to treat with them, and thereby rendered the affairs of the unfortunate Frederick his fonin-law defperate and deplorable. Nor was his conduct better in other affairs. He tamely fuffered the British flag [MMM] to be affronted, and his merchants fhips to be taken 66 peror and the king of Spain, that every thing should "be done as the ambaffador had propofed. This was "the reason he was more and more intoxicated with "the notion that the best way to fave the Palatinate, "was to live in a good understanding with the court of "Vienna, and Madrid." (*) In fhort, fuch was the management of Gondomor in this affair, and fuch the weakness of James, that in a letter to the duke of Lerma, we find the ambaffidor boafting," that he "had lulled king James fo faft afleep, that he hoped "neither the cries of his daughter nor her children, nor "the repeated folicitations of his parliament and sub"jects in their behalf fhould be able to awaken ❝ him.” (y) I fhall only add that the Palatine family remained in exile till the year 1648, when, by the treaty of Munster, they were restored to the best part of their dominions, without having received any confiderable helps from the royal house to which they were so nearly allied, during all their misfortunes. [MMM] He tamely fuffered the British flag to be af. fronted, &c.] Let us hear Weldon. "The earl of "Hertford, who was fent ambaffador to the arch duke, "was conveyed over in one of the king's fhips, by Sir "William Monfon. In whofe paffage a Dutch man of 66 war coming by that fhip, would not vaile, as the "manner was, acknowledging by that our fovereignty "over the fea. Sir William Monfon gave him a fhot to "instruct him in manners; but instead of learning, he "taught him by returning another, he acknowledged 66 до taken by the Dutch, when trading to the ports of "no fuch fovereignty. This was the very firft indig- James did neither. This commonwealth had been "raised by queen Elizabeth, and was ftill in want of "the support of England. The fovereignty of her state "had not been yet acknowledged by any of the powers of Europe. How much the pacific temper of James "was capable of bearing, had not yet become fo ap parent as he made it in the courfe of his reign. "From all which it is easy to collect that if he had de"manded fatisfaction, he must and would have receiv "ed it. But the good prince was afraid, where no fear don's court was, and bore difhonourably what he might have "resented fafely; nay, what he ought to have refent❝ed in any circumftances, and at any hazard. "are not to wonder if so poor a conduct as this, foon "brought king James into contempt, mingled with "indignation, amongst a people eagerly bent on com"merce, and in whom high notions of honour and a (¿) Oldgallant fpirit had been infufed, by the example of castle's requeen Elizabeth, and encouraged during the whole marks on the ❝ course of a long reign.” (b) history of England, Tho' P. 240. (c) Old- 239, in the of Spain or Flanders, though their own, at the fame Tho' what I have related from Weldon is probably true, yet 'tis but juftice due to the reader to inform him, that Sir William Monfon himself, in his naval tracts, fays nothing of ftriking or not ftriking the flag; but confeffes that an affront was offered by two Dutch men of war. He adds, that he fent for the captains aboard his fhip; that he threatned to right himself upon them; but that he difmiffed them at the entreaty of my lord Hert ford, on their excufing themselves, and promifing to punish the offenders. How feverely these offenders were punished, may be collected from hence. One of these captains, fays Sir William Monson, was he, who fince that time committed a foul murder upon his majesty's fubjects in Ireland, that were under protection." (c) — But for the honor of the English nation let it be obferved, that till the difpofition of James was known by his fubjects, the commanders of our ships acted very differently. For on his acceffion to the throne, "the "duke of Sully being chofen by Henry the Great of "France, for an extraordinary embaffy into England, "embarked at Calais in a French fhip, with the French "flag on the main top-maft; but no fooner was he in "the channel, than meeting with a yatch which came "to receive him, the commander of it commanded the "French fhip to ftrike. The duke thinking his qua"lity would fecure him from such an affront, refused it "boldly; but his refusal being answered with three can6་ non, fhot with bullets, which piercing his fhip, pierced "the heart of the French, force conftrained him to do, "what reason ought to have secured him from, and "whatever complaints he could make, he could get "no other reason from the English captain, than that as "his duty obliged him to honor his quality of ambaffador, lieu's poli-it obliged him alfo to compel others to pay that refpect "to his mafter's flag, which was due to the fovereign of "the fea." (d) Thus fpeaks the famous cardinal Richlieu; and Sully himself, though he tells the ftory: fomewhat differently, owns that the English comman (d) Cardi- tical will and tefta ment, part 2d. p. 82. 1695. der 1 fame time, did it with impunity, and he ner Vol. I. p. action has our hifto his naval der fired on the French, and obliged him to take down M ner fatisfaction. But notwithstanding this treatment, he delivered up to them the cautionary towns, [NNN] which they had depofit ed with fish, gone this last spring-tide from Yarmouth "towards Newport, with private licences as they gave (ƒ) Win- " out from the admiralty there." (f) And it appears wood, Vol. from a variety of other letters of the fame fecretary to I. p. 34. Winwood ambaffador in Holland, that the Dutch fhips never made any fcruple of violating the neutrality of our ports, and treating even the English after fuch a manner (g) Id. 277. as produced complaints infinite and unfupportable. (g) But all thefe things James bore with patience. He contented himself with remonftrating, and the Dutch understanding his humour, went on pillaging his fub(b) Id.p.31 jects, often times their utter undoing. (b) To fuch a contemptible pafs was this nation brought, in a short time, by the cowardice and pufillanimity of its fovereign ! [NNN] He delivered up to them the cautionary towns, &c.] In the year 1585, the States of the Netherlands were fo greatly diftreffed 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 refufed both their protection and government. But Antwerp being taken by the prince of Parma, the foon afterwards, by the advice of her council, determined to affift them upon condition, among other things, that Flushing and the caftle of Rammekins in Walkerin, and the Ifle of Brill, with the city and two forts, should be delivered into the queen's hands, for caution to pay back the money which the fhould expend on her forces, with which fhe might affift them during the war. It was moreover ftipulated that the faid places, after the money was repaid, fhould be reftored again to theseftates, and not delivered to the Spaniards, or any other enemy whatfoever. And alfo that the governor general, |