be committed to prison and put some of them to death MARGVERITE OF AVSTRIA DVTches of Parma bastard daughter to the Emperor Charles the fifth Gouernesse of the Netherlands for king Philip. MARGARITA AVSTRIA DVCISSA PARMAE BELGâ—… DITâ—… P. HISPA REGâ—… NOMINA GVEER Who ere he be that sees this picture in this booke Vpon the bastard daughter of th'Emperour Charles doth looke That first was macht with one of th' house of Medicis And afterward espoused in the stocke of Farnesis And had a sonne that was a man of worthinesse This bastard wholly gaue her mind to craft and subtilnesse And with dissembling face did vaile her bad and foule intent For while in Netherlands she had the gouernment The gentlemen thereof she knew how to deceaue And many men of good account in troubles great did leaue But ere she saw the effect of her disloyaltie Another had her gouernment and did the place supply MARGVERITE of Austria bastard daughter to the Emperour Charles the fifth was first married to Alexander Medicis the first duke of Florence who was slaine by his owne cousin then she married againe to Octauio Farnese duke of Parma and Placence Anthonie Perrenot Cardinall of Granuelle before bishop of Arras caused her to be preferred to the gouernment of the Netherlands before all the princes of Austria sonnes to the Emperour Ferdinand and the dutchesse of Lorraine neece to the Emperour Charles daughter to Christierne the second king of Denmarke and to the lady Isabella sister to these two Emperours and so cousin germane to king Philip The which the said Cardinall a great counsellor and mignion had laboured to the end that this lady Marguerite comming out of Italie new and vnacquainted with the affaires and state of the Netherlands might be wholly directed and gouerned by his counsell and he by consequence haue the whole managing of the said countries the which he obtained as you may see by the progresse of our Hystorie The which caused a great iealousie against him and by his practise bred a diuision betwixt the noblemen the knights of the Order and other of the counsell of state of the said countries who diuided themselues into partialities and factions one against the other the one to supplant and the other to maintaine the credit and authoritie of this Cardinall King Philip hauing now made peace with the king of France determined to go into Spain there to aid the Inquisition being certified that certaine noblemen there were great fauorers of the reformed Religion and also from thence the better to further the generall counsell which two causes had chiefely moued him to hearken vnto a peace And therefore he caused all the states of the Netherlands to bee summoned to appeare in Gaunt there to declare his mind vnto them and to take his leaue much recommending his sister vnto them and vnder her according to the auncient custome he appointed a counsell of estate for matters of great importance as making of peace or beginning of warre intelligences with forraine princes and countries and the defence of the Netherlands and a priuie counsell for making of laws giuing of pardons ministring of iustice and other publicke causes and a third counsell for the Treasurie and the gouernment of the kings demaines and all receits of moneyes and incomes of reuenewes belonging thereunto those three seuerall counsels hauing seuerall assemblies so that one had not to doe with the other they of the counsell of estate were Anthonie Perrenot bishop of Arras who not long after was made Cardinall of Granuelle William van Nassau prince of Orange Lamorale Degmont prince of Gauare and earle of Egmont Philip de Staden baron of Glayon Charles baron de Barlamont chiefe of the Treasurie and doctor Vigilius president of the priuie counsell After that Philip de Montmorency earle of Horne admirall and Charles de Croye duke of Arschot were ioyned with them He appointed further That the knights of the order of the golden fleece being called thereunto by the lady regent should also be admitted to sit with them and those also of the priuie counsell and of the treasurie He likewise gaue them secret instruction whereby they had authority to sit in counsell make enquiries and heare causes but should not resolue vpon any thing without the aduice of the Cardinall the prince of Orange the earle of Egmont the baron of Barlamont and the president Vigilius The priuie counsell consisted of twelue more or lesse doctors of the lawes and each counsell had their secretarie He ordained a gouernour in euery prouince that were knights of the order of the golden fleece as in Brabant the regent had the chiefe charge as generall gouernor being resident there the prince of Orange was gouernour of Holland Zeeland and Vtrecht and after that also of the earledome of Burgundie the earle of Egmont was gouernor of Flanders and Artois Iohn de Ligni caâ—…le of Arenbergh was gouernor of Friseland Ouerissel Groning and Lingen Charles de Bunen earle of Megen was gouernor of Guelderland and Zutphen Peter Darust earle of Mansfield was gouernour of Lutsenburg Iohn marques of Berghen was gouernour of Henault Valencia and the castle of Camericke The baron de Barlamont was gouernor of Namure Iohn de Montmorency lord of Currieres was gouernor of Rissel Doway and Orchiers and Florence de Montmorency brother to the earle of Horne was gouernor of Dornicke and Tournesis These were all the principall lords of the Netherlands and had authority ouer the souldiers and execution of iustice He also appointed the ordering and gouernment of the bands of ordinarie horsemen vnto those lords that were three thousand horse wel mounted and esteemed to be the best brauest horsemen in Christendome and were entertained and held in pay both in time of peace and warre the colonels were the prince of Orange the duke of Arschot the earle of Egmont the marques of Berghen the earle of Horne the earle of Mansfield the earle of Megen the earle of Rieulx the earle of Bossu the earle of Hooghestrate the baron de Brederode the baron de Montigni and the baron de Barlamont each colonel hauing his lieutenant his treasurer And at the same time the king held the order of the golden fleece in Gaunt where amongst others he inuested certaine lords of the Netherlands therewith as the baron of Assicourt the lord Florents of Montigny the marques of Renti and the earle of Hooghestrate of the house of Lalain The states of the land hauing behaued themselues so well towards their prince wherby he had attained to so honourable a peace and the gentlemen in his seruice hauing ventured both their liues and goods the commons likewise willingly paying their nine yeares contribution deliuered an earnest petition vnto the king to desire his Maiesty to send the Spanish other forraine souldiers out of the Netherlands ouer the which souldiers the prince of Orange the earle of Egmont and the Earle of Horne were colonels
authoritie from the king not tied nor limitted to any instructions but inuested with liberty fully and freely to giue sentence in any thing without deniall or gainesaying This counsell likewise sought to haue all the customes old priuiledges and laws of the Netherlands brought to be perused by them that they might reforme and amend them according to their wils and pleasures but perceiuing the matter to be of so great consequence they durst not deale therewith Besides that they sought to haue all the charters that belonged vnto his Maiesty and the lords of the Netherlands giuen to euery particular prouince which had beene done but that certaine old counsellors tooke courage vpon them and aduentured to shew the duke the danger and great hinderance that thereby was to be expected and might fall out for that the secrets both of the king and the Netherlands should so be opened and made knowne whereby great inconuenience might arise betweene the neighbour potentates and others if they should bee broken or altered And to conclude they left nothing vntouched but brought it all to their arbitrement and perusing being most strangers borne out of the Netherlands all tending to this end That at the last they might haue meanes to dominiere ouer all mens riches and treasures to make the king rich seeking to cause the Netherlands to yeeld him more yerely reuenue than his Indies in the end proceeding to that point besides all the confiscations to demand taxes and tallages not only for a time but to continue for euer as the hundreth and the twentieth penny of all moueable and immoueable goods and the tenth penny of all marchandize bought and sold as hereafter when time serues it shal be shewed By meanes of this bloudie counsell the authoritie of the counsell of estate was likewise wholly diminished and put downe which had scarce a place permitted them in the court to assemble together but sometimes the sayd counsell of estate were sent for into the dukes chamber vnto whom He communicated as much as hee thought good and conuenient to shew them without any forme of holding a counsell after their auncient manner But after that when the duke de Medinaceâ—… came into the Netherlands they began againe to assemble in their accustomed chamber and to consult together So that during this new manner of counsell the ordinances of the counsell of estate were not once vsed but commaundement giuen That all men should hold and account the duke to bee absolute ruler and all men dispenced withall not to hold nor obserue any ordinance noâ—… instruction made by any others than by him and that all should be referred to his discretion which caused a great disliking in the people towards the king and hatred vnto the duke Hauing layed this foundation he began to imprison all sorts of people by reason of the troubles past much more than the Gouernesse had done causing them to be executed with all sorts of torments and punishments according to the tenour of the Edicts The which many seeing being terrified with such cruelties they retyred out of the countrey chusing a voluntarie exile the which hee caused to bee called by proclamation and if they did not appeare to answere to their accusations and to iustifie themselues hee did generally confiscate all their goods although at his first comming he caused it to be bruited abroad That the king would send a generall pardon for all that had passed during the troubles to the preiudice of his Maiestie and the Romish Religion but that was but a bait to stay them that had a mind to retyre The counsell of the troubles being once established it was not long idle but began to proceed presently by apprehensions executions confiscations and banishment of persons the which were neuer conuicted no not accused nor once suspected for the troubles or Religion he caused the children to be rebaptized which had beene baptized at the preaching and remarried them at the Romish church which had beene ioyned together by the Ministers but not without abiuration and great penalties both corporall and pecuniarie Such as vpon this vaine hope of pardon and generall abolition returned to their houses were apprehended and executed by fire by water by gibbets by ditches by the sword by diuers other kinds of deaths and torments To conclude there was nothing to be seene throughout all the Netherlands but gibbets wheeles stakes and pitifull spectacles accompanied with the teares and lamentations of poore widowes and orphanes who being depriued of their fathers and husbands after the confiscation of all their goods were chased away at all aduentures the widowes in despaire the sonnes to keepe in the woods and to rob and the daughters to become strumpets and to lead a miserable life This counsell of the troubles made a proclamation in the kings name That all that pretended any right or interest to the goods of such as had beene executed or banished should come in and demaund them within halfe a yeare by petition or libell conuentionall or else to loose the benefit of their right forbidding all debtors to pay any thing either to prisoners to such as were absent and fled or to their widowes and children vpon paine to pay it twice And that all should be answerable to the said counsell whereof no Iudges of the countrey might take knowledge in that respect the sayd counsell hauing their Commissioners and Receiuers in euery quarter of the countrey to keepe a Register of the goods that were confiscated and seized by their decrees and to receiue them hauing also erected a chamber of confiscations At that time there was borne in Brabant a child with two heads foure armes foure legs but with one onely belly and one nauell The duke of Alua for his greater assurance in the beginning of September tooke away the keyes from the magistrate of the towne of Gand putting the towne in guard to Colonel Alphonso a Spaniard The Gantois complayned to the earle of Egmont gouernour of Flaunders who acquainted the duke therewith and hee made him no other answere but what had beene done was for his Maiesties seruice The generall Estates of the Netherlands being assembled the foureteenth of September in the towne of Brussels at the earle of Culenbourgs place where the yeare before the banquet of the confederate noblemen was made at the deliuerie of their petition to see the dukes authoritie and commission he sent for the earles of Egmont and Home to come to court to conferre with them of some matters concerning his Maiesties seruice for the making of some newe forts which hee had designed for the preseruation of the countrey The earle of Horne went not willingly but vpon that that the earle of Egmont had sent him word That he should not feare to come assuring him that he should haue no worse vsage than himselfe he went These two noblemen being come to court the nineteenth of the moneth they caused them to retire into a
afterwards another garboile in South-Holland which was that Allant bayliffe of Dordrecht meaning to make some secret informations of some crimes committed in the towne he required the Sherifes to assist and to sit with him in iudgement Whereunto it was answered him That it was against the lawes and priuiledges of the towne if in any thing great or small they should appeare in iustice without their Escoutette yet without preiudice to their authoritie and rights that in fauour of iustice they would assist not as Iudges but as Commissaries and Informers The information being begun Cont Iohn arriued with Wolphard of la Vere who demaunded the names of the offendors to doe iustice as hee should thinke good The bourgesses answered that by their priuiledges all offences committed in the towne should be also punished there The Earle discontented at this answere departed suddenly to la Haye The magistrats of Dordrecht hearing of his discontent sent some of the chiefe of the towne vnto him with offer to yeeld him a reason of the answer they had made him whereupon the Earle appointed them a day in the towne of Delft where being assembled the lord of la Vere speaking for the Earle made a discourse of what was past The Sherifes of Dordrecht answered That it had bin decreed with the baylife that any thing which happened within the towne should be ended by the Sherifes and the Escoutette by no other Iudges Whereupon the baylife said That they had lyed and that if there were any one that would maintaine it he would fight with him At these words one of the magistrats of Delft stept vp and said That it was not fit to expose the rights and priuiledges of any town to the hazard of a single combat thereby to make them fruitlesse and of no force Whereunto the lord of la Vere replied You my masters of Delft trouble not your selues with my lord the Earles affaires he knowes best what he is to do and without any other conclusion euery one retired discontented Soone after the Earle proscribed the towne of Dordrecht which is as much as to declare them guiltie of high treason as Witten of Hamstede bastard of Holland was in the castle of Putten and Nicholas de Cats at Ablasserdam Allant baylife of Dordrecht went to Slydrecht with many men and built a fort vpon the ditch that nothing might passe They of Dordrecht made choice of foure men among them that were valiant wise and temperat whom they made their captaines to whom they committed all the charge and conduct of this apparent warre writing to all the townes of Holland and Zeeland intreating them not to make too much hast to oppresse them seeing that the like might one day happen vnto them through the great libertie of some who abusing the youth and bountie of their prince did attribute vnto themselues the whole gouernment Whilest that Wolphard of la Vere a violent and seuere man would haue surcharged the Hollanders with some new imposition and extraordinarie customes disposing moreouer of all things at his pleasure he became odious â—…o many Once among the rest the Earle being at 〈◊〉 Hayeâ—… as also the lord of la Vere was there happened a tumult betwixt the said lord â—…f la Verâ—… and soâ—… noblemen and gentlemen of Holland running vp and down the strcets and 〈◊〉 Where is our enemie How long shall we suffer our selues to be braued and ill â—…ted by him Let vs goe and spoyle him and let vs see what all those practises which he â—…ath made â—…oppresse vs will auaile him Lâ—… Vere hearing this rumour kept himselfe close and the 〈◊〉 morning by the breake of day departed from la Haye with Cont Iohn went to Sâ—…dam there to imbarkt and to passe by the riuer of Meuse into Zeeland but the Hollanders peâ—… it pursued him and forced him to returne the respect of the Princes presence restâ—…g them 〈◊〉 offering him any further violence then they led their Earle and the said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Delft oâ—… here fearing that they would 〈◊〉 â—…ther him he fled into a high house built of free stone at the corner of a stâ—…ect called Choorstroet before the which there presently gathered together a multitude of people crying confusedly that they should deliuer Wolphard els they would burne the house and all that were within it They that were within the house with him fearing their liues tooke Wolphard who was not armed and cast him out from the highest windowes into the street where he was presently murthered and cut in pieces the which afterwards bred great quarrels betwixt the Nobilitie of Holland and Zeeland At the same time the bayliffe Allant hauing feare of them of Dordrecht had fled into the castle of Crayensteyn and hauing lost the lord of la Vere who was his chiefe support the commons of the towne went to besiege them seeing no meanes to escape them he went willingly to yeeld himselfe into his enemies hands who after they had reuiled him they put him into a barke and caried him to Dordrecht but he had no sooner set foot on land but hee was murthered by the people and his brother with him In the yeare 1300 Cont Iohn of Holland being at Harlem fell sicke whereof hee died the fourth of the Calends of Nouember after that he had gouerned his Countries of Holland Zeeland and West-Friseland about foure yeares He was the first of all the Earles of Holland that died without children and had not receiued the order of Knighthood in whom failed the line of Earles issued from the masculine line of the dukes of Acquitaine the which from Thierry the first Earle had continued 437 yeares He was interred in the abbey of Rhinsburg and by his death those Countries fell to the Earles of Henault issued by the mothers side from the Earles of Holland The Lady Elizabeth his widow was caried backe into England and afterwards married to the Earle of Oxford After the death of Cont Iohn Ghisbrecht of Amstel returned into Holland and did againe possesse the village of Amsterdam which he began to fortifie and to build many bridges and towers about the wals those of Harlem and the Waterlanders went thither with an army chased away Ghisbrecht set fire on the town burnt all the bridges and towers of wood and then ruined the rest We haue said before that when as the lord of Brederode and the noblemen of Holland went to fetch Cont Iohn out of England they led with them the gyant Klaes van Knyten as a strange and monstrous thing You must vnderstand that this gyant was borne in a village called Sparenwonde neere to Harlem his father and mother were of an ordinarie stature yet no man might bee compared vnto him for the tallest men of all Holland might stand vnder his arme and not touch him and yet there are commonly seene euen at this day very tal men in that countrey he would couer foure ordinary soles of
being not very strong the beseeged without any battery made the like composition to them of Saintron and gaue ten men who had also their heads cut off among the which there were fiue Hostages From thence the duke marched with his army before Liege the which did much trouble the inhabytants some desyring to hold good and to defend the Citty saying that they had men ynough especially a hardie knight called Rasse de Lattre others seeing their countrie destroyed and burnt demanded a peace at what rate soeuer The duke approching neere the towne there was an Ouerture of peace by the sollicitation of the Hostages Who acknowledging the fauour that had beene done then were mediators of this businesse Finally they perswaded them of the towne to yeeld and brought three hundred of the chiefe of the Cittie in their shirtes with their heads legges and feete bare who brought the keyes of their towne and Cittie of Liege vnto the duke yeelding themselues to his mercy except from fire and spoile At the which there was present the lord of Mony Ambassador for the French King and Iohn Preuost his Secretary who were come to make the like demaund and charge vnto the duke as the Constable had done a little before But they preuailed no more then he had done The day of the reduction the duke thinking to make his entry sent first the lord of Humbercourt for that he had good acquaintance there but the entry was forbidden him that day the mutiners opposing all they could against the peace The lord of Humbercourt remained in an Abbay in the suburbes where he wrought so pollitikely as early the next day many Hostages came vnto him intreating him to come vnto the Pallace wheras the people were assembled and that he would there sweare two points whereof they were in doubt which was that they should bee free from fire and spoile and that presently after they would deliuer him the portes Hee presently aduertised the duke thereof from whome hauing receiued commandement so to doe hee went and sware for their better assurance which done the Liegeois commanded their men to come away that were at the gates suffring the lord of Humbercourt to place the dukes gards there and to plant foure Enseignes vpon the foure gates And so the duke was Maister of the sayd towne and Citty of Liege into the which hee entred the day following in great triumph causing twenty fadomes of the wall to bee beaten downe in his presence and the ditch to bee filled vp against the breach There entred with him two thousand men at armes in complete armes they and their horses and two thousand Archers the rest remayning at the campe Hee went first to Saint Laurence Church He stayed some daies in the cittie during the which he caused sixe score to be executed of those which had beene Hostages and with them the messenger of the towne whom he hated extreamely it may bee for his bad tongue he made some newe lawes and customes and charged them with great summes of money the which he sayd were due vnto him for the breach of the peace Hee carried away all their Artillery and armes and raized all the Towers of the towne walles Then hee returned into his countries whereas he was receiued with great triumph especially in the towne of Gand who with some other townes had begunne to rebell But now they receiued him like a victorious Prince Here by we may see how much a victory doth import not onely with enemies but also with neighbours and friends and how dangerous a thing it is to bee vanquished For if the duke had beene beaten in the countrie of Liege the Ganthois had continued in their rebellion with the other Flemings which they did now forbeare seeing him returne a conqueror A Prince ought therefore to be very carefull to hazard a battaile if he bee not forced therevnto and before hee attempt it hee must propound all doubts and dangers that may happen for that those that doe balance and peize the benifit or losse that may rise thereby doe most commonly prosper better then those that rashly and with a vaine presumption runne on headlong to fight as it hath happened thrice to this duke Charles as wee shall shew hereafter But all the good councells and all the best indeauors in the world are of no force when God hath a worke to do whereof we must not to curiously serch into the first causes and motiues The duke beeing at Gand the French King sent many Ambassadors vnto him to perswade him to abandon the duke of Brittayne and he on the other side sent vnto the King to excuse himselfe saying plainely that hee could not doe it This refusall did much displease the King but especially the victory which hee had had against the Liegeois his allies whome notwithstanding hee had least ingaged In the end Sommer being come the King burning with desire to ruine the duke of Brittaine caused his armie to enter into his countrie The duke of Bourgongne hauing intelligence thereof writ vnto the King intreating him to forbeare seeing that the dukes of Normandie and Brittayne were comprehended in the treatie of peace But receiuyng no pleasing answere from the King hee caused his armie to march towardes Peronne The Cardinall Balue came thether to him but stayed not long hauing made some ouerture of a treatie the King tending to no other ende but to diuide him from the other Princes telling him that the dukes of Normandie and Brittaine would accord with the King without him Duke Charles made him a short answere which was that he was not come to field to make warre against this King but to succor his Allies Presently after the Cardinalls departure there came a Herald called Brittayne to the duke bringing letters from the dukes of Normandie and Brittayne conteyning that they had made an accorde with the King renouncing all other allyance namely his The duke of Bourgongne was much amazed at these newes seeing that hee was come armed to field only to succor them he was in some doubt that they had bin coūterfit letters but this suspition was soone taken away by other letters which did confirme it Messengers posted frō the king to the duke from the duke to the King in the end the King gaue vnto the duke 120000. crownes whereof the moity should be presently paied before hee raised his campe for his charges in leauyng of that army The duke sent a groome of his chamber that was very familiar with him vnto the King whose name was Frobisser The king trusting his secrets very much vnto this man told him that hee desired much to speake with the duke hoping to winne him considering the bad offices which these two dukes had played him and the great summe of money which hee had now giuen him To whome the King sent the Cardinall of Balue to perswade him therevnto who found the duke at Peronne but
to bring him to the duke These two came to Wyke for the lord of Brederode and the Baylife Amerongen before they were deliuered the bishop would haue the lord of Brederode put againe to the Rack in the presence of Noblemen and that before hee was laied vpon it hee should take a sollemne oth to answere the truth to that which should bee demanded him wherevpon a Notarie and certaine witnesses were called this proceeding continued two whole daies hee was once stript and layed vpon the banke but seeing they could drawe nothing from him without greater torments nor from Amerongen they suffred them to goe with the sayd Comissioners who led them to Berghen vpon Some to the duke but they found him not there being gone to the seege of Amiens so as they conducted them to Ruppelmond in Flanders wheras they were detained almost a whole yeare At the dukes returne the processe beeing referred to the iudgements of the knights of the golden fleece to heare the sayd lord in his iustifications his Accusers were cited to bring proofe of their accusations seeing that by tortures hee did not confesse any of those crimes wherewith hee was charged But none of his Accusers appeering the duke sitting in his seate of iustice with the knights of the order among the which were Engelbert Earle of Nassau Barron of Breda the lordes of Crequy Lalain and others to the number of twelue Barrons the sayd lord of Brederode was adiudged free and absolued of all crimes imposed vpon him and was restored to all his Estates goods and honours to the great content of all these Noblemen and knights who complained much of the great wrong that had beene done him and he was honorably receiued of all men Hee liued not aboue two yeares after hee died in the yeare 1473. and was interred at Vianen let vs heereby consider of what force enuie is which spareth neither great not small Two yeares after Iohn of Amerongen was found innocent of the crimes that were obiected against him notwithstanding his confession vpon the Racke and in like sort absolued inlarged and restored to his Office of Baylife to the great content of the Bourgeses of Vtrecht As for Ghysbrecht Prouost Cathedrall brother to the lord of Brederode before hee could recouer his liberty hee was forced to resigne his Prouostship to an other and to sweare neuer to keepe his residence in Vtrecht the which hauing performed hee was set at liberty in the yeare 1470. and went to liue at Breda where hee died a yeare after and was buried at the Chartreux by Geertruydenbergh Duke Charles not satisfied with the annuall contribution or tribute which the Frisons payed him according to the last appointment writ vnto them that they should send their deputies to the towne of Enchuysen the seauenth of Aprill 1470. to heare what should bee propounded vnto them on his behalfe They sent their Deputies But the duke beeing troubled with the warres of France came not in person but sent Philip of Wassenare lord of Woerburch and others his commissioners There were many things ambiguously and doubtfully propounded and debated and so many cauillations found out to intrappe the Frisons as it did much displease the Noblemen of Friseland who retyred themselues and would not treate in that fashion desiryng to goe plainely and roundly to worke Yet the Clergie and Deputies of townes remayned who willing to haue a finall ende desired to knowe what the dukes demaunde was It was sayd vnto them that hee demaunded a siluer pennie of his coyne vpon euerie chimney for all the countrie of Friseland in generalll The Deputies demanding of what valour this penie should bee for that they had no charge from the Estates to yeelde to aboue three Liards or a soulz at the most the which the dukes commissionars would haue referred to the dukes discretion The Frisons in like sort demanded a day of aduise to make report thereof vnto the Estates The report made they would no waies yeeld vnto it but concluded that if the duke would force them they would defend themselues and hinder his entrie into the coūtry The duke at his returne into France came into Holland hauing heard by his Deputies the intention of the Frisons hee resolued to force them to his will by armes and therevpon caused a great fleete of shippes to be prepared to imbarke his men at armes and to land in Friseland But it fell out happely for the Frisons that Edward the forth King of England being expelled his realme came into Zeeland to the duke his brother in lawe to demande succors of him against the Earle of Warwike who had chased him out of his Kingdome The which the duke promised sending this fleete appointed for the ruine of the Frisons to succor the sayd King Edward the which carried him backe into England Afterwardes the duke had so great warres against the French Suisses and Lorrains in the which in the end hee was slaine as the Frisons remayned in peace without any further disturbance In the yeare 1470. Lewis the leauenth the French King had a great desire to bee reuenged of the brauary which the duke of Bourgongne had done him at Peronne practising vnder hand to haue the townes vpon the Riuer of Some reuolt the which being hard to effect by secret practise hee must attempt it by open warre true it is that hee had iust cause to apprehend the dukes affronts at Peronne who had forced him to make a peace and to go against the Liegeois that were before his friends yet hee beganne it some what fearefully although he had a great desire to it The Earle of Saint Pol Constable of France and the duke of Guiennes people desired warre rather then peace betwixt these two Princes for two considerations the first was for feare to loose their Estates the other was they perswaded the King that if hee had not some forraine warre he should haue ciuill dissention at home The Constable offred the towne of Saint Quentin pretending that hee had great intelligences in Flanders and Brabant where hee would cause many townes to rebell The duke of Guienne offred for his part to serue the King with fiue hundred men at armes The King meaning to beginne this warre with solemnity called a Parliament at Tours whereas many Iudges assisted there it was concluded according to the Kings intention that the duke should bee adiourned to appeere in the open Parliament at Paris The King assuring himselfe that hee would answere proudly or that hee would doe some-thing contrarie to the authority of the court hee should therefore haue more iust cause to make warre against him An Vssher of the Parliament went to Gand to adiorne him being vnder the souerainty of the crowne of France which he did at his comming from the masse whereat he was much amazed and discontented hauing caused the Vsher to be put in prison yet soone after he suffred him
leuied of the people was ill gouerned that Iustice was not duely executed and that many oppressions extorsions and violences were committed in the countrie with all impunitie This new order set downe by the Flemmings did much displease the Archduke who went to Bruges and to Ypre but they would no more acknowledge him for their Prince nor allowe of the Magistrates and Officers that were made by him The Ganthois did banish Robert of Halewin great Bayliffe of Bruges out of Flanders for fiftie yeares and put many Gentlemen of good account from their places and Offices so as in those times the Nobilitie was very much opprest iâ—… Flanders The Lord of Cordes Gouernour of Teroane for the French King made ordinarie courses then into Flanders and spoyling the countrie For the preuenting whereof these Comissioners appointed for the gouernement gaue commission to Charles of Sauoy and the Lords of Beuere and Merwede to goe with some good troupes of men which the Ganthois did furnish And at the same time the Bastard of Hennin had an incounter neere vnto Bethune against the French whom hee put to route and slue many of them At the same time there were many shippes of warre put to Sea both Flemings Hollanders Zelanders and Frisons which came along the coast so as the French durst not boldly put to Sea The Seignior of Chanteraine going out of Saint Omer with his company to seeke some aduenture mette a conuoy neere vnto Teroane which carryed the Souldiers pay thether the which hee defeated and carried the siluer and the spoile into Saint Omer Whilest that matters were thus handled in Flanders and vpon the frontires of Picardie and Arthois the Archduke was in Holland where hee was acknowledged by the States of the Countrie for Gardien to his sonne Philip of Austria Duke of Bourgongne being then but foure yeares olde the like was done in Zeeland and West-friseland But the Flemmings naturally inclined to innouations and mutinies especially the Ganthois did greatly crosse him The Factions of Schyeringers and Vetcoopers in Frizeland were then as violent as euer as those of the Hoecks and Cabillaux in Holland the which were no sooner pacified and reconciled in one part of Friseland but they kindled againe in another and continued so long in that estate before they were quite supprest that the countrie was made a prey to Strangers and quite ruined as we shall hereafter shew In the yeare 1482. the Duke of Cleues made a leuie of aboue 10000. men horse and foote the which he sent into the Diocesse of Vtretcht to make warre against the Hollanders The Traiectins and Cleuois ioyned together making a great body of an armie presumed they might conquer all Holland and went to campe before Iselstein On the other side the Lord of Lalain Gouernor of Holland with many Noblemen went to field with all the forces he could get and camped iust by them being resolued to charge them in their Trenches and to raize the siege Heerevpon the Cleuois mutining against the Traiectins fearing they should be surpized during their diuision wherevppon they dislodged from thence leauing a part of their Artillerie and carriages behinde them which those of Iselsteyn tooke and carryed into their towne The Hollanders not content with this did runne ouer the Countrie of Vtrecht and passing by Intfaes they tooke the Castell of Wronesteyn and a great Tower which they ruined From thence they besieged tooke and raized the two Fortes of Vaeâ—…t vpon the riuer of Lecke and brake the Scluses by the which they passe from Vtrecht into that riuer which done winter approaching they retyred the Traiectins making no shew to hinder them In Iune the same yeare there arriued in Flanders a Herald from Lewis the 11. the French King bringing a safe-conduit for 60. of the Neitherlanders which should go treat with him of a peace the which were chosen by the 2. Estates Secular Clergie This Treatie had bin begun in Nouember the yeare before in the Cittie of Arras Of the Archdukes Deputies were the States of Brabant of Arthois of Henault and the foure members of Flanders with the Kings Commissioners who at this time was very sicke seeking remedie both by phisicke offrings and pilgrimages so fearefull was he of death In the end a peace was concluded betwixt these Deputies whereof a treatie was made containing a hundred one Articles Among others That the Dolphin of France should marry with the Lady Marguerite of Austria daughter to the sayde Arch-duke Maximilian and the deceased Lady Marie of Bourgongne beeing about foure years old With many other Articles which for breuities sake we omit The Deputies of the Neitherlands went to confirme them at Tours where the King was who receyued them courteously ratified the peace and confirmed the marriage of his sonne and after that hee had honoured them with rich presents hee thanked them and gaue them leaue to returne to their Prince During the time of this Treatie at Arras Philip of Creuecaeur Lord of Cordes slept not but went to besiege the towne of Aire in Arthois betwixt Bethune and S. Omer the which made some shew of resistance but it was soone yeelded or to speake truely sold for the Captaine had 3000. crownes The Inhabitants that would not stay to the number of 500. retyred themselues to Bethune and S. Omer being ill affected to the French A peace beeing concluded betwixt the Archduke and the French King and the marriage agreed vppon betwixt the Dolphin his sonne and the Lady Marguerite the Archdukes daughter about Easter in 1483. The Earle of Beauieu afterwards Duke of Bourbon the Kings sonne in lawe came into Arthois to receiue her where shee was deliuered vnto him who led her to Paris and from thence to Amboise to the King There was great ioy of her comming as a pledge and faithfull confirmation of the peace the which had beene proclaimed before in Holland Zeeland and Friseland to the great contentment of the people who by that meanes recouered their trafficke of marchandise in France And although that this peace and marriage had beene concluded for that good and quiet of both nations yet some gaue bad impressions thereof to the Archduke who seemed not much to regard it saying that he had neuer giuen his consent to it and therefore many that had delt in it were suspected and not fauoured in Court and some Captaines of the Netherlands practised to surprize some places in Arthois and Picardie vpon the French whereby they might haue occasion to breake the peace The Archduke had in those times for the pleasure of Dauid of Bourgongne Bishop of Vtrecht great warre against the Traiectins and Cleuois hee besieged Vtrecht battred it and in the end after some assaults forced them to yeeld by composition vpon condition among others that they should beate downe a part of their wall and fill vp their ditche by the which the Archduke might enter with his
the Empire and the forme of publike gouernment was maintayned by the wisedome constancy vnion and fidelity of the sayd Princes Electors Albert of Brandebourg Archbishoppe of Mentz Prince Elector and Chancellor of the Empire throughout all Germanie hauing newes of this death gaue notice thereof according to his charge to the Princes Electors and called them all to Francfort vpon the riuer of Mayn to proceed vnto the election of a new Emperour whether they came all Videlicet Albert himselfe Herman Earle of Weda Archbishoppe of Cologne Richard Archbishoppe of Treues Ladislas of Sterneberg Ambassador to Lewis King of Bohemia Lewis Count Palatin of Rhine Frederic duke of Saxony and Ioachin Marquis of Brandebourg The seauenteene day of Iune in the same yeare 1519. they assembled all in Saint Bartlemewes Church at Francfort where after the accustomed ceremonies the Princes in their habits of Electors approched to the Altar where in the presence of a great multitude they did sollemnly sweare faithfully to obserue all the Articles of the election contained in the golden Bull of Charles the fourth the which to that effect was publickly read before them all from thence the Princes Electors alone entred into the Vestry of the said Temple where they had beene accustomed for a long time to make the like elections The Archbishop of Mentz opened the cause of their assembly and after some preface of honor and prayers done vnto God to direct the whole assembly of the Electors wherein he gaue a testimony of his wisedome piety fidelitie and sincere affection to the publicke good and quiet the chiefe point of his discourse was to exhort them to vnion and to auoyde all occasions of ciuill warre in the Empire Alledging to that purpose what had happened in the times of other Emperors namely of Lewis the gentle Henry the first the Ottons Henry the fourth Conrard of Suabe Lothaire of Saxony and others where by the discord of Electors infinite miseries haue fallen vpon the Empire Hee added more-ouer that this discord had caused trouble and schisme in religion That at this present the threatning of the Turke who conspired against the liberty and religion of Christians especially of Germanie and the threates of some Princes who sought occasions to sowe troubles and to deuide the Germaines should admonish the Electors to remember their oth wherby they were chiefely bound to preuent all sedition After many other speeches to the same purpose the Electors hauing had some short conference together they commended the Elector of Mentz for his zeale and affection to the publicke state protesting that they would therein indeuour to follow his aduice and to be of one minde and consent if it were possible This was spoken in the name and behalfe of them all by the Marquis of Brandebourg to whom his companions gaue the charge in respect of his eloquence for then the Princes were so vnited as without any emulation they did willingly yeeld one vnto another and were carefull not to blemish the graces which their companions might haue respecting therein the publick good To conclude according to the custome of the ancient Germaines they resolued to ioyne loue and plainesse together and without doubt they were so nobly affected as they would neuer shew their passions in any of their consultations which concerned the publick good nor conceiue in their hearts any bad conceit against their brethren especially in affaires of consequence the Electors deferred their resolution vntill the next day In the meane time the Ambassadors of Prince Charles Archduke of Austria Duke of Bourgongne Earle of Holland c. and King of Castile c. arriued at Ments They intreated the Electors to remember Charles in their election adding some-thing of his vertues they did also put them in minde that the Emperour Maximilian had recommended his grand-childe vnto them the which hee would not haue done being so good so wise a Prince if he had not knowne it to be for the good of the Empire In the meane time the Ambassadors of Francis the first the French King were at Coblents on Conflans from whence they did sollicite for their Maister who had some Electors fauourable to his party the which as some Histories say had giuen King Francis incouragement to affect it These Ambassadors did extoll their Princes vertues all they could pretending many reasons why hee should be chosen before any other The Princes Electors hauing receiued letters from the Ambassadors of France and Spaine made answer in few words That they were exceeding glad of the good affection which both Kings carryed vnto the Empire But as for the election they did hope that GOD would giue them the grace to carry themselues faithfully and as they were bound by othe and by the lawes and ordinances of their Predecessors When they came to consult touching the election the Archbishop of Mentz hauing conferred priuately with Fredericke Duke of Saxony who was in great credit and authority among them all began his Oration vtterly reiecting the French King for the aduancement of King Charles describing and setting downe his good disposition his great meanes the benefit which the Empire might hope for and expect and with-all his beginning being issued and descended out of Germanie holding him as a naturall Germaine where they must finde and choose themselues an Emperour and not among strangers concluding in the end in fauour of Charles After that hee had ended his speech hee perswaded the other Electors to deliuer their opinions who after they had conferred some-what togither they intreated Richard Archbishoppe of Treuer Prince Elector to speake for he was much esteemed for his iudgement and experience in affaires of State who contrarie to the opinion of him of Mentz maintained that the King of Spaine was no more to bee admitted then he of France in whose honour hee spake verie highly saying that the same reason that hee of Mentz had obiected against him were lyable also against the King of Spaine and therefore hee concluded that the French King for the ripenesse of his age for his valour and experience in warre Germanie hauing great neede of such a Captaine against the Turke should bee preferred before the King of Spaine beeing young and without experience And if the lawe did forbid them to choose a Frenchman that it was of the same force against a Spaniard Or els if neither the one nor the other were to bee admitted then they should aduise among all the Princes of the Empire to choose one that had not liued any where but in Germanie that was a Germaine by birth in his manners minde and language deliuering manie reasons why and howe that might bee donne against the allegations of him of Mentz vppon that point Saying that the meanes were easie to finde by the which an Emperour chosen out of their owne Nation might maintaine his authoritie and that of the Empire both at home and a broade and so hee ended
the Protestants armie being deuided the Prince Elector went with his troopes against Maurice and recouered all that he had taken from him The Emperour seeing the Protestants army thus dispearsed vppon no occasion and that the Landtgraue was retyred to his owne home he writte letters full of threates to the duke of Wirtembourg who sent to sue for pardon by his Ambassadors and so in a manner did all the Protestant townes whome he did ransom for money and many peeces of Artillery The warre beeing thus inflamed betwixt the two Noble couzins of Saxony and the Emperor hearing in what estate duke Maurice was hee sent Albert of Brandebourg vnto him with some troupes who was taken at Rochlick and brought vnto the Prince Elector and soone after the towne was also taken Ferdinand the Emperors brother King of Hungary Bohemia by the Lady Anne his wife would haue forced the Bohemians to serue against the Prince Elector of Saxony the which they refuzed to do by reason of the old leagues betwixt the Saxons and Bohemians and seeking to force them they rise in armes against him The Protestants had sent their Ambassadors to the French King and to the King of England to shewe the equitie of their cause and that they had taken armes against the Emperor for the defence of their liues goods religion and the liberty of Germany who hauing had audience of the French King past into England whereas they found King Henry the eight verie sicke so as hee died in the end of Ianuarie 1547. The French King had sent by these Ambassadors two hundred thousand crownes in lone to the Protestant Princes to ayde them in this warre And as the King of England died whilest the Ambassadors were there so at their returne into France they found King Francis extreamely sick who died at Rambouillet It was a happy chance for the Emperour among many other good fortunes that two so great and mighty Princes which had the meanes and as manie thought a desire to crosse the Emperor in his enterprises and high disseignes died both in a manner at one time In the same yeare 1547. Adolph of Bourgongne Seignior of Chappelle and Wackene Ierosme Sandelin Seignior of Herentont Receiuor of Bewesterscheldt in Zeeland and some priuate gentlemen did recouer and wall in about Sheerenskerke and Heinkensandt in the country of Zuydbeuelandt otherwise called the I le of Ter-Goes the old inclosure or Polder which is a land wonne from the sea the which before the Inundation was vsually called Zeeshuys so as it remayned a long time vnprofitable but since that it was recouered they call it Cray at this present a most fertill country whereby those that haue thus defended it from the Sea with their bankes haue made great profit The Emperor hauing an intent to ruine Iohn Frederick Prince Elector past the riuer of Elbe with all speed to fight with him on the other side which done the Prince hauing not all his armie in one bodie as the Emperor had was there forced to make head against him and to giue him battaile in the which the duke beeing verie greatly wounded in the cheeke was ledde by the duke of Alua Lieutenant of the armie to the Emperor The duke Ernest of Brunswyck was taken with him The Emperor and King Ferdinand vsed the Prince Elector very roughlie in wordes giuing sentence of death against him the which hee bare verie patiently but the Emperour durst not proceede to the execution thereof yet hee propounded heauie and rigorous conditions vnto him taking from him the greatest part of his Seigneuries the which hee gaue to Maurice his couzine with the dignity of the Electorship As for the Landtgraue of Hessen vpon the assurances which the duke Maurice and the Marquis Albert of Brandenbourg his sonnes in lawe gaue him he presented himselfe vpon his knees vnto the Emperor crauing pardon for all that was past wherevnto answere was made him in obscure tearmes which did not shew an absolute pardon Yet this Nobleman thinking that all went well with him thanked the Emperor and for that he suffred him to kneele too long he rose of himself He was led to supper with the duke of Alua when after supper thinking to retire with the two Noblemen his sons in lawe he was stayed prisoner the which ministred great matter of discontent who not-with-standing all the Protestation which duke Maurice and Brandebourg could make was detained and put into the gard of Spaniardes The two Noblemen charged the Emperour with his promise that hee would not keepe him in pryson his aunswere was that hee had promised not to keepe him there in perpetuall pryson wherevpon the Duke of Alua sayd vnto them that if in steede of foureteene daies the Emperor should restraine him 14. yeares he should not breake his word So the Landtgraue remained a prisoner being carried from place to place alwayes garded by the Spaniards of whom he receued a thousand indignities and he was not freed but by constraint no more then the Duke of Saxony which was the cause that the Emperor was chased out of Germany as we shall here-after shew The 23. of December in the said yeare 1548. died that valiant Captaine Maximilian of Egmont Earle of Buren after that he had arriued so happely to serue the Emperor in his warre of Germany of an extraordinary death for being fower daies before his death abandoned by all his Phisitions who had foretold him the day of his death hauing called all his houshold seruants and made them goodly exhortations giuing to euery one some thing by his testament he died speaking and appareled in his chaier Maximilian of Austria eldest sonne to Ferdinand hauing married the Lady Mary eldest daughter to the Emperor Prince Phillip 21. years old being sent for by his father began his iorney to come into the Netherlands leauing his cosin and Brother in law Maximilian to be Gouernor of Spaine in his absence and hauing set saile the 25. of Nouember with a goodly fleet of shippes and Galleis commanded by Andrew Doria he landed at Genoa accompanied with many Princes of Spaine among others by the Duke of Alua and the Cardinall of Trent from thence hee came to Milan and passing by Mantoua and Trent hee came to Ausbourg and Spyer so crossing the Country of Luxembourg hee arriued at the Emperor his fathers court at Bruslelles Duke Maurice went to meet him intreating him to moue the Emperor for the Landtgraue of Hessen his Father in law who was Prisoner the which he did It were tedious to make particular relation of his stately entery into Brusselles whereas the Lady Elenor the French Queene and the Lady Mary Queene of Hongary his Aunt 's receiued him and conducted him to the Emperor his father The fourth of Iuly the Emperor with his two sisters and the Prince his sonne went to Louuaine the most ancient and cheefe towne of the Duchy of Brabant to
put his sonne according to the ancient customes and preuiledges of that towne in possession of the saide Duchy and to take the oth required in that case the which he did in the Emperors hands as the like was done afterwards in the towne of Brusselles The thirteene of the saide moneth it was done in Gand for the Country of Flanders then in the citty of Arras for the Earledome of Arthois and after that at Mons for the Conty of Henault from thence they went to Bins in the same country whereas the Queene of Hongary did vsualy keepe her Court where were great feasts maskes torneys and other sports the which continued from the third of August 1549. Vntill September and then hee departed to goe to Antwerp to take possession of the ◅owne and of the Marquisate of the Holie Empire whereas there wanted no pompe at his reception The last of May 1550. the Emperor parted from Bruselles with the Prince his sonne to returne into Germany to an Imperiall Diet which should be held at Ausbourg leading the duke of Saxony prisoner with him leauing the Landtgraue in prison at Macklin The cheefe intent of his going was to labour to make his son Emperor after him as you shall heare The 29. of Aprill this yeare there was a most rigorous Edict published by the Emperor throughout al the Netherlands in the Dutch and French toungs tending to bring in the Inquisition of Spaine and other extraordinary matters After the publicatiō of this Edict many were much amazed especially the marchants of Germany England which did traficke ordinarily in those Prouinces especially at Antwerp whose resolution was that either they must moderate the said Edict or else they would seeke some other abode and many to auoyd the danger had resolued to shut vp their shoppes and to departe The Senat of Antwerp and especialy the Bourgeses seeing the losse and preiudice that would come vnto them were in great perplexity And therefore when the Inquisitors were ariued they opposed them-selues with all their power and going to the Queene of Hongary their Gouernesse they layed open vnto her the losse and preiudice that not onely they but the whole countrie should receiue if it were put in practise for the tenor of the Inquisition conteined an ample power ouer all Iudges and Magistrates what-soeuer Where-vppon she caused the execution thereof to be surceased in the said Towne the which was done in consideration of forraine nations which were strong and mighty there The Queene went vppon this occasion to the Emperor her Brother into Germany to moue him to moderate this Edict that otherwise Andtwerp which was a Towne of the greatest trade in the world and most frequented would loose her trafficke and credit Besides there would bee a generall sedition if this Edict were put in execution The Emperor in the end yeelded but with great difficulty and changing that which concerned marchants strangers hee razed out the word Inquisition so odious to all men commanding that the rest should be obserued and entertained In the meane time the Emperor did much afflict them of Magdebourg by reason of their relligion causing Duke Maurice of Saxony to besiege them And for that the Princes of the Empire sought to make their peace he prescribed them such hard conditions as they would by no meanes yeeld vnto them but maintained this siege valiantly euen vnto the end being forced by a composition to suffer them in peace The Arch-duke Maximillian of Austria sonne to King Ferdinand and sonne in law to the Emperour being chosen in his absence King of Bohemia came at that time out of Spaine to Ausbourg being called by his father who had then a great controuersie with the Emperor touching the succession of the Empire for the deciding whereof they said the Emperor had caused his sister the Queene of Hongary to come for the Emperor knowing that the vniting of Germany was necessary for the augmentation of his estate desired to settle his sonne who after him should rule and command ouer so great and diuers nations and countries vppon so mighty and firme a support Ferdinand who tended to the same end was resolued not to suffer himselfe to bee frustrate of this goodly expectation as well for him-selfe as for his children Prince Maximillian who was of a good disposition well seene in diuers languages but especially indued with a singular grace in his behauiour was very pleasing vnto the people The Princes and States on the other side considered well that this great aduancement of the King of Spaine would not bee very profitable for them and although they shewed them-selues somewhat inclyning vnto the Emperor yet all was but for feare obseruing well his actions past and the end wherevnto hee had alwaies tended vnder a coullor of the Romish relligion which hee would so amplie maintaine finally after that hee should haue wonne and supplanted by the meanes of the Ciuill warre which hee nourished and entertained there all the Princes and States of the one and the other relligion the which hee had continnued more and more by his sonne hee would make him-selfe and his successors absolute Monarcks and all Germany slaues to his house These considerations made the Princes and States to incline more touching the succession of the Empire to Ferdinand and to his sonne Maximillian who had their portions and all their successions in Germany then to the Emperor or to the Prince his sonne And the rather for that they had obserued part of the humors of this Prince beeing borne nourished and brought vp in Spaine and wholy possest by the Spaniards and by the Bishoppe of Arras sonne to Granuelle whose carriage beeing a high Bourguignon did nothing please the Germaines Beesides this Prince beeing ill instructed vnderstood no language but his naturall Spanish What was concluded wee shall hereafter see The Towne of Magdebourg freed from siege by a friendly composition with Duke Maurice hee beeing now receiued into the Towne spake it openly that it should cost him his life or hee would set the Landtgraue his father in law at liberty Hee had before sent his Ambassadors with the King of Denmarke and many Princes of Germany to the Emperor for his deliuerance beeing resolued vppon his deniall to attempt it by force hee hauing already entred into some treaty with the French King The seauenth of Iuly William of Nassau Prince of Orange married the daughter and onely heire of Maximillian of Egmont Earle of Buren the onely heire of the house of Launoy the marriage which was the first which the said Prince had of foure was celebrated in the Castell of Buren by whome hee had Phillip of Nassau now Prince of Orange and the Lady Mary widow to Philip Earle of Hohenlo brother and sister by fathers side to Count Maurice of Nassau commanding at this day in Holland Zeeland c. This yeare the Emperor set a taxe of fiue florins
Landtgraue was in great danger if it were not concluded hee yeelded and sent backe the hostages and pledges which the Protestant Princes had giuen him safe and sound into Germany The 13. of August Duke Maurice and the Landtgraues sonne parted from Francfort and tooke contrary wayes the Landtgraues sonne toward Hessen and Maurice led his armie to Donauvert downe the riuer of Danowe sending it into Hongary against the Turkes which came to assaile it but the regiment of Ryffenberg past the riuer of Meyn and ioyned with Albert of Brandebourg which did much trouble the princes fearing least the Emperor should take some occasion thereby not to release the Landtgraue The Marquis Albert went still in his course after the conclusion of a peace wherein he would not bee comprehended making warre apart especially against the Bishoppe of Ments Treues and Spyer forcing the Inhabitants of these townes to sweare vnto him and to furnish him with money Throughout all their territories hee burnt Castells Cloysters and Temples yea euen within the Townes About the end of Iuly the Emperor came from Villac to Inspruch and eight daies after hee past by Bauaria hauing with him some troopes of Germaines Bohemians Italians and Spaniards the which ariued at Genoa in the beginning of the said moneth vnder the command of the Duke of Alua. The Arch-bishoppe of Ments after that he had runne vp and downe Suaube for some daies being a fugitiue out of his countrie hearing newes of the Emperor who arriued at Ausbourg the twentith of August hee went vnto him Phillip Landtgraue of Hessen beeing freed from prison according to the Accord and retiring home to his house passing by Maestricht vppon the riuer of Meuze hee was againe stayed by the Queene of Hongaries commandment being there and was againe giuen in guard to the Spaniards euen vnto them that had beene his keepers fiue yeares together The cause was which had troubled confederate Princes as wee haue said for that Ryffenberch who had beene entertained by the Landtgraues sonne had gon with all his men vnto Marquis Albert whereby the Queene maintained that the peace was broken and that shee could not deliuer him vntill shee vnderstood the Emperours pleasure The same day that the Emperour parted from Ausbourg hee dismissed Iohn Frederic Duke of Saxony with louing words promising to remaine alwaies his friend after that hee had insulted ouer him hee depriued him of his Electorall dignity and dispossest him of a good part of his Countrie who parted the next day and retyred into his Country The fourth of September the Landtgraue was absolutly discharged and within six daies after came vnto his house The Emperor hauing past the Countrie of Wirtenberg marched towards Strausbourg before the which he caused his army to passe ouer the riuer of Rhine and hee him-selfe with a small traine entred into the Towne the which hee had neuer seene where hee was honourably and louingly receiued by the Senat. In the euening hee tooke the way of haguenau and lay that night in the next village Where as the army made an infinite spoile in few daies whereof the Senat made their complaints vnto the Duke of Alua Lieutenant of the army but it auaild them nothing In the meane time the French fortified Metz and Nancy vnder the commāde of the Duke of Guise drawing in all the corne and forrage of the Country Iohn Marquis of Brandebourg Alphonso Duke of Holsteyn brother to the King of Denmarke and Philibert Prince of Piedmont were in the Emperors armie Those that were banished out of Germany by the Emperor refused the conditions of peace and remained in France The Duchesse of Lorraine the Emperors Neece beeing chased out of Lorraine by the French King conferred with her vncle neere vnto Strasbourg and then retired into the Netherlands The Emperor parting from Haguenau came to Metz where hee planted his siege the two twenty day of October Many Councellors of the law and Bourgeses departed with leaue of the French whereof some retired into Lorraine and others to Strasbourg The twenty eight of August those of the Towne of Brussels and of the seauen villages neerest about it made a muster in armes without the Towne on a goodly great plaine vppon the way by Elsene vnder six Captaines of three diuers quarters from thence they marched in Battel vnto the Towne entring by the port of Couwenbourg with thirteene field peeces in the midst of them with their Gunners and Pioners passing before the Court they were viewed by the Queene of Hongary Gouernesse of the Netherlands beeing aboue seauen thousand choise men for if they had mustred all that could haue borne armes vnder sixty and eighteene they should haue found aboue twenty thousand it was a kinde of a petty Camp the which the Queene had caused to bee made to see what men shee might gather together to defend the towne of Brussels if happily the which she feared the French should enter through Henault into Brabant Albert of Brandebourg was then vpon the frontires of Lorraine with fiftye companies of foote and great troopes of horse neere vnto Mussipont And for that hee had some difference with the French King touching the entertainement for his seruice both for that which was past and that which was to come hee was by the meanes of some reconciled to the Emperor who forgaue him all his faults forbidding any to call him into question for the warres past The which being vnderstood by the French the Earle of Aumale brother to the Duke of Guise whom the King had sent into Lorraine with great troupes of horse hauing by secret practises debauched and with-drawne the regiment of Ryf◅enberg and thinking to beate Albert was himselfe beaten wounded and taken prisoner the which happened the fourth of Nouember After this victorie the Marquis Albert came to the Emperors campe before Metz with Aumale his prisoner and camped vpon Mosella then hauing caused his prisoner to bee drest hee sent him into Germany to be well garded The Emperor came from Thionuille to his campe before Metz t◅e twenty of Nouember then they battered the towne furiously with forty Canons the report whereof was heard eighteene leagues off The besieged made many gallant sallies especially vpon Albert of Brandenbourgs Campe whome they hated most and once among the rest when as the Earles of Egmont Aremberg and other Noblemen of the Netherlands were at supper with him in the which Lichtenberg his Lieutenant was very sore wounded The Princes and greatest Noblemen carried earth to repaire their breaches so as the besiegers were no lesse amazed to see their diligence a◅d labour then their valour The Winter was very sharpe and full of Snowe and although the Emperor had a goodly Armie yet hee neuer gaue any assault but busied himselfe onely about vndermining of the towne wherein hee preuailed little both by reason of the bad and vnseasonable wether which did hinder them as also
out the new religion yet it is most manifest that it is no new thing to endure two religions in one countrey yea and that all wise kings and princes haue so done according to the necessitie of the time for although the religion of those emperours were bad yet they held it good holy as the king holds his and it was the religion which they had receiued from their ancestors aboue three thousand yeares past But wee find also that Christian emperours haue endured false religions as it appeares by the examples of Theodotius Honorius and Arcadius who gaue temples to the Arrians and Noâ—…atians sometimes within sometimes without the citie as the necessitie of the time and place required In the Ecclesiasticall hystorie it is reported for a remarkable thing that Valentinianus the emperour was Orthodoxe and a good Christian yet he suffered the Arrians though he fauoured them not so much as the others Valens his collegue or companion in the empire was an Arrian and would by no meanes suffer the Christians in his gouernment but did persecute them in all sorts whereby wee may easily gather that in all well gouerned commonweales to auoid seditions and tumults it is sometimes necessarie to grant temples vnto hereticks not to the intent they should disperse their heresies more but that the people hearing the truth confronted with falshood might without mutines or tumults apply themselues quietly vnto the true and right religion But our Lord and Sauiour saith That he came to bring warre and not peace into the world so as in one house there shall bee dissention betwixt the father and the sonne the brother and the brother c. How can we then maintaine the religion of Iesus Christ if they will reduce all the world to one faith and one law seeing that for the ordering thereof he doth not command the faithfull to kill the rest but contrariwise he saith That the Apostles and faithfull should bee betrayed excommunicated and put to death for their faith and religion and therefore hee will haue them win the field through patience and the vertue of his word So as I cannot wonder sufficiently at the impudencie of these men who making a shew to be well read in all antient hystories dare maintain that there were neuer two diuers religions in one commonweale For what will they answer to the diuersitie alreadie alledged betwixt the Pharises Saduces and Essâ—…es without doubt they shall neuer find that by reason of these sects there was any great difficultie in the gouernment nor that Iesus Christ or his Apostles did euer command to burne them for their law What shall we say of the diuersitie of religions that were among the Heathen wherof one did not know anothers gods no not the names and some also maintained publikely That God did not care for humane things and yet wee find not that the gouernment of the Romans was troubled for this cause But who doth not see at this day vnder the great Turke a great diuersitie of religions so as among the Christians alone there are fifteene or twentie sects and sundry religions besides the Iewes Persians and Mahumetists all subiects to his empiâ—…e the which are more contrarie one vnto another for matter of religion than water is contrarie to fire Without doubt if these diuersities were the true cause of seditions and tumults it were not possible that the Turkes power should grow so great It is then a great ignorance to thinke that subiects cannot bee maintained in quiet when they are of diuers religions for who so will looke neerely to the spring and beginning of tumults and seditions hee shall find that they proceed not so much from the diuersitie of religions as through priuat passions as couetousnesse ambition reuenge hatred and such like from the which â—…all quarrâ—…ls may grow and when the magistrat preuents it not in time then by little and little they inflame and are cause of tumults and publike seditions Witnesse the troubles and seditions in Italy betwixt the Guelphes and Gibellins the which continued foure hundred yeares and was the cause of infinit murthers rapes warre and al sorts of violence and yet there was no difference in the religion but all did grow for that the magistrat did feed the priuat passions of their subiects in steed of suppressing them by iustice And as for controuersies touching religion it is not two hundred yeares since that the controuersies betwixt the Franciscans and the Iacobins for the conception of the virgine Marie had caused great troubles throughout all Christendome not that the controuersie was of any great importance but through the negligence of the magistrats who nourished these factions and became partisans Seeing then it appeareth that whereas good order hath beene setled people of diuers sects and religions haue beene quietly gouerned without any sedition or tumult and contrariwise whereas no order was not onely diuersitie of religion but euen smal quarrels haue bred horrible seditions and tumults any man of iudgement may gather thereby that seditions and tumults take not their increase from the importance of the quarrell whereon they are grounded but rather through the want of good order for that the magistrats neglect to punish them that entertaine them or else themselues maintaine one partie the which is confirmed by many antient and moderne examples And who so will examine strictly the last troubles of France shall find that the greatest part haue happened for that some mightie men or gouernors themselues hauing no regard to the publike good nor to the ordinances of the states haue at their owne pleasures plaid the kings and insulted of their owne authorities ouer them of the religion I thinke no man is so ignorant but knowes that the murther committed at Vassy by the duke of Guise against the lawes of the king and state hath beene the true and onely cause of the ciuile warres which followed to the ruine of the whole realme for whilest the kings proceeded by their authoritie there was no newes of any sedition how greeuous soeuer the persecutions were But when as gouernors of their own authorities offered violence to them of the religion presently all these tumults grew the which may serue vs for a good example whereby wee may learne to auoid the like inconueniences and take some good course for the benefit of the king and the good of all his good subiects which seeke onely to obey him It is then easie to resolue that good order would be setled if libertie should bee graunted to them of the religion to assemble and exercise their discipline restraining and bridling them with such lawes as shall be thought good And that the kings magistrats and officers be carefull to execute his Maiesties intention foreseeing aboue all things that the people vsurpe not the authoritie of the sword vnder colour of the factions of great men So as aboue all things there must be a preuention that all violence be forbidden of
either side and that those which proceed by any other vnlawfull meanes as by taxing and slandering shall bee well punished which doubtlesse will be a most assured meanes and the subiects shall liue in good vnitie and concord together and will carrie a perfect obedience vnto his Maiestie And in the meane time truth will lay open falshood in such sort as the king shall not need to feare that heresies shall multiply by this meanes to root out the truth but contrariwise wee shall see truth flourish and al heresies and false sects decay Gods glorie shal be generally celebrated and the kings greatnesse and prosperitie increase The which God grant vs by his holy grace to whom be all honour and glorie for euer and euer and euer Amen Such was the discourse of M. Francis Baudwin wherein he toucht the true point concerning the remedie of the troubles the which the king and his counsell might since haue known to be true if they would haue confest it freely or whether that the point of religion and the great zeal which his counsellors did counterfeit were the matters which toucht them neerest as they made great shew of or else couetousnesse and ambition euerie one aiming at his priuat greatnesse to the preiudice of the king and his countries and if the king who was then giuen to his pleasures and without any knowledge of state the which hee hath since learned to his owne cost referring all wholy to his cardinall and counsell had not beene so easie to suffer himselfe to be persuaded to the contrarie Whilest that both great and small in the Netherlands were thus distempered for feare of the troubles which were at hand by reason of the new bishops Inquisition bloudy edicts and counsell of Trent Alexander Farnese prince of Parma sonne to duke Octauio and the duchesse gouernesse of the Netherlands maried the Infanta of Portugal in the towne of Brussels whither most of the nobles and best qualified gentlemen of the countrey came to honor the feast during the which there were diuers conferences among them all concurring in this opinion That they held it an inestimable losse and a miserable case that a countrey so abounding in people and so flourishing in riches should for the aboue-named causes come to ruine and de solation and that so many faithfull and loyall subiects should kill and murther one another so grosly for that they would not yeeld a little to their inclinations nor discharge them any thing of the violence that was offered them seeing that the peoples requests were so reasonable Wherein seeing that they which had the gouernment in hand were abused or hindered by some bad spirits to preuent the apparent mischiefe they thought themselues bound as wel in regard of their duties and othe as of the ranke which they held to imbrace this matter effectually and to aduance it all they could But they would first trie if by the generall complaints of the people together with their praiers and intercessions they might obtaine any thing Wherin many of them did imploy themselues the more earnestly for that they had of a long time been affected to the religion and therefore hated the edicts and all other cruell innouations The noblemen which were as we haue said assembled at Hochstrate were dealt withall but they would not hearken to it but reuealed it to the duchesse for that some feared the euent yet notwithstanding the noblemen and gentlemen assembled at S. Trudon in greater numbers resoluing to make a petition in the peoples name they concluded of the order and the day when they should meet at Brussels to make the said petition vnto the gouernesse and the chiefe of the countrey as well by mouth as by writing And to the end that through the persuasions of some seditious instruments the matter might not be so disguised as their assembly and good intention should be taken in ill part and otherwise interpreted than was sincerely intended they thought it conuenient for their assurance to make a confederation or league together by the which they did promise to succour one another and not to forsake it for any cause but what should bee done vnto the least of them for that occasion should be taken as done to them all in generall and to euerie one in particular and that they should iointly defend themselues with all their powers whereof they made a compromise signed by euery one of them the tenor whereof followeth Whereas wee haue beene lately duly informed and it is most true that certaine peruerse creatures cunning and malitious making a counterfeit shew of great zeale which they haue to the maintenance and increase of the religion and Catholike faith and of the vnion of the people but indeuouring onely to satisfie their instiable couetousnesse ambition and insupportable pride haue by their â—…gred words and false suggestions so persuaded the king our lord notwithstanding any petitions to the contrarie that haue beene made vnto him that contrarie to the othe which his Maiestie hath made vnto God and to his faithfull subiects of the Netherlands he would forcibly bâ—…ing in and plant that pernitious Inquisition the which is not onely vnreasonable and contrarie to all diuine and humane lawes but also exceeding all the rigours and cruelties that euer were put in practise by the most cruell tyrants Infidels and Heathens The which also cannot but redound to the great dishonour of the name of God and the losse desolation and totall ruine of the said Netherlands for that it doth subiect all authoritie and iurisdiction vnder the power of the Inquisitors making all men perpetuall and miserable slaues exposing all good men to continuall and apparent danger both of bodie and goods by their searches and visitations so as if a priest a Spaniard of some wicked instrument meanes to do a mischiefe to any man by meanes of the Inquisition he may accuse him cause him to be apprehended yea put to death be it iustly or vniustly and confiscat all his goods were he the vprightest man in the world without hearing of his cause reasons and lawfull defence Wherefore we that haue subsigned hauing duely weighed and considered all these things haue and do thinke it our dueties according vnto reason to preuent the said apparent and intollerable inconueniences and by all good meanes to prouide for the safeties of our goods and persons that we be not made a prey vnto them who vnder colour of religion or Inquisition would inrich themselues with the losse of our goods and liues Whereupon we haue resolued to make and do make a good firme and holy league and confederation binding our selues and promising one vnto another by a solemne othe to hinder with all our power that the Inquisition be not brought in in any publike sort whatsoeuer either openly or secretly vnder the name of Inquisition Visitation Edicts Commandements or any other pretexts whatsoeuer but to abolish and root it out as much as in
magistrats and officers were inioyned to giue all aid assistance and fauour vnto the said Inquisitors in the execution of their charge whensoeuer they should berequired vpon the same paines c. Besides many other things directly repugnant to all right and the antient priuiledges and customes of the countrey Moreouer the most apparent as wel among the nobles as marchants and artisans and especially the richest were alreadie inrolled in these Inquisitors bookes to proceed against them as against men subiect to confiscation both of body goods at the least in case of repentance to great pecuniarie fines Thereupon was heard of all sides the brags and threats of Inquisitors priests and monks daring to desâ—…ribe yea to name in their sermons the most apparent Whereof not onely the people of Antuerpe which heard it and the magistrats which had been daily informed bare witnesse but also the townes of Lille Tournay Valenciennes and others of the countries of Flanders Brabant Holland and Arthois whereas these threats haue beene publikely heard from the mouthes of the priests and preachers Besides it was generally spoken of a leuie of â—…orse and foot made by duke Erick of Brunswick to plant the Inquisition as it was giuen out by force in the Netherlands as they had before designed yet could not effect it and that all this did tend to put it in execution that is to make a conquest of these Netherlands and by that meanes hauing abolished the priuiledges to conuert them to a realme as I haue said This leuie of men was confirmed by the entertaining of captaines to whom duke Erick had giuen in prest This did so amaze the people that many merchants yea of the most apparent had alreadie packt vp all to free themselues from such violence and oppression by a voluntarie exile many were alreadie retired and the trades were transported from all parts namely from Flanders Tournay Valenciennes and other neighbor places in such great troups as it was not onely apparent to the eye and they felt it in the decay of their imposts and customes but also it did plainly appeare that many good borough townes and villages were almost left desolat so as there was no good man that seeing this calamitie and decay of the countrey which had been so flourishing but was wonderfully grieued yea there were some officers and magistrats of great qualitie who considering of the one side the rigor of the commandement by the which it was expresly said That if any one of them should refuse to his dutie and assist the Inquisitors in the execution of their charges that they should be discharged and others put in their places and on the other side laying before their eyes the furie of an incensed multitude the which being moued by such extremities doe oftentimes fall into such rages as they neither spare officers nor magistrats or els it may be not able in conscience to become prouosts and executioners to the Inquisition in a cause so ill grounded spake openly of leauing off their charges and to resigne them into the kings hands in case he continued in this resolution rather than to pursue the said executions with such rigour On the other side the French neighbours to these countries who had long affected this estate as if the better part had proceeded from them were loth to let slip this occasion seeking by all meanes to sound the hearts of the inhabitants of the countrey giuing them to vnderstand by men suborned how insupportable this seruitude should bee vnto them by the which they should take from them their priuiledges immunities and liberties and bring in other lawes ordinances and customes after the Spanish manner that the Spaniards would come and seize vpon their lands houses wiues and children yea of all that was theirs and subiect the king of Spaines owne person vnto their Inquisition They did not forget to describe vnto them the great desolation which would bee in the countrey by reason of the retreat of the chiefe marchants who would carrie away with them the workemen artisans and their arts And as it is true that traffique is the nursing mother of these countries that being retired the workemen must needs retire or dye for hunger besides the subiection of consciences whereunto they would bring them comparing with all these discommodities and feruitudes the wealth goodly commodities and aboue all the libertie of other realmes and neighbour countries as Fraunce is the priuiledges of the French church beeing such as they doe not acknowledge the Pope for their superiour but as they please themselues England Scotland Denmarke the greatest part of Germanie with Bohemia And therefore it were an vnworthie thing that these good countries of the Netherlands lying in the middest of such neighbours so free should be made slaues vnder the yoke of a strange and farre-fet barbarous nation Whereunto did also serue diuers and sundrie brutes spred abroad here and there as in the neighbour countries of Germanie Gueldres Oueryssell Friseland yea in Holland and Zeeland where they said that they were confederats with the empire and therfore should enioy the priuiledges of the pacification made and past in Germanie at Passau and not endure the yoke of the Inquisition of Spaine repugnant to all antient lawes customs and priuiledges In Brabant and Flanders they obiected an accord made by the deceased emperour Charles the fifth with the princes electors of the empire making one circle the which in the Germane tongue they call Creyts by it selfe contributable as much as two princes electros Wherupon and to shew that it was true they pretended that they of Flanders had giuen a gratuitie vnto his imperiall Maiestie as an acknowledgement of the good which they pretended to haue receiued by the meanes of the said accord the which his Maiestie had taken in good part and that thereby hee was bound to the obseruation of the said treatie Moreouer for the Brabansons they did alledge their contract of Ioyous entrie the which they said was mutuall and reciprocall and could not be broken by the one but presently the other were freed and discharged from their othe Whereunto they added that the duchie of Brabant was fallen to the king of Spaines predecessors by right of election the which depended vpon conditions sworne of either side all which conditions they said were broken if they brought the Inquisition of Spaine into that countrey Those of Brabant did also produce six principall articles among others of their priuiledges whereof the first was 1 That the duke of Brabant might not augment the state of the clergie more than it had beene in old time and so placed by the dukes vnlesse the two other estates of the nobilitie and commons should consent thereunto 2 That the duke might not pursue ciuilely or criminally any of his naturall subiects or strangers dwelling there but by the ordinarie course of the iustice of the countrey whereas the accused may defend and iustifie himselfe
times seeing that the most innocent may not onely be brought into suspiâ—…on but also made odious and abhominable causing him by some suborned people to bee reputed and accused for an heretike For this point beeing gained hee shall not onely find himselfe frustrat of all his good deeds seruices and merits but beeing depriued of all good presumptions hee shall remaine suspected and accusable of rebellion and sedition and in generall of all kinds of crimes and offences that are comprehended vnder the title of high treason And the pretended accusation of heresie being at this time odious and in a maner necessarie for the punishing therof without incurring the indignation and diuersion of the hearts which we will keepe in obedience to couer it with the cloake of the said crimes of treason whereof the accused pretends in vaine to purge and discharge himselfe before him to whom hee sees himselfe to be suspect of heresie for those being not the finall causes for the which he is pursued taken arrested and accused although he make good proofe of his innocencie yet can hee not hope to be absolued and set free but either he must vnder the colour of the said crimes be condemned or els his innocencie beeing too apparent hee must by their delayes and tedious proceeding attend a perpetuall and miserable detention The which might suffice to excuse my not appearing before the Duke of Alua Gouernour and Captaine generall of the Nelands were it not that for many reasons your suing for a commission to apprehend and adiourne were not void in law and such a one as I am not bound to obey for besides that your sergeant hath made no signification summation or insinuation of his exploit to mee who after aduertisement giuen to the Duchesse of Parma then regent by reason of my vrgent affaires was retired into this my countie of Nassau as also I had signified vnto his Maiesty long since that it was my intention so to doe and not to flie or hide my head as your commission conteines The times of delay and the dayes of appearance are so short as it is impossible to bee aduertised of the publication made at Brussels and to appeare there within that time and much lesse in some more remote parts whither the duke of Alua might in the meane time transport himselfe for euerie terme and delay hauing his effect it is manifest what respect shall bee had to euerie one of them and not to all three delayes ioyned together And to prefixe so many termes of fifteene dayes in such a distance as is betwixt this and Brussels is no other thing but to make proclamations adiornments and citations the which it is impossible to obey and heaping the said delayes and taking the three for one it will appeare that in a case of so great importance and against one of my qualitie they pretend to proceed by one citation onely against all order of iustice Seeing that in the like case according vnto law they proceed summarily obseruing the accustomed order which is after three distinct citatious obtained at the least aftâ—…r ten dayes respite to either of them they cite him peremptorily and that the judge beeing duely informed of the places whereas the absent whom they will adiourne remaines giue delayes according to the distance of the places the which not beeing done by your adiournement it must necessarily follow that it is void and of no force The which nullitie is comprehended in all iudiciall acts vnduely and incompetently done and the rather for that your pretended citation adiornment can haue no place in effect as being made vnto him that is without the kings territories and iurisdiction in the limits of the empire and beeing a member and a state of the empire from whom by right you should require them that are retired thither not beeing sufferable to call them out by a citation made without the empire by a pretended publication the which hath beene heretofore so regarded as for this reason chiefly the sentence giuen by the emperour Henry against Robert king of Sicilie was declared void and of no force together that the said emperour was accompanied with a mightie armie suspected vnto king Robert as at this present the duke of Alua is with a Spanish armie carrying vs the affection which euerie man knowes The which may suffice to discouer the nullitie of your citation and adiournement seeing that the Duke a more incompetent judge in my triall than the said emperour was in regard of Robert king of Sicilie for as much as the Knights of the Order according to the acts and constitutions of the said Order cannot bee adiourned but before the chiefe of the Knights of the Order and their brethren for any fact how fowle soeuer that they shall commit Neither can they proceed to the apprehension seizure nor detention of the said Knights of the Order before it bee first decreed by the aduice of his companions and brethren and in that case they must be presently put into the guard of the colledge and companie of the said Order and not rigorously intreated as they haue done our cousins and brethren the earles of Egmont and Horne whome they haue imprisoned the which doth also confirme the nullitie of your impetration yea euen the rigorous clause of corporall apprehension there inserted For man being by nature mooued to preserue himselfe there were no colour to make vs appeare among men and before judges that bee suspect and not to bee allowed yea and to a more strict and rigorous prison than wee are tyed vnto or that is fit by law by the which the prison serues onely to keepe the prisoner safe and not to debarre and sequester him from all conuersation conference counsell and aduice without the which it is impossible that a cause of such importance can bee well and duely mannaged and defended which notwithstanding wee heare is vsed to our said cousins and brethren whom wee see led out of the duchie of Brabant notwithstanding the expresse conuentions lawes and contracts vnder the which the said countrey is bound to obey his Maiestie And the like hath happened to our sonne the earle of Buren without any respect to his young yeares and his knowne innocencie the which serue vs for an aduertisement that the Duke of Alua meanes not to subiect himselfe to any contracts bonds lawes priuiledges and customes and therefore it should bee impossible to obtaine a bolition from him although wee did sufficiently prooue our innocencie by the like allegations By reason whereof and that as well by law as by the conuention mentioned by the Ioyous entrie conteining the lawes vnder the which the duchie of Brabant owes obedience wee which haue had our dwelling in the said duchie are grounded to suspend all obedience which wee owe vnto the king vntill that his Maiestie beeing better informed shall repaire that which hath beene done and attempted contrarie to the said Ioyous entrie Wee haue thought it therefore
king gaue him a good and a friendly answer but yet subtilly and craftily saying that it was far both from him and his nature to haue a bad opinion of one that had bin so good and trustie a seruitor both to his father and him and that the cause why he denied him his pasport was for that he would haue him to goe with himselfe into the Netherlands or els to vse his counsell with many such like words but in the meane time order was taken in all places that no man should let nor sell him nor his seruants any horses which was discouered and perceiued when as before he and the marques of Berghen rode vpon a time to confession to our lady of Guadalupo when as there were forty horses sent after them which secretly attended and watched them After that when newes came into Spaine of the imprisonment of the earles of Egmont and Horne his brother the baron de Selles lieutenant of the kings guard of Netherland archers was commaunded to enter his house and to commit him prisoner with a Netherland gentleman called Nesse being the kings chamberlain and both caried to the castle of Segobia where the baron de Montigni was put into a small high tower with one of his seruants called Arthur de Munter a Luycknaer and eight souldiers appointed to guard him which vsed him most shamefully being thus committed to prison he desired diuers times that he might haue law and iustice as belonged vnto a lord of his qualitie vpon which his request receiuing no answere nor resolution he sought meanes to breake and escape out of prison whereunto he had woon a Spaniard one of his guard to consent and some of his owne seruants as his Secretarie Anthony vander Becque and another gentleman of Pruseland called Iohn Hanowe his steward Iohn le Moyne and his cooke that baked his bread after the Netherland manner those he wrote vnto by letters sent them by meanes of the said Spaniard of his guard and they answered his letters againe which they baked in his bread and so conueyed them vnto him meane time he got files wherewith he filed certaine yron barres and in a cofer had ladders sent him that shut and folded one within the other besides that hee had post horses made ready for him and all other things necessarie and fit for such a purpose to ride away all beeing well and politickely deuised and foreseene but when it came to the point and that the horses stood ready the steward Iohn le Moine neglecting his time to deliuer the last bread being ouer busie and earnest to take his leaue or last farewell of his whore whereby the bread that had the letter in it was not deliuered as it should be but came to the hands of the captaine of his guard which brake or cut it vp and found the letter in it whereby the whole enterprise was discouered for which cause all his seruants were committed to prison and condemned to die and to that end had their confessors often sent vnto them expecting nothing but death But many men tooke compassion on them so that the Spaniard of the guard onely was hanged and the cooke condemned to haue two hundred blowes with a broad thicke peece of leather which was done with wonderfull compassion of the standers by that cried out and said That they as seruants had done nothing but that which was commâ—…ndable seeking their lord and masters deliuerie that had long sought and desired to haue law and iustice whereby they were not put to death but the foure seruants were committed prisoners into a castle callâ—…d Valasco where they continued and liued a long time in great miserie till in Nouember 1567 at which time it happened that the princes of Portugall the kings sister and mother to Dom Sebastian king of Portugall passing by the prison the said prisoners making a great noise both with their chaines and cries she asked what they were and was certified that they were Flemings imprisoned onely because they sought to haue gotten their lord and master out of prison that had long sought for iustice but could not obtaine it Whereupon she promised for the lord of Montignies sake and the innocencie of their small offence earnestly to solicite for their deliuerance vnto the king which she obtained for the which they most heartily thanked God and the princes The baron de Montigni vnderstanding thereof vsed such meanes by secret friends that hee got a certaine summe of money and gaue it them for to beare their charges into the Netherlands giuing them letters to his wife the lady Montigni daughter and sister to the prince of Espinoy and Dauitourgh of the house of Melun that she should allow them euery one according to his place a certaine yearely pention out of his lands during their liues in recompence of their seruice and troubles endured for his sake They being so discharged and come into the Netherlands seeking to obtaine their said reward and to that end making meanes vnto the baron de Noircarmes to bee an intercessour for them not onely to the lady Montigni but also to the duke of Alua that had forbidden her to giue them any thing at the last got nothing but were vpon paine of hanging banished out of Brussels After that the duke of Alua caused the said lord de Montignies processe of life and goods to be made as he had done against the other lords wholly without his knowledge appointing a counsellor to answere for him that neuer spake with the said lord de Montigni nor yet could get any instruction or information out of Spaine from him he himselfe not once vnderstanding thereof And when Annavan Austria the emperour Maximilians daughter passed through the Netherlands to goe into Spaine to marry with the king the Contesse of Horne mother vnto the said lord de Montigni and his wife with diuers others kneeling downe before her desired her to be a meanes vnto the king that his processe might be made and he deliuered out of prison which the said espoused queene promised in most friendly manner that it should be the first request that she would make vnto the king her husband Which the duke of Alua vnderstanding presently sent letters into Spaine and procured the meanes that the said baron de Montigni was remooued from Segobia vnto the castle of Simancas and before the queene got out of the ship to set foot on land he was poysoned by a young page that put poyson into certaine broth wherewith he serued him which page was expressely charged to doe it vpon paine of death as he after confessed vnto his secret friends by meanes of the which broth he fell into a burning feauer whereof hee died in the beginning of October in Anno 1570 his sentence being by the said duke of Alua first published in the Netherlands in March after in Anno 1571 and all his goods confiscate He left issue by his wife whom he had newly
Frederic beeing not yet glutted with so much innocent bloud and with such cruelties caused his armie to march towards Amsterdam with an intention to surprise the towne of Harlem But before he would attempt it and for that he would not draw his men into danger hee would haue the aduice of the bourgomasters and the counsell of the said towne who were of opinion That hee must practise some intelligences wherein one Diericke of Vriese sometimes a bourgomaster of the said towne might doe him great seruice with some others that were well affected vnto the Spaniards also it was thought good to write and to send them word that there was yet some hope of grace But it chanced that one Ieams de Wy curate of great Beginage hearing speech of this enterprise and pretended surprise aduertised his brother that he might auoid the dukes furie and his sonnes of whom they had seene such goodly examples in their neighbours Vpon these letters the great counsell of the towne was assembled the third of December at seuen of the clocke in the morning â—…here the said letters were red and vpon the contents thereof they would heare euery mans opinion Whether they should goe and present themselues vnto the duke of Alua or not seeing the said letters made mention that there was yet some hope of mercie in them This proposition being made Diericke of Vriese Christopher van Schagen and Adrian van Assendelf the Orator of the towne went presently out of the towne by the port of Spaerwoude making their sledge-man beleeue that they would goe to Sparendam but they passed on towards Amsterdam to Dom Frederic Those of the great counsell would also know the mindes of the commons and of the sworne companies vpon the letters sent by the curate of Beginage causing them to assemble in the artillerie garden whither also went captaine Wibout Ripperda Launcelot of Brederode Adrian Ianson baylife of the towne and the bourgomaster Stuyuer the bourgers and companies beeing there assembled captaine Ripperda sayd vnto them My masters and friendes behold a letter directed vnto the bourgomaster and counsell of this towne containing that there is yet time to obtaine grace of Dom Frederic to which end Diericke of Vriese is gone vnto him to Amsterdam you may well thinke what grace wee can hope for from him and you know what oath you haue taken to the prince of Orange For my part I am resolued to keepe mine honour and faith which I haue sworne vnto him and to hazard the last droppe of my bloud for the preseruation of this towne and the inhabitants thereof employing therein both my person and my meanes are not you all so minded speake freely and boldly At these words the companie began to crie out aloud That they were all content and they would liue and die with him saying that they had sufficient testimonies by their neighbours of his clemencie and mercie although they were not at that time very wel furnished to make any great resistance Here began to appeare the profite and aduantage which the duke of Alua and his sonne reaped by their cruelties at Zutphen and at Naerden The bourgers after they had encouraged one another they brake off the assembly beeing resolued to defend themselues euen vnto the vttermost Which captaine Ripperda and the baylife seeing they writ vnto the prince of Orange beeing then at Delft of the estate of their towne and sent secretly a messenger vnto colonel Lazarus Muller who the same day had taken two messengers of Dom Frederics and caused them to be hanged entreating him to send some of his companies into the towne Lazarus had no sooner receiued these newes but he marched by Waterlandt directly to Harlem with all his regiment being tenne companies where he arriued the fourth of December at noone day of the which foure companies entred the rest going towards South-Holland The same day being the fourth of December the great church of the towne was opened the Images and altars beaten downe and all made readie for the preaching of the Protestants Religion The next day which was the fifth of December there returned into the towne Christopher van Schagen and Adrian van Assendelf who were the same day sent prisoners to Delf to bee examined before the prince of Oranges counsell as also the same day there was one taken who had caused a poore pesant to carry a letter from Diericke Vriese to the bourgomaster hee was hanged after that he had confessed vnder the ladder that he was persuaded thereunto by Vriese for a dollar The seuenth of December the Spaniards came vnto Spaerwoude to skirmish with them which the Harlemois kept in the fort of Sparendam but it was to small effect and the next day the bourgomasters and captaines sent three hundred men to the reliefe of Sparendam vnder the conduct and commaund of Martin Pruys and the enemie thinking to returne the same day they were so welcommed with the canon as there was no safetie in staying long The eight of December the inhabitants perct a dike which lyeth betwixt Sparendam and Spaerwoude to drowne the countrey but hauing not digged deepe ynough the Spaniards came to stoppe it the same day and there made a trench Then came the Seignior of S. Aldegonde to Harlem where by vertue of a commission giuen him from the prince of Orange and with the aduice of the sworne companies and the chiefe among the people he renewed the law displacing the old and creating new magistrates that is to say eight bourgomasters foure aldermen and twentie of the counsell On the tenth day it had frozen so bitterly as the riuers were all yce and among others the Tye and the Spare on the which they might runne in great troupes Whereupon Iulian Romero with the Spaniards tooke the oportunitie to assayle the fort of Sparendam both before and behind vpon the yce the which succeeded happily for them for although they lost many men as well at the charge as by the artillerie of the fort yet they tooke it by assault the souldiers Protestants sauing themselues as well as they could in Assendelf The Harlemois hearing that this place was thus violently assaulted by the Spaniards thinking to succour it they sent two companies but before they could approch newes came that the enemies were masters of the place At this taking of the fort captaine Martin Pruys was slaine with many souldiers on both sides Meane time Monsieur Aldegonde came to Harlem in behalfe of the prince of Orange and the States of Holland who vpon the ninth of December assembled the harquebusiers and the bourgers of the towne shewing them the necessitie of the towne and how that Diericke de Vriese by his dealing sought to bring them vnto a fained agreement and such like speeches desiring them seeing the towne was in that extremitie to chuse another bourgomaster or to strengthen their counsell for which cause hee sayd hee came with authoritie from the States and the
mutines and Rebells vnto the King giuing leaue vnto the Bourguers who needed no great prouocation to kill them where they could The Spaniards hauing fayled of their surprize sought to fier the port of Weert with poulder straw and pitch the Bourguers perceiuing it sallied out vpon them and slue some fifty The eighteenth of the moneth passing along the towne ditches with their Electo called Ioan Bianco they came on the side of Saint Catherins gate a little before day whereas they went vp to the rampar by scaladoe and slew some of the townesmen their Electo hauing sworne to enter or to die in the place But the Inhabitants running thether in great nombers resisted them so corragiously as they made them quit the rampar with great losse and among others of their Electo the Bourguers being so eager in the slaughter of them as those of the castell were forced to shoot at them to make them cease where there died aboue a hundred Spaniards The great Commander finding that since his comming to the gouernment all that he had deseigned went crossly and against the haire both by sea and land after the losse of Middlebourg and of so many shipps the disgrace and affront receiued at Leyden and the discontentment and mutiny of his troupes hee thought to try the ford an other way seeing that by warre he preuailed nothing He sought means to reuiue the treatie of peace and to bring it againe in question the which had bin talked of betwixt some priuat persons as Noir-carmes Champaigni and others in Iuly before as wee haue said And calling to minde the petition presented them by the Nobilitie and townes of Holland and Zeeland tending to an accord hee obtained leaue and authority from the King to enter into conference in a certaine place appointed to that end the which was named at Breda a towne belonging to the Prince of Orange and then held by the Spaniards Whether the great furtherer and louer of peace the Emperor Maximilian who neuer ceased with all carefulnesse to solicite the King therein sent Gunter Earle of Swartzenburgh and the Earle of Hohenlo both brothers in law to bee mediators therein who road too and fro betweene both parties and brought it to such passe as in the beginning of March the great Commander gouernor generall sent vnto Breda for commissioners the Earle of Roche of the house of Launoy The Baron de Rasingen gouernor of Ryssell Donway and Orchie Arnolt Sasbout chancellor of Geldre Charles Suys President of Holland who had fled from thence and doctor Elbertus Leoninus For the Prince of Orange knights of the order Noblemen Gentlemen and townes of Holland Zeeland and their associates as Bommell and Bueren vpon hostages deliuered for them at Dort as Montdragon Iulian Romero Don Michael de Alentaer Don Guilliaume de Saint Clement and Don Michael de Couille there came Arent van Dorp Charles Boysot gouernor of â—…ushing Philip de Marnix Saint Aldegonde William van Zuylen Van Niuelt Scout of Dort Iacob van Der-does Iohn Iunius de Yonghen gouernor of Camphere Adrian van Der-myte and Paulus Buys aduocate of Holland The second of March 1575. they being all assembled and as it seemed well inclined to a peaâ—…e they of Holland spake touching their former request presented requesting the with-drawing of strangers and assembling of the generall States where-vpon it was asked them in the Kings behalfe who they vnderstood to be strangers and who they called the generall States They answered that all those were strangers that were not borne in the seuenteene Prouinces and that they vnderstood the generall States to be such a meeting of the States as was assembled in the time of the Emperor Charles the fifth when he resigned the Netherlands vnto his sonne King Philip. After that vpon the 14. of March the deputies for the King both by word of mouth and writing shewed and deliuered vnto the deputies of Holland c. that they thought it very hard that the Spanish soldiers being the Kings subiects as well as they and which had done him and his predecessors so great seruice in the Netherlands should be esteemed strangers Neuer-the-lesse peace being once agreed vpon his Maiesties meaning was not to keepe the Spaniards any longer in the Netherlands then neede should require and that therefore it was not conuenient that his Maiestie should bee constrained there-vnto for that so it might tend vnto the impairing of his honor which they all had protested especially to regarde Touching the assembling of the generall Estates that his Maiestie was well content all things being pacified being required there-vnto to be counselled and assisted by his estates in things belonging vnto and concerning the country wherein they are vsually to be conferred with-all without making them acquainted with such things as belong vnto his soueraignty and the good pleasure will and disposition of his Maiesty wherein his Maiestie or his gouernor were to vse the counsell and aduise of his counsell appointed to that end and purpose as of prouinciall councels and the lawes of the country as need required and for that the assembling of the Estates could not be done without great trouble and vncertainty asking long time and not vntill a peace were made therfore the King offered that peace might the better be procured vnto them of Holland and Zeeland the restitution of all their priuiledges lawes rights and customes as they were before the troubles if any thing were altered as also that all things whatsoeuer had hapned during the troubles should be forgiuen and forgotten and that all the sentences of banishments confiscations of mens goods and other things should be voide and dissanulled That the goods that had beene taken from each other on both sides should bee restored vnto the owners thereof in such estate as they then should bee found to be That which had beene taken and carried away should so remaine although it were yet in the parties hands that all prisoners both of the one and the other side should be freely set at liberty without any ransome both the Earle of Bossu and all others what-so-euer they were and that those that had paide ransome should haue no restitution alwaies prouided that the said Prince of Orange Knights of the order Noblemen Gentlemen and townes should deliuer all the said countries townes castles and forts together with the shippes and artillery and al other things whatsoeuer into his Maiesties hands and that all they that during the warls had ceazed vpon any goods houses or rents belonging to the Spirituality or other persons should peaceably restore them againe vnto the owners with-out any fraud That his maiesties intent was that the Catholike Romish Religion should be generally obserued in all places of his Maiesties dominions and peaceably and freely permitted with-out any opposition or contradiction in such manner as when his Maiestie was instauled and by oath inuested in the Netherlands and as the States thereof at that
richest marchāts were made poore and the very beggers o◅ the Spaniards were inricht in an instant but some did not long inioy their great wealth for there were simple soldiars which lost ten thousand Crownes in a day at dice vppon the Bursse which was their playing place Other not knowing what to do with their treasure made hilts for rapiers and daggers of pure gold yea whole Corslets A goldsmith hauing made one the Spaniard desirous to haue it varnished that it might not be discouered to bee of gold the workman fled away with it and came to Flessingue The riches that was taken there was so great as some haue affirmed that there was aboue some fortie tunne of golde spoiled in ready money There was a soldiar which tooke out of a windowe of a house seuentie thousand Florins Captaine Ortis made choise of a bootie which no man else dreampt of which was the prison where hee set at libertie for great ransomes all the prisoners that were in it as well for ciuill and criminall causes as them of the religion among the which there was some ministers and many Anabaptists whereby hee gathered a great treasure The Cittie of Antwerpe being thus miserably subiected vnder the enemies yoake the Spaniards fearing that the States to cut of the passage of the riuer towards Gant should build a Forte at Burcht before the which all the shippes must passe that went to Gant Tenremonde Macklin and Brusselles made hast to preuent them and to build one there which they gaue in gard to Francisco Valdes with 400. Spaniards DON IOHN OF AVSTRIA BAStard sonne to the Emperor Charles the fift Gouernor of the Netherlands for the King of Spaine JOANNES AVSTRI CAR. V. F. PHIL. RE. CAT. NOM◅ APVD BELGAS GVB ET CAPIT GENERA Although I issued from an vnlawfull bed Yet was I not the lesse esteem'd but greatly honored For when the Emperor dying did acknowledge me To be his naturall sonne the King did hold me for to be His bastard brother and did such affection beare To me that to most great affaires he did me stil prefer The Turke I fear'd not but did him ouerthrow And forc'd the Granadian Moores obedience to shew My minde aspiring vnto high conceites was bent And made me practise many things to further my intent But being hether sent chiefe Gouernor to be Death crossed al my purposes and made an end of me DON Iohn of Austria bastard brother to the King of Spaine sent to gouerne the Netherlands arriued in the towne of Luxembourg in Nouember 1576. the verie daie that the Spaniards practised their furie in Antwerp by murthering burning and spoyling of the Cittie sparing no age sex nor qualitie Being there hee writ his letters to the Spaniards in Antwerp and to the generall Estates assembled at Brussells seeming in his letters to the States to bee somewhat discontented for the insolencies that had beene committed in the Netherlands promising to take due punishment so as they would shew due obedience vnto the King and maintaine the Romish Catholike relligion whereas on the other side if they continued obstinate he was not onely prouided but resolued as well for warre as peace according to the instructions of the Spanish councell The councell of Estate merueyled much at the first that hee came not personally to Brussells but they were much amazed at the contents of his letter which seemed to threaten them who thought to haue executed their charge wisely and carefully shewing himselfe therein not as their Gouernor but as their aduersary which iealousie of theirs encreased the more for that hee would not come among them but vpon hostages desiring also to haue their troupes vnder his priuate commande or a great part of them for his securitie as if they were his enemies This seemed very strange vnto the generall Estates and the whole Countrie and bred ill bloud in them and the rather for that they discouered that the mutinous and rebellious Spaniards first secretly and after openly had all fauour and accesse vnto him and that hee affected the sole gouernment to himselfe that so hee might punish and controule reward and honour whom hee pleased being held strang in Spaine that the Netherlanders who were there esteemed as a conquered people and subiects to the King should vndertake such great matters as had beene effected all much derogating to the Kings prerogatiue and honour and so much the more intollerable for that in Spaine they were generally suspected and held for Lutherans and heretiks The generall Estates being likewise assembled at Brussells consisting of the deputies of the spirituallty the nobilitie townes and members of the Prouinces vnder the lawfull subiection of their naturall Lord after declaration made touching their preuiledges customes lawes ancient liberties sworne vnto by their Prince himselfe they found the proceeding of Don Iohn to bee verie strange and the rather for that they vnderstood out of Spaine that the oppressions and insolent behauiour of the Spanish souldiars were rather applauded then disallowed and that in steed of exemplarie punishment there were more rewards and honours appointed to bee giuen vnto their captaines and Commanders and they found by certaine letters that Don Iohn had charge to follow such instructions as Ieronimo Rhoda had left in Antwerp with a Spanish Marchant called Ieronimo Lopez and that Rhoda had the managing of all the Netherland causes in Spaine The effect of Don Iohns instructions were that hee should vse all the faire meanes hee could to winne the hearts of the common people that by their aide hee might subdue Holland and to punish the rest according to their desarts and that in the meane time hee should dissemble which instructions although they were not knowne at the first yet were the generall Estates and the Nobilitie presently estranged from him by meanes of his disorderly proceeding for which cause they sent vnto the Prince of Orange beeing an old experienced councellor in affaires of State and then a member of the Netherlands to heare his aduice who in the end of Nouember writ vnto them from Middelbourg as followeth A letter written by the Prince of Orange To the Generall estates of the Netherlands assembled at Brussells the last of Nouember 1576. MY maisters you haue before seene by my letters what in my opinion vnder your correction I thought fit to be treated of with Don Iohn of Austria And although it may seeme vnto you that what I do so often re-iterate proceeds from some priuate passion or to entertaine this country in alteration Notwith-standing I may call GOD to witnesse with a good conscience that my disseigne was neuer other but to see this Country gouerned as it hath allwaies beene by the generall Estates Which consists of the ◅lergie Nobilitie and the townes members depending thereon vnder the lawfull obedience of their naturall Prince And as since by the length of time this gouernment hath beene by little and little abolished
whatsoeuer had neuer bin vsed as the hundreth and the tenth penny whereby some Prouinces vpon mere extremity had with-drawne them-selues from the absolute subiection of the said Duke which to reduce againe vnder his authority he prepared certaine fleets of shipes and vnder pretence thereof he vnfurnished the townes of their ordinance and armes and after that sent part thereof secretly into Spaine and an other part thereof was lost making account that a disarmed country was not greatlie to be feared and to the end that he might pourchase the fauour and loue of the soldiars as the tyrants Sylla Synna and Marius in Rome did he suffered them to vse al the tirrany they could deuise against the townes of the Netherlands as to Mechelen Naerden Harlem and others after whome followed Don Loys de Requesens great Commander of Castille a man of the same humor who hauing for a while playd the foxe brought likewises all the priuileges of the country in question whereby the mutinous soldiers after there victory at Moukerheyde without any great cause were suffered in his presence to force the townes as they did at Antwerp and compell them to pay them their entertainements whereas the Barron de Champigni had good meanes to haue hindred them from the same by which meanes the said soldiers tooke occasion and imboldened them selues to thinke that it was permitted them with the aide of the neighbours garrisons to ouer-rule ransake and spoyle the townes where they lay in garrison which had likewise happened in the towne of ould Naerden where he was gouernor if God had not giuen him the grace to preuent it in such sort that Spaine it selfe woundred at the Netherlands great submission and patience thinking it strange that after the death of the Commander the country did not kill and destroy all those mutinous soldiers when as the light horse-men mutined as the States had beene well informed out of Spaine which mutinous and insolent dealings were certefied vnto the King himselfe both in the Commanders time and sence and whereas the said Commander had twice sent to sommon the Knights of the order of the golden fleese the gouernors of the Prouinces and the Bishops and presidents of the Prouinciall councels with the counsell of estate and the secretaries that conuenient order might be taken therein it was there generally agreed and consented vnto to preuent further inconueniences that they should seeke to agree and make peace with the Prince of Orange and the states of Holland and Zeeland that all the Spanish and other strange soldiers both horse and foot-men should be sent out of the Netherlands that so the Catholike Kings seruice might the better bee effected That the Generall estates should be assembled that all other points of controuersie and contention happened betweene the Kings seruants and the aforesaid estates might be ended alwaies obseruing the old religion and the lawfull soueraignite of the King which there resolution being writen and signed by the parties aforesaid was sent into Spaine vnto the King where-vpon the King taking long consultation and aduise in the meane time more inconueniences happening through the proud and insolent behauiour of the Spaniards the King made answer that it was his onely care to find the best meanes to preuent all the said disorders and that as sone as he could he would send the Marquis of Haurec with order for the same At the last the King by his letters written vnto the States consented and agreed vnto their desires and willed the same to bee made knowne vnto the perticuler Prouinces as it was don according to the aduise of the aforesaid counsell of estate But the effect execution and charge thereof was remitted vnto Don Iohn de Austria as then nominated by the King to be sent gouernor into the Netherlands to cause the said country to be better counâ—…d of him as the Kingâ—… letters specified and contayned In the meane time after the winning of Ziricxzee the Spanish soldiers beginning againe to mutine tooke in Herentales and after that Alost liuing therein at discretion as euery man saw The Lords of the counsell of estates perceauing the mischiefe like a canker more and more to spred abroad within the Netherlands thinking it to be necessary to vse a speedy remedy fearing a generall reuolt of the country and that of mere necessity and pouerty quia noscit plebs ieiuna timere declared the mutinous soldiers in Alost and there adherents to be rebelis and meaning to punish them according to their deserts had determined to raise certaine tropes and to that end wrote to assemble the estates in Brussels there to take councell about the affaires of the land and to cause the Spaniards and all other strangers to depart out of the Netherlands and yet not without contenting them of their paines according to their accounts and reckonings but they to the contrary made a mock at all reasonable motions carrying themselues more insolently then before openly boasting that they would cut the throats of all their enimies and wash their hands in their bloud So as the estates could doe no lesse then by authority of the councell of state then ruling to take armes for their defence and securities as it is permitted both by godly naturall and humaine lawes and so made peace with the Prince of Orange the estates of Holland and Zeland determining after the driuing out of the strangers to haue a generall assembly of the estates to take order for the keeping and maintaining of the catholike religion the honor and authority of the kings maiesty their maister therby to preuent a greater mischiefe which meere necessity forced them vnto that they might not suffer the ruine of so goodly Prouinces before Don Iohn could come thether saying that her Maiestie might thereby well vnderstand what had past in the Netherlands and what reasons moued the generall estates by order from the Lords of the councell of estate then gouerning and representing the person of the King their soueraigne Lord to haue their refuge and recourse vnto armes And for that cause desired her Maiesty to consider if that they were therein to bee blamed when as they neither sought alteration of religion nor change of Prince but onely desired to serue the king and sought to deliuer and free themselues from the bloudy practises of the Spanish soldiers and to maintaine themselues in their ancient lawes rights and priuiledges which his Maiestie had confirmed by oath as also to bee gouerned by naturall borne persons of the land as they had beene in times past all which their so lawfull and reasonable causes the deputies of the generall estates knowing her Maiesty to be a princes of great vnderstanding and wisdome farre from all ambition and yet most pittifull had giuen him in charge to shew vnto her hoping that she of her gracious fauour clemencie and good will would not forsake nor abandon them in a matter of so necessary and of so great
sayd othe hee cast it into the fire saying That hee would rather dye the which the other Sergiant and the Corporalls did also confirme Billy being discontented at this answer sayde vnto them Goe your wayes I will consider what I haue to doe the others answered It must bee then patience perforce The Sergiants and Corporalls being gone from him they assembled their companions and other Officers of the companie euery corporall calling his squadron giuing them to vnderstand what the gouernour had propounded and what they had answered demanding what was to bee done wherevpon all answered that They would rather dye then take a new othe which they hearing from the company they went vnto the Officers of Captaine Villers who had then the garde to whom they shewed what had past and what was the resolution of their men desiring to know their mindes They answered That they were content to liue and dye with them where-vpon they resolued to seaze vppon their Collonell and to preuent him assuring them-selues that for this refusall which they had made hee would seeke to spoile them when they should bee seperated after the changing of the garde And therefore they agreed among them-selues that not any one should discharge his peece entring into garde without the expresse commandement of their Sergeants and Corporalls The Gouernour thinking to preuent them caused the Artillerie to be charged and planted in a streete where the soldiers were wont to passe entring into gard commanding Captaine Fern◅ndo Lopez to haue his men readie in Armes and as soone as the Artillery had beene discharged against the company of Captaine Lossi then to charge them But one of Villers Sargiants hauing discouered this practise gaue notice thereof to a Sargiant of Lossis companie before they went to guard who tooke an other streete and came before the Gouernors lodging beeing their Collonell wherethey were vsually accustomed to giue a volley of shotte the which they did not at this time The Sargiant Maior beeing there present commanded them to shoote of their peeces but they answred him againe they would not vntill they had money giuen them to buy poulder and match This Sargiant Maior beeing to presumtuous not considering what time it was threatned to strike some where-vpon they began to cry to Armes and the Sargiant Maior to flie Captaine Lossi seeing this striking vppon his brest cryed out vnto his men courage make an end it is time Villers companie comming out of guard ioyned with them incouraging one an other and saying that they would liue and die togither vntill they were assured of their Collonell Fernando Lopez beeing carefull of that which the Gouernor had giuen him in charge seeing that the guard past not by the accustomed streete hearing the noyse hee went to horse to see what was to bee done and to pacifie this mutine if it were possible But thinking to approche he was so entertained with shot as flying hastily backe he lost his hat which hee durst not stay to take vp Being come into the streete of Ebinge where his men were in armes hee thought to lead them to succor the Gouernor but comming to the corner of the streete whereas they found them of Yolly Villers in battaile They cryed vnto thē that they should not shoot that they would be of their partie Fernando Lopez seeing this saued him-selfe speedily in a Bakers house his soldiars tore their Ensigne in peeces and ioyned with them of Lossi and Villers giuing their faith one to an other and promising to die togither and then they marched to the Gouernors lodging the drums sounding an Alarme and making a great noyse The Gouernor being much perplexed came vnto the gate with his hat in his hand for it was now time to speake them faire considering the disseine which hee had had intreating them to bee quiet and if it were mony which they demanded that they should be satisfied within three dayes with many other goodly words promises wherevnto they answered that they would finde their owne pay and in the meane time hee should remaine their prisoner From thence they went to the Towne-house where was the chiefe corps de Gard then vnto the lodging of the Seignior of Rhinsbrouck sonne in law to the Gouernor who they also tooke prisoner although he spake them faire and excused his father in law leading him by him This done beeing a generall mutinie they also tooke these Captaines Lossi Villers Moncheaux and Campi with their coullors the Burgers of Groninghen were in great feare of the like disaster as happened at Maistricht and Antwerpe But seeing the soldiars draw towards the place of Ballance which is vpon the market place where there was a Pully to giue the strapadoe which they pulled downe and burnt crying God saue the Prince of Orange God saue the Sates the Inhabitants grew more assured From thence the soldiars went to the Prouost generall and drew forth Francis Martin-Stella deputed by the States whome the Gouernor as we haue said detained prisoner hauing with his owne hands wounded him in prison being in Irons Hauing set him at liberty they brought him to the Comptroulers house to refresh him selfe a little then they conducted him to the market place into the midst of the Assemblie of soldiars whereas they did all sweare vnto him in the name and as Deputy for the generall Estates to remaine faithfull vnto them vnto the death Then they sent him backe and caused him to bee conducted by some of these souldiars beeing accompanied by some Deputies of the Towne vnto Brusselles to informe the States of all and to receiue directions for their gouernment Persently after the taking of the Seignior of Rhinsbrouck they sent fiftye souldiars to the Gouernour of Zutphens lodging called Fiasco but finding him not there they ranne vnto the conuent of Franciscan Friars where they heard hee had hidden himselfe but they sought all places yet could not finde him for he being disguised in a Fryars weed hauing his head and beard shauen holding a candle in his hand sought vp and downe with the rest vntill that a Germaine Fryar said vnto them This man is of our Order but not of our Conuent which wordes they vnderstood not till in the end pointing at him with his finger hee said Ipsus est ten◅te eum It is hee lay hold of him Then was hee apprehended and in the same Monkish habite ledde to the Market place in great derision of all the world The next day they made proclamation by the sound of the drumme that if any one had concealed and hidden Captaine Fernando Lopez the Grand Prouost and the Sargiant Maior that hee should come and reueale them vppon paine of losse of body and goods their houses to be burnt The Prouost was found in the Curates lodging hidden in the tonnell of the chimney The Sargiant Maior was knowne beeing disguised in a Priestes habit and then Fernando Lopez whome the
out of the dukedome of Luxembourge with in other twenty dayes or before if it be possible wherein our aforesaid good brother shall imploy him-selfe with all his power and during the said time of forty daies all and euery one of our said soldiars shall and must behaue them-selues honestly and peaceably without any robbing exacting ransacking and spoyling or in any-wise misusing of our said Netherlands and the subiects of the same nor any of the neighbour countries and inhabitants thereof And touching the time of the departure of the aforesaid high-Duch soldiars they shall and must depart out of our sayd Netherlands presently after that the Estates shall haue contented them as it is further and more at large declared In the 15. article of this our perpetuall edict of peace which is after that they shal be reckoned withall and all and euery reasonable educations made out of their paies as it shall be found to fall out And that all our sayd souldiars Spaniards High-duches Italians Burguignons and all others must and shall at their departures out of our sayd castles and townes leaue all the victualls ordinance and munition of warre beeing therein behind them in our sayd castles and townes which sayd townes and castles with the victualls ordinance and â—…unition wee will by the aduise of our sayd councell of estate appoint to bee deliuered into the hands of such persons as are naturall borne subiects of our sayd Netherlands and as the preuileges of the sayd Netherlands import and such as at this time are acceptable vnto them And touching the oppressions extortions and forcible compossitions which by any of our souldiers whosoeuer they be haue beene done in our sayd Netherlands during the time that they haue beene and continued therein wee will deale in such sort touching the same as right reason and equity requireth and when time serueth as neere as wee can content euery man therein and shall likewise cause inquiry to bee made not onely amongst the captaines and commanders of our sayd souldiars but also amongst all and euery one of our sayd souldiers who in any sort whatsâ—…euer haue misused and disordered themselues either in our Netherlands or the countries adioying and will do right and iustice therein whether it bee in our Netherlands or in our kingdome of Spaine or any other place where wee shall thinke it meet and conuenient Wee ordaine decree and appoint that all and euery one of the prisoners which are holden in prison by reason of the alterations and troubles in the sayd Netherlands on both sides shal be freely and frankly set at liberty and released of their imprisonment without paying any ransome prouided alwaies that touching the sending againe of our couzin Philip William van Nassau Earle of Buren into our Netherlands wee will take orderâ—… that the sayd Earle shall bee freely sent againe into the sayd Netherlands as soone and presently after that the generall Estates shall haue assembled and the aforesayd Prince of Orange for his part shall haue truely and effectually performed that which by them at the sayd assembly shal be ordained and appointed for him to do Item wee ordaine decree and appoint that the question contention and doubt touching the restablishing and placing of certaine Lords and Officers in their gouernments and offices from whence they haue beene discharged and put out by reason of the alterations and troubles aforesayd shal be suspended and referred vntill the end of the assembly of the generall Estates and that then the sayd question contention and doubt shall bee committed vnto the arbitrement and determination of the councell and ordinary iustice of the Netherlands respectiuely by them to bee decided and ended according to law Further wee promise vpon our faith and word of a peace to hold and maintayne and to cause our sayd good brother and all other Gouernors and euery one of them generally and perticularly which hereafter shall by vs and our successors bee placed in our sayd Netherlandes to hold and maintaine all and euery one of the old preuiledges customes vses rights and lawes of our sayd Netherlands and that wee will not suffer any to serue vnder vs our aforesayd good brother nor any other gouernors of our sayd countries neither for councellors nor otherwise in the administration of the common gouernment of the sayd Netherlands but onely such as are naturall borne people and subiects of our sayd Netherlands And likewise the Estates aforesayd for their parts do promise vpon their consciences faithes and honors before God and man to maintaine vphold and defend and cause to bee maintained vpholden and defended the Holy Catholike Apostolike and Romish faith and religion and the authoritie and obedience due and belonging vnto vs in all places of our sayd Netherlands wheresoeuer and not to doe any thing contrarie vnto the same Item the sayd Estates likewise haue promised to leaue breake of renownce and shall and do promise to leaue breake of and renounce all and euery League and confederations which they for their protection and defence haue made heretofore with any forrein Prince or Potentate since the alterations and troubles aforesaid The sayd estates likewise and in like manner haue promised and by these presents doe promise to discharge and send out of our sayd Netherlands all and euery one of the forraine Souldiers which they haue intertained or caused to bee intertained in their paye and to hinder let and withstand that from hence-forth there shall no more forraine Souldiers enter into the same Item whereas the sayd estates in witnesse of their true intent as also of the sincere and good affection which they beare vnto vs and our seruice haue liberally agreed and offered vnto vs the summe of sixe hundred thousand pounds of fortie Flemish groates the pound they doe by these presents promise to pay and deliuer the one halfe thereof in ready money vnto the hands of the aforesayd Lords Ambassadors and messengers of the Empire and the Deputies or Committies of the aforesayd Duke of Iuilliers and Cleue which said halfe part the sayd Ambassadors Messengers and Committies shall pay and deliuer ouer vnto the hands of our aforesaid good brother or vnto such as hee shall appoint by the consent of the sayd Lords Ambassadors and Messengers to cause our sayd Souldiers Spaniards Italians and Bourguignons and other strange soldiers to depart out of our Castle and Towne of Antwerpe and out of all and euery other of our Castles Townes and Forts except the high Dutches aforesaid vntill such time as they shall be reckond and accounted withall as in the next article shall be declared And for the other halfe the said estates shall make it ouer by billes of exchange to Genoa there to be paid vnto those that by our said good brother shall be appointed to receiue the same within two moneths after the said Spaniards Italians and Burguignons aforesaid shall be departed out of our towne and castle of Antwerpe And further the
then wee were once agreed you should rest satisfied But do you promise sayd Grobbendoncq to submit your selues vnto all that the generall Estates shall decree as well in this as in all other points as you are bound by the pacification I know not sayd the Prince for you haue alreadie broken and violated the pacification hauing made an accord with Don Iohn without our consentes and then hauing receiued him for Gouernor So as sayd Grobbendoncq you would not allowe of the decision of the Estates I say not so replied the Prince for it may bee such a one as wee would accept it and to the contrarie But wee would there propound and debate our reasons to vnderstand how farre wee were bound to submit our selues seeing we are not so absolute as we were at the first submission made at Gant But you shall bee restored sayd Grobbendoncque you cannot replied the Prince for you haue quite broken the pacification Then sayd Meetkerke wee doe nothing if you will hold the pacification to bee quite broken It is not wee sayd the Prince that haue broken it but you and yet wee refuse not to submit our selues so as wee may deliuer our reasons and without preiudice bee restored But you haue alreadie condemned vs by the promise which you haue made to Don Iohn to maintaine the Catholike and Romish relligion in all places and caused all men sweare to maintaine it so as wee can hope for nothing of the iudgement of the Estates but to bee condemned You would not then sayd the signior of Grobbendoncq submit and humble your selues to the Estates touching the exercise of relligion No truely answered the Prince for to tell you plainely wee see you intend to roote vs out and wee will not bee rooted out Ho sayd the Duke of Arschot and the Barron of Hierges there is no man that hath any such intent or meaning yes truelie answered the Prince wee submitted our selues vnto you with a good intent hoping that you would iudge for the good of the whole countrie without anie other respect as was fit but you yeelding to Don Iohns will binde your selues to maintaine and cause to bee maintained the Catholike and Romish relligion in all places and make a league and agreement therevpon seeking to binde all the world to the like promise the which cannot bee accomplished but in rooting vs out Therevpon Leoninus sayd what was promised in the vnion of the Estates was neuer to that intent neither did they euer dreame of it but they went to gard themselues more safely and keepe them from disbanding But sayd the Prince they were leagued togither by vertue of the pacification of Gant the which doth binde them as strictly as the new vnion Wherevpon Aldegonde added that it was an vniust thing that the treatie of Gant which had beene so sollemnly made and which they had promised to haue signed by all the chiefe Noblemen Magistrates and Officers was not effected a new vnion made by the aduise and authoritie of priuate men for that the preseruation of the Romish relligion was therein promised they would haue all the world to signe it and yeeld to it And that therevpon they must either yeeld themselues suspect not be of the Romish relligion or condemne our cause by a preiudicate sentence The others sayd that they neuer had any such intention and that wee should haue an act giuen vs of their meaning But replied the Prince for all that they shall not bee discharged from their oth and promise the which when they shal be called by Don Iohn to the assembly of the generall Estates they must satisfie or els remaine periured notwithstanding their act or declaration Therevpon doctor Gaill sayd in Latin that hee which had made the lawe might also breake it and therefore the Estates who had made this vnion might interpret or abolish what they thought good Aldegonde answered also in Latin that there was great difference betwixt a lawe and an oth for hee that hath taken the oth cannot dispence with it seeing that hee hath made it vnto God and takes the sacred name of God for a witnesse and iudge whereas a lawemaker in a positiue law is himselfe the iudge Finally after they had much contended about this point D. Leoninus sayd that leauing this dispute they must come to some accord requiring that they would deliuer vp the points and that they would moderate them as they had promised to doe The others answered that they were readie and deliuered them at that instant requiring also that they should deliuer their points in writing as well those which they had now propounded as those which the signior of Schetz and Leoninus had propounded before the which was granted and so they parted Onely the signior of Grobbendoncq and Leoninus remained still and had conference touching those matters with the Prince and the deputies whome his excelency did seriously admonish letting them vnderstand that they were bound to maintaine the preuiledges and liberties of the countrie and yet they sought to bring their countrie into seruitude The Proposition of the Duke of Arschot Baron of Hierges and other Deputies of Don Iohn of Austria made at Geertrudenbergh to the Prince of Orange and the Estates of Holland and Zeeland the two and twenty of May. 1577. MY Maisters the Prince of Orange and the Estates of Holland and Zeeland you haue heard how that his Highnesse according to his promise hath caused all the Spanish Italien and Bourguignon souldiars to depart out of the countrie of this side and that at the request of the generall Estates his Highnesse hath the fourth of this moneth accepted the gouernment generall of these countries giuen him in charge by his Maiestie and hath taken a sollemne oth such as the Estates haue required as well for the obseruing of the pacification as of the preuiledges of the countrie That his Maiestie hath ratefied allowed and confirmed the sayd treatie made by his Highnesse with the Estates for the which his Maiestie hath giuen GOD thankes and is well pleased with all them that haue imployed themselues in the making of the sayd pacification and accord Nothing now remayning but to cause the people to enioye the fruites and effect of the sayd peace freeing them from their forepassed toyles miseries and calamities wherein this poore countrie hath beene plonged by ciuill and intestine warres in restoring the good and naturall loue vnion concord and intelligence which was wont to bee among these subiects and Prouinces vnder the obedience and authority of his Maiestie To which end his Highnesse hath sent the Duke of Arschot the Baron of Hierges and others assisted by doctor Adrian Gaill the Emperors Ambassador to the Prince of Orange and the Estates of Holland and Zeeland to consider with them of the effect and end of the sayd pacification and of such reciprocall assurances as shall bee thought necessary And to declare vnto the sayd Prince that seeing hee hath
Of which Prelates and of some others tending to the sayd disiunction some were committed to prison by the suspitious Bourguers Among the which was Damp Iean Sarazin Abbot of Saint Vaast in Arras the keeper of his graine the Signior of Valhuon his great Bayliffe Gerard de Vos Signior of Beaupere Lieutenant ciuill in the Towne Iames de Lattre Aduocate to the Lord of Capres the Chanoine Merline the Signior of Warluzel the Signior of Comtee and â—…swatines sonne in lawe to the Signior of Naues President of Arthois the Deputies of the Towne of Saint Omer beeing then resident in Arras the Councellor of the Towne the Register of the States of Arthois the Proctor Pinchon and diuers others of qualitie all suspected to bee ill affected to the generall vnion This I say made the Arch-duke to ordaine the which hee did afterwards reiterate by expresse charge and commandement to Capres Gouernor and Magistrate of the sayd Towne to haue a Colledge erected of fifteene of the quietest and wisest Bourguers of the Towne which should bee elected and chosen out of their fifteene companies of Bourgers three to bee named in euery company and the most capable and sufficient of the three to bee chosen to haue the priuate charge and to watche for the publicke good for all inconueniences that might happen as well by factions and practises as otherwise in all occurrents To the which were named maister Robert Bertoul Signior of Halenges Maister Nicholas Gosson a great Lawyer William Caulier Signior of Belacourt Maister Peter Bertoul Signior of Bois Bernard Iames Moullot a Bachelor of the Lawes Iames Caffart Receiuer to the Vicont of Gant Robert Vassal Nicholas Denis Louis Roche Iohn Widebien Signior of Iumelle Iohn Pottier Morand Campe Sebastien Chocquet Vincent Flamen and Robert Penin a Proctor The election of all which fifteene aboue named was done in the end to the great greefe and discontent of the Lord of Capres and the Magistrates who could not contradict it nor delay the election any longer But they did not cease afterwards to giue vnto the sayd Elect whome they called the Deputies of the Bourgesie all the crosses they could for that they had obteyned a Collegiall chamber in the State-house detracting and slandering them in all sorts although they did not meddle any thing with the pollitike gouernement nor vsurpe any of the Magistrates authoritie nor of the Gouernors vnderstanding this charge freely and without any fee the sayd Gouernor and Magistrates seeking onely to make them odious to the Bourguers that they might be rid of them vpon the first occasion Not-with-standing these fifteene Deputies as well in priuate as in open assembly of the Bourguers labouring continually to maintaine the vnion of the towne representing the great inconueniences which did hang ouer the countrey of Arthois if they should bee at any time so miserable as to disioyne them-selues from their ancient good neighbours and confederate countrey-men the Flemmings and Brabanders beeing as it were allyed to Arthois from whome they had receiued so many benefits yea that of hospitalitie with all good vsage and courtesie when as during the warres against the French they had beene often-times forced to flye vnto them The sayd fifteene producing many re-markeable examples of former times to confirme them In the meane time the Signior of Capres and the young Magistrates hauingâ—…ir first heate of zeale to their countrey cooled whereby their ambition had mounted to the highest degree one being become Pensioner to the Abbot of Saint Vaast another to the said Gouernor other kinsmen fauorers and allies to the said William le Vasseur began to giue eare to them that practised this disvnion By whose perswasion the chiefe of Arthois made diuerse assemblies in the Bourough of Secli at Beauâ—…ort in the Abbey of Mont Saint Eloy and in other places where as some of these young Aldermen assisted to second them that did so much affect the disiunction of this Prouince some-times writing to the Townes of Lille Douay Mons and others to bring them to their bowe But not-with-standing all the aduertisements which thâ—…se fifteene Deputies gaue in vaine to the Arch-duke and the States that they might preuent it for that the Vicont of Gant Gouernor generall of Arthois then well affected vnto them remained in the Armie beeing Generall of the horse and therefore was for the most part absent from Arras The Signior of Capres his partisans and the magistrats proceeding on still in their dessigns had so aduanced their affaires as they held themselues assured of Bethune Saint Omer Aire Hesdin and other places nothing remayning more but Arras where there were so many opponents and so cleere sighted as it was imposible for them to execute their practises if they did not first supplant and displace these fifteene contradicting deputies and the Captaines Ambrose and Gele for the better effecting whereof they appointed a generall assembly of the States of Arthois on the twelfth of October in the towne of Bethune against all ancient custome in the which it was resolued and decreed to free them-selues of the said fifteene at what rate soeuer which resolution was soone after discouered by the chaines that were newly drawne crosse the street vpon all the passages to the little market place of Arras none being so simple but by this innouation he might foresee some strange apparent tumult And the fryday following being the seauenteene of the moneth the Magistrats hauing called all the Bourguers to the towne house and set the sworne company of Harguebuziers in gard extraordinarily vnder the State house the which was not lesse strong then the other companies together This confirmed euery man in the apprehention which hee had formerly conceiued of some future broyles and did so alter the mindes of some of the most zealous to the good of their country who had a promise to bee seconded by captaine Ambrose and his horsemen as about noone they came with a resolution and forced this gard of the sworne band without any effusion of bloud but onely of two or three that were hurt and in this heat they mounted vp into the State house and seâ—…zed vpon all the Maigistrates in the councell chamber whereas a great nomber of the Bourguers were assembled but made no opposition so as without wrong or violence done to any of them they were deteyned except three or foure of the most simple who at the intreaty of the fifteene deputies were presently let goe fower daies vntill the twenty one of the moneth during which time the most resolute and best affected of these fifteene in the absence of Iohn Caffart their companion who was then in Antwerp with the Arch duke and the councell of State to take direction what was to be done in the like troubles were Mediators to reconcile the Magistrates with the Bourguers that were thus transported expecting the comming of commissoners which the said Caffart had required to bee
giuen them but they may retire if they please and retaine that which they brought with them And that all they that are at this present in the sayd Conuents or that hereafter would enter shall remaine free in their Religion profession and habits vpon condition that in all other things they shal be obedient to their Generalls And if it should happen which Almightie GOD forbid that there should bee anie question or diuision made betwixt the sayd Prouinces wherein they could not agree that the same so farre as it concernes one Prouince in particular shall be ended and determined by the other prouinces or by those among them which they should name But if it concernes all the Prouinces in generall it shall bee determined by the gouernors and lieutenatns of the Prouinces as it is said in the ninth Article who should be bound to doe iustice vnto the parties or to reconcile them together within one month or within a shorter space if the case so requires after instance made vnto him by one of the parties And that which by the other Prouinces or their deputies or by the Gouernors or lieutenant shall bee decreed and set downe it shall bee followed and accomplished cutting of all other remedies at law either by appeale releefe reuision nullity or any other pretensions whatsoeuer That the said Prouinces townes and members thereof shall bee carefull not to offer any occasion of warre or quarrell to any of their neighbours Princes noblemen countries townes or common weales for the preuenting whereof the said vnited Prouinces shall be bound to doe good and speedy iustice as well to forreners and strangers as to their owne subiects and Cittizens And if any one among them should faile therein the rest of their confederats shal seeke by all conuenient meanes to haue it done that al abuses that might hinder them or stay the course of iustice may be corrected and reformed according vnto right and equity and the ancient preuiledges and customes thereof None of the Prouinces townes or members may impose any imposition mony for conuoy nor any other like charge to the preiudice of the rest without the generall consent of all nor surcharge any of his confederats more then himselfe or his inhabitants That for the prouiding for all occurrents and difficulties that may happen the said confederats shall be bound vpon somons made vnto them by such as haue authority to appeere presently in the towne of Vtrecht at the day appointed to vnderstand that which by the letters of rescription shall bee declared if the cause requires not secresie to determine thereon or by a generall consent or plurality of voyces to resolue and decree although that some appeere not in which cause they that appeere may in the meane time proceed to the resolution and determination of that which they shall find conuenient and profitable for the publicke good of these vnited prouinces And that which hath beene so decreed shall bee accomplished by them that appered not if the matter bee not of too great importance and may well be delaid In which case they shall write vnto them that haue bin absent to come at a certaine day limited or else to loose the effect of their voyces for that time And when it is done it shall remaine firme and inuiolable although that some of the said Prouinces haue beene absent yet such as shall haue no means to appeere it shall be lawfull for them to send to them to send their opinions in writing the which shall bee regarded in the collection of all the voyces And to this end all and euery one of the said confederats shall be bound to write vnto them that haue the authority to assemble the said vnited prouinces of all things that may occurre or that shall seeme vnto them to tend vnto the good or euill of the said Prouinces and confederats that they may there-vpon call them together And if there shall bee any obscurity or ambiguitie whereby there may grow any dispute or question the interpretation thereof shall bee long vnto the said confederats who by a generall consent may explaine them and decree according vnto reason And if they agree not therevpon they shall haue recourse vnto the Gouernors and Lieutenants of Prouinces as is said before As also if it should bee thought necessary to augment or diminish any thing in the articles of this vnion confederation and alliance in any of their points it shall be done by the common consent of all the confederats and not otherwise All which points and articles and euery one of them in particular the said vnited Prouinces haue promised and doe promise by these presents to accomplish and entertaine and to cause to be accomplished and entertained without any opposition or contradiction directly in any sort And if any thing shall be done or attempted contrary to the tenor thereof they doe presently declare it voyd and of none effect Binding there-vnto their perâ—…ons and of all the inhabitants respectiuely of the said Prouinces townes and members withall their goods The which in case of contrauention may bee in all places and before all Iudges and iurisdictions where they shal be found seized on and arrested for the accomplishing of these presents and that which depends thereon renouncing to that end all exceptions graces preuiledges releefes and generally all other benifits of law which contrarie to these presents may any way aide and serue them And especially in the law which sayth that a generall reconciliation is of no force if a speciall doth not proceed And for the greater corroboration all gouernors and Lieutenants of the sayd Prouinces which are there at this present or that may bee hereafter togither with all Magistrates and chiefe Officers of these Prouinces townes or members shal be bound to sweare and take an oth to keepe and cause to bee kept all the points and articles and euerie one of them in particular of this vnion and confederation As also all bodies and companies of Burgeses shall take the same oth in euery of the sayd townes and places of the sayd vnion Herevpon letters shall bee sent out in forme by the Gouernors Lieutenants members and townes of Prouinces beeing specially required therevnto This present vnion was made and signed in the sayd towne of Vtrecht the 23 of Ianuary 1579. The fourth of February following this vnion was signed by them of Gant the third day of May by the Prince of Orange in Antwerp the eleauenth of Iune by George of Lalain Earle of Rhenebergh Gouernor of Friseland Oueryssel Groninghen and the Ommelands After followed they of Antwerp Bruges Breda and manie others All this was done whilest that they of Arthois Henault Lille Douay and Orchies labored their disunion and practised their priuate reconciliation with the Prince of Parma beeing then camped before Mastricht excusing themselues to the other confederates that they could not suffer any alteration in the Romish Religion but for the rest
which they owe vnto their naturall Prince The said estates haue humbly intreted vs to send as soone as time and oportunity will serue one of our Children that may succeed in the Netherlands to be norished and instructed there according vnto their maners in all piety and vertue Whereof wee will haue such regard as shall be fit We are content that al prouinces Chasteleines townes or priuate persons of our said Netherlands that would enter into reconciliation with vs vpon the conditions of this said treaty shall be receiued by vs and receiue the same benefit with the reconcyled Prouinces so as they come freely within three moneths after the reall departure of the sayd Spaniards out of our Netherlands Wee haue consented and agreed and doe consent and agree that the sayd Estates may beseech his Holinesse our most deere and welbeloued good Brother Nephew and Cousin the Emperor the Archbishops of Cologne and Treues and the Duke of Cleues as Zealous of the good quiet of the Christian cōmon-weale that they wil be pleased to looke and haue a care that this treatie and accord may bee in all points effected accomplished and inuiolably obserued And if in the execution and accomplishment of this pacification there shal grow any difficulty or questiō to be decided after the publication thereof wee and the Estates of the sayd reconciled Prouinces shall depute respectiuely commissioners to heare reconcile and execute Alwaies vnderstanding that by those words Agreeable to the States put in many articles of this treaty those that are naturall borne of the country shall not bee excluded hauing followed either partie contracting And to the end that of all and euery point and article aboue written made concluded and determined in our towne of Arras the seauenteenth of May last past examined made plaine and resolued on in our towne of Mons the 11. day of September may be well and really obserued fulfilled and executed and that all that is conteined in the sayd articles may bee firme stable permanent and inuiolable for euer Wee haue caused this present treatie to be signed by our deere and faithfull Cousin the Earle of Mansfelt and other deputies aboue-named on the one part and the Gouernors and deputies of the sayd Prouinces and other associats on the other promising to ratifie all in due and accustomed forme within three moneths after this day Giuen in our towne of Mons the twelfth of September 1579. To this reconciliation ranne those of Macklin which towne the signior of Bours leauing the partie of the generality deliuered into the Prince of Parmas hands but soone after fearing that through his lightnesse he should do as much as he had done with the castle of Antwerp he was displaced and the signior of Rossignol his Cousin put in his place The towne of Niuelle in Brabant the towne and countrie of Allost the towne and Chasteleny of Bourboure and manie priuat persons ioyned likewise The rest of Brabant Flanders Geldres Holland Zeeland Vtrecht Ouerissell and Groninghen remayning yet firme in the vnion of Vtrecht Whilest the campe laie before Mastricht in the moneths of May Iune Iuly and August there met at the pursute of the Duke of Terranoua Ambassador for the King of Spaine in the Citty of Cologne the Emperors Ambassadors with the Electors of Treues and Cologne and some deputies from the Duke of Cleues as intercessors to finde some meanes of an accord and peace betwixt the King of Spaine and the reconciled Prouinces in whose name appeered the duke of Arschot and some Noblemen with the deputies of euery Prouince and withall the deputies of the generall Estates which continued in the vnion of Vtrecht But the conditions of the duke of Terranoua being long debated of either side were not receiuable by them of the vnion of Vtrecht The King of Spaine among other points refusing to allow generally throughout all his countries of any other Religion then of the Romish and they of Holland and Zeeland would by no meanes be depriued of the reformed Religion wherof they had made free and open profession for some yeares so as they could not agree wherevpon the deputies of the generall Estates of the sayd vnion retired without any effect hauing a stronge impression that they sought onelie to circumuent them by this offer of a peace who beeing retired the Noblemen which remayned among the which was the duke of Arschot and the deputies of the reconciled Prouinces with the sayd duke of Terranoua concluded certaine articles which they quallefied with the name of a peace The sum wherof was the obseruation of the Romish Religion obedience to the King Moreouer that all Officers should be restored to their Estates to the which the King would in no sort admit them of the reformed Religion And that those of the reformed Religion if they would not submit themselues vnto the Romish profession should depart the country hauing liberty to enioy their goods which they should leaue behinde them or to sell them as they should thinke best which peace was signed by the duke Of Arschot and the Deputies of Arthois Henault the Chasteleine of Lille c. Mac klin and Boisleduc In the meane time Iohn of Imbise Bourguymaster of Gant after their brech of the relligious peace plaid the mad-man in spoyling of Churches and Monasteries seazing of their rents and goods selling their mouables and timber trees which his fauorits bought at an vnder rate to conclude he would gouerne all at his pleasure without the aduise and councell of his Bretheren and companions in the law He forced Mounsiere de la Noue for that he could not allow of his actions to depart out of Gant in the night and brought into the said towne the twenty eight of Iuly great numbers of foote and horse at his deuotion and being fortefied and supported by them hee displaced the magestrates and created new confirming him-selfe of his owne priuat authority in the dignity of the first Bourguymaister vpon whome commonly depends the cheefe mannaging of affayres and the gouernment of the towne This done hee causeth his reasons to bee Printed all which were grounded vpon iealousies and Cauillations The Prince of Orange being aduertised of all these practises writ vnto them of Gant that hee would come in person to take knowledge and to order all things The which Imbise fearing knowing where his soare did pinch him he sought with his partisans to preuent it where-vpon hee caused to bee printed fower articles of the reasons why it was not fit the Prince should come yet the Seignior of Ryhuen great Baylife of Gant and his faction being contrary to Imbise with the members of the towne thought it fit the Prince should come vpon promise that hee shold neither bring nor leaue at his departure any garrison that they should enioy their preuiledges that he should leaue the cheefe of the trads in their Offices and the estate of religion as he should find
might well endure long and yet they must of necessitie loose more than they should win therby for that many would be tyred with the warres thinking that no townes which were once besieged by the enemie could be relieued and therfore would reuolt and cause more suspition and distrust And that further it was to bee considered That the continuall spoyling of the countrey would weaken and decay their power and take from them all meanes of money and other necessaries and that therefore it was requisite resolutely and couragiously to resolue vpon making of peace or else of proceeding with the warres As for peace they found that it could not be made vnlesse they yeelded themselues once againe by as good meanes as they could vnder the king of Spaines subiection Touching the king of Spaines meaning and intent they sayd it was well and sufficiently discouered by the articles of peace propounded in the towne of Cologne which articles they said could not be receiued nor accepted without bringing the Netherlands into imminent danger to be reduced and subiected vnder the Spanish yoke more than euer it had been before to the vtter ouerthrow and ruine of an innumerable company of the inhabitants of the land especially those that made profession of the reformed religion which would breed great confusion misery and destruction to the Netherlands together with the abolishing of al trade of marchandise so that there was no other means to be propounded for their security but only to maintaine warre And for that it was impossible in mans iudgement to vphold the warre in such sort as it had in times past beene done therefore it was requisite that they should resolue vpon some other proceedings thereby to shorten the warres and to rid the countries of the enemie And for that of themselues they could not find the meanes they must be forced to seeke it by some other potentate and rebus adhuc stantibus the sooner the better before they fell into greater danger for that it was to be doubted that they in the next Summer being vnprepared and not readie either should be ouer-run by the enemy which they well knew made himselfe strong or else forsaken by their reuolting friends wherein their enemy vsed all the meanes and subtill practises he could deuise That in all Christendome there was no king potentate nor prince that had offered them more fauour and friendship than the duke of Aniou brother vnto Henry the third king of Fraunce who likewise had the best meanes to annoy and hurt their enemie vpon the borders of Fraunce from whom they were to expect most aid and assistance and who of himselfe would willingliest vndertake the same with lesse feare and prompter resolution And therefore they were to determine whether they should yeeld themselues into the hands of the said duke vpon such conditions as should be propounded vnto him or not the principall causes why they had so long borne armes being these First for the reasonable and lawfull gouerning of the Netherlands vnder the command of naturall borne inhabitants of the same Secondly for the restoring and perpetuall vpholding of the rights lawes statutes priuiledges and freedomes of the land Thirdly for the eschewing and auoiding of all vnreasonable persecutions and for the permission of the exercise of the reformed religion which was found requisite and necessarie to be suffered for the common peace and quietnesse of the same All other causes in respect thereof being of much lesse importance and therefore it was to be considered whether they could agree better with the king of Spaine than with the duke of Aniou touching the same First it was most certaine and without all doubt plainely and manifestly to be seene that the will meanes and power to bring the Netherlands into subiection and vnder a strange yoke were without comparison greater in the king than in the duke for that the king would haue all the lords of the land commaunders and other officers whom he would appoint and ordaine at pleasure at his deuotion and vnder his subiection so that euery one would striue to be the first that should be receiued into his good grace and fauour not they alone that of long time had been affected vnto his seruice and hoped for reward but also those which had alwayes beene his enemies for that it had beene seene that a great number of those which had beene most earnest against the Spaniards had suffered themselues to be seduced by Monsieur de la Motte and vpon hope to be made rich were reuolted from the other prouinces and townes and so were bound and vnited together by oath Whereby euery man might easily iudge what was to bee expected from them and such as they are if they besides the passions which had drawne them thereunto should adde the respect of their duties whereby they should thinke themselues bound vnto the king To the contrary the duke of Aniou could not in many yeares purchase so great credite with the people as the king had alreadie obtained for that the king had many townes in his hands whereby hee had more meanes to attayne to his desire than the duke of Aniou although his will were good being likewise much mightier especially if hee once recouered Portugall into his hands whereby his power would euery way be too great for the Netherlands if they sought not another protector or else tooke better order in their affaires That the kings euill will towards the Netherlands was manifest for that hee was greatly mooued and incensed against the same and therefore whether it were to maintaine his honor or to giue the rest of his subiects an example and warning that they should not hereafter attempt the like or else of his owne nature desire of reuenge he would espie and watch all oportunities to be reuenged vpon the Netherlands as addicted thereunto by nature Which by his former actions and proceedings in the country of Granado India and Italie and especially in the Netherlands appeareth to bee most true for that the bloud of the principallest lords most lamentably brought vnto their ends by sword torment and poyson against all lawes of God and man and his owne promises was yet in a manner warme besides many gentlemen and great multitudes of the common people that with fire and sword and most cruell torments ended their liues with great numbers that were forced to flye out of the countrey and to liue miserably in other strange countries with their poore wiues and children whereby the trade of the land and diuers kinds of manuall occupations were carried into forraine countries and the wealth and welfare of the Netherlands much hindered and impaired It was likewise seene that vnto those against whom he had the greatest spleene and was resolued to punish them hee wrot the most pleasing and gracious letters that could be deuised And whereas hee made shew as if he had altered his mind and seemed to begin another more pleasing and peaceable
then was holden or as it should be ordayned and appointed by the States of euerie particular prouince and namely in the prouinces of Brabant Guelderland Flanders Vtrecht Macklyn Friseland Ouerissel and the territories of Drenth and Twenth without any alteration to be made by him 13 That Holland and Zeeland should remaine as they then were touching religion and otherwise alwayes prouided that touching the money mint contribution and the priuiledges of the said prouinces and townes they should subiect themselues vnder the said duke and the generalitie according to the accord made by aduice of the generall Estates or else to follow the old customes rights and priuiledges 14 That he should not permit nor suffer any man to bee molested nor troubled for his conscience vnder pretence and colour of religion receiuing both the religions vnder his protection 15 That hee should procure the French king to aid him and his heires with his forces and power thereby to strengthen him and the contracted prouinces his subiects against their enemies whether it be the king of Spaine or any of his adherents and that the said king shold not permit nor suffer any aid or assistance to be giuen out of his kingdome vnto the enemy but that the Netherlanders should haue free passage in the frontier townes with fauour and leaue of the gouernors of the same 16 After that the said duke should be in possession of the Netherlands hee should worke such meanes that the said prouinces should be vnited with France and they to make war together by common consent against all those that would inuade any of the said countries prouided alwayes that the Netherlands should not bee incorporated with France but still remaine as they were with their priuiledges customes rights contracts and lawes 17 That for more assurance against the common enemie and others that should seeke to contradict their said contract as also for the vpholding and encreasing of the good agreement amitie and concord that it hath pleased the queene of England the kings of Denmarke Portugall Sweden Scotland and Nauarre the princes of the empire the Hans townes and other princes potentats and commonwealths townes and allies to hold and make with them he should seeke meanes together with the Estates to enter into a more strict league with them for the common good of the countrey vpon the articles and conditions that should and might bee agreed vpon with the said seuerall kingdomes and estates with all securitie 18 That hee should bind himselfe to make warre and to maintaine the contrey by such meanes as hee should haue from the king his brother and of his owne patrimonie whereunto the Estates should yearely contribute two millions and foure hundred thousand guldernes out of the which the souldiers of the Netherlands and their garrisons in conuenient numbers should first be paid 19 Touching the commaunder generall ouer the forces of the Netherlands the said duke should take order therein by consent of the Estates and should appoint a generall ouer the French forces such as should be well thought on by the Estates 20 That he should not place any Frenchmen nor other strangers in garrison in the towns and strong places of the Netherlands without the consent of the prouinces wherein such places should be and touching the naturall borne subiects he should place them by aduice of the aforesaid counsell 21 But for better and necessarie reliefe of the souldiers the prouinces should ordaine and appoint fit and conuenient places for the said souldiers to lie in in the Winter time 22 That all forreine souldiers both French and others should bee bound to depart out of the countrey whensoeuer the generall Estates should desire the same of the said duke 23 That he should make no alliance with the king of Spaine either by mariage or otherwise neither yet with any other prince or country not vnited vnto them by contract of amity but by aduice consent and approbation of the said prouinces nor yet make any other alliance or contract to the preiudice or hinderance of the Netherlands or this treatie 24 Prouided alwaies That the other disunited prouinces townes and places that would subiect themselues vnto him and ioyne with the contracted Netherlands should at all times be receiued and accepted into that contract 25 And touching those that should be compelled therunto by force the said duke should dispose of them by consent of the generall Estates as it should be thought conuenient whether they were of the disunited prouinces or others within the said Netherlands 26 That he and his successors should take the accustomed oath vsuall to be made in euery prouince beside the generall oath to be made and taken for the obseruing and maintaining of the said contract and that if it so fell out that he or his successors should faile in the performance of any of the points of the said contract that then the said Estates should therby be presently discharged of all faith and subiection towards him or them and should or might chuse any other prince or dispose of their affaires as they should thinke good 27 Lastly That whereas the archduke Mathias had beene requested to come into the Netherlands and had acquited and behaued himselfe in good sort according to his promise the said duke and the Estates should consult together by what meanes they should satisfie and content the said archduke These articles were in this sort passed and signed on both parts although with reference to be further treated and considered of thereby to auoid all controuersie and dislike At which time there was certaine counters made in memorie thereof on the one side hauing a Lyon with a collar about the necke bound to a pillar whereon stood the Image of a conquerour which collar a mouse knawed in sunder with this inscription Rosis Leonem loris mus liberas that is The Lyon being bound is made free by knawing of the mouse on the other side stood the Pope and the king of Spaine who with promise of a holy peace sought to put the collar againe about the Lyons necke with this inscription Liber reuinciri Leo pernegat that is The Lyon being at libertie will not be bound againe And at Gant there were counters made whereon there was a ring shutting with two hands wherein was written Iehoua and round about it pro Christo Lege Grege that is for Christ the Law and the people on the other side Religione Iusticia reduce vocato ex Gallia pacata duce Andegariensi Belgicae libertatis vindice that is Religion Iustice restored the duke of Aniou being called out of France for the defendor or reuenger of the freedome of the Netherlands The archduke Mathias brother to the Emperour gouernour of the Netherlands finding himselfe to be abandoned by part of the prouinces as namely the Wallons who had sent for him out of Germanie and were now reuolted from him and perceiuing that the peace of Cologne tooke no effect
as also that no manner of aid nor assistance was procured neither from the emperour his brethren kinred nor friends nor yet from the princes of Germanie notwithstanding both his priuat and publick admonitions made vnto his friends of the house of Austria whereby the generall Estates were compelled to seeke aid elsewhere he thought it fit and conuenient to take an honourable farewell finding that both his and the Estates admonitions giuen vnto the Emperor the king of Spaine and the whole house of Austria were all in vaine although it concerned them very neere For the same causes being moued to resigne his gouernment vpon the two and twentieth of Iuly he shewed the Estates by writing deliuered vnto them by the prince of Espinoy That it was not vnknowne vnto them that he hauing beene called thereunto by diuers of the chiefe of the Netherlands and after that with a generall consent accepted and receiued and all articles by him promised well kept and obserued had behaued himselfe in that miserable estate and troublesome condition as time and oportunitie serued without any regard of his owne particular profit and that with the danger of his life yet he was grieued and much moued that he by reason of the vnfortunat successe of the time could not haue the power and meanes to reduce the Netherlands vnto their pristinate freedome prosperitie vnitie and quietnesse whereunto neyther diligence care nor good will was wanting in him and for that the generall Estates were then assembled to determine vpon the last extremitie touching the relieuing and releasing of the Netherlands from their miseries he said he would not prescribe them any law or rule therein nor yet be against their profits but onely aduised them not rashly to subiect themselues vnder a strange yoake and doubtfull change or alteration forgetting the Romish empire and other great alliances but to consider of his noble house of Austria and his great loue shewed vnto them whereof he was a member praying them openly to tell him what they pretended touching him and his house that he might determine thereon accordingly saying further vnto them That their promise touching the charges of his gouernment had not beene performed Lastly he shewed them his good will and great desire to doe them good offering them all the seruice he could Touching this declaration the Estates thought it conuenient to giue the said archduke all good contentment with an honourable reward as also to pay him that which had beene promised him for his entertainment and that he should enioy the reuenues of the bishopricke of Vtrecht In the articles contracted with the duke of Aniou they made mention of him saying That whereas he had beene called to the gouernement of the countrey and therein had well and vprightly behaued himselfe and that the countrey together with the said duke of Aniou should take aduice touching the best meanes to giue him honorable and reasonable satisfaction which being long in question and still deferred the archduke by that meanes stayed there vntill the next yeare And for that in the meane time many and great complaints were made touching the disorders amongst the souldiers the archduke Mathias and the Estates set down certain new orders concerning better gouernment to be obserued in martiall discipline In Antuerpe they made new orders touching the watch of the towne it beeing deuided into eight colonies and regiments each colonie hauing vnder it tenne companies besides six companies of the Guild or brotherhood of the towne being in all 86 companies no man was freed from that watch but the magistrats and other officers and the marchants of other nations as Easterlings Englishmen and Portugals according to their priuiledges all other nations were forced to contribute to that watch at the discretion of the colonels as also the old men that were aboue threescore yeares of age There were likewise diuers articles which were very necessarie to be vsed in that watch published to be obserued vpon paine of great punishments They also built vp diuers guard houses where the ordinarie guard vsed to contitinue night and day which are called corps de guard and in euery corner of the streetes they made certain small centinell houses for the rounds wherein euery night and when they preached in the church tenne of the neighbours vsed to watch whereby the bourgers became expert in martiall discipline and at euery tumult and alarme were presently readie in armes euery man knowing his owne quarter They likewise entertained diuers old experienced souldiers which vsed to traine them and to practise them in their armes being as well prouided of all manner of armes as any towne in Europe whatsoeuer Vpon euery great corps de guard stood written Excludere facilius quam expellere which is It is easier to shut out the enemie than to driue him out Vpon the market place Saepius laesa patientia that is Our patience hath beene often wronged Vpon the meere bridge Agere aut pati that is Either it must bee preuented or suffered and vpon the Oeuer Si in bello securitas that is If there be security in warre then it consisteth in watching or resistance And in euery street where need required there hung great heauie chaines which could easily be crossed ouerthwart the streets whereof certaine in euery companie had charge which chaines were so great strong and so many that they were esteemed to be worth aboue a hundred thousand gulderns They likewise fortified the towne dayly and made their ditches deeper and broader and the wals thicker planting trees all along the same and made diuers turne pikes appointing officers for euerie one of them They likewise made orders about fires how euery man should behaue himselfe when any fire happened within the towne as also touching the plague and such like things the which many other townes in Christendome since that time haue followed And touching their seafaring for that it is one of the principallest and profitablest commodities of the countrey they made an order That no shippes should goe to sea vnlesse they were well prouided armed and manned euery one according to their burthen thereby to be freed from all danger of pyrats and that euery prouince and towne should haue their ships of warre ready whereby they haue much encreased their shipping and seafaring which the Englishmen Frenchmen and Easterlings had almost taken from them during their warres so that then againe they sayled out of Holland Zeeland and Antuerpe into Spaine and Portugall and there traffiqued freely vsing secret and discreet dealing so that as then it seemed as if there had beene no warre betweene Spaine and them but onely with the Spaniards that were in the Netherlands being for the most part well vsed and entertained by the inhabitants of Spaine and Portugall and at that time also certaine Spanish shippes such as durst came into Zeeland were welcome vnto them hauing free libertie to saile both out in but they durst not
publicke Edict the tenor whereof followeth The Generall Estates of the vnited prouinces of the Netherlands to all those that these presents shall see read or heare greeting As it is well knowne vnto all men that a prince and lord of a countrey is ordayned by God to be soueraigne and head ouer his subiects and to preserue and defend them from all iniuries force and violence euen as a shepheard for the defence of his sheepe and that the subiects are not created by God for the prince to obey him in all that he shall please to commaund be it with God or against him reasonable or vnreasonable nor to serue him as slaues and bondmen but rather the prince is ordayned for his subiects without the which hee cannot bee a prince to gouerne them according vnto equitie and reason to take care for them and to loue them euen as a father doth his children or a shepheard his sheepe who putteth both his bodie and life in danger to defend and preserue them If the prince therefore fayleth herein and in steed of preseruing his subiects doth outrage and oppresse them depriueth them of their priuiledges and auncient customes commaundeth them and will bee serued of them as of slaues they are no longer bound to hold him and respect him as their Soueraigne prince and lord but to repute and esteeme of him as a Tyrant neyther are the subiects according vnto law and reason bound to acknowledge him for their prince so as without any offence being done with deliberation and the authority of the Estates of the countrey they may freely abandon him and in his place chuse another for their prince and lord to defend them especially when as the subiects by humble suit intreatie and admonitions could neuer mollifie their princes heart nor diuert him from his enterprises and tyrannous designes so as they haue no other meanes left them to defend and preserue their auncient libertie their wiues children and posteritie for the which according to the lawes of nature they are bound to expose both life and goods as for the like occasions wee haue seene it to fall out often in diuers countries whereof the examples are yet fresh in memorie The which ought especially to be of force in these countries the which haue alwayes beene and ought to be gouerned according vnto the oath taken by their princes when they receiue them conformable to their priuiledges and auncient customes hauing no power to infringe them besides that most part of the sayd prouinces haue alwayes receiued and admitted their princes and lords vpon certaine conditions and by sworne contracts the which if the prince shall violate he is by right fallen from the superioritie of the countrey So it is that the king of Spaine after the decease of the Emperour Charles the fifth his father of famous memorie from whome all these countries were transported vnto him forgetting the seruices which as well his father as himselfe had receyued of these countries and the inhabitants thereof by the which especially the king of Spaine had obtayned such glorious and memorable victories against his enemies as his name and power was renowmed and feared throughout all the world forgetting also the admonitions which his sayd imperiall Maiestie had heretofore giuen him but contrariwise hath giuen eare beleefe and credite vnto them of the counsell of Spaine which were about him the sayd counsell hauing conceiued a secret hatred against these countries and their libertie for that it was not lawfull for them to commaund there and to gouerne them or to merit among them the chiefe places and offices as they doe in the realme of Naples Sicilie Millaine at the Indies and in other countries which were subiect vnto the kings commaund being also mooued thereunto by the riches of the sayd countries well knowne to most of them The sayd counsell or some of the chiefe of them haue oftentimes giuen the king to vnderstand That for his Maiesties reputation and greater authoritie it were better to conquer the Netherlands anewe and then to commaund freely and absolutely at his pleasure then to gouerne them vnder such conditions which he had at his reception to the Seigniorie of the sayd countries sworne to obserue The king of Spaine following this counsell hath sought all meanes to reduce these countries spoyling them of their auncient liberties into seruitude vnder the gouernment of the Spaniards hauing vnder pretext of Religion sought first to thrust in new bishops into the chiefe and mightiest townes indowing them with the richest Abbeyes adding to euery bishop nine chanons to serue him as counsellors whereof three should haue especiall charge of the Inquisition By which incorporation of the sayd bishops being his creatures and at his deuotion and commaund the which should happily haue beene chosen as well of strangers as of them which were borne in the countrey should haue the first place and the first voyce in the assemblies of the Estates of the countrey And by the adiunction of the said chanons had brought in the Inquisition of Spaine the which had alwayes beene so abhorred and so odious in these countries euen as slauerie it selfe as all the world doth well know So as his imperiall Maiestie hauing once propounded it vnto these countries vpon due information giuen vnto his Maiestie he ceased from any more speech thereof shewing therein the great affection which hee bare vnto his subiects Yet notwithstanding diuers declarations which were made vnto the king of Spaine as well by the prouinces and townes in particular as by some of the chiefe noblemen of the countrey namely by the baron of Montigny and afterwards by the earle of Egmont who by the consent of the duchesse of Parma then Regent of the said countries by the aduice of the counsell of Estate and of the generaltie had to that end beene successiuely sent into Spaine and notwithstanding that the king had by his owne mouth giuen them hope that according to their petitions he would prouide for the contentment of the countrey yet that hee had since by his letters done the contrarie commaunding expresly and vpon paine of his indignation to receiue the new bishops presently and to put them in possession of their new bishoprickes and incorporated abbeyes to effect the Inquisition where they had begun to practise it and to obey and obserue the decrees and canons of the counsell of Trent the which in diuers points doe contradict the priuiledges of the countrey The which being come to the knowledge of the commons hath giuen iust occasion of so great an alteration among them and greatly diminished the loue and great affection the which as good subiects they had alwaies borne vnto the king and to his predecessors For they called chiefely into consideration that the king not onely pretended to tyrannize ouer their persons and goods but also vpon their consciences whereon they held themselues not to be answerable nor bound to giue account to any one
Earle of Leicester according to the agreement made betwixt the Queene of England and the Estates being come on the 30 of December from Flessingue to Dordrecht in Holland accompanied by many earles barons and other great personages of England he was receiued by the magistrats councell and bourgers of that town with great state And the 2 of Ianuary 1586 he parted frō thence to go to the Hage where he was in like sort very honorably receiued by the generall Estates with all good reception shews of ioy for his cōming on the 17 of the month after many ceremonies he was accepted for gouernor of the said coūtries and sworne to maintaine defend and preserue them against the oppressions of the Spaniards And in like manner the Estates did sweare vnto her Maiesty and to him as her lieutenant the conditions agreement that was concluded betwixt them which done the said Estates made a decree what euery prouince should contribute towards the charges of the warre and so did the Queene for her part that with their common means they might resist the king of Spaines power And the fist day of Februarie the earle of Leicester was by the Estates proclaimed Lieutenant and captaine of the vnited prouinces and commandement giuen to all the particular gouernours or their Lieutenants of the said prouinces and townes officers and magistrates admirals colonels captaines treasurers receiuers and others for matters of estate and warre with all that depends thereon so to acknowledge him At his reception to the gouernment doctor Leoninus chancellor of Guelderland made an oration saying that the generall Estates of the vnited Netherlands hauing had so great assurance of the Queenes Maiesties and his excellencies honourable disposition and fauours vnto them and finding it to be a thing necessarie that publike authoritie should be maintained within the prouinces and relying vpon his wisdome experience and integritie by common consent and with one voice they had chosen and named him for their gouernour and captaine generall ouer the said Netherlands that is of the dukedome of Guelder the earldome of Zutphen the earldomes and countries of Flanders Holland with west Friseland Zeeland and Friseland giuing him full power and authoritie besides the title and commission of her Maiestie together with that which was contained in th◅ contract made with her to gouerne and commaund absolutely ouer the said prouinces and their associates in all matters concerning the warres and their dependances both by sea and land and to command ouerall gouernours colonels admirals vice-admirals commanders captaines and officers and oueral souldiers of the same both horse and foot and to that end had appointed an oath to be taken vnto his excellencie as gouernour and captaine generall to be true and obedient vnto him besides that the said Estates gaue vnto his excellencie full power and authoritie concerning policie and iustice to be done ouer all the aforesaid prouinces with the councell of Estates which should be chosen to gouerne the said Netherlands as they had beene gouerned before especially in the time of the emperour Charles the fift by the gouernors generall according to the lawfull customes of the prouinces Vnderstanding that out of the reuenues of the said prouinces the gouernors officers and rent-masters should be paied their duties and fees according to the auncient manner and that the said prouinces townes and members of the same should be maintained in all their auncient priuiledges lawes and customes as it should be more at large declared vnto his excellencie And touching the gouernment of the country principally concerning the warres which cannot continue nor be maintained but by contribution the said prouinces consent and agree that besides the aid of 1000 horse and 5000 foot lent them by the Queene the dutchie of Guelders Flanders and the vnited townes of Brabant consent to giue the generall meanes of their said townes and villages of the countries adiacent as farre as they had power to command at that present time and from time to time as they were farmed let out and presently collected and besides that al the booties and compositions with the champian countries made for their safetie where they haue no meanes to get contribution and such summes as they paie vnto the enemie they of Holland Zeeland Vtrecht Friseland haue agreed to giue the summe of 200000 gulderns the moneth which moneys the said prouinces will put into his excellencies hands to be managed by him with the councel of estate that shall be appointed and besides this all that shall be receiued by contribution and gotten from the enemie and other meanes out of the countries of Ouerissell Drent and the territories thereof with other places lying vnder the enemies command And further that all the vnited Prouinces were agreed and had consented that the conuoye mony and imposts raised vpon marchandise comming in and going forth of those countries according to the order taken therein the yeare of our Lord 1581. and the moderation and augmentation thereof shall continew and bee imployed for the charges which they shall bee at for the setting forth maintayning and paying of the ships and boates of war which serue and are retained vnder the sayd Prouinces and that if neede were are to bee set out according to the contract made with his Maiestie wherevnto also all the prises and licences should be imployed if his Excellencie thought good to permit and allowe thereof and this for the space of one whole yeare and if it fortuned that the warre continued long vpon his Excelencies motion and desire a new composition should be made before the sayd yeare were fully finished according to the state and meanes of the sayd Prouince and as necessitie should require And therewith he humblie disired his Excellency to bee pleased to accept and take vpon him the sayd gouernment and authoritie and to execute the same to the honour of GOD and the maintenance of the Netherlands promising him that the sayd states should alwaies hold good correspondence with him and ayde and truely serue him in all occasions and seruices whatsoeuer Further by their acts and proclamations the sayd states would command all the Commanders ouer horse and foote and all soldiars both by sea and land to show all obedience dutie and fidelitie vnto his Excelencie which they agreed to sweare vnto and confirme by oth one vnto the other reseruing the homage which his Excelency ought vnto the Queenes Maiestie In the Hage the first of February 1586. Signed C. Aertsens According to this agreement the Earle of Leicester tooke the gouernment vpon him and therevpon the States Officers Prouinciall Gouernors Coronels Captaines and Soldiars tooke their othes vnto him wherein Prince Maurice and the Earle of Hohenlo and other captaines vsed all the meanes the could to bring the soldiars therevnto being accustomed in such accidents to haue mony giuen them for a reward The states vpon the Earle of Leceisters acceptation of the gouernment had
right ouer against him about a mile on the other side of Vpslach where they lay long to get some aduantage one against the other but little done there were diuers enterprizes taken in hand and some conuoies cut off This Sommer there was an assembly of the deputies of the Electors of the Rhine and other Princes of the Empire at Cologne whereas it was declared by the deputies of Cleues Westphalia and Saxony what great losses spoiles and ruines they were forced to endure by reason of the warres in the Netherlands making complaint especially against the souldiars which serued vnder Verdugo and Emanuell de Vega which continually ouer-ranne and held the territories of Munster and the Earldom of Benthem in contribution and in like sort against Charles Earle of Mansfeldt who committed the like outrages in the Duchies of Cleues and Iuiliers and the Earledome of Lippe And in the territories of Cologne by Iohn Manriques de Lara taking in of Abbayes and Noblemens houses and building of diuers sconses to keepe the countrie in a we and subiection They shewed moreouer that the like insolencies were committed by the souldiars of the vnited Prouinces and therefore they desired their aduise and helpe both of men and money to preuent these spoyles and incursions either by perswasions or by force but the fruites of this assembly were small for that many of the deputies were affected to the Spaniard but they onelie referred all to an other meeting at Francfort whether they should come with more ample commissions and instructions and withall haue recourse vnto the Emperour and the Princes of the Empire they also concluded that in the meane time they should send Ambassadors in their names both to the Duke of Parma and the vnited Prouinces intreating them to yeelde vp all those Fortes and places which they held vpon the Rhine belonging vnto the Empire whereby their incursions might bee stopt and the riuer of Rhine which belongeth vnto the Empire freede Moreouer it seemed or at the least they gaue it forth that at their next assembly it should be concluded that whosoeuer refused to yeeld vnto their request should bee forced therevnto at the charges of the Empire The Ambassadors which they sent were Gaspar van Eltii State-holder of Langstein Adam Gants Barron of Potlitz councellors to the Electors of Mentz and the Count Palatin Otto van Welmernechuysen State-holder generall of the nether Circle of the Rhine Wynant van Perordt chiefe chamberlaine of the Duchie of Iuilliers Iohn Bauman and Bernard van Puts deputies for the sayd borders These Ambassadors went to Brussells but they preuailed verie little there after which they desired a pasport from the vnited Prouinces and so came to the Hage wherevpon the three and twentie daie of August they had audience and deliuered their charge in writing giuing them to vnderstand that the Electors and Princes of the Empire on both sides the Rhine ' Westphalia and lower Germanie after their due commendations were forced to complaine of the great spoyles which were committed and the great contributions which were exacted of their subiects and that without respect of the Lords and Princes of those countries they held many Forts vpon the lymits of the Empire and intertained a great number of shippes of war in the Riuers of Rhyne Ems and others to the great oppression both of ◅aylers and Marchants whome they forced to pay licence money the which was very hurtfull and preiudiciall to those countries against all good neighbourhood and contrary to the promise which they had made vnto the Empire whereby they said that such as gouerned in the Netherlands for the King of Spaine excused them-selues saying that by reason of their forcible actions they were constrained to doe as they had done wherefore they were sent vnto them to informe them of their bad neighbourhood and to request them both to forbeare from any further attempts and to repaire the losses which they had susteyned and to ruine their Forts or else to deliuer them vp vnto the Lords of those Territories to call home their shippes of warre and to exact no more lycence money of their Marchants but to suffer them to haue free trafficke to keepe their soldiars in better discipline and to refraine their incursions into the country and likewise not to follow nor pursue the enemie marching vppon the Territories of the Empire which if they refused to doe they gaue them to vnderstand that the Princes Electors and others would no longer forbeare but were fully resolued with the assistance of the rest of the E◅ectors Princes of the Empire not onely to giue eare to the complaints of their oppressed subiects but also to receiue thē into their protections according to the customes of the Empire and al good lawes whereof they desired a short speedy and pertinent answer that they might make report thereof accordingly annexing there-vnto diuers particuler complaints for actions done by priuate persons as the taking of Fortes c. Wherevnto the generall Estates of the Vnited Prouinces made an answer in writing on the 23. of ◅eptember as followeth The generall Estates hauing duly considered of the necessitie of the present time first giue thankes vnto the Princes Electors and other the Estates of the aforesaid Territories of Germany for their good and friendly admonition desiring to intertaine peace and good neighbourhood with them And praying them to perswade them-selues that for their parts they had not spared neither would their best dilligence and indeauors to lette both the Electors and the rest of the Estates of the Empire as also al other Kings Princes Potentates and common weales knowe that notwithstanding all their continuall warres whereof the Vnited Prouinces to their great hindrance and almost ruine had borne the greatest burthen the naturall loue and affection of the Inhabitants thereof was yet in full force vigor So as next after their natiue countrie they had nothing more recommended nor pretious vnto them then loue and vnitie with al the world and especially with their friends and neighbour countries and aboue all that they might attaine to that long desired peace and vnitie of the countrie Wherefore they were discontented to heare them-selues charged to haue broken that League that was wont to be betwixt them and the borders of the same Empire especially of them from whome they expected al aide assistance with a relenting cōpassion of the miseries falne vpon the Netherlands in the which there had bin so many fires kindled as it was impossible to quenche them but the smoke would flie into the neighbour countries beeing a needles thing to seeke to extinguish those flames of fire for that in the very heart and midst of these countries which are inseperably bound one vnto an other there is nothing sought but continuall kindling and increasing of the said flames vnlesse they held it an easie matter to cure the outward members of the Countrie when as the heart it selfe is
they agreed to yeeld the twentith of September vppon condition to haue two yeares free excercise of the Romish religion within the said towne and that they should haue but fiue companies of foote and two of horse in garrison Whereof George Euerard Earle of Solms was made Gouernor for that hee was Collonell of the Regiment of Zealand 〈◊〉 Mondragon Gouernor of the Cittadell of Antwerp hearing of the losse of this towne hee gathered speedily togither foure thousand foote and a thousand horse with whome there ioined a thousand Spaniards of those which had continued at Courtray VVith the which troopes he thought sure to recouer it But at his approach hee found some dikes broken and the towne so well foritified with men and munition as hee was of an other opinion and retyred without attempting any thing at all The nine and twentith of September dyed Iohn Earle of East Friseland younger brother to Edsard Earle of Emden He was a Nobleman full of pietie who onely sought the peace and quiet of the countrie and of the towne of Emden which some yea of the Contesse wife to Edsard and sister to the King of Sueden sought to trouble by innouations contrary to their priuiledges whereof wee will speake more hereafter In the same moneth there came Ambassadours to Cologne in the Emperours name but at the instance of the King of Spaine Salerin Earle of Ysenbrugh Noble Symon Earle of Lippe the Bishop of Wirtzbourgs brother the Baron of Pernsteyn and Rhede with certaine Doctors of the Law these were sent to trye if there were any course to bee taken for a peace betwixt the King of Spaine and the vnited Prouinces They were first to go to Brusselles to the Duke of Parma as they did to the Kings great charge And from thence they were to go with pasport to the generall Estates at the Hage demanding which pasport the Estates desired them to spare the cost labor not to come vnto them to that end seeing they found no assurance in any treaty they could make with the king as his letters intercepted written to Don Guilaume of S. Clements his Ambassadors which the Emperor did sufficiently shew that it should bee but a fayned and counterfeyt peace besides they could not treate of any peace without the aduise and consent of their confederates Yet notwithstanding this answer the Ambassadours sent the Baron of Rhede vnto the Hage in the end of the yeare who remained there about three monthes and returned as wise as he came The Estates giuing him their answer by writing containing the causes why they could not treat with the King of Spaine and the reasons of their distrust with which answer hee departed They of Bruges seeing the town of Hulst taken finding them-selues inuironed with many enemies as Ostend Axell and Terneuse they were sutors to the Duke of Parma that they might bee vnder the Estates contribution and seeing their towne could not subsist without comerce to trafficke into Zealand with a pasport paying the ordinary customes as they of Antwerp did by Lillo and they of Gant by the Sas the which the Duke refused but afterwards they obteyned it of the Arch-duke Ernest of Austria Sir Edward Norris Gouernor of Ostend would willingly haue brought the country of Flanders neere vnto his garrison vnder contribution thereby to fortifie him-selfe to deâ—…end his towne the better from the violence of the sea and to supplie all necessary reparations the which he pretended to do of his owne priuate authoritie But the generall Estates finding it to be of great consequence would not allow thereof Where-vpon the said garrison being intertained and paid by the Queene of England he went and made his complaints of this prohibition to her Maiestie who at the first seemed to iustifie his doing But when as the Estates had duly informed her of the importance of this action and how preiudiciall it would bee appertayning onely to the Soueraigne Gouernor and that it would be a very bad example whereby the other Gouernors Superintendants for at that time the title of Gouernors seemed odious to the Estates giuing vnto them that had the like charge but the name and quallity of Superintendents would in euery towne play the petty Kings as experience had taught sufficiently in France Norris yet seeking to proceed in the leuie of these contributions he so incensed the Queene as she commanded him to keepe his house and would not suffer him to returne to his gouernment vntil that the Estates themselues were intercessors for him the which they did for the respect they bare vnto generall Norris his Brother who had done them so many good and faithfull seruices After that Prince Maurice had ordered all things well in the towne of Hulst hauing caused his armie to imbarke and commanded all the horsemen he could recouer vnder the Estates seruice to march speedily into Gelderland he mounted vp the Riuer of Wahal and the fourteenth of October landed all before Nymeghen besieging it both by water and land then he made a bridge ouer the Riuer to go from one quarter vnto an other through the fauor of the Fort of Knodsenbourg which the Estates had built on the other side of the Riuer right against the towne And although at the Princes first comming they of the towne shewed them-selues very couragious playing continually with their Canon to hinder the approaches yet soone after seeing the great trenches the preparation for Mynes the battery of forty two Canons planted in fiue seuerall places most part of the Burgers yea they that were most partiall and best affected to the Spaniard were more willing to yeeld then to hold out The which did also make three companies that were in garrison to faynt although at the first they seemed very resolute Where-vpon the Burgers and soldiers agreed to send their Deputies vnto the Prince who went vnto him the twentith of the moneth that is one Bourguemaister two Lieutenants and an Ancient in pledge for whom the Prince sent three men of very good accoumpt And as they could not agree that day for the difficulties which did arise on either side they of the towne demaunding chiefly to retaine the Romish religion or at the least the free excercise of both and vpon the number of the Estates soldiers which they should receiue in garrison the next day they agreed which being concluded the Prince sent in two companies either being two hundred strong before the garrison came forth so as the soldiers of both parties beeing enemies continued quietly vntill the next day within one precinct of walles without iniuring one an other either in word or deed so as the 22. of the moneth the Seignior of Gheleyne captaine Snator and Iohn van Veerden went forth with their three companies marching towards Graue and carrying with them their full armes collours flying and all their baggage In this manner Nymegen was reduced vnder the command of the
knowne vnto his heighnes they haue declared and doe by these presents declare that sence the time they haue beene forced by extreme necessity to take armes in hand for the preseruation of the liberty of the netherlands together with their ancient preuiledges as well of the members thereof as of townes and inhabitants in parculiar to diuert the oppression of the Spaniards and their proud gouernment ouer the consciences bodies goods of the subiects of the saied countries and of their wiues and children their intention and desseign had alwais beene to vse those armes with the grace of God against the Spaniards and their adherents with full trust and confidence that the almighty would blesse their good and iust intentions as they had sufficiently tryed The which hath beene so much the better knowne not only to concurre with the good of the said countries but also of all Kings Princes and common-weales their good neighbors hauing by the mighty hand of that great GOD not onely their desseignes and meanes beene blest but also the hearts of the said Kings and Princes their neighbors stirred vp and moued to maintaine their good and iust cause whereof they attribute the honor to his diuine bounty aboue wholy relying vpon his immutable power attending from his hand a good and commendable issue of this heauie and hard warre hauing a firme hope to see these Netherlands speedely and generally vnited and restored to their ancient beauty and prosperity where-vnto they aspire and doe their best endeauors hauing tryed whereof the remembrance is yet fresh vnto them the comodities and sweetenes of peace tranquility and vnion feeling on the other side the discomodities toyles and troubles of warre But as they did most humbly thanke his heighnes for the declaration he had made by his letters of the good will and affection which hee bare vnto all those that doe sincerely affect the peace concord and prosperity of these countries So had they in like manner great cause to complaine before God and the world of those that vnder false practises and collour of peace do seeke to shed the innocent bloud of Christians and to aduance the suppression and totall ruine of these Netherlands wherein the councell of Spaine finding themselues now offended in the heighest degree labour more then euer by all meanes possible vsing to that end most vnreasonable and vniust proceedings to the ruine and desolation of these Prouinces Seeing it is well knowne to all men how they haue behaued them-selues with all extremity and namely to the effusion of innocent bloud by the hands of their executioners so many thousands of poore persons men and women of all qualities among the which there were some of the cheefe noblemen of the countrie with the breach of the prerogatiues freedomes liberties and Belgike rights of the members and townes as well in generall as in particular Besides many murthers burnings violences exactions commissions and so many other foule and execrable acts notwithstanding after so many petitions and supplications yea by the sending of ambassage into Spaine the Marquis of Berghen and the Baron of Montigni who were intreated contrary to the law of Nations notwithstanding also the intercession of some great Potentates to the end that the said countries the members and townes with all the good inhabitants thereof might be maintained in their goodly liberties priuiledges and ancient rights and that the oppression of their consciences persons and goodes which the Spanish nation and their adherents doe excercise might bee rooted out which hath beene the cause to bring them to those extremities By reason whereof it shall please his Highnesse to vnderstand and take in good part that the said Estates in this busines of so great waight and so important for the good of those countries and the maintenance of their subiects proceed in that forme and manner which euery man sees at this day And that they can hardly beleeue and much lesse bee assured of that which they speake of the change of humors in the Councell of Spaine for that such changes with greater probabilities haue bene heretofore partly beleeued to the great preiudice of these countries For in the beginning of this warre the crueltie of the Spaniards was so great as they did roote out all they could bring vnder And that before that for a thing so worthie as is the preseruation of a country against strangers they had attempted any thing either by effect or councell When as not onely the Champian country but euen many principall townes were euil intreated by murthers spoiling burning and other execrable acts vntil that in these parts they had resolued to intreat all the Spaniards and their adherents which they could gette as rigorously to let them see by the effects that they of this party had no lesse courage and resolution to maintaine so iust a cause then they to tyrannize ouer them and to seeke to bring them into bondage Being well assured that nothing should be attempted by them against these countries but it would turne first to their disaduantage This did somewhat moderate their bloudy councell with a shew of alteration of their humors but in such sort as finding it to be too hard and difficult to compasse their disseignes by force they made shew that they would hearken to some reason and there-vpon were appointed the first beginnings of a treatie in the yeare 1574. So as the Estates of Holland Zealand vsing their ancient plainnesse and naturall virtue were moued to sette downe their greeuances as well by letters as by mouth and to demaund redresse But the fruites of this beginning of a treatie were on Brabant side the surprize of Antwerp by the Spaniards which histories call the day of Fuera Veillacos and of the side of Holland Zealand and their associates the two hard sieges of the good towne of Leyden the which by the grace of God and fidelitie of their confederates and their owne valour was preserued from the attempts of their enemies yea with so extraordinary an amazement of the Spaniards as God making them presently to faint they fled confuzedly out of Holland soone after they fayled to surprize Vtrecht as they had done the same yeare before of that famous Cittie of Antwerp This first deceitfull treatie beeing past a second was prepared the yeare following 1575. in the towne of Breda at the intercession of that mighty Emperour Maximilian the second his highnesse father wherein appeared plainely by their acts how little the Spaniards were inclined to the good of the countrie the which had no other fruites but greater preperations to warre then euer whereof soone followed the taking of Buren Leerdam Oudewater Schoonhouen Bomene and the siege of Zirixee Afterwards the Spaniards and their adherents by robbing spoyling burning and other execrable cruelties yea by surprising of townes which held their owne party they gouerned them-selues with such excesse as the Estates in those partes could no longer indure them proclaiming them publike
which shall conuoy them vnto Otmarsum or at the farthest to Oldenziel And the said Lankama shall bee bound to leaue some of his Captaines in pawne for assurance of the said wagons vntill their returne All Captains Officers and soldiers who by reason of their wounds and infirmities cannot indure the trauell shall remaine still in the towne vntill they be reasonablie well cured and they shal haue passeports giuen them to returne to their companies be it by water or by land That Captaine Wyngarden hauing paid his charges shall depart without ransome as in like manner all soldiers victuallers and wagenors of the Campe being prisoners within the towne That all the goods of the Gouernor Verdugo beeing within the towne shall go freely forth and shall bee carried vnto the place whereas they that haue the charge shall thinke it conuenient or else they may remaine safely within the towne vntill the said gouernor shall dispose of them That all horses or baggage belonging to any officers of the King of Spaine being now absent shall passe freely and be conducted with the rest of the soldiars That all men at this time residing in the towne of Groning of what nation or condition soeuer Offcers and others as well Clergy men and two Iesuits as other temporall men may depart with their wiues children families cattell and goods and inioy the same conuoy and safety And if any of the said Inhabitants be it man or woman by reason of some let in their affaiers cannot depart with the said men of warre they shall haue six moneths graunted them from this present accord during the which they may stay here and doe their busines and then retire them-selues with their goods and families be it by water or by land whether they please The Lieutenant Collonel Captaines Officers and souldiars this accord being signed shal presently without any delay depart out of Groning and Schuyten-dyep Made in the Campe before Gronning the 22 of Iuly 1594. behold how this strong and mighty towne of Groning was forced and brought into subiection in two moneths space After that the rampars of the towne of Groning were repaired all the trenches of the eampe layd euen and the law and Magistrate renewed Prince Maurice carrying backe his army entred victoriously into Amsterdam where hee was receiued with great pompe by the Magistrat with all shewes of honor loue and ioy The like was done in other townes where he past returning to the Hage with goodly and rich presents the which did stirre vp his young and noble courage to greater attempts tending vnto vertue This summer the Emperor called an assembly of the Princes of the Empire at Rheinsbourg whether came the three Electors of Cologne Mentz and Treues William Fredericke Duke of Saxony administrator of the Duchy of Saxony Frederick Lodowick Palsgraue of the Rhine Maximilian duke of Bauaria Casimire and Ernestus bretheren Dukes of Saxony of Coborch whose father was prisoner in Gothia Frederick duke of Wirttenberg George Lodowick Lantgraue of Luchtenbourg the young Duke of Holst Christian Prince of Anholt with diuers others and the Deputies of sondry Princes and imperiall townes And for the King of Spaine and the house of Bourgongne there came Charles Phillip Barron of Croy Marquis of Haurec and others Besids the three spirituall Princes Electors there were the Bishoppes of Salsbourg Writenberg and others In this assembly the Emperor moued the Princes of Germany for ayde against the Turke the which was graunted whereas there grew some controuersie among the Protestant Princes townes for that the Palsgraue of the Rhine and some others did not so strictly maintaine the confession of Ausbourg as others did namely the administrator of Saxony who during his administration would haue the opinion of Mathias Flaccus Illiricus and Iacobus Andraeas againe mayntained throughout all the territories of Saxony the which had beene some-what moderated by the deceased Princes so as he caused all such as any way opposed them-selues to be persecuted and expelled out of all vniuersities and other places vnder the names of Caluenists and Zwinglians where-vpon in Lypsick and many other places the Caluenists were spoyled and their goods violently taken from them whervpon many fled and were receiued into the Palsgraues country For which at the said assembly the Saxon Protestants would haue seperated them-selues from the Palsgraues Ambassadors in their general petition which the greater part would not assent vnto but rather desired vnity loue And for that the young Palsgraue Frederick was much spoken against as differing from his father in points of relligion there was a confession of the faith made in his name the which was published in these termes I am not shronke nor fallen from the relligion which my father held the which was grounded vpon the writings of the Prophets and Apostels who in his life time beleeued neither in Martin nor Iames but onely in Christ the like Simbolum and the like grounds of faith I doe also constantly hold defend and protect and will doe to my power My father did greatly dislike of the Arrians Nestorians Eutichians and Anabaptists and of their mad opinions which I also being his sonne doe as much abhorre My father in like manner disliked of the abusers of Sacraments the which are of two sorts the one make Idolls of the Sacraments and honor the sacramentall signes as the things them-selues and the other hold them but for bare signes the which I also dislike And now I come neerer my father disliked of the Caluenists and Zwinglians the which I his sonne would in like manner do if they were like vnto the Vbiquitari and Flacciani that is if the truth the power or the presence of Christ vpon the earth were denyed by them But herein I am more fortunate then my father for that I knowe that vnder the name of Caluenists the truth of the relligions Orthodoxie is by the contentious people of Germany much slandered and persecuted the which without doubt the good Prince Eector my father would haue found if God had lent him longer life This error the two mighty Saxon Electors Augustus the father and Christianus the Sonne being great valiant wise Princes began to discouer D. Luthers writings I do no lesse esteeme then my father did but yet I hold them vnwise which esteeme whatsoeuer was written by him and others to bee pure as gold or siluer At this assembly it was resolued that some good course should be diuised for the setling of a perfect peace in the Netherlands in regard of the great complaints which were made by the bordering countryes being subiect to the spoyles and incursions of either party This peace was held very difficult to effect Being held a matter impossible to draw the King of Spaine and the house of Austria to relinqish and disclaime by any contract the right and title which they had to those rich mighty Prouinces of the Netherlands And on the other side
no answer vppon the receipt of this letter the Prouinces vnder the Kings obedience assembled at Brusselles vpon the first of Ianuary 1595. only the Clergie the Nobilitie but not the Townes Where at their first cession the Arch-duke made a declaration in Spanish the effect was that the King had written vnto him and charged him as his good Brother and Cousin that hee should indeauour by all possible meanes to vnite the countrie by peace and to free it from the spoiles and miseries it had so long indured for which cause alone hee had left his ease and was come thether to effect his Maiesties good desire as appeared by the letters written with his Maiesties owne hand the which so moued him as hee could not but summon the Estates to appeare there before him to impart these good newes vnto them and that they had considered vppon a very good course to attayne there-vnto Where-with they should bee made acquainted the next day following by the President Richardot There were present in this Assemblie Stephano D'ybarra and Don Diego de Varra but the Earle of Fuentes came not for that the Duke of Arschot had protested hee would not giue him the place next to the Archduke which honour the Emperour and his Maiestie had giuen him the which hee would not suffer a stranger to take from him Where-vppon the Earle of Fuentes and Charles Earle of Mansfeldt who tooke the Dukes part therein meeting togither they beheld each other without any salutations on either part But nothing was done at all the first daie the which was spent in complements after the high Dutch manner VVhereat many of the Assemblie especially the Bishops and Clergie murmured The next day the Duke of Arschot laid open the generall necessities of the countries of Arthois and Henault and the miseries they indured by reason of the French inuasions and how requisit it was his Highnesse should prouide some speedy remedie for these mischiefes the which for many vrgent considerations ought not to bee deferred Saying that they had long since vnderstood his Maiesties good will the which should bee apparant to all the world if they might once taste the fruites thereof which it seemed the Archduke would indeauor to procure them but when it was in manner too late the whole country beeing readie to reuolt if they once swarued in the least poynt of seruice concerning their indifferent duties They had long since complained and made their great wants and necessities knowne vnto the King who by the lawes of nature was bound to heare them and to defend and protect his subiects And that if their cries and complaints vnto his Maiestie could not bee heard by reason of the great distance betwixt him and them nor the imminent dangers and mischiefes which now threatned them much more then the forepassed bee preuented they should bee forced to take some speedy course therein themselues and that hauing brought the same to passe they would yeeld such reasons of their Action vnto his Maiestie submitting themselues therein to the iudgement of all Christendome and calling them to witnesse as no man should haue iust cause to charge them that they had done more then what nature and necessitie had taught them The which they had resolued to shew in effect if they did not hope for some speedy helpe by this present Assemblie Hauing deliuered these wordes very eloquently and plainely all the Clergie cryed out Amen saying that it was their whole intent and that it required a very speedie execution There was also many Noblemen as the Prince of Chymay the Dukes Sonne the Earles of Arembergh Bossu Solue Barlaymont Ligni and others who all consented heerevnto togither Then the Duke of Arschot made further complaint in the behalfe of the Prouinces touching the great burthens which were laid vppon them by strange soldiers especially by the Spaniards who were countenanced and incouraged by the Earle of Fuentes and other strangers which ought to giue place to the naturall borne subiects of the country and follow the councel of the Nobility thereof who were best acquaihted with the affaires o◅ the same or else they would with-draw themselues both frō the Kings and the countries seruice and regard their owne particuler with many other reasons all tending to a peace with the vnited Prouinces the which the sayd might easily be effected if the forraine soldiars might bee sent away into Turky thereby freeing the vnited Prouince from all suspition and so they might treat with them as with neighbors and not as Rebells The Archduke Ernestus seeing the Estates to presse him thus vnto a peace hee let them vnderstand how much hee had labored to reconcile the vnited Prouinces who would by no meanes harken vnto it and that he could not proceed any further therein without some preiudice and blemish to his Maiesties authority and honor And therefore hee desired their aduice in three points First whether the necessity were so great as the King must of force doe it The second if it were fit and conuenient to offer more vnto the enemy then had beene already offred as to referre the conditions of peace vnto their owne discretions The third whether any other treatie of peace were to bee made and how that might bee effected Wherevnto the Estates made a full answere in writing shewing that peace was both reasonable necessarie honorable and easie to bee concluded Wherevnto the Archduke as it seemed consented promising to recommend it in such sort as hee doubted not but the King of Spaine would bee easily perswaded therevnto And that hee would also mooue the Pope and Emperor therein who had alreadie demaunded the opinions of diuers learned men who were well acquainted with the question of the Netherlands and among the rest of the learned councellor Wesenbeeke as then remayning in Wittenbergh what they thought thereof wherein all Christendome seemed to consent and agree desyring them in the meane time to persist in their accustomed duties and ancient vnitie vntill that hee receiued an answere from the King concerning the same but notwithstanding all these good words and faire hopes the Archduke Ernestus letters sent vnto the King of Spaine in September beeing intercepted by the vnited Prouinces contained nothing els but that there was not any thing to bee done in the Netherlands but by force and violence To the like effect were the letters written by Don Guillaume of Saint Clement from the Emperors Court the which were intercepted that the rebels should bee brought to that extremitiy as they must bee forced to seeke and sue for a peace c. But their resolution pleased not the Archduke neuerthelesse his seeming to consent and his faire promises satisfied the assembly for that time so as by reason of his death which followed not long after all alterations were preuented The French King seeing that they of Arthois and Henault did not vouchsafe to make any answere to these his letters hee caused
other Belgicke Prouinces or otherwise And therefore the said Estates doe humbly beseech that it would please his Maiesty to receiue their resolution in good part and in respect therof not to carry lesse affection to them then subiects and inhabitants As for that which the sayed Ambassadors haue charge from his Maiesty to insist vnto the Estates that all neutrall persons which haue nothing common with this warre might freely sayle and trafficke into all places so as they carry no munition of warre to the enemy and especially his Maiesties subiects in consideration of their her editary contract and good neighbourhood The said Estates declare that they confesse most willingly and will alwaies confesse that they are greatly bound vnto his Maiesty by reason of the said hereditary contract neighbourhood and good correspondency and in like manner for the security and fauor which the inhabitants of the vnited Prouinces receiue throughout all his dominions in regard whereof sence the beginning of these wars vnto that day they haue endeauored to shew vnto al Kings Princes and neighbour common-weales and especially in respect of the said King of Denmarke for matters of nauiyation and trafficke all good neighbourhood correspondency and friendshippe And that in this consideration they would not hinder the subiects and inhabitants of the realmes and countries of the said King nor any other neutrall persons from the nauigation into Spaine Portugall or any other westerne parts vnder the King of Spaines dominions or obedience or any other neutrall countries what soeuer no more then their owne subiects and inhabitants of the vnited Prouinces Touching Steyn Maltesen Collonell to his Maiesty and Amptman of Bahuysen of whome mention is made in the said proposition The saide Estates declare that it is not long sence that hauing taking information vpon his pretensions in quality of Lieutenant to the most famous William Lewis Earle of Nassau gouernor of Freezland they haue giuen him all satisfaction and ouer and aboue at his departure a gratuity of a chaine of gold so as in regard of his seruices done vnto the said Prouinces he cannot pretend any thing And as for the seruice which the said Collonel pretends to haue done as Captaine of the company which was raysed by the deceased Captaine Schagen since the twenty one of October 1580. vnto the first of February 1586. that the Seignor Nicholas Malte his Brother succeeded in his place he was in like sort paied as other Captaines which were in the same seruice had beene and are daily according to the order and vse of the country with the which al soldiars content themselues without any contradiction leauing the rest of their pay vnto the end of this warre And in the meane time if it happen that at the great sute and instance of any Captaines which leaue their seruice for some good considerations be it for their poore estate or otherwise they come to accord with them it is done with such a small composition abating that which ought to be abated according to the order that in that case there would bee little comming vnto the Collonell vpon the accoumpt of his seruices wherefore the Estates assure them-selues that the said Collonell being better informed thereof by their letters will the more willingly haue patience with the rest and attend the end of this warre rather then to accept of so meane a Composition as hath beene told him by mouth Finally the said Estates do humbly thanke his Maiestie for his good affection towards them beseeching God withall their hearts that it will please him to preserue his person his realmes Estates countries and subiects in a happy and prosperous gouernment good and long life to the good and quiet of all Christendome As for them that they would neuer faile of their duties and seruice in all good affections towards his maiesty the which they not onely desire to continue but also will striue more and more and at all times will bee ready to doe their best indeuor to increase it Thanking likewise the sayd Ambassadors of their great paines which they had taken in this legation Intreating them earnestly that they would bee pleased to make a good and fauourable report vnto his Maiestie of the good affection and humble inclination which they haue vnto him with their humble recommendations c. Made at the Hage the 24. of October 1597. The sayd Ambassadors hauing receiued this answer departed after they had beene stately entertained by the Seignior of Pipenpoix a Gentleman appointed to that end by the Estates as Steward assisting at euery meale to beare them companie two of the Deputies of the Estates and beeing richly and honorably gratified with goodly presents they went as wee haue sayd to see Prince Maurice in his Campe before Linghen where they were likewise well intreated and defrayed as long as they remained in the Estates territories taking their way from thence towards Denmarke According to so many Ambassages and pursutes tending to a peace at the great instance of the King of Spaine Cardinall Albert his Lieutenant sent in the beginning of the yeare 1598. his Commissioners vnto the French King the which were the President Richardot Ioan Baptista Taxis and Lewis Verreyken Audiencier to seeke some good course for a peace betwixt him and the king his Maister who should bee his father in lawe the Infanta of Spaine being promised him in marriage wherevnto the Queene of England and the generall Estates of the vnited prouinces did also inuite him For hee knew well that so long as those three great and mighty countries of France England and the Netherlands should bee vnited together in such a league as they had sworne that his affaires could not succeed well his power although it were very great not being sufficient to incounter all their three forces together fearing that hee should not onely bee forced to cast vp that which hee had deuoured in Picardie and else-where but also to loose the rest of his Netherlands and by their ioynt forces to bee assailed in Spaine On the other side the French King much incensed at the indignities which hee had receiued of his owne subiects leaguers and others knowing the desolation of his country and that his subiects by this warre were so impouerished as they could indure no more And to recouer that by the way of armes which the Spaniard had taken from him in two or three yeares before hee must imploy much time loose many men and spend his treasor which hee found to bee greatly exhausted And that Picardie was so ruinated as it was nothing but a desart so as there was no meanes to feede an armie there for the recouerie of Calais Dourlans and other places wherefore hee was aduised by his Councell to send his Deputies thether which were the Lords of Bellieure and Sillery both of his councell and the Generall of the Friars as a mediator to enter into conference with the Cardinalls Commissioners making the
and Charolois And to that end to cause the generall Estates of the said countrey to assemble or the particular Estates in euerie prouince or els to obserue any other course that shal be thought fitting for this donation cession and transport to signifie it to take an othe to the Estates and the subiects of the said countries to demaund the inuestiture and admittance to euerie peece and seigniorie if the case shall so require As also to receiue a fit othe of them to bind them to al that wherunto they were reciprocally bound by precedent othes Andvntil our said daughter shall haue taken or caused to be taken in her name the reall possession of the said Netherlands and countie of Bourgoigne and Charolois in that maner as it is set downe by her patent wee doe make and constitute our selfe possessor thereof in the name and behalfe of our said daughter In witnesse whereof we will and ordaine That the same letters patents bee deliuered vnto her granting vnto our daughter the Infanta to retaine admit and establish in the said Netherlands and Bourgoigne Gouernours Iudges and Iustices as well for the preseruation and defence thereof as for the administration of iustice and policie and the receit of reuenues or otherwise And moreouer to do all that which a true princesse ladie of the inheritance of the said countries by right or according to the customes might or ought to doe and as wee haue done and might yet doe alwayes obseruing the conditions hereunto inserted To which effect we haue quitted absolued and discharged and doe quit absolue and discharge by these presents al bishops abbots prelats and other church men dukes princes marquesses earls barons gouernors heads and captaines of the countrey townes courts presidents men of our counsell chancellors them of our treasure and accounts and other justices captaines men of warre and souldiers of forts and castles their lieutenants knights squires vassals magistrats bourgers inhabitants of good townes boroughes franchises and villages and all and euery of our subiects of our said Netherlands and the countie of Bourgoigne and Charolois and euerie of them respectiuely of the othe of fidelitie faith and homage promise and bond by the which they were bound vnto vs as to their lawfull prince and soueraigne lord willing and expresly commaunding them to sweare and to accept the said Infanta our daughter for their true princesse and ladie and to giue her their othe of fealtie faith and homage promise and bond after the accustomed maner according to the nature of the countries places fees and seigniories And moreouer that they shew vnto her and to her future husband all honour reuerence affection obedience fidelitie and seruice as good and loyall subiects ought and are bound to their lawfull prince and naturall lord as they haue hitherto made demonstration And to supply all defects and obmissions as well in law as in fact which may bee omitted in this present donation cession and transport and which might be wel inserted of our owne motion certaine knowledge and full and absolute royal power which by these presents we will vse we haue derogated and do derogate to all lawes constitutions and customes which may impugne and contradict these presents for such is our good will and pleasure And to the end that all that is formerly said may be for euer firme and stable wee haue figned these presents with our name and caused our great seale to be hanged thereunto willing and commanding that it shall be registred to be held of force in euerie counsell and chamber of accounts Giuen in our citie of Madril the 6 of May 1598 of our raigns of Naples and Ierusalem the 45 of Castile Arragon Sicile and others the 44 and of Portugall the 19. It was paraphed N. D. V. Signed Philippes And vnderneath By the King signed A. de la Loo This resignation was also ratified by the letters patents of prince Philip at this time king of Spaine the 3 of that name as followeth Philip by the grace of God Prince sonne and onely heire of the Realmes Countries and Seigniories of king Philip the second of that name my lord and father To all present and to come greeting Whereas my said lord and father hath resolued to marie the ladie Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia our most deere and well beloued good sister to the Archduke Albert our good vncle and cosin And that according to the same his Catholike Maiestie hath determined with our liking and consent being thereunto induced for certaine great reasons and respects for the common good namely for the generall quiet of all Christendome and in particular for the peace tranquility of the Netherlands to the end that our said sister may be prouided for according to her qualitie and great merits to giue vnto our said sister the Netherlands and the countie of Bourgoigne in that forme and maner as it hath beene made and past as it appeareth by the letters patents which my said lord and father hath caused to be made signed with his hand and sealed with his great Seale wherof the tenor followeth word by word Philip c. All which being here aboue inserted it is not needful to repeat Wee let them know that hauing particularly vnderstood all that is mentioned therein considering the publike good that may thereby come vnto Christendome especially by reason of the singular loue which we are bound to beare and do beare vnto our sister the Infanta for her graces and great merits we commend approue and allow and by these presents hold for good notwithstanding any preiudice that may grow thereby to vs or our successors hereafter And for the same reason we consent and are content by these presents that the said Netherlands and countie of Bourgoigne and Charolois shall be giuen and transported to our good sister the Infanta as my said lord and father hath done And to the end it may subsist the better for the greater assurance corroboration and strengthening of that which his Maiestie hath disposed and decreed in fauour and for the aduancement of our good sister wee dispose and ordaine as farre as it is needfull by these presents in fauour thereof and in the same forme and manner in euerie point of our owne proper and free wil without any extortion constraint deceit fraud nor any respect fatherly reuerence nor feare nor by any other indirect persuasions our will and intention being that the said countries shal belong and appertaine vnto our sister the Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia and to her successors conformable to the disposition of the king my lord and father And to the end it may take full effect and remaine firme and stable for euer wee haue renounced and do renounce by these presents in fauour of our good sister for vs and our successors all benefits which may by right come to vs or them to contradict these presents or that it were by the law Derestitutione in integrum to the
which we haue renounced and doe renounce by these presents for our resolute and determinat will is that nothing whatsoeuer shall bee of any force and efficacie against this donation cession and transport which hath beene made of the said Netherlands in the maner and forme aboue mentioned Whereupon we haue giuen our faith and taken our othe vpon the holy Euangilists which we haue touched with our hand to hold maintaine obserue and keepe and cause to bee held maintained obserued and kept punctually all that hath beene said without any excuse or exception nor yet to suffer any other to vse any The which we do affirme and promise by the word of a prince and that we shal giue all aid assistance for the ful accomplishment thereof for that it is our sincere and resolute will In witnesse whereof we haue caused these our letters patents to be made the which we haue signed with our owne hand and caused to bee signed by the secretarie of estate for the king my lord father for the affaires of the Netherlands and Bourgoigne and to be sealed with the great seale of his Maiesties armes hanging thereunto in strings of gold To these were present as witnesses Dom Gomes d'Auila marquesse of Velada our gouernor and lord steward of our houshold Dom Christophel de Mora earle of Castel Roderigo great commaunder of the Alcantara a gentleman of his Maiesties chamber and butler for our person Dom Ioan d'Idiaques great commander of Leon all three of the counsel of state and Nicholas d'Amant knight also counsellor of state and keeper of his Maiesties seales for the affaires of the Netherlands and Bourgoigne chancelor of his duchie of Brabant Giuen in the citie of Madril in the realme of Castile the 6 of May in the yeare of grace 1598. Paraphed M. E. R. T. Signed Philip and vnderneath By the commandement of my lord the prince A. de la Loo These two patents of the kings resignation and of the princes agreation were both sealed with one seale in vermilian waxe with strings of gold These instruments being thus read past signed and sealed in autentike forme the prince of Spaine rising went and kist the king his fathers hands thanking him for the good affection he bare vnto his sister then going to his said sister he did congratulat with her for the good which she had receiued that day who rising in like maner went and kist the king her fathers hands and gaue thanks for his fauours and benefits as in like sort shee did thanke the prince her brother and so the assembly brake vp The rest of the day was spent in ioy and sport in the court yet more had beene continued if the kings indisposition had not beene who began now to grow verie weake Two daies after which was the eight of May the empresse sister to the king and mother to the archduke Albert came to court being accompanied by the embassador of the emperour her sonne the marquesse of Vellada Dom Christophel de Mora Dom Ioan Idiaques and others whereas the mariage spoken of was confirmed the Infanta binding her selfe by an othe in the hands of the empresse to marie the archduke Albert of Austria according to his Maiesties good pleasure Whereupon the said ladie empresse bound her selfe reciprocally that the said archduke her sonne should take her to wife by vertue of a speciall procuration which hee had sent Then the Infanta aduanced to kisse the hand of the empresse her aunt and future mother in law but she retired her hand and would not suffer it and for a greater shew of her loue imbraced her very fast In the end after many kind speeches and mutual curtesies as the empresse retired the Infanta bending downe vpon her knee would againe haue kissed her hand which she pulled backe and making her to rise the empresse kist her cheeke and so they parted All this being thus performed the Infanta sent a procuration in qualitie of princesse of the Netherlands to the archduke her lord by mariage and future spouse as followeth Isabella Clara Eugenia by the grace of God Infanta of all the realmes of Spaine Duchesse of Bourgoigne of Lothier of Brabant Lembourg and Luxembourg Countesse of Flanders Arthois Bourgoigne Palatine of Henault of Holland Zeeland Namur and Zutphen Marquesse of the holy Empire Ladie of Friseland Salines and Macklin of the countrie and citie of Vtrecht of Ouerissel and of Groning To all present to come that shal see these present letters greeting Wheras as wel for the good of all Christendome in general as for the Netherlands in particular and for other good considerations it hath pleased the king my lord and father for the aduancement of my future mariage by the dispensation of our holy father the pope with our most deere and well beloued cosin the archduke Albert with the good liking allowance consent and assistance of the high and mightie prince our most deere and wel beloued good brother to make a gift cession and transport vnto vs of all the Netherlands and of Bourgoigne according to the letters patents which haue beene made and signed respectiuely with their owne hands the sixt of this present moneth of May with other our letters patents touching the acceptation of the said donation and transport To the end that the said Netherlands and Bourgoigne might bee by vs our heires and successors held and enioyed in manner and forme and according to the conditions particularly comprehended and exprest in the said letters patents by the which his sayd Maiestie hath granted vnto vs with absolute power and irreuocable of our owne priuat authoritie not beeing bound to require any other consent or agreation to take and receiue by vs or by procuration to our future spouse the archduke Albert the full and entire possession of all the Netherlands and countie of Bourgoigne and Charolois and to that effect to do in particular according to the said letters patents Wee therefore make it knowne for the reasons aboue mentioned and to follow in euerie poynt the will and pleasure of his Maiestie yea to aduance all that in that regard may be necessarie before our departure towards the said countries wee haue of our certaine knowledge and absolute power authorised and giuen full power and commission irreuocable as well generall as speciall to our future spouse the archduke Albert in our name and on our behalfe by himselfe or other his substitutes as hee shall thinke fit by vertue hereof at once or at diuers seuerall times to doe all things as well in our name and in our behalfe as in the behalfe of the Netherlands and the countie of Bourgoigne and Charolois in generall or by the Estates of euerie prouince in particular that shal be requisit and necessarie to be done and past respectiuely to take accept or retaine in our name the full reall and entire possession of all the sayd countries and of euerie prouince thereof and of
patience and rather make the best interpretation of this action to the emperour and other princes of the empire than by badde reports and fruitlesse and false complaints and badde conceptions aggrauate the kings sincere actions bringing our innocencie into danger and it may be vnder a pretext of commiseration and succours required kindle a fire which would spread ouer the whole empire the which may not bee quenched but by the generall ruine of the whole By which friendly behauiour and admonitions wee had thought to haue cut off all occasions of complaints and that there should be no more mention made vnto the emperour nor in any other courts and estates of the empire whereof notwithstanding wee vnderstand the contrarie and feare that in this assemblie through the exclamations of some mooued with hatred and spleene conceiued against the king and the catholike religion or through indiscretion or malice tâ—…usting too much to the light promises of the enemies of the countrie or through ingratitude or such like that such false reports are againe brought in question By reason whereof wee haue thought it expedient as wee haue done by letters to his imperiall Maiestie and by word of mouth to M. Charles Nutzel his Maiesties commissioner in these parts to oppose vpon euery article the kings merits and iustifications against such friuolous complaints and to send them in writing to the princes and estates of the empire and to you in your assemblie intreating you in his Maiesties name and ours not to haue any sinister impression without cause of his Maiesties sincere intention by an vndue commiseration or spleene rising from a little disorder which bee the ordinarie fruits of warre least you fall into greater inconueniences and troubles which would bee the cause of a farre greater mischiefe whereof you should reape nothing but a late repentance But rather vsing your accustomed wisdomes and discretions according to the loue and affection which you beare to the publike quiet measuring the good with the small losses and hindrances which haue happened vpon the frontiers of the empire ioyning to these of the king you will interpret it in the best sence and comfort and feed with hope such as haue beene partakers of these losses giuing others which are farre off to vnderstand to what a good end all may sort without giuing credit vnto the complaints which haue beene wrongfully made as well vnto the emperour and vnto the estates of the empire the which beeing most notorious should suffice any man of vnderstanding to excuse and iustifie his Maiesties actions and ours Yet for that in these concurrents of time some mens iudgements are so depraued as these nouelties sound so strangely in their eares as they neither can nor will comprehend the true ground and therefore matters remaine thus obscured and darkened For whose better satisfaction wee thinke that the king hath therein satisfied if as these false reporters by lies and slaunderous suggestions doe charge his Maiestie wee on the other side doe shew by the deduction of alliances and treaties as well of the whole empire as of the princes and estates with the house of Burgoigne that his Maiestie in stead of seruices against his enemies and rebels hath receiued disseruices although that according vnto diuine and humane lawes yea and according vnto the constitutions of the empire they were thereunto bound and obliged Contraâ—…iewise it appeares with what bountie moderation clemencie and with what charge his Maiestie hath amidst so great troubles and tumults of warre preserued the whole dioces of Cologne and neighbour countries beeing in great danger to bee all lost and the catholike religion supprest and put downe and that to the great hindrance of his owne affaires By which merits and good deedes they of the dioces of Cologne and Westphalia were the more bound so as no man of iudgement if hee will not bee noted of ingratitude can iustly blame his Maiesties actions nor ours touching the lodging and wintring of his armie contained with all militarie modestie and they should not giue place to so many fruitlesse clamours and complaint at the least if such men be any thing affected to their countries good to stir vp in stead thereof new troubles new warres whereof there can be nothing expected but fire and flame and a totall deuastation Wherefore wee trusting in your wisedomes and discretions and assuring our selues that you will therein do all good offices to his Maiestie and the Estates of the empire seeking nothing more than by the effects to attaine vnto a good peace and to discharge the frontiers of the empire of the said armie as soone as may be wherein if through the presumption rashnesse or bad practises of some I be hindered we protest openly that the blame of all the mischiefe shall be layd vpon the authors and procurers of those hindrances and not vpon the king And to the end that the reasons here produced for his Maiesties iustification and ours may bee the better represented vnto his imperiall Maiestie and to your excellencies and the necessitie which hath forced vs thereunto wee intreat you that in stopping your eares to all false reports which else would increase daily you will now resolue to assist this warre with all your meanes and to conuert it to a good peace with which hope we wil attend your iudgement and aduice beseeching God c. From Rees the twentieth of Ianuarie 1599. Signed Francis of Mendoza great Admirall of Arragon The same deputies of the admirall on the seuenth of February following presented a certaine declaration in the assembly of the deputies of the princes and Estates of the said fiue circles in the said towne of Cologne in the name of the king of Spaine the archduke Albert the cardinall Andrew and the said admirall in a sharpe and Iesuiticall stile in the which are related particularly and at large the iustifications reproches instances and pursutes made vnto the emperour and to the princes summarily set downe in the admirals letters All which discourse seemes rather to be made in contempt and mockerie and the more to incense the Germans as if they did them great wrong to complaine of the admirals actions and of his armie and that they were yet beholding vnto them The which they did onely to win time and to haue the bad season of winter spent and to see if the Germans would doe any thing as it seemed they threatned them This discourse is so tedious as it would tire the reader and so impudent and arrogant as we haue thought good to omit it To the which answer was made and all the points of the reproches and accusations made in the said declaration examined debated and reiected as false calumnious to the preiudice of the emperors honor of the princes and the Estates of the empire The fifteenth of December the same yeare 1598 there died in the towne of Leiden in Holland that worthy and learned personage Philip of Marnix seignior
violence by murthering spoyling burning and other execrable actions against the territories and subiects of the empire as also in changing and altering of lawes policies and religion which proceedings should be displeasing vnto the archduke yet they keepe still the townes of the empire in their possession and bragge that they haue gotten a great victorie against the forces of the empire as it may be sufficiently prooued hauing no intent to yeeld vp the said townes so vsurped but to hold them for their owne vse and commoditie Moreouer it was neuer more apparant than at this present that the Spaniards and their adherents designe is perpetually to disturbe and subuert the Estates rights and priuiledges of the Netherlands and vtterly to ruine them to the vnspeakable preiudice of all neighbour kings princes and common weals but especially of the Estates of the empire whom they seeke to ouerrule to keep the archduke with the Infanta their heires in perpetuall subiection not allowing them authoritie to yeeld any thing vnto the petitions of the Netherlands and the inhabitants thereof concerning the Catholike religion and other principall points belonging to the wel fare of the same We shal not need to speake of the letters by the which it is agreed that alwaies foure or more of the chiefe townes or forts in the Netherlands shall haue Spanish garrisons in them nor yet of the secret aduice giuen by the late deceased king of Spaine vnto the king that now is shewing by what meanes hee may alwaies take occasion to regaine the Netherlands but it shall suffice to produce the said pretended donation whereby the archduke the Infanta and their successors haue for euer promised and bound themselues by oath to follow the wills and appetites of the Spaniards not onely in regard of the freedomes rights and priuiledges of these countries but also for the disposition of the succession of the Netherlands the protection and bringing vp of their heires by the Spaniards and the power and prerogatiue which the kings of Spaine will haue to dispose of them and their childrens mariages or to giue in mariage to whom they please to hold the Netherlands of them in chiefe and to restraine them from their free nauigation and trading by sea and all and euery of these points vpon forfeiture of the same adding hereunto that they and their heires shall be bound to hold and maintaine the catholike Romish religion vpon the like penaltie as doth plainely appeare by the articles of the said donation hereunto annexed so as there is small reason for the emperours Maiestie the empire or these prouinces if they will maintaine their respectiue freedomes priuiledges and religion to enter into any treatie of peace with the archduke considering the late rigorous proceedings both in the Netherlands and vpon the frontiers of the empire And it is manifest that the treatie not long since made betweene the Queene of England the Spaniards and the archduke was according to their old manner vnder colour of a treatie to effect some further designe as the armie sent of late yeares out of Spaine to inuade England doth sufficiently witnesse as also in August last the like should haue beene done if almightie God by his grace had not diuerted that pretence forcing them to employ that fleet to follow our ships of warre which were then sent out vpon the coast of Spaine Besides the archduke and the Infanta haue such great spirits as notwithstanding they cannot pretend any right to the vnited prouinces by the said gift or by any other title yet by their proclamations they publish hold them for rebels actions vnworthie of so great princes the which can neuer bee forgotten Touching the second point wee hope not onely by presentation but actually to haue made manifest our iust and true intents vnto the emperours maiestie the princes electors and the Estates of the empire so as it seemeth strange to vs wee should be further molested and troubled for that wee seeke to bring our common enemie to reason and to abate his pride By these and many other reasons it may be thought vnnecessarie that for the preseruation of the honor of the emperors maiestie and of the whole empire your lordships should come hither to treat of the said points which wee also thinke not fit wherefore wee haue not sent you any pasport to that end hoping that the emperour and the Estates of the empire hauing seene these our letters will conceiue our meanings herein which is that wee hereby desire to ease your lordships of the paines and trouble which you may indure in this iourney humbly beseeching the emperours maiestie and your honours to haue a good conceit of vs and to aduance the cause of the Netherlands wherein the welfare of the emperour the seruice of the empire and our good consisteth and we will not faile alwaies to acknowledge and requite the same vnto the honours c. Dated in the Hage the seauenth of December 1599. This letter beeing deliuered to the emperours embassadours they returned an answer on the 8 of December as followeth Right honourable wee haue receiued your letters and vnderstand by the contents therof that you are informed ex relatione aliorum of our comming and of the effect of our embassage wee must confesse that touching the restitution of places belonging vnto the holy empire and the dammages receiued thereby we haue especiall charge to sollicite both parties in all friendly manner but concerning the other point it is not intended that we by the emperours commandement should enter into any new treaty of peace with you but onely for the furtherance of a treatie which was begun at Regsensborgh in the yeare 1594 the which the princes electors and the electors of the Estates of the empire referred to some other conuenient time And concerning the other points contained in your letters and copies touching the doubts risen betweene the kings Maiestie of Spaine and the Netherlands to the great dishonour and preiudice of all Christendome experience hath taught vs to iudge thereof as time and occasion shall serue And although wee haue commission from the emperours maiestie our gratious lord and soueraigne prince to treat with either partie yet you may assure your selues the emperours maiestie the princes electors and other Estates of the empire know how to remedie the wrongs done both by the Spaniards for their parts and by you of the vnited prouinces not to free the empire but also the oppressed members thereof from all vnneighbourly force and inuasion yet his Maiestie at the earnest request of the princes electors and Estates of the empire hath thought good to impose this commission vpon vs as your honours at our comming shall vnderstand more at large And although according to these our instructions gratiously giuen vs by the emperour we may not as it seemes by your letters be heard at this time nor allowed to shew thē vnto the general Estates yet we
euen at this present time imbrace our defence intreating whole troupes of prince Mâ—…urices as their friends and suffering them to passe thorough them without any opposition at all The examples which their highnesses propound vnto vs of them which haue mutined heretofore and yet haue not left to abandon their retreats and to offer themselues at need to serue their highnesses c. are matters propounded with small consideration For since that wee were retâ—…red into this place wee were neuer called to any seruice as the others were What subiect then haue they to complaine of vs in this respect But if they had sent a herauld at armes vnto the rest to signifie a proscription vnto them such as ours is it is to be presumed they would not haue left the places which they held but vpon good tearmes neither would they haue shewed themselues so zealous vnto their highnesses It were also to bee wished for their highnesses honour and reputation that this great zeale and willing obedience of the sayd mutiners had beene deferred for a time for that beeing too inconsiderat it was more preiudiciall than profitable vnto their highnesses when as without regard of their highnesses word they did so treacherously violat it with them of Snaskerke neere vnto Oostend which that day cost many of our fellowes and companions their liues Yet if their highnesses find any obedience in this act as it seemes seeing they doe so much exalt and prayse them in that respect then are they free from that blame They will persuade vs That wee are men accustomed to mutine Wee will receiue this reproach vpon our account and reckoning with the rest for of late yeares those which carrie armes for your seruice receiue no other pay But what is sayd among the people doth not euerie one speake plainely That your highnesse hath brought in this custome to the end that souldiers beeing payed after this manner without money they may make the better cheere in court And in trueth when there is speech of any exployt of warre those that haue seized vpon any places quit them voluntarily and come with great zeale and obedience to do you seruice This cannot be called a mutinie but to winter for of late yeares all your souldiers haue accustomed to winter after this manner At such time as your highnesse did change your Ecclesiasticall habit into a secular wee were glad and did much reioyce thinking that your highnesse hauing beene Cardinall Archbishop and chiefe of the holy Inquisition of Spain would not tie your souldiers to any stricter rule than that which you might haue read in the Bible which is Content your selues with your pay But it seems to your great preiudice that you haue forgotten it And no man can dreame where your highnesse hath found that Canon to begin to put a law in execution which is not yet made which is That wee must content our selues without pay Wee did alwayes thinke that the Ecclesiasticall lawes had beene the most strict as comming from God and regarding mens consciences but wee now find our selues much deceiued As for the money of contributions your highnesse should know how it is imployed for euen the poore peasants thinke it ridiculous to say that we enioy it the truth is that to liue we goe vnto your lands what should we else doe your highnesse giues vs nothing and souldiers are no Camelions to liue by the ayre moreouer by law the creditor hath an interest to his debtors goods But for al this your highnesse ordinary contributions are nothing diminished That secretarie deserues vnder your corrections to bee cast and discharged by your highnesse seeing that vnder your names hee hath noâ—… beene ashamed to insert so many palpable lyes in so small a writing for those things which are so often practised should not bee termed new That which is grounded vpon the common law of nature ought not to bee called infamous nor dishonest And as for the consequence it cannot bee so bad seeing the good seruices done with such great zeale and obedience by our companions and whereof hitherto we haue not made any refusall are so highly commended by your highnesse If it were lawfull for vs to speake vnto you in secret wee thinke we should hit the marke which is That we haue bin aduertised from good parties that your highnesse is extraordinarily incensed against vs more than against any that haue gone before vs partly to content the people considering that of so many wounds which haue beene receiued of late yeares there could neuer any meanes bee found to cure one the which is credible seeing that your highnesse makes no difficultie to hold vs for companions vnto them that were besieged in the towne of Graue and who haue purchased so much honour and reputation for their good endeuours This makes vs to hold many things contained in your prosâ—…ription to bee the more tollerable beleeuing that they were not inserted but for fashion sake It is said That wee should returne vnto our â—…nsignes and that within three dayes and for default your highnesse proclaimes vs traytours and rebels c. condemning vs to death c and our goods confiscat c. To condemne them to death that haue a desire to dye and who haue meanes not onely to defend themselues but also to offend them that shall assaylâ—… them is verie absurd And your highnesse may well thinke that wee hope so â—…o imploy our armes as the permission which hath beene giuen to kill vs in what â—…ort soeuer shall not make you nor your substitutes to see many of our heads for the which it shall not bee needfull to pay the ten fiftie nor the hundred crownes promised in your highnesse proscription according vnto the qualitie of our persons vnto those that shall put it in execution As for that which is sayd of our moouable and immoouable goods your highnesse knowes what moouable and immoouable goods poore souldiers halfe dead with hunger as wee are can haue Our moouable goods cannot bee made moouable but by our selues those bee our armes and wee may also tearme them our moouable goods for all such as would attempt to seize on them daring well maintaine that euen to his highnesse himselfe they might prooue too heauie and immoouable if hee should bee tempted with any such desire And if there bee any other goods found among vs wee will freely giue them to those that will come for them And as for money clothes or other things belonging to our wiues and children the depositors of your highnesse armie may well bee without a clerke to register them If you haue no other meanes and reuenewes to feed so many hungrie bellies it is to bee feared that within few dayes your highnesse may haue as little money and as few clothes as wee had with our wiues and children when as necessitie forced vs to assemble in this place to find meanes to feed and cloth our selues For it may bee sayd That wee were
so as he might retaine the soueraignty But being ready to enter into a treaty of peace and the prouinces vnder the archdukes gouernment in good hope thereof the bad gouernment in Hongarie and Transiluania bred an open rebellion so as Stephanus Botschkay tooke vpon him to be their leader and besides this disordered gouernment bad pay mutiny of the soldiers they sought by means of the Iesuits to force mens consciences and to alter their long reformed religion in so dangerous a time of ciuill and forraine wars and for that cause they grounded their rebellion vpon the same foundation which the Netherlanders had done as breach of priuiledges gouernment of strangers and constraint of conscience the which gaue cause of suspition vnto the Emperour and the king of Spaine In the meane time there were many things propounded how a peace might be made the which for that it is a matter of great importance I haue thought it fit to bee inserted One terming himselfe a Netherlander yet dwelling out of those countreys sets down his opinion in three speciall points and first concerning the bad gouernment of the vnited prouinces Secondly that they will not be still able to continue the wars and thirdly that they shal be forced to submit themselus vnder Spain France or England Of these 3 points he maketh a long discourse and also of the forces and qualities of each one in particular If any man would argue and maintain that it were the best course to yeeld the countreys ouer to prince Maurice in regard of his great seruices done for the same with perpetuall confederation and league with France and England thereby to defend and support the said prouinces hee was of opinion that it would be too difficult a matter for prince Maurice to vndertake so great a quarrell with the Estates of Holland and Zeeland and that they which are so well seated and at this present in the gouernment would not willingly giue their consents vnlesse they were forced therunto by the said kings Therfore he setteth downe a means how to settle the archdukes after another maner in the said Netherlands which if it were not found good conuenient then they should deuise how to further prince Maurice in this designe The meanes hee speaketh of are That seeing the king of Spain and the archdukes are so vnited as they are not to be trusted in regard of the maxime of pias fraudes holy deceits that therfore to bring the 17 prouinces into a perfect vnion they must procure the kings of France and England to bee mediatours to the king of Spain to yeeld vp al his right absolutely vnto the archdukes vpon pain of breaking the league with them the emperor also in regard of affinity France must likewise resigne al maner of pretences vpon condition that their heires males after the maner of the Salike law by this or any other mariage of them both and no other shall succeed and that after both their deaths without heires males that neither the king of Spain nor the emperor in regard of their great suspected powers shold inherit the Netherlands but it should descend to the rest of the heires males of the emperors Ferdinand Maximilian with the like conditions and if it so fell out that the said successor in the Netherlands were chosen to be emperor he should then likewise giue ouer his title to the Netherlands vnto the next heires males of the same house and that if the whole house of Austria should chance to die and be extinct only the emperor and the king of Spaine remaining in that case it should be lawfull for the said prouinces to choose themselues another prince where they pleased that all the Netherlands might continue vnder one Lord and Prince It should bee also necessary that the king of Spaine should giue security for the effecting thereof vnto one of the two kings aforesaid which if hee refused then the said kings of England France with the Netherlands shold force him therunto with the consent of the emperor which he affirmeth is easie to be done by many reasons by him alleaged for that cause men must take heede of the Iesuites maximes or subtile fetches He also maketh answere to many arguments obiected to the contrary by the Spaniards who would not endure to be cut off from their patrimoniall inheritance but Christian peace ought to persuade him thereunto that so he may employ all his power against the Turke therewith he setteth downe certein articles to be obserued in this peace which are 6 in number which if the king of Spaine will not agree vnto and that the said articles were not liked on either part then the kings of France and England shall seeke to put the said countreys if it were possible into the hands of prince Maurice of Nassau but the other contract with the archdukes he saith were better he sheweth moreouer what profit all Christendome may expect and attend by the said peace wherein we should neither feare pope nor Iesuite but call a generall councell whether it were with the good liking or otherwise of the pope and according to the decrees thereof to begin a war against the Turke in such order as monsieur la Noue describeth whereunto all other princes would willingly giue consent and by that meanes the golden world would begin againe Another being a catholike and vnder the archdukes gouernment setteth downe certaine reasons for a peace as followeth He sheweth the strength of the vnited prouinces which are compassed in with the seas and great riuers that are nauigable hauing great store of shipping therewith to prouide them of all things necessary and on the other side hee setteth downe the difficulties whereunto the prouinces vnder the archdukes commaund are subiect As that their soldiers can hardly liue or get any thing from such an enemy but would bee ouer chargeable to their owne countrey that the aid which they had out of Spaine was great in shew but in effect small and was most of it drawne from the vttermost parts of Italy and the deepest parts of Spaine and that many times it was intercepted by the way and being come it did melt like snow against the sunne that by protracting of the soldiers pay mutinies did arise That the vnited prouinces are alwaies first in the fields and that they could thereby giue the first onset that Spaine of it selfe is poore that the Hollanders tooke his gold siluer and traffique from him at the Indies that his mynes are drawne drie that the yong king is not so sparing as his father and so his charges are greater and by that meanes money grew scant and mutinies daily increased so as to pacific the soldiers and to giue them some contentment besides their robbing and spoyling of the countrey they are often paide twelue or fifteen stiuers a day for a footman and foure twenty stiuers a horsman not any other are full paid vnlesse they
in the Netherlands which the archduke and the Infanta hold to be their owne proper inheritance wherewith they may deale as they thinke good they shall haue the libertie of religion allowed them or thinke you that the duke in his voyage to Spaine hath altered his mind or that the pope of Rome with whom he spake at Ferara hath inspired him with a more peaceable spirit or that the Spanish Inquisitors and Iesuire counsell haue turned his heart Beleeue the contrarie without al doubt and that al these do stil counsel him vnto a more strict seuere course It may be some wil say That haply he hath receiued other counsell and aduice from his brother the emperor But looke into the emperors actions where you shall see that the towne of Aix which by vertue of the lawes of the empire had long enioyed the exercise of both religions was abandoned by him in prey vnto the enemy and who also did looke on and said nothing to the admirals proceedings who vsed so great force and violence against all right and reason vpon the territories of the empire Examin the actions of the rest of the house of Austria how the archduke Ferdinando not long since hath by force banished the religion out of Styrmarke and Carinthia which had bin allowed therein since the time of the emperor Ferdinando his grandfather making no account of the complaints protestations of the Estates of the countrey but esteemeth them as wind which is an introduction to a ciuile war and a meanes to lose the whole countrie wherin neither the authoritie of his grandfather and father the bloudy wars in France and the Netherlands nor yet the neerenesse of the Turke that bordereth vpon him can moue him to any tolleration touching religion neither will he once remember how vnreasonable a thing it is to force and restraine his subiects in that which the Turke himselfe permitteth vnto his which example agreeth with the answer made by the K. of Spaine to Charls archduke of Austria for that when as the emperor Maximilian a peaceable prince and no persecutor of the religion but temperat in all his actions sent his brother Charls archduke of Austria into Spain to moue the king vnto the like temperance setting before his eyes the commendable example of the emperor Charls 5 his father who had allowed the religious peace in Germanie and willed all men to obserue it before that the common people were brought into dispaire and were quite fallen from him He made a full and a resolute answer That he would rather lose the countrie for euer than endure the least wrong that might be offered touching religion You know well also in the peace of Cologne in an 1579 what fauor he granted to them of the religion which was that he would neither burne nor hang them but that they should be banished out of the countrey and must seeke for harbor and protection like the Iewes misbeleeuing Heathen in other countries This is the meaning of all the house of Austria at this present all moderation and mildnesse dyed with the emperor Maximilian and his sonnes haue suckt a bitter hatred out of their Spanish mothers brest against the religion and by their daily conuersation with the Iesuites are more more confirmed therin This is that which in the contracts of mariage made between the archduke the Infanta and was openly sold in Brabant so as there is no doubt of the authoritie therof was so firmly set downe That they shold make no alteration in religion vpon paine of forfeiture of the said countries which in such a case the king of Spaine may lawfully seize into his hands againe shewing without all doubt or dissimulation how firmely they will hold with the Inquisition of Spaine touching that point so that it would be a ten fold blindnesse and madnesse in any man to thinke that the archduke the Infanta in regard they haue a vain hope at one time or other to be masters of Holland Zeeland would conforme themselues in religion and grant them any libertie therein for the prophesie saith That necessarily the last Monarchy must be erected in Spaine as in the beginning the one succeeded the other out of the East into the West that is out of Asia into Grecia from thence to Rome the which is so imprinted in the hearts of the king and the Spanish counsell as they esteeme all meanes of accommodation to be needlesse and do constantly beleeue that they shall be masters ouer all and at last in spight of al the world shall satisfie their desires And they are persuaded that by means of such accommodation in religion they should break all correspondencie with the pope and thereby ouerthrow all hope of their expected Monarchy Neuerthelesse if according to the necessitie of the time hee seemeth to be any thing conformable therein and granteth some libertie to religion it will be no other thing for you but for a while to saue you from ruine the which shal be broken againe when as the Spanish and Iesuiticall counsell whereunto he is so strictly bound shal thinke the necessitie past according to the old canon That they are not bound to haue any faith or promise with heretikes which they name rebels who as the Spaniards say haue falsified their faithes both to God and to the king Look what doctor Ayda a Spaniard auditor generall of the prince of Parma's armie writeth in his booke of Martiall Law printed in Antuerp saying That all contracts and treaties made betweene the prince his subiects that beare armes against him are of no force nor power and that the subiects cannot helpe the same but they shall do wisely by humble petitions to craue pardon at their princes and lords hands and to commit their cause to his discretion Which Spanish doctor you ought heartily to thanke for his so true round and vpright dealing with you and to gouerne your selues thereafter if not at some time or other you may wrongfully complaine that you were deceiued for that doctor Ayda can plainly tell you that he had warned you thereof before and that you despised his counsell But to returne to our former matter Marke what good meanes they haue on the other side to deceiue you and to make al promises with a grace and faire shew to be of no effect for that when you shall haue obtained any freedome in religion which neuerthelesse shall neuer be the duke of Brabant may plainly say thus vnto you Seeing I haue let you enioy the freedome of your consciences because you haue alwayes said That God onely ought to rule ouer the same yet at the least shew me obedience in other worldly matters And so if he can by your simplicitie attaine thereunto to place all the officers judges and magistrats in towns and prouinces that he may haue the forts and strength in his owne power and become master of the whole then assure your selues to haue the
captaine as hee bent his pistoll vpon him which hee likewise did to him but both fayled wherewith the Spanish captaine thought to haue taken hold of the Earles scarse and for to haue pulled him to him the which Bax perceiuing hee bent his pistoll at him thinking to shoote him into the face but with ouer great hast hee shot him lower in the armor and their they sat both on horse-backe hardly be-sted amongst their enemies and but weakely releeued by meanes of the noise and cries which the Earles horsemen had caused amongst them they had manie shot made at them but in the end Baxes Nephew came and releeued them and by that meanes they gathered some horses together and once againe charged the head of a troupe but were againe put backe and in that sort they fought for the space of seauen houres In the meane time Prince Maurice came on with three field peeces and some troupes of footemen which as then were more necessarie then the horsemen who beeing ledde on by Cont Ernestus and collonel Marquette they discharged a volley of shot amongst the Spaniards at which time Earle Theodoro Trivultio was slaine beeing Lieutenant generall of those troupes a braue souldier and of a Noble house and therewith certaine horsemen led on by the Earle Henrick giuing a new charge the Spaniards were once againe put to flight and were driuen vp a hill some ranne into the wood and many saued themselues in the house of Brooke which at the first they tooke by policie but it was taken from them againe and for want of good order they recouered it againe and so it serued them for a good retraict many were taken and slaine in the flight and diuers horses wonne but such as fled into the wood heareing of Spinolaes comming from Roeroort with the whole armie gathered together againe After this long and tedious fight Prince Maurice hearing of Spinolaes approch hee caused his men to returne willing Bax to staie there to fauour the retraict as hee did but was ill seconded by the other horsemen the Spaniards hauing gotten fresh supplies fell vpon them againe and the horsemen getting ouer Roere the Spaniards fell vpon the English foote who valiantly defended themselues as long as they had any powder but the Earle of Chastillion standing with two troupes vpon the Roere about a hedge shot so fiercely as the Marquises horsemen were forced to retire and so they made an orderly retraict the Spaniards following them still shooting but comming to a heath they left each other where as Prince Maurice called for those horsemen which had fled giuing them many reprochful speeches and shewed them what confusion they had made amongst his men whereas he put his greatest trust in them and by that meanes mist so good and faire an occasion to ouerthrow his enemy It was thought in this fight there were about fiue hundred of Spynolas men slaine whereof one was the Earle Theodoro Trivultio whose body beeing imbalmed was the next yeare sent vnto Milane where hee was borne and Gambarotta and others of account amongst the prisoners one was Nicholas Doria cousin to Spinola and others hauing two cornets taken from them and of Prince Maurices side they lost two Ensignes and about two hundred men amongst the which Mousier Dumdeville was one and certaine captaines the prisoners were Mounsier de Bethune who was presently exchanged for Nicholas Doria as also captaine Sald captaine Pigot and captaine Ratclif but Sir Henrie Carie a gallant Gentleman and Maister of the Iewell house to the King of England after his father was put to a great ransome for that hee serued as voluntarie and was not contained in the quarter This was donne vpon the nineth daie of October which gaue Prince Maurice great cause not to put so great confidence in his horsemen beeing as then but weake of foote so as after that hee durst not by any meanes hazard the like againe This Winter there was little done in the Netherlands touching the warres onely that the garrisons on either side made many enterprises one vpon an other as vpon Nuys Graue Erckelens Deuenter especially ouer the Ice during the frost but they tooke no effect the feare thereof beeing the cause which made the generall Marquis Spinola to staie longer in the Netherlands then hee thought to haue done so as it was the first daie of Ianuary before he tooke poast to passe through France into Spaine where on the waie hee was hindered by sickenesse and beeing in Spaine hee found more want of money then hee expected by the bad traficke in Spaine for that the East and West Indian fleetes were not come as also in regard of the dearth in Spaine whereby al the Spanish ryalles were paied and carried away for corne which was brought thether in great aboundance out of France England and other countries so as in Spaine they were forced to vse most copper money the which was wont to bee as plentifull of siluer as any other countrie In this winter also the counsell of warre assembled in the Hage to giue their censure vpon the gouernor and captaines of Linghen for that they had so basely yeelded vp the towne this counsell consisting of the Earles Henricke Ernest and Iohn of Nassaw the young Earle of Solms the Lord Vander Noote gouernor in Flanders Emerie van Lidie gouernor of Williams Stat Mounsier van Lookeren with some English and Scots Colonels and other captaines with Collonel Warner du Bois as president which met the last of Ianuary They of Gelderland with certaine of the Barron van Hemerts kindred who was beheaded in the Earle of Leicesters time by rigor of lawe said that if they were not beheaded that then the said Barron of Heemert had great wrong offered him for that hee had endured three assaultes giuen against the towne of Graue and receiued aboue a thousand eight hundred cannon shot whereas they to the contrary suffered three bridges to bee laid ouer the towne ditches in the daie time without any resistance and that therefore if they would proceed seuerely against the one and not against them they should then haue good cause to apeale against the Iudgement giuen vpon the Barron de Hemert This counsell sitting tell the 11. day of February at last they gaue sentence that the gouernor of Lynghen called Marten Cobbe and captaine Iohn Witte should bee dismist and with ignominy declared vncapable euer after to beare armes and that the Drosart Albert of Itersome Iohn Ruysch Iohn van Dyck Ernestus Mellinga Nichalas Audaert and the Licentiate Iuthiema should bee deposed from their places cassiered and should serue vnder such companies as they should be appointed vnto to recouer their credits againe if they could This sentence was much spoken of for that many were of opinion that if at the first these men had beene censured they had beene likely to haue lost their heads but so much time passing ouer before they
and a more assured argument to confirme the same from the example of their Estates of the Kingdomes of Naples and Arragon and the Duchie of Millan who haue withstood the inquisition not because they had any sauor of the true Religion but for that they perceaued that no man could liue so catholikely but he should be subiect vnto the proceeding thereof and that it serueth for a meanes without exception of any priueledges iurisdictions freedomes and countries customes to iudge all persons and for all causes whatsoeuer as it manifestly apeareth by the history of Anthonio Perez with whom the King being so much offended as hee could not apease his wrath against him because according to his countries priueledges hee was to bee cald in question before the Iudges of Arragon and not by any other strange Iudges hee caused him to bee prosecuted by the inquisition although hee were not accused of any matter touching Religion A Gentleman of Spaine borne in Salamanca and that came with the Duke of Alua out of Spaine beeing in my house sayd openly that in their towne their was no man of any estate or quality but would gladly loose one of the ioyntes of his fingers that hee might bee released of the feare they haue of the inquisition The marchants of Lisbone beeing the greatest Catholikes in the world at King Philips first comming into Portingall sought to buy out that feare of the inquisition onely crauing this small fauour that the inquisitors should commit no man to prison without making them acquainted with the cause and letting them know their accusers that they should adiorne them to appeare in open court and that no man should bee condemned vpon any witnesses depositions without giuing a copie thereof vnto the parties condemned that they might answere therevnto and disproue the witnesses Finally they sought nothing els but reasonable audience before they were con demned and an ordinarie course of lawe according to all right equitie and reason but it might not bee graunted vnto them of Lisbone although they offered two milions and a halfe and would gladly haue giuen foure for the inquisitors would not bee brought to such a straight but would hold their vnrestrained power and libertie to condemne euery one that they once catch within their nets although they haue no other witnesses then the prisoners owne sworne enemies or some base villaines which otherwise will not bee credited for a matter of three guildens or els such as they themselues haue subborned as Annas and Chayphas did against Christ and yet they did better then the inquisitors doe because they brought the witnesse before him The generall Estates of the vnited Prouinces beeing well acquainted herewith although they were Catholikes yet could not allow of the bringing in of Bishoppes perceauing that it tended not so much to the aduancement of the Catholike religion as to ouerthrow the priueledges of the countrie and to bring in an absolute gouernment where at the assemblie of the Estates of the countrie they sit and ouer-rule them and by that meanes would looke into all mens proceedings thereby to demynish the ancient libertie of voices and of the speaking for their priueledges In the yeare of our Lord 1576. the catholike Prouinces yea and many Abbots and Prelats themselues finding this decay of their preueledges for the defence thereof made a contract with Holland and Zeeland although God did suffer for the sinnes of the country which as yet were not punished that some fell from them againe whereof many beholding the bad successe were much greeued thereat Therefore bee not so mad nor blind to let this insupportable yoake against the which they of Arragon Naples and Millan stroue and resisted with faire promises to be brought in among you thinke for certaine that the inquisition shall bee more rigorously executed in these countries then in any other places for that the true Religion hath here beene longer exercised and hath taken deeper roote then els where so as the Spaniards esteeme all the Inhabitants of the country to be heretikes and I tel you true that you shal in many parts be in worse case then those of the religion for they knowing that there remaineth no grace nor mercy for them will make away and with distrust and fore-sight arme themselues against it but you by means of your ouer much credulity shal fall into their nets fire and sword when you least thinke thereof and when you speed best although euery man escapeth bodyly punishment yet with vnspeakeable greefe hee shall behold the ouerthrowing of the countries lawdable freedomes and priueledges and shall not once dare to looke vp nor speake one word against it but the Spaniards will raile at them and call them Viliacos Lutheranos Tradidores c. As often as you behold your children you shall with sighes thinke that you bring them vp to bee slaues vnto the Spaniards and that your successors and posterities shall see an vnspeakeable alteration in the estate of the countrie The riches trade and sea-faring which by their good policy iustice and priueledges is much augmented shall by altering thereof also decay and be carried into strange countries as it is already dri uen out of Brabant Flanders and other Prouinces considering that euery man seekes to rule f ecly The Spaniards and the Arch-dukes counsell will by all secret and open practises seeke to deminish the glory and welth of the country they will bee glad to see the Inhabitants imploy themselues to till and plow the land and to milke their Cowes neither will they grieue that the number of shippes and rich Marchants decaies for that in their iudgements it hath beene the meanes which brought the Prouinces to so great welth and hath so long maintained the warres and that the meaner sort of subiects are more tractable to bee gouerned You see already that the Arch duke and the Infanta by their contract of marriage are bound to forbid your trade into the East and West Indies Herein you haue an example of Portingale where King Philip at his first comming to that crowne considering that the sayd country was as strong of ships and saylers as al the territories of Spaine that the same in time might blemish his authoritie and absolute command hee purposely disarmed and weakened them at sea and reiecting the Portingall pilots and masters of shippes he imployed all other nations in them so as many saylers of portingall giuing themselues to tilling the land and other labors the old dying and the number which increased but small in nineteene yeares the marriners were so decaied as the King himselfe in setting out of his fleetes found the want of them Thus shall the Spaniards weaken and disarme the Netherlands which haue prouided them so much worke for these thirty yeares that so they may not feare the like resistance They will put the old resolutions againe in practise thereby to bring all the countries with their seuerall rights customes and priueledges
vnder the lawes of one absolute Monarchie and roote out all the markes and memory of the Netherlands freedomes and causing you to leaue your owne naturall language they will bring in the Spanish tongue as they haue already done in the Indies To conclude they will make such an alteration as with in these fiftie yeares men shall not know their owne natiue country Beleeue it for certaine that this is no vaine fable but a true forwarning built vpon a good ground Learne at the last that they vnder pretence of the catholike Religion couer their ambition and oppression be not otherwise perswaded but that you are to feare all the fore-passed euells not onelie from the Duke of Brabant but also from the King of Spaine who although he beareth the name yet the Spanish Councell spirit and resolutions in matters of importance whereon the Estate of the countrie and the welfare of the same dependeth shall alwaies gouerne Wherefore cast away all diuision and distrust which strangers entertaine amongst you thereby to ruine you liue in vnitie with those that haue spent so much bloud for the liberties of their natiue countrie and seeeke not to burthen the freedome of your conscience but suffer God and the holie Ghost to rule ouer them beseeching him to mooue euery mans heart to seeke after the right way of saluation Vpon the fifteene of may Prince Maâ—…rice hauing gathered his horse and foote togither marched towards Berghen vp Zoom causeing 80. companies of foote to be shipt in Zeland vnder the conduct of Ernestus Earle of Nassaw as it seemeth to make an enterprise or to besiege Antwerp if he could be master of the point of Flanders on the other side of the riuer but the winde being stronge contrary in some reaches of the riuer of Scheld Ernestus could not land his men as he was appointed as al enterprises are subiect to water wind and weather yet he valiantly passed by the Spanish sconces called Peerle and Ordam which furiously shot vpon them it seemeth that if Cont Ernestus could haue brought his shippes to Cloppers bancke or dike and there haue landed certaine companies of men they might haue done what they intended but the winde beeing contrary and they thereby driuen to shoare they sought with certaine shallops and great boates to land some men on Flanders side but beeing somewhat slow in the execution they were easily repulsed frrom thence by a small number of the enemy wherein the night did much helpe them which made the soldiers to doubt that the Spaniards were much stronger where-vppon they were somewhat abasht and the rather for that they had no Ordinance with them for although that the Marquesse Spinola had beene gone with certaine soldiers into the land of Waes to view Issendicke Fort that hee might attempt some thing against it yet by meanes of an intercepted letter brought to Mounsier van Rollegum Gouernor of the crosse Sconce there were more men placed there by Don Inigo de Mendoza Gouernor of the Castle of Antwerp to the number of three thousand with some Ordinance who fell vppon this small number of Prince Maurice his men which were sette on land lying behinde the bankes they beeing not aboue three hundred whereof part fledde againe into their shallops and boates the rest were defeated and slaine whereof fourescore were taken prisoners and carried into the Castle of Antwerp amongst the which was Captaine Legier Lieutenant to Captaine La Croix and a Sargeant The Burgonians had almost taken Collonell Dorp but he leaping into the water saued him-selfe not without great danger of his life it is thought that there was not aboue one hundred slaine whereof one was Captaine Michael Tutelaer and his Lieutenant Francis sonne to Francis Tutelaer some of the shallops were suncke and burnt This was done vppon the seauenteenth of Maiâ—… in the morning when as Earle Ernestus thought to haue made a bridge ouer the Scheld about Ousterwele their ships of warre and others being come within sight of Antwerp but their enterprize failing by reason of the wind and other accidents Cont Ernestus went with all his men and shipps to Ousterweele on Brabant side where hee landed them and marched towards Eckeren where Prince Maurices armie then was who went backe againe to Berghen Vp. Zoome the ships with their prouision sailed backe againe shooting against the fort aforesaid and they at them at which time the Gouernor of Ordam was slaine This attempt bred a great alteration in Antwerp the rich beeing in great feare and the poorer sort wishing the enemies might haue good successe euery man according to his humor Notwithstanding that Spinola had at least eight thousand men thereabouts and vpon Flanders side presently there-vpon the prices of all victuals did rise many men packt vp such things as they had and fledde to Mechelen and Brussels but there were foure companies of horsemen sent presently into the towne the which were lodged in such Innes as had good fourage without any cost or charge to the Bourgers but when they heard of the enemies retrait the horsemen also left the towne Prince Maurice parting from Eckeren beseeged the Castle of Wouwe which lyeth in a marish ground a League from Berghen vp-Zoome a very strong Castle being the Marquesse of Berghens chiefe house the which a French man lying there in garrison for the Estates sold some eighteene yeares agoe vnto the Prince of Parma and it since became a harbour retreâ—… for theeues This garrison did wonderfully annoy the ships which past betweene Holland and Zealand beeing alwaies readie on the water to take such ships as for want of winde were becalmed and forced to stay or lye at anchor setting vppon them with certaine Scutes which they kept hidden vnder the water taking the passengers and saylers out and carrying them to Wouwe where they kept them til they paid their ransomes here the Prince planted his ordinance before it they within the Castle slue some of his men which were busied about their workers but searing to be forced and that the Arch-dukes would not hazard an armie to releeue them vppon the thirteenth of Maie they yeelded it vp vpon composition hauing aboue eighty fiue men in it amongst the which foure of them were of those which had sold Gheertrudenbergh and were banished from thence who were excluded out of the capitulation but the Marquis of Brandenbergh begged their liues Marquis Spinola caused some of the Captaines of Wouwe to be executed for that they gaue it so lightly ouer In the meane time the Marquis Spinola drew all his â—…ces neere-vnto Antwerp and lodged at Mercxon and Damme and the horsemen at Berchen and Wilricke and by that meanes defended Antwerp and made a bridge ouer the Scheld from the towne wharfe vnto Flanders side by which meanes hee might ioyne his diuided forces which laie in Brabant and Flanders vpon any occasion together as neede required The admonition to