their highnesses haue also had since their first comming into these countries the which had beene long since effected if the time spent in their instalments in these their countries had not beene some let being necessarie for them to begin with that ceremonie not only to giue the common people contentment thereby but also to accomplish that which was promised before my lord the archdukes your princes departure into Spaine and now hauing proceeded thus farre the cause of this assemblie being well knowne to euerie one of you for that you may haue beene particularly informed thereof in each of your seuerall prouinces it shall not be needfull to make any long discourse of that which is here to be done touching the aduancement of the countries cause for that your princes long much to heare what you intend to propound vnto them beeing well informed of the businesse hauing also no intent to offer any new matter vnto you but that wherewith you are alreadie made acquainted And their highnesses thinke it sufficient that you know and are assured that they are come hither to liue and dye with you and to do all offices befitting good and mild princes hoping withal that you for your parts wil not faile to do the dueties of good and faithfull subiects And if you desire to vnderstand more of their loues and affections towards you it shall appeare by that which they now desire at your hands which is To be carefull and prouident for the present estate of your countrey which to their great griefe they find to be in farre worse estate than they would haue it It discontents them to see you surcharged with so great burthens yet they haue not vndertaken to disguise any thing vnto you nor yet to feed you with any vaine hopes or to hold you in suspence for they know there are many great difficulties to surmount the which we must both labor and sweat hauing no better meanes to be vnburthened thereof and to free our selues from these difficulties which seeme to enuiron vs round about than to shew our power and force according to our abilities alwayes with the helpe and assistance of God the which shall neuer be wanting if we pray heartily vnto him The chiefe cause therefore of this assembly in regard of the great and generall complaints and the disorders which grow daily by such long and bloudie warres is That their highnesses desire that all in generall and euerie one of you in particular will endeuor your selues to giue him counsell how it may be effected and to set downe the necessarie meanes to be vsed for the maintenance of the common cause the setling of some good course for the profit and commoditie of the countrey I do not prescribe in what manner it should be done wherein they desire to haue your wise aduice and counsell hauing no other intent but to gouerne all things well as their future actions shall make manifest But to proceed to a point of greater importance whereon we must resolue is either Peace or Warre Peace were more beneficial vnto vs which without doubt is that which you much desire and your princes much more than you being naturally inclined therunto and desiring to gouerne you in peace and quietnesse If therefore you know any means how to attain vnto it you shal doe well to impart it vnto their highnesse wherein they will heare you with all attention and stand alwayes readie with open armes to receiue the strayed members and to vnite them againe to the whole bodie from the which to their owne great preiudice through the persuasions and instigation of some men they haue indiscreetly seperated themselues and which is worst of all haue so hardned their hearts as no reasons offers nor meanes haue hitherto been of force to draw them to any reconciliation If this then bee no more successefull than the former wee must of force take armes in hand and prepare to war for the maintenance whereof we haue a million of aduantages aboue our enemies for besides that God doth commonly aid the iust cause wee our selues are without all comparison the stronger yet wee will not denie but wee haue our meanes and chiefe maintenance from that great monarch of Spaine whereas the vnspeakable treasure of Peru and the Indies lye open vnto vs in regard that the yong king loueth the high and mightie Infanta his sister so deerely and sheweth more bountie vnto her than the deceased king her father But it is true all must not come from thence we must put to our helping hands that we may once free our selues from these miseries and for that cause you are called to this place to aduise with one consent of the meanes how to maintaine the wars vntill it shall please God to send vs a good peace That which is allowed monethly by the king of Spaine amounteth vnto two hundred and fiftie thousand crownes and what more is to bee added thereunto must bee raysed in these countries wherein you must resolue what course you thinke fittest to imploy the money comming out of Spaine and that which shall be leuied here thereby to keepe better martiall discipline to suppresse all complaints and disorders and to content the common people Moreouer you must haue a care for the paiment of your ordinarie garrisons and the repayring of your frontier towns and forts the which must necessarily bee done for that they are in great danger Besides all this you know that euerie man must liue of his owne the which is to be vnderstood both of princes and priuat men The inheritance and patrimony of our princes is their demeanes whereof in times past the dukes of Bourgoigne who were our princes and their predecessors did liue reseruing it for themselues and their houses but being once vnited with Spaine our princes grew so mightie hauing so many other estates and kingdomes as they made no estimation of the reuenues of these countries for their owne maintenance but did bountifully imploy and pawne the reuenues of these countries for the necessities of the war and for the defence and preseruation of the countrey in such sort as it is scarce able to pay the rents whereunto you must haue a great regard as being bound by nature to discharge those debts which were made for you that our princes may haue meanes to liue and not bee burthensome vnto their subiects It is to be hoped that this may bee effected in few yeares whether it be by such meanes as you your selues shall find out or that their highnesses shall propound vnto you In the meane time they desire you to prouide them meanes whereon to liue vntill their reuenues may bee freed from all such debts If these things may bee effected we shall haue meanes to bridle our enemies to keepe our souldiers in discipline to preuent all disorders and to pacifie the daily complaints which are verie great and many to the great trouble and griefe of their highnesses and of all
I know not how we might haue kept the towne twelue howers longer with the losse of our liues had we bin al desperat if it had pleased the enemy to attēpt vs but it is most true rather then to haue accepted of any base conditions most of vs would haue ended our lyues in that place I protest I write not this to condemne any one in particular nor in generall that should haue succored vs nor to robbe the least defendant of his right for I confesse my selfe the simplest captaine of halfe a dozen that were within the towne three or foure of them were they knowne and rightly iudged are sufficient to conduct double that garrison in any army in the world to commande a greater troupe hauing authority These are Sir Roger Williams owne words to iustefie the yeelding vp of Sluse After this losse of Sluce the Earle of Leicester determined to stoppe vp the mouth of the hauen but the officers of the admiralty and others were of opinion that it could not be done yet the English-men thought otherwise wher-vpon suspecting the Zeelanders he sent into Holland for certaine old shippes the which were granted yet it was not done but on the other side sence that time the hauen is much bettered by reason that the sea hath scoured the sand away The losse of this towne made them to murmure much against the Earle especially the common people who hearing of the accord retired him-selfe into Zeeland imputing the losse of this towne to the want of men money and other meanes greatly taxing the admiralty of Zeeland and the officers namely one Martin Drooghe whome he caused to be put in prison where he continued six moneths vntill that the Earle being retired the second time into England hauing iustified himselfe of that where-with he was accused he was set at liberty and restored to his credit Those that were affected vnto the Earles party excused him and layed all the blame vpon the Estates accusing them that they sought to take his authority from him and to command them-selues leauing him but the vaine title of a Gouernor The Earle passing by the Iland of Zeeland arriued the seauenteene of August at Berghen vp Zoom a towne held also by the English where as the Lord Willoughby was gouernor from thence the Earle sent some troupes into Brabant to make an enterprize vpon the castle of Hochstraten the which succeded not From Berghen he went to Dordrecht whereas the generall Estates of the Prouinces assembled The Earle being in the open assembly of the generall estates made a long speech by the which he first excused him-selfe and greeued much for the treasons of Stanley Yorke and Patton by whom he complayned that he had beene basely deceyued the which he said might haue happened to any captaine generall of an army or gouernor of a country and state were hee more pollitike and of greater experience then he was That they were not the first traytors which had deceyued their maisters in the said vnited Prouinces As for the releeuing of Sluce he would maintaine that it was not his fault hauing there in imployed his best endeuors That the three thousand or 2500. men which had beene promised him for supplies and the hundred thousand florins had failed of the which calling the tresorer generall to witnes he had receiued but thirty thousand in ready mony That the said Estates knew well themselues how ill he had bin serued by the sea captaines and officers which had beene giuen him who made him beleeue to diuert him from these succors that if they had past on being before the towne the enemy would from the other side of the Sluce of Bruges sinke all their shippes with his Artillery not-with-standing they were sufficiently informed thre was an other depth vnder the castell where as they might lye without any danger as hee said it appered by the report of captains and soldiars that were come from them of the towne So as he could not put in execution the desire he had to succor it and therefore the blame was not to bee layd vpon him but vpon them that had fayled of their duties and not furnished that which was needfull according vnto that which had beene decreed betwixt him and the Estates Wherevpon after they had layd before him the letters written by him in Iune before out of England to secretarie Iunius tending to fortefie and incorrage such as hee knew affected to his partie in the townes and countries of Holland and Zeeland Descouering thereby that at his returne hee pretended to gouerne and command in the same manner as the Emperor Charles and King Philip his sonne had done and if hee should be restrained of that authoritie that he would abandon the Netherlands quite and retire himselfe into England Wherevpon the Nobilitie and townes of Holland Zeeland and Friseland presented a declaration vnto the Earle in writing dated the twentith day of August which they intended to haue giuen him before but for some good considerations they had forborne to offer it till then Declaring thereby as dutie bound them how much they held themselues bound vnto her Maiestie for her great care of Religion and the good of those countries and that it had pleased her to imploy his Excelencies person seeing that it had not stood with her good liking to take the soueraignty vpon her to whom they would haue yeelded as great respect and subiection as euer they did vnto the Emperor Charles the fift or to any other Prince whatsoeuer but for that they did finde by experience that there are diuers seditious and busie headed fellowes which labour to sowe dissention and to breed discontents betwixt the Estates of these countries and his Excelencie seeking to blemish and disgrace the authoritie of the Estates and to make his Excelencie absolute Gouernor in all respects They let his Excelencie vnderstand to the end that all iealousies and distrusts might bee layed aside and forgotten that they did and do yet vnderstand that for want of a naturall Prince the soueraigntie of those countries returned vnto the Nobilitie Gentlemen and Townes and that after the King of Spaine who heretofore had beene their naturall and soueraigne Lord had left those countries all acts of soueraigntie were lawfully exercised by the Estates and in that manner they had contracted with diuers Princes and namely with her Maiestie and therevpon by a generall consent had giuen vnto his Excelencie the authoritie of Gouernor and Captaine Generall ouer those countries And furthermore to stoppe the mouthes of ill affected and contentious persons they shewed that the Estates were not presented by any priuat persons but by the Nobilitie Gentlemen and Townes so as they are much deceiued which thinke that the Estates consist of certaine priuat persons and that the faults wherewith such men charges them cannot iustly bee imputed to them and the rather for that the Estates haue alwaies conceiued and vnderstood that
vppon condition that hee should leaue them in the same estate and vnder the same Priuiledges that he should find them at his entrie The which the Earle promised so as he might build a Cittadell there as great as hee pleased The deputies of the Groningeois returned to the Towne hauing made their report of that which they had treated and concluded with the Earle of East-Friseland The Magistrate and Counsell did presently remit the Impositions and Customes which they had taken before that they might liue vnder the Earle in the like libertie According to this Accord the first of May the Earle entred into Groninghen with 2000. men leauing a sufficient garrison in Dam approching neere the high Bridge they went to meet him the Priests and Moncks going in procession with their Crosses and Banners receiuing him with great tryumph and state and hauing brought him to the State-house they tooke the oth and did him homage acknowledging him for their Lord Deliuerer and Protector A strange alteration and sodaine change the Groningeois neuer had a greater enemie then this Earle yet suddenly they except of him for their Protector and defender he whom a little before they so much blamed cursed and detested as the man whom they held to be the onely cause of all their miseries they now receiue him for their Prince yea the little children reioyced that they were not fallen into the Saxons hands nor maister Vytts singing in the streets Heer vyt is Groningen quyt Maister Vytt hath lost Groningen Behold the fruits of this Collonels cruelty But it is no new thing in the Germaines no more then in the Spaniards to vse the like barbarous inhumanitie if they doe but thinke that they haue vanquished their enemies Soone after that the Earle was entred into the towne he built a Cittadell on the South-side at Heere-Port well slanked with great Bulwarks deepe ditches and goodly gates both within and without the Towne These newes of the yeelding vp of Groningen into the Earle of West-Freezlands hand beeing come into Misnia to duke Georges eares he went vnto the Earle to know in whose name he had receiued the Towne of Groningen into his protection wherevnto he presently answered That what hee had done was in the name of the Empire by reason of the controuersie that was betwixt the Duke of Saxony and the high Diocesse of Vtrecht which is the countrey of Oueryssel for the iurisdiction of Groningen which being decided he would yeeld it to whom it should appertaine And although the Dukes deputies knew the contrarie yet they tooke these excuses for payment fearing to incense him more and that he should draw in the other troupes the which being ioyned vnto his and with the helpe of the Frisons hee might easily chase the Saxons out of all Friseland and quite disposses the duke The which had beene easie for him to doe if he had then attempted it Afterwards the Duke sent his Marshall into Friseland with a great summe of money to the Germaines Campe lying yet about Groningen to pay them and to thanke them The Collonells Captaines and Gentle-men before their departure hauing serued long there would gladly haue seene the Towne but the Earle would not suffer them This Marshall and the Dukes counsell to keep the Earle still in breath and at the dukes deuotion gaue him the title of Leiutenant and Generall in the dukes name of the Towne and Countie of Groningen with an honourable yeerely entertainment taken out of the dukes cofers with a promise that when hee should be discharged thereof to pay him 30000. florins of gold at one intire payment with many other things which they granted vnto him The Earle accepted of all by prouision and made his profit thereof knowing very well whereto they tended the which notwithstanding he dissembled seeming alwayes to bee at his seruice and in this sort the state of Groningen was maintained vnto the yeare 1512. being doubtfull whither the Earle held it for himselfe or for the duke of Saxony vntill that some gentlemen Frisons who he disauowed were for his sake beheaded in the Towne of Leeuwarden Yet notwithstanding the Frisons and Groningeois liued in peace vnto the yeere 1514. In the meane time the six Regents Saxons during the hard frosts of winter did still put garrisons into their Townes fearing the Earles surprises houlding still the two Forts which they had in the countrey of Groningen that is Winsom and Werdenbrasse the which they had continually well manned with good soldiars at the duke of Saxonies deuotion The duke had a conceit that during his absence the sixe Regents which he had appointed to gouerne Frisland had but negligētly executed their charge or otherwise through enuie and ielousie one of another had neglected their duties that the gouernment of one alone with the counsell was more lawfull more befitting and of greater authoritie where-vpon the Marshall of Saxonie assembled the States of Friseland in the Towne of Leuwarden the 6. of Iuly where the said 6. Regents were discharged and in their place was instituted Count Henry of Stalburch a wise and discreet noble man and one that feared God to be the Dukes Lieutenant generall throughout all Freezland Which being done the Marshall and the Earle went to Dam whither they sent for the Commonalties of the countrey of Groninghen in the Dukes name to take the othe of fealtie as his Vassals but not any one appeared desiring rather to acknowledge the Earle of East-Friseland who the same yeare caused money to be coyned in the towne of Groningen with this Inscription Edsardus Comes Senator Groningensis In the yeares 1506. 1507. and 1508. there was no memorable thing done in Friseland that doth merit the writing After that the towne of Arnhem and other places of the Dutchie of Gelders and countie of Zutphen were thus reduced as we haue said vnder the obedience of the Archduke King of Castile hee stayed some-time without the said towne of Arnhem in the castle of Roossendael Thither came the bishop of Vtrecht the vicont of Montfort and many other Noble-men who laboured so vnto the King to reconcile the duke of Gelders as in the end he was sent for to come vnto him being accompanied with some Noble-men Comming before the King hee kneeled downe but the King tooke him vp presently with great courtesie and so they went together into the castle where as they remained some time And as the King and many of his Princes and Noble-men were very desirous to goe into Spaine it was concluded betwixt the King and the duke That either of them should hold what they had in the Dutchie and countie of Zutphen and that the Duke should accompanie the King in this voyage but afterwards the duke excused himselfe with a good and auailable reasons The King hauing recouered money made his preparations with his wife to goe by sea whereof William of Croy Lord of Cheurees had the charge and before
had beene forced to endure more to the ruine of their goodly houses and the losse of their goods The town of Vtrecht being by this means come into the Emperors hāds according to the accord made the Bishoppe for the temporall Iurisdiction of the said Countrie there was a Nobleman sent from the Court at Brussells to do iustice vpon the rebels and to pacefie all partialities and mutynies and the better to keepe them in obedience and awe theie bulit a Cittadell by Saint Katherines port which was called Veredenbourg that is to say the Castell of peace the which from that time continued vnto the yeare 1577. that many Cittadells and Castells in diuers parts of the Netherlands were ruined as wee shall heareafter shew The Emperors armie beeing returned from Tyes there was a meeting appointed in the Towne of Gorrichom betwixt the Duke of Gelders and the Bishop of Vtrecht whether came commissioners on the Emperors behalfe and for the Duke of Gelders for the Emperor came the Earles of Buren and Hochstraten the Bishop of Palermo Chancelor and the Audiencier or Secretarie for the Duke of Gelders came Henry Kiespennick Rolland Kerckelandt and Veressen who after much debate in the end concluded a good peace betwixt the Duke of Gelders on the one part and the Bishop of Vtrecht on the other and the Emperor being ioyned to the said Bishop and also for his owne particular touching the temporall Iurisdiction of Vtrecht which accord conteyned many articles the which wee omitte to auoyd tediousnes By the which the Earle of Maeurs and Doctor Wynant were deliuered without ransome beeing taken prisoners at Vtrecht and a time lymited for the banished men of Vtrecht and Swoll to returne home to their houses for the confirmation of which accord and peace there went to Brusselles the Earles of Buren and Hochstraten and the Baron Schencke for the Emperor and the Bishop of Vtrecht and for the Duke of Gelders Iohn van rossem Lord of Brouchuysen Doctor Erckelens and others who finding not the Lady Marguerite Douager of Sauoy the Emperors sister and gouernesse of the Netherlands at Brusselles theie went vnto her to Macklyn whereas the said Ladies Councell in the Emperors name and the Dukes Councell in their maisters name did sweare the said peace in Sainte Peeters Churche The Queene vsed the Dukes Comissioners very honourably giuing to euerie one of them a faire Cup full of golden Carolus who returning by Antwerp went to make report vnto their Prince whereof hee was exceeding ioyfull A while after the Duke sent Martin van Rossem Lord of Puydroyen to the French King to aduertise him of the peace hee had made with the Emperour where-with the King was well pleased In the yeare 1529. Henry of Bauaria Bishop of Vtrecht discontented with the warres and seeing himselfe thus depriued of the temporall Iurisdiction of the said Bishopricke which the Emperor had gotten into his possession resigned his Bishoppricke in Iuly into the hands of Pope Clement the 7. going to gouerne the Bishopricke of Wormes after they had beene at Vtrecht fiue yeares to which Bishopricke there was aduanced an ancient man called William van Engueuoort borne in Brabant Cardinall and Bishop of Tortona in Spaine who being at Rome tooke posession of the said Bishopricke of Vtrecht by his Atorney leauing Iohn Vtenengen his vicegerent to gouerne it whether hee neuer went but died foure yeares after in Rome in the yeare 1533. A Peace beeing concluded betwixt the Emperour and the French King in the yeare 1529. the Emperour arriued with a great fleete at Genoa where hee had newes of the Peace concluded at Cambray the which did amaze all the Princes of Italie fearing they should bee now abandoned by the French whose entrie into Bologne I haue thought good to describe for the statelynesse thereof although it doth not concerne our subiect The Emperour Charles the fifth went towards Bologna la grassa whereas Pope Clement was then resident beeing neare the Cittie fiue and twenty Cardinalls went to meete his Maiestie comming neere him they all lighted to doe their duties vnto him then they tooke their moyles againe conducting him into the Cittie hauing of either side of him the Cardinalls of Ancona and Farneze entring into the Cittie there marched first 300. light horse in a liuerie after came ten great Canons with their pioners carrying euery one a Lawrell branche then the Captaines well mounted Don Anthonio de Leua followed with some field pieces being carried in a Carosse trimmed with tawney veluet hauing with him foureteene enseignes of Germaine foote after the which marched two Noblemen in complete armes and their horses barded before whome were carried two Standards of cloth of gold with an Eagle in the midest and betwixt those two was an other Standard of watchet satten with a red crosse which the Pope had sent vnto the Emperor The Earle of Rieux Lord Steward of his house was next accompanied with three hundred men at armes all in cassakes of one liuerie yealow red and blew then the Grandos and Noblemen of Spaine with foure hundred horses barded After them fiue and twenty pages of honour belonging to the Emperor all in cloth of gold mounted vpon Genets of Spaine richly furnished then sixe hundred halbardiers all apparelled in yealow in the middest of whome marched the Emperor vnder a canopy of cloth of gold beeing mounted vpon a Hungarien horse with a rich caparison hauing the bit and his stirrops of massie gold being armed vnder his coate of armes with cloath of gold his Marshall went before him carrying a naked sword in his hand about his horse went fiue and twentie Bollonian gentlemen on foote all in white satten dublets cut vpon cloath of gold and breeches of chrimson veluet The Earle of Nassau came after also with foure score men at armes and a great traine of Nobility then others attired in diuers liueries to the number of two thousand horse and behinde six companies of Spanish shot all in yealow The Emperor beeing entred into that cittie they brought him a crosse of gold the which he kist The Pope was carried out of his Pallace vnto Saint Petronelles Church where hee did sit downe in his pontificall seate with his Cardinalls about him The Emperor approching neere the staires lighted from his horse withall his Noblemen who marched vnder his canopie vntill hee see where the Pope was sitting who made three curtesies vnto the Emperour and hee kneeling downe kist the Popes feete and then rysing hee kist his hand and his face then all the Noblemen followed and kist the Popes feete which done he rose out of his chaire and kist the Emperor three times of the cheeke saying I cry you mercie and yeeld my selfe vnto you it was not my desire that you should kisse my feete but to obserue the accustomed ceremonies at the coronation of Emperors The two and twenty of February in the yeare 1530. the Emperor hauing staied almost
possession of those countries since which time he had run through many fortunes and endured great trauell as well in Spaine to embrace the affaires of queene Iane his mother and the gouernment of her kingdomes as of other Estates and as the said Emperor Maximilian died soone after foreseeing the dissention that might ensue if the Empire should fall into some rigorous strangers hand desiting the quiet and prosperitie of those countries he procured the imperiall dignitie whereunto by the grace of God he attained He shewed also how many troublesome long painefull and dangerous voiages he had made in passing and repassing the sea as well into Spaine as into Italy to the great perill of his person and namely in the voyages of Barbarie to Tunis and Alger He shewed also into what danger he had willingly thrust himselfe passing through Fraunce to preuent the inconueniences and troubles that were like to grow in the Netherlands the which he had alwayes in singular recommendation And as they had alwayes beene to him and he had found them his good subiects seruants and faithfull vassals so he entreated them to be the like vnto his sonne into whose hands considering his age and weakenesse hee resigned all those countries In speaking those words hee shewed such passion as that sighes interrupted his speech the teares trickling downe his cheekes the which were accompanied with the like by some others then hauing a little taken breath hee tooke his spectacles and looking vpon a little remembrance which hee had in his hand hee said That his sight and memorie were not so good as they had beene and that he felt himselfe to decline and to grow weake hourely vnable to endure the trauell that was requisite for the preseruation of the countrey and of them all the which did moue him chiefely to returne into Spaine and not to prolong his life the which he referred into the hands of God In the end he entreated them to continue in the Christian Religion as they had done vntill then and likewise to obserue Iustice remaining friends and vnited together Whereunto God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost giue you his grace These words of the Emperor did moue the hearts of many noblemen which loued him who seeing him in this anguish of mind tooke pitie of him that being so mighty a Monarch hee could not shew the sincere affection which hee bare vnto his subiects but by effusion of teares After these words king Philip went to his seat and sat him downe Then stood vp doctor Mars an eloquent Orator of the towne of Antuerpe chosen to that end by the deputies of the States who hauing made a great reuerence to the Emperor King and both Queenes he made answer in the name of them all to the speech which the Counsellor of Brussels had made in the Emperors name and to that which his imperiall Maiestie had deliuered with his owne mouth saying as followeth Most mightie Emperour we know that your imperiall Maiesty hath so many yeares ruled and gouerned this Estate carefully and religiously with the great and infinite toyles which your imperiall Maiesty hath endured in many accidents as well in the countries realmes of your obedience as others as by your Orator and your owne discourse hath beene related and how great weightie and vrgent affaires your Maiestie hath had in what place soeuer yet the loue and fatherly affection which you haue alwaies borne to these your countries of inheritance and to the subiects thereof hath beene such as you haue neuer failed to giue them succours and comfort in time and season the which duly and exactly considered we find that your Maiesty is wel and wisely aduised as proceeding from a good zeale and affection to that you haue now propounded Wherefore the nobles prelates and deputies of the towne here present representing all the States in generall of these Netherlands although it bee a sword which wounds them vnto the heart to heare of your Maiesties departure yet desiring to conforme themselues in all things to your good will and pleasure doe first humbly and heartely thanke your imperiall Maiestie for the great honour bounty succours and defence which by the approued rule and gouernment of your imperiall Maiestie they haue heretofore felt and tasted euery one being ready by the vertue and full power giuen him by his commission to consent irreuocably and with all obedience to the said cession transport or resignation made by your imperiall Maiestie in such forme and manner as by right is requisite of all these Netherlands to the behoofe and profit of my lord the king here present whom from henceforth we doe aduow and acknowledge as our naturall prince and lord the lawfull sonne and onely heire of your imperiall Maiestie being ready to renew the oth which heretofore in the yeare 1549 we made vnto him with all other necessarie duties vsuall in the like case giuing immortall thankes vnto God for this great fauour which he hath done vnto your imperiall Maiestie and to vs to haue giuen you such a sonne the sole and only heire of so many kingdomes and prouinces whilest you are yet in good health whom wee receiue generally and cheerefully acknowledging him for our prince and soueraigne lord of all these countries giuing and submitting all our persons and goods vnder his royall protection and fatherly care promising to obey him in all equitie and to bee seruiceable vnto him for euer praying the Almightie God to maintaine him with all prosperity a long and a happy life in the possession of so many kingdomes and seigniories and to graunt vnto his imperiall Maiesty his holy long and perdurable blessings and after this life eternall rest The which God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost graunt you Amen The next day about nine of the clocke in the morning the deputies of the dutchie of Brabant were sent for to come to Court whereas king Philip before them of Antuerpe Brussels and Boisleduc together with the small townes and botoughes hauing the priuiledge of towns made and renewed the oath which he had taken at his ioyfull entrie the eight of Iuly in the yeare 1549 To keepe them maintaine them and preserue them in their ancient rights priuiledges and customes without breaking them or suffering them to be broken in any sort or manner Whereupon the deputies of the three chiefe townes of the said dutchie of Brabant that is to say Antuerpe Brussels and Boisleduc seeing that Louaine would not appeare as we haue said but by protestation did also take the oath of fealtie and homage vnto him acknowledging him for their lord and duke of Brabant with the solemnities and ceremonies vsuall in the like case wishing him much happinesse encrease of his estates and long life About that time ended the imperiall Diet held at Ausbourg whereas king Ferdinand did preside in the Emperours name in the which after long strife and debate there was concluded That
to chase them away it may haue some shew in the beginning as if one would say the fire is quēched when it is couered But the true meanes is to root opinions out of their hearts as they did in old time and not to haue their bodies miserably tortured and torne in pieces By that meanes say they the countrey shall be in peace It is certaine it shall be in peace when it shall remaine solitarie and desart the which must needs follow this excellent counsell which they so impudently present vnto your Maiestie It is true that they say there shall be a peace but they should add the rest That the Inquisition which they seeke to bring in vnder your name will bee the ouerthrow of the Inquisition For either it will cease when they shall see the townes vnpeopled and the countrey desert or els they must abolish it when they shall seeke to repeople the country and restore the traffique the which can hardly or neuer be effected But there appeares a foule error in these mens reasons when they say that your power is much blemished in that which your subiects demaund that they may enioy their rights and priuiledges without any preiudice to your Maiestie For we see that the king of Sparta hauing created the Ephores and subiected himselfe willingly to that they should decree answered his repining wife who said he had done wrong vnto his children That the realme which he should leaue to his successors should be of lesse shew and more lasting Euen so it fareth with your Maiestie if your subiects may hold their accord firme with you as they haue alwaies done with your predecessors And the power which is giuen you is much more firme and durable when according to the promise contained expressely in the first article of your ioyous entry the estates of the country doe second you to haue a care of the profite thereof all with the consent and liking of your faithfull subiects Wherefore now if the prosperity of your subiects the good of your townes and cities the encrease of your lands and seigniories and the honour and greatnesse of your Maiestie haue any power with you whereof we are assured weigh a little the importance of this action and consider what the end will be of so miserable a thing set before your eies this noble and flourishing country which shal be ruined vpon an occasion vnworthy to be presented vnto you and much lesse to find any setled place in your heart strangers retiring forsaking the place the subiects seeking means elsewhere to entertain thēselues their families the towns impouerished made naked of these goodly ornamēts especially Antuerp the flower of marchant townes the ornament of the Netherlands and of your crowne a readie treasure in peace and warre falling from her dignitie the houses ruined and deformed in steed of her present beautie What a hearts greefe what a confusion what a discomfort will these things bring vnto you Heare then the cries of your subiects who call instantly vnto you for pitie and compassion Heare then the countrey w◅h seemeth to present it selfe vnto your Maiestie and to speake these words vnto you with a generall consent I haue serued your predecessors long I haue employed all my meanes for the preseruation of your dignitie I haue giuen my selfe into your hands and you haue receiued me with your mutuall and reciprocall promises I demaund nothing as due by contract or promise I demaund no requitall for that which I haue employed and spared for your Maiestie I am silent of those things I will renounce my right least I should bee accused to haue vsed any reproch that might be ignominious vnto you I onely craue that you will not disrobe me of mine ornaments and yours chase not away strange Nations oppresse not your subiects whom I haue nourished in my bosome estrange not your selfe from me to the end that my riches be not withdrawne from you Looke vnto the treasure which is readie for you to supply all future necessities that your enemies be not enriched with my wealth of the which you shall be depriued by the flight of strange Nations maintaine the good of your subiects for my good is yours The which if you seeme to desire and affect for the entertayning of the dignitie which is common to you and mee I hope so to discharge my dutie as your Maiesties authoritie such as it hath beene in your predecessors shall bee continued for euer and encreased by my best endeauours to your great content and the common ioy of your good and faithfull subiects who shall bee the more bound to pray vnto God for your Maiesties happie aduancement This was the contents of their petition of Brabant the which if the king had seene and read as he ought without doubt he would haue changed his opinion if not wholly yet in part But the Cardinall of Granuelle and those of his faction who possessed the king meant not so much good to the countrey nor to their master as to suffer him to consider of these reasons set downe as well in this petition as in the discourse of Francis Baudwin and many other admonitions wherewith the court was continually importuned But it preuayled as much as to crie vnto the deafe or to sow vpon the sand or in the waues of the sea during their greatest violence the which in stead of bringing vs to a safe Port sought to drowne vs. Finally there was not any one that would once looke on it or reade it it was sufficient to know whence they came and to what end they tended and more they might not speake So as they of Brabant could obtaine no other answere to all their petitions as well in Spaine as in the Netherlands but the Apostile before mentioned giuen by the Gouernesse commaundement vnto one of their requests on the foure and twentieth of May by the counsell of Brabant vnto the foure chiefe townes assuring them That the king had neuer any intention to charge his countrey of Brabant with the Inquisition which was but an euasion for that time to abuse the people Those of Flaunders in the meane time were nothing more graciously entreated for the foure members seeing plainely how the whole countrey was vnpeopled the traffiques handycrafts and trades to cease in the chiefe townes and boroughes as at Gand Bruges Ypre Courtray Armentiers Poperinghe Roullez Hondtschooten and other places whereas clothing was wont to bee in great request artisans retyring themselues by great troupes out of the countrey sent their deputies to Court in the yeare 1564 with declarations by mouth and petitions in writing challenging their priuiledges and demaunding what they of Brabant had done Whereupon answere was made vnto them the fourth of October by a doubtfull answere nothing tending to that which they demaunded but contrariwise charge was giuen to M. Peter Titelman deane of Renay Inquisitor generall of Flaunders who as a Salus spirans minarum ranne
put in execution that wicked enterprise as well with Frenchmen as other strangers wherewith we find our selues much grieued Wherefore we beseech your highnes to do vs so much fauor as to name the accusers and them that are accused to the end that the wrong and wickednes being discouered your highnes may do speedy and exemplarie iustice and that to preuent the inconueniences and scandales which may grow being well assured that your highnes will neuer suffer so noble and honorable a company to remain charged with such infamous wicked acts Whereunto the duchesse answered that she knew nothing of all that he had said touching those accusations neither had she euer had such an opinion of any one of them whom she assured her selfe to be the K. faithful seruants and as for their petition she would looke into it and impart it to the counsell the tenor whereof was Madame it is well knowne how highly renowned the loyaltie of the Netherlanders vnto their lords and naturall princes hath been and is yet throughout all Christendome wherein the nobilitie hath alwaies held the first ranke hauing neuer spared body nor goods for the preseruation and encrease of their greatnesse wherein we his Maiesties most humble vassals desiring to continue so still are ready to employ both body and goods to do him humble seruice and seeing in what termes the affaires stand at this present we had rather incurre some dislike than to conceale that from your highnes which might proue preiudiciall to his Maiesty and withall trouble the quiet and happinesse of his countries hoping that the effects will shew in time that among all the seruices which we haue or may do vnto his maiesty this is to be reputed the greatest most seasonable so as we assure our selues that his maiesty cannot but take it in good part Although Madam we doubt not but that whatsoeuer his maiesty hath heretofore decreed of new touching the Inquisition and the strict obseruation of his Edicts for matter of religion hath some ground and iust title and that to continue all that which the emperor Charles of famous memory had with a good intention decreed Yet seeing that the diuersitie of times bringeth withall diuersitie of remedies and that within few yeares the said edicts notwithstanding that they haue bin executed with all rigor haue yet giuen occasion of many grieuous inconueniences Without doubt his maiesties last resolution by the which he not only forbids to moderat any thing of the said edicts but commands expresly that the Inquisition should be obserued and the edicts executed with all rigour giues vs iust occasion to feare that not only the said inconueniences wil encrease but also in the end may follow a mutinie generall sedition tending to the miserable ruin of the whole country according to the apparent shews of the peoples alteration which are to be seen in euery place wherfore knowing the greatnesse of the danger that doth threaten vs we did hitherto hope that either by the noblemen or the states of the country your highnes should be duly informed to preuent it in taking away the cause of the euill but seeing they haue not done any thing for some causes vnknowne to vs and that in the mean time the mischiefe encreaseth daily so as the danger of a sedition is euen at hand wee haue thought it our duties according to our oath of fealtie together with the zeale which we beare vnto his Maiesty and the countrey to attend no longer but rather to offer our selues to performe this necessary dutie And we do it the more willingly for that we haue reason to hope that his Maiestie will take our aduertisement in good part seeing this action doth concerne vs neerer than any other being exposed to those calamities which do commonly grow from such accidents hauing for the most part our houses and goods in the countrey lying open as a prey to all the world considering also that by the rigorous obseruation of the said Edicts as his Maiestie hath expressely commaunded there is not any man among vs no not in all the countrey of what estate and condition soeuer but shall be found culpable of confiscation of body and goods and subiect to the slanders of any enuious man who to haue part of the confiscation would accuse him vnder colour of the edicts hauing no refuge left him but onely the dissembling of the officer vpon whose mercie his life goods must wholly depend In consideration whereof we haue so much the more cause humbly to beseech your Highnesse as we doe by this present petition to take some good order for it and in regard of the importance of the cause to make a speedie dispatch vnto his Maiestie by some one fit for that employment aduertising and humbly beseeching him in our behalfes that it will please him to prouide as well for the present as for the time to come And for that it can neuer be done in leauing the said Edicts in their vigour and force seeing that thereon dependeth the spring of the said inconueniences that it will please him to encline to the abolishing thereof the which he shall not onely find very necessarie to diuert the totall ruine and losse of these his countries but also conformable to reason and iustice And to the end he may not haue any occasion to thinke that we which haue no other pretence but to doe him most humble seruice would attempt to bridle him or to prescribe him a law at our pleasure as wee doubt not but our aduersaries will construe it to our disaduantage it may please his Maiestie to make some lawes by the aduice and consent of all the generall estates assembled to prouide accordingly by other more fit and conuenient meanes without such apparent danger We also beseech your Highnesse that vntill his Maiestie may be informed of our iust request and dispose according to his good and iust pleasure you will preuent these dangers by a generall surceasing as well of the Inquisition as of all manner of executions vntill that his Maiestie hath otherwise decreed protesting that we haue as much as in vs lyeth discharged our selues of our duties by this present aduertisement wherof we now discharge our selues before God and men declaring that if any inconuenience disorder sedition reuolt or effusion of bloud should hereafter happen for want of a speedie and conuenient remedy we are not to be taxed to haue concealed so apparent a mischiefe Wherin we take God the king your highnesse the lords of his counsell and our consciences to witnesse that we haue therein proceeded as good and faithfull seruants and loyall vassales to the king not exceeding the limits of our dutie wherfore we do the more earnestly beseech your highnesse to preuent it least some greater mischiefe happen This was the petition presented by the nobilitie the which was both pregnant iust and conscionable the which the king should haue acknowledged as proceeding from his
time the said prince would aduise of some gentle meanes fit for the present which they required to be communicated vnto them And as euery member gaue his answer and his meanes in writing whereof the copies were sent to court the offer was accepted of by prouision which they made to subiect themselues to the guard of the town And as for the preaching that they would make report thereof vnto the court intreating them in the meane time to diuert and retire them as much as was possible As for the conuocation of the generall estates they caused it to be required by their deputies but that point was referred to the kings resolution And as during these actions they had so wel laboured with them of the religion as they began to forbeare the carrying of armes and that it was to be hoped that soon it would be wholly left it happened that the Drossard of Brabant which is as much as a Prouost Marshall hauing some horse and foot and a commission as the brute was to fall vpon their assembly to apprehend the ministers antients and deacons and by that meanes to disperse the preaching passing the 19 of Iuly at night along the ditches and before the towne gate he was discouered and knowne the which put all the commons presently into suspition that hee came expresly into those quarters with other people which he had in the village of Mercxhem where his dwelling was not far from Antuerpe to fall the next day vpon their assemblies which were made without the towne Wherefore the people being moued more than before tooke their armes againe resoluing to resist the Drossards attempts by force The prince of Orange fearing this disaster sent presently to court requiring that before the next day morning which was Sonday commandement might be giuen to the Drossard not to attempt any thing but to retire himselfe from thence seeing that one of these two points was to be feared ither they of the religion would make themselues so strong and so well armed as they should haue no occasion to feare the Drossard who should get nothing but blowes or if they found not themselues strong ynough it was to bee feared that they would seize vpon some place within the towne to keepe their preachings without being in danger of him wherein there was such diligence vsed as the same night the gouernesse writ vnto the Drossard commanding him to retire which letters were deliuered him early on the Sonday morning wherewith the people were somewhat pacified but from that time the preachings were more carefully guarded and with greater strength than before the which they continued for that the Drossard was many times seene on the Saterday about Antuerpe About that time came certaine aduertisements that duke Erick of Brunswick continued stil to leuie men by the kings commandement and that about Linghen there were some readie to enter into the countrey the which bred new alterations And wheras moreouer vpon the pursutes made in court by the deputies of Brabant the Gouernesse had the 23 of August giuen a resolution vpon certaine points the commons receiued contentment by the one part and discontentment by the other for whether it were that shee had pardoned some repenting Anabaptist except his abiuration and accomplishment of penance at the suit of some of the town made vnto the prince and the magistrat who were intercessors for him vnto the said lady this did somewhat content the people as also for that the said lady was content to pardon by proclamation all those that had beene at their preachings and assemblies but to the conuocation of the generall estates which was required she made no other answer but that they must attend his Maiesties answer to whom she said she had written and for that she had refused to inlarge one of the reformed religion which was apprehended in his house against the priuiledges notwithstanding that in other places some of the like had beene set at libertie the people tooke it ill and were greatly moued seeing that all the merchants they of the religion in generall yea the prince himselfe and the magistrat to auoid some greater scandall had beeâ—… intercessors for him to the Gouernesse yet would she neuer yeeld to his deliuerie vntill that afterwards he was freed in despight of her by a mutinie all which serued as prouocations to incense the people more considering how the said lady contemned the earnest requests of those that were suters for the prisoner We haue said before that the nobles confederat intreated the earle of Egmont who sent vnto them from the Gouernesse to carrie her their answer vpon the ambiguities which shee desired to be explained the which they promised to doe The said answere and explanation was as followeth Madame the earle of Egmont hath giuen vs to vnderstand That your highnesse desired to be satisfied of some points set downe in certaine articles presented by vs vnto your highnesse the which in our opinions are plaine ynough and that the rest will be but tedious yet Madame to satisfie your commaundement wee haue thought good to make this declaration which followes to the end that our iust intentions may be thereby the better vnderstood and that hereafter they may haue no cause to interpret them sinisterly And to answer first vnto the third article of our answer Whereas your highnesse requires that we should set downe in particular in what townes the prisoners bee and the occasioâ—… wherefore and that your highnesse pretends that it is not come to your knowledge Wee say Madame that in Tournay Lille Mons Aire Bethune At h Bruges Gand and other plaâ—… there haue beene many prisoners apprehended for religion by vertue of the edicts as will appeare vnto your highnesse by the informations which you may call for As for the 4 5 and 6 articles that we should make apparent how wee haue discharged our dueties conteining the people and hindering the preaching Wee say that your highnesse may send into euerie prouince to the consistories and ministers of the religion to vnderstand our endeuours both in generall and in particular and your highnesse shall find that all will bee conformable to that which wee haue giuen you to vnderstand As for the point of the fourth article where there is a question of the manner that hath beene held at the assembly of the prouincial states in some parts against the ordinarie custome Wee answere That it doth not concerne vs any thing to prooue it for that they bee the peoples allegations who say that they haue been accustomed to assemble the states of Flanders before them of Arthois and that in the proceeding of most of the other estates they haue sent for some that were not accustomed to be there and others who were woont and ought to assist were not sent for or at the least they sent the letters so late as the states were assembled before they receiued them And they haue told vs moreouer
they had not by any means deserued They perceiued likewise the taking vp of souldiers both within and without the lands which gaue them al cause to thinke that the same were to be imploied against them and those of the religion to whom shee had giuen contrarie securitie vntill his Maiestie with aduice of the generall states should take further order therâ—… in For which cause they perceiuing the generall ouerthrow and destruction of the Netherlands to be prepared and at hand and power and force to be daily more and more vsed against them contrarie to all promises and assurances thought good to mooue her once againe as they had done before to doe them the fauour to shew them if it were her pleasure that the contract made with them should be obserued and kept and to suffer the preaching and the exercises thereon depending to bee done as they in her and the lords names had shewed and declared vnto the people and whether shee meant not to hold and obserue the securitie by her granted vnto the said confederated gentlemen but to the contrarie that the good fauour that shee bare vnto them and the common people might the better be seene and perceiued they desired her to vouch safe them the fauor to discharge all her souldiers and recall her commissions not long since sent forth into the Netherlands which doing they would assure her that the countrey should liue in peace and quietnesse and they themselues be readie to venture liues goods in the seruice of his Maiestie and her the which if it were not presently done it was to be feared that much greater hurt and inconueniences would ensue with great bloud-shedding amongst the common people who vpon her and her word now reposed their securitie And therefore they thought good to shew her so much to discharge their duties wherein they stand bounden vnto his Maiestie and their natiue countrey desiring her to giue them a good short and resolute answer The request sent by those of the reformed religion vnto the gentlemen which they sent with theirs vnto the regent held in effect a great complaint of the miserable persecution and wrongs done vnto them in euerie place contrarie to the promises and securities made vnto them wherin also they said That the said gentlemen had sought to begâ—…ile and deceiue them vnlesse they could shew them that they had such expresse charge and commission from the regent and the lords of the order of the Golden Fleece and if that no promise would bee holden with them they desired that it might be plainly told them that euery man might know to gouerne himselfe thereby to shun the persecution Whereunto the regent answered with a more proud and haughtie stile than shee had formerly done That she could not conceiue what noblemen nor what people they were that had presented this petition for that many noblemen confederats held themselues satisfied as well for that they had caused the Inquisition and the edicts to cease as by reason of the assurance which was promised them and that for this cause they did present themselues daily to doe such seruice as it should please his Maiestie But she could not sufficiently wonder how they could haue any conceit that she would euer suffer the exercise of the religion considering that contrariwise she had sufficiently declared how much she was offended for that after the conclusion of the treatie some noblemen had assured the people of these exercises contrarie to her will and meaning seeing that the promise which the noblemen made to take away all armes troubles and scandals did inferre withall that the exercise of their religion should cease whereunto she had not consented Moreouer they well remember with what griefe of mind she had suffered the preaching in accustomed places without armes or scandall they may thereby easily know the small affection which she had to allow them any other exercise As for libertie she had onely granted it so farre forth as the petition of the fifth of May should not be imputed vnto them but not touching religion although against her owne conscience they had wrested so much from her and therefore had iust cause to be offended that they did attribute it vnto her and that his Maiestie was iustly incensed notwithstanding that the people had vsurped al exercise that by the new magistrat they ouer-ruled his officers the which his Maiestie was resolued to reuenge And for answer to that which they said That she had not kept that which she had accorded she said That all that was grounded vpon a false and too large interpretation of her words and that rightly many magistrats had neuer allowed it but that she had not gone against her promise in any thing if after it was giuen they had apprehended some for their offences as the breakers of images and robbers of churches the which happened since the accord yea by some gentlemen confederats That they had caused the preaching to be vsed in towns wheras it had been before in the field Besides they had seized vpon churches monasteries noblemens houses c. chased away the religious threatned the clergie and preached in vnaccustomed places The people animated by them had seized vpon some townes and royall places carried away the artilerie munition chased away the kings officers kept the field in martiall maner threatning all the Catholikes yea comprehending her highnesse So as by letters surprised which their souldiers had written to them of Valenciennes it might bee sufficiently gathered whereto all these tumults tended that is if God had not otherwise prouided to haue depriued the king of all his countries And in that they intreat to haue all the souldiers discharged they seeke thereby to take the sword from him to whom God hath giuen it Finally she aduiseth them if they be so much deuoted to the kings seruice as they say that they should hereafter shew themselues more conformable to his Maiesties will and pleasure and to satisfie the people touching the sufferance of religion the which brought but a contempt of his Maiestie and of iustice and that they should carrie themselues in such sort as they might turne away his Maiesties wrath and indignation that it might not bee forced to exceed the limits of his bountie and clemencie Also that they should forbeare such threats as they seeme to vse in their petition wherein if they persist she leaues them to thinke what a dishonor and infamie it will be to them for euer aduising them to retire euery man to his owne home and not to trouble themselues with the affairs of the country but to carry themselues in such sort as his Maiestie might receiue contentment aduertising them that if they did otherwise shee would prouide as she should thinke fit and conuenient for the publike quiet without any need of a more ample answer to the said petition vntill she may know which be the noblemen and the people which desire it whereof
hee might see the great confidence and estimation we haue alwayes had of him Yet the said prince hauing had small regard vnto his honour and to the othe of fidelitie and loyaltie which hee hath sworne vnto vs as to his Soueraigne Prince and by reason of the said estates and offices hath made himselfe the head author aduancer fauourer and receiuer of rebels conspirators seditious practisers and disturbers of the publike good and quiet As also prâ—…sently after our departure from these countries towards our realmes of Spaine his designe with some others was to vsurpe the whole administration and gouernment of these countries and to that end had many pernitious practises hauing forgotten himselfe so much as to take armes against vs and to exclude vs out of those countries from the which hee had not desisted but for want of meanes doing all offices vnder hand with our subiects to diuert them from the affection and fealtie which they haue alwaies shewed to vs and our predecessours yea which is much more detestable and abhominable vnder the colour and cloake of religion and by false persuasions that our intention was the which was neuer to bring in the Inquisition of Spaine into those our countries so as by his seductions and false impressions many of our said subiects haue risen rebelled against vs. And namely that the said prince had fiâ—…st seduâ—…ed corrupted and incited a great part of the nobilitie so as they haue made leagues and conspiracies and sworne by the same to defend and fortifie themselues against vs and our ordinances the which haue beene alwaies kept and obserued in the said countrey the assemblies being made to that end in his owne house as well at Breda as in this our towne of Brussels And that since hee had receiued the said rebels into his protection and safeguard with promise of all assistance who also haue gone armâ—…d to field against vs in diuers places And that the said prince had counselled and assisted the lord of Brederode chiefe of the said rebels to fortifie the towne of Vianen against vs hauing suffered him to inroll souldiers in our towne of Antuerpe in the view of all the world against our expresse lawes then newly made and published imbarking them for the towne of Vianen with all munition of warre furnishing also the said Brederode with some peeces of ordnance Besides the said prince had forbidden any of our townes and forts to receiue any garâ—…ison in our name and among others in our countrey of Zeeland whither he had sent men expâ—…esly to surprise it and thereby to stop vp our passage by sea And the said prince being sent vnto our towne of Antuerpe to pacifie the troubles and popular tumults had of his owne priuat authoritie and beyond the charge giuen him in that towne suffered and allowed the free exercise of al sects indifferently giuing them leaue to build many temples and consistories for the sectaries whereof haue followed the dangers and inconueniences that euerie man-knowes Suffering leuies taxations and collections of money to be made which should be afterwards imployed in the entertainment of the said souldiers Doing moreouer many other acts which our said Atturney will declare more at large in time and place all tending to his designe thereby to vsurpe vpon our said countries the which is not tollerable but deserues punishment and exemplarie iustice requiring that it would please vs to grant him a commission for the apprehending and taking of the said prince of Orange All which things considered at the request of our said counsellor and atturney generall wee giue you commission and authoritie that with such aid and assistance as you shall thinke fit you shall take and apprehend the bodie of the said prince of Orange in what part soeuer you shall find him in these our countries and shall bring and conduct him vnder a good guard to our towne of Brussels to bee iustified before our well beloued cousin the Duke of Alua Knight of our order Gouernour and Captaine generall for vs in these our countries c. appointed by vs especially to that end and to receiue such punishment for the said crimes and conspiracies as shall be thought fit and conuenient And if you cannot apprehend him you may adiourne him Giuen at Brussels the 18 of Ianuarie 1568. This commission was proclaimed by a sergeant and six trompets and the relation of the adiournement was set vp in the court at Brussels whereunto the prince of Orange after that hee had beene aduertised answered the atturney generall by his letters as followeth Master Atturney I haue receiued the copie of an adiournement the which you haue caused to be executed by a publike proclamation finding my selfe grieued with the accusations contained therein as a noble man of my qualitie ought to doe desiring nothing so much as I hope I shall make it appeare than to haue meanes to contest and answere for my selfe hauing no intent to leaue an impression in the hearts of the ignorant that I haue not discharged mine honour and the duetie which I owe vnto the king and that I haue acquited my selfe ill and vndutifully of those charges estates and offices wherewith it hath pleased his Maiestie heretofore to grace mee but rather I hope by the discourse and relation of my defences to shew that the good long and loyall seruices expence and losses which I haue incurred by reason thereof shall much exceed my bonds and rewards Hauing therefore cause to desire no lesse that they should enter into this calculation than hee that attends a reliefe in his affaires by the conclusion and end of his account But as that which wee desire most is oftentimes the last put in execution proceeding duely and orderly as it is fit For as the Physian or Surgeon doth not seeke to heale and close vs a wound before he hath searched the bottome and disposed the humor neither doth the Architect build a house before he hath laid a good foundation I am by the qualitie of your adiournement forced to deferre the allegation and explication of my said defences vntill that your accusation may bee made before a competent judge and not suspect and in whom there may bee hope that there shall bee such regard had to that which shall bee propounded as shall bee fit and that they will proceed to absolution or condemnation according to the â—…xigence and merit of the cause And in the meane time I must comfort my selfe with the examples whereof the hystories are full of such as hauing with the hazard of their liues expence of their goods preserued and amplified the estates countries and reuenewes of theiâ—… princes and lords haue not onely beene infamously adiourned and proclaimed but in stead of reward haue receiued corporall and exemplarie punishment haue beene chased away banished slaine and executed seeing the fruits and recompences of their seruice attributed to them that least deserued it I find it no lesse strange in our
Dikes or Causies betwixt the waters for there are of both sides chanells and deepe ditches hee past the same night with twentie boates to the other side in a goodly chanell and in the morning hee went on before beeing concluded among them to discouer some houses held by the Spaniards and to seize of them or to burne them as they should finde it most conuenient The signior of La Garde who remained behinde to imbarke and to passe with those that were appointed seeing the Admirall so farre aduanced and the circuits they must make by the chanells and manie houses about them hearing no newes of them was much perplexed for hee knewe not what hee might incounter in front or in flanke alledging to some of his followers that hee had beene at the taking of one of the French Kings royall galleies in the riuer of Charente which was much broader then any of these chanells and that by footemen onelie without any boate Calling which to minde hee stoode in doubt whether they might with reason ingage themselues so farre in these chanells for they did alwaies thinke that they should floate through all the countrie as through a sea and therefore hee thought it verie dangerous but hee was not informed that neere vnto those houses which they went to discouer there was a little Lake called Noorda where their Shippes might lie safely One of the houses aboue mentioned beeing betwixt this Lake and Soeterwoude was full of Spaniards who fortified there manie shewing themselues a long a trench and discharging their small shot against the Admirall who answered them with his great ordinance There did the Protestants finde againe that God did assist them in their enterprise for the place was so commodious for them as if they had held Soetermeer their retreate was assured without any danger otherwise they had beene ingaged and in danger to receiue an affront if the Spaniards had donne their duties Seeing this Lake of Noorda verie conuenient they resolued not to leaue it that the Collonel la Gard and the vice-Admirall should returne to Segwearswech to cause all the Army to march and to passe the great Ordinance meaning to batter this house and to take it from the Spaniards and moreouer to giue order for their passage and to assuer their retreat for which cause they had concluded to gard the village of Benthuysen and the trenches which they had first made vpon the way yet Collonel la Gard hauing beene vpon the place as well to view it as to cause Citadelle to march with his Wallons whereof there ariued three or fower compaines more And hauing certen aduertisment that the Spaniards had left Soetermeere he tooke a new resolution with Citadelle abandoning Benthuysen although it were reasonablie well fortefied for they had no neede of it being sufficient for them to gard Soetermeer to which place la Gard sent Captaine Cret of the contry of Orange to commande there with his companies one of Wallons and an other of high Dutch One thing had much abused the Spaniards and taken from them all Iudgement of the Protestants dessein hauing left six boats at their first lodging of Landtschedingh being doubtfull what to conceaue of it The Protestants went earely in the morning into Noorda with all the rest of their forces where they found that the Spaniards had the night before abandoned their fort Being in the lake they must of necessity attende the will of GOD for it was impossible to passe on without morewater the which entred dayly by the breaches Then came the Seignior of Noyelles vnto them with some companies of his Regiment where as they spent some daies without any great exploit In the meane time the beseeged of Leyden were wonderfully prest both by famine and the importunity of their enemies yea by some of their friends that were in the Spaniards Campe who made them beleeue that they had defeated all the Protestants army and the succors which they attended Franciâ—…co valdes did some times write very kindly vnto them and sometimes roughly The Earle of Roch who termed himselfe Gouernor of Holland writ vnto them from Vtrecht by a Trompet with other letters signed by ten Bourgers of Leyden wherevnto the beseeged answered and demanded a pasport for their deputies that they might enter into conference but all they did was onely to haue the better meanes to send their messengers vnto the Prince The Commanders of the army had often newes from them for there were many that intreated to bee sent but there was not any one that could bee intreated or would returne to acquaint them of the Towne of the estate of their apparent succors yet it was a great contentment to the States the Prince and the whole army to heare their resolution hauing vpon the last somons made that braue answer That as long as they had one hand to eate and an other to fight they would neuer yeeld During the seege many vnacquainted with warlike affaires had vsed foolish and in supportable speeches for they blamed all the world in that they did not proceede in this exployte the which was impossible As for the Commanders they were much greeued yet they lost no oportunity for day and night they labored to descouer some passage but all was in vaine where vpon they intreated the Prince that it would please him to come in person and see their procedings as well for his owne content as to stoppe all slanderous tongs the which he did In whose presence they discoursed of al the meanes that might aduance the enterprise In the end they resolued to go and lodge the night following being the twenty three of September with two hundred harguebuziers vpon a way or dike called Stompischwech notwithstanding all apparent difficulties but it was to content some of the country who did wonderfully vrge it The Prince after he had visited his army spake vnto the commanders and captaines exhorting euerie one to do his best endeuor in so comendable and important an enterprise promising to gratefie and reward euerie man in time and place Hauing set good order for all things to the end that if the Spaniard made any great resistance in the passage nothing might be wanting that might hinder the execution he returned to Delfe leauing euery man well resolued But to returne to our speech of Stompischwech this enterprise could not be so speedely effected for that the Protestants had not time to prepare what was needfull wherevpon they refered it to the day following making their account to lodge there if it were possible an hower or two before the breake of daie for the which they caused many gabions to bee made that they might bee the sooner in defence for they must lodge betwixt two Corps de Garde not aboue a musket shot one distant from an other The Admirall would goe himselfe they put certaine harguebuziers in two Galleots and the rest in other small boates
the first conuocation of the generall Estates the which should be held at Berghen vpon Soom where he should be allowed confirmed by a generall consent There were letters written to the other Prouinces and townes in the behalfe of them of Brabant to draw them into their societie with their iustification for the taking of the said Noblemen and a declaration of the loue affection they bare vnto their country as followeth My maisters it is notorious to all the world how the Spaniards borne in pouerty and come out of a poore country obseruing the riches wealth of these Netherlands haue alwaies sought which now they shew by effect to plant themselues there to make it their continuall aboade and to hold the greatest and best offices but not able to attaine there-vnto our priuiledges not admitting any stranger to be aduanced to any office they haue fought by all meanes possible vtterly to ruine it Hauing therin shewed their pernicious desseigne at the first alteration which happened in these Netherlands in the yeare 1566. the which the Duches the councel did very discreetly pacefy so as since they haue enioyed some rest al questions being laid aside The which by a naturall and inueterate hatred against these countries they haue made proofe of when as they sent the duke of Alua into these parts who well instructed in Machiuells precepts put many of the chiefe and ancient Nobility to death building here and there Cittadels to reduce the people into slauery besides the excessiue and insupportable impositions and executions as of the 30. and 10. penny of all merchandise aduancing the skum of his leud instruments to offices of greatest honor entertayning a multitude of traitors and spies among the people to obserue their actions and words â—…and against the liberties freedomes and preuiledges of the country hindering forbidding the connocation of the generall Estateâ—… he suffred his Spaniards to commit all sorts of insolencies and villenies with an vnrestrained liberty to kill and murther whom they thought good to force and rauish wiâ—…es and virgins noble and base and to commit al sorts of cruelties with impunity not only by their Commanders and captaines but also by the meanest soldiar among them Wherby we see that the riches and welth of these countries which was wont to be very great is now come to nothing and the glory of our ancestors turned to ignominy and shame And which is more it doth not appeere that they will desist from their courses in the least point vntil that by their thefts robberies spoyling burnings and deuastations they haue made these countries a wildernes desart As of late by their mutiny vnder collour that they are not paied their entertainment they practise all acts of hostility threatning in case they bee not paied to ruine many good townes being to that end retired out of the Island of Ziricxee and come into the country of Brabant to shew the hatred where with they are inflamed against vs hauing a dessigne to ceaze vpon the noble and mighty town of Brussells the aboad of the Court to spoile it but seeing themselues discouered that the good inhabitants of the sayd towne were in armes and stood vpon their gard changing their desseigne they haue fallen vpon Flanders and in hostile manner haue surprized Alost threatning to do the like vnto Brussells to destroy it wherfore the States of Brabant considering what miseries and calamities all these practises might bring vnto the country they held them not to be any longer tollerated and hauing laied them before the councell of State they were also of the same opinion and haue thought it necessary to resist such insolencies and violences declaring the Spaniards to bee as rebells and enemies to the King and States punishing them according to their merits Wherevpon the States haue decreed that to maintaine the royall authoritie and for the defence of the countrie there should be a leauie made of horse and foote But whereas it hath beene discouered that some of the councell of State did secretly and vnder hand fauour the sayd rebells and mutines yea did incorrage and perswade them to set vpon the towne of Brussells and to extort and wrest from them a great sum of money seeking also to hinder the leauy of men of warre as the States had decreed opposing themselues against it â—…ith all their power and seeking to disapoint the intentions and meanes of the States and by lies and false-hoods to frustrate their good councells and holesome resolutions all to the aduancement of these mutines finally hauing made shewe that their countries good is displeasing vnto them and that they will in no sort diuert and preuent the mischiefe seeking rather to defend and maintaine these Spaniards their enemies vntill that new succors may bee sent them from Spaine Euery one may hereby easily â—…dge of the equity of the States cause in that they seeke councell and meanes to defend themselues against the tirany of the Spanish nation who by their pride despite and irreconciliable hatred which they haue long norrished and entertained as if they had presently conquered al the country by their armes thinke to dispose thereof at their pleasures imposing vpon them a perpetuall yoake of seruitude after they had spoiled them of their preuiledges and freedomes which hetherto wee haue preserued and maintained vnder the cruelties of the inquisition of Spaine To preuent the which and to resist them by all meanes possible the States of Brabant haue thought it sit to seize vpon the persones of such councellors being secret fauorers adherents to the enemies of the country vntill that the King may bee fully informed of the estate here as we hope he shall be shortly being resolued to aduertise him particularly and of our good intentions and the affection wee beare vnto our country who will neuer indure any thing that shall bee contrary to the duty of his Maiesties good and faithfull seruants At this time there was a great discontent betwixt the English the Zelanders who could not endure to see that the Marchants of the Netherlands vnder the K. of Spaines obedience should trafficke into Spaine in English ships vnder the name of Englishmens goods although they did belong to them of Antwerpe Tournay Lille Valencieâ—…es and other townes Of which ships the Zeelanders tooke some the which by the iudgâ—… of the Admiralty were adiuged good prize The complaints hereof being come into England and foure of the Zelanders ships being driuen in by fowle weather neere vnto Plimouth the English arrested them and kept the Captaines prisoners The marriners hauing found meanes to escape and to returne into Holland complained of that which had happened to their Captaines and ships durâ—…g this breache the Zeelanders tooke at diuers times 14. English ships whereof the English demanded â—…stitution for the which they sued in the Admiralty court so as in the end they did agree vpon certain conditions
offers towards them as shee hath begun thereby onely to defend them from forraine tyranny to keepe them in the Kings obedience from allyening them-selues to any other Potentates and to defend herselfe and her dominions from the dangers which thereby shee seeth manifestly will insue The thirtith of the said moneth as Captaine Mathew Wibisma had made a leuie of new souldiers and more then were necessarie to supply his company with an intent to seaze vpon some of the Magistrates of Leeuwarden these new souldiers being lead by Captaine Wibo van Gontom would commaund ouer the old souldiers that were in the Castle of the said Towne so as they were in armes one against another The Bourguers fearing that vnder coulour of this tumult they would force the towne and spoile it came and besieged the Castell the which was yeelded vnto them the second of September vpon promise that the towne should pay the garrison The Cittizens hauing receiued the Castell by this composition put a garrison into it of the inhabitants vntill the comming of the Earle of Rheneberg Gouernor of the countrie of Friseland Don Iohn seeing the great forces of the States approch neere vnto Namur beeing commanded by the Earle of Lalain Generall of the Armie Robert of Melun Vicont of of Gant Generall of the horse the signior of Goignies Marshall of the campe La Motte-par-dieu Maister of the Ordinance and others and the small numbers hee had with him making a shewe againe as if hee would treat with the States whilest that hee sent for all his forces out of Bourgongne and Italie hee required to haue some Commissioners sent vnto him to treat with them Wherevpon there were deputed Mathew Moukart Abbot of Saint Guislain the signiors of Willerual Grobbendoncq and others who after some conferences tending all to delaies they returned without any fruite The Inhabitantes of Antwerp beeing still in feare by reason of their castle so long as the warre was thus wauering fearing they should bee at sometime againe surprized terming it a denne of theeues an Inuention of men full of crueltie a neast of Tyranie a receptacle of all filthy villanie abomination and wickednesse obtained leaue of the States to demantle it towardes the towne The which the Bourguers beganne the eight and twentie of August with such spleene as there was neither great nor small wiues children gentlewomen and Burgers and all in generall but would pull downe a peece of it men women and seruants going thither with their Enseignes displayed hauing manie Victuallers vpon the plaine before the castle so as it seemed a campe And although the Masons worke were great stronge and thicke yet were they not long in beating it downe on that side Soone after in imitation of that of Antwerp followed the demanteling of the eastles of Gant Vtrecht Valenciennes Bethune Lisle Aire and others and the Cittie of Arras was laid open towards the towne The Tournesiens were in like sort verie importunate to haue theirs demantled but the Seneshal of Henault who was afterwards Prince of Espinoy would not yeeld vnto it saying that if the sayd castle were ruined beeing a towne scituated in the maine land and that the enemie should come to beseege it and become maister thereof they should bee forced to build it againe at their owne cost and charges the which had so happened for foure yeares after the duke of Parma beseeged and tooke it by composition as wee shall see The states seeing the Landtskneghts of Cont Ouerstein who was drowned at the Massaker of Antwerp growne resolute to hold Boislelduke a faire great towne lying in Brabant they sent the Earle of Hohenloo with an armie to beseege it so as they were forced to yeeld the place by composition the one and twenty day of September The sayd States had the ninth daie of same month published their Iustifications for their taking of armes against Don Iohn the which was printed at Antwerp by William Siluius the Kings Printer whereof the title was Abreefe discours of the iust causes and reasons which haue constrained the generall Estates of the Netherlands to prouide for their defence against Don Iohn of Austria In the end of which iustifications they did adde the letters that were intercepted beeing written in Spanish and translated into French to which Booke I will referre the Reader that is desirous to know the particularities of their iustifications But as the States who sought nothing more then to free themselues from the Spanish Tyranie were to defend themselues against Don Iohns attempts who prepared all the meanes hee could to make sharpe and violent warre against them and had great neede to seeke succors from all parts first they sent to manie Princes and Potentates of Germanie to make their excuse and iustifie the taking of armes to take from them all sinister Impressions which Don Iohn might giue them by his letters as hee had done vnto the Empresse Then they sent vnto the French King to his mother and to his brother who made them manie goodly and large promises But as they desired to relie and depend chiefely vpon the Queene of England they sent the Marquis of Haurec vnto her who was gratiously receiued by her Maiestie the two and twenty of September with whome hoe treated and in the end made a contract touching the succors her Maiestie should send vnto the generall Estates and the league and vnion which should bee from that time betwixt the Realme of England and the Netherlands the which was set downe in an Autenticall Instrument And therevpon her Maiestie published vpon the obiections and reproches which the King of Spaine made vnto her that shee was a mother fauorer and supporter of Rebells her iustifications of the sayd vnion and the assistance which shee gaue vnto the generall Estates of the Netherlands the which was put in print Then the States writ vnto the Prince of Orange beeing in Holland who was wonderfully greeued and discontented at the Actions and strange carriage of Don Iohn intreating him to come and assist them with his person Councell and meanes The which the Prince would not refuse to shewe the dutie wherevnto hee thought him selfe bound to the common cause Comming vnto Antwerp where hee had not beene in ten yeares before on the eighteenth day of September hee was receiued and entertained with great ioye and contentment of all the people The Abbots of Villers and Marolles with the Barons of Fresin and Capres were sent thether from the states to wellcome him and to conduct him to Brussels whether hee came the three and twenty daie The seauenth of October the Landtskneghts of Collonel Fransberg who after his flight from Antwerp had led them to Breda seeing themselues beseeged by the States armie and the small meanes they had to maintaine themselues deliuered vp the towne of Breda and their Collonel also into the states hands as those of Berghen vpon Zoom had done before by
might well endure long and yet they must of necessitie loose more than they should win therby for that many would be tyred with the warres thinking that no townes which were once besieged by the enemie could be relieued and therfore would reuolt and cause more suspition and distrust And that further it was to bee considered That the continuall spoyling of the countrey would weaken and decay their power and take from them all meanes of money and other necessaries and that therefore it was requisite resolutely and couragiously to resolue vpon making of peace or else of proceeding with the warres As for peace they found that it could not be made vnlesse they yeelded themselues once againe by as good meanes as they could vnder the king of Spaines subiection Touching the king of Spaines meaning and intent they sayd it was well and sufficiently discouered by the articles of peace propounded in the towne of Cologne which articles they said could not be receiued nor accepted without bringing the Netherlands into imminent danger to be reduced and subiected vnder the Spanish yoke more than euer it had been before to the vtter ouerthrow and ruine of an innumerable company of the inhabitants of the land especially those that made profession of the reformed religion which would breed great confusion misery and destruction to the Netherlands together with the abolishing of al trade of marchandise so that there was no other means to be propounded for their security but only to maintaine warre And for that it was impossible in mans iudgement to vphold the warre in such sort as it had in times past beene done therefore it was requisite that they should resolue vpon some other proceedings thereby to shorten the warres and to rid the countries of the enemie And for that of themselues they could not find the meanes they must be forced to seeke it by some other potentate and rebus adhuc stantibus the sooner the better before they fell into greater danger for that it was to be doubted that they in the next Summer being vnprepared and not readie either should be ouer-run by the enemy which they well knew made himselfe strong or else forsaken by their reuolting friends wherein their enemy vsed all the meanes and subtill practises he could deuise That in all Christendome there was no king potentate nor prince that had offered them more fauour and friendship than the duke of Aniou brother vnto Henry the third king of Fraunce who likewise had the best meanes to annoy and hurt their enemie vpon the borders of Fraunce from whom they were to expect most aid and assistance and who of himselfe would willingliest vndertake the same with lesse feare and prompter resolution And therefore they were to determine whether they should yeeld themselues into the hands of the said duke vpon such conditions as should be propounded vnto him or not the principall causes why they had so long borne armes being these First for the reasonable and lawfull gouerning of the Netherlands vnder the command of naturall borne inhabitants of the same Secondly for the restoring and perpetuall vpholding of the rights lawes statutes priuiledges and freedomes of the land Thirdly for the eschewing and auoiding of all vnreasonable persecutions and for the permission of the exercise of the reformed religion which was found requisite and necessarie to be suffered for the common peace and quietnesse of the same All other causes in respect thereof being of much lesse importance and therefore it was to be considered whether they could agree better with the king of Spaine than with the duke of Aniou touching the same First it was most certaine and without all doubt plainely and manifestly to be seene that the will meanes and power to bring the Netherlands into subiection and vnder a strange yoke were without comparison greater in the king than in the duke for that the king would haue all the lords of the land commaunders and other officers whom he would appoint and ordaine at pleasure at his deuotion and vnder his subiection so that euery one would striue to be the first that should be receiued into his good grace and fauour not they alone that of long time had been affected vnto his seruice and hoped for reward but also those which had alwayes beene his enemies for that it had beene seene that a great number of those which had beene most earnest against the Spaniards had suffered themselues to be seduced by Monsieur de la Motte and vpon hope to be made rich were reuolted from the other prouinces and townes and so were bound and vnited together by oath Whereby euery man might easily iudge what was to bee expected from them and such as they are if they besides the passions which had drawne them thereunto should adde the respect of their duties whereby they should thinke themselues bound vnto the king To the contrary the duke of Aniou could not in many yeares purchase so great credite with the people as the king had alreadie obtained for that the king had many townes in his hands whereby hee had more meanes to attayne to his desire than the duke of Aniou although his will were good being likewise much mightier especially if hee once recouered Portugall into his hands whereby his power would euery way be too great for the Netherlands if they sought not another protector or else tooke better order in their affaires That the kings euill will towards the Netherlands was manifest for that hee was greatly mooued and incensed against the same and therefore whether it were to maintaine his honor or to giue the rest of his subiects an example and warning that they should not hereafter attempt the like or else of his owne nature desire of reuenge he would espie and watch all oportunities to be reuenged vpon the Netherlands as addicted thereunto by nature Which by his former actions and proceedings in the country of Granado India and Italie and especially in the Netherlands appeareth to bee most true for that the bloud of the principallest lords most lamentably brought vnto their ends by sword torment and poyson against all lawes of God and man and his owne promises was yet in a manner warme besides many gentlemen and great multitudes of the common people that with fire and sword and most cruell torments ended their liues with great numbers that were forced to flye out of the countrey and to liue miserably in other strange countries with their poore wiues and children whereby the trade of the land and diuers kinds of manuall occupations were carried into forraine countries and the wealth and welfare of the Netherlands much hindered and impaired It was likewise seene that vnto those against whom he had the greatest spleene and was resolued to punish them hee wrot the most pleasing and gracious letters that could be deuised And whereas hee made shew as if he had altered his mind and seemed to begin another more pleasing and peaceable
from the Seigniorie therof by a solemne Edict hauing abiured him broken his seals absolued the subiects of their oath and made them take a new 〈◊〉 for the preseruation of their countrey and obedience to the said Estates The prince of Parma besiegeth Tournay which in the end yeeldeth The prince of Orange desireth to quit the place of Lieutenant generall after the departure of the archduke Mathias and is intreated to continue it whereupon he giues some admonitions to the Estates but to small purpose The duke of Aniou commeth into the Netherlands is created duke of Brabant A bargaine made by the king of Spaine to kill the prince of Orange who was shot and in great danger of his life and the murtherer slaine The siege of Oudenarde yeelded to the Spaniard Alost taken by scalado for the duke of Aniou Death of the princesse of Orange The duke created earle of Flanders An attempt against the duke and the prince of Orange at Bruges for the which one was executed at Paris The dukes armie charged neere vnto Gant by the prince of Parma but it retires safe neere vnto Antuerpe Lochen besieged by the Spaniard relieued by the earle of Hohenlo in the Estates name The strangers called backe into the Netherlands by the disunited forces The French king refuseth to succour the duke his brother who assureth himselfe of Dunkerke Being ill aduised he seekes to seize vpon the towne of Antuerpe where his chiefe nobilitie was slaine the like was attempted in diuers other townes whereof the prince of Parma seekes to make his profit and the duke growes odious and yet the prince of Orange laboureth to reconcile all the which he did by the meanes of the Seignior of Bellieure sent by the king of Fraunce The duke yeelding vnto the Estates the townes which he had seized on returneth into Fraunce Another proiect to murther the prince of Orange by â—…e Pedro Dordogne and another at Flessingue by Hans Hanson The marshall of Biron retireth with the duke of Aâ—…u his troupes The prince leauing Antuerpe commeth into Holland where there is some speech to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 erle of Holland but without effect Imbise called home by them of Gant he plotteth his owne ruin and is beheaded at Gant as a traytar after that hee had sought to yeeld it with Denremonde to the Spaniard Ypre yeelded by necessitie to the Spaniard and Bruges by the prince of Chymay his practises Lillo besieged in vaine by the Spaniard The prince of Orange murthered at Delft Prince Maurice succeeds his father in the gouernment the towne of Antuerpe blocked vp the riuer stopped Gant and Denremonde yeelded The endeuors of them of Antuerpe the resolution of the Estates vpon the demaund of a new prince they send deputies to the French king who excuseth himselfe vpon the ciuile warres Nymmeghen Doesbourg Brussels Macklyn and other places yeelded to the Spaniard The Estates men defeated at Coestein and neere to Amerongen in the end Antuerpe is yeelded During this siege the Estates sent their deputies to the queene of England who accepteth their protection and sends her lieutenant for their preseruation IN the alterations which happen sometimes in an Estate betwixt the Soueraigne prince and a people that is free and priuiledged there are ordinarily two points which make them to ayme at two diuers ends The one is when as the prince seekes to haue a full subiection and obedience of the people and the people contrariwise require that the prince shold maintaine them in their freedoms and liberties which he hath promised and sworn solemnly vnto them before his reception to the principalitie Therupon quarrels grow the prince will hold a hard hand and will seeke by force to be obeied and the subiects rising against the prince oftentimes with dangerous tumults reiecting his authority seeke to imbrace their full liberty In these first motions there happeneth sometimes communications and conferences at the instance of neighbours who may haue interest therein to quench this fire of diuision betwixt the prince and his people And then if any one of the parties groweth obstinate and will not yeeld although he seeme to be most in fault it followeth of necessitie that they must come to more violent remedies that is to say to armes The power of the prince is great when he is supported by other princes which ioyne with him for the consequence of the example else it is but small but that of the people which is the body whereof the prince was the head stirred vp by conscience especially if the question of Religion bee touched the members ordained for their function doing ioyntly their dueties is farre greater Thereupon they wound they kill they burne they ruine and grow desperately mad but what is the euent God who is an enemie of all tyrannie and disobedience iudgeth of their quarrels weigheth them in his ballance of iustice helping the rightfull cause and eyther causeth the prince for his rigour and tyrannie to be chased away and depriued of his estate and principalitie or the people for their contempt and rebellion are punished reduced vnto reason which causeth the alterations to cease and procureth a peace whereof we could produce many examples both ancient and moderne if the relation of this historie did not furnish vs sufficiently So the generall Estates of the vnited prouinces seeing that king Philip would not in any sort through his wilfulnesse yeeld vnto their humble suite and petitions and notwithstanding all the offers they could make to purchase a good firme and an assured peace notwithstanding all the intercessions both of the Emperour the French king the Queene of England and other great princes and potentates of Christendome yet would hee not glue eare to any other reason but what himselfe did propound the which the said Estates did not onely find vniust and vnreasonable directly repugnant to the liberties constitutions and freedomes of the countrey but also contrarie to their consciences and as it were so many snares layed to catch them which were in no sort to bee allowed of nor receiued considering the qualitie of their affayres and his according to the time that was then In the end reiecting all feare of his power and threats seeing that they were forced to enter into all courses of extremitie against a prince which held himselfe so heynously offended as no reconciliation could be expected relying vpon the iustice and equitie of their cause and sinceritie of their consciences which are two brasen bulwarkes they were fully resolued without dissembling to take the matter thus aduaunced in hand and opposing force against force meanes against meanes and practises against practises to declare him quite fallen from the Seigniorie preheminence and authoritie which before the troubles the breach of their priuiledges rights freedomes and immunities so often and so solemnely swome by him and dispensation of his othes hee had or was wont to haue in the said prouinces respectiuely whereof they made open declaration by a
designed hee could not bring his conceptions and enterprises to the end that hee pretended Yet hee reuiued a new warre the which continues vnto this day in stead of rest and an assured peace whereof hee did so much vaunt at his comming Which reasons haue giuen vs great occasion to forsake the king of Spaine and to secke some other mightie and mercifull prince to helpe to defend these countries and to take them into his protection And the rather for that these countries haue endured such oppressions receiued such wrongs and haue beene forsaken and abandoned by their prince for the space of twentie yeares and more during the which the inhabitants haue beene intreated not as subiects but as enemies their naturall prince and lord seeking to ruine them by armes Moreouer after the death of Dom Iohn hauing sent the baron of Selles who vnder colour of propounding some meanes of an accord declared sufficiently That the king would not auow the pacification made at Gant which Dom Iohn notwithstanding had sworne to maintaine setting daily downe more hard conditions Yet for that wee would discharge our selues of our duties wee haue not omitted to make humble suit by writing imploying moreouer the fauour of the greatest princes of Christendome seeking by all meanes without intermission to reconcile our selues vnto the king hauing also of late kept our deputies long at Cologne hoping there by the intercession of his imperiall Maiestie and some princes electors to haue obtained an assured peace with some moderat tolleration of religion the which doth chiefly concerne God and mens consciences as the estate of the affaires of the country did then require But in the end we found it by experience that nothing was to be obtained from the king by the conference at Cologne and that it was practised and did onely serue to disunite and diuide the prouinces that they might with the more facilitie vanquish and subdue first one and then another and execute vpon them their first designes The which hath since plainely appeared by a certaine proscription which the king hath caused to bee published whereby we and all the inhabitants of the vnited prouinces and officers that hold their partie are proclaimed rebels and to haue forfeited liues and goods Promising moreouer a great summe of money to him that should slay the said prince and all to make the poore inhabitants odious to hinder their nauigation and traffique and to bring them into extreame dispaire so as dispairing of all meanes of reconciliation and destitute of all other succours and ayd wee haue according to the law of nature for the tuition and defence of vs and other inhabitants the rights priuiledges antient customes and libertie of the countrey and the liues and honours of vs our wiues children and posteritie to the end they fall not into the slauerie of the Spaniards leauing vpon iust cause the king of Spaine beene forced to seeke out and find 〈◊〉 other meanes such as for the greater safetie and preseruation of our rights priuiledges and liberties wee haue thought most fit and conuenient Wee therefore giue all men to vnderstand That hauing duely considered all these things and being prest by extreame necessitie Wee haue by a generall resolution and consent declared and do declare by these presents the king of Spaine ipsoiure to bee fallen from the seigniorie principalitie iurisdiction and inheritance of these said countries And that we are resolued neuer to acknowledge him any more in any matter concerning the prince iurisdictions or demeanes of these Netherlands nor to vse hereafter neither yet to suffer any other to vse his name as Soueraigne Lord thereof According to the which we declare all officers priuat noblemen vassals and other inhabitants of these countries of what condition or qualitie soeuer to bee from henceforth discharged of the othe which they haue made in any manner whatsoeuer vnto the king of Spaine as lord of these countries or of that wherby they may be bound vnto him And for the aboue named reasons the most part of the said vnited prouinces by a common accord and consent of their members haue submitted themselues vnder the command and gouernment of the high and mightie Prince the Duke of Aniou and Alanson c. vpon certaine conditions contracted and accorded with his Highnesse And that the archduke of Austria Mathias hath resigned into our hands the gouernment generall of these countries the which hath beene accepted by vs. Wee enioyne and commaund all judges officers and all others to whom it shall appertaine That hereafter they leaue and forbeare to vse any more the name titles great seale or signet of the king of Spaine And in stead thereof whilest that the duke of Aniou for his vrgent affaires concerning the good and welfare of the countrey shall bee yet absent for as much as shall concerne the prouinces which haue contracted with his Highnesse and touching the rest by way of prouision they shall vse the title and name of the chiefe and counsell of the countrey And vntill that the said heads and counsellors shall be named called and really established in the exercise of their charges and offices they shall vse our name except Holland and Zeeland where they shall vse as they haue formerly done the name of the prince of Orange and of the Estates of the said Prouinces vntill that the said counsell shal be in force and then they shall gouerne themselues as it is agreed touching the instructions giuen for the said counsell the accords made with his Highnesse And in stead of the kings seals they shall hereafter vse our great seale counter seale and signet in matters concerning the gouernment generall for the which the counsell of the countrey according to their instructions shall haue authoritie And in matters concerning the policie administration of iustice and other priuat acts of euerie prouince the prouinciall consuls and others shall respectiuely vse the name and seale of the said prouince where the matter shall be in question and no other vpon paine of nullitie of the said letters or dispatches which shall be otherwise made or sealed And to the end these things may be the better obserued and effected we haue enioyned and commaunded and doe enioyne and commaund by these presents that all the king of Spaines seals which are at this present within these vnited prouinces shall be deliuered into the Estates hands or to him that shall haue commission and authoritie from them vpon paine of arbitrarie punishment Moreouer We ordaine and command that from henceforth the name and armes of the king of Spaine shall not be put nor stampt in any coynes of these vnited prouinces but there shall bee such a figure set vpon them as shall bee appointed for the coyning of new peeces of gold and siluer In like sort we enioyne and commaund the president and lords of the priuie counsell and all other chauncellors presidents prouinciall consuls and all presidents and chiefe masters of
example of the towne of Antuerpe and others which haue runne headlong into these extremities and haue left no meanes for their preseruation but what depended on the conquerours discretion and clemencie who if hee would haue followed the steppes of his predecessors yea and of many among the rest who hauing mingled their victories with much blood proscriptions haue yet purchased the title of humanity and clemencie with posterity I feare the reliques would scarce haue beene preserued It is true that the hatred to religion is as great or rather greater than euer the which is a great testimonie of the wrath of God and one of the greatest calamities But yet I thinke sometimes with my selfe that if they laid aside all passion and would proceede with wisdome and moderation it might happily be helped at the least some part of it a milde word doth oftentimes pacifie choller and time moderates all things Whatsoeuer it be they must seeke to auoide the totall ruine of the countrie and of religion either by armes or els by an accord If they be resolued to armes they must then take another course than they haue hitherto done they must obey and submit themselues vnder a head which may commaund with authoritie they must watch and be diligent when it is time and not attend extremities If an accord doth please them they must also seeke it before they be at the victors mercie In the meane time I must confesse I should be much troubled to speake my opinion resolutely but as farre as I can iudge of the princes disposition if euer any equitie or reason may be expected or hoped for it will come from him or not from any that shall come to gouerne in these parts I know well what difficulties there are in Spaine but if they become victors they will bee much greater and it may bee past all remedie whereas now it may bee that in trying the foord there would be some hope to escape many dangers on either side But there is great difficultie to maintaine the common people in their dutie and constancie if they once open this gappe and giue them any hope of peace I foresee it well and therefore they must proceed wisely and with great discretion But there will alwayes some difficulties arise the which it seemeth may bee preuented if they vse therein authoritie wisedome and diligence Wee haue seene it in the warres of Holland that they haue attempted it twice or thrice without successe and yet we haue not seene the publicke affaires of the Commonwealth runne to wracke and confusion for when as they discouered the shelfe they presently turned away the course of their shippe But there was a good and a wise pylote who gouerned the helme and knew well ynough how to fit the sayles to the violence of the wind Hauing none such now I know not if hauing once let slippe a cable how they shall recouer it againe but that the storme will soone ouerset the shippe euen in an instant It is therefore a very difficult and hard thing to giue any counsell or aduice in this case and yet there must be an absolute resolution therein For you must vndoubtedly expect to haue all the burthen and extremitie of the warres to fall vpon you in those parts you haue an enemie that is vigilant vpon all occasions whatsoeuer hardie at assaults indefatigable in trauell wise in counsell and prompt in execution and performance of any thing And yet on the other side he is so wise and circumspect as he doth precisely weigh and consider the difficulties and hazards of warre especially in so strong a countrey and so disaduantagious for souldiers He doth also consider what small profit or commoditie will redound to him and to his master seeing that howsoeuer the chance shall fall hee can attend no other but onely the losse and ruine of his owne patrimonie Wherefore I thinke it should bee easie to preuent and auoid the danger thereof if there were occasion offered to doe it with honour Wherefore thinke well vpon this I pray you first with your selfe and then with your wise and temperate friends and consider what you shall thinke most fit and conuenient to be done For to speake the truth we are in all thinges much inferiour vnto our enemies their authoritie is absolute and firme and supported and maintained with the title of a great and mightie king ours is not onely floting betwixt the inconstant waues of popular humours and fantasies but in a manner nothing at all the commaunders in the warre differ the meanes are nothing like the souldiers are no wayes to be compared neyther in number experience vertue nor courage to fight True it is that wee haue the situation of the countrey for our aduantage but the duke of Alua his time hath shewed sufficiently vnto vs that the situation thereof cannot hinder the exploits of warre no not in the very hardest time of Winter And when I doe examine the causes and reasons which crossed his prosperitie and welfare I can find but small hope or comfort remayning for vs at this present for on the enemies side you had the crueltie of the Generall the pride of the leaders the insolencie of the souldiers the extreame ouer-weening of the Nation the examples of excesse that was vsed at Rotterdam Naerden Harlem and other places being yet fresh in memorie On our side you had a commaunder that was of great power and authoritie singular wisedome admirable humanitie wonderfull patience and incomparable dexteritie were it to animate the people to content the common souldiers to winne the hearts of the captaines to imploy men of worth and reputation and to embrace all aduantages both of places and situations and to iudge presently of all defects whatsoeuer In the people you had a great disdaine of things that were past a dislike of the present and a hope of the future a great zeale and desire to libertie and a great loue and affection to their auncient gouernment and yet all this was Dulce bellum inexpertis Now it is quite contrarie For on their side the late examples of clemencie and humanitie which hath beene shewed to many conquered townes and castles dazell the eyes the courtesie and discretion of the Generall winneth the hearts and minds of all men the seueritie and discipline vsed against the common souldiers taketh away all iealousie and distrust On our side I know not if we haue a commaunder if the gouernours haue any shaddow of authoritie and commaund the souldiers and men of warre any kind of obedience or the common people any zeale to Religion or to libertie warre is hatefull vnto them and peace their onely wish traffique and priuat profit is the thing which they chiefely ayme at and all their hope resteth in the change and alteration of the Estate and yet no man setteth to his helping hand to vphold and keepe vs from vtter ruine I know not yet what hope prince Maurice doth giue
no answer vppon the receipt of this letter the Prouinces vnder the Kings obedience assembled at Brusselles vpon the first of Ianuary 1595. only the Clergie the Nobilitie but not the Townes Where at their first cession the Arch-duke made a declaration in Spanish the effect was that the King had written vnto him and charged him as his good Brother and Cousin that hee should indeauour by all possible meanes to vnite the countrie by peace and to free it from the spoiles and miseries it had so long indured for which cause alone hee had left his ease and was come thether to effect his Maiesties good desire as appeared by the letters written with his Maiesties owne hand the which so moued him as hee could not but summon the Estates to appeare there before him to impart these good newes vnto them and that they had considered vppon a very good course to attayne there-vnto Where-with they should bee made acquainted the next day following by the President Richardot There were present in this Assemblie Stephano D'ybarra and Don Diego de Varra but the Earle of Fuentes came not for that the Duke of Arschot had protested hee would not giue him the place next to the Archduke which honour the Emperour and his Maiestie had giuen him the which hee would not suffer a stranger to take from him Where-vppon the Earle of Fuentes and Charles Earle of Mansfeldt who tooke the Dukes part therein meeting togither they beheld each other without any salutations on either part But nothing was done at all the first daie the which was spent in complements after the high Dutch manner VVhereat many of the Assemblie especially the Bishops and Clergie murmured The next day the Duke of Arschot laid open the generall necessities of the countries of Arthois and Henault and the miseries they indured by reason of the French inuasions and how requisit it was his Highnesse should prouide some speedy remedie for these mischiefes the which for many vrgent considerations ought not to bee deferred Saying that they had long since vnderstood his Maiesties good will the which should bee apparant to all the world if they might once taste the fruites thereof which it seemed the Archduke would indeauor to procure them but when it was in manner too late the whole country beeing readie to reuolt if they once swarued in the least poynt of seruice concerning their indifferent duties They had long since complained and made their great wants and necessities knowne vnto the King who by the lawes of nature was bound to heare them and to defend and protect his subiects And that if their cries and complaints vnto his Maiestie could not bee heard by reason of the great distance betwixt him and them nor the imminent dangers and mischiefes which now threatned them much more then the forepassed bee preuented they should bee forced to take some speedy course therein themselues and that hauing brought the same to passe they would yeeld such reasons of their Action vnto his Maiestie submitting themselues therein to the iudgement of all Christendome and calling them to witnesse as no man should haue iust cause to charge them that they had done more then what nature and necessitie had taught them The which they had resolued to shew in effect if they did not hope for some speedy helpe by this present Assemblie Hauing deliuered these wordes very eloquently and plainely all the Clergie cryed out Amen saying that it was their whole intent and that it required a very speedie execution There was also many Noblemen as the Prince of Chymay the Dukes Sonne the Earles of Arembergh Bossu Solue Barlaymont Ligni and others who all consented heerevnto togither Then the Duke of Arschot made further complaint in the behalfe of the Prouinces touching the great burthens which were laid vppon them by strange soldiers especially by the Spaniards who were countenanced and incouraged by the Earle of Fuentes and other strangers which ought to giue place to the naturall borne subiects of the country and follow the councel of the Nobility thereof who were best acquaihted with the affaires o◅ the same or else they would with-draw themselues both frō the Kings and the countries seruice and regard their owne particuler with many other reasons all tending to a peace with the vnited Prouinces the which the sayd might easily be effected if the forraine soldiars might bee sent away into Turky thereby freeing the vnited Prouince from all suspition and so they might treat with them as with neighbors and not as Rebells The Archduke Ernestus seeing the Estates to presse him thus vnto a peace hee let them vnderstand how much hee had labored to reconcile the vnited Prouinces who would by no meanes harken vnto it and that he could not proceed any further therein without some preiudice and blemish to his Maiesties authority and honor And therefore hee desired their aduice in three points First whether the necessity were so great as the King must of force doe it The second if it were fit and conuenient to offer more vnto the enemy then had beene already offred as to referre the conditions of peace vnto their owne discretions The third whether any other treatie of peace were to bee made and how that might bee effected Wherevnto the Estates made a full answere in writing shewing that peace was both reasonable necessarie honorable and easie to bee concluded Wherevnto the Archduke as it seemed consented promising to recommend it in such sort as hee doubted not but the King of Spaine would bee easily perswaded therevnto And that hee would also mooue the Pope and Emperor therein who had alreadie demaunded the opinions of diuers learned men who were well acquainted with the question of the Netherlands and among the rest of the learned councellor Wesenbeeke as then remayning in Wittenbergh what they thought thereof wherein all Christendome seemed to consent and agree desyring them in the meane time to persist in their accustomed duties and ancient vnitie vntill that hee receiued an answere from the King concerning the same but notwithstanding all these good words and faire hopes the Archduke Ernestus letters sent vnto the King of Spaine in September beeing intercepted by the vnited Prouinces contained nothing els but that there was not any thing to bee done in the Netherlands but by force and violence To the like effect were the letters written by Don Guillaume of Saint Clement from the Emperors Court the which were intercepted that the rebels should bee brought to that extremitiy as they must bee forced to seeke and sue for a peace c. But their resolution pleased not the Archduke neuerthelesse his seeming to consent and his faire promises satisfied the assembly for that time so as by reason of his death which followed not long after all alterations were preuented The French King seeing that they of Arthois and Henault did not vouchsafe to make any answere to these his letters hee caused
and breaking open one of the Ports about fiue of the clocke in the morning hee drew in his horsemen and the rest of his foote Against whom Alonso de luna Gouernor of the towne made some resistance in the Market place and at the towne-house but finding him-selfe to weake he retired ouer one of the Ports with his men resoluing to make it good vntill hee had some succors from Antwerp whether he had sent with all speed the which arriued the same day by the same Port whilest that Herauguieres men who should haue laboured to dislodge them and pursued their victory were most buisie to rob and spoile and hee not able to rallie them in time being dispersed here and there he resolued to saue himselfe with as many of his men as he could Thus the spoilers were spoiled and defeated after that they had beene maisters of the towne aboue eight houres not caring to winne the said port and yet Herauguiere did cry out importune threaten and strike There were aboue 500. of them slaine besides prisoners and the losse of horses This should serue as an example for all other vndertakers Cardinall Albertus being vpon the way towards the Netherlands and bringing with him Phillip of Nassau Prince of Orange and Earle of Buren the Estates of the Vnited Prouinces being aduertised thereof they wrot a letter vnto the Prince bearing date the 22. of December 1595 as followeth My Lord it was no small ioy and contentment vnto vs all to heare of your deliuerie from so long and vndeserued imprisonment as well in remembrance of the great seruices which this Estate hath receiued from my Lord the Prince of Orange your father of famous memory as in regard of the murther which was committed vpon his person which considerations do continually bind vs to loue and affect all such as haue the honour to belong vnto him especially your Lordship who haue so pittifully spent not only your youth but euen the best time of your life in the tedious and melancholy prison the which you could not beare without great griefe for the death of your honourable father the which was procured as vniustly as your imprisonment yet your Lordship hath therein shewed great constancy as the necessity of the time cause required in regard wherof we thought fit to congratulate your liberty but my Lord as we are informed the enemie preteÌ„ds to effect great disseigns by this action of your honors deliuery to the great preiudice of this Estate for that it wil be no smal griefe discontent vnto vs to haue any cause to alter and withdraw that entire loue and affection which we beare vnto you although we do confidently beleeue that your Lordship wil neuer be made an Instrument for the Spaniards to vndermine and ouerthrow our freedome built vp with such great care dilligence and wisdome by your honourable Father the Prince of Orange who for the maintenance and defence thereof was so cruelly murthered and thereby to blemish that worthie memory which is euerlastingly to be had of him For which cause they haue thought good to intreat you that if your Lordship should haue any desire to come into these Prouinces that it would please you to stay your iourney for a while vntill a more fit and conuenient time whereof we will aduertise your honor send you to that end fit assurance according to the orders which we haue set downe all along our frontiers not suffering any one to enter into these our vnited Prouinces without our pasport And so assuring our selues that your Lordship will take this aduertisement in good part we will here-with end beseeching GOD to send your honor long life and happy daies This letter being deliuered to the Prince comming to Luxembourg he made answer there-vnto bearing date the first of February as followeth My good Lords I thanke you most hartily for the contentment you receiue by my libertie and for the good remembrance you haue of me as appeareth by your letters And although vntill this time I haue not beene allowed to make my loue knowne vnto you who haue alwaies so well deserued yet I hope by this good occasion of my deliuery to shew you such effects to your good likings and contents as you shall haue no cause to complaine or bee discontented there-with And when-soeuer any occasion shall be offered whereby I may let you know how much I desire to do you seruice as he that affecteth nothing more in this world then to see his poore oppressed countrie restored to her ancient florishing Estate I will not vndertake any thing but with your good likings and to your content And I hope that you for your parts will not refuse any dutie and seruice that may helpe to settle a peace make an end of so great troubles and miseries to the generall good of all these Prouinces which God graunt may succeed for this seruice and giue you my Lords the full fruition of all your good desires recommending my selfe most earnestly vnto you all From Luxembourg Signed Philippe William of Nassau The Executors of his fathers testament vppon the last day of December against his comming sent him ten thousand gilders in ready money as part of his owne goods and in October after at the said princes instance by meanes of intercessors it was concluded that there should bee a meeting in the Duchie of Cleues betweene him and his own sister by the mothers side now Countesse of Hohenlo where they did salute visit each other conferring about their patrimoniall goods where she had licence to send him tapistry hangings and other houshold stuffe making great shewes of loue friendship one vnto an other The generall Estates sent Mounsier Hessels one of the Councel vnto him to congratulate his comming and to let him vnderstand what order had bin taken about their reuenues in Breda least he should haue some false reports made concerning the same ALBERTVS CARDINALL OF AVStria Lieutenant and Captaine generall for the King of Spaine in the Netherlands ALBERTVS D. G. ARCHIDVX AVSTRIAE BELG PROVIN GVBERNATOR Fifth brother of the house Imperiall Of Austria was I borne and seeing fate Fail'd â—…ne in lands and meanes proportionate To my great birth became a Cardinall But my great Cousin hauing euermore From my greene yeares accepted my aduise In points of statisme by his Kingly choyce Grac'd me with place of chiefe Inquisitor And thinking none of all his linage bore Perfection fitting such a match of price As Isabel chose me but first of all Stil'd me these lands Lieuténant generall THE Cardinall Albertus of Austria long attended with great deuotion in the Netherlands by the King of Spaines subiects all beleeuing that hee would bring a good peace and an assured reconciliation with the vnited Prouinces arriued at Brusselles the eleauenth of February bringing with him Philip of Nassau Prince of Orange elder brother to Prince Maurice hauing beene kept
passing and from making a bridge vppon boates as hee did afterwards the which hee could not doe before hee had taken Moeruaert On the eighteenth day of Iuly there came forue Cornets of horse from Berghen vp Zoom the which entred into the territorie of Hulst by the part which they call Campen Where at their first arriuall they defeated some three hundred Spaniards whome they surprized in the country going a free-booting then hauing burnt three milles to incomodate the Cardinals campe they returned for they could not haue stayed long there without great danger of being beaten And to haue lodged in any fort there was no likelyhood for want of forrage neither could they haue serued to any great vse The Spaniards to be reuenged of this losse came the same night at tenne of the clock with great fury to charge the counterscarpe of this great trench which was betwixt Moeruaert and the towne And did so tyre them with redoubled forces as in the end hee became maister thereof but not without great losse of his men Yet not content herewith about three of the clocke in the morning he returned with new forces and gaue so furious an assault vnto the trench as those within it beeing amazed with the late losse of their counterscarpe fell presently into route and fledde some towards Moeruaert and some vnder the towne to their great confusion and the great ioy of the Spaniard by that meanes diuiding Moeruaert from the towne His Artillerie in the meane time was not idle continuing his batterie still vppon the fort of Moeruaert with nine peeces seeking to make a breach and to assaile it by the trenche which he had wonne In the end hauing made a sufficient breach and finding that the Protestant soldiers began to fainte whereof they did most taxe the Frisons the Spaniard caused the Fort to bee summoned in the which Captaine Beaury commanded who could not perswade the soldiers but they refused to fight some putting out their Matches and casting downe their armes so as hee was forced to yeeld vp the place by composition to depart with their armes and baggage the which they did the ninth of Iuly retiring to the Fort of Spitsenburch to bee imbarked there Prince Maurice was greatly grieued for this losse and so much mooued against the three companies of Frisons which had beene in it as hee would gladly haue punished them after the manner of the ancient Romaines which was to execute the tenth man if feare of some greater inconuenience had not staied him The Spaniard by the taking of this Fort of Moeruaert had free passage for all his army in the territory of Hulst then he began to approach neere vnto the towne and planted three Canons vpon a Mill mount with the which he did much annoy the towne shooting at randon through the streetes and houses so as the besieged were no where safe but at the foote of the rampar and in their sellers and withall hee filled vp the old hauen to make it a passage to the Forte of Nassau there to plant his Canon In the Towne there were about three thousand men full of courage and resolued to die or to defend it from the enemy they were commanded by the Earle of Solms vnder whom were foure Collonels Iohn of Egmont Tack-hettinck Lieutenant to Cont William Lewis of Nassau Iohn Piron and the Admirall of Zirixee And when as the said Earle being shotte in the legge could not goe vp and downe nor performe those duties which hee had formerly done with great care and dilligence Collonell Piron was appointed superintendent ouer the other Collonels who discharging his duty well being acquainted with such sports caused three mines to bee made by the which the besieged might when they pleased sallie forth to skirmish The Spaniard hauing stopt vp the old Hauen and planted artillery there he thought thereby to annoye the Estates shippes and to cut off their passage to the towne seeking in like sort to vexe the Forte of Nassau but it was so farre off as they could doe little hurt to either of them so as it was no hindrance vnto the shippes but they went and came dayly into the Towne On the three and twentie of Iuly this present yeare 1596. the besieged made a sallie by the mine at the Porte of Beguines into the neerest trenches of the Spaniards campe out of which they chased them hauing surprized them sodenly playing at Cardes but they returning to the charge with new forces the besieged retired alwayes skirmishing and the Spaniard pursuing them but they were so well entertained with Musket shotte and Canon from the towne as in an houre and a halfe which this skirmish lasted both parties being obstinate hee lost many braue men whereas the besieged lost onely three and had but fewe hurt The last of this moneth of Iuly Collonell Piron who neuer rested day nor night from his charge beeing vppon the Rampar hee was shotte in the cheeke vnder the eye the which did make the besieged very heauie for hee was forced to goe out of the Towne to bee cured finding himselfe vnable to doe any seruice during this dangerous wound In the meane time the Spaniard approched still neerer and neerer vnto the Towne so as on the first of August they began to fortifie euen before the Porte of Beguines in the ditche of the Boulwarke so as they had no more to doe but to fill it vppe and to vndermine the Rauelin but the besieged had so mined themselues as it was all hollow so as the Spaniard could haue done little good hauing planted his ordinance in as many places as hee could the which did some-times batter the Rampar and some-times the houses and other buildings of the Towne at randome beeing but a harguebuze shotte of Yet for that hee could not doe any thing against the Forte of Nassau by reason it is all enuironed with water and that the Canon of the hauen that was filled vp was too farre of hee could not hinder the passage of shippes but that fiue or sixe Galleys and Shaloupes came in dayly at a full Sea And although the Spaniard did continue his batterie for to make a breache yet the besieged shewed them-selues very diligent and laborious to rampare it vp working both day and night so as although they had made a sufficient breache and beene Maisters of the Porte of Beguines yet had they aduanced little and in the moouing thereof they must haue lost many men for the besieged had made within the Towne through the houses which the enemies Canon had torne and rent in peeces a halfe Moone with a good and strong ditche which had not beene very easie for them to winne the circumference whereof from the Porte was all hollowe with vnder-mining the which they might very easilye haue blowne vp if they had offered to force them on that side The second of August the Spaniard hauing continued
quarter who were very glad to bee imployed about so good a worke whereby they might recouer their quiet and libertie All the countrie of Ouerssel beeing freed by the taking of Grolle Brefort Enschede Oldenzyel Otmarsum and Goor and of some fortes which the Spaniard had held there the whole countrie hauing beene by reason of them extreamely afflicted euen vnto the gates of Deuenter Campen Zwol Hasselt and Steenwyc chiefe townes of the countrie of Oueryssel vnder the Estates obedience for the which they are bound in dutie to thanke the Prince who performed so great a worke in so short a time and with so little oppression the which the whole countrie did afterwards very thankefully acknowledge To finish the Princes victories for this yeare and to free the countries of Friseland Oueryssel and Gronning so as the Spaniard should hold nothing beyond the Rhine there yet remained the towne and castle of Linghen places of great importance beeing the passage by land towards Hambrough Breme and other townes of the East countries beeing neighbour to the countrie of Westphalia and the Counties of Emden and Oldenbourg making a signeury and pettie Estate by it selfe which the generall Estates had heretofore giuen to the Prince of Orange father to Prince Maurice in recompence of the libertie which they had recouered by his meanes and seruice Cont Frederic vanden Berghe after that hee had yeelded vp the towne of Grolle by composition had retired himselfe into the castle of Linghen which was all that remained of his Gouernment on that side the Rhine beeing fully resolued to keepe both the one and the other and there to set vp his rest for that the places were verie strong and furnished with sixe hundred good men the floure of all the King of Spaines forces in that quarter of Friseland with a cornet of horse and some ten or twelue verie good brasse peeces of Ordynance besides iron ones The Earle assuring himselfe that he should be besieged he caused certaine houses nere vnto the towne to be burnt the more to annoy his cousin the Princes campe and had done more if hee had not beene hindred by the sodaine comming of the army winter beeing then at hand and the wether likely to prooue bad The Prince retyring out of the countrie of Oueryssell causing his armie to march that way on the twenty eight day of October the same day he did inuest the towne and for as much as on that side there were no enemies to bee feared but those which hee besieged he therefore the better to accommodate his souldiars lodged them a little at large and most of them in peasants houses the countrie being very much peopled The Prince himselfe was lodged in a Gentlemans house nere halfe a myle from the towne and his horsemen dispersed The approches were easie to make for that the towne hath many little hilles about it so as in a short time the season beeing reasonablie mylde his men lodged in the counterscarpe euen vpon the edge of the ditch out of the which the water was soone drawne then were there certaine galleries made through the ditches especially on the castles side The slow arriuall of the great ordynance was the cause the battery was not so soone readie yet to take away their defences the Prince did presently imploy those few which hee had brought with him but when the rest were come hee caused foure and twenty cannons to bee planted against the castle the which on the second day of Nouember did batter with such fury for eight houres together at the two Rauelins that Cont Frederic seeing their meaning was against the castle drew all the ordinance out of the towne into the castle with the which he made an exchange with the Prince causing his men to sally often forth with losse of either side The galleries beeing finished against those two Rauelynes whose worke the besieged could by no meanes hinder by reason of the continuall thundering of the cannon and of the small shot and that all the defences of the rampar were taken away the Prince commanded his men to sappe the sayd two Rauelyns Frederic perceiuing it and knowing his cousins vsuall course which is that hauing a sufficient breach hee goes presently to the assault hee therefore desired to make a good retreate in time wherevpon beeing sommoned hee desired to parle and to enter into capitulation The Prince did the more willingly giue eare vnto him for that hee feared the season of the winter which vntill that time had beene verie fauorable and to winne time to carrie backe his army Wherefore on the twelfth day of the month Frederic accorded to yeelde and to depart with armes and baggage furnishing him with certaine wagons vnto the next village deliuering the castle the same day into the Princes hands who instantly put men into it the Earle retyring his men into the towne vntill the next day that he departed It was a strange thing of these Bretheren of Vanden Berghe that of all the places which the King of Spaine committed vnto them they could neuer keepe one against the attempts of Prince Maurice their cousin as Deuenter Steenwic Grolle Linghen and all those other pettie places in the Countrie of Oueryssell which the Prince wonne this sommer They say that the Spaniard did of purpose put them into them to the end that if they had them in gard hee should not incurre the dishonour to loose them himselfe whereof they would not haue fayled no more then these of Vanden Berghe who alwaies shewed themselues faithful and readie to do the King of Spaine their Master seruice Whilest that the Prince was camped before Linghen the King of Denmarkes Ambassadors came vnto him which were Arnold VVitfeldt Chancellor and Christian Bernekar a Councellor who would not depart vntill hee was master thereof These Ambassadors returning from their Embassie out of England came to the same end to the Hage in Holland in the beginning of October to the generall Estates of the vnited Prouinces where hauing had their dispatch and returning into their owne countrie they would needes see Prince Maurice as they past along The some of their Legation which they did deliuer as well by word as by writing on the ninth of October was THat Christierne King of Denmarke at this present raigning remembring the good loue and neighbour-hood which King Frederic his Father had in his life time with the deceased VVilliam of Nassau Prince of Orange the sayd generall Estates and generally with all the Inhabitants of the vnited Prouinces who had euer sought and labored as much as hee could possibly that not onelie the sayd vnited Prouinces should bee once discharged of those long cruell and deuouring warres but also that they and all Christendome might bee restored to an assured peace and quietnesse So as it was to bee hoped that this so holy a designe and intent of their said Lord and King would haue taken
other Belgicke Prouinces or otherwise And therefore the said Estates doe humbly beseech that it would please his Maiesty to receiue their resolution in good part and in respect therof not to carry lesse affection to them then subiects and inhabitants As for that which the sayed Ambassadors haue charge from his Maiesty to insist vnto the Estates that all neutrall persons which haue nothing common with this warre might freely sayle and trafficke into all places so as they carry no munition of warre to the enemy and especially his Maiesties subiects in consideration of their her editary contract and good neighbourhood The said Estates declare that they confesse most willingly and will alwaies confesse that they are greatly bound vnto his Maiesty by reason of the said hereditary contract neighbourhood and good correspondency and in like manner for the security and fauor which the inhabitants of the vnited Prouinces receiue throughout all his dominions in regard whereof sence the beginning of these wars vnto that day they haue endeauored to shew vnto al Kings Princes and neighbour common-weales and especially in respect of the said King of Denmarke for matters of nauiyation and trafficke all good neighbourhood correspondency and friendshippe And that in this consideration they would not hinder the subiects and inhabitants of the realmes and countries of the said King nor any other neutrall persons from the nauigation into Spaine Portugall or any other westerne parts vnder the King of Spaines dominions or obedience or any other neutrall countries what soeuer no more then their owne subiects and inhabitants of the vnited Prouinces Touching Steyn Maltesen Collonell to his Maiesty and Amptman of Bahuysen of whome mention is made in the said proposition The saide Estates declare that it is not long sence that hauing taking information vpon his pretensions in quality of Lieutenant to the most famous William Lewis Earle of Nassau gouernor of Freezland they haue giuen him all satisfaction and ouer and aboue at his departure a gratuity of a chaine of gold so as in regard of his seruices done vnto the said Prouinces he cannot pretend any thing And as for the seruice which the said Collonel pretends to haue done as Captaine of the company which was raysed by the deceased Captaine Schagen since the twenty one of October 1580. vnto the first of February 1586. that the Seignor Nicholas Malte his Brother succeeded in his place he was in like sort paied as other Captaines which were in the same seruice had beene and are daily according to the order and vse of the country with the which al soldiars content themselues without any contradiction leauing the rest of their pay vnto the end of this warre And in the meane time if it happen that at the great sute and instance of any Captaines which leaue their seruice for some good considerations be it for their poore estate or otherwise they come to accord with them it is done with such a small composition abating that which ought to be abated according to the order that in that case there would bee little comming vnto the Collonell vpon the accoumpt of his seruices wherefore the Estates assure them-selues that the said Collonell being better informed thereof by their letters will the more willingly haue patience with the rest and attend the end of this warre rather then to accept of so meane a Composition as hath beene told him by mouth Finally the said Estates do humbly thanke his Maiestie for his good affection towards them beseeching God withall their hearts that it will please him to preserue his person his realmes Estates countries and subiects in a happy and prosperous gouernment good and long life to the good and quiet of all Christendome As for them that they would neuer faile of their duties and seruice in all good affections towards his maiesty the which they not onely desire to continue but also will striue more and more and at all times will bee ready to doe their best indeuor to increase it Thanking likewise the sayd Ambassadors of their great paines which they had taken in this legation Intreating them earnestly that they would bee pleased to make a good and fauourable report vnto his Maiestie of the good affection and humble inclination which they haue vnto him with their humble recommendations c. Made at the Hage the 24. of October 1597. The sayd Ambassadors hauing receiued this answer departed after they had beene stately entertained by the Seignior of Pipenpoix a Gentleman appointed to that end by the Estates as Steward assisting at euery meale to beare them companie two of the Deputies of the Estates and beeing richly and honorably gratified with goodly presents they went as wee haue sayd to see Prince Maurice in his Campe before Linghen where they were likewise well intreated and defrayed as long as they remained in the Estates territories taking their way from thence towards Denmarke According to so many Ambassages and pursutes tending to a peace at the great instance of the King of Spaine Cardinall Albert his Lieutenant sent in the beginning of the yeare 1598. his Commissioners vnto the French King the which were the President Richardot Ioan Baptista Taxis and Lewis Verreyken Audiencier to seeke some good course for a peace betwixt him and the king his Maister who should bee his father in lawe the Infanta of Spaine being promised him in marriage wherevnto the Queene of England and the generall Estates of the vnited prouinces did also inuite him For hee knew well that so long as those three great and mighty countries of France England and the Netherlands should bee vnited together in such a league as they had sworne that his affaires could not succeed well his power although it were very great not being sufficient to incounter all their three forces together fearing that hee should not onely bee forced to cast vp that which hee had deuoured in Picardie and else-where but also to loose the rest of his Netherlands and by their ioynt forces to bee assailed in Spaine On the other side the French King much incensed at the indignities which hee had receiued of his owne subiects leaguers and others knowing the desolation of his country and that his subiects by this warre were so impouerished as they could indure no more And to recouer that by the way of armes which the Spaniard had taken from him in two or three yeares before hee must imploy much time loose many men and spend his treasor which hee found to bee greatly exhausted And that Picardie was so ruinated as it was nothing but a desart so as there was no meanes to feede an armie there for the recouerie of Calais Dourlans and other places wherefore hee was aduised by his Councell to send his Deputies thether which were the Lords of Bellieure and Sillery both of his councell and the Generall of the Friars as a mediator to enter into conference with the Cardinalls Commissioners making the