so left to be an apendix of the Crown of France som of them have had absolut and supreme Governors som subaltern and subject to a superior Power Amongst the rest the Earls of Flanders and Holland were most considerable but of them two he of Holland being homegeable to none and having Friestand and Zeland added was the more potent In processe of time all the seventeen met in one som by conquest others by donation and legacie but most by alliance In the House of Burgundy this union receivd most growth but in the House of Austria it came to its full perfection for in Charles the fifth they all met as so many lines drawn from the circumference to the centre who Lording as supreme head not only over the fifteen Temporall but the two Spirituall Liege and Vâ—…recht had a defâ—…in to reduce them to a Kingdom which his Son Philip the second attempted after him but they could not bring their intents home to their aym the cause is imputed to that multiplicitie and difference of privileges which they are so eager to maintain and wherof som cannot stand with a Monarchie without incongruity Philip the second at his inauguration was sworn to observe them at his departure he oblig'd himself by oath to send still one of his own bloud to govern them Moreover at the request of the Knights of the golden Fleece he promised that all Forren souldiers should retire and that he himself would come to visit them once every seventh year but being once gon and leaving in lieu of a Sword a Distaff an unweldy woman to govern he came not only short of his promise but procur'd a Dispensation from the Pope to be absolv'd of his Oath and all this by the counsell of the Cardinall Granvill who as the States Chronicler writes was the first firebrand that kindled that lamentable and longsome war wherein the Netherlands have traded above fifty years in bloud For intending to encrease the number of Bishops to establish the decrees of the Counsell of Trent and to clip the power of the Counsell of State compos'd of the natives of the Land by making it appealable to the Counsell of Spain and by adding to the former Oath of Allegeance all which conduc'd to settle the inquisition and to curb the conscience the broyls began to appease which Ambassadors were dispatch'd to Spain wherof the two first came to violent deaths the one being beheaded the other poysond But the two last Egmont and Horn were nourish'd still with hopes untill ' Philip the second had prepar'd an Army under the conduct of the Duke of Alva to compose the difference by arms For as soon as he came to the government he established the Bloâ—…t-rad as the complainants term'd it a Counsell of Bloud made up most of Spaniards Egmont and Horn were apprehended and afterwards beheaded Cittadells were erected and the Oath of Allegeance with the Politicall government of the Countsey in divers things alter'd This powr'd oyl on the fire formerly kindled and put all in combustion The Prince of Orenge retires therupon his eldest son was surpriz'd and sent as Hostage to Spain and above 5000. Families quit the Countrey many Towns revolted but were afterwards reduc'd to obedience which made the Duke of Alva say that the Netherlands appertain'd to the King of Spain not only by descent but conquest and for cumble of his victories when he attempted to impose the tenth peny for maintenance of the Garrisons in the Cittadels he had erected at Grave Vâ—…echt and Antwerp where he caus'd his Statue made of Canon brasse â—…o be erected trampling the Belgians under his feet all the Towns withstood this imposition so that at last matters succeeding ill with him and having had his cosen Pacecio hang'd at Flushing gates after he had trac'd out the platform of a Citâ—…dell in that Town also he receiv'd Letters of revocation from Spain Him succeeded Don Luys de Requiseus who came short of his predecessor in exploits and dying suddenly in the field the government was invested for the time in the Counsell of State The Spanish soldiers being without a head gather'd together to the number of 16â—…0 and committed such outrages up and down that they were proclamed enemies to the State Hereupon the pacification of Cant was transacted wherof amongst other Articles one was that all forren soldiers should quit the Countrey This was ratified by the King and observ'd by Don Iohn of Austria who succeeded in the government yet Don Iohn retaind the Landskneghts at his devotion still for some secret deffein and as som conjectur'd for the invasion of England he kept the Spaniards also still hovering about the Frontiers ready upon all occasion Certain Letters were intercepted that made a discovery of some projects which made the war to bleed afresh Don Iohn was proclam'd enemy to the State so the Archduke Matthias was sent for who being a man of small performance and improper for the times was dismiss'd but upon honourable terms Don Iohn a little after dies and as som gave out of the pox Then comes in the Duke of Parma a man as of a different Nation being an Italian so of a differing temper and more moderat spirit and of greater performance than all the rest for wheras all the Provinces except Luxenburg and Henault had revolted he reduc'd Gant Tourney Bruges Malins Brussells Antwerp which three last he beleagerd at one time and divers other great Towns to the Spanish obedience again He had sixty thousand men in pay and the choicest which Spain and Italy could afford The French and English Ambassadors intercâ—…ding for a peace had a short answer of Philip the second who said that he needed not the help of any to reconcile himself to his own subjects and reduce them to conformity but the difference that was he would refer to his coâ—…en the Emperor Hereupon the busines was agitated at Colen where the Spaniard stood as high a tipto as ever and notwithstanding the vast expence of treasure and bloud he had bin at for so many years and that matters began to exasperat more and more which were like to prolong the wars in infinitum he would abate nothing in point of Ecclesiastic government Hereupon the States perceiving that King Philip could not be wrought either by the sollicitation of other Princes or their own supplications so often reiâ—…erated that they might enjoy the freedom of Religion with other infranchisements and finding him inexâ—…rable being incited also by that ban which was published against the Prince of Orenge that whosoever killd him should have 5000. crowns they at last absolutely renounced and abjur'd the King of Spain for their Soverain They broâ—…k his Seals chang'd the Oath of Allegeance and fled to France for shelter they inaugurated the Duke of Aniou recommended unto them by the Queen of England to whom he was a sutâ—…r for their Prince who attempted to render himself absolute and so thought to
viz. that his Excellency should not think it strange that he had so few French Gentlemen to attend in this service to accompany him to the Court in regard ther were so many killd at the Isle of â—…hee The Marquis of Chasteau neuf is here from France and it was an odd speech also from him reflecting upon Mr. Controuler that the King of great Britain us'd to send for his Ambassadors from abroad to pluck Capons at home Mr. Buâ—…lemach is to go shortly to Paris to recover the other moity of her Majesties portion wherof they say my Lord of Holland is to have a good share The Lord Treasurer Weston is he who hath the greatest vogue now at Court but many great ones have clash'd with him He is so potent that I hear his eldest Son is to marry one of the bloud Royall of Scotland the Duke of Lenox Sister and that with his Majesties consent Bishop Laâ—…d of London is also powerfull in his way for hee sits at the helm of the Church and doth more than any of the two Arch bishops or all the rest of his two and twenty brethren besides In your next I should be glad your Lordship would do me the favor as to write how the grand Signor is like to speed before Bagdaâ—… in this his Persian expedition No more now but that I always rest Westmin 1 Ian. 1629. Your Lordships ready and most faithfull Servitor J. H. XXXIV To my Father SIR SIr Tho. Wentworth hath been a good while Lord President of York and since is sworn Privy Counsellor and made Baron and Vicount the Duke of Buckingham himself flew not so high in so short a revolution of time Hee was made Vicount with a great deale of high ceremony upon a Sunday in the afternoon at VVhite-Hall My Lord Powis who affects him not much being told that the Heralds had fetch'd his Pedigree from the bloud Royall viz. from Iohn of Gaunt said Dammy if ever he com to be King of England I will turn Rebell When I went first to give him joy he pleas'd to give me the disposing of the next Attorney's place that falls void in York which is valued at three hundred pounds I have no reason to leave my Lord of Sunderland for I hope hee will bee noble unto me the perquisits of my place taking the Kings see away caâ—… far short of what he promis'd me at my first comming to him in regard of his non-residence at York therfore I hope he will consider it som other way This languishing sicknes still hangs on him and I fear will make an end of him Ther 's none can tell what to make of it but he voided lately a strange Worm at VVickham but I fear ther 's an impostume growing in him for he told me a passage how many years ago my Lord VVilloughby and he with so many of their servants de gayete de câ—…ur played a match at foot-ball against such a number of Countrey men where my Lord of Sunderland being busie about the ball got a bruise in the brest which put him in a swond for the present but did not trouble him till three months after when being at Bever Castle his brother-in-laws house a quaume took him on a sudden which made him retire to his bed-chamber my Lord of Rutland following him put a Pipe full of Tobacco in his mouth and he being not accustomed to Tobacco taking the smoak downwards fell a casting and vomiting up divers little impostumated bladders of congeal'd bloud which sav'd his life then and brought him to have a better conceit of Tobacco ever after and I fear ther is som of that clodded bloud still in his body Because Mr. Hawes of Cheâ—…p-side is lately dead I have remov'd my brother Griffith to the Hen and Chickens in Pater Noster Row â—…o Mr. Taylors as gentile a shop as any in the City but I gave a peece of Plate of twenty Nobles price to his Wife I wish the Yorkshire horse may be fit for your turn he was accounted the best saddle Gelding about York when I bought him of Captain Phillips the Mustar-master and when he carried me first to London there was twenty pounds offered for him by my Lady Carlile No more now but desiring a continuance of your blessing and prayers I rest Lond. 3 Decem. 1630. Your dutifull Son J. H. XXXV To the Lord Cottington Ambassador Extraordinary for his Majesty of great Britain in the Court of Spaine My Lord I Receiv'd your Lordships lately by Harry Davies the Correo Santo and I return my humble thanks that you were pleas'd to be mindfull amongst so many high negotiations of the old busines touching the Viceroy of Sardinia I have acquainted my Lord of Bristoll accordingly Our eyes here look very greedily after your Lordship and the success of your Embassie and we are glad to hear the busines is brought to so good a pass and that the capitulations are so honorable the high effects of your wisdom For News The Sweds do notable featâ—… Germany and we hope they cutting the Emperour and Bavarian so much work to do and the good offices we are to expect from Spain upon this redintegration of Peace will be an advantage to the Prince Palatin and facilitat matters for restoring him to his Country Ther is little news at our Court but that ther fell an ill-favoured quarrell 'twixt Sir Kenelm Digby and Mr. Goring Mr. Iermin and others at St. Iames lately about Mrs Baker the Maid of honor and Duells were like to grow of it but that the busines was taken up by the Lord Treasurer my Lord of Dorset and others appointed by the King My Lord of Sunderland is still ill dispos'd he will'd me to remember his hearty service to your Lordship and so did Sir Arthur Ingram and my Lady they all wish you a happy and honorable return as doth Lond. 1 March 1630. Your Lopps most humble and ready Servitor J. H. XXXVI To my Lo Vicount Rocksavage My Lord SOm say the Italian loves no favor but what 's future though I have convers'd much with that Nation yet I am nothing infected with their humor in this point for I love favors pass'd as well the remembrance of them joyes my very heart and makes it melt within me when my thoughts reflect upon your Lordship I have many of these fits of joy within me by the pleasing speculation of so many most noble favors and respects which I shall daily study to improve and merit My Lord Your Lopps most humble and ready Servitor J. H. Westmin 22 Mar. 1630. XXXVII To the Earl of Bristol My Lord I Doubt not but your â—…ordship hath had intelligence from time time what firm invasions the King of Sweds hath made into Germany and by what degrees he hath mounted to this height having but six thousand foot and five hundred horse when he entred first to Meclenburg and taken that Town while Commissioners stood treating on both sides
put by the gallanter man of the two I was told of a witty saying of his when the Duke of Lerma had the vogue in this Court for going one morning to speak with the Duke and having danc'd attendance a long time hee peep'd through a slit in the hanging and spied Don Rodrigo Calderon a great man who was lately beheaded here for poisning the late Queen Dowager delivering the Duke a Paper upon his knees wherat the Marquis smil'd and said Voto a tal aquâ—…l hombre sube mas a las rodillas que yo no hago a los pics I swear that man climbs higher upon his knees than I can upon my feet Indeed I have read it to be a true Court rule that descendendo ascendendum est in Aula descending is the way to ascend at Court Ther is a kind of humility and compliance that is far from any servile baseness or fordid flattery and may be term'd discretion rather than adulation I intend God willing to go for Sardinia this Spring I hope to have better luck than Master Walsingham Gresley had who some few years since in his passage thither upon the same business that I have in agitation met with some Turksmen of war and so was carried slave to Algier So with my true respects to you I rest Madrid 12 Mar. 1622. Your faithfull Servant J. H. XIV To Sir Francis Cottington Secretary to his Highnesse the Prince of Wales at Saint James SIR I Believe it will not be unpleasing unto you to hear of the procedure and successe of that business wherin your self hath been so long vers'd in I mean the great sute against the quondam Vice-roy of Sardinia the Conde del Real Count Gondamars comming was a great advantage unto me who hath don me many favors besides a confirmation of the two sentences of view and review and of the execution against the Vice-roy I have procur'd a Royall cedule which I caus'd to be printed and wherof I send you here inclos'd a Coppy by which Cedule I have power to arrest his very person and my Lawyers tell me ther was never such a cedule granted before I have also by vertue of it priority of all other his Creditors He hath made an imperfect overture of a composition and shewd me som triviall old fashion'd jewells but nothing equivalent to the debt And now that I speak of jewells the late surprisall of Ormus by the assistance of our ships sinks deep in their stomacks here and we were afraid it would have spoild all proceedings but my Lord Digby now Earl of Bristoll for Count Gondamar brought him ore his Patent hath calmd all things at his last audience Ther were luminaries of joy lately here for the victory that Don Gonzalez de Cordova got over Count Mansfelt in the Netherlands with that Army which the Duke of Bouillon had levied for him but some say they have not much reason to rejoyce for though the Infantery suffer'd yet Mansfelt got clear with all his horse by a notable retreat and they say here it was the greatest peece of service and Art he ever did it being a Maxim that ther is nothing so difficult in the Art of War as an honourable retreat Besides the report of his comming to Breda caus'd Marquis Spinola to raise the siege before Berghen to burn his tents and to pack away suddenly for which he is much censur'd here Captain Leat and others have written to me of the favourable report you pleas'd to make of my endeavors here for which I return you humble thanks and though you have left behind you multitude of servants in this Court yet if occasion were offerd none should be more forward to go on your errand then Madrid 15 Mar. 1622. Your humble and faithfull Servitor J. H. XV. To the honble Sir Tho Savage Knight and Baronet honble SIR THe great busines of the match was tending to a period the Articles reflecting both upon Church and State being capitulated and interchangeably accorded on both sides and ther wanted nothing to consummate all things when to the wonderment of the world the Prince and the Marquis of Buckingham arriv'd at this Court a friday last upon the close of the evening they lighted at my Lord of Bristols house and the Marquis Mr Thomas Smith came in first with a Portmantle under his arm then Mr Iohn Smith the Prince was sent for who staid a while the to'ther side of the street in the dark my Lord of Bristoll in a kind of astonishment brought him up to his bed chamber where he presently calld for pen and ink and dispacht a Post that night to England to acquaint his Majesty how in lesse then sixteen daies he was come safely to the Court of Spain that Post went lightly laden for he carried but three letters the next day came Sir Francis Cotington and Mr Porter and darke rumors ran in every corner how som great man was com from England and som would not stick to say amongst the vulgar it was the King but towards the evening on saturday the marquis went in a close coach to Court where he had privat audience of this King who sent Olivares to accompany him back to the Prince where he kneeld and kisd his hands and hugd his thighs and deliverd how unmeasurably glad his Catholic Majesty was of his coming with other high complements which Mr Porter did interpret About ten a clock that night the King himself came in a close coach with intent to visit the Prince who hearing of it met him halfway and after salutations and divers embraces which past in the first interview they parred late I forgot to tell you that Count Gondamar being sworn Counseller of State that morning having bin before but one of the Counsell of War he came in great hast to visit the Prince saying he had strange news to tell him which was that an Englishman was sworn privy Counseller of Spain meaning himself who he said was an Englishman in his heart On Sunday following the King in the afternoon came abroad to take the air with the Queen his two brothers and the Infanta who were all in one coach but the Infanta sat in the boot with a blew riband about her arm of purpose that the Prince might distinguish her ther were above twenty coaches besides of Grandes Noble men and Ladies that attended them And now iâ—… was publicly known amongst the vulgar that it was the Prince of Wales who was com and the confluence of people before my Lord of Bristolls house was so great and greedy to see the Prince that to clear the way Sir Lewis Divâ—…s went out and took coach and all the crowd of people went after him so the Prince himself a little after took coach wherin there were the Earl of Bristoll Sir Walter Ashton and Count Gondamar and so went to the Prado a place hard by of purpose to take the air where they stayed till the King past by as soon as
to and wherwith she hath flourish'd ever since But one thing is observable that as that Imperiall or Comitial Bat pronounc'd in the Diet at Ratisbon against our Merchants and Manufactures of Wooll incited them more to industry So our Proclamation upon Alderman Cockeins project of transporting no white Cloths but Died and in their full manufacture did cause both Dutch and German to turn necessity to a vertue and made them far more ingenious to find ways not only to Die but to make Cloth which hath much impair'd our Markers ever since for ther hath not been the third part of our Cloth sold since either here or in Holland My Lord I pray be pleas'd to dispense with the prolixity of this Discours for I could not wind it up closer nor on a lesser bottom I shall be carefull to bring with me those Furrs I had instructions for So I rest Hamburgh 20 Octob. 1632. Your Lordships most humble Servitor J. H. IV. To Cap. J. Smith at the Hague Captain HAving so wishfull an opportunity as this Noble Gentleman Mr. Iames Crofts who coms with a Packet for the Lady Elizabeth from my Lord of Leicester I could not but send you this frendly salute We are like to make a speedier return than we expected from this Ambassie for we found the King of Denmark in Heâ—…stein which shortned our voyage from going to the Sound The King was in an advantagious posture to give audience for ther was a Parlement then at Rhensburg wher all the Younkers met Amongst other things I put myself to mark the carriage of the Holstein Gentlemen as they were going in and out at the Parlement House and observing well their Physiognomies their Complexions and Gate I thought verily I was in England for they resemble the English more than either Welsh or Scot though cohabiting upon the same Island or any other peeple that ever I saw yet which makes me verily believe that the English Nation came first from this lower circuit of Saxony and ther is one thing that strengthneth me in this belief that ther is an ancient Town hard by call'd Lunden and an Island call'd Angles whence it may well be that our Country came from Britannia to be Anglia This Town of Hamburgh from a Society of Brewers is com to be a huge wealthy place and her new Town is almost as big as the old Ther is a shrewd jar 'twixt her and her Protector the King of Denmark My Lord of Leicester hath don som good Offices to accommode matters She chomps extremely that ther should be such a Bit put lately in her mouth as the Fort at Luckstadit which commands her River of Elve and makes her pay what Toll he please The King begins to fill his Chests apace which were so emptied in his late marches to Germany He hath set a new Toll upon all Ships that pass to this Town and in the Sound also ther be som extraordinary duties impos'd wherat all Nations begin to murmure specially the Hollanders who say that the old Primitive Toll of the Sound was but a Rose-noble for evry Ship but by a new Sophistry it is now interpreted for evry Sail that should pass thorow insomuch that the Hollander though he be a Low-Countrey man begins to speak high-Dutch in this point a rough language you know which made the Italian tell a German Gentleman once That when God Almighty thrust Adam out of Paradise he spake Dutch but the German retorted wittily Then Sir if God spake Dutch when Adam was ejected Eve spake Italian when Adam was seduced I could be larger but for a sudden auvocation to busines so I most affectionatly send my kind respects unto you desiring when I am rendred to London I may hear from you So I am Hamburg 22 Octob. 1632. Your faithfull Frend to serve you J. H. V. To the Right honble the Earl of Br. My Lord I Am newly return'd from Germany whence ther came lately two Ambassadors extraordinary in one of the Ships Royall the Earl of Leicester and Sir Robert Anstruther the latter came from Vienna and I know little of his negotiations but for my Lord of Leicester I beleeve ther was never so much busines dispatch'd in so short a compas of time by any Ambassador as your Lordship who is best able to judg will find by this short relation When my Lord was com to the King of Denmarks Court which was then at Rhensberg a good way within Holstein The first thing he did was to condole the late Queen Dowagers death our Kings Gran-Mother which was don in such an equipage that the Danes confess'd ther was never Queen of Denmark so mourn'd for This ceremony being pass'd my Lord fell to busines and the first thing which he propounded was That for preventing of further effusion of Christian blood in Germany and for the facilitating a way to restore peace to all Christendom His Majesty of Denmark would joyn with his Nephew of great Britain to send a solemn Ambassie to the Emperour and the King of Sweden the ends of whose proceedings were doubtfull to mediat an accommodation and to appear for him who will be found most conformable to reason To this that King answer'd in writing for that was the way of proceeding that the Emperour and the Swede were com to that height and heat of war and to such a violence that it is no time yet to speak to them of peace but when the fury is a little pass'd and the times more proper he would take it for an Honour to joyn with his Nephew and contribut the best means he could to bring about so good a Work Then ther was computation made what was due to the King of great Britain and the Lady Elizabeth out of their Gran-Mothers Estate which was valued at neer upon two Millions of Dollars and your Lordship must think it was a hard task to liquidat such an account This being don my Lord desird that part which was due to his Majesty our King and the Lady his Sister which appear'd to amount unto eightscore thousand pounds sterling That King answer'd That he confess'd ther was so much money due but his Mothers Estate was yet in the hands of Commissioners and neither he nor any of his Sisters had receiv'd their portions yet and that his Nephew of England and his Neere of Holland should receive theirs with the first but he did intimat besides that ther were som considerable accounts 'twixt him and the Crown of England for ready moneys he had lent his Brother King Iames and for the thirty thousand pounds a moneth that was by Covenant promis'd him for the support of his late Army in Germany Then my Lord propounded That His Majesty of Great Britains Subjects were not well us'd by his Officers in the Sound for though that was but a Transitory passage into the Baltic Sea and that they neither bought nor sould any thing upon the place yet they were forc'd to stay