EUROPE now being the Stage of Action, whereon Mars seems to keep his Court, and English men like the Athenians having i [...]ching Ears after News, being more desirous to know what is to come, then to rectifie what has been done amiss former­ly; and I coming under the Notion of an Astrologer or Star-gazer, and foretelli [...]g as many tru [...]hs in my Predictions as any of my Brethren A [...]manack-Makers; being th [...]reto perswaded by many of my acquain­tance, and yet (to confess truth) not without some relish of profit to my self; have also (amongst others) adventured to show you my Ju [...]gement of affairs, knowing, that (with the mouse) I can eat as far into a Holland cheese as another.

But some cavilling Spiri [...]s will be apt enough to say, that these kind of Predictions are but meer cheats, that now a dayes, the surest way of Prophecying is after the thing is come to pas [...]; that the Stars are not so legib [...]e to an Astrologers understanding, that out of them he can read what future events will ensue. This is the opinion of a great many, but to such Nullifidians, hear what the Divine Du-bartas sayes,

But to come more close to our matter, to speak something of these people who are of late transmografied from The Poor distressed States, to the High and Mighty Hogen Mogens, that scorn to eat Fat Bacon with out Bread and Butter; In whose Bellies (like Barrels) lie many pickled Herrings stewed therein with Brandy; that scorn to drink by Retail, but by whole-Sale; whose cups are not in Decimo Sexto but in Folio, whose Noses in the cup in Winter saves the labour of a Toast, and is enough to give their drink a second brewing; blind men with eyes, and Cripples with Legs on,

Those who have seen my Observations and Predictions which I made upon the Blazing Star or Comet that appeared in December, 1662. may there find what direful effects I prefaged would ensue thereupon, especially to Zealand, Holland, and the rest of the United Provinces, whose Tayl tended directly towards them, for such warnings questi­onless come not in vain; and though we cannot excuse our selves from many and grievous sins, yet such monstrous ingratitude as the Hol­landers have shown to the English, such bloody and inhumane butche­ries committed by them against us at Amboyna, Polaroon, and other places in the East Indies, such insolencies at Sea, and ingratitude by Land, must needs cry aloud for vengeance.

I also by the Eclipses which happened in the next Year, told some of my Friends who are now living to justifie it, what sad [...]ffects they did portend to that Low-Country, but High-minded people.

We read in Aesop of a Man who found a Snake nigh dead with cold, which he kindly took home, warm'd and nourished, when growing lusty, instead of thanks it would have devour'd the man. Such are these Dutch Low Landers, who near expiring in the time of Queen E­lizabeth, being ready to give up the Ghost, and turn under Scullars to Charon the Ferry-man, were by the English kindly aided and assisted, by whose valour they retained their Country, and now being warm­ed without with good cloaths, and within with Brandy, they spurn, kick and molest that Nation, without whose aid they had been at this day no Nation themselves.

Call me ungrateful Man (says the Poet) and call me any thing▪ I was a vice detested even amongst the Heathens themselves. The Lyon out of whose Foot Androgeus pulled the Thorn, even that dumb beast could have taught them better manners, for he in requital sav'd his preser­ver [...] life; but for man who should be endued with reason above beasts, to come so far behind beasts in gratitude, what thing can be more un­reasonable? Well may we therefore cry out with Rombus the School­master in Sir Philip Sidneys Arcadia.

But to perswade a Dutch man to thankfulness, is almost as hard a task as to disswade him from his dearest delight Brandy, that Liquor which he accounts of more then the Poets do of Helicon, or the Thes­pian Spring, and of which if you refuse to pledge him, he will presently be at Snick-a-snee, where though he kill you, they will be so far from stopping him, that with one voice they will cry, Lope sceilum, Lope, which is in English, Run thief, run, a very fit appellation for them; for hear how the Poet doth enstile drunkenness▪

[Page 4]And so much are they adicted to that swinish vice of drunken [...]ess, that not only whole nights are consumed by them; but in their Cups they will also consult of matters of State▪ a custome which the o [...]d Grecians used; but more temperately, for thus in Homers Il [...]a [...] we find Nestor advising Again [...]mn [...]n.

This their so great inebriation caused as I co [...]ceive our Eng [...]ish Proverb when they see a Man fudled, to say he is as drunk as a Dutch-man; well may we therefore conclude of these Men who are so given to stagger, that they are near falling; and then th [...]se Water Rats who in adversity creep and fawn like Spaniels, and in prosperity scorn and [...]lifie their superiors, may be reduced from la [...]di [...]g fat b [...]con when they feed on it with butter, to be fair and mannerly, and eat Bread with their Pudding,

It is said of an English Man, that by two things he may be known wheresoever he comes; The one is, that let the weather be never so hot, he will endeavor to get towards the Chimney at co [...]ner; and hi [...] s [...] ­cond Character tells us, that when he hears the Cl [...]ck strike, upon the first stroke, he asks him that is next him▪ what is it a Clock? He has not the patience to tell it himself, whereby he might know, but by his inquisitiveness hinders the other also from telling it, by which means they both remain ignorant; These are two harmless things which often in Jest I have heard spoken of our Nation. Now there is also two things whereby a D [...]tch Man may be known, The first is, that tell him of any benefi [...] received, and he hath the art of forgetfulness [Page 5] at his Fingers ends; and for the second, that when he rises in a mor­ning, the first word that comes out of his mouth is to ask for brandy; and I have also heard it (I suppose Jestingly) spoken, that when the Women wean their Children, they only take a Sucking bottle and fill it full of brandy, of which when the Child hath once tasted, he never regards his Mothers milk afterwards.

A Dutch Man is like an O [...]er, that lives partly on the Water, partly on the Land, and gets Preys upon both, all is Fish that comes to Net; and as when living he commonly feeds upon Fishes, so when dead the Fis [...]e [...] commonly feed upon him; for though [...]e may escape St. [...]homas a Waterings, yet for the most part he makes his exit at Sea, when for to save the charges of a Grave he is thrown into the Water, where one Shark devours another.

A Dutch Man in his great breeches is like to the picture I have seen of Some body, and such he would feign accounted to be. He keeps a bust [...]e in the world, drinks, slavers, and when he is a hungry offers up his devotions to a pickled Herring, which he will maintain by nine [...]een severall arguments, to be the rarest dish in the world, and his chiefest argument is, because it is a Shooing horn to draw down drink. He is very curious to keep his shoes clean, yet had rather foul a Room by vomiting, then to be bated one ace of his beloved Liquor. In sum, when sleep had a little revived him of the Staggers, he looks like a toast drown'd in ale, which is only fit to be thrown away.

He is Judged to be very chast, and the reason is, she must be very mercinary indeed that will admit him to her imbraces, yet such trading may be, because those people deal for ready money, and should she do a courtesie for a Dutch Man he would not thank her for it, though perhaps he might have cause to remember her in his bones.

But to draw towards a conclusion of the Character of a Dutch Man, least we bestow more cost of the sauce then the Meat is worth. I shall only add a word or two of exhortation to those Sons of Neptune and [Page 6] Bellena, our Gallant Sea-men, and so finish at this tim [...].

Brave Martial Spirits, whose valour the world admires and dreads; you are now entring on the Theatre of honour and renown, fighting for your King and Country, then which no cause whatsoever more just and glorious, victorious fame attend [...] your undertakings, in so just, so laudable, so honourable an enterprize. Dread not those Men whose high ingratitude hath justly made them odious to all sorts of People who have but the least pretensions to honesty. Go on brave­ly, fight valiantly, and never fear but to come off victoriously.