It is your pleasure so to say : but when there is no newes , then can none be told .

Then must I tell you what newes I heare out of Holland . It is told me that your Holland-States , of what trades soeuer they haue byn heertofore , they doe now all of them practise Pressing-worke .

What meane you by that ? I vnderstand not what you say .

Then are you more fortunate then many thousandes , that both know it well , and feele it well , by reason that their very harts are in effect pressed out of their bodies , through the intollerable and vnsupportable taxations which are layd vpon them , in so much that many do now begin to say , God be with the good Duke of Alua , that demaunded no more but the tenth penny of our goods .

And that which is yet more grieuous is , that of these most grieuous exactions no end appeareth , but to the contrary they do dayly increase more , as though they were but in their beginnings , which falleth out in a fit tyme for the comon people , when things are so good cheap , especially food & fuell , that the price is double as much as but a whyle since it was , and where traficke so flourisheth , that merchants , marryners , and artifices , are forced to keep more holy-dayes , ( or rather play-dayes ) then are set downe in the Almanacke .

Concerning Trade , it may be compared vnto the tyde , which ebbes and flowes . If it be not so good now as it hath byn , we must haue patience vntill it mend . And as for the exactions , they are not ordayned without reason by our High-mighty Lords the States , who well know what they haue to doe .

They know it well , and the poore comons feele it well : you comfort your selues with patience vpon hope of amendment of traficke , but the patience is much more certayne , then the amendment .

I agree with you in opinion that the exactions are not ordayned without reason , for lawlesse necessity is the reason , and need it is that enforceth them . And therfore your high-minded Lords the States , that well know their heauy charge , their great debts , and their small in-comings , must consequently well know what they doe , & happy it were that they also well know , wherin they do not well .

I see not wherein I abuse or misname them , because in very right and reason the tytle of High-mynded , farre better befitteth them , then High-mighty , for Lownesse they haue inough , but Highnesse none at all , except in their myndes , which agrees but ill with such as liue so low that they should sit vnder water , if they did not hemme themselues from it with walles of earth . Being then such as they are , and dwelling so low as they doe , the High-nesse of their minds appeareth the more in that they will needes assume vnto themselues the tytle of High-mighty , or High-powerfull Lords and States .

They assume vnto themselues this tytle , in regard of their authority .

Whence haue they authority ?

From God .

Haue they heeretofore byn Princes , or subiects ?

Our Countrey was sometime belonging vnto the King of Spayne , but so is not now .

God hath comaunded that subiects must be obedient vnto their Kings and Princes . Shew me where God hath graunted a priuilege vnto the States of Holland , to relinquish and reiect all obedience vnto their lawfull and soueraigne Lord the King of Spayne ; and to band agaynst him in publike rebellion , and to assume vnto themselues the Princely authority belonging vnto him .

Put the case that now in our intended iorney to Frankford ( where by the leaue of God we meane to go ) we should happen to be set vpon by theeues , who with their swords should hurt & wound vs , and take our money & goods from vs ; I demaund of you whether they ought lawfully to possesse it as their owne , because they got it by their swords .

I am not obliged to shape you an answere to euery tryfling question you may aske me .

And I am of opinion that no man is obliged to answere vnto any question , whereunto he is not able to answere . But yet I know that if such robbers by the high-way-side should fall into the handes of Iustice , they should not be freed from the hands of the hangman by excusing themselues , that our money & goods belonged vnto them , because they had gotten it from vs with their swordes .

Let it be , as be it may . Our high & mightfull Lords and States Generall of the Vnited Netherlands , haue power and authority : and because at the beginning of our discourse you asked me for Newes , know now that these our Lords and States , haue lately published a Placcart , wherein , in spite of all that are agaynst it , they haue shewed that they haue authority .

This Placcart conteyneth a prohibition , that no Iesuytes , Priests , Friars , or other ordayned persons of Romish profession , shall come into these vnited Prouinces , or being there , may still remayne and continue .

Moreouer that no man shall send any children to schoole , or to remayne in any Cittyes , Places , Vniuersityes , or Schooles vnder the commaund of the King of Spayne , in the enemies Countreys or in other Colledges of Iesuites . And that no gatherings or collections of money , gold , siluer , coyned or vncoyned , or of other goods , or wares shal be made , to , or for the benefit or behoofe of any Churches , Hospitalls , Spirituall , or other Colledges , or Conuenticles .

In this tytle of a Placcart , published by authority of such as haue not any authority all , I note three points .

1. The first is , the prohibition or forbidding of Priestes and Iesuytes the Countrey .

2. The second is , that no children may goe to Schoole in any place vnder the commaund of the King of Spayne , or in Colledges of Iesuytes .

3. The third is , that no money may be giuen to the vse or benefit of any Churches , Hospitals , Spiritual , or other Colledges .

So it is , and so enacted and established in the assembly of the aforenamed High-mighty Lords the States generall , in the Earles-Hage the six and twentith day of February , in the yeare of sixteen hundreth & two and twenty , and there printed by Hillebrand Iabobson , sworne printer vnto the High-mighty Lords the States generall .

Heerby I am brought to vnderstand that this Placcart of the High-minded Lords the States is printed in the Earles-Hage , Ergo , There is an Earle to whome this Hage appertayneth , & this Earle notwithstanding that he is lawfully issued and descended , and consequently the true heyre vnto those ancient Earles , that haue gouerned there ; yet is he of new States which are no Earles , wholy thurst out , who haue now made thereof a States-Hage , but must neuerthelesse suffer it to continue the name of an Earles-Hage in memory of the true claime , which the Earle & owner thereof hath vnto it .

Heere then is this Placcart printed by Hillebrand Iacobson , sworne Printer vnto the High-minded Lords the states : wherby may be noted , that this sworne Printer vnto those States , is not to leaue out any lye that they shall please to giue him in any Placcart of theirs to print , for feare of being found periured .

The Lords the States do giue him no lyes to print .

Doe they punish him when lyes are found printed in their Placcarts ?

He is not punished , because no such lyes are found .

They that know not a lye from a truth or will not know it , fynd it not ; but they that can discerne vntruthes from truthes , can find them out , albeit they stand in established Proclamations of highly named Netherland States . And surely , this must needes proue a more lucky Placcart then many forgoing haue proued , if no lyes were to be found in it , and especially where there is mention made of Iesuytes , and Ecclesiasticall persons .

Indeed the Iesuytes in this Placcart are called a pernicious & murtherous sect ▪ & that they of this sect & other priests , Friars , and spiritual , or religious named persons , of the Romish Religion doe endeauour to bring the good inhabitants of these vnited Netherland Prouinces , by meanes of their fals doctrine & Idolatry , to an auersion from their lawfull Superiours , to the murthering of Princes and Potentates , & to instruct them in all kyndes of treason agaynst them , thereby to preferre the Tyranny and absolute Domination of the King of Spayne , and his adherents in worldly , and of the Pope of Rome and his dependants , in spirituall causes .

Haue I not ghessed right ? I see now that this Placcart will not for lacke of lyes make any fore-going Placcart ashamed : for heere they fall so fast one vpon another , that I had need of some breathing tyme to note them .

The Iesuytes are heere named a pernicious and murtherous sect , which is a shamefull lye .

That the Iesuytes & other Priests , and spirituall named Persons , of the Romish religion , doe seeke to bring the inhabitants through their false doctrine to Idolatry , is a blasphemous lye .

That they seeke to bring these inhabitantes to an auersion from their lawfull superiours , is a needlesse lye , for the Caluinian Preachers , and the States themselues , haue already done the same .

That they seeke to bring them to the murthering of Princes and Potentates , is a Diuelish lye .

That they instruct them to all kind of treason agaynst Princes and Potentates , is a horrible lye .

That they seeke , in these Countreys to preferre the Tyranny of Spayn , is a villanous lye .

It is not inough to say that these are all lyes , but they must be prooued so to be .

How els ? Haue you but the patience that I may haue tyme to doe it .

Seeing then , that the Iesuytes are heere put in the first place , and called by the Epithere of a pernicious & murtherous sect , and that they , and other spirituall persons , do seeke to procure the murthering of Princes and Potentates : this also being a common slaunder and Calumny which dayly rydeth on the serpentine tonges of your Holland Caluinian Ministers . It is then needfull to examine and call into consideration what murthers of Princes and Potentates , haue hapned in Christendome in this age of ours , and since the tyme that the order of the Iesuits by Saint Ignatius de Loyola was founded .

The number of Princes and Potentates , that haue come to such violent and vnfortunate endes , I fynd to haue byn eight .

The first of these was the most Reuerend and Illustrious Lord , Melchior Zobel Bishop of Herbipolis , and Duke of Franconia in Germany . This Prince was cruelly murthered , as he was going from the bridge , ouer the riuer of Mayne , from the Citty of Herbipolis or Wirtzburge , to the Castle where he held his Court or Residence , which Castle is neere vnto the sayd Citty . His murther was caused by a Gentleman of the same Countrey of Franconia , called Grumbagh . What kynd of Iesuit this Gentleman was , resteth in consideration , for Catholike he was not , but a professor of the new pretended reformation , and so were also the actours which he imployed in committing of the murther .

The second in this vnfortunate number was Henry , King of Scotland by his mariage with Mary Queen of Scotland , Father to his Maiesty King Iames , now King of England & Scotland &c. This Prince was a Catholike , and was murthered by a conspiracy of Caluinists , and by Caluinists which thereunto were imployed he is thought to haue byn strangled . These then must needes haue bin Caluinisticall Iesuites , aswell those I meane that were of the conspiracy , as the executors of the fact , for there was not one Catholike among them .

The third was Iames Earle of Murray in Scotland , bastard Brother vnto Mary Queene of Scotland before named . He was a rebell and a persecutour of the Queene his Soueraygne , and Sister by the Fathers side : He forced her to fly into England , and Tyrannically vsurped the Gouernment of her Kingdome , vntill the time that a Gentleman named Hamilton slew him with a gun , in the towne of Lithquo , when being on horsbacke he was accompanyed with many Gentleman that came with him to make his entry into that towne . Hamilton notwithstanding escaped and fled into France . The Earle was in religion Caluinist , and so was Hamilton also that slew him . It may be that he afterward in France became a Catholike . If the Holland Caluinists wil make a Iesuyte of him , then must he haue byn a Caluinisticall Iesuite when he committed the fact ; for Catholike-Iesuite he neuer was .

The fourth in this number was Francis Duke of Guyse . This valiant Prince seruing the King of France agaynst his rebells , was by one Iohn Poltrot , who came behind him , shot throgh the body with a pistoll , as he was on horsebacke in his iourney : & it is worthy the noting that this Poltrot being well horst , and hauing discharged his pistoll vpon the Duke , put spurres to his horse and made a way with all speed possible ; and hauing ridden the whole night , and not otherwise weening but that he was many myles from the place where he committed the murther , was in the morning apprehended neere vnto the place where the deed was done . If this Poltrot must now be made a Iesuyte , he must then be a Geneuian Iesuyte : for Geneua was his schoole , and Beza the Caluinian Rabbin , his schoolmayster that instructed him , to murther this Prince .

The fifth in this number was William of Nassaw Prince of Orange , who being in open rebellion agaynst his lawfull Soueraygne Lord , King Philip second of Spayne , the which by all the lawes of the world is Crimen laesae maiestatis , was at Delfe in Holland slayne with a pistoll by one Baltazar Gerard , alias Seragh a Burgundian . Of what religion this Prince was , there is no certainty , but Baltazar , that slew him was a Catholike : that he was a Iesuyte was neuer knowne , but if Caluinistes haue gotten the skill to make him a Iesuyte eight and thirty yeares after his death , who in his life was neuer any , it may be registred for a Caluinisticall miracle .

The sixt in number was Mary Queene of Scotland , Mother vnto his Maiesty that now is King of Scotland and England &c. This Princesse being an absolute and soueraygne Queene , & being enforced by her rebellious subiects , fled into England , vpon hope and promise to be by Queene Elizabeth succoured . She was with the Queene of England in good peace and amity , and was by her through her letters inuyted for her more defence and safety to come into England ; but so soone as she was there arriued , she was layed handes on , and detayned as a prisoner , directly against all right and reason , and so detayned about the space of twenty yeares . In all which tyme , Queene Elizabeth did neuer so much as once vouchsafe to see her , or heare her speake . In the end when she accepted of the meanes that was offered her for the escaping out of her vniust imprisonment , she was murthered with an axe , by the hands of the comon Hang-man ; which most foule and great murther was committed to the euerlasting dishonour & shame of false Iustice , because it was done vnder the cloke and colour of true Iustice : for she being an absolute & Soueraigne Princes of herselfe , was no subiect vnto Queene Elizabeth , or vnto her lawes , and yet notwithstanding she was condemned as a criminall subiect . A most Tyrannous example , of very murther , and iniustice , vnto all ensuyng posterity . And most contrary to the doctrine of Caluinists that will haue Princes subiect to no authority or power vpon earth , but only vnto God , vnlesse they can heere make a God of Bul the Hangman .

This act doth the more remain to the greater shame of the actors , because vpon the committing therof , great bonfyers were made in the streets , and the belles rung , in manner of a triumph , for ioy of obtaining some great victory .

This Queene was a Catholike . The Hangman that murthered her was a Caluinian Protestant , whose handes had byn imbrued in the bloud of diuers Iesuytes & Priestes , in the raigne of the forsayd Queene Elizabeth . If Holland Caluinistes will now make a Iesuyte of of him , he must then be a Gewse-reformed Iesuite , & that can be no great disreputation vnto them , seeing that Mayster Paul Bafous a hangman in Liuonia or Liftland , left his office of hangmanship , and turned preacher of the Word , according to the Holland reformation .

Vpon the death of this holy Queen , the Calumnies of Caluinists raised against Iesuytes , are contradicted in the ensuing Epigramme .

The seauenth in this number is Henry the third King of France , who after he had caused Henry Duke of Guyse & his brother the Cardinall to be muthered , was murthered himselfe by one Iacques Clement a lacobin or Dominican Friar . This King was a Catholyke & so was also the Fryar that killed him . If our Holland-Gewses wil now make a Iesuyte of him that dyed in the habite of a Dominican Fryar ( for he was presently killed by those that then were about the King ) they can do more then the French Hugenots , who would as fayne haue had him a Iesuite as the Holland-Gewses would , but they must notwithstanding be contented to let him be a Dominican Fryar , as he liued and dyed .

Heere can I not omit also to note , that if so be , that for this fact of Iaques Clement , the Caluinists should giue vnto the Fryars of S. Dominikes order the name of a Pernicious and Murtherous Sect , or that they sought to bring subiects to the murthering of Princes , and Potentates , they had in all truth done the Religious men of this Order much wrong : for there can be no reason that a whole order should beare the blame , & reproach of the fault , that one of the same order hath committed , and wherin the others were innocent . How much lesse reason can then be found , that the Iesuites ( of whose order no one was euer knowne that euer killed Prince or other person ) should of slaunderous Gewses be calumniated with the name of a murtherous sect , and to be stirrers vp of the inhabitants of Holland to the murthering of Princes and Potentates : which were a greater pitty , for the inhabitants of Holland to doe , considering that Princes & Potentates are not among them in so great aboundance , vnlesse the meaning of the Placcart should be , that the Iesuites and Priestes , did intend to imploy the inhabitants of Holland to goe & murther Princes and Potentates in other Countreys

The eight and last of this vnfortunate number and ranke , was Henry the fourth King of France , who was murthered by one Francis Rauaillac : and if so be the Holland Gewses will make of him a Iesuite also , yet the administers of Iustice in France , which are as far-seeing as those of Holland , and haue throughly enformed themselues of this mans condition and state of life , and done their vttermost endeauours to come to the full knowledge of all that might concerne the matter of the Kings death , could neuer find that he so was . And yet the sharp-sighted states of Holland , that can looke further into milstones then other men ▪ can better discerne who are the murtherers of Princes and Potentates , in other Countreyes , then the officers of Iustice themselues , in whose handes they happen to fall , that commit such criminall facts .

But can there no Princes els be found that haue byn killed or murthered since the Iesuites haue had ther beginning , then only these you haue named ?

I know not of any more , but of this number of eight . Marry heere by the way is to be noted , that fiue of this number haue byn murthered by Caluinists , and three by Catholikes : King Henry 3. King Henry 4. both Kings of France , & William of Nassaw Prince of Orange , by Catholikes : Melchior Zobell Bishop of Wirtzburge and Duke of Franconia , Henry King of Scotland , Iames Earle of Murray , Francis Duke of Guyse , and Mary Queene of Scotland by Caluinists . And if thinges had succeeded according to intentions , Caluinists had , had the honour to haue had six of these eight to haue byn murthered by them : for William Prince of Orange , before named , was in very great possibility to haue byn murthered by a Protestant also , and I wot not how many Zeland States with him , to haue borne him company in the ayre , when he and they should haue byn blowne vp togeather with gunpowder , wherof I may take occasion to speake more anone . In the meane time behold whether in this odious busynesse of Prince killing , Caluinists haue not the precedence by oddes , Notwithstanding they cry out so lowd , and so falsely vpon Iesuites , giuing them the name of a pernicious and murtherous sect , when themselues in this foule fact , fall foulest of all that therein are to be touched , & the Iesuites not found to be touched at all .

Let all the world now iudge , to whome it is , that the odious Epithete of Prince-killing is best befitting , either to Iesuites or Calumists . Who might not laugh at this mad accusation , and thinke that reformed Holland-Gewses are turned fooles , not knowing what they say ? They seeme through the vehemency of their malice to be become blind , and giue occasion themselues of the manifestation of their owne shame which before lay vndiscouered . What strange kindes of Iesuites haue heere byn found , among the murtherers of Princes and Potentates ? The Holland Gewse-reformed brethren may heere see what comes of lying . That their preachers continew their lying in their pulpits I can in some sort tollerate ; the poore fellowes haue charge of wife & children , their preaching is their trade to liue by , and to mayntaine their families . But the worshipfull Lordes the States to lye , and to publish lyes in Printed Placcarts , that indeed is somwhat to grosse : you may please to excuse me for beeing so free with your Lords and States , Because He that speaketh what he should not , Must heare for his answer what he wold not .

Me thinkes they that practise lying , should in reason become more cunning , then to make lyes that are so grosse and palpable , and doe indeed bring credit and reputation to Iesuites , and shame vnto themselues that spred them : for alwayes it is found that when any one is accused and afterward found innocent , the accuser is cursed and hated , & the false accused pittyed , beloued , and belieued .

These Caluinian Calumniatours will seeme by calling Iesuites & Priests the murtherers of Princes and Potentates , as if they ( poore innocent soules ) were becom great Care-takers for Princes & Potentates safeties . This surely is a very suddainly-growne-vp affection : they were not wont to be so , for me thinks it is not so long ago that Princes can haue forgotten , that at such tyme as their subiects rebelled against them , the good Holland-Gewses were alwayes readier to assist their rebelles agaynst them , then them against their rebelles . I must needes acknowledge some reason why it so should be , & that is , that simile gaudet simili , & if at this day any Princes find this to be true , themselues know it best : But further to manifest their good affection to Princes , we are to note that it hath not only byn shewed in the fiue aforenamed , who they murtherously haue bereft of their liues , but also in some vnto whome euen after their deathes they haue shewed indignity and villany , as vnto William the Conqueror King of England who was buryed at Cane in Normandie ▪ where the French-Hugenotes in their Rebellion in the yeare 1562. vnder conduct of Chastilian , when they tooke this towne , and spoyled the Churches , they brake open the tombe of this great Conquerer , and threw his bones about the streets .

At Orleans , where they also committed their Church-robbery and Sacrilege , they brake open the tombe of King Lewys the eleuenth , and burnt his bones .

The bones of Iohn Earle of Angolesme Father to King Francis the first of France , who for his vertue & deuotion deuotion was reputed as a Saint , they suffered not to rest in his sepulcher , but threw them out . This hate may haue proceeded of two causes , the one because he was a Prince , the other ( & posible the greatest ) because of his Sanctity , for to the bones of Saints or holy men haue Caluinists shewed so great hatred , that at Towres they tooke the bones of the holy Bishop Saint Martin , and the bones of the holy Saint Francis of Paula , and ioyning vnto these bones the body of a dead Asse , they burnt all three togeather , to the end Catholiks should not saue any part of the bones or ashes for reliques , and yet to make more sure worke , they did cast all the ashes into the riuer of Loire .

They would also haue broken down & wholy destroyed the Abbey of S Denis in France , withall the tombes of the Kings of France that there are buried , but that the Prince of Condy who then was their chiefe , was faine to preuent it , by appointing a Guard about the Abbey , which he did in regard that he was descended from some of the Kings that there lye buryed .

The Caluinists of Scotland haue destroyed the Tombes of the Kings of that Countrey , aswell in the Abbey of Dunfermeling , as in the Abbey of the Holy Crosse .

In Bruxelles , when the Caluinian Gewses had their domination there , they opened the vault in the Church of S. Godula , where some of the Dukes of Brabant were buryed ; and brake open the leaden chests , and threw out their bones .

These are acts of Caluinian reformed louers of Princes , that not only rebell against them , and murther them , but when they are dead endure not that their bodyes may quietly remaine in their sepulchers . Are not these good testimonies of the great affection , that these reformed brethren beare vnto Princes and Potentates ? Surely Kings , Princes , and Potentates , may take notice , of the great change in these fellowes , who so suddainly are become so great Care-takers for their safties . But because there is no appearance that Princes and Potentates will send their Ambassadors into Holland , to thanke them for their care ; it seemes they can smell , it is but a dissembled care , and that they doe not heerin giue credit , vnto those reformed , or deformed Brethren .

I see not for all this , that Iesuytes are welcome to all Princes and Potentates .

They are welcome to all those that best know them , but it is no wonder that such as are misinformed by lying-teachers , and haue no good affection to Catholike religion , haue an auersion from Iesuites , for they neither know them , nor yet come to heare any right report of them , from the mouthes of those that truly know their piety , and vertuous conuersation . But to the end you may know whether the greatest Princes of Christendome do know and respect them or no , I will heere for the better knowledge of the ignorant , and in opposition to those that out of a resolued malice doe calumniate them , make it briefly to appeare , in what accompt and reputation they stand with those aforesaid Princes : that thereby their Caluinian Maligners , and all others , may see what they haue profitted by their so loud barking against them , in Placcarts , in pulpits , in pamphlets , & all kind of detraction .

Yet with protestation before God , that I do this , and haue resolued to doe it , wholy of my selfe , without being thereunto desyred , moued , or counselled by any Iesuite in the world , or being a Iesuite my selfe .

I must confesse , that you haue heere manifested vnto me much more then before I euer knew , or heard of . But yet , notwithstanding that it cannot be perceaued , that the Iesuites haue had any hand in the deaths of any of the eight Princes heere by you mentioned , it should seeme they haue had knowledge of intentions of murthering Princes , as of Queene Elizabeth of England , King Henry the fourth of France , before he was murthered by Rauaillac , his Maiesty that is now King of Great Britayne , by the gunpowder Treason , & his Excellency Prince Maurice in Holland .