‘Good Night Amsterdam’. Sir George Downing and Anglo-Dutch Statebuilding

English Historical Review

Volumn 118, Issue 476, 2003, Pages 334-356

  Scott, Jonathan ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH   (United States)

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EID: 85068303154     PISSN: 00138266     EISSN: 14774534     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1093/ehr/118.476.334     Document Type: Article

References (144)

1. I. Bodleian Library, Oxford, Clarendon MS I05, f. 89.
2. British Library, London, Egerton Ms 2538, ff. 57, 6I.
3. Henry Roseveare, ‘Prejudice and Policy: Sir George Downing as parliamentary entrepreneur’, in D. C. Coleman and Peter Mathias (ed.), Enterprise and History: Essays in honour of Charles Wilson (Cambridge, I986); Charles Wilson, Profit and Power: A Study of England and the Dutch Wars (London, I957).
4. For briefer and more recent introductions, in addition to those above, see the article by the present author in the New Dictionary of National Biography;
5. Henry Roseveare, ‘Crafty and Fawning... Downing of Downing Street’, History Today xxxiv (July I984);
6. J. P. Ferris’s biography in B. D. Henning The House of Commons I660–I690 (3 volumes, London, I983), vol. I, pp. 224–9.
7. Even to its founder, the third Sir George Downing, MP for Dunwich (I684–I749), the coming into being of Cambridge’s first new college in over two centuries must have seemed a remote possibility, depending as it did upon the death of four prior heirs (three of them cousins) without issue. H. W. Pettit Stevens, Downing College (London, I899), pp. 37–8. For material relating to the first Sir George in the College’s collections, see W. L. Cuttle, ‘A List of Accessions to the Library of Downing College, Cambridge, for the years I934–I956, bearing on English History of the Seventeenth Century’ (I957), with Preface by Clive Parry; Sir George Downing, ‘Letter Book I658’, in the Library, College Archive boxes I97–200, (compiled by H. P. Shallard).
8. Robert Latham and William Matthews (eds), The Diary of Samuel Pepys (I0 volumes, London, I970), vol. 8, 27 May I667, p. 238.
9. Nicholas Canny, ‘The Origins of Empire: An Introduction’, in Nicholas Canny (ed.), The Oxford History of the British Empire Volume I The Origins of Empire: British Overseas Enterprise to the Close of the Seventeenth Century (Oxford, I998), pp. 6–7.
10. ‘The Theses of the first Class of Graduates at Harvard College, in I642’, Appendix 6 of Thomas Hutchinson, The History of the Colony and Province of Massachusetts Bay (Cambridge, MA, I936) vol. I, p. 423;
11. Patrick Collinson, ‘Emmanuel, New England and Harvard’, ch. 7 of Sarah Bendall, Christopher Brooke and Patrick Collinson, A History of Emmanuel College (Woodbridge, I999), p. 239.
12. British Library, Landsdowne MS 805, f. 86.
13. I0. Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon, The Continuation of the Life of Edward Earl of Clarendon (Oxford, I760), vol. 2, p. 50.
14. II. J. Oldmixon, The History of England (London, I730), pp. 454, 562, quoted in Roseveare, ‘Prejudice and policy’, p. I35.
15. I2. Both quoted by Ormonde de Kay, ‘George Downing: ‘‘As Arrant a Rascal as Lives Amongst Men’’’, Discovery (a special supplement of Harvard Magazine) March–April I98I, p. 56B.
16. I3. Hutchinson, Massachusetts Bay, p. 97.
17. I4. Pepys Diary vol. 3, I662, pp. 44–5, 47–8.
18. I5. Life of Clarendon vol. 2, p. 50.
19. I6. British Library, Landsdowne MS 805, p. 86.
20. I7. Beresford, Godfather of Downing Street, pp. I98, 2I6.
21. I8. Pepys Diary vol. I, I660, p. I86.
22. I9. Beresford, Godfather of Downing Street, p. I30.
23. Pepys Diary vol. 8, I667, p. 85.
24. Wilson, Profit and Power, p. 95.
25. Bodleian Library, Clarendon MS I05 f. I52.
26. C. D. Chandaman, The English Public Revenue I660–I688 (Oxford, I975), Preface; Jonathan Scott, England’s Troubles: Seventeenth-Century English Political Instability (Cambridge, 2000), chs. I7–I8.
27. Life of Clarendon vol. 2, pp. I90–222.
28. Beresford, Godfather, p. 73.
29. [Pieter de la Court], The True Interest and Political Maxims of the Republic of Holland (London, I702), first published in the Netherlands in I662; Algernon Sidney, Court Maxims (Cambridge, I996);
30. Jonathan Scott, Algernon Sidney and the English Republic (Cambridge, I988), chs. I2–I3;
31. Scott, ‘Classical republicanism in seventeenth century England and the Netherlands’, in Martin van Gelderen and Quentin Skinner (ed.), Republicanism and Constitutionalism in Early Modern Europe (Cambridge, 2002).
32. Quoted by Ferris in Henning, Commons, p. 226;
33. Henry Roseveare, The Treasury I660–I870: The Foundations of Control (London, I973), pp. I8–35.
34. Quoted in Roseveare, Prejudice and Policy, p. I36.
35. Pepys Diary vol. I, I660, p. I53.
36. Patrick Shallard, ‘Sir George Downing, First Baronet I623–I684’, in Stanley French, Aspects of Downing History, (Downing College Association, I982), p. I25.
37. Bodleian Library, Clarendon MS I04 f. 3 (July I9, I66I).
38. H. G. Tibbutt, ‘The Judas of Downing St’, Bedfordshire Magazine, i, pp. 46–8.
39. Jonathan Scott, Algernon Sidney and the Restoration Crisis (Cambridge, I99I), p. 336.
40. The Speeches, Discourses and Prayers, of Colonel John Barkstead, Col. John Okey, and Mr Miles Corbet, Upon the I9th of April, being the Day of their suffering at Tyburn. Together with an Account of the Occasion and Manner of their Taking in Holland (I662).
41. Bodleian Library, Clarendon MS I07, ff. 26–7.
42. Downing’s own account of the apprehension is in British Library, Egerton MS 2538, ff. 37–8; see also The manner of their Taking; H. G. Tibbutt, ‘Colonel John Okey I606–I662’, Bedfordshire Historical Records Society xxxv (Streatley, I953), I32–7.
43. A Memoriall... To the High and Mighty Lords of the States of Holland by the Forraign Anabaptist Churches;
44. Aitzema, Affaires of State and War in and around the United Netherlands I657–63, vol. 4 (I669), both quoted in Tibbutt, ‘Okey’ I36–7.
45. Bodleian Library MS Engl. Hist c.487 Edmund Ludlow, ‘A Voyce from the Watchtower’ ff. I056–7;
46. Scott, English Republic, pp. I73–8I;
47. Algernon Sidney, Court Maxims (Cambridge, I996), pp. I7I–2.
48. J. C. Davis, ‘Against Formality: One Aspect of the English Revolution’, Transactions of the Royal Historical Society, 6th series, vol. 3, I993;
49. Davis, ‘Cromwell’s religion’, in John Morrill (ed.), Oliver Cromwell and the English Revolution (London, I990); Scott, ‘Classical republicanism’.
50. Pepys Diary vol. 3, I663, pp. 44, 47–8 (March I2, I7).
51. A Letter from Colonel Barkestead, Colonel Okey, and Miles Corbet, To Their Friends in the Congregated Churches in London (I662), p. 4.
52. The Speeches and Prayers of John Barkstead, John Okey and Miles Corbet... with some due and sober Animadversions (I662).
53. Emmanuel Downing to John Winthrop Junior, Salem 7.I.I652, in Malcolm Freiberg (ed.), Winthrop Papers, vol. vi I650–I654, Massachusetts Historical Society (Boston, I992), p. I84.
54. Bodleian Library Tanner MS, printed in Henry Cary, Memorials of the Great Civil War in England I646–I652 (London, I842), pp. 357–9.
55. Thomas Edwards, Gangraena Part Three (I646), pp. 8I–2.
56. Signed letters from Downing appeared in Mercurius Politicus on 24 September I650 (p. 29I) and 25 December I65I (pp. 497–8). There is reason to believe that many of the almost weekly unsigned reports from Scotland also came from him.
57. The Parliamentary or Constitutional History of England (24 volumes, I75I–I76I) vol. I4, pp. 4I0–II, 465; Winthrop Papers, vol. vi, p. 97 note 5.
58. Ian Gentles, The New Model Army in England, Ireland and Scotland, I645–53 (Oxford, I992), p. 427.
59. For Nedham see Mercurius Politicus above, and A Collection of the State Papers of John Thurloe (7 vols, I742) vol. 6, p. 734. As Secretary for Foreign Tongues Milton described Downing as ‘a person whom, in the discharge of many and various former trusts, we find of great faithfulnesse, integrity and Knowledge’: Milton, Letters of State (I682), p. I095 (Dec I657). Peter was a relative and close family friend, to whose congregation in Boston the Downing family belonged from I638: Winthrop Papers, vol. v pp. 3I9–20, vol. vi p. 225;
60. R. P. Stearns, The Strenuous Puritan I598–I660 (Urbana, I954), pp. I30–2. For Marvell see British Library Add MS 22,9I9 ff. I4, 78;
61. for Sidney Thurloe State Papers vol. 7, p. 887 (7 April I660); for Vane, the principal recipient of Downing’s letters May I659–March I660, ibid. pp. 837–8.
62. Downing to Winthrop 8 March I648, Winthrop Papers, vol. v I645–9 (Boston, I947), pp. 207–8.
63. Charles Firth and Godfrey Davies, The Regimental History of Cromwell’s Army vol. I (Oxford, I940), pp. 459–60.
64. British Library Add MS 22,9I9 f. II;
65. Pepys Diary vol. I, I660, p. 23.
66. Firth and Davies, Regimental History, p. 29I.
67. Charles Firth, Cromwell’s Army (4th edn London, I962), p. 65, note 3.
68. British Library, Egerton MS 26I8 f. 46.
69. F. D. Dow, Cromwellian Scotland I65I–I660 (Edinburgh, I979), pp. I49–50, I85;
70. State Papers of John Thurloe, vol. 3, pp. 696, 734;
71. vol. 4, pp. 3I, 47; vols 6 and 7.
72. Winthrop Papers, vol. 6, p. 225;
73. Dow, Scotland, p. I85.
74. Firth, Cromwell’s Army, p. 65.
75. Sidney, Court Maxims, p. I70.
76. Pepys Diary, vol. 9, I668, p. 402 (27 December).
77. Alan Marshall, Intelligence and Espionage in the Reign of Charles II I660–I685 (Cambridge, I994), pp.I8, 245–7.
78. Bodleian Library Clarendon MS I07 ff. II, I9, 24, 34, 35–6.
79. Thurloe State Papers, vol. 7, pp. 379, 444–5.
80. Ibid., pp. 444–5, 568–9.
81. Thomas Carte, Collection of Original Letters and Papers (5, I3 April I660), transcript in Downing College Archive Box I98.
82. Bodleian Library Clarendon MS I05, f. I52.
83. Pepys Diary, vol. 3, I662, p. 45 (March I2).
84. Steven Pincus, Protestantism and Patriotism: Ideologies and the making of English foreign policy I650–I688 (Cambridge, I996), pp. 2I9–20.
85. British Library Egerton MS 2538, Downing to Nicholas May 2 I662, f.6I.
86. Quoted in Pincus, Protestantism, p. 292.
87. Downing, A Discourse written by Sir George Downing vindicating his Royal Master (I664);
88. Downing, A Reply of Sir George Downing Knight and Baronet... to the Remarks of the Deputies of the Estates-General, Upon his Memorial of December 20 I664 (I665);
89. J. R. Jones, The Anglo-Dutch Wars of the Seventeenth Century (London, I996).
90. Algernon Sidney, Discourses Concerning Government in J. Robertson (ed.), Sydney on Government (I772), p. 209.
91. Beresford, Downing, pp. 248–9;
92. John Miller, Charles II (London, I99I), p. I82.
93. British Library Add MS 35,838 f. 262 (Jan I6 I672).
94. For Anglo-Dutch statebuilding, see Jonathan Scott, England’s Troubles, chs. I7, 20–2I;
95. id., ‘What the Dutch taught us: The late emergence of the modern British State’, Times Literary Supplement, I6 March 200I, 4–6;
96. John Brewer, The Sinews of Power: War, money and the English State I688–I783 (London, I989).
97. John Milton, The readie and easie way to establish a free Commonwealth (2nd edn, I660), in The complete prose works of John Milton, ed. Don M. Wolfe (8 vols, New Haven, I953–82), vol. 7, p. 423.
98. Jonathan Scott, English Republic, pp. I02–5; id., ‘The English Republican Imagination’, in J. S. Morrill (ed.), Revolution and Restoration (London, I993), p. 42.
99. Sidney, Discourses Concerning Government, in Robertson (ed.), Sydney on Government (I772), pp. 24I–2.
100. Thurloe State Papers vol. 3, p. 734.
101. British Library, Egerton MS 2538 f. 35 (28 Feb I662).
102. C. H. Firth, (ed.), The Clarke Papers vol. 3 (I899), pp. I74–5.
103. Marjolein T. Hart, ‘The Devil or the Dutch: Holland’s Impact on the Financial Revolution in England, I643–I694’, Parliaments, Estates and Representation, xi, (I) (June I99I), 43–4.
104. Roseveare, ‘Prejudice and Policy’, p. I38.
105. Bodleian Library, Clarendon MS I04 ff. 252–4 (August 26th I66I).
106. Roseveare, ‘Prejudice and Policy’, p. I4I.
107. Clarendon MS I05 f. I8, Downing to Clarendon September 2 I66I: ‘[E]very passage still great numbers come from England of handycraft people under ye notion yt they cant enjoy their meetings and do sett up their trades heer. There is one, who is a silk stocking weaver, and is lately come from London and has brought with him and sett up foure of those engines at Amsterdam, which is a great pity.’
108. Roseveare, ‘Prejudice and Policy’, p. I44.
109. Wilson, Profit and Power, p. 96.
110. British Library, Landsdowne MS 805 f. 86; Roseveare, ‘Prejudice and Policy’, p. I42.
111. Downing to John Winthrop Junior, 26 August I645, in Winthrop Papers, vol. 6 I650–I654, ed. Malcolm Freiberg (Boston, I992) pp. 42–4.
112. I00. Robert Bliss, Revolution and Empire: English politics and the American colonies in the seventeenth century (Manchester, I990) pp. 58–9.
113. I0I. David Armitage, ‘The Cromwellian Protectorate and the Languages of Empire’, Historical Journal, xxxv (3) (I992), 534–5.
114. I02. Wilson, Profit and Power, p. 99.
115. I03. Hilary Beckles, ‘The ‘‘Hub of Empire’’: The Caribbean and Britain in the Seventeenth Century’, in Canny (ed.), The Origins of Empire, p. 236.
116. I04. Bliss, Revolution and Empire, p. I74.
117. I05. Henry Stubbe, A Further Justification of the Present War against The United Netherlands (I673), ‘To the Reader’ p. I.
118. I06. Beresford, Downing, pp. 268 ff.
119. I07. Wilson, Profit and Power, pp. I02–3.
120. I09. Chandaman, Public Revenue, pp. 2I6–7.
121. II0. Pepys Diary, vol. 6, I665, pp. 292, 322, 327, 330, 334;
122. vol. 7, I666, pp. 9,23, 87, I24;
123. vol. 8, I667, pp. I3I–2, 397–8, 407.
124. III. Chandaman, Public Revenue, p. 278;
125. Michael Braddick, State Formation in Early Modern England c. I550–I700 (Cambridge, 2000), p. 67.
126. II2. Chandaman, Public Revenue, pp. 38, 2I3–4, 2I6;
127. P. G. M. Dickson, The Financial Revolution in England I688–I756 (London, I967);
128. Henry Roseveare, The Financial Revolution I660–I760 (London, I99I).
129. II3. Paul Seaward, The Cavalier Parliament and the reconstruction of the old regime (Cambridge, I989) pp. I26–7.
130. II4. Life of Clarendon, vol. 2, pp. I95–6.
131. II5. Henry Roseveare, The Treasury I660–I870, p. 20.
132. II6. Jonathan Israel (ed.), The Anglo-Dutch Moment: Essays Upon the Glorious Revolution and its World Impact (Cambridge, I99I);
133. Scott, England’s Troubles, chs. 20–2I;
134. Scott, ‘What the Dutch taught us’;
135. Braddick’s study (note III, above) examines not statebuilding, but state formation. This does not in my view invalidate the appropriateness of the former term when applied to a military-fiscal subsection of that process hinging substantially upon the outcomes of deliberate actions and policies.
136. II7. Brewer, Sinews, p. I33;
137. Scott, England’s Troubles, pp. 484–90.
138. II8. Henry Horwitz, Parliament, Policy and Politics in the Reign of William III (Manchester, I977), p. I3I.
139. II9. Brewer, Sinews, p. 43.
140. I20. Peter Spufford, ‘Access to Credit and Capital in the Commercial Centres of Europe’, in Karel Davids and Jan Lucassen (ed.), A Miracle Mirrored: The Dutch Republic in European Perspective (Cambridge, I995), p. 328.
141. I2I. James Tracy, A Financial Revolution in the Habsburg Netherlands (Cambridge, I985);
142. Jonathan Israel, The Dutch Republic: Its Rise, Greatness, and Fall I477–I806 (Oxford, I995), p. I32 and ch. I2 in general.
143. I22. This is a key theme of Braddick, State Formation. See also Paul Seaward’s review of Scott, England’s Troubles in Parliamentary History, vol. 20, Pt 2, 200I, 245–6.
144. I23. Pincus, Patriotism p. I86.