COMING OF ENGLISH AND DUTCH 217 



so close that it seeks actual union, and enmity so ferocious 

 that it finds expression in unforgivable massacre, and 

 in long obstinate equal war. Both England and Holland 

 had become World-Powers in the course of warfare with 

 Spain. In both countries Sea Power had been the child 

 of the Reformation. Up to the Armada, close alliance 

 had been of essential importance to both States ; and, 

 for twenty years afterwards, it remained of value. In 

 the Far East, Dutch and English ships fought side by 

 side against the Portuguese. But, as Spain grew weak, 

 the question of the defence of Protestantism was succeeded 

 by the question of the division of the spoils. The in- 

 fluence of common religion was displaced by the influence 

 of commercial rivalry. For in those days commerce 

 meant monopoly, and the Dutch were as severe monopo- 

 lists as had been the Portuguese. The instructions 

 to the first Dutch Governor-General were that " the 

 commerce of the Moluccas, Amboyna, and Banda should 

 belong to the Company, and that no other nation in the 

 world shall have the least part." l 



The claim was intolerable to countrymen of Drake Quarrels of 

 and Cavendish. In 1605 the King of Ternate asked after 

 Drake's health, and complained that the Dutch prevented 

 him from granting a factory to the English. The English 

 replied by claiming a factory, "for that Sir F. Drake 

 had trade in Ternate before the Dutch were known in 

 these parts of the world." The Dutch, they said, were 

 making use of " the negligent and inconsiderate English," 

 and were pocketing the profits of their trade. Mutual 

 enmity quickly grew hot and bitter. " The envy of the 

 Hollanders," wrote an Englishman, " is so great that 

 to take out one of our eyes, they will lose both of theirs." 

 They showed to the natives English prisoners in chains, 

 dying of ill-usage. They boasted that " one Holland 

 ship will take ten English, that they care not for our King, 

 for St. George was now turned child." On one occasion 

 they put the English flag on Dutch pirate ships, and 

 " covered all the seas from the Red Sea to China, spoiling 

 1 Hunter, vol. i. p. 341. 



