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
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
in the way of his Judgments which he hath brought forth Ought or can with a Salvo to their Duty and a due regard to the presence of God with them in pursuing Right and the Reputation hee hath put upon them permit the People of England to be so grossely injur'd No no should they which I trust never will be the Lord will finde a way to preserve his Cause amongst Us and right Us on our Enemies for it is God that manageth our Cause and Interest whose wonted Presence as we found it upon your late Assault So we doubt no but that he will Signally manifest that he is with Us upon our future Engagements In the humble confidence of which we go forth and wait upon him for a Blessing on our Undertakings I had thought here to have concluded but sithence the States of the United Provinces and their Abettors talk so much of the Reformed Protestant Religion and of Liberty and endeavour to insinuate some Indearment upon the hearts of many upon that account It seems to mee to bee worth the while and very necessary a little to discourse how far those States have by their Actions appeared considerable at to those two grand and noble Interests and those things being well weighed together with the Cause now on foot in England their Carriage to other States in point of Leagues Treaties and Amity and particularly with this Nation how far it is safe for England to enter into a strict League and Union with those People Interest is the true Zenith of every State and Person according to which they may certainly be understood though cloathed never so much with the most specious disguise of Religion Justice and Necessity And Actions are the effects of Interests from whom they proceed and to whom they tend naturally as the stone doth downward So that unless it be in some things seemingly contrary Acted now and then the better to work about the grand End for the Devil himself mostly deceives when he appears as an Angel of Light and in cases of necessity where force and power constrain another Course which will return into the old Channel the first opportunity thereby the measure of every state and person may be taken and determined Therefore it will be requisite to instance in some of the practises of the United Provinces in reference to the things proposed where by some Judgment may be given therein And if such Presidents be not according to what they do pretend yet it is but their own Picture by which if they would not have themselves known they should have forborn by such Practises to have set it forth to the world or by their late Actions to necessitate Us in point of our safety and intimate concernment to set forth any thing of that nature for a warning to England It being so farre from us to delight in the uncovering of their nakednesse that we wish if the Lord had pleased that there had been no such things done or any occasions offered us to take notice thereof since we have wished so well to and done so much for their advantage First concerning the Interest of the Protestant Religion True it is that it hath been there for many years professed and exercised and with the fruit of the power of Godliness in many afore time and wee hope at this present that some are there eminent for the profession thereof and they have been a place of Refuge to many precious Saints from the bitter persecutions of the Enemies of God and true Religion which God hath always taken well even of Moab and hath rewarded it with long and many kindnesses and for his peoples sake and the hiding of his out-casts hath lengthned the tranquillity of places who otherwise have been the people of his wrath And if any thing prevail with God to save them from destruction certainly this will be a chief one but withall it is to be considered 1. That all other Religions have had their professions there as well as the Protestant and the Exiles thereof received and protected even of what is most contrary to the Doctrine of the Gospel of Christ and the Scriptures 2. The Exercise and Protection aforesaid is upon a State principle of advantage not upon a principle of true Religion whereby they not only keep quiet at home but draw all such people to their quarters It being the only place of such priviledge in the world and thereby have been possessors of their Vertues Ingenuities Friends Occupations Persons and Estates 3. In the 36 Articles that themselves proposed to England as the matter of a Treaty for a strict Union formerly and in their late Treaties here they have neither mentioned nor proposed any thing concerning Religion 4. In point of gain they have not only deserted the opportunities of effecting the liberty of the true Protestant Religion in other places which they might have done by their power and interest and particularly their own flesh and bloud Contrary to their holy and perpetual Union as it is styled but have assisted Popish Princes against the poor Protestants when they have been contending in bloud for their Religion and Liberty as by the following instances may appear In the 13 Article of the Union of Vtricht in the year 1579. it is said That what concerneth the point of Religion Those of Holland and Zealand shall dispose of it according to their pleasure and the other Provinces of this Union may regulate themselves according to the intention of the Treaty of Peace about Religion made between Archduke Matthias Governour and Captain General then of these Lands with those of his Councel of the States General in the year 1558. In the first Article of the said Union is promised an Eternal Union and never to separate consequently never to forsake the members that have signed the said Union Amongst those that signed the said Union are also those of Antwerp those of Gant and those of Bruges Contrary to this Union those of Holland and Zealand made a Truce with the Spaniard in the year 1609. for 12 years and a peace in the year 1648. and left out the said Towns of Antwerp c. notwithstanding that there was all likelihood that they might have delivered those Towns from the yoak of the Spaniard and have obtained freedome if they would for those of the Protestant Religion in those Towns especially for Antwerp as by what follows may appear For the Town of Antwerp 't is true it was taken by the Duke of Parma and in the Spaniards possession but how easily it might have been re-taken will appear when as it is considered that upon a new League and Agreement made with Lewis 14. King of France and the States of the United Provinces to pursue the War against the Spaniard conjointly the said King drew 20000 Foot and 4000 Horse into the Field in Flanders according to the third Article of the said League infesting the Spaniard on the one hand
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.