to compose their differences and in the Inter regnum to settle their Government the Male Line of Thierry of Aquitane failing in Floris the fifth's son Iohn the Government fell to Iohn Earl of Henaut Nephew to William King of the Romans and Earl of Holland by Alix his Sister who now the 2 d Earl of Holland gave to his Brother Guy the Seigniories of Amsterdam upon which he conferred many Freedoms Rights and Priviledges with design to reduce Seignior Rhenez of Zealand to Reason with its assistance and this is the first time that Amsterdam gave Law to Zealand who presumed upon the Flemish and Imperial assistance so far as to overrun Holland till William the 22th Earl of Holland Iohn of Henault's son with the Lord of Humpstead's assistance reduced them and with 320 Ships of France confined Guy of Flanders to his own Bruges This good Earl William as they called him having married Charles de valois his Daughters Neece to Philip the Fair of France settled his Brother Iohn of Beaumont in Goud and Schoonborn and strengthened his Uncle Guy Bishop of Vtrech by a Fort he raised at Skellingwerf to bridle the unquiet Frizons adding to Holland the Seigniories of Amstel and Woerden while Charles the Fair of France was buâ—ie with the Flemish and the Emperour Lewis of Bavaria as busie with the Pope which he left to his son William the 23th Earl of Holland and Zealand who being allyed to Edward the 3d King of England troubled France and brought the troublesome West-Frizons 1345 to Reason and dying without lawful Issue returned his Government to his Sister Margaret then Empress and Wife to Lewis of â—avaria who being confirmed in the Earldom by her Husband in a full Diet solemnly taking the Earldoms Homage depute her son William under her Governour of Holland who being defeated by the Bishop of Vtrech and instigated by the Holland Faction of Cabillaux and Hoecks falls out with his Mother who her Husband being dead returned to the Government and after various successes in four Battels with her son gave it him upon condition he should reduce Vtrech and its Bishoprick which had troubled Holland with its pretensions for 260 years together as he did but dying childless left all to his Brother Albert of Bavaria who put the Towns and Castles in good hands reduced Delf and Gelders built Gildenburgh-Castle to secure the Sluices Weakned the Frizons reduced Vtrech defeated the Frizons again brought the Groeningeois to do Homage and Fealty Forced the rebellious Lord of Arleche to an accord married his 3d Daughter Margaret to Iohn Duke of Burgundy Earl of Flanders and Artois by whom she had Philip the good Duke of Burgundy Earl of Holland and Flanders and among many other children Joane Dutchess of Austria by whom came these Earldoms to the Emperour and the King of Spain After his death William af Bavaria his son and the 27th Earl of Holland and Zealand succeeded who was much troubled with the Lords of Arguel father and son and the Duke of Gelders to whom they had resigned their Interest until the Lord of Arguel being taken discovered all the Conspirators and particularly Count Egmond who thereupon yielded up his strong Fort Iselstein and retired till Jaqueline of Bavaria succeeded her father Albert the Factions called home Egmond contrived to displace Jaqueline and put in Iohn of Bavaria and Bishop of Leige in her place till the Pope dispensing with it she is married to Iohn Duke of Brabant by whose assistance she recovereth Gornchom of Count Egmond perswades the Hollanders and Zealanders to refuse Iohn of Bavaria and his pretended Grant from the Emperour insomuch that he was glad to come to termes with her Husband to hold some Lordships in Fee and quit all his Titles and Pretensions who after his death is declared Earl of Holland in right of his Wife in whose right he subdueth the old Faction of Cabillans and Hoeckins strengthneth Harlem takes Schoonhooen and brings the unhappy woman who had married now four times to declare Philip Duke of Burgundy Governour of Holland and after her death Earl which Earldom she resigned to him in her life time to ransom her 5th well-beloved Husband the Lord of Borselle from his hand Philip the first Duke of Burgundy and 20th Earl of Holland succeeding as right Heir by father and mother to the Government of Holland helped the Hollanders and Zealanders to chase the Easterlings now Lords at Sea in sign whereof they bear to this day a little Besom atop of their Main-mast to shew they had swept the Sea of all competitors 1431 and with much adoe composed the Tumults raised in Amsterdam Harlem and Leyden upon an intollerable imposition by the Faction of the Hooks and Cabellans whom at last he reconciled and awed by the institution of a first President the Earl of Nassau by promoting his Bastard David to the Bishoprick of Vtrech by suppressing the factious Family of Brederode By his League with the English and seasonable Resignation of his Government to his discontented son the Earl of Charolois during his sickness who subdued the Ligeois razed Dirvant succeeded his Father and Margaret Sister to Edward the 4th King of England in whose time printing was first invented at Harlem and as he had the name of warlike so he goes on bringing the tumultuous Ganthois to his mercy the mutinous Town of Macklyn to a Ransom the Leigeoix to a submission notwithstanding that it was the French Kings Embassadour that had incited them to rebel upon a promise of 30000 men at a mouths warning for which neighbourly part he was even with that King by assisting the Duke of Brittain against him and taking him Prisoner He resolves to ruine the House of Brederode to which purpose he brings many of them to the Rack He makes the sullen Frizons bring him white Paper wherein he should write his own termes He refuseth to answer King Lewis the 11th of France his Citation 1470 to Paris He brings that King to a Truce gets the Dukedom of Gelders resigned to him defies the Emperour Sigismond at Nevis and brought hâ—m to an advantageous Peace prospering in all his undertaking but that against the pitiful Swiâ—â—â— whose whole Countrey he said was not worth the Bits of his Bridle nor the spurs of his Army After which he was slain at Nantes leaving all his Dukedoms Earldoms and Lordships to his Daughter Mary who the King of France neglecting the marriage of the Dalphin to her was Contracted according to former Treaties in her Fathers life time to Maximilian of Austria the Emperour Frederick's Son by whom she had Phillip Arch-Duke of Austria who undertaking the Government in her Right after an Assembly held at Bruges reduced the revolted Gelders settled such Governours in Harlem Rotterdam Leyden and elswhere as might over-awe Egmond and the ancient Factions of Hoecks and Cabillaux subdued Vtrech and the trajectings as Guardian to his son Philip of Austria with whom he goeth
being chosen King of the Romans to Hungary 1411 leaving Engelbert Earl of Nassau 4th Governour of the Netherlands whom the Emperour assists in the settlement of the Government the Pope seconding his Temporal Power with his own Spiritual who being hired by the distractions between Holland and Flanders about the Sea resigned his Charge to Albert Duke of Saxony who with his Master Maximilian the K. of the Romans went into Holland settling the Towns as they passed making a Peace between them and the Flemins and punishing the Mutiniers at Harlem and Alâ—mar Ruining the Factions by their own fears and jealousies keeping under the Frizons and Gelders by a new Protestate sent thither by the Emperour Maximilian untill Philip the 2d Arch-Duke of Austria was by his Father Maximilian possessed of the Netherlands 1494 under whom the Duke of Saxony defeated the Factions of Friezland by pretended kindnesses whereby he set them one against the other while both delivered to him their strong Holds which he made so good use of that they appeal from him and his Son George to the Emperour who yet stood by his Governour who in return for his Masters kindness brought them of Friezland after some redress of grievances by their Commissioners to pay his Master the 21th penny of all their Estates putting 6 men to govern there while he reduced the Groningois notwithstanding the Protection of the Earl of Embden and the followers of Col. Vyll about which time a child spake in Holland in the Mothers belly and Philip of Austria being now King of Castile dyed and left Charles the 2d of that name the 35th Earl of Holland and Zealand Lord of Friezland Duke of Burgundy and Lemburgh Luxemburgh Shiia Corinthia Earl of Flanders Artois with many other Marquisates and Principalities to which he added Millain Overyssel Gruningen Cambray and Cambresis his Grandfather Maximilian the Emperour being his Guardian and his Aunt Margaret Dowager of Savoy his Governess under whom Ann of Burgundy that had recovered and walled in many lost Islands in Zealand dying Budwyen was taken and razed the Geldrois Groeningois with the Earl of Embden are conquered Prince Charles taking the Netherlands into his own hands from the Dutchess of Savoy and the Duke of Saxony by the assistance of the Lord of Iselsteen under whom he constituted 7 Governours of Justice in Friezland when he went to Spain for that Crown upon Ferdinand of Arragon his Grandfather by his Mother side death and to Germany for that Empire upon his Grandfather Maximilianâ—s decease settling Margaret of Austria Widow of Castile and Dowager of Savoy the 37th Governess of the Low Countries whose Hâ—rring-busses being seized by the Danes they mutiny seize Newport distract Friezland pretend Religion and fly to the Duke of Gelders until the Imperial Forces came down and awed them insomuch that Groningen yeelds to the Emperour as did Dam Weddra Coeuoelden Huttem Megen Vtrecht and most other places the Gelders being not able to hold out against the Power of Spain and Germany Upon the Dowager of Savoy's death Mary Dowager of Hungary and Sister to Charles the 5th is the 40th Governess of the Low-Countries under whom the new Chanel was made between Brussels and Antwerp the Anabaptists were discovered and banished the War betwixt the Lubeckers and the Hollanders was managed by Vander-burch van Comper and the new Haven at Middleburgh was begun 1536 and the notable surprize upon the French ships was acted in this manner There being a War between the Hollanders and the French some French ships rid along their shore snapping up their Vessels and themselves somtimes in bed whereupon 50 tall Dutchmen well Armed hearing of these ships went in a Hoy lying under Hatches and covered with Sacks of Wool out of the Mase towards them who boarded it but when they were busie about the Sacks of Wooll they were entertained so rudely by those 50 men with Fire-works and Granadoes that they all fled and left 6 ships Prizes to one Hoy to be carried to Delph and sold Now likewise the Emperour brought the Geldrois to a muteny that dismantled their Towns razed their Forts and laid the Faction open to their Soveraigns Power who spoiled the Abetters Abeâ—ters of their Conspiracies the French at Sea and brought this unquiet People that rebelled every year for 527 years together to so good a temper that they presented him at Genoa with 15000 Florens of Gold a Province and quietly submitted to the Resignation he made of those Provinces to his Son at Brussels who now by the name of Philip the 2d of Spain and Lord of Austria by Emanuel Philibert Duke of Savoy his Viceroy demanded of the Netherlands Supplies for the payment of his Fathers debts who would allow him none unless forsooth he allowed a Convocation of their general States and then but a moyety neither of what he demanded and was necessary for his settlement And not onely so but notwithstanding that he honoured their chief Nobility as the Lord Horn William of Nassau the Earl of Egmont with the order of the Golden Fleece at Brussels they created such fears and jealousies between the King and the Noblemen that it was reported who were upon the refusal of the Tax designed for the Block who for the Rack and who for perpetual Imprisonment insomuch as that there was a perpetual Feud between the Court and the Nobility till the Government was dissolved all things being represented to the worst especially the Earls of Egmont and Lornes carriage at the Truce between France and Spain at Bruges and at the Treaty between the same two Crowns at Cambray Their King was yet so intent upon obliging them that he appointed them a Council of State for matters of importance as Peace War and Treaties with forreign Princes A Privy-Council for Lawes Pardons Justice c. and a third Council for the Treasury of which Councils they themselves were the major part their most eminent Nobility being advanced as the Earl of Egmoâ—â— Governour of Flanders and Artois The Prince of Orange Governour of Holland Zealand Vtrech and afterwards of Burgundy Jo. de ligni Earl of Arenbergh Governour of Friezland Overyssel Groning and Leagen Charles de Bunen Governour of Gelderland and Zuphten the Mâ—â—morencies and Hornes of their respective Provinces all subject to Margaret of Austria Dutchess of Parma and Sister to the King of Spain when the very first instance of the ungrateful mens Power is a Petition to their Soveraign a Spaniard himself to remove all Spaniards from the Netherlands A Petition the good King easily granted though to the displeasure of many of his Courtiers that had quitted their whole fortunes for employments there diverting his very Army which should have kept them in better obedience to his War in Barbary And when they had prevailed in that they give out that the Spanish Courtiers would be revenged of them and that the chief Nobility of the Netherlands the Subscribers to that Petition were designed
AN EXACT SURVEY OF THE AFFAIRES Of the United NETHERLANDS Comprehending more fully than any thing yet extant all the Particulars of that Subject In Twelve HEADS mentioned in the Address to the READER Ictus Piscator sapit LONDON Printed by Thoâ— Mabb for Thomas Johnson at the Golden Key in Cannon-Alley over against the great North-door of Saint Pauls Church Anno 1665. The Preface to the READER THese discourses now in hand are published with no further care of their reception and entertainment than the consequence of them may deserve whereof the Readers not the Publishers must be Judges And we need not be moved with the common Passions of such as make Epistles and Prefaces conceiving our trust very well discharged when we have given the Reader the usefull Contents of the Book which contains I. An exact History of the Dutch since they inhabited that Countrey An. 700 to this present year 1665 with a continued and close succession p. 1. II. A very particular account of their Revolt from the King of Spain's subjection and their being declared a Free-state at the Hague 1608 and confirmed so at Munster 1648. III. An impartial view of the assistances by Councils countenance 60000 men and 3 mâ—llions of Money afforded by Q Elizabeth K. James K. Charles the first of Famous memory upon their humble Petition when the Distressed States that they might live under our Protection IV. A faithful Narration of such affronts and injuries as they have offered us in Europe Asia Affrica and America particularlarly in Amboyna V. A compleat Recapitulation of the seven Advantages they make of our Fishing and Royal favours of his most Sacred Majestie 1. In their shipping and their Mariners 2. In Trade 3. In Towns and Fortifications 4. In their Power abroad 5. In publick Revenue 6. In private wealth 7. In all manner of Provisions and store of things necessary amounting to 24 Millions yearly by His Majesties gracious permission at home and abroad VI. How unable they are in that and 16 other respects to engage with England and that point made out VII In a very punctual relation of the last Dutch War from its rise when it began 1650 1651 throughout its whole management to the years 1652 1653 when it was ended with the virtues of that Peace VIII A prudential survey of the present State of the united Netherlands in regard of the Sâ—iâ—uation of their Countrey and in respect of their Neighbours IX A satisfactory consideration of their present State in point of Interest throughout the World and their dealings with every Prince particularly X. Very curious reflections on their present State in point of Government and that not only in the States General but in every one of the 7 Provinces and the Towns belonging to them apart XI Choice Observations on the present state of the Dutch 1. In point of Government 2. In matters of Religion 3. In the particulars of their strength by Sea and Land XII An exact account of the state of the present Controversie between England and the Vnited Netherlands in the three great points 1. Of Trade 2. Of Fshing 3. Of Pretensions Claims affronts and Wrongs And all this directed to no other end than the framing of right and clear Apprehensioâ—s touching the present affairs in those mens minds who are very many that are therein concerned in point of Interest or in those who are almost all who concern themselves therein in point of Discourse Consideration and Observation for whose accommodation these Discourses are contrived Close and not Tedious Real and not Wordy justly entred in the List of those Writings that express more than they promise and Intimate more than they do Express Books lately Printed A Disswasive from Popery By the Right Revereud Father in God Jeremy Taylor L. Bishop of Down and â—onner A Vindication of the Lords Prayer as a formal Prayer to be used by Christians as a Prayer By Meric Casaubon D. D. The History of the French Academie erected at Paris By Card Richleiu consisting of the most refined Wits of that Nation The lives of the two most Illustrious Princes Henry Duke of Glocester and Mary Princess of Orange Sir Walter Raleigh's Maxims and Aphorisms of State published by John Milton Esquire The Mystery and Iniquity of Non-coaformity In an Historical account of the Designes and Practises of the Non-conformists against Church and State Instructions for Jury-men on the Commission of Sewers Delivered in threee several Charges at several â—essions of Sewers at Spalding in Lincolnshire A Treatise of Spiritual Infatuations the Present visible distemper of the English Nation By Dr. William Stamp Trigonometrâ— or the Doctrine of Triangles â—y the Famous Mr. William Oughtred both in Latine and English either with the Tables of Logarithms or without And there is now in the Press ready to be published â—n ingenuous Discourseâ— written by a Persâ—â— of quality Intituled Europae Modernae Speculum Or a view of the Empires Kingdoms Principalities Seigniories and â—ommon wealths of EUROPE in their Present State their Government Policy different Interest and mutual Aspect one towards another from the Treaty at Munster Anno 1648. to this present 1665. All to be sold by Thomas Johnson at the Golden Key in Cannon-Alley over against the great North door of Saint Pauls Church The Original and whole History of the Hollanders In an exact Succession from the year 700 to this present year 1665. CHAP. I. SECT 1. THE Hollanders being a People that seemed born to fill the last Age of the World with Disturbance and this with Noise I was as restless as they are till I could find the Original of those Bustlers Power whereof as old as I am I am likely to see an end The men are the old Hirmodures that were lodged by Nature in no more benign an Habitation than the dreadful distance between the Hercyâ—ian-Forest â—nd Sâ—ythia and they retain this of their Wilderness that they would have still all things in Common whence upon a quarrel about the Salt-pits of Sala as unreasonable as that since about the salt waters of the Ocean the Caths Cerusieâ—s and Ligiens chased those troublesom Neighbours to Cat senel boggen a Port of Fessen an Earldom which the House of Nassau claims but that of Fessen enjoyeth and thence Battus and Zelandus the two Principals of the Nation falling out 〈◊〉 came with his Train to Holland called from him Batavia and Zealand to Zealand called so from him Holland and Zealand it seems were divided in their Founders the one building Bata vâ—durum or Wychterduyrstede a famous Town 800 years ago of three miles compass some three Leagues from Vtrecht now a small Village and the other Arm Viden and Gumpuere but both subject to the Gaules or French who thereupon have a Right to Holland § 2. For Charles the bald King of France 863 at a general Assembly of his Princes and Barons at Bladell in Brabant of Champeigni upon some Lords motion bestowed upon Thierry
Antwerp on the one side of the Suburb called Kiel along the River compassed in with five mighty Bulwarks and every one defended by a Cavalier or Mount and all things were setled so well that there was a Monument set up for the Duke with this Inscription Ferdinando Alvarez de Toledo Albae Duci Philippi â—di Hispan regis apud Belgas Praefecto quod extinctâ seditione rebellibus pulsis Religione procuratâ justitiâ cultâ Provincias pace firmavit Regis optimi fidelissimo ministro politum Iongelingi opus ex aere Captivo That the Duke spared half his Forces under the Earl of Aremberge for the Guises assistance against the Reformers that â—e seized the Prince of Orange his eldest son the Earl of Herren at LoLovain whence he was sent to Spain till 1575. He cited the Prince himself who answered his Citation at large He sentenced the Netherlands in the Inquisition for seditious Heresies 1568 and had his Sentence confirmed in Spain the same year he razed the place of Culenberge where the Council of State used to meet setting up a Pillar in the middest of the Ruine with this Inscription Regnante Philippo 2do Cath. Hisp Rege in his suis inferioribus Germaniae regionibus Gubernanti Vero Ferdinando Alvar. de Toledo Albae Duce c. Florenti de Palant quondam domum solo aequaris sancitum est ob execrandam memoriam repetitae in eâ conjurationis adversus Religionem Eccl Cath. Rom. regiam Majestatem ipsas regiones Anno 1568. 5. Cal. Junii He proceeded in the Process against the Prince of Orange in the midst of which great actions some fugitive Gentlemen that had taken refuge in Cloysters designed with some Horse and Foot they corresponded with to surprize the Duke at his devotion between Brussels and the Cloyster of Groenendale in Somen wood The Prince of Orange Prints his Justification against Slanderers The Earl of Hoochstraten produced Five Articles drawn out of the Priviledges of Brabant either belonging to the Golden-fleece or contained in the Joyous entry to impeach the proceedings against him and the Prince of Orange The Elector Palatine of the Rhine stops the Duke of Alvarez's money under pretence that the Merchants that conveyed it payed not the accustomed duties The Emperour and the Princes interpose in the behalf of Orange a Prince of the Empire That Prince and his Brother Lodowick of Nassau arm with this Motto Recuperari aut mori resolving to distract the Duke de Alva with several attempts upon many places at once but unsuccesfully the Lord of Villers with his 3000 French Protestants being defeated in their design upon Ruremond in Gelderland upon the Mase as Seigneour Coquevil with his 1100 Fugitives was at St Valiers in the mouth of the River Some onely Count Lodowick vanquished Count Aremberge with the overthrow of 3000 men May 24 1568 whom the Governour revenged on the best Gentlemen of the Revolt that came to his hands not sparing the Earls of Horn and Egmont who after a due Process against them were beheaded June 5th 1568. The Barons Montigni and Berghen who died in Spain attainted for their lives and goods in the Netherlands a severity imparallel'd yet not able to repress the Insolencies of the Factious Dutch who now pretend themselves desparate and cry No man was safe and so madly joyn with Count Lodowick of Nassau's Germans till they were becalmed with the Imperial Interdict to besiege Groningen whence De Alva quickly forced them with their shattered Colours in some of whom they carried Pelicanes in others the Roses of England from whose Queen they looked for all their succour In others this device Pro Lege Rege Grege along the Mase about which they took in some small Garisons and might have taken more yea and overthrown Don Fred. the Dukes sons 4000 Harquebuâ—iers had not the Landtskneghts as before when they should fight cried Ghelt Ghelt till the Duke himself who was strongly intrenched every night pursued them by day into France where the French King promises failing and the Rebels mutyning among themselves now they were already weary of the war they resolve for Germany now out of order too the discontented French Nobility joyning with them and the Prince of Orange declaring That such undutiful persons as set on any Designs save the Liberty of the Countrey and their Consciences of what perswasion soever they were should be enrolled among his mortal Enemies In Germany they lodge themselves till the Queen of England being disobliged by the Duke of Alva about money she had taken of some Merchants though the Duke pretended it his for her private use upon Interest interdicted all trade with Holland making Hamburgh the Staple for Cloth when the Prince of Orange with his unquiet followers assisted the French Protestants as De Alva with his well disciplined Regiments did the French King both Parties so translating the Wars out of their own Countrey The Garison at Valencianes mutiny against the Earl of Lodron an Italian but being drawn out by fair words and pay are cut off by two Regiments of Spanish Horse that surrounded them at their Muster in Bourgethout near Antwerp Such as could not escape out of the Netherlands drew together in the Woods by Land and those that did took to Pyracies at Sea Both these took Briel a convenient Harbour on the Hollanders side and agreed for Dover as fit a place on the English and improved themselves incredibly upon the discontents in the Countrey at the New-floud on All Saints day 1570 that swept away their Towns And the new Taxes the 10th 20th and 100th peny levyed by Soldiers upon the very Clergy themselves that carried away their Estates especially at Vtrecht where many Orders Answers Replies Duplies and Writings passed but all decided by a Garison of Veteranes sent thither that made a shift to perswade the troublesome Town that they had forfeited all their Estates by their connivance at the Image-breakers with other Incendiaries and their Adherents and at Brussels where neither Bakers nor Brewers would either bake or brew upon the new Impost insomuch that all Hollanders turning Pyrates under Will Earl vander Alarch and forbidden Harbour on the English Coast with 40 Sail most Fly-boats sailed from Dover towards North-Holland In their way whither they took 2 rich Ships the one of Antwerp the other of Biscay and spoiled other men of War before Amsterd Enchuesen and in the Mase drowning Boslules Forces before the Briel who came to encouÌ„ter them they deal underhand with the Flushingers inhabiting the next Sea Town to Briel notwithstanding the Dukes Agents cunning who made a Breach in their Wall under pretence of fortifying it cloyed their Cannon opened their Sluices and counterfeited their Keys to keep out the Spaniards as they did with the Villages of Coukirke the Inhabitants of Daventer and that not unsuccesfully since Zealand prospered in its Pyracies so well that their Captain Worst with seven ships had beaten the Spaniards
Army was so likely to moulder away for want of pay that she thought fit to intercede for the distressed States with his Majesty of Spain and Don John by the Lord Cobham and Sir Fracis Walsingham and when that failed a Religious Peace as they called it which the States-General consented to was settled which bred great jealousies in the Provinces where many were still stiff for Popery especially at Gaunt till the Queen of England declared against them and promised notwithstanding that Duke Casimer and the D. of Anjou retired in discontent to stand by the Protestant States to the utmost as she did effectually having brought the Estates first to stricter Union and Alliance at Vtrech 1579 than that before at Gaunt and afterwards to erect a Council of State for the management of affairs whose very first debate was a Consultation about the alteration of Government to shorten the War and engage some Person in their defence The next was the taking and demolishing of several strong Holds that had been too serviceable to the King of Spain But their affairs not prospering they resolve upon the Duke of Anjou as their Soveraign upon 27 Articles signed on both sides with Medals coyned whereon were these devices Leonem loris mus li erat Liber revinciri Leo pernegat Pro Christo grege lege Religione justitià reduce vocato ex Gulliâ pacatâ duce Andegariensi â—elgiae Libertatis vindice vos terrâ â—go excubo ponto 1580 Si non nobis saltem posteris And that being dispatched they agree upon Martial Discipline and relieve Steenwich under the conduct of Sir John Norris who victualled it and raised the Siege having given notice of it in Letters which he shot in his Bullets The States-General in the mean time answering the King of Spain's Proscription against the Prince of Orange and providing against the insolences of the Papists by a restraint upon the exercise of their Religion at Brussels and Antwerp declare thus The States General of the United Provinces Guelders Holland Zealand Zuphten Friezland Overysel and â—roeninghen having declared Prince Philip of Austria second of that name King of Spain fallen from the Sigâ—ioâ—y of the said Provinces by reason of his extraordinary and too violent Government against their Freedom and Priviledges solemnly sworn by him having by the way of Right and Armes taken upon us the Government of the publick State and of the Religion in the said Provinces An 1581 having by an Edict renounced the Government of the K. of Spain breaking his Seals Counter-seals Privy-signets for new ones made by them in their stead and entertaining the Duke of Anjou nobly attended from England by the Lord Willoughby Sheffield Windsor Sir Philip Sidney Shirley Parrat Drury and the Lord Howard's son and recommended by the Queen who avowed That what service was done him she esteemed as done to her self and commended to him this one good Rule to be sure of the hearts of the People who invested him Duke of Brabant and Earl of Flanders wherein Dunkirke did import him much to keep a Passage open from Flanders into France as the refusal his Brother made of succour and his entertainment of French Nobility to the discouragement of the Netherlands did him much harm especially since most of his Followers were either men of Spoil or secret Pensioners to the King of Spain and he by their advice lost himself in his Enterprize upon Antwerp so far that had not her Majesties Authority reconciled them the States and he had broken irrecoverably though indeed they never after peiced For the Duke thereupon delivers all the Towns he had taken to the States retyring himself to Dunkirke while the Ganthoes and other troublesom men of the Innovation declared against him and for Duke Casimir And all the Estates humbly beseeched the Queen of England by General Norris to have mercy upon them in this woful juncture especially when the wise Prince of Orange was murthered by a fellow recommended to him by Count Mansfield and serving him three years to await this opportunity having time to say no more but Lord have mercy upon my soul and this poor People And the Spaniards during the States differences and the youth of Grave Maurice of Nassau who succeeded his Father carrying all before them insomuch that the King of France was so afraid to take the Netherlands into his Protection that he sent Embassadors to the Duke of Parma to remove the very suspition of it Especially when the Guisian League brake out upon him and the poor States had now none to trust to but the Queen of England who during their Treaty with France had made them gracious promises by Secretary Davison by whom by the Respective Deputies of their Provinces June 9. 1585 they absolutely resigned the Government to her Majesty who upon sundry great considerations of State refused that yet graciously sent them 4000 men under General Norris 184600 Guilders upon the security of either Ostend or Sluce and promised 5000 Foot and 4000 Horse under a General and other Officers of her own with pay For which the States stood bound giving Flushing Ramekins Briel and the two Sconces thereunto belonging into her hand for security and taking in her Commander in chief with two persons of Quality more of her Subjects by her appointment into their Council of State According to which Contract Robert Dudley Earl of Leicester is made Governour of the Low-Countreys for the High and Mighty Princess Elizabeth Queen of England to whom the whole Countrey did Homage receiving him as their absolute Governour though the Queen disavowed that as being likely to engage her too farr in the Quarrel and the States humbly submitted to her pleâ—sure in which capacity he set out Edicts for Discipline for the Treaty and Traffique which these troublesom people upon pretence of Liberty and Priviledg mutinied against to the great hinderance of the Earls proceedings insomuch that after he had born up their Interest as his entrance into the Government just ready to sink and taken Daventer Zuphten and other places he resigned his Government to the Council of State leaving a Meddal behind him on the one side whereof was engraven his Picture with these words Robertus â—omes Leicestriae in Belgia Gubernator 1587. And on the other side a flock of sheep scattered and before them an English Dogg with these words Non gregem sed Ingratos invitus desero Whereupon Deputies of Estates attended him with a Present a Cup as big as a Man and an humble supplication to the Queens most Excellent Majesty not to forsake them now in their low Estate so low that the King of Denmark thought fit to intercede for them to their own Leige the King of Spain while they in extremity devolve their affairs upon young Grave Maurice and declaring against the Earl of Leicesser's proceedings incensed the Queen so far that she called home General Norr is though yet Sluce had ben lost
Dutch were flush with a Ten years free Trade and we spent with as many years Rebellion when we were the â—dium of Mankind and they at least upon the account of that Quarrel the Darlings of Europe a handful of our meanâ—st and most inconsiderable of our People durst Vote That no Goods should be Iâ—ported or Exported into or out of England but in English Bottoms And when the Lords States forsooth took that in Dudgeon our bold fellows the King Lords and Commons standing by and not concerned Vote their Embassadoâ—r the Lord Joachim away out of England Octob 6. 1650 within a month at his peril at whose return the High and Mighty draw in their Money sink their Bank mistrust one another break all to pieces raise Fortifications cast Ordinances provide new Artilleries Yards Rendezvouz Militiaes and withdraw 200 Families at least to Hamburgh and the other Hans-Towns of Germany Yet so much Courage they had left as to scorn the pretended Embassadours our Mock-Governours sent thither insomuch that one Dorisla by name lost his life there and another Strickland was weary of it strike to his Majesties concerns as he was King of Great Brittain in most of their Treaties with France Portugal Denmark Sweden c. though yet in their General Meetings Jan. 20. 1651. they Voted our Tom Thombs a free State forsooth and Common-wealth and that they would transact with their new-coyn'd Honours about a Truce and that too by old Joachim who was sent packing but two Months before the Province of Holland having cast the charges of a War and considered that half the money might advance it to a Seignory over its Sister Provinces And all the Provinces being amazed at the Tempest that broke the two Dikes St. Anthonies and the Harlem-Dike to the ruine almost of Gelders Zuphten Overystel Friezland and Holland Upon the least suspicion of War up came Chimney-money Poll-money Excise on Salt Beer Vinegar Wines Butter Oyl Candles all Grains Seeds Turff Coals Lead Brick Stone Wood Linnen and Woollen Clothes Silks Silver Gilt Wagons Coaches Ships and other Vessels Lands Pastures Gardens Nurseries Houses Servants Immovable Goods all Seals They forbid all affronts to their Lordships forsooth Strickland and St. John They drink and that was a great Argument of the High and Mighty States good affection in continuationem prosperitatem Reip Angliae Notwithstanding all which complyance the paltery thing called Our Parliament stayed a Fleet of theirs in the Downs forsooth till further Pleasure because there was Cordage Powder and Ammunition in them under the Corn. Whereupon His Majesty prospering in Scotland and a Peace being made with France the Mighty make bold to tell Sir John That they cannot answer his Proposition touching a League Offensive and Defensive under four Months for that they must send to all the Provinces for their advise and consent in a business of so high a concernment and our High and Mighties take snuff and call their Messengers home to the no little trouble of their Brethâ—en who beseech and intreat their stay but to no purpose the young Usurpers being intollerable when ever intreated to be kind and when that would not do pass this Vote The States General of the Netherlands having heard the Report of their Commissioners having had a Conference the day before with the Lords Embassadors of the Common-wealth of England do Declare That for their better satisfaction they do wholly and fully condescend and agree unto the 6 7 8 9 10 and 11 Propositions of the Lords Embassadors as also to the 1 2 3 4 and 8 Articles of the year 1575 made between H. 7th and Philip Duke of Burgundy Therefore the States do expect in the same manner as full and clear an Answer from the Lords Embassadors upon the 36 Articles delivered by their Commissioners 24th of June 1651. And not only so But they nominate the Heer Bever of Dort and the Heer Vell of Zealand with old Joachimi for Agents to the Common-wealth forsooth of England remembring the old Motto in Queen Elizabeths time Si Colâ—idimur frangimur Especially when the men at Westminster gave Letters of Mart to several Merchants to make themselves satisfaction for the losses they had suffered by Pickeroons belonging to the Netherlands Whereupon they filled up their Embassy with min Heer Schaep delaying the matter till the Kings Majesties business was decided Their 11 East-India ships worth a Million were put to sale an 160 sail arrived from Bourdeaux Mounsier Borreel could not prevail in France and the bold ones at Westminster make an Act as they called it for Increase of shipping the improvement of Trade the encouragement of Fishing and Navigation so prejudicial to the Cities of the Rine which together with the surprize of so many Amsterdamers awaked them so farr that Van Tromp with 36 sail in three Squadrons was ordered to Sea first to the Straights and then to the Downs to secure their Monopoly of Wine and Currans and Agents dispatcht to Denmark Sweden Portugal and France to strengthen the War in behalf of it altering their Embassadors for England whither they send the cunning Head-pieces mine Heer Catz and min Heer Scaep the last whereof in the mean time treats with France about Dunkirk and with Sweden about Neutrality The English men discourse of 100000 for Amboyna the Herring-fishing free passage through the Shee ll and the cautionary Towns frighting them to a resolution with 152 sail to commence a War eight Dutch ships being taken by the English as they came from New found-land and the Swedish Embassador Speering dealing under-hand with the English insomuch that they forbid any ship to stir from either the Mase or Texel and Amsterdam offereth an no sail as Zealand doth 40 on condition its Petition be granted about Letters of Mart the States fortifying Briel and Flushing prohibiting the Exportation of any Warlike Provisions and making a stay of all English ships In the mean time a certain Faction crept in that disturbed their Publick Peace at Middleburgh and Dort because they mentioned not the Prince of Orange in levying Souldiers till Trump departed in July with resolution to find out the English Yet espying Sir George Aiscue in the Downs with a Squadron was not able to bear up with him because of a Calm wherefore he addresseth himself against Blake in the North attending some Indian Vessels and taking the Dutch Herring-Busses from whom a Tempest parted him to his loss as the night did De Ruyter from Aiscue onely he met with Captain Badileyes 4 ships in the Straights and took the Phaenix which was re-gained by Captain Cox in Portologn upon a Dutch festival night when during the heat of the Holland Carouses he stole upon it in a Boat in the habit of a Dutchman which success was indeed allayed by Captain Appleton's weighing Anchor out of Legorn Mole sooner than he should and so falling into the hands of 22 Dutchmen of War before Captain Badiley could come