“For the Sake of Liberty” 1652–165415 demands, with some collaboration from Lewis Rosin.^9 To a letter from the Dutch
ambassadors seeking some adjustments, Milton translated the council’s answer (April
16), insisting that these “Demands” must be met before a treaty could be agreed.^10
England’s hard line was prompted by a mix of nationalism, maritime rivalry over
sovereignty in the Channel, and commercial self-interest. The trajectory toward war
was accelerated by a sea-fight on May 19 in English waters, evidently precipitated by
a misunderstanding but seen by the English as flagrant aggression begun while the
Dutch were engaged in duplicitous diplomacy. Two new Dutch ambassadors –
Willem Nieupoort and Adrian Pauw – were sent to negotiate, and Milton was asked
to translate Nieupoort’s private instructions, obtained in advance of his arrival (about
May 10) by Thurloe’s spy network in the Netherlands. Edward Phillips notes that
Milton passed that task on to “his kinsman” – either himself or his brother John^11 –
no doubt because the papers arrived during those desperate days in early May when
Mary Milton was dying or had just died in childbirth. In the Defensio Secunda Milton
named Pauw among the distinguished foreigners who had paid him special honor;
they did not meet but Pauw sent “many messages” to assure Milton of his “great and
singular good will towards me” (CPW IV.1, 655). Such attentions meant a great
deal to Milton at this juncture, reassuring him that he was still highly regarded by the
learned of Europe. Apparently, Milton was not involved in those last negotiations
(protracted, some thought, so the Dutch might gather useful information about
English war preparations); they ended June 30.
In mid-July Milton was dealing with his personal tragedies by continuing to do the
work assigned him. Parliament’s official Declaration of the causes of war with the United
Provinces was published July 9 in English,^12 and Milton’s Latin version, the Scriptum
Parlamenti, was probably ready by late July; translations in other languages appeared
within a few weeks.^13 Milton had to translate or revise existing translations of a 70-
page collection of documents: the official papers, speeches, and responses leading up
to the conflict, and narrative of the course of events. Like many Englishmen, Milton
admired the Dutch republic which had recently won independence from Spain and
regretted these hostilities, which threatened hopes for a Protestant coalition against
Rome. He supported his government but, he insists in 1655, with little enthusiasm:
You are indeed greatly mistaken if you think that there is any Englishman more
friendly to the United Provinces than I am, or more willingly united with them; who
esteems more honorably that state; who makes more of its industry, arts, genius, and
liberty, or more often applauds them; who would less desire a war begun with them,
would wage one which had begun more pacifically, or rejoice more seriously when it
was concluded; who, finally, ever gave less credit to their detractors. (CPW IV.2, 742)The Anglo-Dutch war was the major event impacting English foreign relations for
its duration (summer, 1652–April, 1654), with the English gaining greater interna-
tional clout as, despite some serious losses, they won most of the sea-battles.^14