416 THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE SEA 



Council did not ask for a great sum, but that the "security" 

 meant "uniting both states together in such manner as 

 they may become one people and Commonwealth, for the 

 good of both," 1 a scheme apparently much the same as 

 St John had taken with him to The Hague. 



This extraordinary proposal for a union, closer even than 

 that which existed among the seven United Provinces them- 

 selves, astonished the envoys of the many-headed Government. 

 They pretended at first not to understand it, and went on 

 talking of " alliance " and the Intercursus Magnus ; but the 

 Council pointedly declared that what they meant was not the 

 mere " establishing of a league and union between two sover- 

 eign states and neighbours, but the making of two sovereign 

 states one," under a joint Government, all the subjects to possess 

 equal privileges and freedom in either country "in respect of 

 habitations, possessions, trade, ports, fishing, and all other ad- 

 vantages whatsoever." 2 The deputies considered such a scheme 

 "absurd," nothing of the kind had ever been heard of in 

 history; it was opposed to the constitution of the United 

 Provinces and was impossible ; and they hinted that if the 

 proposal was pressed they would have to return home. They 

 thought it was far better to take as a basis for the negotiations 

 the treaty of 1496, which was a perfect, true, and sincere 

 .alliance, league, and confederation by land and sea. To this 

 the Council replied that they had desired a coalescence of the 

 two countries as the best security for the future of both, and 

 especially of the Uni^ea Provinces; and that the deputies 

 offered nothing mor^than they did at first, by which they 

 demanded free trade/to the English colonies and the suspension 

 of the Navigation Act ; " nay," the Council continued, " they do 

 in effect demand to share with this state in the sovereignty of 

 the narrow seas, and in their right of fishing," whereas these 

 advantages could only De- obtained by such a coalescence as 

 had been proposed. 3 



The negotiations had now come to such a pass that the 

 Dutch commissioners judged it to be necessary to report verb- 



1 21st July 1653. Verbad, 53. 



2 25th July, Verbad, 56, 59, 62. Geddes, i. 341. Thurloe, i. 382. 



3 The Deputies to the Council, 6^ U(ru g t > reply of the Council, r- August. 

 Verbad, 64, 66, 70. 



