nor woman yong nor old that was not verie heauie and sorrowfull then hauing consulted together vpon this accident they resolued to burie him secretly in a house in the said village of Hoochtwonde to the end that in time the memorie and the reuenge thereof might be forgotten It was a strange thing that neuer a man neither on foot nor horsebacke of the whole armie came thither to succour him and that the Hollanders did not pursue their first victorie although they knew their king to bee dead For without doubt they had that day conquered all that quarter by the defeat of these West-Frisons if they had proceeded but they were so stroken and amazed for the death of the king their prince as they lost al iudgement and courage so as the commanders retired with their armie into Holland Behold how king William died miserably after that he had gouerned his inheritance of Holland and Zeeland one and twentie yeres and the empire seuen His bodie being found in this village of Hoochtwonde was carried and interred in the abbey of Middlebourg in the isle of Walchren in the yere 1255 then was accomplished the prophesie which said That one William king of Romans shouldbe slaine by the Frisons The same day there died in a battaile which they fought in their retreat all the inhabitants of Dordrecht except three hundred and their standard was taken and most part of those of Delft after they had slaine many of these Frisons The lady Elizabeth his wife died in the yeare 1265 and lyes buried by her husband This king of Romanes Earle of Holland and Zeeland gaue vnto the said towne of Middlebourg their principall priuiledges and among others hee graunted that in all the Beweterscheldt none should haue high iustice and iudge of life and death but the said towne and that all the criminall causes of the countrey should bee decided there and that offenders should be kept in the Earles prisons there causing this towne to be repaired and fortified FLORIS THE FIFTH OF THAT name the nineteenth Earle of Holland and Zeeland Lord of Friseland 19 Florentius Quintus In iust reuenge of fathers death thou splid'st the blood Of Frisons that had him destroid and thee withstood And hauing taken his bodie from the place where 't lay Intombedst it in Middleburgh from whence thou took'st thy way To Flanders to abate their pride that quietly Gaue thee their princesse for thy spouse and for her dower Whole Flanders but when thou to hunt in woods wast gone Thy foes thee slue when thou hadst rul'd full fortie yeares and one AFter the lamentable death of William king of Romans Earle of Holland and Zeeland his son Floris being but six monethes old succeeded him and was the to Earle Floris his vncle brother to the king gouernour of Holland was his tutor who discharged it faithfully for the space of four yeares It was he which made lawes and customs in Zeeland the which they obserue at this day Floris being one day at a tourney in the citie of Antuerpe was very sore hurt wherof he died and was buried by the king his brother in the abbey of Middlebourg in the yeare 1258. Then Henry duke of Brabant sonne to this infants great vncle tooke vpon him the guardianship the which he did administer for a time till in the end through the dissolutions exactions and concussions of his officers he was chased out of Holland He being displaced the barons lords nobles with the estates of this countie did with one consent chuse Otto earle of Gueldre to vndertake the gouernment against whom those of Holland did chuse the lady Alix contesse of Henault aunt to yong Cont Floris to be his gouernesse and viceregent Which partialitie was afterwards the cause of a great battaile at Voerwoetzee whereas many were slaine on either part but the Hollandser won the battaile and the earl of Gueldres remained sole gouernour and guardian to the yong Earle In the yeare 1268 there were strange apparitions seene in the aire as armed men fighting and other strange and prodigious things after which there followed great calamities for the commons of Holland did rise against the nobles and Cont Floris being yet very yong those of Kennemerlandt did rise and bandie themselues against the nobles of the countrey destroying and pulling downe their castles houses in the country and places of pleasure the knights and gentlemen were forced for their better safetie to retire themselues into the towne of Harlem to be freed from this rable of rascals who had resolued to expell all the nobilitie of the countrey of Vtrecht to rase their castles and houses and to make all the countrey common The Frisons and Waterlanders did ioyne with them so as all together made a huge bodie of an army with the which they fel vpon the quarter of Amsterlandt Ghysbrecht seignior of Amstel seeing that he could not make head against so great a multitude of mad-men resolued to ioyne with them promising them all fidelitie and assistance Hauing therefore made choyce of him for their leader he with his people ioyned with this mutinous troupe Beeing made their captaine generall he thought to reuenge himselfe of all his enemies about Vtrecht and to ruine them beating downe their castles and houses For his first exploit he went to besiege the castle of Vredelandt the which had been expresly built by the bishop of Vtrecht against him and the seignior of Woerden his cosin but he found it so well fortified with a good garrison and of all other things necessarie for defence as he was glad to leaue it And finding that this troupe did eat and wast all his territorie of Amsterlandt he persuaded them in a faire night to make an enterprise vpon the town of Vtrecht the which they resolued and meaning to make a present proofe thereof before that it was day they had inuested the said citie round about The bourgesses and those of the guard of Vtrecht knew not what it might be thinking they had beene Scythians or Tartarians or some other strange nation that came to assaile them being in armes vpon their walles and in their towers they demaunded what they were and what they required Whereupon one of these Kennemers a man well spoken said vnto them You bourgesses and inhabitants of Vtrecht our good friends know that the franke Kennemers salute you and send you word that you chase away all the noblemen and gentlemen which oppresse and ouercharge the people and that you diuide their goods and riches among the poore in common He had no sooner ended this speech but presently there grew a tumult among the people of the towne incouraging one another with the persuasions of this Kennemer and so taking armes they chased away all the nobles and men of knowledge and authoritie in the citie or that were of the counsell and did administer iustice with fortie gentlemen of name Then they created a new magistrat aldermen and ancients
impouerished could not forbeare to murmure against their Lord and the rather for that it was commonly reported among them that the Earle had sworne neuer to pardon their Lord. William of Arckel his sonne was much troubled to see his father oppose himselfe so obstinately against so mighty a Prince perswading him often with liuely reasons to reconcile himselfe with such great and mighty enemies such as the Earle the bishop of Vtrecht and the Lord of Vianen were This yong Nobleman seeing that he preuailed nothing and that he could not mollifie his fathers hart had pitty of his subiects who were so pittifully ruined without cause through the obstinate wilfulnesse of their Lord he parted discontented from his Father and came to Gorrichom where he laboured to draw the chiefe and richest of the towne to be at his deuotion and to sweare faith and loyaltie vnto him among other Iohn Gerrits Prouost of the towne Conrard Iohn Arnold and Gerard of Haerlaer foure brethâ—…en Ambrose Wouters and Iohn van Donck issued from a bastard of Arckel being ioyned and vnited to their yong lord they concluded together to treate a peace with the Earle and to exclude the â—…d of Arckel his father seeing hee would so obstinately seeke his owne and his subiects ruine without cause At the same time the lord of Arckel was gone to Renald Duke of Iuilliers Geldres his wiueâ—… brother during his absence the yong lord of Arckel his sonne by the aduice of the aboue named Gentlemen deposed all the Magistrates Councellors and Officers of the towne of Gorrichom which his father had made establishing a new Baylisse and Iudge in the place of the old the like he did at Lederdam and in the castell The Lord of Arckel who knew nothing of all these practises returning out of the country of Iuilliers thinking to enter into Gorrichom found the gates shutt against him refusing to giue him entrance the like was done vnto him at the castell From thence he â—…ent to Lederdam where he had the same entertainement Being in this perplexiâ—…ie the Lord of Arckel returned presently the same way he came into the country of Gelders without eating or drinking But soone after he did write secretly vnto his sonne by men of good iudgement of his councell who could handle this yong Nobleman in such sort as without taking any aduice and councell of the aboue named and of the chiefe of the towne he went to Boisleduc to reconcile himselfe vnto his father Wheâ—…evpon those chiefe men being discontented that he had made an accorde without their priuity or aduice and that he would leaue them ingaged at his returne from Boisleduc thinking to re-enter into Gorrichom the gates were shut against him This yong Nobleman finding himselfe debarred from entring into the towne turned head and went to the Duke of Iuilliers his Vncle. Being gone those seauen men sent certaine deputies of qualitie vnto the Earle of Holland to require his ayde and protection against the Lord of Arckel in regarde whereof they offred him all duty of homage and â—…ealty The Earle being glad to winne such a towne and country without strikiâ—…g stroake and therewithall subdue his enemie with little labour hee came about Whitsontide to Wandrichom where hee was receiued and feasted in the Castell and acknowledged for lord of Arckel confirming and ratifying theâ—…r priuiledges as well olde as newe From thence hee went to Gorrichom and into the Castell and into Leederdam where he was likewise receiued for Lord of Arckel and generally inuested in all the countrie The Lord of Aspren hearing that the Earle was at Gorrichom came to meete him neere vnto Leederdam doing him all honor and reuerence and seeing Conrard Iohn Arnold and Gerard van Haerlaer bretheren Ambrose Woutsersen Iohn Van Donck whom the Earle had newly made Knights with their collers of gold wondring much he said My Lord beware of these new Knights for what they haue done this day vnto their Lord they may doe to morrow vnto you The Earle smiling made much of him raysing him vp vnder the arme he lead him to his lodging where hauing feasted him he returned into Holland The Lord of Arckel and his sonne deuised by what meanes they might recouer their inheritance The Earle to preserue it sent Philip van Dorp a Knight with 500. men to garde Gorrichom The yong Lord of Arckel hauing with the helpe of his friends gathered some men together came in the end of haruest and attempted to passe the walles of Gorrichom neere vnto a Tower called the Tower Robert by scalado which hauing effected those of the garde hearing that it was their yong Lord leauing the rampart fled heere and there This yong Nobleman passing on brake open the gate on the East side and drew in his men with their colours flying making great and fearfull cries The Burgesses that were affected vnto him turned presently on his side and in this enterprise there was not any man hurt but Henry Vander-streat that was slaine at the first entrance The next day Didier le Cocque neere kinsman to Ambrose Woutersen had his head cut off The rest that were opposite to the Lord of Arckel leaping ouer the walles escaped This yong Nobleman went presently to besiege the Castell of Arckel where the besieged expecting succors from the Earle of Holland defended themselues valiantly The Earle hearing of these surprises leuied men in all hast and went to besiege Gorrichom chasing the young Lord first from his siege and forcing him to retire into Gorrichom The Earle being fully resolued to force this towne called all the Gentlemen of his Prouinces and Seigneuries and required them of Vtrecht to assist him On the other side Renold Duke of Iuilliers and Geldres a man of a turbulent spirit demanded nothing more then some occasion to quarrell with the Earle whom he sent to defie by a Herald with open letters as he had presumed before to defie the French King where the bishop of Liege brother to the Earle of Holland imployed his credit happily to make his peace with the said King who else had ruined him This Duke then came with an armie and camped not farre from the towne of Gorrichom The inhabitants went forth in the night drew the victuals and munition which he had brought them into the towne The Earle hearing of the Dukes comming raised his siege and went and planted himselfe before the Chappell of Dalem vpon the dike right against the Geldrois to offer them battaile the which was deferred for that night in the which the Geldrois did rise and retired himselfe into his country The Earle seeing him gone went to continue his siege before Gorrichom and after that hee had well furnished the castell of Arckel and the places there-abouts he returned into his country A while after the Lord of Arckel and his sonne did transport vnto Duke Renold of Gelders all the right and
Duke Frederick of Brunswick whom the reuolted Geldrois had chosen for their Gouernor fell sicke and so retyred into his countrie Then the Geldrois tooke Henrie of Swartsenbourg Bishop of Munster for their new Gouernour who tooke vpon him the charge and came well acompanied About the end of the same yeare 1478. the Arch-duke went from Brusselles with all his Nobility of Brabant and Flanders leading with him a goodly army and marched into the Contry of Arthois being resolued to recouer the townes and places which the French King had taken from the Dutchesse his wife He went and camped at Pont a vendin which is a small towne betwixt Lille and Arras The King was far of beseeging the towne of Lens in Arthois These two armies were there for a time fronting one an other during the which there were diuers messages past on either side so as in the end a truce was made and they retyred euery one to his home The truce being expired in August 1479. the Earle of Romont Gouernor of Arthois surprized Cambray and Bohain a little towne three leagues from thence The Earle of Saint Pol brother in lawe to the saide Earle of Romont hauing married his sister was made Gouernor of Flanders for the Archduke although he were much tormented with the gout yet he was a wise and valiant knight The Archduke accompanied by the Earle of Romont and Saint Pol by Cont Engelbert of Nassau Philip of Cleues sonne to the Lord of Rauesteyn the Lords of Fiennes Beueren Lalain and other Noblemen of the Netherlands being followed by a goodly army went and camped neere vnto Teroanne being resolued to beseege it The French namely the Lord of Cordes coming out of Picardy with 1800. pikes and 14000. Archers thought to fight with the Archdukes army and to charge them in their campe But the Archduke being aduertised thereof in time hauing left some troupes of soote with 800. horse vnder the commande of Philip of Cleues to guard the campe the vittelers and the baggage he went himselfe in person to meet them in the open field The Earle of Romont Marshall of the army hauing ordred the Battalyons with the pikes in the forward and the Earle of Nassau commanded the reerward The French men coming downe from the mont of Esguinegate charged the forward of the Bourguignons the Earle of Romont with his Flemings stood firme and maintained the fight valiantly against the French archers In the meane time the garrison of Teroanne meaning to charge the reerward fell vpon the campe where they grew amazed and made so small resistance as they did what they would so as the horsemen that were there ingard hauing beene defeated and put to rout were pursued euen into the suburbes of the towne of Aire The French whome the Earle of Romont had in front noting them that fled being greedy of spoile left their places and fell vpon the baggage The Arch-duke seeing that the French had forsaken their rankes of them-selues to runne after Pillage he went and charged them so furiously as he put the Archers to rout so as there were about 5000. slaine vpon the place and a great number of prisoners he remayning maister of the field with a memorable victory which GOD gaue him on the seauenth of August 1491. After the Battaile the Arch-duke returned victorious into the towne of Aire and the Earle of Romont with part of his troupes went to beseege the castell of Malonoy neere to the Abbaie of Han belonging to the house of Croy in the which there was a French garison from whence he brought Captaine Cadet a gentleman Gascon prisoner to the Arch-duke who for his presumption and brauery caused him with 50. of his souldiers to be hanged The French King much displeased for this fact in reuenge there of caused 50. men to bee chosen out of those which the garrison of Tournay had taken in the Arch-dukes campe and commanded his prouost generall to goe and hang them giuing him for his garde a thousand horse and sixe thousand foote which was in the very place whereas Captaine Cadet had beene hanged ten before the gates of Arras ten at the Port of Douay ten before Saint Omers ten and at the gates of Lille the last ten After this victory of Esguinegate the Arch-duke led his army before Tournay the which he beseeged so straightly as in the end necessity forced them to yeeld vpon composition with a condition that if they did euer rebell any more against him they should forfait al the rents and fees that they had in Flanders and for reparation of the death of Duke Adolph of Geldres they should build vp a Chappell in perpetuall memory thereof The French King seeing the happy successe of the Arch-duke Maximilian and that he had a sonne borne sent a notable Ambassage vnto him with rich presents betwixt whome there was a truce made for a time At that time there reuiued in Holland the factions of Hoecks and Cabillaux for that one Martin of Velaere Baylife of the towne of Horne the which was of the Hoeckin faction and hee a Cabillautin hauing beene expelled the towne without any hope of returne resigned his Office to the young Lord of Egmond promising to giue entrance to him and all the Cabillautin faction into the Towne they laide two plots to surprise it but both failed where-vpon the towne of Horne allyed it selfe with Enchuysen Eedam Monick Endam-Metemblick other villages there abouts These factions were the cause of great troubles at that time in Harlem Rotterdam Leyden and else where one party chasing an other out of these townes The Cabillautines surprised Oud-water seased vpon the court at the Hage from whence they chased away the seruants and spoyled the moueables plate and Iewels of the Lord of La Vere Gouernor of Holland who had his reuenge in chasing away the Cabillautines against whom the Hoekins committed great insolencies A while after the Gouernor went to Rotterdam to remaine there for his better safety but few of the Councell went with him for the most of the towne were of the Cabellautin faction when the Noble men of that faction which had fled from the Hage heard that the Gouernor was retired with his followers they returned forced the Hoekins lodgings and brake downe all they found as they had done to them before And they were not content there-with vntill they had drawne the Arch-duke into their quarrells who to please them put the Lord of La Vere from his gouerment of Holland for whome the Cabillautins laid ambushes to kill him at his returne to La-Vere in Zeland whereof hee was aduertised at Gorrichom whether the Archduke was come to setle the affaiers of Gelders and to subdue Ghysbrecht Pyecht Lord of halfe the towne of Aspren against Wessel of Boerslaer Lord of another moeity and of an other Castell this holding of Holland and the other of Gelders which Castel the Archdukes men tooke by
losses by his imprisonment in France the which hee sold afterwardes to the Lord of Egmont During the time that the yong Prince of Gelders sonne to Adolph was brought vp in the house of Bourgongne as much to say as a prisoner the Duke of Cleues seazed vppon many townes in Gelders for which cause the Geldrois made sharpe warre against the Cleuois and Brabansons growing dayly more obstinate they did â—…strange and with-draw themselues wholy from the house of Bourgongne whervpon the Archduke resouled to make warre against them Those of Numeghen Thyel and Bomel hauing some intelligence thereof went to him to Boisleduâ—… where they submitted themselues vnto him and acknowledged him for their Prince Wherevpon he went to Numeghen whither many Deputies of other townes came vnto him to doe the like This done he went to Ruremont to bridle Venlo but the Inhabitants did little regard it being resolued to defend themselues Whilest that the Archduke carryed himselfe in this sort in the Countrie of Gelders Dauid of Bourgongne bishop of Vtrecht being expelled the towne by the vicont of Montfort made an enterprise with his Partisans vpon the said towne the which succeeding not happily the Archduke hauing disposed of his affaires in Gelders came to Wyck-ter-duyrsted to him where they had much conference from thence the Archduke returned into Brabant the Dutchesse his wife being ready to be brought in bed was deliuered of a sonne whom the Duke of Brittanie christened and named him Francis by his owne name but he liued not long If in Holland the factions of the Cabillaux and the Hoecks tormented one another in Friseland the partialities of Vetcoopers and Scyringers did no lesse the Countrey being so diuided there as not onely the Nobilitie and townes made warre one against another with all violence but also the villages pesants other priuate persons which had any power or meanes yea the Abbeis Cloisters and Monestaries as well with their Prouost Monkes as with their lay Fryers whereof there followed great ruines desolations and burning of villages castels and other possessions as well Ecclesiasticall as Secular All this time there was sharpe warre betwixt the Hollanders that succored the Bishop of Vtrecht and them of the towne of Vtrecht and Amersfort of whom Iohn vicont of Montfort and Reyer van Brouckheuysen were the chiefe and the Lorde of Lalaine for the Hollanders who once among the rest were well beaten by them of Vtrecht neere vnto the fort of Waert which the Hollanders did besiege lost their artillerie and left the banners of their chiefe townes behinde them the Lord of Lalain saued himselfe being much amazed in Schoonhouen and those of Vtrecht returned victors with many prisoners into their Towne who hauing afterwardes surprized the Towne of Naerden in Holland but seeing they could not keepe it they spoyled it and so left it The Lord of Lalain sent the Markgraue of Antwerp thither and little Salezard a Knight of Gasconie whom the French King had dispoyled of his meanes which made him to come and serue the Archduke with a good troupe of braue souldiers Gascons to lie in Garrison there with a good number of horse and foote who continually made roades euen to the euery gates of Vtrecht and one day among the rest went and charged the great Bourg of Emenesse which is a french league long wher there were some of Vtrecht Amersfort in Garrison the which notwithstanding any resistance they forced slue all that could not flie and saue themselues through the Marishes and Quagmires and after they had spoiled it and laden themselues with the bootie they set fire of it and burnt it to the ground This warre betwixt the Diocesse of Vtrecht and the Hollanders increasing and growing more violent by sundry wrongs they did one vnto another the Traiectins hauing no Protector sent their Ambassadors to Iohn Duke of Cleues beseeching him that he would bee their Protector and to send them his brother Englebert of Cleues to be his Lieutenant and Generall there The which the Duke accepted and sent his brother where hee was well receiued and lodged in the Bishoppes Pallace whom the Taiectins did acknowledge for their Protector making an oath of fealtie vnto him as is accustomed in the like cases Afterwards the Hollanders defeated the Traiectins and slue 1000. vpon the place pursuing them euen into their Ports and if they had followed them close and had not beene too busie in spoyling of the dead they might haue entred pel mel with them and wonne the Cittie In the yeare 1482. in Lent the Lady Mary of Bourgongne Archdutchesse of Austria Countesse of Holland and Zeeland Lady of Frisland c. wife to the Archduke Maximilian being a hunting mounted vpon an ambling Gelding fell some write for the feare which her horse had of a wilde Boare which ranne betwixt his legges wherwith she was so bruzed in her body as the 27. of Marche she dyed to the great griefe of her husband who loued her entirely she was buried with a funerall pompe worthy of her greatnesse in the Quier of Saint Donas Church at Bruges after that shee had beene married foure yeares and a halfe leauing one Sonne named Philip about three yeares old and one Daughter but two yeares old who by the treatie of peace was made sure to King Charles the eight sonne to Lewis the 11. the French King But this marriage being broken she was married to the onely sonne of Dom Fernando of Arragon and of Isabella King and Queene of Castille called also Dom Fernando by whom she had one sonne who dyed within the yeare with the father afterwards shee married with Philebert the 8. Duke of Sauoy who died after he had been seauen yeares married The said Lady Mary of Bourgongne being dead the Archduke her husband tooke vpon him the title of Tutor to her children that with this quallitie he might preserue maintaine and defend them against the French King Lewis the eleuenth who had done so much harme and wrong vnto their Mother after the death of Duke Charles her father This qualitie of Tutor did not greatly please many of the Netherlanders especially the Flemings Those of Gaunt Bruges Franâ—… and Ypre which make the foure members of Flanders appointed by their priuate authoritie certaine commissioners to gouerne the countrie of Flanders ioyntly with the Archduke vntill it were otherwise ordered By reason whereof the States were assembled in the cittie of Gaunt where it was concluded that they should not receiue the said Gouernor but for a certaine time limitted vpon certaine conditions and with an othe to keepe them refusing to admit any particular Gouernours or Captaines if they were not chosen and placed by the Archduke and their commissioners ioyntly for that said they the Archduke was yet young and that such as were about him did gouerne him at their pleasures and did with him what they pleased also the money that was
Friseland 16 Guilielmus Primus This WILLIAM by great policie did breake the chaine Which crosse the Hauen of Damiet the Sarasins had layne Whereby the Harlemers great honour did obtaine Record whereof within their Towne as yet doth still remaine Two wiues he had whereof one out of Geldre came The second MARY called was a princely English dame Full nineteene yeares he rul'd and peaceably possest His countries and in Rhynsburgh died whereas his bones do rest WILLIAM the sixteenth Earle of Holland and Zeeland Lord of Friseland hauing as we haue said in the time of the Contesse Ada expelled the earle of Loos remained in quiet possession of the said prouinces He had by his wife Alix daughter to the earle of Gueldre Floris who succeeded him in the said Earledomes Otto bishop of Vtrecht and William who was lieutenant of Holland the which was father to the lady Alix married to Didier lord of Brederode and two daughters whereof the one was Abbesse at Rhynsbourg and the other at Delft This Cont William did homage to the Emperor Frederic the second for his Counties of Holland Zeeland and Friseland Afterwards vpon a priuate quarell he went and besieged the castle of Aspren hauing taken it he rased it to the ground Cont Gerard vander Are brother to Didier bishop of Vtrecht in reuenge therof went and besieged the town of Dordrecht into the which he cast wild fire which burnt almost halfe of it Soone after Cont William and the bishop were reconciled together and they made an accord by the which Cont William should pay vnto the bishop a thousand pounds and restore vnto Henry of Craen all that he had taken from him for that as wee haue said before he had once put him in prison by the cōmandement of Cont Thierry his master brother to the said Cont William Item that all the Earles subiects being in the bishoprick of Vtrecht should from that time forth be vassales to the bishop as well as all his vassales remaining in Holland Item that Cont William with a hundred knights attired onely in linnen cloth and bare-footed should present themselues before the Cathedrall church of Vtrecht and being there the Earle should aske him forgiuenesse for that he had before laid hands vpon him and taken him prisoner although he were rescued in the Abbey of Staueren All which articles the Earle did accomplish fearing his excommunication and from that time the Earle and the bishop continued good friends Behold the simplicitie of Princes and the pride of prelats in those daies brauing all the world with their thundering threats At that time died Henry king of Scotland vncle by the mothers side to cont William of Holland leauing no children There was a great nobleman in Scotland who with the helpe of the king of England got possession of the realm The Earle of Holland pretending a title to the Crowne as the neerest kinsman son to the deceased kings sister imployed all his friends for the obtaining thereof and to bring it to effect being imbarked with a goodly armie he landed in Scotland where at the first he tooke many townes and castles In the meane time Lewis earle of Loos knowing Cont William to be absent and that he could not easily come out of Scotland although he had wholly conquered it leuied men secretly to make a new conquest of the Earldome of Holland but Cont VVilliam being aduertised thereof desiring rather safely to enioy his owne inheritance which he had gotten with much paine than to striue to make a doubtfull conquest in a strange countrey and farre off he returned speedily into Holland The earle of Loos hearing of his returne proceeded no further for he feared him much hauing made so good triall of him who afterwards gouerned his countries peaceably during the remainder of his dayes In the yeare 1218 the lady Alix wife to Cont VVilliam died hauing left the children aboue named and was buried in the church of the Abbey of Rhynsbourg Afterwards the said earle maried with Mary daughter to Edmond of Lancaster son to Henry the third king of England by whom he had no children About that time the inhabitants of Ziricxee in the Island of Shouven in Zeeland began to build great shippes for marchandise to traffique throughout al seas as well North as South and to make their towne famous as it was for a time by reason of their nauigation hauing fit and conuenient hauens and rodes the which haue since beene much stopped with barres of sand so as of late the inhabitants of that towne haue made a new hauen going directly to the sea before Noortbeuelandt The Earles of Zeeland who were also Earles of Holland had a palace in the towne of Ziricxee the ruines whereof are to be seene at this day It is the second towne of Zeeland We haue in the life of Cont Thier◅ the seuenth and of his daughter Ada rela◅ed briefely the deeds of this Cont VVilliam the first of that name FLORIS THE FOVRTH OF THAT name the seuenteenth Earle of Holland and Zeeland Lord of Friseland Florentius Quartus My daughter in one day as many children bare As daies within a yeare complete by vs accounted are Twelue yeares I liued Earle Mars durst me not defie But iealous loue was cause that I was murthered cruelly My wife grieu'd at my death and her so hard fortune At her owne charge for women built the cloyster of Losdune VVithout the towne of Delft my sister edified Another which le champ royal she nam'd wherein she died FLORIS the fourth of that name by the death of Cont William was the seuenteenth Earle of Holland and Zeeland his brother Otto was made Earle of Friseland in his fathers life and William the youngest was hereditarie gouernour of Kennemerlandt this William had one daughter called Alix the which was married to Didier lord of Brederode who had by her Alfart father to William of Brederode who was General of the Horse to the king of the Romans the eighteenth Earle of Holland Cont Floris had to wife Mathilda daughter to Henry duke of Lothier and Brabant by whom he had the said king William his successor and Floris who was gouernour of Holland then Alix which was Contesse of Henault and Marguerite wife to Herman earle of Henneberg who had that great number of children whereof we shall speake by and by In the time of this Earle Floris there was neere vnto the towne of Arckel a little castle vpon the place of Wolfard belonging to Iohn lord of Arckel about the which there liued some poore fishermen at which place the riuer of Meruve began to ebbe and flow for that the riuers of Meuse and Wahal the which before the towne of Tyel in Gelderland was very narrow and could not enter into that of Linge fell into it These poore fishermen called themselues Gorreckens whereof the towne of Gorrekom now Gorrichom tooke the name This lord of Arckel caused all the houses of
dead in this ditch speechlesse drawing only his breath There were some of these conspirators seruants taken whom in the Earles presence they cut in pieces and hauing drawne him forth of the ditch they carried him vpon the Mount of Muyden whereas he breathed out his last gaspe after that hee had gouerned Holland Zeeland and Friseland as well by himselfe as by his tutors two and fortie yeres He was a generous prince of a goodly stature and louely countenance gracious and eloquent in his speech a good musitian stately and liberall To conclude he had all that might be desired in a prince except this vice of incontinencie and the villanous adulterie which he committed with violence which was the cause of this sudden death His body was carried by boat to Alcmar where his bowels were buried in the church and his body being imbalmed was layed in the Quier vntill that Cont Iohn his sonne were returned out of England Cont Floris had two grey-hounds the which had alwaies followed him going in and comming out of the castle of Muyden and which were found lying by him in the ditch where he was slaine carrying him into the boat they followed and leaped into it and would neuer eat nor drinke although it were offered them yea they would haue starued themselues if they had not beene drawne away from the Earles dead bodie Amongst those that had assisted at this murther many fled out of the Countrey and among the rest the Seignior of Woerden went vp and downe like a vagabond and died poorely and miserably in a strange countrey The lord of Amstell who was a good old man and had suffered himselfe to be suborned by the Seignior of Woerden and Velsen after that all his goods had bin confiscated was entertained by his friends in a far countrey All Holland Zeeland Friseland and the neighbour countries were troubled for this fact the which was taken so grieuously as the Hollanders to begin the reuenge by him that had bin the author of this conspiracie and actor of the murther went to besiege the castle of Croonenbruch they within were quiet as if the Seignior of Velson had not bin there and yet he was The news of this murther was written to all Cont Floris friends and allies but especially to Iohn d'Auesnes earle of Henault and to Cont Iohn his sonne who came before the castle of Croonenbruch whereas they planted their engins of batterie The earle of Cuycke hearing that the Seignior of Velson was straitly besieged in his castle as the said earle had bin present at the resolution of the taking of Cont Floris in the name of the duke of Brabant did write vnto the earle of Cleues being at that siege intreating him to be a means that the besieged might depart at the least with their liues saued the which he promised him to do whereupon he sent for his men about him that he might at need preserue them as he might well haue done But the Hollanders hauing some notice therof were much discontented and aduertised the lord of Loef brother to the earle of Cleues thereof who came himselfe to tell him that if he meant to saue the life of the besieged it was certain the Hollanders would fall vpon them besides the scandale and reproch wherewith they should be taxed for euer and therefore he aduised him to let the Hollanders and Zeelanders alone and if he were otherwise resolued he with his men would retire being loth to incurre dishonour and the danger of his life The earle seeing how ill it was taken and that he should auaile little caused the castle to be attempted both by scaladoe and otherwise the which he did force and take by assault and all the prisoners that remained aliue were taken and put into safe keeping In ◅e meane time it was bruited abroad that the earle of Cleues meant to saue the Seignior of Velson his companions that were prisoners Whereupon the Kennemers running to armes cried out That if there were any one that would carry away the murtherers of their prince or saue their liues that they themselues should first die by their hands wherupon the earle was forced to deliuer them the prisoners Those of Dordrecht had Hugh of Baerlandt the Kennemers had William of They lingen and two others those of Harlem had William van Zaenden those of Delft had Arnold van Bienschop the earle of Cleues had Gerard of Craenhorst foure others al which were beheaded and laid vpon wheeles those of Leyden had Gerard van Velson the author of this conspiracie and the murtherer of Cont Floris whom they tormented more than any other for they put him starke naked into a pipe full of sharpe nailes and so was rolled vp and downe throughout all the streets of Leyden then after all these torments they cut off his head and laid him vpon a wheele all his kinred vnto the ninth degree that could be taken were put to death and set vpon wheeles many being only suspected that they were ready to serue their lords and masters and not knowing the cause were banished for euer out of Holland wherof some meaning to retire thēselues into Denmarke mistaking their course were driuen beyond the straight of Weygat and not knowing whether they went coasting along Tartary they entred into the riuer of Oby from whence they came into Persia and by the kings consent did inhabit a marish part of the countrey after the maner of Holland where they haue continued in their auncient language manner of life and labour vnto this day As in like sort we may say that within these 70 yeres the Hollanders that fled for religion haue throgh the grace of Christierne the third king of Denmarke planted themselues in a little Island right against Coppenhaghen called Amack the which they do labour dresse after the manner of Holland so as this little Island which is not aboue two French leagues in circuit is called the garden of Coppenhaghen in the which the chiefe market of the towne is called Amacker-markt And thus much for them The Hollanders did rase the castle of Croonenbruch to the ground from thence they went to doe as much to that of Muyden but finding the place abandoned and no man in it all being fled they gaue it in guard to Didier of Harlem who took it into his charge on the countries behalfe and is at this day a good Chasteleine After which time the Nobilitie Townes and Commons of Holland made an agreement iointly together confirming it by a solemne oath whereof publike letters were drawne neuer to receiue into grace those of the houses of Amstel Woerden and Welsen nor any of their kinred nor allies whom they sought to root out by all meanes or to chase them out of the country by which meanes there were many persons banished and vagabonds so as there remained not any one of these families in Holland and if any were left they durst not
a better opportunitie and season In the yeare 1415. On Saint Katherines day as Iohn Lord of Arckel returned from the funerall of Anthonie of Burgongne Duke of Brabant passing by Arpenburgge he was surprised in a certaine Ambuscado which Didier vander Merwen Lord of Seuenbergen and Philip of Leckâ—… had layd for him leading him into Holland couered with a white cloake of the Order of the Dutch Knights to disguise him the better Cont William was very glad of this prize came to the Hage whether they said Lord was brought vnto him who sent him prisoner from thence to the Castle of la Goude who afterwards was brought to Seuenberghe with a straight gard where he was ten yeares a prisoner Those of Brussels hearing that the said Lord of Arckell who was their Bourgeois had been eâ—… taken vp on the iurisdiction of Brabant would with the help of other townes of the countrie from whence they drew some men go and take him away by force out of his prison at Seuenberghe but Duke Iohn of Burgongne their Prince would not suffer it nor enter into quarrell with the Earle of Holland his sonne in law for that Lords sake during the time that the said Lord of Arckel was a prisoner he was sometimes carryed before Cont William and his Councell before whom hee did protest it to bee true and declared by what meanes and by whom the Earle should haue beene deliuered prisoner vnto Duke William of Geldres The which the Earle dissembled for some reasons keeping it secret in his breast vntill it was time to discouer it As it was a common brute who should deliuer him during the time that the Earle and Duke were in warre one against another the kinsfolke and friendes of the Lordes of Egmond and Yselstein hearing that this imputation was laid vpon them vpon all their house would for the preseruation of their honors purge them from so foule an infamie as a thing that toucht them neere both in body and goods Iohn Lord of Egmond complained that therein they did him great wrong knowing himselfe innocent of that wherewith hee was generally taxed Yet he protested to be alwayes readie to iustifie himselfe before the Earle of Holland his Prince so as he might haue accesse vnto him vnder safe conduit The Earle being returned from a voiage which he had made into England with the Emperor Sigismonde to mediate a peace betwixt the Kings of France and England the kinsmen of the said Lord of Egmond intreat him that he would grante the said safe conduit that hee might purge himselfe of those crimes in his presence and before his Councell The which the Earle would haue him do and therefore commanded that he should be adiourned to appeare in person within fortie fiue dayes to iustifie himselfe of such matters as should bee layed against him The Lord of Egmond being thrice lawfully adiourned and appearing not was vppon the third default for his contumacie condemned by the Earles councell to bee attainted and conuicted of treason for the crimes and attempts obiected against him and to forfeite body and goods According to which sentence all his goodes landes and Seigniories were seazed on to the vse and profite of the Earle and of the Countie of Holland an attachment granted for his person and in case they could not finde him to be then banished for euer out of the countries and iurisdictions of the Earledomes This Lord of Egmond seeing himselfe thus intreated retyred vnto his brother William of Egmond into his towne or castle of Yselstein with some souldiers which he had at his deuotion Soone after the Earle sent some Deputies of his Councell to summon the said towne and castle to yeeld vnto his obedience the which being refused he presently caused a small armie to be leuied whereof he sent the one halfe before Yselstein and with the rest he went ouer towards Schonhouen from whence he went to ioyne with the other part that hee might besiege the castle on the other side but the Lords Iames of Gaesbeck Hubert of Culemburch and Iohn of Vianen neerely allyed vnto the house of Egmond fearing that they would be the cause of the ruine of their house did labor for their reconciliation with the Earle the which they obtained vpon condition that the said Lordes of Egmond should depart with their goods out of Yselstein and out of the Counties of Holland and Zeeland whether they might neither goe nor come without the Earles expresse leaue which towne and castle of Yselstein they did yeeld vnto him absolutely with the Seigneorie appurtenances and dependances In consideration whereof the Earle should pay yearely vnto the said William of Egmond sixe hundred Crownes of the Sunne and to the Lady Yoland their mother 800. crownes more yearly the paiments to remaine to their heirs for euer of the which authenticall letters were drawne And so Cont William was disposest of the said towne castle and Seigneorie of Yselstein But since it was restored to the said house of Egmond of the which Maximillian of Egmond Earle of Buren was the last Lorde of that name whose daughter and sole heire William of Nassau Prince of Orange tooke to his first wife by whom he had Charles Philip of Nassau now Prince of Orange Earle of Buren Cont of Iselstein Saint Anneland Saint Martins Dyck c. and the Lady Anne of Nassau his sister Contesse dowager of Hohenloo sister by the fathers side to Prince Maurice of Nassau at this day Gouernour Generall and Admirall of the vnited Prouinces of the Netherlands Cont William of Holland considering that being two and fitie yeares old hauing no heire but one onely daughter called Iacoba or Iaqueline married to the Dolphin sonne to Charles the sixth King of France assembled the Estates Gouernours Bayliffes and Officers of all his Prouinces landes and Seigneoris of whom hee required a promise othe that in case he should die without heires male that they should not acknowledge any other but the saide Lady Iaqueline for their Princesse and soueraigne ladie whom they should defend maintaine in this qualitie against all The which the Barons Nobles Knights and all the Estates in generall of his Countries did promise and sweare whereof an â—…nsturment was drawne in writing with the seales of some of the chiefe Noble-men and Townes in the yeare 1417. The Dolphin of France husband to the lady Iaqueline of Bauaria was sent for by the King his father to come to Paris the Earle of Holland his father in law conuoyed him into Henault where he should attend the kings men to conduct him to the Court But before he went he was poisoned and dyed soone after Some hold that it was in putting on a shirt of Male which had been giuen him He was 20. yeares old and Iaquiline his wife 19. when he dyed the fourth of April 1417. his bodie was carryed to Paris Soone after the last day
of May in the said yeare 1417. died William of Bauaria Earle of Holland Zeland Henault and Lord of Friseland of a sore he had in his leg which came with the biting of a mad dogge the which being opened by his chirurgeon did so impaire as it was the cause of his death The said Ladie Iaquiline widow to the Dolphin of France succeeded him in al his siegniories Her father recommending her before his death to his most faithfull seruants requiring them to marry her againe to Iohn Duke of Brabant He was interred at Valenciennes in Henault after he had gouerned his countries the space of 13. yeares The lady Marguerite of Bourgongne his wife daughter to duke Iohn of Bourgongne liued long after him and was interred at Quesnoy in Henault This Cont VVilliam was a seuere man against his rebels and enemies and very courteous affable and kinde vnto his friends a iust and bountifull Prince He had two bastard brethren Albert and VVilliam of Bauaria the which was Lorde of Schagen This William was twise at Ierusalem to see the holy Sepulcher and once at Mount Synay or Saint Catherines Mount in which voiages he was knighted and at his returne made Chastelain or Gouernor of Medemblyck Afterwards the good Duke Philip of Burgongne become Earle of Holland gaue him in West Friseland the seigneories of Schagen Bersinghorne and Harynckhuysen which William caused a goodly castle to bee built in the said village of Schagen and made a great circuit of the countrie to be dicked in and recouered from the sea neere vnto Sype and the village S. Martin calling it Nyelant he had to wife Alix the daughter of Iohn of Hodenpil by whom he had besides daughters three sonnes Albert Seignior of Schagen a knight Iohn Escoutette of Harlem and William He was a very famous and renowned knight all his life time for his vertues and valiant deeds he dyed old in the yeere 1473. His eldest sonne Albert of Schagen had to wife Adrian daughter to the Lord of Nyenrode and Velson by whome hee had one onely daughter named Iasine who was first married to VValter of Egmond Lord of Soetermeer and afterward to Iosse of Borssele Count VVilliam had also three Bastards two sonnes and one daughter Lewis and Euerard knights and Beatrix van Vlyet Euerard was the first seigneor of Hoochtwoud in West Friseland where he caused a goodly house in forme of a castle to be built and had to wife the daughter of Flores van Kyesweck by whom he had Anthonie seignior of Hoochtwoud This Anthonie had to wife Sophia the daughter of Iohn seigneor of Polgeest who bare him fiue sonnes Baldwyn seignior of Hoochtwoud a knight William Gerard Cornellis and Euerard who was a Monke in the Abbie of Egmond and one daughter named Iudeth who was a Nun in the couent of Poel by Leyden This Baldwyn sold the said seigniorie of Hoochtwood for that hee had no children to Iohn the first Earle of Egmond Bâ—…atrix the bastard daughter of count William was first marryed to Philip van 〈◊〉 a knight by whom she had no children afterwards she married againe to Iohn of Woerden siegnior of Vlyet by whom shee had Gerâ—…ard of Vlyet Esquire At that time their flourished among the chieâ—…e of the Nobilitie of Holland and Zeeland Williâ—…m lord of Arckell Wallerand Lord of â—…ederode Earle of Genap William of Brederode Iames lord of Gaesbeck Abcoude Wyâ—…k Putten and Streuen Philip vicont of Leyden lord of Wassenare Iohn and Henry â—…is sonnes Iohn of Egmond and William of Yselstein his brother Philip of Leck Wâ—…lsart of lâ—… Vere Henry of Vianen Ameiden Floris of Borssele lord of Seuenbergh Zuylen and S. Martins dycâ—… Faâ—…er to Franâ—… of Borssele the last husband of Iaqueline countesse of Holland Iames of Borssâ—…le lord of Brigdam and Dâ—…yuelandt Costin of Hemestede and 〈◊〉 of Hemestede Iohn of Cruninghen Iohn of Renesse Hubert of Culenburch Didier of Merwe Iohn of Laâ—…geraeck Didier lord of Henckelom Iohn vicont of Montfort Arnold of Lyenburch Henry of Naeldwyck and his two sonnes Wiliam and Albert squires Didier of Leck Iohn of Hodenpil William bastard of Holland first siegnior of Schagen and his brother Adrian both sons to count Albert of Bauaria â—…rard bastard to count William the first lord of Hoochtwoode and Lewis a knight his brother Iohn of Treslon bastard to Guy Earle of Blois Iohn of Vianen siegniâ—…r of Noordeloos Iohn of Woudâ—… lord of Warmoâ—…t and Alemada Iames of Woude his sons Daniel of Poele Clâ—…wer gouernor of S. Ghertruâ—…denbergh 〈◊〉 of Poelgeeâ—…t and his brother Gerrard Bartholomew of Raphorst Iohn of Hemisted siegnior of Beâ—…thusen Iohn of Vlyet Philip of Dorp Iohn Henry and Ghysbreecht of Croenenburch brethren Flores of Alâ—…mada Gerard of Woert Gerard of Zyl Giles of Cralingen Gerrard of Lyesuelt Floris of Abeele Gerard Conrad Iohn and Arnold brethren of Haerlaâ—…r Frederik of Seuenter Berthold of Assendolse Didâ—…er of Beets all knights Then Iohn of Egmond siegnior of Soâ—…termeer an other Iohn of Egmond siegnior of Wateringh Albert of Egmond of Maremsteyn â—…ugh of Alâ—…mada Herpert of Forest Didier of Assendelf Symon of Burcht Floris of Adricom Gerard vuytten Hage Gerard Potter Baldwin of Wietten Floris of Tol. Herpert of Bossche William Egger first lord and founder of the town of Pourmereinde Iohn his sonne Floris of Kyeâ—…oeck Iohn vander Myer Arnold Spyerinck Nicholas of Waterlandt William Nagle with many other squiers and gentlemen which were to long to number and most of all these noble Famylies are at this day extinct IAQVELINE OF BAVARIA THE 28 Gouernesse in Holland Zeeland and Friseland and Contesse of Henault 2â—… â—…acoba Bauariâ—… Foure times in marriage I my fruite did try Yet could I not increase my Progenie Gorrichom I won gainst William of Arckel In which Exploit three hundred English fell Beneath my Conduct while one day did shine My husbands ransome made me to resigne My Contries to the Duke of Burgondie Ten yeares with paine I sat in soueraigntye And now in one Graue with my Grandfather Peace did my bodye to his rest conferre THE Lady Iaqueline or Iacoba as the Hollanders terme her the daughter and onely heire of VVilliam of Bauaria Earle of Holland c. succeded after the death of her father in all his Earldoms and seigniories She was then widow as we haue said to the Dolphin of France being 17. yeeres old keeping with her mother the Lady Marguerite daughter to Iohn duke of Bourgongne father to Philip. Her fathers obsequies and funerall pompe being ended she was conducted throughout all the townes of Henault whereof she tooke possession and receiued the homages of her subiects and vassals By reason of her widowhood and her youth shee had much trouble in the gouernment of her Contries especially of Holland for that the two factions reuiued againe the Hoeckins holding the Countesses partie and the Cabillautins a contrarie one by reason whereof all the time of her
these spoiles and thefts which the Hollanders of the Cabillautin faction holding the part of Iohn of Bauaria did commit vpon their friends of Vtrecht and Amersfort they held it their best course to make open warre and to that ende they allyed themselues to these Lords William of Brederode Philip vicont of Leyden the vicont of Montfort Iohn of Heemstede with all the rest of the Hoackins faction that were chased out of Holland against the lords of Egmond and Gerrard Boel lord of Hemskerke cheife counsellors to Iohn of Bauaria and against all their Allyes The yeare following Iohn of Bauaria and his faction did ruine many of their aduersaries castels in the quarter of Woerden Suylen Houthorst and Nessen On the other side the lorde of Broderode the vicont and the siegnior of Hemsted ioyned to them of Leyden did also burne some of the Cabillautins castels as Zuyck Raphorst Rhinburch others running as far as the Hage but they only spoiled it sparing the fire in respect of the Princes court palace the honor of the earls that had built it In the same yeare Iohn of Bauaria tooke the castle of Poelgeest situated in the village of Coekerke by assault causing all their heads to be cut off that were within it from thence hee went to the castle of Does the which was yeelded vnto him then he besieged the castle of Waert in the village of Leyrdorp the which hee battered and tooke by force killing most of the besieged then razed it to the ground he in like sort wonne that of Zyl by Leyden whereas there dyed many men and then hee ruined it Hauing taken all these castles and gathered together greater troupes hee went and besieged the towne of Leyden the space of nine weekes so as in the ende he forced them to yeeld vpon composition by the which it was agreed that all soldiers strangers and namely they of Vtretch should depart with bagge and baggage and that Iohn of Bauaria should be receyued into the towne without the oppression of any man The which being thus concluded the vicont Philip and the inhabitants did onely acknowledge him as Gouernor of Holland The souldiers of Vtrecht thinking to retire safely vnto their towne the lord of Egmond lay in wait for them at a passage and pursued them vnto their gates On the other side Iohn of Bauaria against the said Accord forced the vicont of Leyden to resigne and yeeld vp his viconty vnto him and not to retaine any thing for himselfe nor his successors but the castle the Toll and the Gruytte whereas before a vicont of Leyden had a great command and prerogatiue in the Towne as the placing of a Bayliffe foure Bourghemasters and seeuen Sherifs Henry the viconts eldest sonne held at this siege the part of Iohn of Bauaria against his father who also made session of the said Viconty This towne being thus yeelded to Iohn of Bauaria they went with them of Dordrecht to besiege the Towne and castle of Gheertruydenbergh whereof Didier vander Merwen was Chastelaine or Gouernor whom in the ende hee forced to yeeld to haue their liues and goods saued That yeare 1420. Iohn Duke of Brabant came from Antwerp into Zeeland at the request of Iohn of Bauaria and landed at saint Martensdyk whereat the pursuite of the siegnior of Aschen they assembled without the priuitie of the Contesse Iaqueline in the house of Floris of Borssele where the duke of Brabant did ratifie and confirme vnto Iohn of Bauaria the gouernment of Holland Zeeland and Frizeland for seuen yeares longer and moreouer did yeeld vp vnto him the towne of Antwerp and Marquisat of Herentael The duke of Brabant being returned to Antwerp by the aduice of Euerard Tserclaes his steward discharged and put away all the Contesse Iaquelines ladyes of honor and maydes and quite altred and changed her estate and traine giuing her the contesse of Moeurs the lady of Weesmael Asschen and others to attend on her The which did wonderfully displease the lady Marguerite of Burgongne Douager of Holland mother to the Countesse who departed presently with her daughter towards Brusselles and comming to the court to the Duke and his councell shee sought to perswade him to dissolue this new estate or traine The which not able to obtaine shee departed discontented and went to her Inne called the Looking glasse The Contesse her daughter followed her weeping with one only Page the which did breed admiration and pittie in all that beheld her The next day the mother and the daughter retyred themselues into Henault where they liued at Quesnoy le Conte Whilest these things were acting the barons nobles and townes of Brabant held an assembly in the towne of Louuaine where it was decreed to displace Euerard of Tserclaes steward to the Duke and the siegneor of Asschen whereunto the Duke opposed firmely for that they were his two mignons and chiefe councellors Whereupon the Estates of Brabant sent to Paris to Philip Earle of S. Pol brother to duke Iohn intreating him to come into Brabant to gouerne the countrey and to rule his fathers inheritance complayning that Duke Iohn suffered himselfe to bee ruled and gouerned by a companie of flatterers and pick-thanks who sought nothing els but to set diuision betwixt the Nobles and townes of the countries and their Lorde and Prince Although the Earle were loth to vndertake this charge yet at the intreatance of the king himself he went into Brabant where hauing saluted the duke his brother at Brusselles hee went to Louaine there hee vnderstood the causes of the complaints made by the state and the reasons of either partie which being heard he went to Quesnoy from whence hee brought the Contesse Iaqueline and her mother to Louvaine Then hee appointed an other assembly of the States on the 29. of September at Vilvoord whereas the sayde Earle being present with the two Ladyes Princesses mother and daughter and all the Deputies of the Estates of Brabant they attended the Duke onely who counterfeited himselfe to be sicke hauing expected him there some space hearing that he went from Towne to towne to auoid this Assembly the States by the aduice of the Ambassadors of the King of France and duke of Bourgongne resolued to create the Earle of S. Poll Reuward of Brabant which election was made the first of October Duke Iohn of Brabant hauing beene perswaded by William lord of Bergen vppon Soome his chiefe councellor and Euerard of Tferclaes to make Iohn of Bauaria gouernor of Holland and Frizeland hauing also beene the cause of the changing of the Contesse Iaqueline his wiues traine The Bastards of Holland beeing incenced for this cause slue the lord of Bergen in the Duke his masters chamber On the other side the Duke hearing that Cont Philip his brother had the title of Reuwart of Brabant and had displased and changed the magistrates of Brusselles came before the
Then Anne wife to Adrian of Borssele signior of Brigdam who was afterwardes married to Adolfe of Cleues Lord of Rauestein brother to the duke of Cleues In the yeare 1438. the Esterlins enuying the sprosperitie of the Nauigations of the Hollanders and Zeelanders trafficking in all places at sea as well as themselues sought to take and spoile them the which bred a great warre at sea betwixt them In the which the Hollanders with the consent of their Duke grew so strong in shipping as after they had recouered more then their losses they chased the Easterlins out of the sea vntill an agreement was made betwixt them In signe whereof they did beare as they doe at this day a little be some at the toppe of their maine mast to shew they had once clensed the Sea from these Esterlins whereof they were a long time maisters In the yeere 1444. the faction of Schyeringers and Vetcoopers being somewhat pacified in Friseland new troubles grew in Holland by the factions of the Hoocks and Cabillaux vpon this occasion especially in the townes of Harlem and Amsterdam but chiefely at Leyden in the which the Magistrates had granted a Subsidie vnto the duke which was so great and burthensome as it was not possible to furnish it without oppression to the Commons The Magistrates were for the most part of the faction of the Hoeckins yet the better part of the Cabillautin faction had consented to the raising of this extraordinarie imposition The people being thus ouer charged ioyned with the Cabillautin faction which was the cause of great mischiefe for on a Saint Peters day there was a great insurrection in the Towne of Amsterdam the Hoeckins chasing away all the Cabillautins and their adherents who made their retreat vnto Harlem being of their faction The Duke keeping his court at Brusselles hearing of this disorder sent the Lady Isabell his wife with some of his counsell to redresse it and to pacifie their quarrels Herevpon the like tumult happened in Harlem by reason of these heauy impositions the two factions arming one against another and comming to handie stroakes so that some were hurt and others slaine The Duchesse was presently aduertised thereof and sent a gentleman of her Houshold with Gerard van Zyl thither who beeing arriued commanded the people in the Princes name to lay aside their armes the which was done but yet the troubles seased not for they were much incensed against the lord of Lalain Gouernor of Holland to whom they did impute the cause of these Impositions so as if they could haue once gotten him they would without all doubt haue murthered him The Duchesse went to Harlem whereas the next day after her arriuall the Cabillautines chased away all the Hoeckins so as she was greatly troubled to preserue them from spoile causing all the Cabillautins to returne into the Towne which had been before expelled Shee commanded them of Amsterdam and the partisans of the Hoeckin faction that were expelled Harlem to carry themselues discretly and to keepe well their towne In the end leauing the affaires of Holland in this confusion and not able to pacifie them she returned to Brusselles where hauing informed the Duke her husband of the estate of the countrie he sent for all the Lordes Knights and Deputies of the townes of Holland of both factions to come before him at Brusselles vppon great penalties and with them the Lorde of Lalain The duke hauing heard both parties he dismissed the Lorde of Lalain from his place of Lieutenant instituting in his place a worthy and wise man of Flanders called Gosswin of Wilde And to the ende hee should not more carry his Predecessors title the which seemed odious to all the Nobilitie hee would haue him called President of Holland Zeeland and west Freezland If William of Lalain did carry himselfe ill in his place of Lieutenant this Goswin behaued himselfe much worse for he afterwards lost his head for his wicked life At this time there happened a great tumult in the towne of Leyden so as they fell to armes the Cabillautins charged the Hoeckins in such sort as they were forced to recoyle vnto Saint Pancratts Church whereas many of the Hoeckin faction were slaine wounded and taken Prisoners to the number of sixe score whereof three of the chiefe that were the motiues of this trouble lost their heads and there had beene more executed if the Earle of Osteruant had not saued them the rest were put to great fines The Duke hearing what had past at Leyden resouled to goe into Holland to pacifie these troubles and reconcile his subiects Whether hee came accompanied with Iohn Earle of Nassau Lord of Breda and many Barons and knights Whether likewise came Iohn of Hensberg bishop of Liege at the request of Ghysbrecht of Brederode Proâ—…ost Cathedrall of Vtrech his cousin to reconcile the Hoeckins with their Prince The Duke sent the Earle of Nasau before him to Harlem to let them vnderstand the cause of his comming and his intention This Ghysbrecht of Brederode was there also And being of the Hoeckin faction the Earle of Nassau and the bishop of Liege made his peace with the duke to the great discontent of his enemies the Cabillautins From thence the duke went to Amsterdam where he restored all them that had bin banished expelled renewed the â—…aw of Sheriffs appointing two Bourgomasters of either faction and the Sheriffs equally commanding them to lay aside all factions and partialties and to liue brotherlike together in all loue amitie imposing great punishments vpon them that should breake his commandements in that regard and for the authors of any troubles how meane so euer they were This done after that hee had reduced all to a good order he departed out of Holland and returned into Brabant The duke hauing the yeere before besieged Calais pretending it to be of the lymits of Flanders as part of the county of Guynes which came vnto him by Session from Charles the 7. King of France was abandoned by the Flemmings at this siege He remembring the affront which they had done him hauing punished them of Bruges before he resolued in the yeare 1452. to doe as much to the Ganthois to begin and to satisfie himselfe of the great losse and charge hee had beene at by reason of the raising of this siege he layd a new imposition vpon all the Countrie of Flanders of sixe Pattars vpon euery sack of Salt comming from France Spaine or else-where Wherevnto the Ganthois would by no meanes yeeld The Duke seeing their obstinacie and wilfulnesse caused them to be taken and ransomed throughout all his other countries as his sworne enemies The Ganthois did the like vnto the Dukes men or to such as did any way affect his party Herevpon they went to armes the Ganthois drew many townes into their faction and forced some marching in field with their colours flying in forme of
estate and traine appointed him as if he had beene the Dukes owne Sonne In the yeare 1460. died the sayed French King Charles the seauenth called the Gentle The Duke of Bourgongne being aduertised thereof assembled all his Barrons and cheife Nobility to conduct Lewis Daulphine of France and to see him take possession as the eldest Sonne of the deceased King of the Realme and Crowne of France The King being crowned by the helpe of the Duke of Bourgongne being desirous to shewe himselfe thankefull for so great a seruice hauing as it were led him by the hand vnto the Crowne gaue him great thankes and to recompence him in some sort he gaue vnto the Earle of Charolois his Sonne certaine townes and castells in France with a yearly pension The King would haue make an exchange with the Duke of some townes but they could not agree so as many yeares after the King discouered a spleene and dislike which hee had conceiued against the Duke and that before hee had confirmed the donation made vnto the Earle of Charolois of the sayd townes and castells The Earle of Charolois besides his seigneuries of Bethune Chasteau-Bellain Archel Putten Streyen and the Country of Goyelandt receiued in the yeare 1461. by Adrian of Borselle his Atorney in that behalfe the possession of the moeity of the Seigneury towne and castell of Aspren by reason of a certaine murther committed by one William van Buren vpon Rutger of Boetselaer lord of the other moeity And in the yeare 1462. the sayd Earle was receiued lord of the towne of Henkelom being but a quarter of a league from Aspren by the forfeiture of Iohn of Henkelom and Otto his Sonne who in the ende did resigne it vnto him by agreement And so this signeury of Henkelom returned to that of Arckel from whence it issued at the first At that time there fell out great troubles in the Duke of Bourgongnes Court for the causes which followe Iohn lord of Croy had in his youth bred vp a poore boye in his house named Iohn of Koestein whome hee aduanced to be first an assistant and then a groome of the Dukes chamber who carried himselfe so loyally and vertuously as the duke esteemed him very much giuing him great meanes and hauing made him knight hee was his taster for his drinke By which aduancements both in goods and honours hee grewe so proude and arrogant as hee beganne to contemne others yea Barons so gracious hee was in the Duke his Maisters fauour as hee seemed to bee the onely man to mannage his most important affaiers At the same season Iohn of Croy and Iohn of Lanoy Gouernor of Holland conceiued a secret hatred against the Earle of Charolois the dukes Sonne their Prince for that hee had obtained of his Father the countrie of Arckel the which the Duke had giuen a little before vnto the sayd lord of Lanoy and the gouernment of Namur and Boulenois to the lord of Croy who had inioyed it manie yeares for which guifts the Earle had growne in hatred of these two Noblemen who notwithstanding did wholie gouerne and possesse the dukes person who by their means shewed his Son the Earle of Charolois no good coūtenance The Earle finding it left the duke his Fathers Court and retired himselfe into Holland hoping that this dislike would passe and die Some of the cheife Noblemen of Brabant and Flanders came vnto him and furnished him with all that hee had neede of These two Noblemen of Croy and Lanoy full of spight to see his traine so great and the cheife Noblemen runne after him consulted for the better maintenance of them selues how they might supplant and ruine the Earle the which they did impart vnto Iohn of Koestein who fearing likewise to bee disgraced and put from his Offices after the dukes death beeing also wholie bound vnto the lord of Croy for his aduancement gaue ◅are willingly vnto them and tooke the charge vpon him corrupting a poore younger brother a Bourguignon with the promise of a great sum of money and sending him into Piedmont to buy poison descouring vnto him to what ende it was This gentleman called Iohn d'Iuy hauing performed his voiage and brought this poyson to Koestein demanded that which he had promised him the which he not onely refused to pay him but also abused him with iniurious words ◅Iuy discontented at this answere complained to an other gentleman of Bourgongne called Arguenbant and discouered vnto him the whole secret This Arguenbant being wonderfully amazed aduised Iuy to goe speedily and discouer the whole truth of this matter vnto the Earle of Charolois saying that if he went not hee himselfe would goe and accuse him Iohn of Iuy without any farther stay went vnto the Earle and casting himselfe on his knees before him he beseeched him humbly to pardon him the offence which he would reueale vnto him and then layed open the whole truth of the matter The Earle being much amazed thereat went presently to the Duke his Father to descouer vnto him all that hee had heard of this villanous practise crauing iustice of the Author thereof naming Iohn of Koestein The duke hauing promised to do him iustice the Earle went vnto his lodging commanding Iohn of Iuy to goe vnto Rupelmond and to attend him there as he did The next day morning Iohn of Koestein beeing a hunting in the Parke at Brusselles the duke called him commanding him to go with the lords of Aussy and Creueceur to Ruppelmond to make answere to a gentleman that did greatly taxe his honour Koestein answered him proudly after his accustomed manner that hee feared no man liuing whervpon he pulled on his bootes and went to horse-backe with fiue seruants and so went to the lord of Aussy whome hee found on horse-backe with the lord of Creuecaeur with fifteene or sixteene Archers of the Dukes garde Being come to Ruppelmond soone after arriued Anthony bastard of Bourgongne the Bishoppe of Tournay with the lords of Croy and Goulx The Earle of Charolois came also and caused Koestein to bee put into a Tower of the which hee him-selfe kept the keyes so as no man might speake vnto him but in his presence These foure Noblemen made the processe of the sayd Koestein after that hee had beene confronted with Iohn of Iuy declaring him guilty and condemning him to loose his head and his bodie to bee cut in foure quarters Beeing brought to the place of execution which was vpon one of the highest Towers of the castell hee disired to speake with the Earle of Charolois who went vnto him and heard him long in secret which made them presume that hee accused some one namely the sayd lords of Croy and Lanoy the which the Earle dissembled Hee intreated that his bodie might not bee quartered the which beeing graunted him hee lost his head This done Iohn of Iuy was called of whome the Earle demaunded if Koestein had kept his
promise with him and payed him the somme as hee agreede vpon whether hee would then haue reuealed the fact the poore foole answered no and therefore hee presently caused his head to bee cut off About that time Lewis the leauenth King of France made a proclamation throughout the Earldomes of Flanders and Arthois that none should presume to inrowle him-selfe in the seruice of Edward King of England nor any way assist him He would also haue raised an impost vpon the sault in Bourgongne the which had neuer beene practised before But the duke would not admit of the one nor the other for hee was a friend and had made a truce with the King of England Wherevpon hee sent the lord of Chimay to the French King to shewe him the causes why hee could not allowe of such innouations in his countries and to intreate him to forbeare But the sayd lord was long at Court before hee could haue audience Seeing one daie that they fed him still with delaies hee attended so long before the Kings chamber as in the ende hee came forth When the King had seene him hee asked him what manner of man the duke of Bourgongne was Is hee of an other mettell then the rest of the Princesse of my Realme yea my Leege answered Chimay beeing a bold man and of great courage the Duke of Bourgongne my Maister is of an other stuffe then the Princes of France or of all the Countries about for hee hath kept you nourished and supported you against the will and liking of the King your father and all others whom it did displease the which no other Prince would nor durst doe At these words the King held his peace and returned into his chamber Afterwards the sayd Lord of Chymay returned making his report vnto the Duke The French King being resolued to pay vnto the duke of Bourgongne 450000. crownes and redeeme the townes which were ingaged vnto him in Picardie on this side the riuer of Some by the treatie of Arras he gathered together great store of treasure from all parts of his kingdome for there was no Abbay Chanonlerie nor riche Marchant that was esteemed to haue money throughout all France but did eyther giue or lend him And hauing recouered the sayd summe hee sent it to Abbeuille to the Duke of Bourgongne from whence the Duke caused it to bee brought to Hesdin where hee then kept his court Soone after in the yeare 1463. the king came thether in person the Duke went to meete him and receiued him with great honour and state and lodged him in his owne lodging in the Castell where hee promised to accomplish all that remained of the Treatie of Arras but hee fayled afterwards in some points During his aboad at Hesdin the duke sent diuers messengers to the Earle of Charolois his sonne being then in Holland to come and doe his dutie vnto the king But hee refused to come saying That so long as Ihon of Bourgongne Earle of Estampes and the Lords of Croy and Lanoy should be about the King hee would not come holding them for his mortall enemies for these Noblemen had left the Dukes Court and retired them to the kings seruice for hee knew well they were of his secret councell charging them with the practise of Ihon of Koesteyn and to haue councelled the Duke his father to accept of the money for the redeeming of the aboue named townes The Duke was wonderfully discontented at his sonnes refusall and would not for a long time after see him The King parting from Hesdin the Duke intreated him to confirme those seruants which hee had placed in the redeemed Townes in their offices Hee granted it but hee performed little changing all the Gouernours Captaines Prouosts and Magistrates thereof appointing and committing in their places such as hee thought were not greatly affected vnto the duke as the Lords of Lanoy Croy and Estampes The discontentment betwixt the Duke and the Earle of Charolois his sonne continued so long vntill the States of the Netherlands to whom the Earle had made his complaints especially of the lord of Croy had reconciled them together according to whose aduice the Earle accompanied with many Noblemen Knights Gentlemen and the chiefe Deputies of the sayd States came to Bruges where the Duke was All the chiefe Noblemen of the Court and the Magistrates of the Towne went to meete him conducting him to the Duke his fathers lodging where hee lighted and went vp vnto his chamber as soone as hee saw him hee kneeled downe three times and at the third time he sayd My most honored Lord and Father I haue vnderstood that you are offended against me for three things declaring the same three points which hee had made knowne vnto the deputies of the States whereof he excused himselfe Notwithstanding said he if I haue in any other thing moued you to anger I most humbly cry you mercy As for all your excuses answered the Duke I know the trueth speake no more of them but seeing you are come to aske forgiuenesse be you a good sonne and I will bee a good father to you then hee tooke him by the hand raised him vp and pardoned him all This done the Deputies tooke their leaue of the Father and the Sonne being glad to haue performed so good a worke The same day that this reconciliation was made the Lord of Croy parted early in the morning from Bruges and retired to Tournay to the French King who was there then In the moneth of Iune 1464. the French King came to Amiens and from thence to Saint Pol where hee found the Duke of Bourgongne The Earle of S. Pol feasted them with great state then they went together to Hesdin whereas the king required him to yeeld vnto him the gouernment of Lille Douay and Orchies satisfying him the sum of two hundred thousand Liuers and paying him 10000. Liuers of yearly pension for which summes of money hee said the sayd Gouernment had beene ingaged by a King of France long since to an Earle of Flanders Wherevnto the duke answered that when his Grand-father duke Philip called the Hardie sonne to Iohn King of France tooke to wife the Lady Marguerite daughter and onely heire to Lewis of Male Earle of Flanders the said Chastelenies were giuen to him and his heires males for euer by the King and in case he had not any then to returne vnto the Crowne for the sayd summe and yearely rent The King made certaine other demands vnto the duke but he would not hearken vnto them for that they were vnreasonable The duke for his part made three requests vnto the King the first was that he would receiue the Earle of Charolois his sonne into his grace and fauour for that he heard the King had beene displeased with him The second was that he would not force the Gentlemen his subiects and resident in his countries holding any fees
Noblemen to court among others the Earle of Saint Pol Anthonie and Baldwine his bastard brethren braue Kinghts and the most of the Duke his fathers counsell to whom hee sayde My maisters and friends I cannot nor will not conceale from you any longer my heartes discontent but will presently deliuer vnto you that which I haue kept long secret I would haue you know that the Lord of Croy with his kinsmen and Allyes are and so I repute them for my greatest and most mortall enemies Then he made knowne the causes vnto them the which hee sent in writing to all the good Townes of his fathers countries Hauing spoken thus vnto his friendes hee gaue notice vnto the Siegneor of Quivarin who was chiefe Chamberlayne to the Duke his father by two or three Knights that hee should retier himselfe from the Duke his fathers seruice and that he should be packing with as little brute as he could without aduertising of his Father least he should be disquieted The signior of Quieurain was much perplexed at these newes beeing loath to leaue so good a house whereas all his kindred had growne great and rich but hee feared to offend the Earle Hee therefore without taking aduice of any one went the next daie in the morning to the Duke and falling downe vpon his knees before him thanked him most humbly for the good and honour hee had receiued from his greatnesse beseeching him to take his poore seruice in good part crauing leaue to depart seeing that the Earle his Sonne had sent him worde that hee would kill him if he retyred not The Duke hearing him speake in this sorte was exceeding wroth and hauing commanded him to stay he tooke a boarspeere in his hand and went out of his chamber full of rage saying to them that were about him that he would goe see if his Sonne would kill his seruants Those that were present seeing him in that estate caused the gates to bee shut and the Porter to bee hidden so as the Duke could not get forth whilest they sought for the keies the duchesse of Bourbon his Sister and many ladies of his house came with Anthonie of Bourgongne his bastard who vsed such milde perswasions as they did some what pacifie his rage and he returned into his chamber During this trouble the Signior of Quieurain got out of the Court and departed with one with him as secretly as he could The Earle knowing that his Father was much displeased with him was euery day in counsell as well with his owne as with the Dukes cheife Councellors seeking all meanes to pacifie him euery man imploying himselfe all he could in that good seruice In the ende it was thought good that the Earle should write vnto all the good townes of his Fathers Countries what his heart thought and the reasons which mooued him to discharge them of Croy from the seruice of his house which letter should be red publikely in all places that euerie man might be aduertised thereof The like letters were sent vnto all the cheife of the Nobilitie the tenor whereof is to bee red at large in my great chronicle the which I omit here for breuities sake they were dated the two and twenty of March 1464. The same month of March the Signior of Roubais with good troupes went by the Earles commande to seaze vpon the towne and castell of Lanoy thinking to finde the lord of the place there beeing Nephew to the lord of Croy who was then Gouernor of Lille and baylife of Amiens but they neyther found him nor his wife nor children there for beeing aduertised of Roubais comming hee had retyred himselfe with all his gold siluer and richest mouables into the towne of Tournay two leagues from thence then held by the French The Earle gaue the sayd towne and castell of Lanoy to Iames of Luxembourg brother to the Earle of Saint Pol withall the prouision that was found within it the which was verie great both in poudred flesh meale and other prouisions and munition of warre At that time Charles duke of Berry brother to Lewis the leauenth the French King being about eighteene yeares olde whome the King kept in his Court simplier and in meaner estate then hee had beene in the time of their Father Charles the seauenth one day he made shew to goe a hunting with ten men onelie and fled for refuge to the Duke of Brittaine the discours of all the troubles which followed after in France being called the warre of the common-weale is written at large in the Inuentorie of the Historie of France to the which I will referre the Reader for that it doth not properly belong vnto our subiect The Earle of Charolois writ letters to them of Arras sending them word that he was aduertised that the lord of Croy and his friends did leauy men to lead them out of the duke his Fathers countries that the Earle of Neuers was gone with the lord of Croy to molest the sayd countries the which he ment to preuent and therefore hee commanded them to make publicke proclamations in all their iurisdictions that none should presume to serue his couzin of Neuers nor them of Croy without the duke his Fathers leaue vpon paine of confiscation of bodie and goods The twelfth day of Aprill 1465. which was the day of our Redeemers passion a great diuine preached at Busselles in the chappell of the Court in the presence of the duke and of a great and noble assembly In his sermon hee discoursed at large what clemency and mercy was that he might mooue the duke to remit the discontent hee had against his Sonne by reason of the lord of Chimay the which vntill that daie hee would not do The sermon being ended many knights of the golden Fleece went vnto the Duke and beseeched him humblie that according to the Preachers exhortation he would pardon his sonne the offence which hee had committed The next day about noone the Earle went to present himselfe before his Father vpon his knee saying My most redoubted lord and father I beseech you for the honour of the passion of our Lord Iesus Christ that it would please you to pardon mee that which I haue misdone for what I haue done hath beene to preserue you and my selfe also from death and for the preseruation of all your Countries and subiects as I will giue you to vnderstand at large hereafter And hauing spoken other wordes wisely and humbly to the great satisfaction of all the hearers The duke holding him by the elbow and looking still in his face sayd vnto him Charles my Sonne all that euer you haue misdone vnto this day I pardon bee a good Sonne vnto mee and I wil be a good father vnto thee In speaking of which words the teares stood in the dukes eyes the which mooued the hearts of all the company so as some could not forbeare weeping This reconciliation made betwixt the Father and
not of a long time ended Hee had also some controuersie with the Ilandes of Amelande in Frise-land refusing to pay the tribute which they did owe vnto the Earles of Holland vnto whome the duke did send Gerard Ensem a famous man borne at Enchuysen who was well receiued by the States of the countrie sending vnto the duke the Abbots of Lidlum Stauerea and Florencampe with some of their Nobles and deputies of townes to the Hage and there accorded with him The which was done and the troubles ended by the wisedome of these deputies who were mediators betwixt the duke and the commons of Friseland In those times the lord of Brederode and Ghysbrecht his brother Prouost Cathedrall of Vtrecht were in great credit with the bishoppe and gouerned the whole citty so as by their meanes the bishoppe did what hee would with them of Vtrecht renewing the Magistrate of the towne contrarie to their preuiledges the which hauing renewed hee sent for them all into his chamber in the presence of the two brethren of Brederode and of Reynier his councellors and sayd vnto them that his intent was that if happely in the administration of their charges vnder his obedience there happened any difficulties they should haue recourse vnto those two lords of Brederode and that without any opposition they should do what they commanded which they promised to do In the yeare 1470. those whome the two brethren of Brederode and their Allies had of a long time banished out of Vtrecht seeking to be reuenged and to bee restored to the towne made manie false reportes vnto the duke of Bourgongne and the Bishop of Vtrecht against them the which were lightly beleeued especially in that which concerned the person of the sayd Bishoppe whom they had giuen to vnderstand that the sayd lord of Brederode and his partisans had conspired to expell him and to restore the Prouost Cathedrall his brother who had beene formerly chosen But although these two bretheren were exceedingly well beloued in the towne of Vtrecht and throughout the whole countrie yet this practise was mannaged so secretly as they could not discouer any thing vntill the mischiefe fell vpon them In the meanetime the Lord of Brederode beeing sent by the superintendentes of the towne and countrie of Vtrecht to treate of some businesse with their Bishoppe beeing come to the towne of Wyke to the Bishoppes Pallace not doubting anie thing hee was apprehended as a prisoner with fiue of his base Sonnes that is Walrad Drossort of Hagenstein Renold Baylife of Vosholl Henry Hans and Iohn the younger This done the Bishoppe went to Vtrecht and seized the same day of Ghysbercht his brother whome hee carried likewise to Wyke releasing foure of his bastards and retayning onely Walrad The enemies of these Lordes of Brederode gaue it out generally that they were Traitors and that if the Bishop had not committed them to prison within three daies they had expelled him his Bishopricke the which they spake the more to incense the Bishoppe and the duke of Bourgongne against them But they were held to bee their owne practises to haue some collour to ruine this house of Brederode by these slanderous and false reportes For what collour or likelehood was there that these two brethren who knewe they had priuate enemies within the countrie would haue attemped any thing against the duke of Bourgongne for what toucht the Bishoppe toucht him whome they knewe to bee mightie who had euen newly forced the French King and ruined the Liegeois who were ten times as powerfull as all those of the house of Brederode and their Allies without doubt there was no reason to beleeue it They must then picke some quarrell against them to ruine them Informations were sought for in all places at the Bishoppes charge to ruine them The Bishoppe did also cast into prison Iohn of Amerongen Baylife of Vtrecht Hee would also willingly haue layed hold of the Vicont of Montfort but hee retired himselfe Walrad bastard to the Lord of Brederode was tortured hauing it giuen him foure times most cruelly but hee would neuer confesse any thing of that which they demaunded persisting still in the negatiue They did also put Iohn of Amerongen to the racke vpon the like interrogatories who confessed some-thing with the torments whose confession was sent to the duke of Bourgongne who grewe into such great anger and choller as hee would not any more heare nor see the Ladie Yolante wife to the lord of Brederode who by the intercession of the Ladie Isabella of Portugall the dukes mother and some Noblemen was a sutor vnto him that it would please him to take some knowledge of her husbands cause and that beeing a Noble knight of the Golden fleece his processe might bee adiudged and ended by other knights and his Noble Peeres and according to the Articles of the sayd order the which was denied her whereby it appeeres that they beganne betimes to infringe them and made waie for the Spaniards who haue broken them since Walrad bastard of Brederode hauing beene so cruelly tortured yet confessed nothing nine weekes after his imprisonment hee found meanes to escape The which did so vexe the Bishop and his councell as without any respect to the ranke or age of the sayd lord of Brederode they condemned him to haue the extraordinarie Racke to force that from his owne mouth which his bastard would not confesse and which the Baylife of Vtrecht through the violence of the torture had but partly confest Foure men of account went vnto the prison to the affore sayd Lord of Brederode whereof the one was Marshall to the Duke who had certaine Articles written the which he read vnto him saying That Walrad his Bastard and Iohn of Amerongen had confessed them and vpon this confession suffred death by the sworde and that hee must confesse them in like sort and in so doing hee should haue grace The Lord of Brederode answered resolutlie That hee could not saie any thing to those Articles and that if Walrad and Amerongen had confessed them they should haue beene confronted with him before their death These foure Commissionars Iudges pickt out to seeke the ruine of this poore Noble Gentleman not content with this answere caused him to be layed vpon the Rack stretching him in such sort thrise togither as at euerie time they were forced to take him of thinking hee had beene dead beeing some-what reuiued hee sayd vnto them You may cause mee to die in this marterdome but you can neuer force mee to say any thing but the truth The duke of Bourgongne hearing what had beene done vnto him for the knights of the order made great complaintes vnto him hauing seene his confessions and denialls hee appointed that his processe should bee vewed and examined by the knights of the order and hee himselfe heard verbally in his defences there were therefore sent Iohn of Berghes knight and Iohn Halewyn conseller
their magistrates to examine them giuing them an assistant of the house of La Marke a mortall enemie to the Lorde of Humbercourt In the beginning they examined them Why they had caused the Lord of Cordes to deliuer vp the cittie of Arras vnto the King but they stucke but little vppon that point although they could not haue conuinced them of any other their passions were not busied about the notable losse of such a Cittie neither did they care â—…o see their Princesse grow weake nor were the capable to comprehend and iudge how preiudiciall the losse of that Towne might bee hereafter The Commissioners or Iudges of the Ganthois stood onely vpon two points the one was vpon certaine gifts and presents which they obiected they had receiued and especially for a sute which the Cittie of Gaunt had lately gotten by their seâ—…tence and pronounced by the Chancellor against a priuat person wherein they accused him To haue sold iustice and to haue taken a bribe of them to haue their right Whereunto the accused answered That in that they had obtained their sute it was according to equitie and iustice that they had iudged it and as for the money which they had receiued they demaunded it not but tooke it when it was offered The second matter wherewith the Commissioners did charge them was That during the time they were in seruice with Duke Charles their Maister and in his absence his Lieutenants they had done many things against the Priuiledges and Statutes of their Towne and that any man that attempted any thing against their Priuiledges must loose his life Herevnto the accused answered That therein there was no matter to charge them withall being neither Bourgesses of the Towne nor any way subiect vnto it and therefore they could not breake their Priuiledges That if Duke Charles or his father had taken any from them it was by a composition made betwixt them after many warres and rebellions but those that had been left them had been well obserued Notwithstanding all the excuses and iustifications of these famous and worthy men vnto those two crimes obiected after they had tormented them cruelly without all order of Lawe the Magistrates of Gaunt condemned them to die They hearing this cruell sentence were much amazed and not without cause seeing themselues in their handes whereas reason had no place notwithstanding for that the soueraigntie of Flanders depended on the crowne of France they did appeale to the Parliament at Paris hoping at the least that it might giue some delay to the execution of the sentence and in the meane time their friends might help to saue their liues There Processe continued but sixe dayes and notwithstanding the sayd appellation being condemned they gaue them but three houres libertie to consider of their affaires and to dispose themselues to death This short time being expired they led them to the Market-place vpon a Scaffold to execute them by the sword The Princesse hearing of this condemnation went to the Towne-house to sue and intreate for these two Noble-men but it preuailed not from thence she went into the Market-place whereas all the people beeing in armes shee saw these two Noble-men that were condemned vpon the Scaffold shee was in a mourning weed and a plaine kerchief on her head which should haue mooued them to pittie Being there shee beseeched the people with teares in her eyes and her haire hanging about her eares to take pitty of her two seruants and deliuer them vnto her Some of the people would haue had her will fulfilled and that they should not die others would haue the contrary and began to bend their Pikes one against another and were ready for murther but those that would haue them dye were the greatest number who cryed out vnto the Officers that were vppon the Scaffold that they should dispatch them wherevppon they lost their heades and this poore Princesse returned desolate to her house After that the Ganthois had done this execution they did sequester from their Princesse the Dutchesse Dowager of Bourgongne her mother in law and the Lorde of Ravensteyn her kinsman for that they had set their hands to the Letter which the Chancellor and Humbercourt had carryed to the King was the cause of their death and did seaze absolutely of the authoritie and gouernment of this poore Princesse Shee might well bee termed poore not onely for the losse of many good Townes which the King had taken from her by force but to see her selfe in the power and subiection of ancient Rebels and very persecutors of her house and that which was the greatest miserie of all was to see her selfe so depriued of her liberty sequestred from her most familiar friendes They of Gaunt hauing forcibly seazed vpon the gouernment of State and of their Princesse person put two Noble-men to death chased whom they pleased out of their Towne and spoyled all the ancient seruantes of the House of Bourgongne of their goods Now they began to studie of alteration first they drew the yong Duke of Gelders out of prison who had beene taken neere vnto Namur and then sent to Gaunt and made him head of an Armie which they raised among themselues and their neighbours of Bruges Ypre and other places and sent it before Tournay where hee onely burnt the Suburbes without any profit There was within the Towne foure hundred men at Armes who sallied foorth and charged these Flemmings in the Reere as they made their retreate who presently fled with disorder The yong duke of Geldres who was a valiant Prince made head against them that pursued that his people might haue the better meanes to retier but beeing ill seconded hee was slaine with a good number of his people The Princesse of Bourgongne and those that loued her were glad of this defeat and of the death of the Prince of Geldres for it was sayd that the Ganthois intended to force her to marry with him else shee would neuer haue done it with her owne good liking for his great disloyaltie and cruelty against his father In the meane time there was a speech of diuers marriages for the Princesse of Bourgongne all men concluding generally that shee must haue a husband to defend all the rest of her Seigneories or els that shee should marrie the Daulphin of France that shee might enioye all in peace Some did much affect that Royall marriage especially shee her selfe before that her letters carried by the Chancellor and Humbercourt had beene discouered Others tooke exception at the Daulphins young and tender age and the marriage of him promised wiâ—…h the daughter of England There were others that laboured for the prince of Cleues Others for Maximillian Arch-duke of Austria the onely sonne to the Emperour Frederick This Princesse had conceiued an extreame hatred against the French King for the discouerie of her letters for shee imagined that hee had beene the cause in giuing them
restrained like a very prisoner in the towne of Bruges some townes of Flanders as Alost Deudermonde Oudenarde Hulst others insteed of liking and approuing the folly of the Ganthois Brugeois did them contrariwise much mischiefe by spoyling and burning euen vnto their very Ports making them to taste of the wrong they did vnto their Princesse father holding him so treacherously and presumptuosly prisoner The which imprisonment was no sooner come to the knowledge of the Emperour Frederic the Kings father but hee made his moue to the Princes of the Empire complaining of the presumption and treacherie of the Ganthois and Brugeois requiring them that all affaires and excuses set aside euery one would come with his forces according to his estate to the Rendezuous that hee should assigne them and so with their vntited forces marche towards Flanders and deliuer the King his sonne Many Princes Earles and Barons came about mid-May others sent their Lieutenants with forces and so did the Imperiall townes The Pope was also intreated to interpose his authoritie wherein Herman of Hessen Archbishop of Cologne was imployed to perswade them of Gaunt Bruges and Ypre by threats and ecclesiasticall censures to set at libertie the King his Officers and houshold seruants within a certaine time limited or that otherwise hee would proceed against them by way of excommunication These Flemings not so much for feare of the Popes thundring as of the storme which approched by the Emperor set the King at libertie suffring him to goe where he pleased yea they made meanes vnto him to pardon them and that hee would bee reconciled vnto the foure members of Flanders Wherevnto the King did not refuse to giue eare The which did much discontent the great Councell of Macklyn and the Prouinces of Holland and Zeeland who by the Emperors comming whom they did expect would gladly haue seene these mutinous Flemings punished Notwithstanding some deputies of Brabant and Zeeland assisted by Adolph of Cleues Lord of Rauesteyn came to Bruges to the States of Flanders Whereas matters were so handled as it was concluded that the King should bee contented for certaine thousands of Crownes to renounce the gouernment of Flanders where there should bee appointed certaine Curators vntill the Prince Philip were come to age But the States of Brabant Holland Zeeland and West-Frisland would not haue nor acknowledge in their Prouinces any other Curator or head then the King of Romaines father to their Prince wherein they had reason There were also in this conference many points agreed vpon which seemed to be profitable for the country the King and their Prince according to the which the King was deliuered but not his seruants Yet hee pardoned them all and tooke a solemne oath to entertaine this accord for assurance whereof he left Philip of Cleues sonne to the Lord of Rauesteyn in hostage In the meane time the which was cause of great warre and miseries which followed the Archbishop of Cologne proceeding to the execution of his Commission the Flemings hauing not inlarged the King by the day limitted pronounced the sentence of excommunication against the townes of Gaunt Bruges and Ypre the which made them odious to all the world calling them excommunicated and damned persons no man being willing to conuerse nor to haue to doe with them Yet afterwards by the intercession of the French king soueraigne Lord of Flanders held immediatly of the Crowne of France they so purged themselues to the Pope as he absolued them from the Archbishops cursse Whilest that matters were thus handled in Flanders the Emperor Frederic aduanuanced still with his armie and that of the Princes and Imperiall Townes vntill hee came to Macklin whereas Maximilian King of the Romaines his sonne went to meete him and to receiue him being accompanied with the Princes Barons Noblemen Knights and chiefe Captaines of his traine whom hauing thanked for the great paines they had taken to come and succour him comming before the Emperor his father he cast himselfe vpon his knees beseeching him most humbly to pardon them as hee had done them of Bruges if it were but in respect of the oath which he had made and the faith which hee had giuen them wherevnto the Emperor would by no meanes yeeld some Prelates perswading the King that his oath did not binde him to people that were excommunicated The Ganthois knowing that the Emperour came in Armes against them intreated Philip of Rauestein to be their generall as it had beene agreed at the treatie of Bruges the which he accepted There were with him in the Citty of Gaunt the Earle of Vendosine and many Noblemen Captaines come out of France to succour them You may see how the French Kings councell not-with-standing the peace sought all meanes to annoy the King of the Romaines and the estate of Prince Philip his sonne The Lord of Rauesteyn being in field with his Ganthois surprised by pollicie the Towne of Scluse in Flanders which is the onely Sea Port by the which the Brugeois haue accesse into the Brittish Seas The Emperor and the Noblemen of Germanie marched with their Armie vntill they came about Gant and Bruges spoiling the champian country onely without any other memorable exployt They incountred some-times with the Flemings but they neuer came vnto a battaile neither did they take any Townes one from another The Germaines thought once to surprise Dam where there is a stay of the Sea-water betwixt Scluse and Bruges but their enterprise succeeding not they were repulst with great losse among others a brother of the Marquis of Brandenbourgs was slaine The 21. of May thinking to do as much at Gaunt many of their men being entred marching in the street that was before them thinking that they had wonne the towne the Ganthois hauing suffered as many to enter as they thought good and might easily maister they cut downe the Port-cullis of the gate where they were taken likewise in a trappe and were all slaine or drowned In the end the Emperor seeing that he should with great difficultie preuaile ouer these mightie Townes of Gant Bruges and Ypre his horsmen hauing ruined all the countrie of Flanders and eaten all that was to bee found so as there was nothing left hauing done no memorable act worthy the writing and the hard time of winter approching the Germaines louing their Stoues too well after that they had furnished the Townes of Alost Oudenard Deudermonde Hulst and other Townes with good garrisons the Emperor retired into Germanie leauing with the Archduke Maximilian his sonne king of Romaines Albert Duke of Saxonie Landtgraue of Misnia whom he made Gouernor of the Netherlands to make warre as well against the Flemings as the Frisons as we will briefly shew ALBERT DVKE OF SAXONY LANDâ—… graue of Misnia second Gouernor Lieutenant and Generall for the Prince in his Netherlands ALBERTVS DVX SAXONIâ—… GVBERâ—… BELGIâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Flemings and the Frison race The which the
king Philip his sonne and giuing him his last blessing hee imbraced him and bad him farewell as hee did all the princes and noblemen then he imbarked with the two queenes his sisters and sayled towards Spain where they arriued in a short time hauing a prosperous wind Hauing rested some dayes in the citie of Valladolit he made choice for his retreat of a Monasterie of S. Ierosme the Hermit situated in Estremadura not farre from Placence an vnfrequented place and fit to meditate on heauenly things being retired from all wordly cogitations whither he caused himselfe to be conducted to passe the rest of his daies there which were not aboue two yeares spending his time in holy and godly workes and giuing himselfe wholly to a contemplatiue life And for that he would bee the better able to spend his time in prayers and the seruice of God hee would haue his sisters liue from him at Valladolit that they might not trouble him he reserued but 100000 crownes a yeare to himselfe whereof he imployed only 4000 for his diet and entertainment the rest he appointed to marry yong maids to relieue widowes and orphanes and for other workes of charitie as befits a good and Christian prince D. GShilippus Rex Catholicus PHILIP OF AVSTRIA THE SIX AND thirtieth Earle of Holland Zeeland c. the second of that name duke of Brabant c. Earle of Flanders c. By true and right discent of Holland I am Lord And of the wealthie Netherlands vnited by accord But cruell counsell of th' Inquisition Was cause that did procure their woe and great destruction Loue burning in my brest did me his subiect make And moued me foure seuerall wiues one after other take My cousin last of them a sonne onely did leaue Of tender yeares when cruell death did her of life bereaue THE EIGHT BOOKE The Argument THe birth of Philip the second of that name king of Spaine Pope Paul the fourth seeks occasions to make war against him who sends the duke of Alua for his generall King Philip giues the order of the Golden Fleece at Brussels A great famine in the Netherlands in the yere 1536 1537. S. Quintines besieged by the Bourguignons the French thinking to releeue it are defeated The â—…onstable of France and many noble men are prisoners and in the end the towne is taken by assault Ham and â—…hastelet yeelded Calais besieged by the French and yeelded by the English to the duke of Guise with Guines â—…hich was taken by assault and the castle of Hames abandoned Theonuille yeelded to the French Aaclon taken and burnt by them with the townes of Winox-Berghe and Dunkerke The same French men vnder the marshall 〈◊〉 Termes are defeated in battaile neere vnto Grauelingue The death of the emperour Charles the fifth to when his brother Ferdinand king of Romanes and Hungarie succeeded About the same time died the queens Dowaers of France and of Hungarie the emperours sisters with Marie queene of England to whom her sister Elizaâ—…eth succeeded A peace betwixt France and Spaine by mariages The king of Spaines mariage turned into teres by the death of Henry the second the French king ¶ Marguerite of Austria bestâ—…d to the emperour Charles the fifth duchesse of Parma succeeds the duke of Sauoy in the gouernment of the Netherlands The kig of Spaines last departure out of the said countries The death of George of Egmont bishop of Vtrecht to whoâ—… succeeded Frederic Schenck of Taulenburch who was the last bishop A subtill bringing in of the Spanish Inâ—…isition into the Netherlands by the creation of new bishops An abstract of the life of cardinall Granuellet A diuision betwixt the chiefe noblemen of the countrey The earle of Egmont sent into Spaine touching the trobles that were like to grow and what answer he brought Letters from the Gouernesse to the counsellors of the pouinces touching the edicts and the Inquisition The prince of Oranges answere to the Gouernesse The first beâ—…inning proceeding and effects of the Inquisition An enterview of the noblemen of the countrey A discourse â—…ewing the meanes to redresse the troubles An assembly of the nobilitie at the mariage of the prince of Parmain Brussels and afterwards at Saint Truden to preuent the troubles their compromise and confederation A petition made by them of Brabant to the king of Spaine to preuent the troubles A petition made by the nobilitâ—… against the bloudie edicts and the Inquisition The Duchesse answere thereunto and all her practises to circumâ—…nt them and disioine them as she did The first defeat of the Protestants in the Netherlands Tournay made sâ—…biect by practise Valenciennes besieged battered and yeelded The defeat of Austruel The negotiation of the lord of Brederode in Amsterdam who retires into Germanie and so dothe the prince of Orange The death of the Marques of Berghen in Spaine An apologie made by the Protestants of the Netherlands touching the cause and beginning of the troubles PHILIP of Austria the thirtie sixth Earle of Holland and Zeeland the second of that name Lord of Vtrecht Friseland Ouerissell and Groningen the onely sonne of Charles the fifth Emperor of Romanes and of the lady Isabella daughter to king Dom Emanuel of Portugall He was borne the 21 day of May in the yere 1527 at Valiodolit in Spain where he was nourished and bred vp for the space of twentie two yeares vntil that in the yeare 1549 the emperour his father sent for him to come into the Netherlands to haue made him aswel his successor in the empire if it had been possible as of all his other kingdoms and Belgicke prouinces whereof the emperour as we haue said in the former booke disrobed himselfe and put him in full possession thereof in his life-time The emperour beeing retired into Spaine to a solitarie and a contemplatiue life king Philip his sonne began to order and settle the gouernment of the Netherlands making Eâ—…nuel Philibert duke of Sauoy lieutenant-generall of his armie And hauing sent thomaâ—… ques of Pesquaire before to take possession of the realme of Naples in his naine hee 〈◊〉 â—…oice of Dom Fernando Aluares of Toledo duke of Alua to be his viccroy there And foâ—…ch aâ—… at that time the war against the French began to grow more violent he commanded the dukâ—…â—…o depart presently out of the Netherlands and to go into Italie giuing him charge to stay soâ—…e time at Milan and to dispose of matters concerning the warre In the which the duâ—… of Alâ—… as generall for the Spanyard and Francis of Lorraine duke of Guise for the French king wâ—… small honor and reputation This war of Italie was attempted by king Philip against the popâ—… in whose succour Henry the 2 the French king sent the duke of Guise with an armie whiâ—… war for that it doth not concerne our hystorie of the Netherlands we will omit and refer tâ—… curious reader to them that treat of that subiect This Summer
of the contract of matrimonie in Paris for him and in his name with the lady Isabella and at the same time the duke of Sauoy rid thither with a great traine to marry with the kings sister which was done with great triumphs where there was a great running at tilt appointed to be holden in Paris wherin the king himselfe the duke of Guise the prince of Serrare and the duke de Nemours were chalengers against all commers The king in the first and second daies ran brauely and the third day the queene fearing hee would ouer-labor and heat himselfe too much or hauing a secret conceit of some misfortune that might happen vnto him desired him to refrain from running that day but he would not and the third day when he had run two houres and was about to giue ouer he would needs shew that he was not wearie and calling Monsieur Lorges earle of Montgomery then captaine of his guard that was esteemed to be one of the best runners at tilt in France willed him to breake one launce more with him who excused himselfe by the wearinesse of his horse and other things but the king would not be denied and so as they were running one against the other it fortuned that Montgomery breaking his launce vpon the kings breast the splinters thereof slew into the kings visor of his helmet which was forgotten to be close shut and by reason that the visor gaue vp one of the splinters strucke the king in the right eye and wounded him deadly and when he began to stagger he was vpholden and taken downe from his horse sore bleeding with great crying of all the court and many of the people and being vnarmed and his wound visited by diuers expert surgeons whereof one was Andreas Vesalius sent thither by king Philip it was found to be mortall and altogether deadly and yet by the great experience and policie of the said surgeons he liued ten daies after and died vpon the tenth of August 1554 at the age of fortie yeres and in the twelfth yere of his raigne at his death complaining of his owne lightnes and also amongst other things that he had been ouer-rigorous against those of the reformed religion but the Cardinall of Lorraine told him that it was the diuell that troubled his mind so much willing him to striue and resist against him He was a wise prince and a right souldier couetous of honour and high minded The earle of Montgomery after the deed done fell downe vpon his knees before him acknowledging that hee had well deserued to die but the king would not in any wise that it should bee imputed vnto him but freely forgaue him as hauing compelled him thereunto but he presently departed from the court keeping himselfe solitarily as a man desolat comfortlesse but being counselled to read the holy Scriptures for his consolation as the Frenchmen write in the end it was the meanes to cause him to alter his religion and being before that a Romish Catholick and one that earnestly persecuted the reformed religion after that became a great protector defendor thereof in Fraunce and at the last being besieged in a small towne of Normandy called Damsron he was taken prisoner from thence caried to Paris and there openly beheaded whose death was imputed vnto the queene her children to be a point of cruelty reuenge King Henry left issue foure sonnes and three daughters Isabella the eldest was then espoused to the king of Spaine the second was dutchesse of Lorraine and the third queene of Nauarre Francis the eldest sonne was maried to the queene of Scotland and succeeded his father after him Charles after him Henry that was also king of Poland Francis the fourth son in Ann. 1582 was made duke of Brabant all which died without issue In K. Henry the seconds time two great sinnes raigned much in France as Atheisme Nigromancie which was much imputed to the Italians that were attendants vpon Q. Katherine de Medices and thought to be they that brought it in wherein many French poets and rymers were great helpers which many wise and learned men ascribe to be the cause of the deserued punishment that fell vpon the country of France Those of the reformed religion in Fraunce write that strange death of the king to be iustly sent vnto him and a great fauour of God towards them as thereby shewing his church his great power and a deliuery from a great persecution which the duke of Alua being there at that time sought to put in practise by the said kings aid according to the first article of the last peace concluded tending to the destruction of all those of the reformed religion throughout the world which it seemeth that the king sought to begin with the lords of his parliament among the rest committed Anna du bourg prisoner that openly spake vnto the king in the parliament house to be fauourable to those of the reformed religion for which cause the K. being fore moued threatned him that he would himself see him burnt which God by the wound in his eie would not suffer him to do but the said duhourg was afterward burnt notwithstāding the kings death This yere in August Pope Paule the fourth of the familie of Caraffa that was the cause of breaking the peace and had made war against the king of Spaine and the first founder of the Iesuits died in Rome at such time as with all his kinred and sect he had vndertaken and concluded to make a great persecution vnder pretence of religion against all good persons His death gaue many men cause to reioice especially the inhabitants of Rome in regard of the innumerable warres taxations burthens that he his practised procured so that the people of Rome arming themselues ran vnto the Inquisition house where they wounded the chiefe Inquisitor the rest flying away to saue their liues which done they burnt the house and released the prisoners would haue burnt the cloyster of Minerua because they were addicted vnto the Inquisitors if by meanes of Marcus Antoniu◅ Columna and Iulius Caesarino it had not beene preuented who by many faire words dissuaded them from it whereby also the Popes nephewes and kindreds houses were likewise spared The Popes image standing in the Capitoll they beat downe and drawing it through the streets cast it into the riuer of Tyber and commandement giuen in the name of the counsell and people of Rome vpon paine of great punishment that all the Popes and his familie of Caraffes images armes shields and titles should be broken downe in euery place of Rome as deadly enemies vnto mankind whose memorie deserued not to bee kept in the world Pope Pius the fourth his successor although hee had promised Cardinall Caraffa and the duke of Paliano his cousin and their familie to forgiue all offences fore-past and assured them thereof by his hand writing yet neuerthelesse he caused them all to
couragiously defended them in their warres did most commonly deserue and win the ciuill and politick gouernment thereof and to honor them for the same obtained the names and titles of dukes earles and barons c. In regard whereof they haue had no greater nor absoluter authoritie ouer the subiects and inhabitants of the same than such as at their entries and coronations were specified declared and set downe But as many heads or rulers cannot defend and preserue that which belongeth vnto them so well as one alone that hath good well deuised and politicke meanes therefore necessitie compelled them to chuse and appoint amongst them a certaine small number of fit persons to whom they gaue the commission charge and care to vphold and maintaine their priuiledges and they in that behalfe were called by the names of the States and by that means the people were diuided into three parts or members of the Commonwealth as Spiritualtie Nobilitie and citizens or townesmen and those protectors of their said priuiledges were called being so diuided the second or third estates of the lands as in Brabant the foureteene Abbots represent the Spirituall state the eighteene barons and the gentlemen of their houses represent the state of the Nobilitie and the deputies of the foure head townes of Brabant with their appendances make the third estate representing the whole commons of the Dutchie The like doe they of Lutzenburgh Henault Artois Namure and Zeeland Flanders representeth her estates by the foure members of the said Countie Guelderland consisteth in barons gentlemen and townes in Vtrecht the States are represented by the fiue Capitals the gentlemen townes in Holland Oueryssel c. the States consist of the ancient nobilitie and the townes and in Friseland in another sort So that these prouinces at all times when they haue had no lord or such lords or princes as were incapable of gouernmēt or els such as were vnder yeres or not receiued and installed in their gouernment were ruled and gouerned by the States aforesaid whereby their gouernment may well be called Aristocratique or paucorum potentia wherein notwithstanding the superior lords and princes gouerning wel and wisely according to their priuiledges may vse great authoritie and do whatsoeuer they will so it be well done but doing the contrary they are to be ordered by the States and the States by the commons that are diuided into handicrafts guilds and fellowships which are ruled by their masters and wardens whereby some men call it a mixed or composed gouernment The Netherlanders get their liuings most part by handiworks marchandises and seafaring and that vprightlier and trulier than any other Nation being compared together as all Nations generally and vsually report of them being a people much addicted to labor and getting of riches and therefore greatly desirous of peace and haters of warre patiently bearing any wrong or iniurie and meeke in crosses and aduersities but very iealous of their freedoms and stubborne hauing bin oftentimes deceiued they are subtile politicke and industrious in all things whereunto they apply their minds hauing no prowd nor great conceit of themselues as other Nations haue and by that meanes are diligent ready and fit to learne any things of others that may benefit them which maketh them hauing learned an occupation to be great and willing trauellers to see and visit other countries to learne all kind of trades and to speake diuers kinds of languages hauing many both great and indifferent learned men in all arts and sciences within their countries as also diuers godly zealous and religious persons as many things doe and will manifest the same By these meanes aforesaid they are become a rich populous and mightie people to withstand so long and continuall a warre and yet possesse but a small circuit of land which notwithstanding is as full of great and mightie townes as any land or countrey within Europe For the meaner sort of gentlemen there are not many in the same for that in regard that the countrey is not great therefore much land is inherited therein by such as haue beene rich bourgers and citizens of townes and by the Spiritualtie which the great zeale of the seruice of God hath caused so that in diuers prouinces there hath beene order taken that the Spiritualtie may not buy any lands or inheritances And this hath beene the cause that in some prouinces the number of the meaner sort of gentlemen is much diminished and yet there is a great many of good gentlemen of auncient houses in euery prouince which possesse great indifferent and smaller liuings as many as in any other countrey whatsoeuer yet more in one prouince than in another And for that there are no great number of meane gentlemen in the said prouinces their lords or princes tyrannously addicted could not well brooke their subiects but were forced to deale ciuilely And it hath many times happened and fallen out that the lords and princes by ouer-much prodigalitie falling into great debt sold pawned and made away all their lands iurisdictions and demaines which by their rich subiects haue been bought redeemed and freed againe wherein chiefely the common sort of people and the townes haue had the greatest hand which done they freely gaue them againe to their sayd lords and princes vpon certaine conditions and contracts which are called priuiledges and chatters and were the causes to procure great and speciall friendship betweene the sayd princes and their subiects but their successors forgetting those former fauours and forepassed good deeds were by those conditions charters or priuiledges put in mind thereof by the old or chiefe magistrates states counsellors and officers who euery man entering into their offices did likewise sweare to obserue and maintaine the said priuiledges and when they would not hearken vnto them by want of means and aid of any great number of meane gentlemen their high minds instabilitie or tyrannies were cut off shortened and bridled and yet notwithstanding did many times enter into armes wherby also the tumultuous disordered and vnbrideled manners and behauiors of the common people haue beene cooled and abated so that by meanes of the priuiledges aforesaid the said gouernment hath hitherto beene well maintayned or equally ballanced and may rightly be called a mixed or composed gouernment participating with Monarchia Aristocratia and Democratia contenting themselues with meane princes as Dukes Earles and Barons not absolute but bound vnto their subiects by contract These great authorities and priuiledges of the prouinces and states did commonly much dislike the great and mightiest princes ruling ouer them and amongst the rest duke Philip the Good and his sonne duke Charles the Valorous which sought and intended to haue cut off and bridled the same but to effect it the goodnesse of the one and the great troubles and businesse of the other hindered their intents whereunto there wanted no flatterers nor prouokers which told and made them belieue that they were not bound to any such
obtaine at that time The magistrat of Antuerpe was in the meane time in great perplexitie by reason of the cessation of traffique other inconueniences which they feared doubting also that the reception of a bishop would bring in with it the Inquisition of Spain On the one side they were importuned by the commons to maintaine them in their priuiledges liberties rights and on the other side they were prest by the court to vse their best means to instal the bishop without any inconuenience as the rest had bin admitted in other townes To satisfie both the one and the other they gaue the court of Brussels to vnderstand at large by writing the dangers inconueniences that were to be feared by this new episcopal election in a town of so great traffique so greatly peopled and frequented by diuers forein nations for that they feared chiefly that the Inquisition was hidden vnder it wherewith they had promised them they should neuer be troubled nor molested To the which answer was made by an apostile the 23 of Ianuary 1562 that they meant not to bring in the Inquisition nor to preiudice them in any thing but rather to fauor them notwithstanding they would send their request into Spaine to the king whereunto answer was made by the king conformable to the said apostile of the court at Brussels But the magistrat finding that the merchants and burgesses were so troubled as it seemed the apparent ruine of the towne was at hand by some tumult and popular sedition they addressed themselues againe to the Gouernesse who sent them as before vnto the king Whereupon they sent the seignior Godfrey Sterck Ampiman of the towne and the seigniors of Vâ—…ssel and Wezebeeck into Spaine vnder pretext of some other affaires least their passage should be prohibited deputies for them vnto the king doing their best indeuors in the meane time to contain the merchants bourgesses common people in their duties Being arriued in Spaine hauing deliuered their charge by mouth vnto the K. himself and presented their instructions by writing the same answer was made vnto them that before as well by mouth as afterwards by writing Wherupon the said deputies shewed vnto the K. that the people murmured that by the popes buls the Inquisition lay hidden vnder this episcopall introduction and that they could not otherwise persuade the marchants both naturall borne and strangers whereon vndoubtedly depended the totall ruine of this rich florishing town with many other reasons to that purpose beseeching his Maiestie to giue them leaue to stay so long in his court vntill they might vnderstand their minds to see if there were any meanes to satisfie his Maiesties intention and to maintaine the towne in her estate the which was granted them Whereupon they informed the magistrat counsell of Antuerp who hauing seen what their deputies did write vnto them did charge them with new instructions according to the which they shewed again the inconuenience which by this introduction of a bishop might happen in the said towne alledging some meanes whereby it seemed they might satisfie the K. intention not put this innouation in effect And for the last remedy they besought his Maâ—…that it would please him to make one bishop for all Brabant holding his residence at Louuaine who shold haue no more iurisdiction in Antuerp than their diocesan the bishop of Cambray had had the which request the deputies did also exhibit in writing But hearing that as in the former they should be sent back vnto the Netherlands to be ordered according to their instruction they besought his Maiestie that in that case it would please him to take the aduice of the knights of the order of the counsellors and states of Brabant with other prouinces But notwithstanding any instance they could make in 5 moneths they could haue no other answere In the meane time the Amptman hauing bin some time sick recouered againe after that he had receiued a verball assurance from the K. own mouth That the town of Antuerpe should not be charged with the Inquisition he departed with his Maiesties leaue returned to Antuerpe The like was said long after vnto the two other deputies in the end they were dismissed the 2 of August 1563 with an apostile That his Maiestie for good respects would for a time surcease his matter of Antuerp as in truth it was vntil the yeare 1564. In the meane time these great alterations and discontentments increased howerly in the Netherlands as well against the cruel persecutions of them of the religion as against the bishops the Inquisition so as nothing could be expected but extrcame desolation pitifull massacres if they were not preuented in time This businesse was propounded in the counsel of state at Brussels whereas the gouernors of prouinces the knights of the order laid open plainly vnto the duchesse of Parma Gouernesse president of the counsel al the difficulties dangers that might ensue which they hauing well considered of they found that all these inconueniences did partly grow for that the king was not duly informed of the estate of affairs that they in whom he did most rely that is to say the cardinall Granuelle would haue all things passe according to their own priuat passions yeelding nothing to the counsel of others It was therfore decreed in the said counsell by the Gouernesse noblemen that one of the knights of the order should go vnto the king informe him amply of the state and all the occurrents of the country According to which resolution the baron of Montigny went into Spain in August 1562 where hauing exposed his charge vnto the king had diuers conferences with his Maiestie touching these affaires some moneths after he returned ful of hope good words and promises But matters continued still in these innouations contrary to the aduice of the chiefe lords who were also much discontented so as in the end the prince of Orange with the earls of Egâ—…ont and Horne wâ—…t vnto the king the 11 of March 1563 That the chiefe cause of all the mischief was for the excessiue credit too great authoritie which the cardinall Granuelle did arrogat vnto himselfe in the managing of the affairs of the Netherlands the which should neuer be to his Maiesties content as he desired so long as the cardinal should haue to do in it for that he was therby growne odious to all the world intreating his Ma. to preuent it speedily else they did not see any other thing but an entire ruine desolation of the countrey And to the end his Ma. by the suggestion or report of any other should not think that what they had said was for ambition or their own priuat interest they besought him to dismisse them from the assembly of the counsel of state if his Ma. thought it good holding it neither fit nor conuenient for his Ma. seruice nor for their
protesting Madame that we haue discharged our seluâ—… in all these things And if hereafter any other inconueniences happen that wee are absolutely discharged by this our present aduertisement Moreouer Madame we offer our selues againâ—… his Maiesties faithfull seruants to imploy our selues in all things when we shall be commaunded and withall to die for your highnesse seruice If this answer pleased the Gouernesse I leaue it to them to iudge who know the feares and doubts wherein she was so as from that time secretly and vnder hand she leuied men of al sides vnder the commands of the earles of Megen and Arembergh and the lords of Beauuoit Noircarmes and others Which feare she made more apparent when as hearing that then were certaine souldiers about Villevoorde she packt vp her baggage to flie from Brussels and to retire towards Mons in Henault the which she had done if the prince of Orange had nâ—… assured her and vowed and sworne vnto her with other noblemen that they would rathâ—… loose their liues than the least displeasure in the world should be done vnto her The nobles and gentlemen confederats stood also vpon their guards hauing for their assâ—…rance both within and without the countrey souldiers inrolled to haue them ready vpon the first occasion but the Gouernesse who wanted no intelligence to keep them stil in breath vâ—…till she were ready to the end they should not proceed any further in that which she feared 〈◊〉 much framed many doubts vpon their answers wherof she said she would be better satisâ—… sending the earle of Egmont to them to that end who hauing deliuered his charge was reqâ—…red to carrie their solution vnto her of the said ambiguities and to satisfie her of that whâ—… she said she could not well comprehend In the meane time Antuerpe was in combustion through the earle of Megens arriuâ—… who it was well knowne had charge from the Duchesse to leuy men as hee had done and they were not farre off in Campeigne with whome the earle of Arembergh should ioye with other troupes and both together fall vpon Antuerpe and punish the people that wee mutined By reason whereof the magistrate fearing a generall tumult of the people wâ—…o tooke armes and whereas the lord of Brederode one of the chiefe confederats was theâ—… the towne sent Iames vander Heyde bourgmaster Thierry vander Werue Nicholas Râ—…kox â—…dermen and the orator Wesenbeâ—…k to court to acquaint the duchesse with the apparent daâ—…ger that was within the towne by the long stay of the earle of Megen of the one side and â—…e lord of Brederode on the other and that one of them beginning to stirre the other would tâ—…e the contrarie part which whould bee cause of a great disaster and effusion of bloud on eitâ—… side within the towne Wherefore they desired her highnesse to commaund the lords of Mâ—…gen and Brederode to depart the towne and that the earle of Arembergh with his troâ—… should also retire The Bourgmaster and the Aldermen were intreated by the peoâ—… to excuse themselues of this troublesome ambassage and not to abandon the towne 〈◊〉 this dangerous time so many calamities being feared on all sides Wherefore the orator 〈◊〉 was sent alone with good instructions for his discharge who being arriued at Brussels and hauing deliuered his letters of credit with his charge vnto the duchesse shee tooke this aduertisement in ill part asking him somewhat bitterly If that which hee had spoken were his charge Who answered that yea and that he had an act for it the which he forthwith offered vnto her she kept it saying That she would peruse it with the noblemen there present and decree what should be most conuenient for the kings seruice adding withall That the magistrat might command the lord of Brederode to retire seeing he had nothing to doe there The magistrat sent a new charge the next day by letters vnto their deputies to make greater instance vnto the duchesse But notwithstanding any suit they could make as well for her highnesse comming vnto the towne the which they did earnestly desire or for the finding of some man of authoritie to keepe all things in good order they could neuer obtaine any thing vntill the fifteenth of Iuly after that the magistrat had sent againe to aduertise the Gouernesse that al the masters of the quarters and aboue three hundred marchants of good qualitie were come vnto them to haue some one of authoritie seeing that her highnesse would not come naming the prince of Orange who as a neighbour well affected and pleasing to the inhabitants and moreouer vicont of the towne and therefore bound to it and the sworne bourgesses to him would doe all good offices and that his comming would giue great contentment to euerie man Whereupon in the end the duchesse gaue the charge thereof to the said prince who was requested by the magistrat to come speedily with his traine onely and without any armes the which was verie necessarie and so hee did after that the earle of Megen and the lord of Brederode were retired by the Gouernesse commaundement At the same season there was a petition made by them of the reformed religion of the said towne in French and Dutch and directed vnto the masters of the quarters for to present it on their behalfes as it was vnto the magistrat and superintendents of the towne the summe whereof was That some dayes past they had expected and hoped for a good answer to their former petition by the which they desired to haue some publike place granted them for the free exercise of their religion and yet notwithstanding they had vnderstood that the magistrat blamed their assemblies as heretical seditious and preiudicial to the towne so as it seemed they would hinder their holy congregations by armes which made them in like sort to goe thither armed the which they did not to any other end but to defend themselues their wiues and children not against the magistrats but against the practises of their aduersaries beeing content that if any one thrusting himselfe into their assemblies did commit any seditious or scandalous act that they should be punished to the example of others Also a place being granted it was no more to be feared that the marchants would retire but contrariwise the concourse would be greater That the reason which had mooued them to make their preachings publike was the great number of auditors so as it was not possible to contain them any longer in a secret place and the rather for that their aduersaries had alwaies reproached them That they durst not deliuer their doctrine publikely the which they maintained gaue no occasion of sedition but rather hindered it offering to lay downe armes as soone as any place was appointed them or else that vnder the magistrats protection and without feare to be opprest they might assemble for the exercise of their religion grounded vpon the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles intreating them
to deale with the gentlemen about the same this commission ensuing That they should hold and obserue the points contained in the letters of protection and for that she perceiued the great and imminent necessitie then raigning she was content that the said lords should enter into an accord with the confederated gentlemen and certifie them that the common people laying downe their armes in such places where as the preaching was then presently exercised and keeping themselues from giuing any cause of scandale or disordered actions there should no wrong nor iniurie be done vnto them nor to any others that should for that purpose trauell to and from them vntill such time as his Maiesty with the aduice of the counsell of estate should take other order therein vpon condition that they should not in any wise hinder the proceedings of the Catholicke religion but should suffer the Catholickes freely to enioy their churches in manner as they had them before Giuen in Brussels the thirteenth of August 1566 with this charge to deale and conferre with the confederated gentlemen she sent the prince of Orange the earle of Egmont the earle of Horne the baron de Hachecourt and the counsellor Dassonuille which met and consulted with the deputies of the gentlemen being Lodowicke earle of Nassau Eustace de frenes baron D'esquerdes Charles de Reuel baron Dandreguyes Bernard de Merode baron de Rumen Charles vander Noot baron de Risoire George de Montigâ—…t baron de Noyles Martin de Serlues baron de Sterbeeke Philip van Marbays baron de Lounerual Iohn de Montigni baron de Villers Charles de Lieuin baron de Famars Frauncis de Haeslen Iohn le Sauage baron de Descouberque These after long conference at the last drew vnto a conclusion agreement and accord in his Ma. behalfe which for that it is of so great importance and consequence and that all the troubles and warres that after ensued had their foundation from the same I thought good to set downe the true copie both of the proclamation and act made in manner of a securitie or protection Marguerite by the grace of God Duchesse of Parma and Plaisance Regent and Gouernesse for the king my lord in these his countries to all to whom these presents shall come greeting Whereas many gentlemen of these countries haue presented in Aprill last a petition to the end that it would please his Maiestie to take away and abolish the Inquisition and both the old and new Edicts which they said were too rigorous and therefore might not be put in execution and to make others in their places by the aduice and consent of the generall estates of the countrey requiring that the said petition might be sent by vs vnto his Maiestie to prouide accordingly Whereupon wee held many great consultations with the gouernours of prouinces knights of the Order and counsellors of State to his Maiestie And after that wee had represented all with our aduice vnto the king for that wee thought it good that by reason the said gentlemen might haue some doubt or scruple that his Maiestie would not take in good part the said petition together with the compromise which they had thereupon made together nor that which followed after and that such doubt might be the cause of greater mischiefe and trouble in the countrey wee by the same aduice haue also entreated That his Maiestie would be pleased to giue them letters of assurance that hereafter nothing shall bee imputed vnto them vpon that occasion whereupon his Maiestie had aduertised vs of his good will and pleasure According vnto the which we desiring the good quiet and tranquilitie of the said countries and to make the gentlemen petitioners more willing to yeeld all obedience and seruice vnto his Maiestie according vnto that whereunto they are bound both by nature and oath and as they haue alwayes offered themselues wee haue at their request and according to the power and authoritie giuen vs by his Maiestie and as Regent and Gouernesse generall of the said countries and by the aduice of the knights of the Order gouernours and counsellors of State being with vs giuen for their assurance this writing signed with our hand in forme as followeth Her highnesse hath caused the gentlemen petitioners to returne the twentieth of August for answer of their petition during the which time she hath happily receiued letters from his Maiesty whereby she shall haue the better meanes to giue them a certaine and absolute answere And first she lets them know that his Maiesty hauing regard to her highnes informations seeing that they which are at this day altered for Religion or otherwise offer to submit themselues vnto that which shall be decreed by his Maiesty with the aduice of the generall estates for the good of Religion and the quiet and tranquilitie thereof with the aduice of the lords knights of the Order and counsellors of state is content that the Inquisition whereof they haue complained shall cease Secondly his Maiesty hath consented That there shall be a new Edict made but it was not fully resolued if it should be done by the generall Estates or otherwise yet her highnesse hopes that by the first she shall haue a resolution according vnto that which his Maiesty hath written vnto her wherein she will alwaies do her best endeuour that his Maiesty may graunt it as she hath already done by sundry letters And in regard of assurances whereof they make mention in their last petition that her highnes was well aduised to giue it them so farre forth as lay in her as presently she can assure them seeing his Ma. hath consented giuing her full authoritie to do it in what forme and manner shee shall thinke fit Wherefore she lets them vnderstand That his Maiesty desiring to free them of all suspition who might thinke that he were ill informed of them and to take away all distrust which was the cause of these troubles meaning to shew his accustomed clemencie abhorring nothing more than bitternes is content that her highnes for the auoiding of al diffidence and distrust shall giue them such letters of assurance as she shall thinke fit and requisite for their greater securitie and for that which is past so as they carry themselues like good and faithfull vassals subiects to his Maiesty hoping they will not faile in the duties which they owe him The which her highnes is presently ready to effect And as they haue full satisfaction in this point her highnesse will not refuse the offer which they haue often made to employ themselues in the seruice of his Maiesty and her highnesse for the peace quiet of the countrey as they are bound by nature and their allegeance according to the which her meaning is they should giue their Faith First That they shall not do nor procure directly nor indirectly any thing against his Maiesty his estates nor subiects but shall employ themselues to doe all things that good
Segobia sick of an ague This matter being brought before his counsel was by them much long debated many of them taking it in the worst sence but at the last they all generally agreed that the Netherlands had great need of his Maiesties presence therin and for that cause began to consult vpon the best way for his trauell and voyage thither and that in the meane time the Regents letters should be answered in such manner that the king should seeme to say nothing touching the Regents dealing with the confederated gentlemen and the sectaries nor once speake thereof that he might not thereby make any shew to like or dislike thereof least it should be occasion of new vprore or suspition And touching the assembly of the States generall that might not by any meanes be tollerated as it had beene oftentimes before determined without burthening the kings conscience Lastly That the Regent should be once againe put in mind to entertain and pay the dutch princes and pentionaries to the king and that his commaundements might be fully kept and obserued According to this resolution in the moneth of October the king writ two sorts of letters the one to be shewed to the counsell and the lords and the other to be kept secret in the first he wrote That for that the Queene his wife was then brought in bed of her first child being a daughter borne vpon S Clares day and for that cause named Isabella Clara Eugenia he was as then going from Segobia to Madril to make preparation for his voyage into the Netherlands and that he was not persuaded that the troubles in the Netherlands could be pacified by assembling of the generall States especially in his absence with other such like doubts He wrote likewise vnto the Emperour Maximilian much complaining of the troubles in the Netherlands Whereunto the Emperour as a wise experienced and politicke prince returned him an answere in the moneth of September satisfying him in euery point of his letter particularly desiring to hold and maintaine all loue and friendship with him as brethren are bound to doe one vnto the other amongst other things saying and by many reasons and arguments proouing that hee after due ripe and good deliberation and aduice taken considering the ground and depth of the same found it to be a matter of exceeding great consequence weight and trouble principally because the matter of the Catholicke Religion was become so hatefull and odious vnto many of the Germane princes allies and of affinitie with the noblemen and gentlemen of the Netherlands which might easily bee procured and induced to mount vpon their horses and to aid them whereby the Netherlands should not only endure and suffer great hurt hinderance charges and burthens but also no small doubt might be made how the same would be well holden and kept and therfore he said he thoght it the best meanes and wherein least danger consisted to end and pacifie the controuersie if it were possible by good and peaceable meanes and not by force and rigor Which to effect his Maiesty offered so the king would be content to be a mediator betweene him and his subiects with many such reasons more He wrote likewise to that end vnto the Regent the duchesse of Parma and therewiâ—…h sent her certain letters to be giuen to the lords of the Netherlands as to the prince of Orange the earle of Egmont the earle of Horne the earle of Mansfield others but referred the deliuering of them to the discretion of the Regent and the kings pleasure which the king did after forbid her to deliuer vnto them About this time many of the noblemen in the Netherlands wrot their seuerall letters vnto the king as the earls of Egmont Mansfield Meghen and Arenbergh the baron of Barlamont Noircarmes and Rassinghem the Burghgraue of Gaunt the Vniuersitie of Louen and diuers others euery man according to his affairs shewing in generall and particular what had passed especially in euery one of their seuerall gouernments Whereunto the king made them answer in most friendly wise thanking them for their good seruice in his behalfe and willing them to continue in the same commending them seuerally for their particular seruice with many and good speeches and wrot a very friendly letter vnto the president Vigilius with his owne hand thanking him for his great paines and good endeuor done in his seruice and desiring him not respecting his age feeblenesse and indisposition of body to continue therein till his comming thither And for that about this time the prince of Orange the earle of Egmont made complaint vnto the king and certaine lords in Spaine that were their friends that some complained of them behind their backs and had a bad and sinister conceit and opinion of them against all truth as time and oportunitie should well declare with such like speeches they were answered by the third hand of certaine counsellors of Spaine that the best meanes for them to cease all bad speechâ—…s and conceits was to shew and proue the contrary by their actions conforming themselues in all things to the good will of his Maiesty which was alwaies cleare allowable answerable and from the which there was no bad consequence to be feared for that the â—…ightest and truest point of the duty of a vassale or subiect is that knowing the resolute intent and purpose of his prince to endeuour himselfe by all means to effect fulfill and execute the same with all celeritie and promptnesse although hee had some particular feeling to the contrarie for that a particular member as all vassals are vnto their lords ought not to thinke or esteeme himselfe wiser than his soueraigne prince to whom onely belonged the gouernment and generall commaund and not to the particular vassale They wrote them likewise that in Spaine the common opinion was That if they namely the prince of Orange and the earle of Egmont or any of them both would haue behaued themselues stoutly and couragiously the troubles in the Netherlands had not proceeded to such an issue which notwithstanding if from thence forward they would doe their endeauours to doe good and vpright seruice for the State without dissimulation as dutie bound them they might thereby reforme all causes or at the least maintain them in esse vntill the comming of the king into the Netherlands with diuers such instructions The Gouernesse by her manifest demonstrations of mildnesse and by so many goodly assurances which she promised did not onely labour to retaine the people and marchants from retyring out of the countrey but also the nobilitie who notwithstanding any assurance shee could giue them were not without distrust but aboue al hauing disappointed the league and compromise of the gentlemen which made her hardie and yet dissembling shee studied to entertaine by all kinds of fauour and courtesie the prince of Orange with the earles of Egmont Horne and Hochstraten The king hauing sent her word that she
the Protestants who had chased away the Romish religion being besieged by the bishop yeelded by composition vpon condition to pay the charges of the siege to repaire that which had been taken out of the churches and monasteries and from thenceforth to entertaine the Romish religion receiuing such garrison as the bishop should place there The seignior of Thoulouse with some other gentlemen Protestants by the intelligence of Peter Haâ—…k bailif of Middlebourg in Zeeland had an enterprise vpon the island of Walchren being imbarked at Antuerpe but the maâ—…hants ship of Antuerpe hauing seen them imbark departed before them and arriued first in Zeeland giuing aduertisement of the said enterprise the which by this meanes failed and withall the prince had forbidden them of Zeeland before to receiue any garrison of which defence wee shall haue cause to speake hereafter In the meane time the people seeing the hot pursuits of the clergie to increase daily to their great losse and preiudice and that the Gouernesse seeing that shee had woon the game by the disiunction of the nobles made no account of their sighes and complaints they resolued to appeale to the king sending him a supplication full of teares to mooue him to take pitie of his people who demaunded nothing but to bee maintained in the libertie of their consciences And to make it knowne vnto his Maiesty how much they desired to aduance his affaires they offer him three millions of florins so as it would please him to entertaine the transaction in his full force And withall they imployed certaine princes of Germany to bee suiters in their fauour But this offer and demaund being imparted to the counsell of Spaine was held for a presumptuous ostentation of their riches and bred iealousie in many that by this ouerture they would seeke to win the hearts and draw in the forces of strangers to come to succour them Yet the people left not to trie other meanes as well with the Gouernesse whom they found rough and inexorable as with the confederat noblemen who being summoned as being in the like sort interessed and paâ—…takers of the like perill and danger of the doubtfull issue which this tragedie seemed to promise to keepe their faith othe and promise so often reiterated vnto them that they should not be molested for their consciences but should haue 〈◊〉 exercise of their religion with preaching they protested to impute all the fault vnto them and the occasion of the miseries that might fal vpon the Netherlands The 2 princes of Orange and Gauere or Egmont being as before is said of seuerall opinions the other lords also did likewise participat with the one or the other and as they diuided themselues so did the confederaâ—… gentlemen so that a third paâ—…t of them held not with the confederats but those that were of the reformed religion sought all the meanes they could to confirme and vphold that confederacie and tâ—… procure some great lords to resolue to hold with them to preserue and maintaine the countries in their freedomes and to keepe all strangers out of the same hauing most regard and respect to the prince of Orange in regard of his wisedome and experience as also because of his power friends and allies in Germanie who they knew should bee seconded by the earle of Hoochstrate and many others But the prince in his great discretion marking and considering the kings great power and force whom he knew both of his owne nature and by the prouocation of his Spanish counsell to beare a grudge vnto the countrey not onely for the religion but also for their priuiledges thereunto adding that the zeale of the common people that were addicted to the reformed religion at the first would be great but not certaine to make a full account or reckoning thereof and lastly seeing that within the Netherlands hee should haue the aforesaid earl of Egmont with the principallest and most part of the old souldiers noblemen and implacable spiritualtie enemies against him would by no meanes bee induced nor persuaded to attempt any thing For which cause the baron of Brederode and others of the principallest confederats determined to seeke all the meanes they could before they would enter into any extremities and for that cause wrot a letter vnto the regent to craue leaue to be admitted to come vnto the court to shew her what wrong was vnto them contrarie to the securitie by her giuen vnto them but the regent returned them an answere saying That they should not come within Brussels for that their comming thither vpon the fifth of Aprill last past had caused all the trobles and businesse in the land And hauing certain soldiers within Brussels she gaue them charge not to suffer any of the confederated gentlemen to come within the towne For which cause the baron of Brederode wrot another letter out of Antuerpe vnto the regent bearing date the 8 of Februarie saying That not their petition but the Inquisition and new deuises that men sought to bring into the country together with the long delay made to answer their request were the true and onely causes of the â—…roubles in the countrey and that she might know that his intent and meaning was no other than onely to propound some meanes of peace and vnitie and for that she would not suffer him to come at the court he sent her two requests from the confederated gentlemen wherein they shewed how that in August before the countrey being full of troubles and the people in euerie place readie to rise vp in armes by meanes of the good resolution then taken all was pacified wherein they well and truely acquiâ—…ed themselues And although it fell not out so well in some places it was the fault of those that were not well addicted vnto the seruice of his Maiestie and that when as an assured amendment and reformation was in euerie place expected attending the good â—…esolution of the king with the aduice of the states generall sodainely against all hope and expectation letters were sent out by her to forbid the preaching and exercise of the reformed religion who for that cause as then blamed them as appeared by a petition sent vnto her and thereunto annexed besides that they perceiued by the letters aforesaid as also by other her proceedings that shee sought by foâ—…ce to forbid the preaching vnto the people imprisoning and vsing other kind of rigour vnto the preachers contrarie to the agreement and without order taken by the king with the aduice of the generall states Besides that they saw the bad entertainment that had beene and as yet was giuen vnto the confederated gentlemen together with the distrust that men had in them without cause or reason That the lords were counselled and aduised not to bee conuersant with them willing them to keepe out of his Maâ—… towns without any cause pursuing and following after to take them as if they were enemies to the king and their natiue country which
the lord of Brederode hath taken the charge To this answer of the duchesse there was a certaine replie divulged by the which among others the nobles laid all the blame of that whereof the duchesse accused them by her answere vpon the secret instructions which she had sent vnto the priuat magistrats touching the obseruation of the kings intention whilest on the other side shee caused the assurance giuen vnto the nobles and the Protestants to be published who notwithstanding knew well by the said answer that the gouernesse who was now armed would no longer dissemble but proceed by force of armes to the execution of that which she had for a long time kept secret in her bosome Besides they found that many of the nobilitie disbanded and that many for their greater assurance sought to mannage their affairs apart wherof they were aduertised from al parts Among others that cont vander Berghen had written vnto president Vigilius letters full of excuses with protestations to remaine a loyal and faithfull seruant vnto the king as also the seignior of Estambruges brother to the earle of Lygni had done the like and that many others sought to make friends in court to returne into fauour As these complaints of the nobles answers replies cares and distrusts continued among them they sought to prouide for their affaires as well as they could especially the Catholikes who made themselues to be feared by the forces they had leuied and by the kings authoritie The earle of Egmont running throughout all the townes of Flanders laboured to make the preaching to cease The earle of Megen being at the request of the Catholikes and by the gouernesse command entred into Vtrecht with his regiment of foot the next day hee fortified the garrison of the castle with three hundred men And to stop the courses of them of Vianen belonging to the lord of Brederode he built a fort vpon the riuer in a village called Vaert right opposite against it then he went to Nymeghen Harderwic and Elburch where he supprest the preaching caused the churches to be repaired and the armes to be brought into the state-house and in the end he chased away all the Protestants The earle of Arembergh did the like in the countries of Friseland Ouerissel and Groninghen as well by surprises of townes and places as persuasions and diuers accords past betwixt him the consuls and townes But the prince of Orange beeing in his gouernments of Holland and Zeeland going from towne to towne sought to pacifie the troubles by gentle meanes to the content of the estates of the said countries yet appointing the exercise of the religion to be without the townes especially in those of Holland who for a thankfull gratuitie for the paines which hee had taken to pacifie their trobles offered him a present of 55000 florins which hee honestly refused least it should haue been some blemish to his reputation to haue suffered himselfe to haue beene corrupted by them with money in his gouernment In the meane time the Gouernesse was counselled to propound a new othe to al gouernors of prouinces knights of the order counsellors of state and other noblemen by the which among other things they did promise swear to remain faithful obedient seruants vnto the king and with all their power and meanes to maintaine defend and preserue the Catholike Apostolike and Romish religion and to root out and helpe to root out all new doctrine and religion to punish and chastise all breakers of images and robbers of churches Which othe was taken before the duchesse by the duke of Arschot the earles of Egmont Mansfield Megen the lords of Barlamont Noircarmes and many others But the prince of Orange and the earle of Hoochstraten refused to take that othe saying That the othe of their order and of their gouernment was sufficient finding themselues much grieued that the duchesse should doubt of their loyalties The like was required of the lord of Brederode who made the like refusall to the secretarie Torre who was sent expresly vnto him to persuade him by many reasons Whereunto he answered modestly That the Gouernesse had no cause to doubt of his faith and loialtie and that he was content to go vnto her highnesse to demaund the causes of her distrust and to iustifie himselfe of all matters wherewith hee might bee charged This new othe was not offered for any other cause but to discouer who would refuse it who thereby should be taken for fauorers and supporters of the Protestants And also to curbe them that either for loue force or dissimulation had taken it and thereby to put a conceit in them that they were held for good Catholikes and the kings faithfull seruants The earle of Horne was at that time retired to his castle of Waert being resolued to return no more to court vnlesse the king commanded him expresly and therefore he was not required to take this new othe The duchesse being thus assured by this new othe and hauing all the towns of the Netherlands reduced by their gouernors vnder the kings obedience and the publike preaching abolished except in Antuerpe then she vnmasked her selfe and began to play her part openly All that could be taken and conuicted to haue carried armes broken images and spoiled churches were hanged Those that were absent were adiorned to appeare within a short time if not they were declared rebels and their goods forfeited the which made an infinit number retire into forrein countries and especially into England those that were most couragious kept the fields in great troups The seignior of Thoulouse hauing failed in his enterprise of the island of Walchren retiring into the riuer of Antuerpe he went and lodged halfe a league from the towne in the village of Austreweel whither men came to him from all parts who made no gentler war to the priests and monks than the Papists did to their companions The prince of Orange was then returned to Antuerpe with the earle of Hoochstraten who during the princes absence in Holland and Zeeland had done his best endeuour to conteine the people of Antuerp these two noblemen sent a gentleman to the seigniour of Thoulouse and his troups to will them to retire from thence the which they did passing into Flanders but the next day they returned to the same place whereupon hee had a second charge to retire and the seigniour of Thoulouse answered That hee was ready to obey yet he remoued not yea his people grew the more insolent seeing themselues fortified by two ships ful of souldiers which arriued that night from base Flanders and that howerly their numbers increased The magistratâ—… of the towne seeing this came vnto the prince where they conferred together with the earle of Hoochstraten how they might make these troups dislodge being of opinion to send their swornâ—… companies with such souldiers as they had in the towne to fight with them but the prince and the 〈◊〉 oâ—… Hoochstraten did
who perceiuing themselues to be void of meanes to become masters of Antuerpe and consequently of diuers other townes marking the strength of the Catholikes within Antuerpe and therby gessing their strength in other places the most part and the chiefest of them resolued as also the consistories to yeeld vnto the time and Gods secret iudgement At that time the lord of Brederode was in the towne of Amsterdam in Holland wherewith the magistrat beeing discontented and ill assured for that the chiefe of the reformed religion were continually with him and many came to him daily disguised he aduertised the gouernesse who writ presently to secretary Torre being then at Vtrecht with the earle of Megen whose men he had caused to be furnished with victuals and munition by the duchesse commandement as also he had furnished duke Erick of Brunswick with certaine ships of war to come into the Netherlands commanding the said Torre to charge them in the behalfe of his Maiestie and her highnesse to cause the said lord of Brederode to depart out of their towne the which was in trouble by his presence and in case they were not strong ynough to effect it that his Maiestie and her highnesse would assist them with forces means And for that this businesse might not admit of any delay that by prouision they should imploy the person and soldiers of the earle of Megen That the secretarie should go vnto the lord of Brederode and admonish him by such persuasions as he should thinke fit that within foure and twenty howres he depart the said towne and leaue it in quiet without giuing his Ma. and her highnesse any further cause of discontentment And in case hee will not obey to protest against him of all the miseries that may befall the said towne and to remaine therein obseruing all that shal passe carefully and especially the actions of the lord of Brederode whereof he should howerly aduertise her highnesse According to which commission the secretarie being come to Amsterdam and hauing acquainted the magistrat with his charge answer was made him That they would in all things obey his Maiestie and her highnesse but that they found great difficultie in her highnesse letters whereas she made mention of the earle of Megen for that he doubted not but the lord of Brederode would call for a copie before he would resolue to retire the which would incense him the more They must also impar it first vnto the assēbly of their great coūsell which they call Vroetschap consisting of 36 persons whereof some were Protestants who might make report therof vnto their brethren yea vnto the lord of Brederode Whereupon after much consultation it was resolued to impart it vnto the counsell and presently to go vnto the said lord The which was done and about eleuen of the clocke some of the chiefe of the magistrats went vnto him intreating persuading and aduising him to depart the towne for such was his Maiesties and her highnesse pleasure Whereunto he answered instantly That hee desired to see the copie of the said letters to consider thereon the which beeing flatly denied him saying That they could not giue it him without her highnesse expresse commandement he answered That neither would he depart the towne without seeing it The next day the secretarie Torre being accompanied by two aldermen went vnto the lord of Brederode beeing entred into the chamber whereas he was accompanied with seuen or eight gentlemen among others were William of Blois called Treston and Roseberg his Drossard of Vianen after the complements were done la Torre being well aduanced in his speech the lord of Brederode interrupted him and began to complaine of the duchesse for that shee had refused to heare his iustifications in iustice vpon the sinister impressions which her highnesse had of him moreouer that the said lady had commaunded to ruine the bulwarkes and fortifications which hee had begun to his great charge in his towne of Vianen to expose it in prey to all commers she had also caused his said towne to be besieged and the duke of Brunswick had spoyled some of his villages to conclude he said That Torre had no need to vse any long speech beeing sufficient to shew him his commission the which Torre hauing refused saying That he had no such charge the lord of Brederode said vnto him after some other speeches touching his credit That he was not so honest a man as he made himselfe to bee so lightly beleeued without seeing of his commission Which words did so moue la Torre as after that he had maintained his honesty seeing the said lord to continue firme he entreated him exhorted and in the end commaunded him That to obey his Maiestie and her highnesse he should depart the towne within foure and twentie houres and vpon his refusall he protested against him of all the miseries that might thereby happen vnto the towne requiring an act thereof from the aldermen that were his assistants Wherupon the lord of Brederode protested in like sort that he was not bound to beleeue him if he did not shew his commission and letters of credit requiring also an act and repeating often that he was seruant to her highnes and humble subiect to his Maiesty and that he was ready to go to horsebacke to helpe to punish the rebels complaining of the great wrong which the duchesse did him refusing to heare him in his iustifications so as after many speeches and protestations on either side Torre retired The chiefe among the Protestants could not disgest this commaundement giuen to the lord of Brederode and feared that la Torres charge was to expell him by force so as they kept a guard of aboue a hundred men before his lodging hauing most of the bourgesses at his deuotion and besides many arriued out of Friseland and from Vtrecht attired like marchants mariners and pesants so as the magistrat feared that the Protestants would grow so strong as they would become masters of the towne Whereupon they sent vnto the duchesse to entreat her to send some man of countenance and authoritie who might moderate matters for that they found it not conuenient to attempt any thing by force La Torre was in no lesse perplexitie and durst scarce shew himselfe fearing to incense the Protestants and to giue them occasion of some tumult but set spies to obserue what men haunted the said lord whereof he did informe the duchesse And as the bourgomaster and the Recorder Sandeli◅ went and came often to the Secretarie Torre the Protestants entred into iealousie that they practised some matter against them by reason whereof some gentlemen Frisons belonging to the said lord and the Seignior of Treslon went with the consent of their lord the seuenteenth of March to la Torre his chamber where they seized vpon all his papers among the which they found his instructions his verball or memoriall of what he had done and treated in Amsterdam many letters of credit signed by
stupiditie to his owne perdition and the totall â—…uine and desolation of his house or that God the punisher of our offences being iustly incensed against these prouinces for their disordered libertie being giuen to all vices voluptuousnesse and wickednesse after that they had once begun to tast the fruits of peace which he had giuen them after such long and bloudie warres against the French or that Egmont had not yeelded the onely honour vnto God of those two goodly victories of S. Quintines and Grauelingues hauing often braued it more than was fit to the contempt and disgrace of them that lost them not acknowledging that it was God onely that gaue him power to win those victories and that men are but his instruments they could neuer persuade him to thinke otherwise of his affaires eyther by a retreat as the prince and others had done or by opposing himselfe and redressing the vnion to encounter and repulse the duke Neither could he euer discouer any thing vntill that he was taken in the toyle as we will presently shew The duke of Alua being arriued at Brussels the eight and twentieth of August was honourably receiued of the Regent which informed him of all thinges at large and shewed him by what meanes and how according vnto her opinion hee should pacifie the countrey and bring the prince of Orange and other noblemen and gentlemen that were sted to become well deuoted willing and readie to doe the king seruice and that if there were but a meane vsed therein there should be no cause to feare but that all things would bee peaceably and quietly ended But the duke supposing and presuming that the most part of the troubles in the Netherlands were procured and continued by the sayd Regents lenitie and slackenesse thought to rule the matter in other sort and at that time shewed his commission vnto the Regent and the States but not altogether for his was greater and extended further than that of the Regents as hauing authoritie to place and displace all gouernours of prouinces and townes and all other officers beeing made captaine generall of the kings forts holds and souldiers hauing full power and authoritie ouer the counsels of estate and the Treasurers He caused as much of his commission as hee thought good to be put in print that euery man might know it and yet he had a further and more absolute commission to giue iudgement and take order in all causes of crimes and rebellion to punish and pardon all offences and to recompence and reward men for their good seruices as it appeared by a particular instruction made and giuen vnto him by the king himselfe bearing date in Madril the last of Ianuarie 1566. Which when the Regent saw and perceiued that the duke tooke all authoritie vpon himselfe and that he made shew to take an other course suffering her to keepe the court but without traine and that hee lodged in the house of Culenburgh and had all the company following him she thought that she had nothing to do there and for that cause sent vnto the king to craue leaue to depart from thence that she might go into Italie to the duke of Parma her husband The duke being in the gouernment he caused all his souldiers to lodge round about him in the neerest townes as the regiment of Naples in Brussels all Spaniards the regiment of the earle of Lodron in Antuerpe discharging many of the Wallons whom he mistrusted He tooke the keyes of the gates from the townes-men whereof they of Gand by a request presented vnto him by the earle of Egmont made complaint which put the duke in a great rage and said That he would doe what he thought best to be done for the kings seruice and not otherwise And presently as soone as he saw himselfe established in the gouernment in steed of moderating the proclamation and other things requested and sought by the lords and gentlemen of the Netherlands he ratified confirmed and ordained the old proclamation and the Inquisition to beâ—…d and executed in the same and in steed of assembling the generall states hee appointed 〈◊〉 of twelue men that had full power to deale in all things that in any sort touched oâ—… concerned the aforesaid troubles and to take order therein which was called the bloudy counsell and in French the counsell of troubles This counsel consisted of Netherlanders mixed with straÌ„gers as the barons de Barlamont Noircarmes the presideÌ„ts of FlaÌ„ders and Artois but the chiefe and principallest of them were the Licentiat Iohn Vergas doctor Bois del Rio the Fiscale of Burgundy Iohn de la Porta aduocat Fiscale the counsellor Iacob Hessel the counsellor Belin Brese aduocate Fiscale of Mechlin and du Bois attourney generall wherof the duke himselfe was president but in his absence Vergas sat as president in his place of whom it is reported That for rauishing an orphane child committed to his custody he was banished out of Spaine a man aboue all others most sterne and cruell seeking nothing but riches and bloud But the Spaniards said That the cankered wounds of the Netherlands had need of so sharpe a knife as Vergas was to cut away their dead flesh The secretaries were Vlierden la Torre Praeâ—…s and Mesdagh The first two or three moneths the duke and the lords assembled and sat in counsell euery forenoone and afternoone all being directed by the duke himselfe whose meaning was that the opinion of the counsell should be but consultiue as counsell giuers and not absolute as giuing iudgement in any cause and so intended to haue all things depend vpon him alone and they to stand to the iudgement that hee should giue For which cause the said counsell for that many of them could not endure the crueltie therin propounded sought meanes to be discharged thereof others being ashamed stayed at home whereby the said counsell being twelue was oftentimes but fiue foure and sometimes but three persons as it appeareth by diuers iudgements and sentences of life and death giuen out by them and particularly by that of Anthonie van Stralen which was signed onely by the aforesayd president Vergas doctor Boys del â—…io and Secretarie de la Torre And by this counsell and by the duke himselfe all power and authoritie was taken from the prouinciall counsels of the land and the inhabitants robbed and dispoyled of all their ordinances iurisdictions appeales and resorts cleane contrarie to the priuiledges of the land with an expresse prohibition sent forth vnto all iudges and officers not to take any knowledge of any thing touching the last vprores yea and the counsels themselues both high and low were forced to stand to the iudgement of the said counsell which had commaund ouerall noble and vnnoble spirituall and temporall so that the dukes will was an absolute law without suffering or allowing any appeale reformation or reuiewing of their sentence once giuen and pronounced by the duke hauing full and soueraigne
There was likewise a proclamation made against those that fled out of the Netherlands That such as fled should be taken and brought backe againe and all those that were so determined or that made any preparation thereunto and their goods to be arrested at the custom houses places of passages and frontiers of the land vpon pain to those that did it not to be holden as suspect persons and fauorers of the crimes imputed vnto them that fled and for the same to be punished with confiscation of the ships scutes wagons and carts of all those that carried and conueyed the said fugitiue persons goods as also that no man should harbor lodge furnish with money any fugitiue or banished persons nor write letters nor receiue any to and from them and such like orders At that time the counsell of the troubles for that the duke of Alua could not take the earle of Culembourg gaue a sentence against the house of the said earle ioining to that of the earle of Egmont behind the sand hill in the towne of Brussels condemning it to be pulled downe and rased to the ground and neuer to be built againe with an inscription grauen in a square stone of marble set vpon a piller in the middest of the place written in foure languages and this was the Latin Regnante Philippo 2. Cathol Haspan Rege in his suis inferioribus Germania regionibus gubernance vero Ferdinando Aluares de Toledo Albae duce c. Florentij de Palant quondam domum solo aequari sancitum est oâ—… execrandam memoriam repeâ—…tae in ea coniurationis aduersus religionem ecclesiae Catho Rom. Regiam Maiestatem ipsas regiones Anno salute 1568 5 Calend. Iunij Meane time the regent the duchesse of Parma had wrought such meanes that shee had obtained leaue of the king to depart out of the Netherlands and for her good seruice was by the king rewarded with gifts as a great summe of money and a yerely pention during her life and for that cause preparing her selfe to trauell vnto her husband into Italy did by writing take her leaue of the states and the whole Netherlands in her letters shewing how shee was receiued and installed into the gouernment of the Netherlands in the presence of the generall states assembled in the towne of Gand in anno 1559 and for that cause she said shee could haue beene content to haue yeelded vp the same in the like assembly of the general states as the gouernorâ—… and regents before her had done but for that the king had expresly forbidden the assembly of the generall states during that troublesome time vnlesse he himself were personally presenâ—… that could not be done according to her desire whereby she was constrained to do it by writing praying them to take in good part and judge the best of her labour industrie care and diligence vsed in the said gouernment much complaining of the trobles and vprores happened in the two last yeares of her gouernement yet by Gods grace and by the aid and assistance of a great number of the good subiects of the Netherlands before the end of April she said she had brought all the towns prouinces once again to a ful obedience vnto the king and in the beginning of May garrisons were put into euery place so that there rested nothing to be done but onely to punish the offendors and to take order therein as it should please the kings Maiestie whereby she hoped that in short time the Netherlands would be reduced to their former happy and flourishing estate which she with all her heart desired once againe praying them to take her proceedings in good part withall wishing and counselling them to keepe and obserue the Romish Catholike religion and obedience vnto the king After that vpon the 30 of December she departed out of Brussels and trauelled towards Italie accompanied by diuers of the nobilitie of the Netherlands the duke of Alua himselfe conducting her some part of the way About this time there was a certaine enterprise taken in hand by the fugitiue gentlemen against the person of the duke of Alua at such time as he in Lent meant to go in deuotion from Brussels to the cloyster of Groenendale in Somen wood the principall doers thereof beeing the lord of Rysoire and his brother the lord of Carloo of the house of Noot and others this lord of Carloo kept in the said cloister in habit of a monke for feare of the duke as hee said they had gotten readie sixe or seuen hundred horse-men most part of them keeping in the house of Dohan not far from thence within and about Brussels they had about 500 foot men whereof a souldier that sometime had serued the lord of Likes told the said lord who presently gaue the duke intelligence thereof at such time as he was fully purposed to goe to performe his deuotion which the duke would scarce beleeue and for that cause was hardly to bee persuaded not to goe but the souldier naming his captaine to bee one of the earle of Egmonts horse-men the said captaine was presently apprehended and committed to prison and being sharply examined would not disclose any thing touching the said conspiracie and for that cause was with varietie of rigorous and bloudy inuention cruelly tortured and put to death and so the said enterprise went not forward and yet no more men troubled nor molested for the same In the meane time as the prince of Oranges processe was handled before the duke of Alua by incapable commissioners without any lawfull forme of proceeding by the instruction and deduction of which processe the princes iustifications did not appeare To the end that posteritie might know by what reasons he could iustifie and purge himselfe from the false and slanderous accusations of the duke of Alua vnder the name of the Atturney generall who was then but a simple man and a drunkard called Iohn du Bois a peasants sonne and also to shew the grounds of the alterations which haue happened in the Netherlands the said prince set forth a discourse for an aduertisement to all the world of his innocencie and of the wrong which the duke of Alua did him which discourse was intitled A Iustification of the Prince of Orange against his slanderers the which for that it was published in print I forbeare to relate here The earle of Hoochstraten being cited in like maner by the atturney generall and accused almost of the like crimes that the prince of Orange was answered thereunto after that he was retired first by letters vnto the duke of Alua and then by an answer vnto the atturney general and in the end by an ample discourse of his actions in the seruice of the king and countrey to serue him for a iustification where among other things to confirme his declinatorie exceptions set downe in his answer he produceth foure articles drawne out of the laws and ordinances of the good duke Philip
os hemos escandaliza dos pues somos mortales y caducos y nos adiudeys con vuestras Oraciones and so he presently disposed himselfe to death and was soone executed Their heads were set vp opposite one to another vpon two poles tied to the side of the scaffold where they continued vntill three of ◅he clocke in the afternoone a pitifull and fearefull spectacle and therein the earle of Egmonts words were verified when as he sent for the earle of Horne to come to court assuring him that hee should haue no worse vsage than hee himselfe The bodies hauing the heads sowed to them againe were put into hearses and embalmed that of Egmont was caried to S. Clares church and that of Horne to S. Guydules and afterwards interred in the town of Wert and Egmonts in his borough of Sottingham The earle of Egmonts seruants set his armes in mourning manner according to the custome ouer the porch of his house but the duke of Alua caused them to be taken downe The emperour Maximilian the second before the death of these noblemen sent a gentleman to the contesse of Egmont to comfort her and to assure her that her husband shold haue no harme for that he would entreat for him But the duke being aduertised thereof made hast of his execution and the same night that the gentleman arriued sent to insinuate the sentence vnto them and the next day caused them to be executed The death of these noblemen did perplexe many being the more terrified euery one iudging that their bloud which was shed would not be stanched by their death but that it threatened greater calamities vnto the countrey So as some pricked by their owne consciences others distrusting their innocencie fearing through the frauds and treasons of their enemies to fall into the hands of the counsell of troubles and to bee forced through tortures and torments to confesse that which they had neuer done nor thought fled out of the country abandoning their goods wiues and children and many more had retyred had not the hope been of a generall pardon Many wondered how in so dangerous a time hauing now warres in hand the euent whereof was doubtfull and vncertaine he should so precipitate the death of these two noblemen for the which there are two reasons pretended the first was for that by the affront which he had receiued in Friseland his souldiers began to wauer not so much for the losse as for that it seemed a sinister presage of the future by so bad a beginning for which consideration he would himselfe goe in person to the army to assure it and to containe his men in their duties the which he could not doe vnlesse he gathered all his troupes together in one body if he had done it in the life time of these noblemen he feared a sedition of the people who would haue deliuered them by force and made them their heads to be reuenged of him knowing well how hatefull that both he and all his Spaniards were growne by reason of their tyrannie of which feare he would free himselfe before he would frame the body of an army The second reason they say was to be reuenged of the death of his Spaniards defeated at Winschote whereas most of the prisoners were hanged It shall not be amisse in this place to declare the deaths of the baron de Montigni brother to the earle of Horne and of the marquesse of Berghen both knights of the order of the golden Fleece which two lords were thought to be the fittest and wisest persons in the Netherlands to bee sent into Spaine there to certifie the king particularly touching the state of the countrey and for that cause were sent by the Regent the duchesse of Parma and the Netherlands as embassadours vnto the king as it hath already beene declared who being in Spaine and hauing informed the king of all things at large were well receiued and entertayned of him But after that when newes was brought into Spaine of the breaking downe of the Images and other troubles in the Low countries the king much mooued thereat and being incited and stirred vp by the enemies of the Netherlands such as were wholly vnexperienced in the affaires qualities and natures of the countrey and the people tooke another course than the said lords thought well of which by their enemies was well perceiued Hereupon the marquesse of Berghen fell sicke and desired the king to haue licence to depart and to returne againe into the Netherlands which the king with faire words refused him but at the last when he became sicker and like to die he had leaue to depart when it was too late and being at the point of death he sent for Rigomes prince of Eboli his old friend and one that was very great with the king to whom he made complaint That his good and faithfull seruice was not onely little or nought esteemed but that it was suspected protesting that he had not done neither sought to do any thing other than that he thought and esteemed to be most for the furtherance and aduancement of the kings seruice not doubting but that in time his good counsell and aduice would be found to be true and with that hee desired God to haue mercie on his soule as truly as he thought and vttered that from the bottome of his heart desiring him in friendly wise to tell the same vnto the king by word of mouth and so died vpon the 22 of May 1567. But this his confession was of no weight to represse nor withdraw his enemies more than a yeare after to summon charge and condemne him by the duke of Alua and his bloudy counsels meanes to be a traitor and all his goods confiscated to the king The lord de Montmorency baron de Leuzi and Montigni gouernour of Turwin and Tournay knight of the order of the golden Fleece and brother to the earle of Horne a wise politicke and well experienced nobleman hauing lost his fellow embassador in Spaine desired leaue of the king to returne vnto his gouernment of Turwin but the king as it was then reported throughout Spaine that hee would in person goe into the Netherlands told him hee should go with him but when the kings mind was altered and his voyage stayed and that he saw the duke of Alua was appointed to go into the Netherlands the baron de Montigni perceiued that the king began to be estranged from him for which cause he spake vnto him and complaining told him that he wel saw and perceiued that his Ma. shewed not the accustomed fauor and grace towards him that he vsed to do which he thought to proceed of some kind of iealousie by his grace vniustly cōceiued against him beseeching his Ma. if there were any such bad opinion or suspition in his mind against him that it would please him to tell it him praying him to commit him to prison and that so he might cleare himselfe by law Wherunto the
the English giuing to vnderstand that the Queene of England would be fauourable vnto them The prince had also tenne peeces of artillerie foure canons of batterie and sixe culuerins With this armie the prince marched in the beginning of September towards the countrey of Luxembourg to S. Vyt a towne of his owne patrimonie The duke of Alua hearing of his descent went and encamped by Maestricht at Vise vpon the Meuse with the regiments of the earles of Lodron and Ouersteyn fortie ensignes of Spaniards fortie of Wallons and foure thousand horse Spaniards Italians Germanes and the bands of Ordnance of the Low countries with great store of artillerie The prince marching in field tooke Aremberch and the strong castle of Carpen betwixt Cologne and Duyren then Hormsteyn belonging to the king of Spaine putting all to the sword that made resistance as also the duke of Alua for his part spared not any So the prince went along the riuer of Meuse towards Stockem where notwithstanding the vigilancie of the duke of Alua who had caused galthropes to be cast into the riuer at many foords hee passed with his armie to offer battaile vnto the duke approching neere vnto Maestricht the seuenth of October his men had a little before taken eighteene boats vpon the Rhyn laden with silkes cloth and other marchandize going towards Francfort The Liegeois would willingly haue stopped his passage if they could but he passed where as they did not expect him so as the fifteenth of the month he defeated some of the dukes troupes who to incommodate the prince had broken all the milles and stopped his victuals all he could The prince to ioyne with the French troupes of the lord of Genlis and the rest passed a little riuer called la Gheer the which diuideth the countrey of Liege from Brabant leauing Tillemont vpon the right hand to seeke all occasions to giue battaile vnto the duke who being loath to hazard any thing kept himselfe close in his trenches before Maestricht yet the duke sent his sonne Dom Frederic with foure thousand harquebusiers Wallons and Spaniards with some horsemen to cut off his passage as if he meant to fight with him But it passed in skirmishes with small losse on eyther side whereas the Seignior of Louerual was taken prisoner whom the duke caused to bee afterwards beheaded at Brussels The prince might easily haue defeated this small troupe of Dom Frederics but beeing ready to fight the Landtsknechts as before demaunding siluer would not hearken vnto it So as the prince being frustrate of his expectation hauing presented battaile once againe vnto the duke who would not accept it seeing that he sought onely to dissolue his armie for want of victuals and other commodities passing with his troupes through Brabant into Henault he was followed by the duke of Alua who euery night retrenched himselfe beeing loath to hazard any thing following him from lodging to lodging vntill he was entred into Fraunce yet the prince beeing neere to Quesnoy le Comte hauing encountred some of the dukes troupes which were too farre aduanced he defeated tenne companies of Landtsknechts eight of Spaniards and three companies of light horsemen where there were many gentlemen slaine and amongst those of account or marke the marquesse of Omares sonne Dom Ioan of Cales Dom Ruffin Henriques and others Being come to the castle of Cambresis his Germanes burned and spoyled all that they left behind them And there the duke of Alua left pursuing them Being entred into Fraunce the marshall of Cosse at the request of the duke of Alua coasted him with two thousand harquebusiers and two hundred horse but he could not annoy him there the prince Cont Lodowic and the French nobilitie went to counsell what they should doe whether to passe further into the Realme being amazed at so great forces or to returne towards Germanie to ioyne with the armie of Wolfgang duke of Deux Ponts the which he prepared to succour the Protestants of Fraunce which second aduice was followed so marching through Campaigne and Lorraine approching neere Strausbourg the prince sent to make his excuse to the French king But before the message was done vnto his Maiestie the king sent the lord Gaspar Schomberg to let him vnderstand that he wondered much how the said prince without any quarrell or cause should enter so into his Realme with an armie but if he demaunded passage onely to returne into Germanie it should not be denyed him so as he committed no act of hostilitie Whereunto the prince answered from Soissons the fourth of December as he had before sent his intention vnto his Maiesty That although he had many reasons mouing him thereunto yet he was not so indiscreet to addresse his armes against so mightie a king And therefore he protested that he was ready to doe his Maiestie that honour respect and seruice that was fit But for that the aduancement of the true Religion is a point which aboue all doth moue the hearts of men the which he vnderstandeth they meane to â—…oot out in Fraunce although his Maiestie had giuen him to vnderstand that hâ—… intention was not to force any one in his conscience but that the Protestants were â—…ll affected to him and that he held them for his enemies But if hee found that the said Protestants did seeke any other thing than the aduancement of the true Religion the libertie of their consciences and the suretie of their persons and goods That neyther he nor his armie would be friends vnto them but mortall enemies But hearing that the Protestants sought no other thing but the honour of God the assurance of their liues and the seruice of God and his Maiestie he desired his Maiestie not to take it in ill part if he were affected vnto them and that if he desired that his Maiesties publicke Edicts made touching Religion were entertayned and kept the which proceeded from a Christian zeale which he bare to his Maiesty and his subiects the which hee desired to see preserued from extreame ruine and desolation The king hearing this answere offered him a good summe of money for the payment of his armie whereof he had great need and by the same meanes caused Schomberg who was well knowne among the colonels and Rytmasters to sound the minds of his souldiers wherof some through pouertie were weary of the warres and others were content to enter into the kings seruice The prince his brother and the French nobilitie had propounded to march further into Fraunce whereupon there grew a great difficultie the troupes refusing to march any further but would returne into Germanie and bee payed there saying that their leuie was not made to goe into Fraunce but into the Netherlands against the duke of Alua. So as hauing no money ready no persuasions nor entreaties could serue to make them aduance vntill that the money which the French king had offered was come But the king vnderstanding of this diuision in the princes armie
the departure out of the land was limited vnto them for that time onely they said it was done for that there was no reason to alter the religion at euery time and thereby to procure and raise confusion and scandale among the common people and might likewise tend to a disgrace of Iustice and the Kings prerogatiue That his Maiestie doubted not that if the strange preachers and consistories with some other priuate persons who by meanes of the troubles vnder pretence of complayning for losse of their priueledges had brought in diuers Inouations would alter their opinions or were once gon out of the Netherlands that the common people being better informed in all things would be contented to liue in peace and obey his Maiesties will and pleasure who onely sought to defend and keepe them from all inconueniences and perticularly from the inquisition which his Maiesti pretended not to bring into the Netherlands Vpon this replication the deputies for the Prince and the estates of Holland and Zeeland vpon the fourth of Aprill desired a monethes libertie to make there report in regard that they seemed to charge and laie all the burthen vpon certaine perticuler persons and strangers and that therefore they would fetch lawfull and authenticall testimonialls of their authorities desiring withall a passport for certaine of their Ambassadors which they ment to send with the Earle of Swartzenburgh who as then was vpon his departure vnto the Emperor and that in the meane time the hostages might also returne againe The Earle of Swartezenburg likewise vpon the sixt of Aprill wrot vnto the great Commander to Brussels saying that hee had commission from the Emperors Maiestie to bring certaine Ambasadors with him from the estates of Holland and Zeeland that his Maiestie might bee fully informed of the cause for the better furtherance of a peace to bee made with the King of Spaine promising and giuing his word that the said Ambasadors should not in their said lourney vse any secret or vnlawfull proceedings The liberty of a monethes time sought by the deputies of the estates was partlie graunted vnto them but the Pasport required for the Ambassadors was by the Commander vtterl◅ denied Vppon the sixt of Aprill the Earle of Swartzenburgh tooke his leaue of the deputies on both sides assembled in Breda shewing them what labour and trouble ◅e had had both by intercession vnto the great Commander the Kings gouernor Generall and with the Prince of Orange and the estates of Holland and Zeeland to extinguish and quench the secret hatred and burning fier of enuy that flamed in their hearts and that although as then there was little effected for that the differēce of religion much hindered their proceedings yet he was not altogither out of hope neither wished he that therefore the matter should be neglected and not goe forward but rather gaue counsell that both partes should cease from armes that the truce should be made betweene thē for sixe moneths and for that the reformed religion was so deeply grounded in the hearts of the one party that it could not so sodenly be rooted out he thought it good that during the time of the truce they of Holland and Zeeland might freely vse the excercise of their religion and not to deny the said truce for religion sake The condition of the said truce on both sides he referred vnto the discretio as of the parties desiring them to take his meaning in good part as fore-seeing the generall ruine and destruction of the Netherlands if the cessation and laying aside of armes were not granted that so their hearts might be vnited togither and thereby a peace procured it being other-wise to be feared that the Netherlands being diuided might so fall into the hands of other Princes the which in regard of the great affectiō he bare vnto the Kings prosperous happy proceedings he would gladly seeke to hinder and preuent to that end desired an answer from the Commander within two dayes after earnestly desiring them not to take his departure in euill part it being apparant and sufficiently knowne with what labor and cost hee had performed that charge and that yet with great greefe hee had heard that hee had reaped and gotten the euill will and disliking of diuers great Lords for that cause onely and was had in suspition and that therefore he thought it necessary for him to returne backe againe vnto the Emperor and to discharge him-selfe of his ambassage not doubting but that his Maiestie if the truce were once agreed vppon would vse all the meanes and wayes he could to procure a firme and an assured peace and that so the Netherlands might bee kept and maintained in obedience vnder the King wherein he himselfe will neither spare his labour nor his meanes for the good of his Maiestie and his subiects of the Netherlands To this oration made by the Earle of Swaertzenbrugh touching his departure the great Commander made answer vppon the eight of Aprill giuing him great thankes for his labor and paines which hee knew the Kings Maiestie would take ◅n good part But touching the truce he said his Maiestie would not agree therevnto for certaine reasons and that hee saw no cause why hee should desist from his disseins but was content that there should bee a truce concluded for two monthes so that in the meane time the excercise of the reformed religion might cease both in Holland and Zeeland and they that vsed the same to go into some other place and that hee thought it not a thing pertinent vnto his office and charge to grant pasports vnto the Kings rebells to passe through his country whereas they had meanes ynough to go otherwaies In his voyage to the Emperor hee wished him all good successe giuing him great thankes for his paines taken therein in the Kings behalfe The like answer was made him by the Deputies as then in Breda so the Earle of Swaertzenburgh took his leaue and departed Vppon the last of Maie the Deputies mette againe at Breda where-in the behalfe of the Prince of Orange and the States of Holland and Zeeland c. Vppon the last of Iune there was a wrighting presented by them wherein they said that they liked well of the offer made of holding and obseruing of their priuiledges for the profit of the Netherlands but that they could not perceiue how that would or might be in any sort beneficiall for them when as they by the articles propounded must leaue and for sake the country Moreouer for-that they perceiued speaking freely that it was not as yet conuenient for them to forsake their natiue country as also the reformed religion they humbly besought his Maiestie that it would please him with a fauourable countenance to behold and regard the great zeale and holy intents of his obedient subiects and in the matter of conscience whereof account is onely to bee made vnto GOD him-selfe to with-hold and cease the fier and
whatsoeuer had neuer bin vsed as the hundreth and the tenth penny whereby some Prouinces vpon mere extremity had with-drawne them-selues from the absolute subiection of the said Duke which to reduce againe vnder his authority he prepared certaine fleets of shipes and vnder pretence thereof he vnfurnished the townes of their ordinance and armes and after that sent part thereof secretly into Spaine and an other part thereof was lost making account that a disarmed country was not greatlie to be feared and to the end that he might pourchase the fauour and loue of the soldiars as the tyrants Sylla Synna and Marius in Rome did he suffered them to vse al the tirrany they could deuise against the townes of the Netherlands as to Mechelen Naerden Harlem and others after whome followed Don Loys de Requesens great Commander of Castille a man of the same humor who hauing for a while playd the foxe brought likewises all the priuileges of the country in question whereby the mutinous soldiers after there victory at Moukerheyde without any great cause were suffered in his presence to force the townes as they did at Antwerp and compell them to pay them their entertainements whereas the Barron de Champigni had good meanes to haue hindred them from the same by which meanes the said soldiers tooke occasion and imboldened them selues to thinke that it was permitted them with the aide of the neighbours garrisons to ouer-rule ransake and spoyle the townes where they lay in garrison which had likewise happened in the towne of ould Naerden where he was gouernor if God had not giuen him the grace to preuent it in such sort that Spaine it selfe woundred at the Netherlands great submission and patience thinking it strange that after the death of the Commander the country did not kill and destroy all those mutinous soldiers when as the light horse-men mutined as the States had beene well informed out of Spaine which mutinous and insolent dealings were certefied vnto the King himselfe both in the Commanders time and sence and whereas the said Commander had twice sent to sommon the Knights of the order of the golden fleese the gouernors of the Prouinces and the Bishops and presidents of the Prouinciall councels with the counsell of estate and the secretaries that conuenient order might be taken therein it was there generally agreed and consented vnto to preuent further inconueniences that they should seeke to agree and make peace with the Prince of Orange and the states of Holland and Zeeland that all the Spanish and other strange soldiers both horse and foot-men should be sent out of the Netherlands that so the Catholike Kings seruice might the better bee effected That the Generall estates should be assembled that all other points of controuersie and contention happened betweene the Kings seruants and the aforesaid estates might be ended alwaies obseruing the old religion and the lawfull soueraignite of the King which there resolution being writen and signed by the parties aforesaid was sent into Spaine vnto the King where-vpon the King taking long consultation and aduise in the meane time more inconueniences happening through the proud and insolent behauiour of the Spaniards the King made answer that it was his onely care to find the best meanes to preuent all the said disorders and that as sone as he could he would send the Marquis of Haurec with order for the same At the last the King by his letters written vnto the States consented and agreed vnto their desires and willed the same to bee made knowne vnto the perticuler Prouinces as it was don according to the aduise of the aforesaid counsell of estate But the effect execution and charge thereof was remitted vnto Don Iohn de Austria as then nominated by the King to be sent gouernor into the Netherlands to cause the said country to be better counâ—…d of him as the Kingâ—… letters specified and contayned In the meane time after the winning of Ziricxzee the Spanish soldiers beginning againe to mutine tooke in Herentales and after that Alost liuing therein at discretion as euery man saw The Lords of the counsell of estates perceauing the mischiefe like a canker more and more to spred abroad within the Netherlands thinking it to be necessary to vse a speedy remedy fearing a generall reuolt of the country and that of mere necessity and pouerty quia noscit plebs ieiuna timere declared the mutinous soldiers in Alost and there adherents to be rebelis and meaning to punish them according to their deserts had determined to raise certaine tropes and to that end wrote to assemble the estates in Brussels there to take councell about the affaires of the land and to cause the Spaniards and all other strangers to depart out of the Netherlands and yet not without contenting them of their paines according to their accounts and reckonings but they to the contrary made a mock at all reasonable motions carrying themselues more insolently then before openly boasting that they would cut the throats of all their enimies and wash their hands in their bloud So as the estates could doe no lesse then by authority of the councell of state then ruling to take armes for their defence and securities as it is permitted both by godly naturall and humaine lawes and so made peace with the Prince of Orange the estates of Holland and Zeland determining after the driuing out of the strangers to haue a generall assembly of the estates to take order for the keeping and maintaining of the catholike religion the honor and authority of the kings maiesty their maister therby to preuent a greater mischiefe which meere necessity forced them vnto that they might not suffer the ruine of so goodly Prouinces before Don Iohn could come thether saying that her Maiestie might thereby well vnderstand what had past in the Netherlands and what reasons moued the generall estates by order from the Lords of the councell of estate then gouerning and representing the person of the King their soueraigne Lord to haue their refuge and recourse vnto armes And for that cause desired her Maiesty to consider if that they were therein to bee blamed when as they neither sought alteration of religion nor change of Prince but onely desired to serue the king and sought to deliuer and free themselues from the bloudy practises of the Spanish soldiers and to maintaine themselues in their ancient lawes rights and priuiledges which his Maiestie had confirmed by oath as also to bee gouerned by naturall borne persons of the land as they had beene in times past all which their so lawfull and reasonable causes the deputies of the generall estates knowing her Maiesty to be a princes of great vnderstanding and wisdome farre from all ambition and yet most pittifull had giuen him in charge to shew vnto her hoping that she of her gracious fauour clemencie and good will would not forsake nor abandon them in a matter of so necessary and of so great
obtained that which hee so much desired which is the restitution of his goods and honour with the departure of the Spaniards whereon hee did ground his taking of armes that it is more then time to settle the countrie in peace and to banish all suspition on his behalfe imploying himselfe sincerely in so good a worke And if hee bee not satisfied with all this but doth demand some other thing let him speake plainely what hee pretends more for his safetie to the end that full contentment may bee giuen him For the effecting whereof it is verie requisite that the perpetuall Edict of the treatie made by the generall Estates with his highnesse and proclaimed at Brussells the seauenteenth of February and successiuely in other townes and Prouinces in confirmation of the sayd pacification of Gant may bee also proclaymed in Holland Zeeland and other associat places whereas hetherto it hath not beene published In like sort seeing a peace is made and proclaimed it is necessary that generally all acts should cease which tend to hostilitie and may giue any occasion of distrust as the entertayning of souldiars the fortification of townes and places practises and allyances leagues and confederations euen with strangers casting of new Ordinance the which ought to remaine in the same Estate vntill the resolution of the generall Estates And for that and other things specefied in the pacification to giue order for the full accomplishment of a desired peace and the publike tranquillitie it is fit to aduise speedelie when the sayd generall Estates shall assemble All which points the sayd Commissioners for his Highnesse require the Prince of Orange and the Deputies of Holland and Zeeland to carry them vnto the Estates of Holland and Zeeland as they will doe vnto his Highnesse and to the other Estates the points and articles which shal be giuen them by the sayd Prince and deputies Hoping there shal be a fauorable answere giuen reciprocally of either side and that all things in the meane time shall remaine in peace and tranquility The answere of the Prince of Orange and the Deputies of the Estates of Holland and Zeeland to the sayd Proposition MY Lords vpon the Proposition which it hath pleased you to make on his Highnesse behalfe that to take away all iealousie and distrust which seemed to hinder the sinceritie of the peace wee should propound assurances which wee thinke conuenient for the effecting thereof The Prince of Orange and the deputies of the Estates of Holland and Zeeland haue made answere that it were a superfluous thing to demande new assurances seeing that the conditions promised by the pacification were not yet accomplished and that to take away distrust there was no better meanes then to beginne by the fulfilling of the points and articles of the pacification of Gant the which wee beeing readie for our parts to accomplish if any remayning desiryng that you would doe the like on your behalfe and that moreouer it hath pleased you my maisters to require vs to put in writing the points and articles which wee pretend are not yet fulfilled To satisfie your desire therein the Prince of Orange and the deputies of the Estatâ—…s of Holland and Zeeland haue thought good to exhibit these articles following First that the aduice and answere which the Prince of Orange and the Estates of Holland and Zeeland haue giuen by writing to all the generall Estates of the Netherlands by the hands of Mounsier de Villerual dated the nineteenth day of February in the yeare of our Lord 1577. containes many Articles by which it appeeres that the pacification made at Marche in Famine was not conformable to all the Articles of the pacification of Gant for which cause the sayd Prince Estates haue not allowed of the said pacification but vpon expresse condition that the generall estates should for their parts passe an act obligatory in due forme signed by them and the Gouernors of Prouinces commanders and colonels conformable to that which is more particularly specified in the said aduice and answer Where-vpon they haue by an act giuen and dated the first of March declared their intention to haue alwaies beene to maintaine effectually the pacification made at Gand and to seeke to redresse all that they should finde done or attempted to the contrary or against the preuiledges rights liberties and customes of the Netherlands as well in generall as in particular and they promised to cause the like resolution to be signed by the Gouernors of Prouinces commanders and collonels as being bound to gouerne them-selues accordingly which promise and condition hath not beene effected nor accomplished for the Germains are not yet gone out of the country which is contrary to the said pacification of Gand. Item the goods haue not beene neither are yet restored to the Prince of Orange as well in these parts as in Bourgongne and Luxembourg Neither is the Earle of Buren his sonne deliuered which doth not onely impugne the said pacification but also the preuiledges and liberties of the country and the conditions of the said aduice and answer Item the Prince hath not his gouernment yet restored vnto him as hee had it by commission from his Maiesty seeing that neither the country and towne of Vtrecht nor the townes of Tholen Heusden and others are not yet vnited to their ancient gouernments as they were in former times where in my Lords of the councell of State haue shewed them-selues partiall writing letters to them of Vtrecht by the which they haue kept them from submitting them-selues vnder their ancient Gouernor according to the said pacification and the preuiledges of Vtrecht although that they of Vtrecht haue often required that they might submit them-selues Moreouer in steed of augmenting and maintaining the priuileges of the country as had beene specefied not onely in the said pacification but also in the conditions of the said aduice and answer giuen vnto the generall estates we see them now deminished yea broken and violated in diuers sorts for my Lords the States haue by their Instruction giuen to certaine deputies sent vnto Don Iohn lately sence the said aduice and answer where it had beene expresly mentioned subiected the assembly of the States as wel general as particular vnto the good pleasure of Don Iohn the which should remaine free according to the ancient rights preuiledges and liberties of the Countrie in those Prouinces and places that haue preuiledges Item those of the religion are not admitted in any places and townes of other prouinces to remaine there according to the pacification of Gand as may bee verified by many examples if they will take informations And yet not-with-standing all this and that the promises and obligations contained in the said pacification of Gand and sence in that which the estates haue promised to the Prince to the estates of Holland and Zeeland be not accomplished yet they haue receiued the said Don Iohn for Gouernor and Captaine generall without the aduise
Lord how much you loue him and how good and loyall a vassall hee hath of you In the meanetime beeing necessarie for his Maiesties seruice that the foure companies of Cornellis van Eynden should enter into the new towne if perchance the signior of Hierges had not beene with you nor sent vnto you before the sayd entrie notwithstanding that wee haue written it to Mounsier Treslon wee would also make it knowne vnto you by these presents which Charles Foucker shall deliuer vnto you to the end you may knowe that it is done by our commandement as a thing most requisite for his Maiesties seruice In whose behalfe wee sommon you that according vnto the oth which you haue sworne vnto him you will constantly serue him with the companie that is vnder your charge in the garde of that castle adhering to no other but to him and to vs in his name as your Gouernor although you bee otherwaies required and prest incorraging your souldiars to doe their duties as it befits honest men and assuring them that they shal be well intreated and paied to the vttermost c. Vpon these intelligences Don Iohn thought that this desseigne vpon Antwerp the which as wee haue sayd had beene plotted before at Macklin could not faile him and held himselfe verie assured thereof thinking also to haue the townes and countrie of Luxembourg at his deuotion as indeed hee had to haue a passage alwaies open from Bourgongne and Italie hee also mannaged his businesse in such sort as knowing verie well that the States would not satisfie the signior of Hierges desire touching the Gouernment of Charlemont which the signior of Mericourt would resigne vnto him to incense the States seeking some cause of quarrell against them hee promised it vnto Hierges and gaue vnto him the gouernment of Charlemont contrary to the intent of the sayd States and contrarie to all that which had beene decreed by the accord of pacification and the perpetuall Edict Thinking that hee had made his proiects so surely as all should succeed to his defire tas well for that hee held himselfe assured as hee thought of the towne and castle of Antwerp as to haue all the Germaines at his deuotion beeing foure Regiments with those of the Lords of Hierges Megen Floion and Cerf which was wont to bee that of Collonel Mario Cordoni thinking also that the States treasure was all exhausted for that they had dismist their forces that were entertained by the priuate Prouinces Hauing also learned by letters and by a man that was expresly sent what forces they had to expell the sayd Germaines hee resolued to proceed And notwithstanding that two daies before hee had sent the signior of Grobbendoncq vnto the States to let them vnderstand that hee desired to come to Brussells so as all things might bee well ordred touching certaine Articles presented on his behalfe wherein hee had beene formerly satisfied vnder collour of going a hunting whereas the chiefe Noblemen followed him beeing before the castle of Namur and seeming to haue a desire to visit it and to viewe the countrie about hee commanded the duke of Arschot to followe him Beeing entred into the castle hee sayd that for the safetie of his owne person and the dukes together with his traine hee had thought it fit to put himselfe into that place entring into it they found at the port the Earle of Megen and the signior of Hierges Floion and Hautepenne bretheren Sonnes to Barlaimont with pistolles in their hands and presently Don Iohn tooke a pistoll which hee drewe out of the case and shewing his armes sayd that it was the first daie of his gouernment and then hee presently placed his gards the which happened the foure and twenty of Iuly Being thus seized of the castle hee assembled the councell to whom hee made a declaration of the long and the exceeding great patience which hee had had against so manie and such intollerable indignities which he had suffred by the States of the countrie and that hee was resolued not to beare them any longer but to gouerne and to be absolutly obeied according to the charge which hee had from Spaine And yet for that hee would not altogither distast the Noblemen of the countrie which were about his person thinking that it was not yet time to declare himselfe openly hee shewed forth two letters one of the ninteenth the other of the one and twenty but without any subscription of signature by the which they did aduertise him that there was a conspiracie against his person to seize on him at Brussells or at Macklin and therefore he should prouide for his owne safetie alleadging therevpon that hee was now in a place where he held himselfe from the bad practises of conspirators imputing all the occasion of his retreate long before precended yea from his first comming vnto these countries as the proofes did witnesse vnto a conspiracie newely found out seeing that if there had beene any cause of such suspicion hee might haue preuented it by exemplarie iustice beeing Gouernor and Commander of the countrie and generally obeied At the same time hee sent the Lord of Rassengem with the coppie of these two letters to the States at Brussells with certaine Articles the which hee would haue effected before hee returned to Brussells tending in effect to disarme the Lord of Heze who had beene made Gouernor of the towne by the States before his comming and all the Bourgers with all that hee might by that stratageme the better surprize the towne as hee had done Namur and the castle And although the States had great cause to distrust all these courses of Don Iohn and to stand vpon their gard who had so plainely discouered his intention and in so manie sorts broken the treaties of pacification and quietnesse as well of Marche in Famine as of Gant yet they were so farre from making shewe of any Act of hostilitie as they sent vnto him the Abbot of Marolles the Archedeacon of Ypre and the signior of Breuck with great and ample instructions of the fiue and twenty daie of Iulie by the which the States made a plaine declaration of their sincere intentions and meaning vnto him in all faith and obedience beseeching him most humbly that hee would bee pleased to lay a side all suspition grounded vpon doubtfull and false reportes and to preuent all inconueniences and alterations which this his extraordinarie retreate to the castle of Namur with the sodaine taking and seizing vpon Charlemont might causâ—… promising him at his returne and presence in the sayd towne of Brussells fidelitie and assurance against all men And to doe exemplarie iustice vpon all them that should bee found culpable and faultie of so wicked a conspiracie Wherefore they intreated him that as well the accused vs the accusers might bee named vnto them to make a iudiciall information and to doe iustice accordingly whereof they gaue them a new charge the
should bee thought most fit and conuenient Not to attempt anie new thing or contrarie to the good of the common cause but vnder an expresse protestation to maintaine and deâ—…end themselues according vnto the termes of the sayd pacification and vnion against the more then barbarous insolencie exceeding the Spanish of the sayd sectaries and of their adherents and to preuent the rooting out as they pretend of our sayd faith and Religion of the Nobilitie and generally of all order and state Beeing a matter greatly to bee considered that the negligence of the good if thereby all bee supplanted and rooted out will purchase vnto them besides the irreparable losse a perpetuall infamie to haue bin so weake and faint hearted hauing so good a ground and foundation in the cause as it may rightly be termed pleasing vnto God helthfull vnto men and highly to bee commended before all Christian Princes yea of the Catholike King our Lord. Moreouer they should shew themselues vnworthie of the succors and assistance of my Lord the Duke of Aniou hauing so willingly imbraced the defence cause and quarrell of the Netherlands against their common enemies if they should saile to make demonstration how much they are displeased that a mercenarie beeing called by the sayd treacherous sectaries against the publike faith and the intention of the Prouinces and the generall Estates should take vpon him their protection his highnesse beeing called receiued and proclaymed with the title of Defender of the Belgike Lâ—…ertie as euery one knoweth Wherfore for that we vnderstand that the Prouinces of Holland Zeeland Flanders Geldres and others are entred into league it is fit after the example of those Heretikes which thus ioyne togither to doe euill that in like manner the Catholike Prouinces of Arthois Lille Douay Orchies Tournay Tournesis Valenciennes and Henault should ioyne and vnite themselues strictly togither and by a good and mutuall correspondency seeke to maintaine themselues defend the faith and withstand and suppresse all such violence The which being once vndertaken and published there is no doubt but the Catholikes that are driuen away and opprest yea many Catholike quarters and townes wherof there are yet many will declare themselues and ioyne also and assist withall their means and powre And although that this vnion and coniunction which is not new nor tending to any other end but to the preseruation execution of that which was so sollemnly sworne and allowed by the Prouinces wil be sinisterly interpreted by the fauorers of the sayd seditious Heretiks periured sectaries yet it is not fit to suffer things to run to ruine infamy nor wilfully to cast away our selues seeing that the end of this businesse wil be glorious and by Gods assistance fruitfull the ground being so iust and necessary wherfore seeing that it concernes the honor glory and seruice of God the preseruation of our holie faith and the Catholike Apostolike and Romish religion togither with the Nobility al good Catholiks and their honors liues wiues children possessions The said signior of Charpesteau shall do his best endeauor to represent them plainly effectually vnto the Estates of Tournay and Tournesis to worke in such sort as they may yeeld vnto the said coniunction vnion as well in generall as in particular laboring for their parts with the states and other Catholike Prouinces to ioyne also in the said vnion assuring them that they shal be therein faithfully seconded by the estates of Henault who will not faile to hold good and mutuall correspondence with them this busines requiring al dilligence for that the mischiefe is at the dore and that they may so long delay it as it wil be to late or impossible to preuent it desiring to haue as soone as may bee a good end and a fruitful resolution of their intention Made at Mons in an open assembly of the States the 13. 14. and 15. of October and signed vnderneath Carlier Vpon these points conteined in this instruction being so inuectiue and iniurious they of Henault Arthois Valenciennes Lille Douay and Orchies grounded their disiunction from the other Prouinces comprehended in the Pacification of Gant and wrought their reconciliation with the king laboring to draw the towne of Tournay and Tournesis into it but they did not consider that by this instruction they did secreatly pourchase the kings indignation in that they did so much protest against the retreat of the Spaniards and other Srangers his seruants in whome he most relyed for the preseruation of these countries the which being retired they spoyled the King of his forces and authority as if vnder collor of a reconciliation they would prescribe him a law And also in that they speake so heighly of the Duke of Aniou giuing him the Title of defender of the Belgicke liberty the which is a hatefull title to a naturall Prince and mutch suspected when it is giuen to a foraine Prince Iealousie holding no measure in that case although for a time they dissemble and wincke at it The Seignior of Chaerpesteau being come with this instruction to the Prince of Espinoy gouernor and to the States of Tournay and Tournesis he found but cold entertainement and small acceptance of his speeches notwithstanding that the Bishop of Tournay called Pentaflour made great instance and was very importunate with the States and Prince who being alwaies vnwilling to giue eare to priuate reconciliation answered that to attaine vnto a generall one hee would imploy both body and goods but he would neuer disioyne him-selfe That he had taken an oth vnto the Generality against Don Iohn and his adherents the which he would maintaine vnto the death vntill hee were absolued and despensed thereof of by the said generality that they knew wel the condition of Kings that hold them-selues wronged by their subiects that if hee had two heads he would hazard one of them for the Kings seruice but hee had but one no more then the Earle of Egmont Where-vpon the Bishoppe replyed they would seeke to obtaine a generall peace the Prince asked him how they would thinke of the question of relligion to attaine vnto the said peace the Bishop then answered alledging the parable of the husbandman who suffred the darnell to grow among the good corne vntill the day of haruest whervpon the Prince asked him againe when that haruest should be when as the King had subiected all the country vnto his will noe said the Bishop but at the last day of iudgment If then said the Prince you can effect that I will not spare any thing for my part to attaine vnto it where-vpon the Bishoppe being retired the Prince adressing his speeches to them that were in the chamber his familiar friends although there-were one that was a true Romish Catholike and so died said see how these men can apply the holy Scripture when as they thinke to make it serue their owne turnes Thus the said Prince remayned vnto his death
of France into England where hee was verie gratiously entertained by the queene after hee had staid there sometime meaning to goe into Germanie to leuie men hee resolued to passe into Flanders and so into Brabant He first arriued at Scluce and from thence hee came to Gant the thirteenth of Iulie where hee was honourably receiued by them of the towne who sent fix companies of the regiment of the baron of Mortagne to meet him beeing feasted by the magistrats of the towne in their State-house The Vicent or Bourgraue of Gant newly created marques of Ronbay by the king in recompence of his seruice whether that he had intelligence of the princes comming to the towne or not had gathered together about foure regiments of foot and sixteene cornets of horse the which hee caused to march presently the same night thinking to surprise it by a camisadoe at a rauelin called by the name of Imbise not farre from the port of Bruges the which was onely shut in on the out-side with a pallisadoe and certaine planks being laid open in the day time to carrie the earth out of a new ditch which was made right opposit against it into the towne which pallisadoe foure or fiue men might easily haue pulled downe with halters The marques aduanced so fast with his horsemen as about two houres after midnight he came before the said rauelin which at that time was verie ill guarded for of a whole squadron there were but fiue or six souldiers of captaine Roses companie at the guard but by reason of the continuall raine all that night the footmen could not aduance so fast but the day begun to approach The seigniour of la Motte lighted from his horse and going ouer the ditch came to the foot of the rampar and approaching neere the rauelin hee tried to pull downe the pallisadoe and to make passage for the horse which should not haue gone aboue the knees in the water A poore countrey man beeing without came to giue an alarme to the towne but la Motte slew him presently wherewith beeing discouered hee was shot with a harguebuse in the arme Then the alarme growing verie hot all the six companies of the colonel Mortague and the prince of Conde himselfe came with his traine with the first vnto the rampar from whence a canon was discharged through a squadron of the marquesses horse ioyning vnto a mill who seeing that for want of footmen he could not doe any thing retired And soone after his footmen arriued so weary and wet as they could haue no great courage to fight The marques in his retreat cursing his misfortune burnt all where hee past in the territories of Gant I wonder at some writers both Flemish and French which say That the marques was entred a good way into the towne the which is false for if it had beene so hee would haue kept vs for I was there at that time holding that great place which they call Eckerghem from comming neere the rampar and his horsemen might haue giuen his footmen leasure ynough to haue entred in like manner Wee must notwithstanding confesse the truth that without this raine the towne had beene in danger to be lost not without great effusion of bloud The lieutenant to the said captaine Rose called Chastelet for the bad order which was at the guard was put in prison and grieuously tortured yet there was no treason found in him but verie great negligence After the retreat of the marques the prince of Conde parted the same day to goe vnto Antuerpe beeing conuoyed by the cornet of the seigniour of Rihouen and the voluntaries of Gant but hee was not halfe a league out of the towne when as there was a false alarme giuen which made him returne backe vnto the towne least they should say hee had led away their horsemen but hearing that it was nothing hee continued his iourney to Antuerpe where hee was honourably receiued by the prince and the counsell of Estate Hauing rested there some dayes during the which they made him rich presents hee tooke his leaue and continued his way into Germanie to the faire of Francfort from whence he returned into France by Switserland Monsieur de la Noue being general of the Estates forces in Flanders had gathered a small armie together and staying for the Englishmen that came out of Macklyn to ioyne with him in the moneth of May he besieged Inglemunster which is a smal castle which the malecontents had taken lying vpon a riuer called Mander where hauing planted his siege and giuen charge to batter the same leauing the lord of Marquette to commaund in his place hee was put in mind of an enterprise to be done against Ryssel which hee resolued to attempt and for that cause marched thither with certaine foot and horsemen but finding himselfe to be too weake to effect it for that the burgraue of Gant called Marques de Richeborgh or Ronbay with fifteene cornets of Albanoys horsemen and certaine footmen made towards him hee retyred backe againe to his campe before Inglemunster and beeing on the other side of the riuer of Leye he was forced to goe somewhat further downeward whereas the Mander falleth into the Leye and that night lodged in a village called Wackene the burgraue of Gant still following him and while la Noue passed the Leye at Cortricke hee tooke a new way to Inglemunster which la Noue perceiuing hee made all the hast he could to ioyne with his camp but by reason that his men were wearie hee was forced to stay all night at Wackene which was two miles from Inglemunster where his campelay yet fearing least the enemie hauing but a little way to march might charge his campe before hee got thither hee rod that night with certaine horsemen to his campe commaunding the lord of Marquette with all speed to breake downe the bridge that went ouer the riuer of Mander that the enemie should not fall sodainely vpon them but for all his commaund they that kept the bridge thought it not requisit to breake it downe but meant to keepe it strong contrarie to all marshall discipline which monsieur de la Noue notwithstanding would haue done The burgraue of Gant knowing that the Estates forces lay that night at Wackene made towards the campe which lay before Inglemunster with all his troupes and fell vpon them La Noue perceiuing that and hauing sent for his men to come from Wackene with all speed defended himselfe as well as hee could although hee had not aboue fiue or six hundred men and two or three cornets of horse which were easily defeated The Scottish souldiers beeing commaunded to hold play with the enemie as long as they could and to discharge their peeces one after another were too hastie and shot all together which hauing done they gaue backe Certaine French companies that had not aboue ten or twelue men in a companie the rest of their companions beeing at Wackene kept all
of Spaine should take any exception a cepted He complained of the reuolting of the male-content Wallons who had taken vpon them to make warre against their vnited friends contrarie to their oths at such a time when the forreine souldiers and the enemie should haue beene driuen out of the countrey and the towne of Mastricht releeued He likewise complained of the reuolted noblemen and gentlemen who being descended of noble houses and antient families should discouer their lightnesse and inconstancie First seruing the duke of Alua and the great Commander like mercenarie slaues and making warre against him after that they reconciled themselues vnto him and became enemies to the Spaniards When Dom Iohn came into the countrey they followed him serued him and practised the princes ruine Dom Iohn hauing failed of his enterprise at Antuerpe they forsake him and call in the prince whom presently they abandon againe and without any counsell or aduice send in all hast for the arch duke Mathias whom they presently left and without his priuitie called in the duke of Aniou promising him wonders But seeing they could not persuade him to be their head against the Estates and them of the religion they forsake him and ioyne with the prince of Parma and their enemies whose counsellors they had so long held prisoners which shewed their lightnesse and inconstancie Whereas they obiected That he had made himselfe to be chosen by force and tumult gouernor of Brabant he shewed that he had refused it and that in regard of the lieutenant generals place he would not accept thereof without the consent of the commanders that were in the armie which they sent him signed vnder their hands The gouernment of Flanders he also refused notwithstanding the instance that was made vnto him by the foure members of the countrey And whereas this proscription found the vnion of Vtrecht of very hard disgestion he said There was no better remedie against the disunion of the male-contents than this vnion and no surer antidote against the poyson of discord than concord Confessing that he had procured aduanced and sought to entertaine it As touching the receit of money hee said he neuer medled therewith And the rest of the accusations as the chasing away of the nobilitie hypocrisie distrust and the offers that were made him being of lesse importance he refuted At the last he came to the sentence of banishment saying That al those stormes of thunder and lightning did not amaze him and that if any Spaniard or other affected to them of what qualitie or condition soeuer had said or should say as this infamous proscription had published that he is a traitor and a villaine had spoken falsely and against the truth And although the vse of water and fire was forbidden him yet he would vse the same so long as God should giue him leaue And touching the twentie fiue thousand crownes with recompence of gentry and pardon for all offences promised to him that should attempt to murder or poyson him hee said That he doubted not but God had and would preserue him so long as he pleased wherin his enemies had shewed their basenesse that not able to vanquish him by the due course of arms they seeke dishonourably to murder or poison him And although hee feared it not yet if it should so happen which he hoped God would not permit he said there was not so meane a gentleman to be found in any nation where they knew what belonged to gentrie that would eat and conuerse with such a wicked and infamous villaine as had murdered any man for money And that if the Spaniards esteemed such for gentlemen and that men by such meanes were aduanced to honour in Castile he said That it was no maruel if all the world beleeued that the most part of the Spaniards especially those that held themselues nobles and gentlemen descended from the Moores and Iews and obserue that good qualitie as ingrafted in them from their forefathers that betrayed our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ and gaue Iudas money to deliuer him vnto them that they might crucifie him For which cause he said he would beare that misfortune the more patiently if it so fell out Wherefore hee gaue the States to vnderstand that their peace and quiet depended vpon his death for that so long as hee was among them their warres should neuer haue end and therefore he wished that his death might free them from the miseries which his life procured the which should be a sweet and acceptable death vnto him That for their cause hee had suffered his lands and goods to be taken from him lost his brethren yea and his sonne and yet hee desired to purchase their freedome and libertie with his bloud and that if they thought it fit and conuenient they should presently command the same saying That his head was readie ouer which no prince nor potentat had any command but onely they whereof they might dispose as it pleased them for their welfare But if they thought good still to vse him and his experience woon by continuall toile and trauell together with his life and goods hee was desirous to imploy himselfe in theirs and the Netherlands seruice wherein he desired their resolution Whereunto the generall Estates vpon the seuenteenth of December made answer as followeth The generall Estates hauing not long since seene a certaine proscript made and published by the enemie against your Excellencies person whereby they seeke to charge you with some slanderous and vnworthy crimes thereby to bring you into hatred as if by vnlawfull meanes and practises your Excellencie should haue sought the dignities and gouernments which you now enioy and withal abandoning your person as a prey to them that would bereaue you of your life and thereby depriue you of your honour Hauing in like sort seene the answer made thereunto by your Excellencie wee find That for as much as concerneth the Netherlands it is plaine and manifest that the aforesaid crimes and false imputations are vniustly laid vpon you And touching the place of Lieutenant generall the particular gouernments which your Excellencie now enioyeth that a lawful choice and election being made of you you would not haue accepted thereof but at our earnest intreaties and desires and haue still continued therein at our requests with the full consent and liking of the countrey seeking the same at your Excellencies hands with intreatie still to continue and hold the same promising all helpe aid and assistance not sparing any of their meanes together with all obedience vnto your Excellencie And for that the said Estates are well sufficiently assured of your Excellencies good and true seruice done vnto the Netherlands and which from henceforth they expect and attend of you they offer and present vnto your Excellencie a cornet of horsemen for the better safetie and guard of your person desiring you to accept thereof from them who acknowledge themselues bound to
defend and preserue you And for that which concerneth the said Estates and wherein they find themselues taxed by the said proscription they are resolued with the first opportunitie to iustifie themselues Giuen in Delft c. This answer being printed in diuers tongues was sent to all the princes of Europe to iustifie himselfe of the accusations laid vpon him in the said proscription and to shew who had bin the first motiue and the cause of the troubles in the Netherlands This yeare died Frederick Schencke of Tautenbergh bishop of Vtrecht beeing president of the chamber at Spiers who in the yeare 1559 succeeded Iordan van Egmont in the said bishopricke and was the 61 bishop of Vtrecht Which bishops had gouerned that countrey 884 yeares from anno 696 till anno 1580. This Frederick was a man of great learning as doth appeare by his writings The eight and twentieth of December died Gerard of Grosbeke cardinall bishop and prince of Liege who contrarie to the disposition of the Liegeois had openly defended the Spanish faction Some thought he died of griefe for that the countrey would not yeeld to the contribution which he demaunded The Estates would haue had some prince aduanced who had beene better affected to their partie and aboue all the archduke Mathias who was then in the Netherlands whereunto they recommended him but the partisans of Spaine carried it by voyces for Ernest sonne to the duke of Bauaria bishop of Fresingen who had before laboured to haue the bishopricke and electorship of Cologne the which hee had together with the Postulat of Munster with other great dignities So as we may truely say That the said Ernest is at this day one of the greatest prelats in Christendome In Nouember past colonell Balfour generall of the Scots that were vnder the States seruice being in garrison at Bruges in Flanders went forth with a troupe of horse and set vpon in the village of Wassenare in Franc of Bruges certaine light horsemen of the prince of Parmaes the which hee defeated but succours comming Balfour who had but threescore horse after that hee had fought valiantly was defeated and slaine but not without great slaughter of the Spaniards His bodie was carried to Bruges and honourably interred Hee was much lamented for the good seruices which hee had done in Flanders neither died hee poore His wife was brought in bed soone after in the same towne In the beginning of May the deputies of the prouinces of the Netherlands that were sent into Fraunce to the duke of Aniou returned backe againe hauing made choyce of him for their soueraigne Lord although some articles of the contract were not fully agreed vpon as that the king for his brothers sake shold make war against the king of Spain which the Estates did much desire with some others But the duke found many in France that did crosse his proceedings therein beeing of the Spanish faction for which cause about this time he made a declaration and putting it in print he sent it to all the courts of parliament of France shewing his firme and constant resolution touching the defence and freeing of the Netherlands from troubles shewing how honorable it was and what profit it might bring to the kingdom and crowne of Fraunce About this time there was an enterprise discouered in Brussels by a miller which carried letters who being put to the racke and tortured accused the seigniour of Haussy and his wife of certaine practises for the which they were committed to close prison with the lady of Waerdenburch sister to the said ladie and others who were soone after released except the said lord of Haussy who continued for a time in prison with doctour Cornet But afterwards by the meanes of the seigniour of Timpel gouernour of the towne who married the said ladie of Waerdenburch the seignior of Haussy was set at libertie and went for a time into France And not long after there was an vprore begun and made by meanes of a preaching monke that had been banished out of Gant called Anthony Ruyskenueldt who seruing there in a certaine parish by meanes of his preaching he drew diuers adherents vnto him who laboured to frustrat and disannull the good resolution which the Estates had taken for their protection and defence some of them hauing before consented to the enterprise made by the earle of Egmont and of others as of doctor Ioos Butkens Andreas Anderlech the lord and lady of Haussie and Iohn Cob an English man who not long before had bin hanged and quartered in the said towne For which cause the magistrat of Brussels sought diuers secret means to get that monk out of the towne but all in vaine at the last he being more and more suspected it was resolued that he should by some means or other be forced to depart which comming to his knowledge he and his adherents caused a great number of people to assemble together before the gouernors house which seditiously cried out That they being Catholikes neither could nor would endure that their peacher should be driuen out of the towne saying That they would sooner suffer themselues to bee cut in peeces with many such words more but for that time they were pacified with faire words but in the afternoone the magistrat being come thither they began another great outcry amongst them and in great rage they began to plucke vp the stones in the street and made a great vprore with their weapons and the stones the Amptman hauing a hatchet throwne at his head but the garrison and the well affected bourgers arming themselues the vprore ceased And after that further information being taken therein it was found that diuers seditious enterprises had bin practised inuented in the cloisters vnder pretence of going to masse as also at the like assemblies of the said seditious preacher Anth. Ruyskenueldt for which cause by full consent of the townes men and members of the same they caused the said Ruyskenueldt and some of his adherents to depart out of the town determining further to shut vp the cloisters and the churches that no more such violences should bee vsed by such tumults as also that by authoritie of the magistrats all the images in euery place of the towne should bee broken downe and that the best part of them should bee sold with most aduantage towards the charges of the towne and the reliefe of the poore Whereupon a proclamation beeing made shewing the abuses and dangerous practises of the Papists within the towne it was decreed by the Amptman and magistrats of the saide towne for the peace vnion and securitie of the said towne not to permit nor allow of the exercise of the Romish religion in any church or chappell of the same and that therfore it should wholly be suspended forbidden vntill that other order should be taken in the causes concerning the said town the country and that therin they should follow the necessitie of the time as
had caused the pioners to fill vp the ditches and began to vndermine the wall so as he forced them within to parle but Dekema refusing to accept of the conditions his souldiers compelled him thereunto and deliuered him and eighteene Friselanders more prisoners to Sonoy the rest were suffered freely to depart This castle had the wall next vnto the towne throwne downe againe and presently thereupon Sonoy caused the town to be fortified This towne of Staueren is very auncient and in times past was a lordship very rich and mightie a great towne of marchandise and the chiefe in all those Northerne parts with a very good and a spacious hauen but now filled vp with sand it had great commaund euen as farre Nimmeghen as it appeareth by an authenticke writing grauen ouer the gate of the castle of Nimmeghen whereas yet is to be seene in old letters this inscription Hucusque ius Stauriae that is Thus farre stretcheth the iurisdiction of the towne of Staueren and in another place Hic finitur regnum Stauriae that is Here endeth the dominion of Staueren Staueren in times past was so mighty as in Anno 1345 with the aid of the Frisons vpon the 26 of September they ouercame William earle of Henault with all his army in Holland hard by S. Odolf his cloyster where the said earle with many of his men were slain so that long after there were diuers dead mens bones it being two hundred yeres since found vnburied in that place for which cause in Anno 1545 Mary queene of Hungarie the emperour Charles sister and Regent in the Netherlands caused all the dead bones thereabouts to be gathered vp and sent to Staueren where they were buried In May the earle of Renenberghs souldiers came out of great Auwart downe to the Reediep and thought to make a sconce vpon the water to exclude the lord of Nyenuenoort from the sea but he being aduertised therof went to encounter them hauing laid an ambush he charged defeated them slew and took a great number of them caried away some of their ensignes After that the lord of Nyenuenoort hauing receiued 2 moneths pay for his soldiers of the Estates of Friseland vpō condition that he should in the Estates name besiege great Auwart he for that cause went besieged it with diuers companies of souldiers brought ordnance before it to batter the fort but the earle of Renenbergh being aduertised thereof gathered together all his forces from Myddelstum other places the which they did rase abandon and so passing ouer the Reediep hauing a new supply of 300 horse he marched towards Auwart which Nyenuenoort perceiuing he was in mind to haue left the siege but the most part of his captains were of a contrary opinion wherein they committed a great error for that placing the pesants of Friseland among their squadrons of souldiers they for want of experience as soone as the earle of Renenbergh came to charge presently without any blows giuen leaped ouer the ditches with their long staues ran away which put the rest into rout euery one seeking to saue himself the earle of Renenberghs forces following them who took Haspelinus Berenbroeks ensignes captaine Stuper and Vischer being taken prisoners but not many slaine Many of them fled into the sconce of Auwerderziel where the earle of Renenbergh gaue two furious charges but he was forced to leaue it with great losse of his men but comming thither againe with the canon and hauing battered it and made a breach after three assaults they forced it killing all they found in it where among the rest Schelto Iarges a wise and a valiant captaine was slaine The Friselanders presently after assembled the dispersed souldiers againe so that Nynuenoort being made strong with more souldiers went to his fort of Winsum but the earl of Renenbergh comming before it with all his power the fort being not yet finished nor able to endure the canon he was constrained by his own men to parle with the earle so as it was agreed that he should depart freely with bag and baggage and leaue all his other forts Nyenuenoort being thus ouerthrowne the earle of Renenbergh was master all ouer the Ommelands as far as Doccum In the meane time the Estates to aid the lord of Nyenuenoort although too late appointed Sir Iohn Norris to be generall ouer certaine forces and with him eight companies of Sonoy his regiment with some others who being made stronger with the remainders of the broken companies sought opportunitie to giue the earle of Renenbergh battaile and as captaine Schul with certaine souldiers had taken Monikerziel fort he tooke that from them and forced the earle of Renenberghs troupes to goe out of the village in Gripskerke in battaile Colonel Sonoy led the foreward and began the charge coldly by many skirmishes vntill the rest came on and charged in grosse wherupon the Renenberghers fled and were pursued till they came to Groning with the losse of certaine ensignes and seuen hundred of their men besides many which were taken prisoners and small losse to the victors they tooke great store of their armes which they that fled were forced to cast away and yet Sir Iohn Norris had no horsemen with him but onely his owne cornet whereby many of the Renenberghers saued their liues most by means of the ditches there was also foure peeces of ordnance taken from them and all their prouision The 23 of Iuly died George of Lalain baron of Ville earl of Renenbergh brother to the earle of Hoochstraten for griefe and sorrow of this defeat although his sicknesse was not without some suspition of poyson during his sicknes he did often grieue and lament that he had quit the Estates party whereby he had drawne himselfe into such a laberynth crying out often O Groning Groning whereunto hast thou brought me cursing the day that he had euer seene it The last 8 daies before his death he exclaimed also vpon his sister Cornille of Lalain forbidding hir to come in his sight seeing that she had seduced him and was the cause of his perdition This earle of Renenbergh was sonne to the lord of Escornets gouernor of Guelderland for the emperor who had to wife the daughter of the earle of Renenbergh afterwards by the succession of his cousin became earle of Hoochstraten as also the said George of Lalain succeeded after the death of Cont Herman his vncle by the mothers side chanon of Cologne to the said earldome of Renenbergh His elder brother earle of Hoochstraten was called Anthony of Lalain a wise and valiant nobleman who in the yere 1567 retired himselfe with the prince of Orange out of the Netherlāds was also banished by the duke of Alua as we haue formerly shewed He died of a shot in the foot in the first voiage which the prince made with his army into these countries leauing some children among others his eldest was also
to go forth with his men to doe some exployt vpon the enemy whome hee had descouered Being gone forth he returned presently before day bringing with him Collonel Taxis with three Companies of foote and three of horse marching directly to the market place where they put them-selues in battayle after that Taxis had placed gardes in all parts of the towne the which was don so stilly and with so smale brute as the townes-men heard not any thing or if they did they thought it had beene their garrison so as at the breake of day they found they were Spaniards Some among the Protestants were so terrefied as fearing a massaker they cast themselues from the toppe of the walles to saue themselues Taxis hauing placed all his gards began to bee more assured for before hee was not without great distrust hauing with so few men trusted vnto Stanleys word and thrust him-selfe into a towne where there was a good garrsion and a number of braue Bourgers well armed where hee might haue beene taken like a mouse in a trappe Being thus assured hee presently caused it to bee proclaymed at the sound of the trompet that all men might remaine freely within the towne without any wrong done them either in bodie or goods lyuing in the Romish Religion and vnder the King of Spaines obedience Herevpon Stanley made his excuse both to the magistrats and the soldiars and sought to iustifie this trecherous fact saying that he neither was nor could be accoumpted atraitor in respect that hee had done no wrong vnlesse they would hold it treason to deliuer the towne to the King of Spaine to whome of right it did belong being long before moued therevnto as he said in conscience alledging many other such like reasons saying more-ouer that if any of his soldiars would serue there they should be well payed by a most bountifull king and the rest might freely depart where-vpon many but most of them Irish-men staid with him euery one hauing a monetâ—…es pay giuen him and presently the Bourgers were disarmed and likewise suffred to depart with Taxis pasport among the which there wore two Preachers The Bourgers houses were not spoyled that they might draw other townes to doe the like onely a few were ransackt among the which the preachers houses were not spared Stanleys regiment was disperst into sondry garrisons and hee himselfe was left still gouernor of Deuenter At the same time Rouland Yorke being made gouernor of the great Sconse before Zutphen by the earle of Leicester wholy against the liking of the Estates with eight hundred foote and a hundred horse did in like sort sel it to the Spaniard This Yorke had long before serued vnder the States although not with the best credit In Gant hee had beene Lieutenant Collonell to Iohn van Imbise with whome he had conspired to betray Gaunt and Dermond to the Prince of Parma for the which Imbise was beheaded and hee sent prisoner to Brusselles where at the last by the taking of the towne he was set at liberty and after that imployed by the Duke of Parma vppon the water in the riuer Scheld at the bridge before Antwerp at length by the meanes of friends he was reconciled and returned into England with credit and from thence came with the Earle of Leicester into Holland and there was so recommended by Sir Philip Sydney as the Earle of Leicester his vncle put him in great credit and gaue him this gouernment of the Sconse who the same day that Deuenter was battered told his soldiars that it would bee but lost labour for them to stay there wishing them rather to take pay of the King of Spaine where-vpon his soldiars tore their collours in peeces and two Duch companies with some others went away euery man where he pleased but Yorke went to Zutphen where he receiued a reward from the King and for a time kept company with Sir William Stanley but without any credit and there not long after dyed very miserablie and so Taxis like-wise got the sconce Thus the credulity and light beleefe of the Earle of Leicester was the cause of the losse of this goodly and strong towne of Deuenter which is one of the Hans townes and of that important fort of Zutphen the which the sommer before had cost so much to winne and fortefie It was not without cause if they began to murmure against the Earle of Leicester hauing at his very departure placed these two gallants in such important gouernments It was no maruell then if the Noblemen Collonels and gentlemen of the vnited Prouinces were discontented and complained vnto the Earle of Leicester to see them-selues reiected to aduance such traitors to the gouernment of such important places as Stanley Yorke and Patton were of whome wee will speake here-after After the losse of this towne of Deuenter and of the fort of Zutphen the Estates of the vnited Prouinces were much perplexed fearing that all the English garrisons which lay in any other townes and forts would doe the like and deale with them as the French in the time of the Duke of Aniou and Brabant had determined to doe all in one day On the Sonday morning being the first of February the councell of estate being assembled to prouide for their affaires and to preuent the alterations which the losse of Deuenter and the forts before Zutphen might cause thether came the generall estates and the aduocate Barnevelt for their part who declared in their names that considering the necessitie and in what termes the State then stood they held it more then necessary that the Gouerners of Prouincesshould go into their Gouernments there to command by vertue of their commissions And that to hasten the departure of the Earle of Maeurs they had resolued concerning the Ritmaisters as should be seene by the contents of the contract made with them and the means which they had set downe for their paie Secondly that maters concerning the Admiralty might be redrest and ordred for the Gouernment of sea causes as the seruice of the country should require the affaiers of estate being in very great disorder for want of good gouernment where-vpon words grew of either side tending to accusations and excuses Barnevelt saying Is this the way to serue the country where-vnto the Lord of Brederode answered that if they were not contented with the seruices and toyle which the Lords of the councell tooke but they must daily receyue bad words and reproches as if they were subiects and slaues they might seeke for others that would subiect them-selues to their slanders and continuall exclamations Hee was also demanded wherein it was so ill gouerned and ordered and what were the causes there of Barnevelt like a man full of passion and choller answered that it was the councell of the Cabinet where-as many things were done which none but they of the councell knew as of late appered by the Act of restraint which was made
hauing neither beene tilled nor inhabited for these many yeares Who will denie but the sayd countrie beeing as it is may profit vs as much as our enemie and more for the number of townes and places which wee hold there abouts But is there not a greater preiudice in the losse of the whole Estate which is prepared by the discontentment which they giue vnto her Maiesty by this sodaine change from the deuotion they were wont to beare her and the hope they had in her bounty and assistance when as shee shall vnderstand that they impute the treason and wickednesse of two to the whole Nation and that they wrongfully taxe the good for the bad and for that her Maiesty was serued by Stanley and his Excelency by Yorke they will impute the subiects fault to their Prince and the seruants to their Maister By what lawe reason or custome will they proue that this blame is well grounded and with what art will they keepe her Maiesties loue to them in taxing in such a sort both her and all the Nation As for Stanley it is well knowne that in former times hee had done good seruice in Ireland and euen since that hee came into this countrie he hath giuen good proofes of his valour and loyaltie And although that Yorke had heretofore committed a grosse error yet hee hath since carried himselfe corragiously at the enterprise of Axel and in these last exploites before Doesbourg and Zutphen hauing so often hazarded his life in the viewe of all the world as hee had giuen the Generall good cause to trust him Neither is it the first time that a Commander hath trusted after a fault confessed nor any new thing to see treasons treacheries and reuoltes in these countries but it is a new thing strange and beyonde all reason to impure vnto Commanders and Princes the faults of their souldiars and seruants and for the wickednesse of some to blame and taxe a whole Nation as they haue done heere They must then by the like absurditie of consequence condemne the French Nation for that a Prouensall did lately sell the castle of Vowe and the Scottish Nation for that one captaine Simpel deliuered the towne of Liere And to come to this Nation of the Netherlands how many places townes and whole Prouinces haue beene lost by the treacherie treason and reuolt of Noblemen Gentlemen Captaines and others who haue made marchandise of them as of the Earle of Rennenberg who deliuered Groningue the signior of Stakenbroek Breda the Lord of Berwoets who thought to haue betraied Berghen vp Zoom the Lord of Bours who deliuered the castle of Antwerp and afterwards Macklyn Iohn d'Imbise who would haue betraied Gant and Denremonde the Baylife of Courtray called Pottelberg who deliuered Courtray by treason Roeck Corpets Cauwegem and their consorts who deliuered the towne of Brusselles Collonel Tâ—…er who betraied Diest Captaine Vlyet who deliuered Westerloo Captaine Coenen who deliuered Hoochstraten the Earle of Lalain Vicont of Gant the Lords of Montigny Gognies la Motte and many others who were the cause of the defeate of Gemblours The Lord of Auchy brother to the Earle of Bossu who deliuered Alost the Seigniors of Hemmert Cobocke and Duban who deliuered the towne of Graue the Burgers of Venloo the Abbots of Saint Gertrude Manolles and others who betrayed the Estates Some of the Councell of the Estates of Brabant who deliuered Herentals The Prince of Chymay who was the cause of the reuolt almost of all Flanders and Stryeland Baylife of Waes who deliuered Ruppelmonde and all the Land of Waes whereby the enemy came to besiege Antwerp c. Wherefore it is against all right and the rule of Christian charity to thinke or saie that the whole nation is to bee blamed in the which there are some traitors is it likely that shee who so willingly did yeeld to that which other Princes could not or refused to doe who hath imploied so great summes of money for the succor of this countrie who hath beene contented to hazard the liues of so many Noblemen Gentlemen and others of all qualities of her realme and especially of the Earle of Leicester whose presence is so necessary in England Shee who was content to incur the hatred of so mightie a Prince as the King of Spaine and to imbarke herselfe in so deadly a warre with him for that at the instance of these men shee had vndertaken their defence who not to breake her promise made nor to make any accord with the King of Spaine but with the priuity and approbation of them of the Netherlands would neuer giue eare to the instances made vnto her by diuers Princes of Christendome to that end To conclude shee who had imbraced this poore people with such affection and long expected the comming of the deputies of this countrie to treat with them of the meanes to succor defend and deliuer this poore people from the oppression which did daylie threaten them Is there any apparance then that shee euer had any other deseigne or intent then the good and preseruation of this Estate Yet here they make complaintes and taxe her Maiestie as if shee had brought more harme then good vnto the countrie Yet they send to treat with her as if shee had first sought the protection of this countrie or to take the soueraignty the which it is well knowne shee hath often refused and as if her Maiestie and the Realme of England had the greatest interest in the preseruation of this Estate or that England could not defend it selfe without this countrie As for her Maiestie I hope shee will make the contrarie of this manifest and that shee will not forget the wrong and indignitie which is done to her and to the whole nation nor the ingratitude which they haue shewed in sundrie sorts as also to his Excelencie who hath so willingly exposed his life to a thousand daungers who had forsaken all his greatnesse pleasures and commodities in England to vndergoe so many cares toyles and discommodities which doe accompany a generall in so waighty and difficult a charge who hath lost his deerest Nephew and his next heire and who hath giuen such good proofes of his sincere loue vnto the people And as for the money which they haue graunted for the charges of the warre they of his Councell and some of the countrie hauing had the managing thereof I doubt not Sir but it shal be the more easie for him to giue a good account and of all the rest of his actions during the time of his aboade heere Whom they taxe to make him odious to all the people countrouling crossing and ouerthrowing his decrees letters and commandements as if all had not past by the aduice of the Councell of Estate Finally they shew great ingratitude to him and to the whole nation who haue so well deserued of this countrie seeing there is no benifit so great as to expose ones life for an other especially when hee comes
end the controuersie betwixt him the Earle of Hohenloo which they thought proceeded from the matter in question touching the authority of the Prouinciall Gouernors beeing in hope to bring it to a good end They shewed how ready they had bin to furnish money for the leauying and paying of certaine troupes of horse and foot in Germany for the seruice of the country that they might haue an army in field for two monthes Also their paying of soldiars and the furnishing of the townes with victuals and munition That they had delt with their Admirall Prince Maurice touching their war by sea hoping and desiring that it might go forward That the Nobility and States of Holland had presented a certaine declaration vnto his Excelencie being in Dordrecht desiring some conference and that there might be a good correspondencie betwixt his Excelencie as Gouernor and Captaime general the generall and particular Estates and the gouernors of particular Prouinces that the charges of the war should not exceed as nere as might be the means of their contributions that order might bee taken for the repayring of that which had beene done the yeare before contrary to the contract and for the punishing of such as sought to sowe dissention betwixt his Excelency and the Estates That it was no wonder if the Estates complained when any extraordinary burthen was layd vpon them for if it be wel weighed how the country of Holland which now for these 15. yeares hath maintained warres against so mighty an enemy hath borne so great burthens these two last yeares only towards the ordinary charges of the warres within the country besides the warres at sea diuers particular charges as fortifications of fronter townes forts lodging for soldiars many other known and vnknowne charges haue brought in and paied at the least thirty nine hundreth thousand gilders they may easily suppose that so great a summe of money could not bee leuied without great difficulty so as there was no cause of complaint against them of Holland hauing brought in much more then was spoken of in England notwithstanding their great losses by sea and otherwise by their shipping and trade of marchandise which made them to wonder that such a motion should be made to looke into their Estate to consider if their contribution with her Maiesties aide were sufficient to maintaine the wars as they ought to be The Prince of Orange with the helpe of God and without any great aide from her Maiesty the townes and forts being then vnfortefied did withstand the enemy with lesse then halfe the charges they were now at and yet entertained great forces both by sea and land without any questions of further assurance or better meanes and therefore there was no reason now to doe it vnlesse that men distrusted more now then at other times in the grace and mercie of God In respect whereof seeing they found that her Maiesty would not take the soueraignty of the country vpon her nor yeeld to any greater succors there remained no other hope but with the helpe of God and their contributions to settle some good course for their warres and to entertaine so many horse and foote as they might well pay obseruing good order vnity and discipline and lastly to expect from God a good and prosperous end They sayd they knew not of any proclamations made by them whereby her Maiesties subiects should be molested in France but they had more then once complained against the proclamation made in Vtrecht dated the 4. of Aprill 1586. forbidding al traficke without once hearing the allegations of the Estates touching the inconueniency and discommodity thereof the which would haue bin a great hindrance vnto all those Prouinces and haue bred a dislike betweene them and their neighbors Touching the dealing for a peace they had so great considence in her Maiesty and in his Excelencie that according to the contract they would do nothing therein without the consent of the generall Estates They had herd what the King of Denmarke had propounded in anno 1586. and what was done therein as also of her Maiesties answere touching the imploiment of Andreas de Loo They had bin likewise aduertised by word of mouth from the Lord of Buckhurst and what his Excelencie had certefied them by Walck and Menin councellors of Estate the which was secretly imparted vnto the Estates of the country to haue their aduise therein where her Maiesty was not spoken of but with al honor and due respect giuing no cause wherby any suspition might grow that they should report her Maiesty had sought a peace without their consents and therfore they which had inuented such false surmises deserued to be punished That the Estates of Holland determined to obserue the cōtract made with her Maiesty to put to their helping hāds for the maintenance of his Excelencies honor authority were likewise content to contribute the monthly sum of 200. thousand gilders to bee at the disposition of his Excelencie and of the Councel of State with condition that the other Prouinces should do the like and that out of their contribution the garrisons the charges for the wars which was to be disbursed in Holland for the which they had giuen their words should first be paied They spake of some other particularities as that the State of the warres made with the Lord of Buckhurst was not so chargeable but that if her Maiesties aide of 5000. foote and 1000. horse were complete and the contribution of 200. thousand gilders a month well paied it would serue for the maintenance of their wars and some ouer plus remayning towards the leauying of a good number of horse foot for certaine monthes in the yeare and when need were to bring them to field being well managed Touching the preparation of ships of war the Estates did alwaies vnderstand that the prizes taken at sea would not only be found sufficient for the defraying of that charge but being well vsed there would be a surplusage to be imploied in the offenciue warres Hauing made this answer to euery point of the Earle of Leicesters propositions they besought him that it might bee fauorably interpreted and that reposing their trust in God his Excelency would cōtinue his noble resolution in the defence of those coūtries and so by the helpe of GOD with her Maiesties promised succors being complete and orderly mustred and the contributions of one hundred thousand guilders monthly besides that which shal be gotten by force and otherwise out of Brabant Gelderland Flanders Oueryssel and other places belonging to the enemy the charges of the war should be sufficiently maintained with good order and martiall discipline and by conuerting of the conuoie and license monies to the most benifit of the country The which would not onely bee a meanes to vphold and fortefie the Prouinces but also a great aduancement of her Maiesties and his Exelencies honors reputations and
her forces and aide into England and let them defend themselues as well as they could without troubling himselfe any more with their affaires These speeches beeing deliuered with some vehemency made the Estates to bethinke themselues But when as the generall Estates and Prince Maurice had written letters dated the first of March shewing the ground of that diuision The Queene vpon the 27. of March wrot her letters to the Lord Willoughby commanding him to reconcile Prince Maurice and Sonoy for that she could not expect any good by the accepting of such offers from diuers townes who sought to yeeld themselues into her hands whereby rumors might be spred abroad that shee sought cunningly and vnder-hand to get townes into her powre and so to deliuer them ouer vnto the enemie and thereby to seeke to make her owne peace or else to force the Estates to such an agreement as shee pleased and therefore shee willed the Lord Willoughby to perswade all such townes to bee obedient vnto the generall Estates and that he should not meddle with any of them neither yet countenance them Wherevpon the garrison of Medenblike beganne to faint seeing the Earle of Leicesters gouernment to bee resigned into the Estates hands for the which cause they had begunne their mutiny yet the siege continued vnto Aprill in the yeare of Lord 1588. and so by the meanes of the English all was pacefied the souldiars of the garrison going out of the towne with pasports and Prince Maurice his souldiars entring into their places Collonel Sonoy went to Alckmar to make his excuse To whom afterwardes they of Medenblike and others did great harme spoyling his house and goods and afterwards in the yeare 1590. he went into England to make his complaint vnto the Queene as you shallhere after heare In Westfriseland there arose great troubles for that diuers sought to perswade the Queene to take the soueraignty vpon her or else to haue an absolute protection vnder the Earle of Leicester with ful authority but the general Estates knowing the Queenes Maiesties minde and seeing the sinister practises of the Earle of Leicester they sought to bring them to obedience by compulsion and for that cause they tooke the President Doctor Ielger Aysma a worthy and a zealous but yet a very violent man and committed him with others to prison thereby to daunt the rest of that faction the which in the yeare 1589. was some-what pacified About this time in Marche the garrison of Geertruydenberg began to mutine vnder pretence of seruice for the Queene of England and would neither accept of the Estates Prince Maurice nor of any other gouernor neither would they treate with any man but with the Lord Willoughby generall of the English forces tearing their Cornets Ensignes and Banderolles in peeces carrying themselues in all sorts like traitors and sworne enemies of the country taking and ransacking the boates and ships which past along betwixt Holland and Zeeland but at the last by the mediation of the Lord Willoughby they had two hundred sixteene thousand Gilders payed them in ready money vpon certaine conditions the which were not well obserued by them as here-after you shall heare and so the mutinie for that time ceased Collonell Sehenck Marshall to the Prince Elector Truhcses hauing surprized Bonne as you haue heard Ernest Archbishop and Prince of Cologne and Liege hauing reiected all treaties of accord which the Duke of Cleues did labour he sent to the Duke of Parma for succors to besiege it who hauing charge to attend the great armie that was comming out of Spaine against England sent the Prince of Chymay the onely sonne of the Duke of Arschot with diuerse troupes both of horse and foote And for that most of the Commanders lay then in Flanders with the Duke of Parma being ready to passe ouer into England as they thought Verdugo Gouernor of Frizeland with Taxis his Lieutenant were appointed to ayde them Don Manriques de Lara was also sent thether to giue them instructions as being well acquainted with the scituation of the country but hee stayed not long there but returned into Flanders to doe some exployte against the English Schencke seeing this storme approache and that the Princes of Germany had refused to meddle in these Princes quarrell the one hauing sued for succours of the Protestants the other of the Romish Catholicks and of the Spaniards hee went as Marshall to Truchses to an Imperiall dyet held in Germany Where hee declared that by commandement of Prince Truchses he had seized vpon the Towne of Bonne hauing wrested it out of the Spaniards hands for that it is an Imperiall towne the which the King of Spaine did seeke to incorporate to himselfe as if it had beene his owne inheritance That hee could hardly defend it against so mighty an enemie offring to deliuer it vp to the Empire who might easily defend and maintaine it seeing that hee had taken it with so little labour admonishing the Princes and Estates of the Empire that it was high time to preuent the Spaniard least hee crept farther into their limits for whatsoeuer he got was hardly got from him againe and that which they might now preuent with small charge should not bee neglected seeing it would not bee recouered but with great difficultie Wherefore the Germaines should now make shew of their wisdomes and discretions before that the Spaniard by his dilligence as hee had lost it by negligence should recouer it who not satisfied with that seeing himselfe planted there would not faile to extend himselfe into their territories Shewing moreouer that if the Prince of Orange had with small meanes made warre and with-stood the attempts of so mighty a King with greater reason they should striue to resist him and to preuent his haughtie desseignes Preuenting not onely the recouerie of the Netherlands which hee had lost by his owne fault but also to conquer Germanie and all the kingdomes of Christendome to make him-selfe a sole and absolute Monarke The Marshall Schenck sought by these speeches and other reasons which hee propounded to stirre vp the drouzie spirits of the Germaines Where-vnto answere was made him That experience had made them sufficiently wise in the assistance which they had giuen vnto France and the Netherlands and that the present matters were so farre aduanced by the forces and succours which the Bishop of Cologne had procured from the Spaniards whome hee had caused to enter into the limits of the Empire as there would bee little good gotten although they should free the towne of Bonna That they had sufficiently knowne what aduancement the assistance of the French King brought vnto the affaiers of the Duke of Aniou his brother and of the Queene mother to Don Anthony King of Portugall against the King of Spaine at the conquest of the Iland of Asores and that the Queene of England had succored the said Don Anthony with men and shippes all without
had of him but haue fought to entertaine all good amity and correspondencie with him for the seruice of the Queene his mistresse and the vnited Prouinces assuring him they would neuer indure any thing that should tend to the dis-seruice of her Maiestie and impayring of his charge and authority This answer was dated the second of February This troope of Villiers horse beeing arriued in Walchren the Estates of Zealand had appointed that thirty of them should bee lodged in Middelbourg eighteene at Campuere and twelue at Arnemuyden The Magistrates of Campuere and Arnemuyden refused to receiue them protesting not to receiue any soldiers but such as should be sent by order from the Earle of Leicester their Gouernor generall But not content here-with they made a contract with the Captaines of the garrisons the which they confirmed by oth signed and sent it into England to the Earle of Leicester who was very well pleased with this message The Estates of Zealand seeing the vnwillingnes of these two townes sent the 18. horse which should haue bene at Campuere to a village called Haek the 12. of Arnemuyden to Middelbourg vntill they were imploied elsewhere Here-vpon as wel the General as the particular Estates of the vnited Prouinces seeing these factions the boldnes of the English their Partisans to increase daily and that all garrisons carried them-selues as if they were no more subiect to the Estates not to the preseruatiō of the country hauing considered al things meaning to settle a good order although they were yet much troubled with thē of Medenblick they sent in March Prince Maurice into Zeeland onlie with his houshold traine Being but newly arriued and in conference with the Estates of Zeeland Behold there presently arriues the Lord Charles Howard high Admirall of England with nine or ten shippes of warre bringing with him two hundred and twenty thousand florines to pay the English troupes This sodaine arriuall of so many shippes of warre in such a iealous season made them presently to murmur that hee might make himselfe maister of the Island of Walchren and carry Prince Maurice into England Wherevpon the Prince retired sodenly from Middelbourg and went to the ships of warre which the Estates doe commonly entertaine in the riuer of Antwerp lying before the fort of Lillo whether hee might safely retire himselfe when he pleased The Lord Admiral hearing that the Prince was departed sent Sir Edward Hobby and Peter van Heyl◅ with charge from her Maiesty to treat with him to remooue all iealousies and if it were possible to raise the siege of Medenblike Whereof the Prince excused himselfe honestly referring that businesse to the generall Estates and to them of Holland They of Campuere and Arnemuyden were exceeding glad of the Lord Admiralls comming hoping that he would make him-selfe maister of Walchren and raise the siege of Medenblike But being come to no other end but to conuoy the money safely hauing a faire gale he returned fiue daies after Then came Prince Maurice presently backe to Middelbourg From whence hee did write vnto Sir William Russel by Iames Valcke a Councellor of Estate to consider of the means how to remooue all these distrusts to the seruice of God and of the Queenes Maiestie the prosperitie of the vnited Prouinces and the confusion of their enemies who sought their aduantage in such disorder The signior of Valcke who was a man of iudgement being entred into conference with Sir William Russel he sought to purge himselfe of all that had beene done saying that for his part hee was ready to doe all good offices Wherevpon Valcke went to Campvere whereas Mandemaker the treasorer generall of Zeeland with some others were deteined prisoners promising them all good and fauor if they would acknowledge and obey Prince Maurice as their chiefe and Gouernor but the Captaines would not giue eare to any thing vntill they were first assured of their pay and to continue still in their garrison with some other conditions Sir William Russel excused himselfe also that he might not meddle with the money vnlesse he had other order out of England And in this Estate the affaires stood vntill that the common feare of apparent danger of the Spanish fleet made them to take an other resolution In the meane-time the Queene by the instigation of some that were about her Maiesty who were enemies to the Estates did write vnto the generall Estates charging them that they intreated them of Vtrecht ill and had cruelly proceeded against them of Leyden growing also verie bitter against them of Medenblike whome they held besieged wondring why they should be so rigorous against all those that shewed any loue and affection to her Maiesty which proceeded onelie from a true fealing of the benifits which they had receiued from her with many other like reasons set downe in the sayd letter Wherevnto the Estates answered That they had neuer vsed any other then ciuill and honest admonitions to them of Vtrecht for that they had chased away their best Burgers and committed the gouernment of the towne to strangers who had nothing to loose in the whole countrie As for the matter of Leyden that they had proceeded iudicially as vpon a notorious crime And for Medenblike the mallice of them of the garrison was the cause thereof and therefore they deserued to bee punished Prince Maurice did also write vnto the Queene complayning much that the townes of his inheritance out of the which both hee his Brethren and Sisters and all those of the house of Nassau had their maintenance as Campuere and Geertruydenberg the which alone was worth fortie thousand gilders a yeare rent were fallen into mutiny vnder collour of her Maiesties seruice and in great danger to bee absolutly lost Complayning also that Sir William Russel had charged him to haue ment to attempt against the towne of Flussing and to wrest it out of his hands wherewith he held himselfe to be much wronged desiring that it might bee honorably repaired and that speedily considering the exigence of the cause The Queene considering the danger which consisted in these discontents seeing the Spanish armie at Sea approaching and ready to fall vppon the one or the other the which they could not resist nor preserue the Estate of the country but by good vnion and mutuall correspondencie diuision beeing like to cause the ruine of both shee sent a very kinde answer by her letters to Prince Maurice giuing him all contentment dis-auowing all mutinies as well of the English as of other soldiers that sought to shrowd them-selues vnder the cloake of her seruice and to that end she did also write expresly vnto the Lord Willoughby to Sir Henry Killegrey to Sir William Russell and others as also to the generall Estates By reason whereof the garrisons of Campuere and Arnmuyden were pacified with a certaine summe of money hauing kept the Tresorer Mandemaker a long time prisoner
officers before to view the commodiousnesse of the ground before Berghen which hee meant to besiege as well for the planting of his ordinance as for the quartering of his men One of these officers who was a commissarie of the ordinance called Pedro de Luco and an other named Thomas Swegoe who professed himselfe to bee an Italian were taken prisoners by certaine soldiars of the garrison of Berghen who were at that time sent out as Scoutes which prisoners being thus surprized were committed to the safe keeping of maister Read-head who was then appointed by the Lord Willoughby to be deputie Prouost of the towne of Berghen These prisoners had not continued many dayes in his custodie before that William Grimeston hauing had some conference with Swegoe found cause to suspect him to be an Englishman borne and there-vpon deuised with Read-head how to discouer him who hauing good oportunitie to discourse with them for that they were in his custodie hee told Swegoe that hee was much discontented with his entertainment and vsage on that side wishing that he were with the Kings forces vnder the command of Sir William Stanley vnder whom hee had serued in Ireland Where-vpon Swegoe wisht Read-head to bee merry and of good comfort saying that hee was an English man and borne in Seething lane in London that his Mother was one of the Queenes women and that hee had a sister which attended on the Lady Lomley protesting that it was a happy time for Read-head that euer hee was taken prisoner and if hee would be aduised by him hee would be the meanes both to aduance him to great wealth and to make him liue in great reputation where-vpon Read-head did willingly yeeld to performe any thing that hee would direct him in Then did Swegoe acquaint the foresaid comissarie of the ordinance with all this conference which had past betwixt him and Read-head where-vpon the comissary told him that if he could deliuer any port of the towne or any of the sconses or any peece of ground of aduantage he would assure him he should bee so bountifully entertained by the King as hee should neuer want whilest hee liued to whom Read-head made answer that hee had no command neither within the towne nor sconses but hee had a friend who hee knew was as greatly discontented as him-selfe whome hee would acquaint there-with not doubting but to effect their desire The same day Read-head did conferre with William Grimeston who had then the command of Captaine Thomas Baskeruile his company lying in the North Sconse and told him that hee had discouered the foresayd Swegoe to bee an English man and that if he would secretly ioyne with him hee doubted not but they should giue the enemie a great ouerthrow doe good seruice to the country and purchase great credit and aduancement to themselues where-vnto Grimeston did very willingly assent who presently went and aduertised the Lord Willoughby their generall of all that had past who seemed to be very glad thereof willing the sayd Grimeston to proceed in this practise and to promise to deliuer vp the North sconse vnto the Duke of Parma and for a discharge of Grimestons dealing in this action the Lord Willoughby gaue him a warrant vnder his owne hand Then did Read-head bring Grimeston to the Comissarie of the ordinance and to Swegoe who told them in what manner Read-head had broken with him and that hee was willing to doe the King seruice but hee would haue some assurance how he should bee entertained for that hee was not able to liue in his owne country and had many friends of worth all which he must forgoe and therefore he would be assured of some certaintie where-vpon the Comissarie of the Ordinance and Swegoe did assure Grimeston of the Duke of Parmas honorable dealing with him if he did performe that seruice and deliuer vp the North sconse wherewith he seeming to rest satisfied the comissarie of the ordinance and Swegoe did write three letters one to the Duke of Parma an other to sir William Stanley and the third to Owen of all their practise and proceedings which letters they could not deuise to send without discouery where-vpon Read-head told them that rather then the seruice should be any way hindered or protacted hee himselfe would aduenture to carry the letters whereof hauing giuen copies to the Lord Willoughby hee past with them accordingly in the night time through Grimestons sconse to the enemies campe where at his comming the Sentinell gaue an alarum and some fiue or sixe shotte were discharged at the sayd Read-head but in the end hee was receiued by a Sargeant and some two shotte carrying him presently to the Marquis of Renty who after many questions sent him with a Captaine and some twenty soldiers vnto the Duke vnto whom he deliuered his letters which when hee had read hee sent for his councell and for Sir William Stanley who examined the sayd Read-head of diuerse matters as well of the strength of the garrison within the towne as how they were furnished with munition and victualls with sundry other questions concerning himselfe and the seruice he had in hand how he came out of the towne without descouery and how hee could returne againe with many others all which were answered to their contents Then the Duke of Parma desired to know when hee should haue the sconce deliuered vnto him wherevnto Readhead made answere that hee could not tell for that it was in Maister Grimeston to performe who had the commande thereof And if it pleased his highnesse to send some one with him whome hee might trust he would bring him to conferre with Maister Grimeston by whome hee should vnderstand his full and certaine resolution wherewith the Prince was well pleased and sayd that hee would send one with him to talke with Maister Grimeston protesting to deale honorably with them and to performe whatsoeuer his men had promised with an increase wherevnto Readhead made answere that for his owne particular hee did vereliebeleeue it because hee heard him speake it but to satisfie Maister Grimeston and to incourage him the better to effect the seruice hee desired him to haue it vnder his hand wherevnto hee did willingly consent And at that instant Readhead brought away certaine Articles signed by the Duke the which hee deliuered to Grimeston and with him the Duke of Parma sent one Alford a Yorkeshire man and a guide to speake with Grimeston and the chiefest reason was to know when hee should haue the sconce deliuered Wherevpon Grimeston willed Alford to tell the Duke that hee could not appoint any certaine time for that hee was suspected for his Religion and had many eies to ouer-looke him But when hee had made all matters cleere and readie to bee performed hee would come ouer to the Duke beseeching him in the meanetime to haue patience and not to thinke the time long for that it should bee effectually performed On the sixt of October beeing
prisoners ransomes taken to value the prises of all goods brought in by sea Captaines And to the end the saylers should doe their duties and fight willingly euery one is allowed his part of the prises which they haue taken according to his place and they are often times rewarded by the admiralty for their good seruices besides their monethly wages This yeare the States garrisons made diuers incursions into the enemies country they of Heusden and Geertruydenberg in Brabant went forth with eight hundred men horse and foote the horsemen taking vp the foote-men behind them and went to Tilborch by Boisleduke whereas some of the Duke of Parmas troupes lay whome they charged and defeated whereof diuers being slaine the rest fled into the church but they durst not stay to force them fearing that vpon the alarume the garrisons there about would issue forth and charge them and so they returned backe with good prize The like did they of Berghen vp Zoom being lesse then a hundred soldiers whereof fiue or six were horse-men of captaine Baxe his companie and led by a Sargent they went to doe an exployt vpon Botchloon whereof they fayled yet they past valiantly through a company of soldiars and came to Thienen where there lay fiue or sixe companies of Spaniards into the which they got by reason that the towne is great and draue out the Spaniards putting three companies of them to the sword and then spoyled the towne the enemie attended them at their comming forth being about foure hundred strong but they making head valiantly not onely forced through them but came safe to their garrison withall their booty which is a thing almost incredible The Zeelanders being about seauenty strong past ouer the water into Flanders and there cut of a conuoie going to Cortrick where besides the foote there were aboue two hundred horsemen and thirty Marchants which did ride the Zeelanders first charged the horse-men with their shot and tooke some of them and then defeated the rest carrying away as much booty as they could and so returned into Zeeland Sir Martin Schenck in like sort was not Idle but made road as farre as Momedi and in December he had secret intelligence with some of Nymeghen meaning to vndermine the wall whereas the ditch was not very deepe and so to blow it vp but by reason of some store of raine which fell about that time and stood in the diches he could not effect his desseigne There were many subtill enterprises attempted about this time of either side both in Brabant Gelderland and Freezland some-times with profit some-times with losse for that there were many good soldiars of either side who sought daily to winne honor and credit Sir Martin Schenck to recouer some of his losses in the beginning of Nouember made a sconse at Herwerden vpon the Rine without the consent of the Estates which was some impayring of their publicke authority but by the perswasion of Prince Maurice and the Lord Willoughby hee had a great charge giuen vnto him that hee should throw it downe againe The English garrison in the Brill began to mutine for their pay being some-what long ere it came that garrison lying in such sort as the soldiars had good meanes to helpe them-selues by incursions vpon the enemie but for that their pay according to the contract was to be brought out of England the Estates of Holland disbursed the mony for the Queene and so stayed the mutiny The enemies garrisons being also in great want and misery began to mutine for want of pay for that the Kings Indian treasor was not able to counteruaile the great cost and charges of his warres part of those wants were supplied by the King of Spaines name and authority and yet not so well but diuers of their souldiers put themselues vnder the Estates where they might haue surer pay and better meanes to helpe themselues by incursions In the beginning of this yeare the garrison of Geertruyden bergh beganne to mutine againe it is a towne belonging to Prince Maurice lying right against Dort vpon the Mecwe or Vlack which is a water made by the Rhine and the Mase this garrison suspecting that some-thing might bee attempted against them they presently disarmed the Bourgers and staied all the shippes and boates that past by taking contributions burning villages and committing all insolencies as enemies to the Estates Vpon the sixe and twentie of Nouember past the souldiars beeing perswaded to vnion they made answere by writing the which they sayd was signed by Sir Iohn Wingfield Gouernor of the towne the Englishmen and other captaines that they would all die before they would deliuer the Bourgers their armes againe and beeing sent for to serue in any place they made them this answere that they were all resolued to serue vnder the enemie rather then vnder Prince Maurice or the Estates who considering of this their resolution and finding that they entertained all fugitiue souldiers and sought to incite other garrisons to the like rebellion hauing receiued intelligence that from the second day of February this yeare they had beene in treatie with the Duke of Parma Prince Maurice with the aduise of the Estates resolued seeing that the Lord Willoughby Sir Iohn Norris nor Maister Bodley could not preuaile with them and that the Lord Willoughby was as then to goe for England to besiege the towne both by water and by land considering the daunger thereof and of the townes lying about it and so comming before it the fiue and twenty day of March hee sent a kinde letter to them of the towne by a drum giuing them to vnderstand that the Gouernor Sir Iohn Wingfield and other captaines had threatned to deliuer the towne into the enemies hands and what a dishonor and danger they should thereby purchase vnto themselues offring them all contentment wherevnto they made answere that they would rather seeke aide from the enemie then yeeld to Prince Maurice or the States threatning to hang vp his messenger The towne of Dort did likewise write vnto them but they tare their letters And when as the Lord Willoughby wrot his letters on the eighteenth of March to Sir Iohn Wingfiled his brother in law desiring him to finde meanes to come away rather then his presence should giue any cause of offence Sir Iohn Wingfield refused it saying that he had sworne to liue and die with the souldiers as long as they would hold that towne for her Maiestie and the good of the Netherlands who protested to deliuer it rather to the enemie then to Prince Maurice or the Estates with other words to the like effect In the meane time Prince Maurice did what he could to win the towne and beganne to batter it furiously they within defended themselues yet there was a reasonable breach made and being readie to giue an assault they within cunningly offred a composition by a minister and a deputie whom they had sent forth to treate
condemned and doe condemne the said prisoner to bee led to the place of exemplarie Iustice of this Court there to be executed by the sword vntill he be dead then his bodie to be cut in foure quarters and hung vp at foure waies comming to the Hage and his head set vpon a stake for al men to behold declaring his goods to bee confiscate This sentence was pronounced vnto the prisoner in open audience of the Court of Holland the 3. of Iune 1594. and executed the same day In the beginning of Maie the Arch-duke Ernest to purge him-selfe of the accusations wherewith Michaell Renichon the Apostat priest had charged him in his confession vnder coullor of writing concerning a peace to the general Estates he sent Otto Hartius and Ierome Coeman-Lawiers vnto them with letters as followeth MY maisters the loue and naturall inclination which we haue had from our birth to the good and publike quiet of these Netherlands the great displeasure we haue alwaies had for the troubles dissentions and calamities thereof haue beene the chiefe and greatest occasion to perswade and moue vs to vndertake the gouernement thereof Trusting fully that the Almightie will giue vs the grace in the end to deliuer them from this burthensome destroying and ruinous war the which hath continued so many yeares to the great dissolution and spoile of the said countries and the preiudice of all Christendome for if we shall consider their prosperitie past in the which they were maintained whilest they were vnited in good peace and concord vnder the lawfull and due obedience of the house of Burgongne and Austria the good order which was then in all things as well in matters of Iustice pollicie and martiall discipline by which they haue bin renowned and preferred before all other Kingdomes and common weales togither with the great riches which they did inioy by meanes of the treaties alliances confederations nauigations and trafficke which the had with Portugal Spaine and the Indies wee are assured that there is not any man of iudgement but is very much grieued to see this lamentable alteration which hath hapned in these countries within 25. or 30. yeares besides an infinite number of charges taxations and waighty burthens where-with the poore commons are surcharged are at this time forced to beare in diuers quarters And who with all doth not desire that some good meanes may bee speedilie put in practise for the reducing of the said countries to their ancient Estate publike quiet and concord where-vnto all our thoughts are also bent Being come into these parts with that inclination and intent leauing the good companie of his Imperial Maiestie our most honored Lord our other Bretheren Kinsfolks and friends the place of our birth and breeding the gouernment of so many goodly Kingdomes Prouinces whereof the charge was committed vnto vs and many other goodly and great commodities which are not needful to repeat hoping that we should finde you tractable readie to yeeld to our desire and intention And although wee doubt not but this is well known vnto you as well by common fame as by the report of some men and that it is not as pleasing vnto you the which we desire withall our hearts to see your selues and all your posteritie in assured peace and tranquilitie yet we would not faile to make an offer thereof vnto you by these presents as well to root out all old Iealousies and distrusts as to let you vnderstand more particularly our good and sincere inclination and what you may freely attend of vs. And as the matter doth touch you neerest so it is your duties to lay before your eyes and before all them that are vnder you the happinesse prosperitie and safety which both you and the whole countrie may reape thereby hauing beene so long afflicted and almost ruined by these continuall warres As for the happie successe which you haue had these yeares past as the euents of war are variable and vncertaine which may make some forget their former losses and miseries and not to remember those which are to come and so perswade them-selues that they are secure and safe neglecting the good occasion that is offered Wherefore it were most expedient to call to minde many things past and diuers examples remembring that they could not obtaine that by intreatie and praiers which a little before might haue beene had with honour and reputation Wherefore wee intreat you louingly and friendly that after you haue duly consulted and considered you your selues will propound vnto vs such honourable reasonable and tollerable conditions as thereby we may the sooner the better know that you seeke not the continuance and prolongation of this war which brings with it besides many other discommodities nothing but oppression of the people as it is well knowne to all men But rather that by these meanes we may attaine vnto a good happy firme peace For our parts we wil lette you vnderstand by the effects that there is nothing counterfeyt hidden in vs as not seeking a dissembled but a true and firme peace So as all our actions are iust and sincere to the aduancement of the publike good And if in like manner for your parts you carry the like zeale good affection you will shew in what estimation you hold vs that you desire to prouide for that which is most requisite profitable as the like shal be more amply declared vnto you by Maister Otto Hartius Ierome Coemans Lawiers the bearers hereof to whome we refer our selues with offers of our loue to you Praying God to send you a good happy life From Brussels the 6. of Maie 1594. These two Lawiers being come to the Hage in Holland and the cause of their comming knowne they had audience in the Assemblie of the generall Estates the 16. of the moneth whereas Doctor Hartius spake after this manner My Lords whereas of late we haue had pasport frō the Councel of Estate to come into these parts to treat of some priuate busines for the which wee most humbly thanke them al those that haue therein imployed themselues with seruiceable offers of acknowledgement in our quarters to those that shall haue any need of vs. This beeing come to the knowledge of my Lord the Arch-duke Ernest it pleased him to charge vs to salute your Lordships on his behalfe with offer of his loue and to let you vnderstād that the chiefe cause which moued him to come into these parts was the singular loue natural inclination which he hath alwaies had to the good quiet of these countries hoping that God would giue him the grace to see them by his meanes vnited again restored to a good peace and sincere amitie as they were before the beginning of these intestine troubles to which end and the better to make his intention knowne he commanded vs to bring the letters which we deliuered vnto your Lordships the 12. of
and breaking open one of the Ports about fiue of the clocke in the morning hee drew in his horsemen and the rest of his foote Against whom Alonso de luna Gouernor of the towne made some resistance in the Market place and at the towne-house but finding him-selfe to weake he retired ouer one of the Ports with his men resoluing to make it good vntill hee had some succors from Antwerp whether he had sent with all speed the which arriued the same day by the same Port whilest that Herauguieres men who should haue laboured to dislodge them and pursued their victory were most buisie to rob and spoile and hee not able to rallie them in time being dispersed here and there he resolued to saue himselfe with as many of his men as he could Thus the spoilers were spoiled and defeated after that they had beene maisters of the towne aboue eight houres not caring to winne the said port and yet Herauguiere did cry out importune threaten and strike There were aboue 500. of them slaine besides prisoners and the losse of horses This should serue as an example for all other vndertakers Cardinall Albertus being vpon the way towards the Netherlands and bringing with him Phillip of Nassau Prince of Orange and Earle of Buren the Estates of the Vnited Prouinces being aduertised thereof they wrot a letter vnto the Prince bearing date the 22. of December 1595 as followeth My Lord it was no small ioy and contentment vnto vs all to heare of your deliuerie from so long and vndeserued imprisonment as well in remembrance of the great seruices which this Estate hath receiued from my Lord the Prince of Orange your father of famous memory as in regard of the murther which was committed vpon his person which considerations do continually bind vs to loue and affect all such as haue the honour to belong vnto him especially your Lordship who haue so pittifully spent not only your youth but euen the best time of your life in the tedious and melancholy prison the which you could not beare without great griefe for the death of your honourable father the which was procured as vniustly as your imprisonment yet your Lordship hath therein shewed great constancy as the necessity of the time cause required in regard wherof we thought fit to congratulate your liberty but my Lord as we are informed the enemie preteÌ„ds to effect great disseigns by this action of your honors deliuery to the great preiudice of this Estate for that it wil be no smal griefe discontent vnto vs to haue any cause to alter and withdraw that entire loue and affection which we beare vnto you although we do confidently beleeue that your Lordship wil neuer be made an Instrument for the Spaniards to vndermine and ouerthrow our freedome built vp with such great care dilligence and wisdome by your honourable Father the Prince of Orange who for the maintenance and defence thereof was so cruelly murthered and thereby to blemish that worthie memory which is euerlastingly to be had of him For which cause they haue thought good to intreat you that if your Lordship should haue any desire to come into these Prouinces that it would please you to stay your iourney for a while vntill a more fit and conuenient time whereof we will aduertise your honor send you to that end fit assurance according to the orders which we haue set downe all along our frontiers not suffering any one to enter into these our vnited Prouinces without our pasport And so assuring our selues that your Lordship will take this aduertisement in good part we will here-with end beseeching GOD to send your honor long life and happy daies This letter being deliuered to the Prince comming to Luxembourg he made answer there-vnto bearing date the first of February as followeth My good Lords I thanke you most hartily for the contentment you receiue by my libertie and for the good remembrance you haue of me as appeareth by your letters And although vntill this time I haue not beene allowed to make my loue knowne vnto you who haue alwaies so well deserued yet I hope by this good occasion of my deliuery to shew you such effects to your good likings and contents as you shall haue no cause to complaine or bee discontented there-with And when-soeuer any occasion shall be offered whereby I may let you know how much I desire to do you seruice as he that affecteth nothing more in this world then to see his poore oppressed countrie restored to her ancient florishing Estate I will not vndertake any thing but with your good likings and to your content And I hope that you for your parts will not refuse any dutie and seruice that may helpe to settle a peace make an end of so great troubles and miseries to the generall good of all these Prouinces which God graunt may succeed for this seruice and giue you my Lords the full fruition of all your good desires recommending my selfe most earnestly vnto you all From Luxembourg Signed Philippe William of Nassau The Executors of his fathers testament vppon the last day of December against his comming sent him ten thousand gilders in ready money as part of his owne goods and in October after at the said princes instance by meanes of intercessors it was concluded that there should bee a meeting in the Duchie of Cleues betweene him and his own sister by the mothers side now Countesse of Hohenlo where they did salute visit each other conferring about their patrimoniall goods where she had licence to send him tapistry hangings and other houshold stuffe making great shewes of loue friendship one vnto an other The generall Estates sent Mounsier Hessels one of the Councel vnto him to congratulate his comming and to let him vnderstand what order had bin taken about their reuenues in Breda least he should haue some false reports made concerning the same ALBERTVS CARDINALL OF AVStria Lieutenant and Captaine generall for the King of Spaine in the Netherlands ALBERTVS D. G. ARCHIDVX AVSTRIAE BELG PROVIN GVBERNATOR Fifth brother of the house Imperiall Of Austria was I borne and seeing fate Fail'd â—…ne in lands and meanes proportionate To my great birth became a Cardinall But my great Cousin hauing euermore From my greene yeares accepted my aduise In points of statisme by his Kingly choyce Grac'd me with place of chiefe Inquisitor And thinking none of all his linage bore Perfection fitting such a match of price As Isabel chose me but first of all Stil'd me these lands Lieuténant generall THE Cardinall Albertus of Austria long attended with great deuotion in the Netherlands by the King of Spaines subiects all beleeuing that hee would bring a good peace and an assured reconciliation with the vnited Prouinces arriued at Brusselles the eleauenth of February bringing with him Philip of Nassau Prince of Orange elder brother to Prince Maurice hauing beene kept
all that hath bin giuen and granted shall returne as if this donation cession and transport had neuer beene made 6. Item vpon condition that our said daughter the Infanta nor any other called to the said succession shal not for any cause whatsoeuer part nor diuide the said countries nor giue or exchange without our consent of those shall succeed vs in these realmes 7. Item that euery Prince and Lord of those countries shall be bound to marry their sonnes and daughters with our consent of those shall be our heires Kings of Spaine 8. Item that our said daughter the Infanta nor her husband nor any of their successors to whom the sayd countries shall descend shall in any sort whatsoeuer negotiate traffick or contract to the East and West Indies neither shall they send any sorts of ships vnder any coulour or pretext so-euer vpon paine that the sayd countries in case of contrauention shall be forfeited by them And if any subiects of the said countries should presume to goe contrary to the defences the Lords of the said countries shal punish thē by confiscation of their goods other grieuous paines yea with death 9. Item that if the said Archduke Albert our good cousin should suruie our daughter the Infanta leauing either sonne or daughter that he shall haue the gouernment of such sonne or daughter with the managing of all their goods as if our daughter the Infanta were yet liuing And ouer and besides our said cousin the Archduke shall in that case enioy and reape the fruites during his life entertaining the said children according to their qualitie giuing vnto the eldest sonne or daughter the country and Duchie of Luxembourg and the countie of Chiny which shall belong vnto them to inioy it during the fathers life after whose decease that child shall haue all as sole heire Being here expresly declared that this clause of vsufrute shall be vnderstood onely in fauour of our good Cousin the Archduke Albert and not to be drawne in consequence To the end that none of his successors may vrge any president nor pretend right in the like case 10. Item for that it is the principall and greatest bond aboue all others that all the children and descendants of the said marriage shall follow the holy religion which doth now presently shine in them and shall liue and dye in our holy Catholick faith as the holy church of Rome doth teach and entertaine and that before they shall take possession of the sayd Netherlands they shall take an othe in the same forme that it is set downe in the article following And in case which God forbid that any of the said descandants should decline from the sayd religion and fall into heresie after that our Holy father the Pope hath pronounced them so they shall be depriued of the administration possession and propertie of the said Prouinces and that the vassals subiects thereof shall no more obey them but they shall admit and receiue the next that is a Catholick of the same descent which should succeed vnto such a one that is fallen from the faith and that hereticke shall be as if he were naturally dead Ego Iuro ad sancta Dei Euangelia quod semper ad extremum vitae meae spiritum sacrosanctam fidem Catholicam quam tenet docet predicat sancta Catholica Apostolica Ecclesia ◅omana communium Ecclesiarum mater Magistra constanter profitebor fideliter firmiterque◅redam veraciter tenebo atque eam a meis subditis teneri doceri predicari quantum in me erit curabo Sic me Deus adiuuet hec sancta Euangelia 11. Item that for the greater assurance and confirmation of the peace loue and correspondencie which ought to be betwixt the King and his realmes our descendants and successors and the Princes and Lords of those countries being also our successors enery one of thē which hereafter shall come vnto the possession of the said Netherlands and Bourgogne shall aduow approoue and ratifie what is conteined in this article 12. And for a much as our intention and will is that the said articles shall take full effect by their meaens We giue grant quit transport renounce and accord in gift of fee in the best and most auaileable forme way and manner that may be deuifed by law to the Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia our most deare and best beloued eldest daughter All our Netherlands and euery Prouince thereof with the Country and County of Bourgogne comprehending that of Charolois therin the Duchies Principalities Marquisats and forts which are in our Netherlands and Bourgogne together with all the regalities and all sorts of iurisdictions which wee might pretend by reason of the same as also all preheminences gards and all other kind of soueraignty whatsoeuer in the same forme they are now or may be ours to haue the full possession as wee haue had without any exception vpon charge notwithstanding that they shall inuiolably obserue all here aboue mentioned the Pragmatick made by the deceased of immortall memory the Emperor my Lord father who is in glory in the month of Nouember 1549. touching the vnion of the said Netherlands without consenting to any separation thereof for any cause whatsoeuer 13. And it is our intention that in regard of this donation our said daughter the Infanta and her future husband the Archduke Albert shall be charged and bound to pay and acquit all debts made by vs or in our name or by his deceased Imperiall Maiesty vpon our patrimonie and demaines of the said Netherlands and of the Contie of Bourgogne and they shall bee also tied and bound to beare and discharge all the rents annuities for life and all other donations pensions and recompences which his said Imperiall Maiestie wee or our predecessors haue made to any persons whatsoeuer And so we do make create and name by these presents our said daughter the Infanta Princesse and Lady of the said Netherlands and Earle of Bourgongne and Charalois We do also grant vnto our said daughter that ouer and aboue the particular titles of euerie of the said Prouinces of the Netherlands and countie of Bourgoigne she may also write intitle and name her selfe Duchesse of Bourgoigne notwithstanding that we haue reserued for so long as it shall please vs for our selues and for the prince our sonne the said title of Duke of Bourgoigne with all the rights that may belong vnto vs together with the soueraigntie of our order of the Golden Fleece whereof we retaine the power vnto our selues to dispose hereafter as we shal think most fit We consent and agree and do suffer our said daughter the Infanta giuing her absolute irreuocable power of her own priuat authority without any further consent to be demaunded by her selfe or by her deputies sent to her future husband to take full and absolute possession of the said Netherlands and of the countie of Bourgoigne
contented with his reuenues 6 That all forraine souldiers shall hereafter be vnder the kings paie and entertainment the which shall be imployed in field vpon the enemies frontiers 7 All Germane souldiers and such as are borne in the countrie shall be entertained and paied as farre as may be and that the surplusage shall be discharged by the king 8 That all offices and gouernments of prouinces townes and forts shall within one yeare at the farthest be deliuered into the hands of the noble men of the countrie to gouerne 9 All extraordinarie councellors shall be reduced to the order that hath beene accustomed And the great councell of Macklin with that of Brabant and the councell of estate shall be filled with them that are naturall borne in the countrie 10 That all prouinces countries and townes shall be entertained and maintained in their auncient rights priuiledges and freedoms 11 His highnes shall be bound to returne into the Netherlands by the month of may next comming 12 That her highnesse during her absence shall appoint a gouernour in the said countries which shall be of her blood who shall be bound to sweare to all that which the king hath sworne 13 That it shall be tollerable for the generall Estates by the interuention of his highnes to enter into conference with them of Holland and Zeeland touching a peace 14 And vntill the countrie may be furnished with noblemen naturall borne of the countrie they shall depute three to go with his highnes into Spaine and to thanke the king 15 That his highnesse shall be bound to entertaine all aboue mentioned and at his return with the Infanta to take the accustomed oath in all the prouinces 16 That the gouernors captaines nor men of warre shall not attempt any new thing during his highnes absence 17 His highnes at his returne shal be bound to assemble the generall Estates to labour together for the redressing of the affaires of the Netherlands All aboue mentioned being thus past and the said cardinall archduke sufficiently acknowledged and accepted for their future prince according to the promise of mariage betwixt him and the Infanta meaning to vncardinall himselfe and to enter into the consummation of the said mariage according vnto the popes dispensation hee went to Hault a little towne in Brabant three leagues from Brussels commonly called Our ladie of Hault in old times a famous place of pilgrimage where he laid downe his cardinals hat and habit vpon the high altar the which he offered vnto the said ladie He had also vpon expectation of this mariage resigned his archbishopricke of Toledo by vertue whereof he was head of the Inquisition which of right belongs vnto the said archbishopricke by the which resignation they said hee retained an annuall pension of 50000 ducats for it is not lesse worth than 300000 a yeare This done he began to giue order for his voyage and for the gouernment of the Netherlands to the which during his absence he named his cousin a cardinal also Andrew archduke sonne to the archduke Ferdinand who was brother to the emperour Maximilian and therefore cousin german to Albert ioyning with him the councell of estate He appointed Francisco de Mendoza admiral of Arragon to be general of his armie Cont Herman vanden Berghe marshal of the campe with other commanders and officers to put in execution during his absence the resolution which was taken at Brussels touching the frontiers of Germany whereof we will hereafter discourse more at large To beare him companie according to the articles there were deputed Philip of Nassau prince of Orange c. to whom his sister the countesse of Hohenloo sent a good summe of money to make his voyage being of the reuenues of his demeanes in Holland and Zeeland the earle of Barlaymont and the earle of Sores noble men borne in the countrie and many ladies and gentlewomen amongst them the countesse of Mansfeldt widow to the earle and dowager to the earles of Henin and Hochstraten and many other yong noble men and gentlemen desirous to see Spaine the triumphs state of the prince of Spaine and of the said archduke and Infanta All things beeing thus prepared the archduke parted with his traine from Brussels about the midst of September taking his way as he said towards Prague to see the emperour his brother to conferre with him of the affaires of the Netherlands and of his designes vpon the territories of the empire and from thence to goe to Grets to fetch the ladie Gregorie Maximilienne daughter to the archduke Charles of Austria who was brother to the emperour Maximilian the second betrothed to Philip of Spaine This princesse was borne in the same degree with the prince of Spaine that is of her fathers neece for the king of Spaine and the archduke Charles had either of them maried his neece which princesse the archduke Albert was to conduct into Spaine to accomplish her mariage with the said prince and the archduke his with the Infanta altogether The said archduke before his departure had written on the 18 of August to the general Estates of the vnited prouinces containing in substance that he went to marie with the Infanta with whom he had the Netherlands in dower wherein he had alreadie proceeded so farre as most the greatest part of the prouinces had receiued him for their lord and prince That he desired nothing more than to settle a good peace in the Netherlands and now seeing it was manifest that the king was resolued to seperate the said countries from Spaine thereby to take away all iealousies and causes of distrust yea and the warre it selfe he required the Estates that they would enter into consideration and remember that warres must once end by peace and that therefore they should conforme themselues with them of Brabant and Flanders yeeld to a generall peace and receiue and acknowledge him for their prince and lord for the which he had authoritie from the generall Estates of his prouinces whereunto he expected their answere There were letters also from the prince of Orange vnto prince Maurice his brother and from the duke of Arschot and the marquesse of Haurec containing That seeing the king of Spaine had diuided the Netherlands from Spaine there should now be no more doubt on that side and therefore they persuaded him to doe his best indeauour there might be a good peace made wherein they knew he could doe much that he should lay before his eies the honour of his house to the which hee could neuer doe better seruice seeing that all other prouinces had already acknowledged and receiued the said archduke c. To all which letters there was no answer made neither by the Estates nor by prince Maurice The peace betwixt France and Spaine beeing concluded and the townes yeelded on either side as we haue said there was yet a time limited for them that would be comprehended in this peace according to the clause
condemned to die and then deliuered by the princes commaundement to them of the fort to be shot to death or to doe with him as they pleased who notwithstanding pardoned him and sent him backe After that the souldiers of the fort had receiued their pay being all gone foorth they were presently imbarked and sent by water into garrison into diuers townes in the said prouinces Behold how this fort which was held impregnable was easily gotten by the Estates and not only the place artillerie munition prouision of warre and victuals which was more in value than 125000 florins but also a great troupe of as braue men as the king of Spaine had of a long time in his armie all choyce men and old experienced souldiers whereof they made good proofe at the battaile of Nieuport as you shall presently heare And although the negligence or want of meanes of the archduke although this place did so much import him as the Spaniards called it the Key whereby to enter into Holland and the other vnited prouinces wheron depended a great part of his honor hauing lost so many men and spent so much money before he could bring it to such perfection as when it was deliuered to the Estates If it were not through want of meanes nor by the archdukes negligence but of his commaunders in the war captaines commissaries or treasorers I know not how they could answer it nor discharge themselues before him and yet it hath not been heard that any one hath bin called in question for it for what could such valiant men haue done more hauing 20 months pay due vnto them being half buried aliue in the earth like mouls enuironed round about with water without any auoidance halfe naked all tattered starued with cold and smoakt vp like red herrings hauing suffered infinitly during the season of a tedious winter and vnto their yeelding seeing themselues in the goodliest season of the whole yeare abandoned of all succors hauing so long attended them in vaine notwithstanding their great indeuors What could they haue done but in the end to fall into dispaire or to do that which otherwise they would neuer haue done For* my part I cannot blame them and much lesse accuse them it belongs vnto them that are interessed but if they will weigh this fact in the iust ballance of militarie discipline and the rules of war it may be they will excuse them They found in this fort 96 barrels of powder certaine thousands of bullets 18 peeces of ordnance and other sorts of arms and munition in great number with a great quantitie of wheat rye corne to brew with and other victuals and prouisions They of Groningue and the countrey thereabouts were this yere discontented for that being behind hand with their contribution for the space of 3 yeres and taking no order for the paiment thereof being at the least 400000 gulderns the Estates of the other prouinces were forced against their wils to vse some forcible execution a bad and vnfit president especially in the time of their ciuill wars giuing the charge therof vnto monsieur Temple with 800 foot and 200 horse who with some other companies of Friseland vpon the sixteenth of March entred into Groningue partly against the bourgers wils who the next day forbad the bourgers to watch and in the end dealt verie seuerely with them and yet William earle of Nassau laboured what hee could to haue them mildly intreated whereof some particular persons were the cause But to preuent all further inconueniences in the end there was a citadell built the Estates pretending that both the towne and the territories of Groningue were in great daunger by reason of their great weekely markets whereas there was so great a concourse of people as the enemie might easily by that meanes attempt something against it so as they were forced to keepe a continuall garrison there of twentie or twentie fiue companies For which cause they resolued not without great dislike and murmuring of many men to build vp a castle the which after long disputation and much contrarietie was begun the next summer at the North end of the towne which the surueyors and workemen said would not cost aboue 70000 gulderns which made them yeeld thereunto the more willingly but in the end they found the charge to be aboue 400000 guldernes the which was more than the arrerages of their contribution amounted vnto so as the surueyors and masters of the worke had small thankes for their labor Gaspar van Eusum was made gouernor therof with 6 or 800 men They of Zeeland complained that they were not able to leuie the generall contribution which they were rated to pay for the further maintenance of the warres both by sea and land laying open all their meanes both contributions and other vnto them of Holland desiring they might be discharged of so great a taxe or else to haue some aid of men and money with other necessaries for their defence the warrelying most vpon them They of Holland and Vtrecht seemed to be well content and promised to pay their rate as they had done the yeare before aduising them to prouide for the defence of the countrey with all the means and speed they could They of Gueldres and Ouerissell seemed also to complaine yet all in generall thought it fit to take the aduantage of the time whilest their enemies souldiers were in mutinie and to make better resistance against the gallies at sea whereupon they resolued to deuise al the means they could to raise money to make a good offensiue war the next yeare Prince Henry yongest sonne to William prince of Orange hauing beene with his mother in France and now returned againe into the Netherlands the general Estates thought it good to acquaint him with the affaires of the countrey where hee was borne and to that end although he were but seuenteene yeares old they made him one of their counsell of Estate that he might see and heare what was done concerning the affaires of the countrey so as vpon the 17 of March was his first sitting The archduke Albertus and the Infanta being installed in most of the prouinces vnder their obedience they now found themselues much perplexed for money so as the Spaniards Italians and other nations fell generally into mutinie and spoiled all the countrey forcing the peasants to pay them contribution so as they feared a greater tumult if it were not speedily preuented for which cause the generall Estates vnder their command were assembled wheras vpon the eight and twentieth of Aprill beeing at Brussels the archdukes both by mouth and writing made these propositions vnto them by the president Richardot and d' Assonville My lords it is not vnknowne to euerie one of you how much you haue longed after this assembly in regard of the great zeale you beare vnto the aduancement of your countries cause which you thinke is too much neglected the like desire
their highnesses haue also had since their first comming into these countries the which had beene long since effected if the time spent in their instalments in these their countries had not beene some let being necessarie for them to begin with that ceremonie not only to giue the common people contentment thereby but also to accomplish that which was promised before my lord the archdukes your princes departure into Spaine and now hauing proceeded thus farre the cause of this assemblie being well knowne to euerie one of you for that you may haue beene particularly informed thereof in each of your seuerall prouinces it shall not be needfull to make any long discourse of that which is here to be done touching the aduancement of the countries cause for that your princes long much to heare what you intend to propound vnto them beeing well informed of the businesse hauing also no intent to offer any new matter vnto you but that wherewith you are alreadie made acquainted And their highnesses thinke it sufficient that you know and are assured that they are come hither to liue and dye with you and to do all offices befitting good and mild princes hoping withal that you for your parts wil not faile to do the dueties of good and faithfull subiects And if you desire to vnderstand more of their loues and affections towards you it shall appeare by that which they now desire at your hands which is To be carefull and prouident for the present estate of your countrey which to their great griefe they find to be in farre worse estate than they would haue it It discontents them to see you surcharged with so great burthens yet they haue not vndertaken to disguise any thing vnto you nor yet to feed you with any vaine hopes or to hold you in suspence for they know there are many great difficulties to surmount the which we must both labor and sweat hauing no better meanes to be vnburthened thereof and to free our selues from these difficulties which seeme to enuiron vs round about than to shew our power and force according to our abilities alwayes with the helpe and assistance of God the which shall neuer be wanting if we pray heartily vnto him The chiefe cause therefore of this assembly in regard of the great and generall complaints and the disorders which grow daily by such long and bloudie warres is That their highnesses desire that all in generall and euerie one of you in particular will endeuor your selues to giue him counsell how it may be effected and to set downe the necessarie meanes to be vsed for the maintenance of the common cause the setling of some good course for the profit and commoditie of the countrey I do not prescribe in what manner it should be done wherein they desire to haue your wise aduice and counsell hauing no other intent but to gouerne all things well as their future actions shall make manifest But to proceed to a point of greater importance whereon we must resolue is either Peace or Warre Peace were more beneficial vnto vs which without doubt is that which you much desire and your princes much more than you being naturally inclined therunto and desiring to gouerne you in peace and quietnesse If therefore you know any means how to attain vnto it you shal doe well to impart it vnto their highnesse wherein they will heare you with all attention and stand alwayes readie with open armes to receiue the strayed members and to vnite them againe to the whole bodie from the which to their owne great preiudice through the persuasions and instigation of some men they haue indiscreetly seperated themselues and which is worst of all haue so hardned their hearts as no reasons offers nor meanes haue hitherto been of force to draw them to any reconciliation If this then bee no more successefull than the former wee must of force take armes in hand and prepare to war for the maintenance whereof we haue a million of aduantages aboue our enemies for besides that God doth commonly aid the iust cause wee our selues are without all comparison the stronger yet wee will not denie but wee haue our meanes and chiefe maintenance from that great monarch of Spaine whereas the vnspeakable treasure of Peru and the Indies lye open vnto vs in regard that the yong king loueth the high and mightie Infanta his sister so deerely and sheweth more bountie vnto her than the deceased king her father But it is true all must not come from thence we must put to our helping hands that we may once free our selues from these miseries and for that cause you are called to this place to aduise with one consent of the meanes how to maintaine the wars vntill it shall please God to send vs a good peace That which is allowed monethly by the king of Spaine amounteth vnto two hundred and fiftie thousand crownes and what more is to bee added thereunto must bee raysed in these countries wherein you must resolue what course you thinke fittest to imploy the money comming out of Spaine and that which shall be leuied here thereby to keepe better martiall discipline to suppresse all complaints and disorders and to content the common people Moreouer you must haue a care for the paiment of your ordinarie garrisons and the repayring of your frontier towns and forts the which must necessarily bee done for that they are in great danger Besides all this you know that euerie man must liue of his owne the which is to be vnderstood both of princes and priuat men The inheritance and patrimony of our princes is their demeanes whereof in times past the dukes of Bourgoigne who were our princes and their predecessors did liue reseruing it for themselues and their houses but being once vnited with Spaine our princes grew so mightie hauing so many other estates and kingdomes as they made no estimation of the reuenues of these countries for their owne maintenance but did bountifully imploy and pawne the reuenues of these countries for the necessities of the war and for the defence and preseruation of the countrey in such sort as it is scarce able to pay the rents whereunto you must haue a great regard as being bound by nature to discharge those debts which were made for you that our princes may haue meanes to liue and not bee burthensome vnto their subiects It is to be hoped that this may bee effected in few yeares whether it be by such meanes as you your selues shall find out or that their highnesses shall propound vnto you In the meane time they desire you to prouide them meanes whereon to liue vntill their reuenues may bee freed from all such debts If these things may bee effected we shall haue meanes to bridle our enemies to keepe our souldiers in discipline to preuent all disorders and to pacifie the daily complaints which are verie great and many to the great trouble and griefe of their highnesses and of all
in the Netherlands which the archduke and the Infanta hold to be their owne proper inheritance wherewith they may deale as they thinke good they shall haue the libertie of religion allowed them or thinke you that the duke in his voyage to Spaine hath altered his mind or that the pope of Rome with whom he spake at Ferara hath inspired him with a more peaceable spirit or that the Spanish Inquisitors and Iesuire counsell haue turned his heart Beleeue the contrarie without al doubt and that al these do stil counsel him vnto a more strict seuere course It may be some wil say That haply he hath receiued other counsell and aduice from his brother the emperor But looke into the emperors actions where you shall see that the towne of Aix which by vertue of the lawes of the empire had long enioyed the exercise of both religions was abandoned by him in prey vnto the enemy and who also did looke on and said nothing to the admirals proceedings who vsed so great force and violence against all right and reason vpon the territories of the empire Examin the actions of the rest of the house of Austria how the archduke Ferdinando not long since hath by force banished the religion out of Styrmarke and Carinthia which had bin allowed therein since the time of the emperor Ferdinando his grandfather making no account of the complaints protestations of the Estates of the countrey but esteemeth them as wind which is an introduction to a ciuile war and a meanes to lose the whole countrie wherin neither the authoritie of his grandfather and father the bloudy wars in France and the Netherlands nor yet the neerenesse of the Turke that bordereth vpon him can moue him to any tolleration touching religion neither will he once remember how vnreasonable a thing it is to force and restraine his subiects in that which the Turke himselfe permitteth vnto his which example agreeth with the answer made by the K. of Spaine to Charls archduke of Austria for that when as the emperor Maximilian a peaceable prince and no persecutor of the religion but temperat in all his actions sent his brother Charls archduke of Austria into Spain to moue the king vnto the like temperance setting before his eyes the commendable example of the emperor Charls 5 his father who had allowed the religious peace in Germanie and willed all men to obserue it before that the common people were brought into dispaire and were quite fallen from him He made a full and a resolute answer That he would rather lose the countrie for euer than endure the least wrong that might be offered touching religion You know well also in the peace of Cologne in an 1579 what fauor he granted to them of the religion which was that he would neither burne nor hang them but that they should be banished out of the countrey and must seeke for harbor and protection like the Iewes misbeleeuing Heathen in other countries This is the meaning of all the house of Austria at this present all moderation and mildnesse dyed with the emperor Maximilian and his sonnes haue suckt a bitter hatred out of their Spanish mothers brest against the religion and by their daily conuersation with the Iesuites are more more confirmed therin This is that which in the contracts of mariage made between the archduke the Infanta and was openly sold in Brabant so as there is no doubt of the authoritie therof was so firmly set downe That they shold make no alteration in religion vpon paine of forfeiture of the said countries which in such a case the king of Spaine may lawfully seize into his hands againe shewing without all doubt or dissimulation how firmely they will hold with the Inquisition of Spaine touching that point so that it would be a ten fold blindnesse and madnesse in any man to thinke that the archduke the Infanta in regard they haue a vain hope at one time or other to be masters of Holland Zeeland would conforme themselues in religion and grant them any libertie therein for the prophesie saith That necessarily the last Monarchy must be erected in Spaine as in the beginning the one succeeded the other out of the East into the West that is out of Asia into Grecia from thence to Rome the which is so imprinted in the hearts of the king and the Spanish counsell as they esteeme all meanes of accommodation to be needlesse and do constantly beleeue that they shall be masters ouer all and at last in spight of al the world shall satisfie their desires And they are persuaded that by means of such accommodation in religion they should break all correspondencie with the pope and thereby ouerthrow all hope of their expected Monarchy Neuerthelesse if according to the necessitie of the time hee seemeth to be any thing conformable therein and granteth some libertie to religion it will be no other thing for you but for a while to saue you from ruine the which shal be broken againe when as the Spanish and Iesuiticall counsell whereunto he is so strictly bound shal thinke the necessitie past according to the old canon That they are not bound to haue any faith or promise with heretikes which they name rebels who as the Spaniards say haue falsified their faithes both to God and to the king Look what doctor Ayda a Spaniard auditor generall of the prince of Parma's armie writeth in his booke of Martiall Law printed in Antuerp saying That all contracts and treaties made betweene the prince his subiects that beare armes against him are of no force nor power and that the subiects cannot helpe the same but they shall do wisely by humble petitions to craue pardon at their princes and lords hands and to commit their cause to his discretion Which Spanish doctor you ought heartily to thanke for his so true round and vpright dealing with you and to gouerne your selues thereafter if not at some time or other you may wrongfully complaine that you were deceiued for that doctor Ayda can plainly tell you that he had warned you thereof before and that you despised his counsell But to returne to our former matter Marke what good meanes they haue on the other side to deceiue you and to make al promises with a grace and faire shew to be of no effect for that when you shall haue obtained any freedome in religion which neuerthelesse shall neuer be the duke of Brabant may plainly say thus vnto you Seeing I haue let you enioy the freedome of your consciences because you haue alwayes said That God onely ought to rule ouer the same yet at the least shew me obedience in other worldly matters And so if he can by your simplicitie attaine thereunto to place all the officers judges and magistrats in towns and prouinces that he may haue the forts and strength in his owne power and become master of the whole then assure your selues to haue the
apprehend their forces for that you haue not to do with the Duke of Alua with Don Iohn nor the Duke of Parma whose wise conduct experience in armes diligence and fortune was to bee feared whome you neuerthelesse haue valiantly withstood but with yong and vnexperienced Commanders and Leaders vnder whose gouernment you may already marke an alteration in the enemies marshall discipline and counsels and consequently in his proceedings whereas to the contrary you are blest of God with such a generall of your Armie as you neuer had before whose seruice the Empire of Rome requireth against the Turke and such a one as the King of Spaine with all his treasure although it were ten times greater cannot equall You haue the fauour and good will of all neighbour Princes and Potentates who although they aide you not with open armes yet they wish your good for the feare they haue of the Spaniard so as all furtherance is on your side The enemies Prouinces lye open to you and yours by meanes of the riche water land and strong townes shutte from them His hauens in Spaine Indies Brasilia and America are knowne vnto you and easily to bee sayled vnto so as at your pleasures you can enterprise any thing against them but hee hath prooued and tryed that your Hauens and Sea-townes need not to care for his fleetes Sea-faring meanes for money experience of the warres and authoritie are increased amongst you and decayed with him your cause the longer the more it is fauoured his from yeare to yeare is worse because hee incenseth first one and then another as not many yeares since hee did vppon the Lords of the Empire Besides all this you are to put your trust in the equitie of your cause and in Gods fauour who here-to-fore hath sundry times assisted you in greater necessitie whom you besides incurring the shame and disgrace of all the world both to you and your posteritie shall offend and make him with-drawe his fauours from you if that forgetting his benefits and distrusting his fauour now without cause either to spare your purses or vpon an immagined further rest and ease you will leaue and forsake his word and true religion as the Gargasens because of their Swine intreated Iesus Christ to depart out of the countrie for that as God and Belial cannot agree together so cannot you by meanes of the true religion at this time obtaine a peace with the King of Spaine the Arch-duke Albertus and the Infanta whome I place all in one degree but through your valiant resolution and continuance in armes you now remaine assured of religion and your freedome and in time are also to hope of a good peace with Spaine and all his friends no lesse then that which the Switzers obtained from the house of Austria where-vnto God almightie send you his grace with wise counsell and mutuall loue and vnitie And you Romish Catholikes amongst whome I know that there are many that wish and desire the freedome of your natiue countrie bee not perswaded that in regarde of your religion your burthens and charges vnder the Spaniards gouernment shall bee any thing diminished for there will bee still some cause of offence found against them that haue any thing to loose as beeing friends and wel-willers to Protestants were it onely but for that they haue not done their indeuours made resistance nor borne armes against their neighbours and kinsmen This is the crime of omission for the which the whole nation of the Netherlands were condemned by the King and the Spanish Inquisition and the execution thereof committed to the Duke of Alua as the Histories written by Catholikes themselues in honor of the King sufficiently declare This is that which Vergas President of the bloudie councell in the Duke of Aluas time sayd Heretici fraxerunt templa Boni nihil fecerunt contra ergo debent omnes patibulare that is The heretickes brake downe the Churches the good did not seeke to hinder nor let them and therefore they must all bee hanged For these reasons Iohn Baptista Taxis in Anno 1595. wrote vnto the King from Brussels that his Maiestie ought by no meanes to consent by any contract of peace that the Spanish garrisons should depart out of the countrie for that it would bee a blemish to his authoritie for sayd hee your Maiestie cannot build vpon those of the Catholike religion in regard that deuotion is onely found amongst a few old men and women which cannot fight the rest will altogether thrust their heads into one hood And although Taxis had not so plainly shewed this distrust which is had of you vnto the King and his counsell yet the deeds themselues declare it for all the world knowes that the Noblemen of the Netherlands notwithstanding their reconciliation with the King are not trusted but with hearts griefe must see yea and frette that the Spaniards are preferred not onely to bee Councellors but to the highest dignities to gouernment and other preserments and they despised reiected and badly dealt withall It preuailed Lamorall Earle of Egmont nothing at all that hee laboured to chase away the Preachers and that in all things hee shewed himselfe to bee a deuoute Catholike for notwithstanding all this hee lost his head His sonne who to winne more credit with the Spaniards openly sayd that his Father had his iust rewarde being in prison was despised and after long imprisonment was at last hardly released by the King in exchange with a Gentleman called Mounsieur la Noue and others likewise were released by the like vnequall exchange And when as the Baron De Selles Champigni the Bishop of Ypre and the Lord of Auchi were prisoners to the Estates the Duke of Parma was so slowe in seeking their deliuerie as the Barron De Selles dyed in prison with melancholie and griefe complaining that he and his brother the Barron De Noircarmes seruices were badly rewarded The Barron Van Hese was beheaded vpon a surmised crime many others were made away here and there in diuers places as Vrias was and little lamented Charles Earle of Mansfield had such strong Pepper giuen him by the Spaniards that hee left the Kings seruice in the Netherlands and went to serue against the Turke in Hungarie where hee dyed It is needlesse to rehearse many examples you see before your eyes how that they of Antwarpe Gant and other places haue gotten nothing by liuing like faithfull Catholike subiects vnder the King for that notwithstanding they must bee slaues to the Spanish nation and beare the intollerable abuses wrongs molestations iniuries of the Spanish garrisons yet their complaints cannot be heard nor any iustice done vpon the offenders which may serue for an example and fore-warning vnto all Catholiks that haue dwelt in the vnited Prouinces vnder the command of hereticks as the Spaniards Iesuits call them what good intertainment they were to expect if the Spaniards were absolute maisters yet they haue a strōger
alteration in the meane time for that they of Reinbergh beeing out of hope of releefe and perceiuing that the enemie had gotten so neere vnto the towne as they were in great danger thereof vpon the same day beeing the first of October they compounded with Spinola to yeeld the towne vnto him Cont Henricke being before Venlo with his Petards brake open the gate before day light but the alarme was to soone giuen within the towne for that the same euening there was a company of horsemen ledde by Mounsier Van Etten Generall of the victuals come into the Towne whereby it hapned that some of Cont Henricks men beeing alreadie entred into the Towne were by the sayd horsemen with some losse driuen out againe and forced to retire Prince Maurice also lay on the waie but to no end for that Spinola had commanded that no man should that night go out of the campe They of Reinbergh agreed with Spinola to depart the towne with armes and baggage like souldiers and with three peeces of ordinance that laie in the Weert as also the new Geusen or Saint Andreas souldiers but they must leaue al the shippes puntes bridges and the rest of the ordinance and so vpon the second daie of October there issued three thousand men with three companies of Ruyters with the dead bodie of general Edmonds it is thought there were fiue hundred lost within the towne both dead and wounded The French gentlemen also departed from thence with their honours as also the gouernor and the Lord of Sweten it seemeth that the greatest cause of the giuing ouer of the towne was that they saw no hope of releife and therefore without staying to trie the vttermost extreamitie they made a composition in time pretending some feare to want powder whereof at the first they had great store and had beene verie prodigall for they had aboue a hundred thousand pound of powder which as then they had brought to thirty thousand pound and there withall they had a kinde of feare so as they durst not trie the last euent of armes It was thought there were many of the enemies slaine before the towne and amongst the rest three Engeneurs or maisters of the fortifications Pompeio Romano their chiefe Engeneur wounded before it also was slaine Collonel de Tores who had the regiment of Catrice and the Lieutenant Collonel of the Barron of Achicourt with diuers others of great quality as the cousins of Spinola and the Earle of Busquoy Their losse of men was found to bee so great at also by reason of the disease and wetnesse of the weather as their companies at the musters were found to bee but fortie or fiftie strong so as many regiments as amongst the rest two Italian regiments one Cont Guydo St. Georgios the other Pompeto Iustinianios were lesse by a third part then they should bee By meanes of the winning of this towne Spinola had great aduantage and much helpe for thereby hee had meanes to haue victualls follow him from the towne of Cologne and the country of Cleaue and all little inough by reason that the waies by meanes of the great store of raine that had fallen were so foule and deepe as they had no sourage for their horses the corne in many places with the raine and foule wether beeing beaten flat vpon the ground and by the many and diuers enterprises made by the souldiers on both sides a great number of places were vtterly ruined and spoiled and therefore the shippes ship-bridges ponts and ordinance which they got in Reinberghe came well to passe for them Spinola was in all places commended for the good order and discipline hee obserued amongst all his souldiers and in these Netherland warres no man better deserued it which was the cause that his army was not euill thought-on in the newterall countries The losse of Reinberghe caused no small feare in the vnited Prouinces each towne obseruing and iudging of his owne weaknesse that maxime or oppinion long holden by them beeing then broken which is that a towne which is besieged beeing well furnished with good store of braue souldiers and seconded with an army to aide them might bee esteemed inuincible but these our warres haue many and often times prooued the contrary for which cause many faint-hearted people complained of the long warres and the great charges thereof wherevnto it was a great furtherance that the old stoute resolute men which had felt the Spanish yoake were most of them dead and that the gouernment of the state is not now in the hands of such zealous persons The Marquis Spinola hauing wonne honour in the taking of Rhine-Berck went and lodged his armie in the countrie of Iuilliers in the Diocesse of Cologne and thereabouts the which Prince Maurice vnderstanding hee raised his campe and marcht with all spâ—…ed before Grol with an intent to recouer it againe lodging his men in the towne ditches without any one cannon shot But Spinola aduertised of this desseigne hee presently gathers his forces together and what with faire promises and some little money he perswaded them to march for the freeing of that Towne which the Prince vnderstanding and winter drawing on hee raised his campe and so both the Armies returned to their garrisons to winter and rest their men this was in Nouember The mutines of Dyest continued all this time in their mutinie seeking to drawe contribution from all the frontiers euen out of Germanie vntill they were payed The which the Prince Elector of Mentz vnderstanding hee caused a dyet of the Circles to bee held at Ouerwezel to ptouide some meanes to stop their incursions but there was nothing effected but in the end the King of Spaine and the Arch-dukes were forced to giue them contentment More-ouer Dom Ihon de Medicis hauing three and twentie companies of foote and foure Cornets of horse entred into the countrie of Mont Iean belonging vnto the Duke of Cleues and so into the Duchie of Iuilliers his men were Italians and new come committing all the spoiles and insolencies they could deuise This did adde more to the miseries of those quarters who had nothing common with the warres of the Netherlands In Ianuary 1607. the mutines of Dyest made a roade euen vnto the suburbes of Liere the which they sayd was friend to the King of Spaine and to the Arch-dukes and therefore subiect to contribution as well as the Netherlands whereof thâ—…y came to doe execution by Lont-recht as they call it which is as much to say as Militarie Iustice. But the Townes-men who are giuen to armes tooke armes and chased them away with the losse of foure of them and fiue and twentie of the mutines which made them retire spoiling some farmes there-abouts But in other places they did so terrifie them with threats as they forced them of the Duchie of Iuilliers to giue them ten thousand rycx Dallers they of Cologne seauen thousand the Abbot of Duyts eight
withall that Mâ—…rquis Spinola in regard that hee fauored the cause held himselfe verie much beholding vnto him for which consideration hee had sent him an obligation vnder his hand whereby hee promised that if a truce were concluded for aboue nine yeares or a generall peace to giue him fiftie thousand crownes whereof hee should receiue fifteene thousand crownes in readie money to bee paide in Amsterdam to the handes of any one that hee should nominate or appoint recommending himselfe and the sayd affaires to his good discretion And for his owne particular hee sayd that seeing it had pleased the Archdukes and the Marquis to honour him so much as to thinke him fit to bee imploied therein and for that the matter had proceeded so farre that hee for his part and in his owne behalfe would giue some particular testymonie of his loue towardes the said Artesens and to that end would bestowe vpon his wife a Ring of Gold with a Diamont therein protesting and assuring him of the scincerity vprightnesse and worthinesse of the sayd Archduke and the Marquis as also of his owne the which notwithstanding was otherwise censured by many Wherevnto Artesens made answere that hee most humbly thanked the said Archdukes for their great fauour shewed him and especially for the restitution of his house and patrimoniall lands in regard that at the reduction of the towne of Brussels vnder the King of Spaines obedience hee had great wrong offered vnto him in this point for that hee was debarred the benefite of the contract which was graunted vnto all the Burgers of the towne whereby they were inabled for to enioye their landes and goods notwithstanding that hee at the same time was imploied about some seruice that then was to bee done for the Estates for the assembling of the Generall Estates and that touching their further bountie hee sayd that hee had done no more in that action then hee was bound vnto in loue and duetie with other such like excuses and therefore hee besought the sayd Archdukes and the Marquis that it would please them to hold him excused if hee did not accept their bountifull presents which seemed rather to bee giuen to corrupt him then as a recompence for any seruice done by him and that therefore hee neitheir could nor might accept them nor yet the Ring which hee offred to giue him for his wife giuing the Frier great thankes for his courtesie therein and offering all seruice for his part which hee could or might doe for them and him alwaies excepting any thing whatsoeuer that might tend to the breach of his oth and blemish of his reputation c. Wherevnto the Frier replied that the presents aforesayd could not bee any waies held to bee done in manner of corruption considering the sincere and vpright intents of the sayd Archdukes Marquis Spinola and himselfe who affected nothing more then sincerely and without any fraude to bring the warres vnto an end with many other good wordes to perswade him to bee a furtherer vnto the same c. Wherevpon at last hee accepted of the restitution of his house and lands together with the obligation making much difficultie to receiue the Ring with the Diamont for his wife but beeing much vrged and intreated therevnto hee tooke it with promise to giue the best direction therein that hee could his oth and credit alwaies preserued and therewith they departed The same day Artesens made report vnto Prince Maurice and to the Estates of all that had past betwixt them offering to deliuer them the obligation and the Diamont but Prince Maurice would not receiue them neuerthelesse hee aduised them to take some course for the receit of the money and withall that the matter should bee kept verie close and secret But Artesens did often solicite the Prince and the Estates to bee discharged thereof the which they still refused to take into their custodie telling him that hee had no cause to doubt any danger seeing that hee had not done any thing but by speciall commission wherein hee had discharged himselfe by discouering the offers that were made him as in duetie hee was bound and that order was to bee taken about the receiuing of the money wishing that they might get all the enemies treasure into their handes by such meanes esteeming the Diamond to bee well worth sixe thousand Gilders at last it was resolued vpon that the matter should bee imparted to the generall assemblie of all the Estates This businesse passing ouer for certaine daies together without any further resolution from the foureteenth to the twelfth day of May there was an other letter sent from the Frier Iohn Nayen vnto the sayd Artesens whereby hee wondred verie much that hee heard not from him nor had any assignement to whome the fifteene thousand crownes should bee payde Artesens hauing receiued this letter went vnto the Estates againe to acquaint them therewith but for that Prince Maurice had the second time refused to receiue the obligation and the Ring beeing still of opinion if they thought good to keepe the matter secret that it was best for them to receiue the money it was resolued amongst them to make both the generall Estates acquainted therewith and the ambasadors of France and England by which meanes the matter was divulged vnto the common people wherevpon Artesens vnderstanding that hee was charged and taxed to haue beene corrupted by the enemie he desired the generall Estates that hee might be discharged of the obligation and the Ring of Gold and vpon his request so made vnto them they tooke order that the treasuror generall should keepe the said obligation and the Ring with the Diamond which was taken out of the gold and valued till further order should bee taken therein and that the said Artesens should haue an act made in his behalfe and for his iustification the which was published accordingly bearing date the seauenth daie of Iulie in the yeare of our Lord and Sauiour 1607. Notwithstanding all this Artesens fell into great suspition and it was giuen out that hee had beene corrupted by the enemy for the which cause and to free himselfe from all imputation and blame hee caused an appologie to bee printed in his name whereby hee excused himselfe vnto all the common people and therevnto hee ioyned a coppie of the act aforesayd made by the generall Estates in his behalfe his apologie bearing date the twentie daie of Iulie in the yeare of our Lord and Sauiour 1607. When as Mounsieur Vereycken came last vnto the Hage with the act of agreation Mounsieur Barnâ—…uelt Councellor for Holland let him vnderstand what presents had beene giuen by Iohn Nayen the Frier as is before mentioned which were deliuered to Mounsieur Vereycken by the Estates who willed him to take them with him againe and restore them vnto those that sent them desiring the Archdukes that if they ment to proceede sincerelie in the treatie of peace and sought nothing els that