à good thing for you to bethink yourself of some nobleman, whom you have either read or heard, whose doings have been worthy of commendations, in such service as this.

And to make a pattern, and example to yourself, daily in your doings, practising the imitation of him throughout all your life; and, in this point, may you choose many noble properties, of your own natural, good father, to follow; whereunto, nature shall bend, and make you soonest inclinable. If you have heard of any nobleman famous in justice; not being led by affection on the one side, or on the other; not being strict, in severeness of law; it were good to follow him. If, also, you have heard the same to be merciful, to have had compassion on others in adversity, and willing to end all causes with quietness and charity; the example will be good. You may also propound to yourself the example, to follow such a one, as hath liberality in expences, without prodigality; remembering, that the property of virtue is, to continue in well-doing; and, therefore, to hold the mean is hard. As certainly, in these, or other like virtues, you shall see the fault on both sides so nigh standing to the virtues, that, unless you keep yourself in your doings very upright, it is easy to err on the one side or the other: As for example; in your expences, if you keep not a measure in your giving, you shall fail on the one side, and shall lack to give, when most gladly you would give: On the other side, if you forbear to give, where you may, and when you ought, then do you, as the scripture saith, heap up stones for your grave. The like is in the virtue of justice; wherein, it shall suffice to remember of one Byas, that, when he had given judgment on one, wept himself; and, being asked of the cause, he said, in weeping I satisfied nature, in my sen tence, the law; his pity was natural, and hindered not justice; his justice was lawful, and not unnatural. Thus I might spend your lordship's time, in reading a long and weary letter, if I would continue in that moral advertisement; I will, therefore, draw more to particulars of your charge; and, as I guess thereby, more aptly to satisfy your lordship's request. The foundation of your services there is your commis❤ sion, and under seal of discharge; the force thereof is the end of your charge: Wherefore, you shall do well, by frequent reading and consideration thereof, to understand it well, and keep it in memory; for which purpose, it shall be expedient to have some conference with some learned man in the law, for the behalf of the law: and of some other discreet men, for the execution of the same. In like case this know, as you see time convenient, so may you perform the commandments.

But, methinks, you will say, I took upon me the easiest parts of advertisement, that is, to do discreetly; but I shew you not how, but remit you to others; and then will you think, that I do, as one that may bid a sick man be whole, be quit, shake off your sickness, but, how to do, he teacheth not.

ने

Forsooth, my lord, my excuse is two ways: first, I know not your commission, and that you know is true; next, if I did know it, yet I have no such knowledge (especially in law) to inform you withal more particularly, than I do, but these, I think, content you not, for you will (acccording to your old mirth) call this a reason that cometh from

Colliweston; and, therefore, to keep you occupied with scribbling, I will follow on with a hotch-potch of sentences.

In your commission, I think, many things be committed to your dis cretion, which maketh the burthen greater, than if you had been expresly commanded what to do. Therefore, must you needs consider, what is meant by discretion; which, as we term it in our language, seemeth to be a knowledge to discern and judge one thing from ano ther. And this part, truly, is properly pertaining to wisdom; for, before a man can discern, he must know it; and, he, that will perform this part, must measure and judge of these things; and therefore, before you shall conclude of any thing of weight, you must discern often thereupon; and, before you can do that, you must know the thing that is discerned; and then, for the election of these, it is very profitable, to imagine a pair of balances, and, in the one, to lay reasons on the one side, and, in the other, to lay the contrary, and then judge which is the heaviest; I mean, which balance hath the best reasons, not the most.

And, touching your own person, see things, pertaining thereto, be meet for the place which you keep; neither too negligent, neither too curious; to the one of these peradventure you are more subject, than to the other, and, therefore, you must regard yourself the more.

Your household must be governed as it may be an example of virtue to others, and an ornament to your office; let your officers have good ancient rules for order, and see they be not neglected; you must yourself so, with the same, as your servants may know you acquainted with their doings; and yet not seem to strangers, to meddle therewith. If you have cause to blame your officer, and have a mind to keep him, do it secretly, that he may know his fault, but not be known to the servant underneath him; in any wise cause not idleness to remain among your people; let not your servants exceed in apparel their degree, for the charge at length will be to your purse or estimation; let them understand, that you love them best who live best in order: them next, who live nearest order; and them nothing at all, who live far from order; let them, which do well in your house, feel both your love and reward.

At your table, let no matter of princes affairs, or princes regiments, be disputed; nor of religion; for meat and drink requireth meaner talk; to keep men occupied of the common talk of the country, or other honest merry talks. Lastly, note, let Job serve in his degree, your lordship can well enough, with a few questions, set men occupied in talk.

For your fare (your lordship must give me leave to be bold) I can very well like, that, in respect of your degree, your service be both in order, and service honourable; and in substance plenteous, and in art curious; but, considering the proness of this age to excess, I can best allow the first without the last: And in any wise whatsoever you shall like do in other places, let not your orders, belonging to your estate (especially in common assemblies) at your table be neglected; and, if your table be also plenteous, it is also serviceable for the poor; but the last, to have many devices of counterfeit meats, and also spiced,

maketh waste in the household, gaineth little, giveth ill example to be followed, and is not wholesome to your guests, and, in the end, serveth small to hospitality.

Now for the usage of men there in those parts, as you find them at your coming, so as little as you may seek to alter their estate, (unless you see some cause) let it not appear, you use any man, with singular affection, above the rest, and yet you may use (indeed) as you see cause, men either for wisdom, or credit, with respect of others envies, not them whom you shall make choice of,

In your consultations give every man leave to speak, and bear with their lacks, so that you make choice of the best; do what you can, to make every one live according to his own estate; the gentlemen to live of their own without reproach, and, if you see any young gentlemen towards wasting, confer with his friends, for the stay thereof; especially, if his be of any continuance; likewise see, that poor men have their right, not for importunity of clamour, but for pity and truth.

Touching the lawyers of the country, esteem them of learning, see they lack not too much honesty, but in no wise seem to favour these demy-lawyers, except you see perfection of honesty, for in all countries they have least skill, and do most harm.

Do what you can, to make the gentlemen accord amongst themselves; and to extinguish old factions, either by sonie device of marrying, or by redemption of titles of lands, or such like incumbrances, which commonly be the seeds of discord. For termination of poor men's suits, remit them (as much as you may) to indifferent arbitrators to end; do not intermeddle therewith yourself, for so shall your labour be bottomless.

Whilst you be in that country (if you take any servants) let them be gentlemen's sons, and, if you may, their heirs, that, by their education with you, they may know you and yours.

Set up artillery, and neglect not the game of wrestling; let there be frequent games, as, shooting, running on horse and foot, and wrestling; in my country, have been used all ways for such purposes; and in this behalf I mean, not to have you induce new devices in that country, if they have others of their own. But some might ask me this, is this the true use of holy-days forsooth? Touching that part of the day, where the civil magistrate hath power, I think it not much amiss; but, for the time the ecclesiastical minister doth appoint to pray, and teach a sermon, I think it not meet to be put to this use. But therein I will not much dispute, for it belongeth to divinity, whereunto your commission extendeth not; for hereof the bishops and others have their charge.

Surely, my lord, it would be time now to leave my scribbling, lest I should be like the singers, who are dainty to begin, and know not when to leave; I think your lordship shall be weary of reading, wherefore I will leave with a few lines, like to my beginning.

Your doings here have deserved praise, see you continue your distance; so far of your acception here I mean, as I know. You were wont, and have professed unto me, that is, to serve uprightly and truly, and to do therein as you can, and then may you be bold of praise; and,

if you miss of that, yet, of no dishonour; for nothing, indeed, is honourable, but well-doing: The weal of your country (I mean, the quietness of such, as you have authority to govern) is your mark shoot thereat, guiding your purpose with the fear of God, and so shall you gain the love of God and man. If you do sometime (as you see cause) advertise the queen's majesty of the good estate of that country, and of the gentlemen there (so it be by short letters) referring, if you have any long declaration of things, to your letters to the privycouncil: If any thing to be misliked, or tedious to be advertised, procure others also to write thereof, and in no-wise write thereof alone: For, you know, fortunate things are welcome from any man, but, how the contrary may come from you, you may doubt.

It is full time for me to end my folly, and your lordship to end your labour; beseeching you, to make my will, in satisfying your request, answer the other lack fault: And, that I may be humbly remembered to my lady, to whom I acknowledge much duty, and am ashamed of my small deserving of her great goodness to me wards.

From my poor house at Wimbleton,

WILL. CECILL

THE

WICKED PLOTS AND PERFIDIOUS

PRACTICES OF THE SPANIARDS

Against the Seventeen Provinces of the Netherlands, before they took up Arms:

Being gathered out of several Dutch writers, by a Lover of Truth,

AND AN

UNFEIGNED HATER OF OPPRESSION AND TYRANNY,

The Bane of Commonwealths.

Printed about the Year 1642. Quarto, containing eight pages,

Gentle Reader,

SHALL speak so much touching the cruel, inhuman, treacherous, perfidious, yea, unnatural practices of the Spaniards, in these parts, and elsewhere, which may sufficiently delineate him in his de

4

served colours, that whosoever beholds him may mourn to see this Hazael so to tyrannise over the innocent, and that the Lord should permit, and the earth bear such an unheard-of monster. Yet, notwithstanding, much more might be added in sundry other particulars, as the Dutch chronicles mention, and other writers have well set out; amongst which, although I myself be a stranger by nation to them, yet, since the time of my abode here, having attained some understanding in the language, I have thought fit to speak so much, which, in my reading, I have observed.

First, thou art to understand, gentle reader, that the King of Spain was lovingly received here in the seventeen provinces, and a solemn oath was taken on both parts: The King, for his part, swore to maintain all their laws and privileges, and they to him all due homage and allegiance: He presently demanded of them a sum of money; whereupon the states did assemble, and collected for him forty millions of florins, of Brabant money, to be paid in nine years, and they paid it into the exchequer; and, although it was more than they had paid before to his predecessors, yet upon this he took great displeasure against them, and, as they write, he for this did hate them to death.

But he pretended this to be the cause of his wrath, because he saw, that there were some among them, that did defy the pope and his religion. But that could not be; for the city of Aelst was as superstitious in that religion, as Rome itself, for they did persecute the reformed religion even unto death; and, yet, for all that, both they, and an hundred and seventy fair villages that belonged unto them, were, by them, plundered and spoiled of all their goods; and many of them wounded and tormented for to confess where their money was; and many were killed. Thus much by the way.

My scope and chief intent is to shew the first and just cause of the wars in the Netherlands; whereby the diligent reader (not partially affected) may clearly understand, that the Netherlands did not rebelliously take up arms against a lawful prince (as some ignorantly think and speak) but justly and religiously defend themselves against a perfidious tyrant, who sought their ruin by all possible means he could, and the subversion of the whole state. A long while they patiently underwent his cruel oppressions and intolerable vexations, as the histories clearly manifest, till there was no hope, but either they must, become slaves in soul and body, worse than that of Israel in Egypt, they and theirs for ever; or else be butchered by merciless executioners of a cruel tyrant. This tyrant, having a purpose to innovate all things, to root out ancient inhabitants, and to frustate all the laws, customs, and privileges, which himself had sworn to maintain, knew not how better to effect his evil ends, than by raising a bloody inquisition to set over them for their government: Which said inquisition (raised in Spain) concluded and pronounced certain articles, the tenth of February, 1568, which were confirmed by the King the twenty-sixth following. Now, because it may appear I do them no wrong in this charge, I will lay down the articles themselves verbatim.

The most sacred office of inquisition, so often attempted in the