Prouence who was condemned to be hanged being priuy to the earle Campobachios treacherous practises and not caused him to be sodainly executed at the instance of this traitor hee might haue preuented his owne death and the ruine of his estate which the said Campobachio had plotted with the duke of Lorraine to the great content of Lewis the 11. And it is friuolous to say that in such cases prisoners condemned make such suits to prolong their liues for no aduertisements in matter of war how small soeuer from whence they may draw great coniectures and from coniectures come vnto the proofe are to be reiected And therefore wee may not wonder if things succeed not well with that prince that relies too much on the passions of his counsellors whom he should alwayes suspect to be enemies or to malice and hate him to whom they dissuade him to giue audience and the prince ought herein being well assured of his person vse his owne wisedome But let vs returne to our hystorie To pacifie these great quarrels betwixt Philip the Faire king of France Iohn of Henault earl of Holland Guy bishop of Vtrecht and Guy of Dompierre earle of Flanders and his three sonnes the duke of Bourgoigne and some other princes were intercessors and mediators on either side so as in the end an accord was made betwixt them by the which it was concluded That Guy bishop of Vtrecht shold be set at libertie shold be restored to the possession of his bishoprick the which was done That the earle of Flanders with his threesons some princes and noblemen with fortie Flemish gentlemen should be set at libertie by the king the which returned ioyfully into Flanders euerie one to his owne home But the earle after his inlargement grew so sicke as he died the 20 of March 1305 and was buried at Scluce neere vnto the contesse Marguerite his mother Some chronicles of Flanders say that he died at Campeigne in France being yet a prisoner Iohn of Henault Earlé of Holland and Zeeland Lord of West-Friseland hauing aduertisement of the victorie which God had giuen vnto VVilliam earle of Ostreuant his sonne was verie ioyfull and soone after the second day of the ides of September 1305 departed this world in peace and rest after that he had gouerned Henault 30 yeares and Holland and Zeeland c. 5 yeares and was interred at Valenciennes The lady Philip of Luxembourg his wife died soone after and was buried by her husband At the time of the death of the said Cont Iohn there were many noblemen barons knights and squiers that were renowned in the countries of Holland and Zeeland amongst the which the most famous were Guy of Henault lord of Amstel and of Woerden afterwards bishop of Vtrecht brother to the said Cont Iohn Iohn without mercie earle of Ostreuant who was slaine before the death of his father at the battaile of Courtray William who succeeded him in the said earldome of Ostreuant his second son afterwards Earle of Henault Holland Zeeland c. Iohn of Beaumont earle of Blois and of Soissons all three brethren sonnes to the said Cont Iohn of Henault Didier the Gentle lord of Brederode William and Thierry his brethren Didier lord of Theylinghen Iohn of Heusden Iohn lord of Arckel Hugh Butterman lord of Buttersloot Albert lord of Voorne Nicholas lord of Putten and of Stryen Iohn lord of Leck and Polanen Iohn lord of Hencklom Otto lord of of Aspren and Abkoy Ghysbrecht of Yselsteyn Henry vicont of Leyden Didier lord of Wassenare Henry lord of Vianen Nicholas of Persin Didier of Harlem Witten bastard of Holland lord of Hamstede in Zeeland Nicholas of Cats Peregrin lord of Lederdam and of Haestrecht William of Egmond Iohn lord of Elshaut Iohn seignior of Drongelon Didier seignior of Lyenburch Ieams vander Wuoude Gerard of Heemskerke Gerard of Polgeest seignior of Almade Simon of Benthem Wolwin of Sasse Adamâ—… Escosse Baldwin of Naeldwick Floris van Duynen Floris van Tol all knights Among the squiers William of Harlem William of Assendelf Iohn van Zil Nicholas of Adrichom Wouter of Wyck were the most markable with an infinit number of gentlemen of name and armes The yeare before the death of Cont Iohn of Henault there were so great tempests and such tides on a S. Katherines day as many banks and dikes were broken and carried away in Zeeland and the isle of Walchren was so ouerflowne as the countrey men were out of all hope to recouer their banks and if William Earle of Ostreuant who made his vsuall residence in Zeeland and the lord of Borssele had not preuented it at their owne charge this island had beene lost WILLIAM THE THIRD OF THAT name the two and twentieth Earle of Holland Zeeland and Henault Lord of Friseland 22 Guil ielmus 3 Hanoniae Cogn Bonus IOANE daughter to king CHARLES de Valois was thy spouse That brought thee children worthy thy degree and noble house Whereof one did his valour great and vertue show By mounting thee againe when as thy foes did ouerthrow Thee from thy horse whereby at last God did thee send The victorie to honour of the French as then thy friend Thou punishedst a bailife that a poore mans Cow did take And ruling thirtie yeares and one this life thou didst forsake WILLIAM the third of that name before Earle of Ostreuant after the decease of Cont Iohn of Henault his father succeeded and was the 22 Earle of Holland and Zeeland Lord of Friseland vnited to his county of Henault for his mildnesse gentlenesse equitie and good life hee was called The good Earle William Hee was generally beloued of all knights princes noblemen and greatly honoured of all men for his valour he was surnamed The Master of Knights Lord of Princes He had to wife Ioane the daughter of Charls of Valois brother to Philip the Faire king of France by whom he had Iohn his eldest son who died yong VVilliam earle of Ostreuant who was his successor and Lewis who died also yong Marguerite wife to Lewis duke of Bauiere emperour who after the decease of her brother VVilliam was contesse of Henault Holland Zeeland and ladie of Friseland Ioane who was maried to the earle of Iuilliers another Ioane who was queene of England and the fourth Elizabeth At his comming to these earldoms and seigniories he kept open court whither came 20 earles 100 barons 1000 knights and an infinit number of gentlemen ladies and gentlewomen comming from all parts This feast continued eight daies in all kind of sports and pastimes afterwards the princes of Germany did chuse him vicar of the empire He was much renowned throughout al Germanie in respect of two strong castles which he did win neer vnto Cologne that is Bruile Wolmestein He was founder of the chanory of Middlebourg in Zeeland walled in the town fortified it This Cont VVilliam had one brother as we haue said called Iohn of
WILLIAM of Nassau DVring these alterations of the Spaniards and the sacke massaker of Antwerp the States of Brabant and other Prouinces of their association making one body of the Generall estates of the maine-land although that in them Luxembourg were not conteiâ—…ed wherof Peeter Ernest Earle of Mansfeldt was Gouernor nor Namur where Barlamont commanded to cut of the course of the Spanish tirany which they practized daily and openly in these townes which they held resolued to make them-selues strong both by sea and land and to make a good peace and generall vâ—…ion with the particular Estates of Holland and Zeeland and their Associats together with the Prince of Orange Gouernor of the said countries To which end the Seignior of Haussy brother to the Earle of Bossu who had beene prisoner at Horne was sent to Flessingue to the Prince of Orange who hauing conferred with the States of the said marine Prouinces hee wrought so effectually as after diuers voiages the Deputies of eitheâ—… part assembled at Goude where an accord of pacification was concluded and made and the assurances giuen in the saied Towne the eight of Nouember the same yeare whereof we haue thought good to set downe the declaration and articles at length aâ—… followeth To all those that these preseâ—… letters shall see or heare greeting As the countries in these parts hauâ—… these last nine or ten yeare fallen into great miseries and calaâ—…ities by ciuil warres and the proud and rigorous command gouernment outrages robberies spoiles and other disorders and Insoleneids of the Spaniards and their adherents And that for the preuenting and ceasing of all further troubles oppressions and miseries of the said countries by the meanes of 〈◊〉 â—…e peace and pacification there was in the moneth â—…f February in the yeare 1574. assembled in the towne of Breda commisioners from his Maiesty and from the Prince of Orange with the States of Holland and Zeeland and their associats by whome there were propounded diuers meanes greatly seruing for the said pacification yet the frute that was hoped and expected did not follow but contrariwise dâ—…ing the hope of this consolation clemency and bounty from his Maiestie the said Spaniards haue sought daily more and more to oppresse ruine and to draw the poorâ—… sâ—…biects into pâ—…rpetuall slauery making many mutines thretning the Noblemen aâ—…d the townes and seazing in hostile manner of many places sacking spoyling and burning them So as after they had beâ—… proclaimed enemies to his Maiestie by them that were appointed to gouerne the said Countries and of the publike quiet the States of these Proâ—…inces with the consâ—… of the saide commissioners haue beene forced to take armes only to auoid and preueâ—… their vtâ—…er ruine And that the inhabitants of all these Netherlands being vnited in a firme League and vnion should ioyntly together chase away the said Spaniards and their Adherents Destroyers of the said Countries and restore it againe to the enioying of their ancient rights priueledges and customes freedomes and liberties whence the negotiation trafficke and prosperity of the Country might insue Wherefore with the like agreation of the said Noblemen appointed to gouerne the said countries according to the conference and pacification begun at Breda this present treatie hath beene made to the honor of GOD and for his Maiesties seruice betwixt the Prelates Noblemen Townes and members of Brabant â—…landers Arthois Henault Valenciennes Lille Douay and Orchies Tournay Tournesis Vtrecht and Macklin representing the States of the said Countries and the Prince of Orange with the States of Holland Zeeland and their Associats by commissioners deputed respectiuely of either side that is to say the reuerent Prelats Damp Iean vander Linden Abot of Saint Geertruâ—…de at Lovnaine Damp Guislani Abot of Saint Peter at Gand Damp Matheeu Moulâ—…rt Abot of Saint Guislain Elect Bishoppe of Arras Iohn de Mol Seignior of Ortingen Francis of Hallewin Seignior of Sweueghen Gouernor of Oudenard and commissioner for the renuing of the Lawes of Flanders Charles of Gaure Seignior of Fresin al knights Maister Elbert Leonin Doctor of the Lawes professor in the vniuersity of Lovuaine Peter of Bieure Councellor to the King our Lord in his Councell of Flanders and the Seignior Quentin Du Pere first Alderâ—…an of Mons in Henault with Iohn of Pennants also Councellor and Maister of Accoumpts to his Maiestie in Brabant their Secretary in the behalfe of the said Estates of Brabant Flanders Arthois Henault c. And Phillip of Marnix Seignior of Saint Aldegond Arnhold Van Dorp Seignior of Tamise William Van Zuylen Van Nyuelt Seignior of Heeratsberghe Squiers Adrian Vander Mylen Doctor of the Lawes and Councellor to his Excellencie and in the Prouinciall Councell of Holland Cornellis of Coinc a Licentâ—… of the Lawes and Councellor to his Excellencie â—…le Buys an Aduocat of Holland Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bayliffe of Flessingue Anthony Vande Zyckâ—…lo a Councellor of Zeeland and Andrew of Ionghe Bourgmaister of Middelbourg in the behalfe of the said Prince Estates of Holland Zeeland and their Associats according to their authoritie and commission inserted vnto the end hereof making and treating betwixt the said parties and countries a firme and perpetuall peace League and vnion vnder the Articles and conditions which follow First that all offences iniuries wrongs and domages hapned by reason of the troubâ—… les betwixt the Inhabitants of the Prouinces comprehended in this present Treatie in what place or manner soeuer shall be pardoned forgotten and reputed as not done so as there shall neuer any mention bee made nor any one troubled nor molested by reason thereof And the said states of Brabant Flanders Henault c. together with the said Prince and the States of Holland Zeeland and their Associates do promise hereafter to entertaine faithfully and without dissimulation a peace and vnion and to cause it to bee entertayned firmely and inviolably by the said Countries And so to assist one an other at all times with aduice and councell and therein to imploy both their bodies and their meanes especially to â—…ell and keepe out of these 〈◊〉 the Spanish soldiars and other strangers and forreners hauing sought against all right to take away the liues of Noblemen and Gentlemen and to appropriate vnto them-selues the riches of the Countrie and more-ouer to hold the common people in perpetuall seruitude For the furnishing whereof and of all that shall offer to oppose them-selues the said Confederates and Allies promise also to bee ready and willing to yeelde to all necessary and reasonable Impositions and contributions Moreouer it is agreed that presently after the retreat of the Spaniards theiâ—… adherents when as all things shall be in safety peace both parties shall be bound to aduance procure a CoÌ„uocation Assembly of the generall Estates in the same manner forme as it was in the time of the high mighty Emperor Charles the 5. when as hee made a cession transport of these
the furious battery of the ennemy There were siue companies in the place the Emperor made the fiue Captaines Kinghts giuing vnto the soldiars as hee had promised them three monethes pay extraordinary and all they that were banished or charged with murthers or other crymes had their pardons The Emperor hauing the yeare before razed the Towne and Castell of Hesdin hauing obserued a place fitte to bee fortified a League from thence more towards France hee resolued to build a new fort and a Towne there and for that he would not be hindred in the xecution of this enterprise he entertained his armie the the which in Nouember burnt all the country about Amiens so as all the burthen of the warre fell vppon the poore Country-men After that hee retayned but two regiments dismissing the rest of his Armie and so he parted from Arras to come to Brusselles And in the end of October hee caused King Philip his Sonne to bee put in possession of the duchie of Milan by deputies the accustomed ceremonies therein obserued This yeare in August was a furious fight at sea betwixt two and twenty Merchants ships of Holland Zeeland and Westfriseland which came out of Spaine laden with sundry sorts of Merchandise and nineteene French ships of warre and sixe carauells appointed with Artillery souldiars and marriners for the purpose which attended for them and seeing them come vpon the coast of England neere Douer they began to assaile them and the others to defend themselues The French who were better manned made hast to boord them to auoide the furie of the Hollanders Ordinance and in the ende they grapeled fifteene French shippes to fifteene others thinking to vanquish them by force and the numbers of their men but those Hollanders shippes that were free shot continually at the French There was a fearefull fight for though the Dutch had fewer men yet their shippes were greater and higher and they knewe better howe to handle their Ordinance The fight continued so long that the French growing weary demaunded a truce but the noyse cryes and thunder of the Oâ—…dinance and small shot was so great as they could not bee heard and therefore they aduised for their surest remedie thinking that the Hollanders would let them goe to set fire of their owne sayles but the euent was not so as they looked for or expected But as these shippes could not so easilie vngraple themselues and the winde dryuing the fire from the sayles to the ships they fell all on fire so as they were forced to leaue the fight to quench the fire But some were fiered in such sort as there was no meanes to saue them the men casting them selues into the sea to auoyde the flames without respect to what shippes they went were they friendes or enemies seeking onelie to saue themselues in the first shippe they could get into which proued a strange victory vnto the French for there were so manie Frenchmen got into the Hollanders shippes before they perceiued it as after some small fight they mastred them and tooke both men and shippes The end of this furious battaile which had lasted sixe houres was there were sixe French shippes burnt and one sunke and of the Hollanders and others sixe were burnt and fiue were taken by the French with manie prisoners The number of the dead was different for the French lost aboue a thousand men and the others about three thousand men The seauenth of May Anthony Perronet Bishop of Arras was sent by the the Emperor to Graueling to conferre about a treatie of peace with the French King They met on both sides in a great plaine betwixt Ardres Calais and Graueling vnder pauilions where there was a great circuit compassed in with cloath in the which they assembled The deputies had about it euery one his quarter apart and the English Cardinall assisted as mediator or vmpier betwixt them The demandes of either side were so excessiue as they could not agree and so the assemblie proued fruitelesse The ninth of the same month newes came to the Emperor of the death of the Lady Iane Queene of Castille his mother at whose funeralls which should bee made at Brusselles King Philip would bee present and therefore they were deferred vntill his comming On Whitsonday died that great captaine Martin van Rossen Seignior of Puydroyen who in his life time had serued many maisters the duke Charles of Geldres William duke of Cleues the French King and the Emperor The fifteene of Iuly the French passing the fronters came to victuall Mariembourg without any cartes but with horses laden onelie and at their returne thinking to surprize all the souldiars that were in the new fort whereof William of Nassau Prince of Orange was Generall beeing discouered there was a very hot skirmish the which continued from noone vntill night wherein there died many on eyther side A while after the Seignior of Aussimont Gouernor of Bapaulmes the terror of the French hearing that some garrisons of Picardie ioyned with fifteene hundred horse of the Arrierban of France which they call the companies of the Nobles and foure hundred foote did roade vp and downe the countrie of Arthois hauing spoyled the suburbes of Lilliers and the burrow of Saint Venant he went and charged them in their returne being Laden with spoyles and hauing defeated them in an instant made them abandon their pray la Iaille their leader was hurt and a boue fiue hundred taken prisoners with him some escaped and the rest were slaine vpon the place where of the Arthesiens made a Iest saying That the Bourguognons tooke the Nobles of France without waying them where-vpon it was called the Incounter of the Nobles The eight of September King Phillip came after his marriage with Queene Mary out of England to Brusselles accompanied with Emanuell Philibert Duke of Sauoy and fower or fiue English Noblemen Knights of the garter and the sixteen of the said moneth the funeralles of the Emperors Mother were celebrated with great pompe and state In October there was order giuen by the Emperor and Gouernesse vpon the complaint of the Bourgéses of Brusselles to the Alcaide Captain of the Court to the steuard of the houshould to the Amptman and to the Magistrate of Brusselles to deuise some meanes to discharge the great and excessiue debts which the Spaniards as well Courtiars as soldiars did owe throughout all the towne of Brusselles as well to Inkeepers as to Marchants to the end their might bee no tumult at their retreat seeing that the Bourgeses stood in some feare that they would goe away without paying them whereby some should bee much impourished and others vtterly ruined and therefore they must preuent an imminent danger before it falles About the end of October the Emperor sent his letters to the States and townes of the Netherlands to assemble in the towne of Brusselles and there to heare matters that should bee propounded vnto them in his behalfe to which
and twentieth of October captaine Poyet lieutenant vnto the prince departed from Flessingue with the garrison of the towne the companie of Grenu one of high Dutch and some fortie French and marching all night along the dike of Ramekin they went and made a trench within canon shot of Middlebourg to keepe in the Spaniard that he should not hinder him from making of a fort at the head of the channell of Middlebourg which they held to bee fit to cut off the passage for the victualling wherein they laboured with such diligence as this fort was in defence before their enemies had discouered it Poyet left his Frenchmen to guard the sayd trench with the Wallons of captaine Barnard Eloy and Grenu putting into the fort which the Spaniards had on the side of Arnemuyden some other Wallons and Flemings The same night Mondragon beeing aduertised of the comming of the Zeelanders sent twelue harguebusiers to discouer them who approching to the sayd trench were chased backe neere vnto the ports of Middlebourg Mondragon aduertised by them that the Protestants had intrenched themselues there sent foorth by the breake of day three companies of the brauest men of all his regiment who like desperate men came to assayle them that guarded this trench and by reason of a thicke foggie myst they approched so neere as they were readie to come to handie blowes but the Spaniards seeing captaine Failli and some foure or fiue others ouerthrowne began to faint and to retyre Those that were in the trench were resolute and had promised one another rather to die in the place than to abandon it although they were not aboue fourescore men and that they saw the high Dutch and Flemings which were behind them vpon the head begin to flie There was among them thirty Frenchmen the rest were Wallons of the abouenamed companies At this assault there was hurt captaine Ambrose le Duke sargeant maior the Seignior of Ferriere a French gentleman with seuen or eight other souldiers and foure of the Protestants side slaine and of the Spaniards two captaines Failli and Raphael three lieutenants three Sargeants fiue Corporals tenne or twelue Souldiers and about fiftie were hurt In the meane time they fortified the long head of the channell at Middlebourg on Ramekins side euery one iudging that it might serue much to hinder the victualling of the sayd towne if the Spaniards did attempt to passe that way but the season was so rainie and so tempestuous as the souldiers shewing themselues impatient as well in their worke as by reason of the myre and the vnseasonablenesse of the weather it was impossible to finish it so as after they had sent backe the artillerie which they had brought the fort was abandoned The sixt of Nouember the armie of Antuerpe began againe to set saile towards Zeeland and hauing stayed some time in the riuer neere vnto Lillo the Spaniard caused his small boates to passe by Berghen vpon Soom to get that way to Arnemuyden the which they might easily haue done hauing chased away those that guarded the passage on that side if the tide had not failed them so as they were forced to cast anker and so the Flessinguers which attended them on the other side had leisure to come and meet them the tide seruing them Then the Spaniards seeing the Zeelanders hast towards them being resolute to charge them they weighed anker and some for hast cut their cables sayling directly towards Berghen where they were cooped vp by the Zeelanders who pursued them thither In this flight the Spaniard lost one of his shippes the which beeing runne on ground was taken by them of Zeeland with two others who not knowing the Zeelanders nor what to doe fell among the middest of the Protestants The Spaniards being retyred to Berghen most of the Protestants shippes came about Romerswael where they besieged about a hundred souldiers which the duke of Alua had sent thither with artillerie to stop the nauigation betwixt Holland and Zeeland which souldiers compounded with them the next day to disloge with their liues and armes saued The next night there was a Sargeant of a band taken who brought store of powder and match for those souldiers of Romerswael who retiring from thence left three brasse peeces of ordnance and fiue hoyes laden with munition for Middlebourg And for that the Zeelanders receiued aduertisement That the duke of Alua would send greater forces thither than before they were forced to set fire on it In the meane time the Spaniard sought all meanes to passe his victuals to Middlebourg and knowing that the ships of Zeeland were in gard before Berghen the eight of December there passed in the night from Ter Goes two small hoyes carrying 436 sackes of corne who answering the Zeelanders that were at the passage That they came from Romerswael and that they went to Flessingue of whence they said they were passed without any difficultie it could not be knowne whether it were willingly done or that they did let them thus slippe by simplicitie The thirtieth of December the prince of Orange arriued at Flessingue where hee was receiued with great ioy of the inhabitants whose comming gaue vnto them such courage as suddenly they armed out many small barkes to keepe guard round about the Island Hee had beene the one and twentieth of that moneth at Zirickzee from whence he went to see the fleet of Zeeland before Berghen then he came to la Vere and in the end to Flessingue The duke of Alua seeing by the bad successe of the siege of Alcmar by the taking of Cont Bossu his admirall by the yeelding vp of Ramekins the chiefe fort of Zeeland and the small hope and likelyhood to succour Middlebourg being much distressed by the Protestants of Zeeland and by the losse of two or three armies at sea which he had sent the one vnder the Seignior of Blicqui the other vnder the Seignior of Beauvoir that in the end his affayres would not proue successefull knowing also that for his cruelties he was not beloued hee laboured in Spaine by the meanes of Cardinall Granuelle to be called home and discharged from his gouernment of the Netherlands as he was and departed from Brussels the twelfth of December with his sonne Dom Frederic of whom they sayd Egregiam vero landem spolia ampla refertis tuque puer que tuus memorabile nomen His Secretarie Armenteros and his chiefe counsellor Iohn de Vergas president of the counsell of Troubles followed them who had not forgotten to enrich themselues with the ruine of the poore inhabitants of the countrey which the duke left wonderfully estranged for the king his master and worke prouided for Dom Lewis of Riquesens commaunder of Castile his successor in the gouernment who arriued at Brussels the seuenteenth of Nouember to be instructed in those affaires by the duke before he retyred out of the countrey and the designes which he had proiected as well
manner of gouernment then did hee by his letters that were written in cyphers and with double instructions plainely and euidently shew that he attended but some more conuenient and fit meanes to vse his extreame rigour against the Netherlands as it appeared by his instructions sent to Dom Iohn and others It was likewise found by example and many histories That such kings and mightie potentates as he neuer or very sildome let their countries escape vnpunished when time and oportunitie serued although for a time they seemed to winke thereat For which cause king Salomon giueth vs warning saying That the kings wrath is a most certaine dore or entry vnto death as it appeared not long since in Fraunce whereas neither the peace of two yeres the deliuering ouer of all the townes forts and castles nor yet the mariage of the kings owne sister could moue the king to refraine from taking reuenge vpon the admirall and so great a number of gentlemen and other persons of diuers estates and qualities whom he caused to be murthered without compassion And in the Netherlands they themselues had seene That the emperor Maximilian grandfather to the deceased emperour Charles the fifth notwithstanding the peace which had been made by meanes of the princes of Germanie who had signed and sealed the same and Maximilian himselfe had bound it by an oath yet neuerthelesse hee was so reuenged vpon Bruges and thereby satisfied his humor as euery man that heareth therof yet vnto this day is stricken with feare and terror and yet Maximiltan was one of the most mild courteous princes that had liued in many hundred yeares What then was to be expected from the king of Spaine that would not hold nor keep his promise vnlesse it were to assure the countrey in time to come and not to fall again into such great costs and charges as all potentates vse to do when they feare a reuolt especially when as they thinke they haue receiued any disgrace or vndutifull seruice at their hands as the example of Gant in Anno 1539 well witnessed Besides that it was euidently knowne to euery man That all the proclamations promises contracts and oaths c. that could or might be deuised might be broken and disannulled by the Popes Bull as long as it was a certaine decree That no faith nor promise was to be holden with heretickes as he accounted them all to be And that in their gouernment it is holden for a Maxime or an vndoubted rule That whatsoeuer the king should promise and graunt vnto his subiects that were reuolted from him he was not bound nor tyed to obserue nor fulfill the same for that they were not esteemed nor accounted to be right and lawfull enemies but rebellious peace-breakers and as they call them traytors with whome according vnto the lawes of nature no man is bound to obserue any promise as those who at this day write against vs beeing both Diuines and Lawyers sufficiently declare as Cornelius Calidius Chrisopolitanus Iohannes Leuseius Cunerus bishop of Leeuwerden and many others And if it were so that the king were content to keepe his faith and promise yet it is manifest that the Pope of Rome and the Inquisition of Spaine would not suffer him but still would put him in feare of conscience and compell him to root out and vtterly extirpe all heretickes as it is well knowne that they brought the king of Fraunce thereunto so that without all doubt the massacre of Paris was first hatched and inuented both in Spaine and Italie Besides all this it was to be considered what thing had mooued the king vnto such wrath and bitternesse against the Netherlands for that if it were meerely of his owne nature and disposition then there was no hope of any better to be expected for that there is no suddaine action of man but that nature can expell it but if he be naturally giuen to be gracious peaceable mild and gentle as some men report him to be then it might be that hee was mooued thereunto through zeale of Religion or by the counsell and prouocation of those that are enemies vnto the Netherlands as the Pope and the Inquisition of Spaine If it were zeale of Religion that moued him thereunto then the same zeale was not diminished because hee was persuaded that Religion was the onely ground and foundation of all the rebellion but had rather attained vnto the highest degree Whereby from thenceforth it was apparent what was to be expected from him for that those that had persuaded and incited him thereunto were then more exasperated against the Netherlands and bare more hatred and malice vnto the same than euer they did esteeming the inhabitants to bee reuolters rebels heretickes peace-breakers and mutinous persons What securitie what freedome of the countrey and priuiledges and what libertie of conscience and Religion were there then to bee hoped for of the king and what the king might do in a countrey where he yet had so many townes vnder his commaund and so many adherents and well-willers the example of Dom Iohn had sufficiently declared when as hee might easily haue made himselfe master of the land if he could haue behaued himselfe somewhat closer and secretlyer for a while or that his letters by great fortune had not fallen into their hands or if that in steed of going to Mechelen he had gone to the castle of Antuerpe and had taken it Now it was to be examined on the other side if that those points might bee found in the duke of Aniou or not As for him he should haue much lesse meanes he being a stranger and suspected of the inhabitants hauing no correspondence in the Netherlands as also that he had neither towns forts nor any of the chiefe noblemen of the land at his commaund nor would not lightly vndertake any bad enterprise out of his owne countrey vnlesse he were better assured Touching his power it was alreadie declared concerning his will it was easie to be perceiued that it would stand him more vpon to win the hearts and good wils of the inhabitants of the Netherlands than to bring them into distrust or hatred against him and as he should be brought in by the good and well minded he should alwayes haue cause to bee fauourable vnto them as hauing no cause of bitternesse or reuenge against the countrey And touching the Religion hee was sufficiently accustomed to see the exercise of both the Religions in France yea and that in his owne house hauing diuers of the Religion that were his seruants and causing the religious peace to be obserued in his owne countrey so that both in matters of Religion and in politicke gouernment all securitie was to be expected at his hands in regard that good conditions contracts should be offered vnto him which by no means could be done with the king of Spaine Touching his nature and disposition he was reported to be peaceable and courteous hauing behaued himselfe in
London hee road westward with the king whither also the king of Spaine sent Iohn Baptista Taxis earle of Villa-mediana his postmaster generall in embassage who still sollicited the king vnto a peace whereupon the king sent master Ralph Winwood in Iuly to be his agent in Holland with commission to let the Estates vnderstand that the archduke had made offer of a peace vnto him whereunto he would not giue any eare vntill hee made them acquainted therewith and to vnderstand if they would enter into treatie In the meane time the earle of Basigny sonne to the Lord of Boxtel wrot twice vnto the vnited prouinces desiring a pasport for himselfe and for the pentioner of Antuerpe to come into Holland from the Estates of Brabant but they made him answer that he should send his charge and propositions in writing whereunto answer should be made but he wrot againe for a pasport to come in person for that his commission might be better deliuered by word of mouth than by writing but he could not preuaile About this time and whilest the armie lay before Oostend there was great dislike and iarres among the archdukes souldiers for the Netherlanders could hardly agree with the Spaniards nor the Spaniards like of the Italians Dom Louis de Velasco a gallant souldier being generall of the artillerie was made generall of the horse and the earle of Busquoy generall of the artillerie but there were many commaunders which refused to serue vnder Velasco as the duke of Ossuna who had raised two companies of horse the which he discharged either through pride or for want Dom Alonzo d'Aualos desired pasport to depart and so did Dom Augustin de Mexia chastelleyn of Antuerpe at which time there were foure thousand souldiers leuied in Arthois and Henault by the duke of Arschot and by commission from the archduke with promise that they should be paied by the Estates of the countrey but beeing almost readie to march the archduke himselfe would needes receiue the money and pay them which made the Wallons to shrinke and run away It was said the yeare before that the earle of east Friseland was in controuersie with the towne of Embden whereupon this yeare in Marrh he came into Holland to the Estates of the vnited prouinces whereas all matters were debated betwixt him and the towne and at the last by the means of mediators they were recōciled before the general Estates the which agreement was comprehended in 15 articles dated the 8 of April There were two draughts made of this accord the which were signed and sealed by the earle and the towne seale of Embden put vnto them at their requests they were sealed with the Estates seale wherupon the earle took his leaue Vpon the 18 of April the Estates sent commissioners to Embden to cause thē of the town to accept the contract The commissioners did what they could to haue the earle performe the accord and to haue it signed at the meeting of the Estates of the countrey but the earle still sought euasions and at the last made no account thereof so as in the end the commissioners after much toile returned into Holland reinfecta The reasons were as the earle said that the remitting of all spoils and wrongs done contrarie to the emperours command belonged onely to the emperour and not to the parties that the emperour had reserued all difficulties touching the causes of Embden vnto himselfe and therefore the parties might not by meanes of the vnited prouinces make any alteration or interpretation therof that the aforesaid imperiall resolution was giuen in forme of a sentence and to bee obserued by oath by both parties so as now they ought not to doe any thing to the contrarie nor alter the same and that there were diuers points contained there which did onely belong vnto the emperour himselfe But the chiefe obstacle as it hath since appeared was in regard that the emperour disliked of the earles going into Holland and that he had sought strange mediators in his causes wherefore he caused all the said articles to be made void by Charles Nutzel his agent Whereupon the said Nutzel and Miximilian de Cochy were sent from the emperour vnto the vnited Estates but Nutzel beeing forced to stay in east Friseland expecting as he said another commission de Cochy came to the Hage vpon the fifteenth day of Iuly and there had audience of the Estates where he made a repetition of all the proceedings of the towne of Embden and how they were reconciled and that since they of Embden had begun to rebell wherefore the Emperour had beene forced to send out certaine commaundements against them vpon especiall petition and had forbidden the Estates to aide them of Embden yet since he had vnderstood that contrarie to his commandement they had assisted them with some souldiers and vpon Whitsonday last past had taken in the towne and then made open warre in the countrey taking diuers houses and sconces and spoiling the whole countrey forcing the inhabitants to pay contribution whereof they desired restitution Hee also complained of certaine famous libels and deriding verses that were cast abroad desiring them to forbid the publishing of their apologies in their iurisdictions And after some conference with the said commissioner in the Hage hee deliuered them a certaine reply touching the last argument answering to euery article to shew why it ought not to be performed This embassadour had his answer from the Estates the seauenth day of August containing a declaration of the wrongs which their enemies had done vnto the empire and of the pretended monarchie of Spaine who sought to subiect all vnder them and therefore in the peace at Veruins they had reserued certaine pretences and rights vnto the countrey of Embden and had practised vnder hand to seize vpon the towne and countrey and to appropriate it vnto themselues and that the marquesse Ambrosio Spinola had commission to conquer it and to withdrawe it from the empire as they had done the countries of Gueldres Zutphen Vtrecht Friseland Oueryssel and Groningue wherein they proceeded without any opposition or interruption and for that it would tend to the great preiudice and hindrance of the vnited prouinces they could not refuse to aid them of Embden wherefore they intreated the emperour not to misconstrue their action And touching the accord which had beene made betwixt the earle and the Embdeners they said that the earle came willingly and of his owne accord into Holland desiring them to be mediators for the making of a good peace the which was done according to the contract made at Delfziel wherein they had not done any thing that might in any sort blemish the emperours honor reputation that whatsoeuer had bin treated by thē as mediators was contained in the emperours resolution and the aforesaid treatie beeing wel vnderstood the which was at that time but plainelier laid open and set downe hoping that the emperour could not take it
Friseland 16 Guilielmus Primus This WILLIAM by great policie did breake the chaine Which crosse the Hauen of Damiet the Sarasins had layne Whereby the Harlemers great honour did obtaine Record whereof within their Towne as yet doth still remaine Two wiues he had whereof one out of Geldre came The second MARY called was a princely English dame Full nineteene yeares he rul'd and peaceably possest His countries and in Rhynsburgh died whereas his bones do rest WILLIAM the sixteenth Earle of Holland and Zeeland Lord of Friseland hauing as we haue said in the time of the Contesse Ada expelled the earle of Loos remained in quiet possession of the said prouinces He had by his wife Alix daughter to the earle of Gueldre Floris who succeeded him in the said Earledomes Otto bishop of Vtrecht and William who was lieutenant of Holland the which was father to the lady Alix married to Didier lord of Brederode and two daughters whereof the one was Abbesse at Rhynsbourg and the other at Delft This Cont William did homage to the Emperor Frederic the second for his Counties of Holland Zeeland and Friseland Afterwards vpon a priuate quarell he went and besieged the castle of Aspren hauing taken it he rased it to the ground Cont Gerard vander Are brother to Didier bishop of Vtrecht in reuenge therof went and besieged the town of Dordrecht into the which he cast wild fire which burnt almost halfe of it Soone after Cont William and the bishop were reconciled together and they made an accord by the which Cont William should pay vnto the bishop a thousand pounds and restore vnto Henry of Craen all that he had taken from him for that as wee haue said before he had once put him in prison by the cōmandement of Cont Thierry his master brother to the said Cont William Item that all the Earles subiects being in the bishoprick of Vtrecht should from that time forth be vassales to the bishop as well as all his vassales remaining in Holland Item that Cont William with a hundred knights attired onely in linnen cloth and bare-footed should present themselues before the Cathedrall church of Vtrecht and being there the Earle should aske him forgiuenesse for that he had before laid hands vpon him and taken him prisoner although he were rescued in the Abbey of Staueren All which articles the Earle did accomplish fearing his excommunication and from that time the Earle and the bishop continued good friends Behold the simplicitie of Princes and the pride of prelats in those daies brauing all the world with their thundering threats At that time died Henry king of Scotland vncle by the mothers side to cont William of Holland leauing no children There was a great nobleman in Scotland who with the helpe of the king of England got possession of the realm The Earle of Holland pretending a title to the Crowne as the neerest kinsman son to the deceased kings sister imployed all his friends for the obtaining thereof and to bring it to effect being imbarked with a goodly armie he landed in Scotland where at the first he tooke many townes and castles In the meane time Lewis earle of Loos knowing Cont William to be absent and that he could not easily come out of Scotland although he had wholly conquered it leuied men secretly to make a new conquest of the Earldome of Holland but Cont VVilliam being aduertised thereof desiring rather safely to enioy his owne inheritance which he had gotten with much paine than to striue to make a doubtfull conquest in a strange countrey and farre off he returned speedily into Holland The earle of Loos hearing of his returne proceeded no further for he feared him much hauing made so good triall of him who afterwards gouerned his countries peaceably during the remainder of his dayes In the yeare 1218 the lady Alix wife to Cont VVilliam died hauing left the children aboue named and was buried in the church of the Abbey of Rhynsbourg Afterwards the said earle maried with Mary daughter to Edmond of Lancaster son to Henry the third king of England by whom he had no children About that time the inhabitants of Ziricxee in the Island of Shouven in Zeeland began to build great shippes for marchandise to traffique throughout al seas as well North as South and to make their towne famous as it was for a time by reason of their nauigation hauing fit and conuenient hauens and rodes the which haue since beene much stopped with barres of sand so as of late the inhabitants of that towne haue made a new hauen going directly to the sea before Noortbeuelandt The Earles of Zeeland who were also Earles of Holland had a palace in the towne of Ziricxee the ruines whereof are to be seene at this day It is the second towne of Zeeland We haue in the life of Cont Thier◅ the seuenth and of his daughter Ada rela◅ed briefely the deeds of this Cont VVilliam the first of that name FLORIS THE FOVRTH OF THAT name the seuenteenth Earle of Holland and Zeeland Lord of Friseland Florentius Quartus My daughter in one day as many children bare As daies within a yeare complete by vs accounted are Twelue yeares I liued Earle Mars durst me not defie But iealous loue was cause that I was murthered cruelly My wife grieu'd at my death and her so hard fortune At her owne charge for women built the cloyster of Losdune VVithout the towne of Delft my sister edified Another which le champ royal she nam'd wherein she died FLORIS the fourth of that name by the death of Cont William was the seuenteenth Earle of Holland and Zeeland his brother Otto was made Earle of Friseland in his fathers life and William the youngest was hereditarie gouernour of Kennemerlandt this William had one daughter called Alix the which was married to Didier lord of Brederode who had by her Alfart father to William of Brederode who was General of the Horse to the king of the Romans the eighteenth Earle of Holland Cont Floris had to wife Mathilda daughter to Henry duke of Lothier and Brabant by whom he had the said king William his successor and Floris who was gouernour of Holland then Alix which was Contesse of Henault and Marguerite wife to Herman earle of Henneberg who had that great number of children whereof we shall speake by and by In the time of this Earle Floris there was neere vnto the towne of Arckel a little castle vpon the place of Wolfard belonging to Iohn lord of Arckel about the which there liued some poore fishermen at which place the riuer of Meruve began to ebbe and flow for that the riuers of Meuse and Wahal the which before the towne of Tyel in Gelderland was very narrow and could not enter into that of Linge fell into it These poore fishermen called themselues Gorreckens whereof the towne of Gorrekom now Gorrichom tooke the name This lord of Arckel caused all the houses of
being seconded by many Noblemen Knights and Gentlemen of the country of Vtrecht it selfe who ioyning with the Earle for some discontent did also defie him among the which were Arnold of Yselstein Iohn of Culenbourg Ghysbrecht of Vianen Iohn of Culenbourg sonne to Iohn lord of Woudenbourg Iohn of Haerlaer Iohn seigneor of Langerack Ghysbrecht of Nyeuwenrood Knights then the siegneors Iohn of Blomstein Zouthin Vanden Rhin Hubert van Schoonhouē Zuveer vā Nesse Gerard van Vlyet the siegniors of Sleydon and of Dyckelen strangers came to succor the Earle which 2. strangers being entred into the territories of Vtrecht thinking to go to Oudwater being vnskilfull in the passages and wayes they approched too neere the towne of Montfort which was of the Bishops party and well affected vnto him as their soueraigne Lord and depending on him The Bourgesses of Montfort hauing discouered them although that Assuerus Vicont of the said towne was not there being then at Vtrecht went out in Armes and fell vpon these two Knights and their traine whom they defeated and tooke prisoners Cont William hauing a goodly armie readie accompanied with a good number of Princes great Noblemen Barons and Knights of Holland Zeeland Friseland and Henault entred with ensignes displaied into the territories of Vtrecht to forrage and destroy it Approching neere vnto the Towne of Wiickter-duyrstede he went and lodged ioyning to the village of Motten where hee camped eight dayes to see if the Bishop who was a souldier would come forth to giue him battaile during which time his men spoiled all the villages about The Bishop would willingly haue hazarded a battaile if the inhabitants would haue gone forth and followed him to the field But the Lords of Yselstein Culenbourg and Vianen were so well beloued and had such good correspondencie with the chiefe of the towne as they would not take armes against Cont William And withall those of the great Bourg of Emenesse were againe reuolted from the Bishop and ioyned to the Hollanders causing themselues to be written among the members of Holland During the Earles stay in this village of Motten Iohn of Egmond marched with a troupe of Hollanders towards Bunschoten those of the towne sallyed forth vpon them comming to skirmish with them but they were so well entertained as they had no better leisure then to seeke for their towne gates leauing some seuentie men behind them This done the Earle returned with his armie laden with good booty The Bishop much greeued and discontented to see his country ruined euen vnder his nose sought all the meanes hee could to be reuenged of the Hollanders And the yeare following 1356. hauing leuied a small armie went and campt before the Towne of Wesep the which hee battered in such sort as hauing made a great breach the fourth day of the siege hee tooke it by assault the inhabitants leaping ouer the walles into the ditches to saue themselues then he tooke the towne and castell of Muyden a quarter of a league from Wesep and then returned to Vtrecht halfe reuenged carrying with him great spoiles and many good prisoners The same yeare Assuerus Vicont of Montfort then Marshall of the campe to the Bishop by the meanes of Arnold of Yselstein treated an accord with the Earle of Holland and reuolting from the Bishop to gratifie the said Earle hee freed out of prison the siegneors of Sleyden and of Dyckelen with their squires and all their traine sending them free vnto the earle the which the bishop tooke very impatiently for that he maintained the said prisoners to be his the said Vicont being his marshall whereof vntill that time he had neuer giuen him any accompt A while after Ghysbrecht of Nyenroode a Knight and a braue Captaine by the commandement of the Earle of Holland gathered together a good troope of men both of foote and horse-back of the countrie it selfe to take reuenge for Wesep and Muyden hauing drawn them to Naerden he marched directl to the towne of Zoest the which he spoiled and burnt Otto of Lare then Marshall to the Bishop went forth with all his forces to Emelandt meaning to fight with Ghysbrecht and his Hollanders These two Captaines hauing ioyned in fight together the siegneor of Nyenroode was wounded almost to the death and carried speedily out of the presse Those of the towne of Amersfort who were with the Marshall Otto were so roughly charged by the Hollanders as they began to wauer and there the said Marshall was slaine with 36. Amersfordins in the end the Hollanders remained Maisters of the field then hauing put the siegneor of Nyenroode being wounded in a safe place they retired by the marshes Fens and entred safe into Naerden The bishop marching to succour his Marshall with fresh men arriued too late In the yeare 1357. Cont William reioycing at the victory which his men had gotten against them of Amersfort entred himselfe in person with his armie into the country of Vtrecht he camped at Hooghewoert destroying all that was there-abouts sending Iohn of Egmond with some troupes to besiege the Castell of Stephen of Nyeuelt the which he battered for the space of sixe weekes with great and mighty Engins wherewith he brake downe the walles and although the said siegneor of Nyeuelt were well prouided and furnished of all things yet he yeelded vp the place by composition to the Earles mercy The Hollanders hauing it in their power set fire of it and ruined it to the ground hauing receiued no such command from the Earle their Prince After all these petty warres and spoiling one of another in the end by the mediation of some good Noblemen there was a peace concluded betwixt the Earle and the bishop of Vtrecht by the which it was ordered that either of them should returne to his owne home laying aside armes That those of the Bourg of Emenesse should returne as they had been accustomed vnder the Bishops obedience That the Lord of Vianen with the assistance of the towne of Vtrecht should build againe his Castell of Ghoreel That all prisoners on eyther part should bee set free without ransome and especially that the seuen Gunterlins banished out of the towne of Vtrecht should re-enter freely that was Henry Vanden-Rhine Prouost of the collegiate church of Saint Ihon in Vtrecht Pelerin his brother Iohn of Woerden Ghysbrecht Gunter Hoogue-land Gerard and Didier Bolle brethren Iohn Witten sonne to Rodolphe and Peter Kanmaker all which had beene to succor the Lord of Vianen at the siege of Ghoreel with many others After this Iohn of Arckel bishop of Vtrecht liued two yeares in rest without any warres the which he had not done during all the time that he had gouerned his bishoprick In the yeare 1358. on Saint Georges day Edward the third King of England kept a sollemne feast and open Court for all commers Princes Barons Knights Ladies and Gentlewomen whether William of Bauaria Earle of Holland
disasters of the said Contesse vnto the death IHON OF BAVARIA CARRYING himselfe as Gouernor then Earle of Holland and Zeeland Lord of Friseland 28 Dn̄s Iohannes Bauariae Thy faith of Dordrect force and thy faiths loss◅ Made thee resigne thy Bishopricke and Crosse By Merlus ayde thy greedie chests to fill VVith great reuenues of thy Neece a Pupill At Luxenbrough thou took'st vnto thy spouse Elisa carlesse of her blood or House In thy Church Order long thou didst not liu◅ An Earle nor marryed One blacke day did giue End to all slipp◅rie t◅ares let fall for thee And to thy short vnstable memorie IHON OF BAVARIA hauing gouerned his Bishopricke of Leige 27. years for whose sake as we haue sayd before so much blood had beene spilt and so many good men lost their liues hauing resigned his Bishopricke into the Popes hands notwithstanding that he was a Deacon obtained a dispenspation to mary taking to wife the lady Elizabeth widow to Anthonie duke of Brabant father to duke Iohn and Duchesse of Luxembourgh his Gossip hauing beene Godfather to a sonne of hers He carryed himselfe at the first as Tutor to the contesse Iaqueline his neece and then Gouernor of Holland c. Then he obtained of the Emperor Sigismond his wiues vncle the Earldomes of Holland Zeeland and Henault the lordship of Frizeland in fealtie and homage as fallen vnto the Emperor by the death of cont William his brother for want of heires male excluding the contesse Iaqueline his neece The which the Emperor being at Constance did intimate vnto the Duke of Brabant his vassall with a prohibition not to challenge any thing to himselfe in the saide countries According to the which Iohn of Bauaria did presse the chiefe townes of the saide Prouinces to receiue him for their Lord and Prince The townes of Holland and Zeland made him answere that they had acknowledged and did acknowledge the said Ladie for their princesse as the only daughter sole heire to cont VVilliam the 6. their deceased prince and that the said Iohn her vncle had also acknowledged her for such and taken vp certaine fees and signiories of her so as they could nor ought not to leaue her Moreouer they said that the said Prouinces had fallen twise before to the female kinde whereof they had imperiall letters and therefore they intreated him to desist Those of Henault sent him their answere and among other pointes they laied open this more pertinently then the other Prouinces maintaining absolutely that the countrey of Henault did no way hold of the Empire in the which the daughters had often succeeded Yet Iohn of Bauaria tooke vpon him the title of Earle of Henault Holland and Zeland and lord of Frizland and was so acknowledged at Dordrecht and at Bryele notwithstanding the promise they had made vnder their oaths and seales with the other townes of Holland vnto Cont VVilliam father to the contesse Iaqueline whereupon Iohn of Bauaria was proclaimed enemie to Holland and Zeland He therfore gathers together all the men he could of what conditio soeuer with the which he made war in Holland Those of Dordrecht and of Bryele doing all the harme they could vnto their neighbors that held the Princesse part The duke of Brabant seeing this reuolt defied Iohn of Bauaria and came with his wife into Holland where with his Brabansons he went to besiege the Towne of Dordrecht lodging his Hollanders vppon the dyke of Papendrecht But this siege was vnfortunate Iohn of Bauaria being then in Dordrecht very glad of their deliuery seazed soone after on the towne of Roterdam whether he went caused himself to be acknowledged Earle of Holland staying there some time he sought to be master of Delfe and of Goude Whereof the countesse being aduertised she fortified them the towne of Schyedam with good Garrisons In the meane time Iohn of Bauaria ceased not day and night to molest the Hollanders and to hinder their Nauigation to the sea by the Riuer of Meuse And for that during this warre many places and castles were dayly ruined the countrey made waste and the mischiefe increasing dayly there was an assembly appointed in the towne of Wandrechom whether came for chiefe mediators betwixt both parties Philip Earle of Charolois sonne to Iohn duke of Burgongne Lewis of Luxembourg Bishop of Teroagne and Peter of Luxenbourg his brother during which treatie a truce was made there also came Iohn duke of Brabant and the lady Iaqueline his wife with the lady Marguerite Douager her mother Iohn of Bauaria sent his Commissioners in the company of a Baron of Bauaria Gerrard of Boel lord of Hemskerke and some others There was an accord made by the which it was said that Iohn of Bauaria should remaine lord of Dordrecht with the appurtenances of the towne of Gorrichom the country of Arkel of Lederdam Schoonwert of Bryele of the contrie of Voern of the towne of Roterdam and the siegniorie of Waerden and inioy them for him and his heires for euer the which hee should hold by fee and homage of the duke of Brabant in the right of the lady Iaqueline Contesse of Holland his wife And moreouer he should pay vnto him within a yeare a hundred thousand English Nobles remaining Lieutenant of Holland Zeeland and Frizeland for the space of three yeares with authoritie to dispose of halfe the officers and magistrates and the Contesse his Neece of the other halfe These conditions were confirmed reciprocally vnder their seales the 19. of Iuly in the yeare 1419. Those of Vtrecht and Amersfort were also reconciled and all acts of hostilitie laied aside both in Holland Zeeland and the Diocesse of Vtrecht yet in all these treaties of peace Iohn of Egmond nor his brother of Yselstein were comprehended nor spoken of About the end of the said yeare 1419. there sprung vp newe warres in Holland and the D◅ocesse of Vtrecht by reason of great robberies and spoiles committed by Iohn lord of Egmond who tooke all he could finde vpon the riuer of Leck comming out of Brabant or Flanders sinking their ships and taking their men prisoners Those of Vtrecht write vnto Iohn of Bauaria intreating him to doe them reason iustice of the wrongs which ths said lord of Egmond had done them but he regarded them not They considering therefore in what estate their affaires were and that they must expect no good from Iohn of Bauaria sent vnto Iohn duke of Brabant and the Contesse his wife to acquaint them with the wrongs which had been done notwithstanding the league which was betwixt Holland and Vtrecht The duke made no account of it and the Contesse being desirous to assist and helpe them had no meanes they therefore adrest themselues to Frederic of Blankenhein their Prince and Bishop and to the Townes of the hye diocesse which is the country of Oueryssel They seeing there would neuer bee any end of
these spoiles and thefts which the Hollanders of the Cabillautin faction holding the part of Iohn of Bauaria did commit vpon their friends of Vtrecht and Amersfort they held it their best course to make open warre and to that ende they allyed themselues to these Lords William of Brederode Philip vicont of Leyden the vicont of Montfort Iohn of Heemstede with all the rest of the Hoackins faction that were chased out of Holland against the lords of Egmond and Gerrard Boel lord of Hemskerke cheife counsellors to Iohn of Bauaria and against all their Allyes The yeare following Iohn of Bauaria and his faction did ruine many of their aduersaries castels in the quarter of Woerden Suylen Houthorst and Nessen On the other side the lorde of Broderode the vicont and the siegnior of Hemsted ioyned to them of Leyden did also burne some of the Cabillautins castels as Zuyck Raphorst Rhinburch others running as far as the Hage but they only spoiled it sparing the fire in respect of the Princes court palace the honor of the earls that had built it In the same yeare Iohn of Bauaria tooke the castle of Poelgeest situated in the village of Coekerke by assault causing all their heads to be cut off that were within it from thence hee went to the castle of Does the which was yeelded vnto him then he besieged the castle of Waert in the village of Leyrdorp the which hee battered and tooke by force killing most of the besieged then razed it to the ground he in like sort wonne that of Zyl by Leyden whereas there dyed many men and then hee ruined it Hauing taken all these castles and gathered together greater troupes hee went and besieged the towne of Leyden the space of nine weekes so as in the ende he forced them to yeeld vpon composition by the which it was agreed that all soldiers strangers and namely they of Vtretch should depart with bagge and baggage and that Iohn of Bauaria should be receyued into the towne without the oppression of any man The which being thus concluded the vicont Philip and the inhabitants did onely acknowledge him as Gouernor of Holland The souldiers of Vtrecht thinking to retire safely vnto their towne the lord of Egmond lay in wait for them at a passage and pursued them vnto their gates On the other side Iohn of Bauaria against the said Accord forced the vicont of Leyden to resigne and yeeld vp his viconty vnto him and not to retaine any thing for himselfe nor his successors but the castle the Toll and the Gruytte whereas before a vicont of Leyden had a great command and prerogatiue in the Towne as the placing of a Bayliffe foure Bourghemasters and seeuen Sherifs Henry the viconts eldest sonne held at this siege the part of Iohn of Bauaria against his father who also made session of the said Viconty This towne being thus yeelded to Iohn of Bauaria they went with them of Dordrecht to besiege the Towne and castle of Gheertruydenbergh whereof Didier vander Merwen was Chastelaine or Gouernor whom in the ende hee forced to yeeld to haue their liues and goods saued That yeare 1420. Iohn Duke of Brabant came from Antwerp into Zeeland at the request of Iohn of Bauaria and landed at saint Martensdyk whereat the pursuite of the siegnior of Aschen they assembled without the priuitie of the Contesse Iaqueline in the house of Floris of Borssele where the duke of Brabant did ratifie and confirme vnto Iohn of Bauaria the gouernment of Holland Zeeland and Frizeland for seuen yeares longer and moreouer did yeeld vp vnto him the towne of Antwerp and Marquisat of Herentael The duke of Brabant being returned to Antwerp by the aduice of Euerard Tserclaes his steward discharged and put away all the Contesse Iaquelines ladyes of honor and maydes and quite altred and changed her estate and traine giuing her the contesse of Moeurs the lady of Weesmael Asschen and others to attend on her The which did wonderfully displease the lady Marguerite of Burgongne Douager of Holland mother to the Countesse who departed presently with her daughter towards Brusselles and comming to the court to the Duke and his councell shee sought to perswade him to dissolue this new estate or traine The which not able to obtaine shee departed discontented and went to her Inne called the Looking glasse The Contesse her daughter followed her weeping with one only Page the which did breed admiration and pittie in all that beheld her The next day the mother and the daughter retyred themselues into Henault where they liued at Quesnoy le Conte Whilest these things were acting the barons nobles and townes of Brabant held an assembly in the towne of Louuaine where it was decreed to displace Euerard of Tserclaes steward to the Duke and the siegneor of Asschen whereunto the Duke opposed firmely for that they were his two mignons and chiefe councellors Whereupon the Estates of Brabant sent to Paris to Philip Earle of S. Pol brother to duke Iohn intreating him to come into Brabant to gouerne the countrey and to rule his fathers inheritance complayning that Duke Iohn suffered himselfe to bee ruled and gouerned by a companie of flatterers and pick-thanks who sought nothing els but to set diuision betwixt the Nobles and townes of the countries and their Lorde and Prince Although the Earle were loth to vndertake this charge yet at the intreatance of the king himself he went into Brabant where hauing saluted the duke his brother at Brusselles hee went to Louaine there hee vnderstood the causes of the complaints made by the state and the reasons of either partie which being heard he went to Quesnoy from whence hee brought the Contesse Iaqueline and her mother to Louvaine Then hee appointed an other assembly of the States on the 29. of September at Vilvoord whereas the sayde Earle being present with the two Ladyes Princesses mother and daughter and all the Deputies of the Estates of Brabant they attended the Duke onely who counterfeited himselfe to be sicke hauing expected him there some space hearing that he went from Towne to towne to auoid this Assembly the States by the aduice of the Ambassadors of the King of France and duke of Bourgongne resolued to create the Earle of S. Poll Reuward of Brabant which election was made the first of October Duke Iohn of Brabant hauing beene perswaded by William lord of Bergen vppon Soome his chiefe councellor and Euerard of Tferclaes to make Iohn of Bauaria gouernor of Holland and Frizeland hauing also beene the cause of the changing of the Contesse Iaqueline his wiues traine The Bastards of Holland beeing incenced for this cause slue the lord of Bergen in the Duke his masters chamber On the other side the Duke hearing that Cont Philip his brother had the title of Reuwart of Brabant and had displased and changed the magistrates of Brusselles came before the
had beene forced to endure more to the ruine of their goodly houses and the losse of their goods The town of Vtrecht being by this means come into the Emperors hāds according to the accord made the Bishoppe for the temporall Iurisdiction of the said Countrie there was a Nobleman sent from the Court at Brussells to do iustice vpon the rebels and to pacefie all partialities and mutynies and the better to keepe them in obedience and awe theie bulit a Cittadell by Saint Katherines port which was called Veredenbourg that is to say the Castell of peace the which from that time continued vnto the yeare 1577. that many Cittadells and Castells in diuers parts of the Netherlands were ruined as wee shall heareafter shew The Emperors armie beeing returned from Tyes there was a meeting appointed in the Towne of Gorrichom betwixt the Duke of Gelders and the Bishop of Vtrecht whether came commissioners on the Emperors behalfe and for the Duke of Gelders for the Emperor came the Earles of Buren and Hochstraten the Bishop of Palermo Chancelor and the Audiencier or Secretarie for the Duke of Gelders came Henry Kiespennick Rolland Kerckelandt and Veressen who after much debate in the end concluded a good peace betwixt the Duke of Gelders on the one part and the Bishop of Vtrecht on the other and the Emperor being ioyned to the said Bishop and also for his owne particular touching the temporall Iurisdiction of Vtrecht which accord conteyned many articles the which wee omitte to auoyd tediousnes By the which the Earle of Maeurs and Doctor Wynant were deliuered without ransome beeing taken prisoners at Vtrecht and a time lymited for the banished men of Vtrecht and Swoll to returne home to their houses for the confirmation of which accord and peace there went to Brusselles the Earles of Buren and Hochstraten and the Baron Schencke for the Emperor and the Bishop of Vtrecht and for the Duke of Gelders Iohn van rossem Lord of Brouchuysen Doctor Erckelens and others who finding not the Lady Marguerite Douager of Sauoy the Emperors sister and gouernesse of the Netherlands at Brusselles theie went vnto her to Macklyn whereas the said Ladies Councell in the Emperors name and the Dukes Councell in their maisters name did sweare the said peace in Sainte Peeters Churche The Queene vsed the Dukes Comissioners very honourably giuing to euerie one of them a faire Cup full of golden Carolus who returning by Antwerp went to make report vnto their Prince whereof hee was exceeding ioyfull A while after the Duke sent Martin van Rossem Lord of Puydroyen to the French King to aduertise him of the peace hee had made with the Emperour where-with the King was well pleased In the yeare 1529. Henry of Bauaria Bishop of Vtrecht discontented with the warres and seeing himselfe thus depriued of the temporall Iurisdiction of the said Bishopricke which the Emperor had gotten into his possession resigned his Bishoppricke in Iuly into the hands of Pope Clement the 7. going to gouerne the Bishopricke of Wormes after they had beene at Vtrecht fiue yeares to which Bishopricke there was aduanced an ancient man called William van Engueuoort borne in Brabant Cardinall and Bishop of Tortona in Spaine who being at Rome tooke posession of the said Bishopricke of Vtrecht by his Atorney leauing Iohn Vtenengen his vicegerent to gouerne it whether hee neuer went but died foure yeares after in Rome in the yeare 1533. A Peace beeing concluded betwixt the Emperour and the French King in the yeare 1529. the Emperour arriued with a great fleete at Genoa where hee had newes of the Peace concluded at Cambray the which did amaze all the Princes of Italie fearing they should bee now abandoned by the French whose entrie into Bologne I haue thought good to describe for the statelynesse thereof although it doth not concerne our subiect The Emperour Charles the fifth went towards Bologna la grassa whereas Pope Clement was then resident beeing neare the Cittie fiue and twenty Cardinalls went to meete his Maiestie comming neere him they all lighted to doe their duties vnto him then they tooke their moyles againe conducting him into the Cittie hauing of either side of him the Cardinalls of Ancona and Farneze entring into the Cittie there marched first 300. light horse in a liuerie after came ten great Canons with their pioners carrying euery one a Lawrell branche then the Captaines well mounted Don Anthonio de Leua followed with some field pieces being carried in a Carosse trimmed with tawney veluet hauing with him foureteene enseignes of Germaine foote after the which marched two Noblemen in complete armes and their horses barded before whome were carried two Standards of cloth of gold with an Eagle in the midest and betwixt those two was an other Standard of watchet satten with a red crosse which the Pope had sent vnto the Emperor The Earle of Rieux Lord Steward of his house was next accompanied with three hundred men at armes all in cassakes of one liuerie yealow red and blew then the Grandos and Noblemen of Spaine with foure hundred horses barded After them fiue and twenty pages of honour belonging to the Emperor all in cloth of gold mounted vpon Genets of Spaine richly furnished then sixe hundred halbardiers all apparelled in yealow in the middest of whome marched the Emperor vnder a canopy of cloth of gold beeing mounted vpon a Hungarien horse with a rich caparison hauing the bit and his stirrops of massie gold being armed vnder his coate of armes with cloath of gold his Marshall went before him carrying a naked sword in his hand about his horse went fiue and twentie Bollonian gentlemen on foote all in white satten dublets cut vpon cloath of gold and breeches of chrimson veluet The Earle of Nassau came after also with foure score men at armes and a great traine of Nobility then others attired in diuers liueries to the number of two thousand horse and behinde six companies of Spanish shot all in yealow The Emperor beeing entred into that cittie they brought him a crosse of gold the which he kist The Pope was carried out of his Pallace vnto Saint Petronelles Church where hee did sit downe in his pontificall seate with his Cardinalls about him The Emperor approching neere the staires lighted from his horse withall his Noblemen who marched vnder his canopie vntill hee see where the Pope was sitting who made three curtesies vnto the Emperour and hee kneeling downe kist the Popes feete and then rysing hee kist his hand and his face then all the Noblemen followed and kist the Popes feete which done he rose out of his chaire and kist the Emperor three times of the cheeke saying I cry you mercie and yeeld my selfe vnto you it was not my desire that you should kisse my feete but to obserue the accustomed ceremonies at the coronation of Emperors The two and twenty of February in the yeare 1530. the Emperor hauing staied almost
the Iland of Walchren and then was that mighty fort of Blau hoek made which now they call the castell of Rameken in Zeebourg the which was finished in March 1547. During the conference at Ratisbone it was generally spoken that the Emperour King Ferdinand his brother and the Pope made great preparations for warre for at the same instant he sent the Cardinall of Trent in post to the Pope with instructions to leauy men and two daies after hee deliuered money to his Collonels and captaines He had before sent to Maximilian Earle of Buren to leauy all the horse and foote hee could in the Netherlands Hee commanded Albert and Iohn of Brandenbourg and Wolfgang maister of the Germaine order to inroule all the soldiars they could for allthough that these two were Protestants and Iohn of the same league yet vppon the Emperours false pretexts that they tooke not armes for relligion but to punnish the rebellion of some that put them-selues into his seruice The Cardinall of Trent beeing sent to the Pope made a league betwixt them vppon certaine conditions binding them respectiuely for the managing of this warre After this the Pope writte vnto the Swisses iustifying the Emperor and accusing the Protestants against whome hee required their assistance The Ambassadours of the Protestants being at this Assembly at Ratisbone moued with this newes as carefull of the quiet of Germany they intreated the other States of the Empire to bee ioynt sutors with them vnto the Emperour not to attempt any warre the which was not done for those of Ments and Treues would not yeeld vnto it The Landtgraue who was carefull to discouer what was done sent letters often to Ratisbone by the which he did aduertise the said Ambassadours of all that hee had vnderstood and what aduertisment he had receiued from diuers places beeing of oppinion that they should retaine certaine men at armes which they had leauied for feare of the warre and that they should raise more But his companions relyed vppon the Emperours demand who made a shew of all mildnes and desier of peace assuring themselues that they should haue no warres for that yeare Notwithstanding for that the common brute was not in vaine seeing that the dromes sounded both in Germany and Italie and the Spanish troops began to approche the Protestant Princes began also to thinke of their affaiers and went first to field with some troopes intreating the Swisses not to giue passage to any strange soldiars through their Country which happening that they would suffer their voluntary soldiars to come vnto their pay The Duke of Saxony and the Landtgraue writ vnto the Emperour to iustifie their innocency against all slanders adding in the end of their letter these words All the world knowes that lastly at Spyer you were agreed with vs two fiue yeares before at Ratisbone so as there is no reason to accuse vs of rebellion or any trespasse whatsoeuer you may not forget the oth which you made vnto the Empire when as you were chosen at Francfort and how that you must proceed Iudicially and according to the lawes when as any one is accused of the crymes where-with wee are now charged To conclude if you bee resolued to pursue vs by armes and not to giue Audience to our Iustifications wee will recommend all vnto GOD and when wee shall bee informed of the matters where-with wee are charged wee hope to make such an Answer as all the world shall know we are wronged There-vppon the Emperour made a long declaration of his intention to the peace and quiet of Germany but that hee was forced to vse his prerogatiue and authoritie against such as should oppose them-selues Hee did also write vnto many Townes of the Protestant league namely to Strausbourg Nurembourg Ausbourg and Vlme where after that hee had blamed and disgraced the Protestants hee concluded in these words Therefore I may no longer indure this and if I would I were no more to bee excused To the end therefore that my dignity the publicke peace and right may bee maintained and that the Empire and euery one of you may bee freed from danger I haue resolued to punnish the perturbers of the common weale and to restore Germany to her first Beauty and libertie Whereof I thought to aduertise you that you might not giue credit to them who it may bee will report otherwise of our enterprise for I may relligiously protest vnto you that I haue no other Disseine then this Hoping that you will not faile mee herein to the end that their presumption may be bridled and you recouer your ancient libertie if you do it you may be assured of my grace and fauour as I will make knowne vnto you if you send your Deputies vnto me to that end c. He writ to the Duke of Wirtenberg a letter of the like tenor and at the same instant the seignior of Granuelle Naues his chiefe councellors called the Ambassadors of the townes that were at the Diet at Ratisbone conferred with them giuing them to vnderstand that this war was not prepared against the townes but as it had beene before said with many other sweete words Those of Strausbourg answered amply to the said leters shewing that the Pope and his people had imbarked the Emperor in this warre beseeching him not to come to that extremity but to make knowne in Iustice the wrongs which they pretended had beene done him and to shew himselfe a father and protector of the country But all these perswasions preuayled nothing the irons were too whot And withall Duke Maurice an enemy to the Prince Elector of Saxony had beene long in secret conference with the Emperor who would not faile to serue him against the said Elector and the other Protestants for the profit and aduancement which he expected and which the Emperor had promised him if hee held his part although that hee knew well that Maurice was of the Protestants relligion as well as Albert and Iohn of Brandebourg The Protestant townes and the Dukes of Wirtemberg being aduertised by Granuell and Naues of the Emperors intention did presently aduertise the Duke of Saxony and the Landtgraue of Hessen cheefe of the Protestants Vnion of the Emperors desseins offring them al succors and fidelity leuying presently all the men they could so as they were first in armes The Prince Elector Palatin demanded priuatly of the Emperor the cause of this warre and against whome he intended it Granuelle answered him in the Emperors name in the same substance as hee had done the Ambassadors of the townes In the meane time the Prince of Saxony and the Landtgraue being assured of the Emperors resolution to make warre against them and the preparations that were made did spedely leuie men and sent vnto their companions to doe the like and not to suffer them-selues to be diuided by the cunning councells of some men And after they were assembled to consult of
hauing gotten this libertie since the breaking downe of Images leauing the fields did appropriate vnto themselues certaine churches within the townes so as they were forced with the Gouernesse consent to suffer them to build new Temples in Antuerpe for their exercise with some rules and ordinances ouer all to auoid scandales and disorders after that those of the Consistories of the Religion and the Ministers Iohn Taffin Herman Modet and George Siluain for the French Dutch churches had made their excuses by writing vnto the magistrat of Antuerpe in manner as followeth My masters we protest in truth as before God that what hath beene done touching the beating downe of Images was without our priuitie or consent As for the spoyles robberies drunkennesse and other dissolutenesse and insolencies we both blame them and detest them Wherfore the Ministers of the Word shall exhort as they haue already done their auditors in their sermons to abstaine and to deliuer into your hands what hath bin stolne away Those of our Church are ready to yeeld you all obedience and to oppose themselues vnder your command against all violences thefts and other insolencies We will acknowledge you to be established by the lord in the office of magistrat and therfore we are bound to obey you not only for feare of punishment but also for conscience sake and by consequence we ought and will faithfully pay all taxes imposts customes subsidies tithes and other duties ordinarie and extraordinarie that shall be imposed vpon vs. We confesse that such as shall refuse shall deale fraudulently offend God and are to be punished by you For the better assurance whereof the Ministers of the Word and others committed for the gouernment of the church are ready if need be to take an oath to be faithful and obedient vnto you in all things except against God and his Word for the good and profit of the towne and of the inhabitants beseeching you that vnder your authoritie and protection we may be suffred to assemble in some Temples fit and capable for the exercise of our Religion and not to take it in ill part if wee make vse of some according to the present necessitie vntill you haue otherwise prouided In the meane time we pretend not to force any one in his conscience nor constraine him to our Religion contenting our selues and praysing God that wee haue meanes to serue him according vnto ours hoping that you will prouide so as both the one and the other may haue cause of content giuing charge that they shall not doe any iniurie or outrage one vnto another for matter of Religion Vpon which request there was a certaine accord made in Antuerpe betwixt the one and the other Religion whom the magistrat tooke equally into his protection the second of September the said accord containing seuenteene articles Signed by the prince of Orange and vnderneath Ex mandato Dominorum Polites The like in a manner were made in Vtrecht and Amsterdam then at Gaunt Tournay and other places to entertaine the inhabitants in concord and loue one with another and to assure the townes from all eminent danger vntill the king had otherwise prouided by the aduice of the generall estates the which was done by the particular gouernours and magistrates of townes as well in Brabant Flanders Holland Zeeland Vtrecht Friseland Gueldres as other prouinces of the Netherlands whereby the reformed Religion did wonderfully encrease and the Protestants had for a time some cause of content seeing themselues freed from that odious Inquisition from the new bishops bloudie Edicts persecutions and obseruation of the counsell of Trent enioying the libertie of their consciences and the preaching of their doctrine The confederate gentlemen holding themselues well assured by the letters which the Gouernesse had giuen them after that they had written vnto the Consistories to carry themselues modestly in their assemblies they retyred euery one to his owne house And soone after there followed an Edict by the which to giue the people the better satisfaction the Inquisition and the Edicts against them of the Religion were surceased by the authoritie of the court commaunding notwithstanding to punish both in body and goods the breakers of Images causers of tumults robbers and disturbers of the publicke quiet vpon paine of the losse of their priuiledges for such as should not doe their duties forbidding expressely the carrying of armes to the preaching Yet the people did not altogether forbeare carrying of armes but in many places did assemble like men of warre for which cause the Seignior of Backerzeel a chiefe counsellour to the earle of Egmont who had beene one of the deputies for the nobilitie and had signed the compromise issuing out of the Audenarde with some bourgesses and pesants fell vpon a troupe of these armed men neere vnto Gramont whom he surprised suddenly not fearing any such encounter defeated them and put them to rout whereof hee slew twelue and tooke one and twentie prisoners the which were afterwards hanged This was the first exploit that was done by armes against them of the Religion and afterwards they began by little and little by vertue of letters and secret commaundements from the Gouernesse to pursue them in diuers places whereof some seeing this change and that the consederate gentlemen had thus abandoned them and withall that the earle of Egmont notwithstanding his permission to preach within his gouernment of Flanders was the first that did persecute them began to retyre out of the countrey some here some there and they had at the first retyred in greater numbers if the duchesse had not giuen them a new assurance that his Maiestie comming into those parts would heare their complaints and entreat them as a good and mercifull prince assuring them that he had no entent to vse rigor against his subiects with the which and many other goodly reasons shee sought to persuade them And in the meane time she sent secret instructions to thâ—… gouernors and particular magistrats to punish such as were culpable whereby those that were not the most rigorous nor forward in the execution of her secret instructions found that al the duchesses persuasions did not tend so much to grace in retaining them that would retire as to punishment Wherupon the magistrat of Alcmat in West Friseland writ vnto the Gouernesse in what perplexitie they were in by these latter letters written in secret directly contradicting the letters of assurance and the kings bountie whereof she made so great brags desiring to haue a more ample resolution therupon Wherunto she answered that notwithstanding any obiections made by them of West-Friseland which are the townes of Alcmar Horne Enchuysen and Medenblyc they should gouern themselues according vnto the instructions sent to the officers particular magistrats This passing in this sort in the Netherlands and the contract aforesaid being sent into Spain to the king he was not a little grieued and offended thereat being as then at
the Kings brother who as then had secret intelligence with the King his brother and the King of Spaine and such like speeches after further conference and dealing betweene them the Baron de Sweuenghen procceeded so farre with the Queene and hir counsell that she caused the valew of forty thousand Angels in bullion or vnminted siluer to bee deliuered vnto him and his Commissioners Iohn Mattens and Iohn Narrot in part of payment of a hundred thousand pound starling and vpon the thirty of December sent a gentleman called Maister Wineybank to deliuer the money vnto Secretary Wilson her Ambassador in Brussels that he might receaue the states obligations for the same which was done accordingly where likewise the townes of Brussels Gant Bruges Dunkerck Nieuport and Middleburg in Zeland gaue there seuerall obligations It was then also agreed and concluded that the states of the Netherlands should make no peace nor agreement with the King without they included the Queene of England and her Kingdomes therein and that the treaties and entercourses touching the trade of merchandise should bee maintained and kept that all Rebells that were gon out of England should leaue the Netherlands and that all Englishmen should bee free at sea as they were before the ciuill warres This was that which was done with the Queene of England in regard that the States being compelled by necessity should not seeke vnto any other Prince nor vnto the King of France but remaine vnder their owne Prince vpon hope of getting the Spaniards out of the country which were suspitious for her to remaine there The countries of Brabant and Flanders hauing by the taking of Antwerp lost the nauigation of the sea by the Riuer of Escaut they cut the dikes vpon Flanders side aboue Antwerp neere vnto Burcht and beneath right against Austreweel that the water of the riuer and of the sea by the rysing of the tides might enter into the country which lies betwixt both beeing a lowe and marish ground as it did aboundantly so as they of Brusselles of Macklin Tenremonde and other places without beeing in danger of them of Antwerp nor of the fort at the head of Flanders right against the Towne had free passage to saile into Holland Zeeland and ouer all the sea to the great hindrance of the towne of Antwerp for that it brake of their trafficke and nauigation These breaches were after the departure of the Spaniards stopt vp and the dikes repaired Whilest they were busied about the treatie of Pacification the generall Estates had their armie camped before the castell of Gant and round about it as well within the towne as abroade whereas the Earle of Roeux commanded in chiefe as Gouernor of Flanders beeing assisted both with souldiars and munition which the States of Holland and Zeeland did lend them vpon promise of restitution In the beginning the castle was but weakely and slackly battered they also gaue a â—…aladoe but their ladders proued verie short so as vntill the succors from the Prince and from the Hollanders and Zeelanders were arriued the Earle of Roeux aduanced little In the ende the Earle of Lalain Generall of all the armie in the absence of the duke of Arschot and the Marquis of Haurec being come vnto the campe and the castle beeing battered in breach and an assault readie to bee giuen the Spaniards within it beeing about a hundred and fiftie demanded to parle The signior of La Gard Collonel of the Princes French went thether but at the first they could not agree vpon the leauing of their armes In the ende Valentin de Pardien signior of La Motte gouernor of Graueling promised to cause them to be payed for their armes wherevpon they yeelded the place the eleauenth of Nouember to haue their liues and goods saued The Germaines in the meane time beganne to mutine in Valenciennes and to make secret practises with the Spaniards that were in the castle for the preuenting whereof the generall Estates sent George of Lalain Earle of Reneberg Baron of Ville Gouernor of Henault in the absence of the Earle of Lalain thether who although he had but eight companies of Wallons of his Regiment managed this businesse so discreetly as the Germaines went out of the towne by agreement euery one receiuing but a Doller The Earle of Reneberg beeing entred the twelfth of Nouember with his Wallons with the assistance of the Inhabitants presently besieged the Castell the which was kept by a hundred and forty Wallons whom hee forced to yeeld and to leaue the place by composition The Wallons that were in Frisland and especially at Groninghen had some feeling of this pacification of Gant so as they would declare themselues for the generall Estates vnited to whom they gaue an oth by the meanes which followeth The States had sent Francis Martini-stella of Brussells into Friseland and the countrie of Groningen with charge and ample commission to reduce the said countries vnder their obeence by all good meanes and perswasions Gaspar of Robles Seignior of Billy a Gentleman of Portugall hauing marryed the Lady of Germigni in Arthois being gouernor of the sayd countries knowing that he was come to Groninghen and doubting of his practises he caused him to be presently taken prisoner whom he examined and tortured cruelly vpon the Rack where-vnto he himselfe put his hand besides the torturer to force a confession from his owne mouth to what end he was come whereof hauing some conceit and that the Spaniards intent was to dismember the vnited Prouinces and the better to hinder the States from reducing them into one body that they had sent euery one backe to his garrison after this exploit of Antwerp to Alost Liere and Mastricht meaning to doe no lesse in his gouernement hee called the Captaines vnto him which were Fernando Lopez Campi Moncheaux and others with their chiefe officers requiring an othe of obedience of them for three moneths in all things that hee should command them during the which he promised them to write vnto the King of Spaine and to know if it were with his Maiesties good liking that the Prouinces of the Netherlands had vnited them-selues vnto the Prince of Orange and that as soone as he should be aduertised hee would not faile to do as the rest but his intent was in the meane time to make himselfe maister of Groningen and of all Friseland The three and twentith of Nouember hee required the like othe of Captaine Lossi that hee might haue the more at his deuotion but hee made some difficultie saying That hee would first conferre with his Sergeants and Officers Billy hearing this answer sent for two of the Captaines Sergeants to whom hauing presented the same othe they answered That nine yeares past they had taken an othe vnto the King the which they would maintaine vntill that his Maiestie had dispenst with them And as the sayde Gouernour put a Penne into one of the Sergeants hands to signe 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
offers towards them as shee hath begun thereby onely to defend them from forraine tyranny to keepe them in the Kings obedience from allyening them-selues to any other Potentates and to defend herselfe and her dominions from the dangers which thereby shee seeth manifestly will insue The thirtith of the said moneth as Captaine Mathew Wibisma had made a leuie of new souldiers and more then were necessarie to supply his company with an intent to seaze vpon some of the Magistrates of Leeuwarden these new souldiers being lead by Captaine Wibo van Gontom would commaund ouer the old souldiers that were in the Castle of the said Towne so as they were in armes one against another The Bourguers fearing that vnder coulour of this tumult they would force the towne and spoile it came and besieged the Castell the which was yeelded vnto them the second of September vpon promise that the towne should pay the garrison The Cittizens hauing receiued the Castell by this composition put a garrison into it of the inhabitants vntill the comming of the Earle of Rheneberg Gouernor of the countrie of Friseland Don Iohn seeing the great forces of the States approch neere vnto Namur beeing commanded by the Earle of Lalain Generall of the Armie Robert of Melun Vicont of of Gant Generall of the horse the signior of Goignies Marshall of the campe La Motte-par-dieu Maister of the Ordinance and others and the small numbers hee had with him making a shewe againe as if hee would treat with the States whilest that hee sent for all his forces out of Bourgongne and Italie hee required to haue some Commissioners sent vnto him to treat with them Wherevpon there were deputed Mathew Moukart Abbot of Saint Guislain the signiors of Willerual Grobbendoncq and others who after some conferences tending all to delaies they returned without any fruite The Inhabitantes of Antwerp beeing still in feare by reason of their castle so long as the warre was thus wauering fearing they should bee at sometime againe surprized terming it a denne of theeues an Inuention of men full of crueltie a neast of Tyranie a receptacle of all filthy villanie abomination and wickednesse obtained leaue of the States to demantle it towardes the towne The which the Bourguers beganne the eight and twentie of August with such spleene as there was neither great nor small wiues children gentlewomen and Burgers and all in generall but would pull downe a peece of it men women and seruants going thither with their Enseignes displayed hauing manie Victuallers vpon the plaine before the castle so as it seemed a campe And although the Masons worke were great stronge and thicke yet were they not long in beating it downe on that side Soone after in imitation of that of Antwerp followed the demanteling of the eastles of Gant Vtrecht Valenciennes Bethune Lisle Aire and others and the Cittie of Arras was laid open towards the towne The Tournesiens were in like sort verie importunate to haue theirs demantled but the Seneshal of Henault who was afterwards Prince of Espinoy would not yeeld vnto it saying that if the sayd castle were ruined beeing a towne scituated in the maine land and that the enemie should come to beseege it and become maister thereof they should bee forced to build it againe at their owne cost and charges the which had so happened for foure yeares after the duke of Parma beseeged and tooke it by composition as wee shall see The states seeing the Landtskneghts of Cont Ouerstein who was drowned at the Massaker of Antwerp growne resolute to hold Boislelduke a faire great towne lying in Brabant they sent the Earle of Hohenloo with an armie to beseege it so as they were forced to yeeld the place by composition the one and twenty day of September The sayd States had the ninth daie of same month published their Iustifications for their taking of armes against Don Iohn the which was printed at Antwerp by William Siluius the Kings Printer whereof the title was Abreefe discours of the iust causes and reasons which haue constrained the generall Estates of the Netherlands to prouide for their defence against Don Iohn of Austria In the end of which iustifications they did adde the letters that were intercepted beeing written in Spanish and translated into French to which Booke I will referre the Reader that is desirous to know the particularities of their iustifications But as the States who sought nothing more then to free themselues from the Spanish Tyranie were to defend themselues against Don Iohns attempts who prepared all the meanes hee could to make sharpe and violent warre against them and had great neede to seeke succors from all parts first they sent to manie Princes and Potentates of Germanie to make their excuse and iustifie the taking of armes to take from them all sinister Impressions which Don Iohn might giue them by his letters as hee had done vnto the Empresse Then they sent vnto the French King to his mother and to his brother who made them manie goodly and large promises But as they desired to relie and depend chiefely vpon the Queene of England they sent the Marquis of Haurec vnto her who was gratiously receiued by her Maiestie the two and twenty of September with whome hoe treated and in the end made a contract touching the succors her Maiestie should send vnto the generall Estates and the league and vnion which should bee from that time betwixt the Realme of England and the Netherlands the which was set downe in an Autenticall Instrument And therevpon her Maiestie published vpon the obiections and reproches which the King of Spaine made vnto her that shee was a mother fauorer and supporter of Rebells her iustifications of the sayd vnion and the assistance which shee gaue vnto the generall Estates of the Netherlands the which was put in print Then the States writ vnto the Prince of Orange beeing in Holland who was wonderfully greeued and discontented at the Actions and strange carriage of Don Iohn intreating him to come and assist them with his person Councell and meanes The which the Prince would not refuse to shewe the dutie wherevnto hee thought him selfe bound to the common cause Comming vnto Antwerp where hee had not beene in ten yeares before on the eighteenth day of September hee was receiued and entertained with great ioye and contentment of all the people The Abbots of Villers and Marolles with the Barons of Fresin and Capres were sent thether from the states to wellcome him and to conduct him to Brussels whether hee came the three and twenty daie The seauenth of October the Landtskneghts of Collonel Fransberg who after his flight from Antwerp had led them to Breda seeing themselues beseeged by the States armie and the small meanes they had to maintaine themselues deliuered vp the towne of Breda and their Collonel also into the states hands as those of Berghen vpon Zoom had done before by
a hillocke not to bee scaled verie hard to bee battred and almost impregnable To approch vnto Lembourg hee was of necessitie to passenere vnto the castle of Heude the which was in the like sort seated vpon a rocke maruelous stronge both by nature and by art hauing great ditches full of water falling from the heigh Mountaines so as they might easily defend that place with twenty resolute men There was in it in garrison two squadrons of the States souldiars beeing about the number of some fiftie men one of the chiefe Officers a Liegois borne sayd vnto the other that was his companion that it was needefull before they suffred themselues to bee beseeged to goe and furnish themselues within the towne of all things necessarie for their prouision as well for victualls as for munition of warre And therefore one of them should goe with a good conuoie giuing the choise vnto his companion whether hee would goe or staie knowing well that the other would rather choose to goe and that hee that went would take a conuoie of fortie foure souldiars and the other should remaine and gard the castle with the sixe which should staie behinde This other Corporall hauing taken the charge vpon him to goe and fetch munition with the conuoy the Liegeois which remained hauing two others of his faction fell sodainely vpon the other three and hauing slaine one of them hee sayd vnto the other two that what hee did was for the Kings seruice wherevpon they remained quiet and the castle was deliuered vp to the Prince of Parma who gaue him a verie good reward The Prince hauing this castle at his commandement sent presently to sommon the towne of Lembourg the which refused to yeeld for some fewe daies before it had beene victualled by the States Wherevpon it was battred with nine peeces and although hee preuailed little yet a dissention beeing growne in the towne betwixt the Burgers who would not hold out and refuzed to fight and the souldiars of the garrison they did capitulate with the Prince of Parma and yeelded the towne and castle vnto him the fifteenth day of Iune the souldiars retiring to Faulquemont and Dalhem whether the Prince went and forced them putting all to the sword that he found armed The other part of the armie which Don Iohn had sent vnder the command of Octauio Gonzague marcht directly towards Mons thinking to cut of their victualls and to reduce it to that extremitie as they should bee forced to yeeld but hee preuailed nothing but onelie ruined the poore champian countrie thereabouts Those of the towne were day lie in skyrmishe with them and among others captaine Mornault with his companie of horse neuer suffred them to bee at rest The nineteenth of Iune there died in Antwerp that vertuous and long afflicted Princesse Sabina Palatina widowe to Cont Amoral of Egmont and a little before the signior Lancelot Barliamont Earle of Meghen in the right of the Ladie Marie of Brimeau his wife without any children which Ladie was afterwards married to Philip of Croy Prince of Chymai Sonne to the duke of Arschot being then but yong At the same time a certaine councellor of the great councell at Macklin went vnto Don Iohn whome hee gaue to vnderstand that hee had many partakers in the sayd towne who desired nothing more then to see it reduced vnder his obedience and that if it pleased him to take the paine to come or send thether they would make him maister thereof without anie difficultie Don Iohn sent him backe vnto the towne to mannage this businesse and to drawe others to his deuotion But this practise beeing discouered the States sent to re-enforce the garrison both with horse and foote Octauio Gonzague came before the towne of Macklin to execute this enterprise but hee was entertained with good musket shot Seeing himselfe discouered hee sent letters vnto the Magistrates to perswade them to yeeld to Don Iohn but in steed of an answere they sent forth certaine shot by a false port who charged his horse from a couert place where they could not bee forced making them retire with losse of men and horse The Duke of Aniou the better to effect his desseigne and giue the succors which hee had promised to the States came in person with his troupes into the countrie of Henault and arriued at Mons the twelfth daie of Iulie beeing accompanied with fewe gentlemen his traine following after him leauing his armie in field The Germaines of Polwiller which before the pacification of Gant had beene in garrison at Campen and at Deuenter in the countrie of Oueryssel hauing beene sommoned by the States and refused to depart still dissembling till after the breach of the accord and the taking of the castle of Namur made open demonstration that they would keepe the sayd townes for Don Iohn which the States perceiuing they sent the Earle of Rheneberg Gouernor of Friseland thether with an armie of a thousand men who first beseeged Campen scituated vpon the Veluve towardes the Zuyderzee which hauing refused to yeeld beeing sommoned hee battred it verie furiously from either side of the Riuer of Yssel making a sufficient breach for an assault and beeing readie to giue it the Germaines fell to a parle and yeelded the towne vpon composition the twentith daie of Iulie 1578. The conditions were that they should depart with their bagge and baggage that they should not beare armes against the generall Estates in three monethes after That all prisoners of either side should be set at liberty without ransome and that they should be safely conducted vnto the frontiers of Germany which was performed they of the town were forced to agree vnto the vnion and to sweare obedience vnto the Estates They put into the towne the companies of Viterarne Hottinghe and Mulaert the towne was in no great extremitie to yeeld for that their breach was well repaired neither wanted they any prouisions The soldiars had no need to feare the Burgers whom they had disarmed as they had done at Deuenter but they feared the comming of Casimire who was comming to aide the Estates from thence the Earle went to beseege Deuenter fiue leagues from Campen the which was also yeelded after foure monthes seege vpon honest conditions The castle of Haurec in the which there was a Spanish garrison beeing beseeged by the duke of Anious troupes and battered yeelded vnto him the Spaniard came to raise the seege but he was sharply repulst and forced to retire with great losse of his men And at the same time the duke of Aniou forced the Spaniards to leaue the townes of Soignies Maubenge and Roeux into the which hee put French garrisons Whilest that the duke of Anious armie was yet vpon the frontiers to enter into Henault it happened that one captaine Pont was lodged in the village of Becourt at a rich laborers house called Iohn Millet who had two faire yong daughters this captaine fell
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
sent from the court to Arras The which being long delayed the Prouinciall councell of Arthois beholding this confusion with greefe hauing by promises and faire words wone Captaine Ambrose his cornet and cheefe officers together with Captaine Gele and his company they preuayled so by the fauour of some and by the respect of their authoritie many Bourguers being in armes Ambrose and his men remayning spectators as they with enseigns displaied came vnto the towne house not without danger of a great slaughter of the cittizens of either part and set the Magistrats at liberty by force The party of those that were well affected to their country seeing them-selues abandoned by the horsemen and Captaine Geles company of foote durst not stirre the Magistrats were desirous to be reuenged for this iniury the Gouernor Capres being then absent returned hastily to Arras and ioyned with them being glad of this alteration setting vp a gibbet before the towne house they seazed vpon a notable Bourguer called Valentin Mordac whome they committed to the Arcenall of the towne and there caused him to bee hanged they depose the fifteene Deputies from their places they apprehend Allard Crugeot an Aduocate and Peter Bertoul one of the fifteene a man of seuentie yeares of age they make their processe with all diligence and the three and twentie day at night caused them to be hanged by torch light And in the meane time the seditious Preachers did Preach and storme in their pulpitts that religion went to wracke that all good order and pollicy with the lawes and priuiledges of the country went to ruine that the Pacification of Gant was broken by the Ganthois them-selues that all accords and confederations betwixt them the Flemings and other Prouinces were of no force and they freed and discharged from the bond and oth of association Maister Nicholas Gosson a learned Gentleman and a great lawyer being seauenty two yeres old from whome the Citty of Arras had by his learning and sound Iudgement drawne so many seruices for the publike good yea in the time of the duke of Alua was kept prisoner for the respect they had of him and for his great age in the towne house for that hee had giuen his aduise being required to speake that it was not fit in any sort to disioyne themselues from the Flemings not so much in regard of the oth of the vnion as for the great profit and commodities they had alwaies drawne from Flanders and Brabant by reason of their proximity and neighbourhood to Arthois by which Prouinces they had beene receiued and courteously entertained during the warres against the French whether sometimes they had beene forced to fly giuing them therein both sound and holesome councell with as many pregnant reasons as hee could possible produce to cut of this monster of disiunction which was afterwards the cause of so many miseries throughout all the Netherlands for which councell if they had followed it both the towne of Arras and the whole country of Arthois had beene for euer bound vnto him But contrary-wise thereby to begin to shew forth this monster on Sater-day the fiue and twenty of October the Seignior of Gosson being in his bed they caused him to rise and arraigned him accusing him for this good councell which hee had giuen them to be the Author of sedition tumults and popular mutines and a troubler of the publike peace he who was a man so decaied and decrepit as he came not out of his study where hee herd all consultations and gaue his aduise hauing traueled much for the common weale as well by writings the which are yet extant as other-wise and by these accusations not-with-standing all his obtestations exclamations protestations and recusations they condemned him to loose his head from whence hee appealed to the councell of Arthois who confirmed this sentence sodenly the which was so hastely poursued as his processe was begon and ended two appellations determined and the sentence put in execution betwixt one and two of the clocke of Sonday morning and all was dispacht with such celeritie as there was but seuen howers space from the beginning of the processe to his execution A very extraordinary thing and of bad example for such a person Afterwards they seazed vpon one Morand Camp one of the fifteene whome after they had kept languishing sixe monethes in prison they caused to bee hanged the very day that their disiunction was concluded in the Abbay of Saint Vaast The rest of the fifteene Deputies reconciled themselues with the Magistrats Iohn Caffart and one other which could not bee taken and without doubt had beene executed were banished and their goods forfeited against the preuiledges of the citty Many good Bourguers were vsed in the like sort which had beene noted to be forward in this trouble And thus was the disiunction of the Prouinces of Arthois Henault Lille Douay and Orchies made Arthois hauing led the daunce as wee shall hereafter shew more at large The Ganthois to suppresse the roads and spoyles of the Malcontents of Menin leauied at that time some troupes for their defence with the which they did sometimes charge these mutined Wallons saying that Don Iohn hauing beene the first breaker of the Pacification of Gant and they so much opprest by the Malcontents they could not doe lesse then to stand vpon their gard and incounter them that came to assayle them at their owne doeres without any cause or authority from their Soueraigne They also called Duke Iohn Casimire to their ayde whome Iohn d' Inbise cheeâ—…e Bourgue maister of Gant had set for of his priuate authority some would say that hee would gladly haue made him Earle of Flanders but being a doubtfull thing I leaue it in suspence whether hee went with some Cornets of Reistres vnknowne to the States But hee profited little for his owne particular and did lesse good for the States but that hee receiued little lesse then a hundred and fifty thousand florins of his pay from whence hee retyred soone after into Germany discontented with the States The first daie of October Don Iohn of Austria bastard brother to the King of Spaine Lieutenant and captaine generall of the Netherlands died of the plague as some thought in the campe neere vnto Namur a yong Prince full of high desseignes proud and presumptuous after that hee had by his dissembling which hee could not so conceale but it burst forth troubled the state of his King and Lord and the affaires of the Netherlands more then euer But others are of an opinion that it was conceit and greefe as it apeared by two of his letters which were intercepted by Monsieur de Saint Leger whereof the one was written vnto Iohn Andrea Doria Prince of Melfi and the other to Don Pedro de Mendoza Ambassador of Spaine lying in Geneua both bearing date in the campe a mile from Namur the seauenteenth of September in the yeare of our Lord
to the Prince of Parma who for his valour receiued him courteously Swartsenburg of Herld was there slaine and so Mastricht after foure monthes siege was won being one of the resolutest and valiantest defended townes considering the small meanes that it had of all the former townes that were won by the enemy Since that time the towne is wholy wasted and in a manner desolate for that there stayed not aboue 300. Burgers therein which afterward likewise went away in whose places many Liegoeis came thether and is yet a ruinated towne the inhabitants beeing most soldiers that lie there in garrison who afterwards burnt vp the emptie houses for fire-wood with this siege the Prince of Parma's forces were much weakened so as after that victorie hee could not attempt any thing of importance and hee himselfe was very sicke The losse of this towne caused many to murmur and to accuse the states of negligence for that they had not releeued it in time as they might well haue if they had vsed diligence and done their endeauors During this siege they of Arthois and Henault Lille Douay Orchies Valenciennes Macklin and some castles of Flanders hauing their deputies in the campe with the Prince of Parma obtained their reconciliation the which was concluded the seauenth day of May and confirmed by letters pattents the twelfth of September as followeth Philip by the grace of God King of Castille Leon Arragon c. To all them to whom these presents shall come greeting As after the retreat of our deare and welbeloued brother Don Iohn of Austria deceased vnto the castle of Namur beeing then Gouernor and captaine generall of our seauenteene Prouinces there had happened many dislikes and discords betwixt him and the generall Estates of our sayd Prouinces the which not beeing able to bee pacified by the conferences that had beene made to that end had bred to our great griefe a great and cruell warre to the ruine and desolation of a good part of our countrie Beeing therefore desirous to doe the part of a father and a good Prince hauing since these last troubles alwaies sought the meanes of reconciliation Finally by our deere and welbeloued Nephew the Prince of Parma and Placentia Lieutenant Gouernor and Captaine generall of our Netherlands with our Prouinces of Arthois Henault Lille Douay and Orchies hauing to that end sent the reuerent father in God Mathew Moulard Bishoppe of Arras Iohn of Noricarmes Knight Barron of Selles a gentleman of our priuie chamber and Lieutenant of our gard and William le Vasfeur signior of Valhuon hath offred vnto them in our name the entertainment of the pacification of Gant the vnion which followed and the perpetuall Edict as also vnto the deputies of our other Prouinces in our towne of Antwerp by letters of the twelfth day of March last past Which offers beeing reiected by the deputies of some Prouinces and otherwise interpreted then was our intention had by the sayd three Prouinces of Arthois Henault Lille Douay and Orchies vnderstanding better our sincere intention beene imbraced the sayd three Prouinces hauing resolued vpon certaine points and articles thereby to purchase a good reconciliation which points after many conferences held in our Citty of Arras betwixt the deputies of our sayd Nephew the deputies of the sayd 3. Prouinces the 17. of May last past haue bin concluded which being presented to our said good Nephew in our campe before Mastricht to haue his consent and approbation there was some difficulty found in them where-vpon it was decreed that comissioners should be deputed on our behalfe and for the said Prouinces to explaine the said difficulties and that according to their resolution the agreation and oth should be allowed which our said Nephew the Prince of Parma tooke the twenty nine of Iune last past According to the which there was sent on our behalfe to our towne of Mons our deere and faithfull cousine the earle of Mansfeldt Baron of Heldrune knight of our order of the golden fleese of our councell of State Gouernor Captaine generall of our duchy of Luxembourg and marshal of our campe and our beloued and faithful knights Iohn of Noyelles Seignior of Rossignol of our councel at war and Adrien of Gomicourt Seignior of the same place a gentleman of our houshold together with Iohn of Vendiuille and Anthonie Houst Doctors of the law councellors and maisters of request in ordinary of our priuie councell and George of Wezendorp a Doctor also of the law and one of our councell in Freesland who hauing conferred there-vpon with our well-bee-loued and faithfull cousine Robert of Melun Marquis of Rombais Seneshall of Henault vicont of Gant c. Gouernor and captaine generall of our country and Conty of Arthois and of our towne and Baylewike of Hesdin and with our deere and welbeloued the Deputies of the country of Arthois and with our deere and faithfull cousine Philip Earle of Lalain Gouernor captaine Generall and great baylife of our country and conty of Henault and our deere and wel-be-loued the Deputies of the said country our most deere and faithfull Maximilian Villian Baron of Rassengien Gouernor and Captaine generall of the townes and Castells of Lille Douay and Orchies Adrian Dogines knight Seignior of Villerval and our deere and welbeloued the Deputies of the said townes and Castles with other associates assembled in our said towne of Mons haue concluded and resolued vpon the said doubts and difficulties wee therefore make it knowne that the premises considered by the aduice and councell of our said good nephew the Prince of Parma and of our councell of State being with him haue conformable to the said Articles for vs our Heires and Successors ordeyned and decreed ordeine and decree in forme of a perpetual edict irreuocable for euer the points and articles which follow First that the treaty of pacification made at Gant the Vnion perpetuall Edict and ratification which followed on our behalfe shall remaine in their full force and vertue and shall be really effected in all points And the better to vnite our said subiects in a good vnion and concord for the seruice of GOD maintenance of the Catholike Apostolike and Romish Religion obedience due to vs and for the quiet good and tranquility of our said countries we haue granted and doe grant a perpetuall forgetfullnes of either side of all that hath bene said or done in what sort or manner soeuer from the first alterations or by reason thereof freeing them from all reproch or serch of iudges and other officers as for matters which had neuer hapned ordayning that all sentences and decrees made to that end as well in these countries as where-so euer vnder our iurisdiction by reason of the troubles past shall be disanulled and razed out of the regesters as an absolute discharge of all those hauing followed the one or the other party that doe contract To which end wee haue defended and doe defend all men indifferently of
Leyden In the beginning of Ianuarie 1587. the Estates men found meanes secretly to vndermine the wall of Buriche a towne lying vpon the Rhine right against Wezell and being held by the Spaniards where they had layd certaine barrills of pouder to blow it vp and so to surprize the towne and the Garrison within it but a miller hauing descouered it gaue notice thereof and so this enterprize succeded not according to their desseigne All this winter the Duke of Parma made great prouision both for men and mony hauing assembled the Estats of Arthois Henaut and other Prouinces of whome hee demanded some ayde of money and obteyned his desiers receiuing also new supplies of soldiers both from Spaine and Italy with the which he marched in Ianuary to the Castell of Wouwe a strong hold belonging to the Marquis of Bergnen lying a mile frow Berghen vp Zoome in Brabant There was in it a companie of French soldiars whose captaines name was Marchant who had beene before in garrison in Graue who whether it were in reuenge of a priuate quarrell which he had with captaine Firenine who had iustefied him-selfe at the Hage before the Estates of that wherewith Captaine Marchant had charged him or whether it were through ambition or couetousnesse hauing corrupted his soldiars with a promise to make them sharers of the booty hee sould the said Castle of Wouwe to the Duke of Parma for twenty thousand crownes And from thence these trecherous marchants retired some into France being loth to heare the name of traytor as they called them in Antwerp and Brusselles vntill that the Duke of Parma had forbidden by proclamation not to call them any more so and some went to serue the Spaniard About the same time Sir Martin Schenck seazed vpon a little Towne called Roeroort in the Elector Truchses name being so called for that it stands at the mouth of the riuer of Roer which comes out of the countrey of Marke and Westphalia where it enters into the Rhine which his men held vntill Aprill following that the Spaniards forced them to abandon it Frederick King of Denmarke a Prince desirous of peace sent Caius Ranson one of his priuie councell and a man of great knowledge and authoritie to Brussels to make an ouerture of some meanes of a peace betwixt the King of Spaine and his Netherland Prouinces remaining in the vnion generall of the pacification of Gant and the treaty of Vtrecht To whom answer was made that neither for the King of Denmarke nor for any Prince in the world the King of Spaine would neuer suffer any change of religion in the countries of his obedience wherevpon Ranson returned with letters vnto his King making onely mention of a peace betwixt Spaine and England Being on his way home-wards hee was incountred in the wood of Soigne three leagues from Brussels by some of the States soldiers of the garrison of Berghen vp Zoom who finding him in the enemies countrey tooke him prisoner and being at the first vnknowne vnto them rifled his baggage but vpon discouery of his person and qualitie they carried him to the Hage to the Estates who made it knowne sufficiently how much they were discontented for that which their men had vnaduisedly done vnto him excusing it as much as they could and causing all that had been taken from him to be restored againe as well his papers as his gold siluer iewels and other things or else the value of that which could not be recouered Whereby the Estates thought to haue giuen him such contentment as he should haue no cause to complaine vnto his King As in truth the fact was excusable hauing beene found in the enemies conntrey by them that did incounter him vnknowne what he was and who at the first put himselfe in defence refusing to make his qualitie knowne the which might mooue the soldiers the more And although hee had declared himselfe yet it had beene no new thing to qualifie himselfe for other then he was to escape the enemies hands Besides hee was ' demanded by the estares after restitution of all his goods If hee desired to haue any corporall punishment inflicted vpon them that had taken him he answered no and that they were good companions Yet being returned into Denmarke hee made great complaints vnto the King and did so incense him against the Estates especially against Holland Zeeland and Freezeland as he arrested aboue sixe hundred of their ships in the Sound vpon colour of the iniurie that had beene done vnto his Ambassador Ranson the which hee set at thirty thousand Florins ransome with the consent of the Estates themselues who had sent their deputies vnto his Maiestie to excuse the fact being loth to contest with him for so small a matter forbidding their ships to vse any force to free themselues from this arrest as they might well haue done if they had would and had beene licensed by their maisters and superiors Of these thirty thousand Florins Ranson had aboue a thousand for his share which paied all his interests The Earle of Leicester before his departure into England had made sir William Stanley Colloneil of a regiment of Irishmen gouernor of the towne of Deuenter and Rouland Yorke of the great Fort before Zutphen Stanley had in his garrison 1200. foote and about two hundred horse English and Irish the which was much displeasing vnto the estates for that he had serued the King of Spaine he had long desired to yeeld the towne vnto the King of Spaine and to that end had held correspondencie with Collonell Taxis gouernor of Zutphen Neither could hee not so modestly containe himselfe but it was descouered that he had some bad intent Yet the estates of Oueryssel knew not how to helpe it nor to preuent the danger which they feared hauing no meanes to get him out of the towne For the Earle of Leicester at his departure had charged him not to depart out of that place without his expresse commandement besides by reason of the Earle of Leicesters Act of restraint which he made at his departure the estates could not force him to obedience The estates finding no other meanes had intreated Generall Norris in whom they trusted more then in any other for the good seruices which he had done to them and to the Prince of Orange to goe with his regiment about Deuenter as if he would winter there and so to find some meanes wich the helpe of the Bourgers to get into the towne Stanley being suspitions of his approch or it may be hauing some aduertisment thereof made hast to agree with Taxis to deliuer the towne to the King of Spaine for a certaine summe of mony and other promises of great rewards which were afterwards ill performed for the effecting where of she went early in the morning before day to the Bourguemaistcr of the towne desiring him to open the port of Neurenbercke meaning said he
beleeued for that Schenk was often accustomed to make vse of the garrison of that towne in that manner His men being thus in armes Patton insteed of Schenk drew in Haultepenne The Bourgers descouering this to soone put them-selues in defence but it was in vaine many flying into the castle which they were forced to yeeld paying their ransome By this treason Collonell Schenck lost his horses armes and all his moueables and treasor which Patton seazed on And as the Prouerbe saies From the Diuell it comes and to the Diuell it goes For al this wealth which Schenck had came by spoiles This Patton by the meanes of his great wealth gotten this waies married the poore widdow of Ponthus of Noyelle Lord of Bours who helpt to pull the Castell of Antwerp out of the Spaniards hands as wee haue said before This Ladye was of the house of Bieure whome the Lord of Champaigny thought to haue married but his gout and Pattons money hindred it the very same night that hee should haue beene made sure to her Prince Maurice of Nassau hauing as wee haue said the gouernment of the Vnited Prouinces committed vnto him in the absence of the Earle of Leicester beeing very desirous to draw the Duke of Parma from the siege of Scluce hee caused the Earle of Hohenlo his Lieutenant to make a roade into Brabant with a smal armie which his men did spoyle and burnt twenty two villages and two small Townes making a shew as if they would besiege Boisledu which hee then thought easie to bee done by reason of the high waters and the dearth of corne where-with the Townes were as then but badly furnished But the Duke of Parma hauing more men then hee needed before Scluce he sent Haultepenne Barlaymonts sonne with two and fortie companies offoote and twenty fiue troopes of horse who incamped at Bixtell not very farre from Boisleduc In the meane time the Estates protracting the succors for Scluce they began to feele the want of the Earle of Leicester and to desire him many saying that his authoritie and presence was very necessary The which the Earle vnderstanding supposing that this should recouer his honour which had beene interessed by their former Imputations and reproches Hauing obtained leaue from her Maiestie hee parted from England and returned into Zealand the sixth of Iuly with many soldiars which hee brought with him where hee was attended with great deuotion where hee made preparation to succor Scluce and to raise the Duke of Parma from the siege Prince Maurice hearing of his comming went vnto him accompanied by Generall Norris who was then to go into England Collonell Schenck and other Collonells with their troops as well of Netherlanders English as Scottish Leauing the Earle of Hohenloo with three thousand men horse and foote in the Iurisdiction of Boisleduc to keepe the Frontiers of Holland attending greater forces from Gelderland Freezeland Vtrecht and other places which came not Yet notwithstanding the Earle of Hohenloo left not to besiege the Fort of Engelen the which hee tooke by force and razed The Lord of Haultepenne being come to raize the siege was incountred by Hohenlos horse-men and defeated Hee was by mischance hurt with the bough of a tree which fell vppon his necke beeing broken downe with a peece of great Ordinaunce from the shippes whereof hee dyed the fourteenth of Iuly in the towne of Boisleduc The Earle of Leicester beeing returned into Zealand for the releeuing os Scluce the Generall Estates came vnto him vnto whome Doctor Leoninus made a speech in his Excellencies behalfe Giuing them to vnderstand that hee was very glad of their arriuall hoping that by his presence hee should bee assisted in the executions of some millitary exploits that were in hand and required expedition the which especially the reliefe of Scluce his excellencie did so much affect as neglecting his owne priuate affaires hee had made hast to returne into these parts for the preseruation of the generall VVhere-vnto his Excellencie hath brought so great an affection that although hee findes his honor interessed by reason of some scandalls which haue beene raized during his absence and certaine letters which were sent into England yet hee desires not by reason of those mistakings the said exploites of warre and other affaires concerning the publike good should be delayed intreating them to enter into conference concerning the Estate of the men of war their pay armes munition and necessary victualls to the end that Scluce might be releeued in conuoied to Bresque where they were receiued by the shippes of Zeeland and transported to Flussingue Thus was Scluce after that it had beene valiantly defended for the space of two monethes in the end giuen ouer for want of succors for the which it seemes they that defended it were but hardly censured by the Estates in giuing it vp so soone Wherevpon Sir Roger Williams in his booke called a discourse of warre makes a breefe relation of the seruice they did within the towne and to iustifie their proceedings the which I haue thought to insert here for the Readers better satisfaction of the particularities I protest sayth hee by the faith of a souldiar that what I write is true As neere as I can remember wee kept the towne of Scluce some three score daies diuers thinke it no time for that Harlem Mastricht and others were kept longer little doe they thinke how those two places were furnished with all things necessary when as the lesser of them both had in it sixe thousand hands to fight and worke Let vs bee rightly censured I will prooue that Bouvines was the most furious siege since the Duke of Aluas arriuall vnto this houre the which beganne and ended in lesse then twenty daies and yet there were more captaines and souldiars spoiled by the sword and bullet then at Harlem which continued ten monethes experimented captaines will confesse that they fury of all breaches are tried in fewe houres Wee were not in Scluce one thousand sixe hundred men to fight worke and all we had to keepe accounting the two forts aboue two miles and a halfe It is well knowne that before wee entred the towne had lost one fort If wee shewed any valour in our entrie let Sir Henry Palmer and his sea-men with them of Zeeland iudge the daunger was such as of the vesselles which carried vs in fiue were taken the next comming out The third tide Sir Charles Blunt afterwards Lord Montioy and Earle of Deuonshire offred fiftie pounds besides the commandement his maisters and marriners receiued at his imbarking to carrie vs in some necessary prouision from Sir William Russell then Lord Gouernor of Flussing who indeed was the causeof our entrie resolution and quick dispatch sending vnto vs a good quantitie of victualls and munition and to say the truth without his importunitie and diligence wee had not entred and then the world knowes the towne had beene lost without blowes as
a number were in those countries farre better then Scluce The better sort doe knowe had I and my companions made marchandise of our liues as trades-men doe of their warres wee had not entred into Scluce for our directions were but for Ostende wee were battred with thirtie Cannons and eight Culuerins on Saint Iacobs Eue from three of the clocke in the morning vntill fiue in the afternoone whereas they discharged aboue foure thousand Cannon-shor By the Dukes owne confession hee neuer sawe so furious a batterie in one daie Wee were made saultable aboue two hundred and fiftie paces betwixt siue of the clocke and seauen wee were aboue fiue times at the push of the pike for our breach where wee spoiled the enemies in great numbers who descouering our trenches within ouerthwart the breach quieted their furies afterwardes wee kept the towne eighteene daies the enemie beeing lodged in our port rampar and breach aboue three hundred paces in the which time hee passed sixe paces through the port to beate our trenches within wee kept our fort vntill wee were made saultable more then our troupes could gard vnlesse wee would quit the towne beeing mined wee countermined them in the which wee fought nine daies with sword target and pistoll at our breach port and rampar wee fought daylie with pikes short weapons and stones besides our shot for those eighteene daies As for our sallies let the enemie testifie The duke of Parma being entred he asked mee which was Baskerville who standing before him I shewed him whom he imbraced and turning towards his nobility he sayd there serues no Prince in Europe a brauer man true it is that at one sally captaine Thomas Baskeruill had the point with an hundred Corslelts of the best sort who charged and made to run 8. Spanish Enseigns of the Tertia Vecho and hurt their Malster dol Campo indeed he was seconded by a number of others but himselfe was principally knowne by certaine prisoners and his great plume of fethers Sir Francis Vere was also noted by his redde mandillion who stood alwaies in the head of the armed men at the assaults of the towne and fort being twise hurt I and other of his friends requested him to retire to whom hee answered that he had rather bee killed ten times at a breach then once in an house Captaine Hart most valiantly swame in and out to acquaint the Estates with our wants and dangers the world doth know what pickes and iarres there was betwixt them at that time such as none can deny there was a full resolution taken to enter in by water The world doth know our army by land retired at mid-night from Blankenborough to Ostend Let enuy and mallice speake what they list truth may bee blamed but it shall neuer bee shamed We were lost men but for our owne wits and resolution our poulder was all spent so farre as wee had not to maintaine halfe a daies fight the enemie had gotten so farre into our rampar as their shot flanked into our trenches for eighteene nights togither wee lay continually Officers and all at our breach and there eate our meate wee had not foure field peeces of twenty left vnbroken with their Ordinance wee endured in the towne and fort seauenteene thousand foure hundred and od Cannot shot And whereas malicious tongues speake of our assault I protest wee endured one assault in the fort both at the breaches and mine from nine of the clocke in the morning vntill two in the afternoone whereas the braue Marquis of Renty was hurt the great captaine Mounsire La Motte lost his arme and Mounsire De Stripigny Collonel of the Bourguignons was slaine with diuers captaines and officers besides by their owne report they had slaine at that assault about seauen hundred men and as many hurt wee had hurt and slaine at that assault aboue a hundred and fiftie whereas Collonel Huntley Sir Edmond Vdall Sir Iohn Scot Captaine Ferdinando Groge Maister Sentliger Captaine Nicholas Baskeruille with diuers other Gentlemen and Officers behaued themselues most valiantly both at that assault and at all other seruices During the sayd siege Captaine Francis Allen swamme in with Captaine Hart after the breach was made and during his time none shewed greater valor Truelie all the Dutch and Wallons with their companies shewed themselues constant resolute and valiant especially those braue and valiant captaines Metkerke and Heraugier We were but foure English bands neere two hundred men strong a peece by reason that wee diuided amongst them some two hundred and fiftie Musketiers who by the meanes of the Gouernor of Flessingue came with vs from his garrison from Berghen and from Ostend There were many Lieutenants Enseignes and Sargents aduenturers besides those souldiars the better halfe of our men were slaine for 1600. English Wallons and Flemish wee carried not our seauen hundred In respect of our losses our captaines asked pay for the whole numbers wherefore the Estates and others would not confesse our losses to be so great from the first houre of our entrie vntill our going out none came to vs but such as swamme in The duke of Parma himselfe asked mee in the presence of manie what our losses were I answered him the truth as nere as I could Hee himselfe with diuers others assured vs that hee had lost before Sluce fiue and fortie Captaines besides other Commanders and more souldiars then he had lost at Nuys Bercke Graue and Venloo Some obiected also if they had beene in such daunger at Sluce why did the duke of Parma yeelde them so large a composition I know no reason but this sixe daies before wee gaue ouer the towne all the captaines and officers met in Councell hauing seene our dangers and some finding the heat of our succors wee assigned the Articles of our composition and swore all to haue them graunted vnto vs or to die and to burie the towne and castle and then to escape as wee could through the drowned lands The coppie of those Articles with other letters wee sent vnto the Earle our Generall and to the Estates the which fell into the enemies hands by reason the messenger was slaine in swimming by their boates and palissadoe on the riuer This is well knowne vnto all our companions for the Marquis of Renty out of his trench told it openly before all our gards at the breach that one Owen a Welch Gentleman had much adoe to put my fowle hand into Italian for the Duke We also made a sallie where we lost two Officers who shewed them our resolution the which we maintained beeing face to face with the Duke in our parle and returned once from him into the towne thinking that he would not yeeld to some of the articles but his owne wisdome or his councell perswaded him to send for vs againe and to signe them all But I protest vpon the faith of a Christian and I thinke all my companions will doe the like that for my part
had of him but haue fought to entertaine all good amity and correspondencie with him for the seruice of the Queene his mistresse and the vnited Prouinces assuring him they would neuer indure any thing that should tend to the dis-seruice of her Maiestie and impayring of his charge and authority This answer was dated the second of February This troope of Villiers horse beeing arriued in Walchren the Estates of Zealand had appointed that thirty of them should bee lodged in Middelbourg eighteene at Campuere and twelue at Arnemuyden The Magistrates of Campuere and Arnemuyden refused to receiue them protesting not to receiue any soldiers but such as should be sent by order from the Earle of Leicester their Gouernor generall But not content here-with they made a contract with the Captaines of the garrisons the which they confirmed by oth signed and sent it into England to the Earle of Leicester who was very well pleased with this message The Estates of Zealand seeing the vnwillingnes of these two townes sent the 18. horse which should haue bene at Campuere to a village called Haek the 12. of Arnemuyden to Middelbourg vntill they were imploied elsewhere Here-vpon as wel the General as the particular Estates of the vnited Prouinces seeing these factions the boldnes of the English their Partisans to increase daily and that all garrisons carried them-selues as if they were no more subiect to the Estates not to the preseruatiō of the country hauing considered al things meaning to settle a good order although they were yet much troubled with thē of Medenblick they sent in March Prince Maurice into Zeeland onlie with his houshold traine Being but newly arriued and in conference with the Estates of Zeeland Behold there presently arriues the Lord Charles Howard high Admirall of England with nine or ten shippes of warre bringing with him two hundred and twenty thousand florines to pay the English troupes This sodaine arriuall of so many shippes of warre in such a iealous season made them presently to murmur that hee might make himselfe maister of the Island of Walchren and carry Prince Maurice into England Wherevpon the Prince retired sodenly from Middelbourg and went to the ships of warre which the Estates doe commonly entertaine in the riuer of Antwerp lying before the fort of Lillo whether hee might safely retire himselfe when he pleased The Lord Admiral hearing that the Prince was departed sent Sir Edward Hobby and Peter van Heyl◅ with charge from her Maiesty to treat with him to remooue all iealousies and if it were possible to raise the siege of Medenblike Whereof the Prince excused himselfe honestly referring that businesse to the generall Estates and to them of Holland They of Campuere and Arnemuyden were exceeding glad of the Lord Admiralls comming hoping that he would make him-selfe maister of Walchren and raise the siege of Medenblike But being come to no other end but to conuoy the money safely hauing a faire gale he returned fiue daies after Then came Prince Maurice presently backe to Middelbourg From whence hee did write vnto Sir William Russel by Iames Valcke a Councellor of Estate to consider of the means how to remooue all these distrusts to the seruice of God and of the Queenes Maiestie the prosperitie of the vnited Prouinces and the confusion of their enemies who sought their aduantage in such disorder The signior of Valcke who was a man of iudgement being entred into conference with Sir William Russel he sought to purge himselfe of all that had beene done saying that for his part hee was ready to doe all good offices Wherevpon Valcke went to Campvere whereas Mandemaker the treasorer generall of Zeeland with some others were deteined prisoners promising them all good and fauor if they would acknowledge and obey Prince Maurice as their chiefe and Gouernor but the Captaines would not giue eare to any thing vntill they were first assured of their pay and to continue still in their garrison with some other conditions Sir William Russel excused himselfe also that he might not meddle with the money vnlesse he had other order out of England And in this Estate the affaires stood vntill that the common feare of apparent danger of the Spanish fleet made them to take an other resolution In the meane-time the Queene by the instigation of some that were about her Maiesty who were enemies to the Estates did write vnto the generall Estates charging them that they intreated them of Vtrecht ill and had cruelly proceeded against them of Leyden growing also verie bitter against them of Medenblike whome they held besieged wondring why they should be so rigorous against all those that shewed any loue and affection to her Maiesty which proceeded onelie from a true fealing of the benifits which they had receiued from her with many other like reasons set downe in the sayd letter Wherevnto the Estates answered That they had neuer vsed any other then ciuill and honest admonitions to them of Vtrecht for that they had chased away their best Burgers and committed the gouernment of the towne to strangers who had nothing to loose in the whole countrie As for the matter of Leyden that they had proceeded iudicially as vpon a notorious crime And for Medenblike the mallice of them of the garrison was the cause thereof and therefore they deserued to bee punished Prince Maurice did also write vnto the Queene complayning much that the townes of his inheritance out of the which both hee his Brethren and Sisters and all those of the house of Nassau had their maintenance as Campuere and Geertruydenberg the which alone was worth fortie thousand gilders a yeare rent were fallen into mutiny vnder collour of her Maiesties seruice and in great danger to bee absolutly lost Complayning also that Sir William Russel had charged him to haue ment to attempt against the towne of Flussing and to wrest it out of his hands wherewith he held himselfe to be much wronged desiring that it might bee honorably repaired and that speedily considering the exigence of the cause The Queene considering the danger which consisted in these discontents seeing the Spanish armie at Sea approaching and ready to fall vppon the one or the other the which they could not resist nor preserue the Estate of the country but by good vnion and mutuall correspondencie diuision beeing like to cause the ruine of both shee sent a very kinde answer by her letters to Prince Maurice giuing him all contentment dis-auowing all mutinies as well of the English as of other soldiers that sought to shrowd them-selues vnder the cloake of her seruice and to that end she did also write expresly vnto the Lord Willoughby to Sir Henry Killegrey to Sir William Russell and others as also to the generall Estates By reason whereof the garrisons of Campuere and Arnmuyden were pacified with a certaine summe of money hauing kept the Tresorer Mandemaker a long time prisoner
inscription Frangimur si collidimur If we strike one against another we breake Thus the disorders and diuisions began some-what to decrease the Lord Willoughby being a good well minded Noble-man had at that time appeased the controuersie in Naerden and labored to do the like in Vtrecht which the Estates seemed desirous to requite preparing their shippes of warre for the common seruice of her Maiestie and the country against the comming of the Spanish fleete and more-ouer the which was more then the Queene her selfe desired they agreed to take vp a thousand saylers in the Netherlands for her Maiesties seruice We haue before made mention how that the Queene of England had very earnnestly prest the vnited Prouinces not onely by the Earle of Leicester but also by her Ambassadors to ioyne with her in the treatie of a peace and what reasons had moued her notwithstanding their resolute deniall to proceed therein and to attempt it whilest that the comming of this great armie of Spaine was bruted ouer all Europe To which end shee sent her Commissioners on the foure and twenty of February 1588. to Ostend which was then kept by an English garrison vnder the gouernment of sir Iohn Conway The Commissioners names were Henry Earle of Darby the Baron of Cobham Lord warden of the cinq Ports both Knights of the garter Sir Iames a Croft Knight Comptroller of the Queenes house and all three of her Maiesties priuie councell Doctor Dale and Maister Iohn Rogers both Maisters of Requests For the Duke of Parma and in the Kings name were sent Maximilian Earle of Aremberg Knight of the treasury and gouernor of Antwerpe Monsieur Richardot President of Arthois councellor for the State and of the priuie councell Iohn Mace Doctor of the lawe Councellor and Aduocate fiscall in the councell of Brabant and Blaminius Greiner Secretary of the councell of Estate these came to Bruges in March after where by messengers sent from one to another there was a long disputation about the precedence and where they should meete and whether hostages should bee giuen of eyther side for their securities after which they mette in certaine Tents set vp vnder Ostend where the Spaniards gaue the English the precedence After three moneths question the English yeelded to goe to Bourbrough in Flanders without any hostages where vpon the sixt of Iuly they began to enter into treaty Among many propositions and disputations on both sides touching the Spanish Commission and other things the Queene of Englands demands were To haue a present truce or surceasing of armes being thought necessary for both sides thereby to stay and diuert the comming of the Spanish fleete which the Spanish Comissioners seemed to incline vnto seeking to perswade them that it was not intended for England More-ouer they demanded the renuing of old contracts and intercourses the sending away of forraine gouernors and soldiers out of the Netherlands for the Queenes owne safety and the restitution of such summes of money as the Queene had lent vnto the Estates of those Prouinces the which the King had promised in his perpetuall Edict made at Brussells For the Netherlanders they demanded that they might enioy their ancient liberties and priuiledges bee gouerned by their naturall borne country-men and not by Strangers that there might be a tolleration of religion for two yeares at the least and in the meane time the religion to be ordred and established by the Estates and that the articles of the pacification of Gant and of other treaties might be obserued And as concerning the townes that were in her Maiesties hands they said that the foresaid articles being concluded her Maiestie would yeeld vnto any reasonable conditions that all the world might know she had not taken those townes into her possession for her owne vse and commodity nor for increase of her dominions but onely for her necessary defence and assurance c. The King of Spaines Commissioners made answer to these propositions that they were content to revew the contracts but it would aske a long time and therefore they desired to proceed to the concluding of a peace Touching the sending away of strange soldiers the King could not resolue thereon vntill that the Hollanders and their associates did submit them and so long as the Frenchmen were in armes Concerning the money lent they said the King was not informed thereof and that hee must first see the accoumpt Touching the priuiledges of the Netherlands the Queene had not to doe there-with and that there was no reason to prescribe the King a lawe how he should gouerne his subiects Concerning religion and the exercise thereof the King would not heare of it but was content to grant a tolleration such as he had allowed vnto the townes that had submitted them-selues vnder his obedience As for the pacification of Gant they would not heare it named for that the Prince of Orange and the Estates by whom it was made were the first that brake it as they sayd Wherevnto the English commissioners replied that the contracts might be renued by prouiso and afterwards reformed or made better by Commissioners appointed by both parties for the sending away of forraine souldiers it was the onely cause that had mooued her Maiestie to enter into the treatie fore-seeing the dangers incident there-vnto if strangers should continue still in the Netherlands the which remayning in that estate the Queene for her owne safety and assurance could not leaue armes nor the Netherland Prouinces be assured of any peace as long as the forraine soldiars were within the country Touching the money which the Queene had lent and that she then demanded from the Estates the King him-selfe was bownd for it by his Edict made at Brusselles as well for that which was lent vnto them before the said edict as for that which was sence or that should be lent yet the Queene sought not that mony from the King but onely that the Estates might haue liberty from him to collect mony for the paiment thereof concerning the priuiledges of the contry her Maiesty said she had a speciall interest therein first in regard of Neighborhood Secondly for that she was especially nominated in seuerall pacifications and thirdly for that it was not possible for her subiects and Merchants to enioy their preuiledges in the Netherlands vnlesse the Prouinces them-selues were allowed the same so as her Maiesty should haue iust cause to complaine if those preueledges were denied them which had beene agreed vnto by the pacification of Gant the perpetuall Edict made at the reconciliation of Arthois and Henault and generally consented vnto at the treaty of peace made in Collogne by the Duke of Terranoua at the intercession of the Emperor and the Duke of Cleaues and if the Netherland Prouinces might not be gouerned by such as were borne in the country there was no hope to bring them to any good and firme peace And for the point
and were most cast vpon the coast of France The Generall of this mighty armie was Lodouicus Perez Duke of Medina Sidonia and Baron of Saint Lucas a Knight of the order of the Golden Fleese the Marquis of Sancta Cruce who was named for that charge being dead not long beford Iohn Martinez de Ricalde a wise Gentleman was Admirall Don Francisco Bouadille Marshall And for chiefe councellors in the warre Diego Pimentel Flores de Valdez Pedro de Valdez Michael Oquendo Don Alonso de Lieua Don Diego Maldonado Don Georgio Manriquez and many others Don Martin Alarson was Vicar generall of the holy Inquisition and with him aboue a hundred Monkes Iesuites and other religious men There were many Noblemen and aboue one hundred and twentie Gentlemen of good esteeme aduenturers that went at their owne charges to winne honor among the which were the Prince of Ascoly the Marquis of Pennafyel the Marquis of Barlango with many other Marquises and Earles of good account Whilest this armie was in this sort preparing the Duke of Parma receiued commandement from the King to make ready his forces in the Netherlands to ioyne with this armie where-vpon hee sent for ship-writes and worke-men out of Italy to build shippes setting many thousands on worke to digge and deepen riuers especially the riuer of Iperlee to bring certaine shippes from Antwerpe to Gant and so to Bruges where hee gathered together aboue three hundred small Boates lading them with victuals and munition the which hee thought to bring to Scluce and so into the Sea or through the new deepned water of Iperlee into the other hauens of Flanders Hee had also prepared three score and ten flatte bottomed boates which laye in the water of Watene euery one able to carry thirty horses with bridges made to shippe and vnship them There were also two hundred flatte bottomed boates more ready in the hauen of Newport but not so big as the others In Dunkerke they had made ready two and thirty ships of warre and hauing want of saylers hee sent to Hambrough Emden Breme and other places to hire them hee expected fiue ships from Hambrough well appointed with many saylers and had hyred fiue ships that then lay at Dunkerke These shippes hee went to lade with great store of piles of wood made sharpe at the ends with Yron pikes and at Graueling hee had twenty thousand emptie caske which might soone bee made fast one vnto the other with cordes like a bridge with all other furniture to make bridges to stoppe hauens and to pyle vp waters and to that end hee had prouided within Nieuport a mighty great heape of fagots and all other prouision for sconses Hee had shipt many saddles and bridles and other furniture for horses and horses also for carriages with ordinance and all other necessary prouision for the warre Neere vnto Nieuport hee had lying vnder the command of Camillo maister of the campe thirty companies of Italians two of Wallons and eight of Bourguignons euery company being a hundred men At Dyxmewe hee mustred foure score companies of Netherlanders three score of Spaniards three score of high Dutches and seauen of rebellious and trayterous Englishmen vnder the leading of Sir William Stanley and others which were ready to take shippe In the suburbes of Cortricke there were foure thousand lodged and at VVatene nine hundred horse with the Cornet of the Marquis of Guast who was generall of the horse To this great enterprize and imaginary conquest diuerse Princes and Noblemen came from diuerse countries Out of Spaine came the Duke of Pastrana who was sayd to be the sonne of Ruy Gomez de Silua Prince of Mileto but hee was held to bee the Kings Bastard sonne the Marquis of Bourgou one of the Archduke Ferdinands sonnes by Philippina Welserime Don Vespasian Gonsagua of the house of Mantua a great soldier who had beene Viceroy in Spaine Don Iohn de Medices bastard of Florence Don Amedeus bastard of Sauoy with many such like besides others of meaner qualitie Sixtus Quintus Pope of Rome forgot not likewise to send forth his Crusado as hee vseth against the Turkes published by his Bulles for the furthering of this great enterprise with great perswasions the which were Printed in all places The Englishmen and the Netherlanders scoft at these Bulls saying that the diuill was become a theefe by the high way and cared not for such pasports It was sayd hee had giuen the realme of England to the King of Spaine with the title of the defender of the Christian faith commanding him to ouer-runne the same vpon condition that hee should hold it as feudatorie of the Sea of Rome and to that end the Pope should contribute a Million of golde the one halfe to bee payed presently and the other when England or any notable hauen therein should be wonne The Queene hearing of this great preparation in Spaine shee sent forth her shippes of warre with other Marchants shippes the greatest to lye at Plymouth in the West parts vnder the command of the Lord Charles Haward Lord high Admirall of England and of many other Noble men of qualitie and the small shippes being some forty or fiftie sayle kept the narrow Seas betwixt Douer and Calais vnder the conduct of the Lord Henry Seymor sonne to the Duke of Sommerset The vnited Prouinces first of all in regarde of the shallowes and flattes of their coast made prouision of twenty small shippes to keepe all the hauens of Flanders from Lillo in the riuer of Scheld vnto Graueling by Calais putting great garrisons into their sea Townes and when as this great armie of Spaniards should bee ready to come they sent forth Captaine Loucke of Rosendale with fiue and twenty or thirty shippes to ioyne with the Lord Henry Seymor but when as the shippes were forced by a storme to leaue the Flemish coast and to sayle backe into Zeeland it beeing past they put to sea againe and with them Iustinus of Nassau the Admirall and Ioyâ—… Moyer vice-admirall of Zeeland being in all about fiue and thirty ships from a hundred and sixtie to fiue hundred tun burthen a peece very well appointed with great store of good saylers and 1200. old soldiers all Musketiers chosen out of the regements and well acquanted with the sea being fully resolued to fight and to keepe the Duke of Parma from bringing his fleet out of any hauen in Flanders whereon consisted the greatest part of their safety Vpon the nine and twenty day of May 1588. this great and mightie armie of Spaine put to sea and sailed from Lisbon to the Groine in Gallicia where they tooke in more men and munition it being the neerest hauen to England Being at sea they were scattered by a tempest the Duke of Medina entring againe into the Groine with foure score shippes the rest following as well as they could except eight of them which had spent their Maisters Of the foure
officers before to view the commodiousnesse of the ground before Berghen which hee meant to besiege as well for the planting of his ordinance as for the quartering of his men One of these officers who was a commissarie of the ordinance called Pedro de Luco and an other named Thomas Swegoe who professed himselfe to bee an Italian were taken prisoners by certaine soldiars of the garrison of Berghen who were at that time sent out as Scoutes which prisoners being thus surprized were committed to the safe keeping of maister Read-head who was then appointed by the Lord Willoughby to be deputie Prouost of the towne of Berghen These prisoners had not continued many dayes in his custodie before that William Grimeston hauing had some conference with Swegoe found cause to suspect him to be an Englishman borne and there-vpon deuised with Read-head how to discouer him who hauing good oportunitie to discourse with them for that they were in his custodie hee told Swegoe that hee was much discontented with his entertainment and vsage on that side wishing that he were with the Kings forces vnder the command of Sir William Stanley vnder whom hee had serued in Ireland Where-vpon Swegoe wisht Read-head to bee merry and of good comfort saying that hee was an English man and borne in Seething lane in London that his Mother was one of the Queenes women and that hee had a sister which attended on the Lady Lomley protesting that it was a happy time for Read-head that euer hee was taken prisoner and if hee would be aduised by him hee would be the meanes both to aduance him to great wealth and to make him liue in great reputation where-vpon Read-head did willingly yeeld to performe any thing that hee would direct him in Then did Swegoe acquaint the foresaid comissarie of the ordinance with all this conference which had past betwixt him and Read-head where-vpon the comissary told him that if he could deliuer any port of the towne or any of the sconses or any peece of ground of aduantage he would assure him he should bee so bountifully entertained by the King as hee should neuer want whilest hee liued to whom Read-head made answer that hee had no command neither within the towne nor sconses but hee had a friend who hee knew was as greatly discontented as him-selfe whome hee would acquaint there-with not doubting but to effect their desire The same day Read-head did conferre with William Grimeston who had then the command of Captaine Thomas Baskeruile his company lying in the North Sconse and told him that hee had discouered the foresayd Swegoe to bee an English man and that if he would secretly ioyne with him hee doubted not but they should giue the enemie a great ouerthrow doe good seruice to the country and purchase great credit and aduancement to themselues where-vnto Grimeston did very willingly assent who presently went and aduertised the Lord Willoughby their generall of all that had past who seemed to be very glad thereof willing the sayd Grimeston to proceed in this practise and to promise to deliuer vp the North sconse vnto the Duke of Parma and for a discharge of Grimestons dealing in this action the Lord Willoughby gaue him a warrant vnder his owne hand Then did Read-head bring Grimeston to the Comissarie of the ordinance and to Swegoe who told them in what manner Read-head had broken with him and that hee was willing to doe the King seruice but hee would haue some assurance how he should bee entertained for that hee was not able to liue in his owne country and had many friends of worth all which he must forgoe and therefore he would be assured of some certaintie where-vpon the Comissarie of the Ordinance and Swegoe did assure Grimeston of the Duke of Parmas honorable dealing with him if he did performe that seruice and deliuer vp the North sconse wherewith he seeming to rest satisfied the comissarie of the ordinance and Swegoe did write three letters one to the Duke of Parma an other to sir William Stanley and the third to Owen of all their practise and proceedings which letters they could not deuise to send without discouery where-vpon Read-head told them that rather then the seruice should be any way hindered or protacted hee himselfe would aduenture to carry the letters whereof hauing giuen copies to the Lord Willoughby hee past with them accordingly in the night time through Grimestons sconse to the enemies campe where at his comming the Sentinell gaue an alarum and some fiue or sixe shotte were discharged at the sayd Read-head but in the end hee was receiued by a Sargeant and some two shotte carrying him presently to the Marquis of Renty who after many questions sent him with a Captaine and some twenty soldiers vnto the Duke vnto whom he deliuered his letters which when hee had read hee sent for his councell and for Sir William Stanley who examined the sayd Read-head of diuerse matters as well of the strength of the garrison within the towne as how they were furnished with munition and victualls with sundry other questions concerning himselfe and the seruice he had in hand how he came out of the towne without descouery and how hee could returne againe with many others all which were answered to their contents Then the Duke of Parma desired to know when hee should haue the sconce deliuered vnto him wherevnto Readhead made answere that hee could not tell for that it was in Maister Grimeston to performe who had the commande thereof And if it pleased his highnesse to send some one with him whome hee might trust he would bring him to conferre with Maister Grimeston by whome hee should vnderstand his full and certaine resolution wherewith the Prince was well pleased and sayd that hee would send one with him to talke with Maister Grimeston protesting to deale honorably with them and to performe whatsoeuer his men had promised with an increase wherevnto Readhead made answere that for his owne particular hee did vereliebeleeue it because hee heard him speake it but to satisfie Maister Grimeston and to incourage him the better to effect the seruice hee desired him to haue it vnder his hand wherevnto hee did willingly consent And at that instant Readhead brought away certaine Articles signed by the Duke the which hee deliuered to Grimeston and with him the Duke of Parma sent one Alford a Yorkeshire man and a guide to speake with Grimeston and the chiefest reason was to know when hee should haue the sconce deliuered Wherevpon Grimeston willed Alford to tell the Duke that hee could not appoint any certaine time for that hee was suspected for his Religion and had many eies to ouer-looke him But when hee had made all matters cleere and readie to bee performed hee would come ouer to the Duke beseeching him in the meanetime to haue patience and not to thinke the time long for that it should bee effectually performed On the sixt of October beeing
prisoners ransomes taken to value the prises of all goods brought in by sea Captaines And to the end the saylers should doe their duties and fight willingly euery one is allowed his part of the prises which they haue taken according to his place and they are often times rewarded by the admiralty for their good seruices besides their monethly wages This yeare the States garrisons made diuers incursions into the enemies country they of Heusden and Geertruydenberg in Brabant went forth with eight hundred men horse and foote the horsemen taking vp the foote-men behind them and went to Tilborch by Boisleduke whereas some of the Duke of Parmas troupes lay whome they charged and defeated whereof diuers being slaine the rest fled into the church but they durst not stay to force them fearing that vpon the alarume the garrisons there about would issue forth and charge them and so they returned backe with good prize The like did they of Berghen vp Zoom being lesse then a hundred soldiers whereof fiue or six were horse-men of captaine Baxe his companie and led by a Sargent they went to doe an exployt vpon Botchloon whereof they fayled yet they past valiantly through a company of soldiars and came to Thienen where there lay fiue or sixe companies of Spaniards into the which they got by reason that the towne is great and draue out the Spaniards putting three companies of them to the sword and then spoyled the towne the enemie attended them at their comming forth being about foure hundred strong but they making head valiantly not onely forced through them but came safe to their garrison withall their booty which is a thing almost incredible The Zeelanders being about seauenty strong past ouer the water into Flanders and there cut of a conuoie going to Cortrick where besides the foote there were aboue two hundred horsemen and thirty Marchants which did ride the Zeelanders first charged the horse-men with their shot and tooke some of them and then defeated the rest carrying away as much booty as they could and so returned into Zeeland Sir Martin Schenck in like sort was not Idle but made road as farre as Momedi and in December he had secret intelligence with some of Nymeghen meaning to vndermine the wall whereas the ditch was not very deepe and so to blow it vp but by reason of some store of raine which fell about that time and stood in the diches he could not effect his desseigne There were many subtill enterprises attempted about this time of either side both in Brabant Gelderland and Freezland some-times with profit some-times with losse for that there were many good soldiars of either side who sought daily to winne honor and credit Sir Martin Schenck to recouer some of his losses in the beginning of Nouember made a sconse at Herwerden vpon the Rine without the consent of the Estates which was some impayring of their publicke authority but by the perswasion of Prince Maurice and the Lord Willoughby hee had a great charge giuen vnto him that hee should throw it downe againe The English garrison in the Brill began to mutine for their pay being some-what long ere it came that garrison lying in such sort as the soldiars had good meanes to helpe them-selues by incursions vpon the enemie but for that their pay according to the contract was to be brought out of England the Estates of Holland disbursed the mony for the Queene and so stayed the mutiny The enemies garrisons being also in great want and misery began to mutine for want of pay for that the Kings Indian treasor was not able to counteruaile the great cost and charges of his warres part of those wants were supplied by the King of Spaines name and authority and yet not so well but diuers of their souldiers put themselues vnder the Estates where they might haue surer pay and better meanes to helpe themselues by incursions In the beginning of this yeare the garrison of Geertruyden bergh beganne to mutine againe it is a towne belonging to Prince Maurice lying right against Dort vpon the Mecwe or Vlack which is a water made by the Rhine and the Mase this garrison suspecting that some-thing might bee attempted against them they presently disarmed the Bourgers and staied all the shippes and boates that past by taking contributions burning villages and committing all insolencies as enemies to the Estates Vpon the sixe and twentie of Nouember past the souldiars beeing perswaded to vnion they made answere by writing the which they sayd was signed by Sir Iohn Wingfield Gouernor of the towne the Englishmen and other captaines that they would all die before they would deliuer the Bourgers their armes againe and beeing sent for to serue in any place they made them this answere that they were all resolued to serue vnder the enemie rather then vnder Prince Maurice or the Estates who considering of this their resolution and finding that they entertained all fugitiue souldiers and sought to incite other garrisons to the like rebellion hauing receiued intelligence that from the second day of February this yeare they had beene in treatie with the Duke of Parma Prince Maurice with the aduise of the Estates resolued seeing that the Lord Willoughby Sir Iohn Norris nor Maister Bodley could not preuaile with them and that the Lord Willoughby was as then to goe for England to besiege the towne both by water and by land considering the daunger thereof and of the townes lying about it and so comming before it the fiue and twenty day of March hee sent a kinde letter to them of the towne by a drum giuing them to vnderstand that the Gouernor Sir Iohn Wingfield and other captaines had threatned to deliuer the towne into the enemies hands and what a dishonor and danger they should thereby purchase vnto themselues offring them all contentment wherevnto they made answere that they would rather seeke aide from the enemie then yeeld to Prince Maurice or the States threatning to hang vp his messenger The towne of Dort did likewise write vnto them but they tare their letters And when as the Lord Willoughby wrot his letters on the eighteenth of March to Sir Iohn Wingfiled his brother in law desiring him to finde meanes to come away rather then his presence should giue any cause of offence Sir Iohn Wingfield refused it saying that he had sworne to liue and die with the souldiers as long as they would hold that towne for her Maiestie and the good of the Netherlands who protested to deliuer it rather to the enemie then to Prince Maurice or the Estates with other words to the like effect In the meane time Prince Maurice did what he could to win the towne and beganne to batter it furiously they within defended themselues yet there was a reasonable breach made and being readie to giue an assault they within cunningly offred a composition by a minister and a deputie whom they had sent forth to treate
to the townes of Heusden Gorrichom and Dordrect nor mount vpwards Prince Maurice hearing that hee had turned head that way hee presently sent Floris of Brederode Lord of Cloetingeâ—… brother to the Lord of Brederode with his regiment by the same riuer to the fort of Creuecaeur causing his shippes of warre with boats and artillery to follow the which sailed so happely with a westerly winde as without any let they came and cast anchor iust before the Fort. The Prince being assured that Mansfeldt began to plant his canon and had resolued to batter it went himselfe in person with the body of his armie with the which he past into the Iland of Bommel going to campe in a village called Heel right against the said fort the which he supplied with artillery which the besieged did so imploy as Mansfeldt hauing his quarter drowned with the waters which did rise was forced to retire his armie and to campe halfe a League of In the meane time the said chanell was stopt that nothing could go in nor out In the end after that Mansfeldt had stayed there some time made a great spoile especially of the Hoppe groundes whereof that country is very full his men leauing not a pole vnburnt so as the hoppes were spoyled hee left this place of Creuaecuer in peace to his great greefe Behold what little honor this old soldiar got before these two places of Gheertruydenberg and Creuecaeur This fort had beene first built by the Spaniards who gaue it that name for that it held the riuer of Meuze in subiection to the great greefe of the Hollanders and especially of them of Dordrecht by reason of the marchandise which came by this riuer vnto them out of the country of Liege and higher But the Estates hauing taken it from them left it the same name for that it was a heart-breaking to them of Boislduc who could receiue nothing by water but through the fauor of this Fort whereas they must pay vnto the Estates their towles and customes and whereas their shippes are serched as they passe and must yeeld an account if they bee well freed at their comming out of the country Whilest that they made warre in this sort in Brabant William Lewis Earle of Nassau gouernor for the Estates in the country of Friseland going the 4. day of April from Oosthorne came the 13. to campe at Bellingwolderziel the which hee fortified to cut off the passage to Borentanghe Collonel Verdugo gouernor of Groning for the King of Spaine presented himselfe as if he would hinder him from making of this Fort with 2500. horse and foote But finding it almost in defence and well furnished hee durst not attempt it buâ—… retired from thence so as the Earle had good leisure and meanes to finish it And such men as he needed not in his army he sent to his cousin Prince Maurice Verdugo fortefied himselfe with 3000. foote and eight cornets of horse thinking to do the Earle an affront who then lay quiet within the Fort of Newoort two leagues from Groning expecting the return of his troupes which he had sent vnto the Prince the which were sent backe vnto him after the taking of Gheertruydenberg So as hee was re-nforced with twenty companies of foote and twelue cornets of horse with the which he went to field and beseeged Gramberge with sixe peeces of artillery the which he won with some other small forts there-abouts Then hauing victualed Covoerden and Otmarsam hee went before the strong castle of Vedde the which yeelded as soone as the battery was planted with the other fort by the which they crost the riuer Winschooten was abandoned and by that meanes the Earle made himselfe maister of all the passage of Boerentanghe the which he went about to fortifie with all speed before the succours came which the Earle of Mansfeldt should send vnto Verdugo beeing two thousand foote eight hundred horse eight peeces of ordynance and two hundred wagons besides three hundred horse more led by Verdugoes Lieutenant the which past at Linghen the fift of September expecting greater troupes from about Namur This fort of Boerentanghe was then wholie finished which cut off the passages to the towne of Groning the walles were a pike high with fiue Bulwarkes well flanked the ditches were 80. foote broade very deepe and full of water hauing fiue companies of foote in it The place was well munitioned for two monethes neyther could they cut off the victualls which came vnto it from Westphalia side Cont William appointed captaine Frederic of Iongh to command in the place MAVRICE OF NASSAV BORNE Prince of Orange Marquis of La Vere and of Flushing Earle of Nassau Meurs Catsenellebogen Dyets Vianden c. Baron of Breda c. gouernor of Gelder of Holland Zeeland Vtrecht and Ouerysell Great Captaine and Admirall generall of the vnited Prouinces of the Low-countries MAVRITIVS D. G. NATVS AVR PRINC NASSOV MARC VERAE ET VLIS ET BELG PROVIN GVB The Spaniard fil'd with rage and deepe disdaine To haue his faith-breach quit and bee expeld For his Iniurious and Imperious raigne In Holland Zeeland and the rest he held Bard from reuenge vnable to refraine His wrath against that good vnited State Practis'd a murther at a costly rate And cut my Fathers vitall thred in twaine Halfe cut before An act vnparalelld For foulenesse but thankes Heauen behold what gaine He got by this my fathers awfull fate Vertue and valor euer curbing Spaine Surviue in me the Spaniards scourge and awe Am I that euer will vphold NASSAV SVRCVLVS FACTVS ARBOR The Branch is made a Tree I Must aduertise you that this picture of Prince Maurice should haue beene placed in the yeare of our Lord 1589. presently after the Earle of Leceister had left the Gouernment of the vnited Prouinces but not as Gouernor of those Prouinces but onely as Generall of the Estates armie in those Prouinces as hee hath continued vnto this day the which beeing through negligence omitted in his due place I am inforced to insert it here though somewhat improperly rather then to leaue it out altogither hee hauing done such worthie and memorable seruices to the vnited Estates WHilest that the Spaniards and their adherents impoyled all their wits to continue the miseries of France hoping by the meanes of a parliament held by the league so to trouble the Estate and to breed such a confusion as in the meane time they should haue good meanes to aduance their designes vpon the Netherlands England and vpon France it selfe Henry the fourth was solicited by some councellors nere vnto his person and from diuers other parts to leaue the open profession of the reâ—…ormed religion and to adhere vnto the ceremonies of the Romish church Their reasons were that to chase away the Spaniard and to get Paris and other townes of the league for himselfe hee must of necessity take from them of that party the maske of
caused it to bee presently ruined whilst that hee was busie to repaire the breaches and to make plaine the campe before Rhinebercke then hauing viewed the towne and Castell of Meurs the scituation and the country about it for the planting of his campe after that hee had left a sufficient garrison of horse and foote in Rhinberck vnder the charge of Captaine Schaef hee caused all his army to march the twenty sixe of the moneth towards Meurs the which hee beseeged making ready to force it but the seauenth day following which was the second of September before they had endured one cannon shot although both towne and castle were places of a reasonable strength and had eight or nine hundred men in them wanting nothing for their defence especially in the castell yet they were so faint-harted by a soden amazement which tooke them hearing the sommonce that was made to yeeld and thinking of the little or no meanes that was made to succor Rhinberck which was much stronger and of greater importance hoping for no succors when they had done their best being loth to bee scackt they were resolued before they would endure a battery of twelue peeces which weee ready to enter into treaty and to get the most honorable composition they could which the Prince hauing other desseigns and to winne time granted them to depart the next day being the third of September withall their armes horses and baggage their collours flying drums beating bullets in their mouths matches light and besides to carry away one field peece the which had neuer beene vsed during all the Estates warres but to winne time hauing much worke else-where they did graunt them all they demanded More-ouer they had some Wagons graunted them to carry away their baggage and a good conuoy to conduct them to some other place of more better safetie Prince Maurice hauing thus freed the Rhine and cut of the Spaniards passage into Freeseland after that hee had setled a good order in these three townes and Castells the which hee had gotten in one moneth with a little labour or losse hee resolued in like manner to goe and free the country of Freeseland and Oueryssell so as on the eight of September he past the Rhine with all his army at Rhineberck causing his shippes of warre and munition to fall downe the Rhine at Ysseloort into the riuer of Yssel vnto Dousbourg in the Conty of Zutphen being determined to set vpon Grolle the which hauing beseeged two yeares before he left for that the Spaniards vnder the leading of Collonel Mondragon gouernor of the castle of Antwerp came to cut of his victualls before which towne hee came with his army and did invest it the eleuenth of September in the which there were some thousand two hundred soldiars that is ten Captaines of foote and three Cornets of horse vnder the command of Cont Frederick vanden Bergh brother to Cont Harman who then carried him-selfe as gouernor of all Freeseland for the King of Spaine The first thing which Prince Maur ce did after that hee had well intrencht his campe was to drawe the water of the diches and then to make galleries through them euen to the foote of the rampar that they might go couered to the sappe The towne was reasonable strong and could not bee easely wonne without a good battery as well to take away their defences as to make a breach to come vnto the assault wherefore hee planted twenty foure peeces of ordinance so as Iohn Bovuier maister of the fire-workes plaid the diuell in sending forth his firy bullets the which set fire of the towne in diuers places so as the beseeged were much troubled to quench it who in the meane time did their best endeauors to defend them-selues shooting with their great ordinance through the campe and sometimes sallying forth But as the rampar was already vndermined in seauen or eight places and the galleries in a maner finished to go to the sappe and all the artillery redy planted the Prince an enemy to the effusion of humaine bloud being loth to ruine the poore people without ineuitable necessity and desirous to spare his men as much as might be as it is alwaies his custome to batter furiously without intermission vntill he hath made a breach and then presently to giue an assault but he would first sommon Cont Vanden Bergh and the beseeged to yeeld the which hee did the seauenteenth of the moneth promising them a good composition if they did yeeld and not attend the fury of the cannon otherwise if he were forced to take it by assault they should feele the fury of a victorious enemy prouoked by their obstinacy to reuenge The beseeged seeing the Estate of their towne halfe burnt the galleries sappes and mines the great store of ordinance and all things redy to force them hauing little hope of succors and much lesse then the townes taken beyond the Rhine they were willing to yeeld to a good composition and not to attend any further extremity promising to yeeld and to depart the next day with all there armes and baggage leauing their Enseignes and Cornets vppon condition not to serue against the Estates on this side the Rhine for the space of 3. moneths and that they should retire beyond the riuer of Meuse The horsemen leauing their horses at the Princes descretion wherewith hee might mount some of his men if it were his pleasure but vsing of his accustomed courtesie and bounty and to let his enemies know that hee wanted not he gaue them backe againe to one of their Captaines an Italien which begged them rather then to the Earle of Vaâ—…den Bergh although hee weare his Cosin Germaine Brother and Sisters children Hee graunted them in like manner a great number of Wagons to carry away their hurt men and baggage vnto the Rhine Thus was the towne of Grolle yeelded at which seege there was no great losse of men of either side but the losse fell vpon the poore Bourgers who had their houses burnt The Prince hauing layd the trenches of his campe euen and put a sufficient garrison into Grolle on the first of October he went with his army before the towne and Castle of Brefort in the same country of Ouerysel places by nature strong hauing but two approches to them one before and an other behinde but other-wise enuironed round about with marishes and boggs and besides so fortefied by the industrie of man as they seemed impregnable being manned with three hundred good soldiars which were sufficient for the capacity of those places vnder the command of a Lorraine Captaine The Prince the better to make his approches and to winne a passage caused many bauins and fagots hardelles and plankes to bee cast in those places which were most inaccessible vpon the which on either side there were gabions planted with twenty peeces of ordinance to batter the rauelins which couered the two ports on the East
place of their assembly at Veruine where they continued long before they could resolue The Queene of England and the generall Estates sent their Ambassadors into France concerning this treatie as nothing pleased with this conformitie of the French King with the Spaniards but they returned with-out any effect The Estates Embassadors by reason of the contrary windes came too late the Treatie of peace being concluded with the Spaniard Yet going to the king to Nantes they were welcomed much made of and had priuate audience whereas the king assured them of his loue and good affection to the sayd Prouinces so as they returned reasonablie well satisfied from his Maiestie Yet the Estates sent other ambassadours to the Queene of England to conferre of that which was to be done or not done concerning this peace the said ambassadors were Iohn Duyvenvorae knight Siegnior of Warmont Admirall and great forrester of Holland Maister Iohn Vanderwerck Councellor of the Estates of Zeeland and Iohn Hottinga a Squire both Deputies of the generall Estates And although it seemed according to the league made in the yeare 1596. betwixt France and England in the which the vnited Prouinces were comprehended that the King should not haue proceeded in this treatie of peace with the Spaniard without the consent of his allyes yet the French King thought himselfe sufficiently discharged in that behalfe to haue inuited and summoned the Queene and the said Estates who by their refusall or delayes could not bridle his will hauing giuen the Ambassadors both of the one and the other sufficiently to vnderstand how necessary peace was for his kingdome to restore and put his poore subiects in breath his condition being contrary to the Queenes and the Estates who preserued and maintained them-selues by warre and hee on the other side did but ruine his realme thereby In the end hee concluded the sayd peace with the Cardinalls Deputies in the name of the King of Spaine their Maister the articles whereof I haue set downe briefly and succinctly as followeth 1. First it is agreed that the Treatie of peace concluded and resolued betwixt the said Kings Henry the fourth and Philip the second in confirmation of the articles conteined in the treatie of peace made at Chasteau Cambresis 1559. betwixt the sayd Catholicke King and Henry the second the French king deceased of high and worthy memorie which treatie the sayd Deputies haue a new confirmed in all points without innouating any thing but all shall remaine firme except that which shall bee expresly derogated by this present Treatie 2. According to the which from the day of the date of this present treatie betwixt the said Kings their children borne or to be borne heires and successors realmes countries and subiects there shall be a good firme sure and stable peace confederation perpetuall league and amitie they shall loue one another as bretheren procuring by all meanes the good honor and reputation one of another and shall auoyde as much as they may the hurt one of another They shall not fauor nor maintaine any person to the preiudice one of another and from this day they shall cease all acts of hostilitie forgetting all things past the which shall remaine abolished without any future mention thereof Renouncing by this present treatie all practises leagues and intelligences which may tend to the preiudice of the one or the other either of them promising neuer to doe any thing nor to procure to bee done that may tend to the hurt and preiudice of the other nor to suffer their vassailes or subiects to doe it directly or indirectly And if here-after any of what qualitie or condition soeuer they bee shall goe against it and serue by land or sea or in any other sort to ayde and assist to the preiudice of eyther of the sayd Kings the other shall bee bound to oppose him-selfe and to punish them seuerely as breakers of this Treatie and troublers of the publick quiet 3. And by meanes of the sayd peace and strict amitie the subiects of either side whatsoeuer may in keeping the lawes and customes of the countrie goe come remaine frequent conuerse and returne in peace from one vnto the other in trade of Marchandise or conuersing and treating together as they shall thinke good by land sea or riuers And their subiects shall bee defended and maintained paying the duties in all accustomed places which shall bee appointed by their Maiesties and their successors 4. All letters of Marke aâ—…d reprisall which haue been giuen for what cause so-euer shall be suspended and here-after none shall be giuen by either of them to the preiudice of the others subiects but against the chiefe offenders their goods and adherents and that in case of manifest deniall of Iustice whereof and of the letters of sommation and requisition thereof those that pursue the said letters of Marke and reprisall shall make proofe as it is required by law 5. The townes subiects and inhabitants of the Counties of Flanders Arthois and other Prouinces of the Netherlands together with the realmes of Spaine shall enioy the preuiledges freedomes and liberties which haue beene granted by the Kings of France predecessors to the most Christian King and in like maner the townes subiects and inhabitants of the realme of France shall also enioy the preuiledges freedomes liberties which they haue in the said Netherlands and in the realme of Spaine as euerie one hath hereâ—…ofore inioyed and vsed them and as they did enioy them by vertue of the Treatie made in the yeare 1559. and other former Treaties 6 It is also agreed in case the catholick King should giue or transferre by testament donation or resignation or by any other title whatsoeuer to the noble Infanta the lady Isabella his eldest daughter or to any other all his Prouinces of the Netherlands with the counties of Bourgongue and Charolois that all the said Prouinces and Counties are meant to be comprehended in this present treatie as they were in the yeare 1559. together with the sayd Lady Infanta or hee in whose fauour the sayd King hath disposed it neither shall it bee needfull to make a new treatie to that effect 7. The subiects of eyther Prince as well cleargie as secular men shall returne although they haue serued the contrary party into their benefices and offices to the which they were preferred before the end of December 1588. except Curates others being cannonically called and to the enioying of their immoueable goods rents and annuities seazed on and held by reason of the warre begun in the sayd yeare 1588. to enioye them from the publication of this peace and in like manner of those which are since fallen vnto them by succession or otherwise with-out making any question or demanding of any of the fruites before time receiued since the seazure and holding of the sayd immoueable goods vnto the publication of this present Treatie nor of the debts which haue beene consumed before the
againe ibid. Gaspar of Robles Lord of Billy his behauiour in Groning 614 Gaspar of Anastro a Bankeroat Marchant vndertakes to kill the Prince of Orange 799 Geldrois in warre against the Hollanders 169. they reuolt from the house of Bougongne 193. Geldres sold to the Spaniard by Patton a Scottishman 958 George Duke of Saxony succeeds Duke Henrie his broâ—…her in Frisland 225. hee resignes it to Prince Chaerles 241 Gaesbeck surprised by the Spaniard 803 Gerard van Velsen a knight of Holland kills Floris Earle of Holland 68. is besieged taken and executed 69 Gheertruyde widowe to Cont Floris 1. tutrix to her sonne Floris Earle of Holland marries with Robert the Frison ibid. George of Lalaine Earle of Rheneberg yeelds Groning trecherously to the Spaniard 734. Genles and the French comming to releeue Mons defeated by the Duke of Alua. 489 Gheertruydenberg surprized by the Prince of Orange 528. the souldiers mutyning it is besieged by Prince Maurice 1016. sold to the Duke of Parma 1017. besieged and taken by Prince Maurice 1â—…61 Ghisbrecht of Brederow chosen bishoppe of Vtrecht 148. hee compounds with the Duke of Bourgongne and resignes his Bishopricke ibid. Gouernors and Knights of the Order assembled in the Netherlands touching the new bishops 348 Graue in Brabant besieged by the Spaniard yeelded 950. taken againe by Prince Maurice 1280 Groll besieged and yeelded to Prince Maurice 1131. recouered by the Marquis Spinola 1360 Groningers offer to acknowledge the Earle of Holland 113 Groning besieged by the duke of Saxony 229. treates with the Earle of Embden yeeldes vnto the Estates and their gouernor prisoner 614. a tumult in the towne and some of the Clergie prisoners 649. they are forced to enter into the vnion of Vtrecht 701. deliuered vp to the Spaniard 734. besieged and yeelded to Prince Maurice 1091 Groenevelt gouernor of Sluis 909 Gorrichom taken 130 Guy of Dompierre Earle of Flanders makes war in Holland 66 Groningers send to the Emperor 213 Guisnes taken by assault from the French 625 Gramberghe yeelded to Cont William of Nassau 1068 Goor abandoned to the Estates 1133 Ghistelles gouernor of Ostend 1302. slaine there 1305 Groning Castell beaten downe 1366 H HArlem besieged by Contesse Iaqueline 139. punished by the duke of Saxony 210 Harlem besieged by the duke of Alua defends it selfe valiantly 491. yeelds to the Dukes mercy 514. redeemes it selfe from spoile ibid. Haultepenne and Cont Hohenlo make hot warres 907 Haultepenne defeated and slaine 950 Henrie Duke of Saxony leaues Frisland to his brother George 225 Herentalls in Brabant abandoned to the Spaniard by the Collonels of Antwerp 851 Heraugier surprizeth Breda and is made gouernor 1035 Hemert gouernor of Graue executed at Vtrecht 951 Hollanders rebell against Thierry of Aquitane their first Earle 3. defeated in Frisland and their reuenge 63. twise defeated by the Flemings in Walchren 81. in warre with them of Vtrecht 134. they take armes to succor the bishop of of Vtrecht 196. defeated by them of Vtrecht ibid. Hookins chased out of Leyden by the Cabillautins 195. they recouer the towne ibid. Humbercourt wyns great honour at the yeelding vp of Liege 162 Hulst surprized by the Ganthois 209. besieged and taken by Prince Maurice 1051. along and deere siege to Cardinall Albert which in the end yeelds 1117 Horsemen of the Duke of Parmas defeated by Prince Manrice in the Betuwe 1050 Huy in the Countrie of Liege surprized by Herauguiere and recouered presently by the Spaniard 1103 I IAqueline or Iacoba Countesse of Holland 128. made sure to Iohn Duke of Brabant 129. defeates the Lord of Arckel and marries with Duke Iohn 130. leaues the Duke her husband 135. marries with the Duke of Glocester 137. besieged by the Duke of Brabant in Mons deliuered to the Duke of Bourgongne and escapes 138 abandoned by the Duke of Glocester 139. is victorious at Alpen 140. shee makes an accord with the Duke of Bourgongne 141. marries with Franc of Borselle 142. her death 143 Iames Heesel a Councellor hanged at Gand 682. Iealousie betwixt the Nobilitie of the Netherlands for the Lieutenancie of the Archduke Mathias 654 Iealousie in the Germaine Princes Campe 1219. Ieronimo Rhoda a Priest chiefe of the Spanish mutines 595 Iohn Earle of Henaut succeeds in the Countie of Holland 78. defeates the Flemings 83. his death 85 Iohn de Renesse a knight of Zeland wrongfully accused and banished 74. hee prouokes the Earle of Flanders against the Earle of Holland 79. his death ibid. Iohn Lord of Arckel and his children make warre against the Earle of Holland 118 Iohn van Vlyet beheaded at the Hage 137 Iohn of Koestein vndertakes to poison the Earle of Charolois 150. is beheaded ibid. Iohn of Bauaria bishop of Liege carries himselfe as Tutor of Holland 13â—… hee obtaines the Earldome of the Emperor from his Neece Iaqueline Leyden yeelded to him 134. his death 137 Iohn Earle of Nassau brings Iewells out of Spaine to King Philip. 233 Iohn of Imbise and his actions at Gant 714. his returne out of Germany 827. for his treachery he is executed at Gant 859 Iohn of Austria bastard to the Emperor Charles the fift Gouernor in the Netherlands 600. he confirmes the pacification of Gant 623. he growes hatefull to the Estates 635. his dissembling 636. thinking to assure Antwerp hee looseth it 638. hee seizeth vpon the Castle of Namur 640 his letters intercepted 646 hee seekes to iustifie himselfe ibid. the reasons of his retreate hee sends to succor Ruremonde 651 he raiseth an army 653. publisheth his iustification 649. defeates the Estates at Gemblours 654 hee recouers many townes in Henault 656. his death 677 Inundation voluntarily made by Delf to relecue Leyden 567 Iarres betwixt the English and Zeelanders 592 Images beaten downe in Flanders 409 Inglemuster besieged by La Noue 774 English and Scots defeated by the Duke of Parma at Rosendael 826 Infanta of Spaine giuen in marriageto Albertus Archduke of Austria 1160. is acknowledged by vertue of her procuration Dutchesse of Brabant 1169 Inondation in the Netherlands 463 Inquisition of Spaine cunningly brought into the Netherlands 342 Institution of new bishops 343 Instruction giuen by the King of Spaine to the Prince his sonne before his death 1178 English men disloyal rewarded for their treachery 358 Englishmen seize vpon the Abbot of Michels within Antwerp for their paie 688 Instructions giuen by the Prince of Orange to Generall Norris going into England 835. Island Del Principe taken by Moucheron 1156 Iustification sent by the Commons of Antwerp to the Prince of Orange 400 Iustification of the Protestant Ministers of Antwerp 409 Iustin Nassau made Admirall of Zeeland vpon the displacing of Treslon 875 Iuw Decama chosen Popestate of Frisleland 213. Iunius writes to Champigny 556. Iohn Bouvier Maister of the fire-workes to Prince Maurice slaine by mischance 1152 Isendyke besieged and yeelded to Prince Maurice 1307 Incounter at Mulhem 1352 K KAsenbroot Volck were certaine poore peasants in Holland which did rise and
children of Cont Tbierry Cont Thierry chaseth the Flemings The Frisons will acknowledge no other soueraigne but the empire Warres bewixt the Earles of Holland and Geldres A new quarrell betwixt the two Bretheren of Holland The Earles of Holland and Geldre reconciled 1198 Trouble in Frizeland The Earles of Holland and Geldre fall vpon the bishop The bishop reuengeth himselfe of the Earle of Holland An accord betwixt the two Earls the duke of Brabant the bishop 1203 Cont Thierry sicke The death of Cont Thierry The Nobilitie of his time The Contesse of Holland maried Cont William sent for to vndertake the gouernment of Holland Cont William comes into Holland He puts the yong Contesse in guard and becomes master of the countrey Cont William conquereth Zeeland The Kennemerâ—… pacified The Zeelanders call back Cont William CoÌ„t Williams children The castle of Aspren rased 1218 The Contesse of Holland dies His wife and children The beginning of the towne of Gorrichom in Holland Cont Floris a louer of iousts and tourneys Cont Floris slaine The earle of ClermoÌ„t slain The bishop of Vtrecht guardian to the yong Earle of Holland A wonderfull del 〈◊〉 of 365 children An Epltaph of the Contesse of Henneberg mother to so many children The chiefe Nobilitie of Holland The wife and children of Cont William How Cont William was chosen king of Romans The king comes to Vtrecht and ratifies their priuiledges 1253 The contesse of Flanders pretends to conquer the isle of Walchren by arms A great deseat of the Flemings The contesse goes â—…o succours into France The duke of Aiou comes to succour the contesse The wise answer of the king S. Lewis to the duke his brother The duke of Aniou retires The birth of Cont Floris 5. The contesse labours to be reconciled The pope sends for the king of Romans to come to Rome The king being in Vtrecht is traitorously wounded with a stone The king miserably slaine being sunke into the ice They burie him secretly in a countrey house The kings body found and interred at Middlebourg in Zeeland Factions for the gouernement of the Earles person and of the countrey Great trouble an Holland Cont Floris takes armes against the Frisons The Frisons defened Foure eâ—…es â—…lt by the Earle to subdue the Frisons Friseland wholy subdued The Earles of Flanders and Holland reconciled The Earle makes war against the lord of Amstel and Woerden 1290 Cont Floris his voiage into England and why A mariage betwixt Cont Floris eldest son and the king of Englands daughter The earle of Flanders pretends to assaile Zeeland The chiefe nobilitie A historie of the death of Cont Floris the 5. The violent death of Cont Floris the fifth The wonderfull loue of 〈◊〉 grey hounds The end of the conspirators The reuenge of Cont Floris death Too cruell a reuenge The Frisons send to the king of Denmarke to be their protector The gouernment of Holland diuided during the absence of Cont Iohn The Frisons defeared The Frisons ioyned to the bishop of Vtrecht are defeated The teâ—…or of the letters of reparation submission made by the Frisons Mourmont taken and rased Troubles at Dordrecht A foolish answere of the magistrat of Dordâ—…echr The death of the Earle of Holland Who the gyant Claes van Knyten was The beginning of two wicked factions in Friseland The Earle of Henaults brethren Iohns wife and children 1301 The Earle seekes to ruine Iohn de Renesse The bishop of Vtrecht taken prisoner by his owne people The bishop goes to armes The bishop slaine in battaile being ouer-bold 1301 The Epitaph of this bishop Iohn without mercy slame 1302 1303 1304 The Earle of Flanders pretends to land in Walchren The Hollanders armie defeated The earlâ—… of Flanders wins a good part of Holland Great alteration in Vtrecht The lord of Hamstede defeats the Flemings The lord of Hamstede chaseth â—…he Flemings out of Holland A great defeat of the Flemings The Hollanders besiege Iohn de Renesse in Vtrecht The death of Iohn de Renesse 1305 Death of the earle of Flanders The death of the Earle of Holland The chiefe nobilitie The wife and children of Cont William 1311 1316 An extreame famine in Holland Amstel Wâ—… erden vnited to Holland 1323 1327 1328 The Earle ouerthrowne from his horse 1332 1336 A historie of a bailife of South Holland for a cow A memorable example of iustice The death of good Cont William The chiefe nobilitie in Holland and Zeeland The chiefe families of Friseland in those daies The wife of this Cont William 1338 1342 1345 Vtrecht besieged by the Hollanders Those of Vtrecht reconciled to the Earlâ—… Cont William slaine and leaues no lawfull heires 1346 The Earledomes of Holland and Zeeland adâ—…dged to the Empresle sister to cont William She takes possessió of those countries Confiscation of â—…cclesiasticall goodâ—… The emperoâ—… children by the empresse 〈◊〉 William of Bâ—…uaria the empresse son gouernor of Holland The bishop of Vtrecht goes to liue priuatly in France The bishop of Vtrecht goes to field He defeateâ—… the Hollandeâ—…s The Empresse resumeâ—… againe the gouernment of Holland The Earle her sonne retires into Holland 1349. The bishop of Vtrecht makes warre in Holland The Hollanders deâ—…eated A truce betwixt tâ—…e Hollanders and Vtrecht 1350. 〈◊〉 in Holland of Cabillâ—…ux and Hoeâ—…ks The fruites 〈◊〉 factions to stir the sonnâ—… against the mother Cont Williaâ—… receiued in Holland A battaile betwixt the mother and the sonne 1351. The sonne raiseth a 〈◊〉 armie The sonne dâ—… fines his mothâ—… to battaile A second battaile The mother defeated 1351. An accord betwixt the mother and the sonne The factions cease not Cont Williams wife had no 〈◊〉 135â—… The Earle de fies the bishop of Vtrecht Two strange knights â—…aken pâ—…oners The Eaâ—…le enters the country oâ—… Vtrecht with â—…n armie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fâ—…om the bishop The bishop takeâ—… Wâ—…p by assault and then Muyden The 〈◊〉 of Montâ—…ort 〈◊〉 from the bishop A combâ—…te betwixt two commanderâ—… 1357. Cont Williâ—… himselfe enters into the country of Vtrecht A finall accord betwixt the Earle and bishop 1358. The Eaâ—…le of Holland becomes mad Diuision betwixt the two factions for the gouernement Albert duke of Bauaria called by the Hoeketins He is receiued for gouernor Hee agrees with his sister in lavve Alberts wiues and children By this Marguerite the earldome of Holland Zeeland and Henault came to the house of Bourgongne The Cabillautins seeke to kill the yong lord of Brederode The castell of Hemskerke besieged for Cont Albert. The Delfoi reuolt Cont Albert besiegeth Delf The inhabitants speake of a composition The captaines oppose The captaines retire in the night The towne of Delf yeelded The duke of Gelders defies the Earle of Holland The warre ended by marriage 1365. 1367. The Baron of Enghien beheaded in Henault which caused great troubles 1373. The castell of Ghildenburch 〈◊〉 to defâ—…d the sluses The lord of Vianen and those of Dordreâ—…ht discontented for the sluses Cont â—…ert spoiles the Frâ—…sons
Maurice frees Coverden The Estates go to besiege Groning A breefe description of Gronning 1594. 1594. 1594. A braue sally of the Groningers Deputies sent to treat Lankama enters the towne with fiue companies A mine which wrought great effect A Rauelin won by assault 1594. The Groningers offer to yeeld Deputies froÌ„ Groning Articles of the treatie of Groning 1595. 1594. Acâ—…ord 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 within Groning 1594. Prince Maurice return â—…s victorious to the Hage An assembly of the Princes of the â—…mpire in Germany Fredericke 〈◊〉 of the Rhine makes consessioâ—… of hâ—…s faith 1594. A new desseinge to murther Prince Maurice The sentence pronounced against Peter du Fouâ—… 1594. 1594. 1594. The mutinous Italiens and Spaniards fight The mutined Italiens offer their seruice to the French King 1595. A composition made with the mutiners Cont Philip returns by Sea The French King writes to the townes of Arthois Henault 1595. The Archdukes proposition in the Assâ—…mblie of the Estates at Brusselles The duke oâ—… Arschots speech in the Assemblie 1595. 1595. The French King proclaimes war agâ—…nst the King of Spaine The King of Spaine proclaimes warre against the French 1595. The Earle of Hohenloo marries the Lady Mary of Nassau The duke of Bouillâ—…ns marriage A rich booâ—…y taken by the Estates men The deaâ—…h of the Archduke of Ausâ—… 1595 The Bishop of Liege com plainâ—…s to the Estates for the taking of Huy Huy taken againe by assault by the Spaniard Prince Maurice enterpriâ—…e vpon Bruges 1595. Prince Maurice pursues Mondragon in his retreat Philip Earle of Nassau and Ernestus Earle of Solms hurt taken prisoners and die A controuersie betwixt Edsard Earle of East-Friseland and Emden 1595 The towne castle of Ham recouered for the French King 1595. Dou lans beseeged by the Spaniard La Motte slaine before Dourlans His disposition Villars and his troupes defeated neere vnto Dourlans Dourlans taken by assault by the Spaniards 1595. The Estates vnder the King of Spain seeke peace of the vnited Prouinces Prince Maurice his answer to the Deputies of the reconciled Estates Articles propounded by the vnited Estates 1595. Diuers opinions vpon the Articles propounded by the conâ—…ederat Estates 1595. The opinion of a learned man touching the peace 1595. Shippes of Holland and Zeeland discharged in Spaine Cambrâ—…y beseeged by the Spaniard 1595 Cambray yeelded by the Burgers ☉ Lire surprized lost againe The vnited Estates write to the Prince of Orange 1595. ☉ The prince of Oranges answer to â—…he Estates The Prince of Orange meets with his sister in the Duchie of Cleues 1595. 1596 The Cardinal of Austrâ—…a comes to go â—…rne the Ne therlands oâ—… thâ—… wing of â—…ne Calais besieged â—…y â—…he Cardinall Richbanc and Courguet wonne The towne of Calais basely yeelded 1596 The castle of Caâ—…ais taken by assault Ardres besieged and baseâ—…y â—…lded to the Cardinal I. Petit. An honorablâ—… composition at La Fere. 1596. Prince Maurice returnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rape 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…lotte 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1596 The Spaniard 〈◊〉 his Canon and plants it The Estates horsemen defeate some Spaniards The Spaniards vvinne the great trenche The Forte of Moeruaert yeelded to the Spaniard Hulst besieged neere 1596. Cont Solms hurt A braue salâ—…ie made by the besieged Collonel Piron hurt A halfe Moâ—…ne made within the towne 1596 Tâ—…o furious aslaults at Hulst Custome confirms and assuers the courragious An other assault at the port of Beguines 1596. Collonel Dorp in the place of Collonel Piron A braue sally from the fort of Nassau 1596 The poore estate of Hu'st The besieged begin to parle A Capitulation made by them of Hulst The articles of the accord 1596. The towne of Hulst a deere conquest to Cardinall Albert The Earle of Solms taxed for the yeelding of Hulst purgeth himselfe 1596. The King of Spaine proclamation whereby he dispenceth with himselfe for the paiement of his debts Many banquerouts by reason of this Edict The Marshall of Biron maks warre in Arthois 1596. 〈◊〉 â—…nch 〈◊〉 againe 〈◊〉 Arthois The French enter the third 〈◊〉 into Arthoâ—… 1597. The Cardinals army at Tournhout The Earle of Varax chiefe of the Spanish army Prince Maurice resolues 〈◊〉 set vpon the Cardinals army 1597 The Earle of Hohenloo comes to the battaile The Earle of Varax retires from Tournhout The Prince pursues the Spaniard The Earles of Hohenlo and Solms charge first 1597. The Earâ—…e of Vâ—…rax slaine and his army defeated Amiens surprized by the Spaniard The Spaniard failes to surprize Steenwyc 1597. Prince Maurice maks an enterprise vpon Veuloo which succeeds ill Ambassadors from the king of Poland to the Estates 1597 An Agent from the Emperor to the Estates The French King prepares to besiege Amiens Cardinal Albert resolues to succor Amiens Prince Maurice goes to field with his Army 1597 Alpen yeelded to the Estates Rhinbercken vested Rhinberck easily yeelded to the Estates 1597 The Archbishoppe of Cologne deâ—…nds Rhinâ—…ck as naturall The fort of Camillo aâ—…doned Mâ—…urs beseeâ—…y the â—…es Mures yeelded Prince Mauâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1597 Grolle beseeged Grolle somoned And yeelded Brefort beseeged by the Prince 1597. Brefort Sommoned and refuseth to yeeld The beseeged desier to parle but to late The towne wonne by the breach they retirâ—… to the Castle The Castle yeelded Enschede yeelds to the Prince 1597. Oldenziel besieged by the Prince And yeelded Otmaâ—…sum yeelded to the Estates Goor abandoned to the Estates The townes and castle of Lighen â—…emune in that qâ—…rter Cont Frederic in Linghen 1597. The Prince doth inâ—…t Linghen Linghen yeelded by composition The King of Denmarkes Ambassadors in the campe before Linghen 1597. 1597. The Estates answere to the Ambassadors 1597. 1597. 1597. 1597. 1597. 1598. The king of Spaine seekes sor peace The French King giues care to a peace Ambassadors sent from England and 〈◊〉 Estates into France The Estates send Ambassadors to the Queene of England 1598. Articles of peace betwizt the French king the king of Spaine 1598. 1598. 1598. 1598 1598. 1598 The Admiral of Arragon sent Ambassador to the Emperor The first of the six points demanded of the Emperor 15981 The Admiralâ—… second demand The third demand 1598. 1598. The fift demand The sixt demand 1598. The death of Iohn Bou vier the maister of the fire workes 1598. An other treason against Princâ—… Maurice His sentence 1598 1598. Foure thousand Spaniards sent to the Cardinal The vnited Prouinces saile to the Indes 1598 1598. New troubles in Emdâ—…n â—…8 1598. The Earle complains of them of Emden to the Imperiall chamber The King of Spaine makes a new contract for the payment of his debts The fort of Patience sold by the French vnto the Spaniards Calais and the other townes restored to the French King 1598. The King of Spaine giues his eldest daughter to Cardinall Albert with the Netherlands and Bourgogne A coppy of the letters of transaction of the Netherlands to the Inâ—…anta 1598. 1598. The oth of the Prince â—…f the Netherlands