His Majesty's GRACIOUS SPEECH To both Houses of Parliament, January 24. 1673/ 4.  
As also A LETTER From the States-General of the United Provinces, to His Majesty the King of Great Britain, etc. January 14/24. 1673/ 4.  
Together with certain PROPOSALS from the said States-General to His Majesty, CONCERNING A PEACE.   royal blazon or coat of arms 
C R  HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE DIEV ET MON DROIT 
London, Printed by the Assigns of John Bill and Christopher Barker, Printers to the Kings most Excellent Majesty, 1673/4.   

His Majesty's GRACIOUS SPEECH To both Houses of PARLIAMENT.  
My Lords and Gentlemen,  
AT the beginning of this Session I told you, as I thought I had reason to do, that the States-General had not yet made Me any Proposals which could be imagined with intent to conclude, but only to amuse.  
To avoid this imputation, they have now sent Me a Letter by the Spanish Ambassador, offering Me some terms of Peace, upon Conditions formally drawn up, and in a more decent stile then before.  
It is upon This, that I desire your speedy advice; for if you shall find the terms such as may be embraced, your advice will have great weight with Me; and if you find them defective, I hope you will give Me your advice and assistance how to get better terms.  
Upon the whole matter, I doubt not but you will have a care of My Honour, and the Honour and Safety of the Nation, which are now so deeply concerned.   

A LETTER FROM THE STATE'S GENERAL, etc.  
TO His Majesty OF GREAT BRITAIN.  
SIRE,  
HAving observed that Your Majesty in Your Speech made lately to the Parliament, (which was Printed by Your Majesty's Order) seems still to doubt the Sincerity of our Intentions, and accuses us to have made Your Majesty Overtures of a Peace, only to gain time, and without designing to come to any Conclusion thereupon; We find ourselves obliged to repeat to Your Majesty the Offers, which our Plenipotentiaries at Cologne, have, we suppose; made in our. Name to those of Your Majesty; and to send you a Project of a Treaty which we are ready to Sign without any further Conferences of longer deferring the Conclusion of a Peace, which we have always so earnestly desired.  
And that Your Majesty may the better comprehend how far You have reason to be satisfied with our Proposals which we make, and with how much reason we promise ourselves a happy Issue upon them, we beseech Your Majesty to Consider in the first place, That the Renewal of the Treaty of Breda which we offer, is the most solid foundation of a firm and durable Friendship, as we have already shown in our Letter of the 9/19 December, and that upon the same Consideration we add to it the Marine Treaty concluded at the Hague in the year 1668.  
But seeing the 19th Article of the said Treaty of Breda has been differently interpreted, and that Your Majesty against what we have always judged, has pretended, that by virtue of this Article, our whole Fleets as well as single Ships were obliged to strike their Flags and their Topsails, upon meeting of the least Man of War of Your Majesties; We have thought that we cannot give Your Majesty any greater Testimony of the respect we have for Your Royal Person, and of our earnest desire to obtain anew the honour of Your good Will, then by yielding to Your Majesty in the British Seas what you have demanded from us in that Particular, and by regulating the Ceremony of the Flagg according to the Project Your Majesty's Plenipotentiaries sent us themselves from the French Camp, at a time when our Commonwealth was reduced to the greatest straits.  
The second Article, by which we agree to the nomination of Commissioners within 3. Months after the Conclusion of the Peace, for a Regulation of the Trade in the Indies and other places, is also according to the abovementioned Project which was sent us from the French Camp, and to the Proposal made to us by the Mediators at Cologne the 19 of July last, with the knowledge of Your Majesty's Plenipotentiaries.  
For what concerns Surinam, we have made an Article of it, only for Your Majesty's satisfaction in Particular, being (without any new obligation) as we have hitherto been, and shall always be, most ready to give the English Inhabitants at Surinam leave to transport themselves elsewhere when ever they desire it.  
The 4th Article, though in reciprocal Terms, manifests sufficiently to what degree we desire to merit Your Majesty's affection, seeing we offer Your Majesty the restitution of so Considerable an Acquisition as the New Netherlands, without hoping for any thing in Exchange.  
And the last Article, by which we Confirm what the most Serene King of Spain's Ambassador has offered to Your Majesty in pursuance of the Treaty between Spain and us in August last, is a clear proof, that our desires of advancing the Peace, are above all other Considerations, seeing we have agreed to give so Considerable a Sum; when we cannot be accused, with Justice, of the least Contravention against the Treaties between your Majesty and us.  
And to let Your Majesty see how far we are persuaded of our innocence in this respect, we declare hereby again to Your Majesty, as we have already done in our above mentioned Letter, That we are ready to enter into an Examination before Your Majesty, about all the Infractions we are accused of, with a solemn Promise to make Reparation for all the Wrong and Injuries Your Majesty and Your Subjects may have received unknown to us, from us, or our Officers, from the Treaty of Breda, till the beginning of this War; offering further the guarantee of our Allies for the performing of this Promise, and consenting that it may be Inserted in the Treaty to make it more Authentic.  
The above mentioned Five Artioles contain in the most clear and best manner, all what Your Majesty has demanded in Your Answer to the Marquis del Frezno's Memorial, Excepting what concerns the Fishery; Upon which we are obliged to tell Your Majesty, That ●e cannot believe, that after all the Advances which we have made to give Your Majesty all possible satisfaction; And after the Offer we make of so Honourable a Peace, and so advantageous to Your Majesty and Your Kingdoms, You would stop the conclusion thereof upon a motive or consideration of this kind, and oblige us to Grant what Your Majesty's Predecessor have never stipulated in any Treaty which has been Concluded between them and 〈◊〉 Commonwealth, and of which Your Majesty Yourself has not made the least mention, neither in the Treaty of 1662. nor that of 1667. And seeing also that Article was never any part of Your Majesty's Complaints. That it has nothing relating to the War Your Majesty has declared against us; And that lastly, we only desire in this particular, what our Inhabitants have without interruption enjoyed for some ages, and without the arising of any differences upon this account, which did alter the Friendship and good Correspondence between the two Nations.  
The matter being thus, nothing remains but the perfecting a Work already so advanced, and whether Your Majesty desires the thing may be done at London, or Cologne: The whole Negotiation, if Your Majesty pleases, will only consist in putting the Project we send Your Majesty, into the form of a Treaty, hoping that Your Majesty will not suffer the quiet of Your People, and the good of Your Kingdoms to depend upon particular Interests of the Crown of France, which continues Entirely to stop the Conferences at Cologne, by refusing to give Passports to the Duke of Lorrains Ministers, and to receive him into the Negotiation of the Peace, (in which he must necessarily be admitted, in virtue of the Treaties concluded between his Imperial Majesty, the most serene King of Spain, and us) without other aim but of engaging Your Majesty further and further in this sad War, so destructive to all Europe, the continuing whereof may have so ill Consequences. And as the Offers we here make to Your Majesty, are real and sincere, we are ready to Execute them bona fide, if Your Majesty be pleased to Conclude a Treaty of Peace with us, without dependence upon Foreign Interests, which can only make this Negotiation ineffectual.  
We have many things to add in answer to the Complaints without ground made by the Lord Keeper, of us, in his Speech, and to the unjust Interpretations he makes of our Conduct: But as we are willing to believe, and flatter ourselves with the hopes, that what we offer here to Your Majesty, will give you an entire satisfaction, and put an end to our unhappy Differences; We believe it better to forget, and pass over whatever there might be of Animosities and sharpness, then longer to keep open the Wounds, we desire to heal. In the mean while, in expectation of Your Majesty's answer, we pray to God, etc.  
Hague, January 24th 1674.   

CERTAIN PROPOSALS FROM THE STATES-GENERAL OF THE UNITED PROVINCES, TO HIS MAJESTY OF Great Britain, & C. Concerning a PEACE.  
THat the Treaty of Breda be Confirmed and Renewed, and the Marine Treaty, made at the Hague in the year 1668.  

Article 1.  
It is also agreed, That the Ships and Vessels belonging to the United Provinces, as well Men of War and Ships of Defence, as others, whether they be single, or in Fleets, which shall happen to meet the King of Great Britain's Men of War in the British Seas, whether they also be single, or more in number, provided they carry the King's Flag, shall strike their Flag, and lower their Topsail: And the said States of the United Provinces shall order all the Commanders of their Ships and Fleets fully, and bona fide to comply with this Article.   

Article 2.  
And to the end that the Security of the mutual Friendship between the said King and though said States-General, their Subjects and Inhabitants, may be the more sincerely observed, and that all occasions of future Differences and Contentions may be taken away, It is also agreed, That certain convenient Laws concerning Trade and Commerce be established, which may reduce the Navigation and Commerce of both Parties in the Indies, and other places out of Europe, to an exact and reciprooal Rule; and limit the same within certain Laws to be perpetually observed. And because this matter seems of too great difficulty, to be out of hand perfected, both Parties consent it shall be deferred to a more opportune occasion; and that Commissioners be nominated within the space of Three Months after the Conclusion of this Peace, without further delay, who shall meet at London, and agree upon some certainty, as well concerning the designing, and circumscribing within a certain bound the Kind's of Merchandises, as concerning Laws of Navigation and Commerce; and define the same with new and mutual Articles of Convention: but upon condition, that this whole matter shall be transacted in an amicable way and manner.   

Article 3.  
And that this Peace, Friendship and Confederation may be established upon a firm and unshaken Foundation; and that from this day, all occasions of new Differences and Disputes may be taken away: It is further agreed, That whereas the Colony of Surinam has been acquired by the said States-General by Right of War upon certain Articles agreed upon between Captain Abraham Quirini, and William Biam, March the sixth in the year 1667. And that by the Fifth Article of the same it is agreed, That in case any of the Inhabitants of the said Colony should desire, then or afterwards to remove from the said Colony elsewhere, they should have liberty freely to Sell their Estates and Goods, and that the Governor in such case should take care to Provide a conveniency of Transportation for them and their Goods, at a moderate Rate: And also by the Nineteenth Article of the said Agreement, that the Governor Quirini should give Letters of safe Conduct, and Passports to such who should have a mind to go away, and that they might carry their Slaves with them; Provided still that they should be obliged to departed and Sail together with our people. And whereas the said King of England judges and believes that the said Articles have not been well observed, and that divers English Inhabitants remain there, who still desire to leave the Place with their Goods, in pursuance of the said Articles; The said States-General do by these Presents promise, That they will most sincerely and bona fide take care that the said Articles, and what was agreed upon at the Congress held afterwards at London concerning the Execution of them, and the Orders from the said States-General in pursuance thereof be speedily executed and complied with; and that also the space of Three Months shall be allowed to the said Inhabitants for the Selling of their Estates according to the Tenor of the said Articles, and their Transportation at a moderate Rate whither they will, and that they shall be permitted to carry away their Slaves with them.   

Article 4.  
It is also Agreed and Concluded, That if either Party shall, during this War, have Taken or Possessed themselves of any Countries, Islands, Towns, Forts, Colonies, or other Places belonging to the other Party, all and every of the same, without any distinction of place or time, shall be immediately, and bona fide Restored in the same Condition they shall happen to be in, when notice shall come of the Conclusion of this Peace to those Places.   

Article 5.  
And to the end that all occasions and causes of new Questions, Pretensions, and Actions, may be quite Rooted out, of what sort soever they be, or by what Name or Pretext soever Claimed, and that the Foundations they seem to Stand upon may be wholly Destroyed and Removed; The said States-General Promise to Pay to His Majesty. Eight hundred thousand Patacoons, which Sum the said States-General of the United Netherlands have for certain Reasons Promised to Pay, by a Treaty made in the year 1673, between the King of Spain and them the said States, and which the Ambassador of the said King has offered in their Name, to the King of Great Britain: the said Sum to be Paid at certain days as follow●●●, viz. A Fourth part thereof assoon as the ●●●●fications shall be exhibited, and the Rest 〈◊〉 Three ensuing years by equal Portions.   
FINIS.