THE PEACE NEGOTIATIONS 429 



Cromwell did not now attend the conferences, the negotia- 

 tions being entrusted to four members of the Council Viscount 

 Lisle, Sir Charles Wolseley, Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper, and 

 Walter Strickland, who had accompanied St John to The 

 Hague in 1651. The discussions on the questions affecting 

 the claim to the sovereignty of the sea were continued: the 

 striking of the flag, the visitation of ships, and the declaration 

 that the dominion of the sea belonged to England. The 

 former arguments on both sides were repeated, and the Dutch 

 proposed the following article with reference to the flag: 

 "That the ships and vessels of the United Provinces, as well 

 men - of - war as others, meeting with any of the ships of 

 war of the State of England shall honour and dignify them 

 with the striking of the flag and lowering the top-sail, in 

 such a manner as ever under any form of government in 

 times past they have been honoured and dignified; and to 

 prevent all quarrels for the future the particulars thereof 

 shall be regulated by the advice of the generals and com- 

 manders." l The English commissioners reiterated the objections 

 previously made, but now stated that they had been referring 

 only to the narrow seas ; 2 and it was agreed to refer the points 

 in dispute to the Lord Protector. 



Another difficulty arose on the third article, which fixed 

 the dates on which the peace should take effect on the sea, 

 after which dates the capture of prizes would be illegal. 

 The part was as follows: "Excepting such depredations as 

 shall be committed in the British Seas (Maria Britannica) 

 after the space of twelve days, and betwixt the British Seas 

 and the Line after the space of ten weeks," &c. At the 

 first, the phrase "British Seas" had caught the eye of the 

 envoys; but, thinking it was merely an ordinary appellation 

 such as might appear on a chart, and that no deep design 

 lurked beneath it, they decided that it would not be desirable 

 to raise "the business of the sea" on such a point. 3 They 

 now took exception to these words, and suggested that it would 

 be better to begin, "in the narrow sea, which was called the 

 British Sea " after twelve days, from there to Cape St Vincent 



1 Verbad, 260, 261. MS. Commentary, Stubbe, op. cit., 60. 



2 "Ende dat sy alleenlyck spraecken van de naeuwe Zee." 



3 Verbad, 231. 



