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
was their due and what was forced from him that concern'd their Liberty and that he might recover all that the People of England had got of their own of him and his Predecessors at once by the Sword he set up his Standard at Nottingham bidding thereby defiance to the Parliament and the Laws of England whereupon the flames of War broke forth in every part and nothing but the levying of Arms and the sad calamities of War abounded in all parts of this Nation When the Parliament were thus enforced to wrastle with the powers of the King the Malignity and opposition of most of the Nobility and Gentry the whole Prelaticall and Atheisticall party the Court and Monopoly Dependants the name of a King which had then some awe amongst the people the Treachery and apostacy of many of their Members and Officers in Civil and Military Imployments The War of Ireland and the Powers of forraign Kingdoms who in point of Interest might be expected to ingage against them and that through the blood of the People and the hazards of War they were constrained to proceed for the obtaining of that Liberty which the King was in duty to have preserved From whom could they expect any affections but from the Dutch who in point of Interest being themselves a Commonwealth but even now torne out of the Jawes of Monarchy through a sea of Blood and millions of Treasure In point of preservation we being the Generations of those who took their Cause out of the dust and set it in the Throne and who ballanced always the late Kings envy and malice to that State themselves also having the designes of the Prince of Orange in their own Bowels working up towards the height of that Tyranny which the Enemies sword would have set up in England And in point of gratitude to those people who had chosen the Neatherlanders before their own safety in theirs and the Neatherlanders greatest times of danger were so deeply engaged One would think that their affections their bowels their money their force and their very souls should have been ready to be powred out for the Parliament whom God made formerly the very Instruments of their beeing and upon whom they might write the Foundation under God of their Prosperity at least that they should not maligne their Cause or advantage their Enemy But instead thereof their Envy to our Nation Malignity to our Cause assistance to our Enemy affronts and scorns to us and our friends in the day of our calamity have exceeded Shall I say any nay all our neighbours round about they became our enemies Treasury for Money their Magazine for Armes and Ammunition their Arsenall for Artillery and warlick provisions both by Sea and Land their refuge and shelter their place for counsell and advice and no doubt had publickly asserted our enemies interest had not the consideration of their great advantage in getting the Trade and Riches of England into their hands by our wars perswaded a seeming Newtrality Nor did these things satisfie them as if they thought they could never shew respect enough to our enemies and enmity to us Borrel and Raynswoold their Ambassadors in the year 1645. coming into England upon pretence of recōciling our differences besides other disservices in the then House of Commons assigned the Justice of the quarrel on the Kings side an unparaleld affront and every way unfit to be given by any especially by Forreigne States who were not concerned in our civill differences and which the Lords and Commons in Parliament then took notice of in their Declaration to the States Generall of those Provinces Afterwards Mr. Strickland our Agent had the Door of the States Generall shut against him for the space of about one year and a halfe and never admitted audience though at the same time Macdowell Agent for the King of Scots had admittance to whom when Dr. Dorislans was added he was assassinated in their Provinces and to this day not so much as a Warrant sent forth by the States General for the apprehending of those murtherers nor have they proscribed them their Dominions nor any thing done by them whereby their abhorrency of the Murther of a publick Minister might appear Nor have things rested here but when the Lord Saint Joh◠and Mr. Strickland were lately sent over Ambassadors after the death of the Prince of Orange upon whom as a cause some of the former injuries against us were laid how were they affronted and endeavoured to be mischieved by Prince Edward who called them Doggs to their faces and Apsley who designed to strangle the Lord Saint John in his chamber to say nothing of all the abuses attempted upon them by the ungoverned multitude on their followers and the assaults on their houses and though they were some days in their power after complaints and demands of justice made yet were not secured and brought to justice or proscribed to this day which being added to the former affronts and injuries and the delayes in the treaty though it provoked not the Parliament to a demand of present reparation so tender have they alwayes been of a breach with them yet they so ill resented it that it was one reason wherefore they recalled those Ambassadors It will be too long to reckon up the severall supplies of Officers Souldiers Arms Ammunition Artillery Money Ships and Provisions that have been issued from those Countries for the assistance of the late King and the then King of Scots his son in their warres against the Parliament of England in England Scotland and Ireland particularly the 20000 Arms 26 Field Guns and 250 Barrels of powder shipt aboard two ships at Amsterdam for England when the King of Scots was lately at Worcester with his Army and at the said Kings desire Likewise the many intollerable injuries depredations and Murthers committed on severall of the English Nation as in the case of Amboyna sufficiently known to the world which was perpetrated even when the people were alive that saw what the English had done for them in the dayes of Queen Elizabeth and soon after a solemn Treaty and Agreement made of all differences between the Nations in those parts The many high Insolencies and affronts given this Nation at Sea in dragging the Colours of England under the Sterns of their ships after they had most injuriously taken their ships and goods from them and caneing the Seamen for being as they call'd it against their King some of this practised on severall English but the last Summer and the robbing of the English Merchants of their ships and goods at Sea to very great values Such things being fitter for a Volume then a few sheets of paper It will take up too much time also to particularize their late securing our ships and goods severall times that were within their coasts there being no cause given by us for such proceedings The marching of their Forces to their frontier Towns beating up of Drums for
THE Case Stated BETWEEN ENGLAND And the United Provinces In this present Juncture Together with a short view of those Netherlanders in their late Practises As to Religion Liberty Leagues Treaties Amities Publish'd for the Information of and a warning to England By a Friend to this Commonwealth They rewarded me Evill for Good Psalm 35. 12. And Joab said unto Amasa Art thou in health my brother and Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to Kiss him but Amasa took no heed to the Sword that was in Joabs hand so he smote him therewith in the Fift Ribb 2 Sam. 22. 9 10. Who knowing the Judgment of God that they which commit such things are worthy of Death not only do the same but have pleasure in them that doe them Rom. 1. 32. For thus saith the Lord of Hosts After the Glory hath he sent me to the Nations that spoiled you for he that toucheth you toucheth the Apple of his Eye Zach. 2. 8. London Printed by Tho. Newcomb and are to be sold by Anthony Williamson at the Queens-arms in Pauls church-yard near the West-end M. DC LII The Case stated between ENGLAND and the UNITED Provinces in this present Juncture HAd it pleas'd the supream disposer of all things who changeth times and seasons and doth with the Nations of the World as he pleaseth to have continued the ancient Amity and friendship that hath been between the Commonwealth of England and the Vnited Provinces which on our parts hath always been endeavoured It would have been matter of great content unto us to have wanted the opportunity of discourses of this nature the English Nation having given for almost a century of years together the most unparalel'd Testimonies of their affections and love unto those Countreys but since they seem to chuse War rather then Peace in bringing their armed Fleets to our borders and there in a hostile manner assaulting and endeavouring to destroy part of our Navy whilst the Amity between them and us continued yea even when their Ambassadors were treating with us for a strict League and Vnion and notwithstanding the great tenderness of this State to avoid every thing that might lead to a Rupture saving the undoubted Rights and Dominion of this Nation and the Justice they ought to administer to their People thereby enforcing us to some engagement and seeing how necessary it is in such times as these that the People be rightly informed in the state of things I have briefly placed a few things together as the state of the Case whereby the People of England may know how much it concerneth them to look about in this present Juncture When the Spaniard was likely to have swallowed up the People of the Vnited Provinces their Libertie and Exercise of the Protestant Religion in the days of Queen Elizabeth and the sad groans of those then distressed States were by their Publick Ministers breathed forth to the State of England though the constitution then of this Nation was under Monarchy Though the Nation had but then abandoned the practise of the Popish Religion professed therein for many hundreds of years before which greatly dissetled the Peace thereof and caused many Rebellions Though this Nation was then engaged in War with Ireland and the Countreys about Though the chief Government thereof was by a Woman matter of encouragement to Enemies both abroad and at home to designe upon England Though all these were very great grounds wherefore England should have looked to her self and not empty her Treasures and weaken her Force for the preservation of others especially when that thereby she was likely to provoke the Spanish Powers against her self as it afterwards fell out in 1588 yet so open was the heart of the People of England to receive the cries of the Vnited Provinces so tenderly did they resent their Condition that as if it were not now the Dutch but the condition of England they willingly espoused their Quarrel undertook their Protection the Parliament of England advanced Queen Elizabeth several subsidies for this work and England enabled her to lend the Dutch eleven hundred thousand Pound Sterling which was a great sum of mony in those days and to them especially who could then hardly raise any considerable sum for the management of so great an affair in all their Provinces ship'd them over many thousands of English men when their own Countrey afforded very few Souldiers and all this when neither League Amity or Reciprocall kindness required them thereunto and which through the goodness of God put a present stop to the Spaniard who was breaking in upon them like the breach of the sea and in time helped them into that condition which hath occasioned them to give themselves the title of High and Mighty States and assisted their Nation so not for a year but for above four score years not in the beginning of their Wars only but till the last year that by Peace there was an end of War not when their condition had a probable dress of advantage upon it but when it was under the greatest improbabilities and this not with a thousand mens lives onely but with the lives of many thousands whose blood was shed in their Wars Nor did the necessity of our Engagements with Rebels within and the neighbour Nations round about cause us to withdraw our help from them but so dear were their Liberties and the profession of the Protestant Religion with them to us that it seem'd to be but one Nation one Cause and quarrel being entertained by us with the affections of Brethren the love of Friends and the respects of Neighbours and Allyes nor have we envyed at but rejoyced in their welfare and prosperity In process of time when the late King of England thought fit to put in execution what had been before contrived in his Father's days to wit the enslaving of England and to that end advanced his prerogative above the Law by which he ought to have ruled both by his oath and the constitution of this Nation and his power upon the consciences of his Subjects in the Injunction of superstitious Innovations in Religious Services which with his tolleration of Popery permitting of many Jesuits and the Popes Nuntio in England himself being sometimes seen at Mass were black symptomes of the Antichristian darkness coming upon us and to advance this end levied Arms against the Scots who then both saw and opposed those growing mischiefs when these things answered not his expectation but rather turned both Nations into union to withstand such proceedings he countenanced if not commissionated that horrid and not to be parallel'd Rebellion in Ireland the blood whereof is not stopt to this very day and yet when he saw the Parliament more resolved to oppose his wicked and Tyrannicall proceedings and that nothing would serve them but Justice on his evil Councellors and security for their Laws and Liberties being grieved that he had condiscended to any thing though it
Dutch for the fraught of the French Goods found aboard them without taking any of their goods at any time the contrary whereof our Merchants have found when as the Dutch have taken not only the Portugall Goods found aboard the English but such English Ships and Goods also without making of satisfaction to this day of which we have pregnant testimonie yet the searching for French Goods aboard their Vessels is so equitable and necessary that it is impossible unless we land Armies in France to have any reparation so long as the French may wholly manage their Trade in Dutch Vessels But to any rationall man this cannot be the cause of the late transactions of those people to us for first a long time before any Letters of Reprizall were granted they performed all those evil Offices aforementioned in the generall and since those Letters of Reprizall both on themselves and French for their sakes have been suspended their Admiral with his Fleet came to our Borders and whilst we lay securely in a time of friendship and Treaty came upon and assaulted part of our Navy as is formerly mentioned at large whereby it appears that as they formerly helped on our destruction so far as it concerned their profit and to lay us and our Liberties at the feet of a bloudy Tyrant so it is now their resolution as they are able to bring down this Nation to serve their Lusts and Cruelty and this as a reward for our saving of them from the sword of Spain and spilling our blood and money on the ground to lay the Foundation and secure the structure of their Riches and Prosperity The Blood of Amboyna shewed formerly how such things relished their Pallats and the clapping Captain Green and his men in Chains of late together with the outrages committed on our Ambassadors and several English people in their Territories their severall Arrests on our Ships and goods in their Ports and the late Engagement of Van Trump do now clearly demonstrate Though every weeks occurrences fild our ears with the noise of their preparations and the ranting and vile expressions against this State the abuse of the English there and their Ambassadors giving our Councell of State and Parliament Papers of their Resolutions of setting forth one hundred and fifty ships of War extraordinary which we might then very well conclude and have cause now to be assured were intended against us yet till those Papers came the Parliament moved not at all in any extraordinary preparations and then how requisit it was for this State to prepare for the security of their Seas and of that part of the ancient and undoubted Dominion of England let the world judge Yet so did they prepare as only to secure their own Right and what high time it was so to do the forementioned insolent and hostile behaviour of some of their ships to Captain Young for which the States gave one of the Captains a chain of gold and of Van Trump to our Navy whom they continue still in his Imployment thereby owning his late action is evident to all men It is worthy observation to consider unto what a height of Ingratitude Injustice and forgetfulness the pride of these men hath lifted them up It is not unknown to the world and to themselves though they would willingly forget it what was their condition when England first undertook their protection and what England hath done for them how they have permitted them to pass through their Seas to manage their Merchandise and required only their striking to our ships and Castles in acknowledgement of our Soveraignty And to fish in our Seas sometimes upon the requiring of a certain Tax sometimes freely and yet so bold are they upon our former Indulgence and condiscentions as to come up to our very dores and by treachery and force endeavour to snatch the Dominion thereof out of our hands though they cannot assigne one particular wherein the English hath designed or attempted any incroachment upon their Rights and Priviledges but have maintained them against all their opposers And no doubt but those men who with so much impudence and wickedness have attempted to dispoyle us of so antient and Indubitable a Right whereby our very defence for those Seas and our Ships are the outwalls and Bulwarks of this Island is endeanoured to be broken will also as they have oportunity labour to dispossess us of our Land Inheritance But as the former Kings of England took a severe course to chastise and cut off such luxuriant Exorbitances and as the Providence of God hath in their late Engagements given them a very great check so we doubt not but the Wisdom and Justice of the State through the assistance of God will so effectually proceed in the vindication of such wrongs as shall let them know what Right of ours they have encroached upon and by effectual ways perswading them from attempting such usurpations for the future What high time it is to take order with such men and reduce them to their proper bounds let the World judge and if that hereafter this State exerciseth a more strict Command over their own Jurisdiction in letting those men know at what rate they shall buy their Intrenchment on our Liberties they may thank themselves for such experience It is not the bare Complement of striking the Flag that hath been the occasion of these late contests as they would seem to pretend to gull and cheat well minded people as if so be for such a slight thing as the putting off a mans hat or the not putting it off were the ground of the late engagement or of what shall ensue thereupon In vain is such a snare as this set in the sight of England But it is the absolute and substantial Soveraignty of the narrow 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 Eruope which the Dutch by refusing to strike would deny A thing of such high importance that the former Kings would never endure but in their Commissions to their Captains at Sea commanded them to require obedience thereto by all or to fire sink or destroy them and which both Houses of Parliament in their Ordinance to that purpose commanded their Maritin Officers Now the Dutch refusing to strike do deny our Title and by their armed Fleets endeavour to take possession of our Inheritance therefore though to extenuate their hostility and cover their designes they would fain make the striking of the Flag a frivolous thing yet it is of as much concernment to us as the Dominion of those Seas and therin of our defence and the commodity of Fishing which those Seas yeeld in abundance and which themseves have found to be of so vast an advantage as that they know it to be the great staple
whilst the Prince of Orange drew his Army forth towards Antwerp upon the same Article to assist the taking in of which the French over above the former agreement of men and money lent them 3000 horse and 3000 foot which also were shipped and landed as desired ready to join in performance of that exploit The Prince of Orange having taken in the Castle of Teemche lying by the Scheld beyond Autwerp The French the Town of Dunkerk might easily have made himself Master of the Town of Antwerp they within having as good as tendred themselves up to him yet the Prince of Orange neither besieged nor assaulted the said Town but having left the Castle of Teemche assoon as he had taken it in a manner the design pretended against Antwerp vanisht to the great discontent of the French whose 6000 supplies were not made use of and committed many outrages in the County of Waes and the leaving that Town in the hands of the Spaniard and the poor Protestants there their owne flesh and blood called in dirision Brothers to the oppression of the Catholiques and other mischiefes to this very day contrary to the Union aforesaid whereby they were obliged to redeem them if taken out of the hand of the Spaniard How easie it was for them to have possessed Antwerp the forementioned particulars do evince and the whole Army of the Prince of Orange that were there know and the world is not ignorant thereof And all this for no other reason as can be imagined but that the Town of Antwerp being thus reduced would have drawn to its selfe its ancient and great Trade which Holland and Zealand enjoyes whilst Antwerp continues in the hand of the Spaniard and the Scheld shut up In the year 1624. presently after the Treaty of Campeigne made between Lewis 13. King of France and the States of the Vnited Provinces concerning a Subsidie against Spain another little Treaty was at the Hague between the King of France and the States wherein the States agreed to furnish the King of France with 20 ships under the command of Admiral Haultaine in a design to shut up Genoa by water whilst the Constable Lesdigueries should besiege it by land The War between the Protestants of France of which Rachel was the chief and the King of France falling out in the mean time the said King agreed also by his Ambassador Monsieur de Belluion with the said States for 20 ships against the Protestants of France whereof having received 8. the French King by his Ambassador Monsieur d'Espesses at the Hague moved the States that in regard he had present need of the other twelve ships which were not yet ready that the States should let him have twelve of the twenty that were designed for Genoa to be commanded by French Officers though the Lords States judged it better that they should be commanded by their own And these ships were to be imployed against the Duke of Sonbize principally who was tending to England for reliefe Whereupon the Lords States deputed the Lords of Essen Noortwyck and Bootelar to enter into conference with the said Ambassador who after many debates the 12. of Aprill 1625. at the Hague did finally agree and conclude First That the 20 ships should he forthwith sent to Sea and that the Admiral Haultain that should command them being come to the height of Callice and Dover shall give advice thereof to his Majesties Troops being at Haure de Grace That they may there imbarque themselves and that they then doe joyn with the Fleet and conjunctly steer their course to the Isle of Wight where being informed where the Duke of Soubize did keep himself and what Forces he might have And having first resolved how they might set upon him then they should put aboard the French Foot into 12 of those ships which afterwards should be commanded by French Officers under the conduct of the Admirall Haultain and this notwithstanding without removing out of the ships the Dutch Captains Officers or Mariners but in case they should be informed That the Duke of Sonbize was reduced to obedience or that the 12 ships of Supplies were arrived then the said 20 ships shall remain under the conduct of their Captains and the last 12 arrived ships shall be commanded by French Captains and then the 20 according to Treaty might passe as it was agreed on These ships were imployed against the Duke of Soubize and the charge defrayed by the French King and if any of the said ships came to miscarry in the French service the loss was to be made good by the French King Whilst the Admirall Haultain was at Sea in the Design aforesaid a Gentleman came to give his wife a visit who asking her how she did she told him That she was very much perplext and troubled in herself not being able to satisfie her own Conscience For if she prayed for the prosperity of her husband then she should pray against her owne Religion For her husband served against the Protestants And on the other side if she prayed for the Protestants then she should pray against her Husband Yet it is observable how God crost the Dutch in point of advantage in this business For though the ships performed very great service for the King of France and the poor Protestants were utterly subdued yet the King of France or the Cardinal Richelieua little after ordered a great number of their Merchant ships to be kept by force in the French Harbours and altogether some with their Cables Anchors Lading and what else belonged to them were sunk in the Channell of Rochell for which great losse and charge the Dutch were not paid in many years after And when they were paid it was by piecemeals being enforced to give great Bribes and Presents for the accomplishing thereof And to all this I might add what they have done in assisting the late King of England and his son against the truly godly of this Nation But this is already discoursed When a people come to be bold on God and in presumption of his favour upon some good act or other of theirs take liberty to commit all manner of wickednesse even to the putting out the face of Religion supposing that God is engaged to passe by their iniquity because of some acts of righteousnes and make such use of his patience and long-suffering which should lead them unto repentance as to think he delayes his coming and therefore fall on beating their fellow-servants and eat and drink with the drunken and of his holding of his peace and permitting of them success that he is one like unto themselves and approves of their falsness and wickedness Here what the Scripture saith in this particular Psal. 50. 21 22. These things hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a man as thy selfe But I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes Now consider this ye that forget
God lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver you Isai. 61. 8. I the Lord hate robbery for Burnt-offering Jerem. 7. 4 8 10 11 12 13 14 15 16. Trust ye not in lying words saying The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord are these Behold you trust in lying words that cannot profit Will you steale murther and commit adultery and swear falsly and burn Incense unto Baal and walk after other Gods whom you know not and come and stand before me in this House that is called by my Name and say We are delivered to commit all these abominations Behold even I have seen it Go to Shiloh where I set my Name at the first see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel And now because you have done all these works saith the Lord and I spake to you rising up early and speaking but you heard not and I called you but you answered not therefore will I doe to this House as to Shiloh and I will cast you out of my sight as I have done your Brethren Therefore pray not thou for this people neither lift thou up cry nor prayer for them neither make intercession to me for I will not hear thee Matth. 24. 48 49 50 51. But and if that evill servant shall say in his heart My Lord delayeth his coming and shall begin to smite his fellow-servants and to eat and drink with the drunken The Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an houre that he is not aware of and shall cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with the Hypocrites There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth 2. For the Interests of Libertie it is true they are in a condition of a Free State but so far from establishing others in the same condition who have groaned under the sad oppression of Tyrants that it is known to Europe how their great designe hath been to be Free Men themselves and to make the world as far as they are able their slaves and vassals So far have they been from the true Principles of Freedom which is ready to make others as free as it self We need not run far for Instances of this nature nor multiply them Our own late experience will be enough to evince this particular The kindness blood and money aforded by the Parliament of England in the days of Queen Elizabeth put them into the condition of Liberty from the Sword of Spain The power and interposition of England in the days of King James caused them to be declared a Free State The Valour and Arms of English men hath stood by them to seucure their Freedom Yet when the Parliament of England were enforced to contend in blood for Libertie and Religion against the Armies of our late Tyrant and his son who sought to destroy both and had the influence of the same designes upon themselves by the Prince of Orange Yet none contributed more assistance to that King and his son then the United Provinces and none more scorned abused and injured the Parliament and their Friends then the Neatherlanders In so much that they appeared as one body and carrying on the same designe as members thereof and that the same soul possessed them appears in what they have lately attempted upon this Nation as hath been at large mentioned in the former part of this discourse Much might be also said concerning their endeavour to monopolize all Trade into their own hands having by their League with the King of Denmark begun in the year 1649. and ratified in the year 1651. which was managed by Vlefeld Ambassador for that King agreed with the said King for the passage of the Sound at 140000 Pattacoons or Dolors per annum for certain years to come and that the said King should not during those certain years let it at the same rate to any other Nation whereby they have in effect excluded all other Nations from the Baltick Trade The Eastland Trade The Trade of Sweden Lyfeland Prussia Poland Pomerania Silesia c. in regard they have the passage of the Sound at so low a rate and that others must not only pay the King of Denmark's old Toll shew their Pass to the Dutch Commissary but pay the same Toll over again if they come to Holland also all other ships that formerly used from Holland to Trade through the Sound or return through the Sound to Holland or other places And in effect have forced the Merchandize of the Baltick Sea viz Masts Pitch Cables Iron Copper Brass Clapboard Tar and other Stable Commodities to their own Markets where they put their own prices upon them and it is at their choice whether they will part with them or no Also by their denying all Nations to sail or trade to Graveling Dunkirk Newport Ostend Blackenbergh they have taken to themselves all the Commerce of Flanders and those parts during their war with Spain and in the mean time themselves did furnish those of Brabant Flanders Consen Dunkirk and Graveling And by their treacherous cruel and inhumane dealing with the English in Amboyna in the year 1622 and dispossessing of them out of those Islands have monopolized the Trade of Nutmegs c. from all the world and wickedly have ravished and detained it from the English but I shall forbear further discoursing hereof it being besides my purpose largely to treat concerning these things onely this may be taken notice of that where they have seen any thing of advantage if by cunning force or fraud they have been able no consideration of Right Friendship Leagues Humanity or Religion have held them from the endeavouring the accomplishing of the same For their carriage in point of Leagues and Treaties I shall onely give some instances of latter years for proof of which we shall not be enforced to history but to the living Testimonies of the present times in which I shall be necessitated to be a little large My first shall be of France In the year 1627 a Treaty of Confederacy or Alliance was agreed on at Paris August 28. between Lewis the 13th King of France and the States of the United Provinces to relieve each other and to secure the Trade and Commerce of each other but this was not ratified till the yeer 1630. At this Treaty it was agreed on likewise That if the King of France did enter into a war with Spain the Dutch were to assist him and the King of France was to do the like as long as the Dutch continued the war with the Spaniard also both parties coming to break they were not afterwards to make Peace with Spain directly or indirectly but conjoyntly and with the consent of both parties and that under the word Peace was comprehended also a Truce or suspension of Arms as by the third Article thereof doth at large appear This was concluded on the thirtieth of
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.