Selected quad for the lemma: peace_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A47213
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A letter from a gentleman to his friend, on the treaty for dividing the Spanish monarchy, if the king of Spain should die without a son
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W. K.
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1700
(1700)
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Wing K25; ESTC R213549
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2,169
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2
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A LETTER From a Gentleman to his Friend ON THE TREATY For DIVIDING the Spanish Monarchy IF THE KING of SPAIN Should DIE without a SON SIR I wonder that the Treaty and Design of Divinding the Spanish Monarchy should make a Noise and raise such violent Discourses as I have heard and such Threatnings of the Ministers that advised the King to make such a Treaty as if by that Treaty France was already Crown'd Universal Monarch of Europe But I say this was certainly the Wisest and most Politick thing His Majesty could do for England next having Redeem'd us from Popery Slavery And if the King was thereunto advised by any of his Council those Counsellors deserve to have their Statues set up and have the Publick Thanks and Prayers of the Nation and our false Politicians who exclaim against the said Treaty will be found either Fools or Knaves or Malicious Villains that would disturb the Government Some discontented Men that have either been turn'd out of their Places for Jacobitism or that hope to have their Mouths stopt with Places or Money and I expect to see them in Print Spitting their Venom and shewing their Malice to this our Happy Government But all Wise Honest and true Lovers of England will sagaciously think and consider well before they exclaim against the Actions and Counsels of a King to whose Courage and Wisdom We and all Europe owe our Liberty and the Peace we now Enjoy I pretend neither to Wit nor Eloquence much less to be a Politician or to be a Privy-Councellor but I am an English-Man and hate the Ingratitude of many of my Country-men to this Great Prince whom Heaven has given us Every Cobler in England is a Politician Reads the Gazette and Post-boy then Preaches and explains some Text from Ditto which the Rabble take for Gospel truly such are the Railers at this Treaty but know nothing of the main Design Now Sir I will not Condemn them without giving my Reasons for it as these ill People do without knowing why this Treaty was made for I dare say they were not ask'd to give their Opinions no more than my self who do not think it Necessary to write a Volume of what is said on this Subject nor is it fit for me to pretend to Penetrate into a Kings Thoughts but I plainly give you mine and Thoughts ought to be free First I do believe the Distemper of the King of Spain may be the Cause that the French King was so desirous for a Peace that he might be at Liberty to assert the Dauphius Pretensions to the Crown of Spain if the King of Spain Dyed and for ought I know France may have made an offer to the King or his Ministers at the Treaty at Reyswick if France did make that offer pray tell me was it not Wisely and Politickly done if his Majesty or his Ministers should answer that it would not be proper at that time and place lest the Emperour and Spain should break off the Treaty If the French did obtain a Promise for this Treaty when the Peace was made and all the Towns and Countreys delivered up I say if they did Pray tell me was it not reasonable and fit England and Holland should make good their Promise by which the so much desired Peace was obtained and a Petty Kingdom given back which France cannot retake in Twenty years tho' England stood Neuter These Towns have enlarged and Strengthned the Barrier of Holland and Flanders which is the Interest of England to the highest Degree for were Holland and Flanders over-run pray what would become of England This was thought of in King Charles his Reign who put a stop to the French Conquests when France was at the very Gates of Amsterdam Next I consider this Agreement or Treaty is of no consequence to the French King For the King of Spain is not Dead he may have a Son and the French King is not Immmortal But suppose the King of Spain were Dead and hath no Son I believe the Spaniards will chuse themselves a King the Emperour hath Peace with the Turk and will not easily give up his Interest or Abandon the House of Austria Italy will hardly chuse the French King for Pope For Rome would soon be his if Naples Sicily and Spain were in his Power Venice will not like such a Neighbour nor will Savoy or the Suiss be easy If now a French Man should ask me What will the English and Dutch do in case all these Nations oppose this Division of the Spanish Monarchy I would answer the French man with this Question Whether he would have me take it ill of him if he did not punctually meet me at the Royal-Exchange at 12 a Clock if he had broke his Leg at Temple-Bar at 11. Can France expect the King of England should go a Voluntier in his Army to force the Emperour Spain Italy Venice Savoy and the Suiss to make him Monarch of Europe Or can it be imagin'd considering the value and Jealousy the English and Dutch have for their Trade and Liberty that they will run Headlong to raise a Power to devour themselves Why then all this Noise but Maliciously to endeavour to make a Discord between our Great King and his Good Subjects Is it not better to think as I do for I only write my Thoughts I am no Privy-Counsellor but I believe it is more Honest and more my Duty to think the best of my Superiors than Ungratefully to Exclaim against them who are set over us and from whence we reap such great Blessings as Peace affords after our Preservation from Popery and Slavery Thus Sir I have given you my Reasons for what I have said on the Subject for Dividing the Spanish Monarchy in Case the King of Spain should Dye and leave no Heir I am very short on every Paragraph and not fond of Scribling And Hudibras tells us Brevity is always good Whether we are or are not understood Besides I would not be bid to meddle with my own Business This from Sir Your Humble Servant W.K. LONDON Printed for J. Nutt near Stationers-Hall 1700.