of a new rupture He bid me further assure the Prince That for his Patrimonial Lands in Burgundy which were about eight thousand Pounds a year and Lordships of the greatest Royalty in that County he would undertake for his secure possessing them tho that County should remain in the French hands or for selling them to that King and at what price the Prince himself could think fit to value them The Prince's Answer was That for his own part he could be very well content to leave the terms of a Peace to his Majesty himself and believ'd the States would do so too but they were both engag'd by Treaty and Honour to their Allies and there was no thought of making Peace without them That he believ'd the Spaniards might be perswaded to it upon the terms of Aix with restitution only of Aeth Charleroy and Oudenarde towards composing some kind of necessary Frontier on that side but to part with Aire and St Omer without any further and greater exchange he believ'd they would not in the present posture of things That for France retaining the County of Burgundy as Conquer'd in this last War he was sure neither Spain nor the Emperor would ever consent to it unless they were beaten into it by disasters they had no reason to expect tho' for his own part he should be content with it provided the French would restore Tournay Courtray Lisle and Doway with their dependencies to the Spaniards in lieu of it because by that means Flanders would have a secure Frontier on that side and a reasonable good one by Aeth and Charleroy on the other and the security of Flanders was the chief interest of the States upon the Peace That for himself he thank'd his Majesty for his offer as to his Lands in Burgundy but they never came into his thought upon the terms of a Peace nor should ever hinder it but on t'other side he would be content to lose them all to gain one good Town more for the Spanjards in Flanders When I put him in mind as the King order'd me of the apprehensions He and the States might have of the Greatness of the House of Austria if their Successes continued he told me There was no need of that till they should go beyond the Peace of the Pyrenees whenever that should happen he should be as much a French man as he was now a Spaniard but not before He ended in desiring That whatever Plan his Majesty thought fit to propose for a Peace he would do it at the Congress at Nimeguen for the number and variety of Pretensions and Interests were grown so great by all the Parties now engag'd in a war that it could not be done in any other place and for his part he could never consent to any Treaty separate from his Allies That he believ'd they would be reasonable and if France would be so too the Peace might be made if not perhaps another Campania might bring them to reason and that this might have done it if some differences between him and the Spanjards in the Actions propos'd had not hinder'd the successes they hop'd for in Flanders and if Montecuculi's impatience to be at Vienna and pass the Winter there upon the Factions stirring at Court had not made him repass the Rhine and take his Winter-quarters in the Circles of the Empire there because if he had done it in Alsace he doubted his presence with the Army might be thought necessary After this Conference and no return from His Majesty to the account I gave him of it the Discourse ceas'd of Private Measures to be agreed to between His Majesty and the Prince and States for promoting a Peace and all thoughts began now to turn upon forming the Congress at Nimeguen I had another testimony given me of the firmness I had always found in the Prince upon the subject of the Peace by what one of the Spanish Ministers told me had lately pass'd between him and the Duke of Villa Hermosa His Highness had a long pretence depending at Madrid for about Two hundred thousand Pounds owing to his Family from that Crown since the Peace of Munster It had ever been delay'd tho' never refus'd an Agent from the Prince had of late very much press'd the Queen Regent of Spain upon this Subject and with much ado had obtain'd an Order for Fifty thousand Pounds and Bills were put into his hands by the Ministers there which when they arriv'd in Flanders instead of being paid they were Protested The Duke Villa Hermosa was so asham'd of this treatment that he sent a person purposely to excuse it to the Prince and assure him the fault was not in the Queen nor Ministers but only in the choice of hands by which it was transmitted and desir'd his Highness would not take it ill of the Queen The Prince answer'd No not at all on t'other side I have reason to take it well of the Queen for if she did not think me the honestest Man in the World she would not use me so however nothing of this kind shall hinder me from doing what I owe to my Allies or to my Honour Notwithstanding all I had written from the Prince to His Majesty upon this Subject yet my Lord Arlington upon pretended intelligence from his Relations in Holland endeavour'd to perswade him that he knew not the Prince's mind for want of some body that had more credit with him than I had and at the same time he pursu'd the Prince by Letters to desire the King to send over some such person as he might treat with in the last confidence upon all matters between them The Prince shew'd me his Letters and bid me assure the King and my Lord Treasurer that he could say no more than he had done to me and would not say so much to any other Man However my Lord Arlington upon the former suggestions prevail'd with the King to send over Sir Gabriel Sylvius instructed to know the bottom of the Prince's Mind upon the Subject of the Peace before the Campania began He acquainted the Prince with this resolution and that he was a person they knew His Highness would trust The Prince shewed me this Letter too and said He knew not what he meant that Lord Arlington knew as well as any Man how far he trusted both Sir Gabriel Sylvius and me This good usage ended all Correspondence between Lord Arlington and me which had lasted by Letters to this time tho' coldly since my being last in England But upon Sir Gabriel Sylvius's coming to the Hague in January and my preparation to go for Nimeguen I ended that scene having not learn'd enough of the Age nor the Court I liv'd in to act an unsincere part either in Friendship or in Love When Sir Gabriel came to the Hague he pass'd for a Man of some great Intrigue was perpetually at Court or in Conversation and Visits with the persons near the Prince or most imploy'd in the
saw what was like to become of the Treaty or the War and therefore I begged of him that he would not force a good Secretary out and perhaps an ill one in against both their Wills but let Mr. Coventry keep it at least till he seemed more willing to part with it The King said well then He would let it alone for the present but did not doubt in a little time one or other of us would change our mind In the mean time the Design of my Journey was known my Lord Arlington and others still asking me when they should give me joy of it and many making Applications to me for Places in the Office which made the Court uneasier to me and increased my known Humour of loving the Countrey and being as much in it as I could However when I came to Court the King fell often into Conversation with me and often in his Closet alone or with none other present besides the Duke or my Lord Treasurer and often both The Subject of these Conversations were usually the Peace and the Prince of Orange's Journey into England The King always expressed a great desire for the First but not at all for the other till that was concluded He said his Parliament would never be quiet nor easy to Him while the War lasted abroad They had got it into their Heads to draw Him into it whether He would or no. That they pretended Publick Ends and Dangers from France and there might be Both meant by a great many honest Men among them but the Heats and Distempers of late had been raised by some factious Leaders who thought more of themselves than of any thing else had a mind to engage Him in a War and then leave Him in it unless they might have their Terms in removing and filling of Places and he was very loth to be so much at their Mercy as he should be if he were once engag'd in the War That besides he saw the longer it continued the worse it would be for the Confederates more of Flanders would be lost every day the Conduct of Spain must certainly ruin all in time and therefore he would fain have the Prince make the Peace for them if they would not do it for themselves That if He and the Prince could fall into the Terms of it he was sure it might be done And after several Discourses upon this Subject for near a Month his Majesty at last told me He had a great mind I should make a short turn to the Prince and try if I could perswade him to it and assure him That after it was agreed he should be the gladdest in the World to see him in England The Duke and my Lord Treasurer both press'd me upon the same Point but I told them at a long Conference upon it how often I had been employ'd upon this Errand to the Prince how unmovable I had found him and how sure I was to find him so still unless the King would consider of another Scheme for the Peace than had been yet propos'd to him and wherein he might reckon upon more Safety to Flanders as well as to his own Honour That I had spent all my Shot and was capable of saying no more to him than I had done in obedience to all the Instructions I had receiv'd That his Answers had been positive so that some of my good Friends at Court pretended they had been my own Thoughts rather than the Prince's That His Majesty would do well to try another Hand and he would the better know the Prince's Mind if his Answers were the same to both if not he would at least know how ill I had serv'd him The King said It was a thing of Confidence between Him and the Prince and must be so treated and he knew no Body he had besides to send I told him if he pleased I would name one He bid me and I said Mr. Hyde was idle ever since his return from Nimeguen had been entred into the Commission of the Mediators there staid with us a Fortnight or three Weeks might pretend to return thither to exercise the same Function in my absence since the Commission run to any two of the Number and might take the Prince of Orange's Camp in his way to Nimeguen perform the King's Commands to His Highness inform himself of his last Resolution upon the Subject of the Peace go on to Nimeguen without giving any jealousy to the Allies or without the noise that my going would make since Sir Lionel had wrote to Court and to Me That Monsieur Beverning had desir'd all Paces should stop there till my return which he heard would be sudden and that the King would send by me his own Plan of the Peace The Duke fell in first to the Proposal of Mr. Hyde's going and after some debate the King and my Lord Treasurer and that it should be as soon as was possible He was sent for accordingly and dispatch'd away in all Points as I had proposed He found the Prince at the Camp but unmovable in the Business of the Peace upon the Terms His Majesty had Thoughts of proceeding gave Account of all that passed in that Conference to the King and went straight away to Nimeguen and writ me word of his Conversation with the Prince and that he never saw such a Firmness in any Man I knew Mr. Hyde's going to reside at Nimeguen would be of great comfort and support to Sir Lionel who was in perpetual Agonies as his word was after he was left alone in that station having ever so much distrust of his own Judgment that tho he had the most great desire that could be to do well yet he many times could not resolve how to go about it and was often as much perplexed about the little Punctilio's of Visit and Ceremony that were left to busy that Ambassy as if greater Affairs had still attended it Besides he lay under the lash of Secretary Williamson who upon old Grudges between them at Colen never fail'd to lay hold of any occasion he could to censure his Conduct and expose it at the Foreign Committee where his Letters were read to His Majesty It happen'd about this time that the Spanish Ambassadors first appearing in Publick upon a new Commission to all Three gave immediate notice of it to the Imperialists who made their Visit upon it and were within two hours revisited by the Spaniards After which they sent their formal Notifications to all the other Ambassadors and to the Mediators in the first place Sir Lionel was in pain having Orders to pretend the first Rank of Respect before the Imperialists as well as other Ambassadors there and not to yield it if it came in competition He had likewise another Order which was that upon Matters in Ceremony doubtful and not admitting the delay of new Orders he should consult with the other Ambassadors especially French and Swedish who used to carry those Points the highest
industriously to the Deputies of the several Towns and acquainted them with it and that the Terms of the Peace were absolutely consented and agreed between the two Kings that he had brought me orders to go strait to Nimeguen and that I should at my arrival there meet with Letters from my Lord Sunderland the King's Ambassador at Paris with all the particulars concluded between them How this Dispatch by De Cros was gained or by whom I will not pretend to determin but upon my next return for England the Duke told me That He knew nothing of it till it was gone having been a hunting that morning my Lord Treasurer said all that could be to excuse himself of it and I never talked of it to Secretary Williamson but the King indeed told me pleasantly that the Rogue De Cros had out-witted them all The Account I met with at Court was That these Orders were agreed and dispatched one morning in an hours time and in the Dutchess of Portsmouth's Chamber by the intervention and pursuit of Monsieur Borillon However it was and what endeavours soever were made immediately after at our Court to retrieve this Game it never could be done and this one Incident changed the whole Fate of Christendom and with so little seeming ground for any such Council that before De Cros's arrival at the Hague the Swedish Ambassadors at Nimeguen had made the very same Declaration and Instances to the French Ambassadors there that I was posted away from the Hague upon the pretence of persuading them to resolve on When I arrived at Nimeguen there remained but three days of the term fixed by the late Treaty between His Majesty and the States at the Hague either for the French assent to the evacuation of the Towns or for the carrying on of the War in conjunction of England with Holland and consequently the rest of the Confederates I found all Men there perswaded that the Peace would not succeed and indeed all appearances were against it The French Ambassadors had given many Reasons in a formal sort of Manifesto to the Dutch why the King their Master could not consent to it without the previous satisfaction of Sweden whose Interests he esteemed the same with his own but yet declaring he was willing to receive any expedients the States should offer in this matter either by their Ambassadors at Nimeguen or such as they should send to His most Christian Majesty at Saint Quentin or Gant The Dutch gave them an Answer in Writing declaring It was a matter no longer entire since upon the difficulty raised about the Evacuation of the Towns the States their Masters had been induced to sign a Treaty with England from which they could not recede nor from the day therein fixed for determining the Fate of either Peace or War and as there was no time so there could be no use of any Deputation to St. Quentin or Gant nor any other Expedient besides the assent of France to evacuate the Towns After this the French Ambassador had declared to the Dutch That they had found the King their Master was resolved at the desire of the Swedes to retard the Peace no longer upon their consideration and would consent to evacuate the Towns upon condition the States would send their Deputies to treat upon the ways of securing the future satisfaction to Sweden which was by both intended But the Dutch Ambassadors continued peremptory that there could be no deputation made by their Masters and that if the term fixed by the late Treaty with England should elapse there was no remedy but the War must go on To this the French Ambassadors replying that their hands were bound up from proceeding further without such a Deputation the Peace was thereupon esteemed desperate and the more so because at the same time the Duke of Lutzenburg pressed Mons and the Mareschal Scomberg seemed to threaten Colen demanding of them immediate satisfaction of the Money that had been seized during the Assembly there and Brussels it self grew unquiet upon their finding themselves almost surrounded by French Troops so as the Confederate Ministers thought themselves secure of what they had so much and so long desired and aimed at which was a long War in conjunction with England for they neither believed France would yield a point they had so long and so publickly contested nor if they did that the Dutch would suffer their Ambassadors to sign the Peace without Spain and the time was now too near expiring for agreeing the Terms and Draught of a Treaty between the two Crowns which had not yet been in any kind digested In the midst of these Appearances and Dispositions at Nimeguen came the fatal Day agreed by the late Treaty at the Hague for determining whether a sudden Peace or a long War were to be reckoned upon in Christendom when in the morning early Monsieur Boreel who had been sent from Amsterdam to the Dutch Ambassadors at Nimeguen went to the French Ambassadors and after some Conference with them these three Ambassadors went immediately to those of Holland and declared to them they had received Orders to consent to the evacuation of the Towns and thereupon to sign the Peace but that it must be done that very morning Whether the Dutch were surprized or no they seemed to be so and entring into debate upon several of the Articles as well as upon the Interests of Spain this Conference lasted near five hours but ended in agreement upon all the Points both of Peace and Commerce between France and Holland and Orders for writing all fair with the greatest haste that was possible so as the Treaty might be signed that Night About Four in the Afternoon the French Ambassadors having demanded an hour of me and Sir Lionel came to us at my House gave us an account of their agreement with the Dutch Ambassadors upon all Points in difference between them and of the Treaty's being so ordered as that it should be signed that Evening and made us the offer that they would all come and sign it at my House that so we might have the part in it that was due to the Mediators We answered them That having been sent by His Majesty with Instructions only to Mediate a general Peace we could not by our Orders assist at the signing of a particular One and therefore desired them to excuse us from having any part in this Conclusion between them and the Dutch either by the Signing it at our Houses or by using our Names as Mediators in the Treaty The Dutch Ambassadors came to us likewise with the same Communication and Offer and received the same Answer and I observed their Conversation upon this mighty and sudden turn to be a good deal embarassed and something irresolute and not very well agreed between the two Ambassadors themselves Monsieur Beverning complained of the uncertainty of our Conduct in England and the incurable Jealousies that De Cros's Journey had raised in Holland That
degrees this Lord's Favour declin'd the Earl of Danby's encreas'd who succeeded my Lord Clifford in the Treasury which had ever been my Arlington's Ambition This gave him an implacable Envy and Hatred against my Lord Danby and which no Offices of Friends could ever allay He was not well in the Nation for having had such a part in breaking the course of the Triple Alliance and making that with France for the Ruin of Holland and as was commonly thought for some ends more displeasing at home Yet when the ill humour of the Parliament had broken the Designs of the Cabal and made my Lord Schaftsbury shift his Sails and fall into the popular stream My Lord Arlington had gone so far upon the same scene as to join with the Duke of Ormond and Secretary Coventry to perswade the King to remove the Duke wholly from Court and publick business as a means to appease the Discontents of the Parliament upon some jealousies the late Conduct of Affairs had raised among them By this Council my Lord Arlington had very much offended the Duke and finding himself ill with his Royal Highness with the Parliament and every day declining in credit with the King He thought there was no way of retrieving his Game but by making himself the Instrument of some secret and close measures that might be taken between the King and the Prince of Orange He first infused into His Majesty the Necessity and Advantage of such a Negotiation and then that of his being employ'd in it from the Interest his Lady's Friends and Kindred in Holland would be able to give him as well as from the Credit of having been so long in the secret of the King's Affair and so best able to give them such colours as might render the late conduct of them less disagreeable to the Prince Tho he profest great friendship to me yet he represented me as unlikely to be treated with such a confidence from the Prince as was requisite in this Affair for having been so intimate with Monsieur De Witt in my former Ambassy and gave the Prince's unwillingness to see me during the Campagnia as a testimony of his dislike or at least indifferency to me He propos'd going over with all the Auxiliaries that were like to be of any succour in this expedition carrying not only my Lady Arlington but Madam Beverwoert her Sister who had something in her Humour and Conversation very agreeable to the Prince Sir Gabriel Sylvius who took himself to be in great credit in that Court where he had serv'd long and particularly with Monsieur Benting nor was it forgot to carry over Dr. Duril as a Man fit to practice Monsieur Marest a French Minister who was thought to have credit with the Prince and my Lord Ossory was known to have a great part in his kindness and esteem as well from his Marriage into the Beverwoert Family as from his Bravery so much applauded in all Actions where he had been which was a quality lov'd by this Prince tho' imploy'd against him My Lord Danby had been made believe that a Letter from the Prince to Monsieur Odyke then one of the Dutch Ambassadors in England had given occasion for this Journey as if the Prince had desir'd some person there from the King with whom he might enter in the last Confidence but the Prince assur'd me there was no such thing and that Monsieur Ruvigny the French Minister at London had more part in this Journey than he or perhaps any body else and that all the endeavours us'd towards a Peace came from that side However instructed at least thus accompanied my Lord Arlington came to the Hague where he told me at our first meeting that he came over to set right some things between the King and the Prince that he doubted were amiss and settle a perfect kindness and confidence between them for the time to come That to do this he must go to the bottom of the Sore and rake into things past which was an unpleasant work and which I could not do as having no part in the King's business during that time wherein the Prince took his offence at our Concils That the King had chosen him for this Office because he could best justify His Majesty's intentions towards His Highness in the whole course of that Affaiâ—â— That for the Peace tho His Majesty desir'd it yet he would not meddle with it unless the Prince of himself made any overtures about it but would only endeavour to give the Prince what lights he could as to the state of things in general and what he might hope from his Allies as well as from France That if the Prince made no advances to him upon it he would let it fall and leave it in my hands to be pursued by the Orders I should receive That he knew very well such a Commission as his might look unkind if not injurious to another Ambassador and that he would not have come if any other had been here but the King as well as he reckon'd so far upon the Friendship between us that they were both confident of my being easy in it and giving him any assistance he should want from me which he would acquaint me with as the matter proceeded He said besides That after having fought the King's Battel with the Prince he must fight another of his own who did not deserve the coldness his Highness had of late expressed to him and when this was done all his business was ended here and the rest would be only seeing his Friends and finding some diversion from a new Scene That he desired I would according to the Forms bring him and my Lord Ossory the first time to the Prince and after that they would see him no more in Ceremony nor give me that trouble I told his Lordship I was very glad to see him let his business be what it would That I should be gladder yet that the King's business should be done let it be by whom it would but much more that it might be by Him That for setting matters right between the King and Prince I thought it the best Office could be done them both That for the way he mention'd of raking into the Sore and fighting Battels in defence or justification of what was past I knew not what to say to it but would leave it to his own Prudence but from what I knew in particular of the Prince's humour and thoughts whatever he did of that sort I believ'd should be very gentle and not go too deep and for my own part I was always of opinion That Expostulations were very apt to end well between Lovers but ill between Friends That I would send to the Prince for an Hour and when I had brought him to his Highness I would leave him there after the first Entrances were past and desir'd no other part in his Affair than what he thought necessary to give me whenever he did I should
serve him the best I could in so good an Endeavour and for the rest I should leave the Field free to my Lord Ossory and Him while they stay'd at the Hague as to all that was secret as to the rest I desir'd they would make what use they pleas'd of Me and my House My Lord Arlington took all I said very well and said 'T was not necessary I should leave them after I had introduc'd them to the Prince but in such a manner as I saw he would not dislike it nor have any body thought to have any part in the Successes he expected So next morning I brought them to the Prince and after a quarter of an hour's stay left them together The Prince would have had me stay'd but my Lord Arlington said not a word and I pretended some Letters press'd me and so went away and never saw them together any more while they stay'd at the Hague unless at Dinner or in mix'd and publick Company The truth is I was not the worse entertain'd during the course of this Adventure for my Lord Arlington told me every day what he thought fit of all that pass'd between them and the Prince told me not only the thing but the manner of it which was more important than the matter it self for This had no effect but the Other a great deal and that lasted long My Lord Arlington told me much of his Expostulations and with what good turns of Wit he had justified both the King's Part in the late War and His Own but that upon all he found the Prince dry and sullen or at the best uneasie and as if he wish'd it ended That upon Discourse of the State of Christendom and what related to the War he was engag'd in he made him no Overtures at all nor entred further than That the King might bring him out of it with Honour if he pleased and with Safety to Christendom if not it must go on till the Fortunes of the Parties changing made way for other thoughts than he believ'd either of them had at this time That this might happen after another Campania which none but His Majesty could prevent by inducing France to such terms as He thought just and safe for the rest of Christendom This was the Sum of what my Lord Arlington pretended to have pass'd in three long Conferences after which it grew so uneasy between them that he told me he had absolutely given it over and would not say a word more of business while he was there and attended His Majesty's Orders after the return of his Dispatches but would divert himself in the mean time as well as he could see the Prince as often as he pleased at Dinner or in Company but ask it no more in private unless the Prince of himself desir'd it and upon the whole gave all the signs of being equally disappointed and discontented with the Success of this Undertaking The Prince on the other side told me with what Arrogance and Insolence my Lord Arlington had entred upon all his Expostulations with him both upon the King's Chapter and His Own That it was not only in the Discourses of it as if he pretended to deal with a Child that he could by his Wit make believe what he pleased but in the manner he said all upon that Subject it was as if he had taken Himself for the Prince of Orange and him for my Lord Arlington That all he said was so artificial and giving such false Colours to things every body knew that he that was a plain Man could not bear it and was never so weary of any Conversation in his Life In short all the Prince told me upon it look'd spighted at my Lord Arlington and not very much satisfied with the King's Intentions upon this Errand tho he said he was sure His Majesty never intended he should treat it in the manner he had if he remembred that he was his Nephew tho nothing else After the first Conversations my Lord Arlington staid near six Weeks in Holland either upon contrary Winds to return his Dispatches or to carry him away often at Dinner with the Prince at Court or at Count Waldeck's or Monsieur Odyke's or with Me putting on the best Humour and Countenance affecting the Figure of one that had nothing of business in his Head or in the design of this Journey but at heart weary of his stay in Holland and unwilling to return with no better Account of his Errand and as it prov'd he had reason for both I found the Pensioner and Count Waldeck thought That the bent of my Lord Arlington was To draw the Prince into such Measures of a Peace as France then so much desired Into a discovery of those Persons who had made Advances to the Prince or the States of raising Commotions in England during the late War into secret Measures with the King of assisting him against any Rebels at home as well as Enemies abroad and into the Hopes or Designs of a Match with the Duke's Eldest Daughter Tho they said he found the Prince would not enter at all into the First was obstinate against the Second treated the Third as a disrespect to the King to think he could be so ill belov'd or so imprudent to need it and upon mention made of the last by my Lord Ossory he took no further hold of it then saying His Fortunes were not in a condition for him to think of a Wife Thus ended this Mystical Journey which I have the rather unveil'd because perhaps no other could do it nor I without so many several Lights from so many several Hands and because tho it brought forth no present Fruits yet Seeds were then scattered out of which sprung afterwards some very great Events My Lord Arlington return'd was receiv'd but coldly by the King and ill by the Duke who was angry that any mention had been made of the Lady Mary tho it was done only by my Lord Ossory and whether with Order from the King or no was not known So as never any strain of Court-skill and Contrivance succeeded so unfortunately as this had done and so contrary to all the Ends the Author of it proposed to himself Instead of advancing the Peace he left it desperate instead of establishing a Confidence between the King and the Prince he left all colder than he found it instead of entring into great personal Confidence and Friendship with the Prince he left an Unkindness that lasted ever after instead of retrieving his own Credit at Court which he found waining upon the increase of my Lord Danby's he made an end of all he had left with the King who never after us'd him with any Confidence further than the Forms of his Place and found my Lord Treasurer's Credit with the King more advanced in six weeks he had been away than it had done in many months before Whatever was the occasion France had this Winter an extreme desire of a
my own part I can say nothing of it with certainty having never seen the Prince while it was upon the Anvil no discours'd with him upon this Subject either before or after but if it were an ambition bent upon the Soveraignty of the rest of the Provinces as well as Gelderland it was a design very different from all his proceedings in the course of the War when France had propos'd it to him with all the advantages and support that could be and as different from what he had ever seem'd to understand and to be as much perswaded of as any Man That a Soveraign Prince in Holland would certainly and soon ruin the Trade and consequently the Riches and Greatness of that State and leave a Prince of it without power or consideration in the world whereas the Princes of Orange in the Post they have held for four Generations have enter'd into Wars and Treaties with a regard and weight equal to most of the Kings of Christendom For young Councellors that were thought to have engag'd the Prince in this adventure I cannot speak with more certainty than of the intention but I am sure if they were in it they were not alone for none doubts of Monsieur Fagel's having been for it and Monsieur Beverning who was ever thought as stanch a Patriot as any Man among them told me himself that he had advis'd the Prince to accept it which I believe he would not have done if he had foreseen any danger from it to his Countrey But whether the Prince or his Friends had the part that was commonly thought in the first overture 't is certain an Interest of the Deputies and Magistrates as well as Nobles of Gelderland had a share in it too For whereas this is the first Province in the Union and abounds with Nobles more than all the rest yet by reason of their Poverty from a barran Soil and want of Trade they are less consider'd than several other Provinces and their Voice has been in a manner swallow'd up by that of Holland who by their Trade and Riches have a great influence upon those of Gelderland The Deputies of this Province finding themselves yet less considerable in the Union than they were before the War which had extreamly impoverish'd their Countrey during the French Conquests thought there was no way of recovering such a consideration in the State as suited with the rank and dignity they held but devolving the Soveraignty of their Province upon the Prince of Orange Besides many of the Nobles there having pretences for themselves or their Friends in the Military imployments thought to make their Court to the Prince upon whom those Charges depended by advancing such a proposition and this was certainly a great ingredient into the first conception of it but whether conniv'd at or seconded by the Prince or his Friends or with what Aims or Instructions I cannot say and so leave it as a Mushroom that grew up suddenly and as suddenly wither'd and left no sign where it had grown At the Prince's return to the Hague in March 1675. I receiv'd a Letter from His Majesty's own hand telling me of some advices given him That the Prince intended to come over into England against the approaching Session of Parliament and Commanding me to hinder it as if His Majesty believ'd the thing I adventur'd to assure the King there could be nothing of it before I saw the Prince but when I did I pretended not to have had it from His Majesty but that I heard such a thing had been whisper'd to him He said yes and he believ'd by the Lord Arlington who had some times talk'd of that Journey after the Peace should be made However it came he was sorry the King should believe it That he was His Majesty's Servant and if he could do him no service he would at least do him no harm But if the King would be otherwise possest he could not help it yet desired me to assure him there had never been any ground for such a report In the Afternoon the Prince came to me and told me in great heat he had since he saw me receiv'd the most impertinent Letter from Lord Arlington that ever was upon that Subject treating it as a resolution certain and intended for raising heats in the Parliament and commotions in the Kingdom telling him 'T was like to prove but an ill friendship between the King and him if it was to be made A coup de bastons and putting him in mind Qu'il y a de ployes chez vous qui saigneront encore si l'on y met la main The Prince said he knew well enough what Lord Arlington meant by that expression for he had told Monsieur Read in England when he went over upon the first motions of the last Peace That the King could make the Prince be serv'd as De Witt was if he would set himself about it Upon this he fell into the greatest rage that ever I saw him against my Lord Arlington calling this proceeding malicious and insolent saying He would write to him what he deserv'd but never have any thing more to do with him beyond common forms That since he knew not how to trust the King's Ministers He would write to the King himself and desir'd me to convey his Letters so as they might come to no other hand Soon after Count Waldeek went to Vienna to concert the Actions of the next Campagnia where Count Montecuculi was appointed to command the Imperial Forces instead of Duke Bornonville and the Count Souches was sent away into a Government in Hungary In March the Elector of Brandenburgh came to Cleve upon the same concert where he was met by the Prince of Orange and the Marquess De Grana the Emperor's Minister but the main point debated here was thought to be the Defence necessary to be made in Pomerania against the Swede who began now to throw off the mask to Ravage the Countrey and to attack some places necessary for their Quarters The Moneys likewise paid that Court from France at Hamburgh had been so publick and so avow'd that none further doubted of a sudden and open Rupture from that Crown Whereupon the States sent to Monsieur Ehernstein then Swedish Ambassador at the Hague and who would have kept still the Figure of a Mediator to put in no more Memorials to the States upon that occasion since they could not receive them from a Minister of a Prince who had openly and without cause Attacqu'd one of their Allies At this time arriv'd an Ambassador from Denmark at the Hague to try what advantages his Master could make of this Present Conjuncture by Terms of entring into the Alliance with France and Sweden And all things being thus in the highest Fermentation a sudden damp fell upon the whole mass of these great affairs by the Sickness of the Prince of Orange which show'd him to be the Spring that gave motion to all
and considerable in England who would fain have engag'd them to Head the Discontents that were rais'd by the Conduct of the Court in that whole War which he knew was begun and carried on quite contrary to the humour of the Nation and might perhaps have prov'd very dangerous to the Crown if it had not ended as it did That all these persons who pretended to be much his Friends were extreamly against any thoughts of his marrying in England Their Reasons were That he would by it lose all the Esteem and Interest he had there and be believed to have run wholly into the dispositions and designs of the Court which were generally thought so different from those of the Nation especially upon the Point of Religion that his Friends there did not believe the Government could be long without some great Disturbance unless they chang'd their Measures which was not esteem'd very likely to be done and upon this he desir'd my thoughts as a Friend The next was upon the Person and Dispositions of the Young Lady for tho' it would not pass in the World for a Prince to seem concern'd in those particulars yet for himself he would tell me without any sort of affectation that he was so and in such a degree that no Circumstances of Fortune or Interest would engage him without those of the Person especially those of Humour and Dispositions That he might perhaps be not very easie for a Wife to live with he was sure he should not to such Wives as were generally in the Courts of this Age. That if he should meet with one to give him trouble at home 't was what he should not be able to bear who was like to have enough abroad in the course of his Life and that after the manner he was resolv'd to live with a Wife which should be the best he could He would have one that he thought likely to live well with him which he thought chiefly depended upon their Disposition and Education and if I knew any thing particular of the Lady Mary in these points he desir'd me to tell him freely I answer'd his Highness That I was very glad to find he was resolv'd to Marry being what he owed his Family and Friends That I was much more pleas'd that his inclination led him to endeavour it in England That I thought it as much for his interest as others of his English Friends thought it was against it That the King and his Highness would ever be able to do one another more good and more harm than any other Princes could do either of them by being Friends or Enemies That it was a great step to be one degree nearer the Crown and in all appearance the next That for his Friends as they pretended in England they must see much further than I did to believe the King in any such dangers or difficulties as they imagin'd That the Crown of England stood upon surer foundations than ever it had done in former times and the more for what had pass'd in the last Reign and that I believ'd the people would be found better Subjects than perhaps the King himself believ'd them That it was however in his power to be as well with them as he pleas'd and to make as short turns to such an end if not yet with the help of a little good husbandry he might pass his Reign in Peace tho' not perhaps with so much ease at home or glory abroad as if he fell into the vein of his pople That if the Court were of sentiments different from those of His Highness yet his Advâ—â—ers would make him a greater Compliment in believing him as likely to induce the Court to his as in concluding they would bring him to theirs and if that should happen the most seditious men in England would be hard put to it to find an ill side in such a Match That for the other point I could say nothing to it but that I had always heard my Wife and my Sister speak with all the advantage that could be of what they could discern in a Princess so young and more from what they had been told by the Governess with whom they had a particular friendship and who they were sure took all the care that could be in so much of Education as fell to her share After two hours discourse upon this subject the Prince concluded he would enter upon this pursuit and in order to it would write both to the King and the Duke to beg their favour to him in it and their leave that he might go over into England at the end of the Campania That my Wife who was then going over upon my private Affairs should carry and deliver both his Letters and during her stay there should endeavour to inform her self the most particularly she could of all that concern'd the Person Humour and Dispositions of the young Princess in which he seem'd so much concern'd Within two or three days after these Discourses the Prince brought his Letters to my Wife and went immediately to the Army and she went suddenly after into England with those Dispatches and left me preparing for my Journey to Nimeguen where the Dutch first and after them the French Ambassadors were arriv'd and consequently those of the two principal Parties in the War Before I went Du Moulin met my Chaplain in the Forhaut and told him He was so ill that he knew he had not long to live and that he could not die in quiet without asking my Pardon for so many false and injurious things as he confess'd to have said of me since my last Ambassy there tho' he had before had all the esteem that could be for me He desir'd my Chaplain since I had always refus'd to see him that he would do this Office for him and ask my Pardon as from a dying Man This Moulin after having been much imploy'd and favour'd by my Lord Arlington during the Councels and Vogue of of the Triple Alliance and disgrac'd by him after the change of those Measures in England went over into Holland was entertain'd by the Prince as one of his Secretaries grew into great favour and confidence during the War was made use of by the Discontents of England in their Applications at the Hague was thought worth all my Lord Arlington's instances and endeavours when he was at the Hague to remove him from the Prince's Service I receiv'd afterwards Commands to the same purpose and compass'd it not without time and difficulty he had not been long laid aside when this happen'd and whether that or the knowledge of the Prince's late resolution to pursue the Match in England help'd to break his heart or whether it were a Consumption as his Friends gave out I know not but he died soon after and with him the Intrigues of that Party in England that had for some time imployed him and busied his Friends in Holland After many delays in the Dispatch and exchange of
and Sweden and desir'd we would make the Communication of them which we did for form though we knew that those Ministers had been before possessed of them from the Dutch Ambassadors themselves And some few Days after they entred into Conferences upon this Project at the French Ambassadors Houses whom they found very easy in the Terms the Dutch insisted on for their Commerce which was all that could make any Difficulty between them 1677. About the end of April the Ministers of the Allies came and presented us their several Answers in Writing to the French Propositions which they offered to leave with us whenever we should assure them that the French and Swedes were ready with theirs Upon this Communication given to the French they were positive to give no Answer in writing nor to receive any alledging both Reason and Example for their Opinion this from the Practice of the Munster Treaty that from the Danger of the invective Stile or Language that is apt to enter into the Writings of each Party upon such Occasions The Allies were for some time as peremptory in their Resolution of delivering their Answer in writing but both at last agreed upon the Expedient we proposed of dictating to us what they intended should be said to the other Party of our setting the Substance down in Writing and reading it over to them first who dictated to us so as they might be Judges whether we had rightly apprehended and expressed their meaning and yet the thing might go in our Stile and not in theirs by which all Sharpness and Provocation would be avoided About the middle of May arrived President Canon Envoy from the Duke of Lorrain and put his Master's Pretensions into our Hands upon which the Allies expected a return of those from France upon that Duke no room being now left for delaying them from the want of a Minister upon the Place but the French said very plainly It was a Matter they were not instructed in which the Allies received with great Stomach and perpetual Complaints to us the Mediators all professing they were resolved not to proceed in the Treaty without carrying on the Interests of that Duke an equal Pace with their own About the End of May arrived the Pope's Nuncio whereupon the Swedish and Danish Ambassadors resorted immediately to us desiring to know how we intended to carry our selves in what regarded that Minister professing themselves to be much in pain being of one side very much pressed the Swedes by the French and the Danes by the Imperialists and Spaniards to the enterchange at least of common Ceremonies and Civilities with a Minister for whom they all with emulation professed so great Respect and Deference On t'other side the Swedes and Danes pretended neither to have Instruction or Example from their respective Courts to determin them in this Matter but said they were resolved to observe and consider the steps that should be made by us We cut the Business very short and declared to them our Resolution to have no sort of Commerce with the Pope's Nuncio either in the Affairs of our Function or in matters of Ceremony and told them our Orders from Court were so precise in this Point that they would admit of no Debate The next Day Monsieur Colbert and d'Avaux came formally to give us part of the Nuncio's Arrival and of his Desire to make us his first Comments if he might know they would be received Our Answer to them was the same we had made to the Swedes and Danes and soon after all the Ministers of Protestant Princes at Nimeguen resolved to follow our Example and to have no Commerce at all with the Nuncio About the same time after many Messages carried by us between the Parties they were perswaded at last into the Agreement of delivering and exchanging by our Hands their Answers to each others Propositions in writing tho without pretending to pursue that Method in the succeeding Paces of the Negotiation Nor was there need of that Caution for this I take to have been the last Pace of any free and general Negotiation between the Parties engaged in the War and in the Treaty nor were the Answers any thing nearer agreeing than the first Propositions The last Day of May arrived the Marquess de Balbaces first Ambassador from Spain and about the same time my Lord Berkly returned into England where he languished out the rest of the Summer and died About the seventh of June the Dutch Ambassadors brought us the Project of a Treaty between them and France digested and extended in all its Forms and Articles and told us soon after They had in a Conference upon it with the French Ambassadors agreed in a manner all the Points of it at least that there remained but two which concerned Commerce only undetermined between them which they doubted not would be agreed likewise upon return of the French Dispatches to Court That after their Business was ended they would perform the best Offices they could between their Allies and the French and indeed by the Beginning of July all Points were accordingly agreed between the French and Dutch and Monsieur Beverning began to play the part of something more than a Mediator pressing on his Allies towards a Peace with Paces very earnest and something rough and as some believed more than he had Order for from his Masters who yet pretended to hold Hands with their Allies But Monsieur Beverning professed to believe that their Friends at the Hague were imposed upon by Van Beuninghen and the Spanish Ministers at London who still animated them with Hopes of the King 's entring into the War or at least prescribing a Plan of the Peace to be received by all parties which Beverning believed neither one nor t'other of and pretended to be morally assur'd of his Opinion and thereupon grounded the absolute Necessity of a Peace In this Month the Duke of Zell began to make a Difficulty of sending the five thousand Men he had promised to the Allies without some new Stipulations And the French offered a Guaranty to the House of Lunenburgh of all their Conquests on the Swede in Bremen upon a Neutrality to be declared by those Dukes which began to give great Umbrages to the Allies as well as the Swedes of some separate Measures like to be concluded between France and the whole House of Brunswick The Dutch Ambassadors were likewise in Pain upon new Intelligence both from Vienna and Madrid about a separate Peace being Treated between Don John and the French with an Exchange of the Spanish Netherlands for what should be restored them in Roussillon and Sicily The Ministers of the Confederates made great Instances in England That His Majesty would recal his Troops that were in the French Service attributing most of their Successes in Germany to the Bravery of those English Regiments But His Majesty excused it upon the Equality of a Mediator since there were English Troops of greater number in
his Lordship brought from England was the occasion of it But I could never find there was any thing more in his Journey than the hopes of seeing a Battel which was ever a particular Inclination of my Lord Ossory and a cast of my Lord Arlington to preserve himself in the Prince's Favour and Confidence as much as he could by my Lord Ossory's keeping close to him at a time when he saw the Business of Christendom roll so much upon the Person of this Prince About this time the Assembly at Nimeguen seem'd in danger of being broken by a passionate Motion the Swedes made in it There had been a long Contest since it first began between the Swedes and Danes about Freedom of Passage for the Swedish Couriers through tbe Danish Territories for managing the Correspondences necessary with their Court The Danes pretended the example of France who refus'd the same Liberty to the Spaniards This Dispute had been managed by many Messages wherewith the Mediators had been charged between the Parties wherein the Allies of both sides took equal part Sometimes the matter had been Treated with very Pressing Instances and sometimes with Fainter sometimes almost let fall and then again resumed and thus for above a Year past but about this time the Swedes came to the Mediators desire their Offices once more to the Danes upon this Subject and declare That without this Liberty insisted upon so long for their Couriers they find themselves incapable of giving Advices necessary to their Court or receiving Orders necessary from it and that without it they must be forced to leave the Assembly This Resolution of the Swedes continued for some time so Peremptory that it was expected to come to that issue but after some Foogue spent for about a fortnight or three weeks upon this occasion and some Temperament found out by the Dutch for the secure and speedy passage of all the Swedish Dispatches from Amsterdam those Ambassadors began to grow soft and calm again and to go on their usual Pace Soon after the French Ambassadors who had Treated the Swedish Affairs and Ministers with great indifferency and neglect in this Treaty declaring to Monsieur Beverning their Master would not part with one Town in Flanders to Restore the Swedes to all they had lost began wholly to change their Language and say upon all occasions That France could not make Peace without the full Satisfaction and Restitution of the Swedes and it was discoursed that the French and Swedes had entered into a new Alliance at Paris to this purpose and some believed it was by concert between them that this Attenite was given by the Swedes to the Congress That the French had at that time a mind to break it and to enter into a Treaty with Spain under the Pope's direction and at Rome not knowing to what measures His Majesty might be induced upon the Progress of the French Conquests and the Distempers Raised in His Parliament upon that occasion But this Gust blown over all was becalmed at Nimeguen so that Monsieur Olivecrantz left that Place about the end of August upon a Journey to Sweden Till this time the Motions of Business had been Respited in the Assembly upon a general expectation that the King was sending me over suddenly with the Plan of Peace that he resolved should be made and to which it was not doubted but all Parties would yield whatever it was so great a Regard was held on all sides of His Majesty's Will and Power But a greater stop was yet given to all further Paces there by the Prince of Orange's Journey into England about the end of September 1677. which wholly changed the Scene of this Treaty and for the present carried it over to London and left all other places at a gaze only and in expectation of what should be there Agitated and Concluded CHAP. III. THE Prince like a hasty Lover came Post from Harwich to Newmarket where the Court then was as a Season and Place of County Sports My Lord Arlington attended his Highness at his alighting making his Pretence of the chief Confidence with him and the Court expected it upon his Alliance and Journeys into Holland My Lord Treasurer and I went together to wait on him but met him upon the middle of the Stairs in a great Crowd coming down to the King He whispered to us both together and said to me That he must desire me to answer for him and my Lord Treasurer one to another so as they might from that time enter both into Business and Conversation as if they had been of a longer Acquaintance which was a wise Strain considering his Lordship's Credit in Court at that time and was of great use to the Prince in the Course of his Affairs then in England and tho' it much shockt my Lord Arlington and his Friends yet it could not be wondred at by such as knew what had passed of late between the Prince and him with whom he only lived in common forms during his stay there He was very kindly received by the King and the Duke who both invited him often into Discourses of Business which they wondred to see him avoid or divert industriously so as the King bid me find out the reason of it The Prince told me he was resolved to see the Young Princess before he entred into that Affair and yet to proceed in that before the other of the Peace The King laughed at this piece of Nicety when I told it Him But however to humour him in it said he would go some days sooner than he had intended from Newmarket which was accordingly done The Prince upon his arrival in Town and sight of the Princess was so pleased with her Person and all those signs of such a humour as had been described to him upon former enquiries that he immediately made his Suit to the King and the Duke which was very well received and assented to but with this condition That the Terms of a Peace abroad might be first agreed on between them The Prince excused himself and said he must end his first business before he began the other The King and Duke were both positive in their opinion and the Prince resolute in his and said at last That his Allies who were like to have hard terms of the Peace as things then stood would be apt to believe that he had made this Match at their cost and for his part he would never sell his Honour for a Wife This prevailed not but the King continued so positive for three or four days that my Lord Treasurer and I began to doubt the whole business would break upon this punctilio About that time I chanced to go to the Prince after Supper and found him in the worst humour that I ever saw him he told me he repented he had ever come into England and resolved he would stay but two days longer and then be gone if the King continued in his mind of
observing the remaining Paces of the General Peace by that of the North which was left to be made at the Mercy of France And though Denmark and Brandenburgh looked big and spoke high for a time after the Peace between the Empire and France pretending they would defend what they had conquered from the Swedes in Germany yet upon the march of the French Troops into the Brandenburgh Countrey both those Princes made what haste they could to finish their separate Treaties with France and upon certain sums of Money agreed on delivered up all they had gained in this War to the Crown of Sweden Thus Christendom was left for the present in a General Peace and France to pursue what they could gain upon their Neighbours by their Pretensions of Dependences and by the droit de bienseance which they pursu'd with such imperious Methods both against the Empire and the Spaniardt as render'd their Acquisitions after the Peace greater at least in consequence than what they had gained by the War since not only great Tracts of Country upon the score of Dependences but Strashurgh and Lutzenburgh fell as Sacrifices to their Ambition without any neighbouring Prince or States concerning themselves in their Relief But these Enterprises I leave to some others Observations Very soon after my Arrival at the Hague the King sent me Orders to provide for my return as soon as I could possibly be ready and bid me acquaint the Prince and the States That he had sent for me over to come into the Place of first Secretary of State in Mr. Coventry's room My Lord Treasurer writ to me to the same purpose and with more Esteem than I could pretend to deserve telling me among other things They were fallen into a cruel Disease and had need of so Able a Physician This put me in mind of a Story of Dr. Prujean the greatest of that Profession in our time and which I told my Friends that were with me when these Letters came A certain Lady came to the Doctor in great trouble about her Daughter Why what ails she Alas Doctor I cannot tell but she has lost her Humour her Looks her Stomach her Strength consumes every day so as we fear she cannot live Why do not you Marry her Alas Doctor that we would fain do and have offer'd her as good a Match as she could ever expect but she will not hear of marrying Is there no other do you think that she would be content to Marry Ah Doctor that is it that troubles us for there is a young Gentleman we doubt she loves that her Father and I can never consent to Why look you Madam replies the Doctor gravely being among all his Books in his Closet then the case is this Your Daughter would Marry one Man and you would have her Marry another in all my Books I find no Remedy for such a Disease as this I confess I esteemed the Case as desperate in a Politick as in a Natural Body and as little to be attempted by a Man who neither ever had his own Fortune at heart which such Conjunctures are only proper for nor ever could resolve upon any pusuits of it to go against either the true Interest or the Laws of his Countrey One of which is commonly endanger'd upon the fatal misfortune of such Divisions in a Kingdom I chose therefore to make my excuses both to the King and to my Lord Treasurer and desir'd leave to go to Florence and discharge my self of a promise I had made some years past of a Visit to the Great Duke the first time I had leisure from my Publick Imployments Instead of granting this Suit the King sent a Yatch for me towards the end of February 167 8. with Orders to come immediately away to enter upon the Secretary's Office about the same time with my Lord Sunderland who was brought into Sir Joseph Williamson's Place I obey'd His Majesty and acquainted the Prince and States with my Journey and the design of it according to his Command who made me Compliments upon both and would have had me believe that the Secretary of State was to make amends for the loss of the Ambassador But I told the Prince that tho I must go yet if I found the Scene what it appear'd to us at that distance I would not charge my self with that Imployment upon any terms that could be offer'd me We knew very well in Holland That both Houses of Parliament believed the Plot That the Clergy the City the Countrey in general did so too or at least pursu'd it as if they all believ'd it We knew the King and some of the Court believ'd nothing of it and yet thought not fit to own that Opinion And the Prince told me He had reason to be confident that the King was in his heart a Roman Catholick tho he durst not profess it For my own part I knew not what to believe of one side or t'other but thought it easie to presage from such contrary Winds and Tides such a Storm must rise as would tear the Ship in pieces whatever Hand were at the Helm At my arrival in England about the latter end of February I found the King had Dissolv'd a Parliament that had sat eighteen years and given great testimonies of Loyalty and compliance with His Majesty till they broke first into Heats upon the French Alliances and at last into Flames upon the business of the Plot I found a new Parliament was called and that to make way for a calmer Session the resolution had been taken at Court for the Duke's going over into Holland who enbarqu'd the day after my arrival at London The Elections of the ensuing Parliament were so eagerly pursu'd that all were in a manner engag'd before I came over and by the dispositions that appear'd in both Electors and Elected it was easie to presage in what temper the Houses were like to meet My Lord Shaftsbury my Lord Essex and my Lord Hallifax had struck up with the Duke of Monmouth resolving to make use of His Credit with the King and to support it by Theirs in the Parliament and tho the first had been as deep as any in the Councels of the Cabal while he was Chancellor yet all Three had now fallen in with the common Humour against the Court and the Ministry endeavouring to inflame the Discontents against both and agreed among themselves That none of them would come into Court unless they did it all together Which was observed like other common strains of Court-Friendships Sir William Coventry had the most Credit of any man in the House of Commons and I think the most deservedly not only for his great Abilities but for having been turn'd out of the Council and the Treasury to make way for my Lord Cliffora's Greatness and the Designs of the Cabal He had been ever since opposite to the French Alliances and bent upon engaging England in a War with that Crown and assistance
had never been esteem'd so before The King of France march'd as far as Vtrecht where he fix'd his Camp and his Court and from thence began to consider of the ways how to possess himself of the rest which was defended only by their Scituation upon some flat Lands that as they had by infinite labour in Canals and Digues been either gain'd or preserv'd from Inundations so they were subject to them upon opening the Sluces whenever the Dutch found no other way of saving their Country but by losing it This at least was generally believ'd in the French Camp and Court and as I have heard was the Preservation of the State For that King unwilling to venture the Honour and Advantage of such Conquests as he had made that Summer upon the Hazards of a new sort of War with a merciless Element where neither Conduct nor Courage was of use resolv'd to leave the rest to practices of Peace with the States upon the advantage of the terms he stood in and the small distance of place between them or if these should not succeed then he trusted to the Frosts of the following Winter which seldom fail in that Country to make all passable and safe for Troops and Carriages themselves that in Summer would be impassable either from the Waters or the depth of Soil In the mean time the State and the Government of Holland took a new Form and with it a new Heart Monsieur De Witt and his Brother had been Massacreed by the sudden fury of the People at the Hague and by the Fate of Ministers that Govern by a Party or Faction who are usually Sacrificed to the first great Misfortunes abroad that fall in to aggravate or inflame the general Discontents at home The Fact and the manner having been very unusual may be the Subject of others enquiry as it was of Mine which gave me this account The Ruart of Putten Eldest Brother to Monsieur De Witt had been accused of a design upon the Prince's Life and of endeavouring by Money to engage one of his Highness's Domestiques in that Attempt But no other Witness appearing he was sentenc'd only to be Banished at which the People show'd great dissatisfaction being possest with an Opinion of his Guilt The Morning he was to come out of Prison Monsieur De Witt against the Opinion of his Friends would needs go himself to bring him out with more Honour and carry him out of Town and to that purpose went with his Coach and four Horses to the Court This being not usual to this Minister made the People take more notice of it and gather together Tumultuously first in the streets where he passed and then about the Court where the Prisoner was kept Some of the Trained Bands of the Hague that were upon the Guard mingled among them and began to rail aloud against the Judgment of the Court the Crime of one Brother and the Insolence of the Other who pretended as they said to carry him away in Triumph In the midst of this Heat and Passion rais'd by these kind of Discourses among the Populace the two Brothers came out some of the Train'd Bands stop'd them began to treat them at first with ill Language and from Words fell to Blows upon which Monsieur De Witt foreseeing how the Trajedy would end took his Brother by the hand and was at the same time knock'd down with the butt end of a Musket They were both presently laid dead upon the place then drag'd about the Town by the Fury of the People and Torn in pieces Thus ended one of the greatest Lifes of any Subject in our Age and about the 47 th year of his own after having Served or rather Administred that State as Pensioner of Holland for about eighteen years with great Honour to his Countrey and himself After the Death of these Brothers the Provinces and Towns run with Unanimous Voices into Publick Demands of the Prince's being restored to the Authority of his Ancestors The States had in the beginning of the Year declared him Captain General and Admiral of their Forces which was no more than De Witt had always profest was designed for Him when he should be of Age but this was found neither to have satisfied England nor the Prince's Party at home and therefore all the Members of the State agreed in those Acts that were thought necessary to a full Restitution of His Highness now at the Age of Twenty one Years to the Office and Power of Stadtholder with all advantages and even some more than those which had been exercised by his Ancestors At the same time Monsieur Fagel was introduced into Monsieur De Witt 's Place of Pentsioner of Holland whose Love to his Countrey made him a Lover of the Prince as believing it could not be Sav'd by any other Hand and whose Zeal to his own Religion made him an Enemy irreconcilable to France whose Professions as well as Designs were to destroy it This Revolution as it calm'd all at Home so it made the first Appearance of defending what was left of the Country The State grew United the Army in Heart and Foreign Princes began to take Confidence in the Honour and Constancy of the Young Prince which they had in a manner wholly lost upon the Divisions and Misfortunes of the State The French themselves turn'd all their Application and Practices the same way and made the Prince all the offers that could be of Honour Advantages to his Person and Family Provided he would be contented to depend upon them The Bait they thought could not fail of being swallow'd and about which most Artifice was employ'd was the Proposal of making the Prince Sovereign of the Provinces under the Protection of England and France And to say truth at a time when so little of the Provinces was left and what remain'd was under Water and in so eminent danger upon the first Frosts of the Winter this seemed a lure to which a meaner Soul than that of this Prince might very well stoop But his was above it and his Answers always firm That he never would betray a Trust that was given him nor ever fell the Liberties of his Countrey that his Ancestors had so long defended Yet the Game he play'd was then thought so desperate that one of his nearest Servants told me he had long expostulated it with his Master and ask'd him at last how he pretended to live after Holland was lost and whether he had thought so far The Prince told him he had and that he was resolv'd to live upon the Lands he had left in Germany and that he he had rather pass his life in Hunting there than sell his Country or his Liberty to France at any Price I will say nothing of the Ambassy sent at this time by his Majesty to the French King at Vtretcht where the Three Ambassadors Duke of Buckingham Lord Arlington and Lord Halifax found him in his highest Exaltation for
I cannot pretend to know what the true ends or subject of it was The common belief in England and Holland made it to be our jealousie of the French Conquests going too fast whilst ours were so lame and great hopes were rais'd in Holland that it was to stop their Course or Extent but these were soon dash'd by the return of the Ambassadors after having renew'd and fasten'd the measures formerly taken between the two Crowns And the Ambassadors were indeed content as they past through Holland that the first should be thought which gave occasion for a very good Repartee of the Princess Dowager to the Duke of Buckingham who visited her as they pass'd through the Hague and talking much of their being good Hollanders she told him That was more than they ask'd which was only That they should be good English-men he assur'd her they were not only so but good Dutchmen too that indeed they dit not use Holland like a Mistresz but they lov'd her like a Wife to which she replied Vrayement je croy que vous nous ayméz comme vous ayméz la vôtre When France lost all hopes of shaking the Prince of Orange's Constancy they bent all their thoughts upon subduing and ruining the remainder of the Countrey They had avanc'd as far as Woorden and from thence they made their ravages within two or three Leagues of Leyden with more violences and cruelties than would have been prudent if they had hop'd to reclaim the Prince or States from the obstinacy of their defence The Prince encamp'd his Army near Bodegrave between Leyden and Woorden and there made such a stand with a handful of Men as the French could never force The Winter prov'd not favourable to their hopes and designs and some promises of Frosts inveigled them into marches that prov'd almost fatal to them by a sudden thaw This frighted them into Cautions perhaps more than were necessary and gave the Prince and States leasure to take their measures for a following Campagne with the Emperor Spain and the Duke of Brandenburgh and Lunenburgh which prov'd a diversion to the Arms of France and turn'd part of them upon Germany and Flanders so as to give over the progress any further in Holland Upon the approach of the Winter the Prince after having taken Narden three leagues from Amsterdam in spight of all resistance and opposition from either the French or the Season resolv'd like another young Scipio to save his Countrey by abandoning it and to avoid so many Sieges as all the Towns they had lost would cost to recover He contented himself to leave the chief Post guarded with a part of the Army and with the rest marched into Germany joyn'd part of the Confederate Troops besig'd Bonne which had been put into the hands of France at the beginning of the War wherein the Elector of Cologn and the Bishop of Munster had enter'd jointly with France The boldness of this Action amaz'd all men but the success extoll'd the prudence as well as the bravery of it for the Prince took Bonne and by it open'd a passage for the German Forces over the Rhine and so into Flanders and gave such a damp to the Designs and Enterprizes of France that they immediately abandon'd all their Conquests upon Holland in less time than they made them retaining only Mastricht and the Grave of all they had possest belonging to this State In this posture stood affairs abroad when the Peace of England was made in February 1673 4 upon the strength and heart whereof the Prince of Orange concerted with the German and Spanish Troops to begin an offensive War and in the head of an Army of above Forty Thousand Men to march into France The French began now to wish the War well ended and were very glad to accept his Majesties Mediation The King was desirous to make France some amends for abandoning the Party and making a separate Peace Some of his Ministers foresaw he would be Arbiter of the Peace by being Mediator and that He might hinder any separate Treaties by mediating a general one and might restore Peace to Christendom whenever he thought fit and upon what Conditions he thought safe and just The only difficulties that appeared in this Affair were what the Confederates were like to make in accepting the King's Mediation whose late engagements with France had made him thought very partial on that side And the House of Austria finding that Crown now abandon'd by England had too greedily swallow'd the hopes of a revenge upon them to desire any sudden Treaty till the Successes they expected in the War might at least make way for reducing France to the Terms of that at the Pyrenees This I suppose gave some occasion for my being again design'd for this Ambassy who was thought to have some credit with Spain as well as Holland from the Negotiations I had formerly run through at the Hague Brussels and Aix la Chapelle by which the remaining parts of Flanders had been sav'd out of the hands of France in the Year 1668. But having often reflected upon the unhappy Issue of my last Publick Employments and the fatal turn of Councels in our Court that had occasion'd it against so many wiser mens Opinions as well as my own I resolv'd before I went this Journey to know the ground upon which I stood as well as I could and to found it by finding out what I was able of the King 's true Sentiments and Dispositions as to the measures he had now taken or rather renew'd and trust no more to those of his Ministers who had deceiv'd either Me or Themselves Therefore at a long Audience in his Closet I took occasion to reflect upon the late Councels and Ministry of the late Cabal how ill His Majesty had been advis'd to break Measures and Treaties so solemnly taken and agreed how ill he had been serv'd and how ill succeeded by the violent humour of the Nation 's breaking out against such Proceedings and by the Jealousies they had rais'd against the Crown The King said 'T was true he had succeeded ill but if he had been well serv'd he might have made a good business enough of it and so went on a good deal to justifie what was past I was sorry to find such a presage of what might again return from such a course of thought in the King and so went to the bottom of that matter I shew'd how difficult if not impossible it was to set up here the same Religion or Government that was in France That the universal bent of the Nation was against Both That many who were perhaps indifferent enough in the matter of Religion consider'd it could not be chang'd here but by force of an Army and that the same force which made the King Master of their Religion made him Master of their Liberties and Fortunes too That in France there was none to be consider'd but the Nobles and the Clergy
and govern himself as well as he could by Presidents and Examples He consulted both these Ambassadors whether he should visit the Spaniards after having given the first notice to the Imperialists And they concluded That he should first know of them whether it was done in form as to Ambassadors in general or whether it was upon the account of the near Alliance in Blood between those two Houses of Austria That if it were the First he ought not visit them as having put a disrespect upon the Mediation and distinguish'd the Emperor from all the other crown'd Heads who had yielded the precedence wholly to them which they should not have done if the Emperor had refus'd it But if the Spaniards affirmed it was only upon the nearness of Blood between them none of the other Ambassadors need take any notice of it since the same had been done between those two Crowns at Munster upon the same score which being there declared it gave no offence to the Mediators tho they were the Pope's Nuncio's with whom there was otherwise no competition Sir Lionel was satisfied by the Spaniards who gave it him in writing that the Visits were made only upon the score of Kindred as at Munster and thereupon made them his Visit and received theirs for which he was sharply reprov'd by Secretary Williamson's Letter upon it who had represented it to the King as a Disobedience to a positive Order and giving up the Point to the Imperialists But being at Court soon after these Dispatches I endeavoured to justify my Colleague's Intentions and his Proceedings by shewing that he had conform'd to his other Orders of consulting the other Ambassadors and proceeding according to the best President which was that at Munster and that if he had broken with the Spaniards upon this Point he would have provok'd the Imperialists to declare their resolution of not yielding to the Mediators upon which the other Ambassadors would recal the Concession which they had already made in this Point and so hazard if not lose the Possession his Majesty was in of the first Respect given to his Mediation I had the good fortune to satisfy his Majesty and his Ministers and to obtain Orders for His gracious Pardon to be sent Sir Lionel for they would suffer it to run in no other Terms for which however the poor Gentleman made as great Acknowledgments as if his Fault had been much greater and worse meant The rest of this Summer passed without any further Paces made in the Congress at Nimeguen where the Messages carried and returned about the Business of Lorain served to keep the Mediators in countenance and no more The whole Body of Allies pressed for an Answer from the French to that Duke's Pretensions delivered in by President Canon The French after their former Exception of his wanting a Minister there raised another to stave off these Instances of the Allies and declared they could give no answer about Lorain till the Bishop of Strasburgh's Agents were received by the Allies upon which the Emperor made an invincible Difficulty declaring he would never treat with a Vassal of his own And in these Conferences about Lorain the French Ambassadors began to insinuate to the Mediators That their Master never intended That to be treated as a Principal but only as an Accessary to the Treaty In August arrived at Nimeguen the Bishop of Gurck chief of the Imperial Ambassay and Count Antoine of that from Denmark The first was immediately visited by the Spainsh Ambassadors and returned them after which he sent his Notifications to the Mediators and from them to the other Ambassadors upon which no Difficulty was made by them since the Bishop made the same Declaration the Spaniards had done before upon the like occasion That the first Visits passing between the Ministers of the two Houses of Austria were Visits of Kindness and Consanguinity and not of Ceremony But Count Antoine fell into endless Difficulties upon his first arrival He intended to have sent his first Notification to the Mediators as others had done but the Imperialists having notice of this Intention sent him direct word they expected the first Respect should be given the Emperor and this was the first time they owned that Pretension in prejudice of the Honour hitherto done to the King's Mediation Count Antoine sent Monsieur Hoeg his Colleague to acquaint the Mediators with this Incident and desire them to find out some Expedient They excused themselves alledging their positive Orders to expect the first Notification The Danes were as unwilling to disoblige His Majesty as the Emperor and found no temper in this matter after many offered both by French and Dutch Ambassadors so that Count Antoine resolved to leave it undecided and to give no Notifications nor receive or make any Visits but however assisted at the Conferences among the Allies and made a part of all the Evening Entertainments at Play and in Conversation in the Apartments of the several Ambassadrices And this course he observed during his stay at Nimeguen which was seven or eight Months for the rest a Person very much esteemed for his generous Qualities and Gentlemanly Humour and Conversation and yielding to none upon the Place in the Greatness and Splendor of his Equipage wherein the Marquess de Balbaces and Count Antoine seemed to distinguish themselves from all the rest About the end of July the Prince of Orange made an Attempt upon Charleroy rather than a Siege This had been before concerted with the Duke of Lorain who made a meen of entring into Champagne on purpose to draw off the French Forces from attending the Prince's motions and design upon Charleroy the Prince had hopes to take it by Surprize but found them of the Garison upon their Guard and very strong as well as the Place which had been fortified with all the force of Art and Expence which could be employed upon a Place of that Compass He sat down before it and would have besieged it in form if the Duke of Lorain could have diverted the French Army from relieving it but Monsieur Louvoys with great diligence leaving the Mareshal Crequi with Force enough to face that Duke assembled a very great Army for the Relief of Charleroy upon approach whereof the Prince called a Council of War to resolve whether to march and fight the French Army or raise the Siege The last was resolved upon debate at the Councel and accordingly executed and therewith ended this Compania in Flanders But this March and Retreat of the Prince passed not without many Reflections not only among the Allies but in Holland too as if he had given over the Design upon some Intelligences and Expresses between Him and the King about this time Monsieur Bentink had gone over and returned without any Bodies knowing his Business My Lord Ossory happened to arrive in the Camp the day before the Council of War upon which the Siege was raised which made many think something
since the King still desired the Peace his Masters had nothing to do but to conclude it and that They the Ambassadors took themselves to be so instructed as that they must Sign the Peace upon the offers made by the French to evacuate the Towns Monsieur Haâ—en did not seem to me so clear in point of their Orders and I never could learn whether upon de Cros's Arrival and Discourses at the Hague the States Deputies there had sent Orders to their Ambassadors at Nimeguen to Sign the Peace even without the Spaniards in case of the French assenting to the evacuation of the Towns before the day appointed for that purpose should expire or whether only the Town of Amsterdam had by Boreel sent that advice to Monsieur Beverning with assurances to bear him out in what he did where his Orders might receive a doubtful Sense or Interpretation However it were Monsieur Beverning was bent upon giving this sudden end to the War and such a quick dispatch to the draught of the Treaty that it was agreed in all Articles and written out fair so as to be signed between Eleven and Twelve at Night And thus were eluded all the effects of the late Treaty concluded at the Hague and the hopes conceived by the Confederates of the War 's going on which so provoked several of their Ministers as to engage them in sharp and violent Protestations against the Dutch Ambassadors by which they hoped to deter them from signing the Peace without new Orders from their Masters But all was to no purpose Beverning was unmoved and the thing was done The day after the Peace was signed came an Express to me from Court with the Ratifications of the late Treaty between His Majesty and the States and Orders to me immediately to proceed to the exchange of them which was such a counterpace to the Dispatch I had received by De Cros and to the consequences of it which had ended in the conclusion of the Peace and thereby rendred the late Treaty of no farther use that the ratification seemed now as unnecessary as it had been at first unresolved at our Court and unexpected from us by the Dutch However I went away immediately upon this Express and next day after my arrival at the Hague made an exchange of the Ratifications according to the Orders I had received I found the Pensioner and several other of the Deputies very much unsatisfied with the Peace and more with the Precipitation of Monsieur Beverning to sign it upon the sudden offer of the French Ambassadors to evacuate the Towns before he had acquainted the States with it and received new Orders upon it They said his Instructions could not warrant him they talked of calling him in question for it and of disavowing what he had done and thereupon of having recourse to the Treaty with His Majesty which they now saw ratified and of continuing the War in conjuction with England and the rather because they saw France had no mind to venture it but had chosen to stoop from those high flights they had so long made in all transactions with their Neighbours either of War or Peace But others of the Deputies especially those of Amsterdam declared their satisfaction in this conclusion at Nimeguen argued that the weakness of their Confederates especially Spain and the unsteaddiness or irresolution of England had made the Peace of absolute necessity to Holland and excused any precipitation of their Ambassadors in signing that day or without clear and positive Orders upon the emergency being so sudden and surprizing and the time so critical that the delay of sending to the Hague must of necessity have engaged the States in their obligations of the late Treaty with England and thereby in a necessity of continuing the War The truth is I never observed either in what I had seen or read any Negotiation managed with greater Address and Skill than this had been by the French in the whole course of this Affair especially since the Prince of Orange's Match which was thought to have given them so great a blow and by force of Conduct was turned so much to their advantage 'T is certain and plain they never intended to continue the War if England should fall with such weight into the scale of the Confederates as the force of that Kingdom and humour of the People would have given to such a Conjunction and consequently that His Majesty might have prescribed what Terms He pleased of the Peace during the whole course of His Mediation For besides the respect which the French have for our Troops both Horse and Foot more than any others especially since the Services and Advantages they received from them in all their Actions against the Germans besides the terrour of a Conjuction between our Naval Forces and the Dutch and of descents upon their Coasts with the dangerous influences that might make upon the Discontents of their People They wisely foresaw another Consequence of our falling into this Confederacy which must unavoidable have proved more mortal to them than all the rest in two years time for whereas the Wealth of France which makes their Greatness arises from the infinite Consumption made by so many neighbouring Countries of so many and rich Commodities as the Native Soil and Climate or ingenuity of the People produces in France In case this War had gone on with England engaged in it all these veins of such infinite Treasure had been seized at once or at least left open only to some parts of Italy which neither takes off their Wines their Salts nor their Modes in Habit or Equipage that draw so vast expences upon all the Provinces almost of Europe which lie Northward of France and drains such vast Sums of Money from all their Neighbours into that Fruitful and Noble Kingdom more favoured by Nature in my opinion than any other in the World But the loss of this Advantage upon the Necessity Folly or Luxury of others must in two or three years time reduce them to such weakness in those Sinews of War by so general a Poverty and Misery among their People that there would need no other effect of such a general Confederacy to consume the Strength and Force of that Nation This they very prudently foresaw and never intended to venture but having reason to apprehend it from the Prince of Orange's Match in England they took it without Resentment nay improved it rather into new Kindness than Quarrel making use of the King 's good Nature to engage him in a Prorogation of the Parliament immediately after which made it appear both at home and abroad that they had still the Ascendant upon our Court. They eluded the effect of the Message sent them by Lord Duras with His Majesty's Scheme of the Peace by drawing it out into Expostulations of Kindness and so into Treaty During this Amusement of our Court they plyed their business in Holland yet with greater Art and Industry poysoned the
People there with Jealousies of the Prince's Match in England and of Designs from both upon their Liberties by a long and unnecessary Continuance of the War They united the Factions in Amsterdam upon the sente of a Peace and upon their own Conditions to avoid those that had been Proposed by His Majesty When they had gained their Point with the several Deputies in Holland they acquainted the King with their being sure of the Peace on that side and by his Ambassador at Paris made Offers of mighty Sums both to himself and his chief Minister only for their Consent to such a Peace as Holland it self was content with When the States had absolutely resolved on the Peace by the particular Faction of Amsterdam and general Terror upon the French taking of Gant and threatning Antwerp they esteemed the humour in Holland so violent towards the Peace and so unsatisfied with the fluctuation of our Councils in England that they thought they might be bold with them upon the Interests of Spain and so raised the pretence of not evacuating the Towns before the satisfaction of Sweden and tho' I know this was by the Politicians esteemed a wrong pace of France yet I did not think it so but that all Appearances were for their succeeding in it Nor had they reason to believe either our Court or Holland would have resented it to that degree they did or that they could have fallen into such close and sudden measures and with such confidence as they happened to do upon this occasion by the Treaty of July at the Hague When this was concluded they made all the Offers that could be at breaking the force of it by drawing it into Negotiation and by condescentions to the States unusual with that Crown even to the greatest Kings They poysoned it by the Dispatch of de Cros and by his instructions as well as Artifices and Industry to make the Contents of it publick at the Hague which were pretended at Court to be sent over to me with the greatest secret that could be At the same time they made all the Declarations of not receding from the difficulties they had raised otherwise than by Treaty and thereby laid asleep all Jealousies of the Confederates as well as endeavours to prevent a blow they did not believe could arrive where the Honour of France seemed so far ingaged And thus they continued till the very day limitted for their final Declaration The secret was so well kept that none had the least umbrage of it that very morning When they declared it they left not the Dutch Ambassadors time enough to send to their Masters fearing if they had the States would have refused to sign without Spain which could not be ready before the time must have elapsed for incurring the effects of the late Treaty Thus the Peace was gained with Holland His Majesty was excluded from any fair pretence of entring into the War after the vast Expence of raising a great Army and transporting them into Flanders and after a great expectation of his People raised and as they thought deluded Spain was necessitated to accept the terms that the Dutch had negotiated for them and this left the Peace of the Empire wholly at the mercy and discretion of France and the restitution of Lorain which all had consented in wholly abandoned and unprovided So that I must again conclude the Conduct of France to have been admirable in the whole course of this Affair and the Italian Proverb to continue true Che gle Francesi pazzi sono morti On the contrary our Councils and Conduct were like those of a floating Island driven one way or t'other according to the Winds or Tides The Kings dispositions inclin'd him to preserve his measures with France and consequently to promote a Peace which might break the present Confederacy The humour of his People and Parliament was violent towards engaging him in a War the Ministers were wavering between the fears of making their Court ill or of drawing upon them the heats of a House of Commons whom the King's Expences made him always in need of From these humours arose those uncertainties in our Councils that no Man who was not behind the Curtain could tell what to make of and which appeared to others much more mysterious than indeed they were till a new and formidable Engin beginning to appear upon the Stage made the Court fall into an absolute resolution of entring into the War just when it was too late and to post away the Ratifications of the Treaty of July so as to arrive the day after the French and Dutch had sign'd the Peace and after the King had given the States occasion to believe he did not intend to ratifie it but that he had taken his Measures with France for so all Men in Holland concluded from De Cros's Journey and the Commands he brought me for mine to Nimeguen at a time when my presence at the Hague was thought the most necessary both to ratifie the Treaty if it had been intended and to keep the States firm to their resolutions upon it Thus ended in smoak this whole Negotiation which was near raising so great a fire France having made the Peace with Holland treated all the rest of it with ease and leasure as playing a sure Game England to avoid a cruel Convulsion that threatned them at home would fain have gone into the War if Holland would have been prevail'd with but they could not trust us enough to lose the present Interest of Trade for the uncertain Events of a War wherein they thought their Neighbours more concern'd than Themselves About two or three days after my return to the Hague and exchanging the Ratifications came the News of the Battel of Mons between the Prince of Orange and the French under the Command of the Duke of Lutzenburgh who had posted himself with the Strength and Flower of the French Forces so as to prevent the Prince's Design of Relieving Mons. And I remember the day the Dutch Peace was signed at Nimeguen I was saying to the Mareschal d' Estrades That for ought I knew we might have a Peace sign'd and a Battel fought both in one day He reply'd There was no fear of it for the Duke of Lutzenburgh had writ him word He was so posted that if he had but Ten Thousand Men and the Prince Forty ye he was sure he would not be forced whereas he took His Army to be stronger than That of the Prince I need not relate an Action so well known in the World and so shall only say That in spight of many Disadvantages from an Army drawn so suddenly together so hasty a March as that of the Dutch and Posts taken with so much skill and fortified with so much industry by the French as was believed the Prince upon the fourteenth of August attacqued them with a resolution and vigour that at first surprized them and after an obstinate and bloody Fight