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 370

llLSTOliV OF INI^TA.

[Book II.

A.I). 1007.

Memorial by tlie British envoy.

Answer by the II imburg

nierdiants.

April, 16!J7, and subscribed ]jy his Britannic majesty's envoy extraordinary ni the courts of Luneburg, and his resident in the city of Hamljurg. In this document, addressed to the senjite of tliis city, the memorialists express them- selves as follows: — "We, the subscribers, ministers of his majesty the King of Great Britain, have, upon the anival of commissioners from an Indian company in Scotland, represented at two several times to your magnificences and lord- ships from the king our master, that his majesty, understanding that the said commissioners endeavoured to open to themselves a commerce and trade in these pai-ts, by making some convention or treaty with this city, had com- manded us most expressly to notify to your magnificences and lordships, that if you enter into such conventions with private men his subjects, who have neither credential letters, nor are any other ways authorized by his majesty, that his majesty would regard such proceedings as an affront to his royal authority, and that he would not fail to resent it. Your magnificences and lordships had the goodness to answer us thereto by your deputy that you would no way enter into commerce vath the aforesaid commissioners, nor encourage them in any sort. Notwithstanding whereof, we, the subscribers, do see with displeasure that, without any regard to the remonstrances made by us in the name of his majesty, the inhabitants of this city forbear not to make conventioiLS and treaties with the said commissioners, who dare even erect a public office to receive subscriptions, as appears by the annexed print. And it is not very credible that strangers could so openly enterprise matters of such importance without being supported by this government: wherefore w^e make our just complaints thereof to your magnificences and lordships, beseeching you, in the name of the king our master, to remedy in time that which is begun, and to do it so effectually as to prevent any consequences it may have, capable to disturb the friendsliip and good correspondence which we woiild cultivate be- tween England and the city of Hamburg. We wait your magnificences' and lordships' answer in wi-iting, to be transmitted to his majesty our master."

This memorial, which contains a grc>ss misrepresentation of the character of the Scotch commissioners, and amounted in fact to a most unwarrantable inter- ference with the independent rights both of Scotland and Hambiirg, having been transmitted by the senate to the Commercir, or general body of mer- chants, called forth the following answer: — "We look upon it as a very strange thing, that the King of Britain shovild hinder us, who are a free people, to trade with whom we please ; but are amazed to think that he would hinder us from joining with his own subjects in Scotland, to whom he had lately given such large privileges by so solemn an act of parliament." This answer unques- tionably placed the matter in its tme light; but the Hambm-g merchants, though they signed for considerable sums in the company's books, were too cautious to commit themselves finally, and appended a condition making their subscriptions void, " if the company did not prociu'e some declaration from the