A PROCLAMATION made by the States of the united Netherlands, touching the defence of the safeguard of the enemy, the breaking of the quarters with the enemy's soldiers, which undertake to come over the waters and bogs in the parts of Freesland, Omlanden, Drente, and Westerwoldingerland, or Lordship of Wed.  
Faithfully translated out of Dutch.  
Also a Copy of a Letter, to the honourable Lords, the States, bearing date the 21 of March, 1599 Touching the victory achieved by the Prince Maurits before Emmericke.  
I W   printer's or publisher's device 
Imprinted at London by john Wolf, and are to be sold at his shop in Pope's head Alley, near to the Exchange. 1599   

The Copy of a Letter.  
To the honourable Lords, the States, dated the 21 of March, 1599 touching victory achieved by the Prince Maurits before Emmericke.  
MOst honourable Lords,  
his princely excellency writeth from Arnham the 19 of this present month, to have visited all the bordering cities, and have fortified the same: To have had intelligence, that the Cardinal being come towards Gelder, the Admirant was travailed to meet him. That his princely excellency had found good to surprise the castle of Zeventer, with two houses. That the prince's soldiers in Zeventer not without great difficulty, after three volleys of demy-cannons had yielded up the fort. That the Count Lodowicke was mean while sent with the horsemen near Emmerick, as supposing that the garrisons would come out to assist the aforesaid places, as indeed it happened: for they perceiving some of our horsemen hold a great pace, as if they had shunned the city. The Earl of Busquoy, Governor of Emmericke (whose wife amongst others went to Spain with the Archduke Albertus to fetch the Infanta) with a great troop of the garrison, came out of the city to pursue our horsemen, which they did a great way beyond the ambush, insomuch, that being enclosed, the said Earl and two captains with many officers were taken, and very near a hundredth drowned. Also thirty soldiers were set at liberty, for the which the Earl hath promised ransom, his person is wounded, but (according to his excellency's writing) not mortally: declareth, that the enemy maketh daily great preparation to come into the field. God be praised for this good beginning.   

❧ A Proclamation made by the States of the united Nether-lands, touching the defence of the safeguard of the enemy, the breaking of the quarters with the enemy's soldiers, who undertake to come over the waters and bogs in the parts of Friesland, Omlanden, Drenthe, and Westerwoldingerland, or Lordship of Wed.  
THe general States of the united Nether-lands, to all those which shall see or hear these present greeting. Whereas we are informed, that the enemy with a never-heard barbarous presumption, deceit and wickedness (as if all what he list to do were lawful) against all divine, natural, and human laws, against all faith, honour, oath, and belief, having most lamentably and cruelly oppressed, peeled, and infused the feeble, unarmed, and guiltless, neutral cities and towns, yea of his best and well-willingest friends, and finally are ranged to the borders of these united Provinces, where although he was by the means of our might, and arms, through the wise and valiant conduct of his excellency, next God, repulsed, and disappointed of his enterprise, yet ceaseth not by letters, messages, threats, and otherways, to procure divers of our countries and inhabitants of these united Provinces, as Friesland, Omlanden, Drente, Oldampt, Westerwoldingerland, or Lordship of Wed, to come under his contribution, under colour of his safeguard, as if he (who in such faithless, wicked, and cruel sort had behaved himself towards these poor good neutrals, yea his own friends) would behave himself faithfully and meekly towards our inhabitants his enemies. And being that we are well assured, that he intendeth nothing else, then that having by these his adulations alured and enticed by little and little our good inhabitants to his devotion, in the end with all cruelty and tyranny to handle them, and therefore think it most expedient, by all possible means to prevent it. So it is, that by deliberation of the counsel of estate of the aforesaid united lands, we have interdicted and defended expressly by these presents, on pain of our highest disgrace and displeasure to be held as enemies, and without any favour to be immediately punished. All towns, villages, places, and quarters of Friesland, Omlanden, Drente, Oldampt, and Westerwoldingerland, together with the Officers, Magistrates, and inhabitants of the same, high and low, noble and ignoble, as well in general as particular, in any manner whatsoever not to take or receive of the enemy any safeguard, or under pretext of the same to yield, accord, or pay the enemy any contribution, great or small, or to harbour or hide any of the enemy's soldiers, or to receive any message by mouth or letters of the enemy, and much less to hold any correspondence by mouth or writings with him. But to the contrary, ordain, will, and command expressly all the aforesaid towns, villages, places, quarters, and inhabitants, without delay to furnish and prepare themselves upon the needful places to keep good watch, and by all needful and due order, either by sound of bells, horns, or beacons, to assemble themselves; and jointly to withstand, pursue, and kill, or at least, take prisoners all such foe-like soldiers, as shall presume, or dare to come over the waters and bogs into these territories. To which end we likewise declare, ordain, and command, that henceforward no quarter shall be held with such enemies or foe-like soldiers: Which keeping of quarter we have for that cause altogether and wholly deposed and renounced, as by these presents we yet depose and renounce the same. Upon pain, that whosoever henceforward shall be found to have kept quarter with the said foe-like soldiers, or to have in any sort showed them any favour or kindness, that those shall at the instant be stayed, and immediately without any favour punished as the foe-like soldiers themselves. And to the end, that every one may acquit himself with more courage and zeal towards his enemy, we have agreed, and agree by the presents, for an honour and recompense to every one, be he soldier or no soldier, the sum of fifty 
* 100 shillings of English money.  guldens for every foe-like soldier, which by any henceforward shall be killed (upon good proofs) or at leastwise taken prisoner. As also in like manner we agree and promise the sum of five and twenty 
* Fifty shillings English money.  guldens, to each and every one whosoever, that shall surely, truly, and without fraud accuse any one to the contrary of our express commandments, which shall have received any safeguard, paid any contribution, to have harboured or hid any of the aforesaid soldiers, to have by mouth or by writing held any correspondence with the enemy, or that having taken any enemy, shall have without, or upon ransom, let him go. And to the end, that none may pretend ignorance of these our express ordinances, We desire our beloved States of Freesland, the city of Groningen, and Omlanden, or their deputies, and all others to whom it doth belong and appertain, immediately to cause proclamation and publication hereof to be made in every and each city, place, and quarter, where it shall be needful. As also earnestly requesting the noble Lord, the Earl William Lodowicke of Nassau, governor of Friesland, the city of Groningen & Omlanden, etc. will & command expressly all chieftains, knights, captains, commanders, and common soldiers, horse and foot, by water and land, also all officers, justices, and inhabitants, unto whom this in any sort may touch or belong, to govern themselves according to the tenor hereof, and inviolably to accomplish and keep the contents of the same, upon pain of the pains above named, for that we have found the same to be most expedient and necessary for the good of the Land.  
Given in S graven Haeghe, the twentieth of March. 1599 Fr. Duyck. V  
By the commandment of the Lords, the general States of the united Netherlands.  
And by the counsel of estate of the same.  
Christopher Huygens.   

From the Hague, the 21 of March, 1599  
Those of Arnhem have since reported, that above 150, which in the skirmish thinking to save themselves through the water, were drowned, and that amongst them were some with gold chains. Those of Emmericke repent themselves already to have without any need taken the Spaniards in, which was against their promise.   
FINIS.