for contribution from both But I conceive by that Site he intended the Security of the Fort it selfe For when all the Levell between that and Holland lyes so much lower that the River is kept off by huge Piles of wood lest it should overflow the Fields and Villages it had been very inconsiderate to have fortified where the Enemy tearing up the Wood-piles the very water would have besieged the Place and have forced it to yield To which danger it is not subject being seated on the higher ground Though afterwards when the Low-countreys were divided and Holland brought into the power of the Enemy that fell out which was not at first thought of the Advantage of bringing into the Fort Supplyes out of the Provinces in obedience to the King of Spaine At the same time from the councell of Twelve nominated by Alva to determine without Appeale the causes of all Delinquents in the late Tumults by reason of their frequent Sentences of Death called the Councell of Bloud William Nassau Prince of Orange Anthony Lalin Count Hochstrat Florence Pallantius Count Culemburg William Count Bergen Henry Brederod and the other Lords fled out of the Low-countreys were upon Alva's command summoned to heare their Accusations and Impeachments read by the King's Advocate and to cleare themselves of the crimes charged against them But they presently sending a Paper to the Duke of Alva wherein they denyed his Councell to be a lawfull Court of their Companions of the Golden Fleece held it their safest course at a distance to defend their Common cause The Prince of Orange made suite to the Emperour Maximilian and implored his and the German Princes Assistance that by their Authority the Difference wit the Duke of Alva might be composed Unlesse perhaps he did it that under pretence of making his Peace the Spaniard might not looke into his preparations for a Warre Nor did Caesar or the Princes of the Empire deny their Patronage to the Low-country-men But the Duke of Alva answered to the Letters written by Maximilian and to the Duke of Bavaria's Embassadour whom the rest of the German Lords as one respected by the King had chosen to represent their Desires to the Governour that he did not this of himselfe but by command from the King and so hastning their cause to a Hearing yet expecting the number of dayes given for their Appearance when within that time none of them came in the Duke of Alva according to the power deputed to him by the King in that case to heare and determine pronounced the Prince of Orange his Brother Lewis and the rest that were summoned by Edict guilty of High Treason and confiscated their Estates Likewise he put a Spanish Garrison into Breda a Towne of the Prince of Orang'es and taking his Son Philip-William a Child of thirteene yeares old from the Vniversity of Lovaine where he was a Student sent him into Spaine where under the name of Catholique Education the name of Hostage was concealed This the Prince of Orange seemed passionately to resent execrating with continuall and publique Exclamations the cruelty used to a boy of thirteen whom neither his own Innocence nor the priviledges of the Vniversity of Lovaine could protect from Injury Yet many upon very good Grounds conceived his Son's Captivity was pleasing to this subtill Prince measuring all things by his own Advantage For if the King of Spaine prevailed and consequently he himselfe should lose all he had yet his Majesty might be mercifull to the boy bred up a Spaniard but if as he hoped it should otherwise fall out he had a younger Son Maurice Companion in his Father's Fortune and Heire to his Estate By the said Councell of twelve all such were particularly condemned as the Duke of Alva upon Examination by Inquisitours sent through the Provinces found to have violated Churches or holy Pictures or to have assembled at Sermons Consistoryes and turbulent meetings or to have conspired against the King either by wearing Cognizances and owning the names of Gheuses or by taking Armes or lastly by assisting the Rebells with their Endeavours Counsels or Forces Yet the wiser sort thought this to be an unseasonable Course and that rather till the Heads had been cut off the Body should have been gently handled and laid in a sleepe lest if it should be in motion that agility might easily decline the blow made at the head With the like fury the Duke of Alva commanded them to pull down Culemburg-House Where the Gheuses first received their Denomination and upon the place setting a Marble-pillar writ upon the Basis as a monument to posterity in foure Languages these words In this Area stood the House of Florence Pallantius ruined in memory of the execrable Treason hatched therein at sever all times against Religion the Roman Catholique Church their King and Countrey This Spectacle was rendred more horrid by the late newes from Spaine that Prince Charles was imprisoned by the King his Father's command and that Florence Momorancy sent as you have heard into Spaine by the Governesse was by warrant from the King a Prisoner in Segovia It was thought the same objections were against him that were against his Brother Count Horne but the Prince lost himselfe by his Favours to the Low-countrey-men Indeed the Judgement upon Montiny was certainly known he being condemned a yeare after to lose his Head but the cause of Prince Charles his Death which hapned in this yeare the more uncertaine and obscure it was the more litigiously do Writers strive to examine it most men having a naturall Ambition to search into Secrets and passe by things before their eyes Whatsoever I my selfe have by my Industry discovered that concernes Prince Charles I shall impartially unfold not regarding the conceptions of others Charles prince of Spaine was of a furious and violent nature and noted to be so from his Childhood at which time being presented by some Hunters with Levorets he killed them with his owne hands that he might have the pleasure of seeing them gaspe and dye The Venetian Embassadoâ—r tooke notice thereof and from thence made a Iudgment of the Child 's barbarous inclination with as much probability as long agoe the Areopagites censured the Boy that put forth the eyes of Quailes This I have read in the Letters touching the Affayres of Spaine writt by the said Embassadour to the Senate of Venice And the Prince himselfe dayly manifested the truth of these coniectures by his cruell and monstrous disposition not being at many times Master of himselfe as the Archbishop of Rossana the Popes Nuntio affimed writing to Cardinall Alexandrino And the Child grew more headstrong by reason of his Father's absence and the indulgence of Maximilian King of Bohemia who with his Queene Mary Daughter to Charles the fifth governed Spaine for King Philip. This his Granfather Charles the
of Nobility and imployed upon diverse noble Embassages Indeed in the Emperours great resignment of his dominions which was his last act as a Prince when he sent the Crown and Sceptre of the Empire as we have told you to his brother Ferdinand by the Prince of Orange he clearly shewed by that last honour he could do the greatness of the affection which he bare him And though some that suspected his nature from the first often wished the Emperour to look to him and not to be over confident of his disposition which under the pretence of virtue covered fraud and design and that he should take heed how he cockered up that fox in his bosome that one day would devour all his domestick Poultry But the Emperour frowned upon and contemned these aspersions knowing they are ordinarily cast upon such as Princes favour Nay these rather confirmed him in the Emperours good opinion Howsoever by making honourable mention of him and commending the modesty and fidelity of the youth the Emperour seemed to discharge that envy Perhaps he thought the Prince deserved it not perhaps it was the common fault of masters that apprehend themselves to be no less concerned in such invectives then their favourites and servants and without looking into the business make themselves patrons of the men whose cause they think their own Yet in the Prince of Orange at that very time were symptomes of a disease that should have been prevented or at least observed Which symptomes grew more and more apparent after the Emperours departure For though at his leaving the Low-countreys the Emperour commended the Prince of Orange to his sonne Philip and King Philip both of his own accord and for his fathers sake gave him many testimonies of his good liking for he made him one of the Order of the Golden fleece sent him tâ— conclude a peace with Henry the Frensh King and that done deliverec him for hostage And to those large Provinces of the Netherlands which the King trusted to his Government he added Burgundy though farre remote But what could all this work with him that gave out the King was obliged to bestow upon him the absolute Government of all the Low-countreys for his pains and expences to defend the greatness of the house of Austria And in his Apology against King Philip he took upon him the boldness after he had particularized the merits of his Ancestours towards the Emperours Maximilian and Charles to conclude That but for the Counts of Nassau and Princes of Orange the King of Spain could not have loaded the front of his proclamation wherein he proscribed him with the glorious titles of so many Kingdomes and Nations Frustrated therefore of his hopes to govern the Low-countreys and perceiving Granvell to be the great man in the Dutchesses new Court and fearing he should every day be less esteemed by her whom he would have prevented of her Government by professing himself to stand for Christiern Dutchess of Lorrain and endeavouring to bring her in he resolved to maintain his greatness by another way and provoked by new indignities to act what he had long since designed And though I have no certain ground to believe that at the very first he laid his plot to revolt from his allegiance to the King yet I dare boldly affirm he studied at that time some innovation whereby he might weaken the Kings Government overthrow the Spanish power incourage the hereticall party by right or wrong advance his own honour and authority and if fortune made him any other fair offer to lay hold upon it Indeed for altering of a Government I know not if any man ever lived fitter then the Prince of Orange He had a present wit not slow to catch at oportunities but subtill concealing himself not to be sounded even by those that were thought privy to his secrets Then he had a rare way to ingratiate himself with any that but came to speak with him so unaffectedly he conformed to strangers manners and served himself of others ends not that he stooped to the poor forms of complement and common professions of imaginary services wherewith at this day men do honourably mock one another But shewing himself neither sparing nor prodigall of his Courtship he so cunningly contrived his words that you could not but think that he reserved farre more for action Which begat a greater opinion of his discretion and gave more credit to his pretensions Besides though he was of a proud and infinitely ambitious spirit yet he so carried it to the outward shew that he seemed to command himself and not to be sensible of injuries But he was as subiect to fear as free from anger Insomuch as he doubted all things thought every thing unsafe but yet desisted not because on the one part his brain fruitfull in plots if the first took not presently made new supplies on the other part his vast and immoderate ambition strangled all doubts and delayes But in the splendour of his house-keeping and the multitude of his friends and followers he was equall to great Princes No man in all the Low-countreys more hospitable and that gave nobler entertainment to forrein Embassadours then the Prince of Orange which hugely pleased the people that delight to have the wealth and power of their Countrey showed to strangers nor was it distastfull to Princes with whom he redeemed all the opinion of his pride by his humble and familiar invitations of their servants But for his Religion that was very doubtfull or rather none at all When he was with the Emperour and the King he seemed to be Catholick When they left the Low-countreys he returned by little and little to his Fathers heresie which was bred in him of a child yet so as while the Dutchess of Parma continued Governess he rather appeared a Favourer of the hereticall party then an Heretick Lastly after the Dutchess was removed he declared himself for Calvin for from a Lutheran he was now turned to his opinion not onely as a private Sectary but as the great Defender of his Faith Afterwards he writ a Book wherein he testified to all the world That from his childhood he was ever much enclined to the Religion which he calls Reformed the seeds whereof his heart alwayes constantly retained which at length ripened with his years And that all he did at home or in the warrs related to this end To maintain Religion in her first Purity assailed and shot at with so many Laws and Edicts by the Emperour and the King Whether he wrote truth and was indeed a Calvinist in opinion or rather by that means sought to ingratiate himself with the men whose service he had use of some have made a doubt it is most probable his Religion was but pretended which he could put on like a Cloke to serve him for such a time and put it off again when it was
same contention held still in King Philips Belgick Court. But because in Dignity and the favour of his Prince and the Governess Granvell far out-stripped him he that was cast behind had the more envie in regard they had once been equals Regnard therefore finding a way open to mischief Granvell through the hatred born him by the Lords began every where to solicite and dispute the cause of the discontented Nobility and by aggravating the indignation of such as were his own friends plotted in the mean time his private revenge The Governess fearing the sting of this Viper would secretly poyson the State she to avoid shipwrack by a dry tempest perswaded the King to remove him out of the Low-countreys under colour of some advancement but it was deferred till five years after and when the storm was grown too boystrous Regnard was called into Spain almost to no purpose but onely to shew how strong a disease grows by the delay of remedy And although Count Egmont who was not of an ill nature when he had no advisers at the beginning of these troubles carried himself with obedience and fidelity to the Governess yet his private grudge to Cardinal Granvell interposing he inrolled his name among the Conspiratours and sided with the Prince of Orange who being at that time grievously injured by Granvell sought but to match his own indignation with some other alike offended Now the Prince of Orange to ingratiate himself with the Brabanters casting out words of these differences especially of the new Bishops said There was no other help for it but that the Brabanters who have no particular Governour but onely such as commanded the whole Low countreys should petition the Governess to appoint them one of the Lords that should look into their affairs and onely regard their interest And some to please the Prince of Orange moved this at the board But Granvell suspecting what was aimed at bitterly inveighed against that Counsel and at last What man soever said he undertakes their protection ought to consider with himself that he is created Prince of Brabant and divides the Sovereignty of the Low-countreys with the King Not contented thus he moved the Governess a while after when the Magistrates were to be chosen for Antwerp that the Prince of Orange should not be called to Councel lest he should boast himself the Authour of that benefit to the Town which neglect he deeply resented This caused the Prince of Orange and Count Egmont to write their complaints to his Majesty That they were seldome called to Councel and what concerned their particular Governments never communicated to them but all things privatley determined by the advice of one or two and then they were called in merely for a show to consult upon the reliques and refuse of Affairs being there contemned here mocked To say truth it is a great incentive to anger and disâ—â—â—tent and hath raised mighty troubles in many States when a Prince imployes onely one main in divers Offices For though a River swell by the accession of waters yet so long as it keeps it self in the Chanel it is injurious to none but when it flows over the banks into the adjoyning medows and intrencheth upon anothers harvest then it is accused by the just grief and complaints of the Husbandman And indeed Granvell was not limited to any certain employment The Governess both of her own accord and by the Kings command suffering him to do what he pleased The very Expresses that came to her Excellence from Spain or other parts were never brought to the Councel till she had privately either by conference or by letter acquainted Granvell with the contents who weighed every thing with himself and gave his judgement upon the particulars then returned them to the Governess or to Viglius President of the Consult or Cabinet-Councel and he omitting those heads which Granvell had marked with his pen read them to the Lords at the Councel-table and though it was privately carried for Viglius was true to Granvell yet because the Prâ—nce of Orange often received Duplicates of the Dutchese's letters they found some things were concealed from them and therefore suspected all complaining That business was malignantly communicated to them and the Low-countreys and the King defrauded of much good counsel But this moved not the Governess She onely gave the King an account of her proceedings putting him in mind of his letters dated June wherein he enjoyned her That whatsoever concerned England or the Councel of Trent or Religion in generall should be as the Pope had advised privately debated Yet I deny not said the Governess that in other things wherein the Provinces are interessed sometimes the Lords are not admitted to consult As lately in choosing the Magistrate of Antwerp the Prince of Orange was not called which I did on purpose lest he should aim to increase his present authority by that election Notwithstanding I cannot but acquaint your Majestie that it is not for our Honour to communicate all concernments freely to the Councel lest the dangers fears and necessities wherewith I am sometimes pressed be laid naked before their eyes and then if any of them be false they may abuse that knowledge by preventing our designis with contrary counsels and secretly hinder the successe of our affairs Howsoever as well in these as other things all shall be done according to your Majesties letters and commands But the King writing nothing to the contrary the Governess continued her former custome of privacy in her Councels Whereupon a rumour was spread by some of the Conspiratours that there was a necessitie to summon the Estates generall to raise subsidies for his Majestie and to put the Low-countreys into a posture of defence against their neighbours the French that were in arms Some perhaps really intended it but the most onely made use of that publick remedy to alter the present condition of the Court But the Governess who borrowed the ears of many faithfull persons was present at their Councels and conferences almost in their very thoughts and cut off that exspectation publickly professing that the King among his other commands left in charge with her not to call an Assembly of the Estates till he returned This harsh deniall of the Governess was mollified by permitting for this was another of their requests a Convention of the Order of the Golden-fleece But as soon as ever they were met at Bruxels presently it appeared that summons was not endeavoured for the publick but for their private Interests For besides the meeting in presence of the Governess where they consulted about the preservation of the Low-countreys against the French they had private discourse with the Prince of Orange and there it was resolved they would no longer suffer the power of Cardinall Granvel To this ingagement entered into by the great Commanders the Prince of Orange Count Egmont and the
Marquesse of Bergen endeavoured to get hands and severally sounded the Knights of the Order but some refusing to sign an ingagement against the Cardinall it was laid aside Especially because the Governess calling them more frequently to Councell and wearying them with fresh imployments took from them all opportunitie of meeting apart and in good time put an end to their publick consultations The result whereof was that some of the Lords should be sent into Spain by the Governess in her name to inform the King of the necessities of the Low countreys Florence Momorancy the Lord of Montiny was chosen to go with letters delivered him by the Goverâ—â—ss but penned by Granvel He likewise received instructions for his carriage and four thousand crowns to defray the expences of his journey which he began in June But before Momorancy set forth the Governess to make her vigilance appear and to prepare his Majestie sent him by a sure messenger an Expresse in cypher to this effect That she making it her business to look into the secret consultations of the Knights of the Order at last had got all out of Charles Count Barlamont one ever found Loyall that he assured her the indignation of the Nobility sprung chiefly out of these heads That they were perswaded his Majesty confided not in them and therefore the Governess called them not to her Cabinet-Councell for as much as Granvel jealous of his power had wrought the King to that suspicion and had boldly written to him that he should never be absolute Lord of the Netherlands unlesse he cut off six or seven Noblemens heads And that Granvel by his letters had further moved the King to invade the Low-countreys with a formidable Army and being so possessed of them he might then impose upon the Low-countreymen what Laws he pleased by the right of Conquest That the increase of Miters the first whereof Granvel wore tended to no other purpose but to bring the Spanish Inquisition into the Low-countreys To which words of Barlamont she had answered That the Lords were not kept from the knowledged of any secret fit to be communicated to them as Barlamont himself being one of the Councell very well knew Nor was Granvel whose transactions when he was but a young man were approved of by Charles the fifth and King Philip so ignorant a Statesman that now in his old age and experience the King might not imploy him or of so rash a malice that he would offer to perswade his Majesty to take away their lives which he knew were dear unto the King and might be sure she would oppose him in it Nor did that seem lesse improbable and ridiculous which was said of his advising his Majesty for would any man make war upon himself and with vast expence to purchase what already is his own Lastly for the Bishops Granvel indeed sought to bring them in as the King had injoyned him in pursuance of the Popes command not to make way for the Inquisition but to protect Religion in a troublesome time The charge whereof as of all things else which conduced to the maintenance of the Kings prerogative because Granvel fearlessely undertook despising all mens murmurs he was therefore hated ly many as they should ever be that stoutly defend the authority of their Prince With these discoveries the Governess pre-acquainted the King and desired him in a little note by it self that he would use the service of some one of speciall trust in the decyphering of her letter Though Barlamont himself as he was open hearted and thought that in this relation to the Governess he had both served his King and Countrey being asked by the Prince of Orange who took notice of his long stay with the Governess whether he had told her what private conference they had among themselves he ingeniously repeated his whole discourse with the Governess Nor did the Prince of Orange seem to take it amisse I suppose because he saw the grievances of his own framing were proposed in the name of a generality which therefore could not be imputed to him alone but would receive authority from the multitude In the interim the King adviseth the Governess by no meant to suffer private assemblies of the Nobilitie but to find out some expedient that the publick meeting of those men packt together to destroy the quiet of the State might be handsomely dissolved and that keeping Spies upon the Prince of Orange and his Counsells she should still have him at Court and in her eye And to set Count Egmont and the Prince of Orange at variance was not thought very difficult because they had formerly stood at a very great distance before their common hatred to Granvel united them Count Egmont was of a sweet disposition free of speech and confident the Prince of Orange of a sower nature not to be discovered therefore to be avoided In this you could not but commend his cunning but the other better kept his faith The one was an Ajax a better Commander then a Councellour the other an Ulysses that could fight better with his brain then with his sword This had a great forecast and alwayes fixed his mind upon the future so that he was still fit for any emergent occasion That seldome took care but for the present yet upon a sudden misfortune was rather unprepared then unready or unwilling to encounter it You might hope more from the one and fear more from the other You would rather chuse the friendship of Count Egmont and decline the enmity of the Prince of Orange And to demonstrate that there was not the least resemblance between them Egmont had a well-featured face a strong-timbered body a look full of honour the other was a thin-faced tawny-complexioned man and bald Yet they were exceeding popular both but the people loved the one and reverenced the other The Governess who exactly knew them wrote to the King what she thought would the soonest cause a division and pointed out the best means to effect it viz. that the Kings Pay and his Munificence about the sending whereof at that time to the Governours of the Provinces he had before consulted with her should not be distributed to all but come onely to the hands of the Prince of Orange and Count Egmont and the Count should have more then the Prince that the Prince of Orange might suspect him for his Rivall in his Majesties favour and the rest of the Lords because they were passed by somewhat resent it in them both This plot went on and their ill-pieced conspiracie began to crack a sunder the Governess still having her irons in the fire And to this purpose at the generall Dyet or convention of the Estates of Germany summoned by the Emperour Ferdinand at Franckford to create a King of the Romans some of the Low-countrey Lords being to go thither in the name of King
and barricadoed them The Clergie knowing themselves unable to resist a multitude of thieves not discerning how few they were forsook the Churches and provided for their own safetie Nor had the religious Orders time to collect their spirits in this common trepidation when so many fled In a word men had no more consideration to defend themselves against this misfortune then against a thunderbolt which every one wishes to avoid but none labours to oppose But the poor Nuns were in the greatest fright and amazement whose Cloysters were broke by these Hobgoblins which making havock of all things in their way and prying into every secret corner whilst their furie or theivery kept them imployed it was the onely preservation of the holy Virgins that getting on their clothes of any fashion escaped these sacrilegious dogs and fled most of them into their Parents houses By which means lesse mischief was done then uses to be committed in night-robberies Their principall aim being to make haste and ruine all things in an instant And truly their hast was so great that the noblest Churches and Religious houses of Antwerp were profaned and pillaged by the severall parties of these infamous Rascalls Nay when it was day light and that they saw the citie amazed with sudden fear had made no preparation to suppresse them for both Catholicks and Hereticks kept within doors those fearing the Hereticks which they believed to be masters of the Town and these in regard they knew the odium of the fact would reflect upon themselves and therefore feared the Justice of the Magistrate and to be assailed by the Catholicks but all were of opinion the libertie taken by these base Artificers depended upon some superiour causes the Church-robbers secured by other mens terrour fell to plunder in the day time returning to the Churches and Monasteries unworthily and basely fouling the pure ornaments with their filthy souls and bodies and buttering the Books in the library set them on fire Then in mockerie arming the Saints statues they ran a tilt and overturning them insulted over them And every where like Conquerours having as well surprised Religion as the Town they bore the spoils in triumph Three dayes together in Antwerp lasted that spoil and destruction of things sacred with so great a losse of rare pieces drawn by the hands of Masters that some writers stick not to say the great Church alone was damnified to the value of four hundred thousand Ducats But it being strongly suspected that after the spoil of Churches hope of prey having multiplyed this wicked rabble they would at last plunder the rich Merchants as many times men fight more eagerly for their houses then for their Altars the Townsmen thinking it their best no longer to stand neuters especially perceiving the small number of these Rogues appeared at their doors in arms and as if they meant to revenge the Commonwealth shut up all the Ports but one out of which that damned pack of villains ran and poured out their furie upon the adjoyning towns and villages where they exercised the same kind of sacrilegious freeboot While this was done at and about Antwerp the rage of these Traitours was no lesse upon the very same dayes at Gant Ondenaerd and other towns in Flanders from the river of Lys as farre as Schelt and Dender all the Churches and holy Ornaments going to wrack For this destruction was more like an Earthquake that devours all at once then like the plague that steals upon a Countrey by degrees Insomuch as the same tainture and whirlwind of Religion in an instant miserably involved and laid waste Brabant Flanders Holland Zeland Gelderland Friesland Over-Isell and almost all the Low-countreys except three or four Provinces viz. Nemure Lucemburgh Artois and part of Haynolt And as of old in the reign of Tiberius Cesar they tell us that twelve cities were swallowed by an earthquake in one night so in the Low-countreys not the like number of Cities but Provinces by the Spirit struggling and bursting out from hell were devoured with so sudden with so great a ruine that the Netherlands which had as many populous Cities Towns and Villages as any part of Europe within ten dayes was overwhelmed in this calamitie the particular Province of Flanders having four hundred consecrated houses either profaned or burnt to the ground So as indeed the Governesse could not but believe Count Mansfeld who called that conspiracie a plot laid to betray all the Low-countreys by the Heads of the hereticall party in France from whence came almost all these cryers of the new Gospel For by their practice the state of the Low-countreys being troubled they might the more easily as when an Army is confused at the first volly of shot send fresh men that assailing the Provinces already weakened might totally subdue them With this opinion theirs agreed who thought this impious plunder acted with such consent and such impunity not to be accidentall nor the villanie of a few but to be contrived by the Hereticks and Orders given at Centron that by one Massacre they might prevent another which they feared hung over their heads ever since the conference of the French and Spanish at Baion the chief of the Gheuses giving way to it that they might the sooner by the fright of these tumults extort from the Governesse all which they had petitioned for Indeed when the Churches and Monasteries of Gant were rifled the spoil having continued for three dayes together the like whereof happened at the same time in Antwerp a letter from Lewis of Nassau and six others were delivered to the Ministers Consistories and Merchants of the Low-countreys for so ran the superscription wherein he advised them that in regard the cause of the reformed Religion seemed now to be in sufficient securitie they should oppose themselves against the saucinesse and insurrection of the people confident that hereafter no body would trouble them for the free Exercise of their Religion and they were to give credence to the Bearer who was one Giles Clerk a Lawyer of Tournay his name being writ in cypher in the same letter Upon receit whereof they ceased from profaning the Churches of Gant Add to this the words of Count Mansfeld to the Governesse which she sent in Character to the King that she was advised by Count Mansfeld to beware of Lewis of Nassau before all men living for he was the wickedest Traitour in the world to whom the Ministers and Elders of the Hereticks communicated all their Counsels and that he carried in his hand the spoil of Churches and religious Houses and by this means that turbulent spirited desperate man hoped to levie warre against the King And it is evident that Lewis was one of the first movers in all the Sacriledge committed it was by his incouragement that the common sort of hereticks would not obey the
the remainder of the publique Composition-money Hereticall Temples built in diverse Cityes she commanded to be pulled downe which the people did with so good a will that at Gant which is almost incredible a great Lutheran Synagogue in one houres space was levelled with the Ground You would think these were new Cityes and new People which a few months before having been zealous to the cause and stood Body and Soule in defence of the Hereticall Party were so changed as to offer their service in pulling downe of their Temples as if that could excuse Indeed they destroyed the Monuments and Memoriall of their Fault with such speed especially in the Province of Flanders that the beames of the Churches which they ruined served for Gallowses to hang their late Worke-men and Audience Thus the fire kindled by the peoples discontents blowne to a flame by the Bellowes in the Pulpit fed by the Emulation of the Lords and finally scattered abroad by the faction of the Gheuses devouring and destroying the Lowcountries was so damped and extinguished by the Governesse that Religion and Obedience were every where restored the Hereticks restrained by punishment or forced to fly the Country some few getting their Pardons others forfeiting their Estates and living in Banishment so as the Covenanteers were reduced to poverty and the wallet that is they were made true Gheuses and at last all the Lowcountryes enjoyed their antient Peace and Tranquility One thing amidst so many happinesses did not a little afflict the Governesse who observed that multitudes of Lowcountrymen which could not make their peace frighted with report of the Army comming out of Spaine daily left their Habitations and to the great dammage of the Cities carried away their Merchandise Manufactures and consequently the Gaines into other Nations Wherefore she had often intreated his Majesty that either he would give her Authority to pardon and settle the Provinces or else which she thought would be best to come himselfe among his Subjects now quiet and willing to obey not terrifying them with an army but receiving them to mercy And the Later of these two Courses the King indeed in many of his Letters to the Governesse promised to make use of But how he came to alter this reall or pretended Resolution and in stead of Coming in Person to send Ferdinand Toledo Duke of Alva his Lieutenant thither because it was the great businesse of Spaine and for a whole yeare agitated at the Councell Board I will here with my best industry give you a full view of those Proceedings The Governesse from the very begining desired the Kings Presence and wrote out of her experience of the present Evill and her foresight of a greater yet to come that it was incurable without an Application from his Royall Hand which the Lowcountrymen would take for a Favour lest they should be forced to indure torments inflicted by a Servant Many Spanish Lords of the Councell were of the same Opinion nay Pope Pius the fifth wrote Letters and sent Peter Camaianus Bishop of Asculum to perswade him to passe with an Army into the Lowcountryes where no doubt his presence would compose the Motions of his Subiects and timely prevent the private Designes of some great Persons But if in such a precipitate Mischeife he should either delay his going or act there by any of his Ministers of State he much feared the Lowcountryes might change their Religion and the King lose the Lowcountryes His Majesty upon these and the like Advises from the Netherlands Spaine and Rome resolved to go in person Commanders were listed Shipping provided and his meniall Servants that were to attend him named And lest this warrelike Preparation might be get a Ielousy in the minds of princes his Majesty satisfied them by his Ambassadours of his true Intent in that Expedition against the Lowcountrymen The King of France was desired to giue the Spanish Army Passage through the Provinces of Narbon and Lions To Emanuell Filibert Duke of Savoy upon whom he much relyed the King sent Iohn Acugnia to advise with him what time by what way he he would direct him to bring his Army and which were the most dangerous Places for Ambuscadoes and to intreat him to send his Majesty a Chart exactly describing the Cityes Forts by which every day his Souldiers were to march with the locall intervalls dimensions who therfore desired the whole Country between Savoy Burgundy might be accurately measured and put in Colours to which end Gabriell Cueva Duke of Alburcher Governour of Millaine should send him Captaine Campin an exquisite Enginere with a painter and a Surveyer lest his Majesty might might upon the way encounter any thing new upon which he had not preconsidered But the more earnestly and formally the Particulars were requested the lesse they were intended for Security being only to amuse the world and in all these Punctualityes and curious Accommodations for his March there was nothing of substance all meerly Show and Colour Nor can any man perswade mee that King Philip a subtill and ambitious Prince would at that time leave his chiefe strength when he found some beginnings of the Rebellion of the Moores and was inwardly so much offended with his Son Charles Prince of Spaine For should he take his Son along into the Low-Countries and bring the Lords a Patron for their cause which the Prince was thought privatly to favour or leave him behind and trust him with Spain which it was likely he would involve in Tumults when he was left to himselfe whose fierce nature even his Majesty could hardly moderate in the time of peace But the King concealed these Reasons and with new Preparations fed the Rumour of his Voiage thereby to keepe the Lowcountry-Lords in more obedience and to have the fairer Pretence to put off the Emperour whom the Lords as it was said meant to make Arbiter from interessing himselfe in the businesse of the Lowcountryes and by the fame of an Army to deterre others from fomenting the Faction of the Gheuses The King was hâ—lpen in his dissimulation by a quartan Ague which holding him long was thought to be the Cause of his Delay especially for that he still continued his care and provisions for the Voiage Though some of his nearest Servants knowing all this to be but Pageantry suspected his Ague likewise to be fained But when the King was recovered and that by Letters from the Governesse his Majesty was certified of the Rebellion of some Townes and Danger of all unlesse prevented by his Coming quickned with Griefe and Anger he made all things ready with such formall Hast as not a Servant in his Court no not the Lowcountry-Embassadours the Marquis of Bergen and the Lord Montin thaâ— had often Laughed at the Comedy of the Royall expedition did now doubt the truth of it
the Governesses Hand retired to Culemburg-House leaving the Pallace to the Governesse The next day he sent her the Kings Letters and a Copy of his Commission wherein the Command in Chiefe for the Militia of the Lowcountreys was conferred upon him the administration of civill Affayres remaining wholly in the Governesse The same day waited on by a great traine of Horse and his House-hold Servants he went in that state to visit her Excellence the Courtiers that found the Governesse was or would have had her discontented observing how they looked at this first Ceremony Indeed the Governesse that had for some dayes before the grudging of an ague having made an offer of going forward to Receive this stranger pretended her Fitt or else it was thought to come very opportunely to take downe Alva's Pride who in publique omitted no Complement or Veneration due to the Daughter of Charles the fifth and Sister to his King but when they were alone he produced somewhat a larger Commission not only giving him power over the Militia but Authorizing him to fortify what Places he thought fit to displace Magistrates and Governours to examine and punish the causes of the late Tumults And when the Governesse demanded if he had any further Instructions he said yes a few more then could be opened at one meeting but according to future Emergencies they should be imparted to her This Answer seemed not to move her she then commended the Kings designe in case it were so handled that Peace newly restored to the Lowcountries like a tender plant were not spoyled with diging too deep about it She added that she thought it would do well if next day Copyes of the King's Letters should be read in Senate which was done accordingly But writing to the King she complained that the Duke Alva should come with such absolute Authority and so great an Army that being greatly preiudiciall to her Honour this to the newly settled State of the Lowcountreys For already about 100000 men were fled out of the Provinces carrying their money and goods into other Princes Dominions either fearing to be oppressed by Forreiners or dispairing of mercy or thinking to avoid future calamity One thing both comforted her and the people that is the King 's Coming who was so certainly expected by the Lowcountrymen that foure dayes before she had sent into Spaine Wacken Admirall in the place of Count Horne with nine Ships well manned to attend his Majesty but if peradventure he should alter his determination and thinke it better to deferre his voyage till another time she humbly from her soule beseeched him that he would please of his goodnesse to free her that now for nine yeares had governed the Lowcountries from further care and charge of those Provinces But that which made her much more earnest in the same suit was the suddaine Imprisonment of Count Egmont and some others The Duke of Alva resolved to begin his Governement with the Attaindours of some of the Lowcountrey Lords that when the eminent persons were removed the People might have nothing whereon to fix their eyes At first therefore he carried himselfe obligingly to the Lords in particular to Count Egmont by whose example he aymed to bring in Count Horne that stood upon his guard and was desirous to heare of Alva's Beginnings at a distance They say when presaging his owne death he shunned the sight of Alva Count Egmont chid him for his feare and undertooke he should be no worse used then he himselfe The Event shortly verifyed these his ominous words But when Alva saw that Count Horne was wrought upon he sent for Hochstrat and the rest of the Lords to Bruxells to consult about regulating the Common-wealth and he set forth but being newly recouered of a Sicknesse whilst his Coachman went an easy pace as he was Commanded hearing what had hapned hee droue back againe with a powder The rest of the Lords came to Bruxells the ninth of September That very day the Duke appointed two Captaines Andrew Salazar and Iohn Espuc without tumult to arrest Iohn Casembrot Lord of Backersell one of the Covenanteers who could in all probability make the greatest Discoueries as being Secretary to Count Egmont The Colonells Count Alberick Lodronio and Sanchio Londognio received Orders on the same day to bring to Bruxells Anthony Strall Consull of Antwerp one very intimate with the Prince of Orange And lest the City wherein he was one of the most popular and richest men should mutiny and rise in his behalfe Alva desired the Governesse to write to the Magistrate of Antwerp that the Consull was sent for to Bruxells to aduise with the Duke of Alva concerning the State of Antwerp she did so and Lodronius after he had taken the Consull delivered the Letter to the Magistrate who fearing himselfe made them lay him in a Cart couered with many Pieces and packs of Cloth but he was scarce out of the port when Lodronio advertised by a Spye seized on him While these things were acting the Duke at Culemburg House sate in Counsell with the Lords Areschot Egmont Horne Mansfeldt Aremberg Barlamont There was present Ferdinand Son to the Duke of Alva Vitellius Serbellonius and Ibarra Alva purposely spun out time in Consultation expecting newes of the taking of the Consull and Cassembrot and therefore sent for Count Paciotto into the Senate to resolve them about the platforme of the Castle at Antwerp When he knew his Commands were executed he dismissed the Lords As the rest were going out the Duke tooke Count Egmont aside as if he had private businesse with him and many Commanders shewing themselves out of the next Roome Alva said Egmont I arrest thee thou art the King's Prisoner in his name diliver up thy sword The Count struck at the suddaine Arrest and seeing such a Company of armed Men about him yielded his sword saying and yet with this I have often not vnfortunately defended the King's Cause adding noe more words the Captaines had him into a drawing Roome At the same time Count Horne was by the Dukes Son who seemed to waite upon him downe the Stairs commanded to resigne his Sword and yeild himselfe Prisoner to the Duke of Alva by the King's Command immediately the Captaines that stept in disarmed and carried him to the other side of the House In the meane time Sanchio Avila Captaine of the Dukes Lifeguard had drawne up his men to Culemburg-House and secured the Streets the City being amazed not knowing what this Face of Terrour meant But when they understood that Egmont and Horne were imprisoned by the Duke of Alva at first Griefe tooke away the People's Tongues then they found the Duke of Alva's Plot and were angry at Egmonts Credulity Many said that in the Captivity of those Lords the Lowcountreys were inslaved This wrought in them a greater admiration of the cautelous Course
this Mischiefe is vulgarly imputed to the Duke of Alva for before he came Governour to these Provinces his name was hatefull to the Lowcountry-men It is reported when the Emperour Charles the fifth meaning to revenge himselfe upon Gant asked the Duke of Alva what Punishment in his Opinion they deserved He answered that his Majestyes stubborne Country deserved vtter Ruine The Emperour offended at this cruell Answer commanded him to go to the top of a Tower from thence take a View of the whole Towne then he asked him how many Spanish Skinnes would goe to the making of such a Glove for Gant in French is Glove but finding the Emperour by his looke to be displeased Alva durst make no Reply This Passage because interwoven with the Honour of the Prince and City whether true or false was easily believed by the Gantois and from them dispersed with an Odium upon Alva through the rest of the Lowcountreys And by the manner of his Coming he increased the Opinion of his Severity entring the Provinces with an Army as if his designe were to Conquer them bringing Spanish Souldiers againe into the Low-countreys awing the Townes with them and with the Forts he built sentencing Count Egmont a man generally beloved and Count Horne Admirall of the Seas summoning the Prince of Orange with other of the Confederates to answer their Impeachments And it is said he perswaded the King that he should not out of Lenity of which there had beene too much allready pardon any man for the future And indeede if his Majesty had granted the Petition made by the Prince of Orange that his owne and his Friends causes might be heard by the King as Master of the Order of the Fleece not by the Duke of Alva and his Councell many thinke they had hardly at this time begun the Warre But the sentence of the inraged King condemning the Prince of Orange and his confederates of High Treason and confiscating their Estates being pronounced by an odious Minister and so the Odium reflecting upon the Judgement it selfe may seeme to have constrained their taking of Armes upon a just resentment and consequently that the miserable and long Warre ensuing should rather be charged upon the Spaniards then the Low-countrey-men as some say but what are they men of that number which saith Polybius conceive the Causes and Beginnings of a Warre to be the same For my owne part as I will not deny but that Alva's cruell and hatefull Government was the Occasion and Beginning so I assure my selfe it was not the Cause of the Warre For the cause was much deeper grounded Indeed the Prince of Orange's Ambition to command in chiefe exasperated with griefe and Anger heightned by the accesse of Hereticks and opportunity of a Party men of all qualities ingaging this was the Cause which if it had not then and from that Originall taken fire to kindle a Warre in a little more time and from another Place would have found combustible matter Nor can occasion be long wanting to Improbity But the Prince of Orange his Fact was so fortunate as to find Patronage in the Hatred of another For he upon the Sentence pronounced by the Duke of Alva against him his Brother and many great persons tooke up Armes with so much the fairer pretence by how much it seemed not only just but glorious to defend himselfe to recover his owne and to vindicate his Associates his Son and Countrey in their Rights and Liberties In the Relation of which Warre managed by the Duke of Alva and his Successour Ludovico Requesenes I shall contract my selfe especially where I have no more nor no certainer Intelligence then others For which two Reasons I have inlarged my discourse in the Dutchesse or Parma's Government and shall doe in that of Don Iohn of Austria and of Alexander Farneze For I can promise many Animadversions concerning them out of the Monuments of Letters in my hands which are not common Yet in this Summary if there be any thing as I presume there will be diverse which I know and is unknowne to others I shall not faile to give it you at full Some thought the future Calamities were presaged by a Boy borne at Liege with two Heads foure Feet and as many Hands portending as they said the Monster of a Confederation to be made out of the joynt Forces of sundry Nations which soone after came to passe This Terrour was increased in minds already disposed to feare by a Fire immediatly after happening in the City of Machlin For a sparke falling among the Gunpowder at the Mills by accident or perhaps upon designe tooke hold of 60. Barrels with such a horrid thunder and Earthquake that in most of the Cityes of Brabant the men and houses trembed at the dreadfull noyse Though in regard these Powder-Milles used to be distant from Townes there were but few men slaine yet there might have been fewer and would be daily if as we sever seditious persons lest by coming together they set the State in a Combustion so the Elements that make Gunpowder were kept a sunder But Alva more moved with the Losse then with the Prodigy laid the foundation of a Fort at Antwerp modelled by the great Engineere Paciotto approved of by the Judgment of Serbellonio raised by the hands of 2000. Workmen with extraordinary Speed and Successe because he used but one man's contrivance and one man's counsell It was built in the forme of a Pentagon at every one of the sides was a large bulwarke to foure of which the Governour gave his owne name and titles Ferdinando Toledo Duke and Alva the fifth he suffered to be called Paciotto But this Fort though it long continued a patterne to all the new Plat-formes of Europe and that Paciotto got himselfe a great name by it being from thence called the Inventour of the moderne Fortification yet it was not by all men equally esteemed as for other Causes so particularly for the Situation upon that banke of the Scheldt which looketh towards Brabant in so much as when the Enemy from Holland attacques the Towne it cannot beat them off as it would have done had it been placed on the other side the City against the mouth of Scheldt opposite to Holland But 't is excused by some that say when Alva built this Fort he rather considered how he might defend himselfe from the Towne then the Towne from the Enemy And they add that the place was discreetly chosen as opportune for the bringing in contribution from those Provinces subject to the Spaniard which indeed is most considerable in the building of Forts a convenience they had wanted in case it had looked towards Holland Though I suppose Serbellonio had not this in designe For when he raised this Fort Holland was no lesse obedient to the King then Brabant and therefore he would have provided
ROBERTVS STAPYLJONVS EQVES AVRATVS IUVENALEM MUSAEUM STRADAM è PEREGRINIS ANGLOS SVOSque PLVSQVAM INTERPRES REDDIDIT R. R. W. Marshall fecit DE BELLO BELGICO THE HISTORY OF THE Low-Countrey WARRES Written in Latine by FAMIANVS STRADA In English by Sr. ROB. STAPYLTON Kt. Illustrated with divers Figures LONDON Printed for Humphrey Moseley and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the Princes Arms in St. Pauls-Churchyard MDCL TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE MY VERY GOOD LORD HENRY Lord Marquesse of Dorchester Earl of Kingston Viscount Newark Lord Pierrepont c. MY LORD YOur Lordship the best judg of Writers will not I hope condemn me for inscribing your name to the History of Famianus Strada He is indeed a Modern Roman but in happiness and freedom of expression so like the Ancients Livy Sallust and Tacitus that 't is no injury to the past or present World to say their Age produced not his Superiour nor ours his Equal since those that have not arrived to his perfection may be good Historians those that have eminent The Fame of so great an Authour made me ambitious to interpret him to my Countrey not considering for I as willingly acknowledg my Errour as his Merit that I was to Copie a Principal comprehending new and various Narrations Princes Letters Speeches Debates and Results of Cabinets and Councel-tables Battells Descriptions of places Characters of Persons and very prudent Observations summed up in brief sentences Besides I found all these apparelled in the most captivating Figures of the Latine tongue not like the French Spanish or other Languages of Commerce easily reducible to those now spoken but hard to be rendred in any especially in English Yet after I had ingaged that I might play my game to the fairest I borrowed the invention of Alexander Farneze when he dissected Don John of Austria in the Low-countreys and had him shewed in Spain new-joynted skinned and almost spirited to Philip the second In imitation whereof I took to pieces the actions of Don John Alexander Farneze and the rest of their famous friends and enemies as they were described in Italy and present them here to your Lordship like the parts of Don John's body intire although not breathing For which I can make no Apologie but that 't is the fortune of this History to be dedicated to Princes And when the first Dedication was made to the Duke of Parma it concerned me to address the second to a person of like honour and my Genius directed me to such a one in whom Eminence of Dignity is joyned with Eminence of knowledg that affording me Patronage this reputation For what Ammianus Marcellinus reports of Physitians that they were held learned if they had once been at Alexandria we know to be true of Books if they come but to have your Lordships Approbation which is the highest aime of Your Lordships humble servant ROBERT STAPYLTON FAMIANVS STRADA to the Reader VVHo ever thou art that shalt vouchsafe to take my Book in thy hands before thou peruse it give me leave to preface a few things Thou hast here a History of mine which I cannot exspect should be either praised or pardoned for expedition being nine years old before I sent it to the Presse yet for that very procrastination I may hope another as great a favour from my Reader because it was out of my respect to him that I spun out time in polishing my work For albeit many years ago divers persons to whose Abilities no lesse then to their Honours none in Rome but yields having read the first part of my Annals gave them farre more then common approbation yet they could not perswade me that know how great the difference is betwixt Humanity and Judgement to hasten the publishing of them or now they are published not to be an earnest Suiter to my Reader for some favourable Regard due to my Modesty reverencing others judgements This Civilitie I the rather hope for that my fortune is somewhat better then ordinary Historians For I give thee Princes Letters most of them writ with their own hands I give thee Embassadours private instructions secret Councels of Warre Causes of Designes Notes brought in by Spies clandestine conspiracies of Towns and many other Particularities which either by Pieces or collected into Diaries have been discovered to me by the very men employed And were it not to trespasse upon the Readers Patience I could which many times I do to most of my Relations annex the copyes of the Letters produce the credit of the Originals themselves to prove matter of Fact as evidently as Deeds signed sealed and witnessed But all these as they have in a manner opened to me a Door to look into Councel-chambers and Cabinets So the divulging of them and especially explaining of Individualls without which Polybius thinks History but a mock-monument must needs be so much sweeter to the Readers longing by how much they comparing common Notions which they have read in others and therefore I forbear to mention out of them and me together will frame a more copious History This likewise is the cause that makes me sometimes give an Account of particular Accidents that the Low-countrey warre no lesse known from the mouth of Fame then penns of numerous Writers might be varied by such Additionals pleasing for newnesse and not inconsistent with a particular History This hath likewise made me that as I have passed over some things cursorily and unlesse some peculiar passage were to be added to others Relations almost quite omitted them so many times to bring higher deductions I thought would be more acceptable and not done without many great examples For among the Writers of the Romane Annals to say nothing of the Grecians Tacitus and Sallust how often do they piece out the smal threads of their work and cover them as it were with an embroiderie Tacitus in his Histories the five books omitting his Annals you may soon run over refutes those Authours that say the chief Officers of Otho's and Vitellius his Army deliberated Whether it were not better that they refusing to fight for wicked Princes should choose a good one and taking his hint from thence speaks at large Of mens old and inbred Ambition to compasse the Sovereigne power Of its Originall in the Citie of Rome Of the contentions between the Senatours and Plebeians Of Marius Sylla Pompey at length But sayes he the repetition of our ancient and present manners hath very farre transported me now I return to the course of my History Proceed Where he describes the burning of the Capitol by the Souldiers and subjoyns â—is own complaints upon it accurately setting down Who it was that vowed it who built it who dedicated it and who when it was destroyed repaired it though they were passages familiar to the people What of Serapis whose pedigree he draws and with a prolix Digression commemorates what opinions the Aegyptian Priests held of her not thinking
knowing how advantagious it would be to the State of the Low-countreys if things appertaining to Religion should be transacted by him in whom among other ornaments his scarlet would advance his Authority Yet notwithstanding these letters from the Dutchess Granvel assented not till he had answer out of Spain then he presently put on his Robes and so expressing his duty to the King without distast to the Governess he received honour from the one and favour from the other Besides his Pall the Popes Chamberlain brought him from Rome a Cardinalls hat which is seldome sent to any it being the custome to receive it onely in Rome Which benefit Granvel ascribed to the Dutchess with exquisite thanks not so much extolling the greatness of the bounty as the giver And he said he had cause to reverence it as the greatest of all honours because therein he adored the goodness of his Prince But in his private discourse he plainly told the Dutchess That considering the Changes of mans life he had accepted of that Dignity Especially for that if at any time he should leave the Low-countreys as he saw a storm over his head threatening him from the Lords he might have a place at Rome among the Cardinals to which he might make an honourable retreat A designe at this day hit upon by many who knowing That Power seldome grows old at Court and that Favour will as surely perish as Life are willing to be advanced into this Order not as ambitious but as provident persons that in their greatest misfortunes the Altar and the Church may be their Refuge In the year following 1562 the Civil War of France reviving the Kings commands came to the Governess enjoyning her with all possible care and speed to send assistance to King Charles against his Rebels An Account of the Management and Original of these troubles will not I suppose trespass upon your patience if I repeat briefly from the beginning not onely what before this time was agitated touching these succours but the whole Progress of those French tumults forasmuch as partly upon private discord at Court partly for that in publick which concerned Religion it was the Model of the Plot laid by the Low-countrey men with so like success of both Nations that sometimes unless you be rectified by the names of Places and Persons you would not think you read the actions of two Kingdoms but of one and the same People Moreover some part of the French Rebellion was carried by advice sent out of the Low-countreys whereof Cardinall Granvel gave intelligence to his brother Thomas Lord Cantonet Embassadour for the Catholick King in France This being therefore a business of no small importance and because I would not interrupt my Narration of the Low-countrey war with inserting that of France I shall here as the matter and place requires with no vain not tedious Digression comprehend the whole Heresie having long since poysoned France had distracted it into factions and many men contemning the old had taken up the name of the new Religion For although after Luthers pestilence reigned in Germany France had a great while kept it self free from the infection yet in the year 1533 it was attempted by some of Luthers Emissaries For Francis the first favouring learned men and learning as commonly they do whose actions are worthy of a learned pen resolved to erect an University at Paris sending proposals of great entertainment to the ablest scholars of Italy and Germany This opportunity Luther took hold of and sent Buâ—er and others of the boldest of his followers which by disputing in that confluence of prudent men might give an Essay to bring in the new Gospel Nor wanted there some that were taken with the Novelty Especially because such as were questioned for Religion had their recourse into Aquitain to Margaret of Valois the Kings sister who perhaps out of hatred to the Bishop of Rome which had been infused into her in the family of her husband Alibret whom his Holiness depreived of the Kingdome of Navarre might lie open to the cunning of the Lutherans perhaps out of ambition to be thought a Wit which she affected beyond the limits of her sex or indeed as she herself confessed some years before her death at which time she was a Catholick it was not out of the perversness of her nature but out of commiseration to the condemned persons that fled to her protection which made her so earnest with her Brother in the defence of their new opinions So that for ten years together she bolstered up Lutheranisme in France Though Francis the first was the more slow in eradicating it by reason of the Germanes and the Swisse that served him against Charles the fifth till being grievously offended with the contumacy of the men and their malice to Religion he published many Proclamations against them not onely threatning but executing his Laws untill at last he almost extinguished the name of Luther in his Kingdome But Calvins stratagem succeeded somewhat better Who immediately upon the death of Francis the first whilst King Henry was engaged in the Warrs attempted France by sending Libels from Geneva And as he found the minds and ears of many possessed with Luthers opinions so he himself set the common people agogge to understand his new doctrine and the vulgar was very proud for his Books were writ to their capacity in the French Tongue to be made Judges of Religion and as it were to passe their votes upon the abstrusest controversies of Faith Lastly as they that fall from the highest point are easily tossed from one breach of the precipice to another till they come to the very bottome having once departed from the old Religion they fell headlong from Luther to Calvin many of them not resting till having disclaimed all worship and not believing there was any God at all they finally stuck fast in the bottomless Abyss of evil And notwithstanding that Heresie first corrupted the minds of the People they being still the first that are swept away with a Plague yet in a short space it made way through the Commons seized upon some of the greatest Lords and came into the Court it self where it infected many persons of quality as that which was likely to be serviceable to the factious Nobility for winning the peoples hearts and drawing them to make head against their Competitours that grew still more powerfull with the King For Mary stuart Queen of Scots of the House of Guise by her Mother being married to Francis the second much advanced the greatness of the Guises For the King but fifteen years old had use of others service and these were fit to be employed Especially Francis Duke of Guise and his brother Charles Cardinal of Lorain he being an experienced fortunate Commander abroad and a prudent man at home this eminent for a generall Scholar deeply
Work therefore prohibited as well because the sacred verses of the Prophet were published in a vulgar tongue by profane persons as that they were dolo malo bound up with Calvin's Catechisme at Geneva these singing Psalmes though abhorred and sleighted by the Catholicks remained in high esteem with hereticks and the custome of singing Geneva Psalmes in French at publick meetings upon the high way and in shops was thenceforth taken for the distinctive sign of a Sectary The seditious Townsmen of Valenciens warbling in this manner as I was about to have told you passed along the streets as if they meant to deliver a Petition But making a stand in the market-place they lifted up their singing-Master and bad him preach ex tempore Immediately either by the Preachers perswasion or the increase of their company the mutinie was revived and finding themselves grown strong for they were about two thousand they would not part without doing something worthy such a Muster Wherefore they resoved to pull down and burn a monastery of Dominicans But changing their minds upon the way for they were tossed and tumbled like billows in a storm a fury possessed them when they remembered that the condemned persons had been taken out of their hands and carried back to prison To what end had they raised this tumult and frighted the town to no purpose if their associates should suffer death in the Iayl which they had escaped in the market-place no they would look into the matter break open the prison and either release their fellows if living or if dead revenge them So they cried to the Jayl to the Jayl And thither they ran forced the doors knocked off their shackles and that they might appear to do nothing out of contempt of Law they onely set those two at liberty and kept in the rest that were committed for other causes sending word to the Magistrates they had onely met to deliver their brethren but if they might live quietly and not be troubled for their conscience not a man among them would stirre any more In the mean time Michael Hovey Deputy-governour of the Town was sent by the Magistrate to the Dutchess who amazed at the news of the sudden tumult sent Hovey himself immediately to Bolduâ— a town near Valenciens to desire Iohn Hennin Count of that place whom she knew to be faithfull and industrious that he should instantly get into the City and in the Kings name till the Marquesse of Bergen returned at discretion quiet the troubles if any yet remained She commands him likewise to signifie to the Marquesse in what condition Valenciens was whilst he neglecting his publick office minded nothing but his private business But now the Marquesses Lieutenant the Low-countreymen call him the Count-governour with two troops of horse one whereof he took out of the Bolduc the other he himself commanded under the Marquesse of Bergen entered Valenciens the people not daring to attempt any thing against him Thither also with all speed marched the horse of Philip Croy Duke of Areschot by order from the Governess Lastly the Marquesse of Bergen himself and the Count of Bosch came into the town and contrary to their exspectations found all quiet not so much as any signe of a Sedition But Indeveltius who was in Commission with the Marquesse to examine business of that nature being sent by the Magistrate to the Dutchess for authority to pursue the fugitives was earnest with her to take from that turbulent Citie both their priviledges and arms and that with the fines payed by the Mutiners for their composition a fort should be built to hold in the stiff-necked people like a bridle the Valencenian might be compelled to this if her Excellence would but send one thousand two hundred foot to the horse already in town The Governess caused it to be moved at the Councell table where the gentler vote carried it That the fugitives should be brought back to execution and the authours of the Sedition punished but that the rage of the mad people should not ruine the honest Citizens The Governess consented the rather because that Citie as she wrote to the King standing much affected to the French must have been unseasonably provoked whilst the French were in arms within sight of the town But she her self forbare as much as was possible to make any Levies lest the sword and consequently the power should come into the hands of some of the Low-countrey Lords Yet because nothing could be done in that City without souldiers she commands the Marquess of Bergen to draw souldiers out of his severall Garrisons not above thirty out of any one and so on the sudden to put two hundred into Valenciens giving it out that company after company should follow them to aw the Town that the Judgement pronounced against the offenders might accordingly be executed The Marquess readily obeyed And though the two seditious Preachers were then escaped a while after one of them was taken and put to death and the Citie terrified with the decrees of the Magistrates and the continuall fresh supplies of souldiers within a few dayes having taken the fiercest of the Mutineers or those that bragged most of their doings in the tumult they were severely punished So for that time the mutiny at Valenciens ceased The Governess was not more glad of the success then fearfull of the consequence because such a multitude of Calvinists were crept into one Citie especially because in other places she saw the like beginnings and motions she was jealous lest Calvinisme which then infected France might be caught by their neighbours of Haynolt In like manner the commerce with Denmark and the neighbouring towns of Germany might corrupt Frisland with Lutheranisme And though on the one part Heresie had hardly touched any of the Lords of Frisland but onely crept upon the ground among the Commons as suteable to their capacities being a rude plain people and therefore credulous and on the other part Iohn Lignius Count Aremberg looked very carefully to that Province yet questionless the disease would spread it self and by degrees seize the Nobility unlesse it were prevented by strong Physick This seconded by Granvels advice moved the Governess to bring in the designed Bishops into their several Dioceses that by example word and deed which most conduces to the advancement of Religion they might be a stay and support to the people committed to their charge Indeed things were put into a handsome way and by the industry of Granvel and the Nuncio the one having the Popes Commission to this purpose and the other the King of Spains they were received into the Cities But the Brabanters stood out and would suffer no change of Government in their Provinces though Cardinal Granvel pressed it very much and delivered his opinion for the present suppression of those tumults and designes which would grow daily worse and
worse But from Rome the Popes letters for the endowment of the Bishops without which nothing could be done were not dispatched away by Francisco Varga the Spanish Embassadour not so much out of the humour of demurring which is naturall to the Spaniards as out of the Popes indignation incensed by the practice of some near about his person who had taken offence at Varga's carriage in the Court of Rome and therefore the Embassadour was put off The truth is he had insinuated himself into the secret 〈◊〉 of the Cardinalls which many of them stomack'd very much and by his endeavours Cardinal Pacecho by divers votes of the Conclave had like to have been chosen Pope a dignity proportionable to his merits his Chair being once lifted up by the Cardinals his friends as the custome is at the Election of a Pope This was perhaps remembred by some of the Popes Court that were not yet reconciled to the Embassadour by whose means their master had almost lost the Papacy But from what cause soever these delayes proceeded the Abbots thereby had time given them whom it concerned to avoid their Reversioners the Bishops to meet at divers consultations about it and to desire assistance from the Estates of Brabant and some Lords which their own private interests engaged and to try all remedies that either counsel or fear could find out or opportunity present And the Estates because they could not prevail with the Governess resolved to send two Agents out of the Low-countreys the one privately to Pius the fourth about the end of the old year the other publickly in the beginning of the new year to the King himself To Rome they sent Moulin a Civil Lawyer of good account to supplicate his Holiness that the goods of the Monasteries might not be given away to Bishops contrary to the Doners minds and that the Monks might not be deprived of their ancient priviledges to choose Abbots lastly that he would not permit the King to ordain any Bishop that should not be maintained out of his Majesties Exchecquer With these instructions private letters to the same effect were written to the Pope and other eminent persons by the Prince of Orange and the Marquess of Bergen whose Tutour Moulin was and by his favour which he still enjoyed continually employed in weighty affairs Besides they furnished him with great summes of money that his way at Rome might be the smoother and they allowed that he might with some bounty purchase patronage to the cause To conclude besides his expenses they gave him to his own use 1200 Florents and as much to the other joyned with him for the honour of the Embaâ—age and if they got their business dispatched they were promised great matters at their return But the Governess from whom nothing of all this was concealed to prevent the Brabanters writ to the Spanish Embassadour Varga to pre-ingage the Pope to have an eye upon Moulin and to use his best judgement to frustrate that mans endeavours that opposed the good of Religion and the pious intentions of the King She likewise wrote to his Majesty letting him know that within few dayes some men would come to petition him in the name of the Brabanters and in January came Tserclasse and Nyssus twice the King gave them Audience and in March following returned them to the Low-countreys with a doubtfull answer Nor had Moulin any better fortune at Rome The Agents for Antwerp Godfrey Streck Pretour of the Town Vrselt and Wessembeck set forth in May to petition the King that Antwerp might not be compelled to receive a Bishop but they prevailed not in their suit Yet still they in the Low-countreys practised against the Bishops For the Abbots wearied the Dutchess with complaints and some of the Lords especially Granvels enemies encouraged the discontented party The States of Brabant stood as for their Lives and Religion against the breaking of their Priviledges The common people would have no Inquisition no Bishops And Philip Momorancy Count Horn who some moneths since was returned from Spain and by the King commanded to write back certified his Majestie That the complaints of Brabant were grown more violent then ever upon a rumour spread among the people as it was supposed by the French and Germanâ— that without the consent of those two Nations out of whose Provinces some Low-countrey Diaceses had been enlarged new Bishops could not be created in the Netherlands and therefore the Low-countrey men would do all they could to hinder their institution for fear the French and Germans should come upon them at once and make sudden invasions by severall wayes To this purpose he wrote likewise to Erasso one the King trusted with his secrets a civil Gentleman and powerfull at Court But in the close of his letter he laid all the fault upon Granvel who ambitiously and weakly designed that which could never come to good effect Indeed Granvel was an eye-sore to many and a â—emora to their projects and if I may freely speak my opinion I believe there had been little or no stirring or trouble about matters of Religion if the Nobility had not drawn another way But some of the Lords as I have told you took it ill that the Bishops were increased that is they conceived it prejudiciall to their own authority and freedome especially when they met in the great Councel The Hereticks had engaged the rest many upon private discontents were alienated from the King But the most were incensed against Granvell concluding him to be the authour of increasing the Bishops because they saw him declare himself for their coming in Out of the hatred hereupon conceived the Lords either absented themselves from Councel or came thither to oppose the Cardinall These quarrels the Governess discovered at her first coming to the Government particularly in Count Egmont and the Prince of Orange each of them having hoped to be Governour of the Low-countreys and therefore so much the more sensible of their late repulse But the Prince of Orange carried it more closely Count Egmont a blunt souldier open-breasted in his love and hatred was so farre from dissembling that in his own house he suffered his friends to speak things derogatory to the Majestie of the King of which the Governess was informed and gave the King intelligence by her letters wherein she named Simon Regnard as an encourager of these unlawfull assemblies a Counsellour of great subtilty and volubility of tongue nor of lesse authority with many of the Lords especially with Egmont There had been an old emulation from their very childhoods between this Regnard and Granvell in the Schools where they studied because the one had the more excellent wit the other the more plausible And as the quarrels of wit use to be irreconciliable among children these being now grown men and the subject of their business changed the
attemps as I conceive moved the Governess to consult how the Decrees of the Councell of Trent against Hereticks lately brought into the Low-countreys some of which were not yet clearly expounded might be there observed For the King having many times wrote letters to her wherein he shewed himself displeased with the Hereticks boldnesse and the connivence of the Bishops and having commanded his fathers Edict to be revived which had long lyen dormant the judgement being translated to Ecclesiasticall persons The Governess replyed that although it would be very seasonable in regard that many of the new judges and inquisitours had not been more ambitious of their places then timerous in them yet she said the Edict could not possibly be executed if the Councell of Trent were received by authority whereof the cognizance of these causes was transferred to the Ecclesiasticall Tribunall Besides that when Pope Pius had spent the most part of this year one thousand five hundred sixty four in proposing and bringing in the decrees of the Councel earnestly commending their use and patronage to Christian Princes it pleased the King of Spain to be the first that gave his assent not onely out of his Majesties native piety but likewise because that Councell was called at the request of his father Charles the fifth when he was at Rome and therefore he conceived the maintenance thereof descended upon him by inheritance But whilst his Majestie first took order to establish the Councel in Spain and then wrote to his sister to do the like in the Low-countreys something happened at Rome which it was thought would alienate the Kings mind from the Pope and consequently that no farther regard would be had of the Councel either in Spain or the Low-countreys For there was an accidentall Dispute in the Councel of Trent whether the French or Spanish Embassadour should take place this would not indure the other should precede him nor would he suffer this to his equall The controversie was for that present time composed the Spanish Embassadour being honourably seated apart from all the rest But when the Councel was ended upon the desire of Lodwick Requesenes King Philips Resident at Rome that the precedencie might be determined Pope Pius it being in re odiosa first began to put it off and then advised Requesenes to give over the contest finally he perswaded them severally and in private to referre the cause wholly to the sacred Colledge of Cardinals in the mean time they were to forbear the ceremonie of coming to the Popes Chappell his Holinesse supposing the contrary factions of the Cardinals would be a means to make the suit depend for a long time and free him of the necessitie and so of the envie of giving sentence For as he said very handsomely a Prince should imitate Iupiter who according to the old tradition of the Thuscan Soothsayers hath two kinds of thunder-bolts the prosperous he himself useth to shoot but for the unfortunate he calls a Councel of the Gods Notwithstanding when mens minds are inflamed they are like horses at full speed hard to be stopped and both the Embassadours took it ill that the Pope so delayed them especially Henry Ossellie King Charles his Resident who thought himself by this means in a manner equalized especially fearing least the contention might be ended now as formerly it had been in Ferdinand the Emperours Court where it was resolved the French and Spanish Embassadours should take place of each other by turns which caused the French Embassadour to leave the Emperours Court and this perhaps might be a president for the Court of Rome But the Pope that the ceremonies in his Chappel might not any more be intermitted at last upon the sacred day of Pentecost commanded that next the Imperiall the French Embassadour should take place Whereat Requesenes in a fury after he had in the Popes presence taken publick notice of the injury in his masters name by his Majesties command left Rome This businesse held many in suspence what king Philip would do particularly concerning the Councel of Trent which the Pope was so earnest with him to settle in his Dominions and it exceedingly troubled the Dutchess of Parma because she governed the Low-countreys which among all his Maâ—esties Dominions lay most open to the invasion of Hereticks and therefore the Pope most of all desired that the Councel should be first established there The Governesse therefore doubtfully exspected the Kings pleasure in his next letters and withall was somewhat more slack in punishing Hereticks and some were absolutely of opinion the Councel of Trent should be no more heard of in the Low-countreys This rejoyced the Hereticks who jeered the wisdome of the Pope that found so seasonable a time to provoke the Spaniard by whom if the Councel were refused what Kingdome would obey the Canons made at Trent Though some upon the same premises concluded otherwise and said the Popes justice was not shaken either by hope or fear nor did they doubt of the Kings piety and constancie or that a private offence could move him to put the Councell out of his Protection which if he should do the French would not fail to undertake it if it were but onely because the Spaniard had rejected it And behold Letters came from King Philip which acquainted the Governess that the Dispute was ended but farre otherwise then he conceived the equity of his cause or his observance to the Pope deserved That he had therefore called away his Embassadour from Rome where he might not appear with honour that being the last private businesse he was likely to have with his Holinesse but for the publick or his service and obedience to the Pope and the holy Apostolick See from which he would never depart he had commended those to Cardinall Paceco Patron of the Spanish at Rome with whom she should hereafter transact all businesse appertaining to the designation of Bishops and establishment of Religion for defence whereof as likewise for propounding and imposing the Councel of Trent upon the Low-countreys it was fit her care and endeavours should not be slacked upon any cause whatsoever And indeed the King having thus declared himself she would easily have brought it in if she had not stumbled at the threshold For desiring the advice of those that had the care of souls and of the greatest Casâ—ists in the Universities and likewise putting it to the suffrage of the Senate they voted against the Councel and advised her not to propound the Decrees containing certain heads repugnant to Monarchy and the Priviledges of the Subject unlesse the said heads were excepted And this they urged more freely and peremptorily because they imagined such confidence could not but be acceptable to the King which under the pretence of liberty served the Princes ends and yet excâ—sed the Prince from any fault But the King whom the Governess in every thing
corrupted with heresie to be made Devils and numbered among the slaves condemned to eternal torments And although Princesse Mary could not prevail with the Mother in her suit for these boyes yet a few years after God gave her the same number of that sex and it is probable that her desire of breeding up anothers children to be Gods servants was recompensed by God himself with as many children of her own Nor will I omit a memorable passage that happened in the same Port where one of the Kings ships by accident was set on fire not farre from the Admirall where the Princesse was aboard And while some strove to quench the flame and some to save themselves and their goods she running out of her Cabin to the Prow made a little stop and said Well and shall I lose my box of sacred Reliques presently the flame approaching near her she ran back and with a mighty courage plucked the box out of the Cabinet either forgetting or despising the jewels it contained to an infinite value Presently returning again from her Cabin for the furie of the fire was not yet asswaged a Gentleman met her and stepping in with great reverence took her by the arm and beseeched her whilst she might to flie the danger But she casting a frown upon the man said Sir you were best unhand me As if she 〈◊〉 more fearfull to be touched by him then by the flame so unsuppoâ—â—â— she went forward to the Prow and the fire being presently extinguished they set sail for the Low countreys About the beginning of November the fleet arrived at Ulushing where she was received and attended by such as the Governess had sent upon the sudden news of her landing that train being augmented by the horse and foot of the severall towns through which she passed till she came to Bruxels Where all sorts of people welcomed her with greater joy and gratulation because they heard she had so difficult and dangerous a passage Octavio Duke of Parma being a few dayes before come out of Italy purposely to be at his sonnes wedding upon the next Saint Andrews day appointed by Philip Duke of Burgundy for the Anniversary feast of the Order of the Golden-fleece which he instituted and commended to the patronage of that Saint the Nuptials were celebrated at Bruxels with such magnificence as befitted the Neice to Emmanuel King of Portugall and the Grand-sonne to the Emperour Charles the fifth but likewise with such Christian Pietie as was exspected out of the opinion conceived of so religious a Lady and made good by her presence beyond all imagination Maximilian de Bergen Archbishop of Cambray married them The King of Spain was present by Didacus Gusman à Silva his Majesties Embassadour to the Queen of England commanded for this reason to take the Low-countreys in his way Embassadours of neighbour Princes were at the wedding to joy them from their Masters All the Low-countrey Nobility was there the Knights of the Golden-fleece expressed a particular contentment because about a hundred and fifty years before their Order had been founded at the marriage of Duke Philip of Burgundy with Isabella of Portugall and now at the like marriage of this Princesse of Portugall they revived the memory of that Day in all kind of shews and pleasures seeming to forget their present discontents and factions So great was the gallantry of the Lords and they so taken up with revells But after the nuptiall feast was over and the Bride and Bridegroom departed from the Low-countreys as if the Truce were ended they fell to their differences again The narration of which differences I shall wave a while till I have in reference to Princesse Mary related some passages noble in themselves but rendered more illustrious by her royall Bloud and because they equally concern her husband Prince Alexander and his posteritie which we must often mention in the progresse of this History therefore it will be the best in this place to summe them up together Princesse Mary now come into Italy was received with unusuall pomp and ceremony For drawing near to Parma she was met by two gallant troops one of Lords the other of Ladies her husband Alexander being in the head of that and this led by his Aunt Vittoria Farneze wife to the Duke of Urbin On that side such a multitude of horses and on the other such a world of Coaches vying bravery and rich Liveries that seldome hath been seen a more magnificent and glorious Show But the Princesse after she had been the second time thus entertained applyed her self to serious matters her example and endeavours in a few dayes changed the face of Parma And she her self many times having prayed to God for a Sonne to continue the name of the Farnezes accidently conceived a hope that if she took up some Orphan or beggar-boy and bred him for Charity she should compasse her desire She therefore took up one in the street and bred him in her Court and nine moneths after she was delivered of Ranucio But her hope proving as fruitfull as her self she resolved to beg of God another Sonne that she might settle the house upon more pillars and directing her prayer to our Lady in the Church called the Scala Prince Alexander by chance coming thither she turned to him and said Come Sir let us joyn our prayers to God that in obedience to his Virgin-mother he will gratiously please to give us another Sonne They prayed together with great faith and within nine moneths after she brought forth Odâ—ardo which was not the cause of greater joy in Prince Alexander then it was of admiration and reverence towards his wife at whose suit God had given him both his Sonnes From thenceforth he more and more honoured her Sanctimonie insomuch as at the battle of Lepanto boarding the enemy with more valour then caution and afterwards being reproved by Don Iohn of Austria he replyed He had at Home the Cause and Patronesse of his confidence Indeed she spent the whole time of that warre in devotion and penance for her husband But for her children because she knew they were granted her by Gods speciall favour she bent her study while she lived to season their tender years with divine precepts and when she came to die was not so earnest with her husband for any thing as to be carefull of their education using that very prayer to God which she heard was made by the Queen of France Mother to Saint Lewis In this moment of time which is my last I pray and beseech thee O Father of mankind that if my children be inclined to commit any fouler crime against thee thou wilt hasten their ends and prevent their treason against thy Majesty A prayer worthy all mother-Queens that would have no children but such as will acknowledge God the
Covenanters should be imprisoned either for Religion or for the Covenant immediately the rest all business laid aside should repair to both or one of those that were to tender the Covenant in the severall Provinces and that all of them if need were should presently take up arms to assist their brethren So he dismissed them full of courage and alacrity resolved next morning to attend the Governess Which day being the fifth of April the Conspiratours to the number of about two hundred met again at Cuilemburg-House and from thence took their way directly to Court marching through the high Street the whole City beholding the spectacle with amazement and many not well knowing by what name to call that new kind of Embassie For they looked not like Petitioners that came to make demands in so confident and imperious a way especially being led on by Brederod and Nassau that did not use to supplicate nor did they seem to be a Faction or to pretend force coming with such appearance of simplicity that rather shewed like Fryars going in Procession They rode two a breast most of them matched in years Brederod and Nassau brought up the Rere The Town took notice that one of the Generalls was lame which many looked upon as an evil Omen and not without much laughter Entring the Court they found the Governess the Senate then newly risen speaking with some of the Lords Brederod coming up to the chair of State after he had done his duty with the Ceremonies due to the Governess spake in this manner These Gentlemen of the Low-countreys now standing in your Highness presence and others of the same quality that will shortly follow in great numbers are come with me to let Your Highness know by their multitude how earnest they are in their demands expressed in this humble Petition â—nd whilst you read it I beseech your Excellence to believe that these honest men propound nothing to themselves but obedience and honour to the King and safetie in their Countrey When he had spoken this he presented the Petition and said that he had something else to offer to her Highness in the names of his Confederates but lest he should mistake their sense if he might presume so far he desired leave to read it out of his own Papers The Governess was pleased he should read his Notes the summe whereof was That the Gentlemen were much aggrieved because her Excellence had writ to the Provinces of their League as if it were made by a concurrence and association with the French and Germans pretending indeed the safetie of their Countrey but intending onely spoyl and plunder Which information given unto the Governess as it was an insufferable injurie to the Low-countrey Gentlemen so they humbly and earnestly beseeched her Excellence to declare the Informers names compell them to bring in their impeachment publickly in a Legall way That if their Confederates be found guilty they may be sentenced or if they be cleared and acquitted of the Crime those informers by the Law of Retaliation may have the punishment of Traitours The Governess suppressing the trouble and indignation of her mind as well as she could with a chearfull look received the Petition wherein it was prayed that the Inquisition might be abolished the old Edicts repealed and new ones made by the Estates of the Low-countreys Her answer was She would consider of their Petition and since it related onely to the Kings Honour and their Countreys safety they need not doubt but she would give them satisfaction But whereas they complained of her Letters written to the Provinces they had no reason for it she did but what her place required having received intelligence from many hands of a certain League made with forreiners in advising the Governours and Magistrates to be vigilant lest upon that occasion their Provinces might be troubled not so much by the Low-countrey men whom the King ever found loyall as by the Borderers that resorted to them Without more words she dismissed the Gentlemen not naming her Intelligencers which they exceedingly pressed her Highness letting such questions pass as she had not minded them or rather seeming offended that they should press her to reveal secrets of State Nay the same day at evening when a Senatour in the House perswaded her Excellence to give in to the Covenanters the names of those Intelligencers she answered somewhat angerly That she admired that he who refused to name his Authour for things which he himself a little while since had discovered should now perswade the contrary that might be prejudiciall to so many In that Senate the Governess read the Petition of Brederod and asked them if they had not altered their opinions But when they had debated it they voted the same again in other words It was then disputed Forasmuch as the Covenanters had writ in generall We his Majesties most humble Subjects whether it should not be required that every particular person under-write his name whereby the King might know whom to thank or rather whom to be revenged upon But it was carried by most voices in the Negative lest upon occasion of getting the names of such as were absent the Petition shold be sent to the great Towns and more drawn in The next day the Confederates returning in greater numbers for the Counts of Cuilemburg and Bergen were yet in time come post the Governess returned the Petition which she had received the day before together with her Answer writ in the Margine wherein she gave them hope that the Inquisition should be taken away and the Edicts moderated onely she must first acquaint the King with their desires But because this did not satisfie them all they withdrew to consult together and having passed their votes came back and in all their names Eustachius Fiennes Lord of Esquerd for Brederod durst not speak in publick unless he had conn'd his Lesson or that he read it out of his Book giving her Highness humble thanks for that Answer desired that she would please to certifie whatsoever had been done at this meeting of the Gentry was out of their dutie to the King and for his Majesties advantage But the Governess expresly denying it replyed Time their Actions would testify that sufficiently to all the world and so left them The same day Brederod entertained the Covenanters at Cuilenburg-house and made them a great feast but unfortunate to the very House where they were feasted which for this onely cause was afterward pulled down and levelled with the earth The invited were about three hundred and therefore more confident especially at the table in their jollity Among other passages they put the question how that Society should be named and it pleased them to give it the title of the Noble Concord and they called their Generall the Restorer of lost liberty But these denominations after this feast were never heard of Perhaps
I should not at last by making new examples punish their perfidiousnesse imboldened by my too much Lenity and by force of Armes which through your valour I may easily effect endeavour to destroy these Enemies and Rebells sometimes bringing in Heresie to raise Tumults sometimes plotting to take Armes and breaking into open Hostility Courage therefore Beavor for I have chosen thee to revenge this Treason to Majesty Divine and Humane And since it is necessary to be speedily at Ostervell take thy Commission and be gone fight with Tholouse whose tumultuary Forces without opposition plunder the Country terrible only to such as entertaine them Be sure that pitty move thee not to give them quarter upon any termes but those wicked men that have committed unpardonable Villanies do thou without pause or mercy destroy with fire and sword Having thus instructed the Generall her Excellence commanded him to take out of the Garrison of Bruxells 300. Musketteres and joyne to them the Flanders Horse lately called back from Wallacron under the command of Valentine Pardieu Lord of Mott with the Foot companies of the Counts Aremberge and Barlamont Besides she gave him many of her owne Life-Guard and enjoyned him with this Army to march against Tholouse The Prince of Orange that governed Antwerp imagining what the Governesse would doe had tooke order the day before Beavor came to Ostervell that the Bridge between that and Antwerp should be broken lest the Gheuses sallying out of Antwerp should help the Tholousians as he signified to the Governesse by Marius Carduin or more probably lest to succour Beavor the Bridge should give passage to the Catholiques whose cause he could not desert nor would defend Also by his command the next day all the ports of Antwerp were shut the Citizens wondring what should be his reason when on the suddaine hearing the thunder of Cannon hard by the Towne they ran to the wals and saw a Battaile fought at Ostervell They knew the Ensignes of both Armies displayed alongst the River side and almost heard the cryes both of those that charged and fell Nor did all the Towne behold that Martiall Scene with the same wishes but shouted according to their severall inclinations with divers kinds of clamour as if they had been upon a Stage sometimes chearefully incouraging their Partie sometimes doubtfull and crying shame upon them they shooke their hands and moved their bodies as if they themselves were really in the Feild striking or avoyding Blowes Till the routed Tholousians fled For Beavor had been so quick in his march that comming upon them before they could well arme themselves and repaire to their Colours they had scarce time to put their men in Order of Battaile Yet for a while they stood At first their number imboldened them and at last their Houses and Fortifications saved them But those being fired part of them were burnt in their owne dwellings some few slaine in the Field but the most forced to leap in the River and either drowned or as they swam shot in the backs Tholouse himselfe despairing of Releife or Pardon tooke a Barne and was there burnt There fell at this Battaile the first that was fought with the Low-country Rebells 1500. of the Gheuses About 300. were taken prisoners and all put to the Sword by Beavors command because it was conceived the Antwerpers would sally out and assist the Remainder of their conquered Friends And indeed when the Calvinists saw their Brethren routed and put to flight for it troubled not the Lutherans who hate Calvinists farre more then they doe Catholiques presently taking up Armes they marched directly to the Bridge to succour their distressed Party But when they found the Bridge broken downe and saw the Ports shut up they ran through the Streets as if they had been drunke and cryed Arme Arme. And in foure houres space 14000. men were come together having neither any certaine Generall nor resolution whether to make way through the Ports or turne their fury upon those that kept them in They say Tholouse his Wife in Antwerp helped forward this combustion For understanding the Defeate and Danger of her Husband his Death as yet she knew not almost out of her wits she ranne about the Towne howling and crying to the Calvinsts for Assistance or Revenge And now the Prince of Orange with Count Hochstrat meeting these furious Rebells doubted not by the Majesty of his presence and their great opinion of him easily ro quiet this Distemper and began to give them reasons why the Bridge was broke for feare the conquering Army having a Party within the Towne should make themselves Masters of it But the rest of his words were drowned with hideous cryes and Railings They called him Traytour to the Cause and then he found by experience that Majesty without strength is not safe among the incensed multitude Nay one of those Calvinisticall Rogues set a Pistoll to the Prince his brest as if he would give fire upon him so much dares the basest Rascall animated by his contagious Fellowes The Prince of Orange therefore thought it well for the present if he could get off for the number boldnesse of the Calvinists increased And now seizing upon the Merian Bridge and taking the Cannon out of the Magazine they drew them upon their carriages and planted them against the Court resolving to set up a new Magistrate madly and barbarously proclaiming that all the Clergie and Religious should be turned out of the Towne Nor lesse active on the other part was the Prince of Orange who taught by his late danger commanded sixe Companies of the Garrison Souldiers to guard the Piâ—zza and the Mint and drawing after him a huge sort of Lutherans joyned them to the Catholiques whereof no lesse then 8000 had armed themselves The Catholiques and Lutherans formed into a Body with Colours flying marched to the Pallace of Justice and there made a Stand ready to defend it if the Calvinists should attempt any thing and these as if they would fight came on and presenting their Muskets seemed to expect the word When the Prince of Orange attended by all the Senate and a strong Guard of Souldiers came to the Calvinists and with a commanding countenance advised them to lay down Armes if they had any Demands to make they might be more easily obtained without Tumult if they did otherwise he swore he would be a perpetuall Enemy to the name of Calvin Whereat the Calvinists seeming to be dismayed submitted as if it were in Honour to the Prince when indeed they found themselves much too weak for the Catholique and Lutheran Forces to which the Italian and Spanish Merchants flocked in great numbers armed fearing they should finally be plundered by the Calvinists who had either to that end begun the Tumult or at least would so conclude Therefore Hostages being given and received on both sides the Calvinists upon
the Low-countrey-men were to pay at once For thus they said the Exchequer might be replenished which the Warre had emptyed and likewise the Provinces secured Because Spaine ingaged in a long Warre with the Moores and now setting forth a chargeable Fleete against the common Enemy could afford small supplies Nor was it reason to expect any thing from King Philip and unseasonable to divert him wholly applying his Indeavours and Expences for the Defence of Christendome But the Estates that to settle these Taxes were summoned to Bruxells would not yield to the Tenths because they should thereby lose their Traffique the only subsistence of the Low-countreys Indeed how could the Merchants and Artificers brooke the payment of many tenth parts out of one Commodity for before Cloth or Hangings and other Stuffes were woven and put off their hands they must pay the Tenths of wooll so for thread then for weaving and dying and such like parts of manufacture and thus the price of Commodities being enhansed they should have no buyers the Worke-men would go to other Nations and the Low-countreys be reduced to extreame Poverty The Duke of Alva might consider what advantage it had been to England since the Low-countrey-men above 200. yeares agoe forced by an inundation of the Sea to leave their Countrey had taught the English the art of Weaving which before they understood not Many other Manufactures were yet in the Low-countreys not known to their Neighbours whereby they would be greatly inriched if the Worke-men should go and live among them All this prevailed not with the Duke in the midst of his command victorious and no enemy appearing who therefore assured himselfe the Low-countrey-men would easily obey But the Queene of England in the interim somewhat startled him and made Alva thinke of a new enemy A Biscaine man of warre with foure Pinnaces sayling out of Spaine and bound for the Low-countreys convoying of money to pay the Duke of Alva's Army a vast summe 200000. Ducats as some Writers affirme according to others 40000. nay there is one that saies 800000. forced either by a tempest or for feare of Pyrats came into an English Harbour The Queene resolving not to part with that Treasure first commanded an accoumpt of it should be taken then causing them to unlade under pretence of the Kingdome 's necessity it was carried to the Exchequer Guerrao Despeo the Spanish Embassadour and his Majesties Admirall Stephano Serra protesting against it to no purpose The Duke of Alva bitterly resenting the Injury made an Imbaâ—go in the Low-countreys arresting all the English Merchants Goods and Shippes the like was done in Spaine On the other part the Queene of England seized upon all the Commodities of the Low-countrey-men and Spaniards so as they were upon the very point of Proclaiming Warre on both sides And Christopher Assonvill sent into England by the Duke to demand the money and to compose the matter in controversie found the Queene so offended and inraged that he was commanded backe to the place from whence he came the Queene refusing to treat upon conditions with Alva or any man else but the King himselfe She was so peremptory as I have read in Assonvill's Letters because shew knew the Moores intended to rebell in Spaine and the Germans were againe preparing to invade the Low-countreys she her selfe in the meane while being inriched with dayly Prizes taken from the Low-countrey-men and Spaniards At the very same time 14. Portugall-shippes laded with Indian Merchandise Ignorant of the Quarrell between the Nations thinking they might passe securely were surprized by the English and it is not to be imagined how much that Booty inflamed those Islanders with a desire to continue a difference so advantageous Which made the Spaniard the more earnestly to labour the composing of it And to this end Thomas Raggeus was sent into England on whose prudence the Duke of Alva much relyed who was afterwards when the King knew him better made his Treasurer Raggeus though he could not prevaile with the Queene that was resolved to keep the money yet so won upon her as she was no longer deafe to an Agreement Then the Duke sending over the Marquesse Vitelli with Raphael Barberino and his Secretary Turrius the Queene received them more gratiously and publiquely explained her selfe that she understood the money appertained not to the King whom she never had any Intention to wrong in any kind but to the Genoa-Merchants that she had use for it at the present and would hereafter returne it to the owners faithfully and with interest This Answer was reported to the Duke of Alva from the Spanish Embassadour and Vitelli by Barberino who advised him notwithstanding the Queene intended not Repayment since no Merchant could demand the Money to take into consideration whether the Low-countrey-men or the English would be more prejudiced by the Quarrell And further told his Excellence that he had taken notice of 80. Low-countrey and Spanish Ships under Arrest in the English Ports their lading dayly decaying and imbezelled And therefore the Embassadour and Vitelli held it best that matters should not be aggravated with new causes of offence for they hoped that in a little time the fury of both sides being allayed by mutuall Losses at last with equall Dissimulation they would fall to their antient intercourse For the Duke 's better satisfaction therein he delivered him a Breviate wherein he had stated the controversie All this was truth as afterwards appeared when the contestation being ended the losse of the Low-countrey and Spanish Merchants was found so farre to exceed the damage of the English as these were forced to refund above 200000. Florens Neverthelesse Alva would not desist either from revenging the Injury done by England or from exacting the Tribute he had begun to demand of the Low-countreys That he thought concerned the King in point of honour and though he knew this for the present would hinder the Exchange and Traffick yet he hoped those Losses would be soone repaired Especially since his mony was interecepâ—ed by the English he held it just to aske Supplies from the Low-countrey-men for whose benefit that money should have been imployed When the Duke therefore to his Requests and Admonitions added Threats the Estates pretended the People's wants there was a note subscribed with an unknowne name scattered in the Presence directed to the Duke of Alva in these words that if he acted Themistocles to raise money brought two Goddesses Perswasion and Violence they would play the Andrians to prevent Payment interpose as many as great Goddesses Poverty Impossibility Thus while the Contest was kept a foot on the one part with Petitions and Complaints on the other with often varied Edicts Commands yet the yeare ended without any thing concluded at last the Duke of Alva in a Rage advertised the Provinces That the
that if he would not pay their arrears they would be their own Pay-masters And when he had appointed a certain day yet failed with new fury as if they had been deluded they ran armed to the Court of Justice where their Electo was hearing causes and there presently setting up an Altar when Masse was done they all bound themselves by oath to obey the Electo and not to lay down arms till they had their pay to a Maravedi Which very Act passed not tumultuously in that tumult but orderly and gravely as if there had been no sedition So must armed rage be ordered lest it rage in vain Nay they set up a Gallows on the place and made Proclamation in the Electo's name That whosoever for the future stole or plundred should be immediately hanged which was so punctually observed by the souldiers two of them being instantly trussed up that Antwerp heard of no more such offences This present form of modesty and their past moderations so won upon mens affections that partly the Antwerpers assessing themselves at certain rates partly Requisenes out of the Kings Treasury with the pawning of his own Plate and Hangings the Merchants likewise making up their Pay for yet there was not money enough with pieces of Silk and Cloth after 47 dayes abundantly satisfied the souldiers One memorable Accident I cannot here omit especially coming to my knowledge from the persons by whom it was occasioned When Requesenes had paid the Army they being flush of money were followed as the custome is by many poor people for their alms particularly by the begging Fryers And most of the souldiers then full of gold for some had got three years Debentures some four either out of that Nations inbred pietie rowards Religious Orders or that when wealth comes on the sudden it is lesse regarded were so liberall that the Franciscans for their part got four thousand Florens But when the souldiers took notice that among all the Religious which had tasted of their bonnty no one of the Society of Iesus came unto them to which Order for their constant pains in the Camp and their extraordinary care of the sick souldiers they acknowledged themselves chiefly obliged they sent one of the Army to encourage the Fathers in that publick Donation not to let themselves onely be pretermitted But the Fathers giving thanks to the Messenger when they could not otherwayes put him off at last absolutely denied to take any thing of those men till they had restored all their plunder to the true owners The Armie nothing at all offended or retarded choosing two of their number for Collectours gathered a very great summe and sent it to their Colledge assuring themselves ready money would not be so refused as when it was onely promised The Fathers admired the souldiers constancie whom they imagined to have been displeased with their former Answer and Ceremonies having passed on both sides held it their dutie to instruct those preposterously pious men and in a friendly manner to rectifie either their errour or their contumacie Therefore one of the Societie in great credit with the Armie went to them and speaking freely made them understand That his Order refused not their Liberality as if it would not come seasonably to supply their necessities but God Almighty was not pleased with those that give out of other mens fortunes They should remember themselves how long and how profusely they had lived in Antwerp keeping possession of the Townsmens houses how threatningly and licentiously in the beginning of the mutiny some of them had seized upon the citizens Estates Why then should they seek out persons profusely to bestow their money on and in the mean time injuriously passe by those to whom it was iustly due Rather in that distribution they should use care and method and relieving the wants of the poor Townsmen recover the good opinion of the City and save their own soule and reputations This was not spoke in vain to the souldiers that likewise by this Argument of Bounty endeavoured to excuse the necessitie of their past actions Wherefore some of the chief among them either touched with Religion or to cancell the Ignominy of Sedition by a new example gave largely to the Citizens and began to restore many things got by violence with so great admiration and applause of the Magistrates that they ordered a Publick Speech should be made to the People wherein the Army should be praised and the pains taken and moderation used by the Fathers of the Societie specified and commended But Requesenes not yet confiding in the Army having pardoned and buried the memory of their fault sent them back to the siege of Leyden which the year before was begun by the Duke of Alva the Governour being now dis-engaged from much fear and care which out of a vain presumption of the Armies obedience he had imprudently brought upon himself and all the Royall party Unless perhaps it was done by confederacy to supply the present wants of the Exchequer as some then suspected saith the Bishop of Namure in his Letters to the Dutchess of Parma Requesenes therefore detaining the Spaniards a while at Bruxels till he in the Assembly of the Estates had published an Act of Indemnity sent them by the King with lesse preparation then was made by Alva but with more Liberality though for the unseasonableness not much greater fruit they commanded by Francesco Valdez returned to Leyden with more Resolution then Success And Valdez at first taking their Out-works and some Forts near the Town and cutting off Provision of Victuall had almost brought the City full of Inhabitants to extream necessity Notwithstanding he wrote a kind Letter to the Citizens shewing that he understood their wants yet offering them very fair conditions But they proudly and barbarously answering that They would not want sustenance whilest they had their left Arms for those they would eat and use their right arms to defend their Liberties Valdez hastening his approaches daily straitned them so much that at lengthâ—t caused a great tumult in the City the Townsmen in every street dying for hunger insomuch as the people having lost their patience threatned the Consuls that unless they rendred the Town they themselves would open the gates to the enemie Valdez upon notice hereof that he might fall upon them whilest they wavered in that discord resolved upon the third day to give a generall assault In the mean time he failed not to go the Hague a neighbouring city where his Mistresse lived a noble Ladie of that Countrey married to him not long after whom he was then a suiter to often waiting upon and courting her according to the freedome used in the Low-countreys By chance the day before he was to storm the Town Valdez feasted his Mistresse at the Hague and observing her to look sad importuned her to
a German Regiment beats the Confederates from Ruâ—emund l. 9. p. 49. raiseth men in Germany l. 10. p. 7. Pomp vide Funeral and Triumphal Portugal taken by Philip King of Spain l. 7. p 82 Portugal Ships with Indian Lading taken by the English l. 7. p. 66. Pope Prisoner in the Castle of St. Angelo l. 1. p. 9. Ports of England interdicted to the Ships of Holland l. 7. p. 71 72. Port of Brill and Encâ—â—ysen in Holland ibid. of Calice in France l. 1. p. 11. of Vlushing in Zeland l. 7. p. 72. of Graveling in Flanders l. 1. p. 11. vide Fleet and Ships Presages and predictions of Charles the fifth concerning the Low-Countries l. 2. p. 37 38. of Lucas Gauricus upon Henry the second of France l. 1. p. 13. of Meâ—lancthon upon the Prince of Orange l. 2. p. 43 44. of Paul the third upon Alexander Faraâ—ze l. 9. p. 43. of Pius the fifth touching the danger of Religion in the Low-Countries l. 6. p. 21. of future Calamities l. 7. p. 40 53. l. 9. p. 49. of prosperous Successe l. 8. p. 11. vide Prodigies President of the Privy Councel l. 1. p. 25. of Castile l. 4. p. 82. l. 6. p. 23. Pretor of Antwerp l. 5. p. 124. Priest turn'd out of Antwerp l 9 p. 40. and Amsterdam l. 10. p. 5. Banitâ—hed from Great Britain fed and supplyed by the King of Spain l 4. p. 83. put to death with barbarous torments l. 7. p. 75. their Figures tyed to Posts and whipped l. 7. p. 78. whether Priests and Religious may write of War and things Prophane l. 1. p. 2. one praying for the Souldiers wading the Sea l. 8. p. 11. wide Religious Princes must imitate Iupiter l. 4. p. 85. what the Philosophy of Princes is l. 5. p. 147. Priviledges of Branat vide Brabant and Bruxells Priviledge of the Ioyful-Entry l. 2. p. 30. Prodigies at the Death of Charles the fifth l. 1. p. 8. before the Low-Countrey War l. 7. p. 40. seen in Heaven l. 7. p. 59. observed at Florence l. 1. p. 22. at Lovain l. 7. p. 53. vide Comets Eclipse and Presages Proscription published against the Prince of Orange l. 2. p. 45. his defence l. 1. p. 4. vide Apology Proscription of Martin Luther l. 2. p. 34. of the Covenanters l. 7. p. 42. Prosper Sanctacruz Paul the fourth's Nuncio in France l. 3. p. 58. Protestation of the Spanish Embassadour to Pope Pius the fourth at Rome l. 4. p. 85. Proverb Military among the Walloâ—â— Souldiers against timerous Scouts l. 7. p. 54. Proverb of the Valencenians a proud one l. 6. p. 5. Provinces of the Low-Countries their Division vide Low Countries Psalter turned into Meeter l. 3. p. 63. sung in Frenâ—h by the Hereticks l. 3. p. 61. l. 5. p. 117. 124. condemned by Edict l. 3. p. 64. Punishment â—alls by lot upon the Author of the Crime l. 6. p. 31. of the English that sought the life of Don Iohn l. 10. p. 20. of Anthony Strall l. 7. p. 49. of an Apostate l. 4. p. 83 84. prepared for the Citizens of Bruxells l. 7. p. 70. of Casembrâ—t l. 7. p. 49. of the Covenanters l. 7. p. 40. of Dui l. 7. p. 49. of Hereticks l. 3. p. 62 65. l. 4. p. 96. l. 5. p. 130. l. 6. p. 11 20. l. 7. p. 75. of the Harlemers l. 7. p. 78 79. of the Spaniards ibid. p. 72. of Lanoi l. 3. p. 62. of Moro l. 5. p. 107. of the Gentlemen Covenanters l. 7. p. 48 72 74. of the Lords l. 7. p. 52. of Rebels l. 6. p. 4 19 20. of an Hereticall Minister l. 4. p. 83 84. of the Seditious l. 9. p. 56. of the men taken at Sichem l. 9. p. 55. of Spell l. 7. p. 49. vide Condemnation and Mulct Pyramo Conrado brother to Don Iohn by the Mother l. 10. p. 24. Pieâ—rho Malvezzi designed Colonel of the Italians l. 10. p. 7. Sentences in P. IT concernes PARTICULARS that the Generality should be governed l. 2. p. 37. No tye can oblige the PERFIDIOUS l. 6. p. 11. 'T is Lawful for the poorest Peasant to PETITION l. 5. p. 103. PRINCES never can offend alone l. 5. p. 15. It is of great Concernment to get a habite of PIETY whilest thou hast thy Vnderstanding that when thou art not t'y self thou canst not but be Pious l. 10. p. 16. They do ill that make the Favourers and Pityers of their Cause Spectators of the PUNISHMENT l. 7. p. 53. The Philosophy of PRINCES is to dive into the secrets of Men leaving the Secrets of Nature to such as have spare time l. 5. p. 137. The people take it as a favour from their PRINCE to be punished by his hand left they be enforced to endure torments enflicted by a Servant l. 6. p. 21. Easily will Nature shrink into her own Stature and Condition if PRIDE that puffs up and distracts her do but once evaporate l. 1. p. 6. PRINCES dislike not their Ministers Ansterity rendring them inaccessible to the subtile Flatterer l. 7. p. 83. Treasons are not believed to be plotted against any PRINCE that is not slain l. 9. p. 37. Without a Scene and admiring Spectators PROUD men do but coldly act their parts l. 1. p. 25. Some mens PROUD Natures are inraged if forbidden but if left to themselves will in time recover l. 4. p. 79. 'T is a fault in humane Nature to conceive things greater because PROHIBITED l. 5. p. 117. No PROUD man ever carried himself like a Servant to any over whom he did not hope to be a Master l. 8. p. 33. Q. Question of Tributes l. 7. p. 71. in the Councell of Trent of place between the Spanish and French Embassadour l. 4. p. 85. Composed ibid. revived at Rome ibid. determined by the Pope Ibid. Questions of Faith agitated l. 2. p. 39. Quesâ—oy Q. Cicero l. 8. p. 8. Q. Sertorinus l. 1. p. 6. Quirin Hill l. 9. p. 40. Quisciada vide Aloysto R. RAge of Women against stragling Fugitives l. 1. p. 12. Raiters routed by the Lanciers l. 8. p. 4. Ranuccio Farneze Duke of Parma Piacenza is born l. 4. p. 95. l. 9. p. 44. how he was begged of God l. 4. p. 95. Raphael Barberino Uncle to Pope Vrban the third l. 7. p. 60. sets down the particulars of those battles whereat he was present ibid. advertiseth the Duke of Alva of the Prince of Orange's Designes l. 7. p. 61. is sent by Alva to the Queen of England l. 7. p. 66. returnes the Duke the Queene's answer and the state of the Cause Ibid. prepareâ— Shipping for the Zeland Expedition l. 8. p. 9. raiseth Fortifications at their Entrance into Zeland ibid. Doth many Services in Vitellâ—'s place ibid. p. 10. wades over the Sea ibid. Raphael Manrique l. 9. p. 47. Rapine vide Plunder Rassinghem vide Maximilian Ramund de Tassis Principal Secretary to the King of Spain l. 7. p. 44. Rebellion of the
hope of impunity Their new Conspiracy And new fashion The Originall of these kind of confederacies May 17. Not cured either by the Governesses care 6. or 21. of May. Or by the Kings letter gracious indeed March 15. But unseasonably protracting the Grant of Generall Pardons to some great ones 1570. The Low-countreys over flowed with Hereticks 1566. Privately at first Then openly preaching Three â—orts or Classes of them Calvinists Lutherans Anabaptists Catholicks What they were that came in Infinite Resort to hear them And to the Sacraments after the hereticall way Why the people are so fond of sermons Some out of zeal to heresie Divers taken with the Rarity 1565. Many delighted with singing of Psalms But the most with hearing them rail and jeer in the Pulpit Their audience increased by severall Countreymen striving to have their heresie preferred Which necessitates the Governess to hasten away the Marq. of Bergen into Spain Who sickning by the way Sends the Steward of his house before with his Letters 1566. Her Excellence by Edict banishes Forreiners But cannot resolve what course to take with the new Preachers She revives the Edict against them Who were more followed because prohibited Especially at Antwerp The Governess is desired to come thither 1564. She sends count Megen before her But upon a mutiny of the people He is called away The Town petitions for the Prince of Orange Who is made Governour of Antwerp Multitudes of people meet him upon the way He silences their shouts and the Hereticks acclamations Consults about a remedie for the present mischief Sermons in the fields frequented as much as ever For which she justly reprooves the Senate of Antwerp and tries severall wayes to make the Prince of Orange A meeting of the Gheuses at Centron or San-Truden They desire the use and freedom of the Town from the Bishop of Liege Gerard Grosbech Which he denies But the Townsmen let them in They convene in the City Where they unanimously agree to petition for their Indemnity Touching Libertie of Religion they differ among themselves A few Pages lower The Governess sends Count Egmont and Count Horn to break off the Convention These Lords remember the Covenanters of their promise But they by a new message from S. Truden make high demands from the Governesse She puts them off for the present The Prince of Orange would be made Governour of Antwerp to enable him for ruling of the Town And is made Governour accordingly with power to chuse himself a Guard But this concession was a great weakning in her Excellence The Kings letters wherein he grants the Governesse her desires So limited as gave the people no satisfaction And so long a coming as rendered them unusefull to the King Of the plunder of Churches From whence that Mischief came into the Low-countreys August 28. What forreiners incouraged them Why the Low-countreymen joyned with them August 28. The day appointed for the Picture-scuffle The Place The quality of the Image-breakers Their Instruments First the Villages are plundered Then the Cities They are received at Ipres Deface and pillage the great Church Burn the Library Violate all things sacred The People and the Magistrate diversly affected A new Party of Image-breakers in other Towns S. Omer Menin Commines Vervich Encountred by the Secliners And defeated The Governess's words to Count Egmont His Answer Her reply His Rejoynder Her Conclusion The Senates resolution upon the Exigent A new Iconomachy at Antwerp Begun with scorn put upon the holy Pâ—ocession Mockerie And quarrelling in the Cathedrall Church Whereof the sacrilegious people shutting out the rest possest themselves And singing Psalmes fall to work Breaking all things consecrated And defacing the whole Cathedrall O Profane What a great stately Church was this How small a number defaced it In a few houres Some thought the Devil helpt his Children Because none of the Sacrilegious were so much as hurt in the doing it From the Church they fall upon the City And their number encreasing Plunder all the Churches And Religious Houses in the Town With incredible security Terrifying the Inhabitants The Merchants keep their own houses and there stand upon their guard Those that had the custodie of things sacred run away from their charge Religious men dare not appear All the Town in a fright The Nuns flie to their fathers Houses The Sacrilegious make but one nights work of it Both Catholicks and Hereticks conceal themselves out of mutuall distrust The Church-robbers plunder with more licentiousnesse then before The Pillage continues for three whole dayes together At last the drowsie Citizens awake And taking Arms Fright away the Sacrilegious The like mischief at the same time Shaked all the seventeen Provinces like an Earthquake Onely sour excepted Tac. l. 2. Annals To an infinite losse Especially in Flanders Some thought this Pillage a design to betray the Low-countreys Martin Delrio in Alter Belg. l. 1. Sen. Truden l. 4. Plotted between the French and Low-countrey Hereticks With consent of the Gheuses An instance whereof is Lewis of Nassau's letter And his Patronage of the Iconomachy Septemb. 8. The Governesse calls a Senate or Great Councell Aug. 27. Her Speech The divers senses of the Senatours upon this Speech some for others against a Warre Their heat ended The Senate made this Decree nemine contradicente â—he Gheuses threaten Bruxels and the Governess Who frighted resolves to leave Bruxels But is stayed by prayers force The Prince of Orange expresses verymuch trouble The Governess more and more threatned Ulricus Viglius Yet not suffered to depart the Town And very much terrified Makes some concessions to the covenanting Gheuses Giving the King this account by letter Of the Causes moving her to do it And of the particulars granted Blaming her own indulgent Act and beseeching his Majestie not to confirm it But rather to vindicate Religion She in the interim secures her self and the Town of Bruxels And gets time to breath upon the present alteration of affairs by the endeavours of the Gheuses at Bruxels And of the Prince of Orange at Antwerp Who afterwards offended the Governesse by his grant of Churches to the Hereticks Septemb. 3. For which he gives her reasons Septemb. 4. Septemb. 4. 5. 7. But not satisfactory The like done at Mechlen and Tournay by the Counts of Hochstrat and Horn who excuse themselves Septemb. 8. The very same at Utretcht And at Bolduc The Franciscans at Antwerp endangered by the Hereticks Septem 17. And turned out of doors at Amsterdam The pious Act of the Amsterdam women The impious act of the women of Delph Septem 27. Octob. 10. and 16. The Governesse beseeches the King to come with an Army Gant 1539. 14. and 24. And the King after he had communicated the joy of his Daughters birth August 12. Clara Isabella Eugenia Approves of her advice Directs her what numbers to raise And what Commanders to employ Sends Commissions And money to the Governess Giving reasons to the Princes of
by reason of King Charles his Edict commanding that none should be raised in France All this the Governesse knew by private letters out of France Lastly at the very same time in the Consistorie of Antwerp letters were read dated at Constantinople from so many and so remote places were the Low-countreymen incouraged to rebell either out of malice to the Catholick faith or to the house of Austria sent from Iohn Michese a powerfull man and highly favoured by the Turkish Emperour Wherein he advised the Calvinists of Antwerp and inflamed their zeal To proceed as they had valiantly begun in rooting out the Catholicks that the Turk had great Designes a foot against the Christians and shortly Philip King of Spain would be so ingaged in a Turkish warre that he would not have leasure to think of the Low-countreymen And indeed Michese spake not this at randome He was born a Iew for it will not be amisse to speak somewhat of the man illustrious for mischief and often mentioned in the history of Cyprus and other destructive warres and when he was a youth fleâ— out of Spain for fear his ill-dissembled superstition might be discovered and living long in Antwerp he was much esteemed by many persons of honour particularly by Mary Queen of Hungary then Governesse of the Low-countreys from thence impudently stealing away a maid of noble parentage he went to Venice and there had the confidence to treat with the Senate about assigning a place for the Jews in some of the Islands belonging to that Signiorie his Suit being with scorn rejected first he made a voyage to Constantinople and there married a rich Jew then he passed into Cilicia to Selimus the sonne of Soliman and finding the Prince in a vacancie of affairs or not disposed to serious businesse being altogether inslaved to his pleasures Michese as he knew all the points in the compasse of Luxury feeding him every day according to the variation of humour to the height of appetite with exquisite and new delights became one of his Minions or Privadoes by how much he excelled in the art of flatterie or the artifice of pleasures by so much he preceded all others in the Princes favour Therefore Sultan Soliman was easily intreated by his sonne to grant what the Venetians had denied a Citie and Territorie for the Iews Nay Selimus after he came to the Crown made him of his Councell of Warre much about the time when the Moors in Spain resolving to take up arms implored the assistance of the Turkish Emperour to a people of the same Religion that in hope of aid from the Turk intended a warre against King Philip. Nor was the Emperour Selimus averse from sending an armie into Spain and whilst Michese advised him to it because he saw it pleased Selimus his sonne in law Achmet who had infinitely indeared himself to Selimus by his rare policie used in concealing his father Soliman's death at Zighet he doubted not but the design would shortly take and therefore by that which I have mentioned animated his friends at Antwerp putting them in hope of a rebellion of the Moors But Mustapha and others voting for a warre with Cyprus Michese came over to their opinion and when the Emperour was doubtfull which way to incline Michese alone turned the scales and carried it for Cyprus so great was his envie to the Venetians whose incivilities and scorn he often with much passion mentioned Besides he had a foolish hope to be created King of Cyprus vainly grounding upon some words spoken by Selimus at his table And that his endeavours might be answerable to his Counsell they that wrote the historie of that warre affirm it was he that laid the plot for blowing up of the Arcenall at Venice which not onely shook the foundation of the citie and beat down the buildings round about it with a huge destruction of men but even the neighbouring towns and cities were affraid they should be shattered with that Earthquake Those that gave fire to the powder being sent from the Turk by advice of Michese to the end that so great a losse might weaken the Venetians and render them in no capacitie for the warre And if a few dayes before the better part of their powder had not been shipped away for Corcyra that Citie the fairest in the world had been utterly ruined and one man had in a moment ended the warre of Cyprus So great a fire can spleen kindle in any mans bosome raised even in the midst of the water Among the Low-countreymen Michese his letters and incouragement did no little mischief For this news putting them in heart it was decreed by the Consistorie of Antwerp that whereas an opportunity was now offered to strengthen their partie they should make up among themselves as great a summe as possibly they could to be ready upon all Emergencies which was with great zeal immediately put in execution At which time Count Hochstrat Lieutenant Governour of Antwerp for the Prince of Orange sent a Petition to the Governesse delivered him by the Hereticks of that citie wherein they desired libertie of Conscience for themselves and their brethren for which they offered the King three hundred thousand Florens which was supposed to be the Artifice of some that they might with lesse suspicion go to and fro to gather money and in the mean time both deceive the Spaniard that would be easily tempted with so much gold and likewise their own partie that would more willingly open their purse for obtaining the free exercise of Religion then for the maintaining of a warre Unlesse perhaps that vast summe was offered to set forth the greatnesse of their faction And therefore many copies of the Petition were sent about the Provinces subscribed by the Gentlemen and Merchants that ingaged for payment of the money thereby to advance their reputation and to fright the Governesse with so great a power But her Excellence nothing moved with the vain noise of their wealth did not so much as vouchsafe an answer to Hochstrat The Petition it self she sent to the King to quicken him upon so many provocations In the interim she her self knowing all that passed in their Consistories and Assemblies when she saw that divers of the Conspiratours believing the news of the Kings coming grew very fearfull thought it best to make her advantage of that fear and therefore writing letters to them full of affection and confidence instructed the messengers to make them large promises to some which she knew were no enemies to Religion she wrote letters upon those blanks the King had sent her signed with his sign Manual wherein suiting her words to the times she exhorted them to defend the Cause of Religion to keep the people in their antient Duty and Obedience and these were to be so delivered that they should not be altogether concealed
from such as were not invited whereby jealousies and differences might arise among them And it happened very conveniently that at the same time the Governesse received some letters from the King writ with his own hand to the Prince of Orange and some other of the Low-countrey Lords expressing much affection to them which she presently sent to the presse and had them published the result of all this was That partly out of fear the Lords would desert them whose resolutions the Confederates perceived to waver partly out of hope which they were full of because they saw themselves courted and honoured by the King partly out of malice to others which as they thought suspected and hated them divers of the Covenanters leaving the publick meetings of the Conspiratours returned to their own houses to follow their private businesse or came over and submitted to the Governesse striving rather to merit the Kings favour then his indignation Which great defection elevating her spirits the Governesse resolved to use her utmost force and policy to scatter their seditious Congregations And to begin the right way by craving a blessing from God she wrote letters in the Kings name to all the Bishops and chiefest Prelates to appoint in all their Cities Fast-dayes and publick Prayers and to use all other means for appeasing the Divine wrath She likewise sent an Agent into France to Francis Alava the King of Spains Embassadour to inform him of the preparations made by the French Hugonots and another into Germany to the Emperour to pre-acquaint him with the Petition that was to be presented at the Diet and to give him intelligence how he was threatened by the Electours Augustus Duke of Saxony and Frederick Count Palatine And truly Count Mansfeld would have offered the Emperour that he himself would either convert the Duke of Saxonie to his Allegeance or take away the power of his disloyaltie by imploying the sonnes of Iohn Frederick that bore an inveterate malice to Duke Augustus for depriving their Father of the Electorate and if they should be incouraged to take arms no doubt but they would involve all Saxony in a War and Augustus would have enough to do to extinguish the fire in his own Dukedome without scattering it in anothers Dominions But the Governesse could not at that time spare Count Mansfeld she therefore held it sufficient to commend his design and to inform the King of it and his readinesse to serve his Majesty pretermitting no occasion to name him for the advance of the Counts former Suit and perhaps he himself had an eye upon it when he made this offer which undoubtedly would more advance his favour with the King then his trouble in Saxony Thus many proffer huge service to such as they know will not accept it especially if they think themselves able to do their businesse without the profferer's help Moreover it was Mansfelds plot the Counts of Aremberg and Megen being of the same opinion that the number of souldiers should be increased in the Low-countreys and the Governours attended with greater Guards and presently the Governesse directing her Letters to them advised them severally Not to suffer the Hereticks to have any more meetings That she knew besides their Sermons that were with limitation permitted they held I know not what Consistories and setting up Schools for Children bred them to impious Opinions That they married buryed and baptized in a new manner published filthy Books and posted up Pictures in mockery of God and the King and at their Calvinisticall Suppers the multitude then meeting solemnly professed that they had broke the League with Catholick Religion and were resolved never to make a Peace but constantly to endeavour the extirpation of it Root and Branch And yet was it possible men should so far forget all Modesty and Shame as to affirm that these abominations were licensed by the Governess when she permitted them Sermons That she was not so foolishly wicked as not to distinguish things so distant or to suffer so execrable impiety Therefore in the Kings name she commanded the Governours of the Provinces that as many as they should apprehend at any Hereticall meetings Sermons onely excepted they should proceed against them as Traytours to the King and disturbers of the publick Peace To these Letters she joyned an Edict which clearly explained every particular thereof and imposed penalties upon the contumacious somewhat more sharp and severe then well consisted with her nature I suppose Grief made a deep impression in her mind as if all that mischief came of Sermons which her too much fear and lenity had toleratrd Wherefore her Excellence sending the King a Transcript of the Edict said She was forced to use that rigour because the detestable carriage of the Hereticks contrary to agreement so required And she hoped if their other exercises were once suppressed that Sermons whensoever the King would declare the grant to be void and disallow them would be likewise banished the Low-countreys She added that when the Edict was penned all the Privie Councel consented but onely Egmont who said that Edict would be an Alarum to the Low-countreys and indeed either upon that occasion or because the Church-robbers and such as met at Sermons in prohibited places were punished they hastened the warre which they meant not should begin till a long while after To this end they met more frequently in their Consistories and Committees many Letters passing by the hands of Gyles Cleark to the confederate Gentlemen and from them to the Merchants and Consistorians By all which it was finally resolved that whensoever the Governess should use force they would be ready to take the field making their levies partly in Saxonie partly in the Palatinate but the Palsgraves offer should be first embraced Commission for Generall was given to Henry Brederod with a list of the names of Antwerp Merchants that engaged for money to raise men Brederod immediately named Collectours and made Philip Marnixius of S. Aldegund Treasurer of the Army Lewis of Nassau undertook to solicit Augustus Duke of Saxony For though Saxony was then embroyled in a Warre between Iohn Frederick sonne to the late Electour Iohn Frederick and his cosin-germane by the fathers side Augustus Duke of Saxony de facto yet Lewis liked the employment because he hoped by authority of the Germane Princes that were active in it the difference would be soon composed and he should from thence be furnished with stout and well armed souldiers for the Low-countreys But because the war continued Iohn Frederick despising the conditions of Peace and that the Governess knowing the Covenanters designe to trouble Lewis his negotiation kept some faithfull Agents in Augustus his Army which lay before the city of Goth therefore the Covenanters not relying upon this slow assistance met at the Prince of Oranges City Breda where these three things were decreed
acquaint him with the cause She said It was not possible but she must be in great anxiety having before her eies the image of Leyden designed to spoil and plunder the next day For so many funeralls of her friends and acquaintance as must necessarily be involved in the publick ruine were they not sufficient at the present with onely Fear and Imagination to banish all joy from her mind and afterwards when she had news of the success to give her heart a wound incurable Valdez lest he should loose the hope of his marriage beseeched her to be more chearfull and made her a secret promise to recall his orders for storming and for her love to spare the lives of that obstinate Citie Which he promised the more freely in regard he knew the Town would fall of it self though he held his hand and saved his souldiers bloud For very hunger would make them yield and the thought of it would be taken as a favour from him though he did it upon his particular designe Indeed the day after he had omitted the assault the difference increasing between the People and the Citizens they consulted about sending Commissioners to Valdez When the Countrey-people that had long watcht to help the Leydeners hearing of their danger and disagreement finding all attempts to free the Town fruitless resolved to follow the counsell of despair Through the Liberties of Leyden and the adjacent countrey many Rivers flow with various windings and turnings the Rhine it self divides and washes the streets the Ysel and the Mose this runs as far as Rotterdam that to Goud and from thence to Leyden with swift currents which with the confluence of those greater chanels lest at a high tide they should pour the mixture of their own the seas fury upon the land are banked in as if a line were drawn before them by the industry of men The Hollanders therefore writing to their friends at Leyden by Carrier-pidgeons what they intended made holes through the bank and slighted that Bulwark of the Continent raised against the salt and fresh-water tides by the labour of so many yeares and with the Mose the Ysell and the Sea it self rushing as from an ambush on the level they covered their native countrey with a deluge So as the ruine estimated at seven hundred thousand Florens made way for ships to sail the meadows overflowed the Leaguer of the Spaniard and they which dwelt fourtie miles off a thing hardly credible brought supplies of men and victuall to Leyden And truly that new face of the Sea spread among Groves Villages and Fleets sailing through woods as if trees had grown into ships might have been delightsome to the Spaniards like a Show in a Romane Theatre where the Scene was miraculously changed and Ships fought to make them sport if they had not likewise beheld their danger from that unwonted spectacle and the Auxiliarie forces of that confederated element had not been directed against themselves so that all hope was cut off for taking the Town now victualled by so many Ship-ladings of Provision For to bring relief it was wonderfull to see how many sail appeared furnished with men and ordnance from the neighbouring Ports and Islands by a generall confederacie and with no less hatred to the Romane Religion which many publickly gloried in wearing half-moons in their hats with this motto Rather the Turk then the Pope The Fleet that came in to them was no fewer then a hundred and fifty sail well appointed for the war manned with at least twelve hundred besides Seamen Yet the Spaniards wear not at all dismaied and though the sea beat them out of their lower Forts they held the rest so obstinately and wrought so hard that in some places when they wanted spades to cast up earth against the water and the enemie they digged with their swords and carried the mould in their breast-plates and helmets The like upon the same necessitie was done of old in the same Countrey by the Nervians when they besieged the winter-quarters of Quintus Cicero using for want of other instruments their weapons instead of spades and their cassocks for wheel-barrows But their danger hourly increasing with the water which rose to a great height at the full Moon especially blown up by a storm the Spaniards that were rather now the besieged then the besiegers upon a sudden fear apprehended by Valdez who too late repented the lost opportunitie of taking the Town about midnight having nailed their great Canon and sunk them in the ditches after four moneths raised the siege Nor did he flie without loss the enemie chasing him with Grapples in their hands that is long poles headed with iron hooks or hooks at the end of long ropes wherewith they angled for the Spaniards grievously wounding them and drawing up many of them prisoners to the Ships At which time it was an admirable passage that of Pedro Ciaconio Bongia's Lieutenant This man running before his fellows to defend a Bridge was struck at from one of their boats with four grapples which catching hold drew him up dead to all appearance But when they had him aboard and that he saw them being six or seven busie fishing for others he rose at their backs and taking a hatchet that by chance lay before his feet with his full strength for he was onely dragged by his clothes his flesh being scarce touched knocked down one then another so a third the rest astonished at the fury of the revived man leaped into the water Ciaconio left alone in the Hoigh as it was laded with corn provided for the distressed Town brought it in for some kind of comfort to his vanquished fellow-souldiers The misfortune of the siege was augmented by a fresh mutinie of the Spaniards for having lost their hopes of the Sack of Leyden promised them instead of Pay And their sedition was increased by a report that Valdez their Generall bribed by the citie of Leyden forbore to storm it And though Valdez was not guilty of that crime for Avarice never had power over him and the Hollanders then were simple and knew not how to treat with bribes notwithstanding the rumour was believed or rather forged by such as were ignorant of the true cause but would not have the improsperous successe imputed unto themselves And they were glad of such an occasion to demand pay of their Generall full of money as they thought The flame of this tumult brake forth on a sudden from the breasts of very near four thousand who seizing upon and imprisoning Valdez substituted in his place another Electo and though the news of his bribery forthwith vanished yet they marching towards Utrecht entred the Town nor till by Valdez his means their pay was sent from Requesenes would they be quieted But the Spaniards not long after redeemed their honour lost by this