MY Lord, your Highnes Letters of the 13, of this Moneth, reſpectiuely writtē vnto the Magiſtrate, ye deanes of Fraternities, & the great Counſaile of this Towne haue bene receaued & read, as well by our College, as by all the members of our towne in the great counſaile of ye ſame expreſly aſſembled to that end: Whervnto of one conſent we haue reſolued for aunſwere to ſhew to your highnes in all reuerence, that the exhortatiō to vs made that we ſhould cōſider of the entent of thoſe that haue bene procurers of this inward warre, wee haue accepted in very good part as proceeding from your highneſſe good affection that you beare to theſe countries, which you do wiſhe to bee reduced to ſome better quietneſſe, as our ſelues do alſo hartily deſire the ſame, and in conſideration thereof do moſt humbly thanke you. But vnder your correction, it ſeemeth that your highneſſe are not ſufficiently enformed of the true originall and fountaine of this warre▪ for it is manifeſt to all the World that againſt our willes, and to our greate greefe we were forced thereto by the driftes and practiſes of thoſe, who for their owne priuate purpoſes, and to the end to eſtabliſh in theſe countries a dominion in effect more than roial, haue vnder pretence of religion, with their ſiniſter informations procured at ye Kings Maieſties hāds (vnto whom as alſo to all other the high and mighty Princes his predeceſſors, theſe coū tries haue euermore borne as faithful and true obedience, as euer any other nation in the world did beare to their Prince) generally againſt al the inhabitants of the country, of whatſoeuer eſtate, condition, age, or kind, the erection of the moſt horrible & cruell perſecutions ye were euer herd of or practiſed, togither with infinite confiſcations of goods, proſcriptions, baniſhments, and bloody executions, by fire, ſword and halter, againſt al ſortes of pore, honeſt, and innocēt people, who euen vnhearde in their iuſt & lawfull defence, haue ben without impoſition of any crime condemned, only for gathering together to pray and call vpon one God, through our onely mediatour Jeſus Chriſt, according to his owne word and commaundemente: wherevpon contrary to the treaties, agreements and edictes, ſo firmelye made and publiſhed by the Ladye of Parma, your Highneſſe mother, with the aduow and conſente of the whole counſaile of eſtate, yea euen in ye kings name, vnder his authoritie and ſeale, haue enſued ſuch tirannicall executions by the late Duke of Alua, and the Spaniards, not againſt the pore commons only, but alſo againſt the principall gouernours, Lords, Barons, & Nobles of ye coūtrie, of whom his maieſtie had receaued moſt notable ſeruice: ye manifeſt infringing of al rights cuſtoms & priuileges, ſworne vnto by al Princes of theſe coūtries: ye ſubuerſion of all ſeats of Juſtice, which haue bene committed vnto ſuch men as by all auncient lawes & priuileges of the countrie, were vtterly vncapable of ye ſame. The raiſing of diuersforts, and vntollerable, vniuſt, & vnlawful exactions, togither with the vtter oppreſſion of all ye liberties of ye whole countrie. Which things being ſo notoriouſly cōmitted againſt al ordinary forme of Juſtice, could not poſſibly bring forth any other fruite then this miſerable war which haue ouerwhelmed vs in this floude of miſchiefes & ſea of calamities. We do therefore beſeeche your highneſſe to beleeue that we neuer entred into this war of any pleaſure neither by the motion or perſwation of the late Lord the P. of Orange of famous memory, who came not hether, but at the inſtant requeſt of the eſtates, as well of the Prelates, as of the Nobles & towns, neither vſurped any other authority then with greate importunity was layd vpon him. But that of meere extremitie, and ineuitable neceſſitie we were forced and conſtrayned to take Armoure, and to enter into theſe Conflictes, whereof wee deſire nothing in this Worlde, more earneſtly, then ſome good end by a happye peace and generall tranquilitie.

We doe alſo moſt humblye thanke your Highneſſe for ſuch Parley as at this preſente you doe offer vs the fruition of, and can not ſufficiently commend & extol your magnanimity, who hauing more then any other Gouernor your predeceſſors, made profe of your vertue and valiauncie in armes, do neuertheleſſe ſo curteouſly offer to accompany the ſame with all gentleneſſe and clemency: a vertue vndoubtedly moſt commendable, euen in the greateſt Princes and Monarks. So that hauing before time ben thus perſwaded of your highneſſe, if we could haue bene certefied that you had ſufficiently ben authoriſed to haue graū ted vnto vs whatſoeuer accerding to your wiſedome & diſcretion, you had knowne neceſſary for the eſtabliſhing of a good and perfite peace, we would neuer haue ſo long delayed the committing of our ſelues into your protection: neyther would we haue ſoughte to enter into any other communication and conditions then youre Highneſſe of your own diſcretion, togither with your clemencie & courteſie. ſhold haue thought reaſonable, as nothing doubting but that willingly ye wold haue followed & moued the King likewiſe to followe the path of the Noble and commendable examples of other the great kings and princes his Predeceſſors, who in ye like diſeaſe hauing more nearely ſearched out the roote of the miſchiefe, haue found it vnpoſſible to attain to the perfite cure thereof, & to the maintaining of their ſubiectes in a ſtedfaſt peace & firme quietneſſe, accompanied with al faithful dutie & obedience to their ſuperiors, without graunting them libertie of their religion, wherof at al times they offered to giue account to any vnſuſpected or not partial Judges, in all free aſſemblies & lawful ſynodes. For in this reſpect haue they found the eſpecial and moſt ſoueraigne remedie for all theſe miſchiefes to conſiſt in moderate condiſcending vnto the iuſt & lawfull requeſt of their ſubiectes, as appeareth by the examples of the moſte victorious & mightye Emperours of famous memory Charles the v. Ferdinand and Maximilian in Germany, alſo of ye moſt Chriſtian kings in Fraūce, & the kings of Polland, in their dominions. But when as by infinite teſtimonies, & euē by ſundry declarations whiche youre highnes haue made vnto vs, we were certainly aduertiſed yt it lay not in you any way to diſpoſe of yt point, whiche neuertheles is the only ground & principall piller wherevppon this peace or war doth conſiſt, yea & that the King finding himſelf ſubiect to the Spaniſhe Inquiſition, & the Pope of Romes commandemēts, had neither autority nor liberty to graunt to his chriſtian ſubiects the ſame which the Pope & ſundrie Italian Princes doe permit to the Jewes & Turkes, & without ye which it is vtterly vnpoſſible to turne from the people a cōtinual courſe of al ſorts of calamities, we foūd our ſelues paſt al hope of attaining vnto any thing ye might breed our aſſured reſt, the ſame neceſſitie which forced vs to enter into theſe wars, did alſo conſtrain vs to continue the ſame, thereby to defende our ſelues from ſo vntollerable & wicked oppreſſion, ſo ye after infinite moſt humble ſupplications, petitions, declarations & proteſtations as well by writing as by our deputies ſent into Spaine, beſides the manifold interceſſions & mediations of diuers chriſtian kings & princes in vaine proſecuted for the ſpace of 20 yeares or more, we wer finally compelled to haue our recourſe to forrain Princes: And at this preſent pondering the great & ſinguler wiſdome, equitie & moderation wherby the moſt chriſtian King doth maintain his ſubiects as wel of the one as the other religion in al reſt & tranquilitie, & finding alſo our ſelues in ſuche want & neceſſity, we cannot diſſēble wt your highnes, but muſt needs giue yē to vnderſtand ye al the vnited prouinces which are confederat with vs by a general & vniuerſal reſolution haue already had recourſe to the moſt chriſtian Maieſtie, & moſt humbly haue beſought him to take our cauſe in hand, & as his ſubiects to receiue vs into his protection, to ye end to defend vs from ſo extreme rigor & crueltie: wherein he hath giuen vs ſo curteous audience & good hope that according to the dutie wherein ſolemnely & generally we all ſtand now bound vnto him, it is no lō ger in vs to enter into any communication or Parlie ye may neuer ſo little bee preiudicial to our offer & promiſe, vnles we wold willingly incur a iuſt reproch of the greateſt vnſtedfaſtnes & ingratitude in the world. Moreouer as we are but one member of the ſayd generalitie, alſo ye by ſolemne oath we haue bound our ſelues not to enter into any parlie or treatie of peace without the general conſent & agrement of al others ye vnited prouinces, we cannot, though we would, accept your highnes offer before we haue obtayned the conſent and good will as well of them, as of the ſayde moſt Chriſtian Maieſtie. Herevpon doe we therefore moſt humbly deſire your Highneſſe; ye according to this your fatherly curteſie & clemency which ſo freelye you offer vnto vs, it may pleaſe you not to miſlike that before we enter into any Parlie we doe according to our dutie, ſend your highnes letters vnto ye ſayd vnited prouinces, & by their conſent & agrement do likewiſe exhibite thē vnto his ſayd moſt chriſtian Maieſtie, to the end ye ſith it hath pleaſed him to do vs ſo much honor as to hearken to our moſt humble complaints which in other place haue bene reiected, wee doe nothing without his leaue & tolleration, leaſt we ſhould giue him iuſt cauſe to caſt vs of as deceitfull, inconſtant, & vnthankfull perſons. As concerning the proteſtation which it pleaſeth your Highnes to make toward the ende of your letter, we do vndoubtedly beleue that your ſelf are not the cauſe of ſheding ſo much innocent blood, neither of ſuch miſchiefs as may inſue, for that the originall of this warre proceedeth from an other foundation. But withall wee doe moſt humbly pray you to conſider that for our parts we are not iuſtly to be blamed, as being entered only into defenſiue war, not tending to any other then the maintaining of our ſelues, our wiues & children in life & libertie of conſcience & in the free calling vpon the name of God, through our only Sauiour & mediatour Jeſus Chriſt, & that therefore for our partes we wold willingly ceaſe from al ſhedding of blood, in caſe it might likewiſe pleaſe your highnes in effect to proſecute ye moderation & clemency whiche in letters it pleaſeth you to ſhew vnto vs, by ſtaying the ſame likewiſe on your ſide, to the end ye by the verification of this beginning, we may iudge of the aſſurance of the reſt: farther beſeeching your highnes to beleeue that we do both admire & loue your vertues, & withall our harts doe deſire to yeelde vnto you moſt humble ſeruice in what ſoeuer our honor, Oath & conſcience, (which we praye that we may reſerue to God only) may any way permit. Herevpon my L. moſt humbly kiſſing your Highnes hands, we beſeech God to ſend vnto you whatſoeuer may be moſt for your health.