Chapter XI: THE PARLIAMENT, THE COMMONWEALTH, AND THE PROTECTORATE--continued

THE PEACE NEGOTIATIONS.

The negotiations for peace--Mission of Beverning, Nieuport, Van de
Perre, and Jongestal--The attitude of Cromwell--Proposals for
fusion abandoned--Cromwell’s twelve Articles--The sovereignty
of the sea and the fishery put in the foreground--The twenty-seven
Articles proposed by the Council of State--Claim to the
fishery, the salute, the right of search, the exclusive guard of the
British seas, &c.--The strong objections of the Dutch--Cromwell
acts as spokesman of the Council--Discussion on the flag and the
herring fishery--The negotiations come to a standstill--The Dutch
ambassadors ask for their passports--Cromwell becomes Lord
Protector--Negotiations continued--Dutch proposals regarding
the salute--Cromwell withdraws the fishery article and the
declaration respecting the sovereignty of the sea--The terms
British Seas and Narrow Seas--Dutch propose to strike the flag all
over the world--The ambassadors return to Holland--They come
back again--Cromwell suddenly reopens the question as to the
British seas--Conclusion of treaty of peace--Diplomatic success
of the Dutch regarding the claim to the sovereignty of the sea--The
article on the striking of the flag--Enforcing the salute--Complaints
of English fishermen 414