A seasonable expostulation with the Netherlands. Declaring their ingratitude to, and the necessity of their agreement with the Common-wealth of England.

A seasonable expostulation with the Netherlands. Declaring their ingratitude to, and the necessity of their agreement with the Common-wealth of England.

Table of contents

Title page

To the Reader.

A Seasonable Expostulation with the NETHERLANDS.

A Seasonable Expostulation with the NETHERLANDS.

[Page]

CAESAR endured without exclamation the Senators Poniards, as whetted by interest or revenge; but when that of his own Imp Brutus, was presented against him he cover'd his face, leaving the World, with no lesse shame then indignation, against so much unnaturall ingratitude. The like might we doe in relation to the Dutch; whose part I have been hitherto, so farre ready to take, as to impute the assistance they contributed towards the losse of Rochell, And the fomenting the Royall party against the Parliament of [Page] England, only to the sordidnesse of their Merchants; who have not only been known, to sell amunition to the Mahumetans, the blasphemers of their Religion (if they own any by retaile) but even to his Catholike Majesty, bound in Honour no lesse then interest, to be their enemy in grosse. Neither had I ever wished the charming of those Froggs, but that I see them so ready to become an Egyptian plague unto us, by croaking against us in our own Waters. Yet though most of their Gentry were buried in the Cruelty of such as formerly govern'd them, And all markes of Honour almost blended amongst them, in those of Profit, they shall find so much civility in me, as to endeavour rather to Bind up, then Inlarge the rupture, their indiscretion hath made with this State; to whom, I shall in modesty shew, how farre they stand obliged, And offer reasons to disswade them from these wild courses, by which they doe no lesse tickle, the hearts of their enemies with delight, then wound, those with shame and feare, who doe affect them.

Here then let me crave leave, to addresse my speech to this our Neighbour State, and thus expostulate with them.

After that France, tired with the labour, the striving of her own, Children had caused in the Bowells of her Estate, And child by the cold distrust conceived of your successe, had deserted you in Despayre, you may remember how England opened her armes to receive your fugitives, And her purse to pay your Souldiers; so that a foot of ground cannot be called yours, that owes not a third part to the expence, Valour, or Counsell of the English; Of whom such spirits have expired in your defence, as have been thought, at a mean rate, to double the value of what they fought for: Brave Sidney falling upon such ground, as his glorious Mistresse thought too base to bury him in; Though you offered to purchase that honour, at the price of the richest Monument, you were then able to erect.

Did not the English dispute your title to Ostend, till they had [Page] no earth left to plead on, The Ground failing them before their valours? Yet whilest fighting there, not only against the flower of the Spanish Army, But the Plague, Hunger and cold Despaire; Their fellowes put you in possession of Sluce, beyond your hopes; So as it may be said without Hyperbole, the Nobility and Gentry, Q. Elizabeth lost, doubled the number, the cruelty of Philip had left you.

Doe not the Maritim Townes of Kent, Essex, Suffolke, Norfolke, &c. abound at this day, with the issue of those Swarmes, the sound of their fellowes misery, had driven out of their Hives? Have you not had liberty to trade, And to become free Denizons, with power to buy Land, and inhabit upon the same termes with the Natives, both in City and Country; no marke of distinction being imposed in relation either to Honour, Profit, or Iustice?

The Parliament, have been alwaies so tender of your preservation, whilest you needed it, and Friendship since God hath inabled you to subsist; As their Speaker could scarce make an impression upon his Cushion, before the sense of your safety, no lesse then their own Nature and Religion, Inspired them with an earnestnesse to renew or strengthen their Alliance with you; not so observeable in respect of any Neighbour beside; Doubling, no lesse in their Retaliations, then acceptance, the few markes of gratitude, have dropt from you; Rather then expunging them, with your more frequent injuries; as being more willing to impute your failings to the lesse courtly nature of the soyle and people, Then the want of gratitude and Civility in so prudent a State, to a Potent Neighbour; who next to God, may justly be stiled her maker, in dispensing with so many dangers and inconveniences for your sake.

Can you think so wise a Councell as this Nation was steer'd by, did not apprehend; That though the making you Free might fortify the Queenes out-workes, it could not but as much dismantle the Royall fort of Monarchy; By teaching Subjects, [Page] they might depose their Prince, and be no loosers by the bargaine? Which (by the way) will render you unacceptable to all Neighbour Monarchs; furnishing their Subjects with a pretence, upon all occasions of advantage; Therefore prudence might tempt you, rather to advance then depresse, the like endeavours in others; observed by your elder (I dare not say, Wiser) Sister, Venice, In whose proceedings partialities on this side are rarely found. But to returne to what is in this place more materiall.

Was not the assisting you, an occasion of our Invasion in Eighty eight, by a Navy held Invincible in the Creed of Rome; Till the more Canonicall Valour of the English (assisted by the Iowder arguments of Heaven) had cleerly confuted the Popes title? The Reason that kept King Philip from heading an Army in his own person, was a fear he did apprehend of being cast in his passage out of Spaine; (as his father Charles the 5th was) upon the British shore; knowing the English more cordiall to your preservation, then to suffer him to come and goe on so bloudy an errand.

And though he did often desire his Sister of England to heare (as he pretended) his just defence for his so rigorous proceedings; She refused to dispute the truth of your Complaints; presuming it more probable for a stranger to be a Tyrant, then that the naturall Inhabitants should, upon a slighter cause, cast themselves into the no lesse bloody, then scorching flames of a Civill, and uncertaine Warre: Seeming rather to forget the Obligations shee owed him, as a private person, when he was King of England, then her Neighbours oppressions; I shall not here draw blood in your faces by application.

Yet I doe not find any tumults raised before the gates of your Messengers; who were then too modest to owne higher titles, then of poore Petitioners; casting themselves prostrate at the feet of a no lesse potent tribunall, then you have been admitted to, in the quality of Embassadors; An honour you could never have attained, but through the mediation of [Page] those who have been so farr from receiving a like Retaliation; as, to their griefe, they perceived most of the stormes and Thunders, fell upon this Nation, were first formed in your Region, by which houses and Churches were demolished, wherein your Ancestors had receaved shelter, and Contribution.

And instead of opposing our Enemies, and screening us by the power you must owne under God from England, You rendered your selves Arbitraters of our cause; And to which side you did propend, appeares by the titles of Honour your Messengers partiality was branded with by the other Party;One made a Lord, the other a Knight at Oxford. Besides what a lesse respective. Relator might suppose they carryed home in their Portmantos; Covering under the glorious habit of Embassadours; An ingratitude so ugly, as can not be represented to the world without shame.

Were not the promises of Neutralitie (extorted from you by our Agents, at the expence of so much trouble, treasure and time) drawn up so ambiguously, as if they had come from jugling Delphos, not the deeply engaged Hague? whose repute, in relation to a just repayment of former debts, hath been, next her alliance with England, the greatest security for her future hopes.

Did not the disaffection of some, transport them so far beyond all extent of prudence, (as to avoid the countenancing of so much Ingratitude in their owne persons) by conniving at the liberty, the Prince of Orange took, The inestimable Banck at Amsterdam was almost surprised; And Fetters ready to be formed for them out of the States Silver; so as they were in a faire way of loosing their owne Liberty in seeking to impede ours?

For this branch of the House of Nassau was so deeply rooted in this fourth descent, as he began to struggle for more roome, and overshadow the power of the State; And apprehending this Nation too full of Gallantry, and Policy, to let a Servant inslave a people they had redeemed from his Master by their blood, he rendered himselfe, First [Page] our late Kings Sonne in Law, and so our enimy; till Providence had bound him up with the rest of our Opposers; By what mediation we are not inquisitive; our businesse being only to participate of our Neighbours felicities, without arraigning the cause by which they attained them.

And here I desire leave to mingle my thoughts with some reports made by no strangers in the affaires of those times, to whom it appeared, that Queen Mary did not at first, Cordially intend the Match with Holland, unlesse the Prince of Orange was able to attaine the Regality, which the Catholike King was so farr from being likely to hinder, That a small acknowledgment would have perswaded him out of his part, long looked upon by that wise Nation, as a trouble to keep: And after she had by the contemplation of this Marriage, assured her selfe not only to receive no opposition in her designe, from that corner, but all the assistance his mony and power could afford; she had the young Ladies consent ready, either to break, or confirme it; who was then under yeares; And to shew they feared foule play, in case K. Ch. had prospered, the Princesse was bedded somthing sooner, then stood with ordinary custome, and the Lady Stanops protests, who married a Dutchman, and was assigned her Gardionesse.

And if any consider how unsuitable this was to the high minde and Religion of the Queene of England; What plenty of freer and richer Princes resided in Germany; And that she never had been put in to their hands, but that those new breaches, called for new Counsels; He cannot blame the conjecture; though as things fell out, she could not have been sold to a greater advantage.

Neither can it be rejected out of any great difficulty resides in raising a considerable party in the Netherlands, by one lesse powerfull then the Prince of Orange; because every severall Province, or chief Town, hath free Liberty of conceding or rejecting what propositions they please; that in a manner [Page] they are so many free States independent one of the other; Therefore not likely to combine against England; who yet is as well Able to spare their Alliance, as willing to Imbrace it.

And that this Match sprung rather from the Sinister and clandestine ends, then any palpable affection, The Queene carried to the Dutch, is more then probable, by the faint reception she formerly gave them upon all occasions, suffering the Buffoons at Court to gibe their Embassadors, as if they were not able to afford themselves Cuffs, out of the masse of Holland they sold to others: And upon consideration of the severe justice they mett with, in the Star-Chamber, for transporting of Gold, it might have obliged them rather to have assisted the Parliament (whose indulgence inabled them to committ the fault) then the Crowne, that had so severely punished it.

Yet you were so farr from managing this Partiality within the ordinary Carere of prudent Princes, (who upon a lesse desertion of Fortune then you observed, withdraw their assistance from all parties looked upon, but with an unbiass'd aspect; That you adhered to the King of Scots, after providence had measured out the Land in quiet before us; As if nothing were more indifferent to you, then who were happy, so England were miserable. Nay after our good God had broke their Swords, and knapt their Speares in sunder, you let the ribald Penne vomit out floods of reproaches, in hope to destroy this Nation, who was then in strong labour with peace, amongst a wildernesse of distractions: Forgeting that nothing could be said to their disparagement, that would not, in an indifferent light, delineate your owne: No Indecency being observable, during our proceedings, that is not easily to be matcht with an Enormity in Yours.

So as the Pope proved by accident, more our friend, and made better use of reason of State; For finding his faction here was able to return him no more then a bare compliance in Church Ceremonies, withont the welcome addition [Page] of profit; (The English Miter, no lesse then the Crowne, resolving to retaine an absolute power to dispose of all dignities both Ecclesiasticall and Temporall) wheel'd about, and was never found by any I could be inform'd from, to foment the adversary with considerable supplyes, though earnestly sollicited both by Letters and Messengers.

In which the wise Conclave, avoyded both the hornes of this dangerous Dilemma, Either to own so high a conceived impiety, as the rejecting the returne of one of the mightiest Kingdoms in Christendom, for worldly respects, thought by few, of those who pay them, his due: or by leaving to this Sheep that was lost, a full fruition of his fleeces, to give the other Ninety and nine Catholike Potentates a just occasion to make the like demands: A fatling of more value in that Luxurious Court, then would be parted with, for the conversion of all the world.

But to return; I cannot in zeale to the conscience, and duty I owe to the honour of this Nation, but aske who made you so farr our Survayers, as to limit out the extent of Their conveniences, that are found to have laid out them selves to purchase Yours?

Was ever so high an Intrusion offered, as for a Neighbour to prescribe how another should be regulated in matter of Trade; And what Bottoms are fittest to be imployd? would you not scorne the like Usurpation, though made by your—France, or new sworne Allye, Denmarke, who for so many yeares, hath ground your faces with a Tole, never yet imposed upon you in our Seas?

For the proof of whose Propriety, I leave you to learned Selden in his Mare Clausum, & a book entituled Dominium Maris &c. lately translated out of Italian by an Honorable Person. And if you were not unwilling to bribe Our Kings and their Minions so long for your Fishing, why should you be so tetchy now, with such as inquire whether it was worth your cost? and though I was pleased to hear so rich a Towne as Amsterdam could be Founded on Herring-Bones, [Page] the Lord of Hosts is my faithfull witnesse, how afflicted I should be, to see it hazard the reducing into its first principle by a Warre with England.

And thus much I understand of your Trade, that the late Kings did not only give you the Fish, but bayts to catch them, loaden by Boats full out of the Thames,Lampries. which they would never have done, had they been as full of Circumspection, as that creature is reported to be of eyes.

Now this considered, I pray why may not we assume to our selves the Rights of Disposure, and Regulating that which undoubtedly is our owne? and why may not we take the humble stile of a Parliament, and Councell of State, as well as you, That strive with your Maker, who shall be most High and Mighty?

If only the time of the Change of Government be made Umpier of Precedency, Geneva must take the right hand of You; And many poore small Townes in Germany, That freely sent their demands to King Philip; When your Messengers scaped hanging hardly, if at all, for only delivering your most humble Petitions.

There are three things principally insisted upon, by which the Vnited Provinces, pretend to have fixed an Obligation upon England, & expung'd their former score; which neverthelesse upon an impartiall debate, will rather prove wholy chargable, upon their own accompt, then Ours; so farr are they from having given a full satisfaction for all the Love; Cost & blood expended by us in their Preservation.

The first is, the assistance lent us in 88. which was no more, then the profest Antagonists to the quiet of Italy, did freely contribute against the common enemy, in the battell at Lepanto, who did there oppose the Grand Signior, in relation to their respective safeties: Besides it was a true received Maxim in the wise Counsell of Spaine, and holds so still; that he that desires to subdue the Vnited Provinces, must first Conquer England, or draw her from their succour: And [Page] finding the latter unpossible, they fell upon the other, as more feacible.

The Second is, your Entertainment given to the distressed King and Queen of Bohemia: which according to the rest of your pretended curtesies unto England, you have strain'd farre higher then the string is able to bear, in its naturall extent; Therefore I shall take leave to tune it right in the eares of all impartiall judgements; and after setting open the Cabinet, give men free leave to value the Jewell, which in truth amounts to no more then giving house-roome to a Vertuous Princesse, undone by your Counsells, and the rest of the Vnion, that had most unsuccessefully chosen Iames of England for their Head; who proving totty, They thought to ballast him by Imbarking his Son in Law in this desperate designe; especially the Netherlands, finding the twelve years Truce spent little to their advantage, and knowing the whole weight of Spaine, would fall upon them, unlesse they could waken us, whose King was clog'd with too much Fleagme, to harken to the voyce of any thing but ease and pleasure. And I cannot but take notice here of the Spaniards ingratitude, that hath so long deferr'd erecting his Statue in Gold; since upon a strict accompt it may appeare, that the wise Councell of the Catholike King, did not contribute so much to his greatnesse, as the Folly and Corruption of Ours.

For the 3d which is a Navall Victory obtained in our Sleeve, Ao 1639. (the depth of which designe, remaines yet in the pocket of the King of Spain, and some few confidents in England:) I can say but this, that if their errand was Hither, Our King betray'd Vs; if to Holland, You; for which you were tied in reason, rather to have assisted the people that exclaimed against the partiality they observed, then the King that owned it; Therefore this cannot be put up on the Parliaments accompt.

For the businesse of Amboyna cast into the Ballance (by such as bear you lesse respect) against all things urged in [Page] your favour; I am so charitable, as to look upon it as the Cruell, and inconsiderate act of a private person, rather then a true Scheme of the States Motion.

Not doubting, but upon a serious reflection of your Wisdoms, on your own Interest, you will easily returne to a more straight Alliance with this Nation, unlesse God in his anger, hath suffered you, to mingle Lethe with the rest of your Liquor.

And since it may seem impossible for you, to subsist without contracting a streight Alliance, with England, France, or Spaine; give me leave humbly to propose, which in reason is likeliest to disturbe your Counsells with the least jealousy, from whence may be the easier deduced the fittest choyce, not only for conveniency, but safety; it being very hard to be securely protected, by those you cannot cordially trust: which cannot be Spaine or France; one laying claime to what you possesse, the other to what you are ambitious to obtaine; whereas England stands free from all such pretences; Queen Elizabeth refusing to hold you in grosse, only accepting of Flushing and the Brill, which King Iames was so weary of, as he returned them for a farre lesse summe then they were pawn'd: Neither as a free State, are we likely to imbrace contrary Counsells, because we have more Marish grounds already of our own, then we well knew how to dispose of, till some of your Countrymen came and inhabited them. Besides it were madnesse for those who may live quietly in Ireland, to venture fighting for an estate in Holland.

Neither is our alliance likely to change, if once firmely established, Whereas there is no longer hold with France, then whilest the two potent factions of Protestant and Papist shall subsist; by the clashing of which, you are, no lesse then the Spaniard, able to kindle the fire of a Civill Warre: so as when you have throughly scan'd your alliance with France, you shall find it signify more danger [Page] then Protection: It having been alwaies the humour of that People, to swagger with their Neighbours for roome, upon the least enjoyment of quiet; being seldome or never willing to serve their Allies, but when they are in the worst case to help themselves.

If this afflicted people were sensible of their own condition, that the most scorching Slavery in all Christendome, lies under the Line of their Kings, And animated by our example and yours, should procure their freedome, Yet you would be worsted on that hand too; for after their Liberty attained, the conquest of you or your Neighbours, were likeliest to be their next imployment: there being no Peace with them at home, unlesse they be at Warre with other States; Which makes it none of Englands smallest blessings, that they are not able to come hither on horseback.

The French are not so sutable to your Nature as the English, who look upon Merchants as Gentlemen, they as Pedlers.

I know you are too wise to expect reall friendship from Spaine, or a continuance of the agreement made with Him, if you break with Vs; It not being likely he should oversee the advantage will be offered him of catching Gudgeons in your inland Waters, whilest we are out at Sea scuffling for Spratts.

If you be prohibited trading hither; I pray what will you doe with French Wines, the most staple commodity they have to barter for? The East countries, being as unable to take them off, by reason of cold, as you to consume them in Brent Wine.

Monarchs neither doe, nor can look upon you, under a milder aspect then Traytors, without a tacit consent, of the like power resident in their People to explode them, as conscious of giving the same cause; Whereas England cannot but esteem you in a more honourable Relation: [Page] For though you, like the Diall of Ahaz, recoyled so many degrees back in the Sphere of Policy, It is naturally more proper for the hand of power in a Free State, to be touched with an inclination towards a Common-wealth, then a Monarchy.

Though the advantage that may accrue to you from an English confederacy, is made apparent from by-gon experience, yet if you consider how honourable it would be to Spaine, who hath long endeavoured it; And convenient to France, in regard of her clayme to Artoys and Hannault, to convert you into a Colony, you would not be so intent upon Profit, esteemed by all prudent Nations inferior to safety: Therefore let your pretences be what you will, The incroachments you made through the remisnesse of our Kings, and corruption of their Councell, are the Silver Smiths, that doe really raise all these clamours; it being otherwaies unpossible, that Monarchy should be such a Diana in your eyes.

Your Alliance with Denmarke, is likelier to adde number then weight to your Frindship; being liable to be whisled off or on, according to the inclination of his Imperiall Majesty, so twisted in Marriages with the Catholick King, That the difficulty is as great to distinguish between their Interests, as Consanguinity: Besides those Eastern Countries have ever been looked upon, not only as a store-house wherein God hords up the miseries of Winter, But also the cruell Plagues of Incursions; apparent in the Goths and Vandals, whose barbarous hands, assisted Time, in the destruction of such Monuments in Italy, as she alone had not been able to demolish.

[Page]To conclude with a few Queries.

Let me humbly desire you to consider;

First, whether such as may or shall foment this division, doe not act the policy of the Wolfe in the Fable, that perswaded the Sheepe to give over their Mastives?

2ly What other Alliance can afford you so safe Harborage in case of foule weather at Sea, as England, Scotland, and Ireland? if none; whether Contingencies driven in by stormes, under our shelter, may not exceed all the English prizes, you shall make by Van Trump?

3ly In case the match with the Infanta, had proceeded, or Prince Charles miscarried in Spaine, through detention; whether your old patrons our Kings, might not easier have been perswaded to have renounced your friendship, or delivered up the Cautionary Towns, had they been then in their power; then &c.

4ly If Venice may not unproperly be called the Signet on Neptunes right hand, whether England and the Netherlands being in a straight Confederacy, may not be stiled his two armes, by which in relation to their Shipping, he imbraceeth the universe?

5ly Whether your Maiden Townes, as you call them, May not longer enjoy that title under the Alliance of England, who hath many as rich and beautifull, Harbours; as of France, that cannot justly bragge of the like plenty, or conveniency for situation?

6ly Whether a breach between us, may not conjure up a third party of Pirats, formidable to us both, Dunkirke being in so wavering a condition and fit to make an Argiers of, &c.

7ly Whether in case a difference should happen; some of your Provinces irritated by the inconveniences must in Reason follow, may not be tempted to divide, and adhere to the stronger part; and which that is, may be easily [Page] resolved from the great assistance, England hath given you, and the small dammage she hath (through the mercy of God) received from yours, through out the whole Series of our Warre?

8ly Whether, during our Monarchs, They, or the English Parliaments, were aptest to put a more favourable construction upon your worse or better actions, in relation to-us? if the Kings; what signified the bleating of such of your Countrymen as they daily fleec'd? if the Parliaments, (who ever rendred themselves, rather partiall then severe on your side) Are they not well requited?

Lastly, Whether the World may not afford Us and You sufficient Trade without intrusion; or in case our Heardsmen should foolishly differ, is not Abrahams answer ready, are we not Brethren, in Language, Nature, and Religion?

If you adde to this the Parallel of the causes, of your and our taking Armes; you shall find your King a stranger by Birth, wilfull by nature, and apt to be led away by the seldome Auspicious counsell of Church-men. The Peoples advice neglected; Petitioners Imprisoned. All dear-sold to the Natives by Courtiers, so as Injustice it selfe, could scarce be afforded without Mony.

There a Woman made an ingredient in the Court; Here the Regent of our Councels. Yours the wisest King in his time, in all things but thinking himselfe so; Ours no lesse prudent, had he but known it. Yours happy in all, but the losse of you; Ours successefull in nothing, but his returne from Spaine. Yours inscrutable to all, but tried friends; Ours patent to none, but such as deserved the name of Enemies. Yours spent immense treasure, in such buildings as may strive with Time for continuance; Ours in Playes and Maskes, more transitory then a Winters night. Tours a better King then a Man; Ours a better Man then a [Page] King. You won freedome, by mingling patience with the valour of Strangers in long Sieges, which spun out the War to a chargeable length; Our liberty the Natives obtained in the Field, with a miraculous celerity, by trusting providence with their endeavours.

Our wants were, So true a friend as you found of England, and at first such trusty Commanders as your Prince: Borne to those titles, which our present Generall hath more abundantly deserved, having been followed with so uninterrupted successe, as you are no where able to sing of thousands, but may be matched by us with ten thousands. But for this, as all good things else, let glory, praise, and honour, be first given to God, next all thankfull obedience, to those who have or shall be instrumentall in reforming what is amisse in both.

FINIS.

§

[Page]

A Seasonable Expostulation WITH THE NETHERLANDS.

Declaring their Ingratitude To, and the Necessity of their Agreement With the Common-wealth of ENGLAND.

OXFORD, Printed for Thomas Robinson, Anno Dom. 1652.

To the Reader.

[Page]

[Page]

IF in this Conjuncture of Affairs, you think I have said too little, as things now stand between us and the Dutch, I wish, all my faults were as capable of amendment; if too much, 'tis out of a partiality I was never found guilty of in relation unto them: it being my project, To vindicate my Countries Interest as modestly, as such high provocations, multiplied by the weight of so many Obligations may justly beare. However, I shall be more ready to aske pardon, [Page] then offend by being too Censorious. And if inclin'd to the same humor, it is possible you may be pleased; if otherwaies, I am resolved not to be angry; intending only to perswade Peace, no way so advantagiously obtained from others, as by keeping in Vnity amongst our selves, under those God hath placed over us; Nothing increasing forraign Enemies so much as Domestick feuds, amongst such as ought to be servants to the State, as I am, though never in their Pay.

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Title statement

A seasonable expostulation with the Netherlands. Declaring their ingratitude to, and the necessity of their agreement with the Common-wealth of England.

Osborne, Francis, 1593-1659.

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1652

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Text Creation Partnership,

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2009-03 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A67902

ID [STC]

Wing O523

ID [STC]

ESTC R206922

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99866010

ID [PROQUEST]

99866010

ID [VID]

118269

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A67902)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 118269)

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— A seasonable expostulation with the Netherlands. Declaring their ingratitude to, and the necessity of their agreement with the Common-wealth of England., Osborne, Francis, 1593-1659..

Extent

[4], 16 p.

Printed [by L. Lichfield] for Thomas Robinson,. Oxford :: Anno Dom. 1652.. (Attributed to Francis Osborne.) (Printer's name from Madan.) (".. written for home consumption: no Dutchman could read it without gnashing his teeth." -- Madan.) (Annotation on Thomason copy: "June 12".) (Reproduction of the original in the British Library.)

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Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data.

Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so.

Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor.

The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines.

Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements).

Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site.