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discontentments of the Low Countries did first appeare, soone after the going away of the kings of Spaine, while the Dutchesse of Parma governed; to suppresse which beginnings, the Duke of Alva being sent, inflamed them more, upon attempting to bring in the Inquisition and Spanish decimation, upon the beheading Count Horne, and Count Egmont, persecuting those of the religion, and undertaking to build cittadels upon all their townes, which hee effected at Antwerpe, but enterprising the like at Flushing, that towne revolted first and under it began the warre.

But the more generall revolt of the provinces happened after the death of Don Lewis de Requiesens, and upon the comming downe of Don Iohn of Austria, when all the provinces, excepting Luxenburgh, upon the sacke of Antwerpe and other insolencies, proclaimed the Spaniards rebels and enemics to the King; yet the abjuring of their obedience from the crowne of Spaine was not in a yeare or two after.

Holland and Zealand, upon their first standing out, offered the soveraigutie of themselves to the Queene, then the protection, both which sheeneglected, and that while the French sent greater ayde, and more men of qualitie then wee; but after the civill warre began in France, that kept them busie at home, and then the Queene, seeing the necessitie of their being supported, upon the pawning of Brill and Flushing, sent money and men; and since that,

most part of the great exploits there have beene done by the English, who were commonly the third part of the armie, being foure regiments, besides eleven. hundred in Flushing, and the Ramekins, and five hundred in the Brill. But of late the King of France appearing more for them then ours, and paying himselfe the French that are there, they give equall, if not more countenance to that nation. But upon these two Kings they make their whole dependancie, and though with more respect to him that is stronger, for the time, yet so as it may give no distaste unto the other.

For the manner of their government; they have upon occasion, an assembly of the generall States, like our Parliament, being composed of those which are sent from every province, upon summons; and what these enact stands for lawe. Then is there besides, a counsell of State, residing for the most part at the age, which attends daily occasions, being rather imployed upon affaires of State then of particular justice. The most potent in this counsell was BARNAVILL, by reason of his advocates of Holland. And besides both these, every province and great towne have particular counsells of their owne. Το all which assemblies, as well of the generall States, as the rest, the gentrie is called for order sake, but the State indeed is democraticall, the merchant and the tradesman being predominant, the gentrie now

but few and poore; and even at the beginning the Prince of Orange saw it safer to relie upon the townes then them neither are the gentrie so much engaged in the cause, the people having more advantages in a free state, they in a monarchy. Their care in government is very exact and particular, by reason that every one hath an immediate interest in the State; such is the equality of justice, that it renders every man satisfied; such the publike regularity, as a man may see their lawes were made to guide, not to entrappe; such their exactnesse in casting the expence of an armie, as that it shall bee equally farre from superfluity and want, and as much order and certaintie in their acts of warre, as in ours of peace, teaching it to bee both civill and rich. And they still retaine that signe of a common-wealth yet uncorrupted, Private povertie and publike weale: for no one private man there is exceeding rich, and few very poore, and no state more sumptuous in all publike things. But the question is; whether this, being a free State, will as well subsist in peace, as it hath done hitherto in warre, peace leaving every one to attend his particular wealth, when feare, while the warre lasts, makes them concurre for their common safety; and Zealand, upon the least securitie, hath ever beene envious at the predominancie of Holland and Utrich, ready to mutinie for religion and besides, it is a doubt, whether the same care and sin

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ceritie would continue, if they were at there consistence, as appeares yet whiles they are but in rising. The revenew of this State ariseth chiefely from the earle of Hollands demaynes, and confiscated church livings, the rising and falling of money, which they use with much advantage, their fishing upon our coasts, and those of Norway, contribution out of the enemies countrie, taxes upon all things at home, and impositions upon all merchandizes from abroad. Their expences upon their ambassadours, their shippings, their ditches, their rampiers and munition, and commonly they have in pay by sea and land 60000. men.

For the strength; the nature of the countrie makes them able to defend themselves long by land, neither could any thing have endangered them so much as the last great frost, had not the treatie beene then on foot, because the enemy being then master of the field, that rendred their ditches, marshes, and rivers as firme ground.

There belongs to that State 20000. vessells of all sorts, so that if the Spaniard were entirely beaten out of those parts, the Kings of France and England would take as much paines to suppresse, as ever they did to raise them: for being our enemies, they are able to give us the law at sea, and eate us out of all trade, much more the French, having at this time three ships for our one, though none so good as our best.

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Now that whereupon the most part of their revenew and strength depends, is their traffique, in which mysterie of state they are at this day the wisest; for all the commodities that this part of the world wants, and the Indies have, as spice, silke, jewells, gold, they are become the conveyors of them for the rest of Christendome, except us, as the Venetians were of old; and all those commodities that those Northerne countries abound with, and these Southerne stand in need of, they likwise convey thither, which was the auncient trade of the Easterlings and this they doe, having little to export of their owne, by buying of their neighbour-countries the former, and selling them againe what they bring backe at their owne prises, and so consequently live upon the idlenesse of others. And to this purpose their scituation serves fitly; for rivers of the Rhene, the Maze, and Skeld end all in their dominions; and the Baltike sea lies not farre from them: all which affoord them what ever the great continent of Germany, Russia, and Poland yeelds; then they againe lying betweene Germany and the sea, doe furnish it backe with all commodities forraigne.

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To remember some pieces of their discipline as patternes of the rest; the watches at night are never all of one nation, so that they can hardly concurre to give up any one towne. The commissaries are no where so strict upon musters, and where he findes a

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