share of the spice trade, caufe him to attempt the vindication of the rights of his people, or punish those who had fo vilely treated them. Το were to seize on the fortrefs, and put the Dutch to the fword: Whereupon 'they were feized and examined; but ftiffly denying the fact, they were tortured most barbaroufly. This produced (what the rack almost always does produce) a confeffion; hereupon ten Englishmen, seven of whom were agents, factors, and affiftants, were ordered to be executed, Feb. 1623, fix Japonese, and three natives, who all uniformly denied their knowlege of the plot to the last moment. The Dutch account tranfmitted to the English Eaft India company, in vindication of this affair, admits that all the evidence they had was obtained by torture, and that those who fuffered profeffled their innocency, a clear proof this that they were condemned wrongfully. For when men of different countries and interefts are accused of joint confpiracy, the denial of every individual at the article of death, amounts with me to the cleareft proof of their innocency. However, thefe executions fo terrified the English, that they thought they could not safely abide in Amboyna; they departed thence therefore, and the Dutch very honeftly took their effects, to the value of 4c0,000 pounds. After this the neighbouring fpice iflands were feized by them,and the English wholly difpoffeffed of their hift. of the factors and trade, to their incredible lofs and damage, (a) It may well be fuppofed that an affair of this nature could not long remain a fecret. The news reached in the Eaft England, and fufficient proof was made of the treachery Indies, 8vo. and cruelty of the Dutch in it: and, no doubt, it was Lond. 1712. expected that reparation would be demanded and obtained. And had James made proper reprefentations to I. p. 96. Wilfon, p. the States-General, juftice probably would have been 281. Bur done. For no State would openly have abetted fuch hift. p. 369. villanies. But he pocketed up the affront; fubmitted Fol. Lond. to the injury even without requiring fatisfaction; and (a) See the cruelties committed by the Dutch Coke, Vol. net's naval contented To all these inftances, if we add his permitting his only fon, to go into Spain to bring to contented himself with barely telling the Dutch ambaffador," that he never heard, nor read a more cruel " and impious act, than that of Amboyna. But, added "he, I do forgive them, and I hope God will, but my "fon's fon fhall revenge this blood, and punish this horrid maffacre." (b) Wretched must be the people ( Coke, who have a prince thus pufillanimous ! what can they hope for from those about them, but oppreffion, insults and injuries? princes owe to their fubjects protection; if they afford it not, they have no reason to expect allegiance, nor fhould they murmur if it is refused., By the way, we may obferve that James was a falfe prophet, neither his fon, nor his fon's fon, revenged this bloodshed at Amboyna, or punished this horrid masfacre. But Cromwell born to avenge the wrongs of the British nation, and restore her loft glory, effectually did it. For among the conditions on which he gave peace to the Dutch, in April, 1654, it was inferted, "that "they fhould deliver up the island of Polerone, in the "Eaft-Indies (which they had taken from the English "in the time of king James, and ufurped it ever fince) "into the hands of the English Eaft-India company "again; and pay a good fum of money [300,000] for Vol. I. P. 97. (c) Clarendon's hift. Vol. VI. Pe 489. and the old barbarous violence, exercifed fo many years "fince at Amboyna; for which the two laft kings could "never obtain fatisfaction and reparation." (c) It were to be wished all princes had the honor of their country so much at heart, as it appears from this, and many other inftances, Cromwell had. Then would their cha- Tindal's racters truly fhine in history, and inftead of the difagreeable task of censuring, writers would be emulous of pointing out their excellencies; and their fame would be as lafting as letters. Whereas most princes have been contented with the incenfe offered them by flatterers, and therefore have feldom endeavoured to procure that folid reputation, which alone results from great and be nevolent notes on 591. to a conclufion the match [PPP] with the infanta, nevolent actions. By which means their weakneffes, or wickedneffes fill up their annals, and cause their names to be treated with indignation and contempt. [PPP] His permitting his only fon to go into Spain, &c.] James had treated both with France and Spain, for a match with prince Charles, tho' he knew well the inconveniences which would arife from his marrying a lady of a different religion. For in his Bafilicon Doron, addreffed to prince Henry, he has the following remarkable paffage: "I would rathereft have you to marrie "one that was fully of your own religion; her rank and "other qualities being agreeable to your eftate: for al"though to my great regrate, the number of any "princes of power, and accounts profeffing our religion, "be but very fmall; and that therefore this advice "feems to be the more ftrait and difficile: yet ye have "deeply to weigh, and confider upon thefe doubts, "how ye and your wife can be of one flefh, and keep "unitie betwixt you, being members of two oppofite "churches: difagreement in religion bringeth ever "with it difagreement in manners; and the diffen❝tion betwixt your preachers and hers, will breed and fofter a diffention among your fubjects, taking "their example from your family; befides the peril "of the evil education of your children. Neither "pride you that ye will be able to make her as ye "please that deceived Solomon the wifeft king that ever (a) K. Jam, "was." (a) There is fenfe in this paffage; and yet works, P. the writer of it never attempted to match either of his fons with a proteftant princess. The eldeft, prince Henry, he endeavoured to marry with a daughter of France or Savoy; the youngest, prince Charles, as I have juft obferved, with France or Spain. With France the negotiations were broke off for that purpose, and thofe with Spain commenced about the year 1616. (b) But for feveral years the Spaniards had no other end in $72. (b) Birch's View of the negotia tions, &c. p. 398. enter fanta, we shall perhaps be fully fatisfied of the weakness of his conduct. No worth, Vol. entertaining the negotiations, but to amufe James and hinder him from concerning himself in the business of Cleves, or effectually fuccouring the Palatinate. This appears plainly from the king of Spain's letter to Conde Olivares, dated Nov. 5, 1622. (c) However, it seems (c) Ruh probable, that afterwards the Spaniards intentions were I. p. 71. fincere for the match, and that a fhort space of time would have compleated it. For matters had been carried to fuch a length, and James had yielded to all their proposals fo readily, that they could not well refuse to conclude it. This match was odious to the body of the English nation, and the parliament advised the breaking off the treaty. (d) But James gave them a fevere repri- (d) Id. p. 4. mand for their advice, and determined not to comply with it. He longed for the Spanish gold, (two millions, but of what value appears not) which the Infanta was to bring with her, and was in hopes of getting the reftitution of the Palatinate; and therefore proceeded with zeal and earneftnefs. While things were in this ftate, the prince perfuaded by Buckingham, had an inclination to fee and woe his miftrefs. They opened it to the king, and he, after much opposition, being bullied into it by Steney' (e) complied; to the amazement (e) See lord of the whole world. For it was an unparalleled thing Clarendon, to fee" the only son of a king, the heir of the king- 11~18. "dom, hazard himself in fuch a long voyage, and "carry himself rather as an hoftage than a spouse, to a Vol. I. p. court of contrary maxims of religion and ftate, hum"bly to fupplicate for a wife." (f) What was this but (f) Nam's expofing him to the danger of imprisonment, the foli- hift. of Venice, p. 196. citations of Jefuits, the importunities of the Romish cler- fol. Lond gy, and thereby exciting fears and terrors in the minds 1673. of the fubject, and make them draw the worst conclufions poffible? yea, what was this but to put it in the power of the Spaniards, to infift on what terms they thought fit, and cause him to execute them, they hav No wonder then that he was burlefqued, ridiculed, and expofed abroad, by those who ing the perfon of the prince thus in their power? And how weak and imprudent must it be, to wake a ltep of this nature, without fo much as coramicating it to the council, and taking their advice on it ? What was eafily to be foreseen, happened. "The change of his "religion (prince Charles's) was much hoped for by "the court of Spain, at this firft coming thither. To "perfect which, he was plied from time to time with many perfuafive arguments, by many persons of great "honor about the king: and many of the most learned "priests and jefuits made their addreffes to him, with "fuch rhetorical orations, with fuch infinuating arti fices, and fubtile practices, as if they had a purpose "rather to conquer him by kindness than by difputa"tion. The pope alfo addreffed his lines unto the "prince, extolling the piety of his predeceffors, their "zeal unto the catholic church, and to the head thereof "the pope, inviting him by all the blandifhments of 66 art, to put himself upon following of their brave ex"amples. Never a prince had a harder game to play, "than prince Charles had now. He found himself un"der the power of the king of Spain, and knew that "the whole business did depend on the pope's dispensa"tion, with whom if he complied not in fome hand"fome way, his expectation might be fruftrate, and all "the fruits of that long treaty would be fuddenly "blafted. He therefore writes unto the pope in fuch general terms, as feemed to give his holiness fome "affurances of him: but being reduced into particulars, "fignified nothing else but fome civil complements, "mixt with fome promises of his endeavours to make "up the breaches in the church, and reftore Christen"dom to an happy and defirable peace.In Eng"land the king had as hard a game to play. For hav ing left fuch a pawn in Spain, he was in a manner "bound to his good behaviour, and of neceffity to gra |