euen these be they at this day whiche do vexe and trouble the inhabiters of low Germany with the very same cauils before the foresayd Charles his sonne kyng of Spayne they haue deceiued them with the same artes and subtilties and oppressed with the same enterprises these be the authors inuentors of so great vnfaythfulnes these also be giltie of their crueltie auarice these were the ministers and workers of all their mischieuous boldnes For to whō is Granduellanus the Cardinall of the Germaynes vnknowen or who knoweth not the Duke of Alba both the which haue emprisoned the most noble princes of Germany ouercommyng them partly by violence and partly by their fraude and deceyte and haue slaundered them with most reprochful contumelyes These be the firebrandes of the whole world with the which the greatest part of Europe will most dolefully be set a fire vnlesse your authoritie wisedome and power do with spéede foresée so great a mischief these men therfore are onely to be accompted as the authors of all the tempestuous broyles seditions tumultes miserable calamities which haue happened in Belgye But if there be any man that doth not as yet vnderstand let hym remember the saying of Cassianus to whom these thynges shall profite let hym diligently consider not onely to whom this publicke calamitie of Belgy is now profitable but also if there be any hope that these thyngs will be profitable to hym hereafter Seyng we could not but perceiue that this daunger was iminent either by losse of our religion or by woundyng of our consciēce or by the greuous anger of our kyng or by the dolefull destruction of our countrey whiche way soeuer it would haue happened For they haue long ago hunted after their triumphes theyr ruledome and Empyre by any these occasions So that they neuer haue ceased by theyr subtill deuises to cause the subiectes to hate theyr kyng the kyng likewise to hate his subiectes and with gréedy mouthes stretched out eares they haue takē the lest suspition of tumults and rebellion and haue filled the kynges eares and mynde wyth theyr false tales odiously amplifying their receiued newes the which though it be so manifestly to all men that it néede no longer proufe yet it is most manifestly confirmed by the kynges Embassadors which was sent into Fraūce for he in his letters sent to the gouernours writeth on this wise their will aryse vnto the king great frute and commoditie by the incommodious tumultes of Belgy because by this occasion the kyng will bryng them to full obedience and subiection and reduce the state into that forme and order of gouerment vnto the which hys auncetors could neuer atteyne the which to bryng to passe the kyng hath vehemently desired of longe tyme and therein hath alwayes hetherto spent hys whole study and endeuour and that there was no man fauouryng the kynges maiesty would counsell him to let passe so noble occasion of the performaūce of this his woorthy enterprise c. By the which wordes it is manifestly declared that the Spanishe Inquisitors whiche in the name of the kyng doe cloake and couer all their desires haue sought and gone about heretofore to get any occasion whereby they might inuade Belgy spoyle it of all his riches and goodes and rule all thynges as should best be thought to their lust and pleasure So that no man can longer doubt frō whence these haue had theyr begynnyng seyng it is manifest who they are that haue long ago desired to reape the frutes of these our troubles it is also manifest that the Cardinall hym selfe in a great assembly of many men when it was obiected vnto hym that it was to be feared lest if the people should be any more oppressed they would make some sedition was not ashamed to aunswere that the kyng had no cause to feare But rather to wish for the seditious tumultes of his subiectes for by them the kynges power and maiestie was much encreased and the priuileges of the Cities liberties of the people very much restrayned and diminished Otherwise what is it that they should seeke for by so many examples of such vnaccustomed auarice rare crueltie would they make the people subiect to the kynges authoritie euery wise man séeth that then they take not the iust and right way to obteyne they purpose For the subiectes hartes are wonne and reconciled to their prince by gentilnes humanitie and Iustice not by terror feare or tyranny and euery man knoweth that the prince of Egmonde and an infinite number of others which haue bene alwayes euer were most earnest fauourers of the kynges name and authoritie they which neuer spared the sweate of their browes or bloud of their bodyes for to kéepe the whole prouince safe in the kynges subiection and whom the king for this cause hath alwayes very much regarded were notwithstandyng destroyed of them for an old hatred conceyued thorough an old enuie of theyr noble actes so worthely atchiued in theyr warres But peraduenture they séeke by this meanes vtterly to roote out the religiō of the gospell which they though the most part of them be of no religion fayne them selues so vtterly to deteste abhorre Truly they meane nothyng lesse for then what cause had they with such infamy reproch cruelly to put to death the foresayd Prince of Egmonde the Earle Hornam and many others which were both ignoraunt of this Religion and haue bene alwayes aduersaryes of the same why do they still execute such tyranny vpon those which be altogether of the Popes religion but most noble Princes they desire nothyng lesse their onely fetch is to establishe their kyngdome in Belgy that they may rule therein all thynges accordyng to their lewde lust pleasure and contrary to all equitie and right as they haue done heretofore in Cicell and in the kyngdome of Naples that they beyng loden with the riche spoyles of so wealthy a prouince may returne home and send others in their steade they which should draw them dry of all their iuyce and bloud there is one onely way to attayne to this purpose and that is their holy Inquisition the which by good right is termed after the name of Inquisitiō for by this they doe dayly inquyre and make search in the chéestes bagges coffers of the riche men in the bewty and bosomes of the virgynes and matrones in the throtes bowels and bloud and lastly in the soules consciences of all men by this they make them selues Lordes and Monarches of all thynges they make all the princes and the kyng him selfe subiect and obedient vnot them they haue vsed this meanes first in Spayne in the which by this arte of Inquisition they haue disanulled all priuileges and libertyes the which where before very great in Spayne they haue made subiect vnto them selues all the authoritie of lawes and the maiestie of the regall scepter they haue left onely a bare name and
Ladie long in honor and prosperitie to serue our most gracious Queene whō God long defend to hys honor and the succour of hys Church and comfort of her owne conscience in not omittyng any thyng to the helpe of Gods flocke and sure remouyng of Gods enemyes dangerous practisers that as her present gouernement ministreth aboundance of good frutes so the tymes imminent and posteritie may find no lacke but for her good prouisions yeld her eternall thankefull memorie when God shall haue receiued her as hys faythfull seruaunt to eternall blessed kyngdome Your L. most humble Elias Newcomen THe same tempest most victorious Emperor and most noble Princes which now almost a whole hundred yeares hath troubled sundry partes of Europe hath now also at this time by most cruell tyrannie enforced vs being spoyled of our goods chased out of our natiue contreyes oppressed with sclanders of our aduersaries and tossed with all kinde of calamities to flée as most humble suters to your clemencie for succor For we suppose there is no man ignorant that long agoe Spaine and since also by litle and litle a great part of all Europe not onely hath flamed with inward contentions and tumultes but also hath in maner ben ouerwhelmed with most greuous storme of persecutions and tyrannie Wherby certaine idle men which in onely name and outward gesture professed a solitarie life seuered frō all gouernance of common weales and onely addicted to the preaching of the worde of God or quiet studie of holy scriptures haue begonne to créep into courtes of Kinges and Princes and couering their greedy affections with cloke of religion to minister such counsells wherby they might by their new deuised meane of Inquisition against heresie drawe to themselues from the ciuile magistrate the hearing and iudgement of the controuersies of greatest weight and importance And so by litle and litle they haue atteined not onely by searching and inquiring to become Lordes of euery priuate persons goods possessions houses and most secrete places yea and their wiues and children but also to bring the magistrates and Princes themselues in subiection to their authoritie In what places they perceaued their desires to be hindred either by the auncient libertie of the people or by the discretion of the Rulers and Princes straightway they charged such with forged sclander of heresie and rebellion and so greuously enflamed the hartes of Kinges and Emperors against their subiectes And by thys craftie meane they haue stirred vp ciuile dissentions tumultes of commonalties and oftentimes gréeuous warres whereby they haue brought most florishing contreyes into great displeasure and hatred of all kinges princes and nations and so drawen them to extreme calamitie This if any prouince in Europe hath euer felte surely our contrey namely that part of base Germanie that is subiecte to the most mighty king of Spaine hath and specially at thys time to their great destruction most miserably suffred For since that by the most false sclanders and other corrupt craftye meanes of the Spanishe Inquisitors thys countrey hath vnder pretense of heresie and impietie bene brought in greuous displeasure with the Emperor Charles the fifth of happye memorie and his sonne Philippe King of Spaine and Lorde of base Germanie and oppressed with most hainous Edictes about religion procured by guile and sclanderous report and so hath of their great truth and obedience to their soueraigne Lordes now more than fiftie yeares with incredible pacience borne the Inquisitors most cruell yoke and now at length after matters in other countreyes adioyning well settled to peace and quietnesse and the truth of the cause commonly disclosed hoped to finde some release of so great calamitie it is now come to passe that the aduersaries being greued to see them aspire to such libertie of religion as by thys time florished not onely in Germanie but also in Fraunce and many other places haue in strange maner and with most earnest endeuour trauailed not onely to frustrate the hope of the inhabitantes but also by bringing in a farre more greuous tyrannie to pull from them all the residue of their right and libertie that they had remayning and so to spoile such wealthy ones of their goods and such noble and mighty ones of their liues as they saw to be of habilitie to withstand their attemptes Therefore adioyning to them the Bishop of Rome and hauing obtained hys Bull they did by sondry sclanders and with extreme importunacie wreste from the King an Edicte agaynst all the Priuileges of the contrey agaynst their lawes ordinaunces and auncient liberties namely for the precise obseruing of the decrées of the Counsell of Trent and for bringing in of new Bishops that shoulde put in execution throughout the whole land a new forme of Inquisition farre more cruell than the very Spanishe Inquisition which was first inuented against Iewes and Mahometane Apostataes and so in short time should openly bring a most florishing and frée Prouince into the most dishonourable seruage of straungers and those most villanous and abhominable persons to torment at their pleasure the honestest and best men vpon suborning of any infamous informer or most corrupt witnesse with bondes with racke with gallowes and with fire to thrust the wealthy out of their possessions to subdue the magistrates them selues to their iurisdiction and to make themselues Lordes of all specially to destroy vtterly and with most exquisite tormētes to murder and roote vp all those that refused to obey the Bishop of Romes power and would haue their consciences subiecte to the onely worde of God contayned in the bookes of the olde and new Testament This matter geuing iust occasion to the Nobilitie that they exhibited supplication for staye thereof to the Duchesse of Parma Regent there for the King and in the same declared what calamitie would thereof vndoubtedly ensue and likewise whē the commonaltie hauing heretofore vsed their religion within their priuate houses and seing the same thereby subiecte to sclanders and enuie did now by laying it open in publike preachinges and assemblies to the indifferent iudgement and examination of all good men deliuer it from false and cauillous reportes it came to passe that the aduersaries hereupon tooke occasion by raising of sondry tumultes most hatefully to incense the King against the whole people as giltie of the most haynous crimes of heresie rebellion sedition and treason against God and the king And where his maiestie was fully determined to come into the lowe conteyr and him selfe in person to heare the cause and to end the whole matter according to right and equitie they partly by suttle crafty meanes and very traitorous practises purposely deuised for the destruction of the people of that contrey and partly by the importunate labour and impudent gredy endeuour of certaine persons and partly also by aduises and threatninges procured from forene partes euen in maner against his will brought hym to thys that being greuously incensed agaynst his subiectes sodeinly altering hys former
purpose he sent thether in hys stede with most large Commission to heare the cause and dispose of the state of the common weale the Duke of Alua a man both a most assured minister of their Inquisition and for olde grudges a most bitter enemie to the Princes and state of the lowe contrey He coloring hys owne malitious affections with the glorious pretense of zele to restore the Romishe religion and to chastise Rebells it is incredible to tell how great and how outragious crueltie he hath echewhere executed vpon the poore inhabitantes of the lowe contrey without respecte or difference by how many and how strange deuises he hath robbed all mens goods how he hath spoyled the whole Prouince of all their ornamentes disarmed them of their defences depriued them of their liberties and stripped them out of their lawes and priuileges how euery honest man he hath condemned by priuate warrant without iudiciall order euery the most innocent mans bloud he hath shed euery most vertuous person he hath put to most vile shame all lawes of God and man he hath violated the bandes of mariage he hath broken the Sacrament of Baptisme he hath polluted all order of charitie and frendly societie he hath ouerthrowen finally no part of most extreme crueltie and such as neuer was heard of before hath he omitted And yet in the meane time he ceaseth not to throw vpon vs the blame of his haynous factes and by proclamations published by infamous libels printed openly to all princes and states to accuse vs of most greuous crimes for thys onely cause forsooth that in fléeing we gaue place to his furie and by the helpe of Gods protection haue escaped his sworde most thirsty of our bloudes All which thinges forasmuch as almighty God hath so determined that we shoulde for a time be here afflicted by the tyrannie of the wicked we woulde haue thought it best for vs to passe ouer in silence and in pacience and to waite for the time which the great Iudge hath appointed either for bringing our innocencie to knowledge or for opening the eyes and eares of our King to vnderstand our vniuste miserie and iuste complaint were it not that we doe plainly sée that such our silence specially in thys so sacred and so full assemblie of your maiestie most victorious Emperour and of your highnesses most noble Princes might hereafter bring no small preiudice to vs and our innocencie before such to whom the truth shall not be sufficiently knowen For by such meane the sonne of God Iesus Christ him selfe and his doctrine which we professe according to hys worde shoulde become subiecte to the most haynous sclanders of the aduersaries as if the professors thereof before thys so reuerend iudgement seate of Christendome before so vpright and vncorrupt iudges before thys theatre so furnished with so great assemblie of sondry nations were by silent confession found gilty not onely of heresie and pestilent vngodly error but also of shamefull rebellion of wicked sedition and disturbance of common peace Wherefore we haue vtterly determined that we can not with good peace of conscience longer kepe silence But for asmuch as we know that the order of these vsuall assemblies of the states of the sacred Empyre haue their chiefe respecte to this end that such as be oppressed by force and iniurie may heare present their compleintes as to the chiefe throne of Iustice in Christendome we thought it our duetie to declare our whole estate to your maiestie most mightye Emperour and to your highnesses most noble Princes and to open vnto you the very originall fountaines of thys our most greuous calamitie that if the mercie of God haue decréed to make an end of our so great miseries we may by your goodnesse and liberalitie beginne to take breath agayne after thys most heauy weight of oppression If not yet the cause being more throughly heard we shall before indifferent iudges deliuer our innocencie from the most vniuste sclanders of our aduersaryes Wherby if nothing ells yet thys we shall obtaine that from henceforth our religion and the profession of the Gospell shall not beare the infamie of so greuous crimes with them that heretofore being filled with the accusations of the aduersaryes haue not vnderstoode the truth and that Iesus Christ the sonne of God whose name we professe shall not bee wounded through vs and finally that we shall not as enemies of publike peace and quietnesse be expelled from common societie by forrene Princes and peoples which is the chiefe thinges that our enemies doe séeke but that the whole truth being throughly vnderstoode the whole originall of the mischiefes shall be iustly layed vpon them that inflamed with their owne gredy malices do tumble vp all thinges and such good and innocent men as they haue by wrong and tyrannie spoyled of their goods and can not yet bereue of their liues they labour to oppresse with most vile sclaunderous reportes to your maiestie O Emperor and your highnesses O noble Princes that so they may drawe you into the fellowship of their crueltie and by your helpe they may either satisfie their vnsatiable thirst with our bloud or glutt their most bitter hatred that they haue conceaued against vs with our destruction Which thing that they shall not obtaine your equitie truth and vprightnesse and our innocencie do assure vs In confidence whereof we prostrate vs at your feete we flée to your protection and mercy craue helpe of your religiousnesse iustice vprightnesse and we most humbly besech you that preseruing the iustice of law ye will vouchsafe most mercifully to defend our miserable and afflicted innocencie aganist the outragious power and vnbridled boldnesse of our enemies That ye may vnderstand how iustly ye may do it that ye may clerely perceaue in whom the fault of the whole mischief resteth we besech your maiesty most inuincible Emperor your highnesses most noble Princes that at leasure ye will gently and diligently read this booke annexed to this our supplication wherin with the truth of the whole historie we declare our innocencie to all men and that with the same pacience and equitie of minde that you vse to receaue the complaintes of all miserable and innocent persons it may please you also to vnderstand our cause and to your power deliuer vs out of these calamities So shall ye shew your selues worthy ministers to the soueraigne king of kinges supreme iudge and shall stirre vp our hartes to be continuall suters to his grace and mercy for you IT is now nere a hundred yeres agoe sins the most noble Ferdinand and Isabell Kyng and Quene of Castile hauyng ended theyr great and long warre agaynst the Mahumetanes which had inuaded inhabited and trobled the kingdome of Spayne by the space of almost viij hundred yeres and hauyng chaced the sayd enemies out of all Spayne and recouered the kyngdome of Granada gaue theyr mynde to stablish relligion and to roote out all
or generall assemblies of the estates of all the prouinces to be kept as it had ben vsed in his progenitors tymes and that he placed in gouernance Ecclesiasticall men and such as not only by the law of God the ciuile and canon lawes but also by the auncient custome of the contrey by sondry decrées of the Dukes of Burgundie were excluded from iudiciall offices and from bearyng ciuile rule in the common weale Finally to make them selues in easier way to that dominion that they had conceiued vnder pretense of stablishyng religion they with importunacie procured such rigorousnesse of edictes agaynst those that professed the doctrine of the Gospell as neuer any contrey neuer any citie neuer any common weale had sene before For they had fully persuaded hym as is also conteined in the expresse wordes of the edict that Luther whoe 's doctrine those dyd follow professed the Pelagian error set naught by all the holy fathers and doctors of the Church abolished all Magistrates ouerthrew all ciuile gouernance and politike order stirred vp the people to take armure made them apt to murder steale wast and destroy with fire and finally gaue euery one leaue to lyue as he lysted In the which Peter a Soto a Spaniard hys confessor one of the maisters of the Spanishe Inquisition not of the meanest sorte dyd further them verie much By the whiche persuasion they easilie inforced the Emperour Charles a prince otherwise by nature gentle and mercifull to decrée and without the assent of the estates to publishe and from tyme to tyme to renew most cruell Edictes and such as séeme rather to be written with bloud then with inke not that he ment to haue them executed with extremitie but that he hoped by the terror of this vnaccustomed crueltie to call the peoples myndes from the studie of of that religion which he in conscience accompted wicked of the which his hope and meanyng he gaue no smale profe in that exposition of the Edictes which he afterwardes set out wherin it was appoincted that the Magistrates should by all meanes possible somewhat mitigate the extreme immoderate crueltie of the former edictes but the good masters of the Spanish Inquisition did sone by their craft subtiltie suppresse that exposition and it came at length to that tyranie that they dyd not onelie execute the full rigour of the Edictes but they obserued also a new kynde of Inquisition not much vnlyke to the Inquisition of Spayne that thereby they might atteyne vnto the full authoritie of that office function which they had long before obteyned of the byshops of Rome Therfore in the yeare of our Lord God. 1550. when the kyng of Spayne was auctorised in Belgie with great and importunate sutes they obteined an Edict as concerning their Inquisition whereby they dyd vsurpe take vppon them so much auctoritie and power of the Citizens and inhabitans of the whole prouince as they thought sufficient for the subuertyng of the auncient liberties for the disanullyng of all their accustomed priuileges but the senators and the estates of Brabant with long ernest sute first stopped this their wicked enterprise and afterward the most noble princes Marie of famous memorie Quene of Hungarie with great fayth singular pietie with no lesse wisedome suppessed it For both when the Emperour Charles was at the counsels holden at Augusta she went vnto him and obteyned that the crueltie of the Edictes should be somewhat mitigated and that the whole name purpose of the Inquisition should be omitted and also many tymes after she stoutlie set her selfe agaynst the deceytfull dealynges and rashe attemptes of the Inquisitors and diuines in so much that at the length by their letters sent into Spayne she was accused of heresie before the Emperour But she alwayes bent her whole intent and purpose to kepe the people of Belgie in the Emperours good grace and fauour to her power to take awaie all the enuie and hatred wherewith they were oppressed of their aduersaries With the which her most mercifull and wise dealyng she so faythfully ioyned the hartes of the subiectes towardes their prince that they for her sake thought no burden to be refused in so much that in many thynges they dyd most willinglie preferre her gracious fauor and good wil before the right of their auncient liberties graunted by the lawes statutes of their progenitors For in all restraintes taskes tributes or leuies they shewed them selues at the first commaundement so obedient that the princes could desire nothyng which was not deliuered them with ful consent of al their good willes and that with spede So that almost for the space of ten yeares they dyd gladlie mainteyne that great doubtfull and most daungerous warre whiche was made against the most mighty kings of France they most willinglie bestowed the greatest part of the charges thereof the which by common bookes of accompt maie be proued to surmount the somme of xl thousand millions of Florence neither dyd they geue at any tyme so much as a smale suspicion of rebellion Although in the meane tyme neuerthelesse these good maisters of the Inquisition whyle Charles reigned by the coulered shew of the foresayd Edictes and in the begynnyng of kyng Philips reigne by the graunt of a new Edict bearyng with it the kinges auctoritie which they purchased by their subtell wiles craftie persuasions raiged most furiouslie in the most part of Belgie but especiallie in Flaunders Hannonie Artesia Turnete and Insule in many places of Holland robbyng spoiling and most butcherly murderyng the people with furious violence and extreme tyranny From the which they absteyned least that their deceypt and subtiltye beyng detected this foresayd commaundement wrested out by craft should by the kynges new letters pattentes be called in agayne Neither yet were they without their frendes in the Court which beyng daylie conuersant with the kyng dyd alwaies cloake and couer their crueltie and insatiable auarice with the vayle of godlie Religion At the length the kyng hauing ended his warre agaynst the French men and preparyng to take his iorney into Spayne his subiectes for their singular obedience and their most faythfull redynes in all affaires thought they might iustlie hope for some relesse frō their other burdens but cheflie and especiallie they perswaded them selues that they should haue the yoke of the Inquisition taken from theyr shoulders But the kyng was so farre from satisfiyng their expectation that he did not onelie not remit or mitigate the crueltie vsed to them before but also encreased and augmented the tyranny euen as though their peace other matters had bene for none other cause concluded but that they might the frelyer spoile poore men of their goodes and most cruellie torment their consciences For at that time especiallie the Inquisitors by their old accustomed deceyptes and by the fayned shew of settyng forward religion obteined of the kyng newe letters
much more the whych they so cunningly perswaded the Gouernesse that she leauing Bruxill the most auncient demeane and mansion of the Duke of Brabant neuer determined to flye to any defected city the which truely she would haue done if being perswaded by the noble men which they well knew the state of the countrey she had not comforted her selfe pluckt vp her courage But when they sée theyr manifold and shamefull slaunders disproued by the déed it selfe and by the modest behauiour of the noble men to take no place they merueylously dyd cry out and inuey before the Gouernesse agaynst the solemne and great assembly of the nobles against theyr league and society which they had made and when they did sée that al this could litle preuayle agaynst them they beat most vpon thys one poynt and they made thys the chiefe cause of theyr accusation that they dyd manifestly shew them selues seditious rebels when they required a frée lawfull assembly of noble men or graund parlament to be sommoned affirming that nothing doth more diminish the power and authoritie of a prince then the solemne metyng of the estates wherewith most mighty kinges and princes haue bene compelled to yelde to theyr order And truely all men do know that Granuellanus and Viglius were wont oftentimes to say that the king aboue all thynges had néede to take héed least the estates of the prouince be lycensed to make assemblies and general metinges according to the accustomed maner of their Auncytors the which kinde of gouernment Charles the fifte dyd dyligently obserue contrary to the custome of the former princes and dukes whereby he determined all thinges according to hys will and pleasure and therfore he cleane put down the generall méetinges and lawfull assemblies of all the estates holden at their graūd counsels and appoynted all thynges to be done and determined after hys and theyr arbitriment whome he would vouchsafe to take vnto hym They sayd the king should take the same order if he would haue hys dignity maytayned safely wythout appayring and that he shoulde hate nothing so much as the very mention of those frée assemblyes But when they perceyued them selues to profite nothing by thys meanes because all of them wyth one voyce did desire to haue a parliament and euery man vnlesse he were wythout sence or reason did easely perceaue the royall dignity could be mayntayned by nothyng so well as by these general and frée assemblies and they all knew that their care was for themselues and for theyr riches and not for the defence of the kinges honor for at the time of the parliament they should render vp theyr accomptes of the common treasurye what they had receyued and spent since the time they haue bene in theyr office and then were the actions of extortions and of the robberies of the common treasurye to be pleaded they thought it therefore best couertly by guile and crafty meanes to worke some sleight whereby they might vndermine the godly endeuour of the nobles and chief citizens whatsoeuer and cleare kéepe backe the appoyntment of these solemne counsels therfore subtelly they perswaded the Gouernesse that she shoulde call the estates of euery prouince seuerally and that she should suffer none to be of the counsell but such as she should chuse and call therunto And therfore as they gaue her counsell she caused most hasty and troublesome assemblies to be made of euery prouince seuerally by thēselues vnto the whych were sommoned to appeare onely they whych were chosen but they whom to haue bene there it had bene most requisite and they which by auncient right and of a long continuance were wont to be present were now cleane omitted Many were cōmaunded openly to depart and many to kéepe silence the time of deliberating the matter and taking counsell with theyr frends and wyth the rest of the estates of the prouince and gouernors of the people as the most auncient and certayne custome of such assemblyes hath euer before graūted is now from all of them indifferently taken away Moreouer the chiefest prouinces of all Belgie whose cause especially was then in handlyng as Brabantia Hollandia Phrisia Geldria Zelandia and the countreys of Lymburgye beyng made vnlawfull for any of them to come thether and thus the maner of mitigatyng these Edictes was referred to a very small company Wherof it is manifest that the most part were suborned and hyred for that purpose whose determination in outward shew semed to be much gētler but in the right meanyng and true vnderstandyng of it was crueller a great deale then the former Edictes In this one pointe it séemed to be more mercyfull bicause in stede of burnyng of them it appointed them to be trust vp vpon a gibbet or gallowes tormented with a racke chaynes And for the Inquisition substituted a visitatiō it did not confiscat the goodes of these whiche were fled but it so fetcht thē so circumuented them that a very foole might easely perceiue they sought nothing els but a more priuy entraunce to their old prescriptions and accustomed crueltie especially seyng the gouernesse did manifestly write vnto the gouernours and chief Iustices of euery prouince that as concernyng the kynges Edictes for religion they should well vnderstand that they ought nothyng to remitte or mitigate the seueritie of them no not although she her selfe should commaunde to the contrary And seyng the fury and madnes of the Inquisitors did no lesse outragiouslye robbe and spoyle then they were wont to doe and that without punishment or prohibition seyng as that the Monkes and preachyng Friers dyd not onely with most bytyng tauntes and spitefull reproches defame the chief and noble estates anymatyng harnising the rude people agaynst those Princes which put vp the bill of supplication also out of their pulpites did by name openly accuse them of disobedience disloyaltie and seditious treason and threaten them that the kyng would vtterly destroy them and put them to death And to conclude seing euery man dyd by most euident tokens perceiue and seyng they had it proued by many mens letters and talke that they sought nothyng els but by some meanes to delude and deceiue the people that from them gettyng ayde they might execute their tyranny not onely vppon the comminaltie but euen also vppon the chiefest of the Princes whosoeuer as if they were their deadly enemies At the lēgth notwithstandyng when they had determined what should be done they offer vp to the estates of Brabant the maner of their gouernement but in all the hast not lookyng for any aunswere they caused it to be published But whilest those thynges were a doyng the professors of the Gospell which had hetherto kept them selues in their priuate houses vpō hope that at length their muse beyng heard and the slaunderous cauilles wherewith they were defamed fully aunswered they should haue libertie for their religion which they were ready to defend with the worde of God in as
ample sorte graunted them as it was to the frenchmen by theyr king and the whole assent of hys noble estates perceyuing theyr hope and expectation frustrate and themselues to be dayly more and more slaundred and that there was no more hope left eyther in the kinges clemency or in the expectation for the parlament of hauing their cause heard much lesse of equall iudgement And yet notwithstanding all of them euery where dyd not cease to call for the preaching of the gospell insomuch that the multitude could not be contayned in any priuate houses Many of them began in the vttermost borders of Flaunders where the tyranny of the Inquisition had most extreamly persecuted them and by and by in Brabant in Holland and also the rest of the prouinces to come together into the fields to the preaching of Gods word and openly to set forth theyr doctrine that at the length they might cleare themselues from the slaunderous cauils of theyr owne aduersaries being their Iudges and that all men might know who they were what kinde of men they were what number was of them and of what estimation or worship they were of first they came to all assemblies without weapons But when theyr aduersaries began opēly to threaten vnto them most extreme cruelty many of them got theyr wepons some a sword some a speare some a club as men vse them when they prepare to take armour but a very few brought dagges but within a whyle after theyr number began to encrease to many thousandes of people When the Cardinalles Vicegerentes perceiued they could not be oppressed without open violence because by reason of theyr great number of theyr fauour and power of the equitie of theyr cause of the honesty of theyr lyfe of the integritie of theyr actions they were becom maruelously strong But especialy when they saw the most part of the nobilitie openly fauoryng theyr cause whose desire of publike peace which they of late had shewed foorth in theyr bill of supplication and all theyr actions were slaundered very much wyth sundry slaunderous cauils they flye vnto theyr crafts guiles They by sundry and many wayes deceiued the nobilitie which came together in a solemne assembly at Sainttrudo to take counsell for the sauegard of themselues and for the aunswering of the most reprochfull cauils and the auoyding of theyr violent rashnes First they go about to perswade them to become the open enemies of the publike preaching and to dispatch them by force of armes But perceiuing themselues to labour therin in vayne because many of the nobles dyd resist them which were professors of that religion they compassed theyr matter about an other way fayning themselues to require theyr helpe for to pacifie the tumults of the people Therefore propounding many commaundementes they obtayned that Embassitors should be sent from among them vnto the Gouernesse of Permence the which should determine vppon all matters according to equitie and right as best should be thought for the profite of the common wealth The Embassadors mening simply went with them vnto Bruxell The gouernesse desireth thē the tumultes of the people with all theyr power and to obey the king and his magistrates with all obedience not once minding to take vpon thē armour but leauing all fond sinister suspicions to perswade themselues that the king would very well allow of their doings accompt it a full satisfaction of their duties she likewise graunteth at theyr request that it shal be lawfull for thē to kéepe theyr publike sermons in their accustomed places as they haue done heretofore It was solemply also decréed on both parties that by the auctority of the magistrates there should be appointed common places in euery citie town wherin they might make their sermons and fréely without all feare exercise their preachings that the professing of religion should be hurtfull to none so that he obserued his duty in all other matters without inuading of churches or mouing any tumults herafter they promised faythfully on both parties but the Cardinals men bound themselues by oth by theyr holy deuotion to be faithfull in performing their promise The gouernesse for her part to make it more sure calleth a counsell of the nobles who likewise promised their fidelity in performing the same she geueth forth letters patents auctorised with the kings broad seale Not lōg after she sendyng these letters to the gouernours and Magistrates of euery prouince geueth in commaūdement that this agréement should bee promulgated and that the whole common wealth should be gouerned accordyng to the comētes therof afterward by publicke Edicts she forbiddeth that any mā should reuile or speake euil of others for religion sake seyng she dyd pronounce that all men of both religions were in the kyngs safe gouernement and good protection It happened in the meane tyme whiles those thynges were a doyng at Bruxels it first in the Weast partes of Fraunders and afterwardes in many other Cities almost at the same tyme Images pictures aulters were ouerthrowen in the Churches whether by craft of the aduersaryes which euen now dyd séeke all occasiōs to accuse the people that hauyng some fayre shew they might gather an army or by the fonde zeale of many which thought they could not earnestly repent them of their sinnes vnles they had ouerthrowen the instrumentes of idolatry it is as yet vncerteine But this is most apparaunt that in many Cities the sacrifising Priestes them selues began first to cary out of their Churches their most precious reliques and vessels that then boyes rascall people followyng them dyd ouerthrowe the rest and in many Cities It is knowen also that the byshops them selues and they which were the greatest aduersaryes of the Gospel dyd by publike authothoritie ouerthrow the Images pictures and the rest of the ceremonyes and that by their authoritie and example many good godly Citizens dyd the same likewise supposing this their doyng to be commaunded by the authoritie of the Magistrate But how soeuer it came to passe the Cardinals officers and Inquisitors tooke a very fitte occasion hereby to execute their purpose for by and by they in all hast gatheryng souldiours together apprehended many of those whiche ouerthrew the Images and cast them into prison and hanged them neither could they by any questions or kinde of tormentes enforce them to confesse the which thyng they most gréedely desired that any of the Ministers of the Churches or any of the confederate princes which were at the foresayd assembly or any of the professors of the Gospel were authors of this enterprise But rather they did all with one voyce confesse that as it was most manifest by their preachynges and endeuours wherewith they did disalow that enterprise it was done contrary to all their willes and not without their great grief and sorow Therfore the gouernesse dyd not ceasse to sée the former contract of gouernyng the
common wealth executed in so much that she gaue by publike auctoritie vnto many of the nobles and of the confederate princes charge ouer cities in the whiche they should set all thynges in order accordyng to the due prescript of the former decrée that they should assigne places out for the buildyng of Churches and for the peoples assembly to heare Sermōs and that they should with open protestation will all men to be secure and voyde from all feare and daunger and certeinly to persuade them selues that the garisons of souldiours should nothyng endammage them With the whiche thyng all the people began excedyngly to reioyce and to lay a part all feare as though out of a most boysterous tempeste they were already arriued in a most quiet hauen stayeng them selues vpon the publike promise thus made taken and confirmed by writyng They began to builde their Churches and fréely quietly to set forth their religion But yet notwithstandyng the furious madnes of their aduersaries was not pacified although they had already punished the ouerthrowers of their Images with greuous punishementes and did sée the innocencie of these Churches most manifestly witnessed by their open confessions But rather most proudly auauntyng them selues as though they had gotten a iust occasiō to punish the rebelles and that they should nothyng feare hereafter the nobilitie the whiche did manifestly shew them selues to be heauely displeased with the insolency of of the Imagebreakers they began by litle and litle but openly to encrease the nomber of their garrisons and to set them in their Cities with this pretence onely to withstand the insolencie of the Imagebreakers and thus they armed them selues with all thynges necessary vntill such tyme that they had brought their matters to as good effect as they desired perceiuyng the people quietly to rest them selues vppon the faythful promise of the nobilitie and gouernesse set forth in the kinges name vnder hys seale and letters patentes and that the noble men also were quiet not once mysdoubting that they should haue bene so wickedly and vnfaythfully deceaued they began openly to shew foorth what theyr meaning was for in such places where as they might be most bolde and in the which the magistrate was appliable vnto their desire first with new commaundementes obscure and doubtfull edictes and with scoffing interpretation they began to disanull the auctority of the published commaundement as concerning the late contract and in many places to delay from day to day the sealing of the writings of the publike promise and with sundry cauils to deceaue the miserable citizens and in many places to put those magistrats whose dealing they knew wold be alwayes with iustice out of their offices and contrary to the orders of the cities in their roomes to substitute most wicked men prompt and redy to all kinde of impietie and then at the length as though all hindraunces had bene taken away they began with great insolency by force of armes to disturbe the companies assembled at sermons tauntingly to reuile the ministers and citizens to worne them with wepons and lastly with open tyranny to oppresse them imprisoning many hanging many banyshing many and appointing new kind of othes wherby men should binde them to the popish religion contrary to the former decrée couenaunted and established before and to accompt those which denied to obey for enemies and traytors to the kinges maiestie Morouer they did rebaptize infantes which were baptized before they spoyled all the professors of the Gospell of theyr weapons and armour they armed and stirred vp the rest of the comminaltie agaynst them as agaynst the enemies of the common wealth Neyther onely did the sacrificing priestes or preachers out of their pulpits as it were with an open outcry stir vp the people to take armour agaynst them but also in many places the Magistrates themselues which were appoynted by the Cardinals officers and Inquisitors sounding allarum gaue open licence vnto the sedition and tumultes of the people against the miserable Gospellers the which were then lately called Gwesians that is to say Beggers and rascals And hereupon began the most dolefull and late calamitie of the noble prouince For euen then first of all was that famous citie of the Valentians beséeged in enemies wise of hys owne familiar frendes and citizens because forsooth they refused vppon the sodaine to receaue within theyr walles the cruell souldiers in that number that was commaunded them that is to say foure bandes of horsemen and fiue ensignes of footmen but tooke vnto them a day to deliberate in alleaging many causes that it would not be commodious vnto them to receaue them séeing they had as yet before theyr eyes amongs theyr neighbours a most cruell and doleful president of the souldiers rashnes for not long before in the countrey and towne of Sancto Amandus nexte adioyning vnto them the very same which were thrust in contrary to theyr lawes and priuiledges contrary to the fidelitie of the promise before geuen violently robbed and spoyled the poore miserable people that professed the Gospell of all they had in so much that from the very yong infantes they pulled theyr hose from theyr legges they defloured by course one after an other after the most horrible example of the Beniauntes the chaste matrones and virgines and at length in most cruell wise set them to open sale at the sounde of the drome they put to death many burnyng them by litle and litle with small flames and with theyr swordes opened the wombes of matrones great with childe The remembraunce of which horrible thynges iustly terrifieng the Valentenentians they humbly desired that they should not be cōpelled to receaue within their walles and houses such kynde of souldiers vnto whose auarice lust and crueltie they perceiued them selues their lyues wiues children and consciences should be at lēgth in most seruile bondage seyng that for foure yeares space before they had payed of their own proper costes and charges vnto the garrisons of souldiers their wages vpon this condition that they should neuer hereafter bee vexed or burdened any more with souldiours Neither yet dyd they so manifestly refuse it but that they dyd openly in most humble wise signifie vnto the gouernesse and to the rest of the primates rulers of the prouince that they were ready to receaue the souldiours of what nomber soeuer if they had a capitaine appointed thē for that they shuld not hinder the libertie of Religion whiche they had graunted confirmed vnto them not long before by the Edict of the gouernesse by the authoritie of the kynges letters patentes by the nobilities constant confirmation and with assent of all the Magistrates But they nothyng at all preuayled by this their modestie and equitie of their cause but forthwith they were openly proclaimed as traytors and rebelles the Citie was besieged vntill that at the lēgth when they beyng persuaded therto by the letters of the gouernesse promising all kind of clemency had
the rashnes of théeues and wicked souldiours neither was this done of all men but of a very few the whiche when they perceiued no there hope to escape but onely exile and seing the same also by the wickednes of their aduersaries to be shut vp from them they thought it best by force of armes to make them selues some way to escape by the which truly if they had not done and also if that the terror of Brerodius souldiours had not made theyr aduersaryes a litle doubtfull doubtlesse not one of them from so great a slaughter had escaped safe from the gredy iawes of their aduersaries They can neuer proue that any other or that these for any other cause dyd take vpō them armore before the commyng of the Duke of Alba although they had many and sundry oportunities and occasiōs offred them both to possesse many much and well fenced Cities and also to inuade and spoyle the kynges treasure and Excheker But they would commit nothyng wherof they might not with a safe conscience make rehearsall before God and all good men But if any in solent persons either haue gone about or done any other thyng or for some other purpose seyng their doinges were neither commaunded nor alowed by those whiche were the chief of the congregation let not so great a multitude of innocēt persons be punished for the insolencie of a few for it doth nothyng apperteine vnto vs what a few priuate men haue committed for to reuenge their iniuries taken before either of the Inquisitors or of the sacrificyng priests or of any other person Much lesse doth the ouerthrowyng of Images Idols apperteyne vnto vs for we will easely proue that it was done without the commaundement or consent of our Minister Elders or congregations vnlesse a few of ours perceyuyng the Magistrate to agrée therunto did thinke it likewyse lawfull for them to do the same although truly who soeuer they were that committed it they haue bene more then sufficiently punished for their offence for in place of one dead and blockish Image their hath bene aboue xxx liuely Images of God for whom the sonne of God dyd shed hys bloud murthered destroyed and burnt and in stede of one rotten blocke more then ten liuely bodyes yet the Images restored and renewed by their common charges As concernyng the new Religion wherof they accuse vs to bée authours euery man knoweth how farre our religion which we professe is from that kynde of newnes For besides that this religiō was deliuered vnto vs by Christ the antiquitie of all thyngs the eternall sonne of God by his profites Apostles and Martyrs from many ages it is manifest that aboue whole fifty yeares it hath florished in Belgie and bene set foorth in priuate méetynges and Sermons Neither was it at any tyme either by any lawfull iudgement or Edict rightly made cōdemned For what so euer iudgementes hath bene geuen agaynst the professours of this Religion the iudges them selues and Magistrates were compelled by the seueritie of the Edictes to confesse agaynst their will and with great strife of conscience to pronounce the same Yea they which were found gilty were not suffred lawfully to defend them selues but they had their mouthes stopped with a ball and theyr tounges cut out of their heades contrary to the true order of Iustice It is manifest also that all the Edictes whiche were made by Charles the Emperour and kyng Phillip are voyde and of none effect bycause they were made contrary to the lawes and statutes of the coūtrey without the counsel and consent of the estates of the prouince required in solemne assembly as they were bound by othe thereunto without whose assent nothyng accordyng vnto the custome and maner of their auncestors could be established and were also thrust vpō many of the Magistrates agaynst their will staiyng them selues vpon most vayne foūdations full of friuolous cauils by false vnderstādyng as we haue before declared by the euident playne wordes of the Edictes Therfore this religion can not by any maner of meanes be counted a new religion nor they the professors of the same seyng they were vncōdemned as yet by any lawfull iudgement accused of any cryme much lesse should they be estemed as the authors of sedition and tumultes of the people and causers of this great greuous calamitie But what néede we in so playne a matter to vse so many wordes séeing the case doth euidently shew it self and euery man perceyueth who ought to be accused as auctors of these turmoyles calamities We haue hertofore declared what was the meaning and intent of the spanish Inquisitors and priestes what counsell they haue taken what helpe and ministers they haue vsed by what meanes they haue espyred vnto thys tyrannicall gouernment and soueraigne authority in Belgye without any law or prescript Though these thinges peraduenture because of theyr great modestie and equitie which they vse in other prouinces may séeme to some not probable although truely they be dayly song in euery childes mouth yet if he way these present tymes if he sée the effectes of matters these theyr doinges and affayres and note this the vncredible tyranny of the Duke of Alba all which are most apparant to all mē he shall nothing doubt therein All they whom they did call rebels haue forsaken they countrey and although they might haue had good occasions and opportunities to kéepe some stirre yet they chose rather voluntary exile banishment and most extreame pouertie then that they would vexe theyr countrey with most dolefull warre But what haue they any thing for all thys mitigated theyr cruelty Haue they not after all these thinges brought to passe in Spayne by theyr deuises that the king which in a solemne assembly at Madride had sworne that he woulde in hys owne person reuenge the iniury which he thought himselfe to haue taken of hys subiectes at Belgye and for that cause made all thinges ready for hys iorney and had fully determined to take his sonne and the Quéene hys wyfe wyth hym should alter hys purpose agaynst his will and because they knewe hym by nature to be a Prince prone to all kinde of mercy and gentlenes to continue still in Spayne Haue they not substituted or sent an Embassador in hys stead the kings sonne and many of the nobles were vnwilling thereunto the Duke of Alba whom by hys nature and maners they well knew to be very fit for theyr purpose both by those thinges which he did in Germany by the order of hys whose lyfe but especially also by the deadly hatred and rancored grudge which he had of long time layd vp in hys stomake agaynst the Princes of Belgye for theyr valiaunt actes atchieued in the warres of Fraunce agaynst his will and meaning Haue they not committed vnto him the full power and auctoritie yea haue they no caused the kynges onely sonne lawfull heyre and Lord of the prouince of Belgye to end hys lyfe
shut vp in a most horrible prison because he was agaynst the sending of the Albane and dyd abhorre from the cruelty of the edictes sette out agaynst the religion bearing singuler fauour and grace towards the lower Germanes bruting abroad most vayne and diuers rumors of the cause of hys death What they haue done vnto the Quéene I had rather other men should imagine then that we should report This truely all men do behold how this theyr faythfull champion the duke of Alba doth behaue himselfe He commeth into a quiet prouince all those beyng thrown out or voluÌ„taryly gone into exile whom he looked to haue had as hys aduersaries He is receaued most honourably of all men neyther was there any one found which with hys most redy obedience to the kinges legate dyd not testifie hys faythfull hart towardes the king But he out of hand ordereth them not as the kinges louing subiectes but as enemies and traytors equally raging and extending hys cruelty both vpon the professors of the Gospell and papistes compelling he constrayned the chéef Princes contrary to the aucthoritye of the lawes to the liberty of theyr priuiledges and chiefly contrary to the decrees and appointmentes of the sacred and famous order of the golden fléece of the brotherhoode of Burgundye to plead theyr cause in chaines and when they refused that kinde of iudgement as vnméete and to be suspected profering themselues redy to stand before equall Iudges he chopt of theyr heads the rest which by their godly and holsome counsels had defended the peace of theyr countrey and by theyr wisedome stayd the tumultes of the people and effusion of bloud he pronounceth as enemies and traytors to theyr king and their contrey and so compelleth them will they nill they by taking vpon them armour to try themselues vngiltie of so great treason The which theyr taking of armour done by them for necessities sake as godly men may iudge he hath since that time not only made as a iust occasion of slaundring vs with hys cauils but also as a goodly title of Iustice in executing hys tyranny and therupon forthwith he putteth in practise that which he had before determined Therfore he first put all the magistrates which were thought once to fauour iustice out of theyr auctority and place wyth great ignominy and reproch he substituted in theyr roomes contrary to theyr lawes and orders naughty packes abounding in all sinne and wickednes and he appoynted as be thought good a new senate house of Spaniardes before whome matters of lyfe and death should be pleaded the which for that cause should be called the bloudy senate and by that meanes he did depriued all the lawfull and ordinary magistrates of theyr iurisdiction and hearing of matters graunted to them by the lawes he filled the gallowes and the Iubbits full of the poore people conuicted of no other crime but of geuing credite to the kinges letters patentes to the gouernesse edicte and theyr graunted licences and to the magistrates consenting therunto and thereupon of hearing of sermons he destroyed many with the sworde he burned many aliue wyth a small fire he beheaded many before theyr causes we pleaded many he spoyled of all theyr goodes and possessions poysoned to death with the filthye stincke of the continuall prison But the vngodly persons whose whole lyfe had bene stayned wyth infamy being before as it is manifest bought out with money haue gaue them license to plead wyth theyr witnesses he cut out many of theyr tonges whome he put to death after least they should testifie of so great iniustice he burnt many of theyr tongues with a whot payre of tonges to some he tyed theyr lippes together through with an iron sharp on both sides others hauing theyr mouthes most beastly set awry with terror and anguish the matter and bloud dropping downe together he cruelly drewe to most pytifull slaughter He pretermitted nothing of Phalaris his tyranny neyther did he only wyth tormentes thus vexe the professors of the gospell but those also which most fauoured the popish religion and they which had endeuored with all theyr power that nothing should be moued agaynst the king As for those which could not behold the calamitie of theyr countrey but had for the auoyding of the present dauÌ„ger conueyed themselues away he appoynted them a day of appearaunce and therwithall scarce staying for the day appoynted he rushed in vpon theyr goodes adiudging them confiscate to the kinges Exchequer not only spoyling poore widowes innocent orphauntes and very papistes of their dowry and patrimony but also deceyuing the creditors of all their iust debtes and lawful titles He conuerted the inheritaunce of innocentes from their kinsmen and alians to whom for the beheding or ciuill death of the right and next heyres they by law and right did appertayne most wickedly to hys owne vse and commoditie He tooke from cities and townes all theyr liberties lawes statutes priuiledges he ouerthrew all order of humanitie he clearely tooke away all duties of Christian charitye chiefly commaunded by the lawes of god For by edict he forbad that no kinde of maÌ„ whether he were their father sonne kinsman or whatsoeuer should shew any kinde of charitie to those that professed the Gospell or were banished for default of appearaunce at the day appoynted and thus he alienated and withdrew the mindes of children from theyr parentes of parentes from theyr children and of wiues from theyr husbandes In the towne of Traciet of Mosa he put a father to death because he had for one night lodged in hys house his owne sonne which had bene for a space absent before And likewyse he murthered an other well known citizen because he gaue the sixt part of a bêª of corne vnto a poore widow burdened with the kéeping of iiij children whose husband was before put to death for religions sake He bereaued also an other of hys lyfe because he sent hys fréend a little money ouer into England He compelled honest and chast matrones borne of worshipfull stockes by flight and voluntary exile to saue themselues and by begging to prouide meat for themselues and theyr children only because they receaued their husbandes into theyr houses He threw down many mens houses because they had receiued letters from theyr frends of their helth and welfare But what did spare the dead By hys Edict he straightly charged that whosoeuer dyed without shrift and auricular confession his goodes should be confiscate and hys body hanged on a Iubbit then the which what can be thought or inuented more cruell more contrary to all humanitie and Iustice séeing it hapeneth daily that many sodenly that haue no time to bethinke them of theyr former sinnes He placed ouer cities not souldiers but enemies and theues which might violently abuse the riches wiues children and liues of the citizens according to theyr euill lust and he graunted them licence to do what should please them fréely without punishment for was there
title to the Kyng with part of the taskes and subsides they challenge vnto them selues soueraigne rule and authoritie and in causes capitall they appoint vnto the giltie either lyfe or death at theyr owne arbitrement whom they determine to destroy no man is able to saue no not the kyng hym selfe though he most earnestly desire it whom they take vpon them to defend neither the seueritie of the lawes nor Iudgement sincerely geuen nor the kynges commaundement is hable once to hurt hys litle finger therfore it is no maruayle if all estates yea and the kynges them selues be very much afrayde of them Afterwardes they folowed the same way in Naples Cicell Myllen and in the great countrey of Indya they openly but in vayne put the same practise for to make subiect to them selues all Germany for they were withstode and preuēted by your wisedome most mighty princes and by the wisdome power and vertue of your auncetors but yet they cease not at thys time by theyr craftye wiles deceites to peforme that which they haue so long desired For that I may pretermit the Gronyngans the wise Phrisians the Transisellians Geldrians Remanicensians and many other of the empyre the which alwayes haue obayed to the iurisdiction of the Romane Emperor haue vsed hys lawes and statutes and haue appealed to the court of the Emperor and submitted themselues into the gouernment of the Duke of Brabant onely vpon thys condition that they might retayne theyr lawes customes and statutes fastly without any appearing of the same all which the Duke of Alba hath depriued of all theyr liberties and priuileges and as though they had bene ouercomme by battell appoynted them new lawes created new magistrates contrary to theyr aūcient maner and constitution hath exacted vnaccustomed tributes hath built castelles in theyr cities hath banished the chiefe of theyr citiezens seased vp theyr goodes that I may I say pretermit all these thinges and infinite more of like sort in the which although he hath no right or title yet he pretendeth to haue some kinde of interest For what ende I pray you doth he séke openly to enlarge the bondes of hys gouernment without any iust or shadowed title therunto euen into the very middest of the empyre What causeth him to séeke or rather by force to take vppon hym the gouernment of the countrey of Cleueland threatningly to commaund them to banish out of theyr countrey all the Belgians What causeth hym by prescript to commaund Collyn and the other frée cities of the Empier what they should do vnto the low Germaynes It is impossible that it should not be reuealed vnto you most worthy princes what crueltie he hath committed what fieldes he hath destroyed what droues of beasts he hath caried away what matrones and virgins he hath defloured how many inhabitauntes he hath murdred in the East contrey of Phrisia and the contrey of Emdon What should we thinke moreouer séeing he doubteth not by hys edicte to call home all the studentes of low Germany which were gone abroad to forren vniuersities whatsoeuer onely Rome excepted and all the young men which were departed to other places for the learning of some arte or manuell occupation threatning perpetuall banishment and losse of all theyr goodes if they do not returne insomuch that he hath spoyled the poore yong men trauelling abroad for the knowledge of tongues and getting of wisedome of the fruite of all theyr studies and labourers making them vnfit hereafter to take office vppon them in the common wealth and hath vtterly beggered and vndone many which trauayled abroad to gette theyr lyuing by theyr arte and occupation In the whych he sheweth hymselfe vtterly to denounce all humanitie for if all humanitie be maintayned by the mutuall societie and company of men must he not néedes be the enemy therof which by violence seketh to take away that one gift wherby man only sheweth himself to differ from the brute beastes For the knowledge of tonuges and vse of reason althought it be peculiarly geuen vnto man yet the fruit therof is not fully reaped but in the company and society of mē especially in our affayres which we haue with other nations Therfore séeing he goeth about to bereue vs therof what séeketh he els but to destroy the toung the whole vse of reason the which truely so great is hys inhumanity he would do if he could bring it by any meanes to passe For what other thing doth he séeke by this his Inquisition Why doth he forbid the people the vse of holy Scripture Why doth he refuse onely the knowledge of Gods holy wil and Testament to the deuines that is forsooth to his Inquisitors and byshops Why doth he forbidde the people to pray in a knowne tongue but that he desireth rather to rule brutish beastes then reasonable men For he feareth lest if they should vnderstand any thing they would at the length detest so great vnaccustomed barbarousnes and therfore he will haue no cities or countries gone vnto but those vnto whom he prescribeth lawes and ordinaunces It hath bene very well by the wyse iudgement doyngs of our aūcetors brought to passe that yoūg men studious in good literature and liberal artes should trauel vnto other vniuersities to sée their cities and maners and to learne their toungues and for thys cause by the liberality and costes of kynges Princes frée Vniuersities were founded and great libertyes priuiledges graunted to them that thether the young men of other countryes might more often resort and that by thys meanes the fayth frendship and societie of men among themselues might the better be retayned the which truely is no new custome but hath bene vsed hertofore in all ages For we read that Platoe and the other philosphers dyd wyth long diuers trauellinges learne their wisedomes whereof we all stand now in admiration from straunge peoples and far nations carry the knowledge therof into Grece The Romanes before times vsed to sende theyr children into Gréece and Asia for learnings sake and that I may not onely stay in those olde examples not much before the immanitie of the Turke had ouerrun all Gréece the Germaynes Frenchmen Italians the Spanyardes them selues were wont earnestly to go to Athenes for study sake The which libertie or custome who soeuer taketh away he taketh truly away all humanitie and professeth him selfe the deadly enemy of all other nations For it is wont to be forbydden that any Citizen should inhabite or dwell amongest those agaynst whō our Haroldes haue denounced warre the whiche for this cause is done because we thinke it not lawfull for our Citizens young men to resorte to those people whō we accompt as enemyes seyng therefore right noble Princes that he doth forbyd his Citizens frée yong men to be brought vp amongest you all other nations onely Rome excepted what cā otherwise be gathered but that he misdoubteth your faith and suspecteth your meanyng
betwene vs by name toung and continuall societie and that we let passe all ambiguyties Remember most mighty Cesar that Charles the fifth your fathers brother was lately choseÌ„ out of the middes of FlauÌ„ders to the gouernement of the Empire as though he had bene by nation a Germane and that Maximilian also your great graundfather did ioyne in alyaunce by mariage all the countrey of Belgy to the most noble and auncient house of Austrice And that Charles the Emperour not long before caused that whole prouince to bee accompted as one of the estates and limites of the Empire in the Parlament holden at Auguste all the estates and princes of Germany assentyng thereunto and that they might be in the sauegarde and defence of the Empire agaynst all violence and iniuries And that they by name haue bene sent as Embassadors to all the assemblyes of the Empire from the prouince of Belgye and that they haue payde tribute required of them for the repeilyng of the great Turke and that it is vntill this day controuersie whether the Duke of Brabant or the Byshop of Magdeburge should sit in hygher roomes at the assemblyes so that without all doubte the prouince of lowe Germany should not be accompted as Athenes from the Empire Do not you therfore conteÌ„ne most mighty Emperour and ye noble Princes of Germany the humble suyte of vs your frendes requestyng your trust and ayde agaynst the outragious cruelty of those most proude and abhominable men We do not deny to be obedient to our kyng to obey hys commaundementes paye our tributes taskes and subsidies whatsoeuer to shewe our fayth and loyaltie towardes hym in all poyntes But in we most humble wise do desire that we may haue our conscience and Religion left vs fréely lest in that last iudgement we be found giltie of violatyng the fayth of Iesus Christ with an vngodly conscience and that we may by the good licence of the kyng defend and kepe the health of our soules And we by the Immortall God and by his onely sonne Iesus Christ whose name we professe in our publike religion pray beséech your Maiesties highnesses that we may defend our selues our wiues childreÌ„ riches but aboue all our conscience froÌ„ the pride of the Inquisitors froÌ„ the auarice of the new bishops froÌ„ the outragious lust of the most mischeuous ministers of the inquisition and rascall souldiers And if the frendly name of the Gorgnames can nothing moue you yet let that most straight bond wherwith we ar knit together in Iesus Christ whose members we boast our selues to be moue you let the duety you owe to all mankinde moue you let the doubtfull incertayne condition of mans estate moue you let crooked old men now wrapt in sorow moue you let miserable wydowes vnfortunate orphanes mournyng virgines let so greate and so huge a company of miserable men moue you who altogether driuen out of their houses throwne from their possessions depriued of the commodities of theyr countrey spoyled of al estimation violently plucked from the bosomes of their iust carefull parentes louing wiues and tender childreÌ„ wandring and scattred abroad in straunge countries not knowing what shal become of them do séeke wast resting places small cheare and libertie of theyr conscience But if no occasion shall be offered you to restore vs vnto our countrey agayne yet geue no eare to our aduersaries accusations nor place to theyr vnsatiable crueltie We know for a certainty that they will neuer cease to vrge you to depriue vs of all the humanitie and gentlenes wherewith you entertayned and cherished vs in your countries so that there be neyther ayre left to the liuing nor earth to the dead nor refuge to poore exiles But we pray you most noble Princes to regarde more the commaundement of God who commaundeth you to receyue straungers and poore banished men not onely wythin your gates or walles but euen in your houses and to cherish them wyth all humanitie then the commaundementes of a few spanish priestes which with the duke of Alba contend and labour to haue vs the throwne out of your Empyre Suffer not the feare and terror of the spanish name to be of more force wyth you then the name and frendship of the Germane For what should we speake of the agréement of our religion the which truely shoulde moue you not to suffer vs which be ioyned wyth you in the body of Christ in one profession of fayth in one baptisme to be by the lust of a few which haue no religion but theyr gréedy auarice banished lyke straungers and enemies lest that Christ the King of all kinges in that last day of iudgement take that done vnto hymself which is cruelly exercised agaynst vs being by hys frée grace and mercy vnited to his body and made his members for though they do pretende the difference of our religion there is no cause most noble princes why you should be moued For we which do with you acknowledge one God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ true God and very man one holy Ghost and we which do rest our selues in the onely satisfaction of Iesus Christ and for hys sake are banishâ—◠〈◊〉 â—ar countrey spoyled of our goodes aâ—â— appoynted as shéepe vnto the slaughter which acknowledge one church one woorde of God for the foundation of our health and lastly with you do looke for one resurrection from the dead and lyfe euerlasting geuen by the frée grace and mercy of God do not you thinke that we professe any other religion then that which you do But if we shall by the exposition of some woordes séeme to differ remember that the Apostles themselues and theyr disciples did neuer so fully agree but there was in some thinges a litle dissention Remenber that euen the auncient fathers of the primitiue church haue not onely left in theyr writinges errors but also in many places open contrarieties the which truely by the déepe prouidence and wisedome of God is not without great profite appoynted that we knowing the infirmitie of our owne wit may learne to forsake the iudgement of man and cleaue onely to the authority of the woord of God and not to peefer the auctority of man and our owne iudgment before the auctority of the word of God but to beare one an others burdens and with christian charity to couer and wisely to beare one an others errors and infirmities And yet notwithstandyng what discorde of Religion can there be amonst vs which do not onely embrace the onely word of God but also out of that worde take the forme of our fayth and all thinges which we vse in our religion For we truely do wyth most ioyfull hartes receaue and embrace the confession which our Auncytors deliuered vp to Charles the Emperour at Augusta And if we may geue our iudgement in any thing we subscribe in all pointes to the doctrine of those Diuines by whose labour that forme of theyr fayth was drawne