May, 1645
[9 May, 1645.]
Forasmuch as many great Complaints have been made, by
divers well-affected Subjects of this Kingdom of England, to the
Lords and Commons now assembled in Parliament, That many
ill-affected Persons of this Nation, in actual Rebellion, do shelter
themselves, with their Ships and Vessels, in the Parts and
Harbours of the Provinces under the Obedience of the King of
Spaine, and there are permitted, by the Officers and Ministers of
that King, not only to equip, furnish, victual, and man, in war-,
like Manner, their Ships and Vessels which they carry thither,
but also there, and from the Subjects of that Nation, to buy
equip, furnish, victual, and with the Natives of that Country for
the Most Part to man, many Frigates and other Vessels, and
with the same, so warlikely appointed, to remain and continue
in the said Parts and Harbours as long as they please, and, as often
as Advantages are offered, to set Sail to Sea from thence, and to
commit many Spoils and Depredations upon the Ships and
Goods of the well-affected Subjects of this Kingdom, and of the
Kingdoms of Scotland and Ireland, adhering to the Parliament;
and with such their Purchase and Spoil, freely, and at their
Pleasures, before any Adjudications had or obtained in any
Court or Place in the Kingdom of England, where, and no where
else (in case any Colour had been), the Adjudication must have
been obtained, to return again into the said Ports and Harbours
of the King of Spaine, and there to vend, sell, and dispose of, the
Ships and Goods which they take as aforesaid, and there again
to fit, re-victual, and man, and from hence to put out again upon
the like unlawful Enterprizes; so that those Rebels, Pirates, and
Sea Rovers, support and enrich themselves upon the Spoil of the
well-affected Subjects of the aforesaid Kingdoms adhering to the
Parliament, are encouraged and enabled to persist in such their
Rebellion and unlawful Proceedings, by the Advantage, Succour,
and Aid, which they receive by the Freedom of the said Ports
and Harbours; and that from thence, by those Rebels, with
their Ships and Companies, great Store of Arms, Ammunition,
and other Necessaries for War, are conveyed into the Western
Parts of this Kingdom, and also to the Kingdom of Ireland, to
the great Support of the Rebels there, and the great Detriment
and Damage of the said loyal and well-affected Subjects of the
Three Kingdoms; which being contrary to the Treaties and
Capitulations made and agreed upon between the Crowns of
England and Spaine and their Subjects respectively, and
inconsistent with Neutrality, much more with Amity and
Alliance, and a very great Interruption to Commerce and
Trade, which, by the said Treaties and Capitulations ought to
be kept and maintained: The Lords and Commons aforesaid
now assembled in Parliament do hereby Ordain, That Walter
Walker Doctor in the Civil Laws, and Peter Thelwell, English
Merchants resident in Flanders, shall be Agents for the English
Nation, in the said Provinces, under the Obedience of the King
of Spaine; and do hereby authorize them, the said Doctor
Walker and Peter Thelwell, or either of them, for and in the
Name of the Lords and Commons of the Parliament of England,
to make his or their Addresses to the Governors, Council,
Admiral, or other Officers and Ministers of the King of Spaine,
in Flanders, and other Provinces under His Subjection, and
from them, or any of them, to require Redress in the Premises,
Restitution of the Ships and Goods that have been taken and
brought into the said Ports and Harbours as aforesaid, and
Punishment to be inflicted upon the Delinquents according to
their Demerits; as also to assist and further the good and loyal
Subjects of the said Three Kingdoms, adhering to the Parliament, in all their just Suits and Occasions, and to do whatsoever
else shall be needful or requisite for the Good and Safety of the
Three Kingdoms, and for the Maintenance of a good Understanding and Correspondence between the Crowns and Nations,
and free Commerce and Trade between them, according to such
Directions and Instructions as they shall from Time to Time
receive from both Houses of Parliament, the Committees of
Lords and Commons for the Kingdoms of England and Scotland, the Committee of Lords and Commons for Foreign Affairs,
or the Committee of Lords and Commons for the Admiralty,
or either of those Committees.