MIchael Renichon of Templeu, and Par­son of Bossier in the County of Namur aforesaid (dispatched with Letters of the Earle of Barlaymont, in the habite of a Souldier, from Brussel, the tenth day of March last:) was by Convoy conducted thence to Louen, Diest, Herentals, and Tuernoult: from whence accompanied onely with one of the garrison of the sayd Towne, he was guided to the Towne of Bredau: where being entred, he deliuered certaine close sealed Letters, vnto the Go­uernour there, which were addressed from the Earle of Barlay­mont vnto Captayne Larigon Commaunder of the Castle of Tuernoult, importing, that the bringer thereof, was sent thi­ther by expresse commaundement of Archduke Ernestus of Au­stria, to communicate vnto him a certaine enterprise, to be done vpon the towne of Bredau.

The Gouernour desirous to be by him further instructed, as well of the cause of his comming thither, as of the particulari­ties of the said enterprise: Renichon first humbly besought him, that it would please him to entertaine him into his seruice, and then, persisting (though differing and dubling in his assertions, which sauored of manifest vntruethes) that his matter was iust and perfect: Affirmed, that for certaine yeares, he had bene Se­cretary to the Abbot of Malonne, and for his knowledge and ex­perience, he was by him aduaunced to the same place, with the Earle of Barlaymont: from whome hee had after thys manner withdrawen himselfe, onely for the feruent desire hé had to doe him seruice, with such other the like accomplements.

The Gouernour finding small probability in hys filed spee­ches, feared greatly some pretence of waightier matter: and for that cause, caused him forthwith to be conveighed to the Haghe: Where, vpon the first of Aprill, (fearing what would ensue) he attempted to strangle himselfe with a corde made of points and stringes of his Armes, fastened to a certayne iron in the Gaole, vnder which he was found all be blouded, and speechlesse.

Reuiued now, and come to his speech agayne, one demaun­ded for what cause he would haue committed this acte vpon him­selfe: whereunto replying, hee confessed volontarily, without [Page] proffer of any torture or constraint, as well by word of mouth, on the second of Aprill, as also afterward by his owne hand wri­ting at sundry times, as namely on the twentieth day of Aprill, and last of May, the very absolute trueth of hys comming thi­ther: affirming the speeches vttered by him and fathered vppon the Abbot of Malonne, and Earle of Barlaymont, to bee false and forged, acknowledging further.

That hauing had long processe in Law against his Parishio­ners of Bossier, touching the reuenues of his Parsonage: as al­so endamaged through the dayly incursions of the vnbrideled souldiours: he was enforced by meere necessity about some two yeares sithence, to abandon his Parsonage, and committing the cure thereof vnto a Chaplaine, retired himselfe vnto the Towne of Namours, where he supplied the roome of a Scholemaster.

The Earle of Barlaymont, hauing had some intelligence of my being there, entreated me by some of hys gentlemen, on an Euening to suppe with him: supper being ended, the Earle re­tired himselfe into hys Chamber, and commaunded me to bee brought in to him: where (his people withdrawen) he asked me how I could with so small allowance content my self, and spend my time, to so little proffite, adding further, that hee knew the meanes how to aduaunce my estate, if eyther I would seeke it at his handes, or rouse and plucke vp my appaled spirites, for which his honourable courtesies, humbly thanking him, I pre­sented him my best seruice.

The which now presented, hee tooke occasion to send for me in February last past, by his Chaplaine after supper, falling in discourse with me, in the presence of some other, of an enterprise to be done vpon the Towne of Bredau.

Likewise at an other time being entred into his Chamber, he sent for me againe, at which time he tolde mee, that hee was to communicate vnto me a matter of greater consequence and im­portance, and that if I would employ my selfe in the seruice of the king, he would richly and royally recompence me. Vppon which promise, I vowed my seruice to him againe.

Not long after this, I was by him commaunded to follow him to Brussels, where the sayd Earle diuers and sondry times fre­quenting the Court, at length commanded me to attend on him thither: with whome passing from chamber to chamber, at last, [Page] the Earle entred the chamber of the Archduke Ernestus: whom I then beheld, minding to follow after hym: at which tyme I was partly hindered by the suddaine falling too of the doore: which not fully shut, (listening what might passe betwéene the Archduke and the sayd Earle,) I easely heard them speake Spa­nish and Latine: and at sundry times, make repetition of recom­pence and reward: The Earle ready to take hys leaue of the Duke, who brought him to the chamber doore: the Duke at his last farewell, sayd, Cumulate & largo foenore satisfa­ciam. When the Earle returned, he told mee, that they had all that time, conferred about my matters: and that the Archduke had ordained two hundred Phillips Dollors to be deliuered me.

Retired now to his lodging, he gaue me further to vnderstand that the Archdukes pleasure and full intention was, to roote out, or by a third hand violently to murther the Counte Maurice of Nassau: and for that end and purpose, he had already dispatched certaine other persons, assuring me, that if I would likewise vn­dertake the like action, it should be great aduauncement for me and all my fréendes: saying further, that there were allready fiftéene thousand crownes gathered together, to bee disbursed to him, that first should bring to passe the foresaid massacre or mur­ther.

Vppon this point I aunsweared the Earle, that it was an action méerely impertinent to my profession, who had neuer borne armes: he replied that it was the will and pleasure of the king, and the commaund of the Archduke, and therewithall, fell to perswading me agayne wyth many vehement reasons, in such sort, as I promised to do my vttermost endeuor to that ende.

Therevppon I desired the said Earle, to instruct mee. how I might behaue my selfe in this enterprise: hee aunsweared, that the Counte Maurice being a yong noble man, very familiar and popular, it were a very easie matter to insinuate himselfe in hys fauor: that it must not bee wrought in hast or rashly, but wyth great aduise and leysure, That he was to make hys repaire into the Haghe, or such other place where the Counte were most re­stant: that there, he should vnder the coullour of teaching a com­mon schoole, expect and waight for the comming of such other as were assigned to the like ende and purpose (whereof there were six and he was the seauenth, who taking aduise and councell to­gether▪ [Page] vppon one obseruation made, might easely woorke the depth of their desire: aduising me further, that I was to prouide my selfe of a paire of good Pistols, with firelockes, the which (bit­ing carefully and clenly kept) I should charge with two or thrée bullets, and vpon the first occasion proffered, should shoot through the said Counte, or otherwise murther hym▪ by what deuyse or practise I either best could my selfe: or the other which yet were to repayre vnto me. In conclusion affirming, that hee who best and first behaued himselfe in this action, should be best and first rewarded.

That there were also other, which were to be made away by like practise, videlicet, Barneuelt, Longolius, and S. Allegonde: of whome, or any of them, if he could procure their death and de­struction: he should bee richly likewise recompenced, charginge him especially to alter his name, and to apparell himselfe soul­diorlike for this purpose.

These and such other exhortations ended, the Counte Bar­laymont caused certayne other persons to bee brought into my presence: of whome, he said that one of them, was of the six aboue mentioned: to whome he declared that I was lately adopted in­to their fellowship: vpon which spéech, the said party embracing me, called me his Camerado: assuring me that in short time, he would follow me into Holland, for and vpon the like occasions.

The said Countie further declared, that the sayde sixe persons are, and haue bene euer since the death of the Prince of Parma, and before, notorious murtherers, and that they are allowed gentlemens pay in the Court there, by the King, and vppon any such desperate action, are onely and euer employed against the ennemy.

Thus retyring himselfe from our company, he dispatched hys Secretary incontinently to Stephen de Narra, of whome he re­ceiued in sundry kindes of quoyne, the foresayde somme of two hundred Dollars, the which was presently by him deliuered me.

Being now furnished of all things expedient for my iourney, and ready to depart from Brussels to Andwerpe, I was by one of the sixe persons aboue mencioned, conducted to the Schuite, who at my very departure signified vnto mee, that hee assuredly hoped to haue borne me company to Leiden: of whom demaun­ding where that was, and to what ende: hee aunsweared me, [Page] that Leiden was a Towne and an Vniuersity in Holland, wher the younge Prince of Orange studied, whether hee should like­wise be employed, to the intent that insinuating himselfe into his fauor, he might with better conveniency bereaue hym of hys life.

Thus resolued to obey the Counte of Barlaymonts pleasure and commaund, I first cloathed my selfe souldierlike, named my selfe Michil de Triuier, and arriued at Andwerpe with the for­said Letters of the County of Barlaymont, addressed to Largion, where (vnderstanding that he was vpon occasions departed from Tuernault) I was enforced to alter my course, and returned to Brussels againe: where receiuing other Letters of the foresaide County, tooke my way to Louen, Diest, Herentals, and Tuer­nault, from whence as aforesaid, I came to Bredau.

The generall Estates of the vnited Prouinces of the Low-Countries, duely examining the state of this cause, finding it a matter of very euill example, as also, that in a Country of Iu­stice, where all daungerous and perillous actions and euentes ought to be preuented, and the peace and tranquillity of the same highly preferred and aduaunced, estéemed it in their wisedomes a matter not onely not tollerable, but rather seuerely to bee pu­nished, to the terror and example of all other: and therevppon haue condemned and adiudged, and doe by these presentes con­demne and iudge the Author of this intended murther, to be pre­sently conveighed from hence to the ordinary place of execution, and there to be beheaded with the sword: and afterwardes, hys body to be quartered, his head to bee put vppon a pole, and the quarters hanged on the foure corners of the Haghe, declaring further his goods to be confiscated.