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 y^e 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 y^t 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 w^tout 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 y^e 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 y^t 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 w^t y^e 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