THE ARRAIGNMENT Of John van Olden Barneuelt late Aduocate of HOLLAND and WEST-FREISLAND.
Containing the Articles alleadged against him, and the reasons of his execution, being performed vpon the 13. of May Anno 1619. Stilo Nouo, In the inner Court of the Grauen Hage in HOLLAND.
TOGETHER WITH A LETTER written by the Generall States, vnto the particular Vnited Prouinces, concerning the foresaid action.
Published by Authoritie, and with priuiledge of the States Generall.
LONDON, Printed by Edward Griffin for Ralph Rounthwait at the signe of the Golden Lion in Pauls Church-yard. 1619.
THE PRIVILEDGE.
THE States generall of the vnited NETHERLANDS, haue giuen and granted licence vnto Hillebrant Jacobson, sworne Printer to them, and to the States of Holland in particular, and by these presents giue and grant licence, that he onely for the space of two yeares, next ensuing the date hereof, shall print and deliuer out in Dutch, the sentence and iudgement giuen & pronounced by the Iudges, by them therevnto appointed, vpon and against Iohn van Olden Barnevelt, sometime Aduocate or Counsellor of Holland and West-Freseland, and executed on his person, vpon the 13 of May 1619. Stilo novo, in the inner Court of the Hage, for bidding [Page] and prohibiting all other Printers, and subiects of these Prouinces, to print, or cause the aforesaid Sentence within the time aforesaid of two yeares to bee printed or giuen out in Dutch, vpon paine of forfeiture of such Bookes, and further of the summe of 300 Carollus Guldens: the one third part thereof to the behoofe of him that shall be the officer to execute the Commission: an other third part, to the vse of the poore, and the last third part to the vse. & benefit of the aforesaid Hillebrant Jacobson, giuen in the Assembly of the said Generall States in Grauen-Hage, the 14 of May 1619. I. V. Dorth. v t.
THE COPIE OF A LETter, written by the generall States, vnto the particular vnited Prouinces in the Netherlands.
WE send your Honors herewith, a copie of the sentence, which the Iudges thereunto appointed, pronounced against the prisoners (long deliberated vpon by vs) which on the 13 of this present moneth, was published, and execution done vpon the person of Iohn van Olden Barnevelt, late Counsellor or Aduocate of Holland and VVest-Freseland: The said Iudges withall sent vs certaine ouertures, of diuers other points, that were made knowne vnto them, and are not mentioned in the aforesaid sentence, which according to the informations, & consequences therof, gaue great suspition that he had intelligence with the enemy, and wholy bended his actions thereunto, seeking neuerthelesse not to giue nor [Page] minister any offence to the other side, but to the contrary made shew to fauour the same; but for that the substance of the confessions made vpon those points, were such, that no definitiue sentence could haue bin giuen vpon them, without further inquisition, and sharper examination, which by the said Iudges, was not thought conuenient, in respect of his great age, and other considerations, concerning the seruice of the Land, as also for that the decision of them & other matters, could no longer be delayed, and that the articles in the said sentence contained, are sufficient to condemne him; we haue omitted them, and thought it good and necessarie hereby to certifie you thereof, beseeching God to haue your Honors & vs in his holy keeping: from the Hage the 19. of May 1619. vnderwritten
THE IVDGMENT GIVEN AND PRONOVNCED vpon John van Olden Barneuelt, late Aduocate of HOLLAND and WEST-FRESELAND, together with his execution performed vpon the 13 of May 1619. Stylo novo.
IOhn van Olden Barnevelt sometime Aduocate or Counsellor of the Prouinces of Holland and West-Freesland, and at this present committed to prison, Commissioners being by the generall States ordained and appointed to examine him, and to make [Page] report thereof vnto the Iudges by the said generall States ordained to sit vpon the same, without racke or any torment confessed, (as to the said Iudges also it manifestly appeared)
1
That notwithstanding, it is not lawfull for any man, to breake or violate the vnitie, and fundamentall lawes, whereupon the gouernment of the vnited Netherlands is grounded, and whereby the said Countries (by Gods speciall blessing, notwithstanding all the forces, practises and deuices of their enemies and euill willers) hath bin hitherto preserued and defended: he the said prisoner had taken vpon him, to trouble the state of the Religion, and thereby to bring the Church of God into great trouble and extremitie. To that end had maintained and put in practise, most exorbitant and pernicious maximes against the state of the Land, and among them, with great boldnes, of himselfe and by his complices inserted, that [Page] some of the Prouinces of the said vnited Netherlands, had power & authoritie of themselues, to order and dispose of religion at their wills and pleasures, and that the rest of the Prouinces had nothing to doe therewith.
2
That without commission or authoritie, he had in his owne house made certaine protestations in the name of the Prouinces of Holland, Vtrecht, and Ouerissell, whereby they togither, by manner of complot (against all order vsed in the assemblies of the generall States) protested, that the Deputies of the Prouinces which were appointed for the furthering of the Nationall Synode, would be the authors and causers of great troubles and inconueniences.
3
That he contemning the good and wholsome counsels of diuers Princes, Lords, and [Page] noble Personages both in and without the land, as much as in him lay, had sought to withstand and hinder the remedies procured for the ceasing of controuersie in Religion.
4
That to further and maintaine his designes aforesaid, he had abused certaine of the mightiest Potentates with vnseemely and sinister practises, and to that end by his owne authoritie instructed, and caused to be instructed, the Ambassadors for the States with vntrue propositions.
5
That he also had taken vpon him to write to the States Ambassador resident in Great Britannie, that if any thing should be written by the said King concerning the state of Religion, that it should be sent to the States of Holland; and that he should procure the staying thereof, vntill he had sent the copie [Page] vnto him to consider of it, and to stay his answer thereupon, before he sent the same, and that the letters should be directed vnto him, that he might deliuer them, for the good and seruice of the land (assuming to himselfe all the authoritie and gouernment thereof.)
6
That he tooke vpon him, in the name of the States of Holland and West-Friesland, to write to the King of France, that those States Generall that proclaimed a nationall Synod, vsurped the names of the Generall States, wishing his Maiestie not to send any of his subiects vnto the said Synod, but rather to aid and assist those of Holland against the factions of the States.
7.
That by indirect meanes he had sought for and procured letters from the King of England, which he himselfe had first drawne [Page] and corrected, and then sent them ouer to the Ambassador, tending to the furthering of his owne designes, which he himselfe deliuered to the generall States, but made them not acquainted in what manner he had procured them, writing to the said Ambassador, that he should not by any means make the Ambassadors at that time in England for the generall States, acquainted therewith.
8.
That for the better furtherance of his designes and pretences, by the said Ambassadors meanes he sought to procure the like letters againe from the King of England, which when he could not get, he did not sticke to presume to tax the said King, with being the cause of the troubles that were then risen in the vnited Prouinces.
9
That, to procure the more and greater trouble in religion, hee had placed and [Page] brought into the Churches diuers hereticall Diuines and Teachers, and in the mannageing of the State had put in such men, as he thought to be fit instruments for the effecting and furtherance of his faction.
10
That he likewise had brought to passe, that his said creatures and instruments at diuers and seuerall times, and sundry places, contrary to all good order of gouernment, had holden diuers conuenticles and secret assemblies, where, by him and his complices it was determined how they might proceed in their bad pretence: and to the end the same might be authorized vnder the names of the States of Holland and West-Freisland, he had so plotted, that by multitude of voices (contrary to the will and desire of some of the chiefest members of Holland) they might resolue vpon that which they desired and intended: and yet he himselfe confesseth, that such priuate assemblies are not to be permitted in a well-gouerned Common-wealth.
11
That he did not seeke to hinder the rigorous commissions in some places sent forth against the true professors of religion, whereby they were vpon strict penalties forbidden the exercise of the true religion, making them hatefull in all places both within and without the Land, by the names of strangers, and Puritans, who there Flanderising, caused the subiects to contend with their Gouernors. Notwithstanding that all the vnited Prouinces together, by many and sundry treaties, agreements, and resolutions, (whereof he himselfe, as one of the States, had beene the author and inuentor) had promised and bound themselues one vnto another, with body, life, and goods, to maintaine, preserue and vphold, the reformed euangelicall religion, receiued and preached in euery place of those Countries, without any alteration thereof whatsoeuer. And that for confirmation thereof, in Anno 1588. the oathes of all the Gouernors, [Page] Generals, Captaines, and souldiers, in one point specially mentioned the same, which was that they should sweare to bee true and faithfull to the generall States, who by the vnitie and faithfull combination of promise, should vphold and maintaine the true reformed religion: and that in all the treaties and compositions made with such townes as they either won, or that yeelded themselues to them, one speciall Article was, that they should yeeld to the preaching of the aforesaid religion, which by all their adherents and allies had beene receiued, allowed of, and accepted.
12
That he esteeming all this not to be sufficient to effect his bad and erroneous designes, sought by the meanes of his complices and adherents, to perturbe and trouble the politique State, deuising to inuent and finde the meanes to reduce and bring the gouernment thereof into disorder and confusion, by meanes thereof the better to effect [Page] his mischieuous pretence against the securitie and prosperitie of the same.
13
That to the same end, and for a foundation of his faction, vnder diuers speciall pretences, hee had kindled the fire of dissention, and procured all manner of distrusts betweene the Prouinces, and making himselfe head of the faction, had caused the Deputies of eight townes in Holland to hold diuers secret assemblies, vpon certaine points by them agreed vpon, to preuent the rest of the townes, (and so by pluralitie of voices, hauing formerly complotted together) in the assemblie of the States of Holland, to bring them in, and to make such resolutions thereupon as they had formerly determined. In which priuate assemblies, the Deputies of the said eight townes, among other things, first complotted and agreed vpon diuers points, (which at seuerall times were by them debated) and concluded to bring to effect.
14
That he himselfe had therein inserted the sharpe and seuere resolution made the 18. of August 1617. and against the wills and consents of diuers chiefe members of the said assemblie, caused the same to be ratified and confirmed. By which resolution, the prohibitions of ordinary Iustice made against their pretences, were declared and pronounced to be void and of none effect: and the Magistrates of the townes, warranted, not to obey the same; and such as were thereunto incited and consenting, authorised and allowed, of their owne authorities, for their defences, to raise new companies of souldiers, and to giue them another oath (contrarie to their oath of allegeance made to the States Generall) by the which also all Officers, Iustices, and those that were by oath bound vnto the particular Prouinces of Holland and West-Freisland, were sworne to maintaine and further the said resolution: And further ordained, that all Generals, Captaines and souldiers of the ordinary [Page] companies, should earnestly be charged and commanded, vpon paine of losing of their places, to be obedient to the States, their pay-masters, and the Magistrates of the townes where they lay in garrison, notwithstanding any other prohibition or commandement made to the contrary: whereby it followed, that diuers townes in Holland (whereof some before that by his aduice and counsell had begunne to take vp souldiers) vpon the same resolution (and his secret instigation that they should looke vnto themselues and their securities) began to raise a great number of souldiers, giuing them a particular oath, as aforesaid, with speciall charge to be obedient only to their commandements, against all men whatsoeuer, and particularly against the generalitie, and his Excellencie, in such cases, wherein the said townes (so strengthning themselues with new souldiers) should iudge and vnderstand the proceedings of the said generalitie and his Excellencie to tend vnto the ouerthrow of their particular rights and priuiledges.
15
That he by force of the said resolution, was a meanes to procure Commissioners to be sent vnto the Brill, who (without the knowledge of his Excellencie being Stateholder and Captaine generall) going thither, caused the ordinary garrisons therein to take their oathes in manner aforesaid, and such as would not, were threatned to bee cashierd.
16
That he, within few dayes after the said resolution was made, went to Vtrecht, and counselled some of the States there likewise, to raise new companies of souldiers, contrary to the accustomed manner, and the common oath of the generalitie and his Excellencie, as Captaine generall, which they accordingly raised, with a particular oath as aforesaid.
17
And when the Generall States, perceiuing the said raising of souldiers to be contrary to order and generall custome, thought it fit to aduertise them by letter, to surcease from the same, that he was the author and cause, that the said States of Vtrecht, tooke vpon them by letters of the 5. of September 1617. to excuse their said proceeding vnto the Generall States, with vaine and idle pretences, as that they were raised for the diuerting of popular commotion, and yet he knew well, that the defence and preseruation of the Prouinces, townes, and forts thereof, in generall, by the vnion is referred to the disposition of the generalitie of our vnited States in generall: as also, that by the counsell of State holden in Vtrecht anno 1610. it was likewise ordered, that whatsoeuer belonged vnto the securitie, peace and tranquilitie of the towne and territories of Vtrecht in all respects should be referred to the said States Generall. And that then a great garrison, [Page] belonging vnto the said Generall States, lay therein, which while the Armies were in Gelders and Cleaueland, was not diminished: And besides, that by the said States, it was expresly ordered, not to diminish the said garrison, but rather (if it were found necessary) to increase the same.
18
That by the consent and knowledge of him, this instruction was inserted, and the new souldiers were raised in Vtrecht, by the which, cleane contrary to the allegations and reasons in the letter aforesaid pretended, the said new souldiers were bound, to serue both without and within the said Prouince, against all and euery person, both by water and by land, onely vnder the commandement or commission of the states of Vtrecht, and that they should not onely be ready at the commandement of the said States of Vtrecht, but also aide and assist their good neighbours, frends, and allies.
19
And as in Vtrecht newes was brought [Page] that his Excellencie the Prince of Orange, was to come into, and passe through the said towne, a letter was by the said States of Vtrecht (not without the said prisoners knowledge, as then being in Vtrecht) sent vnto the said Prince, to desire him, not to passe, nor come through that towne, with earnest aduice to follow their counsel therein: he not many dayes before, aduertised the Secretarie Ledenberch by priuate letters, that it was fit and expedient for them, to keepe a strong watch at their gates, and also that both from aboue and beneath the riuer of Leck, they should be aduertised by the next townes, whether any souldiers were comming vp or downe the said riuer, as also that the like was to be done vpon the way that entred into the towne by Amersfort gate, desiring Ledenberch when he had read the letters to burne them.
20
That he, by his instructions and counsels brought to passe, that by the Deputies of the [Page] aforesaid eight townes, first in priuate meetings, in vnaccustomed places, and vndue times, a certaine procuration, or an act of vnion, was drawne, which afterward also, was in some of the said townes by the consent of the Common Councell, and in some of them without their knowledge, concluded and agreed vpon, the 14. of May 1618. whereby they authorized their Deputies, to consult, aduise and resolue with the States and Deputies of the other townes, vpon a meanes of present resistance; as also, all togither to prouide for, and to assure, all such promises of assistance, helpe, and indemnities, as they should finde to be necessarie, needfull and conuenient.
21
That he caused a copie of the same act to be giuen vnto Mons: Modesberghen by Hoogherbet the pentionarie, and withall desired him to consider thereof, who thereupon presently went to Vtrecht, and procured the like act there also to be propounded, contayning [Page] likewise an authoritie to bee giuen vnto their Deputies touching the two former points of stricter vnion, and certaine and present meanes of resistance: and for that the towne, togither with some other of the members of the States, would not grant nor consent thereunto, he desired the Borghomaster van Pol (then being in the Hage) by his letters to moue them thereunto, or purposely to goe thither about it: which to effect, the said Borghomaster went personally thither; but the Magistrate of Vtrecht perceiuing whereunto the force of the said procuration or authoritie tended, would not consent thereunto, but with an expresse limitation, that the Committies, should not extend their authoritie to the furtherance or procuring of present or new extremities, or to the making of new vnitie with any seuerall Prouinces, townes or members thereof.
22
That when the States of Vtrecht, to ease [Page] themselues of the burthen and charge of maintayning the new companies of souldiers, and to let and withstand the decreasing of their treasure and reuenues, vpon the 19. of Iune 1618. Stilo vet: found it conuenient to send a competent number of their Deputies to the Hage, togither with Monsieur Modesberghen and others, at the assembly of the Generall States, to be holden there, and with his Excellencie the Prince of Orange, as Gouernor and Captaine Generall of the Prouince of Vtrecht, to agree vpon the discharging of the said new souldiers, he counselled Ledenbergh (as then one of the Deputies) in his owne house (hauing intelligence of their said commission by the said Ledenbergh) not to discouer the same vnto the Prince of Orange, but to keepe it secret, and to follow other aduice by him giuen vnto the said Ledenbergh; not remembring that he himselfe confesseth that he knew full well, the great charge and burthen of the Land, and the vnfitnes thereof for the maintayning of new companies of souldiers, especially so great a number.
23
That he had intelligence giuen him, that the said Ledenbergh, togither with the pentionarie Hoogherbet, and Grotius, in the house of Iohn Vtenbogaet did consult vpon the reasons, and motiues, that should be obserued with the aforesaid Deputie of the States of Vtrecht, to diuert, and disswade them not to put their commission in effect; as also, that the same deliberation holden, and required by Ledenbergh, should be kept secret: wherevpon it followed that the said Hoogerbets and his complices, in the house of Daniel Tresel Clarke to the generall Sates, meeting together, with many very sharpe and pernicious speeches, and motions vsed by Grotius, disswaded the Deputies of Vtrecht to shew their authoritie; whereof also the said prisoner was aduertised, and whereby also the said Deputies were compelled to goe backe againe to Vtrecht, without shewing their commission, notwithstanding, that by the States of Vtrecht, they were reiteratiuely willed and required to doe it.
24
That he earnestly aduised the said Deputies at their departure, to stand against the assembly of a Nationall Synode, and to vrge the continuance of their new companies of souldiers, as also, to keepe good and strong watch both at their gates and in their townes, adding thereunto, that if it fell out, that at the first the businesse were not found out, and that the said new souldiers should thereby, be longer held in pay, that then they should haue cause togither with the interessed townes in Holland to enter into further communication, vpon the increasing, and assuring of the number of the new souldiers, which they togither should thinke fit for their necessarie assurance, and to finde out meanes for the maintenance of them, by reciprocall assistance among them: he also aduertised diuers Deputies of the aforesaid eight townes thereof.
25
That he also perswaded the towne of [Page] Schonehouen, besides the ordinary and common contributions by them to be disbursed for the necessarie defence of the land, and payment of the garrisons, to agree vnto the raising and payment of the new companies then raised. And also that he thought it conuenient, and winked thereat, that diuers townes (to the eminent danger of the land) gaue their consents with strange and vnaccustomed exceptions.
26
That to make the seruice and counsell of his Excellencie in all places vnprofitable and of no force, he sought to disgrace and scandalize his said Excellencie by diuers calumniations, and vtterly to dishonour him, making men beleeue that hee sought to haue the soueraigntie of the Land in his owne power, and that he had practised the same by premeditated counsell, at the very same time and houre, that the necessitie of the Common-wealth (in the highest degree) required his said Excellencies aduice, in secret [Page] assemblies of certaine Deputies for the gouernment, being his confederates: with other such like imputations; and that thereupon he also had conference with other Countries, by letters written in ciphers, and by him sent abroad.
27
That he by certaine persons expresly sent out in the night time, aduertised the Magistrate of Leyden, that his Excellencie was to goe from the Hage, and that apparantly he would goe thither, that they therfore should stand vpon their guard, and aduertise other their neighbour townes thereof, that they also should looke vnto themselues. Vpon which his aduice it followed, that the watch-bell being rung, the new souldiers and shot ran to armes at midnight, and some townes in Holland by them were aduertised with all speed to looke vnto themselues as aforesaid: as also that the gates of the said towne were kept shut the next day after, vntill hee gaue them other aduice, that his Excellencie [Page] was gone another way; although he had no intent of harme against that, nor any other towne.
28
That hee confessed, that hee was much grieued and discontented, when he vnderstood that the towne of Brill, to preuent the sending of new companies of souldiers thither, was guarded by the ordinary garrison of the Generall States, therein placed by his Excellencie, and that he wrought from Vtrecht to the ordinary counsels of Holland and West-Freisland, to aduertise and forewarne all the townes of the said Prouinces, to looke well vnto themselues.
29
That also to withdraw the ordinary souldiers from the obedience of the Generall States and of his Excellencie, he had laboured by all the meanes he could to make them to vnderstand, that they were by oath [Page] bound, before all others to obey the States of the particular Prouinces, (their pay-masters) though it were against the generall States and his Excellencie; as also that they ought and were bound expresly to resist their commandements, whensoeuer they should vndertake any thing contrary to the wills or resolutions of the States of the Prouinces, and the Magistrates of the townes wherein they should lie in garrison.
30
And when the Generall States, perceiuing that they could not by any serious aduertisements or instances attaine to the discharging of the new companies of souldiers, thought it conuenient to send other committies with his Excellencie to Vtrecht, he practised and found meanes, that by very few Gentlemen, three townes, and some counsell of State, which had no commission so to doe, Hoogerbeets, Grotius, and some others were appointed Committies to goe to Vtrecht, and there in the name of the States [Page] of Holland and West-Freesland, to profer all aide and counsell to the States and Magistrates of Vtrecht, for the staying and letting of the discharge of the new companies, giuing letters also to the commanders of the souldiers there, that were likely to be discharged, (drawne by him the said prisoner) and yet not read in the assembly then holden; whereby they were aduertised that they were bound and obliged, to be true and obedient to their pay-masters, togither with the States of the respectiue Prouinces, wherein they lay in garrison, or were otherwise imployed: and to aide and assist them in vpholding of all their resolutions, without doing or attempting any thing, or suffering to be done or attempted to the contrary.
31
That he also affirmed, that the commission giuen to his Excellencie, and other their Committies of the Generall States, touching the discharging of the new Companies, if it [Page] were done without the consent of the States of Vtrecht, was contrary to the vnion, and would be a cause of force which might be vsed to expell force, as well as they did and were compelled to doe against the King of Spaine and his Gouernors; whereas he himselfe by his remonstrances giuen out in writing sheweth, that all violent courses are corosiue and ruinous for the state of the Land, and a right Spanish counsell, tending to the subuersion and vtter ruine of these famous Prouinces. Whereupon it followed, that the aforesaid Hoogerbeets, Grotius, and other Deputies comming to Vtrecht, to the intent aforesaid, secretly and in priuate assemblies, aduised with some of the States of Vtrecht, and the Secretary Ledenberch, made proposition touching present resistance, and how to moue the new companies thereunto, as also to procure the ordinary souldiers, by vertue of the letter aforesaid, not to be obedient to the commandements of his Excellencie, and the Committies for the Generall States, and to second them by the Artillerie men of the towne; to appoint places for the said new [Page] souldiers to assemble in; to haue diuers peeces of ordinance ready, and that Monsieur Modesberghen and Ledenberch had told them, that if they could finde a meanes to keep the souldiers that were then in ordinarie pay of Holland, from stirring, that they had taken such order among their new souldiers, that they would easily obtaine their wills: and that also the said Hoogerbeets with his complices, the day before the discharging of the aforesaid new companies of souldiers, had deliuered their letters to the aforesaid ordinarie souldiers.
32
That he had reuealed the secrets of the Land, and contrary to the acts of soueraigntie, of his owne authoritie, without the knowledge or consent of any of the Prouinces, refused and denied to accept of certaine notable vnexpected alliance, which in the highest degree concerned the Common wealth.
33
That he procured diuers Courts of Iustice (in the administration of their offices) by diuers wayes, and in seuerall matters, contrarie to the lawes, priuiledges, freedomes, and statutes of the Land, to vse vntrue dealing in the administration of iustice.
34
And that he, contrary to his oath, and by the instructions of some forraine Princes, Lords, and others, receiued diuers great summes of money, and presents, without making any that had to doe therewith acquainted therewithall. All which his proceedings, tending to the end not only to make the towne of Vtrecht a slaughter-house, but also to bring the state of the Land, and the person of the Prince of Orange into vtter subuersion, whereby, and by meanes of all other his machinations and conspiracies, it is so fallen out, that States [Page] against States, gouernment against gouernment, and new contracts in and against the vnitie, and generall perturbations in the state of the Land, as well spirituall as temporall, are risen vp, the treasure consumed, and the Country compelled to an expence of many millions of crownes, generall distrusts and dissentions moued and brought in among the vnited Prouinces, and the inhabitants of the Land, the vnion broken, the Country made vnfit and vnapt to defend it selfe, and brought into danger, to endure and suffer some scandalous wrong, or vtterly to be ouerthrowne and subuerted: which are matters of such consequence, that they are not to be suffered in any gouernment, but rather ought to be punished, for an example to all others.
Therefore the Iudges aforesaid, with deliberation of the counsell of the States generall, hauing well considered vpon and weighed all the articles aforesaid, wherein they concerned, or in any wise might tend to the matter in question; doing iustice, in [Page] the names and behalfes of the Generall States of the vnited Prouinces, haue condemned, and by these presents condemne the said prisoner, to be brought to the Inner Court, to the place thereunto appointed, there to haue his head stricken off, and all his goods, lands, and reuenues to be confiscated. Giuen in the assembly of the Iudges aforesaid in the Grauen-Hage, and executed the 13. of May 1619.
A PROCLAMATION made by the Generall States of the vnited Netherland Prouinces, for the holding of a generall Fast, and day of Praier for the good successe of the Synode, and peace and preseruation of the LAND.
FOrasmuch as it is so fallen out, by meanes of misunderstanding disagreement, & contentions within certaine yeeres hitherto happened, [Page] not only in the Church, but also among the Commons of these Countries, and likewise in the politique gouernment and administration of iustice: that some ambitious persons, for the furtherance of their particular designes and ambitions, to the great hinderance of the reformed religion, and speciall disaduantage of the seruice of the Land, stirred vp, sought to haue reuersed and annihilated the true religion, and together at one time, wholly to haue ruinated and subuerted the state of the Land, if the Nationall Synode had not beene summoned and called, by the aduice of most famous, learned, well experienced, honest, and godly persons, strangers, and Inhabitants [Page] of these Countries, to examine the differences in matters of religion, and the same to extinguish and vtterly exterminate: as also, if we had not restored and reestablished the lawfull authoritie of gouernment and iustice, by lawfull proceedings against the contradictors and violaters thereof : And for that they haue already proceeded so farre in the said Nationall Synode, that the hardest and most important controuersies and questions, with great vnitie and one generall consent, are already determined and decided: And likewise that a lawfull Iudgement and sentence is to be pronounced by the Iudges thereunto appointed by the Generall States [Page] of the vnited Netherland Prouinces, against those that haue in such sort perturbed the state of the Land, in such manner that the affaires of these vnited Netherlands both in spirituall and temporall matters, are apparant and likely to incline vnto a peaceable and quiet end: The Generall States of the said vnited Netherland Prouinces haue thought it fit and conuenient, and likewise haue fully determined, to proclaime a common and generall Fast, and day of publike praier, throughout all the vnited Netherland Prouinces, Territories, and Townes thereof, to be holden vpon Wednesday the 17. of the month of Aprill, thereby and therein to praise and giue [Page] thankes vnto the most mightie God for his grace and blessing, and with earnest zeale and penitent hearts to pray vnto and call vpon him, that he would be pleased to continue his said grace and blessing for the honour of his most holy name, and the planting and restoring of the true reformed religion, together with the preseruation and maintenance of the iustice and lawfull authoritie of the said vnited Netherlands, and the peace and tranquillitie of the inhabitants of the same, both in spirituall and temporall proceedings. That so, with a good harmonie and one consent, God Almightie may truly be called vpon and serued; the state of the Land secured; [Page] and more and more prosper in their trade and continuall trafficke; and all the counsels, machinations, and conspiracies of the enemies of this Land broken and preuented, &c.