And as good Orators doe alwayes keepe towards the end some strong and pearcing reason and as good Captaines leaue their best Souldiars in the last rankes so these so skilfull and so much excercised men come at the last to entangle and snare me with the waight of a great and grecuous reproche They haue offred me they say great commodities to the ende that I might depart to the place where I was borne where euery one ought to desire most to liue to the which I meant not to consent What could they say my Lordes which might make more for mee than this consider I pray you their follie or their shamelesnesse For this must needes be eyther that they speake shameleslie or else that they are so voide of good vnderstanding that they praise me when they thinke to blame me It is a pleasaunt thing for euery one to liue in his owne Countrey wherfore then doth this cursed race of Spaniardes go from countrey to countrey to torment and to trouble all the worlde But if in respect of so many bondes as I am bound vnto you by I preferre your seruice as I ought before the Countrey wherein I was born am I therefore to be counted a traitor and a wicked man and the publique plague of the worlde And yet notwithstanding you know that euer since I was an eleuen or twelue yeres olde I haue bin nourished and brought vp amongest you and not else where in so much that this countrey is become as it were my naturall countrey If then they haue made me sundry promises if they haue offred me as they say great commodities and I haue notwithstanding refused the same what can they condemne in me except it be my constancie and fidelitie towardes God and the countrey which I haue preferred before all the goods in the world Thinke not my Lords that I loue to be so continually occupied in trauaile and labour or like to heare so many wicked speeches and slaunders on the behalfe of mine enimies and which is more that I would heare them of them that ought to be my friendes and are bounde vnto me or that I take delight to be so long time depriued of my goodes to see my sonne so long kepte in cruell prison to beholde my selfe charged with such infinite debtes and yet should be able to put an ende to so great difficulties and distresses and would not or that I shoulde not be like vnto other men of the earth who all preferre quietnesse before trauaile and prosperitie before affliction But what If I cannot obtayne such blessinges and so blessed a condition without betraying you without forsaking you without giuing you ouer as much as might be for a praie into the teeth of these bloody woolues let the rest of the world pardon me for I know that you approue me and that I neede no excuse before you if I will not eyther for goods or for life or for wife or for children mingle in my drinke one onely droppe of the poison of treason But so long as it shall please God to giue me any droppe of blood one peniworth of my goods any vnderstanding industrie credite and authoritie how small so euer it be I will implore I will dedicate and I will consecrate the same wholy vnto your seruice Notwithstanding seing they vpbraid me with such thinges I will yet tell you my Lordes that they haue not done any such thing without borrowing somewhat of the truth and going beyond it also according to their good custome For such offers as they speake of were as yet neuer made me not but that I haue bin well and surely aduertised that I could not demaunde any thing in respect of mine owne particular but that they would yeelde the same vnto me that they would promise to set my sonne at libertie to leaue him all my estates to assign vnto me in Germany so much goods as I haue here as well in respect of that which I possesse as of that which is helde from me to discharge me of my debtes which are very great and to giue me in readie Coyne a millyon of Money and good assurances for all these thinges These be my Lordes the goodlie offers which haue easilie turned them aside which are departed away from vs. But so farre of is it that such conditions were offered vnto me that on the other side they neuer knew eyther by the Letters of the Emperoures Ambassador or by his secrete practises with some of my seruauntes and sundrie of my nearest kinsfolkes or by the Letters of the Commissioners how to get this only at my hand to wit that I shoulde fende particuler articles and that in my owne name but I haue alwayes aunswered that if the peace might be concluded as you my Lordes demaunded it I should be satisfied I not minding to haue any other condition either good or euill than that which you accepted of nor yet minding neyther directly nor indirectly to sunder my selfe from the common cause vpon which I did iudge that either my aduersitie or my prosperitie did depend Is not this a great fault to vpbraide a man with this that he is a good man and that he is as much loiall constant and assured against all the winds of faire promises as by Gods grace he is against all the floodes of cruell threatnings Hitherto my Lordes you haue heard the accusations or rather the iniuries wicked speeches and slaunders whiche they haue gathered together against my honour and reputation It shal belong to you to whom only I thinke my selfe bound by reason of my goods of the state wherein they are and specially of my othes to iudge thereof as it shall please you for I doe not refuse if I be found culpable to receaue punishment but if it fall out as I hope it will that you iudge that I am accused by tiraunts and slaunderers then I shall esteeme my meane yet notwithstanding my most loyal and my most faithfull seruice to haue bin very well imploied The sentence of the proscriptiō NOw then my Lordes vpon these fraile and weake foundations they come to build the sentence of their Proscription and here they lay out all their tragicall eloquence they thunder they lighten they storme and rage they doe as the Corebae or furies doe in Theatres they darte out all execrable wordes and such as haue bin kneded in Cocyte Styx and Acheron against this poore Captayne But this thankes be to God doth astonish me as much as the thunderinges and lightninges of Pope Clement throwne out of the mount Tarpeius against my Predecessor my Lord Prince Philebert did astonish him who ceased not for all that to make him his Prisoner For after that I haue looked rounde about me I finde that they are but windes of wordes and noises to make children afrayde rather then a man who thorow Gods goodnesse hath not lost his courage for the toringes of al their canons nor for their foure score thousand
his Lord the Countie or Earldome of Charollois and yet for all that he ceasseth not to make warr against the crowne of Fraunce yea he neuer leaueth of continuallie to practise and deuise somewhat against the same He taketh this as a sure foundation or rule that being a soueraigne gouernor in some other place it is lawfull for him to reuenge him selfe of the wrong which he pretended was done vnto him by the late French King Henrie of most noble memorie When he made warre against the Pope Caraffa because as a vassall he helde of him the kingdomes of Sicilia and Naples he published his defence by which he mainteined that he was absolued from his othe because that the Pope kept not him selfe within the termes or pointes that the Lord oweth to his vassall according to the feodall lawes which are mutuall and respect as well the one as the other Now Sir there is nothing so naturall or kindlie as that euerie one should in his owne cause receaue the verie selfesame rule and order that he would haue an other man to receaue or allow of Wherefore he should not thinke it straunge that I being so maine wayes reuiled iniuried by him and not being his subiect that I I say do ayde my selfe with the meanes that God hath giuen me and with which he hath bin willing to helpe him selfe against his Lordes who haue not offended him in anie thing whatsâ—euer that draweth nigh to the wrong which I haue suffered at his hande yea he should not thinke it straunge that I vse against him that reprochefull note hy which he assayeth to marke as it were in the forehead both me and my race And because my Lords the Estates who haue more nighly knowen the trueth of all that is contained in this my defence and haue approued the same haue yeelded vnto me sufficient testimonie inough touching my life past I do most humblie also beseeche your Maiestie Sir in approuing this same myne aunswere to beleeue that I am not either a traytour or wicked person but that I am thankes be to God for it a noble man of a verie good and most auncient house yea a good man and true in euerie thing that I promise not vnthankeful nor vnfaithfull nor hauing committed anie thing whereby a Lord or Knight of my state couÌ„tenaunce may receaue anie reproche or shame most humblie beseeching you to holde and account me in the number of your most humble seruauntes And thus hauing most humblie submitted my selfe vnto your Maiestie I will pray God Sir to giue it together with perfect health a most blessed and most long life At Delft in Holland the iiij day of Februarie 1581. Your Maiesties most humble and obedient seruaunt WILLIAM of NASSAV ¶ A declaration made by my Lord the Prince of Orange to my Lords the Estates General of the lowe Countries MY Lordes ye haue heretofore seene a certaine sentence in the forme of a Proscription which was sent by the King of Spaine and afterwards published by the appointment and order of the Prince of Parma and howe by the meanes thereof myne enemies haue against all right and reason attempted grieuously to touche and to taint myne honor and to cause my former actions to be thought euil and wicked wherin I haue bin very willing and desirous to take the aduice and counsell of sundrie notable personages and men of great name and calling yea of the principall counselers and wyse men of this countrey But by reason of the qualitie and forme of the said Proscription and the haynous and greeuous crimes wherewith I am charged although in deede wrongfully I haue hitherto stayed notwithstaÌ„ding I haue bin aduised and counselled by sundrie my frendes that I cannot otherwise defende myne honour but to shewe by publike writing howe vniustly I haue bin accused and charged with many faultes and also howe I haue bin openly iniuried and maliciously slaundered According to which aduice and counsell my Lords seeing that in this worlde I acknowledge you only for my superiors I offer vnto you this my defence written against the reprehensions of myne aduersaries by which I hope that I haue not only discouered all their deceits slaunders but also lawfully iustified all my actions past And because that their principall marke and purpose is to seeke out all the meanes they can to take away my life or els to caâ—se me to be banished out of these countries or at the least to diminishe the authoritie which it hath pleased you to giue mee as if obtayning that thing once all should fall out as they would wishe it on the other side because they slaunder me that by vnlawful meanes I keepe and holde my authoritie I beseech you my Lords to beleeue that albeit I be content to liue amongst you so long as it shall please God and to continue towardes you my faithful seruice yet notwithstaÌ„ding that myne owne life which I haue dedicated to your seruice and my presence in the middest of you are not so deare vnto me but that I can most willingly abandon and forgo my lyfe or els withdrawe my selfe out of the countrey when you shall thinke or know that either the one or the other may any maÌ„ner of way serue your turne to purchase vnto you a more assured libertie And as coÌ„cerning the authoritie which it hath pleased you to giue me you knowe my Lords howe many times I haue besought you to content your selues with my seruice and to vnburden me thereof if you should thinke that it would stande well with the good estate of your affaires which thing euen as yet I do demaunde of you offering notwithstanding as I haue alwayes done in all that wherein it hath pleased you to commaunde me stil to continue to employe my selfe in the seruice of the couÌ„trey in regard of which I esteme nothing of all that is in the worlde as I doo more largely declare the same vnto you in this my defence Which if you shal iudge it conuenient I beseeche you to thinke it good and to take care that it may be brought to light and published to the ende that not only you my Lords but also the whole worlde may iudge of the equitie of my cause and of the vniust dealing of myne aduersaries Presented by my Lord the Prince of Orange to my Lords the Deputies of the Estates generall and of the Prouinces vnited togither being assembled in the towne of DELFT the xiij of December 1580. Vnderneath was written II. HOFFLIN being present The aunswere of my Lordes the Estates generall made to the former declaration THE Estates generall hauing not many dayes since seene and read a certaine Proscription published by the enemies against your Excellencies person by which they charge the same with hainous crimes indeuouring to make it odious as though by vnlawfull meanes and indirect wayes it had vsurped the place and degree wherein it is sett and established and to deliuer your saide
man vntill the day of the opening of the will which was done in the presence of Marie the Queene after the death of the saide Lorde Prince in so much that the Emperour coÌ„senting to the grauÌ„t seeing that his purpose was not to aduaunce me I doo not thinke my felse to be bounde vnto him because the fauour which was shewed vnto the Prince which notwithstanding euerie meane person whatsoeuer may easely obteine by ordinarie letters out of the Chauncerie was not shewed on my behalfe or in respect of me Besides to iudge of the graunt by that which afterwardes insued therevpon should be to iudge against the rules which so oftentimes I haue heard the Emperour repeate who said that Counselles ought to be examined liked or disliked by the causes and not by the effectes But let vs put the case that he had not had the graunt yet nothing was appointed by the will of my Lord the Prince Rene but according to the lawes as hath bin before said Testament militarie But what will they aunswere when besides all these reasons I shall saie vnto them that the testament or will of my Lorde my cosen is a militarie testament which thing also they cannot gaine saye nor darken yea and that made with very great solemnitie rype iudgement and in good season made I say grounded by expresse termes and wordes vppon this that the saide Lord Prince who had before felt what were the daungers of warre in so many expeditions taken in hande for the Emperours seruice was nowe on the way to go to a warre so daungerous and that with so great a Prince as King Frauncis was And though I be not a great Doctor in the lawes yet so it is that I do verie well remember that I haue hearde sundrie learned persons disputing of this matter in the presence of my Lord my father who affirmed that not onely militarie testamentes or willes but also little scrippes or scrolles to be of such value force according to the lawes of the Empire that if a man of warre or a souldier had before his death made or giuen the least marke of his will yea the least signe that a man can imagine or thinke of as if he had but traced or drawen with his blood vpon his targett his name whom he will institute ordaine and appoint to be his heire or with the print of his halbert or of his sworde had writteÌ„ the same on the grouÌ„d that that decree of his last will is inuiolable and to be preferred before al other ordinaunce according to the auncient priuiledges of those which are honored with the warlike chaine or coller Howe much more then was this priuiledge dew to so valiaunt a Prince to so noble a Knight For the question is not here of some one simple marke or other but here is a testament or will well aduisedly made and that not in haste or by a simple souldier wounded and being readie to die but by a vertuous Prince and one worthie of immortall honor assisted by his counsell and somewhat forward in his waie towardes the expedition and the thinges bequeathed not to a straunger but to his cousin germaine and not to an importunate flatterer but to a young childe being verie farre of froÌ„ the Emperours armie which went to beseidge Saint Disier purposed to do the same euen to Paris But here is an ordinaunce I saie made not without the knowledge of the Emperour but by his owne graunt yea an ordinaunce according to the lawes and customes vsed in all places This then being so strong it was not in mans power to reason against it and much lesse to make it voide vnlesse by some one waie or other which should haue bin ouer tyrannons and which it may be might haue brought more hurt than profit to the renowne and credit of the Emperour specially if he had ment to offer any other thing than reason And as there haue bin amongest my predecessors some who haue in deede founde meanes and wayes to cause vniust and vngrateful persons who kept their goods and possessions from them to yeelde them the same so I hope that God will yet shewe me this grace to haue a blessed issue against him who hath vniustly spoyled me of my goodes and would barbarously take from me my life also But seeing that I am inforced yet to speake of the successioÌ„ I would faine haue some tel me whether the Emperour suffering me to enioye the succession hath giuen it me of his owne or no for if I haue receaued nothing from him but that which before appertayned to my Lord the Prince Rene I perceaue not how the King can in any manner vpbraide me that either he or the Emperor his father haue giuen me any thing vnlesse this be liberalitie to giue largely of an other mans goods But on the other side albeit that at this present time I saye nothing of the wronges that haue bin done me in the say de Countie in which I haue such rights and preheminences and whereof they haue spoiled me and whereof I speake nothing at this time leauing to debate and reason thereof till armes weapons shall haue yeelded me more reason than the iniustice of him that keepeth all from me this I must needes speake I had no sooner taken holde of the succesâ—ion of the Seignurie or Lordship of Chastel-bellin The Lordship of Chastel-bellin but I was euen assoone spoyled thereof which is of so smal value that at this present there are due vnto me three hundred fiftie thousand poundes of arrerage by reason thereof And this is the heape of iniustice that they charge me with if I haue done any The Emperour was requested by my Lord my father that at the least I might according to the lawes be first restored vnto the possession in which my predecessor had bin but he would not suffer it only he suffered me being nothwithstanding spoyled to followe my right by iustice and lawe wherein he left me at the least some gapp because he did not let me from debating my right against him when the cause was called forth to the parliament of Malines But the sonne who notwithstanding dare vpbraide me with his good turnes seeing the cause readie to receaue iudgement the very selfesame day that the processe and controuersie should haue bin cleared the aduise of the President and Counsellours was alreadie registred and I had aduertissement giuen me to seeke and prouide for siluer for the Iudges fees he I say forbad his courte to proceede any further and left the processe hanging vppon the hooke or file where it remayneth yet to this present You see my Lordes that iustice was well ministred by him which had sworne the same to me and to the Barons of this countrey And these be the great aduauntages and profits that I haue receaued from the house of Spaine this is the foundation and groundworke of al their reproches and vpon
and liberties of the countrey yea and aboue equitie and iustice it selfe he hath broken all bondes that he might outrage in all maner of vnreconcilable hatred and crueltie The aide called Noeuenale At the same time you my Lords graūted vnto him the aide which was called Nouenale by meanes of which aide and by the valiauntnes and wise gouernement of the Lords nobles of this our countrey and of sundrie braue Lords and souldiers of Germanie his affaires were so well and so blessedly guided that after the winning of two battailes the taking of townes and prisoners of great calling and that in great number also he inforced his enemie to accept a peace as vnprofitable for the Frenche king as it was honorable and profitable for the King of Spaine And if it be lawefull for me to speake anie thing of my selfe if hee haue but one droppe or sparke of gratitude and kindenesse in him hee can not denie but that I was one of the principall instrumentes and meanes to cause him to come to so excellent and to so profitable a peace hauing priuately treated thereof with my Lordes the Constable Montmoranci and the Marishall of Saint Andrewe at the instant request of the King who assured me that the greatest seruice that I could performe vnto him in this worlde was to make a peace and that he purposed to haue it whatsoeuer it cost him because he ment to go into Spaine But so farre of was it that eyther he or his counsell consisting of Spaniardes and of certaine other persons of this countrey who alwayes continued in hatred against you your libertie and the whole lande did take in good parte either this so good an aide or the happie execution that insued thereof that on the other side they iudged this succour and aide to be a fault of hie treason against his Maiestie and for the which you and aboue all other the late my Lorde of Lalaing had incurred by good right the sentence of punishment The late L. of Lalaigne and all the Estates appointed to death by the Spaniardes And why so Because you my Lordes would not agree to anie thing without the assemblie of the Estates generall and because you ment to cutt the talents of these harpies and Rauenours of Barlemontes and such like when you decreed that the money should be distributed by your commissioners according to the conditions propounded vnto them Beholde in deede two great faultes the one for soth was to demaunde a meeting and an assemblie of the Estates For in asmuch as it serueth for a bridle and a barre vnto tyrannie it is a crime so much the more hated of tyraūts who are the deuourers of the people and enemies of their subiectes and of their owne crowne as this noble assemblie is loued honoured and reuerenced of true Kinges true Princes and such as are the good fathers of the people because it is in deede the true foundation of an Estate the assuraunce of the common wealth and the onely peace quietnes of Princes The other fault will neuer be pardoned for these byters of the people liuing with the blood of poore people haue so long time made account of their theeueries and sackings that they suppose their spoyles to be as good and as an assured reuenewe yet much more frutfull as their fieldes and gardens and dissembling the true cause of the mischiefe whiche they hide from their Princes they seeke pretextes and cloakes in flattering of them and in lying vnto them to harden and to set on fire their heartes against their subiectes I haue seene my Lordes their doings I haue hearde their wordes I haue bin a witnes of their aduise by which they adiudged all you to death making no more account of you than of beastes if they had had power to haue murthered you as they do in the Indies where they haue miserablie put to death more than twentie millions of people and haue made desolate waste thirtie tymes as much lande in quantitie and greatnes as the lowe countrie is with such horrible excesses and ryottes that all the barbarousnesses cruelties and tyrannies whiche haue euer bin cōmitted are but sport in respect of that which hath fallen out vpon the poore Indians which thing euen by their owne Bishoppes and Doctours hath bin left in writing and to make the King without excuse before God and men the historie thereof was dedicated vnto him by one of his owne subiectes in whom there remained as it should seeme some smal sparke of iustice From that time then my Lordes I and other Lordes and sundrie of the best wisest personages both of the nobilitie and of the common people thought it good to cause if we could the Spaniards to departe out of the coūtrey thinking in deede that albeit there were yet remayning some corrupt blood amongest vs as verely we see ther is more remayning then were meet which did proceede from this infected race of the contagion of the fathers who serued at that time the ambition of the Spaniardes and followed the Cardinalls businesses yet notwithstanding that the better number and all the Lordes of the greatest credit and countenaunce would be enemies to this Spanishe tyrannie But partly thorowe other businesses and partly by reason of my voyage the going of some other Lordes into Fraunce whether we were sent for hostages as also to be present at the Frenche Kinges daughters mariage the businesse it selse was interrupted and the perfourmance thereof hindered Nowe so farre of is it my Lordes that I will denie a great part of that which is set out against me that I account it on the other side a great prayse for me and will it may so fall out tell you more thereof than mine enemies knowe and the more that they shall write against me and giue a testimonie of their furie and enuions harte against this countrey the more wil I reioyce herein that it hath pleased God to shewe me this grace to be an ayder to cutt of the course of this vnmeasurable tyrannie and by that meanes also to haue bin an assistaunt to the manifestation and opening of the true Religion They say that from the time that the King turned his foote from these lowe countreis I haue by sinister practises sleightes and subulties assayed to gett the good willes of the Malcontentes and of such persons as haue bin greatlie indebted haters of Iustice desirous of nouelties and specially of those that were suspected to be of the religio As concerning them that had the knowledge of the religion I confesse The loue that the L. Prince hath alvvayes born to thē of the religion that I neuer hated them For seeing that from the cradell I was nourished therein and that my Lord my father had liued and died therein hauing driuen out of his Lordshippes the abuses of the church who is he that will thinke it straunge that if this doctrine were after such sorte ingrauen
Nassau As concerning that which they speake of the late my Lorde the Countie Lodowick my brother they should do better to leaue so good a Knight in peace and vnnamed than to speake of him seeing that he was much more honest then they and without comparison a better christian and I make no more of this that they call him Hereticke then our Lorde Iesus Christe did when as good people as our enemies are called him Samaritane As concerning publike preaching which after their maner they call hereticall Of the publike assemblies of thē of the religion you your selues my Lordes do sufficiently knowe by whom and howe they were brought in And albeit that I had not at that time so much credit with them as that they would demaunde my aduise therein neither in deed did I euer counsell them Notwithstanding the matters being come to such termes I confesse that I was of aduise that the Dutchesse of Parma should yeelde vnto them wherein if I haue giuen ill counsell then that which followed afterwardes doth at the least sufficiently declare whether those that supposed my counsell to be naught haue verie well handled their Masters affaires and businesses but rather God hath manifestly shewed that albeit he do for a time correct his own children yet he neuer leaueth a periurie so well qualified and notorious as that of the Kinges the Dutches of Parmes was without greenouslie punishing it to the ende that al the world may knowe that he saieth not without cause that he will not holde him guiltles who shall take his name in vaine As concerning the beaters downe of Images and other dissorders I beleeue my Lords that there is none amongst you Cōcerning Images beaten dovvne and ouerthrovven but he knoweth well inough that such wayes and manners of doing please me no whit at all and that many of them who should haue aided susteined me haue on the other side with great iniurie torne me in peeces because I would neuer consent that such things shuld be done without some ordinaūce and decree of the Superiours and Gouernours They haue no better foundatiō then such as you haue heard before for this that they saye that the prouidence and wise gouernement of the vvith dravving of the Lorde Prince into Germanie of the Dutchesse of Parma was so great that I was inforced to depart out of the countrey It may be that they shoulde say somewhat if they would saie that the deceites of the Dutchesse hir periuries were the cause thereof or if they would speake of the small resolution and of the ouer great easinesse to beleeue that some had who looked continually for the hangmen and tormentours and of the ouer great affection that I am other great Lordes had towards the King who perswaded my Lordes of Berghes and of Montignie to go into Spaine supposing that for their good seruices the nobilitie of their race the King him selfe would be content to vnderstande by their mouth that which was necessarie for the preseruation of the countrey rather than to heare it by the Spaniardes but seeing that they were intreated in such sorte as euery one knoweth I thought that I had iust occasion more nighlie to take heede vnto my self than before If they would say these things were the cause they should speake some peece of the trueth But I was resolued ayeere before to depart and to giue vp my offices as appeareth by letters written with the Kinges owne hande and which I haue also ioyned to this present writing which doth sufficiently set out the falshode of their speache And if any man would knowe why a yeere afterwardes I withdrewe my self into Germanie my defence published in t he yeere sixtie seuen doth sufficiently declare the causes thereof to witt specially because I would not consent that the Spanishe Inquisition should be receaued into my gouernementes By reason whereof I resigned them before into the handes of the saide Dutchesse with full purpose to liue in peace and quietnes with my kinsfolkes and friendes looking when it would please God either to giue the King better counsell or if he did yet waxe worse and worse when it would please God him selfe to open a gate to deliuer this poore countrey which I sawe plunged into a bottomlesse depth of mischieues and miseries For who can without being wounded with wounderfull griefe rehearse the banishementes the taking awaie of goodes the imprisonmentes the tormentes endured the sundrie sortes of horrible and miserable deaths wherewith these bloodie people surmounting in crueltie Phalaris Busyris Nero Domitian and all tyrauntes haue persecuted the poore subiectes of this countrey And notwithstanding these thinges I seeing no meane to comforte them ouer this miserie did holde my selfe peceable quiet And because in this Proscription they saie that I was at the least offered it The King of Spaine inforced my Lorde Prince by al maner of iniustice to take armes whilest that the last treatie helde at Colen lasted they ought to know that they should be contented with my voluntarie banishment and not to pursue me any further seeing in deede that I gaue them to vnderstande by a man of countenaunce and credit who yet is liuing that if they attempted to touche myne hounour and my goodes they would constraine me to take such order for my affaires as I might But as madd people after that they could not drawe me by their honied and flattering wordes the Kinge also thinking to busie me by ouer honest letters The Coūtie of Bueren taken in the scholes and caried into Spaine against the othe giuē made at the Kings gladsome entraūce and against the priuiledges of Brabant which yet notwithstanding I did plainly perceaue to be full of deceit they directed themselues first to my young sonne a childe and a scholler and against the priuiledges of the Vniuersitie they tooke him violently from Louain yea after the exhortation and declaration made by the Vniuersitie that barbarous fellowe Vergas aunswered barbarouslie in false latin Non curamus vestros priuilegios we regarde not your priuiledges After this they caried him out of Brabant against the priuiledges of the Countrey and against the Kinges othe and they sent him into Spaine that so they might remoue him from me who am his father and euen vnto this present they keepe this innocent in harde and cruell prison insomuch as if they had done me no other iniurie I should be vnworthie not only my stock and the name which I carrie but also of the name of a father vnlesse I did imploye all the witt and all the meanes that God hath giuen me to assaie to deliuer him out of this miserable bondage to recouer if I could such a wrong For I am not my Lords so vnnaturall that I feele not the affections of a father Nota. neyther yet so wise but that oftentimes the griefe of so long an absence of my Sonne doeth present and offer
such as he can take causeth them to passe thorowe the hangmens handes and pursue the rest by all vnworthie and cruell meanes If he bring in vppon vs newe armies vtterly to destroye vs shall we tarie alwayes looking for mercie vntill such time as the Spanishe crueltie shall haue cut of from vs all hope of respite But he will nowe amende the fault and hath sent meanes therefore by the Lorde of Selles also he hath disallowed the Duke of Alua. We shall see al these thinges in their order For the present I am contented to declare that by good reason I haue takē vp armes against him First with the Estates of Hollande and Zealande and afterwardes with you my Lordes that he is foresworne against the whole countrey and in respect of me Nota. against the articles of the poinctes of the order against the priuiledges of Brabant in taking away my Sonne and carying him into Spaine depriuing me of my goodes and dignities hauing set me sufficiently free from myne othe towardes him and declaring at this present his verie base heart and yet notwithstanding tyrannous publishing this cruell and barbarous Proscription as the heape of all iniustice and vnworthines Nowe my Lordes sith it hath pleased him to stretch out his speache vnto the times which followed I minde verely to enter thereinto also and that the more willingly because that I haue done nothing of that whereof hereafter he accuseth me but first by the aduise and consent of the Estates of Hollande and Zealande and afterwardes by your consent in generall so that if there haue bin anie faulte committed it ought not to be imputed to me but rather I should be greatly praysed because I serued you so well faithfully I will then come to the accusations that remaine but it shal be with this condion my Lordes that I may as heretofore I haue done largely rehearse and plainly set out that which he maliciouslie omitteth to the ende he might couer his wicked and cruell heart and yet neuerthelesse ceaseth not to cause it to be published by certaine small slaunderous libelles I haue my Lordes obserued that all this accusation or ill speache rather which followeth afterwardes is diuided into two partes the one touching that which was ioyned with the comming of the Duke of Alua and which followed thervpon and specially concerning that which after my comming into Hollande and Zealande was executed by my gouernement my Lordes the Estates of the saide Countreis The other is that which hath fallen out since that God opened your eyes by the meane of the pride and outrages of the Spaniards and that you published them and their adherents for rebelles and enemies to the countrey that so you might at the last deliuer this poore countrey from this accursed rase Wherefore I will followe the self same order And first I render thankes to God that euen by the verie silence of myne enemie you my Lords do knowe and I hope that all the worlde shall knowe that I was not so much as suspected The Lorde Prince vvas not so much as suspected by his enemies to haue touched or taken any of the commō treasure to haue applied to mine owne profit so much as one onely pennie of the publick coyne for though in other thinges as you haue alreadie begunne to see they haue not stuck at it to sett out false accusations and to charge me with ouer manifest slaunders seeing also that they do not obiect vnto me the least suspition of couetousnes they do sufficiently thereby declare not only howe free I am from that faulte but also albeit they them selues be impudent and in very deede my deadlie enemies yet they durst neuer obiect against me this fault wherewith commonly the Gouernours of Prouinces are either wrongfully or rightly charged But I thanke God I haue long time ago learned that he which gouerneth and commaundeth others ought aboue all things to haue cleane handes and euen voide if it may be of all suspition which was the cause that euen from my youth I vnburdened my selfe of the charge of the treasures which was most gladlie receiued accepted of others And albeit my Lords that it was at no hand needfull that I should make mention of these thinges whilest I speake vnto you who knowe that I neuer had the handling of one onely pennie of the publike treasure and as concerning this that it hath pleased you to appoint me so much as well in respect of my Estate as in respect of the extraordinarie charges of the warre you knowe howe litle I haue receaued thereof and of the meanes which yet I haue howe I haue therewithall mainteyned and vpheld sundrie great charges since that I entred into your seruice which I do notwithstanding not impute to the want of your good will towardes me but to the cōdition of the time wherin we liue But sith that by the secret confession of mine enemie I may haue such an aduauntage I minde not to passe it ouer vnder silence to the ende I might cause certaine small Serpentes that are amongest vs to vnderstand that they ought to be ashamed to haue spread abroad either against their cōscience or els thorowe a certaine extreame follie and madnes that which the verie enemies who haue conspired against me and the countrey haue as yet neuer bin so impudent as to obiect against me perceauing in deede that in propounding such a matter the brightnesse of the trueth woulde discouer the filthinesse of their life Seeing then that they place me in so goodlie a field as to declare not what I haue done but what the Estates of Holland and Zealande haue done by my ayde and seruice I refuse not euen before you my Lordes and before all the men in the worlde to enter into account with them but also sith that you are the chiefest Iudges of that whiche is done in this Countrey it is more than reasonable that you should regard that whiche they haue vniustly perfourmed in all the other Prouinces whilest that my Lordes the Estates of Hollande Zealande and I did stande in steede of staies and hinderaunces vnto the course of their enterprises and attemptes First they saye That I practised to returne into Hollande and Zealande Though it were so what other thinge did I but that whiche my duetie required And if I dyd enter vppon so good a foundation The causes vvhich moued the lord Prince to come into Holland as I haue heretofore laide out into the Countrey with an armie why should I haue made anie staye to enter into that which was of myne owne gouernement whervnto I was more sworne and bounde and wherein I hold the chiefest degrees of Honour amongest the Nobilitie But so farre of was I from attempting such matters that on the other side I am readie to shewe the letters both of the principall Gouernours of the townes and of the principall townes themselues by the which I was called for
driuen oute of the coūtrey of Freiselande And as concerning that which they obiect against me that I haue driuen out some of the ecclesiasticall persons or church men you my Lordes know that this is not true But when their Captaine who is in Groeningen had taken prisoners some of the religion and had murthered other some yea the verie Bourgmaister and all this contrary vnto his othe hauing also before time brought in and sworne vnto the new religion as they call it and hauing solemnly and that with his othe and his sign and his seale confirmed the vnion of Vtrecht al these things considered who is he that will thinke it strange if those on our side ment what they could on their owne partes to assure themselues seing that they saw the enemies without any reuerence to their othe taken to tread vnder their feete al holy and sacred things and with such a perpetuall reproch to them and their rase to haue violated broken whatsoeuer iustice and equitie doth as yet remaine in the worlde And this wee may say at the least that no man can iustly charge vs that in the middest of those troubles which our enimies themselues haue stirred vp that euer any of our side proceeded or came to such a heape of iniustice as to wet their hands in the blood of those that were confederate to them or of those which stayed themselues vpon their fidelities which thing their Captaines haue done yea and that with their owne handes Cōcerning certain noble mē that departed out of Freiselande Concerning the Nobles which he sayth haue withdrawn them selues out of the Countrey who is hee which euer droue out so much as one of thē But if the terrors of their own consciences haue pursued them that they haue bin vexed by their owne feling which as it were infernal and hellish furies hath chased them from place to place who ought to be accused therefore but only they themselues who secretly disloyally and vnfaithfully haue practised the destruction of their owne Countrey And would to God that they had sooner felt this burthen and that they which remain and are ouertaken with the like madnesse might follow thē euen at the heeles so should they deliuer vs from great trauaile and the common wealth from feare least some one time or other they should execute their pernitious purposes The roundnesse and plainesse of the Lorde Prince It is a ridiculous fond thing that they cal me hipocrit who neuer in respect of them haue vsed any dissimulatiō For while I was their friende I haue freely foretolde them that they twisted the threede of their owne destruction whilest that they attempted and tooke these barbarous wayes of persecuting And if their rage and vnmeasurable heate ioyned with a contempt of vs had not hindered them from following my counsell they had not bene brought to that state in which they are at this present When I was their aduersarie and enimie for your libertie I know not what hipocrisie they haue founde in me vnlesse they will call this hipocrisie to make open warre vpon them to take Townes from them to driue them out of the countrey and without dissembling to doe against them whatsoeuer the law of warre suffred me But if it please you my Lordes once againe to reade my defence which I published three yeres ago you shall see there the Letters of King who is a deceiuer and an hipocrite and who thought to catch me then in the snare of his sweete and deceaueable Letters as he supposeth at this present to astonish me with his threates and thunders of words But thanks be to God I haue a counterpoison against both the one and the other venim The Lord Prince accused of diffidence or distrust They proceede afterwardes with a great heape of foolishe wordes to amplifie this matter that I stay and ground my selfe vpon a certaine diffidence and distrust Though I did so shoulde I be for all that like vnto Caine and Iudas as he accuseth me No verely For it is one thing to dispaire of the promisses and of the grace of God who cannot lie and an other thing not to beleeue the wordes of a subtle and deceitfull man who keepeth not faith or loyaltie as the poore Moores of Grenado may speake to much thereof and also as the death of the Lordes the Counties of Egmont and Hornes of blessed memorie doe giue sufficient proofe thereof But if these good deuines such as the Cardinall is who is one of the foundations of his Church had thorowly sounded for the true and nigh cause of the ruine and fall of Iudas and Caine they shoulde haue found that it was dispaire whither by the grace of God I haue not bin brought and I hope neuer shal be On the other side if men would looke vpon the monstrous and thundring speeches which are vsed in this not barbarous only but more then turkish Proscription shall they not finde therein the verie stile of desperate persons such as we heare the Poets vse when they bring in furious and mad men They then haue the seared conscience of Iudas the astonished conscience of Cain and the reproued conscience of Saule You see notwithstanding my Lordes the great wisedome of these wise heads diffidence or distrust say they is a common thing to al wicked persons But I speake vnto thee O Cardinall who hast spente so much time in the Scholes and I bid thee tell me whether thou call not this learning to wit to be from a mans youth instructed to lie and deceaue I demauud then of thee what thou wilt aunswere to the most strong and sententious of al orators and to the greatest louer of his Countrey who sayth as I haue vnderstoode it from my youth by all learned men that the greatest and surest fortresse that a free people can haue against a tyraunt is diffidence and distrust And this speeche was directed against one called Philip who had learned but a little tyrannie in respect of thy Lord Philip who exceedeth all other tyrantes and for whome no oration pronounced against Philip is sufficiently worthie no not that which for the excellency of it is called Diuine I know thou wilt aduise and take counsel concerning this matter and in the meane while I will speake I will write and I will cause to be iugraued in euery place this notable sentence worthie of eternal remembraunce would to God that I might be better beleeued than that good Orator was amongest his people who suffring themselues to be busied and abused by people like vnto thy selfe and other such wretched workers of confusion which are at thy commaundement and haue set on sale their tongues and pennes were at the last snared and vtterly brought to confusion But I hope my Lordes better thinges of your constancie and courage The offers vvhich the enemies say haue bin made to the L. Prince to cause him to depart out of the Countrey
perceaue sundrie matters set out practised by the Spaniardes The natural dispositiō of the Spaniards vvas al vvais cruel but yet kept vnder for a time by the vvisdom of Charles the Einperour which I approued not as good and of which I did not sufficiently conceaue that the disease in processe of time might growe so farre that in the ende it should be verie necessarie to vse a strong and powerfull medicine and to purge the countrey from these pernitious and hurtfull Spanishe humours But because I was not able then by reason of myne age and the little experiēce I had to knowe the deepe malice of the Spaniardes and their adherentes I could hardlie perswade my selfe that we should be inforced to bring a whot yron to this cancker of Spaine or els to come so farre as to roote it out But after that together with my age I began to be of a more setled and sounde iudgement I had in in deede a contrarie opinion and deliuered the same to sundrie others which neuer knewe to thinke that the rage and crueltie of the Spaniardes could proceede so farre for nothing fell out by which I might haue verie particular knowledge of their cruell couetous and proude naturall disposition but I certainely and assuredly looked for the same long time before I will therefore let passe that time which cometh not also at anie hande to be compared in any manner of disorder and tyrānie with that which hath since fallen out in the time of the king his sonne not that the Spaniardes were then better than they are at this present for amongst the Indies and in other places where they commaunded absolutely they yeelded to euident a proofe of their peruerse naturall disposition and tyrannous affection and will But their ambition and pride was in some sorte restrained by the good affection that the Emperour bare to the subiectes of this countrey because also that these prouinces were full of braue Lords wise and valiaunt men sauoring of their auncient nobilitie and would to God they had children like vnto them whiche serued in steede of a bridle against their insolencie and of a countermure against their pride rashnes I will then come to the time which insued because also that he who was the heire of the goodes though not of the vertues of the Emperour is he that cometh to assault me after an order more than barbarous and tyrannicall The Emperour of most noble memorie and the Queene Marie seeing their affaires and businesses so impaired by the meanes of a cleane contrarie issue of the warres of Germanie which fell out otherwise then the Pope the Spaniardes had promised to them selues whilest that the Frenche king was ioyned in league with some of the chiefe Princes of Germanie The Emperor dischargeth himself of his kingdomes and Lordships cōmitteth them to his sonne his Maiestie I saie was inforced to agree with his enemie his affaires standing in such condition that despairing of his abilitie to keepe his owne countreis he purposed to withdrawe him selfe into Spaine and there to lead a priuate life after that he had veelded vp all his kingdomes Landes and Lordships and had laide them vpon the person of his sonne And albeit that the King because of the condition of his owne estate had neede to vpholde his subiectes in good will and affection towardes him of which thing also he had most expresse commaundement from his father seeing that of the meanes and valure that they had there did wholie depende the sauegard of the countrey and the maintenaunce of his owne honour yet whether it were by reason of the nourishement whiche he had in Spaine or by the counsell of those which then did and euen to this time haue possessed him I knowe not he hath alwaies fostered in his hearte a minde to make you subiect to a certaine simple and absolute bondage which they call a ful and whole obedience depriuing you altogether of your auncient priuiledges and liberties that they may dispose of yon your wiues and your children and handle you as his officers haue done the poore Indians or at the least as they do the people of Calabria Sicilia Naples and Millaine whilest they remember not that these countreis are not countreis atcheiued by conquest but come for the most parte by they way of patrimonie or els such as willingly gaue vp them selues vnto his predecessours vnder good and lawfull conditions But it is likely that he did it by the aduise of such as serued the Emperour his father and the King his great vncle in steede of a foundation the better to reare vp the building of the kingdomes and Lordshippes to which we see the house of Austriche hath atteined it being at this day without all controuersie the greatest the mightiest of all Christendome And this affection in him was not but to much made manifest immediatly after the departure of the Emperour The Kinges hart alvvais enemie to these countreis as if the Lordes that then liued did yet remaine amongst vs they could yeelde you sufficient testimonie thereof For euen so soone as he was cōstrained to enter into warr with the French king cōsidering the power of his enemie ad also the wise aduertisements of the Emperor if he had had but one only sparke of good sincere affection towardes these countreis he should at the least haue mainteined his subiects in good deuotion affectiō towards him But in the middest of his great affaires so disorderous vnruly was the desire he had to plaie the tyraūt he gaue forth a most plaine most certaine demonstration of his euill will The Emperor who my Lords knew better then any Prince or man of the world the arrogant and proude nature of the Spaniardes and it may be also the inclinatiō of the King his sōne The Empesrors counsel giuē to the King his sonne and on the other side the state of this countrey whatsoeuer might destroy preserue it did seriously aduertise his sonne that if he kept his pride of Spaine he should diligently foresee that he were not the cause of the vtter ruine and destruction of this estate which could not long suffer endure this same proude gouernement which the Spaniardes exercise in euery place where they can And he gaue him this exhortation in the presence of the late my Lord the Countie of Bossu the father of him that last deceassed and in my presence also and in the presence of sundrie other Lordes of his chamber of which some are yet at this day liuing But neither the authoritie and commaundement of his father nor the profit of his owne affaires nor iustice nor his othe whiche yet notwithstanding doth keepe in the most barbarous nations were able in anie thing to moderate and restraine the naturall disposition and affection that he had to tyrānise ouer vs but on the other side as though he had bin aboue all lawes priuiledges
it selfe to my vnderstanding And yet they were not content but against all order of iustice they apprehended my brethren and pursued me with summoninges seasementes of goodes and thrust me on euen as it were by force to attempt sundrie thinges The vniust procedings against the honor the life and the goodes of the Lord Prince whereof I my selfe neuer thought they put the processe of me and my companions against the articles of the order and against the othe of the King who was the chiefe thereof into the handes of I know not what porters and petiefoggers who were not meete to be groomes or pages to my companions and me they doo degrade mee they doo depriue me of my goodes they do condemne me to death And is this any other thing than to free me from myne othes and to set me at libertie to come out to assaulte myne enemie by all the meanes that GOD shall giue me Beholde then howe when I seeke nothing but quietnesse they stirre vp trouble I seeke peace and they prouoke me to warre And what warre A warre attempted to deliuer my childe to preserue my life to recouer my goodes and whiche is more deare than all to defende myne Honour And yet I doo not here propounde vnto you my Lords any thing of that which concerneth the cōmon cause and belongeth vnto the generall State This then my Lordes is that which these men sleightly passe ouer and vnder silence as it were and which of set purpose they omit as in deede not seruing much for their purpose If then I not being the Kings naturall subiect which thing also he him selfe saith if I being absolued from mine othes by this vniust proclamation and sentence If I hauing so iust a groūdworke by force to demaund my sonne and my goods If I say I had driuen him not onely out of the lowe countrey but also out of all his landes and Lordshippes yea and though I did desire to make them mine owne seeing that against all right and equitie yea against his own othe he hath by force constrained me to attempt so necessarie a warre euen then when with all my power I did auoyde it and hath done me all these outrages and that at the verie selfe same time or a little after when by his owne letters written with his owne hand he yeelded me so great and solemne a testimonie of faithfulnes as no man in the worlde could desire a greater as appeareth by the copie of the letter hereafter inserted who is he the premises being rightly considered that can accuse me of any other fault then this that I framed my selfe to much to the time before that I would take armes and that I would not enioye that whiche the lawe of warre and of al nations yeelded vnto me vnto me I say who am borne a free Lorde and who haue this Honour to carie the name and title of an absolute Prince albeit that my Princedome be not of anie great length or largenes But seeing that the speciall foundation and groundworke is this The iustifying of the taking of armes by my Lorde the Prince that I haue taken and borne armes against my Superiour I am likewise content to enter into this matter wher they shal finde themselues to haue as good foundations as in other places And in the first place I would faine haue them to tell me by what title King Philippe the heire of the bastard Henrie of Castille possesseth the kingdome of Castille of Leon For it is most manifest that Henrie his predecessour was a bastarde who rebelled against the lawefull heire who was his owne brother Lord whom also he slue with his owne hand What right then or title had this bastarde being the Kinges great Graundfather They aunswere that Don Pedro was a tyraunt and in deede I cōfesse that commonly they giue him the name of cruell But if by this title Philippe holde Castille why doth not he perceaue that men may by the same measure driue him out that hath chased awaye others And if there haue neuer bin any more cruell tyraunt who hath more proudlie and with lesse cōsideration violated the priuiledges of the countrey then Philipp him selfe shall not he be much more vnworthie to beare to weare the Crowne of Castille then Don Pedro For at the least Don Pedro was not an incestuous person nor a slaier of his Sonne nor a murtherer of his wife And if some will saye that this concerneth me no whit at all I am content to come yet somewhat more nigh albeit that I haue not purposed to staie my selfe vppon that which I shall presently speake vnto you But suppose that I did take vp armes against him and that he were simplie my superiour and that I were borne his subiect which yet is not so euen as he him selfe confesseth it what should I doo but that which his predecessor had done Albert Duke of Austriche took armes against Adolfus of Nassau the Emperour against the Emperour Adolfus of Nassau his Superior Eurie one that knoweth neuer so little in the matters and affaires of Germanie knoweth how Albert the firste Duke of Austriche of that name and race for before he bare the title of the Countie of Habsbourg armed him selfe against the saide Lorde Emperour my predecessour And albeit it was Gods will that the saide Emperour should die in the battell yet I know what the wisest writers haue iudged thereof albeit that Gerrard then Bishop of Maience the principall authour of that conspiracie ment to colour darcken the same And verely if a man will somewhat more nighly looke into the storie he shall finde that this faction was set vp by Pope Boniface of whom it is saide Pope Boniface the 8. he entered into his Popedome as a Foxe he raigned as a Lyon died as a dogge because the Emperour would not acknowledge him for such a one as he said he was and therefore he stirred vp against him Albert who was alreadie much displeased against him because Adolfus was preferred before him in the election to the Empire some Bishoppes also ouermuch addicted to the Pope did ioyne them selues vnto him and ayded him But who is he that would willingly reuerēce so wicked a man who in his Iubilie caused to be caried before him in the maner of a triumphe two swordes causing him that caried one of them to crie O Christ beholde thy Vicar on earth and the other to say O Peter beholde thy successour And verely hauing committed so wicked a feate against the Emperor and hauing Albert at his commaundement he was purposed for the like consideration to do as much to the French King called Philipp the faire giuing his kingdome to the saide Albert and caused him to be named King of the Romains and of the French men But he founde the preestes of Fraunce lesse readie to serue him and lesse able to helpe him and the whole kingdome stirred vp by
caused him to consume three score thousande And whilest my Lordes he thus in this countrey lost his time his men and his money he lost likewise within two monethes the Kingdome of Tunis and the Goulette The shameful lostes of the kingdōe of Thunis the Goulette with the greatest shame and confusion that euer anie mightie Prince did yea though he were driuen out of his owne lande albeit some would laie the faulte hereof vppon the youth of Don Iohn vpon the whoredome of the Cardinall For whilest he did so ill imploye his forces here amōgst vs Sinam Basscha tooke from him that Kingdome and that fortresse which men supposed could neuer haue bin taken this he did in the sight of Spaine and of Sicilia without that euer anie of the Kings side durst so much as shewe his head to fight against him or onely to turne him aside And yet if he had no regarde to the good of Christendome which in deed he neuer had as witnesseth the painted league that he made which also cost the Venetians so much nor respect to his own honour at the least the memorie and name of the Emperour his father who did little or nothing regarde all his notable deedes and feates of armes in respect of that conquest ought to haue moued and thrust him forwarde with a noble and earnest desire wisely to haue mainteyned that which the Emperour his father had so valiauntly conquered for him and all Christendome But the rage and furie to destroye vs which caried him awaie tooke both his eyes from him that he could not see that euill and his vnderstanding also that he could not discerne it he louing ouermuch to make proofe rather of his weakenes against his owne proper people then of his forces against the common and vniuersall enemie of Christendome This my Lordes is that which he obiecteth against me which also fell out before our generall coniunction and ioyning together Wherevnto it may be it was not altogether necessarie to aunswere sauing that it is requisite not onely to satisfie you but also to stoppe their mouthes and to make all the worlde to vnderstande their impudencies and slaunders For if the question were but of that which cōcerneth your selues and those whiche heretofore were on our side who haue notwithstāding verie euelly and without any cause withdrawen them selues from vs you and those with you haue heretofore sufficiently declared that you had a farre better opinion of me For first the accorde treated of by you with me my Lordes of Hollande and Zealande at Gaunt hath sufficientlie iustified me seeing that if you had supposed me to be such a one as this infamous Proscription describeth me you neyther would nor could haue entered into treatie with me beside so many honorable embassages as you since that time haue sent vnto me to S. Gheertrudenberghe and euen yet to Antwerp both to cause me to come into Brabant and to cause me to come vnto you to Bruxelles that I might be assistaunt with you in Counsell and also that yee did honour me with the title of Lieutenaunt generall All these things I saye doo sufficiently declare what is the opinion and iudgement that yee haue had of all these false and friuoulous accusations whiche thing alone I suppose to be ouer sufficient and strong to confute them But let vs nowe see howe before that time they on their behalfes gouerned themselues with what pride insolencie and disdaine of our whole nation I will not repeate the periuries and deceites of the Dutchesse nor of the King in the behalfe of my Lordes the Counties of Egmount and of Horne nor the baites and allurementes which they prepared for me nor yet generally that which fel out before the cōming of the Duke of Alua but that onely whiche was done afterwardes vntill the time of our generall coniunction and ioyning together to the ende that as the remembraunce of the mischiefes and griefes past shall bring vnto you pleasure and contentement and the same as I hope vnto me who with some delite haue ayded you therin so that by the same you will more and more strengthen your selues in this resolution which is both holie and worthie of immortall prayse which you also haue taken vpon you that is to oppose and set your selues against the Spaniardes and their adherentes Nowe as well the saide Duke of Alua as those that commaunded vnder him and after him haue sufficiently made vs to vnderstande what was at all times the counsell of Spaine to wit to roote vs out and to bring vs into bondage For as Hanniball euen when he was but nine yeeres olde did sweare by the altar of his goddes that he would be al his life long an enemie to the Romanes so was this Duke of Alua from his childhood nourished and brought vp in an vnreconcilable hatred against this countrey The insupportable pride of the Duke of Alua other officers being Spaniardes which by so much blood as he hath spilt could as yet neuer be satisfied but so much the more hath he caused it to runne out on euerie side in all the Townes of this Countrey yea so farre forth that he hath caused to be put to death which thing also he him selfe bragged of eightene thousand poore innocent men and more and that by the handes of the hangman or tormentor and yet for all that that cruell lust of his could neuer be satisfied So that if any would knowe what are the priuie counsells of Spaine what is the Kings good wil and howe much he loueth vs he shall finde it all deciphered sett out in the bloodie deedes of the Duke of Alua as if it were set out before his eyes and liuely painted in a table of painters worke For there hath not bin any kinde of dissimulation treason and vnfaithfulnes which he hath not vsed that hee might bring vnder his subiection and seruice the principall Lordes of this Countrey and that by offers promises newe titles of Honour bestowed vpon them But the good vertuous people that he could get into his handes he hath cruelly put to death without any respect either to their innocencie or to the priuiledges of the countrey and yet nothing was done but by the Kings commaundement He committed the like against the Citezens and good Marchauntes so proudly treding vnder feete our auncient liberties and freedomes yea euery thing that was remayning amongest vs of the glorie of our auncestours that it seemed that he thought that you were at no hande worthie to be reckoned in the number of men And where is it that we can haue a more certaine and playne proofe and that so open that it is as it were in the sight and beholding of all Christendome concerning this matter the profane and proude erection of the Duke of Alua his image in the midst of the late Citadel at Antvverp and withall of his vnsupportable contempt and disdaine
in al. True it is that we besought the Emperors Maiestie the French King the Queene of Englande and the King of Portugale to intreat for vs that a good peace might be graunted vs but to take that as though we had submitted our selues vnto them we suppose not that any wise man would so thinke And as concerning that forbidding which they say was made concerning the publication of the sayd Articles your patience and gentlenesse ought greatly to be praised when you did not openly and for an example cause such to be punished who were so rash as to publish the same without your leaue and so farre off is it that we feared the communicating diuulging and publishing of them that on the contrary side we caused them to be printed The Lord Prince hindered not the cōmunicatinge of the articles of Colin to the people with the declarations of their insufficiencie and they were sent thorow all the Prouinces and Towns that they might be deliberated vpon and that the aduise and resolution of all might be had But there is great difference betweene a thing communicated in order by the way of righte and by the authoritie of them which haue power so to doe and betweene this that certaine little Scoutes should priuily cast amongst the people certaine little Pamphlets as some of them which were sent to Collen about your seruice caused vnder hand and closely to passe forth those thinges which they had negotiated and treated off with the enemie wherein they betrayed both you and the Countrey as more largely appeareth by their owne Letters whereof I will not speake any further because that all is set abroade and brought to euery mans sight They thinke the vnion of the Prouinces made at Vtrecht to be wonderfully wicked and euill And why so Because that all that which is good for vs is euill for them The vnion of the prouices made at the time of the seperatiō of Artois Haynault and that which is healthfull for vs is deadly for them They had set all their hope vpon a discord and disagremēt and they had prouoked therto some of the prouinces who haue had as many deliberations counsels as ther are moneths in a yere beside they had at their commaundement certaine pestilent fellowes amongst vs. What remedie then could a man deuise better against dissention then vnion And what counterpoison more certaine against their venim of discorde then concorde By meanes whereof their purposes their trecheries their night counsels their secrete intelligences were all at one time scattered abroade God who is the God of peace and concorde declaring therby how much he hateth such deceitful tongues and how he can easily ouerthrow such false and abhominable enterprises You see my Lordes that I giue them a fayre and large field to crie out against me and to scorne at me I confesse vnto them that I haue procured the vnion that I haue aduaunced and promoted the same that I haue endeuored to maintain it and I tel you my Lords yet and I speake it very plainly and loude that I like it well that so not only they but also all Europe shoulde vnderstand it Maintaine your vnion keepe your vnion but do it but do it indeede my Lords that so you may execute not in wordes nor by writing only but in effect also that which your sheafe of arrows tied with one bād only doth meane which sheafe you beare in your seale Let thē go now and accuse me that I haue brought all to confusion when I procured the vnion for the doing of which matter I wil neuer blush For if vnder the shadow of a peace they would bring forth vnto vs a deuision if they would assemble themselues one while at Arras another while at Montz giuing vs alwayes faire wordes and that to this ende that they might sunder themselues from vs and so draw by their cordes vnto themselues light headed fellowes like vnto themselues wherfore should it not be lawfull for vs on our owne behalues to ioyne and tie our selues together Vnlesse as it may be they thinke that they are permitted to doe euill and to abandon the Countrey and when I pray you Euen when Maestricht was besieged will not yee O yee poore people feele when yee shall reade these thinges the hote yron which shall burne your conscience and that it was not lawfull for vs then to doe good and to heale the Countrey Let vs then here my Lords learne that which is profitable and necessarie for vs to learne and let vs learne it of the greatest enemie that euer the Countrey had yea of the greetest tiraunt of the whole earth Cōcerning the voiage of the Lord Prince into Oueryssell An. 1580. They obiect vnto me afterwards a hotrible crime and worthie forsooth of this more great Proscription than that which was pronounced by Sylla and Carbo that is that I departed not out of Antuerp for two yeres space and that I went to Vtrecht A man may easily see that they know very well what I doe as though that with their very great sorrow and greef I had not in those two yeres space trauailed twise into Flaunders where by the aide of the foure members or partes of that Prouince I placed better order in the sayde countrey then they woulde or wished But go too let vs graunt that I did not for two yeres space together go out of Antuerp was not this a great faulte to be alwayes nigh vnto you that I might the better serue you in euery thing which it pleased you to commaund me But I went to Vtrecht beholde my Lordes the euill beholde the bile or sore for this is the voiage that woundeth them euen to the hart They had before hande so wisely purposed their matters they had layde so sure a foundation for their affaires and businesse they pleafed themselues so much therein they writ thereof to their friendes they helde in their handes so many countreyes and gouernments they had written so many Letters and had vsed so many hirings secrete intisements and open practises as they thought all to be sure their owne and yet I comming only to shew my selfe at Vtrecht with the good assistance and counsell of my Lords the Deputies of the Prouinces behold that great mist or fogge was vanished away so many Castels as they had reserued for their tirannie were beaten downe and so many of our owne Townes assured to vs they hauing for all no other thing left vnto them but one only Towne of importaunce wherein was the Captayne of the enterprife which Towne notwithstanding hee knew not how to make subiect to his commaundement but by an abhominable murther of one whome he called his father who the euening before had set at his table he as a Iudas dealing with him vnder a false kisse And this my Lordes is the cause that maketh them crie so loude yea this is the Helena for which they fight Touching the Priestes
ende that hee may raigne and rule there most absolutelie amongest the furies and tumultes of the people the good being chased away And because that all this confusion and curse that our countries suffer is confessed to proceede from the counsell exhortation prouocation and doing of this wicked hipocrite by meanes of his vnquiet spirite which also placeth the whole felicitie thereof in the trouble of our subiectes and withall seeing that it is manifest that so long as he is in our Countreis there cannot be peace rest nor any quietnesse establishing all vpon a perpetuall distrust which he hath euer in his mouth a very ordinary and common thing to wicked men who haue their consciences vexed and troubled as had Caine Iudas and suche like moreouer seing that notwithstanding the intreaties and offers that hath bin made him euen by the Emperors Commissioners offering him most great profits to the end that he would returne to his natiue countrey where euery one naturally ought to desire to liue most he would not accept thereof and being a straunger delighteth rather to destroy our countreis then to yeelde to that which is reasonable and good for the benefite of our naturall subiectes the inhabitauntes thereof For these causes which are so iust reasonable and lawfull vsing in this behalfe the authoritie that we haue ouer him as well by vertue of the othes of fidelitie and obedience whiche he hath sundrie times taken vnto vs as also being the absolute and soueraigne Prince of the sayd low countreis for al his peruerse and wicked deedes and because he alone hath bin the head authour and promoter of these troubles and the principall disturber of our whole estate to be short because he hath bin the publick plague of christendome we publish him for a traitour and a wicked man the enemie of vs and of our countreis and as such a one haue proscribed him and doe perpetually and for euer proscribe him out of the sayd countreis al other our Estates Kingdomes and Seignuries interdicting and forbidding all our subiectes of what estate condition or qualitie soeuer they be not to haunt liue bee conuersaunt speake or communicate with him openly or secretely nor to receaue him or lodge him in their houses nor to minister vnto him meate drinke fire nor any other necessaries in any sorte whatsoeuer vpon paine to incurre our indignation and displeasure as hereafter shall be sayd And so we permit all whether they be our subiectes or others for the execution of our said declaration and edict to staie him let him and safely to keepe his person and to hurt him both in his goods and also in his person and life giuing the sayd William of Nassau ouer vnto all men as the enemie of mankinde graunting vnto euery one al his goods moueable and vnmoueable that can take occupie or conquer the same wheresoeuer they be excepte those goods which are at this present in our power and possession And to the ende in deede that this matter may be the more effectuallie and readilie perfourmed so by that means our sayde people the sooner deliuered from this tirannie and oppression we willing to reward vertue and to punish vice do promise in the word of a king and as the minister of God that if there by any found either among our owne subiectes or amongst straungers so noble of courage and desirous of our seruice and the publick good that knoweth any meane howe to execute our saide Decree and to set vs and himselfe free from the aforesaid plague deliuering him vnto vs quicke or dead or at the least taking his life from him we will cause to be giuen and prouided for him and his heires in good land or readie money chuse him whether immediately after the thing shal be accomplished the summe of xxv thousande crownes of golde and if he haue committed any offence or fault how great and greeuous soeuer it bee wee promise to pardon him the same and from henceforth do pardon it yea and if he were not before noble we do make him noble for his courage and valiaunt act and if the principall doer take with him for his ayde in the accomplishment of this enterprise or execution of this his fact other persons beside himselfe we wil bestow vpon them benefites and a rewarde and will giue to euerye one of them according to their degree and according to that seruice which they shall yeelde vnto vs in this behalfe pardoning thē also whatsoeuer they haue ill done and making them likewise noble And because that the receauers fauorers and adherents of such tirantes are they which cause them to continue and do nourish vphold them in their naughtinesse without the which the wicked could not rule any long time we declare all them likewise for rebels against vs and enemies of the commō quiet and as such do depriue them of al their goods nobility honours fauours present or to come who within a moneth after the publication of this present edict shall not withdrawe themselues from taking parte with him but shall continue to shew him fauour and to giue him ayd or otherwise shal haunt frequent follow assist counsell or fauour him directly or indirectly or from this time forwarde shall deliuer him any money giuing all the goods and bodies of such men wheresoeuer they may be found either in our kingdomes or countreis or out of them to those that shall occupie the same whether they be marchaundizes money debtes actions landes Lordships and other thinges whatsoeuer except that the said goods be alreadie seased in our power as hath bin before sayde And that they may the more speedily come to haue sentēce against their said person or goods it shall be proofe sufficient ynough to declare that they haue seene them after the time expressed in this proscription communicate speake treate haunt openly or secretely with the saide Orange or haue shewed him particular fauor assistaunce or ayde directly or indirectlie howsoeuer pardoning notwithstanding all men whatsoeuer euen vnto the said time they shall haue done to the contrarie if returning backe and submitting themselues agayne vnder the due and lawfull obedience which they owe vnto vs they haue accepted or shall accept the said treatie of Arras concluded at Monts or the articles of the deputies of the Emperor determined at Colen Thus wee giue in charge and commaunde our most deare and faithfull the heads presidentes and persons of our priuie and great councels the Chauncellor and persons of our counsell in Brabant the Gouernour President and persons of our counsell at Luxembourg the Gouernor Chauncelor and persons of our counsell in Gelderlande the Gouernor of Lembourg Faulquemont Daelhem and of others our Countreis of Oultremeuze the Gouernor Presidentes and persons of our counsels in Flaunders and Artois the great Bailie of Haynault and persons of our counsel at Monts the Gouernor President and persons of our counsell in Holland the Gouernor President and persons of our
counsell at Namure the Gouernor Presidentes and persons of our counsell in Frieseland the Gouernor Chauncelor and persons of our counsell in Oueryssell the Lieuetenaunt of Groningen the Gonernor President and persons of our counsell at Vtrecht the Gouernor of Lile Douay and Orchies the Prouost and Countie of Vallanchiennes the Baylie of Tournay and of Tournesses the Rent-masters of Bewest and Beoisterschelt in Zeland the Iudge of Malines and all other our Iustices and officers and those of our vassals and Subiects whome it shall concerne their Lieuetenantes and euery one of them in respect of himselfe and as though it did appertaine vnto him that they cause this our present declaration edict and decree to bee published euery one in his gouernment and in the places and boundes of his or their iurisdiction where they are accustomed to make cries and proclamations to the end that none may pretende any cause of the ignoraunce thereof and moreouer that they keepe obserue and maintain and cause inuiolablie to be kept obserued and maintayned all the poyntes and articles therein contained according to their forme and tenor proceeding causing to be proceeded therin respectiuely to the recompēce reward pain and punishment of the persons aboue mētioned without any fauour loue or dissimulatiō and for this purpose and all thinges appertaining thereto we giue them and euery one of them full power authoritie speciall commaūdemēt and we charge commaund all that they obey thē commaūding the same and that they vnderstand it diligently And neuerthelesse seeing that at this present the saide publications cannot be made in the townes countreis and territories occupied by the rebellion of the sayd Orange wee will that the publications which shal be made in the towns nerest thervnto being vnder our obeisance shall be wholy and all together of such force and effect as if they had bin vtterly done in the circuites and places accustomed and for such we haue authorised and by these presentes doe authorise them yea we wil and commaunde that immediately they be printed in two sundrie languages by the sworn printers of our Vniuersities of Louain or Douay to the end that it may more easilie come to al mens knowledge and this is our pleasure appointment and good will In witnesse whereof we haue caused our great seale to bee put to these presentes which were made in our towne of Maestricht the xv day of the moneth of March and in the yere of grace 1580. and of our kingdoms to wit of Spaine Sicilia c. the xxv and of Naples the xxvii By the expresse appointment of his Maiestie Verreiken And the sayd Letters are sealed with the great seale of his Maiestie in redde waxe and a double lase hanging thereat ¶ The Letters of the Prince of Parma to the Gouernors and Counsellers of the Prouinces commaunding the publishing of this proclamation ALEXANDER Prince of PARMA and of PLAISANCE c. Gouernor and Captaine generall MY COSEN MOST DEARE AND welbeloued frends seeing the K. my Lord hath by 2. seueral letters of his very plainly cōmaunded vs to cause incontinently to be published in these his countreyes the proscription and proclamatiō annexed hereto against W. of Nassau Prince of Orange for the causes contained in the sayd Proclamation we could not cease to obay his Maiesties commaundement and to send the same vnto you requiring you and neuertheles in the name and on the behalfe of his Maiesty appoynting you that immediatly after yee haue seene the same you publish it and cause it to bee published thorow out all the Townes and places of your gouernmēt and iurisdiction after the accustomed manner to the end that none may pretend any cause of the ignorance thereof and faile yee not herein and thus my Cosen most deare and welbeloued friēdes our Lord haue you in his keeping From MONTS the 15. day of Iune 1580 Vnderneath was written ALEXANDER And signed ouer against it VERREYKEN This was the Superscription of it To the Gouernours and Counsellours of the Prouinces THE PRINCE OF Orange his letters to the ESTATES To my Lordes the Estates Generall YOV HAVE KNOWEN MY LORDES BY my life past and by my behauiours that I neuer mynded to answeare to any libels of defamation which certayne sclaunderers had published agaynst me in so much as if the quality greatnes of the wrong which hath bene done agaynst mee by the proscription that the Kinge of Spaine hath caused to be published I had not as yet proceeded so farre especially had it not bene that the maintenance of myne honoure had requested the same of mee as I haue more largely layed out the same in my defence which I haue presented vnto you Since which time there is come into my handes a letter very false and counterfayt by myne ennemy which they say they intercepted and I sent to my lorde the Duke of Aniou or as they say to the Duke of Alançon whereof some personages amongest them and that of greate qualitie also haue sent copies as well to certaine townes of our syde and amōgest vs as to sundry strange forrain princes This letter my Lordes is so fondly written whether a man regarde the stile thereof or wil respect the matter therein cōtayned which by the bare reading therof sufficiently bewrayeth that there is not in it any shew of truth that such an impudent deuise deserueth no answeare as also God bee praised there is not found a man amongest vs which is any whit at al mooued therwith On the other side euery man hath knowen that they had no other meaning hereby but by such mistes smokes to darken the brightnes by which their miserable pernitious intēr against this coūtrey hath bin discouered by the letters of Cardinal Granduell and others which you haue commaunded to be printed after that you knew their handes their signes and their seales and withall therby to take vnto them selues an occasion and matter to cast vp and spew out acording to the manner of shameles women slaunderous and wicked speeches ful of lying But so far of is it that by this meanes they haue inrespect of me obteined that which they pretēded that on the other side they haue done me greate pleasure in publishing such follies because that thereby they do more and more iustify and verify my defence sufficiently prouing them selues to be shameles lyers most impudent slaunderers and most fond falsifiers which serueth more more to iustify as I haue saide myne innocencie and to geue approbation to all my actions For seeing that all men know that this should be the best newes that they could receaue or heare of that I would forsake the countrey and leaue it to them I offered them my Lordes and you vnder my honour do promise them to accomplish it if they bee able to proue in your presences that I haue at any time written or commaūded to be written or sent such a letter that presently I will depart the coūtrey and withdraw my selfe from it without euer setting my selfe against them and I promise them euen vpon a simple or bare request to send thē such passeportes and safeconducts and they also penned in such order as either they can or will demaūd But yet this shal be with this condition that if they will not accept this so reasonable an offer all they which haue bin the authors of such a writing or which haue published it or which haue sent it into the townes amōgst vs or to forraine Princes and straunge countreyes shal be held for lyers slaunderers and wicked speakers as indeede such they are Giuen at Delft the 25. of Ianuary 1581. ⸫ FINIS