THE
TRVE
REPORT
OF
THE
LAMENTABLE
DEATH
,
OF
WILLIAM
of
Nassawe
Prince
of
Orange
:
who
was
trayterouslie
slayne
with
a
Dagge
in
his
owne
Courte
,
by
Balthazar
Serack
a
Burgunian
,
the
first
of
Iuly
1584.
Heerein
is
expressed
the
Murtherers
confession
,
and
in
what
manner
he
was
executed
,
vpon
the
tenth
of
the
same
month
.
Whose
death
was
not
of
sufficient
sharpnes
for
such
a
caytife
,
and
yet
too
sowre
for
any
Christian
.
Printed
at
Middleborowgh
,
by
Derick
van
Respeawe
▪
Anno.
1584.
G.
P.
His
Proheme
to
the
inhabitaunts
of
Flaunders
.
WHo
so
considereth
the
state
of
Princes
(
although
they
are
as
Gods
vpon
earth
,
beeing
annoynted
of
God
,
hauing
theyr
authoritye
from
God
,
and
sitting
in
Gods
seate
to
rule
the
sword
with
the
Law
,
may
perceaue
that
they
liue
in
more
care
and
greater
daunger
,
then
the
simplest
subiect
.
Lamentable
therefore
is
their
late
example
of
the
Prince
of
Orange
,
slayne
(
by
a
treacherous
villain
)
in
his
owne
Courte
:
his
death
and
the
manner
thereof
,
may
forewarne
other
Princes
to
be
carefull
,
whome
they
retaine
into
the
presence
of
theyr
person
.
Great
is
thy
losse
,
and
greater
wil
be
thy
mysery
(
O
Flaunders
,
)
for
the
want
of
thy
Prince
,
who
did
guide
thee
and
gouerned
thy
people
,
with
wisedome
,
loue
,
policie
and
continuall
care
for
thy
quietnes
:
he
was
thy
comfort
and
the
stay
of
thy
state
in
all
extremities
.
The
cheefest
states
of
thy
Countrey
shall
misse
him
:
the
widdowe
,
the
sucking
Babe
and
the
fatherlesse
childe
shall
haue
cause
to
bewayle
his
death
.
Yea
rich
and
poore
,
altogether
may
lament
his
mishap
,
and
cry
woe
vpon
that
man
that
bereaued
him
of
life
,
whose
noblenesse
deserued
fame
,
and
whose
woorthy
acts
and
enterprises
,
beeing
honourable
,
are
meete
to
be
registred
among
the
most
lawdable
reportes
of
learned
Historiographers
.
If
the
Romaines
did
bemone
the
death
of
Caesar
,
the
Troyans
the
losse
of
Hector
and
the
Lacedemonians
the
want
of
Alexander
,
then
hast
thou
(
O
Flaunders
)
more
cause
to
lament
the
losse
of
thy
good
Prince
,
who
with
wisedome
,
force
,
and
great
care
,
(
ayded
by
the
power
and
prouidence
of
God
himselfe
)
did
keepe
thy
country
,
from
the
handes
of
him
that
woulde
make
a
Monarchie
of
Realmes
in
his
ownehandes
:
to
the
vtter
spoile
of
thee
and
thine
,
&
to
draw
other
Realmes
vnder
his
subiection
.
O
most
accursed
wretch
that
he
was
,
so
subiect
to
the
subtilties
of
sathan
,
to
worke
the
vntimelye
death
of
so
gracious
a
Prince
,
that
hether
to
hath
defended
your
liberties
,
&
maintayned
your
right
these
many
yeeres
,
to
the
great
glory
of
God
,
the
aduauncement
of
your
wealth
,
and
the
mayntenaunce
of
true
Religion
.
It
were
too
tedious
to
set
downe
in
what
subiection
all
the
Lowe
Countreys
of
Flaunders
,
hath
beene
many
yeeres
yoked
in
by
their
enemies
:
the
effect
whereof
is
so
notorious
&
apparant
to
all
the
world
&
the
same
so
truely
layd
open
by
many
,
that
it
is
heere
needelesse
to
touche
it
:
as
also
to
handle
the
great
care
of
this
Prince
from
time
to
tyme
,
who
continually
sought
to
maintaine
your
liberties
and
to
defend
your
Country
from
extreame
misery
:
which
doubtles
hath
sharply
pinched
you
:
and
now
hauing
lost
him
who
was
the
principal
prop
of
the
Low
countryes
,
it
is
like
to
fall
out
to
the
vtter
ouerthrowe
,
ruine
,
and
destruction
of
that
poore
cominaltye
,
(
a
matter
most
lamentable
)
except
God
(
the
onelie
defender
of
those
that
truste
in
him
)
doo
speedely
procure
and
stirre
vp
,
a
carefull
and
godly
Prince
to
bee
the
defendor
of
that
people
and
Countrey
,
that
there
by
the
Townes
and
Villages
there
about
may
become
populous
&
thorowly
replenished
(
nowe
greeuously
impouerished
through
ciuill
discention
)
to
the
quietnes
,
wealth
,
and
peace
of
the
same
.
And
considering
it
is
most
necessary
to
publish
a
true
discourse
of
this
late
lamentable
mishappe
,
I
haue
thought
it
good
breefely
and
plainely
to
set
downe
the
true
circumstaunce
thereof
:
and
that
for
one
speciall
cause
,
which
is
,
that
considering
the
vntrue
imaginations
and
fayned
reportes
,
of
this
Princes
death
,
now
blased
a
broade
,
as
well
to
his
freendes
as
to
hys
enemies
▪
the
trueth
being
layd
open
,
and
made
manifest
to
all
men
,
that
then
those
reports
may
be
accounted
fryuolus
and
to
be
troden
vnder
foote
.
I
therefore
admonish
you
,
O
yee
people
of
Flaunders
,
that
hauing
lost
the
stay
and
staffe
of
your
countrey
,
that
you
yet
vouchsafe
with
patience
to
remaine
content
with
GODS
workes
,
who
prouideth
wonderfully
for
you
.
It
is
your
sinnes
that
is
the
cause
of
al
your
care
:
wherefore
call
vpon
God
in
this
your
time
of
affliction
:
and
with
prayer
and
hearty
repentance
,
to
turne
vnto
the
Lorde
,
who
no
doubt
will
deliuer
you
from
danger
:
as
he
did
the
children
of
Israell
,
and
assure
your selues
,
that
he
will
so
establish
your
countrey
in
short
time
,
powring
thereon
peace
and
plenty
,
that
the
remembraunce
of
your
great
extremety
now
fallen
vpon
you
,
shall
in
short
time
grow
out
of
memory
and
be
made
a
florishing
common
wealth
which
God
the
father
withall
speede
graunt
to
confirme
.
Amen
.
The
dyscourse
of
the
Treason
wrought
against
William
of
Nassawe
,
Prince
of
Orange
,
by
Balthazar
Serack
,
a
base
borne
Gent.
of
Burguni
,
of
the
age
of
25.
yeeres
.
VPon
the
12.
day
of
Iune
last
past
1584.
there
came
to
the
Prince
of
Orange
)
a
base
borne
Gent.
of
Burguni
,
who
brought
certain
Letters
from
the
States
of
Fraunce
,
conserning
matters
of
newes
,
touching
the
death
of
the
Frenche
kinges
brother
,
who
died
a
little
before
:
which
Letters
,
the
Prince
in
most
thankful
manner
did
receiue
,
and
gaue
the
messenger
such
freendly
entertainement
in
his
owne
Courte
,
as
became
a
Prince
in
such
causes
.
The
Prince
liking
well
of
this
messenger
,
would
sundry
times
vse
conference
with
him
,
touching
the
garison
of
the
Prince
of
Parma
;
whose
souldiers
greatly
impouerished
the
countries
round
about
.
This
messenger
(
in
whom
there
remained
nothing
but
subtilty
and
secret
mischiefe
)
dyd
show
vnto
the
Prince
,
howe
he
coulde
at
any
time
bring
him
or
his
souldrers
into
the
Prince
of
Parmaes
garison
,
whereby
he
might
take
the
aduantage
of
the
Prince
of
Parmaes
power
,
for
that
this
messenger
beeing
a
cunning
pen
man
,
coulde
finely
counterfet
the
Prince
of
Parmaes
owne
hand
,
so
neere
that
the
one
should
not
be
known
from
the
other
.
The
Prince
notwithstanding
woulde
not
so
deale
by
his
deuise
,
but
yet
he
would
enquire
of
him
how
al
things
stood
,
aswel
in
the
Prince
of
Parmaes
garison
,
as
of
the
Princes
pretence
towards
the
Low
countries
,
who
continually
certefied
vnto
the
Prince
of
Orang
the
truth
,
which
caused
the
Prince
to
repose
a
greater
trust
and
confidence
in
him
,
so
that
he
remaind
in
the
court
without
suspition
of
any
treachery
.
But
behold
what
folowed
,
on
the
1.
day
of
Iuly
last
past
,
which
by
the
newe
computation
of
the
Romish
Churche
,
was
the
tenth
day
of
the
same
moneth
,
this
Traytot
thus
harbored
and
lodged
in
the
Courte
of
this
good
Prince
,
seeing
a
small
Pistoll
or
Dag
in
the
handes
of
one
of
the
Princes
seruaunts
,
did
demaund
what
it
might
cost
him
,
saying
:
I
haue
occasion
to
ryde
a
iourney
shortly
,
and
that
dagge
would
be
a
good
defence
for
me
vpon
the
high
way
side
,
wherefore
he
requested
the
Princes
seruant
that
he
might
bye
it
of
him
,
who
thinking
nothing
of
that
which
hapned
afterward
,
did
sel
it
to
him
for
the
some
of
10.
shillings
of
English
mony
.
The
Prince
then
being
in
his
Court
at
Delph
,
(
a
town
of
great
strength
,
where
the
cheefest
States
doo
inhabite
,
)
who
beeing
gon
to
dinner
,
and
the
Garde
atendant
about
his
person
,
this
Traytor
seeing
it
a
meete
time
to
compasse
his
pretended
mischief
(
which
was
,
to
bereaue
the
Prince
of
his
life
,
as
he
did
)
went
into
hys
Chamber
,
&
charged
the
Pystol
with
powder
,
and
put
three
bullets
in
the
same
:
that
doone
he
placed
it
priuelye
in
his
pocket
,
and
went
downe
to
dinner
:
who
after
he
had
dyned
,
hearing
that
the
Prince
would
anon
goe
vp
into
his
priuie
chamber
,
deuised
in
his
minde
where
he
might
best
plant
himselfe
,
for
the
finishing
of
his
wicked
entent
,
who
finding
a
priuie
corner
vpon
the
stayres
,
wher
he
might
be
shadowed
and
not
be
seene
,
placed
himselfe
vntyll
the
Princes
comming
.
The
Prince
,
so
soone
as
he
had
dyned
,
(
which
was
betweene
one
&
two
of
the
clocke
in
the
afternoone
)
came
forth
of
the
great
chamber
,
with
hys
Lady
and
Gentlewomen
attendaunt
,
his
Lady
purposing
to
walke
abroade
,
tooke
her
leaue
of
the
Prince
,
who
going
towardes
the
stayres
which
did
leade
to
the
priuie
chamber
,
and
seeing
an
Italian
named
Ma.
Carinson
,
who
had
stayed
to
speake
with
the
Prince
,
to
whome
the
Prince
verye
freendly
spake
,
saying
:
Carinson
welcome
,
and
tooke
him
by
the
hand
,
willing
thys
Italian
that
he
should
goe
vp
with
him
into
his
priuie
chamber
,
purposing
there
to
vse
some
conference
with
the
Italian
Gentleman
:
and
before
the
Prince
entred
the
stayres
,
there
came
an
English
Captaine
,
called
Captaine
Williams
,
who
dooing
reuerence
vnto
the
Prince
,
was
entertained
in
moste
freendly
manner
,
laying
his
hande
vpon
Captaine
Williams
head
,
wyllyng
him
also
to
come
vppe
with
him
.
The
Gard
then
attendant
vppon
the
Prince
:
Maister
Carinson
and
Captayne
Williams
followed
:
But
the
Prince
going
vp
the
stayres
,
not
thinking
of
any
such
matter
as
happened
,
no
sooner
came
directly
against
this
villenous
traytor
,
but
he
presently
discharged
his
Pistoll
,
(
wherein
as
before
mentioned
)
he
hauing
put
3.
bullets
,
two
of
those
bullets
went
through
the
Princes
body
,
and
the
third
remained
in
his
bellie
,
through
which
wicked
stroke
,
the
Prince
fell
downe
suddainly
,
crying
out
,
saying
▪
Lord
haue
mercy
vpon
me
,
and
remember
thy
little
flocke
.
Wherewith
he
changed
this
life
,
to
the
great
griefe
of
his
Lady
,
who
greatly
lamented
his
death
,
as
also
to
the
great
sorrowe
of
the
whole
countrey
.
The
Garde
pursued
the
murtherer
and
sought
to
slaye
him
,
but
he
ouerscaped
the
first
Garde
,
and
was
staied
by
the
second
watch
Garde
,
which
was
within
the
Princes
court
.
When
hee
was
taken
,
they
demaunded
of
him
what
hee
had
doone
,
who
verye
obstinatly
aunswered
,
that
he
had
doone
that
thinge
,
which
hee
would
willingly
doo
if
it
were
to
doo
againe
.
Then
they
demaunded
of
him
for
what
cause
he
did
it
,
hee
answered
,
for
the
cause
of
his
Prince
and
country
:
more
confession
at
that
time
they
could
not
get
of
him
.
Forthwith
they
committed
him
to
pryson
,
where
he
remained
aliue
to
the
pleasure
of
the
Estates
of
the
country
,
who
shortly
after
deuised
a
torment
(
by
death
)
for
this
murderer
,
which
was
reasonable
sharpe
,
yet
not
so
terrible
as
he
deserued
.
Greeuous
was
the
cry
of
the
people
that
came
flocking
to
the
Princes
gates
,
to
heare
the
report
and
trueth
of
what
had
happened
,
which
knowne
,
euery
houshold
was
filled
with
sorow
,
who
powred
forth
theyr
plaintes
,
and
did
shedde
teares
,
for
the
losse
of
so
good
a
Christian
,
and
so
carefull
a
Prince
.
The
murtherer
while
he
remayned
in
prison
,
was
sundry
times
examined
by
the
chiefe
Estates
of
the
country
,
vp
whose
procurement
he
committed
the
said
fact
,
who
answered
:
at
the
Prince
of
Parmaes
request
,
and
other
Princes
,
at
whose
hands
he
shoulde
receiue
for
dooing
the
same
25000.
Crownes
.
The
order
of
the
torment
,
&
death
of
the
murtherer
,
was
as
followeth
,
which
was
foure
dayes
.
He
had
the
1.
day
the
Strappado
,
openly
in
the
Market
.
The
second
day
whipped
and
salted
,
and
his
right
hand
cut
off
.
The
third
day
,
his
breastes
cut
out
and
salte
throwne
in
,
and
then
his
left
hand
cut
off
.
The
last
day
of
his
torment
,
which
was
the
10.
of
Iuly
,
he
was
bound
to
2.
stakes
,
standing
vpright
,
in
such
order
that
he
could
not
shrinke
downe
nor
stirre
any
way
.
Thus
standing
naked
,
there
was
a
great
fire
placed
some
small
distaunce
from
him
,
wherein
was
heated
pincers
of
Iron
,
with
which
pincers
,
two
men
appointed
for
the
same
,
did
pinch
and
put
his
flesh
in
smal
peeces
from
his
bones
,
throughout
moste
partes
of
his
body
.
Then
was
hee
vnbound
from
the
stakes
,
and
layd
vppon
the
earth
,
and
againe
fastened
to
fowre
postes
,
namely
by
his
feete
and
armes
:
then
they
ripped
vp
his
belly
at
which
time
he
had
life
and
perfect
memorye
,
he
had
his
bowels
burned
before
his
face
,
and
his
bodie
cutt
in
foure
seueral
quarters
.
During
the
whole
time
of
his
execution
,
hee
remained
impenitent
and
obstinate
,
reioycing
that
he
had
slaine
the
Prince
.
Vpon
the
16.
day
of
Iuly
,
the
Prince
was
very
royally
buryed
,
in
the
newe
Church
at
Delph
,
being
lapped
in
seare
cloth
and
Leade
,
according
to
the
manner
of
other
Princes
in
time
past
.
The
Cittizenes
of
Antwerp
,
are
many
times
driuen
to
shut
vp
their
gates
,
by
reason
of
theyr
enemies
,
who
wold
gladly
take
the
Citty
at
some
aduauntage
:
The
enemie
hath
built
a
Forte
vpon
the
Banke
,
betweene
Antwarp
and
Lullo
,
so
that
they
doo
what
they
may
to
stop
the
passage
of
the
Riuer
from
them
.
There
is
not
as
yet
any
Gouernour
chosen
for
the
Lowe
countries
:
but
they
are
in
hope
that
some
order
will
be
taken
for
them
very
shortly
.
God
for
his
mercy
sake
sende
quietnes
in
those
partes
,
that
the
people
may
enioy
theyr
owne
,
to
the
health
,
wealth
,
and
comfort
of
them
all
now
distressed
.
Amen
.