Englands command on the seas, or, The English seas guarded.: Wherein is proved that as the Venetians, Portugals, Spaniards, French, Danes, Polands, Turks, the Duke of Tuscany, and the popes of Rome have dominion on their seas; so the Common-wealth of England hath on our seas. : Wherein the Dutch unjust procuration and prosecution of war against England is also described.

The Dutch inju∣stice and Ingra∣titude to Fight againstour Na∣tion.

FIrst, they begun the war, and kindled the fire, and blowed the first Coal. They were the first Offendors, so 'tis just and fitting on our parts to re∣pulse the injuries and Af∣fronts offered us, that this is true witnesse the barba∣rous and uncivill usage shewed to that ever Hono∣rable Statseman the Lord Saint John, when he was

Ambassador from our State and resident at the Hague, the harbouring and main∣taining the publick Ene∣mies of our State, their common sending in Arms, and all manner of warlike provision into Scotland and other places which were at war with England; Adde to these their scandalous se∣ditious pamphlets and books allowed to be print∣ted in the disparagement of our State and Nation. These things are but some of those many, but these are all too true.

Secondly, as the Dutch be∣gan the war, so (as they conceived) they took the

advantage of the time also, intending to surprise us be∣fore we could have been in a ready posture to receive them, and for certain had not our State been prudent to foresee their craftinesse, and our Marriners and Land Souldiers as ready and willing to furnish our ships forthwith, they might have effected more on a sudden upon us, then now they are able, but to come to a period, we give our Countreymen a hint onely.

3. Thirdly, as they were crafty to cull out the time, so they show themselves as Ingratefull to set against us their neighbors, their

friends, their old and trusty friends, their conservators, both of life and liberty, of wives, children, towns, and all whatsoever at present they have, and what we did for them 'twas freely and throughly performed, wit∣nes that famous battell of Newport, when as all the Dutch did run the field, and all the Scots were kill'd nay, the Prince of Orange wept, and gave all for lost, and was run a ship-board, and when the Spaniards called openly Victoria, victoria, sancta Cruz. & sancta Maria yet all this while, though Sir Francis Veere, that Re∣nowned Commander was

also shot, and could not give direction, yet that re∣ligious and valorous Bro∣ther of his, Sir Horatio Veere, with the English Regiments kept the field, and fought it out to the utter overthrow of all the Spanish Army, according to that Song composed upon that battle.

In Flanders once the field was fought, With 40000. men at least, The Scotchmen stoutly held it out, The Dutchmen shew'd them∣selves like beasts. For most men say, all ran away Couragious call'd our English men.

But if that we had not set them free, Judge in what case they had been then. We spend our blood to do them good, And help their Countrey to defend. They pawn their Towns for English Crowns, Which our good Queen to them did lend.

What can they now, (though so swel'd w^th pride say to this certainly we have deserved better from them, but what can be ex∣pected from such Borish people, But such ungrate∣full returns.

Fourthly, as they begun,

and now, and against us, so they are as Injurious to fight with us upon this oc∣casion for defending our own goods, our own just Rights, our freedome, and sea priviledges, which do not in any the least manner belong unto them; 'tis true, they have been many years proling, and attempting, but now they take open arms to infest us.

Fifthly, not by themselves alone, but by solliciting o∣ther Nations to help them, as if it were not enough for themselves to do Injury, ex∣cept they fetch in other Confederates to make us, if they can miserable to the

utmost; and to this purpose they send their Agents to France to Denmark, to Swe∣den, to Germany, with hor∣rible and false Suggestions, and Informations against this Common-wealth of England, the sooner to in∣cite them to fight against us of this Nation; and if possible utterly to ruine us; But we leave them know∣ing that as their beginning of war was simply unjust, so the end of it will prove as miserable and destructive to the Prosecutors of it, O Dutch Hollander, remember we say, remember what wil do in the end thereof, take one line more.

With pride they are so puft, and blown, That ev'ry bore's becom a State Their former life is no more known, But forget what we did of late They boast and say, we must a∣way, Ev'n home unto our Native Land. But ere 6. year we greatly fear, They'l wish that we did by them stand.

But to conclude our sub∣ject, we may assuredly say, that perit quodfacis Ingrato, Save a thief frō the gallows and hee'l be the first to do you a mischief, for certain 'tis that these Dutch ever since the coming in of King James to the Crown of

England, have been the spunges of Englands Trea∣sure, & have bin the people above all others who have decryed and vilified our Nation, in all the East and Southern parts of the world; and not onely so, but have fomented occasions of quarrels, and raised scanda∣lous jealousies of our Nati∣on towards them, and upon meere false informations have rigorously, nay bar∣barously proceeded to the murthering our Mer∣chants and Factors where∣ever they could lay hands upon them, before ever they gave the least intima∣tion of the crimes commit∣ted

to our State, or indeed before and fault was really per petrated by our Nation to them in those parts.

And wee cannot think their intentions to be alte∣red from what they were: we shall be sure to find them worse against us, now if they obtain that which they have been long ende∣vouring, viz. The Domini∣on of the seas) and therefore

Brave England have a care thy seas to defend, Thou needst not fear whether Dutch be thy foe, or friend.