of severity and mildness he had without doubt better fitted the humour of the Nations he had to do with He is to this very day in great aversion among the Hollanders who call all cruell men by his name It is said of him that he bragg'd he had brought above 18000. to their end by the hand of justice I know not whether it be true but I know that the States have founded the justice of their pretensions upon his cruelties He govern'd six years and left no body afflicted for his depart It was said and well said that either King Philip should never have sent him or never have recall'd him CHAP. IX The Government of Don Lewis and the great Councell of State LEwis of Requesens high Commander of the Kingdome of Castilia was sent in the place of the Duke and his famous Statue which he had caused to be set up in Antwerp was pull'd down by his order to the great satisfaction of the States His first care was to set out a Fleet to succour Mondragonius a brave Captain who had defended Middleburgh almost two years but he was ignorant that the Sea was the Throne these Nations intended to settle their Empire in The Earl Bossu had been beaten the year afore by the Hollanders and now the Zelanders burn'd and destroyed this Fleet in the presence of Don Lewis and took Middleburgh The Count Lewis of Nassaw had worse fortune for having brought a brave Army out of Germany he was met at Nimmiegue by Davila and entirely defeated himself and his Brother slain This victory was followed by a sedition in the Spanish Army which much weakened their power but being appeas'd were sent before Leyden in hopes of having the pillageing of that Town but being there shamefully repulsed their indignation fell upon their Generall whom they detained in prison till they had received their full pay After that they took Oudewater and Schoonhof Many Propositions and Treaties were advanced but none taking effect Don Lewis fram'd that famous enterprize by many thought impossible of besieging Ziriczee This Island was in the Confederates hands and the Royalists waded through the Sea up to the neck to go and besiege it 't is true there was no hopes of a return the Sea being encreased by the flowing water Ziriczee held out nine moneths after which it yeelded Vitellio a great Captain died during that siege and Don Lewis followed him shortly after By his death the Authority came into the hands of the Couâ—cell of State who for want of union ruin'd the Kings affairs and gave occasion to a fourth sedition of the Spaniards A little after followed the pacification of Gand and the alliance of the Provinces against the Spaniards who seeing themselves generally hated and that the inhabitants of Antwerp were about to divide the Town from the Cittadell by a Trench agreed at last with the Governour Davila and sallying out plunder'd the Town for three dayes together which was a most barbarous and detestable action CHAP. X. The Government of Don John of Austria and of the Prince of Parma DOn John of Austria was receiv'd Governour upon condition that he should subscribe to the pacification of Gand which he did but finding himself without Authority he surprized Namur whereupon the States proclaimed him as an enemy and raised an Army He was a Bastard of Charles the fifth and had made himself famous by that immortall Battle of Lepanto against the Turks in which he was Generall The States chose in the mean time the Archduke Matthias Brother to the Emperour Rodolf for their Governour Then having assembled their Army at Gemblours they faced Don Johns Forces who couragiously engaging them obtained the victory but liv'd not long after it declaring Alexander Prince of Parma for his successour This was that famous Alexander who by his valour and conduct reduced all Artois Hainaut Flanders and Brabant to their obedience who took Antwerp Malines Ipres Brussels and many other Cities and at last he had brought the Confederates to the necessity of submitting to some forreign Prince for protection if God had not raised up Prince Morrice to defend them In the mean time the Archduke Matthias finding that the States had a mind to be rid of him and were ready to call the Duke of Alencon and make him Duke of Brabant left the Low-Countreys The Duke of Alencon went first into England in hopes of being married to Queen Elizabeth but the match being deferr'd he went into Brabant and took possession of the Dutchy In the year 1582. the Prince of Orange was shot in the face with a Pistoll which made the people take some jealousie of the French and threaten to cut their throats and their new Dukes He on his side did complain that all the Authority was in the Prince of Orange his hand and thereupon fram'd a design upon Antwerp but fail'd when it came to the execution so that they were forced to leave the Town and soon after Alexander made them quit the Countrey in which he did still advance having taken Tournay Oudenard and Breda defeated Biron and taken Dunkirk All this while William Prince of Orange was seriously employed in framing and giving Laws to this new Commonwealth but being wakened by the progress of Alexander Duke of Parma he made a Remonstrance to the United Provinces that now there was but two wayes left to provide for their safety the one was to submit and patiently yeeld to the Spanish domination the other to declare the King of Spain to be fallen from and to have lost his right to the said Provinces and thereupon choose another Prince mentioning the Duke of Alenson The last of these was followed and in a generall Assembly at Antwerp King Philip was depriv'd of his right and power in those Provinces and the Duke of Alenson as it has been said before chosen in his place It is to the great wit and prudence of this Prince of Orange that Holland owes its liberty but he liv'd not to enjoy the fruit of his labour for he was assassinated at Delft the same year and day that the Duke of Alenson died at Chasteaâ— Thyerry Alexander having reduced Ipres and Bergue resolv'd against the opinion of all to besiege Antwerp and though he met with inconceivable difficulties in the execution yet he atchiev'd his enterprize with great glory But his noble actions and the brave resistance of the United Provinces with all the series of the long War they have maintain'd for the defence of their liberties have been eloquently written by divers good Authors to whom we refer the Reader our scope in this short Narration being only to instruct him how Holland and the other Provinces were govern'd before their union which having perform'd we now come to our main design which is to give a particular Account of this Union of the Conditions upon which it was concluded and by which it yet stands as it follows in the Second Part of this Book
name succeeded his Brother Thierry and his Neece Ada. He had War with the Bishop of Utrect and on both sides the Countrey was much ruin'd but by agreement at last he was to pay to the Bishop a thousand Talents Upon the news of the death of his Uncle the King of Scotland he immediately rigg'd out a great Fleet to put himself in possession of that Kingdome which he thought was his right and in pursuance of his design landed in Scotland and took divers Towns but hearing the Earl of Loen his Nephew was come into Holland with an Army he forsook the uncertain for the certain He had two Wives Alide of Gueldres by whom he had three Sons and two Daughters and Mary Daughter to the Duke of Lancaster who had no Children He died in the year 1223. having reign'd nineteen years Florent the Seventeenth Florent the fourth Son to William was married to Matthild Daughter of the Duke of Brabant who had two Sons William and Florent and two Daughters Alide Counâ—ess of Hainaut and Matthild Countess of Heneberg that had at one birth as many Children as there are days in the year This Prince was extream valiant which was the cause of his death for the Countess of Clermont having heard much of his valour was so desirous to see him that she entreated her Husband to publish a solemn Turnament Florent fail'd not to be there and by his noble carriage so charm'd the Countess that she could not hold praising of him before her Husband who thereupon conceiv'd so much jealousie that he caused him to be barbarously murder'd in the flower of his age His Body was transported into Holland and buried at Rinsburg William the Eighteenth William the second being yet under age succeeded to his Father under the Guardianship of his Uncle the Bishop his Wife was Elizabeth of Brunswick by whom he had Florent This Prince was of a very warlike temper and by reason of his valour was chosen King of the Romans at the age of twenty years He first held a Court at the Hague to hear the complaints of the Hollanders and Zelanders in the protection of whom he sent his Brother with an Army against the Flemmings who were entred the Island of Walkeren in Zeland There was so stout a â—encounter between the two Armies that the ground for a great space was all covered with the blood of the Flemmings The King upon the news â—astened into Zeland and sav'd the lives of the rest of the Flemmings but sent them away stark naked After this he went into Germany where he was receiv'd with great honour and joy coming back he overcame the Frizelanders in one Battell and a little before the second he was kill'd having govern'd twenty one years It was he that founded the Colledge of the Heemrades where a Diikgrave presides Florent the Nineteenth This Prince was two years under the Guardianship of his Uncle and his Aunt Alide Countess of Hainaâ—t To make up the difference between the Hollanders and Flemmings he married Beatâ—ix of Flanders by whom he had five Sons and three Daughters the youngest of which Margaret was Queen of England To revenge his Fathers death he fell upon the Frizelanders whom he worsted and recover'd the dead Body of his Father which he caused to be buried with royall obsequies In his old age he corrupted the Wife of one Gerard de Velsen a Gentleman of his Court whom he had much lovâ—â— and it was rather to affront him than out of a desire to satisfie his lusts but Gerard and Herman de Vourd his Father-in-law resolv'd to be reveng'd and by conspiracy seized the Earls person and carried him to the Castle of Mude where hearing of the Preparations made in Holland against them they made the Earl get on Horseback thinking to convey him into England but being too hotly pursued Gerard gave him twenty two wounds with his Sword and left him dead in a Ditch This murder remain'd not unrevenged for some Authors write that Gerard being taken was put into a Hogshead full of sharp nails and so rolled up and down the Streets at Leyden till he died John the Twentieth John the first of that name being in England at the time of his Fathers death there was some trouble in Holland which was soon appeased by his presence He married Elizabeth Daughter to Edward King of England by whom he had no Children In his time there was a Giant in Holland nam'd Nicolas to whom other men compared were but Dwarfs his Shooe was so wide that four men together could set all their feet in it The said Earl John died at Harlem having reigned three years and made room for the House of Hainaut CHAP. III. The House of Hainaut John of Hainaut the Twenty first JOhn the second of this name Son to Alide Countess of Hainaut Sister to King William succeeded his Cousin-german in 1299. and took in marriage Philippine Daughter to the Duke of Luxemburg by whom he had three Sons and four Daughters He was five years Earl of Holland and did defend with much vigour his Brother who was Bishop of Utrect against those who endeavoured to deprive him of his Bishoprick It is said that in those dayes there was seen in the Air an arm'd Knight who with a loud voice animated the people to War and that the Sea also was seen full of Ships which vanished before the eyes of them that curiosity had brought upon the shore These apparitions were taken as prognosticks of the War that a little after happened between the Hollanders and Flemmings in Zeland in which the Flemmings were defeated by the valour of William Son to the Earl John but he outliv'd his victory a very small time and lies buried at Valenciennes William sirnamed the Good the Twenty second William the third by reason of his good nature and vertuous disposition was call'd the Good He had divers Children by his Wife Jane of Valois viz. William Lewis John Margaret Dutchess of Bavaria and Empress Jane Countess of Juliers Philippine Queen of England and Elizabeth In his time Holland was much affâ—â—cted with plague and famine In the year 1328. Philip King of France gave a great overthrow to the Flemmings being assisted by the Forces of this Earl He reign'd thirty three years William the Twenty third This young Prince led an Army into Spain to assist that King against the Infidels and got much honour in that War Being come back into Holland he besieged Utrect and being ready to take and sack the Town he was prevail'd upon by the Gentry to give the Citizens their lives upon condition that five hundred of the best qualified should come bare-foot and bare-head and fall down upon their knees before him and crave his pardon for their faults After this he went against the Frizelanders where fighting too boldly he was kill'd near Staveron He left no Children by his Wife Jane of Brabant Margaret August Countess the Twenty fourth This Princess
Religion John Calvin likewise writ against the Church of Rome and his books met with as favourable a reception in Holland as Lutheâ—s did in Germany The Emperour endeavoured by strict Edicts to stop the course of this change and recommended to his Son Philip to do so likewise Philip the second King of Spain and Earl of Holland the Thirty fifth In the year 1556. Philip took in hand the reins of Government in the Low-Countreys and made Philibert Duke of Savoy a great and stout Prince his Lieutenant and Governour in all the Low-Countreys The truce that was between France and Spain being broken by reason of the succour which the French sent the Pope Queen Mary of England declar'd War likewise against the French at the instigation of her Husband King Philip. The Duke of Savoy comes into Picardy and defeats entirely the French Army upon St. Laurence day with so great a slaughter of Nobility and Gentry that it astonish'd the whole Kingdome Paris it self being forsaken by its inhabitants was in danger of being lost had the conquerour followed his victory But the Duke of Guise coming out of Italy soon recruited and set a new Army on foot took Caâ—ais in seven dayes time which had been so many hundred years in the power of the English Fortune continuing still averse to the French they received another overthrow in Flanders where the Earl of Egmont behav'd himself as nobly as he had done in the first battell of St. Laurence and was the cause of the winning of the day 'T is true that ten English men of War which happened by chance to be near the shore play'd with their great Guns upon the French Army and much disorder'd it After this Queen Mary of England dying left Philip a widower and he took to his second Wife Isabelle of France Philip before he embarqued for Spain being desirous to provide for the peace and tranquillity of the Low-Countreys made Margaret of Austria Dutchess of Parma and bastard Daughter to Charles the Emperour his Regent and Governess over all the Low-Countreys The Earl of Egmont was made Governour of Flanders and Artois the Duke Mansfield of Luxemburg the Earl William of Nassaw Prince of Orange was made Governour of Holland and Zeland CHAP. VII Containing the memorable Passages under the Government of Margaret of Parma KIng Philip having install'd and setled this Princess in the Government of the Low-Countreys left her at Brussels with an ample power and embarqued at Flushing for Spain After his departure that peace and tranquillity which he left things in lasted not long for what with the discontent of great ones who thought themselves neglected and the jealousies of the people who were afraid of being oppress'd by the Inquisition all men were ready and dispos'd for tumults Adde to this the non-performance of that promise which the King had made at his going away which was to recall all Spanish and forreign Forces out of the Low Countreys The first appearance of sedition was a Petition presented to the Princess by five hundred Gentlemen dress'd like beggars To content them the Spanish Forces were with-drawn and not long after Cardinal Granvell whom they much envied was recall'd But still in every place there was execution done upon those whom they call'd hereticks who by their constant sufferings so animated the people that at last they would no longer endure they should be put to death but rescued them out of the hands of the hang-men by force The King having notice of all order'd that the Councell of Trent should be publish'd in the Low-Countreys the execution of which caus'd more troubles and gave occasion to the Count Egmont to take a journey into Spain there he was very well receiv'd by the King soon dispatch'd and in his return home he brought with him Alexander Prince of Parma Son to the Princess Regent Prince Maurice of Nassaw was born in this year 1565. in which was fram'd the league or confederation of the Nobility which was followed by the revolt and rising of the meaner sort who broke down Images and Altars invaded Monasteries and Nunneries and at last attak'd Towns But their fury was stop'd by the Countrey people called Wallons who fell upon them and routed them The Confederates made a new Assembly at Leege and there the Regent sent to them the Prince of Orange and the Count Egmont to desire them to forbear all new designs They sent her another Petition which she defer'd to answer till the generall Assembly of the Knights of the Golden Fleâ—câ— should be holden In this very year the Prince of Orange the Count Egmond Count Lewis of Nassaw and Horne met at Dondermond to consider whether it were safe for them to let the King who did threaten to appear with an Army come peaceably in or oppose his passage by main force Upon this Consultation the Gentry and the Merchants joyn'd with them and all resolv'd to maintain by force that which they had obtain'd by Petition from the Princess The Prince of Orange his Brother and Hogestract met at Breda and writ to Fgmont to know whether he would joyn with them but he refus'd it In 1567. was struck the first stroke of War between Beauvor for the Princess and the Lord of Tholoze for the Confederates who were routed and their leader kill'd in the sight of the inhabitants of Antwerp who stood upon their Walls and looked on for a while till at last seeing their party worsted they ran to their Arms but were appâ—ased by the Prince of Orange The Princess taking heart at this propos'd a new Oath of Allegiance but it was first refus'd by Brederode and Horn and then by the Prince of Orange himself who forsook all his employments and charges and retir'd with his Brother into Germany Before he went he had a meeting with the Count Egmont and he told him in the presence of Count Mansfield I foresee said he that thou wilt be the Bridge over which the Spaniards will march into the Low-Countreys This departure of the Prince of Orange and his friends did for a time so â—â—artle most of the Towns that they began to ask pardon and submit The small Army which Brederode had gather'd together was routed and dispersed and he forced to fly with his Family into Friezeland This made Holland and Zeland receive Garrisons and drive away the Protestant Ministers insomuch that all was setled again and obedience restor'd to the Prince Hereupon the Princess writ to the King to come in person and by his presence heal up a wound which else might open afresh but Philip glad it may be of this occasion of diminishing the priviledges of his Low-Countrey Subjects sent the Duke of Alva with an Army to execute his commands The Princess soon perceiv'd that the severe proud nature of the Duke would undoe all that her milde temper had made up In effect as soon as he came he clap'd up the Earls of Horn and Egmont
to be understood of Privateers CHAP. XIX Of the particular Government of the Towns in Holland VVE have seen hitherto what is the Government of the whole Body of the United Provinces now we may descend to the particular Towns The Towns are govern'd by a Bailif a Senate or Councill by Bourgmasters or Consuls and by Aldermen There is but one Bailif in each Town who to say true has no power of himself to pronounce judgement but in criminal Causes he is as it were an Attourney-Generall and manages accusations against offenders in the name of the States This is done before the Aldermen who have power to examine the heads of the accusation and to pronounce sentence The Bailifs have no Sallary and all the profit of their places rises from the Fines that are lay'd upon the guilty The Senate and the greatest is that which is call'd Den breeden raâ—dâ— or De Vroedschap in most Towns as at Leyden it is compos'd of about fourty persons according to the number of the richest Citizens more or less The ancient Laws admit none to be of this Senate but such as are of the richer sort This Assembly seldome meets but upon the occasion of choosing new Magistrates as also when the States of the Province are to meet then the heads of the Deliberations are examin'd in this Senate before-hand They do also controle and correct their Bourgmasters and Aldermen if in the Assembly of the States they chance to go beyond their Commission And to the end they may do it without fear it has been ordain'd by our wise Ancestours that the charge of Senatour should be perpetuall that so they may not fear to be persecuted for what they shall do in the defence of the publick liberty The Bourgmasters and Aldermen are chosen from amongst these Senatours by the plurality of voices In some places there are four Bourgmasters and in some there are but two Their Office is to determine all that concerns the good order of the Town as also to inform themselves of all the fallings out of the Citizens and bring them either by themselves or others to an agreement which if they cannot compass then their duty is to cite them before the Aldermen They meet in a common Chamber and give audience to all Inhabitants without distinction In some places there are seven Aldermen in others nine They are the Judges of the Town who meet three or four set times a week and determine all civill Causes between the Inhabitants and judge all crimes propos'd by the Bailif For the first cognizance of the Cause belongs to the Judge of the place where he that is cited dwells Except they be priviledged Causes the Towns judge of no greater summe than five pounds and the Bourghs of thirty shillings though in very great Cities they may judge as far as thirty pound The appeal is first to the Court of the Province and then to the great Councill where there is a double number of Judges they that are cast are fin'd for having appeal'd without reason In the Court of the Province the Fine is three pound ten shillings in the great Councill of six pound and when the Process is re-viewed if the sentence be confirm'd the Fine is of twenty pound As for criminall Causes the Judges are absolute and there is no appeal from them neither in the Villages nor in the Towns except the Bailif require that the criminall should undergo a severer punishment and then the accused has liberty to defend himself There are two sort of Laws in Holland the first sort is the Customes Priviledges and Constitutions of the Countrey and former Princes and of the States The second is the Roman Law call'd the Civill Law Moreover that the course of justice be not retarded nor the Judges time taken up in petty businesses there are chosen by the Aldermen a certain number of the richer sort of Citizens who are call'd Commissaries of small Causes These take cognizance of all Causes that are not above five pound as also of all Actions for reparation of Honour and of the Differences between Masters and Servants and such like An Alderman presides ordinarily in this Assembly and is ordinarily a good Civilian There is also in the Senate or Town-House and in the Colledge of the Bourgmasters one who is call'd a Syndiâ— or Pensioner who ought to be eloquent and learn'd as being the Speaker of the whole Town or Corporation in their most important affairs CHAP. XX. Of the Tributes and Imposts of how many sorts they are and of the manner of levying them in Holland SInce as Tacitus sayes there is no War without pay nor no pay without tributes and that that is the particular case of the United Provinces who have been long in War to which they have all contributed their share it is fit to consider of the wayes they use to levy them There are two sorts of Tributes the ordinary and the extraordinary The ordinary which being once granted are alwayes continued the extraordinary which are levied but for some certain time and are then left off There are three sorts of extraordinary Tributes viz. the Tribute by Head or Pole-money the Chimney-money and the Land Taxes The Pole-money is so levied that the State has twenty pence for every Head they that are extream poor are freed from this Tribute To my remembrance this was never practis'd but once and then too there was great murmuring and many refus'd to pay The Chimney-money is that Tribute which is paid for every Chimney or Hearth which is twenty pence and in this the Hollanders have imitated the Spaniards in the Kingdome of Naples The third Tribute call'd a Land Taxe may be properly call'd the two hundredth penny for out of two hundred pound a year for example is paid one pound to the States So out of four hundred two pounds or fourty shillings To this may be objected that it is a very hard thing if not impossible for the perfect knowledge of the true value of mens Estates to be had It is answer'd that the Magistrate does take his measure from the publick voice and the generall report that any man has to have such and such revenues And because in this there is room for a mistake the Law gives any man leave to complain of the greatness of his Taxe and if he will take his Oath he is not worth so much as the world values his Estate at his Taxe shall be moderated As for the ordinary Tributes the chief are these following 1. The Tribute from Salt call'd in Dutch Sonte geldt it is levied after this manner The Magistrate of the Town visits each Family and reckons every head of it then they guess at the quantity of Salt that they may reasonably be thought to spend in one year and thereupon they exact from them a summe of money proportionable to the quantity of Salt they are to have And in some Towns they set a price upon the
another way to work and employed the Portuguesses whose interest was very strong with most of the Indian peoples and Princes they endeavoured by all means to make the Dutch so odious to those Nations that they should abstain from all Trade and Commerce with them representing them as Pirates and Rebels to their King But the States Generall being inform'd of this hard measure given them by the Portuguesses gave order to all their Subjects to assault and take all Ships that should any wayes strive to oppose their navigation to the Indies Thus they struggled pretty well with this great obstacle But the Merchants themselves being divided into different Companies and not acting all unanimously did spoil one anothers Trade for either they would all come to one Port of the Indies and so enhance the price of the Natives Commodity and debase their own or commit some other errour which made most of their Ships return with much less profit than might have been otherwise expected The States considering these inconveniencies resolv'd to make up one certain Company of all the different Adventurers that would come in and to grant to them alone the priviledge of trading to the Indies under certain Conditions This Order of the States being publish'd many out of hopes of gain others out of love to their Countrey put in different summes which all together made up six hundred thousand pound the first stock upon which this Company has built its prodigious Encrease All those that had conributed were call'd Partners in Dutch Participanten because they had part in all the profit and loss of the Company But all those that had contributed more than six hundred pound were call'd head-Partners hooft-Participanten and out of these alone were and are to this day chosen the Curators or Directors of the Company with a very large power All these head-Partners together have the priviledge of naming out of their own number the Curators and then in some places the States of the Province in others the Magistrates of Towns are to choose them out of those that are nam'd The Curators are bound to give an account of all incomes and expences once a year to the head-Partners They manage all the business of the Company and are continued in their employment all their life-time or at least for one and twenty years They hold their Assemblies in the most convenient places of each Province and their Assemblies are call'd Chambers In each of these Chambers there are a set number of Curators at Amsterdam there are twenty in Zeeland twelve upon the Meuse fourteen and fourteen in West-Friezeland Besides these ordinary Assemblies there are setled in each Province some extraordinary ones upon occasion to which the Chambers send their Deputies and all the Chambers of that Province are bound to stand to the Deliberations of this that is made up of them all This Chamber is setled at Amsterdam for Holland and at Middlebourg for Zeeland This extraordinary Assembly consists of seventeen Deputies call'd de Vergaderinge van Seventien Each Chamber knows the number of Deputies that it must send to this Assembly some more and some less proportionably still to the first money that they put in This is the form of Government that this Company lives under within the States Territories and amongst all its Constitutions this is the principall that the Curators shall employ with all care and speed the summes that shall be furnish'd to them for the setting out of a strong Fleet well arm'd to drive the Portuguesses and Spaniards out of those Forts and strong places which they hold and in buying those Manufactures and Wares which we exchange with the Indians giving a yearly account of their receits and expences that out of the product something may still be layed aside whereby to confirm and advance the Companies Trade and Settlement in those parts that the rest shall be equally distributed to all the sharers to every one according to the proportion of the money first put in by them And this Distribution is commonly call'd Uytdeâ—linge This noble establishment thus begun fail'd not of a very happy success for now all interests being united as well as strengths the work was carried on unanimously and by the exchange of some things of small value with us as Looking-Glasses Feathers Chrystall and Glass Rings Bracelets Babies and other such bables made at Nurembergue in Germany the Company receiv'd from the silly Indians Silk Stuffs Pearls all sorts of aromatick Druggs of great value and things of that nature To this adde the taking of divers strong places and Forts from the Portuguesses and Spaniards who at first little dreamed of being invaded so far off by those whom they thought they did put so much to it at home By these means in six years time viz. from the year 1602. to the year 1608. the Company came to see their capitall summe of six hundred thousand pound encreas'd to almost three millions of English money besides all the gain that had been distributed among the partners And besides their Conquests are such and their Dominions so enlarged in the Indies that they have under their power or protection divers great Kingdomes and Countreys besides many others who have granted to them alone exclusively to the Spaniards and Portuguesses the liberty of Trade amongst them Things being brought to this flourishing condition it was thought fit to lay the foundation of a new Common-wealth and for this purpose they chose a Town which they call'd Batavia which is so well fortified and encompass'd with a strong Wall of Bricks that it was able these late years to hold out before all the Forces of the great Emperour of Java who besieged it with an Army of two hundred thousand men It was order'd that the Governour General of the Indies for the Company should here reside and keep a Royal Court where he enjoyes the same power that the Governour General does in Holland he keeps a greater equipage and marches with more state than some Kings of Europe that he may the more be respected by his own Subjects and the barbarous Nations round about At first this dignity was for life but because it seem'd dangerous to let so much power reside in one man so long it was resolv'd to follow the Spaniards custom and limit the time of their Government to three years In this Town are likewise establish'd two Soveraign Courts in one whereof fits the Governour with his Associates to treat of the publick affairs of the Society as Peace War Alliances Trade c. the other is a Court of Justice where causes are tryed between particular men Besides this there are in all Provinces and Islands depending upon the Company two Soveraign Magistrates one of which commands the Militia which is quarter'd in different places to be in a readiness to keep the Natives down and the other has the care of all that concerns Trade and to the end that they may not behave themselves dishonestly there are
most Potent Prince Philip the fourth King of Spain c. on one side and the High and Mighty Lords the States Generall of the United Provinces of the Low-Countries on the other IN the Name of God Be it known to all that after the bloody Wars that have for so many years afflicted the people and Subjects of the obedience of the King of Spain and the States Generall they the said King and States being moved with Christian compassion and being desirous to put an end to all the calamities and deplorable consequences which the farther continuance of the Wars of the said Low-Countries might produce and to change them into the rest and tranquillity of a firm peace have to compass so good an end Deputed and Commissioned fit persons on both sides viz. on the side of the said Don Philip the fourth King of Spain Don Gaspar de Bracamonte Y de Guzman Count of Pigneranda Lord of Aldea seca de la Frontera Knight of the Order of Alcantara perpetuall Administrator of the Commandery of Damyel of the Order of Calatrava Gentleman of his Majesties Bed-Chamber of his privy Counsell and his Embassador Extraordinary towards his Imperiall Majesty as also first Plenipotentiary for his Majesty in the Treaty of the generall Peace Monsieur Aâ—tony Brnn Knight and Counsellor for his Majesty in his supream Counsell of State for the Low-Countries and his Plenipotentiary in the generall Peace On the sides of the States Generall Bartold de Gent Lord of Looven and Meynerswicke Senechal and Diikgrave of Bommel Fieler and Brommelerweerden deputed by the Nobility of Gueldres in the Assembly of the States Generall Jean de Mateness Lord of Mateness Riviere Opmeer Souteveen and Deputy in the ordinary Counsell of Holland and West-Frieze as also Deputy in the States Generall from the Nobles of the said Province Councellor and Heemrade of Shieland Adrian Paw Knight Lord of Heemsteed Hogersmilde and first President Counsellor and Master of the Accounts of Holland and West-Frieze as also Deputy in the Assembly of the States Generall by the said Provinces Jean de Knuâ—t Knight Lord of Old and New Vosmar representing the Nobility in the States in Counsell of Zeeland as in the Admiralty first Counsellor of his Highness the Prince of Orange Deputy in the Assembly of the States Gâ—dart de Râ—â—de Lord of Nederhorst Uredelant Cortchoâ—f Over-meer Horstwaert c. President in the Assembly of the Nobles of the Province of Utrect and by them Deputy in the Assembly of the States Generall Francis de Doma Lord of Hinnâ—ma Hiclsum Deputy in the Assembly of the States Generall by the Province of Frizeland William Riperda Lord of Hengeloo Boxbergen Boculoo and Sussenbergh Deputy by the Nobility of Overyssel in the Assembly of the States Generall All Extraordinary Embassadors in Germany and Plenipotentiaries of the said States for the Treaty of the generall Peace All being sufficiently impowr'd and assembled in the Town of Munster in Westphalia have by common consent and in vertue of their respective powers receiv'd from the said King and the Lords the States Generall Concluded and Agreed upon these following Articles 1. The said King does Declare and Acknowledge that the said Lords the States Generall of the United Provinces and their Provinces Countrey-Towns Lands and Appurtenances are free and Soveraign States Provinces and Countries upon which nor upon their Towns c. the said King neither doth nor shall henceforth or his Heirs and Successors pretend any thing And that in consequence of this his Declaration he is content to treat with the said States as he does by these and conclude a perpetuated peace with them upon the Conditions here following 2. To wit that the said peace shall be firm and inviolable and that all acts of hostility of what kinde soever shall cease both by Sea and by Land in all the Kingdomes and Countries of the obedience of the said King and the said States as also between all their Subjects of what quality soever they be without exception of places or persons 3. Each shall remain in peaceable possession and shall keep and enjoy all the Countrey-Towns Lands Places and Lordships that he now enjoyes and that without being any wayes molested directly or indirectly And in this is comprehended the Burroughs Villages and Countrey appertaining and belonging to that which each shall possess and by consequence all the Mayorship of Bosleduke as also all the Lordships Towns Castles Burroughs Villages and Champain thereunto belonging the Town and Marqueship of Bergues upon Zoom the Town and Barony of Breda the Town of Maestrict and the extent of its jurisdiction the County of Groonhoff the Town of Grave and the Countrey of Luychuist and the Bayliship of Hulst and Hulster-Ambact and Ambact as also the Forts which the said Lords the States do possess now in the Countrey of Waes and all other Towns and places which the said States do hold in Brabant Flanders or any where else shall remain in the power of the said States with all the Right of Soveraignty in the same manner as they hold the United Provinces but all the rest of the said Countrey of Waes except the said Forts shall remain unto the said King of Spain As concerning the three places on the other side the Meuse viz. Falquimont Dalem and Rodeleduc they shall remain in the condition they are now in and in case of dispute the business shall be decided in the Chambre mipartic to be mentioned in the following Articles 4. The Subjects and Inhabitants of the Countries of the said King and States shall live in good union and correspondency together without any resentment for past injuries and they shall have liberty to go and stay in the Territories of each other and to exercise their Trade and Commerce in all surety both by Sea and Land 5. The Navigation and Trade to the East and West-Indies shall be maintain'd in conformity to those Grants or Patents given or to give by the States for surety whereof shall serve this present Treaty and the ratification of it and under this Treaty shall be comprehended all Potentates Nations and Peoples with whom the said States or the East and West-India Companies in their name within the limits of their Patent are in amity or alliance And the said King and States shall respectively remain in possession of all those Lordships Towns Castles Fortresses Commerce and Trade in the East and West-Indies as also upon the Coasts of Brasil Asia Africa and America that the said King and States do now hold And in this Article are particularly comprized all those places and Forts that the Portugueses ever since 1641. have taken from the States as also are comprehended all those places that the said States shall hereafter take conquer and possess without infraction of the present Treaty And the Curators or Directors of the East and West-India Companies of the United Provinces as also the Officers Agents Souldiers Mariners being at prefenâ— at the
service of the said Companies oâ— having been formerly employed by them and all such as being now out of their service do live within the jurisdiction of the said Companies shall remain free and unmolested in all places under the obedience of the said King in Europe and may travell trade and frequent in all places as all other Inhabitants of the States Besides it has been Stipulated and Agreed that the Spaniards retain their Navigation to the East-Indies in such manner as it is now for this present time without the liberty of extending themselves any further As also the Inhabitants of these Provinces shall abstain from frequenting the places that the Castilians do possess in the East-Indies 6. And as for the West-Indies the Subjects and Inhabitants of the Kingdomes and Countries of the said King and States shall respectively abstain from Navigation and Trade in all the Harbours places Forts Castles possess'd by either to wit that the Subjects of the said King shall not navigate nor trade in those that belong to the States nor the Subjects of the States in those that belong to the said King And in the places of the States shall be comprehended all those that the Portugueses since 1641. have taken in Brasil upon the said States and all those that they now possess as long as they shall remain in the possession of the said States In all which there is nothing contrary to the precedent Article 7. And because a long space of time is necessary for the giving notice to those that are now abroad with Ships and Forces that they may defist from all acts of hostility it hath been Agreed that within the limits of the Patent granted or to be granted by continuation to the Company of the East-Indies of the United Provinces the peace shall begin no sooner than a year after the date of the present Treaty And as for the limits of the Patent granted heretofore by the States Generall or to be granted by continuation unto the Company of the West-Indies the peace shall not there begin till six moneths after the date of the present Treaty Provided still that if the notice of the said peace be arriv'd by publick Order of each side to the said limits before the said time be expir'd that then immediately all acts of hostility shall cease And that if after the term be expir'd there be yet committed some acts of hostility the dammages shall be repair'd without delay 8. The Subjects and Inhabitants of the Countries of the said King and States trafficking in one anothers Countrey shall not be forc'd to pay any greater Impositions or Customes than their own Subjects respectively so that thereby the Subjects of the said States shall be freed and exempted from the Imposition of 20. per cent or any other whatsoever which the said King did levy during the truce of 12. years or would hereafter raise directly or indirectly upon the Inhabitants of the said States or any wayes charge them further than his own proper Subjects 9. The said King and States shall not raise any Contributions or Imposts out of their limits respectively upon any Merchandize passing either by Land or Water 10. The Subjects of each shall respectively enjoy all freedome of Peages that they were in possession of before the beginning of the War 11. The Trade Commerce and Frequentation shalâ— not be hinder'd between the Subjects of the said King and States and if it should chance to be obstructed any wayes the obstacle shall immediately be taken away 12. And after the day of the conclusion and ratification of this peace the said King shall no longer enjoy upon the Rivers of Rhene and Mouse those Customes or Peages which before the War were under the jurisdiction of any of the United Provinces particularly the Peage of Zeeland which shall not be levied for his Majesty neither in the Town of Antwerp nor any where else upon condition that from that day forwards the States of Zeeland shall take upon them to pay the annuall Rents to those to whom the said Peage was morgaged before the year 1572. which also shall do the Proprietors of all other Peages if they be charg'd with annuall Rents 13. The white boyl'd Salt coming from the United Provinces into those of his Catholick Majesty shall be receiv'd and admitted without any higher Impost than upon Bay-Salt and likewise the Salt coming from his Majesties Countries shall be admitted in those of the States upon the same conditions 14. The Rivers of Scheld as also the Channels of Zas and Zwin and other entries into the Sea thereabouts shall be shut up by the States Generall on their side 15. The Ships and Goods coming in and going out of the Harbours of Flanders shall be taxed at the same rate as the Ships and Goods going upon the Scheld and the Channels nam'd in the above-written Article and it shall be agreed of the proportion between the parties hereafter 16. The Anseatick-Towns with all their Citizens and Inhabitants shall enjoy as to Navigation and Trade in Spain and all the Kingdomes and States thereof all the Priviledges and Immunities granted at present or that shall be hereafter given to the Subjects of the United Provinces And reciprocally all the Subjects of the said Provinces shall enjoy the same Rights Franchises Immunities Priviledges and Capitulations as well for the establishing of Consuls in the capitall Towns or Sea-Ports of Spain as for their Merchants Factors Masters of Ships Mariners or others and that in the same manner that the said Anseatick-Towns in generall or in particular have heretofore practis'd or obtain'd and shall hereafter obtain for the safety and advantage of Navigation and Trade of their Towns Merchants c. 17. Likewise the Inhabitants of the Countries of the said States shall have the same liberty in the said Kings Dominions that the Subjects of his Majesty of Great Britain do enjoy by the Articles in the last Treaty of peace made in secret with the High Constable of Castile 18. The said King shall as soon as possible assign a place for the honourable burying of the bodies of such of the States Subjects as shall die in his Dominions 19. The Subjects and Inhabitants of the said Kings Dominions coming into the Territories of the States shall as to the publick exercise of Religion comport themselves with all modesty without giving any scandall or proffering any blasphemy and the same shall be observ'd by the Subjects of the United Provinces 20. The Merchants Masters of Ships Pilots Mariners their Ships Goods and other things belonging to them shall not be arrested nor detain'd by vertue of any Order either generall or speciall nor for any cause of War or otherwise nor under the pretext of using them for the preservation of the Countrey Hereby nevertheless are not meant all seisings and arrests of Ships by the ordinary proceedings of justice by reason of Debts Obligations and Contracts of those whose Goods are seised who
the King of Spain and the States Generall there has happened some disputes about the true sence of the separate Article concluded the 4th of February 1648. in the said Town touching Navigation and Commerce the said King and States have thought fit for the more sincere and perfect observation of the said Treaty of peace to give a better explanation of their meaning to which end the said King has on his side Deputed and Commission'd Messire Antony Prun Counsellor in his High Councill of State for the Low-Countries near his person and his Plenipotentiary at the Treaty of Munster as his Ordinary Embassador to the said States who on their side have likewise Commissioned these following Rugzer Huygens Knight Banninck Cock Knight Lord of Purmerlant and Apendam Bourgemaster and Counsellor of the Town of Amsterdam Cornelius Ripera Bourgemaster Regent of the Town of Horne James Vâ—th Counsellor and Pensioner of the Town of Middlebourg in Zeeland Giisbert de Hoolk old Bourgemaster of the Town of Utrect Joachim Andree first ancient Counsellor in the Provinciall Court of Friâ—zeland John de la Beech of Dorvick and Crystenburgh Bourgemaster of the Town of Deventer Adrian Dant a Stedum Lord of Nittersum all Deputies of the body of their Assembly The said Embassador and Deputies having held many Assemblies and Conferences have at last in the name of the said King and States agreed upon and concluded this present Treaty all its Articles and Conditions 1. The Subjects and Inhabitants of the United Provinces may with safety and liberty trade with all those Kingdoms States and Countries that are or shall be in peace amity or neutrality with the said States of the United Provinces 2. And they may not be molested or troubled in this freedom by the Ships or Subjects of the King of Spain by reason of the hostilities that are or may be hereafter between the said King and the said Kingdomes States c. that are in peace c. with the said States 3. This shall extend it self as to France for all sorts of Commodities that were used to be transported before the said Kingdome was in War with Spain 4. Yet shall not the Subjects of the United Provinces furnish France with such Merchandizes as come from the States of the said King of Spain and may serve the French against him and his States 5. And as for other Kingdomes States c. that may be in War with the said King of Spain and are in neutrality or friendship with the States their Subjects shall not carry to those Kingdomes c. any forbidden Goods or Merchandizes of Counterband which to hinder the said States shall forbid it by express prohibitions 6. Besides to prevent the dispute that might arise concerning the Merchandizes that are of Counterband and those that are not it is agreed that under that name and quality are understood these following all fire-Arms and things belonging to them as Canons Musquets Mortar-Peeces Petards Bombes Grenadoes Cereles Squibs Carriages Forks Powder Match Salt-Peter Bullets All other Arms likewise offensive and defensive as Pikes Swords Casques Helmets Back and Breast-pieces Halberds Pertuiscens and other such Besides under the same name are understood the transport of Souldiers Horses Harness Metall Pistols Belts and all other Implements of War 7. Further to avoid all dispute it is agreed that under that name of forbidden Merchandize are not comprehended Wheat and all sorts of Grains Salt Oyl Wine nor in generall any thing that is nourishment and sustentation to mens bodies which shall be free as all other Goods and Merchandizes not specified in the fore-going Articles and may be carried to all Towns except to such as are besieged and blocked up 8. And the better to hinder that the said forbidden Merchandizes do not pass into the hands of the enemies of the said King and that under pretext of hindring the said transportation the safety and liberty of Trade and Navigation be not hindred it is agreed that the Ships belonging to the Subjects of the United Provinces being entred in any Port of the said Kings Dominions and being from thence bound for the Ports of his enemies shall be obliged only to produce and shew to the Officers of the said King their Pasports containing the particulars of their lading seal'd and sign'd by the Officers of the Admiralty of such places as they come from with declaration of the places they are bound for the whole in ordinary form after which they shall not be molested searched nor detained under any pretext whatsoever 9. Likewise the Ships of the States Subjects being at Sea or coming into some Bay without entring the Harbour or coming in without unlading shall not be bound to give an account of their lading except they be suspected to carry Merchandizes of Counterband 10. And in case of a violent suspition they shall only be forced to shew their Pasports as has been said 11. If they are met at Sea or near the Shore by any Ships or Privateers of the said King then to avoid disorder and plunder the said men to War may send their Boat with two or three men in it aboard the Ship of the States to which men shall be shewed by the Master the Pasport above-mentioned with a particular Letter shewing the quality and place of residence of the owner of the Ship and Master in the said United Provinces and to these shall be given credit without further enquiry but that there be no counterfeit Letters the said King and States shall agree of particular marks not easily to be imitated 12. And in case there should be found in the Ships belonging to the States Subjects by the foresaid means some of those Merchandizes call'd of Counterband they shall be seized upon and confiscated before the Judges of the Admiralty or other competent ones but the said Ship and the rest of the lading shall no wayes be detained or seized upon 13. It has been agreed besides that all Goods whatsoever that the Subjects of the States shall lade in the bottoms of the said Kings enemies shall be confiscated without reserve or exception 14. But also all that shall be found in the bottoms of the Subjects of the said States though part or all of it do belong to the enemies of the said King yet it shall all be free and not seized upon except they be Merchandizes of Counterband 15. The Subjects of the said King shall enjoy all the same liberties in Trade and Navigation as is by this Treaty accorded to the Subjects of the United Provinces with the same equality and though some Kingdomes or States should have friendship or neutrality with the said King though they were enemies of the States yet shall his Subjects enjoy all the benefit granted in the like case to the Subjects of the United Provinces 16. This present Treaty shall be as an explanation to the particular Article concluded at Munster the 4th day of February 1648. 17. This present Treaty shall have