• . A. D. 1667. 531 



Englifli navigation atl, than the Dutch plenipotentiaries fo ftrenuoufly 

 infifting, at this treaty of Breda, that that law was deflruclive of their 

 commerce, and fhould therefor be made void. Yet, though our mi- 

 nifters durfl not go fo far, it was ftipulated, that all merchandize brought 

 down the Rhine from Germany to the flaple at Dort, (liould be deem- 

 ed the fame as if they were of the growth of Holland, and might con- 

 fequently be tranfported to England in Dutch bottoms. 



And whereas, during the war, the Englifh colony at Surinam on the 

 coaft of Guiana had been attacked, and had furrendered to the Zea- 

 land fquadron, and confidering that the uti pojfidetis was agreed at this 

 treaty to be the bafis thereof, that colony was therefor yielded to the 

 Dutch, which England had never made of any great importance to her 

 commerce, though there were fome fine fugar plantations then in it, 

 and alfo fome tobacco ones, the later not good for much. Surinam has 

 ever fince been in their pofTeflion : and by the fame rule, the fine pro- 

 vince of New-York, a much nobler exchange, was confirmed to Eng- 

 land. Laflly, it was flipulated by this peace, that Dutch fhlps of war 

 as well as merchant fhips, which (hall meet any Englifh fhlps of war 

 within the four feas furrounding Great Britain, fliall flrike the flag and 

 lower the topfail, as formerly. But the heirs of Sir William Courten 

 received no fatisfadion for the capture of his two fliips in India by the 

 Dutch Eaft-India company, after much ftir made about it for many 

 years paft. It was, on the whole, rather a diflionourable peace for us, 

 and an honourable and advantageous peace for the Dutch : for, although 

 they hereby quitted all pretenfions to New-York, it was purely becaufe 

 they were before quite dilpofl'efTed of it, and, being furrounded by the 

 other Englifh colonies, they could never have been able to regain or 

 keep pofTeffion of it. The province of New- York is faid by fome to 

 have, on trial, yielded as good tobacco as Virginia or Maryland. It 

 produces great quantities of corn, and has a profitable trade for furs 

 and peltry with the Indians, and with the fugar ifles for its horfes 

 and provifions of all kinds, and pipe-ftaves, as alfo to Madeira and the 

 Azores. 



We are at length arrived at fomewhat like a pacification between 

 England and Spain in the American feas, where till now both nations 

 had in fome degree kept up a ftate of hofl:llity, even while they lived 

 peaceably together in Europe. By this time Indeed Spain's old pre- 

 tenfions to an univerfal fovereignty in the American feas were become 

 obfolete ; yet till now both nations took advantages of each other In 

 thofe parts. The Improving fpirit of the Englifh, and the great de- 

 clenfion of Spain's power, had gained them confiderable ground in 

 America. King Charles nevertheiefs thought it prudent at this time to 

 agree to a general pacification with Spain in America, in a treaty of 

 peace and aUiance concluded with that crown ; the eighth article where- 



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