some of the Hollanders ships than the Hollanders themselues were tooke fiue of them and brought them into Deepe In this fight the Hollanders had sixe ships burnt and the French men sixe and one sunke in the sea It was thought that the French men lost many thousand men their admirall being one and the Hollanders about 300 men This fight was esteemed an honourable action for the Hollanders because they were but marchants ships and the French men ships of war and better manned While they were busied in the Netherlands touching the ratifying and establishing of a truce there began a new warre in Italy by meanes of pope Paul the fourth the first inuenter of the Iesuiticall sect This Paul was one of the familie and house of Caraffa in Naples that alwayes held with the French men in their Nepolitane warres and for that cause were most of them banished out of Naples and serued vnder the French men This Iesuiticall cardinall Caraffa being pope began to fauour and aduance his owne family and kindred thereby seeking meanes to be reuenged on the noblemen and cardinals which in Italy being their enemies were such as fauoured the emperour and the house of Burgondie as also vpon the houses and families of Columna Romanes and others charging them to be conspirators against him and for that cause persecuted them to the vttermost of his power whereby they were compelled to seeke aid of the viceroy of Naples the duke of Alua the duke of Florence and others who the willinglier granted thereunto because the pope refused to inuest the king with the crown of Naples which he holdeth as tributarie to the sea of Rome and seemed to threaten to excommunicat and curse both the emperour and the king of Spaine for which cause the duke of Alua came to aid the house of Columna and sore anoied the pope taking many places from him whereby he was constrained to craue aid of France which alwayes held and maintained the sea of Rome For which cause in the end of the yeare 1556 the duke of Guise was sent into Italy with eighteene or twentie thousand horse and foot men which did the pope no great pleasure for that the duke of Alua hauing besieged Rome and the king of Spaine hauing woon the battaile at S. Quintines which the pope had heard of the French men were sent for to returne againe into France by which meanes a deuout peace was made the duke of Alua first seeking it and went into Rome to kisse the popes foot and by that meanes got the great priorship of Spaine for his bastard sonne Don Ferdinando de Toledo The war in this sort begun in Italy notwithstanding the truce made betweene both parties not long before the French men and the Spanyards sought to intrap one the other vpon the borders of the Netherlands and to that end vpon Twelfe eue the admirall of France then gouernor of Picardy thought secretly to haue taken the towne of Doway thinking to deceiue the townes-men when they were busie drinking vnto their kings but he failed of his purpose after that hee tooke Leus in Artois which he pilled and spoiled The same yeare in the moneth of March the king of Spaine went into England to his wife queene Mary to haue some aid from her who vpon the seuenth of Iune by sound of trumpet openly proclaimed warre against France both by water and by land and by a booke put in print charged the king of France to haue conspired against her with the duke of Northumberland sir Thomas Wâ—…at Dudley Ashton and other English nobles in regard that hee supported and prouoked them against her as he had done the like to retaine rouers and false coiners of her money wholy against the promise by him made vnto her embassadors as also that not long before he had sent Thomas Stafford one of her rebellious subiects to take the castle of Scarborow and had secretly conspired against the towne and countrey lying about Calis and for that he made warre vpon the Netherlands which the kings of England were by contract long since made alwayes bound to aid and assist and that hee had little esteemed of her intercession of peace and desired no friendly nor good neighbourhood and for those causes she thought it conuenient to declare and hold him for her open enemie which she caused to be signified vnto him by a herault he being then at Reims in Campaigne which herault being rewarded by the king of France was presently returned backe againe with this answere saying That seeing his lady and princesse would now become his vtter enemie whereas hee had alwayes beene her friend he hoped by Gods helpe that hee should find meanes ynough against a woman and to get the better hand of her as his progenitors had alwayes done the like against their enemies The warre in this sort being proclaimed the queene of England raised an armie of sixe or eight thousand horse and foot-men and some pioners which were al apparelled in blew cassocks vnder the conduction of the earle of Pembrooke with the lord Clinton and the lord Mountague and three lord Dudleyes sonnes of the duke of Northumberland and many others which went to Calis and from thence marched to S. Quintines and there ioyned with the king of Spaines armie and holpe him to assault and win the said town where the lord Henry Dudley was slaine in the assault The king of Spaine being in England vpon the sixt of Iuly Emanuel Philibert duke of Sauoy began to raise an armie by aid of the prince of Orange the duke of Arschot the earle of Egmont the earle of Megen the earle of Mansfelt the earle of Barlemont and others with whom were ioyned the Dutch horse and foot and with that armie marched towards Guise making shew to besiege the same and incamped themselues not farre from it but their number daily increasing the duke of Sauoy sodainly approached and inclosed the towne of Saint Quintines with his light horse-men Within the towne there was a company of horse-men led by monsieur Tiligny and captaine Brudit as then gouernor of the towne and not long after in the night time Iasper Coligny earle of Chastilion admirall of France got into the towne The siege being strongly placed round about the same the ordnance was planted and diuers mines and sconces made about it The meane time Henry king of France sent an armie of men vnder the leading of the constable of France and the duke de Montmorancy to put more men and victuals into the towne which they thought to do by meanes of a marsh or poole of water lying upon the one side of the towne and to that end the constable came with his armie and lodging not far from the duke of Sauoyes campe shot out of his armie into the Spanish armie and to the duke of Sauoyes tent whereby he was forced to dislodge and to go into the earle of Egmonts quarter With the constable of
of the contract of matrimonie in Paris for him and in his name with the lady Isabella and at the same time the duke of Sauoy rid thither with a great traine to marry with the kings sister which was done with great triumphs where there was a great running at tilt appointed to be holden in Paris wherin the king himselfe the duke of Guise the prince of Serrare and the duke de Nemours were chalengers against all commers The king in the first and second daies ran brauely and the third day the queene fearing hee would ouer-labor and heat himselfe too much or hauing a secret conceit of some misfortune that might happen vnto him desired him to refrain from running that day but he would not and the third day when he had run two houres and was about to giue ouer he would needs shew that he was not wearie and calling Monsieur Lorges earle of Montgomery then captaine of his guard that was esteemed to be one of the best runners at tilt in France willed him to breake one launce more with him who excused himselfe by the wearinesse of his horse and other things but the king would not be denied and so as they were running one against the other it fortuned that Montgomery breaking his launce vpon the kings breast the splinters thereof slew into the kings visor of his helmet which was forgotten to be close shut and by reason that the visor gaue vp one of the splinters strucke the king in the right eye and wounded him deadly and when he began to stagger he was vpholden and taken downe from his horse sore bleeding with great crying of all the court and many of the people and being vnarmed and his wound visited by diuers expert surgeons whereof one was Andreas Vesalius sent thither by king Philip it was found to be mortall and altogether deadly and yet by the great experience and policie of the said surgeons he liued ten daies after and died vpon the tenth of August 1554 at the age of fortie yeres and in the twelfth yere of his raigne at his death complaining of his owne lightnes and also amongst other things that he had been ouer-rigorous against those of the reformed religion but the Cardinall of Lorraine told him that it was the diuell that troubled his mind so much willing him to striue and resist against him He was a wise prince and a right souldier couetous of honour and high minded The earle of Montgomery after the deed done fell downe vpon his knees before him acknowledging that hee had well deserued to die but the king would not in any wise that it should bee imputed vnto him but freely forgaue him as hauing compelled him thereunto but he presently departed from the court keeping himselfe solitarily as a man desolat comfortlesse but being counselled to read the holy Scriptures for his consolation as the Frenchmen write in the end it was the meanes to cause him to alter his religion and being before that a Romish Catholick and one that earnestly persecuted the reformed religion after that became a great protector defendor thereof in Fraunce and at the last being besieged in a small towne of Normandy called Damsron he was taken prisoner from thence caried to Paris and there openly beheaded whose death was imputed vnto the queene her children to be a point of cruelty reuenge King Henry left issue foure sonnes and three daughters Isabella the eldest was then espoused to the king of Spaine the second was dutchesse of Lorraine and the third queene of Nauarre Francis the eldest sonne was maried to the queene of Scotland and succeeded his father after him Charles after him Henry that was also king of Poland Francis the fourth son in Ann. 1582 was made duke of Brabant all which died without issue In K. Henry the seconds time two great sinnes raigned much in France as Atheisme Nigromancie which was much imputed to the Italians that were attendants vpon Q. Katherine de Medices and thought to be they that brought it in wherein many French poets and rymers were great helpers which many wise and learned men ascribe to be the cause of the deserued punishment that fell vpon the country of France Those of the reformed religion in Fraunce write that strange death of the king to be iustly sent vnto him and a great fauour of God towards them as thereby shewing his church his great power and a deliuery from a great persecution which the duke of Alua being there at that time sought to put in practise by the said kings aid according to the first article of the last peace concluded tending to the destruction of all those of the reformed religion throughout the world which it seemeth that the king sought to begin with the lords of his parliament among the rest committed Anna du bourg prisoner that openly spake vnto the king in the parliament house to be fauourable to those of the reformed religion for which cause the K. being fore moued threatned him that he would himself see him burnt which God by the wound in his eie would not suffer him to do but the said duhourg was afterward burnt notwithstāding the kings death This yere in August Pope Paule the fourth of the familie of Caraffa that was the cause of breaking the peace and had made war against the king of Spaine and the first founder of the Iesuits died in Rome at such time as with all his kinred and sect he had vndertaken and concluded to make a great persecution vnder pretence of religion against all good persons His death gaue many men cause to reioice especially the inhabitants of Rome in regard of the innumerable warres taxations burthens that he his practised procured so that the people of Rome arming themselues ran vnto the Inquisition house where they wounded the chiefe Inquisitor the rest flying away to saue their liues which done they burnt the house and released the prisoners would haue burnt the cloyster of Minerua because they were addicted vnto the Inquisitors if by meanes of Marcus Antoniu◅ Columna and Iulius Caesarino it had not beene preuented who by many faire words dissuaded them from it whereby also the Popes nephewes and kindreds houses were likewise spared The Popes image standing in the Capitoll they beat downe and drawing it through the streets cast it into the riuer of Tyber and commandement giuen in the name of the counsell and people of Rome vpon paine of great punishment that all the Popes and his familie of Caraffes images armes shields and titles should be broken downe in euery place of Rome as deadly enemies vnto mankind whose memorie deserued not to bee kept in the world Pope Pius the fourth his successor although hee had promised Cardinall Caraffa and the duke of Paliano his cousin and their familie to forgiue all offences fore-past and assured them thereof by his hand writing yet neuerthelesse he caused them all to
passages with cartes and other impedimentes hoping that the Duke beeing defeated and flying there would some fall to his share as there did many The Germaines marched in good order hauing good store of french horse whom the King had suffered to goe to those warres many lay in Ambush neere vnto the place where the battaile should bee fought to see if the Duke were defeated or to get some good prisoners or other bootie You may see into what a wretched estate the Duke had thrust himselfe in neglecting of good counsell The two Armies comming to ioyne the Duke of Bourgongnes armie which had beene lately twise defeated beeing fewe in number and ill appointed was presently put to rout and flight many saued themselues the rest were slaine or prisoners among the which the Duke himselfe was slaine in the field being ouerthrowne by a great troupe of Lanciers and not able to bee relieued of his followers for that they were prisoners Hee had three woundes the one on the head the other in the thigh and the third in the fundement The Bourguignons would not belieue that he was slaine but that hee was fled into Germanie and that hee had vowed to doe seuen yeares penance There were some among the Bourguinons which sold Iewels horses and other things to be paid when hee should returne and at Burchselles in the Diocesse of Spierre in Germanie a poore man begging they thought him to bee the Duke who did penance euery man desired to see him and hee receiued good almes Naucler writes that he had seene the said man The French King was well aduertised of the defeate whereof they did hourely expect some newes The Lorde of Lude who lay without Plessis where the King then was heard the first newes by the Poste which the Lorde of Craon and others had sent but no man did assure the Dukes death but onely the defeate before Nancy and that he was fled The King at the first was sole transported with ioy at these newes as hee knew not how to containe himselfe yet hee did thinke that if hee were taken by the Germaines they would compound with him for some great summe of money which hee would easily pay them On the other side hee was in great care if the Duke were defeated escaped whether he should seaze on the Duchie of Bourgongne or not being so easie to take seeing that all his best men and his chiefe Commanders were almost dead in these three battailes wherevpon it was resolued that although the Duke were in health yet hee would send his Armie into Bourgongne and seaze vppon the Countrey in this amazement which beeing done hee should aduertise the duke that he did it with an intent to preserue it that the Germaines might not destroy it for that the said Dutchie did hold of the Souerainty of the crowne of France the which he would not haue falne into the hands of the Germains that what soeuer he should take he would yeeld vnto him againe which few men would beleeue Duke Charles had beene a Noble and valiant Prince well bred vp in his youth and instructed in the tongues and liberal Arts yea in Astronomy and Musick a man wel spoken and of a good grace exceeding chaste but very high minded who would not indure any iniury of his equall nor of any greater Prince then himselfe exceeding cholerike froward and willfull he left one only daughter and heyre 〈◊〉 Maria Charlesia My father beeing deceast I was young left A Pupill to the Cleuoys for a while But tho of father I was quite bereft Me Maximilian gaue the marriage stile I him my fayth and dowry In yeares fiue I became Mother of three Children faire But being twenty six I left to liue My soule vnto her Maker did repaire Bruges reseru'd my bones my corps lay there MARY DVTCHESSE OF BOVRGONgne Countesse 32. ruling in Holland and Zeeland Duchesse of Brabant Lembourg Luxembourg and Geldres Countesse of Flanders Arthois Henault Namur and of Zutphen Lady of Sallins and Macklin Marquis of the holy Empire MARY the daughter and onelie heire to Charles duke of Bourgongne called the Warlike succeeded vnto her father in all his countries lands and Seigneuries shee was eighteene yeares olde when her Father was slaine before Nancy and remained vnder the care and charge of the duke of Cleues and the Lord of Rauestein his brother After that Lewis the leauenth the French King had certaine newes of the dukes death hee sent the bastard of Bourbon Admirall of France and Philip of Comines lord of Argenton into Piccardie with commission to receiue all those that would submit themselues vnder his obedience These two Noblemen went to Abeuille which was one of the townes giuen to duke Philip called the good at the peace of Arras by King Charles the seauenth the which for want of heires Masâ—…e should returno to the crowne of France At their arriuall they found that the Inhabitants were in treaty with the lord of Torcy to whome after that they were freed of foure hundred lances that were there in garrison they opened the gates From thence the Admirall and the lord of Argenton went to Dourlans from thence they sent to sommon Arras the Metropolitaine towne of Arthois and the ancient patrimony of the Earles of Flanders in the which time out of minde the daughters did succed as well as the Sonnes The lords of Rauestein and Cordes being in Arras went to speake with them in the Abbey of Saint Eloy two leagues from thence and with them Iohn de la Vacquery first President of the Court of Parliament at Paris These Noblemen entring into conference the Frenchmen demanded to haue the cittie opened for the King and to bee receiued in his name being that the King pretended it to be his by right of confiscation with all the country of Arthois and if they did refuse it they were in danger to bee forced considering that their Prince was dead and their chiefe commanders slaine in these three battailes whereby all the countrie was vnfurnished of defence The Bourguignons answered by Vacquerie that the countrie of Arthois belonged to the Ladie Mary of Bourgongne daughter to their deceased Prince who was lawfully descended from the Ladie Marguerite of Flanders her great great Grandmother who was Countesse of Flanders and Arthois c. the which was married to Philip the Hardie duke of Bourgongne sonne to King Iohn of France and brother to King Charles the fift Beseeching the King to entertaine the truce which continued yet betwixt him and their deceased Prince The conference of these Noblemen was not long for the French expected no other answere The Low-countries were much amazed and not without cause for in eight daies they could not gather togither fiftie men at armes as for other martiall men there were but 1500 in the countries of Henault and Namur that were escaped from the defeat of Nancy The French King marched with his army towards
their magistrates to examine them giuing them an assistant of the house of La Marke a mortall enemie to the Lorde of Humbercourt In the beginning they examined them Why they had caused the Lord of Cordes to deliuer vp the cittie of Arras vnto the King but they stucke but little vppon that point although they could not haue conuinced them of any other their passions were not busied about the notable losse of such a Cittie neither did they care â—…o see their Princesse grow weake nor were the capable to comprehend and iudge how preiudiciall the losse of that Towne might bee hereafter The Commissioners or Iudges of the Ganthois stood onely vpon two points the one was vpon certaine gifts and presents which they obiected they had receiued and especially for a sute which the Cittie of Gaunt had lately gotten by their seâ—…tence and pronounced by the Chancellor against a priuat person wherein they accused him To haue sold iustice and to haue taken a bribe of them to haue their right Whereunto the accused answered That in that they had obtained their sute it was according to equitie and iustice that they had iudged it and as for the money which they had receiued they demaunded it not but tooke it when it was offered The second matter wherewith the Commissioners did charge them was That during the time they were in seruice with Duke Charles their Maister and in his absence his Lieutenants they had done many things against the Priuiledges and Statutes of their Towne and that any man that attempted any thing against their Priuiledges must loose his life Herevnto the accused answered That therein there was no matter to charge them withall being neither Bourgesses of the Towne nor any way subiect vnto it and therefore they could not breake their Priuiledges That if Duke Charles or his father had taken any from them it was by a composition made betwixt them after many warres and rebellions but those that had been left them had been well obserued Notwithstanding all the excuses and iustifications of these famous and worthy men vnto those two crimes obiected after they had tormented them cruelly without all order of Lawe the Magistrates of Gaunt condemned them to die They hearing this cruell sentence were much amazed and not without cause seeing themselues in their handes whereas reason had no place notwithstanding for that the soueraigntie of Flanders depended on the crowne of France they did appeale to the Parliament at Paris hoping at the least that it might giue some delay to the execution of the sentence and in the meane time their friends might help to saue their liues There Processe continued but sixe dayes and notwithstanding the sayd appellation being condemned they gaue them but three houres libertie to consider of their affaires and to dispose themselues to death This short time being expired they led them to the Market-place vpon a Scaffold to execute them by the sword The Princesse hearing of this condemnation went to the Towne-house to sue and intreate for these two Noble-men but it preuailed not from thence she went into the Market-place whereas all the people beeing in armes shee saw these two Noble-men that were condemned vpon the Scaffold shee was in a mourning weed and a plaine kerchief on her head which should haue mooued them to pittie Being there shee beseeched the people with teares in her eyes and her haire hanging about her eares to take pitty of her two seruants and deliuer them vnto her Some of the people would haue had her will fulfilled and that they should not die others would haue the contrary and began to bend their Pikes one against another and were ready for murther but those that would haue them dye were the greatest number who cryed out vnto the Officers that were vppon the Scaffold that they should dispatch them wherevppon they lost their heades and this poore Princesse returned desolate to her house After that the Ganthois had done this execution they did sequester from their Princesse the Dutchesse Dowager of Bourgongne her mother in law and the Lorde of Ravensteyn her kinsman for that they had set their hands to the Letter which the Chancellor and Humbercourt had carryed to the King was the cause of their death and did seaze absolutely of the authoritie and gouernment of this poore Princesse Shee might well bee termed poore not onely for the losse of many good Townes which the King had taken from her by force but to see her selfe in the power and subiection of ancient Rebels and very persecutors of her house and that which was the greatest miserie of all was to see her selfe so depriued of her liberty sequestred from her most familiar friendes They of Gaunt hauing forcibly seazed vpon the gouernment of State and of their Princesse person put two Noble-men to death chased whom they pleased out of their Towne and spoyled all the ancient seruantes of the House of Bourgongne of their goods Now they began to studie of alteration first they drew the yong Duke of Gelders out of prison who had beene taken neere vnto Namur and then sent to Gaunt and made him head of an Armie which they raised among themselues and their neighbours of Bruges Ypre and other places and sent it before Tournay where hee onely burnt the Suburbes without any profit There was within the Towne foure hundred men at Armes who sallied foorth and charged these Flemmings in the Reere as they made their retreate who presently fled with disorder The yong duke of Geldres who was a valiant Prince made head against them that pursued that his people might haue the better meanes to retier but beeing ill seconded hee was slaine with a good number of his people The Princesse of Bourgongne and those that loued her were glad of this defeat and of the death of the Prince of Geldres for it was sayd that the Ganthois intended to force her to marry with him else shee would neuer haue done it with her owne good liking for his great disloyaltie and cruelty against his father In the meane time there was a speech of diuers marriages for the Princesse of Bourgongne all men concluding generally that shee must haue a husband to defend all the rest of her Seigneories or els that shee should marrie the Daulphin of France that shee might enioye all in peace Some did much affect that Royall marriage especially shee her selfe before that her letters carried by the Chancellor and Humbercourt had beene discouered Others tooke exception at the Daulphins young and tender age and the marriage of him promised wiâ—…h the daughter of England There were others that laboured for the prince of Cleues Others for Maximillian Arch-duke of Austria the onely sonne to the Emperour Frederick This Princesse had conceiued an extreame hatred against the French King for the discouerie of her letters for shee imagined that hee had beene the cause in giuing them
their departure was made Gouernour of all the Neitherlands in the Kings absence and recommended his sonnes Charles and Ferdinand to the Ladie Marguerite his sister Douwager of Sauoy The French King hearing that they tooke their way by Sea and would not passe through France he sent Philip of Cleues Earle of Neuers and the bishop of Paris vnto them in Ambassage requiring first That the marriage which had beene concluded betwixt Prince Charles their sonne and the Lady Claude of France the Kings daughter should bee diasnulled and made voyde for that the Princes of the blood and the Parliament did not thinke it conuenient And for the second point That the King of Castile should not attempt any thing vpon the Soueraigne iurisdiction of Flanders in ciuill causes and in Arthois touching Appellations both in Ciuill and Cryminall causes The which was wholy granted These Ambassadours dispatcht away King Philip and Queene Iane of Castile his wife accompanied with a goodly traine of Princes Noble-men Princesses and great Ladyes parted in the ende of the yeare 1505. from Antwerp and came into Zee-land where waying anchor at Arnmuyden the day after tweft day 1506 they went to Sea with a rich and mightie Fleet of shippes but they had not beene long at Sea before that there did rise a great tempest of winde snowe and such mists as being long before they knew what course they went they were hourely in great danger to perrish in the Sea Euery man wondered that in the depth of winter they would commit themselues to the danger and perrill of the Sea GOD letting them for to vnderstand that the greatest Kings and Princes are subiect vnto these dangers as well as the poorest Marryners but he preserued them and they put to land at Weymouth in the West part of England all the rest of the fleet was so dispersed as they knew not what was become of them whereof some shippes were cast away Henrie the seauenth King of England hearing of their being in the Harbour sent some of his Princes to receiue them in his name and to intreat them to come on land and refresh themselues whether he himselfe went and entertained them very louingly shewing them all the delights hee could and giuing them many goodly presents to make them forget their troubles past at sea At one time King Henry intreated King Philip that he would deliuer him the Earle of Suffolk who as we haue sayd was taken with the bastard of Geldres in the Castell of Hattem King Philip after great importunity vpon promise that King Henry should not touch his life consented that the Earle of Suffolke should be brought into England the which did much discontent many good men He was kept in the Castell of Namur from whence hee was brought and deliuered to the King of England who caused him to be lodged in the Tower of London Afâ—…er that King Philip and the Queene his wife had stayed for a faire season from their landing which was in Ianuary vnto the 24. of March they put to sea and hauing a prosperous winde they arriued soone after at the Groyne from whence they went to visit the râ—…licks of Saint Iames in Compostella going from thence towards Castille where they were royally receiued by all the Princes and Noblemen of Spaine The King of Castille had no sooner left the Netherlands but the Geldrois went to horsbacke against the treaty made at Roosendael falling vpon those townes and places which by the sayd treaty remained to the King of Castille among the rest vpon Groll and Waganengen the which they tooke running from them into Holland and Brabant The lord of Cheures hauing leauied an army went and besieged the sayd towne of Wagenengen but it was furnished with such good men which made continuall sallies vpon his campe as in the end seeing that he preuailed nothing he retired his army In August the same yeare 1506. there appered a Comete which did rise at the North-east and did set in the North-west drawing the taile which was great and large in forme of a rod towards the West the which was seene eighteene daies togither In the same moneth there was a poore woman in Holland betwixt the villages of Beuerwic and Vyc vpon the sea great with child and readie to bee deliuered Fifteene daies before her lying downe the fruite that was in her won be â—…as heard almost continually to cry and lament The which many worthy men for a greater approbation of the truth went daylie to heare it and since haue certified it Whereof some learned men in Philosophy and the Mathematiks haue diuersly written inferring that the crying of this child with the Comete did pronosticate the death of the â—…ing of Castille Pâ—…ince of the Netherlands and the great miseries which haue since happened in Holland and other of the sayd Prouinces The King and Queene of Castille beeing arriued in Spaine went from one Realme vnto an other and from oâ—…e cittie vnto an other to take possession according to the Preuiledges and customes of places Although that the King Don Fernando of Arragon father to the Qâ—…eene offred to King Philip 500000. ducates a yeare to remaine in the lowe countries and not to come into Spaine yet hee and his wife would goe and themselues in person end the controuersie that was by reason of the succession of the deceased Queene Isabella betwixt them and the King Don Ferdinando their father The which they did and Philip in the right of his wife was acknowledged King of Castille Leon Grenado c. But he enioyed it not long for the 27 of September in the same yeare 1506. he died sodenly in the citty of Bourgos not without suspition of poison being but 28. yeares old He desired before his death that his heart might be carried and buried at Ierusalem ioyning to that of the dâ—…ke of Bourgongnes his great grandfather the which was done His bowells were carried to Bruges in Flanders and his body was interred in a Couent of Chartreux Monks called Amesâ—…ur vpon a mountaine without the citty of Bourgos The Lady Iane his widoe was with child of a daughter whereof she was afterwards deliuered The newes of the death of this Prince caused great mourning and heauines throughout all the Netherlands fearing other troubles and reuolts by reason of the warre betwixt the duke of Geldres and them Those which at that time pretended to knowe the affaires of State sayd that the marriage which the Archduke Philip made with the Lady Iane of Castille was vnhappie for the Netherlands not for the miseries which the Spaniards haue of late yeares brought in and which the countries haue suffred for they could not fore-see these things so long before but for the great charges wherwith they were burthened to enter into those realmes of Spaine with a rich and stately pompe the which he did by the councell of his wife to impouerish the said countries
the Bishop of Vtrechts forces vnder Nicholas of Wilderstorffe against the Geldrois and Frison Geldrois vnder the command of the Earle of Maeurs of Collonell Martin van Rossen and Captaine Grand Pierre for the Duke of Geldres vnto the yeare 1526. During the which there were many townes and castels taken and recouered againe on eyther side diuers incounters skirmishes and sieges raised where-with the whole country was miserably afflicted and ruined for if the poore country-men of eyther side would keepe any thing they must of necessitie carrie it into the townes from whence they might not retire it when they would Some writers speake diuersly of the causes and motiues of the warre betwixt the Emperour and the French King But all concurre that the election of Charles reuiued the old quarrels and bred new The French King had alwayes an eye to the realme of Naples hauing treated with Pope Leo for the recouerie thereof Hee desired also to restore the King of Nauarre to his kingdome seeing that the Emperour made no accoumpt to leaue it On the other side the Emperor was not well pleased to pay the 100000. crownes pension to the French king according to the accord made with the Lord of Cheures his Gouernour ratified by the Emperour Maximilian his grand-father for the rights pretended by the French king vpon Naples Hee did also beare the losse of the Duchie of Bourgongne impatiently seazed vpon by king Lewis the eleuenth after the death of Duke Charles his great Grand-father by the Mother side slaine before Nancy There wanted no quarrell also touching the Duchie of Milan As they were about to seeke occasions to assaile one another there was one offered small in shew at the beginning but it was the fire-brand to kindle this flame the which afterwards did thrust the greatest part of Europe into combustion and made these two Princes their successors and subiects so to afflict one another as all the miseries that might be imagined haue followed and this was the occasion There was a sute betwixt the Lord of Aymerie and the Prince of Chimay of the house of Croy for a Towne in the forrest of Ardennes called Hierges and a sentence giuen in fauour of Chimay by the Peers of the Dutchie of Bouillon who doe iudge soueraignely without any appeale from their sentences yet the Lord of Aimery who had great credit with the Emperor Charles and the chiefe in Court preuailed so as he obtained letters from the Chancerie of Brabant to call in the heyres of the Prince of Chimay to appeare at a certaine day and to heare the reasons of Aimery if need were and to see the sentence giuen in their fauour disanulled They seeing the wrong that was offered them repaired to Robert of Marcke Duke of Bouillon as to their Lord and Protector that he might defend the liberties and priuiledges of his Duchie being withall Tutor vnto Chimays children hauing married their Aunte Wherevpon the Duke did what he could possible to maintaine his rights but seeing that they meant to depriue him he addressed himselfe to the French king with whom he found meanes to make his peace being before in some disgrace with him putting into his hands both his person and his places crauing fauour and support that he might haue Iustice of the wrong done vnto his soueraigntie Hauing thus prouided for his affaires hee sent to defie the Emperor the which was a great presumption for him and he bought it full deerely at the diet at Wormes and soone after the Lord of Florenges his eldest sonne leuied 3000. foote and 500. horse in France against the kings Proclamation and went to besiege Vireton a small towne in the country of Luxembourg Heerevpon the King of England hauing perswaded the French King not to enter into quarrell for so small a subiect as that of Bouillon with the Emperour matters were past ouer and the Duke of Bouillon dismissed his Armie But in the meane time the Emperour raised one whereof the Earle of Nassau had the command with the which he tooke Longues Meusancourt Fleuranges Sanchy and Bouillon wherevpon the Duke finding himselfe too weake obtained a truce of the Emperor for sixe weekes onely The French King considering that the granting of this truce was a secret declaration of warre against him for that if the Emperor had had no other desseigne but against the Duke of Bouillon there had beene no need of any truce hauing meanes to ruine him within sixe weekes hee began in like sort to raise an Armie solliciting the King of England to ioyne with him The Emperour on the other side hauing this ouerture began to looke to himselfe and both Armies went to field attempting nothing yet one against the other for the King of England hauing offered to be an arbitrator of their quarrells a parle was appointed at Calais whether the Commissioners of both parties came But for that they did not yeeld vnto the Emperor the restitution of the Duchie of Bourgongue and the abolition of the homage of Flanders and Arthois which hold of the Crowne of France there was nothing concluded In the meane time the Lord of Liques a Wallon made an enterprise vpon the Abbay of Saint Amant in Tournesis belonging to the Cardinall of Bourbon and vpon a small Towne called Mortaigne not farre from thence of the county of Holland This Gentleman pretended these places to belong vnto him and made himselfe Maister thereof At the same instant the Lord of Fiennes Gouernor of Flanders did besiege Tournay of all which exploits the Emperour excused himselfe saying that they were priuate quarrels But the King seeing that the Imperiall Armie vnder colour that the truce with the Duke of Bouillon grew to an end approched neere Mouson hee sent some troupes thether and so the warre began betwixt these two great Princes both in Champaigne Picardie and else-where all which I will forbeare to write of in this worke both for that they do not properly concerne this subiect as also being set downe at large in the Historie of France George Schenck Gouernor of Friseland with the Lords of Wastenare and Castre hauing taken the fort of Warckom and Mackom the Townes of Dockom and Bolswaert with some other forts holding the Geldrois party they went to besiege the Towne of Sloten the which they did batter furiously and the besieged defended themselues as couragiously so as in a sally which they made in the night the Lord of Wassenare was shot in the arme and the Gouernor Schenck in the bottome of his belly yet they remoued not out of the Campe. Those of the Towne seeing there was no hope of succours were forced to yeeld The Earle of Maeurs being at Steenwyke and hearing that the Bourguignons had taken Sloten retired from thence vnder coulour that he went into Geldres as he sayd to the Duke to seeke for succours From Sloten the Gouernor Schenck went to besiege Lemmer those within it
in the yeare 1556 king Philip pretending many goodly reasons and colour but the chiefest was to free and satisfie those debts wherewith the emperour had left hiâ—… charged made an excessiue demaund for the first aid and subuention which he required froâ—… his subiects of the Netherlands but he could not obtaine a moitie of that which he preteâ—…ded neither would that be granted without a conuocation of the generall estates of the 17 Bâ—…gicke prouinces the which was wonderfully ill taken by the Spanish counsell and by thâ—… that inriched themselues with the treasure to the peoples ruine so as some noblemen and gâ—…uernors of prouinces and townes were not only in disgrace with the king and his counsel bâ—…t were also iudged guiltie of high treason and the noblemen which had in any sort contraâ—…cted this demand were marked vnto death vpon the first opportunitie that should be offered for that they would not instantly yeeld vnto the first demaund without any conuocatiâ—…n of the states Notwithstanding that which was granted him being called the Nouenalâ—…yde amounted in all to fortie millions of florins of Brabant money But this conuocation of the generall states was both to the king and his counsell as it hath been euer since most olious as we shall see by the beginning of the trobles which happened in the said Netherlands wherof grew the wars the which haue continued since the yeare 1566 vnto this day On S. Andrewes day the same yeare king Philip held the feast and chapter of the orde of the golden Fleece in the towne of Brussels where as these knights following were newly ceated William of Nassau prince of Orange Philip of Montmorency earle of Horne the earle of Lalaine the earle Amorall of Egmont the duke of Arschot the lord of Molembais the â—…ord of Glaison and the lord of Barlamont The 22 of December the lady Marguerite of Ausâ—…ia duchesse of Parma bastard sister to king Philip came to the court to Brussels with her son â—…lexander Farnese a goodly yong prince and of great expectation of whom wee shall haue suficient matter to speake hereafter the king went forth of the towne to receiue her This Winter was wonderfully sharpe and rigorous as well by reason of the extreame cold weather as through famine which ensued whereof died in the towne of Brussels I omit other great townes by the report of the masters of hospitals aboue 19000 poore creatures of 〈◊〉 sorts men women and children which repaired thither from all places for the great charitieâ—…â—…alms which the king and noblemen in court gaue There was a drought continued from Iuly 1556 vnto the same moneth the yeare following in which yere not only corne and all sorts of pulce was exceeding deere but all other things that were to be eaten for that the vehement cold of the Winter past had spoiled all so as the poore soules knew not wherewithall to fill their bellies and when they had gotten any store of almes through the deuotion of well disposed people they burst themselues with eating or the meat being stronger than their weake stomac would beare made them die EMANVEL PHILIBERT DVKE OF SAuoy Prince of Piemont Gouernor and Lieutenant generall of the Netherlands for King PHILIP EMANVEL PHILIBERT DVX SABAVDIAE GVBERNATOR BELGIâ—…Ae I am EMANVEL PHILIBERT Duke of Sauoy That for long time did not one foot within the same enioy Mine vncle th'emperour maintain'd me in estate And of his sonne the gouornment of Netherlands I gate Where hauing rul'd a while at last did peace obtaine Which beeing made my lands to me restored were againe Henry the French kings sister to my spouse I had And by that meanes assurance of the peace to me was made From thence I tooke my way to Piemont and Sauoy Whereas my subiects me receiu'd with great and extreame ioy KIng Philip hauing after the emperours retreat out of the Netherlands appointed the duke of Sauoy his cosin to be gouernour and his lieutenant generall of the said countries he returned the ninth of December the same yeare 1556 from England to Brussels The English hauing before taken a fort neere vnto Boulogne vpon the sea put all the French men they found in it to the sword they found in it about fiftie cart loads of corne the which they did imbarke and brought to Middlebourg in Zeeland The queene of England and cardinall Poole by much means and long solicitation brought the matter of controuersie betweene the kings of France and Spain to such effect that she got them to agree to a truce and abstinence of warre both by water and by land for the space of fiue yeares that in the meane time they might draw to a good and continuall peace and the better to procure the same certaine mariages were propounded And vpon the last of Ianuary 1556 the said truce on the king of Spaines behalfe was at Brussels sworne vnto monsieur Chastilion admirall of France and at Blois on the French kings behalfe vnto the earle of Lalaine This truce was made wholy against the kings mind but well knowne to the counsellor Simon Renart and to the earle of Lalaine whereby great hatred and enmitie ensued and was after chiefe cause of the controuersies and troubles that ensued in the Low countries This yeare in the moneth of August there happened a great conflict betweene diuers Holland and French ships betweene Douer and Calis the Hollanders being twentie two marchants ships that came out of Spaine and amongst them had appointed one ship to be their admiral as the manner is amongst ships of warre promising and swearing not to forsake one the other but valiantly to fight and defend themselues the French men intending to take them had assembled nineteene ships of warre and six or seuen pinnaces and meeting them before Calis they set vpon them and in the end boorded them making their ships fast one vnto the other with hookes and other meanes the Hollanders as much as they could kept close together and defended themselues valiantly and lay so close and thicke together that they might fight almost as well as if they had beene on land the Hollanders ships were higher and stronger than the French ships but the French ships were both better appointed and manned for the war at the last when they had fought six hours beginning at nine of the clocke in the morning and continuing till three of the clocke in the afternoone one of the ships was set on fire which by reason of the wind that began to rise was so spread abroad that the fire tooke in most of the ships before they could part asunder which made them to cease the fight euery man seeking to saue his life in the ships that were not on fire many of them leaping into the sea and swimming to the next ship they came at whether it were friend or foe were by that meanes taken prisoners whereby the French men perceiuing themselues to be stronger in
and that the one might traffique and trauell freely and peaceably in the others countries and kingdomes all customes of reprisals should be abolished all priuiledges confirmed and either of them restored vnto his owne againe That all the old treaties and contracts of peace should be renewed and confirmed as farre as that treatie did allow and permit That both the kings should with all earnest zeale hold and maintaine the holy Catholicke Romish church and religion and be a meanes that the generall counsell might be holden That the King of Spain should deliuer S. Quintins Han and Chastelet to the French king and the king of France should deliuer him Theonuille Marienbourgh Iuois Damuilliers and Montmedi such as they had taken one from the other without breaking the fortifications and each of them might take his owne Ordinance and munition out of the same againe That Terrowane should be restored againe without wals as it was and Iuois on the other side should be defaced and should not be fortified againe nor any fort made within a thousand paces thereof Hesdin and his territories as old patrimonie belonging to the king of Spaine should be his and not claimed by France in any wise Many questions touching the borders of Burgonie Artois c. were put to deciding of certaine Commissioners on both sides with other such like doubts The king of Spaine should haue the earledome of Charlorys restored to him againe Whatsoeuer both the kings possessed and held in Montferrat should be restored againe to the duke of Mantua Bouillon should be yeelded to the bishop of Luyck the Island of Corsica to the Genouois and Valencia in the dukedome of Millan to the king of Spaine And as it was first propounded that a marriage of the eldest daughter lady Elizabeth of France should be made with Charles prince of Spaine to the end that further friendship and vnitie might be had it was agreed That the king of Spaine himselfe should marry her who as then was a widower and to haue with her 400000 crownes and she to haue a dowry of 50000 crownes yearely and that if he died before her there should be a third part of the 400000 crownes paid backe againe That the duke of Sauoy should marry with lady Marguerite the king of France his sister and with her should haue 300000 crownes besides the dutchy of Berry wherof she should receiue the inheritance during her life That the king of Fraunce should restore all the lands that hee then withheld from the said duke of Sauoy except the towne of Thierin Pignoral Chyras Ouer and the new towne of Asti which he should hold in his hands for the space of three yeares vntill order should be taken about the right that he pretended to haue therein That the duke of Sauoy should remaine as neuter on both sides That the king of Spaine should keepe Asti and Vercelles in his hands vntill the king of France did deliuer the 5 towns of Piemont aforesaid vnto the duke He that first should make deliuery should chuse four persons out of the others for sureties and should keepe them till the rest be performed That each king should comprehend his friends in that treatie of peace as the princes potentates and countries adiacent That the Dolphin of France and Don Charles prince of Spaine and the states of France and the Netherlands should confirme that peacâ—… onely the king of Spaine would not consent to comprehend the Earles of East-Friseland in that peace whether it were for any cause of actions that he pretended against them or for the reformed religion That all the goods of the vassals of either king should be restored vnto them againe and amongst the rest to William prince of Orange to whom should be freely deliuered his principalitie of Orange according to the contract made in Anno 1551 and also his lands in Dauphinois as Derpiere Tresluys Monbrison Curby Parriewe Nouois Cay Sauxcy Vayrume Beaurepair and Auxonne and that hee should haue law for his pretence and title to the earledome of Escampes Tonnere and Chaury with the foure baronies c. also the duke of Arâ—…chot the earle of Egmont and others as you may read at large That the bailiwike of Hesden should remaine to king Philip and the earldome of S. Paul to the lady of Tonteuille duâ—…ches of Longeuille excepting the right of both the kings the soueraignty remaining to the king of Spaine touching the restitutions aforesaid the K. of France offered to be the first chusing for sureties the duke of Alua the duke of Arcos the prince of Orange and the earle of Egmont which presently rid into France This peace was concluded as aforesaid in April 1559 subscribed by the Commissioners aforesaid as the duke of Alua the prince of Orange the prince of Melito Antony Perrenot and president Vigilius and on the other side the Cardinal of Lorrain the Constable Montmorency the marshall of S. Andrewes Moruilliers and Aubespina secretarie to the king In this peace the French king deliuered vp vnto the king of Spaine and the duke of Sauoy 198 townes castles and forts that were held with garrison whereupon Monsieur Mouluc marshall of France writeth That it was the most shamefull peace that France could euer haue made It is to be noted that this lady Isabella eldest daughter to the king of France was vpon the 19 of Iuly in an 1551 conâ—…racted in mariage to Edward the sixt king of England as then dead vpon condition that when she was 12 yeres of age within a month after she should be conueied into England there to be openly solemnly maried to the king vpon forfeiture on both sides of 50000 crownes with 200000 crownes to her mariage and that if she out-liued him to haue a dowry of 6666 l. 13 s. 4 d. yearely as long as she liued and that if king Edward out-liued her he should keep her mariage money as his owne This peace made many men to reioyce and all the countries throughout made great triumphs for the same specially in Antuerpe where from the 9 to the 18 day of Aprill they made fires throughout the towne shooting off their Ordinance casting fire bals playing and making diuers shâ—…wes in euery place of the same the high tower of our lady church was hanged with 300 lanternes burning with candles from the bottome to the top all the strangers resident therein as Florentines Genouois Lucans Dutchmen Easterlings Spaniards and Englishmen made diuers triumphant arches images castles other sorts of firing and fire-workes wine was let run in the streets whole oxen rosted hogges killed by men blinded great mastes set vpright that were greased and costly prizes set thereon for them to take that could fetch them downe and prizes for women that could run fastest and euery one for the best and the fairest For the accomplishing of this contract of peace the king of Spaine gaue the duke of Alua and others full power to fulfill the ceremonies
be committed to prison and put some of them to death MARGVERITE OF AVSTRIA DVTches of Parma bastard daughter to the Emperor Charles the fifth Gouernesse of the Netherlands for king Philip. MARGARITA AVSTRIA DVCISSA PARMAE BELGâ—… DITâ—… P. HISPA REGâ—… NOMINA GVEER Who ere he be that sees this picture in this booke Vpon the bastard daughter of th'Emperour Charles doth looke That first was macht with one of th' house of Medicis And afterward espoused in the stocke of Farnesis And had a sonne that was a man of worthinesse This bastard wholly gaue her mind to craft and subtilnesse And with dissembling face did vaile her bad and foule intent For while in Netherlands she had the gouernment The gentlemen thereof she knew how to deceaue And many men of good account in troubles great did leaue But ere she saw the effect of her disloyaltie Another had her gouernment and did the place supply MARGVERITE of Austria bastard daughter to the Emperour Charles the fifth was first married to Alexander Medicis the first duke of Florence who was slaine by his owne cousin then she married againe to Octauio Farnese duke of Parma and Placence Anthonie Perrenot Cardinall of Granuelle before bishop of Arras caused her to be preferred to the gouernment of the Netherlands before all the princes of Austria sonnes to the Emperour Ferdinand and the dutchesse of Lorraine neece to the Emperour Charles daughter to Christierne the second king of Denmarke and to the lady Isabella sister to these two Emperours and so cousin germane to king Philip The which the said Cardinall a great counsellor and mignion had laboured to the end that this lady Marguerite comming out of Italie new and vnacquainted with the affaires and state of the Netherlands might be wholly directed and gouerned by his counsell and he by consequence haue the whole managing of the said countries the which he obtained as you may see by the progresse of our Hystorie The which caused a great iealousie against him and by his practise bred a diuision betwixt the noblemen the knights of the Order and other of the counsell of state of the said countries who diuided themselues into partialities and factions one against the other the one to supplant and the other to maintaine the credit and authoritie of this Cardinall King Philip hauing now made peace with the king of France determined to go into Spain there to aid the Inquisition being certified that certaine noblemen there were great fauorers of the reformed Religion and also from thence the better to further the generall counsell which two causes had chiefely moued him to hearken vnto a peace And therefore he caused all the states of the Netherlands to bee summoned to appeare in Gaunt there to declare his mind vnto them and to take his leaue much recommending his sister vnto them and vnder her according to the auncient custome he appointed a counsell of estate for matters of great importance as making of peace or beginning of warre intelligences with forraine princes and countries and the defence of the Netherlands and a priuie counsell for making of laws giuing of pardons ministring of iustice and other publicke causes and a third counsell for the Treasurie and the gouernment of the kings demaines and all receits of moneyes and incomes of reuenewes belonging thereunto those three seuerall counsels hauing seuerall assemblies so that one had not to doe with the other they of the counsell of estate were Anthonie Perrenot bishop of Arras who not long after was made Cardinall of Granuelle William van Nassau prince of Orange Lamorale Degmont prince of Gauare and earle of Egmont Philip de Staden baron of Glayon Charles baron de Barlamont chiefe of the Treasurie and doctor Vigilius president of the priuie counsell After that Philip de Montmorency earle of Horne admirall and Charles de Croye duke of Arschot were ioyned with them He appointed further That the knights of the order of the golden fleece being called thereunto by the lady regent should also be admitted to sit with them and those also of the priuie counsell and of the treasurie He likewise gaue them secret instruction whereby they had authority to sit in counsell make enquiries and heare causes but should not resolue vpon any thing without the aduice of the Cardinall the prince of Orange the earle of Egmont the baron of Barlamont and the president Vigilius The priuie counsell consisted of twelue more or lesse doctors of the lawes and each counsell had their secretarie He ordained a gouernour in euery prouince that were knights of the order of the golden fleece as in Brabant the regent had the chiefe charge as generall gouernor being resident there the prince of Orange was gouernour of Holland Zeeland and Vtrecht and after that also of the earledome of Burgundie the earle of Egmont was gouernor of Flanders and Artois Iohn de Ligni caâ—…le of Arenbergh was gouernor of Friseland Ouerissel Groning and Lingen Charles de Bunen earle of Megen was gouernor of Guelderland and Zutphen Peter Darust earle of Mansfield was gouernour of Lutsenburg Iohn marques of Berghen was gouernour of Henault Valencia and the castle of Camericke The baron de Barlamont was gouernor of Namure Iohn de Montmorency lord of Currieres was gouernor of Rissel Doway and Orchiers and Florence de Montmorency brother to the earle of Horne was gouernor of Dornicke and Tournesis These were all the principall lords of the Netherlands and had authority ouer the souldiers and execution of iustice He also appointed the ordering and gouernment of the bands of ordinarie horsemen vnto those lords that were three thousand horse wel mounted and esteemed to be the best brauest horsemen in Christendome and were entertained and held in pay both in time of peace and warre the colonels were the prince of Orange the duke of Arschot the earle of Egmont the marques of Berghen the earle of Horne the earle of Mansfield the earle of Megen the earle of Rieulx the earle of Bossu the earle of Hooghestrate the baron de Brederode the baron de Montigni and the baron de Barlamont each colonel hauing his lieutenant his treasurer And at the same time the king held the order of the golden fleece in Gaunt where amongst others he inuested certaine lords of the Netherlands therewith as the baron of Assicourt the lord Florents of Montigny the marques of Renti and the earle of Hooghestrate of the house of Lalain The states of the land hauing behaued themselues so well towards their prince wherby he had attained to so honourable a peace and the gentlemen in his seruice hauing ventured both their liues and goods the commons likewise willingly paying their nine yeares contribution deliuered an earnest petition vnto the king to desire his Maiesty to send the Spanish other forraine souldiers out of the Netherlands ouer the which souldiers the prince of Orange the earle of Egmont and the Earle of Horne were colonels
out the new religion yet it is most manifest that it is no new thing to endure two religions in one countrey yea and that all wise kings and princes haue so done according to the necessitie of the time for although the religion of those emperours were bad yet they held it good holy as the king holds his and it was the religion which they had receiued from their ancestors aboue three thousand yeares past But wee find also that Christian emperours haue endured false religions as it appeares by the examples of Theodotius Honorius and Arcadius who gaue temples to the Arrians and Noâ—…atians sometimes within sometimes without the citie as the necessitie of the time and place required In the Ecclesiasticall hystorie it is reported for a remarkable thing that Valentinianus the emperour was Orthodoxe and a good Christian yet he suffered the Arrians though he fauoured them not so much as the others Valens his collegue or companion in the empire was an Arrian and would by no meanes suffer the Christians in his gouernment but did persecute them in all sorts whereby wee may easily gather that in all well gouerned commonweales to auoid seditions and tumults it is sometimes necessarie to grant temples vnto hereticks not to the intent they should disperse their heresies more but that the people hearing the truth confronted with falshood might without mutines or tumults apply themselues quietly vnto the true and right religion But our Lord and Sauiour saith That he came to bring warre and not peace into the world so as in one house there shall bee dissention betwixt the father and the sonne the brother and the brother c. How can we then maintaine the religion of Iesus Christ if they will reduce all the world to one faith and one law seeing that for the ordering thereof he doth not command the faithfull to kill the rest but contrariwise he saith That the Apostles and faithfull should bee betrayed excommunicated and put to death for their faith and religion and therefore hee will haue them win the field through patience and the vertue of his word So as I cannot wonder sufficiently at the impudencie of these men who making a shew to be well read in all antient hystories dare maintain that there were neuer two diuers religions in one commonweale For what will they answer to the diuersitie alreadie alledged betwixt the Pharises Saduces and Essâ—…es without doubt they shall neuer find that by reason of these sects there was any great difficultie in the gouernment nor that Iesus Christ or his Apostles did euer command to burne them for their law What shall we say of the diuersitie of religions that were among the Heathen wherof one did not know anothers gods no not the names and some also maintained publikely That God did not care for humane things and yet wee find not that the gouernment of the Romans was troubled for this cause But who doth not see at this day vnder the great Turke a great diuersitie of religions so as among the Christians alone there are fifteene or twentie sects and sundry religions besides the Iewes Persians and Mahumetists all subiects to his empiâ—…e the which are more contrarie one vnto another for matter of religion than water is contrarie to fire Without doubt if these diuersities were the true cause of seditions and tumults it were not possible that the Turkes power should grow so great It is then a great ignorance to thinke that subiects cannot bee maintained in quiet when they are of diuers religions for who so will looke neerely to the spring and beginning of tumults and seditions hee shall find that they proceed not so much from the diuersitie of religions as through priuat passions as couetousnesse ambition reuenge hatred and such like from the which â—…all quarrâ—…ls may grow and when the magistrat preuents it not in time then by little and little they inflame and are cause of tumults and publike seditions Witnesse the troubles and seditions in Italy betwixt the Guelphes and Gibellins the which continued foure hundred yeares and was the cause of infinit murthers rapes warre and al sorts of violence and yet there was no difference in the religion but all did grow for that the magistrat did feed the priuat passions of their subiects in steed of suppressing them by iustice And as for controuersies touching religion it is not two hundred yeares since that the controuersies betwixt the Franciscans and the Iacobins for the conception of the virgine Marie had caused great troubles throughout all Christendome not that the controuersie was of any great importance but through the negligence of the magistrats who nourished these factions and became partisans Seeing then it appeareth that whereas good order hath beene setled people of diuers sects and religions haue beene quietly gouerned without any sedition or tumult and contrariwise whereas no order was not onely diuersitie of religion but euen smal quarrels haue bred horrible seditions and tumults any man of iudgement may gather thereby that seditions and tumults take not their increase from the importance of the quarrell whereon they are grounded but rather through the want of good order for that the magistrats neglect to punish them that entertaine them or else themselues maintaine one partie the which is confirmed by many antient and moderne examples And who so will examine strictly the last troubles of France shall find that the greatest part haue happened for that some mightie men or gouernors themselues hauing no regard to the publike good nor to the ordinances of the states haue at their owne pleasures plaid the kings and insulted of their owne authorities ouer them of the religion I thinke no man is so ignorant but knowes that the murther committed at Vassy by the duke of Guise against the lawes of the king and state hath beene the true and onely cause of the ciuile warres which followed to the ruine of the whole realme for whilest the kings proceeded by their authoritie there was no newes of any sedition how greeuous soeuer the persecutions were But when as gouernors of their own authorities offered violence to them of the religion presently all these tumults grew the which may serue vs for a good example whereby wee may learne to auoid the like inconueniences and take some good course for the benefit of the king and the good of all his good subiects which seeke onely to obey him It is then easie to resolue that good order would be setled if libertie should bee graunted to them of the religion to assemble and exercise their discipline restraining and bridling them with such lawes as shall be thought good And that the kings magistrats and officers be carefull to execute his Maiesties intention foreseeing aboue all things that the people vsurpe not the authoritie of the sword vnder colour of the factions of great men So as aboue all things there must be a preuention that all violence be forbidden of
very good sort both at the time of the massacre and in many other troubles hauing giuen good testimonie that he was displeased thereat not without the danger of his life yet at the last beeing mooued and prouoked he also bare armes against the Huguenots which was one of the causes of a peace which he sought to vphold and maintaine But howsoeuer it were such care and diligence might bee vsed and hee should haue such conditions prescribed vnto him as that if he would bee mooued or procured to follow any euill counsell he should not by any means be able to effect it and so much the rather for that he shall continually haue the kings followers and adherents opposite vnto him which will be a meanes to make him more desirous to win the peoples hearts and by that meanes he would also haue an especiall regard vnto those of the Religion in Fraunce and not seeke to molest them so that to speake after the maner of men there was no better nor conuenienter means in the world than that to cease the warres in the Netherlands for that the Spaniards hauing Fraunce their enemie would be wholly vnable to proceed with his warres as hauing their prouision munition and money most brought vnto them by the way of France as it appeared by their siege of Mastricht which by reason of their prouision gotten out of Fraunce was lost By that meanes likewise he should be barred from bringing of his Spanish and Italian souldiers and his money into the Netherlands especially if the king of France either secretly or openly would declare himselfe to be enemy vnto Spaine On the other side it were to be hoped that they of Arthois and Henault would seek to vnite themselues with the estates when they should see perceiue that it would be too chargeable for them to maintaine warre on both sides or that they could hardly let the states souldiers frō inuading them by which means they should get great store of forcible contribution from thē and so require the iniury done vnto those of Flanders The duke likewise should haue no cause to prefer the Wallons before other prouinces which vntill that time had most beene vsed and would be much more as it euidently appeared if the Spaniards once got the vpper hand and further it concerned the estates much carefully to take heed least the Wallons should procure the said duke to hold on their side And if any man should maintaine that the duke would not obserue the pacification of Gant or that the countrey might therby moue the Q. of England against them they said that it was very vnlikely that the duke would make any difficultie touching the pacification of Gant as being made most against the Spaniards Wherein the examples of the dukes of Burgundie might serue them for instruction which were likewise brethrē of France and with whom in times past the Netherlands made no difficultie to treat Touching the queene of England they knew she had rather haue the duke than the king of Spain to be her neighbor especially then whē as he had gotten the kingdome of Portugall whose power were to be feared being the onely lord both of the East and West Indies and so mightie a prince Besides the queene shewed her selfe not to haue any bad opinion of the duke in regard that she had proceeded so farre as to parle and did yet parle with him about a mariage to be made betweene them and although the same tooke no effect yet the English lords that were most addicted to the religion would not be displeased but rather desire to see some good proceedings in the affaires of the Netherlands Besides that it was to be thought that Spaine would prouide so much worke for Fraunce as England should not neede to feare Fraunce especially when as their intent was to include the queene of England in that contract And whereas some might perchance suspect That the said duke should haue secret intelligence with the king of Spain that was not likely but it was most true and without doubt that the king of Spaine would alwayes rather take the Netherlands againe into his owne hands vpon such conditions as thē were offered vnto him by the estates thā to stand to such hazard and after that be forced to receiue his country again at the king of France his brothers hands with many harder conditions than were then offered vnto him besides that all his dealings letters and actions shewed the contrary so that there was no cause why any such suspition should grow in any wise mans head Therefore the prouinces were requested once againe to resolue vpon that which they thought best to bee done that such meanes might be wrought as the Netherlands might once againe bee released and vnburthened of their continuall miseries feares troubles and warres These reasons and arguments being long debated and consulted vpon both by the townes and the generall estates at the last they resolued and agreed to accept the duke of Aniou for their soueraigne lord as hereafter shal be shewed In September past the captaine which commaunded for the estates in Bryel made a bargaine with the captaines male contents of Athois and Henault to deliuer vp vnto them the towne and Island of Bryel but it was with an intent to surprise thē the which they thinking to effect with some ships of Grauelinge appointed like vnto them of the Hollanders they approched neere vnto the Island but they were charged by them of Holland and all slaine or drowned The seignior of Alennes mad for the disgrace hee had receiued at Courtray which was redoubled by the losse of Menin dreamed of nothing but of reuenge for the effecting whereof he sent a captaine of Henault called Ieams Corbetiers who attyred like a pesant went to view the weakest parts of the towne the which he found to be betwixt the castle and the rampar of the towne D'Allennes meaning to make a tryall his enterprise succeeded so happily as for want of a greater garrison he became master thereof by force The 28 of Februarie the town was spoiled and the bourgers put to ransome A little before the foure members of Flanders had sent them four companies of Wallons thither but they excused themselues saying they had no need of them which was the cause of their ruine It happeneth so most commonly that to auoid a small discommoditie they fall into great miserie About the same time Monsieur de la Noue being generall of the Frenchmen and of all other souldiers that remained in Flanders hauing intelligence that the earle of Egmont with his wife mother and brother Charles with diuers other gentlemen were in Ninouen which is a small towne lying betwixt Alost and Geersbergh and not very strong nor very well manned th◅y tooke it in the night by scalado on the 28 of March with small losse on either side It was taken before the earle heard any alarme being in bed with his
defend and preserue you And for that which concerneth the said Estates and wherein they find themselues taxed by the said proscription they are resolued with the first opportunitie to iustifie themselues Giuen in Delft c. This answer being printed in diuers tongues was sent to all the princes of Europe to iustifie himselfe of the accusations laid vpon him in the said proscription and to shew who had bin the first motiue and the cause of the troubles in the Netherlands This yeare died Frederick Schencke of Tautenbergh bishop of Vtrecht beeing president of the chamber at Spiers who in the yeare 1559 succeeded Iordan van Egmont in the said bishopricke and was the 61 bishop of Vtrecht Which bishops had gouerned that countrey 884 yeares from anno 696 till anno 1580. This Frederick was a man of great learning as doth appeare by his writings The eight and twentieth of December died Gerard of Grosbeke cardinall bishop and prince of Liege who contrarie to the disposition of the Liegeois had openly defended the Spanish faction Some thought he died of griefe for that the countrey would not yeeld to the contribution which he demaunded The Estates would haue had some prince aduanced who had beene better affected to their partie and aboue all the archduke Mathias who was then in the Netherlands whereunto they recommended him but the partisans of Spaine carried it by voyces for Ernest sonne to the duke of Bauaria bishop of Fresingen who had before laboured to haue the bishopricke and electorship of Cologne the which hee had together with the Postulat of Munster with other great dignities So as we may truely say That the said Ernest is at this day one of the greatest prelats in Christendome In Nouember past colonell Balfour generall of the Scots that were vnder the States seruice being in garrison at Bruges in Flanders went forth with a troupe of horse and set vpon in the village of Wassenare in Franc of Bruges certaine light horsemen of the prince of Parmaes the which hee defeated but succours comming Balfour who had but threescore horse after that hee had fought valiantly was defeated and slaine but not without great slaughter of the Spaniards His bodie was carried to Bruges and honourably interred Hee was much lamented for the good seruices which hee had done in Flanders neither died hee poore His wife was brought in bed soone after in the same towne In the beginning of May the deputies of the prouinces of the Netherlands that were sent into Fraunce to the duke of Aniou returned backe againe hauing made choyce of him for their soueraigne Lord although some articles of the contract were not fully agreed vpon as that the king for his brothers sake shold make war against the king of Spain which the Estates did much desire with some others But the duke found many in France that did crosse his proceedings therein beeing of the Spanish faction for which cause about this time he made a declaration and putting it in print he sent it to all the courts of parliament of France shewing his firme and constant resolution touching the defence and freeing of the Netherlands from troubles shewing how honorable it was and what profit it might bring to the kingdom and crowne of Fraunce About this time there was an enterprise discouered in Brussels by a miller which carried letters who being put to the racke and tortured accused the seigniour of Haussy and his wife of certaine practises for the which they were committed to close prison with the lady of Waerdenburch sister to the said ladie and others who were soone after released except the said lord of Haussy who continued for a time in prison with doctour Cornet But afterwards by the meanes of the seigniour of Timpel gouernour of the towne who married the said ladie of Waerdenburch the seignior of Haussy was set at libertie and went for a time into France And not long after there was an vprore begun and made by meanes of a preaching monke that had been banished out of Gant called Anthony Ruyskenueldt who seruing there in a certaine parish by meanes of his preaching he drew diuers adherents vnto him who laboured to frustrat and disannull the good resolution which the Estates had taken for their protection and defence some of them hauing before consented to the enterprise made by the earle of Egmont and of others as of doctor Ioos Butkens Andreas Anderlech the lord and lady of Haussie and Iohn Cob an English man who not long before had bin hanged and quartered in the said towne For which cause the magistrat of Brussels sought diuers secret means to get that monk out of the towne but all in vaine at the last he being more and more suspected it was resolued that he should by some means or other be forced to depart which comming to his knowledge he and his adherents caused a great number of people to assemble together before the gouernors house which seditiously cried out That they being Catholikes neither could nor would endure that their peacher should be driuen out of the towne saying That they would sooner suffer themselues to bee cut in peeces with many such words more but for that time they were pacified with faire words but in the afternoone the magistrat being come thither they began another great outcry amongst them and in great rage they began to plucke vp the stones in the street and made a great vprore with their weapons and the stones the Amptman hauing a hatchet throwne at his head but the garrison and the well affected bourgers arming themselues the vprore ceased And after that further information being taken therein it was found that diuers seditious enterprises had bin practised inuented in the cloisters vnder pretence of going to masse as also at the like assemblies of the said seditious preacher Anth. Ruyskenueldt for which cause by full consent of the townes men and members of the same they caused the said Ruyskenueldt and some of his adherents to depart out of the town determining further to shut vp the cloisters and the churches that no more such violences should bee vsed by such tumults as also that by authoritie of the magistrats all the images in euery place of the towne should bee broken downe and that the best part of them should bee sold with most aduantage towards the charges of the towne and the reliefe of the poore Whereupon a proclamation beeing made shewing the abuses and dangerous practises of the Papists within the towne it was decreed by the Amptman and magistrats of the saide towne for the peace vnion and securitie of the said towne not to permit nor allow of the exercise of the Romish religion in any church or chappell of the same and that therfore it should wholly be suspended forbidden vntill that other order should be taken in the causes concerning the said town the country and that therin they should follow the necessitie of the time as
cont Charles of Mansfeldt and the seignior of Floion brother to Barlamont nine regiments of Wallons vnder the marques of Renty the earle of Egmont Gabriel de Liques the earle Octauio of Mansfeldt the earle of Manderscheit Philip of Liques he that was seignior of Bours the baron of Aubigni and the seignior of Manui And aboue all these the regiments of Hautepenne and la Motte Pardieu besides the Bourguignons of the marquesse of Varenbon with the garrisons vpon the frontiers of France and those that were neere vnto the vnited Estates and the regiments of the lord of Billy Verdugo and the baron of Anholt in Friseland with some companies of horse As for his horsemen there were thirtie seuen cornets Spaniards and Italians and twelue bands of ordnance which altogether might amount to foure thousand horse So as all the king of Spaines forces in the Netherlands both of foot and horse in the moneth of September 1582 amounted to threescore thousand men the which according vnto the relation of some commanders and Spanish treasurers cost monethly if they had beene well paid six hundred sixtie eight thousand eight hundred fiftie and seuen florins besides the charge of artillerie carriages and all other things thereunto belonging as well in pioners as otherwise which could not be lesse than a third part of the charge of the armie Yet the prince of Parma complained that of this great number of souldiers he could not put thirtie thousand men to field by reason of the many garrisons which he was to supply Without doubt it was a great power and an excessiue charge which he was to entertaine so many yeares together Winter and Summer against his owne subiects and yet preuaile little the which the Romans and other mightie kings and monarchs would haue reputed great and sufficient to haue effected great matters Against which forces there were at the same time for the States as braue valiant and expert captains and souldiers in militarie actions both Dutch French English Scottish and Wallons as the earth could beare All which forces of either side being well vnited and ioyned together had been able to conquer a whole world The duke of Anious men being busie about the fortification of a bourg betwixt Valenciennes and Cambray the prince of Parma went and forced them to leaue the worke and to retire then he summoned Castle Cambresis in the which there were an hundred and fiftie French souldiers who yeelded to haue their armes and baggage saued Then hauing taken some other castles and forts in that quarter of Cambray as Bohain and others he then led his armie before the little towne of Nyuenhouen in Flanders the which for want of succors yeelded and so did the castles of Lyderkeke and Gaesbeke with which places and for that he had his armie camped thereabouts he thought to famish the towne of Brussels a farre off but being well prouided of all sorts of victuals into the which there were two thousand French and English foot put besides the twelue companies and the foure cornets which they had of the ordinarie garrison finding that he should preuaile little after that he had spoyled the country thereabouts his armie hauing also eaten vp Arthois and Henault hee thought to goe into the land of Waes in Flanders but the duke had so well fortified all the passages as hee could not enter so as dearth and famine began to creepe into his campe all victuals beeing cut off and forbidden by the way of France besides that Winter drawing on his souldiers were much tormented with raine and cold the which his new come Spaniards and Italians were not accustomed to feele all these considerations made the prince to breake vp his campe and to put his men into garrisons As in like sort the same Winter the duke of Anious Frenchmen suffered much hunger and want as wel by the bad gouernement of the victuals as for want of good pay and the rigour of the Winter The seuenteenth of Nouember colonell Verdugo surprised the towne of Steenwicke in the countrey of Ouerissel by scaladoe for the relieuing whereof as I haue said the States had taken so great paines It happened by the direction of a peasant who working in the town ditches had noted one place which might be waded through by the which he guided Verdugoes men vnto the foot of the rampar being duely informed before that captaine Hans Crom and Bocholt were gone forth with most of the souldiers of the garrison of the towne about some enterprise At the same time the earle of Hohenlo besieged the towne of Meghen in the countrey of Gueldres the which he won with some other neither could the earle of Mansfeldt who lay not far off with his troups hinder him The seuenth of Ianuarie after the new stile the calender being reformed this yeare by the pope the lord of Boniwet being conducted by a souldier of the country called Heincker Schermer who went first vp to the rampar surprised the towne of Eindouen in Brabant neere vnto Boisleduke in the countrey of Campeigne where there were fiftie horsemen Albanois spoyled most of them hauing saued themselues or yeelded From thence the Frenchmen went before Helmont Horst and other places of the same quarter the which they also won so as it seemed they would besiege Boisleduke the which was long in great feare they of the towne thinking for that they had no garrison to compound with the duke but his mind was of another prey as we will presently shew The duke by the intercession of his mother as she made shew had long solicited the French king for succours in his affaires of the Netherlands against the king of Spaine but the king refused him fearing and foreseeing the danger which might happen vnto his realme seeing hee was not assured if his brother should die of any recompence yet he said That if the Estates would acknowledge him or else the crowne of France for heire and successor vnto the duke in the Netherlands he would then do his best which the Estates could not well yeeld vnto The Agents of Spaine being in France neere the king and the dukes aduersaries which was the house of Guise made their profit of this deniall which was the cause why the prince Daulphin and the marshall Biron were so long before they entred the countrey with their armie the which past not into Flanders before they had deuoured all they brought out of France Some counselled the king That to ioyne all the Netherlands in one bodie with the crowne of France the which would afterwards be inuincible he should not assist his brother but in his extreame necessitie when as he had exhausted all his meanes and so weakened the countrey as they should be forced to sue vnto him and be content to receiue such conditions as he would prescribe them Attending which time and doing so the king of Spaine should be also bare of money and credit that
would some secretly some openly forsake the religion and so stay within the country The King of Spaine being once receiued and acknowledged for Lord within three moneths he will haue most of the officers and magistrates of the townes and prouinces at his deuotion to doe what-soeuer he should command them The chiefe of the Estates of Holland shall be the Earle of Egmont the Earle of Aremberg as Baron of Naeldwike the Earle of Ligny as Baron of Wassenare and many such Lords of the enemies faction These and such like wil draw the other noble-men and gentle-men vnto them and the Magistrates of townes will depend vpon them as it hath beene alwayes seene time out of minde In the first three moneths there will be a hundred occasions offred to reuenge themselues for matters past as well vpon the inhabitants of these countries as vpon her Maiestie and her subiects to the apparent ruine of religion not only in these countries but also in England and in other nations And the warres continuing the affaires in France concerning religion may be the better secured The King of Spaine may dye and after his death a better peace may happily be obtained In maintaining this iust and vpright cause we ought aboue all things to relie vpon the grace and assistance of God maintaining his honor glory and holy word and the rather for that we haue so often felt his gratious helping hand during these troublesome warres Besides these reasons there was at the same time a booke set forth in Print intituled A necessary consideration upon the treatie of peace with this sentence as a most assured meanes to deale with the enemie to haue him in Iealousie Vna salus victis nullam sperare salutem In which booke the Author besides many ancient Histories produceth the examples of our time of the Protestants in Germanie the Duke of Saxonie and the Lansgraue of Hesse and of the Protestants in France all which were circumuented by their too much trust and confidence on the contrary side they which opposed themselues valiantly in armes trusting in the power of God and the equity of their cause as those of Magdebourg and of Rochell not onely held and maintained their religion but also were the causes of the restoring of religion both in Germanie and France He shewed likewise that kings and Princes do not easily forget nor forgiue such as haue borne armes against them and these Prouinces haue not only borne armes against their King but haue reiected and wholy forsaken him altered religion and haue dealt with other Princes against him with many other reasons which hee set downe to disswade them from all treaties the which for breuities sake I ommit councelling the Netherlanders in his conclusion to be true and vnited among themselues and not to trust any man but to pray constantly vnto God and so to hope for a good issue About the same time the Estate minted a certaine coyne for a perpetuall memorie vpon the which there was a Lion grauen tied to a piller whereon stood the image of the Duke of Alua with a coller termed the inquisition the which a Mouse gnawed in peeces with this inscription Rosis Leonem loris mus liberat that is the Mouse sets the Lion at liberty On the other side stood the Pope and the King of Spaine with signes of peace flattering him to stand still vntill he were tied againe but the Lion refuseth it with this Motto Liber vinciri Leo pernegat which is the Lion wil be no more bound the armes of the Netherlands being most Lions of diuers collours These declarations afore sayd notwithstanding the Queene of England prest the Estates very earnestly by Sir Henry Killegry to haue their resolute answere who desired them on the second of March to send their deputies to Ostend to meet with her Maiesties Ambassadors who were already gone thether to treat with the Duke of Parma he shewed them likewise that her Maiesty tooke their long delaies in euil part for that she could not with her honour protract it any longer nor excuse her selfe any more vnto the Duke of Parma as if shee had mocked him Shee gaue her Ambassadors expresse commandement to treat of a good peace for the sending away of forraine souldiars the permission of Religion and the continuance of the preuiledges and liberties of the countrie And this was her resolution and although the Estates sent not their deputies thether yet would shee discharge her conscience and honour therein both before GOD and the world The Lord Willoughbie also gaue them to vnderstand on the fifteenth of March that if the Estates would liue in vnitie among themselues and leaue to molest them of Medenblick and others well affected to her Maiestie who did but make shewe of their thankeful mindes if the King of Spaine would not yeeld to a good and an assured peace as well for those countries and the inhabitants thereof as for her selfe then would shee continue her aide and fauor to wards them as she had done from the beginning Thus was the Queene of England resolued to treat of a peace mooued therevnto by certaine perswasiue reasons and it may be doubting of the countries abilitie together with the dislike shee had of the diuision that was betwixt the Estates and their soldiars who peraduenture made their case more desperate then it was finding also that the charge would grow very great to continue her aide hauing beene in hope at the first by a good defensiue warre to make a speedie end of their troubles On the other side the peace which shee should make would bee profitable for the trade of marchandise and shipping in her countries But the chiefest reason that mooued her therevnto was the earnest motion made vnto her by the Duke of Parma with whome she had proceeded so farre as she could not with her honour refuse to giue him audience The Duke for his part like a good practitioner in the art of dissimulation sought to lull the Queene a sleepe and to make her secure land carelesse to prouide her forces to resist the King of Spaines great armie or els through the feare thereof to force her and her subiects to drawe the Netherlands to a peace against their wills hauing foure principall sea townes in his hands with the assistance of the Hauens vpon the coast of England which hee ment to vse for the releefe and harbour of that great fleet for the conquest of the vnited Prouinces but to treate of a particular peace with England alone it was no part of the Duke of Parmaes meaning as holding the conquest of England easie light and assured the which was contrarie to the Ambassadors deseigne who sought rather to make a priuate peace for England The English sought to sound the Duke of Parmas meaning so by a parle of peace to alter their deseigne for the sending of this great Armado or at least to stay the proceeding
King that all would go to ruine in the Netherlands if speedy remedie were not had especially then when as he was ready to go to ayd the League in France therfore he thought it not fit to leaue such backe-biters comptrollers behinde him in the Countrie so as he obtained leaue to send Champigni out of the Netherlands the which he put in practise with no small rigour commaunding him to dislodge out of the Netherlands and to retyre into Burgongne within a very short time Champigni asking him the reasons why the duke answered to teach your tongue to keepe silence your pen to write better so as no intreaty nor intercession of his friendes could preuaile nor the indisposition of his body beeing scarse able to trauaile desiring that hee might rather continue in some Cloyster of Capuchins or Iesuits but all was in vaine and so hee was forced to liue a banished man in Bourgongne so long as the Duke of Parma liued The Duke seeing him-selfe maligned and slandered by them that were and ought to be neere his person to iustefie all his actions as they of Arthois and Henault were more affected vnto him then vnto any other Spaniard that might aspier vnto the gouerment he sent the said Richardot presidēt of Arthois into Spaine vnto the king to answer in his name to al obections and slanders wherwith they had filled the Kings eares and to bring back a continuation of the dukes cōmission in his gouernment of the Netherlands in despite of his enemies Whilest that Richardot was in Spaine the duke went the eight of May toward the Spawe as we haue said for his indisposition his seruants and other Italiens complayning openly at the Spawe that the Spaniards had drest their maister in that manner hauing his belly and legges sowlne The Duke of Parma being much distasted both of Spaine and Spaniards he wanted no remembrance◅s to put him in minde of the Kings displeasure being charged to haue beene the cause of the bad successe of the Kings Army and that great Princes doe not easely forgiue nor forget conceyued displeasures and that it were better for him to looke to himselfe and following Machauells councell rather make him-selfe Lord of the country wherevnto hee had good reason to aspire in regard of the Spaniards hatred towards him and the wrong which was done to his sonne Raynutius touching the crowne of Portugal whervnto he had better title as they said then the king himself And that if he would attempt any thing in the Netherlands whether it were with the title of Soueraigne or as Protector or Lieutennant thereof he should want no friends within the contry nor wel-willers without it as France England and the vnited Prouinces themselues with whome secret treaties might be made whereby the Netherlands on the other side might obtaine a good and free enter course of trafficke for the good of the whole country for as then hee had to many ouerseers both before behind and round about him it being well fore-seene long before by the councell of Spaine hauing therein taken example by the procedings of Don Iohn of Austria Others thought hee would defer the execution of his desseigns till after the death of the King of Spaine being very old and that the house of Farnese was wont to be subtill and couetous inough yet alwaies warie and very circomspect But the King granting his desire and at the last sending for the Duke of Pastrana into Spaine he was well satisfied And for that the King was fully resolued to ayde the Leaguers in France at Richardots returne out of Spaine hee recommended that busines vnto him as the fittest man for that action and he for his part resolued to vndergo the charge being a fit meanes to purchase more honor and for that cause hee made all the hast he could sending both men and money to the frontire townes and gathering an army together in Arthois wherein La mot had the cheefest charge who not long before in April thought to haue surprized Ostend by the secret intelligence with some of the soldiars but hee fayled of his purpose where-vpon the garison of Berghen vp Zoome with that of Ostend and others spoyled Gramont or Geecsbergh On the twenty of September the duke of Parma went from Spawe to Aken or Aix la Chapelle three leagues of hauing three companies of horse with him there he was honorably entertained and presented with diuers guifts In that towne hee did visit the cheefe relicks which are Iosephs breeches the virgine Maries smocke the sheete wherein Iohn Baptist was buried Charlemagnes chaire and some other petty ones and from thence he went to Bins to bee neerer vnto the frontiers of France This sommer Berke was beseeged by the Duke of Parmas forces Collonel Schencke came in the end of Iuly with many shippes to releeue it with victualls mounting vp the riuer within a league of the towne from whence hee carried such store of victualls and munition as they had neede of by land and entred safely there-with into the towne Cont William Lewis of Nassau Gouernor of Freezland for the Estates was daily at warres with Verdugo Gouernor of Groning for the King of Spaine to whose aide the Duke of Parma sent seauen Companies of foote and three of horse the which marched through the Country of Westphalia and the Conty Vander-Lippe and so to enter into East Friseland and then into the countrie of Groning Colonel Schenck being aduerised of the course they held hauing gathered together all the men he could out of the garrisons of Gelderland he went attended these troupes vpon the heath or plaines which they call Lipper-heyde where hee defeated them and put them to rout taking from them all the money which they had brought to pay the garrison of Groning and other neere places which the King held in those parts of Friseland Schenck victualled Berck and defeated these troupes in lesse then eight daies about the beginning of August The third day after his victory beeing fortefied with all the forces hee could get carrying a splene to them of Nymeghen he went from his sconcse called the Bril or Vossenhole lying by Tolhuys and sailed along the riuer of Wahal that hee might come to Nymeghen by night hauing sent his horsemen by land It was a very still night and the tyde very high so as they could not aduance much with their ships being vnfit to rowe and they came on so slowly as day began to breake The Punts or smaler vessells for that they went with owers came on first and gaue an alarum to the towne so as the Bourgers and some souldiars went to armes wherevpon Schenck not staying for the rest resolued to giue an attempt before it was day and landed by the Maie-gate then presently taking two Rammes which he had brought he went to Saint Anthonies gate the which although it were very strong hee brake open
so as he might retaine the soueraignty But being ready to enter into a treaty of peace and the prouinces vnder the archdukes gouernment in good hope thereof the bad gouernment in Hongarie and Transiluania bred an open rebellion so as Stephanus Botschkay tooke vpon him to be their leader and besides this disordered gouernment bad pay mutiny of the soldiers they sought by means of the Iesuits to force mens consciences and to alter their long reformed religion in so dangerous a time of ciuill and forraine wars and for that cause they grounded their rebellion vpon the same foundation which the Netherlanders had done as breach of priuiledges gouernment of strangers and constraint of conscience the which gaue cause of suspition vnto the Emperour and the king of Spaine In the meane time there were many things propounded how a peace might be made the which for that it is a matter of great importance I haue thought it fit to bee inserted One terming himselfe a Netherlander yet dwelling out of those countreys sets down his opinion in three speciall points and first concerning the bad gouernment of the vnited prouinces Secondly that they will not be still able to continue the wars and thirdly that they shal be forced to submit themselus vnder Spain France or England Of these 3 points he maketh a long discourse and also of the forces and qualities of each one in particular If any man would argue and maintain that it were the best course to yeeld the countreys ouer to prince Maurice in regard of his great seruices done for the same with perpetuall confederation and league with France and England thereby to defend and support the said prouinces hee was of opinion that it would be too difficult a matter for prince Maurice to vndertake so great a quarrell with the Estates of Holland and Zeeland and that they which are so well seated and at this present in the gouernment would not willingly giue their consents vnlesse they were forced therunto by the said kings Therfore he setteth downe a means how to settle the archdukes after another maner in the said Netherlands which if it were not found good conuenient then they should deuise how to further prince Maurice in this designe The meanes hee speaketh of are That seeing the king of Spain and the archdukes are so vnited as they are not to be trusted in regard of the maxime of pias fraudes holy deceits that therfore to bring the 17 prouinces into a perfect vnion they must procure the kings of France and England to bee mediatours to the king of Spain to yeeld vp al his right absolutely vnto the archdukes vpon pain of breaking the league with them the emperor also in regard of affinity France must likewise resigne al maner of pretences vpon condition that their heires males after the maner of the Salike law by this or any other mariage of them both and no other shall succeed and that after both their deaths without heires males that neither the king of Spain nor the emperor in regard of their great suspected powers shold inherit the Netherlands but it should descend to the rest of the heires males of the emperors Ferdinand Maximilian with the like conditions and if it so fell out that the said successor in the Netherlands were chosen to be emperor he should then likewise giue ouer his title to the Netherlands vnto the next heires males of the same house and that if the whole house of Austria should chance to die and be extinct only the emperor and the king of Spaine remaining in that case it should be lawfull for the said prouinces to choose themselues another prince where they pleased that all the Netherlands might continue vnder one Lord and Prince It should bee also necessary that the king of Spaine should giue security for the effecting thereof vnto one of the two kings aforesaid which if hee refused then the said kings of England France with the Netherlands shold force him therunto with the consent of the emperor which he affirmeth is easie to be done by many reasons by him alleaged for that cause men must take heede of the Iesuites maximes or subtile fetches He also maketh answere to many arguments obiected to the contrary by the Spaniards who would not endure to be cut off from their patrimoniall inheritance but Christian peace ought to persuade him thereunto that so he may employ all his power against the Turke therewith he setteth downe certein articles to be obserued in this peace which are 6 in number which if the king of Spaine will not agree vnto and that the said articles were not liked on either part then the kings of France and England shall seeke to put the said countreys if it were possible into the hands of prince Maurice of Nassau but the other contract with the archdukes he saith were better he sheweth moreouer what profit all Christendome may expect and attend by the said peace wherein we should neither feare pope nor Iesuite but call a generall councell whether it were with the good liking or otherwise of the pope and according to the decrees thereof to begin a war against the Turke in such order as monsieur la Noue describeth whereunto all other princes would willingly giue consent and by that meanes the golden world would begin againe Another being a catholike and vnder the archdukes gouernment setteth downe certaine reasons for a peace as followeth He sheweth the strength of the vnited prouinces which are compassed in with the seas and great riuers that are nauigable hauing great store of shipping therewith to prouide them of all things necessary and on the other side hee setteth downe the difficulties whereunto the prouinces vnder the archdukes commaund are subiect As that their soldiers can hardly liue or get any thing from such an enemy but would bee ouer chargeable to their owne countrey that the aid which they had out of Spaine was great in shew but in effect small and was most of it drawne from the vttermost parts of Italy and the deepest parts of Spaine and that many times it was intercepted by the way and being come it did melt like snow against the sunne that by protracting of the soldiers pay mutinies did arise That the vnited prouinces are alwaies first in the fields and that they could thereby giue the first onset that Spaine of it selfe is poore that the Hollanders tooke his gold siluer and traffique from him at the Indies that his mynes are drawne drie that the yong king is not so sparing as his father and so his charges are greater and by that meanes money grew scant and mutinies daily increased so as to pacific the soldiers and to giue them some contentment besides their robbing and spoyling of the countrey they are often paide twelue or fifteen stiuers a day for a footman and foure twenty stiuers a horsman not any other are full paid vnlesse they
other such like things which in regard of confederation religion and warrs with the dependances thereof haue beene found to be made to the preiudice of any man 13 Concerning order to be taken for the paiment of debts and other charges made by the treatie of the old vnion 14 The retyring of all foreine souldiers being in seruice vnder the king of Spaine and the archdukes out of all the said archdukes countries for that without their departure out of the countrey the differences which then were to bee determined and debated could not bee ended 15 That the lawes of the Inquisition and burthening of mens consciences shall not bee vsed against saylers and merchants that goe into Spaine and other the kings and the archdukes dominions nor against any other of the inhabitants of the vnited prouinces that trauell thither and that in their ships they shall bee free to vse their owne religion and that for religion no shippes merchandises nor goods shall bee subiect to confiscation 16 That the inheritances of such as are dead intestat and such as hereafter shall die in the countries belonging to the king of Spaine the archdukes and the Estates shall come and discend vnto the right heires whether they haue continued or shall continue on the one or the other side and that euerie one shall bee held and accounted for legitimat heire according to the customes of the prouinces where the actions that shall fall in question to bee decided shall be tried 17 The antient priuiledges of townes vsed therein before the warres shall on both sides remaine firme in the same maner that they then were without any exception 18 That if any new controuersie should arise which God forbid the saylers merchants and their factors seruants and other inhabitants shal on both sides haue six moneths time freely to withdraw themselues with their ships goods and satisfaction of their debts due vnto them the time of the six monethes to begin presently after there should bee warning thereof giuen 19 That if any thing on both sides bee done or attempted against this treatie it shall be duely and fully satisfied and recompenced and yet the sayd treatie shall remaine inuiolable 20 That all prisoners on both sides shall bee set at libertie without paying any ransome 21 All ciuile actions not publikely decided shall remaine in full force and no prescription to be alledged nor allowed notwithstanding the warres 22 Assurance to bee giuen for the particular treaties made concerning the generall treatie 23 A generall and speciall renouncing derogation and assurance to be made for the keeping and holding of all and euerie point of the treatie 24 A request to bee made to the emperour and the princes of Germanie the kings of Fraunce England and Denmarke to maintaine that which shall bee agreed vpon in this treatie 25 The acknowledging of the potentates princes commonweals and townes to bee friends and allies and to be included in the treatie 26 Order to be taken about the prince of Portugals cause 27 Approbation publication and registring to be made of the treatie 28 That all such things as may be propounded for the cleere exposition of the articles on both sides shall and may be produced and allowed of The articles propounded in the behalfe of the king of Spain and the archdukes were seuen which were written in French the contents being as followeth 1 Concerning limits 2 The restitution of lands and goods 3 For traffique out of the countries 4 For vniformitie in the moneyes 5 To keepe a generall course on both sides for priuiledges and freedoms giuen to the English merchants touching traffique and trade of merchandise as otherwise 6 Concerning religion 7 Concerning the affaires of neighbour princes As soone as these articles were deliuered on both sides the king of Spaine and the archdukes deputies marking the number of the articles that were presented vnto them by the Estates deputies sayd That it would bee so tedious a worke as it could not bee finished in a short time and Richardot reading the point concerning the paiment of the debts of the vnion said Wee haue no money to pay debts for all our money is consumed in the warres The Estates deputies for their parts also finding that their aduerse partie made an expresse article touching religion and thereby remembring that the same point concerning religion was particularly specified in the Spanish procuration and all the rest mentioned in generall termes they desired the kings and the archdukes deputies to make an explication of their intent and meanings that they might know their minds therein and whether by that article they intended to compell the Estates to leaue their religion the which as beeing free Estates and countries they had or should haue and whether they thought that as yet they had any right of soueraigntie ouer those countries whereby they might prescribe them lawes or whether their meaning was vnder that article to set downe onely how the subiects on either side should behaue themselues when they should come in any place vnder their aduerse parties commaund where any other religion than that which they professe shall bee vsed But they could get no explication thereof from the sayd deputies saying That it beeing one of the last articles they would make them an exposition thereof when they came vnto it And being much vrged thereunto they sayd That they had sent a messenger into Spaine for that purpose and that they could make no explication neither of the one nor the other vntill such time as they should receiue an aunswere thereof againe or some larger commission from thence and so for that time they brake vp the counsell The Spanish and the archdukes deputies hauing in this manner gotten all the Estates articles as they were particularly set downe into their hands sought to respite and prolong the time for a while that so they might fully aduertise their princes not onely what the Estates desire and intent was touching the treatie but also of the humors of the prouinces gouernments and inhabitants therereof or as much as they had learned and vnderstood of such persons of diuers places quarters and qualities as came vnto them by meanes of the free accesse that was permitted which their intent was first discouered by certaine words and speeches cast forth by their followers and seruants and after that plainely vnderstood at their meeting made vpon the eleuenth and twelfth of March wherin much was spoken protested argued and debated touching the matter of truce the traffique into the Indies and the manner order and freedome of the traffiques to be made into the kingdomes and countries of the king of Spaine and the archdukes in Europe and after much disputation had between them Spinola and the rest of the deputies on their side desired the Estates deputies to make an article apart concerning trade and traffique into Europe and what assurance should bee giuen therein and another article concerning traffique into the Indies
husband The Earle of S. Pol sent 〈◊〉 into Brabant An assembly of the states of Brabant Thâ—… Earle of S. Pol made Reuward of Brabant The Lord of Berghen slain in the Dukes chamber Many of the duke oâ—… 〈◊〉 seruants apprehended The Emperor anâ—…â—…ce Elector write into Bâ—…abant so the prisoners The prisoners set a libertie Whâ—…t the office of Reuwâ—…rd â—…s Many beheaded at Brussels The Contesse Iaqueline causeth the Dâ—…ke of Brabant her husband to be cited to Rome The Contesse Iaqueline made â—…re to the duke of Gloceâ—…r He comeâ—… with an Army into Henault 1423. Iohn van Vlyer beheadded at the Hage Iohn of Bauaria gouernor of Holland dies The Duke of Brabant acknowledgeâ—… Earle of Holland in the right of his wife Captaine Albert Beyllincâ—… buâ—…ied aliue 1425. Schoonhouen besieged A Truce made at Schoonhouen The duke of Brabant bebesiegeth the Contesse his wife in Mons A treatie made by the duke of Bourgongne to atteme vnto the Countesses countrey The Contesse laqâ—…e is deliuered into the Duke of Hourgongnes hands The Contesse of Holland led against her will vnto Gant The Contesse it freed out of the duke of Burgongnes hands The Contesse comes into Holland The battel of Alphen whereas the Coneesse was victor The English and Zeelanders defeated by the Duke of Bourgongne at Brouwershâ—… Anno 1424. The Cardinals sentencâ—… touching the duke of Brabants marriage with the Contesse of Holland The Duke of Glocester abandons the Contesse Iaqueline The Duke of Bourgongnes ambitious desugne Scuenberghe besieged And yeelded vp in despight of the Lord. 1426. Harlem besieged by the contesse A second battaile at Alphé where the Contesse is victorious The Contesse makes knights William Nagel Captaine of the Kennemers Captaine Na gel by the Kennemers defeated 1427. The death of Iohn Duke of Brabant A sâ—…a battaile fought neere to Wyeringhen The Lord of Brederode defeatâ—…d and taken prisoneâ—… An accord betwixt Duke Philip and the Contesse Iaqueline 1429. Philip of Bourgonge buyes the County of Namur 1430. Philip Duke of Brabant dyes Philip of Bourgongne makes his entrie as duke of Brabant The Lady Iaqueline Contâ—… of Holland 〈◊〉 thâ—… fourâ—…h tiâ—…e The Contesse denyed mony by her seruants Reasós which moued the Conâ—…esse Iaqueline to louâ—…â—…ranc of Borsselle â—…he marâ—…yes him secretly The Lord of Borsselle appâ—…ended by the Duke of Bourgongne The Contesse resignes aâ—…l heâ—… Coâ—…ntries to the Dukâ—… for her husbands liberty The Duke of Bouâ—…gongne takes possession of Holland c. 1436. The death of the Conâ—…esse Iaqueâ—…ine Noblâ—…men in the time of the Contesse Iaqueline The chiefe Nobility of Friseland 1437. Duke Philip right heire to Holland zeeland and Friseland His wiues and children Duke Philips â—…ards 1438. Warre betwixt the Esterlins the Hollanders zelanders 1444. The factions reuiued in Holland A tumult at Amsterdam by the factions The Dutchesse comes into Holland to pacifie the troubles She returnes without any effect The Duke sends for the heads of both factions Institution of the 〈◊〉 President in Holland A tumult at Leyden The Duke comes into Holland He reconciles the two factions War betwixt the Duke of Bourgongne and the Ganthois 1452. The cause of this warreâ—… 1453. The Ganthois submit themselues vnto the Duke and are reâ—…onciled 1455. The death of the Bishop of Vtrecht Great competitors for the bishoprick Sugiestions by the â—…oeckin faction against the bishop of Vtrecht The duke belâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…ports against them of Brederode The duke of Bourgongne meanes to make his bastard sonne bishop of Vtrecht by force Dauid the duke of Bourgongnes bastard made bishop of Vtrecht Levvis Daulphin of France comes to Brusseles to the Duke of Bourgongne 1460. Death of king Charles of France Levvis King of France falles in dislike vvith the Duke of Bourgongne 1461. Certaine signtories come to the Earle of Charolois 1462. What Iohn of Koesteine vvas Croy lanoy Koestein conspire against the Earle of Charolois They seeke to poison him The practise discouered vnto the earle Koestein committed to prison He is condemned to loose his head Iohn of Iuy â—…hat accused Koestein beheaded also Causes of dislike betwixt the king of France and the duke of Bourgongne The answer of the Lord of Chymay to the French King 1463. The Freâ—…ch King comes to 〈◊〉 to the Dukâ—… of Bourgongne The Earle of Charolois 〈◊〉 to come to the King which discontents his 〈◊〉 The duke of Bourgongne and his sonne reconciled The Earle comes to his fathâ—…r 〈◊〉 speech vnto the Duke his father The Duke of Bourgoâ—…gne reconciled to his sonne 1464. Which is 20000. pound starling Certaine demands made by the French King vnto the duke of Bourgongne The Dukes requests vnto the King The bastard of Rubempre sent into Holland to surprise the Earle of Charolois Rubempre his companions apprehended The Kings intention touching Rubempres acte The duke of Bourgongne reâ—…res in hast from Hesdin 1464. The â—…rench king sends Ambassadors to the duke of Bourgongne The French kings demands The Earle of Charolois answere The Earle of Charolois sends a message vnto the King The Duke of Bourgongne falles sicke The Earle of Charolois made Gouernor of his fathers contries Hiâ—… speech vnto his friends A new quarrel betwixt the Duke of Bourgongne and his Sonne The Earle of Charolois writs to all the Townes 1446. The towne castell of Lanoy taken taken Letters from the Earle of Charolois to them of Arras 1465. The Earle of Charolois reconciled to his father The duke of Bourgongne leauies an army to succor the duke of Berry The Earle of Charolois forces The dukes speech to his Sonne at his parting The French King makes a league with them of Liege The Liegeois in armes against the duke of Bourgongne The death of the Contesse of Charolois Peronne surprized for the Duke of Bourgongne The insolencie of them of Dynant The Earle prepaâ—…res an armie against the Liegeois The Liegeois sue for peace 1465. A peace concluded with the Liegeois The Liegeois offer an affront to the Earles men The Earle of Neuers reconciles himselfe to the Earle of Charolois 1466. The Dynandois 〈◊〉 the peace Dinant besieged Dinant taken and razed The Liegeoiâ—… reconcile themselues againe to the Earle of Charolâ—…is 1467. The Earle of Charolois marries Marguerite sister to the King of England The death of duke Philip of Bourgongne Duke Philips qualities Printing first â—…uented Duke Charles pourchaseth the County of Ferrette His wiues Duke Charles takes posseâ—…on of his coun tries The Ganthois mutine against their Duke The Duke yeelds to the Ganthois The Ganthois submit themselues vnto the Duke A tumult at Macklyn The Liegeois breake the peace The Duke goes with an armie against the Liegeois The Duke sends back the 300 hostages The Liege ois came to raise the â—…eege at Saintron A battaile betvvixt the duke and the Lâ—…geois The Liegeois defeated Saintron yeelded Tongres yeelded Liege yeelds vnto the duke The Liegeois in doubt to deliuer the town The duke enters
Thierry entred the Veluve with an armie destroying and burning wheresoeuer hee came so at the carried away a great spoile Cont Otto did also lâ—…nic what men he could following Conâ—… Thierry as far as Heymens bergh to rescue the prey wherethere was a sharp incounter but the Gueldrois seeing his men slip away he saued himselfe through the swiftnesse of his horse Cont Thierry pursuing them that fled tooke many prisoners among the which were some gentlemen William earl of East-Friseland hearing of the victory which his brother had gotten â—…ame to him to the castle of Horst to congratulate with him for this his happy successe Cont Thierry remembring the quarrels past and the loue his brother had borne vnto the earle of Gueldre imagining that he came now to attempt something against him he commanded an officer of his called Henry Craen to seise vpon his brother and commit him to prison the which was done But soone after William hauing broken prison he retired himself secretly to the earle of Gueldre to be supported by him against the earle of Holland his brother where he remained some time Otto earle of Gueldre knowing him to be verie valiant hauing seen good proof thereof in Palestina against the Sarracens considering also the goodly portion which he had in Friseland gaue him his daughter Alix in mariage by whom he had one sonne named Floris who was afterwards Earle of Holland Otto William and two daughters Ada who was abbesse of Rhinsburgh the which was an abbey of noble women and Ryckwyf who was a religious woman in the same cloister After the mariage of William and Alix celebrated in the towne of Staueren Otto of Gueldre returned into his countrey and William was honourably receiued with his wife and acknowledged throughout all the countrey of Friseland for their lord Soone after and the same yeare the Earles of Holland and Gueldre were reconciled together vpon condition That Adella eldest daughter to Cont Thierry should marie with Henry sonne to Cont Otto but he liued not long and died without children In the yere 1198 Didier of Holland Arnould of Isenburgh both elect bishops of Vtrecht pleading their cause at Rome the pope adiudged the said bishoprick through the fauour of some courtiers in Rome and the aduantage of his election to Arnould where he was consectated the 30 bishop of Vtrecht But as he died soone after and was buried at Rome pope Innocent the 3 gaue the said bishoprick to Didier of Holland who had been his competitor was in like sort consecrated at Rome At his returne to take possession of his bishoprick he fell sick at Padoua in Italy where he died and was there buried To whom succeeded Didier vander Are collegiall prouost of Nydrecht vpon Meuse being in commission in the realme of Sicile who after the death of these two bishops was sent for to come and take possession of the said bishoprick the which at his first entrance he found very much charged with debts so as by the aduice of his barons nobles townes and chapters he went into Friseland to demand some aid or gratuitie to free himselfe of debt William earle of East-Friseland would not suffer his subiects to be charged with any imposition or extraordinarie subsidie for the preuenting whereof he went to Staueren whither the bishop was come vnto the abbey of whom he laid hold at the end of masse thinking to carrie him away to his castle of Osterzee but the monks with the help of some Frisons fearing if they should suffer it the bishop would excommunicat them tooke him away from him by force Afterwards Thierry Earle of Holland and Otto earle of Gueldre father in law to Cont William of East Friseland beeing reconciled to his brother and freed him from any bad conceit of him banded themselues iointly against the bishop The earle of Gueldre seised vpon all the countrey of Ouerissel for his part chased away all the bishops officers and puta garrison of Gueldres into the towne of Deuenter The Earle of Holland spoiled the whole countrey on this side the riuer of Yssel and besieged the bishop in his city of Vtrecht during the which time the earl of Gueldre going with a safeconduct towards the emperor Otto the 4. competitor to the emperor Philip hee was staied by the way by the duke of Brabants people The Earle of Holland hearing of these newes raised his siege from before Vtrecht marching with his troups towards Boisleduke where he entred by force and there tooke prisoners the lords William of Paruis and Henry of Cuyck brethren to the duke of Brabant The Earle thinking to retire with his prisoners into Holland the duke being assisted by the Archbishop of Cologne the bishop of Liege the Duke of Lembourg and the Earle of Flanders pursued him with all speed to rescue his two brethren Cont Thierry finding himselfe ouercharged at a passage after that he had long defended himselfe being vriable to resist so great forces was in the end taken and so the Duke of Brabant had the two Earls of Geldre and Holland his prisoners The bishop of Vtrecht seeing these two prouinces without Lords to defend them entred the countrey of Holland with all the forces he could gather together as well of his owne as from his allies from whence hee carried a great spoyle the Nobilitie and Commons of Holland pursued after to rescue it and defeated some knights and souldiers of Vtrecht in the rereward burning in their returne some villages of his iurisdiction The next day the bishop entred into the Veluve the which he spoyled tooke the towne of Zutphen went to Deuenter which yeelded vnto him so as he recouered great store of treasure Soone after a peace was made betwixt the Earle of Holland and the Duke of Brabant whereby the Earle paid vnto the Duke two thousand markes of siluer for his ransome and so did the Earle of Geldre both which were afterwards reconciled with the bishop of Vtrecht whereby all quarrels were ended In the yeare 1203 Thierry Earle of Holland fell sick at Dordrecht lamenting much the absence of his brother William Earle of East-Friseland although there had still remained some small seeds of hatred to recommend his daughter Ada vnto him being yet to marry and her countries of Holland and Zeeland Alix wife to the said Cont Thierry euen before the death of her husband and during his sicknes without the councell or aduice of any one of her own proper motion desirous to marry her daughter had contracted her secretly to Lewis Earle of Loos to the end the Countrey during her widow-hood might be gouerned at her pleasure so desirous was this woman of rule thinking that Lewis being farre inferiour in quality to her daughter would not dare to oppose himselfe against her not caring in the meane time if her daughter were well or ill maried In the meane time Cont Thierry died hauing gouerned
shooes with his foot He tertified little children to behold him and yet there was not any roughnes nor malice in him but was gentle and mild as a lambe for if he had beene fierce and cruell answerable to his greatnesse and proportion he might haue chased a whole armie before him In those daies there sprung vp in the country of Friseland the factions of Schyerlingers and Vetcoopers the which froÌ„ a small beginning vnworthy to be written the which notwithstanding we haue related in our description of the vnited prouinces of the low countries was the cause of great effusion of bloud destruction of the country ruine of good families murthers among all sorts in generall As in like sort the partialities of Hooks and Cabillaux in Holland and those of Guelphes and Gibilins in Italie the diuersitie of coloured hoods in Flanders and other like factions in France were the causes of great miseries in those times also according vnto some opinions it seemes that all these factions began almost at one instant that of the Schyerlingers and Vetcoopers hauing continued in Friseland vntill that the Emperour Maximilian the first sent Albert duke of Saxonie thither to suppresse them for that the Commissioners which he had formerly sent to pacifie and reconcile them had preuailed nothing making him his lieutenant and gouernour hereditarie yet with small profit for he was slaine there and his two sonnes the dukes Henry and George as we shall shew hereafter did not auaile much so as they left all so great louers haue the Frisons alwayes beene of their franchises and liberties But vnder the gouernment of the said princes of Saxonie these factions ceased to oppose themselues with their ioint forces against the rule of strangers as they had done often before when any stranger came to assaile them and hauing chased them away they returned to their first spleene and hatred but the Saxons brought them to so great pouerty and their quarrell continued so long as they forgat their factions IOHN EARLE OF HENAVLT THE second of that name one and twentieth Earle of Holland and Zeeland Lord of West-Friseland 21 Joannes Hannonâ—… Fiue yeares I liued Earle of Holland by descent Of blood and for my comfort God three noble sonnes me sent Whose valours did enfranchise me from all my feare Whil'st Brabant and the Emperor 'gainst me great malice bare By them I ouercame GVIDO DOMPIERRE in fight And freed the towne of Zirickxee from all their enemies might The Flemings I subdu'd that were my enemies And in Valencia deepe intomb'd my bones and ashes lyes THE SECOND BOOKE ¶ The Argument IOhn Earle of Henault sonne to Iohn of Auesnes and the Ladie Alix sister to king William Earle of Holland was the second of that name and one and twentieth Earle of Holland Warre betwixt them of Vtrecht and their Bishop Iohn de Renesse prouokes the Earle of Flanders against the Earle of Holland which was the cause of great warres ¶ William called the Good the third of that name the two and twentieth Earle of Holland Guy of Holland his brother bishop of Vtrecht had great warres against the Frisons Cont William subdued the East-Frisons Iustice done vpon a baylife of South-Holland for a cow whom the Earle caused to be executed lying on his death bed ¶ William the fourth sonne to the good Earle William the three and twentieth Earle of Holland He makes warre against the Russians them of Vtrecht and the Frisons by whom he was slain in battaile leauing no children ¶ Marguerite wife to the Emperour Lewis of Bauiere daughter to the good Earle William the foure and twentieth Commander in Holland and Zeeland where she appointed duke William of Bauiere her eldest sonne Gouernor in her absence He had warre against them of Vtrecht The faction of the Cabillaux rise in Vtrecht which bandie duke William against his mother after the death of the Emperor Lewis whereof followed two cruell battailes in the first the Empresse was victor in the second duke William after much bloud spilt they agreed ¶ William remaining the fiue and twentieth Earle of Holland Vtrecht had warre against their bishop and the bishop against the Earle of Holland who was distract of his wits and the gouernment put into the hands of duke Albert of Bauiere his brother notwithstanding the factions which grew betwixt the Hoocks and the Cabillaux William called the Franticke being dead ¶ Albert of Bauiere was the six and twentith Earle of Holland Delft rebelled against the Earle he besieged it and forceth them to obedience The bishop of Vtrecht in warre against the Earle of Holland Anne of Poelgeest minion to Cont Albert murthered in the night which bred a great quarell betwixt the Earle of Ostrenant and Cont Albert his father An affront done to the Earle of Ostreuant at the French kings table which caused warre against the Frisons who were often subdued and rebelled as often Warre betwixt the Earle of Holland and the Lord of Arckel The historie of a sea-woman taken in Holland ¶ William the sixt of that name the seuen and twentieth Earle of Holland succeeded his father Albert he had great warres against the bishop of Vtrecht and the Lord of Arckel The Liegeois make warre against their bishop brother to the Earle of Holland the Earle goes to succor him and defeats the Liegeois Warre betwixt the Earle of Holland and the duke of Gueldres Cont William leauing one only heire ¶ Iacoba or Iaquelina the eight and twentieth commanding in Holland c. she maried first with the Daulphin of France sonne to Charles the sixt who died at one and twentie yeares of age without children then she maried with Iohn duke of Brabant Iohn of Bauiere bishop of Vtrecht troubles her estate to make himselfe Earle The Lady Iaqueline seperated from the duke her husband by reason of neerenesse of bloud she espouseth the duke of Glocester who after leaues her She had great warres and troubles against the duke of Brabant against her vncle and against the duke of Bourgoigne shee marries Franc of Borsele secretly the duke Philip of Bourgoigne puts him in prison and for his libertie she resignes all her Countries vnto the duke IOHN Earle of Holland sonne to Cont Floris the fifth being dead without heires the Earledomes of Holland and Zeeland with the Seigniorie of Friseland came by succession to Iohn Earle of Henault sonne to Cont Iohn of Auesnes and the Lady Alix sister to William king of Romans and Earle of Holland and so sonne to Cont Iohns great aunt Iohn of Henault was the one and twentieth Earle of Holland for which he quartered his Armes the Lyon sables of Henault and the Lyon gules of Holland in fields or This Earle had foure brethren Botzard bishop of Metz Iohn bishop of Cambray Guy chanon of Cambray and Floris who was prince of Morienne At his comming to this succession of Holland and Zeeland he gaue vnto his brother Guy the Seigniories of Amsterdam
the lord of Humbercourt the last hated him mortally for a lie which the Constable had giuen him in a conference of State betwixt the King and the dukes men the which did afterwards cost him his head This assembly of Bouines was in the yeare 1474. In the which it was concluded by both their deputies that the Constable for certaine reasons set downe in writing was guilty of high treason against both these Princes and all that should serue or assist him Moreouer the King should giue vnto the duke the towne of S. Quentin withall his treasure and mouables that should be found in the Realme of France with all the lands and Seigneuries which he had held of the duke Among others Ham and Bohain strong places and well appointed And at a certaine day prefixed the King and the duke should haue their armies ready to goe and beseege the Constable in Ham. But hee flattered the King in such sort as all that was disapointed for afterwards there was an entervewe betwixt the King and him the Constable comming armed conferring togither at a bar where he was reconciled to the King and to the Earle of Dompmartin making his excuse that hee came armed for the hatred and feare of him from thence the Constable went to lodge at Noion and the next day at Saint Quentin well reconciled as hee sayd and thought The King hearing what the world sayd of this his conference with the Constable he excused himselfe for his folly and basenesse to haue treated with his subiect and seruant accompanied with 400. men at armes all his owne subiects and entertained at his charge hauing a barre betwixt them From that time the Kings hatred increased daylie against the Constable Herein the Kings basenesse is excused for if hee had not done it the duke of Bourgongne would easily haue receiued him yeelding vp Saint Quentin We haue said before that Prince Adolph of Geldres deteined his father Duke Arnold in prison in the yeare 1464. which was the cause of great warres The Duke of Bourgongne did often seeke to reconcile them but he could not in the end the Pope and the Emperor dealt in it commanding the Duke of Bourgongne to drawe Duke Arnold out of prison the which hee did vpon a sommons made to Prince Adoph the which he durst not refuze seeing so many Potentates to deale in the cause and fearing the dukes forces so the duke of Geldres was brought to Dourlans to the duke of Bourgongne at such time as the French King was about Amiens Prince Adolph his Sonne appeered also vpon the same adiournement Once among the rest being called into the dukes chamber thinking to reconcile them in a great assembly of his councellors where they pleaded their cause the good old duke presented his gage of battaile vnto his Sonne The duke of Bourgongne for the alliance which Prince Adolph had made in his house and through the recōmendations of the deceased duke Philip his Father desired much to reconcile them yet he fauored the yong Prince most offring vnto him the title of gouernor of Bourgongne and the country of Gelders withall the reuenues except the towne of Graue scituated in Brabant the which should remaine to the father with the title of duke the Sonne should be called M◅bour Gardien or Regent of the country The lord of Argenton in his memorials writs that hee was commanded by the duke of Bourgongne to deliuer this message vnto Prince Adolph who answered That hee had rather haue cast his Father headlong into a well and himselfe after then make such an agreement That his Father had beene duke forty foure yeares and that it was now time hee were in his turne but hee would willingly yeelde him 3000. florins a yeare vpon condition that hee should neuer come into the Countrie of Geldres with manie more wicked and impious speeches The Duke of Bourgongne hearing the villanous speeches of this young Prince was very much mooued and would force him to make an ende with his Father But as the duke after the taking of Amiens parted to goe to Hesdin this Prince attyred himselfe like a Frenchman and escaped away with one man in his company to goe into his country passing a bridge neere vnto Namur where there was a certaine Toll to bee payed hee payed a Florin for his passage But a Priest knowing him discouered him to the Tol-gatherer who stayed him and caused him to be ledde to Namur from thence he was carried to Gand where hee remayned prysoner vntill the death of the duke of Bourgongne duke Arnold his Father was verie ioyfull of his imprysonment who to reuenge the iniury and outrage that had beene done him resigned his Duchie of Geldres to the duke of Bourgongne who kept his sonne prysoner who tooke possession thereof notwithstanding the great resistance he found there and inioyed it vntill his death The duke of Bourgongne after the Inuestiture of this Duchie of Geldres returned into his country hauing his heart swollen with pride to haue inlarged his territories and increased his reuenues with this goodly Prouince He beganne to haue some taste in these matters of Germany for that the Emperor Frederic was a quiet still man who suffred much to auoide charge and who of himselfe without the Princes of Germany had no great power Hauing a desire to take something from the Germaines hee prolonged the truce with the French For the effecting whereof there fell out happily for him a quarrell betwixt two Noblemen competitors for the bishoprick of Cologne the one was brother to the Landtgraue of Hessen the other kinsman to the Palatin of Rhine The duke of Bourgongne would hold the Palatins partie and vndertooke to put him into possession by force hoping to get some share And in the same yeare 1474. hee went to beseege Nuys fiue leagues from Cologne and of that Diocesse a strong Towne in the which the Landtgraue of Hessen himselfe was and many of his Kinsmen and friends to the number of 1800. horse The duke had neuer such goodly troupes of Caualerie and among the rest 1000. Italian launces which the Earle of Campobachio a Neapolitan led who afterwardes betrayed him and was the cause of his death Those of Cologne did their best endeauors to succor the towne The Emperor and the Princes of Germany assembled about this businesse and resolued to rayse an armie The French King had sent to sollicit them vnder hand The Princes sent an Ambassador vnto him intreating him that as soone as the Emperor should goe to field he would straight gather him with 20000 men the which hee promised vnder the commande of the lords of Craen and Salezard This Germaine armie was great for all the Princes both spirituall and temporall with the Bishoppes and Townes had sent their forces The Emperour was seauen monethes in raysing of this army with the which hee went and campt within halfe a league of
losses by his imprisonment in France the which hee sold afterwardes to the Lord of Egmont During the time that the yong Prince of Gelders sonne to Adolph was brought vp in the house of Bourgongne as much to say as a prisoner the Duke of Cleues seazed vppon many townes in Gelders for which cause the Geldrois made sharpe warre against the Cleuois and Brabansons growing dayly more obstinate they did â—…strange and with-draw themselues wholy from the house of Bourgongne whervpon the Archduke resouled to make warre against them Those of Numeghen Thyel and Bomel hauing some intelligence thereof went to him to Boisleduâ—… where they submitted themselues vnto him and acknowledged him for their Prince Wherevpon he went to Numeghen whither many Deputies of other townes came vnto him to doe the like This done he went to Ruremont to bridle Venlo but the Inhabitants did little regard it being resolued to defend themselues Whilest that the Archduke carryed himselfe in this sort in the Countrie of Gelders Dauid of Bourgongne bishop of Vtrecht being expelled the towne by the vicont of Montfort made an enterprise with his Partisans vpon the said towne the which succeeding not happily the Archduke hauing disposed of his affaires in Gelders came to Wyck-ter-duyrsted to him where they had much conference from thence the Archduke returned into Brabant the Dutchesse his wife being ready to be brought in bed was deliuered of a sonne whom the Duke of Brittanie christened and named him Francis by his owne name but he liued not long If in Holland the factions of the Cabillaux and the Hoecks tormented one another in Friseland the partialities of Vetcoopers and Scyringers did no lesse the Countrey being so diuided there as not onely the Nobilitie and townes made warre one against another with all violence but also the villages pesants other priuate persons which had any power or meanes yea the Abbeis Cloisters and Monestaries as well with their Prouost Monkes as with their lay Fryers whereof there followed great ruines desolations and burning of villages castels and other possessions as well Ecclesiasticall as Secular All this time there was sharpe warre betwixt the Hollanders that succored the Bishop of Vtrecht and them of the towne of Vtrecht and Amersfort of whom Iohn vicont of Montfort and Reyer van Brouckheuysen were the chiefe and the Lorde of Lalaine for the Hollanders who once among the rest were well beaten by them of Vtrecht neere vnto the fort of Waert which the Hollanders did besiege lost their artillerie and left the banners of their chiefe townes behinde them the Lord of Lalain saued himselfe being much amazed in Schoonhouen and those of Vtrecht returned victors with many prisoners into their Towne who hauing afterwardes surprized the Towne of Naerden in Holland but seeing they could not keepe it they spoyled it and so left it The Lord of Lalain sent the Markgraue of Antwerp thither and little Salezard a Knight of Gasconie whom the French King had dispoyled of his meanes which made him to come and serue the Archduke with a good troupe of braue souldiers Gascons to lie in Garrison there with a good number of horse and foote who continually made roades euen to the euery gates of Vtrecht and one day among the rest went and charged the great Bourg of Emenesse which is a french league long wher there were some of Vtrecht Amersfort in Garrison the which notwithstanding any resistance they forced slue all that could not flie and saue themselues through the Marishes and Quagmires and after they had spoiled it and laden themselues with the bootie they set fire of it and burnt it to the ground This warre betwixt the Diocesse of Vtrecht and the Hollanders increasing and growing more violent by sundry wrongs they did one vnto another the Traiectins hauing no Protector sent their Ambassadors to Iohn Duke of Cleues beseeching him that he would bee their Protector and to send them his brother Englebert of Cleues to be his Lieutenant and Generall there The which the Duke accepted and sent his brother where hee was well receiued and lodged in the Bishoppes Pallace whom the Taiectins did acknowledge for their Protector making an oath of fealtie vnto him as is accustomed in the like cases Afterwards the Hollanders defeated the Traiectins and slue 1000. vpon the place pursuing them euen into their Ports and if they had followed them close and had not beene too busie in spoyling of the dead they might haue entred pel mel with them and wonne the Cittie In the yeare 1482. in Lent the Lady Mary of Bourgongne Archdutchesse of Austria Countesse of Holland and Zeeland Lady of Frisland c. wife to the Archduke Maximilian being a hunting mounted vpon an ambling Gelding fell some write for the feare which her horse had of a wilde Boare which ranne betwixt his legges wherwith she was so bruzed in her body as the 27. of Marche she dyed to the great griefe of her husband who loued her entirely she was buried with a funerall pompe worthy of her greatnesse in the Quier of Saint Donas Church at Bruges after that shee had beene married foure yeares and a halfe leauing one Sonne named Philip about three yeares old and one Daughter but two yeares old who by the treatie of peace was made sure to King Charles the eight sonne to Lewis the 11. the French King But this marriage being broken she was married to the onely sonne of Dom Fernando of Arragon and of Isabella King and Queene of Castille called also Dom Fernando by whom she had one sonne who dyed within the yeare with the father afterwards shee married with Philebert the 8. Duke of Sauoy who died after he had been seauen yeares married The said Lady Mary of Bourgongne being dead the Archduke her husband tooke vpon him the title of Tutor to her children that with this quallitie he might preserue maintaine and defend them against the French King Lewis the eleuenth who had done so much harme and wrong vnto their Mother after the death of Duke Charles her father This qualitie of Tutor did not greatly please many of the Netherlanders especially the Flemings Those of Gaunt Bruges Franâ—… and Ypre which make the foure members of Flanders appointed by their priuate authoritie certaine commissioners to gouerne the countrie of Flanders ioyntly with the Archduke vntill it were otherwise ordered By reason whereof the States were assembled in the cittie of Gaunt where it was concluded that they should not receiue the said Gouernor but for a certaine time limitted vpon certaine conditions and with an othe to keepe them refusing to admit any particular Gouernours or Captaines if they were not chosen and placed by the Archduke and their commissioners ioyntly for that said they the Archduke was yet young and that such as were about him did gouerne him at their pleasures and did with him what they pleased also the money that was
from entring furnishing some munition of corne and oats for the Kings armie Leauying fiue thousand men for the guard of the Towne if happely they should offer to force them The confederate princes came to Vlme which refused to bee of their vnion Beeing arriued there they houered about the Towne And for that the Inhabitants were so insolent to shoote at them they demanded for reparation of this outrage three hundred thousand Crownes The which beeing refused they spoiled them all they could From thence Duke Maurice went to Lints in Austria to vnderstand from King Ferdinand the conditions of peace For that Ferdinand desired greatly to pacefie things with the Emperors consent After that hee had conferred with him hee returned to the armie and the next day they marched towards the Alpes Heerevppon the Iudges of the Imperiall Chamber fledde from Spyer For it was against them that both the French King and the Princes were incensed laying vppon them all the blame and cause oâ—… these troubles In the meane time the Queene of Hongary the Emperors sister made an Assembly at Aix la Chappelle vpon the Confines of the Duchie of Iuilliers to make a League with them The Prince of Cleues and Iuilliers excused himselfe by his Ambassadors Adolph Bishop of Cologne came and so did George of Austria Bishop of Liege The French King being come to Weissenbourg after that hee had left the territory of Strasbourg seeing that there was not any thing to bee gotten the Ambassadors of the Prince Elector Palatin of the Archbishops of Mentz and Treues and of the the dukes of Cleues and wirtemberg which were assembled at Wormes for the good of the Common-weale went vnto the King intreating him that hee would not wast and spoile the champion country but take pittie of the poore commons and incline his heart to peace Duke Maurice for his part did also write vnto the King in the which was conteined what had beene treated at Lints with King Ferdinand requiring the King whome Maurice would haue comprehended in the treaty of peace to declare with what conditions he would compound with the Emperour The King found by these letters that they were weary of him in Germany and to say the truth the Princes would not willingly haue seene him aduance so as two daies after he retired with his army againe into Lorraine so into France But before his departure he answered the ambassadors saying that hee had obtained that for which hee came into Germany with his army seeing that the Princes Prisoners should bee deliuered which was the chiefe cause of the warre and therefore he had wonne honor ynough That if it euer chanced that Germany had neede of him that hee would spare neither his labour purse nor person that hearing nowe that his enemies had assayled him within his Realme hee would returne As for that which they writ of the Emperor and of a peace he referred himselfe to them c. with some other complements The King was no sooner gone out of France towardes Germany but presently the Emperors armie of the Netherlandes whereof Martin van Rossen was Commander entred and burnt the frontiers of Champagne and tooke Astenay a towne seated neere to the riuer of Meuze of the Iurisdiction of Lorraine whereon the French had but lately seized Some say it was one of the causes that made the King retire with his army the second was for that hee did not allowe of Duke Maurice his proceeding touching the peace and the third was for that hee had beene deceiued of his expectation vpon the towne of Strasbourg the which hee would willingly haue had as good cheape as hee had gotten Metz Toul and Verdun but Strasbourg was too great a morcell the which if hee had swalloed the Germaines might at leysure haue repented that euer they had called him Beeing retired out of Germanie hee beganne to march the two and twenty of May so as hauing past the Riuer of Mosella hee entred into Luxembourg where hee wasted spoyled and burnt all imitating as hee sayd Martin van Rossen and recouered the towne of Astenay the which hee found without garrison the Borguignons and Rossen being retired vpon the first bruit of the Kings approch Then he went with his armie before Danuilliers the which was yeelded vnto him and then Yuois the strongest place of the country Peeter Ernest Earle of Mansfieldt Gouernor of the countrie was in it with the floure of all the the youth of Luxembourg who were all taken by the French and the towne spoyled through a mutiny among the soldiars against the Kings will as they sayd Duke Maurice after his returne from the treatie at Lints to the Army of the confederate Princes he beeing gone King Ferdinand went presently to Inspruch to the Emperor his Brother to let him vnderstand what had beene treated betwixt them And that at Maurice his returne to the army hee marched with his companions towards the Alpes who being thrust on by du Fresne the French Kings Ambassador they were resolued to charge those soldiars which the Emperor caused to be leuied in that quarter The 18. of May approching to Fiesse which is a smal towne at the entry of the Alpes they sent some troupes to discouer euen vnto the straights which the Emperors men held whereof they tooke some prisoners from whom they learned the estate of that quarter The next day they aduanced with their foote and onely two hundred men at armes and tooke the way to Fiesse nere vnto Rutte they came vnto the straight of the Mountaines which some eight hundred of the Emperors men held with two field peeces whom they assayled won the passage and chased the enemies who flying away strooke a feare into them that were nere vnto Rutte The Princes followed them at the heeles and so charged the rest as they defeated them where there were about a 1000. slaine and drowned The next day they marched towards the fort of Ereberg where they happily tooke the fort vnder the Castell and were maisters of the entries of the passage and tooke the great Canon which was ready mounted This done they crept vp the mountaine the which was very steepe euen vnto the Castell although they played continually vpon them with their small shotte There were within it thirteene companies of foote whereof nine captaines were taken and three Germaines with one Italian escaped there were about 3000. prisoners and the Princes lost few of their men The 22. of May two regiments were sent to Inspruck by the Alpes which is but two dayes iourney from thence all their Caualerie remained with one regiment about Fiesse and Rutte to garde the passage Maurice and the confederate Princes followed the next day and ioyned with their foote neere vnto Zirle which is but two leagues from Inspruck The Emperor hearing newes that Eruberg was taken departed hastily in the night and with great confusion from Inspruck with his brother Ferdinand
wise temperate stout and high minded prince of great experience and fortunate but somewhat selfe-willed Before his death he obtained the full power and gouernment of the dukedome of Guelderland the carldome of Zutphen the baronies of Vtrecht and Oueryssel the baronie of Groning the towne of Cambricke and the earledome of Linghen all in the Netherlands he had the earledome of Flanders and other prouinces that as yet were in a manner contributaries to the crowne of Fraunce but freed from the same for euer by contract the kingdome of Tunes the countries of America Naples Sicilia and Myllan which hee woon and assured vnto himselfe his souldiers woon Rome he tooke prisoners Pope Clement the seuenth the king of France the king of Nauarre and the elector of Saxon the duke of Cleue the Lantgraue of Hessen and others submitted themselues vnto him In his latter daies fortune was not so fauourable vnto him by reason of his obstinacie bad counsell and hard resolution Keeping the Lantgraue prisoner he was by Maurice elector of Saxon and other princes that had made a contract with the king of France compelled not onely to set the Landtgraue free but also to lose the fruits of his victorie in Germanie as many hystories sufficiently declare the same He left issue by lady Isabell of Portugall king Philip his onely sonne daughters Mary married to the Emperour Maximilian and Ioanna princesse of Portugall with more naturall children or bastards as Don Iohn de Austria and Marguerite dutchesse of Parma And so king Philip in one yeare lost his father his wife and his two aunts In December after he celebrated their funerals in Brussels but aboue all the rest he made a most triumphant funerall for the Emperour his father with a victorious ship armes standards and banners of all his honours which was most triumphantly borne throughout the streets In the same yeare and about that time there died two kings in Denmarke as Christian then king and Christierne that had laine two and twentie yeares prisoner because of the tyrannie that he had shewed vnto his subiects being neuerthelesse a mightie king of three kingdomes as Denmarke Swethland and Norway but he fell into such hatred of his people that they forsooke him and chose another king and in Anno 1532 when with a great armie and by the aid of the Emperor Charles he thought to win Denmarke againe he was by them ouerthrown and taken prisoner which was a wonderfull worke and punishment of God shewed vpon him for his vnmercifulnesse and tyrannie and an excellent example for princes in our time Not long before he died he was friendly visited by king Christian where they forgaue each other from their hearts This Christiern married Isabella sister to the Emperour Charles the fifth by whom he had issue a sonne that died in the Netherlands at the same time that his father was taken prisoner and two daughters the one Palsgraueni the other called Christiana that was dutchesse of Lorraine and in Anno 1558 was a mediator of the peace betweene Fraunce and Spaine whose sonne being duke of Lorraine maried Claude second daughter to the king of France vpon the last of Ianuarie 1559. As I said before the death of the queen of England prolonged the treatie of peace between the kings of Fraunce and Spaine but in Februarie after the Commissioners on both sides assembled againe in the castle of Cambryse where also there came the queene of Englands embassadours as the bishop of Ely the lord Howard baron of Effingham Doctor Wotton and the Deane of Canterburie and for the duke of Sauoy two deputies and with all those the aforesaid dutchesse as mediator with her sonne and after some delayes at last they proceeded so farre that there seemed nothing resting to be done but onely that the Englishmen desired to haue Callis restored againe vnto the queene wherein king Philip sought to haue her satisfied and contented or els he would accept of no peace because that during his warres and by his meanes it had beene lost but the Frenchmen boldly alleadging that queene Elizabeth was not lawfull queene of England but the Scottish queene as being right heire thereunto by discent from the grandmother king Henry the eights eldest sister that as then had maried the Dolphin of Fraunce they said and affirmed that she had nothing to do therewith Whereby the queen of England began to suspect that the peace which as then was entreating of might be made only to compell her to hold and obserue the Catholicke Romish Religion which as then she began to alter and change within her kingdomes to the dishonour of king Philip and therefore thought it best for her to make an assured peace with France wherein on both sides one Guido Caualcanti a gentleman of Florence was specially employed by whose meanes vpon the second of Aprill 1559 an agreement was made in the castle of Cambresis and after much debating of the cause it was agreed That Calis should be vnwalled and so deliuered ouer vnto the queene but in the end they concluded That Calis and the Earledome of Oyen should continue eight yeres in the French kings hands and then should be restored to the queene againe without any defacing with all things that belonged therunto only with sixteene brasse pieces of diuers greatnesse and for assurance thereof the French king should giue six or seuen sufficient marchants for sureties of the same which should be bound in the summe of fiue hundred thousand crownes and vntill such time that the peace might not be delayed as those marchants should be committed prisoners in Bruges there should be fiue French gentlemen put into the queenes hands for hostages which euery fiue months she might change but for that this contract concerned many matters touching Scotland the queene of Scots then taking on her the title and armes of England and Ireland for the which after that there grew some contention part of the said hostages got away and others by new contracts were set at liberty and discharged and so the Frenchmen still held Calis The queen of England thus contented satisfied the peace betweene the two kings of France Spaine was concluded at Cambresis vpon the third of Aprill 1559 and proclaimed in Brussels vpon the fifth of April after The old controuersies that had continued for the space of fiue twentie yeares were on both sides wholly excluded out of the same as the soueraignty that France pretended to haue ouer Flanders Artois Rissel Doway Dornick the kingdome of Naples and the dutchie of Millan c. and the king of Spaines pretence ouer Burgundie Prouence the townes vpon the riuer of Some and the earledome of Bolonois The principall articles of the said peace being as followeth for the rest I refer the Reader to diuers hystories wherethey may see them at large this seruing onely for a memoriall First That a good peace should be holden betweene the said kings their children and subiects
goods inheritages houses rents which by title of consiscation shall be sould and alienated the said generall estates shall appoint commissionars in euery Prouince such as shall not bee of those estates to take knowledge of all difficulties if any shall grow to the end they may giue reasonable satisfaction as well to the ancient proprietaries as to the buyers and sellers of the said goods and rents for their euict on respectiuely The like shall bee don for the arrerages of rents and personall obligations and for all other pretensions complaints and greuances which the interessed by reason of the said troubles would hereafter of either side commence in what sort soeuer That all Prelats and other Clergy-men whose Abbaies Dioceses Foundations and residences are scituated without Holland and Zeeland and yet haue goods in the saide countries shall returne to the propriety of their goods as it is aboue said in regard of secular persons But for that which concernes relligious persons and other Clergy-men which haue made profession in the said Prouinces and other places associated vnto them or haue prebends there and yet are retired or haue not beene resident for that most part of their goods are alienated hereafter they shall haue reasonable maintenance giuen them with those that remaine or else they shall be suffered to enioy their goods at the choise of the said estates and all by prouision vntill their pretensions shall bee determined by the generall Estate More-ouer it is agreed that all donations and other dispositions Inter viuos vell causa mortis made by priuate persones whereby the true heires by reason of the said troubles or of relligion are excluded and disinherited from their right and succession by vertue hereof they shall bee held voyde and of no force And whereas they of Holland and Zeeland the better to maintaine the warres haue raysed all coynes of gould and siluer to a heigh valew the which cannot be allowed in other Prouinces with-out great losse it is agreed that the deputies of the said generall estates shall as soone as possibly they can seeke to equall the said coines as neere as may be for the entertainment of this Vnion and the common course of traficke of ether side Moreouer vpon the request made by the said States of Holland and Zeeland to the end that the generality of all the Netherlands would take vpon them the charge of all the debts contracted by the said Prince to make his two expeditions and great Armies for the which they only of Holland and Zeeland and the Prouinces and townes which yeelded to his excellence in his last expedition are bound as the say that point is referred and left to the discretion and determination of the generall estates to whome all things being pacefied report shall bee made to take such regard as shal be conuenient In this common accord and pacification the countries Seigneuries and townes holding the contrary party shall not be comprehended nor enioy the benifit thereof vntill they be effectually ioyned and vnited to this confederation which they may doe when they please The which treaty of pacification after the report agreeation and allowance as wel by the commissioners for the gouernment of the contry as by the States thereof together with the Prince and the States of Holland Zeeland and their associats in all the poynts and articles aboue mentioned and also of all that should be decreed and determined by the generall estates The said deputies haue by vertue of commissions promised and sworne and dos promise sweare by these presents to obserue entertaine accomplish and inviolably to keepe all respectiuely on eitheir part and to cause it to be ratefied sworne signed and sealed by the Prelats Nobles townes and other members of the said Prouinces and by the said Prince as well in generall as in particular within one moneth next ensaing to the content of euery one In witnes whereof all the deputies aboue-named signed the treaty in the towne house of Gant the 8. of Nouember 1576. This pacification together with the commissions of the deputies of both parties which we haue not thought fit to insert here nor that of the secretary was the 13. of Nouember following the same yeare ratified and confirmed by letter pattents from the King of Spaine signed Ouerlope as we will hereafter shew Besides this aduice the prince procured meanes for the states to leuy certaine soldiers in Germanie They likewise assembled there army about Wauere in Brabant vnder the Earle of Lalain the Vicont of Gaunt and Monsier la Motte Gouernor of Graueline before they sent into France where they were promised all ayde and assistance At that same time they sent the Baron d' Aubigny into England to certifie the Queene of the estate of the country and of there extremity who for that cause sent Maister Smith into Spaine to desire the King to retire all the Spaniardes out of the Netherlands and in December after they sent the Lord of Sweueghen againe vnto the Queene to desire her to send them some mony for that they knew Don Iohns proceeding the planting of Spanish garisons to be suspected by her where hauing audience vpon the 13 of December he let her vnderstand according to his charge how cruelly the Spaniards there enemies were incensed against the Netherlands for that in the yere 1559. the king had bin desired and required by the estates to free them of the Spanish soldiers which to the great burthen of the same had for certaine yeares remained there in garrison for which cause to be reuenged they made the world beleeue that the Netherlands were all heretikes and rebels to God to the King where-vnto the troubles hapening in the said countries in the yeare 1565. and 1566. as they thought gaue them iust occasion and yet although the said troubles according to the time were wel ended pacefied by the Duches of Parma then Regent yet would not the enemy cease till â—…e had brought the Duke of Alua into the Netherlands with a puisant army who at his first entry openly bragged that the said country was giuen vnto them as a prey The said Duke suffering his soldiars to vse all barbarous tirrany and on the other side vnder pretence of iustice and to do right vnto euery man he caused an innumerable number of men many times both against the Kings and his owne decrees giuen out before to be executed Built castles brake al priviledges wherby no man of any reputation could be assured of his life and liue in good name and fame if he had any thing to loose and so supposing that he had grounded his tirany according to his minde heâ—… erected his Image in the Netherlands with most heathen inscriptions beginning likewise to molest his neigbours and to vse other secret meanes to abuse them whereof her Maiesty could beare witnes seeking to charg the Netherlands with troupes such as before that time in any extremity
further in that which hee hath begun to remedy these things And for this effect as the pacification made at Marche in Famine betwixt his heighnesse and the generall Estates of the country was afterwards confirmed by the perpetuall edict and then ratefied by his maiesties expresse authority so in like manner those of Holland and Zeeland should cause it to be proclaymed in their Prouinces and townes to bee ioyntly accepted of them all 〈◊〉 so long as it remaines vn-proclaimed it seemes that they of Holland and Zeeland would hold themselues diuided from the rest and not ioyne in this generall vnion which is the true and only meanes of the safety and preseruation of the country It would be also necessary to cease from fortefying of townes and other places which they not only continue but they build vp new which seemes to contradict the effect of peace for being no enemies and hauing no cause to distrust on another there is no need to fortehe if they will not nourish Ielousie and breed supition of hostility Moreouer as his highnesse hath vnderstood that not onely they doe daily cast new artillery and furnish them-selues with all sorts of munition as if they were still in warre but also they melt the old peeces againe which carried his Maiesties armes and that they graue on them other armes the which is quite contrary to the pacification of Gand and preiudiciall to the article which faith that the generall assembly shall take order for the restitution of artillery munition forts and shippes vnto his Maiesty his highnes would desire that this might be prouided for and that hereafter they would forbeare from any such casting and that they would also forbeare from making of any league or secret allyances with any forraine Princes or neighbour Prouinces seeing it cannot but breed great distrust and nonrish matter of bad intelligence one with an other being also against the duty of obedience which the subiects owe vnto their naturall Prince And besides his Highnes would wish that according to that which had beene concluded at the pacification of Gand and that which his Highnes hath also ratefied and promised for his part they will procure that the generall assembly of the estates may be held as soone as may be as it is conteyned in the said pacification and that to that end they will consider of the meanes whereby they may make them assemble and of the time and other circumstances thereto required The Prince hauing heard this speech after that he had retired a little into the Anext chamber with the deputies of the estates of Holland and Zeeland being returned hee answered Thus hauing heard the points propounded by his Highnes deputies for that there were many articles of importance and whereon they must conferre together hee desired to haue them in writing that they might answer to euery one in particular as it was fit Therevpon Doctor Elbertus Leoninus spake and said that to auoyd prolixitie of writing the which did breed but confusion they thought it necessary not to put any thing in writing and therefore that by way of conference they would answer to the points propounded and endeauor to come vnto that defired vnion and concord propounding also on their parts the points that might seeme to breed any scruple difficulty or distrust that by an amiable conference they might vnderstand one an other and if it were possible procure concord and vnion which is so much desired of all sides where-vpon the Prince answered that he desired nothing might bee treated of but by writing for that other-wise they might speake things of either side which might bee sinisterly interpreted or that might bee denied to haue beene treated of as wee haue seene said he by experience in that sollemne Treaty of the pacification of Gand which they labor by all meanes to make fruitlesse and vnprofitable vnder colour that some points which were debated by Mouth and not so particularly set downe are wrested to an other sence as that of gouernments giuen by commission from his Maiestie the which is a cleare point and yet they seeke gloses and cauelings to obscure the will and meaning of the contractors vppon colour that the name of Vtrecht was not expresly set downe in writing and whereas he said that writing bred confusion the which is not made plaine but by writing therefore hereafter they would not treat other-wise then by writing There-vppon the Doctor replied that they would not make any difficultie therein But that first by an amiable conference they would giue them to vnderstand the points where-with they held them-selues grieued to the end that seeking their content they should demand that which should bee fit for their safety The Prince answered But seeing they kept not that which was so sollemnly promised at Gand and confirmed by oth by most of the Nobilitie and Townes in particular and ratified by Don Iohn and his Maiestie what hope can wee haue that what-soeuer shall be promised hereafter will be maintained and kept Wherein is it said the Seignior of Grobbendoncq that you complaine that the pacification is not intertained The question was of Breda and of his Sonne but the first day of the garrison of Breda But said the rest suppose the pacification bee accomplished for all cannot bee done at one instant Don Iohn hath begun well hee must haue time to finish the rest and matters that are doubtfull must bee debated that it may bee made apparent where-vnto hee is bound For touching the point of Vtrecht it is no wonder if hee hath not satisfied it seeing that hee findes not Vtrecht specified in the pacification and that there lay before him many considerable disputable reasons why hee is not bound to do it Yea said the Prince by this reason you may draw any matter in question neither is there any matter so cleere but it may bee disputed the which was amplified by the Seignior of Saint Aldegond and concluded by his Excellency that they should first fullfill the articles of the said pacification and that then the Estates beeing assembled they would propound of either side the other points seruing for their greater assurance There-vppon Doctor Leoninus propounded that it was to bee considered that the generall Assemblie of the Estates was not without danger for the great number of them that did assist and the diuersity of humors especially of them that are not allwaies iudicious and discreet Producing for example the Assemblie of the Estates of France the which we haue seene to ingender more dissention and cause of warre then there was before And therefore it were fit to consider if by an amiable conference of the points that are in question and whereof there remaines yet some scruple of distrust that we may excuse this generall Assemblie and auoid the danger that might grow thereby Where-vpon his Excellencie answered that there was a great difference betwixt the Estates of this country the Estates of
the Estate which is that such a man as Paule Buys is reputed to be the head of a partie turbulent passionate reuengefull and ambitious should not haue beene put in prison but his processe should presently haue bene made or at the least he should haue beene better guarded then he hath beene heretofore Euery one fore-seeing that if hee once gotte out hee would bee reuenged on those who hee thought had wrong'd him as we haue seene what broiles he hath made since his escape to the great blame and dishonor of the Gouernor generall and to the great preiudice of this Estate Besides the discontentment of all the other Councellors of Estate and other cheife men of this countrie who haue rightly iudged that if they did open a dore to such Iniustice and did abandon men of honor to the rage and passion of priuate men and of a multitude the like hanged ouer their heads for as Seneca sayth Minatur multis vni qui facit iniuriam Hee threatens many that doth wronge but to one And the fact cannot bee honestly excused that the captaines had not giuen aduertisment but an houre before for all their othes and execrations shall neuer satisfie them who knowe how the sayd Captaines the Sheriffe Pottere and Maister Webbe one of his Excelencies houshold were then in credit with his Excelencie who at the same instant was in Vtrecht Moreouer the sayd Pottere sayd to many before his death that neither hee nor any of his companions durst euer haue attempted such a thing without the silent consent of his Excellencie and that they found themselues to bee well grounded If then the sayd imprisonment were done without the knowledge and against his Excellencies authoritie why haue they not yet done iustice Hee that allowes and ratefies a fact is like vnto him that is the author This indirect proceeding against Paul Buys hath beene the cause that hee who before was held a wicked man is now reputed an innocent and that they haue done him wrong Iniustice and indignity Finally wee must remember the wise aduise of Tacitus Non vtendum esse imperio vbi legibus agipossit Wee may not vse violence where as the lawes are in force The establishing of a Councell of the treasor without the consent and contrary to the admonitions and expresse will of the Estates hath beene the more odious for that his Excellency hath appointed for chiefe thereof a man that is generally hated of all the Hollanders and not very well lik'd of the other Prouinces a man who was knowne to bee of a sodaine and violent spirit an enemy to the Estates and fit to breed diuision and iealousie betwixt a Gouernor generall and the Estates A matter as it hath well appeered since of most dangerous consequence and if hee had no other qualitie but the name of a Brabanson which all men knowe is odious to the Prouince For the ancient iealousies and quarrells which haue beene betwixt these two Prouinces And for that the Brabansons in their Prouince exclude all their neighbours from all charges honours and offices and hold them for strangers so it is that for this consideration hee should haue had respect not to discontent so many men and whole Prouinces to aduance one onely man to a charge of so great importance and so much suspected by them who feared that by his meanes they would serch into their administration past For although the sayd Councell was for many causes and reasons held most necessarie yet seeing it was so fearefull to manie they could doe no lesse then to put in pleasing Officers or at the least such as should not bee odious to all men But that which hath most offended the Estates is that besides the ordinarie and lawfull meanes which were graunted they haue consented that Ringault should practise his owne inuentions The which hath made his Excelencie vnpleasing vnto the sayd Estates and to all the marchants generally throughout all Holland and Zeeland who were reduced to that Estate as many talked of going out of the countrie rather then to liue subiect to such a tyranie as was that which Ringault would bring in vpon all the marchants For although that the breach of Edicts and proclamations doe much preiudice the State yet the course they would haue held was so odious as in the iudgement of the wise it was sufficient to make whole townes reuolt as Amsterdam Enchuysen and the greatest townes of traficke in the countrie Besides the terror which Ringaults promise strooke into them by the which hee should binde himselfe by that onelie meanes in fewe monthes to finde many millions of gold The Chancellor Leoninus was wont to say that such inuentions did neuer profit but to him and his like when as the Duke of Alua or the Gouernors haue demaunded their aduise by way of consultation Out of the which they were commonly well payd for their fees and attendance And yet such inuentions were held by them not to bee executed You may not then aduance to such charges men that are suspected and odious to all the world wee drawe out money by indirect or vnusuall meanes for the example of Ringault and of all that ensued may giue a good instruction what collour soeuer they will set vppon it for the publicke good and the execution of the lawes It hath beene formerly sayd that one of the Articles of the vnion made betwixt the Prouinces is that all shall defend and maintaine them-selues togither that they shal bee intreated a like both of the one and the other Religion and shall ioyntlie furnish meanes to make warre against their enemies And although there bee no exercise but of one Religion yet no man shal bee molested nor troubled for his conscience for that Religion is not the onelie cause of this warre but their libertie and preuiledges whereof they are so iealous as for the preseruation thereof the Chanoins Priests and other Clergie men and all the Gentlemen that were Papists in these countries haue made no difficultie to forsake the Pope and the exercise of their owne Religion and to giue place to the reformed knowing well that it was the true and onelie meanes to deliuer them from the oppression of the Spaniard And this Estate consisting thus of diuers humors and opinions especially for matter of Religion and conscience beeing accustomed to line with libertie of conscience without any molestation or disturbance hauing by the sayd contract and vnion reserued vnto themselues this libertie the which hath not hetherto beene any preiudice to the warres nor hindred the course of the reformed Religion or their deseignes and resolutions tending to the preseruation of this Noble Estate that all with one accord and a generall consent haue demaunded succors from the Queenes Maiestie of England and giuen the gouernment generall to his Excelencie And finally that it is not specefied in the treaties nor in the Commission giuen vnto his Excelencie that hee shall charge or Innouate any
the riuer of Breda which the Earle of Mansfeldt had built not many monethes before then hee tooke the Fort of Roosendael and after that beseeged the Towne of Stenbergh the which yeelded by composition Then he sent a part of the garrison of Breda and of Berghen vp Zoom to scoure the country who running ouer the countrey of Campeigny tooke the towne of Tillemont in Brabant by scaladoe but being a great thing and heard to keepe after they had spoyled it they left it and euery one being laden with bootie returned to his garrison The Bourgers of Venlo in Gelderland finding themselues tyranously opprest by the souldiars of their garrison and could not bee eased by any intreaties nor their complaintes heard in the end seeing the signior Bentinck their Gouernor absent they consulted togither how they might free themselues of their garrison which consisted of Italiens and Germaines but these were somewhat more modest then the Italiens The Bougers hauing acquainted them with their intent which was to driue out the Italiens the which done they should haue the more profit and therefore intreated them to assist them in this execution or at the least if by reason of their oth they might not doe it that they would stand still as Neuters and not put themselues in armes against the Bourgers The which hauing promised they of the towne beeing all in armes commanded the Italiens to depart if not they knewe well how to force them and so beeing retired the Bourgers would not disarme themselues nor leaue their gardes vntill they were all forth But the people were not satisfied to be so ridde of the Italiens but they would doe as much to the Germaines whome they chased away with all the reproches and indignitie that might bee Bentincke who was then busie about the raysing of a newe Regiment of foote would gladly haue beene reuenged of this indignitie But the Bourgers to bee ridde of him also caused his wife and all his familie to depart and so hee lost his gouernment and the King of Spaines fauour and with all his Regiment was soone after quite disperst whereof a part beeing sodenly surprized betwixt the townes of Aix and Mastricht was defeated by the Estates men Behold how Bentincke of a pettie companion grewe great and fell againe into the same Estate They of Venloo did write their excuses vnto the Earle of Mansfeldt and to the councell of Estate at Brusselles promising to continue constant in the Catholike religion and in the Kings obedience and not depart from the one nor the other neither had they chased away their garrison to seeke any innouation nor to attempt any thing against the Kings seruice but to free and deliuer themselues their wiues and children from the barbarous cruelties and execrable villanies of those Italien souldiars and others the which they could no longer endure And they intreated it might not bee misconstred not taken in euill part seeing that the King should not be thereby preiudiced and that they would keepe the towne vnder the Kings obedience and seruice without a garrison The Spaniard had at that time built a Fort ioyning to the town of Houy in the countrie of Leege to keepe the riuer of Meuse subiect from all which came from aboue in the which was captaine Grobbendonc but with a hundred men The Estates angrie that the Spaniards should play the maisters in that manner and hinder the nauigation of the riuer of Meuse they sent some eight hundred men who beeing camped before this Fort they prest the captaine to yeelde vpon the first sommons if not if they tooke it by force they would not leaue a man aliue The beseeged knowing themselues to weake for so great a number and that the place was not to bee held long against any great force hauing small hope of succors they offred to yeeld vpon condition to depart with their full armes bagge and baggage But the States-men knowing that the place was filled with the goods of the neighbour villages brought thether for refuge they would make no other composition but to depart with white wands as they were forced to doe beeing gone forth the Fort was raized to the ground the Estates men returning into Holland laden with spoile and the others with emptie hands into Brabant They of Zeeland had at that time an enterprize vpon Dunkerke which they thought to surprize by scaladoe in the night The desseigne had not beene ill plotted by Collonel Nicholas Meetkerke with three thousand foote and one hundred horse which were imbarked but the winde beeing contrarie and driuing them backe vpon the coast of Flanders it made the Flemings growe into suspition and so they were discouered Yet hauing landed the sayd Meetkerke shewing vnto the Earle of Solms and to Sir Francis Vere the place where hee ment to assaile it beeing vpon the edge of the ditche they were all three hurt with shot Sixe daies before the garrison of Ostende surprized the towne of Oudenbourg neere vnto Bruges in Flanders where there were about the number of foure hundred souldiars the which they spoyled and burnt The nine and twenty day of October the Spaniards sought to surprize the towne of Lochem with three cartes laden with haie euery one hauing two or three souldiars by it attired like Pesants with forkes The first beeing past ouer the drawe bridge the porters sonne and an other boy as it is their custome and right beganne to pull as much haie as they could whilest the cartes were betwixt the two bridges And the cart making no hast one of them tooke a souldiar that was hidden vnder the haie by the foote and presently cryied out treason treason wherevpon the souldiars leaping out of the cartes slue them that were in the Court of garde But the Townesmen putting themselues in armes Francis Ballochi Sargeant Maior made head against them and boate them backe beyond the bridge the which was presently drawne vp and so this enterprize fayled for want of horsemen The Sargeant Maior of Zutphen was the vndertaker who was slaine within the towne and buried there In the end of December the Earle of Ouerstein entred with a good troupe of horse into the countrie of Westphalia for that they did still maintaine the Spanish faction and spoyled many villages about Munster and the Diocese of Paterborne The like did the Spaniards in the countrie of Liege without any mercy Where the Bishoppes councell complained at Brusselles first to the Earle of Mansfeldt and then to the Duke of Parma at his returne from France But they had small succor or comfort nay it was told them that if their Prince and Bishoppe were not a good Spaniard that his countrie must endure more And that they had no cause to compaine for what was past seeing that they and the King of Spaine maintayned one quarrell for the defence of the Catholike and Romish religion The Duke of Parma had certaine intelligences in the towne of
nobility in mindâ—… of that which you once haue done and that you will attempt to do it againe at someother time counseling them therefore by preuention so to shorten and clip your wings and to put such a bit into your mouth as they may be assured and out of doubt thereof These arguments and naturall reasons grounded vpon mutuall care cannot by any meanes be taken from you for say that the Emperor the Pope the King of France England and other Princes make promises and bind them-selues that the Articles concluded shall bee truly and fully obserued and kept what will that helpe you you must neuer the lesse lay your head in your reconcled ennemies lap you must liue vnder his fauor and at his deuotion but when soeuer you are executed or other wise oppressed and haue no meanes nor power to helpe your selues which of these cautions will you charge with his promise before what iudge wil you plead your cause who shall serue execution vpon the principall debtor or the suerty paraduenture you thinke that if the Pope warrenteth the contract and put his seale there-vnto with declaration that the old cannon which is not to hold any faith with heretickes in that respect shall bee of no force that as then you are well assured but say that the Pope that now is did it who shall assure you that his successor will confirme it may he not say my predecessor erred I haue the the power to breake as being voyde and of none effect what so euer is done against the Catholike Religon let it bee done by whome soeuer it will but bee it that the Poope saith not so may not the King of Spaine him-selfe maintaine and say that vppon many waighty reasons hee being a soueraigne monarch who is not subiect to any iudge what soeuer may discharge himselfe of his contract and dispence there-with according to the argument of Docter Ayala aforesayd as in effect the King that last died brake and recalled al his contracts made for certaine years with the Italian marchants and thus you shall finde your selues intrapped on euery side wheresoeuer you turne you As touching the securitie of Princes and Potentates it is meere follie once to thinke that any sureties will beginne or vndertake for to make warres in your behalfe no man halteth for an other mans lamenesse the charges and the troubles of warres are so great as no man will take them in hand for the loue or profit of strangers yea men feare to enter thereinto although they should thereby reuenge their owne wrongs Looke into the Articles of peace made betweene the Kings of France and Spaine in the yeare of our Lord 1598. haue not the Spaniards by taking of townes vpon the confines of the Empire by ouer running Cleaue-land and other neighbour countries and by ransaking spoyling and offering of a thousand wrongs broken the same and yet France will not make any warres in the behalfe of those countries looke into the example of the Queene of England of famous memorie late deceased that although the King of Spaine sought by many practises and open force to inuade her crowne and countrie yet how vnwilling shee was neuerthelesse to assaile him with a iust offensiue warre but was content to defend her owne notwithstanding that by your aide and with halfe charges shee might haue assured her Estate What hope haue you then to expect that any forraine Prince when soeuer you shal be oppressed and that the charges must onely fall vpon him will reuenge your wrongs To speake of the Emperor it is needelesse for that no man is so simple as not to conceiue that there is more partialitie then trust to bee expected at his hands But you say the Emperor and the Princes of Germanie yea and the whole Empire doe of themselues offer to imbrace our cause and as good mediators will procure vs a good peac shall wee distrust both enemies and friends and heare no mans counsell I answere that you haue more then to many reasons to suspect all whatsoeuer that commeth from the Emperor not onely in regard of his neerenesse of bloud vnto the King of Spaine and the Arch-duke but in respect of his owne actions and proceedings against them of the Religion of Aix and namely against his owne subiects in Bohemia Hungaria Austria Slesia and other his countries hauing also winckt at the Admirall of Arragons actions and left the oppressed subiects of the borders of the Empire comfortlesse As touching the Empire and the Princes thereof although that many of them are well to be trusted yet diuers of them depend vpon the Pope and consequently on Spaine In the yeare of our Lord 1598. you saw the bad agreement that was amongst them and the slowenesse they vsed in helping and comforting of their oppressed members togither with the badde gouernment of their affaires by reason of the great number of diuerslie affected leaders All of them togither by their Ambasages and admonitions seeke to procure a peace for the profit and commoditie of the Netherlands but much more for their owne perswading themselues that by the Netherlandes warre they receiue some hurt and preiudice and fall into many extreamities seeking and desiring therefore to cease them let the Religion and your preuiledges doe as they may And whensoeuer artciles should bee broken they will doe much lesse for you then they haue done for their vnited companions and members of the Empire negligently ouerslipping the great daunger that approcheth them as soone as the Netherlanders which God forbid should bee brought into subiection and they that vnderstand the same as there are some will neuer giue you counsell to liue vnder the Spaniardes subiection but will humblie thanke you that you still continue as a stronge bul-warke for them and turne awaie the warres Touching other Princes of Christendome there is no hope to be had in regard of their weakenesse Therefore beloued Netherlanders helpe your selues and God will help you be not deceiued by cunning practises seeing you haue by armes maintained your cause so long put not your trust in any man but in the vprightnesse of your cause and Gods assured aid who for these 37. yeares in strange alterations and feareful accidents hath vpholden defended and brought you to this present estate from henceforth by his mighty hand shall lead and conduct you if you hold fast by his word and will follow his starre of direction as the wise men in the East did thinke often vpon things past set former actions before your eyes and therein as in a cleare glasse you shall rightly learne to know Gods mercies shewed vnto you were not the first beginning of these troubles wonderfull and strange In anno 1566. there rose such a zeale in the chiefe Noblemen of the Netherlands to defend the liberties of their natiue country as they bound themselues there-vnto There was such an assemblie of the common people in all townes by thousands such a