THE THIRD DUTCH WAR 



491 



sum of 10,000 a-year for permission which the king would 

 grant them to fish for herrings on the coasts of England, Scot- 

 land, and Ireland. 1 



The demands of Louis were even more oppressive to the 

 Dutch, and threatened them in what they held most dear their 

 religious liberty, for the sake of which they had formerly fought 

 so long and so heroically against the tyranny of Spain. 



In this crisis of their history despair and fury seized upon 

 the people. The Ministers were blamed for the misfortunes 

 of the country ; a popular tumult burst forth in favour of the 

 Prince of Orange ; and John de Witt, the clear-eyed statesman 

 who had so long held the helm and steered the Republic 

 through so many dangers and difficulties, was foully murdered 

 in circumstances of great brutality a fate which his brother 

 shared. The young Prince infused his own invincible spirit 

 into the people. The terms of peace were rejected, and a 

 supreme effort was made to save the country by the method 

 which had been adopted against Alva and Requesens just a 

 century before : the dykes were opened and the land laid 

 under water, causing the enemy to retreat. The steadfast 



1 Dumont, Corps Diplomatique, VII. i. 206. Hume, op. cit., c. Ixv. In State 

 Papers, Foreign, Treaty Papers (Breda), 1667, Bdl. 73 (as at present arranged), 

 are a number of papers belonging to these negotiations and the later ones at 

 Cologne in 1673, consisting mostly of draft articles, with copious notes by the 

 plenipotentiaries. In one, marked "1st project as framed," Art. xiv. refers to 

 the flag as follows, the words in brackets being inserted here from a second copy : 

 " That the ships and vessells of the United Provinces, as well men-of-war as others, 

 be they single ships or in Fleets how great soever, meeting in any part within ye 

 Brittish seas, with any one of ye ships of war (yatchs) or other vessells w' soever 

 of ye said K. of Gr. Brittain, or in his service and wearing his flagg, colours (or 

 Jack) shall strike their flaggs and lower their Topsailes untill they be passed by, 

 as a Ancient and undoubted Right belonging to the said K., and which hath been 

 payd and performed to his RU progenitors in all times." The fishery article (xxiv.) 

 was as follows, the words within brackets being taken from another copy, to fill up 

 a blank : " And the said States acknowledging his said Majts ancient and undoubted 

 Right in the Brittish Seas, as they do hereby own and acknowledge ye same, Doe 

 further promise and agree, that they and their successors will from henceforth pay 

 to his said Maj. his Heirs and successors, for euer, at the Receipt of his Exchequer, 

 a yearly sum of ... (lOmte as likewise ye yearly summe of 2mt sterling by ye 

 yeare at ye Receipt of his Matys Treasury of his Kingdom of Scotland) . . . ster- 

 ling by the year, in consideraCon of his Majts license and permission to them and 

 their subjts to fish in the said seas and upon his Maty s coasts." Another article 

 (xxv.) provided for the payment of 1,000,000 for the charges of the war, 400,000 

 in the following October, and the remainder later. 





