Texts concerning the Revolt of the Netherlands

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24 First Union of Brussels, 9 January 1577 ¹

Don John of Austria, the king's half-brother and Requesens' successor as governor of the Netherlands, was reluctant to subscribe to the Pacification of Ghent and found support among members of the aristocracy at Brussels. The prince of Orange sought to counteract loyalist tendencies by making the States General re-affirm in a solemn declaration the main points contained in the Pacification. The delegates of Holland and Zeeland signed this declaration - called the First Union of Brussels - although they had reservations about the passages on religion which they thought were not quite in accordance with the Ghent treaty.

We the undersigned, prelates, clergymen, seigniors, nobles, judges, magistrates of the towns and rural districts and others who constitute and represent the States General of the Netherlands now assembled in this town of Brussels, and others who owe obedience to the most exalted, powerful and illustrious prince, King Philip, our sovereign lord and natural prince etc., inform every one now and for the future that as we saw our common fatherland being oppressed by the Spaniards in a most barbarous and tyrannical way, we were moved, urged and compelled to unite and join together and to help each other with arms, advice, men and money against the said Spaniards and their allies, declared to be rebels to His Majesty and to be our enemies.² And we declare that this union and association has since been ratified by the Pacification recently concluded on the authority and with the approval of the Council of State entrusted by His Majesty with the general government of these provinces. The aim of this union is total loyalty and firmness and mutual fidelity for ever and we do not wish any misunderstandings to give rise among us to feelings of suspicion or fear of evil intentions. On the contrary we desire the work of this union to be undertaken, expedited and executed with total sincerity, loyalty and diligence, so that none of the subjects or inhabitants of these provinces can reasonably be discontented or entertain doubts regarding us. For these reasons and in order that nothing is done to the detriment of

1 De Blécourt-Japikse, Klein Plakkaatboek, pp. 117ff.

2 See Document 23, note 4.

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our common fatherland and its righteous defence, and nothing required for our righteous defence, now and in future, is left undone through negligence or connivance, we have promised and promise, by virtue of our power and commission and on behalf of ourselves as well as our successors, upon the word of Christians, honest men and true compatriots, inviolably and forever to keep and entertain this union and association, without any of us being permitted to disengage himself or break away by oblique ways, secret understanding or otherwise. We do this to conserve our holy faith and the Catholic Apostolic Roman religion, to accomplish the Pacification, to drive out the Spaniards and their allies and duly to obey His Majesty; we do it for the prosperity and peace of our fatherland, for the maintenance of all our privileges, rights, franchises, statutes, customs and old usages. To this we shall devote all available means, money, men, advice, as well as property, even our lives, if necessary. No one of us may give any private advice, counsel or consent, or be in secret communication with people who do not belong to this union, nor inform them in any way of what is or will be discussed, advised or decided in our assembly for all of us will conform in everything to the purport of our general and unanimous resolution. And if any province, state, country, town, castle or house be besieged, attacked, invaded, overwhelmed or oppressed, or if any of us or any other man who has exerted himself for the fatherland and its common defence against the Spaniards, or rendered other services connected with this, should be pursued, imprisoned, held to ransom, hurt, molested or harassed personally or in his property, honour, rank or otherwise, we promise to help them by all the said means. We also promise to bring about, either by force or otherwise, the deliverance of the prisoners. And if we break our pledge we shall be deprived of our nobility, name, arms and honour, be taken for perjurers and disloyal enemies of our fatherland before God and mankind and incur the taint of infamy and cowardice forever. And to validate this our holy union and association, we have signed this in our own hands and put our signature, 9 January 1577.