was Daughter of William the Good and Wife to Lewis of Bavaria Emperour She came with a great retinue into Holland and having took possession gave the Government to her Son William reserving for her self a Pension every year She sold all the Estates the Frizelanders had in Holland to revenge her Brothers death She died in the year 1355. and in her ended the House of Hainant CHAP. IV. The House of Bavaria William of Bavaria the Twenty fifth VVIlliam the fifth Duke of Bavaria and Son to the Empress Margaret govern'd three years and had no Children by his Wife who was of the House of Lancaster He ran mad and kill'd a Gentleman of great quality whereupon his Subjects gave him a Guardian who was Albert the Twenty sixth Albert his Brother govern'd as Guardian for the space of thirty years after which time the right fell to him and he reign'd sixteen more He had by his first Wife William Albert and John afterwards Bishop of Leege Katherine Dutchess of Gueldres Mary of Burgundy Jane of Austria and Jane Queen of Bohemia In second marriage he took the Daughter of the Duke of Cleves The Frizelanders felt the effects of his just anger William the Twenty seventh William the sixth Son to Albert was twice married first to the Daughter of Charles King of France who died without issue secondly to the Daughter of Philip the bold Duke of Brabant by whom he had a Daughter call'd Jacqueline He made War with the Duke of Gueldres but after he made not only peace but friendship with him A little before he died he made an assembly of the States in which his Daughter was by common consent proclaim'd his Heiress He died in the same year which was the thirteenth of his Reign Jacqueline the Twenty eighth Jacqueline being sixteen years old was married to the Dolphin of France Son to Charles the sixth who died the first year of their marriage and left her at liberty to marry John Son to the Duke of Brabant but this marriage being void by reason of the proximity of blood they being Cousin-germans before the cause could be decided at Rome she went into England and there was married anew to Humphrey Duke of Gloucester Brother to King Henry but this marriage being likewise made void by the Pope she married Francis de Borsales who was taken prisoner by the Duke of Burgundy In her time there were many civil Wars and by her death her State fell to Philip of Burgundy and in her ended the House of Bavaria CHAP. V. The House of Burgundy Philip the Good the Twenty ninth PHilip of Burgundy Son to John of Burgundy and Margaret Daughter of Albert Duke of Bavaria added this noble accession to his Dutchy He had three Wives the first Michelle Daughter to Charles the sixth King of France who died without Children His second was Claudina Daughter to Robert Earl of Heu who was also barren His third was Isabelle of Portugal by whom he had three Sons who died young and the fourth nam'd Charles Earl of Charoloâ—â— lived He govern'd thirty four years he was a vertuous witty Prince One day some body telling him that the inhabitants of Gâ—â—nt did much court his Son Charles he answer'd that they were much given to love their Masters Son but that they would hate him when he should be their Master He receiv'd some injury from the King of England and in revenge besieged Calais with a prodigious Army but the inhabitants of Ghent and Bruges forsaking his Army because he did not act according to their hasty expectations were the ruine of his design This Prince was the first that instituted at the Hague the Order of the Golden Fleece and it has been since transferr'd to the House of Austria His ordinary stay was at Bruges in Flanders where he died Charles Earl of Charolois the Thirtieth Charles sirnamed the Warrier succeeded to his Father By his first Wife Katherine of France he had no Children but by his second Elizabeth of Bourbon he had the Princess Mary War was this Princes inclination which he begun against the King of France Lewis the eleventh He chastized the inhabitants of Liege and caused the Town to be laid waste He was still out-witted by Lewis though he were assisted by the Constable de St. Paul whom Lewis beheaded He drove the Duke of Larrain out of his Countrey who recover'd it again by the assistance of the Swissers against whom by his fault he lost a great Battle and in the hopes of revenge having engaged them with a new Army he lost above sixteen thousand men And at last his ill fortune still pursuing him he went to besiege Nancy and was there betrayed by an Italian whom he loved and trusted too much his Army defeated and himself kill'd upon the place It is thought that his design was to have extended his Dominions as far as Italy by Lorrain and the Swissers and that he had often desir'd the Emperour to erect his States into a Kingdome Never Prince was more courted by forreign Powers than he for he had one only Daughter extream handsome and who was to inherit all his Dominions he promis'd her to none but gave fair words to all His death was much resented by his Subjects and hardly beleev'd by the Hollanders Lewis King of France was very glad of his death for he stood much in awe of his power and 't is thought that he prevailed with money upon this Italian to betray him Mary Countess of Charolois Dutchess of Burgundy and Countess of Holland the Thirty first The loss of this great Warriour brought a great consternation amongst his people and made them assemble the generall States at Louvain to take care for the safety of those Provinces and their Mistress This young Lady was then about fourteen years old when the tragick news of her Fathers death reach'd her ears The Emperour Ferdinand did desire her for his Son Maximilian and Lewis of France for his Dolphin Charles and it seem'd that the Ladies inclinations were more inclin'd o the French but they too hasty to seize the prey having entred Artois with an Army the States gave her to Maximilian the Emperours Son the Countess of Meguen her Governant having boldly said that the Princess was of age to bear a man and therefore they should not give her a childe such as the Dolphin of France was The French upon this marriage were so incensed that they laid wast all the Countrey of Artois and from thence fell upon Hainaut They tryed also to annoy these Provinces by Sea but were beaten by the Hollanders This excellent Lady having liv'd some years in admirable union with her Husband fell one day as she was a hunting and broke two ribbs whereupon a Feaver citing her she died in the year 1482. She left a Son call'd Philip and Margaret her Daughter CHAP. VI. The House of Austria Maximilian the Thirty second THis Imperiall Prince having married the Princess Mary at
Ghent was declar'd Earl of Holland His first care was to invite all his Nobility to be reveng'd of the French for pillaging Maries Territories in effect he defeated them and took the Town of Tournay and a year after he constituted for his Lieutenant in Holland Nun. de lalain seigneur de montigny and Knight of the golden Fleece After the death of Mary the French pretended that the care of the Children did belong to them but it was judged for the Father He was at last chosen Emperour and died in the year 1519. in January Thus the Low Countreys became annexed to the House of Austria and by the marriage of Philip Maximilians Son to Jane of Castile was fram'd that great House which has so long given subject of fears and jealousies to all Europe Philip of Austria the Thirty third This Prince firnam'd the Delight of Mankind for his beauty and goodness was married to Jane Daughter to Ferdinand of Castile He brought her into the Low-Countreys and there she was brought abed of Charles who was afterwards Emperour as also of another Son nam'd Ferdinand Then he return'd into Spain and so won the hearts of all the Nobility there that his Father-in-law Ferdinand became jealous of him but durst not trust any body with his jealousie nay such was his distrust that he began to hate that great Captain Dâ—n Gonsaloe But Philip freed him from his fears by dying in Spain which made many suspect poison His Wife did love him so passionately that she ran mad and died not long after him Charles the fifth of Austria Emperour King of Spain and Earl of Holland the Thirty fourth Charles was born at Gheat in the year 1500. the twenty fourth of February His Father died when he was but six years old and at fifteen he was receiv'd as Prince in the Low-Countreys at eighteen he was acknowledg'd King of Spain and proclaim'd Emperour at nineteen He was very well bred up by his Aunt Margaret and his Tutor Adrian of Utrect whom he afterwards made Pope He was solemnly crown'd King of Spain at Valladolid but while he was absent in the Low Countreys the Spaniards revolted from him Francis the first King of France stood with him to be chosen Emperour but fail'd of his pretensions thence sprung an animosity between them which caus'd many bloody Wars wherein Charles his good fortune prevail'd for he took Francis prisoner and for his ransome made him yeeld all his right to Naples Milan and the Low-Countreys In his time and under his colours Rome was taken and sack'd and the Pope kept prisoner He bought the Lordship of Utrect and Transilvania and annexed them to the rest Solyman the Emperour of the Turks had besieged Vienna but hearing of Charles his approach rais'd his siege and march'd away He overcame the Protestant Princes took the Duke of Saxony and the Landgrave of Hessen He pass'd over into Africa and took the Town of Tunis These are couragious actions but the boldest of all was when he trusted his person in the hands of his mortall enemy Francis the first which was upon this occasion The inhabitants of Ghent were revolted and did desire the French to protect them Charles then in Spain demands passage through France and safe conduct which was ordered and nobly observ'd by Francis who caus'd him to be sumptuously entertain'd all along his journey Being arriv'd in Brabant he found his Rebels ready to submit he receiv'd them to mercy but with very infamous conditions for them by the advice of one of his counsellors who was afterwards banished Flanders for being the author of so severe a proceeding After this having made peace with the other Protestant Princes he came and laid siege to Mets a Town in Lorrain where he was worsted and forced by the valour of the Duke of Guise who was within the Town to retire having lost the greatest part of an Army of a hundred thousand men This so much afflicted the Emperour that he was divers daies before he would be seen in publick and it is thought that from that time forward he fram'd the design of resigning his Crown In pursuance of this resolution he call'd the States to Brussels and there in the presence of his Son having recited his actions and given account of his Government he desir'd to be eas'd of the burden in his old age and so absolv'd them from their Oathes of Allegiance and dispos'd of all in favour of his Son Philip. I desire you said he to obey my Son to keep peace and union amongst your selves to observe your old Religion and to forgive me if I have offended you Then turning to his Son he desir'd him to confer the love he owed him as his Father upon the people His Speech ended with tears in his eyes and drew showers from his spectators and old Servants Philip his Son having kiss'd his Fathers hand commanded Cardinal Granvell because he could not speak French himself to assure the States of his good favour and of the desire he had to follow his Fathers example and instructions Two moneths after he resign'd all his Kingdomes to Philip and sent the Imperiall Crown to his Brother Ferdinand And then Charles who had been one of the greatest Monarchs of the world being become a private person embarqued for Spain in the year 1556. and arrived there in a few dayes passing the rest of his life which was just two years in the solitude of St. Just. In this retir'd place he died in 1558. having enjoyed the Empire thirty six years I have spoke a little more at large of the actions of this Prince than our method bears for two reasons First Because he is the author of many fine Laws and Constitutions which are to this day observ'd in Holland Secondly Because his memorie is yet in great veneration amongst these Nations Some of the Citizens of Utrect having carried themselves very insolently towards him he patiently endur'd the affronts that he might give an example to other Princes how they are bound to observe themselves the Laws they lay upon their people though in this case it were not he but one of his Officers that was in fault It is said that he gave the Citizens of Utrect this priviledge that their estates should not be confiscated though their persons were executed and that for what crime soever but that their heirs may enjoy it in paying five pound fine In all his Wars he had no faithfuller Subjects than the Low-Countrey people witness his own words at Ingolstat where he had like to have been quite oppress'd by the Pretestant Army he still cheer'd up himself and his Souldiers by saying Courage my low-Low-Countrey Subjects will be here shortly And when he saw them arrive he cryed out with joy We have now vanquished our enemies In his life time Martin Luther began his reformation and had converted the greatest part of Germany to whom the Emperour was forc'd to grant a toleration in matters of
forbid the transport of Arms or Ammunition under pain of death Yet at last when victuals and necessaries for life grew dear among their enemies and that there was an evident advantage for the Confederates to furnish them with those things licence was granted and they drove such a trade with their enemies as made themselves grow rich and powerfull 3. There is likewise a great summe of money rais'd upon the granting of Passports to those in the Spanish Dominions who desire to transport themselves into the Territories of the States for every Passport costs fifty shillings of English money And yet lest this also should prove prejudiciall to the State they seldome grant any to those amongst their enemies who are either in military or politick employments and to any others they scarce grant them for longer than the time of six moneths 4. The Contributions that are levyed upon those Villages and that part of the Countrey which lyes between the enemy and them make another part of their supplyes for these Bourghs pay as much to the States as to the Spaniards and there are Treasurers upon the Frontier for the receit of it 5. The Imposts payed in the conquer'd Towns of Brabant and Flanders make another part of their revenue for there is excise upon Wine and Beer and Salt A Tax upon Houses and upon Lands 6. They receive a part of the plunder made by the Souldiers upon the enemy 7. They have hitherto had from the French and the English great summes of money as long as they have had War with the Spaniards The French to make diversion did maintain in the service of the States a body of 6000. Foot and 2000. Horse at their own charges for many years The serene State of Venice in vertue of a Treaty made in 1622. did promise 4000. pound a moneth in time of War 8. They have money at use that is they keep a bank of such moneys as are lent the State by particulars and pay use for it five in the hundred is the use the State payes All these great summes of money are by the Order of the States committed to the care of a particular Councell call'd A General Directory for the Treasury which is composed of the Deputies of each Province CHAP. XVI Of the principall Forces which do maintain the Commonwealth of the United Provinces THe greatest internall or defensive strength of these Countreys does lye in their situation which makes all their Towns easily to be fortified As for the externall it consists in their Leagues and Alliances with Foreign Princes Let us speak first of the situation That situation which is advantagious for the defence of a Countrey the exercising of commerce and consequently growing rich must needs proceed from the neighbourhood of the Sea and the affluence of great Rivers and Channells thence comes the Proverb The Hollanders are born for the Sea and the Sea for them of which they are well convinc'd and consequently spare no cost nor industry to be the masters upon this Element having long ago graven upon their Coyn this Motto Imperator maris est terrae Dominus If the Spaniards had been so wise as to have spent that treasure in hindring the Hollanders trade and navigation that he layed out upon attaking their Countrey he had undoubtedly ruin'd them and he now perceives it and does endeavour by all means though too late to obstruct their commerce Besides the Sea there are the Rivers of Rhene Meuse and Jud that do make the Countrey almost inaccessible Besides if any enemies be taken on this side these Rivers there is a Law which is exactly observ'd which commands to hang them up immediately The strong Towns are upon the Borders not only in Brabant Flanders Gueldres and Friezeland but also upon the Confines of Germany as Rhinbergue Wesel and divers places bordering upon the Dutchy of Cleves The reason whereof is this the War being kindled between the Spaniards and the United Provinces the Spaniards did first begin to seize and put themselves in possession of the Towns of the Dutchy of Cleves and of the Electour of Cullen that they might the better annoy the Hollanders who fore-seeing the mischief like to arise from thence sent an Army and seized as many of these Towns as they could put Garrisons into them and nevertheless still preserv'd the Inhabitants in all their propriety liberty and priviledges Hereupon arose great contests between the Emperour the Duke of Cleves and the Electour of Cullen on one side and the Hollanders on the other but the Hollanders kept possession Besides the Garrisons they maintain in all Frontier Towns they have also two Magazines in each one with Ammunition for War the other with provisions for life A Governour commands the Garrison they that command in small Frontier Towns are call'd Commanders and they that command in great strong Towns are qualified Governours And for the greater safety of the said Towns the Keys are partly in the Governours partly in the Bourgmasters hands The Civill and Military powers are likewise so distinct that the Governour has nothing to do with the Inhabitants nor the Judges of the place any power over the Souldiers As for the Land-Forces they consist of Strangers and Naturals but the Strangers do exceed the Naturals in number who are more enclin'd to long Voyages and Trade than to Warre Neither is the State endanger'd by putting the force and military power in Stangers hands for they being of different Nations as English Scotch French c. have different inclinations and aversions and so will hardly conspire to oppress their Masters who do alwayes mingle them in their strongest Towns It is believ'd that the number of Souldiers paid by the States and sworn to them does come very near one hundred thousand The Companies are for the most part of a hundred men some few excepted who are either stronger or weaker as necessity requires The Regiments are of ten twelve fourteen sixteen eighteen Companies Each Regiment is commanded by a Collonel The Horse is much inferiour in number to the Foot because that in these Countreys the greatest employment for Souldiers is besieging and defending of Towns in which the Horse are not so necessary as in set Battles There are two sort of Horsemen distinguish'd by their Arms viz. Cuirasseers that wear iron breast and back-pieces and Arquebusiers that carry short Guns on Horseback Their Horses ought to be sixteen handfull high measuring from the hoof of the fore-foot to the top of the shoulder The Infantry has about four shillings and six pence a week pay and the Horse about fifty shillings a moneth They that are payed by the States money are soon and exactly payed but they whose payment is assign'd upon the money that comes from France wait a little longer for it It is very observable in these Provinces that though there be no Money in the Treasury yet the Souldiers receive their pay every week or moneth for every Regiment
name succeeded his Brother Thierry and his Neece Ada. He had War with the Bishop of Utrect and on both sides the Countrey was much ruin'd but by agreement at last he was to pay to the Bishop a thousand Talents Upon the news of the death of his Uncle the King of Scotland he immediately rigg'd out a great Fleet to put himself in possession of that Kingdome which he thought was his right and in pursuance of his design landed in Scotland and took divers Towns but hearing the Earl of Loen his Nephew was come into Holland with an Army he forsook the uncertain for the certain He had two Wives Alide of Gueldres by whom he had three Sons and two Daughters and Mary Daughter to the Duke of Lancaster who had no Children He died in the year 1223. having reign'd nineteen years Florent the Seventeenth Florent the fourth Son to William was married to Matthild Daughter of the Duke of Brabant who had two Sons William and Florent and two Daughters Alide Counâ—ess of Hainaut and Matthild Countess of Heneberg that had at one birth as many Children as there are days in the year This Prince was extream valiant which was the cause of his death for the Countess of Clermont having heard much of his valour was so desirous to see him that she entreated her Husband to publish a solemn Turnament Florent fail'd not to be there and by his noble carriage so charm'd the Countess that she could not hold praising of him before her Husband who thereupon conceiv'd so much jealousie that he caused him to be barbarously murder'd in the flower of his age His Body was transported into Holland and buried at Rinsburg William the Eighteenth William the second being yet under age succeeded to his Father under the Guardianship of his Uncle the Bishop his Wife was Elizabeth of Brunswick by whom he had Florent This Prince was of a very warlike temper and by reason of his valour was chosen King of the Romans at the age of twenty years He first held a Court at the Hague to hear the complaints of the Hollanders and Zelanders in the protection of whom he sent his Brother with an Army against the Flemmings who were entred the Island of Walkeren in Zeland There was so stout a â—encounter between the two Armies that the ground for a great space was all covered with the blood of the Flemmings The King upon the news â—astened into Zeland and sav'd the lives of the rest of the Flemmings but sent them away stark naked After this he went into Germany where he was receiv'd with great honour and joy coming back he overcame the Frizelanders in one Battell and a little before the second he was kill'd having govern'd twenty one years It was he that founded the Colledge of the Heemrades where a Diikgrave presides Florent the Nineteenth This Prince was two years under the Guardianship of his Uncle and his Aunt Alide Countess of Hainaâ—t To make up the difference between the Hollanders and Flemmings he married Beatâ—ix of Flanders by whom he had five Sons and three Daughters the youngest of which Margaret was Queen of England To revenge his Fathers death he fell upon the Frizelanders whom he worsted and recover'd the dead Body of his Father which he caused to be buried with royall obsequies In his old age he corrupted the Wife of one Gerard de Velsen a Gentleman of his Court whom he had much lovâ—â— and it was rather to affront him than out of a desire to satisfie his lusts but Gerard and Herman de Vourd his Father-in-law resolv'd to be reveng'd and by conspiracy seized the Earls person and carried him to the Castle of Mude where hearing of the Preparations made in Holland against them they made the Earl get on Horseback thinking to convey him into England but being too hotly pursued Gerard gave him twenty two wounds with his Sword and left him dead in a Ditch This murder remain'd not unrevenged for some Authors write that Gerard being taken was put into a Hogshead full of sharp nails and so rolled up and down the Streets at Leyden till he died John the Twentieth John the first of that name being in England at the time of his Fathers death there was some trouble in Holland which was soon appeased by his presence He married Elizabeth Daughter to Edward King of England by whom he had no Children In his time there was a Giant in Holland nam'd Nicolas to whom other men compared were but Dwarfs his Shooe was so wide that four men together could set all their feet in it The said Earl John died at Harlem having reigned three years and made room for the House of Hainaut CHAP. III. The House of Hainaut John of Hainaut the Twenty first JOhn the second of this name Son to Alide Countess of Hainaut Sister to King William succeeded his Cousin-german in 1299. and took in marriage Philippine Daughter to the Duke of Luxemburg by whom he had three Sons and four Daughters He was five years Earl of Holland and did defend with much vigour his Brother who was Bishop of Utrect against those who endeavoured to deprive him of his Bishoprick It is said that in those dayes there was seen in the Air an arm'd Knight who with a loud voice animated the people to War and that the Sea also was seen full of Ships which vanished before the eyes of them that curiosity had brought upon the shore These apparitions were taken as prognosticks of the War that a little after happened between the Hollanders and Flemmings in Zeland in which the Flemmings were defeated by the valour of William Son to the Earl John but he outliv'd his victory a very small time and lies buried at Valenciennes William sirnamed the Good the Twenty second William the third by reason of his good nature and vertuous disposition was call'd the Good He had divers Children by his Wife Jane of Valois viz. William Lewis John Margaret Dutchess of Bavaria and Empress Jane Countess of Juliers Philippine Queen of England and Elizabeth In his time Holland was much affâ—â—cted with plague and famine In the year 1328. Philip King of France gave a great overthrow to the Flemmings being assisted by the Forces of this Earl He reign'd thirty three years William the Twenty third This young Prince led an Army into Spain to assist that King against the Infidels and got much honour in that War Being come back into Holland he besieged Utrect and being ready to take and sack the Town he was prevail'd upon by the Gentry to give the Citizens their lives upon condition that five hundred of the best qualified should come bare-foot and bare-head and fall down upon their knees before him and crave his pardon for their faults After this he went against the Frizelanders where fighting too boldly he was kill'd near Staveron He left no Children by his Wife Jane of Brabant Margaret August Countess the Twenty fourth This Princess
whereupon the Princess desir'd leave to be gone for Italy Before her departure she took her leave by Letters of most of the Cities and the Nobility shewed their respects in waiting upon her to the borders of Germany where she left them to their great sorrow for the loss of so wise and moderate a Princess CHAP. VIII Containing the Government of the Duke of Alva THe Duke D'alva having pass'd by Savoy and Lorrain with an Army of 10000. Spaniards and Italians all old Souldiers he was sent by the King to punish and chastize all those that had any hand in pulling down Churches and Monasteries or that had any way favour'd the former Confederations This he executed by a Court of twelve who were to judge soveraignly and without appeal of all Delinquents This was call'd the Councell of blood and so frighted the people that thousands of them fled with their Families into neighbouring Countreys to the great detriment of those Provinces as the Princess Margaret had well fore-seen The Prince of Orange and they that were with him had wisely avoided this storm which they fore-saw but Henry of Erederode the Earls of Hooghstract Culemburg and Bergue were cited before this Councell but they ran into Germany and implor'd the succour of the Princes there In the mean time the Duke of Culemburghs house was razed to the ground and Philip his Son taken from Louvain and sent into Spain to be bred By this time the Princes had got an Army and Hooghstract fell upon Artois and was there defeated by Davila Lewis of Nassaw with his brother Adolfe invaded Friezeland and routed the Earl of Aremberg who oppos'd them the Earl and Adolfe were both kill'd D'alva hearing this resolv'd to meet â—hem in person but before he undertook his journey he made nineteen Gentlemen be publickly executed and a little after caused the Earls of Horne and Egmont to be beheaded no prayers nor entreaties made in favour of so great a Warriour being able to prevail with his fierce temper He valued as little the threats of vengeance that were made after their deaths but in pursuance of his design went and fought the Army of Lewis which he utterly ruin'd and immediately turn'd head to the Prince of Orange who was got into Brabant with another considerable Army him he overcame by policy for he refus'd to fight knowing that the Princes Army for want of pay would soon disband which accordingly fell out After this he demanded the tenth penny through the whole Low-Countreys and that was the apple of division which separated and divided the Low-Countreys and made two states of them one part remaining under the Spanish domination and the other making up that powerfull body of the United Provinces now acknowledg'd by Philip the fourth to be Soveraigns All the people were very much shaken in their affection to Spain by the former causes but this last did as it were precipitate them into war and discord which have at last by the exactness of their discipline produced that incomparable fruit of peace and tranquillity This tenth penny was a new tribute upon all merchandises besides there was a twentieth upon immoveables and a hundredth part upon all for once But the people concern'd in this demand chose rather to put hands to their swords than to their purses and yet by a strange but necessary effect of their resolution they have been forc'd to lay much heavier burdens upon themselves to enable themselves to maintain the War but the desire of liberty made them endure joyfully that which they were so much afraid of from anothers hand In the mean time the Councell still proceeded to execution upon the guilty and those that refus'd to pay this new imposition and though the States did represent what damage would befall the Countrey by the removall of Mark-lands yet he being jealous of his Authority made them go on But there happened an accident which much vexed the Duke which was that Queen Elizabeth of England stop'd in her harbours divers Ships loaden with money destin'd to pay his Army and caus'd it to be transported into the Tower of London where iâ— remain'd never to be repayed This disappointment cool'd the Dukes heat a little and made him publish a solemn pardon for the following year but in vain for by this time he was become so odious that all the people forsook and turn'd to the Prince of Orange as it appear'd not long after About All-Saints day there hapned an unlucky presage of the following calamities and which was indeed a great one it self for the Sea having broken the dikes and sluces over-flowed almost all Friezeland with a great part of Holland and Zeland they say that above 20000. persons perished in Friezeland alone This great misfortune made them represent to the Duke the impossibility of paying the Taxe he requir'd who little satisfied with their Remonstrances was upon the point of dealing severely with some Citizens of Bruxels when the news came that the Gueux d'eau or water Gueux or Beggars had surprized the Bril upon Palm-Sunday The chief of this Faction was the Earl of Lumee who being cast there with his Fleet by a storm found occasion of surprizing the place and there discharg'd upon the Church-men the hatred he owed the Spaniards The Count de Bossu hastening to its relief was beaten off and then seeking to secure Dort he was refus'd entrance Upon this news all the Towns of Holland cast off the yoke and joyn'd with the Prince of Orange except Amsterdam and Schorhof Flushing in Zeland followed the example of the rest being animated to it by a Priest The Province of Overissel chang'd likewise but nothing so much troubled the Duke as the taking of Mons in Hainaut by the French under the conduct of Lewis of Nassaw For fearing lest Charles of France should take this occasion of invading the Low-Countreys he immediately turn'd all his Forces that way which gave time to the Hollanders to frame their small Commonwealth and give it some foundation He besieged Mons by his Son at first and at last came himself and took it in spight of Lewis and his Army who endeavouring to succour the place were beaten and forc'd to a retreat Mons being recover'd many other Towns yeelded and Malines for having receiv'd a Garrison from the Prince was sacked The Dukes Son Frederick following his Fathers foot-steps recover'd Overissel and Friezeland from thence passed into Holland and by the bloody action he committed at Naerden he fastened an indeleble hatred upon his Nation Harlem also was taken but Alcmaer stood out and much fortified the Confederates The year 1573. was famous by the Duke of Alvaes leaving the Low-Countreys He was recall'd by Philip who thought his absence might bring a calm in this troubled Sea but the agitation was too great to be so soon layed He was a cruell proud man a very good Souldier but inexorable in his chastizings if he had made a mixture
THE SECOND BOOK Containing the State and Government OF THE United Provinces OF THE LOW-COUNTRIES CHAP. I. The League and Union of the Provinces IT was in the Year 1579. that some of the 17. Provinces formerly under the Dominion of Philip King of Spain began to be call'd the United Provinces because of the League and Union which they made to defend themselves against the Spaniard their common Enemy and though these Provinces be now in the number of seven yet at first they were not so many but those that are mentioned in the Annals are these following Gueldre Zutphen Holland Zeeland the Diocess of Utrect Friezland or that Country which is call'd Omland situated between the Rivers Ems and Larica the Country about Nimmiegue and Arnhem the greatest part of the grietmans of Friezland Antwerp Ypres and Breda The Provinces call'd Overyssel and Groningue followed their example and were admitted into the Union in the Year 1594. Here follow the Articles of this Union 1. That all the aforesaid Provinces shall be as straightly and intimately united as if they did all make up one entire Province and Politick body and that they shall never be capable of being dis-united by any will codicil gift cession sale contract agreement or mariage of any Prince nor by any other means whatsoever 2. That every one of these Provinces shall inviolably keep and enjoy all their Immunities Customs Priviledges and Statutes of their Ancestors that they shall help one another against all Enemies whatsoever that if it should happen that any contentions should arise between the said Provinces that the de-bate should be judged either by the ordinary Judges or by Umpires friendly chosen and in the mean time they shall forbear troubling and offending one another till sentence be pronounced 3. The said Provinces shall be bound to defend and protect each other mutually and freely against all Princes and Lords either of their own Country or Foreigners who shall offer to invade them or commit any act of hostility whatsoever and for this effect they shall raise such Forces and such Money and Contribution as shall be thought fit and judged necessary by the greatest and major part of the Confederates 4. To the end that the said Provinces be alwayes in a readiness and provided against all designs of their Enemies the Frontier Towns shall be Fortified and provided with Men and Ammunition at the Publick charge by the consent of all the Provinces and that those whose Towns are already Fortified shall nevertheless contribute as the rest and if there be found necessity of building any new Forts demolishing or changeing the old ones that it be done at a common charge 5. And to the end that the necessary means whereby to answer all these designs fail not there shall be leavied and raised every where alike and by the same form and way Taxes and Imposts upon all sorts of Wine Beer Wheat Corn Salt Cloths Silks Cattle till'd and pasture Grounds the weight of Merchandizes weighed in publick weights c. That those Regal Rights belonging heretofore to the King of Spain shall still remain and be converted to the use aforesaid that all the Money raised by these or any other wayes shall not be destin'd nor imployed for any other use than for the defence of the said Provinces and the said Imposts shall be lessened or encreased according to publick emergencies 6. That the Frontier Towns shall be bound to receive or dismiss all Garrisons by the command of the States as likewise to pay them their pay out of the publick Money and to the end the safety of the said Towns be the better preserv'd it is agreed that the Officers of the Garrisons shall be sworn not only to the States General but also to the Magistrates of the particular Towns they shall be in that care be taken to make a Military Law to the end the Souldiers be not trouble some to the Inhabitants that the Souldiers themselves in Garrison be not freed from paying the Imposts and there be a sum set apart by the States to pay the Citizens for the lodging and quartering of Souldiers 7. That a moneth after the publication of this Union there be a general review made of all those that have attain'd the age of 18. years and are under 60. and that their Names be registred and declared to the States General to be imployed as they shall think fit 8. That there be made neither Peace War nor Truce nor new Imposition without the consent of all the Provinces not one resisting or standing out and as for the other things that concern the administration and execution of the said alliance that they be undertaken and perform'd by those that shall be appointed by the greatest part of the Confederates yet that all be call'd if there be either Peace or War or some other important business to be decided if the States cannot agree then the business be put to the Arbitration of the Governors of the particular Provinces and that all may follow their decision 9. That none of the said particular Provinces shall make League or Union with any Neighbouring Power or strange and remote Prince or People by their own private Authority and without the consent of the rest and likewise that if any Princes desire to come into the aforesaid alliance that they shall be received by common consent 10. That all approve of or reject the same coyn stamp and money and that as soon as can be there come forth a rule or settlement for coyning which all shall follow 11. As for the publick exercise of Religion whether or no any other ought to be receiv'd besides the Protestant let every Province dispose and ordain about it as they please provided still that they be all bound to let every man have the liberty of his Conscience without persecution for that subject 12. If there should happen any contests between any of the Provinces that then those of them that shall not be concern'd shall have power to determine about the debate of the others but if in these divisions all were concern'd then let the Governors of all the Provinces meet and decide the matter in a moneths time after which there shall be no appeal exception revision or nullity to be pleaded 13. That the said Provinces and Members of this Union do take a special care not to give any occasion to Foreign Princes to make War against them and therefore that they carry themselves towards Strangers with the same equity justice and moderation as towards the Naturals and if any of the Members do infringe and break this Article it is the duty and power of the others to constrain them to observe it by all means whatsoever 14. The States and Governors of each Province shall not lay a heavier Imposition upon those of their Subjects that shall travel to and fro than upon those that are found Inhabitants 15. That the Government and publick administration be well setled as
it is agreed that there be chosen in the Name of all the Confederates some Plenipotentiaries and that these Plenipotentiaries do assign the day and place of the Assembly of the States of each Province and that they send to them in due time the Grievances and Heads of matters they are to treat about Yet if there be such points as require secrecy that then they reserve to declare them in the Assembly General of the States that all the Provinces being thus advertiz'd do send their Deputies with their instructions and powers necessary to the place of the Assembly General that the preference be given by the plurality of Votes except in important affairs that if some Provinces do neglect to send their Deputies that those that shall meet do nevertheless debate and deliberate and decree as if all had been there but if the things to be debated will endure a delay then the Provinces that have not sent their Deputies shall be call'd upon two or three times and those that have not convenience of sending their Deputies let them send their advice by writing 16. If the States of the particular Provinces have any knowledge of those things that deserve to be examin'd and pass'd in the Council of the States General let them give notice to the Plenipotentiaries who shall assign and call together the Assembly of the Confederates 17. If there should be any difficulty about the interpretation of these Articles or any doubt arise let the sence of the major part of the Confederates be taken for the true meaning of all 18. If it be found necessary to abolish or change any Laws already made or make any new ones let it be done by the Votes and consent of all 19. Let all observe and solemnly swear to keep inviolably these Laws that if any thing be done either directly or indirectly contrary to them let it be ipso facto void and let it be lawfull for the other Provinces to seise and take the Cities Possessions and Goods of those that shall infringe them and persist so to do In short if in these Constitutions there be any thing against the Right of any particular Province now constituting it shall not be sufficient to make a general renunciation to it except it be preceded by a particular renunciation of each of the Confederates These are the Laws that have been the foundation and basis of this Commonwealth and are still exactly observed in all points except in the 11th Article concerning Religion which was alter'd by the States General in the Year 1583. And since by the Union of Utrect it is free to amplifie change and shorten any of the said Articles when the safety of the Provinces should require it the States ordain'd that no Religion should be henceforth receiv'd but that which is publickly taught in the United Provinces which is the Reformed but that if any Members Provinces or Papish Towns would enter into this alliance that then they should enjoy the liberty of their Religion in subscribing to the rest of the Articles CHAP. II. The rank and dependencies of the United Provinces towards one another HAving made a slight draught of the Commonwealth of these Uâ—ited Provinces we must now consider what are these Provinces thus united and to that end it is observable that all those Towns that do depend on the administration and Government of the States do send their Deputies to the Hague and do share in the Government but that those Cities and Towns that have been added and subjected by the force of Armes are as conquer'd Nations used to be with the Romans 'T is true that those Towns that by the happy success of the States Armes have been with great cost and time conquer'd in Brabant have often solicited their admission and reception into the Body of the Commonwealth but because they have stood the State in so much blood and treasure and that they are incapable of assisting and being a help against the Enemy by reason of their long sufferings and also because it is fit that they alone who first conspir'd to this alliance should enjoy it they have not yet obtain'd their request But to know whether those Towns of Brabant to the number of eight viz. Bolduc Breda Berguenopsooun Mastrect Grave Steenbergue Heindove and Helmont do deserve the priviledge that the Countrey of Drent now enjoys viz. of having particular Treasurers not accomptable to the States General is a point which deserves a greater discussion than is here to be expected However within these few years the said Towns have a Court of Judicature which does Soveraignly and without Appeal judge and decide all controversies arising in those parts This Court sits at the Hague and is made up of seven Counsellors one Secretary one Attorney of the Exchequer and one Attorney General The Towns likewise conquer'd in Flanders have a Court of Judicature at Middlebourg determining all causes Soveraignly The Countrey of Drent has many great Priviledges as the power to choose a Governor to contribute to the publick necessities as other Provinces do and it has also an ambulatory Court of Justice which goes from Town to Town to hear causes and decree upon them without Appeal besides it has the liberty of naming Commissaries for the Treasury but it has not yet the priviledge of sending Deputies call'd Pensionaries to the States General because they did not at first come into the League and Alliance made between the other Provinces and also because since that time there has been no occasion of making any Articles with any of their Towns except Couverde which is disputed too there being in this Countrey scarce any place which has juâ— Civitatis except the little Town of Meppâ—l which would sooner attain its desire of taking share in the Government if by the consent of Drent it were united to some of the neighbouring Provinces To Drent is ordinarily joyn'd the Mannor or Demean of Rhun which is an antient Lordship of the House of Munster But Gueldres Holland Zeeland Utrect Friezland Overyssel and Groningue with Omlund are of the first alliance and have for Armes a Lion holding in his paw seven Arrows the symbole of their Union and the States General do use it as their publick Seal This order which we have set down though it were so at first was nevertheless disputed between Friezland and Uâ—rect they both pretending to the precedency but besides that Utrect is in possession it has two strong reasons The first is that formerly all Friezland was subject to the Bishop of Utrect as for the Spiritual Jurisdiction â—ly That a 〈…〉 Utrect had declar'd for the Union when divers Towns of Friezland were yet in suspence CHAP. III. What was the Form of the General Assemblies till the time of the Earl of Leicester FRom the first time that the Deputies met to make and ordain Laws about the setling and firm establishing of the Commonwealth it was agreed by the 17th Article of the Union of
particularly when Zeeland joyns with it But that which is worth observation and contrary to the opinion of some strangers is that though the Provinces be very unequall in strength and dignity and that some contribute four times as much in peace and war towards the publick yet have they all equall right in deliberations and none has an authority over the other Between the Deputies they observe the order that is receiv'd in their respective Provinces for their precedency In Guâ—ldres the Gentry goes before the Deputies of the Towns and the Deputies of Nimegue precede all the others In Holland the Deputies of Towns yeeld to the Deputies of the Nobles In Zeeland the Deputy of the Marquess of Terveer and of Flushing precede all the others as representing the Nobility In the Diocess of Utrect the Deputies of the chosen or Eleuâ— have precedency before the Nobility and before the Deputies of the Town of Utrect it self In Friezeland the Deputies of the Countrey call'd Goon ende Wolden do precede the Deputies of Towns In Overissel the Nobles Deputies carry it before the Deputy of the three great Towns and the same precedency that Groeningue has upon Omland its Deputy has upon the Deputy of the other These things deserve to be taken notice of because it is ordinarily the first Deputy that presides and he being absent the next takes his place but the same does not preside alwayes in this great Assembly for the president is changed every week and the Deputies of the Provinces take it by turns Some strangers have been grosly mistaken to write that the Governour Generall was the perpetuall President of this Assembly which is so far from being true that he has not so much as the liberty of giving his Vote It cannot be denied indeed that the States do often ask his advice and hear his Propositions and by a receiv'd custome the President does every day see him to know whether he has any thing to propose When the President takes the Votes he begins by Gueldres and goes on to Holland Zeeland c. and having the opinion of all he concludes according to the plurality of Votes except it be an affair of great consequence and that the Deputies desire to have time to advise with the States of their Provinces The Clerk or Secretary does at the same time draw up the resolution of the company which the President signs and the Secretary after him CHAP. VII Of the Orders that the States of Holland and West-Friezeland give to their Deputies in the States Generall and of the Oath they take SInce that the Government of Holland shall be hereafter propos'd as a pattern of the other Provinces it will not be amiss to produce here the Orders that the States of Holland and West-Friezeland gave upon the third of March in 1643. to the Deputies they sent to the States Generall 1. There shall be sent on the behalf of Holland and West-Friezeland none but capable and sufficient men that shall not be before-hand engaged in another employment by Oath or Pension 2. It is not lawfull for the Deputies to go beyond the terms of the Treaty of union at Utrect and the Commands of their Provinces They shall let pass nothing that shall be contrary to the priviledges immunities and customes receiv'd by our Ancestours without a speciall Order from their States 3. The said Deputies shall not neither in this Assembly nor out of it treat of peace nor war nor grant Patents or Priviledges that might be damageable to Holland or West-Friezeland nor levy or cashier Souldiers nor change the current Coyn nor forgive traytors but whensoever things of that nature shall be afoot they shall give notice to the States of Holland and West-Friezeland or in their absence to the Councell of State 4. They shall neither sell nor alienate the Dominions Rights and Priviledges belonging to the publick by vertue of their publick union without a particular and speciall consent of the Provinces 5. All the revenues and prerogatives that belong to the publick by vertue of Treaties and Agreements made with forreign powers shall be applied to the benefit of the publick union and shall be put in the hands of the Treasurer and the Councell of State and the States Generall shall not dispose of them 6. The Deputies shall not neither by themselves nor by others exercise any sort of Judicature upon any cause but shall send the parties either to the Councell of State or to the Admiralty according as the affair is but they may pronounce sentence upon such Law-Suits as are subject to be re-viewed 7. They cannot by their Authority hinder and suspend the execution of any sentence given by any Court whatsoever either in criminall or civill matters 8. As soon as the States of Holland and West-Frieze shall meet they shall immediately send them all the Deliberations made in the States Generall 9. They shall communicate the affairs and concerns of these Countreys to none but their States or in their absence to their Councell of State and if there fall out any thing that may concern North-Holland they shall immediately give notice to the Deputies of that place 10. The Councell of State and the Colledge of the 〈…〉 iralty shall leave that very thing 〈◊〉 the order so prescrib'd and shall not change either by themselves or others any part of these Instructions 11. They shall not dispose of the pri 〈…〉 pall military and pol 〈…〉 ck Offices without the particular consent of the States of Holland neither shall they make such presents as might lessen the revenue of the publick 12. They shall have six shillings a day allowed them for their wages 13. The Deputies shall swear to observe all these Articles of which the States of Holland and West-Friezeland do reserve to themselves a more ample interpretation This Order has been made and confirm'd by the said States the ninth of March in the year 1643. Here follows the Formulary of the Oath I A. B. do promise and swear perpetuall fidelity to the States of Holland and West-Friezeland as being the Soveraign Lords of the said Provinces and that I will not assist neither by counsell nor by deed or any manner in any thing that shall be prejudiciall to the aforesaid Authority and that if I perceive any such thing doing by others I will immediately give notice of it to the States or in their absence to their Councell likewise that I will defend to my utmost the prerogatives and honour of the said Countreys as likewise the Reform'd Religion as it is now taught in those Provinces In a word that I will further and advance as much as in me lyes the interest of the said Provinces both in the States Generall and abroad as far as it stands with the benefit of the publick union I do likewise promise to keep secret all things that shall require to be so kept that I will receive no forbidden presents and that I will do all
Suits about the publick revenue and receit of Customes c. In the absence of the Governour Generall they determine all Causes concerning Prisoners of War touching Plunder and Booty c. Here follows the method they use in all their affairs 1. They do the business that concerns the whole Province 2. Those affairs that regard Towns and Corporations Last of all They decide the Controversies between private persons The Counsellors of the Admiralty who are six in number ought to be very carefull and to act conjoyntly with the Admirall the States and their Deputies to have alwayes a convenient Fleet ready to secure the Sea from Pirates and that all Merchants and Passengers passing to and fro upon Rivers and Channels be duely provided of Pasports They are also to find out the ablest Pilots and stoutest Captains and when they have sworn them give them their Orders They are soveraign Judges of all abuses and frauds committed in falsifying and counterfeiting Pasports as also of all quarrels and suits between Sea-men and Souldiers aboard the Ships In a word they have all the power that Admirals do enjoy in England France or any other Countrey I have not time to shew here by what Agents and Officers the States do administer justice to their Subjects keep accounts of their treasure give Livings and Fees to be held from them and many other things which would require a greater Volume It remains to satisfie some Politicians curiosity who would know it may be whether our State be Monarchie Aristocracie or Democracie or of which of these it participates most To which I answer that I think the Government of Holland to be a fit mixture of them all In the person of the Governour Generall who commands the Armies both at Land and Sea with an absolute Authority is seen Monarchie the States represent Aristocracie and Democracie is seen in the Government of the Cities and Towns for nothing is done without the consent of the meanest Inhabitant CHAP. XXIV The Proclamation of the States of Holland and West-Frieze touching the ancient Right of the Common-wealth of Holland THe Knights Nobles and Towns of Holland and West-Frieze representing the States of the said Provinces after a mature deliberation and communication of the business with the Nobles and Senates of Towns and carefully weigh'd their advice and answer have in discharge of their Oath and duties thought fit to publish and make known to all the world by a publick Edict the State of Government of the said Provinces being perswaded that all Readers will be inclin'd to pitty and favour the deplorable estate of our Countrey It is most certain for that in past ages for the time of 800. years the Soveraign Administration of the Provinces of Holland West-Frieze or Zeeland was committed to the care of Earls or Countesses who had receiv'd this power from the States and that upon certain Conditions These Earls did govern with so much moderation and prudence that they did never undertake either to declare War or make Peace or lay Imposts or Taxes without asking the advice and consent of the Nobles and of the Magistrates of Towns though they had their own Privy Councellors men of great capacity and abilities but they did much yeeld to the Authority of the States for any business that concern'd these Nations This Government thus founded upon equity and justice could not choose but attract the blessings of Heaven upon its Lords and indeed it did for no Princes ever perform'd more glorious actions or receiv'd more demonstrations of honour from their Neighbours than they William the second Earl of Holland was chosen Emperor in the year 1247. And that which is yet an addition of glory for these Princes is that they have maintain'd many bloody Wars obtain'd many famous victories and alwayes so defended the very borders of their States that their enemies have not been able to get any ground upon them We may also protest with truth that in the space of 800. years Holland and Zeeland were never conquer'd nor subjected by any Strangers whatsoever neither did they pass under the power of any Foreign Prince which is an advantage that we believe no State in Europe except it be the Republick of Venice can brag of We do ingeniously confess that the firm Constitution of this our Government does consist in the union and good intelligence which is between the States and the Prince for the power of these Earls was very inconsiderable without the help of the States they having nothing but their own Demean or Revenue to live upon and uphold the splendor of their Court We have also observ'd by what means and Authority they have often made their Courts remember that duty which some evil counsellors had perswaded them to forget and that not only by Remonstrances and Petitions but often by chastizing and personally punishing those who wickedly abusing the Princes Authority did lead them so much out of the way of justice and moderation We find likewise in our Histories that the States have chosen Guardians for their Princes under age and that William the Fifth being run mad they created a Lieutenant-Governour in his room In a word 't is a thing question'd by no body that the Soveraign power was alwayes in the States whensoever their Princes came to die or were otherwise disabled from performing the Functions of their Charge and in those Cases they did appoint a Governour whom they called Guardian or Ruwarde Under the Domination of the Dukes of Burgundy this Right was also maintain'd for a little after the death of Charles their Duke and his Daughter the Dutchess Mary Maximilian of Austria having undertaken to introduce some novelties and oppress the Authority of the States was so oppos'd that had he continued he had without doubt undone himself The Emperor Charles being yet minor receiv'd Guardians and the Provinces receiv'd Governors from the said States and though their liberties had suffer'd some diminution under the Dukes of Burgundy yet did the said Emperor alwayes respect and honour them as being perswaded that without their assistance his power could not stand Upon this Subject he gave many grave admonitions to his Son wishing him to govern with all moderation and not by any means to exasperate that power whose consent he must have to enjoy his Prerogative And indeed he now knows to his own and these Provinces great cost the truth of what his Father did foretell for there can be no other cause alledged of the troubles and revolutions of the Low-Countreys than his going about to infringe their Priviledges and fasten the yoke of servitude about their necks Though these things be as clear as day yet we have thought it necessary to publish them to the world because that many being yet in suspence and ill-inform'd do think that the States are only a tumultuous Assembly of some Deputies who being men concern'd in the quarrell do carry on things more according to their own ends than
a design of subverting our State by vilifying the Governors thereof we shall hold as enemies and punish accordingly Therefore be it known to all that we that do here declare that the Soveraign power is in the States do not mean that it is in the Deputies but in those that sent them whom they represent by vertue of their Commission This is a truth which many Princes and particularly her most Serene Majesty the Queen of England as also his Excellency the Prince of Orange when he was sworn Governour did both acknowledge Neither do we think that any body can dispute so constant a verity for else it would follow that the States have not now they are free so much power as they had before and not only the contracts made with the English and the creation of the Governor Generall would be invalid but all that the States have so nobly perform'd since these fifteen years would be unjust which no body but our greatest enemies will or dare say From what has been said it appears how great a necessity there is of keeping inviolable the Authority of the said States as the foundation of all the safety of our Commonwealth and of letting every body know that the Soveraign power is no less in them now than it was under their former Princes Decreed at the Hague and order'd to be publish'd by the common consent of the States Made at Harâ—â—mâ— the sixteenth of October in the year 1587. THE THIRD BOOK Containing the DELIGHTS OF HOLLAND CHAP. I. Of the Original of Holland SOme Writers say that the word Holland is deriv'd from the Gâ—rman word Holtlandt which is as much as to say a Countrey of Wood and they found this their conjecture upon the names of many Villages which have been nam'd from their Woods Our Annals likewise do say that formerly this Province was full of Forrests and the Sea-side all border'd with Trees There was not above a hundred years ago a large Forrest in the Island of Texel which does as it were make up the tail of the Lion which the seventeen Provinces put together do represent And to this day there are bodies and stumps of Trees which do often hurt Ships and entangle their Cables about their roots which in a storm is often the cause of the loss of divers Ships for that reason the Fishermen never cast their Nets there for fear of tearing them Some others say and that probably enough that the word Holland does denote the property of the Earth which in most places seems hollow and quakes as if it swam upon the top of the Water To this purpose Guicciardin tells a Story of a Cow That passing in a Meadow half a mile from Harlem fell into a Ditch and was drown'd and â—â—reâ— dayes after was found in a Lake hard by the Town on the East-side of it which had no communication with the Ditch The third opinion and that which is most likely to be true is that these Provinces having been conquer'd by the Normans they gave them the name of the Provinces they came out of And in effect not only whole Provinces but many Towns and Villages have the same names here and in Denemark as Zeeland Oland besides the Kingdome of Norway the Towns as Schagen Bergen Valkenburg and many others which it is needless to set down In all antiquity it is observable that when ever a Nation did enlarge by Conquests or Colonies the same custome was put in use So the French having entred Gallia drive out the Romans and call'd the Countrey France The Spaniards do the same in the West-Indies And to go no further the Dutch themselves have given the name of Batavia to that great Town in the Indies which they have made the seat of their Trade and Empire in those parts These Northern Nations not content with their having deluge-like over-run these Countreys pass'd into Neustria and call'd it Normandy and to this day the people of that Province have an accent much resembling that of the Danes in their tongue which is not a small conjecture that they are come originally out of the North. Our Authors do not agree about the time that these Nations did invade Holland and whether they were again driven out by the French or no. CHAP. II. Of the length and breadth of Holland the number of its Towns and Villages UNder the name of the Low Countreys are comprehended the seventeen Provinces and before these troubles Flanders was esteem'd the best of them but now Holland may more justly claim that title as being the richest Countrey in the world for its bigness Holland is encompassed almost on three sides by the Ocean viz. on the West the East and the North it has Brabant the River Meuse and Utrect to the South It may be said of this Province as an Ancient said of France that there is no desert solitude nor empty place in it for there has been such an affluence and concourse of people by reason of the Wars that it is almost too little to hold them The Circuit of Holland is only a hundred and fourscore miles and in this compass are comprehended great Lakes and a part of the South Sea Its length is taken from the Island Schelling in the North to the River Scheld and Zeeland in the South The breadth is not above twenty four miles if we take it in a straight line in the middle from Catwyck by the Sea-side to Woerden a small Town upon the Frontiers of Utrect The chief and principall Towns are six in number Dort Harlem Delft Leyden Amsterdam Goude The others that are less Towns but who do send their Deputies to the States Generall are these Rotterdam Gorcum Schiedam Schoonhove Briel Alcmaer Horn Enchuyse Edam Monnicken-dam Medenblick and Purmerend The other Towns are not admitted to the same priviledges either because they are built upon the conquer'd Countrey of Brabant as Gertrudenbergh Heusden Workum or because they have particular Lords that will not have them belong to the States as Vianen is owned by the Brederodes and Yselsteyn is claim'd by the States of Utrect or else because they are poor and cannot bear the charges of Deputies as Woerde Audewater Heukelom Asperen Leerdam Naerden Wâ—sop and Muyden of which mention shall be made hereafter The principall Burroughs which have the priviledges of Towns though they be not wall'd are the Hague Vlaerding Gravâ—sant Delfs-haven Beverwyck Schagen Nieuport There are in Holland above two hundred Villages which if you consider for their building trade and riches they may take place of many Towns in other Countreys but the fairest of them are Nortwic Reensburg Worbury Maeslant-sâ—â—ys Egmond Ryswyck Geervliet c. Vlaerding Reâ—nsburg and Bevâ—â—wyck were in former ages reckon'd amongst the strongest and fairest Towns of this Province as also Geervliet But Holland is much chang'd since its troubles and many Towns are risen by trade and their situation which before were very inconsiderable I have heard old Women
say how they could remember that Lootwyck was as big again as it is now and that it has been by little and little eaten away by the Ocean it s too powerfull Neighbour In the year 1574. at Schevelinge near the Hague the Sea broke in and carried away 121. Houses as any body may see it recorded upon a Picture in the Church In a word the ruine of the neighbouring Provinces and the great a version of the people to slavery has made them all resort to this and there produce that plenty and abundance of all things which commonly follows great numbers of people particularly being so situated as to take the advantage of three great Rivers and the Sea CHAP. III. Of the division of Holland and the nature of the Soyl. HOlland is divided into the South or Meridionall part which reaches from Zeeland Brabant and Utrect to the Dike at Sparendam and that is above half Holland and into North-Holland or West-Frieze which reaches from Amsterdam to the North Sea and the people though penn'd up as it were in so small a compass does nevertheless differ very much in manners customes and Cloathes in these parts The Kennemaers which the Annals speak so much of did live between Harlem Alcmaer Beverwyâ—k and Purmerend There is a little Mountain between these Towns which carries the name of St. Albert and there the Earls were install'd Lords of the Kennemaers and near that place they kept their Courts as well because of the beauty of the Countrey as for the convenience of many fair Castles that are built there such as Cleves Brederode Velsen Egmond Waterland is so call'd because of the abundance of waters on the top of which it seems to swim There are in it but three little Towns viz. Edam Monnicken-dam and Purmerend That part of Holland which is nearest the North has a soft moorish Soyl not at all fit to be till'd From the Downs to the Frontier of Brabant 't is nothing but Meadows which towards the end of October begin to be cover'd with water and which encreases by continuall rains and storms and that lasts all Winter insomuch that in most places you see nothing but some Steeples and Houses which look as if they came out of the Sea all these fine Meadows being then cover'd with Boats and the Dikes with Passengers This Water does mightily fatten the ground and in the beginning of February provided the Frosts do not hinder it begins to be emptied by the admirable invention of those Wind-mills which drive away these deluges of Water and confine them to certain Channels The Earth being dry begins about March to look green and then the Cattell come out to grazing Now it is to be observ'd that the favourable Wind for Holland is the South-East and the worst is the North-West To prevent the dangerous effects of so much Water this Countrey is full of Banks rais'd by the industry of the Inhabitants and which have cost vast summes of money to make as they do still to maintain and keep in repair The chief is the bank of the River Issel that of the Meuse of Sparendam and of Medenblick The care of them belongs to the Dyckgraves of each Hundred and to the Heemrades who are Gentlemen of the Countrey In the year 1638. the Dike of Issel broke by the thawing of the River for the Rhyne carrying huge mountains of Ice they eat into it and made 〈◊〉 breach of many foot not far from Utrect whereupon almost all Holland was overflown with clear water which did little hurt the breach was soon made up and the water drain'd by the help of the Wind-mills The Earth produces all sorts of Fruits and good Corn about Râ—â—nsbourg and Nortwyck as also near Vooerschote and Warmont but not enough for the vast multitudes of people that swarm in this Countrey therefore the great supply is from Poland and Moscovy There grows besides here Hemp and Flax for fine Linnen and Sayls c. There are incomparably more Meadows than arable grounds which feed a world of Cattle particularly a large sort of Cows vvhich give great store of Milk of which is made excellent Butter and rare Cheeses which are sent all the world over In some places there are Cows that yeeld three great Pales full of Milk a day Every Spring there comes great store of â—ean Cows and Oxen from Dannemark Jutland and Hâ—lstein which are within three weeks time faâ—â—ed upon these excellent pastures In some places they â—owe the Grass twice a year and the Hay is much better than in any other place it is for that reason that the Horses and Cows are bigger and taller than in any other place The Earth of which the Turss are made is call'd Veens which being cut out of the Ditches and exposed to the Sun-beams grows hard and then being kept some time in a Barn or Garret grows dry and fit for fewell The best are those that come from Friezeland and they use them in Brewing and Baking They have all much sulphure in them and being mingled with Wood make an excellent fire The mountains of Sand call'd Downs serve as a bar to the fury of the Ocean and though they seem barren yet have they an advantage which is that they are full of Rabbits which are both a pleasant diversion and a good provision for Passengers The Sea-side from the Meuse to the Texel is about a hundred miles in length and there is so plain and smooth a way between the Mountains and the Sea that it is a great pleasure to travell in it either afoot or on Horse-back When the Sea is calm you may see the Ships under sail and if there be a storm it is with a kind of terrible delight that you may perceive the threatning Sea come and spend all its fury upon this even shore There are some pleasant Forrests standing yet as that of the Hague and Harlem There is likewise a Wood at Sevenhuyse a fine Village five leagues from Leyden where the Scholars go twice a year to take the sport of shaking the Trees and making a great sort of Bird that builds in them fall at their feet It is most certain that this Province was anciently full of Trees which according to the opinion of some Authors were destroyed by that horrible storm which hapned in the year 860. and which shut up the mouth of the River Rhene near Latâ—iâ— made it take another course and mingle with the Meuse after a great devastation of Woods Lands and Houses In proof whereof you see that the Channell that comes from Uâ—rect and passes through Leyden retains yet the name of the Rhyne The Countrey people in digging do find to this day in the Veens and other places great bodies and branches of Trees particularly towards the South Nay they have found Nuts entire and well preserv'd in the bottom of the Water though there has been no Trees to bear them since this hundred years And indeed it is
no wonder that a Countrey formerly over-run with Wood should now be so empty of it since we know that Germany which is now so full of Towns and Cities was anciently one great Forrest almost The Air is pretty well temper'd in Holland though cold do a little predominate there being continuall winds and frequent rains but the inconstancy of the Climate is such that the seasons seem to be in a perpetuall confusion It rains ordinarily in the Dog-dayes and sometimes in July it is as cold as in December Likewise in Winter it is sometimes so warm and milde weather that one can hardly endure a fire but as the heat is never violent so the cold is seldome lasting according to the Proverb that sayes that rigorous Masters do not govern long yet is there no such generall Rule but admits of an exception for there has been long and hot Summers and violent cold lasting Winters the Annals speak of some as of the year 1149. When the Channels are frozen they slide upon them with a certain sort of Shooes call'd Skates which have a long shining narrow crooked Iron that stands out before They that are perfect in this exercise turn their Feet inwards that the Iron may take the more hold of the Ice upon which they fly like Birds in the air with that swiftness that one can hardly follow them with the eye The Women too use this as a diversion and many do very pretty tricks upon the Ice but most are content with a straight course as much as needs to get heat and ground Every Sunday after Sermon all the people of the Towns come out upon the Ice some to slide and others to look on I knew a young Clown of ten year old who did brag that he had gone eighteen miles or six leagues in an hour upon his Skates The same laid a Wager with a Peasant his neighbour that he would sooner slide three leagues than the other should ride one and a half with the best Horse he should get It is ordinary for these sort of people to go from Leyden to Amsterdam in an hour and a quarter if the Ice be even and yet that is near eighteen miles There are besides things call'd Traisneaur like our Sledges that are of two sorts some that are drawn by Horses and others that a man drives before him as he slides upon the Ice There are also Boats that having a great Iron under them sail along and go sometimes fifteen leagues an hour but that is seldome practis'd because there is danger in it and because that often the Ice is not even When it has snowed and frozen together they use great Sledges to go across the Meadows and not follow the ordinary way Some wonder to see the Countrey people carry great Poles upon their Shoulders but the reason of it is that if the Ice should break they might by the favour of their Poles both ends of which would lye upon the two extremities of the crack'd Ice get out again The temerity of the Hollanders deserves to be blam'd for many will venture upon one nights Ice and thence happen many sad accidents Holland is so flat and even a Countrey that you see not a Mountain nor a Hill except those Sand-hills that keep out the Sea It is almost all Meadows cut into a thousand Channels which in Summer by their delicate green and their variety of Flowers are a pleasant object to look on 'T is true that in some places the Earth produces Corn Beans Pease and all sorts of grains the Mountains of Sand are full of Rabbits the Waters of excellent Fishes and the Air supplyes them with Fowl from the Northern parts viz. with Woodcocks Snipes Hernes c. insomuch that Holland may be call'd very justly the Marrow of the Low Countreys as well for its fertility as for the delights and pleasures that may be enjoyed in it It seems a terrestriall Paradise for its Meadows and pleasant Fields the Channels and Rivers so ingeniously contriv'd for Trade and the noble magnificence of its Buildings We must needs confess that there are very few plow'd grounds considering the vast numbers of people that must be fed and yet there are no where greater Store-houses nor better furnish'd than here nay Holland may with reason be call'd the Store-house of Europe considering the vast transportation of all sorts of grains that are made from hence into Italy Spain England France and Brabant when their own Corn has fail'd them by any accident of War or Famine That great Man Scaliger speaking of the Wonders of this Province sayes that here grows no Vines and yet here is more Wine than in any one place in Europe In effect the Wines of the Rhene the Mosella and the Mouse come to Dort and from thence into all the other places of these Countreys The Wines of France Spain and Greece come to Amsterdam and Rotterdam There grows very little Wood and yet there are no where to be found more Carpenters and Joyners than here And it may be there is not in the rest of Chrystendome so many Ships and Boats as in this one Province there is scarce a Peasant but has his Boat to bring his Commodities to the Towns To be short sayes he we live amongst the waters and yet we drink not of them There are no Flocks of Sheep and very little Flax and yet where is made more Cloth and Linnen than here I adde that there are no Mines in Holland and yet all sorts of Mettals are more abundant here than in any part of the world as it appears by the rich Furnitures and Ornaments of the Houses of our Citizens whose Wives delight in that more than in any thing else Strangers cannot easily conceive these wonders or at least they alone amongst them that understand the secret of Trade and what vast advantages the Hollanders have reap'd from that War which they so long and so generously maintain'd against Spain and which at last ending in an honourable peace has left them Masters of the Trade of the world fetching by their Ships from the remotest parts of it all that 's good and precious and to be had for money CHAP. IV. Of the Manners and Dispositions of the Inhabitants THe old Hollanders were formerly despised by their Neighbours for the grossness of their temper and the simplicity of their life They were us'd to be call'd Block-heads and eaters of Cheese and Milk but as they formerly had the reputation of silly so now they are esteemed as subtil and understanding a Nation as any is in Europe as may be well evidenced from their Treaties and Alliances made with Strangers This I think proceeds from that Commerce they drive through all the world and from the mixture made amongst them by divers Strangers that have setled in these parts for above half those that do inhabit the Towns are either Strangers or descended from them They all love their Liberties even those that
of gold and silver and carv'd work good Hangings excellent Pictures rare Cabinets fill'd with China c. I have observ'd one thing of the Hollanders by living long amongst them which is that they do not easily give credit to such as tell strange Stories and wonderfull accidents hapned a great way off and when by their silence and postures they seem to admire it 't is then that they believe least of all what you say but they do not take pleasure in contradicting They are not given to swearing nor robbing but are tender-hearted and inclin'd to pity and will not willingly see any body wrong'd in their presence They are a little too indulgent to their Children and are punished for it for many of them rebell against their Parents and at last go away to the Indies the ordinary vent of these Provinces When any body tells them of their fondness to their Children they presently say Does any body spoil their own Face or cut off their own Nose They are very laborious and industrious and in the name of liberty and profit undertake any thing They love familiarity and are much taken with people that being of great quality do not refuse to eat and drink with them Prince William the first Prince of Orange won their hearts with that popular way and did the King of Spain more mischief by it than if he had been at the head of an Army against him They despise and undervalue proud people and to please them you must conform to their humour They are very free and open apparently but are indeed alwayes upon their guard They hate cheats and are seldome deceiv'd twice Those amongst them that are descended from Strangers do retain something of their first origine and are a good while before they become right Hollanders We have spoke already of their Diet but this is only to be added that Trade having brought riches sumptuosity has followed so that the Hague may be call'd a compendium of the most glorious Courts in Chrystendome and Amsterdam the magazine of all that 's precious in Europe CHAP. V. Of the Trade of the Hollanders and the wayes of getting a Livelyhood IT is an ordinary saying in Holland that He that will work can never want and it is a very true one for there are so many Trades kept going by their great commerce that no body can want work All Arts are here exercised and experience shews that Manufactures are better made here than in the other Provinces All turns to account here and even they that make clean the Kennals with an Iron and Nets at the end of it to bring up the ordure may earn half a Crown a day if they will work hard Children as so on as they are bound Apprentice get their own bread Amongst the Countrey people some make Butter and Cheese others cut up Turfs every Market-day they bring their Milk and Butter and Whey to Town which the Tradesmen and Journeymen live most upon Among the Citizens some put out their Money and live upon the interest others trade with it and are call'd Merchants Their chief Commodities are Butter and Cheese and Cloth and many other Manufactures as we shall see in the Description of Leyden The situation of this noble Province is such as if Nature intended it for the generall Mart of Europe for it has the neighbourhood of the Sea and is it self full of navigable Lakes Rivers Channels all which are night and day loaded with Boats and Passengers Many Channels have been made since the publication of the peace with Spain as that from Leyden to Harlem and from Amsterdam to Goude which is call'd Trech-Schâ—iteâ— because there the Boats are drawn by Horses that so they may come in at set-times The said Channels are made with the greatest ease that can be for as soon as you have digg'd three or four foot you meet with the water The Herring-Fishing is properly the golden Mines of this Countrey by the great revenue it brings yearly to it It is a hard matter to say how many thousands of men are kept by it for besides those that go to Sea who are a great number there are employed as many more in making of Boats and Barrels to pickle them up in Every Summer in June there sets out a Fleet of Fishermen from the Meuse they call them Busses They cast their Nets near the English Coast upon Midsummer-Eve according to the ancient custome they pickle them up in Barrels and serve all the rest of the world with them the last Fishing is most valued and the Herrings of that Fishing are all carried abroad Ten dayes after Midsummer they may sell them publickly but not before then many go up and down crying Fresh Herring which are esteem'd as a dainty by every body The name of the man that first invented the way of pickleing them deserves to be known it was William Bueckeld and he died at Bieverliet in the year 1347. Charles the fifth Emperor went one day to see his Tomb in acknowledgment of the service he had done his Countrey The Merchants do every day encrease their Trade by making Societies and Companies and setting out men of War at their own charges to protect their Ships home They never want Seamen for the Hollanders do delight in going to Sea nay I have heard many of them say that they could never enjoy their health but at Sea There are many of these Companies as that of Moscovy for Furrs Skins and Rye that of Island and Groenland for the fishing of Whales but the chiefest of all and who with Force and Arms drive a prodigious Trade are the East and West-India Companies who have a Patent from the States The West-India Company had made great profit by the taking of the Baia de â—odos lâ—s sanctos and of the Silver Fleet which Jason Peter Hain brought into Holland in the year 1629. which also was the cause of the taking of Bosleduke from the Spaniards The taking of Fernambuco did likewise give hopes of conquering the rest of Brasil but after the depart of the noble Count Morice of Nassaw the Negroes and Portugueses joyning together revolted and reduced the Company to great extremities since it has suffer'd another defeat which has almost made an end of ruining it It has often been proposed to unite it with the East-India Company but all in vain for the one is too high and rich and the other too poor The East-India Company has its principall Seat at Amsterdam 'T is this Company that has Kings and Kingdomes tributary to it and depending upon it 'T is this Company that makes the Hollanders name famous in the remotest parts of the Earth and triumphs over the riches of the Orient bringing home Pearls Diamonds Gold all sorts of Aromatick Druggs c. Besides Batavia the principall Town the Company has a great number of strong Forts well in order to protect their Merchants terrifie Strangers and keep the Indians in
of one Peter Adrian de Verf cried out aloud that they must either surrender or perish with hunger but he answer'd them with an immortall constancy Friends kill me if you will and divide me between you for it is the same thing to me to die by your hands or by the hands of my enemies They made Paper-money with this Inscription Hâ—c libertatis ergo pugno pro patria c. which is to say We endure all these miseries for our liberty and our Countrey I will adde that as Leyden has been the second Town that sustain'd valiantly the Spaniards attacks so the Sas of Gand was the last place but one which fell into the States hands and that by the fault of the Governor who was not able to make use of his Sluces against those who by water had driven the Spaniards from their Walls A year after this painfull siege was establish'd the famous University of Leyden to recompence the Inhabitants for their constant sufferings But many other reasons might invite the States to choose this Town before any other for it is neat finely built delicate Walks and a pleasant Countrey about the Town the Sea near it The University was inaugurated the eighth of February in the year 1574. and every year upon the same day is declar'd Rector he whom his Highness the Prince of Orange is pleas'd to choose out of three that are nam'd to him Here has alwayes been very famous professors in all faculties but particularly the Civil Law and Physick have alwayes flourished by the particular care of his Highness the Prince of Orange The great Scaliger and the incomparable Salmazius have been as the two great Lights among the other Stars of this learn'd Firmament There are besides Lectures of Divinity Mathematicks in all which the professors do excell as being chosen with care and well recompenc'd for their labours When any one dies the three Curators provide another of the same faculty so the University is alwayes supplied Those Students that are written in the University-Book do enjoy great priviledges They that are above twenty year old may have fourscore quarts of Wine in a year which pay no excise and half a barrell of Beer every moneth free likewise They give a groat to the Servants of the University every quarter The Rector or Chancellor has his Counsellors before whom are brought all quarrels and they endeavour to make the parties agree if they will not then they may go to a triall before the University Counsell where the Rector presides and decides without appeal in civil matters If any of the Students have committed a crime that deserves death or otherwise the Officers of justice cannot take him before they have the Rectors consent and then too they may not carry him to a loathsome prison but into the Town-House Hall Duels are severely prohibited ever since a Danish Student was kill'd in one Besides they are forbid to commit any riot in the night time or break the Citizens Windows under pain of a considerable Fine and often of being bannish'd There is a Watch goes on purpose to hinder such disorders which takes away Scholars Swords if they be insolent and carries them to prison where next day they are produc'd before the University Counsell There are also as good Masters for all Exercises as Riding Dancing c. as any where and the Italian French and Spanish Tongues are taught excellently well Here are Students of all Nations of Europe most of them Gentlemen of good Families and often Princes and great Lords Sons have been seen to come hither for their education They all have a dependance upon the Rector and to this day never any Member of the University was put to death except a servant to a Prince who confess'd himself to be the author of a murder that had been committed The University has Schools for the different Lectures and on the North-side of the great Court is the famous Printing Press of John Elzevier so well known for his fair Characters It is placed upon the Rapembourg the fairest Street of all the Town for in the middle of it runs a large Channell and of each side is a rowe of tall Trees from one end to the other The Pavy has a little fall towards the Channell so that it can never be dirty let there fall never so much rain There are five fair Bridges over this Channell and abundance of delicate Houses on each side 'T is not only this Street that is thus shaded but all the Town so that he was in the right that desir'd to know whether Leyden was in a Wood or a Wood in Leyden We should never have done if I would particularize all the singularities of Leyden the great and most frequented Street begins at the Gate of the Hague and ends at Utrect Gate it is the broadest and highest Street of the Town The most considerable next is Harlem Street which has a Channell call'd the old Rhene into which all the other Channels do faâ—l and which ends it self at Catvic It is adorn'd with four stone Bridges one of which is the largest and fairest of all the Town it is call'd the Corn-Bridge because that on every Market-day the Countrey people take up their stations upon it with their Corn. There is another likewise call'd the Fish-Bridge because the Fishermen do there expose their Sea-Fish to sale The best Fish comes from Catvic that of Maeslantsluys is not valued as being ordinarily stale If this City had but running Water a great Market-place and some fountains of clear Water for drink it would be the pleasantest in all Europe but nothing can be ex omni parte beatum accomplish'd in all points There has been lately built a Church in a circular figure admir'd by all Strangers for its incomparable Architecture both within and without The first Sermon was preach'd in it some weeks before Easter in the year 1650. The Town is so populous by reason that poor people of the neighbouring Countries do seek a refuge here in time of War that it is a hard matter to get a Chamber in the new Town Here is the great manufacture of that excellent Cloths which are transported all the world over they cannot make any such any where else The fine Wool comes from Spain and the course from England and Pomâ—rania All sorts of Nations work in the manufacture where many other Stuffs are made In Summer during the hot weather these Channels do send forth a noysome smell particularly when the weather inclines to rain the reason of it is the drying up of the Lake of Soetermeer which did use to cleanse the Town by flowing into it To prevent this the Magistrates have caus'd two large Channels to be made and two Mills to be set upon them to drive the Water into the Town at one end and two other that drive or carry it out at the other end so that by this invention the City is free'd from that
It is a very pleasant place as well as Catvic where live many rich men that live of their revenues The Rhene did anciently enter the Sea here and there was a square Castle built at the mouth of the River but it is now buried under water We find it written that there were the Romans Magazines and Store-houses against the English Of late when the Sea has been very 〈◊〉 â—y a constant South-wind the 〈…〉 ndations have been seen In Summer the Scholars and Citizens go to wash there and eat fresh Fish as also to breathe the salt Air of the Sea which is held very wholesome They that hire Horses may go all along the shore by the two Catvicks and Walckembourg and return by Nortvic Rinsbourg and Oestgeest Wassenaer is situated just by the sandy Downs it did formerly belong to the Prince de Lime but now it belongs to the honourable Family of the Wassenaers Warmout is a league and half from the Town on Harlem-side By the way are two or three very fine Farms and particularly one near the Channell when you have pass'd the Bridge you leave upon your right hand Lochorst and then you come into the most delicious Village in the world the Lord of it is Mr. James Wassenaer whose Father was Admiral and has eminently serv'd the publick in military and civil employments The Arminians have a Church here the Church is on the out-side of the Village as also the Lords House which is a fair Castle with a Moat round about it Oestgeest is a Village in the Sands which belongs to the Corporation of the City of Leyden I my self have seen the Sand taken away three foot deep carried to the Town and there sold and an Acre of that ground which before was not worth 20. pound made worth fourscore Soutervoude is to the South at a leagues distance from the Town the way to it lies through Lam leaving on your left hand the Castle of Cronestien a fine House and Gardens This Village is little but it is in a fine Soil and has the best pasture grounds about Leyden The Magistrates have bought the Lordship of it as also that of Leyderdorp a Village that has more Palaces than Countrey peoples Houses 'T is here where we must admire the magnificence of the Citizens for one would think that there were an emulation between them who should shew most marks of riches by their expences It is built on both sides the Rhene that goes through it and behinde the Houses in the Meadows is a Church behinde which there was formerly a Monasterie Between Leyden and Ferrie there was another Nunnerie which was built upon a clayish ground out of which Bricks are made now In the year 1616. the Work-men found in digging two Meddals of gold representing the Emperor Nero to the life I have seen them both Woorschoten is another fine Village belonging to Monsieur de Duvenvoord whose Father was Keeper of the Great Seal Hereabouts the Countrey is so delicious that it is a kind of Paradise upon earth as well because of the diversity of Fields Meadows and Woods as of the prospect of so many stately Edifices and neat Gardens The Countrey people wear very good Cloathes ordinarily of black but without Cloaks Their Wives have gold Rings on their fingers It is not very rare to meet with Peasants here worth 10000. pound they enjoy as great a liberty as any Citizen Every Village has its Bailif Secretary Bourgemaster and Judges and besides a certain sort of Countreymen that they call Welboremans that is men of a good Family and well descended Alphen is half way to Woorde and takes its name from a Roman Knight There are very few Antiquities to be seen in Holland because that all the Countrey has been chang'd and new peopled and the Towns and Villages new built so that there are no footsteps of what it was it is so encreased in riches and beauty I come now to Caudekerk where there is a fair Castle belonging to Monsiâ—ur de Podgeest All these Villages have their Fairs once a year which anciently were never kept without some skirmish at Back-sword The stoutest did use to hang up a Back-sword and he that did come and touch it was engaged in a combate which was to be perform'd after this manner First the parties break off the points of their Swords then they take their Hats in their left hands to defend their faces and nevertheless they often pare off a Cheek or a Nose or so But these Duels are strictly forbidden and severely punish'd if attempted This Countrey is so finely diversified that it wants nothing for a perfect prospect For though Vines do not naturally grow in it yet by the industry of the Inhabitants there are many which produce Grapes enough for their eating And as for Wine they are sufficiently furnish'd by Sea Now I come back to the Town and observe that it is the Garden of all the adjacent Province for Lettice Parsley Carrets Pease Beans Parshley c. which are transported to Zeeland and Utrect At Amsterdam you shall hear them cry Leyden Parsnips And indeed the Gardiners industry is most admirable for they have five or six crops in a year upon the same ground I was desirous to know how much an Acre of ground might be worth to be sold and it was answer'd that Meadow was about sevenscore pound an Acre Corn grounds about 200. but Gardenage about 250. and sometimes 300. pound an Acre Every day at six of the clock goes off the first Boat for Amsterdam and at twelve a clock the last at eight and at eleven for Harlem at twelve for Utrect There are eight Barks for the Hague and as many for 〈◊〉 elft And so from these two Towns for Leyden from the Spring to October they go out at five a clock and after at half an hour past five The Arms of the Town are the Cross Keyes The Citizens are govern'd with so much moderation by the Magistrates that since the beginning of the Commonwealth to this day there has been no tumult nor rising by reason of Taxes Impositions or the coming of Strangers or for any other cause But now let us come to that powerfull City from which Neptune seems to take his Orders I mean Amsterdam CHAP. IX Of Amsterdam THis Town which has not its like in the whole world if we consider its Commerce the conveniency of its Harbour and the means it has of setting out powerfull Fleets takes its name from a Castle built upon Ye belonging to the Lords of Amstel It is seven leagues distant from Leyden and you may go to it four different wayes the most ordinary is that of the great Lake the next by Harlem and by the Channell made lately the third in a Waggon or on Horseback by the Veenes and the fourth by the night-Boat that you meet at Leyderdorp Since the late Wars this Town is encreased above two thirds and therefore we shall inquire
there has been War between the Bishops of Utrect and the Earls of Holland for it the place standing in a fruitfull pleasant Soyl. It is rather long than square and adorn'd with fine Gardens the Prince of Orange is Lord of it Now let us follow the Frontier of Brabant to the West As soon as you come out of the Lordship of Altena you meet with the strong Town of Gertrudenbergue divided from Holland by a great Lake that the Rhene and the Meuse make before Dort It is almost a half Moon of which two thirds are bath'd with the Water of the Lake and has excellent Bastions Besides there are Forts with Sluces which can drown the rest of the ground which lies low In the year 1321. the Castle was built and a 100. year after both the Town and the Cathedrall Church were both burnt down by those of Dort who took it after a long siege It belongs now to the Prince of Orange having often chang'd Masters by the chance of War There is taken before it great quantities of Salmon but I have heard a Citizen relate that in the time of the War their Fishing fail'd because of the great noise of the Canonadoes that frighted all the Fish away To go from Gertrudenbergue by land to Clundert you must leave Breda on the left hand and pass by Sevenberg a Lordship which depends on Brabant Clundert has eight Bastions and some Ravelins and was first wall'd by Prince William the first whose it was and since fortified It has a fine Church and good Bells Willemstradt is hard by a Town which bears the name of its founder It has seven Bastions a double Ditch and a fair Harbour It has Brabant on the South and Zeeland on the North which seems to communicate to it something of the courseness of its Air for here are bred Feavers very hard to be cur'd insomuch as those that have them seem as if they were bewitched The Citizens of Leyden can testifie it to their cost for many of them were in Garrison there in the War time and when they came home some died some lingred a great while and in all I know not above three that scap'd being very sick I have spoke of these little Towns only for their Fortifications let us now see the Islands that are over against Zeeland The first is Overslac you must land at Olâ—rens Plact a Village where the Fleet of Shallops was to have landed 1631. In the said Island which is very fertile in Corn is a fair Village call'd Sommerdiâ—ke the Lord of which was Governor of Nimmegue At the end of this Island is another in which is the Town of Gouree the Harbour of which is now stop'd up with Sand. Between Gouree and Helwetsluys there is a great depth of Water where the greatest Ships may ride Now we are come to the Island of Vorne the chiefest place of which is the Briel then Geervliet where there was a Colledge of Canons and Huervliet a fine place belonging to Mr. de Kerchove high Huntsman of Holland The rest of this Island which ends at Dort is call'd Beyerland and the other part Stryac where there are many rich Villages the best of which is Isselmond CHAP. XVIII Of the Towns that are in Goylant near the South-Sea WE have seen the borders of this Province towards Gueldres Utrect Brabant and Zeland we have now a journey to take South-East before we go directly North to see three small Towns From Amsterdam you go by Sea to Naerden the chief Town of Goylant It has been destroyed and then built up again the old foundations are yet to be seen in the South-Sea when a certain Winde blows and drives out the Sea The Citizens of this place acquir'd great reputation by taking that Traytor Gerrard de Velsen who was carrying the Earl Florent prisoner into England In the year 1355. the second Town was built and adorn'd with priviledges by the Duke William of Bavaria In 1481. they of Utrect having given the Hollanders a great overthrow surprized the Town of Naerden by an ingenious stratagem for they dress'd a good number of young Souldiers like Countreywomen going to Market who being let in seized a Gate of the Town and gave entrance to the enemies the Citizens redeem'd themselves from fire and sword by a great summe of money But a little after they were reveng'd for falling upon the Bishoprick they kill'd 1500. of their enemies upon the spot and in memory of that advantage built a high Tower with this Inscription Utrect hold thy peace In 1486. the said Town was almost all burnt down and this misfortune seem'd to be a fore-runner of that which befell them about a 100. years after for Frederick Son to the Duke of Alva having taken Zutpheen fell upon Naerden The Citizens not expecting so sudden an alarm were not so provident as to send Embassadors to mediate for them but seeing the Army at their Gates surrender'd their Town into the victors hands and trusted to his discretion and mercy but he participating much of the cruell humor of his Father commanded all the Inhabitants to be assembled in the publick Market-place and there sent them Monks to confess them and pronounce to them their sentence of death The poor creatures who thought to have heard their pardon proclaim'd were immediately set upon by some Regiments and cruelly slaughter'd This barbarous execution brought so great an odium upon the Spaniards that it made the people of Leyden rather resolve to starve than yeeld to the mercy of so cruell a Nation That which is most remarkable too is that they were most of them Catholicks and I think it is from thence that comes that deriding Proverb in Holland Art thou a Catholick that is good for thy soul. Mude is hard by Naerden upon the River Veckt and at the mouth of the South-Sea It is a little Town which has a very ancient Castle in which was kept prisoner the Count Florent Hard by is Wesop upon the same River famous for its good Beer whereof much is brought to Leyden where it is call'd for its excellency the Flemmings Physick All the Countrey from Amsterdam taking by Voerden to Leyden shut in by the Sea of Harlem is very low it is all Meadow or Turf-ground as also between Leyden Goude and Rotterdam there are digg'd great quantities of Turfs nay the Earth is so cut in many places that it is inaccessible otherwise than by Boat which is a Subject of great admiration to Strangers The Boats that go in the night-time from Leyderdorp to Amsterdam pass through the Lake of Brassmermeere and stay about two hours at a Village call'd Bilderdam then in the morning they arrive at another call'd Ouderkerk which is a league from Amsterdam There are Waggons that go by land and it is particularly the Earth of this Countrey that is observ'd to tremble and quake When it has rain'd the wayes are all drown'd and become like a Marsh.
CHAP. XIX Of the Lakes and Rivers OF all the Rivers that come from Germany and Water-Holland the chiefest is the Rhene which divides into two branches one retains the name of Rhene and the other is call'd Vahal and that receives the Meuse which comes from Lorrain and goes through the Town of Leege These Rivers meet all before Gorcum and flow gently into the Sea near Dort and Rotterdam making all the Islands we have spoke of The Countrey lying low there are abundance of Lakes into which enter a great many Channels made by Art The greatest of these Lakes is Harlem-Lake which begins to extend it self between Leyden and the Village of Kague which stand in at Island at the mouth of the said Lake into which the Boats enter here Those Boats that go to Harlem keep on the left hand and they that go to Amsterdam on the right and pass by Alsemeer This Lake is very broad but not deep between Harlem and Amsterdam it grows narrower and is call'd Sprinâ—smeere there is a Dike or Bank with prodigious Sluces which are opened according as the Wind â—its to let out some of the Water into the River Ye Here the Harlem Boats stay and the Passengers land and see a fair House built by the noble Colledge of the Heemrades On Amsterdam-side it grows still narrower till you come to Overtom a fair Village of the Jurisdiction of Harlem which keeps the passage shut by a Dike over which the Boats which go from Leyden to Amsterdam must pass by the means of certain wooden Rowlers and other Instruments This obstacle is to force the great Boats full of Merchandizes to go by Harlem to the profit of the said Town This Lake before the Wars was not half so big and I have heard old men say that from their remembrance it had encreased the compass of above four miles Every year it eats away some of the Land that borders upon it insomuch that the neighbouring Corporations have often met to consult about the drayning of it but as yet without effect It would require above 500. miles and the cost would amount to above 200000. pound but the bottome being partly Veenes and partly good Land would sell well and defray a good part of the expence This Lake is very full of Fish and breeds Eeles of a prodigious bigness as all â—â—imy Waters do But I shall not speak any more of this nor other Lakes nor of the holes which the Countrey people make every day by digging up Turfs which if at last by some rupture they should meet would go near to drown all this lower Region and swallow up these fine Meadows Now let us go to North-Holland CHAP. XX. North-Holland commonly call'd West-Frieze THis part is so call'd because it has Holland on the South and Friezeland on the East from which it is divided by the South-Sea which some Authors affirm to have been formerly so narrow that it might have been pass'd over with a plank This Countrey is likewise call'd Waterland by reason of the many Lakes that it abounds with some of them have been drayn'd viz. Beemster Ziip and Schermer which are now rich grounds where the chief Citizens of Amsterdam have Houses and Gardens Every where here there are Dikes that of Medeâ—bliike is made of a certain matter which the Sea casts up this Element preparing thus a bridle to its own fury This Countrey has on the North the Ocean and the Texel and on the South the River Ye and is joyn'd to the South-part of Holland by a small neck of Land on Harlem-side This people drives a great Trade by means of the Water they are environ'd with which at the same time does so fortifie them as to secure them from all acts of hostility They keep their old fashions and customes and yet they are not so simple as they appear but are indeed very sincere and more to be believ'd upon their simple affirmative than other Nations upon their oaths and blasphemies The Women are equally chaste and fair and often a young man shall sit a whole night by his Mistress and never hold any discourse any wayes offensive to her honour They have most of them red Hair and their locks guilded upon their fore-heads They wear not Handkerchiefs but a velvet Whisk with a golden Hook and Clasp That which I think very undecent is that they wear their Petticoats so short that they scarce come below their knees The men wear plain Bands square Beards have a grave behaviour and are of a strong complexion and tall stature All their business is Commerce which they have with all the Northern Countries and particularly Herrings are their great Commodity Between Harlem and Alcmaer there is a pleasant Village whither anciently people did use to go in pilgrimage It is situated upon the Sea of Wiie the bank that begins there is call'd St. Agaths bank and the other which goes to Sardam is call'd Assendelftdike At Sardam are continually built great Ships for the Indies But let us take our way to Alcmaer CHAP. XXI Of Alcmaer and Medenbliic ALcmaer is not only one of the finest Towns of Holland but also of all the Low-Countries for the beautiousness of its Buildings and the neatness of its Streets The Wars that it maintain'd against the Friezelanders bear witness of its antiquity It is very rich and has a great Trade Many of its Inhabitants live pleasantly having very fine Gardens and a fine Countrey In 1328. it was burnt the Friezelanders have often besieged it and in the year 1517. it was taken and plunder'd for eight dayes by those of Gueldres The Earl Florent the fifth made a Dike to the very extremities of the Countrey to hinder the Friezelanders incursions There are fair marks to shoot at for the exercise and diversion of the Citizens and next to Leyden it has the reputation of being the cleanliest Town in Holland The Spaniards after the taking of Harlem laid siege to it but in wain they were forced to quit the Town partly by reason of the ill Airs and partly because of the stout resist ance made by the Townsmen Thi Town is near the Schermer the greatest Lake of this Septentrionall part At some leagues from Alcmaer upon the North-Sea-side is the Hontbos where there are monstrous Dikes made in a most singular manner to resist the fury of the Ocean which here does most desperately threaten the ruine of all Holland Therefore there is a double bank that so in case one should break the other might give the people time to repair the first From thence you may go to the Texel or take your way to Seay n by the Ziipe Seayen is a great Village situated in a fat Countrey where Land is as dear again as in any part of Holland There has been Trees the Fruits of which have been sold for 10. pound in one year It has a very large Market-place The Lords of Seayen are descended from the House
of Bavaria It is the mid-way between Alcmaer and Medenbliick Medenbliick is an ancient Town all Authors agree that it was formerly the Metropolis before Horne and Enchusen were built Some derive its name from the River Medemâ—lack of which there remains no marks neither is it probable that the famous Prince Râ—â—lbold did live here It was taken by the Kenemars in the year 1426. and in 1514. they of Gueldres burnt it down to the ground It has high and strong Dikes to keep out the South-Sea for the Land lies a great deal lower than the Water When there is a great storm and that the Sea beats with that violence that it does threaten the utter ruine of all that opposes it the Inhabitants clap Sails all along between the Dike and the Water and so hinder it from piercing into the body of the bank a pretty invention and to which they owe the safety of their whole Countrey There is an old Castle which some suspect to have been the Palace of the Princes of Friezeland Here live most of your Wood-Merchants that drive a great Trade to Norway and in the North. Let us follow the Sea-side and come to Enchusen CHAP. XXII Of Enchusen THis Town is environ'd on three parts by the Sea It is like a half-Moon and makes a point or neck of Land which advances into the Zuyderzee It is said that in 1394. Albert Earl of Holland set sayl from hence with a Fleet of 300. Boats to transport his Army into Friezeland an argument that then it was a famous Port. 'T is true that as time changes all things so has it done this Harbour for now the Sands that are got into the mouth of it do much hinder the entrance of great Ships yet are there often built here great Ships for the Indies and great Fleets do sayl from hence to the Baltic Seas It was not yet wall'd when it was burnt by John of Arkel and Nicholas Putene in 1279. In 1426. it was assaulted by the Kenemars and the same year some Souldiers of the Countess Jacqueline coming in upon a sudden surprized about a 100. of the principall Citizens at dinner and cut off all their Heads a barbarous action which does come near the cruelty of our Age. In 1514. a part of the Rampart and many Houses were destroyed by an Inundation 1537. the Gueldreses having denounc'd War to Holland had like to have surpriz'd the said Town but the Water being low they fail'd of their design This was the first Town that revolted from the Spaniards in North-Holland In the year 1591. the Town was enlarged and it now drives a great Trade in Herâ—ngs and Salt-Fish It has strong Dikes and it needs them being built upon the Sea which is the reason why it has no good Water to drink the Countrey lying so low By the complaints of its Inhabitants we perceive that it decayes in Trade and has formerly had a greater Commerce which appears by many empty Houses There is a very good Alms-house and the Steeple is considerable for its height being built in so moorish a soft ground These three Towns Enchusen Horne and Medenbliick have equally but successively the priviledge of coyning Money each for the space of seven years and then they begin again Horne now calls upon us to admire its beauty and Trade with the convenience of its Harbour CHAP. XXIII Of Horn and the small Towns of North-Holland THis Town is the second of North-Holland It is built upon the South-Sea and has the best Harbour of all that Coast. There was in this Town a famous Faction of the Kennemars but they were routed by the Citizens after a long combate They took likewise the Fleet of the Osserlins by the help of those of Enchuse and so ended that troublesome War in 1441. In 1557. the Dikes being broke so much Water got into the Town as had like to have drowned it but by the industry of the Inhabitants the banks were soon repaired again There is but a little arm of the Sea to be pass'd to come to Edam two leagues from Horne It is a small Town built triangular-wise upon the River of Ye in the fattest part of Holland Here is made the best Holland Cheese with red Rinde so much sought after by all Nations and indeed it yeelds not to the Parmesan In the year 1430. we finde in our Annals that the Dâ—kes being broke and having overflowed the Meadows some Maids of Edam were in a Boat going to milk the Cowes at Purmerend and it being low Water they perceived a Sea-Nymph in the Mud they were at first frighted but at last taking courage drew nearer got her into their Boat and brought her to Edam where she was washed and cloathed she did eat our diet and had learn'd to spin but still her instinct did carry her to her naturall Element the Water in which she did much delight they could never teach her to speak She was transported to Harlem where she liv'd many years A certain Author sayes that they had infus'd some knowledge of God into her and that she did use to bowe before the Crucifix Monickendam is hard by Edam upon the River Monic which signifies Monk and it has for Arms a Monk The Town is very little and situated upon the Sea-side In 1426. it was taken by the Kenemars It has been twice burnt down all except the Church and the Carmelites Monastery Purmerend was wall'd in the Wars 1573. There is a C 〈…〉 e which did belong to the House of â—gmond but it has been bought by the States in 1590. North-Holland is almost quite environ'd with Water and joyn'd to the rest of Holland by a neck of Land from Bevervic to Vic about a league broad This small Province which is not in all above 20. leagues in compass deserves that Strangers should take the pains to come to it if it be but to see those prodigious Dikes and Banks which preserve the Countrey from an infallible Inundation There are three or four little Islands in the South-Sea besides the Texel the Ulic and some others that are towards Friezeland and do break the first fury of the North-Sea But we will leave them to return to Leyden by the Honsbos and having once again admir'd the Dikes go afoot by that lovely sandy shore which is from the Honsbos to Beeve a sandy mountain at the mouth of the Meuse for the space of 24. leagues It is the finest way in the world for on one side are the high sandy Hills and on the other the Sea which is not deep near the shâ—re insomuch that in calm Weather one may go in a great way without being â—ut to swim and it is upon this s 〈…〉 re that most Ships are forced to run when they cannot in a storm get out to Sea particularly in Winter when the nights are dark and long When a Ship is thus cast away and some body scapes the Goods aboard here are
preserv'd for the owners but if all be drown'd then what the Sea casts up belongs to the Countrey It happens often likewise that after a great storm a sort of Whales call'd by the Inhabitants Potwisch are found sticking upon these Sands these likewise belong to the County and I saw one that was sold for 50. pounds they make Oyl of the Flesh and use the Bones for other uses The Sea likewise does cast up great quantities of Cockle shells which are gather'd to make a sort of Quicklime much whiter than that of France but not so good to make Morter with Sometimes there are some very fine sorts of Shells but seldome for those which are kept as rarities come most from the Indies You may see in your way Egmond a Village from which came the noble Family of Egmond All these sandy Hills from the Honsbos to Beer are full of Rabbits which you may see in thousands it is forbidden to kill or take any of them under a certain Fine and to hunt them you must have leave from the high Huntsman of Holland or be one of the Nobles of the Countrey There you may see Eagles that endeavour to prey upon the Connies The Peasants hard by have a pretty way of catching them undiscover'd which is that in Winter the poor Beasts finding no green thing upon the ground to eat all being cover'd with Snow draw near the Houses in most of which there is a little hole that goes into the Cellar in which are green Cabbage-leaves the Rabbits emboldened by hunger creep in by a board set there on purpose and no sooner are they entred but the Peasant pulls away the board and the Rabbit falls into the Cellar But the Peasant does not brag of his good fortune nor invite his Neighbours to the good cheer These Duâ—es or sandy Mountains are full of physicall Herbs which the Students of Leyden do much seek after particularly in the Spring-time in the company of their Professors and such Plants as cannot endure the cold are transplanted into a Gallery which looks to the South in which are three Stoves for their conservation all Winter long This Academy has also another Gallery in which are many curiosities as Pagans Idols Indian Serpents skins little Chips and Cloths and Shooes of the Indians The Gardener gives to the curious a little Paper in which is contain'd the explication of all these and the Book-binders sell a little Book in which are all the names of the Plants that are in the said Garden This Academy was formerly a Nunnery out of which the Nuns being driven by the great revolution of Europe for Religion had each of them a small Prebendary for their life assigned to them and I remember two that did use to come from Boyslednke to Leyden to receive their Sallary In the Divinity-School are kept all publick acts and all Degrees are taken They that take them publickly are honour'd with the Magistrates Presents who ordinarily send them in some Presents of Wine after the custome of Germany then they make a Feast to the Professors and are very merry They that cannot afford to be at so much charge are receiv'd privately and under the Chimney as the Proverb sayes The Commencements are ordinarily in Summer about the Dog-dayes Upon the said Academy is built a high Tower on purpose for Astronomers to make observations There are likewise many rare Instruments of a new invention serving to the same end here being excellent Professors in all the parts of the Mathematicks The Princes House is upon the Rappeâ—bourg and has a fine square Court with a Garden It was a religious House for Women who 't is said had purchased the place the House stands on with spinning The lower part of the Church is a magazine for Ammunition and the upper a Store-house for Corn. This I have added as omitted in the first Description of Leyden with which I have perfected my intended Account of the Cities Towns and Villages in Holland Now I will say something of their Religion CHAP. XXIV Of the different Religions in Holland I Will not here undertake to dispute which is the best of all those Religions that are here tolerated knowing that it is too ticklish a matter to be handled without giving offence to some body I shall only relate barely how many sorts of Religions there are within the limits of the United Provinces They being at their first revolt opposite to Spain in all things resolv'd to give as much liberty as that King would deny and to tolerate all Religions because he would suffer but one In order to this the State thriving in their Wars took upon them to drive out the Priests Monks and Nuns as so many Emissaries of Rome and stiff maintainers of one only Religion The chief Model and Reformation was made according to the Churches of Geneva and the high Palatinate and to this day they that pretend to any Charge or Office must be of this Religion if they desire to be admitted They that follow the Doctrine of Martin Luther have all freedome in Holland and liberty to build Churches among the Houses to distinguish them from the other Reform'd The Anabaptists have likewise theirs and are divided into divers Sects They that have the great Assembly are call'd Drec Wagens And I will say this to their praise that in their Meetings they expound Scripture without making any invectives or railing upon any body else In the beginning those of the Reform'd Religion in Holland were call'd Geux or Beggars as in France Huguenots a name which the vulgar yet retain with joy bragging that they were neither Papists nor Martinists but Geux This was the occasion of their being thus nam'd In the beginning of the troubles 500. Gentlemen being come to Brussels to present a Petition to the Princess of Parma then Governant came of a sudden into her Palace she being at the Window talking with the Earl of Varlemont was frighted with so sudden and so great an appearance and asked him if he knew what it mean'd who answered Madam Do not trouble your self they are but Beggars Ce ne sout que des Geux This being told these Gentlemen at Supper they all agreed to dress themselves in Beggars Cloaks and take wooden Dishes in their Hands with this Motto We are all the Kings faithfull Servants even to Beggary We must not forget the Arminians who have made a Schisme among the Reform'd about Predestination The Gomarists or Counter-Remonstrants opposed the said Articles of Predestination they were thus nam'd from their two Heads who were both professors of Divinity in Leyden Arminius and Gomarius Their Division had such influence among the people that the Towns did already begâ—n to take in Garâ—â—sons to maintain each their opinion by force Prince Maurice by the Order of the States applied a remedy to these Disorders Barnevelt was taken and beheaded some Magistrates of Towns deposed and many Ministers of the Arminians imprisoned their
her means repair the lustre of their decayed Nobility But the Germans do not only abhor Traffick but think it a greater baseness to mingle their blood with one meanly born The Hollanders seem to be in the middle between these extreams For first The Dutch Nobility does not trade They love War for the defence of their Countrey are not Duellists nor quarrelsome like the French love Learning particularly the Mathematicks live pleasantly in their Countrey-Houses and may without degenerating marry whom they please The Gentlemen in Holland have alwayes enjoyed great priviledges for the ancient Earls did never undertake any thing without their advice as it is now observ'd in Denmarke and Poland The three principall Families are the Brederodes the Wassenaers and the Egmonds of whom the Proverb is The Noble Brederodes The Ancient Wassenaers The Rich Egmonds The Brederodes are descended from the Earls of Holland and the Story is that Sitfrid the youngest Son of Arnold of Ghent and Grandson to Didier second Earl of Holland being fallen under his Fathers indignation and hatred was afterwards pardon'd and â—he Earl to shew his kindness and reconciliation caus'd Land to be measur'd out to him with larger Roods thence he was call'd Brederode and from him is descended this Family by his eldest Son Didier and from his younger Simon Lord of Teling are descended the Lords of Toll and Lecke The Wassenaers fetch their origine from a Village between Leyden and the Hague and their name is deriv'd from the right they had in former Ages to the Waters Ponds and Lakes in Holland They pretend to be descended from that famous Captain Claudius Civilis of whom Tacitus makes honourable mention They have been Burg-graves of Leyden and are yet highly esteem'd From them are descended the Duvenvords the Warmonts the Bouchorts the Polanes the Matenesses all the Flower of the Dutch Nobility They that represent the Nobility of Holland in the States Generall are these following whereof some are dead John Wolfard Lord of Brederode and Viane John de Wassenaer Lord of Duvenvord c. Vesele de Boteselaer Lord of Asperen c. James of Wingarde Lord of Benthuise Soctemeer c. Albert de Scagen Baron of Scagen Harengbuisen c. James of Wassenaer and Duvenvord Lord of Warmont Henry de Raphorst Lord of Raphorst c. James de Mateness Lord of Mateness Rivier Opmeer c. Francis Arsen Knight Lord of Sommersdiick Besides these there are divers other Families as those of Arquel Kenembourg Haserson Alquemade Opdam Gaudriaen Sevenhuysen Vanderlaen Benthuse Asmal c. who are all by Alphabeticall order in the Book entituled The Theatre of the Towns and County of Holland by the Learned Monsieur Boxhorne together with the noble actions of their Ancestors CHAP. XXVI Of Liberty THere is no Province in the World where the Inhabitants enjoy more liberty than in Holland Nay as soon as any Slave coming from a foreign Countrey sets his foot upon the Dutch shore he is free The Gentlemen are Princes and Fathers of their Families The Countrey people when they have payed their Rents are as free as the Citizens If a Gentleman abuse or kill any of them he is in great danger of losing his life if the crime deserve it Here is no partiality and let every one know that the Laws are here in their force The Magistrates are bound to maintain the Citizens Priviledges and preserve them from all Oppression The Masters may not beat their Servants nor the Mistresses their Maids But above all every one is Master at home and it is a capitall offence to offer violence to a man in his own House One may travell freely through all Holland by day and by night without fear of being rob'd High-way men are never pardon'd Theeves are sometimes but not those among them that break into Houses or steal Sheep in the Pasture-grounds No body is forced to stay here any longer than he thinks fit Here is liberty of Conscience and no body is forc'd to go to the Protestant Churches The liberty of speaking freely even of Magistrates themselves is too great and that which else-where would be a crime is here laughed at The German Students I remember were once about to set up a custome which is in use in most of the German Universities by which the new comers are very ill treated for the first year but the Magistrates oppos'd it and threatned all those that should go about to introduce such a slavery in a free Countrey Here are never made any Rules about what people onght to wear every one wears what he pleases Nay any body may transport as much Gold and Silver as he pleases and no body shall hinder him as they do in England and France In a word all that is reasonable is lawfull They that say that the Nobility are not respected in Holland are very much mistaken For those amongst them that do govern themselves with moderation and are familiar with their Inferiors are infinitely beloved but the proud and haughty are despised and hated Here is the greatest Equality in the World It is ordinary to hear a mean Fellow in a dispute with a Citizen say I am as much as you if you be richer than I 't is well for you But the wiser sort avoid such quarrels as it is easie to do by keeping a fit distance between them and the common people Certainly when I do reflect upon the miserable condition of some Christians in Europe as of the Peasants in Lytuania and almost all over Poland where the Lords have the power of hanging them when they run away from their tyranny in Bohemia and some other places of Germany in Denmarke and Sweden where the Gentlemen do â—ighly abuse the Commons I cannot choose but cry out O happy Holland that hast preserv'd that precious jewel of Liberty preserve it well for with its loss goes that of thy happiness CHAP. XXVII Of some Voyages undertaken under the Banner of Holland I Do not intend to speak here of the ordinary Trade that is driven by Shipping to the Northern parts of the World nor of that which is carried on in England France Spain Italy Germany c. My design is to speak of those Voyages undertaken within these threescore years to the Indies which were undertaken upon this occasion The King of Spain having seized upon and confiscated some Ships belonging to the Hollanders that did trade in his Ports which were then the Mart of Europe for the East-India Merchandizes made some Merchants resolve to set out a Fleet of eight Sayl for the Indies whereof four were to go the long way and four others to go by the North and endeavour to finde out a passage to China by the North-Sea it being the shorter way to the Indies by half in half These four last set sayl from the Texel the fifth of June 1594. and the eighteenth they came to Kildus in Lapland and some time after they discover'd the Island of Nova
service of the said Companies oâ— having been formerly employed by them and all such as being now out of their service do live within the jurisdiction of the said Companies shall remain free and unmolested in all places under the obedience of the said King in Europe and may travell trade and frequent in all places as all other Inhabitants of the States Besides it has been Stipulated and Agreed that the Spaniards retain their Navigation to the East-Indies in such manner as it is now for this present time without the liberty of extending themselves any further As also the Inhabitants of these Provinces shall abstain from frequenting the places that the Castilians do possess in the East-Indies 6. And as for the West-Indies the Subjects and Inhabitants of the Kingdomes and Countries of the said King and States shall respectively abstain from Navigation and Trade in all the Harbours places Forts Castles possess'd by either to wit that the Subjects of the said King shall not navigate nor trade in those that belong to the States nor the Subjects of the States in those that belong to the said King And in the places of the States shall be comprehended all those that the Portugueses since 1641. have taken in Brasil upon the said States and all those that they now possess as long as they shall remain in the possession of the said States In all which there is nothing contrary to the precedent Article 7. And because a long space of time is necessary for the giving notice to those that are now abroad with Ships and Forces that they may defist from all acts of hostility it hath been Agreed that within the limits of the Patent granted or to be granted by continuation to the Company of the East-Indies of the United Provinces the peace shall begin no sooner than a year after the date of the present Treaty And as for the limits of the Patent granted heretofore by the States Generall or to be granted by continuation unto the Company of the West-Indies the peace shall not there begin till six moneths after the date of the present Treaty Provided still that if the notice of the said peace be arriv'd by publick Order of each side to the said limits before the said time be expir'd that then immediately all acts of hostility shall cease And that if after the term be expir'd there be yet committed some acts of hostility the dammages shall be repair'd without delay 8. The Subjects and Inhabitants of the Countries of the said King and States trafficking in one anothers Countrey shall not be forc'd to pay any greater Impositions or Customes than their own Subjects respectively so that thereby the Subjects of the said States shall be freed and exempted from the Imposition of 20. per cent or any other whatsoever which the said King did levy during the truce of 12. years or would hereafter raise directly or indirectly upon the Inhabitants of the said States or any wayes charge them further than his own proper Subjects 9. The said King and States shall not raise any Contributions or Imposts out of their limits respectively upon any Merchandize passing either by Land or Water 10. The Subjects of each shall respectively enjoy all freedome of Peages that they were in possession of before the beginning of the War 11. The Trade Commerce and Frequentation shalâ— not be hinder'd between the Subjects of the said King and States and if it should chance to be obstructed any wayes the obstacle shall immediately be taken away 12. And after the day of the conclusion and ratification of this peace the said King shall no longer enjoy upon the Rivers of Rhene and Mouse those Customes or Peages which before the War were under the jurisdiction of any of the United Provinces particularly the Peage of Zeeland which shall not be levied for his Majesty neither in the Town of Antwerp nor any where else upon condition that from that day forwards the States of Zeeland shall take upon them to pay the annuall Rents to those to whom the said Peage was morgaged before the year 1572. which also shall do the Proprietors of all other Peages if they be charg'd with annuall Rents 13. The white boyl'd Salt coming from the United Provinces into those of his Catholick Majesty shall be receiv'd and admitted without any higher Impost than upon Bay-Salt and likewise the Salt coming from his Majesties Countries shall be admitted in those of the States upon the same conditions 14. The Rivers of Scheld as also the Channels of Zas and Zwin and other entries into the Sea thereabouts shall be shut up by the States Generall on their side 15. The Ships and Goods coming in and going out of the Harbours of Flanders shall be taxed at the same rate as the Ships and Goods going upon the Scheld and the Channels nam'd in the above-written Article and it shall be agreed of the proportion between the parties hereafter 16. The Anseatick-Towns with all their Citizens and Inhabitants shall enjoy as to Navigation and Trade in Spain and all the Kingdomes and States thereof all the Priviledges and Immunities granted at present or that shall be hereafter given to the Subjects of the United Provinces And reciprocally all the Subjects of the said Provinces shall enjoy the same Rights Franchises Immunities Priviledges and Capitulations as well for the establishing of Consuls in the capitall Towns or Sea-Ports of Spain as for their Merchants Factors Masters of Ships Mariners or others and that in the same manner that the said Anseatick-Towns in generall or in particular have heretofore practis'd or obtain'd and shall hereafter obtain for the safety and advantage of Navigation and Trade of their Towns Merchants c. 17. Likewise the Inhabitants of the Countries of the said States shall have the same liberty in the said Kings Dominions that the Subjects of his Majesty of Great Britain do enjoy by the Articles in the last Treaty of peace made in secret with the High Constable of Castile 18. The said King shall as soon as possible assign a place for the honourable burying of the bodies of such of the States Subjects as shall die in his Dominions 19. The Subjects and Inhabitants of the said Kings Dominions coming into the Territories of the States shall as to the publick exercise of Religion comport themselves with all modesty without giving any scandall or proffering any blasphemy and the same shall be observ'd by the Subjects of the United Provinces 20. The Merchants Masters of Ships Pilots Mariners their Ships Goods and other things belonging to them shall not be arrested nor detain'd by vertue of any Order either generall or speciall nor for any cause of War or otherwise nor under the pretext of using them for the preservation of the Countrey Hereby nevertheless are not meant all seisings and arrests of Ships by the ordinary proceedings of justice by reason of Debts Obligations and Contracts of those whose Goods are seised who