An Answer to the Question

Why may not

The ENGLISH

ASSIST

The SWEDE,

As well as the DUTCH do

The DANE.

London, Printed in the Year, 1658.

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AN

ANSWER

TO THE

QUESTION,

Why may not the ENGLISH

ASSIST the SWEDE, as well

as the DUTCH doe the DANE.

---

SIR,

YOU were pleased to ask me lately, Why England might not as well Assist the King of Sweden, as the United Netherland Provinces did send Succour to the King of Denmark?

Believing, that it will be acceptable to your self, and other Noble Gentlemen, and all impartial lovers of the English Nation, that the same Question be Answered: I do first offer it to your Consideration; Whether it be not requisite to examine the divers State and Condition of the

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the Parties, who are Distressed and stand in need of Succour, and who do offer Wrong, and of those who are the Wrong doers; For Nature, Humanity, Reason, and the Lawes of all Nations, do clearly dictate, that Affliction is not to be added to the Afflicted; And that no Succour ought to be given to the Oppressour, against the Oppressed. Upon which ground, I intreat you Secondly, to Consider, There being, besides the Swedish Navy, no Ships of Warre in the Sound, or Baltick Sea, but some of Denmark, and the United Provinces: Whether the English Succour in those Parts, could be employed, or made use of with Honour, and a good Conscience, against Denmark, or against the said United Provinces?

1. Considering that the whole Kingdom of Denmark was surprized and invaded, and almost totally subdued under the power of the King of Sweden, except only the City of Copenhagen, which was not only closely besieged, by a Royal Swedish Army by Land, but also by a potent Navy of that King, by Sea, and daily assaulted, and no means of fire, and other destructive instruments, and engines omitted to force that City, and to oppress in the same, the King of Denmark, with his Royal Family, and the Council of the Kingdom. Whereby it appears, that the said King of Denmark, was in a sad and distressed condition, having surrendered upon the Treaty of Roskild, mediated by a publick Minister of England, betwixt the two Kings, in February last, 1657. A great part of the Kingdom of Denmark, together with all the strongest and most considerable Castles, and Places of Norway; And being in Person with his Queen, and Children so extremely oppressed, in the said City of Copenhagen, and with all sorts of violence by Sea and Land assaulted; having not so much as one Company of Souldiers in the Field, nor one Ship of Warre at Sea in all his Kingdom of Denmark. When on the other side, the King of Sweden had several Armies round about the Baltick Sea, in Livonia, and Curland in Prussia, in Pomerania, in the Dukedom of Bremen, and in his Con-

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quered Provinces and strong Places in Jutland, Skonen, Blekinge, and Halland, besides his Army in Zealand before the said City. The said King had also a numerous and strong Navy, more considerable, then ever any King of Sweden had brought to Sea before: Wherewith he had made himself Master of the Sound, and all the other passages out of the Western Seas, to the East Countries, and exacted there Tolls of all Nations. So you see, that the King of Sweden was in a Conquering formidable condition, assaulting and oppressing the King of Denmark, a Protestant Prince, in amity, and Alliance, with England. And that King, you perceive was in a broken, distressed and pitiful Estate. The first the invader and oppressor; The last, the surprized, invaded and oppressed, and almost past relief, So that it seems strange to those that understand the true State of those affaires, how it can enter into the thoughts of an honest man, to strengthen and succour the King of Sweden, against the King, or Kingdom of Denmark.

2. And to the end, that you may know the grounds, whereon the Lords the States General of the united Provinces have sent a fleet of ships, to assist the said King of Denmark in this his distressed Condition. It is known and notorious, that it is the interest of the said United Provinces, if not of all the Christian Princes, that the Kingdoms and Territories round about the Baltick Sea be preserved in Peace and tranquility, (the Wars and differences, having always been very prejudicial to the Trade and Commerce, especially of the Netherlanders in the East Countries,) and to maintain the respective Northern Kings, in their own Kingdoms, and Territories. Therefore they have first contracted, and established a defensive League and Alliance with Sweden, in the year 1640. To defend each others Dominions and Territories, as also the Freedom and liberty of Commerce, and Navigation in the said Baltick Sea. And have to the same end and purpose since, with the Communication, and appro-

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approbation of Sweden, made a defensive Alliance, with the King and Kingdom of Denmark in the year, 1649. Whereby both were obliged to Succour, and assist that confederate, who should be assaulted and invaded, or otherwise oppressed: Which Treaty hath likewise been Communicated to the Government of England. And since that the Queen Christian had resigned the Crown to the present most potent King Charles Gustave, the said Lords, the States General have used all possible Endeavours, to renew it with his High Renowned Majestie; And did assure themselves, that with the Concurrence and Co-operation, of his Late Most Serene Highness, the said Alliance should have been confirmed, and fully established. But to their great grief, his Majesty was pleased to wave, or to delay it upon pretence, that some preliminary Declarations were to be first made, and assurances given. And in the mean time did on the ninth of August last past, Stilo veteri, invade with his Royal Army and Navy, the Isle of Zealand, and assaulted at the same time the Places and Dominions of the King of Denmark, in Holstein under the Roman Empire. At which unhappy accident, the said Lords, the States General, were very much troubled; And being summoned by the King of Denmark, in performance of the said defensive Alliance, to succour him in his oppression and extremity, They were bound in honour, and conscience, to accomplish and to keep honestly the said solemn Treaty. As by the Laws of all Nations, yea of the Heathen themselves, it is resolved without any controversy, that publick Treaties are to be kept, and National engagements to be Religiously performed. And Ambrose, Tullius Cicero, and others have taught: Qui non repellit injuriam socio cum potest, tam est in vitio, quam ille qui facit: That is, he that doth not repel, and hinder an injury to be done to his friend, or associate, when it is in his power, is as much in the fault, as if he did commit it himself. Plato saith, that he is to be punished, who doth

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not interpose, when he seeth that wrong is done to another. And the wise King in the Proverbs teacheth as much.

And although the said Lords the States General, were obliged by all the Laws of God and men, and by the said special Treaty, to succour the said King of Denmark, (as they must and would have done the King of Sweden, in case of like necessity) yet they did it not precipitately nor inconsiderately, by themselves alone, but did Communicate and Confer about it with the Supreme Authority of England, or the publique Ministers of the same, desiring very instantly that they might know how the said Invasion was apprehended, on the behalf of England, and what was thought fit in England, should be done thereupon, by or on the behalf of the said United Provinces: And they did likewise Communicate sincerely, what Succours and Assistance they were preparing, and sending to his oppressed Majesty of Denmark. And they not being dissuaded to send it, and conceiving that it was as much England’s Interest as their own, that the Kingdom of Denmark, and the whole Dominion of the Baltick Sea, should not be subdued and brought under the Power of the King of Sweden, have sent a part of their Fleet to Convoy a supply of some two thousand Souldiers to Copenhagen. And their Admiral, finding that the Swedes did oppose and obstruct his passage, was forced to make it.

Which being the true state of the Case, it is hoped that no Christian will think that there is any the least Ground, Reason, Justice or Equity, to send any Succour to the King of Sweden, against Denmark, or the United Provinces, or their Ships of Warre in the Sound or Baltick Sea. But that it will be thought fit to Co-operate by fair means, to re-establish a firm Peace and Tranquility betwixt the said two Kings, and the other States and Potentates in the said East Countries; and to preserve inviolably a true Amity, Union and Confederation, between England, and the united Provinces; and to secure a Free Trade

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Trade and Commerce for all their Subjects indifferently, within the said Sound or Baltick Sea, under the Ancient, Reasonable Customs and Duties only, and equally to defend and succour the said two Kings, and all other Princes and Dominions of those adjacent Countries, against all Invasions and Oppressions of each other, thereby to strengthen and support the Protestant Interest, as well as that of Trade and Profit, and to lay a good Foundation of Peace and Honour for themselves, their Subjects and Posterities, and to weaken and discourage the designs of all their Enemies, and Religiously to hope for a Blessing from the God of Truth and Peace, upon such their Just and Pious Proceedings.