Circumstances being considered it is not to be wondered at if we read of so frequent Tumults when a Bishop then was declared or in danger to be declared an Heretick or Schismatick or to be Banished It will not then seem strange if upon the dissention betwixt Alexander the Bishop of Alexandria and Arius a Presbyter of his after that the Latter was Excommunicated great Tumults did follow For though the Power and Authority did seem Lodged in the Metropolitan yet did Arius supply that Defect by his Learning and Subtilty He was befriended by many Neighbouring Bishops of great Repute and Power he himself was exceeding Popular and he framed several Drolling Songs and Discourses whith were Sung in the Streets by the Vulgar and made the common entertainment of all Festivals Those of the Bishop's party were Exasperated at these Actions and being Instigated with Zeal Indignation and Interest they engaged the others in several Quarrels The Emperour interposed by reconciliatory Letters but to no purpose for the Arians drawing no Emolument from the Charity of the Bishop and being subjected to the Ignominy and Odium of an Excommunication they grew so outragious as to injure the Statues of Constantine The Pagans fomented the Division and abetted the Arians that so they might with more facility ruine Constantine The Meletian Bishops and their Followers being Orthodox yet under an Umbrage and looked on as Schismaticks by their Metropolitan did contribute all they could to the support of Arius So that Constantine was necessitated to call the Nicene Council where the Tenets of Arius were condemned and those that adhered thereunto Anathematized But neither was Arius by Name fulminated against nor did the Council solicite for but rather pitied his Banishment After the censure passed upon the Arians in the Nicene Council most Ecclesiastical Historians do agree that Constantine did Banish him and a few other Bishops his Adherents But the Narrative which they make concerning his Exile and his Revocation is so incoherent and defective that Baronius doubts and Gothofredus knows not what to make thereof If he Theognis and Eusebius of Nicomedia were Banished against the latter civil crimes as Treason are alledged for the cause And whether the forementioneâ— Tumults or the sense of any future Broils in Egypt which was the Granary of the Empire and prone to Rebellions did occasion the Banishment of the others I know not Their Fxile was not long nor were their Followers rigorously proceeded against but the Edict suspended And afterwards Athanasius having succeeded Alexander is Banished no otherwise then they had been before by the power of the Arian Faction Athanasius was sent back again by Constantine the Son upon the Death of Constantine the Great whereupon he Repossessed himself of the Sea at Alexandria Upon the Division of the Empire betwixt the three Sons of Constantine the East fell to Constantius who finding the perpetual Tumults which arose from this contest tried many wayes to compose Affairs The Arians did attribute a greater Power unto the Emperour in matters of Religion then did the Catholick And they perswaded him to violate the Canons for Election of Bishops by Imposing upon the People such as he should Nominate cause to be ordained and sent Whereupon he Ejected the Catholick Bishops and Substituted Arians the Orthodox were Tormented and Punished sundry wayes as by Imprisonment Banishment c. and a Toleration given unto all but those of the Nicene Faith The proceedings of this Emperour not being very Exemplary I shall conclude the account of his Reign with this Observation That by reason of this Persecution Athanasius and other Catholick Bishops moved Disputes Whether the Emperour had any power to Judge in Ecclesiastical Affairs And Whether it were lawful to Persecute any in cases of Religion with Imprisoning or Banishment Julian the Apostate succeeded Coustantius He laboured by all means possible to restore Paganism to its pristine Glory He granted Liberty of Conscience to all the Sects of Christians But withal he did equally subject them unto civil Employments and took away the publick Allowances which had been granted unto the Catholicks He recalled all the Exiled Bishops but did not restore them to their proper Seas and Admonished them and such as had been Deposed for Scandal to look after their Churches and provide for their Parties and Interests as well as they could Whereupon in sundry Cities there started up two or three Bishops an Arian a Meletian and a Catholick In some places more He permitted them to Quarrel and Fight and commit all Outrages one against the other encouraging the Sectaries and Pagans against the Orthodox This was the Indulgence which he gave unto them and whereby he designed to overthrow Christianity After his Decease succeeded Jovianus who was an Orthodox Emperour his Reign was but short he found the Empire divided into Potent Factions of the Orthodox Arians Gentiles c. Whereupon he declared that he would not molest any Person for his Faith whatsoever of Paganism Hrresie or Schism he professed But he should principally Love Honour and Favour those which endeavoured to Restore the Church unto its peace He restored the Orthodox unto their former Immunities and Priviledges which Constantine had bestowed on the Catholick Church These proceedings gained unto him this Character That the Empire had been brought unto a most happy Posture as to Church and State if it had pleased to God to grant him a longer Life Upon the Decease of Jovianus there was chosen for Emperour Valentinian and he Elected his Brother Valens for his Consort They were both Christians but Valentinian was Zealous for the Nicene Faith and Valens favoured the Arians as much Such testimonies had each of them given of his Sincerity that both did proffer to Die Martyrs rather that Sacrifice to Idols under Julian The Artifices of Julian had broke Christianity into so many Sects and Subdivisions of Sects that in every City almost their might be found Two Three Four or more Bishops all Anathematizing each other and most Rebaptizing the Converts gained from any other Congregation The East did abound principally with Arians and Macedonians Eunomians c. Which were of the same Sentiments almost in the West the Interest of that Heresie was much lessened by the care and piety of Saint Hilary who by his Christian Prudence Charity and exemplary Piety joyned with as great Indulgence or forbearance did reclaim the Arians in France Yet were those Hereticks considerable at Millain and in sundry others places of the Western Empire As also were the Donatists in Africk notwithstanding their fierce Persecution under Constans by Macarius Governour of Numidia It was then seen that no confiscations of Lands and Churches nor Exiles or the most severe Punishments could extinguish a numerous and obstinate Sect Whatsoever they endured they esteemed it as Martyrdom and became Implacable against the Catholicks as having solicited that Emperour and
no arguments to excite his valour where indignities are offered These are the same Enemies which the Parlamentarians did heretofore contend with the Subject of the quarrel is the same there is the same justice therein that was formerly the Government is only varied to a Monarchy under which they possess their former Indulgence It behoves them now to convince the Dutch by new atchievements and redoubled fervour that they were no less valiant then fortunate and to satisfie His Majestie that they are not factious but deserve the favours they now enjoy I had forgot to tell the Reader one thing which is that the Dutch and English Memorials and Narratives do differ in their dates not only in the old and new Styles but otherwise two or three days so that if any person should endeavour to invalidate this Treatise upon such trivial exceptions I confess thus much and desire any man who can to amend such mistakes which are not much material to the grand controversies This ensuing Treatise was written long before the late revolutions in Holland and the death of the two brothers Cornelius and John deWit and whatsoever therein doth reflect upon the treacherous designs and villany of the States general and People it is to be applyed unto the Lovestein faction which hath always presided directed and swayed in the Councils and Determinations of the United Provinces partly by Artifice and popular insinuations partly by the interest of the Province of Holland For the better understanding of this affair it is requisite that I deduce the History of that faction from its first original whereby it will appear that the English have just cause to detest the Memory thereof and the Dutch good reason to impute thereunto the Odium Infamy and Calamities under which they at present suffer and upon the sense whereof the Burghers of the Hague did so barbarously murther those two insolent criminals John Olden Barnevelt was born at Amersfort in the Province of Utrecht his Extraction was mean but such his insinuation so popular his address so ready his wit so great his prudence so extraordinary his Learning in the Civil and Municipal Laws Usages and Records of his Countrey that having spent several years at Lovain in France Italy Germany and Switzerland at his return the Province of Holland entertained an high respect for him and He was much resorted unto being one of the Advocates at the Hague when the Count vander Marck had seized the Brill and that the rest of Holland began generally to embrace the party of the Pr. of Orange he was one of the three Advocates who in the year 1572. first acknowledged the proscribed Prince to be the lawful Governour of Holland He had no aversion for Popery his wife was of that Religion He contested with Leicester and the Protestant party in the Netherlands for an equal toleration of the Romanists c. But he was so fierce an Enemy to the Roman Ecclesiasticks that the Spaniards formed particular designs against him who by his niceties in Law disturbed the civil power and animated the people unto those outrages whereby their Church and Church-men were destroyed Having signalized himself by this demeanour he was chosen Councellor and Pensioner for the City of Roterdam A. D. 1576. The which office He executed with so much Zeal for the general liberties of his Countrey and of Roterdam particularly he so studiously caressed the Burgomasters and populace so fervently did he perswade his masters of Holland to seize upon all Church-lands so vigilant was he that the Magistrates in each Province and City should preserve their Soveraignty over the Protestant Clergy by placing and displacing them at pleasure and confining them to preach as the Magistrates pleased that he gained the repute of a most worthy Patriot in Holland and West-Friesland His Councils and Actions always shewed him to be implacable against the Spaniards and he pretended a great devotion to the House of Orange in 1579 he was zealous for the contracting that everlasting Union at Utrecht At which time the Provinces had not cast off all obedience to the King of Spain the Prince of Orange was Governour or State-holder of Holland Zealand and Utrecht by vertue of a Commission from the King in his name and for his service all things were said to be done by the United Provinces Notwithstanding that by this Union Art 9. No agreement for truce or peace or war was to be undertaken but by common consent And notwithstanding another League or Union particularly contracted betwixt Holland and Zealand for their acting joyntly and by communication of councils in 1575 1576. This Barnevelt faction designing to erect themselves into a Republick did take a resolution and privately sware amongst themselves that they would never acknowledge the king of Spain for their Soveraign pretend his authority or make use of his Seals whereby through an immutable negative Suffrage of that Province the rest were involved in a perpetual revolt This determination was made and they absolved one another from the Oath of Allegiance without the consent of the other Provinces and a good while before that the Deputies of Holland could perswade Zealand to consent thereunto It was decreed by Holland and West-friesland April 19. 1581. whereas the States General did not before 1582. declare that the king of Spain had forfeited his right and Dominion over those countries and all princely authority ceasing in him thereby was consolidated into the Estates and the whole Soveraignty devolved to the States of the respective united provinces Hereupon the Pr. of Orange from a Spanish Governour became subordinate to them and derived his Commission of State-holder and Captain-General from their Authority I shall not mention what the said faction did in opposition to the Archduke Matthias and the Duke of Anjou whereby they enervated their authority always acting separately and clandestinely from the rest of the Union It is an acknowledged case that the Province of Holland being swayed by the faction of Barnevelt were averse from the incorporating their Province with the Realm of France and had that king seriously inclined to accept the overture he would have found such private restrictions on the part of Holland as would have frustrated the negotiation indeed they were contrary to the conditions which the same province had assented unto in the Assembly of the States General Neither was Barnevelt better inclined unto Engalnd in reference to any real subjection thereunto It was never the intention of that party to return under any Monarchy and whatever he as one of the Deputies protested upon his knees whatever he signed unto it was his purpose only to engage the Queen to their protection and to involve Her Majesty in a war with Spain and thence to derive all the strength and profit imaginable without ever submitting unto her or to the Crown of Spain In that Treaty with Q. Elizabeth in 1585. He with the rest told the Qâ—…een that the
If it be true that the Sea is free according as some Civilians have written this can no otherwise be understood then as it is commonly said The High-wayes are common and free by which is meant that they cannot be usurped by private persons for their sole proper service but remain to the use of every one Not therefore that they are so free as that they should not be under the Protection and Government of some Prince and that every one might do licentiously all which it pleased Him either by Right or Wrong forasmuch as such licentiousness or Anarchy is abhorred both by God and Nature both by Sea and Land The true Liberty of the Sea excludes it not from the Protection and Superiority of such as maintain it in Liberty nor from the Subjection to the Laws of such as have command over it rather necessarily it includes it The Sea no less then the Land is subject to be divided amongst men and appropriated to Cities and Potentates which long since was ordained of God as a thing most natural and this was well understood by Aristotle when He said That unto Maritime Cities the Sea is the Territory because from thence They take their sustenance and defence a thing which cannot possibly be unless part of it might be appropriated in the like manner as the Land is which is divided betwixt Cities and Governments not by equal parts nor according to their greatness but as They have been or are able to rule govern and defend them Berne is not the greatest City of Switzerland and yet it hath as large a Territory as all the rest of the Twelve Cantons put together And the City of Noremberg is very great and yet the Territories thereof hardly exceed the Walls And the City of Venice for many years was known to be without any possession at all upon the firm land Upon the Sea likewise certain Cities of great force and valour have possessed a large quantity thereof others of little force have been contented with the next waters Neither are there wanting examples of such who notwithstanding they are Maritime yet having fertile Lands lying on the back of them have been contented therewith without ever attempting to gain any Sea-dominion Others who being awed by their more mighty Neighbours have been constrained to forbear any such attempt for which two Causes a City notwithstanding it be Maritime may happen to remain without any possession of the Sea God hath instituted Principalities for the maintenance of Justice to the benefit of Mankind which is necessary to be executed as well by Sea as by Land S. Paul saith That for this cause there were due to Princes Customs and Contributions It would be a great absurdity to praise the well-governing regulating and defence of the Land and to condemn that of the Sea and if the Sea in some parts for the ampleness and extream distance thereof from the Land was not possible to be governed and protected that proceeded from a disability and defect in Mankind as also there are Deserts so great upon the Land as it is impossible to protect them witness the many Sandy parts of Africa and the immense vastities of the New World As it is a gift of God that a Land by the Laws and publick power be ruled protected and governed so the same happens to the Sea And those are deceived by a gross equivocation who aver that the Land by reason of its stabilîty might be subjected but not the Sea for being an unconstant Element no more then the Air forasmuch as if They intend by the Sea and the Air all the parts of those fluid Elements it is a most certain thing that They cannot be brought under Subjection and Government because whilest a man serves himself with any one part of them the other escapes out of his power but this chanceth also to Rivers which cannot be detained But when one is said to rule over a Sea or River it is not understood of the Element but of the site where they are placed The water of the Adriatick and Brittish Seas continually runs out thereof and yet is the same Sea as well as the Tiber Po Rhine Thames or Severne are the same Rivers now which they were one thousand years ago And this is that which is subject to Princes by way of Protection and Government If any man should be demanded the Question Whether the Sea should be left without any Protection so that any one might do therein well or ill robbing spoiling and making it un-navigable This would appear so ridiculous and uncouth a demand that all intelligent men would peremptorily deny it From whence it is easie to collect that the Sea ought to be governed by those to whom it most properly appertains by the Divine Disposition And if so is it fitting They should do it with the expence of their own Treasures and Blood or rather that such should contribute to it who do equally enjoy the benefit To this any man may form a ready answer and say that the doctrine of S. Paul is clear in the point not to alledge matter of Law that such as are under government and protection are thereby bound to pay customs and contributions Wherefore if the Republick be that Prince to whom it appertains to protect and govern the Adriatick Sea it follows necessarily that whosoever navigates it ought to be subject to their Laws in the same manner as such are who travail through a Countrey upon the Land Thus the case is argued by the Venetian Lawyers and that Republick is so jealous of the Dominion of the Adriatick that they would adventure their totall subversion rather then abandon that which our Discourser doth so slight It is thereby that Venice doth principally subsist 't is thence that she derives both strength and riches and the loss whereof would immediately ruine all her possessions on the Terra firma whereas that being preserved the Terra firma being lost was easily regained If the Dominion of the Sea be such a trifle as this Politician of Lincoln's Inne doth imagine What Fooles have been the Emperours and Kings of the world to insist so much thereon How strange is it that in such a Foppery even Old Rome and Greece Christendome and Turky should agree Is it possible that They should all conspire to make this a State-secret even the Hollanders themselves in the East-Indies which is not worth the regarding If it be an errour 't is almost authenticated by the consent of Nations and it seemes incredible that so many ages amidst such a variety and dissonanâ—…y in Ministers of State should never discover the vanity thereof whereby They have obliged their Land-Territories to a defense of the Sea and made it a slave thereunto as by the Dane-gilt each Hyde of Land was charged for Sea-service with so much imprudence What Feminine Humour hath possessed the English for so many Centuries of yeares that they should so rigorously insist
Republicks and of mingling the Soveraignties in such manner as is propounded not the least mark will appear nor in any former ages in any Histories or any Treaty of any Nation The Amphictiones in Greece the Associated Cities in Italy in the first times of the Romans who were so straightly and closely confederated that they had the same friends and enemies have yet maintain'd every one of them an absolute Soveraignty The same is and hath been observed by the Switzers Grisons and others in their confederation the Princes of the house of Burgundy having obtain'd by succession and time the Dominion of the seventeen Provinces have endeavoured to Unite them Under one head and supream absolute Authority the Princes of the house of Austria in the same quality and being supported by the German Empire and so many Kingdoms have not only imployed all sorts of Policy but all their Arms and Forces to the same effect but the States of the said Provinces have not only opposed themselves with all sorts of reasons and remonstrances but at last to maintain their Rights and the Priviledges of their Provinces have imployed their forces to the utmost hazards of their lives and fortunes and by God's blessing have had an happy Issue and being necessitated to a mutual defense for the future stand united by the most compleat and firm confederation that could possibly be made yet with great precautions of their several Soveraignties and Priviledges which cannot admit any mixture and consequently no Coalition so qualified as is here propounded And how can it be conceived for us to joyn or unite our selves more strictly to others then we are amongst our selves The same incongruities which offer themselves in the general would be discovered in the particulars if all the circumstances of such a Coalition should be represented at large the marks the rights the effects the execution practice of Soveraignty considered apart would include a thousand impossibilities which are needless to specifie in this Paper Assuring themselves that the Lords of the Council of State do easily comprehend them And to Answer again to this Proposition the subscribed Deputies are obliged to say that having been invited hither to a negotiation honourable and just They cannot comprehend that the Lords of the Council would now retard a business of so high a consequence for circumstances which they themselves cannot but judge impossible but will rather condescend to reasonable Articles and Conditions by a Treaty tending to a firm and mutual union and confederacy wherein might be found the reciprocal satisfaction and security so much desired And if contrary to their expectations the Lords of the Council persist still in the same resolutions expressed in their last Paper the said Deputies will be necessitated to return to their Superiours to relate and give an account to them of their negotiations here And to that end do earnestly desire that as soon as possibly they can the Lords of the Council will be pleased to afford them the opportunity of taking their leaves being very sensible that after more then five weeks expectancy they shall be forced to return without any effect of their wished and sincere intentions so often reiterated in their several Papers Protesting before the Almighty God that to their Power they have not been wanting to set a just and fitting period to this bloody and Unchristian War and will be no wayes guilty of the Innocent blood and sad inconveniencies that will of necessity fall upon both Nations they having such pregnant Reasons to seek each others mutual good and prosperity The Answer of the Council to the aforesaid Paper THe Council of State having perused the Paper which the Deputies of the Lords the States General of the United Provinces sent unto them upon Wednesday night at seven a clock do confess themselves to be very much surprised therewith having in no sort expected the Answer given thereby to the Proposition of the Council conteined in their last Paper delivered unto them in a Conference the Monday before and cannot yet comprehend the particular reasons and grounds which have moved their Lorships thereunto And therefore find it necessary to declare that having seriously weighed and considered with themselves the true Interest of both Common-wealths the state and posture of each others affairs and the grounds and causes of the present differences with the security which this State was in justice to expect It was not obvious to them by what other means this breach could be throughly healed a peace secur'd and those ends professed by both sides to be aimed at in this present Treaty accomplisht then by the Uniting both States into one Common-wealth whereby a security would not only be obtained but great advantages arise out of it to both States especially to the people of the United Provinces which is so demonstrable that if the said Deputies had by their Answer given opportunity for the Consideration of particulars instead of having under the General terms of Confusions Impossibilities and Novelties condemned and concluded against it upon Allegations that they have not found such Coalition and mixture of Soveraignties in the first times of the Romans or in the Histories of former Ages No doubt would have remained concerning the Candour and entire affection of this State in the propounding it or of the real benefits which would accrue thereby and it is such an Instance of friendship and goodwill on the part of this State that all circumstances considered no age can procuce a Parallel And therefore the Positive refusal of this Tender is no less strange unto the Council then it is to find also in the same Paper that the said Lords Deputies do confess openly and in express terms that no more is meant by their often repeated words of more Intrinsick Union and close and straight confederation that what is contaiâ—…'d in the Propositions offered by them at their first Audience whereby they do demand free trade to the Islands and Plantations of this Common-wealth in America prohibited by an Act of Parliament to all Strangers and in the same Article restrain this Common-wealth from trading to their Plantations in the East-Indies or elsewhere save in Europe the recalling as to them the Act lately made for the Encouragement of Trade and Navigation the taking away of Strangers-Customs liberty for their people to buy land in these countries equally with the Natives Nay by the first article of these Propositions They do in effect demand to share with this State in the Soveraignty of the Narrow Seas and in their rights of Fishing so that whereas the Council dâ—…d propound the Uniting of the two Common-wealths into one whereupon would follow an equal communication of all priviledges and advantages without distinction of Place or Persons and wherein the Advantage would be to the People of the United Provinces in respect of the greatness of this State the multitude of â—…orts the fishing and other Advantages which the
the great sincere affection which the Dutch continued to bear unto the English the recâ—…procal bonds of professing the same Reformed Religion and the dangers that might be fall Proâ—…estancy in general should such important Members thereof ingage in a war That Christian bâ—…ood was precious â—…n the sight of God and ought not rashly or on a slâ—…ght occasion to be shed by Men that the fight in the Downs was casual and not designed by His Masters That The strâ—…king of the Flag was but a Ceremony of Honour and matter of complement about which He hoped the true Professours of the Gospel of peace meekness long-suffering and brotherly love would not contest unto blood that howsoever His Superiours did never pretend nor should pretend to dispute the Honour and Dignity of this Common-wealth which they repute the first and most considerable in Europe That no Delâ—…beration had been made No Resolution taken No Commâ—…ssion directly or indirectly given to their Vice-Admiral for to undertake any Dispute against the Fleet and Ships of the said Common-wealth upon the Controversies and Differences of the Sea And that The Ships of war meeting at Sea and behaving themselves as before and during the time of the former Government there should be thereupon no more Dispute hereafter Some Reply was then made but a full Answer was tendered and read unto Him at the next conference to this effect My Lord WE are very glad to understand from you mouth the sincerity with which you profess the true Reformed Religion and that cordial affection with which you declare your selves to seek Amity and Friendship with this Nation We would put as good a construction upon the Intents of your Superiours as the regards of our own safety will permit and certainly a prudent and due respect to our own preservation is not repugnant to the Gospel or Protestancy But we cannot conclude otherwise from the Actions of your States then that the late attempt in the Downs arose from a formed and premeditated Design To usurp the known Rights of England in the Seas to destroy the Fleâ—…ts that are under God their Walls and Bulwarks and thereby expose this Common-wealth to be invaded or otherwise imposed upon at your pleasure During an actual Treaty for a nearer Union offered by your selves you took a resolution to equip out 150 say 〈◊〉 besides what were already in your service and of this your Emâ—…dours gave notice to the Parliament March 15. 1652. Whether this intimation was made to amuse or terrifie us your Superiours do best know but such extraordinary preparations were not requisite at that time to secure the Trade and Navigation of the United Provinces when they had no Enemy abroad which upon the Rules and Maximes of State was a just cause of Jealousie unto the English and They had reason to put themselves into a posture and condition to defend themselves and their known Rights at Sea Nevertheless this State proceeded so slowly therein that until their Fleet was actually assaulted by Trumpe and thereby the true reason of preparing so great a Fleet made evident they had not increased their Fleet by one Ship and in fact there were not above 22 Ships of their Fleet at Sea May 19. 1652 when they were assaulted by the Dutch Navy and We were so unprovided whereby to answer those exigencies that we were constrained to hire about fifty Merchant Ships to strenghthen and reinforce the Fleet. How confidently soever you aver that Van Trumpe had no instructions to undertake any dispute against the Fleet or Ships of this Common-wealth upon the controversies and differences at Sea yet it is notoriously known and He himself avowed it that He had no Orders to take down his Flagg The which Omission wâ—… cannot reconcile with your so Christian desires to preserve a good correspondence strict League and nearer Union with this Common-wealth It being an indirect way and course to create a quarrel at any time Others of your Captains have been reproved and threatned with the loss of their Heads in case they did strike the Flag unto Us and 't is most true that Van Tâ—…umpe refused to do it and seconded his refusal with acts of the highest hostility From whence we can make no other deduction then that the words you use of Unity Peace League and a very near Friendship are different from what you imagine and purpose and that Noble work which you say all honest men wish for especially all the Churches of the Reformed Christian Religion is not at all pursued or intended by the States General of the United Provinces Wherein have you demonstrated the least sincerity in your Negotiations with this Common-wealth How unheartily and dilatorily did you deal with our Embassadours at the Hague in relation to their Errand whereby those endeavours for Friendship became fruitless When your Embassadoâ—…rs came hither How amicably weâ—…e they received And with what delayes did they protract the Treaty When positive demands were pressed they were evaded in thâ—…ngs not of the hardest resolution with Allegations of want of power though their Commission shewed no such restraint yet to obtain further Power Returns must be made to their Superiours and before Answers could be had the Provincial States must be Assembled the which gave small grounds of any real intendment of a firm Peace and Amity As to the business of the Flag How meanly soever you think of it and however you represent it as too trivial a subject to give beginning to a War We cannot look thereon but with different considerations Were it only an Honorary Salute and Cereâ—…ony yet since it is such an Honour as hath been paid to our Ancestâ—…urs for above four hundred years since it is of such an advantage to the continuance of the renown of this Nation and serveth to imprint new reverence in the forreigners that render it and adds so much to the courage of those our Sea-men that exact it We should not consent to relinquish it No Rules of â—…rudence no Maxims of State would authoriâ—…e the deed We know how much it imports a State that it be reverenced abroad and that Reâ—…e is the principal support of any Government it equally influenceth the Subjects ut home and forreign Allies No Nation in the world is more tender of their honour then the English none more impatiently tolerate the diminution thereof With what resentments would 〈◊〉 only the more generous and noble but even the popular and vulgar Seamen detest Us should this Age remit or loose that Regâ—…lity those acknowledgments which their Predecessours with so much glory asserted and the neglect whereof was alwayes punish'd as oâ—…en Rebellion We are confident the Nation would be so provoked at the indignity of such an action that to avoid an uncertain ruin by the forces of Holland we should precipitate our selves into evident danger of periâ—…hing by the English fâ—…ry And we doubt not but you my Lord by this time