A copy OF THE PROCLAMATION MADE BY THE illustrious Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia, sovereign princess of the Netherlands, and the county of burgundy. Touching the defence, interdiction and restraint of all communication, dealing and traffic with Holland, zealand and their adherents.  
Faithfully translated out of the Printed copy, printed at antwerp.  
 Framed printer's device showing a fleur-de-lys with two cherubs and the initials I. W. (McKerrow, 294).  
Imprinted at London by John wolf, and are to be sold at his shop in Popes head Alley, near the Exchange. 1599.   

¶ A copy of the Proclamation, made by the illustrious Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia, sovereign princess of the Netherlands, and the county of burgundy: Touching the defence of the traffic with Holland, zealand, and their adherents.  By hir Highnesse. 
TO our beloved and trusty, the chancellor and others of our counsel in Brabant, greeting. It is known and manifest, not only to all our subiects, but to all the world; how many and what dilligences and endeavours haue been used, sithence the beginning of these Netherlandish troubles and commotions, as well by the late high laudable memory, the King Phillip, the second of that name, our beloved lord and Father( whose soul God receive in his mercy) and by his Lieutenants and general Gouernours of our hereditary Netherlands, as also by diuers and sundry Princes and Potentates of christendom, his late majesties good friends and allies, tending altogether to the reconciliation of our subiects& vassals of Holland and Zealand, and their adherents, and to reduce and bring them again, under the dew and decent obedience of his royal majesty, who hath likewise sought to induce the said revolted provinces, first by offers and presentations of pardon and oblivion of faults past, and afterwards by arms and force( unwilling as yet to use the uttermost rigor) in hope to move and reduce them through the one or the other means, to the union of his other vassals and subiects, in such sort and manner as heretofore they haue been under the obedience of the late laudable and never dying memory of the Emperor Charles the fift of that name, our Lord and Grandfather unto these last commotions and alterations, whereout is sprung this grievous and cruel warres, as yet continuing.  
Notwithstanding which warres, his royal majesty hath suffered and freely permitted unto the aforesaid Hollanders and their adherents to use their trade of merchandise and traffic, as well in his realm of spain, as on this side by passports and means of licences, to the end they should not lose the navigation, fishing and traffic, whereby those of Holland, Zealand, and other Sea bordering lands maintain themselves. As also fearing that the said traffic and negotiation should be transported to other strange nations which do envy the same. And the aforesaid of Holland and Zealand find and experiment, how much other do labour to attain it, to the great damage and hindrance of them, and all our other subiects. But all that hath been in vain. For in stead of acknowledging the same, they are become the more obstinate and hardened, not the common people( which of nature are good, kind, loving, and courteous) but by the wicked instigation and practices of some which haue thrust themselves, in the ruling and governing of the countries affairs, making their profit of the spoil of others.  
Such that without respecting the good conditions and offers which haue been made them in the treatise of peace, heretofore held at Breda, and afterwards at colen, by the authority& intervention of the Emperour, the Princes Electors, Princes and Potentates of the holy Empire there hath not any thing else followed. Although that according to every ones censure and iudgement, the said offers were both merciful, laudable and reasonable. As also little hath advanced( in their regard) the sending of the ambassadors and Deputies in these our aforesaid Netherlands, coming in the name and behalf of his imperial majesty, to renew and further the aforesaid treatise of peace, and to move the parties to a willing agreement.  
Which ambassadors were at that time most honourably received and heard, by and in the behalf of the general governor of this side, where to the contrary, those of Holland and Zealand, did not so much respect or est●eiue them, as to let them come to then presence, but mind them to return, without seeing or hearing them, notwithstanding that they greatly requested and desired to haue audience, that they might deliver up their message given them in charge.  
The Gouernours of the said provinces of Holland, and Zealand, little respecting or regarding, the great miseries, damages, charges and spoils, which the holy Empire and all christendom, haue many and s●●●r●e times here of lats, and do yet dasly endure, through this most cruel, bloody, and endless war, especially the neighbour Countries: yea they haue not ceased, until that they haue drawn and brought with them to the warres, all such persons, as one could imagine, the more to endamage, weaken, trouble and disturb his late majesty, and all his good and faithful Subiects, realms, Lands and dominions.  
By reason whereof these warres hath duredso long, without yet that they are any ways glutted with the blood which on both sides hath been spilled, In such sort, that the turk, the common enemy of christendom hath taken occasion, to make warres in hungary and other countries of Europe, where he hath had such success as every one knoweth. And therefore his aforesaid imperial majesty, and the holy Empire in the deputed daies at two several times held at Regens borgh,( or Ratisbona) haue always prepounded& declared their fervent desires to the extingushing of these broils;& to procure the rest& welfare of our aforesaid Netherlands. having concluded, notwithstanding the little respect, estimation,& great insolency which those of Holland& their adherents had used in their behalf( as is aforesaid) towards their former messages to sand them a new ambassage. whereof the end and success as yet is doubtful and uncertain.  
Those of Holland aforesaid, mean while showing themselves very abstinate and stout, by reason of some exploits which haue succeeded them well, whilst the late kings camps were busied about the warres in France. Which also was caused by their tumultuous factions. And although that by the grace of God the said war is now laid down, by reason of the peace contracted with the king of France. Who sought to procure of our Lord and father, that those of Holland and their adherents might bee comprehended in a general agreement. The same hath so been granted him. And thereupon the said king of France hath admonished those of Holland to condescend therevno, thereby to set christendom iurest and quietness. whereupon their Commissioners and Deputies were along while expected at Verum, and the said time by reason thereof was prolonged. But they notwithstanding all that, not esteemed the same, but to the contrary haue sought by all their possible means to hinder and disturb the said peace of France: when seeing that they could not do it, by reason of the good inclination of the king to the said peace, they desist not from their dogunne warres, onely instigated and set on by some wicked and ●ur●ulent spirites their Gouernours, which care for nothing but for the continuance of their government. In such sort, that they hinder that our other subiects of this side, cannot enjoy the benefit of the peace, which our late Lord and Father minded to haue procured them by means of the aforesaid agreement with France.  
We will not moreover here forget to say, that the better to shun all occasions of mistrust( whereupon the enemies of the common welfare, always founded their obstinacies saying, that the Gouernours under which they should live, were Spaniards and strangers) our above name Lord, father, found requisite having some yeres past, sand over for the general government of our aforesaid hereditary Netherlands, his good brother and Nephew the late archduke Ernestus, and after his decease, his god● brother and Nephew the archduke Albertus, at this present our beloved lord and spouse, both sons and brothers to the Emperor, and born in germany: merciful and loving Princes, wholly giueuand inclined to the common welfare and reconciliation of the revolted provinces, as in effect they haue well shewed it. For immedially after their arrival and entrance into the aforesaid government, they haue( according to the charge which they had received of our said late lord and father) used all possible endeavours and dilligences, by all amiable means to recall and reduce the said enemies o their dutiful obedience, having the aforesaid the late Arch duke Ernestus not only writ unto thee, but also dispatched express persons to denounce and declare unto them, the good will and intention of our late Lord and Father, as also the like hath continually ben doll by the aforesaid Archduke Albertus by many and sundry manners and demonstrations, as well in general as particular, to give them notice of the self same good will and inclination.  
But the same hath likewise been in vain and to he end, as to every one is most manifest, so much is this poor people blinded and held in subject ion by those which haue usurped the rule and administration of the land, on them that they cannot take hold of any good opportunity. yea which is more, his late royal majesty, more apparently and by a notable act to show that he desired nothing more then the general rest and welfare of all his subiects, without any suspicion, hath taken a resolution which was said to be onely resting to give them with heaped measure, the onely thing which the estates of this side had so earnestly required, for an eternal security of their freedom and preservative of their preuiledges, to wit: That our aforesaid lord and Father hath been contented to give them a sovereign Prince, by themselves, having thereto and in marriage of us as his eldest daughter, given and transported unto us all these lands of this side, with the county of burgundy. And his royal majesty hath royally and solemnly effected the same, with the consent of his onely son, the now king our Lord and brother. And the more to assure his said subiects of the good and unfeigned love and affection which he bore them, he had granted us the aforesaid gift& transportation, vpon express condition that we should marry the said arch duke Albertus, who had had the general government there very nere three yeares long: and during the same, obtained diuers victories, and at last concluded and established the peace with France.  
In so much that truly may it be said, that our late Lord and father hath not omitted any thing, which by a merciful and loving Prince might be imagined lawful, or that ought by him to be done, to reduce the said lands to the union of the other provinces, as by all godly& worldly rights and laws they are bound to do, and ought to desire the same, for their own welfare and quietness.  
For God and Nature seem in such fort to haue conjoined these Netherlands even to ●●aine to the perfect& highest wealth of worldly felicity, as heretofore they haue been seen in, because that they can hardly spare one another.  
Which all notwithstanding it is far from thē, that thereby they should any 〈…〉 moved or inclined to reconciliation: but to the 〈…〉 are grown more obstinate thē ever before, without giuing care to any reason. And which is worse, haue and do ye● daily all their best endeavours, to hinder and disturb the peace with the neighbour Princes, as they had done in France. And whereas the archduke Albertus as then ●ouernour general had been besought by the Deputies of the general Estates of this side,( assembled in our city of Brussell) to receive us and hold us for their sooner 〈◇〉 lady and Princesse●, to the end they might in their behalf writ letters to the abovenamed. Estates of Holland and their adherents, to move them to a peace and vni●●● 〈◇〉 the obedience of one head and Prince as they were before: the said Arche-duke hath granted them the same. And accordingly the general estates haue in most 〈◇〉 sort written their letters, and font them 〈◇〉 by an especial person, who was returned back again without any resolution, saying that they could not give any answer vpon it, by reason of the absence of some of their chiefest, In such sort that al hath not holp, which is a matter altogether intolerable, and not in any wise do be born with. And which undoubtedly springeth from a resolute obstinacy, to personer in their wickedness and ingratitude against God, their Prince, and their patrimony. At least those which there haue authority over the others, without once to consider, that through the aforesaid continuation of the war, the holy kingdom is charged( as before) christendom overrun by the Turkish hosts. And all these aforesaid Netherlands charged, endamaged, and spoyled, on the one side and on the other, the aforesaid governors making the people believe, that they loose not by these warres, that they find no want of any commodities. Also that they wholly use the fishing, navigation, and traffic as much as if they were in a sure peace, yea that they are richer and mightier then if they were in peace. All which proceeds principally, by reason that they hath been permitted freely to traffic and trade into spain, together in the Countries of this side, by means of pasportes and licences, also by permission of the frishing and such like, which haue done nothing but feed the warres.  
By all which our aforesaid Lord and brother the King, perceiving how much the said Hollanders.& I haue abused the meekness and patience of our late Lord and Father, hath lately defended and forbidden to deal or traffic with them, until such time as they should bee returned to their due obedience. As also we unwilling to ouerslippe any occasion, but to prove and essay all possible means to attain to our intention, to maintain our good subiects in peace, and to reduce and set in the right way those which are strayed, having caused the whole to be●●ripely considered, not onely by our counsel, being next to the person of our beloved Nephew Andreas cardinal of Austria, &c. at this present lieutenant; governor and captain general of our said lands on this side: but also by many good persons of the aforesaid states. And considering that hitherto by the said means of meekness and kindness, nothing hath been profited, but that to the contrary thereby they are grown more unreasonable and prouder, and that means is given them, to maintain the warres, to their great furtherance:  
SO IT IS, that after good and ripe consultation and aduise of our counsel of estate, secrets and treasure, and upon the deliberation of our aforesaid Nephew the cardinal of Austria, &c. wee haue wholly defended, forbidden and prohibited: and defend, forbid, and prohibit, by these presents, all o● any communication, traffic and neg●tiation, with the aforesaid of Holland, Zealand, and all their adherents, either, our Subiects or others, until such time as they shall be reconciled to his majesty, or to us their sovereign lady and princess, as according to all divine and humane laws they are haunde to do.  
Forbidding therefore to all and every one, to sand, connaye, or transport by Sea, fresh waters, or by land, directly or indirectly, any money goods, merchandises, or any other things whatsoever, nor yet to bring out of the aforesaid revolted Countries hither, any wears, merchandises, or other things, growing, coming or passing through the same lands; upon pain of confiscation of the said wears and merchandises, and of extraordinary punishment, according to the nature of the misdeeds: from hence forward recalling and revoking all permissions, grants,& licences, which we, or our general Lieutenants haue granted. As also we recall and revoke all passports,& for the self same cause, we likewise annullate and Cashéere all Safeguards and permissions which we haue granted and yielded, to fish, to whom so ever it be. And touching the passports for the going and coming of persons, we recall them likewise: but grant and permit them, that every one may return to his place of residence and dwelling, within the term of one month after the publication of these presents. All without in any sort to exclude our subiects out of our favour, or to cut them the way of reconciliation and mercy, at such times as they shall require if, presenting to that end the same offers, which haue heretofore been made them, and haue, and shall be found reasonable. All which we will haue manifest, not onely to our aforesaid subiects, obedient and disobedient, but also to all the world. And to the end, that no one should pretend ignorance of this our present ordinance, Interdiction and defence: We will and command, that immediately without delay, you publish and proclaim the same in every city and place of our land and dukedom of Braban● and of Ouermueze, where publications and Proclamations are used to be done: and to the maintenance and observation hereof, and what there unto belongeth, we give you full power, authority and especial charge, to execute, and cause to be executed, against the transgressors and affendors hereof, the pains above name, without any favour, distimulation, or for bearance: Willing and commanding to all and every one, earnestly to effect the same: For such is our will and pleasure.  
given in our city of Antwarpe, under our counterseale héereon Imprinted in Placcat, the ix. of february, 1599. By hir Highnesse, in hir counsel. Verreyken.   

And these Letters are sealed with the counter seal of hir Highnesse thereon Imprinted in Placcat.  
The like Proclamations haue been dispatched, Mutatis Mutandis, for Gelderland, Flanders and Mallines, and in french for Artoys.  
FINIS.   

 Woodcut printer's device of an old man standing beside an olive tree; above him, on a scroll, the motto 'Noli altum sapere' (McKerrow, 310)  
Imprinted at London by John wolf, and are to be sold at his shop in Popes head Alley, near the Exchange.