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Lib. C. B.
p. 69
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British Colours have been insulted in the most ignominious
Manner: And Whereas we have caused frequent Complaints
to be made to the King of Spain, of these violent and unjust
Proceedings, but no Satisfaction or Redress has been given
for the same, notwithstanding the many Promises made, and
Cedulas issued, signed by the said King, or by his Order, for
that purpose: And Whereas the Evils above mentioned have
been principally occasioned by an unwarrantable Claim &
pretension set up on the Part of Spain, that the Garda Costas,
and other Ships, authorized by the King of Spain, may stop
detain and search the Ships and Vessels of Our Subjects navi-
gating in the American Seas, contrary to the Liberty of Navi-
gation, to which Our Subjects have not only an equal Right,
with those of the King of Spain, by the Law of Nations, but
which is moreover expressly acknowledged and declared to
belong to them by the most solemn Treaties, and particularly
by that concluded in the Year 1670: And Whereas the said
groundless Claim and Pretension, and the unjust Practice of
stopping, detaining, and searching Ships and Vessels navi-
gating in the Seas of America, is not only of the most danger-
ous and destructive Consequence to the lawful Commerce of
Our Subjects, but also tends to interrupt and obstruct the free
Intercourse and Correspondence between Our Dominions in
Europe, and Our Colonies and Plantations in America, and
by Means thereof to deprive Us and Our Subjects of the Bene-
fit of those Colonies & Plantations; a Consideration of the
highest Importance to Us & Our Kingdoms; and a Practice
which must affect, in its Consequence, all other Princes and
States of Europe, possessed of Settlements in the West Indies,
or whose Subjects carry on any Trade thither; And whereas,
besides the notorious Grounds of Complaint abovementioned,
many other Infractions have been made on the Part of Spain,
of the several Treaties and Conventions subsisting between
Us and that Crown, and particularly of that concluded in the
year 1667, as well by the exorbitant Duties and Impositions
laid upon the Trade and Commerce of Our Subjects, as by
the Breach of ancient and established Privileges, stipulated for
them by the said Treaties; for the Redress of which Grievances
the strongest Instances have been, from time to time made,
by Our several Ministers residing in Spain, without any Effect ;
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p. 70
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And Whereas a Convention for making Reparation to Our
Subjects for the Losses sustained by them, on Account of the
unjust Seizures and Depredations committed by the Spaniards
in America, and in Order to prevent for the future all the
Grievances and Causes of Complaint therein taken Notice of,
and to remove absolutely and for ever, everything which
might give Occasion thereto, was concluded between Us, and
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