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A57620 The last memorial of the Spanish ambassador faithfully translated into English. Ronquillo, Pedro, b. 1635. 1681 (1681) Wing R1916; ESTC R24500 4,107 2

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The Last MEMORIAL OF THE Spanish Ambassador Faithfully Translated into English SIR DOn Pedro Ronquillo Ambassador of Spain saith That by a Memorial which he Presented to Your Majesty the 19 29 of December he did set forth the Infractions which the most Christian King hath made since the Peace of Nimeguen from the month of September after the difference was agreed about the Title of the Duke of Burgundy which was alledged for a Pretence to suspend the Conference at Courtray according to the 15th Article of that Treaty in order to the Adjusting in an amicable way all the Limits Pretensions and Differences of the two Crowns which should result from that Treaty And Your Majesty was pleased by Your Royal Order of the 26 Dec. 6 Jan. to order Your Envoye Extraordinary at Paris to put in Execution what was contained in the said Memorial By the last Post the said Ambassador received Letters of the 1 11 instant from the Marquis de la Fuente who is Ambassador at Paris in which he gives him an Account of the Complaints he had made to the Christian King about the Excesses and Infractions which are committed against the Inhabitants of Fuenta Rabia and in the Low Countries and particularly about a Message which the Governor of Tournay sent to the Prince of Parma pretending that not one Pallisado should be laid at Bovignies which incontestably hath been a separated State and comprehended in the Countrey of Namur After many violent contestations the Answer of the most Christian King was That he did not doubt but that the Catholick King would give Order to his Commissioner at Fuente Rabia to proceed in the Treaty leaving each Party in the possession which at present they hold as if a violent Usurpation under the surety of the good faith of the Conference could in one day be concluded to be an actual possession that for what relates to the Low Countries he cannot abstain from taking possession of that which he supposes doth appertain to him according to what he shall declare at the Conference of Courtray To this violent as well as undecent Answer the Marquis de la Fuente with the strength of the undoubtful Justice and Reason which the King my Master hath concluding he did not receive the same not knowing how to impart it to his Catholick Majesty and that he beseeched him to resolve what was Just to which Reply it was answered That he would consider it And at the same time his most Christian Majesty hath ordered his Forces to enter in the Spanish Low Countries to hinder the Fortifying of Bovignies This Proceeding doth exceed all Limits and cannot be reasonably endured For the most Christian King will by Force of Arms be Arbitrator and command in the Dominions of the Catholick King thereby hindering him from fortifying a place which is his own when by the Article of Nimeguen it is allowed to be done by both Parties And when the French King himself hath made use of the same Article in order to have the course of the waters stopped that they may not hinder the fortifying his Towns as it was more particularly done at Mennin causing the River Lisse to be lowerd that they might with more facility fortifie that Town a place which was wholly open and which the French King is fortifying and inlarging in Extent much more than it was before So that now Sir these are not Infractions but a declared War the Designs of the French being publick that they intend to besiege Luxemburg and that from thence they will go to Namur when the Fact of hindering the Fortification of Bovignies which is upon the Mose almost over against Dinant makes it clear and past doubt especially the most Christian King having possessed himself of all the Towns that are upon the River Mose from Charlemont and of the most part of the Territory between that River and the Sambre in such a manner that they have gotten almost all the County of Namur as well as that of Luxemburg and thereby those two Provinces are left without Communication By these Infractions and clear Beginnings of War the Underwritten Ambassador doth apply himself to Your Majesty as a Mediator that you would cause what was agreed by the Peace of Nimeguen to be observed and as an Ally that you would defend it and resist the Violence of France Your Majesty being obliged to the one and to the other by the Treaties in which consideration he cannot omit saying That although the Frontiers of Spain by Cantabria and Catalogna are Infested and by the Treaty of Cassal between the French King and the Duke of Mantua the Dominions of Italy are in apparent danger and no less the Indies where Count d'Estre is with a Squadron of Ships all which are the Countries that do compose the greatest power of the Spanish Monarchy notwithstanding this his Catholick Majesty has postpo●ed these his greatest Concerns to the defence of that Little which remains to him in the Low Countries although it be lessened of a great part of Territory which the French have violently possessed themselves of since the Peace of Nimeguen which hath been the onely cause that we have not been able to keep that Countrey in better posture for each unjust Usurpation of the French hath broken the measures which were taken and reduced us to seek others and therefore his Majesty hath already sent considerable Supplies to Flanders and appointed the Prince of Parma Governor thereof as an experienced Soldier and one who hath been Viceroy of several Kingdoms thereby to encourage those Subjects with these Endeavors and that they may be Governed by a Grandson and of the same name of Alexander Farnese whom with so much love they reverence All this Sir hath been done in hopes that the Union and Interest of England with Spain will produce mutual Effects of Conveniences to both Crowns for no good Englishman can doubt that if there be no opposition made to the present great power of France 't is impossible but that in few days they should possess themselves of the Low Countries and that the States General should subject themselves by reason of the impossibility of resisting the powerful And afterwards Your Majesty and England shall be the first in perceiving this mischief to remedy which it will be then impossible and at present nothing is capable to suppress these Evils but the Power of England at this time the onely in Europe that can restrain the Torrent of France The differences which are at present in England doth occasion these bold Attempts of the French King and encourages him in the continuation of his vast Designs upon the whole so apparent already that there is no clear-sighted understanding but will apprehend them All the Princes and Powers of Europe as also his most Christian Majesty are in expectation of the success of this Parliament and of the Agreement of England the first to take measures in order to shake off the
Yoke which they are like to be made subject to And the most Christian King hath also for a time restrained his Ambition and at present nothing doth encourage him to deliver himself up to it but the differences which he sees breaking out here giving it out as well within as without this Kingdom That he is assured they will not be reconciled and that in the mean while he may make up the Conquest of the Low Countries which is the Master-Key of the Universal Monarchy and the first door which he will open with it shall be that of England without further trouble than that of maintaining the differences with great promises and with a small charge and whatsoever he shall find most for his advantage will be first invaded by him That this Disunion is the chief Encouragement of the Design and Enterprises of the most Christian King in the Low Countries is apparent and there are so great proofs of this Truth that it is Blindness not to see them And the Ambassador will onely acquaint Your Majesty with one late Instance which doth manifest the same which is That his most Christian Majesty seeing the Emperor is making considerable Levies as also the Elector of Saxony and other Princes of the Empire that the Electors of Bavaria and Brandenburgh have declared That they will not suffer his Proceedings against the Empire and the Princes of the same and that they will oppose it with all their Power His most Christian Majesty after so many violent Answers which he himself had made and also his Ministers to all the Princes of Germany he hath now answered the Emperor's Envoy Extraordinary That he doth agree in appointing a Conference in one of the Imperial Cities to decide and explain the Ambiguous Points of the Articles of the Peace of Nimeguen concerning the Possessions taken in Alsatia and that as soon as the Commissioners are met the Chamber of Metz shall cease its Proceedings and all manner of Novelty and that they will hear such a Person as shall Treat for the Duke of Lorrain And although it is evident that this is intended to lay asleep the minds as well of the Emperor as of the other Princes concerned and that they may cool the vigor of their Preparations which they are making for their Defence 't is also known that this is in order to work with more safety against the Low Countries for at the same time that he offers to suspend the Attempts in the Empire he continues in possessing himself of all the Spanish open Countrey executing Acts of open VVar by hindering the Fortification of Bovignies which is the same thing as blocking up of Luxemburgh and Namur so that it 's made evident that if he saw the differences of England appeased and united to its own Defence for such ought to be reputed that of the Spanish Monarchy and in particular that of the Low Countries 't is infallible and certain that he would moderate his Designs and limit his Resolutions as it appears he doth in Germany seeing that the Emperor and all the Body of the Empire do unite for its defence The Ambassador doth very well know that the Agitation of this Kingdom is great and that the Pretensions seem to be distant but he is sorry and it makes his heart bleed to see that there is no way opened to an Union and as there is nothing impossible in humane things his pain doth increase seeing there is no steps made to quench these Heats If England were not so much threatned with Ruine by the Exaltation of the French as the Low Countries are the Pretensions and Rights might be followed to the uttermost Point but running the same Fortune with the Monarchy of Spain because Flanders is a Battery to England and Spain and the Indies the Treasure of its Riches and the chief strength of its Commerce beyond all places where this Nation doth Trade and therefore it doth not allow that their Interest should be considered as a Foreigner nor that the Distractions in which all are now involved should be calmed by the same methods which could be done in a secured Tranquillity so that the Ambassador doth promise himself that considering these Reasons and that France being at this time a Gangrene which doth penetrate to the very heart of England all grounds of differences shall cease and that it will not with its own Ruine involve the rest of Christendom in the same Fate Therefore the Ambassador doth pray Your Majesty that as Mediator or as Ally You would Effectually apply Your Self to prevent the Loss of the Low Countries and consequently of all the rest hoping from Your Majesties great Prudence that You will make choice of the most Efficacious Means to that End and to the Establishing the quiet of Europe LONDON Printed for Francis Smith at the Elephant and Castle near the Royal Exchange in Cornhil 1681.