Mare Clausum: OR A RANSACK FOR THE DUTCH.  
May 23. 1666.  
By E. S. Gent.  
LICENCED,  
May 30. 1666.  
LONDON,  
Printed by Peter Lillicrap, for john Million, at the Man in the Moon in the Little Old Baley, 1666.   

Mare Clausum: OR A RANSCAK FOR THE DUTCH.  
OUR Ancestors being born within the Pale  
Of that we call the Golden Age, of all  
It was the best, than happened no contest;  
No Points of Honour was our interest:  
All moved for Peace, Justice herself did Reign,  
No trespass than was done; no projects feigned.  
But when Astrea fled, than men began  
To share the Earth, to parcel out their Land;  
And by their sweaty brows they got their Bread,  
Now Master's Rule, and Slaves by them are fed:  
An Age of Brass soon follows this, being worse,  
Strife now takes place, the Earth becomes a Curse.  
Proceeding careless, they themselves did wrong,  
For raging malice in their breast did throng;  
The Sea not limited was in discourse;  
And by our power and excelling force;  
We soon became Lords of the Narrow Seas;  
And who then dare resist! who dares displease?  
Our awful wills, success hath made it ours;  
Assist our Cause, ye High and Mighty Powers!  
What shall such bold resistance as the Dutch  
Pretend to what is ours? No, 'tis to much;  
we'll check their Impudence, we will maintain;  
Our Father's glory over this our Main.  
Shall clay describe its Fashion or direct?  
The Potter what to form, what 'twill effect;  
Shall Pedants rule? Shall they now bear the sway,  
Commanding what's not theirs, soon to obey?  
We were their founders, gave them being by  
Our Mighty aid, we caused Posterity  
To change from poor distressed, by our Fates,  
They've crowned themselves the High and Mighty States.  
Ill weeds they grow a pace, and let alone  
Soon take deep root, and overcome the Corn.  
The Dutch no sooner thrived, no sooner grew,  
But slighted us, as if no duty due  
As when their Grotius, forward by their Pride,  
Did undertake their Title should reside  
On these our Seas; as if their Fleet was come,  
To challenge Right being Mare Liberum.  
And though by arguing Selden overcame  
His strongest Reasons, they were still the same;  
Their courage not abated, till we used  
Expelling force to Right us being abused:  
This checked them for a time, yet Insolence  
Still growing great, was like a mighty fence,  
To their ill Natures, brands them yet more base,  
Amboyna shewsed a horrid bloody case.  
And bloody 'twas indeed, when none of all  
Our Valiant Troop, but did by Murder fall.  
Blood called to Heaven, blood for Revenge did cry,  
Amboyna's fact, Amboyna's remedy,  
Then expiate your guilt you guilty Souls;  
Exterpate blood within you, and control  
Your loose desires, lest just revenge come down  
From Heaven it s●lf, your minds being most unsound.  
Me thinks your impious deeds, most dreadful, strange,  
Inhuman Facts, should cause a perfect change  
Upon your bloody minds; like one who escapes  
From a huge Precipice, whose horror shakes  
His trembling limbs, as yet filled full with fears,  
Greaten's his past danger; so should your cares,  
Lest that revenge should follow close your guilt,  
And shed your blood for that which you have spilt.  
But 'tis beyond your powers to argue thus,  
You thirst for blood, and nought else can discuss.  
The Heavens above have seen your rude contempt,  
Murder will howl, 'twill have its punishment.  
As when your mighty Fleet weighed Anchor for  
A mightier prize, to be sole Conqueror:  
Shall Heavens design, and not perform its work?  
Shall it decree, and shall not Noble York,  
Bravely achieve what providence declared?  
Once he your Conduct, now his country's Guards;  
Where Right and Honour sits, his Highness stands  
Where Justice is, thence issue his commands;  
These were his Guide, these steered his awing Course,  
These made him Victor; none withstand his force.  
'Twas Honour led the Van, Right broke their Ranks;  
Justice like Nilus overflowed their Banks.  
Valour destroyed, and Courage drove them home,  
Clausum approved, not Mare Liberum.  
Your Honour's great, you died by Prince's hands,  
Your Vessels sunk, you fled by their commands.  
Your Opdam 's lost, your Fleet was quickly gone;  
Your Besom's burnt, your Trump almost undone:  
Not yet content, will you again presume?  
What must we make an utter final doom  
Of seven whole Provinces; O pity! lest  
Your corrupt earth be made the fishes feast.  
Were Tomyris alive, she'd quench your thirst,  
she'd give you blood to satisfy your lust.  
That men with envy might no more be toiled;  
That Neighbour Nations be no more embroiled  
In such contests; Alas! their thoughts are far  
From that of Peace, they'll make another War,  
Clausum's a word not easy to digest,  
In such crude stomaches, but must be suppressed  
By that which helps decoction; Nought but quarle  
Will serve their turns; Then may brave Albemarle  
Run through their Squadrons, like an Arrow sent  
From a stiff Bow to give them punishment.  
May all our trust reposed be like to his!  
May all our Foes this year be Sacrifice!  
May Glory waite's! may Heaven direct the Sea!  
May we put on the Trophy of the day!  
And like Achilles at our Chariot Wheel  
Drag Belgian Beast! such may their Champions feel  
Through fear, who knows? but that they are grown wise,  
Their Fleet's at home, what will you once surprise  
Our Narrow Seas? Or will you dare to meet  
Our floating Castles, or our vaster Fleet?  
Strive for a Peace, and pay your duty home;  
No more lay claim to Mare Liberum.  
We will be good, we will be free enough,  
Accept a Peace, but you must make a Vow,  
And solemnly protest, You'll mend your lives;  
But hold, our Faith is weak, your fatal Knives  
Bereft our Subjects of their utter breath,  
And none escaped, but all were seized by Death.  
Nay, did your Powers reach this little Flock,  
What one amongst us should escape your shock?  
What person left untouched? what Throat unscrapt?  
What Female Sex but should be made a Rape?  
What cruelty doth now your Burgher's act,  
To our distressed men? their bodies racked.  
Considering not that we have Prisoners too,  
And by our rigour can them soon subdue;  
But we are kind, and know not how to use  
Your Subjects harsh, too good so to abuse.  
'Tis freedom you pretend i'th' narrow Seas;  
You claim a Right, to make you fishing days:  
You hungry Souls, will you consume our Trade?  
What would you not if that you power had?  
Why were your Nets not spread? why was your care  
Slackened to fish the last foregoing year?  
Sure Neptune's rage was stirred, you did not pay  
His duty due; so he gave Haddock's way  
To seize your Corpse; your brawny sides to eat,  
To let the remnant know you proved a cheat.  
For freedom you have fought, and since declared  
You'll fight it out, then come, we are prepared;  
What means you Cowards, will you turn your back?  
What ails your Spirits, do you courage lack?  
Then soon renounce, and right us as before,  
Or from the Texel we'll increase our store.  
Six shall not one resist, one six shall beat,  
Our Diamond's true, it is no eounterfeit.  
If Tar or Cordage lies within your close,  
We'll fetch it Prize, or make you feel our force.  
Our souls are generous, and won't become  
The scorn of Pedants twice; but hate your Drum;  
Rejoice you may, since that prosperity  
Attend not virtue always, but do fly  
To those who apprehend, Nought else but ends  
Th' unrighteous Mammon is their best of friends;  
Fortune being blind, and chance propitious too,  
None but Dependants, none but such as you.  
〈◊〉 any else carved out those favours? then  
We had deprived, at least desputed them,  
You Hogan Mogans, think, don't violate  
Nature herself, nor injure humane state.  
You wrong, acknowledge, be to us sincere,  
Lest you prove Slaves, Vassals, as once you were.  
Though height'ned now; confess 'tis by our hands;  
Lay open all, say, take your just demands;  
Then our affection challenge, be assured,  
Doubt not our words, be well, by being cured.  
FINIS.