¶ The Summons or Citation sent out against the Prince of Orendge.

PHilip by the grace of God, kyng of Castile, Lyons, Ar­ragon, and Nauarre▪ &c. To our chiefe Hussher or Serie­ant at Armes, vpon this re­quired, Greeting. We are informed by our welbeloued and faithfull Counsel­ler [Page 74] and Attorney general, that the Lord William of Nassaw Prince of Orēdge, hauyng receiued both of our late Lorde and Father the right noble Emperour Charles the fift, (to whom God grant rest) and also of vs since our commyng to our state, many honors and promo­tions, as our choozing of hym to be a brother of our own Order, our naming and admitting of hym to be of our coū ­sell of estate, and our preferryng of hym to diuers goodly Roomes, Charges, & Offices: as namely to the gouernment of Burgundie, Holland, Zeland, and Utreight, together with the Lieute­nantship of our Ordinaunce, besides a number of other notable rewardes, wherby he might see the great trust and estimation that I alwayes had of hym, in respect wherof he should do the more amisse, in behauing hym selfe otherwise than becomes a good subiect. Yet not­withstandyng, hauyng sinall regard of his owne honour, and to the othes of faithfulnesse and loyaltie, which he had geuen to vs as to his soueraigne Lord, and in respect of the sayd Order, and of the sayde Roomes and Offices, hath made hym selfe the head author, furthe­rer, fauorer, and harbrower of Rebels, Conspirators, Coniurators, mutiners, [Page 55] priuie practizers, and disturbers of the common welfare and quietnesse. For as it were immediatly after our departure out of that Countrey, towardes our Realme of Spayne, he and certayne o­thers practised to take vpō them & to v­surpe the whole orderyng and gouer­nyng of our Countreys thereawayes. And for the accomplishment thereof, he wrought and conueied many secret and pernicious practises, wherein he ouer­shot hym selfe [...]o farre, as to determyne to enter into armes agaynst vs, and to exclude vs out of those Countreys, which thing he hath not fayled to do so farre as he was able, by vsyng all kinde of curti [...]ie [...]yly towardes our good sub­iectes, to withdrawe them from the lo­uyngnesse and loyaltie which they haue alwayes shewed to vs and our prede­cessors. Yea, and which is so much the more detestable and horrible, vnder the cloke and pretence of Religion, and through false perswasion, that our in­tent s [...]ould be (which was neuer so) to bring the Spanish Inquisition into those our Countreys, in so much that by his like inductions and impressions, many of our subiects haue rizen vp and rebel­led agaynst vs, and specially the sayde prince hath seduced, corrupted, and stir­red [Page 76] vp a great part of the noble men, & gētlemē, so as they haue made leagues, conspiracies, & coniurations, & sworne to defend & strengthen themselues ther­by against vs and against our ordinan­ces which haue bin alwayes kept and obserued in those Countreys. And for the same purpose he hath made assem­blyes in his owne houses, as well at Breda, as in this our city of Brusselles, yea and afterward receyued the Rebels into his protection and safegard, with promise of his assistence. Whereupon they haue put them selues in Armes a­gainst vs in diuers places of the coun­trey. Also the sayd Prince hath coūseled and ayded the Lord of Brederode cheef Capteine of the Rebelles, to fortifie his towne of Uiane agaynst vs, and suffe­red him to leuye men of warre in our Citie of And werp in the open sight and knowledge of all men, contrary to the orders then newly taken and proclay­med, and to shyp them to the sayd town of Uiane with all manner of warrelike munitions, moreouer furnishyng the sayd Lorde of Brederode with certeine peeces of artillerie, besides that he for­bade certeine towns & places to receiue any garrisons frō vs, & among others, our coūtrey of Zeland, vnto the which [Page 77] he sent men of purpoze to surprize it, & by that meanes to shet vs out, & to stop our passage by sea. Furthermore where as the sayd Prince was sent to our Ci­tie of. Andwerp to pacifie the trubbles and commotiōs of the people: he of his owne priuate authoritie and besides his commission, hath permitted and graun­ted the exercize of all sectes indifferently in the Citie, and giuē the sectaries leaue to erect many Temples and Consisto­ries, according whereunto they were e­rected in deede, whereof haue insewed the incōueniēces & dangers which eue­ry man knowes of. Also he hath suffred leuyinges, taxations, and collections of money to bee made, whiche afterward were imployed about the payment and wagyng of men of warre. Many other thyngs hath he done duryng his abode there, whiche our Attourney shall de­clare more at large, & make apparāt in dew tyme & place, if neede be. Al which thynges tend to his foresayd drift, that by that meanes hee might vsurpe vpon our subiectes, & take vpon him the au­thoritie that belongeth allonly vnto vs, which is apparātly high trazō not to be borne w^t nor to be winked at, but wor­thy of punishment and correction to the example of others, if it be as our said [Page 78] Attourney sayth, who requireth that it may pleaze vs to graunt him cōuenient prouision accordyng to the crime, with clauze of authoritie agaynst the sayde prince of Orēdge. Therfore be it knowne to you, that we hauyng considered the thynges aforesayd, doe commaunde and authorize you by theis presentes, that at the request of our sayd Counseler & At­tourney generall, you put foorth your selfe, and (with such ayde and assistaunce as you shall thinke meete,) attache and apprehende by the body the sayd Prince of Orēdge wheresoeuer ye shall fynde him in our sayde Countreys heere, and him leade and conuey vnder good & sure gard, to the prisons of our Court in our sayd Citie of Brussels, there to appeere before our right deere and trusty Cou­sin, Knight of our order Gouernour & Capteyne generall for vs of our sayde Coūtreys the Duke of Alua, Marquis of Coria &c. appointed purpozely by vs for the same matter, & to receiue punish­ment and correction for his sayd crimes and cōspiracies, accordyng to the desert of them, as shalbe founde meete by rea­son and equitie in that cace. And that if you cannot take or apprehend him, ye sū ­mon him and cite him by publicke pro­clamation and crye, vnder peine of per­petuall [Page 79] banishmēt and forfeyture of his goodes, to appeere personally within [...]. fifteenes then next insewyng (whereof you shal assigne him the first fifteene for the first day, the secōd fifteene for the se­cōd day, and the third for the last & per­emptory day of lawe without lookyng for any moe) before our sayd Cousin the Duke of Alua, in our sayd Towne of Brusselles, or in such other place as he shall then bee within our low Coun­treys, to answere to such points and ar­ticles as our sayde Attourney generall shall take and chooze agaynst him, con­cernyng the foresayd matters and others, that by keepyng of the day hee may set them downe and debate them more at large accordyng to his Commissiō, and proceede further therin, and see what is to be done accordyng to reasō. And you shall signifie to the sayd Prince, that if hee come not at the first, second, or third and last fifteene dayes: Iustice shall proceede agaynst him in his absence, as is conueni­ent in such caces. And whatsoeuer you shall haue done in that behalfe, we will haue you to certifie our sayd Cousin the Duke of Alua thereof sufficiently at the sayd day: to whom we giue commission and speciall charge for the causes afore sayd, that vpon the heeryng of the par­ties, [Page 80] hee doe and minister, good, short, rightfull, and reasonable Iustice, as be­commeth in such caces. And if the Prince of Orendge bee stubborne and make de­fault: we will that he proceede to y^e pro­nouncyng of the sayd banishment, & to the proclayming of the sayd forfeyture, and to the executyng of all such other thyngs as he shall see meete to be done, by right and reason in that cace. And so to do, we giue you full power and au­thoritie and speciall commission. Char­gyng and commaundyng all our Iusti­ces Officers and subiectes to obey you in doyng hereof, and to attend diligent­ly vppon you, and to geue you counsell ayde and comfort, and prizonroome al­so if neede bee & that you require it. For so is our pleasure. And bycause the sayd Prince of Orendge (as we heere say) hath gotten him selfe away out of our coūtveys: our will is in that [...]ace, that the summōs & citatiō which you shal make by Proclamation and open cry within the barres of our Court at Brusselles, & your settyng vp of the Copyes of this our presentes togither with your sayd doynges, and your castyng of them in at the outtermost part of the Prince of Orendges houses within our coūtreys, & your stickyng vp of like Copyes vpō [Page 81] the doores and Iawmes of the cheef church there, to the intent he may not be able to pretende ignoraunce, shalbe of as good force, valew, & power, as if it had bin done to the sayd Prince of Orēdgis owne person, & for such haue we autho­rized & do authorize the said Summons and Citatiō by theis presentes. But for asmuch as other men haue commission to deale with the takyng of the Inuen­torie of the sayd Princes goods, meddle not you with them. Giuen in our sayd Citie of Brussels, the xix. day of Ianua­ry, the yeere of grace 1567: and the yeere of our reigne, ouer Spayne, Sicile, &c. the xiij: and ouer Naples, the xv. It was subscribed thus: By the kyng. And vnder written thus, Mesdach. And sea­led with a Seale of red wax vppon a halfe labell.

¶ A Copie of the Serieant at Armes doynges.No. 1▪

BY vertew of the letters pa­tentes of personall Summōs wherof the Copy is set word for word heere before, I Fraū ­cis Knibber ordinary Serieant at armes to the priuy & the great Counsels, haue this present xxiiij. day of Ianuary the [Page 82] yeere 1567. at the request and instance of the kynges Maiesties Counseller and Attourney generall the obteiner of thē, came into the Listes of the Court at Brusselles at eleuen of the clocke in the forenoone, where hauyng caused the Trump [...]s to be sounded I haue with lowd voyce and open crye red the sayd letters patentes, and by the vertew of the same, summoned and cited William of Nassawe Prince of Orendge on the kynges Maiesties behalfe, to come and appeere personally, from fifteene dayes to fifteene dayes in. tymes, wherof the first fiftene shalbe the ix. day of Februa­ry, the second fifteene shalbe the xxv. of the same moneth, and the third and last fifteene which is the peremptorie day of law without lookyng for any mo, shal­be the eleuenth day of Marche follow­yng. And this to be done before the hygh and mighty Duke of Al [...]a, (Marquis of Coria &c. Knight of the order, and Go­uernour and Capteine generall for the kynges Maiestie in his low coūtreys) in the sayd Citie of Brusselles, or in any such other place as my Lorde the sayde Duke shal then be: vpon Peyne of perpe­tuall bannishement and forfeyture of all goodes belonging to the sayd Prince of Orēdge: there to answere to such points [Page 83] and Articles as the sayd Attourney ge­nerall shall list to take & chooze agaynst him, and moreouer, as is reherced more at large in the sayd letters patentes. Done vnder my signe manuell the day, moneth, and yeere aboue written. Un­derneath was written thus: Conferred and founde to agree, by me. And it was signed thus. Knibber.

¶ An abstract of the last Letters & writynges sent by the kyng to the LadyNo. 2. Regent, togither with the last dispatch concernyng the cace of Religion.

FIrst as touchyng the Iniuncti­ons and decrees as wel old as new wich concerne the cace of Religion, his maiestie vnder­standyng in what state Religion stode in those quarters, thought it not expe­dient to make any chaunge or alteratiō of them, but that as well the Iniunctions of the late Emperours Maiestie, as his owne Maiesties Iniunctions should be put in executiō: for he saw that the cause of all the mischief that had happened, & the cause of the increacyng & spreadyng of it so farre, had bin the negligence, co­wardlynesse, and dissimulation of the Iudges. And therfore if there were any [Page 84] of them that either durst not or would not execute their office for feare of sūme hurlyburly: they should aduertize his Maiestie, that he might prouide others of more corage and better zele towards the execution of thynges, wherof there ought to be no want in that Countrey where there is such store of Catholikes, and so many desi [...]ous to do God & his Maiestie seruis: by the doyng whereof & the executyng of the Iniunctions, there was good hope that y^e hurt which was done there, would better and sooner be remedied, than by any other way.

Secondly, as touchyng the Inquisi­tors of the fayth, his Maiestie chargeth hir highnesse to beare such an euē hand, as they might be fauored in the executiō of their Commission, as the thyng that was expedient for the benefite and vp­holdyng of the Religion: for it was his Maiesties mynde that the Inquisition should be executed by the Inquisitors as it had bin thitherto, and as belonged to them by the lawes of God and man: af­firmyng that it was no new thyng, for asmuch as it had bin vsed cōtinewally, as well in the tyme of the late Empe­rour, as in his owne time, and the incō ­ueniences that were to be feared were much apparanter, neerer, and greater, [Page 85] where the Inquisitors were not suffered to prouide for things accordyng to their office, nor ayded in their doynges. And for [...] as hir highnesse knew what that ment, his Maiestie charged hir to do what she could in that behalfe, (for it was very requisite that shee should so doe) and not to consent that any other thyng should bee treated of in that be­halfe, bycause hir highnesse knew how neere it touched hys hart, and what pleasure and contentation it would bee vnto hym.

Thirdly, his Maiestie tooke order with her highnesse, that sith the holy Councell of Trent was already publi­shed, so as ther remayned now no more to doo, but the puttyng therof in execu­tion, which was a thyng that belonged to the Bishops: her highnesse shoulde giue them all the furtherance and helpe that shee possibly coulde, that it might take effect as it ought to doo. Also he would that the Decr [...]es of the Councel of Trent that concerned the reformati­on of the lyues and maners of the Cler­gie, should be put in execution: char­gyng as well hir highnesse, as all his Officers, to fauour and further them by all requisite meanes: and that if neede should require any further prouision to [Page 86] be made on his maiesties behalfe, shee shoulde cause it to be dispatched out of hande, that euen where the men of the Church would not obey the reformati­on that was to be made by the bishops, there they might be framed and made conformable by the Decrees of the sayd Councel of Trent.

And finally he affirmed that the thin­ges which his maiestie had written to her highnesse, as hath bin sayd hereto­fore, concerned the prosperitie of Reli­gion, and of the countreys there, which would be nothyng worth, without that Order, for that was the onely way to kepe them in iustice, peace, and tranqui­litie. And seeyng that her highnesse knewe what commoditie it brought: he desired her eftsoones to folow that way whereby the foresayde thynges might take effect, for it was the thyng wherby his maiestie should receyne moste con­tentment, as well at the handes of her highnesse, as of the Lordes that were a­bout her: to whom he would haue her to geue the same charge, to the end they should imploy them selues therunto, as his maiestie hopeth that they wil, with­out faile, because they be sure that he wil like well of it, besides that they shall therein doo the duetie of such persona­ges [Page 77] as they be, and accordingly as they be bound to doo in respect of their ser­uis towards God and his maiestie, & in respect both of the benefit of the whole Countrey there, and of their owne pe­culiar welfare.

¶ Margaret by the grace of God, Duchesse of Parma and Pleasance. &c.No. 2. Regent and Gouernesse. &c.

RIght deare and welbeloued, al­thoughe that euen from the first begynnyng of the reigne of my Lord the kyng, ouer these Coun­treys, as wel by the reuiuyng and pub­lishyng of the Iniunctions and Decrees concernyng Religion, made by my late Lord of noble memory the Emperour Charles (whom God hath receiued in­to his glory) and now ratified and con­firmed by the kinges maiestie, as by the thynges that he hath written vnto you since, specially from his last departure out of these countreys into his realmes of Spayne, you might alwayes well perceiue his good zeale and most holy affection in mainteinyng our [...] true fayth and Catholike Religion, and for the rootyng out of all s [...]ctes and he­refies in these Countreys here: yet not­withstanding [Page 88] for as muche as it hath pleazed his maiestie for certeyne occasi­ons, to reuiue his most holy intent by his late letters: we by expresse com­maundement from hym, haue thought it good to imparte vnto you what he hath written vnto vs, the effect wherof is this: that his maiestie coueting no­thing more than the maintenance of the said Religion, and of his good subiectes hereawayes in good quietnesse, peace, vnitie, and concord: and to preserue thē from the inconueniences that haue bin seene to happen in many parts of Chri­stendome through the chaunge of the sayd Religion: purpozeth and inten­deth that the Iniunctions and ordinan­ces made as well by the late Emperors Maiestie, as also by hym selfe, shalbe throughly kept and obserued, and like­wise that men shall most straytly keepe the Decrees of the holy Councell of Trent, and the prouinciall Councelles, specially in respect of the reformation of the Clergie, without gaynsaying of any thing, to the ende that heresies may be punished, and manners also corrected, and men may yeeld all fauour and assi­stence to the Inquisitors of the fayth in the executing of their office, and that the Inquisition may be put in vre as it hath [Page 89] bin hitherto, and as it ought to be by the law of God and man, which thyng his Maiestie commaundeth expressely by his said letters. Wherfore according to this his maiesties writyng againe, to the intent to obey the same in a thyng so holy & so worthy to be fauored, I could not forbeare to write thus much [...] you, praying and beseching you, and on his maiesties behalfe expresly cōmaun­ding you to rule & behaue your selues herein accordyng to his appoyntment, without withstādyng of it in any point or article, yea and to giue intelligence therof to the Officers & [...]en of Law of the chiefe townes of the coūtrey & Du­chie of Brabād, that they also may rule thē selues according hereunto, without dissembling or winkyng at thyngs, vn­der the penalties conteyned in the sayd Iniunctions. And that ye may the bet­ter intend vnto it, you shall appoy [...] and ordeyne a Counseller of your Col­ledge, (who notwithstandyng may be chaunged at euery halfe yeare, to the in­tent that no one man be ouerburthened continually) to doo nothing els but to haue an eye to the Countrey of Bra­band, for the keepyng of the Decrees of the said most holy Councell, and to ad­ [...]ertize you from tyme to tyme of all oc­currents▪ [Page 90] that ye may prouide for them accordyng to his Maiesties meanyng. And to the intent we may continually know the state of religion, in the poyn­tes aboue mentioned: we desire and commaund you, as before, to write vn­to vs particularly of the successe of thin­ges from three monethes to three mo­nethes, & to repayre to vs (if there hap­pen any hard poynt) or to such as are of his maiesties priuie counsel, that report thereof may be made vnto vs, for the which purpose we likewise wil appoint some Coūseller to take peculiar charge therof, and to be answerable to you, or to hym whom you shall assigne. And to the end that in all the thyngs aboue­sayd, ye may the better perceiue his ma­iesties expresse wyl: we haue caused the poyntes of his letters and other wri­tinges that concerne this matter, to be annexed to this letter, that ye may rule and guide your selues accordyng to th [...] forme & tenor of them, without making any default. And thus right deare and welbeloued, our Lord haue you in his holy keeping. Written at Brussels the [...]. day of December. 1565. H. V. It was subscribed thus: Margaret. And somewhat lower it was signed thus: Of Ouerloepe. Agayne vpon the backe i [...] [Page 91] was indorsed thus: To our right de [...] and welbeloued the Chauncelor and men of the kynges Counsell in Brabant.

¶ A Supplication of the Noble men of the low Countrey, presentedNo. 3. to the Lady Regent the Duchesse of Parma and Pleasance, the fift of Aprill. 1566. before Easter.

MAdame, it is well enough knowen, that the people of the low Countrey haue al­wayes & yet are styll great­ly renowined throughout all Christendome for their great faythfulnesse towardes their na­turall Lordes and Princes, wherin the Nobilitie and Gentlemē haue alwayes gone foremost, as they that neuer spared either body or goodes, in the maynte­nance and increasement of their Prin­ces states. And in the saine manner we his ma [...]sties most humble subiects are mynded to continue styll, from well to better, so as we be ready night and day to doo hym humble seruis both with our bodyes & our goodes. And for as much as we see in what plight thinges stand at this present, we haue chozen ra­ther [Page 92] to hazard the bryngyng of some mislikyng and displeasure vppon our owne heades, than to conceale suche thynges from your highnesse, as might hereafter turne to the preiudice of the kyngs maiestie, and therwithal disturb the peace and quietnesse of the Coūtrey. Hopyng that the euent wyll shewe in time, that of al the seruises which we ei­ther haue done, or shal doo to his maie­stie hereafter, this is worthy to be takē for one of the noblest, and to best pur­poze: in respect wherof we be through­ly perswaded, that your highnesse can not but take it in good worth. There­fore Madam, although we doubt not but that all that euer his maiestie hath decreed both heretofore, and now new­ly again at this present, concer [...]yng the Inquisition, and the streight obsernyng of the Iniunctions in the case of Religiō, haue some good grounde and iust title, namely for the continuyng of the thyn­ges which the late Emperour of noble memorie Charles, had vpon very good meanyng determined and stablished: yet notwithstandyng, seeing that the di­uersitie of tymes bringeth diuersitie of remedyes with them, and the sayd In­iunctions haue already geuen occasion of many griefes and inconueniences [Page 93] now many yeares since, for all the exe­cutyng of them with extreme rigour. Surely his Maiesties laste resolution whereby he not only forbyddeth the mi­tigatyng of the Iniunctions any whyt at all, but also commaundeth expresly that the Inquisition should proceede, and the Iniunctions be executed with all rigour: doth giue vs sufficient cause of iust feare that therby not onely the inconuenien­ces wyl be greatly augmented: but also there wyl in the end insue some general commotion and insurrection, tendyng to the miserable ruine of the whole Contrey, accordyng as the manifest to­kens of m [...]tinie among the people, (which appeareth already euerywhere) doo shewe vs openly to the eye.

Wherfore consideryng the apparāce and greatnesse of the daūgers that ma­nace vs, we haue hoped hitherto, that either the Lordes or els the states of the Countrey would haue aduertized your highnesse therof one tyme or other, that you might haue remedyed it by remo­uyng the cause and grounde of the mis­cheef. But when we sawe that they did not put forth thēselues to do it, by reasō of sum occasions to vs vnknowen, and that in the meane while the mischeef in­creaced frō day to day, so as it was lyke [Page 94] to come to a generall insurrection and ceuolt: we ha [...]e thought it our dewtie to wayt no longer tyme, but rather ac­cordyng to the othe of our faith and al­legeaūce, matched with good meening and zeale towardes his Mai [...]stie and the coūtrey, to put forth our selues fore­most in doyng our needefull indeuer, & that so much the more frankly, as we haue more cause to hope that his Maie­stie will take our aduertizement in ve­ry good part, for asmuch as the matter toucheth vs much neerer than any o­thers, as them that lye more open to the inconueniences and calamities that are customably wont to spryng of like acci­dents, bycause the most part of vs haue our houses and possessiōs situa [...]e in the open fieldes, redy for all men to pray v­pon: and also forasmuch as if we should follow the rigour of the sayd Iniunctiōs, in such wise as his Maiestie commaun­deth vs expresly to procede, their should not generally be any man amōg vs, no nor in all the Coūtreys heeraboutes, of whatsoeuer callyng state or degree hee were, which should not roune in daun­ger of losse both of body and goodes, & bee subiect to the slaunder of hym that would bee his enemye who to haue a share of his goodes so forfeyted, might [Page 95] accuse him vnder pretēce of the sayd In­iunctions, wherein there was none o­ther refuge left for the defēdant, but on­ly if the officer listed to winke at him, at whose curtesie both his life & his goods did wholly stād. In consideration wher of, we haue the more cause to beseeche your highnes most humbly, (& so do we in deede by this our Supplication) to voutsafe to take some order in the cace, & (bycause it is a matter of great impor­tance) to send a fit and conuenient per­son to the Kynges Maiestie with all speede possible, to aduertize him therof, & to beseech him most hūbly on our be­halfe, that it may pleaze him to prouide remedy in that behalfe as well for heer­after as for the present tyme. And that for asmuch as that cānot be done by suf­feryng the sayd Iniunctions to stand in force, bycause they bee the very wel­spring and roote frō whence all the sayd inconueniences spryng it may pleaze him to giue eare to the abolishyng of them: which he shall finde to be necessa­ry for the turnyng away of the vniuer­sall ruine & destruction of all his coun­treys heere.

And to the intent his Maiestie may haue no cause to thinke, that we which haue none other meenyng than to yeld [Page 96] him most humble seruis, would take v­pon vs to bridle him and to bynd hym to the stake at our pleasure, as we dout not but our aduersaries will incēse him to our disaduantage: it may please him to make other ordinaūces by the aduice and consent of all the States assembled generally togither, to prouide for the things abouesaid, by sum other meanes more fit and conuenient, and without any euident daunger.

Also we most humbly beseeche your highnes, that in the meane seazon while his Maiestie may take intelligence of our inst request, and determine thereof accordyng to his good & rightfull plea­sure, you will prouide for the sayd daū ­gers by a generall surceassing, as well of the Inquisition as of all executiō of the sayd Iniūctions, vntill his Maiesty haue taken other ordre in the matter.

And we protest expresly, that (asmuch as in vs lay) we haue discharged our dewries by this present aduertizement: so that we do now vnburthē our selues of it before God & mē: declaryng plain­ly, that if any iuconuenience, disorder, sedition, reuolt, or sheadyng of blud in­sew thereof herafter for want of redresse in tyme, we cannot be blamed of the cō ­cealyng of so apparāt a mischeef. Wher­in [Page 97] we take God, the kyng, your high­nesse, the Lordes of the Counsell, and our owne consciences to witnesse, that our proceedyng therein hath bin as be­commeth the kynges good & trusty ser­uaūtes, and faythfull subiectes, without passing the boūdes of our dewty in any point in respect wherof also, we beseech your highnesse so much the more instāt­ly, to voutsafe to giue eare to it, before any further harme insew thereof. So shall you do well.

¶ The Answere and Replication made to the sayde Supplication in the Counsell of the States by the Lady Re­gent, was as followeth.

HIr highnesse hauying conside­redNo. 3. the petitions & demaūdes conteined in the said Suppli­cation, is fully determined to send it to the kyngs Maiestie and to of­fer it vnto hym with all kynde of dew­tifulnesse that she cā deuize to serue hir, to moue and incline his Maiestie to cō ­descend to their requestes afore shewed: tellyng thē that there was no cause for them to hope otherwise, than for all thynges meete and agreable to his na­tiue & accustomed goodnesse for the fur­theraunce [Page 98] whereof, hir highnesse by the ayde & aduice of the Rulers of the Pro­uinces, the Knightes of the Order, and the Lordes of the Counsell, had taken peynes to deuize and penne a modera­tion of the sayd Iniunctions in the cace of Religion, before the commyng of their informatiōs, to be presented to his ma­iestie. Which moderation hir highnesse hoped should be such, as should be able to content euery man with reason. And for asmuch as hir authoritie (as the playntifs thēselues might well vnder­stād and perceiue) stretched not so farre as to surceasse the Inquisitiō and Edictes as they required: and againe it was not meete to leaue the countrey lawlesse in the behalfe of Religiō: hir highnesse ho­ped that the playntifes would hold thē ­selues contēted with hir sendyng to the kynges Maiestie: promising to take such order in the meane while till his answere were returned, that as wel the Inquisitors themselues where any were alredy, as also their officers should in that respect proceede discretly and mo­destly in their Commissions, so as men should haue no cause to cōplaine of thē. And hir highnes trusted that the plain­tifs also would behaue themselues in such sort, as they should haue no neede [Page 99] to deale otherwize: for she hoped to be­haue hir selfe so well and dewtifully to­wardes y^e kings Maiestie, as he should be contented to discharge all others of the Inquisition where it was, as may be perceiued by his exemptyng of Brabād frō it at the sute of the cheef Cities ther­of. And hir highnesse intēded to preferre all good meanes to hys Maiestie so much the more freely, to the end and ef­fect aforesayd: bycause she did surely be­leue [...], that the playntifes had no deter­minate purpoze or intent, to alter any thyng of the auncient Religion, which had bin obserued in those Countreys, but rather mynded to keepe and mayn­teine it to the vttermost of their power. Done by hir hyghnesse at Brusselles the xvi. of Aprill. 1565. before Easter, vnder signed. Margaret.

¶The Letters of assurance giuenNo. 4. to the Confederates.

MArgaret by the grace of God Duches of Parma and Plea­sance, Regēt and Gouernesse heere in theis Countreys for my Lord the king to all such as shall see theis presentes, greetyng. Whereas a great nomber of the Gentlemen of this [Page 100] Countrey togither, did put vp a certein Supplication vnto vs in the moneth of Aprill last past, the effect wherof was that it might pleaze the kynges Maie­stie to abrogate and abolish the Inquisi­tion and Edictes, as well old as new, (which they sayd were ouerrigorous & therfore could not be put in execution) and in sted of thē to make others by the generall aduise and consent of the states of the sayd Countrey, beseechyng vs to send the same Supplication to his Ma­iesty, that he might prouide for it: wher­upon we hild many great consultatiōs with the gouernours of the Coūtreys, the Knightes of the Order, the Coūsell of estate, & his Maiesties priuy Coun­sell: after we had preferred y^e whole vn­to him, togither with our aduice therin. For asmuch as we sawe that the sayd Gentlemē might perchaunce haue some scruple or dout, that y^• kyng would take in ill part their sayd Supplication to­gither with the confederacie which they had made therupon amōg themselues, & all that had insewed therupon: which misdoutyng might cause some greater mischeef in those coūtreys: We thought it good by the aduice aforesayd, and vp­on deliberation as is mencioned afore, to sew to the kynges Maiestie, that it [Page 101] might pleaze him likewize to giue them letters of assuraunce, that they should not be charged with any thyng hereaf­ter, that had bin do by the occasiō ther­of. Whereupon his Maiestie hath certi­fied vs of his good pleazure and mee­nyng, accordyng wherto we tenderyng the benefite, rest, and tranquilitie of the sayd Countreys, and to mainteine the sayd Gentlemen in such wise as they may the more willyngly yeld their obe­dience and seruis to his Maiesty, accor­dingly as they be bound as well by na­ture as by othe, and as they themselues haue alwayes offred: we (I say) at their request and information, by the power & authoritie which we haue vnder his Maiestie, as Regent & Gouernesse ge­nerall of theis his Countreys, and by the aduice of the foresayd Gouerners, Knightes of the Order, and Lordes of the Counsell of state beyng with vs, haue for their sayd assurance giuē them a Charter signed with our hand in ma­ner and forme followyng.

HEr highnesse. &c.

We doo you to vnderstande, that all things afore mentio­ned considered, and by the kings maiesties consent and good will, [Page 102] and by the power and commaundemēt whiche we haue from hym, we in the name and by the power aforesayd haue promised, and by these presents do pro­mis, that nother his Maiestie nor we, wyll blame or charge the said Gentle­men for the foresayde Supplication or the confederacie made therupon, or for any thing that hath insued of them vn­to this present, so their othe and fayth­fulnesse whiche they haue giuen and plighted vnto vs, as well for them sel­ues as for the confederates, be confor­mable to the poyntes and articles a­boue specified, and wherunto they haue bound them selues. Therefore on the kings maiesties behalfe, we wyll and commaund all Gouernors, Knights of the Order, Lords of the Counsell of E­state, the Chiefe, the President, and the Lordes of the priuie Counsel, and all o­ther his maiesties Iustices and Offi­cers, to whom this cace perteyneth, to mainteine this present assurance, and to cause it to be mainteyned, in [...]iolably & continually, causing, suffering, and per­mitting the said Suppliants to vse and inioy it fully, quietly, and perpetually, without causing, procuring, or dooyng, and without suffering to be caused, pro­cured, or done, presently, or in tyme to [Page 103] come, directly or indirectly, any trouble or impeachment to the contrary, and also without attempting any thyng a­gainst the said Suppliants, in any ma­ner of wise, for any cause aboue specifi­ed. For so is it the kings maiesties plea­sure and ours. In witnesse whereof we haue signed these presents with our name, and set thereto our seale. Giuen in the Citie of Brusselles the. xxv. day of August. 1566. Signed vpon the fol­dyng on the right side of it thus: Marga­ret. And on the left side of the same fol­dyng, was written thus: By the ex­presse appoyntment of her highnesse. And vndersigned: Of Ouerloepe. These letters were sealed with her highnesse owne Seale, in red waxe, vpon a dou­ble Labell.

¶ The copie of a letter written by the kyng with his owne hand, vnto the Prince of Orendge, translated out of Spanish into French.

WIth great good wyll haue I receiued your letters, one the [...]. of May, and afterward an other the. [...]. of Iune. You might haue vnderstoode by that which I wrote to my syster, how small [Page 104] cause you haue to thinke the thinge that you writ to me in your letter of May, or rather that you ought to thinke the cleane contrary. And surely you should be much ouerseene, if you should thinke that I trusted you not in all thinges, or that if any body had gon about to make me conceiue amisse of your duetifulnes towards me, I would haue bin so light of credit, as to beleue it, hauyng had so great experience of your loyaltie and good seruis. Therefore you may for­beare your mistrust in that behalfe, and referre your selfe to the letters whiche you haue written heretofore in that matter, and to your owne doyngs, and not to the things that may haue bin put into your head, by some that perchance are enemies both to my seruice, and to your welfare. As touching the leaue that you sue for, to geue vp your Offi­ces: I am sory that your priuate affay­res are in suche state as you speake of: howebeit seeing that the state of those Countreys is so tickle as it is, I can not forbeare to tel you, that it is no rea­son that such personages as you be, in whom I trust, and vpon whom I rest, should nowe abandon them, specially sith I am so farre of from them: but ra­ther it were more reason that suche as [Page 105] are at home in their houses, shoulde come running out at such a time of nede and put to their helping hande as they be bound to doo, and as you haue done at this present in goyng to And werpe, whereof I like very well, assuring my selfe that you wyll doo there what soe­uer is most expedient for my seruis, and for the peace and tranquilitie both of the Citie and of the Countrey, and also for the redresse of such disorders as are ther, according to the truste that I haue in you: and so to doo I geue you expresse charge and commission, knowing that you wyll not shewe your selfe other­wise towardes me, than you haue bin of all your lyfe long. And to the ende you may see howe freely I deale with you, I can not spare to tell you howe it is much spoken of here, that your bro­ther is a medler in the thinges that are done there, as you be. For as muche therfore as I can not but greatly mis­like of it, I charge you to looke to the redresse thereof, that he proc [...]ede no fur­ther, and that you doo it out of hande. And if you thinke it conuenient, to put hym from you for certayne dayes, doo so. From the wood of Segouia, the first of August. 1566. vndersigned, Philip. Indorsed: To the prince of Orendge. [Page 106] And sealed with the kinges owne seale.

¶ A Letter of the kynges Ambas­sadourNo. 6. in France, to the Regent.

MAdame, although I wrote to you at large a fifteene dayes ago, and also by the Post that came out of Spayne, as he passed this way a six & twēty dayes since: yet notwithstandyng for as much [...] as yesterday I receyued ad­uertisementes from out of Spayne, I purpozed to giue your highnes intelli­gence of them incontinently, and to send you the copies of the two letters that were writtē vnto me, wherby you may see many suche poyntes, as I am sure you wyll very well like of, and also vn­derstand the good order which the kin­ges Maiestie hath taken, and the great preparation that he maketh dayly, as well to withstād the Turkes power, if it should aduenture to arriue vpō those Coastes, & to profer any attēpt, as also to bring all his subiectes to the obedi­ence of God and of hym selfe. Also your highnes shal vnderstād, how well your manner of dealyng is liked of, whiche you haue vsed since the styrre that hath happened in the coūtrey where you be: [Page 107] and that the last poynt concernyng in­telligences and strong places, is found very good, and to very great purpoze aboue all the rest. In so much that now by that meanes the kyngs maiestie ma­keth full account to bring his matters about with small payne [...]nd resistence, contrary to the doubt which he had of it at the beginnyng: specially for as much as the straungers meddle not o­ner farre, and also by reason of the con­tinuall wisedome and cunnyng hand­lyng of thynges, where with your high­nesse hath begonne to order the whole matter. For I am well able to assure you, Madame, that his Maiestie attri­buteth the preseruation of his low coū ­treys vnto you, next after God: who of his grace wyll bring to passe, that this inconuenience whiche is befallen, shall t [...]rne so greatly to his benefit and com­moditie, as he shall see them brought wholy vnder his obedience, and to such state, gouernment, and rule, as his pre­decessors could neuer attayne vnto, and which he hym selfe had so long desired & labored for, together with this occa­sion which no good seruant of his wyll counsell hym to looze, wherby he is in forewardnesse to subdue the one sort, and to ryd his handes of the other, as [Page 108] he hym selfe shall find best, and perceiue to be most expedient for the incounte­ryng of thyngs hereafter, to the benefit of his affayres in the saide Countreys. And for as much Madame as the point which to my seeming is of greatest im­portance and of most necessitie as now in this cace, is to make those vizored seruaunts (whom you note of) more & more carelesse, and out of mistrust: your highnesse (by your fauour) muste not thinke amisse of me for that I haue of­ten warned you, and nowe againe doo put you in mind, to dally with them for the present tyme, and to feed them so far foorth, as to hold talke with them oft­tymes your selfe, or to cause them to be talkt with by persons appoynted for the nonce, which must feed thē with y^e great opinion and good liking that the kings maiestie hath of their doyngs, and with the good wyll which he beareth them, yea euen so farre forth as to assure them that he beleueth, & sayth, that they haue done hym so notable seruis, as he thin­keth him selfe beholden to them for that his low Countreys are styll vnder his obedience, & that but for their presence and wisdome they had eyther bin a pray to straungers, or els bin bathed in the blud of their own people. For although [Page 109] madame, such speches be but [...] & fayned iu very deede, yet doo the tyme and occasion require, that such artificial talke should be vsed for the seruis of his maiestie. And I beleue your highnesse shall see by experience, that they wyll serue to good purpoze for the holdyng of them in, or at leastwise for to hold the fast, as we haue perceyued alreadye, not onely in them, but also in the two that are gone to his maiestie, who haue bin so cunnyngly and skilfully handled, and haue had so good countenance and intertaynment giuen them, that they swear [...] by nothyng els but by the faith that they owe to their maister.

And on the otherside, there is so good order taken, and such fetches practized in their houses at home, that accordyng to the meanes that your highnesse coū ­seleth, they can nother doe nor say any thyng, wherof good intelligence is not giuen backe agayne. Besides this, it is determined to holde them a good while at the Court, and not to suffer them to depart thence, no more than they haue suffered the Lord of Ibermount, who thought he should haue retunred out of hand. But I must tell you Madame, that the greatest inconuenience whiche I know to be in this cace at this preset, [Page 100] is that they which are of greatest pow­er and credit about the kyng, (that is to witte the Duke and the This Duke is the Duke of Alua: and the Prince is the prince Deboly Ruygomes. Prince) agree well vpon the punishment, but not vpō the meane how to punish them. For the one vrgeth the kinges goyng thither as much as he can, & the other on the con­trary part letteth & hindereth it, & pro­poūdeth other new meanes. As for me, I haue alwayes bin of opiniō, y^t in such caces the kynges presence would stand in great stead: & that aboue all thynges, diligence and speedy dispatch is neede­full, and would greatly aduauntage the matter, and that in suddein diseazes it behoueth to vse speedy, yea & euē violēt remedies: which is the opinion, where­in the kynges Maiestie as I am infor­med (onely by one litle soule) doth now dwell fully settled and resolued: in so much that the same day that he arriued last at Madrid after his sicknesse, hee sware in the presence of the sayd Lords, how he knew well that in the thynges whiche he had to do in his low Coun­treys, his going should be, not onely to his own reputation, but also to the ser­uis of God: and therfore that it touched him so neere, as he would rather hazard all the rest of his dominions, than fayle to punish such Rebelliō to the example [Page 111] and open sight of all Christēdome. And for the same cause his Maiestie determi­ned resolutely in the same place, to de­part out of Spayne as soone as he pos­sibly might, and to cary with him the Prince his sonne, & the Queene, (who notwithstandyng (as it was thought) might haue passed thorough Fraunce,) leauyng his suster the Regēt of the coū ­trey and his two nephewes the Empe­rours sonnes with hir, howbeit that the Emperour was mynded afterward to take home the elder of thē: and that the duke should go his way certaine dayes afore to refresh the garrisons of Italy, and to fetche thence the best and aun­cientest Capteines and souldiers, & in their places to put those whō he should carry with him out of Spaine: and that anon after, his Maiestie shal go into I­taly and speake with some of the Prin­ces and potētates of that countrey, and talke mouth to mouth with the Pope,Abouchera. and afterward with the Emperour (if it may be) to link in togither with them in counsell and force: and he hath alre­dy desired two regimentes of souldiers at the Emperours hands. Which there is no dout but he shal obteine, notwith­standing that he cannot as yit giue him reso [...]te answere, by reasō of the warre [Page 112] that he hath with y^• Turke. This doue, as soone as he hath set cōuenient order in his affaires, his maiestie determineth to tary in the Frenche Countie, and frō thence to come down into the low coū ­treys with such force as shalbe needful, according to the behaueour of his sub­iectes there, & accordyng to the counte­nance that they shall shew, of humbling them selues, or of makyng resistence, that he may make them to obey hym, and God first of all. Furthermore ma­dame, me thinkes I shoulde not for­get to tel you, howe the Countie Pa­latine, and the Lantgraue of Hessia, and the other Lutheran Princes haue sent two ambassadours hyther, which beare the name of Doctors, wherof the one is called Iunius, and the other Dauid. They came hyther a moneth or fiue weekes ago, vnder colour to demaund certaine money, which the sayd Princes had lent the Hugonots, duryng the troubles of the Realme, and therewithall to com­mend the professors of their godly Re­ligion to the French kyng: but in very deede (as farre as I can learne) to make practises with the sayd Hugonots, and to giue new occasions of attemptes a­gainst the Catholik state of the kynges maiesties Countrey. And for as muche [Page 113] as I perceyued by good ground, and in very truth, that some of the kyngs and Queenes Coūsell, yea euen of the grea­test and oldest sort, (how Catholicke so euer they pretended to be) were myn­ded to serue their owne turnes by oc­casiō of this Ambassade, by entryng in­to league with those Princes, and so to strengthen themselues in their confede­racie and alyance, I was in some vn­quietnesse for certaine dayes, how to fynde meanes to breake that broode. But the Cardinall came to the Towne in very good season, who in very deede doth a whole worlde of good turnes heer, and would do many [...]o if he were able. I visited him & had long discourse with him about the weightynes of this cace, and the greate inconueniences that it drewe with it to the ruine of the Catholickes of this Realme: and I ag­grauated it in such wise vnto him, as I made it seeme to tend, not onely to the harme of the kyng my maister, but also to the harme of his owne Prince. By meanes wherof I gaue him a colour to attach the said Iunius as a subiect borne in the low countrey, so as he wēt hence the nexte mornyng to a house of the Queenes called Monceaulx, where the Court lay. And when he came there, he [Page 114] sped him so well, that immediatly the kyng & the Queene dispatched a writ to y^e Marshal of their house, to put the said Lutherā Ambassadours in prison who were as then in the towne, and to seaze their letters, remēbraunces, & Instruc­tions. Which thyng had bin put in exe­cution, but that duryng the contention that happened while the Marshal was about to haue led them to prison, a cer­teine Counseler beyng thē in the town, aduized him to surceasse the execution of the writ, vntill there came a new com­maundement. Neuerthelesse, I know that although there was meanes made afterward to salue that sore: yet y^• Am­bassadours thought themselues to haue receiued such a despight, & their Mai­sters such an iniurie: as I am sure that thereby the practise that was a brew­yng is so broken of, as it cannot be knit togither agayne. Specially for asmuch as they perceiued themselues to be mis­used new agayne, in that in sted of a­mendes for the sayd wrong, they were very ill intreated at the Court, when they came to haue audiēce: & afterward mocked for their labour, by meanes wherof they thought that the kyng and the Queene and their Coūsell had small likyng of them: a thyng that cannot but [Page 115] turne to the great furtheraunce of the kynges Maiesties affaires, and bereue them more and more of their frēdes and alyances. As for the Lady that you wot of, I take hir to be one of the deepest dissemblers in the world: & the more I haue to deale with hir, the more am I cōfirmed in y^t opiniō which I haue oftē aduertized your highnesse of: namely, that there is no trust, no assurednes, no frendshyp, no stedfastnesse in hir, I haue talked with hir many times of the mat­ter that you know of, which concerneth the kynges Maiestie, and I haue told hir meetly playnly inough how greatly she is bounde thereto, for the releef that she hath receiued by it in hir great nede, and I do dayly still vse all the meanes that I can deuize, to make hir to disco­uer matters accordyng to his maiesties meenyng and yours. But I can get no­thyng at hir hād but wordes: and I am as neere my purpoze as I was at the first day neuerthelesse I am fully deter­mined to vrge hir in such wise at my next cominyng to haue audience, as she shalbe driuen to lay hir selfe open. She sendes me oft the litle blacke mā that I haue written of so oftentyines to your hyghnesse, who hath bin diuers tymes in Spayne since the Lorde of S. Sup­pli [...] [Page 116] was Ambassadour there. But howsoeuer the sayd Lady thinke that by his meanes she makes me beleue what she listeth, and wringeth out many se­cretes from me. I will nother let hir know what I intend, nor draw them frō their opinion, but contrariwise pre­tend to speake freely to thē. And by this meanes I perceiue I giue them now & then good glikes & to very good effect, and that I sucke more out of them than they do out of me. At leastwise I wil by Gods helpe take such order henceforth, as they shall neuer make their bragges that they haue couzined a Spanyard. I receiued this aduertizement by a poste that went from Madrid with the Lord of S. Supplice, whom the sayd Lady did send now alate to the kynges Ma­iestie, and left him as Bayone the first of this Moneth to returne into Fraunce. One sent me word that he had had such talke with hir as was behoful, & such as I gaue instructiōs of, which I am sure will do good: neuerthelesse he learned not so much newes as he looked for, and as their intent was that sent hym. The Duke had told him a [...]awe dayes afore, that he intēded to write to me: but bycause the poste sawe him maruelous sad for his sonnes mariage, at his com­ [...]yng [Page 117] away he durst not speake to hym of it. The death of Sultan Solyman is not yit knowen in Spayne. But as soone as tydinges commes thither of it, I am sure I shall haue adu [...]rtizement from thence, whereby I shall perceiue, whither that vppon theis newes there follow any alteration of purpoze in the poyntes abouesayd: wherof I will not fayle to certifie your highnesse out of hand, wh [...]. [...].

¶ The Princes answere to the At­tourneyes Summons or Citation.

MAister Attourney, I haue recei­ued a Copie of the SummonsNo. 7. that you haue caused to be exe­cuted and published agaynst me by open Proclamation and Edict. And for asmuch as I finde my selfe greatly greeued with the accusations therin cō ­teined, as a nobleman of my callyng ought to do: I couet nothyng so much (which thyng I hope also to make ap­parant) as to aunswere dewly and tru­ly therunto as becommeth me. For it is no part of my meening, to leaue any su­spicion in the hartes of the ignoraunt, that I haue not dealt honorably and accordyngly as I am bounde to the king, or that I haue leudly and vndew­ [...]ully behaued my selfe in the Com­missions, [Page 118] roomes, and offices, which it hath pleazed his Maiestie to bestow v­pon me heertofore, or otherwise. But I hope to shew by this discourse & by the laying togither of my defences, that the good, long continewed, & faythfull ser­uices, charges, and damages, which I haue susteyned in them by reason of thē, doo farre surmount my dueties and re­wardes. And therefore I haue good cause and reason to desire to enter into this reckenyng, no lesse than he that ho­peth and looketh for an amendement of his state, by the closing vp and determi­nyng of his account. But for as much as the thing that we most desire & chie­feliest intend, is cōmōly last in executi­on, if we proceede duely and orderly as we should do: in so much that the Phi­sition or Surgeon goes not about to cure the diseaze, or to heale the wounde, how greeuous or daungerous soeuer it be, tyll he haue first purged the humors, and searched the bottome thereof: ney­ther dooth the Mason builde a house, without laying of a sure foundation be­fore: I am inforced and compelled by the maner of your Summons, to defer the alledging and settyng downe of my defence, vntyll your accusations be layd forth before a competent and fit Iudge, [Page 119] in place vnsuspected, where a man may hope that the things which shalbe spo­ken, shalbe regarded as they ought to be, and that the Iudge wyl proceede in­differently to acquitment or condemna­tion, according as the cace shall require and deserue. In the meane while I must comfort my self with the examples (wherof storyes are full) of suche as in recompence of their mainteynyng and increasing of the honour, Countreys, and dominions of their Princes, kings and soueraigne Lords, with the hazard of their owne lyues, and the expence of their goodes, haue not only bin shame­fully cited and cryed out vpon, but also receyued bodyly punishment, and bin made a publike example, by being mur­thered, executed, banished, or driuen a­way, whereas in the meane while, the rewardes and recompences of their ser­uices haue bin giuen before their faces to them that least deserued them. Which dealing is so much the lesse straunge in these dayes, for as much as the innocen­test person that is, maye not ouely be brought in suspition, but also in hatred, & made abhorred of the world, onely by causing him to be taken and reputed for an heretike by some suborned person. For be he once brought to that poynt. [Page 120] he shall not onely fynd hym selfe defea­ted of all his good doynges, seruices, and desertes: but also beyng bereft and depriued of all good likyng, he shall be­come suspected and accusable of Rebel­lion, Commotion, Sedition, and gene­rally of all kindes of crimes and faults that can be comprized vnder the name of treason.

And for as muche as it is an odious thing, as y^e worlde goes now adayes, to accuse mē of pretēsed heresie, to the intēt they may punish it without incurryng the indignation and turnyng away of mens hartes, which they woulde faine holde in bondage: it standeth them in hand to couer it with the cloke of trea­zon, wherof who soeuer is accused, shall in vaine goe about to purge and cleare hym self, before one to whom he percey­ueth hym selfe to be suspected of heresie. For in as much as treazon is not the fi­nall cause, for which he is pursued, arre­sted, apprehended, and accuzed: though he make his innocencie appeare by ne­uer so due proofe: yet can he not hope for any acquitment or deliuerance, but must be condemned vnder title and pre­tence of treazon: or els (be his innocen­cie too too apparant) he must looke for [...] perpetuall and miserable deteynyng [Page 121] in lawe by delay of proceedyng: which thing ought to excuze me sufficiently for not appearing before the Duke of [...] Gouernor and Capteyne general of the low countreys: Besides that your [...] which you haue sued out, is for in [...]any reas [...]ns vtterly without right, and such as I am not bounde to obey. For [...]e­sides that the officer of Armes [...]ath not giuen any intelligence, warnyng, or [...] ­clyng of his doing vnto me, who vpon aduertizement giuen to my Lady the Duchesse of Parma then Regent, dyd withdrawe my selfe [...] into this [...]y Countie of Nass [...] ▪ for certaine vrgent affayres of [...] [...] ▪ (accordyng al­so as I certifyed his [...] long ago that I was mynded to doo) and [...] of purpoze to flee awaye, or to [...] [...] head, as your Writ conteyneth▪ the ter­mes, respites, and distances were [...] short, as it was vnpossible for me to be aduertized of the proclaymyng of [...] in Brusselles, & to make my apparance there within the compasse of them, and much lesse in any places further of, [...] ­ther the Duke of Alua might [...] in the meane while. For seeing that euery terme and day of respit had his [...]ffect: it is wel knowen that respect ought to be had to ech of them seuerally, and not to [Page 122] [...]em all three ioyntly and continuingly together. And therefore to set ter [...]s [...] of [...]eene dayes a [...]eece, for suche a [...] as is betweene this and Brus­selles: is nothing els but to set out E­ [...]es▪ Summons, and Citations that are vnpossible to be obeyed. Agayne, by the hndlyng vppe of your saide res­pites, and by your taking of three for one: I finde that notwithstandyng the great importance of the cace, & the state and calling of my persō, your meanyng is to proceede agaynst me by one onely Summons, contrary to all order of iu­stice: specially seeyng that in like caces, the proceedyng is speedy ynough accor­ [...]ing to right, when there is no more done, but the keeping of the accustomed order: which is, that there should be no proceedyng to the peremptory day, be­fore there haue [...] three seuerall [...] sued out, with sixe dayes distance at the least betweene Summons and Summons, and that the Iudge beyng [...]ely [...]ed of the places & hauntes where the partie absent that is to be summoned abydeth, do appoint the res­pites accordyng to the farrenes of y^t di­stance that he hath to come. Which thing sith your Summons dooth not, it folo­weth of necessitie, that it is of no value, [Page 123] nor any Summons at all. Of like [...]f­fect are all your Iudiciall actes vndue­ly and vncompetētly done, so much the more, because your pre [...]ed Citation and [...] can take no place or ef­fect, in as much as they be done against such a one as dwelleth out of the kyngs territorie and iurisdiction, within the boundes of the Empire, and is a mem­ber and state of the same: (the priuiledge and authoritie wherof is s [...]che,) that if any withdraw [...] them selues out of it, [...] may of right be required to be sent backe agayne, but it is not lawful to cal them out of the Empire by any Citati­on, or by any pre [...]sed Summons, In­iunction, or Proclamatiō. Which thing hath bin of suche estimation in [...] past, that chiefly by reason thereof, the sentence that was geuen by the [...] ­rour Henry, against Robert [...] [...] Sicilie was reuersed and [...] ▪ the rather because the said kyng [...] stood in doubt of the Emper [...] [...] accompanyed with a puissant ar [...]y, as the duke of Alua is at this prese [...] wit [...] an army of Spaniardes, bearing suche good wyll to me as all the world [...] ­weth. And therefore it ought to [...] for the bewraying of the [...] of your sayd Citation and Summons, [Page 124] specially seyng that the Duke is notori­ously knowen to be a more vncompe­tent Iudge in respecte of me, than the saide Emperour was in respect of the kyng of Sicilie: Considering that such as are knightes of the Order, can not by the Lawes, Ordinances, and Con­stitutions therof, be otherwise s [...]mo­ned than before the chiefe of the same Order, and their brethren, no not [...]uen for the woorst, heynousest, and shame­fullest matters that they can commyt. Nay, there can not any man proceede to the apprehending, attaching, and detey­nyng of those knightes, vnlesse it be de­creed by the aduice of sixe of their bre­thren at the least: and in such cace they must be put by and by in the custody of their owne. Colledge, and of the frendly company of their owne Order, and not be rigorously dealt withall, as our Co­sins and brethren of the same Order al­ready apprehended, are vsed: whiche thing doth also confir [...]e the insufficien­cie of the Writ that you haue sued out, and specially of the rigorous clause of bo [...]yly attachment put thereinto. For seeing that man is naturally giuen to [...] hym selfe: it is not likely that we wyll be made to appeare among [...] men, & before such Iudges, as we [Page 125] mistrust, and specially to yeelde our sel­ues into such prizons as are farre more streyt and rigorous, than we of duetie are bound vnto, or than of right belon­geth vnto vs. For of right the Prizon should serue but onely to keepe the pri­zoner forthcommyng, and not to [...] hym from all company, [...], co [...]nsel, & aduice: without the which it is impossible that any cace of importāce shoulde be well and duely pleaded and defended: the whiche neuerthelesse I vnderstand in very dede to haue bin v­sed & to be vsed styll towardes our said Cosins and brethren of the Order, whō we see also to haue bin fetched out of the Countie of Braband, notwithstan­dyng the expresse Couenants, Lawes, and Conditions, wherby the same coū ­trey is bounde to the obedience of the kyngs maiestie. And I see that the lik [...] is come to passe in the person of myne own sonne the Countie of Bure, with­out any regarde had of his young age, and apparant innocencie: whiche ser­ [...]eth me for a warnyng, that the Duke of Alua meaneth not to stand to any co­uenauntes, bondes, lawes, rightes, or customes, and therfore that it should be impossible for me to obteyne any dis­charge at his hande, though I made [Page 126] myne innocencie to appeare neuer so sufficie [...]tly by like allegations.

Wherfore, & forasmuch as both by right of law, & by force of couenaunt, brought in at ioy full enteraunce, conteinyng the lawes whereby the Duchy of Braband [...] obedience, we whiche haue al­way [...]s had our dwellyng place in the [...]ame Duchy, haue good groūd to with­hold and suspend all obediēce which we owe to the kyng, vntill his Maiesty be­yng better informed, haue amended the thyngs that haue bin done and attemp­ted contrary to the said ioyfull entrance & in preiudice therof: I thought it good to aduertize you and to tell you playn­ly by theis presētes, that in respect of the reasons before alledged, we take your sayd Summons and Citation for noue and of no valew. Expr [...]y protestyng the like, of all that shalbe done and de­creed by vertue and confequence of the same, specially bycause of the apparaunt vnsufficiencie of the Duke of Alua, to whom the Commission of this cace is directed in respect of his Gouernershyp and Capteinship generall ouer the low Coūtreys: which protestatiō our wil is to haue to serue for our excuze, & conse­quētly also for our refusall in respect of him, and so farre forth as is nedefull be­sides, [Page 127] bycause we finde in very deede & by experience, that we cannot hope to obteine of him, the right which our cace shall deserue, by reason of the causes a­foresaid. And we offer to present our sel­ues before the Emperour, the Electors, the Princes, the States, and other th [...] Lordes of the Empyre, or any othe [...] meete and vnsuspected Iudges, to haue the examining and deciding of our cace, accordyng to the desert of it openly and without partialitie or affection. Prote­styng yit once agayne, y^t all is nothyng, which is or shalbe done, sayd, ordeyned, iudged, or decreed to our preiudice, by the said Duke of Alua, suspected and re­fuzed as an incompetent Iudge as is sayd afore, or by any that shalbe put in Commission for him and in his steade. And for asmuch as all this serueth to none other end, but to do you to vnder­stand the sayd declarations, offers, and protestations: that by you and others such regarde may be had of them as is meete: I will pray to the Creator to haue you Maister Attourney in his ho­ly keepyng. Written at Dillenbourch the thyrde of Marche. 1568. Under­signed, William of Nassaw. The super­scription of it was, To Maister Attourney Generall.

¶ An answere sent to the Duke of Alua by the Prince of Orendge, vpon the Citation or Summons.

SIr, for asmuch as my doyngsNo. 7. may be a sufficient testimonie, that frō my youth vp I haue desired nothyng more, than to imploy my selfe in the seruis, first of the late Emperour of noble memory, and afterward of the kyng my Maister: I haue hoped that his maiestie (beyng ad­uertized from me, (lyke as my Lady of Parma then Regent, was also) that I was come into this my county of Nas­saw for certeine very vrgent affaires of myne) would in respect of my faythful­nes, & good wil, not haue ceased to haue shewed me so much fauour, as to com­maūde me wherin soeuer I could haue done him seruis, which I offered hym continewally by my sayd letters of ad­uertizemēt or at leastwise that I should haue vnderstode at your hand, that the kynges Maiestie was mynded to haue me to leaue myne owne affaires heere, and to returne immediatly thither, as wel as you gaue intelligence of his ma­iesties minde to all other Lords, states, and Cities. But as I was stil wayting with great longyng, for his Maiesties [Page 129] commaundementes: I was aduertized that processe was gone out agaynst me, to seaze vpon my Lordshyps, Landes, and goodes: and (whiche woors is) by Proclamatiō vnder the name of the At­tourney generall, ful of false and vntol­lerable slaunders: and afterward by the apprehendyng of my sonne, whom I had left at Louane that he might be the better able to serue the kyng and the cō ­mon weale heerafter. Whereat I won­dered very much, & me thought it was right strange, that they should proceede in such sort against a man of my calling, forgettyng so soone the great and noble seruices, done as well by my predeces­sours and by my selfe, and in theis last trubbles by name. Wherfore where as I haue reasons & allegations well fra­med to Iustifie my cace with all, and to cleere & declare myne innocencie, & the wrong that is done me in this behalfe, which I reserue till fit time & place may serue: I thought it inough at this tyme to answere the Attourney general with speede, and to lay open and to shewe to him the insuffi [...]iencie of his Summons by other reasons which I had agaynst the same, before the expiring of the ouer hasty terme that is prefixed vnto me, to the ende that men should not thinke I felt my selfe gilty in any thing, or that I [Page 130] [...]eene not to pursew my right, so farre forth as I shal finde it expedient by rea­son. And thereof Syr, I thought good to aduertize you also, by sendyng you Copic of the letter that I wrate to mai­ster Attourney togither with this let­ter, to the intent there may be no more proceedyng or dealyng agaynst me or myne through ignoraunce, furtherforth than may be iustified heerafter by order of law, whereto I hope I shall one day haue my recours. And to the ende that this may not serue to any other effect, I pray God Syr, to giue vnto you health and whatsoeuer is for your sal­uation, and vnto me, that my Prince may once truly vnderstand the sinceritie of my dealynges. From Dillenbourch, this thyrd of Marche. 1568. The sub­scription of it was, Your brother of the Order, William of Nassaw. The super­scription was, To my Lord the Duke of Aluaze grace.

¶ The Copie of an other Letter written by the foresaid Frauncis of Al­ua Ambassadour for the king of Spaine in Fraunce, to the Duchesse of Parma. &c. Regent: besides that whiche is inserted heertofore in the page. 106. No. 6.

[Page 131]MAdame, the aduertizemēt which your highnes hath giuen me of the affaires where you are, hath confirmed the opinion which I haue alwayes had: namely that this styrre was neuer made without the knowledge and supportāce of the grea­test, and specially of the three He mee­neth the Prince of Orendge, the Countie of Egmond, and the Countie of Horn. whiche make so fayre countenance. For as your highnesse hath considered with greate care and discretion: you must also beleue that all the mischief spryngeth of them three. I haue not fayled to aduertize the kings Maiestie of all thynges, and spe­cially of that matter. And I am sure that whereas your highnesse hath infor­med his Maiestie of them, you shall not neede to handle them as they should be, and accordyng to your owne informa­tion: for they may be well assured, that they shalbe the first whom his Maiestie will deale with: not to shewe them fa­uour, for they be not worthy of it: but to punish and correct them as their rebel­lion deserueth. Therfore your hyghnes shall not neede to giue them any euill countenance, or to make any shewe of misliking, for feare of marring the mat­ter: But you must hold them stil in hope that the kynges Maiestie taketh them for his faythfull seruauntes: & that will [Page 132] stand vs in great stead. For, by causing them to beleeue so, you shall ouertake them the eassyer. But when the time cō ­meth, you shal talke to them in an other maner of language. And your highnesse must assure your selfe, that if your will be good to make them receiue the pay­ment that they haue deserued: his Ma­iestie wilbe no lesse willyng to do what soeuer is needefull in that behalfe.

Also Madame, to aduertize you in what assuraunce we bee of succour in Fraunce, accordyng to the instructions that you gaue me: I must bee fayne to tell your hyghnesse, that we haue pro­mises inough made vs, but I feare me they will stand vs in no great stead, and in the end all will turne to bare words, bycause they haue not their own willes, nor are able to helpe vs as they pro­mise, by reason that the Hugonotes heerawayes are strong and doo make head. I will not fayle to do what may be done, and to aduertize your highnesse thereof vpon all occasions. But in any wise I beseech you to behaue your selfe very cunnyngly towards the three per­sons whom I haue named vnto you. And so &c.

From Paris the xxix. of Au­gust, 1566.

¶ Letters of the Prince of Orend­gis to the Regent.

MAdame, I haue receyued the letters These are the letters with the kings resolu tion sent a­brod by the Regent, the 18. of De­cemb. 1565. No. 2. fo. 77. which it hath pleased your highnesse to write vnto me, together with the Coun­selles letters, concernyng my gouernment: whereby I vn­derstand the kinges maiesties intent, consi­styng in three poynts, which he commaun­deth me very expressely to cause to be ex­ecuted in all places of my gouernmente. Nowe although Madame, that myne ad­uice is not asked in the matter beyng of so greate weight and importance: yet not­withstandyng as a faythfull seruaunt and subiect to his maiestie, being moued with a zelous desire to satisfie the duetie of my calling and othe, I coulde not forbeare to say myne opinion freely and frankly, choo­zing rather to aduenture the gainyng of displeazure at the present for myne aduer­tisementes and informations, than to be noted and blamed hereafter as an vnfaith­ful, negligent, and carelesse Gouernour, for my wi [...]king and silence, to the defamation and desolation of the Countrey.

Firste, as touching the puttyng of theThe Coun­cel of Trent Councel in execution, although there wer some mislikyng and grudging at it at the [Page 134] beginnyng: yet notwithstandyng, in as much as some qualifications haue bin ad­ded to it afterward, I be [...]eue there wyll be litle sticking in that behalfe. And as for the reformation of the Clergie, and other Ec­clesiastical ordinances: seyng they belong not to my vocation, I referre them to such as haue the charge of them, intendyng to satisfie the kynges maiesties commaunde­ment, as neede shall require.

As touchyng the second poynt, whichThe Inqui­sition. conteyneth that the Gouerners, Counsel­lers, and other Officers should fauour the Iuquisitours to the vttermost of their po­wer, and maynteyne them in the authori­tie that belongeth to them by the lawe of God and man, & which they haue inioyed vnto this day.

It may please your highnesse to remem­ber, that the complaintes, strifes, and quar­rels that haue byn moued through the whole Countrey here for the stablishyng of Bishops, haue risen vppon nothyng els, but for feare least some forme of Inquisiti­on shoulde be brought in vnder that pre­tence. So odious and yrksome is, not on­ [...]ye the execution, but also the very name of it.

Besides this, it may please your highnes to vnderstand, (for it is cleare and mani­festly knowen to the most part of the kings [Page 135] maiesties subiectes, and specially to al men of any good countenance & calling here­awayes) that both the Emperours maiestyMary Queene of Hungary. and also Queene Mary, haue oftentimes as­sured the inhabitantes, as well by word as by writyng, that the Inquisitiō should not be brought into the lowe Countreys: but that they should be mainteyned and ruled as they had bin of all ancient tyme before. Yea and euen the kings maiestie that now is, to the intent to put that imaginatiō out of the peoples heades, hath ofttymes made the like assurance hym selfe.

And vndoubtedly Madame, the sayd as­surances and promises haue kept his ma­iesties subiectes and other dwellers here from fallyng into any alteration, and cau­sed many men of good wealth and counte­nance to forbeare the alienating of their goodes, and the seekyng of any other pla­ces where they might liue without feare of any Inquisition. And so consequently they haue bin a meane to mainteine the vnion, tranquilitie, trade of Marchandise, and supply of the most part of the treasures for the maintenance of the warres: wher­as els the Countrey being made bare both of inhabitantes, men, and money, had bin abandoned as a pray to whosoeuer had li­sted to lay hold of it.

As touching the third poynt, whereby [Page 136] his maiesty wylleth and commaundeth ex­pressely,The Iniun­ctions, Pro­clamations, Decrees, or Edictes. that the Iniunctions or Edictes made as well by the Emperour, as by hym selfe, shoulde in all poyntes and articles be kept, folowed, and executed, with al rigor, and without any qualification or winkyng at them.

Madame, (to my seemyng) that likwise is a very hard poynt, because the Iniuncti­ons are many and dyuers, and haue byn li­mited, qualified, and restrayned nowe and then heretofore, and not pursued with ri­gor: in so muche that they were not so sharpe euen in the tyme of the vniuersall misery, as they be now, nother were our people so much inclyned to innouation, as they be now by the instigation and practi­zes of our neighbors.

Wherfore, to vse more extremity pre­sently, and all at one instant to renue the Inquisition more vehemently, and to pro­ceede on to execution wyth all seueritie: surely Madame, I can not see howe the kynges maiestie shall wyn aught els by it, than to put hym selfe to payne, and the Countrey to trouble, with the losse of his good subiectes hartes, by makyng euery man mistrust, that his maiesty intendeth to goe an other way to woorke than he hath alwayes assured them of and pretended, and to hazarde the puttyng of all thynges [Page 137] into hys neyghbors handes, as wel by vn­peoplyng of the Countr [...]y by such as wyll forsake it, as by reason of the small truste that can be repozed in them that shall re­mayne, & al without any profit or redresse of Religion.

To auoyde tediousnesse, I omyt the al­ledgyng of many inconueniences in this behalfe, because I know that both his ma­iestie and your highnesse haue bin aduer­tized of them at large already. Moreouer, (I speake it vnder correction) me thynkes the tyme is very vnfit to styrre the braynes and humors of the people, whiche is too muche disquieted and troubled alreadye with the present scarsitie and dearth of corne. It were muche better (in myne o­pinion) to deferre and let all alone, vntyll his maiesties commyng, who is sayd to be in preparyng hym selfe hytherwarde. And I woulde to God he were so steaded, as he myght be here with speede, to the intent that by his presence suche order might be taken, as shoulde be expedient for the ser­uice of God and his maiestie, and for the reste and quietnesse of his Countreys and subiectes here. For in caces of trouble, thynges would be remedyed more ready­ly by his presence than otherwyse.

Howbeit, if hys maiesty and your high­nesse be styll at one staye, and fully bent to [Page 138] haue all the sayde poyntes folowed to the ful: for as muche as I see clearely and be­fore myne eyes, that it cā not be now exe­cuted without great hazarde of the ruine of the whole Countrey, (which it may be that his maiesty would haue regarde of, yf he were here:) If it be so that your hygh­nesse wyll not deferre the Inquisition tyll then, but wyll needes persist in the present executyng thereof: I had leuer that his maiestye shoulde put some other in my place, that can better skyll of the peoples humors, and is better able than I to keepe them in peace and quietnesse: than to in­curre the shame that maye lyght vpon me and myne, if any inconuenience should fal vpon the Countrey, vnder my gouernmēt, and duryng my charge.

And his maiestye and your hyghnesse may well assure your selues, that I saye not this because I am loth to folowe his com­maundementes, or desirous to lyue other­wyse than as a good Christian: for my for­mer doynges can wel beare witnesse ther­of, and I hope his maiestye hath well per­ceyued by experience, that I haue neuer spared eyther body or goodes to doo hym seruice, wherein my desire is to continue styll all my lyfe long. Besides this, if the af­fayres of the Countrey shoulde goe other­wyse than well, I woulde (for my duetyes [Page 139] sake to his maiesty and my natiue soyle) I woulde (I say) aduenture not onely al the goodes that I haue in the worlde, but also myne owne person, my wife, and my chil­dren, whom euen nature wylleth me to preserue and keepe. Wherefore I beseech you, let it please your highnesse to haue re­gard of it according to your tryed and ac­customed discretion, and to take this mine information in good parte, as proceedyng from one that speaketh of earnest affection and good wyll, to doo his maiestie seruis, and to preuent all inconueniences▪ wher­of I take God to witnesse, whom (hauing commended my selfe most humbly to the good grace of your highnesse) I beseeche to giue you long and good lyfe in health.

From Brusselles, the. xxiiij. day of Ianua­rye. 1565. accordyng to the Computation of Braband. Accor­dyng to the computatiō of the Em­pire, it is. 1566.

¶ The Regentes answere to the Princes Letter.

MY good cousin, I haue receiued your two Letters of the xvi. e. of this pre­sentNo. 8. moneth, by the one of which you excuse your selfe of your not cōmyng hither as you would haue done. And by the o­ther you put me in mynde of the declarations which you haue made to me at other tymes, cō ­cernyng [Page 140] the inconueniences that might rise of the three poyntes which my Lord the king hath commaūded, which I remember very well. And since that tyme (as I am informed) the discon­tentement and grudging of the people is growē in such wise, as I am done to vnderstand by di­uers aduertizementes commyng to me dayly from good places, that the sayd inconueniences are tootoo apparāt, & euē at the poynt to shew themselues to open sight. Which thyng caused me to thinke it meete and expedient, to assem­ble the Gouerners, (as I haue done) to be heere vpon Monday or Tewsday next at the furthest, that by their helpe I may consult of such things as shalbe most expedient for the preuentyng of the sayd inconueniences, or for the good seruice of the king, for the peace and tranquillitie of his countreys, and for the safety of his vassals, subiectes and inhabitants. And I know your af­fection and zeale towardes his Maiesties af­fayres and in the behalfe of the Countrey to be such, as I assure my selfe that you will not fayle (all other matters set aside and omitted) to be here at the same tyme: which I pray you harti­ly good Cousin to do, for to that ende doth this letter purposely come vnto you. And I pray the Creator to graūt you the thyng that you would most desire of him. From Brussels the xix. day of Marche. 1565.Accor­ling to the ōmon rec­ [...]ening, it [...]as. 1566. It was vnderwritten. Your good Cousin: and signed, Margaret: and fur­ther countersigned, Berty. And the superscrip­tion [Page 141] was, To my good Cousin the Prince of Orendge, Coūtie of Nassaw, Knight of the Order, & Gouerner of the Coūtie of Bur­gon, and of the Countreys of Holland, Ze­land, and Vtreyght.

¶Extractes of certaine points cō ­prizedNo. 9. in the Iniunctions, and ordinan­ces set forth in the lowe Countreys in the cace of Religion. And first of the generall Iniunction or E­dict made and decreed by the Empe­rour Charles, the. xxij. of September, the yeere. 1540. which was made after the paterne of an other as rigorous as that, whiche came foorth in the yeere. 1531.

FOr asmuch as in consideratiō ✚ aforesayd, we be desirous to the vttermost of our power, to plucke vp, abolish, & roote out the sayd condemned and disallowed sectes, errours, and heresies, & to keepe our subiectes in the feare of God, and in the true obedience of our sayd holy Ca­tholicke fayth, & likewise in awe of our mother holy Church: we vpō great and substantial deliberation with our Coū ­sell, and by the aduice of our right deare & welbeloued sister the Queene Dowa­ger [Page 142] of Hungarie and Beame. &c. Regēt & Gouernesse of our Countreys heere, and also by the aduice of our cheef Coū ­selers, haue of our owne will & certeine knowledge ordeined and decreed, & do ordeyne and decree for an euerlastyng Statute and Law, as followeth.

First, that no person of what state, degree, or callyng so [...]uer he bee, shall haue, sell, giue, cary, read, preach, teach, maynteine, talke of, nor dispute of, ei­ther secretly or openly, the doctrines, writynges, or bookes that are made or shalbe made by Martin Luther, Ioh. Wic­kliffe, Iohn Husse, Marcil of Padua, Oeco­lampadius, Vlrichus Zuinglius, Philip Me­lancthon, Frauncis Lambert, Iohn Pome­rane, Otto Brunfelsius, Iustus Ionas, Iohn Puper, and Gorcian, or by any other au­thors of their sect, or by any other here­tickes and [...]: or the errours dis­allowed by the Church, or the doctrine of their adherentes, fauorers, and com­plices: no nor euen the new Testamēts Printed by Adrian of Bergues, Chri­stopher of R [...]mōd, and Iohn Zell, [nor theis Latin bookes followyng, videl.] The phrases of holy Scripture, The Inter­pretation of the Chaldey names, Vadians Abridgement of Topographie, The Para­lippomenon or Chronicles of thyngs wor­thy [Page 143] of rememberance, The story of the o­riginall of the Garmanes, The Cōmētaries vppon the Poetry of Pythagoras, Walcu­rioze Commentaries vpon Aristotles Phi­sikes, The workes of Eobanus Hessus, Gri­phies Prayers vpō the Lordes Prayer, The Method vpō the cheef places of Scripture, The Cathechizin of Erasmus Sarcerius, The same mans Scholies vpon the Gospels of Mathew Marke & Luke, The same mās Postilles vppon all the Sondayes Gospelles through the whole yeere, Also of the ma­ner of learnyng Diuinitie, Of the framyng of a mans lyfe, and of the reformation of manners. Christopher Hegendorphius ex­hortation, The same mans instruction of Christen youth, with an exposition of the Lordes Prayer, Philip [...] abrid­gement of Chronicles both in Latin and in Duche, Sebastian Munsters Annotations vppon Saint Mathewes Gospell, and the Enterludes played not lōg ago in our Citie of Gaunt by the nineten places of Rheto­ricke, vppon this question, what is the greatest comforte to a man that is at the point to dye: nor any other bokes writ­ten or printed within theis xviij. yeeres last past, without declaryng of the au­thor, printer, tyme, and place nor like­wise the new Testament, the Gospels, the Epistles, the Prophesies, or any o­ther [Page 144] bookes in Frenche or Duche con­teining Prefaces, Prologes, Appostils, or glozes, sauoryng of doctrines disal­lowed, repugnant, or cōtrary to our ho­ly Catholicke fayth, or to the Sacra­mentes, or to the commaundementes of God or of the Church.

Also that no man shall peynt or cause to bee peynted or portrayed, or holde, haue, or keepe any Images, portraitu­res, or pictures, to the reproche or dis­gracyng of the virgin Marie, or of the saints that are canonized by the church: nor also breake, deface, or pull down the Images made or heerafter to be made in the honor or rememberance of them: & that if any body haue any such books peyntyngs in his hands or keepyng, he burne them incontinently.

Upō peyne (in cace that any be foūd to haue done agaynst any of the pointes aboue declared,) to be executed, that is to say, the mē by the sword, and the wo­menThat is to wyt, by burnyng of them quick. by the pit so they do not maintein & defend their errours: but if they stand in those errours and heresies, then they shalbe executed by the fire: and in all ca­ces their goodes shalbee confiscate to our behofe.

And we will and declare, that from the day wherin the said heretickes shal­be [Page 145] falne into their errours, they shalbe vnable to dispoze of their go [...]des: and all alienatiōs, giftes, cōueyances, sales, settyngs ouer, Testamentes, & last be­questes by will, made by them after such tymes, shalbe as nothyng and of none effect.

Furthermore we obteine and decree it for a perpetuall statute and law, as a­fore, that no man shall presume to hold or suffer in his house or els where, any co [...]enticles or meetynges, or to talke or dispute of holy Scripture, (specially in matters hard and doutfull) or to read the same holy Scripture to others, or to preach it: vnlesse they be Diuines al­lowed by some famous Uniuersitie, or admitted thereto by the ordinarie of the place: vnder like penaltie.

Also that no man shal Print or cause to be Printed, or otherwise put forth a­ny booke, that treateth or maketh men­tion of the holy Scripture, or that in a­ny wise toucheth our holy fayth and the constitutiōs of the Church: vnlesse it be first ouerseene by the ordinary of the place, & that he haue gotten our graūt & licence to Print it: vnder like penaltie.

Moreouer we ordeine & decree, that no man of what state or callyng so euer he be, shall presume to lodge, receiue, in­ [...]ine, [Page 146] or fauour any heretickes, or A­nabaptistes, & that all such as shall haue lodged, receiued, interteined, or fauored them, knowyng them to be such▪ shall come and bewray & accuze them to the officer of the place (if it be a priuiledged place): or els (if it be not) to the cheef of­ficer of the good towne next to the place where they dwell: vnder peyne of being punished as heretickes.

And bycause we be desirous to come to the knowledge of the sayd heresies, errours, and abuses: we inact & decree, that the accuzers & bewrayers of them shall haue the one moitie of their goods that are so bewrayed and accuzed before their misusage do appeere, & they dew­ly conuicted thereof: condicionally that the sayd goodes passe not the summe of one hundred poundes Flemishe of the great: for if they passe that summe, then shall they haue but the tenth penny of that which the said goodes amount vn­to aboue it, the costes and charges in the law first deducted.

And to y^e end that our Iustices & Of­ficers which shall haue apprehended the sayd Heretickes or Anabaptistes, may not haue occasion to beare with them, their complices and fautors, or to pu­nish them lesse than they deserue, vnder [Page 147] pretence that the punishementes may seeme to great and rigorous, & to haue bin set but onely for the terrour of offē ­ders, as we see it commeth oftentymes to passe. We will and commaunde that whosoeuer violateth this our ordināce, by keepyng, printyng, sellyng, distribu­tyng, or settyng forth any bookes, wri­tynges, or images, that are hereticall or offēsiue, or otherwise against the points aboue declared, or any of thē: shalbe pu­nished and corrected indifferently by the peynes afore mēcioned. Forbiddyng all our Iudges, Officers, and Iustices, to alter, qualifie, or chaunge the same pu­nishmentes in any maner of wise: and [chargyng them] onely to denounce the sayd penalties and punishmentes vpon them, as soone as they shall perceiue them to haue violated any of the sayde points: vnder penalty to be depriued of their roomes & offices, & to be denoun­ced vnable to beare any Office for euer after, and moreouer to be corrected for it at our pleasure. And we commaund all our Officers to aduertize vs or our sayd sister the Queene, when our Iudges, Headborowes, Aldermē, or any others hauyng the examination of such offen­ders, do make nyce to follow this our decree, and to denounce the sayd penal­ties: [Page 148] that we may proceede agaynst thē by the selfe same punishmentes.

Furthermore we decree, that if any man chaunce to know any place where any hereticke or Anabaptist doth secret­ly lurke: he shalbe bound to bewray it to the officer of that place, vpon peyne to be taken for a fa [...]rer, harbrowgher, and adh [...]ent of the heresie wherewith the person so hidden is infected, and to bee punished with the same peyne that the hidden person should bee punished withall, if he were caught.

And bycause that heeretofore when some Heretickes or Anabaptistes being appeached and cited, haue gotten them selues out of the Countrey, and shrunke a [...]de or hid them selues in some secret place▪ there could bee no proceedyng a­gaynst thē by any other conuenient pu­nishment thā onely by banishment: and that such heeryng that their compli [...]es & adherentes were dead or executed, so as it was not possible for y^e officer to proue sufficiently that they were rebaptized or heretickes, did vpon hope & confidence therof some forth dayly, and make sute to get leaue to pu [...]ge them selues, or to get some other benefite of law: w [...]he thyng ministred [...] of delay of Iu­stice, and made the heretickes and Ana­baptistes [Page 149] bold to returne into our coū ­treys, and there to sow abrode their er­rours & false doctrines, to the great pe­ [...]ill, offence, & preiudice of our sayd coū ­treys & subiectes: We myndyng to pro­uide for it, do forbid the cheef Iustices of our hygh Courtes, & the Presidents of our prouinciall Counselles, to giue, graunt, or cause to be sealed to such as are suspected & appeached for [...] or Anabaptistes, and ha [...]yng bin once cyted by order of law, appeere not, but suffer thēselues to be banished through their owne wilfulnesse,) any protection of law to stand to their purgation, or o­therwize to frequent our sayd coūtreys. And we denounce, that such fugitiues & banishēd [...]olke shalbe taken for conuic­ted, & that processe shall go out agaynst them vnder the peynes aforesayd.

Besides this, we forbyd all men of✚ what state or condition so euer they be, (vnder payne of beyng taken for fauo­rers of heretikes,) to offer vnto vs or our counsellers, hauyng power to par­don, any Supplicatiō for the sayd fugi­tiues, banished men, rebaptized, or o­therwise defamed, or hauyng bin noted of the sayd disallowed sectes, to [...] grace for their mis [...]sages, errours, and heresies: for we wyl not that any grace [Page 150] shalbe graunted them, vppon payne of being disabled for euer, to haue or exe­cute any charge or office in our Coun­treys, and moreouer to be punished at our pleasure. Likewise also we forbyd all Aduocates, Proc [...]ors, Clerkes, Ap­prentizes, and Sollicitors, to indite, write, or preferre any such Supplicati­ons vnder like payne.

All whiche poyntes and articles we† wyl and commaund to be kept and ob­serued inuiolably for euer, accordyng to their forme and tenor. And to the ende that euery man may haue knowledge thereof, we wyll you to proclayme all these thinges incontinently and with­out delay, in the places where Procla­mations are woont to be made: and that you proceede and cause others to proceede agaynst such as withstande or disobey, with all rigorous execution of the penalties afore declared, and with­out any fauor, dissembling, or winkyng at them: notwithstanding any replica­tion or appeale, made or to be made, or any Priuiledges, Ordinances, Statuts Customes, or vsages to the contrary: al which, our wyll and pleasure is to haue to take no place in this behalfe: but of our owne [...]ayne knowledge, autho­ritie, and full power, we haue disanul­led [Page 151] them, and doo disanul them by these presents.

And for the performance of that which† is saide, and of the thinges dependyng therupon, we giue vnto you our Iusti­ces, Officers, and men of Lawe, to whō this cace belongeth, full power, autho­ritie, and speciall Commission: com­maundyng and charging euery man to obey you, and to attend diligently vpon you, in the dooing therof: For so is our pleasure.

¶ Secondly, of the perpetuall De­creeNo. 9. and Edict, ordeined and set foorth the. 29. day of Aprill. 1550. after the making of other rigorous Decrees, in the yeares. 1544. and. 1546.

FIrst, that no person of what estate†† or cōdition soeuer he be, shal print, write, copie out, wittingly haue vnder hym, receyue, beare about, keepe, conceale, holde vnder hym, sell, [...]wy, giue, distribute, sow abroad, or let fall in Churches, streetes, or other pla­ces, any bookes or writyngs compyled by Martin Luther, Iohn Oecolampadius, Vlrichus Zuinglius, Martin Bucer, Iohn Caluin, or other heretikes and authors of their sectes, or of other wicked & false [Page 152] sectes, disallowed by the holy Churche, or of their complices, adherents, and fa­uourers, whiche are gone astray from our holy Catholike fayth, more largely specified in a certaine Declaration, andIn that they forbid in ma­ner al Bibles & Testamentes, sauing the La­tin ones: and therin are cō ­teyned an in­finite number of bookes, & among other, the bookes of Melancthon, Carolostadius, Coruine, Sar­cer, Lambert, Bullinger, A­grippa, Wick­ [...]e, Husse, Po­merane, Ionas, Pupper, Bren­tius, Spangen­berg, [...], Epin, Martir, Vrbane, Mus­culus, and Bucer. Register ioyned herunto, newly made at our commaundemēt, by the Chaun­celour and the Students of the vniuer­sitie of our Citie of Louane, dated the xxvi. of March last, which we auow our selues to haue authorized, and doo au­thorize it: willyng and commaun­dyng that it be followed, mayntey­ned, and published with these our present Letters: and also that no o­ther bookes made or printed, or that shalbe made or printed hereafter, (be suffered) without declaryng the author, Printer, tyme, and place.

✚ ✚ Nor also paynt, or cause to be paynted, sell, or set to sale, haue, holde, or kepe any Images, Pictures, or figures reprochful to the virgin Mary, or to the Saintes that are Canonized by the ho­ly Church, or to the state of the Clevgie: nor breake, deface, or pull downe the I­mages and Pictures that are made in the honor of them.

✚ ✚ Nor in their houses or els wher hold or suffer to be held, any secret con­uenticles or vndue assemblies, nor come [Page 153] in place where the sayde heretikes and seducers doo secretly and priuily sowe and teach theire errours, rebaptize, and make many conspiracies agaynst holy Church and the common weale.

Furthermore, we for [...] all men, as well laye folke as others, to talke or to reazon, openly or secretly, of the holy scripture, specially in great and doubt­full matters: or to reade or teache the holy Scripture to others: vnlesse they be Diuines brought vp in Diuinitie, & allowed by some famous Uniuersitis, or admitted thereto by the Ordinarye of the place: or finally to preach, defende, alledge, or mainteyn openly or secretly, any doctrine of the sayd Authors.

Uppon payne (in cace that anye bee founde to haue incountred or done a­gainst any of the poyntes aboue menti­oned) of being punished as seditious persons and distrublers of the state and common weale, and to be executed for suche: that is to wytte, the men by the sword, and the womē by the pyt, so they do not vphold and defend their errors: but if they stande in their errors, opini­ons, and heresies, then they shalbe exe­cuted by the fire, and in all caces their goodes shalbe seazed, confiscate, & for­feyted to our behoofe, and they shal not [Page 154] be able to dispoze of their goodes from the day that they shal haue done against our ordinance, statute, and prohibition, or bin falue into the said errors. And all alienations, gyftes, conueyances, sales, settinges ouer, Testamentes, and last willes, made or passed by them after the sayd day, shalbe as none, and nothyng worth, and of none effect nor force.

Further, we decree, and prohibite e­uery person (of what state or callyng so euer he be) to presume to harbor, receiue into his house, interteyne, furnishe, or succour with any victuals, money, ap­parell, or other necessaries, or to releeue with his goodes, or otherwise witting­ly to fauour any that hath bin counted or suspected for an heretike: and that al such as shall lodge, harbour, receyue, or keepe company with them (knowing them to be suche) shalbe bounde to be­wray and declare them to the Inquisitor, or to the Officer of the place, if the place be priuiledged, or if it be not, to the chefe Officer of the good towne that is next the place where they dwell: vnder paine (if they make default) to be punished as fauourers of the [...]aid heretikes.

Item, we wyll, ordeyne, and decree, that no man of what state or callyng so euer he be, shalbe admitted or receyued [Page 155] into any towne or village of our Coun­treys hereawayes, to dwell there, vn­lesse he bring a Certificat of his conuer­sation frō the Curate of the place where he dwelt last: which Certificat he shal­be bounde to exhibite and deliuer into the handes of the chiefe Officer of the Towne or village where he intendeth to lyue: vnder payne, that they whiche bring not such certificat, shall not be ad­mitted to dwell there, but shalbe taken for suspected. And we commaunde our Officers to lay diligently for informa­tions against them, & to proceede therin as shalbe expedient. And it shall not be lawfull for our sayd Officers to giue a­ny respite or protection to such persons.

Also we wyll that all our Iustices, officers, & men of Law, together with our vassalles and subiectes, Lords tem­porall, and high Iustices, shall vppon payne of forfeytyng of their Offices, Iurisdictions, and high Iusticeships, or other penaltie, at our pleazure, accor­dyng as the cace shall require: be bound to inquire diligētly of them, and to pro­ceede, or cause their vnder Officers to proceede againste all suche persons, of what state or callyng so euer they be, specially in the poynt of incounteryng of our saide ordinance, and in matters [Page 156] fallyng within the compasse of their ex­amination, and dependyng vpon their temporal iurisdiction. And further that at the request and desire of the Inquisi­tors of the faith, and of the Bishops or­dinary Iudges, (being mynded to pro­cede together or as they chance to meet, against any man, because the thing con­cerneth the Ecclesiasticall crime of here­sie) they shall minister and giue them al the ayde, fauour, and assistence that they can, for the executyng and performyng of their charges, and also for the appre­h [...]nding, imprisonyng, and safekeeping of such as they find to be infected, accor­dyng to theWhiche was very large and maruelous [...]gorous. instructions that the In­quisitors haue of vs, and the commissi­on that we haue caused to be graunted vnto them to the same end. The which Officers, Iustices, and vassals, we cō ­ma [...]nd to minister the said ayd and assi­stence without any delaye or lingryng, vnder pretēce of any sute hangyng, pre­uention, or other occasion what soeuer: Chargyng our Attorneys generall, and their deputies, to proceede against such as are negligent, & to procure sentence against them, to the end they may be de­priued of their roomes, offices, and au­thoritie of iurisdictiō, & haue such other punishmēt as shalbe found requisit ac­cording [Page 157] to the state of the cace.

Item, that whosoeuer knoweth or vn­derstādeth of any that is infected of he­resie, shalbe bound to bewray, discouer, and name hym incontinently without delay, and to giue knowledge of hym to the Inquisitors, or to the officers of the Bishops, and in their absence to the pa­stors and Curates of the Churches, that they maye aduertize their superiours thereof.

Againe, if any man be found to haue done against our ordinances and prohi­bitions, shewing hym selfe to be infec­ted, or a fa [...]orer of heretikes, or a dooer of any act against our sayde ordinances and prohibitions, specially tendyng to offence, commotion of the people, or se­dition: (We wyll) that all such as haue knowledge or vnderstandyng of them, shall be bounde to aduertize our Attor­neys therof incontinently, or their sub­stitutes and Deputies, or the Officers of the place where such infected persons the fauorers of them, or offen [...]ers dwel. Likewise, if they perceyue where any such heretikes abyde and hyde them sel­ues, they shalbe bound to bewray them to the Officer of the place, vpon (as is [...]ayd afore) to be taken for fa [...]orers, re­ [...]eyuers, and adherentes of their here­sie, [Page 158] & to be punished with the same pu­nishment that the heretike or offender should be, if he were taken.

In the same Decree, among other thin­ges,†are rehearsed and repeated the words and substance of the seuen po [...]ntes and ar­ticles of the Decree going afore, marked at the beginnyng with such a Crosse. ✚

¶ Thirdly the generall and perpe­tuallNo. 9. Decree and Edict made and pro­claymed the XXV. of Septemb. 1550. and renewed and confirmed by the kyng in the yeeres. 1556. 60. 64. &c.

FUrthermore we prohibite all men both lay folkes and others, to talkeAll the In­iunctions or Edictes made for here [...]e, are found togi­ther in the booke of the statutes of the Low Countreys, printed at Gaunt. or dispute of holy Scripture, open­ly or priuely, specially in matters hard and doutfull: or to read, teach, declare, or expounde the same Scripture to other men vnlesse they be Diuines, and gra­duates and allowed in Diuinitie or in the Canon law by some famous Uni­ [...]ersitie, or be admitted therto by the or­dinary of the place. Prouided alwayes, y^t this shall not be ment of such as talke or cōferre simply and sincerely togither of the holy Scripture, alledgyng the ex­positiōs of the holy & allowed Doctors therupon: but of such as mainteyne and teach propositions & doctrines that are [Page 159] false & leawd & manifestly taken for he­resies, contrary to the ordinance of our mother the holy Church, of purpose to seduce others by teachyng them thyngs forbidden. And [we prohibite them] also to preach, defend, say, or vphold, openly or secretly, any doctrine of the authours afore named.

Under peyne, that if any be found to haue incountred or done agaynst any of the poyntes afore declared, they shalbe punished as seditious persons and di­sturbers of our state, and of the quiet of the comō weale, and so executed, that is to wit, the men by the sword, & the wo­men by the Pitte, so they do not mayn­teine and defēd their errours: but if they stand in their opiniōs, errours, & here­sies then they shalbe executed by fire: & in all caces their goodes shalbe seazed, confiscate, & forfeyted to our behofe.

And whereas by our late decrees in our former Iniunctions, we haue ordey­ned that from the day wherin they shall haue done against them or falne into the sayd errours, they shalbe vnable to dis­poze of their goods, and that all aliena­tions, giftes, cōueyances, sales, settings ouer, Testaments and last willes made & passed by them after the sayd day, shal stand voyde and be of no force or effect: [Page 160] we do you to vnderstand, that our mee­ning was not (as some haue listed to say and brute abrod) by any meanes to im­peache the subiectes of our Countreys in their lawful traffike and bargayning with straungers, so as they might not freely dispoze of their goods, accordyng to the law written, and according to the customes of the place respectiuely: but only to pr [...]uēt such as would do it frau­dulently, to eschew the penalties of our Statutes, and thereby discharge thēsel­ues of the feare whiche they ought to haue of the punishmēt for their misdea­lyng or doyng agaynst them. And ther­fore our intent is onely to prouide for Gods seruice, their owne welfare, & the health of their soules, that they might not be sed [...]ced, nor directly or indirectly drawen or led into any wicked and dis­allowed errours: wherin we shewe the office of a good Prince.

Also we decree and prohibit further­more, that no persō of what state or cal­lyng soeuer he be, shal presume to lodge to receiue into his house, to intertein to furnish or serue with vittelles, necessa­ries or money, or otherwise to helpe with his goods, or willingly to fauour any that haue bin takē or notoriosly su­spected for [...]: and that all such [Page 161] as shall lodge, receiue, or intertei [...]e thē, (knowyng that them to be such, & that they go about to seduce or infect thēsel­ues or others openly or priuely) shalbe bound to bewray & preferre them to the Ecclesiasticall Iudges, or to the Officer of the place (if it be priuiledged), or els to the chief officer of the good town next the place where they dwell: vpon peyne (for so makyng default) to be punished as fauorers of heretickes. Prouided al­wayes that this prohibition shall not touch any Inkeepers, or any other mē that receiue and lodge such as come in­to our sayd countreys for traffike or o­ther buzinesse of their owne, of what countrey so euer they be: Sauyng that such straūgers must not incounter this our Decree, but behaue thē selues so as they giue no offence: and if they do, then if their hostes do not bewray them and accuze them, as is sayd afore: we decree and denounce that they shal fall into the penalties aboue mentioned.

Also for as much as many of our coū ­tries being suspected of heresie, and spe­cially of Anabaptistrie, do change their dwellynges, to infect the simple people in places where their disposition is vn­knowen: we to prouide therefore, do [...] wyll, ordeyne, and decree, that no per­son of the inhabitants of our low coun­treys, [Page 162] of what state, qualitie, or conditiō soeuer he be, shalbe admitted or recey­ued into any towne or village of those coūtreys to dwel there, vnlesse he bring a certificat from the Curate of the place where he dwelt afore, which Certificat he shalbe bound to exhibit and deliuer into the hands of the chiefe officer of the towne or village where he intendeth to dwel, vpō payne, that they which bring not such Certificat, shal not be admitted to abide there. And we charge our offi­cers to seke diligent informatiō against them, & to proceede as shalbe expediēt: and it shal not be lawful for our said of­ficers, or for the peculiar Lordes, or for their officers, to giue licence or pasport to any suche persons. And as touchyng merchant strangers & others that list to come into our sayd low countreys, our meanyng is, not to compel thē to bring such Certificat with thē, or to exhibit it, sauyng that they must lyue there accor­dyng to our saide ordinances, & behaue themselues without giuyng cause of of­fence, as is sayd afore.

Also we wil that al our Iustices, offi­cers, & men of law, and al our vassals & subiects, Lords tēporal & high Iustices shal (vpon forfeyture of their offices, iu­ [...]dictions, & Iustice ships, or vpō other penaltie, at our pleasure, according to y^e [Page 163] state of the cace) be bound to make dili­gent serch, & to procede, or to cause their officers to procede, to the verifying of y^e matters aforesaid against al persons, of what state or calling soeuer they be, spe­cially in the thyngs that cōcerne the in­counteryng of our said ordinances, & in the caces that belong to their examina­tion, and depende vpon their temporall iurisdiction.

Moreouer, when the Ecclesiasticall Iudges meane to proceede against any man, because he is faulty iu the ecclesia­sticall crime of heresie: they shall require of the officers of our cheefe Courtes or prouincial Councels, to haue some one of their company or other assistent ap­poynted thē to be at the informations & procedings which they intend to prefer agaynst suche as are suspected. And we wil, cōma [...]nd, & inioyne al our officers, Iustices, & vassals, to yeeld & to giue to the said Iudges, & their felow Cōmissi­oners, all the helpe, fauour, furtherance, & assistence that they can, for the execu­tyng & performing of their charge, & al­so in the apprehendyng imprisonyng, & keepyng of such as they shall finde infe­cted, without delay or impediment vn­der pretence of any sute hanging, preuē ­tion or other occasiō whatsoeuer vnder peyne to bee corrected at our pleazure. [Page 164] And we cōmaund our Attourneyes ge­nerall and theirdeputies, to proceede a­gaynst such as are negligent, & to pro­cure sentence vpō them, to the end they may be depriued of their roomes & of­fices, & of the priuiledges of their iuris­dictions, and receiue such other punish­mentes▪ as shalbe founde meete accor­dyng as the cace requireth.

Itē, that all such as know or vnder­stād of any that are infected with heresy, shalbe bound to bewray, vtter, name, & geue knowledge of them immediately without delay, to the ecclesiasticall iud­ges, the Bishops officers, and others to whom the matter belōgeth. Also that if any mā be foūd to haue don against our decrees & prohibitiōs, shewing himselfe to be infected or a fauorer of heretickes, or to haue done any act agaynst our or­dinances & commaundemētes, specially tending to offence, cōmotion of the peo­ple, or seditiō: they that know thē or vn­derstād of thē, shalbe boūd to giue intel­ligence of thē out of hād to our Attour­neys, or to their deputies & vnder offi­cers, or to the officers of y^• place, where such infected persons offenders or fauo­rers of them do wel, & that vnder peyne of beyng punished at our pleasure.

Likewise if they know y^e place where any such hereticke lyeth hid, they shalbe [Page 165] bound to bewray him to the officer of y^t same place vpō peyne to be taken (as is sayd afore) for fauorers, receiuers, & ad­herentes of the heresie, & to be punished with the same punishment that the he­reticke or offender should be, if he were apprehended.

And to the end that the said Iustices, & officers which shal haue aprehēded such heretikes, Anabaptists, & trāsgressors of oursaid ordināces & cōmaūdemēts, may haue no occasion to beare with thē, their complices, & fauourers, vnder pretence y^t the punishmentes may seeme to great & rigorous, & set out but onely to terri­fie offēders & euil doers: nor also to pu­nish them lesse greuously thā they haue deserued, as hath bin found to haue bin done oftentymes heertofore: we will that such as shal wittingly haue done a­gaynst this ordinance, by keeping to thē selues, or by printyng, sellyng, distribu­tyng, or puttyng forth any bookes, wri­tings, or pictures that are heretical and offēsiue, or otherwise agaynst the points heertotore declared or any of thē: shalbe really punished, corrected and chastized with the punishmētes aboue mētioned.

Prohibityng all Iudges, Iustices, & officers, togither with our vassals and subiectes, Lordes temporal hauyng, au­thoritie of Iustice, & their officers, to al­ter, [Page 166] mitigate, or chaūge the sayd punish­mēts, in any wise & cōmaūding thē that as soone as any w^tstandyng appeereth, they vtter & denounce the sayd punish­ment simply according to this decree: v­pō peyne to be rigorously punished, vn­lesse that for some great & notable consi­deratiōs, y^e iudges finde some hardnesse in the cace about the preeize execution of the punishmēt that is appointed by our sayd decrees against the trāsgressour: in which cace, notwithstandyng, they shall not of their owne authoritie proceede to any qualification, but be bounde to cary or sēd the same crime in all proces faith­fully, folded vp & sealed, to the cheef or prouinciall Coūsell, vnder the Iurisdi­ction whereof they shall resort togither to be there looked vpō, ouersene, & coū ­seled, whither there be fall any alteratiō or mitigatiō of the said penalties, or no. And if any of our sayd Counselles finde that any alteration or mitigation is re­quisite by good Iustice & accordyng to right and reason, wherewith we charge their cōsciences: In such cace they may be well aduized therof, & put it in wri­tyng, & sēd it whole backe agayne to the said Iustices & officers to dispatch & de­termine y^• cace according therunto. Ne­uertheles we charge & cōmaund thē ex­presly, yea & euen vpon peyne to be cor­rected [Page 167] & punished at our pleasure, that they cause not such cōsultatiō to be had, without great & apparāt cause: but that they deale (as farre as they can, euen to the vttermost) accordyng to the tenor of this present d [...]ret.

In the same Edict, amōg other thyngs, vvere inserted vvord for vvord, the three first points or Articles cōteined in the former Edict, and mar­ked there at their begynnynges vvith a dubble Crosse.††.

Likewise there vvere rehersed and repeated†the vvordes and substaūce of all the pointes and Articles noted and marked in the sayd Edict of. 1540, vvith a single [...], sauyng that vvhiche hath a starre added to the Crosse thus. †*

¶The Articles of Agreement made vvith the noblemen that vvere the Confe­derates by the Regēt in the kyngs name the xxiij. day of August, and aftervvard put at large into hir letters of Assurance set dovvne heeretofore pag. 99. vvhere the begynnyng of it is touched also.

HIr highnes caused the gētlemē thatNo. 4. had put vp the supplicatiō vnto hir, to returne to the xx. of August to receiue aunswere to their demaundes duryng which time it fell out so wel, that she re­ceiued letters from the kynges maiestie whereby she was the better inabled to giue them certeine & absolute answere.

And first of all she declareth, that his [Page 168] maiestie hauing regard of y^• thyngs that hir highnesse hath shewed vnto him, is contēted vpon the aduice of his lords, y^• knights of the Order, & others as wel of his Counsels of estate, as of his priuy Counsell, that the Inquisition whereof they complayne, shall ceasse.

Secondly his maiestie cōsenteth that a new Edict should be made, but he was not resolued whether it should be done by meane of the states in general, or no. Neuerthelesse hir highnesse hoped, that she should shortly haue his full resolutiō therein, accordyng as his maiestie had writtē to her. And she would willingly doo hir indeuer stil at al tymes, that his maiestie might vout [...]afe to cōdescend to y^• thynges aforesayd, as he had done by his letters agayne.

And as touchyng the assurance wher­of they made mention in their last sute: her highnes was determined to giue it them, so farre forth as lay in her: And as nowe shee was able to put thē out of all doubt, for as much as his maiestie had consented hereunto, & giuen her autho­ritie cōcernyng the maner & forme of it, as shee should fynd it cōuenient. Wher­fore shee said & declared vnto them, that his maiestye abhorryng nothyng more than rigor, & beyng desirous by his ac­customed clemēcie to put them all out of [Page 169] suspition, whiche might thynke that he was misinformed of thē, & to discharge thē of y^e mistrust which had caused those troubles, was contented that her hygh­nesse should for the pacifying of al incō ­ueniences, make thē al kynds of letters that might serue to that purpoze, and in such forme as shee should perceiue to be moste for their safetie, for what soeuer was past: Cōditionally that henceforth thei behaued thēselues like good & loyal vassals & subiects towards his maiesty. which thyng her highnesse hopeth that they wyll not faile to do, as becommeth them, like as shee was ready to accept their presentment.

And nowe, for as much as they haue ful & whole satisfactiō made vnto them: her highnesse wyl not refuze y^e offer that they had made diuers times, cōcerning their imploying of thē selues in the ser­uis of his maiesty & of her highnesse, for the benefit, rest, & tranquilitie of y^e coun­trey, wherto the duetie of faithfulnesse & of nature bindeth thē. According wher­unto shee intendeth that they shall giue her their faith, first that they shal nother do nor procure directly nor indirectly, a­ny thyng agaynst his maiesty, his states countreys, & subiects, but that they shal imploy thē selues wholy to al maner of thyngs that good & loyal vassals & sub­iectes [Page 170] ought to performe towards their soueraigne Lord & natural prince.

In doyng wherof they shal to the vt­termost of their power, saythfully helpe to stay the present troubles, cōmotions, & vprores, and to restraine the insurrec­tion of the people: that the sacking, pil­ling, & pulling down of churches, chap­pels, cloysters, & religious houses may cease in al places: yea & they shall helpe to punish such as haue cōmitted such sa­criledges, outrages, & abominations: & see that no wrong be done to any eccle­siasticall persons, ministe [...]s of Iustice, Gentlemen, or any other of the kynges subiectes and vassalles.

Itē, they shal earnestly indeuor, that y^• weapōs which y^• people haue takē in hād (where through so many mischefes haue bin cōmitted, and may be cōmitted hereafter) may be layd away incōtinēt­ly. Also they shal do the best they can by al good seruis, to prohibit preachyng in places where none hath bin afore: and to prohibit al force, & cause of offence, & publike disorder where preaching is v­sed already Moreouer, they shal inde­nor and put to their helpe, accordyng as they are bound by oth & fealty towards his maiesty, to the expulsing and repres­syng of al strangers that are enemyes & rebels to his maiestie & the Countrey.

[Page 171]Finally they shal do their indeuor, ac­cording to the credit which they haue a­mong such as are now rizen vp for reli­gion or otherwise, to cause them to sub­myt them selues to the thyngs that hys maiesty shal decre by the general aduice of his estates, for the furtherance of reli­gion, & the quietnes and tranquilitie of the same. Geuen at Brusselles, the. 23. of August. 1566. Undersigned: Margaret.

¶ A copie of the letter which theNo. 4. Confederates sent backe in answeare to the Regent.

WE Lewis Countie of Nassaw, Eustace of Fiennes Lord of Es­querds, Charles of Reuel, Lord of Andrignyes, Barnard of Me­rode Lord of Rumen, Charles of Vander Noot Lord of Risoire, George of Mounte­gnie Lord of Noyelles, Martin of Sarclas Lord of Tilly, Philip Vander Meeren Lord of Sterbek, Philip of Marbais lord of Lou­uerual, Iohn of Mountegny lord of Vilers, Charles of Lieuin Lord of Famars, Francis of Haeftē, and Iohn Sauage Lord of Escau­becke, as wel in our own names, as de­puties & cōmitties for all the rest of the Lords & gentlemen confederates, that dyd put vp the supplicatiō to the kings maiesty in the moneth of April last, con­cernyng [Page 172] the Inquisition & Iniunctions for heresie: Forasmuch as this day we haue receiued certaine letters patents frō the right high & excellēt princesse y^e duchesse of Parma & Pleasāce, Regēt & Gouer­nesse for y^e kyng in theis coūtreys heere, authorized therunto by the king our so­uerein Lord & naturall prince, in maner & forme folowyng, that is to say, Marga­ret by the grace of God Duchesse of Parma & Pleasance, Regēt &c. as in y^e letters of assurance aboue rehearsed: We do you to vnderstād, that according to the same let­ters of assurāce, we haue promised & do promis solemly by our fayth and in the word of Gentlemen, & as trew & loyall vassals & subiectes of his maiestie, That we will obserue, mainteine, & fulfill, all maner of pointes & articles aforesayd: & as well on our owne behalfe as on the behalfe & in the name of all y^e rest whose deputies we be, & whose power, cōmis­siō, authoritie, & cōmaūde [...]ēt we haue, we giue & will giue our wordes, that both we and the rest of our confederates shal keepe, mainteine, and performe the same: in respect wherof we hold our for­mer cōfederacie as voyde, broken, & vn­done, so farre forth & so long as the fore­said assurance promised by hir highnesse in the kings maiesties name, shall hold. In witnesse whereof we haue signed [Page 173] theis presēts with our names. Made at Brussels the xxv. day of August. 1566. Signed vnderneath thus: Lewes of Nas­saw. Eustace of Fiēnes, Bernard of Merode, C. of Vander Noot, Charles of Reuel, Ge­orge of Moūtegny, Philip vander Meeren, Philip of Marbais lord of Louerual, I. Moū ­tegny Lord of Vilers, Charles Lieuen Lord of Famars, Iohn Sauage, Mart. Tserclas, and Fraūcis of Haeftē. And vpō the backeside was written. This present XXV. of August. 1566. the deputies and cōmitties for the Lordes & gētlemē cōfederate, named in the sayd writyng (sauyng the L. Lilly & Fraūcis of Haeften which were absent) tooke their solemne & requisite othe as well for thēselues as for & on the behalf of the rest of y^t cōfederates, to mainteine obserue & performe, all & euery poynt & article conteined in the sayd writyng, in the hands of y^e most honorable the prin­ces of Orendge & Gawre, the Coūty of Horne, the Lord of Hachicourt, and the Coūseller of Assouleuille assigned ther­to by her highnes. Subscribed thus: In my presence. And signed: Of Onerloepe. Beneath that was writtē again: The. 27 day of the said moneth of August, the said yeare. 1566. the said lord of Lilly & Frā ­cis of Haeften, after the readyng of the sayd writyng vnto them, haue also set to their names & seales, & taken the oth a­bouesayd [Page 174] in the handes of the most ho­norable the prince of Bawre, the Coū ­ties of Manusfeld, & of Horne, the Lord of Hachicourt, & the Counseller of As­souleuille assigned thereto by her high­nes, as is sayd afore. Subscribed: In my presence also. And signed: Of Ouerloepe.

¶ A copie of the Letter closed by the Re­gent, and sent heereupon to the Counsellers and townes of the low Countreys.

I wyll not omit to let you vnderstand how my Lord the king ad­uertiseth vs by his letter of the. 13. of the last moneth, of his resolution concernyng the things wherin I asked his coūsell and aduicc in the mo­neth of May last. Wherof his maiesty could not giue answere any sooner, because [...] taryed for the cōmyng of the Marques of Berghes, and the Baron of Mountegny sent vnto hym by vs, vpō whose report al the cheefe handling of the mat­ter consisted. And truly as touching the Inqui­sition, his maiesty taking regard to the thinges which I informed hym of by the aduice of the knights of the Order, and of the coūsellers both of estate, and of the priny coūsel, being with vs, is cōtented that it shall cease. Likewise also aes touchyng the Iniunctions in the cace of heresie: he is contented that newe shalbe made, so as re­spect be had to the maintenance of the holy ca­ [...] faith & of his [...]sties authority. But [Page 175] he is not yet resolued whether that shalbe done by the states generally, or otherwise. And ther­fore I haue written very earnestly vnto him a­gayne, and I looke shortly for his maiestyes good wyll and pleasure in that behalfe.

Moreouer, wheras I informed his maiesty of the dout which the Gētlemē that preferred the Supplication to vs in Aprill last, to the ende a­fore said, dyd east, lest his maiesty should mislike of theyr sute, and of the confedoracie that they made among them selues for the same, which dowt might haue caused distrust, & cōsequētly the trouble and vnquietnes of the Countrey: his maiesty intendyng to deale according co his ac­customed clemencie, and abhorryng all rigor as much as may be, is cōtented that (if we see that his so doing may cause al vnquietnes to cease, as we be promised that it shall) we shall make re­quisite assurance, in such maner & forme as we perceyue to be expedient. Which thing is don, so as nothing shalbe imputed to to thē by his ma­iesty nor by vs, for aught that is past: cōdicional ly that they behaue thēselues hēceforth lik good and loyall subiectes & vassals of his maiesty: wherupō al their cōfederacies must be void, bro­kē of, & vndon, so long as the things that I haue promised thē in the kings name do hold & stād firme as you may see by the acts passed therupō.

And we aduertise you further, that the kings maiesty intendeth and purposeth to mainteyne the true ancient Catholike Religion: and that his gouernors, coūsellers, officers, and magistrats [Page 176] [...]al do their indeuor to the full, that there may no incōuenience happen in the meane while, tyl he come hyther to take order: which thyng he promiseth to do shortly, if he cā by any meanes▪ possble.

Of al which thynges as seruyng to the pacifi­cation and quieting of these present troubles, as wel in Religion as in the common weale: W▪ thought good to aduertise you, that ye migh [...] indeuor your selues so much the more to do your dueties as becommeth his maiesties true and faythful subiectes, and also folowe his holy and good meanyng, in resistyng the froward and se­ditious disturbers of the common weale, in maintena [...]ce of the Catholike fayth, aud in his maiesties seruis, to the quietnesse and tranqui­ [...]tie of the Countrey and your selues. And so right deare and welbeloued, our Lord haue you in his holy keepyng.

From Brusselles, the. xxv. day of August. 1566.