450 THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE SEA 



sent up to the Lords. Moreover, English privateers, sailing 

 under Swedish colours, had lately been seizing Dutch herring- 

 busses, and though protests were made by the ambassadors, no 

 redress was obtained. 1 The debates and proceedings in the 

 House of Commons attracted immediate attention in Holland. 2 

 De Witt at once took up a firm attitude. He declared that 

 the new pretension of England to the dominion of the seas and 

 for the ruin of the Great Fishery would meet with the most 

 determined resistance of the Republic; and, while consoling 

 himself with the thought that reason had always prevailed 

 against it in the past, he urged the ambassadors to use every 

 means in their power with the Peers and the king in order 

 to frustrate it. The Marquis of Ormonde, who was an intimate 

 friend of Beverwaert's and one of Charles's Ministers, was bribed 

 to use his influence to the same end. This nobleman informed 

 the ambassador that when he was asked to favour the fishery 

 project, he had answered that while he desired the advantage 

 of the nation as much as any man, it would be first necessary 

 to prepare for war, as it was in reality an affair of state ; and 

 he took credit with his Dutch friend for having induced many 

 members of Parliament to oppose the Bill. 3 Whether these 

 intrigues had any influence in causing the fishery question to 

 be so frequently "laid aside" in Parliament can only be surmised. 

 So much concerned were the States-General about the pro- 

 visions of the Bill, that they despatched a special letter to be 

 presented to the king, in the hope, as De Witt said, that the 

 resolution of the Commons might be suspended and its execu- 

 tion prevented. 4 But when it became known in Holland that 



1 Res. ffott., 13th Sept. 1659, 261. Ibid., 1660, p. 749 ; 1661, p. 181. 



2 Hollantsche Mercurius, 1661, pp. 9, 10. De Witt's Brieven, iv. 48, 61, 68, &c, 



3 De Witt to Van Beuningen, ^-j leei" ' *^ e same * Van Beverwaert and 



4 34 



Van Hoorn, Jan. 1661 ; Van Beverwaert to De Witt, r5 , , Jan. 1661. rieven r 



14 lo 14 



i. 344 ; iv. 65, 66, 68. Pontalis, John De Witt, i. 267. 



4 " Dutch Ambrs Memoriall desiring the Act of Parliament about fishing may 

 not pass," 17th Dec. 1660. Copy in S. P., Dom. Collection, Chas. II., vol. 339, 

 p. 581. It is to the effect that the extraordinary ambassadors were informed that- 

 a Bill had been introduced into the Lower Chamber regarding the herring fishery, 

 in which foreigners were to be prohibited from fishing within eight or ten 

 "leagues" ("huiet ou dix lieues") from the coast, and praying the king to pre- 

 vent the said Bill from becoming an Act of Parliament. It contains the usual 

 arguments as to immemorial possession, treaty rights, &c. 



