them of Vtrecht to his seruice they should bee bound to send him fiue hundred souldiers at their owne charge That there should bee a breach made in the wall of twentie foot by the which he should enter into the towne as a Conquerour and that he should haue one street in the said towne at his commaundement the which is at this day called the Hollanders street first a truce was concluded vntill Saint Martins during which time the aboue recited conditions of peace were set downe but they were not effected for that Cont William during the said truce went to make warre in East-Friseland where being entred without order and not knowing the passages of the countrey Iohn of Henault sonne to the Earle of Blois came to the Cloyster of Saint Odolphe where hee planted his campe in a faire plaine called Zuytbeuer on the sea side a part of his Hollanders not staying vntill the rest of the armie were landed went to skirmish with the Frisons chasing part of them into Staueren and the rest into Saint Odolphes where going to set vpon them in their trenches the Frisons defended themselues so couragiously that many of the Hollanders lost their liues there Cont William knowing nothing of this skirmish landed on the North side of the Cloyster and aduauncing with fiue hundred men burnt the first village he found and at the first charge he gaue against the Frisons with his owne hand hee slew a gentleman that was a captaine who had valiantly defended himselfe vnto the death and would neuer yeeld to bee a prisoner The other bands of Frisons seeing this captaine dead and the villages burne fell like mad men with great furie vpon this small troupe of Hollanders whom they defeated and there Cont VVilliam was slame vnknowne before the rest of the armie could aduaunce who marching in disorder were likewise charged The Frisons encouraged the more by the defeat of the first fiue hundred Hollanders and of the Earle their Generall did fight with such great furie and courage as they did put the Armie to rout with such confusion that many were slaine before they could recouer their shippes and there were as many drowned through hast as that saued themselues This vnfortunate encounter happened in the yeare 1346 vpon the foure and twentieth of September in the same place whereas the Earles of Holland were vsually accustomed to hold their seat of Iustice when they came into East-Friseland It was the eight yeare of the raigne of the said Earle Renauld the blacke earle of Gueldres had foretold his death as hee held him at the Font to bee christened by vttering these words This child shall bee one day slaine by the Frisons There were slaine in this defeat of the Hollanders about eighteene thousand men and almost as many drowned with some fiue hundred knights the most apparent whereof were these The Lords of Horne Lygny Walcourt Manin Antoin the Seignior of la Vere Floris of Borssele the Seigniors of Cruningen Romerswael Hamstede Merwede all Barons Gerard with the great beard VVilliam of Naeldwyck Symon and Didier of Meylingen Guido of Aspren Iohn Regnier William of Montfort Didier of Sandtfort Herman of Zwieten Floris of Merwe Oger of Spangen Gerard Euer Alfert of Bergerhorst Nicholas Oom William of Drongen Didier of Valewort and Gerard Florinuille all choice knights with a great number of other Nobles Knights and Gentlemen Tenne daies after this defeat Martin Commaunder of the knights of Saint Iohn in Harlem went into Friseland and sought for the Earles bodie the which beeing knowne by some markes hee caused it with eight other dead bodies of Noblemen to be brought to the cloyster of Fleurchamp neere vnto Boswaert The Contesse Ioan of Brabant his widow went to her father and was maried to Wenselin duke of Luxembourg second sonne to Iohn king of Bohemia of whom we haue formerly spoken Cont William the fourth left one bastard called Daniel vanden Poel the which hee had of a Gentlewoman called Alix vander Merwe of Ghertruydenbergh leauing no other lawfull child that might succeed him the Empresse his sister remaining his sole heire MARGVERITE EMPRESSE THE 24. commaunding in Holland Zeeland and Friseland Contesse of Henault 24 Margarita Imperatrix Earle WILLIAMS sister MARGVERITâ—… the Emperors wife In Holland caus'd contencion and much debate and strife For though vnto her sonne her right she had assign'd With him she still contended for 't nothing could please her mind Her state was great her honour much nâ—… need her draue With him in Holland such continuall strife to haue Which in fiue yeares she was constrained for to leaue To him for that death end of all did her of life bereaue MARGVERITE EMPRESSE THE 24. commanding in Holland Zeeland and Friseland Countesse of Henault LEVVIS of Bauaria Emperor of Romains hearing of the death of Cont William of Holland slaine in warre by the Frisons whose eldest sister he had marryed and had left no children caused the Princes of the Empire to assemble to whom he declared that the Earledomes of Holland and Zeeland and the siegneorie of Friseland for want of heires lawfully begotten of the said William were falne vnto the Empire Wherevpon the Emperor interposing his authoritie for that the Empresse his wife pretended an interest as sole heire to her Brother saying that those fees were as well Feminine as Masculine as it did appeare by the succession which Iohn Earle of Henault had after the death 〈◊〉 Iohn Earle of Holland sonne to Cont Floris the 5. adiudged the said Earledomes anâ—… siegneories to the Lady Marguerite his wife This being done the same yeare 1346. the said Empresse being well accompanied with Princes Earles Barons Knights Ladies and Gentlewomen went downe by the Rhine into Holland where she was honourably receiued in all places with great pompe and acknowledged Lady and Princesse of the said Countries of Holland Zeeland and Friseland Hauing receiued their homages and fealties she did greatlie increase their liberties and freedomes and made a truce for two yeares with the Bishop of Vtrecht She did make forfeit all the goods which the Frisons might haue in her Countries of Holland Zeeland and West-Friseland whereof the Earles had beene long in quiet possession aswell Ecclesiasticall as Temporall the which she sould to diuers persons without any future hope of recouerie or restitution by reason of the death of Cont William her Brother Among other Cleargie goods there was solde the Village and siegneorie of Marcke belonging to the Abbay of Marien-garde of the order of Premonstrez scituated in Friseland which the Abbot and Couent had bought of Nicholas of Persâ—… Lord of Waterlandt This Empresse Marguerite had by the Emperor Lewis of Bauraia her husband one sonne called William which was the eldest Albert the second and Lewis the yongest called the Romaine for that he was borne at Rome during the time of her husbands coronation which three sonnes were all intituled Dukes of Bauaria not that
receiued them into grace And then without any losse of his men being laden with spoile he returned into Holland But the yeare following they reuolted againe and came with great troups into West-Friseland the which obeied the Earle and therefore it was called North-Holland besieging the towne of Alcmar the which they did with such speed as the Earle could not haue his armie readie in time to hinder them before they had forced the towne and slaine all that they found within it burning it and rasing it to the ground carrieng away with them the best of their wealth many prisoners and all their cattell Then marching on they came into the countrie of Kennemers spoyling burning and killing all that made any resistance From thence they marched as farre as Egmont where they burnt the Abbie and descending lower committing dayly a thousand insolencies they came to besiege the towne and castle of Leiden thinking to carrie it at their first approch as they had done Alcmar but the vicount of Leiden a valiant knight with the helpe of the inhabitants made head against them sending to Cont Thierry that hee should come speedily to succour them else they should not possibly hold out long The Earle who had no need of any persuasions to hasten his resolution hearing in what danger those of Leiden were flies thither with his armie being assisted by the lord of Borssell and other great personages appointing the Frisons a day and place for battaile to attend him in open field But the Frisons refusing a limitted day desired to fight presently assuring themselues of the victorie relying vpon their multitudes of men The Earle hauing vnited all his forces together although the Frisons had double his number yet hee issued out of Leiden and went to charge them At the first incounter the battaile was very furious and doubtfull the Hollanders fighting for their liues wiues children houses and goods and the Frisons for honor and victorie In the end the Frisons not able any longer to endure the furious charges of the Hollanders seeing so many of their men slain and their brethren kinsfolks and friends lieng dead before them they began to faint and to flie away for their owne safeties in the which slight there was so great a slaughter made of the Frisons as very few returned to their owne houses for they were slaine euery where as they fled and there was no pittie had of them by reason of the great spoiles which they had committed in all the countrey where they had past This battaile was fought vpon the same place where as since the abbie of Rhinsburg neere vnto Leiden was built Thus the Earle subdued the Frisons with great effusion of blood forcing them to yeeld vnto the yoke and to submit themselues vnder his obedience in such sort as he constrained them to make their doores and the entries into their houses so low as they must bend their backs and stoupe very much in signe of humilitie before they could enter Then they tooke a new oath of fealtie as to their liege lord and Soueraigne with all such honor and respect as the case required The yeare following the Earle caused a Temple to be built in the place where the defeat had bene giuen the which he dedicated vnto S. Laurence where since the ladie Petronelle Countesse of Holland did erect a conuent of religious virgins of the order of S. Benet Cont Thierry hauing bene thus reuenged of the Frisons he caused the Abbie of Egmont to be reedified at leisure his father did at the first build it of wood but hee caused it all to bee made of masons worke and in steed of Religious women he placed monks of the same Order translating the nuns vnto a place called Bennenbroeck in the village of Hemsteed neere vnto the towne of Harlem commaunding they should not receiue any nâ—…w into their societie to the end that when they were all dead the goods possessions and renenues of their foundation should returne vnto the monkes of the abbie of Egmont whereof Monebaldus was the first abbot This earle Thierry the second hauing raigned a long time peaceably after his subduing of the Frisons left the counties of Holland and Zeeland more flourishing than euer so as being fourskore and eight yeres old after that he had raigned about fiftie years he gaue vp his soule to God leauing two sonnes Egbert the eldest and Arnold who succeeded his father for some reasons that I will presently specifie 3 Arnoldus Hollandiae I was as you me see when I espous'd my wife The Gâ—…ecian Emperour Thophans child the sâ—…lace of my liâ—… The lands of Brederode to hir I did assure And 〈◊〉 one of my youngest 〈◊〉 fâ—…r â—…uer to indurâ—… Thâ—… 〈◊〉 salsâ—… proâ—…d 〈◊〉 come And though ly valour I had put them to extremitie Yet â—…dst of 〈◊〉 it was my cruell chaâ—…ce to die And in the Abbie of Egmont my corpt â—…e câ—…d doth lie ARNVLPH OR ARNOLD THIRD Earle of Holland and Zeeland and Lord of Friseland ARNOLD after the death of Cont Thierry his father the second of that name succeeded in the countries of Holland and Zeeland as also in the siegneorie of Friseland He had to wife the ladie Lutgard daughter to Theophanes emperour of Greece of whom he had one sonne called as his grandfather Thierry the third of that name who succeeded him This Cont Arnold had an elder brother called Egbert who hauing ben sent in ambassage by his father to the archbishop of Treues toucht with zeale to religion and mooued with deuotion hee professed himselfe a monke of the order of S. Benet and sending backe vnto his father the dispatches of his embassage by the noblemen that did accompanie him he remained in the cloister Afterwards by the decease of the said archbishop of Treues he was chosen archbishop where he gouerned some yeares and hauing repaired the churches which the Danes had ruined and prophaned he died and was interred in the church which he had built and dedicated to S. Andrew Cont Arnold obtained of the emperour Otho the third to hold the earledomes of Holland and Zeeland with the siegneorie of Friseland in fee of the Empire and no more of the crown of France In his time there appeared a very fearefull comet there were great eclipses both of sunne and moone red as blood with horrible earthquakes there fell a fire from heauen as big as a great tower the which burnt long then followed so great and violent a plague as the liuing died in burying of the dead This earle had all the time of his reigne continuall warre with the Frisons refusing to submit themselues vnder his obedience the fift yere of his reign he leuied a great armie of his subiects in Holland to subdue the Frisons and force them to obedience as he had done the first yeare of his reigne The two armies approching one vnto the other in open field neere vnto
Winckell a furious battaile was fought wherein the Hollanders hauing the worst cont Arnold with a great number of the chiefe of his nobilitie were slaine in the yeare 993 the day after S. Lambert which was the eighteenth of October hauing gouerned Holland and Zeeland fiue yeares after the decease of his father he is interred in the abbie of Egmont by his father and grandfather leauing his eldest sonne Thierry the third for his successor in the said earledomes Hee had also another sonne called Ziffrid the Frisons call him Sicco who being fallen in disgrace with his father to auoid his displeasure went voluntarily into exile into the countrie of Friseland where he was courteously receiued by Gosso Ludingama then Potestat or gouernour of the Frisons with whose daughter he fell in loue and married hir without the priuitie of the earle his brother of whome hee had two sonnes the eldest he called Thierry by his grandfathers name and Simon Afterward Ziffrid being reconciled to his father was made his lieutenant in the quarter of Kennemerland and had for his part a portion of land measured with the great yard the word of Breede-roede signifieng a Great Yard so as euer since the siegneorie of the said Ziffrid hath retained the name of Brederode vnto this day His father did also giue him the castell of Theylingen the which Ziffrid did giue and bequeath vnto Simon his yoongest sonne from whome discended the familie of Theylingen at this present quite extinct by the death of two brethren which remained the which were both slaine in battaile by the Frisons with Cont William of Hainalt the fourth of that name their prince as wee shall hereafter see and how that also by the like accident of war we haue seene die without leauing any issue foure braue knights of the house of Brederode being yet in the flower of their youth not any one remaining of that house at this day but three bretheren the eldst Walrauen lord of BREDERODE baron of Vianen and of Ameyden Florent the second brother lately deceased left one sonne lord of Cloetinghen heire apparent of the whole house and Maximilian the youngest who liues in Brabant There are many of the same house bearing the same surname and armes but broken gentlemen come of bastards The Epitaph of this earle Arnold preserued with many others in the ruines of the said abbie of Egmont whereas most of the earles of Holland haue bene interred hauing bene recouered by me although it be but grossely composed as also the rest that follow yet could I not omit them for that they shewed their antiquitie the which is not wholy to be reiected Such was the Epitaph of the said earle and the ladie Lutgard his wife Gloria carnalis pernicibus euolat alis Et quasi non fuerit cum moriente perit Hic Comes Arnulphus patrioe tutela sepultus Expectat requiem Iudicijque diem Iste venustauit hac sancta locumque beauit Terris mancipijs oedibus Ecclesijs Qui bis septenas Octobre rotante Calendas Hostili gladio transijté medio Laudibus meritò similis Lutgarda marito Complexu fedei consepelitur ei Per tauri sydus ternas Maius regit Idus Dum Comitissa pijs fungitur exequijs This Countesse Lutgarda wife to Cont Arnold and daughter to Theophanes Emperour of Constantinople and of Greece died in the month of May but I find not in what yeare She lies by hir husband in the abbie that was of Egmont THIERRY THE THIRD OF THAT name sonne to Cont ARNOLD was fourth Earle of Holland Zeeland and Lord of Friseland 4 Theodoricus Tertius This THIERRY to reuenge his fathers death in hast With forces great to Freeseland marcht and laid the countrie wast Saâ—…ked the townes and slue the towns-men cruelly And made the bishop of Vtrecht his prisoner valiantly On pilgrimage he went vnto the Holy land And there the Turkes in Palestine did mightily withstand And being home return'd vnto his spouse most true At six and fortie yeares of age did yeeld to death his due THIERRY the third of that name after the death of Cont Arnold his father was in number the fourth Earle of Holland and Zeeland and lord of Friseland Being come vnto the Principalitie he demaunded homage of the Frisons the which being denied him dissembling the discontent and the desire of reuenge he had for his fathers death he then surceased to make any further question attending some fitter opportunitie He tooke to wife in his fathers life time Withild daughter to the emperour Otho the second duke of Saxe whome he had of his second wife daughter to the Marquis of Austria Of which Withild Cont Thierry had two sonnes the eldest was called as his father and the fourth of that name earle of Holland the second was Floris earle of East-Friseland who after the death of his brother without children succeeded in the said counties of Holland Zeeland and siegneorie of Friseland After the death of Anfrid the 18 bishop of Vtrecht issued from the race of Charlemagne Adelbold descended from Manson a nobleman of the countrie of Friseland was chosen Bishop for his great knowledge as well in Diuinitie as in other liberall arts hee had bene Councellor to the emperour Henry the second he was the first bishop that began to aduance himselfe and to make war against the Hollanders For when as Thierry the third earle of Holland had liued some time in rest and peace and that Walbold deane of the Cathedrall church of Vtrecht was made bishop of Liege who before had bene chiefe chancellor to Adelbold dissuading him stil from all attempts of warre this Walbold being thus retired to his bishoprike Adelbold desirous of alterations would needs without any colour make warre against the Earle and the Hollanders The causes and motiues of this war were That Adelbold had animated the Frisons and fortified them to rise rebell against Cont Thierry their naturall lord moreouer this bishop had aduaunced a gentleman called Didier Bruno to bee earle of Bodegrauen and of Suvamerdam who did greatly wrong and oppresse the Hollanders his neighbours wherupon Cont Thierry went with his troups to assaile him and hauing defeated him in battaile hee expelled him by force out of his siegneorie The bishop bearing it impatiently to see his vassall thus expelled leuied an armie with an intent to restore him by force so the 9 of Iune in the yeare 1018 the bishop hauing brought his men to field betwixt Bodegraue Suvamerdam the earle Thierry went to charge them being accompanied by his brother Ziffrid lieutenant of Kennemerland by Iohn lord of Arkel the siegneor Iohn of Persin the vicount of Leyden and many other braue knights and gentlemen But this incounter proued vnfortunat for the bishop wherin he was defeated and put to rout There died on his side among the most remarkable Wyger Aduoe that is to say Aduocat generall of the diocesse of Vtrecht
being iealous of their libertie would no longer obey his lieutenants and officers of iustice nor receiue any commandements from them The Earle being much moued at this contempt went with an armie to reduce them vnto reason Beeing entred into the countrey some yong gentlemen of his armie being lodged in a village called Schoerle went with some few souldiers to discouer their enemies The Frisons lying in ambush brake forth and hauing compassed them in on euerie side they slew many the most apparant of them were Simon of Anuers William of Voorhout Baldwin of Harlem Floris Roesschen Gerard Drossart Allard of Egmont Bruyn of Castrichom Euert of Noortwick Gerard of Monstre all knights the which were drawne from among the dead and buried in the Abbey of Egmont After this vnfortunate skirmish Cont Floris hauing fortified his armie hee went himselfe in person against the Frisons whom hee did wonderfully destroy to reuenge the death of his knights his souldiers killing all they could incounter both men and women The Frisons seeing their owne miserie submitted themselues to his mercie and promised vnder their hands and seales neuer to rebell against him nor his successors the which they held not long Being thus reduced vnto reason the Earle returned into Holland where hee liued the remainder of his dayes in peace In the yeare 1131 the regular Monks of Middelbourg in Zeeland were for their disordred life expelled their Couent by Gombault bishop of Vtrecht who placed other Monks there that came from Antuerpe which was to change a pour-blind man for one that had no sight the said town of Middelbourg being then but a village with a castle which they cald Burcht but by little and little they began to wall it in by reason of the ordinarie incursions which the Flemings made into the isle of Walchren And the other islands began to erect seigniories among the which that of the family of Borssele as the most antient of all was the most aduanced and rich in lands In the yeare 1133 Prince Floris Earle of Holland and Zeeland Lord of Friseland hauing gouerned his countries in peace except the troubles of Friseland for the space of 31 yeares died the sixt of the Nones of March leauing three sons and one daughter as we haue said This Prince exceeded all his predecessors in wealth state and liberalitie aboue all hee was a great giuer of almes of a quiet disposition and very considerat before he entred into any warre For said he that Prince which loueth his subiects will not rashly vndertake a warre if hee bee not forced He is buried in the Abbey of Egmont by his fathers whose Epitaph was found as followeth O Florens species lege cerne quid citò fies Quod teres tumuli forma decet tituli Floruit vt palma serie Florentius alma Cultor Iustitiae iura tuendo piae Duxerat vxorem claram Regisque sororem Ambo praeclari parbenè iuncta pari Larga manus dantis altar sacrum venerantis Donis non minimis praecipuè decimis Tempus ei pacis labor est victoria Patris Attulit optato suppede Marte dato Quum senas nonas Sol martis tempore donas Contigit hanc lucem morte mutare ducem THIERRY THE SIXT OF THAT name and twelfth Earle of Holland and Zeeland Lord of Friseland THIERRY espoused the daughter of the Earle PALATINE SOPHIA cald that trauailed with him in Palestine Where wearied with long â—…yle it was 〈◊〉 to die Twice in one day the Frisons he subdued valiantly Vtrecht he did besiege and ruled fortie yeare And in the Abbey of 〈◊〉 his bones â—…rred 〈◊〉 Intombed with a diademe of thornes the which the King Of Idumeas ensigne was which he from thence did bring THIERRY the sixt of that name son to Floris the second was twelfth Earle of Holland and Zeeland and Lord of Friseland who tooke to wife the ladie Sophia daughter to Otho Palatin of Rhin of whom he had foure sons Floris the 3. that succeeded him Otto Earl of Benthem Baldwin bishop of Vtrecht and Peregrin Vicont of Montfort with three daughters Sophia that was abbesse of Fontenelle Hedewic that was a religious woman there and Petronelle who was a faire and louely lady but I know not to whom she was maried He had also one bastard called Robert of Holland We haue formerly said That in the yeare 1086 the Emperour Henry the 4. vpon sleight suggestions had giuen the counties of Oostergoe and Westergoe in Friseland to Conrard bishop of Vtrecht which Marques Egbers had giuen to the bishopricke of Vtrecht to hold them of the empire during the time that he was competitor with the Emperour Henry but Lothaire vncle by the mothers side to this cont Thierry the 6 reuoked this donation as soon as he came to the empire after Henry as purchased vnlawfully by stealth restoring those two quarters of Oostergoc Westergoe with the seuen Forests in the which three parts consists al Friseland vnto Cont Thierry his nephew annexing them to the estate of the Earles of Holland Who so desires to know the limits of these three iurisdictions of Oostergoe Westergoc and the seuen Forests let him read our particular description of Holland Zeeland Vtrecht Friseland Oueryssell and Gronningue which are sixe Prouinces of the vnited Estates of the Netherlands gouerned by Prince Maurice of Nssaau and Cont William of Nassau his cosin In the yeare 1132 the Frisons rebelled againe against Cont Thierry whom hee suffered in the beginning but the Winter following during the sharpest frosts when as the ice did serue as a bridge to passe ouer all riuers and marisâ—…es where with that countrey doth abound the Earle went with an armie to reduce them vnto reason The Frisons beeing nothing amazed went to incounter him with all their forces had in one day two battailes against the Hollanders in both which they were defeated with such losse of their men as the number of the dead could not be knowne After this victorie the Earle returned triumphing into his country of Holland and his men laden with spoile and prisoners The said Cont Thierry as we haue said had one brother called Floris the black a bold man and proud who whether that he enuied the estate and prosperitie of his brother or for some other priuat and domesticke quarrell the which is easily kindled among great men through iealousie or otherwise falling into difference one with another he retired himself out of Holland to the Frisons who complained of the excessiue impositions and charges that they were forced to beare to whom Floris was verie welcome hearing of the hatred that was betwixt his brother and him making him their General with whom he entred into Holland ruining all the Castles and places of strength in the earledome euen vnto Harlem hee spoiled the towne of Alcmar and all the villages round about the which they did daily and at night they returned laden with spoile
his countries thirteene whole yeares in continuall warres In his time there flourished in Holland Didier bishop of Vtrecht Otto Earle of Benthem and Peregrin Lieutenant of the Countie of Holland al three his vncles brethren to Cont Floris who was father to Cont Thierry and Robert also his bastard vncle then William Earle of East-Friseland Floris Prouost of Vtrecht and Robert Earle of Kennemerlandt his brethren Henry of Geldre husband to Adella the eldest daughter to Cont Thierry William Lord of Brederode Hugues Lord of Teylingen and William his sonne Seignior of Leck Robert of Heusden and Altena issued from the Earles of Holland with a great number of knights squires This Epitaph of the said Cont Thierry the seuenth of that name was found in the Abbey of Egmont Terricus iacet hic peperit quem filia Regis Ada Comes Comitem genuit Florentius istum Quiclausus tumulo virtutum pondere micans Siccatur meritâ—…que doles Hollandia tantum Amisisse virum per quem suffulta labores Insidias rabidos sopisti tuta tumultus Quem pietas quem ver a fides probit are magistra Virtutumque cohors tutum seruauit inermem Soluitur in cineres corpus soluitque tributum Carnis antiquae redit ad primordia matris Hic binas nonas voluente Nouembre relinquens Exilium mundi sanctis conregnat in astris And vpon his Tombe were grauen these foure verses Hic Terrice iaces Comes care regia â—…stus Mortetua populus largus discretus honestus Et fortis bellatâ—…r er as victorque mâ—…destus Milite pro tanto fundantur cum prece quaestus ADA CONTESSE OF HOLLAND and Zeeland the fifteenth in the gouernment of the said Earledomes Ada Theodorici Septimi Filia This ADA did possesse her predecessors wealth But'gainst her fathers will did matchin mariage by stealth With one vâ—…worthie her though mother was content But as it after did appeare God seemed discontent And did within one yeare bereaue her of her life Who dead her husband sought to claime th' inheritance of his wife But the Cont WILLIAM with great power did him withstand As heire vnto his neece deceast and draue him out the land ADA daughter to Cont Thierry the seuenth succeeded her father and was the fifteenth commaunding in Holland and Zeeland as Contesse but she gouerned these Countries but one yere and died without children During the sicknesse of Cont Thierry the father Lewis Earle of Loos to whom Ada had beene promised in mariage by the mother was in the castle of Altena where hee attended newes of the fathers death The Contesse Adella presently after the decease of her husband sent to Lewis to come to Dordrecht with al speed the which she did and there he gaue him her daughter in mariage and in steed of a funerall pompe there were feasts and nuptiall banquets deferring the obsequies till after the mariage which being consummated and all the feasts ended the body of Cont Thierry was with small pompe and ceremonie caried and interred in the abbey of Egmont William Earle of East-Friseland hauing intelligence of the death of his brother came vnto Zipe with an intent to assist and mourâ—…â—…e funerall yet would he not passe on before he had demaunded a safe conduct from the Contesse and those of her Councell the which was denied him yet he stayed in that place vntill the funerals were ended which done he returned into Friseland His kinsfolkes and good friends in Holland as Floris Prouost Cathedrall of Vtrecht his brother Otto Earle of Benthem and his sonne Ieams Chastelain of Leyden Philip of Wassenare William of Theylinghen Iohn of Ryswicke Gualter of Egmont and Albert Bauiart knights and other gentlemen well affected vnto him shewed themselues discontented that they should be gouerned by a woman and a poore Earle to whom they held themselues nothing inferior they therefore made a league among themselues not to endure the gouernment of her nor her husband This done they secretly sent a man of marke on their behalfes into Friseland to Cont William giuing him to understand of their resolution and alliance and that without all feare he should come and ioyne with them at the abbey of Egmont where they would attend him Cont William departed out of Friseland as couertly as he could but for want of a good wind to carry him into Holland or it may be the better to informe and assure himselfe of their intentions he put to land in Zeeland at Zirixee in the Island of Schouven where he was receiued and imbraced by them of the countrey and by the Lords of Borsele of Croningen and others who acknowledged him for their prince and Earle of Zeeland In the meane time Gualter of Egmont and Albert Bauiart accompanied with the Kennemers entred the towne of Harlem and tooke armes against the Earle of Loos the lady Adella widow do wager to Cont Thierry whom they forced with M. Ghysbrecht of Amstell to flie by night and to retire themselues to Vtrecht The young Contesse Ada remained there a while but in the end she retired also beeing accompanied by Roger Vander Meer Otto van venzen and many other knights and gentlemen of the Earle of Loos his traine comming all amazed to the towne of Leyden there to maintain themselues against their enemies as in a place of refuge and safetie the Kennemers being in armes with Gualter of Egmont their Commaunder pursued the young Contesse and those of her traine euen into the said towne where also was Philip of Wassenarewho with his Rhynlanders ouer whom hee was captaine besieged the Bourg so straitly as the besieged were constrained to yeeld for want of victuals Cont William who was then in Zeeland hearing that the Earle of Loos and the Contesse Dowager had saued themselues in Vtrecht and that the yong Contesse Ada was staied in Leyden he came speedily into Holland the which by the assistance of his friends he tooke wholly vnto himselfe disposing of their goods that had beene opposite unto his will then he caused the young Contesse his niece to be conducted with an honourable traine and good intreatie into the Isle of Texel vnder his iurisdiction of Friseland The Earle of Loos being thus chased away meditating of the meanes to be reuenged hee inuited to his succour the bishop of Liege his brother Iohn duke of Lembourg and the Earle of Flanders his kinsmen relying much vpon the bishop of Vtrecht whom hee woon with 2000. marks of siluer and a promise that if he remained victor and in quiet possession hee would hold the Earledome of Holland in fee of the bishopricke of Vtrecht the bishop of Liege being his caution for the performance thereof Cont William hauing notice of the forces which the Earle of Loos prepared to recouer Holland he appointed Gualter of Egmont and Albert Bauiart to be chiefe of the Kennemers and Philip of Wassenare and the Seignior of Theylinghen to commaund the Rhynlanders and he
afterwards another garboile in South-Holland which was that Allant bayliffe of Dordrecht meaning to make some secret informations of some crimes committed in the towne he required the Sherifes to assist and to sit with him in iudgement Whereunto it was answered him That it was against the lawes and priuiledges of the towne if in any thing great or small they should appeare in iustice without their Escoutette yet without preiudice to their authoritie and rights that in fauour of iustice they would assist not as Iudges but as Commissaries and Informers The information being begun Cont Iohn arriued with Wolphard of la Vere who demaunded the names of the offendors to doe iustice as hee should thinke good The bourgesses answered that by their priuiledges all offences committed in the towne should be also punished there The Earle discontented at this answere departed suddenly to la Haye The magistrats of Dordrecht hearing of his discontent sent some of the chiefe of the towne vnto him with offer to yeeld him a reason of the answer they had made him whereupon the Earle appointed them a day in the towne of Delft where being assembled the lord of la Vere speaking for the Earle made a discourse of what was past The Sherifes of Dordrecht answered That it had bin decreed with the baylife that any thing which happened within the towne should be ended by the Sherifes and the Escoutette by no other Iudges Whereupon the baylife said That they had lyed and that if there were any one that would maintaine it he would fight with him At these words one of the magistrats of Delft stept vp and said That it was not fit to expose the rights and priuiledges of any town to the hazard of a single combat thereby to make them fruitlesse and of no force Whereunto the lord of la Vere replied You my masters of Delft trouble not your selues with my lord the Earles affaires he knowes best what he is to do and without any other conclusion euery one retired discontented Soone after the Earle proscribed the towne of Dordrecht which is as much as to declare them guiltie of high treason as Witten of Hamstede bastard of Holland was in the castle of Putten and Nicholas de Cats at Ablasserdam Allant baylife of Dordrecht went to Slydrecht with many men and built a fort vpon the ditch that nothing might passe They of Dordrecht made choice of foure men among them that were valiant wise and temperat whom they made their captaines to whom they committed all the charge and conduct of this apparent warre writing to all the townes of Holland and Zeeland intreating them not to make too much hast to oppresse them seeing that the like might one day happen vnto them through the great libertie of some who abusing the youth and bountie of their prince did attribute vnto themselues the whole gouernment Whilest that Wolphard of la Vere a violent and seuere man would haue surcharged the Hollanders with some new imposition and extraordinarie customes disposing moreouer of all things at his pleasure he became odious â—…o many Once among the rest the Earle being at 〈◊〉 Hayeâ—… as also the lord of la Vere was there happened a tumult betwixt the said lord â—…f la Verâ—… and soâ—… noblemen and gentlemen of Holland running vp and down the strcets and 〈◊〉 Where is our enemie How long shall we suffer our selues to be braued and ill â—…ted by him Let vs goe and spoyle him and let vs see what all those practises which he â—…ath made â—…oppresse vs will auaile him Lâ—… Vere hearing this rumour kept himselfe close and the 〈◊〉 morning by the breake of day departed from la Haye with Cont Iohn went to Sâ—…dam there to imbarkt and to passe by the riuer of Meuse into Zeeland but the Hollanders peâ—… it pursued him and forced him to returne the respect of the Princes presence restâ—…g them 〈◊〉 offering him any further violence then they led their Earle and the said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Delft oâ—… here fearing that they would 〈◊〉 â—…ther him he fled into a high house built of free stone at the corner of a stâ—…ect called Choorstroet before the which there presently gathered together a multitude of people crying confusedly that they should deliuer Wolphard els they would burne the house and all that were within it They that were within the house with him fearing their liues tooke Wolphard who was not armed and cast him out from the highest windowes into the street where he was presently murthered and cut in pieces the which afterwards bred great quarrels betwixt the Nobilitie of Holland and Zeeland At the same time the bayliffe Allant hauing feare of them of Dordrecht had fled into the castle of Crayensteyn and hauing lost the lord of la Vere who was his chiefe support the commons of the towne went to besiege them seeing no meanes to escape them he went willingly to yeeld himselfe into his enemies hands who after they had reuiled him they put him into a barke and caried him to Dordrecht but he had no sooner set foot on land but hee was murthered by the people and his brother with him In the yeare 1300 Cont Iohn of Holland being at Harlem fell sicke whereof hee died the fourth of the Calends of Nouember after that he had gouerned his Countries of Holland Zeeland and West-Friseland about foure yeares He was the first of all the Earles of Holland that died without children and had not receiued the order of Knighthood in whom failed the line of Earles issued from the masculine line of the dukes of Acquitaine the which from Thierry the first Earle had continued 437 yeares He was interred in the abbey of Rhinsburg and by his death those Countries fell to the Earles of Henault issued by the mothers side from the Earles of Holland The Lady Elizabeth his widow was caried backe into England and afterwards married to the Earle of Oxford After the death of Cont Iohn Ghisbrecht of Amstel returned into Holland and did againe possesse the village of Amsterdam which he began to fortifie and to build many bridges and towers about the wals those of Harlem and the Waterlanders went thither with an army chased away Ghisbrecht set fire on the town burnt all the bridges and towers of wood and then ruined the rest We haue said before that when as the lord of Brederode and the noblemen of Holland went to fetch Cont Iohn out of England they led with them the gyant Klaes van Knyten as a strange and monstrous thing You must vnderstand that this gyant was borne in a village called Sparenwonde neere to Harlem his father and mother were of an ordinarie stature yet no man might bee compared vnto him for the tallest men of all Holland might stand vnder his arme and not touch him and yet there are commonly seene euen at this day very tal men in that countrey he would couer foure ordinary soles of
their departure was made Gouernour of all the Neitherlands in the Kings absence and recommended his sonnes Charles and Ferdinand to the Ladie Marguerite his sister Douwager of Sauoy The French King hearing that they tooke their way by Sea and would not passe through France he sent Philip of Cleues Earle of Neuers and the bishop of Paris vnto them in Ambassage requiring first That the marriage which had beene concluded betwixt Prince Charles their sonne and the Lady Claude of France the Kings daughter should bee diasnulled and made voyde for that the Princes of the blood and the Parliament did not thinke it conuenient And for the second point That the King of Castile should not attempt any thing vpon the Soueraigne iurisdiction of Flanders in ciuill causes and in Arthois touching Appellations both in Ciuill and Cryminall causes The which was wholy granted These Ambassadours dispatcht away King Philip and Queene Iane of Castile his wife accompanied with a goodly traine of Princes Noble-men Princesses and great Ladyes parted in the ende of the yeare 1505. from Antwerp and came into Zee-land where waying anchor at Arnmuyden the day after tweft day 1506 they went to Sea with a rich and mightie Fleet of shippes but they had not beene long at Sea before that there did rise a great tempest of winde snowe and such mists as being long before they knew what course they went they were hourely in great danger to perrish in the Sea Euery man wondered that in the depth of winter they would commit themselues to the danger and perrill of the Sea GOD letting them for to vnderstand that the greatest Kings and Princes are subiect vnto these dangers as well as the poorest Marryners but he preserued them and they put to land at Weymouth in the West part of England all the rest of the fleet was so dispersed as they knew not what was become of them whereof some shippes were cast away Henrie the seauenth King of England hearing of their being in the Harbour sent some of his Princes to receiue them in his name and to intreat them to come on land and refresh themselues whether he himselfe went and entertained them very louingly shewing them all the delights hee could and giuing them many goodly presents to make them forget their troubles past at sea At one time King Henry intreated King Philip that he would deliuer him the Earle of Suffolk who as we haue sayd was taken with the bastard of Geldres in the Castell of Hattem King Philip after great importunity vpon promise that King Henry should not touch his life consented that the Earle of Suffolke should be brought into England the which did much discontent many good men He was kept in the Castell of Namur from whence hee was brought and deliuered to the King of England who caused him to be lodged in the Tower of London Afâ—…er that King Philip and the Queene his wife had stayed for a faire season from their landing which was in Ianuary vnto the 24. of March they put to sea and hauing a prosperous winde they arriued soone after at the Groyne from whence they went to visit the râ—…licks of Saint Iames in Compostella going from thence towards Castille where they were royally receiued by all the Princes and Noblemen of Spaine The King of Castille had no sooner left the Netherlands but the Geldrois went to horsbacke against the treaty made at Roosendael falling vpon those townes and places which by the sayd treaty remained to the King of Castille among the rest vpon Groll and Waganengen the which they tooke running from them into Holland and Brabant The lord of Cheures hauing leauied an army went and besieged the sayd towne of Wagenengen but it was furnished with such good men which made continuall sallies vpon his campe as in the end seeing that he preuailed nothing he retired his army In August the same yeare 1506. there appered a Comete which did rise at the North-east and did set in the North-west drawing the taile which was great and large in forme of a rod towards the West the which was seene eighteene daies togither In the same moneth there was a poore woman in Holland betwixt the villages of Beuerwic and Vyc vpon the sea great with child and readie to bee deliuered Fifteene daies before her lying downe the fruite that was in her won be â—…as heard almost continually to cry and lament The which many worthy men for a greater approbation of the truth went daylie to heare it and since haue certified it Whereof some learned men in Philosophy and the Mathematiks haue diuersly written inferring that the crying of this child with the Comete did pronosticate the death of the â—…ing of Castille Pâ—…ince of the Netherlands and the great miseries which haue since happened in Holland and other of the sayd Prouinces The King and Queene of Castille beeing arriued in Spaine went from one Realme vnto an other and from oâ—…e cittie vnto an other to take possession according to the Preuiledges and customes of places Although that the King Don Fernando of Arragon father to the Qâ—…eene offred to King Philip 500000. ducates a yeare to remaine in the lowe countries and not to come into Spaine yet hee and his wife would goe and themselues in person end the controuersie that was by reason of the succession of the deceased Queene Isabella betwixt them and the King Don Ferdinando their father The which they did and Philip in the right of his wife was acknowledged King of Castille Leon Grenado c. But he enioyed it not long for the 27 of September in the same yeare 1506. he died sodenly in the citty of Bourgos not without suspition of poison being but 28. yeares old He desired before his death that his heart might be carried and buried at Ierusalem ioyning to that of the dâ—…ke of Bourgongnes his great grandfather the which was done His bowells were carried to Bruges in Flanders and his body was interred in a Couent of Chartreux Monks called Amesâ—…ur vpon a mountaine without the citty of Bourgos The Lady Iane his widoe was with child of a daughter whereof she was afterwards deliuered The newes of the death of this Prince caused great mourning and heauines throughout all the Netherlands fearing other troubles and reuolts by reason of the warre betwixt the duke of Geldres and them Those which at that time pretended to knowe the affaires of State sayd that the marriage which the Archduke Philip made with the Lady Iane of Castille was vnhappie for the Netherlands not for the miseries which the Spaniards haue of late yeares brought in and which the countries haue suffred for they could not fore-see these things so long before but for the great charges wherwith they were burthened to enter into those realmes of Spaine with a rich and stately pompe the which he did by the councell of his wife to impouerish the said countries