A FURTHER IUSTIFICATION OF THE PRESENT WAR AGAINST THE United Netherlands Illustrated with several SCULPTURES By Henry Stubbe a lover of the Honour and Welfare of old ENGLAND Everard Reidan Annal. Belgic lib. 17. A. D. 1600. Decretum Ord. General advers Groninganos Quod ad pactiones foedus toties ruptum provocarent absurdum nec audiendum neque vitio Patribus vertendum esse quod securitati rerum suarum consulere velint LONDON Printed for Henry Hills and John Starkey and are to be sold at the Sign of the Miter near Temple-Barr in Fleetstreet MDCLXXIII The Contents of the Epistle to the READER THe Reason why this Treatise is called the Apology of the Parliamentarians The Insolence of the Dutch against the Parliamentarians in particular An account of the Loevesteine-faction the powers of the State-holder and Advocate of Holland A Relation of the folly of John de Wit in subverting the fundamental Government of the United Provinces The Contents of the Preface unto the loyal Subjects of His Majesty THe necessity of writing the ensuing Treatise for the full satisfaction of the King's Subjects about the lawfulness of the present War pag. 1 Several just and approved Causes of War which yet His Majesty did not insist upon p. 1 2 A true and full account concerning the true grounds of this War and how it was unavoidable on the part of His Majesty p. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Reasons why the League betwixt England and Holland was not endeavoured nor ought to be renewed after its violation p. 9 10 11 12 13 14 What advise Q. Elizabeth would have suggested in the case p. 15 16 17 Arguments against the Neutrality of England during the War betwixt France and Holland p. 17 Arguments for the English to combine with France p. 17 18 19 Two Objections against the Alliance with France urged by an unknown Casuist and fully answered p. 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 The regard which His Majesty still preserved for the security of Flanders according to the Triple Alliance p. 26 27 The prudence of His Majesty in transacting the League with France with so much Secrecy p. 27 The prudence with which His Majesty penned and signed the Declaration for liberty of Conscience March 15. 1671 2. The parallel proceedings of the primitive Christian Emperors during the fourth Century That 't is the interest of the Church of England that Liberty of Conscience be granted at present That the Christian Church at first was setled by such contrivances as His Majesty now pursues That His Majesty hath in that Declaration provided better for the security of the Church of England than the antient Emperors did for Christianity in their times And consequently the Church of England is in no danger to be subverted by the present Indulgence That the present Indulgence is consonant to right reason of State and not repugnant unto civil Policy or likely to prove destructive to the Government p. 27. unto p. 73 A confutation of some assertions relating unto the Dominion of the Sea tendered to the Parliament in 1640. p. 76 Certain projects of Q. Elizabeth whereby she advanced the Honour and Trade of England p. 83 An Exhortation unto the English to be Unanimous and Couragious notwithstanding the troublesom condition of Europe p. 87 The Contents of the Apology THe Apology of those that were unhappily engaged in the service of the pretended Commonwealth and O. Cromwell for the King's Majesties Declaration and Proceedings against the United Provinces The Congratulation of the Parliamentarians for and their brief vindication of the Declaration of March 15. 1671 2. p. 57 Though the Dutch were Protestants yet this War is lawful p. 58 The Right of the Flagge a just cause of War with the Dutch the demands of the Parliamentarians and the Dutch concessions about it heretofore p. 58. 59 60 61 The English Channel not the sole Brittish Sea p. 61 62 The demands of the Parliamentarians concerning the Fishing the debate betwixt them and the Dutch about the Right of England thereto p. 62 63 64 65 66 The villanous composition made betwixt Oliver and the Dutch about the said Points and against His Majesty p. 66 The King's interest in the English Planters at Surinam afferâ—… p. 67 The Barbarity and Insolence of the Dutch towards the English in the East-Indies p. 67 68 69 A parallel betwixt the indignities done to His Majesty and those put upon the Parliamentarians formerly the defence of the Parliamentarians for their Resentments thereof p. 67 70 The perfidiousness of the Dutch illustrated at large p. 70 71 72 73 74 75 An account of the Dutch Religion p. 75 76 77 The Parliamentarians resolve that no secure peace can be made with the Hollanders except they submit to a Coalition or be reduced to an incapacity of hurting England p. 77 78 An account of the Treaty betwixt the Parliamentarians and Hollanders The States of Holland and West-Friesland confess their errors in fighting against England p. 78 79 The Parliamentarians reply and how they out-witted the Hollanders p. 79 80 The Parliamentarians refuse unto the States General the Title of High and Mighty and they discontinue it p. 80 81 Hugh Peters intercedes for the Dutch the voluntary proffers of the Dutch they amidst their solemn professions of Love unto the Rump perswade Cromwell to depose them and then cheat him p. 81 The Council of State beats the Dutch and makes them proceed by way of Humble Petition p. 82 83 The stark loving-kindness betwixt the Dutch and the Council and their joint concern for the Glory of God p. 84 The Council demands that the Dutch submit unto a Coalition the reciprocal Arguments about it p. 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 The Dutch refuse all Coalition and depart the sense of the whole Nation and particularly of the Fifth-Monarchists concerning them p. 91 92 The distressed condition of the Hollanders their Petition and submissive Memorial unto the Fifth-Monarchists p. 92 93 94 95 The Dutch are hated and scorned p. 96 Effectual projects to curb the insolence of the Dutch p. 97 Cromwell's dissimulation with the Dutch p. 97 98 The Dutch temporise with the Commissioners p. 98 9â—… A Preamble and draught of Articles tendered by the Commissioners 〈◊〉 99 100. 101 The exceptions of the Dutch thereunto their Papers slighted p. 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 The Dutch and English do again debate the point of Coalition p. 108 109 110 The Dutch perswade Cromwell to discard the Fifth-Monarchists and to assume the Government their Promises and Submissions unto him p. 110 111 Cromwell betrays the English interest unto the Dutch and yet is cheated by them several times before the Conclusion of the Treaty p. 111. unto p. 117 Both Parties agree to omit the general concernment of Religion p. 117 The Dutch observed not that Peace ibid. A large Memorial penned by the pretended Parliament of the Commonwealth of England concerning the English Rights to
prudence and piety there is not any of their projects no nor all of them summed together which may compare with the Declaration of His Majesty in order to the preserving at present and re-setling for the future the Church of England If the Primitive Emperours did publish their own judgments concerning the Orthodox Church thereby to insinuate unto their subjects which way they wished and desired them to conform their Opinions If they did extend several priviledges and emoluments of Revenue and Legacies unto the Catholicks which the Sectaries were not to receive Behold what His most Sacred Majesty doth declare In the first place We Declare our express Resolution Meaning and Intention to be That the Church of England be preserved and remain entire in its Doctrine Discipline and Government as now it stands Established by Law And that This be taken to be as it is the Basis Rule and Standard of the General and Publick Worship of God and that the Orthodox Conformable Clergy do receive and enjoy the Revenues belonging thereunto and that no person though of a different Opinion and Perswasion shall be exempt from paying his Tythes or other Dues whatsoever Hitherto the Ancient Politicks concur with the modern prudence of His Majesty yet there is this advantage on the part of the Church of England above what the Primitive Christians had that the Revenues of the Conformists are better settled and greater by far then the Nicene Fathers then the Hillary's the Basil's and the Nazianzen's could pretend unto And the power and dignity which our Bishops hold as Spiritual Lords not to mention their influence upon the subordinate Clergy hath nothing parallel to it in the four first Centuries except we should seek for particular instances in Rome and Alexandria Here are no Pagan Pontifices Sacerdotales Agrorum Hierophantae c. to rival much less transcend them No Jewish Patriarchs Primates Archisynagogi c. that equal them in Titles and are to be respected and exempted by Franchisements equal unto theirs The common Schools and Universities are not now as Athens in the time of Nazianzen and generally the Professors and Sophistae devoted to Gentilisme but managed by the Church The Parliament as of old the Senate doth not consist of Paynims or Arians c. Those which sway in our Councils and in the Magistracy are now no such kind of Men as heretofore From whence it is easie to conclude that If the Orthodox Church did advance it self in the Primitive Ages amidst those circumstances there is no fear that the Church of England which takes that Antiquity for its pattern as to Doctrine and Discipline should be ruined amidst much better conditions His Majesty doth further adde That no person shall be capable of holding any Benefice Living or Ecclesiastical Dignity or Preferment of any kind in this Our Kingdom of England who is not exactly Conformable This is conform unto the Presidents of Constantine Theodosius c. who did require an exact Subscription to the Niâ—…ene Council Thus Athanasius and S. Hilary c. urge an unalterable Conformity to the Decrees of the Three hundred and eighteen Bishops at Nice From thence the Fathers never would reeede And when the Emperour Constantius at the Councils of Sirmium Ariminum c. had formed sundry Comprehensional Creeds whereunto both Arians and Catholicks might saving their sundry judgments subscribe the best of the Fathers totally rejected the contrivance and those which out of a desire for the Union of the Church had assented thereunto did soon repent themselves for thereby the Orthodox Church received extraordinary prejudice The Nicene Fathers and the Catholicks seemed to have condemned the practices of their Chief Prelates and of themselves in making so great a Schisme and fulminating out Anathema's against their Brethren for needless words and forms which the Church might want and which they now expunged The Arians triumphed every where as Victors the whole World seemed to follow them and the rest appeared to be justly exiled and scorned who had raised such Divisions and Animosities in the Church and State about Trifles Hereupon the Comprehension was utterly dissolved and never resumed again in old Christendome as the most foolish and impracticable design that could be Upon this precedent did the D. of Saxony rather proceed by a special form of Concord then by any General and Comprehensional course â—…hus did the Calvinists in the Synod of Dort The Romanists in the Council of Trent Q. Elizabeth in her Subscriptions Thus have all wise Princes done except Charles V. who by an ill-favoured Interim tried the other way but with so bad success that 't is no president for His Majesty How Orthodox soever the Novatians were yet were they ranked alwayes amongst the Hereticks and Schismaticks nor did the Church ever project a Comprehension for them It is true the Primitive Emperors did grant them the same priviledges with the Catholicks which I believe did help to continue their Schisme so long But herein the Judgment of His Majesty seems more clear and elevated in that He doth not imbolden any Pretenders unto Orthodoxy to be Schismaticks by communicating with them His publick favours c. equal emoluments with the true Sons of the Church of England As we do now reckon all Separatists whatever under the Name of Non-Conformists albeit they differ as much as Novatians Basilidians and Manichees so did the Antient prudence esteem them all Hereticks and Schismaticks And if the hopes of preferment if the honour of a publick Church be not motives sufficient to make some men Proselytes to the Church of England It is rational to think that the being indiscriminately mixed in such a loathsome company and character may operate upon the minds of many to abate of their preciseness It follows We do in the next place Declare Our Will and Pleasure to be That the Execution of all and all manner of Penal Laws in Matters Ecclesiastical against whatsoever sorts of Non-Conformists or Recusants be immediately suspended and they are hereby suspended His Majesty herein writes after the Copy of the Primitive Times The Penal Laws are suspended the Defaults the Heresie the Schisme are not authenticated The punishment is taken off the guilt is not None is encouraged hereby unto Separation but indulged if he do separate They are still Non-Conformists to the Church of England They are still Recusants as to the Law They may assemble publickly but 't is under this ignominious denomination What power properly belongs to the Church is entirely reserved unto it by His Majesty Ecclesia enim jus Judicii habet Imperii minimè They are Spiritual Fathers and Judges their Authority their Censures are not suspended The Parliamentary and Secular Laws are invalidated for a season which is conformable to the Ancient Proceedings It is not declared that They are not Hereticks or Schismaticks but that They shall be tolerated though such It is one thing to encounter an Heresie or Schisme
were peaceably suffered there But when They began to hold other unlawful Assembleis in the publick Porticos of the City though not to worship therein but to sing certain Antiphons which tended to Sedition and unto the disparagement of the Catholicks there arose a tumult thereupon and several were ssain on both sides whereat the Emperor was incensed and suppressed those Meetings as unlawful and such Hymns were interdicted Thus much I find recorded but I do not remember that any of the Antient Emperors did express such a concern for the Church in their Edicts as His Majesty doth manifest in His Royal Declaration viz. that None shall preach what derogates from the Doctrine Discipline or Government of the present Church then which nothing can be more prudential or conducing to the publick tranquility Their Teachers may instruct Their Flocks and those as I may say that are within But not judge those that are without If they do establish their supposed Truths the Contrary tenets fall of themselves and it is a needless if not a seditious attempt to expatiate against the Religion that is National The Sectaries ought to consider the Umbrage they are under and to walk warily upon that account as well as upon this motive that in cases of Treason and Rebellion greater caution is used and less proofs suffice then in lesser crimes They must not only be innocent but free from the suspicion thereof For the consequences of Sedition are so dreadful and horrid that no wise Governor will stay till it manifest it self by open actions but he puts a stop to what hath a tendency that way And if any one shall at any time find Himself abridged in his Liberty for any such misdemeanor He must blame himself and not the State which ought to be jealous of small matters where the Common welfare of the Kingdom is likely to be endangered The precedents which I have alledged for Indulgence conclude nothing in this case for even those Emperors did not esteem Actions un-moral or Seditious to fall under the notion of a Tender Conscience It behoveth therefore All the Nonconformists in common Gratitude to be Civil and Respectful unto that Church whereof their Indulgent Soveraign is a Member It behoveth them in common prudence not to enervate or subvert that Government which protects them It behoveth them according to the common Rules of Christianity to be wise unto Sobriety to walk worthy of that Liberty whereunto they are called As to the Sons of the Church of England I can suggest nothing unto them in this juncture of affairs that is comparable with their own principles The Homily against Contentions is the most perfect Summe of all that can be said about Moderation They profess to gather their Doctrines out of the Fathers And they will never erre at this time in their deportment who shall consult those Oracles Neither will any thing conduce more unto our peace then that our Church conform themselves unto those illustrious and pious precedents which They have transmitted unto Us How to deal with obstinate and condemned Hereticks I am more convinced by S. Hilary then the more modern dictators of Ecclesiastical Policy The former treated the Arians with much mildness and regained them unto the Church without the assistance of the Secular power And there is a great difference betwixt the addresses of the African Fathers unto and for the Donatists and what I can find in the present Incendiaries I dare not be so bitter in my expressions and so uncharitable in my Censures against the Non-Conformists because the Fathers do not allow of it Nor is it consistent with that Charity which thinks no evil nor with the Homily against Contentions whereunto our Clergy subscribes It is there that I read How taunts and Satyrical invectives are forbid It is there that I read How a Scoulder and a Taunter is reckoned 1 Cor. 1. with Thieves and Idolaters We are not to eat with such And many times there cometh less hurt of a Thief then of a railing Tongue for the one taketh away a Man 's good name the other taketh away his riches which are of much less value then his good name A Thief hurteth but Him from whom he stealeth But He that hath an evil tongue troubleth all the Town where He dwelleth and sometimes the Whole Countrey And a railing tongue is a pestilence so full of contagiousness that St. Paul willeth Chrâ—…ian Men to forbear the company of such and neither to eat nor drink with them And whereas he will not have a Christian Woman should forsake her Husband although he be an Infidel or that a Christian servant should forsake his Master which is an Infidel and Heathen so that He suffers a Christian maen to keep company with an Infidel Yet He forbiddeth us to eat with a Scoulder or Quarrel-picker I dare not entertain so severe thoughts against the Generality of the Non-conformists as to say that their obstinacy ariseth from malepertness and a Peevish Humour I allow that they are deluded but S. Salvian tells me that a man may erre with an upright intention and pious designs The Truth is lodged in the Church of England but they think themselves possessed of it The right Worship of God is amongst us but they think their wayes to be right And whatever Impiety they are guilty of they do not esteem it to be such What they are unto us we seem to be unto them And how they shall be judged for their erroneous opinions at the last day He alone knows who is to be their Judge Whence is derived this new mode of rendring evil for evil of cursing them that perhaps do not curse us Doe we think to convert Men by Satyrs or winn upon English Spirits by contumelious language or make men love us by proclaiming them for Hypocrites ungovernable and intolerable Sectaries do we think to reconcile affairs by repeating matters Pardon me ye modern followers of Idacius and Ithacius if I imagine the example of S. Martin to be most authentick in our Church I dare not say that a Belief of the indifferency or rather Imposture of all Religion is now made the most effectual not to say the most fashionable Argument for Liberty of Conscience Because I know that Necessity of State and Salus populi are superior thereunto and much more in fashion And whosoever understands the Controversie must know that there are considerable Arguments for it and 't is a great mistake in History for any Man to say That Toleration after Ecclesiastical Censures are passed is onely cried up by oppressed parties It is an effect of the same Ignorance for any man to say That Toleration is inconsistent with Government That 't is better to abrogate penal Laws then to suspend them in this case I cannot believe that to be the course to ruine the Church whereby it appears to have been setled Neither can I comprehend How the Toleration of numerous
Sozomen hist. Eccles. l. 7. c. 2. Socrates hist Eccles. l. 5. 〈◊〉 2. Constant. August Porphyrogennet in excerptisex Jo. Antiocheno Suidas iâ—… vote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jac. Gothofredus in Cod. Theod. l. 16. tit 5. lege 4. Sozomen l. 7. c. 2 3. Socrates lib. 5. c. 3 4 5. Jacob. Gothofredus in chronolog Cod. Theodos. A. D. 379. Socrates l. 5. c. 7. Sozomen l 7. c. 2 5. Socrates Hist. Eccles. l. 5. c. 7. Sozomen l. 7. c. 5. Jac. Gothofred dissertat in Philostorg l. 9. c. 19. Sozomen l. 7. c. 7. Socrates l. 5. c. 8. Cod. Theodos. lib. 16. tit 5. lege 6. tit 2. lege 3. Et graves quidem paenas legibus suis adscripsit haudquaquam tamen executioni mandavit Neque enim punire Sâ—…bditos sed terrere tantummodo studebat ut idem cum ipso de Divinitate sentirent Nam illos laudabat qui suâ sponte converterentur Sozomen l. 7. c. 12. Socrates Hist. Eceles l. 5. c. 10. Sozomen Hist. Eccles. l. 7. c. 12. lib. 8. c. 1. Socrates Hist. Eccles. l. 5. 20. Socrates Hist. Eccles. lib. 6. c. 8. Zozomen lib. lib. 8 c. 8. Procopius in Histor. Arcanâ ex edit Alemanni p. 51. Erant quidem Alemanne complures Christianorum Sectae quas vulgò Haereses vocant Manichaeorum Samaritarum c. Sed tamen templa fana ubique locorum possidebant Illa verò praesertim quae Arianorum furori serviebant auro argento gemmisque prâ—…sis lapidilus omni denique divitiarum opum genere incredibiliter abundabant Tho. Rivius in defens Justiaian adu Alemann p. 62. Cod. Theodos. lib. 16. tit 5. lege 21. Jacob. Gothofredus in Cod. Theodos lib. 16. tit 5. lege 39. Cod. Theodos lib 16. tit 1. lege 4 cum notis Jac. Gothofredi Alemannus in Procop. hist. arc p. 56. Jac. Gothofredus dissert in Philostorg l. 10. c. 3. Cyrill Bishop of Alexandria that See being raised â—…nto a Principallity did shut up about the same time the Churches of the Novatians at Alexandria and seized on the Furniture and afterwards confiscated all the Estate of Theopemptus their Bishop Socrates l. 7. c. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Socrates lived in his dayes Jac. Gothofredus in Cod. Theodos. lib. 1â—… tit 10. in Paratitlo Id. Ibid. tit 8. in Paratitlo Athanasius nonaginta per Libyam AEgyptum episcopi in epistolâ ad Episcopos in Africâ P. AErodius Rer. judicat l. 1. tit 6. c. 1â— Quantum inde vulnus aerariis Regis inflictum sit quid attinet dicere cùm res ipsa omni testificatione luculentius clamet Sed vincit amor fidei cupido propagandae pietatis quam sibi cum sceptris prae sceptris commendatam tuendamque suscepit Alex. Patricius Atmacan Mars Gallicus lib. 2. c. 30. Tanta fuit in Theodoricho cura ejus quam non profitebatur ipse Religionis ut optimos ei semper Episcopos daret De quo sic nepos ejus Athalarichus Cassiodor varior l. 8. cp 15. Senatui Urbis Romae Gratissimum nostro profitemur animo quod gloriosi domini avi nostri respondistis in Episcopatûs electione judicio Oportebat enim arbitrio boni principis obediri qui sapienti deliberatione pertractans quamvis in alienâ religione talem visus est Pontificem delegisse ut agnosceretis illum hoc optâsse praecipuè quatenùs bonis sacerdotibus Ecclesiarum omnium religio pullularet Recepistis itaque virum divinâ gratiâ probabiliter institutum regali examinatione laudatum H. Grotius in Prolegom ad Hist. Gotthorum Cod. Theodos. lib. 16. tit 5. lege 26. tit 1. lege 2. Socrates hist. Eccles. l. 6. c. 8. Sozomen hist. Eccles. lib. 8. c. 8. AErodius ver judicat lib. 1. tit 6. c. 15. Salvian de gubernat Dei lib. 5. Vires quae supersunt tempestivè fovendae sunt nè penitùs deficiant In extremis consilia etiam necessitate honesta fiunt ac Sinuanda vela cùm tempestas jubet Omnia maris mala naufragio minora sunt Gubernator ut aureis Curtii verbis utar ubi naufragium timet jactura quicquid servari potest redimit Puteanus in Statera Belli Pacis Alberic Gentilis de jure belli l. 1. c. 10. in commentat de jure belli p. 28. Let our pseudo-politicians mark this and they will find that the Penal Lawes are much better suspended by an extraordinary Declaration then by an Act of Parliament The case of Ship-Money briefly discoursed according to the grounds of Law Policy and Conscience presented to the Parliament Nov. 3. 1640. The ancient strength of Shipping in England heretofore considering the condition of our Neighbors did farr transcend ours of late William â—…ulbeck's Pandects of the Law of Nations c. 4. See the Plea of Chizzola for the Venetian Sovereignty over the Adriatick Sea at the end of the English Selden and 〈◊〉 Archbishop of Jadera in â—…is supplement of the History of the Usâ—…chi Joan Palatius de domin Maris l. 1. c. 8. Joan. Marquardus J. Comitus de jure Mercator l. 2. c. 5. 41. c. Leo ab Aitzma p. 177. Jo. Loccenius de jure marit l. 1. c. 4. 10. Meminerimus etiam atque etiam claudum esse Imperium si non maris sit Imò Imperium maris imperare terrae quoque Alberie Gentilis disput Regal 2. Flores Historiar Radulfus Cestrensis Matheus Westmonasteriensis â—…um oram maritimam praedonibus liberasset Imperium maris populo Romano Restituisset Ex Asiâ Ponto Armeniâ Paphlagonia Cappadociâ Ciliciâ Syriâ Scythis Judaeis Albanis Iberiâ Insulâ Cretâ Bastarnis super haec de Regibus Mithridate Tigrane Triumphavit Plinius nat Hist. l. 7. c. 26. Gambden's Elizabeth An. Dom. 1561. Lord Bacon in his Answer to a Libell published in 1592 c. 7. Id. ibidem c. 2. Stat. de an 2 3 Ed. 6. c. 36. Philippus Honorius Praxis prudentiae Polit. pag. 466. Id. Ibid. pag. 202. Disquisit Politic cas 19. Ibid. Disquisit 41. Machiavel discurs l. 1. c. 8. id Ibid. c. 31. Alberic Gentilis de jure belli l. 1. c. 9. Clapmar de arcan â—…ip l. 4. c. 21. Machiavell disput l. 1. c. 4. Daillè de usu patrum l. 2. c. 6. Chillingworth against Knot ch 5. Sect. 96. Albericus Gentilis de juâ—…e belli l. 1. c. 9. See the Oration and Memorials printed with the Declaration of War 1652. See the Declaration and Anâ—…ers of the Council ofâ—… State â—…652 Adrian Pauw in his Memorial tendered to the Council of State ibid. MSS. Comment of the Treaty and Arâ—…icles betwixt the English and Dutch in 1653. Leo ab Aitzma hist. trac pacis Belgicae p. 841. De mari piscationâ—… mentio fuit de iis ante omnia conveâ—…endum c. Leo ab Aitzma p. 845. This is expressed in his Memorial given in to the Council of State and printed with the Declaration MSS. Comment Leo ab
Dutch to assist England in case that France should turn its Forces upon these Kingdoms Neither could He demand any Aid by the League of Guaranty except his most Christian Majesty did Declare and make it to APPEAR that He Invaded the King of England on purpose to revenge his entring into the TRIPLE ALLIANCE for the defence of Flanders At the same time his Majesty had notice of the secret Applications and Overtures which the Dutch had made unto the Crown of France and He perceived how dangers multiplied every way upon Him that the Source and Original of all these Perils was the Ambition and Treachery of the Hollanders and the implacable Animosity of the De Wits against England and that if He did not by some suddain Councils secure Himself that Winter his Affairs would be but in an evil Condition in the succeeding Spring The Dutch had of a long time formed a Design to ensure themselves of the Universal Empire of the Seas and to give Laws thereon to all Princes and States in point of Traffick HOW AND WHETHER THEY SHOULD TRADE These Projects had been insinuated into the People by Mr. Schookius one of the Professors at Groninghen and were the Dictates of in the States General Their Actions in the East and West Indies Russia and the Baltick Sea were evident Arguments of such Intentions Their Annually building a determinate number of Capital Ships their driving upon our Fisher-men and spoilling their Fishing within the proper Seas of his Majesty Their Attaquing of forein Ships under the Protection of our Castles and Ports their Attempts upon the Navy of the pretended Parliament in the Downs and the Burning of our Ships at Chatham when a Peace was even concluded were all Results and plain Consequents of the said Design Now it seemed they would finish it as to the English and consequently upon all Europe by their great preparations of Capital Ships and others which though purposed against France yet had their influence and carry terrour amongst all their Neighbours And the refufal of the Flag was but a Degree towards those demands which ensued That his Majesty should relinquish his usurped Dominion of the British Seas His Majesty had already yielded at Breda enough to satisfie a moderate Ambition but where the desires are boundless those concessions become ineffectual which are not proportionate thereunto If he entred into a New Treaty who could ascertain Him where the Hollanders would begin or when they would end Their consultations are generally slow and most commonly dilatory Who knew how they would protract time in this Juncture and draw Advantages thereby from the necessities of his Majesty It seemed evident that his Majesty must make as great preparations to procure a tolerable Treaty from them as to make War upon them and in the mean space whilst We pursue no oâ—…her aims then a sirm Defensive League with the Dutch and remain separate from France who can Imagine otherwise then that the Dutch would to Crush the Rising Power of England and to busie France prosecute the Overtures privately and contract an Offensive League with his most Christian Majesty What straights his Majesty had then been reduced unto the most Vulgar capacity can apprehend But to gratifie the Credulous and Ignorant suppose his Majesty had prevailed with the Dutch for a speedy and real Treaty which He could not by his Embassadour Sir G. Downing Is it not now visible which the Elevated Spirit his Majesty did easily foresee That they would demand of us to Relinquish the Dominion of the Seas Which if he had assented unto what Debates would it have occasioned amongst the Lawyers and in Parliament con-the giving up of such a Royalty What anger and discontents would it have excited in the Breasts of all his Subjects to see so much of Pusillanimity in the King and Court and to find themselves their Families and Estates exposed as a Prey to any Invader who might sail our Seas and possess our Ports and Territories without giving any warning and Fish upon our Seas without our License Nothing is more clear and certain then that His Majesty must have lost the Love of all His Subjects to purchase the suspitious Amity of the Hollanders I call their Amity suspicious because they never observe any Articles how solemnly soever ratified beyond their Interest and pleasure And who knows but They might have imagined it their Interest to prolong a War with France until the expense thereof had exhausted England Is not Mony the Nerves of War and is it not in long Wars as in long wrestlings and scuffles where the Victory depends upon the strength of the sinewes Is it not likewise evident that upon so tedious a War the King of England must have been reduced to the same condition as if He had been vanquished by France The Dutch would thereby have survived as Masters of the Sea by the power of their more numerous Fleets and his Majesty have been necessitated to an unseasonable breach with them not being able to perform Covenants or to pawn the Isle of Wight which upon an exigency they desired as a Mortgage from Cromwell or Portfmouth or Plimonth or Hull or All. Let us but remember that the defensive Articles must have been renewed and calculate what the annual expense of forty Ships six thousand Foot and four hundred Horse amounts unto and observe that We should pay them and not be reimbursed till three Years after the War is ended Let us but ruminate hereon and think how the Dutch served Queen Elizabeth upon the like Articles and all the precedert Evils will seem no futile apprehensions and dreams I know the present humour of the Nation there is not a Fop or Simpleton but is a Statesman and esteems himself wise enough to censure the Actions of the Privy Council and to agitate in a Caball would the King but vouchsafe Him a place in His Cabinet Let any of those profound Polititians but phansie themselves Embassadours to negotiate with the Dutch in such a Treaty as is related hereaster betwixt the pretended Common-wealth and the States General and I am confident that as vain as They are there is not one will say He could have concluded it with expedition And if so these men may forbear to condemn their King for not involving Him self in tedious and uncertain Treaty with these perfidious States at such a time when it was necessary for Him to fix unto some Resolution speedily In February indeed the Dutch did send over a Latine Memorial penned by De Wit and delivered by Boreel but it is so dubious and Equivocal that no wise Man can think such a Paper a sufficient ground for a Treaty They modestly offer to strike the Flag and lower the top Sails of their Fleets to single Ships of Ours in token of honour and respect to their good Ally not as it is His Right as long as we shall adhere to the defensive Articles And that we shall
â—…ind in your own reason an Apology for our being resolute in this point you must needs be convinced that We ought not to abandon a Ceremony which is of so high concernment It is no policy to attempt the change of inveterate customs and usages Even errours and abuses are upon this account legally tolerated Let us then so adjust the matter Let Equity and all those inclinations you express for Us as Neighbours English-men and partakers of the same Faith induce you to continue those Honorary respects to the Ships of war of this Nation which All the Neighbour-States and Princes and which you your selves and your Progenitors have constantly exhibited Which you may do without detriment or disgrace But We cannot for bear to demand without our unspeakable prejudice Private persons move in another Sphear and act by other Rules then Soveraign Powers The regards of Credit with them may oftentimes yield to those of Utility or other Motives the publick receives little of injuâ—…y thereby nor is their wisdom questioned for such punctilio's if they relinquish them for other emoluments or peace-â—…e But Soveraigns cannot transact so Their Subjects The People participate in their Honour and Indignities They have a propriety a direct Right in the former Soveraigns cannot alienate or suffer their Honour to be impaired because it is not really Theirs it appertains to the Nation universally and They are all effectually injured by such transactions either because the Indignity doth directly extend unto them or because the Government and Authority is thereupon weakned and prejudiced which is the greatest of Civil detriments that can befall a People though ordinarily they are not aware thereof As prudence doth thus distinguish betwixt the demeanour of private and publick persons So doth Châ—…istianity it self for albeit that the Gâ—…spel-precepts do oblige particular persons to bear injuries and contumelies with patience and to surrender even the Coat as well as Cloak yet is not this so to be construed as if even private Christians were to yield up their Civil rights to every insolent that would encroach upon and usurp them or that they were to deprive themselves of those reâ—…arations which the Law and Government affords them Neither is it so to be understood as if the Civil Magistrate in Christendome might not secure himself of that obedience and reverence which is due â—…nto his dignity but bear the sword in vain Do not therefore go about to teach Us patience that you may more easily wrong us Do not insinuate the concerns of the Frotestant Churches the interest of Religion the Evangelical rules for peace and brotherly love that You thereupon may deprive Us of our Rights destroy our Fleets ruine our Trade and either subject Us to Your States or render Us a facile conquest for any invader Hither to We have acquainted you with the value we ought to place upon the Right of the Flag were it only an Honorary salute with what prescription we claim it and with what injustice you refuse it We now adde that The English Nation did never regard it only as a Civility and Respect but as a Principal Testimony of the unquestionable Right of this Nation to the Dominion and Superiority of the adjacent Seas acknowledged generally by all the Neighbour-States and Princes and particularly by You and Your Predecessours besides many most authentick Records and undeniable proofs together with a constant practise in confirmation thereof Yet did a Captain of yours refuse it affirming that If He did it He should loose his Head Your Vice-Admiral denied it to the English Admiral and menaced such as rendered that submission to our Ships We do not upbraid you with meer incivility in this procedure though the grandâ—…ur of England and the obligations which the United Netherlands have to thâ—…s Nation might contain you from being rude It is the absolute and substantial Soveraignty of the Brittish Seas which on our parts by such a deportment as the striking of the Flag or Topsail to our Ships on those Seas is required to be acknowledged and so hath been for many hundred years understood agreed unto and acknowledged by the Nations of Europe Would you know the extent of this Maritime Dominion our English Laws have alwayes reckoned upon the Four Seas Such as are â—…rn thereon are not Aliens and to be within them is to be within the Ligieance of the King and Realm of England The Records of Parliament in the dayes of King Edward III. and Henry V. proclaim it that those Kings and their Progenitors had ever been Lords of the Sea And God forbid that ever there should be any Parliament in England that should consent to erase those Records or cast dirt upon them by renouncing the Soveraignty asoresaid In the Records of the Tower there is a Libel relating to the times of Edward I. and Philip the fair of France in which the Procurators of most Nations bordering upon the Sea throughout Europe as the Genoâ—…ses Catalonians Almains Zelanders Hollanders Frieslanders Danes and Norwegians besides others under the dominion of the Roman-German Empire Allâ—… these joyntly declare That The Kings of England by Right of the said Kingdom from time to time whereof there is no memorial to the contrary have been in peaceable Possession of the Soveraign Lordship of the Sea of England and of the Isles within the same with power of making and establishing Laws Statutes and Prohibitions of Arms and of Ships otherwise fâ—…rnished then Merchant-men use to be and of taking surety and affording safe-guard in all cases where need shall require and of ordering all other things necessary for the maintaining of Peace Right and Equity among all manner of People as well of other Dominions as their own passing through the said Seas and the Soveraign Guard thereof Out of this Libel we deduce that The Kings of England had then been in peaceable possession of the said Dominion of the said Sea of England by immemorial prescription That the Soveraignty belonged unto them not because they were Domini utriusqâ—… ripae as when they had both England Normandy and so were Lords of both Shores For Edw. I. at this time had not Normandy but that it is inseparably appendant and annexed unto the Kingdom of England Our Kings being Superiour Lords of the said Seas by reason as the said Record speaketh of the said Kingdom And since that the Soveraignty of the Sea did appertain to the English Kings not in any other Right then that of the Kingdom of England you cannot doubt the Title by which Our present claiâ—… is deduced 'T is in right of Britannia that We challenge it 'T was in that right the Romans held it This claim justified K. Edward III. and his Rose-nobles Though there are other reasons regarding to the Lancastrian line which yield a colour for the use of the Portcullis in the Royal banners of England yet as we read in reference to his
your Trade the result of your Industry But the vast commerce you have not to tell you of the Fraud and outrages upon the English merchants is principally supported by un-licensed enâ—…ment upon Our Territories The Law of Nations obligeth you to be just to every one and not to enrich or otherwise strengthen your selves by endamaging others According to the vulgar saying of Pomponius Neminem debere cum alâ—…rius damno locupletari and that of Tryphonimus Ex aliend jâ—…cturd lucrum haurire non opâ—…riet We do not desire you to fish upon our Seas But if you will reap any profit out of them common reason obligeth you to a reciprocal acknowledgment of the kindness and it is but just that you submit to the Taxes and Conditions to be imposed in case you desire to draw unto your selves the emoluments The common maxims of State do authenticate our proceedings if we totally interdict you them and it is an Argument of our respects to you that we offer you to fish therein upon such terms that the profits which accrue to the States-General out of the said Fishery be transferred upon Us to whom They duly appertain For the Soveraignty of those Seas doth belong unto England by immemorial prescription continual usage and possession the acknowledgment of all our Neighbour States and the Municipal Laws of the Land An Account of the English how They were tortured at Amboyna A. D. 1622. on Sunday Febr. 16. old style at which time they were in Amity by solemn League and Copartners with the Dutch in that Trade Having thus martyred the poor man they sent him out by four blacks who carried him betwixt them to a dungeon where he lay five or six dayes without any Chirurgeon to dress him until his flesh being putresied maggots crept from him in a most loathsome and noysome manner Thus they finished their Sabbath-days work and it growing now dark sent the rest of the English first to the Smith's shop where they were loaden with Irons and then to the same dungeon where Clark and the others already tormented lay with several Japoneses whose ulcers were likewise putrefied Thus ten English of the East-India Company no way subjected to the Hollander were tortured more or less according to their courage and obstinacy until they had confessed themselves guilty of a Plot wherein ten English without Arms without any possible assistance from any other English Factory by the aid of ten simple Japoneses designed to surprise the strong Castle of Amboyna guarded diligently by two or 300 Dutch souldiers besides as many more Free-burghers in the Town and which might be easily relieved or re-taken by their neighbouâ—…ing Castles well manned which the Dutch had in the same Island After this the Dutch Governours met and before sentence earnestly called upon the name of the Lord that He would be pleased to be president and predominant in every one of their hearts in this their sorrowful Assembly and that He would inspire them only with that which might be judged expedient and just c. Then they adjudged them to be beheaded They were carried to execution not the ordinary way but round about in a procession through the Town the way guarded with five Companies of Souldiers Dutch and Amboyners and thronged with the Natives of the Island that upon summons given the day before by the sound of Drum flocked together to behold this Triumph of the Dutch over the English They all at their deaths professed that their confessions were false and extorted from them by the teâ—…ours of the Torment and disclaimed that unimaginable and unseasible conspiracy But the Plot was on the Dutch-side that they might hereby possess themselves of the Spice-trade and as Iezabel caused a Fast to be kept before judgment against Naboth so did the Hollanders in this case King Iames demanded satisfaction for their blood they being neither guilty nor Subjects to the Dutch nor within their Dominions neither if they had been were they proceeded against by the rules of Holland Their Iudges had no jurisdiction over them the proceedings were arbitrary and barbarous such as none of humane race much less Christians would execute against the greatest Criminals but these insolent ingrateful unchristian Netherlanders Yet no amends could that King obtain for the murther of his Subjects or the damage which the Company had suffered by confiscation of their Goods The matter was put off with delayes until 1624. And then the States desired 18 moneths time for the recalling of the Actors of that bloody Tragedy but in the mean space King Iames dyes and King Charles I. succeeds the Dutch instead of disgracing or imprisoning Harman van Speult Governour of Amboyna receive him with great honour and triumph at Iacatra and instead of sending him to Europe according to the directions and command of the States General in a Letter conveyed thither by the English they made him chief Commander of a Fleet of Ships sent from thence to Surat and instead of making any restitution or reparation to the English which was promised and pretended they possessed themselves of the whole trade of the Moluccos Banda and Amboyna about 1632. some of the Iudges at Amboyna returned into the Low-Countreys where they lived free and well countenanced and were never punished by their Superiours The remonstrances of K. Charles were ineffectual and he had employed his Arms for reparation but that the controversies about Ship-money retarded his Naval strength and the succeeding troubles in Scotland and England totally disappointed him The losâ—… our Company received at Amboyna Banda and the Moluccos amounted to 48900 l. 15 s. besides other damages The pretended Common wealth by their Embassadour at the Hague demanded ample satisfaction for all the losses of the East India Company and withal judgment against those that had so murdered the English at Amboyna some whereof were then present in the States provincial of Holland In their Articles they inserted one to this purpose and it was agreed to under Cromwel But he to establish himself the better by indulging the province of Holland his dearest confederates did not enquire into the affair having only proformâ and as it were for his credit inâ—…ted on that Article or acquiâ—…ing in the Retroacts of the Dutch whereby they offered to justifie the procedure the which Retroacts were printed in Quarto 1633. and disproved by the East-India Company at the same time Those Retroacts were no secret in this Nation being published verbatim with the Answer They which first urged the Article were not ignorant thereof and Cromwel himself was satisfied with the illegality of the Action until he abandoned the regards of his Conscience to those of his Ambition and Interest O mites Diomedis Equi Busiridis Arae Clemâ—…es Iam Cinna pius jam Spaâ—…ace lenis Cuâ—… Batavis collatus cris FINIS M. Schoockius de imperio maritimo c 30. urgeâ—…t apud pleâ—…em cultum cujusdam divae quae