all their Judgments should be directed and which should set Bounds to the Priesthood wherein they should walk The Constancy of these was followed by others but especially the Common People were infinitely perplexed with the Terrible Rumour of the Spanish Inquisition whose Authority with the King though manifest and its Usage and Example in all Kingdoms how profitable and though commended by the French yet the
Name of it in the Netherlands with great Regret of Spirit was abominated There were who at this time wrote to the King the whole Sum of this Discipline which he under the Name of Heresie gave hearing to with an evil Will least he should in any manner give Credit to a thing so profane and detestable however glosed over by those malitious People Here by the Industry of the Prince of Aurange were excited George Cassander and Francis Balduin of Artoyes Men well skilled in Antiquity and that perswaded to Moderation There is of this Mans extant an eloquent Oration desiring the free use of that Religion who now by being grown strong could not be esteemed a Disturber of the Peace with whose Interest such a Liberty would be consistent as well as with that of Commerce The Pope having in these inferior things to the very Jews given leave to purchase Impunity for the Exercise of their Religious Rites But all these things proving of no effect some for fear of punishment others desirous of novelty cast out ambiguous and doubtful Speeches send abroad Libels the onely Allurements of the Vulgar and as a thing indifferent there being no War to retain the Assertors of the German Religion The Romane Superstition is again thrown out of England as also by the Danes and Swedes Nor in France do Slaughters pass unrevenged where not being able to bear the cruel Natures of those who Tyrannized over them they Resolved openly to defenâ— their Safety either by Peace or Warre there being no other Mediums for their Liberty For certainly there is nothing can more strictly oblige the People to their Duty than the Prince to a moderate and just Government By making use of these Alterations the Minds of the Nobles were confirmed who already judged themselves in their own Thoughts to stand condemned in the Kings and some of them being married to Women that were Forraigners well by Countrey as by Religion as the Prince of Aurange to a Saxon and Count Horn to a Nionarian gave the Crâ—dulous King also from thence also cause of Suspition which they were not insensible of because the King had already shewed his Dislike against the new power of the Senatâ— which they had introduced and assumed And therefore that they might the better strengthen their Cause by the Assistance of the Vulgar they endeavour to quiet Religion and if they cannot firm a publike Peace at least to settle Domestike One they making the fear of the ensuing Mischiefs so much the greater by how much the rest did under valuingly sleight them they endeavour to hide these Practices under the Notion of Civil Disturbances which they also themselves were partly the cause of or else by these means they hoped to move the King however they doubted not in these Novelties of Assistance if not out of Love to them yet out of Envy to the Spanish Greatness Departing therefore from the Senate as if they had fore-seen Commotions which they were unable to help now under pretence of Solemnizing Marriages another time intermingling Festiv Societies to make them seem the more solemn they gathered together and obliged to them many either by the Ties of Bloud or the Obligations of Friendship But long it was not ere the main matter at which all these things aimed burst out for after it was perceived that there were many which looked that way while they sollicite much both the Commander and Souldier find fault that a Woman should be chief in Authority disswade the States and Governours of Cities from Cruelty and to suffer patiently Many other Noble men but all wi◠〈◊〉 any Government or Command among whom were some of the Romane Religion made a 〈◊〉 which was drawn up by one Marnye against the Inâ—sition wherein they promised to aid and assist one another â— any of them should thereby be questioned or brought into â—nger And that it might not be unknown upon what main strength they relyed among the Leaders of that Faction the most eminent was Lewis of Nassau Brother to the Prince of Aurange an open Dissentor from the Romane Profession So 〈◊〉 now it was no difficult matter to understand that although the reall and greatest Heads of the Faction did not yet appear yet to judge who they were that when time should serve would uphold them whose Interest and Authority in the mean while was a sure Safeguard to all Pretenders for the rest against the bitter Invectives and Tyranny of â—hose who by Arms would endeavour to stifle or suppress this growing Rebellion There joyned with the before-named Lewis the Counts of Herenburgh and Culemburgh and Henry Brederode of an â—ntient Family of the greatest Nobility of Holland and generally beloved of the People whose hopes were blown up too high and were vain and incertain unless more had appeared These accompanied with Four Hundred Confederates the fifth Day of April 1566. came all unarmed to the Court of â—ruxels where then the Prince of Aurange the rest scarcely intreated by the Lady Margaret the Regent to return â—hither had taken their Places and were sitting These were their Desires for so they called them That the King's Edicts concerning Religion might by the Order of the States of the Netherlands be changed and that they would acquiesce till it could be done The one of which when the Regent promise she would recommend to the King and protested the other not in her power they urged the same with an earnestneâ— rather befitting Judges or Justices who had power of Command than Petitioners who knew to 〈◊〉 â—â—rate their Zeal wâ— Temperance Then first was heard of that name of Guise â—terwards no less famous than those of Protestants and Hâ—gonets when therefore some had cast into the Teeth of the Confederates their broken and decaid Fortunes they not the king notice of the happy Fortune of that Name but wholled by Honour confirmed their Faith to the King to staâ— by him even to the hazard of their Estates Which thing being now evident to the whole World there were various Consultations both in Spain and the Netherlands Of theâ— who were attendant upon the Councels and Person of tâ— Lady Margaret some reputed those Requests or rather Demands of the Confederate Nobles to be just Others thought them onely necessary But some of the Great Ones who began to suspect the Cruelty of the King's Intentions toward them without any Dissembling demanded Pledges for the Security and to prevent the fear of suffering punishment which otherwise might happen to be the cause of a War and if these things were denied they having under the Commands most valiant People of several Nations aâ— likewise some Troops of Natives which would prove the main Props of the War would not draw a Sword in Defend of those Laws by which the Citizens being slain by each others hand should fall onely for the pleasure and advantage of the Spaniards After many several Letters sent to the King at last John Montigniac the
Nobles s certainly a goodly Company of Exceptions the Liberties also of Towns and Universities and whatsoever the Kings Treasury was indebted to any man being reserved to the Kings pleasure Now having thus laid aside all fear and shame the veâ— utmost intentions and designs of the Spaniards were laid â— pen in their open boastings for the bringing to passe therof that not onely the charges of the Government but if neâ— were Warre should be maintained at the charge of theâ— Provinces and to make this good Alva commands for thâ— present the hundreth part of all the Revenues of the people to be levyed which in it self was very grievous because â— was forcibly commanded by the Souldier which ought â— have been collected according to the Custom of the Country nor did he exempt the Priests from this payment afâ—ter this be takes the twentieth part of Lands and the tenth of all other thing whatsoever sold upon every alienation affirming to the Spaniards that it was necessary thus to tax the Netherlanders that they might the rather think themselveâ— bound in equity to obey being bound by the Law and coâ—quered by Arms and not otherwise capable of Pardon It may easily be imagined that these Impositions haâ— spoyled Merchandizing and broken the connexion of most Arts and Trades by the flight of so many so that the chiefeâ— support of the People was utterly gone for the profit accrewing by buying and selling of Wares using to be dispersed into severall Channels if so great a burden should be come to be a part of the price there would be no Chapmes found to buy when in another place they might have them so much cheaper And if any durst be so bold as to find streight they were seized on by Souldiers and most exquisitely punished Nay some Provinces and Cities being somewhat stubborn and self-willed were sometimes majestically summoned and questioned both what they had done themselves and what they had suffered others to do against the Kings Edicts being objected against them and though the madness of some private persons for the common cause were not compelled to their evill deeds yet were they sentenced that they should be out of the protection of the Law excluded from all publick Counsels and for the future be governed by no other Law than that of the Kings will Nay some were punished for appealing to the King and the intercessions of the Magistrates were restrained by a mulct which they should pay out of their own Estates upon forfeiture with the severity of which examples the rest being terrified did endeavour to redeem themselves from this infinite oppression with a certain sum of money And yet for all these so many and great afflictions the wrath of God was not yet appeased towards these people for their sins but as if the cruelty and avarice of men had not been sufficient for the persecution of a Land most flourishing and opulent both in Wealth and Inhabitants the Ocean breaking over its bounds with such an overflux as the like hath scarce ever been seen before by its inundation made one great slaughter of men and foretold another For this was the time in the small Punctillio whereof the basest of servitude and the highest point of liberty being divided by both names continued equall miseries and misfortunes And now anger suggesting unto the oppressed the desire to free or revenge themselves by Arms they were taught there was no concord so firm and stable as that which is contained within the Bond of private concerns And now that Nation which had so patiently seen her Citizens burnt her Governours slain her Laws Religion and Common-wealth almost to be violently taken away and devoured first consented to take vengeance for the former and to prevent and keep off thâ—se evills that immediately hâ—ng over their heads And so in the City of Bruxels though Alva himself were present and with a strong Guard did sternly exact the tenth yet every one shut up their Shops and Ware-houses scorning to own or confess their slavery though with the perill of their Heads Now were Gibbets and Hangmen prepared for the Rebels as they were termed when news came of the Commotions in Holland which I shall presently declare to you and put a stop to their cruelty The fury and indignation of the People increasing infused new Courage into the Prince of Aurange that he might once more try the fortune of Warre though yet his Confidence flagged till his Resolution became setled by considering that part of Philips Forces were imployed against the Turk and that Spain it self was yet scarce quiet from the disturbances and incursions of the Moors if therefore he could but get Arms himself would be Captain and he hoped through their dissentions he should be able to find or make a way 1571. To that purpose he sends choyce persons to all Princes that professed themselves Reformers of Religion praying them either publickly to take his part or at least to grant him private Ayds towards the support of the common Cause The Deaâ— and Swede positively deny him as fearing to cope with an Adversary more powerful than themselves not durst the Queen of England disturb her Neighbours greatness although the Pope had given Her over to be a prey and Alva for the Genoa Merchants money detained in England for present use and under assurance of repayment beginning a difference and bringing it almost to Pledges sought long agoe a Cause of Warre against that rich Island as was suspected and now lately when there were some troubles in the North part of that Kingdom he sent some to view the Ports that might if opportunity succeeded to his desires upon such occasion be leaders and without peradventure he was a great encourager of the Endeavours of the Queen of Scots against Elizabeth the knowledge of all which things were for the present so dissembled and Spain so far obliged that the Nassavian Messengers were commanded without any delay by a certain day to depart out of the English Territories But in France they who had laid aside the Rites of the Latine Church that they might give credit to the Peace they had were admitted into the Grace and favour of the King and therefore that they might be the better able to assist the Prince of Aurange they add fresh fire to â—e old Burgundian fuel repeating the Controversie that first â—ose in the Council of Trent between these Kings for priority of place urging also against Philip the poysoning of his Wife Elizabeth whose murder ought to be revenged and that he was in Honour obliged to the like for satisfaction of those French Subjects murdered by the Spaniards in Florida a Province of America which Counsel King Charles listning to with greedy ears would have to believe that he was sensible thereof another motive wherewith they enveighed him was upon the Marriage of his Sister agreed with the King of Navarre they gave him cause to think himself deceived therein It was
of them that refused to come by publick Judgement and Choyce he appointed other Substitutes There was a great scarcity of men that did either desiâ— or deserve these savours when most of them seeing the smallness of their strength or out of scruple of Conscience would endeavour to exempt themselves from these matterâ— which seemed to them troublesome and unsafe And thaâ— they might avoid the Odium of falling rashly from their obedience being underpropped by no allyance the name â— Phillip is used in all Cases though positively in opposition to Philips Commands Nor wanted they a President for this even from the Spaniards themselves who being beyond measure oppressed with Taxes when the Emperour Charles was gone into Germany opposed the Kings Deputies or Vâ—royâ—s By such and the like practices did the Germans at fâ— strengthen and associate themselves in the Smalcalde Leagy for the Cause of Religion After whom the French Nobility had by many Writings declared that inferior Magistrates did not falsifie their Allegiance when they fight foâ— the defence of Religion and the Laws and to Protect the lives of Innocents although therein they not onely disobey the Kings Command but resist his Person This did in some small measure help the Nassavians because they took Arms against Alva the King being absent which they would have let alone if he had been there But they who in defence of the Kings Power and Greatness boasted that they would lay down their lives were by a more fatall necessity compelled not onely to bear Arms but to fight many bloody Battels against the same Now were the Roman Ceremonies quite cast out of their Churches and who were of that Judgement were not easily admitted unto any great Offices or Imployments not that there was any Law against them but it was so ordered cut of common Prudence least they bearing a grudge to all that dissented from them might by that Licence probably disjoyn and seperate their own from the publick Cause and the Discipline which was taught at Geneva and here and there dispersedly in the Palatinate of Germany was publickly received and owned but with this difference that many of the same Religion vary in the toleration of divers things for the teachers in this say not onely that Cities and Magistrates were ordained of God for prevention of injuries either to mens Persons or Estates but that he commanded in what manner he would be worshipped but that saith it is enough to worship at large of which duty many being negligent had drawn upon themselves the punishments due for the impieties of other men But on the contrary those people judged it not onely fit to give them all ayd but all of the Religion voluntarily did abhorre the very name of the Laws of the Inquisition and from thenceforth did dispute that no man would willingly go astray neither could any man be forced to believe against his will And that a true opinion in matters of Religion was onely by God infused into the minds of men no devotion being acceptable to him but what is voluntary And that it hath been found true that erroneous opinions have not been stifled so well by force and humane Laws as eaten out by length and process of time Under these pretences and vizors not onely the publick Rites of Religion were despised without punishment but sometimes absurd and impious discourses would be published among these evills of too much liberty Now were the Tributes and Revenues of the Prince Priests and Monasteries together with the Estates of all such as were fled and lived in the Enemies Country and also all Prizes taken at Sea brought into a common Treasury for the publick use 1573. Then were found out the severall names of Taxes imposed on mens Heads and Estates then were invented exactions under the names of Loanes and Impositions laid even on those things which were consumed by use and all these increased more and more as the Warre grew more fierce They bore so great a spleen against Tyrannical Soveraignty that they had rather part with all then pay the Tenth before spoken of There was also found out a new way of gaining from the Enemy which by selling Licences that Provisions and other Commodities might be transported and this profitable Custom is used yet both publickly and privately and though many times forbidden yet never left off There was somewhat also payd out of Merchandizes for Ships of Convoy when Merchants Ships were attended at Sea for their security by Ships of Warre All these things thus setled the lack of money notwithstanding was the main matter because the Spaniards might make incursions into the Hollanders Country first by Vtrecht and Amsterdam and then through Narde for that is the way â—ut of Gellerland Most matters were atchieved by the valour and industry of the Citizens not by hired and forraign Souldiers for there was hardly Provision enough for those already in Service The Captains were yet not skilled in managing their Men and the Men were untoward to be commanded This onely helped them that they had as much skill in the assaulting and taking of Towns as their Enemy Hence it proceeded that Sieges became so long and the main force they used was to starve the Enemy out till by many slaughters and wounds they became more expert having out of each others blood learned perfectly the art of Warre Great was the over-sight of Alva that he did not bend all his force against Zeland in the instant while all things were discomposed and out of order but he was frighted by them as being ignorant of the way of such fights The Spanish Army lay seven moneths about Harlem a City of Holland loosing many thousands of their men as well by the sharpness of the Winter as by the Sword and that time both strengthned and confirmed the minds of men and the State of Affairs and though by a long Siege yet at last after a late and unhappy relief the besieged fell into the cruel hands of their enemies a great part of whom they either hanged or drowned But by this it appeared that it was impossible to overcome them who had been so long getting a Victory and least their Successes should have gone on while the amazement for the late loss continued their own dissertions put an obstacle in the way by a mutiny for want of pay which was an unavoydable evill in those parts though in wages under a most wealthy King By the sufferings and punishments of the Inhabitants of Harlem the Peoples rage was again set on fire in which fury Alemar a Town of Holland lying to the North first made a breach upon the Spaniards strength by beating them off from their Siege and afterwards they received more comforts in their misery for the Nassavians took Gâ—eretruydenburgh by force a Town of Holland extending it self to Brabant and Bossu himself with his whole Fleet was taken while both at Sea and Land he daily did infest West-Frizeland with
at hoâ—e and therefore the more desirous to augment both their Fame and Wealth by forraign Service and acquisitions Francis who was of a disposition not to be despised but altogether unrestful in spirit offered himself to be their Generall in the Warre which was said in France to be for the restoring of liberty against the wrongs and oppressions of the Court and for the settlement of Religion in peace which he did either out of hatred to his Brother who though weak and barren yet kept the Kingdom or else he was an Instrument of his Mothers subtilty for averting the feuds of parties and surely he might have gained the love of the People very much in the supporting that Cause and would upon a Peace made have had most ample possessions But he becoming the Minister of anothers cruelty in a short time soyled all his Renown by turning his Arms upon his Allyes About which 〈◊〉 Margaret of Valoyes the King of Navarres Wife that she might be clear of the Warres of her Husband and her Brother and veyling the desire of her absence with the pretence of going to the Waters at the Spaw as she passed by Cambray and Moniz taking hold of opportunity She highly commended the Duke of Anjou in those two strong places that differed not much either in Customs or Speech from the French and very little in Religion But Casimire who had at that time been a great support to the party of Navarre remitted the Agreement that privately had been made with him thereby giving the testimony of a just and Religious mind The Common-wealth like an indigested Chaos was now on every side in confusion nor was there any Symmetry in its parts while each one catches at the Government as if it were void and in the prosecuting thereof steer a severall way And truly the main use of Arms by all was against a Kingdom but some praised the Principality and Laws others admired and preferred their forces before those of the Venetian or Switzerland without any consideration of their inequality or disproportion And thus under the name of Noblemen they distracted and tore in pieces the Government or else because they fell short of others in dignity the Plâ—beyan strength also approaching stirred up the vulgar by words whereby becoming unruly and not to be led their suspicions egged them to cruelty so that nothing would content them but free liberty without any exception within and without abroad and at home there was nothing but faction and sedition Nor by this was the Warre lossened onely it was delayed and not vehement enough for the time because the Armies were ordered according to severall Opinions Amsterdam which as we told you was one of the greatest Cities in Holland and had not stood up for liberty as the rest was then much favoured because it inclined to Don John But because the Nassavians had environed and in a maner besieged that City and in regâ—d there was no hope of relief in a long time they came to Articles whereby all that were banished for Religion were restored to their Country but they should not have the exercise thereof within the Walls But when the men of the Roman Opinion who wavered in the performance of their promises seemed sometimes as if they would become enemies again the Exiles driving out the Magistrates and all those that praesided Religion enjoyed all in publick The same at divers times and for the like causes almost happened in divers other Towns of Holland as at Vtrecht and Harlâ—m taking occasion by their breach of Faith from Magistrates instructed in this that whatever they approved should never be contradicted by the City which among themselves was very conducing to concord among them but was offensive to the stomacks of their fellows who adhering to the Pope suspected that strength would suppress them John of Nassau had the Government of Gueldres the Prince of Aurange appointing him to that charge that so he might stand the more strongly guarded But in Frizeland whereof Rennerberge then was made Governour the old Dissentions of Groningen City and the Country adjacent began anew to flame for the carrying forth of their Reveâ—ues though for the maintaining their Peace questionable if not with the Governours Desire that he might the more surely Command The Commons of the City bound the Deputies of the adverse Party to themselves and the same after both Sides bad shewed their Valour in their privnte Darings came off Victor However all Prisoners taken were set at Liberty yet did Animosities remain untill they came to be intermingled in the Publike Contention although both Matthias and the Prince of Aurange interposed to settle them Rennerberg also commanded some of the Senators of Frizeland to be removed and diligently watched who had shewed themselves well pleased at the Spanish Victory and substituted others in their Room the like also he did by the Bishop of Leuwarden For these Merits and good Works he is chosen Captain particularly for the Ruling and subjecting Over-Issel for the German Souldiers hired by Don John held both Campen and Daventry both which Cities were soon after yielded But the Army staying something longer at Daventry Casimire came to them with a fresh Recruit of Eight Thousand Foot and almost as many Horse For the Queen of England instead of the Money she did promise sent Souldiers whose Number he of his own free Will increased as if he had been obliged Which the Chiefrains of the Romane Religion looked upon as very ominous and therefore they forthwith laboured by all means to intreat and win Francis of Valois to be the Head of their Sect which the Prince of Aurange as well as others saw but would seem to take no Notice thereof because they would not draw new Suspitions upon themselves Wherefore Francis by the Decree of the States is named The Defender of the Belgick Liberty And moreover Provision was made for Imbursement of all Charges by giving to him as a Reward or Gratuity of their Alliance whatever Towns the Enemy held beyond the Maze While these things are doing and the Inferiour differ about Fancies in Religion and the Great Ones quarrel about Realities in Dominion the Followers of the Innovated Religion obtain a Power very safe to themselves but hazardous to the Commonwealth for the Right of Ruling being in the hands of many there was no higher Power to restrain or keep under particular Animosities and Feuds They Petition Matthias and the Prince of Aurange who was not ignorant thereof before wherein they set forth That they never having been Servants to Tyranny but rather Marks for the Cruelty of the Spaniards who had designed the Ruine of the Commonwealth by robbing her of the best part of her Citizens were not more maligned by her Enemies abroad Though they had this most certain Pledge of their Faith that their onely hope rested in the Publike Safety for if the old Ceremonies should return as the rest of the People can expect
private ends the People that it to say the States rightly â—â—sembled have power to judge thereof and to punish the same Nor were most Kingdoms any otherwise subject 〈◊〉 their present Kings unless that the People tyred either wiâ—â— the injuries or sloath of the former have translated them 〈◊〉 other hands How much more then should these things prevail in the Netherlands to whom the very name of King is unacquainted and their manner of obedience such that they never took any Oath unless the Prince had first obliged himself according to their desires to maintain the Law It is the Law of Nations that mutuall Obligations are dissolved by the tricks and wickedness of either party And having laid aside Philip they would seek them another Prince And they needed not to doubt those things which would easily be maintained against the Spanish greatness by their Wealth There was need of a present Captain and of such a one who when mischief raged every where would though with the neglect of his own safety incourage the Netherlanders That he had clearly cast out of his thought all hopes from Germany There remains then but one thing and that is that Francis of Valois be chosen to the Governments whom they could not deny already to have given 〈◊〉 certain proof Nor was it a little material to their advantage if that young Prince who was next Heir to the highest Fortune should begin his growth from hence In the Interim he was sure of the Brother-hood of France and in probability the good affections of England would not be wanting against whom the Spaniard of â—aâ—e had prepared a Fleet which partly by Tempest and partly by the Portugall Warre had been destroyed and further he had newly given ayd and incouragement to the Rebels in Ireland nor had the English spared him in the new World of America the Wealth which they took there from the Spaniards and brought into their own Country having laid the foundation of a future Warre After a long doubting and much hesitation the Counsel was approved with a greater fear of the Spaniard than affection or confidence in Mounsieur Francis and Philip for violating and infâ—inging the Laws by the States of the Provinces of the Union is thrown off from the Government and nor that sentence is brought forth wherewith if we may speak the truth the Warre had now been in labour for the space of nine years but thenceforth was his name and all marks of Honours utterly left off and denyed and the words of their solemn Oath made to him absolutely altered so that thereby he who had of late been their Prince was now declared an Enemy The putting in execution of this Counsel was to Neighbour Nations guilded over with the severall excuses of necessity and the severall fruitless Requests they had made to him yet the Spaniards did not cease highly to Brand it as infamous it seems altogether forgetful that their own Predecessors had deposed a King from his Kingdom for his too great cruelty and that they preferred before him a Bastard slip-sprung from an unlawful coition We will not mention old Examples of the like kind is France nor any of fresher memory transacted in England nor those newest of all of the Danes and Swedes laying aside their Kings But to return to the purpose Matthias was dismissed with much affection and great Rewards And this being a matter of so great concernment neither did the greatness of the action it self nor the Authour remain unknown to the Spaniard whence perceiving that the life of one single Person was the onely obstacle to his desired greatness therfore though he had fair Law against him in the field yet he in the first place proscribes him and then by the habits of Wealth Honnur and impunity as well of all forme faults as of that invites some body to assassinate him Against this new fashioned Edict the Prince of Aurange makes his Defence in a Book on purpose set forth as well to the States of the Netherlands as to other Princes of Christendom which Book was penned by the help of Peter Villier a Frenchman who having the Study of the Laws wherein he had been bred up first fell to be a teacher of the new Religion and thence came to be admitted into the secretest Counsels of the Prince of Aurange The Declarations on both sides are yet extant full of equall bitterness wherein after repetition of the Crimes relating to the Cause on the Kings part is objected to the Prince Ingratitude and Treason he on the other side retorts on the Kings Treachery and Tyranny and so intermixing many true and some false Relations at length they directly fall to terms of scurrility like scolding Women for because the Prince of Aurange being seperated from his Saxon Wife for Causes well approved by all her Kindred and having marryed the Daughter of Montpensier who had been devoted for a Nun was accused both as an Adulterer and Sacrilegious Person On the other greater Adulteries were objected to Philip nor was he forgotten to be charged with the severall deaths of his Wife and his Son from the guilt whereof not yet cleared he had married his Neece in blood for the then Wife of the King was the Emperour Maximilians Daughter by the Kings Sister which Conjunction the Pope by his Authority though many judged contrary to the Divine Law confirmed Nor was it smothered in silence how formerly he attempted by his great Minister of State Granvell to have poysoned Maximilian himself being his near Kinsman by the Fathers side but then his Father in Law Whereupon the States contemning both the malice and insinuations of Philip who layed the fault of this great defection onely upon one by publick Testimony vindicated the Prince of Auranges innocency adding moreover for the safety of his Person a Troop of Horse to the old Guard The Embassie of the Netherlanders was most acceptable to Francis of Valois being thereby called to the Government and very pleasing to his Mother who endeavoured by forraign Honours to indulge her Sons already too ambitious by their over-swelling hope But the Kings Ayd and Consent was requested before it was convenient and so did not answer their expectation onely the King wrote to them that he would not have a respect to his Brothers greatness but would also give help and succour to himself and all those which were under his Dominion which that he might more readily perform he wished to his own Kingdom Peace and to his Brother all happiness and prosperity The present necessity forced the United Dutch to rest satisfied onely with words and only to hope for the rest And presently Valois that he might the more strongly work himself into their Affections understanding that Cambray besieged by Horse and Foot and fortified in their Camps had undergone great hardships and extremities He sets forward thither with an Army for the maintenance whereof Queen Elizabeth had supplyed them with a great sum
own his Brothers Cause but if he could not do that yet that he would at least assist with men and money and that he should stop all the passages from France into the Enemies Country Which if they might request they did not fear to foretell to the King thereby a future Succession in his Kingdom so that he should according to the Laws of France for many Ages not want an Heir of his Body to govern the same But these Communications were shortly after quite broken off by the badness of the following times and the death of Francis de Valois He over-lived his Honour and disgrace not above seventeen moneths brought to his end as some thoughâ— by his lusts others by poyson but most believed he dyed with grief of mind the common end almost of all who either before or after him took a pride to aggravate the miseries of unfortunate people His Fune all was not attended with any Ensigns of his Belgike Government all his actions there with himself passing in oblivion while the King his Brother avoyded to incense with such toyes whom he durst not move with realities As soon as Valois was departed from Dunkirk the French Companies left there in Garrison accepting their pay marched away not daring to trust a People whom they had so mischieved Whereupon the Duke of Parma sends his inferiour Captains to besiege the Town thus destitute both of Souldiers and Shipping and anon after comes himself with an indifferent Army to strengthen the Siege Biron was commanded to follow the Enemy and fight him But the Gauntoys out of an old grudge they bore to Valois and making a shew of tumult denyed him passage alledging that it was unjust and unreasonable to use his Forces whom they neither took for their Prince nor scarcely their friends By the stubbornness therefore of those men Dunkirk came into the Spaniards power by which meanes the Sea ever after became dangerous and troublesome for upon that shore where there were no Havens or Ports there was scarce any refuge for small foysts hence as they saw it convenient or for their profit observing the passage out the Pyrates were wont to set upon the Dutch Ships as they sailed by either to fishing or with Merchandize where England being directly opposite doth narrow and streighten the Sea and they could easily escape by flight from the great Ships of Warâ—e either by their lightness and swiftness on the open Sâ—â— or else by helps of the flats and Sands whereof that part of the Ocean is full yet this losse of so eminent a Town could not mitigate or take away their dissentions but it was necessary that Biron with his Army should be sent out of the Country though the Prince of Auraage most earnestly urged the contrary for fear least they should betray the Common-wealth to their Enemy now in heart and attended with success so much mistrust had all of the French Nay the Prince himself was scandalized for them so that at Antwerp they all 〈◊〉 to their Arms upon a lye that was divulged that the Prince had brought the French into the Castles on purpose to be near to and command the City But he to whom nothing was so unusual and bitter as to live feared of his Citizens could not bear their changed countenances and suspitious ill boding silence instead of joyfull acclamations but leaving the place having lived there six years he went to Zeland and the more assured places of the Common-wealth thereby exempt from many eminent dangers and free from their ingratitude But the Duke of Parma having gotten spare 〈◊〉 for Conquest gained by surrender and otherwise Nempâ—â— scituate on the same shore but to the right hand of Dunkirk and more inward upon the Land Dixmuyde Voorne and Berghen that are called Winow Thence in Flanders the peoples hatred so increased against the Warre daily and many so highly resented the late actions that they would even take part with the Spaniards against the French About this time there was a certain base Fellow he was generally called Hog that by Discourse and Writing began to trouble Holland who notwithstandidg his Mothers vileness and his own mishapen Form yet vainly boasted the Honour and Greatness of his Bloud as being from his own Relation Son to the Emperour Charles Hence fed up with a foolish hope by some Spaniard that Philip would acknowledge him for his Brother he withdrew some led away with Novelties and others that were not pleased with the present ordring of Affairs from their then Principles to a hope of Peace and Submission to the Austrian Family But the Conspiracy being yet green and but in the Bud was by the punishment of its Author quickly nipped Now also a War did begin in the Jurisdiction of Colen which was offered together with the Bishoprick to Ernestus of Bavaria for the Marriage of Truxiors For being Bishop of that place before and being taken exceedingly with the Love of a Noble Woman had made hast to lay aside his Vow of single Life for by the Rules of the Latine Church no Priest may marry which in the Heat of his promiscuous Lusts was easily connived at Wherefore setting Humane Decrees in opposition to Divine Laws and finding himself unfit for such Charges by Casimire and Nienar Count of Nursa both Generals for indifferent Armies keeps the Cities until by his Enemies Forces and his own Mens Treacheries most of his Garrisons were taken from him and then making a League with the Dutch he fled to the Prince of Aurange whence he revenged him as well as he could by laying wast the Country And this War brings on a greater wherewith the Spaniard was well pleased because he might thereby the more colourably involve the Frontier Towns of Germany which were old Receptacles of Netherlandish Fugitives in the same And this every day augmented the growing Fortune of the Duke of Parma especially one Tasso a Captain winning by Surprize the Town of Zutphen held by a weak and ill agreeing Garrison and that by the help onely of one common Souldier that was his Prisoner From hence all the Country between the Rivers Issel and the Rhine were daily infested and harrased by Spanish Incursions nor could they at any time be hindred in their going off and the City it self was besieged but in vain Thus did the Netherlanders at this time lose both their Forces and other Opportunities And as a further mischief many of Noblemen and Chiefs utterly despairing any Remedy privately sought their own Security from the Grace and Pardon of the King which they knew was not to be hoped for by some heinous Adventure Therefore William of Heremberge who by Marriage of the Prince of Aurange's Sister was the sole Companion of his Hopes and Dangers inconsiderately and without Reason Resolved to deliver up Gelders which he then Governed to the Conquerours But his Treachery being prevented and Promise taken for his Fidelity he was dismissed yet notwithstanding he fled to
by the guilt and treacheries of some of the Townsmen But the Treason being discovered and punished he straightly besieged it as he had begun resolutely keeping his first designed Station near to Hemerte Castle though the River breaking over his bounds had by its excessive increase over-flowed all the Fields And now Hesdin whs not so much afraid of Foâ—â— as Famine it being defended against the Enemy who had encompassed it about at a great distance by Famarsh who was a man of undanted Resolution and would not doubt to undergo the greatest Extremities But Prince Maâ—ia prevented it who gathering a sufficient Number of Men from the next Garrisons brake through where the Enemy was thinnest bringing in all things whose want was feared These things thus done Mansfeldt with Ships Guns and other Warlike Engines set upon having carryed thither some part of his Army the Castle Holow in the Isle of Bommel In this place there was Endeavour strength and sufficiency of Defence but Sidenborg by a too hasty yielding took away all occasions both of Hope and Fear He seemed to lay 〈◊〉 fault thereof upon the Souldiers and that with the great Confidence because many of them had been kill'd the Spaniard as they marched out cruelly butchering them without the Knowledg or Consent of their Captains with the Garrison of this place and of Creveceur over against it which being destroy'd by Count Hohenlo the King's Officers had re-builded entring the Island at the meeting of the River Maes and a little Rivulet call'd Dise they wasted the open Fields and all other indefensible places both of Forts and Castles not well knowing which way they should evade the Rivers being swell'd with Showers tearing down the Fortifications begun at the very ending of the Island over against Gorrichou Afterwards by other Directions invading divers places beyond the Wael now they come to Gelderland anon they trouble Vtrecht and last of all the Island Voâ—rne not far from Bommel and two years before strengthned by the Nassauians with a Castle where hearing this Count Hohenlo with a selected Party of Horse and Fodâ— drew nigh with an intent to fight them Mansfeldt afraid of the Report in regard there was no possibility of his stays after he had consumed the Spring and the Summer in vain â—at the best but Trivial Matters wherefore re-passing the Maes by the suddain madness and fury of a Spanish Regiment for want of their Pay which he endeavour'd to appease was like to have been slain Saurius Laeva was their Collonel and beloved as well by the Souldiers as by Mansfeldt himself though they had lately had some difference in words Nay there were some that did believe the Prince of Asculus and Duke of Pastrana had under-hand in hatred to the Duke of Parma encouraged the Sedition Without doubt the Parmian Prince excelling all the Spanish Commanders in Glory and the Greatness of his Atchievments had contracted upon himself great Envy and the rather because he openly shew'd a greater Respect to and put a stronger Confidence in the Italians from whence it came to pass that some would no less find fault with his Vertues than Miscarriages which were but accidental openly affirming that he betray'd the Spanish Fleet that all his Endeavours against the Netherlanders were nothing worth and many other such like Things But his Conquering so many of the Provinces being the greatest part of the Netherlands and the unwearied and strenuous Labour taken by that People against him were clandestinely represented to the King as much as might be to his disadvantage though under the shew of praise and admiration Nor had their fear of him been vain if his Life had been prolong'd to the detriment of the Spanish Empire least being famous for War and his Clemency in Governing for which even his Enemies loved him he should as many then Reported alter and change his present Possession for Portugall belonging of Right to his Son Certainly either Philip as it is the Nature of Kings being apt to be timorous and suspectful himself frustrated his Fortune while he over-charged him with Honour or else necessitated by reall Poverty did restrain his excessive Charges However it was the Prince of Parma on the one side by Care to provide against all those Evils that Penury uses to bring forth and on the other over-toiled with the Weight of present Affairs fell sick which caused him to go into Germany to the Span Waters And after this time he was never perfectly in Health nor was fortunate in his Undertakings as before For which cause the Italians a Nation infinitely jealous and taking for Truth whatever they imagine reported that the Spaniards had poyson'd the Duke and the Bruic thereof seeming to be made out by their other Cruelties prevailed but chiefly because every one is willing to believe any Evil of a Spaniard But this was not without some shew of Reason 〈◊〉 Prince Maurice having intercepted divers Letters among the rest had those wherein Parma was grievously accused â— King Philip which the Prince sent to him But he as it were not minding this Kindness of his Enemy nor returning 〈◊〉 Thanks invited the Inditer of those Letters one John Mâ—â— to a Feast which he did not long over-live which gave new matter for Discourse This More was he that with great Cunning Policy and many Largesses and Bribes had promoted the Spanish Affairs in France and this manner of Talk was the more frequent because he who was believed the Minister of Revenge had not any Reward but rather was cast out of Favour Upon this occasion the Duke sent â—â—chardot into Spain to clear him of those Aspersions cast upon him because he did not aid the Spanish Fleet The King publikely heard him and the Duke of Medina-Sidonia that was likewise accused and seemed to pardon both the Dukes The Tumult of the Souldiers a little before mention'd being appeased with the punishment of a few and the Regiment disbanded though it had been long in the War Mâ—â—feldt was commanded with seventy compleat Ensigns toâ— directly thence to take Berck on a suddain That City belonging to the Bishop of Colen had now been strongly fortifies three years from the time the Duke of Parma departâ— thence Truxius and Nienarius having lately gotten it That having referred his cause This his Quarrell to the Vnited States had deliver'd the disputed Possession thereof to them as indifferent Judges and Moderators between them But at the beginning of this Year the Hollanders being stronger than they in Horse made a Bridge over the Rhine and furnish'd it with Souldiers and Provisions For this cause at the Request of the Bishop who came in person to the Duke of Parma Varembonius the Governour of Gelderland for the King was sent with part of the Army to see if he could reduce it either by force of starving In their Journey thither he fell upon but not without loss the Castle of Blybeke this place Collonel Schenck not minding
own him But when he declared himself a Catholike the face of Affairs were on a sudden very much changed for the fault of the defection from and aversion to the Kings Name and Title was wholly call on the other yet was not Philip terrified by this example but that he now assisted the Duke of Guise his Brother who made use of a double pretence of Piety not in private but in the view of the whole World not that he so loved him but that he might keep involved in discords that Kingdom which lying between him and the Low-Countries had formerly been very dangerous and troublesome to him and if his designs were crowned with success he would commit the same to some one of his own Allyance with a fiduciary Power And the Reason by him pretended for this was because he marryed Isabella the Daughter of Henry the Second King of France by whom he had a Daughter a Person most fit to govern that Kingdom either in regard to her Fathers Merits or her Mothers Blood and so much the rather because the Dukedom of Bretaigne as severall other Principalities of France were known to have been fortunately ruled by a Woman's hand On the other side the Duke of Savoy the Spaniard's Son in Law enlarged his Borders to the very opening of the Alps The Queen of England being informed by a particular Envoy that the Duke of Parma had sent Lamot into France with an Army both of Horse and Foot forthwith ordered a supply of mony to the King of France together with four thousand English Souldiers Neither were the States of the United Provinces backwards in granting him Assistance for first they sent Ships with Provisions and all other necessary Munitions for War then adding thereto mony far more liberally than the present exigencies of their Affairs would permit and this only in hope of a future benefit It was certainly a noble and an honourable act and that raised an emulation towards their moderated Liberty that they having so newly erected themselves into a Commonwealth should yet by their Riches support and help a Kingdom the success thereof proving no less advantagious to the French than distructive to their Enemies while the Walloons Country to whom formerly they committed their cause lying open and exposed to the mischief of War was equally damnifyed whether assaulted by the French or their own Souldiers Afterwards the Spanish Forces France putting a stop to their victorious times lay open to the Hollander who for eight years together increased their Treasury enlarged their bounds and augmented their Armies untill the Bourbonian by his own vertue and valour waded through all the threatning billows raised against him by his obstinate adversaries and himself at last becoming a Catholike brought under his subjection all parties rather laying aside his Arms than the memory of that Pristine League It seems here very convenient now we are relating the French Affairs to search as far as humane Reason can direct us how the Belgick troubles having the like beginnings should yet have so different a Progress For a Peace being setled formerly between King Philip and the King of France these two Princes seemed to be of one mind having concluded a mutual League to extirpate all Religions which had begun or increased either by impunity or War But the French Peers hating the Guisian Potency that they might not become contemptible as the Netherlanders to the Spaniards took occasion to draw the multitude now contending about Religion into Tumults and Arms but the Events were most unlike for there the Subjects obedience was preserved entire and consequently the Roman Catholique Religion carryed the day but so only as to keep under not oppress the other But here the old Form of Government is altered the differing Rites grow insociable neither allowing the other and so between Servitude and liberty become divided The cause whereof I suppose may be that the Guises or Lorraines being by themselves in private but weak did afterwards receive from abroad such small help as might indeed follow but not force their Fortune So that the main of their strength either consisted under the pretence of the Kings name or the affections of the vulgar which are mean supports and of no duration where there is any experiment of utility on the other side And the Kings of France have within themselves the whole strength of that one People so that they diminish their own Authority by tyrannizing and wholly loose what is spent in revenge And the very Commons though highly offended with the differences in Religion yet when once they became sensible of the miseries of War were not so desirous of revenge as Peace Hence proceeded those Edicts of Peace so often hastned so often withstood by the now divided affections of the People who might rather be said to lay aside War than to make and observe a Peace for being weary of a long War they were driven to force and treachery by the impulse of others not their own obstinacy and being always accustomed to a Kingly Government they might have been composed before if the one King famously knowing in the Arts both of War and Peace had tempered himself and his Laws according to the strength and prevalence of parties They who were newly gotten into power being ignorant how to use the time nourished discords by variety of evill deeds while they of a more active Spirit or such whose Riot incapacitated them either got or lost all and this was the only hindrance of Peace But on the other side the Spaniards having a King that wished the same things in hatred to the Belgick liberty and who was now grown old in the enjoyment of his Territories by the keeping abroad so great Forces never feared the Netherlandish Solitudes especially having Presidents both in Italy and America that where they could not subject into Provinces they should settle Colonies But the French were highly offended with the pride avarice and cruelty of this forraign Nation the very Catholikes themselves who had never faltered in point of Religion disliking their Customs some of whom having been before circumvented and deluded with the hope of better things becoming an example to the rest that they would with all violence exercise their malice as mistrusting the breach of Peace under that notion to hide their revenge Thus a War no less cruel than civill Wars use to be continued but still looked as forraign But Count William in Frizeland straitned the City of Groning not able to resist the greatness of his endeavours by scarcity and death having wasted all their Provision about the Country he got also Reide a Peninsula of a very convenient Scituation between the River Eâ—mes and the Bay of Dullart The City being suspected for this mischief cast it upon Verdugo because he had refused a Garrison from thence being both recruited this with a new addition of Foot and Nassau with more Horse sometimes with mutual fear sometimes taking opportunities
successful Sarlies disturbing their enterpâ—sed beginnings At this time Prince Maurice had left Groening and was going against Steenewie when heating of the Siege of Kâ—senburg he left Count William to defend the Frizons and himself with a flying Army coming to Arnheynie an Iâ—e of Holland by Signs encouraged the Besieged and likewise from thence sent Messengers that got through the adverse Army unespy'd by Night in a Boat But the Nassaniaâ— Commanders differ'd in Opinion whether they should 〈◊〉 the Enemy in the Field and fight him or passing the River Wael should fortifie themselves and hinder their Adversaries of Provision and make them leave the Works and Guns they had setled upon the side of the Hill by Niâ—â—ghen There was difficulty and danger in both these Attempts for without all doubt the Enemy was stronger in Horse whose Force and Valour they had often tryed both in Fight and Forraging At length Fortune determin'd their Doubt which many times is as profitable as Prudence for the Prince with Count Solms and Sir Francis Vere being brought near the Enemies Camp hid part of the forwardest Regiments with some Troops among the Thickets adjoyning to the way Other part of the Horse were commanded to march a good way forward to draw on the Enemy upon whose approach they were to seem to fly as if they were overpower'd for most of the Italians in Ten Troops among whom was the Duke of Parma's own Lifeguard were come out to pursue them and they were not to face about till they had drawn the Pursuers beyond the River and a narrow Bridge that went over it which being brought to pass according to expectation suddainly they that fled turned again and the others that lay in Ambush coming in they were inclosed and every valiant man among them dyed in the place he stood the rest were scatteringly slain as they were met with onely some few while the Conquerours took the Ensigns and some prisoners alive and the Horses escaped and fled to the Camp With the grief whereof and the loss of so many noble and valiant men not thinking it safe any longer to stay in the Enemies quarters he gave over his vain Siege but pretending that he was commanded to march once more into France and that the great Affairs of theâ— Kingdom were not to be neglected in striving to win a few Forts or Castles in Holland Wherefore sending the Carriages before he Transported his Army having onely built some slight Works upon the River to keep the Nassauians in play least they should fall upon his Rear and as soon as his Army was all over the Water he commanded them to make a stand that they might secure the ships coming after them But the City was highly displeased at his departure some few spoke of him favourably most smother'd their Anger in a threatning silence but the baser sort of people cover'd nothing of their Madness but shew'd their Fury in their Speeches as if they could by them draw back an Old General that fled at the sight of a stripling Enemy Undoubtedly Parma's Mind having always been accustomed to win Honour was grievously afflicted with this Disgrace so that his former Disease now again increasing be together with his Son Ranutio who lately came out of Italy augmented his Fathers Vexation that he should be a Witness of his Misfortune went to the Spaw there among the variety of his present Discontent and former Fortune to drink of the Waters From thence he sent to the Mutinous Spaniards at Diest for pacifying whom he gave a very prejudicial Example to wit That Emanuel Vega a Captain who was more severe than the Villany of the Souldiers would bear should be displaced and another put into his room The Citizens of Nimmeghen did many of them begin to look after Liberty especially after Desperation had multiplied those Evils which before they had scarcely undergone with the Promises and Expectation of better Things For six years before following the Duke of Parma's good Fortune 〈◊〉 by a general Consent but the Faction of a small Party when the Government of the United States after a long time and by much care came to be setled without whose Consent whatever Duty or Obedience they shewed was without any Affection yet they chose Safety and Profit And from that time there began a mutual Commerce between them and the Hollanders who suffer'd the Ships of Nimmeghen to go through the Wael because then the Channel of the Râ— wanted Depth of Water to bear them But in the Garrison were Three Companies one of Forreigners two of men â—ised within the Town for they positively refused to admit of more and as any one offended more heinously the parties of the great Ones they would by vertue of their received Power threatningly restrain or punish the Offenders There wanted now onely a close Siege least the Enemies Forces should lye at lurch about the Maes and that was onely delayed by the excessive increase of Water in the Wael so that there could not be had any use of a Bridge However the Souldier rested not long quiet in his Winter-quarters though they were purposely at a great distance the more to increase the Conquering Enemies Security For Prince Maurice prosecuting his good Fortune draws out of his Garrisons part of the Regiments and with them marches over the Scheldt into the Land of Wase and at the same time the Horse made an Intoad into Brabant And the fifth day after having taken all the Forts thereabouts Hulst a Town in that Province was deliver'd to him The suddainness of the Action amazed the Garrison Souldiers for the Governor by chance was gone out of Town before the Siege upon private occasions of his own and also because the Prince had digged through the Bank to make the River overflow all the adjacent places and by that means stopped the Enemy from assisting them The whole Land of Wase was given to the Souldiers to spoil and pillage until they promised Tribute and sent Hostages to the States for payment of the same But the Neighbours of the Hollanders seeing all the best of their Fruits and other Provisions possessed by the Enemy Prince Maurice's Army being gone as fearing to have bin met with unawares in the Enemies Country by the Duke of Parma cause Mondragâ—io the Governour of the Castle at Antwerp to take Arms who accordingly with the next Souldiers he could get and such as lived about the Maes goes over the Scheldt but not daring to look upon any Town for Count Solms defended them and Repaired the Works he recovered the Forts and Sconces in the Country and Erected some nâ—w ones for the straitning or cutting off Excursions Hereupon the Inhabitants of the Country denyed their promised Tribute supposing and not without Reason that the Clemency of the Enemy would not break its wonted bounds and revenge the injury upon the innocent pledges All things succeeding thus even beyond his wishes the Prince once again drawing his
if it should either rain or snow because the natural moysture and marishness of the ground would be exceedingly increased wherefore the Prince returning Victor into Holland loaden with honourable fame even among forraign Nations he was received by the 〈◊〉 even with an excess of joy The people of old were wont to rejoyce at their Princes good fortune as from Command not obliged by duty They had known the former Prince of Aurang onely in disguise under the Cloud of adverse fortune And in the Earl of Leicester's time they were perplexed between private discords and publick murthers Now only they saw their bounds enlarged by Arms and their Government setled by Rivers and strengthned with fortifyed Towns and yet their Leader requiring no other satisfaction for all his pains and labour than the glory thereof the benefit of the success being wholly left to the Country which looked not only with hope â—ut adâ—â—tion at his youth as if it had been on purpose set apart by the divine Providence for such weighty undertakings And then again casting their unsatisfied eyes upon his countenance they gratefully reverenced that tender Age and 〈◊〉 Blood which had so often thrown it self upon dangers for their defence And without all doubt the Princes good fortune was much forwarded by celerity besides he had learned the exquisite Arts of Fortification both as to the of sensive and defensive part the besieging or defending Towns and as far as the present Age was able to instruct him was well practised in the encamping of an Army The Enemies were nothing so industrious their confidence as it is generally observed breeding carelesness and slouth and sometimes overweening Temeriâ—y They who are weakest in power are for the most part strongest in Counsel as ayming to supply by prudent Resolutions and Industry what is deficient in strength Fame also is a great assistant where the first happy events are multiplyed to the great supportation of liberty But the mayn of all was the strength of Shipping among so many Rivers without which the rest would have profited but little According to Custom the Souldiers wintered in Garrisons from whence many times small parties going out wiâ—h various success brought in booty or were circumvented by the Enemy During which times also stratagems were frequently used for getting of Towns such were they whereby here Gertruydenburg Maestrict and Scluys were offered at and in another part Breda was endeavoured to be taken but the Ambushy being discovered the Armies marched back frustrate of their designs Now was the Sea scowned from Pyrates and the Duke of Parma being for France received joyfully an Embassie sent from the Emperour to mâ— and mediate a Peace But the United Provinces suspected it as they had reason but chiefly because they had intercepted Letters from the King of Spain written concerning it wherefore they shut their eâ— against those old deceits warned by the fresh example of the Arragonians who while they unwarily discoursed of liberty were surprised by craft and drawn into slavery and ruine These People of Spain of old called Tarraconia now â—â—garly Arragon first getting possession of that part of the Country by Arms which barbarous Nations from the other side of the Sea had invaded by the Counsel of such as weâ— esteemed wise among them erected a Commonwealth At the beginning Kings that name and honour being given to a limited power were chosen here by the suffrages of the people afterwards by the Custom of several Nations their Heirs were admitted by Succession to the Government yet obliging them to the observance of the Law whereby they who were then eminent as foreseeing the inconveniencies of a Kingdom conveyed some power to the people whose Authority was to be used in publick Counsels and gave a priviledge of Supreme Magistracy even over the Kings themselves and these boundaries were well observed as long as the Princes were careful to do Right and Justice and made use of no Forces to defend Crimes But afterwards there happening a Conjunction of Kingdoms and all Spain by that means becoming subject to King Philip all mens patience was tryed by the severity of the Inquisition and every thing by new forms of Judgment was disposed and they rather fitted to the pleasure of the Court and Courtiers then squared by the Rule of the antient Law or Prescript order of Justice The Case of Anthony Perez was greatly commiserated by the People who having been employed by King Philip about Eâ—oâ—vedo's death was yet by him falsly accused of but an ordinary fault for which deprived of all Authority and flying from Castile he was yet prosecuted by the Kings rage into this Region for the King hated him because he had been active as a procurer in matters of Love And when he Instruments of wrath impudently opposed the Laws and would by no means suffer Justice they were resisted by force and the first commotions being provoked by force were afterwards nourished by gentle endeavours and dissimulation And as the Tumults begun under a malevolent constellation so the City was perswaded under pretence of the French War to suffer the Kings Army to come through its Borders and to march through Sarragosa the Metropolis of that Region and so to go over the Pyrenean Mountains But instead thereof the Nobles were murthered and every one that either with Tongue or hand had been forward to advance liberty was by revenge marked and for the future nothing remained but a prospect of Tyranny and slavery Although these things are not suitable to my purpose yet I have not neglected to insert them here at such times as they happened that Posterity may compare their fortune and the Netherlanders together that as well the faults of Princes may be known as the People may be instructed that many times the cause is no less to be minded than the Forces of a King While these Transactions were a foot otherwhere the King of France being recruited with German Souldiers and English Auxiliaries besieged Roan Queen Elizabeth desiring that he would inclose the Enemy between the River Seine and the British Ocean this made the French Confederates with Parma take his long stay the worse who being slow in making ready his Warlike preparations or else consulting of some higher design how to augment the dangers at last though late in the year having first received the Town of Fer in pledge he drew near to the Borders of Normandy There were in his Army several new raised men and those Regiments which had lately fallen into a mutiny but now were restored to their Colours being full of booty and having also received their pay which the Duke of Parma very hardly extorted by the encrease of Tributes and selling the right of Commerce to the Enemies the Netherlanders not without cause complaining that their Borders were left naked and their mony and strongest men carryed away to help strangers Pope Gregory sent also Assistance to the French Rebels â— thing not used by
his Predecessors terrifying also their foes with cursings and threats such as might have frighted a former Age but such as either feared damage or loved profit forbore to meddle and such as really intended help were soon taken off by old age It is manifest that Sixtus withholden by envy to the Spaniard and rather than he would augment his Wealth inclined to the French King and this many suspected to be a cause of hastning his death Against the plague of this concuring War the United States rigged a Fleet and sent to the King for a Guard of the very â—lower of all their Regiments ten Ensigns of Scott and the like number of Netherlanders under the Command of Philip Nassau But when the Duke of Parma for now he mustered his Army long delayed his March King Henry dismissed for the Winter most of the Nobility that were faithful to him and the only support of his necessitated War that he might have them the more ready another time They were scarce departed when the King hearing of the Enemies approach to assault him was compelled to draw his Forces together and by that means the Siege was raised But when the entrance of the Spring had brought him a Recruit of Horse he pressed upon the Enemy and forcing him beyond the River pinched him with Famine for he was impatient of any longer delay and ready to decide the cause by Battel if the Duke of Parma silently repassing the River had not marched towards Paris Wherefore the King leaving Roâ—n and taking some other Ports on that Coast into his power and fortifying them where they wanted he brought to passe that thereafter he could not be hindred of any assistance coming to him by Sea In this Interim there were some light skirmishes famous only in this that in one the King was wounded and in another the Duke of Parma which wound troubled him moâ—e than his old Disease for cure whereof he had gone to the Spaw And now wearied with France about the latter end of Summer he brings his ragged Regiments through Vermandois the nearest way to the Netherlands At this time the English while the Spaniards passed backwards and forwards in America and other places very much annoyed them both the Wind and the Sea conspiring against them to deliver them up as a publick Enemy And whils they have spoiled one another the tempestuous Sea spared neither And now also that anniversary plague of mutinous parties returned into the Netherlands and that with the more violence because the Mutineers not only wanted their pay but were pinched with the miseries of Winter Some that were quartered about the Cities of Colen grew very outragious as looking upon Germany as able to yield them booty enough But such as remained about Leige and the Country near thereto after they had by a long stay wasted all the Country about part ran away to other parts but most of them perished either by poverty or Diseases and if any yet continued healthy they were so accustomed to discord that they would range far and wide to wast and destroy and by this meanes more was to be maintained yet there were fewer to defend it But the Land under the United States was more restrained having for defence in most places Rivers running round about it and the Sea securing another part Besides the valour and vertue of the Citizens was well known that they who were raised in the inner part of the Country would help to defend the furthest parts thereof and be faithful Supplies to the Regiments abroad Hence it was that there was a desire to go out with some part of the present Forces while the Duke of Parma was not yet returned and if they had made hast without doubt many of his men wearied with Travel and worn out with Battels and then also coming from a strange Country in the Winter would not have been able to have encountred half the number of their Enemies But laying aside talk they began to think of action Holland insisted upon the Siege of Gertruydenburg But the Frizons were preferred before all that the prosperous beginnings of the last year might be perfected in this themselves also offering their own Souldiers of whom they never need to fear a scarcity if there be a War continued for any time And indeed these were the main strength of the Union as long as the other Regiments attended the War in France About this time some Letters written by the Groningers to Count Mansfeldt were intercepted which declared the necessity of their condition and how want of all things grew upon them Moreover they sent some selected Deputies to the Emperour to tell him they had not fled to the greatness of the House of Austria when they were free that now they should be left undefended to the Government of Deputies and laid open to the injuries of their Enemies should they never be so happy as to see their General and his Army at least for example sake that no people might seem to have followed the fortune of that great House without Reason or unadvisedly Which complaints being sent into Spain produced yet no other effect than Exhortations to fidelity and great promises that an Army should come and cut open their passages with the Sword One Regiment was added for defence of those places held beyond the Rhine And while Verdugo endeavours by all means to encrease his Forces Herman Count Heremberg daring nothing further infested only the lesser Fortifications about Issell from whence the Inhabitants took an occasion to contract that they would undergo the sudden brunt of both sides and that they should enjoy by the levelling of the Castles a common possession of their Lands untill both Armies had decided their quarrel by a pitched Battel in the Field At this time as it were on purpose to hinder Prince Maurice his March the newes of the Vtrecht Factions came to his Ears for that unquiet City had not yet forgotten those differences in Religion which were begun in the Earl of Leicesters time And Zeland lying far from the reach or defence of his Sword began to deny the payment of their Taxes and Assesments but these being all by him easily and with speed composed in that same Spring he marched out not with any new raised Bands but for his supply and recruit he had sent Orders to several Captains And thus he did muster of Hollanders and Frizons eight thousand Foot very near and five hundred Horse and of Artillery greater and less fifty As soon as they were come to the utmost Border of Over-Issell which looks towards Frizeland the Walls of Steenwic were in sight the greatness of whose strength Fortification as well as the fame of the Town took up all their thoughts And some of the States being of late terrified therewith as also divers forreign Princes judged it a very rash undertaking for they remembred that this was the place from whence they had driven Renneberg after a
have detain'd he yet sent them to them For now Mansfeldt having taken counsel to draw away admonish'd the Besieged That they should not therefore abate or diminish their Courage giving them though falsly an assurance that he would by some other means divert the Enemy But the Besieged staying no longer Article for their Lives onely They deliver'd to Prince Maurice fifteen Ensigns there were six hundred that went out sound men free either from Wounds or Diseases who left behind them great store both of Provision and Ammunition But they that had had any hand in the former betraying of the Town were excepted out of the Articles both the Prince and Army being all new exâ—sperated by the memory of the Treachery from the sight of the Town and their former and present Labour and Toil in the regaining it And so the same day the Prince took Gertruydenberg from the Buyers he made the Sellers expiate their Crime with their Lives Count Mansfeldt understanding how matters went knowing that his old Age would be blamed and much worse Counsels prevail after the Event and that the Reports of these things would be tossed to and from in the Ears of the People was much afflicted suspecting moreover the Fidelity of the Town of Bâ—isleden least that the People thereof being of a busie and crabbed Disposition and having no Garrison to awe it should fly from them in a tottering and decaying condition to their Enemies crown'd with the growing Successes of smiling Fortune For Prince Maurice's Souldiers who then held the Castle of Creviceur by making a Dam overthwart the River Dies which at that City runs into the Maes had made it overflow all the adjacent places from thence Corn-Fruit and Pasture for Cattel being lost by the damage of private persons they molested the publike Peace Wherefore it was thought fit to appease them with Benefits and Kindness whom they were not able to restrain by Fear or Force And the Prince finding that Mansfeldt made hast to besiege that Castle prevented him by sending before some Horse which should hinder and stop the Enemy at the Passage over the Maes and keep them out of the Isle of Bommel and presently after himself with his whole Army coming by Water places himself in the middle between the Castle and Mansfeldt and having fetched a convenient number of Cannons and Engines from the next Towns there being no Rampire or Bulwark yet about the Castle for which cause be suspected the suddain surrender thereof he compelled them leaving their Tents behind to take little less than a shameful flight into the Fields about â—uyck-Anons placing a Bridge upon the Maes as if he would fall upâ—n Boisledue by that false fear he put a stop to any nâ—w Endeavours of the Enemy At last the Commanders departing with part of the Forces towards Frizeland began to make that the Seat of War Since the taking of Steâ—nwic and Coevorden scituate more inwards upon the Issel and the other Frizon Cities and Castles had cut off from Groning both the benefit of the Sea and of Rivers there remained onely one Passage out into Germany and that was the Bourtang The cross-way whereof is not very broad and begins at the Bay of Dullart not far from thence running through great Marishes environing the whole Country of Drent with a long Circumference The violent coldness of the Winter troubled also with cross Winds at the beginning of the Year had hindred Count William of Nassau who was contriving by what means he might frustrate the Enemies last hope but now the Spring being towards he put to Sea where as he sailed he spyed Verdugo stirred up thereto by Messengers to have possessed all the streights of the passages and being forbidden to fight by Command and considering that it was an unadvised Act to proceed further than they were sure of Provisions he landed in the next place from whence by opening the Schises he might drown the Fields with Water or shutting them â— might at his pleasure hinder them when overflow'd to be drain'd and thus to retard the Enemies March But when Verdugo had sent part of his Souldiers to wast the Country of Frizeland Count William not willing to suffer or pass by that Damage least he should give matter of Complaint to that Faction of the Frizons who did not love him for there were some private Feuds broken out he himself went thitherward and where he could fortified the Border against the like Incursions for the future Here the Enemy being deceived with vain Rumors of other Attempts the Count supplies Coevorden with all manner of Necessaries which before was in great want of many Things Thus the Summer being spent and the Enemy turning his Forces towards Gertruydenberg after they were gone Count William removes the Forces he had receiv'd marching by Land and taking into his power all the Castles between Coevorden and the Bourtang Upon the very Bourtang it self where there is a narrow passage between the Country of Weden and the Lands belonging to Munster the Marishes that are next being disjoyned for the Summer and Labour together had made this place more passable by a kind of Sandy Cliff he commanded five Companies of Souldiers to erect some Huts against the Weather and to raise a strong Fort Himself with the other part of the Forces because he had Intelligence of Recruits coming to the Enemy went behind Greening being induced thereto by an early conceived hope that the City would Revolt to him as soon as Verdugo was gone who as yet lying in the Suburbs waited for more help In this mean time Frederick Count Heremberg was sent by Count Mansfeldt with a strong party of Souldiers because either the Enemies Garrisons or the Nature of the place had precluded all other ways to the Town of Otmarsen and the Castles which we told you before were deliver'd to Count William and these he took with great Force but not without the loss of some Bloud From thence puffed up with that success he went with Verdugo to destroy the Fortifications raised upon the Bourtang But the greatness of the work in so short a time the inaccessibility of the Marishes frighted them from their Design and Count William being daily informed by his Scouts that they were coming against him augmented and strengthned the Fortifications of his Camp wherein remaining safe he slighted their Power abiding in the Fields Nor did he march with any Colouâ—s wisely considering there was no necessity thereof for him and that every thing would infest the Enemy With this kind of delay and some light Skirmishes the Enemy even wearied out make towards Coevorden through moist and troublesom ways but finding there was firm Ground underneath they dry'd up the upper moisture with great heaps of Bavins And when the place made them know that Stratagems and suddain Heats would be to little purpose with them who were ready to receive them Verdugo goes away to the Castles hoping the Souldiers inclosed therein
persidious And as the Spaniard could not lay aside Arms without the Consent of the Kings his Allies so also the same Impediment lay upon them by several Leagues And here they shewed several Examples when Peace had either vainly or falsly been pretended to be sought and they had no more Reason at this time to hope for better of more safe proceedings For Philip was so far from remitting old Offences for advancement of the Peace of Christendom that he would rather suffer the Barbarians to enjoy all Europe than he himself would leave off to infest and trouble other Kingdoms by Arms and Treachery That it was most evident from Letters of the same Philip written to William Clementius wherein he was commanded to delude Caesar with fair Words and Promises adding That the Turkish Power would easily be diverted from the Spanish Empire by Gifts and Presents Nor did the States forbear to signifie That the power of concluding a Peace was Deputed unto the Praefects but the Right and Power of preserving it was in the Lords In short what hope could they have while the Netherlands were oppressed with Forreign Souldiers and the Spaniards who still sit at the Helm would by their nefarious and cruel Counsels would absolutely reverse all the good which Ernestus intended The Opinion of many among the Romanists in hatred of Pease was too commonly cast abroad That no Faith is to be held with such as differ from them Meritedly sure was the Mischief of that Invention turned upon their own Heads while they by an endeavour of setting Men together by the Ears break off and spoill all Commerce To all those that practice Equity and Honesty they never alter their Evil Habit and least they should enjoy their Perfidy too long themselves became an Example against themselves Nay the very Common People who for the most part are first weary of Warre being inraged with the Memory of the late Villanies of the Enemy would not by any means hearken or incline to any Thoughts of Peace And now the Spaniards fearing Prince Maurice's youth grown famous by so many Victories and the league of two Kingdoms from the greatness of their terrour they so far contemned infamy that they hired murtherers by particular stabs to bring that to passe which they were not able to compass with all their Armies And without doubt there was no time so detestible for such horrid wickedness insomuch that from hence no one could expect from them any true peace who by giving place to hatred and revenge would even violate the Laws of Arms. For in this very year wherein they desired a Treaty first a Priest of Namar afterwards another Renegado Souldier were hired to become assassineâ— but prevented barely by suspicions gathered from the extravagancies of their looks but the designs of so great Treasoâ—s being once though with difficulty and but darkly discerned were soon after for fear of the wrack laid open and the whole contexture of the horrid villany discovered wherein first the Prince himself then his Brother Henry Frederick and after them several other persons eminent in the Common-wealth were designed to be slain and every one for a particular cause as Leominus becâ—use he had revoked from the Kings party Aldâ—guâ—d because he had excited the Duke of Parma to disloyal mistrusts of the King Olden barâ—evelt because he was looked upon to be averse to peace The Traytors names were Michel Renichon and Peter Furius but let us see the Authours who being persons in eminent place and capable of Honour yet had bound themselves to the perpetrating this infamous act And they were as fellows First Fontayne and Ibarra two Spaniards Stanley the betrayer of Deventer and of the Netherlanders La 〈◊〉 and Barlaymont the heyr of an inveterate hatred to the House of Nassau and also Assonvile of old suspected for the murther of the former Prince of Aurange Of all these the Traytors gave particular accounts and demonstration partly by force but chiefly by a voluntary confession after they were condemned to die and could not hope for any reward or favour for casting aspersions upon others Nay more the Promises and Exhortations of Ernestus himself were related to Renichon by assuring a large Pension for his Reward but to Furius in these very words If thou performest what thou promisest me and dost kill that Tyrant thou shalt surely go the ready way to Paradise yet there wanted not some who from hence would interpret that the countenance of peace which the Regent would seem to have put on was but dissembled averring that he onely counterfeited a face of modesty the more neatly to hide the cruelty of his heart However it was 't is certain that Comannus and Hartius who were in Holland when this Treason of Reâ—ichâ—n was discovered denyed Ernestus to be in any manner culpable therein adding also that Barlaymont would be ready if they would give him a safe conduct to come and send pledges for his safe return to appear and refute the before mentioned scandalls but in regard he could be admitted no otherwise than to be punished if he were convict the conditions were refused About the same time Lodowick Lopez a Portuguese but of Jewish extract being a Physitian in England was apprehended who was convict by proofs and Letters to have undertaken to poyson Queen Elizabeth for fifty thousand Ducats promised to him by the Spaniard for the same for which he was as he well deserved put to death The Authours of the Treason were said to be Christopher More Fontayne and Stephen Ibarra then residing at Bâ—uxells whom Queen Elizabeth contented her self to have sharply reprehended in certain Letters to that purpose sent to Ernestus wherein she gave the name of Jesuites to the inciters of such villanies and desired that they might be delivered to her to be made a publick example this she urged not that she imagined to obtain her Request but that she might thereby cast the greater ignominy on the Spaniard's Reputation There were several other Attempts of the like soâ— broke out not long after from a sort of men wonderfull by their vast increase their Lenity being as ready to promise the perpetrating of a Crime as to discover it Towards the end of the Year the Order of Jesuits began to be infinitely hated through all France by means of oâ— John Castel a young man bred up and tutor'd among them and perswaded by his Masters that no Kingly Rights or Priviledges belonged to him that was separated from the Romane Church This Fellow when the King returned out of Picardy to Paris endeavour'd to have stab'd the King into the Neck but the blow by the bending of his Body hit him upon the Tooth The Parliament of Paris so abhorred the monstrous Fact that they were not content with the punishment of the single Offender but pulled down the House that nourished such a Viper with all its Superstructures they raised a Pillar to preserve the abominable Memory of
Crimes they afresh batter'd and by the Ruine of the Gate not without bloud took Calcar a City of Cleves professing the Roman Religion which had refused to admit Souldiers of its own Jurisdiction but as a Winter Garrison Goch also a Town in the same Jurisdiction was subdued by Force of Battery But Genâ—cy and Santern were permitted to redeem Themselves from their Fear with Money He boasted with so much pertinacy his Hatred to Lutheranism and Calvinism That he commanded the Bishop of Patelborn and others to purge their Lands from such noxious Vermine and if they neglected to do it that his Souldiers should come thither who would neither spare the Lives of the Guilty nor the Estates and Fortunes of the rest This was terrible at first to them of Wesell who were commanded to readmit the Roman Rites by the Counsel of the Duke of Cleves usurping the Princes Right who by the German Laws have free power and authority tO settle Religion The United States had sent to the Senators or Burgomasters declaring that it was an unworthy thing at the beck of a barbarous Nation which had abjured from their actions all sense of piety to change that Religion which was setled by Law and by them received from their Ancestors admonishing the City that in this Cause of God they should not fear the power of man but should couragiously resolve against a storm that would continue but for a short space and that they would not be unmindful of the common Religion nor of any hospitable kindness but their fear being at hand and their hopes at a great distance had so unsetled their minds that they durst not stand the Contest Whereupon they prayed that they might but enjoy the one half of the Churches but that absolutely denyed their Ministers ejected and both the Churches and Schools given to the Jesuites a sort of men by that City generally hated And for the more exact completion thereof Coriblanus Garzadosâ— the Popes Nuntio in Lower Germany made solemn Processions sprinkling the Ground with Holy Water and cleansing the very Pulpits as guilty of impiety afterwards the Commons of the City for fifty years space accustomed to more plain and simple Rites were enforced to behold long Ceremonies of the Mass and all other things fitted for States which part of them beheld with rage others with laughter and contempt The Priests continued in the large recesses of their Temples mutually hating and hated for the People as violently required their own as they detested that strange Religion which enmity continued all the time the Spanish Forces abode in those Quarters but when once they were departed and they also that acted by their Authority the City returned again to her old Liberty and Customs At this time all the Consultations of Germany inclining to revenge Mendosa although he had hitherto pretended that it would be for the Kings profit if they should begin a War which they could not maintain and that he being ignorant of their Right as Romanes had rather deal with them according to Laws of War though in truth he was conscious that all in general were his Enemies yet having by Spyes tryed the affections and Authority of the most eminent Princes as what Allyances they had what the manner of their Leagues he neither spared Gifts nor any kind of Policy to breed a distraction and division among them at their meeting And at last it appeared worth his labour to inquire who supported that so deplorable with Counsel and Advice I know some will admire what they could at that time offer as a pretence in their own justification Wherefore I will in as shoâ—t a method as I can relate those things which Cardinal Andrews Envoy spoke at the Assembly of the Inhabitants about the Rhine within the Jurisdiction of Colen These after they had wasted much time in the inquiring contrary to the Custom of Embassadors of the Names and Instructions of those to whom they came at last as it were inforced to make a sudden defence they said They were much grieved that the enemies of the true Religion and the favourers of Rebels had so filled the Princes ears and the publick Assemblies with false and scandalous Reports as if it was unjust in the common cause of Christendom which the King of Spain defended to remit a few discommodities against particular persons For these Arms were not taken up for the Kings pleasure or ambition but for the repressing of Thieves and Robbers who slighting all power both of God and Man create and believe a right from their succesful villany Where were then those Assemblies and raisings of Souldiers in Germany and terrible decree when the Prince of Aurange actually engaged in a trayterous War but one but by example undermined all the Princes of the Empire All Powers were Armed by God that they might suppress growing evills and have often been punished justly for the neglect of their duty therein but they did not onely dissemble others injuries but their own when the Germane Fields were wasted and their Castles and Cities held by Rebels without any account demanded for the same That they needed no detractors so bitterly to incite them if the Germanes mindful of their duty by whose advice the Spaniard would have been advised had compelled those perpetual Enemies of peace at once to have laid down Arms which are never used without the damage of the Neighbours For what hath not been given by the Kings either the Father or the Son for the peace of Christendom who for the avoiding of envy having given the Netherlands from himself and all the next Summer a great Army at his Command yet had worn it out in the onely hopes of Peace until he oppressed his own Souldiers as well with want as with Winter foâ— his Treasury was most honestly employed in the freeing of France from War and Garrisons Then also how great care he used in the setling a strict Discipline whoever comes to succeed Mendosa in that charge will quickly be sensible how great a care and how difficult a work it was There was no right of Victory claimed in any of the places by them taken they onely desired entertainment therein and the Custody thereof for a short time with select and choyce Garrisons that the Countries round about might be guarded from the excursions of the Hollanders As to those faults objected against the Souldiers which escaped either the providence or punishment of the General notwithstanding the great noyse yet in themselves were but small if compared with the benefits heretofore done by the Emperour Charles and King Philip Let them also call to mind the Leagues for how should the Princes Bishops Cities say that it was free for them to follow neither party in this War who had been antient Allies and Companions of the Burgundians and whom Charles had obliged to himself for a general assistance in defence and support of the Romane Religion How often by that name have
that the most wealthy men if they gave two thousand Florens for their two hundreth part they were eased for any further burthen by reason of their Trade or Profession which was given partly for the avoiding of envy and partly for the ease of the Nobility as the pooâ—er sort did not stick to cry out as if the equality of the tax had been laid aside in favour of some few Besides the Fleet sent into Spain whereof we shall speak in its proper place then first of all began new Germane levyes and Switzer Footmen to be first used Then also were Laws of Arms written And Lanoue raised a Regiment of two thousand French that could not endure to live in peace for which cause when the Spaniards complained of violation of the League King Henry answered That nothing was done by his command yet he would not hinder the carrying out of France to either party such as were willing to go to war that thereby the old names of factions might the sooner wear out And the States forces so pleased them that part of their men animated by youthfull vigor and others weary of tedious expences desired a Battle But Prince Maurice shewed them That the Enemy might more safely be eluded otherwise and the matter comming to be disputed by a fight would do no great damage to the Spanish Souldiers but among the people the least wounds were great causes of terror Count William being present applauded this prudence being always averse to rash and hot-headed Counsels Afterwards therefore Mendosa himself came to Bommel with all his strength and then it was furiously contested both by strength of Works and shot of the Cannon yet with no great damage as to the main only some loose straglers were sometimes killed But above two thousand men were in a short time lost in the Spanish Camp among which were two brothers a long time absent from each other and so unknown to one another especially the one of them going by his Mothers name these meeting accidentally and by discourse knowing each other while they were embracing both their heads were struck off with a great shot by which means they obtained this good That after that joy they should never have more cause of grief The like chance happened in Prince Maurice's Camp to a Man and his Wife lying together their sleep being by a like shot turned into a sudden death There fell out sometimes light skirmishes between the Horse as they met abroad in parties but all more like the contests between two adverse Camps then the bickerings at a Siege At last Mendosa returning back to Rossem Prince Maurice also having sufficiently strengthened the Town both above and below which he had made two Bridges for passing the Waell he quartered his Souldiers in the Isle of Voorne which he had fortified with new Works according to the manner of that excellent platform and all about the outer bank of the Waell The Spaniards with continual shooting as much as ever is used against Walls endeavoured to force his passage in the County of Tilen which is from thence beyond the Waell but by the strong opposition of Count Ernest to whom that Region belonged and a small Island in the Waell near Rossâ—m he was hindred Nor was that Prince satisfied in having defended his own but he proceeded further and voluntarily undertook to oppose and assail all that pretended to be of their party and first of all beyond the Maes in the next part of Brabant which looks back upon Voorne he commanded his men to make light and sudden incursions on purpose thereby to weary out the Enemyes Horse that lay thereabouts to guard and oversee the Pastures and Provisions And shortly after being encouraged by success to attempt greater things eaâ—ly in the morning he commanded some well experienced in such matters with three hundred Souldiers to go into the Isle of Bommel in that part where we said Harwarte stands and there to set up Pallisadoes or Stakes in form of an Half-Moon and then hastning it forward as fast as they could to cover them with Earth This space of ground would have contained about six thousand men And at once both the Work and Forces unwitting at first to the Enemy encreased from whence arose so great a confidence that the Prince himself publickly came thither to view it This daring Attempt was much further'd by the long Consultations of Mendosa while his Advisers differ'd in Opinion For now the Work was raised twice the heighth of a Man when the Enemy drawing on some chosen Spanish and Italian Souldiers led by Sapena to the Number of Two Thousand incensed with Fury and Religion gave a sharp Assault but the Monks that carryed before them Crucifixes were slain or taken among the first Some there were whose Ardor of Spirit was such that having carryed them beyond the Trench they were forced to come to Hand-strokes Nor did the Defendants want equal Valour besides the goodness of their Counsel and Conduct which keeping them in an intire â—state made both their Blows and Shot certain Lanove commanded the French Horatio Vere the English and one Edmunds the Scots each of them encouraging their Men both by Words and Example But Prince Maurice's Artillery from the Isle of Voorne and the Bank of the Waell Levoll'd against Them on every side chiefly tyred out the Enemy who at length was glad to go away carrying with them many of their dead Bodies Some Reported That in this Action there were Seven Hundred Men slain surely then the Match was very unequal when not many above Ten were slain on the Defendants side Among the slain Captains was found Paciotto who having been lately taken Prisoner was not to be danted in this fair Assay for Reparation of his last Honour After this the Foâ—t went on together with some smaller beyond the Maes although the forcible Attempt upon that the Enemy had made at Lutten proved in vain Without doubt these Camps were an excellent Pattern for the future Times where an Army was divided by so many Islands and Banks yet by Ships possessing the River and the Artificiall Workmanship of five Bridges moveable whither soever they listed they could by alternate Courses come one to another as they pleased Nor durst Mendosa offer any Assault to Prince Maurice's Works but a Fugitive shewing a place he had taken above Rossem where as is formerly related the bending of the Rivers meet nearest there following the Counsel that formerly Charles Mansfeldt had taken and then revived by Collonel Charles Colonna the same who hath with very great Judgment ahd Fidelity deliver'd these Things to Posterity himself with no small part of his men Erected a strong Fort from the Ground which from the Cardinal Andrew was named Fort-Andrew lying on this hand upon the Waell on that upon the Maes stopped up all Passage as well by Water as by Land Thus was the Summer spent and leaving here a Garrison this was the
under the false Title of Honour affects those kind of Conflicts from whence can arise neither a profitable Victory to the Publique and among Wise-men Death in such a Quarrel doth hardly deserve a Pardon The Winter yet continuing lest any occasion given by the Enemies Troubles among Themselves might slip Prince Maurice suddainly providing a Fleet and dispersing otherwise several Rumours of War within â— days forced the Castle or Fort of Crevecour adjoyning to the Maes and Dies to surrender The Enemies Horse that came thither too late to strengthen the Garrison and were denyed Entrance at Shertogenbosh that City always fearing Souldiers were slain almost to the Number of 5â—0 The Work about the Fort augmented by Mendosa were now finish'd by Prince Maurice From thence he went to the Fort Andrew where the Germane and Walloon Souldiers thrusting out their Captains openly acknowledged a Sedition and sending Balotte who under pretence of an Expedition should allure them out they escaped the Fraud yet they held that strong Fort not without hope of pardon as a Pledge for the Arrears of Three Years Pay due to them and for this they were more obstinate against the Enemy because a less price was offer'd them for their coming over than they hoped to get and yet saved both their Oath and Honour There were some great Guns left there for resistance the Rampire it self was like a Castle wherein were two Fortresses or Batteries upon the Maes and two upon the Wael the fifth looking towards Harwarden About the Trench and beyond it were continual Galleries and then again a Trench within which the Rivers were contained In the strength of these Works the Spaniards had so great Confidence that Albertus in his Letters and Discourse boasted That he possessed the Mouth of the Rivers and that he had put a Yoke upon the Necks of the Hollanders As long as the Sâ—yl overflowed by the Rivers this Winter would not bear digging being sollicited to come to Articles they resolutely denâ—ed and a Captive Souldier being dismissed by Prince Maurice to perswade them to a Surrender was kill'd in detestation of the Treachery nor would seem to send the Body into the Camp Whereupon turning Counsel and Advice into Force Prince Maurice thought nothing so fit as to begirt the Besieged with a Camp and to fortifie himself against Enemies from abroad Whereof dismissing the Horse whereof there was no use in those moyst and wet Grounds he placeth part of his Forces in Ships and upon Bridges in the Fields of Tiel and Bomâ—â—â— and other small Islands in the Waell The main of his strength he setled on the Edge of Brabant and breaking the Bank le ts in thither the Maes that he might have the more free space for Erecting his Works and also stop the Enemies passage that Way Besides in six places he built Forts with other lesser Bulwarks intermixt whereby all passage to him was utterly cut off and for increasing their Terrour the Castle of Batenborg situate at the Maes and yet carrying some glimmering of the Old Name of the Hollanders in its own formerly as far as the French Borders was brought into subjection by the Battery of great Guns whose Noise and Thunder the Besieged heard And they were grievously wounded with Darts yet unevenly thrown and at uncertainty which the others returned to them again and many of them being consumed they were forced to seek lurking places under the Rampire But the want of Wood and Medicines most afflicted them the moysture of the overflowed Ground being very prejudicial to the Health of their Bodies The Souldiers in the Town of Shertogenbosch kept up their hopes by giving frequent Signs by Fire and endeavouring to carry in ships but in vain The Army also came under the Command of Velasco threatning great Things but they could find no way to their Companions the Fields being cover'd with Water and the Forts opposing them And now much of the Mountain Snow being melted by the approach of the Spring and after their Rivers returned to their bounds the Pioneers began to fall to work especially in the night and when the Moon grew old At length they came to the Gallery which we mentioned to be encompassed with a Rampire When the Souldiers though they had not suffered the utmost extremity yet being out of all hope of Relief and Prince Maurice hastning to redeem the time they came to Conditions and one hundred twenty five thousand Florens were payd part of their pay due from the Enemy which they divided man by man For this price was that famous and well-builded Fort bought standing most conveniently for the defence of Holland then the Cannon and whatever else was therein and one thousand two hundred Souldiers coming over to the Hollanders who performing according to Custom all the Sign of joy even They Themselves tryumphed over Themselves These men afterwards did very good service when giving over their licentiousness they returned to the Discipline of War yet they were for this thing proscribed as Traytors by the Enemy which together with hatred and fear of punishment put them in an excessive rage If these things were not to be approved before rigid Judges certainly these are more excusable then the Gertruydenburgers for they though defrauded of all their pay for a long season yet had stood out against a Camp and a two moneths Siege they do not complain upon just Causes since they alter their obedience to good advantage About this time the States set out an Edict that no one should reproach these new Souldiers for their transition or coming over as well understanding that even for smaller causes an Army hath sometimes fallen to intestine discords as of late during this Siege two Souldiers the one a German the other a Frenchman quartelling at Dice sell to fight when of a sudden each of their Country-men coming in to take parts had like to have been the cause of great slaughter and blood-shed for scarcely could the contest be ended even by the interposition of the States About this time the long pertinacy of the City of Groningen having justly enraged those that emulated it made the rest of the States fall upon sharp resolves such as is scarcely usual among free people the common people being in their own nature fierce and having gotten Governours that were exiles during the rule of the Spaniards and therefore be having themselves with the greater confidence towards the people disdained to live under severer Laws now then those that oppressed them under the King by whose connivence they had obtained to have their Houses Tax-free and some other things beneficial indeed to themselves but prejudicial to the Inhabitants who remembring these things by the Decree of the United States to whom they had subjected themselves they would not agree that many of the Priviledges they had nominally used should be taken away from them Besides they had neglected for three years together to bring their Tributes into the Treasury
admired by her neighbours but courted by Embassadours even from the Moors and Sarmatians No man hitherto doubted but that great Commotions would have arisen in England upon the death of the Queen who had never declared any certain Successor for it was believed that although James King of Scotland was the next in bloud yet the ancient hatred of the inhabitants and the private fear of those that had consented to his Mother's death would be an obstacle to him there being several ready in England who boasted themselves to be descended of Royal bloud Then also the power of the English Catholicks was feared lest they should hope for that by Troubles which they could never expect while the setled Authority of the Queen remained the Pope also instigating them as unwilling that a King of the new Religion should be admitted although he were next in bloud Nor was that hope onely grown in the Spaniards who lay at watch for the peoples commotions but the Hollanders also although they had by many good offices before-hand pre-engaged King James upon the connexion of Religion yet by tacite wishes did guess that the imputation of their alliance with him would transferre part of the Warre into Britain But it happened beyond hope and expectation that presently after the decease of Queen Elizabeth the old Councel of the Queen and as many of the Bishops and Magistrates of London as were at present at hand and in readiness proclaimed King James not waiting for the authority of a Parliament for the danger of delay and because Interregnum's do many times in the future by new Laws and Covenants diminish the grandeur and power of Authority Thus without any contradiction the King of Scotland got the possession of England and was the first that within the known Records of any Annals enjoyed the whole Island of Great Britain in one entire and undivided Government The United States did not omit forthwith to send an Embassy to congratulate him for his new access of magnitude having first sent some gratulatory Letters The Embassadours sent by them to the King were Count Henry of Nassau Prince Maurice's brother then a Member of the Councel of the States and General of the Horse next to him was Walrave Brederode thirdly John Olden Barneveldt and lastly Jacob Valcken who died before he returned from this Embassy When they were admitted to audience they spake in this manner We are come hither Great King divided in our selves between Grief And Joy for we have lost Her whose goodness and benefits to us we are not able to express in words but we have found You as the Heir of Her Kingdome so the Imitator of Her Vertues That which formerly we desired and since that by publick supplications decreed to the most happy Messengers of Your new-begun Dominion that now in Your own presence with hearts and voices we beseech and begge of God that this Your reign may be happy and prosperous to Your Self to Posterity to Great Britain and to Vs We begge of You Sacred Sir one thing That You would not suffer the insulting Spaniard to trample upon the necks of the Netherlanders and from thence by degrees to incroach upon the Dominions of others his Neighbours It suits with Your Religion to save so many Assemblies of pious men from that Kingdome of sanguinary Superstition it agrees with Your Justice to defend a Cause allowed of by so many Kings and it is an act becoming Your Prudence to drive away those underminers of Kingdomes and supporters of the Papacy by whose judgement all that You now possess is given to them as a Prey Your Predecessor Queen Elizabeth did this and so we hope will You and that with the greater ease by how much You are in the prime of Your age have a more man-like Authority a more ample Power and a House well setled upon the happy foundation of a hopeful Issue Our fidelity shall in part supply Your Work and Charge by whose prosperity and adversity it hath been made evident that the Spaniards could be conquered 'T is true Peace is a most excellent Jewel and worthy of high estimation among Christians but that that is made with Tyrants and treacherous people is little better then Warre If all they that are joyned in the Cause would unite their wealth he would be deprived of the Netherlands and if that punishment would not yet make him wise he should be driven out of the Sea and all his maritime Dominions which would be no hard matter for the Hollanders and English to effect and this certainly would make him glad to come to a true Peace the best maintainer whereof was equality of Forces Now is the siege of Ostend protracted unto the third year so that having endured so long a misery we humbly intreat You to aid us with supplies for relief thereof for which purpose you may make use of those ships which by the Queen 's command were furnished and instructed with Armes and provisions by us being eleven in number and now wait for nothing but your Royal command Hereto the King very courteously answered as to the matter of friendship but as to the rest he excused himself by the infancy of his Dominion but in time he would see what was best to be done in the interim not concealing that as much as he could he would prefer all counsells tending to Peace for hitherto he had had no difference with the Spaniard and also Philip had voluntarily offered him his assistence if any dispute should have arisen concerning his Kingdome and himself being of a mild disposition and well grounded in all kind of Literature had spent his time in studies rather inclinable to Peace then War And the Archduke being supposed to have made war with the Queen not with the Realm had by Edict forbidden any damage to be done to the English sending home besides all Prisoners they had that were that Countrey-men and soon after he sent Charles Prince of Arenberg Embassador to the King as also the Spaniard sent Don John Baptista Taxis to the same for the promoting a Peace concerning which the year following there was an agreement When the Embassadors of Holland saw they could not prevent it they endeavored to delay it and to give the King some hopes that they likewise might obtain Peace together with their Liberty if the King by procrastinations or delay would suffer the Spanish counsells which yet depended upon the event of a few years to grow towards perfection And this was the discovery of Olden Barneveldt who was throughly versed in all the secrets of the United Provinces producing the Duke of Brunswick's hand whom the Emperor Rudolphus had acquainted with that affair But King James his hast was not at all slackened in making that Peace whereupon the Hollanders onely contended that if they could not obtain a shew of assistence yet that they might not be denied right These their desires were seconded by the French King who was very
sollicitous for the support of his allies and to that end he had sent into England Maximilian de Rohan his chief Treasurer and a Privy-counsellor At last this Medium was found That whatever moneys the French should lay out in behalf of the Hollanders the third part thereof should be charged to the English and all accounts to be discharged wherein France impoverished by her Warrs was indebted to Britain The States were content herewith although they were offered by Sir Ralph Winwood the King of great Britain's Orator to be comprehended in the Articles of the Treaty if they pleased which they refused with great thanks The rest of the year King James spent in performing and receiving the Solemnities of the Kingdome and in viewing his new Dominion of England giving audience at Intervalls to the Embassadors of other Kings and the gratulations of his own subjects Tyrone himself the great Captain of the Irish Rebells coming and upon his humble submission obtaining pardon Concerning Religion several complaints were offered by two sorts of people The one in England are called Puritans being a people that do not esteem the Ecclesiastical State or Church-government there to be sufficiently orthodox and sincere but requiring therein more purity from whence sprung the original of that hated name of Separation These find fault with many Ceremonies retained from custome and antiquity as the Orders of Bishops some Ceremonies added as they say in the Sacrament of Baptisme and others things more tending to Discipline then Doctrine A change or at least an amendment of all which they now hoped from hence because the Scots had already rejected the same On the other side the Catholicks with high applauses magnifying the antiquity of their Religion as well in Britain as elsewhere and setting forth their fidelity both to the King himself at present and heretofore to his Mother petitioned that if he would not give them publick allowance which yet in France the King allowed to dissenters that at least they might privately and without fear of punishment worship God according to the custome of their Fathers But the King rejected both these suits suspecting the Catholicks for no other cause but that the Pope claims power over Kings but the King was offended at the Puritans because by men of the same Faction under pretence of Ecclesiastical authority he had irreverently been used in Scotland Whereupon also he accused their perverseness and obstinacy publickly set forth in Print for he would have each Nation be free to use their own Rites which were not contradictory to the Divine Law but the supreme Authority even in matters Ecclesiastical should continue in the King Yet something was setled according to the desire of the Catholicks viz. That the Sacrament of Baptisme should not be administred by women or private persons that many Ecclesiastical promotions should not be accumulated upon one person and that Church-censures should be strict and severe both in the inquisition and punishment of errors either in the life or doctrine of the Priesthood But the words of the Puritans became so offensive that many of their non-conforming Ministers were punished by Imprisonments Banishment and abjuration of the Realm Notwithstanding which some of the Romanists associating others with them who were desirous of novelty conspired to set up to the Government the Lady Arabella a Virgin sprung from the bloud Royal dividing among themselves the chief places of honor and preferment through the Kingdome The authors of this Treason were punished with the losse of their heads the accessories thereto and such as had concealed the same were cast into prison and the fear of imminent death was reckoned to them for a sufficient punishment the King being prone to win repute to his new Government by the fame of his Clemency While these things were doing in England Enno Count of Friesland beyond Eems having really learned that he might easily obtain from the Emperor both words and threats against the City but that he could not give him a power to put the same in execution he resolved to try the favour of them that were most potent among the Hollanders and to that purpose he went to the Hague urging many things both privately and publickly in his own defence and objecting many things against the Embdoners as being of a wavering temper in their fidelity not well knowing either to govern or be governed At the same time were present some Deputies from Embden behaving themselves with much obstinacy and notable irreverence towards their Prince then present At length after many long debates the United States not doubting the fidelity of the City towards them bent all their resolutions for the security thereof and it was concluded that the Delphzilian agreements should be observed whereto besides were added That for the future there be an Edict of Indemnity and Oblivion for all things already done nor should the Count exact the Penalties set by the Emperor's Decree That both should be restored to their houses and lands all prisoners be released and all instruments of war and other received profits be accounted for And that Enno should endeavor to set free all strangers being really such nor should deny his safe conduct in writing to all Ships going from the City That the Tributes imposed upon the City the third and the fifth year before should all be made null and that there should be a consultation had in the Senate of the Transamasians for the settlement of new the right of summoning which should be in the Count but if he neglected to doe it then they might meet by themselves and consult of their common affairs That it should not be lawfull to denounce a War or levy souldiers without the decree of that Councel onely the Count might retain as many as should be sufficient for the guarding his Castles and strong holds and likewise that the City might raise seven hundred souldiers for the defence thereof and maintaining their works That the Transamasians should maintain the souldiers the charge of the works should be born by the Townsmen and what goods were within a Town should be equally distributed and whatever was inclosed within any fortifications should enjoy the same priviledges with the City it self That the Magistrates of Embden should be created by the Senate of the City and that the Count to that creation should adde his authority When therefore the Count and the Deputies of the City had agreed upon these conditions it remained that the whole Magistracy of the City and the States of the Transamasians should allow of and ratify the same which was very likely to have been done the Nobility being afraid of War as that which would wast their Lands and some being sent by the United States to enforce force such as should offer to delay the same the greatest part of the garrison also was withdrawn that the fade of affairs might appear more peaceable But new hopes from the Emperor changed Enno absolutely insomuch that
Castle it self within a moneth was restored to him This was the amicable issue of that business which was very pleasing to both parties at War in the Netherlands For it was a grievous thing to the Hollanders that one of the same Religion and related to the house of Nassau should be afflicted and the Archduke was sorely afraid lest those Armes pretended against Bulion should fall upon himself and therefore Lewis de Velasco that was sent to defend the Borders offered help to them of Sedan But the Brunswick Commotions began the former year the Duke having a spleen to the City because having bought their Privileges partly from his ancestors and partly extorted them they defended them with more then ordinary confidence relying upon the Hanseatick League He replete with hope that he could by his own power restore that Authority which the carelessness of his Ancestors had lost gathering together his Forces as if he had dreaded Spinola's coming over the Rhine first by ambushes planting some Souldiers he invaded the more outward of the two Walls that encompassed the City but the assailants being repulsed they fell to open hostility and a Siege which though the King of Denmark whose Sister was married to the Duke came with a notable strength to his assistance the Winter broke off The United States being requested by the Duke to send Count Ernest of Nassau as General with some Forces to his assistance were in a great suspense because it appeared to them an unseemly thing to oppress the liberty of another while they so hotly contested for their own and yet rather for the King of Denmark and the Duke of Brunswick's sake then the Hanseatick Cities who had not assisted the Hollanders either by wealth or any other kindness whatsoever it was thus moderated They would not send him but that he might goe with some new Forces if he pleased to whom some Colonels and Captains joyned and associated themselves requesting that for that time their Oath might be dispensed with being covetous to gain those rewards which are more readily given at the breaking out of a new War But this high contest was ended in a short time for at the entrance of the Spring the Leaguer about the Town being anew begun and the dam broken by which the Duke hoped to bring the restrained River upon the City and by that means to shorten the Siege the Hanseatick Forces being collected prevailed with him to desist from the War To both parties unable to bear the charge the Emperor's authority was interposed which commanded them that they should voluntarily and out of reverence to the Laws proceed judicially since they seemed in honor thereto to lay down their Armes Besides these affairs which were common to the Hollanders and their Enemies there were certain peculiar causes which hindred the Enemies Levies of men both in Britain and Italy For in Britain the King being forewarned how dreadful those Subjects were that acknowledged power superiour to the King conceived a new form of an Oath to oblige all his Subjects whereby they were â— confess him the true and lawful King of Britain and that he could not be deposed by the authority of the Church of Rome or the Pope and if that should be attempted yet that they should bear unto him faith and â—legeance and discover all things that might tend to the King's damage and that in the taking the said Oath they had no other meaning then the common use of the words expressed and that they did not hope to be absolved from the same From hence arose great discord even among the Catholicks themselves while part of them by the allowance of George Blackwel an Archbishop of England for so the Pope had entitled him took the said Oath without fear supposing a distinction between sacred and temporal affairs and as they ought to doe their duty to God in point of Religion so in all things else by the command of God himself they were bound to obey their Princes On the other hand some believed the Jesuites that humane things ought to be subservient to Divine and so that he who was the great Arbiter of Religion if necessity reâ—ited the same might transferre Kingdomes that being a most sacred Order that all things should be subject to one In the interim they that demurred at the taking of the Oath were forbidden to goe out of the Kingdome into any forein service And the Pope's authority in Italy made the like if not greater troubles and delaies For the Venetians fearing the wealth and potency of the Priesthood and imitating the Decrees of other Nations forbad them to build Temples or to give lands to Abbeys or Monasteries unless they were licensed thereto by Decree of the Senate and that the Revenues of Church-lands should at no time return to them besides they commanded some Priests to be put into Prison because they were accused of Sorcery Parricide Incest Falshood and publick Force Pope Paul the fifth by the instigation chiefly of the Cardinals Bellarmine and Baronius interpreting these things to be done in despight of him when they were refused to be taken away interdicted and excommunicated the City Cardinal Baronius in some Letters by him sent to the Venetians advised them among other things to take heed lest God being angry with them as he was once with the Hebrews should take away their Liberty and make a Lord over them Many Books were written wherein a long time it was disputed what was the power of the Laws or of any other Sentences upon those that were wholly devoted to Religion or whether the Pope's unjust commands obliged their Consciences The greatest part of the Priests in the Venetian territories did not abstain from performing all publick services in the Church and the Jesuites when they refused to doe the same were banished While this matter was hoped to break out into Arms the Spaniard who had received it from his Ancestors to augment the Troubles of Italy raised Souldiers there boasting himself the Defender of the Pope's Majesty On the other side the Hollanders partly out of hatred to the Pope and partly out of love to a free City promised the Venetians some assistance by Sea if they should be indangered for which they returned them great thanks by Letters with much candor of language But that prudent Senate as they would stoutly defend the rights of their Dominion so they studiously avoided all things that might hinder Peace or the ceremonies of greater affairs However this was the beginning of friendship between those two most potent people who would never endure the Rule or name of a King While these things were doing in forein parts at the beginning of this year the Hollanders send a Fleet into Spain to increase the dearth and scarcity of all things which was rumored to be there and also for vindicating those losses they had received by the violent assault of their Ships by Lewis Faizard the said Ships lying unprovided
dealing to turn their Friendship into a kind of Domination Nor could any Peace or Leagues be hoped for in that New World which is divided from its better part not so much by Scituation as Manners and secluded on every side by its own Ocean as if condemned by Nature to the most odious barbarism These were at that time the Discourses concerning America Surely it concerned those who were desirous of finishing the Warr that these hopes should not be settled too deep in the Opinions of the people Nor was it a hard matter to put a stop to the begun Project of the New Company by the emulation of the Cities earnestly drawing to themselves the ordering of the Ships and some interceding that the Liberty of fetching Salt out of America should not be restrained by any Law Therefore this debate being set apart no less difficulties were observed to hinder those that were desirous of making peace for although the Enemies Design might chiefly be discovered yet the Governours of the Confederate Cities from a received Opinion in the Prince of Aurange's time abhorred the very name of Peace And to men of this perswasion much appeared that would be lost if the Enemy should openly profess himself contented with a Peace whereby he could not regain the dominion he lost by Warr for that which of old was accounted a part of Prudence to break off all hope of reconciliation had no other Basis than this That onely such a Peace could be expected as would bring along with it an insulting Lord. On the other side That it pertained both to the Security and Honour of the Commonwealth if the Enemy could be drawn to a confession of their Liberty But the War yet growing hot and new Causes of Indignation daily arising either Victory made them fierce or some slaughter drew them to the desire of revenge so that minds prepossessed or byassed with affection could not considerately ponder the Reasons that induced to peace But if any Remission or Cessation should be granted of Arms there would not be wanting some favourers of peace which being otherwise acceptable in it self would agree principally with the mind of the HOLLANDERS that were earnest of Traffick and also the people that lay next the â—nemy would not easily suffer themselves having once tasted the Sweets of Peace to be carryed back to Arms. It is a very hard thing to find the beginning of so great a â—â—ter in that Commonwealth wherein no Affair of any great Concern is undertaken without the Advice of the Provin◠〈◊〉 and a Relation of what is done or to be done to the several Cities which circuit that business which without doubt was involved in great Dissentions could not bear They that were in the General Assembly of the United States would not take upon them the Envy of so suddain a Mutaâ— unless Prince Maurice who was the General of the War and famous as well by his great Merits as the Nobility of his Extract should become the great Author of Temporary Agreement But He having attained so much Honour by War that scarcely any ever attain'd the like and not despising the most effectual substance of Fame and thinking with himself that all Peace with the Spaniard was mingled with Treachery yet was perswaded by Oldenbarnevelt whose Authority underpropped by his Providence chiefly and 30 years Fidelity supported these Consultations of Peace that as would not refuse to Treat with the Enemy For the King of Brittain would sit by onely as a Spectator of so great a War and the French King by their Alliance aimed at greater Matters of which there were no obscure Demonstrations If â—e Confederate States could find a way to lye open for them 〈◊〉 Peace they that supposed it advantageous to their Affairs that the Spanish Forces should be wasted in the War of Holland might be brought to promise certain Aids without any other account Therefore Wittenhorst and Gevard having receiv'd Letters from Albertus and Isabella whereby it might appear they were intrusted they were admitted into the Assembly of the United States where they publickly repeated what they had privately before spoken highly extolling the Commodities of Peace before the uncertain Events of War But because the Legates had mention'd the Arch-Dukes Right and Claim The States thought fit to answer That it was openly known to all who had any insight in the Belgick Affairs that the Arch-Dukes could be helped by no pretence of Right against the Confederate Provinces but such as must be hoped to be gained by Conquest In truth when of old divers of the Provinces after the Confirmation of their Liberty by an inviolable Decree were united into one Body they had sought to reduce them by Arms being Members separated from that Body by the best and highest Right the Equity of whose Cause many Kings and Princes had approved by making Leagues with them Therefore they all Resolved to persist in that Opinion which they had lately declared to the Emperour That a safe pinâ— and just Peace could not be expected with them who under the vain pretence of Right would infringe the Authority of a must Reverend Decree The Mischiefs of War would fall on both Parts but ought to be imputed to them that would unjustly seek what belonged to others not those that valiantly defended their own Wittenhorst being dismissed with this Answer afterwards writ to the States that he had found it to be the Arch Dukes pleasure that in the making an Agreement they desired to gain nothing but that all things should remain in the same condition they were But for the more ready carrying oâ— of this business the Principal of the Order of Franciscans of that Country by Name Francis Naya born at Antwerp but by Kinred a Zelander was made choyse of his Father sometimes followed the Prince of Aurange Himself was of a voluble and fluent Tongue and though he was not ignorant in Court-Affairs for he had been in Spain and lived at Bruxells conversant in matters of greatest importance being of an open and free disposition like the Netherlanders that you will hardly suspect guilty of fraud and by his Profession of life armed against bashfulness neither greatly fearing a repulse or contumely This Man being sent from Bruxells came privately to Riswicke the next Village to the Hague making tryall by discreet Persons what were the main difficulties that â—ostructed the business from thence being brought to the Prince he expounded some things as he saw convenient in Wittenhorsts Letters and there understanding perfectly that there was no hopes of beginning a Treaty unless the Arch Dukes did first really own and acknowledge their Liberty returning to Bruxells soon after he brought Letters from Albertus and Isabella Signed the thirteenth of March to this effect That they were weary of the cruell War and were ready to make a perpetual Peace with the United States as free People whom they so accounted and against whom they would make no pretence of claym
his Valour but understanding by the Spies which he had sent under the pretence of Merchants and by some French and British Ships that he met that the Ships which had been there were most of them departed to the Indies and those that were to follow them were not ready but that a great Fleet of Spaniards lay in the Bay of Gibraltar which would take the Hollanders Ships passing out of the Mediterranean Sea into the Ocean in that streight thither he steered his course sailing as the Wind would give him leave sometimes near the Coast of Barbary and other whiles nearer the Coast of Spain for two very high Mountains generally known by the names of Hercules Pillars being the Mountains Abila in Barbary and Calpe in Spain do make narrow the Streight of the Atlantike Ocean winding it self between those Lands Fabulous Antiquity reported these to be one Hill and indeed so it is if you admit the strait to continue their union but divided by the labour of Hercules on purpose to let in the Sea whereupon the last of those separated Hills are called as aforesaid Hercules Pillars To the one of which the old name Calpe remained until the Arabian growing Victorious gave his own names to all things and places for at what time the lâ—acens had joyned their Arms to the novelty of Mahomeâ—â— Superstition Moses the chief of the petty Kings possessing Africa who was the Son of Nuzir of the Maravadine Family went over into Spain accompanied with Tarica the 〈◊〉 of Abdalla who setting fire on his Ships that his Souldiers might not be able to desert him when he was come within Calpe he named the place Gebell Taric which in the Arabian Tongue is as much as the Mount of Tarica and â—â—â—ce by the Spaniards is corrupted into Gibraltar Thus did 〈◊〉 Mountain and City Tarifa of old Carteja get their names This City is scituate at the bottom of those Hills where making a Haven in the manner of a Theater for his Ships on the horn thereof which stretches into the Atlantike Ocean he built a strong Castle In this most safe recess of the Sea within the bosome of that most exquisite Rock â—â—d under the protection of the City and Castle the Spanish fleet lay at Anchor It consisted of 9. Galeoones the greatest of which carryed the Commander in Chief Don John Alâ—â—rez de Avila four other Ships of War The great Vessel belonging to Lubeck and four French Bottoms belonging to private Merchants but for a time taken up for publike use besides three Holland Merchants Ships that had lately been taken as Prizes In these was a great number of Marriners and great Guns together with Souldiers for Sea-service whose strength was much increased by the accession of many noble persons who upon news that the Enemies Ships were seen both at Cadiz and St. Lucas de Barramede had flocked thither to shew their Valour and duty to the King In the Admirall were seven hundred Souldiers another a little less had five hundred Admiral Hemskerke now entring the Streight and not far from the Bay of Gibraltar calling together the Captains of his Ships to Counsel He said to them Ye know Fellow Souldiers for what cause ye are come hither The Honour gotten by our Ancestors both at Sea and at home is evident to the whole World They wasted Islands and besieged Ports others by chance assisting them therein We were the first who came even into Spain it self to assault the King of Spains Fleet as intending to let the World know how falsly the Enemy in the length of his arrogant Titles ascribes to himself the Dominion of the Sea A more noted place for Honour could not be wished for God hath appointed the Hollanders Forces to be tryed and approved in the Confines of Europe and Africa so that here we shall see the Enemies themselves certain Witnesses of our Valour and their own destruction On the one Shore he the Turks and Moors to whom being hitherto scarcely heard of we ought not to be made publickly known but by some great and honourable action Take now that Courage which of old Berghen Middleburgh the Zuyderzee beheld The same fortune follows you through the World So that it is a difficult matter for you not to Conquer at Sea And let not the greatness of the Enemies Ships affright you for that very Bulk being unweldy to be moved and turned and lying open to shot will be rather a cause of ruine then safety to them And moreover this is one chief thing that among us our very Seamen fight with them only the Souldiers who appearing to me as persons of effeminacy by the stinks of the Pump and the tossing of the Waves being grown heartless are hardly able to stand up to fight I require nothing of any man but what I shall give an example of my self you Lambert shall together with my self set upon the Admirall Brassen and Alterhasen on the next and so the rest on the remainder two of you still keeping together against one the lighter Vessels shall go up and down compassing the place of fight the better to impede the Enemies flight And as soon as the Battell is begun Remember that ye fight valiantly for your Ships wherein you are all either to be slain or taken unless you get the Victory Let us forward the anxious and doubtful cares of the States in this great Affair for this day will yield a great and happy Omen to us if forced to return to the War or else will make the Spaniard more seriously to desire Peace Then may the Conquering Hollander with freedom deliberate whether it will be more for his advantage to lay aside Arms or still to maintain War We however in the interim shall begin to be esteemed happy in the Honour of this Maritime tryumph or else shall be looked upon among the chief causes that lead to peace and for the benefit of Posterity shall set a noble end to a War of 40 years continuance Having spoken these things he encouraged the Captains as well by his eyes and countenance as his words who promising largely their best endeavours likewise stirred up both themselves and others by old and new examples of Spanish cruelty so passing about an encouraging Cup and renewing their Oath of fidelity for that time they departed Avilas the Governour finding Ships so much less than his steering their course directly against him commanded a Holland Prisoner that he had with him to be brought to him of whom he asked What he thought was their Intentions Who answer'd Either I know not my Countrey men or else they are ready to give you Battel The Spaniards laughed as thinking it a scorn that their whole Fleet should be compared with that onely Galeoon that was his Admiral But when the Holland Fleet drew nearer being compell'd to believe what he saw was true he carryed his said Admiral Galeoon which by chance lay outermost nearer to the City cutting its
present then approving go unto the Assembly of the States and there produce their Masters Instructions to them till that time concealed namely That they would endeavour by all means possible to make Peace but if that could not be effected they should at least perswade boâ—h parties to the making of a Truce yet such as should be safe and honourable for the Hollanders and by which their Libeâ—ty should remain without question their right of Navigation be preserved entire and their possessions in no manner diminished That such a Truce might be brought to a Peace if the Governors of the Commonwealth behaved themselves with discretion That they well knew what just causes the Hollanders had of being enraged against their Enemies but all perturbations of mind are enemies to wholesome Counsel They should consider with themselves how unfit they were for War of themselves and that Kings are not wont to take Arms unless upon just occasion or necessity Here nothing more could be expected from the War then mutual damage and there could be no pretence of necessity as long as a Truce might be had If they agreed the same assistance should be given for defence of the Truce as was promised if a Peace were concluded but if the Spaniard which was most of all to be feared should refuse a Truce as he had done a Peace then the Kings their Masters would cordially support the safety of their Friends and Allyes for the future As soon as same had blown abroad these things immediately an unrestrayned liberty of dispersing among the vulgar books written but without the Authors Name and this humour spread all about with great heat the whole year Some foretelling from such a League solitude sedition and last of all slavery Others with much rancour ripped up all that ever the Spaniards had done in America their cruelties to the people of Granado and Arragon And lastly their Their Treacheries and Barbarismes committed in the Netherlands A third sort produced Books that shewed all the Articles prejudicial to the Romane Religion or that maintained it was not necessary to observe or perform Covenants entred into between a Prince and his Subjects Nor did they omit to find fault That they were not any Governours of Cities nor any of the Native Noblemen that were sent to Treat but Italians Spaniards Monks the most cunning and deceitful sort of men who if they could find any thing infirm or hurtful to the State they would not leave it undone nay they would endeavour by gifts to tempt the Ambassadors of Kings but the most powerful of the Nobility to turn aside from the right and walk with them in oblique and indirect wayes I esteem this none of the least evils of that Common-wealth That so great perversness should be stirred up in the common people which had often been forbidden and then was also by a new Edict yet could not be repressed while a sharp and diligent search and other more grievous punishments were not permitted as being contrary to Liberty And now an unexpected accident happened to the States though in their General Assembly and upon the presumption and hope of Peace they suffered themselves with difficulty to be drawn to hearken to a Truce yet that they might not seem to despise the advice of the Kings as it was the chief cause that induced them thereto yet there were other to wit that the Charge of the War as it had been of late managed would every Moneth exceed the money raised by Tributes above three hundred thousand Florens and that that sum would not yet be sufficient unless for the defence of the Rivers there were added to the old Forces six thousand Footmen whereby the whole Commonwealth of the VNITED STATES would be indebted nine thousand Millions of Flotens and the single Provinces particularly twice as much so that without the consent and help of the Kings their Allyes the War could not be managed with any good hope for to cut off any parts of the Government and only defend the more inward parts would be an act of cruelty although there were some that advised it and would be very dangerous if it should be known abroad and whereas some said That the Commonwealth was so constituted that it could not be at Peace though Arms were laid aside That was by others accounted an impious and infamous confession It might more justly be feared Lest the Common People understanding that just and fair Terms were refused growing displeased with their Governours should deny to bear the Charge and Burden of the War And therefore at last they returned answer That they were ready to hearken to a Truce so as their LIBERTY might be confirmed not under any Conditions or for a certain time but really and for ever But the Spaniards when the Ambassadors of the said Kings came to them gave no hopes of any such Agreement but offered another Condition which was That all Affairs should continue in the same posture they were at present with a Cessation of Arms for seven years yet so as the Spaniard might choose within two Moneths whether he would admit the Indian Commerce or would contest the right thereof by Arms. But there was no cause why the Grant once already made concerning Liberty should be again reiterated in regard it would be a difficult thing to be obtained because the Spaniard is of a more harsh nature nor will be drawn to imitate the Archdukes facility And if the States were not pleased with these offers they desired they might have time given to them till the Calends of October to expect the more pleasing Orders of King Philip. This when it was refused both by the Ambassadors of Kings and Princes in the Publick Council the States resolved to persist and stand to their first Decree but as to the matter of time desired by the Ambassadors they said they were ready to consent In the interim the Deputies had time every one to return to his own Province to receive new Instructions concerning this new Affair And it was agitated with great contention Nor did the People that lay more open to the Oppressions of the Enemy only dissent from the Zelanders who were guarded by the Sea but in Holland it self several Cities were of several minds nor within the Cities were all men of one Opinion but every one moved as his proper hopes led him or as they were drawn by more powerful Arguments on either side In this wavering of mens minds counsel was given to Prince Maurice That he should openly and without dissimulation make Himself the Author of the stronger Opinion which he did not only with sharp words but by Letters sent to the Cities of Holland At length saith he The Arts feared by our Ancestors are burst out Those specious words wherewith they purchased a Treaty were indeed nothing but words nor was Peace desired by the Enemy but that he might make War more at his own then our conveniency or that he might
from the League made at Gaunt The Switzers that took Arms for the like Causes laid them down upon a Truce and have now for a long time retained their Liberty being defended by their Foot Souldiers chiefly and the heights of their Mountains And wherein I pray are you less able to defend your selves being so powerful at Sea and having the Ocean for a Guard Some indeed fear lest you should return to your Arms more weak and effeminate for the lives of Princes that favour you say they are uncertain But let them know that the causes of Allyance and Friendship doth not decay with the Kings but remain as immortall as the Kingdoms themselves This is that makes Allyes live and flourish and let this prevail to stir you up not to let slip so reasonable a time to acquire peace This Advice prâ—ceeds from Kings your Friends whose careful providence chiefly ayms at this that you may be safe More might be said to this purpose but I think it prudence to say no more Let every one answer for himself only let not the Authours of the contrary Opinion overcome us in the liberty of saying what they please The next day he sets upon them again their minds being already moved with the former Oration and runs over the principal Heads of the League one by one that he might convince them that there was nothing couched therein either unjust or deceitful and when he had so done added that They were the first of all People to whom that Honour had been granted to confirm their liberty by the Confession of the rejected and abjured Prince The Switzers could not obtain so much nor could the like be forced by the Victorious Danes from their King Christierne though a Captive to them and thereupon he grievously blamed them with accusations of ingratitude and falsity because they had whispered that by the coming of Don Pedro de Toledo into France the King was become averse to the Hollanders Commodity But His Majesties good will to them was more firmly setled then to be changed by the desires of their Enemies or any thing else save the contumely of such as dispersed abroad such falsities Winwood also thought it a part of his duty to commend a Truce to the Senate whereof he himself was a member affirming that his Master the King of Great Britain would not perswade them to any thing but what he himself would give an Example of Those Arms are just that are necessary and those not onely pious Kings but God himself would favour but they are not necessary to which there is a way open to an honourable end If they subsisted by extraordinary succour yet they ought not to refuse the making of a League since both their Religion Liberty and Commerce might be preserved But now it was to far distant to conjecture what would come to passe after a Truce by how much they could not discern the nearer dangers of War It was a wonder to see with what greatness of mind the business was transacted at every Assembly and new Books were daily set forth as it were to sow and foment discords for now they spared neither of the Kings as if the chief of their hopes had consisted in the miseries of the Confederate States But the chief of their envy was vented against Oldenbarneveldt as the Inventor of such things He being grown odious to men of the greatest quality and most eminent degree by his excessive Authority much less could his Equalls endure to see him so far in Honour above them insomuch that there were some Letters found wherein he was not obscurely destined to slaughter Whereupon He in the Assembly of the States of Holland protesting that he had not feared to draw upon himself the malice of the most potent men nor shunned any dangers so as He might serve his Country being fraught with the Solace of a quiet Conscience against all scandalous Rumours and unlucky accidents But when he saw a thing in it self displeasing to him yet nevertheless be aggravated to make him odious He beseeched them that for expediting those things they should see fit in the Common-wealth they would appoint others to officiate that were less hated which said immediately he departed from the Assembly Some of the Lords were sent after him to desire him that he would not in this nice Juncture of time desert the Common-wealth which he had hitherto assisted with his faithful Counsels Hereupon returning to his accustomed charge sometimes extolling the benefits and Authority of the Kings anon explicating and laying open the charge of the War he confirmed such as wavered and refuted them without anger although they were very sharply contradicted and Amsterdam it self a long time resisted at length he brought all Holland to one mind which also five other of the Provinces soon after embraced Only Zeland out of some peculiar Reasons of their own and by the instigation of Prince Maurice resisted the consent of all the rest denying to agree to a Truce nor would suffer the Decree to be revoked urging the words of the Trajectine League that Arms should not be laid down unless by the common consent of all and whatever difference should arise among the Provinces should be left to the decision of the Governours Others were angry and said the Question was not now concerning a Truce but whether Zeland alone should give the Law to all the rest And now the Contest among them growing hot the Embassadors of the Kings interposed endeavouring to drive those by force of Arguments whom they could not lead by perswasion And first Janinus producing to the States King Henrics Letters wherein he ratified whatever they should say or do began to praise the good benefit of Concord then mentioning divers Opinions without frowardness when he came to the Trajectine League he said it belongs not to us to interpret the Laws of other People but yet common Reason teacheth that at this time the Debate was upon a yielding not an indifferent League and it any think otherwise the Law is either to be abrogated or laid aside the Publick Weal so requiring which contains in it the Sanctimony of all Laws for what other event will produce if these do not refuse the decision of the Kings their Allyes more justly than those the determination of the Governours but that upon this Consultation both must needs run into factious parties it remains therefore that the fewer in number should yield to the greater for by this means alone stands the Government of People which otherwise would decay and fall to ruine Thus among the Switzers the Decrees of the greater Party are obeyed by those who contradicted the same But the Acheans and Aetolians though valiant people yet were destroyed by dissention while each of them would not agree to consult with the other for too much liberty is the ready way to Servitude Besides that no man may feed himself with a vain hope I now by Command declare that
which is granted and upon what terms 843.844 Hautcea sent out with a Fleet to intercept the Spanish ships coming out of America and the success thereof 846 Hohenlo Philip his death and character 856 Hollanders averse to Peace 865 Hague Herman Wittenhorsten comes thither from the Archdukes concerning Peace 866 Hollanders averse to Peace and why 876 Obtain a famous Victory at Sea under the command of Jacob Hemskerk at the straights of Gibralter 881.882.883 ad 888 A description of Hercules Pillars 883.884 Hemskerk Jacob Dutch Admiral his speech to the Captains of his Fleet. 884.885 He is killed and his speech at his death 886 Holland Fleet retires to Tituan to repair their ships where they are received with joy 889 Hollanders recal their Fleet from Spain and why 892.896.897 Send Deputies to the King of Britain and for what and his answer to them 894.895 â—â—gue the place appointed for the Treaty 900 Hollanders take a great booty from the Spaniards and how 908.909 I. INquisition the Spanish Inquisition the Original cause and severity thereof one cause of the Dutch troubles 17.18.31 Command sent from Spain to put the same anew in execution 30 Received in the Netherlands and by whom 55 John Don John of Austria sent Governor into the Netherlands his Character 86 He is received by the Netherlanders 86 Accused by them to the King 87 Overthrows the Dutch Army at Gemblin 91 Offers the Confederates Articles of Peace 91 Imbis a great Incendiary at Gaunt his character and death 97.142 John Don John perswaded to Peace and by whom but in vain 99 His Army is recruited he breaks off the Treaty and pitcheth his Army near Namur 100 His death and character 102 103 Imbâ—s moves a new sedition in Gaunt 104.138 Ipre a Town joyns with the United Provinces 110 Issel a City submits to Parma 111 Ipre besieged by Parma 140 It is surrendred to him 142 Issel the derivation of the name 329 Iesuits hated in France and why banished 342 The original description and character of that order 342.343.344 Ireland Rebels there assisted by the Spaniards with a short description of the Countrey 402.403 First invaded by the English under Richard Earl of Pembroke 402 Beginning of a Rebellion there and by whom 403.404 Indies Holland ships first return thence with a description of the Countrey by them made 502.503 Isabella Clara Eugenia betrothed to Albertus and why 529 She writes to Albertus to take possession of the Netherlands which he doth privately 566.567 Iselburg forceably taken by Mendosa 611 Isabella sets an Edict out against the Hollanders and to what purpose 638.639 Isabella Fort besieged by Prince Maurice 687 Indian Company first rise thereof in Holland and the form of ordering the same 733 734 James King of Scotland Successor to Queen Elizabeth in the Throne of England and Proclaimed King 740.741 An Embassy sent to him by the United States and the Embassadors Speech to him with his Answer 741.742.743 Embassadors come to him from the King of Spain and the Archdukes 743 Indian Company send ships to Sea and whither 764.816 848. James King other Embassadors sent to him from the King of Spain and the Archdukes 777 Jesuits banished out of Britain and why but restored in France 780 Indies several ships return thence very rich 815 816 847 A Description of some part thereof 848.849 ad 856 Indian Company confirmed by Edict of the States 856 Indies West a new Company for those parts raised in Holland the Form and Government thereof 870.871 872 Several Opinions thereof 873 874.875 James King sends Embassadors to the Hague who they were and what they did 895 Indies ships come home thence rich and others sent thither 910 Janinus goes into France and for what 929 His Speech in the Councel of the States 941 942.943 K. KNights of the Golden Fleece the Original thereof and causes of their Institution 5â—6 Drawn into Parties and for what and when and by whom 24 King the Presence of the King necessary in the Netherlands to keep the Peace as the Emperor Charls was sensible 42.43 Knodsenburg Fort built and by whom 253 Knodsenburg besieged by the Duke of Parma 270 Relieved by Prince Maurice and the Duke of Parma's men worsted in sight 272.273 L. LOw Countreyes the antient situation and limits the original language Dukes Earls and how they attained and hereditary Succession 3.4 The antient form of its Government untill they fell to the Burganâ—â—ans and after that to the house of Austria 5. â— Liberty chiefly and first sollicited for at Philips departure 22 League between Philip the second of Spain and Henry the third of France and the effect thereof 30 Divers Lords of the Netherlands against the Inquisition and by whom drawn up and when 33 Lutherans formidable in the Netherlands and why 36 Law utterly laid aside and an Arbitrary Power set up and by whom 56.57 Lumey Admiral of the Prince of Aurange's Fleet his character 60.61 Luyden besieged beats off the Enemy 77.78 Lamot Philip reconciled to the King by the surrender of Gravelin draws in many others 105 Lyra won treacherously by Parma 127 Lâ—chem siege thereof raised and why 128 Lorrain Family of Lorraign claims the Crown of France which much troubles the King 152 153 League with England the heads thereof 164 Leicester Earl sent General into Holland his character 165 Much honoured at first by all and why 166 167.176 He grows ambitious and raises Factions 167.168.175.176 He takes ill the meetings of the States and why 174 And returns to England 17â— He comes back to Ostend for the relief of Sluys but marches thence and doth nothing 180.181 He renews the old factions in Holland 181 Endeavors to seize the Government but is prevented 182 He returns to England is forced to abjure his Authority and dyes 183 â—eban the place of meeting the Spanish Fleet. 207 Besieged by the English and Hollanders 239 Leige Bishopric is difference between is and the Hollanders and for what 259.260 Lopeâ— Lodewick his Treason against Queen Elizabeth and by whom 〈◊〉 341.342 Lutzenburg wasted by the French 360 361 Lâ—ere taken by Heraugier and lost again presently 397 398 Leyden in Holland and University when begun and 〈◊〉 Learned Men bred there 464.465.466.467 Lingen Besieged by Prince Maurice 520 521 And delivered together with the Castle â—â—2 Lisbone beset by the Earl of Cumberland with a Fleet and the success thereof 541 Lovestreyn a City that first threw off slavery 626 Lingen Besieged by Spinola and yielded 801 802 803 Lochem Besieged by Spinola and taken 836 Retaken by Count Ernest of Nassau 844 Lipsius Justus his Death and Character 857 Luther his Opinions 951 M. MOntiny John Count Horn's Brother and the Marquess of Berghen sent into Spain and to what purpose With the King's Answer 34 35 Margaret Lady Regent forced to give way to the Times and agree to the Counsel of the Confederate Lords 38 39 She raiseth more Souldiers and why 41 Maximilian the Emperour's