258 A. D. 1609, 



company at the Hasjue. It feems indeed almofr incredible to many, 

 ift, Tb.at fo Imall a ftate fliould, between the year 1579, ^^hen they 

 openly revolted from Spain, and this year 1609, when the famous truce 

 before mentioned was concluded for twelve years with that crown, not 

 only be able to make head againft the then mightieft potentate of Eu^ 

 rope, and at the fame time fo enlarge their union, by takmg in the two 

 provinces of Overyffel and Groningen, where many flrongly fortitied 

 places were firfl to be conquered at a vaft expenfe of blood and trea- 

 fure. 2dly, To enlarge their frontiers in Flanders by the conqueft of 

 the important town and port of Sluyce, as alfo of Hulft, and feveral 

 other places in what is fince named Dutch Flanders. 3dly, To block 

 up the river Scheldt by the forts of Lillo, &c. whereby the famous com- 

 mercial city of Antwerp ^vas abfolutely barred from all maritime com- 

 merce. 4thly, On the frontiers of Brabant to conquer the ilrcng places 

 of Bergen-op-zoom, Breda, Bois-le-duc, &c. and for above three years 

 to hold out the town and port of Oflend againft the power of Spam at a 

 great expenfe. 5thly, To annoy Spain with powerful fleets in her own 

 ports, and to fack fome of the Canary ifles, and that of St. Thome un- 

 der the equinodial line. And yet, during all thofe prodigious expenfes, 

 to grow opulent, and to be courted by the moil diftant potentates of the 

 known w^ord, as well as by many nearer home. What can more effec- 

 tually demonftrate the inexprefhble advantages of a general and exten- 

 five commerce to a nation than thefe and fuch like inftances ? while at 

 the fame tifne they fhew the great propenfity of thofe Netherland pro- 

 vinces to trade and induftry, while attended with fo happy an union of 

 hearts ancj counfels in thofe early times ; fearching every corner of the 

 earth where any commerce could be had ; pulhing on fo immenfe a 

 filhery alfo as fupplied all Europe, and fo great and extenfive a com- 

 merce, and fuch numerous conquefts in India, as amazed all the world ; 

 while at home they wonderfully cultivated all forts of manufidures : 

 and bemg fiaiated as it were in the middle of Europe, they very foon 

 made Amfterdam become (what it ftill in a great meafure is) the grand 

 ftorehoufe or ma2:azine of almoft all the merchandize of the univerfe, 

 whither there dayly arrived numbers of iliips from all parts, ar.d from 

 whence others daylv liiiled to all parts. Even in this fame year 1609 

 they Ijad about 100 ftiips employed in the gold-coaft trade, at Gmrica 

 and the Cape de Verd ifles, a- id were fo fuccefi,fal in that co m ce 

 that they foon began to think of eftabliflihig a Weft-India compaiiy. 



The Engliflr Eaft-India company now fent out but one fliip, tir-T to 

 Banam, and thence to the ifles of Banda, &c. ; but the Hollanders 

 being abiolure lords there, they were refufed admittance to tiuJic. 

 Yet the Dutch not being as yet mafters at the ifle of Puloway ihis fliip 

 obiained there a cargo of mace and nutmegs. They left tadors there 



