TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE The original book _Mare Liberum_ was first published in 1608 in renaissance latin. The latin of this book is based on a later 1633 printing. The english translation carefully maintains the meaning, and clarifies the context, of the original latin. In this 1916 book, following the Introductory Note and Preface, the latin text and the translated english text were on alternate pages i.e. the first page of latin text was followed by the first page of corresponding english text, then the next (second) page of latin text was followed by the second page of corresponding english text, and so on. This etext follows the same alternating pagination. A row of dashes has been inserted between the english and latin pages to give a visual separation. There are three different sets of Footnotes. (a) The five Footnotes in the Introductory Note have anchors [A] to [E]. (b) The 192 Footnotes associated with the latin text have anchors [1a] [2a] through [192a]. (c) The 192 Footnotes associated with the english text have anchors [1] [2] through [192]. All these Footnotes have been placed after the Index at the end of the book. In addition there are 17 Notes, distinct from Footnotes, which are anchored with * or †. These Notes by the translator have been placed at the end of the paragraph containing the anchor. Italic text is denoted by _underscores_. A superscript is denoted by ^x or ^{xx}. Some minor changes to the text are noted at the end of the book. HVGONIS GROTII MARE LIBERVM SIVE DE IVRE QVOD BATAVIS COMPETIT AD INDICANA COMMERCIA, DISSERTATIO 1608 Carnegie Endowment for International Peace DIVISION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW THE FREEDOM OF THE SEAS OR THE RIGHT WHICH BELONGS TO THE DUTCH TO TAKE PART IN THE EAST INDIAN TRADE A DISSERTATION BY HUGO GROTIUS TRANSLATED WITH A REVISION OF THE LATIN TEXT OF 1633 BY RALPH VAN DEMAN MAGOFFIN, PH.D. Associate Professor of Greek and Roman History The Johns Hopkins University EDITED WITH AN INTRODUCTORY NOTE BY JAMES BROWN SCOTT DIRECTOR NEW YORK OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS AMERICAN BRANCH: 35 WEST 32ND STREET LONDON, TORONTO, MELBOURNE, AND BOMBAY HUMPHREY MILFORD