or generall assemblies of the estates of all the prouinces to be kept as it had ben vsed in his progenitors tymes and that he placed in gouernance Ecclesiasticall men and such as not only by the law of God the ciuile and canon lawes but also by the auncient custome of the contrey by sondry decrées of the Dukes of Burgundie were excluded from iudiciall offices and from bearyng ciuile rule in the common weale Finally to make them selues in easier way to that dominion that they had conceiued vnder pretense of stablishyng religion they with importunacie procured such rigorousnesse of edictes agaynst those that professed the doctrine of the Gospell as neuer any contrey neuer any citie neuer any common weale had sene before For they had fully persuaded hym as is also conteined in the expresse wordes of the edict that Luther whoe 's doctrine those dyd follow professed the Pelagian error set naught by all the holy fathers and doctors of the Church abolished all Magistrates ouerthrew all ciuile gouernance and politike order stirred vp the people to take armure made them apt to murder steale wast and destroy with fire and finally gaue euery one leaue to lyue as he lysted In the which Peter a Soto a Spaniard hys confessor one of the maisters of the Spanishe Inquisition not of the meanest sorte dyd further them verie much By the whiche persuasion they easilie inforced the Emperour Charles a prince otherwise by nature gentle and mercifull to decrée and without the assent of the estates to publishe and from tyme to tyme to renew most cruell Edictes and such as séeme rather to be written with bloud then with inke not that he ment to haue them executed with extremitie but that he hoped by the terror of this vnaccustomed crueltie to call the peoples myndes from the studie of of that religion which he in conscience accompted wicked of the which his hope and meanyng he gaue no smale profe in that exposition of the Edictes which he afterwardes set out wherin it was appoincted that the Magistrates should by all meanes possible somewhat mitigate the extreme immoderate crueltie of the former edictes but the good masters of the Spanish Inquisition did sone by their craft subtiltie suppresse that exposition and it came at length to that tyranie that they dyd not onelie execute the full rigour of the Edictes but they obserued also a new kynde of Inquisition not much vnlyke to the Inquisition of Spayne that thereby they might atteyne vnto the full authoritie of that office function which they had long before obteyned of the byshops of Rome Therfore in the yeare of our Lord God. 1550. when the kyng of Spayne was auctorised in Belgie with great and importunate sutes they obteined an Edict as concerning their Inquisition whereby they dyd vsurpe take vppon them so much auctoritie and power of the Citizens and inhabitans of the whole prouince as they thought sufficient for the subuertyng of the auncient liberties for the disanullyng of all their accustomed priuileges but the senators and the estates of Brabant with long ernest sute first stopped this their wicked enterprise and afterward the most noble princes Marie of famous memorie Quene of Hungarie with great fayth singular pietie with no lesse wisedome suppessed it For both when the Emperour Charles was at the counsels holden at Augusta she went vnto him and obteyned that the crueltie of the Edictes should be somewhat mitigated and that the whole name purpose of the Inquisition should be omitted and also many tymes after she stoutlie set her selfe agaynst the deceytfull dealynges and rashe attemptes of the Inquisitors and diuines in so much that at the length by their letters sent into Spayne she was accused of heresie before the Emperour But she alwayes bent her whole intent and purpose to kepe the people of Belgie in the Emperours good grace and fauour to her power to take awaie all the enuie and hatred wherewith they were oppressed of their aduersaries With the which her most mercifull and wise dealyng she so faythfully ioyned the hartes of the subiectes towardes their prince that they for her sake thought no burden to be refused in so much that in many thynges they dyd most willinglie preferre her gracious fauor and good wil before the right of their auncient liberties graunted by the lawes statutes of their progenitors For in all restraintes taskes tributes or leuies they shewed them selues at the first commaundement so obedient that the princes could desire nothyng which was not deliuered them with ful consent of al their good willes and that with spede So that almost for the space of ten yeares they dyd gladlie mainteyne that great doubtfull and most daungerous warre whiche was made against the most mighty kings of France they most willinglie bestowed the greatest part of the charges thereof the which by common bookes of accompt maie be proued to surmount the somme of xl thousand millions of Florence neither dyd they geue at any tyme so much as a smale suspicion of rebellion Although in the meane tyme neuerthelesse these good maisters of the Inquisition whyle Charles reigned by the coulered shew of the foresayd Edictes and in the begynnyng of kyng Philips reigne by the graunt of a new Edict bearyng with it the kinges auctoritie which they purchased by their subtell wiles craftie persuasions raiged most furiouslie in the most part of Belgie but especiallie in Flaunders Hannonie Artesia Turnete and Insule in many places of Holland robbyng spoiling and most butcherly murderyng the people with furious violence and extreme tyranny From the which they absteyned least that their deceypt and subtiltye beyng detected this foresayd commaundement wrested out by craft should by the kynges new letters pattentes be called in agayne Neither yet were they without their frendes in the Court which beyng daylie conuersant with the kyng dyd alwaies cloake and couer their crueltie and insatiable auarice with the vayle of godlie Religion At the length the kyng hauing ended his warre agaynst the French men and preparyng to take his iorney into Spayne his subiectes for their singular obedience and their most faythfull redynes in all affaires thought they might iustlie hope for some relesse frō their other burdens but cheflie and especiallie they perswaded them selues that they should haue the yoke of the Inquisition taken from theyr shoulders But the kyng was so farre from satisfiyng their expectation that he did not onelie not remit or mitigate the crueltie vsed to them before but also encreased and augmented the tyranny euen as though their peace other matters had bene for none other cause concluded but that they might the frelyer spoile poore men of their goodes and most cruellie torment their consciences For at that time especiallie the Inquisitors by their old accustomed deceyptes and by the fayned shew of settyng forward religion obteined of the kyng newe letters
common wealth executed in so much that she gaue by publike auctoritie vnto many of the nobles and of the confederate princes charge ouer cities in the whiche they should set all thynges in order accordyng to the due prescript of the former decrée that they should assigne places out for the buildyng of Churches and for the peoples assembly to heare Sermōs and that they should with open protestation will all men to be secure and voyde from all feare and daunger and certeinly to persuade them selues that the garisons of souldiours should nothyng endammage them With the whiche thyng all the people began excedyngly to reioyce and to lay a part all feare as though out of a most boysterous tempeste they were already arriued in a most quiet hauen stayeng them selues vpon the publike promise thus made taken and confirmed by writyng They began to builde their Churches and fréely quietly to set forth their religion But yet notwithstandyng the furious madnes of their aduersaries was not pacified although they had already punished the ouerthrowers of their Images with greuous punishementes and did sée the innocencie of these Churches most manifestly witnessed by their open confessions But rather most proudly auauntyng them selues as though they had gotten a iust occasiō to punish the rebelles and that they should nothyng feare hereafter the nobilitie the whiche did manifestly shew them selues to be heauely displeased with the insolency of of the Imagebreakers they began by litle and litle but openly to encrease the nomber of their garrisons and to set them in their Cities with this pretence onely to withstand the insolencie of the Imagebreakers and thus they armed them selues with all thynges necessary vntill such tyme that they had brought their matters to as good effect as they desired perceiuyng the people quietly to rest them selues vppon the faythful promise of the nobilitie and gouernesse set forth in the kinges name vnder hys seale and letters patentes and that the noble men also were quiet not once mysdoubting that they should haue bene so wickedly and vnfaythfully deceaued they began openly to shew foorth what theyr meaning was for in such places where as they might be most bolde and in the which the magistrate was appliable vnto their desire first with new commaundementes obscure and doubtfull edictes and with scoffing interpretation they began to disanull the auctority of the published commaundement as concerning the late contract and in many places to delay from day to day the sealing of the writings of the publike promise and with sundry cauils to deceaue the miserable citizens and in many places to put those magistrats whose dealing they knew wold be alwayes with iustice out of their offices and contrary to the orders of the cities in their roomes to substitute most wicked men prompt and redy to all kinde of impietie and then at the length as though all hindraunces had bene taken away they began with great insolency by force of armes to disturbe the companies assembled at sermons tauntingly to reuile the ministers and citizens to worne them with wepons and lastly with open tyranny to oppresse them imprisoning many hanging many banyshing many and appointing new kind of othes wherby men should binde them to the popish religion contrary to the former decrée couenaunted and established before and to accompt those which denied to obey for enemies and traytors to the kinges maiestie Morouer they did rebaptize infantes which were baptized before they spoyled all the professors of the Gospell of theyr weapons and armour they armed and stirred vp the rest of the comminaltie agaynst them as agaynst the enemies of the common wealth Neyther onely did the sacrificing priestes or preachers out of their pulpits as it were with an open outcry stir vp the people to take armour agaynst them but also in many places the Magistrates themselues which were appoynted by the Cardinals officers and Inquisitors sounding allarum gaue open licence vnto the sedition and tumultes of the people against the miserable Gospellers the which were then lately called Gwesians that is to say Beggers and rascals And hereupon began the most dolefull and late calamitie of the noble prouince For euen then first of all was that famous citie of the Valentians beséeged in enemies wise of hys owne familiar frendes and citizens because forsooth they refused vppon the sodaine to receaue within theyr walles the cruell souldiers in that number that was commaunded them that is to say foure bandes of horsemen and fiue ensignes of footmen but tooke vnto them a day to deliberate in alleaging many causes that it would not be commodious vnto them to receaue them séeing they had as yet before theyr eyes amongs theyr neighbours a most cruell and doleful president of the souldiers rashnes for not long before in the countrey and towne of Sancto Amandus nexte adioyning vnto them the very same which were thrust in contrary to theyr lawes and priuiledges contrary to the fidelitie of the promise before geuen violently robbed and spoyled the poore miserable people that professed the Gospell of all they had in so much that from the very yong infantes they pulled theyr hose from theyr legges they defloured by course one after an other after the most horrible example of the Beniauntes the chaste matrones and virgines and at length in most cruell wise set them to open sale at the sounde of the drome they put to death many burnyng them by litle and litle with small flames and with theyr swordes opened the wombes of matrones great with childe The remembraunce of which horrible thynges iustly terrifieng the Valentenentians they humbly desired that they should not be cōpelled to receaue within their walles and houses such kynde of souldiers vnto whose auarice lust and crueltie they perceiued them selues their lyues wiues children and consciences should be at lēgth in most seruile bondage seyng that for foure yeares space before they had payed of their own proper costes and charges vnto the garrisons of souldiers their wages vpon this condition that they should neuer hereafter bee vexed or burdened any more with souldiours Neither yet dyd they so manifestly refuse it but that they dyd openly in most humble wise signifie vnto the gouernesse and to the rest of the primates rulers of the prouince that they were ready to receaue the souldiours of what nomber soeuer if they had a capitaine appointed thē for that they shuld not hinder the libertie of Religion whiche they had graunted confirmed vnto them not long before by the Edict of the gouernesse by the authoritie of the kynges letters patentes by the nobilities constant confirmation and with assent of all the Magistrates But they nothyng at all preuayled by this their modestie and equitie of their cause but forthwith they were openly proclaimed as traytors and rebelles the Citie was besieged vntill that at the lēgth when they beyng persuaded therto by the letters of the gouernesse promising all kind of clemency had
euen these be they at this day whiche do vexe and trouble the inhabiters of low Germany with the very same cauils before the foresayd Charles his sonne kyng of Spayne they haue deceiued them with the same artes and subtilties and oppressed with the same enterprises these be the authors inuentors of so great vnfaythfulnes these also be giltie of their crueltie auarice these were the ministers and workers of all their mischieuous boldnes For to whō is Granduellanus the Cardinall of the Germaynes vnknowen or who knoweth not the Duke of Alba both the which haue emprisoned the most noble princes of Germany ouercommyng them partly by violence and partly by their fraude and deceyte and haue slaundered them with most reprochful contumelyes These be the firebrandes of the whole world with the which the greatest part of Europe will most dolefully be set a fire vnlesse your authoritie wisedome and power do with spéede foresée so great a mischief these men therfore are onely to be accompted as the authors of all the tempestuous broyles seditions tumultes miserable calamities which haue happened in Belgye But if there be any man that doth not as yet vnderstand let hym remember the saying of Cassianus to whom these thynges shall profite let hym diligently consider not onely to whom this publicke calamitie of Belgy is now profitable but also if there be any hope that these thyngs will be profitable to hym hereafter Seyng we could not but perceiue that this daunger was iminent either by losse of our religion or by woundyng of our consciēce or by the greuous anger of our kyng or by the dolefull destruction of our countrey whiche way soeuer it would haue happened For they haue long ago hunted after their triumphes theyr ruledome and Empyre by any these occasions So that they neuer haue ceased by theyr subtill deuises to cause the subiectes to hate theyr kyng the kyng likewise to hate his subiectes and with gréedy mouthes stretched out eares they haue takē the lest suspition of tumults and rebellion and haue filled the kynges eares and mynde wyth theyr false tales odiously amplifying their receiued newes the which though it be so manifestly to all men that it néede no longer proufe yet it is most manifestly confirmed by the kynges Embassadors which was sent into Fraūce for he in his letters sent to the gouernours writeth on this wise their will aryse vnto the king great frute and commoditie by the incommodious tumultes of Belgy because by this occasion the kyng will bryng them to full obedience and subiection and reduce the state into that forme and order of gouerment vnto the which hys auncetors could neuer atteyne the which to bryng to passe the kyng hath vehemently desired of longe tyme and therein hath alwayes hetherto spent hys whole study and endeuour and that there was no man fauouryng the kynges maiesty would counsell him to let passe so noble occasion of the performaūce of this his woorthy enterprise c. By the which wordes it is manifestly declared that the Spanishe Inquisitors whiche in the name of the kyng doe cloake and couer all their desires haue sought and gone about heretofore to get any occasion whereby they might inuade Belgy spoyle it of all his riches and goodes and rule all thynges as should best be thought to their lust and pleasure So that no man can longer doubt frō whence these haue had theyr begynnyng seyng it is manifest who they are that haue long ago desired to reape the frutes of these our troubles it is also manifest that the Cardinall hym selfe in a great assembly of many men when it was obiected vnto hym that it was to be feared lest if the people should be any more oppressed they would make some sedition was not ashamed to aunswere that the kyng had no cause to feare But rather to wish for the seditious tumultes of his subiectes for by them the kynges power and maiestie was much encreased and the priuileges of the Cities liberties of the people very much restrayned and diminished Otherwise what is it that they should seeke for by so many examples of such vnaccustomed auarice rare crueltie would they make the people subiect to the kynges authoritie euery wise man séeth that then they take not the iust and right way to obteyne they purpose For the subiectes hartes are wonne and reconciled to their prince by gentilnes humanitie and Iustice not by terror feare or tyranny and euery man knoweth that the prince of Egmonde and an infinite number of others which haue bene alwayes euer were most earnest fauourers of the kynges name and authoritie they which neuer spared the sweate of their browes or bloud of their bodyes for to kéepe the whole prouince safe in the kynges subiection and whom the king for this cause hath alwayes very much regarded were notwithstandyng destroyed of them for an old hatred conceyued thorough an old enuie of theyr noble actes so worthely atchiued in theyr warres But peraduenture they séeke by this meanes vtterly to roote out the religiō of the gospell which they though the most part of them be of no religion fayne them selues so vtterly to deteste abhorre Truly they meane nothyng lesse for then what cause had they with such infamy reproch cruelly to put to death the foresayd Prince of Egmonde the Earle Hornam and many others which were both ignoraunt of this Religion and haue bene alwayes aduersaryes of the same why do they still execute such tyranny vpon those which be altogether of the Popes religion but most noble Princes they desire nothyng lesse their onely fetch is to establishe their kyngdome in Belgy that they may rule therein all thynges accordyng to their lewde lust pleasure and contrary to all equitie and right as they haue done heretofore in Cicell and in the kyngdome of Naples that they beyng loden with the riche spoyles of so wealthy a prouince may returne home and send others in their steade they which should draw them dry of all their iuyce and bloud there is one onely way to attayne to this purpose and that is their holy Inquisition the which by good right is termed after the name of Inquisitiō for by this they doe dayly inquyre and make search in the chéestes bagges coffers of the riche men in the bewty and bosomes of the virgynes and matrones in the throtes bowels and bloud and lastly in the soules consciences of all men by this they make them selues Lordes and Monarches of all thynges they make all the princes and the kyng him selfe subiect and obedient vnot them they haue vsed this meanes first in Spayne in the which by this arte of Inquisition they haue disanulled all priuileges and libertyes the which where before very great in Spayne they haue made subiect vnto them selues all the authoritie of lawes and the maiestie of the regall scepter they haue left onely a bare name and
title to the Kyng with part of the taskes and subsides they challenge vnto them selues soueraigne rule and authoritie and in causes capitall they appoint vnto the giltie either lyfe or death at theyr owne arbitrement whom they determine to destroy no man is able to saue no not the kyng hym selfe though he most earnestly desire it whom they take vpon them to defend neither the seueritie of the lawes nor Iudgement sincerely geuen nor the kynges commaundement is hable once to hurt hys litle finger therfore it is no maruayle if all estates yea and the kynges them selues be very much afrayde of them Afterwardes they folowed the same way in Naples Cicell Myllen and in the great countrey of Indya they openly but in vayne put the same practise for to make subiect to them selues all Germany for they were withstode and preuēted by your wisedome most mighty princes and by the wisdome power and vertue of your auncetors but yet they cease not at thys time by theyr craftye wiles deceites to peforme that which they haue so long desired For that I may pretermit the Gronyngans the wise Phrisians the Transisellians Geldrians Remanicensians and many other of the empyre the which alwayes haue obayed to the iurisdiction of the Romane Emperor haue vsed hys lawes and statutes and haue appealed to the court of the Emperor and submitted themselues into the gouernment of the Duke of Brabant onely vpon thys condition that they might retayne theyr lawes customes and statutes fastly without any appearing of the same all which the Duke of Alba hath depriued of all theyr liberties and priuileges and as though they had bene ouercomme by battell appoynted them new lawes created new magistrates contrary to theyr aūcient maner and constitution hath exacted vnaccustomed tributes hath built castelles in theyr cities hath banished the chiefe of theyr citiezens seased vp theyr goodes that I may I say pretermit all these thinges and infinite more of like sort in the which although he hath no right or title yet he pretendeth to haue some kinde of interest For what ende I pray you doth he séke openly to enlarge the bondes of hys gouernment without any iust or shadowed title therunto euen into the very middest of the empyre What causeth him to séeke or rather by force to take vppon hym the gouernment of the countrey of Cleueland threatningly to commaund them to banish out of theyr countrey all the Belgians What causeth hym by prescript to commaund Collyn and the other frée cities of the Empier what they should do vnto the low Germaynes It is impossible that it should not be reuealed vnto you most worthy princes what crueltie he hath committed what fieldes he hath destroyed what droues of beasts he hath caried away what matrones and virgins he hath defloured how many inhabitauntes he hath murdred in the East contrey of Phrisia and the contrey of Emdon What should we thinke moreouer séeing he doubteth not by hys edicte to call home all the studentes of low Germany which were gone abroad to forren vniuersities whatsoeuer onely Rome excepted and all the young men which were departed to other places for the learning of some arte or manuell occupation threatning perpetuall banishment and losse of all theyr goodes if they do not returne insomuch that he hath spoyled the poore yong men trauelling abroad for the knowledge of tongues and getting of wisedome of the fruite of all theyr studies and labourers making them vnfit hereafter to take office vppon them in the common wealth and hath vtterly beggered and vndone many which trauayled abroad to gette theyr lyuing by theyr arte and occupation In the whych he sheweth hymselfe vtterly to denounce all humanitie for if all humanitie be maintayned by the mutuall societie and company of men must he not néedes be the enemy therof which by violence seketh to take away that one gift wherby man only sheweth himself to differ from the brute beastes For the knowledge of tonuges and vse of reason althought it be peculiarly geuen vnto man yet the fruit therof is not fully reaped but in the company and society of mē especially in our affayres which we haue with other nations Therfore séeing he goeth about to bereue vs therof what séeketh he els but to destroy the toung the whole vse of reason the which truely so great is hys inhumanity he would do if he could bring it by any meanes to passe For what other thing doth he séeke by this his Inquisition Why doth he forbid the people the vse of holy Scripture Why doth he refuse onely the knowledge of Gods holy wil and Testament to the deuines that is forsooth to his Inquisitors and byshops Why doth he forbidde the people to pray in a knowne tongue but that he desireth rather to rule brutish beastes then reasonable men For he feareth lest if they should vnderstand any thing they would at the length detest so great vnaccustomed barbarousnes and therfore he will haue no cities or countries gone vnto but those vnto whom he prescribeth lawes and ordinaunces It hath bene very well by the wyse iudgement doyngs of our aūcetors brought to passe that yoūg men studious in good literature and liberal artes should trauel vnto other vniuersities to sée their cities and maners and to learne their toungues and for thys cause by the liberality and costes of kynges Princes frée Vniuersities were founded and great libertyes priuiledges graunted to them that thether the young men of other countryes might more often resort and that by thys meanes the fayth frendship and societie of men among themselues might the better be retayned the which truely is no new custome but hath bene vsed hertofore in all ages For we read that Platoe and the other philosphers dyd wyth long diuers trauellinges learne their wisedomes whereof we all stand now in admiration from straunge peoples and far nations carry the knowledge therof into Grece The Romanes before times vsed to sende theyr children into Gréece and Asia for learnings sake and that I may not onely stay in those olde examples not much before the immanitie of the Turke had ouerrun all Gréece the Germaynes Frenchmen Italians the Spanyardes them selues were wont earnestly to go to Athenes for study sake The which libertie or custome who soeuer taketh away he taketh truly away all humanitie and professeth him selfe the deadly enemy of all other nations For it is wont to be forbydden that any Citizen should inhabite or dwell amongest those agaynst whō our Haroldes haue denounced warre the whiche for this cause is done because we thinke it not lawfull for our Citizens young men to resorte to those people whō we accompt as enemyes seyng therefore right noble Princes that he doth forbyd his Citizens frée yong men to be brought vp amongest you all other nations onely Rome excepted what cā otherwise be gathered but that he misdoubteth your faith and suspecteth your meanyng
Ladie long in honor and prosperitie to serue our most gracious Queene whō God long defend to hys honor and the succour of hys Church and comfort of her owne conscience in not omittyng any thyng to the helpe of Gods flocke and sure remouyng of Gods enemyes dangerous practisers that as her present gouernement ministreth aboundance of good frutes so the tymes imminent and posteritie may find no lacke but for her good prouisions yeld her eternall thankefull memorie when God shall haue receiued her as hys faythfull seruaunt to eternall blessed kyngdome Your L. most humble Elias Newcomen THe same tempest most victorious Emperor and most noble Princes which now almost a whole hundred yeares hath troubled sundry partes of Europe hath now also at this time by most cruell tyrannie enforced vs being spoyled of our goods chased out of our natiue contreyes oppressed with sclanders of our aduersaries and tossed with all kinde of calamities to flée as most humble suters to your clemencie for succor For we suppose there is no man ignorant that long agoe Spaine and since also by litle and litle a great part of all Europe not onely hath flamed with inward contentions and tumultes but also hath in maner ben ouerwhelmed with most greuous storme of persecutions and tyrannie Wherby certaine idle men which in onely name and outward gesture professed a solitarie life seuered frō all gouernance of common weales and onely addicted to the preaching of the worde of God or quiet studie of holy scriptures haue begonne to créep into courtes of Kinges and Princes and couering their greedy affections with cloke of religion to minister such counsells wherby they might by their new deuised meane of Inquisition against heresie drawe to themselues from the ciuile magistrate the hearing and iudgement of the controuersies of greatest weight and importance And so by litle and litle they haue atteined not onely by searching and inquiring to become Lordes of euery priuate persons goods possessions houses and most secrete places yea and their wiues and children but also to bring the magistrates and Princes themselues in subiection to their authoritie In what places they perceaued their desires to be hindred either by the auncient libertie of the people or by the discretion of the Rulers and Princes straightway they charged such with forged sclander of heresie and rebellion and so greuously enflamed the hartes of Kinges and Emperors against their subiectes And by thys craftie meane they haue stirred vp ciuile dissentions tumultes of commonalties and oftentimes gréeuous warres whereby they haue brought most florishing contreyes into great displeasure and hatred of all kinges princes and nations and so drawen them to extreme calamitie This if any prouince in Europe hath euer felte surely our contrey namely that part of base Germanie that is subiecte to the most mighty king of Spaine hath and specially at thys time to their great destruction most miserably suffred For since that by the most false sclanders and other corrupt craftye meanes of the Spanishe Inquisitors thys countrey hath vnder pretense of heresie and impietie bene brought in greuous displeasure with the Emperor Charles the fifth of happye memorie and his sonne Philippe King of Spaine and Lorde of base Germanie and oppressed with most hainous Edictes about religion procured by guile and sclanderous report and so hath of their great truth and obedience to their soueraigne Lordes now more than fiftie yeares with incredible pacience borne the Inquisitors most cruell yoke and now at length after matters in other countreyes adioyning well settled to peace and quietnesse and the truth of the cause commonly disclosed hoped to finde some release of so great calamitie it is now come to passe that the aduersaries being greued to see them aspire to such libertie of religion as by thys time florished not onely in Germanie but also in Fraunce and many other places haue in strange maner and with most earnest endeuour trauailed not onely to frustrate the hope of the inhabitantes but also by bringing in a farre more greuous tyrannie to pull from them all the residue of their right and libertie that they had remayning and so to spoile such wealthy ones of their goods and such noble and mighty ones of their liues as they saw to be of habilitie to withstand their attemptes Therefore adioyning to them the Bishop of Rome and hauing obtained hys Bull they did by sondry sclanders and with extreme importunacie wreste from the King an Edicte agaynst all the Priuileges of the contrey agaynst their lawes ordinaunces and auncient liberties namely for the precise obseruing of the decrées of the Counsell of Trent and for bringing in of new Bishops that shoulde put in execution throughout the whole land a new forme of Inquisition farre more cruell than the very Spanishe Inquisition which was first inuented against Iewes and Mahometane Apostataes and so in short time should openly bring a most florishing and frée Prouince into the most dishonourable seruage of straungers and those most villanous and abhominable persons to torment at their pleasure the honestest and best men vpon suborning of any infamous informer or most corrupt witnesse with bondes with racke with gallowes and with fire to thrust the wealthy out of their possessions to subdue the magistrates them selues to their iurisdiction and to make themselues Lordes of all specially to destroy vtterly and with most exquisite tormētes to murder and roote vp all those that refused to obey the Bishop of Romes power and would haue their consciences subiecte to the onely worde of God contayned in the bookes of the olde and new Testament This matter geuing iust occasion to the Nobilitie that they exhibited supplication for staye thereof to the Duchesse of Parma Regent there for the King and in the same declared what calamitie would thereof vndoubtedly ensue and likewise whē the commonaltie hauing heretofore vsed their religion within their priuate houses and seing the same thereby subiecte to sclanders and enuie did now by laying it open in publike preachinges and assemblies to the indifferent iudgement and examination of all good men deliuer it from false and cauillous reportes it came to passe that the aduersaries hereupon tooke occasion by raising of sondry tumultes most hatefully to incense the King against the whole people as giltie of the most haynous crimes of heresie rebellion sedition and treason against God and the king And where his maiestie was fully determined to come into the lowe conteyr and him selfe in person to heare the cause and to end the whole matter according to right and equitie they partly by suttle crafty meanes and very traitorous practises purposely deuised for the destruction of the people of that contrey and partly by the importunate labour and impudent gredy endeuour of certaine persons and partly also by aduises and threatninges procured from forene partes euen in maner against his will brought hym to thys that being greuously incensed agaynst his subiectes sodeinly altering hys former
purpose he sent thether in hys stede with most large Commission to heare the cause and dispose of the state of the common weale the Duke of Alua a man both a most assured minister of their Inquisition and for olde grudges a most bitter enemie to the Princes and state of the lowe contrey He coloring hys owne malitious affections with the glorious pretense of zele to restore the Romishe religion and to chastise Rebells it is incredible to tell how great and how outragious crueltie he hath echewhere executed vpon the poore inhabitantes of the lowe contrey without respecte or difference by how many and how strange deuises he hath robbed all mens goods how he hath spoyled the whole Prouince of all their ornamentes disarmed them of their defences depriued them of their liberties and stripped them out of their lawes and priuileges how euery honest man he hath condemned by priuate warrant without iudiciall order euery the most innocent mans bloud he hath shed euery most vertuous person he hath put to most vile shame all lawes of God and man he hath violated the bandes of mariage he hath broken the Sacrament of Baptisme he hath polluted all order of charitie and frendly societie he hath ouerthrowen finally no part of most extreme crueltie and such as neuer was heard of before hath he omitted And yet in the meane time he ceaseth not to throw vpon vs the blame of his haynous factes and by proclamations published by infamous libels printed openly to all princes and states to accuse vs of most greuous crimes for thys onely cause forsooth that in fléeing we gaue place to his furie and by the helpe of Gods protection haue escaped his sworde most thirsty of our bloudes All which thinges forasmuch as almighty God hath so determined that we shoulde for a time be here afflicted by the tyrannie of the wicked we woulde haue thought it best for vs to passe ouer in silence and in pacience and to waite for the time which the great Iudge hath appointed either for bringing our innocencie to knowledge or for opening the eyes and eares of our King to vnderstand our vniuste miserie and iuste complaint were it not that we doe plainly sée that such our silence specially in thys so sacred and so full assemblie of your maiestie most victorious Emperour and of your highnesses most noble Princes might hereafter bring no small preiudice to vs and our innocencie before such to whom the truth shall not be sufficiently knowen For by such meane the sonne of God Iesus Christ him selfe and his doctrine which we professe according to hys worde shoulde become subiecte to the most haynous sclanders of the aduersaries as if the professors thereof before thys so reuerend iudgement seate of Christendome before so vpright and vncorrupt iudges before thys theatre so furnished with so great assemblie of sondry nations were by silent confession found gilty not onely of heresie and pestilent vngodly error but also of shamefull rebellion of wicked sedition and disturbance of common peace Wherefore we haue vtterly determined that we can not with good peace of conscience longer kepe silence But for asmuch as we know that the order of these vsuall assemblies of the states of the sacred Empyre haue their chiefe respecte to this end that such as be oppressed by force and iniurie may heare present their compleintes as to the chiefe throne of Iustice in Christendome we thought it our duetie to declare our whole estate to your maiestie most mightye Emperour and to your highnesses most noble Princes and to open vnto you the very originall fountaines of thys our most greuous calamitie that if the mercie of God haue decréed to make an end of our so great miseries we may by your goodnesse and liberalitie beginne to take breath agayne after thys most heauy weight of oppression If not yet the cause being more throughly heard we shall before indifferent iudges deliuer our innocencie from the most vniuste sclanders of our aduersaryes Wherby if nothing ells yet thys we shall obtaine that from henceforth our religion and the profession of the Gospell shall not beare the infamie of so greuous crimes with them that heretofore being filled with the accusations of the aduersaryes haue not vnderstoode the truth and that Iesus Christ the sonne of God whose name we professe shall not bee wounded through vs and finally that we shall not as enemies of publike peace and quietnesse be expelled from common societie by forrene Princes and peoples which is the chiefe thinges that our enemies doe séeke but that the whole truth being throughly vnderstoode the whole originall of the mischiefes shall be iustly layed vpon them that inflamed with their owne gredy malices do tumble vp all thinges and such good and innocent men as they haue by wrong and tyrannie spoyled of their goods and can not yet bereue of their liues they labour to oppresse with most vile sclaunderous reportes to your maiestie O Emperor and your highnesses O noble Princes that so they may drawe you into the fellowship of their crueltie and by your helpe they may either satisfie their vnsatiable thirst with our bloud or glutt their most bitter hatred that they haue conceaued against vs with our destruction Which thing that they shall not obtaine your equitie truth and vprightnesse and our innocencie do assure vs In confidence whereof we prostrate vs at your feete we flée to your protection and mercy craue helpe of your religiousnesse iustice vprightnesse and we most humbly besech you that preseruing the iustice of law ye will vouchsafe most mercifully to defend our miserable and afflicted innocencie aganist the outragious power and vnbridled boldnesse of our enemies That ye may vnderstand how iustly ye may do it that ye may clerely perceaue in whom the fault of the whole mischief resteth we besech your maiesty most inuincible Emperor your highnesses most noble Princes that at leasure ye will gently and diligently read this booke annexed to this our supplication wherin with the truth of the whole historie we declare our innocencie to all men and that with the same pacience and equitie of minde that you vse to receaue the complaintes of all miserable and innocent persons it may please you also to vnderstand our cause and to your power deliuer vs out of these calamities So shall ye shew your selues worthy ministers to the soueraigne king of kinges supreme iudge and shall stirre vp our hartes to be continuall suters to his grace and mercy for you IT is now nere a hundred yeres agoe sins the most noble Ferdinand and Isabell Kyng and Quene of Castile hauyng ended theyr great and long warre agaynst the Mahumetanes which had inuaded inhabited and trobled the kingdome of Spayne by the space of almost viij hundred yeres and hauyng chaced the sayd enemies out of all Spayne and recouered the kyngdome of Granada gaue theyr mynde to stablish relligion and to roote out all
patentes to all princes and magistrates of euery Citie by the whiche the rigouresnes of the former Edictes was not onelie openlie confirmed but also by the graunt of many thyngs contrary to the right and priuileges of their auncient liberties verie much encreased With these letters the Inquisitors beyng armed after the kynges departure spoyled the poore people beyng cleane beggered before of the remnaunt of their riches they depriued cities and townes of their priuileges they most cruelly murdered the chefe of the Citizens hauyng first spoyled them of theyr goodes destroying some with the burden of rheynes long emprisonment some by most cruell tormentes some by the gallowes some by sword some by fire burying some quicke and drownyng other yee that before their cause was pleaded and many tymes at midnight contrary to the accustomed maner of executing iustice And that nothyng should be wantyng vnto them wherby they might bring in this their holy Inquisition too the vtter abandonyng and subuertyng the liberties and priuileges of the whole prouinces commit the chefe auctoritie to straungers yea to those onelie whiche were Priestes and church men contrary to all the orders and decrées of the former princes and contrary to the kings couenaunt confirmed by othe whereby they might chalenge vnto them selues not onelie full power iurisdiction of all matters but also the soueraigne auctoritie ouer all mens goods riches wiues children yea ouer their lyues also might captiuate and make subiect vnto them selues the full power of all magistrates and set the same foorth to open sale at their pleasure they begyn with a new pollicie the old web of their Inquisition which they had compassed in their mindes but not as yet throughlie finished For when all the kynges nobles and counsellours were departed from him they perswaded him that it was necessarie for the maintenaunce of the catholike religion to appoinct new byshops which should be the Inquisitors of fayth The charge hereof was committed to Somnus a deuine of Louine he goyng to Rome with great diligence brought his matter to passe in short space as he desired he deuided the prouinces as he was commaunded by Granduellanus in the which he left not the power iurisdictiō of the princes of the empire vntouched so farre was he from lettyng the other byshops nobles to escape he made certein men byshops whiche had spent their whole studie and trauayle all their lyfe tyme in the administration of ciuill affaires whereof some of them for their wit and learnyng were accompted as fooles and others for their vnchast lyfe and odious crimes were famous with most notable infamie He assigned vnto Granduellanus the Archbyshopricke of Meclenia with the Abbacie of Afflegamensia the richest most wealthyest of all Belgie that is to say he gaue him the soueraigne auctoritie of all thyngs he appoincted to Viglius the Byshopricke of Gandauia but to hym selfe he reserued the byshopricke of Buscoducia and adioyned therunto many of the most wealthyest Abbayes the which were euident signes and tokens of the emynent calamities publike bondage he imparted to the rest as their office and chardge required but to euery one he obteined licence to appoint new prebendes in his cathedral Church they which should be bounde alwayes to serue and helpe the bishop in hys Inquisition throughout his Diocese wherof two of them were alwayes Inquisitors by office the rest should seaze vppon the goodes confiscate and serue for proctures to accuse the giltie and euery magistrate was bounde to aide euery one of these with his full power and force It was lawfull for straungers to attayne to these byshoprickes vnder whiche pretence the whole prouince might easelie and in short tyme be made subiect to the Spanyardes inuenters and maisters of this Inquisition And thus this straunger and vp starte Granduellanus borne of a base degrée and most obscure parentage with that slauishe secte of the Spanishe Inquisitors doth contrary to the whole libertie of the people contrary to the lawes of the Citie contrary to the priuileges of the prouince graunted confirmed by the kynges othe contrary to all former promises contrary to all rightes and customes of our progenitors contrarie to the makyng of lawes the foundations of olde Abbayes the iurisdiction of byshoprickes the priuileges and immunities of townes by force thrust vpon the prouinces of Belgie this newe creation of byshops He goeth about partlie with flatteryng promises partlie with fearefull threatnynges to induce many cities magistrates to applie them selues to his censure and iudgement and to some Cities he causeth byshops to be giuen them will they nill they The rest of the Cities a greate many in number do openly resist and thinke that the innouation of all these thynges so manifest contrary to the lawes of all antiquities to their old accustomed priuileges is not to be suffered Likewise many Abbayes but especiallie in Brabant because their Abbates beyng dead none was appointed to succede do resiste and greuously complaine to the rest of the byshops and estates of Brabant of so great and so manifest iniury But when they saw their doynges to be in vayne because Granduellanus did with great force withstand them they takyng vnto them the rest of the estates put vp a Supplication vnto theyr gouernesse for the abrogatyng of thys disordered order of byshops She denyeth her auctoritie to reach so far and referreth the matter to the kyng Therfore by by they send their Embassadours to the kyng into Spayne which with humble petition shuld require that his maiestie would not suffer their state and condition to be altered contrary to their old accustomed priuileges and to the lawes of their progenitors But with open denyall they haue the repulse Not long after doe the estates of Brabant vrge the gouernesse agayne and craue that their cause might be heard and iudgement giuen with equitie but there suite was all in vayne for she aunswered that it dyd nothyng belong vnto her The Magistrate of Antwarpe with many bils diuerse peticions dyd go about to stay this innouation of things He openly refuseth the byshops and besides that sendeth Embassadours into Spayne to the kyng They after much ado and long sollicityng of the matter obteined at the length licence to be exempted from the bondage of the new Byshops In the meane tyme Granduellanus neuer ceased by most subtill and craftye meanes and that openlye to atchieue and wynne vnto hym selfe the full power of gouernyng the common wealth couertly to remoue from all authoritie the gouernesse of Parmenia as one not expert inough in the Belgians affaires to ordeine and appointe Magistrates in euery Citie at his pleasure to breake of and disturbe the great Senate not long before appointed by the kyng and was called the noble counsell beyng the solemne assembly of the princes gouernors of the whole prouince whiche he
shut vp in a most horrible prison because he was agaynst the sending of the Albane and dyd abhorre from the cruelty of the edictes sette out agaynst the religion bearing singuler fauour and grace towards the lower Germanes bruting abroad most vayne and diuers rumors of the cause of hys death What they haue done vnto the Quéene I had rather other men should imagine then that we should report This truely all men do behold how this theyr faythfull champion the duke of Alba doth behaue himselfe He commeth into a quiet prouince all those beyng thrown out or voluÌ„taryly gone into exile whom he looked to haue had as hys aduersaries He is receaued most honourably of all men neyther was there any one found which with hys most redy obedience to the kinges legate dyd not testifie hys faythfull hart towardes the king But he out of hand ordereth them not as the kinges louing subiectes but as enemies and traytors equally raging and extending hys cruelty both vpon the professors of the Gospell and papistes compelling he constrayned the chéef Princes contrary to the aucthoritye of the lawes to the liberty of theyr priuiledges and chiefly contrary to the decrees and appointmentes of the sacred and famous order of the golden fléece of the brotherhoode of Burgundye to plead theyr cause in chaines and when they refused that kinde of iudgement as vnméete and to be suspected profering themselues redy to stand before equall Iudges he chopt of theyr heads the rest which by their godly and holsome counsels had defended the peace of theyr countrey and by theyr wisedome stayd the tumultes of the people and effusion of bloud he pronounceth as enemies and traytors to theyr king and their contrey and so compelleth them will they nill they by taking vpon them armour to try themselues vngiltie of so great treason The which theyr taking of armour done by them for necessities sake as godly men may iudge he hath since that time not only made as a iust occasion of slaundring vs with hys cauils but also as a goodly title of Iustice in executing hys tyranny and therupon forthwith he putteth in practise that which he had before determined Therfore he first put all the magistrates which were thought once to fauour iustice out of theyr auctority and place wyth great ignominy and reproch he substituted in theyr roomes contrary to theyr lawes and orders naughty packes abounding in all sinne and wickednes and he appoynted as be thought good a new senate house of Spaniardes before whome matters of lyfe and death should be pleaded the which for that cause should be called the bloudy senate and by that meanes he did depriued all the lawfull and ordinary magistrates of theyr iurisdiction and hearing of matters graunted to them by the lawes he filled the gallowes and the Iubbits full of the poore people conuicted of no other crime but of geuing credite to the kinges letters patentes to the gouernesse edicte and theyr graunted licences and to the magistrates consenting therunto and thereupon of hearing of sermons he destroyed many with the sworde he burned many aliue wyth a small fire he beheaded many before theyr causes we pleaded many he spoyled of all theyr goodes and possessions poysoned to death with the filthye stincke of the continuall prison But the vngodly persons whose whole lyfe had bene stayned wyth infamy being before as it is manifest bought out with money haue gaue them license to plead wyth theyr witnesses he cut out many of theyr tonges whome he put to death after least they should testifie of so great iniustice he burnt many of theyr tongues with a whot payre of tonges to some he tyed theyr lippes together through with an iron sharp on both sides others hauing theyr mouthes most beastly set awry with terror and anguish the matter and bloud dropping downe together he cruelly drewe to most pytifull slaughter He pretermitted nothing of Phalaris his tyranny neyther did he only wyth tormentes thus vexe the professors of the gospell but those also which most fauoured the popish religion and they which had endeuored with all theyr power that nothing should be moued agaynst the king As for those which could not behold the calamitie of theyr countrey but had for the auoyding of the present dauÌ„ger conueyed themselues away he appoynted them a day of appearaunce and therwithall scarce staying for the day appoynted he rushed in vpon theyr goodes adiudging them confiscate to the kinges Exchequer not only spoyling poore widowes innocent orphauntes and very papistes of their dowry and patrimony but also deceyuing the creditors of all their iust debtes and lawful titles He conuerted the inheritaunce of innocentes from their kinsmen and alians to whom for the beheding or ciuill death of the right and next heyres they by law and right did appertayne most wickedly to hys owne vse and commoditie He tooke from cities and townes all theyr liberties lawes statutes priuiledges he ouerthrew all order of humanitie he clearely tooke away all duties of Christian charitye chiefly commaunded by the lawes of god For by edict he forbad that no kinde of maÌ„ whether he were their father sonne kinsman or whatsoeuer should shew any kinde of charitie to those that professed the Gospell or were banished for default of appearaunce at the day appoynted and thus he alienated and withdrew the mindes of children from theyr parentes of parentes from theyr children and of wiues from theyr husbandes In the towne of Traciet of Mosa he put a father to death because he had for one night lodged in hys house his owne sonne which had bene for a space absent before And likewyse he murthered an other well known citizen because he gaue the sixt part of a bêª of corne vnto a poore widow burdened with the kéeping of iiij children whose husband was before put to death for religions sake He bereaued also an other of hys lyfe because he sent hys fréend a little money ouer into England He compelled honest and chast matrones borne of worshipfull stockes by flight and voluntary exile to saue themselues and by begging to prouide meat for themselues and theyr children only because they receaued their husbandes into theyr houses He threw down many mens houses because they had receiued letters from theyr frends of their helth and welfare But what did spare the dead By hys Edict he straightly charged that whosoeuer dyed without shrift and auricular confession his goodes should be confiscate and hys body hanged on a Iubbit then the which what can be thought or inuented more cruell more contrary to all humanitie and Iustice séeing it hapeneth daily that many sodenly that haue no time to bethinke them of theyr former sinnes He placed ouer cities not souldiers but enemies and theues which might violently abuse the riches wiues children and liues of the citizens according to theyr euill lust and he graunted them licence to do what should please them fréely without punishment for was there