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 sixth Chapter. How that the intended Altera∣tion of the Government, was the occasion of the Warres. (Book 6)

THe nature of man is much addicted, and is easily in∣clined to domination; from whence (according to the saying of Aristotle) proceedeth Tyrannicall Government; especially, when as the Prince transgresseth the limits of the Laws of the Land: And it sel∣dom hapneth, but that men attempt the taking of more in hand, then they are able to perform, unless the very hope of the performance of that which is desired be utterly ex∣tinguished: Therefore those anci∣ent Princes whose hope and repose depended altogether upon their Native Countrey, as having no ex∣pectation

of Forraign power to re∣lie upon, were obedient unto the Lawes, were lovers of equity, were respecters of the States, as well knowing upon whose power and meanes both their honour and re∣putation consisted.

The Burgondians descended of Royall Progeny, were the first that climbed up the first step unto domi∣nation, yet very secretly; the Li∣berty continuing never the lesse, not only in outward shew, but al∣so for the greatest part thereof in her full face.

Afterwards Charls being Em∣perour, and King of other Coun∣trys, was not therewithall well con∣tented, that herewithall he should be called but a Prince: But yet he for affection and some certaine respects was restrained, in regard that he was born and brought up here in the Countrey; and besides,

did exceedingly respect this Peo∣ple, as being very convenient In∣struments for the enterprising of any great exploit; and such as were of themselves very faithfull, but yet very soon displeased, and exceeding powerfull, when as their Liberty should be but once toucht.

Now the Church of God at that time being overwhelmed and poysoned with palpable Heresies, and longing for a wholsome medi∣cine to purge the same: yet he re∣solving by violence to maintaine that which was in use amongst them, sent his bloody Commissi∣ons, that whosoever should bee found to be of any other Religion, should bee punished with death, never respecting nor enquiring what was the meaning and reso∣lution of the States in so weighty a businesse.

But his Son Philip being of that

unsatiable nature, that was content with nothing else but with an abso∣lute power, envied all Nations that would prescribe a Law unto their Prince: The which the People of Aragon to their great ruine have proved. The Spaniards, who had the Education of King Philip in his youth, took hold of this occa∣sion very earnestly, to prosecute the same against the Hollanders, and the rest of the Netherlanders; since which time, there hath been a con∣tinuall jealousie and contention betwixt them, which of them should bee best in the Princes fa∣vour; whereupon they sought to make the Liberty of the Nether∣lands very hatefull: And on the contrary, to demonstrate how that the Cities in Italy, and the Coun∣treys of America, and the West-Indies, in such and such manner were kept in subjection with their Garrisons,

and that there was an absolute obe∣dience without any limitation.

At what time as the warres in France ending, and King Philip be∣ing requested in behalfe of the States, that hee would draw the Garrisons of the Spaniards out of the Countrey; which reasonable request of theirs, hee took very hainously, and in ill part; and be∣ing returned againe into Spaine, from that time for the most part after never permitted the publike affaires of Holland, nor of the Ne∣therlands to be governed by the Lords that were the Inhabitants, and borne in the Countrey, where∣of according to old custome, the principall and permanent Councel of the State of this Land did ever consist, but by the resolutions which were concluded in Spaine▪ leaving heere the Cardinall Granvell to bee the executioner

of the Spanish Precepts.

The matters concerning Reli∣gion were brought to that passe, that although it had bin a matter of great offence to have beleeved any otherwise then the Pope of Rome should thinke convenient, yet ne∣verthelesse a good Prince should not have atempted to have punish∣ed the same, in regard of the great multitudes of those that might be accused therewithall, from whose consciences that Religion of what sort soever it might be, would ne∣ver by no feare have been extingui∣shed, or qualified.

For this occasion the principall Lords, and also the chiefest Ci∣ties and Provinces made their Declaration, that neither their traffique, nor yet the common tranquillity of the Land could bee maintained, unlesse those corrisive Commissions concerning the Re∣ligion,

were lenified and mitigated; the which was so farre contrary to his minde, that King Philip should follow their counsell therein, that hee contrary thereunto ordained that such a search and inquisition should be made, even to the very secret motions and cogitations of the heart, and that after a very new, strange, and unusuall manner of proceeding, the like whereof was never heard before, in such manner as if it had been against those Jews, or Mahumetists which shelter se∣cretly in some parts of Christen∣dome, and is practised in Spaine.

To this end and purpose were there here and there new Bishop∣rickes erected and distributed with great contradicting and in despite of the States, without whose con∣sent in former time the Clergy∣men might not bee augmented; considering now that all this with∣out

all doubt tended to the great confusion of the publike affaires, and first of all, those Lords that were in the Councell of State, and afterwards a great number of noble personages assembling to this end and purpose, under whom also was the Lord of Brederode, descended of the Family of the Princes of Holland, who did both counsel and entreat, that they should proceed unto that remedy, the which in for∣mer times was very often used in matters of lesse moment, viz. to a Convocation of the Generall States, although King Philip be∣fore his departure, and at his de∣parture, had excessively comman∣ded to hinder the same, that there might be no Convocation of the Generall States; from hence there arose an uprore, not by any common consent, but by the en∣terprise of some certaine particu∣lar

persons of the poorest and common people, about the taking away of the Images out of the Churches, in regard that it was a high trespasse and sinne to make supplication and intercession unto them. And after that this uprore was pacified by the authority of the principall Lords, it pleased the King of Spaine, and the Spani∣ards, under the pretext of this one inconsiderate particular, contrary to all right and reason, to charge the whole Nation generally with the offence of Rebellion; where∣upon the Duke of Alba was sent with a very rigorous Commission, to take possession of the absolute Soveraignty, being naturally a very rigorous man, as all Germany can testifie; he very openly published that both the States, Cities, and People of the Netherlands, and e∣very person in particular had for∣feited

all their priviledges, and that from hence forward they were to expect no other Lawes but what it pleased the King to command, whereof he himselfe was a suffici∣ent testimony that the Lawes were abolished; he being a stranger, and none of the Princes blood, and yet neverthelesse against all right and custome was sent to possesse the generall Government. The judge∣ment of matters was also with∣drawne from the lawfull and ordi∣nary Colledges, and by the erection of a new Judgement Seat, or Bench, where the matter of Lesae Majestatis, or the abusing of His Highnesse, should be decided by the Spaniards, and by their adhe∣rents, such as made themselves slaves unto the Spaniards, having gotten under their power, not only the lives, but also the goods of all the inhabitants, whereof not

onely many thousands of the com∣mon people were executed, but also the very Earles themselves of Egmond and Horne, being condem∣ned by false accusations, were for∣ced to present their necks to the violent stroak of the Hangman. William Earle of Nassaw, Prince of Orange, being one of the chiefest Lords of the Netherlands, with divers others, were banished; of w^ch persons, Egmond had his Earl∣dome in Holland, and the Prince of Orange was Governour of Holland. The Marquesse of Berghen, and the Lord of Montignie, who had car∣ried the Requests and Remonstra∣tions of the people and of the States into Spaine, were both made away, the one being openly exe∣cuted, and the other▪ according to common report, poysoned.

Thereafter, according to the

custome of all those that will bee Dominators, the Cities were plan∣ted with Spanish Garrisons, or else Cittadels and Castles built there∣in. Moreover and above, to the end that this Nation, which be∣fore to this present time had been a free people, might the more openly publish their slavery, by maintaining and providing for themselves food and rayment, they were inforced at that time by the terrible threatnings of their De∣puty, to bring up the twentieth penny at the sale of every house or parcell of Land, and every tenth penny of all Moveables, which their Princes themselves in former times were accustomed to.

Then the Fidelitie and the Liberty of those people were long contending with each other;

but in regard it was not possible to endure any longer the op∣pression of their Lawes: and they setting at nought of the States, and the Governement which had continued so many hundred yeeres; and that the Libertie of their posteritie could not longer bee maintained: then the States of Holland, unto whom appertained the protection, as well both of the Lawes, as also of the generall, and their owne particular Rights, in the yeere 1572. upon the 19. of Iuly, in the Assembly at Dordrecht, consisting of certaine Nobles, and of the Deputies of the great∣est part of the Cities, according to the example of their Fore fa∣thers, who tooke up Armes a∣gainst the Romanes, when as they pressed to bee Dominators, under∣took

the warre against the Duke of Alba, re-establishing againe the persons that were unlawfully banished, and acknowledged Wil∣liam Prince of Orange for their Governour and Generall.