her means repair the lustre of their decayed Nobility But the Germans do not only abhor Traffick but think it a greater baseness to mingle their blood with one meanly born The Hollanders seem to be in the middle between these extreams For first The Dutch Nobility does not trade They love War for the defence of their Countrey are not Duellists nor quarrelsome like the French love Learning particularly the Mathematicks live pleasantly in their Countrey-Houses and may without degenerating marry whom they please The Gentlemen in Holland have alwayes enjoyed great priviledges for the ancient Earls did never undertake any thing without their advice as it is now observ'd in Denmarke and Poland The three principall Families are the Brederodes the Wassenaers and the Egmonds of whom the Proverb is The Noble Brederodes The Ancient Wassenaers The Rich Egmonds The Brederodes are descended from the Earls of Holland and the Story is that Sitfrid the youngest Son of Arnold of Ghent and Grandson to Didier second Earl of Holland being fallen under his Fathers indignation and hatred was afterwards pardon'd and â—he Earl to shew his kindness and reconciliation caus'd Land to be measur'd out to him with larger Roods thence he was call'd Brederode and from him is descended this Family by his eldest Son Didier and from his younger Simon Lord of Teling are descended the Lords of Toll and Lecke The Wassenaers fetch their origine from a Village between Leyden and the Hague and their name is deriv'd from the right they had in former Ages to the Waters Ponds and Lakes in Holland They pretend to be descended from that famous Captain Claudius Civilis of whom Tacitus makes honourable mention They have been Burg-graves of Leyden and are yet highly esteem'd From them are descended the Duvenvords the Warmonts the Bouchorts the Polanes the Matenesses all the Flower of the Dutch Nobility They that represent the Nobility of Holland in the States Generall are these following whereof some are dead John Wolfard Lord of Brederode and Viane John de Wassenaer Lord of Duvenvord c. Vesele de Boteselaer Lord of Asperen c. James of Wingarde Lord of Benthuise Soctemeer c. Albert de Scagen Baron of Scagen Harengbuisen c. James of Wassenaer and Duvenvord Lord of Warmont Henry de Raphorst Lord of Raphorst c. James de Mateness Lord of Mateness Rivier Opmeer c. Francis Arsen Knight Lord of Sommersdiick Besides these there are divers other Families as those of Arquel Kenembourg Haserson Alquemade Opdam Gaudriaen Sevenhuysen Vanderlaen Benthuse Asmal c. who are all by Alphabeticall order in the Book entituled The Theatre of the Towns and County of Holland by the Learned Monsieur Boxhorne together with the noble actions of their Ancestors CHAP. XXVI Of Liberty THere is no Province in the World where the Inhabitants enjoy more liberty than in Holland Nay as soon as any Slave coming from a foreign Countrey sets his foot upon the Dutch shore he is free The Gentlemen are Princes and Fathers of their Families The Countrey people when they have payed their Rents are as free as the Citizens If a Gentleman abuse or kill any of them he is in great danger of losing his life if the crime deserve it Here is no partiality and let every one know that the Laws are here in their force The Magistrates are bound to maintain the Citizens Priviledges and preserve them from all Oppression The Masters may not beat their Servants nor the Mistresses their Maids But above all every one is Master at home and it is a capitall offence to offer violence to a man in his own House One may travell freely through all Holland by day and by night without fear of being rob'd High-way men are never pardon'd Theeves are sometimes but not those among them that break into Houses or steal Sheep in the Pasture-grounds No body is forced to stay here any longer than he thinks fit Here is liberty of Conscience and no body is forc'd to go to the Protestant Churches The liberty of speaking freely even of Magistrates themselves is too great and that which else-where would be a crime is here laughed at The German Students I remember were once about to set up a custome which is in use in most of the German Universities by which the new comers are very ill treated for the first year but the Magistrates oppos'd it and threatned all those that should go about to introduce such a slavery in a free Countrey Here are never made any Rules about what people onght to wear every one wears what he pleases Nay any body may transport as much Gold and Silver as he pleases and no body shall hinder him as they do in England and France In a word all that is reasonable is lawfull They that say that the Nobility are not respected in Holland are very much mistaken For those amongst them that do govern themselves with moderation and are familiar with their Inferiors are infinitely beloved but the proud and haughty are despised and hated Here is the greatest Equality in the World It is ordinary to hear a mean Fellow in a dispute with a Citizen say I am as much as you if you be richer than I 't is well for you But the wiser sort avoid such quarrels as it is easie to do by keeping a fit distance between them and the common people Certainly when I do reflect upon the miserable condition of some Christians in Europe as of the Peasants in Lytuania and almost all over Poland where the Lords have the power of hanging them when they run away from their tyranny in Bohemia and some other places of Germany in Denmarke and Sweden where the Gentlemen do â—ighly abuse the Commons I cannot choose but cry out O happy Holland that hast preserv'd that precious jewel of Liberty preserve it well for with its loss goes that of thy happiness CHAP. XXVII Of some Voyages undertaken under the Banner of Holland I Do not intend to speak here of the ordinary Trade that is driven by Shipping to the Northern parts of the World nor of that which is carried on in England France Spain Italy Germany c. My design is to speak of those Voyages undertaken within these threescore years to the Indies which were undertaken upon this occasion The King of Spain having seized upon and confiscated some Ships belonging to the Hollanders that did trade in his Ports which were then the Mart of Europe for the East-India Merchandizes made some Merchants resolve to set out a Fleet of eight Sayl for the Indies whereof four were to go the long way and four others to go by the North and endeavour to finde out a passage to China by the North-Sea it being the shorter way to the Indies by half in half These four last set sayl from the Texel the fifth of June 1594. and the eighteenth they came to Kildus in Lapland and some time after they discover'd the Island of Nova
say how they could remember that Lootwyck was as big again as it is now and that it has been by little and little eaten away by the Ocean it s too powerfull Neighbour In the year 1574. at Schevelinge near the Hague the Sea broke in and carried away 121. Houses as any body may see it recorded upon a Picture in the Church In a word the ruine of the neighbouring Provinces and the great a version of the people to slavery has made them all resort to this and there produce that plenty and abundance of all things which commonly follows great numbers of people particularly being so situated as to take the advantage of three great Rivers and the Sea CHAP. III. Of the division of Holland and the nature of the Soyl. HOlland is divided into the South or Meridionall part which reaches from Zeeland Brabant and Utrect to the Dike at Sparendam and that is above half Holland and into North-Holland or West-Frieze which reaches from Amsterdam to the North Sea and the people though penn'd up as it were in so small a compass does nevertheless differ very much in manners customes and Cloathes in these parts The Kennemaers which the Annals speak so much of did live between Harlem Alcmaer Beverwyâ—k and Purmerend There is a little Mountain between these Towns which carries the name of St. Albert and there the Earls were install'd Lords of the Kennemaers and near that place they kept their Courts as well because of the beauty of the Countrey as for the convenience of many fair Castles that are built there such as Cleves Brederode Velsen Egmond Waterland is so call'd because of the abundance of waters on the top of which it seems to swim There are in it but three little Towns viz. Edam Monnicken-dam and Purmerend That part of Holland which is nearest the North has a soft moorish Soyl not at all fit to be till'd From the Downs to the Frontier of Brabant 't is nothing but Meadows which towards the end of October begin to be cover'd with water and which encreases by continuall rains and storms and that lasts all Winter insomuch that in most places you see nothing but some Steeples and Houses which look as if they came out of the Sea all these fine Meadows being then cover'd with Boats and the Dikes with Passengers This Water does mightily fatten the ground and in the beginning of February provided the Frosts do not hinder it begins to be emptied by the admirable invention of those Wind-mills which drive away these deluges of Water and confine them to certain Channels The Earth being dry begins about March to look green and then the Cattell come out to grazing Now it is to be observ'd that the favourable Wind for Holland is the South-East and the worst is the North-West To prevent the dangerous effects of so much Water this Countrey is full of Banks rais'd by the industry of the Inhabitants and which have cost vast summes of money to make as they do still to maintain and keep in repair The chief is the bank of the River Issel that of the Meuse of Sparendam and of Medenblick The care of them belongs to the Dyckgraves of each Hundred and to the Heemrades who are Gentlemen of the Countrey In the year 1638. the Dike of Issel broke by the thawing of the River for the Rhyne carrying huge mountains of Ice they eat into it and made 〈◊〉 breach of many foot not far from Utrect whereupon almost all Holland was overflown with clear water which did little hurt the breach was soon made up and the water drain'd by the help of the Wind-mills The Earth produces all sorts of Fruits and good Corn about Râ—â—nsbourg and Nortwyck as also near Vooerschote and Warmont but not enough for the vast multitudes of people that swarm in this Countrey therefore the great supply is from Poland and Moscovy There grows besides here Hemp and Flax for fine Linnen and Sayls c. There are incomparably more Meadows than arable grounds which feed a world of Cattle particularly a large sort of Cows vvhich give great store of Milk of which is made excellent Butter and rare Cheeses which are sent all the world over In some places there are Cows that yeeld three great Pales full of Milk a day Every Spring there comes great store of â—ean Cows and Oxen from Dannemark Jutland and Hâ—lstein which are within three weeks time faâ—â—ed upon these excellent pastures In some places they â—owe the Grass twice a year and the Hay is much better than in any other place it is for that reason that the Horses and Cows are bigger and taller than in any other place The Earth of which the Turss are made is call'd Veens which being cut out of the Ditches and exposed to the Sun-beams grows hard and then being kept some time in a Barn or Garret grows dry and fit for fewell The best are those that come from Friezeland and they use them in Brewing and Baking They have all much sulphure in them and being mingled with Wood make an excellent fire The mountains of Sand call'd Downs serve as a bar to the fury of the Ocean and though they seem barren yet have they an advantage which is that they are full of Rabbits which are both a pleasant diversion and a good provision for Passengers The Sea-side from the Meuse to the Texel is about a hundred miles in length and there is so plain and smooth a way between the Mountains and the Sea that it is a great pleasure to travell in it either afoot or on Horse-back When the Sea is calm you may see the Ships under sail and if there be a storm it is with a kind of terrible delight that you may perceive the threatning Sea come and spend all its fury upon this even shore There are some pleasant Forrests standing yet as that of the Hague and Harlem There is likewise a Wood at Sevenhuyse a fine Village five leagues from Leyden where the Scholars go twice a year to take the sport of shaking the Trees and making a great sort of Bird that builds in them fall at their feet It is most certain that this Province was anciently full of Trees which according to the opinion of some Authors were destroyed by that horrible storm which hapned in the year 860. and which shut up the mouth of the River Rhene near Latâ—iâ— made it take another course and mingle with the Meuse after a great devastation of Woods Lands and Houses In proof whereof you see that the Channell that comes from Uâ—rect and passes through Leyden retains yet the name of the Rhyne The Countrey people in digging do find to this day in the Veens and other places great bodies and branches of Trees particularly towards the South Nay they have found Nuts entire and well preserv'd in the bottom of the Water though there has been no Trees to bear them since this hundred years And indeed it is
there has been War between the Bishops of Utrect and the Earls of Holland for it the place standing in a fruitfull pleasant Soyl. It is rather long than square and adorn'd with fine Gardens the Prince of Orange is Lord of it Now let us follow the Frontier of Brabant to the West As soon as you come out of the Lordship of Altena you meet with the strong Town of Gertrudenbergue divided from Holland by a great Lake that the Rhene and the Meuse make before Dort It is almost a half Moon of which two thirds are bath'd with the Water of the Lake and has excellent Bastions Besides there are Forts with Sluces which can drown the rest of the ground which lies low In the year 1321. the Castle was built and a 100. year after both the Town and the Cathedrall Church were both burnt down by those of Dort who took it after a long siege It belongs now to the Prince of Orange having often chang'd Masters by the chance of War There is taken before it great quantities of Salmon but I have heard a Citizen relate that in the time of the War their Fishing fail'd because of the great noise of the Canonadoes that frighted all the Fish away To go from Gertrudenbergue by land to Clundert you must leave Breda on the left hand and pass by Sevenberg a Lordship which depends on Brabant Clundert has eight Bastions and some Ravelins and was first wall'd by Prince William the first whose it was and since fortified It has a fine Church and good Bells Willemstradt is hard by a Town which bears the name of its founder It has seven Bastions a double Ditch and a fair Harbour It has Brabant on the South and Zeeland on the North which seems to communicate to it something of the courseness of its Air for here are bred Feavers very hard to be cur'd insomuch as those that have them seem as if they were bewitched The Citizens of Leyden can testifie it to their cost for many of them were in Garrison there in the War time and when they came home some died some lingred a great while and in all I know not above three that scap'd being very sick I have spoke of these little Towns only for their Fortifications let us now see the Islands that are over against Zeeland The first is Overslac you must land at Olâ—rens Plact a Village where the Fleet of Shallops was to have landed 1631. In the said Island which is very fertile in Corn is a fair Village call'd Sommerdiâ—ke the Lord of which was Governor of Nimmegue At the end of this Island is another in which is the Town of Gouree the Harbour of which is now stop'd up with Sand. Between Gouree and Helwetsluys there is a great depth of Water where the greatest Ships may ride Now we are come to the Island of Vorne the chiefest place of which is the Briel then Geervliet where there was a Colledge of Canons and Huervliet a fine place belonging to Mr. de Kerchove high Huntsman of Holland The rest of this Island which ends at Dort is call'd Beyerland and the other part Stryac where there are many rich Villages the best of which is Isselmond CHAP. XVIII Of the Towns that are in Goylant near the South-Sea WE have seen the borders of this Province towards Gueldres Utrect Brabant and Zeland we have now a journey to take South-East before we go directly North to see three small Towns From Amsterdam you go by Sea to Naerden the chief Town of Goylant It has been destroyed and then built up again the old foundations are yet to be seen in the South-Sea when a certain Winde blows and drives out the Sea The Citizens of this place acquir'd great reputation by taking that Traytor Gerrard de Velsen who was carrying the Earl Florent prisoner into England In the year 1355. the second Town was built and adorn'd with priviledges by the Duke William of Bavaria In 1481. they of Utrect having given the Hollanders a great overthrow surprized the Town of Naerden by an ingenious stratagem for they dress'd a good number of young Souldiers like Countreywomen going to Market who being let in seized a Gate of the Town and gave entrance to the enemies the Citizens redeem'd themselves from fire and sword by a great summe of money But a little after they were reveng'd for falling upon the Bishoprick they kill'd 1500. of their enemies upon the spot and in memory of that advantage built a high Tower with this Inscription Utrect hold thy peace In 1486. the said Town was almost all burnt down and this misfortune seem'd to be a fore-runner of that which befell them about a 100. years after for Frederick Son to the Duke of Alva having taken Zutpheen fell upon Naerden The Citizens not expecting so sudden an alarm were not so provident as to send Embassadors to mediate for them but seeing the Army at their Gates surrender'd their Town into the victors hands and trusted to his discretion and mercy but he participating much of the cruell humor of his Father commanded all the Inhabitants to be assembled in the publick Market-place and there sent them Monks to confess them and pronounce to them their sentence of death The poor creatures who thought to have heard their pardon proclaim'd were immediately set upon by some Regiments and cruelly slaughter'd This barbarous execution brought so great an odium upon the Spaniards that it made the people of Leyden rather resolve to starve than yeeld to the mercy of so cruell a Nation That which is most remarkable too is that they were most of them Catholicks and I think it is from thence that comes that deriding Proverb in Holland Art thou a Catholick that is good for thy soul. Mude is hard by Naerden upon the River Veckt and at the mouth of the South-Sea It is a little Town which has a very ancient Castle in which was kept prisoner the Count Florent Hard by is Wesop upon the same River famous for its good Beer whereof much is brought to Leyden where it is call'd for its excellency the Flemmings Physick All the Countrey from Amsterdam taking by Voerden to Leyden shut in by the Sea of Harlem is very low it is all Meadow or Turf-ground as also between Leyden Goude and Rotterdam there are digg'd great quantities of Turfs nay the Earth is so cut in many places that it is inaccessible otherwise than by Boat which is a Subject of great admiration to Strangers The Boats that go in the night-time from Leyderdorp to Amsterdam pass through the Lake of Brassmermeere and stay about two hours at a Village call'd Bilderdam then in the morning they arrive at another call'd Ouderkerk which is a league from Amsterdam There are Waggons that go by land and it is particularly the Earth of this Countrey that is observ'd to tremble and quake When it has rain'd the wayes are all drown'd and become like a Marsh.
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so much their own advantage The Souldiers of this Company and Officers are sworn not only to the Curatours but also to the States General and to the General of the Army because it is not safe that private men should have an Army at their command These two Companies have the priviledge of Trading alone into both the Indies not for ever but for twenty or thirty year more or less And it was wisely order'd so for two reasons First because it may be the necessity of affairs might have been such as to have oblig'd the States to make Peace or Truce with the Spaniards which it may be would not have been obtain'd without relinquishing the Trade to the Indies which they could not do had they granted a perpetual priviledge to these Companies Secondly that whensoever they demand the renewing of their Priviledges the Commonwealth may take occasion to demand a round sum of money in acknowledgement of the favour they receive In a word these two Companies are so well establish'd as to be upon all occasions a very great prop to the State for they are a Nursery of Souldiers and Seamen out of which in time of War the States may upon a sudden be provided with Ships Armes and some thousands of Men and by which in time of Peace many thousands got a very handsom livelihood CHAP. XXII What Judgement may be made of the lasting or decay of this Commonwealth CArdinal Bentivoglio who was for some time the Popes Nuncio in the Low-Countries has writ the History of their Wars and in his Book has given me occasion of adding here this Chapter For he has propounded the same Question and after he has brought some Reasons which seem to conclude in favour of the perpetuity of this Commonwealth he does produce some others to shew that a contrary opinion is more likely 'T is certainly a great vanity to go about to dispute about futures yet the Form and Government and present felicity of a State may give us leave to give a guess at its future happiness And first if we consider the cause of the founding of this State we cannot think that it will ever be dissolv'd For that was the recovering of lost Liberties and the preservation of them when recovered two things mightily priz'd by all mankind but particularly by the Northern Nations of the world Besides not only by this the Liberties of all its Subjects are secur'd but none of the neighbouring Nations can stand in fear of losing theirs by the increase of this so that it will be no bodies Interest to procure a change for the people cannot be more easie than they are already adde to this the mutual aversion between the Spaniards and the Hollanders that it is natural to fear and not to trust those that we have offended Besides let any body cast back their eyes upon the first change and they shall find it such as no body is offended at 'T is most certain that when in Government men pass from one extremity to the other there are many whom a desire of the first Government does sollicite and possess but here it was not so for except the change that was made of the person of the King of Spain for the States General there was no change made in the Laws Constitutions and Customs of these Provinces Since therefore that the antient Laws and Magistrates and all other Priviledges do remain it is easily agreed that the change was scarce sensible to the Inhabitants And upon this we may found this maxim that Those States that have suffer'd least in their change are like to last longest The inequality of strength and riches in these Provinces is one of the tyes of their perpetuity though ordinarily it be the cause of ruptures and fallings out in these cases If we consider the riches of these Provinces and the industry of the Inhabitants to acquire them we may certainly conclude that they will not be wanting to themselves in their Government besides without doubt as long as the Spaniards power shall give occasion of jealousie to Europe England and France will never forsake the protection of Holland If we consider also the example of some Commonwealths of our time as of the Swizzers who do not only maintain themselves free from neighbouring Princes by the natural situation of their Countrey but are a terrour to many of them These are our reasons but Cardinal Bentivoglio brings some against them as follows Liberty begets license that begets inequality inequality begets Monarchy so the Romans having driven out Kings gave themselves up to the enjoyment of their Liberty after that they fell out by the inequality of Charges and Honours and at last fell under the domination of Emperors To this is answer'd that it is in vain that this example is alleadged because the change proceeded from the oversight in the constitution of the Roman Government in which it was not provided against inequality but it is not so with the Hollanders As for what he sayes that the Authority of the Governour General is too great we do confess it yet the Authority of the States is above it for in him lies only perswasion in them the power of commanding If it be objected that the charges of a War are here incredible and excessive and that the Treasury must needs be exhausted I shall answer that our Enemies are not in a better condition but there is this difference between us that our Enemies grow Beggars and we grow rich under this oppression If it be further urged that one Province Holland is much superiour to the others in strength and riches and so may usurpe the domination over the rest I shall answer that in this inequality of power all the Provinces are equal in Authority and do not meddle with one anothers affairs As for the diversity and plurality of Religions it is so far from being an apple of discord that it is a tye of union and concord every one being pleas'd with the liberty he has to enjoy the freedome of his conscience CHAP. XXIII An Abridgement of the State of the United Provinces by Paul Merle GErmany which is one of the noblest parts of Europe is divided into two parts high and low It is not our design to say any thing of the higher Germany The lower call'd the Eye of the North by reason of its excellency is compos'd of seventeen Provinces Those of them that lye upon the banks of the River Rhin towards the North were us'd to be reckoned among the Lordships of the upper Germany and the others upon the banks of the same River towards the East were anciently esteem'd dependances of Gallia Belgica Each of them have been govern'd till within these few years by their particular Princes and Princesses The Provinces of Brabant Limbourg Luxembourg and Gueldres were govern'd by Dukes Flanders Artois Hainaut Zeeland Holland Namur and Zutphen by Earls Antwerp which bears the title of the Marquessship of the holy
Empire by a Marquess Friezeland Utrect Overyssell Malines and Groeningue by Bishops and particular Lords The Emperor Charles the fifth was the first Soveraign of all these rich Provinces to the possession of which he attain'd by being Heir to the Branch of Burgundy and the Houses of Spain and Austria Philip his Son was his Successor in his time The exorbitant punishments inflicted on those that professed Protestant Religion with the intolerable severity of the Inquisition the breach of the peoples priviledges made them revolt and endeavour to maintain by force that which tyranny would extort from them Their Enterprize has been bless'd with success for seven of these Provinces have cast off the yoke of obedience due unto him and have made an Union and League together for their defence whence they are call'd the United Provinces and are Gueldres Zutphen Holland Zeeland Frieze Utrect Overyssell and Groeningue These are the Provinces for whose service that incomparable Hero Morice of Nassaw Son to William Prince of Orange has waged and managed a War against the most powerfull Prince in Europe with a success worthy his prudence and courage He was so accomplish'd a Prince that it is better to be silent than to go about to praise one whose merits can never be equall'd with words but they are written in the hearts of all the Nations he so highly obliged by his singular valor and conduct The Provinces above-mentioned having occasion to treat of their publick concerns send their Deputies to the Hague some one some two or more according as their rank and priviledge is They are ordinarily chosen among the most sufficient able and pious men and such as deserve to be admir'd for their experience They are commonly call'd the States Generall and have the power of treating and concluding the most important affairs of the Commonwealth as Peace War c. In a word their duty is to answer all the ends of Government that they may preserve the Commonwealth flourishing and safe But I have undertaken to give a particular account of the Government of the Hollanders and I think fit to give the Reader notice that whatsoever is said of them may be applyed to the other Provinces only things are done in Holland with a greater apparatus and more solidity Thyerry of Aquitain was the first Earl of Holland thirty Earls or Countesses have succeeded him in this dignity all upon condition to preserve the priviledges and immunities of the people which having been exactly observ'd by them all were first violated by Philip the second King of Spain for which he was deposed and from that time forward the Soveraign Power devolv'd to the States The States are a publick Assembly of the Nobles and the Deputies of Towns The Brederodes have the first rank among the Nobles the Wassenars were more ancient the Egmonts the powerfullest the Scages follow the Brederodes then the Assendelf the Douses the Warmonts the Podgeests the Matenesses and others The Reader must forgive me if I am mistaken in this account Three Nobles and no less are us'd to sit in the States of Holland The Towns that send Deputies never send fewer than two There are six principall Towns who have this right Dort Harlem Delf Leyden Amsterdam Tergou There are also some others as in South-Holland Rotterdam Gorchum Schiedam Schoonhoove the Brill in North-Holland Alcmaer Horn Enchuse It is likewise practis'd to call the Nobles to ordinary Assemblies but when there is an extraordinary Deputation for making of Peace or War c. then the other smaller Towns may likewise send their Deputies The States of Holland meet ordinarily every quarter once and sometimes between while and that at the Hague as the States of Gueldres at Nimmegue or Zutphen The Provinciall Advocate presides in these Assemblies and takes care that they be held with order and things manag'd with prudence He resides ordinarily at the Hague and does no other Office but this he is to shew himself impartiall and just even to the least Borrough or Corporation he must take care that nothing pass that is contrary to the Customes and Priviledges of the Province The first day of the Assembly he is to perform the Office of Speaker and to break the matters to the Deputies to ask their advices and take their Votes and declare for those that are the major part He is also to keep a Register of all that is done and to send a Copy of it to all the Nobles and Towns within eight dayes after the rising of the Assembly The States being solemnly assembled and having all taken an Oath of fidelity and secrecy do deliberate about the Propositions made by the Advocate which are ordinarily reduced to heads Their ordinary matters are Subsidies Contributions c. Changes in State and Government Peace War Leagues of alienating giving and otherwise disposing of things belonging to the Province of granting Priviledges Patents and many other things which for brevity I omit As for the order observ'd in giving their Votes the Nobles begin then the Towns follow in the order they are set down above every one says his opinion and reasons with leasure and quietly no body interrupting him and that which the major part carries is the Law The States as it has been said meet but once every three moneths therefore because there may be extraordinary business they choose certain Deputies who sit alwayes to deliberate of such matters as happen between the Meeting times and which cannot be deferr'd By the care of these all Land and Sea-affairs are govern'd and all ministred The Deputies are call'd Collegues and they that take care of the Sea-affairs Counsellors of the Admiralty They are six in the Colledge of Deputies and are most commonly chosen for one year out of the Nobles and Citizens of Towns and are bound by Oath to observe carefully and without interest all that shall be commanded them to take neither bribe present nor pension from any person or persons They are to confer Notes with the Governour of the Province and to give him good and faithfull counsell They are also to take great care that the Resolves and Orders of the last Assemblies be put in execution to deliberate of all such things as are not left to the Governours care to call together the States upon such occasions as will admit of no delay They are also to provide that the Towns and Villages of the Province do live in peace and union one with another and that there be no violation of the States Orders either by force or fraud to sollicit punishment against riotous Souldiers and Officers that commit Exactions and Extortions They are also to keep a Register of the Arms that are in the Magazines that the ordinary proportion of Ammunition be deliver'd to the Garrisons that from time to time there be made Fortresses and Forts in Holland and those kept in repair It is not to be forgotten that it is to them at last that comes all Exchequer