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-
"nity and affront ever offered to the royal fhips of
"England, which fince have been most frequent. Sir
"William Monfon defired my lord of Hertford to go
"into the hold, and he would inftruct him by ftripes
"that refused to be taught by fair means: but the earl
"charged him on his allegiance first to land him, on
"whom he was appointed to attend. So to his great
"regret, he was forced to endure that indignity; for
" which I have often heard him wish he had been hang-
"ed, rather than live that unfortunate commander of
"a king's fhip, to be chronicled for the first that ever
endured that affront, although it was not in his power
"to have helped it." (a)—But, fays an admirable (a) Wel-
writer, speaking of this affair," two things are cer- of king
"tain; one that queen Elizabeth would have feverely James,p.45.
"punished her officer, and have exacted ample repa-
"ration from the ftates-general; the other, that king

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-
caftle's re.
marks, P.

239, in the
mote.

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-
nal Rich-

tical will

and tefta

ment, part

2d. p. 82.
8vo. Lond.

1695.

der

1

fame time, did it with impunity, and he
contented himself with remonftrating, when
he ought to have required in a proper man-

ner

Vol. I. p.

action has

our hifto

his naval

der fired on the French, and obliged him to take down
his flag. (e) 'Tis pity the name of this English captain (e) Sully's
has not been handed down to pofterity.I have faid memoirs,
in the text that James fuffered not only the British flag 174-178.
to be affronted, but his merchants fhips to be taken by 'Tis furpri
the Dutch, when trading to the ports of Spain or Flan zing that
ders. In order to understand this, 'tis neceffary to ob- this gallant
serve, that tho' Fames had made a peace with the Spa- been over-
niards, the war was continued feveral years after between looked by
them and the Hollanders. Such therefore of the Eng-rians and
lifh fhips as were found carrying goods to the Spaniards even by
and trading with them, were frequently feized under a Burchet, in
pretence of their being contraband; when they them- hiftory
felves connived at their own fubjects doing the fame;
and consequently were guilty of the greateft infults.
Here follow fome of my authorities. Lord Cranborne
[Cecyle] in a letter to Mr. Winwood, dated Oct. 23,
1604, tells him, "we are credibly informed, that the
"States have not only fent new orders to their men of
"war on the coaft of Flanders, to impeach our trade
"to the arch-dukes ports by all means poffible, but also
"to burn all fuch fhips as they fhall take of foreign
"princes. And withal are advertised, that many
"of their own people are daily resorting (under colour
"of private licences) to the faid ports with all kind of
"victuals and commodities. And that these be no vain
"reports, their daily practice maketh demonstration;
"for on Monday laft was seven-night, five of their
"fhips, laden with wine and falt, were feen peaceably to
"go into Newport, their men of war riding before the
"harbour; and fince likewife, his majesty's admiral
"of the narrow feas, being upon occafion of service
"upon the coaft of Flanders, did fee two Uliffingers put
"into Ofend, in fight of four of their men of war,
"who never offered them violence. Befides, there
"are fifteen small fly-boats and pinks of Holland laden
" with

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,