maiestie Which moderation hir highnesse hoped should be such as should be able to content euery man with reason And for asmuch as hir authoritie as the playntifs theÌ„selues might well vnderstaÌ„d and perceiue stretched not so farre as to surceasse the InquisitioÌ„ and Edictes as they required and againe it was not meete to leaue the countrey lawlesse in the behalfe of ReligioÌ„ hir highnesse hoped that the playntifes would hold theÌ„selues conteÌ„ted with hir sendyng to the kynges Maiestie promising to take such order in the meane while till his answere were returned that as wel the Inquisitors themselues where any were alredy as also their officers should in that respect proceede discretly and modestly in their Commissions so as men should haue no cause to coÌ„plaine of theÌ„ And hir highnes trusted that the plaintifs also would behaue themselues in such sort as they should haue no neede to deale otherwize for she hoped to behaue hir selfe so well and dewtifully towardes the kings Maiestie as he should be contented to discharge all others of the Inquisition where it was as may be perceiued by his exemptyng of BrabaÌ„d froÌ„ it at the sute of the cheef Cities therof And hir highnesse inteÌ„ded to preferre all good meanes to hys Maiestie so much the more freely to the end and effect aforesayd bycause she did surely beleueâ—… that the playntifes had no determinate purpoze or intent to alter any thyng of the auncient Religion which had bin obserued in those Countreys but rather mynded to keepe and maynteine it to the vttermost of their power Done by hir hyghnesse at Brusselles the xvi of Aprill 1565. before Easter vnder signed Margaret ¶ The Letters of assurance giuen to the Confederates MArgaret by the grace of God Duches of Parma and Pleasance RegeÌ„t and Gouernesse heere in theis Countreys for my Lord the king to all such as shall see theis presentes greetyng Whereas a great nomber of the Gentlemen of this Countrey togither did put vp a certein Supplication vnto vs in the moneth of Aprill last past the effect wherof was that it might pleaze the kynges Maiestie to abrogate and abolish the Inquisition and Edictes as well old as new which they sayd were ouerrigorous therfore could not be put in execution and in sted of theÌ„ to make others by the generall aduise and consent of the states of the sayd Countrey beseechyng vs to send the same Supplication to his Maiesty that he might prouide for it wherupon we hild many great consultatioÌ„s with the gouernours of the CouÌ„treys the Knightes of the Order the CouÌ„sell of estate his Maiesties priuy Counsell after we had preferred the whole vnto him togither with our aduice therin For asmuch as we sawe that the sayd GentlemeÌ„ might perchaunce haue some scruple or dout that y kyng would take in ill part their sayd Supplication togither with the confederacie which they had made therupon amoÌ„g themselues all that had insewed therupon which misdoutyng might cause some greater mischeef in those couÌ„treys We thought it good by the aduice aforesayd and vpon deliberation as is mencioned afore to sew to the kynges Maiestie that it might pleaze him likewize to giue them letters of assuraunce that they should not be charged with any thyng hereafter that had bin do by the occasioÌ„ therof Whereupon his Maiestie hath certified vs of his good pleazure and meenyng accordyng wherto we tenderyng the benefite rest and tranquilitie of the sayd Countreys and to mainteine the sayd Gentlemen in such wise as they may the more willyngly yeld their obedience and seruis to his Maiesty accordingly as they be bound as well by nature as by othe and as they themselues haue alwayes offred we I say at their request and information by the power authoritie which we haue vnder his Maiestie as Regent Gouernesse generall of theis his Countreys and by the aduice of the foresayd Gouerners Knightes of the Order and Lordes of the Counsell of state beyng with vs haue for their sayd assurance giueÌ„ them a Charter signed with our hand in maner and forme followyng HEr highnesse c. We doo you to vnderstande that all things afore mentioned considered and by the kings maiesties consent and good will and by the power and commaundemeÌ„t whiche we haue from hym we in the name and by the power aforesayd haue promised and by these presents do promis that nother his Maiestie nor we wyll blame or charge the said Gentlemen for the foresayde Supplication or the confederacie made therupon or for any thing that hath insued of them vnto this present so their othe and faythfulnesse whiche they haue giuen and plighted vnto vs as well for them selues as for the confederates be conformable to the poyntes and articles aboue specified and wherunto they haue bound them selues Therefore on the kings maiesties behalfe we wyll and commaund all Gouernors Knights of the Order Lords of the Counsell of Estate the Chiefe the President and the Lordes of the priuie Counsel and all other his maiesties Iustices and Officers to whom this cace perteyneth to mainteine this present assurance and to cause it to be mainteyned inâ—…iolably continually causing suffering and permitting the said Suppliants to vse and inioy it fully quietly and perpetually without causing procuring or dooyng and without suffering to be caused procured or done presently or in tyme to come directly or indirectly any trouble or impeachment to the contrary and also without attempting any thyng against the said Suppliants in any maner of wise for any cause aboue specified For so is it the kings maiesties pleasure and ours In witnesse whereof we haue signed these presents with our name and set thereto our seale Giuen in the Citie of Brusselles the. xxv day of August 1566. Signed vpon the foldyng on the right side of it thus Margaret And on the left side of the same foldyng was written thus By the expresse appoyntment of her highnesse And vndersigned Of Ouerloepe These letters were sealed with her highnesse owne Seale in red waxe vpon a double Labell ¶ The copie of a letter written by the kyng with his owne hand vnto the Prince of Orendge translated out of Spanish into French. WIth great good wyll haue I receiued your letters one the 〈◊〉 of May and afterward an other the. 〈◊〉 of Iune You might haue vnderstoode by that which I wrote to my syster how small cause you haue to thinke the thinge that you writ to me in your letter of May or rather that you ought to thinke the cleane contrary And surely you should be much ouerseene if you should thinke that I trusted you not in all thinges or that if any body had gon about to make me conceiue amisse of your duetifulnes towards me I would haue bin so light of credit as to beleue it hauyng had so great experience of your loyaltie and good seruis Therefore you may forbeare your mistrust in that behalfe and referre your selfe to the letters whiche you
¶ A iustification or cleering of the Prince of Orendge agaynst the false sclaunders wherwith his ilwillers goe about to charge him wrongfully Psalm 17. ¶ The malitious person layeth wayte for the righteous and seeketh hym to put hym to death But the Lorde wyll not leaue hym vp into his handes nor account hym for an offender though he be taken for such a one Psal. 5. ¶ Thou wylt destroye them that speake lyes The Lorde abhorreth the murtherer and the deceyuer Lord leade me forth in thy righteousnesse because of theÌ„ that lye in wayt for me Psal. xciiij ¶ They imbattell them selues agaynst the soule of the righteous and condemne the gyltlesse bloud But the Lord wyl be my defence and my God shal be the rocke of my truste ¶ Imprinted at London by Iohn Day dwellyng ouer Aldersgate Febr. 24. These bookes are to be sold at his long shop at the West doore of Paules ¶ To the Reader THe thynges among other that are cheefly to be coÌ„sidered in this Iustification of a moste rightful case and innoceÌ„t person against vniust slauÌ„ders and slaunderers are the vnmeasurable crueltie and vntolerable trechery of the Papistes Who to maynteine the wrongfull authoritie of their tyrannous kingdome agaynst God and his Christ and agaynst the Maiestie of lawfull Princes whom God hath aduaunced to Souereintie for the mayntenaunce of his trew Religion and for the welfare of the people committed to theyr charge do so stoppe the eares and blynd the eyes of Princes with their horrible leazynges where they take place and beare sway as they nother can see the wronges done to their subiectes by those ministers of Antichrist nor herken to their iust complayntes that they might vnderstand them and redresse them For whereas they themselues hauyng shaken of al obedience towards God and his Ministers and confounded the generall bonds of naturall and coÌ„mon reason do both resiste all law and lawfull Magistrates and also as much as in them lyeth inforce men either to most miserable thraldome of conscience by forsaking God and all godlynesse and of body by losse of goodes landes libertie wiues children lyfe and good name or to some meanes to withstand so extreme wretchednesse whereunto they driue them by streyning them beyond all abilitie of humane patience yit most slaunderously they beare the states and potentates of the world on hand that those most innocent and giltlesse persons whiche stand in nothyng but onely that which their Prince hath both graunted and sworne that it should bee lawfull for them to do and in such wise as he by lyke graunt and othe hath giueÌ„ them leaue and commaundement to do as appeereth most euidently by his solemne Protestation and vowe made at the tyme of his ioyfull entry when he was first admitted to the superioritie of those countreyes at the earnest request and intreataunce of the late Emperour Charles his father who made the lyke solemne othe Protestation and vowe before him and with him are the authors practizers and workers of all disorders confusions mutinies vprores trubbles rebellions and treazons only bycause that after suffrance of their excessiue tormeÌ„ts the thrustyng of theÌ„ out of their natiue countreys they giue them not leaue to tread theÌ„ vtterly vnder foot as myre or rather to rid theÌ„ quite cleane out of the world with the Gospell and Religion of christ Which thyng they could not doe if the Princes whoÌ„ the Romish Antichrist holdeth yit captiue in the prison of superstitious ignorauÌ„ce would vout safe but onely to stand as indifferent Iudges and to make that simple account of them which euen comoÌ„ reazon would they should that is to wit as of their subiectes For no rightuous Iudge condemneth without heering the allegatioÌ„s of both parties nother doth any rightfull Prince permit his subiectes to reuenge their owne wrongs and much lesse to oppresse deuour and eate vp one an other Therfore when the hartes of the Souereine liege Lordes are so shet vppe and their myndes so alienated aforehaÌ„d by the sinister perswasions of cankerharted Papistes and sly Sycophantes which care not whose house be on fire so they may warme themselues by the coales of it as no truth can haue enterance into their eares or accesse into their presence needes must the people go to wrecke to the preiudice of the Prince and the people being so wronged caÌ„ not but seeke to iustifie the right and truth of their cace by all good and reasonable meanes to the church of God and vnto all such as are not so wholly caried away with blynd and fantasticall affection but that they haue some abilitie to discerne right and equitie as may appeere by the treatise heere insewyng For heere is nothyng sayd or intended to the defence maintenance or allowyng of any disobedience disorder or vnlawfull behauiour of the subiect towards his Prince but to shewe most humbly and dewtifully both to Prince and subiect the intolerable incoÌ„ueniences that grow by neglecting the mutuall regard that eche of them ought to haue of other and by the permittyng of Papistes to intrude themselues into suche state of credite and authoritie as they may be able to inforce a Gouernement to the vpholdyng of their owne kingdome And forasmuch as in this treatise there is mention made of a Ioyfull Entrey it is necessarie to know what the same was Therfore it is to be vnderstode that when soeuer any souereine Lord entered into the possession of dominion ouer the Low Countreys whither it were by name of Earle Duke or any other title of superioritie by succession election or otherwise he first tooke a sacred and solemne othe to mainteyne the Lawes Statutes Customes Liberties and Priuiledges of those Countreys and not to procure cause suffer or permitte the infrindging breaking abrogating disanulling impeaching or altering of them or any of them or the bringing in setting vppe or stablishing of any new without the consent counsell aduice and agreement of the states of the same Countrey to the benefite and commoditie of the people before the whiche othe heâ—… was in no wise allowed or acknowledged as Lord there By reason wherof Charles the Emperour and his sonne Philippe nowe king of Spayne to stablishe the continewaunce of their possession in those Countreys as their predecessours had alwayes done at their first Entryes did lately make solemne and faithfull promis Protestation vowe and othe as well for their heyres and successours as for themselues that besides their maynteinyng of the coÌ„mon weale peace rest quietnesse tranquilitie and securitie of those Countreys they and euery of them should and would keepe obserue and performe all the auncient customes Lawes Statutes Liberties and Priuiledges of the same inuiolable and not bryng in any new customes or orders or suffer any to be brought in nor set any Gouerner Magistrate or Officer ouer them or in authoritie among them beyng not the same Countreyman borne and hauing landes goodes or possessions there nor call any assembly of the
ensue therof To the which end I made diuers sutes as wel to his Maiestie as also to the Regent yea euen more then once after the putting vp of the petition of the Confederates which is so greatly defamed by our aduersaries And surely if I had bene any thyng suspected of ambition it is not likely that his Maiestie would haue refused to remoue me at lest wise he would not so often ha◅e expresly commaūded and instantly requested me to be contented to cōtinue in office still For it is a playne case that such as are douted to be ambitious ought to be remoued from all authoritie and gouernement And therfore his maiesties causing of me to continue in the said rowmes offices is a plaine proofe directly against the allegation of the foresayd Attorney general that neither before nor after his maiesties departing frō these low Coūtreys I was neuer suspected of any ambitious desire of vsurpyng authoritie ouer him or his countreys Nay rather it appeareth sufficiently therby that I desired nothyng so much as to be discharged of al administration and authoritie And if a man consider how that after the kyngs departure the managyng of all affaires was in the hāds of the Cardinal Granuil and how ielous the Cardinal was of his own estate insomuch as it was his common fashion to cause all such to be quyte banished shet out from all authoritie and medlyng in matters of state as seemed in any wise able to hinder the increase and continuance of his superioritie as for example in the tyme of the late renowmed Emperour Charles hee perswaded his Maiestie to admit no Lordes of great valour to the affaires of the Empire nor any such as might deface or diminish his authority after the which maner to come to particularities hee delt with the Lord Ferdinando Gonzaga Gouernour of Millaine and with Reinart a Counsaylour here insomuch that while the Cardinal had the orderyng of the affayres of Italie the sayd Lord Ferdinando was fayne to geue ouer his gouernment there and euen vnto his dying day to folowe the suite of a certayne criminal action commenced agaynst hym by the Cardinals meanes thereby to get the Spaniardes the ful superioritie of that countrey like as they had of al other the kings dominions in Italie And the sayd Reynart is constreyned to leaue his house wyfe chyldren goodes here in the low coūtrey to get hym into Spaine where he is like to ende his dayes as an exiled and banished man he shall not find it any thing likely that if I had gone aboute to vsurpe authoritie aboue the king by my gouernment which thing I coulde not haue done without diminishyng of the Cardinals authoritie I should haue bin helde styll in the sayde offices but rather cōtrarywise after the examples afore mentioned I shoulde haue bin driuen to leaue them vnrequested or at leastwise I should haue had leaue to depart from them vpō my first suit and much rather vpon myne often renuyng of my sutes afterward But the Cardinal knowing my nature to be vtterly voyde of al ambition and that in very deede I cou◅ted not to haue any dealinges at al and much lesse any great and extraordinary dealings whereby I might haue seemed to ouermatch hym in authoritie was wel willing to seeke meanes to keepe me styll in office therby to bleare the eyes of the people of whom he knewe hym selfe to be sore hated by ours and other mens meanes to make his owne doynges to seeme better then they were after the exāple of Dennis the Tyrāt of S◅ilie who intertayned such men of his coūsaile as the people had good opiniō of not to the intent to vse their aduice as he bare them in hand but only to make a countenance that he vsed it And after the departure of the sayde Cardinall when occasion was offered me to haue bewrayed myne am◅ion if any had bin in me it was neuer sen◅ that I tooke any thing at all vpon me aboue others were it neuer so litle but that I yeelded the Duches of Parma thē Gouernesse the authoritie that belonged vnto her and whiche the sayde Cardinall had vsurped from her making her as he had done the rest of the Co◅sayle but as a cloke and shadow to shroude his owne doings insomuch that the Duchesse dyd afterward openly declare and confesse that shee vnderstood more of the affayres of the Countrey within a fewe monethes after the Cardinals goyng away than shee had done of all the tyme that he was about her And when as afterwarde at the firste troubles shee was mynded to haue forsaken the towne of Brusselles and to haue withdrawen her selfe to Mons leauyng all thyngs to their own sway wherby shee should haue ministred occasion to such as had lysted to incroche vpon her authoritie We with others made greate suite and supplication vnto her requestyng and beseechyng her that shee would not do so great wrong to her selfe nor so great dishonour and ◅yaltie to the kings maiestie ▪ Which dealyng of ours shewed well that our deedes and thoughtes haue bene cleane contrary to ambition whereof I am wrongfully accused at this present And surely if I had had any intent to vsurpe the authoritie to my selfe alone a more fit and conuenient occasion or meane could not haue ben offred me than to see the Regent accomplishe her purpose But because my meanyng was cleane cōtrary I hindred it to the vttermost of my power as is sayd asore Also when as it was infourmed his maiestie that it was expedient for his seruice that the Counsayle of the lowe Countrey shoulde be augmented with Lordes and men of learnyng further authorised in some poyntes for preuentyng of all confusion and disorder that they might be the better able to go thorow with a number of matters specially also to the ende that the decrees determinations of the same myght be obserued take effect with the greater authoritie regard al occasiō be takē away frō euery man to vsurpe any authority or iurisdictiō or to seke his own commoditie to the losse of the common Weale I beyng required by the Duches to name some persons meete to be preferred to that place dyd shyfte my handes of it because I woulde ge◅e no occasion of mistrust that I woulde put in any man that were at my de◅otion or with whom I had had familiaritie and I referred the whole to the kynges maiestie without makyng of any countenance of myndyng myne owne peculiar profite Whereupon it may be inferred that we be not onely wrongfully but also without all likelyhood of truth accused of practising to vsurpe against his maiestie through ambition and desire of gouernment and superioritie and for the same purpose to haue troubled the peace and tranquilitie of that countrey to the whiche we be in maner as muche beholden as to our owne natiue soyle yea and that without hauyng any regard to our owne losse hynderance
grace vsed such forecast as no place towne or fortresse of our gouernement hath bin destroyed sacked or turned away froÌ„ their dew obedience to the kynges Maiestie or the Regent Out of the same forge commeth this forgerie also which is put into the Citation of the County of Hoochestraten wroÌ„gfully slaundered to haue bin a furtherer of our ambitious practises name ly that we should haue hild many suspicious communications and priny packynges at Hoochestraten and that at Deuremond we should haue determined with the foresayd Countie of Egmond and with the County of Horne and with the sayde County of Hoochestraten to enter into armes agaynst his Maiestie and to keepe him from commyng into the lowe countrey by force For I reporte me to the Lordes that were at Hoochestraten when I was there whither there were any other talke than of makyng good cheere and of visityng one an other and of feasting certeine strauÌ„ge Lordes as frendes alyes meetyng togither so as it caÌ„ neuer bee auowed that any thyng was concluded there that was woorthy to bee suspected or any disloyaltie practised agaynst his Maiestie Also it shall neuer be fouÌ„d true that we practised either at Deuremond or any where els to stop his maiesties coÌ„ming by force or otherwise For although we were aduertised that all our dooynges were misconstrued to his Maiestie to turne away the good wyll that he bare towards vs in so much that there came to our handes the copies of certaine letters written by the Lord Frauntes of Alua his Maiesties Ambassadour in France to the Lady Regent the contents wherof were that the three within noted whiche were the Countie of Egmond the Countie of Horne and Wee should be punished in tyme and place accordyng to their desertes vntyll the whiche tyme he woulde that men should make good couÌ„tenance towards vs and that in effect these letters blamed vs for all the euylles that had happened in the sayd low Countreys auowyng the same thyng to haue bin the principal cause of the foresaid meting at Deuremond yet notwithstandyng we trusting altogether to our own innoceÌ„cie did not forbeare to communicate the contentes of the sayd letters to the Lady Regent to aske her directly what was meant by them There were certayne other poyntes treated of whiche concerned them that were there their doynges wherof I take it that the sayd two Lordes being then prisoners haue made sufficient declaration In respect wherof and because they perteyne not to the present matter and for that it is to be presumed that in this case men should holde them selues satisfyed at leastwise on our behalfe for asmuch as in the writte wherby we be 〈◊〉 there is no mention made of the foresayd two asseÌ„blyes I wil make no fâ—…rther discourse therof Only this I adde that he which had foreseene the outrages and violence vsed at this tyme in the low countreys had done his duetie and indeuor to stop them accordyng to couenants with the Duchie of Braband and accordyng to his owne oth and bond should peradueÌ„ture not be thought worthy of blame for any other rebellion consideryng that if he had mynded any such thing he could haue found no meanes to doo it than our aduersaries weene were it not that the opinion which we haue conceiued of the kyngs goodnesse who notwithstandyng doth waste destroy anâ—… spoyle the Countrey so well affectioned to his maiesties seruice at the onely pleasure of the Cardinall of Granuill had not turned me away from all suche thoughtes And therfore to come to other points of our Summons and nainely to that which importeth that we should haue ayded and counselled the Lorde of Brederode chiefe of the rebels as is there pretended to fortifie his citie of Uiane against the kyngs maiestie I confesse that commyng to Uiane certayne yeres before these alterations and beyng told by the sayd Lord of Brederode that his late Lord and Father had inioyned and commaunded hym by his last wyll and testament to goe foreward with the fortifying of the sayde Towne and of his house lately begonne desiryng me to geue him myne aduice for the fortifying therof I confesse say I that I dyd so wherupon it may wel be inferred that I gaue the saide Lorde counsell to performe the last will of his sayd Lord and father deceased but not that I ayded or counselled any captayne of Rebelles to fortifie the citie agaynst the kynges maiestie By reason whereof and for as much as it is no treazon for a man to geue his aduice vpon the fortifying of a place it appearcth playnly that those accusations tende but only to the defacyng of the truth and to the oppressing of innocencie And that so much the more because that in the low Countreys it hath at all times bin lawfull for GentlemeÌ„ of abilitie liuyng to furnish fortifye their places wherof it hath bin sene that many both of old tyme and euer since haue bin fortified by vertue of the same liberty not only vpoÌ„ the Frontiers but also eueÌ„ in the myddes in the very hart of the Countrey which fortifying was so much the more lawful for the said Lord Brederode to make because he held and possessed the said towne of Uiane with all right of soueraigntie And although his predecessors had bin in controuersie at the law vpon that point of long time before yet notwithstandyng he had continued styll in possession and seisure of the said royalties And if a man looke more neare into the aduice he shall fynd that it is against all reason and equitie to grounde any crime of treason thereuppon because it was not geuen vppon the principall poynt that is to wyt whether the fortification should be made or no whereof the Lord of Brederode made no doubt nor scruple at al but only vpon the maner and forme of the fortificatioÌ„ Which not withstandyng could not haue bin folowed vnlesse the poynt goyng afore were fully concluded and agreed vpon whereto none but the onely Lorde of Brederode should be bound to answer And it maketh not to the matter that the fortification was put in execution after the commotions For seeyng that the aduice was geuen before respecte ought to be had to the same tyme. Wheras it is auouched that we shold haue suffred the said Lord of Brederode to leuie men of warre in the citie of Antwerp in the open fight knowlege of al men contrary to the expresse order then newly taken and proclaymed to shyp them to the towne of Uiauen with all maner of munitions of warre This shall serue for answeare that although my commyng to the citie of And werpe was onely to keepe it in quiet and in obedience to the kinges maiestie which thing may appeare by the Regents letters sent both to me and to the Magistrate of the town yea eueÌ„ by the confession of the Attorney generall conteyned in the said Summons yet notwithstandyng as soone as I vnderstood
of the sayd leuying and of the place where it was done I declared it to the magistrate and to the Markgraue who is the chiefe Officer of the Towne vnto whom it belonged to looke to those and such other accidentes and I commaunded hym accordyng to the tharge that the Regent had geuen me by her letter directed to me in that behalfe that he should apprehend and attach the parties that dyd it Wherupon the Markgraue departyng from me and findyng the parties at a Table together which were reported to be the makers of the sayd Musters in stede of executing my commaundement sate downe with thē and afterwarde reported to me that he could not find them by meanes wherof they had oportunitie to get them secretly away It was very true that long time before these alterations I presented the Lord of Brederode with three peeces of great Ordinance which I caused to be shot new againe afterward at Utreight a Towne of the kynges maiesties in the open sight of all men and sent them to the said Lord howbeit long tyme before the sayd mustryng when he was yet in the kyngs maiesties seruis and had the charge of certayne Ordinance vnder hym So that it is no lesse agaynst reason to blame vs for geuyng and presentyng the sayd artilerie than to blame them that preferred the sayde Lord of Brederode to the said Lieutenantship of the Ordināce specially seeyng that the same Lord of Brederode beyng assured by the Regent authorised by the kyngs maiestie as is sayd afore that none of the things aforepassed should be layd to his charge had not any reason to fortifie hym selfe agaynst the kyng Nother was there any likelyhood of cause why we should refuse the performāce and deliuery of the sayd gyft which we had promised hym before and which he knew to be redy and appoynted afore hande for hym and to be as neare Uiane as vtreyght Therfore to come to the pithe of the said Summons the effect wherof was that I should forbid certaine of the kynges maiesties places and cities to receyue his garrisons and among other places in Zeland whether it is expressely said that we sent men to take it thereby to shut the kyng out and to stop his maiesties passage by sea I doo not thinke that euer I vsed any suche speache as might minister occasion to deuise that accusation or to cause it to be surmised that if our part had had sufficient proofe of it they should haue bin driuen to haue specifyed the tyme and place seyng that all accusers are bounde of right to such specification Yet notwithstanding for as much as Zeland is named amōg others I wyllyngly graunt that knowyng and hauyng oftentymes infourmed the Counsaile of the importance of that Countrey being aduertised that there was a drift in practising agaynst it I sent the Lord Bouxtel thyther to the end that no men of warre should be receiued there without myne appoyntment accordyng to the ordinary maner custome which is that no such thing may be done in those countreys but by the commaundement of the Gouernour of them And I confesse also that hauing receyued aduertisement from the Captayne of Zeburge which is a Fortres in the I le of Walcheren a part of Zeland aforesayd which was all vnder my gouernment that two hundred souldiers were arryued there sent from the Regent to enter into the sayd Fortresse that he could not receiue them as well for feare of some mutinie of his owne men which were vnpayd and woulde not abide that others stronger than thē selues should so openly step in among them as also because of the strey◅nesse of the place and for scarsitie of victuals I sent him word agayn that I thought his reasons very good that he should not receyue any souldiers there without further commiss◅on from the Regent and from vs as Gouernor there Of the which distresses the Regent beyng likwise aduertised by the Captayn became of the same opinion that I was of and sendyng money to pay the souldiers tooke order that of the two hundred no moe but fiftie should be receiued whiche entered in anon after by our commaundement to the Capteine by our letters Now when report was made to the Regent how I had commaunded the said Lord of Bouxtell to receiue no garrison into the I le no not euen though it were sent from her highnesse I intēded to haue excused my selfe by my letters howbeit that at that tyme such order had not bin expedient bycause that as then I was at Antwerp hir highnesse at Brussels who in like caces concernyng my gouernement had not bin wont to do any thyng without making of me priuy to it afore and therefore I assured my selfe that she would not send any garrison into the I le without makyng me of coūsell therewith seyng she might do it without let or delay Wheras on the contrary part vnder pretence of the sayd garrison the fortresse might be surprised as hath bin seene to haue happened diuers times vnto others for the which I might afterward haue bin driuen and constreined to aunswere by much more apparaunt reasons than are now made to accuze me withall In so much that for th◅ more assurance of the sayd fortresse and countrey I had good reason to forbyd the sayd Capteine and all others yea and that euen by special and expresse commaūdement to receiue any garrison bycause the fortresse was sufficiently prouided for already and the want of vittels should bee increaced by the ouer increacing of the garrison By reason wherof and for asmuch as the other places and Cities of the Coūtrey haue alwayes offered to spend their bodies and goods in his Maiesties seruis haue certified him that they needed no garrison by sendyng their deputies to the Gouernesse for the same purpoze there was no likelihode at all that I shoulde by that meanes surprize the sayd Coūtrey and by that shift shet out the kynges Maiestie and cut of his passage by sea seyng that the very deede it selfe hath bewrayed and shewed the contrarie For at such time as certeine Barkes loden with men whom I had put out of And werp by open Proclamation for the better assurāce of the rest and quietnesse of the towne came before the I le the inhabitauntes did set themselues at defence woold not suffer them to take lād so that beyng fayne to take ship and returne backe agayne they were afterward disco◅fited vpon the riuer about Andwerp for want of vittels armour other needefull thyngs notwithstāding that they had caused it to be bruted that they would go to the ayde of the Lorde of Br◅rode Which thing caused great vprore and hurlyburly in the Towne where both the Lord of Hoochestrate I were often in daunger of our lyues by reason of the Magistrates cowardlinesse in that he durst not shew himself which gaue great occasiō of the vprore to the breach of the peace there
maiestie hereafter this is worthy to be takeÌ„ for one of the noblest and to best purpoze in respect wherof we be throughly perswaded that your highnesse can not but take it in good worth Therefore Madam although we doubt not but that all that euer his maiestie hath decreed both heretofore and now newly again at this present concerâ—…yng the Inquisition and the streight obsernyng of the Iniunctions in the case of ReligioÌ„ haue some good grounde and iust title namely for the continuyng of the thynges which the late Emperour of noble memorie Charles had vpon very good meanyng determined and stablished yet notwithstandyng seeing that the diuersitie of tymes bringeth diuersitie of remedyes with them and the sayd Iniunctions haue already geuen occasion of many griefes and inconueniences now many yeares since for all the executyng of them with extreme rigour Surely his Maiesties laste resolution whereby he not only forbyddeth the mitigatyng of the Iniunctions any whyt at all but also commaundeth expresly that the Inquisition should proceede and the Iniunctions be executed with all rigour doth giue vs sufficient cause of iust feare that therby not onely the inconueniences wyl be greatly augmented but also there wyl in the end insue some general commotion and insurrection tendyng to the miserable ruine of the whole Contrey accordyng as the manifest tokens of mâ—…tinie among the people which appeareth already euerywhere doo shewe vs openly to the eye Wherfore consideryng the apparaÌ„ce and greatnesse of the dauÌ„gers that manace vs we haue hoped hitherto that either the Lordes or els the states of the Countrey would haue aduertized your highnesse therof one tyme or other that you might haue remedyed it by remouyng the cause and grounde of the mischeef But when we sawe that they did not put forth theÌ„selues to do it by reasoÌ„ of sum occasions to vs vnknowen and that in the meane while the mischeef increaced froÌ„ day to day so as it was lyke to come to a generall insurrection and ceuolt we haâ—…e thought it our dewtie to wayt no longer tyme but rather accordyng to the othe of our faith and allegeauÌ„ce matched with good meening and zeale towardes his Maiâ—…stie and the couÌ„trey to put forth our selues foremost in doyng our needefull indeuer that so much the more frankly as we haue more cause to hope that his Maiestie will take our aduertizement in very good part for asmuch as the matter toucheth vs much neerer than any others as them that lye more open to the inconueniences and calamities that are customably wont to spryng of like accidents bycause the most part of vs haue our houses and possessioÌ„s situaâ—…e in the open fieldes redy for all men to pray vpon and also forasmuch as if we should follow the rigour of the sayd IniunctioÌ„s in such wise as his Maiestie commaundeth vs expresly to procede their should not generally be any man amoÌ„g vs no nor in all the CouÌ„treys heeraboutes of whatsoeuer callyng state or degree hee were which should not roune in daunger of losse both of body and goodes bee subiect to the slaunder of hym that would bee his enemye who to haue a share of his goodes so forfeyted might accuse him vnder preteÌ„ce of the sayd Iniunctions wherein there was none other refuge left for the defeÌ„dant but only if the officer listed to winke at him at whose curtesie both his life his goods did wholly staÌ„d In consideration wher of we haue the more cause to beseeche your highnes most humbly so do we in deede by this our Supplication to voutsafe to take some order in the cace bycause it is a matter of great importance to send a fit and conuenient person to the Kynges Maiestie with all speede possible to aduertize him therof to beseech him most huÌ„bly on our behalfe that it may pleaze him to prouide remedy in that behalfe as well for heerafter as for the present tyme And that for asmuch as that caÌ„not be done by sufferyng the sayd Iniunctions to stand in force bycause they bee the very welspring and roote froÌ„ whence all the sayd inconueniences spryng it may pleaze him to giue eare to the abolishyng of them which he shall finde to be necessary for the turnyng away of the vniuersall ruine destruction of all his countreys heere And to the intent his Maiestie may haue no cause to thinke that we which haue none other meenyng than to yeld him most humble seruis would take vpon vs to bridle him and to bynd hym to the stake at our pleasure as we dout not but our aduersaries will inceÌ„se him to our disaduantage it may please him to make other ordinauÌ„ces by the aduice and consent of all the States assembled generally togither to prouide for the things abouesaid by sum other meanes more fit and conuenient and without any euident daunger Also we most humbly beseeche your highnes that in the meane seazon while his Maiestie may take intelligence of our inst request and determine thereof accordyng to his good rightfull pleasure you will prouide for the sayd dauÌ„gers by a generall surceassing as well of the Inquisition as of all executioÌ„ of the sayd IniuÌ„ctions vntill his Maiesty haue taken other ordre in the matter And we protest expresly that asmuch as in vs lay we haue discharged our dewries by this present aduertizement so that we do now vnburtheÌ„ our selues of it before God meÌ„ declaryng plainly that if any iuconuenience disorder sedition reuolt or sheadyng of blud insew thereof herafter for want of redresse in tyme we cannot be blamed of the coÌ„cealyng of so apparaÌ„t a mischeef Wherin we take God the kyng your highnesse the Lordes of the Counsell and our owne consciences to witnesse that our proceedyng therein hath bin as becommeth the kynges good trusty seruauÌ„tes and faythfull subiectes without passing the bouÌ„des of our dewty in any point in respect wherof also we beseech your highnesse so much the more instaÌ„tly to voutsafe to giue eare to it before any further harme insew thereof So shall you do well ¶ The Answere and Replication made to the sayde Supplication in the Counsell of the States by the Lady Regent was as followeth HIr highnesse hauying considered the petitions demauÌ„des conteined in the said Supplication is fully determined to send it to the kyngs Maiestie and to offer it vnto hym with all kynde of dewtifulnesse that she caÌ„ deuize to serue hir to moue and incline his Maiestie to coÌ„descend to their requestes afore shewed tellyng theÌ„ that there was no cause for them to hope otherwise than for all thynges meete and agreable to his natiue accustomed goodnesse for the furtheraunce whereof hir highnesse by the ayde aduice of the Rulers of the Prouinces the Knightes of the Order and the Lordes of the Counsell had taken peynes to deuize and penne a moderation of the sayd Iniunctions in the cace of Religion before the commyng of their informatioÌ„s to be presented to his
haue written heretofore in that matter and to your owne doyngs and not to the things that may haue bin put into your head by some that perchance are enemies both to my seruice and to your welfare As touching the leaue that you sue for to geue vp your Offices I am sory that your priuate affayres are in suche state as you speake of howebeit seeing that the state of those Countreys is so tickle as it is I can not forbeare to tel you that it is no reason that such personages as you be in whom I trust and vpon whom I rest should nowe abandon them specially sith I am so farre of from them but rather it were more reason that suche as are at home in their houses shoulde come running out at such a time of nede and put to their helping hande as they be bound to doo and as you haue done at this present in goyng to And werpe whereof I like very well assuring my selfe that you wyll doo there what soeuer is most expedient for my seruis and for the peace and tranquilitie both of the Citie and of the Countrey and also for the redresse of such disorders as are ther according to the truste that I haue in you and so to doo I geue you expresse charge and commission knowing that you wyll not shewe your selfe otherwise towardes me than you haue bin of all your lyfe long And to the ende you may see howe freely I deale with you I can not spare to tell you howe it is much spoken of here that your brother is a medler in the thinges that are done there as you be For as muche therfore as I can not but greatly mislike of it I charge you to looke to the redresse thereof that he procâ—…ede no further and that you doo it out of hande And if you thinke it conuenient to put hym from you for certayne dayes doo so From the wood of Segouia the first of August 1566. vndersigned Philip. Indorsed To the prince of Orendge And sealed with the kinges owne seale ¶ A Letter of the kynges Ambassadour in France to the Regent MAdame although I wrote to you at large a fifteene dayes ago and also by the Post that came out of Spayne as he passed this way a six tweÌ„ty dayes since yet notwithstandyng for as muchâ—… as yesterday I receyued aduertisementes from out of Spayne I purpozed to giue your highnes intelligence of them incontinently and to send you the copies of the two letters that were writteÌ„ vnto me wherby you may see many suche poyntes as I am sure you wyll very well like of and also vnderstand the good order which the kinges Maiestie hath taken and the great preparation that he maketh dayly as well to withstaÌ„d the Turkes power if it should aduenture to arriue vpoÌ„ those Coastes to profer any atteÌ„pt as also to bring all his subiectes to the obedience of God and of hym selfe Also your highnes shal vnderstaÌ„d how well your manner of dealyng is liked of whiche you haue vsed since the styrre that hath happened in the couÌ„trey where you be and that the last poynt concernyng intelligences and strong places is found very good and to very great purpoze aboue all the rest In so much that now by that meanes the kyngs maiestie maketh full account to bring his matters about with small payne â—…nd resistence contrary to the doubt which he had of it at the beginnyng specially for as much as the straungers meddle not oner farre and also by reason of the continuall wisedome and cunnyng handlyng of thynges where with your highnesse hath begonne to order the whole matter For I am well able to assure you Madame that his Maiestie attributeth the preseruation of his low couÌ„treys vnto you next after God who of his grace wyll bring to passe that this inconuenience whiche is befallen shall tâ—…rne so greatly to his benefit and commoditie as he shall see them brought wholy vnder his obedience and to such state gouernment and rule as his predecessors could neuer attayne vnto and which he hym selfe had so long desired labored for together with this occasion which no good seruant of his wyll counsell hym to looze wherby he is in forewardnesse to subdue the one sort and to ryd his handes of the other as he hym selfe shall find best and perceiue to be most expedient for the incounteryng of thyngs hereafter to the benefit of his affayres in the saide Countreys And for as much Madame as the point which to my seeming is of greatest importance and of most necessitie as now in this cace is to make those vizored seruaunts whom you note of more more carelesse and out of mistrust your highnesse by your fauour muste not thinke amisse of me for that I haue often warned you and nowe againe doo put you in mind to dally with them for the present tyme and to feed them so far foorth as to hold talke with them ofttymes your selfe or to cause them to be talkt with by persons appoynted for the nonce which must feed theÌ„ with the great opinion and good liking that the kings maiestie hath of their doyngs and with the good wyll which he beareth them yea euen so farre forth as to assure them that he beleueth sayth that they haue done hym so notable seruis as he thinketh him selfe beholden to them for that his low Countreys are styll vnder his obedience that but for their presence and wisdome they had eyther bin a pray to straungers or els bin bathed in the blud of their own people For although madame such speches be but 〈◊〉 fayned iu very deede yet doo the tyme and occasion require that such artificial talke should be vsed for the seruis of his maiestie And I beleue your highnesse shall see by experience that they wyll serue to good purpoze for the holdyng of them in or at leastwise for to hold the fast as we haue perceyued alreadye not onely in them but also in the two that are gone to his maiestie who haue bin so cunnyngly and skilfully handled and haue had so good countenance and intertaynment giuen them that they swearâ—… by nothyng els but by the faith that they owe to their maister And on the otherside there is so good order taken and such fetches practized in their houses at home that accordyng to the meanes that your highnesse couÌ„seleth they can nother doe nor say any thyng wherof good intelligence is not giuen backe agayne Besides this it is determined to holde them a good while at the Court and not to suffer them to depart thence no more than they haue suffered the Lord of Ibermount who thought he should haue retunred out of hand But I must tell you Madame that the greatest inconuenience whiche I know to be in this cace at this preset is that they which are of greatest power and credit about the kyng that is to witte the Duke and the Prince agree
our cace accordyng to the desert of it openly and without partialitie or affection Protestyng yit once agayne that all is nothyng which is or shal be done sayd ordeyned iudged or decreed to our preiudice by the said Duke of Alua suspected and refuzed as an incompetent Iudge as is sayd afore or by any that shal be put in Commission for him and in his steade And for asmuch as all this serueth to none other end but to do you to vnderstand the sayd declarations offers and protestations that by you and others such regarde may be had of them as is meete I will pray to the Creator to haue you Maister Attourney in his holy keepyng Written at Dillenbourch the thyrde of Marche 1568. Under-signed William of Nassaw The superscription of it was To Maister Attourney Generall ¶ An answere sent to the Duke of Alua by the Prince of Orendge vpon the Citation or Summons SIr for asmuch as my doyngs may be a sufficient testimonie that froÌ„ my youth vp I haue desired nothyng more than to imploy my selfe in the seruis first of the late Emperour of noble memory and afterward of the kyng my Maister I haue hoped that his maiestie beyng aduertized from me lyke as my Lady of Parma then Regent was also that I was come into this my county of Nassaw for certeine very vrgent affaires of myne would in respect of my faythfulnes good wil not haue ceased to haue shewed me so much fauour as to commauÌ„de me wherin soeuer I could haue done him seruis which I offered hym continewally by my sayd letters of aduertizemeÌ„t or at leastwise that I should haue vnderstode at your hand that the kynges Maiestie was mynded to haue me to leaue myne owne affaires heere and to returne immediatly thither as wel as you gaue intelligence of his maiesties minde to all other Lords states and Cities But as I was stil wayting with great longyng for his Maiesties commaundementes I was aduertized that processe was gone out agaynst me to seaze vpon my Lordshyps Landes and goodes and whiche woors is by ProclamatioÌ„ vnder the name of the Attourney generall ful of false and vntollerable slaunders and afterward by the apprehendyng of my sonne whom I had left at Louane that he might be the better able to serue the kyng and the coÌ„mon weale heerafter Whereat I wondered very much me thought it was right strange that they should proceede in such sort against a man of my calling forgettyng so soone the great and noble seruices done as well by my predecessours and by my selfe and in theis last trubbles by name Wherfore where as I haue reasons allegations well framed to Iustifie my cace with all and to cleere declare myne innocencie the wrong that is done me in this behalfe which I reserue till fit time place may serue I thought it inough at this tyme to answere the Attourney general with speede and to lay open and to shewe to him the insuffiâ—…iencie of his Summons by other reasons which I had agaynst the same before the expiring of the ouer hasty terme that is prefixed vnto me to the ende that men should not thinke I felt my selfe gilty in any thing or that I â—…eene not to pursew my right so farre forth as I shal finde it expedient by reason And thereof Syr I thought good to aduertize you also by sendyng you Copic of the letter that I wrate to maister Attourney togither with this letter to the intent there may be no more proceedyng or dealyng agaynst me or myne through ignoraunce furtherforth than may be iustified heerafter by order of law whereto I hope I shall one day haue my recours And to the ende that this may not serue to any other effect I pray God Syr to giue vnto you health and whatsoeuer is for your saluation and vnto me that my Prince may once truly vnderstand the sinceritie of my dealynges From Dillenbourch this thyrd of Marche 1568. The subscription of it was Your brother of the Order William of Nassaw The superscription was To my Lord the Duke of Aluaze grace ¶ The Copie of an other Letter written by the foresaid Frauncis of Alua Ambassadour for the king of Spaine in Fraunce to the Duchesse of Parma c. Regent besides that whiche is inserted heertofore in the page 106. No. 6. MAdame the aduertizemeÌ„t which your highnes hath giuen me of the affaires where you are hath confirmed the opinion which I haue alwayes had namely that this styrre was neuer made without the knowledge and supportaÌ„ce of the greatest and specially of the three whiche make so fayre countenance For as your highnesse hath considered with greate care and discretion you must also beleue that all the mischief spryngeth of them three I haue not fayled to aduertize the kings Maiestie of all thynges and specially of that matter And I am sure that whereas your highnesse hath informed his Maiestie of them you shall not neede to handle them as they should be and accordyng to your owne information for they may be well assured that they shal be the first whom his Maiestie will deale with not to shewe them fauour for they be not worthy of it but to punish and correct them as their rebellion deserueth Therfore your hyghnes shall not neede to giue them any euill countenance or to make any shewe of misliking for feare of marring the matter But you must hold them stil in hope that the kynges Maiestie taketh them for his faythfull seruauntes that will stand vs in great stead For by causing them to beleeue so you shall ouertake them the eassyer But when the time coÌ„meth you shal talke to them in an other maner of language And your highnesse must assure your selfe that if your will be good to make them receiue the payment that they haue deserued his Maiestie wil be no lesse willyng to do what soeuer is needefull in that behalfe Also Madame to aduertize you in what assuraunce we bee of succour in Fraunce accordyng to the instructions that you gaue me I must bee fayne to tell your hyghnesse that we haue promises inough made vs but I feare me they will stand vs in no great stead and in the end all will turne to bare words bycause they haue not their own willes nor are able to helpe vs as they promise by reason that the Hugonotes heerawayes are strong and doo make head I will not fayle to do what may be done and to aduertize your highnesse thereof vpon all occasions But in any wise I beseech you to behaue your selfe very cunnyngly towards the three persons whom I haue named vnto you And so c. From Paris the xxix of August 1566. ¶ Letters of the Prince of Orendgis to the Regent MAdame I haue receyued the letters which it hath pleased your highnesse to write vnto me together with the Counselles letters concernyng my gouernment whereby I vnderstand the kinges maiesties intent consistyng in three
duetyes sake to his maiesty and my natiue soyle I woulde I say aduenture not onely al the goodes that I haue in the worlde but also myne owne person my wife and my children whom euen nature wylleth me to preserue and keepe Wherefore I beseech you let it please your highnesse to haue regard of it according to your tryed and accustomed discretion and to take this mine information in good parte as proceedyng from one that speaketh of earnest affection and good wyll to doo his maiestie seruis and to preuent all inconueniences â–ª wherof I take God to witnesse whom hauing commended my selfe most humbly to the good grace of your highnesse I beseeche to giue you long and good lyfe in health From Brusselles the. xxiiij day of Ianuarye 1565. accordyng to the Computation of Braband ¶ The Regentes answere to the Princes Letter MY good cousin I haue receiued your two Letters of the xvi e. of this present moneth by the one of which you excuse your selfe of your not coÌ„myng hither as you would haue done And by the other you put me in mynde of the declarations which you haue made to me at other tymes coÌ„cernyng the inconueniences that might rise of the three poyntes which my Lord the king hath commauÌ„ded which I remember very well And since that tyme as I am informed the discontentement and grudging of the people is groweÌ„ in such wise as I am done to vnderstand by diuers aduertizementes commyng to me dayly from good places that the sayd inconueniences are tootoo apparaÌ„t eueÌ„ at the poynt to shew themselues to open sight Which thyng caused me to thinke it meete and expedient to assemble the Gouerners as I haue done to be heere vpon Monday or Tewsday next at the furthest that by their helpe I may consult of such things as shal be most expedient for the preuentyng of the sayd inconueniences or for the good seruice of the king for the peace and tranquillitie of his countreys and for the safety of his vassals subiectes and inhabitants And I know your affection and zeale towardes his Maiesties affayres and in the behalfe of the Countrey to be such as I assure my selfe that you will not fayle all other matters set aside and omitted to be here at the same tyme which I pray you hartily good Cousin to do for to that ende doth this letter purposely come vnto you And I pray the Creator to grauÌ„t you the thyng that you would most desire of him From Brussels the xix day of Marche 1565. It was vnderwritten Your good Cousin and signed Margaret and further countersigned Berty And the superscription was To my good Cousin the Prince of Orendge CouÌ„tie of Nassaw Knight of the Order Gouerner of the CouÌ„tie of Burgon and of the Countreys of Holland Zeland and Vtreyght ¶ Extractes of certaine points coÌ„prized in the Iniunctions and ordinances set forth in the lowe Countreys in the cace of Religion And first of the generall Iniunction or Edict made and decreed by the Emperour Charles the. xxij of September the yeere 1540. which was made after the paterne of an other as rigorous as that whiche came foorth in the yeere 1531. FOr asmuch as in consideratioÌ„ aforesayd we be desirous to the vttermost of our power to plucke vp abolish roote out the sayd condemned and disallowed sectes errours and heresies to keepe our subiectes in the feare of God and in the true obedience of our sayd holy Catholicke fayth likewise in awe of our mother holy Church we vpoÌ„ great and substantial deliberation with our CouÌ„sell and by the aduice of our right deare welbeloued sister the Queene Dowager of Hungarie and Beame c. RegeÌ„t Gouernesse of our Countreys heere and also by the aduice of our cheef CouÌ„selers haue of our owne will certeine knowledge ordeined and decreed do ordeyne and decree for an euerlastyng Statute and Law as followeth First that no person of what state degree or callyng soâ—…uer he bee shall haue sell giue cary read preach teach maynteine talke of nor dispute of either secretly or openly the doctrines writynges or bookes that are made or shal be made by Martin Luther Ioh. Wickliffe Iohn Husse Marcil of Padua Oecolampadius Vlrichus Zuinglius Philip Melancthon Frauncis Lambert Iohn Pomerane Otto Brunfelsius Iustus Ionas Iohn Puper and Gorcian or by any other authors of their sect or by any other heretickes and 〈◊〉 or the errours disallowed by the Church or the doctrine of their adherentes fauorers and complices no nor euen the new TestameÌ„ts Printed by Adrian of Bergues Christopher of Râ—…moÌ„d and Iohn Zell nor theis Latin bookes followyng videl The phrases of holy Scripture The Interpretation of the Chaldey names Vadians Abridgement of Topographie The Paralippomenon or Chronicles of thyngs worthy of rememberance The story of the originall of the Garmanes The CoÌ„meÌ„taries vppon the Poetry of Pythagoras Walcurioze Commentaries vpon Aristotles Phisikes The workes of Eobanus Hessus Griphies Prayers vpoÌ„ the Lordes Prayer The Method vpoÌ„ the cheef places of Scripture The Cathechizin of Erasmus Sarcerius The same mans Scholies vpon the Gospels of Mathew Marke Luke The same maÌ„s Postilles vppon all the Sondayes Gospelles through the whole yeere Also of the maner of learnyng Diuinitie Of the framyng of a mans lyfe and of the reformation of manners Christopher Hegendorphius exhortation The same mans instruction of Christen youth with an exposition of the Lordes Prayer Philip 〈◊〉 abridgement of Chronicles both in Latin and in Duche Sebastian Munsters Annotations vppon Saint Mathewes Gospell and the Enterludes played not loÌ„g ago in our Citie of Gaunt by the nineten places of Rhetoricke vppon this question what is the greatest comforte to a man that is at the point to dye nor any other bokes written or printed within theis xviij yeeres last past without declaryng of the author printer tyme and place nor likewise the new Testament the Gospels the Epistles the Prophesies or any other bookes in Frenche or Duche conteining Prefaces Prologes Appostils or glozes sauoryng of doctrines disallowed repugnant or coÌ„trary to our holy Catholicke fayth or to the Sacramentes or to the commaundementes of God or of the Church Also that no man shall peynt or cause to bee peynted or portrayed or holde haue or keepe any Images portraitures or pictures to the reproche or disgracyng of the virgin Marie or of the saints that are canonized by the church nor also breake deface or pull down the Images made or heerafter to be made in the honor or rememberance of them that if any body haue any such books peyntyngs in his hands or keepyng he burne them incontinently UpoÌ„ peyne in cace that any be fouÌ„d to haue done agaynst any of the pointes aboue declared to be executed that is to say the meÌ„ by the sword and the women by the pit so they do not maintein defend their errours but if they stand in those errours
or for the peculiar Lordes or for their officers to giue licence or pasport to any suche persons And as touchyng merchant strangers others that list to come into our sayd low countreys our meanyng is not to compel theÌ„ to bring such Certificat with theÌ„ or to exhibit it sauyng that they must lyue there accordyng to our saide ordinances behaue themselues without giuyng cause of offence as is sayd afore Also we wil that al our Iustices officers men of law and al our vassals subiects Lords teÌ„poral high Iustices shal vpon forfeyture of their offices iuâ—…dictions Iustice ships or vpoÌ„ other penaltie at our pleasure according to the state of the cace be bound to make diligent serch to procede or to cause their officers to procede to the verifying of the matters aforesaid against al persons of what state or calling soeuer they be specially in the thyngs that coÌ„cerne the incounteryng of our said ordinances in the caces that belong to their examination and depende vpon their temporall iurisdiction Moreouer when the Ecclesiasticall Iudges meane to proceede against any man because he is faulty iu the ecclesiasticall crime of heresie they shall require of the officers of our cheefe Courtes or prouincial Councels to haue some one of their company or other assistent appoynted theÌ„ to be at the informations procedings which they intend to prefer agaynst suche as are suspected And we wil coÌ„maâ—…nd inioyne al our officers Iustices vassals to yeeld to giue to the said Iudges their felow CoÌ„missioners all the helpe fauour furtherance assistence that they can for the executyng performing of their charge also in the apprehendyng imprisonyng keepyng of such as they shall finde infected without delay or impediment vnder pretence of any sute hanging preueÌ„tion or other occasioÌ„ whatsoeuer vnder peyne to bee corrected at our pleazure And we coÌ„maund our Attourneyes generall and theirdeputies to proceede agaynst such as are negligent to procure sentence vpoÌ„ them to the end they may be depriued of their roomes offices of the priuiledges of their iurisdictions and receiue such other punishmentes â–ª as shal be founde meete accordyng as the cace requireth IteÌ„ that all such as know or vnderstaÌ„d of any that are infected with heresy shal be bound to bewray vtter name geue knowledge of them immediately without delay to the ecclesiasticall iudges the Bishops officers and others to whom the matter beloÌ„geth Also that if any maÌ„ be fouÌ„d to haue don against our decrees prohibitioÌ„s shewing himselfe to be infected or a fauorer of heretickes or to haue done any act agaynst our ordinances commaundemeÌ„tes specially tending to offence coÌ„motion of the people or seditioÌ„ they that know theÌ„ or vnderstaÌ„d of theÌ„ shal be bouÌ„d to giue intelligence of theÌ„ out of haÌ„d to our Attourneys or to their deputies vnder officers or to the officers of y place where such infected persons offenders or fauorers of them do wel that vnder peyne of beyng punished at our pleasure Likewise if they know the place where any such hereticke lyeth hid they shal be bound to bewray him to the officer of that same place vpoÌ„ peyne to be taken as is sayd afore for fauorers receiuers adherentes of the heresie to be punished with the same punishment that the hereticke or offender should be if he were apprehended And to the end that the said Iustices officers which shal haue apreheÌ„ded such heretikes Anabaptists traÌ„sgressors of oursaid ordinaÌ„ces coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„ts may haue no occasion to beare with theÌ„ their complices fauourers vnder pretence that the punishmentes may seeme to great rigorous set out but onely to terrifie offeÌ„ders euil doers nor also to punish them lesse greuously thaÌ„ they haue deserued as hath bin found to haue bin done oftentymes heertofore we will that such as shal wittingly haue done agaynst this ordinance by keeping to theÌ„ selues or by printyng sellyng distributyng or puttyng forth any bookes writings or pictures that are heretical and offeÌ„siue or otherwise agaynst the points heertotore declared or any of theÌ„ shal be really punished corrected and chastized with the punishmeÌ„tes aboue meÌ„tioned Prohibityng all Iudges Iustices officers togither with our vassals and subiectes Lordes temporal hauyng authoritie of Iustice their officers to alter mitigate or chauÌ„ge the sayd punishmeÌ„ts in any wise coÌ„mauÌ„ding theÌ„ that as soone as any withstandyng appeereth they vtter denounce the sayd punishment simply according to this decree vpoÌ„ peyne to be rigorously punished vnlesse that for some great notable consideratioÌ„s the iudges finde some hardnesse in the cace about the preeize execution of the punishmeÌ„t that is appointed by our sayd decrees against the traÌ„sgressour in which cace notwithstandyng they shall not of their owne authoritie proceede to any qualification but be bounde to cary or seÌ„d the same crime in all proces faithfully folded vp sealed to the cheef or prouinciall CouÌ„sell vnder the Iurisdiction whereof they shall resort togither to be there looked vpoÌ„ ouersene couÌ„seled whither there be fall any alteratioÌ„ or mitigatioÌ„ of the said penalties or no. And if any of our sayd Counselles finde that any alteration or mitigation is requisite by good Iustice accordyng to right and reason wherewith we charge their coÌ„sciences In such cace they may be well aduized therof put it in writyng seÌ„d it whole backe agayne to the said Iustices officers to dispatch determine y cace according therunto Neuertheles we charge coÌ„maund theÌ„ expresly yea euen vpon peyne to be corrected punished at our pleasure that they cause not such coÌ„sultatioÌ„ to be had without great apparaÌ„t cause but that they deale as farre as they can euen to the vttermost accordyng to the tenor of this present dâ—…ret In the same Edict amoÌ„g other thyngs vvere inserted vvord for vvord the three first points or Articles coÌ„teined in the former Edict and marked there at their begynnynges vvith a dubble Crosse. Likewise there vvere rehersed and repeated the vvordes and substauÌ„ce of all the pointes and Articles noted and marked in the sayd Edict of 1540 vvith a single 〈◊〉 sauyng that vvhiche hath a starre added to the Crosse thus ¶ The Articles of Agreement made vvith the noblemen that vvere the Confederates by the RegeÌ„t in the kyngs name the xxiij day of August and aftervvard put at large into hir letters of Assurance set dovvne heeretofore pag. 99. vvhere the begynnyng of it is touched also HIr highnes caused the geÌ„tlemeÌ„ that had put vp the supplicatioÌ„ vnto hir to returne to the xx of August to receiue aunswere to their demaundes duryng which time it fell out so wel that she receiued letters from the kynges maiestie whereby she was the better inabled to giue them certeine absolute answere And first of all she declareth that his maiestie hauing regard of y thyngs
that hir highnesse hath shewed vnto him is conteÌ„ted vpon the aduice of his lords y knights of the Order others as wel of his Counsels of estate as of his priuy Counsell that the Inquisition whereof they complayne shall ceasse Secondly his maiestie coÌ„senteth that a new Edict should be made but he was not resolued whether it should be done by meane of the states in general or no. Neuerthelesse hir highnesse hoped that she should shortly haue his full resolutioÌ„ therein accordyng as his maiestie had writteÌ„ to her And she would willingly doo hir indeuer stil at al tymes that his maiestie might voutâ—…afe to coÌ„descend to y thynges aforesayd as he had done by his letters agayne And as touchyng the assurance wherof they made mention in their last sute her highnes was determined to giue it them so farre forth as lay in her And as nowe shee was able to put theÌ„ out of all doubt for as much as his maiestie had consented hereunto giuen her authoritie coÌ„cernyng the maner forme of it as shee should fynd it coÌ„uenient Wherfore shee said declared vnto them that his maiestye abhorryng nothyng more than rigor beyng desirous by his accustomed clemeÌ„cie to put them all out of suspition whiche might thynke that he was misinformed of theÌ„ to discharge theÌ„ of the mistrust which had caused those troubles was contented that her hyghnesse should for the pacifying of al incoÌ„ueniences make theÌ„ al kynds of letters that might serue to that purpoze and in such forme as shee should perceiue to be moste for their safetie for what soeuer was past CoÌ„ditionally that henceforth thei behaued theÌ„selues like good loyal vassals subiects towards his maiesty which thyng her highnesse hopeth that they wyll not faile to do as becommeth them like as shee was ready to accept their presentment And nowe for as much as they haue ful whole satisfactioÌ„ made vnto them her highnesse wyl not refuze the offer that they had made diuers times coÌ„cerning their imploying of theÌ„ selues in the seruis of his maiesty of her highnesse for the benefit rest tranquilitie of the countrey wherto the duetie of faithfulnesse of nature bindeth theÌ„ According wherunto shee intendeth that they shall giue her their faith first that they shal nother do nor procure directly nor indirectly any thyng agaynst his maiesty his states countreys subiects but that they shal imploy theÌ„ selues wholy to al maner of thyngs that good loyal vassals subiectes ought to performe towards their soueraigne Lord natural prince In doyng wherof they shal to the vttermost of their power saythfully helpe to stay the present troubles coÌ„motions vprores and to restraine the insurrection of the people that the sacking pilling pulling down of churches chappels cloysters religious houses may cease in al places yea they shall helpe to punish such as haue coÌ„mitted such sacriledges outrages abominations see that no wrong be done to any ecclesiasticall persons ministeâ—…s of Iustice Gentlemen or any other of the kynges subiectes and vassalles IteÌ„ they shal earnestly indeuor that y weapoÌ„s which y people haue takeÌ„ in haÌ„d where through so many mischefes haue bin coÌ„mitted and may be coÌ„mitted hereafter may be layd away incoÌ„tineÌ„tly Also they shal do the best they can by al good seruis to prohibit preachyng in places where none hath bin afore and to prohibit al force cause of offence publike disorder where preaching is vsed already Moreouer they shal indenor and put to their helpe accordyng as they are bound by oth fealty towards his maiesty to the expulsing and repressyng of al strangers that are enemyes rebels to his maiestie the Countrey Finally they shal do their indeuor according to the credit which they haue among such as are now rizen vp for religion or otherwise to cause them to submyt them selues to the thyngs that hys maiesty shal decre by the general aduice of his estates for the furtherance of religion the quietnes and tranquilitie of the same Geuen at Brusselles the. 23. of August 1566. Undersigned Margaret ¶ A copie of the letter which the Confederates sent backe in answeare to the Regent WE Lewis Countie of Nassaw Eustace of Fiennes Lord of Esquerds Charles of Reuel Lord of Andrignyes Barnard of Merode Lord of Rumen Charles of Vander Noot Lord of Risoire George of Mountegnie Lord of Noyelles Martin of Sarclas Lord of Tilly Philip Vander Meeren Lord of Sterbek Philip of Marbais lord of Louuerual Iohn of Mountegny lord of Vilers Charles of Lieuin Lord of Famars Francis of HaefteÌ„ and Iohn Sauage Lord of Escaubecke as wel in our own names as deputies coÌ„mitties for all the rest of the Lords gentlemen confederates that dyd put vp the supplicatioÌ„ to the kings maiesty in the moneth of April last concernyng the Inquisition Iniunctions for heresie Forasmuch as this day we haue receiued certaine letters patents froÌ„ the right high excelleÌ„t princesse the duchesse of Parma PleasaÌ„ce RegeÌ„t Gouernesse for the kyng in theis couÌ„treys heere authorized therunto by the king our souerein Lord naturall prince in maner forme folowyng that is to say Margaret by the grace of God Duchesse of Parma Pleasance RegeÌ„t c. as in the letters of assurance aboue rehearsed We do you to vnderstaÌ„d that according to the same letters of assuraÌ„ce we haue promised do promis solemly by our fayth and in the word of Gentlemen as trew loyall vassals subiectes of his maiestie That we will obserue mainteine fulfill all maner of pointes articles aforesayd as well on our owne behalfe as on the behalfe in the name of all the rest whose deputies we be whose power coÌ„missioÌ„ authoritie coÌ„mauÌ„deâ—…eÌ„t we haue we giue will giue our wordes that both we and the rest of our confederates shal keepe mainteine and performe the same in respect wherof we hold our former coÌ„federacie as voyde broken vndone so farre forth so long as the foresaid assurance promised by hir highnesse in the kings maiesties name shall hold In witnesse whereof we haue signed theis preseÌ„ts with our names Made at Brussels the xxv day of August 1566. Signed vnderneath thus Lewes of Nassaw Eustace of FieÌ„nes Bernard of Merode C. of Vander Noot Charles of Reuel George of MouÌ„tegny Philip vander Meeren Philip of Marbais lord of Louerual I. MouÌ„tegny Lord of Vilers Charles Lieuen Lord of Famars Iohn Sauage Mart. Tserclas and FrauÌ„cis of HaefteÌ„ And vpoÌ„ the backeside was written This present XXV of August 1566. the deputies and coÌ„mitties for the Lordes geÌ„tlemeÌ„ coÌ„federate named in the sayd writyng sauyng the L. Lilly FrauÌ„cis of Haeften which were absent tooke their solemne requisite othe as well for theÌ„selues as for on the behalf of the rest of that coÌ„federates to mainteine obserue performe all euery poynt article