more slowly, I should have exposed my own upon the Trade of this kingdom; and the honour and the honour of the nation, and warm and vigorous Vote they then presented should have seemed not confident of your his maj. with, if he could not otherwise remove affections, and the assurance you gave me to that mischief. The Answer they received from stand by me in this occasion.-That which I his maj. was so full of candour, as if he thought ain now very earnestly to desire, and indeed his good allies the States General would never expect from you, is, that you will use all pos- put him to use extreme remedies, but would sible expedition in your resolutions; lest meet the complaints of his subjects with just that, by unnecessary formalities, the world and proportionable satisfaction; and that he should think that I have not your full concur- did really believe, as well as wish, that they rence in what is done, and that you are not would do so, is manifest, by his having provided forward enough in the support of it; which I for that season a much less guard of ships than am sure you will be, and that, in raising the he had set out ever since his happy restoraSupplies, you take such sure order, that when tion, intending, by the saving that unnecessary the expence is obvious and certain, the Sup- expence (as he then thought) to have plenplies be as real and substantial, not imaginary tifully supplied his magazines and stores, as the last Subsidies were, which you all well | which is a treasure he bath always laboured to enough understand.-Master Speaker, and you have still in readiness by him.-Uis maj. took Gentlemen of the House of Commons; I know this occasion to require his minister at the not whether it be worth my pains to endeavour Hague to press the States General very earto remove a vile jealousy, which some ill men nestly for expedition in doing that justicejwhich scatter abroad, and which I am sure will never for above a year he had in vain pressed them sink into the breast of any man who is worthy to do, and in which, he told them, the oppresto sit upon your benches, that, when you have sions his subjects underwent could not bear given me a noble and proportionable Supply longer delay. Instead of returning any Anfor the support of a war, I may be induced by swer to his maj. which for some months they some evil counsellors (for they will be thought deferred to do, they with great passion and to think very respectfully of my own person) noise sent orders to their several admiralties, to make a sudden peace, and get all that to prepare and equip a great number of ships money for my own private occasions. I am of war, the number whereof they increased sure, you all think it an unworthy jealousy, every 10 or 12 days; with unusual orders, and not to deserve an answer. I would not that no time should be lost in making the prebe thought to have so brutish an inclination, as parations, but that they should work night and to love war for war-sake. God knows, I day, as well the Sundays as the other part of desire no blessing in this world so much, as the week; and great numbers of landmen were that I may live to see a firm peace between all likewise appointed to be raised for their expeChristian princes and states: but let me tell dition.-This strange kind of treatment, togeyou, and you may be most confident of it, that ther with many rude pamphlets and insolent when I am compelled to enter into a war, for expressions, which can hardly be prevented in the protection, honour, and benefit of my sub-popular governments, prevailed with his maj. jects, I will (God willing) not make a peace but upon the obtaining and securing those ends for which the war is entered into; and when that can be done, no good man will be sorry for the determination of it.-To conclude my lords and gentlemen, I conjure you all, in your several stations, to use all possible expedition, that our friends and our enemies may see that I am possessed of your hearts, and that we move with one soul; and I am sure you will not deceive my expectation." The King's Narrative concerning the Dutch Affairs.] After this, his majesty delivered a Narrative; which was read, as followeth : A brief NARRATIVE of the late Passages between His Majesty and the Dutch, and His Majesty's Preparations there upon. "C. R. His maj. doth not doubt but that his two houses of parliament do well remember the Address they made to his maj. about the end of April last, upon the general representations which had been made to them of the great injuries and oppressions the subjects of this nation sustained in the East and West Indies, and in other places, from the Dutch, and the universal obstruction they brought (although he yet believed himself secure in the wisdom of the States General against any rash attempt in the violation of the peace) to take speedy course for the putting 10 or 12 ships into a readiness (which yet he meant should be no further than rigging), if they should pursue their present distempers.-In August, they received news that capt. Holmes, who, with one of his majesty's ships, had convoyed some merchants of the royal company to the coast of Guiney, had by assault taken and possessed himself of a fort near Cape de Verte, belonging to their West Indian Company; whereupon the States General sent a wonderful brisk Message to the king, at once complaining of the injury, and requiring, in very peremptory terms, that his majesty would forthwith give order for the re-delivery of the said fort to them. The king assured the ambassador, upon his princely word, That he had given no commission or order to capt. Holmes for that purpose, nor did know upon what grounds he had proceeded to that act of hostility; that he expected him shortly at home; and that he would then proceed in a very strict examination of his proceedings, and would cause exemplary justice to be done, as well in the re-delivering the fort, as in punishing the per- their neighbours, and their friendship inconson if his carriage and demeanor deserved it.' | sistent with the liberty of all the world but This Answer had no better luck than the themselves.-And, upon this occasion, his former Message: new orders for more ships, maj. thinks fit that his two houses of parlia for raising of money, for raising of men, pub-ment should know the very compendious way lishing in their prints, that what was done by these States have found out to make themcapt. Holmes was by his najesty's warrant and selves monarchs of the sole trade of the whole authority; and within a very short time after East and West Indies. They have, it is very they had the confidence to demand of bis maj. true, by their very commendable industry, in express terms, that he would give it under and by other acts of horrible injustice and his royal hand to them, that he would cause cruelty, planted themselves in stronger factothe fort to be delivered within such a time.-ries than any prince in Europe hath done, His maj. did not yet, after all these provocations, lay aside all hope of awakening the States General to a more temperate consideration of what had passed. He desired them, in an Answer which he made to some of their propositions, and which he transmitted to them under his own haud by their ambassador, to reflect a little upon the method of their proceeding with him, and the course he had observed towards them: not to mention those loud affronts, indignities, and injuries, he had put into oblivion in his late Treaty with them, he put them in mind that, since that treaty, he had given them redress upon their complaints, in many particular cases, with that expedition, that he had not put them to the formalities even of courts of justice; that, instead of any return in this kind from them, bis minister at the Hague had importuned these 18 months for about 20 ships taken from his subjects upon the coast of Guinea, and very great affronts and damages sustained by others in the East Indies, without any other shadow of right, but being the stronger, and able to oppress. And yet, since the Treaty required such formalities in the demand of reparations, how slow soever their justice was, he had thus long forborne to be his own carver. He wished them to consider, whether their order of proceeding towards them had been pursuant to the Treaty, or agreeable to the respect that was due to him that, upon the first information of an act of violence committed by the captain of one of his ships upon their subjects, disowned and disavowed by his maj. himself, and justice and reparation being promised, they have upon the point declared war against his maj. in resolving to recover by force of arms what they could not expect by the course of justice. He conjured the States General to remember the obligations of their own sovereignty, by which they entered into alliances with their neighbour princes: that, if they suffered their particular societies of merchants to involve them in a war with their neighbour nations for their particular interest and benefit, and to support their furious and extravagant assuming a dominion against the law of nations, (putting them in mind, of what he had often demanded justice for, of the Declarations published by their commanders both in the East and West Indies, interdicting all trade and commerce to all other nations, to the natives of those countries, because they call them their subjects,) they would make themselves insupportable to at especially in the East Indies, where their naval several of the English vessels and boats from landing, and took the boats, and kept the men prisoners, till they found the enterprize had miscarried. To conclude: his maj. used all the arguments he could, to decline these hostile preparations, and to betake themselves to those ways for the preservation of the public peace as were prescribed by the Treaty; assuring them, that as he expected reparation for the damages his subjects had sustained, and security for the future against the like excesses, so he was as ready to give them all the satisfaction for any injuries done to them, which justice could require-The Answer they gave his maj. to his expostulation for their so sudden giving direction for the provision of so many ships of war, only upon his demanding justice for injuries done, and damages sustained, ought to be made known to you. They answered, 'It was easy to judge how much they were troubled and surprized by the tricks and devices of those that forestalled the parliament of England, and had obliged them by evil informations to carry such sharp complaints against them and their country to his maj.; and therefore it was not strange that, in the unquietness and disturbance which the animosity of the parliament did give them, they had prepared an extraordinary equipage, to be upon their guard.'-When the king found that his moderate way of proceeding was so far from abating any of their preparation, that it did but render them the more confident and exalted; and the ambassador himself had told | his majesty, That they had given instructions to the admiral of their fleet, that was then going for Guiney, to take their Fort near Cape de Verte by force, and to take any English which had had a hand in doing them injury;' his maj gave speedy directions for the setting out those ships to sea, towards which he had before only made some light preparations; and declared that he would send his cousin prince Rupert admiral of that fleet, to protect his subjects upon the coast of Guiney. This was no sooner known and published amongst them, than in truth their choler somewhat seemed abated, though their preparations were not diminished and they then sent, That they had a wonderful desire to preserve the peace between the two nations, and to prevent the effusion of Christian blood, which would probably happen, if, in a conjuncture of so much jealousy, two such fleets as were new prepared for Guiney should meet in those seas; and thereupon proposed, that the fleets on either side might be detained within the harbours, and not suffered to put to sea; and that some expedients might be found out by Treaty for each other's satisfaction, they having, at the same time when they made this plausible overture, sent orders to their fleet in the Streights, under the command of De Ruyter, to make all possible haste to Guiney, to execute all those Instructions which they had given to their fleet here, which they seemed to be contented, upon those motives of charity, should remain in their ports; and it is now about 2 months since De Ruyter left the Streights upon that expedition, since which time they have done all within their power to make their other fleets ready to convoy each other through the Channel, and which, by the blessing of God, in the cross winds, they have been hitherto restrained from doing; and now his maj. is very willing they should attempt it. It is a very unpleasant circumstance to his maj. in these proceedings, to find that it hath been in the power of the Dutch West Indian Company to involve their own and this country in a war, without the consent or privity of the States General, whose alone security his maj. hath for the preservation of the peace between the two nations. And his maj. is well assured, that the States General have given no order for this expedition of De Ruyter, though their subjects in general are like to be sufferers in the war thus made by them; for it cannot be imagined but that his maj. will take all the ways he can, that he may have wherewithal in his hands to satisfy his good subjects for the damages he expects to hear, after this denunciation of a war, they have sustained by De Ruyter on the coast of Guiney and other places; and another damage and indignity which, there is too much cause to fear, we shall shortly hear of concerning Polaroone; for, though his maj. cannot expressly say that the delivery of it up is denied to that ship which is gone to receive it, yet, by the carriage of the governor of Batavia to that ship and the officers thereof in its passage to Polaгoone, and upon the discourse of that subject, there is too great a presumption that it is not yet delivered up, and in truth that the East India Company in Holland never intended it should be. The States General having likewise begun, without colour of right, by an embargo of ships bound for this kingdom, and driven into their ports by the foulness of the weather, as particularly a Swedish ship laden with masts and cordage bound for London, upon the account of several English merchants here.--This being the true state of what hath passed in this affair; and his maj. having been, by these furious proceedings, and, in truth, denunciation of a war against him, forced to put himself into the posture he is now in, for the defence of his subjects, at so vast an expence, doth not in the least degree doubt but that his two houses of parliament will chearfully enable him to prosecute the war with the same vigour he hath prepared for it, by giving him Supplies proportionable to the charge thereof. C. R." Thanks to the King for making Preparations against the Dutch.] Nov. 25. Both houses came to the following Resolutions: 1. "That the humble Thanks of both houses be presented to his majesty for his most gracious Speech and Narrative, to his two houses of parliament, and his great care of the preser vation of the honour and safety, and trade of the nation, by his Preparations for the defence thereof against the Dutch; and that his maj. | gun, and the king engaged in it as much as he would give leave that his Speech may be could be after ten battles, and all upon their printed: 2. That the Thanks of both houses desire and their promise; they could not rebe given to the city of London for their for- fuse to give any thing proposed within the wardness in assisting his majesty; and in par- compass of that reason, which all understandticular by furnishing him with several great ing men might examine and judge of. That it sums of money towards his Preparations for was evident enough, that the true ground of the honour, safety, and trade of this nation." all the confidence the Dutch had was from Lord Clarendon's Account of a Meeting of their opinion of the king's necessities and want some Lords and principal Commoners, to concert of money, and their belief that the parliament Measures to dispose Parliament to grant a would supply him very sparingly, and not long Supply for a Dutch War.] The following cu- to continue such an expence, as they very well rious Account of what took place at a meeting knew that a war at sea would require: and of some lords and principal commoners, to they would be much confirmed in this their concert measures to dispose parliament to imagination, if at the beginning they should grant a Supply for the carrying on of a Dutch see the parliament give him such a sum of war, is given by the then lord chancellor Cla- money, as seemed to be implied by what had rendon:* “The parliament still promised fairly, been said. That they therefore thought it aband entered upon consultation how and what solutely necessary, that the king should promoney to raise. And now the king commanded pose as much, that is, that his friends should the chancellor and the treasurer to meet with move for such a sum, as might upon a reasouthose members of the house of commons, with able computation, which every man would be whom they had used to consult, and to whom ready to make, and of which wise men upon the king had joined others upon whom he was experience would easily make an estimate, told he might more depend, and to adjust to carry on the war for a full year; that is, for gether what sum should be proposed, and how the setting out the present fleet and paying it and in what manner to propose and conduct off upon its return, and for the setting out it. The meeting of those persons the king ap- another fleet the next spring. If this were pointed was at Worcester-house, where the now done, his majesty would not be involved chancellor and treasurer (who were known to in importunate necessities the next winter; be averse from the war) told the rest, that but he might calmly and deliberately consult there was no more debate now to be, war or upon such farther supplies, as the experience no war it was come upon us, and we were of what would be then past should suggest to now only to contrive the best way of carrying be necessary: and that this would give his it on with success; which could only be done majesty such a reputation with all his neighby raising a great present sum of money, that bours, and such terror to his enemies, that it the enemy might see that we were prepared to would probably dispose them to peace.' They continue it as well as to begin.'' They who concluded, that a less sum than two millions were most desirous of the war, as sir Harry and a half ought not to be proposed, and beBennet and Mr. Coventry (who were in truthing once proposed ought to be insisted on and the men who brought it upon the nation), with pursued without consenting to any diminution; their friends, were of the opinion, that there for nobody could conceive that it would do should not be a great sum demanded at pre-more than maintain the war one year, which sent, but only so much as might carry out the the parliament could not refuse to provide for fleet in the spring, and that sufficient provi- in the beginning, as there was so much in truth sions might be made for the summer service: of it already expended in the preparations and and then, when the war was once thoroughly expedition the duke had made in November, entered into, another and a better Supply when he went to sea upon the fame of the might be gotten about Michaelmas, when there Dutch fleet's intention to convoy their Guinea was reason to hope, that some good success ships through the channel.-There was not a would dispose all men to a frank prosecution man in the company, who did not heartily of the war.' Whereas these gentlemen had wish that that sum or a greater might be prohitherto inflamed the king with an assurance, posed and granted: but they all, though they 'that he could not ask more money of the agreed in few other things, protested, 'that they parliament than they would readily give him, could not advise that so prodigious a sum if he would be engaged in this war which the should be as much as named; and that they whole kingdom so much desired.'-The chan- did not know any one man, since it could not cellor and the treasurer were of opinion, That be thought fit that any man who had relation the house of commons could never be in a to the king's service should move it, who had better disposition to give, than they were at the courage to attempt it or would be perpresent; that hereafter they might grow weary, suaded to it.'-The two lords continued very and apt to find fault with the conduct, espe- obstinate, that a less sum should not be cially when they found the country not so well named for the reasons they had given,' which pleased with the war as they were now con- the other confessed to be just; and they acceived to be: whereas, now the war was be-knowledged too, that the proposition ought not to be made by any man who was related to the court, or was thought to be in any * Life, p. 228. and with many good professions desired to be excused as to the first proposing it. The third, who was sir Robert Paston, a person of a much greater estate than both the other, who had yet very good fortunes, and a gentleman of a very antient extraction by his father (and his mother was daughter to the earl of Lindsey), declared very frankly, That he was satisfied in his conscience, that it would be very good for the kingdom as well as for the king that such a sum should be granted; and therefore if they thought him fit to do it, he would propose it the next morning, let other men think what they would of him for it."" grace there that might dispose him, nor yet by any gentleman, how well soever thought of, who was of a small estate, and so to pay little of so great a sum he was so liberal to give.' They therefore desired them to name some of those members, who were honest worthy inen, and looked upon as lovers of their country, and of great fortunes, unsuspected to have any designs at court; and if they were not enough acquainted with them, the lords would find some way by themselves or others to move them to it.' Whereupon they named five or six persons very well known, of whom the house had a very good esteem, but without any hope that any of them would be prevailed Sir Robert Paston moves for a Supply of with to undertake it. The lords said, they 2,500,000l.: which is agreed to by the House.] would try what might be done, and give them "The lords gave him the thanks they ought to notice the next day, that if it were possible it do, and said what was necessary to confirm might be the business of the following day.'- him, and to thank the other gentlemen for The Chancellor and the Treasurer chose three their promise to second him, and gave notice Norfolk gentlemen of those who had been to the rest of the resolution, that they might named, because they were good friends and call for the debate the next day; which was grateful to each other, and desired them the entered into with a general cheerfulacss, every next day that they might confer together.' man acknowledging the necessity and the enThey told them, that they knew well the state gagement of the house, but no man adventurof affairs; the parliament had engaged the ing to name the proportion that should be king in a war, that could not be carried on given. When the house was in a deep silence without a vast expence: and therefore if at expecting that motion, sir Robert Paston, who the entrance into it there should be a small or was no frequent speaker, but delivered what an ordinary Supply given, it would blast all he had a mind to say very clearly, stood up, their hopes, and startle all other princes from mentioned shortly the obligation, the charge of joining, with whom the Dutch were not in fa- the war, and that the present Supply ought vour, and who would be inclined to the king, to be such as might as well terrify the enemy if they saw such a provision for the war as as assist the king; and therefore he proposed would be sufficient to continue it for some that they might give his majesty two millions time. And therefore they desired to confer and a half, which would amount to five and with them, who upon all occasions manifested twenty hundred thousand pounds.' The silence good affections to the king, and whose advice of the house was not broken; they sat as in had a great influence upon the house, upon amazement, until a gentleman, who was bethe whole matter how it might be conducted.' lieved to wish well to the king, without taking They all consented to what had been said, notice of what had been proposed, stood up, and promised their own concurrence and ut- and moved that they might give the king a most endeavours to compass what the king much less proportion. But then the two should desire. The lords said, They pro- others, who had promised to second, renewed mised themselves more from them, and that the motion one after the other; which seemed they would not only concur, but propose what to be entertained with a consent of many, and should be necessary to be granted.' And there- was contradicted by none: so that, after a upon they enlarged upon the charge which was short pause, no man who had relation to the already in view, and upon what was to be ex- court speaking a word, the Speaker put it to pected, and concluded, that two millions and the question, Whether they would give the a half were necessary to be insisted on;' and king five and twenty hundred thousand pounds desired, that when the debate should be en- for carrying on the War against the Dutch;' tered upon, which they hoped might be the and the affirmative made a good sound, and next day, one of them would propose this sum very few gave their negative aloud, and it was and the other would second it.'-They looked notorious very many sat silent. So the Vote long one upon another, as if they were sur- was presently drawn up into an Order; and prised with the sum. At last one of them said, the house resolved the next day to be in a that the reasons were unanswerable for a li-committee, to agree upon the way that should beral Supply; yet he did not expect that so be taken for the raising this vast sum, the proprodigious a sum, which he believed had never portion whereof could no more be brought into yet been mentioned in parliament to be granted debate.” at one time, would be proposed: however he did not think it too much, and that he would do the best he could to answer any objections which should be made against it, as he doubted many would; but he confessed he durst not propose it. Another was of the same mind, VOL. IV. *Mr. Secretary Bennet, in a letter to lord Hollis at Paris, alludes to the above debates in the following words: "My last told your excellency of the opening of the parliament by his majesty's Speech, and the next day, to jus X |