THis is the thing which I haue al­waies praied vnto God for (my Lords) & desired withal my hart, that he would graūt it me, frō the time that I vowed my person, & all the meanes that I haue in the worlde, for the recouering of your libertie, & the safetie of your persons, goods, and consciences: if I saie, I should at any time haue preferred, that which respecteth my self particularly, before your health & wealth generally, that I might in this behalf, beare an eternal punishmēt, which I shuld haue drawē vpon my self, by myne own good wil and accord: But on the other side, if that which I haue done heretofore, hath bin by me attempted & takē in hand, only for the preser­uatiō of your estate: and that I haue borne, a great parte of the burthen of this present warre, onely for the cōmon safegarde of the countrey: and that the hatred conceaued by certeine wicked persons, against the countrey, against godly people & [Page] honorable personages, hauing bin for a certaine time dissem­bled and couered in their hartes, commeth wholly and that at once, to vomit and cast vp it selfe vpon me only, rather then vpon so many good people, & specially vpon the general estate of the common wealth: then I saye this hath bin the thing that I haue greatly desired, that, if my good will had bin such towardes you (my Lordes) your children, your townes and communalties, as in deede it hath bin, I might one day carie awaye, a solemne testimonie thereof, as wel for the peace of myne owne conscience, as for the defence of myne owne ho­nor, before all the people of the earth, and before al posteritie. And nowe I do greatly reioyce my selfe, and yeelde immoatal thankes vnto our good God, & I haue great occasion of con­tentement and quietnes, seeing that he suffereth me to be made so rare, and so noble, and so excellent a marke there­of, by this cruell and barbarous Proscription, yea such a one, as the like hath not bin heard in these countries, com­mended amongest all people & nations, for their singular and incredible courtesie. For albeit that nothing be more to be wished of a man, than the race and course of his life, to be sound, blessed, prosperous, and vpright, without any dashe, blowe, stumbling, or any wicked incountring: notwithstāding if all things had fallen out vnto me, as I would haue wished, and that I had not incoūtred, with the hatred of the Spanishe nation and his adherentes, I should haue lost the gaine of this testimonie, which my very enemies haue yeelded me, & which I take to be the most excellent flowre of glorie, that I had bin able to haue desired, to haue bin crowned with, before my death. For what in this worlde can be more acceptable, and that specially to him, who hath enterprised so great and ex­cellent a work, as is the libertie of so good a people, oppressed by so wicked people, than to be deadly hated of his enimies, yea such enimies, as are withal the enimies of the countrey, & by their owne verie mouth and confession, to receaue a sure testimonie, of his faithfulnes towardes his owne people, and of constancie, against tyraunts & disturbers of cōmon peace? in so much, that the Spaniards and their adherents, thinking [Page] in deede to do me displeasure, haue done me many pleasures, as by this infamous Proscription, they haue thought to hurt me more than before, and yet they haue made me more re­ioyce, and giuen me more contentednes of minde. For I haue not only thereby receaued that profit, but they haue opened vnto me a more large field to defend my selfe, than I durst euer be bolde to desire, that so I might cause all the world to know, the equitie and iustice of my enterprises, & by it leaue vnto my posteritie, an example of vertue meete to be followed by all those, that would not dishonour the nobilitie of their aunce­sters, from whence we are descended, & of whom, not so much as one onely, hath at any time fauoured tyrannie, but all they haue loued the libertie of the people, amongest whom they haue borne office and had authoritie. I haue no occasion to cōplaine, that I haue not had heretofore, matter large ynough to speake of my selfe, and to reproue the foule and haynous faultes of myne enemies: but neither would shamefastnes suf­fer me my selfe to sing and set out myne owne prayses, which surely is a hard matter not to do, whatsoeuer modestie a man pretend in such a matter: neither would publike honestie per­mit me, to enlarge my selfe to rehearse the faultes of mine eni­mies, liking much better to burie some part of their greeuous enterprises vnder silence, than in publishing them (albeit in trueth) to cast my selfe into daunger, to incurre the suspition to be a slaunderer. Seeing than (my Lords) that in this Proscrip­tion, the question is not onely to taxe any person, and barba­rously to make it a pray, but also it is knowen to euerie one, that by my woundes, they minde to wound the cōmon wealth and the state of all these countreis: as also this is no more now performed, by small diffamatorie libelles, made by people of no account, and whose iniuries done against me, should no more moue me, than the tounge of some litle serpent, which a man must rather breake in peeces with his foote, than inde­uour to fight against it with weapons: but that men of so great coūtenance, should so farre and so vilely debase their greatnes, as to busie them selues, faslie to backbite and to slaunder, it hath seemed vnto me altogither necessarie to speak, to the end [Page] that our common countrie (for which I am readie to giue vp my lyfe, as I haue alreadie lost my goods) may not feele her self damnified or hurt by my silēce, & that on the other side, these famous titles, of so many Countries & Kingdomes, stretching them selues so farre as ouer Africa and Asia, may not dasell the eyes of many, who iudge the affaires & matters of this world, rather by shadowes, appearaunces, and outward shewes, than by strength and soundnes of reason. I knowe notwithstanding all this, that those which persecute me, haue in many pointes aduantage against me, and principally in two pointes: the one is, that they make a shewe and boasting, of their great qualities and estates, which do infinitely exceede my condition: the o­ther (which is also a naturall thing to al men) willingly to open their eares to euil speaches & slaūders: for I haue oftentimes heard, the most elegant of all the Poets, to haue very well said, that there is not in any feast any sawce so sweete, to the pallet of the mouth, as euill speache and backbyting is to the eare: and on the other side, that nothing is hearde so much against the heart, and with so great griefe, as the speache of him that prayseth him selfe. Of these two pointes, that which bringeth pleasure is giuen to myne enimie, and I haue for my share, that which is harde and vnpleasaunt almost to the whole worlde. But I hope, that by the meane of your fauour and vsuall good will, that neither the one nor the other, shall bring me any losse or hurt, seeing that so it is, that this long time sithence you haue tried, that these great and famous States, if they be spot­ted and tainted with tyrannie, can not gaine much of free heartes and noble courages. And on the other side, knowing the ordinarie trade and course of my life, who loue not more to blame an other man, than to prayse my selfe, yet if it so fall out that I do, either the one or the other, as it is a very harde thing not to do so (albeit that it shal be with the greatest mo­destie that I can) and if there be any thing that may seeme not very seemely, it shalbe long to you (my Lordes) to attribute the same, rather to the necessitie so to do (which mine enemies haue layde vpon me) than to my nature, & by that meanes to vnburthen me, and to laye the faulte wholly, vpon their owne [Page] shamelesnes & importunitie. And I wil praye you (my Lords) to remember, that I am falsly accused to be vnthankefull, vn­faithfull, an heretike, an hypocrite, like vnto Iudas and Cain, the di­sturber of the countrey, rebellious, a straunger, an enimie of mankind, the publike plague of the christian common wealth, a traytour, and a wicked person, that I am set out to be slaine as a beast, with rewarde to all murtherers, and to all poysoners which will attempt the same, leauing you to iudge (my Lordes) whether it be possible to purge my selfe from such slaūders, without ripping vp in some matters, the ordinarie course of my life, & without exceeding my custome, in speaking of my selfe and other men. In the meane whyle, I am so assured of the iustice of my cause, and of my soundnes and faithfulnes towardes you, and on the other side, of your equitie and roundnes, and of the knowledge that you haue, howe & after what sorte all things haue passed, that I demaunde no other thing of you, but onely that you would iudge, and take notice of this matter, and determine thereof for your owne good, health, and preseruation, that which the lawes, freedomes, liberties, and priuiledges of the countrey, commaunde you, according to the hope that the people hath of your wisdome and vprightnes: which thing also I pray you to do, yea I earnestly beseeche you, by all holy & sacred things, and that by the othe and band which you beare to the coun­trey, certainly assuring my selfe, that as in many other matters I am lesse than mine enemies, so that I shalbe in this behalfe so much the more their superiour, as that by all meanes & craftes they haue purposed, to violate, breake, & suppresse your lawes, your priuiledges, and liberties: whereas on the other side, I haue with a good heart and all faithfulnes, imployed my selfe to maintaine & preserue the same. And albeit (my Lords) that I am not in such sorte an enemie, to my renowne & owne good name, but that I take delight and pleasure (as also I hope my actions and deedes deserue the same) to be in good accoūt among all the Princes, Potentates, and common weales of the world (excepting onely amongest the Spaniards & their adhe­rents, who perseuering in the pursuit of their tyrannie, I desire not either grace or fauor, or any freēdship at their handes) not [Page] withstāding, seeing that you are the men only in this matter, to whom I haue takē an othe, to whom alone I coūt my self boūd who alone also haue power to approue or improue my actes & deedes: I shall hold my selfe very well satisfied, when on your parte I shall haue receaued a testimonie cōformable & agreea­ble to my intentes and purposes, which haue alwayes bin ioy­ned with your good, profit, and seruice: and I shall patiently suffer other people and nations, to iudge thereof according to their passions and affections, or rather (which thing also I more desire) according to equitie, right, & iustice, hauing first put of all preiudice, and freed their own vnderstandings from the thick cloudes of these greatnesses and glorie, which might heretofore haue somewhat dazeled them.

Nowe if mine enemies (my Lordes) had come directly, to the point and matter of the Proscription, setting out the rea­sons, vpon which is grounded, this barbarous sentence (which sentence in deede doth ouermuch declare their minde verie base and much degenerating from the vertue and courage of their auncestors) I had not vsed likewise any circuites or com­passinges of wordes, but had at the verie entrie declared, both what myne owne innocencie is, and howe weake and ruinous their foundations and groundworkes are. But seeing that to make me odious, they haue better liked, to set, euen at the en­traunce, before the eyes of all the worlde, a heape of iniuries, and in the course of this speache, without purpose to interlace them, speaking so shamelessely of me: I suppose, that it is ne­cessary, yea in deed most iust, that I aunswere to such slaunders, to the ende that some being mooued or perswaded by such words, may not yet receiue this my defence, with a harte more estraunged from me, than the lawe allowed amongest people, and iustice it selfe requireth.

As concerning then this heape of iniuries, by which I am so shamelesly rent in peeces, and which being taken out of this Proscription, nothing shall remaine therein but a smoke: you see (my Lordes) howe plaine and without painting coulours the defence is that I vse. If you knome me to be such a one, as myne enemies publishe me to be: if I carrie either in my bo­die [Page] or in my soule, such coulours as the forger of this writing saith, that he hath painted me out withall (for my Lordes ye haue knowne me from my youth, and I haue not spent my age els where, but with you) shut immediatly your eares, and re­fuse to heare or vnderstande, so much as one worde comming out of my mouth. But if on the other side, I haue all my lyfe thorowe, bin more honest, more sounde, more continent, and lesse couetous, than the authors of this slaunderous writing, and then he, which hath published the same, to witt, the Prince of Parma and his predecessors, whose factes are ouer well knowne by histories: if I saie, you haue knowne me and mine auncestors, more vertuous people than these (for I speake not as yet of the King) and their auncestors, then beleeue, that as they falsely slaunder at the verie entrance, so they shal be no more meete to be beleeued, in all the rest of their shamelesse accusations. For, to what ende I pray you, serueth this recitall of so many iniuries, but onely to shewe vnto the worlde, that my enemies are skilfull to slaunder and backbite, and that he, whom yet thorowe Gods goodnes, they haue not bin able to murther, neither by poyson, nor sword, nor yet to deceaue by promises, nor yet busie him with vaine and vncertaine hopes, they do assay at the least to woūd him, with the venim of their tongue, accustomed euen from their youth to so infamous an occupation?

They at the beginning make a recitall,Of the good turnes vvhich som say, the lord Prince hath receaued of the Empe­ror Charles. of many good turnes which I haue receyued frō the Emperour, in respect of the succession, of my late Lorde the Prince of Orange my cosen, that the King made me of his order, Lieutenaunt generall in the gouernement of Hollande, Zeelande, Vtrecht, and Burgundie, and one of the counsell of Estate. To what ende are these things alleadged? to declare that I am greatly bounde to the house of Spaine, and that I can not shunne this,Accusation of ingrati­tude. but that I must be condemned of ingrati­tude: and moreouer, that by reason of the othe that I had taken, and of the landes and Lordshippes, that I holde in homage of the saide Lorde, I am bound to procure, the profitt and aduauncement of his affaires and matters, thinking to make me likewise culpable and faultie of vnfaithfulnes.Accusation of vnthankfulnes. Vere­ly [Page] I confesse and agree, with the King and the whole house of Spaine, that nothing is so much to be cōdemned in this world, as a man defiled with these two spottes & staines, to wit, of vn­thankfulnes & vnfaithfulnes, and he that hath spoken these two iniuries to a man, he hath said as much to him & against him, as if he had charged him with all the accusations & slaun­ders, that wyse people and fooles, discreete and vndiscreete, could rake togither: and specially looke, by how much a Lord is of a more noble and famous house, by so much the more shall he be dishonored, if he can be conuinced of these or such faultes: and I refuse not to be hated of all the worlde, to be rooted out of the earth, and that the memorie of me & myne should be withered for euer, if I may be founde such a one.

But that shall be with this condition also, that if I declare, that there is no Prince in the worlde, more vngratefull and vnkind towardes a poore Lorde, than he that accused me and would condemne me, is against me and mine: that the vnfaithfulnes also which he hath vsed in respect of me (for I wil not yet speak of the opē violating of his faith towards the coūtrie) is incre­dible, that then (I say) he also may be subiect to the like con­dition and state, and may be holden for such a one as he is, a­mongest all liuing people, and all posteritie to come: and I shall thinke the punishment more great in his behalfe, than he thinketh any in myne, as may appeare by that, which he ma­keth shewe to seeke for by this tragical Proscription, the which thorowe Gods grace and goodnes, doeth no more astonishe me than a vaine vision or dreame. First (my Lords) I protest, that the remembraunce and memorie of the Emperour Char­les, shall alwayes be in an honorable account with me, as well because of his actes, as that it pleased him, to shew me so much honor, as to haue nourished me in his chāber, by the space of nine yeeres, to whom also I yeelded & performed, most faith­full and most willing seruice. But if he, who by reason is most bounde of all men to maintaine his renowne, come to accuse me of ingratitude and vnthankfulnes, as, that I haue not ac­knowledged the good turnes, which he saieth, that I haue re­ceaued of the Emperour: I beseeche you to holde me excused, [Page] if being cōstrayned for the defence of myne innocencie, I de­clare, in respect of good turnes alleadged, that I haue not re­ceaued any at all from him, but that in doing him seruice, I haue receaued most great losses, as you shall plainely vnder­stande, if it please you to heare me patienly.

Nowe then he saith,An aun­svver to the accusation of ingrati­tude. that in respect of the succession of the late Lord, the Prince Rene my cosen, the Emperour handled me fauourably. But wherein? First, there was neuer any Lorde as yet founde so euil aduised, that would pretend right against me for succession, in so much that if the Emperour hath not hindered me in that, what hath he done for me, that a iudge, the greatest enemie I could haue, would not haue done like­wise? Was there yet anie partie founde so rashe, that durst of­fer him self to speak against it? And though I had had aduerse parties, if my right were so cleare and so well grounded, that nothing was euer yet hetherto able to be alleadged against it, which was able to darcken it, or to shake it: and that herevp­pon the Emperour had giuen forth a decree for my profitt, what hath he done for me, but administred me iustice, and would not take from me that, which the lawes, reason, and ve­rie nature it selfe did giue me? But if it please you (my Lords) to consider the nature and qualitie of this succession, you shall finde my right and title to haue bin such, that the Emperour could not haue depriued me of it, or taken it from me, without an extreame iniurie, and a most manifest wrong.

There were in the succession,The succes­sion of Nas­sau & Chal­lon. two principall members or braunches: The firste was, that which came by our house of Nassau, which my Lordes my predecessors, the graundfather and great graundfathers, vncles by the fathers side, and cosen germaine by the fathers side, enioyed: that is to saye, the goods which at this day belong vnto me, in Brabant, Flaun­ders, Hollande and Luxenburgh: the other was, the succession of the house of Challon. As concerning the succession of Nassau, which men commonly call Breda, because it was the principall place of my Lordshippes, and where I and my pre­decessours had helde our chambers of accountes, counsell, & principall instructions pertayning to vs and ours, who was he [Page] that might molest me in that, vnlesse it were my Lorde my fa­ther, who was the vncle, and I the cousin germain, of my Lord the Prince Rene, the onely sonne of my Lord Henrie, Countie of Nassau, my vncle, and the brother of my Lorde my father? But so farre of is it, that I was hindered in that successiō, by my said Lord and father, that he him selfe tooke paines to come & sollicite the matter, that I might be put in possession thereof: neither was there euer founde man so shamelesse, that would set him selfe against it, but Schoore the President or iudge, who in the counsell saide, that the sonne of an heretike ought not to succeede, because that my Lorde my father, following the examples of good Kings, as of Dauid, Iosias & others, had re­fourmed the Churches of his countries, which he helde & had in Germanie, and had purged them from abuses, according to the worde of God, and that by the permission and sufferaunce of the Emperour. And notwithstanding all this, the counsell ceasseth not to giue aduise, & to determine the matter accor­ding to reason and equitie, as in deede it could not otherwise do, seeing that they had mainteined my Lord the Countie of Kingstain myne vncle in the succession of the Countie of Ro­cheforte, although that he him selfe were a protestaunt. Seeing then that this was in question (if that may be called a questiō, which was in our owne house, as whether that the succession aforesaid, were adiudged to the father or to the sonne pronoū­ced notwithstanding always according to the lawes) none be­side could iustly pretend any right thereto.

As concerning the house of Challon, first it cannot be saide in respect of the Barronies which I peaceablie holde and pos­sesse in the Dutchie of Burgundie,The Barro­nies of Bur­gundie & of Daulphine. and in Daulphine of Vien­na, that I am therefore bound to the Emperor, for he had not anie more power therein than I, all being vnder the power of the Frenche King, who alike seased, the Countie of Char­rollois, apparteyning to the Emperour, and my Barronries, when warre was mooued betweene them two, in so much that I can not be otherwise bounde vnto him therefore, but in this, that I was conteyned in the treatie of peace made at Sessons, which was the last duetie that he could yeelde, to the [Page] memorie of my Lorde my cousin, who but a little while be­fore died, in the same expedition, and that on foote, at the siege of Saint Disier, after so manie deedes of armes done for his seruice. And lesse hath he bin able to fauour me in my Princedome of Orange,Princedom of Orange. where he had nothing to see too nor to do, no neither he, nor anie Prince, whatsoeuer, I my selfe holding the same in a naked, bare, and absolute Soueraigntie: which thing fewe other Lordes are able to saie. And there is no Prince, in respect of my saide Princedome, whose amitie and good grace I stande in neede of, but of the French Kings, who I hope will not touche that, that belongeth to a poore Prince, who is his most humble seruaunt, because reason suf­fereth not that, beyonde which reason he will not go, and al­so because of the loyall and faithfull seruices, that my prede­cessours haue done to the Crowne of Fraunce, and the Dut­chie of Brytannie (whereof he is descended and is the heire) with great daungers of their liues, great expenses, and infi­nite trauailes.

There remayneth then that which belongeth vnto me, in the Countie of Burgundie, and whereof, I haue bin so long time, so vniustlie and tyrannouslie spoyled and dispossessed, which by meanes of lone and borrowing, yeeldeth vnto me, euen to this present time, two millions at the least of losse. But I would in the first place, that they should remember, where­fore the Countie of Burgundie, is called Franck or free, to wit,Possessions in the Frāck or fre coūtie amongest other reasons, because that the freedome and liber­tie of the Lordes, and such as holde possessions in the sayde countrey, is, that they haue power, by will to bequeath and to dispose of their goods, howe and to whom, they shall thinke good, without being either for their wiues or their children, or other heires whatsoeuer inforced, otherwyse to dispose of their goodes, but in such sorte, as shall be agreeable to their owne will and pleasure. Seeing then that so it is, that my Lorde the Prince Rene, mooued of his owne good will, did (without anie other respect that he had to me, who was at that tyme a younge childe liuing in Germanie, vnder the power and discipline, of my M [...]sters and Gouernours, [Page] and he hauing no other respect but that I was his cousin ger­maine) did, I say, appoint me his generall heire, which thing al­so he did, according to the power that he had, euen by the lawes and customes of the countrey: I saie that if I ought to yeelde thankes to any, it is to the memorie of the saide Lorde Prince, who being the eldest of our house, ment also, that as I should succeede him in the order of age, so I should come in like sorte to succeede him in his goodes and possessions. I perceaue not then as yet, euen to this present time, that I am a­nie thing at all bounde for this succession, to the house of Spaine, neither is there anie man in the worlde, that can saie it with ttueth.

The grauntBut the Emperour gaue a graunt vnto the said Lord Prince, by will to bequeath it, to whom he should thinke good: and by the power of that graunt the Prince chose me for his heire. This (my Lordes) maketh very much for me, and can at no hand serue myne enemies turne. For whē the Emperour yeel­ded to the graunt, he knewe not who should be nominated heire by the Prince, neither was it knowen of any man, vntill the day of the opening of the will, which was done in the pre­sence of Marie the Queene, after the death of the saide Lorde Prince: in so much that the Emperour cōsenting to the graūt, seeing that his purpose was not to aduaunce me, I doo not thinke my selfe to be bounde vnto him, because the fauour which was shewed vnto the Prince (which notwithstanding e­uerie meane person whatsoeuer, may easely obteine, by ordi­narie letters out of the Chauncerie) was not shewed on my be­halfe, or in respect of me. Besides, to iudge of the graunt, by that which afterwardes insued therevpon, should be to iudge against the rules, which so oftentimes I haue heard the Empe­rour repeate, who said, that Counselles ought to be examined, liked or disliked, by the causes and not by the effectes. But let vs put the case, that he had not had the graunt, yet nothing was appointed by the will of my Lord the Prince Rene, but ac­cording to the lawes, as hath bin before said.

Testament militarie.But what will they aunswere, when besides all these reasons, I shall saie vnto them, that the testament or will of my Lorde [Page] my cosen is a militarie testament (which thing also they can­not gaine saye nor darken) yea, and that made, with very great solemnitie, rype iudgement, and in good season: made I say, & grounded, by expresse termes and wordes, vppon this, that the saide Lord Prince (who had before felt, what were the daun­gers of warre, in so many expeditions taken in hande for the Emperours seruice) was nowe on the way, to go to a warre so daungerous, and that with so great a Prince as King Frauncis was. And though I be not a great Doctor in the lawes, yet so it is, that I do verie well remember, that I haue hearde sundrie learned persons disputing of this matter, in the presence of my Lord my father, who affirmed, that not onely militarie te­stamentes or willes, but also little scrippes or scrolles, to be of such value & force, according to the lawes of the Empire, that if a man of warre, or a souldier, had before his death made or giuen the least marke of his will, yea the least signe that a man can imagine or thinke of: as if he had but traced or drawen with his blood vpon his targett, his name whom he will insti­tute, ordaine, and appoint, to be his heire: or with the print of his halbert or of his sworde, had writtē the same on the groūd, that that decree of his last will, is inuiolable, and to be prefer­red before al other ordinaunce, according to the auncient pri­uiledges of those, which are honored with the warlike chaine or coller. Howe much more then was this priuiledge, dew to so valiaunt a Prince, & to so noble a Knight? For the question is not here, of some one simple marke or other, but here is a testament or will well & aduisedly made, and that not in haste or by a simple souldier wounded, and being readie to die, but by a vertuous Prince, and one worthie of immortall honor, as­sisted by his counsell, and somewhat forward in his waie to­wardes the expedition, and the thinges bequeathed not to a straunger, but to his cousin germaine, and not to an importu­nate flatterer, but to a young childe being verie farre of frō the Emperours armie, which went to beseidge Saint Disier, & pur­posed to do the same euen to Paris. But here is an ordinaunce I saie, made not without the knowledge of the Emperour, but by his owne graunt, yea an ordinaunce according to the lawes [Page] and customes vsed in all places. This then being so strong, it was not in mans power to reason against it, and much lesse to make it voide, vnlesse by some one waie or other, which should haue bin ouer tyrannons, and which (it may be) might haue brought more hurt than profit, to the renowne and credit of the Emperour, specially if he had ment to offer any other thing than reason. And as there haue bin amongest my prede­cessors some, who haue in deede founde meanes and wayes, to cause vniust and vngrateful persons, who kept their goods and possessions from them, to yeelde them the same: so I hope, that God will yet shewe me this grace, to haue a blessed issue a­gainst him, who hath vniustly spoyled me of my goodes, and would barbarously take from me my life also. But seeing that I am inforced, yet to speake of the successiō, I would faine haue some tel me, whether the Emperour suffering me to enioye the succession, hath giuen it me of his owne or no: for if I haue receaued nothing from him, but that which before appertay­ned to my Lord the Prince Rene, I perceaue not how the King can in any manner vpbraide me, that either he, or the Emperor his father, haue giuen me any thing, vnlesse this be liberalitie, to giue largely of an other mans goods.

But on the other side, albeit that at this present time, I saye nothing of the wronges that haue bin done me in the sayde Countie, in which I haue such rights and preheminences, and whereof they haue spoiled me, and whereof I speake nothing at this time, leauing to debate and reason thereof, till armes & weapons shall haue yeelded me more reason, than the iniustice of him that keepeth all from me: this I must needes speake, I had no sooner taken holde of the succession of the Seignurie or Lordship of Chastel-bellin,The Lord­ship of Chastel-bellin. but I was euen assoone spoyled thereof, which is of so smal value, that at this present there are due vnto me, three hundred fiftie thousand poundes of arre­rage, by reason thereof. And this is the heape of iniustice that they charge me with, if I haue done any. The Emperour was requested by my Lord my father, that at the least I might, ac­cording to the lawes, be first restored vnto the possession, in which my predecessor had bin, but he would not suffer it: only [Page] he suffered me (being nothwithstanding spoyled) to followe my right by iustice and lawe, wherein he left me at the least, some gapp, because he did not let me, from debating my right against him, when the cause was called forth to the parliament of Malines. But the sonne (who notwithstanding dare vp­braide me with his good turnes) seeing the cause readie to re­ceaue iudgement, the very selfe same day that the processe and controuersie should haue bin cleared, & the aduise of the Pre­sident and Counsellours was alreadie registred, and I had ad­uertissement giuen me, to seeke and prouide for siluer for the Iudges fees: he I say, forbad his courte to proceede any fur­ther, and left the processe hanging vppon the hooke or file, where it remayneth yet to this present. You see (my Lordes) that iustice was well ministred by him which had sworne the same to me, and to the Barons of this countrey. And these be the great aduauntages and profits, that I haue receaued from the house of Spaine: this is the foundation and groundworke of al their reproches: and vpon this is this infamous frame or building of Proscription, stayed and setled.

But if on the other side, I should come largely to laye out, howe much the house of Spaine is bounde to my predecessors (for concerning my selfe I will as yet say nothing) I am afraide to enter into so great a sea, which I can not passe ouer in many monethes, wherefore I will touche onely the principall mat­ters, leauing vnto you my Lordes and to the readers, the par­ticular searching and finding out of the saide boundes, in the histories and auncient recordes of this countrey.

He that of the house of Austriche, firste came into the lowe countreis, and that a longtime after that my predecessours helde therein, both Counties and Baronneis, was the Emperor Maximilian, then Archduke of Austriche. Nowe who know­eth not, that the Countie Engelbert my great vncle, was he who maintayned and vphelde the saide Emperour,My Lorde Engelbert Countie of Nassau. imploying his goodes, his life, and his witt, for the preseruation of him? Was it not the Countie Engelbert, together with my Lorde of Romont, that obtayned the victorie of Guinegaste, hauing by his courage kept the footemen together, when as the horse­men [Page] had broken the rancke and order, by meanes whereof, the great conquest of King Lewis the eleuenth was stayed and let, which thing dyd afterwardes, assure Maximilians state and condition? Was it not he, which vpon his returne out of pri­son out of Fraunce, founde Maximilian wonderfully troubled in Flaunders, against my Lorde of Rauestain, and those of Bru­ges, who also preuayled so much by armes and by counsel, that a truce and conclusion was made, who was once againe the cause, to vpholde and mainteyne the saide Archduke, and who in like sorte caused the accorde made with the inhabitaunts of Bruges, to be mainteyned, whereof euen yet at this day, there do remaine notable markes and tokens, both of his fidelitie, and of the thankefulnes of the inhabitaunts of Bruges? It is the verie same Engelbert, that subdued those that rebelled a­gainst him, about the borders of the Rhine, and established the saide Emperour quiet in his countreis of Oultremeuze: that I may speake no more of the daungerous voyages attempted for the saide Emperor, as that voyage into Brytan for the trea­tie of mariage betweene the saide Lorde Archduke, & the La­die Anne heire of the Dutchie, and afterwardes twise Queene of Fraunce, which matter he so well followed, that all was a­greed and further proceeding should haue bin made therein, sauing that my Lord Iohn Prince of Orange, father of my Lord Philibert,The saide Coūtie Lieutenaunt ge­nerall from the time of Duke Char­les. dashed all, and procured the mariage of the said La­dies cousin germaine, with Charles the French king. And the merites and valures of the saide Lord Countie, were in those countreis so great, that he was made Lieutenaūt general tho­rowe out the lowe countrie.

The successour and heire of the saide Lorde Countie Engel­bert, and of his goodes which he had in these countreis, was my Lorde the Countie Iohn of Nassau,My Lorde Henry, Coūtie of Nas­sau. his brother, and my great vncle, and after his death, there succeeded him my Lorde the Countie Henrie my vncle, the eldest sonne of the said Lord Countie Iohn, and his heire in the goodes and possessions he had here in Brabant, Luxenbourg, Hollande and Flaunders: and my Lorde the Countie William my father, was his heire, in the goodes and possessions which he had in Germanie.

No man can denie, that in his time there was anie Lorde in all these countreis, who laboured more in the seruice of the Em­perour Charles, than he. And to the ende, I be not ouerlong in reciting that which is so well knowne, I will onely in a worde tell you, that it was he, that put the imperiall crowne vpon the Emperours heade, hauing so earnestly followed this matter, euen then, when the Emperour, in respect of his young age, & by reason of his absence (for he was in Spaine) was not able to pursue the same, that he perswaded the Princes Electours to preferre the Emperour before the Frenche King, who ear­nestlie laboured to obteyne the saide election. And as euerie one knoweth, that this imperial crowne was the bridge, which afterwardes made a passage to the Emperor, to obtaine so ma­nie conquestes: so none can denie, but that the acknowledge­ment thereof, ought to be giuen to the saide Lorde Countie.

But can anie man shewe me at this present, so much as one marke or note of recompence, or one onely good turne that our stocke hath receaued from the house of Spaine? Men may see in sundrie places of these countreis, peeces of ordinaunce, with the armes of Hungarie vppon them, which the King of Hungarie gaue to my predecessors, in testimonie and remem­braunce of that their vertue and strength, which they had im­ployed and shewed in their seruice against the Turkes, certaine of which peeces were violently taken from me, & caried away by the Duke of Alua, out of my house of Breda, when he play­ed the tyraūt in this countrey, and yet some of them remaine there to this day. Which thing I put downe to declare, that so long as these peeces shall last, so long also shall the notes and markes of my auncestours vertue indure, & there shall remaine also, a notable testimonie which the King of Hungarie hath giuen them. But, as my predecessours haue bin so noble, and by the grace of God, & the good gouernemēt of their things, were neuer yet poore: so they neuer yet demaūded any thing of the Princes of these coūtreis, neither yet receaued any thing as of free gift, and yet I am sure, that the imperial Crowne at the least, deserued some one recompence or other. I confesse that the succession of Challon, and of the Princedome of O­range, [Page] was a great increase vnto our house, but if we be bound to any for that, truly it is to the great King Frauncis, who gaue in mariage to the Lord myne vncle, the sister of my Lorde the Prince Phillibert, the daughter of my Lorde the Prince Iohn, who was nourished and brought vp with Queene Anne, the Graūdmother of the said Lord King, & whose Cousin the said Princes was. And thus you here see (my Lordes) the honestie and good behauiour of this Monarche of Fraunce. The Em­perour got and receaued his crowne by the paines and tra­uayles of my vncle: Frauncis the King (who knew all, that the saide Lord had done, for his Competitor, that is, for him that sought to be Emperour as well as he) ceased not for all that, to giue him this Princesse in mariage, who was not the supposed heire only, but the verie heire in deede of my Lorde the Prince Philibert, the saide King confessing, that he ought not to be displeased with him, who had constantly followed that parte which he tooke vpon him to followe: In so much that I may say of him, as the Historiographers of his time said, that it was an assured testimonie of a noble and liberall hart in the Prince. And albeit, the Emperor had graunted some thing, to the me­morie of my Lord the Prince Rhene,The Prince Rhene. & that (according to the last appointement) he had graunted some extraordinarie pri­uiledge and benefit vnto his will: should this I beseech you be a sufficient recompence, yeelded to so faithful and so excellent seruices as he had perfourmed, who was so valiaunt and so couragious a Prince, & had done for him so many duties, hauing by force of armes, not onely recouered for the Emperour the damage of a battaile lost, but also hauing againe cōquered for him the Dutchie of Gelderlande, and in fine he him selfe yeel­ded vp his spirite at the Emperours feete, and that for his ser­uice?

What shall I neede to speake of Prince Philibert, who alone obtayned for him Lombardie, and the Kingdome of Naples, and with my Lord the Duke of Burbō, assured him of the state of Rome, and tooke the Pope for him as a prisoner: and to be shorte, hath giuen him a heape of all excellencie and blessed­nesse? And yet nowe his sonne will come, reproching the re­membraunce [Page] of such Princes, and will saie, that the Emperour hath executed iustice to their successor and cousin. Nowe if they of Nassau had not liued heretofore: if they of Orāge, had not done so many deedes of armes, before that the King was borne, he would not haue put so many titles in the beginning of this Proscription, by which he doth falslie & slaunderouslie pronounce me a trayterous and wicked persone, which as yet neuer hath fallen out, and I hope neuer shall fall out in anie of my race. But let them aunswere me, by whose commaunde­ment the Cardinall of Graundvelle, impoisoned the last Maxi­milian the Emperor, whilest he was the King of the Romans, I knowe what he tolde me concerning that matter, and that afterwardes he was so afraide of the King and the Spaniardes, that he was altogether fearefull, to make profession of that religion, which he knewe notwithstanding to be the best.

He proceedeth and saieth,An obiectiō touching the benefits and honors bestovved by the king of Spaine vppon the saide Lorde Prince. that he hath as it were in order of succession, continued and increased more and more my state and countenaunce, hauing made me of his order, afterwardes Lieutenaūt generall in the gouernement of Hollande, Zeelande, Vtrecht, and Burgundie, of his counsell of Estate, and that he hath bestowed vp­pon me sundrie good turnes and honours. As concerning bene­fites, I can not at any hande confesse it, vnlesse a man will call the great expences that I haue bin at, as well for the seruice of the Emperour, as of the King, benefites. For they which li­ued at that time, and speciallie in the Kinges time, may wel re­member, howe the Court alwayes was greatlie accompanied, with the nobilitie of sundrie and diuers nations, and for the most parte, with the nobilitie of Germanie. Nowe, euery one knoweth, that my house laye alwayes open, and that ordina­relie I was to make the discharge and defraying of all char­ges, bearing the expences of the Court, with a verie little al­lowaunce and order, that was made on the Kinges behalfe.

Euerie one knoweth also, the great and excessiue expences, that I was of necessitie to bee at in the voyage, in whiche both agaynst my will, and likewise against sundrie prote­stations made to the Emperour, and also to the Queene of Hungarie, I was constrayned, to carrie the Crowne of the [Page] Empire to Ferdinando the Emperour, and herevnto I was the more vnwilling, because it seemed not reasonable vnto me, that I should carrie from my Maisters head the crowne, which in times past had bin sett therevpon by my predecessors. After this, I made the voyage into Fraunce, wherein I was sent for one of the pledges, appointed for the establishement and exe­cution of the peace made at Chasteau in Cambresis, whiche brought vnto me also great expences and extreame charge, in so much that I can in these three pointes (vnto which adde al­so the charges that I was at, in the last warres, & specially those at the towne Philippe and Charlemont, where I was generall) verely assure you, that I spent more than fifteene hūdred thou­sande Floreins, and yet notwithstanding, the Chamber of account or Exchequor, may easely assure men of this, that I ne­uer had so much as one farthing, in recompence for these ser­uices: yea that being Lieutenaunt generall of the armie, I did not receaue for all charges, but three hundred Florins a mo­neth, which was not sufficient to pay the seruaunts that pitcht my tentes: yea also if the Queene of Hungarie were yet aliue, she could wel remember, that which she spake vnto me, when the Emperour (perceauing him selfe to be in the greatest ex­tremitie that euer he was, partly by the power of Duke Mau­rice, and of William the Lantzgraue, and partly by the pow­ers of the Frenche King) made the peace of Passau,The peace of Passau. with as great losse to our hoūse, which serued him with our great losse and charges, to preserue the Empire for him, as it had before obteyned the same for him. For, albeit in an open assemblie of the Empire, the Emperour, being by the aduise of the Elec­tours set in his throne and Imperiall seate, had iudged, & that by a definitiue sentence, that we should haue the Countie or Earledome of Catzenellenboghen, with more than twoo millions of Florins for arrerage, he made notwithstanding his peace with our losse, putting, by the agreement of Passau, our aduerse parties in the possession thereof without any recom­pence giuen to vs. Which thing I propoūde not at this pre­sent, to stirre vp againe anie contention, seeing that our house hath since that time, agreed, with the most famous house of [Page] the Lantzgraues of Hessen, whose good kinsemen and ser­uauntes we are: but to the end we may make the whole world to vnderstand, the great benefits that we haue receaued, from the house of Spaine, and that euerie one may knowe, who it is that by good right is to be taxed for ingratitude and vnkind­nes. And this (my Lordes) is not the like firste parte that they haue shewed vs. For my Lorde the Prince Rhene, being at that tyme the eldest of our house, pursuing so courageously the warre of Cleue lande, the Emperour promised him, that he would neuer conclude peace, with the Duke of Cleue lande,Peace made vvith my Lorde the Duke of Cleue. but vpon condition, that he should leaue vnto vs peaceablie, the thirde parte of the Dutchie of Iuilliers, which appertay­ned vnto vs, by the succession of my Lorde, the Countie Iohn of Nassau my great vncle, and Margaret the Countesse of Iuil­liers and of Marck: notwithstanding, perceauing him selfe to be the Conquerour, he made peace with him as pleased him, forgetting that this victorie, was obteyned to his handes, by the trauayle and valiauntnesse, of my saide Lorde and cou­sin.

As concerning the honours,The ho­nours. which he saieth he hath done me, I will neuer denie, as I haue saide heretofore, but that the Emperour did greatlie honour me, whilest he nourished me & made me of his Chamber, by the space of nine yeeres, and af­terwardes in my two first warres, hauing appointed me & gi­uen me charge ouer all his ordinaunce, in these countreis.

And albeit, that I was not then one and twentie yeeres olde, yea though I were absent from the Court, at my Lordship of Bueren, notwithstanding (the Duke of Sauoie attempting a voyage) the Emperour him selfe chose me for generall of the armie, albeit that the Lordes of the Coūsel,My lord the prince made generall of the armie at the age of 21. yeeres. yea & the Queene hir selfe, did present thereto sundrie other persons, whose ca­pacitie and vnderstanding was verie great, as my Lordes the Counties of Boussu, of Lalaing, Martin van Rossem, olde Knights and Souldiers, and the Coūties of Arenbergh, of Me­ghem, and of Egmont, who was twelue yeeres elder than I. All this notwithstanding, albeit that no man named me, (as afterwardes they affirmed to the Emperour) by reason of my [Page] youth, yet so it was, that it pleased the Emperour to chuse me, for the reasons which then he declared, & which the Queene of Hungarie, inforcing me ro take the charge vpon me, caused me afterwardes to vnderstande, which also I like better for this present time to conceale, than to declare, least I might seeme, ouermuch to prayse, prise, and esteeme my selfe. I saye yet more, that it pleased the Emperour (my Lordes) then to cause me to come from the campe, when he declared vnto you, the will and purpose that he had to put ouer his king­domes, into the handes of his sonne the King, and it pleased him yet further so much to honor me, that he would not per­fourme this solempne act in my absence, yea he presented him selfe amongest you in your assemblie, leaning vpon me by rea­son of his infirmitie, which thing sundrie at that time thought was a verie great honour vnto me. But be it so, that since that time, the King had bestowed vpon me some honours, yet I cannot see, howe after anie sorte he can preuayle or get anie thing thereby, seeing that contrarie to all right and reason, yea contrarie to his owne othe, he hath gone about to take them from me.

As concerning the order, if the Emperour and the Col­ledge or companie of the Knightes thereof, haue giuen me their voyce, I am no more bounde to him therefore, than to other Knightes, seeing it was necessarie for him to allowe of that, which the Colledge approued, euen as he him selfe kno­weth, that we, in the last assemblie of the order, helde in these countreis, did, by pluralitie of voyces, without his aduise, and against his will, chuse sundrie Knightes of the order, and cau­sed them so to be receaued and accepted. But be it, that I were indebted to him therefore, yet so farre of is it, that he may reproche or vpbraide me therewith, that on the other side, he him selfe is to be therefore greatly charged.The priui­ledges of the order. He hath sworne, and it is also contayned in the pointes that concerne the or­der, that the Knightes of the order, should be iudged by their brethren, that is, them of the same order. Verely, it was ne­uer in the power of Duke Philipp surnamed the Good, to in­force my Lorde Iohn of Luxenbourg, to forsake the othe [Page] which he had made, to the King of Englande, the said Lorde of Luxenbourgh, committing the determination of the mat­ter in controuersie betweene them, to the Colledge & com­panie of the Knightes of the orders. But the brethren, which the King hath appointed to my Lordes, the Counties of Eg­mount and of Hornes, to the Marques of Bergues & of Mon­tignie, for their triall, were porters, petiefoggers, and people of no account, by which also he hath caused me to be cōdem­ned, against all order and course of law, euen as I haue hereto­fore protested, and haue alleadged the insufficiencies there­of, in the presence of all Europe. In so much, that hee him selfe hauing done against his owne othe, and against the orders and articles of the Colledge or companie, he is at no hande to be hearde, in such reproches as these are, wherein there are founde the ingraued markes, of his owne othe be­ing violated and brokē. And beside, if I ought to yeeld thanks to anie of the order, for the gouernementes and other digni­ties that I haue, it must be to the Emperour, whose minde it was, & who had so decreed the same, before he would depart out of this coūtrey, hauing before known the duties that I had performed, & my faithfulnes, namely in respect of my seruices yeelded, in the gouernemēt & guiding of his armie, wherein I haue for witnes, my Lord of Neuers, and the late my Lorde of Chastillō Admiral of Fraūce, who in deed made vs afterwards to know, that he was our aduerse partie: all which notwitstan­ding, they gained nothing (thankes be to God) vpō me, but I builded in despite of their beards, the town Philippe, & Char­lemōt, albeit that the plague, did very strōgly afflict our armie.

As concerning the gouernemēt of Burgūdie, I can certainly assure al mē, that I haue not receiued any thing,The gouer­nement of Burgundie. but that which my predecessours haue at all times mainteyned, as appertay­ning vnto them by inheritaūce, and in deede my Ladie Phili­bert of Luxenbourg (my Lorde the Prince Philibert hir sonne being in Italie) caused the Estates of Burgundie to assemble and meet, in the Town of Nozeroy. And because that some thought it not meete and conuenient, because my sayd towne was vpon one of the Frontiers of the Countie of Burgundie, [Page] she aunswered, that she ment to mainteine the possession, of the Lordes of the house of Challon, who were by inheritaunce Gouernours of the Countie of Burgundie. But be it whatsoe­uer it be, the behauiours of the King towardes me do suffici­ently declare, that he can not obiect vnto me these honours, which against all rules of honor, he goeth about to take from me, together with my life and goodes, hauing by violence ta­ken from me mine owne Sonne, against all lawe, either of God or man, yea against the priuiledges of the countrie, which he sware to obserue at his glad entraunce into it.

As concerning the chardge and office of Counsellour of Estate,Counsellor of the estate I haue sufficiently inough declared in my defence made heretofore, in the yeere sixtie seuen, that the Cardinall and o­thers practised this matter, that I might be called thereto, thinking thereby to cloake and couer them selues, onely with my authoritie before the people, and therefore I ought not to thinke my self bounde vnto them for this, because, that in do­ing this they sought not so much myne aduauntage, as their owne profit. But if they be deceaued of their hope, they must attribute it, either to their owne want of capacitie, as not be­ing able wisely inough to order and direct their enterprises, or els (which in deede is more true, for they dyd not want witt & vnderstanding) that their wickednesse was growen so great, so apparaunt, and so palpable, that no man was able to indure them, but that they were cast out of the countrey, as a venime or poyson, yea as a publicke plague.

Of the last mariage of the saide Lord PrinceNowe, for as much as they haue not onely directed them­selues against my person, accusing me of vnthankefulnes and vnfaithfulnes, but euen as rage and madnes doth equallie byte the whole worlde, as wel the innocent as he, whom men iudge culpable: so their petulancie, and disorder hath bin so great, as that they haue desired, to touche & taint the honour of my wife, by the blame which they suppose to laye vppon my last mariage: I knowe not, whether I may iudge them more to be condemned in impudencie, or in beastlines, whilest that these skilfull men, who boast them selues to be so good painters, knowe not as yet to practise that lesson, which is so often saide [Page] and repeated, by the meanest schollers that be, that is, that he that prepareth him selfe to speake euill of an other man, ought to be exempted from all crime and faulte. For this argueth great impudencie and rashenesse, if men knowe their notable faultes, and yet will notwithstanding passe ouer their owne thornes and thissels, as if they were roses: or if they knowe them not, what beastlines & blockishnes doth this argue, not to perceaue and see that, which euerie houre of a daye offe­reth it selfe, to their eyes and sight? They see euery day before them an incestuous king, which is one onely halfe degree, nigh vnto Iupiter, the husbande of Iuno, his owne sister, & yet they dare reproch me, with a holy, an honest, and a lawfull mariage, made according to Gods worde, and celebrated according to the ordinaunces of the Church of God. And againe I am here inforced to beseeche you (my Lordes) not to thinke of me that, which as yet you haue neuer seene in me, to witt, that by their wicked speaches, I am moued, to laie open these abhomi­nable biles, and to sett before the eyes of al the worlde, the be­nummednes and hardnes of such consciences, as these men carrie, but rather that it would please you to impute it, to this rage and desperate madnes of the enemies of God, of the eni­mies of all Christendome, and your enemies particularly, who are inflamed & set on fire against me, for no other reason, but for this, that they knowe, the great care, diligence, and faith­fulnes, that I haue had for your preseruation. He then, that hath maried his Neice, dare reproche vnto me my mariage, a mariage I saye, verie lawfull and according to Gods order. He I say, dare vpbraied me with my mariage, who (to the end he might obtaine such a mariage) hath cruelly murthered his owne wife, the daughter and sister of the kings of Fraunce (as I vnderstande they haue in Fraunce,The mur­ther of the Queene of Spaine. informations and instru­ctions concerning that matter) yea his lawfull wyfe, the mo­ther of two daughters, the true heires of Spaine, as I doubt not, but that the Crowne of Fraunce (the whiche heretofore hath giuen the Crowne of Castille, to a bastard of whom Phi­lip is descended, dispossessing a tyraunt thereof, though he were lawfully borne thereto) shal haue no lesse power, to main­teyne [Page] and keepe it for the true heires, if God which is a iust Iudge, and neuer suffereth such wickednesses vnpunished, doo not take vengeaunce of it in his life time, depriuing him of his estate, which thing he hath most rightly deserued, although he had not committed anie other faulte but this incest, ac­companied with so abhominable a murther. But you wil say, he had a dispensation for it. From whom? From the Pope of Rome, which is a god in earth. Verely I beleeue that, for the God of heauen would neuer haue cōsented thereto. But what was the groundworke and foundation of this earthly, heauen­lie dispensatiō? For soth this, that he must not leaue so good­lie a kingdome without an heire: and marke wherefore there was added, to the former horrible faultes, a most cruell mur­ther,The mur­ther of the Prince of Spaine. the father vnnaturally murthering his owne childe and heire, to the ende that by that meanes, the Pope might haue a gapp open, to giue a dispensation, for so execrable an incest, abhominable to God and men. If therefore we saye, that we do reiecte the gouernement of such an incestuous king, the slayer of his sonne, and the murtherer of his wife, who can iust­lie accuse vs therefore? Howe many Kinges haue there bin, which haue bin banished and driuen out of their kingdomes, which had not committed such horrible crimes? For as con­cerning Don Charles his sonne, was he not to be in all likely­hood, our Lord and Maister? And though the father could al­ledge against his sonne a iust cause of death, did not this mat­ter belong vnto vs, who had so great interest therin, rather to iudge thereof, than to three or foure Friers and Inquisitors of Spaine? But it may be, that he made conscience to leaue him for his heire, whom he knewe to be borne in vnlawfull mari­age, because that at the time, that he seemed to marie the daughter of Portugale, the mother of Don Charles, he was maried to the Ladie Isabella Osorius,The mari­age of the K. of spaine vvith the Ladie Isabel Osorius. by whom also he had two or three children, whereof the first was named Don Pedro, and the seconde sonne was named Don Bernardino: of which mariage Rigomes the Prince of Yuoli, if he were liuing, could giue a good and sufficient testimonie, for he [Page] was the procurer thereof, whereby also he obtayned that great credite, and so much goodes in Spaine, the which they do at this present, vnkindlie sucke and drawe from his wi­dowe, as it were with a sponge. Nowe, if he haue so well be­haued him selfe, in that supposed mariage, that mariage also which he hath made with the daughter of Fraunce, hath not as yet bin more happie. For beside the murther of the Queene his wife, it was also made noble, by an adulterie, ex­celling all other adulteries, that is, that he kept ordinarie and common housholde, with the Ladie Eufrasia,The adultery vvith the Ladie Eu­frasia. who being be­come great with childe by him, he inforced the Prince of As­coli to marie hir, and at the ende of a certayne tyme, the poore Prince (as the ministers of the Kinges tyrannie saye) died for griefe, because, that hauing to strong an enemie, he was not able to remedie this, but that an other mans bastarde shoulde be his heire. But they that speake more certainlie of this matter, affirme, that he receaued a morsell more easie to swallowe downe, than to digest. And yet he, who is decked with a crowne of three such mariages, being I saye, him selfe three tymes such a husbande, dare vpbraide and reproch me with my mariage.

But suppose that he were not so defiled, and that we might coūt him for a guiltles person, yet for all that I feare him not, as though he were able to reproche me with any faulte, and thankes be to God, I haue not done any thing, but verie ad­uisedlie, and that by the counsell of sundrie honourable, wise, and discreet persons. Neither is it needfull, that he should tra­uayle much in that matter, wherein he hath no interest, but to beholde and see, and of which also I am not bounde, to yeeld him any account or reason. For as concerning my wife that dead is, she was alied to Princes of verie great credit, to wyse & honourable Princes, who I doubt not, but that they are ful­lie satisfied in that behalf, & if I would enter further into that discourse, I could easely make it to appeare vnto him, that the most skilful of his doctors cōdemne the same. As concerning the mariage, by which I am alied at this presēt, albeit that thei [Page] make the zeale, that they would seeme to haue, to the traditi­ons of the Romish church, a bucklar and defence for their do­ings, yet so it is, that they shall neuer make anie man in the worlde beleeue, that they are more zealous for that Church, then my Lord of Montpensier, my Lord my father in law, who maketh not profession of his religion, as the Cardinall of Graundvelle, and such as he are, do, but as he thinketh, that his conscience commaundeth him. And notwithstanding, hauing well weighed that, which is alreadie past: and hauing hearde the aduise of sundrie principall persons, of the Courte of parliament at Paris, assembled at Poictiers, for great and waightie causes: hauing also heard the aduise of Bishops and Doctors, he hath founde out at the last, (as such is the trueth in deede) that not onely albeit there had bin a promise made on my wiues behalfe, yet it was none by lawe, because it was made in the time vnder yeeres, against the Canons and the ordinaunces of Fraunce, and the Decrees of the high courts, yea against the Canons of the Counsell of Trent, to whiche myne enemie giueth and yeeldeth so great credite: but also that there was neuer anie such promise made, but sundrie pro­testations rather to the cōtrarie, which is apparaunt, by good informations and instructions made, euen in the absence of my wyfe. And although this were not so, yet so it is, that I am not so little conuersaunt in good and holie doctrine, but that I knowe, that all these bondes of conscience, laide vpon vs by men, can not be anie bonde at all before God. Neither can that hinder me which some saie, that if such a thing were per­mitted to a Lord of my coūtenaunce, yet at the least, the Pope ought to giue a dispensation for it. For it is long since (God be thanked for it) that I knowe verie well, of what value is this trafike of the dispensations from Rome: and so farre of is it, that I will haue recourse vnto him (who euen vnto this pre­sent, hath procured against me all the mischiefe he could) that I hope verely, that as this good sheapherde hath done to me & to all good people, the worst he could: so God will giue me grace, to promote the destruction of that misticall kingdome, which he hath set vp in his den of Rome, by meanes whereof, [Page] he hath heretofore ruled ouer all the whole earth, causing Princes and Kings to kisse his pantofle or shoe, yea treading vnder his feet the Emperour.

They obiect vnto me also, that I am a straunger, as if the Prince of Parma, were a great countrey man,That the saide Lorde Prince is not a straū­ger. who was not borne in this coūtrey, nor hath not a farthing worth of goods here, nor any title, who yet notwithstanding, doeth with his white staffe commaunde, certaine verie euill aduised persons, and who yeelde them selues obedient vnto him, euen as his poore slaues. But what do they meane by the terme straun­ger? Verely such a one, as is borne out of the countrey, then if that be so, hee him selfe shalbe a straunger as well as I, for he was borne in Spaine, a countrey which is naturally the e­nemie of the lowe countrey, and I was borne in Germanie, a countrey which is naturallie a freend and fellowe to this coū­trey. They will aunswere, that he is a King, but I saye to the contrarie, that this name of King is not allowed of by me. Let him be a King in Castille, in Arragon, at Naples, amongest the Indians, and in euery place where he commaundeth at his pleasure: yea let him be a king if he will, in Ierusalem, and a peaceable gouernour in Asia and Africa, yet for all that I will not acknowledge him in this countrey, for any more than a Duke and a Countie, whose power is limited according to our priuiledges, which he sware to obserue, at his gladsome en­traunce. As concerning that which toucheth my selfe, it is plaine and manifest, that I and my predecessours, from whom I am descended in the right male line, haue begun more than two hundred yeeres ago, to possesse Counties and Barronnies, in the countreys of Luxenbourg, Brabant, Flaunders, & Hol­lande. For about the yeere, a thousande three hundred and fortie, my Lorde the Countie Ottho, of whom I am descen­ded in the seuenth degree, and whose eldest heire I am, mari­ed the Countesse of Vianden, and since that time, the Coun­tie of the saide Vianden, departed not from our house, but we haue alwayes peaceablie enioyed the same, vntill such time, as the king had vniustly dispossessed me thereof. After­wardes, my Lorde the Countie Enghelbert, the first sonne of [Page] the sonne of the saide Countie Ottho, maried the Ladie of Leck and of Breda, from whom also, I am in the right male line descended, and that in the fifth degree. May I therefore by any good right, be called a straunger? And that I may saye nothing at this present time, of the goodes which I haue in Burgundie, where I haue (thankes be to God) a verie good portion, maie I iustly be counted a straunger? And I leaue it to you (my Lordes) to iudge, who knowe better our lawes, than anie people of the worlde, howe our Auncestors haue v­sed it, time out of minde, and whether the Lordes of Raue­stain, of Luxenbourg, and of Saint Paule, of Neuers, of Estam­pes, and other Lordes, holding Counties and Baronneis in this countrey, were accounted for straungers, and whether yet at this day, you account not as naturalles of the countrey all those, which possesse such Lordshippes, so that they wil take part with these countreis: and haue we not for that in deede an expresse lawe amongest vs, as well in Brabant as in other places? For, as concerning the title of the Duke of Brabant, Countie of Flaunders and others, which he beareth and brag­geth of, albeit I confesse these dignities to be great, yet not­withstanding, if he and his Spaniards knowe it not, they must learne this, that the Barons of Brabant, with the good townes and cities of the Countrey, haue in deede (when the Dukes of Brabant haue so farre forgotten them selues, that they haue passed the boundes of reason) verie well taught them, what was the power of the Barons, and generally of the Estates of the countrie of Brabant. Nowe it is manifest, that I am des­cended from such Lordes, as for sundrie ages together, haue possessed the principal Baronneis and Lordshippes of Brabant, Flaunders, Hollande, and Luxenbourg. But I hope, that my Lordes the Estates, haue so well begunne to declare vnto him, howe much he hath fayled in his dutie: and also that the saide Lordes will hereafter take him forth so good a lesson, that the poore people of Sicilia, Calabria, Lombardie, Arragon, and Castille, will learne by our example, that this tyraunt ought not to be suffered on the earth: yea that the poore people of Granata them selues, will knowe, howe they ought to handle [Page] such a tyraunt, who in the time of the warre with the Moores, caused to be imprisoned, about an hundred marchauntes, in­habitauntes of Granata, all of them being Christians, of which the least was worth, fiftie thousande Ducates, and afterwardes, by a hurlie burly amongst the people, caused them to be slaine, putting into his coffers all the goodes of those poore people. And to be short, my Lordes the Estates (God ayding them) wil teache them, how such must be handled, that will falsifie their othes made and giuen to so good a people, at their ioyfull en­traunce.

But (my Lordes) if I come to proceede further, and should beginne largely to laye out before you, the long time past, in which my predecessours, had not onely their beginning here, but were also Lordes, and possessed great goodes, titles, and dignities in these countries, I might saie vnto you, that at the time that his predecessours, were Counties of Habsbourg, & remained in Switserlande, myne were long time before Lordes of the Countrey of Gelderlande, whereof yet at this present, there are remaining the armes of our house of Nassau, for the armes of the Duke of Gelderland, and we haue not (as it were) passing by it, kept the saide countrey in possession, but, after that my Lorde the Countie Ottho, had maried the daughter and heire of the Voght or Regent of Gelderlande (for so did men name at those dayes the Lordes of Gelderlande) which continued from the yeere 1039. vntill the yeere 1350. my predecessours were the Lordes, Counties, and Dukes of the Countrie of Ghelderlande,The Coun­ties of Nas­sau, vvere the Coūties & Dukes of Gelderland frō the yere 1039. to the yeere 1350. as yet euen to this day men maye beholde the monumentes and markes thereof. And I assure my selfe, that so farre of is it that he, that calleth me a straun­ger, can shewe such markes, that he had his originall and be­ginning from these countreis, that on the other side, his rase in the saide time, was altogether vnknowne, in the said coun­trey.

And because that he imployeth him selfe, to make a false, foolishe, and ridiculous declaration, conteyning as he say­eth, the progresse and proceedings of my enterprise, because that many amongst you, when these matters were begunne, [Page] were not of competent age to vnderstande the same, or els because you hauing not then intermedled in the publike affai­res, could not well see howe all thinges were directed and go­uerned by the craft of the Cardinall and his fauourers, and by the counsell comming out of Spaine,The inhabitants of the lovve coun­treis coūted for the Spa­niards sub­iectes and sclaues. which alwayes ment to commaunde this countrey, as it had done others, Spaine it selfe being in their opinion the head of our Lordshippes, and we their subiectes and sclaues, I wil for these causes recite vnto you, how al things haue bin gouerned, by these goodlie heads and wise braines (who suppose that the rest of the worlde are as beastes in respect of themselues) vntill they had brought vs within two fingers breadth of our destruction, and of a mise­rable bondage, if God by his prouidence had not watched o­uer vs, and had not deliuered vs from their cruel counsels and bloodie handes.Nota. And, as I haue here neede, I do once againe beseeche you (my Lordes) of your patience, to continue well and quietly to heare me, as you haue alreadie done, & I doubt not, but that as many among you haue seene the whole, or els some parte of my actes and behauiours, or els haue vnder­stoode it from their fathers, and other good people, whiche haue bin witnesses thereof: so hauing hearde me, ye wil as ea­selie iudge my wordes to be as true, as those of mine enemie are false and shamelesse. I will not (my Lordes) recite vnto you anie thing of that, which I haue seene in the Emperours time, not because I did not perceaue sundrie matters set out & pra­ctised by the Spaniardes,The natural dispositiō of the Spani­ards vvas alvvais cruel, but yet kept vnder for a time, by the vvisdom of Charles the Emperour. which I approued not as good, and of which I did not sufficiently conceaue, that the disease in processe of time, might growe so farre, that in the ende it should be verie necessarie to vse, a strong and powerfull medi­cine, and to purge the countrey, from these pernitious and hurtfull Spanishe humours. But because I was not able then, by reason of myne age and the little experiēce I had, to knowe the deepe malice of the Spaniardes and their adherentes, I could hardlie perswade my selfe, that we should be inforced to bring, a whot yron to this cancker of Spaine, or els to come so farre, as to roote it out. But after that, together with my age, I began to be of a more setled and sounde iudgement, I had in [Page] deede a contrarie opinion, and deliuered the same to sun­drie others, which neuer knewe to thinke, that the rage and crueltie of the Spaniardes, could proceede so farre: for no­thing fell out, by which I might haue verie particular know­ledge, of their cruell, couetous, and proude naturall dispositi­on, but I certainely and assuredly looked for the same long time before. I will therefore let passe that time, which cometh not also at anie hande to be compared, in any manner of dis­order and tyrānie with that, which hath since fallen out in the time of the king his sonne, not that the Spaniardes were then better, than they are at this present: for, amongst the Indi­es and in other places, where they commaunded absolutely, they yeelded to euident a proofe, of their peruerse, naturall disposition, and tyrannous affection and will. But their ambi­tion and pride, was in some sorte restrained, by the good affec­tion that the Emperour bare to the subiectes of this countrey: & because also, that these prouinces were full of braue Lords, wise and valiaunt men, sauoring of their auncient nobilitie, (and would to God they had children like vnto them) whiche serued in steede of a bridle against their insolencie, and of a countermure against their pride & rashnes. I will then come, to the time which insued, because also that he, who was the heire of the goodes, though not of the vertues of the Empe­rour, is he that cometh to assault me, after an order more than barbarous and tyrannicall.

The Emperour of most noble memorie, and the Queene Marie, seeing their affaires and businesses so impaired by the meanes of a cleane contrarie issue, of the warres of Germanie (which fell out otherwise then the Pope & the Spaniardes had promised to them selues) whilest that the Frenche king, was ioyned in league,The Empe­ror dischar­geth himself of his king­domes and Lordships, & cōmitteth them to his sonne. with some of the chiefe Princes of Germa­nie, his Maiestie I saie, was inforced to agree with his enemie, his affaires standing in such condition, that despairing of his a­bilitie to keepe his owne countreis, he purposed to withdrawe him selfe into Spaine, and there to lead a priuate life, after that he had yeelded vp all his kingdomes, Landes, and Lordships, and had laide them vpon the person of his sonne. And albe­it, [Page] that the King, because of the condition of his owne estate, had neede to vpholde his subiectes, in good will and affection towardes him, (of which thing also he had most expresse com­maundement from his father) seeing, that of the meanes and valure that they had, there did wholie depende, the sauegard of the countrey, and the maintenaunce of his owne honour▪ yet, whether it were by reason of the nourishement whiche he had in Spaine, or by the counsell of those, which then did, and euen to this time haue possessed him, I knowe not, he hath al­waies fostered in his hearte, a minde to make you subiect, to a certaine simple and absolute bondage, which they call, a ful and whole obedience, depriuing you altogether, of your aun­cient priuiledges and liberties, that they may dispose of you, your wiues, and your children, and handle you, as his officers haue done the poore Indians, or at the least as they do, the people of Calabria, Sicilia, Naples, and Millaine, whilest they remember not, that these countreis, are not countreis atchei­ued by conquest, but come for the most parte by they way of patrimonie, or els such as willingly gaue vp them selues vnto his predecessours, vnder good and lawfull conditions. But it is likely that he did it by the aduise of such, as serued the Em­perour his father, and the King his great vncle, in steede of a foundation, the better to reare vp, the building of the king­domes and Lordshippes, to which we see, the house of Au­striche hath atteined, it being at this day, without all contro­uersie, the greatest, & the mightiest of all Christendome. And this affection in him, was not but to much made manifest, im­mediatly after the departure of the Emperour,The Kinges hart alvvais enemie to these coun­treis. as if the Lordes that then liued, did yet remaine amongst vs, they could yeelde you sufficient testimonie thereof. For euen so soone as he was cōstrained to enter into warr with the French king, cōsidering the power of his enemie, ad also the wise aduertisements of the Emperor, if he had had but one only sparke of good & sincere affection, towardes these countreis, he should at the least haue mainteined, his subiects in good deuotion & affectiō towards him. But in the middest of his great affaires (so disorderous & vnruly was the desire he had to plaie the tyraūt) he gaue forth [Page] a most plaine & most certaine demonstration of his euill will. The Emperor, who (my Lords) knew better, then any Prince or man of the world,The Empe­rors counsel giuē to the King his sonne. the arrogant and proude nature of the Spa­niardes, and it may be also, the inclinatiō of the King his sōne, and on the other side, the state of this countrey, & whatsoeuer might destroy & preserue it, did seriously aduertise his sonne, that if he kept his pride of Spaine, he should diligently foresee, that he were not the cause, of the vtter ruine and destruction of this estate, which could not long suffer & endure, this same proude gouernement, which the Spaniardes exercise in euery place where they can. And he gaue him this exhortation, in the presence of the late my Lord the Countie of Bossu, the fa­ther of him that last deceassed, and in my presence also, and in the presence of sundrie other Lordes of his chamber, of which some are yet at this day liuing. But neither the authoritie and commaundement of his father, nor the profit of his owne af­faires, nor iustice, nor his othe, (whiche yet notwithstanding doth keepe in the most barbarous nations) were able in anie thing, to moderate and restraine, the naturall disposition and affection that he had, to tyrānise ouer vs, but on the other side, as though he had bin aboue all lawes, priuiledges, and liber­ties of the countrey, yea and aboue equitie and iustice it selfe, he hath broken all bondes, that he might outrage in all maner of vnreconcilable hatred and crueltie.

At the same time,The aide called No­uenale. you (my Lords) graūted vnto him the aide which was called Nouenale, by meanes of which aide, and by the valiauntnes and wise gouernement of the Lords & nobles, of this our countrey, and of sundrie braue Lords and souldiers of Germanie, his affaires were so well and so blessedly guided, that after the winning of two battailes, the taking of townes, and prisoners of great calling, and that in great number also, he inforced his enemie, to accept a peace, as vnprofitable for the Frenche king, as it was honorable and profitable for the King of Spaine.

And if it be lawefull for me to speake anie thing of my selfe, if hee haue but one droppe or sparke of gratitude and kindenesse in him, hee can not denie, but that I was one [Page] of the principall instrumentes and meanes, to cause him to come to so excellent, and to so profitable a peace, hauing pri­uately treated thereof, with my Lordes the Constable, Mont­moranci, and the Marishall of Saint Andrewe, at the instant request of the King, who assured me, that the greatest seruice that I could performe vnto him in this worlde, was to make a peace, and that he purposed to haue it whatsoeuer it cost him, because he ment to go into Spaine. But so farre of was it, that eyther he or his counsell, consisting of Spaniardes, and of cer­taine other persons of this countrey (who alwayes continued in hatred against you, your libertie and the whole lande) did take in good parte, either this so good an aide, or the happie execution that insued thereof, that on the other side, they iud­ged this succour and aide, to be a fault of hie treason against his Maiestie, and for the which you (and aboue all other, the late my Lorde of Lalaing) had incurred,The late L. of Lalaigne and all the Estates ap­pointed to death by the Spaniardes. by good right, the sen­tence of punishment. And why so? Because you (my Lordes) would not agree to anie thing, without the assemblie of the Estates generall, and because you ment, to cutt the talents of these harpies and Rauenours of Barlemontes, and such like, when you decreed, that the money should be distributed by your commissioners, according to the conditions propoun­ded vnto them. Beholde in deede two great faultes, the one for soth was, to demaunde a meeting and an assemblie of the Estates. For in asmuch, as it serueth for a bridle and a barre vnto tyrannie, it is a crime, so much the more hated of tyraūts (who are the deuourers of the people, and enemies of their subiectes, and of their owne crowne) as this noble assemblie, is loued, honoured, and reuerenced, of true Kinges, true Prin­ces, and such as are the good fathers of the people, because it is in deede the true foundation of an Estate, the assuraunce of the common wealth, and the onely peace & quietnes of Prin­ces. The other fault will neuer be pardoned, for these byters of the people, liuing with the blood of poore people, haue so long time made account of their theeueries and sackings, that they suppose their spoyles, to be as good, and as an assured re­uenewe (yet much more frutfull) as their fieldes and gardens, [Page] and dissembling the true cause of the mischiefe, whiche they hide from their Princes, they seeke pretextes and cloakes in flattering of them, and in lying vnto them, to harden and to set on fire, their heartes against their subiectes. I haue seene (my Lordes) their doings, I haue hearde their wordes, I haue bin a witnes of their aduise, by which they adiudged all you to death, making no more account of you, than of beastes, if they had had power to haue murthered you, as they do in the Indies, where they haue miserablie put to death, more than twentie millions of people, and haue made desolate & waste, thirtie tymes as much lande in quantitie and greatnes, as the lowe countrie is, with such horrible excesses and ryottes, that all the barbarousnesses, cruelties, and tyrannies, whiche haue euer bin cōmitted, are but sport, in respect of that, which hath fallen out vpon the poore Indians, which thing, euen by their owne Bishoppes and Doctours, hath bin left in writing, and, to make the King without excuse before God and men, the histo­rie thereof was dedicated vnto him, by one of his owne sub­iectes, in whom there remained, as it should seeme, some smal sparke of iustice. From that time then (my Lordes) I, and o­ther Lordes, and sundrie of the best & wisest personages, both of the nobilitie, and of the common people, thought it good, to cause (if we could) the Spaniards to departe out of the coū­trey, thinking in deede, that, albeit there were yet remayning some corrupt blood amongest vs, as verely we see, ther is more remayning then were meet, which did proceede, from this in­fected race, of the contagion of the fathers, who serued at that time, the ambition of the Spaniardes, and followed the Cardi­nalls businesses, yet notwithstanding, that the better number, and all the Lordes of the greatest credit and countenaunce, would be enemies to this Spanishe tyrannie. But, partly tho­rowe other businesses, and partly, by reason of my voyage, & the going of some other Lordes into Fraunce, whether we were sent for hostages, as also to be present at the Frenche Kinges daughters mariage, the businesse it selfe was interrup­ted, and the perfourmance thereof hindered. Nowe so farre of is it (my Lordes) that I will denie a great part of that, which [Page] is set out against me, that I account it on the other side, a great prayse for me, and will (it may so fall out) tell you more there­of, than mine enemies knowe, and the more that they shall write against me, and giue a testimonie of their furie and en­uions harte against this countrey, the more wil I reioyce here­in, that it hath pleased God, to shewe me this grace, to be an ayder to cutt of the course, of this vnmeasurable tyrannie, and by that meanes also, to haue bin an assistaunt, to the manife­station and opening, of the true Religon.

They say, that from the time, that the King turned his foote, from these lowe countreis, I haue, by sinister practises, sleightes and subtil­ties, assayed to gett the good willes of the Malcontentes, and of such persons, as haue bin greatlie indebted, haters of Iustice, desirous of no­uelties, and specially of those that were suspected to be of the religiō. As concerning them that had the knowledge of the religion, I confesse,The loue that the L. Prince hath alvvayes born, to thē of the reli­gion. that I neuer hated them. For, seeing that from the cradell, I was nourished therein, and that my Lord my father, had liued and died therein, hauing driuen out of his Lord­shippes the abuses of the church: who is he, that will thinke it straunge, that, if this doctrine were after such sorte ingrauen in my heart, and had taken such deepe roote therein, it should come in good time, to bring forth hir fruites? For, seeing that I was so long time brought vp, in the Emperors chamber, and being of the age to beare armes, I was euen then presently in­wrapped, with great charges in armies: for these reasons I say (and considering the scarcitie of good education that we had in respect of religion) it was no marueile, though I had then in my head, the feates of Chiualrie, hunting, and other exerci­ses, which yoūg noble men vse, rather than those things, which concerned my saluation. And yet notwithstanding I confesse, that I haue great occasion to prayse God, that he hath not suf­fered, this holie seede to be choked, which he him selfe hath sowen in me, and I saye moreouer, that I neuer liked, of these cruell executions, of fier, of sword, of drownings, &c. whiche were at that time verie common, against those of the religion, as the scriuener or painter (for so he nameth him selfe) of this infamous Proscription, calleth them. Wherein, albeit he flat­ter, [Page] lie, and slaunder altogether in other places, he hath not­withstanding spoken verie well in this behalfe, saying, those whom he condemneth to be of the religion, as in deede it on­ly deserueth this name by excellencie, which thing also, the trueth it selfe hath wrong from his owne mouth, so great is the strength and power of the same trueth. But, when as I being in Fraunce, had vnderstoode by King Henrie his owne mouth, that the Duke of Alua,The coūsell of the King of Spaine & the Duke of Alua, to roote out those of the religion, cō­municated to the Frēch king, & by the saide L. King, to the Lord Prince of Orange. sought and spake of the mea­nes, to roote out all those, that were suspected to be of the re­ligion, in Fraunce, and in this Countrey, and thorowe out all Christendome: and that the saide Lord King (who thought, that, as I was one of the Commissioners for the treatie of peace, and had had speache with him of such great matters, so I was also of that religion) had declared vnto me, the groūd of the counsell of the King of Spaine, and of the Duke of Alua, I, to the ende I might not be, of lesse estimation with his Maiestie, as though he would hide any thing frō me, aun­swered in such sorte, that the saide Lorde King, was not decea­ued in his iudgemēt, which also gaue him occasion, sufficient­ly inough to discourse vnto me so much, as that thereby I might vnderstande, the ground of the purpose of the Inquisi­tors. I confesse, that I was at that time, in such sorte mooued with pitie and compassion, towardes so many good people, as were appointed to slaughter, & generally towardes this whole countrey, to which I was so much bounde, & into which they ment to bring in an Inquisition worse & more cruel, than that of Spaine, yea that there were nets laid, to catch, euen the very noble men and the Lords of the countrey, as wel as the cōmon people, insomuch that they whom the Spaniards and their ad­herentes, were not able to supplant by any other way, might fall by this meanes into their hands, frō whence it was impos­sible to escape, because, that a man could behold nothing els, but a very laberinth, whereby they might be cōdemned to the fire: I, seing I say these things, do confesse, that from that time forwarde, I did earnestly attempt to helpe to driue out of the countrey, this vermin of the Spaniards, & I do not repent me, that I haue done it, but iudge rather, that I, and my Lords my [Page] companions, which fauoured this so laudable an enterprise, haue done a deede worthie of immortall prayse,The enter­prise of the Lordes, to cause the Spaniardes to departe out of the countrey. and which in deede had bin altogether accōplished, and we by that meanes had atchieued the vpheaped measure of honour, if, after their gripes, we had as well shut the gate against them, so that they might neuer after haue entred in againe vppon vs, as we haue since founde out and had the meanes to purge the Countrey of them. And I saye yet somewhat more vnto you (my Lords) and I wishe that the whole counsell of Spaine, yea that the whole worlde should vnderstande it, that if my brethren and companions of the order, and of the counsell of Estate, had liked rather to ioyne their counselles with mine, then to make so good and cheape a market of their own liues, al of vs would haue imployed, our bodies and goodes, that we might haue hindered the Duke of Alua and the Spaniardes, from entring againe into the Countrey: and I am yet euen at this present content, that they should vnderstande, that, as alreadie one parte of the countrey, is scoured from this filth, insomuch that there is not therein any remembraunce thereof, except it be of their bones: so I will not cease, by the power of God, and by the assistaunce of your fauour, (which I hope will ne­uer faile me,) to imploye all the power that I haue, with you (my Lordes) to purge the whole countrey in generall, from this vermine, and to cause them and all their adherentes, to passe from hence ouer the Moūtaignes, there to trouble their owne Countreis if they will, and to suffer vs to liue here, in peace and quiet possession, of bodies, goodes, and conscience. Wherefore they are deceaued verie much, when they thinke, that I attempted this worke, after their departure out of this countrey. For I did it then, whē I was in Fraunce, euen a hun­ting with the King, whilest they them selues were here, and I ceased not, till that by the meane, of the late Ladie of Sauoie, of most noble memorie, I had obtayned leaue, to come againe into this countrey, vpon my faith and promise giuen, to re­turne againe to Reins, at the coronation of King Frauncis the seconde, and being come hither, I prouoked not bancke-routes, but good and honourable people, and of the chiefe & [Page] most noble personages of the countrey, in the name of the E­states to demaunde, that the Spaniardes might be inforced to withdrawe them selues: which thing was at the last executed, and the enemies may remember (if they will) who were those good, and honourable personages, that brought them that most vnpleasaunt message, who when they shall shewe them­selues, the aduersaries shall knowe and confesse, their impu­dencies and slaunders.

But as concerning that which they saie,The request presented by the No­bilitie. that I was the prin­cipall authour of the supplication presented and offered vp, I will in deede tell you (my Lordes) the whole matter, that is, that hauing once perceaued, that the mischiefe was growen so farre, that there was not nowe any more question, of burning onely the poore people, which suffered them selues to be cast into the fire, but, that sundrie of the best nobilitie, and of the principall men among the people, murmured thereat: I fea­ring some daungerous issue, as I had seene before mine eyes Fraunce it selfe to haue endured, a daungerous accesse of ciuil warre, for the like occasion: and doubting least we should be assailed in this countrey with the like disease, which common­ly hath most daungerous accidentes, and effectes, more harde to heale, than the disease it selfe, as alas we do ouer much see it at this daye: seeing I saye, these thinges, in respect of the bonde wherewith I was bounde by reason of my othe, and in respect of my dutie towardes the countrey, I besought my Lordes my brethren, and companions, the Knightes & prin­cipall Counselloures of the Estate, to assemble together at Hoochstraten, with purpose to declare vnto them, the appa­raunt daunger wherein the countrey was, to witte, of falling into ciuill warre, and that this was the true and onely meane to hinder it, that we, who by reason of our degrees and offi­ces, had authoritie in the Countrey, should take the matter into our handes, and so to vse that remedie, which we shoulde finde most agreeable, for the countreis good, and onely to bring to passe, that the Cardinalles creatures (who sought no­thing, but effusion of blood, bannishmentes, confiscation of goodes, and to be shorte, woundes and murthers) should not [Page] deale therein, which had brought an assured destruction to the coūtrey, but rather that those which thought it not meet, that men should burne others according to their accustomed or­der, should not want a guide, who might lett and hinder him in his attempts. And albeit, I shewed them very many reasons, to cause them to condescende to my counsell, and that I had added thereto (beside the good will which was betweene vs) the aduise also of my Lorde the Countie of Schwartzenbourg my brother in lawe, and the Lorde George van Hol, who had at that time verie great credit with the Lordes, for the euident and excellent seruices, whiche they had perfourmed to these countreis: yet it was not in my power to obtaine any thing, & this mutuall sight one of an other, did not profit me any whitt at all, sauing for a testimonie to all the worlde, that then, see­ing the mischiefe a farre of, which nowe we see present vppon vs, I did seeke all the good meanes I could, to preuent & turne away the same. But they of whom I haue spokē, who thought these persecutions heard, and who sawe not so long as they en­dured, any assured rest in this countrey (which thing alwayes falleth out in such like affaires) began and laboured to pro­pounde and broche newe enterprises, which, by reason of the offices I had, I founde out a meane to discouer: yet for all that, fearing least some most daungerous euent might insue therevpon, and supposing that this waie was the most milde, & verie lawelike or lawfull, I confesse, that I thought it not euill, that the request was presented, which thing so farre of is it, that I minde to dissemble, or coulor ouer, that I coūt it a most great profit, both for myne owne honor and reputation, and also for the seruice of the King and the countrey, for if the wise Counsellors of the King, had bin so well aduised as to yeelde therevnto, there had not insued so many miseries, by whiche, there wanteth but a litle, but that the whole countrey had bin consumed. But if they desire to knowe, the true & the nighest cause of the saide request, and of that which followed therevp­pon, let them asscribe it to their insatiable crueltie, which was not content, with the intollerable rigor of placardes and li­cences, [Page] but following the example of that foole Roboam, and beleeuing the counsell of an vnwise woman, of a Cardinall the Popes creature, and other such like, they saide, the father hath corrected you with roddes,The Dut­ches of Par­ma, and the Cardinall Grandvelle, vvere the cause of all the mischiefes in the lovve coun­treis. but the sonne will chastise you with scorpions. Wherevpon there was set out, a most ear­nest pursuite, concerning the receauing of the newe Bishopps, (who were set vp but a litle while before) that is to say, so ma­nie tormentours, to burne the poore Christians, then were the priuiledges troden vnder feete, and by whom? Verely by a passionate woman, who was yet notwithstanding armed, with the visar of a Kings power, and with the treason, periuries and subtelties of a Cardinall. Beholde I say, the stithie or and vile (my Lordes) vpon which was forged all the euill that insued, to wit, because they yeelded not, (as requisite and necessarie it was) to the request presented by the nobilitie, wherin I know, and I may protest it, before God and before you (my Lordes) that I did not therein commit any thing against myne Honor, and mine othe, but I aduertised the Dutchesse, & al the Lords of the Counsell, of the great inconueniences which afterwards fell out, insomuch that all the mischief insuing therevpon, must be imputed to them selues. For so farre of is it, that they would harkē to me, that thei thought on the other side that they had founde, a matter or meane fit for to execute that, whiche they had a long time purposed and set before them, that is to saye, that after that they had destroied them, that were suspected to be of the religiō, they might afterwards the more easely bring the rest, vnder a miserable and intollerable bondage. And not only were they admonished by me (my Lords) but also sundry, publike, and particular admonitions were giuen them by di­uers others, both good people and louers of the countrey, yea and louers of the King also more then he deserued, and they did in good time aduertise him, of the daunger to come, and what was the Kinges dutie, by reason of his othe, of his ob­ligations or bondes, and of the conditions vppon whiche he was receaued and admitted for Lorde of these Countreis, as also his auncestours were before him.

My Lord the Coūtie of Egmond him self, was sent into Spaine, [Page] to shewe the said aduertisements, vnto the Kings own person, which notwithstanding so farre of was it that it could profite anie thing, that the said Lord Countie on the other side being deceaued, vnder the coulor of the word of a King (which af­terwardes cost him verie deare) brought letters altogether contrarie to that, which the King from his owne mouth, had giuen him in charge to speake, in somuch that then he was in­forced to confesse, that I did before his iourney well foresee, that which should come thereof. And yet these schollers of Machiauell, would here bleare our eyes, with these goodlie shewes of loyaultie, fidelitie, naturall clemencie, and such gol­den and glorious wordes, and yet notwithstanding they make no difficultie, to playe with the othes which they take, & with the wordes that they giue, to men of such qualitie and counte­naunce. Beholde then, the authours, promotors, and framers of the troubles, that haue fallen out by reason of the first re­quest or supplication, and you haue vnderstoode (my Lordes) that this was the counsel that I haue giuen therein.

Touching my lord the Countie Ludovvick of Nassau.As concerning that which they speake, of the late my Lorde the Countie Lodowick my brother, they should do better, to leaue so good a Knight in peace and vnnamed, than to speake of him, seeing that he was much more honest then they, and without comparison a better christian, and I make no more of this that they call him Hereticke, then our Lorde Iesus Christe did, when as good people as our enemies are, called him Sa­maritane.

As concerning publike preaching, which after their maner they call hereticall,Of the pu­blike assem­blies of thē of the reli­gion. you your selues (my Lordes) do sufficient­ly knowe, by whom and howe they were brought in. And al­beit, that I had not at that time so much credit with them, as that they would demaunde my aduise therein, neither in deed did I euer counsell them: Notwithstanding, the matters be­ing come to such termes, I confesse that I was of aduise, that the Dutchesse of Parma should yeelde vnto them, wherein if I haue giuen ill counsell, then that which followed afterwardes, doth at the least sufficiently declare, whether those that sup­posed my counsell to be naught, haue verie well handled their [Page] Masters affaires and businesses, but rather God hath mani­festly shewed, that albeit he do for a time correct his own chil­dren, yet he neuer leaueth, a periurie so well qualified and no­torious, as that of the Kinges & the Dutches of Parmes was, without greeuouslie punishing it, to the ende that al the world may knowe, that he saieth not without cause, that he will not holde him guiltles, who shall take his name in vaine.

As concerning the beaters downe of Images,Cōcerning Images beaten dovvne and ouer­throvven. and other dis­orders, I beleeue (my Lords) that there is none amongst you, but he knoweth well inough, that such wayes and manners of doing, please me no whit at all, and that many of them, who should haue aided & susteined me, haue on the other side with great iniurie torne me in peeces, because I would neuer con­sent, that such things shuld be done, without some ordinaūce and decree of the Superiours and Gouernours.

They haue no better foundatiō,of the vvith dravving of the Lorde Prince into Germanie. then such as you haue heard before, for this that they saye, that the prouidence and wise go­uernement, of the Dutchesse of Parma was so great, that I was in­forced to depart out of the countrey. It may be, that they shoulde say somewhat, if they would saie, that the deceites of the Dut­chesse & hir periuries, were the cause thereof: or if they would speake, of the small resolution, and of the ouer great easinesse, to beleeue that some had, who looked continually for the hangmen and tormentours, and of the ouer great affection, that I and other great Lordes had towards the King, who per­swaded my Lordes of Berghes, and of Montignie to go into Spaine, supposing, that for their good seruices, & the nobilitie of their race, the King him selfe would be content, to vnder­stande by their mouth, that which was necessarie for the pre­seruation of the countrey, rather than to heare it by the Spa­niardes: but seeing that they were intreated in such sorte, as euery one knoweth, I thought, that I had iust occasion, more nighlie to take heede vnto my self, than before. If they would say these things were the cause, they should speake some peece of the trueth. But I was resolued a yeere before, to depart and to giue vp my offices, as appeareth by letters written with the Kinges owne hande, and which I haue also ioyned to this pre­sent [Page] writing, which doth sufficiently set out, the falshode of their speache. And if any man would knowe, why a yeere af­terwardes I withdrewe my self into Germanie, my defence pu­blished in the yeere sixtie seuen, doth sufficiently declare the causes thereof, to witt, specially because I would not consent, that the Spanishe Inquisition, should be receaued into my go­uernementes. By reason whereof, I resigned them before, in­to the handes of the saide Dutchesse, with full purpose to liue in peace and quietnes, with my kinsfolkes and friendes, loo­king when it would please God, either to giue the King better counsell, or, if he did yet waxe worse and worse, when it would please God him selfe to open a gate, to deliuer this poore countrey, which I sawe plunged, into a bottomlesse depth, of mischieues and miseries. For, who can without being woun­ded with wounderfull griefe, rehearse the banishementes, the taking awaie of goodes, the imprisonmentes, the tormentes endured, the sundrie sortes of horrible and miserable deaths, wherewith these bloodie people, (surmounting in crueltie, Phalaris, Busyris, Nero, Domitian, and all tyrauntes) haue persecuted the poore subiectes of this countrey? And not­withstanding these thinges, I seeing no meane, to comforte them ouer this miserie, did holde my selfe peceable & quiet.

And, because in this Proscription they saie, that I was at the least offered it,The King of Spaine inforced my Lorde Prince, by al maner of iniustice, to take armes. whilest that the last treatie helde at Colen la­sted: they ought to know, that they should be contented with my voluntarie banishment, and not to pursue me any further, seeing in deede, that I gaue them to vnderstande, by a man of countenaunce and credit, who yet is liuing, that if they at­tempted, to touche myne honour and my goodes, they would constraine me, to take such order for my affaires as I might.

But, as madd people, after that they could not drawe me by their honied and flattering wordes, the Kinge also thinking, to busie me by ouer honest letters,The Coūtie of Bueren, taken in the scholes, and caried into Spaine, a­gainst the othe giuē & made, at the Kings glad­some en­traūce, and against the priuiledges of Brabant. which yet notwithstanding I did plainly perceaue to be full of deceit, they directed them­selues, first to my young sonne, a childe and a scholler, and a­gainst the priuiledges of the Vniuersitie, they tooke him vio­lently from Louain, yea, after the exhortation and declaration [Page] made by the Vniuersitie, that barbarous fellowe Vergas, aun­swered barbarouslie in false latin: Non curamus vestros priuile­gios: we regarde not your priuiledges. After this, they caried him out of Brabant, against the priuiledges of the Countrey, and against the Kinges othe, and they sent him into Spaine, that so they might remoue him from me, who am his father, and euen vnto this present, they keepe this innocent, in harde and cruell prison, insomuch as, if they had done me no other iniurie, I should be vnworthie, not only my stock and the name which I carrie, but also of the name of a father, vnlesse I did imploye, all the witt, and all the meanes that God hath giuen me, to assaie to deliuer him out of this miserable bondage, & to recouer if I could, such a wrong. For I am not (my Lords) so vnnaturall, that I feele not the affections of a father,Nota. ney­ther yet so wise, but that oftentimes the griefe, of so long an absence of my Sonne, doeth present and offer it selfe to my vnderstanding. And yet they were not content, but, against all order of iustice, they apprehended my brethren, and pur­sued me with summoninges, seasementes of goodes, and thrust me on, euen as it were by force, to attempt sundrie thinges,The vniust procedings, against the honor, the life, and the goodes of the Lord Prince. whereof I my selfe neuer thought: they put the processe of me and my companions (against the articles of the order, and against the othe of the King, who was the chiefe thereof) into the handes of I know not what porters and petie foggers, who were not meete to be, groomes or pages, to my companions and me: they doo degrade mee: they doo depriue me of my goodes: they do condemne me to death. And is this any other thing, than to free me from myne othes? and to set me at li­bertie, to come out, to assaulte myne enemie, by all the mea­nes that GOD shall giue me? Beholde then, howe, when I seeke nothing but quietnesse, they stirre vp trouble, I seeke peace, and they prouoke me to warre. And what warre? A warre attempted to deliuer my childe, to preserue my life, to recouer my goodes, and, whiche is more deare than all, to defende myne Honour. And yet, I doo not here pro­pounde vnto you (my Lords) any thing of that, which concer­neth the cōmon cause, and belongeth vnto the generall State. [Page] This then (my Lordes) is that, which these men sleightly passe ouer, and vnder silence as it were, and which of set purpose they omit, as in deede not seruing much for their purpose. If then, I not being the Kings naturall subiect (which thing also he him selfe saith) if I being absolued from mine othes, by this vniust proclamation and sentence: If I hauing so iust a groūd­worke, by force to demaund my sonne and my goods: If I say, I had driuen him, not onely out of the lowe countrey, but also out of all his landes and Lordshippes, yea and though I did de­sire to make them mine owne, seeing that against all right and equitie, yea against his own othe, he hath by force constrained me, to attempt so necessarie a warre, euen then, when with all my power I did auoyde it, and hath done me all these outra­ges, and that at the verie selfe same time, or a little after, when by his owne letters written with his owne hand, he yeelded me so great, and solemne a testimonie of faithfulnes, as no man in the worlde could desire a greater, as appeareth by the copie of the letter hereafter inserted, who is he (the premises being rightly considered) that can accuse me of any other fault, then this, that I framed my selfe to much to the time, before that I would take armes, and that I would not enioye that, whiche the lawe of warre, and of al nations yeelded vnto me, vnto me I say, who am borne a free Lorde, and who haue this Honour, to carie the name and title, of an absolute Prince, albeit that my Princedome, be not of anie great length or largenes?

The iustify­ing of the taking of armes by my Lorde the Prince.But, seeing that the speciall foundation, and groundworke is this, that I haue taken and borne armes against my Superi­our, I am likewise content, to enter into this matter, wher they shal finde themselues to haue as good foundations, as in other places. And in the first place I would faine haue them to tell me, by what title King Philippe, the heire of the bastard Hen­rie of Castille, possesseth the kingdome of Castille, & of Leon? For it is most manifest, that Henrie his predecessour was a ba­starde, who rebelled against the lawefull heire, who was his owne brother & Lord, whom also he slue with his owne hand. What right then or title had this bastarde being the Kinges great Graundfather? They aunswere, that Don Pedro was a [Page] tyraunt, and in deede I cōfesse, that commonly they giue him the name of cruell. But if by this title Philippe holde Castille, why doth not he perceaue, that men may by the same mea­sure, driue him out, that hath chased awaye others? And if there haue neuer bin, any more cruell tyraunt, who hath more proudlie, and with lesse cōsideration violated, the priuiledges of the countrey, then Philipp him selfe, shall not he be much more vnworthie, to beare, & to weare the Crowne of Castille, then Don Pedro? For, at the least Don Pedro was not an ince­stuous person, nor a slaier of his Sonne, nor a murtherer of his wife. And if some will saye, that this concerneth me no whit at all, I am content to come yet somewhat more nigh, al­beit that I haue not purposed, to staie my selfe vppon that, which I shall presently speake vnto you. But suppose, that I did take vp armes against him, and that he were simplie my su­periour, and that I were borne his subiect (which yet is not so, euen as he him selfe confesseth it) what should I doo but that, which his predecessor had done,Albert Duke of Austriche took armes against A­dolfus of Nassau the Emperour. against the Emperour Adol­fus of Nassau, his Superior? Euerie one that knoweth neuer so little in the matters and affaires of Germanie, knoweth, how Albert the firste Duke of Austriche, of that name and race (for before he bare the title, of the Countie of Habsbourg) armed him selfe against the saide Lorde Emperour my predecessour.

And albeit, it was Gods will, that the saide Emperour should die in the battell, yet I know, what the wisest writers haue iud­ged thereof, albeit that Gerrard, then Bishop of Maience, the principall authour of that conspiracie, ment to colour & darc­ken the same. And verely, if a man will somewhat more nigh­ly looke into the storie, he shall finde, that this faction was set vp by Pope Boniface (of whom it is saide,Pope Boni­face the 8. he entered into his Popedome as a Foxe, he raigned as a Lyon, & died as a dogge) because the Emperour would not acknowledge him for such a one, as he said he was, and therefore, he stirred vp against him Albert, who was alreadie much displeased against him, because Adolfus was preferred before him, in the election to the Em­pire, & some Bishoppes also, ouermuch addicted to the Pope, did ioyne them selues vnto him, and ayded him.

But who is he, that would willingly reuerēce so wicked a man, who in his Iubilie, caused to be caried before him, in the ma­ner of a triumphe, two swordes, causing him, that caried one of them, to crie, O Christ beholde thy Vicar on earth, and the other, to say, O Peter, beholde thy successour? And verely, hauing committed so wicked a feate against the Emperor, and hauing Albert at his commaundement, he was purposed, for the like consideration, to do as much to the French King, cal­led Philipp the faire, giuing his kingdome to the saide Albert, and caused him to be named King of the Romains and of the French men. But he founde the preestes of Fraunce, lesse readie to serue him, and lesse able to helpe him, and the whole kingdome stirred vp, by the learned Orations of Master Peter Coignieres, and a resolute King who caused his foolehood (for so the King called him in his letters) to be taken at Anania,King Philip the faire, beginneth his letter vvith theis words Sciat fatui­tas vestra, that is, let your follie or foole­hood know by one of the Lordes, and he the eldest of the noble house of Co­lonnes, and by a gentleman of Languedoc, named Nogaret, who brought him to Rome, where also they put him to death, as he had most iustlie deserued the same. But, as I haue saide, I will not staye my selfe vpon these foundations, but minde to come to the mutuall bondes, which are betweene him and vs. Let vs thē put the case, that al this, were neither so nor so. Doth not he verie wel know, that if he be Duke of Brabant, I, by rea­son of my Baronneis, am one of the principal members of Bra­bant? Doth he not know wherein he is bound to me, my bre­thren and companions,The iustify­ing of the taking of armes by the Estates against Philip Duke of Brabant, & Countie of Flaunders. and the good townes of the countrey? Hath he forgottē vpon what cōditions he keepeth this estate? Doth he no longer remember his othe? Or if he thincke vpō it, doth he so litle regard that which he hath promised to God and the countrey, and that vpon conditions tied to his Dukes hatt or garland? It is not needfull (my Lordes) that I should here set out vnto you that, which he hath promised vs, before that we tooke any othe vnto him, for sundrie amongest you know the same: But because that others shall see, this my de­fence, I was very willing, to call to your remembraunce, the summe of his othe. You knowe (my Lordes) wherevnto he is bound, and that it is not in his dispositiō, to do whatsoeuer he [Page] liketh of, as he doth in the Indies,The summe of the priui­ledges of Brabant. for he cannot here amongst vs, by violence inforce, one of his subiectes onely, to any thing whatsoeuer, vnlesse that the custome, of the benche of the iu­stices, where they dwell, permit the same. He may not, by anie ordinaunce or decree, alter or chaunge, after anie sorte what­soeuer, the estate of the countrey. He must content him selfe, with his ordinarie and common reuenewes: he may not cause to be leuied, nor yet exact any impositions or taxes, without the good will, and expresse consent of the countrey, and ac­cording to the priuiledges thereof: He can not bring souldi­ers into the Countrey, without the consent thereof: He maie not touche nor deale with the decrying or imbasing of mo­ney, without the consent of the Estates of the Countrey: He can not cause anie subiect to be apprehended, without infor­mation made, and knowledge first giuen, by the Magistrate of the place: Hauing anie for a prisoner, he cannot send him out of the Countrey. I beseeche you (my Lordes) do you not see, hearing only this sūme rehearsed, if the Barons and Nobles of the coūtrey, who by reason of the preheminēces, & the charge of the armies, do not oppose them selues, I say, not only when these articles are violated, but whē they are tyrannously trodē vnder foote, & when not one article, but all, & that not once, but a thousand thousand times, are broken & corrupted, not by the Duke onely, but by barbarous and sauage people: Do you not see, I saye, that if the Nobles, according to their othe, and bonde, do not inforce the Duke, to yeelde equitie and iu­stice to the Countrey, that they them selues should be con­demned, of periurie, vnfaithfulnesse, and rebellion against the Estates of the Countrey? And as concerning my selfe, I haue in deede a particular reason, and which toucheth me yet more nighe, that is, that contrarie vnto all the saide priuiledges, I was depriued of all my goodes, without obseruing any forme or order of iustice therein. But that which fell out in the per­son of my Sonne, the Countie of Bueren, is so euident a testi­monie, of the enemies disloyaultie and vnfaithfulnes, & of the transgression or breache of the priuiledges, that no man can, with any good reason doubt, why I haue taken vp armes.

And in that, I was not able at the first time, to take fast foo­ting in the countrey, which he vpbraideth me withall, what newe thing hath betithed vnto me,The first ar­mie of the L. Prince. which hath not fallen out vnto rhe greatest Captaines of the worlde? Yea, euen vnto him him selfe, who hath so oftentimes entered, and that with so great and mightie armies, into Holland and Zealand, and yet, with a handfull of people, and by the ayde of my Lordes the Estates, of the saide prouinces, he hath bin shamefully driuen out of the saide countrey, and that great Captaine the Duke of Alua and his successours, without hauing at this day, in the said countreis, one foote of lande vnder his disposition, and go­uernement, as by your good ayde, I hope that shortly, he shall not haue any in all the rest of the countrey. To be short, by his othe he meaneth, that in the case of gainestanding him, we should be no longer bounde vnto him, neyther yeelde him any seruice or obedience, as appeareth by the last article. If then I be not bounde vnto him: If I owe him not any more seruice or obedience, why is he so rashe, as to saie, that I haue taken vp armes against my Lord? Certainly betweene al Lords and Vassailes, there is a mutuall bonde, and this saying of a certaine Senator to a Consull, shalbe alwayes praysed: If thou doest not account me for a Senator, I wil not account thee for a Consull. But betweene Vassals there is verie great difference, some remayning without comparison in farre greater libertie, than other some, as we are in Brabant, hauing such large pri­uiledges and rightes, that we may freelie make & giue, graūts in our landes, so that, excepting the homage which we owe, we cannot haue any thing more than we haue. And amongest o­ther rightes and priuiledges we haue this, to stande our Dukes in that steede, that the Ephori at Sparta did their Kinges, that is to saie, to keepe the Kingdome sure, in the power of a good Prince, and to cause him to yeelde equitie, which stood against his othe.

An obie­ction.But some will say, that there is a condition annexed, that is, that we shalbe so long freed from our othe, till he haue amen­ded the faulte. But what if he will neuer amende it? If after the Emperour Maximilian, and the Princes of the Empire en­treat [Page] him, and make intercession for vs, that it woulde please him to vnburden the countrey: for a ful aunswere, some would saie vnto them, that they should meddle with their owne mat­ters, and that the King knoweth wel inough, how to gouerne his subiectes: If, after infinite declarations, by the message of verie noble Lordes of this countrey, we do request him to do vs iustice, he proudly reiect our requestes, and put to death the saide Lordes, and such as he can take, causeth them to passe thorowe the hangmens handes, and pursue the rest, by all vn­worthie and cruell meanes: If he bring in vppon vs newe ar­mies, vtterly to destroye vs, shall we tarie alwayes looking for mercie, vntill such time as the Spanishe crueltie, shall haue cut of from vs all hope of respite? But he will nowe amende the fault, and hath sent meanes therefore, by the Lorde of Selles: also he hath disallowed the Duke of Alua. We shall see al these thinges in their order. For the present I am contented to de­clare, that by good reason I haue takē vp armes against him: First, with the Estates of Hollande and Zealande, and after­wardes with you (my Lordes) that he is foresworne against the whole countrey, and in respect of me,Nota. against the articles of the poinctes of the order, against the priuiledges of Bra­bant, in taking away my Sonne, and carying him into Spaine, depriuing me of my goodes and dignities, hauing set me suf­ficiently free from myne othe towardes him, and declaring at this present, his verie base heart, and yet notwithstanding ty­rannous, publishing this cruell and barbarous Proscription, as the heape of all iniustice and vnworthines.

Nowe (my Lordes) sith it hath pleased him, to stretch out his speache vnto the times which followed, I minde verely to enter thereinto also, and that the more willingly, because that I haue done nothing of that, whereof hereafter he accuseth me: but first, by the aduise and consent, of the Estates of Hol­lande and Zealande, and afterwardes by your consent in gene­rall, so that if there haue bin anie faulte committed, it ought not to be imputed to me, but rather I should be greatly pray­sed, because I serued you so well & faithfully. I will then come, to the accusations that remaine, but it shalbe with this condi­on [Page] (my Lordes) that I may, as heretofore I haue done, largely rehearse, and plainly set out, that which he maliciouslie omit­teth, to the ende he might couer his wicked and cruell heart, and yet neuerthelesse ceaseth not, to cause it to be published, by certaine small slaunderous libelles.

I haue (my Lordes) obserued, that all this accusation, or ill speache rather, which followeth afterwardes, is diuided into two partes: the one touching that, which was ioyned with the comming of the Duke of Alua, and which followed thervpon, and specially concerning that, which after my comming into Hollande and Zealande, was executed, by my gouernement, & my Lordes the Estates of the saide Countreis: The other, is that which hath fallen out, since that God opened your eyes, by the meane of the pride and outrages of the Spaniards, and that you published them, and their adherents, for rebelles and enemies to the countrey, that so you might at the last deliuer this poore countrey, from this accursed rase. Wherefore I will followe the self same order. And first I render thankes to God, that euen by the verie silence of myne enemie, you (my Lords) do knowe, and I hope, that all the worlde shall knowe, that I was not so much as suspected,The Lorde Prince vvas not so much as suspected by his ene­mies, to haue tou­ched or ta­ken any of the commō treasure. to haue applied to mine owne profit, so much as one onely pennie, of the publick coyne: for though in other thinges, as you haue alreadie begunne to see, they haue not stuck at it, to sett out false accusations, and to charge me, with ouer manifest slaunders: seeing also, that they do not obiect vnto me, the least suspition of couetousnes, they do sufficiently thereby declare, not only, howe free I am from that faulte, but also, albeit they them selues be impudent, and in very deede my deadlie enemies: yet they durst neuer obiect against me, this fault wherewith commonly, the Gouernours of Prouinces, are either wrongfully or rightly charged. But, I thanke God, I haue long time ago learned, that he which go­uerneth and commaundeth others, ought aboue all things to haue cleane handes, and euen voide if it may be of all suspiti­on, which was the cause, that euen from my youth, I vnburde­ned my selfe, of the charge of the treasures, which was most gladlie receiued & accepted of others. And albeit (my Lords) [Page] that it was at no hand needfull, that I should make mention of these thinges, whilest I speake vnto you, who knowe, that I neuer had the handling of one onely pennie of the publike treasure: and as concerning this, that it hath pleased you to appoint me so much, as well in respect of my Estate, as in re­spect of the extraordinarie charges of the warre, you knowe howe litle I haue receaued thereof: and of the meanes, which yet I haue, howe I haue therewithall mainteyned and vpheld, sundrie great charges, since that I entred into your seruice: which I do notwithstanding not impute, to the want of your good will towardes me, but to the cōdition of the time wher­in we liue. But sith, that by the secret confession of mine ene­mie, I may haue such an aduauntage, I minde not to passe it ouer vnder silence, to the ende I might cause, certaine small Serpentes that are amongest vs, to vnderstand, that they ought to be ashamed, to haue spread abroad, either against their cō­science, or els thorowe a certaine extreame follie and madnes, that which the verie enemies: who haue conspired against me and the countrey, haue as yet neuer bin so impudent, as to ob­iect against me: perceauing in deede, that in propounding such a matter, the brightnesse of the trueth, woulde disco­uer the filthinesse of their life.

Seeing then, that they place me in so goodlie a field, as to declare not what I haue done, but what the Estates of Holland and Zealande haue done, by my ayde and seruice, I refuse not, euen before you my Lordes, and before all the men in the worlde, to enter into account with them: but also, sith that you are the chiefest Iudges, of that whiche is done in this Countrey, it is more than reasonable, that you should regard that, whiche they haue vniustly perfourmed, in all the o­ther Prouinces, whilest that my Lordes the Estates of Hol­lande, Zealande, and I, did stande in steede of staies and hinderaunces, vnto the course of their enterprises and at­temptes.

First they saye, That I practised to returne, into Hollande and Zealande. Though it were so, what other thinge did I, but that whiche my duetie required? And if I dyd enter vppon [Page] so good a foundation,The causes vvhich mo­ued the lord Prince, to come into Holland. as I haue heretofore laide out, into the Countrey with an armie, why should I haue made anie staye, to enter into that which was of myne owne gouernement, & whervnto I was more sworne and bounde, and wherein I hold the chiefest degrees of Honour, amongest the Nobilitie? But so farre of was I, from attempting such matters, that on the o­ther side, I am readie to shewe the letters both of the princi­pall Gouernours of the townes, and of the principall townes themselues, by the which I was called, for the deliueraunce of the countrey, against the tyrannie of the Spaniardes, & name­ly of the Duke of Alua. And as concerning the promises that I made, at my entraunce thereinto, and namely that they saye, that I promised the saide Estates to mainteine them, if the Duke of Alua would presse them, with the tenth and twentith pennie, shall neuer be founde true, but this rather, that I came the seconde time, openly and in armes into the countrey, that I might deliuer it, from that tyrannie, whiche then oppressed them, not onely in respect of the tenth pennie, but, for a thou­sande other sortes of more than barbarous crueltie, and spe­cially, for the great slaughter, that the Duke of Alua thē made, of the poore inhabitauntes of the said countreis. And as con­cerning that, that they saie, that the ecclesiastical Romanistes, were persecuted by me and driuen from their goodes, and an other religion brought in, I neede my Lordes for this no o­ther defence, but that which you your selues knowe thereof, to wit, that the whole chaunge, which insued therevpon, was rather a worke of God, then of men. You knowe, howe often I haue bin accused, that I did ouer coldly set my selfe against the aduersaries: that I did suffer them to much: and that I should be the cause of the ruine of the countrey, because I was ouer slowe to chase them away, and to roote them out. And, when the question was, to sende some of them packing, you knowe the duties that I perfourmed, to the ende that euerie one might liue in peace, and one of them with an other. But the Estates, which at the first, thought it fit and profitable, for the preseruation of the countrey, that both the one and the o­ther religion should be tollerated: learned afterwards, by the [Page] insolencies, attemptes, and treasons, of the enemies whiche were mingled amongest vs, that their Estate was in daunger, of an vnavoydeable ruine, vnlesse they hindered the exercise of the Romane religion: and they perceaued, that those that made profession thereof, at the least the preestes, had taken an othe to the Pope, (as they do in euery place where they come) which they preferred before the othe, they had made to the countrey: insomuch, that in the assemblie of the Estates at Leyden,The causes vvherefore some of the Romishe Church, vvithdrevv them selues out of Hol­lande. as also in the league of the countreys of Holland and Zealande, this article was with one consent agreed vpon, ney­ther could the enemies be ignoraunt of these thinges, seeing that in the treatie helde at Breda, about the question of reli­gion (the enemies there propounding this, on their owne be­halfe, that that chaunge fell out, by the guiding of certaine particular persons) there was shewed vnto them, the consent of all the townes vnder their seuerall seales. And nowe I be­seeche you, what bonde coulde there remaine vnto me, seeing that they, vnto whom I had made a promise,The esta­blishmēt of one onli re­ligiō in Hollande and Zealand, & vvherefore it vvas so done. did not only dis­charge me thereof: but they them selues also, did cut it in sun­der, breake it, and made it of no force? And notwithstāsting, I will leaue it to the iudgement of the wise, whether therein I haue done well or euill. This only I say, that when such things were propounded, I desired them, that they would not pro­ceede so farre, and therefore much more, when they did exe­cute and perfourme the same: whereof not onely my Lordes of Hollande and Zealande, but also, certaine troublesome, & waieward persons, amongest vs (who also haue spread abroad against me in straunge countreis, their wicked speaches) will giue me so good a testimonie, that I hope I shall not neede anie great defence, against such accusations, which being by me de­nied as false (for so they are in deede) I feare not that they shal be able to yeelde any proofe thereof: leauing it to you (my Lordes) to iudge, howe foolishe such an accusation is, whiche maie be beaten backe, with a simple deniall, and yet notwith­standing the greatest parte of the goodlie colours, wherewith this painter boasteth that he hath set me out, may be quite & cleane defaced, with such a sponge only. If they will alleadge, [Page] that yet notwithstanding they, that were driuen out, haue iust occasion to complaine, because that promise was not kept with them: I aunswere, that albeit this is not directed against me, yet notwithstāding, for the defence of the Estates of Hol­lande and Zealande, I will saie this much, that this complaint, should haue but a verie ill foundation, because it is not reaso­nable, that any such people shoulde enioye a priuiledge, by meanes of which they would deliuer the coūtrey into the ene­mies handes. Their purpose was, to betraie the liues, and the goods of the subiectes, and not one or two or three priuiled­ges onely, but all the fraunchises and liberties, preserued time out of minde, and from age to age, by our predecessours and auncestours.

They add withall, That I haue procured libertie of conscience. If they vnderstande thereby, that I haue made an open way to such impieties, as are commonly committed in the house of the Prince of Parme, where Atheistrie, and other vertues of Rome, are counted but sporte: I aunswere, that it is amongest the heires of the Lord Peter Lewis, where a man must seeke & finde such libertie, or rather vnbridled licence. But I will in deede confesse, that the brightnes of the fiers, wherein they haue tormented so many poore christians, was neuer deliteful or pleasaunt to myne eyes, as it hath reioysed the sight of the Duke of Alua and the Spaniardes: and that I haue alwayes bin of this minde, to wishe and procure what I could, that the per­secutions might cease, in the lowe Countreys. I will more­ouer confesse vnto you, to the ende, that the enemies maye knowe, that they haue to doo with one, that speaketh round­lie & without anie painting, to witte, that the King, when he departed out of Zealande, (whiche was the last place that he left in this Countrey) commaunded me, to put to death, manie godly and vertuous people that were suspected to be of the Religion. Which thing I would not perfourme, but ad­uertised them them selues thereof, knowing in deede, that I could not doo it with a good and safe conscience, and that I was rather to obeye GOD, than man. Let the Spaniardes then speake, what they them selues shall thinke good, I [Page] knowe that sundrie peoples and nations, whiche are much better then they, who also haue learned, that by fire and sworde, men little or nothing preuayle, would prayse mee, and approue my fact.

But seeing that you (my Lordes) together with the generall consent of the people, haue since that tyme approoued it, in condemning the rigour, of the placardes and licences, and in causing those cruell executions to cease, I doo no whit at all regarde that, which the Spaniardes and their adherentes, do murmure and whisper, concerning the same.They that ill intreated the preestes, vvere puni­shed. Neither can I sufficiently wonder at their follie, when they are not ashamed to obiect vnto me, the murtheringes of the people of their Church, seeing, that not onely they knowe my naturall dispo­sition, to be altogether estraunged from such violences: but also that you and the whole worlde, doo verie well knowe, that by commaundement and appointement, some, in respect of such outrages, as these men would charge me withall, were put to death: and other some, being of great note and noble houses, were arrested, by the principall seruauntes of my housholde, and after that they had bin kept prisoners a long time, they were not deliuered, but in respecte of the house, from whence they had this honour, to proceede and come: the long imprisonment of their persons being appointed vn­to them, for the punishment which they had deserued. But that whiche was done by my charge and appointement, is in such sorte knowne to all the worlde, that they are not able, eyther to disguise or darken the same, onely (as they haue ve­rie well learned to speake trueth) that which I haue done ver­tuouslie, they saye, that I haue feigned, that the thing did displease me. But who hath tolde them that I feigned? Or who is he that hath reuealed vnto them so much of my secreates? They see that which I haue done, they can not iudge my hearte, neyther is there anie man so malitious, (except it be the forger of this writing, or some Spaniarde) whiche ought not rather to giue iudgement vppon that whiche he seeth, than vppon that, whiche he malitiouslie and wickedlie suspecteth.

The cast also infinite blames and slaunders, vpon our religion, and they call vs heretiques. But it is such as a long time since, they tooke vpon them to proue it, and yet were neuer able to bring it to purpose or effect. And I saie, that these iniuries (be­ing like vnto the wordes of women, prouoked & chased with collor) do not deserue any aunswere, much lesse that beastli­nesse, to saie, that I neuer trusted any eyther Preest or Friar, vn­lesse he were maried, and that I inforced them to marie. For, who is it that knoweth not, that without choise or discretion, they cast at my head, euery thing that they finde in the waye, so great is their furie, and their passion so outragious and vn­measurable?Cōcerning the mariage of Preestes. And albeit that these things were true, as in deed they are not, neither yet reasonable (for we learne by our Re­ligion, that mariage ought to be free, and should not be either inforced or forbidden) yet so it is, that this faulte should not be comparable, with that tyrannie ouer cōsciences, which hath forbidden mariage to a great part of Christendome, against which forbidding, not onely the East churches opposed them selues, but also the churches of Germanie and Fraunce.

But that (my Lordes) which is greatly to be esteemed in this Proscription, so true and well grounded, is this, That the King commaunded not the Duke of Alua, to impose the tenth and twentieth pennie, without the consent of the people. If thē the Duke of Alua, in a matter of so great importaunce, and whiche was the cause of the death and destruction, of so many thousandes of men, hath passed his commission, what punishment folow­ed thereof? The Duke of Alua, for hauing perfourmed to his owne sonne this dutie, to wit, that he mighi marie his cousin, leauing another, whom vnder the colour of mariage accom­plished, he had abused, (euen as Rigomes had before perfour­med for the King, as before hath bin declared) was cast into prison, and put out of fauour, and shoulde not as yet haue bin deliuered,Cōcerning the tenth & tvventith pennie. if in all Spaine they had bin able to haue founde a tyraunt, more fitt to exercise tyrannie vpon the poore Portu­gales then he. He was then chastised for a small faulte, and for such a great one, he was honoured, much made of, and filled with rewardes: And he that would presse the King, with the [Page] death of my Lordes of Egmount and of Hornes, he would say as much, and disallowe againe the Duke of Alua for it. Is not this a good meane thinke ye, to discharge him selfe of all faul­tes? But let them take which parte they will, either the King commaunded it, and then he can not auoyde the name of a tyraunt, or els he commaunded it not, and yet for all that the name of a tyraunt shall remaine vnto him, because he did not chastise and correct him, who of his owne priuate authoritie, had vsurped such a tyrannie, vppon a franck and free people, whereby it appeareth, that he is culpable thereof. And albeit, that I haue alwayes esteemed the Duke of Alua, for the ene­mie of the Countrey, and as one who hath willingly bathed him selfe in our blood, and in the blood of all Christians, ca­rying closely a Turkishe hearte within him: yet so it is, that I haue knowne him to well, and haue bin to to much practised to beleeue this, that he should be so sottishe, and so presump­tuous, as to dare to attempt, to laye vpon the people an impo­sition of such consequence, and to pursue it so long time, and that by such extraordinarie, yea & altogether insupportable meanes to the countrey, without good and sufficient cōmaun­dement directed vnto him therefore, and that not once only, but sundrie times. I beseeche you (my Lordes) to weye this well, whether he, that in his owne proper and priuate name, durst condemne, or fauoure them that did condemne, the Burgmaster of Amstelredam, in fiue and twentie thousande Florins of amercement, because he set him selfe against the tenth pennie, was not well assured, and had not sufficient dis­charge for the same from his Superior? Neither neede we ( [...] Lordes) any other place then this, whereby to knowe, the fraudes, dissimulations and craftes, wherewith the King, hath so long a time, led and deceaued vs, and yet purposeth still to do, if we suffer him to wound vs, with the prick of his tongue, or to astonishe vs, with the threatnings of his armies. And be­cause, he will haue the bruite thereof, sounded abroad, by rea­son of the Townes taken, and surprised in Hollande, to witte, within this two, three, or foure yeeres, and that with more force then he hath fought against the Turke withall: I aun­swere [Page] him, that, hauing the aduantages whereof he braggeth, he ought to consider, whether this tende not to his very great shame, that he is altogether driuen out of that Countrey.

And it standeth him not in any steede, to alleadge, the mutinie of the Spaniardes. For a Gouernour, and specially such a one as had such great meanes as hee had, doeth sufficientlie be­wraie his insufficiencie & vnworthinesse to commaunde, when he is not able by such meanes, to keepe in obedience his own Souldiers: on the other side, in excusing him selfe so foolish­lie, he seeth whether he will or no, that he is inforced to con­fesse, that I, and my Lordes of Hollande and Zealande, hauing verie slender meanes, as namely but foure or fiue thousande men, haue broken his attemptes, and caused him to consume three score thousande. And whilest (my Lordes) he thus in this countrey lost his time, his men, and his money, he lost likewise within two monethes, the Kingdome of Tunis, and the Goulette,The shame­ful lostes of the kingdōe of Thunis & the Gou­lette. with the greatest shame and confusion, that euer anie mightie Prince did, yea though he were driuen out of his owne lande, albeit some would laie the faulte hereof, vppon the youth of Don Iohn, & vpon the whoredome of the Car­dinall. For whilest he did so ill imploye his forces here amōgst vs, Sinam Basscha, tooke from him that Kingdome, and that fortresse, which men supposed could neuer haue bin taken: & this he did in the sight of Spaine and of Sicilia, without that euer anie of the Kings side, durst so much as shewe his head, to fight against him, or onely to turne him aside. And yet, if he had no regarde to the good of Christendome (which in deed he neuer had, as witnesseth the painted league that he made, which also cost the Venetians so much) nor respect to his own honour, at the least, the memorie and name of the Emperour his father, (who did little or nothing regarde, all his notable deedes and feates of armes in respect of that conquest) ought to haue moued and thrust him forwarde, with a noble and earnest desire, wisely to haue mainteyned that, which the Em­perour his father had so valiauntly conquered for him and all Christendome. But the rage and furie to destroye vs, which caried him awaie, tooke both his eyes from him, that he could [Page] not see that euill, and his vnderstanding also that he could not discerne it, he louing ouermuch to make proofe, rather of his weakenes against his owne proper people, then of his forces, a­gainst the common and vniuersall enemie of Christendome.

This (my Lordes) is that which he obiecteth against me, & which also fell out, before our generall coniunction, and ioy­ning together. Wherevnto (it may be) it was not altogether necessarie to aunswere, sauing that it is requisite, not onely to satisfie you, but also to stoppe their mouthes, and to make all the worlde to vnderstande their impudencies and slaunders. For, if the question were, but of that which cōcerneth your sel­ues, and those whiche heretofore were on our side, who haue notwithstāding, verie euelly and without any cause, withdraw­en them selues from vs: you, and those with you, haue hereto­fore sufficiently declared, that you had a farre better opinion of me. For first, the accorde treated of by you, with me & my Lordes of Hollande and Zealande, at Gaunt, hath sufficientlie iustified me, seeing that if you had supposed me to be such a one, as this infamous Proscription describeth me, you neyther would nor could haue entered into treatie with me: beside, so many honorable embassages, as you since that time haue sent vnto me, to S. Gheertrudenberghe, and euen yet to Antwerp, both to cause me to come into Brabant, and to cause me to come vnto you to Bruxelles, that I might be assistaunt with you in Counsell: and also, that yee did honour me with the title of Lieutenaunt generall: All these things I saye doo suffi­ciently declare, what is the opinion and iudgement that yee haue had, of all these false and friuoulous accusations, whiche thing alone, I suppose, to be ouer sufficient and strong to con­fute them.

But let vs nowe see, howe before that time, they on their behalfes gouerned them selues, with what pride, insolencie, and disdaine of our whole nation. I will not repeate, the per­iuries and deceites of the Dutchesse, nor of the King, in the behalfe of my Lordes the Counties of Egmount and of Horne, nor the baites and allurementes, which they prepared for me, nor yet generally that which fel out before the cōming [Page] of the Duke of Alua, but that onely whiche was done after­wardes, vntill the time of our generall coniunction and ioy­ning together, to the ende, that as the remembraunce of the mischiefes and griefes past, shall bring vnto you pleasure and contentement, and the same (as I hope) vnto me, who with some delite haue ayded you therin: so that by the same you will more and more strengthen your selues, in this resolution, which is both holie, and worthie of immortall prayse, & which you also haue taken vpon you, that is, to oppose and set your selues against the Spaniardes and their adherentes. Nowe, as well the saide Duke of Alua, as those that commaunded vnder him and after him, haue sufficiently made vs to vnderstande, what was at all times the counsell of Spaine, to wit, to roote vs out, and to bring vs into bondage. For, as Hanniball, euen when he was but nine yeeres olde did sweare, by the altar of his goddes, that he would be al his life long, an enemie to the Romanes: so was this Duke of Alua, from his childhood nou­rished, and brought vp, in an vnreconcilable hatred against this countrey,The insup­portable pride of the Duke of Al­ua, & other officers be­ing Spani­ardes. which, by so much blood as he hath spilt, could as yet neuer be satisfied, but so much the more hath he caused it to runne out on euerie side, in all the Townes of this Coun­trey, yea so farre forth, that he hath caused to be put to death (which thing also he him selfe bragged of) eightene thousand poore innocent men and more, and that by the handes of the hangman or tormentor, and yet for all that, that cruell lust of his, could neuer be satisfied. So that if any would knowe, what are the priuie counsells of Spaine: what is the Kings good wil, and howe much he loueth vs, he shall finde it all deciphered & sett out, in the bloodie deedes of the Duke of Alua, as if it were set out before his eyes, and liuely painted in a table of painters worke. For there hath not bin any kinde of dissimulation, treason, and vnfaithfulnes, which he hath not vsed, that hee might bring vnder his subiection and seruice, the principall Lordes of this Countrey, and that by offers, promises, & newe titles of Honour, bestowed vpon them. But, the good & ver­tuous people, that he could get into his handes, he hath cru­elly put to death, without any respect, either to their innocen­cie, [Page] or to the priuiledges of the countrey, and yet nothing was done, but by the Kings commaundement. He committed the like, against the Citezens and good Marchauntes, so proudly treding vnder feete, our auncient liberties and freedomes, yea euery thing, that was remayning amongest vs of the glorie of our auncestours, that it seemed that he thought, that you were at no hande worthie to be reckoned, in the number of men.

And where is it, that we can haue a more certaine and playne proofe, and that so open,the profane and proude erection, of the Duke of Alua his i­mage, in the midst of the late Citadel at Antvverp that it is (as it were) in the sight and beholding of all Christendome, concerning this matter, and withall, of his vnsupportable contempt and disdaine of all these coūtreis, then in that proude, ambitious, profane, heath­nishe, and withall foolishe setting vp of his owne Image, in the middest of the Cittadell at Antwerpe, going impudently vpon the bellies of the Noble men, of the Estates, and of all the peo­ple of this countrey? Was not this thinke you, a notable mo­nument of his tyrannie, and a testimonie of his pride? What shall I neede to speake of his seruauntes, and of all that vermin that came out of Spaine, who spake of vs, not as it were of Villacos (as they vse to say) or villaines, but euen as it were of brute beastes? You (my Lordes) haue euen as yet your eares, altogether beaten with such matters, and you are able to set out their gestures, their proceedinges, their wordes full of boldnesse, of pride, and of contempt: also their vnsupporta­ble actes, and howe when they were within your townes, with what pride and insolencie they did commaunde you. Where­fore, if that be true which wise men report, that, for the vnder­standing of the naturall disposition of a Lorde or Noble man, men must examine him by his friendes and familiars: and for the knowledge of a maister, men must sift his seruauntes: you may (my Lordes) by the vertues of the Duke of Alua, his ma­sters principall officer, and the executor of all his counsels, ca­sely iudge, what good affection and wil, the King beareth you, who sent him to you, to torment you: and also ye may knowe what yee ought to looke for, vnlesse yee prouide for it in time, (as in deede yee ought) which thing also, all the good people of this lande looke for at your handes.

I will speake nothing, of the rauishings, raunsomes, and ex­actions committed by the Spaniardes, I wil onely staie my self vpon the principall point. Yee could neuer yet tell, howe to obtaine a free assemblie,The assem­blie of the Estates ge­neral, euer refused. of the Estates generall, your enemie verie wel knowing, that, to hinder the calling together & mee­ting of them, was in deede to cut of by the foote, the tree of your priuiledges, and vtterly to drie vp the spring of your li­bertie. For, to what ende serueth it the people, to haue priui­ledges in faire parchement, kept vp in a cofer, if by the meane of the Estates, those priuiledges be not mainteined, and so men feele the effectes thereof? And in deede long time before, the King him selfe had receaued a dispensation from the Pope,The King taketh a dispensation from the Pope, for his othe made at his gladsome entraunce. for the othe which he had made vnto you, to keepe your priuiled­ges. Wherein he did not onely violate and break his faith: but also did ouer easely, yea verie hurtfully beleeue, foolishe coun­sellours, whereby he to to manifestly declared, howe great his owne wisedome was. For, might he not verie well vnderstand, that, counting him self free from the othe, which he had made to you, you also were freed and quitt from your othe towards him? In so much, that he, minding to be vnburdened of his othe towardes you, you ought not vnto him, any obedience and subiection. That I may at this time say nothing, but leaue it vnto others more exercised in such matters than I, to handle this question, whether the Pope may iustlie vaunt, that he hath anie such power and authoritie, yea or no: and whether anie thing in the world, shall remaine certaine and sure, if othes so solemnely made, may, vnder such a pretext and cloake, be vio­lated and broken. At the same time, mariages made out of the countrey, were wholy forbidden, and that whiche was neuer practised, was prohibited, to wit, that youth might not go out of the countrey, to studie in any other schoole of the worlde, but in that at Rome: and condemning by that meanes, all o­ther schooles (whiche is an ouer great arrogancie) they did condemne (so vnwarie they were) euen those of the Iesuites,The scholes of all the vvorld for­biddē, saue that of Rome only without thinking anie whit of them: and so (whiche is in deede the worst) they opened a waye, to verie barbarousnes. For, as the meetinges together of all maneer of learned men, [Page] hath brought forth vnto vs in this Countrey, sundrie persons well qualified, who haue greatly innobled these Prouinces: so this interdiction and forbidding, could not but in processe of time cause, a more than Turkishe ignoraunce, that I maye saye nothing of this, that by that meanes, they would make this Countrey subiect,The publi­shing of the councell of Trent. to such cōditions as neuer were heard of. About the same time, the Councell of Trente was pu­blished, which Councell hath seemed, euen to the Frenchmen them selues, so vniust, that euen vnto this daye, it could not as yet be published, in the kingdome of Fraunce.

A little while before this time, there was egerlie pursued, and at the last obteyned, the installing of the newe Bishoppes,Bishoppes nevvly made. whiche had bin so long tyme before debated, by reason of the inconueniences, which all wise people, and louers of the Countrey, and haters of the tourmenting of mens consci­ences, did foresee, would insue therevppon: which thing al­so I my selfe, write euen vnto the King: that I may saye no­thing, of the warninges, that I gaue to the Dutchesse, some­time in open counsell, and oftentimes els where: all these their purposes, tending to no other ende, but to set vpp the cruell Inquisition of Spaine, and to establishe the sayde Bishoppes, that they might serue, in steede of Inquisitours, burners of mens bodies, and tyrauntes ouer their consci­ences.

It is true, that at this daye they denie, that euer they ment to bring in, this cursed Inquisition, but, if I bring forth vn­to them a man worthie of creditt, who was at that tyme a Pensioner of Franck, and who had the racke twise shewed him, to be tormented vppon it, that he might confesse, who they were of the Lordes of the saide Franck, which were pur­posed to refuse the Inquisition: will they saie that he is a for­ged witnesse, who yet notwithstanding is such a one, as they are not able to obiect any thing against him? And beside, if need were, I could finde inough other, plaine,Placards & licences re­nevved. & most manifest proofes. There followed the most rigorous placardes & licen­ces, with expresse cōmaundement, to abate nothing of the old rigor: and verily the bul graūted by the Pope, for the erection [Page] of the saide Bishoppes, doeth plainlie carie with it this much, that euery Bishopp, might giue in his owne Cathedral church, two prebends: that euery one of the Canons, should be boūd, to assist him in the matter of the Inquisition: and that parti­cularlie, two amongest them, should actually, and in deede be Inquisitours. And as Princes or tyrauntes, which possesse new Kingdomes or Lordshippes, do laye vppon them a tribute, in signe of their victorie: so the Duke of Alua, in testimonie of his conquest (for this was his common speache, to witte, that these countreis, apperteyned to the King, not in title, or by right or patrimonie, but as being conquered, by armour and weapons) then I saie, to the ende he might make all the world to vnderstande the condition, wherevnto he had made subiect this countrey, he laide vpon the people, by the commaunde­ment of his Maister,The imposition of the tenth pēnie, vvithout the good vvil, & con­sent of the Estates. the perpetuall payment of the tenth pen­nie, without the consent of the Estates, without the consent of the Townes & Prouinces, and he resolued with him selfe & his people, to execute the same by force. Insomuch, that whē he vnderstood, that certaine noble & couragious harts, began to be moued, euen at the verie houre (ye see my Lordes, howe great Gods prouidence is) when he receaued newes of the taking of the Briele, he was resolued, to put to death, the same night the principall Burgesses and Citizens of Bruxelles, because, that they set them selues against this impositiō, which was violent­lie published against their priuiledges. The Hangman, named Maister Charles, was commaunded to haue in a readines, se­uenteene halters, and certaine ladders of ten or twelue foote hie: the souldiers were vp in armes: Don Frederico, came into the house, of Viglius the President, to conclude the speache of the cōdemnation, when these happie newes, against the good Burgesses and Citizens of Bruxelles, arriued there. The Lieu­tenaunt of the Amman, was one of them, that should haue bin put to death, because he refused to execute them, that set them selues against these attemptes, and in deed the Duke of Alua, ment to keepe the promise with them, which but a little while before, he had spoken vnto him, saying: By thisto vvit, Beard, a forme of svvearing, vsed amōgst the Spani­ardes. if you will not do it, I will cause you to be hanged. And moreouer, the [Page] Iudges are knaues, It is sufficient that whiche I commaunde you. And I confesse, that at the same time, I being againe pro­uoked, as well by sundrie good people, as by myne owne oth, came againe the seconde time with an armie, of whiche expe­dition I will saie no more at this time,The second cōming of the L. prince vvith an ar­mie. because there is none a­mongest you, but he knoweth, what then were, and what yet at this present are, the euentes and successes thereof. Nowe then (my Lordes) if it please you on the one side, to consider, that which the Duke of Alua did, before that this warre, was begunne: what iust occasions he gaue me, and the Estates of Hollande and Zealande, to haue our recours to armes: and al­so that, which he and the great Commandador did, vntill the day of the reuolting and rebellion of the Spaniardes: and on the other side, to waie, howe since that time, I haue guided & gouerned my selfe, I refuse not to make ye Iudges thereof, and to giue yee leaue to determine thereof, as yee your selues shall thinke, conuenient and meete. But yee haue alreadie suffici­ently declared, what yee thinke thereof, by the pacification of Gaunt, by the expulsion of Don Iohn, and by so many actes and testimonies, that I neede not to haue any more, yea euen by this, that yee would not discharge me, of my offices and charges, although that verie oftentimes I requested the same of you.

Nowe I will come to that, whiche in the seconde place they touche, in their cruell Proscription, to wit, that, which follow­ed the time, wherein the Spaniardes were declared rebels, and enemies to the countrey.

About that time (my Lordes) there was treated and con­cluded the Pacification of Gaunt,The pacifi­cation of Gaunt: and that the enemies, both Spaniardes and their adherēts, haue broken the same against their othe. and that with so great ioye and contentement of the people, yea and of all the Prouin­ces, both generally and particularly, that no man aliue, is able to remember the like.

Euerie one may remember, the mutuall promises of friend­shippe, of intelligences, partaking of counsell, and such like comprehended therein. But what? They them selues, who af­terwardes did make manifest, the great, and inueterate hatred of their heart, and were notwithstanding of the number of [Page] those, which treated of the same matter with my Deputies, & with them of Hollande and Zealande: they I say, intreating thereof, did ouerthwartly cast against it, all the hinderaunces that possiblie they could, to cause it to die, before it came to ripenes: which thing, without controuersie, they had obtey­ned, if they had not feared to fall into daunger, & if the peo­ple, and all the Prouinces (who perceaued, and sawe before hande a farre of, that this pacification, should be the ground­worke of their libertie, and the restitution of their auncient priuiledges) had not, as it were with one voice, inforced them to conclude the same. And, because (my Lordes) often times in this execrable Proscription, and in their little, foolishe, dif­famatorie libelles, and secret letters, they obiect vnto me, that I haue violated and broken the same: Let vs see, howe they on their behalfe, haue mainteyned and kept it. It was no sooner confirmed by othe, but that the Lorde of Haussi, according to your commaundement,The Lorde of Haulsi, sent into Zealand to demaūd succour of the L. Prince, for the siege of the castle of Gaunt. made sundrie voyages into Zealande to me, that he might obteine succour of men, and munitions of warre, for the siedge of the Castle of Gaundt, one of the nestes, of the Spanishe crueltie, which thing he also obteyned. But, a certaine man, vnworthie of his stock, and of his Coun­trey, could not conteine him selfe, but at the same time began to vomite his venim, charging with a faulte the saide Lord, in recōpence of so good a seruice, & which was in deede the very gate, to the libertie of the Countrie and Countie of Flaunders, and namely of the towne of Gaunt, whiche had bin so long time before, kept vnder by tyrannie: and it was a matter of no great account, to the saide Sweueghen, to the Countie of Reus, Mouqueron, and others, that the Spaniardes, yet all bloodie with the murther of Antwerp, & laden with the spoy­les, of good Burgesses and Citezens, should perfourme a like execution in the Towne of Gaunt, as they had committed in the most renoumned town of Antwerp: which thing also they had executed and performed, (as the letters of Rhoda and o­thers, do sufficiently proue) had not the saide succour hinde­red them. Marke I pray you, howe that euen then when the Trumpet sounded, for to publishe the Pacification of Gaunt, [Page] these honest people began to breake the same. Herevpon Don Iohn arriued in these Countreys,the cōming of Dō Iohn and albeit that mine enemie would here playe the falsifier, and alter the matter: haue not I yet the letter signed with the Kings owne hande, and with the hande of one of the Secretaries of his estate, & sealed with the seale of his armes, whiche yeelde testimonie concerning the charge and commission giuen to Don Iohn? Haue not they bin published to all the world? Was there yet euer any Spani­arde founde, that durst contend against him? By those letters we haue knowne, that all the difference, betweene Don Iohn, the Duke of Alua, and Lewis of Requesens was this, that he was more young, and more foolishe, than the others, and that he could not so long time hide his venime, dissemble his at­temptes, & withhold his greedie handes, from the desire that he had, to wett and washe them in our blood. I will not (my Lordes) make in this place any recitall of these matters vnto you, for they are knowne vnto litle children, and all the land, is as it were, watered therewith. Albeit then that these things were set out before the whole worlde: and albeit that the pa­cifiers knewe and vnderstood the same: Notwithstanding the inueterate hatred towardes this poore people was so great (so much were they accustomed, to aide them that oppressed your priuiledges, and to subiect them selues to tyrannie, was euen become altogether naturall vnto them) that euen like horse-leaches, foming with rage, they themselues came to launce thē selues, vpon the thorne of the bloodie hart of Don Iohn, and agreed with him, against mine aduise, and the aduise of them of Hollande and Zealand, and against their owne othe taken, against the pacification of Gaunt, and yet these men dare ob­iect vnto me the pacification and mine othe, as though those bandes had bin prepared, onely to shakel me, and my Lordes of Hollande and Zealande, whilest that those good and loyall peacemakers, hauing broken all bond of lawes, of loyaultie, and of fidelitie, might haue libertie to perpetrate, commit, and doo, whatsoeuer their disloyall harte, shoulde put them in minde of. They will saye, that they caused Don Iohn to promise, that the Spaniardes should departe: as though [Page] that all our agreement and league, consisted in that onely point. But before they had cōcluded with Don Iohn, should not they haue placed me, in my gouernementes, and put me in possession of my goodes, and restored me my Sonne, who was one of the number of the prisoners? Haue they so much as onely thought vpon it, though that sundrie amongest them were kinne vnto him? No whitt at all in deede. For they had a farre other marke, which thing they them selues did suffici­ently declare, by so many consultations as they made, that they might at the length finde out a way to oppresse me, and to bring Hollande and Zealande vnder subiection, knowing, that at the same time, I yet onely, and the Estates of the saide Countreis, were they which did openly hinder their pernitious purposes, which was, to enter in the place of the Spaniardes, to exercise the like tyrannie that the Spaniards had done, but yet as they thought, with more power and authoritie, and also, that they might remaine in their own Coūtreyes with greater impunitie. Concerning this matter, I referre my selfe to the instructions, giuen to those which came to treate with me, at Saint Geertrudenberghe, whiche I will bring to light, if need be thereof.

At the same time, they sent to the Queene of Englande, that they might fill hir with al false matters against me, and al­so moue hir to arme hir selfe against me and my Lordes, the Estates of Hollande and Zealande: But the knowledge that she had of the trueth, and the singular wisedome, wherewith she is indued, made hir to take a cleane contrarie resolution, then that which they hoped of. To be short, they deuised as much ae they could, to execute and perfourme against vs, the same practises that the Spaniardes had done, and this (my Lordes) was the obseruation of the Pacification of Gaunt, that these men vsed euen from the beginning. And as concerning the Spaniardes,The Spani­ardes licen­sed by Don Iohn to re­turne. which Don Iohn told them he had sent away, they sawe (at the least if they had anie vnderstanding, though neuer so little, for they wanted not aduertisement and intel­ligence) that some stayed in Luxembourgh, other some in Burgundie, and other some in Fraunce, vnder the shadowe of the [Page] ciuile warre, which was at that time raised vp in Fraunce, loo­king onely for their watchwoorde, that they might returne a­gaine in an instant, whiche thing also they did. Beside this, they knew, that Don Iohn reteined with him foureteene thou­sande Germanes, of the old souldiours,Foureteene thousande Lāce knigh­tes left by Don Iohn in garrison, in the prin­cipal towns which he kept in gar­rison, in the principall Townes of the Countrey: that at Ma­lines, he treated with the saide Germanes: that he spake one thing to them, and another thing to you my Lordes: and did in the meane while, take the Castle of Antwerp, from the pow­er of the Duke of Aerschot, and of the Prince of Chimai his sonne, and left it in the handes of Treslon. They sawe I saye, these thinges, and did notwithstanding ayde and fauour him therein, and yet they will say that they kept the Pacification of Gaunt. For, as concerning that whiche mine enemies saye, that Don Iohn sware vnto it, I confesse further, that the King him selfe promised, it should be obserued, which maketh him so much the more vanquished, for euen at the same time, he commaunded Don Iohn to breake it, as appeareth by his own letters.

And as concerning Don Iohn, true it is, that he promised and sware, to see the same perfourmed, but that was with a condition, which he spake of before hande,Don Iohn svvare to the pacificatiō of Gaūt. in the presence euen of some of your Deputies, whiche should be added, to witt, that it should be kept vntill such time, as he repented him thereof, which condition fell out verie quicklie afterwarde.

For, this young man, supposing that he was at the topp of his businesse, and that he had in his handes (by reason of the gar­risons of Germains, and sundrie traytours taking parte with them) the best Townes, tooke (but yet not without doing, an vnworthie iniurie to the Queene of Nauarre) the Castle of Namure, a place which he thought was verie fitt and necessa­rie, for the Spaniardes to go and come. But so soone, as the Castle of Antwerpe, was by cōposition yeelded vp vnto you, he founde him selfe farre from his reckoning, which caused him at one time to lose, manie friendes, who began euen than to chaunge their copie and countenaunce: and Don Iohn was thereby made, so perplex and doubtfull, that he had no other [Page] succour, but this, that, hauing corrupted some of your owne Deputies, he might protract the time, and busie you, with a painted hope of peace. And I would to God, that at that time, yee (my Lordes) had not bin hindered, by these good obser­uers of the Pacification of Gaunt, from beleeuing my counsel, for then, by a verie small armie, we might haue bin quitt and ridde of Don Iohn, of his Spaniardes and adherentes, and of so many miseries, as since haue insued. I would then yet fur­ther knowe, in this place (my Lordes) whether Don Iohn did then keepe this Pacification, & his Vnion so solemnely sworne (as they saie) which he had made, with these fauourers of the Spaniardes. And why shall he come to vpbraide me with the Pacification of Gaunt, which yet hath caused this to be decla­red vnto vs, by the Lorde of Selles, that he would not keepe it? Shall he to my hurt, enioye a priuiledge, which he him self renounceth and forsaketh? And when we haue saide all, it is not with him, that I, and the Estates of Hollande and Zea­lande, haue contracted and accorded, but it is with you (my Lordes.) Now, if after so many breaches of the Pacification, and that in such sundrie sortes: if after that contrarie to the saide Pacificatiō, they haue destroyed the Townes, where they could exercise their tyrānous gouernment, and the best Bur­gesses and Citezens therein, alleadging against them false and wicked thinges: If then I saye, after these thinges, you (my Lordes) haue iudged, that for your owne suretie, you ought to inlarge some of the articles, yea and if neede were, that you were minded, altogether to breake, cut in sunder, and reuoke them: who is he that could accuse you therefore, If yee haue vsed that which was your owne, as you your selues thought it conuenient for your owne profit, vnlesse it be he, which would vse his owne othe, as a nett and snare to catche you in?

For as concerning that whiche they say, that the chaunge hath bin on my behalfe: though that were true, yet so it is, that I am no more bounde, in respect of the contractours with me, see­ing that they haue so manie wayes, violated and broken the contracte it selfe: and seeing that on your part, it was thought conuenient, that the chaunge should be made, you haue as [Page] much authoritie and power to dispose thereof, as a Lord hath right in his own inheritaunce: for the Pacification was yours, which also you might vse, at your own pleasure and discretion.

But I haue so often times, both by worde and writing de­clared, nothing to be broken on our partes, that I shall not neede to bestowe anie more time, to sett out the same vnto you: Onely I will confesse this, that they of Hollande and Zea­lande were in deede forbidden, to innouate or chaunge anie thing in that countrey: but that the other Estates,Nothing vvas attēp­ted, by the L. Prince, the Estates general, and those of the Religion, a­gainst the pacification of Gaunt. might not in their Prouinces, by some lawefull condition, prouide for their safetie, it will neuer be founde that there was as yet anie such obligation or bonde: whiche thing may be manifestlie seene and knowne, by the reading of the eleuenth and the twelueth Article. And in deede, vpon the making of the saide Pacification, as one of those which were Deputies on our side, did declare vnto some one of the principall persons of the o­ther side, that some such matter might fall out, and that ther­fore it was better, to accorde some libertie, for the poore sub­iectes of the Prouinces, whose causes they handeled, and for whom they were to make agreement: so some other aunswe­red him againe, that he needed not take care for such matters, and that those of Brabant, Flaunders, and the other Coun­treis, would not at any time demaunde a chaunge in the mat­ter of Religion. Nowe, if they haue bin deceaued, what cause is there for them so furiouslie, to direct thē selues against me? I giue them also the same aunswere, in respecte of the chaunge which fell out, in certaine Townes of my gouernemēt, for I can in deed assure mē before God, that I haue not giuen any aduise or consent thereto: and that many things fel out ther, as also in Flaūders, which pleased me no whit at all: and I do defende it against thē, that if there haue bin, some souldiar like insolencie & violēce, that that was nothing, but sweete smelling roses, in respect of the intollerable excesses, which thei haue cōmitted: and also at the least, that we haue not had on our parte, any in­fidelitie or treason, or intelligence with the Spaniardes, as our enimies on their parte haue had. For haue not they, against their faith & promise, with an armed power begunne a warre, [Page] and assaulted their confederates, when we were, within twoo dayes readie to giue battaile to our enemies?The begin­ning of the vvarr of the Malcōtents euen then, vvhen they vvere readie vvithin 2. dayes, to driue avvay Don Iohn. Haue not they pursued the execution of their cōplott and conspiracie against their confederates, and declared their defection and falling a­way, at that time, when the good towne of Maestricht was be­sieged? Was there euer anie detestable and vile act in the worlde, and is it not this? Euen then, when you your selues looked for the forces and powers of your confederates, to suc­cour a good Towne besieged, with which they were entred in­to a sworne league: and of which, they could not in any sorte, eyther wrongfully or rightly complaine: Euen then I say, they did not onely destitute and forsake you, but also made warre vpon you, and that as whotly and as fiercely as they coulde. The stories report, that Suffetius was drawen in peeces with foure horses, because he stirred not, but only looked on, when Tullus Hostilius his confederate, fought the fielde: then what Gibbettes, and what punishmentes can a man deuise, whiche might be sufficient to correct, this vnfaithfulnesse and treason? And whose treason?The conti­nuance, du­ring the siedge of Maestricht. Those (my Lordes) who before had laide their handes, vpon the Countie of Mansfelt, Viglius, Fonc. As­sonuille, Berti, and others of the Councell of Estate, then whē I was not so straitely bounde vnto them, as since I haue bin, & was not yet come into Brabant: Those I say, that by such lay­ing handes vpon them, had giuen all the world to vnderstand, what iudgementes they had concerning the King & his coun­saile: Leauing it to you (my Lordes) to iudge, what great con­sideration, there is in such people, that whilest we make warre, they can not foresee, that they sharpen the swordes of those, whom they had takē prisoners, to take away their own heads. They will say, that I haue not shewed my selfe to be an enemie against them of our side, who haue passed the boundes set thē. Verely I haue not approued the excesse of any, but doo they thinke that I am so vnwarie, as that for to shewe them a plea­sure, I will open a gapp to the destruction of the Countrey, and so make Escouedo a prophet? Haue they euer heard that a wise father, for the contentement of his enemie, would seeke the ruyne of his children? Nay rather this is his dutie, to cor­rect [Page] the faultes, and in amending of them, to labor the preser­uation of his familie and housholde.

But Bours, Montigni, and others, doo not they knowe the duties that I haue performed, to establish euery thing in good order? Haue they forgotten the Articles, agreed vppon, euen such as they them selues demaunded, & which since that time, they haue brokē against their othe? It is then rage, follie, am­bition, hatred against the religion, & desire to gouerne, which hath caried away their heartes, and tossed them as it were with madnes: and which hath first moued them: and which since that time they haue couered, with the cloake of the Pacificati­on of Gaunt. For I knowe (my Lordes) howe hardly they were distressed, and what labor they tooke, to cloake and co­lour their enterprise, and that a simple Captaine, did in this counsaile open a gappe vnto them, who was immediatelie fol­lowed.

I knowe, that sundrie wil thinke it a newe & straunge thing, that children of so good a house, issuing from such fathers, should so farre forgett them selues, as to heape vp such repro­ches vpon their owne stock: yea some I thincke will thincke it vnbeleeuable, that euer there coulde be founde, such great in­constancie in them: and for myne owne part, I can not chuse, but be greatly sorie for it, by reason of the good will and reue­rēce, which I haue borne to their fathers: and the desire which I haue had to see them aduaunced, in al vertue, honour and re­putation (which thing they might haue atteyned, if they had onely learned to forbeare but a little while, and to beare some part of the miserie of their countrey) and I would yet in deede desire, that they might become so wise, that by a good repen­taunce, they might amende the faultes past. But to the ende, that I may not speake, of sundrie their particular actions, whi­che are not come to the sight of al the world, and are notwith­standing full of inconstancie and lightnes: if we come to con­sider that which euery one knoweth, and is laide out before the eyes of all the world, who is he that can sufficiently inough marueile, at the inconstancie and vanitie of their resolutions? They serued the Duke of Alua, and the great Commandador, [Page] as seruauntes or pages, and they made warre against me, with all extremitie: a little while afterwards, they treated with me, and reconciled them selues, and then (lo) they were the Spa­niardes enemies. Don Iohn came, they followe him, they serue him, and they indeuour and practise my destruction. Don Iohn failed in his enterprises, concerning the Castle of Antwerpe, incōtinently they forsake him & call me: I was no sooner come, but contrarie to their othe, without communi­cating anie thing thereof, either to you (my Lordes) or to me, they call my Lorde Matthias the Archduke: He being come, they sawe that they could not come to their marke, therefore they left him, and without aduertising him any thing at all thereof, they go to seeke my Lorde the Duke of Aniou: they bring him in, and they promise him wonderfull things. They sawe, that they could not bring him to this point, to make him a Captaine against you (my Lords) and them of the Religion, then they left him, and ioyned them selues to the Prince of Parma. Are there any waues of the Sea more inconstant? Is there anyIt is a part of the Sea, which floweth seuen ti­mes a daie vvith such great force, that it cari­eth shippes vvith full saile against the vvinde. Euripus more vncertaine, than the counsels of such people, who thincke that they are so highely sett: so much lif­ted vp: and so strengthened, that it should be lawfull for thē, to playe and dallie, in such sorte with Princes, of such qualitie and calling? If then they haue done such thinges (as all the worlde knoweth they haue) assure your selues, that there is nothing so light and vaine, but they will enterprise & attempt it. And what could they haue committed more greeuous, then to haue consented to this wicked Proscription, which was fra­med against his head and life, who had helped and healed theirs, and caused their possessions and goodes, to be restored to the principall amongst them? And beleeue (my Lordes) that this is not the last pranck they wil plaie. For, though they should very quickly confesse it, (which thing I also desire) yet shall you finde them more then tenne times, chaunge their horse and their saddle, before, that this businesse be ridd and ended.

As concerning that, which they obiect against me, That I caused my self by force and tumult to be chosen Gouernor of Brabant. [Page] You (my Lordes) do remēber, that I neuer spake to you there­of: and that I haue not any maner of way, prouoked you ther­to: and on the contrarie side, you remēber (I hope) the great withstanding that I vsed, & my plaine declarations & speaches made to the contrarie:The estate of Gouer­nour of Bra­bant and lieuetenant generall. and also as concerning the estate of Lieutenaunt generall, that I ment to haue had the aduise and consent, of the gouernours which were in the army, and which being verie shortly after tumultuouslie and disorderly handled (I minde not nowe to tell by whose faulte) was sent me, euen as I yet haue it, signed with their owne handes. Nowe, if some of the people, preferred and promoted this choise, & yet I nei­ther intreating nor prouoking them thereto, shall I mislike thē therefore? Nay rather, I am inforced to cōfesse, that they were more wise, and better foreseeing to the affaires of this Coun­trey, then I was at that time. For they well vnderstoode, that if they should leaue the handling of the matters, and the ad­ministration of the publike cause, in the handes of these men, that were become Spaniardes as it were, and so greatly affec­ted towardes them: it should be nothing else, but to build vp­pon the quick sande, a ground worke not strong inough, to set such a frame and building vpon. And it is as true that they say,The gouernment of Flaunders offered to the Lord Prince, and yet not ac­cepted. that by the tumultes of Gaunt, I was chosen Gouernour of Flaunders, for it bewrayeth a verie ignoraunce of our affaires: because that the foure members or partes of that Prouince, did chuse me, not once, but sundrie times, and that not while the tumultes lasted, but since that the matters were well quie­ted: yea and they them selues, haue oftētimes sued for it, both to me and to you, and yet to this present I haue not minded to accept it.

Also, I do not (my Lordes) thincke it raisonable,Of the mo­neyes leuied by my lords the estates, and how they vvere distributed. to answere concerning the meanes and money leuied by you, and which, according to your aduise, were gouerned vnder your authori­tie, by your treasurers, commissioners, and receauers, without that I, or any of mine, did euer see pennie thereof. But if anie must be blamed for it, it is the enemie him selfe, who hath in­forced you to vse, and seeke meanes for your owne defence.

And if he, to the ende he may execute mischiefe, exercise tyrannie, [Page] and oppresse your libertie, doe bestow so great and exces­siue charge and expenses: why should not you bestowe some cost, to doe good thinges, to represse the Tyraunt, and to pre­serue your Priuiledges and your libertie, which cannot be va­lued? And if the matter be, to giue vp all that we haue, euen to the vttermost farthing, and to the last droppe of our blood: what should we doe, but that, wherevnto we are holden and bound? and whereof we haue in auncient Histories, so many goodly examples, as well of straungers, as of our braue and valiaunt Predecessors and Auncestors? But so farre off is it, that we should leaue off, that on the other side, seeing we see that which pricketh and prouoketh thē, that that is it, which we should take vnto our selues, thereby to endeauour and to encourage our selues to go forwarde. For to aunswere that which he saith, that I haue committed to prison, and caused to be slaine, some of them that gainsayed these contributions, I suppose it is not needeful to aunswere them to this, before you (my Lordes) who know, that these are manifest slaunders: and who knowe also, that I haue bin more blamed, for my ouer great gentlenesse and patience, in tollerating sundrie wicked persons, who by their subtelties and secrete practises, hinder our affaires, then I haue bin accused of mine enemie, for my ri­gor and hardnesse. But if that which they obiect against me were true, there are sundrie, which speake at this day very hie, and for whose sake the threedes and snares haue bin cut: and I doe notwithstanding as yet not repent me, that I haue so v­sed them, but will alwayes reioyce, that I haue had a mind rea­die rather to receaue iniurie, then to doe it, not doubting but that God, who is a iust Iudge, will bring vpon the heades of these traiterous and disloyall people (who did eate bread with vs, and were partakers of our Counsels, and notwithstanding at this present, are in their counsell against vs) the reward and recompence of their wickednesse, as alreadie vengeance pur­sueth them, with a perpetuall disquietnesse, vexation, and tos­sing of spirite.

As concerning the businesse or matter, which the Lorde of [Page] Seeles tooke vppon him to deale for,The nego­tiation of the Lord of Seelles. and which also was knowne, to be full of dissimulations and deceites: to answere this, it appertaineth to you (my Lordes) who haue so wiselye discouered his fraudes: and who haue caused him to vnder­stande, that those that haue not seene Spaine, are not for all that beastes, as he and such as he are, doe suppose: to you I say it belongeth to aunswere this, because that this accusation is directed against you. I confesse, that I was of the same mind that you are, that he was no more to be trusted, than a begui­ler and a deceiuer: and that he was to be taken, as an instru­ment chosen to bring all to diuision and disorder: vpon which point to resolue my self, no man holpe me, so much as he him­selfe. For, in that that he tolde me, that I was so muche in the Kinges fauour, as that there was no Lorde in these quarters, of whome he had better opinion than of me, and whome hee would imploy so much as me: this made me more and more to thinke, that they would gladly haue taken away my heade and life, if I would haue let it gone so good cheape, as this fel­low so greatly affected to the Spaniardes, would haue perswa­ded me.

I confesse, I say, that I was of the selfe same opinion that you were: and that you haue most wisely resolued vppon this point, to wit, that, according to the example of that wise Capitaine, you haue stopped your eares, against the Sirenes or Myrmaides of Spaine. But what say I, that I haue bin of this aduise? Those miserable men, that haue consented to this cur­sed proscription, haue not they also resisted his attemptes as well as I? The very selfe same Magistrates, which haue caused this Proscription to be published, haue not they also reiected the Lord of Seeles, and all his trifling tales? which is sufficient ynough to aunswere that, which they say,The chan­ging of the Officers. concerning the chan­ging of the Catholique Officers.

And would to GOD, that I had had power, or that by the headlongnesse or hastinesse of some, I had not bin lette and hindered, from procuring and perfourming such a chaunge in euery place: for then there had not followed, so great a floude of euils, as since wee haue seene, by [Page] reason of the disiunction and discord of the Prouinces, which, it is to be feared, least it will dayly more and more growe, to the generall destruction of the Countrey: at the least I hope, that if the Prouinces, who haue so wickedly forsaken vs, do not repent them of so great a faulte, they shall perceaue, that there was neuer any man better corrected for wicked counsell, then they that haue first giuen the same. And cōcerning this point, I will not sticke at it, to aunswere this slaunder, that I haue, and that by myne owne priuate authoritie, put into charge and of­fice the saide officers, seeing that in euery place, where I haue bin assistaunt in the chaunging of the lawe, I haue therein exe­cuted onely that charge and office, whiche it hath pleased you to giue me, and that as your Commissioner and Deputie, do­ing nothing therein against the lawes and priuiledges. In deed I will confesse, that I sought as much as possiblie I could, to bring in and to place in these offices, vertuous people, honou­rable personages, men of good conscience, and aboue all lo­uers of the countrey. But I knowe what wringeth and pric­keth them, that is, that I did not willingly fauour those, which they had in their owne corde, people without faith, without godlines and honestie towardes their Countrey, yea bloodie people, and slaues to execute their tyrannie. And this is that (my Lordes) which these men call confusion, to wit the good rule and gouernement of our common wealth, according to our lawes, which also are as contrary to their barbarous in­tentes and purposes, as the day is to the night. And in deede (my Lordes) there is no great neede, to aunswere such obiecti­ons, seeing that our owne enemie doth sufficiently aunswere them for vs. For, who were these officers, of whom they saye, we haue discharged and vnburdened our selues? They were (say they) well affected to the King. Which is as much as if they should saie, they were good enemies to the Countrey: and by this (my Lordes) you vnderstand, that it was verie well done to chaunge them, in sundrie places and quarters.

They vpbraide me, with the great credit that I haue amongest the people. So farre of is it, that I am ashamed of this, that I am verie sorie that I haue not as yet atteined more, that is to saye, [Page] that I haue not well knowne,Touching the auctori­ty of the L. Prince amō­gest the people. howe to perswade them to doo that, which I haue so oftētimes set before them, both by worde and writing. For, it is long time since, that I would (thorowe the aide of God) haue clensed the countrey, from these filthes of Spaine. But if they be such as they saye they are, and that I am such a one as they describe me to be (for to shewe them some pleasure, I will easely graunt them this point) they must of necessitie confesse, that their tyrannies and cruelties, haue bin wonderfully excessiue and outrageous in all sortes, in that they haue incurred, such a generall hatred of all that people, who before were so well affected, and hath bin so loyall and faithful to their predecessors, and euen vnto them themselues, before such excesses were committed: and on the other side, that if the people haue willingly chosen me, to be the claimer and challenger of their libertie, what other thing can men say: what shall the straunge nation speake: and what shal posteritie report but this, that there was in me something, worthie of fa­uour and freendship, and in them somewhat worthie of ex­treeme hatred? I confesse then, that I am, and that I wil al my life long be popular, that is to saie, that I will pursue, mainteine and defende, your libertie and your priuiledges. Thus you see, howe these wise braines, are vtterly voide of common wit and vnderstanding, and howe that euen then when they blame me they praise me. True it is, that fiue or six ill aduised persons ga­thered together, being the enimies of your libertie, whose coū­selles, imaginations, and secret thoughtes, tende altogether to this, to seeke out the wayes, to make you subiect to their tyrā­nie, which should be more cruell, or at the least more vnwor­thie and more slauishe, then that of the Spaniardes hath bin: that these men I saie, measure the braine of all the worlde, by the elne of their owne vnderstanding, and thincke that euerie one, will condemne that as euill, which they iudge to be so.

But when the whole matter shalbe weighed at the common beame and balaunce, thē they shall finde that they haue great­ly misrekoned them selues. For he, whom they iudge vnwor­thie to liue, that he might profit the commō wealth (for what other thing is the common wealth, then the good of all the [Page] people) they will make him thorow their owne follie, so much the more honoured, as the people it selfe will more esteeme of him that maintayneth them, than he that would oppresse them.

The regard that the L Prince hath alvvays had of nobility.I cannot also sufficiently wonder at that, which they them­selues haue here forgotten: yet sundrie base but wicked wri­ters, haue lyingly put downe, in their fonde Libels of diffama­tion against me, to wit, that I hate Nobilitie. For, shall I beginne this hatred at my selfe, my kinsfolkes, and friendes, who are (thankes be to God for it) al descended of a noble and famous race, and that so auncient, and of such great riches and digni­ties, that I am not afraide to affirme, that sundrie of myne eni­mies, cannot with any good right preferre themselues before vs, and few amongest them, shall be found, that may be made equall with vs? But experience hath declared, whether I doe not that which is in my power for the aduauncement of No­ble men. Now, if I haue long time ago foreseene, that certaine ambitious heads (who since that time haue forsaken vs) would go about to take possession, of certain gouernments and char­ges, that so they might afterward abandon the countrey, and falsifie their othe: if I say I haue knowne their lightnesse, vani­tie and inconstancie, and their affection also, tending to tyran­nie, and therefore ment not to fauour them, and so by that meanes I haue holpen to preserue, the better and the greater, and the more sound part of our estate: I haue not for all that hated or despised Nobilitie, but ment by good counsell, to preuent the destruction of the Countrey, which might haue followed. If their Fathers, who were more wise, more valiaunt, and more vertuous than they, and with whome I haue liued in such good friendship: if, I say, they were now aliue, they would die with greefe, seeing their stocke so much degenerating, from the constancie and vertue of their auncestors, who liued so honourably and without reproche: If they saw I say, that there is at this day no Countrey, wherein they are not coun­ted, for inconstant people, and great coopes men: If they saw, euen the Spaniardes whome they serue, and the Cardi­nall (who is the hindge, yea the Spindell wherevpon the Mill [Page] turneth) to play with them, as it were with a ball: to make them as it were little children: to lead them by the nose like beastes: and to vpholde them,The Cardi­nall vvri­teth to Mo­rillon, that it is not yet time to caus Bourse and others to yeeld an ac­count. till it be time to demaunde a­gaine their pictures, instrumentes, tapestrie, and other mouea­bles, which they haue taken away, and euen so farre till they come to the point to be lead to the slaughter, euen as it appea­reth by his owne Letters written with his own hande, which you (my Lordes) haue seene and doe know: If they saw these thinges I say, what would they then do?

And because that mine enemie (as though he did distrust his owne authoritie, and that he doubted whether the waight of his owne titles would be sufficient, to intrappe me) procee­deth yet further, and ioyneth the Emperours authoritie to them, and the credit also, of certaine of my Lordes, the ecclesi­asticall Electors, saying,The treatie of Colen. that they had propounded such reasonable articles, as euery man of good iudgement would deeme them to be such: he knew not (in a word my Lordes) to speake more than you. What say I you? Nay then all the inhabitantes of these Countreys, who did with one voice refuse the sayde Articles, as impertinent, captious, and vnreasonable, being without iudgement and voide of reason. But whome shall they be able to perswade, that a people beaten with such long warre (which cannot be without a million of inconueniences) would refuse a peace, if it were reasonable? Or that good, yea very good subiectes, and suffering very much, would refuse to agree, with their superior, except it be, when they see that such agree­mentes, are baites to catche them? such a peace is worse then warre: and such sweete hony of the tongue, is more to be doubted, then the steelie edge of swordes. It may be, that the Emperor, who thinketh such a condition and state to be fitte, in his own landes, that come to him by patrimonie, holdeth an opiniō, that it should be likewise proper and fit for vs here. The Emperor was aduertised of our state, by our enemies, and by the traitors which were amongst vs, who also vnder the co­lour of an embassage to Colen, assayed to destroye all our mat­ters. The Emperor informed other Princes, who trusted to his report, thinking that y^t which came frō this part, was an oracle.

But you (my Lordes) who knowe the depth of the state of these countries, the commodities or discommodities, the true causes of the vpholding, or of the ruyne thereof: who haue al­so much to lose therein: who also are bounde by all lawes to the preseruation thereof, haue otherwise iudged of those arti­cles: all the people was asked their aduise therein: and they did al with one consent, reiect those conditions, as ouer vnrea­sonable: and this was done, not in one towne onely, but in al. True it is, that we besought the Emperors Maiestie, the French King, the Queene of Englande, and the King of Portugale, to intreat for vs, that a good peace might be graunted vs, but to take that, as though we had submitted our selues vnto them, we suppose not that any wise man would so thinke.

And as concerning that forbidding, which they say was made, concerning the publication of the sayd Articles: your patience and gentlenesse ought greatly to be praised, when you did not o­penly and for an example cause such to be punished, who were so rash as to publish the same without your leaue: and so farre off is it, that we feared the communicating, diuulging, and publishing of them, that on the contrary side, we caused them to be printed,The Lord Prince hin­dered not the cōmu­nicatinge of the articles of Colin, to the people. with the declarations of their insufficiencie, and they were sent thorow all the Prouinces and Towns, that they might be deliberated vpon: and that the aduise and resoluti­on of all might be had. But there is great difference, betweene a thing communicated in order, by the way of righte, and by the authoritie of them, which haue power so to doe: and be­tweene this, that certaine little Scoutes, should priuily cast a­mongst the people, certaine little Pamphlets, as some of them which were sent to Collen about your seruice, caused vnder hand and closely to passe forth, those thinges which they had negotiated, and treated off with the enemie, wherein they be­trayed both you and the Countrey, as more largely appeareth by their owne Letters, whereof I will not speake any further, because that all is set abroade, and brought to euery mans sight.

They thinke the vnion of the Prouinces, made at Vtrecht, to be wonderfully wicked and euill. And why so? Because that [Page] all that which is good for vs, is euill for them:The vnion of the pro­uīces made at the time of the sepe­ratiō of Ar­tois & Hay­nault. and that which is healthfull for vs, is deadly for them. They had set all their hope, vpon a discord and disagremēt, and they had prouoked therto some of the prouinces, who haue had as many delibe­rations & counsels, as ther are moneths in a yere: beside they had at their commaundement certaine pestilent fellowes a­mongst vs. What remedie then could a man deuise better, a­gainst dissention then vnion? And what counterpoison more certaine against their venim of discorde, then concorde? By meanes whereof, their purposes, their trecheries, their night counsels, their secrete intelligences, were all at one time scat­tered abroade, God (who is the God of peace and concorde) declaring therby how much he hateth such deceitful tongues, and how he can easily ouerthrow, such false and abhominable enterprises. You see (my Lordes) that I giue them a fayre and large field, to crie out against me, and to scorne at me. I con­fesse vnto them, that I haue procured the vnion: that I haue aduaunced and promoted the same: that I haue endeuored to maintain it, and I tel you (my Lords) yet, and I speake it very plainly, and loude, that I like it well, that so not only they, but also all Europe shoulde vnderstand it. Maintaine your vnion: keepe your vnion, but do it, but do it indeede (my Lords) that so you may execute, not in wordes, nor by writing only: but in effect also, that, which your sheafe of arrows, tied with one bād only, doth meane, which sheafe you be are in your seale. Let thē go now and accuse me, that I haue brought all to confusion, when I procured the vnion, for the doing of which matter, I wil neuer blush. For if vnder the shadow of a peace, they would bring forth vnto vs a deuision: if they would assemble them­selues, one while at Arras, another while at Montz, giuing vs alwayes faire wordes, and that to this ende, that they might sunder themselues from vs, and so draw by their cordes vnto themselues, light headed fellowes like vnto themselues: wher­fore should it not be lawfull for vs, on our owne behalues, to ioyne and tie our selues together? Vnlesse (as it may be) they thinke, that they are permitted to doe euill, and to abandon the Countrey: and when I pray you? Euen when Maestricht [Page] was besieged (will not yee, O yee poore people, feele, when yee shall reade these thinges, the hote yron, which shall burne your conscience?) and that it was not lawfull for vs then, to doe good, and to heale the Countrey. Let vs then here (my Lords) learne that, which is profitable and necessarie for vs to learne: and let vs learne it of the greatest enemie, that euer the Coun­trey had, yea of the greetest tiraunt of the whole earth.

Cōcerning the voiage of the Lord Prince into Oueryssell, An. 1580.They obiect vnto me afterwards a horrible crime, and wor­thie forsooth, of this more great Proscription, than that which was pronounced by Sylla and Carbo: that is, that I departed not out of Antuerp for two yeres space, and that I went to Vtrecht. A man may easily see, that they know very well what I doe, as though, that with their very great sorrow and greef, I had not in those two yeres space, trauailed twise into Flaunders, where by the aide of the foure members or partes of that Prouince, I placed better order in the sayde countrey, then they woulde or wished. But go too, let vs graunt, that I did not for two yeres space together, go out of Antuerp: was not this a great faulte to be alwayes nigh vnto you, that I might the better serue you in euery thing, which it pleased you to commaund me? But I went to Vtrecht: beholde (my Lordes the euill: beholde the bile or sore, for this is the voiage, that woundeth them euen to the hart. They had before hande so wisely purposed their matters: they had layde so sure a foundation for their affaires and businesse: they pleased themselues so much therein: they writ thereof to their friendes: they helde in their handes so many countreyes and gouernments: they had written so ma­ny Letters: and had vsed so many hirings, secrete intisements, and open practises, as they thought all to be sure their owne: and yet I comming only to shew my selfe at Vtrecht, with the good assistance and counsell of my Lords, the Deputies of the Prouinces: behold that great mist or fogge, was vanished a­way: so many Castels as they had reserued for their tirannie, were beaten downe: and so many of our owne Townes assu­red to vs: they hauing for all, no other thing left vnto them, but one only Towne of importaunce, wherein was the Cap­tayne of the enterprise: which Towne notwithstanding hee [Page] knew not how to make subiect to his commaundement, but by an abhominable murther, of one, whome he called his fa­ther: who the euening before, had set at his table, he as a Iu­das dealing with him vnder a false kisse. And this (my Lordes) is the cause, that maketh them crie so loude, yea this is the Helena, for which they fight.

And as concerning that, which they obiect against me,Touching the Priestes, driuen oute of the coū­trey of Freiselande. that I haue driuen out some of the ecclesiasticall persons or church men: you (my Lordes) know, that this is not true. But when their Captaine, who is in Groeningen, had taken prisoners some of the religion, and had murthered other some, yea the verie Bourgmaister, and all this, contrary vnto his othe: hauing also before time, brought in and sworne vnto, the new religion (as they call it): and hauing solemnly, and that with his othe, and his sign, and his seale confirmed, the vnion of Vtrecht: al these things considered, who is he that will thinke it strange, if those on our side, ment what they could, on their owne partes to as­sure themselues, seing that they saw the enemies, without any reuerence to their othe taken, to tread vnder their feete al holy and sacred things, and with such a perpetuall reproch to them and their rase, to haue violated & broken, whatsoeuer iustice and equitie, doth as yet remaine in the worlde? And this wee may say at the least, that no man can iustly charge vs, that in the middest of those troubles, which our enimies themselues haue stirred vp, that euer any of our side, proceeded or came to such a heape of iniustice, as to wet their hands in the blood, of those that were confederate to them, or of those which stayed them­selues vpon their fidelities: which thing their Captaines haue done, yea and that with their owne handes.

Concerning the Nobles, which he sayth,Cōcerning certain no­ble mē, that departed out of Freiselande. haue withdrawn themselues out of the Countrey, who is hee, which euer droue out so much as one of thē. But if the terrors of their own consciences haue pursued them, & that they haue bin vexed by their owne feling, which (as it were infernal and hellish furies) hath chased them from place to place, who ought to be accused therefore, but only they themselues who secretly, disloyally, and vnfaith­fully, haue practised the destruction of their owne Countrey? [Page] And would to God that they had sooner felt this burthen, and that they which remain, and are ouertaken with the like mad­nesse, migt follow thē euen at the heeles, so should they deliuer vs from great trauaile, and the common wealth from feare, least some one time or other, they should execute their perni­tious purposes.

The round­nesse and plainesse of the Lorde Prince.It is a ridiculous & fond thing, that they cal me hipocrit, who neuer in respect of them, haue vsed any dissimulatiō. For while I was their friende, I haue freely foretolde them, that they twisted the threede of their owne destruction, whilest that they attempted and tooke, these barbarous wayes of persecuting. And if their rage and vnmeasurable heate, ioyned with a con­tempt of vs, had not hindered them, from following my coun­sell: they had not bene brought to that state, in which they are at this present. When I was their aduersarie and enimie, for your libertie, I know not what hipocrisie they haue founde in me, vnlesse they will call this hipocrisie, to make open warre vpon them, to take Townes from them, to driue them out of the countrey: and without dissembling to doe against them, whatsoeuer the law of warre suffred me? But, if it please you (my Lordes) once againe to reade my defence, which I publi­shed three yeres ago, you shall see there, the Letters of a King, who is a deceiuer and an hipocrite, and who thought to catch me then, in the snare of his sweete and deceaueable Letters, as he supposeth at this present to astonish me, with his threates and thunders of words. But, thanks be to God, I haue a coun­terpoison, against both the one and the other venim.

The Lord Prince ac­cused of dif­fidence or distrust.They proceede afterwardes, with a great heape of foolishe wordes, to amplifie this matter, that I stay and ground my selfe vpon a certaine diffidence and distrust. Though I did so, shoulde I be for all that, like vnto Caine and Iudas as he accuseth me? No verely. For it is one thing to dispaire of the promisses, and of the grace of God, who cannot lie, and an other thing not to beleeue, the wordes of a subtle and deceitfull man, who kee­peth not faith or loyaltie, as the poore Moores of Grenado, may speake to much thereof: and also, as the death of the Lordes, the Counties of Egmont and Hornes, of blessed me­morie, [Page] doe giue sufficient proofe thereof. But if these good de­uines, such as the Cardinall is (who is one of the foundations of his Church) had thorowly sounded, for the true and nigh cause of the ruine and fall of Iudas and Caine; they shoulde haue found, that it was dispaire, whither by the grace of God, I haue not bin brought, and I hope neuer shalbe. On the other side, if men, would looke vpon, the monstrous and thundring speeches which are vsed, in this not barbarous only, but more then turkish Proscription: shall they not finde therein, the ve­rie stile of desperate persons, such as we heare the Poets vse, when they bring in furious and mad men. They then haue the seared conscience of Iudas, the astonished conscience of Cain, and the reproued conscience of Saule. You see notwithstan­ding (my Lordes) the great wisedome of these wise heads, diffi­dence or distrust, say they, is a common thing to al wicked per­sons. But I speake vnto thee (O Cardinall) who hast spente so much time in the Scholes, and I bid thee tell me, whether thou call not this learning, to wit, to be from a mans youth instru­cted, to lie and deceaue? I demaund then of thee, what thou wilt aunswere to the most strong and sententious of al orators, and to the greatest louer of his Countrey, who sayth (as I haue vnderstoode it from my youth, by all learned men) that the greatest and surest fortresse, that a free people can haue, against a tyraunt, is diffidence and distrust? And this speeche was di­rected against one called Philip, who had learned but a little tyrannie, in respect of thy Lord Philip, who exceedeth all other tyrantes, and for whome, no oration pronounced against Phi­lip, is sufficiently worthie, no not that, which for the excellency of it, is called Diuine. I know thou wilt aduise and take counsel concerning this matter, and in the meane while I will speake, I will write, and I will cause to be ingraued in euery place, this notable sentence, worthie of eternal remembraunce: & would to God, that I might be better beleeued, than that good O­rator was, amongest his people, who suffring themselues to be busied and abused, by people like vnto thy selfe, and other such wretched workers of confusion (which are at thy commaun­dement, and haue set on sale their tongues and pennes) were [Page] at the last snared, and vtterly brought to confusion. But I hope (my Lordes) better thinges of your constancie and courage.

The offers vvhich the enemies say haue bin made to the L. Prince, to cause him to de­part out of the Coun­trey.And as good Orators, doe alwayes keepe towards the end, some strong and pearcing reason: and as good Captaines, leaue their best Souldiars in the last rankes: so these so skilfull and so much excercised men, come at the last to entangle and snare me, with the waight of a great and a greeuous reproche. They haue offred me (they say) great commodities, to the ende that I might depart to the place where I was borne, where euery one ought to desire most to liue, to the which I meant not to consent. What could they say (my Lordes) which might make more for mee than this? consider I pray you their follie, or their shameles­nesse. For this must needes be, eyther that they speake shameles­lie, or else that they are so voide of good vnderstanding, that they praise me, when they thinke to blame me. It is a pleasaunt thing for euery one to liue in his owne Countrey, wherfore then, doth this cursed race of Spaniardes, go from countrey to countrey, to torment and to trouble all the worlde? But if, in respect of so many bondes, as I am bound vnto you by, I preferre your seruice, (as I ought) before the Countrey wherein I was born: am I therefore to be counted a traitor and a wicked man, and the publique plague of the worlde? And yet notwithstanding you know, that euer since I was an eleuen or twelue yeres olde, I haue bin nourished and brought vp amongest you, and not else where, in so much that this countrey, is become as it were my naturall countrey. If then, they haue made me sundry pro­mises: if they haue offred me (as they say) great commodities, and I haue notwithstanding refused the same: what can they condemne in me, except it be my constancie and fidelitie, to­wardes God and the countrey, which I haue preferred before all the goods in the world? Thinke not (my Lords) that I loue to be so continually occupied in trauaile and labour, or like to heare, so many wicked speeches and slaunders, on the behalfe of mine enimies: and (which is more) that I would heare them of them, that ought to be my friendes and are bounde vnto me: or that I take delight, to be so long time depriued of my goodes: to see my sonne so long kepte in cruell prison: to be­holde [Page] my selfe charged with such infinite debtes, and yet should be able to put an ende, to so great difficulties and di­stresses, and would not: or that I shoulde not be like vnto o­ther men of the earth, who all preferre quietnesse before tra­uaile, and prosperitie before affliction. But what? If I can­not obtayne such blessinges, and so blessed a condition with­out betraying you, without forsaking you, without giuing you ouer (as much as might be) for a praie, into the teeth of these bloody woolues: let the rest of the world pardon me (for I know that you approue me, and that I neede no excuse before you) if I will not, eyther for goods, or for life, or for wife, or for children, mingle in my drinke, one onely droppe of the poison of treason. But, so long as it shall please God, to giue me any droppe of blood, one peniworth of my goods, any vnderstan­ding, industrie, credite and authoritie, how small so euer it be: I will imploie: I will dedicate: and I will consecrate the same wholy vnto your seruice. Notwithstanding, seing they vpbraid me with such thinges, I will yet tell you (my Lordes) that they haue not done any such thing, without borrowing somewhat of the truth, and going beyond it also, according to their good custome. For such offers as they speake of, were as yet neuer made me, not but that I haue bin, well and surely aduertised, that I could not demaunde any thing, in respect of mine owne particular, but that they would yeelde the same vnto me: that they would promise to set my sonne at libertie: to leaue him all my estates: to assign vnto me in Germany, so much goods as I haue here, as well in respect of that which I possesse, as of that which is helde from me: to discharge me of my debtes, which are very great, and to giue me in readie Coyne, a millyon of Money, and good assuraunces for all these thinges.

These be (my Lordes) the goodlie offers which haue easilie turned them aside, which are departed away from vs. But so farre of is it, that such conditions were offered vnto me, that on the other side, they neuer knew, eyther by the Letters of the Emperoures Ambassador, or by his secrete practises, with some of my seruauntes, and sundrie [Page] of my nearest kinsfolkes, or by the Letters of the Commissio­ners: how to get this only at my hand, to wit, that I shoulde sende particuler articles, and that in my owne name: but I haue alwayes aunswered, that if the peace migt be concluded, as you (my Lordes) demaunded it, I should be satisfied: I not minding to haue any other condition, either good or euill, than that which you accepted of: nor yet minding, neyther directly nor indirectly, to sunder my selfe from the common cause, vpon which I did iudge, that either my aduersitie, or my prosperitie did depend.

Is not this a great fault, to vpbraide a man with this, that he is a good man? and that he is, as much loiall, constant, and as­sured, against all the winds of faire promises, as by Gods grace he is, against all the floodes of cruell threatnings?

Hitherto (my Lordes) you haue heard, the accusations, or ra­ther the iniuries, wicked speeches and slaunders, whiche they haue gathered together, against my honour and reputation. It shal belong to you (to whom only I thinke my selfe bound, by reason of my goods, of the state wherein they are, and spe­cially of my othes) to iudge thereof as it shall please you: for I doe not refuse, if I be found culpable, to receaue punishment: but if it fall out as I hope it will, thar you iudge, that I am ac­cused by tiraunts and slaunderers, then I shall esteeme my meane, yet notwithstanding my most loyal, and my most faith­full seruice, to haue bin very well imploied.

The sen­tence of the proscriptiō.NOw then (my Lordes) vpon these fraile and weake foun­dations, they come to build the sentence of their Pro­scription, and here they lay out all their tragicall elo­quence: they thunder: they lighten: they storme and rage: they doe as the Corebae or furies doe in Theatres: they darte out all execrable wordes, and such as haue bin kneded, in Co­cyte, Styx, and Acheron, against this poore Captayne. But this, thankes be to God, doth astonish me as much, as the thunde­ringes and lightninges of Pope Clement, throwne out of the mount Tarpeius, against my Predecessor, my Lord Prince Phi­lebert, did astonish him: who ceased not for all that, to make [Page] him his Prisoner. For, after that I haue looked rounde about me, I finde that they are, but windes of wordes, and noises, to make children afrayde, rather then a man, who thorow Gods goodnesse hath not lost his courage, for the roringes of al their canons, nor for their foure score thousand Souldiers, who were alwayes at the Duke of Alua his commaundement: nor yet for so many armies by sea: nor yet for so many treasons of the sayd Duke, or of his successor against me: nor for the treasons of the Duchesse of Parme, who was before them: and yet not­withstanding, this was in deede a more fearefull thing, than a vaine noise of such a great thunder, which so quickly vanished away and hurt no man. And it is sufficient for mee, shortly to say before you (my Lordes) and before all Europe, that euery Spanyarde, or euery one that fauoureth the Spaniardes, of what qualitie or condition soeuer he bee (I respecte not nowe any mans person) who hath sayde, or shall say, (as this infa­mous Proscription hath published it) that I am a Traitor, The aun­svvere of the Lord Prince, to the sentēce of Proscrip­tion. and wicked man, that he speaketh falsly, and against the truth. In the meane while, let them forbid me, as long as they will, both fire and water, I, together with my frindes, will not leaue of for all that, euen in despite of their rage, to liue as long as it shall please God, to giue vs grace: which God only hath in his po­wer, my life and my death, and hath numbred all the heares of my head, whose great fauour and assistaunce, I haue felte, e­uen vntill this present time, and I hope that he will preserue me, euen vnto the ende. As concerning the goods which I pos­sesse, which also he giueth away (for hitherto, he hath bene so good a husband, that he will giue nothing of that, whiche he hath violently taken from me) I hope, (God aiding me) that it shall cost them so deare to haue them: that they shall get o­thers else where farre better cheape. As concerning my other goods, which he keepeth from me, I hope, that God will giue me grace, as well to dispossesse them thereof wholy, as I haue already done of a good part: and that they haue neuer vio­lently taken goods, from any poore Prince (albeit that they haue spoiled sundrie thereof) which shall lie and waigh more heauie vpon them.

He promiseth fiue and twentie thousande Crownes, either in landes, or in readie money, to him that shall yeelde me vp, into his cru­ell handes, dead or aliue, or to him which shall take my life from me. But albeit, there hath heretofore no publication bin made of such a matter, vntill this present time: thinketh hee that I am ignoraunt, how oftentimes he and his, haue bargained with murtherers and poysoners, to take away my life from mee? And if God haue shewed me such grace, as to make me able to preserue my selfe, euen then, when I was not aduertised of any such daunger: I hope, that he will not shew me lesse fauour at this time, wherein I am admonished, but rather, that as I haue great occasion to looke vnto my selfe: so he will stirre vp, sun­drie good and vertuous people, who shall watche for my assu­raunce and safetie. But albeit, that I know not in the world, a­ny impudencie so shamelesse, which may be compared, with the impudencie of the Spaniardes: notwithstanding, I can­not sufficiently maruaile, that they haue bin so shamelesse, as to dare to publish, before all Europe, not only that they set a price, vpon a franke and free Captaine, who (thanks be to God for it) did as yet neuer feare them: but also that they annexe therevnto, such recompences and rewardes, yea and those so barbarous, and so estraunged from all rule of honestie and humanitie, as the like hath not bin hearde of: that is to say, in the first place, that they will make him noble, if he were not noble be­fore, who shall doe so Gentlemanlike, or so noble an act. But I beseech you, suppose, that hee, which shoulde execute so wicked an acte, (which thing I hope GOD will neuer suffer) were of a Noble rase and stocke: thinke you, that there is any Gen­tleman in the worlde, I meane amongest the Nations, which knowe what Nobilitie is, who woulde so muche as eate, with so wicked, vngodlie, and mischeeuous a man, who for money shoulde kill another man, yea, though hee were the least, and the most abiecte person that coulde be founde?

Nowe, if the Spaniardes accounte suche people for No­blemen: and if this be the waie to come to honour, in Ca­stile [Page] and Spayne, I will no more wonder at that, whiche all the worlde beleeueth, to witte, that the greatest parte of the Spanyardes, and specially those, that counte themselues Noble men, are of the blood of the Moores and Iewes, who also keepe this vertue of their Auncestors, who solde for readie money downe tolde, the life of our Sauiour, which thing also, maketh mee to take patientlie this iniurie layde vppon me. In the seconde place, they pardon him, euerie of­fence and faulte, how greeuous soeuer it might bee. But what if he had pulled vp the Christian Religion, out of one of his Kingdomes? what if he had rauished his Daughter? what if hee had spoken euill of the inquisition, which is the greatest crime that can be in Spayne? Shoulde he be pardoned? But, seeing mine enemie, ment so farre to forgette himselfe, that hee would attempt, to take away, my goods, my lyfe, and myne honour: and that he might haue more witnesses, of his iniustice and follies, to publishe it so thorow out the worlde, and that in so many languages, I coulde not very well desire, in respect of most great aduauntage vnto my selfe, that he should haue enriched and adorned, this his proscription, with any other ornamentes, than these very same, to witte, that for killing of mee, he shoulde make noble, not onely vil­laines, and infamous persons, but also the most wicked, and the most execrable people of the whole earth: and to giue such a greate, yea so honourable a rewarde, to so notable a vertue. For what coulde be founde out more fit, to iustifie my righteousnesse and innocencie, then to go about, to roote me out by such meanes? and then this, to carrie a mind, by tiran­nie, impoisoninges, forgiuing of greeuous crimes, making of wicked men noble, and such like, to oppresse the defendour of the libertie of a people, that is cruelly and tyrannously vexed?

I doubte not (my Lordes) but that GOD who is iust, hath taken from him and his, all vnderstanding: and that he hath suffered him to declare and set out to all the worlde, matter ynough, whereby they may know, his poysonfull hart, against this countrey, and against our liberty, in as much as he [Page] maketh no account, of any act, how wicked and detestable so­euer it may be, in respect of the death of him, who hitherto hath so faithfully serued you. And further, he is not ashamed, to mingle with such sacriledges as these are, the name of God, calling himselfe his Minister or Officer. Hath the Officer then this power, not onely to permit that which God hath forbid­den: but also, to reward it, with money, or money worth, with nobilitie, and the forgiuenesse of offences? And what offences or crimes I pray you? Verely of all crimes how greeuous soe­uer they can be. But I doubt not, but that God, thorow his most iust iudgement, will cause to come downe, the iust venge­aunce of his wrath, vpon the Captaine and head, of such mini­sters and officers: and that on the other side, he will of his great goodnesse maintaine, mine innocencie and mine honor, so long as I liue, and amongst my posteritie after me. And as concerning my goods and my life, it is long time since, that I dedicated them to his seruice, and I knowe that he will doe therewith, whatsoeuer he shall see to be good, for his own glo­rie, and for my saluation.

And because (my Lords) he proceedeth also, to bring the droppes of this infamous Proscription vpon your heads, so far of is it, that you shall be moued therewith, that ye shoulde ra­ther thinke, that herein the Spaniarde and his adherentes, follow the naturall disposition of women, who, after that they haue wept, scratched and bitten, doe for their last remedie and refuge, come to iniuries and reuilinges: and euen so doth your enimie, now yeelde out his last barkinges: and if we giue them proofe, of our constancie, resolution, and courage, be­holde they are, at the last of their miserable and wretched en­terprises. For, Sylla, Carbo, Marius, Antonius, and such other tyraunts, the first fathers of these abhominable Proscriptions, neuer gaue example to the Spaniardes, to commit such follie and beastlinesse, albeit that they haue traced out before them, that example of crueltie and barbarousnesse, which these mise­rable wretches haue accomplished and perfourmed: But they proscribed such only as were fugitiues, driuen away, hidden in secret, and that within the countreys, ouer which they had po­wer [Page] and authoritie. And these men are like vnto them in this, that is to say, in crueltie, because they proscribe, good, vertu­ous, and honourable personages: but yet in this point, they shew themselues sottish and foolish, that they proscribe him, whome they should fight against, with an armed power. For, to sende a poisoner, as the Duches of Parme sent one: or to send a murtherer, as hir sonne, the generall heire of the vertues of his auncestors, did: this is not the effect of a Proscription, but of briberie, and the euerie rather.

Beholde (my Lordes) not what I am able to say, against this tyrannous Proscription, but what I haue thoughte meete for this time: speaking vnto you, which haue the knowledge, of sundrie thinges, that I omit, because they are known vnto you, and because also, that if I would attempt, to speake of the par­ticular enterprises, of the King, and of his cheefe Officers, I should assaie to doe that, which no Orator is sufficiently able, worthely to describe: yea that, which no good man, was euer able to conceaue: so great is their crueltie, tyrannie, and all maner of vniust dealing. Notwithstanding I hope, that as well by the matter contained in this Proscription (which is a suffi­cient testimonie, of their ouer base and abiect courage) as by my aunswere you shall sufficiently know, what are their perni­tious purposes, and miserable attemptes: and by this know­ledge, you shall also learne, what it is necessary, for you, to cast your eye vpon, and diligently to vnderstande: that is, that they dispaire, that euer they shall be able to vanquish you by force, and therefore they assay to sow diuision amongst vs, magnify­ing cheefly those, who haue not only forsaken vs, against their othe: but euen haue left vs in perillous times, and namely, whilest that one of our Townes was besieged: whereof they are not able, to make any iust complaint, nor alleadge their ac­customed pretext and cloake, yea (which also is the heape, of all disloialtie and vnfaithfulnesse) at the very same time they come to assault vs, in other places and quarters. As for the threats annexed in this Proscription, tende to no other ende, but to astonish you, to the end you might seperate your selues from me: and plainely to declare, that they make war against [Page] me, and not against you, euen as the woolfe woulde perswade the sheepe, that he had not war with any but with the dogges, which being once discomfited, he would easilie agree with the flocke of sheepe: for the dogges were alwayes the authours, of their debate and combatting. But (my Lordes) though I were absent: though I were departed into Germanie, would they burne no more? would they spill no more blood? would they drown no more? Was the libertie of the Countrey main­tained, by that gentle and milde man, the Duke of Alua? Did they not then wickedly put to death in Spaine, your owne Ambassadors my Lords of Bergues, and of Montigni? Did they not at the same time, set before your eyes, vppon speares and launces, the heads of your principall Captaines and go­uernors? The other point, which they most set before them, is the extirpation of Religion. I minde not here (my Lords) to enter into this question, which is the true Religion, wherein God is truely serued and called vpon, and that according to his worde: but leaue it rather to bee declared by others, more excercised in that matter than I: and yet so, that euery one may know by my profession, what I beleeue concerning the same. But this I cannot chuse but tell you, that such is the estate of your countrey, that without the exercise and free vse of the sayd Religion, it cannot stande three dayes. You see the number of them that professe it, maruailouslie increased: you see that hatred agaynste the Pope, is inrooted deepelie, in the hartes of all the inhabitauntes of the Countrey, because that his damnable practises, agaynste this whole estate, are manifestly discouered.

Who is he then, that can boast that he loueth the Countrey, and woulde giue counsell to driue away such a great number of people, which once departing, shall leaue the Countrey, waste, poore, and miserable, and shall people and inriche the straunge nations about vs? But suppose, that they will not departe, or voyde the Countrey, who is hee that can inforce them so to doe? let vs looke vppon our neighbours: Lette vs consider our owne examples, and if wee bee not vtterlye voyde of witte and vnderstanding, wee will neuer [Page] chuse such pernitious and hurtfull counsels, as shall vtterlie, euen from toppe to toe, bring to ruine and destruction, this estate. I will yet say somewhat more vnto you (my Lordes) that albeit that amongst them, which follow the Romane church, there are sundrie good people, and louers of their Countrey: and that amongest them, there are some also, whiche haue most honourablie acquited and behaued themselues: yet notwithstanding those of the Religion, are very well assured of this, that there shall neuer be found any amongest them, who hath had intelligence, or made any practise with the enimie, but all of them generally, haue bin contrarie vnto him. And albeit that some haue bin founde amongest them, who being like vnto wanton and proude children, haue brought thorow their vnheedinesse, some trouble into the house: yet for all that, they haue not had any dealing, with the common ene­mie. Seeing then (my Lordes) that you knowe their purposes and attemptes, there resteth no other thing but this, that you doe in time prouide for them, and labour what ye can, to re­dresse the same. And how shall this be perfourmed? forsooth by this meanes, that ye performe in effect, that which ye haue alwayes in your mouth: and that which the marke of your sheafe of arrowes signifieth, which it hath pleased you to haue grauen in your seale: that is to say, that no member of this goodlie bodie, respecte that which is his owne, but regard the whole bodie altogether: that some one parte of the bodie, take not vnto it selfe that meate, whiche is prepared for the whole, but that it suffer the stomacke (whiche is the counsell, that yee shall ordaine and appoint) to concoct and digest the same, and to sende it by the vaynes, to all the members of this estate, and speciallie, that wheresoeuer any disease or sicknesse shall appeare, the Phisitions shoulde speedilie be sente thither, and that the Patientes shoulde quietlie beare for a time, the miseries vppon them, that so they maye feele at the length, a ioyfull deliueraunce, from their disease and euill. Shall not this be a iust reproche vppon vs and oures, for euer, if that, hauing so glori­ous an estate vnder our power, and so goodlie meanes [Page] for our defence, we doe, thorow a miserable couetousnesse and greedie desire, to get vnto our selues some commodities, and that with the preiudice and hurte of our countrey men and friends, whilest some draw one way, and other some an other: if wee doe I saye, finde our selues and that in a moment, sna­red and ouerwhelmed by our deadly enimies? Remember (my Lordes) I pray you, the very great diminishing and weake­ning of this estate, which came to passe after the death of Duke Charles, which fell vpon vs for no other thing, but because that while the Prouinces, busied themselues, to contende and to fight one of them against another, for certaine pretended priuiledges, and for certaine commodities, the rest was aban­doned and forsaken. Thinke not that it is in my power (the af­faires and matters being in such condition as they are) any long time to resist the enemie, with such small and slender meanes, as you (my Lordes) know, that I haue had in my hand and possession. But on the other side, if I haue any experi­ence, or practise, of gouernment and warre: if I knowe this Countrey, and the meanes that the enemie hath, though that all the armies and powers, whiche they threaten shall come the nexte yeare, out of Spaine and Italie, shoulde come vpon vs and our powers, they shal doe no more, but much lesse rather, then the Duke of Alua did in Holland and Zeland. And if it be in your power to take order for this (as it is indeede) and yet notwithstanding ye doe it not: by what name shall a man call this fault, if it be committed by you (my Lordes) who are here assembled, and vpon whome, all the good people of this countrey stay themselues, esteeming you as their fathers, and their Protectors, who will also willingly imbrace, as some ioyfull newes sent from heauen, any good order which you shall decree and establish? Wherefore take pitie of your selues, and if that which concerneth your selues moue you not, yet take pitie I pray you of so many poore people alreadie destroi­ed, and more like to be: of so many poore widowes and fa­therlesse children: of so many murthers and slaughters, com­mitted within the bowels of your owne countrey: of so many Churches destroyed: and of so many Pastors wandering vp [Page] and downe together with their poore flockes. Set before you, that cruell and barbarous execution, committed at Niuelle, by the Countie of Mansfeld. Which thinges you may easily a­uoide, and cast all the euill and mischeife of this warre, vppon the enemie, if only you remoue partialities and partakinges, and with one courage and hart as it were, imploye together all the meanes that you haue, without sparing, I say, not the bottome of your purses, but that whiche aboundeth therein. And as concerning that which particularly toucheth my selfe, you see (my Lordes) that it is this head, that they seeke for, the which by such a price, and so great a summe of money, they haue vowed and appointed to death, and saye, that so long as I shall be amongest you, the warres shall haue no ende. Would to God (my Lordes) either that my perpetuall banishment, or else my very death it selfe, might bring vnto you, a sound and true deliueraunce, from so many mischeifes and calamities, as the Spaniardes (whome I haue seene, so many times deliberate in counsell, deuise and speake of particularly, and whome I know within and without) doe deuise against you, and prepare for you. O how sweete should this banishment be vnto mee? O how delitefull should this death be vnto me? for wherefore is it, that I haue giuen ouer, yea lost all my goods? is it to in­riche my selfe? Wherefore haue I lost mine owne bretheren, whome I loued more then mine owne life? Is it that I might finde some other else where? Wherefore haue I so long time left my sonne a prisoner, my sonne I say, whome I oughte so much to desire, If I be a father? is it because you are able to giue me an other? or because you are able to restore him to me againe? Wherefore haue I put my life so oftentimes in daunger? what other recompence, what other rewarde, can I looke for, of my long trauailes, which haue come vpon me for your seruice sake, euen so farre, that they haue brought vppon me olde age, and the ruine and losse of all my goods, excepte it be to purchase and to procure you libertie, and that if neede be, with the price of my blood. If you therefore (my Lords) do iudge, either that my absence, or that my very death it selfe, may serue you, or stande you in any steede, beholde I am rea­die [Page] to obey, commaunde me, yea send me euen to the worlds ende, and I will obey you. Beholde, my head ouer whiche no Prince nor Monarche, hath any power, saue you only, dispose thereof as shall make most for your owne good, and for the health and preseruation of your common wealth. But if you iudge, that this meane experience and small diligence that is in me, and which I haue attained, by so long and so continuall trauell: If you iudge that the remainder of my goods, and that my life it selfe, may as yet serue you (as in deede I doe wholie dedicate and consecrate the same vnto the countrey) resolue then vpon the pointes, which I propound vnto you and set be­fore you. And if you thinke that I beare any loue to the coun­trey, and that I haue any sufficiencie in me, to giue counsel, be­leeue that this is the only meane, to assure, yea to deliuer our selues from the enemie. This being done, let vs with one hart and good wil go together, and let vs together imbrase the de­fence of this good people, which demaundeth nothing else, but to haue good counsels laide open before them, nor desi­reth any thing else, but to follow the same: And this doing, if you yet continue towardes me the fauour, whiche heretofore you haue borne me, I hope by your aide, & Gods grace (which I haue so often heretofore felt, and that in very perplexed and doubtfull matters) that that which shall be resolued vpon, by you, shall be, for the good, and preseruation, of your selues, your wiues and children, and all sacred and holie thinges.