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.

Their present Condition in point of Land-Forces.

Trav.

VVH••n 1. They are ••orced to maintain so many thousands in time of Peace, on purpose that they may be ready against a War.

2. When their Weesvaders for the Or∣phans of their souldiers, when their East∣huysen for maimed souldiers, when their Aelmoestiniers for old servants and Offi∣cers, when their Die huyse sitten, de Ar∣men, and other Wase-houses, Guest-houses, Du houses, and most prudent provisions for those persons that fail in their ser∣vice, stand them in 364547l. 16s. 4d. Amsterdam alone maintaining 113764. with weekly accommodations.

3. When at their last year Estimates

(as the custom is) of States and Persons, they sunk almost half in half; besides that so many served forreign Princes without leave against the fundamental constitution of their Government,

4. When in the greatest danger of the Countrey, they will stand upon this Punctillio, of their Magna Charta; that none should be forced to serve out of his own Province.

5. When so many excellent persons, especially almost all their Commanders, must either quit their service, or their own Allegiance.

6. When the Coyn of each Nation, is by strict Lawes kept there, and the States must spend upon the common stock.

7. When the Lord of the Sea in Right and Power forbids the Importation of any Bullets, Match, Powder, Armes, Am∣munition, or any other Contraband Goods from any part of the World into Holland, upon pain of forfeiting the Goods and Vessels too.

8. When the gross Inhabitants are so unweildy, that they can do nothing but sit on their Breeches in a ship.

9. When they are as much at a loss

for Men to their Arms, as they may be for Arms to their Men, in a very short compass of time should a mighty Prince, who is Lord of the Sea in Power, as well as Right, continue that severe Edict whereby all Nations are advertised, That what Powder, Ammunition, or other Contraband Goods soever, they shall Import to the Lands, Territories, Plantations, or strong Holds, belonging to the Estates of the Ʋnited Netherlands, shall be judged Prize∣goods and forseited accordingly.

And consequently the Dutch stores being likely to supply at least 40000 men by Sea and Land, without any hoped recruit, the Countrey must needs be lost, as Amsterdam was once for want of Am∣munition.

Besides that, they will be as much to seek for Provision, as for Men; the Pesti∣lence preceding their War not more fa∣tally, sweeping away ••the one, (a third part being missed in Holland) than the Famine following it cuts off the other (the Market is already improved a moy∣ety;) and when the Baltick-sea is com∣manded by Sweden and Denmark, the Mediterranian awed by the Turk, and

French, and the Brittish-coasts over-ruled by their Soveraign, Holland will not be said so properly to be overcome, as to be starved; it being not likely that the King of England should be guilty of the King of Spain's oversight; (Princes seldom erre twice) which cost him those Provinces (and as much money as would have bought as much Land thrice over,) and rendred them as considerable, as it made him despicable; that is, ly pelting at their impregnable Townes, when he may swallow their whole Common∣wealth, and take that pedling Countrey quickly by the Wholesale, that cost others so much by the Retail.

Its true, their Towns are strong, but Factious; driving at their particular Inte∣rests, to the prejudice of the general States, and ready to submit to any new Masters, rather than Truck under Am∣sterdam Antwerp chose rather trade under Spain, than Liberty under the free States: each Governour pursuing his own design as vigorously as the High and Mighty do theirs: Neither is there a Gar∣rison there, wherein the Governour is not engaged against the Burgemasters, and

they inveterate against him; wherein the Townsmen would not betray the Soul∣diers, or the Souldiers sell away the Townsmen.

Besides, as an Agent (who doth there more service than an Army) may order the affair, such may the misunderstand∣ing be between the respective Provinces, that they had rather (as the Duke De Alva observed) be ruined by themselves, than saved by one another; though indeed as they are hardly attempted, by reason of the narrowness of their ways, and fre∣quency of their Dikes, so they are more hardly relieved; a 1000 well-encamped men, being not to be attempted there by 10000; to which may be added, That as strong soever their Towns may be by Land, they lye open by Sea, and so no longer tenable against us, then their Ma∣sters are Lords of the Brittish-coasts.

But suppose their Forces by Land most considerable, yet you must suppose with∣all Commanders to those Forces; who being of necessity Forreigners, men of fortune, and it may be persons of vari∣ous apprehensions, never likely to close in a common Quarrel or Action unani∣mously

or honestly. Yea let me tell you, their very strong Holds are their weak∣ness; as to which they trust so much, that they could never yet look an Ene∣my in the face in the Field, nor perform any thing resolute or honourable.

Not to mention their pay, which must as duly be paid, as the Usurers Mort∣gage-money, in the very time and place, or else the Countrey may be over-run while they lay down their Arms, and cry Ghelt, ghelt; as they did in the very first action of the Prince of Orange towards their freedom, to the loss of 5000 men, and three Counts of the Empire at Stein∣bocke.

Neither is it the least consideration, That the Scene of a Land-war, must be the very bowels of their own Countrey; they not daring to look beyond their Cantons by Land, for fear of their friends, nor by Sea, for fear of their ene∣mies.

Not to aggravate the affair with this unhappy reflection, That 2000 Horse eats up their Countrey in Summer, and must be eat up themselves, for want of Butter and Cheese in Winter: Yet the

worst is to come, viz: an untoward Oath was put upon so many expert, valiant, and deserving Scots and Eng., w^ch not on∣ly forfeits them these excellent Persons service, in the instant they could worst spare them, but likewise assists us with such Experience and Interests in their own Countrey, as these Gentlemen can∣not chuse but communicate, to the great prejudice of their Cause and Govern∣ment.

Nor needed they have been so Prodi∣gal of the few Gentlemen they had from forreign parts, who have scarce any of their own; for among them a brave Courtly, Gentile, and Noble Person, is like Merlin in the field among Crowes af∣ter Michaelmas; which they wonder at, en∣vy, but can neither use nor respect.

Their spirits are sunk as low as their Countrey,—and their blood runs as thick as their water:—Not an Order passing without a French Secretary, nor a Muster without an English Comman∣der, nor an Embassy managed without an Italian Gentleman.

Men are like Wine, not good, before the Lees of Clownishness be settled;

nor when its too windy, and will flie out of the Bottle; nor when its too au∣stere and sowre: In a midling clarity and quickness it is best.

Gent.

Indeed I look for little good in a Land-service, from gross and unweil-Dutchmen: But I hope they are consi∣derable at Sea.

Trav.

Indeed there's not so Potent a piece of ground for the bigness of it in the World, as Holland at Sea: If

1. Their Timber were answerable at Land, to their ships at Sea; and they must not fight for their shipping, as well as their trade, being beholden to Swede∣land, Denmark, and England for the very strength wherewith they must engage them. If

2. They had either ships that (accord∣ing to the Automatical proposal made there last year) could manage them∣selves, and they were not as much to seek, to let the world see they can furnish an 100 sail, as they have been hitherto in perswading it they can build them; it being one thing in Holland to set out 1000 Merchant-men, and another 160 men of War; their Plantations abroad

having swept away those men that would maintain them at home; they, and their old Masters of Spain lying under one misprision and oversight, viz: That they enlarge the borders of their Domi∣nions at the charge of the strength of them. If

3. They could recruit their ships, as well as man them, and one Battel well followed without mercy or Quarter, overthrew them not beyond recovery. Holland, as well as Spain, were it not for want of men and bread, would do won∣ders. If

4. Their people would fight, as well as debate, and maintain a Quarrel, as well as scan it; and they were not the unhap∣py Common-wealth, where not a man will strike longer than he seeth a Reason for it; every fat Seaman out-staring his Master with a bold Cui ••ono, to what end all this. If

5. They were not so inured to slavery at home, that they will yeeld in extrea∣mity to a lasting captivity, rather than expire in a bold resistance; laughing in such cases at the English spirit, that pre∣fers an honourable death to a thralled

life;—when at best Hollanders are but Prisoners at large. If

6. Their constant dependance upon, and late Bangs by the English, hath not insinuated to them a Panick fear, that nothing can inspirit but Brandy, and im∣pressed such a disorder upon their spirits, that nothing rallieth them but Rhenish; so dreadful are their apprehensions of England, that when they would express a Momo, they paint a grim Britton rou∣zing with-these words, I am coming, I am coming. If

7. It were not the humour of most pot pular States, as most common people (of which sort they consist) not to hold out beyond one event, to give all over for lost after the first misfortune, while the generous Members of a Monarchy take courage from defeats, raise a reso∣lution from Despair, adding after an Overthrow, the heat of a brave Revenge to that of a common Enmity;—their Anger quickning their Hatred, and their Shame their Anger. If

8. Their Losses did not impede their Successes, and every Seaman almost went out with this sad Exclamation for the

Herring-fishing, the English Commerce, the Mediterranian and Baltick-trade; Well I am 40l. a year the worse for this foolish War: Those men will do little service against a Prince, that hath their Money in his Purse, their Meat in his own Stores, their Corn in his own Ground, their very Livelihood in his own Sea, and their Estates at his Mercy. If

9. Their Privateers did not overrule the Publick, and while every man would set up for himself, all failed not. If

10. Their Provinces could agree at Sea, any better than they do at Land; and did not justle for Precedency when the question is their being. If

11. They durst trust their Comman∣ders with full Commission, and they were neither restrained from their own de∣fence without Order, nor defeated of the best Advantages for want of Autho∣rity. If

12. The proceedings of the several Courts of Admiralties, and their respe∣ctive Debates; with their Particular States, and the States-General spent not that time upon the very Method of Acti∣on, till their Adversaries have cut off

the very possibility of it. If

13. They were secure in any neigh∣bouring Harbour, or in their own since the last are so dangerous, and the first are either shut up: by neutens, or blocked by Enemies. If

14. Antwerp were further off or stop∣ped up; and the blemings dad not an Am∣sterdam as well as the Dutch. If

15. Holland were as able to subsist of it self as England, and Dutchmen had homes to go to, when they have lost their Navy: Did a stop of trade put them onely to want Spice for Sawce, as in England, and not Meat; Wines, onely, and not Bread, Silks, Laces, and not Cloth; Curiosities in fine, and not Ne∣cessaries. If

16. Their Schuttery (as they call them) I mean their Train-bands of Burgemasters, were as good for service, as they are for shew. If

17. They had a Yeomandry to man∣tain their Seamen in War, as well as they Inrich them in Peace. In a word, If

18. They could be at once Valiant and sober, and it were not a sad necessi∣ty that a Dutchman must be either drunk

or fearfull, there being no remedy for Cowardize there, but Madness.