“We, by God’s grace Prince of Orange,” said his declaration of 31st August, 1568, “salute all faithful subjects of his Majesty.  To few people is it unknown that the Spaniards have for a long time sought to govern the land according to their pleasure.  Abusing his Majesty’s goodness, they have persuaded him to decree the introduction of the inquisition into the Netherlands.  They well understood, that in case the Netherlanders could be made to tolerate its exercise, they would lose all protection to their liberty; that if they opposed its introduction, they would open those rich provinces as a vast field of plunder.  We had hoped that his Majesty, taking the matter to heart, would have spared his hereditary provinces from such utter ruin.  We have found our hopes futile.  We are unable, by reason of our loyal service due to his Majesty, and of our true compassion for the faithful lieges, to look with tranquillity any longer at such murders, robberies, outrages, and agony.  We are, moreover, certain that his Majesty has been badly informed upon Netherland matters.  We take up arms, therefore, to oppose the violent tyranny of the Spaniards, by the help of the merciful God, who is the enemy of all bloodthirstiness.  Cheerfully inclined to wager our life and all our worldly wealth on the cause, we have now, God be thanked, an excellent army of cavalry, infantry, and artillery, raised all at our own expense.  We summon all loyal subjects of the Netherlands to come and help us.  Let them take to heart the uttermost need of the country, the danger of perpetual slavery for themselves and their children, and of the entire overthrow of the Evangelical religion.  Only when Alva’s blood- thirstiness shall have been at last overpowered, can the provinces hope to recover their pure administration of justice, and a prosperous condition for their commonwealth.”

In the “warning” or proclamation to all the inhabitants of the Netherlands, the Prince expressed similar sentiments.  He announced his intention of expelling the Spaniards forever from the country.  To accomplish the mighty undertaking, money was necessary.  He accordingly called on his countrymen to contribute, the rich out of their abundance, the poor even out of their poverty, to the furtherance of the cause.  To do this, while it was yet time, he solemnly warned them “before God, the fatherland, and the world.”  After the title of this paper were cited the 28th, 29th, and 30th verses of the tenth chapter of Proverbs.  The favorite motto of the Prince, “pro lege, rege, grege,” was also affixed to the document.