THE States generall of the vnited Prouinces of the Nether-lands , to all men to whome these presents come to be seene or read , greeting . Being certainely and truely informed , that daily and continually many Priests , Monkes and other Spirituall or religious persons , which professe the Popish religion , and specially many of the most pernicious and dangerous sect of the Iesuits , do enter into and staie and remaine within the vnited Prouinces of the Nether-lands , wherein they teach Seruice and disperse their strange doctrine and superstitions amongst their good and faithfull Subiects : and also establish and ingraft diuers and many superstitions which are expressely forbidden and prohibited by the word of God : & especially labor to maintain & vphold the vsurped tyrannous power of the Pope of Rome , placing the same not only in spirituall but also in temporall matters aboue all Kings , Princes , Potentates and Common-wealths whatsoeuer , & not content therewith , extending the same so farre as that they make it of power to dispose of the very persons of Kings and Princes , and of their Kingdomes , lands and sitates at his pleasure , and to diuert and withdraw their subiects from the due obedience which they owe and are bound to yeeld vnto them , which their proceedings doe openly tend vnto an vprore and great perturbation of the common peace and tranquilitie of all Countries and Nations , whereby great occasions are giuen and opened to moue and stirre vp many grieuous and murtherous actions , whereof the Kingdomes of France , & great Brittaine , as also the Venetian Commonwealth , can giue most wonderfull and admirable testimonies : which considered , for as much therefore as wee , & some of the States of some of the perticular Prouinces of the vnited Netherlands , haue heretofore thought it conuenient , to make and publish diuers and seuerall Edicts or Proclamations , not onely to let and hinder that the subiects of these Countries should not be infected and led away , with and by the errors aforesaid , ( which wholy resist & are contrarie vnto the true Christian Religion , as also against the lawfull gouernment of these Countries : ) and that those that are already led away and infected with them , or that by oath haue bound themselues to maintaine the Popish errors , and to vphold their aforesaid pernicious doctrine , neither may nor shall be admitted to any estate or office in any place of the said vnited Nether-lands , as also ( according to the common lawes and ordinances of the land ) to restraine all conuenticles and assemblies and meetings , whereby any notable and apparant mischiefe or hurt might grow or happen vnto the common State of these Prouinces , as also all collection & secret gatherings of mony , which tend vnto the impouerishing of these Countries : And for that in all the said things aforesaid it is requisite and necessarie , generally to make prouision for these me through out al the aforesaid vnited Prouinces , as also that thereby there may a good correspondencie held & prouision made for good order to be holden and kept , between the subiects of these countries , and the subiects of our neighbours , and that like conuersation ( according to the prepositions aforesaid with the continuance of freedome , liberty , and security of these cuntries , vnder good and wholesome lawes , whereby euery man may know how to gouerne himselfe ) may be held and continued , as it is vsed and obserued in other kingdomes and countries .

So it is , that after many and diuers Proclamations and orders , made , published , and set downe , both in these countries in former times , and also in other neighbor kingdomes and countries , by aduise of his Excellencie , and the counsell of Estate , we haue ordained and established , and by these presents doe ordaine and establish , that all Priests , Monkes , Iesuites , and other spirituall or religious persons of the romish religion , of what order or degree soeuer they be , who within two months after the publication hereof , shall or will come into the vnited netherland Prouinces , shall be bound at their entrie into the first towne thereof , and also in euery place afterward , where they will or we●… e to lodge , shall signifie their names , quallities , and places of lodging , vnto the chiefe Officer of the said place or places , if he be resident therein , or els to any other meaner Officer there resident : and also after the said two moneths aforesaid , shall be bound to certifie and make knowne vnto the said Officers , all the names of the persons of the said qualities aforesaid , which are already come into the saide countrie , and haue no certaine place of aboad within the same , which shall also by the said Officers be especially and truly noted downe and recorded , and the said vnder Officers shall certifie the same vnto the head Officers , and the said head Officers in like sort shall enforme the Magistrates of the towne perticularly thereof , to the end that both by the one as well as the other of them , great care and foresight may be had and taken , that by the said strange persons there may be nothing attempted nor done , contrary to the peace , good , and welfare of the vnited netherland Prouinces : and if it happen that any of the persons aforesaid , shall not haue so giuen and certified his name as aforesaid , the said person so offending , shall forfeit for the same offence , the somme of 50. guilders , and besides that fine , shall be charged and commanded to depart out of the vnited Netherland Prouinces , and neuer to returne againe into the same , vpon paine of open and publique banishment . We also commaund al and euery person with whome the said Iesuits , Priests , Monkes , and other spirituall or religious persons , shall come or happen to lodge , to search and enquire whether they haue presented and giuen vp their names as aforesaid , and if they finde it not to be done accordingly , that they shall ( before the third night of their lodging with them , ) make knowne the names and qualities of the said persons vnto the Officers aforesaid , vpon paine of forfeiture of 100. Guilders , without any excuse by any of them to be made or alleaged , that he knew not the person or persons so lodging at his house as afore said , common Inne-keepers or houses of lodging onely excepted , of whome such knowledge cannot well bee had .

Forbidding further , all and euery one of our subiects of these Countries , after the publication hereof , not to enter into any Coledge or Schole of Iesuites , vpon paine of euer to be disabled , to serue , hold , or haue any office or estate within these Countries , or to enioy any Prebends or Chanons place , or any other benefice whatsoeuer , and further euery month that they remaine , and continue in the aforesaid Scholes or Colledges , shall forfeit and pay 100. Guilders , and the like penaltie both of disabling them , and of pecuniarie punishment shall be inflicted vpon all those , who before the publication of these presents , haue entred into the said schooles or Colledges , and within two moneths after the publication heereof , haue not left and forsaken the same . And if the said persons haue no goods of their owne , their pacents or Tutors shall bee bound to pay the same , vnles that such persons aforesaid , haue entred into , and remaine in the said schooles or colledges , without the knowledge and consent of their said Parents or tutors : In which case , the said parents & Tutors shall be expresly forbidden and prohibited to send or giue any mony directly or indirectly , vnto the said persons , vpon paine and forfeiture as aforesaid , to be taken and deducted out of their owne goods and liuings : We doe also by these presents , pronounce and declare all alienation , or conueyances of goods before hand , made by the persons , that contrary to this our ordinance doe stay , or heereafter doe enter into the said colledges or schooles , to be void and of no force nor effect , and all their gifts , testaments , bequests , and other conueyances , made or to be made by them , during their staying in the said schooles or colledges , likewise to be voide .

We also expresly forbid , that no person whatsoeuer , being naturally borne , or an inhabitant in these countries , shall be admitted or promoted to any estate , office , or publike seruice in the aforesaid countries , villages , or townes thereof , who within two moneths after the publication heereof , shall accept and receaue their said promotion or offices , by oath to defend and maintaine the Romish errors and superstitions : And that all those that since the pacification made at Gaunt in anno 1576. ( hauing taken such an oath ) haue bin admitted and receaued into seruice , within two moneths after the publication heereof , shall seeke to be vnburthened and discharged of the said oath & shall take an oath of alleagiance to the States in the place where they shall dwell and inhabite , according to the custome and manner of the said place , vnles they haue already taken the same oath of alleagiance , or openly haue left and forsaken the said romish superstitions aforesaid : of which their said oath to be discharged , and to take a new oath of alleagiance . We haue authorised , and by these presents doe authorise the ordinary Magistrate of the place , where any such person shall dwell or inhabit , to doe it : and the office or state of all those that shall not doe accordingly , shall presently be voide , and the said persons vtterly and for euer put from their said offices . Wee ordaine further , that all those that are promoted or preferred vnder the aforesaid oath , or that heereafter shall be so premoted or preferred ( and dwell within the said vnited Prouinces , or that heereafter shall desire to dwell therein , within one month after the publication heereof , or after that they shall heereafter dwell within the said vnited Prouinces ) shall appeare before the Magistrate of the place where they are resident , and there make and take their oaths of alleagiance vnto these cuntries , vpon paine , that for not doing so , they shall depart out of the said Prouinces , and if they doe it not , that at the end of the first moneth next after that ensuing , they shall forfet 50. guilders : at the end of two moneths 100. guilders , and if they depart not out of the countrie within the third moneth , that then they shall be presently banished out of the said vnited Prouinces .

We also expresly forbid all the subiects of our said countries , and others , frequenting the same , both within the townes , and also in the villages and countries thereof : To make or hold any assemblies of men or women , within any churches , perticuler houses , places , fields , ships , or s●… tes , therein to heare Masse , or to doe , or exercise , or heare any popish superstition , exhortation , instruction , or reading , or otherwise to hold , or help to hold any assembly or any gatherings together of any persons , of the romish religion , ( although there be no Priest , Monke , nor any other spirituall person there present among them , that should say Masse , or teach or instruct them in the said superstitions aforesaid ) vnder what pretence or colour soeuer it may be , neither secretly nor openly , vpon paine to forfeit 200. guilders , to be leuied vpon him in whose house , field , ship , or scute , such assemblies or meetings shall be made : and that he that shall haue so said Masse , or taught any popish superstitions , exhortations , instructions , or admonitions , if he be one that commeth out of other parts , or Prouinces , not subiect to the vnited Prouinces , shall be perpetually banished out of the said vnited Prouinces , vpon paine of corporall punishment , and withall shall be condemned to pay a great fine : And if he be one that is resident within the vnited Prouinces , he shall presently depart out of the same , and neuer returne into them againe , vpon paine to be openly and perpetually banished from thence , and of corporall punishment if he returne againe : and that further he shall be depriued of his benefice or spirituall liuing , ( if he hath any ) and shall not bee suffered to staie , lodge , harbour , remaine or continue , within any towne or place of these Countries , vpon paine of forfeiture for the first time of 100. Guilders , to be paid by him that shall so staie , lodge , harbour , hold or keepe him , contrarie to this our Proclamation : & for the second time of 200. guilders : for the third time of 300. Guilders , for the fourth time of 400. Guilders , and banish - as aforesaid . And he that shall be found to haue said or to say masse , or taught or teach any popish supestitions , admonitions , instructions , and exhortations oforesaid , shall loose his benefice or spirituall liuings if he haue any , and also be find at the some of 25. Guilders for euerie time that he shall haue so said masse as aforesaid , whether hee be found presently & instantly doing the same , or that afterward it shall be knowne that hee hath done it : and the like pecuniary punishment of 25. Guilders , shall be laid vpon all those that were present at the hearing of the same : and further being found actually present at the same shall loose and forfeit their vpper garment which they then shall weare .

But if it happen that any man be found to haue dispersed , taught or strewed abroad any doctrine or learning which is contrarie and repugnant to the gouernment of these Countries , and tending to the diuerting of the subiects of the same from their true obedience , hee shall be punished corporally as a seditious and mutinous fellow , and put to death , if the waightines of the cause and matter by him effected and procured doth require the same . We further ordaine , that he , who vnder pretence of being of the Romish Religion , shal suffer or procure himselfe to be maried or baptized againe by any Priest , Curate , Monke or Frier , shall forfeit and paie 100. Guilders , and further be punished at the Magistrates pleasure , and all those that shall be present at the said mariage or baptizing , shall forfeit 50. Guilders , and the Priest , Curate , Monke or Frier that shall haue done the same shall be punished with the like paine , forfeit , and correction as aforesaid . And that all those either men or women , that shall bee found to haue had any knowledge thereof , or that haue giuen their consent vnto any such assemblies or meetings , shall forfeit foure times as much as those or they that were or shall be personally found present at the said assemblies . We also expresly forbid and prohibit , all persons dwelling or inhabiting within these cuntries , or that frequent the same , to make any collections or gatherings of mony , to be caryed or conueyed out of these countries , whether it be for any Churches , Hospitalls , Colledges , or Couents , or for any other cause or purpose whatsoeuer , nor yet to contribute to any such collections , without the speciall consent and licence of the chiefe commaunders of the said Prouinces , vpon paine that he or they that shall make any such collection or contributions , or that shall carry or conuey the said mony out of the country , shall be punished corporally , and forfet and loose all his goods : and all those that shall haue contributed thereunto , shall be arbitrately punished , and further shall pay for a fine foure times asmuch as they shall haue giuen or paid vnto the said contribution .

All which forfeitures and penalties aforesaid , shall be employed and distributed in this manner : that is , one third part for the Officer that shal see the same executed , one third part for him that shal giue notice and information thereof , and one third part to the behoofe and common profit of the countrie : all the perticuler ordinances and orders heeretofore made and set downe concerning the said points aforesaid , by the perticuler Prouinces , remayning still in their former strength and force .

And that no man may hereafter pretend any ignorance herein , we require and earnestly desire the States , State-holders , particular Counselles , and the deputed States of the Prouinces of Gelder-land , Zutphen , Holland , West-freezeland , Zealand , Vtrecht , Freeseland , Ouer-issell , the Towne of Gweninghe and the Countrie circumiacent . We also will and command the Counselles of Brabant and Flanders , the Drossart of Drent , Wedde , and Wester-wolding-land , and all other Iustices and Officers whome it in any wise concerneth , to make this our ordinance and Proclamation presently to be knowne published and proclaimed in all places , wherein they are vsually , to be publishe and proclaime the same : with commaundement to the Chancelor , Presidents and Councels Aduocats fiscall , and Attorneis generall and to all other Officers and Iudges , and hauing Iurisdiction , to execute and cause to be executed , this our ordinance and commission : and to proceede against the repugners and breakers thereof without any grace or fauour , dissimulation , er retraction whatsoeuer . with expresse commandement vnto all Officers , not to make any composition or detraction , touching the mittigatition of any of the paines and penalties set downe and specified in this our proclamation , but precisely to execute the contents of the same proclamation , touching the third part of the penalties therein contained belonging vnto and appointed to be paid to the profit and behoofe of the Countrie , and thereof to yeeld a iust and true account , as farre as they are by their comission bound to doe . And to suffer and permit the enformers thereof peaceably & without any abridgement of the same to follow and pursue the parties offending , for their third part , vpon paine of depriuation of their Offices , and further to suffer and endure Arbitrarie punishment , as wee for the profit and the good of the Countrie shall thinke meete and conuenient .