Countreys who have alwayes been and ought to be Governed according to the Oath taken by their Princes when they receive them conformable to their Priviledge and antient Custome having no power to infringe them besides that most part of the said Provinces have alwayes received and admitted their Princes and Lords upon certain Conditions and sworn Contracts which if the Prince shall violate he is by Right fallen from the Rule and Superiority of the Countrey c. And after they have made a Recital of his Cruelties Oppressions and Tyrannies they further proceed THat having duly considered all these things and being prest by extreme necessity We have by a General Resolution and Consent Declared and do Declare by these Presents the King of Spain ipso jure to be fallen from the Seignory Principality Jurisdiction and Inheritance of these Countreys and that we are Resolved never to acknowledge him any more in any matter concerning the Prince Jurisdictions or Demean of these Netherlands nor to use hereafter neither yet to suffer any other to use his Name as Soveraign Lord thereof according to which we Declare all Officers private Noble men Vassals and other Inhabitants of these Countreys of what Condition or Quality soever to be from henceforth discharged of the Oath which they have made in any manner whatsoever unto the King of Spain as Lord of these Countries or of that whereby they may be bound unto him c. Enjoyning and Commanding all Judges Officers and all others to whom it shall appertain That hereafter they forbear to use any more the Name Titles great Seal or Signet of the King of Spain and have Injoynned and Commanded and do Injoyn and Command that all the King of Spain Seals which are at this present within these Vnited Provinces shall be delivered into the Sates hands and that from henceforth the Name and Armes of the King of Spain shall not be put nor stampt in any Coyns of these Vnited Provinces but that there shall be such a figure set upon them as shall be appointed c. In like sort we Injoyn and Command the Presidents and Lords of the Councel and all other Chancellours Presidents Provincial Counsuls and all Presidents chief Masters of Accounts others of all Chambers of Accounts being respectively in these Countreys and also all other Judges and Officers as holding them discharged of the Oath which they have made to the King of Spain according to the Tenure of the Commissions that they shall take a New Oath in the hands of the States of the Provinces where they are or to their Deputies whereby they shall Swear to be faithful to us against the King of Spain and his Adherents according to the Form set down by us which Oath accordingly was taken by the Publick Officers and Magistrates of every Town and Province and is as followeth I Swear that hereafter I shall not serve nor yield obedience to Philip King of Spain nor acknowledge him for my Prince and Lord whom I do Renounce by these Presents and do hold my self Free from all Oaths and Bands by the which I might be formerly tyed unto him Whereof finding my self presently Freed I Swear anew and bind my self to the United Provinces and namely to them of Brabandt Guelder Hollandt Zealandt and their Allies and to the Soveraign Magistrates that are appointed to be Faithful and Loyal unto them to yield them all Obedience aid and Comfort with all my Power and means against the King of Spain and his Adherents and against all the Enemies of the Countrey promising as a good Subject of the Countrey to carry my self Faithfully and Loyally with shew of all Obedience to my Superiors So help me the Almighty God Many notwithstanding made great difficulty to Abjure the King and to take the New Oath among others a Councellour of Frieslandt a man of great Judgement and Experience called Raaâ—da hearing the Abjuration propounded in open Councel at Leuwarden and the renewing of the Oath whether it were through a sudden amazement or for the affection which he bare to the King of Spain was so troubled as he fell in a Convulsion and died presently Now impartial Reader that you have seen a short and true Narrative extracted out of antient and modern History whereby you may receive satisfaction of the causes wherefore the Romans and our Neighbours of the Netherlands Rejected and Renounced their Kings and kingly Office and how they provided against their ever returning to Rule over them upon the whole matter it may be queried whether the Parliament and good People of England after God had so signally and miraculously owned their Cause against the late King and Family have not had an equivalent or far greater Cause to Free these three Nations of the yoak of Monarchs and Monarchy then the Romans or the States of the Netherlands had which any one may easily be convinced of if he will but take the pains and time to read the History of the Reign of the Kings of England Scotland c. but especially from the coming of that Bastard brood to the late Tyrant What murthers rapines oppressions wars devastations cruelties ravishments and what not have been acted in the three Nations during that time I shall onely hint to some few as first of King John of whom the History relates that when he had endeavoured by force of Armes and by other barbarous cruelties to impose his yoak of bondage and slavery over his People whom he forced to take up Armes for his own defence and that after they had obtained several victories against him whereby he was reduced to great extreams yet would not grant them Peace till he had made Tryal of all manner of cruel wayes to subdue them by force one whereof was that rather then grant to the People their Liberties and Freedoms he sent to the King of the Moors and made him an offer that if he would send an Army in England he would deliver up his right and title to him But to come nearer our time what cruel Murtherer and Tyrant was Richard the third and Henry the 8th his own Queens and many of his Nobles could not escape his fury and that for no other crime but to satisfie his cruelty lust and pleasure so notorious was he that to this day the Proverb remaineth resent of him That he neither spared man in his fury nor woman in his lust Queen Mary another fury how many pretious Souls she caused to be brought to the stake and burned King James so little he esteemed the lives of the People although no man of War yet if by accident any one hindred his sport in Hunting or not opened a Gate as soon as he commanded he would curse and swear and give express command that such a one should be hanged And for his Son what wars desolations and miseries hath he been authour of in the 3 Nations how many thousands killed and ruined how many millions of Treasure exhausted
A NARRATIVE OF THE Causes and Events OF civil-CIVIL-WAR BETWEEN Princes and People TOGETHER WITH The manner how the People of Rome and of the Netherlands Rejected and Abjured their King and Kingly Government with the form of their Oaths of ABJURATION Extracted out of the Roman and Netherlands History AS LIKEWISE Some Objections now in Contest concerning the taking of the like Oath in this Common-Wealth examined and Answered if not for Satisfaction at least for Information of such as are concerned By F. M. LONDON Printed for the Authour 1659. A NARRATIVE OF THE CAVSES and EVENTS OF civil-Civil-Warre BETWEEN PRINCES PEOPLE IN the Alterations that happen sometimes in a State betwixt the Prince and a People that is Free and Priviledged there are ordinarily two Points which make them to aim at two several ends The One is when as the Prince seeks to have a full subjection and Obedience of the People And the Other that the People contrariwise require that the Prince should maintain them in their freedoms and liberties which he hath promised and Sworn solemnely unto them before his Reception unto the Government thereupon Quarrels grow the Prince will hold a hard hand and will by force endeavour to be Obeyed according to Will and Pleasure and the People rising against the Prince oftentimes upon success do reject his Authority and seek to embrace and maintain their full liberties In these first Motions there happens sometimes Conferences at the instance of Neighbours or others in the Nation who may have interest therein to quench this fire of Division betwixt the Prince and his Subjects and then if any one of the parties groweth obstinate and will not yield although he seem to be most in fault it followeth of necessity that they must come to more violent Remedies that is to say to Arms The power of the Prince is great when he is supported by other Princes which joyn with him for the consequence of the Example else it s but small But that of the People which is the Body whereof the Prince is the Head stirred up by Conscience especially if the Question of Religion be touched the Members ordained for their Function doing joyntly their Duties is far greater thereupon they Wound they Kill they Burn they Ruine and grow desparate of each side but what is the Event God who is an Enemy to all Tyranny and Disobedience judged of their Quarrels weigheth them in his Ballance of Justice helping the rightful Cause and either causeth the Prince for his Rigour Oppression and Tyranny to be punished and chased away and deprived of his Estate and Principality or the People for their Attempt to be punished and brought to Reason which causeth the alteration to cease and procureth a Peace whereof there are many Examples both Ancient and Modern besides this ensuing Narrative of the People of Rome and the Netherlands Tarquinus Superbus being the 7th and last King of Rome after he had Reigned twenty five years was banished from thence together with the whole Kingly Government which had then lasted 244 years before the People could shake off that Oppressive yoak of their Kings which they effected in the manner and for the Causes following Sextus Tarquinus Son to King Tarquin the Tyrant being full of Lust and Cruelty came to Lucretia's House at Colatia a place not far distant from Rome where he had been before kindly entertained by her Husband Colatinus who at that time was absent and being after Supper brought into the Guest-Chamber and when he thought all sure and that every body was fast asleep he steppeth with naked Sword in hand to Lucretia as she lay in a profound sleep who starting out of her sleep heard Tarquinus speak in this manner I am Sextus Tarquinus I have my drawn Sword in hand if thou once speak thou shalt surely die and if thou wilt not yield to me I will kill thee and for thy perpetual shame and dishonour will cut the throat of thy Servant and lay him naked by thee that so it may be rumoured abroad that thou hast been kill'd in Adultery Whereupon by violence and force he had her Company The next morning Lucretia did send for her Father and Husband who brought along with them Valerius and Brutus to whom when they came she told that Sextus Tarquinus was the man who that night past entertained as a Friend but indeed a very Foe in the highest degree had by force and violence taken from hence his pleasure a deadly pleasure I may say to me and to himself no less if you be men of Courage All of them gave their assured word and comforted her whereupon she said Well what is his due to have see you to that as for me I quit and assoil my self from sin yet I will not be freed from punishment and after other words uttered with a knife hid under her cloaths stab'd her self out cryed her Husband and Father thereat and while they two were in their plaints and moans Brutus drew forth the knife out of the wound of Lucretia holding it out all embrewed and dropping with bloud said Now I swear by this blood by this most chaste and pure blood before the villanny wrought by the Kings Son and here before the Gods I protest whom I call to witnesse that I will by Fire and Sword and with all my might and main persecute 〈…〉 ree the Countrey of Tarquinus the proud and his imperious Wife and the whole brood of his Children and suffer neither him noâ—â—ny else for his sake to reigâ—â—â— King at Rome Then gave he the knife to â—â—â—â—â—tinus Lucretius and Valerius who took the same Oath and leaving their lamentations followed Brutus as their Captain and Leader to put down and overthrow the Government of Kings and utterly to root out the Race The dead Corps of Lucretia was brought in the Market-place and there shewed to the people who with wondering at such a sight and so foul and unworthy a fact they raised much People together every man for his part was ready to complain of the wickednesse and violence done by the Kings Blood Brutus who rebuked all vain weeping and foolish moaning moved and perswaded all that were present that like men of valour like true-hearted Romans they would take Arms against those that demeaned themselves no better nay worse then ordinary Enemies Thereupon all the People Armed themselves and towards Rome they went where in the Market place he related to the people then assembled the villany committed upon Lucretia And moreover he laid abroad the pride of the King himself the miseries the infinite toil and pain of the Commons buried as it were under ground with cleansing and casting of Ditches voiding and farming of the Sinks saying that the men of Rome who were the Conquerors of all Nations about them were now of Warriors become Quarriors hewers of Stone and day-labourers thus rehearsing these and other matters much more grievous and horrible he so
mightily inflamed the multitude that he caused the King to be deposed and degraded of his Royal State and dignity yea and to decree and enact that King Tarquinus and his Wife and Children should be banished for ever which accordingly was effected and after all the Armies and people had forsaken him Brutus being then appointed Consul and for fear least the Magistrates and people might at any time after be won by entreaty or moved by gifts on the Kings part he caused them to swear that they would never suffer any to be King at Rome after which the Senate was fil'd with such as took the same Oath in lieu of those that were murthered by the Kings command to the full number of three hundred so jealous were the people afterwards of their Liberties that one of their Consuls name being Tarquinus without they could have any other thing to say against him but his Name who they said was dangerous to a Free-State thereupon was perswaded to retire from the City and Brutus by an act and decree of the Senate proposed to the people That all the Race and Linage of the Tarquin's should be exiled and banished which was accordingly effected No man doubted then but that the Tarquins were about to take Arms but seeing that no man feared the Romans had like by Fraud and Treason at home to have lost and foregon their freedoms again and that the Reader may know that the very same thing endeavoured at Rome to restore the Tarquins is that which hath several times been and at present is endeavoured in England The story is briefly thus There were certain Youths of the flower of Rome descended of no low Degree nor Parentage who in the Kings dayes had lived like young Princes more loosely and at pleasure as Companions and play-fellows with the young Tarquins the Kings sons who seeking to enjoy the same licentious life still in this Equality of state wherein all others then lived made moan and Complained one to another that the liberty of others turned to their servitude The King say they Is a man at whose hand one might obtain somewhat as need requireth were the cause right or were it wrong where a man might find favour and friendship as who could be displeased and angry and also forgive and remit a fault and knew well how to make difference between a friend and a foe As for Laws they are deaf and inexorable more wholesome and commodious to the poor then to the rich and mighty affording no release or pardon if one chance to trespasse and transgresse and a ticklish Point it is and perilous for a man amongst so many errors whereto our frailty is subject to bear himself onely upon his innocent life being thus of their own accord already discontent as it may boldly be averred the young Nobility and others of the loose people of England are at this time upon the like account suddenly unlookt for came Ambassadors to Rome from King Tarquinus who without mention at all of return demanded onely their goods again and while the businesse was in debate in the Senate these Ambassadors privately sounded the minds of these young Gentle-men whom they found ready to conspire with them for the return of the King The Ambassadors having obtained the restauration of the Kings goods and ready to depart had private meetings with those young Gentle-men who for assurance of their fidelity to the King signed a Letter which they delivered to the said Ambassadors all which was detected by a bond-slave who had overheard them when they delivered the Letter presently giving notice thereof to the Consul who apprehended the said Ambassadors and found the said letter and thereupon all the Conspirators were apprehended And to see how much Pagans made esteem of their Oaths and Protestations Brutus then Consul having two of his Sons to wit Titus and Tiberius who were in the Conspiracy himself saw them executed and being bound at a Stake the people pittied them not so much for being punished as for deserving by their fact to be punished that they could find in their hearts and once let enter into their thoughts to betray into the hands of Tarquinus a proud Prince and then a cruel enemy and banished Rebel their Native Countrey lately and in that very year set free from Captivity and their Natural Father who set it free Now for the Kings goods which were ordered to be restored were flatly afterwards denied by the Senate who would not confiscate and bring them to the Publick Treasury but were given away amongst the Commons to the end they having once touched or seized on the Kings goods as a booty might for ever after be past all hope of any peace or favour with them Not long afterwards Tarquin obliged King Perceua with a cruel Army to march against Rome to endeavour the restoring of him to the Kingdom and to shew how much it conduceth to the safety of a Commonwealth that the People thereof should engage against the banished Kings and absolutely to abjure and renounce them and their line for ever and how far such an Oath doth engage a People to keep them out take this short story of King Porcena being with his Army at the very walls of Rome and in great hope to take it and restore Tarquin one Cajus Mucius afterwards surnamed Scaevola together with others of the Romans to the number of 300. engaged one with another to venture their lives in going to the Camp of Porcena and to kill him rather then suffer their Country to be again enslaved It fell to the lot of this Scaevola to go first and coming into the Camp with a scain hid under his garment he presseth in the thickest throng to stand near the Kings Tribunal it happened that then and their the Souldiers were receiving their pay and the Chancellor or King Porcenas principal Secretary sate together with the King in like aray Scaevola fearing to enquire whether of them two were Porcena least he should discover himself in lieu of Porcena he killed the Chancellor and afterwards with his bloody weapon making his way through the fearful multitude was laid hold on and brought before King Porcena sitting then upon his Throne to whom he said I am a Citizen of Rome and Cajus Mucius is my name a professed Enemy I confesse and an Enemy would I have slain as ready and willing am I to die my self as I was to kill another for both to do and suffer valiantly is the part of a Noble Roman and it s not I alone that carry this resolution against thee O King there is a long train behind of them that seek to win the same praise and honour make thee ready therefore and arm thy self if thou think good against this danger and reckon every hour to be in hazard of thy life and to have alwayes at the very Court gates thy Enemies sword This kind of War we youths of Rome denounce