ment, he delivered up to them the cau tionary towns, which they had deposited

the coast of Flanders, did see two Ulissingers put into Ostend, in sight of four of their men of war, who never offered them violence. Besides, there are fifteen small fly-boats and pinks of Holland laden with fish, gone this last spring-tide from Yarmouth towards Newport, with private licences as they gave out from the admiralty there." And it appears from a variety of other letters of the same secretary to Winwood ambassador in Holland, that the Dutch ships never made any scruple of violating the neutrality of our ports, and treating even the English after such a manner as produced complaints infinite and unsupportable. But all these things James bore with patience. He contented himself with remonstrating, and the Dutch understanding his humour, went on pillaging his subjects, often times their utter undoing. To such a contemptible pass was this nation brought, in a short time, by the cowardice and pusillanimity of its sovereign!

He delivered up to them the cautionary towns, &c.] In the year 1585, the States of the Netherlands were so greatly distressed by the Spaniards, that they renewed the applications they had formerly made to Elizabeth, to accept of the government of the United Provinces, and take them into her protection. The queen heard their deputies with favour, but at first refused both their protection and government. But Antwerp being taken by the prince of Parma, she soon afterwards, by the advice of her council, determined to assist them upon condition, among other things, b Id. p. 277. ... Id. p. 31.

a Winwood, vol. II. p. 34

in the hands of queen Elizabeth, for the

that Flushing and the castle of Rammekins in Walkerin, and the Isle of Brill, with the city and two forts, should be delivered into the queen's hands, for caution to pay back the money which she should expend on her forces, with which she might assist them during the war. It was moreover stipulated that the said. places, after the money was repaid, should be restored again to the estates, and not delivered to the Spaniards, or any other enemy whatsoever. And also that the governor-general, and two Englishmen whom the queen should name, should be admitted into the council of the estates. Accordingly Elizabeth sent the earl of Leicester to their aid, had the towns put into her hands, and her governor had a place among the States-general; whereby the English had a share in their councils, and they were kept in dependance on them. It is well known with what valour and conduct the Dutch resisted the Spaniards, and by the help of their auxiliaries, rose themselves to an admired and envied state of power, wealth and liberty. Spain weary with endeavouring to enslave them, was contented to treat with them as Free-States, and concluded a truce at Antwerp, March 29, 1609. It was then Holland lifted high its head, and looking on the cautionary towns as manacles and shackles on them, and fearing that James, whose meanness of spirit, connexion with the Spaniards, and great want of money were known, might one day deliver them into their enemies hands, as by them he had been requested; it was then, I say, that they determined if possible to get them from him, but upon the easiest terms. But

a Camden's Hist. of Q. Elizab. in compleat Hist. vol. II. p. 508.
VOL. 1.

money she had from time to time expended

this was not to be done in a hurry, they took time, and acted after such a manner, as fully accomplished their purpose. Though the towns were garrisoned by the English, the garrison was paid by the Dutch. In order therefore to bring about what they had in view, they ceased, all at once, to pay the English garrison, as by treaty they were obliged. Complaints were hereupon made to Sir Noel Caron, the Dutch ambassador at London. He excused it by the poverty of his masters; but withal insinuated as from himself, that if his Britannic majesty would desire it of the States, they, out of their regard for him, would take up money at high interest, and at once discharge the whole debt due to the crown of England. James listened to the proposal, and wrote about it to the States. By them Barnevelt was sent over, who negotiated so ably, that the king agreed to deliver up the towns for less than three millions of florins, in lieu of eight millions that were due, and about 18 years interest. This was in May 1616. What the opinion of the world was on this affair, will appear from part of a letter from Sir Thomas Edmondes, written from Paris the same month, to Sir Ralph Winwood. In it he observes that the agree ment for the restoring the cautionary towns, was thought strange by the principal persons in the French council, and particularly by Mons. Villeroy, who was of opinion, "that no consideration of utility ought to have made his majesty quit so great an interest as he had, for the retaining that people, by that means, in devotion to him; alledging for example that they here,

See Rushworth, vol. I. p. 3. Cabala, p. 206. Acta Regia, p. 523. Coke, vol. I. p. 52. Howell's Letters, p. 16. Lond. 1715. 8vo.

on her troops in their service, for comparatively a trifling sum; and thereby lost the

without any such gages, do disburse yearly unto the States, the sum of 200,000 crowns, besides the absolute remittal of twelve or thirteen millions of livres, which they had disbursed for them in the last wars, only to draw that people to a like dependence on this state, as they do on his majesty. Adding also thereunto, that his majesty having ordinarily a greater power over the affections of that people, by the more natural love which they bare unto him, than they here can promise themselves, but only in respect of the present great faction, which they have made by the means of Mons. Barnevelt; it seemeth, by the course which we have now taken, that we absolutely quit the advantage to them. Sir Thomas then adds, that those who be his majesty's zealous servants, are sorry to see such a divorce, as they interpret it, between his majesty and that people: and after mentioning the negotiation for a match with Spain, he concludes with saying, I am sorry, that our necessities (if that be the cause) should carry us to these extremities".".

Coke, and Burnet in speaking of this affair are guilty of a great mistake. The former supposes it was contrary to the seventh article of the peace made with the Spaniards in the year 1604: And the other says, that James, after his coming to the crown of England, had entered into secret treaties with Spain, in order to the forcing the States to a peace; one article of which was, that if they were obstinate, he would deliver these places to the Spaniards. But in fact there

'Birch's Negotiations of Sir Tho. Edmondes, p. 396. b Coke, vol. I. Burnet, vol. I. p. 17.

p. 53.

dependence those provinces before had on the English crown. Nor did the cruelties

is just nothing at all in this. The Spaniards, in making the treaty in 1604, insisted on having the cautionary towns delivered up to them, upon payment of the monies due from Holland. This was stiffly denied. Whereupon says secretary Cecyll, in a letter to Mr. Winwood, dated June 13, 1604, "They are descended to content themselves with some modification, which we have delivered in form of an article, (which may be seen in Coke;) wherein, as we do forbear (at their motion) to express that his majesty meaneth not to deliver the said cautionaries, to any other but the States united, so if the modification be well examined, you see it cannot any wise prejudice either his majesty, in honor, or the States in their interest in the towns; for as long as the election of good and reasonable conditions for the States pacification, is referred to his majesty's judgment, there can arise no inconveniency of it; it being always in his majesty's hands, to allow or disallow of that, which shall not be agreeable to the concurrency of his affairs with the united provinces "." Thus speaks lord Cecyll who had the chief hand in this treaty; and upon a careful perusal of the article referred to, I am persuaded he is right; and consequently the above-cited historians, as I said, are greatly

mistaken.

The following remark was communicated to me by the reverend Dr. Birch. The account given by Burnet, vol. i. p. 15. Rapin, &c. of Barnevelt's coming over to England to negotiate the purchase of the cautionary towns from king James I. in 1616, is absolutely false;

Winwood, vol. II. p. 23.