and barricadoed them The Clergie knowing themselves unable to resist a multitude of thieves not discerning how few they were forsook the Churches and provided for their own safetie Nor had the religious Orders time to collect their spirits in this common trepidation when so many fled In a word men had no more consideration to defend themselves against this misfortune then against a thunderbolt which every one wishes to avoid but none labours to oppose But the poor Nuns were in the greatest fright and amazement whose Cloysters were broke by these Hobgoblins which making havock of all things in their way and prying into every secret corner whilst their furie or theivery kept them imployed it was the onely preservation of the holy Virgins that getting on their clothes of any fashion escaped these sacrilegious dogs and fled most of them into their Parents houses By which means lesse mischief was done then uses to be committed in night-robberies Their principall aim being to make haste and ruine all things in an instant And truly their hast was so great that the noblest Churches and Religious houses of Antwerp were profaned and pillaged by the severall parties of these infamous Rascalls Nay when it was day light and that they saw the citie amazed with sudden fear had made no preparation to suppresse them for both Catholicks and Hereticks kept within doors those fearing the Hereticks which they believed to be masters of the Town and these in regard they knew the odium of the fact would reflect upon themselves and therefore feared the Justice of the Magistrate and to be assailed by the Catholicks but all were of opinion the libertie taken by these base Artificers depended upon some superiour causes the Church-robbers secured by other mens terrour fell to plunder in the day time returning to the Churches and Monasteries unworthily and basely fouling the pure ornaments with their filthy souls and bodies and buttering the Books in the library set them on fire Then in mockerie arming the Saints statues they ran a tilt and overturning them insulted over them And every where like Conquerours having as well surprised Religion as the Town they bore the spoils in triumph Three dayes together in Antwerp lasted that spoil and destruction of things sacred with so great a losse of rare pieces drawn by the hands of Masters that some writers stick not to say the great Church alone was damnified to the value of four hundred thousand Ducats But it being strongly suspected that after the spoil of Churches hope of prey having multiplyed this wicked rabble they would at last plunder the rich Merchants as many times men fight more eagerly for their houses then for their Altars the Townsmen thinking it their best no longer to stand neuters especially perceiving the small number of these Rogues appeared at their doors in arms and as if they meant to revenge the Commonwealth shut up all the Ports but one out of which that damned pack of villains ran and poured out their furie upon the adjoyning towns and villages where they exercised the same kind of sacrilegious freeboot While this was done at and about Antwerp the rage of these Traitours was no lesse upon the very same dayes at Gant Ondenaerd and other towns in Flanders from the river of Lys as farre as Schelt and Dender all the Churches and holy Ornaments going to wrack For this destruction was more like an Earthquake that devours all at once then like the plague that steals upon a Countrey by degrees Insomuch as the same tainture and whirlwind of Religion in an instant miserably involved and laid waste Brabant Flanders Holland Zeland Gelderland Friesland Over-Isell and almost all the Low-countreys except three or four Provinces viz. Nemure Lucemburgh Artois and part of Haynolt And as of old in the reign of Tiberius Cesar they tell us that twelve cities were swallowed by an earthquake in one night so in the Low-countreys not the like number of Cities but Provinces by the Spirit struggling and bursting out from hell were devoured with so sudden with so great a ruine that the Netherlands which had as many populous Cities Towns and Villages as any part of Europe within ten dayes was overwhelmed in this calamitie the particular Province of Flanders having four hundred consecrated houses either profaned or burnt to the ground So as indeed the Governesse could not but believe Count Mansfeld who called that conspiracie a plot laid to betray all the Low-countreys by the Heads of the hereticall party in France from whence came almost all these cryers of the new Gospel For by their practice the state of the Low-countreys being troubled they might the more easily as when an Army is confused at the first volly of shot send fresh men that assailing the Provinces already weakened might totally subdue them With this opinion theirs agreed who thought this impious plunder acted with such consent and such impunity not to be accidentall nor the villanie of a few but to be contrived by the Hereticks and Orders given at Centron that by one Massacre they might prevent another which they feared hung over their heads ever since the conference of the French and Spanish at Baion the chief of the Gheuses giving way to it that they might the sooner by the fright of these tumults extort from the Governesse all which they had petitioned for Indeed when the Churches and Monasteries of Gant were rifled the spoil having continued for three dayes together the like whereof happened at the same time in Antwerp a letter from Lewis of Nassau and six others were delivered to the Ministers Consistories and Merchants of the Low-countreys for so ran the superscription wherein he advised them that in regard the cause of the reformed Religion seemed now to be in sufficient securitie they should oppose themselves against the saucinesse and insurrection of the people confident that hereafter no body would trouble them for the free Exercise of their Religion and they were to give credence to the Bearer who was one Giles Clerk a Lawyer of Tournay his name being writ in cypher in the same letter Upon receit whereof they ceased from profaning the Churches of Gant Add to this the words of Count Mansfeld to the Governesse which she sent in Character to the King that she was advised by Count Mansfeld to beware of Lewis of Nassau before all men living for he was the wickedest Traitour in the world to whom the Ministers and Elders of the Hereticks communicated all their Counsels and that he carried in his hand the spoil of Churches and religious Houses and by this means that turbulent spirited desperate man hoped to levie warre against the King And it is evident that Lewis was one of the first movers in all the Sacriledge committed it was by his incouragement that the common sort of hereticks would not obey the
dishonour to a Prince to keep Laws in force which his Subjects will not obey then to apply them unto their natures and so keep his people in obedience But for the Inquisition it was apparent that none of any condition whatsoever would receive it insomuch that the meanest tradesman of Antwerp can shew either a Musket or a Pike which he threatens to use upon them that shall endeavour to bring in the Inquisition Nay it was no little iniury to the Bishops to have the cause of Religion which by Law appertains to their Iurisdiction transferred to this late Iudicature of Inquisitours But it is to no purpose any more to dispute this point when the Covenanters are at the gates before whose Requests be denied it must be considered in case the Hereticks joyning with them should offer to storm the Town whether we have sufficient forces to resist the people and their Confederates Lastly the opinion number and faction of these men carried it For though there wanted not some that easily refuted all that was pretended in behalf of the Bishops yet hardly any one of the Senate thought this kind of Judicature seasonable for the time therefore after many heats the business was thus composed Forasmuch as the Emperours and the Kings designe reached no farther in these Edicts and Questions of Faith but onely to preserve Religion in her ancient purity those remedies were onely so far to be made use of as might conduce to its preservation Besides there was a twofold Inquisition the one annexed to the function of Bishops the other granted by Commission from his Holiness to certain Judges Delegates Now the odium onely fell upon the Popes Inquisitours which though brought into the Low-countreys by Charles the fifth yet he was inforced thereto by reason of the small number and great negligence of the Bishops This being no longer a reason and men so much abhorring the name of this forrein Inquisition so violent and impolitick a Remedie ought not to obtruded upon refractory people Therefore without preiudice to Religion some part of the Covenanters petition might be granted But lest they should seem to be over-awed by the Hereticks or to passe any thing in favour of them this answer was to be returned That they had no cause to trouble themselves about the Inquisition which was out of date the Inquisitours themselves forbearing to exercise their authority having not renewed their Commission from the new Pope which they use to do for the better confirmation of their power Touching the penalties which by the Imperiall Edicts were to be inflicted upon Hereticks they should not be repealed but whereas most of them were capitall they should be hereafter qualified for the Bishops the greatest Divines and Lawyers and the Inquisitours themselves had so advised which Charles the fifth would have consented to if he were now living who himself upon the like difficulties in the year 1550 at the request of his Sister Mary Queen of Hungary thought it not unnecessary nor unbeseeming his Imperiall Maiesty to rectifie and moderate the Laws he had formerly decreed Thus for the present the Conspiratours being graciously received in a little while their meetings would be dissolved a work of great consequence and in the interim time might be gained to agitate the publick business without Tumults and therefore with more Authority The Governess though she wished better yet approved the Counsel given because she knew that in this juncture of time she must either grant something to the Conspiratours or else forcibly resist them But this she durst not attempt being unprovided of a Generall for she trusted not the Prince of Orange and putting the question to Count Egmont he denied to draw his sword against any man for the Inquisition or the Edicts For the rest of the Nobility they either had not much more loyaltie or had far less abilities Her Excellence therefore told them she would follow their advice and so answer Brederod and his Companions that she might at once both satisfie them and withall reserve the Judgement entire to the King without knowledge of whose pleasure nothing could be done in a matter of so great importance Every one of these particulars she wrote to his Maiestie by speedy messengers beseeching him presently to resolve her what she was to pitch upon The same day about evening the Covenanters came into Bruxels They were full two hundred horse apparrelled like forreiners every one a case of pistols at his saddle-bow Brederod their Generall rode in the head of them next him Lewis of Nassau for the Counts of Cuilemburg and Bergen arrived not till three dayes after Francis Verdugo a Gentleman that followed Count Mansfeld told the Governess that Brederod bragged at his entrance into the City in these words Some thought I durst not come to Bruxels behold I am come to see the Town and will shortly make another visit but upon a new occasion Then Brederod and Grave Lewis went to his Brother the Prince of Oranges house where the Counts of Mansfeld and Horn were come to wait upon them That night no body being present but Count Mansfeld Count Horn used many arguments to perswade the Prince of Orange to send back his Order of the Fleece into Spain and thereupon Verdugo was commanded to bring the Statute-book of the Order that they might see in what words they had obliged their faith to the King as supreme Master of their Society But Count Mansfeld interposing nothing was determined The same was moved another time as Anderlech informed the Governess The next day Brederod staying for the Counts of Cuilemburg and Bergen in Cuilemburg-House at Bruxells assembled his Confederates to encourage them in the enterprize they had undertaken First he shewed them a Letter writ in Spanish lately sent him as he said out of Spain unless the man who wanted no subtiltie had peradventure counterâ—eited it as he suspects that wrote all these passages in cypher to the Governess In which letter it was certified that one Moro a man known in the Low-countreys was with a soft fire burned alive in Spain which infinitely exasperated and enflamed the minds of his Associates against the cruelty of such sentences Then taking his hint to come to the matter as if he were to make a generall muster of his Army he produced the Roll signed by all the Conspiratours Which he and Lewis of Nassau reading unto the people they answered to their severall names professing constancy to their resolutions For those that were absent being to the number of two hundred they that were present being almost as many engaged themselves Then he required them in confirmation of the Covenant every one to joyn his heart and set to his hand again Which was accordingly done and they all now the second time took the Covenant their Oath being this in substance That if any of the
Magistrate but contrary to his command furiously ran out of the Citie to Vilvord to hear sermons The Governess having notice from all parts of these sacrilegious actions no lesse doubting the future then grieving and amazed at the present speedily called the Senate that being indeed the ordinary but many times a post-humous and ineffectuall remedy The Prefects of the Provinces and almost all the Lords were there but onely Philip Croi Duke of Areschot and Charles Brimè Count of Megen he excusing himself that he was not well and this that he feared his enemies had a plot upon him Her Excellence spake to them in these very words which she inserted in her Letters to the King Grief and her inbred Nobleness giving them vigour and authoritie To what condition the Low-countreys are brought by the wickedness of a few men we see the absent will hear and posterity admire to my great disparagement and yours For I know many things will be imputed to me Princes names being alwayes registred in the Kalender of publick calamities and you are famed for so many noble actions at home and abroad that your names cannot possibly be concealed Nor were the Netherlands so intrusted to me but that you had your parts in the Administration of the Government The particular Provinces committed to your trust the Order of the Golden-Fleece wherein your Oaths and Names are upon Record the Allegiance due to their Prince from his subjects amongst whom you are the chief multiplyes your Obligations to the maintaining and enlarging of his Royall Power And yet in these your Provinces while you stand Spectatours the Churches of God and his Saints founded by the ancient piety of your Princes which your Ancestours and your selves have adorned with victorious trophies by sacrilegious and impious traytours are burned down and profaned your Ancestours tembes violated the Statues of your Order and your Coats of Arms in many places impudently thrown to the ground trod upon and broken To omit their barbarity to Virgins consecrated to God robbing of their Nunneries and for addition to their contumelies cruelly turning out of their cities and holy mansions all the Priests and Religious But what kind of men are they that have raised this storm in the Low-countreys What dregs of the people what vile and abject fugitives and Apostates from Religion cruell but to those that fear them cowardly slaves if they themselves be terrified A few Secliners and Countreymen accidentally taking Arms destroyed a multitude of these Church robbers Did not one man yesterday catching up a spear when a great sort of these Traytours were gathered together fright them not onely from a Chapel which they threatned but from the Citie it self Will you suffer this pestilence to rage without opposition and to ruine the State and Peace of your Countrey and your Religion before your eyes and these troubles to open the way unto a forrein Conquest Nay it is commonly reported these villanies are committed some of you not onely not resisting but being also privie and assistant to the plot I am not ignorant that such Calumnies use to be spread abroad by wicked men to make good Subjects less active in doing Iustice upon the enemies to Religion And perhaps they hope to fright me with great names and so inforce my consent to their unjust Demands What is fit to be done by men of honour look you to that for what concerns my self I religiously profess that no mans menaces shall compell me to mix the new figments of these people with the ancient and Orthodox Religions established in these Provinces Nay if the King himself upon whose Grace and Pleasure I depend should dispense with the Low-countrey men to be of what Religion they list which how farre it is from his Maiesties intention none can be ignorant I would instantly depart the Low-countreys because I would not be an Agent in or Interpreter of such Indulgence But if I were stayed by force of Arms which I hear they threaten I call God to witness I would offer my self to the slaughter and be torn in pieces rather then suffer a Profession of Faith contrary to the Catholick Religion To prevent all this be it your care my Lords I do coniure you by your duty to God your Allegiance to the King and your Love unto your Countrey And because gentle remedies will not prevail with desperate people and that they trust to the protection of the confederate Gentlemen let us at last receive the Arms and Assistance which you have often promised and ought long since to have performed That when the King shall come who will be here very shortly he may find these Provinces quieted by your means and no less remunerate your fidelity with his royall Bounty then he will requite the perfidiousness of others with severe punishment This speech made by the Governess took according to every ones severall interest and inclination quickning the desires if found in their minds but not introducing any new Resolve Therefore the Counts of Mansfeld Aremberg and Barlamont all true to the Kings cause chearfully offered their services Egmont Orange Horn and divers others spake against levying war whose opinion carried a greater appearance of Reason because of the multitudes of Hereticks whereof there was above fifteen thousand in Bruxels it being unsafe for the present to provoke them by a warre But the Governess cut off that dispute and leaving the mention of Armes out of her Speech not out of her mind for she resolved the Warre should be her Great Councel she asked their opinions how those troubles might be otherwise composed The result of their two dayes consultation was That the Goveâ—ness should offer them an Act of oblivion for the time past and security for the future provided that the Confederates should first burn the instrument of their Association they called it the Covenant and afterwards take an oath to be true to the Catholick Religion and faithfull Subjects to the King for ever But the Governess delaying to set her hand to the Act as if she were yet doubtfull whether it should pass or no more of these turbulent people hourly gathering together and being themselves tossed upon the waves of sedition thrust others on that else would have sate still And they were heard to say prompted by Lewis brother to the Prince of Orange that unless the Governess would secure the Gentlemen Covenanters unless every one might have liberty to go to Sermons and no man be punished for Religion the Governess should with her own eyes see all the Churches in Bruxels fired the Priests murthered her self imprisoned And because this was said to be as well privately intended as publickly reported the Governess resolved to steal out of Bruxels and retire to Mons a city of Haynolt partly that she might not be an eye-witness of the destruction of holy Images in Bruxels partly that being in a safe place she might not
him refused The state of the Provinces Breda besieged by the Genera's of the Confederates Cardinal Granvels Brother A Messenger with a Letter to Don John Discovered Another counterfeit Letter was sent The Town rendred The Perfidiousness of the Garrison Ruremond holds out against the Confâ—iderates Still the Treaty of Peace continues The Queen of England moves for a Cessation of Arms in a threatning way She is not listned to The hope of Peace vanisheth Aprodigious Comet In Novemb. Decemb. 1577. January 1578. Of the Battel of Gemblac Both Armies mustered January 20. Don John's is lesse The enemie's greater But his are better men And more confident for this respect 6. January Pardieu Lord de la Mot. Goigny Commander in chief for the Confederates from 18. 1567. 1576. The Order of his Army Goigny Lievtenant-General to the Arch-duke Matthias for this Expedition Scoutes sent out and an ambush laid by Don Iohn The Catholick Army thus marshalled The Standard Don Johns orders Parties of both sides first skirmish Perotto of Sassoferrata The place of battell Alex. Farneze's conjecture of the enemy His words to the Gentleman of his Horse Curtius He communicates his designe to the Officers about him Henr. Viennius Lord of Ceuravium And they following he first passeth over the Gulph They all together charge the enemies horse And rout them Execution done upon the Confederates army Ianuar. 31. The day won by the horse Christ. Assonv in Relatione sayes One Spaniard was too hard for ten Confederates How great the Victorie Mar. Delr sayes but two were slain Mich. ab Isselt Leo. Belg. Febr. 2. Gemblac besieged by the Conquerours Yielded Mercy shewed to the town And to the prisoners Don Iohn's words to General Goignie The Conquerours commended by Don Iohn Prince Alexander especially With some adâ—â—â—ition Alex. Farneze's Answer His letter to the King in praise of Don Iohn Fâ—br 5. The like Commâ—ndations inserted in many other letters from Prince Alexander to Anton. Perez Marc. Almazar and Marc. Ayemont Feb. 15. Feb. 13. wherein he writes nothing of himself The Deputies of the Estates ignorant of the Victory sit in Councell Their trepidation when they heard the news The Arch-duke and the Prince of Orange flie Lord of Hierg Lovain yields to Don Iohn Feb. 5. And Iudoigne And Tienen Feb. 7. And Areschot Feb. 17. And Bovines Sichem summoned Refuseth to treat Alex. Farneze makes ready for an assault Febr. 21. Ordering his Forces In this manner The fight The Royalists The Sichemers Peter Henriquez and Baraiaz The Town is taken They that flie are cut to pieces The Town plundered The Castle holds out But Alex. Farneze batters down their works And raises new of his own The Castle rendred The Prisoners executed Diestem terrified Feb. 24. Submits And are gratiouâ—â—y used The Garrison-souldiers take Pay of the King Levia reduced Febr. 27. C. Mansfeld attemps Nivel Is repulsed The Town treats with Don Iohn A mutinie in the Catholick Army Don Iohn severs the Mutineers Demands the Principall of them Makes them cast lots for their lives At last one is hanged March 11. The Nivellers render themselves The Garrison suffered to depart without their Arms which are bestowed upon the French A gift that ruins them Mar. Delr l. 5. Turb Belg. saith 200 were lost The like misfortune formerly happened to their Nation Anno 1552. Pont. Heuter l. 3. Thuan. lib. 10. The Frenchmen move for a discharge from the service Duke of Alen-Son Don Iohn easily grants their suit They return in arms against him Part of them slain by surprise Part retire to a Fort. And will take no conditions Towns surrendred to Don Iohn Binch 1554. Malbuge Reux Beanmont Soigniac Barlamont Cimace taken by Assault April 15. The Castle yields Philipvil besieged It 's site 'T is invaded As we read in Cesar Livie and others Don John performing the parts of a Generall and a common souldier It is rendred Upon these terms May 19. 1578. The expedition of Limburg by Don John in his sicknesse committed to Alexander Farneze Why he undertakes it Part of his Forces sent before Iune 7. The Suburbs taken The site of Limburg Vvest Woâ—kes in order to an Assault Prince Alexanders Letter to the Limburgers They defer the sending of their Answer Whereat enraged He hastens the finishing his workes Comes Nicolaus Caesius And begins to batter from the hill A large Breach made The besiegers come up to the City gates A Messenger from the Towne to Prince Alexander His Answer He grants them an houres time to consider The women Supplicate from the walles Iune 16. The Towne is rendred Thought fortified And in a condition to hold out The Conquerours give God thanks P. Alexander summons Dalhem His Trumpet not admitted The Castle batterred To no purpose The Burgundians scale it And take both Castle and Towne by storme Iune 10. With a great Slaughter of the Citizens The sad fortune of a Maid Two Souldiers strive for her and in their struggle use their prisoner most inhumanely Who wounded and halfe dead Is taken from them But immediatly dies The benefit that followed the taking of Limburg Thanks sent to Alex. Farneze by the Princes whose Estates lay neare the Towne To the confederates great griefe at first afterwards to their great joy Vpon a Report that Prince Alexander with diverse more was slaine Coyned by the Prince of Orange Why such kind of newes is often forged What truth was in this Rumour A Miraculous Accident Iune 30. The Deaths of Count Barlamont Count Megen C. Barlamont's Encomion Aegidius Lancelloâ— Charles Don John's prosperous fortune troubles the Enemy Amsterdam attempted by the P. of Orange 1577. November Beates out his men Mar. Del. l. 4. Turb Belg. For which the Women are to be commended February At last the Towne is rendered and deceived The Prince of Orange votes for a Truce March 10. Sellio in the Kings name Treates with the Deputies of the Estates But to no end The Prince of Orange will onely give eare to a Truce Which Prince Alexander likes not March 25. His Letter to his Father Octavio Duke of Parma Neither is it approved of by Don Iohn New Officers from Spaine Pedr. de To. ledo Lopez Figueroa Alphons-Leva Gabr. Serbellonio Iune 22. New supplies of money from the King to Don Iohn To Alexander Farneze To Octavio Gonzaga To Mondragonio To Verdugo To Ant. olivera To Count Mansfeldt New levies in Italy Vnder these Commanders Don Iohn troubled at it Stops their proceedings Three Armies of the Enemy The States Forces The Duke of Alencon's Iuly 19. â—ohn Casimir's Iuly 17. Don Iohn's Councell of Warre Alex. Farneze votes against fighting them August 18. Only Serbellonio concurres with Prince Alexander The rest viz. Gonzaga Mansfeldt Olivera Montin and Mondragonio were of Don John's opinion Especially hearing the Prince of Orange was falne out with Campin And with Hese and Glimè Mart. Delr l. 4 Turb Belg. Don Iohn resolve to fight The site of the Enemy's