assistance either for the whole or a part at the choice of the said King All these Aids shall be furnish'd within six Weeks after they shall be demanded and the said King shall reimburse the whole charge to the said States within three Years after the Conclusion of the War II. That if any Prince State or other Person whatever without exception shall under any Pretext invade or attempt to invade the United Provinces or any Places situated within the Jurisdiction of the said States General or garrison'd by their Soldiers or shall exercise any act of Hostility by Land or by Sea against the said States general or their Subjects the said King shall be obliged as by Virtue of these Presents he is obliged to send forty Ships of War well furnished with all things necessary to assist the said States General to oppose suppress and repel all such Insults and Acts of Hostility and to procure due Reparation for any Damages sustained by them That is to say Fourteen of the said Ships shall carry from sixty to eighty great Guns and four hundred Men a just Allowance and Computation being made as well with regard to those Ships that carry a greater as those that carry a lesser number of Men Fourteen other Ships shall carry from forty to sixty Guns and one with another three hundred Men at the least Allowance to be made as before and none of the rest to carry less than six and thirty Guns and a hundred and fifty Men. Besides which He shall assist them with six thousand Foot-Souldiers and four hundred Horse or shall pay a Summ of Money with due regard to the just value of such an Assistance either for the whole or a part at the choice of the said States All these Aids shall be furnished within six Weeks after they shall be demanded And the said States shall reimburse the whole charge to the said King within three Years after the Conclusion of the War III. The said Ships of War and the said auxiliary Forces of Horse and Foot together with the Commanders of the Ships and Forces and all the subaltern Officers of both that shall be sent to the Assistance of the Party injured and attack'd shall be obliged to submit to his Pleasure and be obedient to the Orders of him or them who shall be appointed to command the Armies in chief either by Sea or Land IV. Now that an exact Computation may be made of the Charges that are to be reimburs'd within the space of three Years after the conclusion of the War and that the value of such Assistance may be adjusted in ready Money which possibly the Party attack'd may chuse either for the whole or a part of the said Ships Horse and Foot 'T is thought expedient That the fourteen Ships carrying from sixty to eighty pieces of Cannon should be valued at the Summ of eighteen thousand six hundred and sixty six Pounds sterling or of English Money the other fourteen which carry from forty to sixty Guns at fourteen thousand Pounds sterling and the remaining twelve at six thousand Pounds of the same Money Six thousand Foot at seven thousand five hundred Pounds sterling and four hundred Horse at one thousand four hundred Pounds for one Month The Money to be paid by the said King of Great Britain at London and by the said States General at Amsterdam according as the course of the Exchange shall be at the time when Payment is to be made But in consideration of the six thousand Foot-Soldiers the Summ of six thousand Pounds sterling shall be pay'd within the first Month to defray the Expence of listing and providing the Men. V. This League with all and every thing therein contained shall be confirmed and ratified by the said King of Great Britain and the said States General of the United Provinces by Letters Patents of both Parties sealed with their Great Seal in due and authentick Form within four Weeks next ensuing or sooner if it may be and the mutual Instruments of Ratification shall be exchang'd on each part within the said time Here follows a Copy of the Powers granted by the most Serene King of Great Britain c. Charles by the Grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. To all c. A Copy of the Powers granted by the High and Mighty Lords the States General of the United Netherlands The States General of the United Provinces of the Netherlands To all those c. In Witness and Confirmation of all and every part of this Treaty We whose Names are underwritten have subscribed and sealed the same at the Hague in Holland the 23d of January 1668. Signed on the King of England's Part W. Temple On the Part of the States Gellicom Asperen J. de Witte Crommon Vnkel Jacob Van Coeverden K. Isbrants Factum tripliciter conventum QVandoquidem pactis non ita pridem Bredae inter Magnae Britanniae Regem foederati Belgii Ordines generales conclusis pristina inter utramque Nationem Amicitia ac bona Correspondentia annuente divina gratia restituta ade ó â—ue ad praecidendam omnem omninò in posterum novis dissidiis ansam atque ad praevenienda nova inter utriusque partis subditos accidentia quae dictam amicitiam ac bonam correspondentiam turbare aliquando possint in Articulos quosdam Legesque navigationis ac commerciorum ibidem consensum atque speciatim undecimo dicti Tractatus Articulo statutum sit uti dictus Dominus Rex dictique Domini Ordines Generales maneant Amici confoederati Necessitudine Amicitiâ conjuncti astricti ad Jura atque Immunitates Subditorum alterutrius contra quoscunque demum tuendas qui utriusve status Pacem Terra Marive disturbare conabuntur vel qui infra alterutra Dominia degentes publici utriusque status Hostes donunciabuntur neque tamen specificè definita reperiantur media auxiliave quibus Foederatorum pars una alteri tali in casu succurrere debeat Dicto autem magnae Britanniae Regi dictisque Ordinibus Generalibus stet Sententia ist haec Pacta corroborandi magis magisque perficiendi Placuiâ— imprimis atque ante omnia dictum Tractatum Bredae conclusum dictasque Leges Navigationis ac Commerciorum eo spectantes confirmare quemadmodum per praesentia confirmantur obligatione mutua atque indissolubili eas bona Fide observandi atque adimplendi jubendique ut à subditis utrinque exacte atque religiose observentur atque adimpleantur juxta genuinum dicti Tractatus dictorumque Articulorum Sensum ac Tenorem Vt autem praeterea de specialiore auxiliorum mutuo praestandorum designatione prioribus Pactis omissa pro Amicitiae inter dictum Dominum Regem dictosque Dominos Ordines Generales Incremento majori câ—nstet utque securitati defensioni mutuae utriusque status contra infâ—stos conatus vel insultus Hostiles à quoquam fâ—rte quâ—cunque demum sub praetextu instituendos
a leur merite a leurs qualitez personnelles M'accorderez vous la liberte de vous prier d'envoyer une copie de cette Lettre aux Ambassadeurs d'Hollande a Londres avec ordre de la faire voir a Milord Arlington car je me defie extremement du courier de Nieuport trop expose a la rencontre des François je ne suis pas encore assez grand Maître dans mon chiffre pour m'en servir dans les affaires d'un aussi long detail Je vous prie de m'aider a me conserver dans le souvenir de mes amis de la Haye de me croire toujours autant que personne du monde Monsieur Vôtre tres humble tres affectionne Serviteur The Memorial given to the Marquess of Castel-Rodrigo Febr. 1668. My Lord THE under-signed Resident of the King of Great Britain and the Deputies Extraordinary of the States General of the Vnited Neitherlands find themselves obliged to represent to your Excellency That his Majesty and their High and Mightinesses having lately concluded a Treaty by which they have not only provided for their proper Security but also for the Peace and Quiet of Christendom in case their Neighbours proceed in it with the same good Intentions wherewith the said Allies have begun this Affair His said Majesty and Their High and Mightinesses for the better perfecting so Christian a Work having given Orders to their Ministers residing at the Courts of both Kings at present in War to endeavour by all means and by a common Concert to dispose both the said Kings to accept the means proposed by the said Allies as the readiest and most necessary for arriving at so happy an End that is to say to accept the Peace upon the Alternative already proposed And to prevent the Accidents that may intervene to hinder the Progress of the Treaty to consent also immediately to a Truce 'till the end of March and in the mean while to send their Plenipotentiaries to Aix la Chapelle furnish'd with Instructions and Powers necessary to treat and conclude a Peace upon the said Alternative that the Fire at present kindled and whereof in all appearance the Sparks are ready to fly through the greatest Part of Christendom may be soon extinguished and give place to a general and lasting Peace to the safety of all those who find themselves engaged in the sad Effects or Consequences of the present War The said Resident and Deputies extraordinary are more particularly obliged by the Orders of their Masters to represent to your Excellency how glorious it will be to you how advantageous to the common Ends of the Peace and how necessary for preserving to Spain the remainder of Flanders that your Excellency by virtue of your Powers would make the first Step in this great Affair by consenting readily to the said Alternative and to the said Truce and to the dispatching of the said Plenipotentiaries to Aix la Chapelle and for the better entring into this Negotiation and the said Truce That your Excellency will declare immediately your Acceptation of the Truce which the most Christian King has proposed from the 18th of November to the last of March 1668. And upon all these Points the said Resident and Deputies extraordinary do pray your Excellency with all possible Instances to give them a speedy and plain Answer agreeable to the good and holy Dispositions wherewith his Majesty and Their High and Mightinesses have begun and pursued this glorious and Christian Design of a general Peace Memoire au Marquis de Castel-Rodrigo Anvers Fevr. 1668. Monsieur LES sous-signez Resident de la Grande Bretagne les Deputez extraordinaires des Etats Generaux de Provinces Vnies de Pâ—ï bas se trouvent obligez de representer à V. E que sa Majesté leurs Hautes Puissances ayans depuis peu conclus un traité par lequel ils n'ont pas â—eulement pourvû a leur propre seureté mais aussi á la paix repos de la Chretiente en cas que leurs voisins y procedent avec les memes bonnes intentions dont les dits Alliez on t entame cette affaire sa dite Majeste leurs Hautes Puissances pour mieux acheminer un ouvrage si Chretien ont donné ordres à leurs Ministres auprés de deux Couronnes à present en guerre de tacher par tous moyens par un Concert commun de disposer les dites deux Couronnes à accepter les moyens proposez par les dits Alliez comme les plus prompts les plus necessaires pour arriver à une fin si heureuse c'est à dire de consentir à la paix sur l'Alternative deja proposée pour prevenir les accidens qui pourront survenir pour empecher le progrez d'un traité de consentir aussi promptement à une treve jusqu'é la fin du mois de Mars en attendant d'envoyer leurs Plenipotentiaires à la Ville d'Aix la Chapelle munis des Instructions de pouvoirs requis pour y traiter conclurre la Paix sur la dite Alternative afin que le feu qui se voit à present allumé duquel les estincelles se vont en apparence jetter dans la plus grande part de la Chretiente se puisse bientôt etouffer faire place a une paix generale durable salutaire a tous ceux qui se trouvent enveloppes ou dans les effets ou dans les consequences funestes de la guerre presente Les dits Resident les Deputez Extraordinaires se trouvent plus particulierement obliges par les ordres de leurs Maitres de representer a V. E. combien il luy sera glorieux avantaguex a la fin commune de la paix necessaire a la conservation de ce qui reste a l' Espagne dans les Pais bas que V. E. en vertu de ses pouvoirs fasse le premier pas dans cette grande affaire en consentant promptement a la dite l'Alternative a la dite Treve a la depeche des dits Plenipotentiaires a la Ville d'Aix la Chapelle Et aussi pour mieux acheminer cette Negotiatiation la dite Treve que V.E. se declare promptement d'accepter la treve que sa Majeste Tres Chretienne a proposee le 18 de Novembre 1667 jusqu'au dernier jour de Mars 1668. Et sur tous ces points les dits Resident les Deputez Extraordinaires se trouvent obliges de prier V. E. avec toutes les instances possibles de leur donner une reponse prompte nette agreable aux bonnes saintes dispositions avec lesquelles sa Majeste leurs Hautes Puissances on t entame poursuivi ce dessein glorieux Chretien de la Paix commune To my Lord Hallifax Brussels March 2. S. N. 1668. My Lord IT would
and bestow your Friendship only upon such as deserve it since you cause Persons to be employ'd who acquit themselves so worthily I think my self happy to have negotiated with him and that by his means your Lordship hath been pleased to give me a new Testimony of your Goodwill For the Favour you say His Majesty is pleased to have for me I have no otherwise deserved it than by my Respects for his Royal Person whereof I shall endeavour to give Proofs upon all Occasions His Majesty will please to afford me In the mean while I shall wait with Impatience for some Opportunity to shew how sensible I am of all your Lordships Civilities which I shall ever acknowledge by a true Esteem for your Merits and by a strong Passion to let you see that I am with as much Sincerity as you can desire My Lord Your c. Monsieur de Witt á Milord Arlington Le 14. Fevr. S. N. 1668. Monsieur COmme il n'etoit pas possible d'envoyer icy un Ministre plus capable ni plus propre pour le naturel le Genie de cette nation que Monsieur le Chevalier Temple aussi croy-je que l'on n'auroit pas pû choifir une personne qui puisse ou venille plus equitablement juger de la disposition en laquelle il a trouvée les Etats á repondre aux bonnes intentions du Roy de la Grande Bretagne Il ne doit pas etre moins satisfait de la promptitude avec laquelle les Etats ont passé outre á la conclusion signature de traitez pour lesquels il est venu icy qu'ils sont de sa conduite de sa belle maniere d'agir en toute la suite de sa negâ—tâ—ation Il paroit Monsieur que vous vous connoissez en hommes que vous ne donnez votre amitié qu'á ceux qui la meritent puisque vous faites employer des personnes qui s'acquittent si dignement Je m'estime heureux d'avoir eu á negotier avec luy de ce que par son moyen il vous a plû me donner un nouveau temoignage de votre Bienveillance Pour ce qui est de la bonté que vous dites que sa Majesté a pour moy je ne l'ay merité point que par le respect que j'ay pour sa personne Royale dont je tacheray de luy donner des preuvez á toutes les occasions qu'Elle me faira la grace de m'en faire naître J'attens bien avec autant d'impatience celles ou je vous puisse temoigner combienje suis sensible á toutes vos civilitez que je reconnoitray toujours par un veritable estime pour votre merite par une trés forte passion de vous faire voir que je suis aveâ— autant de sincerité que vous pouvez desirer Monsieur Votre c. The Triple Alliance copied from the Original Papers WHereas by the late Treaty concluded at Breda between the King of Great Britain and the States General of the United Netherlands both Nations have been restored through the Blessing of God to that ancient Friendship and good Correspondence which was between them And in Order to cut off all Occasions of farther Differences and to prevent all new Accidents which might tend to the Disturbance of the said Amity and good Correspondence of the Subjects on either part some Articles and Rules of Navigation and Commerce were there agreed and particularly by the Eleventh Article of the said Treaty it was ordained That the said King and the said States General shall be oblig'd as Friends Allies and Confederates mutually to defend the Rights and Immunities of each others Subjects against all such as shall endeavour to disturb the Peace of either State by Sea or by Land or such as living within the Dominions of either shall be declared publick Enemies by the one or the other And because it is not particularly determined in what way and manner the said Confederates stand oblig'd mutually to succour each other and that it is the fix'd Resolution of the said King of Great Britain and of the said States General more and more to corroborate and accomplish the said Agreement Therefore in the first place and above all other things they consent to confirm the said Treaty concluded at Breda together with the said Laws of Navigation and Commerce relating to the same as by these Presents they are confirm'd under a mutual and undissolvable Obligation to observe and accomplish them truly and faithfully and to command the Subjects on both sides exactly and religiously to observe and fulfill them according to the genuine Sense and Tenor of the said Treaty and Articles And for the better ascertaining the mutual Assistance that the Parties are to give to each other which was omitted in the preceeding Treaty for increasing Amity and Friendship between the said King and States General and that full Provision may be made by a nearer Alliance and Union for the safety and mutual defence of both States against the pernicious Endeavours and hostile Attempts of any Enemy under any Pretext whatever We whose Names are underwritten in virtue of the Orders and full Powers granted to us and hereunder to be inserted do covenant and agree That the said King of Great Britain and the said States General of the united Netherlands shall be mutually obliged united and confederated together as they are by the Force and Virtue of these Presents mutually obliged united and confederated in a perpetual League defensive in the manner and under the Conditions following I. That if any Prince State or other Person whatever without exception shall under any Pretext invade or attempt to invade the Territories Countries or any Places that lie within the Dominions of the said King of Great Britain or shall exercise any Acts of Hostility by Sea or by Land against the said King or his Subjects the said States General shall be obliged as by Virtue of these Presents they are obliged to send forty Ships of War well furnish'd with all things necessary to assist the said King to oppose suppress and repel all such Insults and acts of Hostility and to procure him due reparation for any Damages sustained That is to say Fourteen of the said Ships shall carry from sixty to eighty great Guns and four hundred Men a just allowance and computation being made as well with respect to those Ships that carry a greater as those that carry a lesser number of Men Fourteen other Ships shall carry from forty to sixty Guns and one with another three hundred Men at the least Allowance to be made as before and none of the rest to carry less than six and thirty Guns and a hundred and fifty Men. Besides which they shall assist him with six thousand Foot-Soldiers and four hundred Horse or shall pay a Summ of Money with due regard to the just value of such an
Neighbourhood and having observ'd That the Flames of that Fire have insinuated themselves among their Neighbours which by inevitable necessity will involve the greatest Part of the Princes and States of Christendom in the same Calamities unless they may be timely extinguish'd before they gather greater Force Have thought that they could not discharge the Duty of that Trust and the respective Offices wherein they are placed by God if after the Re-establishment of a mutual Friendship and Alliance between the Nations of Great Britain and the United Netherlands and the Conclusion of a Peace between the four powerful States that were Parties in that bloody War They should not apply their Minds with the utmost Diligence and Industry to compose the differences that have arisen between the said two Crowns and more especially to take care That the Flames of that War which have been kindled in their Neighbourhood may be extinguished Therefore The most Serene King of Great Britain and the High and Mighty States of the United Netherlands having with much Labour and eâ—â—nest Intreaty induced the most Christian King to profess solemnly to the said States General That he would immediately lay down his Arms if the Spaniard would either consent to yield up to him in due form and manner by a Treaty of Peace all those Places and Forts together with the Chastelanies and their Dependencies which he possess'd himself of in the Expedition of the last Year Or will be perswaded to transfer and make over to him all the right that remains to them in the Dutchy of Luxemburg or else in the County of Burgundy together with Cambray and the Cambresis Doway Aire St. Omer Winoxbergen Furnes and Lincken with their Bailiwicks Chastelanies and other Dependencies and in case they accept the Alternative last mention'd the most Christian King will restore to the King of Spain all such Places and Territories as the French have possess'd by their Arms since they entred Flanders Provided the High and Mighty States General shall on their part promise and render themselves Guarrantees to the most Christian King That they will by their Reasons and other effectual Means induce the Spaniards to agree to these Conditions The said King of Great Britain and the said States General jointly conclude and judge That they can do no better Service in this Conjuncture and State of Affairs either to the two Kings before named or to the rest of the neighbouring Princes and States than by their joint Counsels and utmost Endeavours to exhort and as much as in them lies oblige the said two Crowns to make Peace upon the Terms and Conditions before mention'd To which end we whose names are hereunto subscribed having receiv'd full Power to that Effect have by Virtue of those Injunctions concluded and agreed the following Articles I. That the King of Great Britain and the States General of the United Netherlands shall either jointly or separately provided their Intentions be mutually communicated and no way repugnant to this Agreement use their utmost Endeavors and Industry with the most Christian King to perswade him to promise and engage in the best Form and by a solemn Treaty to the King of Great Britain and to the States General of the United Netherlands That he will conclude a Peace and Alliance with the King of Spain without any Exception or Reserve under whatever Pretext or for whatever Cause if the King of Spain shall be induced or perswaded by the King of Great Britain and the Confederated States to yield to the most Christian King either the Places he possess'd himself of the last Year in the Low-Countries or to give him an Equivalent by delivering up the Places above mention'd or others in lieu of them as shall be mutually agreed betwen the Parties concerned II. That the most Christian King be induced to consent That the present Cessation of Arms in the Low-Countries may be prolong'd to the End of the Month of May to the end that the King of Great Britain and the confederated States may in the mean time employ themselves with all Diligence Care and Industry to procure the Consent of the King or Queen of Spain and their Council to the aforesaid Terms and Conditions III. But that the most Christian King may have no just occasion to refuse to prolong the Cessation of Arms the King of Great Britain and the Confederated States shall oblige themselves by the same Treaty to take effectual Care That the Spaniards shall yield to France all that was taken the last Year by the French or give them an Equivalent as shall be agreed with the Consent of both Parties IV. That the most Christian King shall be induced and perswaded to give intire Credit to and put full Confidence in the aforesaid Promise that his Arms may not for the future disturb the Quiet of the Low-Countries So that if it should happen contrary to all hope and expectation that the King of Great Britain and the confederated States shall not be able by their Exhortations and earnest Sollicitations to perswade the Spaniards to give their Consent to the Conditions above-mention'd before the end of the next ensuing May and that it become necessary to use more effectual means to that purpose Nevertheless the French shall not move or introduce their Arms within or upon the Limits of the said Low-Countries but the King of Great Britain and the confederated States shall engage and take upon themselves to make such necessary Provision as may effectually oblige the Spaniards to accept the foresaid Conditions of Peace And it shall not be left to the Discretion of the most Christian King either to exercise any Acts of Hostility in the said Countries or to possess himself of any Town tho' by voluntary Surrender unless the King of Great Britain and the Confederated States shall cease and omit to prosecute the Things above-mention'd V. That when the Peace is made between the two Crowns not only the King of Great Britain and the confederated States but likewise the Emperor and all the neighbouring Kings and Princes who shall think themselves concern'd that the Quiet of Christendom remain unshaken and the Low-Countries be restored to the Enjoyment of their former Tranquillity shall be Guarrantees and Conservators of the same To which end the number of Forces and other means to be used against either of the Parties that shall violate or infringe the said Peace shall be determin'd and agreed that the Injury may cease and the Party offended receive Satisfaction VI. That this Agreement with all and every thing therein contain'd shall be confirm'd and ratified by the said King of Great Britain and the said States General of the United Provinces by Letters Patents on both sides sealed with the Great Seal in due and authentick Form within four Weeks next ensuing or sooner if it can be done and within the said time the mutual Instruments of Ratification shall be exchanged on both sides In Witness and Confirmation
Januarii 1668. Signed as before Separate Articles which shall be of the same Force and Authority as if they had been inserted in the Treaty concluded this Day between the King of Great Britain and the States General of the United Netherlands I. Iâ— in the procuring of a Peace between Fâ—ance and Spain any Difficulty should arise about the Point of the Renunciation 't is to be so contriv'd That either no mention at all is to be made of it in the Treaty or at least the Form is to be conceiv'd and set down in such Words as nothing may accrue to either of the two Crowns on account of the said Renunciation nor any Prejudice be created to either of them in Point of Right But if either the King of Spain or the most Christian King refuse their Consent to this Expedient then the King of Great Britain and the confederated States shall proceed against the Refuser as is agreed by the third and fourth Article of the Treaty and in the last of these Articles respectively with this Condition however That in case such refusal proceed from the King of Spain the most Christian King shall oblige himself not to make War in the Low-Countries according to the Tenor of the fourth Article II. That the King of Great Britain and the States General of the United Netherlands to the end that all Parties may be satisfied shall oblige themselves to use their utmost Endeavours that a Peace may at the same time be establish'd between the Kings of Spain and Portugal but with this Condition That the most Christian King shall also oblige himself in case this Negotiation cannot be so soon accomplish'd that such a Delay shall no way hinder on his Part the Peace between him and Spain except only That it shall he free for the said most Christian King to give Succour and Aid to the King of Portugal his Ally either by way of Attack that he may draw the Enemy fron other Parts or by an other means which he shall judge to be most convenient and advantagious And if the Spaniards can be brought to consent to a Peace under the said Condition and the same be concluded accordingly then the most Christian King shall be oblig'd wholly to abstain from the Low-Countries as possess'd of Peace and not involv'd in the Disputes of either Party Neither shall it be lawful for him to form any Designs against them either by open force or clandestine Practices nor to require any Satisfaction under the Pretext of Charges and Expences to be sustained on account of the War in Portugal either for raising Men or any other Burdens of that War And if it should happen that during the said War the auxiliary Forces of the most Christian King should possess themselves of any Places in Spain or Italy the said most Christian King shall restore them to Spain as soon as the Peace with Portugal shall be made But if beyond and contrary to Expectation Spain should refuse to make Peace with the King of Portugal and also with the most Christian King under that Exception of leaving him free to assist his Confederate as has been already said In this unexpected case The King of Great Britain and the confederated States shall be bound to employ themselves effectually to procure the Consent of the Spaniards yet with this Provision That the most Christian King do also oblige himself not to make War in the Low-Countries as in the former Case is already said III. But if beyond all expectation the most Christian King should entertain such Thoughts as shall induce him to refuse to promise That he will sign the Treaty of Peace as soon as the Spaniards shall consent to give up all those Places which have been acquir'd by him in his last Expedition or such an Equivalent as shall be agreed by mutual Consent or in case he shall not accomplish his Promise or shall disallow or reject the Cautions and Provisions that are express'd in the said Treaty which are so necessary to obviate the Fears and Jealousies that are most justly conceiv'd of the most Christian King's Intentions to make a farther progress with his victorious Arms into the said Low-Countries so often already mention'd In all these Cases and also if he should endeavour by any Subterfuges or oblique Practices to hinder or elude the Conclusion of the Peace Then England and the United Netherlands shall be bound and oblig'd to join themselves to the King of Spain and with all their united Force and Power to make War against France not only to compel him to make Peace upon the Conditions aforesaid but if God should bless the Arms taken up to this end and favour them with success and if it shall be thought expedient to the Parties concern'd to continue the War 'till things shall be restored to that Condition in which they were at the time when the Peace was made upon the Borders of both Kingdoms in the Pyrenaean Mountains IV. These separate Articles with all and every thing therein contain'd shall be confirm'd and ratified by the said King of Great Britain and the said States General of the United Provinces by Letters Patents of both Parties sealed with their Great Seal in due and authentick Form within four Weeks next ensuing or sooner if it may be and within the said time the mutual Instruments of Ratification shall be exchang'd on both sides Done at the Hague in Holland the 23d of January 1668. Signed as before Articuli separati qui ejusdem erunt Virtutis atque Authoritatis ac si inserti forent Tractatui hodierno Die intra Regem Magnae Britanniae Ordines Generales foederati Belgii concluso I. SI in procuranda pace inter Galliam Hispaniam se offerat aliqua difficultas super puncto renunciationis ea ineunda est ratio ut vel nulla ejus in pactis fiat mentio vel ut ejusmodi Verbis concipiatur Formula ut neutrae duarum Coronarum quoad praedictam renunciationem eo quicquam accedat aut etiam inde creetur aliquod juris detrimentum Quod si verò Rex Hispaniarum vet etiam Rex Christianissimus in id consentire nolint adversus recusantem Rex Magnae Britanniae foederati Ordines procedent conventum est Articulo tertio quarto dicti Tracitatus ultimo horum Articulorum respectivè Ea tamen Conditione ut in casu Recusationis Regis Hispaniae Rex Christianissimus se reciprocè obstringat quemadmodùm in Articulo quarto se nullatenus arma moturum in Belgica II. Quod Rex Magnae Britanniae Ordines Generales foederati Belgii ut prolixiùs ab omni parte satisfiat se obligabunt omnem sedulò operam daturos ut Pax inter Reges Hispaniae Lusitaniae eodem tempore sanciri possit ea tamen lege ut vicissim Gallia se obstringat si tam citò non possit id negotium perduci ad exitum uti Pax inter se Hispaniam
nihilominus ineatur hoc excepto ut liberum sit Regi Christianissimo suppetias ferre Regi Lusitaniae Foederato suo eique auxilio esse sive inferendo arma sua ut aliunde detrabat hostem sive alio quocunque modo quem sibi commodissimum atque maximè ex usu fore existimabit Et si Hispani adduci poterunt ut consentiant in Pacem sub dicta conditione atque ea proinde concluclatur Rex Christianissimus tenebitur à Belgica ut pacata atque neutrarum partium rebus implicata omnâ—ò â—bstâ—nere neque ei jus fa qâ—e erit quidquam adversus eam moliri neque palam virtute bellica neque clandestinis artibus ut ne petere ullam satisfactionem sub obtentu impensarum erog tronumque quae in bello Lusitanico erunt facienâ—ae tam ob delectum Mâ—â—tum quam alia Belli Onera Quòd si contingat mâ—nente dicto Bello per Auxiliares Regis Christianissimi Copias occupari loca quaedam in Hispania Italiave Rex Christianissimus simulatque Pax cum Lusitania facta fuerit eadem restituet Hispaniae Sed si praeter contra Expectationem Hispania recuset Pacem cum Rege Lusitaniae ut cum Rege Christianissimo ea cum exce tione ut Foederato suo liberum sit ei auxiliari quemadmodùm jam dictum est hoc inopinato casu Rex Magnae Britanniae foederati Ordines tenebuntur reapse id efficere ut Hispani omnimodò in id consentiant ita tamen ut reciprocè Rex Christianissimus se obstringat quemadmo◠ùm Casu primo quod non sit moturus Arma in Belgica III. Si praeter omnem expectionem Rex Christianissimus inducat in animum ut promittere nolit quod Tractatum Pacis signaturus sit simulatque Hispani cessuri fint omnia loca ab eo occupata in novissima expeditione vel aliud tantundem valens de quo mutuo consensu convenietur aut promissorum fidem non impleat aut detrectet respuatve cautiones praemunimenta in dicto Tractatu expressa quae necessaria sunt ut obviam eatur metui justissimè concepto ne Rex Christianissimuâ— arma sua victricia in saepiùs memorata Belgica ulteriùs proferat Quod omnibus istis casibus ut si per alia Subterfugia aut obliquas Artes conetur Pacis conclusionem impedire aut eludere Anglia foederatumque Belgium tenebuntur accedere partibus Regis Hispaniae omnibusque junctis viribus Terra Marique adversus Galliam bellum gerere ut compellatur non in leges duntaxat saepiùs jam memoratas Pacem facere sed si arma in eum finem sumpta Deum habeant faventem propitium atque de communi consensu id expedire visum fuerit etiam bellum continuare donec res in eum statum fuerint restitutae quo fuerunt tempore foederis in collimitio Regnorum in Montibus Pyrenaeis sanciti IV. Articuli hi separati omniaque singula iis contenta à â—icto Domino Rege Magnae Britanniae dictisque Dominis Ordinibus Generalibus foederatarum Provinciarum per patentes utriusque partis litteras sigillo magno munitas debita authenticu Forma intra quatuor Septimanas proximè sequentes aut citiùs si fieri poterit confirmabuntur ratihahebuntur mutuaque Ratihabitionum Instrumenta intra praedictum tempus hinc inde extradentur Actum Hagae-Comitum in Hollandia Die 23 Januarii 1668. Signed as before The Sweedish Act. WHereas the King of Great Britain and the States of the United Provinces of the Netherlands have earnestly desired that the King of Sweeden might be associated with them as one Principal party in that League which is this Day concluded and signed by their Commissioners and Plenipotentiaries whereby a speedy and safe Peace may be promoted and made between the two neighbouring Kings and the publick Tranquillity of Christendom by the Blessing of God may be restored And whereas the King of Sweeden himself even from the beginning of these Differences which have grown to such a height between the two Kings has acquainted the King of Great Britain and the States of the united Netherlands with his good and sincere Intentions and Desire to associate and join himself to them in the Business above-mention'd as well in regard of the strict Friendship and Alliances which he ackowledges have joined him in one common Interest with them as that by his Accession to them all useful and honourable Means and Industry may be used to establish a Peace between the two Kings Professing that no other Difficulty has hitherto restrained him from opening his Mind upon that whole matter than That he waited to be informed what firm and deliberate Counsels the King of Great Britain and the States of the United Netherlâ—â—ds would take in this Affair and what Assistance would by requisite with other things of that kind in which the said King of Sweeden desires to be satisfied to the end that he may proceed by the like Steps and in equal manner with the King of Great Britain and the States of the United Netherlands For these Reasons 't is thought expedient for the common good That the present Instrument between the Ministers Deputies and Plenipotentiaries of the said Kings of Sweeden and Great Britain and those of the said States of the United Netherlands be put down in Writing whereby on the one hand the King of Sweeden should be oblig'd after the fore-said Satisfaction receiv'd to embrace the said League to use the same Endeavours and to proceed equally and in the like manner as the said King of Great Britain and the said States of the United Netherlands think fit to do in order to promote and carry on so useful a Work and on the other hand the said King of Sweeden will be assured That a Place is reserved for him empty and intire to enter as one Principal Party into this League as by these Presents he is desir'd in the most friendly manner both by the King of Great Britain and by the States of the United Netherlands who on their Part will most readily employ themselves and all kind of good Offices towards the Emperor and King of Spain to the end that all such Differences as the said King of Sweeden may have with them be compos'd and determin'd according to the Rules of Equity and Justice And forasmuch as concerns the Aid which is required from the said King the States General of the United Netherlands will not be wanting to send with Expedition such necessary Instructions to their Ambassadors in the Court of England that between them and such Commissioners as the said King of Great Britain shall appoint to that purpose and the Extraordinary Ambassador of the King of Sweeden who is now ready to begin his Journey thither together with other Ministers residing there on the Part of divers Princes and States who are concern'd and interested in this Affair such Measures may be taken to settle all things which shall be
omnibus vel preoibus maximé importunis in hac re valituras Ego interea curâ opere studio diligentiâ nec desum nec defuturus sum Celfitudim autem vestrae curae erit ne sacrae suae Regiae Majestati ne sibimet ipsi defuerit ne propriae denique gloriae nec saluti quas in hoc cardine rerum verâ— satis perspectum habere â—â—â—sse est Nec inter insurgentes hostes despondeâ—â—â—ro nec veteribus amiâ—â—â— ad minimum diffidat nec despereâ— de â—â—vis excitandis Multa Dies variusque labor mutabilis aivi Detulit in melius Valeat interea C.V. vincendo pergat inter auteâ—â— addict issiâ—ios ejusque rèrum studiosissimos de jure semper aestimet C. V. Observantissimum To Mr. * Afterwarde Sir William Godolphin Godolphin Brussels Apr. 1st N S. 1666. SIR AMong my few Debts I could not have imagined my self likely to have any in Spain till my late Intelligence from England and Observation of the Winds persuaded me to it as my good Conscience does to endeavour at the satisfaction of them before it be called for After I have welcomed your into the Climate with the same Chear and Kindness the Sun I know will do You must receive my Acknowledgment of two Letters I had from you before you left English Ground but withal some Reproach that you could mingle the Expressions of your Kindness with that idle Business of Accompts in which you are too just as those you had to deal with for my * For Baroneâ— Patent Fees were I think too merciful at least much more so than I expected Your Letter from Sheen was more obliging in making me believe you 〈…〉 any Thing in that Corner you could be entertained or pleased with but if it were so I fear you had your Revenge for my Wife tells me to my Face in her Letter upon that Occasion that She shall love you whilst She lives for the Kindness of that Visit What Effect this might have upon an absent Man in Spanish Air I know not but from this more temperate Climate I will assure you that I am content to share with you the Kindness of my best Friends which is all the Quarrel I will raise at this Distance upon this Occasion The last Courier from Spain renewed our Mourning at this Court for the News of * Sir Richard Fanshaw Sir R.F. and Sir R. S.'s Arrival at Madrid without Success in the Portugal Truce which being the Hinge of all Affairs at this time in Christendome is I hope reserved for your more happy and more dexterous Management I find it agreed from France with other Parts that nothing will have good Issue in Portugal without the Stile of King and methinks the Spaniards Height should rather aim at giving him King without Kingdom than Amuse about Kingdom without King The best Swords and Guns and Treasures will have ever the Power of reviving those Controversies In the mean time pray endeavour to make them sensible that the Possession of Flanders is worth the Reversion of Portugal and that they could never have such a Conjuncture to say by the Puntiglio as during their King's Minority who when grown Major may avow and disavow what he pleases of his Mother's Regency 'T is pleasant in me to be giving you Arguments but we are so full of it here as you must excuse all Impertinencies in this Matter In short this is a Business must of Necessity be done and therefore for God's Sake dispatch it And there 's an End of my wise Councils From the Marquis you must look for no great Assistance in this one Particular his Birth and Interest make it too ticklish a String for him to touch in all others assure your self I have taken a Care to press him and His Excellency the Pains to endeavour all he can possibly for preparing whatever may honour your Reception or facilitate your Negotiation and being a Person that has run through all the Business of that Monarchy and allyed to almost all the Persons of the Council I will be confident his Offices will not be useless to you as I hope some of our Countrymen's will that preceded them When you further Desire any from his Excellency here upon the Notice I doubt not to furnish you I find by him the last Promotion of Councillors was not made either by the Duke of Medina's or Castriglio's Faction or Authority but chiefly by the Queen's Confessor and on purpose to strengthen a Party dependent wholly upon her Majesty The Duke of Albuquerque you will find a Man of more Warmth than Depth and no great Leader in Council or Business Montalto is a Man of more Head has more of the Queen's Ear and runs the Fortune of growing one Day into the greatest Ministry he is at present embroyled with the Duke of Medina but if my Lord Sandwich would reconcile those two Strings and tune them together he would find it easie to concert his own Musick there D'Ayala is Herb John Aitona considered and upon his March which he may succeed well in if he contents himself to make it by slow and even Steps Pignoranda would make a third Party is learned and called wise but wants Birth and Vigour to support more Greatness than he has The Confessor is honneste Homme has lived till now retired from Business but made a great Leap into it on the sudden Castriglio and Caracena are so far known as I need say nothing of what you are to hope or fear from them in your Negotiation Pray present my humble Service to my Lord Ambassadour and give him this little Light if you think 't is worth it The French Mens Looks towards us are fair but I doubt their Meaning at the same time they offer at Accommodation they write into Holland pressing all that is possible that State 's Agreement with Munster that their Forces may be all free to fall upon England and encourage the speedy setting out of their Fleet with Assurance of their own being ready to join They mustered fifteen Thousand Men but ten Days hence near this Fronteer in great Bravery where King Queen and all the Court appeared The French King resolves to march about the first of May in the Head of them towards Sedan upon pretence to force the Duke of Lorrain to disarm or at least to know the Cause of this present Arming In the mean time the Hugonots of Poiton have put in three Requests to the King demanding Liberty of their Churches according to the Edicts of Names and mingling some Strains very bold with others very humble The Prince of Munster hath Envoys from six of his Neighbour Princes now with him treating about the Peace and Security of the Westphalian Circle and an Accommodation with Holland all which gives Jealousie of his Honour and Constancy The Elector of Brandenburg hath put in a Memorial to the States recommending passionately the Interest of the Prince of Orange which hath given
will infinitely better judge than I to what to attribute the present ill Posture of our Affairs in Spain and how to retrieve it I am ever My Lord Your Lordship 's most obedient and most humble Servant To Don Estavan de Gamarra the Spanish Ambassadour at the Hague Brussels Mar. 29. S. N. 1667. My Lord I Do not know how to acquit my self of the Obligation my Lord Stafford has engaged me in to your Excellency in begging your Favour to procure a Passport from the States for my Wife Your Excellency I am sure will excuse the Care of a Mother in providing all that lay in her Power for the safety of her Children and who to ease her self in it has methinks considered so little to whom she was troublesom If I had been consulted upon this occasion I should not have suffered one I am so nearly concerned in to owe her Safety to those who yet profess themselves Enemies to the King my Master and much less to them that treat the Wife of one of his Ministers like a Merchant in demanding an Accompt of her Goods And therefore am very glad the Passport did not come till she was a Ship-board in one of his Majesty's Yatchs trusting next to God Almighty in the Protection of his Royal Name And tho' I have not yet heard how her Journey has succeeded I esteem my self as much obliged to your Excellency whatever ever happens for your favourable Intentions upon this Occasion to a Man neither known nor deserving to be so as if you had delivered me and my Family from the greatest Dangers God Almighty preserve your Excellency many Years and give me the Occasions of serving you I am Your c. A Don Estavan de Gamarra Brussels 29 di Mar. S.N. 1667. Sennor YO no se que modo me he de rescartar del obligo en que el Sennor Conde de Stafford me ha empennado a V. E. pidiendo su favor en procurar un Passaporte de los Estados de Hollanda para mi mujer V. E. ha de perdona el recato de una sennora que tenia gana de proveyer todo lo que era possible a la seguridad de sus ninvios y para descansarse en este cuidado no se le dava nada mi pareçe a qui en cargava trabajo ni importunidad Si yo huviera sido de lajunta en esta occasion no huviera permitido que una persona que me tocava tan cerca pidiesse su seguridad de los que hazen hasta aora profession de enimigos al Rey mi Sennor y mucho menos de los que havian de trattar a la mujer de un Ministro como a Mercadera mandando la cuenta de su bagaje y por esto me huelgo mucho de que no ha venido el passaporte antes que se hay a embarcado la Sennora en un Yacht del Rey my Sennor confiando se con Dios en el amparo solo de su Real Nombre Aunque no se hasta aora en que ha parado sâ— viage Toda via por â—oque ay de las intenciones tau favorables de V. E. en esta occasion a un hombre ny conocido ny que merece seâ—lo me tengo por obligado al mismo punto como se me huviera rescatado a mi y mi familia de los mayores Peligros que se pueden topar en la mar o la tierra Dios guarde a V. E. muchos annos y a mi me de las occasiones de hazer las obras como la profession de lo que soy De V. E. May humilde Servidor To my Lady Giffard written in the Name of Gabriel Possello Amberes 30. de Marco S. N. 1667. Sennora Mia HE recebido con mucho gusto y no menorre conocimiento la guarnicion de spada que V. S. me ha hecha la merced de enbiarme la qual me ha stado mucho mas encarecida con lo que me ha dicho despues el Sennor Residente de la parte de V. S. que no era menester enternecer me en lagrimas ny oraciones como estoy accostumbrado con el sentimiento de tal obligo y que V. S. se estimara muy bien pagada con una carta Espagnola porque a mi es tan facile de mal escrivir como a V. S. de bien hazer Yes verdad que se tiendra por pagado con una carta Voto a tal que no le faltara carta aunque la pidiera en Gallego Pero digo me di veras es santa V. S. O es hechizera porque esto se a buen seguro que ha hecho milagro y con una guarnicion di plata mi ha herido hasta el coracon y aum mas fuerte que nolo pudiera hazer el mas bravo Cavallero con una oja de Toledo Pero me dira V. S. que estamos en un siglo que no es cosa mueva el hazer milagros con la plata y que con esta sola se cumplen aora hazanas mayores que no con el valor y el acero en los siglos passados Por vida mia que tiene razon V. S. y por este milagro no lo han de cortarla la capa Pero no se como ha de escapar quando la dirè que despues que he tocado esta guarnicion encantada me van amenudo cayendo las canas y en lugar de un viejo de setenta annos me hallo moco de quinze me siento calentar la sangre en las venas y bolverse en triumfo el desterrado amor para afirse d'este miserable coracon y hazer le pedacos en un punto Desdichado de mi que he de tocar otra vez estas pisados tan trabajosas de la ciega mocedad como me basta una vida a padecer dos martyrios Es possible que yo me sienta otra vez abrasor de las llammas amorozas y que de ceniza tanfria salga de nuevo tan violento fuego Que yo me voya otra vez resfriandomi con sopiros y anegandome en las lagrimas y padeciendo las penas y los afanes que no me dâ—xaran la vida si no fuera para sentir cada dia el dolor de la muerte Ah Sennora de mi alma quanto mal me ha hecho conhazarme tanto bien quanto mi ha de costar de veras la burla que me han hecho de ser enamorado di V. S. en mi viyez passada Pero quan facilemente se remedia el mas trabajoso amor con uno poco d'esperanca Yo me voy piensando que una Sennora tan complida no puede desviarse de la razon y que me haviendo tan favorecido quando estava viejo no puede faltar d'alguna piedad para mi descanso estandome aora moco y lindo y enamorado
en meme tems aux Estats par Monsieur D'Estrades Il me semble qu'il y a du defaut dans la maniere aussi bien que dans le fond de la chose meme que fi pour cette fois vos Capitaines n'en savent plus que vos Secretaires les affaires n'iront pas le train qu'on a pensé Par ce dernier ordinaire d'Espagne ils ne paroissent non plus songer á la guerre qu'au feu ou bient ils taisent a notre Ambassadeur les avis qu'ils peuvent avoir recu de deça mais notre traitté de commerce eroit encore une fois sur le point d'etre signé Ils ne font point de preparatifs contre le Portugal pour cette campagne par lá ils semblent songer seulement ou á se tenir de ce coté lá sur la defensive ou bien á entendre d un accommodement quoy qu'ils sachent bien le detail de l'accord conclu entre la France le Portugal Il n'y a rien qui m'embarasse plus que de trouver les moyens d'ecrire souvent á Breda vous ne m'envoyez point aussi votre adresse J'abandonne celle cy á mon etoile mais comme la votre l'emporte toujours sur la mienne il pourra bien arriver qu'elle manquera saroute Quelque heureux que vous soyez je vous conseille pourtant de bien faire vos affaires á Breda car dans peu de jours j'iray piller votre Maison á Brusselles vanger mon grand Oranger sur vos petits Ce ne sera pas guerre declarée mais les Hollandois vous diront que nous faisons le dâ—able á quatre en matiere de represailles Je suis c. To my Lord St. Albans Brussels May 13. S.N. 1667 My Lord SInce my Acknowledgments of the Honour I received some time since from Your Lordship I have had nothing to give me Countenance in offering any new Trouble and indeed the Party is so unequal in regard of our Stations at this time of Paris and Brussels as well as all other Circumstances that no Commerce can pass without very great Presumption on my Side and as great Condescension on your Lordship's For we are so amazed with the Numbers and Bravery of the French Preparations to invade this Countrey that we can hardly lift up our Eyes against the rising of this Sun that is said intends to burn up all before it Yet not to flatter you tho' Mens Eyes are weak at first sight when they have gazed a while I believe they will find their Hands and try to defend themselves against Gold as well as against Iron and perhaps the Stomach they have conceived at being treated with so little Ceremony as to be invaded without any Declaration of War to have the Dutchy of Brabant not esteemed worth the demanding nor any Colours given to the Justice of the Invasion will make the Defence sharper than is expected as it has done the voluntary Contributions larger than was imagined This makes all Fryars already despair of praying away the War and begin to look like other worldly Men and the very Nuns fear they may be forced to work too before the Business ends In short all prepare for a warm Summer only the Spanish Duennaes cannot think so ill of a King that married an Infanta and will never leave wondring that Un Rey qui tiene que comer en su Casa y de regalarse tanbien should resolve to give himself and them so much Trouble for nothing Our poor Nuns at Louvain have more Faith and not less Fears and therefore the Reverend Mother hath sent to desire me to recommend them to Your Lordship's Favour and to beg of you to get them a Protection from thence in case the Scholars and Learned there should not find Arguments to defend their Town against the French who I can assure Your Lordship will not lose much by the Bargain as far as I see of that Nunnery Nuns and all for it seems by their Faces as well as their Buildings to be an antient Foundation and gone much to decay Now they have put me upon desiring Passports my Wife will needs have me recommend her to Your Lordship for another for her self and Servants and Baggage to go over into England and if She shall find it convenient to pass as far as Calais and embark there because She is no Lover of the Sea Upon the first of these Requests Your Lordship has Occasion to merit very much but by the Second to deal freely I know not what you will gain besides the Obligations of a Person who is already all that can be My Lord Your Lordships most humble and most obedient Servant To my Lord Ambassadour Coventry Brussels May 21. S. N 1667. My Lord I Know not by what Conveyance nor by what Delays the Honour Your Excellency intended me so long since from aboard the Frigat came yesterday to my Hands and made my Acknowledgments later than they ought to have been I am sorry you agreed so ill with the Sea since that is the Dutch Mens Element with whom we hope you will agree so well but if you had the Faculty of uttering your Heart in the Seamens Sense as well as you had of uttering your Thoughts I am to rejoice with you upon the good Health you must needs have brought ashoar and to believe that the Temper and Constitution of your Body is as sound and as good as that of your Mind Since my last to my Lord Holles our Ordinary from Spain arrived by which Mr. Godolphin assures me that I may expect the News of our Treaty at Madrid being Signed by the next nothing remaining at the Date of his Letter besides only the Examination of the Phrase in Latin which was referred to the Inquisidor general and Count Pignoranda after whose Sentence upon it nothing was in Sight that could stop the immediate Signing and Sealing Mr. Godolphin assures me all Parts of the Treaty of Commerce are so much to our Desire and Advantage that he hopes to see many a rich Man in England by it for the other Part which concerns the Adjustment with Portugal tho' the Terms are likewise agreed between us and Spain yet the present Effect of it seems likely to be avoided by the late Accord between France and Portugal of which I send the Account inclosed by the Copy of Sir Robert Southwell's Letter to my Lord Sandwich upon that Occasion I inclose likewise the Copies of the French King 's last Letters to the States General and at the same time to the Queen Regent of Spain declaring his Intentions to invade these Countreys which last methinks is drawn with so ill Colours and so ill Grace that if his Captains do no better than his Secretaries upon this Occasion the Success of his Enterprise may prove no better than the Justice of
d'agir qui comme vous savez est toujours franche ouverte moy je me loue infiniment de luy j'en ay toutes les raisâ—ns du monde je dois á toute sa conduite les eloges qu'il donne á la mienne Je le regarde comme un des plus grands Genies que j'ay connus avec cela trés homme de bien d'un commerce egalement aisé soit dans les negotiations soit dans la conversation Enfin la confiance est presentement retablie entre les deux Nations je la croy meme plus entiere que s'il n'y avoit jemais eu de guerre Pour les affaires generales je ne vous saurois dire autre chose si non que notre dessein unanime est de donner la paix la tranquilité a toute la Chretienté de sorte que si la France le veut elle l'aura ce printems si elle ne le veut pas ainsi que le dit Monsieur le Compte D'Estrades qui ajoute que du moins ce ne sera pas d'une paix de notre façon elle aura tout son soul de guerre Touchant la Convention á Aix jusq ' á ce que nous ayons responce de France de Brusselles je ne vous en saurois rien dire Nous leur avons deja donné avis de notre Ligue defensive de notre traité ou projet de paix Du moins cecy servira a fournir une nouvelle santé dans vos festins Allemans lors que les anciennes auront fait leur ronde accoutumée cela vous faira en meme tems souvenir de Monsieur Votre c. To my Lord Arlington Hague Feb. 12. S. N 1668. My Lord THE Arrival of the Ratifications here was received with the same Dispositions of general Satisfaction and Joy that the Treaty was concluded Those of the States will I doubt be something later ready tho' occasioned only by a Delay in the Assembly of the States of Friezland and Zealand but new Dispatches were Yesterday sent away for hastning both and Monsieur de Witt assures me the 20th of this Month will be the latest I shall expect them and he hopes all may be ready something sooner I shall press it all I can possibly and immediately after the Exchange made shall demand my Audience of Congè and away to Brussels to pursue His Majesty's Instructions there I cannot tell with what Success because I know not with what Meen the Marquess has entertained our Project of the Peace not yet having heard one Word from him in Answer to all I have writ upon this Subject I wish some of his Visions may not give it another Face than what it ought I am sure to receive from the true present State of the Spanish Affairs for in that Case I know his Way of arguing so well as to expect he should say there is no Reason for them to give Money to lose their Towns but that in Case His Majesty will enter into their Defence He shall want no Money the Indies can give him therefore he must be plied on that side by the Count of Molina and Baron de l'Isola as well as by me here and not only disposed to accept the Alternative but to receive it as the greatest Effect at present of His Majesty's good Will to the Preservation of Flanders and Step towards a future defensive League between Us and Them and Holland for the general Safety of the Spanish Crown Tho' I shall not fail of my Part in pressing all these Points on this Side yet the Impressions will be easier given the two Ministers there than the Marquess here as Persons something more substantial in their Conceptions upon this Point and will have more Weight upon His Excellency coming from their own Ministers than from me For the Point of Money to be furnish'd by the States upon the Towns of Gelderland the whole Matter was dismissed by Monsieur de Witt till the Marquess's Acceptance of our Project was declared upon which the Baron de Bargeyck will return to pursue it and in Case of a War by Obstinacy of the French Refusal I doubt not but the Matter will be easie the Marquess offering Ruremond and Venlo tho' Monsieur de Witt insists as yet upon the Fort of Gelre and two others by Sluys which the Marquess says he has no Power to treat upon For their Opinion of the French Expedition into the Franche Comptè they seem little startled at it believing it may the more incline the Spaniards to receive our Offices for the Peace according to the Treaty and that possibly some Exchange may be found convenient for the Spaniards between Parts of the Franche Comtè and those Towns of Flanders which are now in the French Possession and lie in the very Bowels of the rest of that Dominion which are Courtray Tournay Oudenard and Aeth for the rest they resolve to make good the Peace to the Spaniards without the Loss of any Thing more than was actually in the French Hands at the Time of our Treaty being Signed whatever new Progresses they may make before the Conclusion and in Case France shall refuse or seek Evasions I do not believe they will be the least backward from entring into the War I should formerly have marked that in all which is digested in our Treaty and that is to pass in our Negotiation with France upon this Occasion the States avoid calling our Parts a Mediation because they say That seems to import a Neutrality whereas upon failing of our Offices towards a Peace we are to take our Parts in a War For the Method and Manner of our joining together in pursuit of the War if it grow to engage us by the French Refusal Monsieur de Witt tells me frankly his Opinion is for us to enforce the Towns of Flanders by such of our Troops as will be necessary to defend them or at least to draw on long and expensive Sieges and in the mean Time with our several Fleets to make the sharpest Impressions we can upon some of their Coasts and seize some of their Towns and force them that Way to necessary Divisions and Diversions of their Forces as well as give Countenance to whatever Discontents may arise among them at home upon such an Occasion Upon my arguing that an Impression would be the sharper and the safer perhaps if it were made by our Fleets in one Place but with joint Forces he said he did not see how our Fleets could possibly join for the Point of the Pavilion and fell into a good deal of Discourse upon that Matter as the only now left that could ever occasion any Dispute between us being at length bottomed upon our mutual Interest and the wrangling about little Points of Commerce being taken away All I could draw from him upon the Point of the Pavilion was that
they would give all to the King's Ships at Sea which theirs or any other Ambassadours gave to his own Person in his Kingdom where his Dominion was as absolute as he could pretend it to be in the narrow Seas which is to uncover first and cover last so that all their Ships should vail to ours when they met in Case ours would in Return take down the Pavilion as a Civility to theirs afterwards and theirs should remain vailed till we had set up our Pavilion again I told him I could say nothing to that Matter which I knew was very delicate but that if ever we agreed in that Point I thought it must not be by Articles or Treaties but by Concert between the Ministers of each Side as for the States first to give absolute Orders to all their Captains to vail to the King's Ships whenever they met them in the narrow Seas and at the same Time to signifie so much to His Majesty in a Letter of Compliment and as a Resolution taken upon Consideration of so near and happy Alliance as was now entred into between the Nations Upon which His Majesty might consider what Returns of Civility he would be content his Captains should make to an Allie so near as this State was now likely ever to be to the Crown of England Monsieur de Witt was willing to fall into any Expedient and said that whenever I came into England he would hope I might bring this last Matter to pass as happily as I had done all the rest That His Majesty should find he would be wanting in nothing that the Point of Civility or Deference might require in this Matter provided it were without acknowledging our Pretensions to the Dominion of the Sea which they must die rather than do but in what should pass they would leave us to our Interpretations and keep themselves to theirs For the provisional Articles according to my Word which made Way for the Treaty's Conclusion I told Monsieur de Witt His Majesty had in his Answer given me Leave to do it with an Article for the Meeting of Commissioners at both Parties Desire to compleat what should be defective and change what should be found inconvenient and cut off any Thing that should be superfluous so as it might appear to be an Original Treaty between us which would be more for our Honour than to copy after the French That tho' His Majesty had given me this Leave in Compliance to the States yet he had rather the Thing should now be left to Commissioners for these Ends than concluded with Reference to them hereafter I made His Majesty's Concession in this Point easie for these two Ends that either they finding His Majesty indifferent in it might grow so too Men being commonly apt to pull the harder the faster another holds or else if they resolved to insist upon it since I was already engaged to value a Thing which costs His Majesty nothing for as much Obligation as I could to the States which might make Way for some material Return upon another Occasion Monsieur de Witt seemed very much pleased at His Majesty's Compliance with them in this Point and said if I knew His Majesty's Pleasure in any Particulars which he desired should be added or any others changed for common Convenience he desired me to tell him and doubted not but we should end it in twenty four Hours but he was unwilling it should fall into other Hands or remain undone for the Reasons I mentioned in one of my last After much Discourse and no Way left to avoid the Thing we agreed it should be done but with an ample Article for the Meeting of Commissioners for those foresaid Ends and after the Perpetuity I will endeavour to get in these Words Aut quousque saltem ex utriusque partis Consensu indicentur Commissarii or some Words to that Purpose And likewise in the Preamble of this separate Instrument some Expressions of this Kind ut omnibus innotescat quam sincerâ sanctaque Fide nuper contractae Amicitiae non modo in praesens sed in posteros colendae cavere voluerunt And Ad divellenda penitus quaecunque non modo dissentionum sed Litium Altercationum Semina And Ad praecidendam spem omnem Expectationem quorumcunque praedictam Amicitiam novis Altercationibus labefactatam iri interesse possit Which are Things that come now only into my Head but shall be digested against we meet to morrow upon this Occasion And this is all that is possible for me to do in this Matter and which at least is likely to hasten the Exchange of the Ratifications and to leave our Alliance the clearest firmest and most confident that can be I confess I am troubled that it cannot be otherwise because Your Lordship says His Majesty would rather have had it so and if you had not sent me after the Treaty's Arrival an Explanation of what was written to me in an unintelligible Cipher it had been so and my Words had been safe but I think it had been worse in leaving a Dissatisfaction between us which is now avoided and I find My Lord Keeper in a Letter to me seems to put no Weight upon it if done in the Manner mentioned and I know you both put a great deal upon any Person 's employ'd by His Majesty being and passing for an honest Man No Post going from hence till the End of the Week I have resolved to dispatch this by the Yatcht that brought over my Brother whose Orders it seems are to return immediately But I know not how to find the safe Conveyance for the Dutch Ratifications unless another Yacht be sent for them about a Week or ten Days hence and to that End I shall leave them with Mr. Carter at my Lord Cravenss House here and who does all His Lordship's Business who shall deliver them to any Person that brings a Letter from Your Lordship to that Purpose This I think will be much better than to venture them with me in my Journey to Brussels or upon a Passage from thence I am ever with My Lord Your c. P. S. I had forgot the mention of this inclosed Memorial given in Yesterday to the States and by their Order sent me with a Compliment They would receive nothing without communicating it to me They resolve upon the Marquess's Answer for the Treating at Aix to send likewise thither but refer the Quality or Number of Persons to the Marquess's Intentions of going himself or sending some Delegate and that I suppose will depend upon Don Juan's coming over In the mean Time the States are absolutely of Opinion with me that no Treaty can begin with good Intentions on the French Side unless they consent to a Suspension of Arms while it lasts and therefore that the Force of our joint Instances at Paris is to be put upon that Point To Sir Orlando Bridgeman Lord Keeper Hague Febr. 12. S. N. 1668. My Lord
I shall always contribute by my good Wishes and whatever Services I may be capable of to the Support of this good Intelligence so happily restored between both Nations In the mean time God Almighty take Your High and Mighty Lordships inot his Holy Protection A mon Audience de congé aux Estats Generaux Hauts Puissants Seigneurs SA Majesté le Roy de la Grande Bretagne mon Maitre ayant vn conclurre si heureusement en si peu de jours trois divers traitez avec V. H. P. S. par lesquels la seureté commune des deux Nations vient d'etre retablie les semences de toutes les nouvelles discordes entierement deracinées le chemin á la paix au repos ouvert pour la Chretienté en cas que nos voifins s'y portent avec la meme foy la meme franchise qui nous la deja fait acheminer sa Majesté croit n'avoir plus besoin de moy en ce lieu puisque les Ministres ne servent ne sont propres qu'a cimenter entretenir la confiance mais la notré se voit etablie sur de si solides fondemens qu'elle n'aura plus besoin des appuis ni des aides ordinaires C'est pourquoy sa Majesté ordonne mon retour a Brusselles pour y poursuivre de concert avec V. S. en faveur de nos voisins ce que nous venons de conclure icy pour nous memes Máis elle m'a commandé sur mon depart d'assurer V. S. de sa part que comme une chose n'est jamais mieux conservée que par les principes qui l'ont fait naitre aussi sa Majesté ne manquera pas d'observer constamment tout ce qui vient d'etre conclu cela avec autant de bonne foy avec la même sincerité la meme droiture de coeur qu'on luy a vû temoigner lors qu'elle l'a fait negotier Et sa Majesté ne doute point que V. S. ne soient entierement resolus á tenir la même conduite á son egard c'est lá le dernier sceau qui doit etre apposé de part d'autre á nos traitez pour preuve d'une parfaite confiance Pour ce qui me regarde en particulier je ne saurois sortir d'icy sans me louer hautement de la judicieuse sincere conduite de Vos H. P. S. dans tout le cours de cette Negotiation particulierement de l'extreme prudence que vous avez fait paroitre dans le choix de Messieurs les Commissaires que vous m'avez donné Leur candeur leur capacité consommée leur ardeur leur application pour l'affaire proposée n'ont pas peu contribué au bonbeur á la rapidité de la conclusion de nos Traitez Pour moy comme je me souviendray toute ma vie avec joye meme avec tendresse du court espace de tems que j'ay passé prés de V. S. aussi dans quelque lieu du monde que je sois appellé á passer ma vie je ne negligeray jamais de contribuer par mes voeux par toutes sortes de soins de services dont je me croiray capable au maintien de cette mutuelle intelligence que je vois si heureusement retablie entre les deux Nations Cependant je prieray Dieu ardamment de prendre vos H. P. S. sous sa sainte protection A Letter from the States to the King of Great Britain Feb. 18. S. N. 1668. SIR IT is merely in Compliance to Custom that we do our Selves the Honour to write to Your Majesty in Answer to the Letter you were pleased to send us relating to Sir William Temple For We can add nothing to what your Majesty has seen your self of his Conduct by the Success of the Negotiation committed to his Charge As it is a Thing without Example that in so few Days three such important Treaties have been concluded so we can say that the Address the Vigilance and the Sincerity of this Minister are also without Example We are extremely obliged to Your Majesty that you are pleased to make use of an Instrument so proper for confirming that strict Amity and good Intelligence which the Treaty at Breda had so happily begun And we are bold to say that if Your Majesty continues to make use of such Ministers the Knot will grow too fast ever to be untyed and Your Majesty will ever find a most particular Satisfaction by it as well as We who after our most hearty Thanks to Your Majesty for this Favour shall pray God c. and remain SIR c. Lettre de Recreance de la part des Etats Au Roy de la Grande Bretagne Le 18. de Feur S. N. 1668. SIRE CE n'est que pour satisfaire á la coutume que nous nous donnons l'honneur d'ecrire á Votre Majesté en response de la lettre qu'il luy a plû nous ecrire au sujet de Monsieur le Chevalier Temple car nous ne pouvons rien ajouter a ce que Votre Majesté meme a vû de sa conduite par le succez de la Negotiation qui luy avoit eté confié Comme c'est une chose sans example que dans si peu de jours trois si importans Traitez ont êté ajustéz aussi pouvons nous dire que l'addresse la vigilance la sincerité de ce Ministre sont aussi sans example Nous sommes bien fort obligés a V. M. de ce qu'il luy a plû se servir vir d'un instrument si propre á achever d'etreindre le noeud d'amitié de bonne intelligence que le traité de Breda avoit commencé á serrer Et nous osons dire qui si elle continue d'employer des semblables Ministres le lien deviendra indissoluble Elle en tirera toujours une satisfaction toute particuliere aussi bien que nous qui aprés l'avoir remercié de tout notre coeur de cette faveur prierons Dieu SIRE c. A Letter from Monsieur de Witt to my Lord Arlington Febr. 14. S. N. 1668. My Lord AS it was impossible to send a Minister of greater Capacity or more proper for the Temper and Genius of this Nation than Sir William Temple so I believe no other Person either will or can more equitably judge of the Disposition wherein he has found the States to answer the good Intentions of the King of Great Britain Sir William Temple ought not to be less satisfied with the Readiness wherewith the States have pass'd over to the concluding and signing of those Treaties for which he came hither than they the States are with his Conduct and agreable manner of Dealing in the whole Course of his Negotiation It appears My Lord that you throughly understand Men
arâ—tiori foedere atque Vâ—ione plene prospiciatur Nos infra scripti Virtute mandati plenaeque potestatis nobis concessae atque inferius inserendae convenimus atque statuimus dictum Dominum Magnae Britanniae Regem dictosque Dominos foederati Belgii Ordines Generales invicem obstrictos unitos atque confoederatos fore quemadmodùm vi ac vigore praesentium invicem obstricti uniti atque confoederati sunt foedere defensivo perpetuo modo atque conditionibus sequentibus I. Quod si Principum Statuumve aliquis aut quilibet alius qualiscunque ille tandem fuerit Nemine excepto sub quocunque praetextu invaserit vel invadere tentaverit Territoria Regionesque aut loca quaelibet sub ditione dicti Magnae Britanniae Regis sita aliumve quemcunque Actum hostilem Terra Marive contra dictum Dominum Regem ejusve Subditos exercuerit dicti Domini Ordines Generales tenebuntur quemadmodùm virtute praesentium tenentur dicto Domino Regi ad insultus eos actusque hostiles arcendos supprimendos atque repellendos debitamque Damni dati Reparationem obtinendam auxilio adesse quadraginta Navibus bellicis probe instructis quarum quatuordecim à sexaginta ad octoginta Tormenta Bellica mâ—jâ—ra Hâ—minesque qâ—a dringentos forant singulae facta justa compensatione aut retributione inter eas quae numerosiore eas quae minus numeroso milite Nautaque instructae erunt Quatuordecim aliae à quadraginta ad sexaginta Tormentis â—oâ—ominibusque ad minimum trecâ—ntis facta compensatione ut supra instructae sint quaelibet Et nulla reliquarum minus forat quam triginta sex tormenta Hominesque centum quinquaginta atque insuper sex mille Peditibus Equitibus quadringentis vel Valore justo hujusmodi Auxilii in pecunia numerando 〈◊〉 dicto Domino Regi 〈◊〉 placuerit vel parte 〈…〉 Auxilli aut dicti Valâ—â—â—s in Pecunia quae à dicto Domino Râ—â—â— expetetur Pâ—astaâ—â—â—tur autem dicta Auxilia intra sex sâ—ptimanarum spatium postquam postulata fuerint dictisque Dominis Ordinibus à dicto Domino Rege refundentur impensae omnes intra triennium à finito atque extincto Bello numerandum II. Quod si Principum Statuumve aliquis aut quilibet alius qualiscunque ille tandem fuerit nemine excepto sub quocunque praetextu invaserit vel invadere tentaverit Provincias Confoederatas aut loca quaelibet sub Ditione dictorum Dominorum Ordinum Generalium sita vel in quibus ipsorum miles praesidio positus est aliumve quemcunque actum hostilem Terra Marive contra dictos Dominos Ordines Generales corumve subdiâ—es exercuerit dictus Dominus 〈◊〉 tenebitur quemadmodum Virtute pâ—aesentium tenetur dictis Dominis Ordinibus Generalibus ad insultus eoâ— actusque hostiles arcendos supprimendos atque repellendos debitamque Damni dati Reparationem obtinendam auxilio adesse quadraginta Navibus bellicis probé instructis Quarum quatuordecim à sexaginta ad octaginta Tormenta bellica majora Hominesque quadringentos ferant singulae facta justa Compensatione aut Retributione inter eas quae numerosiore eas quae minus numeroso milite Nautaque instructae erunt Quatuordecim aliae á quadraginta ad sexaginta Tormentis Hominibusque ad minimum trecentis facta compensatione ut supra instructae sint quaeâ—ibet Et nulla reliquarum minus ferat quam triginta sex Tormenta Hominesque centum quinquaginta Atque insuper sex mille Peditibus Equitibus quadringentis vel valore justo hujusmodi Auxilii in Pecunia numerando prout dâ—ctis Dominis Ordinibus eligere placuerit vel parte tali praedicti Auxilii aut dicti valoris in Pecunia quae ab iisdem expetetur Praestabuntur autem dicta Auxilia intra sex septimanarum spatium postquam postulata fuerint Dictoque Domino Regi à dictis Dominis Ordinibus refundentur impensae omnes intra triennium à finito atque extincto Bello numerandum III. Dictae Naves bellicae ac dictae equitum peditumque Co iae auxiliares Naviumque Copiarum Praefecti caeterique Officiales bellici minores vim atque injuriam passo submissi ejus Voluntatem respicere tenebuntur atque obsequi mandatis ejus corumve quos summa cum potestate exercitui suo Terra Marive praeficere voluerit IV. Quo autem exacta Computatio institui possit impensarum intra trium Annorum spatium postquam bello finis impositus fuerit restituendarum vel etiam justi earundem Valoris in Pecunia numerata quam vim hosticam passo loco dictarum Navium Equitum Peditumque vel omnium vel pro parte eligere forte placuerit visum fuit impensas quatuordâ—cim Navium à sexaginta ad octoginta Tormentis instructarum aestimare Pretio octodecim millium sexcentorum sexaginta sex Librarum Sâ—â—â—lings sive Monetae Anglicanae eaâ—â—mque quaâ—â—â— decim quae á quadraginta ad sexaginta Tormenta ferunt quaâ—â—â—r dâ—â—im millibus Libris Sterlings Reliquarum autem duodecim sex millibus ejusdem Monetae libris Sex mille autem Pâ—dites septem millibus quingentis Libris Sterlings Quadringentos vero Equites mille quadraginta ejusdem monetae Libris pro quolibet Mense computandis Nummaeque à dicto quidem Domino Rege Magnae Britanniae Londini à Dominis vero Ordinibus Generalibus Amstelodami solventur juxta cursum Cambii eo tempore quo Solutio praestanda erit Pro primo autem Mense respectu peditum supradictorum insuper persolventur sex mille Librae Sterlings pretium nimirum ad eos conscribendos instruendosque necessarium V. Foedus hoc omniaque singula eo contenta à dicto D. Rege Magnae Britanniae dictisque Dominis Ordinibus Generalibus Foederatarum Provinciarum per patentes utriusque partis Literas sigillo magno munitas debita authentica forma intra quatuor septimanas proximè sequentes aut citiùs si fieri poterit confirmabitur ratihabebitur mutuaque Ratihabitionum instrumenta intra praedictum tempus hinc inde extradentur Sequitur tenor Mandati à serenissimo Domino Rege Magnae Britanniae dati Carolus Dei Gratia Angliae Scotiae Franciae Hiberniae Rex Fidei Defensor c. Omnibus c. Sequitur tenor Mandati à Celsis Praepotentibus Dominis Ordinibus Generalibus foederati Belgii dati Les Etats Generaux des Provinces Vnies des Pais Bas A tous ceux qui ces presentes c. In quorum omnium singulorum Fidem majusque robur hisce Tabulis subscripsimus illasque sigillis nostris subsignavimus Hagae-Comitum in Hollandia die 23tio Januarii Anni 1668. Signed on the King of England's Part W. Temple On the States Part Gellicom Asperen Johan de Witte Crommon Unkel Jacob van Coeverden K. Isbrants THE King of Great Britain and the States General of the United Netherlands having with great Grief consider'd and maturely weigh'd the Miseries and Calamities of the late War between the two Crowns which raged in their
the Baron still make a Difficulty to Sign without another Order from your Excellency Therefore I desire you in the name of all those who wish well to the Affairs of Spain and of Christendom to dispatch an express Command to the Baron to Sign without further Trifling and to send him Instructions for any thing that your Excellency shall find convenient to have negotiated afterwards in which I shall have Monsieur Beverning's Assistance but not at all before the Project is signed If your Excellency will not think fit to comply with this I discharge my self at least of all the fatal Effects that may arrive upon it I desire your Excellency yet once more to grant this Dispatch to the Instances of one who had sounded the Bottom of this Affair with all possible Attention and all the Reflexions I am capable of making and who forms a Judgment of it without other Passion than that I have for the preservation of Flanders I am c. Au Marquis DE CASTEL-RODRIGO A Aix le 28. Aur. S. N. 1668. Monsieur I'Arrivay hier en cette ville I'ay reçû cette aprés-dinée une visite de la part du Baron de Bargeyck et une autre de la part de Monsieur Colbert Je les ay traité tous deux egalement sur la parole que le gentilhomme envoyé de la part du Baron m' a donne que son Maitre etoit déja revetu du titre d' Ambassadeur et qu'il etoit munides lettres et de pleins pouvoirs de la Reine elle même Monsieur Beverning m' a aussi visité incognito ce matin et tout ce qu'une grande indisposition qui me retient á present permet que je dise á V. E. c'est qu'il ne reste plus d'autre demarche á faire pour sauver les Païs bas que de signer incessamment le projet envoyé au Baron de Bargeyck cela est si vray que meme á mon arrivée tout le monde en attendoit la signature Celuy de France declare par tout aprés avoir declaré á moy meme qu'il est prêt de signer des ce soir même tous les points tels qu'ils ont eté couchez par nos Ministres á Paris Que si le Baron de Bargeyck fait ou des difficultez ou des exceptions il donnera ses reponses conformement á ces instructions et selon l'exigence des choses et qu' aprés tout l' Espagne ne doit attribuer qu' á elle seule les malheurs quipeuvent naitre de tant de delais et de tems perdu Je vois fort bien qu'il est prêt á suivre et á aider le Baron de Bargeyck dans tous les retardemens qu'on pourra apporter á la conclusionde cette affaire et que prevoyant que l' Espagne doit enfin s' accommoder des conditions et des termes du traité veu l'engagement ou la Hollande et nous sommes dêja entrés par nos Ministres á Paris il se promet ou de voir l'affaire se rompre ou d'avoir la gloire de faire ceder l' Espagne sur toutes les difficultez qu'elle aura mise en avant Cependant Monsieur Beverning ne s' attend point á voir susciter de nouveaux obstacles et de nouvelles difficultez touchant cette signature aprés des ordres donnez au Baron de Bargeyck et dont les copies ont eté envoyées en Hollande Pour moy aprés l'avoir promis je n'ay pû reculer á porter les ordres et je suis dans la plus grande peine du monde de voir que le Baron de Bargeyck fait difficultè de signer avant que d'avoir recçû un autre ordre de V. E. C'est pourquoy je la supplie au nom de tous ceux qui souhaitent le bien des Affaires d' Espagne et de la Chretienté d'ordonner par un commandement exprés que l'ordre soit signé et qu'on n'y marchande plus V. E. donnera aussi ses avis au Baron de Bargeyck touchant ce qu'elle trouvera bon qui soit negotié dans la suite cela fait je pourray conter sur le secours et l'â—ide de Monsieur Beverning du quel je n' attens rien tandis que la chose sera comme elle est En cas que V. E. suive d'autres voyes je me decharge par avance de toutes les suites funestes qui en pourront arriver Je supplis encore une fois V. E. de donner cela aux instances d'une personne qui á approfondi cette affaire avec toute l'attention et la reflexion dont je suis capable et qui en porte un jugement exempt de Passion excepte celle qu'il á pour la conservation des Païs-bas Je Suis c. To my Lord Arlington Aix April 30. S. N. 1668. My Lord IN the Hurry of these Expresses to Brussels all that I can possibly do is to give your Lordship the Account of the State of our Business here in the Copy of those Letters I am forced to write to the Marquis To which end the Ambassadors of Spain and Holland have been very often with Me already though I have not yet stirr'd out of Doors and they are but now gone successively from my Bed-side The Fruits of our Conferences your Lordship will find in the inclosed and will pardon me for doing nothing more at this Time than barely acknowledging and that in extream haste yours of the 10th and 13th which are come here to my Hands The torn Paper is the Original of a Postcript I received just now in a Letter from Monsieur de Witt which I send in Answer to one I had lately from your Lordship The inclosed from my Secretary to Mr. Williamson gives Account of all the Ceremonies that have been hitherto past I am ever c. TO The Marquis OF Castel-Rodrigo Aix April 30. S. N. 1668. My Lord I Am very much indisposed and God keep me from those Accidents which the Despight I have upon the present Course of Affairs may cause in my Illness All I have to say is that the Ambassador of France has Orders not to change a Word in the Project as prepared by our Ministers at Paris The Dutch Ambassador has the same Orders from his Masters The Nuncio presses also the Signing without any Change and all the German Ministers are of the same Opinion The Baron refuses to Sign without another Order from Brussels Upon which the French Ambassador presses both me and Monsieur Beverning to give him an Act wherein we are to witness that he has been ready to Sign ever since the arrival of the Project The Dutch Ambassador protests he cannot refuse it and besides that if the Baron will not Sign to morrow he will depart and return for Holland The Most Christian King has
having only sent an ordinary Servant before to take up his Lodgings Near the Town he was met by a Gentleman from the Rhingrave to tell him that if the Hour of his Arrival had been known he would himself have met him on the Way but however would not fail to do it at his coming to Town He was received there by all the great Guns of the Town the Garrison ranged through the Streets as he pass'd and at the end of them a Volly of their small Shot At his Inn he was immediately visited by the Rhingrave and after him by the Magistrates of the Town The next morning he returned a Visit to the Rhingrave who would by force accompany him back to his Inn. As he went out he had all the great Guns of the Town thrice round and greater Volleys of Shot than the Night before and the Rhingrave met him in his Coach about half a Mile out of Town to perform his last Compliment having told my Lord Stafford that he had express Orders from the States to do all the Honour that was possible both to his Character and his Person From Mastricht he sent a Letter to the Baron de Fraisheim here to give him Notice of his intended arrival upon Friday the 27 th but withal to desire him to keep it private that so he might enter with little Noise or Ceremony in regard he came upon a sudden Journey and a very short Stay and therefore with the Train of the King 's Resident at Brussels rather than of his Ambassador The Baron de Fraisheim did his Part in suppressing the Knowledge of it but the Town having Notice by Orders they had given at Mastricht to that Purpose sent one to meet him in the Mid-way with Compliment and desire that they might receive him as they had done other Ambassadors My Master referred it to them to do as they pleased and the rather because he heard that the French Ambassador had made a Solemn Entry about six Days before with very great Train and Ceremony and he thought by this more private Entry to avoid the Expectation of any other So he was received in the Town with all the Guns and the Burghers in Arms and complimented immediately at his Arrival both from the Magistrates of the Town and a Commander of the Duke of Nieuburg's to assure him that the Duke had given him Orders for two hundred Horse to attend him upon the Confines and to accompany him into the Town as he had done the French Ambassador at his Solemn Entry and that the Baron of Fraisheim's Assurance of his desiring to enter privately had only prevented that Attendance The Night of his Arrival my Master went about ten a Clock Incognito to the Dutch Ambassador's House resolving to tell him that upon his Arrival here he intended to live after another sort with him than with any of the other Ambassadors as well in respect of the near Allyance between their Masters as of their Mediation The Dutch Ambassador happened to be in Bed but having heard of my Master's Intentions came and visited him early the next Morning without Train or Ceremony and gave him full Information of all that had passed here which made good what we met with every where upon the Road that nothing in the Peace could be done till the Arrival of the King's Ambassador here My Master's Indisposition that Morning dlayed his sending to give the several publick Ministers Advice of his Arrival till about ten a Clock and then he was prevented by Compliments First from the French and then from the Spanish Ambassadors which were returned that Morning and succeeded in the Afternoon by Visits from them both in the same Order My Master upon His first Enterview with the Holland Ambassador enquired of him what Intercourse had passed between Him and the Pope's Nuncio and finding that after some Offices by third Persons between them it had stopt upon some Difficulties without coming to any Visits or formal Compliments He spake to my Lord Stafford when he made a Visit of Himself to the Nuncio to let him know in common Conversation that my Master finding by what had pass'd between Him and the Dutch Ambassador that the same Difficulties were like to befal him had omitted to give him any advice of his Arrival but to tell him at the same time that he was very much a Servant to the Merits of the Cardinal Padrone upon his acquaintance with him at Brussels and was very glad to hear of the continuance of his Health since his last Recovery and so that Matter ended as I suppose My Master having no Instruction in that Point and therefore desiring as civilly as he could to take this Occasion of avoiding further Commerce with him I have nothing else worth giving you the Trouble of but am SIR Your most obedient Servant Tho. Downton To the Elector of Mentz Aix May 2. S. N. 1668. SIR THough my own Indisposition and Monsieur Schouborne's Affairs deprived me of the Happiness of seeing him since my arrival in this City I would not however delay any longer to acknowledge the Honour of your Highnessess's Letter of the 12th past and to make you the Offers of my Services since of the King my Master's Affection your Highness wants no Testimonies In the mean while I send your Highness the agreeable News of the Peace the Treaties whereof I have at present in my Hands one Signed in presence of the Dutch Ambassador and t'other in mine which I was glad to obtain by precaution so to surmount the Difficulties raised upon delivering the Instruments to the Nuncio I give your Highness Joy of an Affair so important to the Happiness of Germany and your Highness may justly do the same to the King my Master who tho' at distance and out of danger of this Flame has however contributed more to the extinguishing of it than all those who were most interessed in the Neighbourhood And since this Peace as well as that of Portugal has so justly given His Majesty a Rank so high among the Pacifici Your Highness will joyn your Prayers to mine that God Almighty will please to add also to his Character the Beaâ—i And as your Highness has all Reason to believe the King my Master your Friend so I beg your Highness to esteem me always SIR Your Highness's most c. A l'Electeur de Mayence Aix le 2. May S. N. 1668. Monsieur QUoy que mon indisposition et les affaires de Monsieur Schouborne m'ayent empêché de le voir depuis mon arrivée en cette ville je n'ay pourtant pas voulu differer plus long tems sans me servir de cette voye pour reconnoitre l' honneur que V. A. m'a fait par sa lettre du 12. du passé et sans luy envoyer dans une des miennes les offres de mes services je dis de mes services car pour l'affection du Roy mon
Maitre elle est assés connue á V. A. et n'a pas besoin de mon temoignage En même tems je donneray á V. A. une nouvelle bien agreable puisque je luy apprendray que la paix est conclue et qu' á l'heure que je luy ecris lestraitez en sont entre mes mains l'un signé en presence de l' Ambassadeur d' Hollande et l'autre en la mienne ce que j'ay eté bien aise d'obtenir par precaution et afin de surmonter les difficultez survenues lors qu'on á livré les Instruments á Monsieur le Nonce Je donne á V. A. toute la joye d'une affaire qui importoit au bonbeur de l' Allemagne comme elle la donnera avec justice au Roy mon maitre car quoy qu' eloigné et á couvert des flammes qui devoroient tant de païs on dira pourtant avec justice qu'il á seul plus contribué á eteindre cet embrasement que tous ceux qui en etoient et les plus voisins et les plus alarmez Et puisque cette paix aussi bien que celle de Portugal á si legitimement place sa Majesté dans le plus haut rang entre les Pacifici V. A. joindra ses prieres aux miennes afin que le bon Dieu y ajoute aussi les Beati Et comme elle á tout lieu de croire le Roy mon Maitre des ses amis je la prie aussi de m' estimer toûjours Monsieur c. To my Lord Arlington Aix May 8. S. N. 1668. My Lord SInce my last I have received your Lordship 's of the 17th and 20th which both complain of the ill State wherein the Suedish Treaty then stood and command my Applications to the Marquis for a Remedy I have infused it all I could possibly into the Baron de Bargeyck at his return from hence to Brussels which was in haste and immediately after the signing and dispatching away the Instruments of the Treaty Some here attribute his Haste to an Intention of avoiding any Speech of a general Guaranty for the Peace which with so many other Difficulties and Delays before the Signing as well as so many Declamations against the Violence and Injustice in pressing him to it are Evidence enough of the Force by which the Spaniards have been compelled to it Though I doubt of their being this Age in a Condition to make any better Use of it For my part I was of opinion that since Don John was neither arrived with Supplies nor hardly expected in any Time Since Holland was so desperately bent upon the Peace without any Respect to the Spanish Honour or Interest further than joyned immediately with their own Since Spain had not been able to find Means to engage His Majesty or Sueden in their Quarrel by Supplies necessary to both Crowns And since His Majesty was not in any Condition of entring into the Business single upon Considerations of Honour Justice or a remote Danger And consequently since upon the Projects made both at a Time in Paris it grew evident to Spain Qu'il faloit passer par là ou par les fenestres Upon all these Considerations I say I was of Opinion that the Spaniards Business was to end franckly and immediately upon my arrival here thereby to have more Time for bringing the Ratifications of the Treaty signed here from Spain within this Month and so avoid all Pretexts which I expected of France's breaking the Business and which I knew they would be strongly tempted to by the Spaniards want or neglect of Preparations and by our Disconcert for their Defence Upon these Considerations I confess I have press'd as hard upon the Baron de Bargeyck as the Dutch Ambassador himself to finish the Affair ever since my arrival and was at an end of my Patience to see him stop it upon such slight and unreasonable Pretences as his two last which were first not to insert his Powers because both his and those of France were sharp upon the Rise of the War But Monsieur Colbert's were sent in that Stile since his arrival here and only in Return of the Marquis's since those he brought with him were soft and without any Reflections The Baron had been advised by Monsieur Beverning at his first coming to have them changed had three Weeks to do it and yet made no Difficulty upon it till after the Treaty was Signed and the Powers came to be inserted which he refus'd to suffer saying He expected new and softer Powers within two or three Days and in the mean time would have had the Instruments dispatcht away without any Transcription of the Powers though in the Treaty mentioned as inserted And I believe France would not have wish'd a better Occasion to delay the Business beyond a possibility of being ratified within the time This Difficulty took up a whole Day after the Signing and when the Baron was beaten out of it by main Force he threw Us upon a worse For whereas his first Powers and all he had ever given Copies of or mentioned to any Minister here had only run as deputed from the Marquis with the same Power to Treat and Conclude as if His Majesty had been here in Person When he inserted his Powers after having made Monsieur Colbert's express Stay a whole Day he brings the Instrument with a Power agreeing in all Words with the first but only those of Ambassador and Plenipotentiary joyned to his Deputation which put Monsieur Colbert into such a Rage that he was ready to tear all in Pieces and for five Hours Monsieur Beverning and I could draw no other Answer from the Baron but that 't was impossible for him to do any otherwise protesting he had no other Power here the first having been returned to the Marquis upon the Transmission of this the Advice of which he said he had received from Monsieur Beverning With Monsieur Colbert we had no hopes of prevailing to have his new Style allowed nor had we indeed any reason to press it being offered upon a Surprize and there being no Colour for the Marquis being qualified to send an Ambassador upon this Occasion I was five Hours upon the Rack with the Opinion the Business would absolutely break by the Delays This world occasion and indeed out of all Patience with the Baron not believing it possible he could be without his first Powers by him And Monsieur Beverning and He were at those Heights that they were several times upon the Point of drawing their Swords in my Room and I believe had done it in any other Place But after all the Baron confess'd he had his first Powers and Order to insert them if he could not make the others pass but Instructions to endeavour That to the utmost which to give him his due he acted to a Height that I could never have done without straining my
affectionné tres humble Serviteur Johan de Witt. From the Lord Keeper Bridgeman July 26th 1668. SIR I Received yours yesterday morning after you were gone hence and am afraid the Letter which I sent you from Mr. Williamson might come unseasonably to discompose you It not being so intended by me nor I believe the Message from the King to be otherwise intended than out of Kindness and Respect to you to hasten you away that you might know how important he held your Negotiations might be for his Service at this critical Time And therefore I should be glad that you would take this by the right Handle I had a Letter this Night from Sir Thomas Clifford who writes that they in the Treasury have a great Desire to accommodate you And though it be not in the Privy Seal that you shall have three Months Advance besides the 1000 l. yet they will be careful that you receive the Mony as it is due The Draught of the Instructions are sent away to my Lord Arlington and expected back on Tuesday-night and the Foreign Committee appointed to sit on Wednesday to dispatch them Really Sir I do not think that there is any Intention in pressing your Departure for Holland but just and honourable towards you and with respect to the Greatness of the Employment and the Urgency of the King's Affairs at this time to have you at the Hague And if you will take my Opinion I would not have you take other Measures of it even for your own sake In the mean time while you do stay you may press on the Business of your Account tho' I should not advise you to retard your Journy upon that score It may be as well pressed on by your Lady if she do not not accompany you or else by your Sollicitors among whom I will be one who if any Obstructions be may write to you to remove them But you will find the Vice-chamberlain dilatory and then your stay at last upon this new Business for so I may call it may beget a Misconstruction You will pardom the Freedom I take in imparting my own Thoughts to you in this Case I wish You and my Lady to whom I recommend my humble Service a happy Journy and all other Felicities as I wish to my self who am ever Your faithful and very affectionate Servant Orl. Bridgeman C.S. The End of the First Volume LETTERS Written by Sir W. Temple Bar t AND OTHER Ministers of State Both at Home and Abroad CONTAINING An ACCOUNT of the most Important Transactions that pass'd in Christendom from 1665 to 1672. In Two Volumes VOL. II. Review'd by Sir W. Temple sometime before his Death And Published by Jonathan Swift Domestick Chaplain to his Excellency the Earl of Berkeley one of the Lords Justices of Ireland LONDON Printed for J. Tonson at Gray's Inn Gate in Gray's Inn Lane A. and J. Churchil at the Black Swan in Pater-Noster-Row and R. Simpson at the Harp in S. Paul's Church-yard MDCC Sir WILLIAM TEMPLE's First Embassy AT THE HAGUE Begun August 1668. VOL. II. To the Elector of Mentz Hague Aug. 31. S. N. 1668. SIR I Did not receive the Honour of your Highness's Letter till some time after my Arrival in England with the inclosed for the King my Master which he received with that Esteem his Majesty always bears to what comes from your Highness and having promised me an Answer upon my Return for Holland which has been put off from day to day I have deferred my particular Acknowledgments to your Highness till I could value them by the Honour of accompanying a Letter from his Majesty I send it now inclosed and desire your Highness to believe that I resent as I ought the Honour you have done me and that I will preserve your Highness's Letter among the greatest Marks of Honour to my Family and shall not fail upon all Occasions to shew how much I shall cherish the Title I pretend to with so much Justice of being SIR Your Highness's c. A l'Electeur de Mayence De la Haye le 31 Aout S. N. 1668. Monsieur LA Lettre dont V. A. m'a honoré qui est datée du 14 de May ne m'a eté rendue que quelques jours aprés mon à rrivée en Angleterre avec elle j'ay recû l'envelopé pour le Roy mon Maitre que je luy ay porté qu'il a reçû avec les memes marques d'estime que sa Majesté a toujours fait paroitre pour tout ce qui vient de la part de V. A. le Roy m'ayant promis la reponse pour le tems de mon retour en Hollande qui a toujours trainé de jour en jour J'ay differer de marquer a V. A. ma reconnoissance en particulier jusqu ' á ce que j'eusse l'honneur d'etre porteur d'un Lettre de sa Majeste Je l'envoye á cette heur je supplie V. A. de croire que je ressens comme je le dois l'honneur qu'elle m'a fait que je conservera sa Lettre la conteray parmi les titres les honneurs qui elevent la glorie de ma famille Je ne laisseray echaper aucune occasion de temoigner combien je cheris cheriray toujours la qualité que prens avec tant de justice de Mr. De V. A. c. To my Lord Arlington Hague Sept. 7. S. N. 1668. My LORD SINCE my last I have not stirred out but had the Favour of several Visits in my Chamber among the rest one from Monsieur Meerman on Wednesday and one of three Hours from Monsieur de Witt yesterday I fell into Talk with the first upon the Matter of the Guinea Company who said my Lord Holles and as I remember Mr. Secretary Morris had spoken of it to him before but only given him a general Relation upon which he could not sufficiently inform the States That they had likewise mentioned some other Parts of the Marine Treaty by which the East-India Company thought themselves aggrieved but remembred nothing particular besides the Form of Passports in which we might receive what Satisfaction we pleased and the better Definition of what was meant by a Town invested I told him the Business of Guinea was distinct from any Thing of the Marine Treaty though he was unwilling to understand it so that I was very little instructed in the first because his Majesty's Commands in that Point were only to procure the Reference of it to Commissioners for the proposing Rules by which both Companies should proceed and thereby preventing the said Company 's acting wholly by Rules and Officers of their own which had been the first Occasions of the unhappy Disputes between us and might possibly prove so again For the Marine Treaty I told him I had yet no Instructions upon that Subject but might have in a little Time and thereupon took occasion of discoursing to
our Point upon the Business of Surinam which was yesterday resolved on by the States General though the Province of Zealand protested against it And besides nothing has given us so hopeful a Prospect of the Prince's good Fortunes here as the Support of the Town of Amsterdam so declared and so warm in his present Concernment towards which I am confident Monsieur Van Beuninghen has very much contributed as being a Person of very great Influence in that City The State of that whole Business is so well and so fully set down in the Paper of Intelligence that I am sure I cannot amend it and therefore will not repeat it Your Lordship will know by the inclosed that Monsieur de St. Evremont set out this Morning towards England with the Portugal Ambassador likewise who both accompany Monsieur d'Opdam as far as Nieuport and there embark for Dover whilst he goes on to meet the French King at Dunkirk with the States Complements I am ever my Lord your c. POSTSCRIPT I Had forgot to tell your Lordship That another part of Monsieur Van Beuninghen's Instructions will be to endeavour all that can be that this State may be admitted into a Conjunction with his Majesty for the Pursuit of the Algerins till they are reduced to the Necessity of a Peace with both To Sir John Trevor Hague May 27. S. N. 1670. SIR I HAVE this Day received yours of the 13th current with the Account of my Lord of Essex's Treatment in passing the Sound which if wholly new was what we had very little Reason to expect from that Crown since the Change of their Ministry Though there are some Reports here that they intend to keep up a close Intelligence with France for fear of the Suede whose Forces give them at this time it seems some Jealousy I will hope my Lord of Essex may receive the Satisfaction he demands however he will have that of having discharged his part upon this Occasion with the Constancy that became him I do not question but you will receive a wiser Answer as you say from Spain and wish they could find wiser Men to encharge with their great Affairs and Governments than you will see they do by the Accounts I know you receive from Brussels of the Constable's late Caprices in order to his return for Spain It is here variously discoursed who shall succeed him The old Empress and Prince Charles of Lorrain being still in Name among some others either of which or both together as it is talk'd of seeming the best Choice that can now be made by the Crown of Spain It is wish'd here that his Majesty would further it all he can by the Offices of his Minister in that Court Yesterday the Spanish Ambassador's Secretary came to communicate to me a Letter he had received from the Ambassador at Brussels taking notice that upon a more particular Observation of our late Ratification of the Concert the Date of it was preceding to that of the Concert it self signed by me here at the Hague which was the last of January N. S. whereas the Ratification at Westminster bears Date the 7th of January O. S And this Remark of the Ambassadors I find to be true by comparing it with the Copy of the Ratification that lies by me And doubt not but the Mistake only was of the Month of January for February in the Ratification you sent me over Whereupon I assured the Secretary there could be no Difficulty in the Redress of it and he desired me to endeavour it as soon as I could and I hope the Notice of it may come time enough to prevent the same Mistake in the Instruments intended for Sueden and Holland as well as to procure a new one for Spain I could not by the last Post give you the Certainty of the Issue in the Prince of Orange's Affair the States of Holland not rising till one a Clock that Night after the warmest Debates which have been known among them for many Years However the Towns which favour the Prince having the Plurality of Voices and Amsterdam in the Head of them at length carried their Point and brought it to a Resolution That the Prince should have Session in the Council of State with a decisive Voice and should have the same Place his Ancestors were used to After this was resolved on that Party which the most opposed the Prince's Interest started two new Points The First That no Captain-General should be chosen otherwise than from Year to Year but by Unanimity of Voices And Secondly That in case the Prince should be chosen Captain-General for Life then it should be again debated and resolved by Plurality of Voices whether he should continue his Session in the Council of State And these two Points were agreed to by all the Towns excepting four or five in which number were Amsterdam and Haerlem who maintain That they were not now to be resolved but then only when those Matters came in Question The States of Holland being separated after these Resolutions the Execution of that concerning the Prince's entrance into the Council of State will remain in the States General and consequently receive no Opposition that I can foresee And though it bears no great Name yet I take it to be of that Importance as to leave his Highness's future Fortunes in a manner wholly dependant upon his own Carriage and Personal Qualities which give hitherto all the Signs that can be of advancing and not impairing them In the Course of this Business Monsieur Van Beuninghen has so much provoked the ill Will and Opinion of these Towns which were contrary to the Prince that they had almost resolved to make a Stop of his Journy but that is now over and he prepares to be gone the end of this Week And will not deserve to be less welcom in England for what has lately passed here though perhaps it may not be to his Advantage nor to the Prince's neither to give him any too publick Testimonies of it He gave me Hopes on Sunday-night that to Morrow the Business of Surinam would be ended according to the Form I drew up in Pursuit of our last Conference which I here send you enclosed Though he told me there would be Difficulty in the Point of Major Bannister's landing with so much Liberty as is insisted on And therefore he pressed me hard to be content with either remaining aboard his Ships or else lodging in the Fort till his Affairs were dispatched where all Convenience should be provided him But I refused both and so left the Thing with him in the Form it now runs I am Sir your c. To my Lord Berkeley Hague May 30. S. N. 1670. My LORD THo' I know your Excellency would easily forgive me a Commission which might save you a Trouble in the midst of many others that are a great deal more necessary Yet I could not forgive my self if I should any longer delay giving your
the Chevalier de la Fourrille who had been dispatch'd secretly from Court some Days before the breaking up of the Camp at St. Germains and with the Troops quartered near the Borders of Lorrain made a sudden March into that Country and seized upon the City of Nancy and that by so unexpected and quick an Attempt that he failed very little of surprizing the Person of the Duke and had taken the Dutchess That the Duke escaping had retired to a small but strong Place called Bidsch where he busied himself in assembling what Forces he could for his Defence That the Mareschal de Crequy being dispatch'd from Paris had met this News upon the way and returned with it to Court from whence he was dispatch'd in haste the second time to Lorrain That the French Camp near St. Germains was marched towards Peronne under the Command of Monsieur Vaubrun but that by Orders sent after them upon the way they were to be divided into two Bodies of which one was to march away to the Mareschal de Crequy in Lorrain and the other towards Sedan where they should make a stand and face any Attempts that might be designed from Flanders or this Country towards interrupting the Success of their Affairs in Lorrain Monsieur de Witt told me further That the States having considered these Advices had ordered them the Commissioners immediately to acquaint me with them And further that though the States esteemed it a Matter of so great Importance that all the Parties of the Triple Alliance ought to concern themselves in it as wholly destructive to those Ends of conserving the Spanish Dominions which were mutually proposed in the said Alliance yet they the States should not nor indeed could not proceed to any Resolutions thereupon without first knowing those of his Majesty and being assured of his vigorous Conjunction And hereupon they desired me to give his Majesty Notice immediately by an Express to the End that I might know his Sense and Intentions upon this Conjuncture or at least be instructed to confer with the States upon it After this much was enlarged by Monsieur de Witt and the Commissioners concerning the very great Importance of the Seizure of Lorrain as the cutting off Burgundy wholly from the rest of the Spanish Dominions as well as all further Communication between any of the Netherlands and many of the Princes of Germany with the Suitzers So as they compared Lorrain to a Cittadel in a Town from which all the rest would be commanded at pleasure They added That the Dutchy of Luxemburg would be in a manner block'd up and maimed in their mutual Assistance with the rest of the Spanish Provinces That the Electors of Mentz and Tryers would have the French Feet upon their Throats And consequently that whenever France should begin with Flanders after the Possession of Lorrain the County of Burgundy would be their own in an Hour and Flanders in a very short Time without greater and readier Assistances than there seemed to be any reasonable Hopes for After this they told me They had received likewise a new Account by this Post of all the French Preparations at Sea and the present Estate of their own Fleet of which they gave me this inclosed List And by all I can gather from their Discourses I judge they are capable of any vigorous Resolution that his Majesty should think fit to inspire them in Conjunction with us But that without it they are resolved as they express it * To leave it to God and to see the French at their doors without stirring a-foot De laisser agir au bon Dieu de voir la France á leurs Portes sans se remuer Upon all which they pretend that the Disposal and Ballance at this Time of all Affairs in these Parts of Christendom lie before his Majesty from whom both the Empire and Spain as well as Sueden and this State will receive their Measures Three Days since the Baron d'Isola was with me to communicate a Letter he had newly received from the Emperor declaring his Resolution to join with the Triple Alliance in the Guaranty of the Peace of Aix which he desired me to give his Majesty part of by the Post But having told me at the same time that he resolved to give your Lordship the same Account I omit to trouble you with any further Particulars He came to me again just upon the Close of what I have written and shewed me a Letter from Monsieur Louvigni at Brussels containing the Particulars of what has hapned in Lorrain and little different from those I had before received by Monsieur de Witt only that the Duke of Lorrain resolved to retire with all his Forces into the Mountains and hopes to defend himself some time provided he might be sure of not being abandoned I am ever my Lord your c. To my Lord Keeper Hague Sept. .... S. N. 1670. My LORD I Lately gave my Lord Arlington the Account which was given me by the States Commissioners of the Seizure of Lorrain with their Reflections upon it and the Consequences it must needs have upon all the Affairs of Christendom and their Desires of my communicating all from them with Speed and Care to his Majesty which I did I have since received by last Post and by a Letter from his Lordship the King's Orders for my immediate Repair into England and for my acquainting the States with it and that it is only with Intentions of my informing his Majesty better in the several Points that concern the present Conjunctures of my Station here This I have done in a Conference upon it with Monsieur de Witt. I found him at first very pensive upon the News of it and apt to reflect upon this hapning so soon and unexpectedly after the late Seizure of Lorrain and both after the many Delays and Difficulties raised by us as he apprehends in admitting the Emperor to the Guaranty of the Peace of Aix in conjuction with the Triple Alliance which we formerly so much desired He remembred at the same time the many Instances we have made for many Months past about such a Trifle as the carrying off our Planters from Surinam whom he takes by the Articles to become their Subjects and the invincible Difficulties in which we have engaged Matters between our East-India Companies in which he says he is assured our Merchants have no Part but as they are instigated by some Persons at Court whose ill Intentions he fears towards the late Alliances contracted between his Majesty and these States both for our own mutual Safety and that of all Christendom He reflected upon a Coldness in all our Negotiations of that kind ever since Madame's Journy into England and upon the late Journy of the Duke of Buckingham's to Paris which he could not think was * To see the Country or learn the Language Pour voir le Pais ou apprendre la langue And desired I would
should have extreamly regretted the length of time your Letter was in passing before it found me at London after having missed me at the Hague were it not that your Highness is to consider me here as one of the commonest among the King's Subjects and not as a Minister who has any Part in Publick Affairs And therefore you can expect nothing in my Letters but the tedious Complemenâ— of an idle Man instead of such Informations or Services as your Highness might expect to receive from those who are devoted like me to your Service But the Marq. of Puzzi is too well received at the K. my Master's Court and too well informed not to have given your Highness all Intelligence necessary as well of his Majesty's Friendship and Esteem as of the general Devotion his Subjects bear for the Person of your Highness He must also have informed your Highness of the happy Disposition his Majesty has found in his Parliament for the Encrease of his Revenues and by that means for the Establishment of his Interests both within and without his Kingdoms I am sorry the said Marquis has found nothing here to please or keep him longer among us But I hope your Highness will not think that during my stay here there can want a Person as ready to receive and obey all your Commands as any of your own Subjects Since I am so much SIR Your Highness's c. Au Grand Duc de Toscane De Lond. le 4 Nov. S. N. 1670. Monsieur JE ne me contenterois pas de ressentir comme je le fais comme je le dois toutes les bontez de V. A. Sme particulierement l'honneur qu'elle m'a fait par sa derniere lettre du 30 de Septembre si je me trouvois le moins du monde capable de les reconnoitre comme elles le meritent ou par mes expressions ou par mes services Mais V. A. ayant voulu par tant de manieres differentes obliger un Sujet aussi inutile que je le suis n'a pas dû en esperer d'autres fruits que la plaisir de jouir de sa propre generosité de s'attacher un coeur aussi reconnoissant que le mien Je me serois fort plaint des longueurs á travers lesquelles la lettre de V.A. est enfin venue me trouver á Londres aprés m'avoir manqué á la Haye si desormais je devois etre regardé de V.A. autrement que comme un homme privé un des Sujets les plus ordinaires de sa Majesté qui n'est plus ni Ministre public ni admis dans les affaires Par consequent mes lettres ne peuvent contenir que les complimens d'un homme oisif au lieu des relations des instructions que V. A. attend de ceux qui sont aussi attachez á elle qu'elle sait que je le suis Mais Monsieur le Marq. de Puzzi est trop bien a la Cour du Roy mon Maitre d'ailleurs trop eclairé trop exact pour n'avoir pû informer V. A. de tout ce qu'elle doit savoir par rapport á notre Cour sur tout il n'aura pas negligé je m'assure de luy parler de l'amitié de l'estime de sa Majesté pour la personne de V. A. en cela secondée par l'affection generale de tous ses Sujets Il vous aura aussi entretenu des heureuses disposiâ—ions que sa Majesté vient de trouver dans l'assemblée de son Parlement pour l'augmentation de ses Finances pour la seureté de ses interêts tant au dedans qu'aux dehors de ses Etats Je suis bien marris que Monsieur le Marquis n'ait pas trouvé icy assés de charmes pour s'y plaire s'y sejourner un peu plus long tems Mais j'ose esperer que V. A. ne croira pas manquer dans Londres d'une personne entierement devouée á son service aussi empressée á recevoir ses ordres qu'aucun de ses propres Sujets tandis que j'y feray mon sejeur puisque je suis Monsieur De V. A. Sme c. To Sir John Temple London November 22. 1670. SIR I MUST make you my humble Acknowledgments for so great a Present as you have been pleased to send me towards that Expence I have resolved to make at Sheen And assure you no part of it shall either go any other way or lessen what I had intended of my own I doubt not to compass what I told you of my Lord Lisle for enlarging my small Territories there when that is done I propose to bestow a thousand Pounds upon the Conveniences of the House and Garden and hope that will reach all I care for So that your five hundred Pounds may be laid out rather for Ornament than Use as you seem to desire by ordering me to make the Front perfectly uniform Your Care of that and me in this Matter is the more obliging the less I find you concur with me in my Thoughts of retiring wholly from publick Affairs and to that Purpose of making my Nest at this time as Pleasant and Commodious as I can afford it Nor shall I easily resolve to offer at any of those Advantages you think I might make upon such a Retreat of the King's Favour or good Opinion by pretending either to Pension or any other Employment The Honour and Pay of such Posts as I have been in ought to be esteemed sufficient for the best Services of them And if I have Credit left with the present Ministers to get what is owing me upon my Ambassy I shall think my self enough rewarded considering how different a Value is now like to be put upon my Services in Holland from what there was when they were performed 'T is very likely at that Time as you believe there were few reasonable Things the King would have denied me while the Triple Alliance and our League with Holland had so great a Vogue and my Friends were not wanting in their Advices to me to make use of it But I have resolved never to ask him any Thing otherwise than by serving him well And you will have the less Reason perhaps to reproach me this Method if you will please to remember how the two Ambassasies of Aix la Chappelle and Holland were not only thrown upon me without my seeking but also what my Lord Arlington told me was designed for me upon Secretary Morris's Removal in case the King had not thought my Ambassy into Holland of the greatest Necessity in pursuance of those Measures we had taken with that State For what you think of the Interest we have still to pursue them and consequently of the Use the King will still have of me upon that Occasion I will not enter into any Reasonings with you upon that Matter at this Distance but will only tell
you some Passages of Fact upon which I ground the Judgment I make of Affairs wherein I have no Part and which I am not so sollicitous to draw into the Light as I doubt others are to keep them in the Dark And when I have told you these I shall leave you to judge whether I take my Measures right as to my own private Conduct You know first the Part I had in all our Alliances with Holland how far my own personal Credit was engaged upon them to Monsieur de Witt and the Resolutions I not only acquainted Him and You with but his Majesty too that I would never have any Part in breaking them whatever should happen Tho' that I confess could hardly enter into any Bodies Head that understood the Interests of Christendom as well as our own I have given you some Intimations how cold I have observed our Temper at Court in those Matters for this last Year and how different it was thought abroad from that Warmth with which we engaged in them So as it was a common Saying at the Hague Qu'il faut avouer qu'il y a eu neuf mois du plus grand Ministere du monde en Angleterre For they would hardly allow a longer Term to the Vigour of that Council which made the Triple Alliance and the Peace of Aix and sent me over into Holland this last Ambassy to pursue the great Ends of them and draw the Emperor and Princes of the Empire into the common Guaranty of the Peace Instead of this our Pretensions upon the Business of Surinam and the East-India Companies have grown high and been managed with Sharpness between Us and the States and grounded as Monsieur de Witt conceives more upon a Design of shewing them our ill Humour than our Reason I was sensible that my Conduct in all these Matters had fallen short for many Months past of the Approbation at Court it used to receive and that Mr. Worden was sent over to me only to disparage it or espy the Faults of it tho' I think he returned with the Opinion that the Business would not bear it 'T is true both my Lord Arlington and Sir John Trevor continued to the last of my stay in Holland to assure me that the King still remained firm in his Measures with the States But yet I found the Business of admitting the Emperor into the Guaranty went downright lame And that my Lord Keeper was in a manner out of the Foreign Councils for so he writ to me himself and gave me notice at the same time that my Lord Arlington was not at all the same to me that he had been Which I took for an ill Sign in our publick Business and an ill Circumstance in my own and the more because I was sure not to have deserved it and found nothing of it in his own Letters but only that they came seldom and run more upon indifferent Things than they used to do Ever since Madame's Journy into England the Dutch had grown jealous of something between Us and France and were not like to be cured by these Particulars I have mentioned But upon the Invasion and Seizure of Lorrain by France and my being sent for over so suddenly after it Monsieur de Witt himself could keep his Countenance no longer though he be neither suspicious in his Nature nor thought it the best Course to discover any such Disposition upon this Occasion how much soever he had of it But yet he told me at my coming away that he should make a Judgment of us by the suddenness of my return which the King had ordered me to assure him of When I came to Town I went immediately to my Lord Arlington according to my Custom And whereas upon my several Journies over in the late Conjunctures he had ever quitted all Company to receive me and did it always with open Arms and in the kindest manner that could be he made me this last time stay an hour and half in an outward Room before he came to me while he was in private with my Lord Ashly He received me with a Coldness that I confess surprized me and after a quarter of an hours Talk of my Journy and his Friends at the Hague instead of telling me the Occasion of my being sent for over or any thing else material he called in Tatá that was in the next Room and after that my Lord Croâ—ts who came upon a common Visit and in that Company the rest of mine pass'd till I found he had nothing more to say to me and so went away The next Morning I went however to him again desiring to be brought by him to kiss the King's Hand as I had used upon my former Journies He thought fit to bring me to his Majesty as he was walking in the Mall who stopt to give me his Hand and ask me half a dozen Questions about my Journy and about the Prince of Orange and so walk'd on Since which Time neither the King nor my Lord Arlington have ever said three Words to me about any thing of Business though I have been as often in their way as agreed with such an ill Courtier as I am or a Man without Business as I found my self to be I have seen my Lord Keeper and Mr. Secretary Trevor And find the first uneasy and apprehensive of our present Councils the last sufficient and confident that no Endeavors can break the Measures between Us and Holland because they are esteemed so necessary abroad and so rational at home But I find them both but barely in the Skirts of Business and only in Right of their Posts And that in the Secret of it the Duke of Buckingham my Lord Arlington my Lord Ashly and Sir Thomas Clifford at present compose the Ministry This I tell you in short as the Constitution of our Affairs here at this Time and which I believe you may reckon upon You know how different Sir Thomas Clifford and I have always been since our first Acquaintance in our Scheams of Government and many other Matters especially concerning our Alliance with Holland And that has been the Reason I suppose of very little Commerce between us further than common Civility in our frequent Encounters at my Lord Arlington's for several Years past This made me a little surprized at his receiving me upon my first coming over and treating me since with a most wonderful Graciousness till t'other day which I suppose has ended that Style Upon the first Visit he made me after many Civilities he told me he must needs have two hours Talk with me at some Time of Leisure and in private upon our Affairs in Holland And still repeated this almost every time he saw me Till one Day last Week when we appointed the Hour and met in his Closet He began with great Compliments to me about my Services to the King in my Employments abroad went on with the Necessity of preserving our Measures with