That he, therefore, will fully inform himself about the bringing in the prizes taken from our enemies, and give us an answer thereupon afterwards; that he should also take further information relative to the damage inflicted on us by our enemies, in his roads and harbors. That he had appointed Commissioners to confer with us on the subject of the published books. And, regarding the detention of the ship the Eendracht, that his governor at Plymouth had advised him of it, and that he was informed that your High Mightinesses had, heretofore, on his father's complaint, interdicted your inhabitants from

trading to those parts. But he added, moreover, that he could not positively say what the circumstances of the case were. Then, that he should take further information thereon and ;

as we urged the provisional release of the ship, his Majesty said, he could not do that so long as he was not certain of his right. Which answer of his INIajesty, though expressed in polite terms and with a friendly disposition, did not please us, because the subject of the free use of the harbors was thereby postponed to the great prejudice of your High Mightinesses and your inhabitants; also, because his Majesty had appointed Commissioners to speak with us about the publishing of the books on Amboina, which we could not but suspect was designedly done to bring up the Amboina question before us on that occasion, with a view to require satisfaction therefor, and meanwhileto keep everything in suspense. We were afterwards confirmed in this opinion, because the Lord High Treasurer pretended ignorance of the aforesaid seizure, which, however, was made by order of the Commissioners of the Admiralty, whereof his Lordship is the first Moreover, being desirous to speak about it on another occasion to :