Letter of Privilege Granted by William the First

Whereas, on behalf of certain citizens of this town of Middelborgh, a petition has been presented to His Excellency, in which they complain that the magistrate of the said city recently had their shops closed, and so prohibited their occupation, which is nevertheless their only means of supporting their families; they proceeding to this prohibition, because they should take the customary oath, as others have done; the said citizens protesting all the more, because for certain long years now, without ever having taken the said oath, they have willingly borne, together with the other citizens and inhabitants of the said city, all civil levies, contributions and taxes, without ever having been found in any default, and therefore they ought still to be left unmolested, seeing that in this they ask nothing but to live in the liberty of their conscience, for which this present war has been undertaken against the King of Spain by his subjects, and all ceremonies that fight against it are resisted; in which, by the help of God, it has now come so far that the said liberty of conscience has been preserved, and it would therefore be unjust to take it away from the petitioners, who helped to gain it, not without great peril of body and life, by taxes, contributions, and bearing other burdens; which, after they had presented it in the form of a request to the said magistrate, they were answered that they had to govern themselves according to the institutions and ordinances of the said town; whereby the said magistrate seems to endeavor, by means of the oath, to drive out of the country, to their total destruction, not only their petitioners living in Middelborgh, but, consequently, innumerable others in Holland and Zealand, who, according to his decrees, have placed themselves under His Excellency's protection; from which no one can derive any profit, but there would only result great and signal damage to these countries, and trade everywhere would be greatly diminished; so they humbly petition His Excellency to consider the matter with compassion, and to take the necessary steps, especially seeing that the said petitioners offer to give their Yes in place of the oath, and that those who break it are to be punished as perjurers: therefore His Excellency, having considered the foregoing and caused it to be duly deliberated upon, has, by the previous advice of the Governor and the Councilors of Zealand, ordained and decreed, and does ordain and decree by these presents, that the said petitioners shall be allowed to use, with the magistrate of the said town, their Yes offered by them, in place of the oath; provided that those who break it are to be punished as perjurers; His Excellency commanding and charging the magistrate of Middelborgh, and all others whom this may concern, not to oppress the petitioners further, contrary to their conscience, with regard to the oath and otherwise, but to allow them to open their shops, and to pursue their occupations, as they did before.

All with this provision and understanding: that when there is greater tranquility in affairs, and the matter has been considered with mature deliberation, proper measures shall be enacted.

Thus done, under His Excellency's name and seal, in the town of Middelborgh, the 26th of January, in the year 1577. Sealed with a red wax seal hanging from it. Signed

WILLIAM OF NASSAU.

What followed from this will be shown for the following year, 1578. In the meantime, the papists proceeded, like ravening wolves, with all cruelty and tyranny, wherever they held rule, against the lambs of the flock of Christ; so that many among them had to lay down their lives, as can be seen from the following accounts.