of the States of Zealand which they did who therewith advised the States General at the Hague they consulting with Sir Ralph Winwood Embassador for His Majesty there who was a favourable Instrument to them in this Business sent Instructions to the Lord Caroon then their Ambassador in England to acquaint the Lord Treasurer herewith And in case of no satisfaction from him to make his Adresses to the King which he did His Majesty being much incensed that His Subjects and Souldiers should starve for want of their Pay in foreign parts sent for the Lord Treasurer who drawing His Majesty aside and telling Him how empty His Exchequer was His Majesty told their Ambassador that if his Masters would pay Him His Money they owed Him He would deliver up those Towns The next day their Ambassadour waiting upon the King to know whether His Majesty persisted in the same Resolution His Majesty answered That He knew the States of Holland to be His good Friends and Confederates bot in point of Religion and Policy therefore He apprehended not the least fear of any difference that should fall out between them In contemplation whereof if they would have their Towns again He would willingy surrender them The States hereupon made up the money presently and sent it to the King And so Anno 1616. the cautionary Towns were delivered unto them The King such was his Royal Bounty unto them remitted the Interest and five pounds for every Gentleman and Officer which died in their service Which Sum certainly would have amounted unto treble the Principal The King of Spain having spent in those Wars one hundred and fifty millions of Crowns and wasted 600000 men and was plung'd so deeply in debt notwithstanding his Mines of Mexico and Peru that having taken up money in all the chief Banks of Christendom He was forced to publish a Diploma wherein he dispenc'd with himself as the Holland Stories report from payment alledging that he had imployed these monies for the publick Peace of Christendom What Sum the King received of them it is not comporting with the duty of a Subject to question or dispute Yet we may observe the treacherous and unhandsom practice of the States to suggest such notoriour untruths to His Majesty when they themselves by Agrement with the Queen were to pay the Souldiers in those Towns however they had been ungrateful to suffer such persons who had so highly merited of them to want when the States were built by the English valour and by their bloud united and cemented But having gotten the possession of their Towns which were the Lock and Key of their Provinces and having compounded for those exceeding great sums of money which they owed His Majesty which sober men did think they never had been able to pay if rightly stated they presently from Poor distressed People are swell'd up to those spreading and magnificent Titles of High and Mighty States Insolent Boggs They might rather have said unto Sedition Thou art my Father and unto Rebellion Thou art my Mother Now they make their Naval Expeditions into America and other parts of the World And by the leave and licence of King James paying some small Tribute they fall to their Fishing Trade upon the British Seas Wherein they did so exceedingly thrive that towards the latter end of King James His Reign they imployed yearly eight thousand four hundred Vessels of all sorts for their Trade of Fishing upon the British Seas which number since is vastly increased whereby they have a Seminary of Mariners ready for publick Service or Navigation And upon Computation it appeared that they made in one year of the Herrings oâ—ly caught upon the British Seas the sum of five millions of our pounds the Custom and Tenth of Fish advancing to the Publick Treasury no less than eight hundred thousand pounds besides the Cod Ling Hakes Pilehard and other Fish compated to amount unto near three millions more By reason of those maltitude of Ships and Mariners they have extended their Trade to all parts of the World exporting for the most part in all their Voyages our Herrings and Fish in exchange whereof they return the several Commodities of other Countries and sell the same at their own prices Great part of their Fish they sell for ready money which commonly they export of the finest Gold and Silver and coming home Re-coin it of a baser Alloy under their own stamp which advance a great profit to them The returns which they make for their Fish in other Commodities amounts to a vast sum And all this Wealth Riches and Grandeur is derived unto them from the Indulgency and Bounty of the Kings of Great Britain The Hollanders now beginning to be considerable in the World by reason of the many Royal Favours wherewith they are inriched by the Crown of England The English and they having several Factories and Places in the Isles of Molluccaes Banda Amboyna and elsewhere in the East Indies the English being some years there setled before the Hollanders had made any discovery of those Islands Anno 1619. there was a Solemn League and Agreement by King James and the States of the United Provinces in a strict Alliance and social Confederacy of the English East-India Company and that of the United Provinces for the better advancing and carrying on of the Trade and Commerce in those Islands and elsewhere in the East-Indies Here are so many marks of Kindness such ample Demonstrations of Favour as no People could have greater Obligations if any Principles of Honour or Justice could oblige them to make returns of Gratitude and give the greatest instances of their Sincerity and Faithfulness to the Kings of Great Britain and the English Nation But with them Favours past are not accounted they love no Bounty but what is meerly future At Amboyna one of the Scyndae or Setibe Islands lying near Seran and hath many lesser Islands depending upon it it 's of the Circuit of 60 Leagues an Island which bears Cloves plentifully for gathering and buying whereof the English Company had placed five several Factories The head of all at the Town of Amboyna so called from the Island the chief Town in it two at Hitto and Larico in the same Island and two others at Latro and Cambello in the Island of Seran But the Hollanders observing the English to be better beloved by the Natives than themselves and that they began highly to improve and gain by their Trade and Traffick hating that any should thrive but themselves Anno 1622. upon pretence of a Plot between the English and the Japonesses to betray their Fortress in the Town of Amboyna which was built at the charge of the English and for the safety of Trade and Commerce the Hollanders having about two hundred Souldiers there to the end they might ingross the whole Trade and Traffick of the said Islands to themselves most treacherously murthered and with Fire and Water
any trouble in a point so clear I would desire to know of the Hollanders by what right or title they fish upon the British Seas If they have a right Why did the Earls of Holland and themselves after the said Earls take Licences from the Kings of England for their Subjects to fish and pay tribute as they have done as it appeareth by many ancient Presidents in the Tower But now I remember it 's a Principle of their State That if they get the possession of any thing never to dispute the right so it be of conveniency or profit to them to keep it The next is the striking of the Sail which is nothing but an humble acknowledgement of His Majesties Soveraignty of the British Seas and a grateful submission for their liberty to pass upon them for strangers by the Law and Custom of the British Seas being to pass those Seas either in coming to England or going to any other place without so much as touching upon any of His Majesties Dominions have us'd to take safe Conducts and Licences of the Kings of England to secure and protect them in their passage Vide Rot. Franciae 11. H. 4 de Salvo conductu The Presidents are exceeding many amongst the Records in the Tower The striking of the Sail is one of the ancientest Prerogatives of the Crown of England For I observe in the second year of King John it was declared at Hastings by the King with the advice of His Lords Temporal for a Law and Custom of the Sea That if a Lieutenant in any voyage being ordained by the King doth encounter upon the Sea any ship or Vessel laden or unladen that will not strike or vail their Bonnets at the Commandment of the Lieutenant of the King or of the Admiral of the King or his Lieutenant but will fight against them of the Fleet that if they can be taken they be reputed as Enemies their Ships Vessels and Goods taken and forfeited as the Goods of Enemies And that the common people being in the same be chastised by Imprisonment of their bodies for their Rebellion Inter Leges Marinas Anno 2 Johannis Regis amongst the Records of the Tower The Hollanders therefore refusing to strike sail do deny His Majesties Soveraignty in the Seas one of the most precious Jewels of the Crown and the principal means of the Trade Wealth and Safety of this Nation and which all true English men with the hazard of their lives and fortunes are obliged to preserve and maintain for Imperator Maris est Dominus Terrae And as they have deny'd His Majesties Soveraignty so they have by their Artifice supplanted the Trade and Traffick of His Subjects which are the only Pillars of Riches and Safety to this Nation Consult the Muscovia Turkey c. Companies enquire at the Exchange they will all tell you It 's gone whither I know not but into Amsterdam and the United Provinces The English are as active and industrious a people as any but of a more generous and noble Allay they abhor to have Trade by those base practises or to gain it by those sordid means as the Hollanders do I doubt not but the English Nation being sensible of the Injuries and Oppressions done them by these men will in short time by their Sword and Valour reduce them to reason And as they have supplanted the Trade of His Majesties Subjects so they have endeavoured to make a diminution of His own Glory by abusive Pictures and false Libels not only in their own Territories but in most of the Dominions of the Kings and Princes of of Europe where the name of the King of Great Britain is renown'd Reputation abroad and Reverence at home are the Pillars of Safety and Soveraignty By these Arts they have endeavoured not only to lessen His Majestie Reputation abroad but to bring contempt upon Him even amongst His own Subjects at home Without doubt His Majesties good Subjects have a great Sentiment of these Indignities and will not only carry an Antidote in their ears against the poyson of these Libels but with their Swords Lives and Fortunes will vindicate His Dignity and bring these Ungrateful Miscreants to Justice The States having put so many scorns and indignities upon his Majesty and abuses upon His Subjects in their Trade for which His Majestie was more troubled than for the Indignities done to Himself He was resolved to have satisfaction of them But they to give His Majesty disquiet in His own Dominions and for a diversion to Him made their Addresses to some persons of the Scotish Nation with them for their Brotherly assistance promising them they should be furnished with Men Arms and Money what they pleased But the Scots too well remembring their late sufferings and calamities and having as great a sense of Loyalty and Duty for their King as any people in the world with the greatest scorn and abhorrency rejected their most impious and rebellious motion Not prevailing there they set upon some Factories of Sedition in England and by their Emissaries here endeavoured to work upon an honest party in this Nation though differing in some minute Ceremonies from the Church but they looked upon it as the greatest Injury and Indignity could be done them to tempt them from the Loyalty to so good and gracious a King And certainly His Majesty had a very good esteem for them or else He would never have granted them that Act of Indulgence An Act so transcendent and exceeding the bounty and grace of all former Kings that it could not be obtain'd of them though there had been many hundred thousand pounds offered for the purchase of it But as His Majesty hath granted them Liberty of Conscience so there 's no doubt they will make conscience of their Liberty His Majesty of Great Britain and the Most Christian King of all Princes in Europe have most studied and endeavoured for the good of their Subjects to advance Trade and Commerce yet their Subjects cry out they have no Trade and well they may when the Hollanders are the great Supplanters of Trade and obstructers of Commerce to all others but themselves in the world And no wonder for it 's a prime principle of their State That they must not be like the Joc-caul which provide food for the Lyon but they must imitate the prudent Cat who mouses only for it self Nothing can be more becoming the Majesty of two such Potent Kings not only out of charity to deliver the distressed Dutch an industrous and well meaning people of themselves from the Tyranny and Oppression of those insolent States but out of Piety towards God to settle peace in Christendom which is only by the power of these two Great Kings to be effected and to which all Kings and Princes are oblig'd to contribute their assistance For let it be soberly considered if these men if we may so call them since the Revolt from their Prince have
not made greater distempers and confusions and caused more effusion of blood aud expence of Treasure in Europe than the Great Turk hath done for these 500 years And as they are more powerful by Sea so they are much more dangerous in their practise For the Turk is a Prince who with all Potentates doth exactly observe his Leagues and keeps his Faith But it 's an Apophthegm in their State that its for Kings and Merchants to keep their word and Faith But for States no longer then it's subservient to their Interest And how exactly they make this good in their actions I appeal to all the Kings and Princes of Europe if ever they kept one Article or their Faith in any thing where it was their interest to break it Certainly these men live as if great Sins would merit Heaven by an Antiperistasis And it s very well becoming the gravest Judgements to consider if these men may not prove in a short time a greater Terror and Plague to Christendom than the Turk Himself Insomuch as his Arms are at a great distance and only Land-forces but these men are seated in the Centre of Europe and being so Potent at Sea and rich in Treasure may cast an Army and with that blood and confusion into any Princes Dominion whom they please to disquiet especially being first reduced to poverty which they labour to effect in all their Territories by obstructing of Trade And they can more speedily and powerfully offend any Kingdom by Sea in one month than the most puissant Army is able to to march through in a year Well It 's time to reduce these men to Justice and Reason Prudence teacheth us to set limits to that Power which deservedly may be suspected For as they grow in Puissance and strength so the more formidable they will render themselves to all Kings and Princes From one great King they have taken so much blood that he is fallen into a deep Consumption And it 's adjudged by some wise Physicians of State that he will hardly recover Did they not lately break the heart of one Potent King and almost the back of another Do they not privately engage Prince against Prince and by that means bring misery and calamity to them both and out of their ruine create riches and plenty themselves Do they not undermine the Trade of all Europe and send nothing but poverty misery and complaints into all Princes Dominions How dangerous and fatal their Greatness will in few years prove to all the Kings and Princes of Europe and to their Subjects if not timely prevented a weak Statist 〈…〉 without the help of Galileo s Prospective-glass may easily see Yet there are a People in the World which contribute their assistance to them but let them be assured that if these States by their Arts shall extricate themselves from the destruction and calamity which now threaten them they must for all their friendly assistance expect nothing but Polyphemus courtesie to be the last that shall be swallowed up This is too evident by their Ingratitude and Insolencies to the Kings of Great Britain and to the English Nation Nothing can give a check to their growing Power but the Naval Forces of the King of Great Britain whose Situation Ports Strength of Shipping Courage of People and Experince in Sea-Fights have always made him very formidable And that Henry the eighth understood so well that he assumed to himself that Motto Cui adhaereo Praeest This Naval Power of the King of Great Britain is the security and safety of Europe For if that were broken they would look upon all the other as inconsiderable because they are so far separate that they might be destroyed before they could unite and in case they did the issue would be very doubtful Then they would sacrifice one Prince after another and bring nothing but confusion poverty and misery to Prince and People And whether this be not more than conjectural look into their practices in the East-Indies Observe their Arts and Methods by which they have reduced so many great Kings with their Subjects Vassals and Slaves to their vast Ambition I have done Yet I cannot but drop a few Tears for some honest People amongst them who must be inwrapt in the Punishment though innocent as to the Guilt Now the most formidable and Potent Kings in Christendom are drawing their Forces against them All their Trade is gone by Sea nothing but horror and confusion in their Land none of their Allyes durst appear for them A mournful Tragedy Methinks like wise Patriots they should seise upon their States whom they may thank for all their calamities and miseries and yield them up to Justice set up their Prince whose Ancestors have spent so much Blood and Treasure to Vindicate their Rights and Liberties and not to serve their ends of him as all wise men think the States do at this juncture of affairs for its an Adage amongst them that Leo vinciri liber pernegat And the States do as certainly hate a Prince as a Prince doth a Free-State Discite Justitium moniti c. FINIS The Belgick Provinces Duke Alva is sent into the Belgick Provinces The Bloet-rod setled in the Provinces The Government of the Provinces alter'd Five thousand Families leave the Provinces Holland and Zeland for the Prince of Orange They declare Philip of Spain to be fallen from his Government The Duke of Parma provails much Queen Elizabeth takes the Hollanders into her protection Articles concluded between Queen Elizabeth and the States Queen Elizabeth sendsover to the States 5000 Foot and 1000 Horse The Christian Religion was first planted in Holland Zealand and Friesland by an Englishman The Staple of English Cloth removed to Delf Queen Elizabeth gives leave to the Hollanders to fish in our British Seas The King of Denmark seizes 7 0 Ships of the Hollanders Now they triumph giving out their Meddals with this inscription What we are we are by Gods Grace and Queen Elizabeth Ostend defended by the English 3 years 3 months The Spaniards lost 100000 men before Ostend Breda recovered by the English Queen Elizabeth maintained 40000 horse and foot for the Hollanders Q Eliz. infests the King of Spain in America The distressed States petition the Queen not to desert them The States send Ambassadors to Q Elizabeth The Queen di pleas'd with the S ates Alliance with Q Elizabeth was of great advantage to the States Q. Elizabeth councelled and inclined the States to peace The States owed Q. Elizab two millions of pounds Q Eliz. died April 3. 1603. She lost 100000 men in the States service King James proclaimed King King James refuses to assist the States A League concluded between King James and the Spaniard The States refuse to treat with the Spaniard except they be declared by him Free-States Peace concluded between the Spaniard and the States The Provinces of the States The Charges the States are at to maintain their Coâ—tries The projection of the States to get the Cautionary Towns from King James Cautionary Towns delivered to the States The Treasure and men which the Spaniard spent in the Wars The States declare themselves High Mighty States The States paying a Tribute Fish in the British Sas. The number of ships the States imploy in the Fishing Trade The riches the States gain by their fishing upon the British Seas A League between King James and the States for advance of Trade in America The Massacre of the English at Amboyna The States seise the Factories of the English at Amboyna A Prophesie of King James The States seise upon all the Islands and Plantations of the English in America The States drain 400000l. yearly for Spices out of the Kings Dominion The riches the States gain'd by seising of the English Factories The stock of the East India Company of England lost Poloroon delivered by the Natives to King James Poloroon seised by the States from the English The cruelty of States against the Natives in Polloroon The States 〈…〉 themselves the sale Trade and Dominion of the East Indies And to speak freely prosperous villanies are Cardinal Virtues in the States Ethicks The States suffer no ships to pass the Streights of Mallaca Two ships of the English seised and confiscated by the States Bon Esperanza a s ip of the English seised by the States The Dragon and Katherine two English ships seised by the States and confiscated Anno 162â— The Factories of the English in Sumatia seised by the States The Factories of the English in Siain seised by the States The States make War against the King of Bantam for his love to the English The States have the sole command of the North Seas The stile of the States in the Indies The States exclude the Subjects of the Princes of Europe to Trade in the East-Indies The great losâ—es which the King of England and his Subjects have sustained in India by the Vsuâ—pation of the States The Inâ—â—lencies of the States to the King of England in Europe The States fight the Spanish Armado upon the British Seas against the King of Englands Command Difference betwixt the King of England and his Parliament and how advanced by the States The States afford no kindness to his now Majest 〈…〉 being in their Provinces The States make Addresses to the King of Great Britain for Peace The States burn his Majesties Ships The Sovereignty of the British Seas in the King and the Fishing Licenses granted to Neighbour Princes for their Subjects to fish paying tribute The Subjects of other Princes pay for their liberty of fishing All passing upon the â—ritish Seas ought to strike sail Licences of safe Conduct granted by the King of Great Britain The Soveraignty of the Sea ought to be preserved The Hollanders supplant Trade The States have scandalized His Majesty by Libels The States make addresses to some of the Scotish Nation to rebel The States have made more disturbance in Europe than the Turk these 50â— years The States will prove a greater plague to Christendom than the Turk King of Spain King of Sweden King of Denmark The Naval power of England is the security of Europe
pretend great kindness to their Neighbour Princes and enter into a League Offensive and Defensive with them And by that means get the favour of those Princes to have some Ports or strong Castles for Defence of their Trade as they pretend in their Territories When that is done they either make Wars themselves and so those Princes must aid them or else perswade the Princes his Allies to make War upon another Prince which they do and so fight one Prince against another and when they are sufficiently enweakned they Conquer them all 11. If they have any difference with any potent King or Prince they get time if it be for their advantage they give good words but part with no money That done they make their Addresses to some Favorite of that Prince which do all in the Court of the Indian Kings and so with small charges they effect great matters By these steps they have clim'd up to those immense Pyramids of Dominion and Power in the Indies that they are become formidable to the greatest Emperours and Princes there ever making good in their practice that Lemma of Loyola the Apostle of their State Cavete vobis Principes They have excluded the Subjects of all Kings and Princes in Europe from Traffick and Commerce where they have any Territories or Power And by reason of the Dominion they have in the South Seas and the Conquests and Fortifications they make upon the North Seas all their Subjects will finally be debarred from any Traffick or Trade there Of what dangerous consequence this will prove it 's very well beseeming the Wisdom of the greatest Kings and Princes to consider For there are a Generation which are born to be the Plague Disquiet and Scourge of Europe and they gladly sacrifice the Publick Peace of Christendom to their own private Interest If we consider how many brave and large Dominions in the East-Indies were under the Sovereignty of the Kings of Great Britain what flourishing Factories their Subjects had there how great Kings they might have been in Treasure and Dominion how rich their Subjects it cannot but discompose an English Spirit that his King should be ousted of all those Dominions and his Subjects devested of their Riches and Hopes by a People who had nothing but the Favour of the King of Great Britain to support them nor no Fortress to defend them but that of Ambâ—yna and that built by the Monies of the English Company Well we may see what Treachery and Perfidiousness can do being accompanied with Ambition and Industry But they will ere long find that slippery are those Foundations of Might and Greatness which are not laid upon the Principles of Justice and regulated by the Maxims of Christian Piety And as America was the Theatre where they Acted these Tragedies and unparallel'd Insolencies so they have not spared to manifest their Ingratitude Affronts and highest Injuries against the Kings of Great Britain and the English Nation here in Europe Anno 1639. when his Catholick Majesty sent his Armado with some Souldiers into Flanders to strengthen his Garisons there but by cross Winds were driven upon the English Coasts the States Equipped out a great Fleet of Men of War charged the Spanish Armado ravished his Ships out of the Harbours of his late Majesty at Dover and destroyed most of that Fleet though in his Majesties Protection and Dominions and against his Majestles express Command thereby Usurping Sovereignty to themselves and giving Laws to his Majesty in his own Dominions A bold Affront And certainly they could not think but his Majesty did highly resent it But to keep him busied at home and that his Majesty might have no opportunity to bring them to Justice for their Insolency there being Anno 1639. some Distempers in Scotland they did greatly promote them and contributed their assistance to them in all manner of Military Provisions Monarchy and with that the Glory of the English Nation was now departed the People model themselves into a Commonwealth they take a full prospect of the Usurpations Injuries and Oppressions of the States which had such a horrid complexion of Injustice upon them that the new Commonwealth denounce War against the old States they obtain many signal Victories and had much disabled their Naval Forces Now the States being not well able to contest with the English Valour they project how they might deliver themselves from the fury of these men At last they having by their Emissaries first disseminated Sedition amongst the People whereby the Commonwealth became a burthen to the Nation and wise men began to be troubled at the ill face of affairs they adjudged the best expedient was to set up a single Person the States being now sensible of their former errour in not supporting the English Monarchy as their best safety and greatest Protection O. as the fittest person for such a Bold-fac'd Treason by their underhand practise and paying to him some hundred thousand of pounds is prevailed with to take upon him the Government of the Nation The War is continued against them with great success yet by their Interest they obtain a Treaty And thereupon paying a Million of Pounds to O. a Peace is concluded but the most dishonourable and unjust that ever was to this Nation But such as it was it continued till his Majesties blessed Restauration Anno 1641. there happening some difference betwixt his late Majesty and his Parliament they sent over their Rabbies of Sedition here into England and infus'd their Antimonarchical Principles and dangerous Doctrines into some giddy heads of the English Nation who thereby became so intoxicated that they were never at rest till like men infected with the Plague they infected others and thereby a great part of the people became disobservant to the Laws of the Nation and Rebels to their King An Army of these men were raised they having their chief Officers and Commanders and all Warlike Provisions out of the United Provinces to bring Destruction to the King and Desolation to the Kingdom Thereby that Great King being reduced to streights notwithwithstanding the many Obligations of the States to his Majesty they could never be induced to contribute any Aid or Assistance to redeem that Excellent Prince from so great Abyss of Misery or to preserve the Kingdom from Ruine and Confusion which with their Assistance might have been easily prevented But the States were so far from any Act of Charity or Piety that Amsterdam was made the great Emporium or Market for the Rebels to sell those rich and costly Goods which they had plundered from his Majesties best Subjects in England whereas no King or Prince in Christendom would suffer them to make use of any of their Ports to that purpose and the best Furniture that some of the States have in their Houses at this very day are many of those stollen Goods And by this means they brought Poverty and Misery to this Nation Riches and Plenty
of Her Bounty and Kindness The Staple of English Cloth that was formerly at Antwerp She settl d at Delf in great quantities by reason of the great concourse of people which that Trade brought with it the Town became rich well built and beautified with spatious Streets Flushing before the English came thither was a very poor Town but by the Countenace of the Queen the English Garrison there and the Trade which the English brought thither it flourish'd in a high measure and by their means so did all their great Towns and Cities there She incouraged them in their Trades protected them in their Navigation gave them Licences to fish upon the British Seas which before was not permitted unto them and the English did couragiously fight for them to vindicate their rights whilst they were imploy'd in Fishing and in their Manufactures by which they increased in Wealth But one infelicity happen'd unto them that the King of Denmark having taken some displeasure against them laid an Imbargo upon seven hundred of their Ships which were passing backward and forward upon the Sound for Corn by reason whereof the people there were now more distressed with fear of a Famine than with the Sword of the enemy But the potent Queen presently gave them relief For She supplied them with great quantities of Corn. And by Her Interest with the disbursment of some monies the Ships were discharg'd and came home to their several Ports in the United Provinces Now was the Queen look'd upon as their only Patroness and the English the best sinews of their Wars and the Atchievers of the greatest Exploits amongst them Near Newport was fought that memorable Battel 'twixt the Arch-Duke Albert and the State The Victory next under God was gain'd for the States by the valour of the English and the excellent conduct of those Noble and Gallant persons Sir Francis and Sir Horatio Vere Ostend not wall'd till the Low Countrey Wars and then with a Mud-wall only and that not finish'd till the Arch-Duke set down before it In so much as the Arch-Dutchess Isabella is said to have sworn That She should not shift her Smock till the Town was taken Who had She kept her rash Oath had been very For the Town being Garrison'd by the English and under Sir Horatio Vere who was Governour thereof held out against the Arch-Duke a Siege of 3 years and so many months The Spaniard at this Siege lost one hundred thousand men Breda a Town well fortified and the Barony of the Prince of Orange from whom being taken by the Spaniards in the beginning of the Wars 't was again recover'd by seventy valorous English Soldiers who hiding themselves in a Boat cover'd with Turf were convey'd into the Castle which they easily master'd and made the Prince Lord again of all his Dominions and Territories there The speech of one of the Souldiers there upon that occasion deserves never to be forgotton who fearing lest by his violent noise in coughing though he did repress it he should together with himself betray his Companions Kill me saith he fellow-souldiers lest we be kill'd The particular Actions Gallantry and noble Attempts of the English here would deserve a just volume of themselves By their valour and courage most of the Spanish Souldiers were so wasted and consumed that the King of Spain was enforc'd to give a stop to their Conquests to send fifty thousand veteran Souldiers out of Spain and Italy into Flanders And the Queen did supply the States with answerable numbers of men and money insomuch as She maintain'd for them forty thousand Horse and Foot in their service She made many Naval expeditions into America and there did much infest the King of Spain sinking his Ships burning his Towns battering down his Forts and Castles interrupting all his Trade and Commerce there and all this to bring that King to Reason and Justice as to the United Provinces The King of Spain hereat exceedingly incens'd Anno 1588. sends his Invincible Armado against England raised a Rebellion in Ireland against the Queen sent many Spanish Souldiers to Kingsale to the assistance of the Rebels there committed many depredations in Cornwall here many sanguinary and desperate persons were incourag'd to poison murder and destroy Her who made many attempts upon Her Royal person So this excellent Queen being incircl'd with so many infelicities and troubles and beset with so many calamities and being wearied with the Wars in the Netherlands because they did so exhaust Her Treasure and destroy Her brave people and finding the States to grow insolent and to perform no Agreements and withall observing their Subjects to grow rich by the War of which they made a Trade and Merchandise and Her Kingdoms to be thereby impoverish'd She resolved to make peace with the Spaniard being assured the Belgick War was never to be ended by conquest and to that purpose She signified Her Royal pleasure unto the States But finding her Majesty to be in earnest as She had great reason for 't they were much perplex'd For if She had deserted them they had lost their chief and only support they sent over their Ambassadors into England and in the most humble manner that could be petitioned Her Majesty that She would not cast off the Cause of God and man and leave sixty Towns with a poor distressed people a prey to the malice and avarice of the barbarous Spaniard But She earnestly press'd them for the payment of Her money adding withall threats That if She was not obey'd therein She would take such courses as Her lenity was not us'd to be acquainted with and so dismissed them Hereat the States were much disturbed and thereupon Anno 1598. the distressed States sent the Lord Warmond and others their humble suppliants unto Her Majesty who in the lowest posture of humility did acknowledg themselves oblig'd unto Her for infinite benefits But herein Her Majesty excelled the glory of Her Ancestors that by how much She exceeded others in power by so much Her Majesty excelled them in acts of Mercy and Piety by whose means and aid the French have gain'd many Victories and they more As for the Money which the States owed Her they beseeched Her Majesty to consider the dangers dayly growing upon them their poverty and disability to pay and that by original Agreement with Her Majesty no monies were to be paid till the Wars were ended The Queen understanding their unjust practices and ill dealings with Her told them that She had been often deluded by their deceitful supplications ungrateful actions unhandsom cavillings and pretences of poverty when their rich Cities confuted them and She hoped God would not suffer Her to be a pattern to other Princes to help such a people who bear no reverence to Superiours nor take care for the advantage reputation or safety of any but themselves And required them to pay Her the money they