and the Affection of the Inhabitants, in such a manner that I should have needed no other Aid, Assistance and Security, for my Safety. But I have, God help and forgive those that are the occasion thereof, found more cruelty and rage in the midst of my Native Countrey, and in the City wherein I was born, (where to my Knowledge I never gave any man the least oc­casion of discontent) than ever was used amongst People of one and the same Nation: My House hath been set upon seve­ral times, as well by night as by day, my Messengers dragg'd along the Streets, my Children threatned, my Self and my Followers on a Sunday coming from the Stadt House in Ser­mon time assassinated with drawn Knives, insomuch that no­thing but the miraculous hand of God could have delivered me from apparent death. And yet, my Noble, Great and Migh­ty Lords, all these dangers have never moved me to prefer my Safety before the Welfare of my Country, or to spare my Person or Estate, so long as I believed that my poor Service might be advantagious to it, or that there might be more mad­ness than design mixt with this boysterous Work: always judging that the duty of a faithful Governour is to oppose the Common Insurrections in a State by private Consultations and Debates But after that I evidently perceived out of the Reports and Propositions which were made in your Noble, Great and Mighty Lordships Assembly, that the general Danger would be changed to a particular one, and by the exposing of my Person make a Sacrifice to the Commu­nalty: I believed that that which hitherto might in me have passed for a sincere and faithful Intention, would henceforward be accounted Carelessness and Imprudence; and therefore judged that I was bound as well in respect of my Family, as for the defence of my Honour, to secure my self from the violent hands of my Enemies, and to retire so long till I might return into my native Country without Danger, and according to my Duty perform the Services of your Great and Mighty Lordships. I have therefore retreated into Brabant, w [...]th Intention, if I be too hotly pursued, to seek my Safety farther, till I meet with a Place where I may live secure and without Molestation. [Page 3] Nevertheless, assuring your Great and Mighty Lordships, that I will never stain my former Fidelity, which is clou­ded by these troublesome times, by any Action that shall prove prejudicial to my native Country, disadvantageous to your Great and Mighty Lordships, derogating from my Reputation, or contrary to the Opinion, which I am assured that all Honourable and Worthy Governours have of me. This I judged my Duty bound me to make known to your Great and Mighty Lordships, whilst I with a sincere Heart implore the Almighty God to grant your Great and Mighty Lordships a laudable Regency, Peace from with­out, Unity within, and accordingly the good Inhabitants all manner of Happiness.

ALthough my Return into my native Country was not so timely as I could have wished, yet I have time enough to see, that the Disorders which have been there for some Weeks past, proceeded from no small occasion; and that the good Governours were very ill trea­ted: yet I have nevertheless (though in my Conscience) with many others, well knowing that my Deportment (which may sufficiently be justified) had not given the least occasion thereto, patiently endured the Outrages committed on my House, Family, and Person in respect of the Publick, so long as the Commotions were frequent: But after that I found the Danger would be distinguished, and deliver up my Person as a Victim to the tumultuous Communalty, I judged that it was time that I secured my Safety by my Re­treat, as well in respect of my Care due to my innocent Children, as also to be the better able to defend my Repu­tation (which I esteem equal with my Life) before the whole World; which will need little Trouble, when my Actions agreeing with the Orders from the States, shall by some of the Members be examined. I have suddenly retreated into the Spanish Netherlands, that I might not give the least occasion of Dislike to my Enemies, with inten­tion [Page 5] to return and perform my Duty so soon as I am assu­red that your Noble and Honourable Lordships are in condition and inclined to protect me and assure my Safety, which is proper and necessary for the meanest Inhabi­tants, but more especially for Governours. So commit­ting your Noble and Honourable Lordships to the Prote­ction of the Almighty God, I remain