Texts concerning the Revolt of the Netherlands

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25 Advice and answer of the prince of Orange and the States of Holland and Zeeland to some articles concluded in the form of a Perpetual Edict, 19 February 1577 ¹

Notwithstanding the First Union of Brussels the States General continued negotiations with Don John. These resulted in an agreement issued by the governor in the form of a Perpetual Edict (12 February 1577). Don John declared his acceptance of the Ghent treaty which was interpreted to mean that the Roman Catholic religion was to be maintained in all provinces. Of course this was done without Orange's collaboration. The delegates of Holland and Zeeland further refused to attend the meetings of the States General.

[The prince of Orange and the States of Holland and Zeeland considered many articles in the Perpetual Edict unacceptable and intended to write their objections down and to send them] to the States General and to explain to them at the same time that it was now the right time to request, to insist on and to obtain, after the example of our ancestors, an extension and an augmentation of the privileges, rights and freedoms they have handed down to us, because we now have such a good opportunity to make sure that we should not relapse into the same unpleasant situation. But when they were engaged on drawing up and writing down these points and articles, they were given a copy of the missive which the said gentlemen of the States had written to Don John,² from which they gathered that the States promised to come to an agreement with Don John without waiting for an answer to the said articles and asked him to sign these articles with the promise to have them published and to receive him in the country. This has come as a great surprise to the prince and the States of Holland and Zeeland. They noticed that the attitude of the States General had greatly changed and that the date of the said missive which was handed to them, was almost the same as that at which the lord of Willer-

1 Advis ende andtwoorde des Prince van Oraenge ende der Staten van Hollant ende Zeelant op sekere artijculen besloten by maniere van een eeuwich Edict (Knuttel, no. 297).

2 Dated 8 February 1577.

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val³ had come to them. But even apart from the apparent inconsistency they feel that this important affair upon which the total prosperity or ruin of all these Netherlands depends is rushed through with unreasonable haste. Nevertheless they think and firmly believe this was done with the intention of freeing the provinces from the Spaniards and other foreign oppressors of the fatherland more speedily. Therefore they cannot but desire (as they do with all their heart) and pray to the Lord God that the end will be what all true patriots are hoping for.

As it would now be useless to raise objections or to discuss or refute what has been done, they promise and assure the States that they shall so far as they are concerned observe the peace of Ghent in every way. They hope that the said gentlemen of the States are of the same opinion, and pray them always to show this in their actions, as they are always willing to do themselves. Moreover, they wish to prove by their acts that they desire nothing else but to expedite the departure of the Spaniards and other foreigners and the confirmation of peace and tranquillity as well as of the old privileges, rights and freedoms of the provinces. Consequently they are prepared to approve and to sign the said articles, on condition that first of all the said States shall decide firmly and irrevocably (and confirm this in an official deed drafted in due form and properly signed by the States, governors of the provinces, commanders and colonels) that if the Spaniards do not actually leave the provinces within the time fixed and agreed upon with Don John,⁴ the gentlemen of the States General shall put an end once for all to all these pretexts and these lengthy proceedings that have been so harmful to us so far, and cut off all further communication with Don John and use force to compel the Spaniards to depart without lending themselves to any negotiation or conference of whatever kind. And they are asked to make a second deed and contract in which they promise that if they have to use force to make the Spaniards depart, neither they nor the governors, commanders and colonels shall receive, admit or recognise Don John or any one else as governor of the country, before he has redressed and entirely made good all points which are in any way contrary to the privileges, rights and freedoms of the country, or in any way detrimental to the Pacification of Ghent (according to which everybody will again be put in possession of all that belongs to them, in

3 Adrian d'Oignies, lord of Willerval was sent by the States General to bring the message to the prince.

4 In the Perpetual Edict the governor bound himself to withdraw the Spanish troops within twenty days; the States were to raise the money to pay them off; after this the withdrawal of the other foreign troops would be discussed.

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Burgundy⁵ as well as in the Netherlands). All the said privileges and freedoms shall be confirmed, ratified and affirmed, as the States solemnly promised when writing to their deputies at the time of the peace-negotiations at Ghent on 28 October 1576.⁶ Middelburg, 19 February 1577.

5 Mainly in Franche Comté, where the prince of Orange owned valuable landed property.

6 At this date the delegates had come to an agreement at Ghent on the treaty of Pacification.