430 THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE SEA 



after six weeks, &c. This matter also was referred to the 

 Protector. 



Cromwell, who was now settled in his new dignity, gave 

 close attention to the peace negotiations. On 26th December 

 the deputies were handed a paper in his name, in which he 

 gave up the demand for a money payment in reparation for 

 the war ; agreed to the stipulation about the exclusion of the 

 Prince of Orange which was the corner-stone of the treaty 

 being put in a secret article ; agreed to some new articles 

 which the Dutch had proposed, after slight modifications ; and at 

 the same time introduced a new element of trouble and debate 

 by formulating three additional articles requiring justice to be 

 done for the " murder " of the English at Amboyna in 1623, and 

 concerning the settlement of disputes and wrongs committed 

 in the East Indies, Brazil, and Greenland. Important conces- 

 sions were at the same time made on the maritime question. 

 The article respecting the fishery was dropped. "Concerning 

 the fishing," wrote the Protector, "the Lords Deputies having 

 by their former papers desired that freedom of fishing in these 

 seas might be declared in this treaty, the 17 article was 

 thereupon propounded, whereby license is granted to the 

 people of the United Provinces to fish freely in these seas 

 upon the terms therein expressed, notwithstanding as in their 

 Lordships' power either to accept or refuse, but it cannot be 

 admitted that anything should be inserted in this treaty that 

 may prejudice the right of this state in their fishery.'' 1 The 

 Dutch thus again scored a diplomatic victory and preserved 

 their liberty of fishing on the British coasts, just as they had 

 done in the reigns of James and Charles. They did not 

 succeed in getting the clause in the Intercursus Magnus 

 inserted or confirmed, as they desired, but it still remained 

 in force. Later writers accused Cromwell of having surren- 

 dered the rights to the fishery, and much else, as a quid pro 

 quo for the stipulation regarding the exclusion of the Orange 

 family in the Netherlands, which was his main object; 2 but 



1 Verbael, 272. 



2 Stubbe, op. cit. Geddes has shown that Beverning, acting secretly with De 

 Witt, had clandestine communications with Cromwell as early as 8th December, 

 clearly with reference to the exclusion of the Prince of Orange. Op. cit., 

 i. 385. 



