Selected quad for the lemma: hand_n
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B24213
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The History of the treaty at Nimueguen with remarks on the interest of Europe in relation to that affair / translated out of French.
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Courchetet d'Esnans, Luc, 1695-1776.
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1681
(1681)
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Wing H2187A; ESTC R23154
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120,902
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300
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they were not as yet totally cured of the doubts they had conceived of the sincerity of France no more than of the jealousie that some entertained of the too great authority of the Prince of Orange most part knew not but the peace which was made might be an occasion to make them fall the more easily under a dominion the encrease of which was possibly one of the reasons that made them embrace the peace In fine a Courier on the 13th having brought Letters from the French King whereby his Majesty removed all obstacles that hindered the conclusion of the peace with Spain the Count d' Avaux returned on the 17th to Nimueguen and in the Conference which he had that day at the Dutch Ambassador's house that lasted till two of the clock afternoon all the Articles were agreed upon and that the peace should be signed that evening The Spanish Ambassadors caused the Treaty to be translated into Spanish and the Translation was examined by Mr. Colbert who found two or three words to be amended which did not exactly quadrate with the sense of the French Seeing the Dutch Ambassadors had been the Mediators of the Peace betwixt France and Spain their house was thought the most convenient place to sign the Peace at They caused their Hall of Audience to be prepared for that Ceremony They entered it by a great door about the middle the Chair of State stood at one end on the left hand of the door and the Chimney just opposite on the right The French Ambassadors room had an Entry into the Hall on the side of the Chimney and that which was appointed for the Ambassadors of Spain had its Entry on that of the Chair of State There was a long Table set cross the Hall one end of it towards the door and the other towards the windows but seeing the French would not have the Chair of State to be on the Spanish side it behoved to be removed and the Chimney which was on the right hand as one entred making too great a distinction on that side the Dutch Ambassadors caused it to be covered with a piece of Tapistry that none in their house might have any cause of discontent The French Ambassadors came to the Dutch Ambassadors House about nine of the clock at night with several Coaches filled with Gentlemen They were no sooner in their Chamber but the Heer Beverning gave them notice that all things were ready and having the Treaties in his hand he went and sate down at the upper end of the Table and the Heer Haaren his Colleague at the other end At the same time were opened the doors of the two Chambers and the Ambassadors advanced in equal pace from their several Apartments walking all three a breast As matters were disposed the Ambassadors of Spain had two disadvantages first that they were on the left hand as they entred the Hall and next that advancing to the Table in the rank which they were to keep the Marquess de los Balbases was forced to give his Colleagues the right hand because otherways he could not sit opposite to the Marshal d' Estrades nor at the upper end of the Table All the Ambassadors sate down at the same time the Gentlemen on either side standing at the backs of their Chairs The Marshal d' Estrades and the Marquess de los Balbases took each of them a Pen and at the same time signed the Treaty which the Heer Beverning presented to them Then the other Ambassadors took the Treaty and the Pen and signed it in the same colume every one on the right hand of his Treaty and exchanged them after the first signing The French signed that of Spain and the Spaniards that of France in one colume to the left of the former leaving room for the seals which the Secretaries took care to place at the end of every subscription This being done all the Ambassadors arose and complimented one another standing during the space of half a quarter of an hour after which they returned to their Chambers as before from whence they severally retired to their Lodgings Next day after the signing of the Treaty of Peace the Count d' Avaux with his whole Train parted for Nimueguen by water in quality of Ambassador Extraordinary to the States-General who told him upon his arrival that the Ratification of the Treaty was sent to Nimueguen where they were exchanged on the 20th with all the testimonies of mutual satisfaction among the Ambassadors who gave marks of their good intelligence by feasting and mutual rejoycings The Northern Confederates were at that time more than ever inclined to consent to a truce but the Suedes would not absolutely agree to it they would have willingly accepted of it in Pomerania because they had ground to fear that the great losses they had there sustained might be followed by others more considerable but they were not for it in Schonen where their affairs were in a better condition by the taking of Christianstadt which they had at length made themselves Masters of However the losses they felt in Pomerania were of greater importance to them than all they could gain elsewhere The Confederates at Nimueguen were at that time much surprised at the news of the death of the Bishop of Munster they had reason to fear that it might bring some alteration to the projects that they were forming However the great preparations that the King of Denmark and Elector of Brandenbourg were making against the Isle of Rugen were not at all retarded The Elector embarked his forces in several ships and was himself present at their landing which was so happily conducted that in less than a day he render'd himself Master of the whole Isle and without losing of time he went and besieged Stralsond which he took two days after he had begun to batter it Octob. 1678. The peace with the United Provinces was proclaimed at the Hague on the 28th of September and on the fifth of October publick rejoycings were solemnized throughout all the Towns of the United Provinces except Nimueguen because that Town being Neutral and appointed for the Treaty of the General Peace it did not seem expedient that they who by a separate Treaty were freed from the calamities of War should therefore rejoyce in presence of those who still lay under the burden thereof And it was upon that account that the Ambassadors of the Emperor and of the other Confederates desired the Ambassadors of the States-General that they would not suffer any publick rejoycing to be made in that place before the conclusion of the General Peace The French King who seemed to be no less desirous of the peace of the Empire than of that of Spain put himself in a posture of making the Princes who were engaged in that War to consent to it and for that end he caused a considerable body of his forces to march into the Countrey of Juliers under the command of Monsieur Calvo who possessed
seeing the peace fully concluded on the third of the Month made their protestations against it they complained that the Emperors Ambassadors had consented to matters which so nearly concerned the Princes their Masters that they had not only neglected all their interests but also that they had given their Enemies liberty to pursue the War even into the heart of their own countrey That they had treated about the rights of all the States of the Empire so far as to abolish some Decrees concerning them without the knowledg of the Princes who were most interested therein In a word they solemnly protested against that separate peace which ought to be reckoned null and no way prejudicial to their Leagues nor to the Decrees of the Empire These Ambassadors omitted no formalities which they judged necessary for maintaining the pretensions of their Masters And therefore on the 4th they made a conditional protestation against the peace made by the Emperor with Sueden because they saw it ready to be concluded and signed the same day with that of the Emperor with France They said that they could the less be persuaded that the Imperial Ambassadors would do such a wrong to the Princes their Masters that Sueden had been treated during the War as a State and member of the Empire guilty of breaking the publick peace and in that notion cited and condemned by the Empire in the usual forms So that in what manner soever the Emperor might reconcile himself to that Crown they had reason to protest against the validity of that peace and at the same time for all the damages that their Masters might suffer thereby The Ministers and Plenipotentiaries of the Princes of Brunswick-Lunenbourg who hitherto had exerted no publick act of their function the same day protested against those two Treaties in the same terms and upon the same pretexts that the Ambassadors of Denmark and Brandenbourg had done Perhaps they were ignorant that the Princes their Masters were concluding their particular Peace at home with France and Sueden whilst they complained so loudly at Nimueguen against that of the Emperor Nevertheless these proceedings hinder'd not but that the peace was next day signed though the Imperial Ambassadors endeavoured under various pretexts to have the signing of it delayed The 5th at noon these Ambassadors sent the Nuncio's Auditor to entreat the French that they would defer the matter until the day following in respect there was so much Writing required before the Treaty could be drawn up fair that it was impossible it could be ready to be signed that evening But all the answer they had was That there was time more than enough for putting things in a condition and that if the peace was not signed by ten of the clock they had orders from the King their Master not to sign it next day It seemed to be the fate of the Mediators not to sign any Treaty of peace they refused to sign that of the Dutch because it was separate and had been managed without their privity and they medled not in that of Spain which was a consequent on the former But seeing they had been the Mediators of the Treaty of the Empire they thought nothing should have hinder'd them from signing that peace Nevertheless the Ambassadors of his Imperial Majesty having failed in yeilding the honour to the English as Mediators according to the practice of Cologn and Nimueguen which occasioned though no obstacle nor difficulty in the course of the Negotiation they were likewise ambiguous in their answers when the Mediators sent to enquire of them how they pretended to carry themselves in the signing of the Treaty But when they were upon the point of going to sign the Treaty the Imperial Ambassadors positively declared That they would not consent that the English should sign first So that seeing they could not sign it either as Mediators in which case they ought to have the first place as due to them in that quality or as English for then the French would not write after them it was impossible to find out any expedient to adjust that difficulty And therefore Ambassador Temple said true when he protested a long time before That he would not sign the Peace whilst the affairs of France were in such a condition as to have it concluded to the advantage of that Crown And all the fruit of his hasty journey to Nimueguen to sign a Peace so advantageous to France was his displeasure for undertaking it in the coldest season that for these twenty years has been known in Holland Upon the French Ambassadors refusal to delay the signing of the Peace until next day the Imperialists lost no time and all things were ready that evening About ten of the clock all the Ambassadors went to the Town-house with several Coaches and many Flambeaus So soon as the French Ambassadors were in their Chamber they sent to compliment the Imperialists and to tell them That when they pleased they would come into the Hall which was prepared for the signing of the Peace The Imperialists returned them the same compliment and so the French entred first into the Hall which was above stairs and opposite to their room and they placed themselves at the Table on the left hand of the entry Immediately after the Imperial Ambassadors came up and took place over-against the French The dores were open and a great many Gentlemen of both Nations and several others whom curiosity to see so solemn a ceremony had invited to Nimueguen stood behind the Ambassadors M. Stratman brought the Treaty of the Empire and M. Colbert that of France The Count d' Avaux had affairs at the Hague that hinder'd him from being at that Ceremony The two Treaties were written in Latine and for comparing of them M. Stratman began to read but having read some pages of it M. Colbert offered to ease him and the whole Treaty being so read over by turns the Imperialists according to their several qualities signed it in one colume on the right hand then they took that of France which they signed in the same manner whilst the French signed that of the Imperialists in one colume on the left hand as the Imperialists did that of France but the Count d' Avaux being absent a space was left for his name and a Chair set in the place which he ought to have taken Afterward the Bishop of Gurck made a congratulatory compliment upon the happy conclusion of so great an affair as the Peace of the Empire which would restore repose and tranquility to the rest of Christendom that were still in War The Ministers of the Northern Princes who were not comprehended in that Peace being dissatisfied with the conduct of the Imperialists spoke in another strain of language M. Heng the Danish Ambassador next day after publickly expressed his discontent at the house of the Marshal D' Estrades He scrupled not to say openly in company yea and several times to repeat it That if it