A Placard of the States General of the United Provinces, importing, That the Earl of Leicester has laid down his Government and Charge of Captain General of the faid Countries: That the People, and all others, are difcharg'd from their Oath taken to the faid Earl, the Oath taken to the faid Country remaining in its full force notwithstanding: That the General Government of the fame Countries, with regard to what concerns the common Defence, their Union and Treaties, is remitted to the Council of State; with a Prohibition to all Perfons whatsoever to attempt any thing tending to a Change of the State of the Country, April 12. 1588.

T

HE States General of the United Provinces, to all who fhall fee and hear these Presents, Health and Love. Whereas her Majesty the Queen of England was graciously pleas'd to enter into a Negotiation with the Deputies and Envoys of the forefaid Provinces, and at laft to conclude a certain Treaty with them on the 10th of August, 1585. by which it is particularly agreed, That during the War against the Enemies of the faid Countries, Foreigners, Malecontents and their Adherents, her Majefty fhould, for the Succour and Aflistance of the forefaid Provinces, and for the Preservation of them, and for the Defence of the true Christian Religion there, together with their Li

berties,

berties, Privileges and Rights, maintain in these Countries, at her own Expence (befides the Garifons of the Towns and Places made over to her Majefty as a Security for the Reimbursement of the Mony laid out by her) to the number of Five Thoufand Foot and a Thou fand Horse, commanded by a Governor General, a Lord in Name, Quality and Efteem, and profeffing the true Christian Religion, and other good Commanders; on condition that the faid Provinces in, general, and every one of them in particular fhould be bound and oblig'd to pay and reimburse her Majefty for her Expences, at certain Terms after the War. And that to affure her Majefty of the compleat Payment and Reimbursement aforefaid, there fhould be put into her hands the Towns and Forts of the Brill and Flushing, with the Caftle of Rammekins, which her Majefty, or Succeffors, after the faid Payment and Reimbursement made, fhould cause to be put again into the hands of the States of the forefaid United Provinces, without any difficulty or fcruple: to which they fhould not retain any Right, and which they fhould not let fall into the hands of the King of Spain, or other Enemy of that Country, nor into the hands of any other Prince or Lord; but that they fhould be kept only, during that time, for her Majefty's Security, and the Advantage of the States of the faid Countries. Which Governor, and two other Perfons qualify'd, whom the faid Queen fhould fend of her own Subjects, to bring them into the Council of State of the United Provinces, fhould adminifter with the faid Council the Affairs concerning the common Defence and Union of the faid Countries. In confequence of which Treaty, the faid Towns and Forts having been put into the hands of her faid Majefty, fhe was pleas'd to fend hither, with the Commiffion of Governor-General of the Auxiliary Troops, the moft ferene Prince Robert, Earl of Leicester, Baron of Denbigh, &c. And moreover we thought fit to pray, accept of and appoint him Governor and Captain-General over all the United Provinces, Towns and Members thereto affociated. Which Charge having been accepted by his Excellency, with the Reserve of the Homage due by him to her faid Majefty, all the Governors of thefe Provinces, Towns, and the Members thereof, together with all the Officers, Juf

ticiaries

ticiaries and Soldiers, were, in confequence of this, bound by Oath to obey his Excellency, in quality of Governor and Captain-General of the Low Countries, together with the faid Countries in general and particular. But it having pleas'd her Majefty to recal his faid Excellency, to employ him elfewhere in her Kingdoms in her Majefty's Service, fo that his faid Excellency not being able to attend the Government of thefe Countries, as the Duty of his Charge and Commiffion requir'd in thefe difficult times, his faid Excellency has laid down, and is discharg'd from the faid Charge of Governor and Captain-General of the faid United Provinces, and from the Commiffion which was given thereupon by us to his Excellency, and has remitted it into our hands, as appears by an Act fign'd by his own Hand, and feal'd at London on the 17th of December, 1587. It has alfo pleas'd her faid Majefty to appoint the Sieur Peregrine Baron of Willoughby, Beke and Thersby, &c. General of her Auxiliary Troops in the Government of thefe Countries, by a Commiflion dated the 24th of December. And confidering that in thefe difficult Times and Conjunctures of the Affairs of thefe Countries, they cannot without danger be without a General Government:

Therefore we, after good and mature Deliberation, and for the forefaid Reafons, have been pleas'd to notify and make known to all, That his faid Excellency, according to the forefaid Referves, is discharg'd from the above-mention'd Commiffion; and that in confequence of the good Pleasure of her faid Majefty and his Excellency, his faid Excellency being difcharg'd thereof, we have remitted the general Government of the faid Countries, as to what concerns the common Defence and Protection, and the Union thereof, together with the maintenance of the Treaty made with her Majefty, into the Hands and Adminiftration of the Council of State of the forefaid Countries, to be guided and adminifter'd as to what concerns the Defence and Union of the faid Countries against the common Enemy, by the forefaid Baron of Willoughby, Governor-General of her Majesty's Auxiliary Forces, by the Governors of the refpective United Provinces, and the two Counsellors her Subjects, and by the Counsellors deputed, and to be deputed by us of the United Provinces, the whole in conformity to

the

the forefaid Treaty, Refolution and Instruction thereupon by us given, taken, and to be taken. We give notice for this effect to all Governors and Captains of Provinces, Towns and Members thereof, to all Admirals and Vice-Admirals, to all Generals, Colonels, Captains, Officers and Soldiers by Sea and Land, and moreover to all Prefidents, Counsellors, Officers, Treafurers, Receivers, Bailiffs, Efcouts, Marefchals, Droffarts, Grietmans, Magiftrates, Nobles, Vaffals, Burgeffes and Subjects of thefe Countries, of whatever State or Condition they be, and to all others (if needful) that they, and every one of them, are freed and discharg'd from their Oath, by which they may have been engag'd to his Excellency the Earl of Leicester, in the Quality which he had in thefe Countries. Exprefly ordering and commanding them, by these Prefents, that they look upon themselves as exempted, freed and difcharg'd of it by thefe Prefents; the Oath by them taken to be faithful to the faid United Provinces, States, Towns, and other Members thereof, and to obey the Powers which we have establish'd for them, or fhall afterwards establish, remaining in its full Force and Obligation notwithstanding. Which Oath we ordain them to execute faithfully and honestly, as they will answer it to Almighty God, and the Provinces; or otherwife the Contraveners fhall be proceeded against according to military Difcipline, and as the Law directs. And as there has been nothing agreed, treated or concluded with her Majefty of England, on the part of thefe Countries, but what is mention'd above; and as we are affur'd, according to divers Declarations by her Majefty, that he has no other Pretenfion upon the Countries, Towns, Members and Inhabitants thereof, but the Obfervation of the forefaid Treaty, which we on our part have always defir'd, and do yet defire to execute and fulfil in every refpect faithfully, to the reasonable Contentment and Satisfaction of her Majefty; and likewife as her Majefty hath feveral times exprefly declar'd, that it is not her Intention, Inclination or Thought, that any Divifion, Difference or Difunion fhould happen upon this account; and as notwithstanding this, we have certainly experienc'd, that divers Inhabitants of the forefaid Provinces being mifinform'd about the forefaid Difpofition and Negotiation,

imagining

imagining things that have no being, and forgetting their Duty, have done feveral things against the Quiet and Union of the forefaid Provinces in general and par ticular; and as, under this pretence, other malicious Minds, for the most part Strangers, and coming from other Provinces into thefe Countries, and having little or nothing to lose in thefe Countries, have endeavour'd, by their reftlefs and turbulent Difpofition, to feduce the Inhabitants of the forefaid Countries by their open Practices and falfe Pretences, and to fet others loofe, and excite them to Sedition, infomuch that fome won over by the Enemy have endeavour'd to make the Soldiers, who are in the Service of this Country, mutiny, and excite them to Treafon, for which they have falfly made ufe of her Majefty's Name and Authority; and as many born out of the Country have been bold enough to speak against the State of thefe Countries, Towns and Members thereof, and use them as if they were fubject to their vain and feditious Fancies, and as if it were allowable for them to attempt all the Novelties which they think proper, without confidering that it is their Duty to live in Quiet and with Modefty, by enjoying the Protection of these Countries, like the natural born Subjects of them; and all this under Pretext, and in the Name and Authority of her Majesty, who is very much difpleas'd at it, as being contrary to her Mind and good Pleasure, fince it cannot but cause the Ruin of all the forefaid Provinces; for the Prefervation of which, the good and faithful Inhabitants of the forefaid Provinces, and other good Countrymen who have been banish'á from other Provinces, and are retir'd to these Countries upon the account of Religion, have done and fuffer'd fo much, and who in former times have liv'd in fo good Union and Quiet under their lawful Sovereigns, as well in Profperity as in Adverfity: We therefore exprefly forbid and discharge every one by these Presents, of what Nation,State or Condition foever they be,that for the future they do not venture by Words, fecret Practices, Writings or Actions, to attempt any Change, Innovation or Difturbance in the State of thefe Countries, among the Burgeffes, Inhabitants and Soldiers, being in the Service of the States by Sea or Land, whether under the Pretext, Name and Authority of her Majefty, or of his Excellency