ample sorte graunted them as it was to the frenchmen by theyr king and the whole assent of hys noble estates perceyuing theyr hope and expectation frustrate and themselues to be dayly more and more slaundred and that there was no more hope left eyther in the kinges clemency or in the expectation for the parlament of hauing their cause heard much lesse of equall iudgement And yet notwithstanding all of them euery where dyd not cease to call for the preaching of the gospell insomuch that the multitude could not be contayned in any priuate houses Many of them began in the vttermost borders of Flaunders where the tyranny of the Inquisition had most extreamly persecuted them and by and by in Brabant in Holland and also the rest of the prouinces to come together into the fields to the preaching of Gods word and openly to set forth theyr doctrine that at the length they might cleare themselues from the slaunderous cauils of theyr owne aduersaries being their Iudges and that all men might know who they were what kinde of men they were what number was of them and of what estimation or worship they were of first they came to all assemblies without weapons But when theyr aduersaries began opēly to threaten vnto them most extreme cruelty many of them got theyr wepons some a sword some a speare some a club as men vse them when they prepare to take armour but a very few brought dagges but within a whyle after theyr number began to encrease to many thousandes of people When the Cardinalles Vicegerentes perceiued they could not be oppressed without open violence because by reason of theyr great number of theyr fauour and power of the equitie of theyr cause of the honesty of theyr lyfe of the integritie of theyr actions they were becom maruelously strong But especialy when they saw the most part of the nobilitie openly fauoryng theyr cause whose desire of publike peace which they of late had shewed foorth in theyr bill of supplication and all theyr actions were slaundered very much wyth sundry slaunderous cauils they flye vnto theyr crafts guiles They by sundry and many wayes deceiued the nobilitie which came together in a solemne assembly at Sainttrudo to take counsell for the sauegard of themselues and for the aunswering of the most reprochfull cauils and the auoyding of theyr violent rashnes First they go about to perswade them to become the open enemies of the publike preaching and to dispatch them by force of armes But perceiuing themselues to labour therin in vayne because many of the nobles dyd resist them which were professors of that religion they compassed theyr matter about an other way fayning themselues to require theyr helpe for to pacifie the tumults of the people Therefore propounding many commaundementes they obtayned that Embassitors should be sent from among them vnto the Gouernesse of Permence the which should determine vppon all matters according to equitie and right as best should be thought for the profite of the common wealth The Embassadors mening simply went with them vnto Bruxell The gouernesse desireth thē the tumultes of the people with all theyr power and to obey the king and his magistrates with all obedience not once minding to take vpon thē armour but leauing all fond sinister suspicions to perswade themselues that the king would very well allow of their doings accompt it a full satisfaction of their duties she likewise graunteth at theyr request that it shal be lawfull for thē to kéepe theyr publike sermons in their accustomed places as they haue done heretofore It was solemply also decréed on both parties that by the auctority of the magistrates there should be appointed common places in euery citie town wherin they might make their sermons and fréely without all feare exercise their preachings that the professing of religion should be hurtfull to none so that he obserued his duty in all other matters without inuading of churches or mouing any tumults herafter they promised faythfully on both parties but the Cardinals men bound themselues by oth by theyr holy deuotion to be faithfull in performing their promise The gouernesse for her part to make it more sure calleth a counsell of the nobles who likewise promised their fidelity in performing the same she geueth forth letters patents auctorised with the kings broad seale Not lōg after she sendyng these letters to the gouernours and Magistrates of euery prouince geueth in commaūdement that this agréement should bee promulgated and that the whole common wealth should be gouerned accordyng to the comētes therof afterward by publicke Edicts she forbiddeth that any mā should reuile or speake euil of others for religion sake seyng she dyd pronounce that all men of both religions were in the kyngs safe gouernement and good protection It happened in the meane tyme whiles those thynges were a doyng at Bruxels it first in the Weast partes of Fraunders and afterwardes in many other Cities almost at the same tyme Images pictures aulters were ouerthrowen in the Churches whether by craft of the aduersaryes which euen now dyd séeke all occasiōs to accuse the people that hauyng some fayre shew they might gather an army or by the fonde zeale of many which thought they could not earnestly repent them of their sinnes vnles they had ouerthrowen the instrumentes of idolatry it is as yet vncerteine But this is most apparaunt that in many Cities the sacrifising Priestes them selues began first to cary out of their Churches their most precious reliques and vessels that then boyes rascall people followyng them dyd ouerthrowe the rest and in many Cities It is knowen also that the byshops them selues and they which were the greatest aduersaryes of the Gospel dyd by publike authothoritie ouerthrow the Images pictures and the rest of the ceremonyes and that by their authoritie and example many good godly Citizens dyd the same likewise supposing this their doyng to be commaunded by the authoritie of the Magistrate But how soeuer it came to passe the Cardinals officers and Inquisitors tooke a very fitte occasion hereby to execute their purpose for by and by they in all hast gatheryng souldiours together apprehended many of those whiche ouerthrew the Images and cast them into prison and hanged them neither could they by any questions or kinde of tormentes enforce them to confesse the which thyng they most gréedely desired that any of the Ministers of the Churches or any of the confederate princes which were at the foresayd assembly or any of the professors of the Gospel were authors of this enterprise But rather they did all with one voyce confesse that as it was most manifest by their preachynges and endeuours wherewith they did disalow that enterprise it was done contrary to all their willes and not without their great grief and sorow Therfore the gouernesse dyd not ceasse to sée the former contract of gouernyng the
for rebellious traytors to the kinges maiestie and on the other side for periured persons which with their vaine promises had brought the people into a fooles paradise and made them subiect to the slaughter and butcherly fury of theyr aduersaries theyr confirmed couenauntes the kinges name seale and letters patentes to be of no force their former agréement by the which as by a bayte they were drawne into the net to be most manifestly deluded and that they were so far from hauing licence to cleare and purge them selues that they might not be suffred once to entreat or to make supplication for mercy and that they were openly taken for enemies enuironed about with souldiers so that there was no place for them lefte whereby they might escape by flying They being thus at their wittes ende not knowing which way to take were compelled at the length in all hast to muster theyr souldiers not that they ment to attempt any thing as enemies but that they might so long defend thēselues from the violence iniuries of theyr aduersaries vntill that they might either get equity for their cause or oportunitie to flie For if they would otherwise haue inuaded the kinges Cities there is no man so great a straunger or ignoraunt of the matters done in Belgie which doth not know that many cities sending theyr Embassadors did require theyr ayde and desired that it might be lawfull onely by the graunt and authority of Brederodius which was the captayne of the confederate princes to defend themselues by force of armes against the insolency and violence of theyr aduersaries The Valencenentians required to haue one of the nobilitie for theyr captayne Many other cities also being the chiefe amongest all the rest both for theyr power and authoritie and also for the number of theyr Citizens made the same request and many other also if they had so desired would haue submitted themselues to theyr auctority And yet notwithstanding they graunted not to any of them so much as by theyr woorde to yéeld to that they required except vnto the Buscoducentians there was one graunted the which should defende the Citie in the kinges name and of the confederate princes agaynst the insolency of the forreyne souldiers and should make the nobilitie a way if it fortuned to be shut vp all the rest wer refused not because it was a hard matter for them to kéepe those cities beyng already furnished with munition of warre especially if the prince of Aurice whome now the aduersaries do most shamefully be lye calling him the auctor of the whole sedition would but once but haue imagined so great an enterprise contrary to the wyll of the King and Gouernesse séeing that at hys féete almost the whole prouince did cast themselues downe with teares beséeching him to ayd thē against these violent théeues and murderers most periured tyraunts and that they might commit themselues all theyres into his power and iurisdiction He also might with a becke easely haue retayned in hys power not onely Hollande Zelande and the countrey of Truceland all which places he had in hys gouernment beyng of themselues as all men knoweth of hability to conquer the whole prouince but also Antwarpe Machlym Bustoduse and many other of the chéefest cities But that most godly Prince would not desire any thyng that shoulde séeme to impeache the Kinges authoritie but he gaue such godly counsels to the Gouernesse and to the other Cities the which if they might haue taken place would haue somewhat brideled the furious rage and couetous tyranny of the Spanish substitutes would haue retayned the whole prouince quietly and peaceably in theyr loyaltie towarde the king but he could neuer be perswaded to take armour himselfe or to geue license to the citizens to do the same The other confederate princes as neare as they could did obey hys auctority and folow his modesty but that they were compelled many times by violence and necessitie to take armes not to inuade or set vpon any cities or to do any violence but onely to withstand the violence and to defend themselues from the insolency of theyr aduersaries and to make themselues a way to escape by force if néede should require And these thynges truly which we haue reported were onely done before the duke of Aluaye hys commyng the whiche truly we haue thought it necessary more largely to expresse that all men may know how vniustly our aduersaries do deale with vs Although at their lust and pleasure they haue gouerned all thynges and oppressed vs full xl yeares with most extreme tyranny and the which at length by their crafty and subtill deuises haue styrred vp such greuous tempestes that therby they not onely mancypated and made bonde our selues our wiues and children but haue brought also the most florishyng prouince of Belgie into most doulfull calamities and beastly seruitude They do not yet for all this ceasse to accuse vs euery where vnto all Princes and people of Europe of most horrible crimes and to lay the faulte and occasions of all their couetous and mischieuous doynges vppon our neckes complainyng belyke because we would not with open bodyes and stretched out throates submitte our selues to their glaues and swoordes They are gréeued that we are safely escaped their handes and that we haue lost onely our riches possessions to be deuoured of their gréedy auarice that we haue not committed our lyues our wiues and children our soules and consciences to theyr lust tyranny and impietie Otherwise what is there that they can most especially lay agaynst vs can they obiect vnto vs the confederate societie of the princes let therfore the writynges of the conspiracie be read they truly though we should holde our peace would declare that they attempted nothing did nothyng nor once thought vpon any other thyng but onely whereby they might shew forth their loyaltie fidelitie and due obedience to their kyng onely that they might by the power and authoritie of the kyng withstād and suppresse the crueltie auarice and outragious couetousnes of many of the wicked But if their letters sealed and confirmed with their owne handes seales be of no credite yet let the effect of their doings be beleued for whilest all thyngs were as yet in safetie what was it which they went about dyd they not by supplication desire the kyng to disanull the vnbridled power of the Inquisition to mitigate the cruelty of the Edictes and other Edictes for the orderyng of Religion to be established by the kynges authoritie and decrée of the estates But verely here is the chief poynte of our aduersaries accusatiōs bycause forsooth they beyng frée men nobles louers of their countrey and desirous of peace faythfully addicted to the kynges maiestie durst be so bold by humbled supplication to require that the Edictes whiche were contrary to all equitie much impeachyng the kynges dignitie and disturbyng the common wealth brought in by errour and by false perswasion should
be made voyde and that there might be some lawfull assembly of the estates or Parliament holden for the good gouernement of the cōmon wealth Heare we appeale to you you most mightye Emperour of the Romaines and to ye all the famous Princes of the Christian Religion and by that onely and immortall God and by his sonne Iesus Christ in whose name we pleade our cause we humbly desire you to geue iudgement in this poynte whether we in this poynte so greuously offended or rather whether they doe not accompt our iust and wholy obedience of duetie in stede of great impietie Truly when the kyng was authorised Duke of Brabant he by solemne othe and faithfull couenaunt promised that he would paciently suffer most willyngly heare all their complaintes requestes or demaundes what soeuer the which should be put vp of the Byshops Barones Nobles Cities or Townes subiect vnto him either seuerally by them selues or ioyntly of them altogether and as often as they would shewe forth their burdens or great oppressions that it should be lawfull for them to do it without any daunger or offence and without doubting that he would be angry therewith and that he would neuer suffer any to be troubled for so doyng the which if it should chaunce to happen he promised to punish seuerely all those which may be founde giltie of that offence and at length after many other thynges he concludeth that if he shall doe or suffer to be done any thyng cōtrary to this oth and promise he desired forthwith his subiectes to be frée from their othe loyaltie vntill such tyme that he shall fully make them satisfaction in that poynte and in all other matters accordyng to this his promise Iudge ye therfore ye most renoumed and puysaunt Princes whether the nobles by puttyng vp of this their supplication haue iustly deserued to haue the kyngs so great and heauy displeasure agaynst them and their poor Citizens and frendes Although who is so voyde of all sence and reason and so ignoraunt of the affaires of Princes which doth not know that it is most profitable for kynges princes that their subiectes should moue them by humble supplication to prouide for the weale publike and the some ready and fit way should be taken for the good appointement and safe preseruyng of the common tranquilitie Who also is ignoraunt that these frée solemne assemblyes be not vsed in all prouinces and amongest all people but also accompted as the onely stay and remedy of all mischiefes and publike calamities and that no man hath at any tyme heretofore gone about to hynder such solemne méetynges but they which would robbe and spoyle the poore people of the right of their liberties of all their auncient lawes customes fréedome of their priuileges and dyd desire to rule all alone accordyng to their lewde lust and appetite and by right or by wrong to execute tyranny vpon their poore subiectes soules bodyes This truly is most manifest that in Germany all the whole maiestie and honor of their Empire is mainteyned by the due orderyng of their solemne parliamentes Niether hath there any wise man doubted but that in all the other prouinces of all Europe all the safety of the people and the dignitie of the prince hath onely bene preserued by these general assemblyes But in especially in low Germany It is most manifest that the case so standeth for in it the princes haue in all ages from tyme to tyme bene subiect to the power of the generall Parliamentes haue bene elected by them confirmed of them without whose assent and authoritie they neuer would decrée any thing and it is manifestly prouided and established by the priuileges of Brabant and customes of Flaūders that they neuer haue authoritie to do it hereafter But seyng by their mutuall assent and contract they be in force of couenauntes agréed vppon and hereafter to be taken for their cōmon law of the countrey It is of vndoubted credite that the kyng cānot violate or breake them without the assent and cōsent of the other parties Admit it be so the nobles haue offēded in this one pointe let it be accompted as wickednesse vnto them by humble supplication to shew the way how the common destruction of theyr countrey might easely haue bene auoyded Wherin I pray you dyd the poore comminaltie offended or without crime haue they deserued such great and accustomed crueltie vnlesse you will say it was bycause they gaue credite to the publike Edictes published in the kynges name confirmed with his broad seale and dyd thinke they might safely without all fraude or deceit hauyng for their defence this licence graunted by publike promise hauyng recourse to the hearyng of the Gospell preached for wheras they do accuse the people of takyng armes agaynst their kyng of ouerthrowyng of the images of Churches of bryngyng a new Religion their accusation is most vayne and slaunderous For as concernyng their takyng of armore there was no man which dyd abuse them agaynst the kyng or his dignitie but truly before the publike promise and othe was neglected before the kynges Edictes wherby the libertie of religion was graūted where violated before the couenauntes agréed vpō and the leage of their common tranquilitie was broken there was no mā went armed except it were for defence of him selfe agaynst the impudent violence of théeues and murtherers the open threatnynges of most wicked persons and that also was when they went out of the Cities to the sermons some of them tooke a sword some a staffe some a speare very few caryng dagges euen as one takyng his iorney into a farre countrey armeth him selfe to withstand the inuasions of théeues cutthrotes But afterwardes when in this pointe they were commaūded to be secure and that the gouernesse had geuē in charge that should hurt or indammage them as long as they kept them selues quiet by and by they at the commaundement of their Magistrates layd aside their weapons most willyngly committyng thē selues into their to the lawes of God man and to all their tuition safegard But at length whē contrary to the promised made contrary both priuileges they perceiued them selues to be ouercome of the souldiours the which had obteyned full licence to destroy them although they had committed them selues to the publicke fayth and with robberyes murders wastings rapes adulteries all kynde of wickednes to rage agaynst them as if they were enemies and traytors then at the length many of them begā to defend them selues with gates and walles frō the violent fury of their aduersaries Last of all when they perceiued neither publike libertie nor their wiues chastitie nor their consciences tranquilitie nor their owne lyues safely defended from their violēce by their gates and walles Many we confesse tooke vpon them armore not agaynst the kynges maiestie or any Magistrates but rather that they might defend their libertie graunted them by the kyngs Edict from
of sense and reason whose vnderstandyng is so blynded that he beleueth that these good and well disposed persons doth séeke nothyng els but to kéepe the prouince of Belgie vnder the kynges authoritie to defend religion and mainteyne lawes seyng all their actions and doinges do openly pretend shew that they haue no other kyng no law or religion but their onely auarice and most beastly couetousnes they make a glorious pretence as though all the Belgians were Lutherans rebelles and traytors to the kyngs maiesty bycause forsooth they would not submit their neckes to the yocke of the Inquisition that is to say they would not willyngly and of their owne accord yeld vp them selues to the beastly lust and vniust tyranny of most pernicious persons But truly if they had their kyng for theyr enemy they would neuer haue so faythfully obserued their loyalty towardes him neyther would they so carefully haue retained all their cities townes and castels in hys fidelitie tuitiō neyther would they so faithfully haue geuē credite to the kyngs edictes the kynges name the kinges brode seale to the Gouernesse and in so doyng should neuer haue runne into so many so great calamities by their so light credulity neither should the Duke of Alba once haue set foote into these countryes for they had infinite occasions and oportunities offered them of dissanulling the kinges authoritie of alienating hys cities of striking league with other nations adioyning vnto them and of kéeping backe the Alban duke from the borders of theyr prouince And yet for all thys dare not the aduersaries affirme vnlesse they be most impudent that thys was once mentioned amongst them or spoken of But let it be so that they were rebels is it lawfull therfore for the King to violate hys faithfull promise to peruert the lawes both of God and man and to pollute all thinges both holy and prophane wyth thys vnaccustomed tyranny We read that in the time of our auncitors many of the cities of Flaunders dyd rebell agaynst Maximilian the most mighty king of the Romanes and the citizens dyd not onely openly refuse hys gouernement and deteyned wyth them for the space of eight yeares his sonne Philippe against his will but also did most cōtumeliously throw Maximilian himselfe into prison but afterwardes beyng ouercome by the helpe of Frederike the Emperour and other the princes of Germany they yelded thēselues agayne to hys authoritie then thys good prince Maximilian in thys so odious rebellion and hauing bene so iniuriously handled was so farre from doing any thing lyke vnto the Albane Duke that he not onely with great gentlenes receaued hys subiects agayne into his graces fauor but also with great clemency worthy of so great a prince restored vnto them agayne all theyr priuiledges and auncient immunities By the which hys vncredible lenitye he made the hole prouince most obedient in all pointes to hym and hys posteritie for euer But these men neuer remitted any tribute any subsedy or burden layd vppon the kinges most faythfull subiectes whose loyaltie towardes the King coulde neuer wyth any crime be attayned beyng alwayes obedient to the kinges commaundement who had offered vp by humble supplication all theyr riches and substaunce vnto the kings good will and pleasure desiring to haue nothing frée from the Kinges commaundement but onely a cleare conscience in religion the which they ought to kéepe vnpolluted vnto God alone And they humbly desired to redéeme the libertie of religion with an extraordinary and farre more gréeuous tribute then the Christians redéeme theyr religion of the Turke or the Iewes obtayne theyrs of the pope Yet notwithstanding these men I say spoyling those faythfull subiectes of all theyr riches forbid them the vse of fyre and water ayre land as if they were the most deadly enemies of all mankinde yet haue they God knoweth committed no offence but only geuen to light credite to the kings edicts which in manner were established as firme lawes neuer to be reuoked and so they simply beleuing the kinges letters and name kept diligently their sermons in the which there was nothing preached but the pure woorde of God and they dayly admonished to shew theyr obedience to the prince and his magistrates Yet these tyrantes doth with most horrible cruelty oppresse the hole prouince without respect either of the innocent or offenders and wyth most insatiable auarice spoyling them torment them wyth most barbarous tyranny Can any man now doubt what it is that these men haue hertofore laboured to bring to passe or whereunto they haue bended theyr mindes set theyr eyes and applyed theyr most reuening handes Or is there any man so blind that can not sée what hath bene the cause originall of these foresayd tumultes in Belgye or so blockish that he can not perceiue that these honest men I meane the good maisters and byshops of the spanish inquisition haue from the beginning onely gone about to alienate the kinges minde from hys subiectes and by euery small or none occasion to accuse them of rebellion that as they haue most furiously executed theyr tyranny in the kingdome of Naples Cycell and the countrey of Millen in new India and in the chiefest partes of Spayne so they might by some maner of meanes furiouslye rage in the lowe Germany and by litle and litle when occasion shall bee offered in highe Germany and that vnder the colour of defending the Popes religion they might oppresse the hole libertie of the citizens in Belgie take away theyr magistrates authoritie and violate the hole power of theyr lawes bring the kinges maiestie subiect to theyr authoritye and that they themselues might without law or order at their pleasure cōmaund what they wyll take what they lyste kyll whatsoeuer should offend them empty the rich mens coffers and make themselues lordes and gouernors of all thinges But if any man shall thinke that these thynges because they be present not yet throughly finished can not easily be iudged vpon let hym coniecture and take iudgement of thynges alredy past In the which we appeale vnto your maiesties most mighty Emperour and ye renowmed princes of Germany call to remembraunce what they haue heretofore done in Germany what with what fetches and counselles they haue wrought you shall perceaue truly theyr old artes you shall know these old Spaniardes you shall know these old Inquisitors for euē these be they which with their greuous cauils and sclaunders with the terror of the Popes name haue oppressed the most famous princes of Germany before Charles the v. which kyndled a most dolefull firebrand of ciuill dissention in the very bowels of hygh Germany and vnder the cloake of rebellion dyd set the Protestant Princes together by the eares beyng altogether ignoraunt of their trechery the which haue defiled all things in Germany with their wicked flagitious actes the whiche haue gone about to ouerthrow the liberties of Germany and lawes of the Empire and
a litle before had with false persuasions vnto the kyng very much blemished and made subiect to to the counsell Senate house of Spayne as it were to their guide to cut in péeces all their decrées and to rule and appoynte all thynges alone accordyng to his owne will and pleasure and by a new forme of indulgences as they terme them to bring in the Spanishe maner of distributyng of benefices and offices both Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall the whiche he abused accordyng to his pleasure he challenged the whole power of indulgences to him selfe leauing notwithstanding some of them to Viglius by this meanes when offices or benefices were vacant he some tymes stayed the gift of them for a long space and some tymes agayne vpon the first day of their vacation set them out to open sayle and sometymes he twise solde them The price he deuided openly with his brokers and proctours he accompted himselfe the Archbishop of Meclynia Metropolitane not onely of Brabant but also of the whole prouince of Belgie And when he had receaued from the Pope his Cardinals batte he disdayned all princes in respect of him selfe He mightely threatened those Cities whiche refused to submitte them selues to the Byshops bondage he openly did bost and say that the kyng could not mainteyne his honor and auctoritie in Belgie without the Spanishe power foreine ayde He sayd it was altogether necessary that the king should be released by the bishop of Rome from his oth wherwith he bound himself by couenaunt to mainteine the priuileges of his subiects that he should conuert this his lawful inheritaunce into a prouince makyng it captiue which before was frée as if it had bene wonne by force of armes or conquered by battell not enioyed by succession of auncient patrimonie and briefly that he should make them new lawes and inuent some new kynde of regiment for them like captiues taken in warre He sayd moreouer that it was necessary for the performaunce hereof that 4. or 5. of the noble men should lese their heades in whose auctoritie and carefull prudence the health and safetie of the people and the onely hope of their liberties was thought to consiste To conclude he openlye contemnyng the whole company of the primates and nobles and the gouernesse of Permenia her selfe behauing him selfe both as King and Bishop by force and violence maketh his frendes and clyentes some of them Byshops and some of them Inquisitors When as the Princes and noble men of the prouince saw no end of his madnes they thought it most expedient for themselues and for the state of the whole common weale wholy to withstande his rashnes perceiuing indéede manifestly that if by some meanes or other he were not stayd or repressed the people though most pacient louing subiectes towardes the king could not long be reteyned in their duetye of obedience neither yet did they attempt then any thing by force or violence or by any crafty and wicked enterprise but they withstoode him onely by making humble supplication to the King fully certifying hys Maiestie that if those rigorous iudgementes were executed still with such cruelty and that worthy Citezens were oppressed wyth such great tyranny in so great a corruption and common pollution of all estates it was impossible to retayne the people any longer in theyr accustomed duety and faythfull obedience but that doubtlesse the publique slaughter and common destruction of the whole prouince was wyth spéed to be looked for vnlesse his prudence forséeing the mischief dyd séeke some remedy for it with all expedition Baron of Montignie one of the order of the golden fléece was sent embassador for the performance herof But not long after he returned not spéeding of hys purpose And no maruaile why for in Spayne all things were no lesse gouerned by the Inquisitors authoritie then they were ruled in Belgye by the Cardinals will and pleasure But in the meane space whilest the liberty of religion was appointed in France and published with full consent the Cities of Belgie bordering vpon the Frenchmen began openly in publique assemblies and common preachings to profes the religion of the Gospell which for the space of fortie yeares before they kept close in theyr priuate houses Which thing they did partly because otherwise they sée they coulde not auoyd the slaunders and reprochfull opprobries wherwith theyr priuate méetinges and secret conference were openly and cōmonly defamed amongest the people and partly because they saw the daily encrease of those which professed the gospell to be so great that priuate houses could not longer contayne them So that it was necessarie either to let the citezens leauing their cities voyd of men flie to their olde enemies the Frenchmen or els to satisfy the earnest desire of the people in that one poynt which in all other thinges was most obedient But by and by the extreme tyranny of the Inquisition and the barbarous cruelty of the punishments somwhat repressed them though God be praysed it could not altogether extinguish them The more openly they professed their fayth the more vehemētly did Granduellanus séeke to encrease the number of the new bishops insomuch that contrary to the will of the nobles he attempted to depriue the citizens of Antwerpe of the kinges beneuolence towards them wherby they obtayned their liberty and were made frée from that extreme bondage He styrred so long in this matter that there had bene lyke to haue bene a great sedition if Armenter the Spayniard had not bene sent againe to the king by the consent and counsell of the gouernesse and nobles who plainly should certefie the king that the people coulde not any longer be kept in subiection that the princes themselues would renounce their authority and leaue of the ruling of the common wealth vnlesse it would please the kinges maiestie to plucke in the raynes of thys vntamed Cardynall to represse and withstande hys vnbrydeled madnesse to deliuer hys poore subiectes from the yoke of hys tyranny to make frustrate his purpose of new alterations and finally indéede to confirme and establishe hys liberalitye and benefite bestowed and graunted to the Citezens of Antwarpe Thys pytifull complaynt so moued the kyng that he shewed hymselfe very angry heauely displeased with Granduellanus and therupon depryuing him of all hys authoritye called hym home presently from Belgye By whose departure al the whole prouince of low Germany breathed vpon as it were wyth a more pleasaunt and fresh ayre dyd séeme somewhat to rest and comfort it selfe vntill such tyme as those good bysshops of Spayne dyd put the kyng in remembraunce and caused hym accordyng to theyr pleasure to lay the heauy yoke of the Inquisition vpon the prouinces of Belgye agayne and to wyll the byshops to execute the crueltye of the Edictes and that they should morouer diligently vrge againe the due reuerence of the counsell of Trydent The Cardinalles ministers whych as hys chief frendes
common wealth executed in so much that she gaue by publike auctoritie vnto many of the nobles and of the confederate princes charge ouer cities in the whiche they should set all thynges in order accordyng to the due prescript of the former decrée that they should assigne places out for the buildyng of Churches and for the peoples assembly to heare Sermōs and that they should with open protestation will all men to be secure and voyde from all feare and daunger and certeinly to persuade them selues that the garisons of souldiours should nothyng endammage them With the whiche thyng all the people began excedyngly to reioyce and to lay a part all feare as though out of a most boysterous tempeste they were already arriued in a most quiet hauen stayeng them selues vpon the publike promise thus made taken and confirmed by writyng They began to builde their Churches and fréely quietly to set forth their religion But yet notwithstandyng the furious madnes of their aduersaries was not pacified although they had already punished the ouerthrowers of their Images with greuous punishementes and did sée the innocencie of these Churches most manifestly witnessed by their open confessions But rather most proudly auauntyng them selues as though they had gotten a iust occasiō to punish the rebelles and that they should nothyng feare hereafter the nobilitie the whiche did manifestly shew them selues to be heauely displeased with the insolency of of the Imagebreakers they began by litle and litle but openly to encrease the nomber of their garrisons and to set them in their Cities with this pretence onely to withstand the insolencie of the Imagebreakers and thus they armed them selues with all thynges necessary vntill such tyme that they had brought their matters to as good effect as they desired perceiuyng the people quietly to rest them selues vppon the faythful promise of the nobilitie and gouernesse set forth in the kinges name vnder hys seale and letters patentes and that the noble men also were quiet not once mysdoubting that they should haue bene so wickedly and vnfaythfully deceaued they began openly to shew foorth what theyr meaning was for in such places where as they might be most bolde and in the which the magistrate was appliable vnto their desire first with new commaundementes obscure and doubtfull edictes and with scoffing interpretation they began to disanull the auctority of the published commaundement as concerning the late contract and in many places to delay from day to day the sealing of the writings of the publike promise and with sundry cauils to deceaue the miserable citizens and in many places to put those magistrats whose dealing they knew wold be alwayes with iustice out of their offices and contrary to the orders of the cities in their roomes to substitute most wicked men prompt and redy to all kinde of impietie and then at the length as though all hindraunces had bene taken away they began with great insolency by force of armes to disturbe the companies assembled at sermons tauntingly to reuile the ministers and citizens to worne them with wepons and lastly with open tyranny to oppresse them imprisoning many hanging many banyshing many and appointing new kind of othes wherby men should binde them to the popish religion contrary to the former decrée couenaunted and established before and to accompt those which denied to obey for enemies and traytors to the kinges maiestie Morouer they did rebaptize infantes which were baptized before they spoyled all the professors of the Gospell of theyr weapons and armour they armed and stirred vp the rest of the comminaltie agaynst them as agaynst the enemies of the common wealth Neyther onely did the sacrificing priestes or preachers out of their pulpits as it were with an open outcry stir vp the people to take armour agaynst them but also in many places the Magistrates themselues which were appoynted by the Cardinals officers and Inquisitors sounding allarum gaue open licence vnto the sedition and tumultes of the people against the miserable Gospellers the which were then lately called Gwesians that is to say Beggers and rascals And hereupon began the most dolefull and late calamitie of the noble prouince For euen then first of all was that famous citie of the Valentians beséeged in enemies wise of hys owne familiar frendes and citizens because forsooth they refused vppon the sodaine to receaue within theyr walles the cruell souldiers in that number that was commaunded them that is to say foure bandes of horsemen and fiue ensignes of footmen but tooke vnto them a day to deliberate in alleaging many causes that it would not be commodious vnto them to receaue them séeing they had as yet before theyr eyes amongs theyr neighbours a most cruell and doleful president of the souldiers rashnes for not long before in the countrey and towne of Sancto Amandus nexte adioyning vnto them the very same which were thrust in contrary to theyr lawes and priuiledges contrary to the fidelitie of the promise before geuen violently robbed and spoyled the poore miserable people that professed the Gospell of all they had in so much that from the very yong infantes they pulled theyr hose from theyr legges they defloured by course one after an other after the most horrible example of the Beniauntes the chaste matrones and virgines and at length in most cruell wise set them to open sale at the sounde of the drome they put to death many burnyng them by litle and litle with small flames and with theyr swordes opened the wombes of matrones great with childe The remembraunce of which horrible thynges iustly terrifieng the Valentenentians they humbly desired that they should not be cōpelled to receaue within their walles and houses such kynde of souldiers vnto whose auarice lust and crueltie they perceiued them selues their lyues wiues children and consciences should be at lēgth in most seruile bondage seyng that for foure yeares space before they had payed of their own proper costes and charges vnto the garrisons of souldiers their wages vpon this condition that they should neuer hereafter bee vexed or burdened any more with souldiours Neither yet dyd they so manifestly refuse it but that they dyd openly in most humble wise signifie vnto the gouernesse and to the rest of the primates rulers of the prouince that they were ready to receaue the souldiours of what nomber soeuer if they had a capitaine appointed thē for that they shuld not hinder the libertie of Religion whiche they had graunted confirmed vnto them not long before by the Edict of the gouernesse by the authoritie of the kynges letters patentes by the nobilities constant confirmation and with assent of all the Magistrates But they nothyng at all preuayled by this their modestie and equitie of their cause but forthwith they were openly proclaimed as traytors and rebelles the Citie was besieged vntill that at the lēgth when they beyng persuaded therto by the letters of the gouernesse promising all kind of clemency had
any wickednes so hainous the which the fury of the spanish soldiours hath not committed in Belgye and doth dayly commit vnpunished In Iperis a famous towne in Flaunders when a minister of Gods woord was suffring death the souldiers wythout any other occasion turned theyr weapons vpon the miserable and vnarmed people standing about them and besides an infinite number whom they wounded vnto death there were xiij citizens shot through with pellettes of leade which they left dead in the streates At Turnace a dissention happenyng betwene the Spanish souldiers those other souldiers which were there for the defence of the Castle and two of the Spanyardes beyng slayne the rest cryed out Spayne Spayne at the which voyce the other Spanish souldiers beyng called did runne most furiously lyke madde men through the Citie and kylled all whom they met in number about xv of godly and honest Citizens In the same night some of the Spanishe souldiers beyng persuaded that a certaine widow called by the name of her husband widow Potier had a great somme of money in her house brake into her house opēly by violēce at noone dayes most cruelly murtheryng her her daughter néece they caryed out of her house all thynges they could finde At Insull one of the chiefest cities of all Flaunders which hath bene alwayes most addicted to the popish religion when a Spanyard going about by violence to rauish an honest citizēs wife was let of his purpose by her husbād ij of his neighbours he cryed out Spayne a cōmon by word amōgest thē for the auoydyng of present daunger in their wicked enterprises the other souldiers warned with that out-cry came runnyng and by force violēce apprehēded the Citizen and his two neighbours and deliuered them vnto the Magistrate to be punished lyke rebels and seditious persons with his threatnyng that vnlesse they did execute their commaundemēt spedely they would set the whole Citie on fire wherwith the Iudges beyng terrified caused two of them to be hanged and the thyrd to be whipped But what auayleth it to recken vp particularly all the wickednes which the Spanishe souldiers haue committed seing their can not be imagined any offence so haynous the which they do not day by day commit fréely without any punishment and yet the Duke of Alba compelleth them to mainteine these souldiers at their owne proper costes and charges Belyke that they might spoyle and robbe their coffers rauish their wiues kill their children and families at their pleasure and leauyng nothyng frée from their crueltie auarice and horrible wickednes then the whiche what can be imagined more vniust although truly there is no iniustice so great from the which the Alba Duke doth abhorre for least he should leaue any thyng holy vnpoluted with his beastly boldnes he dareth prophane the most holy rightes of matrimony he hath dissolued vnder the vayne pretence of heresie the lawfull mariages of many and made their children be gotten in iust mariage to be taken for bastardes as illegittimate to be excluded frō the succession of their patrimony he ioyned other mens wiues which were maryed before in the open assembly of the Church to other men by a new mariage or rather by most infamous adultery because they had omitted a masse of that the Priest was not curteously enterteyned at his comming to them therwith by his publike Edictes he made manifest adultery and open bigamy to be accompted lawfull He hath compelled widowes agaynst their willes and openly denyeng and withstādyng the same by force and violēce to be maryed vnto his souldiers cutthrotes in somuch that many of thē chose rather to forsake their countreys with the losse of all their riches then once to consent vnto such haynous villany But what hath he left the most holy Religion of Baptisme vnuiolated he hath commaunded with great impiety contrary to all the Popes decretals that all they which were baptised after the maner of the Apostles in the primitiue Church accordyng to the iust prescript of the woorde of God should be baptised agayne For what auayleth it to speake of the most reuerent order and religious kéepyng of the sepulchers graues of those which be buried the which from the begynnyng of the world hath ben amongest the most barbarous fierce people most religiously kept seyng he hath nothyng feared with most brutish crueltie to breake vp the graues of those godly and honest Citizens which had bene buryed in the ground aboue xiiij dayes before and to take out their bodyes scarse cleauyng to the bones hangyng some on gybbets and burning the rest with fire neither suffered he the cities of the noble Empire to escape frée from this his odious kynde of cruelty for who doth not know that euen at Harderuicke in Geldria which is the Emperours lawfull inheritaunce there was the body of an honest Citizen which had bene buryed long before drawen out of hys graue and cruelly pluckt in péeces vnder a gybbet with great and bitter triumphyng before the doore and euen in the very sight of the miserable widow But what is there holy amongest the lyuyng or religious amongest the dead the which he hath feared openly to violate and polute the which after his owne lust appetite hath made prophane thynges holy and holy thynges prophane hath made abrogated lawes hath spoiled the wealthiest of all their substaūce hath reprochfully slaundered the chiefest of the nobilitie hath put to death those which were most innocent hath destroyed féeble old men younge men and tender virgines with most horrible tormentes hath oppressed the Cities and the whole prouince with vncredible exactions and vnaccustomed tributes which hath wrong into his handes with his threatnynges an infinite masse of gold and siluer and now exacteth ouer all marchaundizes and vsuryes the x. penny and by that meanes hath diminished the trade of Marchauntes and taken away all licēces of trafique with other natiōs Was there euer any tyranny since the first age of man so cruell and so couetous as this is The wicked extorcions new and vnaccustomed tributes wherewith Caligula dyd oppresse his subiectes are recorded in hystoryes yet notwithstandyng he appoynted a meane and measure of his couetousnes for he assigned to euery kynde of mā by name their seuerall tributes but his felow least any thyng should escape hym be it neuer so litle besides the hundredes which he hath alredy taken away and the new hundredes which he hath of late commaunded to be leuyed of all their landes farmes and other immoueables he doth exact the x. in all kind of faculties besides all this he requireth xx hundreth thousand crownes of gold to be payd him yearely of the whole prouince What néede we any more is there any mā so cruelly woode or outragious of mynde that he doth not tremble and quake at the foden remembraunce of this vnaccustomed crueltie auarice vnfaythfulnes and impietie or can there any man be found so voyde
title to the Kyng with part of the taskes and subsides they challenge vnto them selues soueraigne rule and authoritie and in causes capitall they appoint vnto the giltie either lyfe or death at theyr owne arbitrement whom they determine to destroy no man is able to saue no not the kyng hym selfe though he most earnestly desire it whom they take vpon them to defend neither the seueritie of the lawes nor Iudgement sincerely geuen nor the kynges commaundement is hable once to hurt hys litle finger therfore it is no maruayle if all estates yea and the kynges them selues be very much afrayde of them Afterwardes they folowed the same way in Naples Cicell Myllen and in the great countrey of Indya they openly but in vayne put the same practise for to make subiect to them selues all Germany for they were withstode and preuēted by your wisedome most mighty princes and by the wisdome power and vertue of your auncetors but yet they cease not at thys time by theyr craftye wiles deceites to peforme that which they haue so long desired For that I may pretermit the Gronyngans the wise Phrisians the Transisellians Geldrians Remanicensians and many other of the empyre the which alwayes haue obayed to the iurisdiction of the Romane Emperor haue vsed hys lawes and statutes and haue appealed to the court of the Emperor and submitted themselues into the gouernment of the Duke of Brabant onely vpon thys condition that they might retayne theyr lawes customes and statutes fastly without any appearing of the same all which the Duke of Alba hath depriued of all theyr liberties and priuileges and as though they had bene ouercomme by battell appoynted them new lawes created new magistrates contrary to theyr aūcient maner and constitution hath exacted vnaccustomed tributes hath built castelles in theyr cities hath banished the chiefe of theyr citiezens seased vp theyr goodes that I may I say pretermit all these thinges and infinite more of like sort in the which although he hath no right or title yet he pretendeth to haue some kinde of interest For what ende I pray you doth he séke openly to enlarge the bondes of hys gouernment without any iust or shadowed title therunto euen into the very middest of the empyre What causeth him to séeke or rather by force to take vppon hym the gouernment of the countrey of Cleueland threatningly to commaund them to banish out of theyr countrey all the Belgians What causeth hym by prescript to commaund Collyn and the other frée cities of the Empier what they should do vnto the low Germaynes It is impossible that it should not be reuealed vnto you most worthy princes what crueltie he hath committed what fieldes he hath destroyed what droues of beasts he hath caried away what matrones and virgins he hath defloured how many inhabitauntes he hath murdred in the East contrey of Phrisia and the contrey of Emdon What should we thinke moreouer séeing he doubteth not by hys edicte to call home all the studentes of low Germany which were gone abroad to forren vniuersities whatsoeuer onely Rome excepted and all the young men which were departed to other places for the learning of some arte or manuell occupation threatning perpetuall banishment and losse of all theyr goodes if they do not returne insomuch that he hath spoyled the poore yong men trauelling abroad for the knowledge of tongues and getting of wisedome of the fruite of all theyr studies and labourers making them vnfit hereafter to take office vppon them in the common wealth and hath vtterly beggered and vndone many which trauayled abroad to gette theyr lyuing by theyr arte and occupation In the whych he sheweth hymselfe vtterly to denounce all humanitie for if all humanitie be maintayned by the mutuall societie and company of men must he not néedes be the enemy therof which by violence seketh to take away that one gift wherby man only sheweth himself to differ from the brute beastes For the knowledge of tonuges and vse of reason althought it be peculiarly geuen vnto man yet the fruit therof is not fully reaped but in the company and society of mē especially in our affayres which we haue with other nations Therfore séeing he goeth about to bereue vs therof what séeketh he els but to destroy the toung the whole vse of reason the which truely so great is hys inhumanity he would do if he could bring it by any meanes to passe For what other thing doth he séeke by this his Inquisition Why doth he forbid the people the vse of holy Scripture Why doth he refuse onely the knowledge of Gods holy wil and Testament to the deuines that is forsooth to his Inquisitors and byshops Why doth he forbidde the people to pray in a knowne tongue but that he desireth rather to rule brutish beastes then reasonable men For he feareth lest if they should vnderstand any thing they would at the length detest so great vnaccustomed barbarousnes and therfore he will haue no cities or countries gone vnto but those vnto whom he prescribeth lawes and ordinaunces It hath bene very well by the wyse iudgement doyngs of our aūcetors brought to passe that yoūg men studious in good literature and liberal artes should trauel vnto other vniuersities to sée their cities and maners and to learne their toungues and for thys cause by the liberality and costes of kynges Princes frée Vniuersities were founded and great libertyes priuiledges graunted to them that thether the young men of other countryes might more often resort and that by thys meanes the fayth frendship and societie of men among themselues might the better be retayned the which truely is no new custome but hath bene vsed hertofore in all ages For we read that Platoe and the other philosphers dyd wyth long diuers trauellinges learne their wisedomes whereof we all stand now in admiration from straunge peoples and far nations carry the knowledge therof into Grece The Romanes before times vsed to sende theyr children into Gréece and Asia for learnings sake and that I may not onely stay in those olde examples not much before the immanitie of the Turke had ouerrun all Gréece the Germaynes Frenchmen Italians the Spanyardes them selues were wont earnestly to go to Athenes for study sake The which libertie or custome who soeuer taketh away he taketh truly away all humanitie and professeth him selfe the deadly enemy of all other nations For it is wont to be forbydden that any Citizen should inhabite or dwell amongest those agaynst whō our Haroldes haue denounced warre the whiche for this cause is done because we thinke it not lawfull for our Citizens young men to resorte to those people whō we accompt as enemyes seyng therefore right noble Princes that he doth forbyd his Citizens frée yong men to be brought vp amongest you all other nations onely Rome excepted what cā otherwise be gathered but that he misdoubteth your faith and suspecteth your meanyng