386 THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE SEA 



given. St John, though not satisfied, thinking the "manner 

 of penning the answer was dark and doubtful," "determined 

 to proceed into some further thing which might come nearer 

 to make a discovery of their temper and inclination in point 

 of their neutrality, than stay any longer upon general terms," 

 and he accordingly at the same meeting submitted another 

 proposition requiring the confederation of the two states for 

 the defence and preservation of the freedom and liberty of the 

 people of each against all that might attempt to disturb them, 

 or that were declared to be enemies to the freedom and liberty 

 of the people living under either Government. 1 The Dutch 

 commissioners, however, declared that this was a general pro- 

 position, and they insisted on a request they had made from 

 the first, to be furnished with the " particulars " they wanted 

 the particulars, simul et semel, that were intended to be insisted 

 upon. 



The negotiations had been protracted. By this time a month 

 had elapsed since the ambassadors arrived, and St John, now 

 conscious that his mission for coalescence would fail, and 

 irritated by the indignities to which he had been subjected, 

 obtained an order from the Parliament for his recall. At the 

 urgent entreaty of the States of Holland the Parliament 

 allowed their ambassadors to stay for other forty days, and 

 also gave them authority to treat on the basis of the old Inter- 

 cursus Magnus of 1496, which the Dutch had suddenly pro- 

 posed. The States, in truth, had totally different aims from 

 the Commonwealth. They were thinking about their com- 

 merce, their navigation, and their fisheries, rather than about 

 the repression of " rebels " ; and they desired that their alliance 

 with England should confirm and extend the benefits conferred 

 upon them in these respects by the old treaty. The Inter- 

 cursus Magnus had for generations been the sheet-anchor of 

 Dutch policy towards England. It gave them the utmost 

 freedom of commercial intercourse, and complete liberty of 



1 "We propound, That the two Cofnonwealths may be confederated friends, 

 ioyned, and allyed togeather for the defence and Preservation of the Libertyes, 

 and ffredomes of the people of each, against all whomsoever that shall attempt 

 the disturbance of either State, by Sea or Land, or be declared enemyes to the 

 freedome and Libertie of the people liveing under either of the said Governments." 

 Submitted, 17th April. Ibid., p. 7. 



