wit procuring the king to limit the duchesses power when she came into the Netherlands That she should grant no pardon office estate benefice nor any thing else nor make any dispatch nor resolution in matters of state iustice nor religion but with the cardinals aduice and counsell which shee should wholy follow Hauing giuen the king secretly to vnderstand that yet she had not knowledge of affaires and therefore she might be often abused and erre And. so he held the duchesse of Parma subiect to his will who durst not but gratifie him in any thing that hee plâ—…ased so as shee would not meddle nor take knowledge of the quarrell the noblemen had against him a little before his departure And he had so won her by his policies as she not only made wonderfull great esteeme of him but did also aduertise the king by her letters of his deep knowledge wisdome dexteritie diligence loyaltie in all that did concerne the gouernment of those countries seigniories To auoid enuie in court which might grow by his excessiue credit being a man but of a base stock his vse was to aduance to the chiefe places of importance and credit in court those only that were his creatures and assured vnto him by long experience to frustrat them that he desired not And such as he aduanced he knew to bee tractable or rather simple and grosse witted for they that were cunning how wise and graue soeuer must not attend any thing fearing least they should discouer his policie Being preferred he drew them wholy by these meanes to be at his deuotion and to bind them more strictly he made them as some said to take an othe to be faithful and secret vnto him Thus hee fashioned them to his owne mould some for hope of gaine others through ambition to be great or for feare to displease him Among all others Vigilius Aita was the chiefe whom he had aduanced to bee keeper of the seales though they were at his disposition so as al matters were resolued on determined by them two The gaine spoiles of miserable suters was diuided equally betwixt them according to the register which their carefull broker Morillon kept The cardinall sent all matters to Vigilius and he did nothing but what it pleased him to command were it to answere petitions to write vnto the king or to moue the gouernesse and therefore hee had made him president of the priuie counsell that hee might haue him alwayes readie and obedient vnto him in that charge Besides this league with Vigilius he had intelligence with some of the chief of the treasure of the chamber of accounts of the great counsell at Macklyn and of all other prouinces yea with some magistrats of townes to the end hee might leaue nothing out of his power Yet was he not sufficiently assured if he did not draw some of the noblemen knights of the order to his partie to oppose them against the prince of Orange and the earls of Egmont and Horne The first was Barlamont a counsellor of state as himselfe and besides chief of the treasure who being by nature couetous ambitious had many children whom hee desired also to aduance wherein the cardinall might crosse him so as the earle of Aremberg his brother in law consented with him but yet so as he would not loose the friendship of the other noble men of the contrarie faction The duke of Arschot followed them in this ranke the marques of Renty his brother did accompany him Hee had many prelats at his deuotion Francis Richardot bishop of Arras was his creature and all the new bishops which he had lately forged but aboue all the archbishop of Cambray But omitting a long discourse of the subtilties and practises of this cardinall to make himselfe and his creatures great and to maintain himself per fas vel nefas without any respect neither of his princes seruice the commonweal iustice good order no nor yet of religion the which serued him as a cloke with a double lining when as in heart he was a very Atheist We will come to his priuat life and consider in particular how dissolute lasciuious and detestable it hath been euen to his old age we shall find nothing but villanie filthinesse infamie and the most polluted stinking abhominable vices that euer were written of any oâ—…her His luxury adulteries insupportable pride with his other goodly vertues and like perfections of bodie and mind made him to be chased out of Milan Rome and Naples and yet it did nothing impaire his credit in the court of Spaine so as whilest he laboured to torment the Netherlands by his letters instructions he purchased to his great dishonor and vnrecouerable losse to the king his master this goodly prouerbe Du Cardinall la braguette A fait per dre la Golette His life was so dissolute and so publick as his house was a sinke of all filthinesse and villany And as he was a great enemy to them that beat down images it seemed he had some cause for he made so great account of them as in all parts of his house vnder colour that hee was a great louer of the art of Statuary or making of images and of rare antike peeces there were to be seen many images pictures aswell cast as carued printed the most lasciuious and vnchast that euer were seen both of men women naked Besides in his cabinet or studie vnder the figures of Venus Pallas Iuno Ceres c. he had drawne naked and to the life the best qualified ladies gentlewomen and good bourgesses which he had abused Of the sumptuousnes of his lodging his delicat meats and his prouocations to luxurie there is nothing spoken for that they were not knowne to euery one that haunted his house Moreouer in shewing himselfe curious of the works of nature and of the Mathematikes he did honestly cloke his coniuring wherein he was his crafts master with the which hee mingled witchcraft sorcerie and poysoning the which he could vse cunningly hauing giuen a dram of his drugs by his masters commandement vnto that good prince Maximiltan the 2 when as hee was but king of Romans as the said cardinall confest vnto his friends but he durst not publish it fearing the crueltie of his master And afterwards he posted from Naples to Rome to poison that young nobleman of great hope Charles the prince of Cleues onely for that hee made a little difficultie to kisse the popes pantofle And this reuerent robber I would say pillar of the church shewed himselfe so zealous of the word of God as ordinarily he made a iest of it as when hee would proue that poore men should eat grosse meats and the rich as himselfe delicat beasts with small feet he proued it saying that verse of the Magnificat Esurientes impleuit bouis diuites dimisit in aues peruerting the words of bonis and inanes
in greater credit with the king than euer before being in the said countries disguising the affaires peruerting persuading the king his counsell in such sort as he pleased But contrarie to that good reformation which they hoped for expected in December 1565 the duchesse Gouernesse receiued letters from the king concerning his Maiesties pleasure and what he would haue obserued in the Netherlands touching religion the copie of which letters she sent to all the counsellors of prouinces to disperse them in their subalternall iurisdictions containing in summe these three points First touching the edicts both old new made by his imperiall Maiesty or by the king for matter of religion that it was not fit to alter any thing but to haue them executed And that he found that by the loosenesse of some judges this mischief was increased therfore if there were any judge that for fear of tumult durst not put thē in execution that they shold aduertise him to the end he might prouide others that were more coragious that in executing the edicts it was to be hoped that all dangers should be sooner preuented than by any other meanes Secondly touching the Inquisition his Maiesty did charge that the Inquisitors should be fauored in the exercise of their charge for the good of religion being his intention that the Inquisition should be put in practise by the Inquisitors as it had been vsed belonged vnto them by the lawes of God and man Thirdly in regard of the counsell of Trent seeing there remained nothing but to put it in effect by the bishops that the Gouernesse should giue them all assistance and aid for the effecting thereof as it was fit and the good of the countrey required and that she should giue the like charge vnto the noblemen that were about her to imploy themselues therein as his Maiestie did hope This was another song than that which was promised and that they expected with so great deuotion The Gouernesse did accompanie the kings letters out of the which these three articles are drawne with her owne directed to the gouernors and consuls of prouinces as followeth Marguerite by the grace of God duchesse of Parma and Placence c. Regent and Gouernesse c. Most decre and well beloued although that from the beginning of the rule of the king my lord ouer these countries as well by the renewing and publication of edicts made by the deceased emperor Charls my lord of famous memory touching religion ratified and confirmed by his roiall Maiestie as by those which haue been since enacted by him yea at his last departure out of these countries for his realmes of Spaine you might alwayes see his Maiesties good zeale and holy affection to the preseruation of our antient true faith and Catholike Religion and to the rooting out of all sects and heresies in these his countries Yet as it hath pleased his Maiestie for some certaine occasions to put vs in mind of his holy intention by his last letters we haue by his expresse charge thought it good to represent vnto you what he hath written vnto vs The which is in effect That his Maiestie desiring nothing more than the preseruation of the said Religion and the peace vnion and concord of his subiects in these parts and to defend them from the inconueniences which we haue seen fall in many parts of Christendome by the change of the said Religion his Maiesties pleasure is that the edicts and ordinances made by the deceased emperor and himselfe should bee wholy obserued As also his Maiesties intention is to haue all well and duley obserued that is decreed by the holy counsell of Trent and the prouinciall Synods yea euen for the reformation of the clergy without any contrauention that punishing heresies maners may be also reformed He commands also that they giue all fauour and assistance to the Inquisitors of the faith in the execution of their offices and that the Inquisition be done by the said Inquisitors as it hath beene vsed and as it belongeth vnto them both by diuine and humane lawes And according to his Maiesties letters and to obey him in so holy fauourable a thing we would not faile to write vnto you to intreat require and in his Maiesties name to command you expresly to gouerne your selues herein according to his Maiesties decree not contradicting it in any point or article and that you giue the like charge vnto your officers and to them of the law in the chiefe townes of your gouernments that they may gouerne themselues accordingly without dissembling or partialitie vpon penalties contained in the same edicts And the better to attend it you shal commit depute a counselor of your colledge who notwithstanding may be changed euery halfe yere that one alone may not be alwaies in charge who shal do no other thing but haue regard vnto the said countrey vpon the obseruing of the decrees of the holy counsell and to giue you aduertisement of what were needfull to be done according to his Maiesties intention And to the end we may alwaies know the estate of the said Religion we desire and command you that euery three moneths you write the successe thereof particularly vnto vs hauing your recourse vnto vs in all matters of difficultie or to those of his Maiesties priuie counsell to make report vnto vs whereas wee will also appoint some counsellor to haue a particular care and to keepe correspondencie with you and him that shall bee deputed by you And to the end you may vnderstand his Maiesties pleasure therein we haue ioyned hereunto the points of his Maiesties letters other writings concerning that matter that you may gouerne your selues accordingly c. From Brussels the 18 of December 1565. Signed Margareta and vnderneath Ouerlope The prince of Orange hauing receiued the like letters to gouerne himselfe accordingly in the towns and places of his gouernment of Holland Zeeland and Vtrecht thought that this resolution which the king had taken to proceed with all rigor would cause great troubles and the rather for that all men should find themselues deceiued in their great expectation of a better change which the earle of Egmont brought at his returne from Spaine whom they had fed onely with wind and words thought it good to send his aduice vnto the Dutchesse Gouernesse by letters written from Breda the foure and twentieth of Ianuarie 1565 as followeth Madame I haue receiued the letters which it hath pleased your Hignesse to write vnto me and to the Consuls of my gouernment whereby I vnderstand his Maiesties pleasure vpon three chiefe points enioyning me expressely to cause them to bee executed throughout all the places of my gouernment And although Madame they haue not demaunded mine aduice in a matter of so great weight and consequence yet as a faithfull seruant and vassale to his Maiestie moued with zeale and desire to discharge my dutie whereunto I
darkenesse is come from them The knowledge of the Tongues especially of the Greeke and Hebrâ—…w hath beene beautified more by them than by any others To conclude their aduersaries themselues are forced to confesse that there are singular men among them in all sorts of sciences besides that the life of many of them is irreprehensible If then there were not so great a number as there is yet they should haue a respect not to ruine and chase away those whom God hath endued with such excellent graces and depriue the king and his countries of so great a good in chasing away or murthering them which might haue serued eyther for counsell learning or some other way seeing it is ordinâ—…ly found that they desire to yeeld all obedience and dutie vnto the king and to serue him with bodie and goods so as they would leaue them the exercise of their Religion free To conclude then if it pleased his Maiestie to graunt this libertie he should not onely preuent troubles and inconueniences which haue happened in France and elswhere through this occasion but also it should be a meanes by the which his subiects should be induced euâ—…ry one to imploy himselfe in his vocation to the seruice of his Maiestie and the aduancement of the commonweale seeing that in the end they shall be forced to come vnto it were it after his decease as in other countries where the like accidents haue happened It remaines now to consider the inconueniences that may arise the which I find to be two principal The first that if the exercise of their religion were allowed them they might multiply in such sort as the antient religion would decay and come to nothing the which the king would not endure by any meanes The other is That they hold commonly that in one countrey there cannot be two diuers religions without great trouble and disorder As for the first they must vnderstand that all religions are grounded either vpon the authoritie of God or the authoritie of men for a religion may be grounded vpon the authoritie of men when hauing regard vnto that which our auncestors haue done and followed or to that which our king commands or to that which some great personage doth inioyne vs we ground our religion vpon those respects without any other firme reason or feeling in our hearts that we do well or ill as the Turkes Pagans and idolaters haue alwayes done yea and the greatest part of the world do at this day changing their religion and maner of seruing God in what sort and as often as it shall please the king or those to whom they deferre this credit But for that those religions proceed not from a religious heart fearing God but rather from the respect and reuerence of men it is easie to hinder the course and to plant in other by humane meanes as by armes and violence So as it was no difficult thing for the Romanes to bring their gods and religions into Greece and other countries of their conquests the which were grounded but vpon the authoritie of their princes and kings But if the religion hath his foundation vpon the authority and word of God or vpon the testimonie of their consciences be it with reason or therwise force and outward violence cannot preuaile as we haue shewed and there is no meanes to hinder the course and progresse thereof but in shewing that the foundation is il laid If then the king will maintaine the old religion and stop the course of the new it is necessarie that he giue them libertie to be heard to the end that they may be confuted and that all the world knowing wherein the abuse doth consist may flie their acquaintance If it be heresie which they sow you cannot but stop the course in suffering them to publish their doctrine so as their errours may be laid open vnto the people by the truth of the word of God else the more you seeke to suppresse it the more it will encrease But contrariwise if haply their doctrine be conformable to the word of God it is not to bee presumed that his Maiestie would oppresse it wherefore that inconuenience alledged is of no consequence The second point seemes to be of great moment for they say commonly That to entertaine the publike quiet we must haue but one Law one Faith and one King a thing without doubt which were greatly to be desired for that it should bring vs to that golden age But seeing that religion and faith is a meere gift of God ingrauen in the heart of man ouer the which none can command but God onely it were a great indiscretion to thinke it possible to reduce all the inhabitants of one countrey to one faith by force and corporall violence It is true that they say That as in a family the father ought to foresee that all those of his house worship but one onely God and be of one religion so the king should prouide that in his realme there should be but one faith and one law the which were wonderfully good and healthfull but it is not possible to attaine vnto it if it bee not among those people whose religion is grounded vpon the kings simple authoritie the which is no true religion but a meere hypocrisie counterfeiting whereunto they haply may be drawne that haue no feare of God As it was seene among the Romanes who receiued as many new gods as their emperors commanded them But this shall neuer take place among them which haue any inward feeling grounded vpon any reason be it vpon the word of God or of their owne conscience in which case you are so farre from reducing a whole nation to one religion as you shall hardly reclaime one familie The which was manifest among the Iewes where there were three famous sects more contrarie one vnto another than those of the new religion vnto them that maintaine themselues vnder the antient obedience of the pope But which is much more from the beginning of the world vnto this day it was neuer seene that all were of one law and one faith no not according to the exterior exercise for before the comming of Christ the kings of Aegypt Persia and Babilon were forced to leaue the Iewes in their country and to allow them the free exercise of their religion the which they held to be abhominable And after his comming the Romane emperours haue also suffered it as Antonius Pius and Marc Antoâ—…ne not that they were of an accord with them for they had the name of a christian in horror but for that they found they were not seditious nor disturbers of the publike quiet and so of many other emperours who haue suffered them and forbidden that no iniurie should be done them although they were of a meere contrarie opinion True it is that some one may say That all these examples serue but to aduance the Christian Faith which the king intends to maintaine in rooting
out the new religion yet it is most manifest that it is no new thing to endure two religions in one countrey yea and that all wise kings and princes haue so done according to the necessitie of the time for although the religion of those emperours were bad yet they held it good holy as the king holds his and it was the religion which they had receiued from their ancestors aboue three thousand yeares past But wee find also that Christian emperours haue endured false religions as it appeares by the examples of Theodotius Honorius and Arcadius who gaue temples to the Arrians and Noâ—…atians sometimes within sometimes without the citie as the necessitie of the time and place required In the Ecclesiasticall hystorie it is reported for a remarkable thing that Valentinianus the emperour was Orthodoxe and a good Christian yet he suffered the Arrians though he fauoured them not so much as the others Valens his collegue or companion in the empire was an Arrian and would by no meanes suffer the Christians in his gouernment but did persecute them in all sorts whereby wee may easily gather that in all well gouerned commonweales to auoid seditions and tumults it is sometimes necessarie to grant temples vnto hereticks not to the intent they should disperse their heresies more but that the people hearing the truth confronted with falshood might without mutines or tumults apply themselues quietly vnto the true and right religion But our Lord and Sauiour saith That he came to bring warre and not peace into the world so as in one house there shall bee dissention betwixt the father and the sonne the brother and the brother c. How can we then maintaine the religion of Iesus Christ if they will reduce all the world to one faith and one law seeing that for the ordering thereof he doth not command the faithfull to kill the rest but contrariwise he saith That the Apostles and faithfull should bee betrayed excommunicated and put to death for their faith and religion and therefore hee will haue them win the field through patience and the vertue of his word So as I cannot wonder sufficiently at the impudencie of these men who making a shew to be well read in all antient hystories dare maintain that there were neuer two diuers religions in one commonweale For what will they answer to the diuersitie alreadie alledged betwixt the Pharises Saduces and Essâ—…es without doubt they shall neuer find that by reason of these sects there was any great difficultie in the gouernment nor that Iesus Christ or his Apostles did euer command to burne them for their law What shall we say of the diuersitie of religions that were among the Heathen wherof one did not know anothers gods no not the names and some also maintained publikely That God did not care for humane things and yet wee find not that the gouernment of the Romans was troubled for this cause But who doth not see at this day vnder the great Turke a great diuersitie of religions so as among the Christians alone there are fifteene or twentie sects and sundry religions besides the Iewes Persians and Mahumetists all subiects to his empiâ—…e the which are more contrarie one vnto another for matter of religion than water is contrarie to fire Without doubt if these diuersities were the true cause of seditions and tumults it were not possible that the Turkes power should grow so great It is then a great ignorance to thinke that subiects cannot bee maintained in quiet when they are of diuers religions for who so will looke neerely to the spring and beginning of tumults and seditions hee shall find that they proceed not so much from the diuersitie of religions as through priuat passions as couetousnesse ambition reuenge hatred and such like from the which â—…all quarrâ—…ls may grow and when the magistrat preuents it not in time then by little and little they inflame and are cause of tumults and publike seditions Witnesse the troubles and seditions in Italy betwixt the Guelphes and Gibellins the which continued foure hundred yeares and was the cause of infinit murthers rapes warre and al sorts of violence and yet there was no difference in the religion but all did grow for that the magistrat did feed the priuat passions of their subiects in steed of suppressing them by iustice And as for controuersies touching religion it is not two hundred yeares since that the controuersies betwixt the Franciscans and the Iacobins for the conception of the virgine Marie had caused great troubles throughout all Christendome not that the controuersie was of any great importance but through the negligence of the magistrats who nourished these factions and became partisans Seeing then it appeareth that whereas good order hath beene setled people of diuers sects and religions haue beene quietly gouerned without any sedition or tumult and contrariwise whereas no order was not onely diuersitie of religion but euen smal quarrels haue bred horrible seditions and tumults any man of iudgement may gather thereby that seditions and tumults take not their increase from the importance of the quarrell whereon they are grounded but rather through the want of good order for that the magistrats neglect to punish them that entertaine them or else themselues maintaine one partie the which is confirmed by many antient and moderne examples And who so will examine strictly the last troubles of France shall find that the greatest part haue happened for that some mightie men or gouernors themselues hauing no regard to the publike good nor to the ordinances of the states haue at their owne pleasures plaid the kings and insulted of their owne authorities ouer them of the religion I thinke no man is so ignorant but knowes that the murther committed at Vassy by the duke of Guise against the lawes of the king and state hath beene the true and onely cause of the ciuile warres which followed to the ruine of the whole realme for whilest the kings proceeded by their authoritie there was no newes of any sedition how greeuous soeuer the persecutions were But when as gouernors of their own authorities offered violence to them of the religion presently all these tumults grew the which may serue vs for a good example whereby wee may learne to auoid the like inconueniences and take some good course for the benefit of the king and the good of all his good subiects which seeke onely to obey him It is then easie to resolue that good order would be setled if libertie should bee graunted to them of the religion to assemble and exercise their discipline restraining and bridling them with such lawes as shall be thought good And that the kings magistrats and officers be carefull to execute his Maiesties intention foreseeing aboue all things that the people vsurpe not the authoritie of the sword vnder colour of the factions of great men So as aboue all things there must be a preuention that all violence be forbidden of
the duke and the prince agree well vpon the punishment but not about the meanes for the one presseth his Maiesties passage all hee can and the other seekes to hinder it propounding new meanes For my part I did alwayes hold That the masters presence did import much and that aboue all diligence and celeritie was necessarie and that in vnexpected diseases they must applie speédie remedies yea violent in which opinion they send me word that his Maiestie is now firme and constant And the day of his arriuall at Madrill after his recouerie he sware in the presence of those noblemen That he knew that what had beene done in his Netherlands not onely concerned his repuoation but also the seruice of God and that he did so much apprehend it as hee would rather hazard therest of his estates than not to punish such a rebellion exemplarily and in the view of all Christendome And to that end euen in the same place his Maiestie resolued to part out of Spaine as soone as possible hee could and to lead with him the prince his sonne and the queene who notwithstanding they thinke shall passe into Fraunce leauing his sister gouernesse of the countrey and his two nephewes the emperours sonnes with her although that the emperour doth insist much to haue his eldest sonne That some dayes before the duke shal passe to refresh the garrisons of Italie and shall draw forth all the old souldiers and captaines to place others that goe with him out of Spaine That his Maiestie arriuing soone after in Italie he would treat with some princes and potentats conferre with the pope and afterwards with the emperour if it were possible to vnite their counsels and forces together from whom hee hath demaunded two regiments Which done hauing giuen order for his designe his Maiestie is resolued to stay in the French countrey and afterwards to discend into the Netherlands with such forces as shall bee needfull according to the carriage of his subiects Madame I may not omit to aduertise you that the cont Palatin the Landtgraue of Hessen and other princes Lutherans haue sent two embassadors to this court the one called Iunius the other Dauid to demand certain money which the said princes did lend during the troubles of this realme to the chiefe of the Protestants faction and withall to recommend them which hold their goodly religion vnto the French king But in truth it is as farre as I can discouer to make some practises with the said Huguenots and to giue new meanes to enterprise against the estate and countrey of his Catholike Maiestie And for that I haue vnderstood for certaine and from good place that some of the king and queenes counsell yea of the greatest and most antient although they terme themselues Catholikes were of opinion to make vse of this legation to make a league with the said princes and to fortifie themselues with their friendship I was for some dayes troubled to find meanes to preuent it but the cardinall being happily arriued in the towne who in truth hath done a world of good offices and would do more if he had the meanes I haue conferred long with him of the importance of this businesse and of the consequence thereof for the ruine of the Catholike religion in this realme making him to vnderstand that it did not onely concerne the interest of the king my master but also his owne giuing him thereby meanes to quarrell with Iunius for that he was a subiect and borne in the Netherlands so as the next day he went to a house of the queenes called Moncheaux whereas the court then was whereas he wrought in such sort as presently after the king and queene sent a letter to the prouost of their houshold to commit the said embassadours of the Lutherans to prison seizing vpon their letters papers and instructions the which had beene executed but that during the contestation there arriued one of the counsâ—…ll who was of opinion that they should surcease the execution vntill they had a new commandemenâ—… So as although they haue since sought to repaire this errour yet the said embassadours hold themselues to haue receiued such an escorne and their masters so great an iniurie as I see all the practise is thereby broken and not to bee repaired besides they find themselues newly agreeued for that they haue had but cold reception and entertainment at their audience in court and were not greatly pleasing to the king queene nor counsell and that after their audience they did mocke at them which must needs tuâ—…e to the great good of his Maiesties affaires and make them bare of friends and alliances The lady you know who I thinke is one of the most cunning dissemblers in the world the more I negotiat here the more constantly I beleeue what I haue often written vnto your highnesse that there is neither trust assurance friendship nor resolution in her And so hee ends his letter with a discourse of the queene mother and of matters of Fraunce the which I omit for breuitie sake for that they concerne not our subiect It was written at Paris the 18 of August 1566. And by a second letter hee writes vnto the Gouernesse as followeth Madame The aduertisement which your highnesse hath giuen mee touching the affaires of the Netherlands confirmes mee in the opinion which I alwayes had That this tumult could not bee without the intelligence and support of some great men and namely of those three which carrie so good a shew for as your highnesse hath carefully and with great discretion weighed all things so you must beleeue that from those three all the mischiefe comes I haue not failed to aduertise his Maiestie of all things touching this action and 〈◊〉 assured that as your highnesse hath recommended it vnto his Maiestie hee will not forget to intreat them as they deserue and according vnto your recommendation and they may be assured that they shall bee the first whom his Maiestie will vndertake not to grace them for they haue not deserued it but to punish them as their rebellion doth merit yet your highnesse must in no sort disfauour them nor make any shew of discontentment least it impaire the affaires but to keepe them still in hope to bee held by his Maiestie for his faithfull seruants and that will auaile much for suffering themselues to bee so persuaded they will bee the sooner circumuented but when the time shall come they shall talke to them in another manner And your highnesse must rest assured that if you haue a desire to make them receiue the paiment which they haue merited his Maiestie will haue no lesse affection to doe therein what shall be held necessarie Also Madame whereas you desire to be aduertised in what assurance wee are of the succours of France I am forced to say that they make vs many promises but I feare they wil serue vs but to little purpose and in the
Christendome a more foolish and indiscreet nation nor that is more easily abused than is the Flemish God punishing their infidelitie by this meanes These articles were sent out of Spane in Latine to Iames Hessel Atturney generall of Flanders and afterward councellor of the troubles and found written by his hand and translated into French among his papers in Gand when hee was taken prisoner and afterwards hanged without the towne in the yeare 1578. And as for the sentence of the said Inquisition this it was The office of the most holy and most sacred Inquisition required by the presence of his royall Maiestie to resolue vpon the most abhominable defection Apostasie and heresie committed by his Maiesties subiects of the Netherlands hauing viewed and diligently examined his Maiesties information thereupon hauing also seene the letters muniments and documents autenticall and worthy of credit added to the said information by the officers of the holy Inquisition sent into the Netherlands They say and resolue so far as their Theologicall profession and conscience can aduise them That all and euery subiect of the Netherlands and the whole bodie thereof except such as are especially noted in the information as well in respect of those that are publike and manifest Apostats hetetikes and fallen from God and our holy church and the commandement of the Catholike king and their obedience as of such as counterfeiting themselues to be Catholikes haue not done their dueties whereunto and to God and to his Maiestie for the respect of the Catholike religion and the othe taken by them they are bound to resist with al their force and might the publike and apparent Apostats heretikes and seditious persons and to hinder their wicked and damnable factions the which in the beginning of the troubles and tumults had beene easily done without any great difficultie but contrariwise haue forborne from that godly and holy resistance and therfore deserue to be reputed and esteemed fauourers and adherents to those publike and manifest Apostats heretikes and seditious Such also as among the nobilitie and in the subiects names presenting petitions and admonitions against the most holy Inquisition haue cunningly inflamed incensed the heretikes Apostats and seditious and therfore al guiltie of high treason in the highest degree So said and resolued in the citie of Madril the 16 of Februarie 1568. His royall Maiestie hauing seene the information made by his commandement vpon the execrable crime of Apostasies heresies and seditions committed by his subiects of the Netherlands Hauing also seene the muniments and documents autenticall and worthy of credit added to the said information by the officers of the holy Inquisition sent into the Netherlands Hauing also seene the holy aduice and resolution of the most holy sacred Inquisition here with the pregnant reasons inserted thereunto administring and doing right and iustice in this behalfe vsing his royall and absolute power saies and decrees That all and euerie subiect of the said Netherlands and the whole bodie thereof those onely excepted which are noted in the said informations whose names we will send in time to be kept in the records of our Netherlands as well for their publike and manifest Apostasies heresies defections from God and our mother the holy church and his Catholike commandement the obedience thereof As also for such as counterfeit themselues Catholikes haue not done their duties wherunto notwithstanding and to God and his Maiestie for the respect of the Catholike religion and the othe which they haue taken they are bound to resist the publike manifest Apostats heretikes and seditious persons with all their power and force and to hinder their wickednesse the which in the beginning of the troubles and tumults had been easie to do without any difficultie but contrariwise haue abstained from this holy resistance yea haue reioyced thereat and therefore are rightly to be reputed fauourers and procurers of the said manifest Apostats heretikes and seditious Such also as vnder the name of the nobility and the subiects hauing presented petitions and admonitions against the most holy Inquisition haue inflamed and incensed the parts of the Apostats heretikes and seditious vnder colour of pietie haue committed the crime of high treason condemning them all without respect of sexe or age to the paines and punishments appointed by the law for such offendors His Maiestie willing and commaunding who pretends by this seuere sentence to giue example and to terrifie posteritie to come that the punishments of this sentence shall bee duely executed and take full effect without respect of grace or fauour in such order and maner notwithstanding as shal be prescribed to our Registers of the Netherlands So iudged in the citie of Madrill the 26 of Februarie 1568. Behold in truth a most cruell and rigorous sentence We read of an emperor that wished al the people of Rome to haue but one head the which hee might cut off at one blow What doth the king of Spain lesse by this sentence The greatest persecutors of the Primitiue church haue sometimes giuen such sentences against the Christians yet they would neuer put them in execution but seeing their constancie patience and perseuerance in their faith they did in the end surcease the persecutions some did moderat them others did quite forbid them although they had no feeling of their religion nor knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. But the king of Spaine who knowes Iesus Christ is a Christian and termes himselfe Catholike king by this sentence doth not only persecute but seekes to ruine all his subiects as well Catholikes as other good and true Christians for the profession of their faith wherefore we may not wonder at the duke of Aluaes cruel gouernment but we may think it strange that he hath not done more considering the charge he had as appeareth by this sentence These cruell proceedings caused daily more and more feare and terror in the people forced many to flie out of the country and diuers wild headed fellowes forsaking all their goods and some their wiues and children went and kept in the woods in West-Friseland and other places and there set vpon priests and monks which they got by night and hauing taken them tooke all they had from them and cutting off their ears and noses let them go for which cause they were called wild Gueux who being increased to a great number the duke of Alua was forced to send certaine souldiers out against them but to no great purpose as not finding many of them which made him send out proclamations against them commanding the country villages to watch and guard their priests and pastors and to be carefull to defend them as also to restore them that which they had lost or that might bee stolne from them to the vttermost peny by estimation and award of the judges and magistrats and further to answere and warrant the liues and goods of their pastors notwithstanding any priuiledges whatsoeuer
the English giuing to vnderstand that the Queene of England would be fauourable vnto them The prince had also tenne peeces of artillerie foure canons of batterie and sixe culuerins With this armie the prince marched in the beginning of September towards the countrey of Luxembourg to S. Vyt a towne of his owne patrimonie The duke of Alua hearing of his descent went and encamped by Maestricht at Vise vpon the Meuse with the regiments of the earles of Lodron and Ouersteyn fortie ensignes of Spaniards fortie of Wallons and foure thousand horse Spaniards Italians Germanes and the bands of Ordnance of the Low countries with great store of artillerie The prince marching in field tooke Aremberch and the strong castle of Carpen betwixt Cologne and Duyren then Hormsteyn belonging to the king of Spaine putting all to the sword that made resistance as also the duke of Alua for his part spared not any So the prince went along the riuer of Meuse towards Stockem where notwithstanding the vigilancie of the duke of Alua who had caused galthropes to be cast into the riuer at many foords hee passed with his armie to offer battaile vnto the duke approching neere vnto Maestricht the seuenth of October his men had a little before taken eighteene boats vpon the Rhyn laden with silkes cloth and other marchandize going towards Francfort The Liegeois would willingly haue stopped his passage if they could but he passed where as they did not expect him so as the fifteenth of the month he defeated some of the dukes troupes who to incommodate the prince had broken all the milles and stopped his victuals all he could The prince to ioyne with the French troupes of the lord of Genlis and the rest passed a little riuer called la Gheer the which diuideth the countrey of Liege from Brabant leauing Tillemont vpon the right hand to seeke all occasions to giue battaile vnto the duke who being loath to hazard any thing kept himselfe close in his trenches before Maestricht yet the duke sent his sonne Dom Frederic with foure thousand harquebusiers Wallons and Spaniards with some horsemen to cut off his passage as if he meant to fight with him But it passed in skirmishes with small losse on eyther side whereas the Seignior of Louerual was taken prisoner whom the duke caused to bee afterwards beheaded at Brussels The prince might easily haue defeated this small troupe of Dom Frederics but beeing ready to fight the Landtsknechts as before demaunding siluer would not hearken vnto it So as the prince being frustrate of his expectation hauing presented battaile once againe vnto the duke who would not accept it seeing that he sought onely to dissolue his armie for want of victuals and other commodities passing with his troupes through Brabant into Henault he was followed by the duke of Alua who euery night retrenched himselfe beeing loath to hazard any thing following him from lodging to lodging vntill he was entred into Fraunce yet the prince beeing neere to Quesnoy le Comte hauing encountred some of the dukes troupes which were too farre aduanced he defeated tenne companies of Landtsknechts eight of Spaniards and three companies of light horsemen where there were many gentlemen slaine and amongst those of account or marke the marquesse of Omares sonne Dom Ioan of Cales Dom Ruffin Henriques and others Being come to the castle of Cambresis his Germanes burned and spoyled all that they left behind them And there the duke of Alua left pursuing them Being entred into Fraunce the marshall of Cosse at the request of the duke of Alua coasted him with two thousand harquebusiers and two hundred horse but he could not annoy him there the prince Cont Lodowic and the French nobilitie went to counsell what they should doe whether to passe further into the Realme being amazed at so great forces or to returne towards Germanie to ioyne with the armie of Wolfgang duke of Deux Ponts the which he prepared to succour the Protestants of Fraunce which second aduice was followed so marching through Campaigne and Lorraine approching neere Strausbourg the prince sent to make his excuse to the French king But before the message was done vnto his Maiestie the king sent the lord Gaspar Schomberg to let him vnderstand that he wondered much how the said prince without any quarrell or cause should enter so into his Realme with an armie but if he demaunded passage onely to returne into Germanie it should not be denyed him so as he committed no act of hostilitie Whereunto the prince answered from Soissons the fourth of December as he had before sent his intention vnto his Maiesty That although he had many reasons mouing him thereunto yet he was not so indiscreet to addresse his armes against so mightie a king And therefore he protested that he was ready to doe his Maiestie that honour respect and seruice that was fit But for that the aduancement of the true Religion is a point which aboue all doth moue the hearts of men the which he vnderstandeth they meane to â—…oot out in Fraunce although his Maiestie had giuen him to vnderstand that hâ—… intention was not to force any one in his conscience but that the Protestants were â—…ll affected to him and that he held them for his enemies But if hee found that the said Protestants did seeke any other thing than the aduancement of the true Religion the libertie of their consciences and the suretie of their persons and goods That neyther he nor his armie would be friends vnto them but mortall enemies But hearing that the Protestants sought no other thing but the honour of God the assurance of their liues and the seruice of God and his Maiestie he desired his Maiestie not to take it in ill part if he were affected vnto them and that if he desired that his Maiesties publicke Edicts made touching Religion were entertayned and kept the which proceeded from a Christian zeale which he bare to his Maiesty and his subiects the which hee desired to see preserued from extreame ruine and desolation The king hearing this answere offered him a good summe of money for the payment of his armie whereof he had great need and by the same meanes caused Schomberg who was well knowne among the colonels and Rytmasters to sound the minds of his souldiers wherof some through pouertie were weary of the warres and others were content to enter into the kings seruice The prince his brother and the French nobilitie had propounded to march further into Fraunce whereupon there grew a great difficultie the troupes refusing to march any further but would returne into Germanie and bee payed there saying that their leuie was not made to goe into Fraunce but into the Netherlands against the duke of Alua. So as hauing no money ready no persuasions nor entreaties could serue to make them aduance vntill that the money which the French king had offered was come But the king vnderstanding of this diuision in the princes armie
annotations in the Margent passe wel inough therby to prouide to a pacification but touching the restrictions and conditions thereafter ensewing as of deliuering ouer the prouinces townes and forts of Holland Zeland together with the ships artilery and other things it apeared that they sought to circumuent them as it is said to be done in the fable of the wars betweene the Wolues the Sheepe after the Sheepe had deliuered the dogs that were their protection defence vnto the wolues That the Prince of Orange and the estates of Holland and Zeeland were wrongfully holden and accounted for rebells and open enemies to his maiesty which they could by no meanes vnderstand to bee so for that they had not in the least point once sought to deminish ot detract any thing from his Maiesties highnesse and authority in any sort what so-euer but rather for his maiesties profit and the preseruation and defence of the land and the townes there of to gether with their houses liues and goods wiues and children from the tirany of the Duke of Alua and his adherents with great labour and toyle had vsed all the meanes they could to driue their aduerse party from thence whereof they had alwaies made declaration that they neuer ment or intended to beare armes against his maiesty nor by the same sought to refuse obedience or to alienate them-selues from the same but with all duty to continew in his maiesties grace and fauour with other Prouinces vnited vnto them as they did before hauing beene free from any meaning or intent to take away the goods of their aduersaries either spirituall or temporall as in the said conditions were inserted in such sort that they could not thereby perceaue any good opinion to bee conceaued of them and the rather for that by the other conditions of holding and maintaining the Romish Catholik religion or els to depart the land it appeared that their religion was accounted heresie and consequently they them-selues to bee heretikes although no other religion was vsed there amongst them then onely the catholike and apostolike religion agreeing with the holy scriptures wherein they onely trusted and had settled their consciences onely disalowing and banishing open and great abuses and disorders vsed in the church vnpleasing to God thereby to giue that vnto God that was Gods and vnto the King that which belonged vnto him And therefore withall reuerence and humility they said that they could by no meanes be perswaded to accept and allowe of the said articles as they were propounded caling to minde the example of the Earles of Egmont and Horne as also of the Baron of Montigny and others with seuerall breakings of securities promises and assurances that also it was not conuenient that so great a nomber as were inclined to the reformed religion should depart out of the land and forsake their natiue country and that in truth it was a much more harder condition that so great a nomber of the Kings Maiesties faithfull subiects to their great losse should bee forced to sell away their goods which they could not doe but to their exceeding great hinderance although they found marchants and buyers great store and bee compelled to dweld and wander like banished men in other countryes rather then they would send three or foure thousand Spaniards that had made sufficient gaine and prey of the country home againe whereas the departure of the subiects out of the Netherlands would not onely cause a great depopulation of the country but a decay of all kindes of trades trafickes handy-workes occupations and sea-faringe wherein the whole wel-faire of the Netherlands consisted for that it was â—…anyfestly knowne that the sending away of the people at other times by meanes of the rigorous proclamations and terrible executions of the same the industrious handi-crafts that were in the land were by that meanes caried into other countries to the vnspeakeable decay and hinderance of his maiesties rents and reuenewes and from thence by the condition propounded of selling their goods for that time onely they vnderstood that the proclamations and the inquisition touching religion should againe bee put in practise which euery man so much abhorred that those that should remaine in the country were likely to fall into a new trouble and dissention and that at the last a great peece of his maiesties crowne would bee torne in peeces desiring with all humility that their declaration and aduise might bee taken in good part as proceeding from a good deuotion vnto his maiestie and the countries wel-faire beseeching GOD that it would please him of his infinite mercy to inspire his maiestie and the Lords that were comissioners with other counsell knowledge and aduise Vpon this declaration the Kings Deputies vpon the first of Aprill made a replication in writing wherein they seemed to blame the said declaration to be too sharpe and bitter against those with whome they ought to liue in peace and amity and that the King was content according to their desires to cause the Spaniards and others to depart out of the land when all controuersies should bee ended and appeased so as they of Holland and Zeeland would doe the like blaming them like-wise that they should account Holland and Zeeland to bee Earledomes belonging vnto the Empire excusing the great Commander and not beleeuing that he would write any such maâ—…ter as they had charged him with all Thâ—… assembling of he generall estates they agreed vnto peace being made being the second point of their request Touching the deliuering ouer of the townes places forts shippes and artillery they wondred to what end they alledged the fable of the wolues and the sheepe whereas it was not sought or desired otherwise then with proffer of good and sufficient caution wherof they not once made any mention offering besides the Kings word which in reason should be sufficient to make them al due conuenient satisfaction that they could demand as also that the States of the prouince each one in particular should haue the said declaration and the Kings promises to bee set downe vnder his great Seales and if need were to be confermed by the Emperors Maiesty and by other Lords and Princes of the blood Touching the religion his Maiesties meaning was not to yeeld in any thing therevnto but that such as would depart the land should haue six moneths time granted vnto them for their departure and in the meane time should behaue them-selues modestly without any scandale and as for the selling of their lands and goods to aduance them to the highest rate and most aduantage and they should haue 8 or 10. yeares time for the sale thereof so as they suffered them in the meane time to bee vsed and held by Romish Catholikes that the departure of the people out of the land was a greefe vnto the King but seeing they would not conforme them-selues to liue as other men did it was their owne and not the Kings fault and whereas
the French king should crosse his victorie if hee should embrace the affaires of the vnited Prouinces He had in December before sent one Augustino Graffino an Italian into England but being a subiect of the Popes hee was charged to haue beene acquainted with the prince of Orange his murther so as he had no audience at all And the Spaniards seeing that their practises preuayled nothing in the vnited Prouinces nor in England they bethought themselues of another course to kindle a new ciuile warre in Fraunce by the meanes of them of the house of Guise as you may read thereof more at large in the Hystorie of Fraunce The French king seeing himselfe suddenly assayled by the Guisian league in the which many of the nobilitie of Fraunce gentlemen and good townes were ingaged and carried away vnder a colour of Religion and the publicke weale he had no other helpe or meanes but to flye vnto his Edicts forbidding by publicke proclamation all his subiects and vassales that were vnder his iurisdiction to leuie any men or to serue them without his leaue declaring that this league and confederacie was ill grounded and against all reason But all this auayled him little or nothing being forced for this time to strike sayle and to forbeare to accept the offers that were made vnto him by the deputies of the Estates of the vnited Prouinces of the Netherlands And finding himselfe suddenly oppressed by the league being without any forces and the aduerse partie growne to bee so strong as they might easily haue deliuered halfe the countrey of Fraunce into the king of Spaine his hands he gaue the embassadours and deputies to vnderstand with whom he had begun to treat of the conditions That to his great griefe he could not receiue them vnder his protection or gouernment nor at that time assist them in any sort saying That his shirt was neerer vnto him than his doublet complayning much of the violence which the king of Spaine and they of the house of Guise and the league did offer him entreating them to maintaine and defend themselues as well as they could vntill that he had setled his Realme in peace promising to ayde and helpe them willingly with his fauour and counsell in any thing he could And as the Queene of England had recommended the vnited Prouinces vnto him in like sort hee entreated the earle of Darbie the Queenes embassadour to recommend them vnto her Maiestie that it would please her to succour them and to take their defence in hand making the like request vnto the Queene by his owne embassadours and also to the king of Nauarre the which hee promised by the faith of a king and hath beene euer since well affected vnto the sayd vnited prouinces The prince of Parma to finish his worke and to stoppe vp the passage of the riuer of Antuerpe from them of Holland and Zeeland he sent for all the masters of shippes mariners and shipwrights of Flaunders and Brabant whom hee caused to come to Calloo So as vpon the fiue and twentieth day of Februarie the bridge was fully finished whereby they might passe out of Flanders into Brabant and the passage to Antuerpe quite stopped vp the which was a singular worke and of great admiration to all the world being built after the manner which followeth On eyther side of the riuer hee had caused a mightie fort to be built one at Calloo vpon Flanders side and the other at Oordam on the bankes of Brabant in eyther of the which hee had planted twelue double cannons which shot euen with the water and the workes were aduaunced as farre into the riuer as the foundation would suffer it besides the heads which were made of bridges set vpon pyles of fiftie foot deepe rammed into the ground and well bound together And whereas the depth or the swiftnesse of the streame would not suffer it the rest of the bridge from one side vnto the other was made of one and thirtie flat bottomed boats euery one beeing made fast with two ankers one before and the other behind tyed together with strong chaynes and cables vpon the which were great beames layed crosse and vpon them certaine plankes which finished the bridge so as they might passe on horsebacke or with waggons and carts to eyther side About a thousand foote from this bridge both aboue and beneath there was a floate made of mastes of shippes that were bound together and vpon them other mastes crossed and pointed sticking forth some twentie foote long like vnto stakes and therefore they were called Stocadoes all being made fast in the bottome of the water with ankers like vnto the bridge and on eyther side of the riuer bound with chaynes and cables vnto the heads so as the bridge and the Stocadoes did rise and fall with the tide the sayd bridge beeing two thousand foot long lacking but two from one head vnto another And on eyther side thereof there lay fiue shippes of warre well appointed with men and artillerie to withstand the first assault before they should approach neere vnto the Stocadoes Moreouer there were planted on eyther side of the riuer betwixt the two Stocadoes aboue a hundred peeces of artillerie both great and small the which in truth was a royall worke for the making whereof vnprofitable they must vse other meanes than force or else they should haue foreseene it in time and not suffered them so much to haue aduaunced it for if they had done their endeauours to breake it as they began the worke the which they might well haue done he had not so easily finished it But beeing done and ended they sought to breake it with the force and violence of shippes of warre as well of Holland and Zeeland as of Antuerpe yet before they could get this preparation readie and a faire wind withall as they desired for the which there was aboue a hundred shippes laden with men and munition attending with great deuotion and during all these delayes and expectations the prince of Parma finished this great worke and the riuer was shut vp by this bridge and Stocadoes The which bred a great discontentment and murmuring amongst the common people as well of Brabant as of Zeeland and for the which the Zeelanders did partly blame their admirall Treslon and others which had had the chiefe charge but euery man excused himselfe of this negligence in the preuention thereof in the which there was also some priuate commoditie or aduantage as it is the vsuall custome in matters which passe by many heads and hands yea they did greatly taxe the Hollanders therewith some saying that the prince of Parma could not haue finished this worke without them and it was generally spoken that they had deliuered him cables and ankers wherewith hee had made his worke firme The towne of Nymeghen in the countrey of Gueldres situated vpon the riuer of Wahal which is one of the hornes of Rhin was at that time wauering and it was
of religion if the King would not heare of any tolleration of the exercise thereof then they of the said Prouinces should be forced to for sake the religion wherein they were borne and bred from their youths or bee constrained to liue in perpetuall exile out of their countries by which meanes all those that would not leaue their religion would for sake the country wherby it should become desolate Neither could the King with any reason refuse his subiects that which in times past was by his father the Emperor Charles permitted vnto the Germanes and by other Princes and namely by him-selfe in his perpetuall Edict and that by the aduise of the best and the most learned Doctors in diuinity and councellors of estate the breaking whereof had beene the cause of all the tumults and troubles in the Netherlands as also in France and other places and was likely to bring many more inconueniences to the King in his old age and like-wise to his sonne who was yet but very young To all the points of this replication the King of Spains commissioners made none but dilatorie answers to no effect In the meane time the Queene of England was aduertised of an English booke printed at Antwetp written by Doctor Allen who not long before had beene made Cardinall at Rome being an admonition to the Nobility of England and Ireland to execute the Popes sentence against her Maiesty which executions the King of Spaine had taken in hand as Allen said and the Duke of Parma was appointed by the King cheefe Commander in that action The Queene was also aduertised of a Bull sent forth by Pope Sixtus conteyning many false and scandalous points against her Maiesty wherein was also contayned that he had concluded with the Catholike King to imploy all his power and meanes to expell the Queene out of her Kingdome straightly commanding all her Maiesties subiects in a most fearefull and thundring manner to ayd and assist the great noble and invincible army prepared to that end vnder the command of the Duke of Parma The Queene being made aquainted with these things during this treaty of peace shee commanded Doctor Dale one of the commissioners to go and speake with the Duke of Parma in person and to charge him in good sort with the things contayned in these aduertisements and to know his direct answere whether he were not appointed to bee generall ouer the army that was then preparing in Spaine and of the enterprise thereby pretended and to tell him that if it were true as shee could heardly beleeue it shee ment no longer to contynue the treaty but to call home her Commissioners The Duke of Parma made answer to Doctor Dale that he knew of no such booke neither had he any knowledge of the fore-said Bull sent forth by the Pope neither had hee attempted any thing of him-selfe but honorably in regard of the dislike that was betwixt her and the King his maister and that as a good and faithfull seruant hee was to execute his maisters commandement with many such Court-like speeches But her Maiestie was not satisfied with that answer for that hee did not say directly whether hee had vnder-taken to inuade England or not with that armie wherefore shee resolued not to call home her commissioners yet commanding them to treat with the Spanish commissioners by word of mouth and try if by that meanes better then by writing they might finde more reason and better furtherance But to the contrary and beyond their expectations they found that the longer they continued in this treatie the lesse hope there was of any good conclusion The Kings Comissioners telling them that they were grieued they had spent so much time about the matter and that the King of Spaine had kept fifty thousand men in pay almost a whole yeare to lye still and doe nothing to his great charge by the meanes of that treatie and so they blamed one an other At the last the Kings Commissioners said plainly touching the religion that the King of Spaine were better to giue his one and onely Sonne vnto them of Holland then to allow them the excercise of their religion And that the Queene had no more to doe to trouble her selfe with the religion of his countries then hee had to meddle with the religion in her Dominions As for the pacification of Gant they would not heare of that for that it had beene broken by the makers thereof saying that the Prince of Orange had receiued a iust reward for the same The forraine soldiers might not bee sent away so long as there was any warre with Holland and feare of France To conclude they refused all the English demands But Sir Iames a Croft riding priuately to Bruges shewed secretly vnto the President Richardot and to Mounsier Champigni certaine articles concerning a peace but much to the preiudice of the vnited Prouinces which Champigni seemed to like well of beeing very desirous by that meanes to haue the vse of the English Hauens for the harboring of their Spanish fleete for the which after-wards there grew great dislike betwixt him and the duke of Parma Before the departure of the English Commissioners the Earle of Darbie to discouer the Spaniards intents asked them if they intended to haue the cautionary Townes deliuered ouer vnto them without any conclusion But the Spanish fleete approaching then in August brake off all further conference either side hearing the shotte at Sea and so all dissembling was laid aside and the Duke of Parma was found contrary in his word hauing protested to some of the English Commissioners vppon his Princely word and faith as the English reported that the armie came not for England if they could agree vppon the fore-said articles of peace propounded But the Queene obseruing the constant resolution of the vnited Prouinces and seeing the fleete of Spaine already before her dore she called home her Commissioners wherevpon they desired a conuoy to conduct them safely from thence being in some feare for that they had no hostages but after fifteene daies stay they got a passport with certaine wagons and a conuoy to guard them to the Frontiers whether the Kings commissioners did very honorably conduct them for the which they gaue them great thanks much commended the Duke of Parmaes honorable disposition hauing kept his word so iustly with them Now I come to that great Spanish fleete whereof although there haue beene some petty discourses written and published in our owne language yet for that it concerned the vnited Prouinces as well as England I haue thought good to make a briefe relation in this history for posterities sake both of the preparations and the successe The King of Spaine hauing long fore-cast and sought by what meanes hee might bring the Realme of England into subiection and so to re-establish the Catholike religion there hoping by that meanes to re-possesse his inheritance in the Netherlands for that beeing
The Emperors letter to the princes â—…lectors The Emâ—…erors departure out of the Netherlands 1556 King Philips age King Philips proceeding after the emperors departure King Philip makes an excessiue demaÌ„d of the Netherlanders A great famin in the Netherlands The king coâ—…es out of â—…ngland to â—…is A fight at sea betweene the Hollanders the FrenchmeÌ„ Mary queen of England â—…roclaimeth open war against France S. Quintains besieged by king Philip. The battaile of 〈◊〉 Quintines The names of the noblemen of France thâ—…t were sâ—…e taken prisoners S. Quintine won the admiral of France with monsieur Daudelot his brother taken prisoners Peace made with the pope Calis taken by 〈◊〉 French meÌ„ * E. Demetrius 1558 Guynes woon by the French men Mary queen of Scots maried to the Dolphin of France Theonuille woon by the French men Duynkâ—…rke woâ—…n by the â—…nch men The battaileoâ—… Graueling in Flanders Mary queen of England died The death of queen â—…enor and queen Mary sistâ—…rs to â—…he emperour Charles the 5. The death of the emperour Charles the 5. Treatie of peace between France and Spaine Articles of the peace made at Cambresis Heâ—…ry king of France slâ—…ine aâ—… a running at 〈◊〉 The death of Pope Paule the fourth The lady Marguerite aduanced to the gouernment by the Cardinals meanes A petition mâ—…de by the states to king Philip to send the Spaniards out of the Netherlands King Philip 〈◊〉 from Vlishâ—…g into Spaine The Bible called Complutensis printed in Antuerpe at the costs and charges of K. Philip. A briefe declaration of the priuiledges of Brabant The libâ—…ralitie of thâ—… NetherlaÌ„dâ—…s to their lords and princes The emperour Charls thoght to haue reduced the Netherlands all into one kingdome Vnder pretence of religion othermeans were sought to take the priuiledges of the Netherlands from them The Inquâ—…tion nâ—…t suffered to proceed in the NetherlaÌ„ds oy means of Mary queen of Hungarie Inquisitors of the Faith made Thâ—… liâ—… of cardâ—…l 〈◊〉 His â—…randfather Hâ—…s father â—…is 〈◊〉 to hâ—…ue thâ—… king 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of â—…s couâ—…sel How he preuented the enuy of the couâ—… The cardinalâ—… priuat life His adultery luxury The Cardinals codpisse Hath made the king Golette misse His inchantments and witchcrâ—…t His contempt of the word of God The clergie at debate for the new bishops Deputies sent from Antuâ—…rpe to the king of Spâ—…ne touching the bishops The lord of Monâ—… sent â—…to Spain 1563 Letters of complâ—…int vntâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…g agâ—… the cardinall The kings answer The noblemens reply The cardinal called back into Spaine The pâ—…ution oâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ster 1564 Difference betwixt England and the Netherlands The abbey of Ouwergâ—…m â—…obd The earle of Egmont sent into Spaine 1565 The kings letters other than were expected Execution of the edicts Introduction of the Inquisition To put tâ—…e couâ—…ll of Treâ—…t in praâ—…e The Gouernesse sâ—…ters to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The prince of Oranges letter to the dutches Touching the execution of edicts The prince excuseâ—…h himself fâ—…oÌ„ this châ—…rge The Gouernesse sends for the prince of Orange to come to Brussels The magistrat of Antuerpe sendeth to the Gouernesse A bloudie resolution A dâ—…scourse of Fâ—…s Baudwins teaching the meanes to â—…uent the trouâ—…s Definition of this word Reâ—…on The minds of men cannot be commanded by force Couetousnes and ambition doe more than torments They must giue audience to them of the religion Mahumet forbids to dispute of his religion They of the reliâ—…on neuer heard with patience The holy Scripture as powerful now as euer to confute heresies Counsels reiâ—…cted by some bishops The word of God must determine of controuersies If it were fit to hinder the exercise of Religion Abuse in the Church the cause of great 〈◊〉 The christians in old timâ—…s assembled in the deserts He that is disloyâ—…ll vnto God wil be also vnto the king Fuseâ—…ius in the life of Constantine Emperor A good consideration touching the 〈◊〉 of the Netherlands No sorts maintaine kings so much as the loue of their subiects The cause of the troubles in France Great numbers haue forsaken the Netherlands for Religion Thâ—…t those of the 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 â—…ll of base condâ—…on Most oâ—… the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and best wâ—…ts â—…re of the 〈◊〉 In the end they shall be forced to grant liberâ—…e of religion Obiections against â—…ee excrâ—…se of â—…ligion Answer to the first obiection It is no new 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…row 〈…〉 〈◊〉 the diuersitie oâ—…â—…ons 〈…〉 pâ—…ons Note this counsell An assembly of the nobles at the mariage of the prince of Parma The noblemen assemble at S. Trudon touching the troubles A compromise of the nobles of the Netherlands Diuers opinions of the confederation of the Netherlands The verie words of the Inquisitors commission The vaunts and threats of priests and preachers incenseth the people Prouinces of the Netherlands confederats with the empire Six chiefe articles in the priuiledges of Brabant Deputies of the nobles with a petition at an imperiall Diet. The gouernors â—…nd knights of the order sent for to court The Gouernesse writes to the king all the â—…res of the Netherlands The Gouernâ—… pâ—…th thâ—…â—…es oâ—…â—…bant A proiect to moderat the edicts A petition sent by them of Brabant to the king of Spaine They would hâ—…ue Brabant â—…or an enemy by reason of their priuiledges 〈…〉 An ambiguous and rigoróus apostile to the petition of them of Flanders A second petition made by them of Flanders against the Inquisition The beginning of the Gueux by the which the protestants in the Netherlands were called The lord of Brederode his speech presenting the petition The petition of the nobles against the Inquisition c. The petition of the nobles interpreted to rebellion The Gouernesse answere to the petition of the nobles The Gouernesse policie The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 The contents of the moderation of the proclâ—…tion for Religion The commission of the embassadors of the Netherlands declared vnto the king An answer of the â—…obles to the duâ—…sse excuse 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 The earle of Megen and others The duchesse perplexed for the answer of the nobles Two factions in Antuerpe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A petition made by the reformed churches to the magistrat of Antuerpe The prince of Orange seekes to order things 〈◊〉 Antuerpe Dist ust the cause of troubles in Antuerpe The prince requires a leuie of 1200 men in Antuerpe The answer of the great counsell and the members of Antuerpe to the princes proposition Another occasion of trouble in Antuerpe It seemes the duchesse deâ—… to â—…at the people for small matters An explanation oâ—…â—…o blâ—… answer to the duchesse The noblemen insist vpon their assurance The prince of Orange and the earles of Egmont and Horne The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Goueâ—… nâ—…se â—…s to the townes of the Netherlands Troubles in Antuerpe Foure reasons why they kept their preaching in Antuerp Iust â—…tion of the commons sent vnto the prince touching the preaching The breaking of images begâ—…n iâ—…
were broken and then to keepe the towne in better order then it had beene the Emperour caused a great and strong Cittadell to be built in the place whereas the Abbaie of Saint Bauon was wont to stand into the which hee put a good gouernor and a sufficient garrison to hold them in subiection that they might neuer rebell any more Moreouer the towne payed 50000. florins vnto the Emperour besides their Annuall duties All the preuiledges which they had enioyed for so many yeares which had beene the cause of their often and many mutinies and rebellions were taken from them fifty of the chiefe of the towne attired all in mourning weedes cast themselues at the Emperours feete and other fifty in their shirts with halters about their necks crying for mercy with their hands lift vp with other indignities that were done them as you may reade at large in the Chronicle of Flanders On Saint Mathews day Ferdinand King of Romaines arriued at Brusselles with a smal traine whereof the Emperor being aduertised the same night he tooke post with foure horse only whereof the Earle of Buren was one and the Lord of Conde an other it was very darke before they arriued at Brusselles whereas hee was welcome to his brother King Ferdinand and to his sister the Queene of Hungary This same yeare was published by the Emperor the 4. bloudy Edict against them of the religion in the Netherlands the which confirming the 3. precedent was the subiect of al those that haue since bin granted both by himself King Philip his son beeing called the great Edict of the yeare ◅540 the which is yet daylie obiected against them of the relligion inthe lowe countries Whilest that the Emperour made some aboade in the Netherlands being much troubled to suppresse the Ganthois Hee consulted also what was to bee done against the Protestants of Germanie the Popes Legat incensed him against them all he could vpbraiding them with all the opprobrious termes that might be terming them worse then Turkes and proclayming warre against them charging them with heresie and rebellion The Emperour following his accustomed course without aduertising of the Legat appointed a diet at Haguenau where King Ferdinand was president for the Emperor and as King of Romains where after some conferences it was sayd that matters were in that estate as they could not determine any thing especially through the absence of the Elector of Saxony and the Landtgraue of Hessen and therefore they must referre the businesse vnto an other daie when as the Ambassadours and Diuines of eyther side should meete in equall numbers to conferre togither vpon the Articles of the confession of the Protestants faith prouided notwithstanding that the Edict of Ausbourg should stand in force and that it should bee lawfull for the Pope to send his deputies thether if he pleased The diet was referred to Wormes and in the meane time the Emperor writ his letters confirming the former conclusion promising an Imperiall diet whereas hee would be himselfe in person whither that should bee brought that should bee treated at Wormes Hee sent his Ambassador Granuelle to Wormes with his sonne Anthony Perrenot Bishop of Arras and some Spanish diuines Granuelle in the Emperors name exorted them that were there present to studie for peace and vnion The next daie Campege the Popes Ambassador made his speech to this effect that the Pope would for his part do all that was possible excepting relligion But nothing was done in this assemblie for that matters inclyned in fauor of the Protestants who desired nothing more then to enter into conference hauing brought many learned men to that end among others Melancton Bucer and Caluin After many remises for a countenance onely there were some publicke disputations betwixt Melancton and Eckius touching originall sinne But the third daie Granuelle and the other Ambassadors receiued letters from the Emperor by the which hee referred the businesse vnto the diet at Ratisbone commanding the Protestants to be there also and Granuelle to returne vnto him In the beginning of February 1541. the Emperor leauing the Netherlands came to Mets in Lorraine and so passing by Spire came to Ratisbone He was receiued at Nuremberg with great state In March many Princes the states of Germany came to Ratisbone where he attended them who on the day of the assembly begun the 25. of Aprill propounded many excuses why matters had beene so long delaied yet prefering the quiet of Germany before all other things yea before his owne health hee was come thether to intreat them to aduise of some good agreement and to the end that euery one might know how much he desired peace his opinion was if they found no better expedient that there should be some learned and quiet minded Germains chosen out to conferre friendly togither of all differences and report as well to the Emperor as to the States how they might come to some agreemēt Wherevpon there were diuers conferences betwixt three Doctors of the Protestants and three of the Romish relligion but they agreed in fewe things the Romanists offring still to refer their controuersies to the Popes decision the which the Protestants did mightily impugne The Emperor hauing heard all their opinions discoursed in order concluded that seeing their differences could not be there determined and that there were other important affaires hauing also staied long there hee referred all to a councell whereof the Popes Legat had giuen him hope and that hee himselfe would in person sollicit it vnto the Pope promising also to returne into Germany If that the Pope did not aduance any thing to prouide himselfe for the pacification thereof William duke of Cleues of Iuilliers c. vpon the word of Ferdinand King of Romaines went vnto the Emperour to see if they might agree touching the duchie of Geldres but hee could neuer obtaine a confirmation from the Emperour As for his proximitie and neerenesse to the succession there was no doubt of it But the Emperour pretended the Inuestiture which his Grandfather the Emperour Maximillian had made vnto him to hold it in fee of the Empire and the purchase which the Duke of Bourgongne his great Grandfather had made of Duke Arnhold and lastly the acco◅d made betwixt him and Charles of Egmont the last Duke of Gelders With which allegations and pretensions the Duke of Cleues could not be satisfied maintayning all these sales seazures and accords to be voyd and of no force for that they could not be made to preiudice the next heire apparent with out his consent The French King hearing of the Du◅e of Cleues discontentment resolued to make an alliance with him that by his meanes and others hee might make warre in the Netherlands and there-vpon offered not onely to take him and his countries into his protection but also to giue him all assistance and ayd to inlarge his limits with a good annuall pension and moreouer to giue
be executed against the Moors Saracens Iewes of Granada ofter they were subdued by the Spaniards without the which Inquisition they perceiued that many men specially such as could behaue themselues warily and closely could not for religion be once touched nor hurt concerning body and goods without witnesses produced against them to haue offended against the proclamation nor yet contrary to the rights and customes of the land might be put to torture to make them confesse any thing against themselues and therefore in the end it was deuised that the spiritualtie should haue the charge thereof and to haue power to examine men touching their faith and what they knew of other men thereby thinking to procure an absolute power vnto the emperor and to exalt the authoritie of the spiritualtie This maner of proceeding seemed ouer rigorous and cruell vnto the Netherlands cleane contrarie to the priuiledges rights and freedoms of the same who in that point ought not to haue been subiect to any spirituall iurisdiction and the rather because the number of the said Lutherans Protestants or reformed religious persons as then so termed were much augmented and increased in the Netherlands because their neighbors held and accounted them and such as they were to be Christians and who so persecuted them they accounted esteemed to be their persecutors and enemies with which their neighbors countries bordering vpon them they did daily traffique and conuerse whereby it happened that when the emperour Charls the 5 in anno 1550 would haue brought the Inquisition into the Netherlands The said prouinces and aboue all Brabant and specially the towne of Antuerpe were against it esteeming it to be the only way to driue all forrein merchants from thence and by meanes thereof they got Mary queen of Hungarie the regent in loue fauor of the Netherlands to ride personally to the assembly of the princes of Germany at Ausburg vnto the emperour her brother shewing him by word of mouth the estate maner of the land and there obtained a kind of moderation of the proclamation for religion and that the Inquisition should not proceed Which great and good worke of the said good queen was taken in such euil part of the Inquisitors of Spaine that they wrot out of Spaine to accuse her for an heretick vnto the emperour her brother whereas therby she held the said countries in such good order and wel-liking of their prince that they denied him no maner of taxes nor other impositions whatsoeuer in his need as also after vnto king Philip his son to whom although a certaine forme of Inquisition was in his time vsed in Flanders they contributed towards his warres in France although the said wars proceeded not vpon any occasion concerning the Netherlands many millions of gulderns in the space of 9 yeares We haue before made mention in diuers places of the numbers of them that made profession of the reformed religion the which increased daily both in Germany the Netherlands notwithstanding the kings rigorous edicts made by the persuasion of the clergy who sought by al means possible to suppresse ruine them for the effecting whereof in the end they found no better expedient among all they could inuent but for the putting of the said edicts in execution according to their forme and with al rigor they should appoint make choice of certaine Inquisitors of the faith who should haue a carefull regard that not any one should read or keep in his house any booke mentioned in the edict containing a catalogue of all the forbidden books and that no man should dispute of the Romish religion to contradict it in any sort For the execution whereof they began to appoint throughout all the Netherlands such like Inquisitors with ample commission absolute authority in that respect notwithstanding the promises which the king of Spaine had made no to charge his subiects with any such a burthen intollerable yoke The promise being vnderstood by the Inquisitors other clergie men they persuaded the king that his authoritie was contemned that there was no other means to preserue maintain it but in establishing the ful execution of the Inquisition But as they had wel seen and experience had taught them that notwithstanding all their practises for aboue 40 yeares yet they could neuer put it in execution they resolued therefore so to disguise this businesse as they would not doubt to bring it to the same effect but vnder another colour pretext the which should be mannaged so cunningly as the people shold be ingaged snared in the Inquisition before they should discouer it seeing they could not attaine vnto it openly the which came vnto the knowledge of the lords of the countrey notwithstanding all their secret practises This was the deuise Doctor Francis Sonnius a diuine of Louuaine at the instance of cardinal Granuelle and his ministers of the Inquisition was sent to pope Paul the 4 to giue him to vnderstand that the Netherlands were within these few yeres greatly augmented inriched in people and wealth and that the diocesses of bishopricks had such large limits ample iurisdictions as it was not possible for the bishops being so few to haue a fit care of their flock with other such like informations for the which the pope as supreme pastor should be intreated to prouide after that he had represented vnto him the map description of al the said countries with a roll of the qualities welth and bounds of all the clergy besides the diuersitie of tongs which were intermixt with them Wherfore Sonnius being at Rome furnished with instructions and directions from cardinall Granuelle he intreated that it would please his holinesse to cut off that which did exceed in great antient bishopricks and to diuide it among new the which he should erect in diuers places of the said countries whereas there had neuer been any fitting euery one to the naturall language of the countrey and to supply the want of entertainment of the new bishops hee should appropriat incorporat vnto their bishopricks not the least but the richest most sufficient abbies priories prouostships other good benefices The pope consented easily the 19 of March 1559 and granted this request of the Inquisitors priuat clergy men of the Netherlands without calling or hearing of the antient bishops which were foure Cambray Arras Tournay and Vtrecht so as besides these foure there were 14 new created among them three archbishops of whom all the rest should depend and be no more subiect vnto them to whom in old time they were wont to resort So for the three seats of the three new archbishops were appointed Macklyn Cambray Vtrecht Macklyn a good a goodly towne scituated in the midst of the duchy of Brabant and as it were in the center of the 17 Belgicke prouinces which was wont to be of the diocesse of Liege should be the Metropolitane of
and encrease Wherefore they that aduise the king to vse this meanes are much abused for besides that they frustrate his Maiesties intention they thrust the countrey into great desolation and a most apparent danger of a ruine It is plainely to bee seene That the Arts Occupations and Trades by meanes whereof this countrey was wont to flourish aboue the rest doe now decay and are transported to their neighbours the auncient enemies of the house of Bourgoigne and Austria It is almost incredible what preiudice the persecutions haue brought within these fortie yeares to the making of cloth sayes and tapistrie which trades being as it were proper and peculiar to the Netherlands they haue chased away by this meanes to the French English and other Nations I forbeare to speake of an infinite number of other good and profitable Trades which are retyred into forraine countries to enioy the libertie of their consciences For in generall the traffique of Marchandise hath bin wonderfully interessed as many good men can witnesse in Antuerpe Lille Tournay Valenciennes and other such townes And this hath beene one of the chiefe occasions why of late yeares the English haue beene persuaded to leaue Antuerpe to goe to Embden that is to say from the flower of all marchant townes full of infinite commodities to a petie towne obscure and of no commoditie yea they are growne so prowd by reason of this Drapâ—…ie the spoyles of his Maiesties Netherlands as they seeme to haue no care to compound thinking that wee haue more need of them than they of vs. The French in like sort brag that they are clothed with our spoyles by reason of the marchants that are fled for Religion so as that which did serue them as a bridle to bring them the sooner vnto reason in time of warre will now make them more proud and vntractable Besides it is well knowne that within the countrey there are many sufficient marchants which vpon this occasion refuse to contribute in time of necessitie fearing that this question of Religion will be a subiect vnto their enemies to make them confiscable But aboue all it is to be considered That the profession of armes and warre which hath beene flourishing in these parts hath and will bee greatly interessed if it bee not otherwise preuented I will not speake of many gentlemen good and faithfull souldiers which might doe good seruice to his Maiestie which are now retyred quietly to their houses fearing for this onely occasion to employ themselues in any action whatsoeuer Neyther will I say that many others who desired to doe the king good seruice euen of those which knew the seats and situations of countries are forced to leaue their natiue soyle and to retyre to their enemies preferring the libertie of their consciences before all thinges in the world Without doubt there must a care be had for if any warre should happen eyther against the French the English or any other neighbour countrey we know not whom to trust And without doubt the enemies will not forget to make their profit vpon this occasion by all manner of practises to the great preiudice of his Maiestie and all his countrey And it is to be feared that among so many men there will be some which vnder colour to seeke their libertie will be persuaded to attempt some innouations The desire to liue and serue God in libertie of conscience is of so great force as it maketh men forget all other affections and passions how vehement soeuer for it not onely maketh the subiect neglect the dutie which he oweth to his naturall king and prince but it doth euen estrange and withdraw the hearts of fathers and mothers from their children yea it maketh them forget themselues so as they make no difficultie to expose their bodies to the burning flames and to all sorts of torments and to abandon wife and children leauing them nothing but pouertie and infamie rather than to loose this good in regard whereof there is nothing in this world that they esteeme So as it is no wonder which some report for a truth That many among the Gascoines and Prouensals during the persecutions in Fraunce for matter of Religion haue treated to yeeld themselues tributarie to the Turke hoping by that meanes they would suffer them to liue in libertie which they valued aboue all things And it may be they had put it in execution to the great preiudice of all Christendome if one onely respect had not restrayned them which was that they held it too grieuous to giue their first borne children to the great Turke to be bred vp in Mahomets Religion for this affection is incredible and exceedeth all others The which beeing well considered with the great diuersitie of humours and conditions of men it were no strange thing if in so great a multitude of them that are persecuted for their conscience some should bee found more suddaine or more reuengefull and impatient than the rest who would make no difficultie to attempt such exploits yea if it were but to reuenge the grieuous wrongs and iniuries that were done for that cause vnto their kinsfolkes and friends Wherein it is greatly to be considered That there are no forts nor castles that maintaine kings in their greatnesse so much as the faithfull loue of their subiects So contrariwise the king doth but prouoke their hatred against his Maiestie yea of them who otherwise are good and well gouerned men and liue without reproch If the Inquisitors and their adherents feare not the Huguenots for that as they say they haue not the wit to reuenge themselues who maintaine that they must doe good for euill yet they may well haue heard the common prouerbe That patience too much vrged in the end turneth to furie And if they be not void of all sence they must thinke that all the kinsfolkes friends and allies of them that they persecute are not all of one mind and equall patience that they can so easily passe ouer the wrong which they thinke they haue receyued so as although there were no danger that they should attempt any thing against his Maiestie or his estates yet will they carry an irreconcileable hatred against his officers whereby there will grow bad intelligence among the kings subiects which is a matter as euery man knowes of very great importance as we may well see by the troubles of Fraunce the which partly tooke their beginning from such occasions And it is most manifest that if king Henry or his father king Francis had in their times graunted free exercise of Religion restraining them with good lawes and ordinances without doubt they had left their realme much more happie and flourishing and had preuented so many calamities which haue ensued I know there are some which say that the like is not to bee feared here considering the small number there is and therefore it were no reason that for a handfull of men and of the baser sort they
should bring in any innouation But they that vse such speeches discouer their grosseignorance or their insupportable malice If there bee any question to giue assistance to the Inquisitors to install the new bishops or to send garrisons into any townes then they can say That if they vse not extreame rigour and great diligence it will not bee possible to maintaine the auncient Religion importuning the Court with their continuall complaints how wonderfully the heretickes doe multiplie But if there be any question to find some mild and fit course to settle the countries quiet without any great effusion of bloud then they say there are so few Huguenots and of so base qualitie as nothing ought to be altered for them So as any man may easily see that their entent is to maintaine themselues onely in their greatnesse were it with the totall ruine of his Maiesties Countries And they that doe earnestly affect the kings greatnesse and the preseruation of his Subiects must reiect them as partiall and suspect and make diligent information and search of the number qualitie and sufficiencie of them that desire to bee the kings faithfull subiects so as they may satisfie and enioy their consciences and without doubt they shall finde a greater number than is generally beleeued Let them looke to the multitude of those that are retyred into England where they haue their publicke assemblies in infinite numbers then let them turne to those that are gone into Fraunce in as great numbers from thence let them muster vp them that are at Francfort Strausbourg Heidelberg Franckendal Cologne Aix Dousbourg Embden Geneua Hambourg Breme and other townes of the East countries without doubt in my opinion they shall find an hundred thousand And as for those that remaine yet in the countrey it is most manifest there are many more There haue beene sometimes seene at an assembly or preaching at Tournay foure or fiue thousand persons The like hath beene knowne at Valenciennes besides those that haue remained secretly in their houses else the garrisons had beene needlesse which haue beene sent thither if the multitude had not beene so great It is thought that Lille hath not many lesse who so will looke into the petie townes and neighbour villages shall vndoubtedly find an infinite number Come into West-Flanders the numbers are wonderfull great notwithstanding any search or pursute which the Deane of Renay hath made Haue we not seene at Messines as I remember seuen or eight hundred countreymen force the prison and deliuer a prisoner and they could neuer discouer who they were I leaue Eand Bruges and Ypre in which notwithstanding are good numbers What multitudes meet together at Antuerpe is apparent and at Brussels where the Court remayneth yet can they not by any meanes keepe them from assembling themselues together in good numbers What shall I speake of the Countries of Holland Zeeland Gueldres and Friseland where it seemeth they haue greater libertie and in truth the officers dare make no more searches nor executions by reason of the great numbers Haue we not seene at Vtrecht an â—…piscopall towne and sull of â—…ich chanons one called Thys or Steuen preach this doctrine publickâ—…ly for the space of a whole yeare in the view of the whole world in despight of all such as did oppose themselues and notwithstanding all their pursute yet could they neuer apprehend him for that all the people did accompanie him both going in and comming out of the churâ—…h so as sometimes hâ—… was carried vpon their shoulders and lodged sometimes in one house sometimes in another Whereby we may see that the number is not so small as some maintaine yea they complaine that they cannot furnish them with ministers and preachers ynough Without doubt if they were gathered together in one place as well those which are â—…tired as they which remaine there would be found at the least two or three hundred thousand If they will haue respect to them that are of the same opinion and yet dissemble attending some change or fitter oportunitie I doe certainely beleeue that all ioyned together would equall the number of the rest So as they which maintaine that the number is so small and that for them they should not alter nor change any thing shew that they haue no sence nor iudgement or else that they would raigne alone in the world Whereas they say That they be all people of base condition The contrary hath beene seene in Germanie France England Scotland and Denmarke whereas not only the common people but also princes and kings haue embraced this Religion and doubtlesse if they might discouer themselues without danger of life and goods they should also find here a great number of gentlemen and others of good sort that would declare themselues to be of their partie But although the number were not so great yea if there were but very few yet it were beâ—…itting the clemencie of a king to haue regard vnto the health of the meanest of his subiects The emperouâ—… Traian was wont to say That he had rather saue one citizen and subiect than defeat a whole armie of his enemies a speech worthy of a Monarch and Emperor Such then as thinke they should not spare to ruine as much as in them lies the bodies and soules of the kings poore subiects shew themselues ignorant what Christianitie humanitie or the clemencie of a king requires the very name whereof makes his fame more glorious than all the trophies and victories that he could obtaine of his enemies But some will say That these men are wicked and prophane and that they corrupt the rest Whereunto I answere That the point of Religion onely excepted whereon it is not my intent here to iudge you shall find that they are otherwise good men fearing God yeelding obedience to the king and magistâ—…ate and doing wrong to no man although there bee some that couer themselues with their name and are not so the which happeneth for that they are not suffered to haue the exâ—…rcise of their Religion as they would and as for the point of their Religion let it be what they please but so it is they are not all persecuted so much for that they follow heresie and errour but for that they are constant and faithfull in that which they thinke conformable to the word of God for they suffer them to beleeue what they please which indeed they cannot hinder so as they will be disloyall and hypocrites And seeing they submit themselues to be instructed by the word of God there is no reason to esteeme them so wicked Moreouer we must in despight of our selues confesse That the greatest and best wits and the most learned men maintaine their partie I will not disgrace the others But if we will lay aside all sauour and affection we shall sind that the most excellent wits haue beene and are of their profession yea the restauration of arts and sciences the which were buried in
to consider of this businesse without passion according to equitie and right to the aduancement of the townes good graunting them a fit and conuenient place to that end offering to signe this petition by as many men as they should thinke good to appoint On the other side the magistrat of Antuerpe seeing how they of the reformed religion increased daily and the auditors of Romish Catholikes decreased visibly considering also that the people murmured by reason that they had deposed two curats of the parish of Kyel by the towne preaching to the great content of the people one being chased away and the other imprisoned It was therefore resolued by the said magistrat that it was their best course to allow them some ecclesiasticall preacher that was pleasing vnto them to draw them from strange preachers to whom they were wholly inclined Whereupon they called home the curat that had beene chased away charging him to preach as he had done before in his parish but with modestie who beeing held to be of the confession of Ausbourg the multitude increased wonderfully yea more than of those of the reformed religion who hauing a greater respect to the generall tranquilitie and quiet went not to their preachings armed with such libertie knowing that it was against the will of the magistrat and that in the beginning their ministers were forbidden The prince of Orange according to the charge which he had from the duchesse at the suit of the burgesses of Antuerpe beeing come into the towne he conferred presently with the magistrat from whom he vnderstood the pitiful estate of the towne and perused certaine articles which they had drawne for the ordering thereof and to maintaine it in the kings obedience and its antient beautie and prosperitie where he promised them al fauour and assistance Then hauing called together the other members of the bodie of the towne as the old aldermen the masters of the quarters the deanes of trades the sworne companies the nations of merchants the clergie and some priuat persons after that he had heard them hee found that the distrust which was among them was one of the principall causes which put the towne into that combustion for the magistrat did put no trust in the bourgesses and much lesse in them of thereligion On the other side the inhabitants in generall of what doctrine soeuer distrusted the court fearing the garrison which they wold giue them and much more their magistrat who seemed to incline thereunto all whose actions were suspected Then they of the religion feared and distrusted not onely the court and magistrat but also all the members of the towne and which is more they were in iealousie one of another they of the confession of Ausbourg of the one side and those of the reformed religion of the other Hee found also that those of the religion were in wonderfull great numbers and armed who according to the weake gouernment that was in the towne might haue made themselues masters thereof if they had listed or if their designes had beene other than good The which made him to thinke that for the seruice of the king and the safetie of the towne it was necessary to take from them these distrusts as much as might be and that they should worke by all good meanes so as they of the religion should carrie no more armes to their preachings And as the prince gaue the magistrat to vnderstand that it were too great a toyle for him and for them to go for the smallest occurrents sometimes to one sometimes to another as to the members the nations of merchants the consistories yea to some priuat persons to confer with them It were therefore requisit to haue some man of qualitie appointed that were acquainted with affaires sworne vnto the towne Whereupon the magistrat named Wesenbeeâ—… their orator vnto him whom he accepted To begin then to settle an order in Antuerpe and to suppresse all growing troubles the prince caused it to be deliuered to them of the religion to their ministers and consistories That it was not seemely nor fit that their sermons should be held and maintained by armes vsing many reasons to that purpose and therefore they should lay downe armes Whereupon they answered That they were readie to lay them downe hauing the princes word the promise of their magistrat and the assurance of the court that no force nor violence should be offered them in their preachings On the other side to assure the towne from all inconueniences and from any sodaine inuasion the prince thought it good that with the consent of the members of the towne there should bee some twelue hundred men chosen out of the bourgesses which should be armed entertained and placed vnder captaines like men of warre the which the magistrat did also find requisit And to take all distrust from the commons which might hinder their consent the prince caused the great counsell and all the members of the towne to assemble to consult with them what course were fittest to be taken for euerie mans securitie At which assembly he laid open vnto them the chief cause of the merchants feare and retreat and of the richest of the towne whereof some were alreadie retired and others had packt vp all to be gone the which proceeded for that in their opinions the towne was not sufficiently guarded and assured against all oppressions and sodaine inuasions as in truth it seemed not to bee with many other allegations which were exhibited in writing And comming to touch the point of the leuie and inrolment of twelue hundred men drawne out of the bourgesses and of the surceasing of the preaching and assemblies of them of the religion seeing that as wel the members as magistrat and the prince himselfe had found the mildest way to be the most expedient it was said that they should inquire of them of the religion with what assurance they might persuade them to surcease their preaching vntill that his Maiestie with the aduice of the generall estates should otherwise prouide Whereupon there was a day of aduice and deliberation demanded by the commons and a copie giuen of the writing that was exhibited Whereunto they answered That the leuie of those souldiers was not fit in a towne of such traffique but that they were readie to subiect themselues to those duties which such souldiers or bourgesses inrolled should obserue so as they should haue the like seruice from them and with lesse trouble and charge And as for the preachings they would do their best endeuours to diuert euery one and that the mildest way seemed the most safe vnto them so as in their opinions a generall pardon for them that had been at these preachings should be verie necessarie But aboue all they did insist that as the assembly of the generall estates was the true remedie they should presse to haue them presently called to apply a generall remedie to a generall sore and that in the meane
the Protestants who had chased away the Romish religion being besieged by the bishop yeelded by composition vpon condition to pay the charges of the siege to repaire that which had been taken out of the churches and monasteries and from thenceforth to entertaine the Romish religion receiuing such garrison as the bishop should place there The seignior of Thoulouse with some other gentlemen Protestants by the intelligence of Peter Haâ—…k bailif of Middlebourg in Zeeland had an enterprise vpon the island of Walchren being imbarked at Antuerpe but the maâ—…hants ship of Antuerpe hauing seen them imbark departed before them and arriued first in Zeeland giuing aduertisement of the said enterprise the which by this meanes failed and withall the prince had forbidden them of Zeeland before to receiue any garrison of which defence wee shall haue cause to speake hereafter In the meane time the people seeing the hot pursuits of the clergie to increase daily to their great losse and preiudice and that the Gouernesse seeing that shee had woon the game by the disiunction of the nobles made no account of their sighes and complaints they resolued to appeale to the king sending him a supplication full of teares to mooue him to take pitie of his people who demaunded nothing but to bee maintained in the libertie of their consciences And to make it knowne vnto his Maiesty how much they desired to aduance his affaires they offer him three millions of florins so as it would please him to entertaine the transaction in his full force And withall they imployed certaine princes of Germany to bee suiters in their fauour But this offer and demaund being imparted to the counsell of Spaine was held for a presumptuous ostentation of their riches and bred iealousie in many that by this ouerture they would seeke to win the hearts and draw in the forces of strangers to come to succour them Yet the people left not to trie other meanes as well with the Gouernesse whom they found rough and inexorable as with the confederat noblemen who being summoned as being in the like sort interessed and paâ—…takers of the like perill and danger of the doubtfull issue which this tragedie seemed to promise to keepe their faith othe and promise so often reiterated vnto them that they should not be molested for their consciences but should haue 〈◊〉 exercise of their religion with preaching they protested to impute all the fault vnto them and the occasion of the miseries that might fal vpon the Netherlands The 2 princes of Orange and Gauere or Egmont being as before is said of seuerall opinions the other lords also did likewise participat with the one or the other and as they diuided themselues so did the confederaâ—… gentlemen so that a third paâ—…t of them held not with the confederats but those that were of the reformed religion sought all the meanes they could to confirme and vphold that confederacie and tâ—… procure some great lords to resolue to hold with them to preserue and maintaine the countries in their freedomes and to keepe all strangers out of the same hauing most regard and respect to the prince of Orange in regard of his wisedome and experience as also because of his power friends and allies in Germanie who they knew should bee seconded by the earle of Hoochstrate and many others But the prince in his great discretion marking and considering the kings great power and force whom he knew both of his owne nature and by the prouocation of his Spanish counsell to beare a grudge vnto the countrey not onely for the religion but also for their priuiledges thereunto adding that the zeale of the common people that were addicted to the reformed religion at the first would be great but not certaine to make a full account or reckoning thereof and lastly seeing that within the Netherlands hee should haue the aforesaid earl of Egmont with the principallest and most part of the old souldiers noblemen and implacable spiritualtie enemies against him would by no meanes bee induced nor persuaded to attempt any thing For which cause the baron of Brederode and others of the principallest confederats determined to seeke all the meanes they could before they would enter into any extremities and for that cause wrot a letter vnto the regent to craue leaue to be admitted to come vnto the court to shew her what wrong was vnto them contrarie to the securitie by her giuen vnto them but the regent returned them an answere saying That they should not come within Brussels for that their comming thither vpon the fifth of Aprill last past had caused all the trobles and businesse in the land And hauing certain soldiers within Brussels she gaue them charge not to suffer any of the confederated gentlemen to come within the towne For which cause the baron of Brederode wrot another letter out of Antuerpe vnto the regent bearing date the 8 of Februarie saying That not their petition but the Inquisition and new deuises that men sought to bring into the country together with the long delay made to answer their request were the true and onely causes of the â—…roubles in the countrey and that she might know that his intent and meaning was no other than onely to propound some meanes of peace and vnitie and for that she would not suffer him to come at the court he sent her two requests from the confederated gentlemen wherein they shewed how that in August before the countrey being full of troubles and the people in euerie place readie to rise vp in armes by meanes of the good resolution then taken all was pacified wherein they well and truely acquiâ—…ed themselues And although it fell not out so well in some places it was the fault of those that were not well addicted vnto the seruice of his Maiestie and that when as an assured amendment and reformation was in euerie place expected attending the good â—…esolution of the king with the aduice of the states generall sodainely against all hope and expectation letters were sent out by her to forbid the preaching and exercise of the reformed religion who for that cause as then blamed them as appeared by a petition sent vnto her and thereunto annexed besides that they perceiued by the letters aforesaid as also by other her proceedings that shee sought by foâ—…ce to forbid the preaching vnto the people imprisoning and vsing other kind of rigour vnto the preachers contrarie to the agreement and without order taken by the king with the aduice of the generall states Besides that they saw the bad entertainment that had beene and as yet was giuen vnto the confederated gentlemen together with the distrust that men had in them without cause or reason That the lords were counselled and aduised not to bee conuersant with them willing them to keepe out of his Maâ—… towns without any cause pursuing and following after to take them as if they were enemies to the king and their natiue country which
There was likewise a proclamation made against those that fled out of the Netherlands That such as fled should be taken and brought backe againe and all those that were so determined or that made any preparation thereunto and their goods to be arrested at the custom houses places of passages and frontiers of the land vpon pain to those that did it not to be holden as suspect persons and fauorers of the crimes imputed vnto them that fled and for the same to be punished with confiscation of the ships scutes wagons and carts of all those that carried and conueyed the said fugitiue persons goods as also that no man should harbor lodge furnish with money any fugitiue or banished persons nor write letters nor receiue any to and from them and such like orders At that time the counsell of the troubles for that the duke of Alua could not take the earle of Culembourg gaue a sentence against the house of the said earle ioining to that of the earle of Egmont behind the sand hill in the towne of Brussels condemning it to be pulled downe and rased to the ground and neuer to be built againe with an inscription grauen in a square stone of marble set vpon a piller in the middest of the place written in foure languages and this was the Latin Regnante Philippo 2. Cathol Haspan Rege in his suis inferioribus Germania regionibus gubernance vero Ferdinando Aluares de Toledo Albae duce c. Florentij de Palant quondam domum solo aequari sancitum est oâ—… execrandam memoriam repeâ—…tae in ea coniurationis aduersus religionem ecclesiae Catho Rom. Regiam Maiestatem ipsas regiones Anno salute 1568 5 Calend. Iunij Meane time the regent the duchesse of Parma had wrought such meanes that shee had obtained leaue of the king to depart out of the Netherlands and for her good seruice was by the king rewarded with gifts as a great summe of money and a yerely pention during her life and for that cause preparing her selfe to trauell vnto her husband into Italy did by writing take her leaue of the states and the whole Netherlands in her letters shewing how shee was receiued and installed into the gouernment of the Netherlands in the presence of the generall states assembled in the towne of Gand in anno 1559 and for that cause she said shee could haue beene content to haue yeelded vp the same in the like assembly of the general states as the gouernorâ—… and regents before her had done but for that the king had expresly forbidden the assembly of the generall states during that troublesome time vnlesse he himself were personally presenâ—… that could not be done according to her desire whereby she was constrained to do it by writing praying them to take in good part and judge the best of her labour industrie care and diligence vsed in the said gouernment much complaining of the trobles and vprores happened in the two last yeares of her gouernement yet by Gods grace and by the aid and assistance of a great number of the good subiects of the Netherlands before the end of April she said she had brought all the towns prouinces once again to a ful obedience vnto the king and in the beginning of May garrisons were put into euery place so that there rested nothing to be done but onely to punish the offendors and to take order therein as it should please the kings Maiestie whereby she hoped that in short time the Netherlands would be reduced to their former happy and flourishing estate which she with all her heart desired once againe praying them to take her proceedings in good part withall wishing and counselling them to keepe and obserue the Romish Catholike religion and obedience vnto the king After that vpon the 30 of December she departed out of Brussels and trauelled towards Italie accompanied by diuers of the nobilitie of the Netherlands the duke of Alua himselfe conducting her some part of the way About this time there was a certaine enterprise taken in hand by the fugitiue gentlemen against the person of the duke of Alua at such time as he in Lent meant to go in deuotion from Brussels to the cloyster of Groenendale in Somen wood the principall doers thereof beeing the lord of Rysoire and his brother the lord of Carloo of the house of Noot and others this lord of Carloo kept in the said cloister in habit of a monke for feare of the duke as hee said they had gotten readie sixe or seuen hundred horse-men most part of them keeping in the house of Dohan not far from thence within and about Brussels they had about 500 foot men whereof a souldier that sometime had serued the lord of Likes told the said lord who presently gaue the duke intelligence thereof at such time as he was fully purposed to goe to performe his deuotion which the duke would scarce beleeue and for that cause was hardly to bee persuaded not to goe but the souldier naming his captaine to bee one of the earle of Egmonts horse-men the said captaine was presently apprehended and committed to prison and being sharply examined would not disclose any thing touching the said conspiracie and for that cause was with varietie of rigorous and bloudy inuention cruelly tortured and put to death and so the said enterprise went not forward and yet no more men troubled nor molested for the same In the meane time as the prince of Oranges processe was handled before the duke of Alua by incapable commissioners without any lawfull forme of proceeding by the instruction and deduction of which processe the princes iustifications did not appeare To the end that posteritie might know by what reasons he could iustifie and purge himselfe from the false and slanderous accusations of the duke of Alua vnder the name of the Atturney generall who was then but a simple man and a drunkard called Iohn du Bois a peasants sonne and also to shew the grounds of the alterations which haue happened in the Netherlands the said prince set forth a discourse for an aduertisement to all the world of his innocencie and of the wrong which the duke of Alua did him which discourse was intitled A Iustification of the Prince of Orange against his slanderers the which for that it was published in print I forbeare to relate here The earle of Hoochstraten being cited in like maner by the atturney generall and accused almost of the like crimes that the prince of Orange was answered thereunto after that he was retired first by letters vnto the duke of Alua and then by an answer vnto the atturney general and in the end by an ample discourse of his actions in the seruice of the king and countrey to serue him for a iustification where among other things to confirme his declinatorie exceptions set downe in his answer he produceth foure articles drawne out of the laws and ordinances of the good duke Philip
the departure out of the land was limited vnto them for that time onely they said it was done for that there was no reason to alter the religion at euery time and thereby to procure and raise confusion and scandale among the common people and might likewise tend to a disgrace of Iustice and the Kings prerogatiue That his Maiestie doubted not that if the strange preachers and consistories with some other priuate persons who by meanes of the troubles vnder pretence of complayning for losse of their priueledges had brought in diuers Inouations would alter their opinions or were once gon out of the Netherlands that the common people being better informed in all things would be contented to liue in peace and obey his Maiesties will and pleasure who onely sought to defend and keepe them from all inconueniences and perticularly from the inquisition which his Maiesti pretended not to bring into the Netherlands Vpon this replication the deputies for the Prince and the estates of Holland and Zeeland vpon the fourth of Aprill desired a monethes libertie to make there report in regard that they seemed to charge and laie all the burthen vpon certaine perticuler persons and strangers and that therefore they would fetch lawfull and authenticall testimonialls of their authorities desiring withall a passport for certaine of their Ambassadors which they ment to send with the Earle of Swartzenburgh who as then was vpon his departure vnto the Emperor and that in the meane time the hostages might also returne againe The Earle of Swartezenburg likewise vpon the sixt of Aprill wrot vnto the great Commander to Brussels saying that hee had commission from the Emperors Maiestie to bring certaine Ambasadors with him from the estates of Holland and Zeeland that his Maiestie might bee fully informed of the cause for the better furtherance of a peace to bee made with the King of Spaine promising and giuing his word that the said Ambasadors should not in their said lourney vse any secret or vnlawfull proceedings The liberty of a monethes time sought by the deputies of the estates was partlie graunted vnto them but the Pasport required for the Ambassadors was by the Commander vtterl◅ denied Vppon the sixt of Aprill the Earle of Swartzenburgh tooke his leaue of the deputies on both sides assembled in Breda shewing them what labour and trouble ◅e had had both by intercession vnto the great Commander the Kings gouernor Generall and with the Prince of Orange and the estates of Holland and Zeeland to extinguish and quench the secret hatred and burning fier of enuy that flamed in their hearts and that although as then there was little effected for that the differēce of religion much hindered their proceedings yet he was not altogither out of hope neither wished he that therefore the matter should be neglected and not goe forward but rather gaue counsell that both partes should cease from armes that the truce should be made betweene thē for sixe moneths and for that the reformed religion was so deeply grounded in the hearts of the one party that it could not so sodenly be rooted out he thought it good that during the time of the truce they of Holland and Zeeland might freely vse the excercise of their religion and not to deny the said truce for religion sake The condition of the said truce on both sides he referred vnto the discretio as of the parties desiring them to take his meaning in good part as fore-seeing the generall ruine and destruction of the Netherlands if the cessation and laying aside of armes were not granted that so their hearts might be vnited togither and thereby a peace procured it being other-wise to be feared that the Netherlands being diuided might so fall into the hands of other Princes the which in regard of the great affectiō he bare vnto the Kings prosperous happy proceedings he would gladly seeke to hinder and preuent to that end desired an answer from the Commander within two dayes after earnestly desiring them not to take his departure in euill part it being apparant and sufficiently knowne with what labor and cost hee had performed that charge and that yet with great greefe hee had heard that hee had reaped and gotten the euill will and disliking of diuers great Lords for that cause onely and was had in suspition and that therefore he thought it necessary for him to returne backe againe vnto the Emperor and to discharge him-selfe of his ambassage not doubting but that his Maiestie if the truce were once agreed vppon would vse all the meanes and wayes he could to procure a firme and an assured peace and that so the Netherlands might bee kept and maintained in obedience vnder the King wherein he himselfe will neither spare his labour nor his meanes for the good of his Maiestie and his subiects of the Netherlands To this oration made by the Earle of Swaertzenbrugh touching his departure the great Commander made answer vppon the eight of Aprill giuing him great thankes for his labor and paines which hee knew the Kings Maiestie would take ◅n good part But touching the truce he said his Maiestie would not agree therevnto for certaine reasons and that hee saw no cause why hee should desist from his disseins but was content that there should bee a truce concluded for two monthes so that in the meane time the excercise of the reformed religion might cease both in Holland and Zeeland and they that vsed the same to go into some other place and that hee thought it not a thing pertinent vnto his office and charge to grant pasports vnto the Kings rebells to passe through his country whereas they had meanes ynough to go otherwaies In his voyage to the Emperor hee wished him all good successe giuing him great thankes for his paines taken therein in the Kings behalfe The like answer was made him by the Deputies as then in Breda so the Earle of Swaertzenburgh took his leaue and departed Vppon the last of Maie the Deputies mette againe at Breda where-in the behalfe of the Prince of Orange and the States of Holland and Zeeland c. Vppon the last of Iune there was a wrighting presented by them wherein they said that they liked well of the offer made of holding and obseruing of their priuiledges for the profit of the Netherlands but that they could not perceiue how that would or might be in any sort beneficiall for them when as they by the articles propounded must leaue and for sake the country Moreouer for-that they perceiued speaking freely that it was not as yet conuenient for them to forsake their natiue country as also the reformed religion they humbly besought his Maiestie that it would please him with a fauourable countenance to behold and regard the great zeale and holy intents of his obedient subiects and in the matter of conscience whereof account is onely to bee made vnto GOD him-selfe to with-hold and cease the fier and
importance and that her Maiestie at that present should binde the Lords of the estates generall most strictly vnto her if it would please her to assist them in that their need by lending them the summe of a hundred thousand pounds starling for the space of sixe or eight moneths vpon condition to pay it againe at the same time and for assâ—…ance thereof the said states should giue her their obligations wherby with Gods helpe she might assure and make them able to compell and force the Spanish souldiers and their adherents to leaue the country either by faire or by foule meanes and to be a meanes that no man else vnder pretence of lending them ayde and assistance should make them-selues maisters of the Netherlands which she knew to be subiect vnto the lawfull gouernment of the king of Spaine their naturall prince as also that it should not bee conuenient for her Maiestie to haue any such neighbours whom she well knew to be no lesse ambitious nor of lesse proud behauiour then the Spaniards were which they neuerthelesse if shee could not ayde them with some ready money must bee forced to vse for that they could haue but small seruice of their soldiers which they had already leuied if they were not paied where-vnto as yet they had no meanes vntill they had taken a generall order therein wherein they begin to proceede but that before the same could be effected the enemy might strengthen himselfe and oppresse them to the vtter ouer-throw of the Netherlands and all the estates of the countries bordering vpon For which cause they desired that her Maiesty would shew how highly and deerely she esteemed of the old aliances and contracts made betweene her kingdomes and the Netherlands by the treaties of intercourses and trafickes of Marchants so necessary for both countries which would not bee maintained if any other Prince should rule ouer the said Netherlands which if it should so fall out as God defend them from it without doubt in time her Maiesty would find her selfe in as great difficulty as the Netherlands desiring her to remember the verse Tunc tua res agitur paries cum proximus ardet These reasons graciously heard by the Queene of England she presently made answere by word of mouth saying that she was sory that the King his Maister was so badly councelled and that shee had twise or thrise sent vnto him to desire him to consider the nature and condition of the Netherlands and to remember how obedient the inhabitants thereof had beene to their naturall Princes which at all times had gouerned them so fortunately and that it was fitter for him to followe the same course then to vse the extremity which is alwaies accompanied with great iniustice and force and can not long subsist as being a most certaine and an assured ruine of all common welthes and that if hee thought it good that shee should bee a mediator betweene them both shee would gladly doe her best to end and pacifie all quarrells with condition that they should obserue such religion as the King would haue them to follow to gether with his soueraine authority and reputation which she as a Princesse vnderstood did of right belong vnto all Princes and that all Princes were bound to ayd and assist one the other for the maintenance of their soueraingty as being a common cause belonging vnto them where-vnto shee sayd hee made her answere that he gaue her thankes for her good offer and that hee hoped to deale so well with his subiects of the Netherlands that hee should not need to trouble any other Prince therein and that if it should come to that point hee would rather trust her therein then any other of his neighbours in that sort as she said reiecting her Princely offer with good words and therefore she said that the Netherlands might assure them-selues that shee would not endure that the Spaniards should rule absolutely amongst them in regarde of the daunger that thereby might bee incident vnto her as also in regarde of the ancient amity confederations and trafickes that her kingdomes had with the said Netherlands alwaies conditioning that they should deale faithfully vprightly and plainely with her maintaining the authority of their King and the religion as they were wont to doe in which respect shee would not let them want nether for mony nor men And when the Lord of Sweuenghen made further request vnto her for money she made answere that shee would doe it and that she would shortly resolue vpon the same After that entring into some other speeches with him she seemed to haue some dislike of the Prince of Orange and of the French-men saying that shee vnderstood of his motion therein made vnto them but shee would by no meanes seeme to like better of the French-men to bee in the Netherlands then of the Spaniards further speaking of the warres and of their commanders leaders and of their army she disliked that the commanders were all in manner young men and as she thought and had beene informed from thence had small experience in the warres to take such a charge in hand councelling them to vse the ayde and aduise of Lazarus Zwendâ—… a man of great experience and one well knowne in the Netherlands and the like old soldiers of that nation Shee said further it was not long since shee had sent one of her Gentlemen into Spaine to shew the King plainely that if he would not retire the Spaniards out of the Netherlands shee would helpe to driue them out Where-vnto the Ambassador according to his commission answered her at full and after that delt with the Queenes principall councellers as the Lord Bâ—…rghley Lord high treasor or of England The Earle of Lecester secretary Walsingham and others who thought it conuenient to send Captaine Horsley vnto the States to vnderstand their full intents and meanings and whether their pretence were to maintaine their old religion and the authority of their Prince the driuing out of all forraine soldiers and to bee gouerned by the naturall borne subiects of the land and to liue according to their ancient right and priueleges and being thereof assured that then the said Captaine Horsley should presently ride vnto Don Iohn of Austria to desire him that hee would graunt to their request or else flatly and plainely to tell him that her Maiestie would not suffer the Netherlands to bee tyrannized by the Spaniards as shee had likewise sent word vnto the King of Spaine him-selfe With this charge and commission Captaine Horsley went into the Netherlands and there effected his message meane time the Barron of Sweuenghen dealt further with the councell of England which told him that according to the aduise and intelligence that was brought vnto them the Netherlands were not to exâ—…ect much good at the Frenchmens hands saying that they had the coppies of the instructions of Mounsier Boniuet the French Ambassador in Brussels and of the duke of Aniou
delt withall and found her aduice giuen both vnto the King and his Gouernors of those countries so little regarded or respected would haue delt in such friendly sort as shee hath done Notwithstanding all these discouragements her Maiestie thinking it honourable for her and meete for the place shee holdeth being the most ancient Allye which the Kings Progenitors as Dukes of Bourgongne haue to continue still her former course in giuing friendly aduice vnto the King cannot but proceed to the second point aboue mentioned which is to yeeld her aduice what course in her opinion is to be taken for the pacefying of these present troubles and the continuing of his subiects vnder his obedience First it is very apparant that the pacefication is broken and as great hostilitie intended on either side as may be whereof shee is heartily sorry The end if it continue will either be the ruine and desolation of the countrie or the losse or allyenation thereof from the Kings obedience For the preuenting whereof her Maiestie thinketh that there cannot bee a more expedient remedie then that it would please him to receiue his subiects into his grace and fauor that hee would suffer them to inioy their ancient liberties and freedomes command that the pacifiation might bee duly obserued and that hee would appoint such a Gouernor of his owne bloud as might bee pleasing vnto him-selfe and gratefull vnto them whereby they might willingly and with content yeeld him all due obedience continue in their religion according to his pleasure and do all things sette downe and agreed vppon in the pacification the which by reason of the great Iealousies betweene Don Iohn and them can neuer take effect so long as Don Iohn shall continue Gouernor For it seemes they haue put on a resolution that rather then they will indure the rigorous dealings which they expect during his gouernement they will put them-selues vnder the protection of any other Prince They charge him with the breach of the pacification and hee on the other side offers to iustisie him-selfe and layes the blame of this breach vppon them Her Maiestie hauing heard the allegations of the Ministers sent hether both from Don Iohn and the Estates meaneth not to bee a Iudge betweene them hauing rather a desire to reconcile them and to doe them good if shee could then to discouer the errors and imperfections of either partie To reconcile them shee findeth it impossible and therefore to preuent all further troubles that are otherwise like to insue the onely remedie will bee to make choyce of some other allyed to him in bloud to command vnder him in that gouernement By which temperate course the troubles may soone bee pacefied the great effusion of blood auoyded and those Prouinces continued vnder his obedience which other-wise are like to bee allyenated and distracted from him If hee shall like this aduice shee seeth no dispotition in the people to châ—…nge their King bing dutifully minded towards him hauing no intent so as they may bee releeued to innouate any thing but duly to obserue the late pacefication made at Gaunt And whereas for the contentment of the Estates and the pacefying of these troubles shee wisheth Don Iohns reuocation so considering how euill affected hee hath shewed him-selfe towards her as well by letters intercepted as by other secret practises which were very dangerous to the good and quiet of her Estate as the bearer can more amply informe him of diuers particularities in that behalfe shee cannot for the good amitie which shee wisheth might continue betweene the King and her Maiestie but presse the King more earnestly therevnto expecting no continuance of any good amitie and neighbourhood so long as a Minister so ill affected to her should reside there beeing desirous that such Ministers might be imployed on both sides as would rather seeke to increase the amitye then any way to infringe or breake it This her aduice tending to no other end but to maintaine those countries vnder her obedience and the continuance of good amitie betweene them shee hopeth the King will accept as friendly thereof as it is by her sincerely meant And in the meane time vntill his mind were knowne in that behalfe her Maiestie hearing the great forces prepared by Don Iohn with the assistance of the French already marching towards him will force her ancient friends the Estates of the Netherlands to one of these two extremities either to be ouercome by forraine soldiars and so subiected to forraine seruitude or else constrained for the preuenting thereof to giue them-selues ouer to some other Prince both which must needs bee preiudiciall and dangerous to the King for the present perillous to her Maiestie after and an vtter ruine to those countries Her Highnesse therefore for the Kings good and to preuent her owne danger vppon promise and assurance giuen by the said Estates to yeeld the King all due obedience and to make no further innouation in matters of religion but to obserue the pacification of Gand hath promised for the causes and respects aboue mentioned to yeeld them a support of money and men onely to keepe them from further danger of allyenation or of their ruine Which proceedings of hers if the King shall not bee induced to like of Whereby her Maiestie shall discouer that his intention is by force of armes to alter and dissolue the ancient forme of gouernement and by taking away their ancient Lawes and liberties to make it a land of conquest and to people it with garrisons of men of warre And that the end and scope of his disseignes should tend to that which is discouered by Escouedos letters wherein he writeth that the enterprise of England is of more facilitie then that of the Ilands wherby her Maiestie shall find the disposition of so bad a neighbour to her and her royall Estate then her Maiesties resolution is to imploy all the power shee shall bee able to make for the defence of her neigbours and preseruation of her owne Estate As on the other side if hee shall incline to their reasonable demands in giuing them such a Gouernor as they shall better like of then of Don Iohn and they notwithstanding shall continue in their disobedience against him and make other Innouations contrary to their protestations and promises made vnto her shee will then turne her forces against them and in assistance of the King yeelde him the best ayd shee can to bring them to reason and conformitie And in the meane season vntill shee may be throughly informed hereof shee hath thought good to auoyd the effusion of Christian bloud and for many other good and necessary respects to deale both with Don Iohn and the Estates for a surceance of armes which if he shall refuse to yeeld unto and the Estates shall be willing for that she doth plainely see that it doth much concerne the Kings honour and the good of his countrie she will not cease to proceed with the like
points which were touching treatie of peace contribution their dealing which they sought to haue with the duke of Aniou and the gouernment of the land Concerning peace he complained verie much That he should be charged by certain men to be the onely cause that it tooke not effect whereas to the contrarie he had alwayes giuen counsell and did yet counsell them by all the meanes they could to procure the same as knowing well that otherwise they were to expect farre greater warre and bloudshed than euer they had but he perceiued the matter to be brought to that passe as those of the reformed religion were wholly bent not to forsake nor flie the country any more and that there was nothing else sought nor desired by the treatie of peace than to raise more diuision in the countrey as by consenting and desiring to continue the pacification of Gant which before in the treatie with the baron of Selles they held and esteemed to bee bad and vnlawfull and that for the same cause they ought to bee rooted out referring himselfe further therein to that which had beene answered thereunto by the generall estates Adding thereunto That the enemie vnder that pretence of treatie of peace sought nothing else but the liues and goods of the inhabitants of the Netherlands when as all the townes and forts should be deliuered ouer into the hands of such as offered them no other securitie but the simple and meere othe of those that had so much forgotten their honours as they had vndertaken to beare armes against their natiue countrey which othe should by the same persons that were much harder and worse affected than the Spaniards themselues soone and verie lightly be dispensed withall as it appeared by diuers examples in Fraunce and in the Netherlands in the yeare 1566. Further protesting before God and all princes potentats and the whole world That no man could pretend protest or prooue himselfe to haue suffered more losse and hinderance by the warres than he and that no man more wished desired nor thought it more profitable or necessary than himselfe it being sufficiently and manifestly knowne what lands and inheritances were by the enemy forcibly kept and withholden from him without any recompence As also that the detaining of his sonne the earle of Buren who against all reason was a prisoner in Spaine could not chuse but moue his fatherly heart who without a peace was wholly out of hope euer to see him againe which he notwithstanding next to the honour of God and the welfare of his natiue countrey most desired for that he as other fathers bore all naturall loue vnto his sonne Secondly That he had as then attained to those yeares which well deserued rest and quietnesse after so many labours and troubles by him endured but for that many men not onely such as made profession of the reformed religion but those also that seeke the freedom of their naturall countrey wholly relied vpon him he could not hearken nor consent to any peace but onely to that which tended to the securitie of religion freedome and priuiledges of the Netherlands and such as might be firme and permanent against the which desired peace for discharge of his conscience he certainly affirmed and acknowledged that the articles propounded at Cologne were wholly repugnant tending to the ouerthrow and abolishing of the reformed religion and the liberties of the Netherlands as he shewed and declared by many reasons which were ouerlong as now to be rehearsed and therein I refer the reader to the printed copie Touching the contribution he referred them therein to that which was done by the assembly at Vtrecht as it appeared more at large by the answer by him made vnto euery particular article of the same Concerning the duke of Aniou considering the great endeuors and earnest meanes sought by the Netherlands to attaine vnto a good peace and that on the kings behalfe there had not as yet been any signes nor shewes of any kind of good will or liking thereunto much lesse vnto the reformed religion and that there was nothing but all oppression and the ouerthrow of religion to be expected at his hands He said That if it so fel out that the prouinces of the Netherlands wold chuse another prince that there was no prince nor potentat that could as then be found whose authoritie or means could effect more good vnto the Netherlands than that of the queen of England or of the aforesaid duke of Aniou for that notwithstanding that the princes of the empire had seuerally and oftentimes beene moued and desired to take and receiue the Netherlands into their protection and that the emperors Maiestie likewise by letters both from the arch duke Mathias and the generall estates as also by diuers men of good qualitie and condition sent vnto him had beene most humbly intreated to grant thereunto yet would neither his Maiestie nor the said princes of the empire once bee stirred or persuaded to giue any aid or assistance to the Netherlands notwithstanding that the said prouinces are a member of the said empire Secondly that he had many and seuerall times vnderstood and made triall of the queene of Englands meaning and intent not onely touching the defence and protection of the Netherlands but also concerning the good affection and great fauour that shee bore vnto the said duke hauing written in his behalfe vnto the generall estates therefore vnder correction and for the good of the vnited prouinces and townes of the Netherlands hee said That there was no other meanes now remaining than to haue their refuge vnto the aforesaid duke and the rather for that such an honourable worke required a prince that might personally effect the same vpon condition that the Netherlands might bee will prouided of souldiers and sufficient meanes to withstand the Spaniards with securitie of religion and the priuiledges and euerie prouince to remaine in their old and antient rights and customes without any alteration And that if the countrey thought it more conuenient to chuse any other prince he referred himselfe therein to their iudgements promising and offering his seruice according to his abilitie for the defence of the countrey in the meane time wishing them to consider of the best meanes that might be found for the withstanding of such an enemie Touching the gouernment of the countrey hee referred that to the discretion of the prouinces as also concerning that which they should please to ordaine touching the person of the archduke Mathias but for himselfe he said hee could not let slip certaine manifest imperfections which vntill that time were not by any meanes to be remedied for want of obedience the which had caused great complaints to be made by diuers persons some for want of vnderstanding and others of meere hatred and malice Hee likewise said That besides that the disobedience commonly shewed was and had beene the cause of much euill the money that was to be imploied in the warres
lady who hearing the noise cōming vp to his chamber rose in his shirt and as the seignior of la Noue entred hee only asked if his men had made no resistance to whom they answered yes but it was the fortune of the warre then recommending the honor of his wiues women who were also in bed he intreated they would do them no wrong which Monsieur de la Noue promised yet the Frenchmen filled their pockets with their chaines and iewels which done they tooke him the rest prisoners The earle remained long prisoner in Gant afterwards in the castle of Ramekins in Zeeland The ladies and his brother Charles were soone released againe Many troubles and vprores rising in Friseland and thereabouts the prince of Orange went to Dort in Holland the archduke Mathias going with him to Breda he entertained him there very honourably from whence the archduke went backe againe to Berghen vp Zoome and so to Antuerpe the prince going to Campen to set all things in good order for that the country pesants in Drenth and thereabouts were risen vp in armes against the Estates commanders of their forces and the rest of Casimires horsemen where being very strong they denied their contribution seeming to leane and to be affected vnto the articles of peace made at Cologne The earle of Rennenbergh reuenged himselfe likewise vpon the pesants vnder his commaund and threatened them of Linghen and Oldenzeel because they would not accept of the religious peace Bartel Entens plagued them of Berghe and those of the bishopricke of Munster Diericke Sonoy gouernour of North-Holland also compelled them of Zutphen to receiue in garrison The earle of Rennenbergh a little before began to encline and to haue some intelligence with the prince of Parma and for that cause had encouraged the pesants of Drenth and Oueryssell against the souldiers whereunto he was persuaded by his seruants and his kinred in Henault with whom he secretly dealt and was a great seeker vnto the Estates to procure that the articles offered at the peace of Cologne vnto the said Estates might be accepted And after that a certaine vprore being made in Groning by the Catholickes that would force the towne to allow of the said articles which by those of the Religion was soone pacified he perceiued thereby that he might there haue a factious partie which to procure he secretly set the hostages of Groning at libertie being all affected to the Spaniard About the same time also there was an vprore in Campen wherupon likewise he took occasion to procure some of that towne to be of his faction Things proceeding in this sort vpon the one and twentieth of Ianuarie Cornelia de Lalain his sister with the baron de Monceau her husband came to visit him bringing with her his pardon and reconciliation from the prince of Parma with certaine money and many faire promises as to be created a Marquesse and that he should haue the Countesse of Meghen for his wife of whom he was enamoured But the said earle being doubtfull what to doe his sister neuer ceased to admonish him and to persuade him not to damme his soule by suppressing the Christian faith and by beeing a principall leader and captaine of heretickes and rebels and to suffer himselfe to be ruled by a multitude of weauers and other occupations whereby he should lose all his lands in Henault the loue of the Countesse whom he sought to marry the fauour of his mother the good will of the earle his vncle by whom he had the earledome of Rennenbergh as also of the king and such like things Whereby at the last by reason of his youth want of experience and by means of the Religion wherein he was brought vp he was moued to turne his coat and yet not without great trouble and contrarietie in mind dissembling the same as long as he could But the prince of Orange the Estates of Friseland hauing had many causes to suspect him thought it better to begin with him than he with them and for that cause in the moneth of February determined to assure themselues of the castle of Leewerden and secretly caused Bowinga and Ferno with their companies to inclose it behind and with the bourgers to fall on it before placing the priests monkes and all the souldiers wiues that lay therin before them and so began to insconce themselues and to fill vp the ditches but captaine Schaghe who after the death of Matenesse was made gouernour of the castle seeing the slackenesse of the souldiers to make resistance being terrified yeelded it vp with assurance of life and goods and promise of a yearely pention But the townesmen entring into the castle sooner than they expected were not satisfied vntill they had throwne downe the wals that were next vnto the towne ioined the rest of the wals thereof vnto those of the towne This castle was built in Anno 1499 at the charges of the towne being thereunto forced and compelled the towne being besieged by Willeboort van Schouwenbergh generall for the duke of Saxonie so that it had stood about 80 yeares Whilest that the bourgers were busied about the rasing of the castle the companies of souldiers that were without came into the towne and fetched all the friers out of their cloysters and so led them orderly in their ranks euery souldier hauing a frier or a monke to follow him with pipes and drums out of the towne The next day Beninck Camminga and others with foure companies went to Harlingen and incamped themselues in the towne as then not walled and summoned the castle to yeeld vnto them but they within denied it and shot against the towne and held it vntill the earle of Rennenbergh hearing thereof much abashed sent Baly his secretarie to Leewerden with secret instructions and authoritie to deale in that matter as he should thinke good and as time occasion should serue thinking all had been well there Balie being come thither was presently taken prisoner and being searched they found certaine blankes about him that were signed by the earle of Rennenbergh they of Leewerden compelling him to write in one of those blankes vnto the lieutenant of the Drossart Ozenbrighe who as then was at Groning in the earles name to will him to deliuer the castle of Harlingen into their hands who suspecting nothing and knowing not that he ought to haue bin thrice commanded so to do vpon the 5 of February yeelded vp the castle which was likewise demanteled on that side that lay next to the towne This castle was first built in anno 1496 by the townesmen of Groning when they were masters of Friseland and by the Friselanders the same yere beaten downe againe vntill that Albert duke of Saxony built it vp againe in anno 1500 so that it had stood seuentie nine yeares After that Sonoy gouernor of North Holland with certaine deputies and four companies of souldiers went to Staueren where they summoned
then was holden or as it should be ordayned and appointed by the States of euerie particular prouince and namely in the prouinces of Brabant Guelderland Flanders Vtrecht Macklyn Friseland Ouerissel and the territories of Drenth and Twenth without any alteration to be made by him 13 That Holland and Zeeland should remaine as they then were touching religion and otherwise alwayes prouided that touching the money mint contribution and the priuiledges of the said prouinces and townes they should subiect themselues vnder the said duke and the generalitie according to the accord made by aduice of the generall Estates or else to follow the old customes rights and priuiledges 14 That he should not permit nor suffer any man to bee molested nor troubled for his conscience vnder pretence and colour of religion receiuing both the religions vnder his protection 15 That hee should procure the French king to aid him and his heires with his forces and power thereby to strengthen him and the contracted prouinces his subiects against their enemies whether it be the king of Spaine or any of his adherents and that the said king shold not permit nor suffer any aid or assistance to be giuen out of his kingdome vnto the enemy but that the Netherlanders should haue free passage in the frontier townes with fauour and leaue of the gouernors of the same 16 After that the said duke should be in possession of the Netherlands hee should worke such meanes that the said prouinces should be vnited with France and they to make war together by common consent against all those that would inuade any of the said countries prouided alwayes that the Netherlands should not bee incorporated with France but still remaine as they were with their priuiledges customes rights contracts and lawes 17 That for more assurance against the common enemie and others that should seeke to contradict their said contract as also for the vpholding and encreasing of the good agreement amitie and concord that it hath pleased the queene of England the kings of Denmarke Portugall Sweden Scotland and Nauarre the princes of the empire the Hans townes and other princes potentats and commonwealths townes and allies to hold and make with them he should seeke meanes together with the Estates to enter into a more strict league with them for the common good of the countrey vpon the articles and conditions that should and might bee agreed vpon with the said seuerall kingdomes and estates with all securitie 18 That hee should bind himselfe to make warre and to maintaine the contrey by such meanes as hee should haue from the king his brother and of his owne patrimonie whereunto the Estates should yearely contribute two millions and foure hundred thousand guldernes out of the which the souldiers of the Netherlands and their garrisons in conuenient numbers should first be paid 19 Touching the commaunder generall ouer the forces of the Netherlands the said duke should take order therein by consent of the Estates and should appoint a generall ouer the French forces such as should be well thought on by the Estates 20 That he should not place any Frenchmen nor other strangers in garrison in the towns and strong places of the Netherlands without the consent of the prouinces wherein such places should be and touching the naturall borne subiects he should place them by aduice of the aforesaid counsell 21 But for better and necessarie reliefe of the souldiers the prouinces should ordaine and appoint fit and conuenient places for the said souldiers to lie in in the Winter time 22 That all forreine souldiers both French and others should bee bound to depart out of the countrey whensoeuer the generall Estates should desire the same of the said duke 23 That he should make no alliance with the king of Spaine either by mariage or otherwise neither yet with any other prince or country not vnited vnto them by contract of amity but by aduice consent and approbation of the said prouinces nor yet make any other alliance or contract to the preiudice or hinderance of the Netherlands or this treatie 24 Prouided alwaies That the other disunited prouinces townes and places that would subiect themselues vnto him and ioyne with the contracted Netherlands should at all times be receiued and accepted into that contract 25 And touching those that should be compelled therunto by force the said duke should dispose of them by consent of the generall Estates as it should be thought conuenient whether they were of the disunited prouinces or others within the said Netherlands 26 That he and his successors should take the accustomed oath vsuall to be made in euery prouince beside the generall oath to be made and taken for the obseruing and maintaining of the said contract and that if it so fell out that he or his successors should faile in the performance of any of the points of the said contract that then the said Estates should therby be presently discharged of all faith and subiection towards him or them and should or might chuse any other prince or dispose of their affaires as they should thinke good 27 Lastly That whereas the archduke Mathias had beene requested to come into the Netherlands and had acquited and behaued himselfe in good sort according to his promise the said duke and the Estates should consult together by what meanes they should satisfie and content the said archduke These articles were in this sort passed and signed on both parts although with reference to be further treated and considered of thereby to auoid all controuersie and dislike At which time there was certaine counters made in memorie thereof on the one side hauing a Lyon with a collar about the necke bound to a pillar whereon stood the Image of a conquerour which collar a mouse knawed in sunder with this inscription Rosis Leonem loris mus liberas that is The Lyon being bound is made free by knawing of the mouse on the other side stood the Pope and the king of Spaine who with promise of a holy peace sought to put the collar againe about the Lyons necke with this inscription Liber reuinciri Leo pernegat that is The Lyon being at libertie will not be bound againe And at Gant there were counters made whereon there was a ring shutting with two hands wherein was written Iehoua and round about it pro Christo Lege Grege that is for Christ the Law and the people on the other side Religione Iusticia reduce vocato ex Gallia pacata duce Andegariensi Belgicae libertatis vindice that is Religion Iustice restored the duke of Aniou being called out of France for the defendor or reuenger of the freedome of the Netherlands The archduke Mathias brother to the Emperour gouernour of the Netherlands finding himselfe to be abandoned by part of the prouinces as namely the Wallons who had sent for him out of Germanie and were now reuolted from him and perceiuing that the peace of Cologne tooke no effect
but to God onely For this cause and for the pitie they had of the poore people the chiefe of the nobility in the country did in the yere 1566 exhibite certaine admonitions by way of a petition beseeching him that for the pacifying of the commons and to auoid all tumults and seditions it would please his Maiesty shewing the loue and affection which as a mild and mercifull prince hee bare vnto his subiects to moderate the said points and especially those which concerned the rigorous Inquisition and the punishments for matters of Religion And to informe the king more particularly thereof and with more authoritie and to let him vnderstand how necessary it was for the good and prosperitie of the countrey and for the maintenance of peace and tranquilitie to abolish and disannull those innouations and to moderat the rigour of publicke Edicts for matter of Religion the said marquesse of Berghes and baron of Montigny at the request of the said lady Regent the counsell of Estate and the generall Estates of all the countries went into Spaine as embassadours whereas the king in steed of giuing them audience and to preuent the inconueniences deliuered by them the which for that they were not remedied in time as vrgent necessitie required began in effect to discouer themselues throughout the whole countrey among the commons by the instinct persuasion and aduice of the counsell of Spaine he hath caused all them to be proclaymed rebels and guiltie of high treason and to haue forfeited bodie and goods that presented the said petition And moreouer thinking himselfe to be fully assured of the countrey by the forces and violence of the duke of Alua and to haue reduced them vnder his full power and subiection he had afterwards against the lawes of nations the which haue beene in all ages inuiolably obserued yea among the most barbarous and cruell nations and most tyrannous princes imprisoned and caused the said noblemen embassadours to be put to death confiscating all their goods And although that all this alteration which had happened in the yeare 1566 vpon the foresaid occasion was in a manner pacified by the Regent her counsell and that the greatest part of them which had presented themselues vnto her for the liberty of the countrey were retired or chased away and the rest brought vnder obedience yet not to loose the oportunity which the counsell of Spaine had long expected as it appeared plainly the same yeare 1566 by letters intercepted which were written by the embassadour Alana to the duchesse of Parma to haue meanes vnder some pretext to ouerthrow all the priuiledges of the countrey and to gouerne them rigorously by the Spaniards as they did the Indi◅ and other countries which had beene newly conquered by them he by the instruction and counsell of the said Spaniards shewing therein the small affection which he bare vnto his subiects of these countries contrary to that whereunto he was bound as their prince protectour and good shepheard sent into these countries the duke of Alua very famous for his rigor and crueltie and one of the chiefe enemies of these countries with a counsell of the same humour and disposition And although that the said duke of Alua entred with his army into this coūtrey without any let or opposition was receiued of the poore inhabitants with all reuerēce and honour expecting all mildnesse and clemencie according vnto that which the king had so often promised by his letters fainedly written yea that he was resolued to come himselfe in person into the countrey and to order all things to euery mans content the said king hauing besides all this at the very instant of the duke of Alua his departure caused a fleet of shippes to bee armed in Spaine to bring him hither and another in Zeeland to goe and meet him as the bruite was to the great charge of the countrey the better to abuse his poore subiects and to draw them more easily into his snares notwithstanding the sayd duke of Alua presently after his arriuall although hee were a stranger and not any way of the bloud royall gaue it out that hee had a commission from the king of chiefe captaine and soone after of gouernour generall of the countrey the which was quite contrarie to the priuiledges and antient customes thereof and discouering his designes plainely he sodainly put garrisons into the chiefe townes and forts of the countrey and then he built citadels in the richest and strongest townes to keepe them in subiection And by commaundement from the king as they said he friendly called vnto him as well by letters as otherwise the chiefe noblemen of the countrey pretending that hee had need of their counsell and assistance for the seruice of the king and the good of the country after the which he caused them to be apprehended who hauing giuen credit to his letters were come vnto him whom contrarie to the priuiledges he caused to be carried prisoners out of Brabant where they had bin apprehended causing their processe to be informed before him and his counsell although they were no competent judges and before any due proofes were made and the noblemen that were accused fully heard in their defences they were condemned to haue committed rebellion causing them to be publikely ignominiously put to death Others who for that they were better acquainted with the Spaniards dissembling were retired and kept out of the countrey were declared rebels and guiltie of high treason and to haue forfeited bodies and goods All which was done to the end the poore inhabitants should not aid themselues in the iust defence of their libertie against the oppression of the Spaniards and their forces by the helpe and assistance of these noblemen and princes besides an infinit number of gentlemen and rich bourgers whereof some he hath put to death others he hath chased away and forfeited their goods oppressing the rest of the good inhabitants as well by the insolencie of the souldiers as by other outrages in their wiues children and goods as also by diuers exactions and taxes forcing them to contribute for the building of new citadels and fortifications of townes which he made to oppresse them and also to pay the hundreth and the twentieth penie for the paiment of souldiers whereof some were brought by him and others newly leuied to imploy them against their countreymen and them who with the hazard of their liues sought to defend the liberties of their countrey To the end that the subiects being thus impouerished there should be no meanes to hinder or frustrat his designes for the better effecting of the instructions which had beene giuen him in Spaine which was to vse the countrey as newly conquered to which end in some places and chiefe townes he changed their forme of gouernment and of iustice and erected new consuls after the Spanish manner directly contrarie to the priuiledges of the country And in the end thinking himselfe free from all feare he
circumuented by thē that they are no friends to religion that for the good of our house we should not incense our enemies more hauing such a weake support as the French First to answer to that where he saith that I haue made my name famous enough I thinke it needlesse for neuer any such vanitie did mooue mee to endure so great trauell and so many losses and to sustaine such and so dangerous hatreds If then they thinke that the alliance of France be for the aboue named reasons not onely dangerous but also vndoubtedly pernitious what counsell then remaines for as for mee I confesse that I am vanquished by many townes and prouinces of this countrie which speake not secretly but openly not before one or two but before all the Estates that it is necessarie to reconcile themselues with the king of Spaine or to seeke sufficient succours elsewhere and that hauing sought first to the princes which make profession of religion and beeing forsaken abandoned by them they found no other means than to haue recourse to the French king and to his brother I say I am vanquished for when as such things are propounded to the Estates I can make no other answer but that wee must make proofe thereof for if there comes no other good yet we shall keepe the French king from beeing our enemie that hee shall alwaies keepe the king of Spaine in breath and make him consume a great treasure it shall also be auaileable for them of the religion in France to liue in peace the which the king hath granted them the preseruation whereof we ought to procure by all meanes possible Neither doth the author of this discourse speake any thing contrarie to this conclusion for he himselfe doth persuade by all the meanes hee can to make a reconciliation and attonement with the king of Spaine But if I may not for conscience sake make any agreement with the French king how may my conscience be dispenst withall to accord with the king of Spaine doe they differ in religion the king of Spaine is hee not the best beloued sonne to the holy Apostolike sea of Rome and the French king a putatiue sonne and that in title onely The king of Spaine hath the popes fauour for the foundations of all his greatnesse and the pope should acknowledge that he hath not a foote of land but by the benefit of the auncient kings of France who doth now requite it with so great ingratitude To say that the king of Spaine is the naturall prince of these countries that question hath beene long since decided and put out of doubt seeing that by a generall iudgement of the Estates after so many duties done as well to him as to other princes he hath beene declared fallen from his right so as if wee must now treat with him I must treat to submit my selfe to a stranger and an enemie yea persecutor of the religion They will obiect the massacre at Paris the which as it is not to be excused how will they excuse also the massacre of the poore Moores where there were aboue threescore thousand slaine after the accord was made and sworne And if they say they be no Christians yet can they not denie that the king of Spaine and the pope are more cruell enemies to our religion than to that of the Moores If they will not beleeue me let them looke vnto the difference of the effects of that which they haue practised against the Christians and the Mahometans and then let them iudge without passion At the least wee cannot denie but vnder the gouernment of the French king there are many townes castles villages and gentlemens houses where there is exercise of the religion the which could neuer bee obtained from the king of Spaine so much hee was incensed against the true religion the which hee cannot make shewe to endure The like is not found in the French king who allowes free exercise of religion in many and diuers places and where it is not openly permitted yet is it exercised without any great search euen within the citie of Paris I would willingly that some of your diuines which are so readie to iudge of another mans conscience would shewe me by the word of God which should be the rule of our consciences and not a zeale without that guide that wee ought to agree rather with the king of Spaine who will demaund for the first article that religion shall bee quite abolished than with the French king who for the first article will make no difficultie to graunt and allowe of it And whereas they say that the French will deceiue vs and take away our liberties seeing for those reasons they hold that we should agree with the Spaniard it followes then that you will inferre that the Spaniard will not deceiue vs but will preserue our liberties And therefore they adde that all the world will be better pleased that we accord with the Spaniard than with the French I wish that all priuate passion and affection might be laid aside and that the persons and all other circumstances might be well examined of all sides to iudge by whom we should most feare to be deceiued either by the French or the Spanish I wil not deny but there is danger on both sides but if we must passe ouer one of these two bridges I thinke that any man will choose that which is most large and strong rather than the weaker and narrower And to iudge indifferently of all dangers in my opinion wee must alwaies regard the power of him that can do harme and will But in these two points we shall finde that the king of Spaine exceeds the French king without all comparison if in doing ill we may say that the one exceeds the other The king of Spaines power is such in this countrie as without bringing in of any Spaniard or Italian within lesse than a yeare and without any armie he may roote the reformed religion out of the countrie The multitude of people that fauour him and are of his religion much exceede all the rest and will not be backwards in all seruile obedience to doe all that the Spaniard shall commaund them as it is daily seene for if the enemie winnes any towne or part of the countrie from vs the people doe presently seruilely obserue them and do what they please This cannot be said of the French for when any opposition was to be made against them all haue ioyntly banded some for religions sake others to fauour the Spaniards as experience hath taught that such as haue most exclaimed against them haue yeelded to the Spaniard and haue betrayed the countrie although that some ill aduised haue esteemed them the better for that they spake so ill and so boldly against the French as the author of this discourse doth But the end hath shewed their drift and intention which was to deliuer vs to the Spaniards The olde officers which
are yet in the countrie carrie the king of Spaine grauen in their hearts all that haue receiued any rewards pensions or recompences which are very many besides so many that are voluntarily banished who would come in an instant like pigeons to adoue house the which would not onely be at the king of Spaines deuotion but also all the proctors sollicitors and ministers of seuere decrees By these reasons wee may see what power the king of Spaine hath to hurt vs when as hee hath euen within vs all instruments prepared to ruine vs both in goods bodie yea and in soule if he could and on the other side the French haue no such might Neither doe I doubt but that the king of Spaine and his adherents haue as great a wil to hurt vs as they haue might and power Kings neuer esteeme offences light when they are committed against their owne persons by such as they hold to bee their subiects and therefore they hold their subiects that haue attempted any thing against them guiltie of high treason But when such an insurrection and of so great consequence happeneth as that which wee haue seene in this countrie there is no kind of crueltie but they practise against their subiects for if nothing hath beene omitted that may be called cruel vpon the Indians who owe no obedience what mercie can wee expect in this countrie His chiefe officers haue beene put in prison chased away and their goods seized on and the ordinarie officers haue had no better intreatie his armes haue beene beaten downe an other prince first called in against his will vnto the gouernment and after that another chosen to be absolute lord Shall wee thinke or imagine that hee will euer pardon or forgiue such things He I say who for small pretended faults hath so cruelly intreated men of that honour and reputation by their good counsell and seruice deseruing so well of their countrey as the earles of Egmont and Horne and the marques of Berghes and the baron of Montigni and who hath begunne to persecute me and mine so outragiously for so small matters in comparison of that which hath followed And if God should giue me the meanes after this reconciliation to retire my selfe into some place of safetie although I know not where I may liue more safely than in this countrie yet this infinite multitude of people and so many good men which haue embraced the religion and haue opposed themselues against this crueltie whither shall they retire themselues The duke of Alua going out of this countrie did vaunt that he put to death by the hand of the executioner eighteene thousand men Let vs now compare what had beene done by the inhabitants of this conntrie before the comming of the duke of Alua with that which hath followed and thereby we shall iudge of the kings mind beeing incensed As for particular persons first of all the Clergie which are in number like Locusts will demaund their reuenues their houses and their goods and after them the gentlemen and all other sorts of people but finding it not shall not the poore men of the religion paie for it yea they who did neuer benefit a halfe-pennie by them The said clergie men nobles and others without any reason but onely a poore pretext of religion haue burnt hanged drowned and banished them that had but a little tast of religion and now beeing incensed as much as men may be doe we thinke they will be more merciful seeing they haue not yet cast off the wolues disposition but contrariwise it is more augmented as if one should cast a heape of dried wood into a burning furnace It auailes not to say that many of ours haue excelled measure the which is true and all good and modest men knowe that it was not my fault But doe we thinke the Spaniards can or will make any such distinctions Nay will it not bee a sufficient crime to be condemned to say he is a Christian whereby will follow the ruine and losse of life or at the least of worldly goods All these things cease in regard of the French but if they will obiect that they are affected against them of the religion first they are not all so as the Spaniards and their adherents be who are generally their enemies The French are not incensed they haue no goods to demaund as the Spaniards pretend By these reasons wee may easily conclude that if for these apparant mischiefs it is dangerous to accord with the French as the author of this discourse saith without all comparison it is farre more to bee feared in all kindes with the Spaniard In the meane time I can assure you that hitherto I haue not much busied my selfe to persuade the Estates to enter into any such treatie But many prouinces and townes of consequence propounding and making open declaration that they must of necessitie accord with the one or the other I confesse that if of the two wee must choose one I would rather consent to the one than to the other And withall I adde that euery one that is acquainted with the affaires of Spaine must confesse that the king of Spaine must of force to maintaine his monarchie hold himselfe linckt to the pope the emperour and other catholike princes and potentates The French king on the other side to clâ—…ppe his wings shall bee forced to allie himselfe with them of the religion and by that meanes in fauouring them by their aid hinder their greatnes which seeke to fill the whole world as the king his father did vnto the emperour Charles when as he thought to haue commanded all Europe And as at that time the princes of the empire graue and indicious men did their best and vtmost indeauours to persuade the French king to that resolution whereon depended so great a good for all Germauie so also our duties should bee to doe the like But contrariwise as if we were grieued that these two princes are not ioyntly armed against vs wee doe what wee can to vnite them by all meanes possible not weighing their forces and our owne infirmities If they will also touch our house in particular I am assured that both you my Lord and brother and I haue done so good offices to the king and emperour and that the memorie thereof is so well grauen in their hearts as the remembrance thereof can neuer bee defaced The which I desire not to trie in any sort whatsoeuer but am rather resolued to all extremities for the defence of these countries religion and libertie hoping that God will not abandon me in so iust and necessarie a quarrell for the which I pray vnto him with al my heart Made at Delft the 18. of March 1584. After the yeelding vp of Ypre they of Bruges beginning to looke backe refused to take a garrison from Holland the which the Protestants would willingly haue receiued into their towne but the Catholickes at the instigation of the prince of
English had common with the said countries might easily moderate that and therefore they should not reiect the alliance of England But there fell out another great difficultie which was the doubt of the succession to the crowne of England after the Queenes death the which might fall into the hands of the Queene of Scotland although shee were then a prisoner and that shee beeing of the Romish religion and wonderfully affected to the king of Spaine might deliuer vp the said countries into his hands and withall they could not ground any firme assurance vpon the king of Scotland Whereas on the other side the succession of the crowne of France was more assured vnto them seeing that after the kings death it fell to the king of Nauarre a prince making profession of the reformed religion besides France had more means power to defend these countries against the Spaniard And that by this confederation they should be in perpetuall friendship with all their neighbors And althogh the king were not of the protestants religion yet would he giue offices to protestants and other good countrimen whereby the countrie the churches and their religion should remaine in peace and rest All this beeing well debated by the generall Estates and the councell of estate they resolued to offer themselues absolutely to the French king with the best conditions they could deuise and agree vpon without any restriction or reseruation that Holland and Zeeland had beene formerly giuen to the prince of Orange and his heires as it had beene concluded with the duke of Aniou the which had bred iealousie as some said betwixt him and the prince and had beene the cause of the error which was committed by the said duke in Antuerpe the seauenteenth day of Ianuarie two yeares before Finally after long deliberations and consultations there were deputed by the generall Estates and the chiefe noble men of the said prouinces the third of Ianuarie 1585 twelue men of account for the dutchie of Brabant doctor Iunius bourgmaster of Antuerpe and Quentin Taffin Seignior of la Pree for the dutchie of Gueldte the Seignior of Oyen and doctor Elbert Leonin called Longolius chancellor of Gueldres for the countie of Holland Arnold van Dorp Seignior of Maesdam for Zeeland Ieams Valck for the Seigniorie of Vtrecht N. de Menin and for that which remained yet in the countie of Flanders Noel Caron Seignior of Schoonwall for them of Brussels who were then distressed Arssees keeper of the seale of Brabant to the which there was adioyned in the behalfe of the Estates the Seignior of Lamouillene and for the chiefe of the embassage the prince of Espinoy to offer absolutely vnto the king all the said countries with the propertie Seigniorie and soueraigntie for him and his successors beeing French kings vpon conditions limited and to bee limited All which deputies except the prince of Espinoy who was a long time before retired backe into France with the duke of Aniou hauing a good conuoy of eight shippes of warre parting from the Brill thinking to land at Diep were through the extremitie of fowle weather forced to goe on shoare at Bologne from whence they tooke their iourney to Abbeuille in the moneth of Ianuarie attending the kings pleasure hauing giuen him notice of their arriuall who commaunded them to come vnto him to Senlis whither they went with a goodly traine and were there honourably receiued and their expences were defraied by the king in al places where they past from thence the king returning vnto Paris to haue the aduice and counsell of his court of Parliament concerning their affaires whereof the deputies attended an answer the said deputies followed him the successe of which legation you shall heare hereafter I was sent vnto them from the Seignior of Saint Aldegonde and the magistrates of Antuerpe to let them vnderstand and consequently the king and queene mother of the estate of the said towne which was then besieged and of the great neede they had together with the townes of Brussels and Macklyn to be releeued The fourth of Ianuarie the Seignior of S. Aldegonde made a long oration to them of Antuerpe in the open assemblie of their great councell exhorting them with many liuely and pregnant reasons to preserue and defend themselues feeding them with a continuall hope of succours and of the good successe of the affaires of the said deputies And then the better to prouide for the defence of the towne he created foure new Colonels men of action and capable of such a charge And moreouer he decreed that such as had absented themselues out of the towne as abandoning it in her greatest neede and want should be called backe by a certaine daie prefixed vpon paine of confiscation of such goods as they had left there but few or none at all would returne for the great danger there was in the passage The countries of Arthois and Henault beeing continually tormented and troubled by the garrison of Cambray made a truce for the space of one whole yeare with the Seignior of Balaigni gouernour of the said towne the which they could not obtaine without bribing him hauing since continued it for many yeares so as this truce brought him in a good reuenue The Seignior of Nyeuwenoort being in the field in Friseland for the Estates he cunningly seized vpon the village of Otterdom in the countrie of Groningue vpon the riuer of Ems preuenting his enemy who thought to lodge there where in view of the Spaniards he intrenched him and fortified with all diligence though they were stronger than he But hauing a good number of ships both great and small to cary his men in and the Spaniards being ignorant at the first which way he would turne head hauing meanes to land them betwixt Maeren and right against Embden they could not ouertake him nor yet march so fast with their horse and foot by land as hee did by water so as they could not hinder his landing nor his fortifying Verdugo knowing how much this place did import meant in the Winter time to besiege it on both sides vpon the dike and for the effecting thereof hee sent colonel Rhyneuelt of Vtrecht to winne it by famine whilest that the shippes of Holland should bee retyred by reason of the yce But the Seignior of Nyeuwenoort had set so good an order for all things as during that Winter they wanted not any thing so as the Spring being come the Hollanders shippes returned which in despight of all the resistance which Rhyneuelt could make did succour the fort and forced him to retyre hauing yet before his retreat taken three of the Hollanders shippes laden both with victuals and munition Whilest that the towne of Antuerpe was distressed as we haue formerly related the earle of Hohenlo lieutenant to Graue Maurice after that he had conferred with the Estates gathered together some foure thousand men the which hee lodged couertly not farre from the towne of Boisleduc one
or els to make a treatie for protection and defence or for aide and assistance by some English forces the Hollanders for their parts were resolued and content to deliuer ouer some of their townes vnto the Queene for her securitie Their deputies procuration and authoritie was made from the nobilitie gentlemen and townes as Dort Harlem Delft Leyden Amsterdam Gant Rotterdam Gorcum Schiedam Briel Alcmar Hoorn Enckhuysen Schoonhouen Eedam Monickedam Medenblick Woerden Oudewater Heusden Gertruydenberghe Weesp Naerden Muyden and Purmerend answering for the rest of the small townes lordships and villages of Holland and West-Friseland in generall These embassadours beeing arriued in England they were well and courteously receiued and while they abode there honourably feasted and entertained at the Queenes charges and vpon the ninth of Iune were admitted to her Maiesties presence beeing then at Greenwich where with all honourable and submissiue dutie in humble wise they presented their request by word of mouth deliuered by Ioos de Menin the effect whereof was as here followeth That the Estates of the vnited Netherland prouinces greatly thanked her Maiestie for the honourable and many fauours which it had pleased her to shewe and vouchsafe vnto them in their necessities hauing not long since renewed and confirmed her princely clemencie when after the cruell murther of the prince of Orange it pleased her Maiestie by her Embassadour M. Dauison to signifie vnto them the great care shee had for their defence and preseruation and after that againe by the lord of Grise by whom shee let them vnderstand how much shee was discontented to see them frustrated of their expectations reposed vpon the hope they had in the treatie of France and that neuerthelesse the care shee had for their prosperitie and welfares was not in any thing diminished but rather increased in that shee saw greater reason to mooue her thereunto for the which the whole Netherlands in generall and euery of them in particular should rest bound vnto her Maiestie for euer to deserue and requite the same with all fidelitie and submission And therefore the Estates aforesaid obseruing that since the death of the prince of Orange they had lost many of their forts and good townes and that for the vpholding and defending of the said vnited Netherlands they had great need of a soueraigne prince and chiefe commander to gouerne the same who by his power and authoritie might protect and preserue them from the insolencies and oppressions of the Spaniards and their adherents who sought daiely more and more all the means they could with their vnreasonable arms other sinister means to spoile and vtterly roote vp the foundation of the aforesaid Netherlands and thereby to bring the poore afflicted people of the same into perpetuall bondage worse than the Indian slauerie vnder the vnsupportable and accursed inquisition of Spaine Finding likewise that the inhabitants of the said Netherlands were persuaded and had an assured confidence that her Maiestie out of her princely minde would not suffer nor endure to see them vtterly ouerthrowne as their enemies expected and desired by molesting them with such long and tedious warres the which the Estates according to their duties and in respect of their places in the behalfe of their fellowes and brethren were forced to withstand and as much as in them lay oppose themselues against the manifest slauerie which they thought to impose vpon the poore common people and by their best indeauours to defend and maintaine their auncient freedomes lawes and priuiledges with the exercise of the true christian religion whereof her Maiestie truely and by good right bare the title of defendresse against the which the enemie and all their adherents had made so many leagues attempted so many fearefull and deceitfull enterprises and treasons and yet cease not daiely to seeke inuent practise and deuise the destruction of her Maiesties royall person together with her estate and kingdomes which the almightie God vnder the protection of his euerlasting goodnesse hitherto had preserued and kept from all dangers for the good and vpholding of the church of Christ here vpon earth For these reasons and many other right good considerations the Estates aforesaid with one full and free consent had altogether determined and fully resolued to flie vnto her Maiestie in regard it is an vsuall thing for all oppressed and distressed people and nations in their great need and necessitie to seeke iust aide and assistance against their enemies from the kings and princes their neighbours and especially from those that were indued with courage feare of God vprightnesse of heart and other princely ornaments and to that end the Estates aforesaid had sent them and giuen them charge to desire and beseech her Maiestie to accept of the soueraigntie and lawfull gouernment of the said vnited prouinces vpon good and reasonable conditions especially tending to the vpholding maintaining and furtherance of Gods true religion and the auncient priuiledges and freedomes to them due and belonging together with the gouernment and managing of the warres policie and iustice of the said vnited prouinces of the Netherlands And although the said Netherlands had indured diuers wrongs and that many of their townes and forts had beene wonne from them by the enemie during those warres neuerthelesse in Brabant Guelderland Flaunders Macklyn and Ouerissel there were yet many good townes and places that held against the enemie and the prouinces of Holland Zeeland Vtrecht and Friseland were by Gods grace and wonderfull prouidence still kept and preserued in their whole and entire possessions wherein they had many great and strong townes and places faire riuers deepes and hauens whereby her Maiestie and her successors might haue good commodities seruices and profits whereof it were needlesse to make any longer discourse and one in speciall that by the vniting the countries of Holland Zeeland Friseland and the townes of Oostend and Scluse vnto her Maiesties kingdomes and dominions shee might haue the absolute commaund gouernment power and authoritie ouer the great ocean and consequently shee might haue a perpetuall assured and happie traffique for the subiects and inhabitants of her Maiesties kingdomes and dominions Most humbly and submissiuely beseeching her royall Maiestie to vouchsafe of her royall fauour and princely bountie to agree and consent to the foresaid points of their request and so to accept for her and her lawfull heires or successors in the crowne of England defendors of the true Christian religion the soueraigne principalitie and chiefe gouernment of the said Netherlands and in regard thereof to receiue the inhabitants of the same countries as her Maiesties most humble and obedient subiects into her perpetuall safegard and protection a people as true faithfull and louing to their princes and commaunders without vaine boasting bee it spoken as any other in christendome And so doing shee should preserue and protect many faire churches which it had pleased almightie God in those latter daies to gather together in seuerall countries
the riuer of Breda which the Earle of Mansfeldt had built not many monethes before then hee tooke the Fort of Roosendael and after that beseeged the Towne of Stenbergh the which yeelded by composition Then he sent a part of the garrison of Breda and of Berghen vp Zoom to scoure the country who running ouer the countrey of Campeigny tooke the towne of Tillemont in Brabant by scaladoe but being a great thing and heard to keepe after they had spoyled it they left it and euery one being laden with bootie returned to his garrison The Bourgers of Venlo in Gelderland finding themselues tyranously opprest by the souldiars of their garrison and could not bee eased by any intreaties nor their complaintes heard in the end seeing the signior Bentinck their Gouernor absent they consulted togither how they might free themselues of their garrison which consisted of Italiens and Germaines but these were somewhat more modest then the Italiens The Bougers hauing acquainted them with their intent which was to driue out the Italiens the which done they should haue the more profit and therefore intreated them to assist them in this execution or at the least if by reason of their oth they might not doe it that they would stand still as Neuters and not put themselues in armes against the Bourgers The which hauing promised they of the towne beeing all in armes commanded the Italiens to depart if not they knewe well how to force them and so beeing retired the Bourgers would not disarme themselues nor leaue their gardes vntill they were all forth But the people were not satisfied to be so ridde of the Italiens but they would doe as much to the Germaines whome they chased away with all the reproches and indignitie that might bee Bentincke who was then busie about the raysing of a newe Regiment of foote would gladly haue beene reuenged of this indignitie But the Bourgers to bee ridde of him also caused his wife and all his familie to depart and so hee lost his gouernment and the King of Spaines fauour and with all his Regiment was soone after quite disperst whereof a part beeing sodenly surprized betwixt the townes of Aix and Mastricht was defeated by the Estates men Behold how Bentincke of a pettie companion grewe great and fell againe into the same Estate They of Venloo did write their excuses vnto the Earle of Mansfeldt and to the councell of Estate at Brusselles promising to continue constant in the Catholike religion and in the Kings obedience and not depart from the one nor the other neither had they chased away their garrison to seeke any innouation nor to attempt any thing against the Kings seruice but to free and deliuer themselues their wiues and children from the barbarous cruelties and execrable villanies of those Italien souldiars and others the which they could no longer endure And they intreated it might not bee misconstred not taken in euill part seeing that the King should not be thereby preiudiced and that they would keepe the towne vnder the Kings obedience and seruice without a garrison The Spaniard had at that time built a Fort ioyning to the town of Houy in the countrie of Leege to keepe the riuer of Meuse subiect from all which came from aboue in the which was captaine Grobbendonc but with a hundred men The Estates angrie that the Spaniards should play the maisters in that manner and hinder the nauigation of the riuer of Meuse they sent some eight hundred men who beeing camped before this Fort they prest the captaine to yeelde vpon the first sommons if not if they tooke it by force they would not leaue a man aliue The beseeged knowing themselues to weake for so great a number and that the place was not to bee held long against any great force hauing small hope of succors they offred to yeeld vpon condition to depart with their full armes bagge and baggage But the States-men knowing that the place was filled with the goods of the neighbour villages brought thether for refuge they would make no other composition but to depart with white wands as they were forced to doe beeing gone forth the Fort was raized to the ground the Estates men returning into Holland laden with spoile and the others with emptie hands into Brabant They of Zeeland had at that time an enterprize vpon Dunkerke which they thought to surprize by scaladoe in the night The desseigne had not beene ill plotted by Collonel Nicholas Meetkerke with three thousand foote and one hundred horse which were imbarked but the winde beeing contrarie and driuing them backe vpon the coast of Flanders it made the Flemings growe into suspition and so they were discouered Yet hauing landed the sayd Meetkerke shewing vnto the Earle of Solms and to Sir Francis Vere the place where hee ment to assaile it beeing vpon the edge of the ditche they were all three hurt with shot Sixe daies before the garrison of Ostende surprized the towne of Oudenbourg neere vnto Bruges in Flanders where there were about the number of foure hundred souldiars the which they spoyled and burnt The nine and twenty day of October the Spaniards sought to surprize the towne of Lochem with three cartes laden with haie euery one hauing two or three souldiars by it attired like Pesants with forkes The first beeing past ouer the drawe bridge the porters sonne and an other boy as it is their custome and right beganne to pull as much haie as they could whilest the cartes were betwixt the two bridges And the cart making no hast one of them tooke a souldiar that was hidden vnder the haie by the foote and presently cryied out treason treason wherevpon the souldiars leaping out of the cartes slue them that were in the Court of garde But the Townesmen putting themselues in armes Francis Ballochi Sargeant Maior made head against them and boate them backe beyond the bridge the which was presently drawne vp and so this enterprize fayled for want of horsemen The Sargeant Maior of Zutphen was the vndertaker who was slaine within the towne and buried there In the end of December the Earle of Ouerstein entred with a good troupe of horse into the countrie of Westphalia for that they did still maintaine the Spanish faction and spoyled many villages about Munster and the Diocese of Paterborne The like did the Spaniards in the countrie of Liege without any mercy Where the Bishoppes councell complained at Brusselles first to the Earle of Mansfeldt and then to the Duke of Parma at his returne from France But they had small succor or comfort nay it was told them that if their Prince and Bishoppe were not a good Spaniard that his countrie must endure more And that they had no cause to compaine for what was past seeing that they and the King of Spaine maintayned one quarrell for the defence of the Catholike and Romish religion The Duke of Parma had certaine intelligences in the towne of
They caused to bee published vnder the authority of the duke of Mayene as Lieutenant generall of the Estate and crowne of France the entertayning of the councell of Trent the which in the time of the precedent Kings could neuer bee allowed nor receiued by the courts of parliament nor the French church It was published the eight of August with a new forme of oth the which they did for the vpholding and maintayning of their league against the King whome they sought to haue treacherously murthered by one Peter Barriere called la Barre borne at Orleans who being descouered araigned and found guilty was broken vpon the wheele in the sayd month of August During this generall truce their were sundry discourses and many propositions made for the setling of the affaires of the realme The King who desired nothing more then the reunion of his subiects and the abolition of that pernitious party of the league labored to reconcile and to winne vnto him the duke of Mayene with offers of charges and very honorable aduancements The duke hauing in his opinion many strings to his bow stood vpon doubtfull termes sometimes be promised and then he refused againe prot acting the businesse with many delaies and vnder hand procuring that the decision which was made by the Sorbonists in the yeare 1590. in the month of May should take place which was That Henry of Bourbon was declared incapable and fallen from all right and pretension to the crowne of France although hee did reconcile himselfe and adhere to the Romish relligion The Agents of Spaine both in France and at Rome did further and aduance all these rebellious practises crossing the Duke of Neuers all they could in his negotiation On the other side the people and many great personages continued in their old song of the incompatibility of the exercise of two religiōs within the realme and many were of opinion that the King should not bee admitted nor receiued vnlesse he would first promise to banish all them of the reformed religion or at the least cause the publike exercise of the religion to cease There was yet an other sort of people well affected to the league and yet seemed to be friends to the publike quiet and tranquility of the land who secretly and vnder hand gaue out speeches of the Kings weakenesse and disability saying that he wanted means to force obedience and that hee had to mighty yea inuincible enemies who would soone tread him downe and ruine him That France would but languish vnder his raigne and in the end after many calamities and miseries shee should remaine a prey to a more powerfull maister this by their estimation was the King of Spaine whose greatnesse they did so magnifie and extoll his double pistolets sayd the true hearted Frenchmen hauing dazeled their eyes and blinded their vnderstandings they also sought to terrifie such Frenchmen as were faint-hearted and not well assured with his name Finally they had for the most part beene so seduc'd by the practises of the heads of the league as they admired nothing but the greatnesse and Maiesty of the King of Spaine in comparison of whom that of France was little esteemed Whilest this truce continued the King resolued to call an assembly at Mante of some of the greatest personages of his realme to consult consider of diuers affaires among others the deputies of the reformed religion came thether in Nouember whome the King commanded to come before him on the 12. of the sayd month hauing giuen them audience and heard their complaints vpon many breaches of his Edicts and strange wrongs and iniustices done vnto them throughout all the Prouinces Hee sayd vnto them in the presence of many Noblemen and of the Chancellor My maisters I haue sent for you hether for three reasons the first to let you vnderstand from mine own mouth that my conuersion hath caused no change of my affection towards you The second is for that my rebellious subiects had made some shew to giue eare vnto a peace the which I would not enter into before you were called to the end that nothing should be done to your preiudice as you haue bin assured by the promise made by the Princes of the crown who did sweare in my presence that there should not be anything treated in the conference of peace against them of the reformed religion The third is hauing beene aduertised of the ordinary complaints touching the miseries of the Churches in many Prouinces of my realme I would willingly heare them and take order for them More-ouer you may beleeue that I affect nothing more then to see a good vnion betwixt you my good subiects both Catholikes and of the Relligion and I assure my-selfe that no man will hinder it It may be their are some malicitious spirits which will seeke to crosse it but I hope to punish them I assure you that the Catholikes which are about me wil maintaine this vnion and I wil be a caution and pledge that you will not seperate nor diuide your selues from them I haue this contentment in my soule that during all the time that I haue liued I haue made proofe of my faith and integrity to all the world Nor any one of my subiects hath trusted in me but I haue relied more in him I beleeue your informations and command you to depute foure of your number to treat with such of my councell as I shall appoint to whome I will giue this charge and to resolue of what shal be held fit and conuenient In the meane time if any among you haue any affaires with mee they may haue accesse with all libertie Afterwards the Kings affaires remayning long in suspence and the heads of the league continuing in their peruers courses to trouble the estate of France they of the relligion remayned in their accustomed condition vntill that the league was disperst and vanished I haue made a long digression concerning this act of the French Kings conuersion to the Romish Relligion the which I haue presumed to insert here for the rarenes of the example although it doth not properly belong to this subiect but now I will returne vnto the Netherlands The 24 of Iuly George Euerard Earle of Solms past into Flanders by commandement from the Estates and from Prince Maurice his cosin with 800. horse and 2500. foote he entred into the land of Waes where hee sent his horsemen to inuest the fort of Saint Ians Steyn and the footemen to the village of Steeken where there was a fort held by the Spaniards the which they abandoned before any seege flying to the fort of Waert vpon the riuer of Escault right against Antwerp whereof there were some thirty horses taken hauing at their retreat burnt the village The Earles horsemen met with eighty Spanish horse neere vnto Saint Nicholas Bourg all which were slaine or taken prisoners This done the Earle went with his artillery before Saint Iaques fort the
to marry He had to his second wife the daughter of the Lord of Croix of the house of Noyelle of Arthois He was one of the most pollitike although hee were vnlearned and subtill Captaines of his time Mounsier de Villars gouernor of Rouen and Newe-hauen being come with certaine troupes of horse and foote to releeue the beseeged within Dourlans was incountred and charged by the Earle of Fuentes men and put to rout many of his men were slaine he himselfe being ouerthrowne from his horse was taken prisoner hauing his leg broken afterwards the Spaniards stabd him with their daggers in cold bloud for that hee had forsaken the league and reconciled him-selfe to the King Dourlans being in this sort beseeged by the Spaniards and the Castell furiously battered the forts betwixt the towne and the Castell wonne and by the blowing vp of a mine a small breach made the beseeged who thought of nothing lesse then an assault holding the breach not assaltable yet the Earle of Fuentes caused a furious assault to bee giuen with such a multitude as the soldiars thrust one another forward with their shoulders to make them enter the breach such as it was the which they hauing forced at a confused cry of victoria victoria the beseeged grew amazed and abandoned this breach euery one beginning to fly and to saue himselfe as he could And so the towne was taken at this assault the last day of Iune whereas the slaughter was very great but their insolency against wiues and virgins exceeded all measure It is a strange thing that a thousand fiue hundred men which were within it among the which there were so many bragging Gentlemen and of the Nobility could not repell such an assault at so insufficient a breach but it seemed that GOD would purge France of these Lees of the league who had but for faction sake reconciled them-selues vnto the King About that time the Earle of Fuentes vnder coullor to punish a certaine mutinie made of purpose by the Germaines who were in garrison in the towne of Brusselles thought to draw two thousand Spaniards into the towne the which the Burgers discouering preuented So as for spight beeing in like manner kept out of Macklyn and Vittevorde they fell vppon the Champian country of Brabant who by this meanes were more afflicted by their owne men then by their enemies besides the dearth was generally very great which made the poore commons to weepe and to lament their miseries yet knew they not to whome to flie for remedie to relieue their wants For which consideration the Estates both of the Clergie and the Secular of those Prouinces which remained vnder the King of Spaines obedience but especially the Nobilitie were moued of them-selues to seeke some meanes of peace and after diuers conferences togither hauing receiued pasport from the Estates of the vnited Prouinces to send their Deputies into Zealand to the said Estates and to Prince Maurice They deputed the Seignior of Lyesvell sometimes Chancellor of Brabant in the Duke of Anious time with Hartius and Maes Lawiers with a Secretarie of the Duke of Arschot The which on the fourteenth of Aprill came into Zealand where they conferred with Prince Maurice being accompanied by Iames Valck Tresorer general and Christopher Roels Pentioner of the Countie of Zealand requiring that they might bee admitted to propound some way of an Accord betwixt the King of Spaine and his reconciled Estates with the sayd Prince and the confederate Estates of the vnited Prouinces Where-vppon the Prince made answer that the generall Estates confederate had no intent to treat but with the said Estates of the reconciled Prouinces and not with the King of Spaine against whome as their mortall enemie they were allied with other neighbour Princes who were also his enemies and that they had long since abiured him Wherefore they held him so irreconcilably offended as they knew well hee could neuer forget the wrong which hee holds hath beene therein done him But that vppon the first opportunitie hee would be reuenged building vpon the Canon of the Councel of Constance Cum hereticis non est seruanda fides But if the Estates vnder the King would faithfully and sincerely enter into any conference of peace that the sayd confederate Estates of the vnited Prouinces were content to conuert their wars into peace and friendship therewith sending their resolution in writing conteyning foure Articles which they must resolue vpon before they would begin to enter into treaty with them which were 1 First that they should cause all strangers and soldiers to depart out of the countrie and to reduce them-selues into an absolute freedome whereby they might treat of a peace without the King and that the Deputies and Estates of the said Prouinces which should treat of a peace should be appointed by them without the King with whome the generall Estates of the vnited Prouinces would then treat as desiring nothing more then to see those long and bloudy wars conuerted into an assured and firme peace vpon good and tollerable conditions 2 Secondly that nothing should be altered nor changed in religion but it should be referred to the discretion of the Estates of each Prouince and that no man else should deale therein 3 That the Prouinces which were willing to treat of a peace with the vnited Prouinces among other conditions must be content to enter into treaty with the French King and the Queene of England and to vndergoe all the charges of the whole body of the generall Estates all the debts where-into the vnited Prouinces are falne for the defence of their liberties against the Spaniards and other strangers 4 Lastly that peace beeing made vppon those and other conditions the said vnited Prouinces offered all their power and meanes to helpe to maintaine the other Prouinces in their liberties and freedomes and to oppose them-selues against all that should seeke to molest wrong or dismember them In this case the sayd Ambassadours had no other commission but to moue a treaty of peace betwixt the King and his Estates on the one part and the vnited prouinces on the other so as the question betweene them now was whether the king should be comprehended therein or not where-vpon the Ambassadors returned againe speedely and made report what had beene propounded the which was sent into Spaine with the opinion of the said Ambassadors The Articles of the confederate Estates were by some which held the King of Spaines party very ill taken and by others which desired a peace in some sort tollerated saying that they were not altogether voyd of reason and that by a good conference they might be easely moderated And therefore considering the quality of the time which prest them and the pouerty and lamentations of the people they should not let slippe so good occasions without treating and if they did absolutly reiect the said conference of peace it was to be feared that
the vnited Prouinces would make stronger and firmer alliances with their neighbours whereby they should be frustrate of all hope euer to attaine vnto it Seeing that the Estates of the said vnited Prouinces by reason of their waters and riuers together with their infinite number of shippes with the which they did sayle into all the partes of the world had better meanes to maintaine them-selues then they had who haue no hauens nor shippes to compare beeing also enuironed by three mighty enemies the French King the Queene of England and the said confederat Estates who had no more to doe but to defend their fronters with small garrisons Moreouer they said that the King of Spaine needed not to doubt that his Estates and Nobility which were so much bound and affected vnto him would by the said conference conclude or yeeld to anything that should bee contrary to his honor greatnes and authority And if it should be so that the King for the good of his people and preseruation of his countries should make no difficulty to yeeld a little And the rather for that by the said Articles the confederats did not demand that the reconciled Prouinces should change their Princes Estate Gouernment or relligion And that of all which should bee concluded by the said conference the confederate Estates should more trust the reconcyled then the King by reason of their distrust and feare of his power and desire of reuenge the which they needed not to feare in them Besides that by this treaty of peace they should much weaken their enemies there being some hope that the French King and the Queene of England would consequently become their friends who demand nothing more then the retreat of the Spaniards and of all strange soldiars their naturall enemies the which being retired they shall no more haue any such great occasion of warre for assurance of whose retreat they might giue good hostage where-vnto the Earle of Fuentes did willingly offer himselfe retaining the kings authority Where-vpon such as were Spaniards in heart and who preferred the Kings affaiers before al other things would in like manner haue his honor greatnesse authority reputation and generally his rights and prerogatiues preferred and be first obserued and that they should rather force the confederats to reconcile them-selues vnto his maiesty their naturall Prince who notwithstanding so many wrongs and indignities which he had receiued from the said confederats was yet ready to treat mildely and sincerely with them for the which they should intreat and sue vnto his Maiesty wherefore it was more then necessary that his Authority should be interposed as a principall party whome it did cheefely concerne Otherwise that in excluding the king from the said conference and treaty they giue him occasion to make warre against themselues being not qualified nor authorized from his Maiestie And that the confederate rebells nor all their actions nor doings had not deserued so great honor nor hee so small respect Besides it did not belong to them to prescribe conditions to their Soueraigne that by treating onely with the Estates to exclude him vnder collour of their doubts and distrusts and that their heresies and rebellions were the true causes and grounds for the which they would not acknowledg the King their naturall Prince neither will they euer acknowledge him with a good heart whatsoeuer is done to them Wherefore if they would not comprehend the King in their treaty that it could not passe without to great preiudice to his greatnesse and to their dutie of obedience and fidelitie by the which they are bound vnto him The which ought not to bee tollerated that his authoritie should depend vpon his vassalls and subiects which were rebells and heretikes Thus spake they which from the beginning of the troubles in the yeare of our Lord 1566. would neuer heare the other partie and who inricht themselues by the ciuill warres at the charge and with the sweat and bloud of the poore commons speaking in this sort directly against the opinion of all good and well affected countriemen to whome these violent courses for thirtie yeares past could not bee pleasing All these allegations of either side betwixt the reconciled Estates the good countriemen and them that were Spanish were not to aduance any great matter in the treatie of peace so much desired by the Commons the Nobilitie and the Clergie as indeed it tooke no effect But to entertaine the people and to keepe them in obedience they made them beleeue that great Princes should deale in it hauing once receiued the Kings answere vpon the sayd Articles And on the other side the generall Estates of the vnited Prouinces made a manifest declaration that it was not their fault they entred not into conference of an accord but the Spaniardes and of their councell who did sticke more vpon that which they sayd depended of the Kings authoritie then of the preseruation of the common-weale and the good of neighbour Princes which they regard least hauing no other sound in their mouthes but that Our King is mightie c. About this time there was a letter dispersed abroad and in many mens hands some said it was written by that learned Scholler Iustus Lipsius who beeing desired by certaine councellors to deliuer his opinion whether it were better to haue warre then peace made answere bearing date the third of Ianuary in the yeare of our Lord 1595. Saying that the King had three seuerall enemies the French the English and the vnited Prouinces two of them were forraine and the third a domesticall enemie rather to bee tearmed a rebell then a right enemie for the first two if the house of Austria stood not in feare of the inhumaine and barbarous Turkes the King might easily bridle them proceeding in his warre with good discipline imploying his treasure well and aduancing men of merrit to places of commaund but in regard that the Turke threatned Christendome it was to bee considered whether it were better to make a peace with these two forraine enemies or with either of them seeing that the Hollanders were in a manner out of heart hauing both the French and English to their aide what then were to bee expected from them if wee made peace with one of these forraine enemies as namelie with the Queene of England who hath in her handes the two strong entries of Zeeland and Holland beeing of an opinion that shee would not stand verie much against a peace both in regard that shee was a woman as also for that her treasure was well spent and exhausted hauing but a small meanes and for that the warres were maintayned against the common peoples mindes who desired nothing but trafficke and freedome The cause why shee entertained these warres was more for feare then for any great hatred the greatnesse and power of the King and the valour and dexteritie of the Spaniards for these three-score yeares had beene fearefull to all neighbour Princes Wherefore to
and priuiledges of the countrie to gouerne at his pleasure forgetting not in the meane time his chiefe desseignes vpon the neighbor kingdomes seeking occasions of quarrell to inuade them by armes The which GOD preuented stirring vp the Prince of Orange who entred into the sayd countries with two mightie armies vntill that hee was setled in his gouernments of Holland and Zeeland This was not yet sufficient for the King of Spaine that in those countries there are aboue a hundred thousand persons dead for the religion and that by his charge the Duke of Alua hath caused aboue twentie thousand to bee executed by the hangman but hee must withall quite ruine whole townes and murther most part of the people as the Townes of Macklyn Zutphen Naerden Oudewaeter and others which may serue for presidents And besides that hee was cause of the Prince of Oranges murther by a publike proclamation who had alwayes carried himselfe as a Father of the countrie the which giues the Estates the more occasion to perseuere in their iust conceptions Whereby it is apparent that these vnited Prouinces haue good reason not to submit them-selues vnder the subiection and rule of the King of Spaine nor to enter into any Treatie with him of a perpetuall peace And the rather for that they haue found by experience that all the conferences of peace how sincerely so-euer they haue beene made by the Mediators and Intercessors haue beene a wayes held by the Spaniards tending to some practises or enterprises that hauing made some diuision or breach betweene them then sodenly to ouer-runne and disperce them Besides in their particular Treaties with the Townes of Gand and Bruges the King of Spaines ministers propounded in the beginning goodly conditions yea for matter of religion but when they came to resolue they would not once suffer them to open their mouthes vpon the least point The fraudulent treaties of the enemies and the wayes of hostilitie which the Spaniards haue vsed against the State and Crowne of France for so many yeares doe sufficiently shew that all they doe is but to suppresse religion And the like happened in the yeare 1588. when during the Treatie of the English with the Spaniards at Bourbourg in Flanders that great Sea-armie thought to inuade England And withall the Estates cannot enter into any treatie with the King of Spaine for that since the murther of the Prince of Orange they haue chosen Prince Maurice his sonne for the cheefe whome God hath endowed with so many graces and heroicall vertues as he not onely defends and preserues these vnited Prouinces but doth also augment and dilate their limits and iurisdictions with the ayde and fauor of the Queene of England who like a most Christian Princesse considering the power and ambition of the Spaniards and their manner of proceeding hath alwaies for the good of all Christendome fauored the said Estates with whom they are in league vpon promise not to make any peace with the said enemies without her priuity and consent That since the King of Spaine hath continued warre against all Kings Princes and Potentats vnder collour to maintaine the Pope and his relligion but the true cause is to domineere ouer all Christendome the which he hath shewed plainely against the French King by reason whereof the saide French king hath also made a league with the Queene of England into the which these vnited Prouinces haue beene receiued being bound not to treat any peace with the Spaniard without both their consents whereof the Estates hope that the kings maiesty of Denmarke will consider of the ambitious desseignes of the king of Spaine and of his councell against all kings and Potentates and especially against them that haue forsaken Popery euen so all Christendome should desire to ioyne in the same league asuring themselues also that his Maiestie by his great wisdome will not onely iudge how vnfit it were for these countries to returne vnder the yoake of the Spaniard to the totall suppression of relligion and their vtter ruine but also how preiudiciall it would be to neighbour kings and Princes if the said Prouinces were brought againe vnder the King of Spaines subiection and that he should command ouer their soldiars shippes and marrines hauing the meanes in his power by the mony which the said Prouinces haue by reason of the warres beene forced to leuie for their defence and preseruation the which being at his deuotion would giue him meanes to entertayne twenty thousand men continually with the which hee would doe greater exployts against all other neighbour Kings and Princes then hee could doe with the reuenues and demaines of his other realmes and Prouinces yea of his Indies That the King of Spaine hath beene alwaies a persecuter of the relligion the gouernment of Spaine and Portugall and the great councell of the Inquisition do sufficiently shew it with that goodly title which hee giues him-selfe of Defender of the Popes authority who attributes vnto him-selfe and vsurpes the power to transferre kingdomes from one King or Prince vnto an other Moreouer the said Estates do most humbly beseech his Maiesty to beleeue that the beginning of a conference of peace with the King of Spaine is full of difficulties and secret desseignes which cannot be preuented For as with other Kings Princes and commonweales conferences of peace doe coole mens affections to warre or at the least doth hinder the meanes the same reason hath greater efficacy with these Prouinces and townes for that many would imagine that the reasons which had moued the said Estates to enter into conference were so sollide and built vpon a foundation of such assured conditions as they could not faile to attayne vnto a firme peace the which would cause many inconueniences for to thinke that the vnited Prouinces could make any peace with the King of Spaine without the extirpation of the reformed relligion in the said contries and without bringing the inhabitants thereof vnder the absolute obedience of Spaine it hath bin deliuered at large by word of mouth vnto the Ambassadors that it cannot possible bee performed The said Estates do also beseege his Maiesty to beleeue that they are very sencible of the great miseries and calamities which these countries haue suffered and do suffer during these present warres and of the effusion of humaine bloud And in like manner they doe duly weigh and consider of the commodities which a good peace should bring by the cessation of armes But seeing that besides the enterest of all Christendome and of Kings Princes and neighbour common weales this conference of a peace with the Spaniards would be so preiudiciall and hurtfull to the Estate of these Countries as the ruine thereof and all the inhabitants might thereby ensue For these considerations their Estate cannot endure to haue any other ouerture made but it behoues them to attend an other issue from the hand of GOD whereon they haue grounded all their hope by a good reunion of the
contained therein All this time they talked of nothing but of peace in England many and diuers discourses were made thereon the Queene finding her selfe prest the French king beeing disbanded from the vnion and the vnited prouinces not to be persuaded to submit themselues vnder the obedience of Spaine holding the transport of the Netherlands made vnto the Infanta in suspition sent sir Francis Vere vnto the generall Estates of the said prouinces beeing generall of all their English forces to vnderstand plainely what their resolution was either to peace or warre if not to peace then what meanes they had ioyntly with her to beare the burthen of the warre whereof shee demanded a speedie and absolute resolution whereof she desired to be duely informed by men well qualified hauing full charge and commission to deliuer their resolutions Whereupon the Estates meaning to aduice and resolue in their generall assemblie all difficulties and discommodities on either side beeing propounded debated and well ballanced seeming rather inclined and resolued to warre than to a doubtfull peace were it neuer so beneficiall they had at that instant newes brought them that the seignior Daniel vander Meulen of Antuerpe remaining at Leyden in Holland had suddainly beene sent for with a pasport from the archduke the which came from his brother in law who fained himselfe to be extreamely sicke to conferre with him before his death that he should come to Antuerpe where being arriued he was sent for to Brussels as he was a very sufficient man and well acquainted with affaires of Estate before the counsellors Richardot and Assonuille the abbot of Marolles and the marquesse of Haurec one after another who demaunded of him if there were no meanes to make a generall peace among all the prouinces of the Netherlands this was only to heare his opinion whereunto he answered That concerning that matter he had not any charge Then they declared vnto him to the end he might tell it againe That the king of Spaine and the archduke Albert were intended to make a peace in what sort soeuer and thereof to giue such assurance as should well content them they would leaue vnto the vnited prouinces their Religion their forme of gouernment and they should haue contentment giuen them from the least point vnto the greatest They said moreouer That the king was wonderfully affected to prince Maurice held him in great esteeme and desired not to impaire his estate but rather to confirme and make it greater yea he would gladly see him Generall of the armie against the Turke so much he was esteemed of all men for his vertues and valour That they would suffer all them that were in the gouernment of the vnited Prouinces to continue still in their offices estates and dignities and would promise to continue their children in them being capable if they would onely giue eare vnto a peace and acknowledge the said archduke Albert for their lord and prince These and such like speeches were vsed vnto him being carried before the archduke he sayd as much to him in Latine entreating him that he would make a good report thereof when it should be fitting All this being vnderstood by the Estates they presently conceiued that these baits tended to no other end but to breed some diuision in the countrey and to mooue the commons as if they desired to continue the warres without cause or reason whilest that they might according to their saying enter into an assured way of peace They did easily beleeue that both the king and the cardinall would gladly haue seene prince Maurice in Hongarie and that to him and the vnited Prouinces there should be made what promises they could desire if they could onely get but that point of them as to acknowledge the said archduke for their prince supposing if that were done that hee should easily become master first of them that had charge of the gouernment and managing of affaires who would presently seeke to creepe into his fauour and then generally of the gouernment of the Prouinces Some thought these speeches were but a common bruit to draw the Estates to giue eare to a parle and to enter into conference as some yeares before they had in the like manner circumuented them of Bruges and Gant which they caused to be bruited abroad onely to make a triall and then goe backe from it when they thought good such speeches seruing to no other end Thither were also brought vnto the Estates certaine letters intercepted both in Fraunce and in England by the which the king of Spaine gaue contrary instructions vnto the cardinall archduke which were That in the treatie of peace with France his Rebels for so he called the vnited Estates should not bee comprehended but vpon condition that the Romish Catholicke religion should bee receiued and established in all places the kings soueraignetie and dignitie maintained the old officers which had been displaced and chased away restored and that those which remained being capable and fit might be admitted if they were Catholickes and not heretickes and besides they might promise them a generall pardon that the French king ought not to procure any thing else if he were as he should be that is a Catholicke This instruction conferred with the former speech with many other aduertisements the Estates seeing how they sought with faire words to abuse circumuent them conceiued that there could nothing grow of such a peace but a change of religion and a translation of the gouernment out of their hands vnto banished men and Spaniolized more couetous of reuenge than the Spaniards thēselues And therfore not any one hauing serued or had any office in the said Prouinces might remaine knowing that with such conditions no other they should be yeelded to the Infanta who would bridle thē in the same manner that the Spaniard had done Wherupon the Estates nobilitie and towns in generall resolued not to giue eare to any peace or truce but to support the burthen of the warre to the extremitie and to attend such an issue as it should please God to send them rather than to abandon their countrey and to receiue their enemies into the gouernment thereof but rather to procure and aduance what they should find needfull for them especially to giue contentment to the Queene of England Hereupon they appointed a greater number of deputies in their colledges and in the generall Estates sending into England as her Maiestie had required certaine notable embassadors to induce her to continue the warre with them against the Spaniards the which were Iohn van Duyuen Woorde knight seigniour of Warmont of Woud c. Iohn van Oldenbarneuelt seigniour of Tempel first councellor and aduocate for the Estates and keeper of the seale of Holland and west Friseland Iohn van den Werke councellor and orator of Middlebourg Iohn van Hotting a esquier councellor and deputie for the generall Estates Andrew Hessels chiefe councellor of the councell
in the Netherlands which the archduke and the Infanta hold to be their owne proper inheritance wherewith they may deale as they thinke good they shall haue the libertie of religion allowed them or thinke you that the duke in his voyage to Spaine hath altered his mind or that the pope of Rome with whom he spake at Ferara hath inspired him with a more peaceable spirit or that the Spanish Inquisitors and Iesuire counsell haue turned his heart Beleeue the contrarie without al doubt and that al these do stil counsel him vnto a more strict seuere course It may be some wil say That haply he hath receiued other counsell and aduice from his brother the emperor But looke into the emperors actions where you shall see that the towne of Aix which by vertue of the lawes of the empire had long enioyed the exercise of both religions was abandoned by him in prey vnto the enemy and who also did looke on and said nothing to the admirals proceedings who vsed so great force and violence against all right and reason vpon the territories of the empire Examin the actions of the rest of the house of Austria how the archduke Ferdinando not long since hath by force banished the religion out of Styrmarke and Carinthia which had bin allowed therein since the time of the emperor Ferdinando his grandfather making no account of the complaints protestations of the Estates of the countrey but esteemeth them as wind which is an introduction to a ciuile war and a meanes to lose the whole countrie wherin neither the authoritie of his grandfather and father the bloudy wars in France and the Netherlands nor yet the neerenesse of the Turke that bordereth vpon him can moue him to any tolleration touching religion neither will he once remember how vnreasonable a thing it is to force and restraine his subiects in that which the Turke himselfe permitteth vnto his which example agreeth with the answer made by the K. of Spaine to Charls archduke of Austria for that when as the emperor Maximilian a peaceable prince and no persecutor of the religion but temperat in all his actions sent his brother Charls archduke of Austria into Spain to moue the king vnto the like temperance setting before his eyes the commendable example of the emperor Charls 5 his father who had allowed the religious peace in Germanie and willed all men to obserue it before that the common people were brought into dispaire and were quite fallen from him He made a full and a resolute answer That he would rather lose the countrie for euer than endure the least wrong that might be offered touching religion You know well also in the peace of Cologne in an 1579 what fauor he granted to them of the religion which was that he would neither burne nor hang them but that they should be banished out of the countrey and must seeke for harbor and protection like the Iewes misbeleeuing Heathen in other countries This is the meaning of all the house of Austria at this present all moderation and mildnesse dyed with the emperor Maximilian and his sonnes haue suckt a bitter hatred out of their Spanish mothers brest against the religion and by their daily conuersation with the Iesuites are more more confirmed therin This is that which in the contracts of mariage made between the archduke the Infanta and was openly sold in Brabant so as there is no doubt of the authoritie therof was so firmly set downe That they shold make no alteration in religion vpon paine of forfeiture of the said countries which in such a case the king of Spaine may lawfully seize into his hands againe shewing without all doubt or dissimulation how firmely they will hold with the Inquisition of Spaine touching that point so that it would be a ten fold blindnesse and madnesse in any man to thinke that the archduke the Infanta in regard they haue a vain hope at one time or other to be masters of Holland Zeeland would conforme themselues in religion and grant them any libertie therein for the prophesie saith That necessarily the last Monarchy must be erected in Spaine as in the beginning the one succeeded the other out of the East into the West that is out of Asia into Grecia from thence to Rome the which is so imprinted in the hearts of the king and the Spanish counsell as they esteeme all meanes of accommodation to be needlesse and do constantly beleeue that they shall be masters ouer all and at last in spight of al the world shall satisfie their desires And they are persuaded that by means of such accommodation in religion they should break all correspondencie with the pope and thereby ouerthrow all hope of their expected Monarchy Neuerthelesse if according to the necessitie of the time hee seemeth to be any thing conformable therein and granteth some libertie to religion it will be no other thing for you but for a while to saue you from ruine the which shal be broken againe when as the Spanish and Iesuiticall counsell whereunto he is so strictly bound shal thinke the necessitie past according to the old canon That they are not bound to haue any faith or promise with heretikes which they name rebels who as the Spaniards say haue falsified their faithes both to God and to the king Look what doctor Ayda a Spaniard auditor generall of the prince of Parma's armie writeth in his booke of Martiall Law printed in Antuerp saying That all contracts and treaties made betweene the prince his subiects that beare armes against him are of no force nor power and that the subiects cannot helpe the same but they shall do wisely by humble petitions to craue pardon at their princes and lords hands and to commit their cause to his discretion Which Spanish doctor you ought heartily to thanke for his so true round and vpright dealing with you and to gouerne your selues thereafter if not at some time or other you may wrongfully complaine that you were deceiued for that doctor Ayda can plainly tell you that he had warned you thereof before and that you despised his counsell But to returne to our former matter Marke what good meanes they haue on the other side to deceiue you and to make al promises with a grace and faire shew to be of no effect for that when you shall haue obtained any freedome in religion which neuerthelesse shall neuer be the duke of Brabant may plainly say thus vnto you Seeing I haue let you enioy the freedome of your consciences because you haue alwayes said That God onely ought to rule ouer the same yet at the least shew me obedience in other worldly matters And so if he can by your simplicitie attaine thereunto to place all the officers judges and magistrats in towns and prouinces that he may haue the forts and strength in his owne power and become master of the whole then assure your selues to haue the
to commend their enemies neither yet thinke it light or dishonest to praise them vpon good occasion whom in some places they haue iustly blamed for it is not credible that they of whom we write haue alwaies done well nor continually erred wee must therefore in our censures iudge grauely and vprightly of mens actions seeing that truth is the life and soule of a historie without the which how goodly a glosse soeuer it carries it is but a fable To comprehend then the moderne with the auncient they shall find here not that I will put antiquitie out of question beeing impossible for the better vnderstanding of the historie of these prouinces a particular deduction wherein we intreat of all things as farre as we could recouer that haue past in the said prouinces whereby they shall receiue a great contentment comparing the auncient with the moderne times I haue begunne with the first institution of the earles of Holland by king Charles the bald where wee will set downe orderly the genealogie and acts of the said earles since Thierry or Theodoric of Aquitaine the first earle instituted in the yeare 863 vnto Iohn of Henaut the race of which Thierry hauing successiuely continued from father to sonne for the space of 563 yeares ending with Iohn of Holland the twentieth earle sonne to that Floris who was slaine by Gerard van Velsen to which Iohn of Holland dying without issue succeeded the said Iohn earle of Henaut his cousin sonne to Alix sister to William king of Romans great aunt to the said Iohn of Holland who died in the yeare 1300. And from the said Iohn of Henaut vnto cont William of Bauaria the fift of that name surnamed the franticke sonne to the emperour Lewis of Bauaria and to Marguerite of Henaut sister to William the fourth who died without children which house of Henaut ending in the said Marguerite it fell to that of Bauaria and had but foure heads all which together ruled the said countries of Holland Zeeland and Henant but fiftie and one yeares In which familie of Bauaria comprehending the said William the franticke and the countesse Iacoba or Iaquelyne who died also without children there were fiue heads which gouerned in all 82 yeares vnto Philip called the good duke of Burgoignie cousin to the said Iaquelyne whose gouernment with duke Charles the warlike his sonne and that of Marie daughter to Charles wife to Maximilian archduke of Austria continued but fortie fiue yeares After which that of the said Maximilian then emperour as father and guardian to Philip of Austria his sonne of the said Philip hauing maried Iane Queene of Castile of Charles the fift emperour and of Philip king of Spaine last deceased vnto the yeare 1582 when as Philip for the causes specified in this historie was declared by the generall Estates of the vnited prouinces to be fallen from the soueraigntie and gouernment of the said earledomes and countries of the vnion are ninetie three yeares and since the said yeare 1582 vnto this yeare 1608 Arthois Henaut and other prouinces beeing voluntarily fallen from the generall vnion the said prouinces of Holland Zeeland and others haue gouerned vnder the authoritie of the said generall Estates and the priuat gouernments hauing vnited vnto them Gueldres Zutphen Vtrecht c. of William of Nassau prince of Orange c. and of prince Maurice his sonne All which worke we haue proportionably diuided into sixteene bookes and continued it vnto these times as you may see by the course of the historie from out of which besides the contentment thereof the reader may gather good instructions as well for matter of religion and gouernment as for exploits of warre and most necessarie for all sorts of men to know at this present time especially for such men as are imployed in the managing of any of these three estates For seeing that men do iudge of al things either by rules and precepts which are taught in schooles or by examples and presidents which hystories do furnish precepts without examples making no deepe impression nor mouing the affections it shall be alwayes good yea and verie necessarie to confer in the managing of affaires the examples of things past with the present time that we may learne by others what wee are to do or not to do to imbrace or auoid in the whole course of our liues For as the poet saith Happie is he that learnes to gather wit By others harme yet neuer feeleth it For this consideration a hystorie was called by the antients The testimonie of time the light of truth and the mistresse and myrrour of mans life for that in the person of another shee giues instructions to all those that will vuderstand how to gouerne themselues well They are well worthy of commendation which haue endeuoured to register the memorable acts of time and to impart them to posteritie And although that this age hath much restrained the libertie of writing which did shine in the antient Chroniclers Froisart Monstrelet Comines c. yet will I neuer abandon my selfe to flatterie nor feare two plagues in a hystorie and torments to the mind but will make my discourse free and true I must confesse that in some actions which are to be blamed I giue my censure as in like maner I spare not to commend those actions whereas vertue religion and valour do shine but in matters which are indifferent I suspend my iudgement rather than to ingage my selfe among so many difficulties for there must needs be a confusion whereas passion rules Truth is my North star and yet it may be that some now liuing and posteritie hereafter will not giue credit to some things which we write the which in another age better I hope than ours will be held too cruell barbarous and inhumane the which notwithstanding were most true yea more execrable and abhominable than we haue described them desiring rather to moderat with modestie than to aggrauat any thing In the progresse of this hystorie I do not follow the Dutch Chronicle the difference of the stile and the maner of writing French in matter of hystorie disagreeing much from the Dutch will not allow it besides there are so many idle and ridiculous things in it more like the Romant of the Rose or the Legend of Lyes than a true hystorie as I haue purposely omitted them and as I heare they are rased out of the last impression of the antient Dutch Chronicle And whereas they shall find the deeds of so many braue old warriours earls of Holland with other noblemen and knights so barely related in regard of those at this day and as the modern French writers describe them they must not accuse our diligence who haue searcht for them as curiously as we could but the negligence ignorance of antient writers who haue shewed themselues idle and too too carelesse or else the iniurie of the time which hath supprest them or it may be the wars which haue wasted and
Freezland the Ganthois and Brugeois mutinue againe and keepe the King of Romaines prisoner to whose succour the Emperour Frederick his father came against whom and against the Frisons he made Albert Duke of Saxonie his generall a priuate warre in Holland a peace betwixt the Flemmings and the Arch-duke diuers Factions armed in Freezland Duke Albert seekes a quarrell against them both a peace betwixt the Arch-duke Philip of Austria and Charles the 8. the French King the Arch-duke takes possession of the Neitherlands war betwixt the Duke of Gelders the Arch-duke the Estates of Freezland held at Snâ—…cke whereof followed great wars Duke Albert obtaines of the Emperour the hereditarie gouernment of Freezland the continuance of the warre in Freezland Duke Albert slaine before Groningen the Arch-duke inherits the Realmes of Spaine by his wife Duke George of Saxonie after the death of Albert his father contiâ—…ues the warre in Freezland the Duke of Gelders reconciled to the King of Castile the death of the said King warre renewed betwixt the Geldrois and the Bourguignons MAXIMILIAN Arch-duke of Austria sonne to the Emperour Frederick was borne the 12. of March 1459. from his infancie vntill he came to be fourteene or fifteene yeares old he was of a heauie disposition and slow in speech for he grew some-what big before he could pronounce his words but being come to age hee recompenced that defect by wisedome and readinesse of speech especially in the Latin tongue Nature and the bountie of God did adorne and inrich him with so many vertues for the good of the Empire as by the iudgement of euery man he did exceed all the Christian Princes of his time in vigour viuacitie and quicknesse of spirit in domestick publike polliticke and militarie vertues in zeale to religion in bountie worthy of such a Prince and of an invincible courage as well in prosperitie as in aduersitie Hee was about 20. years old when hee married his first wife Marie Dutchesse of Bourgongne Countesse of Holland Zeeland c. By whom hee had the first yeare of their marriage one sonne named Philip who was father to Charles the fift the second yeare he had one daughter named Marquerite the which in her infancie was betrothed to Charles Dolphin of France sonne to King Lewis the 11. The third yeare he had a sonne named Francis so named by Francis Duke of Brittaine The fourth yere he dyed as we will shew in the deduction of this Historie This vertuous Prince marrying this Princesse of Bourgongne was withall wedded to great warres which we will discribe heare for that which shall concerne the Neitherlands as succinctly as wee can referring those of Italy and Germanie to Paulus Iouius Francis Guichardin and others that haue written of that subiect The French King had no care but how he should deuoure all the siegneories of this Princesse but hearing of her marriage whereon hee thought least he did somewhat moderate the least of his greedie couetousnesse He had already notwithstanding the Truce made with the Duke father to the said Lady wrested away violently all the Townes of Picardie on this side the Riuer of Some the countrie of Arthois with Tournay and Tournesis practising all hee could the Towne of Gaunt and the Flemmings beeing easie to mooue and which since gaue many crosses to the Arch-duke Maximilian It was therefore needfull for this Prince to craue the succours and means of his father and his friends in Germanie for the Neitherlandes were much vnpeopled both of their Nobilitie and of their best Commanders in warre and of common souldiers which had beene lost in those three defeates and those fewe which had remained in Picardie as the Lord of Cordes and others of the countrey of Arthois had imbraced the French Kings partie some for that their liuings lay in those Countries and others being drawne away by gifts and goodly promises The Arch duke hauing visited all the Prouinces of the Dutchesse his wife where he was well intertained and hauing receiued the oathes and hostages returned to Bruges where hee called an Assembly of all the Princes Earles Barons Knights and chiefe Gentlemen of the said Countries with the generall Estates to resolue of the best meanes and course that was to be taken to resist the attempts of the French king who did dayly seaze vppon some piece of his estate But for that hee was not yet Knighted his desire was before hee vndertooke any warre against the French to receiue the order of Knight-hood of the golden Fleece with the solemnities and Ceremonies accustomed as the good Duke Philip his wiues grand-father had instituted it Hauing therefore receiued the choller from Adolph of Cleues Lorde of Rauesteyn he held a generall Chapter of the said Order which hee renewed and added some other Knights Among the which were William of Egmond brother to Arnold Duke of Gelders father to Prince Adolph The feastes and tryumphs of this Ceremonie being ended the Arch-duke began to leuie men of all sides to expell the French out of his Territories who had already taken many places in Henault But hearing of this preparation for warre and of so great a leuie of men they left all and abandoned the countrey whether the Arch-duke went in person in a short time reduced all the countrie vnder his obedience and subiection after some light skirmishes and incounters which hee had often against the French in the which for the most part hee was victor The 22. of Iune in the yeare 1478. was borne in the cittie of Bruges Philip of Austria first child to the Arch-duke and the Lady Marie of Bourgongne which brought great ioy to all the Neitherlands giuing thanks vnto GOD that had giuen them a Prince who in time to come might gouerne them in peace and defend them against the French their naturall enemies Wee haue formerly sayd that Duke Arnold of Gelders had sold the Dutchie to Duke Charles of Bourgongne by reason of the great wrong which Prince Adolph his sonne had done him by his imprisonment wherof Duke Charles had taken possession in the life time of Duke Arnold But after the death of Duke Charles of Prince Adolph who was slaine as we haue said before Tournay the Geldrois did reuolt especially the Townes of Numeghen and Zutphen with their dependances The children of Prince Adolph were at that time bred vp in the Court of Bourgongne wherevpon the Geldrois sent for the Lady Katherine of Gelders sister to prince Adolph to come and gouerne the countrie the which she did which was the cause of great warre betwixt the house of Bourgongne and the Geldrois The Arch-duke Maximilian hauing reconquered the Countrie of Henault he marched with his troupes towards the Contrie of Gelders hee came to Ruremond where hee was receiued and at Venlo also and in all the quarters there abouts then he returned into Flanders went to Gaunt to set things in order In the Meane time
obtaine at that time The magistrat of Antuerpe was in the meane time in great perplexitie by reason of the cessation of traffique other inconueniences which they feared doubting also that the reception of a bishop would bring in with it the Inquisition of Spain On the one side they were importuned by the commons to maintaine them in their priuiledges liberties rights and on the other side they were prest by the court to vse their best means to instal the bishop without any inconuenience as the rest had bin admitted in other townes To satisfie both the one and the other they gaue the court of Brussels to vnderstand at large by writing the dangers inconueniences that were to be feared by this new episcopal election in a town of so great traffique so greatly peopled and frequented by diuers forein nations for that they feared chiefly that the Inquisition was hidden vnder it wherewith they had promised them they should neuer be troubled nor molested To the which answer was made by an apostile the 23 of Ianuary 1562 that they meant not to bring in the Inquisition nor to preiudice them in any thing but rather to fauor them notwithstanding they would send their request into Spaine to the king whereunto answer was made by the king conformable to the said apostile of the court at Brussels But the magistrat finding that the merchants and burgesses were so troubled as it seemed the apparent ruine of the towne was at hand by some tumult and popular sedition they addressed themselues againe to the Gouernesse who sent them as before vnto the king Whereupon they sent the seignior Godfrey Sterck Ampiman of the towne and the seigniors of Vâ—…ssel and Wezebeeck into Spaine vnder pretext of some other affaires least their passage should be prohibited deputies for them vnto the king doing their best indeuors in the meane time to contain the merchants bourgesses common people in their duties Being arriued in Spaine hauing deliuered their charge by mouth vnto the K. himself and presented their instructions by writing the same answer was made vnto them that before as well by mouth as afterwards by writing Wherupon the said deputies shewed vnto the K. that the people murmured that by the popes buls the Inquisition lay hidden vnder this episcopall introduction and that they could not otherwise persuade the marchants both naturall borne and strangers whereon vndoubtedly depended the totall ruine of this rich florishing town with many other reasons to that purpose beseeching his Maiestie to giue them leaue to stay so long in his court vntill they might vnderstand their minds to see if there were any meanes to satisfie his Maiesties intention and to maintaine the towne in her estate the which was granted them Whereupon they informed the magistrat counsell of Antuerp who hauing seen what their deputies did write vnto them did charge them with new instructions according to the which they shewed again the inconuenience which by this introduction of a bishop might happen in the said towne alledging some meanes whereby it seemed they might satisfie the K. intention not put this innouation in effect And for the last remedy they besought his Maâ—…that it would please him to make one bishop for all Brabant holding his residence at Louuaine who shold haue no more iurisdiction in Antuerp than their diocesan the bishop of Cambray had had the which request the deputies did also exhibit in writing But hearing that as in the former they should be sent back vnto the Netherlands to be ordered according to their instruction they besought his Maiestie that in that case it would please him to take the aduice of the knights of the order of the counsellors and states of Brabant with other prouinces But notwithstanding any instance they could make in 5 moneths they could haue no other answere In the meane time the Amptman hauing bin some time sick recouered againe after that he had receiued a verball assurance from the K. own mouth That the town of Antuerpe should not be charged with the Inquisition he departed with his Maiesties leaue returned to Antuerpe The like was said long after vnto the two other deputies in the end they were dismissed the 2 of August 1563 with an apostile That his Maiestie for good respects would for a time surcease his matter of Antuerp as in truth it was vntil the yeare 1564. In the meane time these great alterations and discontentments increased howerly in the Netherlands as well against the cruel persecutions of them of the religion as against the bishops the Inquisition so as nothing could be expected but extrcame desolation pitifull massacres if they were not preuented in time This businesse was propounded in the counsel of state at Brussels whereas the gouernors of prouinces the knights of the order laid open plainly vnto the duchesse of Parma Gouernesse president of the counsel al the difficulties dangers that might ensue which they hauing well considered of they found that all these inconueniences did partly grow for that the king was not duly informed of the estate of affairs that they in whom he did most rely that is to say the cardinall Granuelle would haue all things passe according to their own priuat passions yeelding nothing to the counsel of others It was therfore decreed in the said counsell by the Gouernesse noblemen that one of the knights of the order should go vnto the king informe him amply of the state and all the occurrents of the country According to which resolution the baron of Montigny went into Spain in August 1562 where hauing exposed his charge vnto the king had diuers conferences with his Maiestie touching these affaires some moneths after he returned ful of hope good words and promises But matters continued still in these innouations contrary to the aduice of the chiefe lords who were also much discontented so as in the end the prince of Orange with the earls of Egâ—…ont and Horne wâ—…t vnto the king the 11 of March 1563 That the chiefe cause of all the mischief was for the excessiue credit too great authoritie which the cardinall Granuelle did arrogat vnto himselfe in the managing of the affairs of the Netherlands the which should neuer be to his Maiesties content as he desired so long as the cardinal should haue to do in it for that he was therby growne odious to all the world intreating his Ma. to preuent it speedily else they did not see any other thing but an entire ruine desolation of the countrey And to the end his Ma. by the suggestion or report of any other should not think that what they had said was for ambition or their own priuat interest they besought him to dismisse them from the assembly of the counsel of state if his Ma. thought it good holding it neither fit nor conuenient for his Ma. seruice nor for their
to confute heresies as euer But to condemne them by the very name and authoritie of some counsell without alledging the Scriptures and reasons of the said counsell were out of reason for they submit themselues to proue that the counsels by the which their doctrine hath beene condemned were but petie counsels assembled and allowed by the tyrannie of some who alone haue decreed what they pleased against the authoritie of the Scriptures without hearing or admitting their aduerse parties And doubtlesse in the auncient primitiue Church there were many bishops which haue reiected some counsels as suspect and not lawfull nor grounded vpon the authoritie of the word of God but rather vpon the authoritie of men as we read of Maximus bishop of Ierusalem and of S. Hillarie bishop of Poitiers yea and of S. Athanasius Chrysostome and Photinus So as it is not without reason if many ages after them there haue beene counsels suspected to these men But as for the most auncient and receiued on eyther side they are content to allow of them so farre forth as they proue their sayings by the word of God There resteth then nothing but that their reasons may be heard that the truth may be knowne and their errors and heresies auoided seeing there is no other meanes to procure a publicke peace and to draw all the subiects to one Religion That if their aduersaries as if there were no controuersie in this point challenge the name of the Church and without hearing their reasons examined by the Scripture will that all which they shall ordaine or decree shall bee infallibly kept as an Ordinance of the Church and so of God as they haue done in the last Counsell of Trent where the Pope was head and the aduerse partie not called but to bee condemned and iudged according to the Ordinances of the Church that is to say of the Pope and Prelates or els to recant and then to bee receiued into fauour without doubt there will neuer be any meanes to draw them from their beleefe seeing that this Maxime will alwayes remaine grauen in their hearts That they must in all things follow the word of God the which alone hath authoritie to iudge all controuersies and to define which is the true and the false Church Which Maxime can neuer be wrested away by the authoritie of any man much lesse that the Pope and Prelates haue any such credit not by fire nor sword so as if their aduersaries would not giue them free audience as it is said but vse violence they should but impaire their owne cause and make theirs better and more fauourable whom they seeke to root out Seeing then it is a point resolued among all men of iudgement that touching the faith and inward beleefe no corporall violence can commaund and that men must be confuted of errour in their consciences wee must examine the second point which wee haue propounded which is whether it were not possible to hinder the outward exercise of their Religion forbidding them to assemble preach teach nor to make any outward profession of that which they beleeue in heart And first in case it were feasible whether it were fit and conuenient to doe it No Religion whatsoeuer can subsist if it hath not some exercises and exteriour ceremonies by the which it may be entertained whereupon the Emperour Gracian was wont to say That it was necessarie the people should be maintained in some outward discipline of some Religion whatsoeuer it were good or bad For as man by nature is enclined to reiect the yoke of God it is necessarie he should be kept in awe and discipline else he will be like vnto an vntamed horse reiecting the feare of God and man Being then impossible to root out the faith which they haue in their hearts it were not conuenient although it were possible to hinder their exteriour discipline and exercises by the which the people are maintained in their Religion and in the feare of God and of the magistrate vnlesse whereas in their assemblies they are taught to be good men and to feare God and honour the king and his officers they will make them wicked Atheists libertines and seditious perturbers of all good order policie as we see plainly by daily experience for we see a number which haue cast off the yoke of the Romish church mocking at the masse priests yet fearing to loose their goods or honours refusing to apply themselues to discipline and exercise of any other Religion haue become very Atheists without faith or law yet there are no small numbers of villanous libertines which make Sects of themselues teaching that we must not serue God outwardly with any exteriour forme or discipline but onely in Spirit and vnder this pretext they giue themselues to all villanie and abhomination to murthers rapes incests and adulteries holding that the outward things serue to no end so as the heart bee cleane as they persuade themselues yea some haue beene so audacious as to haue vaunted themselues to be Christ himselfe others the Spirit of God others Charitie To conclude they are prophane people and contemners of God and the magistrate maintaining That there ought not to bee any sword or superioritie vsed among men but that the Spirit should gouerne and guide the heart of man as it pleaseth The which groweth through no other occasion but that seeing the great abuses which haue raigned and doe still raigne in the Church and not being suffered on the other side to ioyne themselues to any discipline and exercise of Religion they are growne to that passe as to thinke that dissimulation is not bad so as the heart be good and so mocking at Religion whereof they make a shew they must needs fall into wicked Atheisme And there are none in the world more seditious and greater disturbers of all good order than these people as hath beene seene in the Anabaptists of Munster and their like for the rooting out of which there were no better meanes who so would duly consider all things without passion than to suffer them yea to commaund them expressely That all they which made profession of the Religion which they call Reformed should assemble in view of all the world and keepe good discipline fit for the obedience which they owe vnto God and the magistrate correcting vices and excesse For although there were no other good yet by this meanes they should get thus much which is of great importance for the preseruation of the publicke quiet That whereas wee dayly see spring vp new and abhominable sects full of sedition and mutinies yea and of horrible blasphemies against the Maiestie of God when as there should be but two publicke kinds of profession in the view of all the world either of them performing the obedience which they owe vnto God and the king when as any new one should spring vp it should be easie to suppresse it by the word of God But for
either side and that those which proceed by any other vnlawfull meanes as by taxing and slandering shall bee well punished which doubtlesse will be a most assured meanes and the subiects shall liue in good vnitie and concord together and will carrie a perfect obedience vnto his Maiestie And in the meane time truth will lay open falshood in such sort as the king shall not need to feare that heresies shall multiply by this meanes to root out the truth but contrariwise wee shall see truth flourish and al heresies and false sects decay Gods glorie shal be generally celebrated and the kings greatnesse and prosperitie increase The which God grant vs by his holy grace to whom be all honour and glorie for euer and euer and euer Amen Such was the discourse of M. Francis Baudwin wherein he toucht the true point concerning the remedie of the troubles the which the king and his counsell might since haue known to be true if they would haue confest it freely or whether that the point of religion and the great zeal which his counsellors did counterfeit were the matters which toucht them neerest as they made great shew of or else couetousnesse and ambition euerie one aiming at his priuat greatnesse to the preiudice of the king and his countries and if the king who was then giuen to his pleasures and without any knowledge of state the which hee hath since learned to his owne cost referring all wholy to his cardinall and counsell had not beene so easie to suffer himselfe to be persuaded to the contrarie Whilest that both great and small in the Netherlands were thus distempered for feare of the troubles which were at hand by reason of the new bishops Inquisition bloudy edicts and counsell of Trent Alexander Farnese prince of Parma sonne to duke Octauio and the duchesse gouernesse of the Netherlands maried the Infanta of Portugal in the towne of Brussels whither most of the nobles and best qualified gentlemen of the countrey came to honor the feast during the which there were diuers conferences among them all concurring in this opinion That they held it an inestimable losse and a miserable case that a countrey so abounding in people and so flourishing in riches should for the aboue-named causes come to ruine and de solation and that so many faithfull and loyall subiects should kill and murther one another so grosly for that they would not yeeld a little to their inclinations nor discharge them any thing of the violence that was offered them seeing that the peoples requests were so reasonable Wherein seeing that they which had the gouernment in hand were abused or hindered by some bad spirits to preuent the apparent mischiefe they thought themselues bound as wel in regard of their duties and othe as of the ranke which they held to imbrace this matter effectually and to aduance it all they could But they would first trie if by the generall complaints of the people together with their praiers and intercessions they might obtaine any thing Wherin many of them did imploy themselues the more earnestly for that they had of a long time been affected to the religion and therefore hated the edicts and all other cruell innouations The noblemen which were as we haue said assembled at Hochstrate were dealt withall but they would not hearken to it but reuealed it to the duchesse for that some feared the euent yet notwithstanding the noblemen and gentlemen assembled at S. Trudon in greater numbers resoluing to make a petition in the peoples name they concluded of the order and the day when they should meet at Brussels to make the said petition vnto the gouernesse and the chiefe of the countrey as well by mouth as by writing And to the end that through the persuasions of some seditious instruments the matter might not be so disguised as their assembly and good intention should be taken in ill part and otherwise interpreted than was sincerely intended they thought it conuenient for their assurance to make a confederation or league together by the which they did promise to succour one another and not to forsake it for any cause but what should bee done vnto the least of them for that occasion should be taken as done to them all in generall and to euerie one in particular and that they should iointly defend themselues with all their powers whereof they made a compromise signed by euery one of them the tenor whereof followeth Whereas wee haue beene lately duly informed and it is most true that certaine peruerse creatures cunning and malitious making a counterfeit shew of great zeale which they haue to the maintenance and increase of the religion and Catholike faith and of the vnion of the people but indeuouring onely to satisfie their instiable couetousnesse ambition and insupportable pride haue by their â—…gred words and false suggestions so persuaded the king our lord notwithstanding any petitions to the contrarie that haue beene made vnto him that contrarie to the othe which his Maiestie hath made vnto God and to his faithfull subiects of the Netherlands he would forcibly bâ—…ing in and plant that pernitious Inquisition the which is not onely vnreasonable and contrarie to all diuine and humane lawes but also exceeding all the rigours and cruelties that euer were put in practise by the most cruell tyrants Infidels and Heathens The which also cannot but redound to the great dishonour of the name of God and the losse desolation and totall ruine of the said Netherlands for that it doth subiect all authoritie and iurisdiction vnder the power of the Inquisitors making all men perpetuall and miserable slaues exposing all good men to continuall and apparent danger both of bodie and goods by their searches and visitations so as if a priest a Spaniard of some wicked instrument meanes to do a mischiefe to any man by meanes of the Inquisition he may accuse him cause him to be apprehended yea put to death be it iustly or vniustly and confiscat all his goods were he the vprightest man in the world without hearing of his cause reasons and lawfull defence Wherefore we that haue subsigned hauing duely weighed and considered all these things haue and do thinke it our dueties according vnto reason to preuent the said apparent and intollerable inconueniences and by all good meanes to prouide for the safeties of our goods and persons that we be not made a prey vnto them who vnder colour of religion or Inquisition would inrich themselues with the losse of our goods and liues Whereupon we haue resolued to make and do make a good firme and holy league and confederation binding our selues and promising one vnto another by a solemne othe to hinder with all our power that the Inquisition be not brought in in any publike sort whatsoeuer either openly or secretly vnder the name of Inquisition Visitation Edicts Commandements or any other pretexts whatsoeuer but to abolish and root it out as much as in
put in execution that wicked enterprise as well with Frenchmen as other strangers wherewith we find our selues much grieued Wherefore we beseech your highnes to do vs so much fauor as to name the accusers and them that are accused to the end that the wrong and wickednes being discouered your highnes may do speedy and exemplarie iustice and that to preuent the inconueniences and scandales which may grow being well assured that your highnes will neuer suffer so noble and honorable a company to remain charged with such infamous wicked acts Whereunto the duchesse answered that she knew nothing of all that he had said touching those accusations neither had she euer had such an opinion of any one of them whom she assured her selfe to be the K. faithful seruants and as for their petition she would looke into it and impart it to the counsell the tenor whereof was Madame it is well knowne how highly renowned the loyaltie of the Netherlanders vnto their lords and naturall princes hath been and is yet throughout all Christendome wherein the nobilitie hath alwaies held the first ranke hauing neuer spared body nor goods for the preseruation and encrease of their greatnesse wherein we his Maiesties most humble vassals desiring to continue so still are ready to employ both body and goods to do him humble seruice and seeing in what termes the affaires stand at this present we had rather incurre some dislike than to conceale that from your highnes which might proue preiudiciall to his Maiesty and withall trouble the quiet and happinesse of his countries hoping that the effects will shew in time that among all the seruices which we haue or may do vnto his maiesty this is to be reputed the greatest most seasonable so as we assure our selues that his maiesty cannot but take it in good part Although Madam we doubt not but that whatsoeuer his maiesty hath heretofore decreed of new touching the Inquisition and the strict obseruation of his Edicts for matter of religion hath some ground and iust title and that to continue all that which the emperor Charles of famous memory had with a good intention decreed Yet seeing that the diuersitie of times bringeth withall diuersitie of remedies and that within few yeares the said edicts notwithstanding that they haue bin executed with all rigor haue yet giuen occasion of many grieuous inconueniences Without doubt his maiesties last resolution by the which he not only forbids to moderat any thing of the said edicts but commands expresly that the Inquisition should be obserued and the edicts executed with all rigour giues vs iust occasion to feare that not only the said inconueniences wil encrease but also in the end may follow a mutinie generall sedition tending to the miserable ruin of the whole country according to the apparent shews of the peoples alteration which are to be seen in euery place wherfore knowing the greatnesse of the danger that doth threaten vs we did hitherto hope that either by the noblemen or the states of the country your highnes should be duly informed to preuent it in taking away the cause of the euill but seeing they haue not done any thing for some causes vnknowne to vs and that in the mean time the mischiefe encreaseth daily so as the danger of a sedition is euen at hand wee haue thought it our duties according to our oath of fealtie together with the zeale which we beare vnto his Maiesty and the countrey to attend no longer but rather to offer our selues to performe this necessary dutie And we do it the more willingly for that we haue reason to hope that his Maiestie will take our aduertisement in good part seeing this action doth concerne vs neerer than any other being exposed to those calamities which do commonly grow from such accidents hauing for the most part our houses and goods in the countrey lying open as a prey to all the world considering also that by the rigorous obseruation of the said Edicts as his Maiestie hath expressely commaunded there is not any man among vs no not in all the countrey of what estate and condition soeuer but shall be found culpable of confiscation of body and goods and subiect to the slanders of any enuious man who to haue part of the confiscation would accuse him vnder colour of the edicts hauing no refuge left him but onely the dissembling of the officer vpon whose mercie his life goods must wholly depend In consideration whereof we haue so much the more cause humbly to beseech your Highnesse as we doe by this present petition to take some good order for it and in regard of the importance of the cause to make a speedie dispatch vnto his Maiestie by some one fit for that employment aduertising and humbly beseeching him in our behalfes that it will please him to prouide as well for the present as for the time to come And for that it can neuer be done in leauing the said Edicts in their vigour and force seeing that thereon dependeth the spring of the said inconueniences that it will please him to encline to the abolishing thereof the which he shall not onely find very necessarie to diuert the totall ruine and losse of these his countries but also conformable to reason and iustice And to the end he may not haue any occasion to thinke that we which haue no other pretence but to doe him most humble seruice would attempt to bridle him or to prescribe him a law at our pleasure as wee doubt not but our aduersaries will construe it to our disaduantage it may please his Maiestie to make some lawes by the aduice and consent of all the generall estates assembled to prouide accordingly by other more fit and conuenient meanes without such apparent danger We also beseech your Highnesse that vntill his Maiestie may be informed of our iust request and dispose according to his good and iust pleasure you will preuent these dangers by a generall surceasing as well of the Inquisition as of all manner of executions vntill that his Maiestie hath otherwise decreed protesting that we haue as much as in vs lyeth discharged our selues of our duties by this present aduertisement wherof we now discharge our selues before God and men declaring that if any inconuenience disorder sedition reuolt or effusion of bloud should hereafter happen for want of a speedie and conuenient remedy we are not to be taxed to haue concealed so apparent a mischiefe Wherin we take God the king your highnesse the lords of his counsell and our consciences to witnesse that we haue therein proceeded as good and faithfull seruants and loyall vassales to the king not exceeding the limits of our dutie wherfore we do the more earnestly beseech your highnesse to preuent it least some greater mischiefe happen This was the petition presented by the nobilitie the which was both pregnant iust and conscionable the which the king should haue acknowledged as proceeding from his
faithfull and loyall seruants and grounded vpon right iustice and good policie Yet by the sinister interpretation which was made by the Cardinall and his adherents it was imputed to rebellion and a raising of innouations So as it became a Troiane horse from whence those that were enemies to the king and the publicke good haue drawne so many calamities and miseries For if the duchesse and the kings counsell would in any sort haue foreseene it so many miseries had not ensued and the fire which was kindled had not in a manner consumed the whole countrey whereof wee must onely blame the insatiable crueltie of some counsellors who were not satisfied with the rigour of the Edicts but they must second the Cardinals ambition whom they see in danger by this petition to receiue a great disgrace they themselues to fall from their credit and authority and it may be worse when as all their practises had bin discouered by a conuocation of the generall estates which they demaunded This was the anuile whereon were forged all the miseries which ensued for that they did not satisfie the demaunds of the nobilitie as was fit and expedient whereas contrariwise the said counsellors tooke occasion to pursue and persecute those that had signed this petition as guiltie of high treason and this terror was greater than the former To which petition the next day after the presentation the Gouernesse made answere as followeth Her highnesse vnderstanding what is demanded by the contents of this petition is resolued to send vnto his Maiesty to represent it vnto him and to do all good offices to make his Maiesty yeeld to the demaunds of the petitioners who must hope for all things worthie of their demands according to his Maiesties accustomed bounty and clemencie The Gouernesse hauing before the comming of the said petition by the aduice of the gouernours of prouinces knights of the order and counsellors of state labored to make a moderation of the edicts touching Religion and to present it vnto his Maiesty the which her highnesse hopes shal be to all mens content And for that her highnesse authority as the petitioners may well conceiue is not so absolute as to surcease the Inquisition and the Edicts as they demand and that it is not conuenient to leaue the country without a law concerning Religion she hopes that they will rest satisfied with that she sends vnto his Ma. to that end and that in the mean time attending his answer her highnes will giue order that as well the Inquisitors whereas any haue been as other officers respectiuely shal proceed modestly and discreetly in their charges so as there shal be no cause to complaine Her highnesse expecting also that the petitioners for their parts will gouerne themselues accordingly and it is to be hoped that by her highnesse good endeuours his Ma. will be pleased to discharge those countries of the Inquisition wheras now it is and as it may be vnderstood by his answer to the chiefe towns of Brabant that they shal not be charged And her highnes will the more willingly employ her selfe to do all good offices with his Maiesty to that effect for that she is assured the petitioners haue no intētion to alter any thing concerning the ancient religion obserued in these countries but to maintaine it with all their powers Made by her highnesse at Brussels the 6 of April 1566 signed Margareta Who so doth well consider of this apostile or answer may easily gather the profit that shold follow and what fruits the nobles might expect for this delay to aduertise the king was only to win time and so to be better instructed of the most expedient meanes to auoid this danger Vpon this on the 8 of April the gentlemen desired another time of audience where they thāked the Regent for her gracious fauor wishing that her answer had bin somewhat cleerer and larger saying that it grieued them that she had not the authority to disannul the proclamatiō desiring her notwithstanding to forbid the officers to proceed any further therein and as they were content to submit themselues in all things to that which his Maiesty should ordaine and appoint to be done cōcerning religion th◅y hoped likewise so to behaue themselues that nothing but good report should be giuen of them protesting once again to haue done their duties if there should after ensue any further trouble for want of better order to be taken therein beseeching her to take it in good part and for that their aduersaries sought to put their request in print they desired that the K. printer might do it in such sort as it was deliuered without falsifying the same After counsell taken the Regent made answer That she hoped to take such order with the Inquisitors that no disorder nor scandale should therby ensue and that if any should so fall out it should rather proceed from them than others willing them to be carefull that no scandale should rise amongst them withall praying them not to proceed any further to draw any more company vnto them Wherunto the gentlemen replied That they thanked her for her gracious answere but they should be better pleased if she would vouchsafe to declare in presence of all the lords there assembled that she took their assembly in good part and all to be done for the seruice of his Maiesty assuring her that they would behaue themselues in all things peaceably and quietly Whereunto the Regent answered That she beleeued no lesse But for that she made no further speech to shew her entent the gentlemen once againe craued That she would openly declare what she thought of their proceedings Whereunto she made answere in few words That for that time she could not tell what she might say therunto And with that it being perceiued at the gentlemens departure that they seemed to be discontented diuers of the counsell and others as Monsieur Dassonuille entreated the Regent that she for more quietnes would send the gentlemen away with better satisfaction Whereupon to giue some content vnto the gentlemen fearing that an absolute denyall or the long expectance of avoyage into Spaine should alter them by some new iealousies the eight day of the same moneth a promise was made vnto them by the knights of the Order touching some points of the said petition whereof an act was made as followeth The noblemen here present promise vpon their faith and the oath of their Order to the deputies of this noble and honourable companie hauing sufficient authoritie to receiue the promises of the said noblemen That from this day forward the magistrates and Inquisitors shall not proceed for matter of Religion by apprehension of bodies confiscation of goods nor banishments for that which is past or to come vnlesse that by some seditious act or foule scandale tending to trouble the Commonweale any be found culpable In which case you my Masters shall take knowledge as is fit and that by way of
prouision vntill that his Maiesti◅ by the aduice and consent of the general estates assembled shal otherwise decree Made at Brussels the eight of April 1566. And the more to delude the said gentlemen the ninth of the said moneth she writ her letters to some chiefe gouernours and counsellors of prouinces conformable to the answere giuen vnto the petition the tenour whereof was Cousin most deere and welbeloued whereas many gentlemen of these parts of the countrey haue presented a petition vnto vs to abolish the Inquisition and the Edicts of the king my lord touching matters of Religion and to make a new Edict with the consent of the generall estates whereunto we haue made them answere by an apostile That we will send and represent vnto his Maiesty the contents of their request and do all good offices therein hauing already somewhat moderated the Edicts and for that our authority doth not extend so far as to surcease the Inquisition the said Edicts as they require that it is not fit to leaue the countrey without a law that attending his Maiesties answer we would giue order that the Inquisitors should proceed discreetly and modestly in their charges Desiring to effect the said apostile we thought good to aduise you by these presents and to commaund you to write giue charge in his Maiesties behalf to al officers of your gouernment that in the execution of their charges for matter of Religion they should proceed with all modesty and discretion yet not suffering any innouation or change in the ancient Catholicke Religion which is now obserued in these parts nor any scandalous or seditious act And in case any such matter should happen to aduertise vs thereof that all informations being viewed by vs and his Ma. counsell we may giue such order as we shall thinke fit whereof we will them not to faile least some inconuenience should arise c. Written at Brussels the ninth of April 1566 signed Margareta and beneath Ouerloepe By these letters wheras she vseth these words That for matters of Religion they should proceed with all modesty discretion wisdome She confessed that the Inquisitors and their officers had before vsed too great cruelty indiscretion and brutishnesse and that for the present in steed of rosting burning them they should be contented to cut off their heads hang them as they did soone after and that as they said in doing thē grace if the parties condemned did not abiure renounce their religion In the meane time the gentlemen were like Tantalus fed with vaine hopes for they persuaded themselues that the libertie of their consciences hung ouer their lips and that they were ready to tast of it and yet the more they thought to embrace it the further off it was from them The regent and her counsell determined to fend certaine lords into Spaine to certifie the king of their proceedings and to desire and beseech him to grant some fauourable protection and order vnto the Netherlands who she knew would be much moued at the assembling and proceedings of the gentlemen of the countries which was written and sent vnto him in the worst manner as expecting a worse euent To which end many promises and persuasions being made vnto them the marquesse of Bergen and the baron of Montigny were moued to take that charge vpon them being two wise and politike lords both knights of the order of the Golden Fleece by whose wisedoms and discretions all men were in good hope that the kings wrath would be pacified which notwithstanding fell out cleane contrarie to the great and hard fortune of both those noble personages for that in time it cost them both their liues and to that end they went into Spaine with full instruction as also with a draught of a moderation of the proclamation for religion This moderation which as then was framed contained thus much That all fauourers of religion harbourers of heretikes scandalous persons and such like shold in steed of burning be punished with hanging but if they recanted their opinions they should but lose their heads and the common people should be banished This moderation so called by the common people the court and the counsell sought to haue ratified by the states of the land vpon whom the common people so much called and to that end first sent for the smallest prouinces as Artois Henault and Namure c. and none but they who being so called were sent with full commission to do whatsoeuer shold be requisit without further instruction from their masters townes or counsels and withal were charged to keepe it secret from the common people When those prouinces had giuen their consents as it was reported the like was propounded vnto them of Brabant and Flanders but they of Holland Zeeland Friseland Guelderland c. were not summoned because they had many and greater priuiledges But this manner of proceeding to get the said moderation consented vnto by the states without knowledge of the common people was at the last by certain libels and verses made knowne and published amongst them whereupon great tumults and suspitions began to arise because the generall states might not be suffered to assemble together according to their old and auncient customes This suspition more and more encreased for that many men that had fled out of the land for their Religion being returned againe were committed to prison and that in Oudenard one Hans Tuiscaen a tapistry weauer was put to death for Religion in Iuly after At which time the baron of Montigni went alone into Spaine because the marquesse of Berghen had hurt one of his legges but not long after followed him who beeing come into Spaine in the month of Iune were oftentimes heard both by the king and his counsel who as then lay at Segobia his counsell being Don Aluares de Toledo duke Dalua c. Don Gomes de Figuera Don Anthonio de Toledo great master of the Order of S. Iohn Don Mauriques de Lara high steward of the kings house Ruygomes de Silua prince of Euoli and earle of Melito Lois de Quixada chiefe esquire of the princes body all men of great authoritie wisdome and experience in Spaine but no more Netherlanders than Monsieur Tisnack president of the counsell of estate in the Netherlands the counsellor Hopperius keeper of the kings seale and Secretarie Corteuille Before the king and this his counsell the embassadors of the Netherlands oftentimes shewed That the alterations in the said countries happened onely vpon the kings letters touching the planting of the Inquisition executing of the proclamation for Religion and such like and that there was no other nor better meanes to remedie the same than vtterly to abolish the Inquisition and to consent vnto a moderation of the proclamation as they desired and to grant a generall pardon without contradiction if the gentlemen confederates would bee content therewith for that they desired that all might be done by the
protesting Madame that we haue discharged our seluâ—… in all these things And if hereafter any other inconueniences happen that wee are absolutely discharged by this our present aduertisement Moreouer Madame we offer our selues againâ—… his Maiesties faithfull seruants to imploy our selues in all things when we shall be commaunded and withall to die for your highnesse seruice If this answer pleased the Gouernesse I leaue it to them to iudge who know the feares and doubts wherein she was so as from that time secretly and vnder hand she leuied men of al sides vnder the commands of the earles of Megen and Arembergh and the lords of Beauuoit Noircarmes and others Which feare she made more apparent when as hearing that then were certaine souldiers about Villevoorde she packt vp her baggage to flie from Brussels and to retire towards Mons in Henault the which she had done if the prince of Orange had nâ—… assured her and vowed and sworne vnto her with other noblemen that they would rathâ—… loose their liues than the least displeasure in the world should be done vnto her The nobles and gentlemen confederats stood also vpon their guards hauing for their assâ—…rance both within and without the countrey souldiers inrolled to haue them ready vpon the first occasion but the Gouernesse who wanted no intelligence to keep them stil in breath vâ—…till she were ready to the end they should not proceed any further in that which she feared 〈◊〉 much framed many doubts vpon their answers wherof she said she would be better satisâ—… sending the earle of Egmont to them to that end who hauing deliuered his charge was reqâ—…red to carrie their solution vnto her of the said ambiguities and to satisfie her of that whâ—… she said she could not well comprehend In the meane time Antuerpe was in combustion through the earle of Megens arriuâ—… who it was well knowne had charge from the Duchesse to leuy men as hee had done and they were not farre off in Campeigne with whome the earle of Arembergh should ioye with other troupes and both together fall vpon Antuerpe and punish the people that wee mutined By reason whereof the magistrate fearing a generall tumult of the people wâ—…o tooke armes and whereas the lord of Brederode one of the chiefe confederats was theâ—… the towne sent Iames vander Heyde bourgmaster Thierry vander Werue Nicholas Râ—…kox â—…dermen and the orator Wesenbeâ—…k to court to acquaint the duchesse with the apparent daâ—…ger that was within the towne by the long stay of the earle of Megen of the one side and â—…e lord of Brederode on the other and that one of them beginning to stirre the other would tâ—…e the contrarie part which whould bee cause of a great disaster and effusion of bloud on eitâ—… side within the towne Wherefore they desired her highnesse to commaund the lords of Mâ—…gen and Brederode to depart the towne and that the earle of Arembergh with his troâ—… should also retire The Bourgmaster and the Aldermen were intreated by the peoâ—… to excuse themselues of this troublesome ambassage and not to abandon the towne 〈◊〉 this dangerous time so many calamities being feared on all sides Wherefore the orator 〈◊〉 was sent alone with good instructions for his discharge who being arriued at Brussels and hauing deliuered his letters of credit with his charge vnto the duchesse shee tooke this aduertisement in ill part asking him somewhat bitterly If that which hee had spoken were his charge Who answered that yea and that he had an act for it the which he forthwith offered vnto her she kept it saying That she would peruse it with the noblemen there present and decree what should be most conuenient for the kings seruice adding withall That the magistrat might command the lord of Brederode to retire seeing he had nothing to doe there The magistrat sent a new charge the next day by letters vnto their deputies to make greater instance vnto the duchesse But notwithstanding any suit they could make as well for her highnesse comming vnto the towne the which they did earnestly desire or for the finding of some man of authoritie to keepe all things in good order they could neuer obtaine any thing vntill the fifteenth of Iuly after that the magistrat had sent againe to aduertise the Gouernesse that al the masters of the quarters and aboue three hundred marchants of good qualitie were come vnto them to haue some one of authoritie seeing that her highnesse would not come naming the prince of Orange who as a neighbour well affected and pleasing to the inhabitants and moreouer vicont of the towne and therefore bound to it and the sworne bourgesses to him would doe all good offices and that his comming would giue great contentment to euerie man Whereupon in the end the duchesse gaue the charge thereof to the said prince who was requested by the magistrat to come speedily with his traine onely and without any armes the which was verie necessarie and so hee did after that the earle of Megen and the lord of Brederode were retired by the Gouernesse commaundement At the same season there was a petition made by them of the reformed religion of the said towne in French and Dutch and directed vnto the masters of the quarters for to present it on their behalfes as it was vnto the magistrat and superintendents of the towne the summe whereof was That some dayes past they had expected and hoped for a good answer to their former petition by the which they desired to haue some publike place granted them for the free exercise of their religion and yet notwithstanding they had vnderstood that the magistrat blamed their assemblies as heretical seditious and preiudicial to the towne so as it seemed they would hinder their holy congregations by armes which made them in like sort to goe thither armed the which they did not to any other end but to defend themselues their wiues and children not against the magistrats but against the practises of their aduersaries beeing content that if any one thrusting himselfe into their assemblies did commit any seditious or scandalous act that they should be punished to the example of others Also a place being granted it was no more to be feared that the marchants would retire but contrariwise the concourse would be greater That the reason which had mooued them to make their preachings publike was the great number of auditors so as it was not possible to contain them any longer in a secret place and the rather for that their aduersaries had alwaies reproached them That they durst not deliuer their doctrine publikely the which they maintained gaue no occasion of sedition but rather hindered it offering to lay downe armes as soone as any place was appointed them or else that vnder the magistrats protection and without feare to be opprest they might assemble for the exercise of their religion grounded vpon the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles intreating them
hearts leapt for ioy to see the confederats thus altered and although she had long before from the moneth of May receiued letters from the king as we shall presently see quite contrarie to that which she said vnto them and caused the said prince and earle of Egmont to deliuer to whom nothing was imparted of these letters that they might take the more tast thereof and be the better assured fearing to marre all if shee had beene too hastie or that her practises had beene discouered wherein she was more politike than the counsell of Spaine shee left them in suspence of their last petition vntill she had discouered whereto all the mischief tended and that the apostume of the people which she said was supported by the nobilitie came to break and to shew the effects After that shee had sent for the said gentlemen the 20 of August to make the promise which shee required of them according to the contents of their petition holding her selfe then a conqueresse and to haue preuailed ouer that which before she had so much doubted yet shewing them still a good countenance she gaue them letters of assurance whereof we will hereafter speak and she writ her letters to all the townes and prouinces of the Netherlands as followeth Most deare and well beloued As we do visibly see the apparent and instant ruine and generall desolation of our antient Catholike religion and of the common estate of these countries if it be not speedily preuented by fit conuenient means and the greater more apparent and neerer that the danger is the greater care and diligence should you vse to answer before God the king oâ—… lord and all the world of your duties fidelities and executions of your charges and othes Wherefore we require you and in his Maiesties name expresly command you that presently you confer with the principall and chiefe men of the towne of honor respect the best affected to the preseruation maintenance of the antient Catholike religion seruice and obedience to his Maiestie and the quiet and prosperitie of the country and aduise together of all sit meanes and remedies by the which the said perils and dangers may be preuented and auoided and that aboue all your towne your persons your wiues children and goods may be assured and preserued from all sedition oppression and spoile as well within as without keeping good guard in all places day night diuiding your men into squadrons and quarters as in such dangerous times you are accustomed to do for your preseruation and as the necessitie and importance of the case shal require so as the commonweale may not incur any inconuenience nor danger doing your best deuoirs to retire and diuert the people from their preachings and vnlawfull assemblies be it by mild and amiable exhortations or by force and constraint shewing them the danger wherinto they run incensing thereby the king their naturall prince and their lords superiors magistrats and gouernors besides the plagues and punishments which God doth commonly send in those places where there is change of religion whereof doth follow the desolation and ruine of the commonweale state Assuring moreouer fortifying and comforting the commons as much as you can vntil his Ma. comming who hath promised to be here shortly in person to settle an order in all things and to defend preserue all his good subiects countrey And to the end this may be the better effected and accomplished you shall confer in like sort with your gouernour and the prouinciall counsell entertaining good mutuall correspondencie with them in that respect so as in all cases his Marshal retaine the supreme authoritie command the forces And in case you should haue need of our succors assistance or of the said gouernor you are presently to aduertise vs and the gouernor with a declaration of what you shall stand in need of to assist and succour you or to aduance put in execution the means which you haue thought fit that with as much speed as may be whereof we wholly trust in you who for the faith you owe vnto his Ma. and the preseruation of the countrey would not faile in any thing that shal be thought requisit for the aduancement of Gods glory his Ma. seruice and the preseruation of his countries c. In this sort the duchesse entertained both the one and the other the nobles by a promise of their assurance and the towns to confirme them in their duties for their discharge vnto the king although it were difficult yea impossible to satisfie both parties equally For on the one side she was priuy to his Ma. intent touching the noblemen on the other side she could not keepe the people in awe by the magistrats and gouernors of prouinces vnlesse shee cut off the the right arme from the nobles as also she could not frustrat and disappoint the intention of the noblemen but she must presently quench the heat fury of the commons who in the beginning depended onely vpon the hope of good that should come vnto them by the presentation of the noblemens petition whereon they did ground all assurance of their consciences and libertie of their religion Whilest that all this past betwixt the noblemen and the duchesse the prince of Orange was much troubled in Antuerpe to conteine the people who were greatly moued for many reasons according vnto the complaints which they made daily the which were satisfied but by halues and as they said for a fashions sake Among others the 10 day of August there was a great tumult for that one Peter Rythou a diuine and pastor of the parish of S. Peter at Louuaine came in a disguised habit to reprehend the minister which preached at Kyel ioyning to the towne of Antuerpe comming out of the pulpit and as the minister or preacher answered him That they should go into some neere house out of the presse of the people to confer together This doctor persisting in his loud clamors with such allegations as came in his head a great number came running thither and seeing that their minister by many arguments and texts out of the holy Scripture had made the doctor mute the people gaue such a shout and crie as he was forced to retire some incensed against him pursuing and would haue massacred him if certaine burgesses had not preserued him with the hazard of their liues drawing him into a house where they hid him in a seller the common people remaining before the said house and offering to draw him out by force The brute hereof being come vnto the towne moued the rest of the people and this had turned to a bad consequence if the prince had not sent the officer of iustice thither in time who apprehended the doctor and put him in prison the which pacified the people but he was soone after sent out of the towne by the riuer And for that the prince was forced
to deale with the gentlemen about the same this commission ensuing That they should hold and obserue the points contained in the letters of protection and for that she perceiued the great and imminent necessitie then raigning she was content that the said lords should enter into an accord with the confederated gentlemen and certifie them that the common people laying downe their armes in such places where as the preaching was then presently exercised and keeping themselues from giuing any cause of scandale or disordered actions there should no wrong nor iniurie be done vnto them nor to any others that should for that purpose trauell to and from them vntill such time as his Maiesty with the aduice of the counsell of estate should take other order therein vpon condition that they should not in any wise hinder the proceedings of the Catholicke religion but should suffer the Catholickes freely to enioy their churches in manner as they had them before Giuen in Brussels the thirteenth of August 1566 with this charge to deale and conferre with the confederated gentlemen she sent the prince of Orange the earle of Egmont the earle of Horne the baron de Hachecourt and the counsellor Dassonuille which met and consulted with the deputies of the gentlemen being Lodowicke earle of Nassau Eustace de frenes baron D'esquerdes Charles de Reuel baron Dandreguyes Bernard de Merode baron de Rumen Charles vander Noot baron de Risoire George de Montigâ—…t baron de Noyles Martin de Serlues baron de Sterbeeke Philip van Marbays baron de Lounerual Iohn de Montigni baron de Villers Charles de Lieuin baron de Famars Frauncis de Haeslen Iohn le Sauage baron de Descouberque These after long conference at the last drew vnto a conclusion agreement and accord in his Ma. behalfe which for that it is of so great importance and consequence and that all the troubles and warres that after ensued had their foundation from the same I thought good to set downe the true copie both of the proclamation and act made in manner of a securitie or protection Marguerite by the grace of God Duchesse of Parma and Plaisance Regent and Gouernesse for the king my lord in these his countries to all to whom these presents shall come greeting Whereas many gentlemen of these countries haue presented in Aprill last a petition to the end that it would please his Maiestie to take away and abolish the Inquisition and both the old and new Edicts which they said were too rigorous and therefore might not be put in execution and to make others in their places by the aduice and consent of the generall estates of the countrey requiring that the said petition might be sent by vs vnto his Maiestie to prouide accordingly Whereupon wee held many great consultations with the gouernours of prouinces knights of the Order and counsellors of State to his Maiestie And after that wee had represented all with our aduice vnto the king for that wee thought it good that by reason the said gentlemen might haue some doubt or scruple that his Maiestie would not take in good part the said petition together with the compromise which they had thereupon made together nor that which followed after and that such doubt might be the cause of greater mischiefe and trouble in the countrey wee by the same aduice haue also entreated That his Maiestie would be pleased to giue them letters of assurance that hereafter nothing shall bee imputed vnto them vpon that occasion whereupon his Maiestie had aduertised vs of his good will and pleasure According vnto the which we desiring the good quiet and tranquilitie of the said countries and to make the gentlemen petitioners more willing to yeeld all obedience and seruice vnto his Maiestie according vnto that whereunto they are bound both by nature and oath and as they haue alwayes offered themselues wee haue at their request and according to the power and authoritie giuen vs by his Maiestie and as Regent and Gouernesse generall of the said countries and by the aduice of the knights of the Order gouernours and counsellors of State being with vs giuen for their assurance this writing signed with our hand in forme as followeth Her highnesse hath caused the gentlemen petitioners to returne the twentieth of August for answer of their petition during the which time she hath happily receiued letters from his Maiesty whereby she shall haue the better meanes to giue them a certaine and absolute answere And first she lets them know that his Maiesty hauing regard to her highnes informations seeing that they which are at this day altered for Religion or otherwise offer to submit themselues vnto that which shall be decreed by his Maiesty with the aduice of the generall estates for the good of Religion and the quiet and tranquilitie thereof with the aduice of the lords knights of the Order and counsellors of state is content that the Inquisition whereof they haue complained shall cease Secondly his Maiesty hath consented That there shall be a new Edict made but it was not fully resolued if it should be done by the generall Estates or otherwise yet her highnesse hopes that by the first she shall haue a resolution according vnto that which his Maiesty hath written vnto her wherein she will alwaies do her best endeuour that his Maiesty may graunt it as she hath already done by sundry letters And in regard of assurances whereof they make mention in their last petition that her highnes was well aduised to giue it them so farre forth as lay in her as presently she can assure them seeing his Ma. hath consented giuing her full authoritie to do it in what forme and manner shee shall thinke fit Wherefore she lets them vnderstand That his Maiesty desiring to free them of all suspition who might thinke that he were ill informed of them and to take away all distrust which was the cause of these troubles meaning to shew his accustomed clemencie abhorring nothing more than bitternes is content that her highnes for the auoiding of al diffidence and distrust shall giue them such letters of assurance as she shall thinke fit and requisite for their greater securitie and for that which is past so as they carry themselues like good and faithfull vassals subiects to his Maiesty hoping they will not faile in the duties which they owe him The which her highnes is presently ready to effect And as they haue full satisfaction in this point her highnesse will not refuse the offer which they haue often made to employ themselues in the seruice of his Maiesty and her highnesse for the peace quiet of the countrey as they are bound by nature and their allegeance according to the which her meaning is they should giue their Faith First That they shall not do nor procure directly nor indirectly any thing against his Maiesty his estates nor subiects but shall employ themselues to doe all things that good
duly executed As for that which concerned the Inquisition his Maiesties pleasure was that it should stand in force and that her highnesse should fauor and assist the Inquisitors in the execution of their charge for that it concerned the good and maintenance of religion ordaining moreouer That the counsell of Trent which had beene already published should be put in execution And as for that which concerned the bishops that the said lady should giue them all direction and possible assistance that it might be effected as was fit concluding that what he had written was for the good of Religion and of the Netherlands the which else would goe to ruine And that shee should giue charge vnto the noblemen that did assist her to doe the like whereby they should discharge their duties which they owe to God his Maiesty the generall good of the Netherlands and to themselues in particular This charge from the king vnto the duchesse is nothing else but what he had written in December 1565 and after the presenting of the confederats petition by his letters written in May following In all which letters there is not any mention made of the petition exhibited by the confederat gentlemen nor of his intention to redresse those alterations by any milde or moderat course as the duchesse had so often promised Whereby it appeared that they did not acquaint the king truly with the estate and affaires of the Netherlands and that the counsell of Spaine being too violent not considering the season the estate of the countrey nor in what tearmes the Romish Religion then stood being without doubt greatly shaken sought onely by this latter charge vnto the Gouernesse to ruine the nobilitie the commons of the Netherlands But she proceeded more modestly and discreetly than the said counsell of Spaine For if in steed of giuing of the said letters of assurance vnto the nobles confederat which came onely from her owne inuention shee would vpon the receit of this last commission and charge wherewith she was much perplexed haue put it presently in execution with all rigour and violence as she was expressely commaunded and recommaunded without doubt she had ruined her selfe and all the kings estate in the Netherlands through the furie of the people who being set in a rage with the pulling down of Images were still armed and by the dispaire which the nobles might haue conceiued hauing no assurance from the king who happily might haue accepted of the succors which the prince of Conde and other Protestants of France had offered them But she who knew better the estate of affaires as hauing them still before her eyes producing dayly new effects than the counsell of Spaine did suppressing for a time these letters and commission she would not breake the ele with her knee as they say but turning her coat as the wind did blow shee strucke sayle so as her delayes and shifts from the day of the presentation of the petition with her goodly practises had withdrawne many of the confederats hoping that by little and little they would grow more cold considering the impression they had put into their heads of the kings indignation and that vpon the said assurance as they had promised they would temper the violence of the people who were greatly mooued and incensed whilest that she prouided for things embracing the best occasions to produce the said letters and charge when as shee should see the commons disarmed and the gentlemen assured and retired to their houses attending the comming of the duke of Alua. If this came from the dexteritie and industrie of the duchesse or of her counsell I referre it to the censure of others but they were too subtile for the confederats who could not discouer them On the other side if the Gouernesse would haue enclined willingly to some tollerable moderation and good order touching that which the gentlemen demaunded in their petition and not to haue fed them with so many delayes excusing her selfe absolutely that shee had no credit nor authoritie to dispence with the Edicts and Inquisition shee had quenched the fire which lay smothering in the ashes the which had not flamed out being vncouered as we haue seene and euery one had beene contented to liue with the libertie of his conscience quiet in his house seeing themselues free from feare of search by the Inquisitors touching their faith and beleefe But contrariwise many haue beleeued that both the duchesse and the counsell of Spaine meaning to ruine and root out the nobilitie of the Netherlands as it hath beene alwayes the practise of the Spaniards and to bring the people into perpetuall slauerie according vnto the twelue articles drawne by the Inquisition of Spaine the which were found among the writings of Ieams van Hessel Atturney generall of Flanders sought all occasions how to effect it Besides the retreat of the Spaniards required by the noblemen and the refusing of money without a conuocation of the generall Estates were reputed by the Spaniards for a hainous crime But now in their opinions a fit oportunity was offered by the presentation of the said petition which they made the ground-worke of all their designes Yet in the beginning if they did not dissemble it was allowed and commended as well by the Gouernesse as by the chiefe noblemen and knights of the Order as a good and faithfull seruice done vnto the king promising them in respect thereof to doe all good offices vnto his Maiestie to effect the contents thereof thanking them for the good aduice and counsell they had giuen to his Maiestie vntill that the impostume of the Spanish hatred against the said countries comming to breake such as did hate them and others of the like qualitie thrust on by ambition and their owne priuate profit seeking to fish in a troubled water and some of the cardinall of Granuelles creatures who was a capitall enemie to the princes and the chiefe noblemen of the countrey began to detract openly the authors and presenters thereof and to accuse them of seditious rebellion to all kings princes potentates and forraine nations who being then filled with those reports had no other conceit but that all the nobilitie or the greatest part with the whole people were reuolted from their prince Moreouer the cardinall being in Spaine did aggrauate the matter all hee could making the said petition to be the motiue and efficient cause of popular tumults of publicke preaching of the taking of armes of the beating downe of Images and other disorders so as the eight and twentieth day of Februarie 1568 a criminall sentence was pronounced against the said Netherlands by the office of the Inquisition and ratified by the king as wee shall hereafter see And although that after this assurance giuen by the Gouernesse and the promises made by the confederats it seemed that all troubles should cease yet notwithstanding although the duchesse sought by all meanes to hinder the preaching without the townes yet the people
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
Segobia sick of an ague This matter being brought before his counsel was by them much long debated many of them taking it in the worst sence but at the last they all generally agreed that the Netherlands had great need of his Maiesties presence therin and for that cause began to consult vpon the best way for his trauell and voyage thither and that in the meane time the Regents letters should be answered in such manner that the king should seeme to say nothing touching the Regents dealing with the confederated gentlemen and the sectaries nor once speake thereof that he might not thereby make any shew to like or dislike thereof least it should be occasion of new vprore or suspition And touching the assembly of the States generall that might not by any meanes be tollerated as it had beene oftentimes before determined without burthening the kings conscience Lastly That the Regent should be once againe put in mind to entertain and pay the dutch princes and pentionaries to the king and that his commaundements might be fully kept and obserued According to this resolution in the moneth of October the king writ two sorts of letters the one to be shewed to the counsell and the lords and the other to be kept secret in the first he wrote That for that the Queene his wife was then brought in bed of her first child being a daughter borne vpon S Clares day and for that cause named Isabella Clara Eugenia he was as then going from Segobia to Madril to make preparation for his voyage into the Netherlands and that he was not persuaded that the troubles in the Netherlands could be pacified by assembling of the generall States especially in his absence with other such like doubts He wrote likewise vnto the Emperour Maximilian much complaining of the troubles in the Netherlands Whereunto the Emperour as a wise experienced and politicke prince returned him an answere in the moneth of September satisfying him in euery point of his letter particularly desiring to hold and maintaine all loue and friendship with him as brethren are bound to doe one vnto the other amongst other things saying and by many reasons and arguments proouing that hee after due ripe and good deliberation and aduice taken considering the ground and depth of the same found it to be a matter of exceeding great consequence weight and trouble principally because the matter of the Catholicke Religion was become so hatefull and odious vnto many of the Germane princes allies and of affinitie with the noblemen and gentlemen of the Netherlands which might easily bee procured and induced to mount vpon their horses and to aid them whereby the Netherlands should not only endure and suffer great hurt hinderance charges and burthens but also no small doubt might be made how the same would be well holden and kept and therfore he said he thoght it the best meanes and wherein least danger consisted to end and pacifie the controuersie if it were possible by good and peaceable meanes and not by force and rigor Which to effect his Maiesty offered so the king would be content to be a mediator betweene him and his subiects with many such reasons more He wrote likewise to that end vnto the Regent the duchesse of Parma and therewiâ—…h sent her certain letters to be giuen to the lords of the Netherlands as to the prince of Orange the earle of Egmont the earle of Horne the earle of Mansfield others but referred the deliuering of them to the discretion of the Regent and the kings pleasure which the king did after forbid her to deliuer vnto them About this time many of the noblemen in the Netherlands wrot their seuerall letters vnto the king as the earls of Egmont Mansfield Meghen and Arenbergh the baron of Barlamont Noircarmes and Rassinghem the Burghgraue of Gaunt the Vniuersitie of Louen and diuers others euery man according to his affairs shewing in generall and particular what had passed especially in euery one of their seuerall gouernments Whereunto the king made them answer in most friendly wise thanking them for their good seruice in his behalfe and willing them to continue in the same commending them seuerally for their particular seruice with many and good speeches and wrot a very friendly letter vnto the president Vigilius with his owne hand thanking him for his great paines and good endeuor done in his seruice and desiring him not respecting his age feeblenesse and indisposition of body to continue therein till his comming thither And for that about this time the prince of Orange the earle of Egmont made complaint vnto the king and certaine lords in Spaine that were their friends that some complained of them behind their backs and had a bad and sinister conceit and opinion of them against all truth as time and oportunitie should well declare with such like speeches they were answered by the third hand of certaine counsellors of Spaine that the best meanes for them to cease all bad speechâ—…s and conceits was to shew and proue the contrary by their actions conforming themselues in all things to the good will of his Maiesty which was alwaies cleare allowable answerable and from the which there was no bad consequence to be feared for that the â—…ightest and truest point of the duty of a vassale or subiect is that knowing the resolute intent and purpose of his prince to endeuour himselfe by all means to effect fulfill and execute the same with all celeritie and promptnesse although hee had some particular feeling to the contrarie for that a particular member as all vassals are vnto their lords ought not to thinke or esteeme himselfe wiser than his soueraigne prince to whom onely belonged the gouernment and generall commaund and not to the particular vassale They wrote them likewise that in Spaine the common opinion was That if they namely the prince of Orange and the earle of Egmont or any of them both would haue behaued themselues stoutly and couragiously the troubles in the Netherlands had not proceeded to such an issue which notwithstanding if from thence forward they would doe their endeauours to doe good and vpright seruice for the State without dissimulation as dutie bound them they might thereby reforme all causes or at the least maintain them in esse vntill the comming of the king into the Netherlands with diuers such instructions The Gouernesse by her manifest demonstrations of mildnesse and by so many goodly assurances which she promised did not onely labour to retaine the people and marchants from retyring out of the countrey but also the nobilitie who notwithstanding any assurance shee could giue them were not without distrust but aboue al hauing disappointed the league and compromise of the gentlemen which made her hardie and yet dissembling shee studied to entertaine by all kinds of fauour and courtesie the prince of Orange with the earles of Egmont Horne and Hochstraten The king hauing sent her word that she
resolued to seise vpon some townes and forts and to defend themselues and to liue out of feare wherin some shewed their valour and vertue for being in armes with such men as they could gather together they surprised some townes in diuers parts On the other side the duchesse hauing dissolued the vnion and compromise of the nobles holding her selfe halfe a conqueresse did also arme making a diligent search and punishing all those that had assisted at the breaking downe of images forbidding the preaching absolutely and all exercise as well publike as secret of the religion commaunding generally that the edicts concerning it and the Inquisition should be put in execution according vnto the kings letters the which shee durst not attempt before fearing to spoyle all vntill that the noblemen were seperated from their confederation and retired to their houses being pacified by her letters of assurance Among other towns of the Netherlands which had taken vnto them the free exercise of the religion that of Valenciennes of Henault a strong and a renowned town as wel for her greatnesse and beauty as for the traffique of merchandise being serued by two goodly riuers wherof the Escaut is chiefly nauigable the which doth serue many good townes euen vnto Antuerpe where as it runnes into the sea was one of the first and most zealous to religion The duchesse to hinder the said exercise and to haue his Maiesties pleasure put in execution touching the Inquisition and the edicts sent the seignior of Noircarmes thither being lieutenant to the marquesse of Berghes who was gouernor and great bailife of Henault with fiue companies of foot and foure of horse to bee there in garrison Where hee arriued the two and twentieth of December the same yeare 1566. The Valenciennois knowing the strength and state of their towne being able to defend and maintaine themselues without garrison excused themselues The Gouernesse moued with this refusall sent the duke of Arschot the earl of Egmont to let them vnderstand that for his Maiesties seruice they should not refuse to keep their gates open at all seasons vpon any commaundement they should receiue from him But they knowing that this garrison was onely to suppresse them excused themselues offering a good summe of money for his Maiesties profit to bee freed from the souldiers they would haue brought in alledging certaine priuiledges and exemption of garrisons of the said towne The report of this refusall made by the noblemen vnto the duchesse she commanded Noircarmes to besiege the towne with those troups of horse and foot which shee had gathered together long before For the effecting of which charge Noircarmes approached with his forces spoyles the countrey round about and brings them those discommodities which are incident to warre Hee takes the Borough and the Abbey of S. Amand betwixt Valenciennes and Tournay whereof the Protestants were seised and there shewed how hee would vse them whom hee afterwards besieged The towne beeing of all parts inuested hee prest it all he could and kept them in that were accustomed to sally forth The besieged prepared for their defence what they could and to withstand the attempts of Noircarmes they sent to intreat the other neighbour townes not to faile them at their need and namely the gentlemen vnder whose assurance they had taken armes But the nobilitie fainting in their extremitie some of the people assemble to aid them especially they of West-Flanders goe to field but wanting commaunders they marched not like souldiers busying themselues in spoyling of churches and running after priests they had not marched farre but they were discouered by the seigniour of Rassinghem gouernour of Lille Douay and Orchies who sent some horse with a troupe of harguebusiers drawne out of the neighbour garrisons who easily brake them being all foot and charged them in an open champion Some thought to saue themselues in the village church of Waterloos the which was set on fire and all of them burnt or smothered Those of Tournay hearing of this enterprise of the West-Flemings were gone to field to succour them that beeing ioyned together they might by that meanes put themselues into Valenciennes But Rassinghem who had all night aduertised the commons the which were inrolled for such accidents and the garrisons of the countrey hee had by six of the clocke in the morning neere two thousand men of the said commons and three hundred harguebusiers and a hundred horse together who notwithstanding were not troubled to hazard any thing in the combat for Noircarmes was in front with ten ensignes of foot and six hundred horse who charged them in such sort as a third part remained vpon the place The nimblest foot-men were the happiest for they saued themselues in Tournay whereas afterwards by meanes of the castle he caused nine companies to enter in garrison and after that hee had taken a number of the chiefest burgesses and some ministers he made the towne obedient vnto the king Noircarmes seeing that their neighbours miserie did not mooue the Valenciennois hee drew out of Douay Arras Tournay and other places all the canon hee could the which hee planted before the said towne of Valenciennes and in a short space made such a breach as the poore besieged seeing themselues without commaunders and without souldiers but some light French foot beeing abandoned by the nobilitie and without all hope of any helpe or succours together with the threatning letters which the Duchesse had againe sent vnto them hauing endured three monethes siege vpon many goodly promises they yeelded vnto Noircarmes the fourth of March against the opinion of the French and some others by composition the which was not kept For as soone as Noircarmes was entred into the towne with his troupes as he was a cruell man and exceeding couetous he kept the gates of the towne shut for some dayes that hee might with more ease see the French souldiers hanged with the ministers and the richest Protestant merchants confisking their goods among which the two Michels Herlin father and sonne were of the chiefe reading whose iudgement as the clause of confiscation of their goods was the conclusion the father answered This is the sauce and so those two notable persons and of the richest of the towne lost their head whose goods especially their gold siluer plate iewels and the richest mouables Noircarmes did appropriat vnto himselfe The taking of this towne did much amaze the other places for Cambresis was abandoned Mastricht yeelded and in a manner all the other towns receiued the kings garrisons Anthony of Bomberghen who had seised vpon Boisleduke detained prisoners there the seigniors of Merode Petersheim with M. I. Schyff chācellor of Brabant being sent by the duches thither to settle things in good order after that he had caused his souldiers to be paid he retired hearing that the earle of Megen came to besiege him The towne of Hasselt in the countrie of Liege hauing beene surprised by
they had not by any means deserued They perceiued likewise the taking vp of souldiers both within and without the lands which gaue them al cause to thinke that the same were to be imploied against them and those of the religion to whom shee had giuen contrarie securitie vntill his Maiestie with aduice of the generall states should take further order therâ—… in For which cause they perceiuing the generall ouerthrow and destruction of the Netherlands to be prepared and at hand and power and force to be daily more and more vsed against them contrarie to all promises and assurances thought good to mooue her once againe as they had done before to doe them the fauour to shew them if it were her pleasure that the contract made with them should be obserued and kept and to suffer the preaching and the exercises thereon depending to bee done as they in her and the lords names had shewed and declared vnto the people and whether shee meant not to hold and obserue the securitie by her granted vnto the said confederated gentlemen but to the contrarie that the good fauour that shee bare vnto them and the common people might the better be seene and perceiued they desired her to vouch safe them the fauor to discharge all her souldiers and recall her commissions not long since sent forth into the Netherlands which doing they would assure her that the countrey should liue in peace and quietnesse and they themselues be readie to venture liues goods in the seruice of his Maiestie and her the which if it were not presently done it was to be feared that much greater hurt and inconueniences would ensue with great bloud-shedding amongst the common people who vpon her and her word now reposed their securitie And therefore they thought good to shew her so much to discharge their duties wherein they stand bounden vnto his Maiestie and their natiue countrey desiring her to giue them a good short and resolute answer The request sent by those of the reformed religion vnto the gentlemen which they sent with theirs vnto the regent held in effect a great complaint of the miserable persecution and wrongs done vnto them in euerie place contrarie to the promises and securities made vnto them wherin also they said That the said gentlemen had sought to begâ—…ile and deceiue them vnlesse they could shew them that they had such expresse charge and commission from the regent and the lords of the order of the Golden Fleece and if that no promise would bee holden with them they desired that it might be plainly told them that euery man might know to gouerne himselfe thereby to shun the persecution Whereunto the regent answered with a more proud and haughtie stile than shee had formerly done That she could not conceiue what noblemen nor what people they were that had presented this petition for that many noblemen confederats held themselues satisfied as well for that they had caused the Inquisition and the edicts to cease as by reason of the assurance which was promised them and that for this cause they did present themselues daily to doe such seruice as it should please his Maiestie But she could not sufficiently wonder how they could haue any conceit that she would euer suffer the exercise of the religion considering that contrariwise she had sufficiently declared how much she was offended for that after the conclusion of the treatie some noblemen had assured the people of these exercises contrarie to her will and meaning seeing that the promise which the noblemen made to take away all armes troubles and scandals did inferre withall that the exercise of their religion should cease whereunto she had not consented Moreouer they well remember with what griefe of mind she had suffered the preaching in accustomed places without armes or scandall they may thereby easily know the small affection which she had to allow them any other exercise As for libertie she had onely granted it so farre forth as the petition of the fifth of May should not be imputed vnto them but not touching religion although against her owne conscience they had wrested so much from her and therefore had iust cause to be offended that they did attribute it vnto her and that his Maiestie was iustly incensed notwithstanding that the people had vsurped al exercise that by the new magistrat they ouer-ruled his officers the which his Maiestie was resolued to reuenge And for answer to that which they said That she had not kept that which she had accorded she said That all that was grounded vpon a false and too large interpretation of her words and that rightly many magistrats had neuer allowed it but that she had not gone against her promise in any thing if after it was giuen they had apprehended some for their offences as the breakers of images and robbers of churches the which happened since the accord yea by some gentlemen confederats That they had caused the preaching to be vsed in towns wheras it had been before in the field Besides they had seized vpon churches monasteries noblemens houses c. chased away the religious threatned the clergie and preached in vnaccustomed places The people animated by them had seized vpon some townes and royall places carried away the artilerie munition chased away the kings officers kept the field in martiall maner threatning all the Catholikes yea comprehending her highnesse So as by letters surprised which their souldiers had written to them of Valenciennes it might bee sufficiently gathered whereto all these tumults tended that is if God had not otherwise prouided to haue depriued the king of all his countries And in that they intreat to haue all the souldiers discharged they seeke thereby to take the sword from him to whom God hath giuen it Finally she aduiseth them if they be so much deuoted to the kings seruice as they say that they should hereafter shew themselues more conformable to his Maiesties will and pleasure and to satisfie the people touching the sufferance of religion the which brought but a contempt of his Maiestie and of iustice and that they should carrie themselues in such sort as they might turne away his Maiesties wrath and indignation that it might not bee forced to exceed the limits of his bountie and clemencie Also that they should forbeare such threats as they seeme to vse in their petition wherein if they persist she leaues them to thinke what a dishonor and infamie it will be to them for euer aduising them to retire euery man to his owne home and not to trouble themselues with the affairs of the country but to carry themselues in such sort as his Maiestie might receiue contentment aduertising them that if they did otherwise shee would prouide as she should thinke fit and conuenient for the publike quiet without any need of a more ample answer to the said petition vntill she may know which be the noblemen and the people which desire it whereof
not like thereof fearing that in seeking to prouide for their affaiâ—…es without they should fall into some greater inconuenience within as it was to be doubted that those troups were not come thither so boldly but they had some adherents and good intelligence in the towne Whereupon the magistrats aduertised the Gouernesse who with all speed sent Philip of Launoy lord of Beauvoir with foure hundred men of her guards accompanied with la Motte-par-Dieu who had two companies of the earle of Egmonts regiment besides foure hundred men drawne out of the garrisons and Hans of Graue prouost marshall of Brabant with fiue hundred horse to surprise them before they were stronger who finding them scattered and out of order defeated them soone many cast themselues into the riuer of Eschaut but they were slaine with the shot many were burnt in barnes whereinto they retired To conclude there died about fifteene hundred men few escaped such as were taken were afterwards hanged or otherwise executed The seigniour of Thoulouse their leader was slaine there and they tooke one which carried a list of such as should assist at certaine enterprises whereby they discouered some practises The magistrat of Antuerpe hearing that the Duchesse troupes marched against them of Austeâ—… reâ—…ring least their bourgesses should sallie forth and receiue some harme they caused â—…e bridges at the port of Austerweel and at the red gate to bee broken which gates they kept shut placing the three companies which they had raised for the guard of the towne along the rampars of that quarter doubling the watch and hauing lanternes and lampes light all night in the streets The news of this assembly at Austerweel and that there was an intent to chaâ—…ge them was no sooner come to the knowledge of the inhabitants of Antuerpe but they presently went to armes the fourteenth of March marching towards the gate to issue forth and to succour their friends but the prince of Orange and the earle of Hoochstraten told them That it was impossible to succour them and not bee defeated as soone as they were sallied forth they beeing vnable to withstand the prouost of Brabants horsemen and therefore they intreated them not to stirre But this people beeing halfe madde intending to go brake downe the red gate threatning the prince and the earle if they suffered them not to goe calling them traytors yea there was a Clothworker so rash as to offer his harguebuse to the princes breast so as these two noblemen in this tumult were in great danger of their liues yet disgesting all these indignities they retained them so long as this first furie beeing past it was agreed That onely fiue hundred of them should issue forth with protestation that it was granted vnto them by force but they seeing that they would not suffer them to goe foorth in greater numbers returned and continued in armes till noone hauing seised vpon the Meeres bridge and the Tanners street then the three companies of the towne came vnto the market place The people had alreadie drawne certaine peeces of artillerie out of the arcenall which they call Eerhof the which they brought vnto the Meer and planted them vpon all the approches to withstand all force that should come against them The prince fearing some great inconuenience caused euerie one to retire to his house and commaunded the artillerie should be carried back to the accustomed place so as by his good reasons and persuasions the people were somewhat pacified But the next day being the 15 of March the reformed Protestants finding that the Protestants of the confession of Ausbourg were ioyned with the Catholike Romanes with whom the Spanish Italian and Portugall merchants had also taken armes some hauing seized vpon the horse market other on S. Michaels place the said reformed did also assemble together in armes and to make the Catholikes and the strange nations retire there was a brute giuen out That those of the confession were ioyned with them Whereupon one of the bourgmasters caused the contrarie to bee published and that this tumult was not for any question of religion but that some licentious and disordered people among the reformed sought onely to rob and spoyle the houses of the Catholikes Confessionaries and Nations which was the cause that either seeking to preserue themselues the tumult was greater than euer beeing inflamed and readie to charge one another the which continued two dayes so as it was greatly to be feared that it would not haue past without effusion of bloud and that the houses would bee in the end spoyled by them that were victors if they were suffered to come to blowes so as the citie was full of feare crying out and teares of women and children so neere the danger was yet by the prouidence of the prince the earl of Hoochstraten and the magistrat all in the end was pacified by good exhortations giuen to either partie who agreed together vpon articles concluded betwixt them for the gouernment of the towne and the assurance preseruation of all the burgesses inhabitants and merchants of what religion soeuer The next day being Sunday either partie gaue thanks vnto God in their sermons for that he had preserued them from shedding one anothers bloud The 17 of the moneth the magistrat hauing giuen thanks vnto the principal merchants and to the nations to euerie one in particular for their good endeuours he sent deputies to the gouernesse to informe her of all that had past beseeching her to interpret in good part the accord which had been made and concluded among them the which they said they had found expedient not to diminish any thing of the kings authoritie but for the preseruation of the towne and the inhabitants thereof as well spirituall as temporall making withall many excuses touching some articles of the said accord which the Gouernesse disliked as to haue placed the artillerie vpon the rampars answering thereunto That what they had done was to retire it out of the peoples hands Item touching the leuying of horse-men and preparation of ships they said they would not do any thing without her highnesse consent And for that they did not receiue any garrison without the consent of all the members of the towne that they of the reformed religion had required it for that they held the gouernors that is the prince of Orange the earle of Hoochstraten and the magistrat for suspect and that they feared they would put in a garrison to sacke and spoyle them as they had done their brethren at Austerweel and as it had happened in the towne of Tournay Finally they said that they had beene forced to passe this accord yeelding to necessitie and the time for the preseruation of the said towne This tumult in Antuerpe heartened and much incouraged the regent and the Catholikes together with the victorie gotten at Austerweel and to the contrarie brake and disannulled all the proceedings and pretences of the confederated gentlemen and the Gueux
hee might see the great confidence and estimation we haue alwayes had of him Yet the said prince hauing had small regard vnto his honour and to the othe of fidelitie and loyaltie which hee hath sworne vnto vs as to his Soueraigne Prince and by reason of the said estates and offices hath made himselfe the head author aduancer fauourer and receiuer of rebels conspirators seditious practisers and disturbers of the publike good and quiet As also prâ—…sently after our departure from these countries towards our realmes of Spaine his designe with some others was to vsurpe the whole administration and gouernment of these countries and to that end had many pernitious practises hauing forgotten himselfe so much as to take armes against vs and to exclude vs out of those countries from the which hee had not desisted but for want of meanes doing all offices vnder hand with our subiects to diuert them from the affection and fealtie which they haue alwaies shewed to vs and our predecessours yea which is much more detestable and abhominable vnder the colour and cloake of religion and by false persuasions that our intention was the which was neuer to bring in the Inquisition of Spaine into those our countries so as by his seductions and false impressions many of our said subiects haue risen rebelled against vs. And namely that the said prince had fiâ—…st seduâ—…ed corrupted and incited a great part of the nobilitie so as they haue made leagues and conspiracies and sworne by the same to defend and fortifie themselues against vs and our ordinances the which haue beene alwaies kept and obserued in the said countrey the assemblies being made to that end in his owne house as well at Breda as in this our towne of Brussels And that since hee had receiued the said rebels into his protection and safeguard with promise of all assistance who also haue gone armâ—…d to field against vs in diuers places And that the said prince had counselled and assisted the lord of Brederode chiefe of the said rebels to fortifie the towne of Vianen against vs hauing suffered him to inroll souldiers in our towne of Antuerpe in the view of all the world against our expresse lawes then newly made and published imbarking them for the towne of Vianen with all munition of warre furnishing also the said Brederode with some peeces of ordnance Besides the said prince had forbidden any of our townes and forts to receiue any garâ—…ison in our name and among others in our countrey of Zeeland whither he had sent men expâ—…esly to surprise it and thereby to stop vp our passage by sea And the said prince being sent vnto our towne of Antuerpe to pacifie the troubles and popular tumults had of his owne priuat authoritie and beyond the charge giuen him in that towne suffered and allowed the free exercise of al sects indifferently giuing them leaue to build many temples and consistories for the sectaries whereof haue followed the dangers and inconueniences that euerie man-knowes Suffering leuies taxations and collections of money to be made which should be afterwards imployed in the entertainment of the said souldiers Doing moreouer many other acts which our said Atturney will declare more at large in time and place all tending to his designe thereby to vsurpe vpon our said countries the which is not tollerable but deserues punishment and exemplarie iustice requiring that it would please vs to grant him a commission for the apprehending and taking of the said prince of Orange All which things considered at the request of our said counsellor and atturney generall wee giue you commission and authoritie that with such aid and assistance as you shall thinke fit you shall take and apprehend the bodie of the said prince of Orange in what part soeuer you shall find him in these our countries and shall bring and conduct him vnder a good guard to our towne of Brussels to bee iustified before our well beloued cousin the Duke of Alua Knight of our order Gouernour and Captaine generall for vs in these our countries c. appointed by vs especially to that end and to receiue such punishment for the said crimes and conspiracies as shall be thought fit and conuenient And if you cannot apprehend him you may adiourne him Giuen at Brussels the 18 of Ianuarie 1568. This commission was proclaimed by a sergeant and six trompets and the relation of the adiournement was set vp in the court at Brussels whereunto the prince of Orange after that hee had beene aduertised answered the atturney generall by his letters as followeth Master Atturney I haue receiued the copie of an adiournement the which you haue caused to be executed by a publike proclamation finding my selfe grieued with the accusations contained therein as a noble man of my qualitie ought to doe desiring nothing so much as I hope I shall make it appeare than to haue meanes to contest and answere for my selfe hauing no intent to leaue an impression in the hearts of the ignorant that I haue not discharged mine honour and the duetie which I owe vnto the king and that I haue acquited my selfe ill and vndutifully of those charges estates and offices wherewith it hath pleased his Maiestie heretofore to grace mee but rather I hope by the discourse and relation of my defences to shew that the good long and loyall seruices expence and losses which I haue incurred by reason thereof shall much exceed my bonds and rewards Hauing therefore cause to desire no lesse that they should enter into this calculation than hee that attends a reliefe in his affaires by the conclusion and end of his account But as that which wee desire most is oftentimes the last put in execution proceeding duely and orderly as it is fit For as the Physian or Surgeon doth not seeke to heale and close vs a wound before he hath searched the bottome and disposed the humor neither doth the Architect build a house before he hath laid a good foundation I am by the qualitie of your adiournement forced to deferre the allegation and explication of my said defences vntill that your accusation may bee made before a competent judge and not suspect and in whom there may bee hope that there shall bee such regard had to that which shall bee propounded as shall bee fit and that they will proceed to absolution or condemnation according to the â—…xigence and merit of the cause And in the meane time I must comfort my selfe with the examples whereof the hystories are full of such as hauing with the hazard of their liues expence of their goods preserued and amplified the estates countries and reuenewes of theiâ—… princes and lords haue not onely beene infamously adiourned and proclaimed but in stead of reward haue receiued corporall and exemplarie punishment haue beene chased away banished slaine and executed seeing the fruits and recompences of their seruice attributed to them that least deserued it I find it no lesse strange in our
married before his departure in Spaine but one daughter that died very young After his death his wife maried the lord of Floyon of the house of Barlamont and after earle of Barlamont who after her death maried with the onely daughter and heire of the earle of Lalaine These lords manner of life and Religion could not escape the Spanish furie although they were most earnest and good catholickes the marquesse of Berghen being so earnest therein that he commaunded all catholicke offices to be performed within his gouernment and caused the children of those of the reformed Religion to be baptised againe neither yet could the intercession of the emperour the princes of Germany and others preuaile any thing therein Touching the liues actions and seruices of these lords done for the king and the benefite of the Netherlands many men in other countries round about were of opinion that they only were the principallest instruments both by counsell and action of the kings good and prosperous proceedings victories and greatnesse and that his affaires through his father the emperours crosses in Germanie and his weakenesse of bodie being at an ebbe were by theirs and other Netherlanders means so much furthered and aduanced that thereby they brought Fraunce to graunt to so good and an honourable peace in his behalfe But it was their euill fortunes that they were too well beloued and fauoured of the common people and by their vpright and good seruices together with other Netherlanders had gotten ouer-great credite and report in euery place whereby they had not onely mooued and enticed the people to yeeld great tributes taxes tallages and honours vnto the king but also procured great seruices to be done for him in other countries as in Germany c. And when the king with his counsell in Spaine had fully resolued to bring the Netherlands vnder full obedience and subiection by the Inquisition and other strange deuices brought into it and other countries whether it were of zeale vnto the Romish catholicke Religion or that he ouer-much desired his owne profite and greatnesse hee sought and expected from those lords that they should and would vse and put in practise their authoritie and power aforesaid among the common people as they had done before wherein they did not acquite themselues so well as the vnexperienced counsellors in Spaine concerning the affaires of the Netherlands desired and expected they should haue done which the said lords esteemed to bee cleane contrarie vnto the kings seruice and the profit of the Netherlands as also thinking it to bee a thing vnreasonable for them to withstand and contrary their owne friends kindred countrey lawes and priuiledges knowing better than they of Spaine wherein the profit and commoditie of the Netherlands and consequently the aduancement of the kings honour and seruice chiefely consisted esteeming it vnpossible to hold and maintaine a people that had alwaies liued in freedome in peace and quietnesse by such odious kind of rigour as the proclamations and the Inquisition brought in and inflicted vpon them For which cause they seeing the proceedings of their neighbour countries sought to procure and induce the king to a necessarie kind of altering or moderating of his pretended course by diuers and seuerall meanes for the maintenance and preseruation of the catholicke Romish Religion which otherwise stood in great danger to be ouerthrowne which disliked and much displeased the king and his counsell and was the matter of Treason as the Spaniards supposed for the which they must die others measuring their actions by another way esteemed and iudged them both by God and mans law to haue iustly deserued to die for that in so good 〈◊〉 cause wherein so much consisted the honour of God Religion the countries welfare and the kings profit they were not more vigilant carefull prouident and earnest than they had beene but through feare and suspition of the kings carelesnesse beeing badly informed by the enemies of the countrey suffered themselues to be easily carried away and to let such cases of importance as the abolishing of the proclamations for the assembling of the States and such like priuiledges graunted in times past to be taken away from the Netherlands by prouiso whereby they made the other lords and gentlemen become faint hearted and partly holpe and assisted to persecute them contrarie to their owne promises wils and consciences seeing and knowing wherein the honour of God the Religion the countries welfare and the profite of the king most consisted better than any other counsellors about him did as time it selfe hath sufficiently made manifest and declared Some others argued to the contrarie excusing them That they thereby hoped to pacifie the kings wrath when he should see and perceiue the obedience of his subiects and the weightinesse of the cause together with the daungers therein consisting and so might be mooued to a softer and more conuenient remedie Wherein also they were much deceiued which the prince of Orange and others had sufficiently foretold them as that they would bee the bridge and onely instrument vpon the which and wherewith the Spaniards would enter into the Netherlands counselling and aduising them rather to kepe all strangers out of the land vntill the king by aduice of the generall States should be better counselled Generally euery man esteemed that the king could reape no good nor profit by the rigor and crueltie that he had vsed against those earles and other noblemen and gentlemen but be a meanes to breed much hatred euill will and desperation among the people towards him which since hath cost many mens liues and consumed a great masse of treasure These were the common and generall opinions of all well experienced persons in matters concerning estate in other princes countries and courts touching their deaths Cont Lodowic of Nassau hauing gotten the victorie against Cont Arembergh and the Spaniards diuided his armie into two with the which he went to besiege Groningen a great and mightie towne in the countrey of Friseland not without great admiration of all men how hee durst with so few men and so little munition attempt such a towne whereas the earle of Meghen was with eighteene ensignes of Germanes and a thousand Spaniards and Curio Martinengue with three hundred horsemen The besieged made many braue sallies and among others one on the two and twentieth of Iune in the which the earle of Nassau lost aboue two hundred men seeking to hinder them from building of a fort betwixt two riuers In the meane time Chiapin Vitelli marshal of the campe to the duke of Alua gathered together what men he could with the which he aduanced whilest that the duke prepared to rayse the siege Chiapin camped on the one side of the towne not farre from Cont Lodowics Protestants who sent to offer him battaile but he excused himselfe The duke of Alua sent to entreat the emperour in the king his masters name that he would commaund the earle of Nassau to leaue the siege
lieutenant vnder him than the prince of Orange See what the taking ransoming murthers and massacres committed by the duke of Alua and Dom Frederic his sonne in the towne of Harlem were for the succouring whereof the prince of Orange had done his best endeuours I will forbeare to speake who was the cause of it for my meaning is not to taxe any man but long resolutions and slow executions are oftentimes the cause of great mischiefes letting slip all good opportunities that bee offered which the Spaniards could fitly imbrace and yet the siege of this towne was longer than the strength of the towne did seeme to require The siege of Harlem hauing endured seuen monethes although the Spaniards had the victorie yet notwithstanding it much diminished their credit and reputation beeing found to bee able to bee withstood and not inuincible although the duke of Alua called his three regiments of Spaniards that he brought with him the one Tales quales the second Inuincibiles and the third Immortales and gaue the townes of Holland time to resolue and prepare to defend themselues and the rather for that the duke of Aluaes souldiers at Harlem were at contention and strife amongst themselues for that the souldiers that stayed without the towne would haue their part of the money that the townes men were to pay as well as they within beeing eight and twentie monethes behind hand with their pay for which cause they draue their captaines and commaunders from them and would come to no agreement before they had money Which mutinie and contention continued amongst them six weekes before they were paid and the mutinie ended whereby they besieged Alcmar too late Summer being past During this siege of Harlem many complaints were made against the lord of Lumay earl of Marke before the prince of Orange and the States of Holland for many oppressions and cruelties committed in diuers parts especially against church men priests and monks whom hee persecuted with all sorts of cruelties to reuenge said hee the death of the earle of Egmont his cousin whereof hee accused the clergie to haue beene the cause Whose tyrannous and cruell acts were displeasing to all good men of what religion soeuer for the which the States committed him to prison and had not the respect of the prince beene who sued for his pardon and promised amendment hee had beene punished Yet the earle did euer after that time hate the prince of Orange as if he had beene the cause of his imprisonment Beeing freed from prison and dismissed from his charge he retired himselfe out of Holland much discontented yet he had afterwards a regiment of foot in the States pay at the campe of Gemblours against Dom Iohn of Austria but being retired before the battaile of Gemblours and returned to Liege he died in the yeare of our Lord 1578. Some said that hee was poysoned The duke of Alua finding with what toyle charge and losse of men hee had won Harlem and hearing that some of his troups were in mutinie for twentie eight monethes pay hauing yet many townes in armes against him and thinking to begin first with Alcmar hee thoght good first to see if he could win them by a proclamation which he caused to be made and printed at Vtrecht the six and twentieth of Iuly 1573 offering the kings grace and fauour to all as a good father to his obedient children forgetting and forgiuing all that was past knowing that their offence grew more by the suggestion of others than of their own natures and dispositions and that the king had not shewed any rigour to such as had willingly subiected themselues and not attended his force and power and yet they continued still obstinat notwithstanding he sought to gather them together as the hen doth her chickens vnder her wings for their owne safeties Praying them therefore to bethinke themselues and without any further delay to yeeld themselues into his ministers hands and not to attend the wrath and furie of his armie giuing them assurance for the enioying of their liberties and Freedomes And contrariwise if they seemed to neglect and contemne his offered mercie and grace hee would haue them to know and to assure themselues that they were to accept all kinds of rigour and crueltie that might be inuented by famine sword and fire so as there should be no memorie of them left to posteritie and that his Maiestie would cause the country to be made desolate and to be inhabited by strange nations for that otherwise the king could not rest satisfied that hee had fulfilled the will of God nor yet content his owne conscience if hee should suffer such rebels to liue vnpunished they knowing him well â—…o bee the most gratious and mildest prince that euer liued and appointed to bee their soueraigne Not doubting but that they knew the kings armie which was great with all ordnance and munition fit to bee at their doores readie to destroy them and that in the end the king would bee master c. This proclamation was published in all places During the siege before Harlem the duke of Alua had procured the earle of Bossu to write out of the campe vnto one Huych Ianson bourgmaster of Delft persuading him not to let slip so good an occasion of obtaining peace from the king as to procure some meanes to haue the prince being there to be taken and sent to the duke of Alua which if he would doe saying that he aduised him thereunto vpon meere loue he bare vnto the towne of Delft hee assured him not onely to purchase their pardon but also promised vpon his faith and honour to procure them such freedoms and liberties as they should desire and that therfore they should bee resolute and carefull to performe this worthy and meritorious act whereby they should not onely purchase peace and quietnesse for their towne of Delft but also for all Holland which otherwise would be ruined and made desolat This letter beeing interrupted by the way was brought vnto the prince He also sent letters of the same tenor to them of Amsterdam and to moue them to receiue a Spanish garrison but the messenger being taken was sent vnto the prince The duke of Alua hauing taken Harlem and as he conceiued daunted the Hollanders courage thinking the prince of Orange and the States to bee vnable to mannage and fortifie any place like vnto it and it may be presuming that his crueltie extended vpon that town would terrifie any other garrison who would not willingly aduenture the hazard of a siege he resolued with his counsell of warre to attempt Alcmar as one of their strongest townes which being taken the rest or most of the other townes would yeeld Whereupon he sent Dom Frederic his sonne with Chiapin Vitelli campe-master generall before Alcmar the one and twentieth of August and with him the baron of Noircarmes lieutenant to the generall with Dom Gonsaluo of Braccamonte Dom Pedro of Velasco Dom Pedro of
sword where-with his subiects and members of all the Netherlands vntill that time had beene persecuted and most grieuously tormented with vnspeakeable vilde cruelties brought vnto their ends and vtter destruction they for their partes promising in all worldly causes to bee obedient vnto his Maiestie and to serue him as faithfully as euer any of his subiects in times past had done For the securities proferred said they many pitifull examples do sufficiently shew how they may be estemed by al the world especialy if the townes castles shippes and artilery were deliuered ouer before the Spaniards and other strangers were gon out of the Netherlands and that the estates generall should haue taken good order for al inconueniences therefore to avoyd al difficulties and so to proceed to the beginning of a good security they knew no better way then that according to the contents of there request presented in writing the strangers should be sent out of the contry which might the rather be don without cause of suspition for that the Prince States of Holland Zeeland had not any manner of dislike nor quarell with the rest of the other Prouinces but held and esteemed them as their good friends allies neighboures offering to standvnto all reasonable security that there should be no new matter deuised nor vnlawfull act attempted by them during the time graunted for their departure out of the country vntil such time as the general estates might assemble to gether to consult about a good order to be taken in al causes of policy good gouernment Further although their offer aforesaid was sufficient yet would they in the aboundance of their true intents and desires of peace offer more that it might appeare both before GOD and the world that they nether desired nor yet sought their owne welfare and ease noâ—… yet pretended any other thing then the welfare and common good of the country That although those amongst them that had settled their consciences in the true apostolike religion had rather loose both their liues and goods then they would in any wise deny the same or once do otherwise then it requireth They are neuer-the-lesse content so his maiestie will desist from denying their request touching their religion that not onely that but the point of security and all other causes difficulties and differences should be determined and ended by the lawfull assembly of the generall estates of the Netherlands And for as much as that by withdrawing away of all strangers out of the country all troubles and Insolencies would cease and all the Prouinces without doubt would be fermly vnited together they offered to stand vnto all reasonable condition of security whereby on both sides they might liue in perfect peace betweene the departing and with-drawing of the strangers out of all the Prouinces and the assembling of the generall estates Where-vnto they desired and praied that they might haue an vnâ—…ained and a Catholike answeare with an absolute yea or nay vnto every perticular point of there request While this treaty of peace continewed the Commander generall assembled his counsell of estate priuy counsell and tresorers with certaine of the principale Lords of the state and other councelors of good estates and quality to heare their opinions touching the peace as then in question and the answeares made therevnto by the deputies of the Prince of Orange and his adherents who after long conference gaue there aduice saying that the most assured way was to maintaine the Catholike Romish religion and the Catholike persons in Holland c. as also for the better securing of the Kings inheritances vnto him selfe for that the Prince had giuen forth that he knew those that had a good will to take the same into their handes saying further that seeing the point of sending out of strangers was agreed vpon that it ought to be effected vpon good security the King hauing naturall Netherland Catholike Souldiars inough whereof the experience was euidently to be seene in the time of the regent the Duches of Parma that had pacefied all the controuersies in the country with the subiects of the same which as then were well trusted before the comming of the Duke of Alua and now are in a manner distrusted when as their loyaltie was once againe tried in the yeare 1568. when the Prince of Orange entred with an army into the country and they kept him out they likewise found it expedient that the generall estates should bee assembled where unto they submitted themselues and likewise esteemed it not to be so hard a matter to permit and graunt them freedom of conscience without scandale and exercise thereof as also to stay and dwell within the Countrie as other forraine marchants both Dutch-men and Englishmen of contrary Religion did for that in the meane time GOD might so worke in their hearts by good sermons and instructions as they would be conuerted and that in all places the catholike religion might be erected and giue good examples of honest life and conuersation vsing many such like arguments with allegation of diuers old customes and examples but this would not bee liked of by the counsell in Spaine who had an other desseine intending an absolute conquest which not-with-standing it is said that the great commander himselfe did often complaine of in his death bed and after that the Spaniards themselues These articles being in this sort set downe in the name of the King yet could not the Prince of Orange beleeue that it was the Kings meaning to send the Spaniards out of the Netherlands and for that cause desired to see the Kings owne hand and seale vnto the same which was shewed him by the Baron de Rassinghen who for security thereof kept the same against the Commanders will who imagined that the offers that were made would not haue bin so well accepted and for that cause would haue it proceed no further saying that the King was no marchant or would bee constrained vnto any thing and that hee liberally offered and presented such conditions which they should haue accepted of when they had time and place and so seeking all delaies hee caused his deputies to make answeare that hee would send all the proceedings of that peace into Spaine and attended an answere from thence asking foure moneths time for the same where-vpon the deputies of Holland c. vpon the foureteene of Iuly for there farwell made a declaration in writing the contents whereof were to shew how little the Kings deputies were alwaies afected to deale vprightly in the contracts of peace and that therefore they for there discharges both before GOD and the world would make it knowne vnto them and euery man how they for there parts had alwaies fought and labored to haue an end of the warres and so breefely declared from the beginning to the ending what had past from the first request sent vnto the King by meanes of Monsier Champigny vntill there last declaration which offers
by all demonstrations of ioy feasts and kinde vsage all men shewing as much respect vnto him as if hee had beene naturall Prince of the countrey euery one expecting that by his meanes the Strangers oppressors of the countrey being retired the gouernments should bee put into their hands that were naturall borne well affected to the good and publike quiet the peace and vnion of the countrey inuiolably kept the priuiledges rights and liberties restored and all points of the pacification of Gand obserued and accomplished to the end that thereby an ouer-ture being made for the assembling of the generall Estates of all the Prouinces which had beene promised of either part they might in the end settle a generall and perpetuall good order throughout the whole countrey with a firme establishment of vnion and of all good intelligence and correspondencie betwixt the Prouinces as well in regarde of the maintenance of the Catholick and Romish religion as of the full and perfect obedience due vnto his Maiestie and the good and publicke quiet of the said countries But the greater this hope ioy and contentment was to all in generall the greater was euery mans care and hearts-greefe when they see themselues frustrate of this hope and expectation For after the departure of the Spaniards insteed of putting to his hand for the accomplishing of the rest of the points which remained of the pacification of Gand and of his accord to roote out all occasions of iealousie and distrust they see Don Iohn by little and little fill his Court with strangers enemies to the countrie and the publike quiet most part Spaniards and Italians or so affected and simbolizing with their humors as besides the apparent wrong which hee did vnto himselfe and to his faith and promise by the which hee had bound himselfe not to vse them hee made his will and intention manifest which was to reduce the sayd countries already too much opprest vnder the yoake of them whom hee himselfe had made shew and profession to abhorre For vnder colour that hee had sent for his traine out of Italie hee caused a good number of Spaniards and Italians to enter into the countrey by whome hee was euer chieflie serued recoyling and putting from him as much as hee could those of the countrey vnlesse it were some fewe that were Spaniolized or of the like humor or such as were altogether suspected to them that loued their countrey hauing aduanced Baptista Taxis to bee Steward of his house and others of vile and base condition hauing serued as spyes to the Duke of Alua to chiefe offices yea into his councell although in the beginning hee made shew that hee would onely imploy them of the countrey and put off strangers yet by the effects they found the contrary for in all occurrents of importants hee onely vsed the councell of the Lord of Gonsague and of his Secretarie Escouedo doing nothing of importance without their aduise contrary to the Edict and Accord Article ten And when hee made shew to call any of the countrey to councell hee made choise of such as were of the Spanish faction or suspected to them that loued their countrey finding themselues greeued for that they had beene suspended from their Offices and gouernments in the beginning of their last alterations raysed against the Spaniards and their adherents beeing held to bee the Authors of the comming and reâ—…ning the Spaniards in these parts and of all the miseries and calamities which the countrey had since endured Also hee neuer put from his councell and companie some priuate persons of meane calling who through their violent passions had alwayes kindled the fire of ciuill warre in Holland and who had retired into the Castell of Antwerpe with the Spaniards holding their part against the States and hauing ayded both with their councell and persons to sacke and burne the Towne And more-ouer hee hath alwayes imployed and beene serued by them that were suspect vnto the States for that they held them-selues wronged as the Earles of Meghen and of Barlamont the Seignours of Hierges of Floion of Haulte-penne his sonnes the councellor Assonuille Taxis and others Whereby there could no other coniecture bee made but that hee pretended to entertaine the seedes of hatred and factions among the Noble-men and in the end when occasion should serue bandie one against another and by that meanes bee reuenged of them all as the effects in the end did shew If happily at any time hee called the rest it was but for an outward shew not to giue them occasion of complaint in the beginning and the better to couer his desseignes After the publication of the perpetuall Edict Don Iohn sent his Deputies to Gheertrudenberghe to treate with the Prince of Orange and the Deputies of Holland and Zeeland of which conference and of their speeches of eyther side I haue set downe a true narration THe Duke of Arschot the Lord of Hierges Monsieur de Villerual Grobbendoncque Metkerke and Doctor Elbertus Leoninus assisted by Doctor Gail Ambassador deputed for his Imperiall Maiestie being assembled on the one part and the Prince of Orange with the siegniors of Saint Aldegonde Nyuelt Vander Mylen Conynck and Vorsbergen on the other Monsieur Mertkercken began the speech and after some demonstration of the sinceritie and faithfull diligence which Don Iohn of Austria had vsed since hee was receiued for Gouernour in performing of the promises made by him and the good which hee had done vnto the countrie in causing the Spaniards to retire and that hee was still ready to pursue and bring to a good end what had beene so well begun to restore this countrey to her ancient beautie peace and happinesse from the which they were fallen through the gouernment of his Predecessors and the insolencie of Strangers Desiring to gouerne after an other manner by the councell and aduise of them of the countrey as shall be thought conuenient for their greater good and quiet Hee sayd more-ouer that it was reason also seeing that hee shewed himselfe so willing and desirous to redresse all things and reduce them to a good vnion and concorde that there should bee assurance also of the Princes behalfe and of the countries of Holland and Zeeland that after they haue finished all things and reduced the country to a better estate that they for their parts should make no difficulty to submit them-selues vnto reason and to the obedience due vnto his Maiesty and laying aside all Ielousy and distrust they will procure with all their power this desired vnion and will vnite themselues with the other Prouinces in one body vnder one obedience as it hath beene alwaies here-tofore And as there are many things whereby it seemes they haue no desire nor intent to come vnto this point but contrarywise that they will still hold them-selues diuided and in perpetuall distrust and disunion It were necessary before that his heighnesse proceed any
France seeing that the people the whole body heere were of one will and minde and not diuided into partiallities and factions of houses as in France And seeing that in the pacification of Gand they had agreed vppon all points that might bee reconciled to liue togither in vnity and concord vntill they had leysure to prouide for the rest hauing referred the decision thereof to the Assemblie generall it was more then reasonable they should first satisfie the Articles of the said pacification and that the rest should bee referred to the said Estates where hee meant to propound the points which they demanded But said the others whilst that wee attend the Assemblie you may propound wherein you finde your selues grieued or what you demand for your assurance Wee haue nothing to propound said his Excellency nor to complaine of so as they accomplish the Articles of the pacification for seeing it is concluded at Gand that wee shall liue one with an other after the manner there specified vntill the said Assemblie wee are content and meane by the grace of GOD to hold our selues so without demanding any further assurance referring our selues for the rest vnto the said Assembly But said the Seignior of Grobbendoncque what assurance will you giue vnto vs to entertaine the pacification Wee are not bound to giue you any assurance answered the Prince for the effect of the pacification carries her assurance with her feeing that those which were there treating for the generall Estates and afterwards aduowed by them haue propounded the articles and points therein contained for a prousionall assurance vntill the generall Estates should bee assembled saying that some should do thus and others thus where-vppon they agreed Wee must therefore content our selues with those meanes or else necessarily disauow and breake the said pacification See then if you will aduow it or not for if you will hold it wee must for our parts fulfill the points therein contained as we are ready and if there be any thing wanting vnto this present as we hope not wee are content to satisfie it Yea said one of them you would that after you haue all the Townes and places of Holland Zeeland which are already put into your hands and after wee haue deliuered you the gouernments of Vtrecht and Amsterdam we should haue no assurance of you that you would hold the pacification But answered the Prince if we do presently accomplish the pacification what will you more of vs or what assurance are we bound to giue By this meanes said the others after that you haue all which you demand and that you haue fortified your selues by this meanes more then euer you may make warre against vs. Warre answered the Prince what feare you wee are but a handfull of men but a worme against the King of Spaine and you are 15. Prouinces against two what cause haue you to feare Where-vpon the Seignior of Meetkerke said we haue seene what you could do when you were maisters of the Sea and therefore do not so little esteeme of your selues To whome Saint Aldegond replied wee neuer haue nor could make warre against you but defensiue And if wee make a defensiue warre we must first be offended For wee will neuer go to assaile the other Prouinces I said one of them we know that a defensiue warre is neuer made but it is withall offensiue alledging there-vppon the taking of Geertrudenbergh Vosberghen then answered touching Geertrudenbergh that it was of his Excellencies gouernment a member of Holland and belonging to his Excellencie and that it was not taken by force but by pollicie and for want of good guard Then said the Prince the pacification of Gand prouides for this You or your Deputies haue confest that you were well guarded with the points contained therein and that you had no need of any other warrant referring the rest to the Assemblie Yoâ—… must therefore content your selues For to make warre against you it is a thing without any ground or colour If you had not knowne there was nothing to bee feared for you you had not forgotten to demand assurance But you haue seene how roundly we haue dealt with you at that time vnfurnishing our Country to assist you yea before the peace was concluded and although we had reason to demand assurances yet we would not do it for that wee treat with the Estates without distrust hauing expresly declared that if wee had beene to treat with the King or any other in his name wee would haue beene guarded with other assurances But on your behalfes there was no question to giue any assurance as wee haue no meanes yet to assaile you so were it not expedient At these wordes the Seignior of Grobbendoncq said to speake the truth wee haue a good confidence in you that you will not make warre against vs but wee see on the other side that you seeke to disperce your religion ouer all and are not contented to maintaine it among your selues but seeke by all meanes to plant it in our Prouinces What assurance then shall wee haue when wee haue granted all that you demand that you will not alter any thing concerning religion against the pacification of Gand The assurance which wee can giue said the Prince is that wee will really accomplish the pacification wherein wee haue promised for our parts not to giue any scandall nor cause any Innouation And wee meane to keepe that we haue promised But said the Seignior of Villerual these are but promises you will haue vs beleeue your words and you will not beleeue the wordes and promises of Don Iohn nor ours Heere is no question of beleeuing or nor beleeuing answered the Prince let Don Iohn and you accomplish the treatie of pacification and then we will beleeue you but you gaue vs occasion of distrust when as wee see you to seeke euasions not to accomplish the sayd pacifiâ—…ation which you haue promised vnder collour to propound vnto vs other points for our assurance the which ought to bee referred to the generall assembly of the Estates wee haue also sayd Leoninus propounded points wherein you haue not accomplished the pacification Vander Mylen replied wee haue therein satisfied you touching the principall and as for the rest wee are readie to giue satisfaction although there bee not any thing wherein wee haue first broken for that whereof they accused vs wee haue done it by example which those of Gant haue giuen vs by a sentence pronounced so as if there bee any violation it comes from you and not from vs. But sayd the signior of Grobbendoncq the chiefe point of the pacification containes that you submit the question touching the exercise of your relligion to the generall Estates what assurance shall wee haue that when you are satisfied in that which you demand that you will accomplish this point what occasion haue wee giuen you sayd the Prince to distrust seeing that for our partes wee haue fulfilled the pacification Seeing
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
obtained that which hee so much desired which is the restitution of his goods and honour with the departure of the Spaniards whereon hee did ground his taking of armes that it is more then time to settle the countrie in peace and to banish all suspition on his behalfe imploying himselfe sincerely in so good a worke And if hee bee not satisfied with all this but doth demand some other thing let him speake plainely what hee pretends more for his safetie to the end that full contentment may bee giuen him For the effecting whereof it is verie requisite that the perpetuall Edict of the treatie made by the generall Estates with his highnesse and proclaimed at Brussells the seauenteenth of February and successiuely in other townes and Prouinces in confirmation of the sayd pacification of Gant may bee also proclaymed in Holland Zeeland and other associat places whereas hetherto it hath not beene published In like sort seeing a peace is made and proclaimed it is necessary that generally all acts should cease which tend to hostilitie and may giue any occasion of distrust as the entertayning of souldiars the fortification of townes and places practises and allyances leagues and confederations euen with strangers casting of new Ordinance the which ought to remaine in the same Estate vntill the resolution of the generall Estates And for that and other things specefied in the pacification to giue order for the full accomplishment of a desired peace and the publike tranquillitie it is fit to aduise speedelie when the sayd generall Estates shall assemble All which points the sayd Commissioners for his Highnesse require the Prince of Orange and the Deputies of Holland and Zeeland to carry them vnto the Estates of Holland and Zeeland as they will doe vnto his Highnesse and to the other Estates the points and articles which shal be giuen them by the sayd Prince and deputies Hoping there shal be a fauorable answere giuen reciprocally of either side and that all things in the meane time shall remaine in peace and tranquility The answere of the Prince of Orange and the Deputies of the Estates of Holland and Zeeland to the sayd Proposition MY Lords vpon the Proposition which it hath pleased you to make on his Highnesse behalfe that to take away all iealousie and distrust which seemed to hinder the sinceritie of the peace wee should propound assurances which wee thinke conuenient for the effecting thereof The Prince of Orange and the deputies of the Estates of Holland and Zeeland haue made answere that it were a superfluous thing to demande new assurances seeing that the conditions promised by the pacification were not yet accomplished and that to take away distrust there was no better meanes then to beginne by the fulfilling of the points and articles of the pacification of Gant the which wee beeing readie for our parts to accomplish if any remayning desiryng that you would doe the like on your behalfe and that moreouer it hath pleased you my maisters to require vs to put in writing the points and articles which wee pretend are not yet fulfilled To satisfie your desire therein the Prince of Orange and the deputies of the Estatâ—…s of Holland and Zeeland haue thought good to exhibit these articles following First that the aduice and answere which the Prince of Orange and the Estates of Holland and Zeeland haue giuen by writing to all the generall Estates of the Netherlands by the hands of Mounsier de Villerual dated the nineteenth day of February in the yeare of our Lord 1577. containes many Articles by which it appeeres that the pacification made at Marche in Famine was not conformable to all the Articles of the pacification of Gant for which cause the sayd Prince Estates haue not allowed of the said pacification but vpon expresse condition that the generall estates should for their parts passe an act obligatory in due forme signed by them and the Gouernors of Prouinces commanders and colonels conformable to that which is more particularly specified in the said aduice and answer Where-vpon they haue by an act giuen and dated the first of March declared their intention to haue alwaies beene to maintaine effectually the pacification made at Gand and to seeke to redresse all that they should finde done or attempted to the contrary or against the preuiledges rights liberties and customes of the Netherlands as well in generall as in particular and they promised to cause the like resolution to be signed by the Gouernors of Prouinces commanders and collonels as being bound to gouerne them-selues accordingly which promise and condition hath not beene effected nor accomplished for the Germains are not yet gone out of the country which is contrary to the said pacification of Gand. Item the goods haue not beene neither are yet restored to the Prince of Orange as well in these parts as in Bourgongne and Luxembourg Neither is the Earle of Buren his sonne deliuered which doth not onely impugne the said pacification but also the preuiledges and liberties of the country and the conditions of the said aduice and answer Item the Prince hath not his gouernment yet restored vnto him as hee had it by commission from his Maiesty seeing that neither the country and towne of Vtrecht nor the townes of Tholen Heusden and others are not yet vnited to their ancient gouernments as they were in former times where in my Lords of the councell of State haue shewed them-selues partiall writing letters to them of Vtrecht by the which they haue kept them from submitting them-selues vnder their ancient Gouernor according to the said pacification and the preuiledges of Vtrecht although that they of Vtrecht haue often required that they might submit them-selues Moreouer in steed of augmenting and maintaining the priuileges of the country as had beene specefied not onely in the said pacification but also in the conditions of the said aduice and answer giuen vnto the generall estates we see them now deminished yea broken and violated in diuers sorts for my Lords the States haue by their Instruction giuen to certaine deputies sent vnto Don Iohn lately sence the said aduice and answer where it had beene expresly mentioned subiected the assembly of the States as wel general as particular vnto the good pleasure of Don Iohn the which should remaine free according to the ancient rights preuiledges and liberties of the Countrie in those Prouinces and places that haue preuiledges Item those of the religion are not admitted in any places and townes of other prouinces to remaine there according to the pacification of Gand as may bee verified by many examples if they will take informations And yet not-with-standing all this and that the promises and obligations contained in the said pacification of Gand and sence in that which the estates haue promised to the Prince to the estates of Holland and Zeeland be not accomplished yet they haue receiued the said Don Iohn for Gouernor and Captaine generall without the aduise
leagues circuite and furnished with fiue thousand men made this desseigne seeme vnreasonable The same day the Armie in passing tooke the Castell of Dyon la Motte Helsenne and Sart La Motte indured a battery in the which were fifteene or sixteene Soldiers the rest peasants and was taken by assault where-as the Seignior of La Noue Marshall of the Campe the Vicont and the Collonell Michell Caulier past through the water in the ditches vp to the waste the which was no discreete part of the Vicont beeing Generall of the horse with the English who leapt into the water like Frogges forst it and cut all the Souldiers in peeces pardoning the peasants this was done in August In September following certaine companies of Malcontents of the aboue-named Regiments among the which was that of Captaine Christien of Mons being come to lodge in the quarter of Gaure which is of the Principalitie of them of Egmont about three leagues from Gant The Ganthois aduertised thereof by the greeuous and dayly complaints of the poore pesants for so many oppressions and insolencies committed by these Wallon soldiars Malcontents and doubting also some enterprise vpon their towne for that the sayd Malcontents had vanted that they would teach the Ganthois to mocke at the masse sent some of their companies in the night who went to dislodge the Wallons in Gaure by the breake of daie taking them a sleepe in their beddes after the French manner whereof some were slaine and about fiftie carried almost naked into Gant and in this miserable and poore estate were put into a Church from whence by a decree of the Court they were deliuered and sent away hauing had some clothes giuen them by the Wallon Marchants remayning in Gant who tooke pittie of them seeing them thus naked but the Ganthois did afterwards paie deerely for this pettie victorie The Barron of Montigni and other Collonels Wallons to bee reuenged for such an affront vpon the Flemings and Ganthois came early in a morning before the Burrough of Menin which then they began to make a towne within two leagues of Courtray and two of Lille hauing intelligence with the Curat the Baylife called Nicholas Robert and some others who knowing of the Malcontents approch after the ringing of the morning bell perswaded them that were in gard to goe to their rest And as there remayned but few Bourguers at the Ports and the places but newly begun to be fortefied these Malcontents surprised it and tooke it with small resistance of the Bourguers who vpon the alarme putting them-selus in defence were soone ouerthrowne and some drowned in the riuer of Lys. Being Maisters thereof they spoyled it finding great welth therein for that it did cheefely consist of Bruing and making of cloth which are two trades to make rich men There were about eighty Bruers the Beer was dipersed into the countries of Flanders and Arthois by the riuer of Lys and it was called Queate of Menin good and well knowne of Dronkards At that time the Protestants of the reformed religion in Antwerp persented a petition to haue publike exercise of their religion demanding certaine publike temples of the Arch-duke Mathias and the councell of State with which demand they were much troubled but the Petitioners being very many made such instance and did so importune them as hauing had the aduice of the Generall estates it was found necessary for the publike quiet of the towne and to preuent all inconueniences to graunt them the chappell in the Castle called the temple of the Moabats by reason of the Spaniards which had built it the Iesuits ch◅urch halfe of that of the Franciscans Iacopins and of Saint Andrew And so with leaue of the soueraigne magistrate they began their first publicke preaching the last day of August some daies after the Protestants of the confession of Ausbourg hauing also demanded temples obtained the Sheer-mens chappell the great hall of the Carmelites and the grange neere vnto Saint Michells The like was granted in the townes of Brusselles Macklin Breda Berghen vpon Soom Liere Bruges Ypre in Freeseland and in Geldres and in other townes and Prouinces But in Brusselles the Marquis of Berghes the Signior of Heze his Brother and the Signior of Glimes presented a petition to the contrary shewing that it was the seat of the Princes court which makes the towne to flroish the which by the transport of the court to any other place would bee impourished and fall to decay which made the people to fall in hatred of them and to put them in prison but by a decree of the States they were soone inlarged While the armies were gathering together on both sides and the State of the Netherlands standing in suspence the potentates round about desirous to reconcile the distracted minds of the Netherlands against their Prince as also to preuent bad examples to cease all troubles and lastly to put out and quench the fire of warre and dissention in the Netherlands sought to make a peace there The Emperor greeuing much at the desolation of the Netherlands had sent the Earle of Swartzenburgh the King of France Monsire de Bellieure and the Queene of England the Lord Cobham and Sir Francis Walsingham her Principall Secretary with a great traine which Ambassadors hauing moued both parts to hearken vnto a peace the estates propounded certaine conditions the contents whereof were that all that they had don since Don Iohns going to Namur should bee approued allowed of and held to bee well don that Don Iohn should depart out of all the Netherlands within the sayd month of August and deliuer vp all the townes and forts into the States hands that the Arch-duke Mathias should remaine gouernor of the Netherlands and the pacification of Gaunt should still bee maintained and kept that the matter of Religion by reason of the warres so much aduanced should bee referred to the deciding and determination of the generall estates to bee ordred according to the conueniency of the times and places that the prisoners on both sides as also the Earle of Buren should bee set at liberty and that in the said contract the Queene of England the Duke of Aniou the king of Nauarre with their adherents and Duke Casimirus and all those that had giuen the States any ayd should bee comprehended For the effecting whereof the States desired the Ambassadors aforesaid to seeke by all the meanes they could to bring Don Iohn therevnto and thereby to keepe his Maiesty in possession of his Netherlands without putting him in more vaine hope and so for euer to estrange him from his subiects desiring them like-wise to moderate the strictnes of there articles in any thing they thinke conuenient The Ambassadors aforesaid vsed many reasons and perswations on both sides especially to procure Don Iohn to depart out of the Netherlāds intreating him not to seeke to hazard his good fortune vpon a doubtfull battayle aledging vnto him the contract
made betweene the Duke of Aniou and the States their power hauing so great an army and mony like wise to maintaine the same saying that he might depart with honor when as his departure should be procured by the Mediation and intercession of the Emperor the King of France and the Queene of England which dying they said hee might assure the Netherlands vnto their naturall Prince and by that meanes procure the maintenance and furtherance of the Romish Catholiks religion touching the said articles the Ambassadors had many conferences and meetings betweene them the estates and Don Iohn speaking with Don Iohn him-selfe at Lovuain and there abouts but it was al in vaine for that Don Iohn would haue the states to giue ouer their armes to send the Prince of Orange into Holland and then he said he would harken to a peace yet telling them plainely that hee would permit no new religion and many things else and yet hee made a shew as that in regard of the miseries of the country hee would haue consented to a truce for a time that so hee might deale further about the conditions of peace propounded but this was done onely to winne time and in the meane while to gather more forces and to make the States weary but the States there affaires not permitting it would not harken to it Don Iohn likewise for his part hauing gotten more soldiars and being aduertised that the States men wanted pay at the last he made answeare to the Ambassadors that the King of Spaine had referred the whole dealing for the peace vnto the States only to whome full power and authority should bee giuen for the same being indeed some-what iealous of France and England and to that end hee shewed them lettters so thanking them for their paines hee tooke his leaue and departed and by that meanes that treatie of peace proued frutelesse The generall estates thinking verely that they had well secured and assured the Catholike Romish Religion by the new publication of the pacification at Gaunt found it to auaile them little for that they were forced neuer-the-lesse to satisfie and content the mindes of the peolpe in euery place thereby to maintaine the warres and that they had need of such soldiers as they might trust which they esteemed to be Hollanders and those of the religion and therefore in euery place they put such as were of the religion into offices within the townes as knowing them thereby to bee bound not onely for the loue and good will they bare vnto their natiue country but also in regard of the religion to bee faithfull trusty and true obseruing that it was not onely the meanes for them to defend their bodies liues goods wiues and children but chiefly for the honor of GOD as they were perswaded whereby many being of the reformed religion and aduanced to offices in diuers places of the Netherlands were forced by all the meanes they could to further the said religion although some through simple zeale dealt vnaduisedly therein From these and the like causes it fell out that they of the reformed religion imbouldned them-selues to present a request vnto the Arch duke Mathias and the generall estates bearing date the twenty two of Iune therein shewing that they desired to liue according to the reformed religion and that they had separated them-selues from the Romish Church for many causes as it appeared by diuers bookes put in Print containing the summe and contents of their faith which many had sealed with their bloods and that the more it had beene persecuted the more it had spred abroad and increased as it appeared by the tiranie of the Duke of Alua that had put eight-teene or nine-teene thousand persons to death by the hand of the executioner after whome followed Don Loys de Requesens the great Commaunder of Castile who also had driuen an innumerable number of good men out of the Netherlands and caused all traficke and good handycrafts wherein the chiefe riches of the land consisted to be caried into strange and forrene countries by which meanes the warres began shewing the Spaniards practises and desseignes and their reddinesse and willingnesse to defend their natiue country and that yet neuer-the-lesse they feared that they should bee once againe put to the slaughter after that the countrie should haue made vse of them and by expence and losse of their liues and goods gotten the victory which must of necessity procure great vnwillingnesse from whence many difficulties were to bee expected by nise vsing liberty amonst the Burgers and the townes men which difficulties and inconueniences by meanes of the free permission of the reformed Religion would be let and hindered where-as to the contrary the refusing and deniall thereof would bee the originall of all euill intents and of such enterprises which neither the Protestants would like of nor they them-selues bee well pleased withall They likewise showed that they were content to put in securitie to them of the Romish religion that they desired not to roote them out nor yet to take their goods from them nor to doe any thing that should bee contrary to the duties of good Townes-men and fellow Burgers but alwayes to bee ready for the common cause to defend and maintaine their natiue countrey whereby all discord beeing layd away a perfect peace might bee established They likewise hoped that touching the reformed religion some order would before that time haue beene taken by the generall estates which by many hinderances had beene put off and chiefly by the meanes and practises of the enemy or else by some that hoped the enemy being ouercome once againe to roast the Protestants at a fire and therefore they desired that no credit might bee giuen vnto such men as reiected the pacification of Gant thinking that two religions could not bee maintayned in one kingdome and that there could bee no securitie giuen to the spirituall persons saying further that the enemy had manifestly broken the pacification of Gant and that for as much as it concerned the land they might by common consent breake mitigate expound and declare the same for the good of their natiue countrey thereby to resist and with-stand the secret practises of the enemy yet they desired that it might not bee broken but that rather according to the contents thereof the point concerning the free exercise of their religion might bee discided by the generall estates Shewing further by their request that two religions might well bee indured in one countrey by examples of the first Christians and their Emperors and after that in our times permitted by foure Emperors and by the Kings of France Poland the great Turke and the King of Morocus and others yea and by the Pope himselfe that permitted the Iewes to haue their Synaguogues And touching the securitie for spirituall persons they desired that the States would set downe an order for the same and that they were ready according to their
abilities to performe it hoping that there would bee some Noble-men and Princes found that would giue both their words and bonds for their good behauiors therein But for that they got no answer presently here-vnto in regard of the waightinesse of the cause vpon the seauenth of Iuly being foureteene dayes after they gaue a second request wherein they sought to satisfie certaine doubts as if there were no securitie to bee found from the Protestants if they should graunt their request And therefore that there should bee no alteration they propounded and set downe that in euery towne some of the Magistrates might bee appointed to take particuler knowledge of all oppressions and abuses or certaine good Burgers men of good name and same ofâ—… both religions equall in number to whom should bee committed the inquiry and repayring of iniuries and wrongs offered on eyther side both by word and deede and that in euery Towne some of the principall Burgers on both sides should answere for their parties with promise that they should not protect not defend the peace breakers but rather vse all the diligence they could that they might bee punished And besides that all Preachers Elders and Deacons should likewise promise the same as on the contrary side the Priests Deanes Pastors Vicars and Treasurers of the Parishes should doe the like That they would also faithfully promise and protest before GOD not to practise to hurt nor trouble any of the Prelates or Spirituall persons that make profession or shew of the Romish Catholicke religion neither in their persons goods nor in the vse or exercise of their religion but as much as in them lyeth to hinder the same And that if it proceed so farre that any such thing should bee pretended and come vnto their knowledge that they would make it knowne vnto the Magistrate that order might bee taken therein as cause required Where-vnto the chiefest persons amongst them should make promise to performe the same in such places or townes where the free permision of the sayd religion should bee granted and in such number as they should thinke good Once againe promising according to the contents of the first request to intreate some great Lords or Princes to giue their words for them requiring the like of them that made profession of the contrary religion desiring nothing else but to liue peaceably vnder the protection of their Magistrates and that the breakers of the common peace might bee punished To pacifie and satisfie the people touching this request the Arche-duke Mathias the Prince of Orange the counsell of Estate and the generall estates after long and mature deliberation deuised a religious peace in Antwerp for all such townes as would desire the same the which did not in any sort contradict the pacification of Gant so that thereby the prouinces of Brabant Flanders Arthois and Henault were not bound one vnto the other but remained free at liberty amongst them to do as they should thinke conuenient and that so likewise they of Holland and Zeeland might not attempt any thing in the other prouinces against the Catholicke Romish religion and for that the pacification tended onely to the driuing out of the Spaniards and other strange garrisons they thought it a necessary peace and politicke vnion for that as then it was no time to trouble molest persecute kill or murther one the other for religion while they had so great a warre in hand Many and seuerall causes too long to beâ—… rehearsed mooued the sayd estates to yeeld there-vnto as by the sayd religious peace more at large appeareth and for that cause I haue set it downe verbatim as it was deuised Euery man apparantly knoweth that the tyrranous proclamations which had before beene made touching religion by the secret counsell and practises of strangers specially of the Spanish nation with-out hearing the estates of the Netherlands once speake therein and since that great rage and extremitie hath bin showne for the vpholding of the same which are the causes of all our present calamities for that by meanes thereof the priuileges rights and lawdable customes of the countrey haue in some sort beene broken and troden vnder-foote and in fine procured a miserable warre which is vndertaken by the enemies of our natiue countrey onely to bring vs into vtter ruine and slauerie and for that there was no other remedie to withstand the same but to bring all the Prouinces into one vnitie and accorde thereof proceeded the pacification of Gant which after many and seuerall deliberations and consultations taken therein as well by the Bishops and Diuines as by the counsell of estate and others from that time forward had beene approoued confirmed and by publicke oth sworne vnto not onely by the estates of all the Netherlands both spirituall and temporall in generall and particuler but also by Don. Iohn of Austria in the name of the King making an accord with the estates aforesayd touchching the pacifying of the warre and the auoyding of all other inconueniences and although wee hoped that in the obseruing of the same no faults would bee committed by the sayd Don Iohn whose office specially was as beeing appointed to gouerne and rule the sayd Netherlands to haue holden and maintained the same in peace and tranquillitie neuer-the-lesse dooing the contrary hee had broken the sayd pacification in many points and by diuerse meanes contrary to his oth made shewe hee would not bee satisfied there-with so that the afore-sayd warre is once againe renewed by him which hath for the preseruation of our naturall libertie and defence mutually to beare armes together beeing thereby and by meanes of the extremities where-into the sayd warre as the mother of all disorders and insolencies hath brought vs forced to doe and permit diuers things that are preiudiciall to religion and the obedience due vnto his Maiestie which wee otherwise neuer thought nor pretended and at this present cannot with-stand as at diuerse times before the begining of this warre we haue protested both by letters and Ambassadors sent vnto his Maiesty and also vnto the said Don Iohn and although wee want neither will nor meanes to procure our defence not-with-standing for that the diuersity of the prouinces and of mens opinions hinder the cause it is to bee douted that neither our good wills nor yet our abilities will preuaile vnlesse we proceed to a more strict and stronger band of amity indissoluble accord and vnion especially in the matter of religion for considering that not onely by reason of the warre but also in regard of the ineuitable frequentation and conseruation of the marchants and other inhabitants of the countries and Prouinces bordering vpon vs as of France England Germany and others hauing the pretended reformed religion amongst them the same religion hath for some time beene followed and maintained in diuers Prouinces of the Netherlands so it is much to be feared that if the liberty and exercise of the same as well as
of the Romish religion bee not permitted with a friendly accord and religious peace taking for example the countries of Germany and France who by that meanes haue ouercome all their troubles and liue in peace and quietnesse whereas before they could not abide nor endure one the other vsing all acts of hostility that for want thereof great dangers blood-sheading and other inconueniences will ensewe whereby our common enemy being within the countrie shall haue meanes to worke his will whereas to the contrary by a peaceable vnion being ioyned and vnited together wee may defend our-selues against all inconueniences and troubles All which wee hauing well considered and specially that the enemy feareth nothing more then that hee should see vs once vnited in religion and therefore seeketh vnder pretence thereof on all sides to hold and keepe vs in diuision meaning neither to spare reformed nor Catholike what-so-euer if hee may preuaile hauing also considered that they of the pretended reformed religion haue by diuers petitions instantly desired that the free exercise thereof might bee permitted vnto them with and vnder such restraints and conditions as are conuenient we for the common peace and quietnes of the country after mature-deliberation therein taken not onely with the deputies of the generall estates but also perticularly hauing therein heard the aduice of the estates of euery Prouince ordaine and by these presents decree the articles ensewing and that without any preiudice of the vnion of the Prouinces the which need not to diuide them-selues one from the other by reason of this Edict especially for that no man is compelled to alter or change his religion nor yet to accept the liberty of the contrarie religion vnlesse hee thinke it good First that all wrongs and Iniuries happened and done since the pacification of Gant in regard of the religion shall bee forgiuen and forgotten as if they had neuer happened so that for them no man shall bee called in question nor molested neither by order of lawe nor otherwise nor any inquiry or serch made touching the same vpon paine to bee punished as transgressors and breakers of the peace and perturbers of the common welth And that the same in regard of the diuersity of religion may not be maintayned vpholden a planted nor suppressed by force of armes nor any more contention nor question happen about the same it is ordayned and decreed that euery one touching the said two religions may liue in freedome of conscience as he will answer before God for the same in such sort that they shall not trouble one the other but that euery man both spirituall and temporall shall peaceably and quietly hold and enioy his owne goods and serue God according to the knowledge wherewith hee hath indowed him and as hee will answer before GOD at the latter day which shall continew in this sort and vntill such time as that both parts being heard speake for them-selues by a generall or nationall counsell it shall bee otherwise ordred and determined And to the end that the afore-said libertie of conscience in religion may be vsed and obserued with conuenient tolerable conditions for the quietnes and saffety of either part it is ordained that from henceforth the Catholike and Romish Religion shall bee reestablished and set vp againe not onely in the townes of Holland and Zeeland but in all other townes and places of the Netherlands wherein it was put downe there to be peaceably and freely exercised without any trouble or molestation giuen or procured vnto those that desire to follow the same so they be not lessee then a hundred households in euery great towne or vilage such as haue dwelt and inhabited therein at the least for the space of a whole yeare and in the small townes and villages the most part of the inhabitants to bee of a yeares standing And that also the afore-said reformed Religion shall and may hencefore bee freely erercised and vsed in euery towne and place of the Netherlands whereas it shall bee desired or required by the inhabitants of the same being in nomber as afore-said Alwaies prouided that both they of the one and the other religion shall present them-selues before the magistrate where they shall seeke to haue the excercise of their said religion who presently shall appoint them a conuenient place for the same that is in Holland and Zeeland for them of the old religion such Churches and chappels as shall be found to be fit conuenient and for want of them certaine places where they vsed to stand where the said Catholikes may cause their chapell or church to bee newly erected and in other prouinces for the reformed religion such conuenient places as the Magistrates shall giue and appoint them so that they be a good way distant from the Catholike Church if it be possible to the end that by reason of the neerenes of the places there may no question nor strife arise as it is many times seene to fall out In which places euery one of them shall and may doe hold heare and celebrate their Godly ceremonies as Preaching Praying Singing Baptizing Sacraments Burialles Mariages Schooles and all other things respectiuely belonging to there seuerall religions And where the aforesaid exercise of the reformed religion is not don openly no man shall beeonce spoken vnto nor brought in question for the same in any manner for any thing that hee shall doe concerning the same within his owne house Expressely forbidding vpon the paine aforesaid both they of the one and the other religion of what estate or quality soeuer they be not to trouble nor molest one the other by word or deed in the exercise of their respectiue religion and the circumstances thereof neither yet to scandalize or mocke one the other But that euery man shall abstaine and refraine to come to the place where other religion then his owne is exercised and taught vnlesse he abstaine from comitting any scandale or offence gouerneth himselfe according to the rules and orders of the said Church and temple whervnto he shall goe vpon paine as aforesaid That all monkes religious and other eclesiasticall persons shall and may freely vse all their goods tithes and other dewties belonging vnto them without any molestation or hinderance whatsoeuer And this without any preiudice to the Prouinces of Holland and Zeeland who touching the spirituall goods shall take such order as is set downe in the twenty two article of the aforesaid pacifications of Gaunt vntill it shall bee otherwise prouided by the generall estates and to auoyd all prouocations to anger and other questions it is expressly forbidden to make signe or openly to set forth any flouting iniurious ballates songs rimes libels or scandalous writings neither yet to print or sell them on either side It is likewise forbidden to all preachers lecturers and others of what religion soeuer they be that are to speake or preach openly to vse any speech or proposition tending to vprore or
their should bee published a lawe of amnesty or forgetfullnes to take away all doubts and that euery man may bee the more assured and content to the end that their hearts might be vnited and mutuall loue entertained These articles were approued by most of the Bourguers and Magistrats who intreated the Prince that hee would perswade the companies of trades and the members of the towne there-vnto that no man might make any difficulty for as for that which they pretended that two religions could not subsist in one towne that had beene sufficiently discoursed of in a petition touching liberty of religion exhibited by the protestants themselues in the moneths of Iune and Iuly going before vnto the Archduke Prince and States by the which they craue nothing more but that they might freely exercise their religion which free exercise being allowed them of Gant it was reason that therein they should agree with the Romish Catholikes whereby euery one might serue God according to his conscience and as he will answer at the day of Iudgment for the helth of his soule As for the transporting of the prisoners out of Gant to Antwerp or any other place where they pleased that they should make no further difficultie seeing the towne drawes no proffit thereby but only great charge and trouble to keep them the which they were not resolued to send into any neuter place without good caution and fideiussory bonds To induce the Ganthois therevnto the Prince alledged vnto them first the duty wherevnto they were bound the inconueniences that were like to growe if they were not vnited the neighbourhood of the Wallons Malcontents who practised a priuate reconciliation with the Spaniards the oppressions which the lesser townes of Flanders were forced to suffer to contribute besides their ordinary taxes to these wallons so as they of Oudembourg had for a long time paid eighteene hundred florins a day That the other members of Flanders would not depart from the obedience of the Archduke the Prince and States that the other Poruinces as Brabant Holland and Zeeland might abandon them in danger of their enemies who would soone bring them vnder to their totall ruine In the end so many goodly perswasions and reasons were made vnto them by the Prince and others well affected to their country as the sixteene of December they agreed and the free exercise of the Romish Relligion was established By reason whereof certaine Churches were restored to the Catholikes for their deuotion and seruice and liberty to go in procession within the Churches onely and to carry the Sacrament in the streets without bells or other ceremonies The religious men were restored to their Cloisters and couents but if any would not returne by reason of their consciences then the Magistrats should appoint them reasonable maintenance And that for the greater ease and releefe of their poore the foure orders of their begging friars should be excluded some other cloisters and monasteries were made Colledges and scholes for both religions none of the said religions might molest disquiet nor scandalize the other in word nor deed The Protestants might not enter into any Church of the Romish Relligion if they would not behaue and gouerne themselues as the rest vpon festiuall daies limited none should doe any worke publikly nor open any shoppe In regard of opening of the butchery and selling of flesh therein they should obserue the auncient Statutes and orders of the towne The subiects of both relligions should take an oth vnto their superiors to bee obedient and to helpe to punish the wicked especially the breakers of this decree And according to the same the Archduke Prince and States shall hould them vnder their defence and protection All commanders collonels captaines and officers present to come shal swere to entertaine al these points and articles as also the cheefe of trades and companies with the ministers those of consistories clergimen chapters colledges and couents shall also sweare the same As for the prisoners not any thing was determined but that nothing should be attempted against them without good knowledg of the cause After this accord the clergy-men returned euery one into the possession of his goods dignities Monasteries and Churches but this good vnion continued not long as we will show All things being thus reformed in the towne of Gant the Arch-duke Prince and States thought it good to treat and make an agrement with the Malcontents and Wallons that were at Menin wherein they imployed some noblemen and gentlemen whome they knew to haue some credit and authority among them with the best perswations they could deuise to pacifie them and to draw them to some good accord But nothing was effected for those that were the cheefe motiues of their alterasions for the kings seruice as they said that is Damp Iohn Sarasin Abbot of Saint Vaast of Arras the Seignior of Capres William of Vasseur Seignor of Valhuon and some others tending to desiunction as we haue said alleding that by this liberty of Religion graunted by the former articles the pacification of Gant and the vnion which had followed it were violated and were directly repugnant vnto them whereby they began to discouer that these alterations of the Malcontents sought some other subiect or collour to disioyne them from the generality then the payment of their entertainement which they had alwaies made great shew of The Marquis of Haurec and the councellor Meerkerke were sent vnto them but nothing preuayled and this mischeefe so increased as by little and little the said Abbot and others with the Seignior of la Motte woone sometimes one and sometimes an other And in the end the Vicont of Gant fearing to loose his gouernment of Arthois which he knew the Seignior of Capres Gouernor of Arras did affect ioyned with them The Earle of Lalain gouernor of Henault hauing suffered himselfe to bee perswaded thought also to draw his Brother the Seneshall of Henault vnto them being afterwards Prince of Espinoy The Ganthois on the other side imputing all these actions of the Malecontents where of the Seignior of Montigni Heze Capres la Motte and Alennes were the cheefe to mere ambition priuate profit desire of rule and hatred to the Protestants religion and for their parts hauing tasted the sweetnes of ecclesiasticall goods which they had formerly seazed on the which to fall to some agreement with the Malcontents they had left seeing the practises of these gettlemen to continue that moued them to stirre vp the comons againe against the clergy to breake and beat downe Images more then before and their insolencie grew so great as to breake vp tombes and to open the sepulkers of Princes among others that of the Queene of Denmarke sister to the Emperor Charles the fift to haue the lead she was wrapt in troubling the rest of the dead who lay for a time vpon the pauement without sepulkers Then they began to chase away all Preests Monks
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
garrison withall others that haue any Estates charges or Offices of warre or otherwise shall take an oth to maintaine the Catholike Religion and obedience due to vs according to the sayd pacification the vnion which followed the perpetuall Edict and this present treatie And not to receiue change or admit any garrison without the priuitie of the gouernor generall of the Prouince and the aduise of the Estates of euery Prouince or of their deputies Alwaies prouided that in case of vrgent necessitie the sayd Prouinciall Gouernor may haue garrisons in forts whereas they haue beene accustomed to bee hauing taken an oth and being at our seruice in euery Prouince Wee promise not to charge nor cause to bee charged the townes nor countrie of the sayd reconciled Prouinces with any strange souldiars nor with them of the countrie vnlesse they shall desire it by reason of warre or some iminent dangers or that they haue beene vsually accustomed to haue them in which case the garrisons shall bee of the naturall borne of the countrie pleasing to the sayd Estates respectiuely Wee will and ordaine that in all Townes and Borroughs where the Magistrates haue beene renewed extraordinarilie since the beginning of the troubles shall bee restored according to the customes and preuiledges of euery place obserued in the time of the happie and glorious memorie of the Emperor Charles our Lord and father And that order bee giuen the sayd Magistrates bee respected and obeied as is fit for the auoyding of all new inconueniences Wee promise to imploy alwaies in the generall gouernment of our Netherlands a Prince or Princesse of our bloud hauing the partes and qualities requisite for so great a charge wherewith our subiects ought in reason to bee satisfied who shall gouerne with all Iustice and equitie according to the lawes and customes of the countrie taking a sollemne oth to maintaine the pacification of Gant the vnion which followed the perpetuall Edict and this present treatie in all points and Articles and namely the Catholike Romish Religion and our due obedience fore-warning the sayd Estates as wee haue accustomed of our choise meaning that our Nephew for sixe moneths for the great desire which wee haue aboue all things to procure the peace and quiet of our good subiects shall doe his best endeauor to aduance and effect the retreat of the strangers and the deliuerie of places to bee presently receiued in the gouernment generall of our sayd Netherlands obseruing the accustomed sollemnities And for the better satisfaction of our sayd Estates and subiects hee shal be serued by them that are naturall borne in the countrie and by as fewe strangers as may be And the more to gratefie them we desire that hee shall not entertaine aboue 25. or 30. strangers who shall not in any sort deale with the affaires of the country Hauing notwithstanding such a gard as precedent Gouernors Princes or Princesses of our bloud haue beene accustomed to haue of Archers and Halbardiers borne in the countrie or Germaines vnder Commanders of qualitie of the countrie with which our sayd Nephew the Estates shall hold good correspondencie from hence-forth and shall aduertise him of all things that shall passe touching the execution of the sayd treatie and al that which depends thereon all commissions prouisions and Edicts being made by and in our name onely At the end of which sixe moneths if we haue not aduanced to the said gouernment either him or some other of thelike quality to the end that no disorder nor confusion shall happen it shall bee gouerned by the councell of estate attending a new provision Which councell of estate shall consist of twelue men at our choyse as well noblemen gentlemen as lawyers borne in the contry as hath bin accustomed wherof two third parts shall be pleasing to the sayd estates and such as haue followed their party from the beginning vnto the ending Of the which fiue shall haue an accustomed commission from vs and the other three but a simple prouision for three monethes at the end whereof we may if wee please continue them or chose others of the like quality to lâ—…aue a meanes for the Prouinces to reconcile them-selues And with the resolution and aduise of the sounder part of them who shall be bound to take the oth aboue mentioned all dispatches shall be made as in the time of our most honored Lord and father the Emperor Charles which shall be viewed by one of the said councellors to preuent all inconueniences That to all Gouernments which hereafter for sixe yeares to come shall fall voyde in the said prouinces reconcyled we shall preferre such as are borne in our Netherlands or strangers either of them being pleasing vnto the estates of the said Prouinces respectiuely capable fit and qualified according to the preuiledges thereof And as for our priuie councellors of the treasor and other officers of importance we will aduance such as are borne in the country or others to the good likeing of the said estates who before their reception shall be bound to sweare sollemnly this present accord and promise by oth in case they shall discouer any thing that is treated to the preiudice thereof to aduertise the estats of the Prouinces vpon paine to be held periured and infamous We haue also ratified and do ratifie all constituâ—…ions of rents pensions and other obligations assurances and other impositions which the said estates by the accord of euery Prouince haue made or past or shal make or passe to all those that haue assisted or furnished them with mony to releeue their necessities and payment of debts contracted by reason of the warres and troubles past conformable to the eighteene Article of our perpetuall edict And hereafter they shall not bee taxed nor charged in any other sort nor manner then they haue beene in the time and raigne of our deceased Lord and Father Charles the â—…ift and by the consent of the Estates of euery Prouince respectiuely That all priuiledges vses and customes as well in generall as in particular shal bee maintayned and if any haue beene violated they shal bee repaired and restored The sayd reconciled Prouinces shal be bound to renounce all leagues and confedetions which they may haue made since the beginning of the changes and alterations And for that the sayd Estates held themselues bound vnto our deere sister the Queene of England and to the Duke of Aniou Brother to the most Noble and Christian King for the good assistance that they haue receiued from them Wee will send two moneths after that our said Nephew the Prince of Parma and Placentia shall bee entred into the Gouernment generall persons of quality vnto them to doe all good offices and the confederation and ancient amitie with our said Sister shall bee continued reciprocally And to in crease and augment the loue and affection which Princes ought to beare vnto their subiects and that they may bee the better inclined to the respect and obedience
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
of the countrouersie they had with the territories therabouts were so blinded as Iacob Hillebrand bourgomaster who was chiefe commaunder of the kings chamber in Groning and the chiefe man in the towne and he on whom they of the Religion did chiefly relie the euening before the towne reuolted to the king supped with him and told him very plainly of the report that men made of him saying That he hoped he had no such bad entent in him wherewith the earle wrung him by the hand and said What my good father whom I trust so well haue you such an opinion of me and with such like faire speeches smoothed the matter so well that the same euening the said bourgomaster being in company with certain of the magistrats and those of the reformed religion assured them of the earle of Renenberghes good meaning intent towards them yet caused them of the religion to keep good watch in their owne houses wherby they thought to be sufficiently assured But the earle of Renenberghs practises being more and more suspected he began to feare that the prince of Orange would enter into Groning with his guard therfore durst not protract his design any longer although as then he was not sure of any reliefe for that not long before he was certified that certaine souldiers that were comming to Campen should aid him who as they were passing ouer the Rhin were by the Drossart of Recklinghuysē others ouerthrown for which cause vpon the 2 of March he assēbled his houshold seruants diuers bourgers affected to the Spaniards certaine souldiers that he had kept secretly in the morning when by his espials he vnderstood that the watch held by those of the reformed religiō were asleep at 5 of the clock being armed at all points he rode out of his house with all his adherents euery man hauing a white scarfe vpon his left arme into the market place and hauing his sword drawne in his hand he sayd Stand aside stand aside good bourgers this day am I right gouernour of this towne let vs now accomplish and effect that which is requisite for the kings seruice and our owne defence and therwith caused diuers trumpets and drums to be sounded a great noise to be made The aforesaid bourgomaster Hillebrand putting himselfe presently into armes with some of the reformed Religion marched thither saying vnto him How now sir is this done as a good gouernour ought to do vnto the people but one of the earle of Renenberghs boyes shot at him and slew him presently whereupon the rest began to flie whereof some were taken prisoners and some fled into their houses but there was no more killed but only a bourgers sonne of Breame After that they ran through the streets shooting at all that looked out at the windowes that done they went and made search throughout all the towne and tooke all those prisoners that were not well thought on by the Spanish affected bourgers being at the least two hundred of the best townes men wherof some were very hardly vsed who notwithstanding afterwards by diuers meanes were set at liberty all the preachers and diuers other good bourgers got secretly away The earle hauing in this sort gotten Groning into his hands presently changed the magistrats and caused their reconciliation with the king and the prince of Parma to be proclaimed and the townesmen to sweare to be true vnto the king writing vnto the territories therabouts to moue them to ioyne with him with commandement to arme themselues to withstand the mutinous regiment of Bartel Entens and others But the ioy and triumph made by the earle and his adherents endured not long for that the same day they found themselues inclosed and besieged for that captaine Cornput the same morning hauing intelligence thereof by certaine that fled out of the towne presently caused Olthofs company of Dam and the companies of Suyetlaren of Vliet Schaghen and Weda to march towards Groning that if peraduēture those that were affected vnto the Estates within the towne could find any meanes to relieue themselues they might be readie to assist them who got good bootie in the cloyster of Essen for that Aelkin Ousta who had maried the earle of Renenberghs aunts daughter and Asin Entes that lay at Vries the same euening were come to the cloyster of Essen and for that Cornput feared least they of Groning should kil their prisoners he wrot that if they did so he would reuenge it vpon their friends and adherents At the same time the earles letters were intercepted wherein he wrot vnto all the great and small townes in Oueryssel and in the best manner he could shewed them of his enterprise hoping by his subtile persuasions and by aid of those that were addicted to the Spaniards to induce them to ioine with him but he was preuented for that vpon the twelfth of March by meanes of the bourgers which were addicted to the Estates and by the procurement of Sonoy they of Campen receiued Hans Pluyms companie into the towne The townesmen of Deuenter likewise rose vp in armes and brake downe the Images and the cloysters in despight of the Spanish faction The like did they of Swool as also of Vtrecht and other places round about a moneth before They of Friseland and the territories and those of Drenth brake down the Images in euery place and sold their cloyster lands goods and draue some of the priests out of their townes so as the earle of Renenberghs reuolt procured much harme vnto the Catholickes The smaller townes as Oldenzeel Steenwicke Hasselt and others still held with the earle of Renenbergh although they made shew to be for the Estates But the prince of Orange lying in Campen sought by all the meanes hee could to keepe those of Oueryssel in obedience willing Sonoy with Cornputs and Wynegards companies to goe to Coeuoorden to keepe the passage that way and also by Wedden that they of Groning might haue no aid Sonoy forthwith fortified Coeuoorden wherein he vsed an enginor of Alcmar and inclosed it with seuen bulwarkes letting the castle that was begun by Cornput lye as he found it in regard that the countrey would not endure to haue any more castles but not long after the male-contents built it vp This worke begun by Sonoy for want of mony was afterwards neglected as also the new fortification with the fiue bulwarkes made in the middle of Boertange whereby the country not long after endured much spoile and great trouble At the same time the prince of Orange sent the earle of Hohenlo once more against the pesants that held with the Spaniards as also to take the small townes aforesaid who vpon the tenth of Aprill tooke the towne of Oldenzeel vpon condition from thence went to Linghen but did little there Meane time Bartel Entens had besieged Groning with thirteen companies of foot and two cornets of horsemen which before were of the
the virgine of Antuerpe and at euery corner of a street where he should passe scaffolds were made whereon they did figure diuers histories and morals fit for the reception of a new prince to serue him as an example and president the which for the most part were interpreted vnto him with many arches colosses pyramides and other shewes of triumph All which solemnities and ceremonies continued vntill night the canon still thundering from the rampars In the end he was conducted with this royall traine vnto his palace in the abbey of S. Michael where supper attended him being also prepared for al the noblemen that did accompanie him Thursday following being the two and twentieth day of the moneth the duke went vnto the towne-house before the which there was a great scaffold erected and richly appointed where according to the accustomed solemnities and ceremonies he tooke a particular oath to the towne of Antuerpe in the bourgomasters hands with an oration to the people pronounced by the pentioner Then the Amptman did read with a loud voice in the vulgar tongue to the bourgomasters sherifes officers counsell of the towne and to all the people the oath which they made vnto the duke so as lifting vp their hands they did sweare fealtie and obedience vnto him which done they cast gold and siluer abroad as before after which the duke with all the noblemen French English and Netherlanders went and dined in the State house The duke being thus inuested in the duchie of Brabant and the Marquisite of the holy empire the Romish Catholickes of the towne of Antuerpe did importune him to haue free and publicke exercise of their Religion relying vpon the dukes profession of the same Religion to whom in the end there was graunted by the aduice of the prince of Orange and the counsell of Estate that they might assist at Masse Euensong and other ceremonies in the temple of S. Michaels abbey when as the duke should be present vpon condition that they should take the oath which was propounded vnto them On the other side the prince of Orange presented vnto him the deputies of the consistories of the Protestant Religion who came to congratulate his happie comming to this new Estate and duchie of Brabant offering him all seruice fidelitie and obedience as to their prince and soueraigne lord beseeching him that he would in like sort receiue them vnder his defence safegard and protection as his most humble subiects and obedient vassals and representing vnto him the example of his grand father Francis the first they besought him to haue learning and learned men in recommendation and then they ended their speech with a prayer vnto God That hee would giue him the courage of Dauid the wisedome of Salomon and the zeale of Ezechias Whereupon the duke answered That hee was glad and very well pleased to see their concord and vnitie that he did hope so to gouerne them as they should neuer be frustrate of that good expectation which they had of him wherein he would imitate the steps of his predecessours and so thanking them for the loue and affection they seemed to beare him he receiued them and all the people in generall vnder his defence and protection intreating them that they would perseuer in their profession and good endeuors promising to maintaine them therein to gratifie all learned men professors schollers and others After the conquest of the towne of Tournay the prince of Parma suffered his armie to rest some time in the townes and places which hee had recouered from the Estates where they made themselues to be serued and obserued after the Spanish manner And in the mean time hee held a counsell with the Estates of Arthois and Henault not onely concerning the gouernment generall which the duchesse his mother being returned to Namur pretended as we haue said but chiefely to cause his Spanish Italian high Dutch and Bourguignon forces to returne who according to the treatie of their reconciliation were gone out of the countrey whereon he did the more insist pretending that the said article was put into the treatie onely to induce and moue the other prouinces of Brabant Flanders c. to enter into the reconciliation who if they had reconciled themselues as they did the said troupes had then beene quite excluded as vnprofitable in these parts But now said he seeing it hath not succeeded and that the vnreconciled prouinces had now showne themselues greater enemies to the king and them than euer hauing called the French to their aid it was more than necessarie for their good and the kings seruice to haue those strange souldiors called backe Whereunto in the end the Estates of Arthois and Henault yeelded for the which an Act was made which Damp Iohn Sarasin abbot of S. Vaast in Arras carried into Spaine hauing his brother N. Sarasin a taylor by profession with him whom the king for the loue of the sayd abbot made a knight and afterwards by meanes of the church goods and the helpe of my lord abbot hee attained to great wealth and among other things hee purchased the Seigniorie of Alennes by meanes whereof and of his knighthood this taylor by the recommendation of his brother obtained letters of Estate to be admitted with the chiefe noblemen in the assembly of the Estates of the countie of Arthois and so might the said abbot whom the king had made counsellor of Estate in the Netherlands discouer the secrets of the particular Estates of Arthois for which cause hee was afterwards excluded by the auncient nobilitie of the countrey not without an affront which hee disgested quietly This abbot when as all men would seeme to make shew to be well affected vnto their countrey against Dom Iohn of Austria did write a bitter inuectiue against the tyrannous and cruell gouernment of the Spaniards He was learned and well spoken a right Courtier and exceeding ambitious in the end he became archbishop of Cambray in which hee dyed in the yeare 1598. According vnto the dispatch of this abbot touching the accord which was made with them of Arthois and Henault the king did presently leuie two regiments of Spaniards two of Italians and some of the high Dutchmen both horse and foot sending seuen hundred thousand duckets for the warres of the Netherlands A little before and also at the same season the king honoured some noblemen his vassales of those countries with goodly titles but more honourable than profitable Robert of Melun lord of Richebourg and by his wife Vicont of Gant although that in the time of Dom Iohn he had beene a great enemie vnto him and gouernour of Arthois was created marquesse of Roubay the which being heretofore but a baronie which his mother the princesse of Espinoy had giuen him Oudard of Bournonuille Seignior of Capres gouernour of the towne and citie of Atras had his baronie of Hennin Lietard translated to an earledome Iohn of S. Omer Seignior of Morbeque gouernour of Aire
their horsemen did not second them fainted and fled to saue their liues of the which there were about two hundred slaine and taken prisoners The second of May there was a generall fast commanded by the duke and the generall Estates throughout all the vnited prouinces to giue God thankes for the prince of Orange his health and that they had obtained a good prince in making choice of the duke who did defend and maintaine them against the Spanish tyrannie The lady Charlotte of Bourbon wife to the prince of Orange hauing first conceiued an exceeding griefe for her husbands hurt and afterwards by his recouerie an incredible ioy being deliuered of child she fell into a continuall burning feauer whereof she dyed the fifth of May leauing vnto the prince six daughters who had all great marriages Shee was buried in our ladies church in Antuerpe with a stately funerall pompe The eight of Iune following there also dyed in the same towne the lady Mary of Lalain wife to Peter of Melun prince of Espinoy Seneschall of Henault c. and was buried in the Quier of the Church of S. Michaels abbey in the same towne without the Romish ceremonies About that time the Seignior of Hautepenne sonne to the earle of Barlamont made a rode with six hundred horse about Antuerpe from whence he carried a great bootie in prisoners cattell and other goods Captaine Alonzo a Spaniard who serued the duke a braue souldier being in garrison in Liere wâ—…â—…forth with his troupe of horse and charged them but he was hurt and taken yet he wâ—… pâ—…ntly rescued and carried backe into Liere where he remained sicke in his bed of this wound vntill that hee was traiterously sold to the prince of Parma by a Scottish captaine as you shall presently see At this time the duke of Aniou his men made another enterprise vpon the towne of Arschot with some troupes of horse and foot but being entred a good way into the towne they were repulsed with the losse of thirtie men All this Summer was spent in enterprises on eyther side but few succeeded yet the garrisons of Dyest and Herental surprised Tillemont in Brabant for the Estates in the which there were three companies for the prince of Parma lodged in a cloyster which they defeated in their retrenchment then they sacked the towne and abandoned it The prince of Parma keeping then his court at Tournay went to Namur to receiue the troupes which the earle of Martinengues and Dom Iohn of Manriques de Lara brought vnto him The duke of Aniou and Brabant about that time made certaine proclamations for his greater assurance and brake quarter with the men of warre commaunding them not to take any enemie to ransome He also brake the licences which are certaine customes and tols imposed vpon all marchandise passing from one countrey to another not suffering that any thing should be transported either by water or land vnto the enemie and generally not to traffique nor to haue any correspondencie with them by exchange or otherwise in what sort soeuer The foureteenth of Iuly the duke being accompanied by the princes of Orange and Espinoy and all their traine departed from Antuerpe to go into Zeeland from whence on the sixteenth day he went to Scluse to make his entry the next day into Bruges The bourgers went forth of the towne well appointed in armes to meet him along the riuer which goeth from Bruges to Dam hauing some number of the sworn companies of crosse-bows harguebusiers and archers in very good equipage appointed for his guard They of the towne of Antuerpe of the same qualitie did attend him thither and then returned home The duke entring into the towne was receiued with great humilitie by the foure members of Flanders and was conducted through the streets with all the honour they could deuise hauing triumphant arches liuely representations made vpon scaffolds artificiall figures painted statues pyramides porches with such like and diuers kinds of flames and artificiall fires flying in the aire whereby they made shew how pleasing and acceptable his comming and entry was vnto them receiuing him for their prince and lord as earle of Flanders The duke being in this towne of Bruges there was a great treason discouered inuented by a Spaniard or a Spaniards sonne called Nicholas Salcedo of one Francisco Baza an Italian of a horseman of Fernando of Gonzagues companie and of one Nicholas Hugot called La Borde a Frenchman who were corrupted and set on by the prince of Parma or his counsell in the name of the king of Spaine to murther the said duke and the prince of Orange both together or apart in what sort soeuer as it appeared by the confession and processe of the said Salcedo and by that which happened to Francisco Baza This Salcedo had beene at the dukes request saued from the gallowes at Rouan being accused of coyning being after that retyred for a time into Spaine he returned into Lorraine where he came into the dukes seruice at the victualling of Cambray and so followed him continually vnto Antuerpe thinking to be there employed and to haue some charge but he was alwayes held in iealousie by the prince of Orange And as the said Salcedo was very familiar with the Seignior Amoral afterwards earle of Egmont whom the prince loued not onely for the good remembrance of his father but for that the Countesse his mother had recommended him and all her other children vnto him at the houre of her death in Antuerpe and also for that the said Seignior Amoral made profession of the Protestants Religion and receiued the Communion these reasons made the prince to aske him once in secret what great acquaintance and familiaritie he had with the said Salcedo Hee answered him That hee had none but for the loue of Alchimie whereupon the prince replyed That hee feared some worse matter aduising him to beware of him and not to conuerse any more with him wishing him withall not to discouer any thing of this aduertisement to Salcedo Yet notwithstanding this young nobleman whether it were of lightnesse or for that it is the nature of man to affect that most which is most forbiddeâ—…â—…im at his first encounter with Salcedo he discouered all vnto him Vpon certaine aduertisements and strong presumptions Salcedo was apprehended Francisco Baza was without the court attending for him and seeing that he came not in the end he asked for him and so was in like manner laid hold on La Borde fearing or discouering something saued himselfe Salcedo and Baza being examined vpon the aduertisements and circumstances which they had to confirme the presumptions of their fact they did confesse and signe it that their designe was to haue murthered or poysoned the duke and prince in what sort soeuer The young lord Amoral was in like sort examined who confessed presently that he had bewrayed vnto Salcedo all that the prince had said vnto him touching the conuersation and familiaritie he
vnto them than the Spaniards or French seeing they know well that the said Wallons haue the chiefe charges and commands one beeing lieutenant of the armie another generall of the horse the third master of the ordnance and the fourth generall of the victuals and munition And whereas some imagine that treating with the male contents and the Spaniard retired they shall bee more assured to recouer their free traffique into Spaine and that the Spaniard being farre from them they shall be in lesse feare of surprise than of the French who are neerer neighbours Seeing it is so as they hold the French an enemie in the same degree with the Spaniard experience hath taught by this attempt newly happened that whensoeuer the French shall haue committed any errour or broken the accord what support they shall find But the condition of the Spaniard is otherwise for hauing not onely the countrey the townes and the dismembred States at his commandement beeing in warre against the vnited States hauing the chiefe members thereof professed Spaniards hee shall not need many Spaniards nor Italians to subiect them to his will those which are borne in the countrey imploying themselues with al violence vnder the kings authoritie which they haue in their hands whereby the inhabitants shal be easily supplanted depriued of their religion and consequently burthened with the yoke of the Inquisition and spoyled of their goods priuiledges and freedoms notwithstanding their treaties without all mercie Wherefore we must consider that the Spaniards are neerer than the French beeing seated in the middest of both for which consideration hee sees no reason to hearken to the Spaniard if you wil not see religion liberties yea and the country lost ruined for euer In regard of the duke of Aniou whom hee would not denie according to the treatie of Bourdeaux to be fallen from all his rights in these parts and that he hath no ground to challenge any benefit by the sayd treatie whereby it appeares what foolish and pernitious counsell hee hath followed considering also the feare in the which both hee and his haue beene since this attempt the which should make him more wise and circumspect to preserue himselfe and his nobilitie beeing not the part of a wife and circumspect man to stumble twice at one stone that it is common to all men to erre the which may happen vnto them if they doe not reconcile themselues with him whereby may grow so great a iealousie and distrust betwixt the two nations as afterwards there will bee small meanes to reconcile them Finally it were to bee feared that they which are about his person would counsell him or that they vnder his authoritie would attempt something against religion Hee said also That he knew well that some among them thought it not good to agree with one that was not of their religion for certaine considerations Whereupon they were to consider that the duke held many good townes in his hands the which in case they reiected him he might deliuer vp vnto their enemies seeing that of himselfe hee should haue no meanes to preserue them whereby many other good townes should fall into great danger especially the enemy being master of the field It was in like manner to bee feared that if they did incense the duke they should also haue the French king for their enemie who would bee more heauie vnto them than any other whereby they should bee in danger to loose their nauigation both into Spaine and France and also to bee sodainely inuaded by two mightie enemies As for the queene of England although he doubts not but shee will disauow the dukes fact yet will she be sorie for the great recommendation and good testimonie shee hath giuen of him to the Estates but when shee shall vnderstand that it is by their faults that these breaches are not repaired and that they would not reconcile themselues againe vnto him her Maiestie will take this refusall in verie ill part They must also consider how few friends they shall haue elsewhere and how euerie one will abandon them And it is to bee feared that if they agree not with the duke the French will presently lay all passages open to the Spaniard not onely for their victuals munition messengers embassadors gold and siluer but euen for whole armies both of horse and foot which shall quite ruine them so as they may iudge if it doth import them or not On the other side they should make a strict examination of their meanes if they be able to defend themselues and to raise the siege of Eindouen or of any other townes besieged as when they were supported by the dukes forces for the doing whereof they had want of good captaines and souldiers of their owne nation not onely for that the warre hath consumed many but also for that their countries were small and that the most part were retired or might retire to the Spaniard whom they had beene accustomed to serue Besides the greatest part of the people are more giuen to traffique and to handie trades than to armes wherefore it should be needfull to call in forreine souldiers which would cost much to leuie to bring hither and to entertaine so as hauing once resolued you must rather trust them of the religion than any other And as for money euerie one knew how troublesome it had bin hitherto to prouide it onely to pay their garrisons so as it is a wonder how for want of good paiment they could euer maintaine their souldiers so well without mutining seeing that money is the sinew of warre without the which all other prouisions are vnprofitable praying vnto God to send them meanes to recouer it The which hauing well resolued hee propounded vnto them an order which they should hold as well in the gouernement as in the mannaging of militarie and politike affaires euerie one maintaining himselfe in his ranke all which notwithstanding should bee without fruit if money fayles Whereupon he did exhibit vnto them a list of the charges of the warre monethly the which beeing not effectually followed and obserued their Estate could not subsist Of the three points aboue mentioned hee confest freely vnto them that hee had alwayes held the third to bee the best so farre forth as they had meanes to which end hee had laboured foure whole yeares to induce the prouinces thereunto vnder a good and firme vnion and yet had preuailed nothing But seeing they had made shew that they would not yeeld vnto it or that they had not the meanes to do it it was thought good by themselues to seeke the succours of some forreine prince And if any one thought to attaine vnto it by the proper meanes of the countrey without putting in practise the order prescribed and limited by him considering the slownesse of their resolutions hee should preuaile no more than he that thinkes to build a castle in the aire and in the meane time he should expose many townes and
churches vnto danger And if this counsell which he giues them bee not allowable as hee hopes it is for the difficulties which they shall find in the putting it in execution yet he would tell them plainly and openly that hee sees no reason to enter into any conference of peace with the Spaniard And if they must of force make a new accord with the duke of Aniou let them prouide that no towne fall into danger and bee well assured of all the forces and that the captaines may be to the contentment of the Estates This was the prince of Oranges aduice vpon the three points of so great importance entreating them of Antuerpe to conforme themselues vnto the generalitie without doing any thing of themselues and to take this his aduise in good part protesting that he would expose all his meanes yea his life for Religion the generalitie and for the towne of Antuerpe in particular We haue said how that Monsieur de Bellieure was come vnto the Estates from the French king as an intercessor for the duke of Aniou his brother The Estates hauing heard his Oration and according vnto that which he propounded and required begun to treat with him in the dukes name deputing Elbert Leonin chancellor of Gueldre and Adolph of Meelkerke president of Flanders with some others on their behalfe and for the duke were deputed men of authoritie pleasing vnto the Estates among the which was the earle of Laual the Seignior of Espruneaux and others During all this trouble the Estates found small support in their neighbours of Germanie and England but from Fraunce they had many goodly promises which notwithstanding tasted of some threats They had small meanes of their owne to free themselues and they feared much that they should be exposed as a prey and deliuered to the Spaniards which made them to enter the more speedily into the said conference On the other side the duke feared least the townes which he had at his deuotion should want victuals being also desirous to free his nobilitie from prison out of Antuerp for S. Anthonies day which made him yeeld vnto vnreasonable conditions giuing hope that hereafter by his good carriage he would wipe away this blemish and disgrace So in the end they made a prouisionall treaty the 28 of March the which was concluded in Antuerpe as followeth His Highnesse should willingly content himselfe to chuse his abode at Macklyn yet considering that they will treat of new articles and that the ratification of the oath which his Highnesse demaunds hath not beene presently concluded 1 His Highnesse hath resolued according vnto the offer which hath been made vnto him by the Estates to chuse the towne of Dunkerke to reside there for some daies during which time he desires to treat of al things concerning the good of this estate and to determine all difficulties that are now offered 2 His Highnesse promising vpon the faith and word of a prince that being finished that he hath no other intention but is fully resolued to returne presently and stay in the towne of Macklyn according vnto the articles contained in the Estates instruction on the eleuenth of March last past to be assured of the passage of Flanders promising not to attempt any thing against the estate of the countrey the generall Estates nor their deputies who shall in like maner promise and sweare 3 Those of his guard nor of the garrison of Dunkerke shall not attempt any thing against the inhabitants of the said towne nor the reformed Religion and his Highnesse shall haue free exercise of the Catholicke Religion in any Church hee shall please to chuse within Dunkerke euen as he had in Antuerpe 4 His Highnesse shall cause his French garrison to retyre out of Villevoorde hauing a promise from the Estates to fulfill all things that shal be agreed vpon and three of the said deputies shall remaine with his Highnesse and the towne shal be manned with such as are borne in the countrey and pleasing to the Estates of Brabant 5 His Highnesse shall commaund his armie to goe and lodge in the quarter of Lempeloo where it shall be supplied with victuals And the next day the Estates assuring the summe of thirtie thousand crownes of gold to be put into the hands of a Commissarie sent to that end to deliuer them vnto the said armie it shall march to Villebroucke whereas the commaunders colonels captaines and leaders of the men of warre shall take an oath well and truely to serue his Highnesse and the generall Estates and not to attempt any thing against his Highnesse nor the Estates neither in generall nor in particular but shall employ themselues for the seruice of his Highnesse and the Estates against their common enemies Spaniards Italians and their adherents and to passe the riuer hauing receiued money the sayd oath being taken his Highnesse armie being payed and the sayd summe of thirtie thousand crownes furnished to be diuided among the souldiers according vnto a rate which shall be made 6 This done the armie shall passe into Hellegat where it shall in like sort bee furnished with victuals when as the English Scottish and other souldiers shall retire to Ruppelmonde and take the like oath vnto his Highnesse And at the same time when as the hostages shall arriue and the said payments be made his highnesse hauing receiued the hostages and the garrison of Dendermonde being with him the towne to be left and appointed to such as are borne in the countrey and pleasing to the Estates of Flanders and that he shall march towards Eckeloo 7 The armie hauing receiued these things in passing at Villebrouck at the same instant the English Scottish and other souldiers which shall be retyred out of the land of Waes shall passe the riuer of Escaut at Ruppelmonde to be employed where need shall require and from that time all shal be paied equally out of the money that shal be appointed to that end and be furnished with victuals without respecting one more than another The exercise of the catholicke religion shal be free to them of the armie and in the campe 8 Doing this aboue specified and yeelding vp Dendermonde hostages shall be presently giuen for the assurance of the deliuerie and libertie of all the prisoners that are in Antuerpe and other places detained since the 17 of Ianuarie last past together with the restitution of papers which were in a box in his Highnesse cabinet were taken in Quinsays lodging and the goods carried to the towne-house vnder the magistrates commaund without taking of any exception in regard thereof And as for the moueables which are in priuate houses and Frenchmens lodgings they shal be also restored as much as was found in being the tenth of this present moneth 9 His Highnesse shall also promise that the decrees made in France shall be reuoked and that the prisoners goods and ships arrested at Dunkerke belonging to any person inhabiting in these prouinces
estate And euery one knowing how long hee hath dealt in the affaires of this countrie and of the councel of estate may persuade himselfe that it is not without reason that hee doth attribute vnto himselfe this knowledge And therefore bee intreats all men of iudgement especially those that make profession of the religion to allowe him something which cannot bee knowne but to such as haue pierst into the bowels of the affaires of Spaine as he hath often and long time done But hee is content that all good men which haue interest in the cause should consider of that which is set to the viewe of euery man and knowne to all the world and then iudge of the king of Spaines resolutions that is whether the beginning of this monarchie of Spaine bee not wholly grounded vpon the strict leagues intelligences and correspondencies which the kings of Castile and Aragon haue had heretofore with the Pope which amities beeing many yeares since begunne haue still increased by the continuance of mutuall offices which they haue done one vnto another the pope augmenting this crowne of Spaine and the king of Spaine embracing the popes quarrels against all the world without any reseruation The popes haue augmented the house of Aragon with the realmes of Naples and Sicile and haue made the way for the house of Spaine to conquer Lombardie and to hold the princes of Italie subiect at his deuotion some by citadels some by feare and some by practises alwaies managed and coloured by the popes So as if at any time the house of France hath practised some little fauour from the Pope presently the house of Spaine hath felt the foundations of his Seigniories in Italie to shake and readie to fall the historie whereof is well knowne to all men of state If then there were no other reason but this onely the house of Spaine knowing well of what importance the estate of Italie is would neuer attempt any thing but as he should be instructed by the spirit of the court of Rome with the which no good man can haue any greater familiaritie then Christ had with Belial But euery man knoweth that the great empire at the Indies which Spaine doth at this daie enioy is due by the Spaniards vnto the free gift of the Romish Sea and likewise the coniunction of the crownes of Aragon and Castile to the popes dispensation as also the conquest of the kingdome of Nauarre and of late of the kingdome of Portugall and countries subiect to the crowne For these reasons then we must thinke that neither the king of Spaine nor any of his successors after him will euer seperate themselues from the amitie of that sea and consequently he will be of necessitie an open enemie to the true religion the which can no more endure the the pope and his adherents than the sea doth a dead carcasse And for as much as all the dangers whereunto the said prince may be exposed with these countries the which are very great to iudge according vnto man are yet nothing in comparison of the ruine of the true religion whereof they that persecute it are enemies and the said prince should be treacherous if he should abandon it for these considerations hee is resolued with the helpe of God to continue constant in his first resolution vnto the end of his life and if God giue him the grace so to assure these countries as after his death he will leaue it able to defend it selfe against the power of Spaine and his adherents The said prince is not ignorant what reports are spread abroad by his enemies in regard of that which is treated betwixt the Estates of Holland and his person and that before that hee would yeeld vnto them he had foreseene and dulie considered both by himselfe and with many men of worth and reputation and moreouer hauing condescended thereunto he had protracted the busines to auoyd the slaunders of the wicked and the suspition of some who are not of themselues badde but may interpret the said treatie sinisterly not knowing the true cause and ground But the said prince beeing vnwilling to make any long discourse vpon this point wherein hee should do himselfe wrong for that it could not be so simply written but it would tend something to his praise he is content to say intreats monsieur Norris to assure her Maiesty the lords of her councel al good men that if the said prince had not bin persuaded by many pregnant reasons which haue beene propounded vnto him by many men of qualitie whose pietie to religion affection to their countrie and wisdome to iudge are well knowne vnto him that it was necessarie and conuenient for the preseruation of religion and to keepe so many good men from vniust deaths by the crueltie of their enemies and that others liuing in simplicitie and ignorance should not bee seduced by the practises of the children of this world hee had neuer proceeded further and yet matters being as they are if they can shew him a more safe way hee protests that he is ready to follow it and to march constantly after him that shall guide him The said prince doth intreat all good men so to temper their iudgements as they giue no place either to slaunders or false reports nor to opinions grounded onely vpon suspition hoping that his word shall be sooner credited than a bare suspition the which may bee as soone refuted as it growes in the spirit of man without ground and assurance Nothing then hath mooued the said prince to take that course which he hitherto followed but this holy resolution aboue mentioned And if it shall now please her Maiestie to vnderstand what meanes the said prince propounds vnto himselfe for the maintenance of so iust and yet so difficult a quarrell to obey her Maiestie to whom he desires to continue a most humble seruant and not to forget to aduertise her as much as he may of the estate of his affaires hee intreats the Seignior Norris to acquaint her Maiestie with that which followes That first of all the great and eternall power of God is knowne vnto him not onely by his holy doctrine where he hath learned it but also by many experiences which hee hath made and diuers effects which he hath felt in the aduancement preseruation of the true Church and first in the time of his ancestors in the kingdom of Bohemia and in his time in Germanie Switser-land England Scotland France and in the end in these countries and euen in his owne person And that in all these kingdoms and prouinces God hath made it visibly known to all the world that he suffered men to propound in their councels but he knew how to dis pose of all things and to him alone belonged the honour and glorie of the preseruation of his people And although that this resolution he setled in his heart and that he referres himselfe to his holy prouidence yet he knoweth the
important affaires hee sees them of Mons Truchses elector of Cologne to be very intricate and not in so good an estate as it were to be wished For he is in like sort assailed by great and mightie enemies who with open force make warre against him and for his part hee hath not at this day any prince that fauours him and openly assists him the which hath beene very preiudiciall vnto him for that he promised vnto himselfe greater aide and assistance than he hath yet found And forasmuch as the conformitie of religion the neighbourhood of countries and the same aduersaries which presse him and vs equally should incite vs to aide one another with our meanes the said prince continues to treat a league and alliance with him that vntill it shall please God to giue vs other succours wee may imploy those forces which God hath giuen vs one for another hauing in the meane time notwithstanding our owne difficulties assisted him with a good summe of money But the said prince knowes well that all the said meanes to speake as a man are not able to resist halfe the forces of the king of Spaine the pope and all those that fight vnder their ensignes or that contribute to this warre hee will therefore endeauour to purchase as many friends as he can as well by his owne meanes as the said elector in Germanie and else-where and especially of them of the religion the more easily to withstand or at the least to diuert the the forces of the enemie the common enemie of Christendome According vnto the which he hath intreated generall Norris to acquaint her Maiestie with the forces of the enemies of these countries and of the elector Her Maiesties accustomed bountie which shee hath extended often to them that were in like sort oppressed and namely the fauour which it hath pleased her to shew to them of this countrie who are much bound vnto her for that the enemie hath beene long staied from the execution of his designes Hee shall represent vnto her Maiestie her happie and royall succours giuen vnto France and to Scotland beeing oppressed for the same quarrell her Maiestie hauing deliuered one of the said kingdomes from the oppression of Rome and hath giuen meanes to the other liuing in peace after so many miseries to quench the blood which did yet flowe in all parts and to purchase a quiet aboad for so many good men fearing God In doing whereof her Maiestie hath purchased so great honour and reputation with all that beliuing and shall leaue so pleasing a memorie to posteritie hath so wonne the hearts of all men as they would as willingly imploy their liues for her seruice as if they were her naturall subiects And therfore he shall most humbly intreat her in the behalfe of the said prince seeing that the necessitie seemeth greater than euer the enemies bending all their forces against these countries hoping that after they haue compassed their designe ouer this little countrie the rest of the world shall serue them but for matter of trophie that shee will bee pleased not to suffer that before her eies so many good men and her most humble seruants should perish by the hands of such as are mortall enemies to her Maiestie to her crowne and to the true religion whereon aboue all the princes of our age shee hath beene as it were the sole nurce and defendresse The said prince intreats generall Norris to propound some particular meanes fearing either to demand too little from her Maiestie considering her power which he neither can nor ought to limit or that he should require too much considering the extreame necessitie which doth presse vs referring all to her Maiesties good pleasure the said prince hoping that she will bee more liberall to doe good to this countrie than hee for his part hath beene bolde to demaund it And although the meanes of these countries exhausted with long warres are very small yet her Maiestie knowing better than our selues wherein it may please her to doe them of this countrie the honour to imploy them to doe her most humble seruice and for the great knowledge which God hath giuen her of all the Estates of Christendome and especially of her poore neighbours her Maiestie knowes if there yet remaines any meanes to doe her seruice namely for the prouinces of Holland Zeeland and Vtrecht we humbly beseech her to let vs vnderstand it And the said Seignior Norris shall assure her that the prince will doe his best endeauour to giue her Maiestie contentment beseeching her to hold as well the said prince as the generall Estates and particularly them of Holland Zeeland and Vtrecht in her good grace and fauour He shall also let her Maiestie vnderstand that my masters the Estates haue sent their Embassadours to the French king and to his highnesse and that their commission and instructions are altogether conformable to that which it pleased her Maiestie to let the prince vnderstand by sir Francis Walsingham her chiefe secretarie of estate Finally the said Seignior Norris shall most humbly beseech her Maiestie and intreat the lords of her councell alwaies to shew some testimonies of their fauour to the subiects in generall of these countries and particularly to them of Holland and Zeeland Soone after the departure of generall Norris into England with these instructions the prince of Orange receiued a discourse sent out of Germanie to his Excellencie by Cont Iohn of Nassau his brother persuading him to a reconciliation with the king of Spaine and to reiect the amitie of the French whereunto his Excellencie made an answer the which for that it is a discourse of state and worthie your reading I haue thought good and necessarie to set downe at large The Prince of Orange to Cont Iohn of Nassau his brother MY lord and brother I haue seene the discourse which you sent mee the which I cannot thinke proceeds from you nor your iudgement for I find it better and more solide than to build vpon such weake reasons as are produced in the same writing Wherfore you shal not take my answer as directed vnto you but vnto them that haue forged it and sent it In the beginning the author spends much time to discourse of the great forces and meanes the alliances and intelligences of the king of Spaine of my smal means of the doubtful euents of warre and of the inconstancie of the peoples mindes then hee speakes of the bad opinion which some of the religion haue conceiued of me by reason of the treatie with the French of the small assurance there is in their friendship of their former errors of the duke of Anious small meanes and of the feare that the king will not enter a warre against so great and mightie a prince and in the end hee comes to discourse of that which concernes our house more particularly As for the king of Spaines forces I thinke there is none doubts but I know them
as well as any man liuing for that I haue had speciall and long imployment in the affaires of these countries as also hauing vndertaken so necessarie and honourable a warre I haue for these many yeares felt them tried them and endured them and whereof I assure my selfe that this countrie with the helpe of God had beene long since discharged if they whom it concerned and were of the religion at the least made profession had not beene drawne some by their owne ambition and desire to commaund and manage the affaires after their owne fantasies although they had no experience neither in matters of warre nor of gouernment some beeing induced and persuaded by others who tooke pleasure to follow priuate counsels farre dissenting from mine and them of the publike if those I say had not armed the proper members of this countrie one against another and against their owne bodie by means whereof they haue againe drawne in the Spanish forces and the griefe is that such as haue committed these errors beeing not yet amended they giue the Spaniards meanes still to haue as many victories ouer them as they please and vntill theybe otherwise resolued they will run headlong into greater ruine I speake this to shew that these great forces are not inuincible seeing that we haue seene them in a manner readie to be wholly defeated and chased shamefully out of the countrie And in like sort seeing God hath giuen me the grace to withstand them so long it is no wonder if I know them well so as all these admonitions can teach me no new thing And as for that which concerneth my weakenesse the which I hope with the helpe of God and their good resolution which are determined to obey me is not so little as it hath beene neither do I expect that fourescore thousand men shall fall vpon mee led by a duke of Alua as heretofore when I was much weaker I haue felt them and yet God did not abandon me neither I hope will he at this daie But as I haue discoursed at large in my instructions which I haue sent to the Queene of England whereof I send you a copie I take the soueraigne guard of the vniuersall God for my chiefe foundation who hath hitherto made my weakenesse strong and I hope hee will continue it vnto the end And when I come to examine all these difficulties by my selfe that is when I come to compare the king of Spaines forces with my small meanes and what we commonly see in the alteration of mens mindes and when as I also discourse of that which may happen after me I must confesse plainely that if I tooke counsell of the flesh and humane vnderstanding that I should find great cause and subiect of amazement But seeing the question is for the glorie of God and for our consciences for the libertie of the countrie and the preseruation of the liues of so many good men ouer whom the crueltie of the Spaniards should passe like a deluge of waters if wee should suffer them to recouer the power they sometimes had ouer these countries I can resolue no other thing but that hauing recommended my selfe vnto God I conclude that there remaines nothing but to oppose against such dangers with constancie vnto the end resoluing that for me and mine there are no dangers comparable to a miserable desertion which I should make of so good a cause if I should abandon so holy and so honourable a partie the which I haue followed vnto this present daie And whereas he obiects that some of the religion loue me lesse than they should admit it were so it were no new thing the which I haue long since foreseene for what man is he that hath had a chiefe charge be it in the church or common-weale that hath not had many enemies not onely of them abroad but euen of such as followed their partie and tearmed themselues of the same religion Such an one was Moses who could not auoide the slaunders and mutining of Corath and Dathan such a one was Dauid who had his Semes such an one was Ieremie who was buffeted in the temple and such an one was S. Paul who was persecuted by them that preached Christ by contention yet none of them haue left to continue constantly in their charges knowing well that God was their rewarder and not men In like maner when I vndertooke this great charge I had no other hope hauing seene the like happen to many great personages who vpon semblable occasions had sustained the like quarrels in our time But I hope that such men who it may be are not abandoned to so great ingratitude so much through their owne malice as by the induction of others will not continue in that error but will remember themselues as many haue alreadie done being warned by their owne follies and so many losses which they haue had following their priuate affections And if they should continue vnto the end the which I hope not yet considering the great nūber of such as resolue with me I shal haue no great cause of discontentment for any other thing than for the ruine of those men who haue drawne more vpon them by their owne rashnes than the enemie by his force But that which hath beene hitherto toucht in the discourse is not the authors chiefe designe but me thinkes all this beginning is like vnto some trialls of the disposition of the bodie which fencers vse before they plaie in earnest or like vnto a musitians preludium for all these preparatiues are made to fall in the end vpon the alliance of France which is the chiefe and maine point the author meanes to treat of and for the which hee hath taken so exceeding great paines But I obserue in this part among other things want of iudgement in the author of this writing for as no man can denie it but that all doth proceede from the councell of Spaine or their partisans what is he but will presently iudge by the viewing and reading of this discourse that the Spaniard doth doubt and aboue all things feare lest the French king should vndertake this quarrell knowing sufficiently by the situation of the countries by the said kings forces and by the reason of his friends and seruants what meanes hee hath not only to aide vs but also to confine the king of Spaine beyond the Alpes and the Pyrene mountaines And as I can take no better counsell than of mine enemie to choose that which hee feareth and reiect that which he desireth so I confesse that if I had neuer so much as thought on the alliance of France that hauing no other inducements or persuasions this discourse would make me to affect it much and should giue me occasion to beleeue that this counsell to treat with the French is very good seeing that it is so much feared and distrusted of the enemie The chiefe reasons are that there is no assurance with the French that we shall be
side the Estates sent doctor Iunius thither to dissuade them who preuayled so much with his reasons as neither the duke of Arschot nor the prince of Chimay could doe any good considering that they of Gant had renewed a more firme league with the generalitie And as a great number of them of Bruges were retyred out of the towne it was easie for the prince of Chimay to conclude this reconciliation with the prince of Parma the which was proclaymed with great triumph and pompe vpon the fiue and twentieth of May with reasonable conditions to draw on them of Gant Scluse and Oostend The Scottish garrison which were in it were left to their choice to retyre or to continue in the king of Spaine his seruice of the which few remained and although that colonel Boyde did soone find how little the prince of Parma did esteeme him yet he durst not trust the Estates By this treatie of Bruges they of Franc and Dam were also reconciled in restoring the Clergie men vnto the possession of their goods and leauing all exercise of the reformed Religion suffering euery man to liue with libertie of his conscience not committing of any scandale and enioying of their goods the which continued not long The Seignior of Croisilles of the house of Montmorency was appointed gouernour there without any garrison seeing that the Catholickes who had fled away before and the Clergie were fully restored The prince of Chimay after the publication of this treatie of reconciliation required of the ministers of Bruges wherein it was thought that he did both mocke them and their Religion a certificat of his good life and profession But beeing departed with his Minister home to his own house they soone left their Religion the prince discharging all his houshold seruants which desired to continue in the profession thereof by the which renunciation and trecherie he purchased euen with the same partie which he tooke dishonour for euer with a marke of inconstancie and lightnesse The Contesse of Meghen discouering his heart and his manner of liuing would no more follow him but retyred to Scluse and from thence in Holland The prince of Parma hauing at that time seized vpon the village of Burcht on Flanders side vpon the riuer of Escaut halfe a league from Antuerpe and hauing caused it to be fortified to keepe any thing from passing by water to Gant Brussels or Macklyn they of Antuerpe sent their shippes of warre thither to chase them from thence or to hinder the fortification but it was in vaine by reason whereof they made another fort on the other side of the riuer vpon Brabant side about the village of Hoboken right against Burcht to defend their nauigation to the said townes then they pierced the dike betwixt Burcht and the head of Flanders the which drowned the whole countrey vnto Beueren and Calloo At the breaking of which dike they made a fort opposite to that of Burcht the which did batter one another continually with their great ordnance and with musket shot hauing nothing but the said breach betwixt the two forts But this fort was made by them of Antuerpe somewhat too late many shippes being passed by this hole to Calloo during the siege of the towne They of Bruges Franc and Dam being by reason of their reconciliation well accorded with the king of Spaine yet were they no lesse free from enemies round about them than if they had beene besieged for that they of Gant Scluse and Oostend cut off their victuals vpon all passages wherfore they did write to them of Gant on the seuenth of Iuly to induce them to their party shewing that they being one of the foure members of Flanders they had no reason to reiect the reconciliation with their king and not to ioyne with the other three members alreadie reconciled alledging many persuasiue reasons the which for breuities sake I omit Hereupon the Estates of Brabant Holland and Zeeland sent their deputies to Gant to shew them that such priuate reconciliations could neuer bâ—…eed a good peace but rather a dangerous and miserable warre vnsheathing more the enemies sword against their brethren and friends And if it happened that Brabant with Holland and Zeeland were in warre against them that Flanders would be more miserably oppressed than euer considering the hinderance of the nauigation by sea whereof the Spaniards were barred the breaking of the dikes in the land of Waes and the inundation which should cut off their victuals on all sides besides that Fraunce nor England would neuer suffer the Spaniard to lodge so farre within the countrey whereby they might doubt to haue warre against him And touching the two points which the king of Spaine demaunded which was the Romish Religion only and the absolute obedience which he maintained to bee due vnto him as for the Religion if onely the Romish were receiued there the reformed then must bee quite banished And to assure this obedience they must repayre and build the citadels vp againe and make new the which must be continually entertained with strong garrisons and so they should be in worse estate than before These and such like reasons were layed before them of Gant on the Estates behalfe with good hope to bring a goodly armie shortly to field the which should come into the country of Flanders as soone as they had woon the forts of Zutphen whereof they hoped soone to see a good end the which retayned the Ganthois for a time and kept them from making of any reconciliation vntill that their affaires were otherwise disposed as we will presently shew At that time there was a Dyet of the Electors and other princes of the empire held at Bottenberch in Germanie to treat of the meanes to keepe the Empire in quiet rooting out all distrust which was among the princes by reason of the diuersitie of Religion whereby it was easie to comprehend that Monsieur Segur embassadour for the king of Nauarre being sent vnto the said princes to draw them into league with his master and them of the Protestant Religion in Fraunce and withall to moderate the difference of Religion betwixt the Protestants of Germanie and the French should returne with small fruit of his embassage for they said that Augustus duke of Saxonie answered them That hee would not trouble the prosperitie of his Estate with the affaires of Fraunce and that the Landtgraue of Hessen had sayd That age and experience had taught him how dangerous a thing it was to enter into league with any strangers And therefore they did imagine or else some would persuade them that the French vnder colour of Religion did seeke to make some broyles in Germanie and in the meane time to assure their affaires that the prince of Orange and the English might the better settle the estate of the vnited Prouinces against the violence of the Spaniards who began now to prosper more than they did before Among the townes of the vnited
beeing now in many places hardly beset and sore incumbred and oppressed and to deliuer the Netherlands and the inhabitants thereof out of miserable thraldome who not long before the wicked and dangerous inuasions of the Spaniards were so rich and flourishing in all kinds of wealth by reason of the great commodities of the sea hauens riuers traffique manuall trades and occupations whereunto they are much giuen and very apt by nature Shee should likewise preserue them from vtter destruction and perpetuall slauerie both of bodie and soule and so effect a right princely and most royall worke pleasing to God profitable for all Christendome worthie of eternall praise honour and glorie and fitting well the greatnesse and state of her princely Maiestie including therein the assured securitie prosperitie and welfare of her owne kingdomes and subiects Which done they presented their Articles vnto her Maiestie with all humilitie beseeching God who is the king of kings to defend protect and preserue her from all her enemies to the encrease of his honour and greatnesse and perpetually to hold and keepe her in his holy protection and safegard This humble petition tending so much to the honour and glory of the most magnificent and royall Queene and princesse in the world was with all thankefulnesse receiued at their hands Thereupon the Queene willed them for that time to depart and in the meane while she assembled her counsell to conferre with them what was to be done in this so vrgent a cause and to haue their aduice touching the same To conclude she found all her subiects generally addicted thereunto saying That shee might not by any meanes altogether abandon or forsake the vnited Prouinces of the Netherlands alledging the great hatred conceiued against her by the king of Spaine for the altering of his Religion in England which he not long before had planted therein which appeared by the treatie of peace made at Chasteau in Cambresis holden in Anno 1559 wherein he was verie slacke and carelesse for procuring the deliuerie of the towne of Calais vnto the English againe the which was lost by meanes of his warres and on the other side he caused the French to deliuer many townes ouer vnto the duke of Sauoy and left her in warre both against France and Scotland without any assistance They shewed likewise the vnkind refusall by him made of passage through the Netherland countreys with munition armes and powder which shee as then had caused to bee prouided and bought by her factor Sir Thomas Gresham vnto whome it was denyed Further That when her Maiestie by her embassadour the lord Vicont Montague desired the king of Spaine to renew and confirme the ancient contracts made betweene his father the emperour Charles the fifth and her predecessours hee would by no meanes bee drawne to yeeld thereunto That hee had suffered the Inquisitors in Spaine to persecute her poore subiects with all crueltie and extremitie and commaunded her embassadour out of Spaine because of his Religion That his gouernour the duke of Alua in the Netherlands had vsed all manner of hostilitie and violence against her subiects arresting both their bodies and goods contrary to the ancient contracts betweene England and the Netherlands That he had sent an armie into her Maiesties kingdome of Ireland and with colours flying inuaded the sayd kingdome vpon a supposed gift thereof made vnto him by the Pope of Rome which hee thereby excused intending also to enterprise the like against the Realme of England as it manifestly appeared by the Iesuite Sanders letters to that end dispersed abroad and by the Iesuite Creyghton who was then a prisoner and many other such like practises also were discouered by the dealings of his embassador Dom Bernardino de Mendosa in England Besides these many forepassed iniuries the Counsell layed before her Maiestie the danger that she was to expect if the Spaniard once obtained merum imperium that is full and absolute authoritie in the Prouinces of the Netherlands how he would alter their Religion breake their auncient priuiledges and subiect them wholly to his will and pleasure which done out of his malitious heart and intent he would easily inuade England with the aide of the multitude of shipping and sailers of those countries together with his Indian treasure first depriuing England of all trade of marchandize with the Netherlands and within the land procuring domesticall dissention and that therefore shee was not as then to let slip the present occasion nor yet to attend vntill the Netherlands were fully planted with Spaniards and Italians for that the warre was not vndertaken against the Netherlands but with a further intent and meaning to make a greater conquest On the other side there was laied before her Maiestie what difficulties and troubles might arise by entring into warre with the king of Spaine as first that thereby shee should breake the auncient contract betweene her and the king of Spaine and that it would not bee well thought on nor by forraine princes esteemed an honourable action to aide and assist the subiect against his lawfull soueraigne and that shee should hardly be able to contend against so mightie a monarch so strong of men money meanes and friendship which he should haue from the Pope domesticall English malecontents and many other his adherents whereby she should haue worke enough in hand to defend her selfe with many other obiections To these reasons aforesaid it was answered that therein shee should breake no contract nor league made with the house of Burgondie for that thereby shee was bound to aide and assist the Netherlands and to vphold them in their auncient lawes and priuiledges and not to permit or suffer strange nations to plant and settle themselues there and so intrude themselues into the gouernment and that if shee let slippe this faire occasion and did not assist them the French might set foot therein moreouer that shee intended not to aide any rebels against their king but to protect and defend her oppressed neighbours whereunto all princes were bound especially for religions cause as the Spaniards had done the like to her in her kingdom of Ireland with her rebels as also to keepe backe and preuent the warre with the miseries and troubles thereon depending if it be not foreseene and preuented and how dangerous and troublesome soeuer the warres be yet were the apparant danger much more and greater to be ouerrunne by forraine enemies and therefore it behoued her the more both in conscience and in honour to seeke to preuent all future danger for that the prouinces of the Netherlands could not be able any long time to withstand the enemies forces without some aide and assistance which beeing once brought vnder his subiection shee should bee assured to beare the burthen vpon her owne shoulders in England which would be much more preiudiciall insupportable and chargeable to her and that therefore it were better to haue and maintaine warre abroad than within the
which is to be eaten and other necessaries but shall in all things be intreated like other of the Estates souldiers 13 That the gouernours of the said townes shall bee paid their entertainment euery moneth which money her Maiestie shall cause to bee brought vnto the same townes and that the number of the souldiers shall not be greater than the number of the garrisons were sixe moneths before the deliuering ouer of the said townes and it shall not bee thought any wrong if it happen that the said paie bee sometimes brought eight or ten daies after the time of paiment due 14 That the gouernours and souldiers of the garrisons of the said townes shall haue the free exercise of religion as it is now vsed in England and to that end in euery of the said towns they shall haue a church appointed for them 15 That the said garrisons shall be vsed as other garrisons that haue lien there before them haue beene as well for their lodgings as victuals and the Estates shall take order that they shal haue victuals at as reasonable prices as the inhabitantes of the said townes haue and shal haue powder march and bullets in like quantity as the garrisons before them haue heretofore had and as other souldiers in other garrisons vsually haue 16 That it shall be lawfull for her Maiestie besides the gouernour generall that shall bee there to appoint two of her subiects to sit in the counsell of Estate beeing men of good qualitie and professors of the true christian religion and also in the marshals court as need shall require to iudge of all such persons as the gouernour and the counsell of Estate shall thinke good and as the cause shall require And that the two gouernours of the townes that shall haue the sayd garrisons aforesaid in them shall and may come into the counsell of Estate at any time when they shall thinke it most conuenient and necessarie for any matter of importance touching the seruice of her Maiestie and the benefit of the vnited Prouinces and yet shall not be accounted nor held for any members of the said counsell of Estate 17 That the gouernour aforesaid with the counsell of Estate shall haue power and authoritie to redresse all disorders and abuses committed in the Imposts and to cut off all excessiue fees of the officers and to see that the moneyes proceeding thereof be emploied to the most profit and commoditie of the countrey for the better resistance of the enemy both by water and by land 18 That the said gouernour generall with the counsell of Estate shall reforme the disorders in the mynts of the said vnited Prouinces of the Netherlands and reduce them to a conuenient number and that they shall not exchange the moneyes currant in those countries or any others thereby to inhaunce or raise the values thereof without the consent of her Maiestie or her gouernour 19 That her Maiestie or the generall gouernour of her forces aforesaid with the counsell of Estate shall take order for the reestablishment and restoring of publicke authoritie as also the vpholding and obseruing of martiall discipline the which at this time are both much decayed by reason of the equall powers and authorities of gouernors and multitudes or confusion of counsels 20 That her said gouernour generall with the counsell of Estate shall haue the ouersight and ordering of all things concerning the common vtilitie and welfare of the land prouided alwaies that they shall not take vpon them to alter any thing in the aforesaid true Christian religion neither in the lawes priuiledges customes freedomes statutes nor ordinances of the sayd Estates prouinces members townes colledges or inhabitants of the same in generall or particular 21 That neyther the Estates generall nor particular shall haue any dealing with the enemie without the knowledge and consent of her Maiestie nor yet with any forraine prince or potentate without her knowledge or the consent of her gouernour generall aforesaid 22 That her said Maiestie likewise shall not deale with the king of Spaine nor yet with any other enemie to the Estates concerning any cause or matter that toucheth the vnited Prouinces in generall or in particular without the aduice and consent of the generall Estates lawfully called thereunto 23 That the raising and paying of new forces which are to be raised for the defence of the land shall be done by the said gouernour generall and the counsell of estate with the consent of the generall Estates 24 That at the death or alteration of any prouinciall gouernours or of frontier townes the Estates or prouinces where any such alteration happeneth shall nominate two or three sufficient persons well addicted to the religion whereof the gouernour generall aforesaid and the counsell of Estate shall chuse one 25 That as often as her Maiestie for her defence and securitie shall send any shippes of warre to sea if the enemie send any fleet into the narrow seas betweene Fraunce and England or betweene England and the Netherlands the Estates shall send foorth as many shippes to sea as her Maiestie shall then doe so they exceede not in number and charge the limitted number in times past presented in Anno 1584 vnto the prince of Oâ—…nge by M. Dyer or more as the necessitie and the Estates vttermost meanes may reach vnto which shall ioyne with her Maiesties said fleet and bee vnder the commaund and appointment of the admirall of England with this prouiso that whatsoeuer shall be gotten or woon by that fleet shall be equally diuided according to the charges and expences disbursed by either partie 26 That her Maiesties shippes being at sea shall alwayes haue free egresse and regresse into the hauens and streames within the said Netherlands and there bee victualled at a reasonable price and that the ships of warre belonging to the Netherlands shall like wise enioy the same priuiledge and freedome in all the streames and hauens of England and others her Maiesties dominions 27 That the ordering and taking vp of all controuersies and contentions which may fall out and happen betweene any of the vnited Prouinces or any townes that cannot be ended by ordinarie course of iustice shall be sent vnto her Maiestie or to her gouernour generall to take order therein with the aforesaid counsell of Estate within the vnited Prouinces 28 That it shall be lawfull for her Maiesties subiects to carry their horses which they shall buy in the said countries of the Netherlands ouer into England paying the ordinarie customes and charges for the same vpon condition that they shall not carrie them elsewhere 29 That the English souldiers that are desirous to goe ouer into England shall passe freely without any other pasport than the generals signed and sealed with his hand conditionally that the number of the Englishmen be complete and that the Estates be not compelled to any further
the Estate which is that such a man as Paule Buys is reputed to be the head of a partie turbulent passionate reuengefull and ambitious should not haue beene put in prison but his processe should presently haue bene made or at the least he should haue beene better guarded then he hath beene heretofore Euery one fore-seeing that if hee once gotte out hee would bee reuenged on those who hee thought had wrong'd him as we haue seene what broiles he hath made since his escape to the great blame and dishonor of the Gouernor generall and to the great preiudice of this Estate Besides the discontentment of all the other Councellors of Estate and other cheife men of this countrie who haue rightly iudged that if they did open a dore to such Iniustice and did abandon men of honor to the rage and passion of priuate men and of a multitude the like hanged ouer their heads for as Seneca sayth Minatur multis vni qui facit iniuriam Hee threatens many that doth wronge but to one And the fact cannot bee honestly excused that the captaines had not giuen aduertisment but an houre before for all their othes and execrations shall neuer satisfie them who knowe how the sayd Captaines the Sheriffe Pottere and Maister Webbe one of his Excelencies houshold were then in credit with his Excelencie who at the same instant was in Vtrecht Moreouer the sayd Pottere sayd to many before his death that neither hee nor any of his companions durst euer haue attempted such a thing without the silent consent of his Excellencie and that they found themselues to bee well grounded If then the sayd imprisonment were done without the knowledge and against his Excellencies authoritie why haue they not yet done iustice Hee that allowes and ratefies a fact is like vnto him that is the author This indirect proceeding against Paul Buys hath beene the cause that hee who before was held a wicked man is now reputed an innocent and that they haue done him wrong Iniustice and indignity Finally wee must remember the wise aduise of Tacitus Non vtendum esse imperio vbi legibus agipossit Wee may not vse violence where as the lawes are in force The establishing of a Councell of the treasor without the consent and contrary to the admonitions and expresse will of the Estates hath beene the more odious for that his Excellency hath appointed for chiefe thereof a man that is generally hated of all the Hollanders and not very well lik'd of the other Prouinces a man who was knowne to bee of a sodaine and violent spirit an enemy to the Estates and fit to breed diuision and iealousie betwixt a Gouernor generall and the Estates A matter as it hath well appeered since of most dangerous consequence and if hee had no other qualitie but the name of a Brabanson which all men knowe is odious to the Prouince For the ancient iealousies and quarrells which haue beene betwixt these two Prouinces And for that the Brabansons in their Prouince exclude all their neighbours from all charges honours and offices and hold them for strangers so it is that for this consideration hee should haue had respect not to discontent so many men and whole Prouinces to aduance one onely man to a charge of so great importance and so much suspected by them who feared that by his meanes they would serch into their administration past For although the sayd Councell was for many causes and reasons held most necessarie yet seeing it was so fearefull to manie they could doe no lesse then to put in pleasing Officers or at the least such as should not bee odious to all men But that which hath most offended the Estates is that besides the ordinarie and lawfull meanes which were graunted they haue consented that Ringault should practise his owne inuentions The which hath made his Excelencie vnpleasing vnto the sayd Estates and to all the marchants generally throughout all Holland and Zeeland who were reduced to that Estate as many talked of going out of the countrie rather then to liue subiect to such a tyranie as was that which Ringault would bring in vpon all the marchants For although that the breach of Edicts and proclamations doe much preiudice the State yet the course they would haue held was so odious as in the iudgement of the wise it was sufficient to make whole townes reuolt as Amsterdam Enchuysen and the greatest townes of traficke in the countrie Besides the terror which Ringaults promise strooke into them by the which hee should binde himselfe by that onelie meanes in fewe monthes to finde many millions of gold The Chancellor Leoninus was wont to say that such inuentions did neuer profit but to him and his like when as the Duke of Alua or the Gouernors haue demaunded their aduise by way of consultation Out of the which they were commonly well payd for their fees and attendance And yet such inuentions were held by them not to bee executed You may not then aduance to such charges men that are suspected and odious to all the world wee drawe out money by indirect or vnusuall meanes for the example of Ringault and of all that ensued may giue a good instruction what collour soeuer they will set vppon it for the publicke good and the execution of the lawes It hath beene formerly sayd that one of the Articles of the vnion made betwixt the Prouinces is that all shall defend and maintaine them-selues togither that they shal bee intreated a like both of the one and the other Religion and shall ioyntlie furnish meanes to make warre against their enemies And although there bee no exercise but of one Religion yet no man shal bee molested nor troubled for his conscience for that Religion is not the onelie cause of this warre but their libertie and preuiledges whereof they are so iealous as for the preseruation thereof the Chanoins Priests and other Clergie men and all the Gentlemen that were Papists in these countries haue made no difficultie to forsake the Pope and the exercise of their owne Religion and to giue place to the reformed knowing well that it was the true and onelie meanes to deliuer them from the oppression of the Spaniard And this Estate consisting thus of diuers humors and opinions especially for matter of Religion and conscience beeing accustomed to line with libertie of conscience without any molestation or disturbance hauing by the sayd contract and vnion reserued vnto themselues this libertie the which hath not hetherto beene any preiudice to the warres nor hindred the course of the reformed Religion or their deseignes and resolutions tending to the preseruation of this Noble Estate that all with one accord and a generall consent haue demaunded succors from the Queenes Maiestie of England and giuen the gouernment generall to his Excelencie And finally that it is not specefied in the treaties nor in the Commission giuen vnto his Excelencie that hee shall charge or Innouate any
thing concerning Religion It followes then that they haue beene much to blame not onelie to offend manie priuate persons but also to with-drawe the good willes of whole townes as Leydon Goude and many others of Hollande whereas the most part are of that humour and condition by the conuocation of a Synode and the authorising of manie things for matter of Religion and discipline the which most good men of the reformed Religion in all other Estates countries and Prouinces could not yet like of Doubtlesse euery good and Religious Christian should wish and procure as much as hee may the aduancement of Religion And it is fit that wee should first and aboue all things seeke the glorie of Almightie GOD and the euerlasting kingdome of Heauen yet by the same lawe of GOD wee must keepe and obserue the contract and agreements which wee haue promised and sworne yea if they were with the Turkes and Infidells and herein as in all other things wee must vse wisdome and moderation not to innouate nor bring in any thing into an Estate that may cause the ruine of Religion and of the Estate togither first they must doe that which is most conuenient and necessarie in an Estate for the preseruation thereof not to giue too much credit to ministers in matters that belong not to their charge and vocation but tie them to the bounds of their office and profession the contrarie whereof hath beene the cause of great discontentment amongst the best and most zealous men who haue at all times seene the inconueniences which the medling and violent proceeding of ministers in the affaires the Common weale haue brought vnto this Estate Finallie all must bee done in due time and to purpose for although this conuocation of a Synod bee good and that it may produce good effects hereafter Yet this circumstance of time hath offended many considering the necessitie of the warre and the preparations that were then in hand for an armie to goe against the enemy Et cum sit vbique virtutis modus aeque peccat quod excedit quam quod defficit And seeing there is a meane of vertue in all things that offends which doth exceede as well as that which is defectiue And for as much as the people are so iealious of their liberties and preuiledges and so nice of the breach of the least point of them that for this onelie cause the Papaists themselues as I haue layd haue left the exercise of their owne Religion and altogither haue shakt of the Spaniards yoake and endured a cruell and violent warre for aboue twentie yeares that one of the publike praiers which the ministers doe vsually make is that they may be maintained in their liberties and priuiledges for the preseruation whereof so many Noblemen and Gentlemen haue lost their liues and so many families haue beene ruined that in all the contracts treaties and accords and in a manner in all their discourses they talke of nothing but of their liberties and preuiledges and that vpon the breach or dyminution of any of them it is lawfull for them to call an assemblie of the Estates and to make their complaintes vnto their soueraignes and Gouernors and neuer to cease vntill they haue redresse and reparation To conclude if they haue not endured it of their Soueraigne how will they beare it at a Gouernors hands It is therefore more then reason to preserue that deerely for them which they hold more deere then their liues and which is more deere vnto them then their Religion or the exercise thereof Beeing most certaine that the greatest complaint which they haue made during the time of his Excelencies gouernment was for the breach of their liberties and customes at the least it hath beene the colour which they haue giuen to all their new proceedings and alterations which haue happened within these foure monthes Also they of the countries complaine of the humor and disposition of the English who they say are proud that the gentlemen doe not apply themselues to their manner of lyuing and that they are not familiar with the Noblitie of the countrie without doubt the ignorance of the tongue is the principall cause as also the dronkenesse of the men of this countrie the which the English doe naturally abhorre Besides they of the countrie should seeke it and make much of the English who come to succor and deliuer them and who so freely spend their goods and meanes and expose their liues with as great courage and valure as any nation that euer came into these parts yet it were a great wisdome in the English and they should purchase vnto themselues a commendation of great discretion and courtesie if refusing to bee drunke with them they would not openly blame their dronkenesse seeing that the censures of some priuate persons shall neuer cause a whole nation to change their naturall disposition and from such indiscreete reprehensions there must needes grow quarrells and discontentments And seeing that the English are their beene factors it shal bee fit for them to conuerse with them and to vse them with all courtesie and ciuilitie The true meanes to winne the hearts and good wills of a Nation is to make shew that they contemne not their manners nor disdaigne their Langage beeing the nature of all people to bee iealous of that which is proper vnto themselues And for that without good order and disposition the affaires are neuer duely managed but rather breed trouble in the minde and confusion in the Estate as wee finde dailie in this besides the discontentment which they haue which followe their owne propper affaires or those of their Maisters Princes and common-weales His Excelencie must of necessitie doe as the deceased Prince of Orange did and all other wise Princes and Gouernors which is to diuide his time and his houres as well to signe and giue audience as for the dispatch of other affaires as well ordinarie as extraordinarie whereby this profit shall growe that the multitude of affaires will decrease which else would grow infinite and to appoint a certaine place in his house for the Secretaries and their Clarkes to the end they may bee speedily found There is no pettie Gouernor but hath his Chancerie to that end with a Maister of request to receiue report and answere petitions And that he send vnto the Councell of Estate those that belong vnto them beeing most necessarie that the affaires of his house be distinguisht from them of the country and those of the English and of Stangers from them of the State to auoide the complaints which haue beene made heretofore And therevpon his Excelencie shal be intreated that it would please him to send all the affaires of the countrie both particular and generall great and small to his Councell of Estate to whom hee should referre the greatest part of them to discharge himselfe of so much care and winne so much time By this meanes hee shall not discontent any for refusing or
I know not how we might haue kept the towne twelue howers longer with the losse of our liues had we bin al desperat if it had pleased the enemy to attēpt vs but it is most true rather then to haue accepted of any base conditions most of vs would haue ended our lyues in that place I protest I write not this to condemne any one in particular nor in generall that should haue succored vs nor to robbe the least defendant of his right for I confesse my selfe the simplest captaine of halfe a dozen that were within the towne three or foure of them were they knowne and rightly iudged are sufficient to conduct double that garrison in any army in the world to commande a greater troupe hauing authority These are Sir Roger Williams owne words to iustefie the yeelding vp of Sluse After this losse of Sluce the Earle of Leicester determined to stoppe vp the mouth of the hauen but the officers of the admiralty and others were of opinion that it could not be done yet the English-men thought otherwise wher-vpon suspecting the Zeelanders he sent into Holland for certaine old shippes the which were granted yet it was not done but on the other side sence that time the hauen is much bettered by reason that the sea hath scoured the sand away The losse of this towne made them to murmure much against the Earle especially the common people who hearing of the accord retired him-selfe into Zeeland imputing the losse of this towne to the want of men money and other meanes greatly taxing the admiralty of Zeeland and the officers namely one Martin Drooghe whome he caused to be put in prison where he continued six moneths vntill that the Earle being retired the second time into England hauing iustified himselfe of that where-with he was accused he was set at liberty and restored to his credit Those that were affected vnto the Earles party excused him and layed all the blame vpon the Estates accusing them that they sought to take his authority from him and to command them-selues leauing him but the vaine title of a Gouernor The Earle passing by the Iland of Zeeland arriued the seauenteene of August at Berghen vp Zoom a towne held also by the English where as the Lord Willoughby was gouernor from thence the Earle sent some troupes into Brabant to make an enterprize vpon the castle of Hochstraten the which succeded not From Berghen he went to Dordrecht whereas the generall Estates of the Prouinces assembled The Earle being in the open assembly of the generall estates made a long speech by the which he first excused him-selfe and greeued much for the treasons of Stanley Yorke and Patton by whom he complayned that he had beene basely deceyued the which he said might haue happened to any captaine generall of an army or gouernor of a country and state were hee more pollitike and of greater experience then he was That they were not the first traytors which had deceyued their maisters in the said vnited Prouinces As for the releeuing of Sluce he would maintaine that it was not his fault hauing there in imployed his best endeuors That the three thousand or 2500. men which had beene promised him for supplies and the hundred thousand florins had failed of the which calling the tresorer generall to witnes he had receiued but thirty thousand in ready mony That the said Estates knew well themselues how ill he had bin serued by the sea captaines and officers which had beene giuen him who made him beleeue to diuert him from these succors that if they had past on being before the towne the enemy would from the other side of the Sluce of Bruges sinke all their shippes with his Artillery not-with-standing they were sufficiently informed thre was an other depth vnder the castell where as they might lye without any danger as hee said it appered by the report of captains and soldiars that were come from them of the towne So as he could not put in execution the desire he had to succor it and therefore the blame was not to bee layd vpon him but vpon them that had fayled of their duties and not furnished that which was needfull according vnto that which had beene decreed betwixt him and the Estates Wherevpon after they had layd before him the letters written by him in Iune before out of England to secretarie Iunius tending to fortefie and incorrage such as hee knew affected to his partie in the townes and countries of Holland and Zeeland Descouering thereby that at his returne hee pretended to gouerne and command in the same manner as the Emperor Charles and King Philip his sonne had done and if hee should be restrained of that authoritie that he would abandon the Netherlands quite and retire himselfe into England Wherevpon the Nobilitie and townes of Holland Zeeland and Friseland presented a declaration vnto the Earle in writing dated the twentith day of August which they intended to haue giuen him before but for some good considerations they had forborne to offer it till then Declaring thereby as dutie bound them how much they held themselues bound vnto her Maiestie for her great care of Religion and the good of those countries and that it had pleased her to imploy his Excelencies person seeing that it had not stood with her good liking to take the soueraignty vpon her to whom they would haue yeelded as great respect and subiection as euer they did vnto the Emperor Charles the fift or to any other Prince whatsoeuer but for that they did finde by experience that there are diuers seditious and busie headed fellowes which labour to sowe dissention and to breed discontents betwixt the Estates of these countries and his Excelencie seeking to blemish and disgrace the authoritie of the Estates and to make his Excelencie absolute Gouernor in all respects They let his Excelencie vnderstand to the end that all iealousies and distrusts might bee layed aside and forgotten that they did and do yet vnderstand that for want of a naturall Prince the soueraigntie of those countries returned vnto the Nobilitie Gentlemen and Townes and that after the King of Spaine who heretofore had beene their naturall and soueraigne Lord had left those countries all acts of soueraigntie were lawfully exercised by the Estates and in that manner they had contracted with diuers Princes and namely with her Maiestie and therevpon by a generall consent had giuen vnto his Excelencie the authoritie of Gouernor and Captaine Generall ouer those countries And furthermore to stoppe the mouthes of ill affected and contentious persons they shewed that the Estates were not presented by any priuat persons but by the Nobilitie Gentlemen and Townes so as they are much deceiued which thinke that the Estates consist of certaine priuat persons and that the faults wherewith such men charges them cannot iustly bee imputed to them and the rather for that the Estates haue alwaies conceiued and vnderstood that
those commissions who returning home againe from these assemblies make report vnto the Magistrates of the townes and places from whence they were sent of all matters that had past Wherefore you must vnderstand that those which affirme the soueraignty of the country to consist in the Estates their meaning is not of any priuate persons or deputies of townes in particular but of their superiors as of the nobles gentlemen townes and commons whom by the power of their commission they represent And so diuerse Princes and Potentates and euen the Queenes Maiesty her selfe treating with the generall Estates and his Excellency receiuing the commission of gouernor general from them haue esteemed them we cannot be perswaded that any man will vpon any good ground maintaine that the nobles magistrates and councels of townes haue not the same power and authority touching the gouernment of the country now which others before them haue had or then had when as they made the contract with her Maiesty made his Excellency gouernor of the country else question might be made not onely of the force of the contract made with her Maiesty his Excellencies commission but of all that had been done for these 15. yeares the which was a practise of the enemy By these reasons and arguments we thinke to haue sufficiently proued how necessary a thing it is to preserue the authority of the Estates as being the foundation wheron the common preseruation of the country consisteth the which without the ruine decay of the commons cannot be ouerthrowne and that the Estates haue as great authoritie now in all respects as euer any had touching the Soueraigntie of the countrie vnder any Prince in former times And thus it was resolued aâ—… determined in the Hage the sixteenth of Iuly and decreed that it should be registred and a coppie thereof made In Harlem the sixteenth of October 1587. And vnderneath was written By order of the Estates of Holland Signed C de Rechter My Author hath with your patience made this digression to shew what the Estates bee and what their authority is for that it is a very materiall point to be vnderstood and a great question in this history After that the Prince of Parma had taken Scluse hee turned all his disseignes to fortifie him-selfe vppon the Sea with an incredible charge causing new chanells to bee digged in Flanders to passe a kinde of flatte bottomed boats through the countrie and to bring them to the Sea ports especially to Dunkerke and Nieuport to ioyne with that great Sea-armie which the King of Spaine had begun to prepare three yeares before and so with their ioynt forces to sette vppon England and afterwards vpon the Vnited Prouinces As if these two armies of Spaine and the Netherlands had beene sufficient to subdue all the world whereof you shall heare more here-after For which consideration the Duke of Parma suffered the Hollanders Zealanders a while in rest hauing his minde wholy bent to this great and high disseigne The which was very happy for them by reason of the alterations factions and diuisions that were among them the which increased dayly with great bitternesse publishing Inuectiues and Apologies one against the other So as if the Spaniard had charged them during these diuisions which were so great as they were ready to fall from words to blowes without doubt they had made a great breach At this time generally throughout all Holland and Zeeland they were in great feare and perplexitie not onely by reason of the contention betwixt them and their gouernor the Earle of Leicester but also in regard of the dissention growne among them-selues within the said Prouinces where-vpon it was to bee feared that the Queene of England would with-draw her forces and then euery one would follow his owne humor the good with a good zeale and affection although many times with great mistaking the wicked with bad and euil intents yet making an outward shew of good meaning Which moued the Spirituallitie to call a Synode where they resolued by foure Ministers of the word deputed in their names to recommend vnto the Estates the well-fare and preseruation of the Christian religion and the vnitie and good correspondencie with England and with the Earle of Leicester the which was performed by letters Where-vnto the States made answer that they had it in highest greatest recommendation wishing them to be vigilant carefull among them-selues not to suffer any to enter into their Churches nor into the Ministerie that vnder pretence of religion sought to resist the Magistrates and to bring them into hatred dislike and iealousie with the common people as it hapned in Flanders to the Prince of Orange of famous memory to the totall ruine of the Churches there and that now by the meanes of strange and vnaccustomed gouernment they might do the like which they knew had beene both sought and practised That they were resolued to obserue the contract made with her Maiestie as they were bound and to maintaine his Excellencie in the authority which belonged vnto him Lastly they desired them to direct all their actions to the building vp of CHRIST his Church and to let the Churches of Flanders bee a glasse for them to looke in and to pray vnto GOD for their hedde and other Magistrates with many other admonitions Vppon the same subiect the Scout Burguemaisters Schepen and Councell of Vtrecht writte very earnestly vnto the Estates of Holland the one and twentith of September charging them in a manner as if they ment to shake of the Queene of England and the Earle of Leicester and to dislike of the contribution Where-vnto they of Holland made answer the sixteenth of October saying that their letter seemed to bee written in passion by certaine strangers newly crept into the gouernment who sought to couer their contentious factions by bringing the Estates of Holland into iealousie assuring them of Vtrecht that they would carry themselues in such sort as their neighbours should haue no cause to dislike of them obseruing the contract and yeelding vnto the Earle of Leicester such authority as was promised him and which the Prouinces might indure for the which they were bound to be more carefull then they of Vtrecht as hauing pawned their townes to the English-men for securitie thereof for the which they of Vtrecht had giuen but their billes in writing And that they needed not exclaime against them touching the contribution of Holland when as it was apparent that for many yeares besides their ordinary contributions for the necessary garrisons of Townes and Forts in Holland and the charges of the warres by sea there had bin eight or nine thousand foote ten or twelue hundred horse entertained by them towards the assistance and aide of their neighbors the vnited Prouinces aduising them to be carefull not to fall into controuersie with their gouernors as they of Gant Bruges and Boisleduc had
of Rine The Duke of Cleues and Iuliers aduised Ernest of Bauaria Bishoppe of Cologne and Leige to make a friendly accord with Schenck or at the least to gette more time to make preparation to beseege it that he should make a truce with him As touching an accord which was propounded by the Duke of Cleaues commissioners Schenck would willingly haue giuen eare vnto it except some poynts concerning the contribution But it seemed vnto Bishop Ernest that this accord would bee some blemish to his reputation authority and greatnesse and that there-by hee should incense the King of Spaine so as nothing was done desiring rather to call the Duke of Parma to his succors to his great charge and his subiects ruine who afterwards sent the Prince of Chymay to beseege it as we shall here The second of December some of the Estates men surprized Ville-woord two Leagues from Brussells the which they spoyled but being scituated in the champian country and not able to keepe it they abandoned it in their retreat some lewd persons seâ—… fire of it so as many houses were burnt The Queene of England being importuned by the king of Spaine to make a peace who vnder this pretext sought to lul her a sleepe vntill that his sea army were all redy was resolued to giue eare therevnto and to enter into some conference with his Deputies the place of their assembly being appointed at Bourbroue in Flanders and to that end she sent in October past vnto the generall estates of the vnited Prouinces Doctor Herbert one of her Maisters of request and Ioachim Ortels agent in England for the said estates to vnderstand their disposition and resolution toward a peace giuing them charge to protest openly that either they must send their Deputies with hers to treat of a peace or else she would call backe her troups into England The Estates hauing assembled all the Nobility gentlemen and townes not-with-standing all forraigne and home-bred troubles the mutinies of their soldiars ciuill factions and the threats of the great Spanish Armado which they were well informed was comming with so great a power waighing all circomstances with a constant and firme resolution they absolutly reiected all treaties of peace with the enemy And although they had giuen the Queenes Ambassadors a very resolute answer yet this yeare 1588. they sent Sebastian Loze and Leonard Cazembroot two councellors of estate vnto her Maiesty to disswade her from all treaty of peace for the which these were partly their reasons That in respect of her Maiesties honor they were to conforme themselues to any thing that should be pleasing vnto her yet they thought it fit to aduertise and fore-warne her that she could not expect any firme and assured peace from the king of Spaine being the head of the holy league which all former acts contracts doe plainely testefie for there is no disposition in the King of Spaine to yeeld to the free excercise of the reformed relligion wherfore they besought her Maiesty to surcease al treaties of peace for a while saying that time would soone teach them more experience desiring to know what conditions the Duke of Parma propounded and what her Maiesty pourposed to demaund on their behalfes and how shee ment to proceed touching the ancient alliances betwixt her Kingdome and the Netherlands Moreouer it was to be considered that the Estates of the vnited Prouinces were not to be held so poore nor desperate in regard of their power and willingnes to raise necessary contributions for the common defence of the country seeing that in the said Prouinces during the espace of two yeares whilest the Earle of Liecester was gouernor they had leuied foure score hundred thousand gilders which amounts to eight hundred thousand pounds starling onely for the extraordinary charges of casuall warre by sea and by land and that the Prounices being well and orderly gouerned were able not only to contribute the like summes but to rayse more so as they had no reason to despaire of the successe of their affaires In regard of the scituation and strength of the Prouinces which are vnited that there is no country in the world stronger then it hauing yet aboue sixty townes and forts able to resist the enemies forces where by they were not afraide of the enemies approch neither yet doubted to make head against him wherefore their countries cause was not to be held desperate As for the diuisions and factions that were within the said Prouinces they would presently cease the treaty of peace being broken of and that her Maiesties resolution might be openly deliuered that for the mayntayning and preseruing of those countries in vnity and concord she would appoint some Nobleman of quality according to the contract which they had made with her to gouerne the same and obseruing all good order to yeeld vnto euery one his due according to his office and authority which hetherto had not beene done and was the fountayne of all mistaking The treatie of peace would bring with it a despaire both in the maintaining of religion and pollicie and an abandoning of the country by the best Inhabitants and among such as are not yet well grounded and setled in religion a kinde of suspition and falling from the Church of God And they of the Romish religion should bee thereby the more imboldned and dayly fortified Many of the reformed religion and good common-weales men would presently make difficultie to contribute their money as thinking ready money their best marchandise to take with them when they shall bee forced to forsake the country And they of the Romish religion would refuse and hinder the contribution there-by to presse them to a peace The chiefe Collonels Captaines and Soldiers both by sea and land would bee the worse paide and would feare that a peace being concluded they would be little esteemed and for that cause they would practise priuate mutinies and treasons to purchase the enemies fauour and to get what money they could to the apparent losse of many frontier townes and fortes The prouinces and townes that are most diuided and in contention one with the other and haue alwaies beene so would now by procurement of the enemie in case it happened seeke their priuate reconciliations not-with-standing all promises what-so-euer made by them to the contrary Through the apparent disorder of men of warre the ceasing of contribution with many other inconueniences which might happen the common people would bee drawne into disobedience and the affaires of the countrie brought in question the which although she would cease all speech of peace her Maiestie should not be able to preuent neither by her owne nor by the Estates authority so as the enemy should haue meanes to prescribe what conditions he pleased A peace being once concluded yea with the fairest and best conditions the one halfe of those that are best resolued in religion would go out of the country and the rest
would some secretly some openly forsake the religion and so stay within the country The King of Spaine being once receiued and acknowledged for Lord within three moneths he will haue most of the officers and magistrates of the townes and prouinces at his deuotion to doe what-soeuer he should command them The chiefe of the Estates of Holland shall be the Earle of Egmont the Earle of Aremberg as Baron of Naeldwike the Earle of Ligny as Baron of Wassenare and many such Lords of the enemies faction These and such like wil draw the other noble-men and gentle-men vnto them and the Magistrates of townes will depend vpon them as it hath beene alwayes seene time out of minde In the first three moneths there will be a hundred occasions offred to reuenge themselues for matters past as well vpon the inhabitants of these countries as vpon her Maiestie and her subiects to the apparent ruine of religion not only in these countries but also in England and in other nations And the warres continuing the affaires in France concerning religion may be the better secured The King of Spaine may dye and after his death a better peace may happily be obtained In maintaining this iust and vpright cause we ought aboue all things to relie vpon the grace and assistance of God maintaining his honor glory and holy word and the rather for that we haue so often felt his gratious helping hand during these troublesome warres Besides these reasons there was at the same time a booke set forth in Print intituled A necessary consideration upon the treatie of peace with this sentence as a most assured meanes to deale with the enemie to haue him in Iealousie Vna salus victis nullam sperare salutem In which booke the Author besides many ancient Histories produceth the examples of our time of the Protestants in Germanie the Duke of Saxonie and the Lansgraue of Hesse and of the Protestants in France all which were circumuented by their too much trust and confidence on the contrary side they which opposed themselues valiantly in armes trusting in the power of God and the equity of their cause as those of Magdebourg and of Rochell not onely held and maintained their religion but also were the causes of the restoring of religion both in Germanie and France He shewed likewise that kings and Princes do not easily forget nor forgiue such as haue borne armes against them and these Prouinces haue not only borne armes against their King but haue reiected and wholy forsaken him altered religion and haue dealt with other Princes against him with many other reasons which hee set downe to disswade them from all treaties the which for breuities sake I ommit councelling the Netherlanders in his conclusion to be true and vnited among themselues and not to trust any man but to pray constantly vnto God and so to hope for a good issue About the same time the Estate minted a certaine coyne for a perpetuall memorie vpon the which there was a Lion grauen tied to a piller whereon stood the image of the Duke of Alua with a coller termed the inquisition the which a Mouse gnawed in peeces with this inscription Rosis Leonem loris mus liberat that is the Mouse sets the Lion at liberty On the other side stood the Pope and the King of Spaine with signes of peace flattering him to stand still vntill he were tied againe but the Lion refuseth it with this Motto Liber vinciri Leo pernegat which is the Lion wil be no more bound the armes of the Netherlands being most Lions of diuers collours These declarations afore sayd notwithstanding the Queene of England prest the Estates very earnestly by Sir Henry Killegry to haue their resolute answere who desired them on the second of March to send their deputies to Ostend to meet with her Maiesties Ambassadors who were already gone thether to treat with the Duke of Parma he shewed them likewise that her Maiesty tooke their long delaies in euil part for that she could not with her honour protract it any longer nor excuse her selfe any more vnto the Duke of Parma as if shee had mocked him Shee gaue her Ambassadors expresse commandement to treat of a good peace for the sending away of forraine souldiars the permission of Religion and the continuance of the preuiledges and liberties of the countrie And this was her resolution and although the Estates sent not their deputies thether yet would shee discharge her conscience and honour therein both before GOD and the world The Lord Willoughbie also gaue them to vnderstand on the fifteenth of March that if the Estates would liue in vnitie among themselues and leaue to molest them of Medenblick and others well affected to her Maiestie who did but make shewe of their thankeful mindes if the King of Spaine would not yeeld to a good and an assured peace as well for those countries and the inhabitants thereof as for her selfe then would shee continue her aide and fauor to wards them as she had done from the beginning Thus was the Queene of England resolued to treat of a peace mooued therevnto by certaine perswasiue reasons and it may be doubting of the countries abilitie together with the dislike shee had of the diuision that was betwixt the Estates and their soldiars who peraduenture made their case more desperate then it was finding also that the charge would grow very great to continue her aide hauing beene in hope at the first by a good defensiue warre to make a speedie end of their troubles On the other side the peace which shee should make would bee profitable for the trade of marchandise and shipping in her countries But the chiefest reason that mooued her therevnto was the earnest motion made vnto her by the Duke of Parma with whome she had proceeded so farre as she could not with her honour refuse to giue him audience The Duke for his part like a good practitioner in the art of dissimulation sought to lull the Queene a sleepe and to make her secure land carelesse to prouide her forces to resist the King of Spaines great armie or els through the feare thereof to force her and her subiects to drawe the Netherlands to a peace against their wills hauing foure principall sea townes in his hands with the assistance of the Hauens vpon the coast of England which hee ment to vse for the releefe and harbour of that great fleet for the conquest of the vnited Prouinces but to treate of a particular peace with England alone it was no part of the Duke of Parmaes meaning as holding the conquest of England easie light and assured the which was contrarie to the Ambassadors deseigne who sought rather to make a priuate peace for England The English sought to sound the Duke of Parmas meaning so by a parle of peace to alter their deseigne for the sending of this great Armado or at least to stay the proceeding
Netherlands and declared openly that he did not accoumpt it a neutrall towne whether the fugitiue Netherlanders should fly for refuge and inioy their lands and possessions in the Netherlands as was graunted vnto such as did dwell in neutrall places wherefore he commanded them to depart and leaue the said towne of Aix and either to returne into his dominions and there to liue like good Catholikes or else to goe and inhabite in other places and that within the space of foureteene daies after the publication of the said Proclamation within the townes of Antwerp and Mastricht vpon paine of forfeyture of the said graces and preuiledges and all their goods moueable and immouable commanding all his Officers to see it presently published proclaimed and put in execution This proclamation was made at Bins the tenth of December in the yeare of our Lord one thousand fiue hundred eighty nine And in the beginning of the yeare it was signified vnto them of Aix The Maior and Sheriffes which were fled seeking by this meanes to ouerthrow the authority of the great Councell of the towne had beene first sutors for it to the Emperor and the Duke of Iuliers as one of the Protectors of the aforesayd towne whose Councell and among the rest one Shynckern Amptman of the towne and Castell of Iuilâ—…ers did solicit it with the Bishop of Liege who procured it from the Duke of Parma in the King of Spaines name to whome the Emperor both in this many other things referred much The reason was that after the retreat of strangers whose goods and reunues did lye most in landes in the Low-countries through the ayd of their Partisans they might returne and dispossessing the Magistrates of the reformed religion settle them-selues in their places but for this time they were disapointed of their expectation yet afterwards in the yeare 1598. they addrest them-selues vnto Cardinall Albert of Austria who vndertooke it This proclamation did spoile many of the chiefe of the straungers for that they began to ceaze vpon their lands goods in the Netherlands which dwelt in Aix wherefore some retyred to Cologne others into the country of Iuilliers Such as went to Leege were presently chased away some continued there still and some redeemed them-selues for money purchasing safeguard from the Duke of Parma at a deere rate for a yeare or halfe a yeare more or lesse being forced still to renue them still at the same price the which was held mechanike and dishonorable in such a Prince The of Aix made petition vnto the Princes Electors at an Imperiall Diet held at Spires and to the Emperor to haue their priuiledge confirmed By reason of the warres in France in Anno 1589. the Estate of the Netherlands was then much altered for that the Prouinces of Arthois Henault Luxembourg Namur and others bordering vpon France were then to defend them-selues from the inuasions of the French in regard the King of Spaine as head of the holy League tooke vppon him to aid and assist the rebels of France giuing the Duke of Parma charge to haue a care thereof for the which in the beginning of this yeare 1590. hee assembled an armie vpon the Frontiers of Arthois which he sent into France vnder the commaund of the Earle of Egmont by which meanes the vnited Prouinces had some time and respight to breath after their long miseries and intestine warres which they had indured against so mighty an enemie And for that the gouernment of many is most tedious and dilatory but wise and prouident in resolution so in the two yeares last past they had spent their time to aduance their affaiers first appeasing all factions betwixt the Estates and the English and the mutinies of their garrisons great wisdome policie money and discipline beeing thereto requisite and necessary the Queene of England being well pleased they should gouerne among them-selues as wee haue formerly declared Concerning religion whereof the gouernment of the country much consisteth they had alwaies an especiall care to follow the necessary resolutions of the generall Estates in the time of the late Prince of Orange making a religious peace and hauing a dislike that men should iâ—…gine their consciences should be forced otherwise then by good instruction good liuing and by prayer And finding them of the reformed religion the most zealous to defend the liberties wel-fare of the Netherlands in regard they had bene many times persecuted for religion by the Spaniards to bee wel vnited togither they therefore grounded their foundation vpon the greatest number and for that the Estate and gouernment consisted of so many heads and opinions they sought to reduce this diuâ—…rsitie of mindes and opinions into one vnitie and consent for the good wellfare of the country whereof they had an especiall care in regard of their continuall wars in which vnity their only support maintenance consisted as by their common seale wherein standeth a bundle of Arrowes bound togither appeareth and for that consideration they neuer forced any mans conscience but only seditious Sectaries as certaine Anabaptists and Munsterians and such as were il conceited of the Magistrates for that they punished Malefactors with the sword of Iustice to them they allowed no open assemblieâ—… other sects whereof God amend it there haue bene to many for a long time they thought good to suffer them for the present time to reclaime them if they could by preaching and sermons made in the reformed Churches with commandement to liue in brotherly loue and to win them with loue and charitie the reformed vsing to that end in their Churches a certaine Christian discipline to auoyd scandall and ill speeches Those of the confession of Ausbourg which seeke to diuide themselues from the reformed religion were allowed to haue preaching and exercises with carefull ouersigh in certaine townes The Catholikes also had no publike exercise of their religion allowed them the which was done in pollicie because of the warres attending a time vntill it should bee otherwise prouided for and resolued by the countrie or generall Estates after an assured peace The Catholikes made no great question about their baptizings and burialls and touching marriages it was decreed by a publike proclamation that all such as were not of the reformed religion after law full and open publication comming before the Magistrates in the towne-houses were orderly giuen in marriage one vnto an other And to shew that their onelie care was for vnity religion and libertie this yeare they caused certaine counters to bee made hauing on the one side two hands griped fast together and holding sixe arrowes bound together with this inscription Deo iuuante On the other side was a strong piller standing vpon a great square booke called religion and vpon the piller was a hat which signified libertie This pillar was fast bound by sixe strong armes noting the sixe Prouinces of Gelders Holland Zeeland Friseland Oueryssel and Vtrecht with
inwardly sicke and consumed But whereas they were charged although they might freely and with good consciences protest that they had alwaies dislikt and bene much discontented for the wrongs and iniuries done vnto their neighbours to haue suffered their soldiers to commit all violence and insolences against their neighbours their commissions decrees and proclamations published in that behalfe can sufficiently witnesse and the punishments inflicted vppon the offenders and breakers of the same haue manifestly declared the contrary and that the fault was not in the said Estates besides it might bee well presumed that neither they nor the Councel of Estate could so restraine the insolencie of soldiers nor obserue such good discipline therein as necessitie required and yet that the greatest part thereof had happened through the sinister practises of the enemie and that good order could not alwaies bee maintayned among vnruly soldiers the which is not to be held straunge for the Estates them-selues were much troubled in that case as suffering the greatest wrong Neuerthelesse they had rather in the meane time indure a little disorder for a time vppon hope of speedy amendment then to expect a greater mischiefe and altogither at one instant to the vtter ruine and distruction of the Netherlands in generall togither with their neighbours fall vnder the insolent and proud commaund of such as vnder the pretext of spirituall gouernment haue made such bloudy proclamations which forbid the reading of holy Scriptures and doe execute the lawes by their Inquisitors in steede of Iudges making so turbulent a Councell as the like was neuer heard of in the Netherlands before And seeking nothing else but contrary to their promises and sollemne othes to violate and tread vnder foote the liberties rights and priuiledges of the Netherlands to spoyle ruine and roote out all the Nobilitie and chiefe men of the country and to oppresse the poore commons with intollerable imposts and exactions thereby to get an absolute gouernement ouer the Netherlands and to aspire the more easilie to their pretended generall Monarchy And it appears their disseignes and intents haue alwaies tended to that end by the taking into their hands of all the richest Abbeys and spirituall liuings of the country for that they must chiefly roote out all the Prelates being the first members of the Estate in most of the Prouinces raise vp and plant in their places a new kind of people maissters of Heretikes bearing the name of Bishops creatures of this new pretended Monarchy to the end that these new Bishops ioined togither might continue and sitte fast in their new power authoritie to serue as spies in these countries for the Spaniards and to take true notice of them that would oppose them-selues against this new Monarchy also by that meanes to ruine the second member of the Estate of that country which is the Nobility and gentry whereof they haue brought part miserably vnto their ends and disarmed the rest pretending it a sufficient cause that they had presented humble petitions vnto their King beseeching him to forbeare to shed any more innocent blood the which was imputed to them for high Treason for which cause alone they resolued to make war against the Netherlands and to ouer-run it as it were a new conquerd Countrie And lastly they sought to bring the Estates and the Commons vnder so great tribute exactions and impositions as neuer were heard of whereby they might haue a yearely contribution reuenue to vphold and maintaine their absolute power and Dominion Touching their intent to attaine vnto their pretended Monarchy Germany it selfe might produce many examples which diuers yet liuing could witnesse as it was very apparant by their vniust taking of many townes and Prouinces in the Netherlands belonging vnto the holy Empire and by the shedding of the innocent bloud of the chiefest Noblemen Gentlemen and other rich Burgers of the country by many thousands The absolute gouernement they held in Naples Millan and other places in Italie The detention of the Crowne of Portugall from Don Antonio his neere kinsman The vniust intent and purpose and the execution thereof put in practise to conquer the Realmes of England Ireland the spoiling and forcible detention of many townes belonging to the Empire and lastly the daily enterprises inuasions made vpon France with whole armies Al which doth sufficiently shew what they aspire vnto vnder this Spanish gouernment when as the Noble Kingdome of France doth with a wofull voyce cry sigh and bewaile hir iminent decay and ruine It is most certaine that al they which at this time aspire vnto the Crowne of France doe it not in regard they doubt of the Kings lawful right vnto the Crowne but their disseinge is that they imagin it would be a great hindrance to the absolute Monarchy which the Spaniards pretend if the said kingdome of France should cōtinue in the ancient line to that end authority was giuen to beare armes against their naturall king to aid the spaniards not for that they would liue freely and vnbound and inioy that quietly which God and nature had giuen them but to force your King to renownce the religion wherein hee had bene borne and bred to leaue the crown wherein you may obserue a strange alteration for that not long since it was acoumpted capitall treason for the subiects to craue of their Dukes Earles and Lords with all submission and humilitie and with the purchase of great summes of money to haue liberty of conscience allowed them whereas now the subiects of France not onely inioy the freedome thereof but are also sette on to lay violent handes on their Kinges Crowne vnlesse he will change his religion These be the priuiledges which they vsurpe to doe al that which they blame discommend in others without any restraint of law yea commanding ouer the law it selfe that is ouer the consciences liues goods of poore men after their owne willes and so by outward shews and deuises though apparantly false abuse the simple people and mislead their Innocencie forcing a beleefe in them that it is lawfull to beare armes against their true and natural King without any iust cause or exception against him but onely that they might be absolute masters of the said Kingdome Wherefore the subiects of the Netherlands are not to be condemned if they fore-seeing the disseignes of this pretended Monarchy setting before their eyes many strange examples of forraine Nations and the cruell executions of the chiefe Noblemen Gentlemen and many thousands more in the Netherlands doe oppose them-selues against it and do that which wiues children and subiects may lawfully do against their husbands parents and Lords in the like case is it not then against reason they should be held for disturbers of the publicke peace or such as would attempt any thing contrary to their promise and othes or against the constitutions of the holy Empire the Estates beeing assured that they haue
they agreed to yeeld the twentith of September vppon condition to haue two yeares free excercise of the Romish religion within the said towne and that they should haue but fiue companies of foote and two of horse in garrison Whereof George Euerard Earle of Solms was made Gouernor for that hee was Collonell of the Regiment of Zealand 〈◊〉 Mondragon Gouernor of the Cittadell of Antwerp hearing of the losse of this towne hee gathered speedily togither foure thousand foote and a thousand horse with whome there ioined a thousand Spaniards of those which had continued at Courtray VVith the which troopes he thought sure to recouer it But at his approach hee found some dikes broken and the towne so well foritified with men and munition as hee was of an other opinion and retyred without attempting any thing at all The nine and twentith of September dyed Iohn Earle of East Friseland younger brother to Edsard Earle of Emden He was a Nobleman full of pietie who onely sought the peace and quiet of the countrie and of the towne of Emden which some yea of the Contesse wife to Edsard and sister to the King of Sueden sought to trouble by innouations contrary to their priuiledges whereof wee will speake more hereafter In the same moneth there came Ambassadours to Cologne in the Emperours name but at the instance of the King of Spaine Salerin Earle of Ysenbrugh Noble Symon Earle of Lippe the Bishop of Wirtzbourgs brother the Baron of Pernsteyn and Rhede with certaine Doctors of the Law these were sent to trye if there were any course to bee taken for a peace betwixt the King of Spaine and the vnited Prouinces They were first to go to Brusselles to the Duke of Parma as they did to the Kings great charge And from thence they were to go with pasport to the generall Estates at the Hage demanding which pasport the Estates desired them to spare the cost labor not to come vnto them to that end seeing they found no assurance in any treaty they could make with the king as his letters intercepted written to Don Guilaume of S. Clements his Ambassadors which the Emperor did sufficiently shew that it should bee but a fayned and counterfeyt peace besides they could not treate of any peace without the aduise and consent of their confederates Yet notwithstanding this answer the Ambassadours sent the Baron of Rhede vnto the Hage in the end of the yeare who remained there about three monthes and returned as wise as he came The Estates giuing him their answer by writing containing the causes why they could not treat with the King of Spaine and the reasons of their distrust with which answer hee departed They of Bruges seeing the town of Hulst taken finding them-selues inuironed with many enemies as Ostend Axell and Terneuse they were sutors to the Duke of Parma that they might bee vnder the Estates contribution and seeing their towne could not subsist without comerce to trafficke into Zealand with a pasport paying the ordinary customes as they of Antwerp did by Lillo and they of Gant by the Sas the which the Duke refused but afterwards they obteyned it of the Arch-duke Ernest of Austria Sir Edward Norris Gouernor of Ostend would willingly haue brought the country of Flanders neere vnto his garrison vnder contribution thereby to fortifie him-selfe to deâ—…end his towne the better from the violence of the sea and to supplie all necessary reparations the which he pretended to do of his owne priuate authoritie But the generall Estates finding it to be of great consequence would not allow thereof Where-vpon the said garrison being intertained and paid by the Queene of England he went and made his complaints of this prohibition to her Maiestie who at the first seemed to iustifie his doing But when as the Estates had duly informed her of the importance of this action and how preiudiciall it would bee appertayning onely to the Soueraigne Gouernor and that it would be a very bad example whereby the other Gouernors Superintendants for at that time the title of Gouernors seemed odious to the Estates giuing vnto them that had the like charge but the name and quallity of Superintendents would in euery towne play the petty Kings as experience had taught sufficiently in France Norris yet seeking to proceed in the leuie of these contributions he so incensed the Queene as she commanded him to keepe his house and would not suffer him to returne to his gouernment vntil that the Estates themselues were intercessors for him the which they did for the respect they bare vnto generall Norris his Brother who had done them so many good and faithfull seruices After that Prince Maurice had ordered all things well in the towne of Hulst hauing caused his armie to imbarke and commanded all the horsemen he could recouer vnder the Estates seruice to march speedily into Gelderland he mounted vp the Riuer of Wahal and the fourteenth of October landed all before Nymeghen besieging it both by water and land then he made a bridge ouer the Riuer to go from one quarter vnto an other through the fauor of the Fort of Knodsenbourg which the Estates had built on the other side of the Riuer right against the towne And although at the Princes first comming they of the towne shewed them-selues very couragious playing continually with their Canon to hinder the approaches yet soone after seeing the great trenches the preparation for Mynes the battery of forty two Canons planted in fiue seuerall places most part of the Burgers yea they that were most partiall and best affected to the Spaniard were more willing to yeeld then to hold out The which did also make three companies that were in garrison to faynt although at the first they seemed very resolute Where-vpon the Burgers and soldiers agreed to send their Deputies vnto the Prince who went vnto him the twentith of the moneth that is one Bourguemaister two Lieutenants and an Ancient in pledge for whom the Prince sent three men of very good accoumpt And as they could not agree that day for the difficulties which did arise on either side they of the towne demaunding chiefly to retaine the Romish religion or at the least the free excercise of both and vpon the number of the Estates soldiers which they should receiue in garrison the next day they agreed which being concluded the Prince sent in two companies either being two hundred strong before the garrison came forth so as the soldiers of both parties beeing enemies continued quietly vntill the next day within one precinct of walles without iniuring one an other either in word or deed so as the 22. of the moneth the Seignior of Gheleyne captaine Snator and Iohn van Veerden went forth with their three companies marching towards Graue and carrying with them their full armes collours flying and all their baggage In this manner Nymegen was reduced vnder the command of the
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
good effect if it had not pleased God to take him so sodainely out of this world But now that his present Maiestie their Prince and Lord hauing succeeded the King his father not onely in his realmes and Estates but also in his Christian and Godly vertues to follow his steppes in the entertainment of amitie good neighbor-hood and correspondencie with the sayd vnited Prouinces by demonstration of the loue and affection which hee beares them desiring nothing more then to see them discharged of these miseries and calamities and of whatsoeuer might grieue or annoy them which desire and zeale hath mooued his Maiestie to send them as his Ambassadors vnto his Excelencie and their Lordships to vnderstand if they had any inclynation and could bee content that his Maiestie with other Christian Princes and Potentates should deale and labour that these long warres and publike calamities common to them all might once bee supprest and quencht and peace so much desired generally setled and planted hoping that the King of Spaine their aduerse partie might in like manner bee drawne vnto it And the generall Estates may rest well assured that the King their Prince would not herein seeke nor procure any thing that should bee preiudiciall to the Protestants religion in the which his Maiestie hath beene borne bred and brought vp and with the grace of GOD will continue vnto the end but onelie procure the meanes by the which they might bee preserued and maintained with increase of their happinesse Wherevpon his Maiesty doth most affectionatly intreat the sayd Prince and Estates that they will giue eare vnto it and resolue to propound conditions and Articles whereby they may bee inclined to enter into conference and that the King their Master might bee thereof informed by them which his holie and Godly intention his Maiestie had made knowne vnto the renounced Queene of England Elizabeth his deare Sister and Allie with all good and holesome admonitions and exhortations vpon the horrible amazements doubtfull euents and iminent dangers of this war as in like sort he would haue them represented vnto his Excelency and their Lordships His Maiesty requiring also the sayd Estates that all neutrall persons which haue no community with this bad warre might haue free nauigation comerece and traffick of Marchandise into any place whatsoeuer so as they forbeare to carry any munition of warre vnto the enemie And much lesse that his Maiesties naturall subiects should be restrained in regard of the perpetuall contracts neighbour-hood friendship and good correspondency which hath alwaies beene betwixt his subiects and them of the vnited Prouinces to whom the like is freely allowed in all his hauens passages and straights Then afterwards hauing beene intercessors for Steyn Maltesen Amptman of the castle of Bahuysen in Denmarke that he might bee paied the arrerages of his account for the seruices which hee had done to the particular Estates of Holland and Friseland The sayd Ambassadors hauing in his Maiesties name wisht all happinesse and prosperitie vnto Prince Maurice and the Estates with offer of his loue and good neighbor-hood in im◅tation of his Ancestors and especially of the deceased King his Lord and Father And they for their parts did offer vnto the Estates their humble seruice Beseeching them aboue all that they might carry vnto the King their Lord and Master in the Estates behalfe a good and a pleasing answere Wherevpon the generall Estates of the vnited Prouinces made aswere vnto the sayd Ambassadors as well by mouth as by writing the foure and twenty day of October as followeth THat the Lords of their assemblie deputed and representing the sayd generall Estates had beene exceeding glad to here and vnderstand the good remembrance which his Maiestie had retained of the friendship neighbour-hood correspondency and ancient contracts which had bin of long time betwixt the crown of Denmark Norway c. with the Prouinces of the Netherlands in generall and especiall of the good opinion which the worthie King Frederic the second of that name King of Denmarke c. had of them and of the worthy remēbrance which he hath had of the deceased VVilliam of Nassau Prince of Orange c. The said Estates hauing neuer had any doubt of the loue and good inclynation of the sayd King to the vnited Prouinces which giues them the greater cause of ioye for that his Maiesty doth offer to continue and perseuer therein for the which they did most humblie thanke him Hoping that they neither haue nor euer will neglect any endeauor that may serue to entertaine and augment his Maiesties good will and affection to them and the sayd Prouinces That the sayd Estates will neuer forget the good affection which the deceased King did carry to these Prouinces desiring to retire them from vnder the heauy burthen of warre and to restore them to peace and rest assuring themselues that his Maiesty now raigning hath not onely inherited his fathers Kingdomes and Estates but also his vertues and the same inclination which hee had to the friendship good neighbourhood and correspondency with the said Prouinces Whereby they do firmely beleeue that his Maiesty desires nothing more then to see the prosperity and health of these countries by the rooting out of all acts of hostility and of all that might be preiudicial and chargeable vnto them for the which they hold themselues so much the more bound vnto his Maiesty And as they do herein know his good will so they hope that by the reasons hereafter produced his Maiesty will beleeue that the sayd Estates haue neuer desired any thing more then once to see an end of this warre and it changed into a good and firme peace for the attayning whereof they haue done what possible they could for their safeties preseruation of their religion and good of the country Whereas contrariwise on the Kings behalfe and of the councell of Spaine in all conferences of peace as well in his name as otherwise they seeke nothing but practises and cunning shifts to surpresse the countrie and the good Inhabitants thereof As it appeared by the first conference in the yeare of our Lord 1574. betwixt the Lord of Champigny in the King of Spaines name and the signior of Saint Aldegonde for the Prince of Orange and the Estates of Holland and Zeeland the which went to smoake for that they would not yeeld to the least point that was demaunded for the safetie of religion beeing the Spaniards onelie intention during the sayd conference to breed a diuision betwixt those two Prouinces and so beeing masters of the good towne of Leyden to lodge themselues safely in the heart of Holland The which by the fidelitie and good endeauors of the sayd Prince and Estates together with the besieged in the sayd towne by the helpe of GOD was preuented The like was seene in that solemne assemblie held at Breda in the yeare of our Lord 1575. at the intercession of the Emperour Maximilian hauing sent the
will extend The third demand was That his Imperiall Maiestie would appoint a Gouernor and councell in the countries of Cleues and Iuilliers c. Thereby the King of Spaine or the Cardinal Albertus his future sonne in law did plainly descouer how they did gape after these dutchies of Cleues and Iuilliers the other Estates Signeuries of Duke Iohn of Cleues rainging at this present in good and perfect health Grounding vpon this hope that the sayd duke beeing without children and therfore his Dutches Earldomes and Signeuries should by right fall vnto the Emperor who should giue them vnto his brother Albertus Or els the which hath appeered by the effects that hee would not attend duke Iohns death but seize vpon them by force and practises in his life time as the sayd Admirall sought to doe soone after and in deede did too much yea he was expresly commaunded from the court at Brusselles as wee will shew hereafter not to desist for any thing in the world from the conquests of the Dutchies of Cleues Iuilliers and Berghe seeing there was speech of marrying this Duke Iohn with the Duke of Lorrains daughter as after happened Wherein the Emperor seeming to bee of the same hope and expectation with the King of Spaine answered As for the countries of Cleues Iuilliers his Imperiall Maiesty had resolued to send one or two good catholiks thether to auoide some greater inconuenience In the meane time the king of Spaine should looke to keepe good gard on his side and make account of al needfull succors the which notwithstanding must be done with discretion to the end that such as pretend any interest should haue no cause to enter into suspition which the Emperor himselfe is forced to entertaine by reason of the concurrence of time This answere did the more confirme the King of Spaines designes and the sylent pretention of the Emperor vnto the said countries of Cleues Iuilliers c. So as it seemed this was the very fable of the Beares skinne for his replie Hee required that it would please his Imperial Maiesty to declare as soone as might be his intention touching Cleues and Iuilliers that therevpon the Catholike King might haue his forces readie Hee required also that his Imperiall Maiesty would send for the Princes pretending right to the sayd countries that hereafter they should not medle nor seeke to make any Innouations tending to the blemish of the Emperors authoritie or the preiudice of his Catholike Maicstie yea that his Imperiall Maiesty should call away the commissioners that were at Duysseldorp as Authors of bad practises to the end that his Catholike Maiestie bee not forced to vse other meanes And although it were a decent thing to respect the Princes yet they must not bee so negligent and carelesse as in taking away the mischiefe which might happen without they neglect to prouide for that which might miscarrie within This replie did plainelie laie open the King of Spaines designes vpon the countries of Cleues and Iuilliers requiring that the Emperor would send for the Princes pretending right the which are Princes of the Empire that is the duke of Prusse and the two Brethren dukes of Dieux Ponts by their wiues Sisters to duke Iohn and to charge them not to attempt any thing to the diminution of his Imperiall authoritie for that the Emperor maintained that for want of a lawful heire male the said dutchies should by right of the see fall vnto the Emperor their soueraigne as beeing masculine sees of the Empire And the sayd Princes pretending in case the duke should die without heires maintained to the contrary that they might as in France and in other realmes and countries as well fall vnto the femals as males the which the alliances of the said countries which haue not alwaies beene vnder the same Prince by marriages of one with an other had well declared in times past And as for that which hee sayeth to the preiudice of his Catholike Maiestie there could bee no other by reason of the multitude of other heires but to the preiudice of the designes of his pretended vsurpation For the preuenting whereof there was an assemblie of Estates held at the same time at Duysseldorp the chiefe towne of the dutchie of Berghe where the Dutchesse of Prusse and one of the duke of Deux Ponts where present with the Emperors commissioners who for that they would proceed roundly and sincerely not discouering the King of Spaines designes are called Authors of bad practises and the deputies of the King of Spaine who in this Dyet made shewe not to feare any thing more with a certaine Nuncio of the Popes who was of the same mettall then that these countries should fall into the hands of some Protestant Prince whom they called heretike such as the Princes pretending interest are which would be as the King sayd of the towne of Aix to pernitious a thing for his neighbour countries which might be infected with the poison of their heresies the which is alway the foote of their song To whom the Emperor being willing to shew himselfe conformable sayd As for Cleues and Iuilliers hee would send for the Princes pretending right that they should not meddle seeing it belonged onelie to his Imperiall Maiestie to dispose among them hoping they would obey him Wherein the Emperor might haue beene deceiued for these Princes would not so soone haue yeelded vnto him and this had beene an occasion to put all Germany in warre and combustion The forth demand was That the sentence giuen against them of the towne of Aix might bee presently put in execution without any delay It did greatly import the King of Spaine and Cardinal Alâ—…ertus for the attayning vnto their designes to haue the towne of Aix situated in the countrie of Iuilliers neere vnto Lembourg at their deuotion the which they could not easily obtaine so long as the Protestants were Maisters thereof and the stronger who failed not to bee vigilant and to keepe a good gard for their owne preseruation wherefore hee required the execution of the sentence giuen against them in the Imperiall Chamber which was in effect the re-establishment of a Catholike Romish Magistrate in the sayd towne the extirpation of the Protestants religion and the exclusion of the Protestants themselues the which beeing executed hee held himselfe then assured As Cardinal Albertus with the assistance of the Bishop of Liege the executioner of the sayd sentence by vertue of the Emperors commission hath done since to the disolation of the sayd towne and especially of those that did pursue it who for the most part died soone after their re-establishment and those which remaine languishing in misery And although the Emperor touching the sayd towne of Aix had the like desire with the King of Spaine yet the Admiral full of choller replied That in regard of them of Aix they could not exceede the bounds of ordinary Iustice as beeing vnworthie that they
and instruction of the youth in the Latin tongue Secondly that there should be giuen vnto the prisoner the office of messenger of Ypre worth a hundred pounds a yeare And although the office were not in the Iesuits disposition yet he should rest assured thereof seeing it was but the writing of a letter the which they durst not refuse Thirdly that Hansken Panne his sonne should bee made Chanoine of Tournaye Vpon all which presentations and promises the said prisoner hauing confessed himselfe the next day to the Prouinciall going to say masse hee had absolution and therevpon receiued the Sacrament During the which confession hee promised againe to execute this designe Wherevpon the Prouinciall sayd vnto him these words Go in peace for thou shalt go like an Angell in the gard of God And to aduance his voiage hee receiued a letter of exchange from the sayd Iesuits for twelue pounds to receiue at Antwerp of one Francis Thibault dwelling neere the Iacopins with which dispatch and resolution the prisoner parted from Douay came to the Abbay of Flines from thence by Orchies to Tournay then to Oudenarde Dendermonde Basserode and so by boate to Antwerp where hauing receiued the sayd twelue pounds he sent eleauen pounds with his cloake and his breaches to his wife by one Deric Bul dwelling nere the corne market of Zeeland to maintaine her house and to clothe her children sending withall a letter to his wife and writing that hee went into Holland for the businesse she wot of and that shee should pray vnto God for him So the prisoner with this resolution and without pasport hauing hidden himselfe in a ship came into Zeeland and from thence came into this towne on Saterday the 23. of May. But being arriued here he had changed his minde and was not intended to do any thing as he saith considering with himselfe that vndertaking such an act to kill such a person and to put the countrie into great garboyles hee did runne headlong to his death and there-with-all had a remorse of conscience Of which confessions the prisoner hauing beene often heard and examined in the space of ten or twelue daies and still persisting without any torture or irons with protestation that all was true and that therein hee would liue and die The sayd prisoner hauing at euery time a great greefe of heart falling vpon his knees with his hands lift vp to hauen cryed for mercie and that they would pardon him seeing they had so seduced him being an innocent promising that if they would saue his life to do as hee sayd he had the meanes great seruice vnto the country and that he could soone deliuer them some Iesuites All which being of bad consequence hauing in this sort intended to kill and murther the sayd famous Prince Maurice borne Prince of Orange Earle of Nassau c. Gouernor and captaine Generall of the vnited Prouinces and by that meanes depriue the sayd Prouinces of their head and of the great and notable seruices which they receiue and which by the grace of God he doth for the defence and protection of the said Prouinces and the good Inhabitants thereof togither with the preseruation and defence of the Christian reformed religion and of the freedomes liberties and priuiledges of the sayd countries to the rooting out of the imperious rule of the Spaniards and to put the said Prouinces into great trouble danger of ruine and entier desolation The which ought not to bee tollerated in a country of Iustice but that such wicked abominable and execrable designes attempts and murthers should be punished with all extreamity to the terror and example of others To the end that not any one shall hereafter suffer himselfe to bee seduced and suborned by this bloudie and murtherous Iesuitical sect the which as it is notorions to all the world seeke out a thousand practises treasons and murtherous designes and put them in practise to murther all Kings Princes and Potentates which will not adhere to the Popes superstitions which they call the Catholike Romish Religion Wherevpon the Sheriffes of the towne of Leyden hauing seene and heard the criminall conclusion taken by the scout of the said towne against the prisoner for the causes aboue mentioned Hauing also heard the consession of the prisoner with the informations and all other circumstances And hauing thereon the aduice of the deputies of the Estates of Holland and West-Friseland with opinions of the great and Prouinciall councels being thereto required by the said Estates hauing considered all with mature deliberation and councell doing Iustice in the name and behalfe of the soueraigne Magistrate of the countries of Holland Zeland and West-Friseland They haue for the cause aboue mentioned condemned the said prisoner where they are accustomed to do Iustice vpon malefactors and there to be executed by the sword And his head to be set vpon the Boulwarke of Witteport his bodie to be cut in foure quarters his bowels to be buried and his quarters to be hanged vpon the foure gates declaring his goods to bee confisked to the benifit of the countrie of Holland Thus done and Iudged by Maister Francis Vander Merwen Ian Isenhoursen Vander Nesse Franc Cornelisen Van Thorenvlyet Cornellis Thibour Clais Cornelisen Vanden Noort and Ian Van Baesdorp the yonger the two and twenty day of Iune and the same day the prisoner was executed The King of Spaine sent vnto Cardinal Albert in the beginning of this yeare about foure thousand foote of Spaniards vnder the leading of Don Sanchio de Leva beeing commanded by foure Collonels in forty ships great and smal whereof the smaler entred into Calais without any danger for that the Estates shippes of warre were forced to way anchor by reason of the foule wether But the torment beeing past they came time ynough to take one of the greatest in the which there were 150. Spaniards Alonzo Sanches de Villareal and two Pilots to make foure more run on ground the which the Spaniard did willingly to saue the soldiars that were in them These pilots beeing brought to Flussing and examined confest that there were twelue Gallions sent to the Tercers to fetch the treasure which was come from the Indaes and that they had left some 70. ships at the Groyne whereof foure were furnished like men of warre with about 2000. Spaniards and Italians The generall Sanchio de Leva hauing lodged these troupes in diuers parts in Flanders went to Brussels which made many suppose that the Cardinall did not greatly trust the soldiars that were borne in the country which made them begin to contemne him On the other side the general Estates of the vnited Prouinces perceiuing that the trafficke and negotiation with Spaine by reason of the dayly arrests of their ships goods marriners decaied finding themselues freed from the bridle of the Spaniard who would neuer suffer them to saile to the East or West Indes to Ginney nor to the Molucques they gaue leaue
all that hath bin giuen and granted shall returne as if this donation cession and transport had neuer beene made 6. Item vpon condition that our said daughter the Infanta nor any other called to the said succession shal not for any cause whatsoeuer part nor diuide the said countries nor giue or exchange without our consent of those shall succeed vs in these realmes 7. Item that euery Prince and Lord of those countries shall be bound to marry their sonnes and daughters with our consent of those shall be our heires Kings of Spaine 8. Item that our said daughter the Infanta nor her husband nor any of their successors to whom the sayd countries shall descend shall in any sort whatsoeuer negotiate traffick or contract to the East and West Indies neither shall they send any sorts of ships vnder any coulour or pretext so-euer vpon paine that the sayd countries in case of contrauention shall be forfeited by them And if any subiects of the said countries should presume to goe contrary to the defences the Lords of the said countries shal punish thē by confiscation of their goods other grieuous paines yea with death 9. Item that if the said Archduke Albert our good cousin should suruie our daughter the Infanta leauing either sonne or daughter that he shall haue the gouernment of such sonne or daughter with the managing of all their goods as if our daughter the Infanta were yet liuing And ouer and besides our said cousin the Archduke shall in that case enioy and reape the fruites during his life entertaining the said children according to their qualitie giuing vnto the eldest sonne or daughter the country and Duchie of Luxembourg and the countie of Chiny which shall belong vnto them to inioy it during the fathers life after whose decease that child shall haue all as sole heire Being here expresly declared that this clause of vsufrute shall be vnderstood onely in fauour of our good Cousin the Archduke Albert and not to be drawne in consequence To the end that none of his successors may vrge any president nor pretend right in the like case 10. Item for that it is the principall and greatest bond aboue all others that all the children and descendants of the said marriage shall follow the holy religion which doth now presently shine in them and shall liue and dye in our holy Catholick faith as the holy church of Rome doth teach and entertaine and that before they shall take possession of the sayd Netherlands they shall take an othe in the same forme that it is set downe in the article following And in case which God forbid that any of the said descandants should decline from the sayd religion and fall into heresie after that our Holy father the Pope hath pronounced them so they shall be depriued of the administration possession and propertie of the said Prouinces and that the vassals subiects thereof shall no more obey them but they shall admit and receiue the next that is a Catholick of the same descent which should succeed vnto such a one that is fallen from the faith and that hereticke shall be as if he were naturally dead Ego Iuro ad sancta Dei Euangelia quod semper ad extremum vitae meae spiritum sacrosanctam fidem Catholicam quam tenet docet predicat sancta Catholica Apostolica Ecclesia ◅omana communium Ecclesiarum mater Magistra constanter profitebor fideliter firmiterque◅redam veraciter tenebo atque eam a meis subditis teneri doceri predicari quantum in me erit curabo Sic me Deus adiuuet hec sancta Euangelia 11. Item that for the greater assurance and confirmation of the peace loue and correspondencie which ought to be betwixt the King and his realmes our descendants and successors and the Princes and Lords of those countries being also our successors enery one of thē which hereafter shall come vnto the possession of the said Netherlands and Bourgogne shall aduow approoue and ratifie what is conteined in this article 12. And for a much as our intention and will is that the said articles shall take full effect by their meaens We giue grant quit transport renounce and accord in gift of fee in the best and most auaileable forme way and manner that may be deuifed by law to the Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia our most deare and best beloued eldest daughter All our Netherlands and euery Prouince thereof with the Country and County of Bourgogne comprehending that of Charolois therin the Duchies Principalities Marquisats and forts which are in our Netherlands and Bourgogne together with all the regalities and all sorts of iurisdictions which wee might pretend by reason of the same as also all preheminences gards and all other kind of soueraignty whatsoeuer in the same forme they are now or may be ours to haue the full possession as wee haue had without any exception vpon charge notwithstanding that they shall inuiolably obserue all here aboue mentioned the Pragmatick made by the deceased of immortall memory the Emperor my Lord father who is in glory in the month of Nouember 1549. touching the vnion of the said Netherlands without consenting to any separation thereof for any cause whatsoeuer 13. And it is our intention that in regard of this donation our said daughter the Infanta and her future husband the Archduke Albert shall be charged and bound to pay and acquit all debts made by vs or in our name or by his deceased Imperiall Maiesty vpon our patrimonie and demaines of the said Netherlands and of the Contie of Bourgogne and they shall bee also tied and bound to beare and discharge all the rents annuities for life and all other donations pensions and recompences which his said Imperiall Maiestie wee or our predecessors haue made to any persons whatsoeuer And so we do make create and name by these presents our said daughter the Infanta Princesse and Lady of the said Netherlands and Earle of Bourgongne and Charalois We do also grant vnto our said daughter that ouer and aboue the particular titles of euerie of the said Prouinces of the Netherlands and countie of Bourgoigne she may also write intitle and name her selfe Duchesse of Bourgoigne notwithstanding that we haue reserued for so long as it shall please vs for our selues and for the prince our sonne the said title of Duke of Bourgoigne with all the rights that may belong vnto vs together with the soueraigntie of our order of the Golden Fleece whereof we retaine the power vnto our selues to dispose hereafter as we shal think most fit We consent and agree and do suffer our said daughter the Infanta giuing her absolute irreuocable power of her own priuat authority without any further consent to be demaunded by her selfe or by her deputies sent to her future husband to take full and absolute possession of the said Netherlands and of the countie of Bourgoigne
of S. Aldegonde who was much lamented of al learned men being about threescore years old who in his time had done great seruices to the prince of Orange and the general cause of the vnited prouinces The next day there died in the towne of Arnhem doctor Elbert Leonin called Longolius chauncellor of Gueldres sometimes professor and a great lawyer in the vniuersitie of Louuaine a man of great knowledge and experience in affaires of estate of a quick conceit and sound iudgement hauing also done great seruices to the said prince and States He was aboue 80 yeres old when hee died In two dayes together the vnited prouinces of the Netherlands lost these two learned men Cardinall Andrew gouernour of the Netherlands in the absence of the archduke Albert did also send Fernando Lopes de Villa noua gouernour of Carpen to the emperour with the like iustifications with expresse charge in passing to excuse and iustifie him to the prince elector archbishop of Mentz and to make the emperour and all the princes and states of Germanie deafe and blind if it were possible although they did heare and see plainely The prince elector of Mentz gaue him a short and resolute answer which was in effect That he could not allow of that which the said cardinall and admirall had attempted vpon the territories and against the constitutions of the empire That for his part he would not fayle in that which concerned his duetie for the preseruation of the peace and quiet of Germanie being in that maner troubled and interrupted And that for his better counsell he did aduise the said cardinall to retire his armie out of the confines of the empire as soone as might be and not to attend vnto the end of Aprill to repaire all iniuries to restore that which they had extorted and make satisfaction for the dammages which they had suffered both in generall and particular In doing so the princes and Estates of the empire should haue reason to excuse that which was past and to allow of the vrgent necessitie by the which they seeke to purge and iustifie the said actions This answer was giuen to Fern. Lopes by the said prince elector the 25 of Februarie 1599. The Estates of the vnited prouinces sent in like manner their iustifications in writing of all their actions to some of the princes electors and others in Germanie whereof the substance was That they had receiued their letters containing the complaints of the circles of Westphalia for the wrongs and oppressions which the countries of Cleues Iuilliers Cologne and Westphalia did suffer by the souldiers of either partie By the which letters they were required to retire their souldiers out of the confines of the empire without any delay restoring the townes which they held pulling downe the forts which they had built and leauing the countries townes and estates of the empire in their antient peace quiet and tranquilitie Wherevnto their answer and resolution was in like sort requisit In answer whereof the sayd Estates protested That they were verie sorie to heare of any such complaints and the more for that they were put in the same ranke with the Spaniards and the admirall who had not forborne to besiege batter force and take the towns castles forts and houses of gentlemen in the countrey of Cleues and the circle of Westphalia with murthers burning spoyles and rauishing of wiues and virgins without any respect of what estate condition or qualitie soeuer wherwith not content they haue by their garrisons and threats forced some of the said towns ouer and aboue their ransomes concussions to change their religion policie which they had for many yeares past quietly enioyed vnder the authoritie of your excellencies and other princes wherein the king of Spain had no title nor interest and therefore had no reason to colour his attempts Whereas for their parts say the Estates nothing hath beene done but by meere constraint and necessitie which hath no law for the preseruation maintenance and assurance of their vnited prouinces and the which without any contradiction according to the law of armes and martiall discipline may be done whereunto they haue beene forced By reason whereof they besought their excellencies and all men of iudgement in matters of warre calling them to witnesse if considering the admirals attempts seeing they had no other meanes to make head against the enemie but in preuenting him and in fore-occupying the places which he himselfe had incorporated they had seized first thereon and put in some of their men for that the Tolhus which they had seized was not sufficient to resist the admirals forces who in the end would not haue failed to haue come thither where the inhabitants should haue been intreated with the like mildnesse that they were in other places and thereby to haue had an entrie into their vnited prouinces Besides they neuer had any intent to seize vpon one foot of land belonging to the empire nor to any prince or lord that were a neuter to hold or retaine them as proprietories as they said they had of late assured his imperiall Maiestie the princes electors and namely the prince elector of Cologne with whom they desired nothing more than to entertaine all good alliance amitie correspondencie and good neighborhood maintaining themselues in that sort without diminution of their estate vntill they might once see an end whereunto they haue alwayes aspired vnto that houre and the which they haue sufficiently made knowne by their resolution to restore the town of Rhineberck to the said prince elector of Cologne to hold that vnder the lawes of neutralitie if that had not beene preuented by the siege which the admirall laid before it who thereby would giue colour to his attempts vnto those who through impatiency would not looke vnto the ground of the matter Which attempts are the more manifest by the taking and surprising of townes and places and the alteration of religion and policie whereby he doth not onely aduertise the princes and noblemen but he doth teach them plainly how hee will intreat both them and their subiects vpon the first oportunitie to erect the Spanish Monarchie They haue well found by experience how willingly and freely sayd the Estates in the yeare 1590 last past they did at the request of the said princes and estates of the empire deliuer vp diuers places which they had taken from their enemies being scituated vpon the territories of the empire hoping that the enemies would in like manner yeeld vp those which they held and which they had promised the said princes and estates to yeeld being also held of the empire as it is well known to all the world Which yeelding of their parts and refusall of the enemies hath been so preiudiciall vnto them as in the end they haue beene constrained to besiege and force Alpen Moeurs and Berck according vnto the good successe which they haue had It is also well knowne
prouinces and no enemie in Christendome will be more respected than he is now This was the counsel of this peace-maker concluding with a petition vnto the prelats noblemen and magistrats representing the Estates That they would put their helping hands thereunto or else find out some better meanes which might as easily bee effected by either partie Thus haue I declared as briefly as I can the aduice of these three counsellors vnto peace the first being one that is fled out of those countries who would haue the archdukes setled there by authoritie of the neighbour kings The second a Romish Catholike who to assure the Romish religion would haue the Netherlanders giue themselues to the French king and driue the Spanish forces beyond the mountaines The third being a neutrall person would haue the vnited prouinces to buy their freedome of the king of Spaine or the archdukes How these propositions of peace like the parties that are in armes one against the other the reader may iudge by that which on both sides hath since ensued each partie seeking to doe as he thinketh good for that at the same time there were certaine articles to the number of 27 both printed written published abroad in the vnited prouinces and in the other countries vnder the archdukes gouernment especially as it is thoght to procure the prouinces vnder the archdukes command to liue in better hope and more quietnesse attending peace through the mediation of France and England as also to disappoint the assembly of the generall Estates Which articles beeing presumed to bee set forth by the archdukes procurement at the same time there was an admonition written and sent out of Holland to persuade the people not to credit any such fained and deuised articles which were made but for a shew Which admonition for that it sheweth the truth of all the proceedings and causes of the wars with their circumstances I thought it good to insert being as followeth It seemeth O Netherlands that this yere you shal be hardly assailed both by politike counsell and by force of armes and that the archduke Albertus of Austria will imploy his power to vanquish you and all cunning practises to circumuent you but you need not feare his power as hauing felt the vttermost force thereof and valiantly withstood it but in regard of cunning practises I thought it conuenient to giue you some counsell and forewarning as being so much the more to be feared seeing they come not openly but wil couertly and secretly vndermine you There is much spoken of the archduke and the Infanta's good natures and of the inward affection and loue which they beare vnto these countries and that now you ought to lay aside all mistrust and iealousie in that you shall not haue to do with a Spaniard but with a naturall borne German prince not with a king who dwelling far from you knowes little of you and therefore respecteth you the lesse and who in regard of his great power you feare and are in doubt of but with a prince who shall dwell both with you and amongst you as a father with his children who hath no other countrey than this no other treasure nor riches but that which he shall receiue from your hands and therefore will not relye vpon his owne force and riches but vpon the hearts and loue of his subiects as the ground and foundation of his greatnes who wil gouern according to the priuiledges and antient liberties of the country and will force no mans conscience To conclude one that wil cure al diseases and in an instant make you forget all forepassed troubles and miseries These are faire glosing speeches but first of all you must be aduertised that these are not the words of the duke of Brabant and of the Infanta themselues but in trueth they are nothing else but the common peoples talke at first inuented and giuen forth by cunning bad minded people and since that receiued and diuulged abroad by some simple and honest men who being deceiued themselues helpe to deceiue others seruing onely to draw men on and to circumuent them thereby to driue you from the good counsell and wholesome admonitions of those that seeke your good to make you hearken vnto their false and venimous discourses being assured that you shal presently be intrapt as soone as they can get you to giue eare thereunto although you knew of the deceit before not much vnlike to the moath that flying to the flame of the candle burneth her wings And you must assure your selues that you cannot hearken vnto their speeches without great preiudice and disgrace no more than a yong modest maid can with honestie lend her chast ears to a lewd alluring tale whereof in former times to your great preiudice you haue had good experience which is that there was neuer any treatie of peace made but that whole prouinces or soâ—… speciall townes fell away the said treaties of peace being by the simpler sort begun with much hope of good proceedings but in the end they euer found there could be no good assurance made for their priuiledges much lesse for the religion and yet some were by the like proceeding so deepely ingaged as they could not free themselues as the examples of Gaâ—… Bruges others are yet fresh in memory but with more disgrace shal you be circumuented if you suffer your selues to be drawn away for that comming to the effect you shall find that these speeches thus cast abroad are nothing else but newes told in streets and in mils The duke of Brabant will say That his meaning was not so and you by this presentation which you imprint in your minds are likewise deceiued The truth is you shall plainly find obseruing well the archdukes proceedings that they are to be esteemed idle speeches which are cast forth in passage boats and wagons without any certaine author when as men trauell abroad For before his departure into Spaine hee persecuted the reformed religion in diuers townes and amongst the rest there was a yong maid buried quick thereby taking away alreasons why they should once doubt of his mind resolution touching religion for that whatsoeuer had bin done to a man might haue bin coloured with som other shew if he had sought or conspired to do any thing against his person or the gouernment Vpon the 10 of Ianuary 1599 he writ vnto the bishop of Paterborn in verie rough manner saying That if the religion were not forbidden that his Catholike souldiers should come thither and that he would not keepe heretikes from spoyling as it appeareth plainly by his message sent to the lady Isabella duchesse of Cleues bearing date in Niuelles the 15 of September 1599 That in his presence it was fully concluded to ruine and spoile the king and the duke of Cleues enemies for such are his words If the archduke vsed such authoritie in a strange countrey where he had no command what hope is there that
nobility in mindâ—… of that which you once haue done and that you will attempt to do it againe at someother time counseling them therefore by preuention so to shorten and clip your wings and to put such a bit into your mouth as they may be assured and out of doubt thereof These arguments and naturall reasons grounded vpon mutuall care cannot by any meanes be taken from you for say that the Emperor the Pope the King of France England and other Princes make promises and bind them-selues that the Articles concluded shall bee truly and fully obserued and kept what will that helpe you you must neuer the lesse lay your head in your reconcled ennemies lap you must liue vnder his fauor and at his deuotion but when soeuer you are executed or other wise oppressed and haue no meanes nor power to helpe your selues which of these cautions will you charge with his promise before what iudge wil you plead your cause who shall serue execution vpon the principall debtor or the suerty paraduenture you thinke that if the Pope warrenteth the contract and put his seale there-vnto with declaration that the old cannon which is not to hold any faith with heretickes in that respect shall bee of no force that as then you are well assured but say that the Pope that now is did it who shall assure you that his successor will confirme it may he not say my predecessor erred I haue the the power to breake as being voyde and of none effect what so euer is done against the Catholike Religon let it bee done by whome soeuer it will but bee it that the Poope saith not so may not the King of Spaine him-selfe maintaine and say that vppon many waighty reasons hee being a soueraigne monarch who is not subiect to any iudge what soeuer may discharge himselfe of his contract and dispence there-with according to the argument of Docter Ayala aforesayd as in effect the King that last died brake and recalled al his contracts made for certaine years with the Italian marchants and thus you shall finde your selues intrapped on euery side wheresoeuer you turne you As touching the securitie of Princes and Potentates it is meere follie once to thinke that any sureties will beginne or vndertake for to make warres in your behalfe no man halteth for an other mans lamenesse the charges and the troubles of warres are so great as no man will take them in hand for the loue or profit of strangers yea men feare to enter thereinto although they should thereby reuenge their owne wrongs Looke into the Articles of peace made betweene the Kings of France and Spaine in the yeare of our Lord 1598. haue not the Spaniards by taking of townes vpon the confines of the Empire by ouer running Cleaue-land and other neighbour countries and by ransaking spoyling and offering of a thousand wrongs broken the same and yet France will not make any warres in the behalfe of those countries looke into the example of the Queene of England of famous memorie late deceased that although the King of Spaine sought by many practises and open force to inuade her crowne and countrie yet how vnwilling shee was neuerthelesse to assaile him with a iust offensiue warre but was content to defend her owne notwithstanding that by your aide and with halfe charges shee might haue assured her Estate What hope haue you then to expect that any forraine Prince when soeuer you shal be oppressed and that the charges must onely fall vpon him will reuenge your wrongs To speake of the Emperor it is needelesse for that no man is so simple as not to conceiue that there is more partialitie then trust to bee expected at his hands But you say the Emperor and the Princes of Germanie yea and the whole Empire doe of themselues offer to imbrace our cause and as good mediators will procure vs a good peac shall wee distrust both enemies and friends and heare no mans counsell I answere that you haue more then to many reasons to suspect all whatsoeuer that commeth from the Emperor not onely in regard of his neerenesse of bloud vnto the King of Spaine and the Arch-duke but in respect of his owne actions and proceedings against them of the Religion of Aix and namely against his owne subiects in Bohemia Hungaria Austria Slesia and other his countries hauing also winckt at the Admirall of Arragons actions and left the oppressed subiects of the borders of the Empire comfortlesse As touching the Empire and the Princes thereof although that many of them are well to be trusted yet diuers of them depend vpon the Pope and consequently on Spaine In the yeare of our Lord 1598. you saw the bad agreement that was amongst them and the slowenesse they vsed in helping and comforting of their oppressed members togither with the badde gouernment of their affaires by reason of the great number of diuerslie affected leaders All of them togither by their Ambasages and admonitions seeke to procure a peace for the profit and commoditie of the Netherlands but much more for their owne perswading themselues that by the Netherlandes warre they receiue some hurt and preiudice and fall into many extreamities seeking and desiring therefore to cease them let the Religion and your preuiledges doe as they may And whensoeuer artciles should bee broken they will doe much lesse for you then they haue done for their vnited companions and members of the Empire negligently ouerslipping the great daunger that approcheth them as soone as the Netherlanders which God forbid should bee brought into subiection and they that vnderstand the same as there are some will neuer giue you counsell to liue vnder the Spaniardes subiection but will humblie thanke you that you still continue as a stronge bul-warke for them and turne awaie the warres Touching other Princes of Christendome there is no hope to be had in regard of their weakenesse Therefore beloued Netherlanders helpe your selues and God will help you be not deceiued by cunning practises seeing you haue by armes maintained your cause so long put not your trust in any man but in the vprightnesse of your cause and Gods assured aid who for these 37. yeares in strange alterations and feareful accidents hath vpholden defended and brought you to this present estate from henceforth by his mighty hand shall lead and conduct you if you hold fast by his word and will follow his starre of direction as the wise men in the East did thinke often vpon things past set former actions before your eyes and therein as in a cleare glasse you shall rightly learne to know Gods mercies shewed vnto you were not the first beginning of these troubles wonderfull and strange In anno 1566. there rose such a zeale in the chiefe Noblemen of the Netherlands to defend the liberties of their natiue country as they bound themselues there-vnto There was such an assemblie of the common people in all townes by thousands such a
vnder the lawes of one absolute Monarchie and roote out all the markes and memory of the Netherlands freedomes and causing you to leaue your owne naturall language they will bring in the Spanish tongue as they haue already done in the Indies To conclude they will make such an alteration as with in these fiftie yeares men shall not know their owne natiue country Beleeue it for certaine that this is no vaine fable but a true forwarning built vpon a good ground Learne at the last that they vnder pretence of the catholike Religion couer their ambition and oppression be not otherwise perswaded but that you are to feare all the fore-passed euells not onelie from the Duke of Brabant but also from the King of Spaine who although he beareth the name yet the Spanish Councell spirit and resolutions in matters of importance whereon the Estate of the countrie and the welfare of the same dependeth shall alwaies gouerne Wherefore cast away all diuision and distrust which strangers entertaine amongst you thereby to ruine you liue in vnitie with those that haue spent so much bloud for the liberties of their natiue countrie and seeeke not to burthen the freedome of your conscience but suffer God and the holie Ghost to rule ouer them beseeching him to mooue euery mans heart to seeke after the right way of saluation Vpon the fifteene of may Prince Maâ—…rice hauing gathered his horse and foote togither marched towards Berghen vp Zoom causeing 80. companies of foote to be shipt in Zeland vnder the conduct of Ernestus Earle of Nassaw as it seemeth to make an enterprise or to besiege Antwerp if he could be master of the point of Flanders on the other side of the riuer but the winde being stronge contrary in some reaches of the riuer of Scheld Ernestus could not land his men as he was appointed as al enterprises are subiect to water wind and weather yet he valiantly passed by the Spanish sconces called Peerle and Ordam which furiously shot vpon them it seemeth that if Cont Ernestus could haue brought his shippes to Cloppers bancke or dike and there haue landed certaine companies of men they might haue done what they intended but the winde beeing contrary and they thereby driuen to shoare they sought with certaine shallops and great boates to land some men on Flanders side but beeing somewhat slow in the execution they were easily repulsed frrom thence by a small number of the enemy wherein the night did much helpe them which made the soldiers to doubt that the Spaniards were much stronger where-vppon they were somewhat abasht and the rather for that they had no Ordinance with them for although that the Marquesse Spinola had beene gone with certaine soldiers into the land of Waes to view Issendicke Fort that hee might attempt some thing against it yet by meanes of an intercepted letter brought to Mounsier van Rollegum Gouernor of the crosse Sconce there were more men placed there by Don Inigo de Mendoza Gouernor of the Castle of Antwerp to the number of three thousand with some Ordinance who fell vppon this small number of Prince Maurice his men which were sette on land lying behinde the bankes they beeing not aboue three hundred whereof part fledde againe into their shallops and boates the rest were defeated and slaine whereof fourescore were taken prisoners and carried into the Castle of Antwerp amongst the which was Captaine Legier Lieutenant to Captaine La Croix and a Sargeant The Burgonians had almost taken Collonell Dorp but he leaping into the water saued him-selfe not without great danger of his life it is thought that there was not aboue one hundred slaine whereof one was Captaine Michael Tutelaer and his Lieutenant Francis sonne to Francis Tutelaer some of the shallops were suncke and burnt This was done vppon the seauenteenth of Maiâ—… in the morning when as Earle Ernestus thought to haue made a bridge ouer the Scheld about Ousterwele their ships of warre and others being come within sight of Antwerp but their enterprize failing by reason of the wind and other accidents Cont Ernestus went with all his men and shipps to Ousterweele on Brabant side where hee landed them and marched towards Eckeren where Prince Maurices armie then was who went backe againe to Berghen Vp. Zoome the ships with their prouision sailed backe againe shooting against the fort aforesaid and they at them at which time the Gouernor of Ordam was slaine This attempt bred a great alteration in Antwerp the rich beeing in great feare and the poorer sort wishing the enemies might haue good successe euery man according to his humor Notwithstanding that Spinola had at least eight thousand men thereabouts and vpon Flanders side presently there-vpon the prices of all victuals did rise many men packt vp such things as they had and fledde to Mechelen and Brussels but there were foure companies of horsemen sent presently into the towne the which were lodged in such Innes as had good fourage without any cost or charge to the Bourgers but when they heard of the enemies retrait the horsemen also left the towne Prince Maurice parting from Eckeren beseeged the Castle of Wouwe which lyeth in a marish ground a League from Berghen vp-Zoome a very strong Castle being the Marquesse of Berghens chiefe house the which a French man lying there in garrison for the Estates sold some eighteene yeares agoe vnto the Prince of Parma and it since became a harbour retreâ—… for theeues This garrison did wonderfully annoy the ships which past betweene Holland and Zealand beeing alwaies readie on the water to take such ships as for want of winde were becalmed and forced to stay or lye at anchor setting vppon them with certaine Scutes which they kept hidden vnder the water taking the passengers and saylers out and carrying them to Wouwe where they kept them til they paid their ransomes here the Prince planted his ordinance before it they within the Castle slue some of his men which were busied about their workers but searing to be forced and that the Arch-dukes would not hazard an armie to releeue them vppon the thirteenth of Maie they yeelded it vp vpon composition hauing aboue eighty fiue men in it amongst the which foure of them were of those which had sold Gheertrudenbergh and were banished from thence who were excluded out of the capitulation but the Marquis of Brandenbergh begged their liues Marquis Spinola caused some of the Captaines of Wouwe to be executed for that they gaue it so lightly ouer In the meane time the Marquis Spinola drew all his â—…ces neere-vnto Antwerp and lodged at Mercxon and Damme and the horsemen at Berchen and Wilricke and by that meanes defended Antwerp and made a bridge ouer the Scheld from the towne wharfe vnto Flanders side by which meanes hee might ioyne his diuided forces which laie in Brabant and Flanders vpon any occasion together as neede required The admonition to
what diligence they had vsed therein promising faithfully if they would content them-selues there-with that it should bee presently procured if the Estates would desire it neuer-the-lesse hee desired sixe dayes respite to write vnto Brussels and from thence to receiue further Commission which was granted him and therevpon hauing receiued the same vpon the second of August hee promised the Estates to cause the sayd agreation to bee made in an other forme and that therefore they had reason to bee satisfied for that time seeing that the Arch-dukes had written into Spaine to certifie the King of the difficultie therein insisting with-all to haue a resolution from the Estates to countermaund their shippes from the coast of Spaine and that they would vouchsafe to pleasure the Archdukes therein Here-vpon certaine dayes were spent in consultation and diuerse conferences were had with the sayd Veryken and at the last vppon the eight of August an answer was giuen him by word of mouth and afterwards deliuered him in writing containing that the Estates declared and held the respectiue agreation to bee imperfect and defectiâ—…e not onely in qualitie and forme but also in the substance thereof for that so many words were left out that it was not written in French nor signed by the King nor yet sealed with his great seale as also not containing an agreation of the whole proceedings but restrained onely to certaine points and that they made no mention of the approouing and declaration of the freedome of the vnited Prouinces as the Arch-dukes had done and that therefore touching the rest of the propositions they could make no further declaration before the first of September next ensuing and therefore they deliuered him a writing in Dutch French and Latin whereby they showed that they vnderstood that the King was to make the agreation before they could enter into any further treatie and that therefore to make a further declaration as much time would bee spent as had past before from the foure and twentie daie of Iulie to the first of September and that neuerthelessâ—… they were content in honour of the Archduke to countermaund all their shippes of warre from the coast of Spaine and that truly and effectually and that all the prizes by them taken within the space of sixe weekes beginning vpon the foure and twenty of Iuly should not bee allowed for good but should bee restored againe the which answere the sayd Vereycken vpon the twelfth day of August went to Brussels The truce continewing for eight monthes aforesaid both by sea and by land both for Spaine and the Netherlands it gaue a great hope to all the country people that the matter would in the end bee brought to a peace or a long truce but some men of good iudgement held it to be a matter of greater difficulty and that it was so ernestly followed on either side that so they might get some aduantage and thereby aduance their owne cause and that it would not so lightly nor without more rumor bee ended on either side Whilest this businesse about peace or truce was in hand and that the Neighbour Kings and Princes with the countries of Iuilliers Cleaue Leege and East Freeseland busied and troubled themselues therewith many oppinions conceites and discourses were made touching the same The greater sort which extol the greatnesse of Spaine could not bee perswaded nor beleeue that the Archdukes should euer procure any agreation or consent therevnto from the King of Spaine in such sort as it was promised but rather thought that there was some other meaning and intent others to the contrary said that the hundred and fiftie mylions which the King had spent the aboundance of bloud which had beene shed the great mutenies great want of money the King of Spaine finding himselfe continually assailed and compassed about with such strong fleetes at sea which were likely to take all trade by sea from him or to incomber him much whereby hee must of force hold the Islands and the Indies fast bound vpon Spaine with such like difficulties and other considerations which might cause that great King to conceiue many doubtes especially in respect of a great rich company which the vnited Prouinces were about to make for the West Indies which should continue for the space of sixe and thirty yeares wherein some great misterie or secret laie hidde which might either make his Indies rebell or els they would assaile them in the weakest places and thereby giue all his treasorors cause of doubt that his treasure which vseth to come from the Indies would bee cut off and so giue him no more credit whereby hee should bee compelled necessarily to fall into greater charges to arme and defend his farre distant Islands and so by that meanes diuide his power farre a sunder They said moreouer that it was wisely scircumspectly and necessarily done of the King and the Archdukes willingly to giue ouer and yeelde vp their soueraignite as it was giuen forth to the vnited Prouinces finding that they were not by any other meanes of perswasions practises or power to bee brought to any treatie for that their weakenesse or any greater disgrace or losse which they might chance to haue might force them to seeke to bee protected by France in which protection there was great daunger that at the last they should bee driuen out of all the Prouinces and therefore they thought it best to seeke to possesse the better part quietly with a neighbourly peace at the least till a more conuenient time rather then to suffer the French King to inrich himselfe with the Netherlands which would depriue Spaine of all authority respect and credit The Netherlanders for their partes as there are many deepe witted and prouident men amongst them could not beleeue that it was done bona fide and therefore that proceeding was cleane against their mindes doubting that in the end they should bee forced to fall againe vnder the subiection of the Spaniard vnder the name of the house of Burgondie imagining that the ground thereof had beene layd long since and that the truce or peace was but a breathing vnto them They could not likewise conceiue how they should preserue their estate maintaine the grouernment of the Prouinces in vnity withstand all difficulties that might arise neither yet how to continewe their meanes and taxations especially if the Archdukes should ease the contry people thereof in their Prouinces how they should maintaine their authority at sea if the conuoies and lycences ceased and holding them still how the trade of marchandise might bee continewed amongst them that were wont to goe thether where they were least burthened with exactions neither how they should keepe souldiars in good order and discipline not beeing imploied and exercised in armes nor how religion should bee maintayned in the same estate it was or how to bring the common people againe to beare armes when they shal once haue felt a sauor and tast of peace
other such like things which in regard of confederation religion and warrs with the dependances thereof haue beene found to be made to the preiudice of any man 13 Concerning order to be taken for the paiment of debts and other charges made by the treatie of the old vnion 14 The retyring of all foreine souldiers being in seruice vnder the king of Spaine and the archdukes out of all the said archdukes countries for that without their departure out of the countrey the differences which then were to bee determined and debated could not bee ended 15 That the lawes of the Inquisition and burthening of mens consciences shall not bee vsed against saylers and merchants that goe into Spaine and other the kings and the archdukes dominions nor against any other of the inhabitants of the vnited prouinces that trauell thither and that in their ships they shall bee free to vse their owne religion and that for religion no shippes merchandises nor goods shall bee subiect to confiscation 16 That the inheritances of such as are dead intestat and such as hereafter shall die in the countries belonging to the king of Spaine the archdukes and the Estates shall come and discend vnto the right heires whether they haue continued or shall continue on the one or the other side and that euerie one shall bee held and accounted for legitimat heire according to the customes of the prouinces where the actions that shall fall in question to bee decided shall be tried 17 The antient priuiledges of townes vsed therein before the warres shall on both sides remaine firme in the same maner that they then were without any exception 18 That if any new controuersie should arise which God forbid the saylers merchants and their factors seruants and other inhabitants shal on both sides haue six moneths time freely to withdraw themselues with their ships goods and satisfaction of their debts due vnto them the time of the six monethes to begin presently after there should bee warning thereof giuen 19 That if any thing on both sides bee done or attempted against this treatie it shall be duely and fully satisfied and recompenced and yet the sayd treatie shall remaine inuiolable 20 That all prisoners on both sides shall bee set at libertie without paying any ransome 21 All ciuile actions not publikely decided shall remaine in full force and no prescription to be alledged nor allowed notwithstanding the warres 22 Assurance to bee giuen for the particular treaties made concerning the generall treatie 23 A generall and speciall renouncing derogation and assurance to be made for the keeping and holding of all and euerie point of the treatie 24 A request to bee made to the emperour and the princes of Germanie the kings of Fraunce England and Denmarke to maintaine that which shall bee agreed vpon in this treatie 25 The acknowledging of the potentates princes commonweals and townes to bee friends and allies and to be included in the treatie 26 Order to be taken about the prince of Portugals cause 27 Approbation publication and registring to be made of the treatie 28 That all such things as may be propounded for the cleere exposition of the articles on both sides shall and may be produced and allowed of The articles propounded in the behalfe of the king of Spain and the archdukes were seuen which were written in French the contents being as followeth 1 Concerning limits 2 The restitution of lands and goods 3 For traffique out of the countries 4 For vniformitie in the moneyes 5 To keepe a generall course on both sides for priuiledges and freedoms giuen to the English merchants touching traffique and trade of merchandise as otherwise 6 Concerning religion 7 Concerning the affaires of neighbour princes As soone as these articles were deliuered on both sides the king of Spaine and the archdukes deputies marking the number of the articles that were presented vnto them by the Estates deputies sayd That it would bee so tedious a worke as it could not bee finished in a short time and Richardot reading the point concerning the paiment of the debts of the vnion said Wee haue no money to pay debts for all our money is consumed in the warres The Estates deputies for their parts also finding that their aduerse partie made an expresse article touching religion and thereby remembring that the same point concerning religion was particularly specified in the Spanish procuration and all the rest mentioned in generall termes they desired the kings and the archdukes deputies to make an explication of their intent and meanings that they might know their minds therein and whether by that article they intended to compell the Estates to leaue their religion the which as beeing free Estates and countries they had or should haue and whether they thought that as yet they had any right of soueraigntie ouer those countries whereby they might prescribe them lawes or whether their meaning was vnder that article to set downe onely how the subiects on either side should behaue themselues when they should come in any place vnder their aduerse parties commaund where any other religion than that which they professe shall bee vsed But they could get no explication thereof from the sayd deputies saying That it beeing one of the last articles they would make them an exposition thereof when they came vnto it And being much vrged thereunto they sayd That they had sent a messenger into Spaine for that purpose and that they could make no explication neither of the one nor the other vntill such time as they should receiue an aunswere thereof againe or some larger commission from thence and so for that time they brake vp the counsell The Spanish and the archdukes deputies hauing in this manner gotten all the Estates articles as they were particularly set downe into their hands sought to respite and prolong the time for a while that so they might fully aduertise their princes not onely what the Estates desire and intent was touching the treatie but also of the humors of the prouinces gouernments and inhabitants therereof or as much as they had learned and vnderstood of such persons of diuers places quarters and qualities as came vnto them by meanes of the free accesse that was permitted which their intent was first discouered by certaine words and speeches cast forth by their followers and seruants and after that plainely vnderstood at their meeting made vpon the eleuenth and twelfth of March wherin much was spoken protested argued and debated touching the matter of truce the traffique into the Indies and the manner order and freedome of the traffiques to be made into the kingdomes and countries of the king of Spaine and the archdukes in Europe and after much disputation had between them Spinola and the rest of the deputies on their side desired the Estates deputies to make an article apart concerning trade and traffique into Europe and what assurance should bee giuen therein and another article concerning traffique into the Indies
and disorder in the countrey as also from all the practises of Iesuites and others that seeke not the peace and quietnesse but rather the disturbance of the countrey which bookes were the better to be borne withall for that in so great and vncertaine an alteration of an estate as is now likely to happen in these countries they proceeded from such men as are well willers to their countrey and which take no pleasure in warres but with all their hearts wish and desire peace so it may bee honourable godly and well assured for them yet could perceiue nothing else but that vnder the shadow thereof some secret practises might bee wrought tending to the ouerthrow and subuersion of these countries the which otherwise in a publike gouernment such as is vsed in the Netherlands is not well nor easily to be hindered whereof the reader by the books themselues shall haue better tast and information which for that they are not pertinent vnto the hystorie I thought good to omit and referre the reader vnto the books themselues which are extant By meanes of fryer Iohn Nayens departure for Spaine many men began to find that the treatie of peace was likely to continue long for that they were to stay fortie dayes for his returne backe againe and were the more easily mooued to beleeue it for that during his absence little or rather nothing at all was done by the rest of the deputies that thereby they might not discouer themselues for that they were vncertaine whether their princes would accept and allow of those articles and againe that they were to haue a more ample commission to treat of so many articles as the Estates had propounded and deliuered vnto them and that therefore they would so manage their businesse either by themselues or by others as that frier Iohn Nayen should be returned backe againe before they would proceed any further in the treatie and it fell out well to the purpose for them that in the beginning of Aprill the Estates for the most part repaired to their own prouinces and the Estates of Holland also for a time so as thereby it rather seemed to be delayed off by the absence of the Estates themselues than by the deputies for Spaine for that they alwaies gaue forth that they were readie to proceed in the treatie although that in long time they had not once sought to enter into any conference or meeting Meane time there came a flying newes out of Brabant that vpon good Friday there was a dispatch brought thither out of Spaine the contents thereof beeing That the king of Spaine would not graunt nor allow these countries any traffique at all into the Indies nor to any places thereof and that the Estates subiects were presently to desist and leaue off the same and secondly That the king would haue his deputies insist and vrge free exercise of religion and grant of churches for the papists those of the Romish religion that were in the vnited prouinces and that openly and in all places or otherwise that they should leaue off and breake vp the said treatie Which newes made many men that were in good hope of the treatie of peace to be much disquieted in mind perceiuing that the proceedings and consequences thereof were so dangerous as without the hazarding of the whole state of the countrie they could not graunt that point vnto those of the Romish religion at the request and motion of the enemies of the countrie but it could not bee vnderstood long after whether this answer out of Spaine were of such effect or not yet they found that marquesse Spinola and the rest of the deputies were not much pleased when they had receiued the said answer or were aduertised thereof Many embassadours of forraine princes as those of Munster Cleue and Cologne when they perceiued the long proceedings of the treatie tooke their leaues and departed from the Hage the like did many earles and other noble men as the earle of Benthen the earle of Hohenloo cousin to that earle of Hohenloo which had done so great seruice to the Estates in formertimes and others We haue shewed before that frier Iohn Nayen was gonne into Spaine and that hee was to returne againe within fourtie daies after who not comming at the day appointed gaue many men cause of great suspition and the rather for that it was giuen out by some of the king of Spaines ministers and seruants that the king was not resolued to leaue his soueraigntie but to hold it still and to further the Catholike religion and how that in Fraunce the Spaniards boasted what great aduantage and profit they had gotten by the treatie of peace late made reporting the same to be much more than they expected with such like words the frier comming not againe and Don Pedro de Toledo embassadour for the king of Spaine beeing come into Fraunce not onely to make certaine propositions of mariage but also to intreat of this peace The Estates of the vnited prouinces attended the returne of president Ianin embassador for the French king in the Netherlands who till the comming of the said Don Pedro de Toledo was staied by the king in Fraunce but the said king hauing giuen audience to Dom Pedro de Toledo he presently sent president Ianin backe againe into Holland with letters of credit who vpon the seauenth of August arriuing in the Hage the next day had audience of the generall Estates where he shewed them what great affection the king his master bare vnto the preseruation and maintenance of their estate as well in peace as warres and how that Dom Pedro de Toledo in the name of the king of Spaine his master had made complaint vnto the French king touching the aid and assistance which the said king gaue vnto the vnited prouinces contrarie to the treatie of peace made at Veruins and what disliking the said king of Spaine had therof offering all kindnesse and friendship in the king his masters name vnto the French king for the preseruation of their particular estates if he would leaue off to assist and abandon the said vnited prouinces whereunto he said that the king his master made answer that he could by no meanes leaue them and that his alliance with them was not contrarie to the said treatie of peace made at Veruins alledging that the king of Spaine for his part had done much against the said treatie or at least permitted it to be done by his ministers which he declared vnto them at large saying also that the king aduised them to make a peace if it might be concluded vpon reasonable conditions and that to the same end they should with all speed mooue the deputies for the king of Spaine and the archdukes to proceed to a conclusion thereof and that they should not stay any longer for the returne of frier Iohn Nayen for that there was no apparance nor likelihood that they should get any further or other
consent counsell and aduice of the generall states yet they said in behalfe of the lords of the Order of the golden Fleece and others of the principalest of the nobilitie that they had all resolued and agreed together That if it pleased the king to graunt vnto these three poiuts to do their endeuors to pacifie the state of the Netherlands then so troubled and disordered and to be a meanes to plant peace and vnitie amongst them by secret practises of good men whereof there were yet a great number within the land and well addicted vnto them and so to compell the bad by force to liue in peace and subiection Which they were charged to desire at his Maiesties hands and had fully determined to put the same in practise so they might haue the kings good will and consent thereunto vnlesse it pleased his Maiesty to make great hast to come into the Netherlands and yet not without conuenient and fit oportunitie Much being argued and disputed hereupon both the embassadors said plainly and flatly as the Spaniards reported and after inserted the same in the processe made against the said lords that the noblemen and gentlemen of the Netherlands had no intent meaning nor purpose to rise vp in arms if it pleased the king to grant vnto the points of their embassage propounded but were fully determined euery man to keepe at home in his owne house making further complaint That they were scorned and despised of the Spaniards which presumed that they ought to haue the commaund and rule ouer the lords and knights of the Netherlands as they haue in Millaine Naples and Sicilia which the Netherlanders could not endure with many such like speeches as they report While they proceeded in this manner and that the counsell in Spaine were busied about this matter the Regents letters were brought from Brussels into Spaine to certifie of the peoples assemblies and gatherings together in many places of the countrey and of their open preachings which were done about Dornick Rissel S. Omers and Ypre and that certaine French preachers were among them and that the like was done in Antuerpe For which cause shee desired the king to send a good and a short resolution and to consent vnto the three points before alledged for that she nor the lords of the Order of the golden Fleece neither yet her counsell could find no other meanes to preuent the apparent troubles and the rather as she said for that the secretarie gaue it out That it was by their consent and commandement which they should preuent and make known by the effects that their intentions had beene and was good â—…lse the world might thinke that theiâ—… petition which they said was presented for the preseruation of the countrey had beene the onely cause of these preachings and if any one among them had incited the people thereunto hee had exceeded the bounds of their compromise and petition Whereupon the nobles answered by writing punctually to euery article in the forme that followeth Madame We cannot giue your highnesse sufficient thanks for the good offers which were propounded vnto vs at Duffel the 18 of this moneth by the prince of Orange and the earle of Egmont on your highnesse behalfe who left it vs in writing as followeth the which seems to containe nine articles whereof the first is That your highnesse hath sent the marquesse of Bergen and the baron of Montigny vnto the king to acquaint his Maiestie with our petition For the which Madame wee most humbly thanke your highnesse and we hope that those noble men being so sufficient will doe all good offices with his Maiestie whereby hee may vnderstand our iust intentions to be conformable to our petition Secondly We are put in mind of the promise which we made to die in his Maiesties seruice and 〈◊〉 your highnesse feet Wherein Madame we desire to continue alwayes neither had we euer any other will For the third That we know that since our petition there hath beene no innouation touching the Inquisition and edicts according to our demaâ—…nd and that therein your highnesse hath satisfied 〈◊〉 We beleeue that your highnesse hath altered nothing since our petition but the magistrats haue not duely obeyed your highnesse letters but haue continued still in the apprehension and imprisonment of people by vertue of the Inquisition and edicts That which we persuade our selues is directly contrarie to your highnesse intention and command Fourthly That aâ—… good and loyall subiects according to our promises we should restraine and suppresse the insolencie of sectaries As for our promises Madame wee hold that we haue wholly satisfied them both in generall and particular yea wee haue done our best endeuours to containe the people in all modestie and to hinder the preaching from whom wee cannot take away the persuasions which they haue conceiued vpon the stay of his Maiesties resolution for that it was said vnto vs That within two monethes after the presenting of our petition to your highnesse we should haue a direct answer And also the manner of assembling the prouincial states which haue beene held in some places contrarie to the vsuall custome and the threats which are vsed daily both against vs and the people namely by the church men all which reasons haue drawne the people together to their publike preachings the which they haue continued vnto this day as they themselues haue told vs plainly And wee desire your highnesse should know that had not beene the presentation of our petition and the good offices which we haue done both before and since they had not so long conteined themselues being prest by their conscences as they say Fiftly That matters tend to a popular sedition and that strangers are dealers in it and those which are our antâ—…ent enemies To that Madame we answere that whensoeuer any strangers shall bee dealers in it we will be the first that shall goe to horsebacke to hinder them but that we or any others ought not to oppose our selues against the kings vassals and subiects wee find it not for his Maiesties seruice but contrariwise the ruine and ouerthrow of al the Netherlands for that they submit themselues to the resolution of the generall estates as shall be related more amply hereafter The sixth article That the sectaries giue it out That it is by our consent and commandement so as it may well â—…e iudged that our petition which wee say wee had presented for the preseruation of the countrey is the onely cause of their publike preaching We answer Madame that neither in general nor yet in particular euer any one of vs did incite mooue or persuade the people to make the said preachings but contrariwise haue endeuoured to hinder them by all meanes by reason of the troubles and disorders which we did feare might grow but seeing that wee could not persuade nor diuert the people we haue suffered them to do as they thought good and so farre as
it may touch vs or any of vs we offer to purge our innocencies by sufficient proofes But that there are some of our company which do allow of them for that they are of the same religion we denie not notwithstanding wee know that their religion doth not hinder their deuotion to his Maiesties seruice as they haue assured both in generall and particular As for the seuenth point That we ought in duetie to hinder them and make knowne our good intention by the effects and that it tends to a good end and that our petition was presented for the kings seruice and the good of the countrey We say Madame that herein wee haue done our vttermost endeuours but seeing that the people would in no sort yeeld vnto our persuasions for the reasons aboue mentioned we beseech your highnesse that it may please you to find out some good meanes wherein we wil willingly imploy our selues The eight That we should not distrust the king who hath neuer vsed any tyrannie towards his subiects but all gentlenesse and fauour We answer Madame that we haue no distrust of the king knowing him to be so mild and iust a prince as if he were here present which wee do greatly desire to heare both parties we assure ourselues he would soone settle a good order The ninth and last That your highnesse doth not doubt but his Maiestie will forget all things and â—…hat your highnesse hath often written fauourably to his Maiestie We say Madame that as for his Maiesties forgetting wee doe not thinke that we haue done any thing contrarie to his seruice â—…or giuen any occasion for our parts why he should forget any thing But contrariwise it wil â—…e found that the aduertisement which we haue giuen by the presentation of our petition â—…ath alreadie taken effect if not all yet at the least in part wherefore the said aduertisement â—…ught to be taken as a most acceptable seruice done vnto his Maiestie And for that your â—…ighnesse hath written so fauourably and so timely vnto his Maiestie we most humbly thanke â—…ou yet Madame you wil pardon vs if we speak freely and discouer the secrets of our hearts â—…nto you It doth seeme vnto our company that your highnesse doth hold vs in great iealouâ—…e by the open demonstration which you haue made vnto vs vntill that we were giuen to vnâ—…erstand the contrarie by the lords at Duffel on your highnesse behalfe By which precedent â—…istrust wee haue purchased many enemies and some of them haue spoken with such spleen â—…s they haue dared to vse speeches publikely against vs tending to sedition saying That they â—…ere ready to breake our heads if they were commaunded And moreouer bruting it out â—…mong the people to make vs odious That the king comming into these parts hee would inâ—…at vs as rebels and seditious persons with many other wrongs which were too long to reâ—…ate in particular the which we haue for a time past ouer with silence without making comâ—…aints or demonstration thereof although we had iust occasion But the long delaves and the â—…cret practises which wee haue and doe daily discouer haue reduced vs to those extremities â—…r the apparent dangers which we see may happen thereby vnto vs as wee haue beene forced 〈◊〉 seeke the meanes to make friends in other countries to aid and assist vs in case they should â—…ke to proceed against vs and the kings subiects vassals by force and not to any other end â—…hich meanes are most necessarie for vs by reason of the distrust which your highnesse hath â—…ad of vs as it is said Wherefore we beseech you that you will not take this assurance but in â—…pod part for that it tends but to a good and iust end which is the assurance of our persons â—…ad goods And as our intent was neuer to any other effect but to the kings seruice and the â—…eseruation of the countrey we desire that order may be taken by other meanes lesse dangeâ—…us and we find no other meanes for our safetie and quiet but humbly to beseech your â—…ghnesse to giue vs assurance and to command all the noblemen and knights of the order in â—…se parts to doe the like that nothing may be attempted against vs nor any other of the kings â—…ssals and subiects directly or indirectly by force or any other meanes whatsoeuer touching â—…r petition compromise And for that the prince of Orange and the earles of Egmont and 〈◊〉 haue beene best acquainted with our affaires since the presenting of our petition with â—…om we must yet treat of many things which may auaile vs we beseech your highnesse to â—…mmaund them that they wil hereafter assist vs with their counsel and take vs into their proâ—…tion And that your highnesse charge vnto them may bee of such authoritie as they may â—…olutely prouide and giue order for all that shall concerne the guard and preseruation of the â—…untrey both within and without being the only meanes whereby we may assure our selues â—…d the kings vassals and subiects Knowing them to be such worthy and vertuous noblemen 〈◊〉 they would mannage all to the seruice of his Maiestie and the quiet of the country neither â—…ould they promise any thing but what they would keepe And knowing well that your highnesse cannot do it but by prouision we beseech you that at the same instant you will bee pleased to dispatch a post vnto the king that his Maiestie would bee pleased to giue the like commaundement vnto the said lords with the like authoritie that by their meanes wee may imploy our selues the more freely in his Maiesties seruice vntill that by the consent and resolution of the generall estates his Maiestie shall haue otherwise decreed Moreouer Madame and lastly we cannot conceale from your highnesse that being assembled at S. Trudon there was a petition presented vnto vs on the behalfe of a great part of the people here adioyned who haue offered to lay downe armes and to submit themselues to that which should be decreed and commaunded by the generall estates so as your highnesse will commaund vs to giue them such assurance and promise to ioyne with them and not to suffer any violence to bee offered vnto them attending the resolution of the generall estates Desiring that your highnesse will disperse some of vs that deliuered the petition into the townes and prouinces to containe them in all modestie to whom they will deliuer their armes else Madame they haue giuen vs to vnderstand for the feare which they haue that some violence should be offered them that they shall be constrained to haue recourse to others for their support which makes vs to feare that they would bring the French our antient enemies into the countrey We haue thought good to aduertise your highnesse freely of these things to the end you may dispose thereof according to the necessitie of the time and as you shall find it most conuenient for the good of the country
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