The lives of all the princes of Orange, from William the Great, founder of the Common-wealth of the United Provinces written in French by the Baron Maurier, in the year 1682, and published at Paris, by order of the French King ; to which is added the life of His present Majesty King William the Third, from his birth to his landing in England, by Mr. Thomas Brown ; together with all the princes heads taken from original draughts.

THE LIFE OF WILLIAM of NASSAW, Prince of ORANGE, Founder of the Commonwealth of the United Provinces in the Ne∣therlands.

NO Age of all Antiquity has produc'd a more extraordinary Man than William of Nassau, Prince of Orange. Examine all the Heroes of Plutarch, and all those great Men who lived since that admirable Historian; and 'twill be difficult to find any upon Record, who possess'd more eminently all those Virtues and good Quali∣ties that enter into the Composition of a brave Man.

The Victories and Conquests of Alexander and Caesar do not so much deserve our admi∣ration. The first was Master of all Greece, and at the Head of a War-like and Well-disci∣plin'd Army. The other absolutely Com∣manded half the Roman Legions, who govern∣ed all the World. With these great forces and advantages they entred upon the Stage, made their first Victories the fore-runners to the next, pursued their blow, and one over∣threw the Empire of the Persians, and the o∣ther the Roman Commonwealth. But Prince William has equall'd the Glory of these great Conquerors, by attaquing the formidable Power of King Philip of Spain without any Army or Forces, and by maintaining himself many years against him. His Courage was always greater than his Misfortunes; and when all the World thought him ruin'd, and he was driven out of the Netherlands, he en∣tred 'em again immediately at the Head of a new Army, and by his great Conduct laid the foundations of a Commonwealth, that co∣vers the Ocean with its Fleets, and over∣matches all Europe in the number and strength of its Naval Forces. His Enemies had no o∣ther way to ruin him, but by a base Treache∣ry, which he might have avoided, if he had reposed less confidence in the love of the Peo∣ple, who served him instead of Guards, and considered him as the Father and Tutelar God of their Country.

After having reflected on all the Illustrious Persons that have lived before him, I can

meet with no one that equall'd his profound Wisdom, heroick Courage and Constancy under all his Adversities, but Gaspar de Co∣ligny, Lord of Chastillon, Admiral of France; so great a Man, that D'Avila his Enemy was forc'd to own that he was more talk'd of in Europe than the King of France himself. This Admiral, after the loss of four Battles, was so far from being broken or ruin'd, and conti∣nued still so powerfull, that his Enemies were oblig'd to grant him a Peace; and had it not been for a Treachery, whose Memory will be eternally abhorr'd by all good Men, he might have ended his days in Peace, and done great service to his Country by the Conquest of the Low-Countries; which he propos'd at so favourable a conjuncture, that we might easily have made our selves masters of 'em. But the ill maxims of those Divines, who would conform all Religion to the humours and passions of Princes, and the Doctrine, That no Faith ought to be kept with Rebels and Hereticks; and that 'tis lawfull to do a small evil to bring about a greater good, ad∣ded to the powerfull Motive of Revenge; pre∣vail'd over all the Ties of Honour and Faith, which ought always to be sacred and invio∣lable.

William of Nassaw, Prince of Orange, was Born in the Year 1533, at the Castle of Dil∣lembourgh, in the County of Nassaw. He was Nine years Page of Honour to the Em∣perour Charles the Fifth, who continually ad∣mired his extraordinary good sense and mo∣desty.

This great Prince took delight to commu∣nicate his most important affairs to him, and instruct him, and has often declar'd to those he was most familiar with, That this young Prince furnish'd him with Expedients and Counsels that surpriz'd him, and which other∣wise he had never thought of. When he gave private Audience to Foreign Princes and Ministers, and Prince William was about to retire with the rest of the Company, he usu∣ally bid him stay.

All the World was surpriz'd to see this great and wife Monarch esteem him above all those that were about him, and trust him at so ten∣der an Age with all the secrets of his Empire, the management of Affairs, and the weighti∣est Negotiations. He was scarce Twenty years old when Charles the Fifth chose him out among all the great Lords of his Court, to carry the Imperial Crown which he re∣sign'd to his Brother Ferdinand. An Office which he discharged with much unwilling∣ness; assuring his good Master, That 'twas an unwelcome Task he had imposed on him of carrying that Crown to another, which his Uncle Henry Count of Nassaw had put upon his Head.

And for a proof that Charles the Fifth set on less a value on his Courage than his Pru∣dence; when Philibert Emanuel, Duke of Savoy, was obliged by his own private affairs to be absent some time from the Netherlands, tho' the Prince was but 22 years old, and was in Breda at that time; Charles the Fifth

of his own accord, against the advice of all his Counsel, made him Generalissimo, to the pre∣judice of so many experienc'd Captains, and among the rest of Count Egmont, who was Twelve years older, at a time when he had to deal with two great Generals Moun∣sieur de Nevers, and the Admiral of France. But the Prince was so far from receiving any blow that Campagn, that he built Charlemont and Philipville in sight of the French Ar∣mies.

I do not pretend to relate all the Actions of the Prince of Orange, which would require a Volume, and which so many Historians have done in several Languages. 'Twould be a strange itch of writing, and a manifest rob∣bery to publish what may be met with in particular Books. My design is only to make some Reflections and Observations on this great Prince, and acquaint the World with some particulars of his Life, which I learn'd from my Father and other eminent Men of that Age. But in order to make my History more intelligible and agreeable to those who have not read his Life, I was engaged, con∣trary to my former intentions, by an Illustri∣ous Person (to whom I have too many Ob∣ligations to refuse him any thing) to make a short Abridgment of his Life, enough to give a general Idea of him, as Geographers pre∣sent us at one view all the Old and New World in a little Map; not doubting but a Narrow Portraicture of so extraordinary a Man will cause these Particulars I know of

his Life to be read with greater pleasure, and besides will show to all the World upon what foundations this Prince has erected the pow∣erfull Commonwealth of the United Provin∣ces.

Besides the esteem the Emperour had for his Vertue, there was no Man at his Court whom he lov'd so tenderly as the Prince of Orange. Which he made appear to the last moment of his Administration. For at the famous As∣sembly at Brussels, A. D. 1555, when the Em∣perour resign'd all his Kingdoms to his Son Philip, 'twas remarkable that in so considera∣ble an Action he was supported by the Prince of Orange.

All these marks of Confidence, and profes∣sions of Friendship, which the Emperour made him, were the cause of his Misfortunes. For tho' at his departure into Spain the Em∣perour recommended him particularly to the King his Son, the Spaniards who govern'd him (for he had been bred always in Spain) being jealous of the growing Greatness and good Fortune of this young Prince, made the King entertain such suspicions of him, that his most innocent words and actions had an ill interpretation put upon 'em, and the re∣fusel which the States made of complying with the demands of the King was laid to his charge.

He easily perceived by the cold receptions of the King, that his Enemies had ruin'd him in his good opinion: But he was confirm'd in his belief when King Philip was going aboard the

Ship at Flushing, which was to carry him into Spain. The King looking on him with a great deal of anger, reproach'd him with hin∣dring the execution of his designs by his pri∣vate intrigues. The Prince replying with much submission, that the States had done every thing voluntarily and of their own accord; the King took him by the hand, and shaking it, answer'd in Spanish, No los Estadós mas vos, vos, vos, repeating the word vos several times, which the Spaniards use by way of contempt, as we say in French Toy, Ioy, Thou, thou. This particular I had from my Father, who learn'd it from a Confident of the Prince of Orange, who was present. The Prince, af∣ter this publick affront, had more wit than to conduct the King aboard his Vessel, but contented himself with taking leave of him, and wishing him a good Voyage into Spain: For he was secure enough in the City, where he was well beloved, and where there was a great concourse of people from all parts to see the King's Embarkment. As a further proof of his disgrace, instead of having the Government of the Netherlands conferr'd on him, which his Ancestors had enjoy'd, and which he passionately desired, he saw Cardi∣nal Granville, his Enemy at the Helm, in∣trusted with all the secrets of the Court of Spain under Margaret of Austria, Duchess of Parma, and Governess of the Netherlands, who had particular Orders to have an eye on his Actions, and to communicate no affair of importance to him; which made him re∣solve

for the preservation of his Honour and his Life too, which he saw openly threatned, to support himself with the love of the Peo∣ple, and court Foreign Alliances.

From hence 'tis reasonable enough to con∣clude, that King Philip by his ill usage of the Prince of Orange, who had done such great Services to the Emperour his Father, was himself the cause of all the Disorders in the Low-Countries. For had he continued a fa∣vourable Treatment to the Prince of Orange, according to the advice and example of his Father, he had without dispute been a good Subject, and never had taken those de∣sperate resolutions, which kindled a fire that lasted above a Hundred years, and cost the Lives of so many Thousand Men, and drain'd the Treasure of the Indies.

This ought to be a warning never to drive great Courages to despair. We meet with a Thousand instances of this nature in Histo∣ry, but particularly of Narses. This famous Eunuch, after all his great Services were slighted, (for the Empress Sophia, Wife of Iu∣stin the Second, had sent him word that she would make him Spin with her Women,) re∣plied, That he would weave such a Web, that she and the whole Empire should never be able to cover. And to make his Threat∣nings good, he call'd the Lombards into Italy, who conquer'd the best part of it, to which they left their Name. This done, without returning to Constantinople, he stay'd some time at Naples, where he died quietly in his

Bed, in spite of all the designs of this proud Empress, who had sent Longinus, a wicked and cruel Man, to succeed him, with Orders to dispatch him.

But before I enter upon the General Hi∣story of the Actions of this Prince, 'twill be proper to say something of his Family, lea∣ving the Particulars, which would be too te∣dious to the Genealogists.

The House of Nassaw is, without contra∣diction, one of the greatest and ancientest in all Germany. For besides its high Alliances, the number of its Branches, and the honour of giving an Emperour near Four hundred years since, it has this particular advantage to have continued Ten entire Ages, and to boast with the State of Venice, as a Learned Man says, That its Government is founded upon a Basis of a Thousand years stand∣ing.

Count Oiho of Nassaw, who liv'd Six hun∣dred years since, had two Wives: The first brought him in Marriage the Country of Guel∣dres, and the other Zulphen, which were pre∣served Three Ages in the House of Nassaw.

After him another Count Otho of Nassaw Married the Countess of Viandden, who had great Estates in the Netherlands, above Three hundred years since.

His Grandson Engilbert, the first of that Name, Count of Nassaw, Married the Heiress of Laeke and Breda, A. D. 1404, and was Grandfather to Engilbert of Nassaw, the se∣cond of that Name.

This Prince was great in War and Peace. He won the Battle of Guinegaste, punish'd the Rebellion of Bruges, and was Governour-General of the Netherlands under Maximilian the First. He died without Children, and made his Brother Iohn Heir of all his E∣states.

This Count Iohn had two Sons, Henry and William. The Lands in the Low-Countries fell to Henry's share, the Eldest; William the Youngest had those of Germany. This is that Henry Count of Nassaw, to whose strong Soli∣citations against Francis the Fifth, Charles the Fifth owed his Empire. This was he, who on the Day of his Coronation put the Impe∣rial Crown upon his Head: Nevertheless, after the conclusion of Peace between those great Princes, when he was sent by the Em∣perour to do Homage for the Counties of Flanders and Artois; King Francis by an in∣credible generosity forgetting all what was pass'd, Married him to Claude de Chalon, on∣ly Sister to Philibert de Chalon, Prince of Orange, who had been brought up by Ann of Bretan his Mother-in-law. By this means Rene de Nassaw, and of Chalons his only Son, was Prince of Orange, after the Death of his Uncle Philibert de Chalons, who died without Issue.

William Count of Nassaw Brother to Count Henry, embraced the reform'd Religion, and banish'd the Catholick out of his Dominions. 'Twas he who was the Father of the great William of Nassaw, whose Life I am writing,

who became Prince of Orange, and Lord of all the Estates of the House of Chalons by the Will of Rene de Nassaw, and de Chalon his Cosin German, who was kill'd at the Siege of St. Desier, A. D. 1544. and left no Children behind him.

The Emperour Charles the fifth, who was so much obliged to the House of Nassaw, was extreamly concern'd to see this young Prince bred up a Heretick, with much ado he re∣moved him from his Father, and placed him near his Person, in order to his Conversion to the Catholick Religion, which indeed the Prince made a publick profession of as long as the Emperour liv'd, and in the beginning of the Reign of Philip the Third. But the prejudice of the Education and the new Re∣ligion which he had suck'd in with his Milk, and had a taste of afterwards at the Court of France, where the new Opinions were very much in Vogue when he was a Hostage at Paris for the Peace of Cambray, made so strong an Impression on him, that he could never wear it off.

His Father Count William of Nassaw had Five Sons and seven Daughters, by Iulienne Countess of Stolbourg. The eldest was this William of Nassaw Prine of Orange. The youn∣gest was Iohn Count of Nassaw, who left a nu∣merous and renowned Posterity behind him. The Three other Sons were Lodowick, Adol∣phus, and Henry of Nassaw, who signaliz'd themselves in the Civil Wars of France and the Netherlands: They were never married,

and all three died with their Swords in their hands, Couragiously seconding the Design of their elder Brother.

The Seven Daughters of William of Nas∣saw were all Married, one to the Count of Bergues, who was Mother to that Count de Bergues, who in our days Commanded the Spa∣nish Armies against his Cosin Germans, Prince Maurice, and Henry Frederick, and afterwards quitted the Spanish Service upon some dis∣gust. The other Six were married to Sove∣reign Counts of Germany, one amongst the rest to Count Schouarsbourg, who had the mis∣fortune to be present at Antwerp, when Iohn Iauregny a Biscayner had like to have kill'd the Prince with a Pistol-shot, and at Delft when he was Assassinated by Balthasar Guerard a Native of the Franche Comtè. For she never left her dear Brother, who loved her entirely.

William Prince of Orange was of a middle Stature; a brown Complexion, with Chesnut hair, he talked little, thought much, but spoke always to the purpose, and his words passed for Oracles. No private Man in the time of Charles the Fifth liv'd with so much Splen∣dour as the Prince of Orange, he entertained all the Foreign Princes and Ministers at his House, and in short was the Glory of the Emperours Court and his Sons, who in his Proscription which he thunder'd out against the Prince of Orange, having upbraided him with the Favours he had received from him, & how ill he had return'd them, the Prince in

his Apology replyed, that he was so far from having any Obligations to the King, or in∣riching himself in his Service, that he had born the principal Expence of the Court composed of many Nations, the King taking so little care of it, that he was forced to desray it out of his own Pocket.

This splendid way of Living, and this en∣gaging manner of insinuating himself into all Peoples Affections, gain'd him the Esteem and Friendship of all the World. Besides he had a great advantage over all the Princes and Lords of the Emperors Court; the House of Nassau having had the Honour to produce the Emperour Adolphus, who was kill'd, A. D. 1298. at the Battle of Spires, upon whom these Verses were made.

Anno milleno trecent is his minus annis, In Iulio mense Rex Adolphus cadit ense.

When King Philip who had been bred up in Spain, came into the Low Countries in his Fathers Lifetime, there appear'd such a vast difference between the Father and Son, that all the People, and particularly the Nobility, con∣ceived as much Aversion and Contempt for one, as they had Love and Adoration for the other. The Emperour was good Natur'd, easie of Access, treated all sorts of Nations familiarly, and talked to 'em in their own Language, which won him an universal Re∣spect and Veneration. King Philip rarely ap∣peared in publick, wore his Clothes always

in the Spanish Fashion, talked little, and still Spanish, which procured him the general hate of the Nobility, and the People of the Ne∣therlands, who hating and dreading the Pride of the Spaniards that govern'd him, demanded of him in full Assembly of the States held at Gand, to withdraw all foreign Troops out of the Netherlands, and use their own Forces for the Security of the Towns, and make no Stranger Governour of the Low Countries; these Demands surprized, and in∣censed the King, who believed all was done by the Instigation and Contrivance of the Prince of Orange; but concealing his Resentment, he gave the States hopes of complying with their Requests. In this Assembly he made Margaret of Austria his natural Sister, Wife of Octavio Farnese Duke of Parma absolute Governess of the Low Countries, created many Knights of the Golden Fleece, and then Embarked for Spain. At his Departure he left Orders with the Governess, to establish the Spanish Inquisition the in Netherlands, and erect several new Bishopricks. These Inno∣vations were the Original cause of all the Ci∣vil Wars and Confusions, so strange an Aver∣sion had the People for the very name of the Inquisition and the new Bishops, whom they considered as the Agents, and under Officers of the Inquisition.

Anthony Perrenot Cardinal de Granville, first Bishop of Arras, and then of Malines, was Minister of State, and had all the Manage∣ment of Affairs under the Dutchess of Parma;

He was Son to Nicholas Perrenot of Besancon, Secretary of State to Charles the Seventh, who for his personal Merit had advanced him from the Quality of a private Citizen. This Cardinal naturally haughty and inso∣lent, treated the Nobility in a very imperi∣ous manner. For which they hated him to that Degree, that at last Count Egmont, Count Horn, and the Prince of Orange, no longer able to bear his insupportable Pride, writ plainly to King Philip, that his Arrogance and violent Proceedings were abhorr'd by all the Nobility and People, and would ruin the Ne∣therlands if he was not recall'd in time.

This Remonstrance was considered as a cri∣minal Boldness in Spain, and from that time they took a Resolution to destroy these three Lords, and all their Adherents. But at that Conjun∣cture they were constrained to dissemble and recall the Cardinal. Great disorders hapning in the Netherlands, Count Iohn de Bergues Governour of Hainault, and Iohn de Mont∣morency, Lord of Montigny, Governour of Tor∣nay, were dispatched into Spain, with Orders to acquaint the King with what had passed, and perswade him to compose the Differen∣ces by Mildness and Clemency, rather than by Severity and Roughness. But both losing their Lives there, was a warning to the rest to stand upon their Guard.

Assoon as the Prince of Orange, who was a great Politician, knew of the Resolution the King had formed, by the Advice of the Spanish Ministers, and at the instance of Car∣dinal

Granville, who resented his being dri∣ven out of the Low Countries, of sending the Duke of Alva with an Army of Spaniards and Italians into the Netherlands, he wisely judg'd, that the King design'd to revenge himself on the States, for the Demands they had made him, and the forcible removal of the Cardinal, which was generally imputed to him. Knowing besides, that the Altera∣tions which were to be made, would infalli∣bly occasion great Convulsions and Com∣motions; he desired the Governess to request the King to give him leave to resign his Go∣vernments of Holland, Zeland, Utrecht, and Burgundy, which was denied him.

He was only perswaded to remove from him his Brother Count Lodowick, who was thought to give him Counsels which were prejudicial to the Peace of the Netherlands. Which he did not think fit to Consent too; no more than the new Oath of Fidelity to the King, which many other great Men refused to take, for this Oath obliging him to root out Here∣ticks, he must consequently have sworn the ruin of his own Wife who was a Lutheran. Be∣sides he alledged, that having already taken the Oath of Fidelity, 'twas needless to take a new one unless they question'd his Fideli∣ty. The same Course was followed by An∣thony de Lalain Count of Hochstrat Governour of Malines, Count Horn, Philip de Montmo∣rency, Admiral of the Low-Countries, and Hen∣ry Brederode, Baron de Viane and Vicount of Utrecht, descended from the Soveraign

Counts of Holland, and by many other Lords.

A. D. 1566, in April the Governess, pressing with great heat, the Establishment of the Inquisition, and the New Bishops, Four hundred Gentlemen, headed by Count Lodowick of Nassaw and Count Brederode (the next day arrived the Count de Bergues and Culembourg,) met at Brussels in the Hotel de Culembourg, and had the boldness to present a Petition which they had drawn up, to the Governess in the Palace. The Heads of this Petition were to reject the Inquisition, the New Bishops, and the Publication of the Council of Trent, which they maintained to be contrary to the Interest of the Provinces. This boldness let loose the reins to all the Se∣ditions and Factions in the Netherlands, and occasion'd all the Sacrileges, all the Villainies, and Impieties, the breaking down Images, demolishing Churches, and Altars, &c. which are preserved in History, and are abhorr'd by the Protestants themselves.

This famous Petition presented by the No∣bility marching two by two modestly clad, and arm'd only with their Swords, was at first slighted; and Count Barlaymont a great confident of Madam de Parma, because he saw a great many in the Company not so rich as himself, told the Governess, by way of Con∣tempt, that they were a Troop of Beggars, and that she ought to take no notice, or have any regard to 'em. Hence the name Gueux or Beggars, continued to that party, as that of

Hugeunots to the Protestants of France. The confederate Nobility, far from taking offence at this Nick-name, applyed it to themselves, and cloathed themselves all in Gray cloths, and wore little wooden Porringers, and Beg∣gars Bottles in their Hats, and drank Healths publickly to the Gueux or Beggars, at their Entertainments.

The Gentlemen who entred into this Asso∣ciation, wore at their Collar a Medal of Gold, on one side of which was stamped the Kings Image, on the reverse two hands joyn'd, hold∣ing a Bag with this Inscription, Fideles au Roy jusque a la besace: Faithful to the King even to the Bag. The greatest Lords on their Footmens Liveries embroider'd Dishes, Bot∣tles, and Beggars Bags, glorying in the Nick∣name, and publishing that they would Sacri∣fice their Fortunes to support so just a Confe∣deracy.

About the end of the Year 1566. the Prince of Orange had a Conference at Dender∣monde with Count Egmont, Horn, Hochstrat, and his Brother Lodowick, to consult of means for their own Security, and the good of the Provinces; most of them were of opinion to take up Arms, and oppose the entrance of the Spaniards into the Low Countries, who had a design to ruin them, as the Prince of Orange made appear by Letters of the Spanish Resi∣dent at Paris, which he had intercepted: But Count Egmont Governour of Flanders, and Artois, who had a great Interest with the Soul∣diers, would not hearken to it, but remon∣strated

to the Assembly, that they ought to trust to the King's Clemency and Goodness. Which he repeated again at Villebrook in an∣other Meeting, and the Prince of Orange re∣plyed, That this Clemency of the King would be his ruin; and that the Spaniards would make him a Bridge over which they would pass into Flanders, and which they would break down as soon as they had entred. After this the Prince told him, that since he took so little Care of his safety, he would provide for his own by retiring into Germany. To which the Count answered, Farewell, Prince without Land; and the Prince replyed, Farewell, Count without a Head, which Prophecy prov'd too true.

A. D. 1568. the 10th. of February the Spanish Inquisition declared Guilty of High Treason, all those who had not oppos'd the Hereticks of the Netherlands. Which was in effect condemning all the Nobility, which the Council of Spain had a design to destroy, par∣ticularly the Great Men and Governours of Provinces, and those who had presented the Address against the Inquisition: Which the King confirm'd by an Edict, which bore the same Date.

This done, he sent the Duke of Alva with an Army of Veterane Souldiers, composed of Spaniards and Italians, to succeed Marga∣ret Dutchess of Parma, in the Government of the Low Countries. The Duke passed from Spain into Italy, where having made a ren∣dezyous of his Troops, he entred into Lux∣emburg,

through Savoy, the County of Bur∣gundy and Lorrain, and crossed all those Coun∣tries without the least complaint of the In∣habitants in so long a March; so severe was the Duke, and so strict an observer of Military Discipline.

The Prince of Orange, before the Arrival of the Duke of Alva, retired into Germany to his County of Nassaw, giving out, that under pretence of settling the Inquisition, and o∣ther Illegal things contrary to the Liberties and Privileges of the Provinces, the Spa∣niards design was to force them to rebel, that they might have a plausible pretence of en∣slaving them, and Erecting a Despotick Go∣vernment in the Netherlands, as a revolted, and conquered Nation, in the same manner as they had done with the Indies, Naples, Sicily, Milan and Sardinia. And indeed the severity, and cruelty of the Duke of Alva confirm'd what the Prince gave out; not only to the Provinces, but all the neighbouring Princes, who condemned his unjust and violent Pro∣ceedings, and particularly the Emperour Maximilian, a good natured and a merciful Prince.

At his first coming the Duke established a Sovereign Council of twelve Judges, of which he made himself the President. They were all men of the Long Robe, of no Birth nor Merit, except le Sieurs Barlaymont, and Nor∣cairme, who were Gentlemen of Quality. The most eminent was Iohn Vargas a Spa∣niard, so famous for his Cruelty, that the

Spaniards used to say, They had need of as keen a Knife as that of Vargas to cut off the Gangreen of the Low Countries. There was also one Hessels, a Flemming, of this new Coun∣cil, who slept always at the Tryal of Criminals, and when they awaked him to deliver his opi∣nion, he rubbed his Eyes and cryed between sleeping and waking; ad Patibulum, ad Pati∣bulum, to the Gallows, to the Gallows, as William Guerin Advocate General of the Parliament of Provence; who said, when they brought before him, one of Herindol suspected of Heresie, Tolle, Tolle, Crucifige, in Imitation of the Iews. This Hessels was afterwards hanged upon a Tree, without a∣ny form of Justice or Process, by the Go∣vernours of Gand, Imbise and Rihove, whom he had often threatned by his gray Beard to hang.

Sentences were often passed by only two or three Judges of this Council, as the Judg∣ment against Strales a Burgomaster of Ant∣werp, which was Sign'd only by Vargas and two other Spaniards.

This Council was called by the Duke of Alva, The Council of Troubles, and by his Enemies, The Council of Blood. By the Esta∣blishment of this Council, which was a su∣pream Court of Judicature, the Duke of Alva deprived all the other Councils of the Netherlands of their Power and Jurisdiction: For all men, without Exception, were denied the Liberty of appealing, even the Knights of the Golden Fleece, who by the Statutes of their

Order were to be tryed by their Peers alone, in the Presence of the King: Which was contrary to all Privileges. The Judges of the Country were forbid to take cognizance of the last Troubles; and all the Councils of the Provinces were to Answer before this Tri∣bunal. A rich Burgher was condemned to Death, his hands being tyed behind his Back, being bound to the Tail of a Horse, and mer∣cilesly dragged to the place of Execution.

The First and second Days of Iune, Eigh∣teen Lords and Gentlemen were barbarously executed at Brussels; among the rest the two Barons of Battembourg Brothers; Iohn de Montigny Lord of Villiers, and the Lord de Huy a Bastard of the Counts of Namur; Drums beating all the time of their Execu∣tion, that their dying Speeches might not be heard; nor the People stirred up to Compas∣sion by hearing them complain of the In∣justice which had been done to them.

The Fifth of Iune following were publick∣ly executed at Brussels, Count Egmont and Count Horn, several Regiments of Native Spaniards being drawn up in the great Square to guard the Execution. I may say, that the Death of these two Lords cost the Spanish King the Low Countries, so universally were they loved and esteemed.

The First won the Battle of St. Quintins and Gravelins. The French Resident at Brus∣sels writ to Court, that he had seen that Head cut off, which had twice made France tremble.

Cardinal Granville never feared any of the great Lords of the Netherlands, but the Prince of Orange, for the rest were not capable of forming or maintaining a Party; and when the News was brought to Rome in general, that the Duke of Alva had seized on all the great Lords of the Low Countries; he asked whether Silence was taken, meaning the Prince of Orange, and when they told him, No: he replyed, The Duke had done no∣thing.

The Prince of Orange who had put him∣self into a place of Security, was Summoned to appear before the supream Council, who condemned him for not obeying: For he ap∣peal'd to the States of Brabant, his natural Judges, and the King himself, because he was Knight of the Golden Fleece; and consequent∣ly, could not be tryed by subdeligate and suspected Judges, and his professed Enemies, but by the King himself, assisted by his Peers the Knights.

Which he represented at large in publick Manifesto's to the Emperour Maximilian and the German Princes, who approved his Rea∣sons, and condemned the violence of the Council of Spain, which went so far as to seize on his eldest Son William Count de Buren, who was arrested in the College of Louvain at the Age of thirteen, contrary to the pri∣vileges of the University, and the Country of Brabant, and afterwards carried Prisoner into Spain.

This hard usage made the Prince resolve to pass the Rubicon, and hazard all as Caesar did, and endeavour to do himself Justice, and have satisfaction for his Injuries by way of Arms. He raised an Army in Germany, and sent it into Friezland under the Command of Count Lodowick his Brother, who made a happy beginning of the Compaign by the entire defeat of Iohn de Ligny, Count of A∣remberg, Governour of the Province, a fa∣mous Captain; who the year before was sent General of a considerable Army into France, to the Assistance of Charles the Ninth, against the Huguenots, who had the boldness to be∣siege him in Paris, after having missed of surprizing him at Meaux. This Count of Aremberg died upon the place: But 'tis said, he revenged his Death by that of Count Adol∣phus of Nassau, Brother to William Prince of Orange, and Count Lodowick, who remained Master of the Field of Battle, of the Bag∣gage, and Artillery of the Spanish Army.

But Count Lodowick did not long enjoy the pleasure of this Victory; for the Duke of Alva fell upon him in the same Country with old Disciplin'd Troops, at a time when the Germans, instead of preparing for a vigo∣rous defence against so powerful an Enemy, mutinied and demanded their Pay, and routed his Army, the most part of which were drown'd in the River Ems which lay behind them. Count Lodowick with great difficulty saved his Life which he had certainly lost, if he had not met with a little Boat, and crossed the River

which is very wide as it falling into the Seas, leaving all his Baggage, and Artillery in the hands of the Spaniards.

The Prince of Orange, a man of a steady and unshaken Courage in all his misfortunes, without being startled at this Blow, raises an∣other Army of Twenty four thousand Ger∣man Horse and Foot, which he joyned with a Body of Four thousand French, Commanded by Francis de Hangest Lord of Genlis. Before he entred into the Netherlands, he published a Manifesto, in which he lays open the Rea∣sons he had to take up Arms, clears himself of the Crimes he was charged with, excepts against the Bloody Council, and the Duke of Alva who pretended to be his Judge. He owns that he had quitted the Church of Rome, for a Religion which he thought more agreeable to the Holy Scripture; declares that he was forced to make War for the pre∣servation of his Country, and to free it from the Slavery the Spaniards were preparing for it, as in Duty bound, being one of the great Lords of the Netherlands. He hopes that King Phi∣lip whose good Inclinations were obstructed by the ill Counsels of the Spaniards, will one day better consider the Fidelity of the Pro∣vinces, and the Oath he publickly took of preserving their Privileges: He says that the Laws of the Dutchy of Brabant dispense with the Subjects, from paying that obedi∣ence to the Errors and Mistakes of their Prin∣ces, which they only owe to their lawful Commands, which ought to be confor∣mable

to the Customs of the Province. He added that the Brabantines never suffered any Prince to take Possession of the Govern∣ment before they had agreed with him; That if the Prince breaks the Laws, and the Con∣stitutions of the Dutchy, the Subjects shall be absolved from their Oath of Allegiance, till their Injuries are redressed.

After this the Prince having passed the Rhine, crossed the Meuse happily between Ruremonde and Mastreicht, though the Duke of Alva was on the other side of the River to dispute the passage with him. He passed his Foot over at a Ford, whilst the Horse who stood above, broke the force of the River; in the same manner as Caesar passed the Ri∣ver Segre near Lerida in Catalonia. The Duke of Alva would not believe the Count of Barlaymont, who brought him the first News of it, but asked him whether the Prince of Orange's Army were Birds.

Thus the Prince of Orange entred into Brabant. But the Duke who would not stake the Netherlands upon the Success of a Battle against a fresh Army, and stronger than his own, having fortifyed all the Towns, and covering himself with Rivers, and po∣sting himself very advantageously, laughed at the Prince of Orange, who presented him Bat∣tle every day. For after the Prince had made Twenty nine Incampments, without being able to draw the Duke to an Engage∣ment, being received into no City, contrary to his hopes, and pressed by Famine in a lit∣tle

Country, uncapable of supplying longer so numerous an Army, and his Souldiers mu∣tinying and demanding their Pay, (in one of which Mutinies some Officers were killed in his sight, and he himself had been shot if the Pistol bullet had not lighted on the Pommel of his Sword,) he was forced to disband his Army, which refused to follow him into France, to the Assistance of the Hu∣guenots, the greatest part of the Officers telling him, That they promised to serve only against Spain, not France. He paid the Army with the little ready Money he had, with his Plate, and the Money which the Sale of his Artillery and his Baggage yielded him, engag∣ing to the principal Commanders, his Prin∣cipality of Orange, and his other Lordships for the Security of what he ow'd them.

The extraordinary prudence and firmness of the Duke of Alva can never be enough admired, who found out an excellent way of beating his Enemies without fighting, whereas other Victories are usually won by bloody and hazardous Battles.

He swore to the Messenger who came from his eldest Son Frederick de Toledo, and Chia∣pin Vitelli, Marquess of Celone, his Mareschal de Camp, to press him to give the Enemies Battle, That 'twas a strange thing they would not suffer him to manage the War as he pleased, and that if any durst talk to him of fighting again, he should never return alive.

This Marquess of Vitelli was a brave Cap∣tain, and had done such great Services to the Duke of Tuscany in his Wars, that King Philip demanded him of the Duke, to Command his Army under the Duke of Alva. He be∣haved himself extreamly well in Flanders, and died in the time of the Commendador de Requi∣sons, who succeeded the Duke of Alva in the Government of the Low Countries. He was so prodigiously Fat, that he was forced to gird up his Belly to be able to walk. As he was a great Eater, and reckoned an Atheist, after his Death the Gueux made this Epitaph on him.

O Deus omnipotens, crassi miserere Vitelli, Quem Mors praeveniens non sinit esse bovem. Corpus in Italiâ est, tenet intestina Brabantus; Ast animam nemo, cur? quia non habuit.

The Prince of Orange disbanded his Army in Strasbourg, where he arrived from the Ne∣therlands through the Frontiers of Picardy, Champagne and Lorrain.

Between le Quesnoy and Cambray, the Prince cut off Eighteen Companies of Foot, and three hundred Horse, and made almost all the Offi∣cers Prisoners. Don Rufillé Henriquus, Son to the Duke of Alva, with many others, were kil∣led upon the place, which was some satisfaction to him for the Blow he had received in Bra∣bant, where Count Hochstrate received a mortal Wound, and died not long after very much regretted by the Prince of Orange, for

his Valour and unmovable Fidelity to his Party. Philip de Morbais Lord of Louverval, was taken Prisoner in the same Action, and afterwards beheaded at Brussels.

The Prince out of this great Army reser∣ved to himself only a Body of Twelve hun∣dred Horse, and with his Brothers, Count Lodowick and Henry, joyned the Prince Pala∣tine Wolfgang, Duke of Deuxponts, whom he found ready to enter France, to the Succours of the Huguenots. He was present at the taking of la Charité, which was very hap∣py for that Party, for if the Germans had not made themselves Masters of a passage o∣ver the River Loire, they could never have joyned the Admiral. He was afterwards in the Battle of Roche la ville. D' Avila observes, that the Prince of Orange on this occasion Commanded the main Battle of the Hugue∣nots Army, with the Count de Rochefoucaut, and that Count Lodowick of Nassau his Bro∣ther, signalized himself in the Vanguard against Philip Strozzi, Colonel of the French Infantry, who advancing too forward, was made Pri∣soner by the Huguenots. The same Author assures us, that 'twas at Roche la ville, where the King of Navarre, afterwards Henry the Great, began to give Proofs of the Courage, which he has since made appear on so many dangerous occasions. He was afterwards at the Siege of Poictiers which was fatal to the Huguenots, for when they had ruined their Army before the place, they were forced to raise the Siege to relieve Chatelleraut. At last

he quitted the Camp at Foy la Binese near Richelieu, disguised like a Peasant, with four Men in his Company; and after having cros∣sed Tourrain and Berry with great difficulty, he arrived at la Charité, and then Montbeliard, from whence he retired into his County of Nassau to raise new Forces. His Brother Count Lodowick was afterwards at the Battle of Moncountour, whence he saved himself in Company of the Admiral de Chatillon, and a Body of the Huguenot Horse.

This year the Admiral advised the Prince of Orange to give out Commissions for Com∣mands at Sea, to several Persons of Quality, who had been driven out of the Low Coun∣tries by the Duke of Alva, who after ha∣ving put to Death a vast number of Men, forced all People to pay the Tenth penny for the Sale of their Moveables, the Twentieth for immoveables, and the Hundreth pen∣ny for all they possessed. The Admiral assured the Prince, that if he could once set Footing in Holland or in Zealand, Countries very strongly situated, 'twould be difficult to force him out, because he was so well be∣loved by the People, who would never fail him at his need.

William Lord of Lumay, descended from the Count de la Mare, was the chief of these Refugees. He and his Associates were called the Sea Gueux by way of distinction from the Land Gueux. This advice of the Admiral was very useful to the Prince of Orange, and was a sort of Prophecy of his Establishment in

those Provinces, for by this means he possessed himself of all Holland and Zealand, and was as Successful and Victorious at Sea, as he had been unfortunate at Land; for 'twas obser∣ved, that in Ten years continual War, the Spaniards were always beaten by the Hollan∣ders at Sea.

In the Year 1570. Peace being concluded with the Huguenots, the Court of France, the better to amuse and over-reach the Huguenots, made a shew of employing them against the Netherlands, under the conduct of the Duke of Alenzon, Admiral Colligny, and Count Lo∣dowick of Nassau. The Court pretended to be dissatisfied with the King of Spain, for poysoning Isabella of France his Wife, whose Death the French gave out they would re∣venge, and the Murders of the French that had been Massacre'd in Florida by the Spaniards. They promised to the Prince of Orange by Count Lodowick his Brother, whom they had loaded with Honours and Caresses, a conside∣rable supply of Men and Money, and the Sovereignty of Zealand, Utrecht, and Friezland, and that they would joyn the other Provin∣ces to France.

The Prince of Orange, upon these great hopes and appearances which proved false, refused a very advantageous and secure Trea∣ty, which the Emperour, offered him from the part of the King of Spain, and sent For∣ces under the Command of his Brother-in-Law the Count de Bergues, to make an At∣tempt upon Gueldres and Over-Yssel. The

Count took Zutphen and several other places. His Brother Count Lodowick was to make a considerable effort on the side of Hainault, where he surprized Mons, the Capital of that Province, which diversion hindred the Duke of Alva from retaking the Cities of Holland and Zealand that had newly declared against him, and which he might easily have done at a time when they were unprovided of for∣ces and necessaries for their defence. But nothing incensed the Duke of Alva so much as the surprizing of Mons which he resolved to recover at any rate, leaving every thing else to apply himself wholly to this seige, which gave time to the revolted Cities to draw breath, and furnish themselves at Leisure with Men and Ammunition.

The brave Defence of Count Lodowick, assisted by Mounsieur de la Nove bras de fer, and many of the French Nobility, made the Siege of Mons very long and difficult. The Spaniards fired above 20000 Canon∣shot against it.

In the mean time the Prince of Orange who had retired into Germany, had raised a greater Army than his first, to enter into Brabant, where the Cruelty and Exactions of the Duke of Alva made him hope for better Success than he had in his first Inva∣sion. This Army was to be paid with the money the French Court had promised to sup∣ply him with. Thus the Prince believed with reason that the Spanish Forces would not be able to defend the Low-Countries,

attack'd on so many sides by Land, whilest by Sea they were gauled by the Counts de la Mark, Sonoy, Treton, the Brothers Boisols, and Bertel Entens his Lieutenants in Holland and Zealand, where they had great Success, as I shall afterwards declare.

The Spaniards were never in so great dan∣ger of losing the Netherlands as at that Con∣juncture. The hopes of the Prince were not groundless, and in all probability the Spa∣niards had been quite driven out of the Low-Countries, if France had made good its pro∣mises.

Thus this great Man, who had so many Strings to his Bow, parted from Germany with a great Army to enter into the Low-Countries, when he found all People driven to despair by the Tyranny of the Duke of Alva, and ready to receive him with open arms. First he was received into Ruremonde, where he passed his Army over the Bridge into Brabant. Louvain gave him a sum of money, and Malines opened its Gates to him, which cost that poor City very dear. The Duke of Alva was absent at the Siege of Mons which he resolved to take, and the Prince designed to relieve, as well to save so important a Place, as to deliver his brother Lodowick from the danger he was in. But Mr. de Genlis who marched from France to the relief of the place with 7000 Horse and Foot, having been defeated and taken Priso∣ner by Frederick de Toledo, who had gone out to meet him, upon the secret intelligence

which he received from the Court of France of his marching towards Mons, and the con∣dition of his Forces. The Prince having at∣tempted in vain to raise the Siege, for the Duke of Alva had intrenched himself so strongly that 'twas impossible to force his lines, and at the same time understanding by the discharging of the great Guns and other signs of rejoycing in the Camp, of the Mas∣sacre of St. Bartholomew, where Admiral de Chatillon and all his principal friends had been kill'd, and having no hopes from the French who had deceived him, but on the contrary having all the reason in the world to be apprehensive of so great a Kingdom which had declared against his party and religion, he advised his brother Lodowick to make an honourable Composition, which was granted him, and he himself retired by small Marches towards the Rhine. In this retreat he was in great danger of being kill'd by the Enemies and his own Soldiers. For the Ger∣man officers talked of arresting him to se∣cure the payment of their arrears, which they were promised should be paid at their arrival in Brabant, where he expected to receive the money the French had promi∣sed him. But this eloquent and engaging Prince appeas'd the mutiny, by assuring them 'twas not his fault, and satisfied them with promises and the little ready money he had.

On the other side he was in great danger of his Life at Malines; 800 Spanish Horse, who had chosen men mounted behind them,

entered into his Camp by night, and pierced as far as his tent, and would have killed him as he slept, if a little dog who lay in his Bed, had not waked him by scratching his face with his claws; the greatest part of the Spa∣niards being cut off, he marched strait on to the Rhine, where he disbanded his Army at Orsay, and went through Over-Yssell to U∣trecht, and thence to Holland and Zealand, which had declared for him, all except Middleburg and Amsterdam, in the follow∣ing manner.

Whilest the Prince of Orange was a Refugee in France and Germany, and wandring from Province to Province, William de la Mark Bo∣issols. Siegneurs de Lumay, Sonoy, Treton, the Bois∣sols Entens, and others who acted under the Orders of the Prince, turned Pirates and practised the trade a long time with great Success, till having no longer a retreat in the Ports of England, which Queen Elizabeth denied them at the instance of the Duke of Alva, and for Fear of making the Spaniards her Enemies, the Count de la Mark and the rest, designing to seize a Port in North-Holland or Friezland, were obliged by the contrary Winds to put in for shelter, with 30 great and Small Ships, into the Isle of Vorn in Hol∣land where the Brill is, which they took by surprize, having found it without a Garrison, which was sent to punish Utrecht for refusing to pay the tenth penny.

This Count de la Mark was a rash and a cruel man. He swore never to shave his

Beard nor Head till he had revenged the death of Count Egmont and Horn. When he had surprized the Brill, which signifies Spectacles in the Flemish Tongue, he had him∣self painted in a large piece, with the Duke of Alva behind, whom he stood and put Spectacles on his Nose by way of Derision, it being a term of Contempt in Holland, to say a man wants light.

He put ten pieces of Money in his colours in hatred of the Imposition which the Duke of Alva had established, and to make him more odious.

The Count de Bossut Governor of Holland for the Spaniards, made a fruitless attempt to drive them out of the Brill. Many other Cities of Holland, viz Horn, Alkmar, Edam, Goude, Oudewater, Leyden, Gorcum, Harlem, and all Zealand, except Middleburg, following the Example of the Brill, abandoned the Duke of Alva, and declared for the Prince of Orange. Flushing, a considerable City and Port of Zealand, was one of the first that re∣volted, by the perswasion of the Priest, who on Easter-day, as he was saying Mass, exhor∣ted the People to recover their Liberty. This Air of sedition having blown the People into a flame, they immediately went to their Arms, and forced the Spanish Garrison to leave the place. But they arrested Alvarez Pa∣checo, a Spaniard and Relation of the Duke of Alva, who was superintendant of the For∣tifications of the Cittadel which was building at Flushing. He was immediately hanged

by order of Treton, who revenged on him the death of his brother, who had been be∣headed by the Duke of Alva at Brussels 4 years before. Pacheco in vain represented that he was a Gentleman, and desired the fa∣vour to be beheaded, but he was hanged pub∣lickly on a Gibbet.

I wonder at the variety of opinions I have met with in the most famous Historians of the Netherlands concerning this Pacheco. Grotius says he was a Savoyard, though Ben∣livoglio, Strada, Meursius and Emanuel de Metteren, do all agree he was a Spaniard. Car∣dinal Bentivoglio says he was beheaded, and others write that he was hanged: on the o∣ther side Meursius calls this Gentleman who was executed, a Relation of the Duke of Alva, Pacioli, although the others call him Pacheco, confounding this Pacheco with Francis Paciotti of Urbin, Count de Montefabre, so fa∣mous for his skill in fortifications and other engines of War, that when he had built the Cittadel at Antwerp, his name was given to one of the Bastions by order of the Duke of Alva, the four others were called the Duke, Ferdinand, Toledo and Alva, not one by the name of the King his Master But to return to this Pacheco, Emanuel de Metteren, though a very exact Historian, names him Pierre Pa∣checo, though Famianus Strada, who was better informed, names him Alvarez. Which shows that the greatest men are liable to mistakes.

The Sea Gueux in requital of the Duke of Alva's cruelty, hanged all the Prisoners they

made without distinction, but the Spaniards they tyed by couples back to back and threw them into the Sea.

As soon as the Prince of Orange arrived in Holland and Zealand, he made the Sieur Die∣deric or Theoderick de Sonoy, a Friezland Gen∣tleman, his Lieutenant in North-Holland, o∣therwise called Westfrise, and Charles B•…•…issol Governor of Flushing, and his Brother Lewis Boissol Admiral These two Gentlemen were of Brussles, and being condemned by the Duke of Alva, follow'd the •…•…ortunes of the Prince of Orange.

About that time the States of Holland and Zealand met at Dordrecht, where they acknow∣ledg'd the Prince of Orange for their Gover∣nour, though he was absent, and obliged themselves by oath never to abandon him, and the Prince in like manner swore by his proxy Philip de Marnix Sieur de St. Aldegonde, to continue inviolably devoted to their inte∣rests. 'Twas observed in this Assembly that St. Aldegonde gave his hand to all the Deputies of the States, and they to him, in token of their mutual confidence and fidelity.

William Count de la Mark then present, was declared Lieutenant of the Prince of O∣range, but rebelling some time after against the Prince with his confidentt Bertel Entens as rash as himself; they were both seized on, and they would have proceeded to the Trial of the Count, if the consideration of his al∣liances and great services had not pleaded for him, for he had been guilty of great cruelties

to some good Ecclesiasticks which deserved a severe punishment. After he was out of Prison he retired to Leige where he died of the bite of one of his mad dogs.

The Prince did all things in the Name of the States, though he had all the Power of the Government in his own hands, such an intire confidence had the People in him. There were anciently but six Cities in Hol∣land that had right to vote in the States, viz, Dordrecht, Harlem, Leyden, Delft, Amsterdam and Goude, the Prince added twelve others to these six, viz, Rotterdam, Gorcum, Schedam, Sconen, la Brille, Alkmar, Horn, Enkhusen, Edam, Munikedam, Medimblet and Purme∣rend, that he might engage these Cities in his interest by the honour he had done them, and that they might be the better affected to him in the assembly of the States, and ease the publick miseries and grievances the more effectually by being acquainted with them. He had the absolute disposal of all Employ∣ments and charges, but refused the name of King and contented himself with the Power.

At that time he banished all the Romish Ce∣remonies out of the Churches, that this dif∣ference of Religion might out off all means of an accommodation with the Spaniards who were sworn Enemies to the new opinions.

A. D. 1572 the Duke of Alva, after the recovery of Mons, being very much indispo∣sed, sent his Son Don Frederick de Toledo, to take the Cities of Holland and Guelderland that had revolted from him. Don Fre∣derick

resolved to make Malines an Example, for opening its Gates to the Prince of Orange: He did not think it enough to pillage the Town for several days together, but per∣mitted his Souldiers to commit all sorts of Cruelties and Barbarities, even to ravish the Women, without excepting the Nuns. After this he marched against the Marquess of Ber∣gues, routed him, and possessed himself of all the Towns he had won, among the rest of Zutphen, which he mercilesly gave up to the Plunder of his Army. He retook Narden and intirely de∣stroyed it, cutting off the Innocent and Guilty without distinction of Age or Sex, and con∣trary to the Promise which Iulian Romero a Spanish Colonel, had made to the Burghers of saving their Lives, He burnt the Houses, razed the Walls, let the dead Bodies lie Three whole Weeks in the Streets without Burial. An ex∣cess of Barbarity which was considered by the most Cruel, rather as a detestable Villainy, than a just Punishment for their revolts. This made Harlem take a Resolution to hold out to the last Extremity, having to do with so Merciless a Conqueror.

The Dutch Historians write that the Art of Printing was begun at Harlem, A. D. 1440. by Laurence le Contre, and Thomas Pieterson his Son-in-Law; but that their Factor Iohn Fau∣stus betraying them, carried away the Let∣ters to Amsterdam, then to Cologne, and from thence to Mayence, where he stopt, and where Iohn Guttemburg, a German Gentleman, who is commonly reckoned the Inventor of Print∣ing, improved it very much.

Wibald Riperda a Friezland Gentleman, Commanded in the City of Harlem, and Don Frederick declared, that he would make use of no other Keys to enter the City than his Canon. But this proved a long and a bloody Siege, having lasted from December 1572. to Iuly 1573. The Spaniards lost above Four thousand Men before it, among others the Sieur Crossonier, Great Master of the Artillery, and Bartholomew Campi de Besoro an excellent En∣gineer.

There was so great a Famine in the City, that a little Child Three years old was dug up by its Parents some days after it was bu∣ried, to prolong their miserable Life. During this Siege Don Frederick, tired with its length, and despairing of good Success, talked of re∣turning into Brabant; but the Duke of Alva, blaming his impatience, sent him word that if he resolved to raise the Siege he himself would come in Person, sick as he was to car∣ry it on. But if his Indisposition hindred him, he would send into Spain for his Mother to supply the place of her Son. This reproach made Don Frederick resolve to continue the Siege.

In the heat of the Siege, the Spaniards ha∣ving thrown into the City the Head of a Man with this Inscription; The Head of Philip Konigs, (id est, King,) who came to relieve Har∣lem with an Army of Two thousand Men, and aftewards another with this Inscription; The Head of Anthony le Peintre, who betrayed Mons to the French. The Inhabitants of Har∣lem,

put to Death eleven Spanish Prisoners, and put their Heads into a Barrel which by Night they rolled into the Enemies Camp: With this Inscription. The Citizens of Harlem pay the Duke of Alva ten Heads, that he may no longer make Waer upon them for the Payment of the Tenth penny, which they have not yet paid, and for Interest they give him the Eleventh Head.

As they had hopes that the Siege would be raised, they suffered themselves to be tran∣sported to prophane Mockeries, making the Images of Priests, Monks, Cardinals, and Popes, and then tumbled them down from the top of the Walls, after they had stabbed them in a hundred places

At last the City being reduced to the grea∣test extremity, by an unheard of Famine, which swept away above Thirteen thousand Persons, and all hopes of relief being vani∣shed by the defeat of the Succours, which the Count de la Mark, and the Baron de Balem∣berg were bringing to the City, they were obliged to surrender at Discretion, by the Crys of the Women and Children, for the Men had resolved to Sally out in a Body, and cut out an honourable passage with their Swords through the Enemies Army.

The Spaniards forced the Citizens to pay a great Summ of Money, to hinder the en∣tire Destruction of the place; and hang'd and drown'd above Two thousand Persons in some few days; among others all the Ministers, the principal Men of the City, and the Offi∣cers of the Troops. Wibald Riperda Gover∣nour,

and Lancelot a Bastard Son to Brede∣rode, were both beheaded.

The Cruelty of the Spaniards at Harlem, in∣stead of doing their Cause Service, ruin'd it, and made the People resolve rather to suffer the last Miseries, than submit to so Cruel and Tyran∣nical a Government. Thus the little City of Alkmar bravely repulsed all their Attacks, and the Prince of Orange surprized Gertrudem∣berg which belonged to him in his own Right, and which covered Dordrecht.

About the same time Maximilian de Henin, Count de Bossut, a famous Captain, and very much valued by the Duke of Alva, who was made Governour of Holland, was taken in the Zuider-Zee, which is the Sea of Amsterdam, and his Fleet defeated by that of the Prince of Orange. His great Ship was also taken, which he called the Inquisition to reproach the Dutch, with the principal Cause of their revolt. This Count was carried to Horn, where he remained Prisoner Four years, till the Pacifi∣cation of Ghent. The Spaniards having taken Prisoner at the Hague, Philip de Marnix Sieur de St. Aldegonde, Minister of State to the Prince of Orange, he assured the Duke of Alva, that he would treat the Count de Bos∣sut, in the same manner as he did St. Alde∣gonde.

The Prince of Orange can never be enough commended for his good Nature, in treating the Count with so much Kindness, and Ci∣vility, though not long before he had cor∣rupted a Burgomaster of Delft, and prevailed

upon him to betray the Prince, and deliver him into his hands, whilst he was walking out of the City. But the Conspiracy was disco∣vered by a Letter intercepted from the Count to the Burgomaster.

About that time the Duke of Alva and his Son were recalled into Spain; King Philip ha∣ving found out too late, that their Cruelty confirmed the▪ Low-Countries in their Rebel∣lion. Lewis de Requesens, great Commander of the Order of St. Iames in Castile, and Go∣vernour of Milan, who had a great share in the famous Victory of Lepanto, succeeded the Duke of Alva in the Government of the Ne∣therlands. The Duke at his Departure boast∣ed, that he had put to Death by the hands of the Hangman, above Eighteen thousand Men, yet cruel Vargas who returned into Spain with him, cryed at parting, that his Clemency and Gentleness had lost the King the Netherlands.

A. D. 1574. Middleburg the Capital City of Zealand, having been a long time defend∣ed by that renowned Captain Christopher de Mondragon, and endured a great Famine, and after the defeat of the Spanish Fleets, who attempted in vain to relie•…•…e it, was re∣united to the rest of the Province. This Siege lasted two years, and the Spaniards spent above Seven Millions in the several Fleets they set out to Succour it.

The Prince of Orange so successful at Sea, had always ill Luck at Land. For the fourth Army which Count Lodowick of Nassau

brought him out of Germany, to assist him in driving out the Spaniards from the rest of Hol∣land, was defeated near Nimeguen by Sancho D'Avila, a General of great Experience, who from a private Souldier, had advanced him∣self, through all the Degrees and Employ∣ments of War, to that great Command. The Germans of Count Lodowicks Army, instead of providing for their own, and their General's Defences, fell to Mutiny according to their u∣sual Custom, and demand their Pay. In this Action, Count Lodowick and his Brother Count Henry of Nassau, and Christopher Count Palatine, were all three killed. D'Avila remai∣ned Master of the Field of Battel, of Sixteen pieces of Canon, and all the Baggage. This Battel was fought in the beginning of the Go∣vernment of Requesens. The Prince of Orange who loved his Brothers tenderly, was sensi∣bly afflicted with this loss. But he abated no∣thing of his Constancy and Courage.

A. D. 1575. the Spaniards, encouraged by the defeat and death of the two Brothers of the Prince of Orange, laid Siege to the City of Leyden, which after a long and unparallell'd Famine, was miraculously saved by breaking down the Banks, which drowned a great many Spaniards, and by the Succours which was conveyed into the City, by an infinite number of Boats that swam on the Lands that were overflown.

When the Prince represented to the States, the Damage which the breaking down the Dikes would occasion, they replyed, that a

Country spoiled was worth more than a Country lost.

But in regard this was a very memorable Siege I think fit to say in general, that they had built two hundred flat bottomed Boats, with Twelve, thirteen, fourteen, sixteen, and eighteen Oars. The greatest carried two pieces of Canon before, and two on the sides; they sent for Eight hundred Seamen from Zealand, who had all little pieces of Paper in their Hats with this Inscription; Rather serve the Turk than the Pope and Spaniard, upbraiding them with the violence they used to their Bodies and Consciences. This Fleet was Commanded by the Admiral Louis Bossut. One of the Seamen having plucked out the Heart of a Spaniard, eat it publickly all raw, and bloody, so violent is the Aversion and Passion of these Country-men. They had no Bread in the City for Seven weeks, and their daily allowance to a Man was half a Pound of Horse-flesh or Beef, but by good Fortune to the City, that very day the Spaniards drew off, Twenty six Fathoms of the Wall fell down, and a North wind dryed up the greatest part of the Water, and they must unavoida∣bly have fallen into the power of the Spani∣ards, if they had stayed only one day longer. Such an Accident happened at Rochelle, for a little after the surrender, a tempest broke down a great part of the Bank.

In this Siege they made Paper Money with this Inscription: Haec libertatis imago. They Coyned Tin Money at Alkmar, and had Five

hundred Rix dollars for Five thousand pieces of that Coin.

Before the Relief of Leyden, Ferdinand de la Hoy, the new Governour of Holland, and the Sieur de Liques, Governour of Harlem, sollici∣ted the Citizens of Leyden to surrender, flat∣terring them with a good and favourable Treatment. They answered him only with this Latin Verse,

Fistula dulce canit voluerem dum decipit anceps.

Continuing to perswade them by Letter to a Surrender, they replyed, That they would defend themselves to the last Extremity, and that if they hadspent all their Provisions, and had eaten their left hands, they should have still their right hands remaining, to guard themselves from the Tyranny of the Spa∣niards, and that they remembred the Cruel∣ties which had been committed at Malines, Zutphen, Harden, and Harlem.

The Prince of Orange after the relief of Leyden, was received into the City as a God. He preserved and embalmed seven Pigeons in the Town-house, in token of his perpetual Acknowledgement of the Service they did him in carrying the Letters of the besieged to him, and his Answers back again. At that time he founded the University of Leyden, setled annual Revenues upon it, and endow'd it with great Privileges.

The Year before, the Prince, having lost his second Wife Anne of Saxe, married Char∣lotte de Bourbon, Daughter to the Duke of Montpensier, who had retired to the Court of Frederick the Third Elector Palatine. The Marriage was celebrated at the Brill, where she was conducted from Heydelberg, by the Siegneur de St. Aldegonde. She had been a Nun formerly, and Abbess of Iouarre. The Father, a zealous Catholick, demanded his Daughter of the Elector, by Monsieur the President de Thou, and after that by Monsieur D'Aumont.

The Elector offered to restore her to the King, provided she might be allowed the free exercise of her Religion, but Mr. de Montpensier choosing rather to have his Daughter live at a distance from him, than see her before his Eyes make profession of a Religion, which was so much his Aversion, gave at last his Consent to the Marriage, and gave her a Fortune.

After the Siege of Leyden, a Treaty of Peace was set a foot at Breda, but it did not take effect. The States of Holland and Zea∣land demanded the departure of the Spaniards out of the Netherlands, the meeting of the States General, and the liberty and exercise of their Religion. Requesens, on the contrary, of∣fered to withdraw the Spaniards, and a gene∣ral Act of Oblivion of all things passed, and the Re establishment of their Privileges, but added that the King of Spain would never to∣lerate any other Religion in his Dominions, than the Roman Catholick.

The Treaty of Peace being broken of, the States Coyned Money, on one Side of which was stamped the Lyon of Holland, holding a naked Sword with this Motto; Securius bellum pace dubiâ, War is safer than a doubtful Peace.

About the same time the Commander Re∣quesens made himself Master of Zirczee in Zea∣land, by the incomparable Gallantry of Chri∣stopher de Mondragon, who waded over seve∣ral Leagues of the Sea to the Amazement of all the World, and the great hazard of his Troops. But Requesens dying not long after, the Spanish and German Soldiers mutinyed for want of Pay, and fell to ravage all the Coun∣try. They sack'd Maestritcht, and Antwerp it self, where the loss was computed at Twen∣ty four Millions in Money and other movea∣bles, and in the Destruction of houses. The plundering of this great City lasted several days, and was called the fury of the Spa∣niards, many of whom made their Guards of their Swords and Corselets of pure Gold, but the Goldsmiths of Antwerp mixed Cop∣per with it.

The Spaniards made Prisoners in Antwerp, Count Egmont, the Seigneur de Goignie, and the Baron de Capres. This last making a low Bow to Hieronimo Rhode chief of the Muniteers, who sate in an Elbow Chair at the entrance of the Citadel, received a kick in the Belly from this insolent Spaniard, who told him by way of Scorn, that he had nothing to do with his reverence.

The Spanish and German Troops after the taking of Antwerp, living with insupporta∣ble Licentiousness, and committing great Bar∣barities, the Provinces who continued firm to the obedience of the King of Spain, called in the Prince of Orange to their assistance, for they lay exposed to all the Robberies and In∣solence of those Mutineers, and declared the Spaniards Enemies to the King and Country.

At that time all the Provinces of the Low Countries, except Luxemburg which is divided from the rest, united for their common de∣fence, and made the famous Treaty of Peace at Ghent, A. D. 1576. containing Twenty five Articles, the principal of which were,

That there should be a general Amnesty of all that was past.

That all things should continue in the same po∣sture they were in at that time.

They took a solemn Oath to mutually assist each other to free the Country from the Yoke of the Spaniards and other Foreigners.

That all Placarts and Condemnations, which were made upon the Account of the late Troubles, should be suspended till the meeting of the States General.

That all Prisoners particularly the Count de Boissut should be set at Liberty.

That the Pillars, Trophies and Statues with Inscriptions, which had been Erected by the Duke of Alva should be pluck'd down, particularly that which was set up in the Court of Antwerp, and the Pyramid he had raised, in the place where the

Hotel de Culembourg stood, which he had ra∣zed, because the Nobility met there to draw up an Address against the Inquisition.

At that time all Men believed the King of Spain had entirely lost the Nether∣lands, for he was forced to comply with the time, and ratify and approve the Peace.

In pursuance of this Treaty the Castles of Ghent, Valenciennes, Cambray, Utrceht and Gro∣eningen were demolished; all Friezeland de∣clared for the States, and Gaspar de Robb who had married the Heiress of Billy and Male∣pert, Governour of the Province was laid close Prisoner in the Town-house of Groeningen with Irons on his Legs. This Gaspar a Man of Sense and Courage, was Son to King Phi∣lip's Nurse, and Native of Robb in Portugal. He was advanced and employed by Marga∣ret of Parma, and in her time was Gover∣nour of Philipville. He was released out of Prison, by Vertue of the perpetual Edict, which was made under the Government of Don Iohn of Austria.

Christopher de Vasquez who had hid himself in the Monastery of the Cordeliers, shaved and disguised like a Monk, was also taken; and carried in that Habit into the great Square of Groeningen, the people crying out in Mockery. that they had got a new Bishop favourer of the Inquisition.

Upon this Subject, I cannot forbear observ∣ing, how addicted the People of these Countries are to turn their Enemies into Ridicule upon

the least good Success, as they did after the ta∣king of Levarden in Friezland, for the States hav∣ing surprized it, they brought all the Monks, and Priests into the great Square, where their Troops were drawn up in Battalia, and pla∣ced them by Ranks, between the Ranks of the Souldiers, and then conducted them out of the City in the same order, at the sound of Fises and Drums, with incredible Mocke∣ries, and there left them without do∣ing them any other injury than laughing at them.

They had already given Proofs of this In∣clination to Derision and Raillery, after the surprizing of the Brill, in that Picture which I mentioned before, where Count de la Mark put Spectacles on the Duke of Alva's Nose, and at Harlem; where the Citizens believing, That Don Frederick de Toledo would raise the Siege, made Processions of Images clad like Monks, Priests, and Cardinals, holding the Figures of the blessed Sacrament, which they flung down from the tops of their Walls.

I my Self at Twelve years old, observed the particular bent of this Nation to Mocke∣ry. My Father who was Embassador into Holland, had put to Board in the Year 1622. with Doctor Iohn Gerard Vossius a German, and Native of Heidelburg, who has published a vast number of Learned works: My elder Brother, my Self, and my younger Brother called Daniel, who was killed in the Battle of Harlingen, in the Year 1645, who had so great a Genius for the Mathematicks, that he

would have equal'd, the Reputation of Gali∣leus, and Archimedes, if Death had not snatch'd him away in the flower of his Age. That Year 1622. Maurice Prince of Orange; hav∣ing forced the Marquess Ambrose Spinola, to raise the Siege of Bergen-op-zoom, assisted by Count Ernest of Mansfield, and Duke Chri∣stian of Brunswick; the Cities of the Low Countries were transported, with inexpressible Joy. Among others Leyden joyned Derision to its publick rejoycings. This Doctor's House stood before the Square of the Church call'd Hoguetanskirk, where was one of the great∣est Bonfires. Upon the top of the Pile was placed a great Spinning Wheel, which they call Spin in Dutch, and round it little Tickets of Paper, on which was written the Name of Spinola General of the Spanish Army. Upon the Cord of the Wheel there were other Tickets, with the Names of Gonsolvo de Cor∣doua, one of the chief Commanders of the Spanish Army. Upon the Wheel was a great Distaff loaded with Flax, which they call Ulas∣que in Dutch, and upon it was writ the Name of Don Louis de Valasco, General of the Horse; this done they put Fire to it, and the People over-joy'd, fancied they had burnt these Gene∣rals with their Names. This bears some Re∣semblance with the Rebus's of Picardy, and ac∣quainted me at that time, with the raillying Humour of these People.

Pursuant to this Inclination of the People, 'twas reported with probability, some years since, That the Sieur van Beuningen, which

is the Sieur du Boudon in French, had caused himself to be ingraved an a Medal, like another Ioshua making the Sun stand still, meaning that he had put a stop to, and been the Iupiter Stator of the French King's Conquests, who had taken the Body of the Sun for his device. But Persons very well informed, have assured me that 'twas a scan∣dal fastned on him, to cast an Odium upon him, and his Nation, at our Court, and that the Medal was never seen, nor had ever any Being, unless in the Imaginations of those Men, who contrived the Story.

It is true, That the united Provinces, af∣ter the Peace of Aix la Chapelle, all the Ho∣nour of which they assum'd to themselves, puffed up with the Glory of a Treaty, which they imagined so advantageous to them, Coyned Medals with a pompous Motto, which their Enemies call'd proud, and which as I am assured was this,

Assertis Legibus & sacris,
Defensis exteris Regibus,
Vindicata perorbem Christianum
Marium libertate,
Egregiâ pace virtute Armorum partâ.
Batavia P.

Which I thus translate in favour of the Ladies.

Having vindicated our Religion and Laws, And defended Foreign Kings, our Allies,

And established the security of Navigation in the Seas of the Christian World, and made a glorious Peace by the force of our Arms, the States-General, &c.

The Consideration of which made Mon∣sieur de Lamoignon, the greatest and most famous Man in France for his Learning and Vertue, say to me, that the Romans, after the Destruction of Numantia, and Carthage, the Rival of their Empire, could not have talked of their Victories in more lofty and magnificent Terms.

At the end of the Year 1671. the States-General seeing that those Medals drew upon them the Envy and Hatred of the most pow∣erful Monarchs, suppressed them as well as they could, by breaking the Coins and Molds, insomuch as there remain very few unless in the Hands of the Curious.

These proud Medals with the continual and insolent Reflections of the Amsterdam Gazzette, which took a Liberty of openly rallying all things without sparing Crowned Heads, which ought always to be respected. was not the least Motive of the last War. 'Tis this gave credit to the imaginary Medal of the Sieur Van Beuningen, whose Airy and Extravagant Discourses made any thing to be believed of him.

Upon this Subject I may affirm with Rea∣son, that those Men are the wisest who are never arrogant in good Fortune, which ma∣ny easily change into bad by the ordinary

Revolutions of the Affairs of this World, which suffer nothing to be settled or lasting Besides Moderation make Men lamented when they are unhappy; but we rejoice at the Misfortune of Insolent persons. When Duke Charles of Burgundy had been defeated by the Suisses, he sent the Seigneur de Contay his Favorite, to Louis the XI. at Lyons, to court his Friendship in the most humble and submissive Terms imaginable, contrary to his usual Custom; upon which Philip de Comines says these very Words, If a Prince would take my Advice, he should behave himself with so much Moderation in Prosperity, that he should never be forced to change his Language in Ad∣versity. He adds, that the Seigneur de Con∣tay, as he pass'd through Lyons, had the Mor∣tification to hear Songs sung in honour of the victorious Suisses, and to the disgrace of his Ma∣ster, whom they had routed. But most Princes and Ministers display all their Sails to the favourable Gales of good Fortune, without thinking of contrary Winds which often shipwrack them.

Since we have been talking of the Sieur Beuningen or Boudin in French, I make this Observation, that at the Beginning of the War, the principal Officers and Ministers of Holland had very odd pleasant Names. Their great manager of Business was the Sieur de Boudin, in English, Pudding; their Mareschal de Camp the Sieur Urst, dead lately at Hamburgh, (he was of Holstein, of mean Birth, and raised his Reputation by

defending Cracovia so long time for the Swedes against the Imperialists.) Urst in Dutch signifies Hogs Guts season'd; their o∣ther General that defended Groeningen and retook Grave, was the Sieur de Rabenhaupt, which is Ravens-Head; and one of their Colonels was Paen, Bread, and Vin, Wine, who had his Head cut off.

'Twas observed also that the Swedish Mi∣nisters and Commanders had strange Names, Oxenstiern signifies Ox-forehead. One of their most Famous Colonels was called Douffell, which is Devil, who was killed at the Battle of Leipsick; and another Sthtang, a Serpent; and Colonel Wolfe, who defended Stetin so bravely.

I am of Opinion these Digressions will not be disagreeable to the Reader, which serve to divert and refresh him after he has been tir'd with Narrations all of the same Nature. This has been practised by Herodotus and o∣thers with general Approbation.

But to return to our principal Subject, the Affairs of the Low Countries. Don Iohn of Austria, natural Son to Charles the V. Fa∣mous for the Victory of Lepanto, succeeded the Commander de Requesens in the Govern∣ment of the Netherlands, and arrived at Luxemburg the very day that Antwerp was sack'd. He went Incognito through France, and passed for an Attendant of Octavio de Gonzague, and saw Henry the III. at Dinner; and at Paris he was informed of the State of the Low Countries by Don Diego de Zunega the Spanish Embassador.

Don Iohn of Austria despised the Dutch, and thought them very easy to be imposed upon, as did the Duke of Alva, who used to say, he would stifle the Hollanders in their Butter. But these heavy stupid Men, as he thought them, having more Solidity and good Sense than florid Wit, easily discovered that he had a design to deceive them by fair Words and affected Civilities.

He was at that time thirty years old, a man of high and ambitious Thoughts: He had formed a Project of making himself King of Tunis by the Assistance of the Pope, but King Philip would never hearken to it. Af∣terwards being made Governour of the Low-Countries, he had a design to depose Queen Elizabeth, and rescue Mary Queen of Scots, whom he pretended to marry by the Favour of the Guises her Relations, who encouraged him to this Attempt for their own private Interests. These vast Designs gave great Jealousy to King Philip, who was apprehen∣sive with Reason, left a war-like Prince as he was and who had won so much Reputa∣tion over all Europe, by gaining the Battle of Lepanto, by this new Accession of Power, suffering himself to be hurried away with his Ambition and the natural desire of Empire, should one day endeavour to make himself Master of his Dominions to the prejudice of his Children. These Thoughts frightned him extreamly, with Reflection on the old Example of Iugurtha, who, though a Ba∣stard, possessed himself of the Kingdom of

Masinissa by the Murder of the lawful Heir; and the fresher Instance in his own Family, of Henry the Bastard, his Predecessor, who dispossessed and put to death Pedro the Cruel the lawful King of Castile. King Philip, who to rid himself of the like Fears had not spared his own Son Don Carlos, had more Wit than to suffer any longer the just Grounds of Su∣spicion which his bastard Brother gave him, he resolved to set himself at ease of that side. Iohn d' Estovedo Secretary to Don Iohn, who was accused of inspiring his Master with these ambitious Designs, being dispatched into Spain about some Affairs of consequence, he was privately assassinated by Antonio Pe∣rez, Secretary of State, and Favorite to King Philip, by his Orders; whose death made all the World believe, that Don Iohn's, which happened not long after, had been hastned.

Upon Don Iohn's arrival into the Nether∣lands, his favouring the Spaniards who were declared publick Enemies, made a Rupture between him and the States, who took up Arms against him by the Advice of the Prince of Orange. He earnestly exhorted them not to suffer themselves to be deceived by the false Hopes which Don Iohn gave them from the Part of the King of Spain, representing to them that angry Princes dis∣semble for some time, but they never forget an Injury but when 'tis out of their Power to revenge it, and that they are sparing of no Words nor Promises to conceal their Re∣sentments;

quoting that Maxim of the Ro∣man Emperours, that They who had offended their Princes ought to be numbered among the dead.

In fine, the perpetual Edict was conclu∣ded between the States on one side, and Don Iohn on the other in the Name of the King, by the Mediation of the Emperour Rodolphus and the Duke of Cleves and Iuliers, on the 17th of Febr. An. Dom. 1577. By this the Treaty of Ghent was ratified, a gene∣ral Amnesty granted, and the holding of the States. The Departure of the Spaniards and Germans out of the Low-Countries was agreed to, and that they should leave behind them all the Provisions, Ammunitions and Atille∣ry which were in their Garrisons. The Spa∣niards promised to punish the Soldiers who had been guilty of so many Outrages, and to set at Liberty the Count de Burin Prisoner in Spain. But the Prince of Orange, and the States of Holland and Zealand, entered their Protestation against the Edict, maintaining, That a great many things, particularly those which related to Religion had not been suffi∣ciently explained.

In pursuance of this perpetual Edict, the Spaniards went out of the Castle of Ant∣werp, and Philip de Croy Duke of Arschoite was made Governour of it, who took an Oath publickly bare-headed to Iohn Escove∣do, that he would keep the Castle of Ant∣werp for King Philip his Master and deliver it up to no Man but Himself or his Successors,

but by his express Command; to which Es∣covedo replyed, If you perform what you pro∣mise, God will help you; if not, the Devil take you, Body and Soul! and all the standers by cryed, Amen.

By Virtue of this Edict all Prisoners were released on both sides, the Count Egmont, the Sieur de S. Goignie, the Sieur de Capres, and others in the Custody of the Spaniards, and Gaspar de Robb, and others by the States.

This done, Don Iohn was received into Brussels in great State, as Governour-general of the Low-Countries: But beginning to op∣press the Provinces, pursuant to the private Orders he received from the Court of Spain, which were discovered by several Letters in∣tercepted, which Don Iohn and his Secreta∣ry Escovedo writ in Cyphers to the King and his Ministers, which Philip de Mornix, Seignieur de St. Aldegonde decyphered: This made them resolve to oppose his pernicious Designs by Force of Arms.

Don Iohn, under a pretence that they had a Design upon his Person, retired from Brussels, and having received the Queen of Navarre into Namur, surprized the Castle of Namur, and then Charlemont, and made preparations for War; and recalled the Spa∣nish and German Troops. He called that day he seized the Gastle of Namur, the first of his Government, as Henry the III. after∣wards called the Day of the Murther of the Duke of Guise, the first of his Reign.

The States took up Arms on their side, demolished the Castle of Antwerp, and joined themselves to the Prince of Orange. But the States-General assembled at Brussels demand∣ing the free Exercise of the Catholick Religion in Holland and Zealand; he made answer, that he could make no Alterations in that Affair without consulting the States of these two Provinces, who had the sole and abso∣lute Power of doing it. This was a funda∣mental Maxim of that State; which was af∣terwards changed by the Factions and Force of Arms under the Government of Prince Maurice, his Son, as I shall manifest in his Life.

Prince William of Orange being arrived at Breda with his third Wife Charlotte de Bour∣bon, he was invited by the States to come and encourage them by his Presence: For this Effect the Burghers of Antwerp went out to meet him, and conducted him into their City, where the States-General deputed to him the Abbots of Villiers and Marotes, the Barons de Fresin, and Capres, to be∣seech him to come in all haste to Brussels. The Prince went to Brussels through the New-Canal, attended by the Burghers of Antwerp who marched in good Order on one side of the Canal, and on the other side by the Burghers of Brussels, all in gilt Armour, who came out of their City to meet him. He was receiv'd into Brussels with great mag∣nificence and Triumph, with incredible Ac∣clamations of Joy by all the World. Imme∣diately

he was declared Governour of Bra∣bant, and Superintendant of the Finances of the Provinces.

Upon this we may observe that tho' the Life of this Prince has been cross'd by strange Dis∣appointments and Misfortunes capable of sink∣ing a Man of less Resolution than himself: Yet these Accidents were sweeted from time to time with those secret pleasures and Delights which the most Stoical and in∣sensible Men are overjoyed at, as the Accla∣mations and Applauses of the People, whose Hearts and Affections he entirely possess'd. Other Princes command only the Bodies of their Subjects, without having any Empire over their Minds, which ought to make up the noblest part of their Dominions.

But as Envy is the inseparable Companion of Vertue; and a great Reputation is often more dangerous than a bad one; this pom∣pous Reception of the Prince of Orange added to the Authority his great Birth, Experience, and Merit gained him in the States and in the Hearts of the People, procured him the Jealousy of many Lords and Gentlemen of Quality; the chief of whom were the Duke Arschot newly made Governour of Flanders, the Marquess of Havret his Brother, the Count de Lalain and his Brother, the Sieg∣neur de Montigny, the Viscount of Ghent, Count Egmont, the Sieurs de Compigny, de Rassinguem, and de Sueveguem, and many o∣thers: This jealous Party dispatched private∣ly the Sieur de Malstede to offer the Govern∣ment

of the Low-Countries to the Archduke Matthias Brother to the Emperor Rodolphus. He made so much hast, and pressed the Arch∣duke so strongly to depart, that he was arri∣ved at Cologne from Vienna before 'twas known that they had sent for him.

These Gentlemen imagined that they should have all the Management of the Go∣vernment under the Archduke, who would consider them as the Authors of his Esta∣blishment; and at the same time should ruine the Authority of the Prince of Orange by giving him a Superiour of that Quality.

But the Prince of Orange, who had the Art of Complying with all Times, and turn∣ing Poison into Antidotes, made a Modest Complement to the States General for not ac∣quainting him with so important a Resolution as they had taken of sending for the Arch∣duke; whereas nothing ought to be transa∣cted without the common Consent of all, e∣specially Matters of such Consequence. But he made no Opposition to the Reception or Establishment of the Archduke. Then ha∣ving brought over to his party the Count de Lalain who had the chief Command of the Army, he managed Matters so well by his Address and Submissions that he gained the Archduke who was made Governour of the Netherlands upon certain Conditions; and he himself was declared Lieutenant-General by majority of Voices in the States; and the Archduke in consideration of his great Abi∣lities trusted him with the intire Management

of Affairs. In this manner the Prince of Orange by his good Conduct and Prudence, turn'd that Storm upon his Enemies, which they raised with Design to ruin him. For the Duke of Arschot, the head of the Faction, had the Mortification to be seized in the Ca∣pital City of his Government (Ghent) by a Creature of the Prince of Orange (Rehove) who bore the greatest Sway in that large City: And to make his Grief the more sensible, his best Friends, the Bishops of Bruges and Ypres, and the Sieurs de Ressinguem and de Sueveguein, and many others of his Dependants, were seiz'd on at the same time.

Don Iohn of Austria, having been declar'd Enemy of the Low-Countries by the States-General the 7th of September, 1577. recall'd all the Spanish and Italian Troops who had retired out of the Netherlands, in pursuance to the perpetual Edict. with a great Body of Germans under the Command of Alexander Farneze Duke of Parma, Son to Margaret of Austria, formerly Governess of the Nether∣lands. With this Reinforcement the last day of Ianuary, An. Dom. 1578. he defeated the Army of the States, at Gemblours, commanded by the Sieur de Goiguin in the Absence of the Count de Lalain and the principal Officers who were at a Wedding in Brussels; for which they were extreamly censured. All the Cannon was taken, with 30 Colours and 4 Cornets. But the Reduction of the Fa∣mous City of Amsterdam, which surrender'd to the States, and was united to the Body

of Holland, the 8th of February following, eight days after the Defeat, made sufficient amends for this Loss.

Don Iohn, encouraged by this great Suc∣cess, and hoping that this Victory would be the Instrument of another, advanced with great Forces to attack the Army of the States at Rimenant near Malines commanded by the Count de Bossut. But the Count had intren∣ched himself so strongly, that Don Iohn was obliged to retire in great Confusion, and con∣siderable Loss: And 'twas agreed on by all Hands, that if the Count de Bossut had mar∣ched out of his Camp he would have intire∣ly defeated Don Iohn, who had a Crucifix in his Colours with this Motto; With this Sign I have beaten the Turks, and with This I will beat the Hereticks.

In Iuly the States-General consented to a Toleration of both Religions in the Provinces, which was called the Peace of Religion, which all Men were not satisfied with; by this means a Third Party sprung up, called the Male∣contents; the principal of which were Ema∣nuel de Lalain, Baron de Montigny, the Vis∣count of Ghent, Governour of Artois, Valen∣tine de Pardieu, Sieur de la Motte Governour of Gavelines, the Baron de Capres, and others. Thus the Provinces of Artois and Hainault returned to the Obedience of the King, not∣withstanding all the Remonstrances which the States made to them by Letters and De∣puties.

About this time the States coined Money with the Bodies of Count Horn and Count Egmont, and their Heads upon Stakes on one side, and on the reverse two Horsemen and two Footmen fighting, with this Inscription, praestat pugnare pro patriâ quam simulatâ pace decipi; It is better to fight for our Country, than be deceived by a feigned peace.

The Malecontents, to secure themselves a∣gainst the States, desired that the Foreign Troops might be recalled into the Nether∣lands, contrary to the Pacification of Ghent, and the perpetual Edict. On the other side the States, in order to their Defence, treated with the Duke of Alencon, whom they call'd the Defender of the Belgick Liberty, upon con∣dition that he should supply them with 10000 Foot, and 2000 Horse, paid at his own Charge. This Treaty was concluded by the Means of the Queen of Navarre his Si∣ster, who in her Journey to the Spaw-Waters, had drawn over a great number of Men to the party of her Brother, whom she loved so tenderly; among others the Count de La∣lain, and the Sieur D' Enchy Governour of Cambray.

A. D. 1578. in September died Don Iohn of Austria, in the Camp at Namur, of Grief for being suspected in Spain, where his Secre∣tary had been Assassinated, or of Poyson as many are of Opinion.

Immediately after died the Count de Bos∣sut General of the States; who after his Death, desired Mr. de la Nove Bras de fer, in Consi∣deration

of his Reputation, Valour, Conduct and Experience in War, to take upon him the Charge of Mareschal de Camp of their Army.

Alexander Farneze Prince of Parma, suc∣ceeded Don Iohn in the Government of the Low Countries, and by his Civility, and obli∣ging Carriage to all Men, added to the great Promises he made, strengthened the Party of the Male-Contents, and weakened the power of the States.

About this time, the 22d. of Ianuary, A. D. 1579. the Prince of Orange laid the first Foun∣dation of the Commonwealth of the united Provinces, by the strict Union which he made at Utrecht, between the Provinces of Gueldres, Zutphen, Holland, Zealand, Friezland, and the Ommelands, consisting of Twenty six Articles, the chief of which were these,

The Provinces made an Alliance against the common Enemy, and promised mutually to assist each other, and never to treat of Peace, or War but by common Consent. And all this without prejudice to the Statutes, Privileges, and Cu∣stoms of every particular Province: Which Ar∣ticle was broken under the Government of Prince Maurice, when the States General as∣sumed a Jurisdiction over all the Subjects of the Provinces, who till that time had no other Lords than the particular States of the Pro∣vince. This Treaty was called the Union of Utrecht, because 'twas made in that City. It was r•…•…tified by all the Governours of the Provinces, and the States to show how neces∣sary

a perfect Union was to their Preservati∣on, took those words of Micipsa in Salust for their device. Concordiâ res parvae crescunt, little Things become great by Concord.

That Year Maestricht was taken by Storm by the Duke of Parma, after a Siege of four Months, and a Treaty of Peace was set afoot at Cologne by the Mediation of the Emperor Rodolphus, but the King of Spain, refusing to grant a Toleration of Religion in the Nether∣lands, though it had been allowed in France and Germany, the design did not take effect.

Under the Government of the Duke of Parma, many Actions passed between the Male-Contents, and the Troops of the States commanded by Mr. de la Nove, who surprized Ninove in Flanders and took in their Beds Count Egmont, his Wife, and Mother with Count Charles his Brother, and carried them Priso∣ners to Ghent, where the People, as they pas∣sed through the Streets, threw Dirt upon them, and treated them with a thousand In∣dignities and abuses, upbraiding them with abandoning their Country, to joyn with the Executioners of their Fathers.

But Monsieur de la Nove after great Suc∣cess, was surprized himself with the few Men he had with him, by the Viscount of Ghent and Marquess of Risbourg. The Cause of this Accident was the Sieur de Marquette's not obeying Monsieur de la Nove's Orders in breaking down the Bridge which led to him. By order of the Duke of Parma he was car∣ried Prisoner to the Castle of Limburg, where

he was barbarously treated by the Spaniards, who offered to set him at Liberty, provided they might put out his Eyes. From whence 'tis visible how apprehensive they were of this great Captain. At last, after a long Im∣prisonment, he was exchang'd upon Count Eg∣mont's Swearing never more to bear Arms a∣gainst Spain, of which the Duke of Lorrain and many other Lords and Princes were Guarrantees.

Besides his great Skill in the Art of War, which is celebrated by all Historians, ne∣ver was a Man of so clear and dis-interested a Vertue, which he gave continual proofs of during the whole Course of his Life; but a∣mong the rest one very remarkable Instance: Monsieur de la Nove Bras de fer was a Gen∣tleman of Bretaigne, and had a Sister married to Monsieur de Vezins, a Man of Quality and Fortune in Anjou, who had by her a Son and two Daughters; this Sister had 20000 Crowns for her Fortune; but dying young, Monsieur de Vezins married a Woman who was one of her Attendants, by whom he had several Children: This Megere, after the Death of her Husband, desiring to secure to her Children the great Estate of the House of Vezins, could think of no more effectual way than by delivering the Children of the first Wife, her Mistress, to an English Merchant for a Sum of Money, upon Condition that she should never see them more. The Mer∣chant carried them immediately to Iersey and Guernsey. No one knew what became of the

Daughters; but the Foreign Merchant, ha∣ving more good Nature than the Mother in Law, took pity of the Boy, and brought him with him to London, where he bred him up, and taught him the Trade of a Shooma∣ker. This Boy, when he was grown up, travelling up and down the Country, hap∣pened to be in Flanders at the time that Monsieur de la Nove commanded the Army of the States, and bringing him some Shooes, Monsieur de la Hove, having narrowly view'd him, told those that were about him, that this young Lad had much of the Air, Stature and Mien of his Brother in Law de Vezins. Though he was exposed at the Age of 4 or 5 years, he still retained some memory of his Name, his Country, and what he was; and told him that his Name was Vezins, and that he was a French Man by Birth. But the great Business of Monsieur de la Nove hin∣der'd him from making further Enquiry in∣to the Matter at that time. Some years af∣ter, being released from his Imprisonment at Limburg, and retiring to Geneva, this same young Man who travelled over the World, as Apprentices do, once more meeting him when he had no Affairs, after having very well examined him, and, besides the general Resemblance, discovered some particular Marks which those of the Family de Vezins bore, he resolved to make him be acknowledged Heir of that House; and in order to it, contra∣ry to his own Interest, made all the necessary Proceedings in Anjou, at the Council and

Parliament for the recovery of the Estate; but being kill'd at Lambette in Bretaigne with a Musquet Ball, before the Affair was complea∣ted, his Son Odel de la Nove, (whom I have seen in my youth) Embassador extraordina∣ry into Holland, a Man that pursued the ge∣nerous Example of his Father, put an end to the Process; and by a famous Decree made him be declared Heir of the House of Vezins, which the Children of his cruel Mother in Law had so long usurped. These Heroick Actions of the Father and Son can never be sufficiently praised, which the curious Rea∣der will be glad to learn; and the Example of so rare a Vertue may Sp•…•…r on a generous Mind to an Emulation of such noble Perfor∣mances.

In this time the Prince of Orange who had been made Governour of Flanders, was at Ghent, where he altered the Magistrates of the City; erected contrary to their Privileges by the Violence of Iohn Imbese a turbulent daring Fellow, who had at that time the chief Authority of the City. Imbese retired into Germany to Prince Casimir Palatine, who had formerly brought such a great Body of Horse to the Assistance of the States, that they had much more been harass'd and incon∣venienc'd by them than relieved or defended. But he returned again to Ghent and domi∣neered there for some time with a Guard of 30 Halberdiers who still accompanied him; but in the end a contrary Faction setting up against him, as nothing is more changeable

than the Affections of the People, he was ar∣rested, tryed and beheaded.

An. Dom. 1580. the Prince of Orange re∣presented to the States-General, that Consider∣ing the Desertion of some Provinces, and the Falling off of a great many Men who quitted their Party to reconcile themselves to Spain, by the means of the Duke of Parma; they could no longer defend themselves against so powerful an Enemy; and that they were obliged either to make an Accommodation with Spain, which he would never advise them to do, when they could have no Secu∣rity for their Lives or Religion; or else to chuse some neighbouring Prince for their Lord, and that he could think of none more proper than the Duke of Anjou and Alencon only Brother to Henry the III. King of France. Which Resolution the States approving of they sent Deputies into France; the most con∣siderable of whom was Philip de Mornix, Seigneur de S. Aldegonde, who made a Treaty with him in September An. Dom. 1580. at the Castle of Plessis les tours. The Heads of which were, That the States of Holland, Brabant, Flanders, Zealand, Utrecht and Friezland, would acknowledge him for their Sovereign Prince, and his Posterity after him, upon Condi∣tion that he should leave Matters of Religion in the same Posture they were in at that time; and preserve the Privileges of the Provinces That he should hold an Assembly of the States-General every year, who nevertheless should have power to meet when they pleased. That he should put

no Man into any Employment, Place, or Go∣vernment of the Provinces without their Con∣sent. And that if he invaded their Privileges and broke the Treaty, he should forfeit his Right, and that they should be absolved from their Oath of Fidelity, and have power to elect a new Prince.

The Archduke seeing that there was no further Occasion for his Presence in the Ne∣therlands, and that they were looking out for a more powerful Protection, withdrew, after having received Thanks and many Presents, according to their Abilities and the Times, leaving behind him the Reputation of a good and moderate Prince: But his Enemies in the End made him suspected of holding Intelli∣gence with the Spaniards.

The Prince of Orange with all his Power sollicited the coming of the Duke of Alencon, to support himself and his Country with so considerable a Prince; but more particularly because in Iune 1580. the King had publish∣ed a terrible Proscription against him, in which he upbraids him with the Favours he had received from the Emperor; among o∣thers, for having secured to him the Succes∣sion of Renè de Nassaw and de Chalon Prince of Orange: That he had made him Gover∣nour of Holland, Zealand, Utrecht, and Bur∣gundy, Knight of the Golden-Fleece, and Councellor of State: That though he was a Stranger, he had loaded him with Honours and Riches, for which he made him very un∣grateful Returns. That by his Instigation

the Nobility had presented the Address a∣gainst the Inquisition: That he had introdu∣ced the New Religion into the Low-Countries, and disturb'd the Catholick Religion, by the breaking of Images, and demolishing Altars: That he had made War upon his Lord: That he had opposed all the Pacifications, even that of Ghent, and broken the perpetual E∣dict; that, in short, he declared him an un∣grateful Man, a Rebel, a Disturber of the publick Peace, a Heretick, a Hypocrite, a Cain, a Iudas, one that had a hardned Con∣science, a profane Wretch, who had ta∣ken a Nun out of the Cloister to marry her, and had Children by her, a wicked and perjur'd man, the Head of the Troubles of the Netherlands, the Plague of Christendom, the common Enemy of Mankind: That he out-law'd him, and gave his Life, his Body and Estate to him that could seize on it; and to free the World from his Tyranny, he promis'd, upon the Word of a King, and as a Servant of God Almighty, to give 25000 Crowns to any man that should bring him alive or dead to him, and besides a free Par∣don and Indemnity of all his Crimes; and to make him a Gentleman, in case he was not so before. He declared all his Adherents to have forfeited their Nobility, Estate and Honour, if within a Month after the Publi∣cation of this Out-law'ry they did not leave him and return to their Duty.

In December following the Prince of Orange published his Apology, which is a very long,

eloquent and handsome Piece, and read it publickly in the Assembly of the States-General. The Prince made a Discovery of a great ma∣ny Secrets which 'twas the King's Interest never to have had known. Kings have not so much Advantage in Defending themselves against their Subjects with their Pens as their Swords, and for that Reason the King made no Answer to it; but because this Apology is very considerable, 'tis proper to put down the Substance of it.

After having submitted his Life and Con∣duct to the Consideration of the States, he says, He was forc'd, contrary to his Nature and Custom, to discover some Indecencies which he would very willingly have concealed; and, if they had not loaded him with Injuries and Abuses, he would have only answered the Proscription, which he would have made appear unjust and without any Foundation. That his Enemy who made it, and the Duke of Parma who published it, not being able to kill him by Poison or Sword, endeavour to blot his Reputation by the Venom of their Tongues.

As for the Obligations they reproach'd him with, he owns to have received a great deal of Honour from the Emperor, Charles the V. who bred him up 9 years in his Chamber; and that his Memory (these are his own Words) will be for ever honoured by him; but at the same time he is obliged to justifie his own Innocence, to declare that he never

received any Advantages from the Emperor, but, on the contrary, suffered great Losses in his Service.

That he could not deprive him of the Succession to Renè de Nassaw and de Chalons Prince of Orange his Cousin-german, whose sole Heir he was without a manifest Injury, unless they reckon the not seizing upon ano∣ther Man's Right to be a Liberality.

That he was so far from having received any Advantages from him, that on the con∣trary, the Emperor, for the good of his own Affairs, being pressed on one hand by the Protestant Princes, and on the other by the King of France, had by the Treaty of Nassaw disposed at his Expence of the County of Catzenellebogen in favour of the Landgrave of Hesse, though it had been adjudged to him by the Imperial Chamber at Spires, with a∣bove two millions of Arrears, and the Em∣peror had taken no care to restore Prince Renè of Nassaw, his Cousin-german, to the Possession of the third Part of the Dutchy of Iuliers which belong'd to him by their Grandmother Margaret Countess de la Mark, though he had gained the Victory by the Va∣lour of that Prince.

That the King had deprived him of the Possession of the Seigniory de Chartel velin, (for which there was due to him above 350000 Livres) by bringing the Cause to be tryed in his Council, when it was to be judged by the Parliament at Molines; and it has ever since continued undecided. Which

he mentions to show the World who ought to be taxed with Ingratitude, he or the King.

That h•…•… had spent above 500000 Crowns in the Embassy he made, against his Will, to the Emperor Ferdinand; and when he was Hostage in France for the Peace of Cambray; and that year when he commanded the Im∣perial Army, and built Charlemont and Philip∣ville in sight of the French Generals; in all which time he only received 300 Florins a Month, which would not pay for the pitch∣ing his Tents.

That, quite contrary, those of his Family had spent great Estates, and exposed their Lives freely in the Service of the Princes of the House of Austria; that Engilbert the se∣cond Count of Nassaw, his Great Grandfa∣ther, being Governour of the Netherlands for the Emperor Maximilian the I. had secured him these Provinces by the gaining of a Victory.

That Count Henry of Nassaw, his pater∣nal Uncle, prevail'd upon the Electors to preferr Charles of Austria, Grandson of Maxi∣milian, to Francis the I. King of France, and put the Imperial Crown upon his Head.

That Philibert de Chalon Prince of Orange, had conquered Lombardy, and the Kingdom of Naples, for the Emperor; and that by the taking of Rome and Clement the VII. his Enemy, he had gained him vast Honour and Renown.

That the Nephew of this Philibert, Renè de Nassaw and de Chalon, his Cousin-german, was killed at the Emperor's Feet before St. Dizier after having repaired the Loss of a Battel and conquered the Dutchy of Gueldres.

That if the House of Nassaw had had noBe∣ing in the World, and had not done such great Exploits before the King was born, he could never have been able to put so many Titles, Countries and Seigneuries, in the Front of that infamous Proscription, which declares him a Traitor and a Villain, Crimes which none of his Family had ever been guilty of.

That for so many Expences, and signal Services of his Family, they could not shew the least Mark of Acknowledgment from the House of Austria.

That the Kings of Hungary had given to his Predecessor as a perpetual Proof of their Valour in defending them from the Invasion of the Infidels, several Pieces of Artillery, which were carried away by Force, out of his Castle of Breda when the Duke of Alva tyranniz'd in the Low Countries.

When the King reproaches him with ha∣ving made him Governour of Holland, Zea∣land, Utrecht and Burgundy, Knight of his Order, and Councellor of State, he answers, That if he ought to thank any one for that, 'tis the Emperor Charles V. who at his De∣parture for Spain, had so appointed it in con∣sideration of his great Services.

That the King himself had forfeited his Pre∣tensions to that Order, by breaking the Statutes

(which expressly enjoyn, that no Knight can be tryed but by his Peers) in Condemning the Counts Egmont, Horn, de Bergues, and Montigny, by Rascals, and Men of no Birth or Merit.

That the Government of Burgundy be∣longed to him hereditarily, the House of Chalon having all along enjoyed it without Contradiction. And as for the Employ∣ment of a Councellor of State, he obtained that by the Policy of Cardinal Granville who screen'd himself from the People by the Authority of the Prince, in whom they re∣posed an intire Credit and Confidence.

When the King, to render him odious, charges him with Marrying a Nun, he an∣swers, That Slanderers ought to be free from all Blame, and that 'tis an unaccountable Im∣pudence in the King to reproach him with a lawful Marriage, and agreeable to the Word of God; whereas the King is all covered o∣ver with Crimes. He maintains that he was actually married to Donna Isabella Osorio, and had three Children by her, when he mar∣ried the Infanta of Portugal, Mother to Don Carlos.

That he murthered his own Son for speak∣iing in Favour of the Low-Countries; and poisoned his third Wife Isabella of France, Daughter to Henry the II. King of France, in whose Life-time he publickly kept Donna Eufratia, whom he forced the Prince of Ascoti to marry when she was big with Child by him, that his Bastard might inherit the great

Estate of this Prince, who died of Grief, if not (says the Prince) of a Morsel more easy to swallow than digest.

That afterwards he was not ashamed to commit publick Incest in marrying his own Niece, Daughter to Maximilian the Empe∣ror and his Sister. But, says the King, I had a Dispensation. Ay, says the Prince, only from the God on Earth; for the God of Hea∣ven would never have granted it: These are the very Words of the Prince.

That it was as strange as insupportable, that a Man blacken'd with Adultery, Poison∣ing, Incest, and Parricide, should make a Crime of a Marriage approved of by Mon∣sieur de Montpensier his Father-in-law, a more zealous Catholick than the Spaniards are with all their Grimaces and Preterisions.

That if his Wife had made Vows in her tender Age, which is contrary to the Canons and Decrees, according to the Opinion of the ablest Men; And though she had never made any Protestations against it, He was not so little vers'd in the Holy Scriptures, but He knew that all Bonds and Engage∣ments entred into meerly upon the Score of Interest, had no Force before God.

To that Article, where the King calls him a Stranger, he answers, That his Ancestors had possessed for many Ages Counties and Baronies in Luxemburg, Brabant, Holland and Flanders; and that those who have E∣states in the Provinces have still been reckon∣ed Natives.

That the King is a Stranger as well as himself, being born in Spain, a Country which bears a natural Aversion to the Low-Countries; and he in Germany, a neighbour∣ing Country and Friend of the Provinces. But (says the Prince) they'll say he is King; to which he answers, Then let him be King in Castile, Arragon, Naples, the Indies, and Ierusalem, and in Africk and Asia, if he please; that for his part he will acknow∣ledge but a Duke and a Count, whose Power is limited by the Privileges of the Provinces, which the King has sworn to ob serve.

That he must let the Spaniards know, if they are not acquainted with it already, that the Barons of Brabant, when their Prin∣ces go beyond Bounds, have often shown them what their Power was. He ended this Discourse by saying, That 'twas strange that they had the Impudence to charge him with being a Stranger, in regard his Predecessors were Dukes of Gueldres, and Owners of great Possessions in the Provinces, when the King's Ancestors were only Counts of Hapsburg, living in Switzerland, and their Family was not known in the World.

The Prince maintains that the Design of the Spaniards was always to enslave the Ne∣therlands and erect a tyrannical Government, as they have done in the Indies, Naples, Sicily and Milan. That the Emperor Charles the V. being acquainted with it, represented to King Philip, in his Presence, and the old

Count of Bossut and many others; That if he did not curb the Pride of the Spaniards he would be the Ruin of the Netherlands. But that neither the paternal Authority, nor the Interest of his Affairs, nor Justice, nor his Oath, which is sacred among the Barba∣rians, could bridle his unbounded Passion of Tyrannizing.

That the Country granted a considerable Supply of Money, with which and the Courage of the Nobility of these Provinces, having won two famous Battles, and taken a great number of Prisoners of the highest Quality in France, he concluded a Peace at Cambray, as Profitable to himself as Disad∣vantageous to his Enemies. That if the King had any Gratitude remaining he could not deny but that he was one of the principal Instruments in bringing it about; having ma∣naged it in particular, with the Constable de Montmorency, and the Mareschal de St. Andre, by the King's Orders, who assured him that he could not do a more grateful piece of Service to him, than by effecting a Peace, at a time when he was resolved to go into Spain upon any Terms.

But these Supplies of Money, and this great Success obtained by the Blood of their Nobility, were reckoned Crimes of High-Treason, because nothing would be granted, but on Condition the States-General should meet, and the promis'd Subsidies pass through the Hands of Commissaries of the Provinces, to clip the Wings of these Harpies, Barlay∣mont

and others like him. And these as he as∣sures, are the two great Crimes, which crea∣ted that implacable Hatred in the King and Council to the Low-Countries.

The first of these Crimes was the Demand of an Assembly of the States-General; who are as much hated by bad Princes for bridling their Tyranny, as they are loved and reve∣renced by good Kings the true Fathers of their Country, who consider them as the most sure Foundation of a State, and the true support of Soveraigns.

The second is the Demand they made of having Commissioners of the Provinces for managing the Subsidies; the Prince affirm∣ing that these Devourers of the People rec∣kon their Robberies and Cheatings a better Revenue than that of their Lands. That seeing themselves out of Condition any long∣er to enrich themselves at the Expence of the publick with Indempnity; they look out for all Pretences, by flattering their Princes, to incense them and set them at odds with their Subjects. He concluded this Article by assu∣ring the States-General to whom he addresses himself all along) that he has seen their Acti∣ons, heard their Discourses, and been Wit∣ness of those Counsels, whereby they de∣signed to make a general Massacre of them, as they had practised in the Indies, where they had destroyed thirty times more People than are in the Low-Countries

To that part of the Charge where the King accuses him of gaining the Hearts of all

those who desired Innovation, particularly those who were suspected of the Reformed Religion, by his private Intrigues; and of being the Author of the Request against the Inquisition. He owns that he was always of the Reformed Religion in his Heart, which had been established by his Father William Count of Nassaw in his Dominions. That he heard the King of France, Henry the II. say, when he was Hostage in France, that the Duke of Alva was then treating with him to root out all the Protestants of France, the Low-Coun∣tries, and all Christendom besides. That they had resolved to establish the merciless Inquisi∣tion; the Severity of which was such, that the looking a squint upon an Image was Crime enough to deserve burning. That he could not suffer that so many good Men and Lords of his Acquaintance should be design'd for the Slaughter; which made him firmly resolve utterly to extirpate this cursed Race of Men, and that if he had been well second∣ed in so just and generous a Design there would have been nothing left to preserve the Memory of the Spaniards but their Bones and their Graves.

As for the Address which they make a Crime of, he thinks it as advantageous to his own Credit and Honour, as to the King's Service, and the Interest of the Provinces, to have advised the presenting it, as a certain method to divert the Deluge of these infinite Disorders which afterwards happened. And as for the Protestant Sermons, he advised

Madam de Parma to permit them, things be∣ing in such a posture that they could not be hindered without a manifest danger of the en∣tire Subversion of the Government.

When the King says that the Care and Providence of Madam de Parma was so great, that he was obliged to quit the Netherlands; he owns that the Charge would be true, if his Treachery and Disloyalty had been the Cause of it; but that, a year before, he would willingly have retired and surrendred all his Employments. When he saw that Monsieur de Bergues and Montigny had lost their Lives in Spain, and Gibbets were erect∣ed, and Fires kindled all over the Country, he thought it high time to put himself in a place of Security, without trusting to the King's Lerters, full of fair Promises and Offers, the better to deceive him.

That they had fallen upon his Person and Estate. That neither the Consideration of the Privileges of the University of Louvain, nor the Province of Brabant, could hinder them from carrying his Son Prisoner into Spain: And that by so rigorous and unjust a Treatment he was absolved from all his Oaths, and had good Ground to make War upon his Enemy; which was objected to him as a Crime.

That the King laid nothing to his Charge, but what his Predecessor Henry of Castile had been guilty of: who tho' a Bastard rebell'd a∣gainst his lawful Prince Don Pedro King of Ca∣stile and Leon, and kill'd him with his ownhand.

If the King answers, that Don Pedro was a Tyrant, and that he possessed Castile only by that Title; wherefore, says the Prince, should not the King of Spain be used in the same manner; for there never was a Tyrant who subverted the Laws and Constitutions of the Country with more Arrogance, or broke his Oath with more Impudence than King Philip. And that at least Don Pedro was neither guilty of Incest, nor a Parricide, nor a Murtherer of his Wife: And though he was born the King's Subject, and should take up Arms a∣gainst him, 'twas no more than Albert the first Duke of Austria, formerly Count of Hapsburg, his Predecessor, had done against the Emperor Adolphus of Nassaw, his Lord, one of the Prince's Ancestors.

The Prince affirms, that there is an origi∣ginal, mutual Contract between the Dukes of Brabant and their Vassals; that they owe O∣bedience to their Prince, who, on his side, is bound to preserve their Privileges; the chief of which are, That the Dukes cannot change the Constitution of the Province by any De∣cree; That they are to be satisfied with their ordinary Revenue; That they can lay no new Impositions, nor bring any Troops into the Province without the Consent of the States; nor alter the Price of Money; nor imprison any man without the Information of the Magistrate of the place, nor send him out of the Country. The Lords of the Pro∣vinces are obliged by their Oath to maintain and assert these Privileges; because by their

Prerogative they have the Charge of the Mi∣litia, and the Arms of the Province; and not doing it they are to be accounted Perjur'd, and Enemies of their Country. That the King has not violated only one of these Privileges, but all, and many times over. He has seiz'd up∣on his Estates, his Dignities, and his Son, contra∣ry to his Immunities. That for this Reason he was absolved from his Oath of Allegiance, and by Consequence had a right to defend himself by Force of Arms; and above all, because the King would never redress and make Amends for his Faults, having rejected the Intercessions of the Emperor Maximilian, and the Petitions of his Subjects who depu∣ted to him the principal Lords of the Nether∣lands, which he put to Death by the Hands of the Hangman against the Law of Nations, as he had served all others whom he could seize on by his Artifices, and who were too credulous, in believing his false Promises.

This abundantly justifies the Prince for ta∣king up Arms for his own and his Country's Preservation; and if he could not take foot∣ing in the Netherlands at his first Entry, as the King reproaches to him, 'twas no more than what had happened to the greatest Ge∣nerals, and to the King himself, who has of∣ten invaded Holland and Zealand, and been driven shamefully out without being able to make himself Master of one Inch of Ground. And in regard, by his Oath, he dispenses with his Subjects from obeying him if he acts contrary to the Laws, why is he so impu∣dent

to say that the Prince has taken up Arms against him unjustly.

To that Article in which the King says he returned into Holland and Zealand by Bribery and Corrupting the Inhabitants; he makes answer, that he went there at the Instance and Sollicitation of the principal Men of the Province, which he is able to make appear by their Letters.

When the King accuses him of having per∣secuted the Church-men, driven out the Ca∣tholicks, and banished that Religion; he re∣plies, That all this had been done by a com∣mon Consent, to preserve their Lives and Privileges against Men who had taken an Oath to the Pope, and were setting all En∣gines a work to subvert their Liberties, and the newly established Religion: Which was represented at the Treaty of Peace at Breda, where this Article of Religion was confirmed by the Decree and Seal of all the Cities, and that 'twas not fair to impute that to him, which was done by an unanimous consent of the whole Country.

When he reproaches him for granting Li∣berty of Conscience; he answers, that he had always been as averse to the Burning so ma∣ny Men as the Duke had taken pleasure in it; and that he was of Opinion to put a Stop to all Persecutions.

He ingenuously owns, that the King be∣fore the holding of the States at Ghent, and his Departure into Spain, had commanded him to put to Death many good Men suspe∣cted

to favour the new Religion; but he ne∣ver put these cruel Orders in Execution, but gave them notice of it, not being able to do it with a safe Conscience, and chusing rather to obey God than Man.

He says that they do him Wrong in laying the Murther of some Ecclesiasticks to his Charge; for he punished the Criminals with Death; and those who were of an illustrious Family, as the Count de la Mark, convicted of those Outrages, were condemned only to Imprisonment and loss of their Employments, in Consideration of their great Alliances.

To that Head wherein the King declares that he did not command the Duke of Alva to establish the Imposition of the 10th and 20th penny; he answers, That his not being punished for it, is sufficient Proof that he had Orders to do it. And that he cannot escape the Imputation of a Tyrant for Imposing this Tribute, or suffering so great a Boldness com∣mitted against his Will to go unpunished. He adds, that the Duke of Alva had too much Sense to dare settle so severe an Imposition without the express and reiterated Orders of the King; and that otherwise he would ne∣ver have fined the Burgo-master of Amster∣dam 25000 Florins for opposing the raising of this new Tax.

That the King would have done much better to preserve the Kingdom of Tunis and Guletta, which the Emperor had conquered from the Turks, and which he preferred to all his other Victories, than to make an unjust War

upon his own Subjects. But that his Passion and Fury had transported him so far, that his Eyes and Understanding were blinded, and hindred him from seeing the ill Measures he had taken: And that he chose rather to ex∣pose his Weakness to his Subjects than employ his Forces against the common Enemy of Christendom. He adds, that as Hannibal had sworn the Ruin of the Romans upon the Altars of his Gods, so the Duke of Alva had vowed the Destruction of the Ne∣therlands; which is visible from the Cruelties he committed there. That if a Master is known by his Servant, they might easily guess at the good Affection the King bare to the Low-Countries by the Tyranny of this un∣relenting Minister.

When the King says, That the Pope dispen∣ses with him from keeping his Oath; the Prince answers, That he does not consider, that by breaking his Oath, at the same time his Subjects were absolved from their Oath of Fidelity. He adds, That the Duke of Alva was preparing to hang the principal Men of Brussels for refusing to submit to the raising of the tenth Penny; and that the Hangman was ordered to get ready seventeen Ropes; that the Dictum of the Sentence was already writ, and the Spanish Soldiers going to their Arms to guard the Execution, when the hap∣py News of the Taking of the Brille arrived, and saved them from the Gallows.

Speaking of the perpetual Edict, he says it was concluded by the Artifice of the Spa∣niards

contrary to his Advice, and that of the States of Holland and Zealand. That there was no other Difference between the Duke of Alva and the Commander de Requesens and Don Iohn; but that the last could not dissem∣ble as well as they, nor conceal his Venom so long. For 'tis undisputable from the Letters which were intercepted, that he had the same Orders as the other Governours had to oppress the Low-Countries.

When they charge him with Breaking the Pacification of Ghent and the perpetual Edict; he answers, That 'twas the Spaniards that broke it, by restoring no man to the posses∣sion of his Estate, or Charges, and by de∣taining the Prisoners. That the King had given Orders to Don Iohn not to observe the Peace, as appears from the intercepted Letters, and that when he swore to it, 'twas on Condition that he would keep it till he re∣pented of it, as he explained himself to some Deputies of the States. Thus the Peace of Ghent and the perpetual Edict being once vio∣lated, 'twas in the Power of the States to pro∣vide for their own Defence, by explaining, enlarging and altering the Treaty.

That he is extreamly concerned at the In∣solencies which the Soldiers committed in his Governments, though they were not to be compared with the intolerable Outrages of the Spaniards.

He Complains of the Treachery of many Lords and Gentlemen of the Netherlands who preferred their own private Interests, and the

Spanish Tyranny, to the Good of their Coun∣try, which they have torn by their Division, and might have rendred flourishing by their Union Inveighing against the Infidelity of his false Brothers called Male-contents, he says, He cannot enough admire the Inconstancy and the unsettledness of their Resolutions. They serve the Duke of Alva, says he, and the Commander Requesens, like Servants, and make a vigorous War upon me. Imme∣diately after, They treat with me, are reconci∣led, and declare themselves Enemies to the Spaniards; Don Iohn arrives, they follow him and contrive my Ruin; when Don Iohn miscarries in his Attempt upon Antwerp, they quit him and recall me; I am no sooner come, but, contrary to their Oath, without acquainting me with it, they call in the Archduke Matthias: And him too they im∣mediately forsake; and without giving me notice, send for the Duke of Anjou, and pro∣mise him Wonders, and then abandon him and join with the Duke of Parma; upon which the Prince cries out, Are the Waves of the Sea or the Euripus more inconstant than these Men, who consented to this Proscription, when 'twas my Courage and Firmness that re∣stored them to the Enjoyment of their Estates and Places!

When they say that he got the Government of Brabant and Flanders by Intriguing and making Parties; he answers in a Word, That these Governments were conferred on him at the Desire of the States, and by a general Ap∣probation.

When they endeavour to make him odious, by saying that he loads the People with Im∣positions; he replies, That they are laid on by the Consent of the People, and if the King raises such excessive Taxes upon his Subjects to oppress Holland and Zealand and the other United Provinces, why should not they have the same Liberty allowed them, in order to defend themselves from the Spanish Ty∣ranny.

When they blame him for turning out those Officers in the Cities who were well affected to the King; he says, That they were Enemies to the Country, and he did well to drive them out.

When the King taxes him with the Credit and Authority he had over the People, as a great Crime; he answers, that 'tis a great Honour to him that they have chosen him for their Defender against so cruel a Tyranny, which has kindled so just an Hatred and A∣version in all their Hearts.

When they reproach him with hating the Nobility; Yes, says the Prince, those who degenerating from their Ancestors, and not treading in their generous Steps, betray their Country, and join with those who endeavour its Ruin.

When the King says that the Peace treated at Cologne by the Mediation of the Emperor Rodolphus, was judged reasonable by all men of Sence; the Prince says, That it follows thence necessarily, that all those who think it unreasonable and deceitful, have neither Rea∣son

nor Judgment. For what Appearance is there, (continues he,) that a People har∣rassed and impoverished by so long a War, would refuse an equitable Peace with their Prince, unless it appeared to be a Bait or a Blind only to surprize them? That this Peace projected at Cologne was worse than War, and that the Honey of a treacherous Tongue is more dangerous than the Point of a Sword. That if the Emperor thought this a reasona∣ble Peace, he was perswaded so by the Be∣trayers of their Country.

When they object to him the Union of U∣trecht, which they reckon the worst and greatest of his Crimes; he answers, That the Spaniards like nothing that contributes to the Interests of the States; and what is whole∣some to the Oppressed, is mortal to the Fa∣vourers of Tyranny. That their Enemies had grounded all their Hopes upon their Di∣vision; against which there is no such Spe∣cifick as a Good Union, nor a more certain Antidote against Discord than Concord, which has prevented and made useless all their Intrigues and Intelligences. He owns that he was the Author of this Union; and speaks it so loud, that he wishes that not on∣ly Spain, but all Europe may hear him. Up∣on which he exhorts the States to preserve it, and to practice the Moral of the Bundle of Arrows tied together by one Band, which they bear in their Arms. Instead of blush∣ing at it, he glories in an Action so conducive to the Preservation of their Liberties.

When they upbraid him with driving out the Church-Men; he denies that he ever did so, till George de Lalain, Count de Renneberg Governour of Freizland, surprized Groningen by Treachery, and the Massacre of the prin∣cipal Burghers, among others the Burgo-Master Hillebrand, a Man of the greatest Authority in the City, having supped with him and caressed him, the better to over∣reach him, the day before this infamous Sur∣prizal. And that they could not reproach him, that in all the Troubles and Confusions stirred up by the Spaniards he ever stained his Hands in the Blood of the Confederates, who relied on his Faith.

When he is accused of driving out some of the Nobility; he denies it, and declares that they retired voluntarily through the Ter∣rour of their Consciences, having openly con∣triv'd the Ruin of their Country; and, Wou'd to God, added the Prince, all they who are like them would follow them, to rid the Country of all Fear.

He says 'tis ridiculous to call him Hypo∣crite, who never dissembled with the Spani∣ards. When he was their Friend he talked freely to them, and foretold them by Word of Mouth, and Writing, that those rigorous Persecutions would ruin them. That being forced to become their Enemy, to support the Liberty of his Country, what Hypocrisy can they charge him with, unless they call Hypocrisy the making open War upon them, taking their Cities, driving them out of the

Country and acting against them with all the Vigour the Right of a just War entitles him to. That if they will take the Pains to read over his Defence, which he published 13 years since, to justify his Taking up Arms, they will see the Letters of a King, who is a Hypocrite and Dissembler, who thought to surprize him with fair Words, as now he thinks to daunt him with Threats.

When King Philip calls the Prince of O∣range Desperate as Cain and Iudas; he says 'tis a quite different thing, to distrust the Grace of God who cannot Lye, and to sus∣pect the Words of a treacherous and deceitful Man: Witness the poor Moors of Granada; Count Egmont, Horn and many others. That the fall of Cain and Iudas was Despair cau∣sed by the dreadful Sins they had been guilty of; to which State he was not yet reduced, his Conscience upbraiding him with nothing. But the Style of a Man in Despair is visible in this Heathenish and Turkish Proscription.

When he accuses him of Distrust, and says it is an ordinary thing with wicked Men, he makes an Apostrophe to Cardinal Granville (whom he believed the Authour of this Pro∣scription) in these Terms:

And thou Cardi∣nal, who hast lost so much time at the Col∣lege, unless thou callest that Learning, to be trained up in thy Youth in the Arts of Lying and Deceiving, what answer canst thou make to that sententious Orator and Lover of his Country, when he says that Distrust and Jealousy is the strongest Bulwark of Li∣berty

against Tyranny?

Which was said a∣gainst another Philip, a puny Tyrant in com∣parison of this Dom Philip, who has out done the greatest, and whose Tyranny the divine Philippick it self is not able to express. Consider of it; and I for my part, says the Prince, will speak, write and ingrave every where this fine and useful Sentence. And would to God, I may be better believed by my People than Demosthenes was by his, who suffering them∣selves to be imposed on by such Villains and Dissemblers as thou art, were in the end ut∣terly ruined.

When the King reproaches him with refu∣sing very advantageous Offers which were made him upon condition he would retire into Germany, and abandon the States; he says the Spanish Folly and Impertinence can∣not be sufficiently admired, who endeavou∣ring to blacken and defame him, raise his Reputation, by owning that he preferrs the Safety of the States, and their Liberty, to his own Repose and Native Country. That he would willingly be freed from all his Trou∣bles and Disappointments, and enjoy his E∣state and the Presence of his Son in Peace. But since this could not be effected without perjuring himself, and betraying the States, violating his Faith, and abandoning them to the Cruelty of their mortal Enemies: No Consideration of his Estate, his Life, Chil∣dren or Wife should prevail upon him to de∣liver them over a Prey to the Spaniards, to be worried and massacred by them. He con∣cludes,

'twas a very great Crime which they reproach'd him with, to be a Man of Honour and of unshaken Firmness and Constancy, not to be wrought on by Threatnings nor Promises. And that on those false Accusa∣tions the King and Spaniards have grounded this barbarous Proscription full of Calum∣nies, Abuses, and inconceivable Imprecati∣ons, which he is no more frighted with than Philibert of Orange was with the Bull which Pope Clement the VII. thundered out against him; who for all that made him his Prisoner.

He declares to the States and all Europe, that whatever Spaniard, or whatever Man in the Spanish Interests says or shall say, as this Proscription does, that he is a wicked Man and a Traitor, lyes, speaks falsely and against the Truth. That though the Spaniards for∣bid him the use of Fire and Water, in spite of all their Rage he will live by the Assistance of his Friends as long as it pleases God, who alone has the Disposal of Life and Death, and who has numbered all the Hairs of his Head. As for his Estates he hopes (God willing) that the Purchase of them will cost the Spaniards so dear that they will be obli∣ged to seek out others elsewhere at an easier rate. As for those they wrongfully de∣tain from him, he hopes to dispossess them, and that they never usurped the Possessions of a poor Prince who proved a greater Bur∣then to them.

When the King promises 25000 Crowns to any Man that shall bring him alive or

dead, to make him a Gentleman if not so be∣fore, with a full Pardon of all his Crimes how hainous soever; he answers, that if a Gentleman had been guilty of so villainous an Action, no man of Honour would eat or drink with the Wretch or endure his Presence. That if the Spaniards reckon such Men No∣ble, and if this is the ready way to Honour in Castile, no wonder all the World believes that the most part of the Spanish Nobility are descended from the Moors, and Iews who sold our Saviour's Life for ready Money; and that they inherit the Vertue of their Ance∣stors. Upon this Subject, the Prince writes that the Just God has taken away the King's Understanding, who by the ennobling of Villains and pardoning of the greatest Crimes, would destroy the Defender of a People ty∣rannized over. That he has the Impudence to mix the Name of God with so many abo∣minable Promises, though he calls himself the Minister of God, and assumes the power of not only permitting what God forbids, but of rewarding it with Money, Nobility, and indemnity of all their Offences.

The Prince concludes by a Persuasive of Union to the States, and not to suffer them∣selves to be dazled with the false Praises the King gives those who forsook them contrary to their Oath, to scatter Division among them. His Enemy gives out that his Quarrel is only to the Prince of Orange as Author of all these Troubles and the War, which will last eter∣nally so long as he lives, imitating the Wolves

in the Fable, who published that their De∣sign was only on the Dogs, (the Keepers and Guardians of the Flock) to devour after∣wards the Sheep at their Leisure. But for a Proof of the King's Dissembling and his Cruelty, when he was absent in Germany the Country was as much persecuted as ever. As many were drown'd hang'd and burn'd as before; and the Liberty of the Country was extreamly well maintained by their mild Governour the Duke of Alva. That the King's principal Design was to root out the Religion, the only bulwark of the State, without which it could not support it self three days: For they of the Reformed Reli∣gion could repose no Confidence in Spaniards or Papists.

He repeats once more, that Union and Religion may defend and protect them from all their Enemies, and concludes in these Words, That he would willingly purchase their Ease and Repose at the Expence of his own Ba∣nishment or Death. That Exile and Death up∣on these Conditions would be grateful and agree∣able. But if they thought his Life might con∣tribute to the Defence of their Liberties, he offered them his Assistance, Industry, and Blood it self, which he would spill to the last Drop in their Preservation.

The Prince of Orange would willingly have had the States-General publish this Apology in their Name. But some Provinces finding the Reflections on the King to be too severe and bitter, and not being acquainted with

the Crimes he imputed to the King, thought it not proper. They contented themselves with declaring by a Decree, That the Prince of Orange was wrongfully accused, that he had accepted the Government at their ear∣nest Desires; and offer'd to maintain a Troop of Horse for the greater Security of his Per∣son: Desiring him to continue to defend their Liberties, and promising all Obedience and Deference to his Commands and Counsels, which they acknowledged to have no other aim but their Safety.

Not long after, An. Dom. 1581. the City and Castle of Breda were surprized by Clau∣de de Barlaymont Count de Hautepenne, by the Means of the Baron de Fresin kept prisoner in the place by Order of the States upon Su∣spicion of holding Intelligence with the Spa∣niards, the Truth of which he confirmed, as much a Prisoner as he was, by causing the City to be surprized by the Means of one Soldier, whom he had gained over to his Party. This was a great Loss to the States and a sensible Affliction to the Prince, whose hereditary Estate this City and its Territories were. This is an Instance that a Prisoner ought never to be kept in a Frontier-Town, but in the Heart of the Country; for as they think of nothing but setting themselves at Liberty, and all their Thoughts are bent that way, they are always contriving Me∣thods and inventing Ways to bring it about; 'tis in effect Nourishing a Serpent in our Bo∣som, and there needs nothing more to take

an Impregnable Fortress than the corrupting of a Centinel when the Enemy is in the Neighbourhood, who may come at the time appointed to Petard or Scale the place.

We should have seen in our time a remar∣kable instance of a Surprize of this Nature, to the great Advantage of the Arms of France, if Hatred and Revenge had not born a grea∣ter Influence over the great Minister, than the Glory of his Master or the Good of his Kingdom: But this Mystery has lain concea∣led hitherto, for fear of his Resentment who governed all things with an absolute Autho∣rity in the last years of the Life of Monsieur the Cardinal de Richelieu.

The Story is this; After the Defeat of Honne Court, in May 1642. Don Francisque de Mello Governour of the Low-Countries, put several Prisoners of Quality, in the Castle of Ghent, to the Number of Seventy. The principal of whom were the Count de Rantzau, since Mareschal of France, the Marquess de Roque∣laure now Duke and Governour of Guyenne, the Marquess de St. Maigrim kill'd at the Battle of St. Anthony, and the Sieur de Lalen Captain in the Regiment of Piedmont, who died afterwards at Cremona, commanding the French Infantry of the Army of Italy. This Monsieur de Lalen was originally of Lyons, of mean Birth, but of extraordinary Valor and Fidelity, which might give him just Grounds to hope for the highest Employ∣ments of War. Monsieur de Rantzau, impa∣tient in his Prison, obtained Leave of the

Spaniards to send Monsieur de Lalen into France to propose some Exchange of Prisoners. But during his stay at Court, where the va∣riety and multitude of Business hinders their speedy Dispatch, and where Monsieur de Noyers, who hated him, did not take much pains to get him his Liberty. Monsieur de Rantzau, tired with the long Stay of Mon∣sieur de Lalen, and holding a secret Corre∣spondence with me by Letters, who did him all the good Offices at Court of which I was capable, upon the Account of the Esteem and Friendship I had for him; he complai∣ned extreamly in all his Letters of Monsieur de Lalen's being detained so long, at a time when his Presence was necessary for a great Design, which he had projected. At length overcome by his Impatience he writ me a long Letter in Cyphers, part French, part Latin, by which he advised me that nothing was easier than to surprize the Cittadel of Ghent, by the Means of the Hollanders who were Neighbours to it; and the Prince of Orange might advance near with a Body of Foot, without giving the least Jealousy; and in short desired me to go to Court and make this Proposal.

But, in Order to make appear how easy this Enterprise might have been put in Exe∣cution, 'twill be convenient to insert the pro∣per Terms of the Letter which was writ in Cyphers, a Copy of which I transcribed be∣fore I presented an Original to Monsieur de Noyers.

SIR,

I Am extreamly concerned that my Endeavours have had no better Success; and that Mon∣sieur de Lalen is detained for such slight Rea∣sons. If he had made a quick return, 'twould not have been difficult to surprize this place. There are now but 300 Men in Garrison, many of whom are old and can scarce go, and as many disabled and can make no Defence; besides the 28 or 30 Portugese and Catalonians, who have promised us their Assistance, and above 70 Offi∣cers who are Prisoners. Philippine, where there is a Garrison of Dutch, is but four hours March from us. All the Country between this Place and that is under Contribution. Their Parties come up to the very Gates of the City, and many of them enter upon several Pretences. For they carried off lately a Horse from the mid∣dle of the Market-place, by a cunning Strata∣gem, in the Presence of all the World. The Co∣vetousness of the Governor, the Count de Sala∣zar, gives all People a free Entrance into the Castle, that he may sell off his Wine at the greater Gain, which by a particular Privilege pays no Excise to the King. And a Measure which costs fifteen pence in the City is worth but six pence in the Castle. Here are still five or six thousand Burghers and Strangers, Men and Wo∣men who drink without being search'd or examin'd. If you will consider all these Circumstances, and reflect upon what happened at the Surprize of A∣miens and Breda, you will find a fairer Occa∣sion and a greater Probability of Effecting this.

To hasten so important an Affair I waited on Monsieur de Noyers, who was at that time at Chaume en Briè with the King to ta•…•…e care of the Preservation of Monsieur le Cardi∣nal de Richelieu, who stayed behind at the Bourbon Waters, in great Suspicion of his Master and many of those who were about him. But this Minister having assured me that he would give the necessary Orders a∣bout this Affair, and commanded me to speak to no Man of it, I retired, easily per∣ceiving by his Looks and Discourse, that he did not relish this Proposal, however advan∣tageous it was, when it came from a Man to whom he had such an Aversion.

He never acquainted the King with it, for fear he should reward and consider Monsieur de Rantzau for so important a Service. The Campaigne being at an End, the Spaniards, according to their usual Custom, reinforced their Garrisons, among others, that of the Castle of Ghent, with the Troops of their Army, which changed the Face of Affairs, and made the Execution of this Enterprize impossible.

The same Year that Breda was surprised by the Spaniards, the Duke of Anjou, pursuant to his Engagement with the States of the Provin∣ces, came from Chateau Thierry with 10000 Foot, and 4000 Horse to the Relief of Cam∣bray besieged by the Duke of Parma, who raised the Siege. Not long before the Vis∣count de Turenne, who was afterwards the famous Duke de Bouillon, Henry de la Tour,

the Counts of Ventadour, and de la Fenillade, and four other Lords, having run the Risque to pass through the Army of the Duke, and throw themselves into the Place, were made Prisoners, and forced to pay a great Ransom.

At that time the States-General, assembled at the Hague, declared the King of Spain to have forfeited the Soveraignty of the Nether∣lands, broke his Seal and Arms, and com∣manded all People to acknowledge him no longer for their Prince, and take the Oath of Fidelity to them.

The Beginning of this Decree runs thus, That a Prince is appointed by God Almighty, the Head of his People, to defend them from Oppression, as a Shepherd to keep his Flock; and that when a Prince oppresses them, they may choose another Lord to govern them in Iu∣stice according to their Privileges. The rest is nothing but a long Narration of the Cruel∣ties and Infractions of their Privileges by the King and his Ministers, which obliged them to have Recourse to another Prince.

At the same time the Duke of Parma took Tournay from the States notwithstanding the vigorous Defence of Mary de Lalain Princess D'Epinoy, Sister to Emanuel de Lalain Seig∣neur de Montigny, one of the chief Malecon∣tents. She gave great Proofs of her Courage in this Siege, encouraging the Soldiers and Burghers to a gallant Resistance, and expo∣sing herself so much in the most dangerous Places, that she received a Harquebuss Shot in her Arm. This Lady, who deserves a

Place among the Heroines, died the Year af∣ter at Antwerp extreamly regretted by the States-General, for her Courage and Firmness to maintain their Party.

Immediately after, the Duke of Anjou pas∣sed into England, to have the Advice of Queen Elizabeth, and to endeavour to ac∣complish his Marriage with that Princess, a Contract being made, and Rings having been presented on both sides. But the Queen having found out some Excuses to hinder it contented her self with supplying him with Money for his Voyage into the Netherlands, and sending with him my Lord Leicester, Admiral Howard, both Knights of the Gar∣ter, and 100 other Lords and Gentlemen of Quality, who carried with them a Train of 500 Men.

An Dom. 1582. He repassed from England into Zealand, aboard the Ships of this Prin∣cess, arrived at Flushing, and because of the great Cold went a foot to Middlebourg the Capital of Zealand, which is a League from thence, where he was received and treated very magnificently. The Prince of Orange and Epinoy went to meet him, and going a∣board the 50 Ships provided for them, arrived at Antwerp, where this great City received him with surprizing Pomp and Splendour. All the Keys were lined with the Burghers in Arms, most part very richly dress'd, and with gilt Arms: Triumphal Arches were erected in all parts very richly adorned with fine In∣scriptions. This Prince marched under a

Canopy of Cloth of Gold, from the Port to the great Piazza, where a Theatre was built with a Throne upon it. There the Prince having cloathed him with the Ducal Cap and Mantle of Red Crimson Velvet lined with Ermins, he sware publickly in the presence of the States and the Officers of the City, and an infinite Concourse of People from all parts to see so extraordinary a Sight, That he would religiously observe the Treaty concluded with them, and the Privileges of the Provinces, and govern, not by his Will, but by Iustice and Equity. Afterwards the States, and the Ma∣gistrates of Antwerp swore Fidelity and Obe∣dience to him as their Sovereign Prince. But this publick Rejoycing was interrupted by an Attempt made on the Prince of Orange. One Iauregny a Spaniard of Biscay, Factor to a Merchant called Anastre, spurred on by the Reward promised in the Proscription, fir'd a Pistol at him, loaded with one Ball, which struck him under the Right Ear and went out through the Left Cheek, breaking seve∣ral of his Teeth. At first they believed the French to be the Authors of this Attempt, but the Murtherer being killed by the Halber∣diers of the Prince, and Papers found in his poc∣ket, which proved him to be a Spamard, they were undeceived, and the People who had run to their Arms to revenge his Murther on the French at the Cloister of S. Michael, where the Duke of Anjou lodged, retired to their Houses. The Prince of Orange, to ap∣pease the Tumult, with much Difficulty,

writ a Letter with his own Hand to the Magistrate, to assure him that the Spaniards were the Authors of this Attempt.

The Grief and Concern of this great City, for the Wounding of the Prince, cannot be expressed. Immediately publick Prayers were appointed, and as long as he continued in Danger the People stayed in the Chur∣ches praying to God for his Recovery. When he was well, they kept a general Fast, and the whole Day was imployed in thank∣ing God for restoring to them the Father of their Country.

When he was in a Condition to travel, the Duke of Anjou carried him to Ghent and Bru∣ges, where another great Conspiracy against those Princes was discovered. The chief Man concerned in it was Nicholas Salvedo a Spa∣niard, who confessed that he had received 4000 Crowns from the Duke of Parma, to make away the Duke of Anjou, and the Prince of Orange, by Poyson or any other way; and that he followed them in order to put his villainous Design in Execution; Francis Baza an Italian and Native of Bresse, one of his Complices, was arrested likewise, and confessed the same thing, but before Exe∣cution stabbed himself with his Knife, to pre∣vent the Severity of the Punishment which was preparing for them. Salvedo was carried to Paris, where by a Decree of the Parlia∣ment he was drawn in pieces by four Horses in the Greve.

The wretched Salvedo seeing himself a Pri∣soner in the Conciergerie, accused Monsieur de Villeroy, in hopes to save himself, by making so great a Man a Partner in his Guilt, or at least suspend the Punishment he deserved. But no Credit was given to so Hellish an Ac∣cusation of a Minister of the greatest Abilities, and the most devoted to the Good and Inte∣rest of the State, of all those who ever had the Administration of France. And it must be acknowledged, to his Honor, that in all the Fury of the League, he was the Man that prevented its falling into the Hands of Foreigners, and after a Ministry of fifty years, died poorer at the End than the Beginning of his Greatness. His Father had been likewise Secretary of State, and his Grandfather, of the same Name, De Neville, was so under Francis the First, and Superintendant of the Finances.

The Duke of Anjou, imitating the Con∣duct of Rehoboam who ruined himself by fol∣lowing the Counsel of the young Men, by the Advice of the Sieurs de Fervaques, S. Ag∣nan, de la Rochepot, and other hot-headed young Fellows that governed him, without acquainting the Prince of Orange, the Duke of Montpensier, Count de Lavall, nor any o∣ther Lords who were capable of giving him good Counsel; resolved, contrary to his Oath and against all Justice, to seize, the same day, on all the most considerable Cities of the Netherlands, as Dunkirk, Dendermonde, Bruges, and Antwerp it self, not being able

to bear any longer the great Authority of the Prince of Orange, and so limited a Power, complaining to be only a Sovereign in Name. And for a Proof of his just Resentment, and in his own Justification, he alledged that the People of Antwerp had taken up Arms to destroy him in his Lodgings, and having re∣belled against him by so rash an Act, he was consequently absolved from his Oath. Thus he surprized Dunkirk, Dendermonde, and some other places, but missed of Bruges and Antwerp, when he thought himself Master of it; for though he had poured into the City 17 Companies of Foot supported by all his Army, which he had advanced near the Walls, under pretence of making a review of it; nevertheless, the Burghers ran in all hast to their Arms, and made so brave a Re∣sistance, that the French were obliged to re∣tire in Disorder to the Gate by which they entred, where there was made such a terrible Slaughter of them, that 'twas impossible for those without to succour their Friends within; for there were Mountains of dead Bodies pil'd in Heaps one upon the other, which block'd up the Entry and cut off the Retreat of the French, of whom there were more stifled than kill'd. In this bloody Dispute, called the Enterprize upon Antwerp, there were killed only 83 Burghers, and 1500 French, among whom were 300 Gentlemen, who were all buried without Distinction in a great Ditch. And as the people of these Counties who are much of the same Humour with the Germans, in all

extraordinary Events make Computations up∣on the Numbers, they observed that this De∣liverance fell out in the Year 1583, which Number made up that of the 83 Burgh∣ers and 1500 French who were killed that day.

The Duke of Anjou, having miscarried in his Attempt, surrendred by a Treaty made with the States all the Places he had possessed himself of, and returning into France, died of Grief in his Appenage of Chateau-Thierry, in the beginning of the next year, with the Re∣putation of a violent and unsettled Temper.

The Flemmings believed that the Prince of Orange was concerned in the Attempt the French made to surprize Antwerp, and his Enemies and Enviers (which great Men ne∣ver fail to have) made use of this false pre∣tence, to lessen his great Credit, and of his fourth Marriage with Louise de Coligny, Daughter to the Admiral de Chastillon, whom he married after he had lost his third Wise Charlotte de Bourbon, who died at Antwerp not long after he was cured of his Wound, which was a visible proof, as they said, of his Inclination to the French, who at that time were had in Execration by all the Ne∣therlands. Seeing himself thus suspected, and that the Party of the States declined in the Walloon Provinces, he retired into Holland, where he thought his Life in greater Security and less exposed to those Attempts which Su∣perstition on one side, and the Reward pro∣mised in the Proscription on the other, made

every one ready to undertake against his Per∣son. He chose the City of Delft for his ordi∣nary Residence, where at the Beginning of the year 1584. he had a Son born called Henry Frederick, Grandfather to the present Prince of Orange, who did not de∣generate from the Vertue of his Ancestors.

Prince William employed Philip de Mornix, Seigneur de S. Aldegonde, in the Manage∣ment of his greatest Affairs, and made him Burgomaster of Antwerp when he left it. He was a Man of Quality, Integrity and Learning. About the End of his Life he made use of Iohn Barneveld, whom he va∣lued very much upon the account of his Ho∣nesty and great Capacity.

Having been almost overset with the Tem∣pests which had been raised up against him and having a Heart above the Storms, he took for his Devise, a Sea-Gull or Didapper, in Latin Mergus, with this Motto, Saevis tranquillus in Undis, Undisturb'd in the midst of the stormy Waves.

He behaved himself with so much Sweet∣ness and Civility to the common People, that he never wore his Hat as he walked through the Streets, where People of all Ages and Sexes crowded to see him. His most intimate Friends assured my Father, that in his Passage through the Streets, if he heard a Noise in any House, and saw a Hus∣band and Wife quarrelling, he entred, heard the Difference patiently, perswaded them to a Reconciliation with incredible Sweetness.

The Breach made up, the Master of the House asked him if he would not taste his Beer; the Prince said yes; the Beer brought, the Burgher, according to the Fashion of the Country, begins the Prince's Health, in a Gup which they call a Cann, and which is usually of blew Earth, then wiping off the Froth with the palm of his Hand, presented the Can to the Prince who pledged him. And when his Confidents told him, that he condescended too much to Men of such mean Quality, and treated them with too much Civility, the Prince used to answer, that what was gained by pulling off a Hat or a little Complaisance, was bought at a very easy Rate.

No wonder, after this, that he was so u∣niversally lamented by the People when he was unhappily assassinated in the 51st. year of his Age. 'Twas done by one Baltazar de Guerard a Gentleman of the Franche Comtè and Native of Villefons in the County of Burgundy, who in Hopes of a Reward, or pretending to merit Heaven, by taking out of the World an Enemy to the King and the Catholick Religion, killed him at Delft, as he rose from Table, with a Pistol Shot loaded with three Bullets, of which he died without saying any thing more than Lord have Mercy on my Soul, and this poor People! This dismal Accident happened in the presence of Louise de Coligny his fourth Wife, and the Countess of Schouarzebourg his Sister, whom he loved very tenderly, and who never forsook him

and was present at Antwerp when Iouregny wounded him.

This Villain had insinuated himself into the Acquaintance of the Prince, under the name of Francis Guyon Son to Peter Guyon of Besan∣con, who suffered for Religion. He had al∣ways the Huguenot Psalms in his Hands, and was a constant Frequenter of Sermons, the better to conceal his Design: Insomuch as the Prince trusted him, and sent him upon several Dispatches, and at the very Moment he assassinated him, he demanded of the Prince a Pass-port to go somewhere where the Prince was sending him. He was but 22 years old, and made appear as much Constancy and Resolution in suffering the Punishment of his Crime, as Boldness in un∣dertaking it. He repeated a hundred times, that if he had not done it, he would do it again; and when his Flesh was plucked off his Limbs with burning Pincers he did not utter the least Cry or Groan, which made the Hol∣landers believe he was possessed by the Devil; and the Spaniards, that he was assisted by God Almighty; so different are the Opinions and Passions of Mankind.

The Marks of the Balls which entred into a Stone of the Gate, after they had gone through the Body of the Prince, are shown to Stran∣gers at this day in Delft in Holland, and I my self saw them when I was young.

Thus died William of Nassaw Prince of O∣range, and these are his principal Actions, which are like so many solid Pillars upon

which he has erected the great Fabrick of the Commonwealth of the United Provinces. There was need of as vast a Genius and Capacity as his was to undertake so great and difficult a Work, an unparallelled Cou∣rage to carry it on to the End, and an un∣heard of Constancy in arriving to it, in spite of the formidable Power of Spain, and the domestick Treasons, which crossed his gene∣rous Designs. After this I believe no Man will accuse me of an Hyperbole for ranking this great Man among the Heroes of Anti∣quity; and asserting that the Life and Ver∣tue of the Admiral de Coligny bore a great Resemblance with that of the Prince of O∣range.

They had both a very great share of Con∣duct, Wisdom and Moderation. They both had the Address to clear up and unravel the most perplexed and embroiled Affairs. Both heard more than they talk'd. They had both the Art of persuading, and were full of good Counsels. Both possessed the Hearts, the Esteem and the Veneration of all those of their Party. Their Courage was above their Misfortunes, and their Constancy in support∣ing them was admirable. Both were often routed, and still found some glorious Resour∣ces in all their Adversities. Both had to do with the most powerful Kings of Christen∣dom. Both made use of the Assistance of England and Germany to maintain themselves. Both lived in the same Time, and out∣lived 50 years. Both supported the same

Religion, and established it one in France, the other in the Low-Countries. Both were pro∣scribed, and Prices set on their Heads. The Prince was seconded in his Wars, by the Courage of Count Lodowick, Adolphus, and Henry of Nassaw, his Brothers. And the Admiral was supported in his, by the Coun∣sels of Odel de Coligny, Cardinal de Chatillon, and by the Valour of Francis de Coligny, Seig∣neur d' Andelot Colonel-General of the French Infantry, his two Brothers. In fine, both died a violent Death and by Treason, and both equally dreaded. The powerful Princes whom they had attacked not thinking themselves secure till they had cut off these two great Men; and not being able to com∣pass it by open Force and War, made use of Treachery and Fraud to bring it about.

The Prince would never have perished as the Admiral did; for he would never have committed himself to the Power of his Ene∣mies being of the same Opinion with the Man who said, that when a Subject draws his Sword against his King, he ought to throw away the Scabbard. The Prince died by giving all sorts of Persons too free Access to his Person, at a time when Superstition was the Motive to such horrible Attempts, and perhaps by be∣ing of Caesar's Opinion, who told his Friends when they advised him to guard himself, and make himself fear'd, That 'twas better to die once, than live in continual Apprehensions of Death.

As soon as the News of his Murder was spread about, nothing was to be seen over all Parts in the Cities but Tears, nothing to be heard over all the Villages of the Country but Lamentations, as if all had lost what was most dear to them. The People of the United Provinces, in the Celebration of his Funeral, shewed the greatest Mourning which was ever heard of, and their Affliction went even to Despair. The Funeral Pomp was very Magnificent; all the Nobility assisted at it, and the chief Men of the Provinces, in deep Mourning followed by an incredible Num∣ber of People of all Conditions. Prince Maurice his Son followed the Corps, having on his Right Hand Gerard Trucses Archbi∣shop and Elector of Cologne, and on his Left Count de Hohenlo or Helac. This was that Elector, who falling desperately in love with Agnes de Mansfield a Nun, chose rather to lose his Soveraignty and Electorate than his Mistress. He was of the same Opinion with that Greek Poet who writ, that a beloved Nymph stood in instead of all things, and that we can want nothing with her; but not enjoying her, we are poor amidst the plenty of all other Goods.

This Archbishop delivered into the Hands of the United Provinces the City of Reneberg in the Diocess of Cologne. It was so often taken by the Spaniards and Dutch, that the Marquess Spinola called it the Whore of War, and it was seven years since in the Hands of the States, the Consideration of which made

the present Elector of Cologne join with France, to recover again this Place of his Electorate, which this Trucses had alienated, and this Al∣liance gave us an Opportunity of falling up∣on Holland behind, which some years since was almost over-run.

The Gravers of Holland have represented this Magnificent Funeral Pomp of the Prince of Orange, upon several Sheets of Paper glu'd together, which take up the whole side of a great Hall, in order to perpetuate the Memory of so remarkable a Mourning.

Count Maurice his Son built him a very stately Monument of Marble, where his Images stands made to the Life; the Basis of this fine Monument is adorn'd with several Statues representing all the Ver∣tues, and the upper part is surrounded with weeping Loves. It stands in one of the prin∣cipal Churches of Delft, and is not inferiour to the most sumptuous and stately Tombs in Italy.

Reflecting on this Tragical Death of the Prince of Orange, I have often wondred that so wife a Man, and who had so powerful E∣nemies, had not better guarded himself. For when he passed through the Cities he was commonly attended by only three or four Domesticks; and I wondred at it the more because, not long before, Iouregny had like to have killed him at Antwerp, where he e∣scaped miraculously. And there were many Salcedes in the Country who wanted only an Opportunity to assassinate him. For after

his Death the Spaniards gave out, that when he was murthered by this Burgundian, there was the same time at Delft, a Lorrainer, an English Man, and two more of different Na∣tions, who had the same Design, and could not have failed to put it in Execution.

It seems to me that his own Dangers ought to have made him provide better for his Secu∣rity; but he feared only two Nations, the Italians and Spaniards, imploying all others but these two; and in the City of Delft which he had made the Seat of his Residence there was neither Spaniard nor Italian. He ob∣served that though a Price had been set on Admiral Coligny's Head, nevertheless no Man durst run the Hazard of Assassinating him in hopes of a Reward which could prove of no Service to them when they had lost their Lives; for there was no Appearance of making an Escape after they had killed a Prince in his own Country and in the midst of his Attendants. Had he lived till the year 1589. and seen a little Monk, spurred on by a false Zeal of Religion, have the Boldness to assassinate Henry the III. at St. Cloud in the midst of his Army, he would have taken more Care of his Safety.

These dismal Accidents, and the deplora∣ble Death of Henry the IV. massacred in the middle of Paris, were a Warning to Richelieu who had always in his Mind, this Proverb, that Suspicion is the Mother of Security. For when he saw all Europe had conspired his Ruin, he stood upon his Guard, and died

peaceably in his Bed, in spite of all the Dis∣gusts of his Master, and the Contrivances of his Enemies.

The Superstitious Catholicks and Spani∣ards celebrate this Belthazar de Guerard, and have ranked him in the Number of their Martyrs. Upon which Subject I can∣not but admire that Famianus Strada in his excellent History of the Low Countries has insinuated that Iouregny who narrowly missed of killing the Prince at Antwerp, had a good Design, because he had fortified and prepared himself before he executed it, with the Sacraments of the Communion and Pen∣nance, as if God Almighty who has express∣ly forbid Murther in the Decalogue, and our Lord Iesus Christ, who hath said and taught that he who should strike with the Sword, should perish by the Sword, would guide and strengthen a Murtherer in his Attempt. Some Examples of the Old Testament will not serve to justifie him, where God Almigh∣ty for the Preservation and establishment of the people of Israel, and for other Reasons best known to himself allowed of such Actions, otherwise there could be no Security for the Life of any Prince. The Huguenots on the other side made a Martyr of that execrable Poltrot, who killed the Great Francis of Lor∣rain Duke of Guise, who had given him a treat in his House and made him eat at his Table, insomuch as Adrianus Turnebus one of the learnedst men of his Age, made a La∣tin Poem in Honour of this Poltrot, who

was called Iohn de Merè, where he says,

Conspicuus fulvo stabit Mereus in auro.

And toward the End,

Plurimus ut maneat Mereus in ore nepotum.

Another learned Heretick said this in his Poem, Praemia multa Meret, alluding to his Name de Merè. Another Heretick goes so far as to say among other things in French Verse,

Ce valeureux Poltrot qui tant s'ever tua Que le tyran, tueur de Chretiens il tua.

I knew in my youth the Lady of the Sieur Alard a Captain in the French Troops in Holland, so prepossessed with false Zeal and Bigotry for Calvinism, that she shewed pub∣lickly to all the World the Picture of Poltrot, like Iudith having killed Holofernes, which she kept in the Reuelle of her Bed, as a great Martyr, and whom she considered as the Deliverer of the little Flock.

The Doctors of the League honoured with many Elogies Iames Clement a Iacobin, the Murtherer of Henry the III. comparing him to Ebud who freed the people of Israel from their Servitude, by killing Eglon Prince of the Moabites in his Chamber. For Men's Passi∣ons are so violent, and their Animosities pre∣judice them in such a manner, that they ce∣lebrate

Actions which deserve not only the Blame of all good Men, but an exemplary Punishment.

William Prince of Orange made more noise in Europe than all the Kings of his time put together, and has left behind him a renowned Posterity, who pursuing his glorious Example, have amazed all the Christian World by Acti∣ons which are immortalized in History. He may boast to have been the Father of two very great Captains, to have produced Kings, Electors, Landtgraves, and Sovereign Princes in Germany, to have peopled France with Princes, Princesses, Dukes, Cardinals, Ma∣reschals, and many great Lords. But for a clearer Understanding of the Matter, we must first declare that he had four Wives.

His first Wife was Anne D' Egmont Daugh∣ter to Maximilian D' Egmont Count of Bu∣rem and Leerdam, a great Heiress, whom he married by the Favour of Charles V. and had by her a Son and Daughter. The Son was Philip William Prince of Orange, of whom more hereafter, and the Daughter Mary de Nassaw who was married to Philip Count de Hohenlo, commonly called de Holac, a great General, who after the unexpected Death of the Prince of Orange which put the United Provinces into a strange Consternation, ge∣nerously resisted all the Efforts of the Spani∣ards, and taught the first Rudiments of War to Prince Maurice his Brother in Law who was at the College at the time of this un∣happy Accident.

His second Wife was Anne of Saxony, Daughter to the Great Maurice Elector of Saxony who made head against the Emperor Charles the V. by whom he had the Famous Maurice, of whom we shall give a very large Relation, and a Daughter named Emilia de Nassau who married Emanuel King of Por∣tugal, Son to King Anthony of Portugal, who was dispossessed by King Philip the II. This Prince Emmanuel won so much on the Prin∣cess by his Civility, Courtship and Addresses, that she chose him for her Husband as poor as he was, and of a contrary Religion, and tho' Prince Maurice opposed the Match as ad∣vantageous to neither. They had two Sons, whom I knew in my youth, one of whom left a Son, among other Children, who went lately into Holland to demand of the Prince of Orange the Remainder of his Grandmo∣ther's Fortune; and many Daughters, some of whom were married to Persons of a very unsuitable Quality. She was a very good Princess, but about the end of her Life, ha∣ving fallen out with the Prince of Orange her Brother, she retired to Geneva. An. Dom. 1623. and died shortly after of Melancholy, leaving six Daughters whom I saw at Gene∣va, An. Dom. 1624. She was Godmother to one of my Sisters and gave her Her Name Emilia, who is still alive and is married to the Seigneur de Montrevil near Menetoon in Champagne: Her Godfather was the Count de Culembourg, Son to Florent de Pallant Count de Culembourg, whose House at Brussels was

pulled down by Order of the Duke of Alva, and who having done nothing after the Ad∣dress of the Nobility, retired into Holland and lived so privately that he died unknown to those of his own Party.

The third Wife of William Prince of O∣range was Charlotte de Bourbon of the House of Montpensier, whom I have declared before to have been a Religieuse or Abbess of Iouarre. But the Love of Liberty which is an invalua∣ble Blessing, prevailed over all the Vows she had made in her youth, which she pleaded she had been forced to, and had made several Protestations against. She died of a Pleurisy at Antwerp, A. D. 1582. leaving six Daugh∣ters behind her.

The eldest Lovise Iulienne de Nassau was married to Frederick the IV. Elector Palatine, Father to Frederick the V. Elected King of Bohemia, who by the Princess Elizabeth of England, Sister to Charles the I. King of Great Britain, had many Princes and Prin∣cesses.

The eldest, Henry Frederick Design'd King of Bohemia with his Father, A. D. 1620. was a ve∣ry handsom and hopeful Prince. He studied at Leyden, and Our Tutor Benjamin Prioleau Au∣thor of the Latin History of the last Regency, carried us duely every Sunday after Dinner to play with this young Prince, who loved us ex∣treamly, which made us the more regret his Death when we afterwards heard of it. He perished unhappily in the Sea of Haerlem, going in Company with the King his Father to see

the Spanish Galleons laden with an inestima∣ble Booty, which had been taken by Peter Hain the Dutch Admiral near the Island of Cuba. A Vessel by Night, sailing full Speed, having fall'n soul on his, split it in two; thus the Prince and all that were in it were drowned, except the King his Father, who by great Fortune, having caught hold of a Rope that was thrown out to him from the Ship, was miraculously drawn aboard.

The Second is the present Elector Palatine, who has several Children by the Princess of Hesse, among others, Madam the Dutchess of Orleans, a Princess of great Wit and Judg∣ment, who has already Children who are the first Princes of the Blood in France.

The third is the Famous Prince Robert who has won so much Reputation by Sea and Land, having not deceived the hopes which he had given in his Infancy, by the Martial and Manly Look which was then taken notice of.

The fourth was called Edward, who lived a long time in France, where turning Catho∣lick he married the Princess Anne de Gonzague Daughter to the late Duke of Mantua, Mont∣ferrat and Lions, and Sister to Maria Louise Q. of Poland, and Wife to two Brothers Uladislaus and Casimir Kings of Poland. She was cele∣brated for her Beauty under the Name of the Princess Maria. Concerning whom, I add this by the way, that having been de∣signed Queen of Poland, and understanding that I was very well acquainted with the

State of that Kingdom where I had been twice; she desired me by the Duke de Noailles to give her some Instructions of it, which I did several Afternoons; and in To∣ken of her Acknowledgment she would be Godmother to my eldest Daughter, with Monsieur the Coadjutor of Paris, then Archbishop of Corinth, who is the famous Cardinal de Retz, the learnedst Prelate in the Kingdom.

But to return to the Prince Palatine, Ed∣ward: He left three Daughters by the Prin∣cess Anne of Mantua, the eldest of whom is Madam the Dutchess of Enguien, already the Mother of several Princes and Princesses of the Blood. The other married the Duke of Brunswick Hanouer, who had only Daugh∣ters, and the third the Prince of Solme who was made prisoner at the Battle of Seneff.

If I well remember (for I write all this by my memory which is very good without the Assistance of any Book) there was another Son of the King of Bohemia, a very handsom Man, Godson to Prince Maurice of Nassau, called Maurice.

I saw another Son of his, called Philip, who retired to Venice, for an Action which 'tis better to pass over in Silence than men∣tion.

Another Son was called Louis, who died young, whom my Father named so for the late King who was his Godfather, by an Or∣der of his Majesty which follows.

Monsieur de Maurier,

BEing acquainted with the Desire my Cousin the Count Palatine of the Rhine has to in∣vite me to be Godfather to the last Son which God has given him, I shall be extreamly glad to pay him this Testimony of my Friendship and good Affection, and that you should perform this Office in my Name when the time is, first informing him of the Charge I have given you, and renewing the Assurances of my Af∣fection to him: Referring this to your Care I desire God (Monsieur Maurier) to keep and preserve you.

Written at Paris the 15th day of Novemb. 1623.

Signed

• LOWIS; and below,
• Brulart.

In pursuance of this Order the Ceremony of the Baptism was performed. Prince Mau∣rice represented the King of Sweden, who was likewise Godfather, and the Coun∣tess of Nassau, the Queen of Sweden. My Father Walked as Embassador of France, with the King of Bohemia on his Right Hand, and the Prince of Orange on his Left. The Ceremony was celebrated with great Pomp in a Church at the Hague called the Cloistre, where I was present, with my three Brothers. For which great Honour the King and Queen of Bohemia thanked the King of France by Monsieur D'Ausson de Villeroul, of the House of Iau∣court,

Brother-in-Law to my Father, who was in their Service, and afterwards unhap∣pily perished with Prince Henry Frederick by the splitting of the Vessel which I mentioned before. The Pope's Nuncio Resident at Pa∣ris hearing of this Baptism, made great Com∣plaints of it at Court, and said 'twas a great Shame for the most Christian King and eldest Son of the Church to have his Person repre∣sented by a Huguenot in an Ecclesiastical Ce∣remony.

The King and Queen of Bohemia left be∣hind them several Princesses eminent for their Beauty and Merit, one of whom turned Ca∣tholick, and is now Abbess de Maubuisson.

The Princess Louise Iuliane de Nassau, eldest Daughter of Charlotte de Bourbon, and William Prince of Orange, had also a Daughter by Frederick the IV. Elector Palatine, who was married to the late Elector of Brandenburg, Father to the present Elector. I saw (A. D. 1635.) the old Electoress Palatine a Konigs∣berg, the Capital of the Ducal Prussia, where she had retired to her Daughter the Electoress of Brandenbourg after the Disorders of the Palatinate. These two Princesses were extreamly civil to me.

The second Daughter of Charlotte de Bour∣bon and William Prince of Orange, was Eli∣zabeth de Nassau, Wife to Henry de la Tour, Duke of Bouillon, a Famous General in the the Wars of Henry the IV She was living in the year 1641. and I saw her in the Castle of Sedan, after the Battle wherein the Count

de Soissons was killed. She left two Sons and four Daughters who had Children

The eldest was Frederick Maurice de la Tour, Duke of Bouillon, as great a Captain as his Fa∣ther, who by the Countess de Bergue had the present Duke of Bouillon, Great Chamberlain of France, and the Cardinal de Bouillon, a Prince of great Learning and Merit, and the Count D'Auvergne who has distinguished him∣self in our Armies, and other Children, a∣mong the rest the Dutchess D'Elbeuf.

The second Son of Elizabeth de Nassau and Henry de la Tour Duke of Bouillon, was the Famous Henry de la Tour, Viscount de Turenne, a General of as great Wisdom and Valour, who during the whole Course of his Life was held for one of the firmest Pillars of the State, and in consideration of his extraordi∣nary Valour and great Services, was interr'd at St. Denys with our Kings, by a just Order of his Majesty. He married the Heireress of the House de la Force, whose Vertue equalled her Birth; she was Daughter to the deceased Duke de la Force, and Grand-daughter to a Mareschal of that Name, two Famous Cap∣tains, and died without Issue, but if she had left any Children behind her they could not have failed of being great Men, being de∣scended on both sides from an illustrious Number of generous Ancestors.

Besides these two great Sons, Elizabeth de Nassau had several Daughters by Henry de la Tour, Duke de Bouillon.

The eldest, Anna Maria de la Tour, mar∣ried Henry Duke de la Trimouille and de Thouars her Cousin German.

Iuliane de la Tour was married to Francis de Roye de la Rochefoucault, Count de Roussy, Father to the Count de Roye, very Famous in our Armies.

Elizabeth Wife of Guy Alfonse de Darfort, Marquess of Duras, Father to Monsieur de Duras, Captain of the Guards du Corps to the King, Mareschal of France, Governour of the Franche Comtè, and of the Count de Lorge like∣wise Mareschal of France.

I believe that the youngest was called Henrietta de la Tour, Wife to the late Mar∣quess de la Moissy of the House of Matig∣non. She is Mother to the Marquese Du Bordage, and the Count de Quintine, who married a Lady of the Illustrious Name of Montgomery, as considerable for her Beauty and Merit, as the Greatness of her Extra∣ction.

The third Daughter of Charlotte de Bour∣bon and William Prince of Orange, was na∣med Catharine Belgique, who married Philip Louis Count of Hanau a Sovereign Lord near Francfort on the Main, from whom, besides the Counts of Hanau, is descended Amelia Elizabeth, Wife to that generous William Landtgrave of Hesse, who died in the year 1637. after whose Death this Princess, a Wo∣man of a masculine Courage, continued on the War against the Imperialists, and pursued the Steps of her Husband who after the Peace

of Prague (where most of the Protestant Prin∣ces forsook their Allies and joined with the House of Austria) had the Courage and Re∣solution to make head almost alone against so formidable a Power. Among other Chil∣dren she left the present Landtgrave of Hesse, called William as his Father was, the Ele∣ctoress Palatine Mother to the Dutchess of Orleans, and the Princess of Tarente, Mother to the present Duke de la Trimouille who is married to the Heiress of the House of Crequi.

The fourth Daughter of Charlotte de Bour∣bon and the Prince of Orange, was Charlotte Brabantine, Wife to Claude Duke de la Trimou∣ille, and de Thouars, Count de la Val who had Henry Duke de la Trimouille, dead lately, and Frederick de la Trimouille, Count de Laval killed in a Duel in Italy by the late Monsieur Du Coudray Montpensier. I saw him, and knew him in my youth, and because his upper Lip was slit, they called him Bec de lievere or Hare-Lip. Henry Duke de la Trimouille had by Mary de la Tour, his Cousin German, formerly mentioned, the Prince de Tarent and de Talmont who is dead, and who had the Duke of Trimouille already mentioned by the Princess of Hesse.

The fifth Daughter of Charlotte de Bourbon and the Prince of Orange, was Charlotte Flan∣drine de Nassau, who returning to the Reli∣gion of her Ancestors died Abbess of S. Croix in Poictiers. She was a very good Princess, I knew her, but was little, and so deaf that she could not hear without a little Silver Trumpet.

The sixth Daughter of Charlotte de Bourbon Princess of Orange was Aemilia of Nassau, Wife to Frederick Casimir Count Palatine, of the Branch of Duponts, called the Duke of Lansberg.

This is the illustrious and great Posterity of this Fruitful Abbess.

The fourth and last Wife of William of Nassau Prince of Orange, was Louise de Colig∣ny, Widow to Monsieur de Teligny, and Daughter to the great Admiral de Chatillon; by whom he had only one Son, the renow∣ned Henry Frederick Prince of Orange, of whom we shall speak hereafter.

Besides his celebrated Posterity of legiti∣mate Children, the Prince of Orange left a Na∣tural Son called Iustin de Nassau, who led a considerable Body of Men to the Assistance of King Henry the IV. before the Peace of Vervins. He was a Brave, Vertuous Man, and died Governour of Breda. I have heard my Father say, that in the year 1616. ha∣ving dispatched to Court upon some impor∣tant Affair, a Garson Captain, named Lan∣chere, famous in the Netherlands, where he served. This Courier in his Return passing through Breda, Monsieur Iustin de Nassau asked him, what News? He answered, no∣thing considerable but the Imprisonment of the Count D' Auvergne, since Duke of Angou∣lesme. Iustin de Nassau asking him the Rea∣son, he replied, bluntly striking him on the Back, (for he was acquainted with his true Extraction) Don't you know, Sir, that a

Son of a Whore was never good for any thing. A Fault which the poor Lanchere confessed to my Father when he knew that he was a Bastard. Which is a proof that 'tis good to be informed of Pedigrees and Alliances, otherwise we are liable to Mi∣stakes, and to offend innocently Persons of Quality.

The End of the Life of William of Nassau Prince of Orange.