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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A07033	A pithie, and most earnest exhortation, concerning the estate of Christiandome together with the meanes to preserue and defend the same; dedicated to al christian kings princes and potentates, with all other the estates of Christiandome: by a Germaine gentleman, a louer of his countrey.; Ad potentissimos ac serenissimos reges commonefactio. English	Marnix van St. Aldegonde, Philips van, 1538-1598.	1583 (1583)	STC 17450.7; ESTC S107814	25,937	82

to make any further demōstratiō or repeticiō Vndoutedly any man that wold open the eyes of his vnderstanding narrowly consider of these counsailes demenures might plainly perceiue that al these drifts tended not to the subduing of the lowe countries who refused no kind of obedience but rather to the laying of a firme foundatiō of the spanish monarchy that they leuel at And indeed the Duke of Alua immediatly vpon his ariual in the low cuntries determined to set vpon the City of Coulogne vnder pretence that she had admitted into the nūber of Burgeses the king of Spayns pretended rebels at the same time sought also to bring into his subiectiō the city of Mūster in Westphaly both which interprises had at one time takē place had not the prince of Orenge who thē had leuied a strong power in Germany interrupted his whol deuises vtterly subuerted the course of his counsel practises which notwithstāding he did not neuertheles forbeare to prescribe cōmand lawes to the inhabittants of Coulogne or with great threts to moue the magistrats to his obedience At the same time also he firste delt with the bishop of Treuers who promised al helpe and fauour in the aduancement of the Kings affairs to the great preiudice of the Palatin elector of hapy memory after grew to debate with him for the chiefe town of his countrie which he affirmed to be vnder the King his maisters protection He also limited to the Duke of Cleue suche counsailours as should no otherwise gouerne his Countrey then as if it had wholy ben vnder the absolute commaunde of the king of Spayne he sought to binde the Earle of Embden vnto him as his vassall vnder colour of protection and safgard He commaunded the inhabitantes of Liege to furnish him of weapons furniture victuals To be brief he exccuted vpon al borderers all absolute authority commandement power And as for the princes that were farther off first he quarrelled with the most high and noble Queene of England vnder colour pretence of entercourse and emprisoned such English merchants as vsually trafiqued in the said prouinces he commaunded her to banish whō he lift whiles himselfe not onely harboured and friendly entreated in the low countries sundry lewd persons which had beene attainted of treason against their soueraigne but also enriched them with giftes and yearly pentions By sundry deuises and driftes did they solicite the Queene of Scots being then prisoner to worke some new trecherous deuise they loded with honor and rewardes the murderers of the regent of Scotland vsing both thē their counsailes and endeuours in sundry their affaires And what not they found means by the Popes bul to pronoūce the Queene of England an heretique and vnlawful inheritour They raysed troubles against her in the hart of her Realme They put her in daunger of her life They did by publication habandon her Realme to the first that woulde or could surprise or seaze vppon it and expressely charged Don Iohn of Auctrich perticularly immediately vpon the quieting of the lowe countries to leauy mortall warre against her to marrye the Queene of Scottes and with her to appropriate to him selfe the Realmes of Englande Scotlande and Irelande These thinges when they coulde not compasse to their mindes by reason of the warres reuiued amonge the Estates of the lowe Countries they sought to bring to passe thorough Irelande whether they transported in outwarde shewe in the Popes name but in trueth by the commaundemente motion and will of the King of Spaine a number of Italians and Spaniardes that they passing through that I le which they hoped to finde wholy at their deuotion into the realme of England might the more commodiously subdue and bring it vnder their power and authoritie And had not the King at the Duke of Aluaes perswasion who wondred at the difficulties and lettes that happened in this enterprise thought it best to referre this matter to a more conuenient time the waight of all this warre had longe since bene transported into Englande in hope that that beeing first gotten the Spaniard thereby being at quiet on that side of the Sea might haue a more readye way to subdue all the whole lowe countries And as for Fraunce whiche by reason of the Kinges noneage was troubled with domesticall dissention they omitted no manner of inuentions or pollicies but emploied their whole industry care and study to wrappe and entangle it more and more in ciuill warres to the end that when the same so florishing and mighty a Realme were with her own weapons almoste subuerted and destroyed they might as their leasure with more opportunitye and as conueniēt time serued with the lesse a do subdue it neither neede I here much to stande vppon those meanes whiche they haue vsed to heape more coales vpon these ciuil flames what helpes they haue ministered to the nourishing of these discordes with what affection they haue trauailed in it what actions among parties clokinges leagues and conspiracies they haue inuented wherwith to maintein and vpholde this miserable kindling For the most Christian king doth euidently wel know that diuers times they haue procured his subiects to rebel and sought means again to bring them to take armes yea and least any man should thinke they did it for zeale to their Catholique religion they haue with promises of greate summes of ready monie sought to seduce the heartes of the Princes defenders of the reformed religion neither is he ignorant how often he hath ben informed that sundry times they haue endeuoured to corrupt seduce and winne from their sworne allegiaunce the particuler gouernours of townes fortresses and hauens on the sea costes how they haue with great diligence laboured euen the King of Nauai promising him great summes of money in case he would break the peace last concluded yea howe they haue proceeded euen to his highnes perswading him to take armes to the subuersion of the King his brother and the desolation of his whole kingdome whome when they perceyued nothing prone to serue their mischieuous tournes they haue sought to make away with poyson and sworde hauing to that ende hired expresse murderers who since haue by law ben executed I wil not here speake what number of pentioners the King of Spaine hath bounde to his deuotion not onely in the priuie councel of the King of France but also of all other Christian Kinges Princes and potentates through whom he doth at his pleasure trouble the estates of some procure the rising of others subiects ouerthrow and supplant whatsoeuer counsails are holden against him and to be briefe make them determine and like of all that he thinketh commodious to himself This is manifestly and well knowen to all Kinges and Princes to whose detriment these thinges are put in practise none dare the while speak any worde of al these matters or once open his lips against them so greatly are all mens mindes ouertaken with feare and astonied at

A pithie And most earnest exhortation concerning the estate of Christiandome together with the meanes to preserue and defend the same DEDICATED To al christian Kings Princes and Potentates with all other the estates of Christiandome By a Germaine Gentleman a louer of his Countrey Printed at Antwerpe ANNO D. 1583. To all Christian Kinges Princes and Potentates with all other the estates of Christendome IF we would in the ballance of vnderstanding weye and ponder what soeuer the councels actions which we conceaue in other mens affaires and busines we should no dout builde the whole estate of our life vpon a more assured foundation with al eschue an infinite number of calamities aswell publique as perticuler which now we do incurre For the examples of other mens perils and losses being the moste faithfull teachers and expert guids of this present life would make vs more warie and stand vs in stead of a rule whereby to direct al our enterprises determinations the cōduct of al our affairs This kind of wisedome haue the moste circumspect in all ages accounted to be not onely of the greatest profite but also most milde and tollerable and which doth yeelde greatest contentation to the practitioners of the same Howbeit it happeneth for the most part that in the gouernm̄et directiō of our affaires we be so altered either with hope or feare or some other humane frailty or infirmity that we can not cōprehend or forsee the mischief which euē at hand hangeth ouer our heads vntil it hath vtterly snared and caught vs through some sudden vnloked for fall ruine and so we doe fully suffer the punishment due to our dulnes negligence Whereby notwithstanding we do many times wisely enter into the consideration of other mens affairs yet in case our selues be to eschue the like perilles it falleth ordinarily out that either in pondring the waightines of the matter either amazed with doubt of the vncertain euent therof either waiting that others first set to their handes either hoping time enough to be able to prouide therfore we do so prolōg our busines that the cōmodity occasiō escaping vs al this goodly wisdome and wary forecast that we had conceiued in the consideration of the exāples of other mens mischāces vanisheth into smoke so sodēly wereth away that wecānot thereof reape any fruit or commodity Hitherto was there neuer prouince Towne or valeant vertuous citizen but did account their safety libertye cōmon quiet to depend vpō the moderat peaceable gouernmēt of their mightiest borderers as also that nothing went so nere thē or was of such importance as their neighbors to establish their estate in iustice or moderat affection in peaceable cōteining thē selues within their owne bounds limits as it were within certaine strong bulwarks barriers And assuredly as ambitiō is euer to be feared suspected in all maner of persōs so is it most dangerous in those who being alredy of great power strength cannot neuerthelesse bridle their couetous assections how large soeuer the extent of their boundes limites be For sith it is vnpossible that any innouations or alterations in kingdomes and common wealths can hapen without peruerting molesting or general confounding of al things it must necessarily folow that not only the bordering prouinces but also those countries which lie farther off being tossed turmoiled with the waues billowes of such their neighbours ambition shal finally bee entangled and swallowed vp in the gulfe of so horrible calamitie For as the waues of the Ocean Sea being tossed with some mighty storm so swelling out of their banks ordinary limittes may at the first with smal labor be restrained through some strong wall speedily erected by the diligence of al the neighbours borderers each helping other in so great peril opposed against thē but hauing once pierced made breach in a bank or two therby dispearsing thēselues slowing ouer the whole champion country without restreint cānot after ward either by power or policie be reduced or stopped from breeding and working inestimable ineuitable calamity among both men cattell inhabiting the saide Countrye but also oftentimes against whole towns countries and Kingdoms lying further off Euen so likewise ambitious Princes endeuouring to enlarge their owne boundes and limits although with other mens losses may easily in the beginning of their enterprises bee repressed and by a common consent and correspondence of their neighboures generallye opposinge themselues against their attempts be so restreined within their own bounds and limittes that hardlye they shall put any to losse or other notable inconuenience but hauing once passed their armies into other mens prouinces and beeing allured by the sweetenesse of taking some strong holde or place of importance and so conceiuing some hope of further extending the boundes of their empire and especially knowing their name to bee growne terrible amongst their neighboures there is then no meanes power or force how great so euer either any other let that can stop the forcible course of their madde affection and franticke ambition coueting to rule and command ouer others This matter whosoeuer among the wisest haue heretofore considered as all those haue done which thought it necessarye to vse discreet moderation in the conduct of their affaires haue euer holden this for a principle namely that it is the duety of euerye good countriman especially of Kings princes and gouernours not onely diligently and in time to see that the affayres of their Countryes people and prouinces be in good estate and quietly and peaceably ordered but also to preuent such Princes and neighboures as are prouoked by ambition and allured with desire of rule from transporting any power vnder whatsoeuer colour and pretence into other mens dominions also from all ambitious enlargeing of their own bounds limits Vpon this grounde did the Romans seeking euen in the beginning to suppresse the power of the Carthagenians and to set Spayne free from the Africane bondage thinke it necessary to aide the Mamertynes whom they had besieged For this cause when Antiochus the noble vnder title of the protectorship of his nephew sought to seaze vppon Aegypt the said Romans commaunded him to desist content himself with the possession of his predecessors ancient dominions and that generally they neuer suffred any prince or common wealth whatsoeuer to rise into too great power Hereupon also the Venetians both now and aforetime obtayned the name of wisdome singuler forecast For as they were neuer easily induced to new warres so haue they alwais neuerthelesse in such manner tempered their determinations and counsailes that if any neighbour either prince or common wealth through immoderat desire of gouernment areared warre agaynst his borderers their armies were still in readinesse as a helpe and safegard to the weaker party to the end that thus restraining the forces of the Italian Princes common-wealths in equall balance they might

ouercome with the necessity of his own affaires seemed to find it somwhat reasonable so suffered the reuoking of the said bandes out of the countries to the end with them to keepe and defende the passages of Italy Spaine togither with his houlds in Affrica against the ordinary incursions of the ●urkes and Moores being neuerthelesse fully resolued as himselfe could not but cōfesse which also the Spaniaras in their writings haue testified vpon the first commodity to returne the saide garrisons who with armes open force should blot out the iniury supposed to be wrought againste the Spanith name and with a more stricte bonde should bridle and restraine the ouer great liberty and authority of al these prouinces For the compassing thereof there fel out nothing more fitte and apparant then the Kinges constant and perpetual desire care and zeale earnestly strictly to establish the Romish religion in the lowe Countries which caused him in all his letters written out of Spaine ordinarily to accuse the Duchesse of Parma and the chiefe Lords and Magistrates of the country that they were not earnest enough in these causes saying that he well perceaued that vnlesse they vsed more violent remedies then afore tyme the Romish religion woulde soone be extinguished throughout Flounders which for his part he woulde neuer permit but rather to hazarde whatsoeuer lands and kingdoms he yet possessed Wherefore that he willed and ordeyned that the rigour of the edicts and placards of religiō shuld be executed without dissimulation and that they should not vpon any whatsoeuer occasion be moderated qualified or in anye wise mitigated but rather that their strictnes shoulde be augmented and increased to that end that they shuld create new Bishops whom they should make inquisitours for matters of Faith that Granuel Archbishop of Mali●es a little before become a cardinal who by reason of his intollerable ambition and inordinate desire of gouernment had incurred the malice of al estates should be made head and president of that colledge that to the end the sayd bishops might more diligently attend to the said inquisitiō some of the spoiles of diuers Abots other Prelates of the countrey whom they accused to be to negligēt in persecuting punishing of the heretiks shuld be distributed among them with al that the hearing of all causes if neuer so smallye they pertained to matter of religion should be reserued to them whervpon euen at one time by one means al sorts of people of the said cuntries were greuously offended The princes great Lords could not patiently suffer the administratiō of the affaires to be taken from them cōmitted to one Granuel a new mā a stranger The nobility coulde not like that authority ouer their liues goods shuld to the preiudice of their country customes be cōmitted to vnknown beggerly base persons who coueting their goods tresurs might easely find means to accuse betraye them The magistrates rulers of cities and towns did murmure that the iudgments priuiledges of the cuntry cōtrary to the kings oth so solēnly sworn shold be taken frō them put into the hands of rascals such as besids were by oth bound to a forraine prince the pope of Rome and had already giuen out sufficient testimony proofe of their cruelty couetousnes To be briefe the whole cominalty generally complained that in stead of sheepheards they were committed to the custody of rauening wolues cōtinually gaping after their goods so that sundry merchants determined to seek new habitations in forrain countries which diuers of thē did indeed al these things being rehearsed to the king in sundri suplications peticions messages ambassages the states instātly requiring that by such innouatiōs so faithfula people to their princes might not be forced any whit to deminish their accustomed obediēce so far was he frō giuing audiēce or harkning to their peticions that contrariwise obstinatly refusing all their demands he would that euē the decrees of the counsel of Trident whereby in maner al the lawes customes of the cuntry were infringed should be published throughout the said prouinces And in deede by that meanes hee foūd the cōmodity of the time so lōg looked for For in case his preceptes tooke place the aucthority of the inquisitours once established and the lawes and customes of the countrey infringed it would be no hard matter to put to death all such as had either aucthority or countenaunce among the people and so also the Spanishe garrisons together with a new forme of regiment might easely be brought in but contrarywise if herein they refused to obeye his decrees as there was no other likelihood considering how al sortes of people were by these demaundes oppressed then necessarily must insue both tumultes and disorder for the pacifiyng whereof the Spanish garrizons must needes be returned and so how so euer the world went the obstinate reiecting of the Kinges commaundement should as a matter of Treason minister cause sufficient to chastize the people with fire and swoorde Neither was he deceiued in the euent of this counsaile For some of the chiefe Nobility hauing exhibited a certaine request into the Court wherein was prooued that the kinges commaundement concerning Placards was not onely pernicious to the common wealth but also daungerous to them selues requiring therefore that the publication of the sayd Placards might cease vntill the king were informed of their demāds by suche notable persons as to that end should expresly trauail to his maiestie the people thereby conceiuing hope of greater liberty tooke vppon them and peraduenture somewhat more then was requisite openlye to professe the reformed religion which the king and Spaniards did so greatly detest and abhor This so honest and aparant occasion ministred vnto the king means first to condemne such of the nobility of treazon as had exhibited the sayde request and so to execute the ambassadours which by the gouernesse cōmandement went vnto him then vnder the conduct of the Duke of Alua to send the old spanish bandes into the low countries to the end vnder pretence of religion to put to death al such of the chiefe lords nobles of the country as coulde not brook their demeanures to establishe paines of death against al good men to entangle the people with charges impostes grieuous bondage to erect fortresse castles in their towns and finally to depriue the estates and magistrats of al aucthority the nobility of al dignity preeminence the people of their substāce welth the towns of their lawes customes priuiledges freedoms and finally all the prouinces generally of their auncient honor dignity power so to open a way to the counsell so long before taken for the establishing of the seate of their premeditated wars in the low countries Al which things the world knoweth so wel as also how the Duke of Alua hath endeuored to bring thē to effect that I shal not here neede

seeking dominion ouer the mighty ecclesiasticall state of our nation nominateth a Primate in Germany at his deuotiō and to supply all these roomes presenteth vnto you one only persō one onely man and him such a one as is very neare vnto him in bloud affinitie and confederacie and bound vnto him by the law of protection also for a number of benefites receiued at his hand wholly subiect to his ordinaunces Yea such a one as he is assured will not speake doe or attempt any thing without his will and commandement And finally that man who he knoweth will through infinite controuersies that he hath with many of the Germain princes kindle such a fire of diuision and discorde throughout the whole Empyre as can neuer be quenched but by the vtter subuersion of all Germany For who knoweth not that great and old quarrel that is betweene him and the noble Dukes of the house of Brunswik for the title of a thousand and one villages that he requireth of them Which vndoutedlye he will not forget ne suffer so to sleepe Or who is ignorant of the enuious emulation that is between this family of Bauier and the County Palatins for the preeminence of the electorate of the Empire Or how they do complaine that it was taken from their name stocke and family Which quarrell if this bishop when hee is through your silence and at the king of Spaines pursuite growne to such aucthority doth renewe as vndoubtedly he will how many wofull tragedies wil it breed in Germany what a gap will it open to the spanish tiranny and our bondage and finally what ouerthrowe sorowes and desolation wil it bring vpon our miserable folish vnaduised country yet most noble princes excellent estates of the empire you do not onely beare with these thinges say nothing but also taking your sound rest and careles of all you are become idle gazers as it were for plesure vpon the ouerthrow calamities of your next neigbours yea notwithstanding this so daungerous a fier hath burned their houses almost to the groūd be kindled at your gats is euen come so neere as to scortch your very beds yet do you not thinke the matter to touch your selues either that it is time for you to withstād the practises of so ambitious and haughty a Prince And what is to be sayde to all other kinges princes and estates of Christendom Euen that the like sloth and slugishnes detaineth them euery one For while the onely low countries do oppose them selues againste the king of Spaines tiranny and doe giue al other kings princes and christian common wealthes time leasure and oportunity to turne away this bondage by their example do shew how easie a matter it is not only to shake but also euen vtterly to vndermine subuert these foundations of tiranny there is none of thē al that wil once seeme to mislike of a matter of so great importance But as if purposedly each one endeuored to augment increase the spanierds power to their own destruction sitting with their armes a crosse or leaning on their elbowes they doe permit suffer the low countries already wasted and consumed with the force long continuance of this war in such wise to quaile deminish that being at their wits ende they knowe not what counsayle to take either what other course they may best followe The King of Fraunce beeing daunted with his brother the Duke of Anieowes rashe and vnaduised attemptes gazeth vpon the fier which kindleth farre and neere among his neighbours thinking him selfe peraduenture of force sufficient to keep and defend both him and his estate The Duke of Anieow not knowing what to doe can neither determine nor perceiue what is good for him selfe Others likewise wondering at the Realme of Portingale which the the Spaniard hath newly conquered do sit still as not resolued what counsell to take The Spaniard in the meane time ouer aweth all the low country with his whole power and finding none to withstand him layeth firme assured foundations of his so long coueted Monarchy So that through the onely terror of his name strength and power his fame is blown al ouer euen into the vttermost partes of the East and West and so in effect he apporpriateth to himself only the name of Vniuersall which aforetime the Byshopps of Rome haue entituled him withal Which prediction doeth in trueth most noble Kings princes and Christian Magistrates threaten vnto you a miserable bondage and throgh your negligence promiseth vnto him a Catholike power that is to say an vniuersall dominion and tyrannie ouer all nations and prouinces vnlesse in time your selues doe seeke some remedie King Phillip of Macedon was iustly suspected of the Greciās because that subduing certaine people of Thracia their neighbours they feared that he pryed into the liberties of the rest of all their countries and therefore the Athenians doubting lest the fire of ambition that consumed his bowels would brast out and not onely kindle in Grecia but euen consume all Asia thought it requisit with the common power and strength of Greece to suppresse and breake his might neither was their suspition in vaine as the euent shewed for notwithstāding king Philip being preuēted by death could not compasse and bring to effect the imaginations of his minde yet did he leaue to his sonne Alexander suche a choice number of souldiours warriers that the young man being ambitious did through their force and valiancy subdue not onely all Greece but also Asia Siria Babilon Persia and Aegypt and hauing scoured all ouer euen to the ends of India and Scithia did in a small time erect and establish the third and chief monarchie of the worlde after the Persians All which notwithstanding we do not yet feare the ambitious power of the King of Spaine neither thinke it necessary to suppres his vnreasonable forces who not in one place onely but in many and diuers hath his whole armies of olde bandes and practised souldiers whom he still doth mainteine in ordinary garrisons hath ready at all assaies aboue 30000. men of war who hath extēded the limits of his Empire into Affrica Asia Europe and America euen to the East and West Indies who by Sea hath ouerthrown the poer of the Ottomans who hath ioyned to his kingdom al Portingale with innumerable other Ilandes and moste florishing kingdomes who ruleth Italy which was wont to command ouer all the world as it please him who is Lord of sundry portes and hauens in Affrica who euery where possesseth the Ocean Sea who hath in his power the chiefest Ilandes and hauens of the mediterranean sea to be briefe who through the only terrour of his name decreeth commandeth and effectually fulfilleth what he list among all Princes and Christian nations Howbeit if any man weene that cō tenting him self with so large an Empire he will not hereafter attēpt any thing but what equity law shal permit vndoutedly