THE SECOND Admonition Sent by the subdued Prouinces to Holland thereby to entice them by faire-seeming reasons groundlesse threates and vnlike examples to make peace with the Spaniards With the Hollanders aunswere to the same Translated out of Dutch into English by H. W. LONDON Imprinted by Iohn Wolfe and are to bee sold at his shoppe within the Popes head Alley in Lombard street 1598. To Holland PEace O peace O swéetest estate neuer was a swéeter word heard Peace enemy to strife contention and reuenge thée I séeke and desire from the bottome of my heart thou art the most precious iewell that euer was found the spring of welfare and delight Thou healest that which controuersie hath wounded Thou causest the scattered thinges to be relyed Thou causest and createst ioy and pleasure in euery place Where peace is there are our yeares doubled there life is long and all our life is swéet there is riches and plentie at full there fortune is not séene so vnstedfast Thou art the treasure where all good is inclosed and the beautifying of the worlde to whome all honor is due by common accord Happie are they that seeke peace sayth the word of the Lord. 2. PEace dwelleth in the kingdome of God Peace Christ hath recommended vnto all beléeuers With peace are gloriously rewarded and swéetly crowned Gods people Peace is the principall testament which the Lord before his death bequeathed and recommended vs. Peace is the bond perfect image where through wee deserue the heauens and without peace all woulde vanish to nought for through discord each thing decayeth Peace hindreth destruction desolation and griefe Peace makes kingdomes and countries to flourish Peace is euery where greatly estéemed nature forceth all men to loue peace And what is there more delectable then peace to agrée and continue in amitie to the end Wo to him who is a friend to strife 3. THou O Peace art pleasing vnto all nations and full of consolation yet neuerthelesse in these broyles we sée thée inhumanelie excluded out of the Hollandish limites Whence doth this proceede O Hollandia insooth it is a strange matter that thou hatest the thing which euery one naturally desireth Art thou blind art thou so sencelesse that thou chusest mortail poyson rather then daintie and exquisite food wilt thou neuer rise out of this thy obscuritie and lay aside this pernitious discord Thou art like vnto a sicke person or the frantike which madly reiect the good and holesome thinges proffered them Compare the passed time vnto the present before thou didst reiect thy obeysance was it not farre better then to liue in this sort imothered in strife and contention and like beastes shedding the blood of thy members Where peace is hated no mercie can dwell 4. THou art molested and pilled with taxations and giuest the soldier the substance whereon thy people shoulde liue The common trafficke doth melt and consume for it must be vsed with force and might And as long while as thou doest embrace this pestiferous contention thou shalt find no rest nor quiet in no place yea finally euery one will forsake thée for all Europe for thy sake endureth great miserie thou must know that each thing hath but his time and thy doing cannot continue long Oh that thou woldest once consider thy owne good thy hart woulde turne and bee moued What profit is it alwayes to continue the warres what pleasure in mischéeuing one another thy successors shal hereafter feele the smart vnlesse thou change thy hate One otfen knoweth his fault but repenteth too late 5. ACcept peace beléeue the counsaile of thy friends bow somewhat thy head and cease thy obstinacie reiect passion who bereaueth the fences and apalleth the spirit but let his light shine Peace is at hande if thou canst but affect her Thy Prince O Holland is neither rigorous nor cruell I fought be passed which any greeue thée thinke thy selfe hath béene cause thereof each thing may easily be amended if in case thou wilt be ruled by reason his lappe is open his goodnesse is readie séeke peace and all will be well Thou shalt be holpe appeased and disburthened and fedde as a limme of the patrimony Turne to thy wonted obedience acknowledge thy superiors All shal be well and things past forgotten 6. T Is time t is time that thou shouldest perceiue thine owne welfare and hasten to peace before it waxe too late for although thou doest abound in wealth and content whereof thy courage swelleth yet think how others in like case haue béene serued when they refused the peace t is wisedome to take occasion when it is proffered and helpe himselfe with fortune when she smileth The Athenians because they once subdued and gouerned the Spartans Athens thought to gouerne all with their might and would hearken to no peace but what happened vnto those which they thought to suppresse they became their subiects This is the worldes course in all humaine affaires which to day exalt and to morrow wil make a slaue Wise is he who at others harmes doth warning take 7. WHen the vnwise Romains reiected the swéet peace which Caesar kindly offered them Rome and that as the historie saith Pompeius with his armies thought to withstand Caesars might a fire was kindled which consumed the earth and ruined Rome the mightie people lost his former libertie Pompey was murthered and all the nobilitie subdued and in that sort that monarchy which whilome ruled and swayed ouer the world was subdued brought to nought where if they had accepted peace they might haue continued in their former estate Consider this the time is the manifester of all hidden things marke then what profit occasion well taken doth bring Vnwise is he who the vncertaine before the sure doth prefer 8 Carthage ALso if Carthage had helde and not violated the true peace which was granted them by Fabius they might very well haue shunned the destruction which after befell them when the Romaines the second time raised their standardes against them Had Mithridates accepted the alliance which was kindly proffered him Mithridates he had neuer fallen into those daungers nor in the wars which dured fortie yeares but because he could not fancie peace he spoiled his kingdome lost his life Iugurtha Also had not Iugurtha through euill counsaile reiected the peace offered him hee had neuer béene caryed captiue to Rome where hee ended his life in miserie and thrail He neuer fared well that on the warre him founded 9. WHen Israel departed out of the deserts trauelling with great paine towardes the land of promise they requested king Sehon to let them passe peaceably Sehon they not desiring to hurt his realme but he proud and vnwise rather chose warre then peace with loue wherefore obstinacie had her reward being cause that he lost both kingdome and life Also when the Beniamites euill minded Beniamites had sinned and disturbed all Israel might at the beginning of the
broyles with small amends haue ceased the warres but no they came into the field against their brethren by which they were pittifully discomfited and 25000. of them were slayne and their Cittie burnt all within thrée daies Hee that neglecteth occasion proffered needes not complaine 10. NEuer had béene séene the heapes of murthered Troianes and flouds of their blood nor yet that flourishing kingdome spoyled by the valiant Gréekes who at the first proffered them conditions of peace but alas they were bereaued of their former wittes not being able to loue peace Had eke the victorious Persian Cirus accepted the peace in Scithia which Tomyris sonne proffered him he had not béen discomfited and slain in that vnluckie battaile where all his hoste though great was put to the sworde and his seuered head was by Tomiris bathed in his owne blood O mischieuous and vnluckie chance But yet more O the mischieuous and wicked workes of men which do cause them He that is prouident may beware in time 11. THe Citie of Siracusa so highly renowned that she was compared to Carthage is not she likewise come to the like mishap Siracuse and by the warre pittifully spoyled for they also reiected the peace which Marcelles was willing to giue them they stood very stoutly vpon their instruments which Archimedes made them wherwithall in the Romain Campe they did many wonderfull exploits to their aduantage yet notwithstanding their triple wall all their couragious soldiers nor yet their strange deuises did any whit profite them against the Romaine wrath but were ouerthrowne and made pillage where they lost both their honour and fréedome He that lets a good opotunitie escape may after want it 12. HAd Iudea when she was kindled with anger and desire to deliuer her selfe from the Romaine subiection with prouidence shunned the perill which hung ouer her heade Iudea and learned to breake her high minded and rebellious courage before Vespatian came who as is known brought them all into desolation she had neuer felt that gréeuous smart whereof whole histories are scarce able to tell the miserie she might haue had mercie béen conserued where to the contrarie she hath aboade more miserie then any people on earth O how wise is he who séeketh rest and tranquillitie why chuse you the badde rather then the good is not vnitie farre better then dissention What reason will not do experience teacheth 13. Cosroe THe king Cosroe that mightie potentate who continually raised the Persian estate had he kindly accepted the peace which vnfaynedly was by the Emperour proffered hee had had fortune so his wish her whéele wold not so soone haue turned Heraclius sought peace as the thing most beneficiall vnto both but Cosroe was therewithall not appaid he thirsted after warre and hee was suffised with thrée sundry battailes which all went against him had not he scorned the Emperors kindnesse refused peace he had not had that reprochfull discomfiture nor brought himselfe and his people in that distresse Marke then what negligence doth cause when in time one cannot foresee his owne good What strife doth spoyle doth bind the peace 14. 1519. 1521. HOw fared in old time the Spanish band which also knew not their superiors counsaile they were offered peace to ende the broyles but they rather chose the warre and the miseries of the same which was the cause that they were persecuted banisht and slaine he who refuseth peace proffered doth not deserue to haue it afterwardes Nâ—ples Fâ—sâ—a And how often haue the Neapolitaines béene distressed Moreouer reade what of Friesland is written for they being in strife with the Saxons refused peace yea more came in the field with the Emperour Wherefore O Holland take care to deale wisely accept peace strife hath endured enough The whole bodie greeues at the discord of the limmes 15. BOth Cleueland and Gelderland can record what profite the warre bringes when peace is refused had they somewhat abased their high mindes as they were counsayled they had not fallen into the destruction which hath ruined all the land Moreouer call to remembrance O Holland what issue the broiles in North Holland tooke North Holland when thy communaltie rebelliously were risen vp against their Magistrates and as enraged people ran about all their mindes being bent to murther and bloodshed they also were proffered peace but they desirous to liue at libertie and rule all thinges to their owne fancie refused the same where through at last they were well punished for their foolish pretence It seldome goes well where the people doth rule 16. O Friend let this bee a looking glasse vnto thée these examples are manifest and knowne Shunne strife and desire peace let none spare himselfe to that swéet and delectable estate visit thy prince send thy ambassadors not to nourish the warre nor to exile peace but endeuour thy selfe to vnity for concordia is the swéetest treasure on earth thy neighbors and allies desire the same giue eare vnto theÌ„ thy superiors expect thée and will heare thée and their hearts are bent to thée depart from this wicked resistance whereunto some counsaile thée but the craftie and subtill séeke more their owne profite thereby then thy preferment or thy countries good It is alwaies good fishing in troubled water and cutting broade girdles out of other mens leather A fayned friend ought to be shunned as an enemie 17. THou art fedde with lies and dissimulations thou art perswaded to exclude the truth and that thy vertues and praise shall be extolled in the places where the earth is full of veynes of gold thou art euery where greatly estéemd because thou canst so mightily rule Mars himselfe In the East and North thy fame is spread by reason whereof thou thinkest all the world will adore thée thou persuadest thy selfe to be inuincible but surely it will faile thée for God doth alwaies abate such high minds thou wilt neither stoop nor obay but séekest to become a common wealth of some newe manner consider I pray what a man doth in his wantonnesse when ease and pride hath possessed his heart are all thy deedes allowed wilt thou no more harber after subiection Where force is a counsailour wisdome is forgotten 18. BVt finally Holland thou shalt find thyne error there were neuer yet found rebels which in their faults were not confuted ouerthrowen with plagues as is euery where seen and known take examples in Gods house it selfe where an Angell raysed himselfe against the Almightie God yea an Angell who in glory and beautie farre surpassed all the rest as scriptures do vnfolde fell hee not and the rest with an incurable wound because against their soueraigne they rebelled from the most highest he was made the basest from the fayrest to the ouglyest from great glorie to eternall confusion a short pleasure bringeth great griefe an example to all subiectes What rebellion winnes is no victorie 19. Israelites HOw often hath Israel beene plagued of God
one degree No I assure my selfe that any war to withstand an enemie is both laudable and honorable and to the contrarie some peace hurtfull and nought warres vndertaken for honorable causes tending for himselfe and his their goodes or life for freedome or in defence of Gods lawes are honorable but peace which threatens the losse of all these may with right be refused against such one may make a rightfull warre T is an accursed peace which destroyes Gods word 3 Which peace is good and to be desired WHen peace doth free from care and trouble when she diminisheth the daungers and perilles when by her meanes great costs and charges are forborne when she yeeldeth quiet and tranquillitie of life and minde as then it is a holy worke to make peace with our enemie But when as one standeth in doubt and feare Which peace is nought and to be shunned least vnder the peace her faire vaile lie not hidden some secrete mischiefe then she is mortall venome mixed in a wholesome potion One ought alwaies to be bent to peace so farre forth she be cleare from deceit and daunger we are naturally giuen to seeke peace but not in such sort that she should be worse then the warre for without securitie of life goodes and conscience what is it That the name of peace should onely bee vnto vs a deceitfull pleasure a peace whereby one doth leese freedome and libertie is a detestable plague in the eares of the wise A rightfull warre is better then a faigned peace 4 WHerefore we haue here wisely to consider if it bee not damageable to make peace with euery one if that with procuring a peace we subuert not our selues into an eternall slauerie in such sort that wee had better to endure the warre then to liue in a peace which bréedes seruitude Many haue by warres wonne their libertie maintained the same others by bad peace haue made slaues A true libertie is to be preferred aboue life Thou shewest vs the disasters of the peace with many examples as if with trusting therin did seeke after it but yet many haue in choosing peace won their welfare and exiled tiranny others haue through peace lost their libertie and through their light beliefe béene made slaues Libertie is the chiefest thing during ones life her we ought with our life to maintaine in the defence of life and goods one will endaunger himselfe but yet aboue all libertie is to be preferred It is honor to expose his life in defence of his libertie and patrimony 5 IN the defence of our libertie and securitie Which to attaine the war were enterprised to keep them they must be continnued expecting by the grace of God a good issue Saguntines Athens Our desire of peace hath alwaies appeared but hath been but badly recompensed which wee will not misse we are altogether zealously bent which our burning zeale shall not be quenched nor is there any one in that respect which shall turne our minds we hate them with our hartes which herein contrarie vs we fight couragiously and willingly the armes shall not easily be pulled out of our handes neyther yet doe we reioyce in bloodie battailes we hope the best being alwaies readie rather to abide the hardest brunt then to bee made slaues The noble Saguntines haue in spite of their foes rather chosen to die by famine and miserie then by a slauish peace to saue their liues The Athenians too weak for the might of the Barbarians haue rather suffred their cittie to bee ouerthrowne and spoyled then to be brought vnder their subiection An honourable death is to bee preferred before a slauish life 6. The treatise of peace at Breda was dearly bought by those of BuereÌ„ Leerdam Ouwater Shoonhouen and Zieriezee The pacification of Gaunt was of the Spanish side most trecherously violated as it was concluded before the treatise was made as apeared by diuers letters By meanes of the treatise of peace of Cullen was Mastricht Artoys Haynalt and Flaunders seuered and rent from the other vnited prouinces broght again vnder the Spanish yoke Anno 88 wheÌ„ with the Spanish Armado all seemd to be conquered as then the peace was also spoken of Anno 94. wheÌ„ Ernestus so flatteringly profferd peace by Ieronimus Coemaâ—s and Otto Hartius THat I haue sought to bring all things to an vnfained peace hath appeared by my peaceable dealing but thou hast alwaies sought vnder thy peace to couer deceit In the treatise of peace at Breda appeared thy deceitfull trickes Bueren Leerdam Ouwater Shoonhouen beare yet the markes of thy peace Immediatly after Ziericzee was beset The pacification of Gaunt thou didst violate thy pretence appeared by the letters of Escouedo Also by the letters of the BaroÌ„ of Selles which he brought with him at Mechelen from the Spanish counsaile The violation of Don Ian against honor oath and law manifestly appeared it may be said without feare that nothing but treasons and surmises were intended in all thy faire shewes of peace stretching to the annulling and exiling of the vertuous T is in vaine thy faultes are no more to be fauoured But vntruth hath yet hitherto paid his mayster 7. HOw deceitfull shamefull pernicious was the treatise of peace of Cullen vnto me the time hath taught The siege of the good Citie of Mastricht with many other subtill deuices haue also bewrayed the same Artoys and Henalt with others were thereby seduced The dealing with Flaunders to my losse and to what peace thou and thine were inclined when the Prince of Parma proffered peace to her Maiestie was manifestly shewed by the Spanish Fleete More what peace Ernestus brought who sought to murther his excellencie as if there by all matters might be pacified More the heade of the Inquisition Lieuetenant vnto thy holy father yea when it was least suspected sheweth his cruell nature which not a yeare agoe buried a silly maiden aliue A foole is he that will be a slaue if he may chuse 8. IF so it were that we desired peace yet there is no meanes to recouer the same of the Spaniard the ground and foundation of truth to bind peace dependeth on the faith this may not be forsaken without faith or trust no accorde is to bee made which one may trust on or that will dure or ought to forbeare any alliance with those which kept not their word faith nor oath feare of vnthankfulnesse causeth an vnquiet minde The faith is the onely thing whereon peace must be built and where she is absent wheron we ought to build we must like an Oxe stande in feare of the axe this is euen the true exposition thereof Let the peace defend vs from the euils present and to come for by a broken peace to run againe to the warres it falles crueller then before and brings farre more griefe and trouble Alliance without truth breeds feare of life and goods 9. NO Wolues Beares Lyons nor Tygers neuer so ouer
warre therein following the example of many nations the which had receiued nothing so much iniurie as wee yet haue they exiled and driuen their Princes away neither were they reputed rebels nor yet receiued any damage thereby He doth no bodie wrong who defendes his owne right 38. EDwarde the second Edward â—e second Englandes king through bad counsaile putteth certaine of his Barons to death without eyther reason or lawful cause but the other Peares of the land moued by that cruelty assembled together an hoast of men tooke him prisoner and declared him vnworthy Christern Tarquinius Superbus Caius Caligula Nero. Domitianus Câ—mmodus Maximus Christern of Denmark was imprisoned after that he was eâ—led and Tarquinius Superbus for his cruelty was deposed by the Romaines the which hee had plagued and altred their gouernement insomuch that they displeased them Caius Caligula a monstrous tyrant was also therefore murthered by the Romaines Nero for his filthy and horrible factes was declared a foe and his life persecuted and Domitianus Commodus Maximus and more others of like crueltie were vsed accordingly for they that seeke the spoile of the common welth are alwaies seene to buy it deare No Tyrant that euer could escape Gods punishment 39. BEing then that our warre is no rebellion as manifestly appeares and sufficiently proued by true examples and infallible argumentes thou doest vs great wrong to compare vs to rebellious Absolon or to the wicked Israelites for no comparison can be made of it we are in no wise to stand in feare of the punishment which rebels haue endured but since wee put our trust in the almighty God wee will continually expect a good issue of our iust quarrell although thou seekest through thy threates to quench our courages vanting of thy maisters Lyonly téeth with all his forces stedfastly trusting on our God thy threates wee let flie remayning coniunctly in our intent esteeming far better to haue iust warre then a dissembled peace Who so trusts on Gods aide is neuer put to shame 40. 〈…〉 IT séemes that thou hast learned the bragging of thy maister Rapsace who also cryed wherein dost thou relie wherein dost thou trust but what God did and commanded in the next chapter thou hast not read or perhaps but badly remembred hee shall not enter the citty nor endamage the same for I wil defend and kéepe it 〈…〉 for my seruant Dauids sake who trusted in mee I will protect her against the tyrantes pretences Baldeus also boasted before Leidiz that one should sooner touch the starres then the cittie be rescued but God displeased at this blasphemie sent them vnnaturall floodes whereby his pretence was disturbed Thou that through false peace seekest to bring vs in thy net consider the matter for if thou art not blinded through thy wilfulnes thou must of force confesse that our resistance which thou seest is no humane worke God fauoreth our case for the defence of his Christ 41 Assure thy selfe that I trust not so much on the helpe of my neighbores and allies as on the iust and vpright dealing which we dayly vse for when with diligent care I consider the forepassed and ballance the issue thereof it giues mee a great cause of hope that this will ende wel and that I shal want no meanes while I feele Gods hand his bounty aide and blessing which are the infallablest tokens of a good issue of the vnstedfastnes thereby thou makest a great discourse that it hanges in no mens handes and that it is dayly seene but I know they are stedfast and neuer deceiued any except he displeased God through our great sinne I trust and beléeue assuredlie that they are bound to me as long as I shall with zeale prosecute this iust cause and wil through Gods mercy and in spight of the Spaniarde as a yong bud florish which thou with all thy force shalt not hinder Gods blessing will dwell alwaies fast with the God-fearing 42. ANd finally when thou comest forth with thy Princes power name him with a common name because thou knowest not thy right yet for reasons to your aduantage doe not name him neuerthelesse we perceiue thy deceipt cunningly cloaked there vnder as the Asse of Cuma couered with the Lyons skinne but through his long cares he was knowne so thou also with thy peace masked with a Foxes skinne we perceiue thy intent for thou shewest thy maister in forme of a Lyon of whome wee feare to bée deceiued in the end because wee see many footesteppes inward but none outwarde whereby is seene his malice is not onely to vs but also to them that neuer iniured him out of thy own wordes we construe his meaning and what a happy peace wee should haue we are Lambes thy Lord a Lyon those two kindes neuer agree besides we are nations of diuers humors Contrary humors doe quicklie breake vnitie 43 IF then you our neighbores of the seduced Prouinces so much and so seruentlie desire peace the way is open a good sâ—… peace is at hand which thou now maist attaine in following our good counsaile it being impossible for you to continue in Peace when you shoulde be contracted vnto God with vs and the proude Spaniarde open thy eyes know thy enemie when thou maist driue him away which through Gods helpe and thy neighbores may easily and in short space bee effected then peace wil yeelde vs traffick welfare and plenty the peace shal be sure without false shew the more since wee are a nation of one kinde and condition who also though to their damage keepe their oath and respect their honors endeauour thou to doe this ridde thy selfe from the Spanish venime trust on Gods mercy and not on thy kinges great Forces He that puts his trust in God neuer comes to shame 44. IF not then you Batauians which haue vndertaken the defence of your priuiledges let not the feare of death daunt your inuincible courages you shal not onely thereby recouer infinite praise but also hereafter an eternal life but if you faint and will seeke to shunne the perils you bring your selues your successors in great disquietnesse wherefore then take courage and for the defence of thy patrimony in recompence that shee hath nourished thee and for your liberty spare neither life nor goods let not any wayes the desire of this fickle life expel the wonted courages from your hartes let not the praise and renowne of the Battauians which hetherto hath continued any way be blemished nor diminished although dangers are at hand shew that this meaning is deepely imprinted in your hartes Farre better to endure a warre that shoulde neuer cease then to be deceiued by a false peace FINIS