DECREE OF THE ARBITRATION COMMISSION, ISSUED AT GRONINGEN, ON THE FESTIVAL OF SAINT PAUL, JUNE 30, 1338.

A reduced photographed facsimile of it in two section*.. trators which included such eminent personages and scholars as abbots, prefects, commentators, cleans, a prior, and several lords. The constitution of this arbitration commission, it is related, was made an occasion for the singing of “a great number of triumphal songs.” 1

The preamble of the record of the awards made by the commissioners sets forth the purpose of their appointment and the way in which they gave publicity to their decisions: We, the arbitrators or friendly adjusters of the differences arisen between the Frisians, on the one side, and the other, and their the city of Groningen, on abettors, before whom the said dissension was finally compromised by the oath of each party that they would stand to our decision, no less by an assenting unanimity, which we have made known for a perpetual remembrance of the matter, for the present as well as for the future, that having shared in the determination of each party, we ordain and promulgate for the good of peace and harmony.

One of the most sweeping of the different provisions of the decree was evidently that relating to the fortifications of the city of Groningen: “In the first place, that the people of Groningen, in consideration of the honor of the Frisians, shall pull down from the foundation the stone wall of their city, from the Fbbinge gate, included, all the way to the tower nearest the west gate, Hotteringe gate, also included, with all their intermediate parts, and that the people of Groningen shall put in place of it a wooden wall with gates of wood. Also that they shall reduce the six fortresses.” Other requirements of less note, to be obeyed both by the Groningenburghers and the Frisians, are recited in the instrument, as also are enjoinments for the payment ofcompensatory sums of money. The sealing of the decree and its publication are particularized in the closing sentences of the instrument:

“In perpetual remembrance of all which testimony and the carrying out of the matter the seals of the countries of Frisia, Hunsingo, Fivelgo, Drenthe, Groningen, Vredewold, Langewold, Hummerse, and the Eight Parishes are appended to these presents. Given and published by Selwert, in the year of the Lord one thousand three hundred and thirty-eight, in commemoration of the Blessed Paul. Wherefore we, the other compromisers or arbitrators aforesaid, are contented with the aforesaid seals.” 3

1¦” Aan ecu groot getal van Zegslieden.”1 Tegcnwoordigc staat dcr Vcreenigde Nedcrlanden. Stad en Lande. Jivintigste dec/, p. 92.

ilAros arbitratores * * * * ex parte una, sive am’u abiles lompositores super discordiis exortis inter Frisones, et eivitatem Groniensem, c.x altvra,et eorum, in yuos dicta discordiafucrat Jinalitcr compro/mssa, jurantento utriusi/ue partis, i(tnostre starcnt ordinationi,nihilominus accedentc consensu,ad perpetuam rei i/iemoriaui notum facimus, tain presentibus quani futuris, quod nos comwunicato consilio utnusque partis ob bonuni paeis et icwcordie ordinavimus et promulgavimus inviolabilitcr observandinu.” I’ide:Text and translation in the Appendix. Document No. i.

/// OUOrillllomnium omnium testininnimnrt rriir,’

quorum rei geste perpetuam siuri/hi ti’rrniittiFrisie,h~~i-i?ir testimonium et memoriam sigilla tcrraum

THE PROVINCE-HOUSE AND A PART OF SAINT MARTINS CHURCH, GRONINGEN, 1793.

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THE SWARTWOUT CHRONICLES.

The Dutch historian, Übbo Emmius, who had seen the original transcript, says, that in place of the eight seals, severally of Hunsingo, Fivelgo, Drenthe, Vrcdcwold, Langewold, Hummerse, and the Eight Parishes, with which the decree should have been scaled, there were only those of Hunsingo, Fivelgo, and Drenthe affixed to it.”1 A comparison, however, of the impress of the third seal, as shown by the photographed copy of the original parchment, with the impression of the seal of the city of Groningen exhibited on the photographed copy of another rare parchment embellishing a further page, willafford the evidence that the seal of the city of Groningen is the third one in the order of succession that is attached to the original decree.

Although many woful calamities distressed from time to time the Frisians, yet seldom were any so afflictive as the wars which gain-seeking foreign rulers inaugurated against them. Giving officers command of armies numerically stronger than the body of inhabitants capable of bearing arms, they sent them into the plenteous region, where they left blights of death, fire, and grief long memorable to the mourning and poverty-stricken people.

The invasion of that part of Frisia in which lay the manor of Zwartewoude, in 1500, by Albert, Duke of Saxony, under the august patronage of Maximilian, Emperor of Germany, (< made such pittiful spoile,” as is quaintly related by an English historian, that all, both noble and base, rich and poore, preisters, monkes, nunnes, and novices, fled out of the countrie, none remaining but the poore pesants of the Seven Forests, who would see what the end might bee of all there miseries.”

To further gratify his greed of spoil, the avaricious duke proclaimed “that the pesants should returne freely, every man to his house, and that, for a certaine summe of money (which they should contribute every one according to his habilitie), he would receive them againe into favour. Whereuppon they returned, redeeming themselves of the duke, some villages at a hundred, two hundred, three hundred, four hundred, five hundred florins, according to their wealth. Then commandement was given to bring all their armes into the cittadell of Lewarden, and above all, for a reparation, they should come bareheaded and barefooted, without girdles, to sue for pardon uppon their knees, and to promise all future obedience to him, and his heirs. This was in

singonie, Fivelgonie, Drent/iie, Groninghe, Fredewald, Langhcivaid, Hummerke, et de Octo Parrochiis hiis presentibus sunt appensa. Datum ct pronuntiatum apud Sylawert, anno Domini MCCC trecesimo actavo, in commemoratione bcati Paul/’. Quod nos ceteri eompromissores sen arbitratores supradicta coiitenti sumus sigillis supradictis.” Vide: Text and translation in the Appendix. Document No. I.

Emmius, die den oorsprongelyken brief gezien heeft, zegt, dat inplaats van agt segels, Hunsingo,Fivelo, Drente, Groningen ,Fredeiuold, Langewold, Hummerze, en agt Kerspelen, wet wclke deeze uit—spraak moeste bezeegcld warden, er alien aanqehegt waaren dat van Hunsingo, Fivelgo, en Drent.” Tegenwoordigc slaat der Vereenigde Ncderlanden. Stacl en Lancle. Amsterdam, 1793-Twintigstedccl, p. 93.

1

GROENINGA, COMMONLY CALLED GROENINGEN” PRIOR TO THE FINAL DEMOLITION OF ITS WALL AND FORTIFICATIONS.