THE HISTORY OF THE House of Orange OR A Brief Relation of the Glorious and Magnanimous Atchievements of His Majesties Renowned Predecessors and likewise of His own Heroick Actions till the Late Wonderful Revolution Together with The HISTORY of William and Mary King and Queen of England Scotland France and Ireland c. Being an Impartial Account of the most Remarkable Passages and Transactions in these Kingdoms from Their Majesties Happy Accession to the Throne to this time By R. B. LONDON Printed for Nath. Crouch at the Bell in the Poultrey near Cheapside 1693. TO THE READER I Am very sensible that the greatness of the Subject is a sufficient reason to deter me from adventuring to publish my mean endeavours in Relating the Glorious and Magnanimous Atchievements of His Majesties Renowned Ancestors as well as His own Or of the excellent Conduct of Their Majesties since Their happy Accession to the Throne But because we have such a furious Generation of Murmurers who if they had their desires would ruine both themselves and their Countrey and reduce us to French Popery and Slavery It may seem to be the Interest of every man to strive to undeceive those whom these Miscreants would delude since both our Eternal and Temporal happiness very much depends upon the supporting the present Government against all its Forreign and Domestick Enemies A Government founded upon Law and Justice A Government calculated for the support of the Protestant Interest throughout the World wherein we have a King and Queen of the same excellent Religion with our selves a happiness which we have been deprived of for almost an Age past Princes of such exemplary Virtue and Piety that they discourage Vice and Prophaneness and constantly endeavour to support Goodness and Modesty which seem'd lately designed to be hissed out of the Nation God grant that our ingratitude and impenitence may never deprive us of such inestimable blessings and that we do not fall a Sacrifice to our stupendious folly and discontents THE HISTORY OF THE House of Orange THE Family of Nassau from whom our Gracious Soveraign is descended is not undeservedly accounted one of the most Antient and Honourable in Europe not only for its great Allianceâ— and Branches but also by the Advancement of one of this House to the Empire of Germany Adolphus Nassau by name about the Year 1200 and that there has been a Succession of the Family in a direct Line for above a thousand years past and among them OTHO Count of Nassau who lived about six hundred years since and had two Wives with the first of whom he had the Province of Gueldres and with the other that of Zutphen About three hundred years after a second Count OTHO of Nassau married the Countess of Vranden whereby he became possest of several other Territories in the Netherlands In the Year 1404. Engilbert who was his Grandchild married the Heiress of the Town of Breda and Loeke and was Grandfather to Engilbert 2d Earl of Nassau who in 1491. was by Maximilian King of the Romans going into Hungary made Governour Lieutenant and Captain General of Flanders and afterwards in 1501. Arch-Duke Philip going into Spain constituted him Governour General of the Netherlands an experienced Prince both in War and Peace but dying Childless left his Brother John his large Territories this John had two Sons upon Henry the eldest he bestowed all his Possessions in the Low-Countries and to his youngest Son William he bequeathed all his Inheritance in Germany By the earnest Endeavours of Henry Nassau Charles the 5th was advanced to the Empire against the pretensions of Francis I. the French King and at his Coronation placed the Crown on his Head And yet when upon concluding Peace between these two Monarchs Henry was sent by the Emperor to do Homage to King Francis for the County of Flanders and Artois that Prince forgetting former differences and being fully sensible of his extraordinary Merits married him to Claudia only Sister to Philibert Chalon Prince of Orange by which Marriage his only Son Revens of Orange and Chalons became Prince of Orange William Earl of Nassau Brother to Prince Henry profâ—ssed the Protestant Religion and expell'd Popery out of his Territories and was Father to the great William of Nassau who attained to be Prince of Orange and Lord of all the Possessions of the House of Chalens by the Last Will of Revens de Nassau who died Childless The Emperor Charles the 5th having a favour for the House of Orange and received great services from them was concerned that the young Prince William should be educated in the Reformed Religion and therefore took him with much regret from his Father and endeavoured to instruct him in the Romish Faith but afterward the former Opinions which he had suckt in with his Mothers Milk prevailed upon him so that he became an earnest Professor of Protestantism William Count of Nassau his Father had five Sons and seven Daughters by Juliana Countess of Stolberg WILLIAM the eldest was born in 1533. at the Castle of Dillemberg in the County of Nassau and being taken from his Father by the Emperor Charles as we said he became a great Favourite by his extraordinary Wisdom and Modesty so that the Emperor confest this young Prince often furnisht him with notions and hints he should else never have thought of and upon giving of private Audiences to Ambassadors when the Prince would discreetly offer to withdraw the Emperor mildly remanded him saving Stay Prince and it was admired by the whole Court that a Prince not above twenty years old should be intrusted with all the Secrets of the Empire and carry the Imperial Crown upon his resignation to his Brother Ferdinand though the Prince with some reluctancy seemed to refuse the Imployment by alledging That it was no ways proper for him to carry to another that Crown which his Uncle Henry of Nassau had set upon his Head Yea the Emperor had so much confidence in his Conduct that in the absence of the D. of Savoy his General of the Low Countries though the Prince were not above 22 years old yet contrary to the Advice of all his Council rejecting all other experienc'd Generals he constituted him Generalissimo who managed that great Imploy with such discretion and courage that he caused Philipville and Charlemont to be built in the fight of the French Army which was then commanded by Admiral Castillon that great Captain These Magnanimous actions caused the Emperor to recommend the Prince of Orage to Philip II. his Son but his Virtue and Courage were so emulated by the Spaniards that all his most innocent words and actions were misinterpreted and the opposition that the Provinces made to the Kings Will and Pleasure in defence of their Priviledges were attributed to his contrivance which King Philip made him sensible of when he was imbarking from Flushing for Spain charging him with preventing all his private Intrigues with a furious countenance And when
giving all his Estate to those that would take it promising upon the word of a King and as the Minister of Almighty God That if any would deliver him alive or dead or else take away his Life he would give to him or his Heirs Five thousand Crowns of Gold and the free pardon of all the Crimes that he had been before guilty of and if they were not Noble to make them so and to reward all that shall assist them therein and likewise that all his Adherents should be banisht and their Lives and Estates given for a prey to any that would take them The Prince of Orange made a very smart Apology in answer hereunto wherein he fully vindicates himself from all the Crimes objected against him proving at large That all the Miseries of the Netherlands ought to be imputed to the Council of Spain who endeavoured to reduce those Countreys to absolute Slavery both as to Religion and Civil Liberties and acting more like Mad-men than Politicians and like that foolish King Rehoboam following the silly Advice of a weak Woman and Cardinal Granval the Pope's Creature telling the King That his Father had chastized the People with Whips but the Son ought to whip them with Scorpions and therefore they endeavoured to bring in the Inquisition and the new Bishops which were the occasion of all these commotions And as to his taking Arms against his Soveraign he sheweth that Henry Bastard of Castile the King 's great Grandfather had with his own hands slain the King Don Pedro the Cruel his lawful Brother and possest his Kingdom whose Successor King Philip was and enjoyed it to this day And that there was a Reciprocal Bond between a Prince and a Subject and if the Prince infringes his Oath the Subject is freed from his Allegiance that the King of Spain was admitted to be Duke of Brabant upon certain conditions which he had sworn to maintain and yet had notoriously violated and if the Nobility did not endeavour by Arms since no other means was to be found to preserve and defend their Liberties they ought to be accounted guilty of Perjury Treachery and Rebellion to the States of the Countrey And whereas the King had offered Money to take away his Life he did not doubt of God's protection yet certainly he could never be accounted a Gentleman by Persons of Honour who would be so wicked and infamous to murder a Man for Money except they were such Spaniards who being descended from the Mores and Jews might retain that quality from their Ancestors who offered Money to Judas to betray our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ into their hands that they might crucifie him The Prince concluded his Apology by telling the States General That since their peace and quiet seemed to depend upon his death he was willing to lay down his life to free them from the Calamities under which they suffered having already for their sakes lost his Estate his Brethren yea and his own Son and that his Head over which no Prince or Potentate on Earth had any power was yet at their command and that he would be a willing Sacrifice to procure their Tranquillity But if they thought fit still to use his Service he would employ his Life Counsel and all he had in the World for the defence and preservation of the Netherlands In answer to this the States declare That they are fully satisfied that the Crimes and Slanders charged upon the Prince are altogether false and malicious and that all the Honours that had been conferred on him were so far from being sought for or desired by him that he only accepted them at their earnest request and intreaty with the full consent and by the free Election of the Countrey and therefore they humbly intreated him still to continue his Administration and likewise to accept of a Guard for his Person against any villanous attempts upon his Life The States General of he United Provinces perceiving that notwithstanding the Intercession both of the Emperor the French King the Queen of England and other Princes and States of Christendom to King Philip on their behalf yet he still continued obstinately resolved to yield to nothing but what might reduce their Countrey absolutely to Popery and Slavery thereupon in 1581. they publisht an Edict of Renunciation against him wherein they declare That it being acknowledged by all Mankind that a Prince is ordained of God to preserve his Subjects from all Injuries and Violence even as a Shepherd defends his Sheep and that the people were never created to be Bond-men and Slaves to his will and pleasure whether his Commands are right or wrong but that he is advanced to that dignity to govern them by equity and reason and to cherish them as a Father doth his Children even with the peril of his life If a King therefore fail herein and instead of protecting his Subjects shall strive to destroy them and deprive them of their Ancient Laws and Priviledges and endeavour to make them Bond-slaves His Subjects are thereupon discharged from all Subjection and Obedience to such a Soveraign and are to reckon and esteem him a Tyrant and that he is absolutely fallen from his former Dignity and Soveraignty and the Estates of the Countrey may lawfully and freely abandon him and Elect another Prince to protect and defend them in his place especially when his Subjects neither by Prayers nor Petitions can mollifie his heart nor divert him from his Tyrannical and Arbitrary courses Since they have then no other way to preserve their Ancient Liberties Lives Wives Children and Estates which according to the Laws of God and Nature they are bound to defend and which hath been practisied in divers Countreys especially in those where the King was obliged by Oath to govern according to Law and was admitted to the Soveraignty upon certain conditions and special contracts Now it being apparent to all the World that Philip King of Spain giving ear to certain wicked Counsellors hath in every particular broken all the Oaths and Obligations which he had entred into for the defence of those Provinces and hath determined to enslave ruine and destroy them and all their Interests therein c. We the States General being prest by extream necessities do by a general resolution and consent declare the King of Spain to be fallen from the Government Dominion and Jurisdiction of these Countreys and we are resolved never hereafter to acknowledge him for our Prince and Soveraign Lord but do hereby declare our selves and all the Inhabitants of these Provinces to be for ever discharged from all manner of Oaths and Allegiance to the said King c. In witness whereof we have caused our our Seals to be hereunto annexed July 26. 1581. The Duke of Anjou having been in England to make a Visit to Q. Elizabeth returned again to Antwerp after three months splendid Entertainment in the English Court the Queen at his departure earnestly recommending to him
his Government This new Governour had the fortune at his arrival to be an eye-witness of the deseat of his Masters Fleet by that of the Prince of Orange but yet was more fortunate by Land for Prince Lowis of Nassaw having brought a fourth Army out of Germany of seven thousand Foot and four thousand Horse was defeated by the Spaniards near Nimmeguen the Germans according to their usual custom calling for their pay just as the battle began and thereby were the ruine of themselves as well as of their Generals honour Prince Lowis with his brother Prince Henry and the Count Palatine being all three killed in this fight Upon which Victory the Spaniards besieged Leyden and reduced it to very great extremity so that they were ready to Capitulate But the Prince having an account of their condition by Letters tyed to Pigeons and sent into the Town Resolved to make the utmost effort possible to relieve it and having provided two hundred Flat bottom Boates of fourteen or sixteen Oars and two Guns a piece which he filled with Seamen and Provisions when all things were prepared the Hollanders broke down the Damm that kept out the Sea which thereupon entred with such fury into the Countrey that it was overwhelmed with water and and the Camp of the Spaniards was overflowed so that the City received supplies forty mile off by water and the Spaniards having sunk their Cannon after four months fruitless labour were forced to raise the Seige being pursued by the Dutch in their Boats with long grapling Irons wherewith they drowned and destroyed a great number of their enemies This deliverance from a Barbarous and Inhumane Enemy endeared the Prince of Orange to those of Leyden who to recompence their losses by the inundation erected a University there which he indowed with ample Revenues and Priviledges But to recompence this loss Requesones reduced Zurich-zee but the Spaniards and Germans falling at variance about their pay and Requesones dying at the same time the unruly Souldiers fell upon Mastriccht and Antwerp both which Towns they plundred and ransackt of an immense Treasure rated at above Twenty Millions The Robberies of those Forreign Mutineers caused such an abhorrence and detestation of the Government in the People that those which had hitherto continued obedient to the Spanish Government now declared the Spaniards enemies to their King and Countrey and called in the Prince of Orange to their assistance All the Provinces except Luxemburg entring into an Association and Solemnly Swearing to assist each other in delivering their Countrey from Spanish Slavery This happened in 1576. when King Philip to remedy these disorders sent Don John of Austria to be Governour of the Netherlands who by his Mild and Affable behaviour wheedled the Provinces for a time to desist from their gallant resolution and though the Prince of Orange who saw the bottom of the Spaniards designs continually forewarned them not to be deluded with guilded promises yet Don John having solemnly agreed That the States General should assemble and that the Spaniards and Germans should depart out of the Netherlands several of the Provinces again submitted to King Philip the Prince of Orange with the States of Holland and Zealand protesting against their proceedings especially as to the Articles about Religion But Don John was no sooner setled in his Government being received with much magnificence at Brussels but he quickly made good the Princes Premonitions for he seized upon Namur and Charlemont and sent for the Forreign Troops Whereupon the States finding themselves deluded they resolved to oppose him by Arms and having demolished the Castle of Antwerp they joyned with the Prince of Orange and sent to desire his presence at Brussels where he was received with all kinds of Joy and the Acclamations of the People and declared Governour of Brabant and Super-Intendant of the Revenues of the Provinces The States General having declared Don John of Austria the publick Enemy of their Countrey he thereupon recall'd the Italians and other Forreigners who were banished by the perpetual Edict as it was called and with them defeated the Army of the States at Gemblours though this loss was recompensed by the surrender of the famous City of Amsterdam eight days after which was then united to the Body of Holland In the year 1579. the Prince of Orange laid the Foundation of the Republick of the Low-Countreys by the strict Union he made between the Provinces of Gueldres Zutphen Holland Zealand Friezeland and the Ommelands consisting of 25 Articles the chief whereof was That these Provinces should mutually assist each other against the common Enemy and not treat of War or Peace without general consent This was called The Treaty of Vtrecht because signed in that City and to shew that Union was absolutely necessary for their preservation the States took this for their Motto Concordia parvae res crescunt By Concord little things grow great But the Prince finding the power of these few Provinces not sufficient to defend themselves against the other Provinces that had reconciled themselves to Spain nor against that potent Crown he thought it adviseable to chuse some Neighbour Prince to be their Protector and judged none more proper than the Duke of Anjou and Alenson the only Brother of Henry III. King of France and Commissioners being sent to him it was soon agreed that these six Provinces of Holland Zealand Brabant Flanders Utrecht and Friezeland should acknowledge him for their Soveraign upon condition That he should maintain them in their present Priviledges and Religion that he should assemble the States General once a year or oftner if they thought fit That he should not dispose of any Offices or Preferments without the consent of the States Lastly That if he should endeavour to infringe or violate this Treaty he should immediately forfeit his Soveraignty and they be fully absolved from any Allegiance to him and be at liberty to chuse another Soveraign This Agreement being made Arch-Duke Matthias Brother to Rodolphus Emperor of Germany who had been sent for some time before by some factious Lords who envied the Virtue and Glory of the Prince of Orange finding that the States sought for a more powerful Protector took his leave and retired into Germany though not without large Acknowledgment and Presents from the States General The Prince of Orange hastened the March of the Duke of Alenson whose presence he knew was very considerable especially since in this year 1580 the King of Spain had published a most bloody Proscription against him Reproaching him with the favours bestowed on him by his Father Charles the V and declaring him to be a Rebel Heretick Hypocrite like to Cain and Judas of an obdurate Conscience a Villain the Head of the Netherland Troubles a Plague to Christendom and an Enemy to all Mankind Declaring further That he did prosecute and banish him out of his Countreys and Estates forbidding any of his Subjects to converse with or relieve him
whom now were a great part of the Nobility He recalled his Remainder of them with the Train of Artillery and upon his return to White Hall he appointed Colonel Beril Skelton to be Lieutenant of the Tower in the place of Sir Edward Hales and in pursuance of the Advice of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal Ordered the Chancellor Jefferies to issue out writs for summoning a Parliament to sit Jan. 15. following the Bishop of Exeter who left that City upon the approach of the Prince was likewise nominated Arch-Bishop of York which had been vacant for some time and was thought to have been designed for Father Peters if things had gone on But the King Affairs growing daily more desperate and the Prince of Orange marching forward with his Army and being advanced to Hungerford after a Consultation with the Queen and the Jesuits it was resolved to send the following Proposals of Accommodation to his Highness which were soon after published with the Princes Answer thereto VVHEREAS on the 8th of December 1688. at Hungerford a PAPER Signed by the Marquess of Hallifax the Earl of Nottingham and the Lord Godolphin Commissioners sent unto US from his Majesty was Delivered to US in these Words following viz. SIR The King Commandeth us to acquaint You That he observeth all the Differences and Causes of Complaint alledged by Your Highness seem to be referred to a Free-Parliament His Majesty as He hath already Declared was Resolved before this to call one but thought that in the present State of Affairs it was adviseable to defer it till things were more Compos'd Yet seeing that His People still continue to desire it He hath put forth His Proclamation in order to it and hath Issued forth His Writs for the calling of it And to prevent any Cause of Interruption in it He will consent to every thing that can be reasonably required for the Security of all those that shall come to it His Majesty hath therefore sent Us to attend Your Highness for the adjusting of all Matters that shall be agreed to be necessary to the Freedom of Elections and the Security of Sitting and is ready immediately to enter into a Treaty in Order to it His Majesty proposeth that in the mean time the Respective Armies may be Restrained within such Limits and at such a Distance from London as may prevent the Apprehensions that the Parliament may in any kind be disturbed being desirous that the Meeting of it may be no longer delay'd than it must be by the usual and necessary Forms Signed Hallifax Nottingham Godolphin WE with the Advice of the Lords and Gentlemen Assembled with US have in Answer to the same made those following PROPOSALS 1. That all Papists and such Persons as are not qualified by Law be Disarmed Disbanded and Removed from all Employments Civil and Military 2. That all Proclamations which Reflect upon Us or any that have come to Us or declared for Us be recalled and that if any Persons for having so Assisted have been committed that they be forthwith set at Liberty 3. That for the Security and Safety of the City of London the Custody and Government of the Tower be immediately put into the hands of the said City 4. That if His Majesty shall think fit to be at London during the Sitting of the Parliament that we may be there also with an equal Number of Our Guards Or if his Majesty shall please to be in any place from London at what-ever distance he thinks fits that We may be at a place of the same distance And that the respective Armies do remove from London Thirty Miles and that no more Foreign Forces be brought into the Kingdom 5. That for the Security of the City of London and their Trade Tilbury Fort be put into the hands of the said City 6. That to prevent the Landing of French or other Foreign Troops Port mouth may be put into such hands as by Your Majesty and Us shall be agreed upon 7. That some sufficient part of the Publick Revenue be Assigned Us for the Maintaining of our Forces until the Meeting of a Free Parliament But these Proposals of the Prince proving of too hard Digestion at White-Hall the Offer of Accommodation was thought to be Designed only to gain time and the Romish Councellors perceiving that this would not obtain began to think of other measures So that the Child being sent for back from Portsmouth to White-Hall in great haste the Queen having made up her Equipage Dec. 10. took her Solemn Leave of the King and with the pretended Prince of Wales and her Attendants whereof it is said Father Peters was one but it was thought with a large proportion of Treasure and Jewels She Crossed the Water at Lambeth where three Coaches with Six Horses awaited them and with a Strong Guard went to Greenwich and so to Graves-End where she and her Retinue Imbarked in a Yatch for France and Landed the next Day about four a Clock in the Afternoon the Queen and several Courtiers being gone the Popish Priests began to shift for themselves and the same Night the King called an Extraordinary Council and sent for the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs of London Charging them to preserve the Peace and Quiet of the City as much as in them lay after which they were Dismist But the Council continued their Debates upon the present Exigency of Affairs a great while longer and were ordered to meet again the next Morning when to the Surprize of the City and Kingdom About three a Clock in the Morning the King took Barge at the Privy Stairs with a small Equipage and went down the River without being so much as known to many of the Officers of his Houshold who were then in waâ—ing whose sudden Departure may be supposed to be occasioned by the News that Alarm'd the Court the Day before that the Princes Forces had made their way through Beading and gain'd the Pass of Twyford-Bridg without any Considerable Resistance for about 1500 Horse and three Troops of Dragoons being Quartered in the Town of Reading they had notice that a Detatchment of the Princes Army were Marching up towards them which put them into such a Consternation that not finding themselves strong enough to maintain the Town the Officers upon Consultation Concluded to draw off and make good their Post at Twyford-Bridge out their Scouts coming in with News that the Roads were clear the Commander ordered a Scoten Regiment of Horse and the Irish Dragoons to march back and Repossess themselves of Reading which they did and were placed in the Market-place and other Posts continuing on Horseback most part of the Night to prevent Surprize yet hearing no more of the Princes Advanced Party their Officers ordered them to alight and refresh themselves and their Horses But about ten in the Morning the Trumpet Sounded to Horse the Princes Forces being at the Towns-end almost before they were Discovered and thereupon sharp Firing began on both
the Prince mildly replyed that all had been done by the motion of the States themselves the King shaking him by the wrist replyed No not the States but You You You are the Occasion of it Which severe reproach in publick so disgusted the Prince that he suddenly left the King without further Ceremony only wishing him a good Voyage and so left him in the middle of Flushing which he knew had much respect for him And that which increased the Princes indignation against the Spanish Government was that he saw himself deprived of the Government of the Netherlands which his Predecessors always enjoyed and Cardinal Granville his inplacable Adversary put in his place which proceedings of King Philip disobliged both the Nobility and People who hated the pride of Philip as much as they admired the affability of his Father Charles which was much increased when the States who much dreaded the Spanish insolency in a full Assembly at Gaunt desiring the King to withdraw his Forreign Troops out of the Provinces and intrust the Natives with the Fortified places and not advance Forreign Ministers to the Government The King was so far incensed thereat that he ordered his Sister Margaret of Austria to set up the Spanish Inquisition and to make Diverse new Bishops And these were the principal causes of the defection and terrible disorders that followed For the People abhorring the name of the Inquisition and the new Bishops as members of it and the Nobility being highly incensed at the imperious temper of Granville after having long suffered under his Arrogance at length the Prince of Orange Count Horn and Count Egmont sent King Philip word That unless he recalled the Cardinal out of the Low Countries his violent Counsels which were so much abhorred by all would certainly occasion a Revolt in those Provinces This with much regret was done but another worse than he was designed in his room the Bloody Duke of Alva with an Army of Spaniards and Italians which the Prince and Nobility being sensible was to take revenge for the affront to Granville the Prince desired the Governess to be dismissed from his Governments of Holland Zealand Utrecht and Burgundy which the Dutchess refused but desired him to remove his brother Count Lodowick from his Person as being suspected to give him bad Council and likewise to take a new Oath of Allegiance to King Philip both which he denied and as to the last alledged That such an Oath would oblige him to extirpate Hereticks and might compel him to put his own Wife to Death who was a Protestant and that if he should take another Oath it might be thought he had broken the first But the Governess being very zealous for setling the Inquisition and the new Bishops about 400 Gentlemen with Prince Lewis of Nassaw in the head of them and several other Nobles presented a Petition against it and were those who were afterward called Guese or Beggars so Nick-named for their plain apparel by Count Barlemont a Favourite to the Dutchess which though given in scorn did much advance the Confederacy that followed and strengthened he Prince of Oranges Party For their Petition being absolutely rejected these Gentlemen caused Medals to be made with the Kings Piâ—ture on one side and a Beggars Dish and Wallet on the other with this inscription Faithful to God and the King even to the carrying of the Wallet intimating they were better Subjects in the King than Barlemont and his Adherents And the Prince of Orange with the other Lords perceiving their Petition slighted consulted their own safety most of them were for taking Arms to oppose the Landing of the Spaniards in the Neitherlands since by intercepted Letters they plainly discovered the design was to ruine and destroy them But Count Egmont Governour of Flanders and Artois opposed it and being confident of his own good services advised them to rely upon the Kings Clemency and Mercy To which the Prince of Ornge reply'd That the Kings Mercy upon which he trusted would be his ruine and that the Spaniards would make a Bridge of him to come into the Low Countries and then break him At which words imbracing the Count as as if foreseeing they should never meet again they parted with Tears in their Eyes The Prince instantly went with his Family to his Town of Breda only he left his Eldest Son Philip to Study in Lovain and after that to Dillemberg the Ancient seat of the Nassaws Soon after the Duke of Alva with an Army of old Spanish and Italian Souldiers came into the Netherlands and Count Egmont waiting upon him he said aloud Behold the great Lutheran Yet the Count took no notice of it but presented him with two fine Horses The Duke being arrived at Brussels produced his Commission whereby he was made absolute Governour in all Causes whatsoever He then dismist the Assembly of the States and constituted a Court of Twelve Men who were to inspect into the Troubles They soon imprison'd a great number of People of all Degrees and Qualities and 18. Lords and Gentlemen were put to death at Brussels and the Counts Egmont and Horn imprisoned and soon after beheaded in the Market place of that City the first being much pitied by the people for his fond credulity who rejoiced at the safety of the Prince of Orange And Cardinal Granville who was then at Rome hearing of these proceedings asked the Messenger whether the Duke had taken Silence which was a name given to the Prince for secrecy and few words Who replying no Nay says Granville if that Fish has escapt the Net The Duke of Alva's draught is nothing worth The Cruel and Barbarous proceedings of this new Governour caused a great many to leave the Countrey who were summoned to appear before the bloody Council of Twelve at a certain day and upon their refusal all their Estates were Confiscated Among others the Prince of Orange Count Culenburgh and other Lords were cited The Prince refused alledging That being of the Order of the Golden Fleece he could not be judged by any but the King and the Companions of that Order He likewise appealed to the Emperor Maximilian brother to King Philip and other German Princes imploring their aid who approved of his reasons and declared their dislike of the proceedings of the Duke of Alva The time for the Princes appearing being expired his Principalities were all declared to be forfeited a Spanish Garrison was put into Breda and his Eldest Son Philip William was sent to Spain to be educated in the Roman Religion and also for an Hostage for his Father And thus King Philip by these cursed Counsels and the Rigorous usage of his Subjects was himself the occasion of the loss of the United Netherlands who finding all their Priviledges violated and their utter extirpation determined they resolved to throw off this intolerable yoak and afterwards in some of their Ensigns had this Motto We will either recover our Liberties or perish in