A declaration and publication of the most worthy Prince of Orange, contaynyng the cause of his necessary defence against the Duke of Alba Translated out of French into English, and co[m]pared by other copies in diuers languages.

A declaration and publication of the most worthy Prince of Orange, contaynyng the cause of his necessary defence against the Duke of Alba Translated out of French into English, and co[m]pared by other copies in diuers languages.

Table of contents

Title page

❧We William by the grace of God Prince of Orange, Earle of Nassaw, Catsenellebogen, Vianen, Dietz, Bueren, and Leerdam, Baron of Breda. &c. After all due and friendly commendations, giue to weete to all those that shall see or read this present declaration. (⸫)

[Page]

[Page]

❧We William by the grace of God Prince of Orange, Earle of Nassaw, Catsenellebogen, Vianen, Dietz, Bueren, and Leerdam, Baron of Breda. &c. After all due and friendly commendations, giue to weete to all those that shall see or read this present declaration. (⸫)

ALlthough that (to our seming) it be not necessary to declare here at large the occasyon that moueth vs with our Allies & confederates, to vse this begon & enterprised defence, (not for any great pleasure that we take therein, but rather through vnmoueable reasons and constraintes) against the vnreasonable and horryble practises, [Page] (the like not heretofore heard of, practised, or executed of the Duke of Alba, hys adherents, and bloud thirsty rabble in the in the low Countrey. Nothing doubtyng but that all good and godly mē, will hold vs for more thā excused, knowing our nature so enclined to peace, & therewith the faithfull and diligent duties which we vsed, during the time of tumult and sedition: employing body, goods, and honor, to the profit of his Maiesty and Countrey. Seeing also the confiscations, prizes, and withholding of our coūtrey, subiects, and goods, the blasphemous Proclamations, and iniuries against all right and reason offred vnto our person: And also that this our so iust & reasonable defence, (which with Gods furtherance we hope to goe thorow with) tendeth to none other end, but first and chiefly to the aduaūcing of the honor of God and his word, to the profit of his Maiesty, countrey, and subiects, and likewise of the Emperial Maiesty our soueraigne Lord and his wel beloued sonne: which in time to come (as true successors of the said coūtrey) pretend right thereto: likewise the rooting out of the great (not euer tofore heard of, & more [Page] than barbarous) fury and rage of the Duke of Alba and his adherēts, which they haue of long time vsed and put in effect.

Neuertheles we haue thought good, publikely to declare by these presents, the vnauoydable occasions, by which we with our Allies and frendes, haue bene cōstrained and enforced to take in hand this our defence: principally to put away all suspicion of rebellion, which we haue fled, & mortally hated all the dayes of our life.

First we are not ignorant, that it is manifest to all the world, how and after what māner, (through the practises and fetches of the Cardinall of Granuelle, with other couetous and bloud thirstye (which vnder the colour and cloake of the religion, pretē ded catholick) sought none other thing but the diminishing of the honor of God, the aucthority of the king, and the weale of the Commons, and louing nothing more than their proper and particular profit, the vndoing and destruction of other good men, where through the intollerable Inquisition, hath bene put forth, with the vnmercifull Placcards of the execution therof: notwithstanding that we and other our [Page] brethren went about by all meanes to disswade them from it, seing and considering the great euils & inconueniences that alredy sprang therof, & the great likelyhoode of more to ensue, they nothing regarding our humble sutes therein: such I say (not long since) haue brought and thrust in the sayd Inquisition into this low countrey. Wherby is come to passe, that vnder coloure of the said Inquisition, the Inquisitors and dissembling hipocrites, haue with all outrages procéeded against such poore innocēts and faithfull people, as desire to liue according to the pure doctrine of the Gospell. First by confiscation of their goodes both moueable and immoueable, thā by banishment, torment and tortures, by fire, water, gibbet, by prisons & otherwise, dispatching them in corners, by meanes as wel vnlawfull as lawfull.

All which tyrannies and persecutions vntill this present, are nothing assuaged or diinished, but rather since the vnhappy entry of the sayd Duke of Alba into the sayd low Countreys, from day to day are encreased and augmented: so that daylye they inuent now torments and executions [Page] against ye poore people, yea such as not only Christians, but the very Turkes and Sarazens would haue pity and compassyon of. I will not for shame reherse the vnspeakeable iniuryes and villanies that are daily committed by the soldiors of the sayd Duke of Alba, so that there is no good mā, but had rather choose to die, than to sée such cruelty and tyranny executed, both vpon him and his, before his face.

And séeing that such crueltyes and tyrannies vsed by the sayde Duke of Alba and his adherentes, couetous and bloud-thirsty persons, doe wholy repugne the cō tractes, letters sealed, and promises made betwene his said royall Maiesty, and those of the low Countrey, yea agaynst the very othe that his Maiesty sware and promised: whereby we may sée and clearly perceiue, that the sayd Duke of Alba abuseth the charge that he hath obtained of his sayde Maiesty, only for his owne auarice and desire of bloud, to the damage and hindrance of his said Maiesty, and the destruction and ruine of his faithfull subiects, chiefly wyth this horrible fury and tyranny that he vseth towards those poore people, (no dout) [Page] against the kings will, who (according to his accustomed clemency and gentlenesse) neuer minded any such thing: This to preuent, there is none other meane to wythstand the sayd crueltyes, (considering also that the passage or accesse to his Maiestye is shut vp from vs,) but this our present & vnauoydable defence.

For although that héeretofore the Duchesse of Parma. &c. at that time Gouernesse for his Maiesty in the low countreis, hath expresly permitted and agréed to the preaching of the word of God, (to the end to auoid such imminent perils and daungers, as at that time threatned the said coūtrey,) with promise that none should attēpt any euil against such as had heard the said preaching, or hereafter wold heare them: which at commaūdement of her highnes we caused to be published through all the Countreys vnder our gouernement, binding vs and our person, that the aforesayd shoulde bene inuiolably obserued towards the subiects of his sayd Maiesty.

All this notwithstanding, the said Duke of Alba and his adherentes haue constrained diuers of the Uassals and Subiects of [Page] his Maiesty to anoyd the country, and that for none other cause, but for that they haue bene at suche Sermons, and haue shewed themselues affectionate to that which they found agreable to the word of God.

And after they had brought it in, wyth impertinent Citations, & agaynst all right and iustice, without obseruing of order, custome or vse of processe, they haue proceded agaynst them by confiscation and violating of their goodes, as well moueable as immoueable, and all vnder coulor of Iustice.

And the troth is, that for religions sake diuers notable, honorable, and good men as well by fire, swoorde, as other horrible meanes, without cause and reason, yea horribly and tyrannously, both publicklye and priuely, haue bene executed, some in darke prisons, other through other fortures and horrible paynes and tormentes, after they had suffered diuers vnspeakeable tirānies haue lost theyr lyues innocently and without cause, yea euen to this day such execrable and horrible executions are put in vre, to the vtter destruction of the whole country, but especally of the poore Christians oppressed, of which there are manye in that countrye.

[Page] And to this effect, it is not long since thorowout the whole low country, at one present tyme, in one nyght, thorough all the townes, a great number of them that they suspected of such religion, were taken prisoners, contrarye to all priuilegies, lawes, contractes, and fréedomes, which hys Maiesty him selfe (as is aforesayd) had agréed and geuen them, yea such as he both sware and promised vnto them.

Also how they violently procéede to the preiudice and interest of the sayde priuilegies, contracts, and fréedomes, to the confiscation of goodes moueable and immoueable, vsing and intreating the poore prisoners at their pleasure, and scratching vnto them selues the goodes of those, that wrongfully and against all right and iustice haue bene driuen away, condemned, and slayne, and by this meanes haue brought the afore sayd country (who notwythstanding, the better to shew their humble obedience towardes hys maiesty, as to their souerayne Prince & Lord vsed no kinde of resistance) into extreme bondage and vnspeakable misery and daunger. And if their wicked purpose, gréedy couetousnes, and bloudthirstines [Page] be not preuented, it is lyke to fall into greater. Wythout consideration of the great faythfulnes yt his low coūtry shewed in contributing so often, so louingly, so willingly, as well to his Maiesty, as to hys welbeloued father Charles of most worthy memory, so manye notable giftes, as amount to many millions of florins, and infinite summes, and especially in these last wars, when so willingly they gaue about fourtye millions of florins. And that of late they haue offered to his sayd Maiesty thrée millions of florins, to obtaine leaue to preache the word of God, and to exercise the same, according to the writing of the Prophetes and Apostels.

And although that heretofore by the aduertising and soliciting of the Ladye Gouernesse aforesayd, he promised, at the request presented in the behalf of al the lords and Gentlemen, touching the abolishing of the Inquisition & Placartes of executiō that they should not doubt them: neuertheles it is manifest, that vnder this present tyrannous rule of the Duke of Alba, to the detriment and mockery of hys Maiesties promise, diuers notable personages, trusting [Page] to the sayd promise, as well of his maiestye, as of her hyghnes the Gouernesse, haue bene taken and throwen in dark dungeons, whose goodes (with also the goodes of those that fled) were without exception of religion, contrary to all iustice, customs, Statutes, lawes and ordinaunces, taken away and conficate. So that it séemeth that in the ende none shall be exempt, of what religion soeuer they be, so they haue anye thing to lose.

And notwithstanding that wee for our owne person, during the tyme of our Gouernment, yea euer since we came to mās state, haue desired nothing so muche as the stablishing and encreasing of the authority, power and force of his Maiesty, the maintenaunce of peace, quietnes and tranquilitie, as well of the country, as of the Subiectes, lykewyse that all mischiefe, dōmage and interest, to our power, and as much as in vs lyeth, might bee farre remoued from thē: as heretofore, not sparing our goods, yea with great daunger of our lyfe (be it spoken without brag) we haue effectually declared.

Yet now wtout any regard hereto, we [Page] (as well as other faultles both of hygh and low degrée) by an vnorderlye citacion, and blasphemous proclamation, vnder coulour as though we had attempted the superioritie of the kynges Maiesty of Spayne, and as committing Crimen rebellionis, without any sufficient president, or reasonable sentence, by violence are depriued of all our country and subiectes, goods moueable and immoueable: which to this daye they kéepe violently from vs, against al humain or diuine right.

And it is maruelous, with what boldnes our aduersaries dare propose, that we haue attempted any thing against the authoritie of the kinges Maiestie, and gone about to take possession of his country, when wythout any farther excuse, the contrary is manifest, by our wylling resignation of our charge and gouernment of the countries of Holland, Seland, and Utreght, also the geuing ouer of the principall townes and Fortresses in those partes: and to auoyde all suspition, we went not secretly away in to Germany, but publickly in the sight of all men.

Which we would not haue done, if our [Page] mynde, intent, or enterprise, had beene enclined to rebellion (as our aduersaries for cloake of their horrible tyranny, wrongfully lay to our charge) And we could be wel pleased; yea we most humblye desire, that the principall Captaines, Officers, and Iusticers of such Townes, Fortresses, & Castels as were then, (according to our gouernment) vnder our charge, (that the truth may the better be knowen) may be diligently examined, if they were euer required by vs, to yeld or geue vp any town, Fortresse, or Castel to our particular profit. Of which pointes as of all other affairs of the low country, ye shal finde more ample declaration in our iustification now of late set-forth by vs.

But if we, which haue done so good and faithful seruice to his Maiestie, neither sparing body nor goods (without brag be it spokē) yea beyng at this present ready with all our heart to do much more, be now recompensed with such blasphemous accusations (agaynst God & all Iustice) & further our aduersaries assayle vs by so many sinister practises, let all good men weighe by themselues, how intollerable it is to vs to beare.

[Page] With all which tyrānyes aforesayd, and innumerable other violences, our aduersaries with their adherents are not satisfied: but more manifestly to shew their rage and crueltie, haue not long since taken out of the Towne of Louain, our welbeloued sonne, the Earle of Bueren (where we had placed hym to continue in study, that he might hereafter be better able to serue his Maiestie) with intent to cary hym into Spaine, as in déede they haue done.

Besides that the Duke of Alba, not lōg since, more clearely to shew his bloudthyrsty tyranny, hath taken and cruelly put to death aboue thrée score Gentlemē and Noblemen, with other notable and rich personages and Burgeses of the towne of Bruxelles, with an infinite number in other Townes, whose goodes he hath confiscate and taken away, agaynst all right and Iustice. Wherby it is to be presumed, that he goeth about to destroy and deface all the the Nobilitie, yea the Egle it selfe.

Yet all this could not satisfie thē, but that the two Earles of Egmont and of Horne of famous memory, notwithstandyng their faythfull seruice heretofore, in so many [Page] warres, to the most mighty Emperour Charles of worthy memory, yea and also to his Maiesty of Spaine, so many yeares, with so great charge, in such daunger of body (as all the world knoweth) without beyng heard, without any forme of accustomed processe vsed in such case, (not onely agaynst all Gods and mans law, but also agaynst all Statutes of the Empire) hath truelly put them to death by the sword: and that with such great dishonor & shame, not only of ye Lordes iustified, but also of their notable friendes and parentes, as to set vp their heades for a spectacle to all the world vpon staues and forkes.

Further immediatly after the sayd execution, they tooke a fresh, more then ij. hundreth persons prisoners.

Which tyranny and incredible persecucution and fury of the Duke of Alba, hath driuen all men into such feare, that now of late an infinite number, of both religions, are withdrawen and fled away, for feare of this generall tyranny without exception of Religion.

And the sayd Duke of Alba maketh his vaunt openly, to pursue and séeke out to [Page] the uttermost of his power, yea [...] their beds, not onely vs, but also all those which (by Gods diuine prouidence) are escaped hys tyrāny, as it appeareth dayly by examples before our eyes.

And forasmuch as hereby, the intent and enterprise of the Duke, with his couetous & bloudthirsty adherentes, doth manifestly appeare to tend not only to the depriuyng of vs, and all other good men, from such tē porall goodes as God hath giuen vs, but the vtter destruction of our bodyes and goodes, yea to the finall ouerthrow of the true doctrine of the Gospell and confirmation of theyr horrible and Idolatrous Popery: & so to depriue vs of spirituall giftes, which are to be preferred before all worldly gifts. Nether is there any hope yt his Maiesty, (accordyng to his naturall clemēcy & gentlenesse) will haue regard vnto it, consideryng that our aduersaryes, through their accustomed subtilities, haue not bene ashamed to mone hys Maiesty agaynst hys owne onely sonne, yea so farre as to committe hym to prison: and likewise that our complayntes and supplications are not deliuered to hys Maiesty as they ought, neither is there any audience gyuen vnto vs. [Page] [...] constraigned & enforced with also our Allies, Lordes and frendes, for the maintenaunce and defence of our selues and the low Countreys, but chiefly for the Imperiall Maiesty our Soueraigne Lord, and hys welbeloued sonne, pretendyng right and interest therto in tyme to come, and finally for the profit of all the Empyre, as also of the pitie and compassion, whiche we haue on the cōplayntes that we haue receiued of some of his Maiesties good subiects, to take in hand in the name of God this defence, agaynst the fury & rage of the Duke of Alba and his adherentes, as the onely and extreme meane, seyng that no fayre meanes will serue. And would haue wished (if it had bene possible) not to haue taken this way, as may playnly appeare by our too too long pacience without further proofe.

By which aforesayd defence, we call God to record, that we pretend none other thyng, but onely the increasing of the glory of God, the bringing in again of his word, and the aduauncemēt of the same, and that his Maiesty, with his Countrey and subiectes [Page] may be brought to their [...], and that hereafter all good & due obedience may be yelded to hym and hys true successours in all thinges: to the end that hauyng remoued the great tyranny of the Duke of Alba and hys adherētes, and deliuered the sayd Countrey frō foraine souldiours, they may be gouerned accordyng to their priuiledges, contracts, ordināces & Statuts, yea such as his Maiesty hym selfe hath sworne & promised vnto thē. And that these poore Christians which are driuē away, persecuted and emprisoned, maye returne to their wiues and children, and enioy againe such goodes and moueables, as haue bene violently taken away from them by force. And that our person (which they go about by day, by night, secretly and openly to entrap, yea euē in our bed) may be in sufficiēt assuraunce, and our goodes duely restored.

And if herein we may obtayne sufficient assuraunce (as is sayd) we do declare and offer by these presentes, not onely to leaue of this our defence whiche we haue taken in hād, but further we protest to the whole world, that our intēt was neuer other, but to procure the aduauncement of the honor [Page] of God and the kynges Maiestie, the profite and weale of the Countrey, with the augmentyng and encreasing therof.

Wherefore, we hope that all those that haue Germans harts as well high as lowe, that loue honor and vertue, and contrariwise hate all tyranny and shedding of innocēt bloud, especially of those that are of our true Christian religion, and desire to confesse the same both with hart & mouth, that vndoubtedly they will detest this horrible and vnspeakeable tyranny, yea so cruell as the like was neuer hearde of in any Christian country. Chiefly considering the great daunger and perill (without God of his great merry preuent it) into the whiche the whole Empire may vndoubtedly fall, that not only they wil not be easly perswaded to defend & cōtinue this horrible tyranny wt ye oppression & extirpacion of our christian religion, and extreame persecution of body and life, honor and goods of so manye good, faithfull and innocent people, yea such as thirst for the woorde of God, but that rather they will estéeme this our vnauoydable and enforced defence, for none other but [Page] [...] enterprised vpon great and weighty occasions. And therefore our duetye is (as being a member borne yea of the Empire, and of [...]y that we ought to haue of poore desolate and persecuted Christians) to counsell succour, and assist as much as in vs lieth, firste that this horrible and vnspeakeable tyranny, be diligently and earnestly abolished & driuen away, and that the poore Christians (which are vanished and wrongfully persecuted) may be defended and maintayned, & not so oppressed, persecuted, martyred, and so miserably and diuersly murthered and flaine as they are at this presente, some by fier, and some by water, and all for confession of the true and Christian Religion.

Thus doing ech man shall do the prayse worthy worke of a Christian, and a worke agréeable to God, as tending to the aduancement of his worde, the comfort, profite, and wealth of so many good Christians as are gréeuously persecuted, oppressed, and imprisoned, and likewise to the whole Empyre of Germanye a good continuall and durable peace.

Wherin we offer our selues, with like [Page] wise our Allies, Lordes, and frendes to [...] compence eche man after his estate, and according to our power, and likewise to acknowledge it all the dayes of our life.

The Lord God euerlasting according to his good pleasure, direct and gouern thes [...] affayres as his owne, and bring them to good and happy end. So that our good king may (as we hope in time he shall) spy out and perceaue the vnfaithful and daungerous practises and fetches that these authors of persecution and tyranny do vse: and likewise what good will we haue alwayes borne to his maiesty and at this prelent do.

Geuen the xx. of Iuly. 1568

[Page]

§

§

[Page]

[Page]

A declaration and publication of the most worthy Prince of Orange, contaynyng the cause of his necessary defence against the Duke of Alba. ❀❀

¶Translated out of French into English, and cōpared by other copies in diuers languages.

PSALM. XCIIII.

They gather them together agaynst the soule of the righteous, and cōdemne the innocent bloud. But the Lord is my refuge and my God is the rocke of myne hope. And he will recompence them their wickednes, and destroy them in their owne malice: yea, the Lord our God shall destroy them.

¶Imprinted at London by Iohn Day, beneath S. Martins ouer Aldersgate.

Information about this book

Title statement

A declaration and publication of the most worthy Prince of Orange, contaynyng the cause of his necessary defence against the Duke of Alba Translated out of French into English, and co[m]pared by other copies in diuers languages.

William I, Prince of Orange, 1533-1584.

Edition statement

1568

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2005-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A15438

ID [STC]

STC 25708

ID [STC]

ESTC S101851

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99837654

ID [PROQUEST]

99837654

ID [VID]

1992

Availability

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

Series

Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A15438)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 1992)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1016:21)

Source

— A declaration and publication of the most worthy Prince of Orange, contaynyng the cause of his necessary defence against the Duke of Alba Translated out of French into English, and co[m]pared by other copies in diuers languages., William I, Prince of Orange, 1533-1584..

Extent

[22] p.

By Iohn Day, beneath S. Martins ouer Aldersgate,. Imprinted at London :: [1568?]. (Dated at end: Geuen the xx. of Iuly. 1568.) (Signatures: A B³.) (French original not traced.) (Reproduction of the original in the British Library.)

Creation

Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford.

Editorial practices

EEBO-TCP is a partnership between the Universities of Michigan and Oxford and the publisher ProQuest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by ProQuest via their Early English Books Online (EEBO) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). The general aim of EEBO-TCP is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic English-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in EEBO.

EEBO-TCP aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the Text Encoding Initiative (http://www.tei-c.org).

The EEBO-TCP project was divided into two phases. The 25,363 texts created during Phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 January 2015. Anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source.

Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data.

Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so.

Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor.

The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines.

Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements).

Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site.