Page:English Historical Review Volume 35.djvu/539

 1920 DUTCH MISSIONS TO ENGLAND IN 1689 631 talking without a pause, and the dialogue fills only thirteen pages, but the imaginary time of the action runs from the sailing of William's expedition to his proclamation as king. The three speakers discuss his prospects of success and state the principles of their parties, the ' protestant ' or Calvinist getting the best of it. He thinks that gratitude will make the English support William in his just pretensions against France, and it would be a woful thing if two near neighbours of the same religion and under the same head could not make a specially close alliance. He does not say a word about trade. The Arminian is more pessimistic. He represents the old ' states' party ', the olig- archical and separatist anti-Orange tendency of Amsterdam, and he thinks that co-operation is rendered impossible by East Indian rivalries, by the differences between Amsterdam and the prince, and by those between Amsterdam and England. The other two pamphlets are both written to show the advantages which Holland will have from the alliance. They are serious political works, and it is surprising that neither of them refers to the Dutch diplomatic missions which were actually at work in England at the time when they were written, negotiating the terms of the new agreements. The first, written after William had become king, comes from Amsterdam.^ It begins with a few pages on the importance of religion as the firmest element in alliances, and illustrates this very practically by showing that catholic, conquest might mean in a protestant country the restoration of secularized church property, a measure which had been included in Louis's offer of peace to the Dutch in 1672. From this consideration of higher things, the author soon passes to matters of trade. His object is to convince the Amsterdammers that Dutch commercial interests will be furthered by making war against France in alliance with England, but he is able to take very little for granted. He has to compare the advantages of a French war with the advantages of an English war. Dutch trade, he says, has suffered in the past directly from the hostility of France and indirectly from concessions made to various other states, especially England. Generally speaking, the interest of a trading nation is peace, and principles can be laid down by which peaceful relations with England may be preserved. They are not principles which imply great confidence in the intentions of the English. Trade interests are to be vigorously defended ; a navy at least equal to the British is to be maintained — a high demand — punctilios like that of the flag are to be yielded, because England is a kingdom and the point has been surrendered , quotes the statement in his Catalogus, no. 13291, that a copy has been seen with the note ' door Huysduynen ' written in it. Mm2
 * Hollanls Heyl, in hoar Eenigheit met Engeland gelegen (Amsterdam, 1689). Knuttel