particularly when Zeeland joyns with it But that which is worth observation and contrary to the opinion of some strangers is that though the Provinces be very unequall in strength and dignity and that some contribute four times as much in peace and war towards the publick yet have they all equall right in deliberations and none has an authority over the other Between the Deputies they observe the order that is receiv'd in their respective Provinces for their precedency In Guâ—ldres the Gentry goes before the Deputies of the Towns and the Deputies of Nimegue precede all the others In Holland the Deputies of Towns yeeld to the Deputies of the Nobles In Zeeland the Deputy of the Marquess of Terveer and of Flushing precede all the others as representing the Nobility In the Diocess of Utrect the Deputies of the chosen or Eleuâ— have precedency before the Nobility and before the Deputies of the Town of Utrect it self In Friezeland the Deputies of the Countrey call'd Goon ende Wolden do precede the Deputies of Towns In Overissel the Nobles Deputies carry it before the Deputy of the three great Towns and the same precedency that Groeningue has upon Omland its Deputy has upon the Deputy of the other These things deserve to be taken notice of because it is ordinarily the first Deputy that presides and he being absent the next takes his place but the same does not preside alwayes in this great Assembly for the president is changed every week and the Deputies of the Provinces take it by turns Some strangers have been grosly mistaken to write that the Governour Generall was the perpetuall President of this Assembly which is so far from being true that he has not so much as the liberty of giving his Vote It cannot be denied indeed that the States do often ask his advice and hear his Propositions and by a receiv'd custome the President does every day see him to know whether he has any thing to propose When the President takes the Votes he begins by Gueldres and goes on to Holland Zeeland c. and having the opinion of all he concludes according to the plurality of Votes except it be an affair of great consequence and that the Deputies desire to have time to advise with the States of their Provinces The Clerk or Secretary does at the same time draw up the resolution of the company which the President signs and the Secretary after him CHAP. VII Of the Orders that the States of Holland and West-Friezeland give to their Deputies in the States Generall and of the Oath they take SInce that the Government of Holland shall be hereafter propos'd as a pattern of the other Provinces it will not be amiss to produce here the Orders that the States of Holland and West-Friezeland gave upon the third of March in 1643. to the Deputies they sent to the States Generall 1. There shall be sent on the behalf of Holland and West-Friezeland none but capable and sufficient men that shall not be before-hand engaged in another employment by Oath or Pension 2. It is not lawfull for the Deputies to go beyond the terms of the Treaty of union at Utrect and the Commands of their Provinces They shall let pass nothing that shall be contrary to the priviledges immunities and customes receiv'd by our Ancestours without a speciall Order from their States 3. The said Deputies shall not neither in this Assembly nor out of it treat of peace nor war nor grant Patents or Priviledges that might be damageable to Holland or West-Friezeland nor levy or cashier Souldiers nor change the current Coyn nor forgive traytors but whensoever things of that nature shall be afoot they shall give notice to the States of Holland and West-Friezeland or in their absence to the Councell of State 4. They shall neither sell nor alienate the Dominions Rights and Priviledges belonging to the publick by vertue of their publick union without a particular and speciall consent of the Provinces 5. All the revenues and prerogatives that belong to the publick by vertue of Treaties and Agreements made with forreign powers shall be applied to the benefit of the publick union and shall be put in the hands of the Treasurer and the Councell of State and the States Generall shall not dispose of them 6. The Deputies shall not neither by themselves nor by others exercise any sort of Judicature upon any cause but shall send the parties either to the Councell of State or to the Admiralty according as the affair is but they may pronounce sentence upon such Law-Suits as are subject to be re-viewed 7. They cannot by their Authority hinder and suspend the execution of any sentence given by any Court whatsoever either in criminall or civill matters 8. As soon as the States of Holland and West-Frieze shall meet they shall immediately send them all the Deliberations made in the States Generall 9. They shall communicate the affairs and concerns of these Countreys to none but their States or in their absence to their Councell of State and if there fall out any thing that may concern North-Holland they shall immediately give notice to the Deputies of that place 10. The Councell of State and the Colledge of the 〈…〉 iralty shall leave that very thing 〈◊〉 the order so prescrib'd and shall not change either by themselves or others any part of these Instructions 11. They shall not dispose of the pri 〈…〉 pall military and pol 〈…〉 ck Offices without the particular consent of the States of Holland neither shall they make such presents as might lessen the revenue of the publick 12. They shall have six shillings a day allowed them for their wages 13. The Deputies shall swear to observe all these Articles of which the States of Holland and West-Friezeland do reserve to themselves a more ample interpretation This Order has been made and confirm'd by the said States the ninth of March in the year 1643. Here follows the Formulary of the Oath I A. B. do promise and swear perpetuall fidelity to the States of Holland and West-Friezeland as being the Soveraign Lords of the said Provinces and that I will not assist neither by counsell nor by deed or any manner in any thing that shall be prejudiciall to the aforesaid Authority and that if I perceive any such thing doing by others I will immediately give notice of it to the States or in their absence to their Councell likewise that I will defend to my utmost the prerogatives and honour of the said Countreys as likewise the Reform'd Religion as it is now taught in those Provinces In a word that I will further and advance as much as in me lyes the interest of the said Provinces both in the States Generall and abroad as far as it stands with the benefit of the publick union I do likewise promise to keep secret all things that shall require to be so kept that I will receive no forbidden presents and that I will do all
most Potent Prince Philip the fourth King of Spain c. on one side and the High and Mighty Lords the States Generall of the United Provinces of the Low-Countries on the other IN the Name of God Be it known to all that after the bloody Wars that have for so many years afflicted the people and Subjects of the obedience of the King of Spain and the States Generall they the said King and States being moved with Christian compassion and being desirous to put an end to all the calamities and deplorable consequences which the farther continuance of the Wars of the said Low-Countries might produce and to change them into the rest and tranquillity of a firm peace have to compass so good an end Deputed and Commissioned fit persons on both sides viz. on the side of the said Don Philip the fourth King of Spain Don Gaspar de Bracamonte Y de Guzman Count of Pigneranda Lord of Aldea seca de la Frontera Knight of the Order of Alcantara perpetuall Administrator of the Commandery of Damyel of the Order of Calatrava Gentleman of his Majesties Bed-Chamber of his privy Counsell and his Embassador Extraordinary towards his Imperiall Majesty as also first Plenipotentiary for his Majesty in the Treaty of the generall Peace Monsieur Aâ—tony Brnn Knight and Counsellor for his Majesty in his supream Counsell of State for the Low-Countries and his Plenipotentiary in the generall Peace On the sides of the States Generall Bartold de Gent Lord of Looven and Meynerswicke Senechal and Diikgrave of Bommel Fieler and Brommelerweerden deputed by the Nobility of Gueldres in the Assembly of the States Generall Jean de Mateness Lord of Mateness Riviere Opmeer Souteveen and Deputy in the ordinary Counsell of Holland and West-Frieze as also Deputy in the States Generall from the Nobles of the said Province Councellor and Heemrade of Shieland Adrian Paw Knight Lord of Heemsteed Hogersmilde and first President Counsellor and Master of the Accounts of Holland and West-Frieze as also Deputy in the Assembly of the States Generall by the said Provinces Jean de Knuâ—t Knight Lord of Old and New Vosmar representing the Nobility in the States in Counsell of Zeeland as in the Admiralty first Counsellor of his Highness the Prince of Orange Deputy in the Assembly of the States Gâ—dart de Râ—â—de Lord of Nederhorst Uredelant Cortchoâ—f Over-meer Horstwaert c. President in the Assembly of the Nobles of the Province of Utrect and by them Deputy in the Assembly of the States Generall Francis de Doma Lord of Hinnâ—ma Hiclsum Deputy in the Assembly of the States Generall by the Province of Frizeland William Riperda Lord of Hengeloo Boxbergen Boculoo and Sussenbergh Deputy by the Nobility of Overyssel in the Assembly of the States Generall All Extraordinary Embassadors in Germany and Plenipotentiaries of the said States for the Treaty of the generall Peace All being sufficiently impowr'd and assembled in the Town of Munster in Westphalia have by common consent and in vertue of their respective powers receiv'd from the said King and the Lords the States Generall Concluded and Agreed upon these following Articles 1. The said King does Declare and Acknowledge that the said Lords the States Generall of the United Provinces and their Provinces Countrey-Towns Lands and Appurtenances are free and Soveraign States Provinces and Countries upon which nor upon their Towns c. the said King neither doth nor shall henceforth or his Heirs and Successors pretend any thing And that in consequence of this his Declaration he is content to treat with the said States as he does by these and conclude a perpetuated peace with them upon the Conditions here following 2. To wit that the said peace shall be firm and inviolable and that all acts of hostility of what kinde soever shall cease both by Sea and by Land in all the Kingdomes and Countries of the obedience of the said King and the said States as also between all their Subjects of what quality soever they be without exception of places or persons 3. Each shall remain in peaceable possession and shall keep and enjoy all the Countrey-Towns Lands Places and Lordships that he now enjoyes and that without being any wayes molested directly or indirectly And in this is comprehended the Burroughs Villages and Countrey appertaining and belonging to that which each shall possess and by consequence all the Mayorship of Bosleduke as also all the Lordships Towns Castles Burroughs Villages and Champain thereunto belonging the Town and Marqueship of Bergues upon Zoom the Town and Barony of Breda the Town of Maestrict and the extent of its jurisdiction the County of Groonhoff the Town of Grave and the Countrey of Luychuist and the Bayliship of Hulst and Hulster-Ambact and Ambact as also the Forts which the said Lords the States do possess now in the Countrey of Waes and all other Towns and places which the said States do hold in Brabant Flanders or any where else shall remain in the power of the said States with all the Right of Soveraignty in the same manner as they hold the United Provinces but all the rest of the said Countrey of Waes except the said Forts shall remain unto the said King of Spain As concerning the three places on the other side the Meuse viz. Falquimont Dalem and Rodeleduc they shall remain in the condition they are now in and in case of dispute the business shall be decided in the Chambre mipartic to be mentioned in the following Articles 4. The Subjects and Inhabitants of the Countries of the said King and States shall live in good union and correspondency together without any resentment for past injuries and they shall have liberty to go and stay in the Territories of each other and to exercise their Trade and Commerce in all surety both by Sea and Land 5. The Navigation and Trade to the East and West-Indies shall be maintain'd in conformity to those Grants or Patents given or to give by the States for surety whereof shall serve this present Treaty and the ratification of it and under this Treaty shall be comprehended all Potentates Nations and Peoples with whom the said States or the East and West-India Companies in their name within the limits of their Patent are in amity or alliance And the said King and States shall respectively remain in possession of all those Lordships Towns Castles Fortresses Commerce and Trade in the East and West-Indies as also upon the Coasts of Brasil Asia Africa and America that the said King and States do now hold And in this Article are particularly comprized all those places and Forts that the Portugueses ever since 1641. have taken from the States as also are comprehended all those places that the said States shall hereafter take conquer and possess without infraction of the present Treaty And the Curators or Directors of the East and West-India Companies of the United Provinces as also the Officers Agents Souldiers Mariners being at prefenâ— at the
whatsoever 55. There shall be no new Forts made in the Low-Countries of neither side neither shall there be made any new Channels or Trenches by which any of the parties may be dammageed 56. The Lords of the House of Nassaw as also the Count John Albert of Solms Governor of Maestric shall not be pursued nor molested neither in their persons nor Estates for any Debts contracted by the late William Prince of Orange 1667. to his death nor for any Arrears due during the confiscation of such Lands as were charged with the said Debts 57. If there be any infraction made in the Treaty by private persons without the Authority of the said King or States the dammage shall be immediately repair'd in the place where the offence was committed if the persons be there taken or in their Domicile but it shall not be lawfull to pursue them else-where either in their persons or Estates or to take Arms and break the peace but in case of deniall of justice to proceed by Letters of Reprisall 58. All Exheredations made by reason of the War and aversion of parties are made void and in this are comprehended all Exheredations made for such causes as were causes of the War 59. All prisoners of War shall be deliver'd on both sides without distinction of persons and that without ransome 60. The payment of the Arrears of Contributions on both sides shall be decided by the Supervisors of the said Contributions 61. All that during this Negotiation shall be said or alledged either by word of mouth or by writing shall not be a prejudice to the Authors but the said King and States and all the Princes Counts Barons Gentlemen Citizens and all Inhabitants shall enjoy the benefit of this Treaty 62. The Subjects of the said King and States respectively shall enjoy the benefit of the 15th Article of the Truce of 12. years and of the 10th Article of the Agreement that followed the 7th of January 1610. and that because that during the time of the said Truce the parties did not enjoy the effect of those Articles 63. The limits in Flanders and other places shall be set out so that the parties may exactly know under what jurisdiction they are 64. On the side of the said King of Spain shall be demolish'd near the Sluce these following places and Forts viz. the Fort of St. Job St. Donas the Star-Fort the Fort St. Terese St. Frederick St. Isabella St. Paul the redoute Papemâ—ts And on the side of the States Generall shall be demolish'd the following Forts the two Forts in the Island of Lasant call'd Orange and Fredericke the two Forts de Pas both upon the River of Scheld on the East-side except Lillâ— and the Fort a Kieldrect call'd Spinola touching which Demolition it shall be agreed between the parties to set out an Equivalence 65. All Registers Charters Letters and Papers concerning Law-Suits or otherwise that do any wayes regard or concern any of the United Provinces their Towns and Members being in the Courts and Chambers of the obedience of the King of Spain shall be deliver'd bonâfide to such as shall have commission from the Provinces to receive them And the same shall be done by the States for the Provinces and Towns that are under the said Kings obedience 66. The jurisdiction of the Water shall be left to the Town of Sluce as it has of right belonged to it 67. The Digue traversing and stopping up the River Zout near the Fort Donas shall be taken away by making a Zas touching the Garde of which Zas it shall be agreed upon as touching the Demolition of the Forts 68. In this present Treaty of peace shall be comprehended such as before the exchange of ratifications or three moneths after shall be nam'd on both sides in which time the said King shall name those that he shall think fit but by the States are nam'd these following the Prince Landgrave of Hesse-Cassel with his Countrey-Towns c. the Count of Oostfrieze the Town of Embden the County and Countrey of Oostfrieze the Anseatick Towns and particularly Lubec Bremen Hambourg And the said States do reserve to themselves to name such others as they shall think fit in the time prescribed 69. As for the pretension of Count of Flodrof touching the restitution made to him of the Castle of Leat and its Dependances and all other Villages that may depend on it and were seized by the said King the said restitution is confirm'd to him with this reserve that it shall be resolv'd between this and the conclusion of the Treaty about the entertaining of a Garrison for the said King or demolishing the Fortifications made since that the Castle was taken 70. As for all that was agreed upon the 8th of December 1646. between the Plenipotentiaries of the said King and States touching Roger Huygens in the name of his Wife Anna Margarita de Stralem it shall have its effect and be of force as if it were here set down word for word 71. And to the end that this present Treaty be the better observed the said King and States do promise to employ all their power and force to make all passages free and all Seas and Rivers navigable and safe against the inrodes of Pirats and Theeves and to punish them severely if they can take them 72. They do promise besides to do nothing contrary to this present Treaty nor to suffer that any thing should be done either directly or indirectly and if any thing be done to repair the offence and dammage without delay To the observation of all which they do here binde themselves and the more to strengthen the Obligation do renounce all Laws and Customes contrary to this promise 73. This present Treaty shall be ratified and approved by the said King and States and the Letters of ratification shall be deliver'd and exchanged on each side within the term of two moneths and if the said ratification do come before-hand then all acts of hostility shall cease without staying for the end of the two moneths Still it is meant that after the conclusion and signing of this Treaty hostility shall not cease till the ratification of the said King of Spain be deliver'd in good form and exchang'd with the ratification of the States 74. So that affaires on both sides shall remain in the same posture and condition as at the conclusion of this Treaty they are and this till the ratifications be exchang'd 75. This Treaty shall be publish'd in all places that shall require it incontinent after the exchange of the ratifications and then all acts of hostility shall cease The Treaty of Navigation and Commerce Concluded at the Hague in Holland the 17th of December 1650. between Messire Antony Brun Extraordinary Embassador for the King of Spain on one side and the Deputies of the Lords the States Generall of the United Provinces on the other side WHereas since the conclusion of the peaee at Munster between
the King of Spain and the States Generall there has happened some disputes about the true sence of the separate Article concluded the 4th of February 1648. in the said Town touching Navigation and Commerce the said King and States have thought fit for the more sincere and perfect observation of the said Treaty of peace to give a better explanation of their meaning to which end the said King has on his side Deputed and Commission'd Messire Antony Prun Counsellor in his High Councill of State for the Low-Countries near his person and his Plenipotentiary at the Treaty of Munster as his Ordinary Embassador to the said States who on their side have likewise Commissioned these following Rugzer Huygens Knight Banninck Cock Knight Lord of Purmerlant and Apendam Bourgemaster and Counsellor of the Town of Amsterdam Cornelius Ripera Bourgemaster Regent of the Town of Horne James Vâ—th Counsellor and Pensioner of the Town of Middlebourg in Zeeland Giisbert de Hoolk old Bourgemaster of the Town of Utrect Joachim Andree first ancient Counsellor in the Provinciall Court of Friâ—zeland John de la Beech of Dorvick and Crystenburgh Bourgemaster of the Town of Deventer Adrian Dant a Stedum Lord of Nittersum all Deputies of the body of their Assembly The said Embassador and Deputies having held many Assemblies and Conferences have at last in the name of the said King and States agreed upon and concluded this present Treaty all its Articles and Conditions 1. The Subjects and Inhabitants of the United Provinces may with safety and liberty trade with all those Kingdoms States and Countries that are or shall be in peace amity or neutrality with the said States of the United Provinces 2. And they may not be molested or troubled in this freedom by the Ships or Subjects of the King of Spain by reason of the hostilities that are or may be hereafter between the said King and the said Kingdomes States c. that are in peace c. with the said States 3. This shall extend it self as to France for all sorts of Commodities that were used to be transported before the said Kingdome was in War with Spain 4. Yet shall not the Subjects of the United Provinces furnish France with such Merchandizes as come from the States of the said King of Spain and may serve the French against him and his States 5. And as for other Kingdomes States c. that may be in War with the said King of Spain and are in neutrality or friendship with the States their Subjects shall not carry to those Kingdomes c. any forbidden Goods or Merchandizes of Counterband which to hinder the said States shall forbid it by express prohibitions 6. Besides to prevent the dispute that might arise concerning the Merchandizes that are of Counterband and those that are not it is agreed that under that name and quality are understood these following all fire-Arms and things belonging to them as Canons Musquets Mortar-Peeces Petards Bombes Grenadoes Cereles Squibs Carriages Forks Powder Match Salt-Peter Bullets All other Arms likewise offensive and defensive as Pikes Swords Casques Helmets Back and Breast-pieces Halberds Pertuiscens and other such Besides under the same name are understood the transport of Souldiers Horses Harness Metall Pistols Belts and all other Implements of War 7. Further to avoid all dispute it is agreed that under that name of forbidden Merchandize are not comprehended Wheat and all sorts of Grains Salt Oyl Wine nor in generall any thing that is nourishment and sustentation to mens bodies which shall be free as all other Goods and Merchandizes not specified in the fore-going Articles and may be carried to all Towns except to such as are besieged and blocked up 8. And the better to hinder that the said forbidden Merchandizes do not pass into the hands of the enemies of the said King and that under pretext of hindring the said transportation the safety and liberty of Trade and Navigation be not hindred it is agreed that the Ships belonging to the Subjects of the United Provinces being entred in any Port of the said Kings Dominions and being from thence bound for the Ports of his enemies shall be obliged only to produce and shew to the Officers of the said King their Pasports containing the particulars of their lading seal'd and sign'd by the Officers of the Admiralty of such places as they come from with declaration of the places they are bound for the whole in ordinary form after which they shall not be molested searched nor detained under any pretext whatsoever 9. Likewise the Ships of the States Subjects being at Sea or coming into some Bay without entring the Harbour or coming in without unlading shall not be bound to give an account of their lading except they be suspected to carry Merchandizes of Counterband 10. And in case of a violent suspition they shall only be forced to shew their Pasports as has been said 11. If they are met at Sea or near the Shore by any Ships or Privateers of the said King then to avoid disorder and plunder the said men to War may send their Boat with two or three men in it aboard the Ship of the States to which men shall be shewed by the Master the Pasport above-mentioned with a particular Letter shewing the quality and place of residence of the owner of the Ship and Master in the said United Provinces and to these shall be given credit without further enquiry but that there be no counterfeit Letters the said King and States shall agree of particular marks not easily to be imitated 12. And in case there should be found in the Ships belonging to the States Subjects by the foresaid means some of those Merchandizes call'd of Counterband they shall be seized upon and confiscated before the Judges of the Admiralty or other competent ones but the said Ship and the rest of the lading shall no wayes be detained or seized upon 13. It has been agreed besides that all Goods whatsoever that the Subjects of the States shall lade in the bottoms of the said Kings enemies shall be confiscated without reserve or exception 14. But also all that shall be found in the bottoms of the Subjects of the said States though part or all of it do belong to the enemies of the said King yet it shall all be free and not seized upon except they be Merchandizes of Counterband 15. The Subjects of the said King shall enjoy all the same liberties in Trade and Navigation as is by this Treaty accorded to the Subjects of the United Provinces with the same equality and though some Kingdomes or States should have friendship or neutrality with the said King though they were enemies of the States yet shall his Subjects enjoy all the benefit granted in the like case to the Subjects of the United Provinces 16. This present Treaty shall be as an explanation to the particular Article concluded at Munster the 4th day of February 1648. 17. This present Treaty shall have
service of the said Companies oâ— having been formerly employed by them and all such as being now out of their service do live within the jurisdiction of the said Companies shall remain free and unmolested in all places under the obedience of the said King in Europe and may travell trade and frequent in all places as all other Inhabitants of the States Besides it has been Stipulated and Agreed that the Spaniards retain their Navigation to the East-Indies in such manner as it is now for this present time without the liberty of extending themselves any further As also the Inhabitants of these Provinces shall abstain from frequenting the places that the Castilians do possess in the East-Indies 6. And as for the West-Indies the Subjects and Inhabitants of the Kingdomes and Countries of the said King and States shall respectively abstain from Navigation and Trade in all the Harbours places Forts Castles possess'd by either to wit that the Subjects of the said King shall not navigate nor trade in those that belong to the States nor the Subjects of the States in those that belong to the said King And in the places of the States shall be comprehended all those that the Portugueses since 1641. have taken in Brasil upon the said States and all those that they now possess as long as they shall remain in the possession of the said States In all which there is nothing contrary to the precedent Article 7. And because a long space of time is necessary for the giving notice to those that are now abroad with Ships and Forces that they may defist from all acts of hostility it hath been Agreed that within the limits of the Patent granted or to be granted by continuation to the Company of the East-Indies of the United Provinces the peace shall begin no sooner than a year after the date of the present Treaty And as for the limits of the Patent granted heretofore by the States Generall or to be granted by continuation unto the Company of the West-Indies the peace shall not there begin till six moneths after the date of the present Treaty Provided still that if the notice of the said peace be arriv'd by publick Order of each side to the said limits before the said time be expir'd that then immediately all acts of hostility shall cease And that if after the term be expir'd there be yet committed some acts of hostility the dammages shall be repair'd without delay 8. The Subjects and Inhabitants of the Countries of the said King and States trafficking in one anothers Countrey shall not be forc'd to pay any greater Impositions or Customes than their own Subjects respectively so that thereby the Subjects of the said States shall be freed and exempted from the Imposition of 20. per cent or any other whatsoever which the said King did levy during the truce of 12. years or would hereafter raise directly or indirectly upon the Inhabitants of the said States or any wayes charge them further than his own proper Subjects 9. The said King and States shall not raise any Contributions or Imposts out of their limits respectively upon any Merchandize passing either by Land or Water 10. The Subjects of each shall respectively enjoy all freedome of Peages that they were in possession of before the beginning of the War 11. The Trade Commerce and Frequentation shalâ— not be hinder'd between the Subjects of the said King and States and if it should chance to be obstructed any wayes the obstacle shall immediately be taken away 12. And after the day of the conclusion and ratification of this peace the said King shall no longer enjoy upon the Rivers of Rhene and Mouse those Customes or Peages which before the War were under the jurisdiction of any of the United Provinces particularly the Peage of Zeeland which shall not be levied for his Majesty neither in the Town of Antwerp nor any where else upon condition that from that day forwards the States of Zeeland shall take upon them to pay the annuall Rents to those to whom the said Peage was morgaged before the year 1572. which also shall do the Proprietors of all other Peages if they be charg'd with annuall Rents 13. The white boyl'd Salt coming from the United Provinces into those of his Catholick Majesty shall be receiv'd and admitted without any higher Impost than upon Bay-Salt and likewise the Salt coming from his Majesties Countries shall be admitted in those of the States upon the same conditions 14. The Rivers of Scheld as also the Channels of Zas and Zwin and other entries into the Sea thereabouts shall be shut up by the States Generall on their side 15. The Ships and Goods coming in and going out of the Harbours of Flanders shall be taxed at the same rate as the Ships and Goods going upon the Scheld and the Channels nam'd in the above-written Article and it shall be agreed of the proportion between the parties hereafter 16. The Anseatick-Towns with all their Citizens and Inhabitants shall enjoy as to Navigation and Trade in Spain and all the Kingdomes and States thereof all the Priviledges and Immunities granted at present or that shall be hereafter given to the Subjects of the United Provinces And reciprocally all the Subjects of the said Provinces shall enjoy the same Rights Franchises Immunities Priviledges and Capitulations as well for the establishing of Consuls in the capitall Towns or Sea-Ports of Spain as for their Merchants Factors Masters of Ships Mariners or others and that in the same manner that the said Anseatick-Towns in generall or in particular have heretofore practis'd or obtain'd and shall hereafter obtain for the safety and advantage of Navigation and Trade of their Towns Merchants c. 17. Likewise the Inhabitants of the Countries of the said States shall have the same liberty in the said Kings Dominions that the Subjects of his Majesty of Great Britain do enjoy by the Articles in the last Treaty of peace made in secret with the High Constable of Castile 18. The said King shall as soon as possible assign a place for the honourable burying of the bodies of such of the States Subjects as shall die in his Dominions 19. The Subjects and Inhabitants of the said Kings Dominions coming into the Territories of the States shall as to the publick exercise of Religion comport themselves with all modesty without giving any scandall or proffering any blasphemy and the same shall be observ'd by the Subjects of the United Provinces 20. The Merchants Masters of Ships Pilots Mariners their Ships Goods and other things belonging to them shall not be arrested nor detain'd by vertue of any Order either generall or speciall nor for any cause of War or otherwise nor under the pretext of using them for the preservation of the Countrey Hereby nevertheless are not meant all seisings and arrests of Ships by the ordinary proceedings of justice by reason of Debts Obligations and Contracts of those whose Goods are seised who
c. with all the Fruits Revenues Rents and Profits of them And those that have so hid the said Estates Rights c. shall not be any wayes molested by the Treasury but shall enjoy and dispose of them as of their own 36. The Trees cut down after the day of the conclusion of this Treaty or such as shall be cut down the day of the conclusion and those not being cut down are nevertheless bargain'd for shall remain to the Proprietary notwithstanding the sale of them 37. The Fruits Farms Rents Leases Tenths Fishing-Houses c. of such Estates as according to this Treaty shall be restor'd to the right owners if they fall after the conclusion of this Treaty shall remain for the whole year to the Proprietaries and their Heirs c. 38. All Farms and Leases of confiscated Estates though made for many years shall nevertheless expire and be at an end in the year of the conclusion of this Treaty and the Farms or Leases falling after the day of the conclusion of this Treaty shall belong to the Proprietaries with this caution that if the Farmer of the said Estates has employed any of his stock towards the said years crop he shall be re-payed by the Proprietary as the Judges of the place shall value the said disbursement 39. All sale of confiscated Estates made after the conclusion of this Treaty is void as also the sale made before the conclusion if it be against the Capitulations and Agreements made particularly with certain Towns 40. The Houses of particular persons that are or shall be restor'd shall not be made Garrisons on neither side neither shall they pay any higher Taxe or Contribution than the Houses of other Inhabitants 41. None on either side shall be hindred directly or indirectly from changing the place of his abode so he pay the ordinary Taxes 42. If any Fortifications or Works have been made on either side by Authority in such places as are to be restored the Proprietaries shall be content to value them at the rate the Judges of the place shall put upon them as also the Proprietaries shall receive satisfaction for so much of their Estates as shall have been made use of either in Fortifications publick Works or pious uses 43. As for Church-Revenues Colledges and other pious places situated in the United Provinces which were members and dependances of the Benefices Colledges c. now under the obedience of the King of Spain so much of them as has not been sold before the conclusion of the present Treaty shall be restor'd and the owners may take possession of it by their own Authority but for those that have been sold or otherwise disposed of they shall receive a yearly Rent to the value of them after the rate of 8. in the 100. The same shall be observ'd on the side of the said King 44. As for the pâ—eâ—ensions and interest that the Prince of Orange may have in such things which he is not in possession of there shall be made a Treaty by it self to the satisfaction of the said Prince But as for the Lands Goods c. that the said Prince is in possession of by the gift of the said States in Bay 〈…〉 f ship of Hulster-Ambacth and elsewhere they shall all remain in his free possession as his own excluding hereby all pretensions to the contrary by this Treaty or any other 45. Touching certain other ' points which besides the contents of the preceding Article have been agreed upon and signed in two different Writings one of the 8th of January the other of the 27th of December 1647. in the name of the said Prince of Orange the said Writings shall be observ'd accomplish'd and executed according to their contents just as if all the said points in particular were all inserted into this present Treaty and this notwithstanding all Clauses or Articles of this Treaty any wayes contrary for if there be any such they are declar'd void in that point by this present Article 46 Those to whom confiscated Estates are to be restor'd shall not be bound to pay any Arrearages Rents Charges c. specially assign'd upon the said Estates for the time they did not enjoy them and if any pursuit or molestation do befall them they shall immediately be relieved 47. Judgements given upon confiscated Estates between parties that did acknowledge the power of the Judges shall hold only the condemn'd parties may seek relief by the ordinary course of justice 48. The said King does quit and renounce all pretensions of Redemption or other upon the Town of Grave the Countrey of Luych its Appurtenances Dependances and the ancient Barony of Brabant engaged heretofore to the Prince of Orange and which has been since converted as propriety to the use of Prince Maurice of Nassaw in December 1611. by the States Generall as Soveraigns of the said Town of Grave and Countrey of Luych In vertue of which concession the Prince of Orange that now is his Heirs c. shall enjoy for ever the propriety of the said Town of Grave c. with all its Dependances c. 49. The said King does also renounce to all Right Claims c. either of propriety or cession c. to the Town County and Lordship of Lingen and the four Villages and other its Dependances as also to the Towns and Lordships of Bevâ—rgarde Cloppenberge that they may remain for ever to the said Prince of Orange his Heirs c. confirming by this Treaty all the said Princes other Titles to them 50. The said King and States shall each of them separately and for themselves place Judges and Officers in such Towns and strong places as by this Treaty are to be restor'd to the Proprietaries 51. The high part of Gueldres shall be changed for an Equivalence which if it cannot be agreed upon in this Treaty shall be decided by the Chamber of equall number of Judges on both sides and that in the time of six moneths after the ratification of the Treaty 52. The said King does oblige himself to procure effectively the continuation of the neutrality friendship and good neighbour-hood of his Imperiall Majesty and the Empire with the States to the observation of which the States do likewise oblige themselves and the confirmation of the said neutrality shall be made in the space of two moneths by his Imperiall Majesty and in the time of a year by the Empire after the ratification of this Treaty 53. The Fruits Moveables confiscated and receiv'd before the conclusion of this Treaty shall not be subject to be restor'd 54. They that during the War were retir'd into Countries that did stand neuters shall enjoy the benefit of this Treaty and may stay where they please or return to their ancient homes there to live in all quiet and tranquillity in the observation of the Laws of their Countrey without danger of having their Estates or Chattels seized on by reason of the stay they make in any place
THE PRESENT STATE OF THE United Provinces OF THE LOW-COUNTRIES AS TO THE Government Laws Forces Riches Manners Customes Revenue and Territory OF THE DUTCH IN THREE BOOKS Collected by W. A. Fellow of the Royall Society LONDON Printed for John Starkey at the Mitre betwixt the Middle Temple Gate and Temple-Bar in Fleet-Street 1669. THE PREFACE THe Netherland-Provinces have rendred themselves so conspicuous and considerable amongst the other States of Europe that the sole mentioning of them might suffice to awaken the attention and invite the regards of all persons whose more elevated Genius leads them to the contemplation of the rise growth and grandeur of States and Empires which affording the greatest instances of humane wisdome and industry as well as they are the most remarkable Theatres of divine providence are certainly the most adaequate objects for rational and considering men For which reason possibly few Books less needed a Preface than that which is now in the Readers hands and The present State and Government of the Netherlands in the Title-page may seem to carry invitation enough with it to render all other superfluous Scarce any Subject occurres more frequent in the discourses of ingenious men than that of the marvellous progress of this little State which in the space of about one hundred years for 't is no more since their first attempts to shake off the Spanish yoke hath grown to a height not only infinitely transcendnig all the ancient Republicks of Greece but not much inferior in some respects even to the greatest Monarchies of these latter Ages Nor is the wonder inconsiderably augmented in that the lesser Moiety hath farre exceeded even the Whole it self and seven Provinces are become greater than seventeen with a manifest verification of that Aenigmatical Aphorisme Dimidium plus Toto To which it may likewise be added that for above sixty years of that above-mention'd hundred they were continually engag'd in a Warre against the greatest King of this Western World besides what contests they have since had with other Neighbours and nevertheless that difficult exercise of their nonage not only promoted their growth by necessarily exciting the industry natural to that Nation but likewise contributed to rènder the Constitution of the State it self more robust and athletick 'T is the Portraiture of this flourishing Common-wealth which is here presented to the Ingenious drawn by the elegant Pen of a Virtuoso of the Royall Society who the more to gratifie the Reader and compleat his Work hath collected out of severall Authors a summary Account of the Lives of the Earls of Holland down to the alteration of Government which commenc'd about the year 1567. which Lives compose the first Book order of time requiring the same to be prefix'd before the Description of the Confederate Commonwealth or Government of the States Generall whereunto is particularly annex'd that of the States of Holland and Zeeland as examples of the rest The third and last Book exhibits the extent and nature of the Soyl of Holland the Manners Customes and Trade of the Inhabitants together with particular Descriptions of all the considerable Cities and Towns of that Province and an Appendage of divers Treaties of Alliance made between this and other neighbouring States Besides all which the Reader will finde variety of Politick Reflexions and Discourses interspers'd throughout the whole Work which concurre to the accomplishment of the same in reference to the two principall ends of Books Instruction and Divertisement THE FIRST BOOK Containing the HISTORY OF THE EARLS OF HOLLAND CHAP. I. What pass'd before the Earles of Holland THere is all the probability in the world that this fair Province of Holland has not alwayes been as rich and as populous as we now see it but quite contrary it was a kind of a Desert once and full of great Forrests The first People that inhabited it were a Colony of Germans which came out of their Countrey some time before the Birth of our Saviour and it is from thence that it has the name of Batavia if we believe the Roman History and particularly Tacitus lib. de moribus Germanorum There is no doubt but the Batavi are the chief in strength and valour among the Germans and that this Nation which was formerly called Cattes and which upon a sedition at home invaded these Islands which the Rhene makes and are now become Subjects of the Roman Empire are the noblest portion of the German State since History makes so much mention of them and that it appears so in their humours customes and manners of which the chiefest are these following 1. That they pay no tributes 2. That they are free from all contribution towards the War 3. That they are alwayes reserv'd for the War 4. That they have the most honourable rank in the Army as being esteem'd the best Souldiers and the best skill'd in lancing their Javelots 'T is by their help sayes Tacitus that the Romans have extended their Empire beyond the Rhene The Romans in truth did think themselves happy to have them for friends and companions not that I deny but that they were in some way conquered by the same Romans whom they assisted much in their Wars against the Brittains or English witness the Brittain Castle built by the same Romans for as Tacitus sayes it was only by the force of the Batavi and the Tongri that the Romans did overcome the Brittains besides the Emperours were so convinced of their fidelity that they us'd them as guards to their persons but because the Romans did begin to oppress them they revolted from them as it is reported by Tacitus in the fourth Book of his History in these words The Batavi having been us'd in the Wars of Germany did furnish the Empire with arms and men their principall leaders were Julius Paulus and Claudius Civilis of the Royall Bloud Paulus being accus'd of rebellion was kill'd and Claudius put in prison but set at liberty by Galb 〈…〉 Civiiis being a man of parts took notice of the disorder the Empire was in and observing the natural aversion the Bataves had for the Romans because that in raising of Souldiers among them they aim'd more to satisfie their avarice and foul luxury than to supply the legions he fomented under hand at first their discontent then appearing openly exhorted them to recover their liberty and cast off the yoke of slavery We are not said he treated like companions but like slaves remember the glory of your Ancestors and look upon the disorders of the Empire and the Gaules your neighbours who will joyn with you in the design of recovering your liberty Thus it appears by this Writer that the Batavi were to have been the Romans companions and that it was for the breach and non-performance of that promise that they revolted and maintain'd a bloody War in which were perform'd many noble actions The end of this War was a peace in which the Batavi were caâ—l'd the brothers and friends of
things according to those Orders I have now or shall have hereafter CHAP. VIII Of the Great Assembly Extraordinary BEsides the Assembly of the States Generall alwayes residing at the Hague there is besides a great Assembly call'd in the language of the Countrey De groote Vergaderinge which is also convocated to meet at the Hague for affairs of extraordinary importance This Assembly never meets till all the Provinces have first given their consent who do not only prescribe the time and place but do also examine before-hand in their States all the points that are to be put in deliberation that so they may be able to give positive and certain Orders to their Deputies and yet are these Deputies often obliged to write back and have recourse to those that sent them The Order of this Assembly is the same with that of the States Generall and they have the same power CHAP. IX Of the Councell of State which is the greatest after the Councell of the States Generall IT appears by what has been said before that there is a Councell of State of more ancient standing than the States Generall But since the establishment of this last the first takes cognizance of smaller affairs as of those things that concern Taxes or the Militia or those that regard the Towns and Fortresses conquer'd and the visit of the fortifications of them This Councill is compos'd of the Deputies of all the Provinces and the Generall of the Army when there is one is perpetuall President of it and has his Vote There are twelve Counsellors from the Provinces two from Gueldres three from Holland two from Zeeland two from Friezeland and Utrect Overissell Groeningue and Omland each one And because the Generall is often absent therefore they choose a President which ordinarily fall to them by turns Hereof every man makes a Vote and they reckon by Pole and then the greatest number carries it They sit as long as it pleases the States that sent them Friezeland having alwaies had a Governour apart he has had the priviledge of appearing and sitting for them and of appointing some body to do it in his absence This Councell being in effect as a help to the States Generall they treat much about affairs of the same nature and often do give an account of what they do to the States Generall who upon their information do Decree and then the Decree runs thus By the Commandment of our Lords the States Generall of the United Provinces upon the relation of the Councell of State of the same Provinces And besides the Secretary the President pro tempore in the Councell signs it This Councell does ordinarily meet apart and of its own accord but sometimes extraordinarily it joyns with the Assembly of the States Generall When that happens if the Generall of the Army is there he takes place among the Deputies of the States Generall and he takes the most honourable place at the upper end of a long Table and as it often happens when the Counsellors of State are dismiss'd he may keep his place and assist at the other Deliberations of the States Now every time that this Councell meets alone there are two Counsellors supernumerary who have only deliberative voices and not definitive Votes that do assist at it The one is the Superintendant of the Treasury and the other is the Treasurer or Receiver Generall himself The first keeps account and controuls all publick expences though he keep not the money the other has in his hands all the publick treasure of which he gives good account He is ordinarily heard after the Intendant whose counsell they commonly ask first CHAP. X. Of the Power of the States of every Province EAch Province has a soveraign power within it self and may exercise all supreme jurisdiction except such as ought to be common to all by vertue of their union For example that can make Laws obligatory to their Subjects choose Magistrates punish Criminals coyn Money set up Universities make the Dividends of generall Taxes and impose such as are necessary for the States of the Province Yet this is not to be so understood as if this Soveraignty of the States did exclude the soveraign jurisdiction which many Towns do exercise within their Precinct for the end of the Stateâ— being to preserve every ones liberties and priviledges it is not to be thought they will take away any that shall be consistent with the Government As for example Dort Nimmegue Deventer de Camp de Zwoll and Grâ—eningue have many priviledges which we shall else-where take notice of Likewise the Countrey of Drent does exercise by its States a royall and absolute Authority and does commit the administration of it to its Deputies Omland likewise has the power of imposing Taxes upon its â—nhabitants though it make up one Province with Groeningue Now here are the particular acts of Soveraignty of which every Province in particular is barr'd and which do only belong to them all united For they cannot 1. Undertake a new War 2. Make Peace or Truce 3. Lay Impositions which concern the common Union 4. Mâ—ke alliance with Neighbours 5. Set the value of Money or make Laws concerning the publick All these things cannot be done but by common consent CHAP. XI Of the States of Holland and Zeeland IN Holland and West-Friezeland the States are compos'd of two sorts of Members viz. of the Nobles and of the Deputies of Towns the Nobles that are famous not only by their antient extraction but also by the Lordships and Castles which they possess are the chiefest they ordinarily meet to the number of twelve or thirteen and have the first voyce The Towns which send their Deputies are these Dort Harlem Leyden Amsterdam Tergou Rotterdam Gorchom Schoonhove la Brille Alâ—maer Enchuse Edam Monichdam and Purmerent If there be any difficulty about Tributes or if it be to declare War or make Peace then these following Towns are likewise assembled by Dâ—puties Woâ—rde Geertrudenbergue Naerde Muden Oâ—de watre Huesdam Wesop and Wourcom The Deputies of Towns are ordinarily Bourgmasters to whom is ordinarily joyn'd an Alderman or Counsellor who is call'd a Pensioner The great Assembly call'd groot mogende that is Great and Mighty is at the Hague and is vulgarly call'd The Assembly of the States of Holland and West-Friezeland Besides this Assembly which is held but from time to time there is another ordinary Assembly which also sits at the Hague and is a Representative of the States of the Province and in their absence takes care of the Treasury and all ordinary affairs and if there be occasion it convocates the Great Assembly one Nobleman and the Deputies of Towns sit in this and is call'd the Counsellors Deputies of the Lords of the States of Holland and West-Friezeland The Advocate Pensioner of Holland is the Moderator of these two Assemblies and it is he that gathers the Votes and performs the Office of Speaker and eight dayes after their separation he
hitherto communicated all their designs and counsils with the three Princes of Orange that have succeeded one another as also the President of the States General has alwayes used to wait upon his Highness before the sitting of the Company besides by reason of the great Estates they possess in Zeeland and other Provinces they enjoy peculiar Priviledges and have in that consideration and others many advantages which the Provinces may either amplifie or restrain at their pleasure But leaving all this aside and considering barely what belongs to the Office of a Governour we may particularly stay upon these six points 1. The Governour General may pardon and forgive all capital crimes that deserve death this Prerogative is call'd trech van pardonneren 2. In those Provinces that have Courts of Judicature he is alwayes the President of them and his Name and Titles are in the front of all their Acts and Decrees 3. In certain places where that custom is receiv'd he names the Magistrates either out of a certain number proposed to him or absolutely as he pleases It is thus practis'd at Nimmegue every where in Holland except at Horne Enchuse Edam and Monchendaâ— in Zeeland every where except at Tergoes in Utrect every where in Friezeland the Governour does the like This Priviledge is extended even to the nomination of amptmans or drostampen of the dignity of Patricians or raâ—ts heers-ampten and many other which would be too long to name here 4. He may send Ambassadors to Foreign Princes for his own particular concerns and give private Audience to the Ambassadors of Foreign States that are sent to the States General 5. It is his duty to see the States Orders executed in those Provinces in which he is Governour 6. By the 9th and 14th Articles of the Union of Utrect he is made Umpire of such contests as should arise between the Provinces or between any Members of one Province or even between the States and some of their Subjects touching all which he alone can pronounce a Soveraign and definitive sentence and if the affairs be of very great consequence then he may joyn with him some Counsellors of State without exception of persons and it is expresly enjoyn'd to all parties to acquiesce and submit to his Aâ—bitration We shall speak elsewhere of the other attributes of Governour that have â—elong'd to him as General by Sea and Land for these two great charges are not as some Strangers do to be confounded and he that is Governour of the Provinces is not alwayes General of their Forces CHAP. XIV Whether or no the United Provinces can subsist without a Governour SInce we have numbred up the Governours of the United Provinces and declar'd freely what is their Authority and Power it is now fit to consider whether they are so necessary to the States as to make them incapable of subsisting without them Many Strangers are of opinion that these Provinces cannot be without a Governour General and the same opinion has taken root in the hearts of many Natives who are not able to discern those things in the Treaty of Utrect which are essential from those that are mutable and may be otherwise disposed of as the circumstances of time do vary But since the Soveraign Power has never been entirely resigned into the hand of any one Governour though some have had very many of the Prorogatives belonging to it it is evident that they in whom the Soveraign Power remains can perform by themselves those Offices which they are pleas'd to trust a Governour with therefore if a Governour does nothing but by Commission and that because of the absence of those who impower him to act for them why shall not they if they be present take upon them the execution of those things that were before committed to anothers care And though Governours be often nam'd and mention'd in the Treaty of Utrect yet was it not intended for a Governour General for even at that time Utrect had its particular Governour and some years after it was govern'd by the same Governour that Holland and Zeeland was 'T is to as little purpose that some pretend that it is necessary that each Province should have its particular Governour who may in fit season prevent and calm all occasions of Civil commotions as the Dictators did in Rome but in vain for who sees not but that as hitherto the way of determining those contests has been by referring them to the Governour and some Deputies of another Province so they may if they please leave out the Governour and refer their debates to the Deputies of other Provinces alone particularly considering that it has been hitherto observ'd that no Governour ever undertook the person of an Umpire before he had consulted with the States Generall who being above any inferiour Province have the power of hindring the progress and encrease of any dissention CHAP. XV. Of the Riches by which the United Provinces do maintain themselves BY the Treaty of Union made at Utrect it was ordained that there should be raised an equall summe of Moneys in every Province but experience hath taught us that such an equality was very unjust For for example is it fit that there should be no more laid upon an acre of Land in Holland which is very rich and yeelds twice as much as in any other place than upon an acre in Gueldres which is poor and yeelds not half the revenue The same difference is to be observ'd in all other things It has therefore been judg'd by common consent more just and profitable for each Province to make a new Order every year in which each should be taxed according to the then abilities of the said Province and according to the publick exigencies So for example if there be necessity of raising 10000. pound Holland alone shall furnish 4000. five hundred of it Zeeland and Friezeland a 1000. a piece Gueldres Utrect and Groeningue 3500. and Transisulania or Overissell the rest This order being once agreed upon it belongs to the States of each Province to consider how it shall be levyed and this is the true reason why the Taxes and Imposts are so different in the Dominions of the States Generall These Levyes thus order'd are not alwayes receiv'd in money and return'd to the publick Treasury of the States Generall but are distributed by Tallies in the Province it self to those to whom the States do owe which is a very wise caution for it is certain that money still lessens as it passes through the hands of many receivers 2. Among these Levyes it was thought fit from the very beginning to give leave to all to transport certain merchandize into the neighbouring Low-Countreys still remaining under the Spanish jurisdiction but there was and is an impost laid upon them for the receit of which there are Officers and seachers upon the Frontier But to the end this licence might be no wayes prejudiciable to the affairs of this rising Commonwealth they
forbid the transport of Arms or Ammunition under pain of death Yet at last when victuals and necessaries for life grew dear among their enemies and that there was an evident advantage for the Confederates to furnish them with those things licence was granted and they drove such a trade with their enemies as made themselves grow rich and powerfull 3. There is likewise a great summe of money rais'd upon the granting of Passports to those in the Spanish Dominions who desire to transport themselves into the Territories of the States for every Passport costs fifty shillings of English money And yet lest this also should prove prejudiciall to the State they seldome grant any to those amongst their enemies who are either in military or politick employments and to any others they scarce grant them for longer than the time of six moneths 4. The Contributions that are levyed upon those Villages and that part of the Countrey which lyes between the enemy and them make another part of their supplyes for these Bourghs pay as much to the States as to the Spaniards and there are Treasurers upon the Frontier for the receit of it 5. The Imposts payed in the conquer'd Towns of Brabant and Flanders make another part of their revenue for there is excise upon Wine and Beer and Salt A Tax upon Houses and upon Lands 6. They receive a part of the plunder made by the Souldiers upon the enemy 7. They have hitherto had from the French and the English great summes of money as long as they have had War with the Spaniards The French to make diversion did maintain in the service of the States a body of 6000. Foot and 2000. Horse at their own charges for many years The serene State of Venice in vertue of a Treaty made in 1622. did promise 4000. pound a moneth in time of War 8. They have money at use that is they keep a bank of such moneys as are lent the State by particulars and pay use for it five in the hundred is the use the State payes All these great summes of money are by the Order of the States committed to the care of a particular Councell call'd A General Directory for the Treasury which is composed of the Deputies of each Province CHAP. XVI Of the principall Forces which do maintain the Commonwealth of the United Provinces THe greatest internall or defensive strength of these Countreys does lye in their situation which makes all their Towns easily to be fortified As for the externall it consists in their Leagues and Alliances with Foreign Princes Let us speak first of the situation That situation which is advantagious for the defence of a Countrey the exercising of commerce and consequently growing rich must needs proceed from the neighbourhood of the Sea and the affluence of great Rivers and Channells thence comes the Proverb The Hollanders are born for the Sea and the Sea for them of which they are well convinc'd and consequently spare no cost nor industry to be the masters upon this Element having long ago graven upon their Coyn this Motto Imperator maris est terrae Dominus If the Spaniards had been so wise as to have spent that treasure in hindring the Hollanders trade and navigation that he layed out upon attaking their Countrey he had undoubtedly ruin'd them and he now perceives it and does endeavour by all means though too late to obstruct their commerce Besides the Sea there are the Rivers of Rhene Meuse and Jud that do make the Countrey almost inaccessible Besides if any enemies be taken on this side these Rivers there is a Law which is exactly observ'd which commands to hang them up immediately The strong Towns are upon the Borders not only in Brabant Flanders Gueldres and Friezeland but also upon the Confines of Germany as Rhinbergue Wesel and divers places bordering upon the Dutchy of Cleves The reason whereof is this the War being kindled between the Spaniards and the United Provinces the Spaniards did first begin to seize and put themselves in possession of the Towns of the Dutchy of Cleves and of the Electour of Cullen that they might the better annoy the Hollanders who fore-seeing the mischief like to arise from thence sent an Army and seized as many of these Towns as they could put Garrisons into them and nevertheless still preserv'd the Inhabitants in all their propriety liberty and priviledges Hereupon arose great contests between the Emperour the Duke of Cleves and the Electour of Cullen on one side and the Hollanders on the other but the Hollanders kept possession Besides the Garrisons they maintain in all Frontier Towns they have also two Magazines in each one with Ammunition for War the other with provisions for life A Governour commands the Garrison they that command in small Frontier Towns are call'd Commanders and they that command in great strong Towns are qualified Governours And for the greater safety of the said Towns the Keys are partly in the Governours partly in the Bourgmasters hands The Civill and Military powers are likewise so distinct that the Governour has nothing to do with the Inhabitants nor the Judges of the place any power over the Souldiers As for the Land-Forces they consist of Strangers and Naturals but the Strangers do exceed the Naturals in number who are more enclin'd to long Voyages and Trade than to Warre Neither is the State endanger'd by putting the force and military power in Stangers hands for they being of different Nations as English Scotch French c. have different inclinations and aversions and so will hardly conspire to oppress their Masters who do alwayes mingle them in their strongest Towns It is believ'd that the number of Souldiers paid by the States and sworn to them does come very near one hundred thousand The Companies are for the most part of a hundred men some few excepted who are either stronger or weaker as necessity requires The Regiments are of ten twelve fourteen sixteen eighteen Companies Each Regiment is commanded by a Collonel The Horse is much inferiour in number to the Foot because that in these Countreys the greatest employment for Souldiers is besieging and defending of Towns in which the Horse are not so necessary as in set Battles There are two sort of Horsemen distinguish'd by their Arms viz. Cuirasseers that wear iron breast and back-pieces and Arquebusiers that carry short Guns on Horseback Their Horses ought to be sixteen handfull high measuring from the hoof of the fore-foot to the top of the shoulder The Infantry has about four shillings and six pence a week pay and the Horse about fifty shillings a moneth They that are payed by the States money are soon and exactly payed but they whose payment is assign'd upon the money that comes from France wait a little longer for it It is very observable in these Provinces that though there be no Money in the Treasury yet the Souldiers receive their pay every week or moneth for every Regiment
King and Commonwealth of Poland particularly for the great quantities of Corn that come from thence though the Imposts be there likewise very high and such as have often made the Hollanders think of changing their Market and buying in Muscovy which they would have compass'd by this means The Countrey people in Muscovy are such slaves their Duke being the Proprietary of all their Lands that they never trouble themselves to plough or sow more Land than just as much as will make such a product as can find them and their Families food Thence it happens that huge Fields of good ground lie wast Now the Hotlanders design was to perswade the Duke of Muscovy to force his Subjects to Till more ground and so he would be able to drive a great Trade and to further this they offer'd to leave Overseers that should direct the work While this was a treating the Poles fearing the consequence bated their Imposts and Customs and so things remain as they were In the Year 1615. there was a Treaty made likewise with the King of Swedeland and Traffick was the ground of it A little before the said King fell upon Germany the amity was renewed and it was agreed that the United Provinces should give the said King 400. pound a moneth as long as the War should last between him and the House of Austria but since these few years the succour that has been given to the Danâ—â— and the interruption of Trade in that Kings Dominions have almost chang'd this Friendship into War There has been likewise a very good Treaty for Trade made with the Duke of Muscovy where mongst other things liberty is granted to levy Souldiers here in his Name and to transport Ammunition for War into his Dominions Trade has also made the States make Treaties with the Emperor of the Turks the Sophy of Persia and the Pirates of Thunis and Algier In Italy the States have no Alliance but with the Venetians which is yet maintain'd for the Honour of these two Commonwealths which are the only flourishing ones in Europe and for certain reasons the Venetians do give five hundred pound a moneth to the Hollanders towards the maintenance of the War with the Spaniards as also the Hollanders have promis'd the like succour to Venice if it should be attaqued by the Spaniard In the first birth of the Common-wealth there was a most advantagious Treaty made with the English under the reign of Queen Elizabeth who maintain'd this reeling State by the succours of Men and great sums of Money which she sent over to them though in such a way that the Hollanders were bound to respect her as if they had been her Subjects Now that the Peace is made with the Spaniards there remains nothing of this Alliance but the liberty of Trade and Commerce and the use of the English Ports There has been likewise many Treaties with the King of France and the States of the United Provinces have receiv'd from him great sums of Money towards the carrying on of the War CHAP. XVIII Of the Admiralty and care that is taken to maintain a Sea-strength SInce it is true that a State is maintain'd by those means by which it is first acquir'd the United Provinces ought not to neglect their Maritine affairs because they have and do really get all their subsistance out of the Sea This Sea-strength consists in a number of Men of War parâ— whereof belong to the States and part to particular men and are call'd Privateers The first are set out at the charges of the publick the other borrow only the States Banner and Commission though to encourage them the States have propos'd to them a set price according to the value of the thing they take from the Enemy The Men of War of the States serve to convoy Merchant-men to and fro and preserve them from danger of Pirates and Enemies The Privateers are most imployed to give chase to and take the rich India Ships of the Spaniards coming from the West-Indies The High Admiral who at present is the Governour General of the States commands over all Ships of War but he seldom goes in person because his presence is necessary at home his room is supplyed by a Vice-Admiral The Great Council call'd the States Gâ—neral being as well oblig'd to look after the Maritine affairs as the Land business and yet finding themselves over-burden'd with business they have discharg'd that care by choosing some others to compose a Body or Council which shall order all Sea-affairs in the Name of the States There are divers of these Assemblies and particularly in those three Provinces which are near the Sea viz. in Holland at Amsterdam Roterdam and Horne this last is sometimes transported to Enchusen which is a Town of North-Holland in Zeeland at Middlebourg and in Friezeland formerly at Doâ—cum but is now transported to Harlingue Each of these Assemblies consists of seven Counsellors or Senators who being chosen by the Members of each Province are delegated and impower'd by the States General they have a Secretary and a Treasurer The Governour General is the head of all these Assemblies as High Admiral the Vice-Admiral represents him in his absence these Deputies did formerly use to meet at the Hague twice a year and do still meet there when the affairs require a conjoynt deliberation with the States about the necessary means of securing the Sea and furthering Commerce They have a Treasury particular to themselves and the Money which is in it is gather'd from the Money that their own Merchants and Strangers pay for Convoys and likewise from the Imposts laid upon Commodities that are transported from one Harbour to another There is likewise brought into this Treasury all the Money that is rais'd by giving licenses to transport Commodities to the Enemies The Deputies of these Assemblies are bound to give an account every quarter of all their expences and receipts to the Commissioners from the States General They have also the power of naming Captains to the Men of War but then the Admiral chooses out of those that they have nam'd In a word their charge is so to secure the Sea as there be no interruption neither from Pirates nor Enemies of any other sort in Trade and Navigation to judge and determine all causes between Seamen and Officers and that Soveraignly and without appeal provided the summe in dispute exceed not fifty pounds observing exactly all brevity and expedition not suffering long harangues in any Cause or giving leave to the parties to reply more than once or twice and that because ordinarily Sea people have occasion of departing upon long Voyages and cannot come again suddenly Last of all it belongs to them to see that the States be payed their proportion of what is taken The fifth part of all prizes belongs to them the tenth to the Amirall and the rest to those that have set out the Privateer as also to the Captain and Sea-men This is only
a design of subverting our State by vilifying the Governors thereof we shall hold as enemies and punish accordingly Therefore be it known to all that we that do here declare that the Soveraign power is in the States do not mean that it is in the Deputies but in those that sent them whom they represent by vertue of their Commission This is a truth which many Princes and particularly her most Serene Majesty the Queen of England as also his Excellency the Prince of Orange when he was sworn Governour did both acknowledge Neither do we think that any body can dispute so constant a verity for else it would follow that the States have not now they are free so much power as they had before and not only the contracts made with the English and the creation of the Governor Generall would be invalid but all that the States have so nobly perform'd since these fifteen years would be unjust which no body but our greatest enemies will or dare say From what has been said it appears how great a necessity there is of keeping inviolable the Authority of the said States as the foundation of all the safety of our Commonwealth and of letting every body know that the Soveraign power is no less in them now than it was under their former Princes Decreed at the Hague and order'd to be publish'd by the common consent of the States Made at Harâ—â—mâ— the sixteenth of October in the year 1587. THE THIRD BOOK Containing the DELIGHTS OF HOLLAND CHAP. I. Of the Original of Holland SOme Writers say that the word Holland is deriv'd from the Gâ—rman word Holtlandt which is as much as to say a Countrey of Wood and they found this their conjecture upon the names of many Villages which have been nam'd from their Woods Our Annals likewise do say that formerly this Province was full of Forrests and the Sea-side all border'd with Trees There was not above a hundred years ago a large Forrest in the Island of Texel which does as it were make up the tail of the Lion which the seventeen Provinces put together do represent And to this day there are bodies and stumps of Trees which do often hurt Ships and entangle their Cables about their roots which in a storm is often the cause of the loss of divers Ships for that reason the Fishermen never cast their Nets there for fear of tearing them Some others say and that probably enough that the word Holland does denote the property of the Earth which in most places seems hollow and quakes as if it swam upon the top of the Water To this purpose Guicciardin tells a Story of a Cow That passing in a Meadow half a mile from Harlem fell into a Ditch and was drown'd and â—â—reâ— dayes after was found in a Lake hard by the Town on the East-side of it which had no communication with the Ditch The third opinion and that which is most likely to be true is that these Provinces having been conquer'd by the Normans they gave them the name of the Provinces they came out of And in effect not only whole Provinces but many Towns and Villages have the same names here and in Denemark as Zeeland Oland besides the Kingdome of Norway the Towns as Schagen Bergen Valkenburg and many others which it is needless to set down In all antiquity it is observable that when ever a Nation did enlarge by Conquests or Colonies the same custome was put in use So the French having entred Gallia drive out the Romans and call'd the Countrey France The Spaniards do the same in the West-Indies And to go no further the Dutch themselves have given the name of Batavia to that great Town in the Indies which they have made the seat of their Trade and Empire in those parts These Northern Nations not content with their having deluge-like over-run these Countreys pass'd into Neustria and call'd it Normandy and to this day the people of that Province have an accent much resembling that of the Danes in their tongue which is not a small conjecture that they are come originally out of the North. Our Authors do not agree about the time that these Nations did invade Holland and whether they were again driven out by the French or no. CHAP. II. Of the length and breadth of Holland the number of its Towns and Villages UNder the name of the Low Countreys are comprehended the seventeen Provinces and before these troubles Flanders was esteem'd the best of them but now Holland may more justly claim that title as being the richest Countrey in the world for its bigness Holland is encompassed almost on three sides by the Ocean viz. on the West the East and the North it has Brabant the River Meuse and Utrect to the South It may be said of this Province as an Ancient said of France that there is no desert solitude nor empty place in it for there has been such an affluence and concourse of people by reason of the Wars that it is almost too little to hold them The Circuit of Holland is only a hundred and fourscore miles and in this compass are comprehended great Lakes and a part of the South Sea Its length is taken from the Island Schelling in the North to the River Scheld and Zeeland in the South The breadth is not above twenty four miles if we take it in a straight line in the middle from Catwyck by the Sea-side to Woerden a small Town upon the Frontiers of Utrect The chief and principall Towns are six in number Dort Harlem Delft Leyden Amsterdam Goude The others that are less Towns but who do send their Deputies to the States Generall are these Rotterdam Gorcum Schiedam Schoonhove Briel Alcmaer Horn Enchuyse Edam Monnicken-dam Medenblick and Purmerend The other Towns are not admitted to the same priviledges either because they are built upon the conquer'd Countrey of Brabant as Gertrudenbergh Heusden Workum or because they have particular Lords that will not have them belong to the States as Vianen is owned by the Brederodes and Yselsteyn is claim'd by the States of Utrect or else because they are poor and cannot bear the charges of Deputies as Woerde Audewater Heukelom Asperen Leerdam Naerden Wâ—sop and Muyden of which mention shall be made hereafter The principall Burroughs which have the priviledges of Towns though they be not wall'd are the Hague Vlaerding Gravâ—sant Delfs-haven Beverwyck Schagen Nieuport There are in Holland above two hundred Villages which if you consider for their building trade and riches they may take place of many Towns in other Countreys but the fairest of them are Nortwic Reensburg Worbury Maeslant-sâ—â—ys Egmond Ryswyck Geervliet c. Vlaerding Reâ—nsburg and Bevâ—â—wyck were in former ages reckon'd amongst the strongest and fairest Towns of this Province as also Geervliet But Holland is much chang'd since its troubles and many Towns are risen by trade and their situation which before were very inconsiderable I have heard old Women
of the Market-place with an Inscription in Latin upon it to this purpose This House hates loves punishes conserves and honours Wickedness Peace Crimes Laws good men Haec Domus odit amat punit conservat honorat Nequitiam Pacem Crimina Jura bonos They have here a great Trade of Beer which they brew very well The Town is not so big as Leyden but it has a fairer Market-place and though there be not so much Trade nor the Houses so richly adorn'd on the inside yet are there very rich Citizens The Countrey about lies lower than about Leyden therefore in certain seasons as when the Wind is North-East if they should open their Sluces all the Meadows about Delft would be overflown Delft is but four leagues from Leyden and you have the convenience of a Waggon Between these two Towns lies Lordsendam a great and fair Village which grows rich since the Channell of Leyden was made There are two great Sluces to preserve the Countrey about Delft Voorburg is a little on one side the Channell and is the ancientest Village in Holland There are yet to be seen some foundations of a strong Castle built by the Romans as it appears by the Inscriptions of the Stones that are every day taken from among the ruines It being so near the Hague and upon the passage of so many people seems rather a Town than a Village It is but two leagues and a half from Leyden and one league from the Hague Losdun is a Village near the Hague in which was a Nunnery for Gentlemen and Noblemens Daughters and no others founded by Margaret Countess of Holland whose Daughter Machtilde was brought abed of 365. Children at once as many as there are dayes in the year who were all baptized by Otho Bishop of Utrect the name of John was given to the males and that of Elizabeth to the females who all died the same day with their Mother The Story sayes that this Princess refus'd Alms to a poor Woman that had Twins in her Arms saying that they were not of one mans getting whereupon the poor Woman finding her self unjustly suspected wish'd her as many at a time as there were dayes in the year In memory of this History there is a Picture hung up in the Church with an Inscription to this purpose Here is a monstrous and memorable thing which has not had its like since the beginning of the world Reader having perused this Story go away and admire it Near the Meuse there is a Castle with 365. Windows which are the names of the said Children and yet there are many people that do not believe this Story at all This Village has a sandy ground on one side of it and on the other a fertile Corn-Countrey call'd Vestland CHAP. XII Of Dort THis Town is very ancient and rich by reason of the great abundance of all sorts of Merchandizes that come down the Rhene It s situation is incomparable for it is environ'd with the Waters of the Rhene and Meuse which make it a place of great Trade It is call'd the Maiden Town because it was never taken though often besieged and once particularly by the Duke of Brabant in the year 1304. For he having conquer'd a great part of Holland and committed all sorts of inhumanities upon that Nation sate down at last before Dort but the Citizens unexpectedly sallying out upon him routed his whole Army and pursued him to Bosleduke and in their way home obtain'd a victory over the Flemmings at Isselmond In the year 1421. upon St. Katherines day the Banks broke near Dort and about threescore and ten fair Villages were swallowed up by this unmercifull Element of Water and above a 100000. men died miserably with their Wives and Children It is said that a wicked Countrey-Boor being envious of his Neighbours prosperity made one night a Hole in the Bank that he might drown him and all his Family in their Beds with a design of stopping it again but the Tide coming in with a strong Winde broke quite through first drown'd this perfidious Rogue and then overwhelm'd all that stood in its way Since the Water having by little and little been driven away by the industry of the infatigable Inhabitants they have drain'd most part of that which lay under Water and discover'd some Villages There is hopes of getting all during this peace but it can only be done in the great heat of Summer As it happens often that when we are ignorant of the cause of a thing we are apt to attribute it to some invisible supernaturall power or to our sins that provoke Gods anger so some have said that these Villages were drown'd because they did make ill use of their great riches that they would not wear any other than golden Spurrs and liv'd in a great magnificence But let us return to the Town which by an unlucky accident of Fire had like to have been quite destroyed there were burn'd above 2000. Houses with the Town-house and Cathedral-Church 1618. the National Synâ—d was held in the same Town under the Authority of the high and mighty Lords the States Generall to decide those Controversies that were risen concerning Predestination There were present many learned men both from France and other parts amongst others the most Reverend Father in God the Archbishop of Canterbury who since was beheaded in the troubles in England Dort was the place where was born that factious Preacher Brother Cornelius Adrian of whom the people to this day tell so many pleasant Stories For my part I have heard worthy persons say that he was really a very eloquent person who did ravish his hearers with admiration but that he did handle some points that were a little too free in those dayes but he fear'd no body He died at Bruges It is to be observ'd that when the Earls of Holland were to be inaugurated that is acknowledged for lawfull Princes they did first come into Dort and there did swear to the States to observe all their liberties and priviledges from whom consequently they did receive an Oath of Allegiance In the Assembly of the States of Holland the Dort-Deputies have the first place and speak first Before the Town are taken great quantities of all sorts of Fish and particularly of Salmon for in one year there were sold in the said Town 892. Salmons and it is commonly said that Servants put it in their bargain that they shall not eat Salmon above twice a Week There is a very convenient Port for â—ll Merchandizes coming down the â—hene and it is in this City that all the Rhenish Wine is first unloaden But this is enough of the first Town of Holland in dignity which besides the beauty of its Edifices is placed in a fruitfull Soyl and a temperate Air. Leyden is distant ten leagues from Dort and the ordinary way is by Water CHAP. XIII Of Goude THis is the sixth and last of the great Towns five leagues from Leyden It lies