A treatise of the antiquity of the commonwealth of the Battavers, which is now the Hollanders first written in Latin by Hugo Grotius, advocat fiscall of Holland, Zealand, and Westfriesland, &c. And afterwards translated into the Netherlandish Dutch, and perused by the author himselfe. And now again translated out of both the Latin and Dutch, into English, by Tho. Woods, Gent.

The first Chapter. What a Principality is in a Go∣vernment of Nobles; And what they be that are called States. (Book 1)

ALI Nations are governed, either by the Common People, or else by the Nobles, or else by one Man only. The Government of the Nobles is

either with a Principality, or else without a Principality: I call that a Principality, which is a more ex∣cellent and eminent Authority in the person of one man only, being limited by the Power and Laws of others: By which markes this is different from that which is called properly a Regall Authority. And for this occasion, it is that Tacitus maketh mention, how that Piso had reported of Germanicus, that hee was the sonne of a Prince of the Romans, and not of a King of the Parthians. And Suetonius reporteth of Caligula, that it wanted but a very little, but that he had trans∣formed the shape or frame of the Principality into a Regall Autho∣rity; even as Caesar also reporteth of the Father of Vercingetorix, that he being a Prince of the Walloons, for divers Considerations suing to have brought the same to a Re∣gall

Authority, was made away by the Burgesses. And Pliny speak∣ing of Trajan, reporteth that hee possessed the Seat of the Prince, because that there should bee no place for a Lord: Yet neverthe∣lesse, the Principality being impro∣perly spoken, is called a Regall Authority. And in like manner (saith Aristotle) it was in the dayes of the Worthies, that the Regall Authority had his origi∣nall beginning, and that when as the People having gotten and re∣ceived any exceeding great beni∣fit from them, their Parents or Ancestors, as for example; By whom they had gotten and ob∣tained good Lawes, or by whom in time of Warre they were pro∣tected and defended, them they gave the ful Authority of the War, with the power of judging of the Affaires: which Regall Authority

hee reporteth to bee over them that voluntarily consented there∣unto, and were also limited with Lawes: The same also reporteth Thucidides, that amongst the Greeks the Authority of the Kings is the most Ancient, the which descen∣ded from the Parents unto the Children by Succession, being clad with certain Titles of Honour.

From whence then appeareth, that in the Government of the Nobles, the Principalities were distributed according to the order of the kindred; from whence we have an excellent example from them of Lacedemonia: Moreover, the Nobles in whom the Sove∣raignty consisteth, doe give their voyces▪ either each of them apart, like as the Venetians doe, or else in the behalf of any Society; which Societies are either of one, or else of divers sorts: Those that were of

one sort, were like unto those of Achaia, whose Convocation con∣sisted of the Deputies of the Ci∣ties. The other which were of di∣vers sorts, were of the Burgesses, and of the Societies consisting of the Burgesses, arising from the di∣versities of the Qualities, accord∣ing, unto the which, some of them were ordained to the Government, some by one meanes, and some by an other meanes: And for this oc∣casion, those same Qualities; and also those Societies themselves were called by the Latins, Ordines; which in Common Language wee doe usually call the States: Which States Hippodamus made of three sorts, as, of the Artificers, the Hus∣bandmen, and the Souldiers. Plato made, the Survayers, the Souldiers, and the Husbandmen: The Egypti∣ans made the Priests, the Souldiers, and the Tradesmen: The old Wal∣loons

made, the Druides, the Horse∣men, and the common People. So that oftentimes the Nobles then were different, and apart, in respect of the States: Those that have then the chief sway in the Govern∣ment, wee call a Government of States: Like as at this present in Germany, where the chiefest sway consisteth together in the Princes Electors, the Princes & the Cities. If in case then that this Authority of the Nobles, being united to∣gether with the States, whereunto also appertained a lawfull Princi∣pality, then such a Government must bee esteemed for the most choyse and best tempered Go∣vernment. For, since in all matters mediocrity is most commended; and that mediocrity is nominated sometimes from that which is se∣parated from both the Ends, and sometimes from that which is par∣taking

of both the Ends; so that then it appeareth, that this Go∣vernment in such manner, is placed between the Regall Authority, and the Authority of the Common Peo∣ple; so that it avoideth the evils of both of them, and draweth unto it selfe from, them all which is good after it. For first of all, since that it tolerateth not all things, neither only one man to govern, which is subject to many errours, not yet the Common People who are igno∣rant; so that by this meanes with∣out all doubt much danger is a∣voyded.

Again, in regard that a Regall Authority is commended, in re∣spect of the exceeding Majesty and Dignity thereof: And the Autho∣rity of the Common People com∣mended, in respect of the equall Liberty: Yet the Government of the Nobles, obtaineth that ex∣ceeding

Majesty and Dignity by the Principality; and also giveth as much equall Liberty as is con∣venient, when as they (unto every one that shall endeavour himselfe thereunto, of what state soever he be, by his good parts & demeanors, and by making themselves a for∣tune thereunto) doe bestow upon such, both the highest Offices, and also the partnership of the Sove∣raign Authority.

This then being set down as a Preface, to the end, that that which followeth and shall bee spoken hereafter, bee not mangled and spoyled; there remaineth now, that wee diligently make enquiry, in what state the Government of the Battavers hath been, even from the very beginning of this Com∣mon-Wealth, to this very pre∣sent.

And in the doing whereof, if in

case my arguments bee not so ab∣solutely perfect, as if I were in handling the History of the Gre∣cians, or of the Romans: yet let no man marvell thereat, since that the ancientest Antiquities of the Ger∣mans are not known unto us no otherwise, but by the Writings of the Romans, who took very little care in the Registring of the Af∣faires of Strangers: And that also even after the fall of the Romane Empire, the Acts of our Nation, like as also the greatest part of all others, of those times, are so ex∣ceeding obscure, and also very ma∣ny of them so involved in many untruths and mear fables: And also that for a long time after, and even untill now, very lately, is there risen up but few of good understanding that have endevoured to propa∣gate the Fame of the Acts of the proceedings unto Posterity: Espe∣cially,

also, because that for a long time, the very Charters and Re∣cords doe make no report of any thing unto us: And for this occasion, the Reader must take in good part, and be content with that rough hewen and unpol∣lished portraiture of the Govern∣ment that is described; and not expect a perfect, curious, and po∣lished representation thereof: and must doe in this, that which a Judge ought to doe in matters that exceed memory; as namely, that he shall not so curiously and pre∣cisely urge testimony from every moment of time to time, but the beginning and the end being pro∣ved, hee must imagine with him∣selfe, that the time betwixt both was conformed unto the ends, if the contrary doe not appeare.