THE PEACE NEGOTIATIONS 433 



the salute in precisely the same manner. This, doubtless, was 

 the proposition which lurked behind the reiterated suggestion 

 for a " regulation " ; but the English commissioners would not 

 agree to any form of reciprocity. The Dutch again raised 

 objections to the part of the sixteenth clause concerning 

 pirates, on the ground that it contained an implication of the 

 claim to the dominion of the seas, which they had constantly 

 opposed, and they cited the treaties with Elizabeth in 1585, 

 and with Charles in 1625, as having assigned to them the 

 protection of the sea oft' the Flemish coast and neighbouring 

 coasts. They declared they would prefer it to be dropped 

 altogether unless it was amended or made reciprocal. 1 



The differences as to the sovereignty of the sea or the phra- 

 seology of the maritime articles were now, however, of little 

 actual importance. The progress of the negotiations, secret and 

 otherwise, had narrowed the real ground of contention to two 

 crucial points the exclusion of the Prince of Orange from 

 office, and the inclusion of Denmark in the treaty. The former 

 had been secretly agreed upon by Cromwell and Beveming, 

 the latter acting in conjunction with De Witt; 2 but the Pro- 

 tector was obdurate as to the inclusion of Denmark, and the 

 deputies decided to return home to report the state of the 

 negotiations. They left London on 3rd (13th) January, and 

 though a message from Cromwell overtook them at Gravesend 

 conceding the point in dispute as to Denmark, they thought 

 it better to continue their homeward journey. The treaty, 

 so far as it had been officially arranged and made known, 

 was received with approbation in Holland, the vital stipu- 

 lation respecting the exclusion of the Prince of Orange being 

 concealed. Beveming came back to London on 25th January, 

 but was refused audience by the Protector until he had ob- 

 tained proper credentials recognising the new Government. 

 He was joined by Nieuport and Jongestal a month later, 

 but it was not till 15th March that the conferences were 

 resumed. 3 



By this time the Protector had in substance conceded almost 

 everything concerning the dominion of the seas that the 



1 Verbad, 283, 285, 289. * Geddea, op. tit., 5. 380. 



* Ibid., 290, 293, 311, 319. Geddee, i. 378-393. Gardiner, op. tit., ii. 368, 

 369. 



2 E 



