Duke of Aquitain Holland and that part of East-Friezland from Dockum to Laâ—vin to defend and protect them from the Invasions and Devastations of the Danes and Normans who notwithstanding their general opposition at his entrance for they were then impatient of Government their joynt Conspiracy against him six years after his settlement when the Pope intimating how he should govern them by cutting the top of his Garden-Plants as he walked there with his Embassadors bestowed that Country upon him a second time by a breve as Lewis of Germany did Zealand by a Royal constitution left it to his son Thierry the Second who subdued the Frizons after two rebellions in behalf of their Liberties granted them as they pretended by Charti magni to entire obedience in such sort as he constrained them to make their doors and entries so low that they must bend their backs and stoop very much in sign of humility before they could enter and committed them upon his death to his second Son Arnold as he did Holland and Zealand to his eldest Son Egbert having entred to a Monestery at Triars by whom a Revolt was made from his bounden duty to the French to a submission to the Empire of whom he would needs hold his Earldom in Fee which lost him his life in a Battel against the Friezlanders who opposed that dishonourable submission and with the assistance of the French and the conduct of their Protestat or Governor defeated him in open field whose Son and Successor Thiery the 3d dissembling the affront a while until â—he had conquered the stout Bishop of Vtrecht who would needs maintain that Holland belonged to his Bishoprick his Vtrecht being in old time as he urged what with his Army and what with his Reason the Capital City of Holland and relieved the German Auxilianies revenged his Fathers death and settled the Countrey on his younger son Floris who his elder Brother Thiery being slain at a Tournament at Leige say some 1048 or as others by the Marquesse of Bradenburgh's Forces who came to revenge the Germans disgrace at that Tournament as far as Dort which by Treason or a Popular Tumult he surprized and kept till Earl Floris hearing of the League between the Marquesse of Bradenburgh Count Albert of Lovain Wickard Advocate General of Gelders and Hermar Earl of Curike gathered the whole Countrey to Dort to make Ditches and Pit-falls along South-Holland wherein the Enemies fell in heaps submitting at last to his mercy whose Family yet he leaving an Infant behind him was dispoyled of the Earldom of Holland by the Bishop of Dort's application to the Emperour H. 4 who resenting the late Onslaught of the Germans gave the Reverend Father his claimed Earldom which he colluted on Godfrey the 9th Earl thereof who yet lost it to Thierry the 5th whom the Friezlanders helped to his Predecessors honour in Holland as he did afterwards himself when they would neither acknolwedge him nor obey the Bishop to be Seigneory over them as his Heir Thoris the Second and the Earl did when they would needs bid him Battel to try as they said for their Liberties to whose Son and Successor Thierry the 6th Lothiar the Emperour restored Oastergoe and Westergoe in Friezland formerly given 1080. by H. 4 to Conrade Bishop of Vtrecht notwithstanding the rebellious attempts of the Frizons against it and the fatal Divisions made by that unhappy people between him and his Brother whom at last after six bloody Battels the Emperour reconciled settling Friezland and Holland anew upon his Son Floris the 3d who married Ada Daughter to the King of Scotland and had the Isle of Walâ—â—rin where they built Dur by accord with Philip Earl of Flanders for the Land of Waes in whose Reign the Hollanders set up the first Herring-fishing in the Mase and the Brittish-Seas along the Coast of Holland Zealand and Friezland in small Barkes called Subards those of Zerexes being the first that did fish and pack them up in Barrels Those of Bieruliel a small Isle on the Coast of Flanders the better to preserve them being salted invented the way to Gill them and pull out the Garbage Thierry the 7th his Son succeeded him and brought the Flemmings to an accord about Trade and the Frizons to Reason when they were in the mood to acknowledge no Soveraign but the Emperour and being reconciled to the Earl of Gelders joyned with him against the troublesom Bishop of Vtrech and his Brother William Earl of Friezland succeeded him likewise deposing his Daughter from Holland and reducing the Zealanders both which Provinces he left to his Son Floris the 4th whose Daughter Margaret Countess of Hennebergh had 365 Children at a Birth that is to say for so many dayes in the year After him was William the Second Earl of Holland of that name and King of the Romans who enlarged his Earldom towards â—landers in a Quarrel with Margaret Counâ—â—ss of Flanders who in vain sought the Pope and St. Lewis of France his aid while Earl William was alive who died unfortunately in Ice in an onset upon his restless Subjects of Friezland which was reduced by Floriâ— 5th who after the allaying of the Factions raised in Holland during his minority built four Castles that utterly subdued that Countrey made a League with Flanders that brought within his Earldom Amstel and Worden threatned a War with Scotland in right of his Grandmother Ada that with King Edward of England mediation was accorded in a marriage between his son Iohn and Elizabeth the Daughter of that Kingdom whence arose a great friendship between England Scotland and Holland And the Flemings suddenly breaking their League by a Surprize of Zealand by the Isle of Welchrin he subdued them so farr with the loss of so many Knights that he made 40 to possess and maintain his Conquests which yet prospered not when he for deflouring Count Gerund's Lady was murthered in a Ditch and the Frizons sent to the King of Denmark to be their Protector especially when upon Count Iohn's absence in England Floris his son and now the 20th Earl of Holland reigning the Government of Holland was divided between the Faction of Count Hedier of Clevis who governed North-Holland of Guy the Earl of Henaul's Brother who possessed South-Holland and of Berfold Surrogate to Zirich Bishop of Vtrich who revived the old Quarrel about Holland till King Iohn with a mighty Fleet of his Father in Laws the King of Englands 1297 defeated the Frizons twice with the Bishop that had preached a 1000 years Pardon to every Person that could kill a Hollander rased Mour Mount and settled the Faction at Dort But dying suddenly 1300 and leaving his Wife childless who returned to England and married the Earl of Oxford Gillis Brecht of Amstel seized and fortified Amsherdam The Factions of Scheirlingen and Ven Coopen brake out in Friezland and both maintained their Franckises and Liberties against the Emperours Lieutenant Albert D. of Saxony who came
to compose their differences and in the Inter regnum to settle their Government the Male Line of Thierry of Aquitane failing in Floris the fifth's son Iohn the Government fell to Iohn Earl of Henaut Nephew to William King of the Romans and Earl of Holland by Alix his Sister who now the 2 d Earl of Holland gave to his Brother Guy the Seigniories of Amsterdam upon which he conferred many Freedoms Rights and Priviledges with design to reduce Seignior Rhenez of Zealand to Reason with its assistance and this is the first time that Amsterdam gave Law to Zealand who presumed upon the Flemish and Imperial assistance so far as to overrun Holland till William the 22th Earl of Holland Iohn of Henault's son with the Lord of Humpstead's assistance reduced them and with 320 Ships of France confined Guy of Flanders to his own Bruges This good Earl William as they called him having married Charles de valois his Daughters Neece to Philip the Fair of France settled his Brother Iohn of Beaumont in Goud and Schoonborn and strengthened his Uncle Guy Bishop of Vtrech by a Fort he raised at Skellingwerf to bridle the unquiet Frizons adding to Holland the Seigniories of Amstel and Woerden while Charles the Fair of France was buâ—ie with the Flemish and the Emperour Lewis of Bavaria as busie with the Pope which he left to his son William the 23th Earl of Holland and Zealand who being allyed to Edward the 3d King of England troubled France and brought the troublesome West-Frizons 1345 to Reason and dying without lawful Issue returned his Government to his Sister Margaret then Empress and Wife to Lewis of â—avaria who being confirmed in the Earldom by her Husband in a full Diet solemnly taking the Earldoms Homage depute her son William under her Governour of Holland who being defeated by the Bishop of Vtrech and instigated by the Holland Faction of Cabillaux and Hoecks falls out with his Mother who her Husband being dead returned to the Government and after various successes in four Battels with her son gave it him upon condition he should reduce Vtrech and its Bishoprick which had troubled Holland with its pretensions for 260 years together as he did but dying childless left all to his Brother Albert of Bavaria who put the Towns and Castles in good hands reduced Delf and Gelders built Gildenburgh-Castle to secure the Sluices Weakned the Frizons reduced Vtrech defeated the Frizons again brought the Groeningeois to do Homage and Fealty Forced the rebellious Lord of Arleche to an accord married his 3d Daughter Margaret to Iohn Duke of Burgundy Earl of Flanders and Artois by whom she had Philip the good Duke of Burgundy Earl of Holland and Flanders and among many other children Joane Dutchess of Austria by whom came these Earldoms to the Emperour and the King of Spain After his death William af Bavaria his son and the 27th Earl of Holland and Zealand succeeded who was much troubled with the Lords of Arguel father and son and the Duke of Gelders to whom they had resigned their Interest until the Lord of Arguel being taken discovered all the Conspirators and particularly Count Egmond who thereupon yielded up his strong Fort Iselstein and retired till Jaqueline of Bavaria succeeded her father Albert the Factions called home Egmond contrived to displace Jaqueline and put in Iohn of Bavaria and Bishop of Leige in her place till the Pope dispensing with it she is married to Iohn Duke of Brabant by whose assistance she recovereth Gornchom of Count Egmond perswades the Hollanders and Zealanders to refuse Iohn of Bavaria and his pretended Grant from the Emperour insomuch that he was glad to come to termes with her Husband to hold some Lordships in Fee and quit all his Titles and Pretensions who after his death is declared Earl of Holland in right of his Wife in whose right he subdueth the old Faction of Cabillans and Hoeckins strengthneth Harlem takes Schoonhooen and brings the unhappy woman who had married now four times to declare Philip Duke of Burgundy Governour of Holland and after her death Earl which Earldom she resigned to him in her life time to ransom her 5th well-beloved Husband the Lord of Borselle from his hand Philip the first Duke of Burgundy and 20th Earl of Holland succeeding as right Heir by father and mother to the Government of Holland helped the Hollanders and Zealanders to chase the Easterlings now Lords at Sea in sign whereof they bear to this day a little Besom atop of their Main-mast to shew they had swept the Sea of all competitors 1431 and with much adoe composed the Tumults raised in Amsterdam Harlem and Leyden upon an intollerable imposition by the Faction of the Hooks and Cabellans whom at last he reconciled and awed by the institution of a first President the Earl of Nassau by promoting his Bastard David to the Bishoprick of Vtrech by suppressing the factious Family of Brederode By his League with the English and seasonable Resignation of his Government to his discontented son the Earl of Charolois during his sickness who subdued the Ligeois razed Dirvant succeeded his Father and Margaret Sister to Edward the 4th King of England in whose time printing was first invented at Harlem and as he had the name of warlike so he goes on bringing the tumultuous Ganthois to his mercy the mutinous Town of Macklyn to a Ransom the Leigeoix to a submission notwithstanding that it was the French Kings Embassadour that had incited them to rebel upon a promise of 30000 men at a mouths warning for which neighbourly part he was even with that King by assisting the Duke of Brittain against him and taking him Prisoner He resolves to ruine the House of Brederode to which purpose he brings many of them to the Rack He makes the sullen Frizons bring him white Paper wherein he should write his own termes He refuseth to answer King Lewis the 11th of France his Citation 1470 to Paris He brings that King to a Truce gets the Dukedom of Gelders resigned to him defies the Emperour Sigismond at Nevis and brought hâ—m to an advantageous Peace prospering in all his undertaking but that against the pitiful Swiâ—â—â— whose whole Countrey he said was not worth the Bits of his Bridle nor the spurs of his Army After which he was slain at Nantes leaving all his Dukedoms Earldoms and Lordships to his Daughter Mary who the King of France neglecting the marriage of the Dalphin to her was Contracted according to former Treaties in her Fathers life time to Maximilian of Austria the Emperour Frederick's Son by whom she had Phillip Arch-Duke of Austria who undertaking the Government in her Right after an Assembly held at Bruges reduced the revolted Gelders settled such Governours in Harlem Rotterdam Leyden and elswhere as might over-awe Egmond and the ancient Factions of Hoecks and Cabillaux subdued Vtrech and the trajectings as Guardian to his son Philip of Austria with whom he goeth
Army was so likely to moulder away for want of pay that she thought fit to intercede for the distressed States with his Majesty of Spain and Don John by the Lord Cobham and Sir Fracis Walsingham and when that failed a Religious Peace as they called it which the States-General consented to was settled which bred great jealousies in the Provinces where many were still stiff for Popery especially at Gaunt till the Queen of England declared against them and promised notwithstanding that Duke Casimer and the D. of Anjou retired in discontent to stand by the Protestant States to the utmost as she did effectually having brought the Estates first to stricter Union and Alliance at Vtrech 1579 than that before at Gaunt and afterwards to erect a Council of State for the management of affairs whose very first debate was a Consultation about the alteration of Government to shorten the War and engage some Person in their defence The next was the taking and demolishing of several strong Holds that had been too serviceable to the King of Spain But their affairs not prospering they resolve upon the Duke of Anjou as their Soveraign upon 27 Articles signed on both sides with Medals coyned whereon were these devices Leonem loris mus li erat Liber revinciri Leo pernegat Pro Christo grege lege Religione justitià reduce vocato ex Gulliâ pacatâ duce Andegariensi â—elgiae Libertatis vindice vos terrâ â—go excubo ponto 1580 Si non nobis saltem posteris And that being dispatched they agree upon Martial Discipline and relieve Steenwich under the conduct of Sir John Norris who victualled it and raised the Siege having given notice of it in Letters which he shot in his Bullets The States-General in the mean time answering the King of Spain's Proscription against the Prince of Orange and providing against the insolences of the Papists by a restraint upon the exercise of their Religion at Brussels and Antwerp declare thus The States General of the United Provinces Guelders Holland Zealand Zuphten Friezland Overysel and â—roeninghen having declared Prince Philip of Austria second of that name King of Spain fallen from the Sigâ—ioâ—y of the said Provinces by reason of his extraordinary and too violent Government against their Freedom and Priviledges solemnly sworn by him having by the way of Right and Armes taken upon us the Government of the publick State and of the Religion in the said Provinces An 1581 having by an Edict renounced the Government of the K. of Spain breaking his Seals Counter-seals Privy-signets for new ones made by them in their stead and entertaining the Duke of Anjou nobly attended from England by the Lord Willoughby Sheffield Windsor Sir Philip Sidney Shirley Parrat Drury and the Lord Howard's son and recommended by the Queen who avowed That what service was done him she esteemed as done to her self and commended to him this one good Rule to be sure of the hearts of the People who invested him Duke of Brabant and Earl of Flanders wherein Dunkirke did import him much to keep a Passage open from Flanders into France as the refusal his Brother made of succour and his entertainment of French Nobility to the discouragement of the Netherlands did him much harm especially since most of his Followers were either men of Spoil or secret Pensioners to the King of Spain and he by their advice lost himself in his Enterprize upon Antwerp so far that had not her Majesties Authority reconciled them the States and he had broken irrecoverably though indeed they never after peiced For the Duke thereupon delivers all the Towns he had taken to the States retyring himself to Dunkirke while the Ganthoes and other troublesom men of the Innovation declared against him and for Duke Casimir And all the Estates humbly beseeched the Queen of England by General Norris to have mercy upon them in this woful juncture especially when the wise Prince of Orange was murthered by a fellow recommended to him by Count Mansfield and serving him three years to await this opportunity having time to say no more but Lord have mercy upon my soul and this poor People And the Spaniards during the States differences and the youth of Grave Maurice of Nassau who succeeded his Father carrying all before them insomuch that the King of France was so afraid to take the Netherlands into his Protection that he sent Embassadors to the Duke of Parma to remove the very suspition of it Especially when the Guisian League brake out upon him and the poor States had now none to trust to but the Queen of England who during their Treaty with France had made them gracious promises by Secretary Davison by whom by the Respective Deputies of their Provinces June 9. 1585 they absolutely resigned the Government to her Majesty who upon sundry great considerations of State refused that yet graciously sent them 4000 men under General Norris 184600 Guilders upon the security of either Ostend or Sluce and promised 5000 Foot and 4000 Horse under a General and other Officers of her own with pay For which the States stood bound giving Flushing Ramekins Briel and the two Sconces thereunto belonging into her hand for security and taking in her Commander in chief with two persons of Quality more of her Subjects by her appointment into their Council of State According to which Contract Robert Dudley Earl of Leicester is made Governour of the Low-Countreys for the High and Mighty Princess Elizabeth Queen of England to whom the whole Countrey did Homage receiving him as their absolute Governour though the Queen disavowed that as being likely to engage her too farr in the Quarrel and the States humbly submitted to her pleâ—sure in which capacity he set out Edicts for Discipline for the Treaty and Traffique which these troublesom people upon pretence of Liberty and Priviledg mutinied against to the great hinderance of the Earls proceedings insomuch that after he had born up their Interest as his entrance into the Government just ready to sink and taken Daventer Zuphten and other places he resigned his Government to the Council of State leaving a Meddal behind him on the one side whereof was engraven his Picture with these words Robertus â—omes Leicestriae in Belgia Gubernator 1587. And on the other side a flock of sheep scattered and before them an English Dogg with these words Non gregem sed Ingratos invitus desero Whereupon Deputies of Estates attended him with a Present a Cup as big as a Man and an humble supplication to the Queens most Excellent Majesty not to forsake them now in their low Estate so low that the King of Denmark thought fit to intercede for them to their own Leige the King of Spain while they in extremity devolve their affairs upon young Grave Maurice and declaring against the Earl of Leicesser's proceedings incensed the Queen so far that she called home General Norr is though yet Sluce had ben lost
That their Expences must be intollerable 5. That Holland would enjealous the rest of the Provinces or surprize them all which are now their confessed case Their Case in a War with us made out from the Causes moving the Queen of England to give Aâ—d to the defence of the peâ—ple Afflicted and Oppressed in the Low-Countreys 1. THe Natural Sâ—ituation of the Realm â—f England and the Low-Countreys one directlâ— opposite to the other and by reason of the ready crossing of the Seas â—nd multitude of large and Commodious â—avens an our side a constant Ira â—â—ck and Commerce between the people of England and the Low-Countreys continued in all antient times when the several Provinces were under their respective Lords 2. Such hath been the devendâ—nce of these poor people upon England that their Prelates Noble-men Citizens Burgesses and other Commonalties of their Port-towns entred into Obligations and Stipulâ—tions under their particular Seals from time to time to the good people of England for â—avours Affections and friendly Offices shewed towards them 3. Such was the necessity of Commerce between these two People that they have remonstrated to their Governours at several times That they could not subsist without a Commerce with England â—s to Philip Duke of Burgundy in H the 6th his time to his Son Duke Charles and Arch-Duke Philip in H. H. 7th his time and to Charls the 5th in King H. the 8th his time 4. Upon the often and continual Lamentable Requests made by the Universal States of the Countries of Holland Zealand Gelders and other Provinces for Succours in their Extreamityes we thought at to Aid those poor and distres-People Gent. How is it then things being so that they have been able to do so well hitherto as they have done SECT 4. The things that formerly advanced the Netherlands Trav. 1. EVrope hath been ever sâ—nâ—e a most Constâ—â—â—ly embâ—â—â—â—ed 2. They have had a Regular wâ—y by themsâ—lves of â—ax I mâ—an their Excise whereby the more they pâ—y â—he more they receive â—or what the souldiers receive in pâ—y they pay in â—rinkâ— theâ—r veâ—y Enemies though they hate the States yet love their Lâ—qâ—or and pay Excise Yea the most â—dle sloathfull and improvident that selleth his blood for drink and his flesh for bread serves at his own charge for every pay day he reckoneth with his Father and he with the common Purse 3. Pyracies whereby they have those Commodities in time of War in Gross which they have onely in time of Peace by Retail 4. They have formerly checked the Austrian power which is now low 5. They go out with less charge than other Nations their ships requiring fewer men and those men all sharing in the Design are contented with courser farâ— flesh among them being kept hot more dayes than a Pigg in Pye-corner it being their own case they go through all difficulties with patience so they husband all Expences with thrift 6. They eugrossed the Coyn of Europe carrying the Commodities of one Countrey into another 7. They have been hitherto allowed in England Denmark and Muscoâ—y to trade upon the best and sreest conditions 8. They kept in with England and its Protestant Allies 9. They have imployed all the poor that could work and provided for those that could not 10. They have had formerly Lombards or Loan houses where the poor have money upon any Pawn for a Reasonable Rate viz 6. in the 100. with Reasonable time of payment 11. Their Diet was course and of every mans own providing 12. They spent money formerly but now their time in drinking 13. They Trafficked for others superfluities but not their own 14. Their Apparel was plain and their Ambition onely upon Realities and Solidities 14. Their Lawes were strictly executed and no forfeitures left to the corrupt disposals of an Officer but all bestowed upon the Publick 15. Usury was a stranger to them every man laying out his Estate upon the Publick-traffick 16. No idleness there and therefore no thievery a fault more effectually restrained there by Whipping than here by Hanging 17. If any man gained there extraordinarily by money the tenth of his gain was the Common-wealths Usurers escaping not there as here 18. One undone by casuality they set up one cast to Prison the Creditor maintains one troubled with a shifting Adversary a quick tryal relieves 19. All men debated and all contributed to the Publick affairs as concerned both by advice and purse 20. Their Resolutions were secret and sudden 21. Their Industry hath been great and their Expences small they maintaining it for a Maxime That a thing lasts longer mended than new 22. Their Recreation hath been Warlickâ— and they have been to be souldiers before they were men 23. They have been a hardy and a head-strong people and you might sooner convert a Jew to Christianity turn an old Puritane than convince a Dutchman of Reason 24. Not a man of them but might have been a Statesman for they have all this gift not to be too nice-conscienced 25. They were seldom deceived for they trusted no body though every body must trust them 26. They love none but those they profit by 27. Complement is an idleness those brutish people were never skilled in they are half marred being Saylors and being Souldiers they are quite spoiled for there saith my Authour they would let a Jew build a City where Harlem-Mear is and after that couzen them of it 28. They have had a Religion and a Liberty of both which they were very zealous formerly and are as careless now 29. They have enjoyed the Easterlings trade in the North and ours in the East 30. Their watches were seldom of a Nation so that they could seldom concur to deliver up one Town 31. They were very strict upon Musters the list and the pole seldom disagreeing 32. Their souldiers are well Cloathed Armed Disciplined and paid the souldiers seldom any where committing fewer insolencies upon the people or the Officers fewer deceits upon the souldiers 33. Their General could not betray them his Army being composed of many several Nations his Officers not at his own but at the States disposal and his Commission never Implicitly left to his discretion but by reason their Countrey hath no great bounds he receives daily commands what to do 34. Discipline was thus Their Military Rules and Orders 1. THat no man shall swear or blaspheme upon pain of 5s the first offence five days imprisonment the second and a disbanding the third 2. That they shall pray prayers twice a week 3. That they play not at either Cards or Dice upon pain of two days imprisonment 4. That no Women follow the Souldiers but Wives Nurses and Landresses upon pain of Whipping 5. That none lay violent hands on Women with childe Virgins Babes or old Persons without Order 6. That Drunkards shall be discharged 7. Concealers of Treasons shall be racked 8. Correspondents with Enemies shall dye 9. None shall leave his Rank or File without
had not Sr William Russel supplyed it with Provision when all the seven Provinces could not do it Being now intent upon the settlement of their State-General out of the Particular Deputies of the several Provinces the Earl of Leicester being called home and they hearing of a Spanish Armado knowing not what to do but to importune her Majesty of England that she should make no peace without them Now she was in treaty with the Prince of Parma which she waves though privately willing enough to reconcile their private differences which was the greatest Motive she had to abandon them It being not likely they should do any good themselves especially since there was such jealousies and mistrusts among their chief Officers who could never have been united but by the vast Armado of the common Enemy which awed both sides to so much moderation that they settle the Government in the States reduce all Parties into one Oath and submission reconcile Vtrech to Holland pay their Souldiers very punctually establish Prince Maurice in the Admiralty and Prince William in the Government of Friezland They defeat the Marquess of Varumbon with Sir Francis Vere's assistance take the Antwerp Convoy raise jealousies between the Inhabitants of Groening and their Governour maintain Liberty of Conscience nourish the French differences get 125 26l a month of the Queen of England They surprize Breda engage the Electors and get the Prince of Parma off to the siege of Paris Blackinbergh Collenbergh the Fort before Zuphten Holt Nymighen Grumbergh Geertrudenbergh Seenwye and other places are recovered by the Valour and Conduct of the English particularly Sir John Norris Sir Roger Williams and Sir Henry Vere An Edict is made concerning Printing a War is contrived between France and Spain the United Provinces and the Estates under the King of Spain treat for peace Philip William eldest son to William Prince of Orange is released from his 35 years Imprisonment whereto he was confined since he was taken in Leyden as we have formerly intimated Prince Maurice and Sir Francis Vere Sir Robert Sidney's overthrow Cardinal Albertus his Army Wan 1577 whereupon Embassadours are sent to the States from the Empire from Peland and from other parts whom they remitted to the Queen of England as being able to do nothing without her In the mean time they prevailing under her protection set up the India trade assisting their Merchants with Artillery and Ammunition so as four ships were set forth to destroy the Countrey and bring away some Inhabitants against another Voyage where 8 ships ventured that way from Amsterdam as did many more from other places in the East and West Indies to Guine besides others to Syria and Greece 1578. But the poor States being left out of the peace between France and Spain are at a loss till the Queen of England sends to them that if they resolved for a War they should inform her what provisions they had towards it and rest assured of her utmost assistance So they forbade Traffique with Spain and entertained some overture afresh in order to an offensive war towards which she sent 2000 souldiers more under Sr Th. Knowles besides 6000 men she procured from the Circles of the Empire several Forts are set up by her directiōs the Contributions are mitigated in Zealand now ready to mutiny by her Order the offensive War in Flanders began by her intimation 2800 sail of ships Rendesvouzed in the the Sea-towns of Holland Zealand and Friezland Grave Oastend and Newport are besieged and the Arch-Dukes Army is defeated Chimney-money and Excise is imposed the United States and the States-General Treat In the mean time the Arch Duke Albertus his Forces mutiny and are entertained by the United Provinces The Hollanders and the English engage the Spaniards at Sea the King of England that succeeded the Queen March 24. 1603. promising them fair in general termes whereupon Oastend and Sluce are taken and the States refuse all intercessions for peace especially since they defeated Spinola by Land and the Spanish Gallies by Sea After which the Arch-Duke Albert and his Wife Isabella in the name of the King of Spain declared them Free-states and in that capacity offered to Treat with them upon peace all the Princes of Christendom offering their Mediation onely the King of Spain's Aggreation as they call it was not clear and the 62 Articles containing their Priviledges were not moderate enough to be the ground either of a Treaty of peace or a Truce In fine These people being very intent upon the preservation of their Liberties and most prone to jealousie motion and surprizes being agitated by others passion and their own for those two great Dianaes Priviledges and Liberty of Conscience high-flown upon the Battel of Newport gotten by Sir Francis Vere refused Reason Notwithstanding the peace at Verven between the King of France and Spain which cut off half their assistance the difference between Embden and the Governour of Friezland that disturbed their Union the taking of Oastend Rhainbergh Grelen after three years siege and Sir Francis Vere's great endeavours to preserve it that weakned their Interest being grown great with the private Alliance of France and that more open of England their Trade to the Indies and their Piracies upon Spain until Spinola humbled John May the Provincial of the Franciscans perswaded and what is more then all this the King of Englands inclination to a good understanding with Spain frighted them into a twelve years Truce in a Treaty begun at Antwerp 1607. No sooner are they at peace without but having recovered the Cautionary Towns from the English by old Barnavel's cunning who as King Henry the 4th said was the ablest Statesman in Europe as far as his money went but their humours began to work among themselves Rebels are as troublesom to themselves when they have defeated their Soveraign as they were to him before their Predestination Points and the nicities of Priviledges engaging them to the great danger of the whole Government had not King James by his Embassadour Sir Ralph Wenwood very effectually interposed The King of Spain finding the observation of a great Lord upon the Truce true That assoon as the common Enemy was over they would fall by themselves set the Arch-Duke upon offering them the confirmation of the Truce into a Peace in case they would accept of his Soveraignty An overture they scorned so far that the Embassador in his way through Delph was almost stoned by the dregs of the people and assoon as the Truce was over utterly denying the prolongation of it they besieged Gulicke spoiled Brabant invited Mantsfield into East-Friezland and shrouded themselves in a League against the house of Austria with France England and Denmark c. making the Interest of Europe their security in defence of the lower Circle of the Empire took the Plate-fleet and what promised Wonders there being men in it that could dive under water and flie in the Air the Fleet of
Dutch were flush with a Ten years free Trade and we spent with as many years Rebellion when we were the â—dium of Mankind and they at least upon the account of that Quarrel the Darlings of Europe a handful of our meanâ—st and most inconsiderable of our People durst Vote That no Goods should be Iâ—ported or Exported into or out of England but in English Bottoms And when the Lords States forsooth took that in Dudgeon our bold fellows the King Lords and Commons standing by and not concerned Vote their Embassadoâ—r the Lord Joachim away out of England Octob 6. 1650 within a month at his peril at whose return the High and Mighty draw in their Money sink their Bank mistrust one another break all to pieces raise Fortifications cast Ordinances provide new Artilleries Yards Rendezvouz Militiaes and withdraw 200 Families at least to Hamburgh and the other Hans-Towns of Germany Yet so much Courage they had left as to scorn the pretended Embassadours our Mock-Governours sent thither insomuch that one Dorisla by name lost his life there and another Strickland was weary of it strike to his Majesties concerns as he was King of Great Brittain in most of their Treaties with France Portugal Denmark Sweden c. though yet in their General Meetings Jan. 20. 1651. they Voted our Tom Thombs a free State forsooth and Common-wealth and that they would transact with their new-coyn'd Honours about a Truce and that too by old Joachim who was sent packing but two Months before the Province of Holland having cast the charges of a War and considered that half the money might advance it to a Seignory over its Sister Provinces And all the Provinces being amazed at the Tempest that broke the two Dikes St. Anthonies and the Harlem-Dike to the ruine almost of Gelders Zuphten Overystel Friezland and Holland Upon the least suspicion of War up came Chimney-money Poll-money Excise on Salt Beer Vinegar Wines Butter Oyl Candles all Grains Seeds Turff Coals Lead Brick Stone Wood Linnen and Woollen Clothes Silks Silver Gilt Wagons Coaches Ships and other Vessels Lands Pastures Gardens Nurseries Houses Servants Immovable Goods all Seals They forbid all affronts to their Lordships forsooth Strickland and St. John They drink and that was a great Argument of the High and Mighty States good affection in continuationem prosperitatem Reip Angliae Notwithstanding all which complyance the paltery thing called Our Parliament stayed a Fleet of theirs in the Downs forsooth till further Pleasure because there was Cordage Powder and Ammunition in them under the Corn. Whereupon His Majesty prospering in Scotland and a Peace being made with France the Mighty make bold to tell Sir John That they cannot answer his Proposition touching a League Offensive and Defensive under four Months for that they must send to all the Provinces for their advise and consent in a business of so high a concernment and our High and Mighties take snuff and call their Messengers home to the no little trouble of their Brethâ—en who beseech and intreat their stay but to no purpose the young Usurpers being intollerable when ever intreated to be kind and when that would not do pass this Vote The States General of the Netherlands having heard the Report of their Commissioners having had a Conference the day before with the Lords Embassadors of the Common-wealth of England do Declare That for their better satisfaction they do wholly and fully condescend and agree unto the 6 7 8 9 10 and 11 Propositions of the Lords Embassadors as also to the 1 2 3 4 and 8 Articles of the year 1575 made between H. 7th and Philip Duke of Burgundy Therefore the States do expect in the same manner as full and clear an Answer from the Lords Embassadors upon the 36 Articles delivered by their Commissioners 24th of June 1651. And not only so But they nominate the Heer Bever of Dort and the Heer Vell of Zealand with old Joachimi for Agents to the Common-wealth forsooth of England remembring the old Motto in Queen Elizabeths time Si Colâ—idimur frangimur Especially when the men at Westminster gave Letters of Mart to several Merchants to make themselves satisfaction for the losses they had suffered by Pickeroons belonging to the Netherlands Whereupon they filled up their Embassy with min Heer Schaep delaying the matter till the Kings Majesties business was decided Their 11 East-India ships worth a Million were put to sale an 160 sail arrived from Bourdeaux Mounsier Borreel could not prevail in France and the bold ones at Westminster make an Act as they called it for Increase of shipping the improvement of Trade the encouragement of Fishing and Navigation so prejudicial to the Cities of the Rine which together with the surprize of so many Amsterdamers awaked them so farr that Van Tromp with 36 sail in three Squadrons was ordered to Sea first to the Straights and then to the Downs to secure their Monopoly of Wine and Currans and Agents dispatcht to Denmark Sweden Portugal and France to strengthen the War in behalf of it altering their Embassadors for England whither they send the cunning Head-pieces mine Heer Catz and min Heer Scaep the last whereof in the mean time treats with France about Dunkirk and with Sweden about Neutrality The English men discourse of 100000 for Amboyna the Herring-fishing free passage through the Shee ll and the cautionary Towns frighting them to a resolution with 152 sail to commence a War eight Dutch ships being taken by the English as they came from New found-land and the Swedish Embassador Speering dealing under-hand with the English insomuch that they forbid any ship to stir from either the Mase or Texel and Amsterdam offereth an no sail as Zealand doth 40 on condition its Petition be granted about Letters of Mart the States fortifying Briel and Flushing prohibiting the Exportation of any Warlike Provisions and making a stay of all English ships In the mean time a certain Faction crept in that disturbed their Publick Peace at Middleburgh and Dort because they mentioned not the Prince of Orange in levying Souldiers till Trump departed in July with resolution to find out the English Yet espying Sir George Aiscue in the Downs with a Squadron was not able to bear up with him because of a Calm wherefore he addresseth himself against Blake in the North attending some Indian Vessels and taking the Dutch Herring-Busses from whom a Tempest parted him to his loss as the night did De Ruyter from Aiscue onely he met with Captain Badileyes 4 ships in the Straights and took the Phaenix which was re-gained by Captain Cox in Portologn upon a Dutch festival night when during the heat of the Holland Carouses he stole upon it in a Boat in the habit of a Dutchman which success was indeed allayed by Captain Appleton's weighing Anchor out of Legorn Mole sooner than he should and so falling into the hands of 22 Dutchmen of War before Captain Badiley could come