ungodly unjust and full of tyranny the most part that were sent over thither being broken Merchants lost and undone men Roagues and Whores who must make their fortunes by the Portugal made the Portugal dispair of ever being well ruled by such a Rabble and caused them to revolt against the Hollander having most just cause so to do And it is not to be omitted how justly God hath punished the West Indie Company in Holland who are brought to nothing and what supplies soever to their infinite great charges have been sent thither they have either miscarried been beaten or lost one way or other And the places aforesaid taken from the Portugal by treachery are in the Portugals hands again so that God seems to have blown upon that Company and Design The Portugal Ambassador could never obtain any satisfaction or so much as reason from the Hollanders for what they had done My third Instance shall be Sweden According to the Treaty between the King of Denmark and the Emperor Charles the Fifth as Earl of Holland and Zealand made at Splers 1554. and according to the ancient custome the Dutch were to pass the Sound onely paying a Rosenoble the ships being then never known to be visited or searched and this was paid because of the Lights Tuns and marks at sea preserved by the King of Denmark which Treaty after the separation of the United Provinces from Spain the King of Denmark observed not making what rules and exactions he pleased breaking them when he would searching the ships also through which many came to be confiscated for having contraband goods or any commodities that they gave not account of to his Officers in the Sound and as the Dutch were strong or weak in their Convoyes the Customes or Toll was increased or diminished and sometimes they past free the Swede alwaies The Dutch being no longer able to controle the King of Denmark being the onely King at Peace then in Europe they send three Ambassadors to the King of Sweden who at the onely request of the States General made a League of Allyance with the said States in the same year and confirmed it again in the year 1645. being by them called a League Guarantie purposely to keep the Dane in awe being besides the League of Commerce The Queen of Sweden in the year 1643 and 1644. entred Denmark and made war against it The Dutch according to their League which was to assist one another in case the Dane should assault either of them with 4000 men or ships to the proportion of the charge of so many men sent relief to the Queen of Sweden or rather 50 ships into the Sound and at the same time an Ambassy viz Schaep Zoneck Andree to let the Dane know si tu non vis hic faciet The Dane not knowing how to turn himself in dealing with them both entred into a Treaty as well with Sweden as the States of the United Provinces The Queen of Sweden had full satisfaction given her but the States of Holland by reason of the practise of the Prince of Orange who was allyed to the King of Denmark by his marriage of the King of Englands daughter could not obtain their full liberty for their passage of their ships through the Sound nor have the Treaty of Spiers made good to them though the Queen of Sweden advised them to stand to the Treaty of Spiers and she would maintain them in it yet they obtained a reasonable rate and that their ships should not be visited shewing their Passes from the Admiralty and by word of mouth telling what they had in their ships with which the Dane was forced to be content and never could afterward cause the Dutch ships to be visited whereby the Hollander had a great advantage and paid no more then he had a minde unto The King of Denmark being by this means brought somewhat low and the Queen of Sweden high having made peace with him and the Emperor Vlefelt an Ingenuous man and able to raise and restore the Kingdom of Denmark gave the Dunish King direction that henceforth instead of curbing and slighting the Hollander he should court and cajole them by giving them hopes of gain and profit whereupon the King of Denmark honoured the four Earls of Nassaw the Rheynegrave and the Lord of Bredero with the order of the Elephant Vlefelt going to Holland about this Errand courted them much represented how formidable Sweden was and that they did endeavour to undoe their trade in the East Sea though there was little likelyhood of this in regard the Hollanders were great husbands and managers of their affairs and by their money had known how to set forth Monopolies Sweden having little trade in comparison But notwithstanding all the foresaid respect and love of the Queen of Sweden in entring into a League Defensive against Denmark on the Hollanders score and at their request as aforesaid whereby the States had their oportunity of making their tearms of advantage for the Sound as aforesaid She wishing them to stand to the Treaty of Spiers and she would mrintain them and contrary to the League Guarantie wherein the States General are bound to assist the Swede against the Dane with 4000. men ships proportionable to that charge and to maintain the Queen of Sweden free of the Sound so far as those men or proportions would reach she being then free of the Sound and the League of Commerce the said States General in the years 1649. and 1651. have made and concluded a League Defensive and a Treaty of Redemption with the King of Denmark by which the Dutch are obliged to assist the King of Denmark against Sweden or any other Prince or State so far as 4000 men or their proportionable charge in Shipping will extend and whereas the Queen was before free from paying of Toll she must pay the old Toll if she trade that way to Holland the Dutch having hired the Sound for some certain years of the Dane at 140000 Pattacoons or Dollors per annum as aforesaid and is engaged during that time to let it to none other at that rate all this expresly against their Leagues with Sweden in the years 1640 and 1645. wherein they promise Sweden the same thing Ex quibuscunque causis bello involvatur Of which the Swedish Ministers have made several complaints to the States Generall I shall add no more but what our own experience of their carriage to England doth afford us and that onely in a few words leaving the full disquisition thereof and of their carriage horrible cruelties in the East Indies chiefly under Coene as extortions imprisonment killing c. upon the innocent inhabitants besides the English to some other Pen it being so well known to us whom this concerns and I having been necessarily so large already in other particulars What England hath been to them and how they have requited it is afore discoursed Many complaints were made against
them in point of Trade in the East Indies and other parts which occasioned severall Treaties between them and us and in the year 1619 all things were concluded Notwithstanding which in the year 1622. was committed that barbarous and wicked murther on our English in Amboyna and the dispossessing us of those Islands of Spices to this day without making any satisfaction for the blood then shed the spoils then committed the breach of the Treaty then made and the Merchandize then and since taken from the English though it amounts to great sums and should have been perfected in the year 1625 or before it to say nothing of any other particular Certainly the Judgement of God and the Justice of Man will have a time to purge such blood from the Earth which it hath defiled and render unto them according to their deserts But paramount to all was Van Trumps late assault when we were in Amity upon their own offers treating for a more strict Union as is elsewhere mentioned at large in the Parliaments Declaration from the mischiefs and sadeffects of which God alone by his great mercy and providence hath delivered us And to all this let it onely be added That they are already in a League Defensive and Offensive with France a League de non offendendo with Spain a League Defensive with Sweden against Denmark and Defensive with Denmark against Sweden and all other Nations To sum up all If so be by the instances mentioned and what else may be brought of the same nature those of the Vnited Provinces have made it to appear as it seems to be very clear that they have been so far from asserting though they pretend nothing more the true reformed Protestant Religion and Liberty that they have not onely deserted strangers that have professed and contended for the said Principles but their own Flesh and Blood contrary to their holy and perpetuall League and Union called the Vnion of Vtrecht in the year 1579. as in the case of Antwerp Gant Bruges but have assisted the Popish Princes in the warres against their Protestant Subjects as in the case of Rochell and tyrannicall Princes in their warres against their Protestant Parliament and People contrary to the fundamentall Lawes of their Kingdoms as in the case of England and furnisht bloody Rebels with Arms and Ammunition and all other provisions to commit the most hellish massacres upon the Protestants as in the case of Ireland If so be that their sole businesse is to be free themselvs and to have all the world their slaves as they are able as is manifest by the whole proceed of their affairs and to shut up the commerce of the world from any but themselves as in the case of the Sound East Indies Amboyna Antwerp Flanders c. If so be the strongest and most sacred Stipulatious and Leagues solemnly sworn before God and oftentimes renewed upon the same sacrednesse made upon their own desires and necessity and grounded upon old and new curtesies and friendship and upon their own interests others have quitted Peace for their sakes onely and weltred in blood to effect their requests have been broken as two before the fire and of no validity as in the case of France Sweden and England and where they have made shew of tendernesse and affection to help up a Kingdom rising from the ground and yet design it onely as a cover to possesse their strength and riches as in the case of Portugall If so be they can easily swallow down Leagues contrary one to another as Earth is to Heaven as in the case of Sweden Denmark France and Spain If so be that when they seem mostly to desire Peace and strict union they intend it as a disguise to cover their designs of treachery and surprize as in the case of Trumps late assault If so be the Basis of their actions Divine and Humane and the whole of what ever they do attempt be advantage and profit and that Religion Liberty Principles Leagues Treaties Friendships Assistance must serv as oft as they judg it fit and think themselves able to accomplish it though never so contrary to the being of Humanity and all the Rules of Honesty and Faithfulnesse in the world as in the instances aforementioned And lastly if so be we of this Nation of England do believe that there is such a Cause of God this day amongst us that wil take off the a Burthen and the Yoak and cause b Justice to be administred equally to all and c establish Righteousnesse and Judgement in the Earth And that as it hath done much hereof in England already so it will perfect it and that God his will herein will cause to be declared and to proceed to other Nations till the whole d Creation that is now groaning under the exorbitant and wicked lusts of Kings and great ones whether in Monarchies or States be delivered into freedom and that this Cause will e Chastise every one that hath opposed it or born evill will unto it Then I say let England judge things rightly and take heed how they make Leagues and Union with such a people How they forbear to mind what the f voyce of Providence saith to them or neglect to take the opportunities that such a signall hand of God as hath lately appeared hath put before them to secure themselves do justice to their people and maintain the Reputation of that Cause amongst them which God hath written his Name upon both at Sea and Land in such unparalleld and glorious Characters And let every man take heed how he g seeks to bind the Hand of God when he is shaking his Rod over a people especially when they have upon them the symptoms of Displeasure and how they stand in the way of Gods designes in the world and how they expresse more tendernesse to such a people then to the security Blood and right of their Countrey-men and the will of God which we ought to pray to be done in earth as it is in Heaven For when the Lord is moved from his Throne to doe his great works in the world in routing Antichrist making of his name glorious in the relieving the h oppressed delivering the i captive helping him to k right that hath no helper throwing down the unrighteous Powers and Kingdoms appearing as the righteous Judge of all the Earth And lastly in setting up his l King on his holy Hill of Syon which he hath said shall be done and we believe and expect it to be done in these later times of the world Let all men yea the people of God take heed how they stand in his way For if his m Wrath kindle but a little happy are all those that trust in him FINIS 1622. O d. Lords and Commons in in Parliament April 5. 1643. Jer. 2. 3 Zach. 2. 8 a Eze. 25 3. 26. 2. b Eze. 25 6. c Eze. 25 12 15. 35. 5. d Eze. 26 2 e Eze. 36 3. f Eze. 35 12. g Eze. 35 10. h Zeph. 2. 8 i Jer. 12. 14 k Jer. 46 10. Isa. 63. 4 l Jer. 46. 15 16 18 22 27 28 29. m Isa 8. 21. n Psalme 125. 5 o Zac. 8. 2 p 1 Sam 17. 37 q Deut. 28. 1. r Is 13. 2 Gant 2. 4. Å¿ Isa. 55. 13. Zac. 9. 16 t 1 Kings 20. 23 Isay 16. 4. 5. 2 Pet. 3. 9. 1575 1609 100000. l. Sterling 200000. l. Sterling sterling 120000l Note Pennerands Letter intercepted saith that the French were not so much as named in the treaty by the Dutch 1640. a Isa. 9. 4. 10. 27. 14. 25. 58. 6. b Jer. 23. 5 6. Ezek 45. 9. Isa. 56. 1. Gen. 18. 19. 2 Sam. 8. 15 c Isa. 9. 7. 16. 5. 42. 4. Ps 99 4. Dan. 7. 22. d Rom. 8 22. e Jer. 12. 14. 46. 10. Ezek. 28. 24. f Mich. 6 9. 1 King 20. 42. 2 King 13. 19. g Jer. 7. 16. 11. 14. 14. 11 Gen. 19. 16. 17. 26 14. 12. 14 16 1 King 22. 28. 30. 32. h Ps. 103 6. 146. 7. i Isa. 61. 1. k Psa. 72. 12 l Psal. 2. 6. m Psal. 2. 12.
contrary to League and Agreement Plundred and robb'd in the taking of our ships and goods that traded that way and to other places to great values Trod underfoot in their disgracefull dragging our English Colours after their Sterns when they had robb'd our ships Thus dared by the Commonaltie beyond measure in their belching out of Oaths Curses Slanders and by their Masters in preparing Fleets to infest our Coasts beating up of Drums for Voluntiers and endeavoured to be destroyed in Trump's late assaulting our Fleet in the time of Treaty and whilst there was Amity between us Greater Love and Assistance then by the English to them hath not been shown to a People Never was love so ill requited and abused never was patience so much provoked nor ever had people a juster ground to look them in the face in case of Engagement which they have now forced the righteous God will judge between them and us The People and Cause of God in this Nation is Holynesse to the Lord All that devour it shall offend Evill shall come upon them Scotland hath found it so with a witness Even the People of God amongst them who endeavoured its destruction Ireland is yet paying dear for it and upon France are the Vials powring out those of our own Nation that assisted this Cause in the beginning and were eminent therein in Godliness and honesty falling upon this stone afterwards have been broken in pieces so tender hath it been in the sight of God Even as the apple of his Eye Oh thou Belgia what will become of thee in the day when thy rage thy cruelty they malice thy scorne thy ingratitude thy opposition to this hallowed thing shall come into remembrance and is not that day already begun When every crying a aha every b clapping of thy hands every stamping with thy feet Every rejoycing in thy heart with despight every of thy taking c vengeance and revenge for the old hatred every of thy saying she is d broken she is turned unto me I shall be replenished she is laid waste Every of thy taking them up on the e Lips of talkers and making them the infamy of the People Every of thy f Blasphemies in saying they are laid waste they are given us to consume g when as the Lord was there Every of their h Reproaches and Revilings shall be remembred and carry with it a weight of vengeance for Recompence Every i evil neighbour will be visited in the day that God doth k avenge the Controversie of his Cause what then will become of you that have done more against it then all the ill Neighbours He hath begun it already the Kings and great ones of England Scotland and Ireland have drunk deeply of the l Cup they are become a desolation and their Cities shall not return The People have wallowed in their blood have m cursed their God and their King and looked upwards Even Godly men that have walked in this n craoked Path God hath led them forth with the workers of Iniquity God hath been o jealous for it with a great jealousie and out of the p mouth of the Lyon and the jaw of the mighty hath he pluck'd it and set it up on q high He hath lift up his r Banner upon it and advanced it as a Å¿ signe to the Kingdoms of the Earth whoever will not bow down unto it we may rationally expect according to the precedent series of divine Providence must be broken in pieces And who are you oh yeNeatherlanders that dare to set your selves against the Lord against what he hath done and is doing in these Nations to endeavour to strike out all the glorious Characters of his footsteps and presence what his Arm hath brought to pass for him and his mighty Power establish'd in these Dominions Who are you that dare to think that you can root out this Cause and give the lye to all the appearances of God the Prayer the Faith the Prayses of his Saints in these Nations Who are you that say their t Gods are Gods of the Hills therefore we will fight with them in the Valleys They stood against their own Forces but they shall not against ours The Land is given them in possession but the deep is ours and we will swallow them up as in the belly of Hell Our God is the same and so is our Cause on the Sea as well as the Land Spain found it so in the year 1588. and All others have since our late Wars and Troubles Take heed least Divine Power work revengeingly there as it hath begun upon you already and burie your Carcasses in the mighty waters and take heed least that though we would pass by yet God will not pardon what you have done against his Cause and us What is it that hath turned your hearts against your friends and set you to so ill requite their Love their bloud their hardships for you What is it that hath made you to affect and assist that cursed thing of Monarchy in these Nations which you before us saw to be a Plague and adventured your All to be rid of it and which hath confounded all its supporters and which God hath made to appear to be an accursed thing as clear as the Sun at noon day What is it that makes you retrograde to your Principles of a Free State that having known the benefit of Freedom through the Bloud of England you should endeavour the slavery of England Why should you be angry that we stand upon our Legs and honestly proceed to serve the advantage of our impoverish'd Countery and to improve what God in nature Providence and by the dreadfulness of War hath handed to us Why should you covet our Trade and Riches and not rather be contented with what God gives you though it were with a sparing hand Why should you rather delight to see us in our Blood our Cities and Habitations laid waste Our Bodies Wives Virgins prostituted to the mercy of the Bloody Enemies of God and us and rather then fail endeavour it with your own hands then that you should be disappointed of the sweetness of that gain you got by our Losses and Ruines Why should you be grieved at the heart that you did not fully assert the King of Scots interest when as you see God is against him and against his bloudy House And the Lord knows how much you are under vengeance for what you have done for him already Would you be thus measured to your selves Doe you think that the Cause here which hath in its weakest condition born down all before it like a mighty Torrent will not quit it self against your unrighteous Attempts Think you that this State who to do their People Right have not spared King nor Constitution Friend or Brother but have travelled through ten years bloudy Wars waiting upon God for such a day as this Even
France And that they have protested against the Authors of such an Act so contrary to all Publick Faith and all manner of Reason and Decency And what ill consequences should follow that business are to be imputed to the Contrivers and Abettors of that unworthy action of concluding a peace without the consent of both parties according to the Articles of agreement and this the Plenipotentiaries of France have been fain to do to prevent a Rupture in the Union between France and the States of the United Provinces and to clear their Consciences and Duties towards his Majesties of France who could never perswade themselves if the present Opposition and Protestation had not been made that in a business in which there is only treated to keep to an Enemy some secret promises or to accomplish several Treaties so solemnly made with an ancient friend the Spaniards should have had more power over the Plenipotentiaries of the said Lords States of the United Provinces to ingage them to a breach then those of France have had to perswade them to observe the agreements and treaties made between France and the Low Countries But this Proposition having taken no effect the next day Monsieur de la Thuillerie put in another Paper into the assembly That they would be pleased to send thus much to their Plenipotentiaries that they should not sign their Treaty of peace with Spain till France had likewise made an end of their Treaty of peace with Spain This the assembly would not do because it was to the prejudice of their affairs Thus all along till the treaty at Munster was concluded and ratified the French Ambassadors at the Hague and the French Plenipotentiaries at Munster never gave over propounding to the States what wrongs the States of the United Provinces had done and the Crown of France had sustained by their breach of Contracts solemn Leagues and Treaties but none of them prevailed though France at their desire had begun and prosecuted the Warre against Spain whereby Spain was brought low which contrary to their many solemn Contracts to Ingenuity and Gratitude was taken up by the States and made use of to serve their advantage leaving France alone to contend with Spain to this day refusing to lend the King of France supplies of money whereof he had occasion according to the treaty of Campeigne 1624. when the French King supplyed them and having tyed up their hands from assisting the French against the Spaniard by their League de non offendendo The Plenipotentaries of the States of the United Provinces that transacted this affair were Bartolt Van Gent. John of Matenesse Adrian Pauw I. Knuyt G. Van Reed J. V. Donia William Ripperda Adr. Claut Notwithstanding these proceedings with the Spaniard the King of Spains Ambassador Le Brun complains that the States have broken 17 Articles of the late treaty at Munster I have been the larger in this because it is so full necessary and pregnant an Instance whereby at once the States inside is turned outside exactly and a rare President and Caution given to this Nation and all Princes to discern these serpents under all their green and smooth expressions of friendship and their most solemn stipulations for that purpose of which in my judgment I could omit nothing I shall therefore be more brief in the following Instances and forbear the quoting as many as I intended least by too much prolixity I might offend The next that I shall produce is Portugal who whilst under the Command of the Spaniard were understood and Prosecuted as Enemies by the Dutch because one with Spain But in the year 1640. the Kingdom of Portugal making themselves free and distinct from Spain all good Patriots in the united Provinces did look upon it as a business of great good and welfare and an order was made for a cessation of Arms at Sea against the Portugal But those of the East and West Indie Companies true Lucriones shewed their regret at this publick joy foreseeing by this that their Piracies exercised against the Portugals there must come to an end and the conquests also that they had promised themselves over the Portugal in the East-Indie and Brazil This beginning of friendship in the cessation of Arms pleased the Portugal extremely who sent an Ambassador to the Hague where there was a truce concluded on between the Portugal and the United Provinces for twelve years But the craftiness and cunning of the Dutch is worthy observation for because the East Indie and Brazil were so far off the Hollanders caused this clause to be inserted That the Truce should not begin in the East Indies till within a year and in Brazil till within half a year after the ratification thereof In the mean time the Hollander before and in the time gave order and express advice to their men at Brazil and elsewhere to do their best to take all they could get from the Portugals as indeed they did for they took Angola St Tomce and Marinsan and in the East Indies they took Mallacca also in Brazil they took and confiscated divers Portugal ships coming to honest and Cordial friends as the Dutch The Truce being made and both Parties as well the Portugals as the Hollanders having ful notice of it the Portugals at Angola relying upon the Truce admitted the Hollanders as friends with a great deal of joy and alacrity into the Castle but the Dutch being no sooner entred they took and turned out the Portugals and having boarded them in an ugly rotten Bark unprovided of provisions sent them to traverse the sea in a thousand dangers with the same deceit they entred into the Islands of Marinsan and St. Tomce Ambassadors were sent from Portugal to demand these places the Hollanders produced the said clause of the Truce which was all the Portugal could get from the Hollander for said they There is no wrong done in regard that in that clause is said That each side shall hold and keep what he can take and in such a time Whereupon the Portugal Ambassador said to them very well That that must be understoodBona fide viz That which should be taken without having any knowledge of the Truce But those of the West Indie Company and those that were in their service had full knowledge of the Peace or Truce and nevertheless had treacherously faln upon the Portugals and taken from them those places who no waies suspected any such cheat but admitted the Dutch as friends The Dutch having made the business less suspected in regard they expressed great love to the Portugal and ordered a cessation of Arms before the Portugal had desired them but for what end the world may judg which action was the more cruel and treacherous in regard that the King of Portugal had but then torn himself from the Spaniard into his own rights and in this Infancy of his Government was thus dealt withal Besides all this the Government of the Dutch in Brazil hath been so