Sivut kuvina
PDF
ePub

because of the equal Power of the Governors, and the great Confufion of Counfels.

XX. The fame Governor-General, and Council of State, fhall have regard to whatever concerns the Prefervation of the common Weal; taking fpecial heed, that they make no change to the prejudice of the true Religion, or the Rights, Advantages, Privileges, Cuf toms, Franchifes, Statutes and Ordinances of thefe States, Provinces, Members, Towns, Colleges or Inhabitants, as well in general as in particular.

XXI. The States, as well in general as in particular, fhall not treat with the Enemy without the Knowledg and Confent of her Majefty, nor with any foreign Princes or Potentates without her Knowledg, or the Knowledg of her Governor-General.

XXII. Her Majefty fhall likewife be pleas'd not to treat with the King of Spain, or any other Enemy of the States, about any thing that concerns the United Provinces in general or particular, without the Advice and Confent of the States General, who fhall be regularly call'd together thereupon.

XXIII. The levying and paying of the foreign Troops, which may be neceffary for the Defence of the Provinces, fhall be made by the Governor-General, and the Council of State, with the Consent of the States General.

XXIV. When any Governors of Provinces, or Frontier Towns come to die, or to be chang'd, the States or Provinces where that happens fhall name or propofe two or three Perfons qualify'd of the Reform'd Religion; one of whom the Governor-General, and the Council of State, fhall chufe and appoint.

XXV. As often as her Majefty fhall, for the common Defence, fit out a Fleet of Men of War, to refift any Fleet of the Enemy, which might come into the Straits, between France, England and the United Provinces, the States fhall alfo equip as many Men of War as her Majefty, provided they do not exceed the number which the Prince of Orange order'd to be drawn out by the Sieur Deyer, in the year 1584. or if neceffity require it, or the States be able to bear it, the Dutch Fleet fhall join that of her Majefty, and fhall be altogether under the Command of the Admiral of England. But let it

be obferv'd, that the Booty fhall be equally fhar'd, according to the Expence that fhall be refpectively made on both fides.

XXVI. Her Majefty's Ships fhall always have their free liberty to enter into, or go out of the Havens and Rivers of the United Provinces, and fhall be there victual'd at reasonable Rates. And in like manner the Men of War of the United Provinces fhall have the fame Liberty and Privileges in all the Rivers and Harbours of England, and her Majesty's other Dominions.

XXVII. To quiet the Difficulties that may arife between the Provinces, or any Towns, and which cannot be fettled by the ordinary way of Law and Juftice, they fhall be fent to her Majefty, or her Governor-General, in order to advise about them, and put them to rights, with the Council of State in the United Provinces.

XXVIII. Her Majefty's Subjects fhall be allow'd to transport the Horfes they have bought in the United Provinces into England, paying the common Duty, provided they do not carry them elsewhere.

XXIX. The English Soldiers, who have a mind to return to England, may pafs freely, without any other Paffport than what is fign'd and feal'd by the General; provided that the number of the English Soldiery remain compleat, and that the States be put to no Charge for the levying and tranfporting of fuch as fhall be rais'd in place of those who have been discharg'd.

XXX. The Governor-General, the chief Commander, the Colonels, Captains, Officers and other Soldiers belonging to her Majefty, fhall take the ordinary Oath, as to the States of the faid Provinces, referving the Ho mage which they owe to her Majefty. This Contract was agreed to, and confirm'd in the Form abovefaid, at Nonfuch, the 10th of August, 1585,

The

The Placard of the States General of the United Provinces, conferring the Government of their Countries upon the Earl of Leicefter, Feb. 6. 1586.

Tall

HE States General of the United Provinces, to all who fhall fee or hear these Prefents, Health and Love. Whereas her Royal Majefty of England hath been pleas'd to fend hither the most serene Prince and Lord, Robert Earl of Leicester, Baron of Denbigh, one of her Majefty's Privy Council, Knight, by her Order, to establish and appoint his Excellency not only Generaliffimo of all her Majesty's Cavalry and Infantry, which she has already fent, and is to fend into this Country, and to affift us with his Counsel, Advice and Deeds, according to his great Prudence, Wisdom and Experience, for the Direction of the common Affairs of this Country, both with relation to the War and otherwife, and the Prefervation of the common Weal of thefe Countries, and to bring them to good Order and Regulations, as they have been formerly; by which means we fhall be able to defend our felves against the Violence and Tyranny of our Enemies, and render all their Practices and Efforts vain: but likewife to honour his Excellency with a greater Authority, Power and Command over her Majefty's Admirals, Vice-Admirals, and Ships of War, to command them, and employ them in the Service of thefe Countries, as his Excellency fhall think it moft for the Intereft of the faid Countries. And his Excellency, according to her Majefty's Commands, being willing to testify the good Inclinations and Affection he has had a long time for thefe Countries, and the Prefervation of the true Chriftian Religion, has been fo good as to quit his own Country, Relations and Estate, to come amongst us, fo that we could not have felt greater Benefits than

her

her faid Majefty and his Excellency have fhown us : Therefore we have with good and mature Deliberation been defirous to demonftrate to every one, that we have pray'd, accepted and appointed the faid moft ferene Prince to be Governor and Captain-General of all the United Provinces, Towns and Members affociated to them; and that befides the Authority he has from her Majefty, we have given his Excellency the 'fupreme Command and abfolute Authority over all the Affairs of War by Sea and Land, to make ufe of, and employ it for Defence against the Enemy, as his faid Excellency fhall find it expedient for the Good of this Country, and to do moreover all that a good Captain-General is oblig'd to do. And befides this, we have put into his hands the Adminiftration and Direction of Government and Juftice over all the faid United Provinces, Cities, and affociated Members, to rule and govern them with fuch Power and Authority, as the preceding Governors of thefe Low Countries have lawfully done, and particuTarly from the time of the Emperor Charles the Fifth, always faving the Rights and Privileges of the faid Countries, with fpecial power to levy, receive and adminifter all the Contributions granted and appointed for carrying on the War, and which fhall be granted and appointed for that end, already put, or to be put into the hands of his faid Excellency; and all this according to what is more fully contain'd in a certain Writing drawn up on this Head. All which Offices and Commiffion his Excellency has at our urgent Prayer accepted of, and has taken a folemn and proper Oath for thefe in our hands, chiefly for the Prefervation of the true Chriftian Religion, and the Defence of the Privileges and Rights. of these Provinces and Cities, and the Members thereof. We command and ordain for this effect all Governors of Provinces and Cities, all Admirals and ViceAdmirals, Generals, Colonels, Captains, Officers and Soldiers by Sea and Land; and moreover all Counsellors, Treafurers, Receivers, Bailiffs, Scouts, Maref chals, Drofarts, Grietmans, Magiftrates, Nobles, Vaffals, Burgeffes, and other Inhabitants and Subjects of thefe Countries, of what Quality or Condition foever they be, that they acknowledg, honour, refpect and obey his faid Excellency in the faid Quality of Governor and

[ocr errors]

Captain

Captain-General over all the faid United Provinces, as is due, and without making the leaft difficulty in fo doing, on pain of incurring the Displeasure of his faid Excellency, and of being punish'd according as the Cafe requires, and Law ordains. And that no Perfon may pretend any Caufe of Ignorance, we exprefly ordain and command, to make known, declare and publish this Ordinance thro all Places where Publications are us'd to be made; proceeding, and caufing to proceed against all Contraveners by the Penalties above-mention'd, without any manner of Favour or Diffimulation to the contrary. For thus have we judg'd it to be proper for the Advancement of thefe Countries.

Given in our Affembly at the Hague the 6th of February, 1586. by Order of the forefaid Lords the States General,

Sign'd,

C. AERSSEN.

A

« EdellinenJatka »