Mare Clausum: OR A RANSACK FOR THE DUTCH.
May 23. 1666.
By E. S. Gent.
LICENSED,
May 30. 1666.
LONDON,
Printed by Peter Lillicrap, for Iohn Million, at the Man in the Moon in the Little Old Baley, 1666.
Mare Clausum: OR A RANSCAK FOR THE DUTCH.
OUR Ancestors be'ng born within the Pale
Of that we call the
Golden Age, of all
It was the best, then happen'd no contest;
No Points of Honour was our interest:
All mov'd for Peace, Justice her self did Reign,
No trespass then was done; no projects fain'd.
But when
Astrea fled, then men began
To share the Earth, to parcel out their Land;
And by their sweaty brows they gat their Bread,
Now Masters Rule, and Slaves by them are fed:
An Age of Brass soon follows this, be'ng worse,
Strife now takes place, the Earth becomes a Curse.
Proceeding careless, they themselves did wrong,
For raging malice in their breast did throng;
The Sea not limited was in discourse;
And by our power and excelling force;
We soon became Lords of the Narrow Seas;
And who then dare resist! who dares displease?
[Page 4]Our awful wills, success hath made it ours;
Assist our Cause, ye High and Mighty Powers!
What shall such bold resistance as the Dutch
Pretend to what is ours? No, 'tis to much;
Wee'l check their Impudence, we will maintain;
Our Fathers glory over this our Main.
Shall clay describe its Fashion or direct?
The Potter what to form, what 'twill effect;
Shall
Pedants rule? Shall they now bear the sway,
Commanding whats not theirs, soon to obey?
We were their founders, gave them being by
Our Mighty aid, we caus'd Posterity
To change from poor distressed, by our Fates,
They've crown'd themselves the High and Mighty States.
Ill weeds they grow a pace, and let alone
Soon take deep root, and overcome the Corn.
The
Dutch no sooner thriv'd, no sooner grew,
But slighted us, as if no duty due
As when their
Grotius, forward by their Pride,
Did undertake their Title should reside
On these our Seas; as if their Fleet was come,
To challenge Right be'ng
Mare Liberum.
And though by arguing Selden overcame
His strongest Reasons, they were still the same;
Their courage not abated, till we us'd
Expelling force to Right us be'ng abus'd:
This checkt them for a time, yet Insolence
Still growing great, was like a mighty fence,
To their ill Natures, brands them yet more base,
Amboyna shews't a horrid bloody case.
And bloody 'twas indeed, when none of all
Our Valiant Troop, but did by Murther fall.
Blood call'd to Heaven, blood for Revenge did cry,
Amboyna's fact,
Amboyna's remedy,
[Page 5]Then expiate your guilt you guilty Souls;
Exterpate blood within you, and controul
Your loose desires, lest just revenge come down
From Heaven it s
[...]lf, your minds be'ng most unsound.
Me think
[...] your impious deeds, most dreadful, strange,
Inhumane Facts, should cause a perfect change
Upon your bloody minds; like one who scapes
From a huge Precipice, whose horror shakes
His trembling limbs, as yet fil'd full with fears,
Greaten's his past danger; so should your cares,
Lest that revenge should follow close your guilt,
And shed your blood for that which you have spilt.
But 'tis beyond your powers to argue thus,
You thirst for blood, and nought else can discuss.
The Heavens above have seen your rude contempt,
Murther will houle, 'twill have its punishment.
As when your mighty Fleet weigh'd Anchor for
A mightier prize, to be sole Conqueror:
Shall Heavens design, and not perform its work?
Shall it decree, and shall not Noble
York,
Bravely atchieve what providence declar'd?
Once he your Conduct, now his Countrey's Guards;
Where Right and Honour sits, his Highness stands
Where Justice is, thence issue his commands;
These were his Guide, these steer'd his awing Course,
These made him Victor; none withstand his force.
'Twas Honour led the Van, Right broke their Ranks;
Justice like
Nilus overflow'd their Banks.
Valour destroy'd, and Courage drove them home,
Clausum approv'd, not
Mare Liberum.
Your Honour's great, you dy'd by Princes hands,
Your Vessels sunk, you fled by their commands.
Your
Opdam[?]'s lost, your Fleet was quickly gone;
Your
Besom's[?] burnt, your
Trump almost undone:
[Page 6]Not yet content, will you again presume?
What must we make an utter final doom
Of seven whole Provinces; O pitty! lest
Your corrupt earth be made the fishes feast.
Were
Tomyris alive, shee'd quench your thirst,
Shee'd give you blood to satisfie your lust.
That men with envy might no more be toyl'd;
That Neighbour Nations be no more embroyl'd
In such contests; Alas! their thoughts are far
From that of Peace, they'l make another War,
Clausum's a word not easie to digest,
In such crude stomachs, but must be supprest
By that which helps decoction; Nought but quarle
Will serve their turns; Then may brave
Albemarle
Run through their Squadrons, like an Arrow sent
From a stiff
Bow[?] to give them punishment.
May all our trust repos'd be like to his!
May all our Foes this year be Sacrifice!
May Glory waite's! may Heaven direct the Sea!
May we put on the Trophee of the day!
And like
Achilles at our Charriot Wheel
Drag
Belgian Beast! such may their Champions feel
Through fear, who knows? but that they are grown wise,
Their Fleet's at home, what will you once surprize
Our Narrow Seas? Or will you dare to meet
Our floating Castles, or our vaster Fleet?
Strive for a Peace, and pay your duty home;
No more lay claim to
Mare Liberum.
We will be good, we will be free enough,
Accept a Peace, but you must make a Vow,
And solemnly protest, You'l mend your lives;
But hold, our Faith is weak, your fatal Knives
Bereft our Subjects of their utter breath,
And none escapt, but all were seiz'd by Death.
[Page 7]Nay, did your Powers reach this little Flock,
What one amongst us should escape your shock?
What person left untouch't? what Throat unscrapt?
What Female Sex but should be made a Rape?
What cruelty doth now your Burgers act,
To our destressed men? their bodies ract.
Considering not that we have Prisners too,
And by our rigour can them soon subdue;
But we are kind, and know not how to use
Your Subjects harsh, too good so to abuse.
'Tis freedom you pretend i'th narrow Seas;
You claim a Right, to make you fishing dayes:
You hungry Souls, will you consume our Trade?
What would you not if that you power had?
Why were your Nets not spread? why was your care
Slackn'd to fish the last foregoing year?
Sure
Neptunes rage was stir'd, you did not pay
His duty due; so he gave Haddocks way
To seize your Corps; your brawny sides to eat,
To let the remnant know you prov'd a cheat.
For freedom you have fought, and since declar'd
You'l fight it out, then come, we are prepar'd;
What means you Cowards, will you turn your back?
What ails your Spirits, do you courage lack?
Then soon renounce, and right us as before,
Or from the
Texel we'l increase our store.
Six shall not one resist, one six shall beat,
Our
Diamond's true, it is no eounterfeit.
If Tar or Cordage lies within your close,
We'l fetch it Prize, or make you feel our force.
Our souls are generous, and wo'nt become
The scorn of
Pedants twice; but hate your Drum;
Rejoyce you may, since that prosperity
Attend not vertue alwayes, but do fly
[Page 8]To those who apprehend, Nought else but ends
Th' unrighteous
Mammon is their best of friends;
Fortune being blind, and chance propitious too,
None but Dependants, none but such as you.
[...] any else carv'd out those favours? then
We had depriv'd, at least desputed them,
You
Hogan Mogans, think, do'nt violate
Nature her self, nor injure humane state.
You wrong, acknowledge, be to us sincere,
Lest you prove Slaves, Vassals, as once you were.
Though height'n'd now; confess 'tis by our hands;
Lay open all, say, take your just demands;
Then our affection challenge, be assur'd,
Doubt not our words, be well, by being cur'd.
FINIS.