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