Gorrechom and lost in the Watry and Marsh-Countrey about After Delf Wormer Ryp Graft Purmerend and Vlpendam in West-Friezland and Waterland insomuch that the Spaniards seemed very inclinable to a peace as seemed by their overtures to the Prince of Orange Which yet the States refused as appears by their sawcy Petition becoming Subjects that submitted only with their swords in their hands and their cutting the Dike and raising all the Sluices saying that they had rather have a spoiled Countrey than have lost one to prevent the taking of Leyden after which many other Towns had followed with their resolution to live and die with the Prince of Orange With which resolution they kept Leyden in so great extremity as to coyn Paper-money upon which was inscribed Haec Libertatis ergo for 11 months defeating the Spaniards ships about Leydeâ— with stratagems and wiles and keeping the Passages open for Supplies till Octobâ— 3d. It was after a months famine strangely relieved and quitted by the Spanirds and the Prince coming thither himself to see it fortified charitably recruited it by the Neighbours collections as a place that had cost the Hollanders a Million of Gold the Prince of Orange's two Brothers and a Cosin all three Princes of the Empire Whereupon their Soveraign offered with the intercession of the Emperour Maximilian very gracious Propositions of peace which could not be accepted in regard as the Earl of Switzenburgh observed at Breda where they traded the Rebls could not trust their Soveraign as indeed no security can satisfie men guilty of Treason against their Prince and therefore he that draweth his sword against his Prince must throw away the scabbard and never be reconciled to him it being reasonable that a disloyal Person should not think his Soveraign would be true to him when he hath been so perâ—idious to his Soveraign But the Treaty at Breda 1575 was not a little reputation to the men of the Revolt who being hitherto esteemed but turbulent Boulfeus are now respected as just Enemies in which capacity to preserve their Lives Wives Children Goods and what was dearer than all these their Religion they are their own words they bethink themselves of a Protector and 1. They propound the Empire which they laid aside as too much divided in it self 2. France which yet they waved as perfidious to them of the Religion in the Massacre at Paris and exhausted by their own civil Wars In this extreamity the distressed States by five Commissioners humbly submit themselves unto the Q of Englands Protection Or if necessity so required to acknowledge her for their Princess and Soveraign issued from the Earls of Holland and Zealand by the Lady Philippa Daughter to William the third of that name Earl of Henault and Holland c. Which the wise Queen entertained not immediately to prevent the jealousies of Neighbour Princes but 1. Received their Exiles to her Harbour and Countrey 2. Mediated for peace with a Protestation that upon refusal she would succour them 3. Gave them leave to leavy men and buy Ammunition in England And 4. Supplyed them with money upon security while the Spaniards mutiny for want of it The King of Spain breaks in the Merchants debts 14 Millions of Duckets the Pope dispensing with and nulling all his Bonds and Obligations The chief Commander Don Lewis with his Marshal Vitells dye All the Countrey is up against the King of Spains intollerable Impositions surprizing the Council of State he erected upon his Governours death the hatred of the Spaniards being by the Dutch Artifices become universal and all places petitioning against strangers meaning Spaniards The Queen of England being somwhat cold and indifferent the Provinces invite the Duke of Anjou the King of France his only Brother to their Protection who dealing in the late mentioned Mutinies surprized the Cittadel of Cambray and upon Don John of Austria the next Governours unpleasing carriage made up of stâ—atagems and threats joyned Brabaâ—t in a strict League with Holland and Zealand against the Spaniards and their Tyranny joyning his Interest with the Prince of Orange for leavies in Germany and assistance from England From the last of which upon their promise to maintain their Religion and Allegiance they are assured of men and money by their Orator the Lord of Swevenghen and Captain Horsley it being her Interest rather to engage the Papists there than in her own Dominions with whom Secretary Wilson and Mr Wendebank went and payed the money receiving the States Obligation with the security of Brussels Gaunt Bruges Dunkirk Newport and Middleburgh where with free passages were made by raising the Sluices according to the Queens direction in several places of the Country for fear the Spaniards might prevail at Sea And the union was effected upon the Mutinies of Groninghen and Zuphten between the States for the expulsion of Spaniards with an acknowledgment of their Allegiance to the King of Spain By virtue of which Colonel Balâ—our and his Englâ—sh having brushed the Spaniards the States capitulated with Don of Austria whose vain conceits of Conquering England lost the Netherland and would have agreed with him could they have had any assurances for performance of Articles at the great conferences between his Deputies and the Prince of Orange at Gertrudenbergh May 22 1577 which failing his practises were discovered in setting the Provinces at variance among themselves that he might govern them all by his Letters to Spain intercepted and his vain attempt upon Antwerp Which made all the Provinces revolt from Don John some to the States-General at Brussels that declared onely for Liberty and Priviledges and others to the Prince of Orange with the States of Holland and Friezland that declared also for Religion CHAP. IV. How the English assisted the Hollanders and made them a Free State ESpecially when her Majesty the Queen of England the onely succour of the distressed States declared for them by Mr Wilkes whereupon Leeuwarden mutined and yeelded to them Antwerp is dismantled Germany sends in Aides â—reda is delivered up Groninghen is Tumultuous the Prince of Orange is invited to be Rovard or Governour of Flanders Don John of Austria is declared Enemy to the States notwithstanding his Army of 16000 Foot and 2000 Horse The Nobility revolt Amsterdam asserts its Liberty the pacification at Gaunt so much insisted on by the Queen is confirmed the Duke of Anjou offereth his assistance and marcheth to distresse Henault The case of the afflicted Netherlands is taken into consideration upon St. Aldegon's motion at the Imperial Assembly at Wormes whence the Duke of Anjou had 12000 men towards his relief of the Low-Countreys under the notion of the Defenders of the Liberty of the Provinces against the Spaniards and their Adherents Colonell Norris Stuart Captain Bingham and Candish saved the States whole Army by a brave Retreat they maintained for four miles with three Regiments in their shirts by Rymenant The Queen seasonably assisted them with 30000l when their
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
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
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