A generall historie of the Netherlands VVith the genealogie and memorable acts of the Earls of Holland, Zeeland, and west-Friseland, from Thierry of Aquitaine the first Earle, successiuely vnto Philip the third King of Spaine: continued vnto this present yeare of our Lord 1608, out of the best authors that haue written of that subiect: by Ed. Grimeston.

THIERRY THE SECOND OF THAT name, peaceable Earle of Holland and Zeeland, and Lord of Friseland.

[illustration]

Theodoricus Secundus.

THIERRY the second Earle of Holland, by degree I was, and twice in two yeares space obtained victorie Gainst Frisons, that my fathers bones did take out of his graue, And all the sillie virgine Nuns out of their cloisters draue: The which my father first for maids did make and frame, Of Wood, and I of Lime and Stone for men new built the same. King Loys daughter, Hille nam'd, I had to wife, And at full foureskore yeares and eight, did end my mortall life.

THierry the second of that name, by the decease of Cont Thierry of [ A] Aquitaine his father, was Earle of Holland and Zeeland, and lord of Friseland. But the Friselanders at the first would not acknowledge him for their lord, but rebelled against him and would liue free, vn∣der the liberties which the Emperour Charlemagne had graunted them. This Cont Thierry had to wife Hildegard daughter to Lewis the stuttering king of France, and sister to king Charles the Simple: by whome hee had Egbert his eldest sonne, a deuout man, who was Archbishop of Treues, and Arnulph or Arnoult, who succeeded him in the said Counties, and one daughter called Alix or Erlinde.

Cont Thierry seeing the wilfulnesse and obstinacie of his subiects of Friseland, leuyed a strong and mightie armie of the best souldiors he could recouer, as well in his own territories [ B] as of his friends and allies; with the which he entered into the countrie of Friseland and be∣gan to forrage, spoile, burne, and destroy it. The Frisons knowing themselues vnable at this * 1.1 time to resist so mightie an armie, making of necessitie vertue, and yeelding to the time and force, they submitted themselues to the Earles mercie, who receiued them into grace. And then without any losse of his men, being laden with spoile, he returned into Holland. But the yeare following they reuolted againe, and came with great troups into West-Friseland (the * 1.2 which obeied the Earle, and therefore it was called North-Holland) besieging the towne of Alcmar; the which they did with such speed, as the Earle could not haue his armie readie in * 1.3 time to hinder them, before they had forced the towne, and slaine all that they found within [ C] it, burning it, and rasing it to the ground, carrieng away with them the best of their wealth, many prisoners, and all their cattell. Then marching on, they came into the countrie of Ken∣nemers, spoyling burning and killing all that made any resistance. From thence they marched as farre as Egmont, where they burnt the Abbie: and descending lower, committing dayly a thousand insolencies, they came to besiege the towne and castle of Leiden, thinking to carrie it at their first approch, as they had done Alcmar; but the vicount of Leiden, a valiant knight, with the helpe of the inhabitants made head against them, sending to Cont Thierry that hee should come speedily to succour them, else they should not possibly hold out long. The Earle who had no need of any persuasions to hasten his resolution, hearing in what danger those of Leiden were, flies thither with his armie, being assisted by the lord of Borssell and other great [ D] personages, appointing the Frisons a day and place for battaile, to attend him in open field. But the Frisons refusing a limitted day, desired to fight presently, assuring themselues of the victorie, relying vpon their multitudes of men. The Earle hauing vnited all his forces toge∣ther, although the Frisons had double his number yet hee issued out of Leiden, and went to charge them. At the first incounter the battaile was very furious and doubtfull, the Hollan∣ders fighting for their liues, wiues, children, houses and goods; and the Frisons for honor and victorie. In the end, the Frisons not able any longer to endure the furious charges of the Hol∣landers, seeing so many of their men slain, and their brethren, kinsfolks and friends lieng dead before them, they began to faint and to flie away for their owne safeties, in the which slight there was so great a slaughter made of the Frisons, as very few returned to their owne houses: * 1.4 [ E] for they were slaine euery where as they fled, and there was no pittie had of them, by reason of the great spoiles which they had committed in all the countrey where they had past. This battaile was fought vpon the same place where as since the abbie of Rhinsburg neere vnto Leiden was built. Thus the Earle subdued the Frisons, with great effusion of blood, forcing them to yeeld vnto the yoke, and to submit themselues vnder his obedience: in such sort as he * 1.5 constrained them to make their doores and the entries into their houses so low, as they must bend their backs and stoupe very much, in signe of humilitie, before they could enter. Then they tooke a new oath of fealtie, as to their liege lord and Soueraigne, with all such honor and respect as the case required. The yeare following the Earle caused a Temple to be built in the place where the defeat had bene giuen, the which he dedicated vnto S. Laurence, where since [ F] the ladie Petronelle Countesse of Holland did erect a conuent of religious virgins, of the order of S. Benet.

Cont Thierry hauing bene thus reuenged of the Frisons, he caused the Abbie of Egmont to be reedified at leisure: his father did at the first build it of wood, but hee caused it all to bee

made of masons worke: and in steed of Religious women, he placed monks of the same Or∣der, [ A] translating the nuns vnto a place called Bennenbroeck, in the village of Hemsteed, neere vnto the towne of Harlem, commaunding they should not receiue any n•…•…w into their socie∣tie, to the end that when they were all dead, the goods, possessions and renenues of their foun∣dation should returne vnto the monkes of the abbie of Egmont, whereof Monebaldus was the first abbot. This earle Thierry the second hauing raigned a long time peaceably after his sub∣duing of the Frisons, left the counties of Holland and Zeeland more flourishing than euer, so as being fourskore and eight yeres old, after that he had raigned about fiftie years, he gaue vp his soule to God, leauing two sonnes, Egbert the eldest, and Arnold who succeeded his father, for some reasons that I will presently specifie. [ B]

[illustration]

3 Arnoldus Hollandiae

I was as you me see. when I espous'd my wife, The G•…•…ecian Emperour Thophans child, the s•…•…lace of my li•…•…: The lands of Brederode to hir I did assure, And 〈◊〉〈◊〉 one of my youngest 〈◊〉〈◊〉 f•…•…r •…•…uer to indur•…•…. Th•…•… 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sals•…•…, pro•…•…d 〈◊〉〈◊〉 come, And though ly valour I had put them to extremitie, Yet •…•…dst of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it was my cruell cha•…•…ce to die, And in the Abbie of Egmont my corpt •…•…e c•…•…d doth lie.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Frison•…•… subdued.
• * 1.2

  They rebell againe.
• * 1.3

  Ruine Alcmar and burne the Abbie of Eg∣mont.
• * 1.4

  A great defeat of the Frisons.
• * 1.5

  Their punish∣ment.