that there could be no pacification, unless the king A C. 1607, of Spain would acknowledge the provinces as a free and independent ftate. The ecclefiaftic having fignified this anfwer to the archduke, was difpatched a fecond time to Holland, with a writing figned by Albert and the infanta, with which the statesgeneral were fatisfied, on condition that it should be ratified at the court of Spain. Henry IV. of France, being informed of this tranfaction, fent the preftdent Jeanin, to offer his mediation to the states, which they forthwith accepted. But, in order to avoid giving caufe of jealousy to James, they demanded his advice and affiftance; and afterwards fent an ambassador to London, to make him acquainted with the fituation of their affairs. When Philip's ratification arrived, it was found fo full of equivocal expreffions, that they were obliged to demand an explanation, in confequence of which demand the negotiation was protracted; though, in the mean time, both fides enjoyed the benefit of a ceffation.

Grotius.

The fucceeding year was remarkable for little a. C. 1608, elfe than the execution of two popish priests, who refused to take the oath of allegiance the death of the earl of Dorfet, who was fucceeded in his post of lord high treasurer, by Cecil earl of Salisbury; an exclufive privilege granted to a merchant for dreffing and dying broad-cloth, which had formerly been fent to Holland for that purpose: the king's monopolizing the fale of alum, which had been lately discovered in England: a difference with the Dutch, who were forbidden to fish upon the coafts of Great Britain, until they engaged by treaty to pay a yearly fum for that privilege; and the enmity which archbishop Bancroft expreffed against the puritans, a great number of whom refolved to fettle in Virginia, where they hoped to be out of the reach of perfecution. Many families actually em

barked

A. C. 1608. barked for that colony; and the reft were prevent ed by a proclamation, forbidding them to quit the kingdom without an exprefs licence from the king, who began to fear this fect would become too numerous and powerful in America. James contiJames's pro- nued to indulge himself in his favourite diversion digality.

Treaty with

of hunting, and difpenfed his favours with fuch a prodigal hand, that he was expofed to all the mortifications of indigence. Indeed, feveral circumftances concurred with his own lavish difpofition to involve him in manifold difficulties. The crown was indebted at his acceffion in a large fum, which Elizabeth had borrowed of the Londoners. That princefs had alienated or mortgaged the crownlands, in order to exempt her fubjects from impofitions. The increafe of gold and filver in Europe, after the discovery of the Weft-Indies, had not only introduced a more luxurious manner of living than that which had obtained in the reigns of his predeceffors, but at the fame time raised the price of provifions and every other commodity: fo that, as his fubjects became wealthy from commerce, he became power; for his revenue did not increase in proportion: the fee-farm rents underwent no alteration; and the crown-lands were let in long leafes, greatly under value.

Though James payed very little regard to the the Duch affairs or intereft of the States-general, yet he did not fail to demand the payment of the debt which they owed to the crown of England, amounting to eight hundred and eighteen thousand four hundred and eight pounds fterling. After fome difputes, matters were adjufted, and the plenipotentiaries of each nation figned a defenfive league, importing, That James fhould affift in obtaining for the states a juft and honourable peace; and defend them with a certain number of fhips and forces, in cafe they should be attacked. In return for these stipu

lations,

fations, they entered into the like engagements for A. C, 1608. the fafety of him and his dominions. In another treaty concluded at the fame time, they acknowledged themselves indebted to him for the fum already specified, and promised to discharge it at the rate of thirty thousand pounds payed half yearly; the first payment to commence in two years after the peace with Spain. All former treaties were confirmed, together with the privileges heretofore enjoyed by the English in Holland, and the Dutch Winwood, in England.

Rymer.

twelve years

These treaties being ratified, the king of Eng- Truce for land fent Robert Spencer to the Hague, with between the powers to affist at the congrefs, in conjunction king of Spain and with Winwood his ambaffador in ordinary. The the Statesking of Spain had ratified the archduke's declara- general, tion touching the independence of the States, only on condition, that the peace fhould take effect; and they refused to treat on any other footing than that of a free state. They alfo received intelligence, that Philip had endeavoured to detach the king of Great Braitain from their intereft, by means of Don Fernando de Gironne, who repaired to the court of London, in quality of ambaffador extraordinary. This circumftance was the more alarming, as James declared, upon all occafions, that he looked upon the Dutch as rebels; for he did not believe that in any cafe whatfoever, fubjects had a right to withdraw themselves from the dominion of their fovereign. These being his fentiments, no wonder that his ambaffadors acted a very inconfiderable part at the negotiation for a general peace. Jeanin the French prefident directed the conferences; but, notwithstanding his utmoft efforts, he could not obtain the confent of both parties to a pacification. Thus baffled, he propofed a truce A, C, 1609, for twelve or fifteen years; and to this with difficulty they agreed. The king of Spain and the

arch

A. C. 1609. archduke acknowledged the States as a free and independent power, and they ftill maintained their commerce to the Eaft-Indies, which had been one; of the principal difficulties that occurred in the neGrotius. gotiation. These advantages were not at all agreeable to the king of England, who confidered their fuccefs as a precedent dangerous to the regal authority, of which he entertained fuch a fublime idea, that, in the course of this year, he granted a licence to print and publish two books, written in defence of the most defpotic maxims. The first, compofed by one Cowel a clergyman, maintained, that the king was not bound by the laws of the land, or by the oath which he took at his coronation. The author of the fecond was doctor Blackwood another ecclefiaftic, who affirmed as a leading principle, that by the conqueft of William the Norman, the English had forfeited all their liberties. James understanding how much the people were offended by thefe performances, and hearing the parliament intended to make examples of the authors, anticipated their refentment, by prohibiting the fale of the books, and recalling the copies by proclamation.

A.C. 1610. Being by this time reduced to great diftress for Difcontent want of money, he refolved to folicit a fubfidy in of the com- this feffion; and the houfes meeting on the nine

teenth day of February, the earl of Salisbury was ordered to demand the fupply. In order to conciliate their affections, he began with affuring them, that his majefty was refolved to redress all their grievances; and, as a mark of his fingular affection, would confer the order of knighthood upon his eldest fon Henry prince of Wales, during the feffion. He then proceeded to explain the caufes of the king's indigence, obferving, that he had paid the debts of the late queen; that he had maintained an army of nineteen thousand men in Ireland;

Ireland; that he had expended great fums in the A. C. 169, funeral of Elizabeth, in his own journey, and that of his queen and children, from Edinburgh to London; in entertaining the king of Denmark, and the foreign ambaffadors; in maintaining three feparate courts for himfelf, his confort, and the prince of Wales; in fending envoys to different courts on the continent; and in liberalities to his officers and dependents. He launched out into extravagant encomiums upon the king's wifdom and probity; and declared that his majefty, far from intending to rule defpotically, was ready at all times to hear the remonftrances of his parliament, provided they would confine themfelves within proper bounds, without deviating from that refpect which was due to fuch a great and gracious fovereign. Notwithstanding thefe profeffions, the members of the house of commons loudly complained of the king's prodigality and exceffive profufion towards his own countrymen. Others ventured to affirm, that his intention was to fap the privileges of the fubject by gradual ufurpation. He had been heard to declare at his own table, that the civil law of the Roman emperors ought to be substituted in room of the common law of England; and approved of the treatife called the Interpreter, written by Dr. Cowel on that fubject, but the chief caufe of their complaint was the high commiffion court, which had exercised great feverities against the puritans, whofe party was efpoufed by a majority of the commons.

ceed with

the king's

James, being informed of thefe proceedings, had They prorecourfe to his own eloquence, which he thought great vivaciirrefiftible, and harangued the two houfes at White- ty againft hall. His fpeech, however, was very ill calcu- conduct, lated to foothe the animofity of his people. He told them, that the prerogative of kings refembled the divine power: that, as God could create or annihilate,

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