commendation,against all Violence and Wrong that may be attempted or done against them, that fo the forefaid Provinces and the Inhabitants thereof may go, negotiate and traffick, in all Kingdoms and Countries, with the fame Liberties, Immunities and Privileges, as the Subjects of his Majesty.

IX. And as the late Prince of Orange of happy Memory, was the firft who laid the Foundation of Refiftance to the Ambition of Spain, for the defence of the Liberties, Rights and Privileges of the Low Countries, and defended the Commonwealth with all his Power, and even to Death, with a great deal of Pains, Labours and Difficulties, and the Lofs of Blood and Estate, by which means the common Enemy took from him and poffefs'd feveral Countries and Lordships which belong'd to him, by which his Widow and Children are very much hurt, and as upon this Confideration the States of Brabant and Flanders, in fome measure to comfort the faid Prince, made fome Agreement and Conditions with him therefore his faid Majefty and his Succeffors fhall be, and remain to be always well-affected towards the Houfe of the faid Prince, his Widow and Children, and fhall affift and aid them to recover their Eftate, and to repair their Loffes, and maintain their Actions, and the Rights that belong to them.

X. The Subjects of his moft Chriftian Majefty may freely and fecurely buy, fell, exchange and tranfport all forts of Commodities and Merchandizes, within and without the faid United Provinces, Towns and Lands thereof, as likewife the Subjects of the forefaid United Provinces may freely and fecurely buy, fell, vend and transport without and within the Provinces of France, the Towns, Lands and Places thereof, all forts of Ware and Merchandize, without either's being oblig'd to pay for the forefaid Merchandizes and Commodities any other Duties, Impofts or Cuftoms, than the natural Subjects of the Provinces, Towns and Lands where this Commerce and Traffick is made.

XI. Nor fhall the Right of Efcheatage or Confiscation be put in execution in any Town or Country of France, against the Inhabitants of the forefaid United Provinces, but fhall ceafe, and have no place; and in like manner the fame Right of Confifcation fhall not take place in

1 3

the

the United Provinces against the Subjects of the King of France.

XII. In order to clear the Sea from all Pirates, and all Injuries from those who fhall come to Sea with the Commiffion of the King of Spain, or in his name; his Majefty's Ships of War, as well as thofe of the United Provinces, fhall have liberty to purfue the Ships of the faid King of Spain; on condition that the Prize fhall be theirs who fhall firft take and board the faid Ships.

XIII. And that the faid United Provinces may be able every where to continue and fecure their Navigation, Commerce and Traffick, and defend themselves from all Capers, they fhall be permitted and at liberty to trade and traffick in all Places, Provinces and Countries, and principally in the Western Countries and Towns thereof, as they fhall find proper.

XIV. All Letters of Reprizal, Mark and Arreft, and other fuch like, which have formerly been given, fhall not take place on either fide, but fhall be, and remain to be null and void, and fhall not be granted to any Perfon when the time is expir'd, but Right fhall be done to every one according to Juftice. And let it be well notic'd, that the particular Inhabitants of the forefaid United Provinces, may not be difturb'd or molested either in their Perfons or Goods, on account of Debts contracted by the faid Provinces to carry on the War.

XV. French Ships in their Voyage to fetch Corn, or any other fort of Commodity or Merchandize, in the Country of East-Frifeland, or any other Countries of the North, may fteer their Courfe either in going or returning, without being oblig'd to touch or stop in the Countries of the forefaid Lords the States, or without being conftrain'd to unload, fell or exchange their Merchandizes there and if the faid Ships fhould be forc'd by a Storm into the Harbours of the forefaid Provinces, they may not even then be ftopt, or oblig'd to unload their Merchandizes, or to fell or exchange them; and the like fhall be obferv'd as to the Ships of the forefaid United Provinces, paffing and repaffing from Eaft to West along the Coafts of the Kingdom of France.

Which Conventions, Agreements and Articles abovemention'd have been negotiated, agreed, pafs'd and fti

pulated

pulated between us the forefaid Perfons, in the forefaid Names, at the Hague in Holland, the 31ft and last day of October, 1596. Of which Treaty we the Duke de Bovillon, Ambaffador from the most Christian King of France, have promis'd to obtain in the space of fix months next following, or fooner if poffible, Letters of Ratification in good and fufficient form from the faid Lord the King, to the faid States General of the United Provinces of the Low Countries.

In Teftimony of all which Conditions and Articles, we the forefaid Duke de Bovillon, and Buzanval, have fign'd the prefent Treaty with our own Hands, and affix'd our Seal thereto. And we the forefaid States General of the United Provinces have caus'd the Great Seal of the faid States to be affix'd thereto, and our Recorder to fign it. Done at the Hague in Holland, the year of our Lord 1596. the 31ft and laft day of October, and was fign'd,

Henry de la Tour,

Paul de Choart,

Buzenval.

And a little lower was written, By Order of the forefaid

States General, and fign'd,

C. Aerfen.

And feal'd with the Great Seal of the forefaid States, in red Wax, hanging by a double Tail.

A Treaty and Renewal of Alliance between Elizabeth Queen of England, and the States General of the United Provinces, in which is particularly renew'd the Treaty of the Year 1585. Given at Weftminfter, the 16th of Auguft, 1598.

T

HE States General of the United. Provinces of the Low Countries, to all who fhall fee or hear thefe Prefents. Whereas we have fent into England, upon a Propofition made in our Affembly on the part of her moft ferene Majefty the Queen of England and Ireland, on the 29th of June laft, by thefe Gentlemen, Sir Francis Vere Knight, and George Gilpin Counfellor, introduc'd on the part of her Majefty into the Council of State of the United Provinces of the Low Countries, by virtue of Credential Letters from her Majefty, dated the 7th of the forefaid month, our Deputies, viz. John van Duvenvoorde, Lord of Warmond, Woude, &c. Admiral of Holland, John van Oldenbarnevelt, Lord of Tempel, Advocate Fifcal, and Keeper of the Great Seal of Holland and Weft-Frifeland, John van Werk, Counsellor, Penfionary of the City of Middleburg; John van Hottinga, Gentleman; Andrew Heffels, first Counsellor of the Council of Brabant, and the faid Lords the Deputies on our part, conjointly with Myn Heer Noel van Caron, Lord of Schoenwal, our Agent with her Majefty, to treat with her faid Majefty upon the forefaid Points, compris'd in the forefaid Propofitions of the forefaid Gentlemen, Sir Francis Vere Knight, and George Gilpin, and fome other Difficulties that have happen'd fince the Treaty made between her faid Majefty and us, in the year of our Lord 1585. which her faid Majefty hath often defir'd might be accommodated and done away on both fides, on occafion of which fhe has trea

ted

ted with us by Letters, and by her Minifters. And our faid Lords the Deputies having had upon the whole divers Conferences and Communications with the Lords of the Council thereto deputed by her Majefty, in order to preserve the Affection, Amity and Favour of her Majefty towards this State; and defiring for this Effect to give her Majefty all poffible Satisfaction, they have met and agreed with the faid Lords of Council upon the faid Points and Difficulties, by the approbation as well of her Majefty, as of us refpectively, for the Ratification thereof, to be prefented by us in one month after the date of the prefent Treaty, and that of her Majefty in ten days after the prefenting thereof to her, according to the forefaid Treaty. Done, fign'd and feal'd by the forefaid Lords of her Majefty's Council, and by us the forefaid Deputies the 10th (which fhould be call'd the 16th) of August, the Tenour whereof follows word for word.

Even fo be it, that in the year of our Lord 1585. at the Inftance, Sollicitation and Requeft of the Lords the States General of the United Provinces of the Low Countries, her Majefty was willing to give them Succour, Aid and Affiftance against their Enemies; upon which a Negotiation was fet on foot at Nonfuch the ioth of August of the faid Year, concerning the Manner, Quantity and Quality of what her Majefty then confented and agreed to give them; and after this Agreement fome Difficulties having happen'd, her faid Majefty earnestly defir'd that the faid Difficulties might be terminated and done away on both fides: and thefe matters having been negotiated with the faid Lords the States, as well by Letters, as by Minifters from her faid Majefty, nevertheless no Answer that could fatisfy her faid Majefty on this head could be obtain'd from the faid Lords the States, either by Letters or Deputies from her faid Majesty; and the faid Lords the States having fent their Deputies into England, to negotiate with her Majefty, as well with regard to the forefaid Points, as upon those that were propos'd to them by Sir Francis Vere Knight, and Counsellor Gilpin, viz. the moft excellent and worthy Perfonages, John van Duvenvoorde, Lord of Warmond, Woude, &c. Admiral of Holland, John van Oldenbarnevelt, Lord of Tempel, Advocate Fifcal, and Keeper of

the