THE States General of the United Netherland Provinces, having well, wisely and deliberately considered of, and consulted upon, the several reports as well by the Secular, as the Ecclesiastical Deputies of the National Synod from time to time made unto them, concerning the behaviours and actions of the thirteen persons here under named, as also of the two others that joined with them, during the continuance of the said Synod; and specially upon the two Decrees, bearing date the one, the first, the other, the eighteenth of January last past, made and pronounced against them in the name of the said General States; as also upon the sentence pronounced by the said Synod upon the sixth of May against them, and by the said General States ratified and approved. In like sort having well considered upon their answer made unto certain propositions and interrogatories, which by the said General States upon the 25 of May, in the Town of Dort were propounded unto them: together with their answers by word of mouth upon the third, and again this present 19 day of July, by every one of them severally and apart reiterated, before the assembly of the said General States, touching an Act made for the dismissing of them from their Spiritual functions: and appointing them to live as Secular persons, the contents thereof being, that they should faithfully promise, with upright hearts and consciences, from thenceforth, not to intrude themselves, nor once take upon them to deal in any spiritual affairs, services or ceremonies, as Ministers, Teachers, or Officers of the Church, nor to meddle with the same in any manner whatsoever, openly or secretly, directly or indirectly, neither within nor without the Towns, Villages, and places of the United Provinces, nor the resorts thereof, but to behave themselves civilly, honestly, peaceably and modestly, as particular and Secular subjects ought to do, and to govern themselves orderly according to the commandments and precepts of the superior power, and to be obedient thereunto. To the which Decree and sentence so pronounced, every one of them severally for himself (Henricus Leo only excepted, who thereunto willingly subscribed) made answer, that concerning their consciences, they were not bound to be obedient unto the said General States, for that thereby (as they said) they were prohibited and restrained from participating their counsels and opinions concerning their doctrine to and amongst the assemblies of those that are of their opinions in their religion, which might be required of them, ought of the public Churches. Their said answer and declaration being wholly conformable to the hurtful, dangerous and pernicious complot and league made by some of their confederates, in form and manner of an Anti-synod, without the consent and commission of the lawful Magistrates, in the Town of Rotterdam, upon the fifth of March last past: whereunto they (or at the least, the most part of them) upon the 25 of May aforesaid, did confess and acknowledge to be consenting, and acquainted therewithal; in such manner, that by their aforesaid proceedings, as also by all other their actions and comportments, it evidently appeareth, and is most manifest, that they stubbornly and wilfully continue in their insupportable stiff-neckedness, and disobedience against their lawful Magistrates, and that the same their proceedings tend only, to a further disquietness and trouble of the minds and wills of the good and faithful inhabitants and subjects of the said United Provinces, as also to the perturbation not only of politic government, but of the religion which they, by all the means they could devise hitherto have sought, and yet seek to with-draw and separate from the general and upright feeling, and consent of the true Reformed Churches, both within and without the land. Therefore the said General States have declared, & by these presents do declare the said persons & their adherents aforesaid, to be hereby discharged, and wholly dismissed of, and from all Spiritual functions, offices and duties usually performed in the Church, and merely made Secular persons, and that they whose names are hereafter recited, be banished.

The Names of such principal Remonstrants,
as are perpetually banished
by this Decree.

Bernerus Wezekius, Henricus Hollingerus, Simon Episcopius, Iohannes Arnoldi Corinus, Bernardus Dwinglonius, Eduardus Popius, Theophilus Rickwaerdius, Phillippus Pinakerus, Diminicus Sampa, Isaacus Frederici, Samuel Neranus, Thomas Goswinus, Assuerus Mathisius, and Carolus Niellius.

These by certain Officers thereunto appointed, shall be brought forth of prison, and conducted out of the United Provinces, and the Sovereign Resorts of the same, never to come nor return into them again; before, and until such time as it shall sufficiently appear, and be made manifest unto the said General States, that they are ready and willing to be conformable, and to sign unto the aforesaid Act; and shall have obtained the said General States warrant and license so to do, upon pain for doing the contrary, from that time forward (as perturbers of the common peace and quietness of the land) to be punished according to the discretions of the General States.

Given at the Assembly of the said General States in the Graven Hage, the 15 of July, 1619. Stilo Novo. Signed, A. Ploos v^t. And underneath, by order from the General-States, Signed

C. Aerssen.