obliged to enter into an Alliance with France by reason of a Letter he mentions The Most Christian King doth not speak any thing in that Letter of renewing the Alliance as a condition on which he will make Peace but is willing to free the States of those fears which they had that if the Spaniards continued in War he would make himself Master of all the Neatherlands and therefore promises that in case Spain would not accept of a Peace after the States had made one and were again entred into their old Alliance with him that he would always maintain the proposed Frontiers and attack none of the places therein contained Now since Spain did accept of Peace there was no occasion for the Contents of the latter The King of France is by the said Peace obliged to leave the Frontiers in the conditioned State and the States are not obliged to re-enter into an Alliance which is now desired of them As to the third Motive As the States may refuse the Alliance with the Most Christian King without having any ill intention against him so he has reason to be satisfied and not deal with them as such who are other ways affected towards him when with respect they purge themselves and give assurances that they will religiously preserve the Peace with him If the King be just he will not break his Peace with him if generous he will not reckon their desires of maintaining their freedom entire as a piece of ill conduct in them and will not encreale their jealousies that he has a design absolutely to dispose of them and to make their State a Ladder whereby to climb up to a Lording it over all Europe and that under pretext of shewing them Tokens of their Amity Upon the Answers which the Author of these Considerations do make to excuse the States from entering into an Alliance these following Reflexions may be made First in regard he questions whether the Complaints which several Princes may make concerning the renewing of the said Alliance must not be suspected It is not with more reason to be questioned as has been touched before whether the great heat with which the Most Christian King doth sue the said Alliance doth not make him suspected of his willingness to break the Peace so lately re-established in Europe and for the maintenance of which the States have so great an Interest That there is not the least appearance that any of those Princes who opposes the said Alliance does the same with any intention to attack the Most Christian King And seeing His Most Christian Majesty has no cause to fear that his power should not be sufficient to defend himself what important reason can he have to oblige the States to a defensive Alliance unless he has a design to attack some of his Neighbours who for the same reasons justly oppose the Conclusion of the said Alliance though they do it not with threantings of their Indignation which France uses to force and press the same That with good ground may be alleaged against the said Alliance the refusal which the States have made of entering with England into an Alliance of Gnarantee though it was their greatest interest to make the same as being thereunto obliged and seeing they have not refused it but only in deference to His Most Christian Majesty and that the said Alliance was not expresly proposed against him but against the party who should break the Peace The rest of the Considerations relate chiefly to the time in which it is desired the Alliance should be concluded and it seems superfluous to debate that before one knows for certain whether it will be advantagious to make the same or not FINIS
enter into the League of Guarantee with England because the said League was as plainly intended against France as the triple Alliance was formerly That there is no equality between making a League of this nature with a Prince with whom they are allied already and the renewing of an Alliance betwixt the States and a Prince with whom they are not allied and with whom they have always heretofore been so nearly engaged If there be any good ground to say That the States ought to remain Neuter and not to do that for one Prince which they have refused to another whether their entering into a nearer Alliance with one Prince during the War and their refusing to renew an Alliance with another after the Peace be good signs of Neutrality That if the Treaties which the States have made during the War do hinder them to renew the Alliance with France it doth appear to His Majesty that the same Spirit which bore they sway against him during the War doth still oppose him since the Peace Whether His Majesty ought not to believe that the States have not so faithfully performed their part as he hath sincerely restored them to his friendship seeing they refuse to give him the same Tokens of Affection which His Majesty doth offer them and which they formerly with so much Zeal wished for That if the ground of His Majesty's desire be considered it will be found that they are punctually obliged to fulfill the same because the King's Letter of the 18th of Mâ—â— 1678. contained not the proposals of a Peace which they liked so well but upon condition they should enter into the old Alliance and Confederacy which they formerly had with His Majesty That though the King of France had no reason to fear but that His Forces should not be powerful enough to defend himself against the Enterprises of these who are disaffected towards him yet he thinks it concerns him once for all to be informed of the sentiments they have in regard of him as he is already sufficiently of the ill intentions of those who oppose the renovation of the Alliance because they cannot without envy or fear look upon the advantages of this Union That it is with little ground said by some that the States never made Alliance without pressing Reasons such as those which made them contract with other Princes during the last War and that these Alliances were not to continue after the Peace Such as are better informed of the State of Affairs do well know that the Alliance of France was not made upon the account of any particular Case or Occurrence but upon the desire of the States during the Peace And that indeed the Alliances which they have made with other Princes do also continue since the War some for 20 some for 30 years and some for ever and France being the only Crown with which the States will not treat an easie Answer may be given to what some publicly say here That the Alliance is indeed very advantagious but that the States at least ought to take their own time when they shall think it most convenient To this it may be said that it will be agreed that if the States themselves would propose a new Alliance it would be just that they should set such a time for the concluding of it as they might think convenient But since His Most Christian Majesty desires them to renew the former Alliances they have had with him and that it doth not come from them they must have other regards which they consider more than the advantage of His Majesty's Amity That if this matter be rightly considered it may be said that a longer time hath been allowed than was necessary for to determin themselves since the first mention of this Alliance a Minister of the Court of France having made a proposal of it in my last That the King of France may presume that the States are so wise in discerning their own interest and so kind to it as to have considered since my last what they were to do in relation to this Proposal That his Ambassadour having afterward renewed the same His Majesty may have reason if it be not answered to suspect them and to demand their peremptory Answer that so he may once for all take his measures accordingly That the King of France cannot but take it ill that the States should refuse to enter into this Alliance out of fear of disobliging those who without any reason oppose the same and upon no other design but to conclude a League offensive against him that being the only reason why they endeavour to hinder this defensive Alliance It is to be presumed that the King of France will not always accept of what the States shall be pleased to resolve upon and after so many advantages of Amity which he has offered to them they must thank themselves if when he sees his Alliance refused His Majesty do take such measures as will not be very agreeable to them Reflexions on the Considerations touching the Memorials delivered to their High and Mightinesses by the Count d' Avaux on the 12th and 22th of January 1680. THE substance of these Considerations may be divided either into Motives to induce the States to enter into an Alliance with France or Answers to the Reasons the States alleage for refusing the same The Motives are these three following 1. That the States have made Alliances with other Princes and States 2 That they are obliged to make an Alliance with the King of France because they accepted the Letter of the 18th of May 1678. 3. Because that the King in case that the Alliance do not take effect will have cause in regard of the carriage of the States towards him to resent it to their prejudice and consequently take such measures as will be very unpleasing to them As to the first there needs not much debate but that the Alliance which a State does make with some Princes doth not oblige them to enter into the same with others and that the same may be refused without any ill inclination and much more without any intention never to enter into an Alliance with the Party with whom they refuse it at present All free States must have a freedom to judge of their Interests which do vary according to the different conjunctures of time and the just fear which the States have above other considerations that they may be drawn into a War by this defensive Alliance with France must plainly declare the innocency of their desires which they have to refuse the same It is likewise to be observed that it is true that the Alliances with England and Spain were concluded during the War which evidently demonstrates that they have not been made out of compliance to one or other Prince and that the States cannot discharge themselves of them Concerning the second It is to be admired that the Author of those Considerations should positively avert that the States are
High and Mightinesses know that be much wondred that you should put off to another time the conclusion of this Alliance That His Majesty would have been pleased and taken it well if without urging the matter your High and Mightinesses had sent a solemn Embassy to desire that favour of him especially having concluded a Peace with you and given you by word and deeds so many proofs of his sincere friendship and promised to be true to it it is therefore His Majesty's desire that your High and Mightinesses would shew a reciprocal procedure and carry your selves as you have done nor only to former Kings but to His Majesty himself for since the Establishment of your High and Mightinesses States you have constantly desired of His Majesty's Predecessors and himself the continuance of their Alliance and Protection which was signally manifested in the year 1648 when His Majesty's Forces joyned with yours procured your High and Mightinesses a firm and setled Peace since which time you have several times with instances sollicited the renewing of that old Alliance and Friendship And namely in the year 1662 you sent a solemn Embassy to His Majesty to desire an Alliance which then was granted and concluded That the Alliance proposed by His Majesty is no more but the renewing of former Leagues and is purely defensive having no other regard but the maintaining of your High and Mightinesses State in a former Peace and freedom of Commerce without any danger or fear and no design to involve the States in new troubles but to confirm a general Peace in all Europe And this being the only reason why His Majesty applies himself to you at this time and that your High and Mightinesses may have the same Alliance with several other Princes and States It could not enter into His Majesty's thoughts after he has given you so many Demonstrations of his sincere friendship that the renewing of this Alliance should meet with any difficulty or opposition and that two Months should be expired without having as yet received from you any final Resolution That His Majesty could not persuade himself that the Declaration of the King of England should make any impression on the minds of your High and Mightinesses seeing the League offered by England is wholly offensive as designed against His Majesty when the Alliance which he proposes can be of no ill consequence to the King of England if he will continue in Peace and not attack the States as he did in the year 1665 for then His Majesty would be obliged to defend them as he did at that time And in regard the Alliance which His Majesty proposes will do good to all and injure no person the present Declaration of the King of England against it ought to be of less force than that which the same Prince made to His Majesty in the year 1662 to hinder the Alliance which he then made with your High and Mightinesses and particularly to hinder his being Guarantee in an Affair which himself intended to disturb And seeing His Majesty let slip no occasion of shewing his good will to the States and especially at so important a juncture as this is His Majesty may justly conclude that your High and Mightinesses will have no regard to a Declaration that has so little ground for it but that you will now call to mind the many demonstrations of His Majesty's true and faithful Amity particularly that helpful Tax of Tariff in the year 1664 which is of great advantage to your Traffic when he desires only the renewing of the Treaty of the year 1662 which is purely defensive of the same nature with those that your High and Mightinesses have concluded with other Princes and States and of great advantage for secuting your fishing Trade His Majesty has likewise ordered the Ambassadour to acquaint your High and Mightinesses that if you delay the renewing of the said Alliance he will look upon it as a refusal to engage in so sincere friendship and correspondence as he would do with you and at a time when the forbearing of it may be of hurtful consequence as on the contrary the concluding thereof cannot but tend to the setling of your State in Peace and the increase of your Trade and Greatness and at such a time also when His Majesty relies not upon your High and Mightinesses for Peace and security at home That he knows there is a party among you which do not favour His Majesty but that ye might be assured the King would take the same measures with them and that he will employ all his power for promoting of Commerce among his own Subjects wheresoever it can be done His Majesty has made his intentions to this effect known to the Ambassadours of your High and Mightinesses and willed them to communicate the same to you and that he desires a positive Answer within 15 days after which time His Majesty's Ambassadour is ordered to sollicit the matter no more His Majesty being resolved to observe the same measures as your High and Mightinesses have done with him Given at the Hague the twelfth of January 1680. A Copy of the Earl of Sunderland's Letter to Mr. Sidney Envoy extraordinary from His Majesty of Great Britain to the States of the United Provinces dated January 14. 1680. VVHen I had read your Letter in Council I had Orders to speak with the Heer Van Leuwen concerning the Alliance proposed by France to the States I told him That the King would take it ill if his Masters should come to a conclusion with France after they had refused such an Alliance as they themselves had formerly desired of His Majesty and sent Ambassadours to treat about the same I told him also That if the States should take that course this defensive Alliance might hereafter oblige them to other measures with France and if the French King should enter into a War they would find themselves thereby necessitated to assist that Crown which would be sufficient cause of a breach betwixt England and Holland His Majesty I told him did intend to tell him so himself and therefore desired to speak with him His Answer was That he would acquaint his Masters with it and that he did not believe they would accept the Proposals of Monsieur d'Avaux In a word you must use your utmost endeavours to hinder this Alliance and assure the States That His Majesty will do any thing that is reasonable not doubting but that he with the assistance of the States of Holland is in a condition of preserving the quiet and peace of Europe which is both their interests The Earl of Sunderland's Postcript with his own hand YOU must press this Affair to the States as much as possible you can and shew them the ill consequences of such an Alliance for if it take effect His Majesty may be moved to take other measures though it is against his inclination Jan. 14. 1680. Paris January 15. 1680. YEsterday evening being Sunday
that consequently your High and Mightinesses ought to expect that his Majesty would enter into any Alliances which might be proposed to him for the welfare of his Kingdom and that he would industriously comply with the ways which were daily offered for promoting the Commerce of his Subjects That his Majesty knew not how to threaten the States with his Indignation but that his displeasure upon the account of these their proceedings might do them more prejudice than the Menaces of others That his Majesty has enjoyned your Ambassadours to signifie to your High and Mightinesses what he told them and that they should take care not to alter his sense as had been done in some Matters of great Importance which his Majesty was acquainted with within eight hours after and wherein his Majesty had charged Mr. Colbert to explain his meaning Upon conclusion of the Audience his Majesty told your Ambassadors that they should repair to Monsieur Colbert and that he was surprized that they had Letters in Holland signifying that in case they would not enter into the Alliance his Majesty would have no respect to the Peace And that they should lose their Trade which was a misconstruction of his sense wherewith his Majesty was displeased and that they should only take into consideration that what had past within eight or ten days might in the beginning have been thought a just ground of his Majesties dissatisfaction at their proceedings Datum Hague 22. Jan. 1680. The Memorial of Mr. Sidney Envoy extraordinary of the King of Great Britain to the States General of the United Provinces the 23. of Jan. 1680. THe subscribed Envoy extraordinary of the King of Great Britain seeing by the Memorial which the Ambassador of France presented yesterday to your Lordships that he continues by urgent Instances to induce your Lordships to enter into that Defensive League which the most Christian King proposed to your Lordships sometime since he finds himself obliged by new Orders from the King his Master to renew the Instances by him made to your Lordships by his Memorial of the Ninth Instant that you will not enter into such a Treaty as the King his Master cannot take to be other than an engagement against his Majesty who pretends not to use such Menaces as the Memorials of the French Ambassadour are filled with although the King his Master hath more cause to complain that your Lordships have but even now passed the Act of Guarranty to which your Lordships were obliged by two such solemn Treaties But as his Majesty takes nothing more to heart than the advantage of this Republick so he will not press them upon any thing that is not for their conveniency and interest The King his Master perswades himself also that after all those Assurances of his Amity and Assistance in what ever may happen which he hath given your Ambassador at his Court whereof without all doubt he hath informed your Lordships you will not make an Alliance which he cannot judge to be other than against himself and that the Instances of the most Christian King though too pressing and importunate to be presented to a free Commonwealth will not be capable to divert your Lordships from your true Interest nor from the Amity and strict Union that is between his Majesty and this State in a time and on an occasion when he gives your Lordships so essential marks and when your Lordships have assured his Majesty that you will continue and encrease the same on your parts Given at the Hague Jan. 23. 1680. Sidney Considerations touching the Alliance with France THe King of France being desirous to renew an Alliance with the States hath solicited the same by his Ambassadors and His Majesty has reason to believe that the States will accept of an Offer so advantageous to them when upon that account he is willing to comply with them therein for these Considerations That the States have renewed their Alliance with all those Princes with whom they have been in War That they have not only after the Peace concluded with England renewed their Alliance with that Crown but made a new one besides That in the same Treaty by which they made Peace with Sweden they renewed their former Treaties of Alliance That the King of France desires no more of the States but the same thing and if this be not granted his Majesty will have reason to believe that the States have particular Reasons that oblige them to contract no nearer Alliance or Friendship with him and whether his Majesty in that case will not be obliged to take his measures accordingly And seeing the States are in Alliance with all the Princes of Europe except the King of France with whom they will make none whether his Majesty may not justly belief that those Engagements which they have with other Princes tend to the concerting of Measures against him when ever opportunity shall offer That it is no excuse to say that the Alliance which the States have with England and Spain were made during the War seeing the Alliance proposed by France does not contain any special Engagement and indeed no other but the same Conditions which were desired by the States in 1662. If in the present Conjuncture the renewing of such an Alliance be refused his Majesty is obliged to believe that the Interest of France is not considered and that the Interest of the States is inconsistent with it and by consequence whether he may not always for the future take other Measures because the States by their refusal will make appear that it is never their Interest to ally with France That if it be said that though the Alliance be good and advantageous yet that the conclusion thereof ought to be deferred till another time whether if his Majesty did not know which he does know what the reasons of this delay were he ought not to believe that they seek to defer the Alliance only because they never intend to conclude it And whether those Reasons let them be what they will will not be the very same six Months or a year hence And whether ever it will be found expedient to renew the Alliance between France and this State till the Complaints that any Princes may make against the renewing of the said Alliance begin to be suspected by the States If a Prince let him be who he will should oppose the States making of a defensive Alliance and innocent Amity yea such an one as he has with them himself already whether he does not thereby show that he intends to attack the one or the other and that he has private designs of his own That France is far from taking it ill that the States should procure themselves new Friends and Alliances His Majesty being ready to obtain the same for them if he knew of any Prince who was not already in League with them That there is no reason to excuse the renewing of the Alliance with France because they refused to