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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A18982	An ansvver and true discourse to a certain letter lately sent by the Duke of Alba (in maner of a pardon) to those of Amsterdam to be by them conueyed and distributed vnto the other townes in Hollande. Set forth by certayn true louers of their natiue country, namely desirous to liue vnder the due obeysance of the King of Spayne, according to the old customes and priuileges of their said countrie: faithefully translated out of the Dutch into English, by T.W.	Alba, Fernando Alvarez de Toledo, duque de, 1507-1582.; T. W., fl. 1573-1595.	1573 (1573)	STC 540; ESTC S119168	18,121	50

haue reiected their yoke séeing they haue vsed such cruel tirāny oultrage insolentie in those townes which at the first haue as friendes receiued them and shewed them all friendshippe helpe and assistaunce Enquire of the townes of Maestricht Shertoghenbosch Wtrecht Tourney Valencien Lyle and other more where they haue lyen in garrison what grace they haue there extended towardes the commons of the same And whither there be any kynd of oultrage insolentie spite or crueltie to be deuised which there hath not bene vsed So as many of their commons haue in great nombers bene piteously murthered as within the townes of Lyle Valencien and Tourney hath notoriously ben séene and would haue set on fire and spoiled diuers of the notablest townes as we haue rehearsed of Rotterdam and as was aparant at Wtrecht where they were determined to haue done the like Yea let vs sée how they haue done at Amsterdamme which Towne was well affectioned towards them Let vs consider what good fruites they of Amsterdam haue reaped by it These haue first exacted of them a hundreth thousand Gilderns vppon condition to haue no Souldiours afterwardes they were the first that were condemned in the payment of the tenth penie and cōsequently haue so charged and burdened them that the Towne is in a manner vndone But for what respect will they be so fauourable and mercyfull to our Countrie to graunt this fauour towards vs It must procéede either in respect of our persons or theirs As touching their owne persones they muste be moued to it of nature or in respect of their gayne and profit It is notorious that of nature they ar not enclined to mercy or kindnesse to vse such singular grace towardes vs For if men consider what cruell and inhumain factes they haue committed in the kingdom of Naples with in the Dukedome of Milan in the Indies and in all partes of these lowe Countries where they are become vanquishers yea in their own natiue Countrie by robbing murthering burning rauishing of womē cutting of childrē out of their mothers bellies and such like abhominable déedes vnder the colour of rebellion heresie which they alwayes alledge for them selues no occasion wil be therby found why any man might accompt them pitiful and gratious Then this their pitie and mercye muste procéed out of a respect for their own gayn But that can not be for they think that the Townes which are declined from them haue so done bicause they did not vse sufficient crueltie against them but spared many which now are become their chéefe enemies according to the prouerbe which their Vargas doth vse Nimis magna clementia nos perdidit that is to saye Too much mercy hath spilled vs Now therefore they make their rekoning thus that if they may once againe obtaine to be Maisters they will so tame and yoke the Countrie that thei shal not néede to be at great trauell or charges to kéepe the inhabitants therof vnder their subiection Nowe séeing wée can not expect any mercy or fauour at their hands for respect of their persones Let vs then sée whither they might be thereunto moued for respect of ours certainly much lesse For besides that the Spanish Nation are of nature lofty and proud and doe contemne all other Nations séeking the superioritie ouer all they do beare a singular and priuie hatred against this our Nation of the lowe countries which hatred as commonly it is séene is bred of a ielousie For they séeing that our naturall Princes and Lordes the Dukes of Brabāt Earles of Holland c. haue matched and allied them selues with Spanish women heires of the kingdomes of Spaine and by that meanes obtayninge the gouernement ouer them sometimes haue ordeyned Netherlanders to rule in the regiment of Spayne as in the time of the Lord of Cheures and the Cardinal Adrian borne in Hollande who afterward was elected Pope of Rome hath ben séene This hath not a little gréeued the Spaniards that they should be ruled by Flemings for so thei terme all the Netherlanders And hereout it happened that within a whyle after that Charles the Emperour of noble memorie as lawfull heire did succede his Grandfather Ferdinandus king of Spayne the whole countrie of Spaine especially the kingdome of Arragon began to rebell against Charles their naturall Lord wrongfully pretēding that the succession of the kingdome belonged not vnto him and to that ende sent for a certaine Duke of Calabria which was of the auncient house of Arragon who then laye in prison offering him the kingdome which he denied to accept Notwithstanding shortly after by the good fortune and pollicie of the Emperour Charles all those matters were brought to a quiet ende yit euer since that time haue the Spaniards borne an inward grudge malice against our nation as they haue alwayes well declared when soeuer they had any oportunitie but especially against the Nobles of the Countrie whom they perceyued to be in speciall grace and fauour with the Emperour Charles of most famous memorie and the Kinges Maiestie that now is inuēting al maner of meanes to bring these Countries into the displeasure of their Maiesties which besides the examples aforesaid doth euidently appéere by this last proposition of the Emperour Charles who departing out of these Countries towards Spayne leauing the same to his Sonne our soueraigne Lord saide hée did sufficiently perceyue that the Spaniards sought by all meanes to incense him and bring into his hatred his subiects of the lowe Countries according to their accustomed enuious nature which they bare towardes the countrie but he should not credit them but to the contrarie hold these Countries for speciall recommended as those who in his most necessitie aboue all others had declared towards him most obedient faythefulnesse and had reserued the Crowne on his head requesting they would shewe the like towards their yong King and that hée should minister Iustice to all men according to reason defending them against the rigour and violēce of their enemies without giuing credit to their euill willers and aduersaries with many other holsome admonitions which some Lordes presently liuing heard him speake Furthermore if we consider in what estimation we are with them we shal soone perceiue whereof this hatred and malice is further sprong It is manifest that by reason of the neighbourhed which we haue with the Germanes and other nations addicted to the Gospell they haue alwayes estéemed vs for Lutherians and heretikes I meane not onely of those that haue cast off the Popes religion but in generall the whole Nation perceyuing our people of nature not to be giuen to many ceremonies and little estéeming the Apish toyes and tromperies which they haue learned of the Sarrasins Moores and other Heathen people We sée what an Apes play they vse in the time of Lent in scourging of them selues with other mockeries which they vse at our Lordes sepulchre as they call it This they extéeme for the greatest holynesse which

may be Nowe they perceyuing that our countrie men yea they that are most bent to the Roomish religion do ieste and mocke at these their dooings estéeming them as childrens toyes and méere hipocrisie This also doth kindle in their harts an vnquench able hatred and enuie against vs that they which account themselues so wise and fine witted should of our Children Wyues and simple people be estéemed as Hipocrites superstitious fooles And so by reason therof they do estéeme vs all in generall fewe or none excepted as Heretikes and Lutherians It is also manifest that thei do hateand persecute the Lutherians more then the Iewes Turkes or any other transgressors that liue in this worlde for with the Iewes Turkes Moores and Sarasins thei vse great familiaritie for that the most parte of them are spronge out of that race but suche as they estéeme as Lutherians they thinke them not worthie to enioye eyther Eyre Water Sunne Moone nor yit any other Element yea thei doo persecute them by all the meanes they can deuise And to looke for any grace or pardon at their handes for respect of our owne persons séeing they hate vs aboue all other creatures in the world it were meere madnesse yea they think they do God good seruice when soeuer they may cruelly murther any of vs Besides this they accompt this whole Countrie as rebellious saying playnely that in all the lowe Countries there is not one Towne but hath forfeyted to the King their liberties yea lyfe and goods and haue purchased vnto them the displeasure and wrath of his Maiestie The one for denying to receyue the Spanish garrisons The other for neglecting the execution of the Mandamentes Placcards in matters of Religion and not punishing the Heretikes and offenders sufficiently The third for that they haue not sufficiently ayded and assisted the Bishops Inquisitours and Spaniards Others for not graunting to the demaund of the x. pennie and other vnreasonable requestes Some other because thei would not abyde the vnsupportable violence of the Souldiours In fine there is not one Towne nor Uillage in all the lowe Countries which is not to be charged with losse of lyfe goods as is to be perceyued out of their owne allegations propound in the name of the Duke of Alba touching the x. pennie saying that such was demaunded to the intent that the Landes and countries which were fallen into the displeasure of the King might thereby be reduced to his fauour Therefore we néede not to looke for any grace or fauour at their handes and all that which they do alledge and say is to bee extéemed for none other then subtile practises to bring the simple and vnwyse vnder their yoke and after being Maisters ouer them to vse them at their pleasures wherein they will haue no such precise regarde to those that haue offended as to those which hereafter might offēd or with whose goods and possessions they might bée made rich for euer So that there is none being of any power authoritie or coūtenance or hauing any goods that shall escape frée for he that will stryke a dogge may soone find a staffe And vndoutedly this is the true nature cōmon vse of all Tyrants that haue subdued any Townes specially being before reuolted from them that they neuer thinke their rule nor lyfe to be in suertye vntill such time as they haue made away such as they doe suspecte might or would withstande their power Therfore all they which by seruitude helping the Spaniards against their owne allies contrary to the dutie which they owe to their naturall countrie do in any wise hope therby to get their grace and fauour surely shal be the first that shall find themselues disceyued for it will not be so precisely asked what they haue offended as wherin hereafter thei might or could offēd Much lesse maye they loke for any grace or fauour which before haue reuolted and withstoode their tiranny and nowe vppon hope of pardon shall turne and become enimies to their natiue countrie for such they wil estéeme as double Traytours of whose trueth they neuer can be assured thincking always that spying their commoditie they will reuolt againe And what soeuer elles they here proponed touching their grace fauour is nothing elles but meere deceipt and subtiltie so that none hauing his vnderstanding and right senses will beleue these promises but rather with life and goodes and by all possible meanes helpe to defende his Countrie and the liberties therof And bycause it shall not be thought that this warning doth procede of affection rather then of a trueth let vs first marke what kind of pardon they do propone and then what assurance and certaintie they do offer first they say That vnto those which returne againe to their obeisance shal be giuen perpetuall grace and fauour as is giuen to those which alreadie are turned vnto them being left in their former state vsing and enioying their goodes and other things as they did before their reuolte Hereby they giue to vnderstand that at this present their goodes are deteined as forfet and that the Duke of Alba and the Spaniards do esteeme themselues as Lordes and proprietaries of the liues and goods of the indwellers of the same townes like as before the reuolting of the townes they haue diuers times made their vaunt yet wyll they now of a special grace fauour graunt them so much as that for a while they shal enioy the vse of their goods vntil such time as they find better oportunity to put in execution that which long hath lyen in their mindes for by the wordes before recited is not expressed the reseruation which they kéepe to themselues Namely that the Rebelles and heritickes and other whome it shall please them should be punished according to the nature and disposition of their offences Besides this no mention is made of the nobles the whole cuntrie So as all those that haue any goods houses or lands lying without the townes can by no meanes by the content of this letter be assured only the inhabitants of the townes shoulde by this meanes be vsed as executors and accusers of the nobles and countrie Then I pray you marke what kynd of assurance here is giuen VVhich we in the name and behalfe of the kyng do certainely promise and assure you by these presents thought good hereof to aduertise you to the intent you giue the same further to vnderstād c. Assuredly this is a proper assurance vppon which one marchaunt wil scarce lend another two pence much lesse whole townes and countries aduenture their liues therby for what haue they not promised vs in the name and behalfe of the kings maiesty and haue afterwards broken and infringed the same as if they might make a iesting stake of the kynges maiestie at their pleasure which vndoubtedly they doe Howe often haue they promised these Countries that they shold not be burthened with garrisons of Souldiours That the

doe they procéede with their Spanishe prankes rehearsing here some Townes which they to get them the more credit haue left vnspoiled alleadging that they haue spared all those which haue offered no defence concluding thereby that to all those which would willingly giue themselues vnder their subiection which they terme the Kings obeysance no harme should be offered Nowe it appéereth euidently that all the Townes in this Letter comprehended haue already sufficiently declared what their meaning and intent is namely to withstand the tirannie of these blood suckers and that to the vttermost and to that intent did willingly receyue garrisons of Souldious but being forsaken of those garrisons and being not able any longer to resist the Burgeses did surrender themselues into the handes of those whom they tooke for their enemies Haue now the Spanards of remorce and pitie spared those Townes as they would fayne make vs beléeue What occasion had they thē before or since to set on fire so many faire places and Uillages in the Countrie who neuer hurt them and althoughs thei would yit could not offer any resistēce Why haue they chased so many a poore mā out of his possession destroying his house grounde Yea what occasion had they to shewe themselues so cruell and furious against the Towne of Machlin sparinge neither Churches nor Cloisters but made hauoke of all to the vttermost Did not they of Machlin surrender them selues so soone as the garrison was departed out of the Towne it is manifest yes And that which is more they neuer would suffer any alteration of Religion nor yit permit any preaching of the Gospell What hath all this profited them against the gryping handes of these mercifull giuers of pardō The like hath happened to Dirmonde and Audenaerde whom they first put to raunsome and yit afterwards vtterly spoyled and sacked Ouer and besides this the Towne of Mons in Henaulde was taken in by force the Commons whereof would neyther assiste nor helpe the Souldiours to defende the Towne against the Albanistes which since they haue repented nor yet would permit any alteration in Religion Which Towne was afterwards agayne surrendred by composition into the Duke of Alba his handes vppon promise by othe letters that none of the Burgeses should be harmed which promise notwithstanding whē they were entred and al things as they would haue it hanged vp a number of them and God knoweth howe the rest shall spéede And here in Hollande how haue they vsed them of Rotterdam who neuer were reuolted from them nor yit had commenced any alteration either of religion or gouernment yea neuer thought of it and yit at their ioyfull haue they not murthered the Burgesses in great number contrary to their promise And afterwards at their departure out of the towne had not they concluded to set it on fire the most part of thē being departed to which purpose they had prouided a great deale of straw and other stuffe and would haue brought it to passe in déede if the Bailife and other good Burgesses had not letted them who perceiuing themselues to be the stronger party began to take some courage to withstand them Note further I pray you what faith or credite is to be giuē to their promise which they vowe so surely as maye be séene by the horrible murther committed by these bloudie houndes at Naerden neare vnto Harlem where vppon like promise made as aforesayd the Burgesses of the Citie suffered them to enter vppon hope of safety of life and goodes The Spaniardes being entred caused the Borowmaster and the commōs to resort to a certaine great house standing on the market place vnder pretence to sweare them to be true to the king The poore simple people hauing dispossessed themselues of their armour and weapons comming to the place appoynted were there like a sort of Lambes most cruelly murthered in such sort as few escaped One Cornelius Gissebert being then Borowmaster was murdred by the hāds of the Duke of Albaes owne son many of their daughters they rauished in presence of the dead carcases Not contented with this they ranne to the other Borowmasters house where finding him sicke in his bead murthered him Besides this they spared not so much as the poore impotent persons that they foūd in the hospitall with other most execrable déedes as hanging vp of men by the priuie members and women by their brestes c. Which outragious crueltie there committed was as they themselues confesse the occasion of their euill successe at Harlem alleaging the words of Iudas Peccaui tradens sanguinem iustum And a certaine Spaniard taken before Harlem before his death confessed they thought to haue done the like at Harlem These things considered is there any to be found so foolish and madde that would giue credite to their wordes and suppose with himselfe that they haue spared the townes for pitie and holinesse Wheras it is euident that such Townes as at their first entrie they did not altogither spoyle ransacke haue afterwardes bene so burthened and raunsomed ▪ as men haue bene forced to pay thrée times the vallue of their houses and goods And now they declare that they do intend to shew the like grace as is aforesaid vnto the other townes in Holland which henceforth wil of their own accord yéeld themselues to their obeysance Certainly the grace wil be great that they will shew they will for a time dissemble the mater and looke through the fingers vntill such time as they shal be masters of the Townes and then at their pleasure will apprehend and lay hold sometimes of one dosen here somtimes of another dosen there of the chiefest and substantialest and as they sée oportunitie cause thē to be hanged vp which wil be thought by them a singular grace in so eschaping from being burned aliue And so hauing all the other Townes likewise vnder their subiection their crueltie will then first begin for then will they build Bulworkes and Castels in all firme townes and begin to take and apprehend the poore Burgesses by heapes sending some with Galleyes into Spaine some to be sold as slaues other to be hanged on trées and Gallowes and so vsed as a sort of shéepe brought to the shambels Then followeth the displacing of Magestrates rulers taking away of priuileges deuiding the gouernment amongst Spaniards and Italians bringing in the bloudie counsell and Inquisition which is ten tymes worse than it hath bene vsed in Spaine exacting the twentie and the tenth yea the fifth and the third penie and so fulfill their appetites vppon our goods yea with our wyues and daughters to conculde to bring the whole countrie vnder the miserablest slauerie that euer hath bene heard of This sure is the grace that they of their meere mercy thinke to vse for what grace or mercy is there otherwise to be loked for at their hands if they should become victorious ouer the coūtrie as ouer their enimies recouer those townes which