An exact survey of the affaires of the United Netherlands. Comprehending more fully than any thing yet extant, all the particulars of that subject. In twelve heads, mentioned in the address to the reader.

The present state of the Ʋnited Provinces.

Countrey Gentleman.

SIR, I can finde little or no satisfa∣ction in the Pamphlets you sent me concerning the present condition of Hol∣land and England; shall I intreat your Observations concerning both, where the one boasts Your ••irth, the other Your Education.

Traveller.

The Pamphlets I sent, pre∣tended not your satisfaction, but your Pleasure; as designed rather with their variety to Entertain, than with their exactness to Inform you.

And I am as heartily glad we have in the retirements of our Countrey, such exact Judgments, as rest not in superfi∣cial Accounts of things, as sorry I am not in this particular more able to an∣swer their expectation or yours.

However being (as your Worship knows by many instances) more willing to betray a Weakness, then an Ʋndutiful∣ness:

your Curiosity shall not sully to that particular on these two Subjects, wherein my Observations shall not at∣tend it.

Gent.

The first particular that offers it self to consideration, is the present condition of Holland, in regard of its Scituation.

Trav.

And that very Rationally, the Interest of all Countreys depending on their Position, and their Estate arising from the mutual aspect of their Neigh∣bours towards them, and theirs toward their Neighbours; wherein to proceed with a clearness agreeable to my Tem∣per and Subject.

I need not inform you, That of 17 Provinces formerly belonging to the House of Burgundy, and in Right of that House, to the House of Austria; there are seven united in a free State among themselves, under the notion of the uni∣ted Netherlands; the Scituation of each whereof in particular, will resolve your first Question.

1. Holland the chief of them, and the

Province that designes the enslaving of the rest, ever since it enjoyed freedom; for it self is awed on the N and W with the German-Sea, and whosoever is Ma∣ster of it: On the E. bounded with Ʋtrecht, on the South, lying over to Bra∣bant, the Mase onely parting them

Gent.

It must needs be sad with that Countrey, when so mighty a Prince by Sea threatneth it on the one hand, as the King of Great Brittain is in the German-Sea; and such a Neighbour watcheth it, as the King of Spain is in Brabant; un∣less they are wonderfully fortified on all sides.

Trav.

Three places there are, upon which depend the Fate of Holland:

1. Encheusen, on the very point of Zuider-zee, standing most conveniently to command the Posts of Amsterdam.

2. Edam, upon the very same Gulf, their great Cha••tam or Arsenal of ships; and

3. Briell, in the Island Voorn, formerly one of the Cautionary Towns, chosen by the English; in regard of the great command it hath upon the passage to Gertrudenburgh, and the rest of Brabant;

as also to Delph, Dort, Rotterdam, the greatest Towns of trade in South Hol∣land.

Gent.

Since we unhappily parted with this Town, such are the Dikes and Chan∣nels round it, Hoorn, and most of their strong Holds, that it is impossible to pos∣sess our selves of them.

Trav.

When you remember how or∣dinarily they were bought, sold, and sur∣prized in the Spanish War, you will not despair of them: Besides that, the whole Countrey lyeth so low, that it is but dispatching a few Pick-axes against the Mud-wall, Banks, Ramparts, and Dikes; whereby, with much adoe, they confine the Sea, and the Rivers, and the whole Countrey shall lye in Pickle, as their Herrings do.

Gent.

Its the greatest Bogg of Europe, and Quagmire of Christendom, thats flat, of which it was formerly more strane, than it will be upon this War true; That having no Corn of their own, they had the Granary of Europe; no Wine they drank, more than any Coun∣trey besides; no Wool or Flax they made more Cloth of both sorts, than

any people, besides the French and Eng∣lish; and no Timber, yet spending more than any Nation.

Trav.

1. A Power that confines them at home, starves them; and one years stop on their Trade overthrows them.

Gent.

I look upon the Dutch in this Quarrel with England, like the Belly in its Controversie with the Members which fed them; or like the Rebellion of Paris, which (saith the Historian) was starved, rather than Conquered. But Sir the next Province.

Trav.

2. Zealand (consisting of 7 I∣slands, the remainder of 18) hath no more to secure it from Flanders, than the left Branch of the River Scheld, or Hont; or from Brabant East-ward, but the right Branch of the said River; nor on the West from England, but the Sea; whereof the whole World knows who is Master.

A Province that is so ill provided with Wood, that without a supply of Coals from New-Castle; and Scotland hath no other remedy now, but to digg Turffs out of the Banks, too much weakned al∣ready thereby in the late English War;

and that is to be drowned, for fear of being starved; whose Fate depends upon ••lushing (another cautionary Town, for∣merly a poor one, since, the very Key of the Netherlands; without whose License, no ship could pass formerly, either to or from Antwerp:) and the most capacious Haven Ramme, or Armynygden.

Gent.

3. West Friezland Sir.

Trav.

West-Friezland, That hath no Fire but Cow-dung, no Ayr but foggy, no water, but Marshy; lyeth Eastward obnoxious to Westphalen in High-Germa∣ny, N. and W. to the main Ocean.

Gent.

Where lyeth the strength of that place?

Trav.

1. In the strong Castles, that over-looks Harlingen-Haven, and Stave∣ren, in that part of it called Westergoe. 2. Leuwarden, in that called Oastergoe:—The rest of the Countrey being the seven Forrests, called Seven-Wolden:—In an Isle whereof called Schelink, to divert you, you may observe the taking of Dog∣fish in this manner:

The men of the Island attire them∣selves with Beasts-skins, and then fall to dancing; with which sport the fish being

much delighted, makes out of the waters towards them, Nets being pitched pre∣sently between them and the water; which done, the men put off their dis∣guises, and the frighted fish hastning to∣wards the Sea, are caught in their Toyles.

Gent.

But if it please you, the Scitua∣tion of Ʋtrecht.

Trav.

4. Ʋtrecht lyeth safe enough, being surrounded by Holland and Gelderland; East, West, North, and South, as doth

5. Overyssel; onely West phalen casts a scurvey Aspect towards it Eastward.

Gent.

Where lyeth the advantage a∣gainst this Countrey?

Trav.

In several parts of the Isle, which is secured onely by Daventer and Campen, as they are onely by the adjoyn∣ing Marshes; which yet are rendred ut∣terly unserviceable in one month of Frost; as appears An. 1527, when the Imperialists were let into both these Pro∣vinces.

Gent.

Please you Sir to go on.

Trav.

6. Gelderland, which bred a Bull 1570, that weighed 3200 pound, must watch the Elector of Bradenburgh East∣ward,

whereon its bounded with Cleve∣land; whereof the States have got half into their hands, and the Brabanters, who shut it up South-ward.

Gent.

Where lye the passages into this Countrey?

Trav.

At the confluence of the Mase and the Wael, where Duke Albert erect∣ed, and the States maintain the Fort St. Andrews to command that Passage; and Gelders, the onely place in the Pro∣vince, that would never submit to the States.

Gent.

Zuphten Sir.

Trav.

6. Zuphten, lyeth at the mercy of Westphalen on the East, and Cleveland on the South.

Gent.

Where is this place usually at∣tached?

Trav.

Over the old Yssel, from West∣phalen, onely Zuphten, Groll, and Does∣burgh secure it; which yet every year of the last War shifered their Masters, so lyable they were both to surprize and Corruption.

7. To which I may add Groning, in∣closed by the Friezlands on all sides, save the North, that lyeth open to the main

Ocean; succoured onely by Old Haven and Groning.

Gent.

But have the States no holding in Flanders or Prabant?

Trav

Yes, they have the Sluyes, the Isle of Castandt in Flanders, with such pla∣ees of Importance in Bra••ant, as may tempt their watchful Neighbours to im∣prove this juncture of their breach with England, to recover all the World; knowing that when they are so mightily ingaged by Sea, they will have but a ve∣ry poor defence by Land; and it being obvious to themselves (but that Fate in∣fatuates them it would punish) that a breach with England may lose what ami∣ty with it hath gotten them.

Gent.

I pray how bigg may this United State be?

Trav.

Its Circuit is some 300 miles, its walled Towns 71; whereof 23 belong to Holland, 8 to Zealand, 11 to West-Friezland, 5 to Ʋtrecht, 11 to Overyssel, 16 to Geld••rland, 8 to Zuphten:—And its Villages, 1560; whereof 400 are in Holland, and 300 in Zealand, ••45 in West-Friezland, 70 in Ʋtrecht, an 100 in Over∣••sse••, 300 in Gelderland, 145 in Groning,

besides the Towns in Brabant, ••landers, and Cleveland.

Gent.

I pray how stand all these Neighbours affected towards their Uni∣ted Province?

Trav.

Westphaliae, and the Bishop of Munster is disobliged about the Eyler-Sconce; the Elector of Bradenburgh is not well pleased with some Passages in Cleve∣land; the Emperour and Spain strenthen themselves in Flanders: neither is the King of France without preparations in Picarty and Artois, and all this while the King of Great Brittain hath made the most dreadful preparations against them that any Age can remember.

Gent.

This is so sad, that it must needs sink any other people but the Dutch, who are so much given to hope, that like St Clemens, though drowned, they have an Anchor about their necks.

Trav.

Yet this is not all, for the Hol∣landers, under pretence of Liberty of Trade, which the Duke of Rhoan saith is their Interest; having engrossed a Mono∣poly of it, which all the World decrees as their Usurpation.

The industrious Portugeze, whom they

have wormed almost out of all their dis∣coveries in Asia and Africa upon the least Truce with Spain, would set up Repri∣z••ls, as well for their Trade, as their Goods on either side of the Line.

The incensed Swede is ready to re∣venge Modern affronts, and former un∣kindnesses; besides his design for free Trade in the Balticc-sea.

The concerned Dane must secure his Sound, or quit his Kingdom.

The generous French meditate a free Trade, and an Universal Commerce, equally suitable to the inclinations and necessities of Man-kind; in order where∣unto, (as Sir George Downing observes) he hath permitted his Subjects the reco∣very of some places in the Dutch hands with Honour, the loss whereof his Pre∣decessors connived at, not without some disgrace.

What the Duke of Muscovy may do when disabused, is obvious to discern∣ing men; who know that those Northern (and indeed all rude) people are never more implacable, than when imposed upon; never knowing upon what ground to trust, when once deceived.

Neither is Christendom onely offend∣ed by this unhappy people, who when put on by an Heathen Prince that for∣bad Christians Trade, to the sad choi••e, to renounce either their Trade, or their Religion, made this untoward Answer; That they were not Christians, but Hol∣landers: But even the Pagan World near hand here in Affrica, and further off in Asia and America, watches the first fair opportunity to rid their Ports, as the Ghinois; their Islands as the Indians, and their Coasts, as the Negroes of Guinee of their insulting Usurpers, that know as little how to command moderately a∣broad, as how to obey dutifully at home; out-doing Barbarisme it self in uncivility, and Heathenisme in cruelty; both which are ashamed of themselves as acted by Dutchmen.

Gent.

Yet they are very strong (they say) in the Indies, and at Guinee.

Trav.

Its very true, and no more than needs, that they who have a peculiar unhappiness of disobliging all man••ind, should have a considerable Power to awe them, and that the miserable people that are not loved, should be feared.

Yet when what they have gained in Trade, by their adventure to Guinee, is compared with what they have lost in Reputation, the great support of Govern∣ment by the surprize of it (unworthily assaulting a Christian Prince there, when he was engaged in their assistance against an Infidel elswhere) when Nova Battavia is weighed with Amboyna; when Surat and the Coast of China ballanceth the Mollacco Islands; when the unexpressable losses of their West-India Company by miscarriages, repulses, surprizes, ship∣wracks, strike tallies with the advanta∣ges of the East India; when they have reckoned as well what they can bring home, as what they have there, they will have as little reason to boast of their In∣terest on the other side of the Line a year hence, as they have to do so on this side of it now.

Gent.

I doubt you are now a little par∣tial, therefore waving all reflections, I pray give me an exact account of their state in those remote parts.

Trav.

Although the Improsperous Ne∣therlanders have done themselves so much wrong, that to relate their condition,

looks as if it were to reflect upon them; and bare Narratives that concern them, seem little less than Invectives; yet with the impartiality you alwaies expect, in the freedom of our private Discourses, take their state in Asia, Affrica, and Ame∣rica in this clear Account.

Notes

• Their condition in regard of Scitu∣ation.