pon the reading; but a different passion seized me, when I met with those insolent expressions with which they affront our sovereign, who, not only by reason of his personal excellencies, but by the right of his English crown, is ranked amongst the reges superillustres. Had his majesty been of a lesser quality, yet, since his ancestors have, by their favour, protection, and vast expence of men and money, raised the Dutch into a republick, ordinary gratitude might have engaged them to civiler language. To give the lye to any man, is reputed a just cause of quarrel; and if we allow princes but equal concerns for their honour, this alone authenticates the war. They charge him with injustice, dissimulation, and piracy: They call his courtiers a company of stupid fellows, and say, his majesty can as little adhere to reason, as with reasonable offers he will be satisfied.' They say, that the war hath no other prospect, than the limits of an unlimited ambition, endless covetousness, and a spirit of revenge not to be glutted. That, his mind is misled and obnubilated with a desire of war, the most accursed and unruly of all desires. That, his declaration contains plain untruths, malicious interpretations, and gross impertinencies. That, no precedents of violated faith, out of any chronicles, can be produced, which, in this case, can parallel the example of the said king.'

ers.

These, and many other such like passages, occur frequently in this treatise. I should not have presumed to repeat them, but that I am confident they will be efficacious to animate all the subjects of his majesty, to vindicate the honour of their injured prince, especially when they shall understand how undeservedly he is aspersed by these ignoble, ungrateful, arrogant, and perfidious NetherlandBehold, how unfortunate his majesty is, to contend with a mean and ungenerous adversary! How civil and prince-like was the king of Great-Britain in his declaration! What was there that could exasperate, besides the truth of his allegations? Let any man im partially consider the motives whereupon his majesty proceeds; let him forget himself a little while that he is a subject, thereby to judge the better of the actions of his sovereign, and I am assured he will concur with me in opinion, That the present war with the Dutch is honourable, just, and necessary: And, consequently, if his majesty's loving subjects do value, either their allegiance to their king (which is not to be doubted) or the honour and prosperity of the nation, and of each particular member thereof (all being involved in this contest, and depending upon the issue of it), they will unanimously assist his majesty in the present juncture, as far as their prayers, lives, and fortunes can advantage him.

I acknowledge myself to have been of the number of those, who, by reason of their ignorance of private negotiations, and the real transactions of state, together with that epidemical jealousy of court designs, did believe that this war was needless and unseasonable: That it was projected by some courtiers, and others, who sought to advantage themselves by the publick calamities, or by pensions from

the crown of France; that the Dutch were so humble and submissive, that it was our obstinacy to refuse all satisfaction, not any per- › verseness and pride in them so as to deny us any. I was jealous of the growth of popery, and thought it to be the interest of this kingdom, not to weaken or destroy a republick pretending to protestancy, and for the erection whereof, so many of our progenitors had hazarded and lost their lives. I brought with me all those surmises and misapprehensions which any Netherlander or English male-content could wish infused into me: But when I came to a better intelligence concerning affairs; when I had seriously inquired into the transactions betwixt the Dutch and us, how condescending his majesty had been, and with what insolence the Netherlanders had deported themselves; when I found the reality of his majesty's pretensions, and that the declaration was so penned, that the contents were capable of much higher aggravations, but no way to be extenuated or invalidated: Then did I begin to detest the petulant humour of this age, whereby every one is prone to examine the actions, and censure the prudence of his governors, without understanding the prospect those elevated spirits have concerning such affairs, or the grounds and circumstances by which they regulate their councils; and most commonly we, not being able to deter. mine of matters, were every punctilio and intrigue represented unto us. I thought the times happy, when men employed themselves in other discourses and practised obedience, rather than disputes: When they believed that prudent and solid doctrine of the casuistical divines, that it was only for the counsellors of kings to debate and examine the utility and prejudices, the justice and injustice of wars; the other subjects not being to expect an ample ac◄ count of all the motives and inducements by which their king is swayed, nor to be so infatuated, as to think they can debate or decide such matters, without any better cognisance, than what ariseth from a vulgar brain, a narrow prospect of things, and popular reports and suggestions: But to presume so well of their superiors, as to imagine they understand what is right or wrong, ho. nourable and dishonourable, advantageous and inutile; and that they have so much of common sense as to understand, that the welfare of the people is the grand interest of the prince, and that the king is the greatest sufferer in the ruinating of his kingdoms.

To the end that others may be undeceived, as well as myself, and fortified against all misapprehensions, which either their own ignorance, or the clandestine artifices of these ungrateful and most malicious Netherlanders may subject them unto, I shall represent unto the world the most important passages, whereby they endeavour. to elude or refute the most just and sincere declaration of his majesty, and evince unto the most suspicious or prejudiced persons, that it is incumbent upon the subjects of his majesty, and there is an unavoidable necessity of reducing these insolent and treacherous Dutchmen into such a posture, that they may not only pay their due submissions, with reparations of honour, unto our king, but

1

be obliged to continue them for the future. They are a nation, with whom no league can take effect, any longer than their advantage leads them thereunto, or want of strength and opportunity doth restrain them. It is impossible for any civilian to fetter them by a treaty: If they cannot evade it by equivocation, mental reservations, common elusions, and such artifices as become not sovereigns, these Hollanders will impudently deny all such matters as interfere with their designs, and supply the injustice of their actions by violence and fraud. They have no honour to lose, no conscience to stain, no certain principles to recede from. The Tartars and Moors prove the sincerer confederates; and humanity itself is concerned, that there should not be any longer upon carth so fatal an instance; that there are not in men, naturally, such seeds of morality, such inclinations to civil society, such laws of nature and of nations, as those authors teach us, who never thoroughly understood an iollander. I might give evident proofs of this so heinous a charge several ways, but I shall confine my discourse to what these Dutch considerations lead me unto; and it is from thence that I will manifest to the most ordinary capacities, and the most prepossessed judgments, that these adversaries are not injured by this character; and, to make the case more plain, I will write their words:

Considerations upon the present State of the Affairs of the United Netherlands. Published by a Lover of his Country, for the Encouragement of his Countrymen in these troublesome times.

WHOSOEVER looks upon the first beginning of the state of the United Netherlands with a curious eye, and serious consideration of the histories, and discreetly observes by what means the fabrick of the said state, out of the lowness of its original, is raised to this present height, must needs be induced to confess, that Divine Providence (which not always appears visible to the eyes of the world) hath so clearly been manifested in the framing and exalting of this state, that with just reasons it must be acknowledged, that God Almighty was the external and visible erector of this famous republick.

An age is now expired (when before the country, through an unhappy disorder of government of those times, was fallen into a lamentable confusion) since William Earl of Marck, Lord of Lume, Admiral of the Prince of Orange's navy, by a strict command from the queen of England (who not only denied him liberty to stay in her country, but also refused to supply his seamen with necessaries) was constrained to leave England, arrived beyond his intentions, forced by cross winds, but indeed the winds of God's directions, before the Brill, of which he easily possessed himself, not with a design to keep, but only to ransack the same, and so to leave it again. But, being informed by others of the convenience and importance of the place, brought the same into a posture of

VOL. VII.

defence, keeping it for his principals and superior commanders. And in this manner was the first foundation of this precious struc ture laid, or rather, in regard of the external instrument, cast up by chance, but, in verity, by the direction of the supreme builder, whose omnipotent hands oftentimes make use of mortals, as the blind instruments of his wonderful destinies.

It is not my design, here, to make a relation of the progress of our affairs, and by what means our ancestors have, through troubles and adversities, struggled and ascended to the heighth of that felicity, which by God's goodness we enjoy at present. But my intentions only aim, by this short discourse, to move my worthy countrymen, to fix their assured confidence, that the same God, which hath exalted us from lowness to a state, whose high and flourishing condition now, for a long continuance of time, hath stirred up as much envy, as formerly its misfortunes moved compassion, shall graciously protect and preserve the works of his Almighty hands; if, imitating our predecessors, we, in this juncture of time, do join two principles together, which ever ought to be inseparable, viz. An intire resignation of ourselves to the Divine Providence; and, an unalterable mind, and vigorous courage in these troublesome times, to act as much for our preservation, as our fore-fathers have done for their first deliverance: De siring my countrymen, that, in comparing our present anxieties, with the perplexities of our ancestors, and the necessities under which we ourselves have laboured, they will look back in the histories, for the primitive times of our predecessors, and for that time, within compass of their own remembrance, whereof still we preserve the memory.

We shall find in the histories, that the affairs of our predecessors, in their first progress, and growing infancy, were reduced to that inconvenience, that the consideration thereof moved the supreme person, at that time, who, with an indissoluble bond, had linked his own prosperity to the fate and destiny of these countries, to urge this hopeless advice, viz. To cause by cutting of the banks, and pulling up the sluices, these lands to be swallowed down in an irrecoverable condition, and, with God's mercy, with that small remainder of their ruinated fortunes, to seek other countries beyond seas, there, either to live more happily, or to find a period of their lives with less misery.

I shall not blame the considerer, for reflecting upon the mercies of God, extended towards his countrymen. I commend the least sense of religion in him, but I have most suspicious thoughts, concerning piety in an Hollander. And, I believe, every Englishman will approve this jealousy to be just, seeing all this specious preamble is made use of, to no other end, than to evade all acknowledgments to Queen Elisabeth, and the English monarchy. It is not the pleasure of the Almighty, that subordinate means and instruments should be deprived of their proper elogies. He, by his Providence, appointed means: He, by his sovereign will, doth prosper or frustrate them; yet, so that the Divine interposition

doth not usually derogate from the efficacy of second causes, or exclude us from confessing their concurrence. Whosoever shall

reflect upon the ambitious designs, joined with the extraordinary power of Spain, in those days: the intentions of that monarchy, to reduce the Belgick Provinces, under a more absolute obedience, than the Brabantine constitutions consisted with; the obstinate humour of the Dutch in adhering to their privileges, how irrational soever also the apprehensions, which France, Germany, and England had, concerning the excessive growth of the Spanish and Austrian power; such a considerer will not admire so very much, that the rebellion of the United Netherlands did continue so long, and succeed so well; nor discover such an extraordinary series of Providence, in the erection of their republick. And the most partial men must grant, that it is a most fallacious way of reasoning, to argue from the happiness of the event unto the justice of the cause, or peculiar favour of the divine author. There is not any thing in this Dutch suggestion, which might not have been more rationally alledged by a Goth, or Mahometan, since the juncture, wherein those monarchies advanced themselves, was attended with less favourable circumstances than I can observe, in the revolutions of the Netherlands: But I am confident, no Goth, or Saracen, would have so intitled to God the original of their successes, as to exclude the intermediate assistances, which they received from others, at any time. Such ingratitude is singular in the Netherlanders; and all this impudent harangue hath no other tendency, than to elude the obligations, which that unworthy people have to Queen Elisabeth, and the royal progenitors of his majesty.. Here is no mention made of any protection or aid, given them by the English queen; but one action related, which, as it seemingly carries with it somewhat of unkindness, so it is insinuated merely to this end, that they may alienate the people from a reverence and regard for our nation. It is not to be denied, that Queen Elisabeth did contribute much to the first support of these Dutch, giving them reception here in England, when the fury of the Duke of Alva forced them, as exiles, to seek an habitation in foreign countries; this most gracious queen compassionated their miseries, and gave multitudes of them leave, to fix at Norwich, Colchester, Sandwich, Maidstone, and Southampton, A. D. 1568. Here the exiles had the advantage of a quiet life, and the opportunity of pursuing their designs, in order to the regaining of their country. Nor was it a small favour to the Prince of Orange, and his partisans, that, when they were ready to sink under their losses in Friesland and elsewhere, this queen seized upon two-hundred thousand pistoles of gold, which were transporting from Spain to the Duke of Alva; the detaining whereof, as it was a great disappointment to the duke, who stood in great need of it, for the reinforcing of his designs, so it begat great animosities betwixt the queen and him; the merchants ships on each side were seized upon, letters of reprisal granted, and the English estranged from the Spanish Netherlands, by the translation of our staple, from Antwerp