held therein have imitated the generosity of his Brother Count Frederick who in the yeare 1597. defended himselfe within the City Lingen even to the extreamity with onely three Companies of foote and one of Horse But this two dayes before the enemie did come before Venlo called the Magistrates and told them that the city would soon be besieged to take away the courage from the Citizens demonstrated unto them the small appearance and hope he had of defending the same Wherefore hee excused himselfe from protecting of them nay and besides this being Governour of that Province said he had other places to guard looke to neverthelesse he presently made hast unto the City Gelder from whence he departed presently accompanied onely with one servant or Companion betooke himselfe to Liege there to put in execution the perfidiousnesse which he had plodded a long time As for his service of forty yeares which he mentions T is true in the beginning they were considerable and of some worth when his brother whose death he doth alleadge did animate him by their good and valerous examples But ever since from the yeare 1606 that he defended the City Groll with expectation of reliefe by the Marquise Spinola who came time enough to rescue him his services have not beene so remarkeable nor of such moment and moreover they have beene recompenced an hundred fold with dignities and titles gifts and honourable charges and excessive summes of Money As for the ill government of the Countryes and the progresse of our enemies that proceeds from nothing else but from the manifold treacheries and the to too much confidence and trust which our Princes have in his person having with a fatherly and favourable affection which they bare unto their servants indured a long time his discontentments and greevances which in time by little and little and more and more are still degenerated unto this action the most base and ignoble that ever could bee returned with reproach unto a reasonable Soule manifested in these two branches ingâ—atitude and revolt One of the first testimonies of his disloyall and evill will which he cunningly concealed was observed at Bergen on Zoom in the yeare 1622. for then and here having received command reiterated by her Highnesse to conduct the Marquise Spinola with all diligence unto the Army which he than had on the Rhyne hee made a thousand excuses to prolong the time and stay him or keepe him backe untill the want of reliefe caused us to rayse the siege And it was told the Marquise than who was in travaile with impatiency during this delay by the Lieutenant of the Artillery Wyngart by name that he would loose his head if Count Henry de Bergh whom he had knowne by long experience did arriue before the occasion should be let slip He thought to have played the same prancke two yeares after in like manuer to divert the siege of Breda making profer of an enterprise upon Ravensteyn afterward upon the Grave and lastly upon the Castle of Genepe The cunning Letters which after his subtile manner he wrote full of excuses have sufficiently discovered what was his designe They are printed at large in the history of the siege of Breda composed and set forth by Father Hermanus Hugo The confidence which her Highnesse had euer since in his fidelity for the releeuing of Groll In the yeare 1627. was the cause why wee lost that City For being there was a difference risen betweene two Maisters of the Campe for the vantguard being of different Nations hee instead that hee should haue rid them out of the Field and done as it befitted him for his Maiesties service hee counsels the one not to yeild to the other by that meanes in the meane time to prevent them both from defeating a Convoy which eased and refreshed the Enemie for want of which Convoy the Enemie must of necessity haue raised the siege Hee was put to his excuse and 〈◊〉 quitted because his authority was not great enough for the deciding the preeminence of Nations But let vs see if hee hath better be haued himselfe when hee had receiued more authority The City named Shortogenbosch was besieged by the Prince of Orange in the yeare of our Lord 1629. Wee than praised God because the Enemie was fallen before a City which was able to defend it selfe and hold out vntill releife should come Her Highnesse at that time vsed so much diligence that in few dayes wee had a most flourishing Army on Foote and able to make a strong assault There was onely question made who should command the same the Marquis Spinola than being absent In the end this was the resolution that Count Henry de Bergh should haue the honour and to this end hee was sent for by her Highnesse No sooner was hee come to Bruxels but hee began to propound an hundred difficulties one after another and frame excuses to the end that the Enemie might gaine the more time to fortifie themselues In these extremicies and by reason of the confidence which wee had in him and partly by reason of his experience nothing was denied him which hee demanded Many dayes passed in these entermedlings but in the end hee goes to Field and was by the way so great hast he made from the 3. of June to the 27. and than hee found that the besieged had not yet lost one Inch of ground of all their outworkes although the quarters of the Enemie were in good reasonable defence The advice of the most part of the Colonels was to open Trench against trench and weary out the enimie in such sort that hee should not bee able to disquiet the besieged and so expect vntill the Autumne should bee past and than the waters would cause him to depart of his owne accord or at the leastwise bee constrained to forsake some quarter or other by which meanes wee might haue a way opened to bring in Munition and soldiers and necessaries as much as should be required for the deliuerance of the City Count Henry cannot approue this enterprise indeed hee made tryall of some others in those places which were most fortified and contented himselfe with this conclusion that the Enemies trenches were not possible to bee entred Hauing therefore intended a diuersion of his Army hee leaues the siege and sends to hazard the passage of the Yssel by Lucas Cayro who hauing passed happily hee followed him and ioynes the Imperiall Army with theirs which Army was come for our aid and reliefe And what doth hee than hee begins to treat with the Burgomaisters of Cities onely to replenish his owne Coffers and famish the fairest and compleatest Army which had beene seene in a long time in stead of demanding vp those places where there were neither soldiers nor munition and which doubtlesse would haue surrendred at the very sight of a stock of a tree or the smallest and simplest stroake which could haue beene made at them You shall obserue
reioyce in a most happy and honourable peace assuredly euen such a peace which good subjects ought to wish vnto their Prince for the reputation of his Crowne As for the Commission of Master of the Field Generall which hee saith was conferred vpon him two yeares agoe by her Highnesse in the name of the Kings Maiesty and which hee is now resolued to exercise and execute for the service of the Countryes the preseruation of the Privilidges and the vpholding of the H. Catholicke Apostolicall and Roman Church You may thereby see vnto what a degree and height of impudency the audaciousnesse of this Traitor is come How doth hee pay and recompence our good and vertuous Princesse with ingratitude How doth hee accuse her of Conniuance saying that hee knowes that she wisheth that the affaires went better And as it were acknowledging the goods deedes and supreme honours which hee hath receiued from her extreame goodnesse and bounty hee hath so much boldnesse and audacity to take her for a prote trix of his mischiefe and so doth declare himselfe openly to bee guilty as now hee is proclaimed To bee guilty of crimen laesae Maiestatis in the highest degree and capitall Enemie of the publike rest and therefore consequently fallen away and deprived of all his Honours offices Dignities and interest which hee hitherto hath had in his Maiesties service In the yeare 1484. the Count de Româ—nt did by the like practice bare Armes against the Arch-Duke Maximilian his Lord attributing in like manner to himselfe the title of Captaine Generall of the Prince Philip his sonne hee wrote in this sort to the States generall assembled in the City of Bruxels his answer giuen him was this That they did not acknowledge him for such but an Enemie of the Prince and of the state As for the Countryes in the name of God let him leaue them in peace for there is no need of forging any innouation wee need no broiles nor Traitor to trouble our tranquility The flock would bee in good case vnder the clawes of the Wolfe if our Religion had no better Protector Oh had but this blacke soule as much capacity and ability as hee hath hatred and malice wee should soone see a strange Religion and such Lawes that Saturue and â—upâ—ter would not bee brought in but for them onely I cannot conceiue how a man that hath no Religion at all who hath falsified his Faith and who in the yeare 1621. when hee went before Iulliers by Testament written by his owne hand which hee left to his sister Anne did ordaine to bee buâ—yed or enterred in a prophane place neerer vnto his sisters will not onely cloake and cover himselfe with a vaile of Religion but also counterfeite himselfe to bee a protector of the Catholike Apostolicall and Romish You deceiue your selfe Monsieur Count Henry you must not send your manifestations and declarations into your Government of Geldria hereof your Conscience is to well knowne there the City of Stefenswert which you haue made neutrall to serue for a retreat vnto the Enemies of the King and to the Hereticks and where you haue brought the Ministers to poison the people and instruct your Sisters Anne and Charloite these shall testifie of your carriages and your secret behaviour Doe not you remember that sometimes by chaunce and through forgetfullnesse you left a little haereticall prayer booke in high-dutch on a seate in the Iesuitish Church at Ruremond Which booke you called your Haureman you haue written to Priests and other persons well qualified and of diuers Nations that your sisters were christianly deceased and that their soules were very happy In the meane while you know that they gaue vp the ghost in the Armes of such Ministers which you had procured them Wee know more of your newes than you doe thinke for Hee ends his letter with the retreat which hee had made into the City of Liege for the advancement of his desseyns Wherein his subtiltye ill compacted together is failing for the Deputes of the Prince and States of Liege not willing to prejudice any way to so good neighbourhood haue disclaimed his action by a decree â—une the 23. the contents whereof are these A declaration published to shew that his letters and his declaration haue beeâ—e published without any knowledge of theirs or participation and consent and that they intend in no wise to entermeddle with any affaires of the said Count Henry Nay for their better Iustification they haue obliged him by a writing of his owne hand the 25. day of June That they would haue it manifested That as hee had published the said letters without hauing given notice or asked permission of his Hâ— of Liege or the Deputes of his states and how that hee intended not by those publications to attempt any thing against their right nor envolue their affaires into his actions This retreat of his hath beene intended along time not for the service of the Countryes nor Religion but plotted and combined with our Enemies And if it were not so how could hee haue had time enough to treate with the King and Princes which in the end of his Letter to the States he affirmes to bee inclined to contribute their forces for the execution of his designes But there are other sufficient proofes it is not of a day or two that his treason hath bin â—eproched unto him and hit in his teeth by the brother of the husband of the bastard daughter wee shall speake of that in his due place it is sufficient for this point to manifest what is most true that before ever the Prince of Orange came to field to march to Venlo hee had beene to conferre with him in Holland and did so within a mile from the City in the Castle of Holtmullen where also was the Earle of Culenbergh his brother in Law and that before that time he had caused five Barrels of Silver to bee convayed to Meseycke there to buy the necessary provision for the siege of Mastricht under a colour that they were the Prince of Orange his moneys destined by him at the retreat of Count of Horne engaged the Prince of Liege See there these be the good charitable Offices which this dissembling Patriot intends to practice for the good of the Countryes The letter which he sent to the States was almost of the same tenure and contents as that written to her Highnesse we will onely examine these things which are of note and moment He saith that he had given advice that the place of the enemies meeting or rendevons should be at Moock neerest of all to his Government He would speake according to knowledge concerning the place and not without reason but hee might know since it was he that had called the enemy thither But is absolutely false that hee gave them any advertizement or notice at all but onely at the very instant when the enemy arrived He proposeth his naturall affection vnto the
good of the Countries He is a stranger revengefull full of ill will and malice who intends and labours to make a private discontent grudge a publike cause he stomacks the Marquise De Leganes who hath beene indeed raysed in these Countries to be a Patriot him he accuseth imprudently and unadvisedly of such businesse which he was never acquainted withall the said Marquise at that time not being interessed in the matter If hee thinke himselfe wronged in any thing it is lawfull for him to right himselfe by an ordinary course But not to commit such a loosenesse and to play the little Tyrant What have these Countries to doe with his particular quarels heart-burning If his courage had had edges sharpe enough and wings swift enough for honour and that he thought himselfe so grievously offended as he speakes of as oftentimes as hee hath had occasion to see the Maâ—quise Nay more as often as hee hath seene him who hath hindered him from demanding him satisfaction As for the Spanish Nation which he complaines doe wish his death and that they shot at his Picture which hangs neere the Steenport he hath exceeding great wrong for if it be true that the Spaniards be such as hee speaketh of they had all of them long since beene made away and he who for the present serves for Counsellor hath oftentimes inculcated the meanes to destroy them and said that therein hee went in the Kings service But his Oracles sounded alwayes so little profitable to the King that no trust might be given to his perswasions It hath proved better to goe a milder way to worke and to strive to redresse whatsoever was amisse by gifts and employments than to practise any such extremitie which the world would never have judged worthy to bee executed if the proofe had not beene drawne as now it is by his owne declaration It is very pretty that he complaines of the Spanish because they shot at his Picture his spyes would have much a doe to bring sufficient witnesse for the proofe thereof although to be true plaine he that betrayes his Prince deserves othergesse punishment than he that onely exerciseth his treason against his picture It was he the felon who so lately on the 27. of Iune was so rasâ— and impudent as might lye in the City of Bruxels by the patricidious hands of his wicked adhaerents caused attempt to bee made against the sacred Image of the King his Lord and good Master by that meanes to endeavour to begin by that execrable fact the first exployts of his rebellion But the contrary of which they intended is happened and the wicked projects of these imps prevayled not for two dayes after the States of Braband not being able any longer to endure the indignity of this abomination of their owne proper motion came personally in publike audience to the great edification of all that were present and presented themselves before the Princesse and there renewed solemnely the Oath of fidelity and allegeance to the King their Prince and Naturall Lord to her Highnesse declaring that they were ready to take the same Oath to the Prince of Spaine As for those Offices and charges which he sayes are not conferred upon any bat Spaniards I must here needs repeat that hee himselfe at their conclusion had the principall of all but hee hath very ill discharged himselfe and I must say that his ingratitude hath neyther bounds nor limits Wicked servant as he is he never served but by interest and never Prince was more liberall to any man than our Princesse haue beene to him Never did hee march forth with the Armies but in the upshot he obtayned some summes of moneys for his particular and ever received more than any Spaniard or Lord of the Countrey besides those secret gratuities and benefites which hee obtayned under hand whereof hee never made any account but applyed them to his private gaine profit He knowes well enough how punctually he caused all reareges to be payd him downe before ever he would set one foote on the way to the Palatinate In a word for that estate substance which now he hath he is more obliged than any man in the world for it and to that King against whom hee now takes up Armes From a meane Soldier hee was made a Captaine of Horse afterward Master of the Campe hee was trusted with the City of Oldenzel afterward with Groll and at last hee had the Government of the Province of Geldres which than was one of the best and fairest Province of all the Countries hee hath also had the generall Government of the Cavallery and the Generalship of the Artillery he hath commanded the whole Army and alwayes with retention of the wages of all places and charge which formerly he exercised to be short In the yeare 1629. he was by her Highnesse in the name of the King made Generall Master of the Campe of the whole Army of his Majesty Whereunto could his ambition aspire higher unlesse it were to Tyrannie which he now affects at this present Our enemies themselves with whom he hath held correspondency and wrought his mischievous practises a long time have beene astonished many times that so many recompences should prodigally bee lavished and wasted upon one who was so vndeseruing and demeriting Last of all which is more when the Earle of Stryrum entred into Gueldres with the Enemies troupes seeing the County of Montfort which is worth more in reueneus than twentie thousand Florins and which the King had given to Count Henry de Bergh with many other Townes and villages of the Country of Stefens wert hee could not withhold nor abstaine from saying that hee marvailed much how the King could find in his heart to bestow so much vpon one of a contrary party Adding withall that if he should haue serued the States of Holland an hundred yeares hee would not haue beene requited with such an honourable reward As for his Expression That he invites vs to accept of one of his passions and to take another course vnder the gouernment of her Highnesse Wee thanke him for his good will and to thanke God that hee hath beene pleased to discover vnto vs and Enemie who could so closely and covertly hatch and plot our ruine and destruction if he had but so much ayde and conduct as hee is full of euill motions and intentions Our wise Princesse hath no need of such a Tutor to dissipate and scatter abroad the Patrimony of the King her Nephew And desolate and ruinate a Country so well gouerned which for many yeares together hath cost his Maiestie all the riâ—hes of Spaine and the Indyes and the blood of so many thousand Spaniards spilt for the safety and preservation of the same and for the Catholick Faith and Religion There remaines yet his Declaration which is nothing else but a manifestation of his discontent and a profer of entertainment vnto those that will bee his followers It is
if you please an excusable perfidiousnesse When Lucas Cayro had passed the Yssell Contrary to the opinion of Count Henry and that the terrour of an explioct so newly put in practice and not foreseeene had astonished all Holland The Prince of Orange hauing assembled the whole Councell and propounded vnto them what had so lately and vnexpectedly happened put into deliberation whether the siege should bee raysed yea or no. The aduice and opinion of all the Councell and each of them was that the Veluwee being thus occupied and possessed vnexpectedly the Cities of Arnheym Amersfort Doesburgh Wageningen Rhenen and other neare adioyning places about the Veluwee would bee taken without any resistance at all and that the gaine and profit which they should make of Shertogenbosch could not countervaile nor recompence the least of all those losses which they should suffer elsewhere if their enimie were permitted to ceaze vpon the very heart of the Country The Prince of Orange did very much commend the advice of these Counsellors and said that verily some course must bee taken if that which they obiected must needs fall out so but hee could assure them to the contrary and that the event would proue otherwise And from whom I pray could he haue this knowledge and assurance but from Count Henry De Bergh who in effect neuer made so much as any shew of demanding vp any City Who within his owne view permitted the City Desburgh to be revictualled and that was the cause that some poore Hollanders were executed being Catholicks because they had declared and manifested the intelligence which hee had receiued from them priuately In a word Shertogenbâ—â—ch was not releiued and in effect nothing could be expected on his part since he had engaged himselfe by promise to his sisters not to reseue the same What water can wash him cleare from the losse of Wesel which was taken from vs at the same time seeing that as soone as euer he heard of the newes hee kept himselfe shut vp in his Chamber for 24. houres together for feare least hee should bee required to send help to recouer the same City and when as Count John of Nassau hauing intreated him to furnish him with men to regaine that place before the open breach where the Enemie entred was made vp hee refused it The Gouernour of Diden hath spoken it to Count Iohn of Nassau with his owne mouth that if hee had come to releiue the City of Wesell any time within fiue dayes after the same was taken hee might haue entred without any difficulty If Count Henry had beene an honest man wee had finished our warre that yeare and the Catholicke Religion with which cloake hee hides his basenesse and the blacknesse of his Hypocrisie had neuer suffered so much as the same hath done euer since What wonders hath hee wrought where are the great exploicts of his Conquests Let this also moreouer bee spoken for the great seruices which hee alleageth in Generall Hee himselfe hath oftentimes avouched that he neuer hath receiued wound or hurt in the Kings seruice notwithstanding that some Histories and report would haue made him beleeue that hee was once hurt in the leg or thigh in a skirmish neere vnto Ruremond in the yeare 1598. which hee attributed to a Mandegloire or little figure or shape of a man which hee ordinarily carried in a small box very durty and foule which he hath shewed to more than one person Indeed his seruices are well knowne if euer any mans were hee entred very poore into the service of our Princes and now at this instant hee is so rich that he possesseth millions From a particular Horseman and meanest of his house hee was advanced to the greatest offices which any servant of his Maiesty could aspire vnto And therefore hee hath great reason to say that the Nobility is not in that esteeme as they ought to bee seeing that the Honours Offices and Dignities are so ill bestowed and that hee alone doth possesse that which a dozen others better deseruing than himselfe would esteeme themselues happy to enioy God bee thanked there are none that are vnprovided and not one who hath just cause to complaine Are they not farre engaged and employed in the house and service of their Soueraigne Doe not they hold the most part of the Gouernments Who doe possesse the principall Offices and Ecclesiasticall Dignities but those of the Low-Countryes If the Spanish whom Count Henry vpbraides to bee the sole Gouernours haue any part in the Government and charge it is for to expose their liues for our preseruation and proceeds from the great care which the King hath for our protection Which this new reformator qualifies with the name of Domination intending thereby to make the same odious Those of the Country in particular and those of other nations who vnanimously liue in service here and brotherly one with another haue their part in the cheifest charges and offices as well as the Spaniards The Marquis Spinola hath bad the Generalship both by Sea and Land and at this present the Generalship both of the Cavallery and Artillerye are not possessed by the Spanish Wee haue seene those of these Countryes reciprocally in the Councels of Spaine and the managing of the most important matters And wee haue such still at this present Our discontented Count Henry contradicts himselfe hee doth not remember that in his letter full of sedition which hee wrote vnto the Statâ—â— of these Countryes hee confesseth that hee was called vpon by the King to bee imployed in great affaires The Nobility than is not in so small esteeme as hee would make the world beleeue and his complaints are altogether without ground and foundation full of contradictions seeing that he himselfe hath beene honoured with the command of being Generall of the Army when the Spanish and other Nations haue beene excluded therefrom It is hee himselfe that hath lost some of the Nobility The Prince of Chimay and the Baron De Belvoire who haue beene displeased at their very death seeing the King betrayed by his Monopolies will one day acouse and reproach him before the throne of God of the losse of twentie thousand good men which hee caused to languish in Misery to the end hee might vse the Kings Enemies gently who did contribute great summes of money to satisfie his Avarice The Father Hermanus Hugo did in the Army reproach him at the very point of death and could not survive the publick Calamity Count Frederick his Brother shall accuse him in like manner lay as much to his charge for being so slack and remisse and loâ—sing all occasion of releeuing the most Catholick City of Shertogenbosch which that Generous Cavallier hath formerly deliuered in the yeare 1604 from the siege of Graue Maurice who had blocqued vp the same Let therefore Count Henry blame his owne insatiable couetousnesse for disorder and attribute the ill gouerment to himselfe without the which wee might at this day