LETTERS WRITTEN By Sir William Temple During His being AMBASSADOR AT THE HAGUE TO THE Earl of Arlington and Sir Iohn Trevor Secretaries of State to K. Charles II. VVherein are discovered many Secrets hitherto concealed Publish'd from the Originals under Sir William Temple's own Hand And Dedicated to the Right Honourable Sir Thomas Littleton Speaker of the House of Commons By D. Iones Gent LONDON Printed and are to be Sold by A. Baldwin near the Oxford-Arms in Warwick-Lane 1699. TO THE Right Honourable Sir Thomas Littleton Speaker of the House of Commons SIR THE following Letters containing the Particulars of some Part of the Foreign Negotiations of one of the Ablest and most Accomplish'd Ministers we had then in Being I 'll presume upon your Goodness to Pardon me in adventuring to Address them to your Honour since you move in so Publick a Sphear and are so competent a Judge both of their Use and Genuineness whereof had I not been more particularly assured I should not have been so Unjust to the World nor so wanting to my Self as thus to expose them to Light much less would I have been so Audacious as to prefix Your Name before them To these two Considerations Your Honour will allow me to beg the liberty to subjoin the Irresistible Weight Your Publick Usefulness has added to my Inclinations herein whereby I cannot forbear to give my poor Testimony this being the first Opportunity of the Veneration I have for those excellent Vertues that have enabled you to the no great Credit of some of Your Predecessors and Emulation of such as shall come after to carry it with so Even an Hand between Court and Country which however they have been distinguished are inseparable in their Interests and none but ill-minded Men will go about to disunite and that to their equal Benefit and mutual Satisfaction as well as suitable Return of both's Affection to you for it Insomuch that as the Philosopher of old indefinitely called Man Fibula Mundi in regard to his two constitutional Parts of Soul and Body whereby as it were Heaven and Earth the most distant and disagreeing Parts of the Universe were united into one Individuum So by a Peculiarity of Management in Your Honour you may as justly and truly this day in your Station be termed Fibula Angliae and that you may always continue to be so and a constant Ornament to the Chair you fill is as little doubted of as it shall ever be rejoyced in by Your Honour 's Most Humble and most Obedient Servant D. Jones The PREFACE IT is more out of a Prevalent Regard to Custom in this kind than any Consciousness I am under of the real Necessity there is to premise any thing concerning these Letters written by Sir William Temple during some part of his Publick Ministry at the Hague in a Reign which in many parts of it has been as obscure as some have thought it contemptible and little For as to what regards the Genuineness of them against which in things of this Nature the greatest Objections are usually made I think no Person that has any tollerable Acquaintance with or Idea of the Transactions of those times they refer to but will acknowledge they are Self-justifying and carry their own Light in so clear a manner along with them as to be beyond all Contradiction or Dispute To say nothing of the whole Contexture and Evenness of the Stile so fully expressive of his Mind that wrote them which was so peculiar to himself and wherein never any Gentleman was more happy which of it self being as it were inimitable is next to a Demonstration of their Truth But for a further Testimony hereof and that as far as in me lies I may leave no Scruple unanswered I have the Originals by me under his own Hand which any Gentleman may freely see for his further Satisfaction I shall not enter into a Detail of the particular Discoveries contained in them but herein will wholly leave them to answer for themselves Only I cannot but observe that the Years to which they relate being the obscurer Part of King Charles II's Reign the Publication of them I can look upon no otherwise than as a Debt we owe to History in general the most useful Part of Humane Learning and to our own Nation in particular who is more immediately concerned and then seemed to be in a struggle whether as in Ancient Times she should continue to hold the Ballance of Europe in her hands though the Defection afterwards both in her self and her other Confederate Crown wherein each of them proved much less Scrupulous in breaking the Triple League than they seemed unresolved to enter into it are but too notorious and cannot be thought on by a right English Heart without some sort of Indignation But how unsteady soever at any time things went at Home our Learned Author will be found to be ever constant to himself and to retain the same English Spirit in this as in all his other Negotiations Which is so much the more Glorious to his Memory when he had so few Cotemporary Ministers either at Home or Abroad of his Temper of which yet the Honourable Person to whom most of these Letters were directed I mean Mr. Secretary Trevor for the other I have nothing to say to was deservedly one and who will be ever remembred by those that know his true Character with the greatest deference It remains therefore for me to observe That as it appears by Sir W. Temple's Memoirs already published he had also written others relating to the times of these his Letters whereof there is now but little Appearance and many Iudicious Persons have given over any Expectations of their ever coming to publick View It is some sort of Satisfaction to my self as it is a Benefit to Mankind to be in any Measure able to supply that Defect by the Publication hereof concerning which I have nothing more to say but that the three last Letters written also upon Publick Occasions though by other Hands and of a latter Date having something of Curiosity in them I thought it not unseasonable to annex them hereunto as being all I am at present able to communicate for the Publick Good which I would always in my Station endeavour to promote with all Application and Sincerity From my Lodgings over-against the Paul's Head in Paul's Chain May 11. 1699. LETTERS OF Sir William Temple c. LETTER I. Hague Octob. 2. S. N. 1668. My Lord SINCE my last I have received your Lordship 's of the 14th and in one Letter from Mr. Williamson an Account of what was Resolv'd at the Foreign Committee to whom your Lordship only referr'd the Determination of what manner the Amendments of the Marine Treaty should be pursued And accordingly I have since fallen into the Debate of that Affair with Monsieur de Witt in all its Particulars and the Differences between us are not great and some of his Exceptions seem
occasion to discourse with Monsieur de Witt concerning the Liberty of all English Transporting themselves and their Estates from that Colony which at last he seem'd to think reasonable notwithstanding any Oaths they may have taken The only Difficulty which I foresee in it will be about their Lands and Immoveable Goods for which I see not how they will get Satisfaction in case the Dutch that remain combine together either not to buy at all or to do it at the most Inconsiderable Prizes I am very glad to know of any Minister from His Majesty being on his Way to Brussels for all our great Business lies now at the Spaniards Door And they have here a Minister I doubt very unlikely to bring it to any Conclusion and yet Jealous of seeing it pass through any other's Hands and so unsatisfied with the Talk of the Baron d'Isola's going to Hamburgh or coming hither God send us a good Issue in this Negotiation which I confess I something apprehend and that the Spring should find our Triple Alliance as loose as the Summer left it which our Neighbours I doubt will not fail to make the best Advantage of I must acknowledge your Favour in the Offers of taking care of me upon the review of the Establishments for Ambassadors For if it were my Talent either to ask or complain I doubt I should have as much reason as another Man in a place where by all Mens consent the same Train of Living will cost a full third part more than either at Paris or London And for the necessity of appearing the late Ambassadors of France Spain Sweden and Portugal have brought it as high as in any other Court by the Number of Liveries and keeping Publick Tables Whereas Sir Dudley Carleton the last English Ambassador here keept no Page and but two Footmen and one Coach and four Horses And had his House allow'd him by the States which is to cost me 200 l. a Year And yet upon the Establishment of those Times and the Count d'Estrades here mine was fix'd whereas the Count tho he had but Ten Thousand Crowns a Year for his Ambassage yet had Sixty five Thousand Francs a Year of the King His Master's Money for his Governments and Ambassage together Besides a Regiment here in Holland which made him live at a Rate that will cost his Successors dear unless by common consent we can all agree to reduce it Which I am sure I should be as glad of for the Ease as the Parsimony of it Unless we can do this I resolve to live on as I thought it was necessary for the King's Honour I should begin for the rest of one Year and lie at the King's Mercy for it as well as I do for having had my whole Train of Ambassador to Aix upon my Hands two Months by his Majesty's Commands without one Penny 's Allowance for it And therefore I shall not trouble you with any Complaints concerning my Establishment having once said That since the King thought such Retrenchments necessary I was content to give the Example and would go through with it so long as my own Fortune would bear me out without Ruine But in case the Establishment be broken for other Persons I will not believe the King will break the Absolute Promise he made me as the Commissioners likewise did that I should share with them to the full in the Advantage of it which is all the Pretension I will recommend to my Friends Justice and Favour For in such a Distinction the Dishonour of it will be yet more sensible than the Disadvantage I know not how to excuse this Trouble but that the obliging Advances you were pleased to make me upon this Subject were the occasions of drawing it all upon you from SIR Your most Faithful Humble Servant W. Temple LETTER VIII Hague Novemb. 13. S. N. 68. SIR I Have since my last had the Honour of two from you of the 23d and 26th past And must refer you for Answer to all Points in the first to this Nights Dispatch to my Lord Arlington and likewise to the first part of your second having valued that strain of His Majesty's Confidence with the States as far as I could And I hope upon the whole to keep all in good Temper here whilst no change of Temper happens among their Neighbours I sent immediately your Letter to Monsieur Van Benninghen but doubt I shall not receive much Assistance from him in disposing the States to the sharing of the Swedish Subsidies Against which he seems as much bent as Monsieur de Witt And more upon promoting the other Expedient of Inviting Spain to the whole Payment by a General Guaranty I expect your Resolutions there upon the Marine Treaty For though I am not called upon for them here yet they would be glad to see an end of all upon which they foresee Disputes may arise For the second part of your last Letter I have particularly informed my self and find that the Military and Oeconomical parts have ever been perfectly distinct in the Administration of the Admiralty of these Countries And that no Prince of Orange ever had any thing to do in the Disposition of the last nor any of the Lieutenant-Admirals since as Tromp Opdam or Ruyter The course of that Administration being subordinately in the several Admiralties but supreamly in the States themselves as the Military part is now since the Death of the last Prince of Orange There are five several Admiralties under these States The first of Rotterdam the second of Amsterdam which bears a double Share with the rest the third of Zealand the fourth of North-Holland the fifth of Friezland In the Time of Peace the Ships maintained by the States are only for Convoys And towards their defraying the Customs upon all Merchant Ships are payed in to the respective Admiralties where they come in And all that Revenue is by these Admiralties imployed in the maintaining of Convoys for their Merchants In Time of War the States resolve what Number of Ships they will set out and send for Commissioners from each Admiralty to consult with concerning the Sizes of them to be furnished by the several Admiralties And likewise concerning the Charge of Equipping Victualling and Maintaining them When this is agreed by the States with the Commissioners of the several Admiralties the Moneys are assigned by them accordingly to the Admiralties by whom the whole Care is taken of applying it according to the Proportions agreed on The Benefit of the Admiral and Lieutenant Admirals consists chiefly in the Share they have of all Prizes taken The Prince of Orange having had no particular Pension as Admiral but One Hundred and Twenty Thousand Guilders a Year as Captain General and Admiral And de Ruyter at present not having above Five Thousand Guilders a Year as Lieutenant Admiral Upon setting out any Ships the several Admiralties named two Captains of which the Admiral chose one which the States do now
to a political Decision between the King's Ministers and the States was in short the Ground of the last War How truly he says this I know not but I believe he truly means to prevent all occasions of future Quarrels between us while we are of that mind And therefore I am still in hopes of his Endeavours to pass this Article if that Suspition may be taken away Which perhaps one or two Instances either of what we have suffer'd or what we apprehend would do In the mean time I cannot perswade him to what you seem to agree in declaring That without this Point they yield us nothing in all the rest For they think it is a very great Matter they yield in the Description of une ville bloquèe ou assiegè◠to be both by Land as well as Sea which cannot be done there so that he says we gain the Liberty of Trading with all Nations with whom they may be at War and lie before their Havens with their Fleets which was a Point could never be gain'd of them in Cromwell's Time They think likewise they yield a great deal in that of the case where one Company has contracted for the sole buying up any Commodity of any Nation But I have no reason to think you are very well pleased with my representing their Arguments or Discourses upon this Subject no more than they are with yours tho' both perhaps be necessary And therefore I shall not enlarge this Trouble beyond the Assurances of my being always SIR Your most Obedient and most Humble Servant W. Temple LETTER XIX Hague February 5. S. N. 69. SIR â— Have since my last the Honour of yours of the 15th past Whereby I find â—ou expected my next would be from Brus 〈…〉 ls after the Receipt of my Powers and 〈…〉 structions some Days before arrived But 〈…〉 e great Business of our Adjustment with 〈…〉 pain upon the Swedish Subsidies being as 〈…〉 e hope come to an Issue here by full 〈…〉 owers to the Spanish Ambassador I know 〈…〉 ot whether that Journey will hold or 〈…〉 Monsieur de Witt thinks it may still be 〈…〉 cessary if it be but to give Heart to the 〈…〉 eople there who need it much and to 〈…〉 ake some Entrances with the Constable 〈…〉 on the best Ways and Methods of setling 〈…〉 at Countrey in a posture of not falling 〈…〉 der another Surprize from France But I 〈…〉 all have time to consider whether that be 〈…〉 rand enough for such a Journey when I 〈…〉 ar the States Resolutions about it For 〈…〉 therto it is only Monsieur de Witt 's pri 〈…〉 ate Opinion And they not having proceeded so far as to engage any Person in it when there was more occasion 't is possible they may now desist from the present Thoughts of it I can give no further Account of our Marine Treaty expecting your Answers to their Desires of some Instances when we either had felt or apprehended the Grievance in that only Article which remains I find Monsieur Van Benninghen has been very large upon that Subject in a Letter to you from Amsterdam which Monsieur dâ— Witt shew'd me a Copy of and would have had me transmitted for fear of the Originals miscarrying But I thought it not necessary both in regard of the Safety of all Letters in their usual course and to say truth because I found not the Arguments very weighty and a Byass in theâ— towards the leaving out that whole Article or at least confining it to particular places of which instance should be made Whereas Monsieur de Witt had always declar'd That the Instances were desir'd only for Information in the nature of our Demand and not to insert in the Article I am apt to believe that 't is only Jealousie on both sides which makes this point so much insisted on by us and so much apprehended by them at least if we can give no particular Instances of the Grievance For they are positive that with the knowledge of the Directors no such thing is practised However some Expedient must be found out to agree it If you â—urnish me with Instances that will be some Assistance to me If you cannot do that I was thinking whether it might not be an Expedient to add to the Article as I transmitted it some such Words that this should be done in the same manner as was â—sually practised between the two Companies before such a Year naming two or three Years before the War since you af 〈…〉 rm before that time no such thing was â—retended or exercised by them But I have mentioned nothing of any such Exâ—edient here nor shall till I have answer â—f my last and your result upon it after having communicated it to those who are â—ost concerned to understand it I know not whether I thought it worth â—aking notice of that the Admiral of Denâ—ark came hither some Days since about â—â—e long debated Difference between that King and these States upon certain Sums â—f Money and likewise about agreeing â—pon the Measures of Ships that pass the â—ound I am always SIR Your most Faithful Humble Servant W. Temple LETTER XX. Hague February 12. S. N. 69. SIR I Am to acknowledge the Honour of o 〈…〉 from you of the 26th past approvinâ— the State of our Affair with Spain whiâ—â— you will since find is drawn to a Head And in case His Majesty approves of t 〈…〉 Form of the Guaranty we have nothiâ—â— left to transact in this Matter but witâ— Sweden Towards which my Lord Câ—lisle's Journey if so sudden as we here believe will much contribute I doubt Monsieur Boreel has but a colâ— Scent in his Pursuit of the Zealand Pretenâ—â—ons at Surinam But the truth is that iâ—â—ase the English Planters all remove together from that place the Plantation is as good as wholly lost to the Dutch their Numbers there being wholly inconsiderable and their Nation not at all fit for that Business of Planting which makes them never like to grow considerable in the West-Indies But otherwise for the Reason of the thing I never saw the least colour oâ— it on their side nor find that Monsieur de Witt offers at maintaining it when upon occasion I have fallen into the Discourse of it with him So that I should think my self happy if I had no greater Difficulties upon my Hands here than what are likely to arise in that Affair when it comes in play Tho' I think you judge very prudently that the Time for it will be rather after we shall have come to some Issue in our Marine Treaty than at present that so we may have but one Knot to untie at a time How I shall succeed in the last I am yet to learn from my farther Conferences here upon the Papers last sent me which I have newly received and are Translating that I may upon occasion use them here I mean the Arguments as well as the Articles That which troubles me is
current with the enclosed Pacquet for Sir Gabriel Sylvius which he is possest of And in order to his Journey towards Lunenburgh has begun to take his leave where it was due here I have put the Compliment of these Dispatches from His Majesty wholly upon Monsieur de Witt who seems to take it as he ought to do and to be satisfied with all he hears of the course of His Majesty's present Counsels both from Monsieur Boreel and all other Hands He tells me his Letters from their Ambassador in Sweden give him a very good Account of the Dispositions of that Court which agreeing with what I hear both from Monsieur Appleboom and Sylvercrown here makes me hope all we wish in their Resolution upon the Projects of the Guaranty and Subsidies lately sent them over The Duke of Lunemgburgh's Minister here is of Opinion Sir Gabriel Sylvius will find those Princes likewise in the same Dispositions and obliged by this Compliment from His Majesty I doubt of two Difficulties in the engaging them First that they will expect to be admitted as Principals in our Alliance And then that they will insist upon some Money by Sweden's Example The enclosed I have newly received from the Baron Bonstetten by which you will find the Negotiations in Switzerland towards the common Alliance proceed but slowly That which they would perswade this State is to allure them by setling constant Pension upon the small Catholick Cantons where they perswade him about fifty Thousand Franc's a Year would do the Buness And among the Protestant Cantons there is nothing of that kind admitted as they say and so nothing needed but Monsieur de Witt is averse from this Counsel arguing that where things are wholly Venial and at so small Rates there can be no certainty and that 50 from hence may serve turn only till 60 be offer'd from some other Hand He is in the mean time extreamly glad to hear we are like to fall into a good Correspondence with Denmark and hopes the Hold of France will wear off in that Court as ours grows on Considering how weary you must needs be of so much as has been written of late upon the Subject of passing those enchanted Forts I suppose you will be content I trouble you with nothing in that Matter by this Ordinary the States having not yet signified any thing to me of what has been or is ready to be represented to them by the Deputies of the East-India Company who have been three Days in Town and I hear were prepar'd to entertain them with long Reasonings upon it I am of Opinion that without producing Instances of what gave us the Apprehension at least if not the Danger of new Practises which we desire to prevent or without shewing that the mention of Porcat and Iacatra which is all has yet been spoken of is to the purpose of this Complaint It will be hopeless to do any thing in this Matter the Jealousies of our reach in it are grown so great and now they have started a new one which is That this Proposition nor any thing towards it was never made by us in any time of our hardest Demands even by Cromwell's but only in the last Paper of Sir George Downing so as they will have it that he has cast it in as une pieâ—â—e d'achopement entre les dâ—ux Nations knowing by his Transactions and the Constitutions here it was a thing could never be yielded But I must expect the next Conference to be able to give a further Judgment upon the whole success I cannot end this without acknowledging very sensibly the obliging Expressions at the end of your last concerning your favour to me in my Wife 's present Solicitations of the Performance in what His Majesty was pleased to promise me at my coming away as to equality with his other Ministers Monsieur de Witt had heard the King had granted it and came to make me a Complement Yesterday upon it assuring me he had several times spoken of it among his Friends here with Trouble That he knew in the Train I lived 't was impossible to hold out upon what I had before from the King which from so frugal a Man is perhaps as good a Testimony as what I hear some Persons who have no more to do in it than he take great pains in representing to the contrary I am ever with very much Reason and Truth SIR Your most Faithful humble Servant W. Temple LETTER XXV Hague March 26. S. N. 69. SIR I Have received yours of the 9th with the enclosed Answer to the Dutch Ambassador's Memorial upon the Affair of Surinam upon which I cannot mark any seeming difference in the Pretensions of His Majesty and these States concerning the execution of those Articles of Surrender unless there should arise a Difficulty upon the ways of Transporting such of our Planters as have a desire to remove For the Dutch according to the Article pretend their Governour is alone to have that Charge and Care but they fear His Majesty will think of sending Ships of his own to that purpose which they think would have an Influence upon the Dispositions of the English Planters there and upon the Peace of the Colony When Monsieur Boreel arrives I may perhaps have occasion to enter farther into this Matter and am glad to be so well informed Sir Gabriel Sylvius began his Journey last Night towards Lunemburgh and I hear there are Letters this Morning arrived here from Lubec which left my Lord Carlisle upon the Point of Embarking there directly for Stockholm the same Day the Post parted so that I doubt neither of the Pacquets dispatch'd after His Lordship had reached him time enough to turn his Journey through Denmark but some other Hand will I hope be found in those parts to supply that turn before it cools I have heard nothing from the States upon our Marine Article since the Arrival of the Deputies from Amsterdam which made me resolve to put in this enclosed Memorial Yesterday to press them to a short Conclusion Wherein as in all our Conferences I endeavour'd to make the firmness of our Alliance depend much upon our Satisfaction in this Point being an Argument will always hold good how much soever the others may be disputed I cannot guess more by much Discourse I have lately had with Monsieur Van Benninghen than that if we are content with the Ancient Practice for the time preceding 62 or 63 in which Years we say our Complaints or Apprehensions began we may be assured of it but I shall never talk three Words upon this Matter with any of them without being prest upon giving Instances I hope you and Monsieur Van Benninghen will have the Honour of ending this Affair which I should have been very glad of but doubt it will be denied me However so it be done to our Satisfaction I shall not repine I am of Opinion at last the States will send him
out of all Cavil upon the Validity or Performance of the Articles But they seem much unsatisfied with all the first part of the Kings last Answer which justifies all my Lord Willouâ—â—by's proceedings and seems to revoke all Orders formerly given for Reparations in that point So that they say it will come in among the other Expences which his Lordship has forced them to that their Ships will have gone to the Barbados with the Kings Orders for sending back the 200 Slaves and will be forced to return without effect They seem to wonder likewise that his Majesty has not thought fit to take any notice of the Letter sent by the States-General upon this matter I shall expect the Letter of His Majesties you promise me concerning the Merchant Adventurers though if His Majesty gives me leave I shall make use of it or not as I see occasion and as those of the English Company of Dort think will be most for the benefit of their Affair which yet sleeps and while it does so they are well and I suppose it will not be our part to wake it Monsieur Mareschall who is joyn'd in the powers Sent to Monsieur Appleboom from Sweden upon the Affairs of the Tripple Alliance has been with me and though the Secretary they expect with the last Orders be not yet arrived they are ready they say however to begin a Conference which may possibly be on Thursday The chief of his Discourse with me was in General upon that Crowns esteem of His Majesties Alliance and Disposition to comply with his Counsels and Resolutions in this Affair which was the occasion of his Orders to see me first upon his Arrival That which I could gather out of the rest was that they would be willing to proceed as tenderly as they could towards France in either offering the Guaranty at the same time to both or rather giving it particularly to neither but only in general against him that shall break the Peace Next that they would have nothing to do with Spain but only with us in the whole Affair of Subsidies and leave us to order all that concerns us with Spain And Lastly that they would have the last Term of eight Months for the last portion either taken away wholly or else shortned But I suppose I shall know more plainly what they will be at upon our next meeting for this Morning they sent me word they had received the Letters they expected with farther Instructions though not the last which come by the Secretary I have nothing to bear me out in the encrease of this Trouble from SIR Your most Faithful Humble Servant W. Temple LETTER XXXI Hague April 19. S. N. 69 SIR I am to acknowledge yours of the 2d current with an enclosed from His Majesty to the States upon the Subject of our Merchant Adventurers at Dort to whom I shall give notice of it and make use of this Letter as they judge will be most for their Advantage It is certain as you say that this Attempt of the States of Holland has been very unseasonable and upon that Argument alone I had the good fortune to stop the current hitherto which was very strong by a Confluence of all the Towns of Holland except that of Dort But I do not think there was ever any thing intended of what it seems the Merchants represented to the Council that the States did it with a design of laying such Customs upon our Woollen Manufactures as might wholly discourage the Transportation of them for all which those of the Company save is but a Guilder on every piece of Cloath besides the Priviledges as to the Expence and Living of the particular Merchants and I look upon the Trade of coarse Cloths to be a thing which can never fail us since no other Nation can make them so strong and cheap as we so that the Dutch knowing they will ever find a Market abroad will rather aim at drawing them always through this Country that so they may be the Retailers of them to other Nations than endeavour to Discourage their Importation which will but divert their current through Flanders by Emden and other parts of Germany where they are chiefly vented The Pensionary of Zealand has been very earnest with me to endeavour the restoring of the Scotch Staple to Treveur which will be of good consequence to the English Company much satisfie the Prince of Orange and the States of Holland too I believe and indeed how a thing that was of 200 years standing came to be alter'd without great change of Circumstances I could never tell I wrote about it lately upon the Princes particular desire but received no answer upon it The States of Holland are retired and the Deputies of Zealand likewise having concluded nothing more upon their Differences then only to meet again about the beginning of May so that in their Conferences hitherto there has been no occasion of mentioning the Princes interest which must fall into debate I suppose before the other ends I hear the Province of Zealand has much distracted the Intentions of sending Monsieur Van Benninghen over as believing it a design in those of Holland to alter the Ancient Disposition of that Ambassy which has been appropriated to Zealand as also to compose the business of the East-Indies though at the cost of the other difference about Surinam in which Holland is little concern'd as Zealand is in the other Yesterday I had a Conference with the Ministers of Sweden and the Deputies of the States upon the Acts of the Guaranty and Subsidies where after some offers by the Swedish Ministers at the change of any Expressions that might seem hard towards France and the reading over the Act of Guaranty wherein they could six upon nothing that could bear much of that Interpretation they at length consented to it in the very Terms which were Transmitted over to his Majesty and approved by him as well as by the States They debated likewise the Terms of the Subsidies but at last concluded it either necessary to have the whole Sum paid or else good caution given for the two last Terms upon which they might as I gather hope with small loss to raise the Sum and leave those they deal with for the advance to any further Risque and in these points they desire our further Interposition with the Spanish Ministers professing to have nothing to do with Spain in the end no more than the beginning of this Affair and declaring upon all occasions with great Nicety that their Master was content to give the Guaranty only in pursuit of his part in the Tripple Alliance and his publick regards towards the Repose of Christendon and not induced by any consideration of Gain or Advantage which might be pretended to be made them by the Subsidies which were grounded upon a particular promise of ours and Holland after the Tripple Alliance was concluded As for the Instrument about the concert of Forces
for Support of the Peace the Swedish Ministers say they are not yet instructed in it and that their Master is of the mind I told them in private the King was off not to let it accompany the Guaranty but follow afterwards as an Act between those of the Tripple Alliance and not to be given Spain as the other was And joyning our Strengths in this matter we had the less Resistance from the Dutch Commissioners though they at first began to press us hard for the finishing that at the same time So as it was concluded I and two of the Commissioners should go to Morrow to the Spanish Ambassador and let him know that upon Agreement the three several parts of the Triple Alliance were now content to give the Guaranty which had been desired by Spain and in the Terms which had been communicated before to their Ministers provided they were ready to satisfie what had been so long desired upon the matters of the Swedish Subsidies And thereupon to press him to the whole payment or to the caution of particular Men in these Countries empowered to it by their Correspondents in the Spanish Dominions In the first point we shall have no Success and I know not whether the Dutch desire it in the second or have much reason to do so For they had rather I suppose have this Tie last still for 16 Months longer up on Sweden than cease by such caution as will immediately raise the Money which is that the Swedes would be at and stick not to argue from their Apprehension of Disorders in Spain which may hereafter disappoint them which cannot happen but at the same time they must render useless the further effects of the Triple Alliance I apprehend the Spanish Ambassador will stand upon the Conclusion and at least Communication of the third Instrument for concert of Forces and that he will be privately encouraged to it by the Dutch Ministers who are very earnest upon the finishing that Transaction and the Swedes seem not unwilling having upon the Dutch pressing it upon the Conference declared that though they were not yet impowr'd as to that particular yet their Master understood that should be likewise concluded before their Commissioners ended or Monsieur Marshall parted from thence In this point I desire further Instructions of his Majesties pleasure how I am to carry it if I think my self prest on all sides upon it for hitherto I have diverted it as dexterously as I could but doubt I may be brought to a direct point in it I have had since my last no further discourse about the Marine Article but only of the breaking up the last Conference Monsieur de Witt told me he must come next Week and talk with me about it I am ever as becomes me SIR Your most Humble and most Obedient Servant W. Temple LETTER XXXII Hague April 23. N. S. 69. SIR UPon Saturday last I and the Deputies of this State gave the Spanish Ambassador an account of our Conference with the Swedish Ministers and of our being all ready to give Spain the Guaranty desired upon their Satisfaction of the Subsidies to Sweden He would fain have perswaded us to the addition of some words as in one place that mentions the French's Contravention to the Peace he would have inserted Directement or Indirectement and upon the mention of warranting the Peace of Aix he would have added et celle des Pircâ—èés d'autants qu'ell ' est confirmâ—è par cette derniere The Dutch made not much difficulty upon either but I said absolutely I could not change a Sillable of the Act Transmitted into England without first communicating it to his Majesty and I believe the Swedish Ministers were under the same Restrictions which the Spanish Ambassador resolved to try and sound it so and that I suppose will put an end to his further Niceties Upon the whole his Answer was that when we Signed other Acts of Guaranty he would Sign that for payment of the Subsidies and when the Ratification arrived from Sweden the Money of the first payment should be ready at Amsterdam though he says it is yet at Sevill For the caution we demanded for the two latter Terms to be given of Burgers in Amsterdam He said he would write to the Constable and I find has a design of satisfying it by some Tolls upon the Meuse which lies in an open Country and will be first exposed to the War By further and freer Conference with Monsieur Marshal I find that the difficulty made by Sweden hitherto of entring into the particular concert at the same time with the Guaranty as both Spain and Holland desire proceeds from an imagination they have of inducing at least Holland and Spain if not us to contribute towards the maintaining constantly even in time of Peace a Swedish Army on foot in the Dutchy of Bremen which I doubt will not succeed on any side However knowing his Majesties unwillingness to enter at present into that Concert I make use of the Swedes to cover me when I am prest upon it either by Spain or Holland saying his Majesty is first resolv'd to know the Swedes mind and afterwards that his Majesties Answer is but a business of ten days The Spanish Ambassador has lately put in a Memorial here full of the Alarms in Flanders that the French would make an Attempt upon Conde or some other of the pretended places upon which the Constable had received orders from the Queen that in case of any such Action though pretended only upon those places he should look upon it as an opening the War in all parts and proceed accordingly being resolved rather to lose all they possess there in the Field than to suffer any new Indignity My Lord Carlisle assures me by one from aboard the Ship which was carrying him from Coppenhagen to Stockholme that the Orders were given to open the Trade for our English Merchants in those Dominions according to the Treaty of 60 in which that King desired only that the 3d Article might be alter'd And that the Viceroy of Norway was appointed for the Ambassy into England They tell me he 's that young Gabel who is now in France Son to the Stadtholder Gabel that shall be joyned with him The Devotion or Leasure of these Holy days has suffered no business here since my last and so given no occasion for tho encrease of this Trouble from SIR Your most Obedient and most Humble Servant W. Temple LETTER XXXIII Hague April 26. S. N. 69. SIR THough I was sorry for the occasion given us of new Jealousies by the Arrival of our East-India Ships yet I was glad to receive by yours of the 9th current any new Arguments to pursue the difficult point I am here engaged in I could not but communicate to Monsieur de Witt such parts of the Letter as I thought to my purpose because I could add nothing to the strength of the Motives nor the Terms He said upon
it that this was all general but he hoped that upon the Arrival of these Ships and Letters with so fresh Intelligence you would be at the trouble of sending me some particular Complaints to the end the States might give order for their immediate Redress and come to understand the nature of the Grievances we feared He said that which he should be glad to see was an Information that at such a time since we say the occasion of our jealousies began such a Ship was hinder'd by such a Fort from making a passage which had been formerly permitted us or such a new Fort was erected and had blockt up a passage which was formerly free or that at such a time the Dutch Company had made War upon such a Nation where our Trade was before Establisht and possest themselves of it that so the States might examine the grounds of such Actions to the end both of Remedying and preventing them And he hoped such Instances might be given without mingling them with former matters which had been liquidated between the Nations by former Negotiations in some of which we appear'd to have had reason and had receiv'd Reparation and in others upon Examination we had prov'd to be ill informed From this we fell into large debates about the necessity of framing some Article upon it and the ill consequences of failing in it whether it were by direct or tacite refusal But I did not find that either of us could say much upon this beaten Theam which had not been said before He allows all that I can say upon the ill consequences of any dissatisfaction between the Nations and the necessity of our Alliance to them in this Conjuncture and that he has thought of it more than of any matter that has been a great while upon his hands but cannot yet find any disposition in the Directors to believe it possible to frame any Article upon it without incurring the danger we would avoid of Disputes between us He said he hoped we would not take it ill that they made difficulty of entring into a new Contract with us since in all Alliances Reparations were necessary but new Contracts were always voluntary However he desir'd me that I would give him a Copy of those parts of their Letter which I had read to him which he would send away that very night to Amsterdam and make the best use of it he could either to dispose Monsieur Van Benninghen to go suddenly into England or to think of some new Expedient in this matter For he was of Opinion that one or other of them was necessary but having been already disavowed in two Draughts he had proposed to the Directors he durst not offer at it again alone He confest that by the Dissatisfaction of the Province of Zealand and particularly of Monsieur Boreel upon the Discourse of Monsieur Van Benninghen's going over and by Domestick Affairs of his own and others of his Son he had been of late wholly discouraged from undertaking the Journey how much soever he had once resolved it and been since prest upon it by several of the States but that he would shortly give me an account of the effect at his next dispatch to Amsterdam with which our Discourse ended For the business of Surinam he has assur'd me of his endeavours to bring it to what we desire as is so clearly exprest in your last Letter and I doubt not but the Resolutions of those of Zealand upon it will be brought hither by their Deputies about the beginning of next Month in which the Pensionary of Zealand promised to imploy himself at his return thither The Swedish Ministers press still to have caution to the two last Terms which may be as good as Money and upon which they may raise it presently without much loss and withal they are very earnest to have the first payment made upon their Signing the Guaranty without staying for the Satisfaction I doubt very much of the Spanish Ministers being induced to either of these and all that I and the Dutch can do in it is to assure the Swedes of the same Offices from his Majesty and the States towards Spain for compleating as for beginning their Satisfaction I find by Monsieur Marshall since my last that in case of this Affair's being well ended which I see little doubt of they have Orders to consent to the Framing and Signing a project of Concert between those of the Alliance as to the number and quantity of Forces which each of them shall furnish but without any sort of Specification concerning the manner of acting or without particularizing the Assistance of one King or another but the Forces to be imployed against that King that shall break the Peace and they will be content with their proportion at Twelve thousand Men. I have nothing to encrease this Trouble beyond the professions of my being always SIR Your most Obedient and most Humble Servant W. Temple Just upon the closing of this Letter the Spanish Ambassador brings me the enclosed Copy of the Answer arrived from the Constable to the account given him of what past here in our Conferences the last Week about the Guaranty offer'd and the caution demanded by the Swedes LETTER XXXIV Hague May 3d. S. N. 69 SIR I am not yet able to make any particular answer to the several parts of your Letter of the 13th but doubt not to gain an Order from the States in consequence of the Surinam Articles for Liberty and Assistance of those that desire to remove to which end I shall have a Conference with the Commissioners on Munday next and have before hand Monsieur de Witt 's promise of Assistance in that matter which I resolv'd to defer no longer though the Deputies of Zealand are to be here on the 14th Current who promised to bring the Resolutions of their Province with them Monsieur Marshall has been out of Town since my last so that we have yet no Result from him or Monsieur Appleboom concerning the Guaranty nor whether they intend to Sign it without partiticular caution for the remainder of the Subsidies But the last sent me word this Morning that he expected the other in Town to morrow after whose return they would suddenly acquaint us how far they could proceed in all the matters that are before them though I shall divert their coming to any Resolution in that of the concert of Forces as long as I can and to be sure come to none my self upon it till I know his Majesties further pleasure Monsieur de Witt tells me that Monsieur Van Benninghen had a large Conference with the Directors at Amsterdam upon the subject of your Letter some parts whereof concerning the new Complaints arrived by our last Ships I had communicated to him and that they promis'd him a further consideration of it and that they would Transmit the Result of all they should deliberate upon that Subject in a Letter hither which they say
she disappoint us I am ever as becomes me SIR Your most Humble and most Obedient Servant W. Temple I sent my Packet open as long as i 〈…〉 was possible in a place where the times ar 〈…〉 so exact and just at this instant the States Resolution is brought me in Dutch with a message that the Commissioners will come to morrow or next day to confer with me upon it T is long and I am not Dutchman enough to understand it well nor have time to get it Translated so as you will have it at full by the next LETTER XXXVIII Hague Iune 18. S. N. 69. SIR I have since my last received the Ratification of the Guaranty with the Paper concerning the Swedish demands in a Letter from you which came to me by my Wife with a large Testimony she has given me of the favour and assistance she received from you in the pursuit of her business fâ—r which I make you my acknowledgments and should do it with more circumstance but that I see you are willing to have me in your debt and I am desirous to come out of it by some better way I shall observe the Directions I receive concerning the Swedish pretentions when they come again in play which they have not done lately Monsieur Mareschal having been above ten days out of Town in hopes to hear of the first payment arriving from Spain before his return for upon that performance the rest of our Negotiations in that business will very much depend which makes me sorry to see nothing yet effected in it for I doubt the Swâ—des within a little time will grow weary of being entertained only with the cheap hopes and promises given them for a Month or two by the Spanish Ambassador I have likewise received lately one from you of Iune 1st with large reflections upon the ill returns of the States in both the Affairs of the East Indies and Surinam and shall take the freedom you give me of making use of those discourses to Monsieur de Witt to which purpose they are now Translating In the mean time I had not neglected discoursing with Monsieur Van Benninghen upon both those Subjects though he will hardly allow that of Surinam to be worth speaking of I suppose because neither the Town of Amsterdam nor the Province of Holland are concerned in it For the other I prest him upon the necessity of the general Article with all the Warmth and Arguments I could possibly draw from the considerations of the present conjuncture He fell to the old defences the danger of new and greater disputes upon the interpretation of any general Article the consequences such an agreement with us might have to open their Trade to all the rest of their Allies the offers of Redress in all particulars that could happen when-ever we could give the instances Upon all which I took him at the advantage and told him none of all those three considerations could be alledged against the particular satisfaction we demanded in the business of Macassar having a particular instance wherein we were aggrieved and the redress whereof could admit no danger of interpretations nor draw consequences to any other Nation since no other had any Trade establisht there He defended himself with Arguments Monsicur de Witt had used of this Treaty for sole commerce being the sole fruits of a long and dangerous War and of vast expence of every King or Government having power to dispose of their own commodities as Sweden might contract to sell them all their Copper or Portugal all their Salt and that the Article of Breda does not oblige us to comprehend one another in all such particular Contracts concerning Commerce but in those of Alliance and Defence That if they made a War purposely to destroy our Trade it ought to be disown'd and redrest but if upon injuries from an Indian King they were forced to a War and they succeeded to have a Conquest in their power they might use it as they pleased I told him all this ended in a Declaration that they could neither give us our General Article for the future nor particular redress for what was past which was too much at a time or between those that intend long to be friends and prest him so home that at last he interrupted me and askt me brusquement whether if they would restore us to our Trade at Macassar I would conclude the Treaty For tho' it would lose all the fruits of their Victory yet they could tell what that would cost but what a general Article might import no body could compute He said further that if this would content us he would endeavour it I told him I had Commission to ask no less then that Restitution and the general Article too but when they could resolve what to propose to me I would transmit it to his Majesty He promised to consider of it and desired we might have a joynt Conference with Monsieur de Witt upon it at his return to Town which is this day expected He concluded that though he could not promise for the rest yet he would assure me of his Endeavours and that he hoped his journey into England was reserved for some greater occasion In the mean time I thought it necessary to acquaint you with this overture and know your Reflections upon it I confess I could not but be inwardly pleased with it because it lookt like something in stead of nothing because a redress of this kind may beaâ— a construction to imply all others as due hereafter in cases of the like nature but chiefly because in one of your Letters you mentioned this business of Macassar as of more importance than what injuries we could apprehend by Forts and Passages And though I cannot yet reckon upon any thing certain from this Overture yet I count it some advantage to have divided my Enemies For Monsieur de Witt that stands firmly upon the Justice of their Treaty of Macassar as an acquisition of War with that King declares he will endeavour the composure of some general Article tho' he is in pain how to restrain it from possibility of Interpretations and Monsieur Van Benninghen who ever declar'd the most against this last yet offers to endeavour the Restitution at Macassar If this be thought worthy his Majesties Reflections it may be considered how far it would extend towards our Satisfaction to have such an Article for Restoring our Trade at Macassar inserted in the very Treaty of Commerce with some such Introduction Que pour saire voir les intentions mutuelles de Pune et de Pautre Nation dâ—â—'empieter pas sur le commerce Pun de Pautre en quelque quartier des Indes qu' il soit Establi ou sous aucun pretexte de Traitez avec aucâ—n Roys ou Gouvernements â—y d' empescher le commerce Pun de Pautre avec quelques Nations qui â—e sont pas dans Poâ—â—upation de Pautre compagnâ—è il
so have left the Definition of gentes liberae as strict as we our selves desired it I understood likewise by our Conference and their Proposition yesterday that the words before mentioned should run Illibata maneant quae usu commerciorum armorum c. and not in usu as they have put it in the enclosed which comes but just now to my hands and I think it would be stronger for us to have that preserv'd untoucht which we have acquired usu commerciorum as well as armorum jure or pactorum vi If you can content your Merchants with the Treaty as it runs here you may have it perfected and your Trade at Macassar and factories restored which I think I may say considently though Monsieur de Witt and Van Benninghen only promise their endeavours in it and would make us believe 't is something very extraordinary they do for his Majesties Satisfaction that those of the East-India Company would sooner part with a Million of Money then yield the 2d Article about defining a Besieged place which they say will end all further Conquests of theirs in the Indies since they cannot Besiege them by Land and they may be relieved by Sea They say besides that the Restitution of Macassar will be such a President for Redress of any Injuries that we can ever receive and justly complain of that it imports much more then any General Article could have done without it of all which I leave the Judgment before you Letters this day from the Baron de Bonstetten give great appearance of the Switzers Aversion to engage in the French Interest and assure the Spanish Ministers of their being provided with Money which together with their Inclinations he thinks may make some change in their Counsels to the advantage of those ends proposed by the Tripple Alliance We hear France is very ill satisfied with the late Revolution in Poland and with Don Iohn's growing so powerful in their Neighbourhood Having none of Mr. Secretary's now to answer with the Debt I was in to your Lordship has excused his trouble this Post and been the occasion of drawing it upon your Lordship from My Lord Your Lordships most Faithful and most Humble Servant VV. Temple LETTER XLIII Hague Iuly 19. S. N. 69. SIR THE contrary Winds have kept yours of the 26th past some days longer upon the way then is usual in this Season but I shall not fail to Morrow to deliver his Majesties Letter to the States which is as you observe in a Style which shows that the King demands nothing but his Right and seeks no occasions of unkindness or weakning his Alliance with this State as some were apt to believe Monsieur de Witt seem'd satisfied in a great measure with the last paper you sent me over of Replies to their Arguments upon the business of Surinam and says the difficulty in Colonel Willoughby's case must be cleared by matter of Fact for if the Slaves he took away were only such as belonged to his own Person he allows he had right to do it but not if they belong'd to any of the Works upon the Colony of which in that case he says they were apart and so ought to be left in the State it was found at the notice of the Peace I am extream glad his Majesty has made so fair and distinct a Demand by way of Letter which takes it off from my hands though I shall not omit all my endeavours among the Ministers to procure a good Answer to it which the Satisfaction offer'd in case of any breach of Articles by Colonel Willoughby should methinks very much advance I am glad to find you are of the Opinion that their restoring us to Macassar will signifie something towards defending us from any future injuries by Treaties or Forts and this I can assure you that tho' Monsieur de Witt desends the Action upon its being done in time of War and thereby would make the Restitution pass rather for an Act of Friendship and Compliance then of Justice yet I have not heard him or any else among them offer to justifie any such Action that should be done in time of Peace and where we had a Trade establisht by preceding Contracts And by all I can observe here I do not believe we are likely to be much troubled about any Accidents likely to happen upon their future Conquests in those parts for all the prudent Men among them confess they have more already in their hands then they can manage with so small a Stock of Men as their Government consists of which will be ever a hinderance to any great Enlargements by Conquest or Colonies in any part of the World Besides the Trade of the East-India is now grown so large and so open that 't is almost impossible those Commodities should not grow to be arrant Drugs in five or six years time For the Riches of the Trade formerly grew by the dearness and that by the scarcity of the Commodities brought from thence Whereas now the Dutch Company as I am assured have left behind them in their Stores full as much as they have brought away this year and yet 't is a question among the Merchants whether they have not brought enough to glut the Market while besides us and Portugal now of late Sweden Denmark and Hamburgh as well as France are falling into the Trade At least I was assured at Amsterdam that the East-India Actions as the several Shares are call'd fell twenty in the hundred even after the News of their Fleets being safe and near their Arrival But these are only my Conjectures from the lights I can gather in various Conversation and ought not to hinder us in the pursuit of our Rights or prevention of any injuries we have reason to apprehend I sent my Lord Arlington last Post the Result of their late Conferences with me upon this matter in the Restitution of Macassar and the projects of a General Article upon which I can proceed no further till I receive new Directions from you I hope the matters of the Tripple Alliance will prove firm by the sudden payment of the Swedish Subsidies but by my last Conference with the Spanish Ambassador and Monsieur Mareschall I fear I shall be prest again upon the point of the concert For the Spanish Ambassador offers an Act for securing 30 M. of Crowns a Month to the Swedes during a War if it breaks out and the Swedish Ministers I find expect from us and Holland a promise of paying them the other 30 M. in that case whilst Spain engages as they are content to Reimburse us What Holland will resolve to do in this case without a Hypotheque as they have hitherto insisted I know not yet If they refuse I am not like to be prest upon any answer but if they should consent it will be necessary for me to know his Majesties pleasure So soon as this matter ends Monsieur Mareschall has orders to go to the
where the prejudices and consequences were not too great I wish I see the proofs of it I have at present the consolation to see the other Ambassadors more unsatisfied than I am for the Spanish is in a Rage and I doubt with some reason at their having seized in Zealand 8 or 900 pounds which the Constable sent thither t'other day to be laid out in the Equipage of three Spanish Men of War which had been brought in thither by way of Reprizal for some Merchant Ships pretended to have been seized in Spain And besides he is very angry that they will not yet here understand the French Consiscation of the Spanish Subjects Estates within their quarters to be a contravention of the Peace The French Ambassador is unsatisfied in the difficulties made here upon the French Settlement of the Post through Flanders which are come to that pass that for a fortnight past no Letters come or go between this and France but by Express The truth is what has past in this matter makes a very pleasant Story Monsieur Lovois makes a late agreement with Count Taxis for carrying all French Letters by Lisle in stead of Brussels and those in this Country by French Posts and twice a week without taking any notice of these People in the matter till all was done and then sends a Monsieur hither who told the Ministers that Monseigneur de Louvois l'avoit envoyè pour voir Messieurs les Estates et leur dire l'accord qu' il avoit fait avec le Comte Taxis and how they should receive no manner of prejudice by it c. The States refer'd it to Monsieur Van Benninghen with some other Commissioners who were pursued every day for three or four days together by this Envoy with the necessity of dispatching him immediately Car Monseigneur de Louvois l'avoit ordonâ—è de faire tout l' expedition possible while Monsieur Van Benninghen told him they had sent to inform themselves in this business of the Merchants and such other things But at last being at no rest when he prest for an Answer he askt him Monsieur Est ti la premiere fois que vous avez estè en Hollande the Frenchman said yes Et bien dit Mr. V. Benninghen C'est un fort beau pais et les estrangers viennent touts les jours le voir par curiositè Nos villes sont belles et assez près lâ—une de l'autre Vous ferez bien de vous promener huit ou dix jours â—car en ce temps vous les verrez toutes et nous se rons peut estre informèz en vostre affaire The Frenchman made a short Leg and went out and told all his Friends Que Monsieur V. Benninghen l'avoit envoyè promener and so he would be gone and if they would have their Letters they should send for them and so went his way Monsieur de Witt finding the Amsterdam Merchants much unsatisfied with this new Order of Monsieur Lovois in the Packets and resolv'd among other things against having their Letters twice a week sent to know of them who would be most prejudiced by the interruption of the Posts the Merchants of these Countries or those of Paris they answer'd those of Paris Upon which he advis'd them de tenir firme and so the matter lies without any correspondence going I tell you this Story for want of something better and likewise because it gives you quelques traits of the Negotiations with these People and of the way of their two chief Ministers I kiss your hands and am SIR Your most Obedient Humble Servant VV. Temple LETTER XLVII Hague April 14th N. S. 1679. I understand that Mr. d'Avaux hath again by a late Memorial press'd the Bishop of Liege's concern in the Magistracy of Mastreicht but I do not hear that the States have yet given him any Answer I find that the Imperial and Danish Ministers here are inclin'd to believe that the French Equipage is design'd against England and that from information which they both have but particularly the latter that the Fleet is Victuall'd but for six Weeks which is too little for an Expedition into the Baltick and that the Ships are of the greater Rates and such as cannot enter into Kattegat They make an Argument besides of the Garrisons which came out of the evacuated Spanish Towns being all disposed about Dunkirk and Graveline and suppose the French King's Journey that way finding no preparations made for it in Alsatia or the Neighbouring parts The Elector of Brandenburgh having sent some Privateers into the Elbe to satisfie himself for quarters assigned him upon Hamburg of which the D. of Zell having had the benefit hath undertaken to discharge them That D. hath written to the States to complain that whereas he hath by their Example and Desire of the publick quiet made his Peace and included the Town of Hamburg in it their Subjects notwithstanding taking Forreign Commissions disturb the Commerce of that Town which he desires they will give effectual orders to prevent I hear that the Bishop of Munster by his Treaty with Sweden is to retain Wildshausen till the Swedes have paid him 100000 Rixdollars in the Hamburg Bank and the possession besides of all other places to be restored till the Swedes are able to put sufficient Garrisons into them The Princess of Orange having had a sit of her Ague on Wednesday but much gentler then the former ones was well and chearful all yesterday and this morning but towards one this Afternoon the cold fit came upon her again But having not lasted above a quarter of an hour and with little shaking she was fallen a sleep with the beginning of the hot fit Their R. Highnesses are expected here this night or too morrow upon a visit to the Princess The Prince is also expected to morrow Monsieur Odijke arriv'd last night at this place The Mareschal d'Estrades returned on Wednesday from Amsterdam towards Nimmegen Some give out here that the design of his Journey was to make a Match for his Grandson with a very rich Fortune Daughter to a Merchant there LETTER XLVIII Hague April 11th N. S. 1679. SIR I am here to acknowledge several successive favours from you the last being of the 28th past but I must withal let you know that the Superscription both of that and another before of the 14th was misplaced to me the Letters being designed to Monsieur Chaumont who I suppose hath those you intended for me which I shall claim of him and send him his for them I cannot but luy to heart the unhappy constitution of Affairs in England and should be extreamly glad if you could think fit to give me your Opinion whether the matter of my Lord Treasurers ' to Mr. Mountague be the chief ground of the offence taken by the Commons against him Here are Reports I know not what to make of that his Royal Highness is designing to remove from Brassels to Breda I have nothing of it from Sir R. Bulstrode or other hands from which I have Letters about his Highness Whatever his usage be or is like to prove We believe the D. of Villa Hermosa's stay at Ghent is for the return of an Express he hath sent to Madrid for instructions which will determine it I am with Truth and Respect SIR Your most Humble and Faithful Servant R. Meredith LETTER XLIX Nimeguen Feb. 1st S. N. 1677. MY last Letters from England tell me that it hath been confidently reported at my Lord Treasurer's Table that I am dead which Report I observe unluckily to happen about the end of a quarter and it is much that it should be so long before they are in the right when I consider my great Age my little Health my being put unnecessarily upon a long Winter's Journey into a very cold Country where I have been separated from my Baggage during the greatest part of a very hard Winter by the Ice and at last cannot cover my Head under a 1000 l. by the year To all which I may truly add that I have spent 7000 l. in this Imployment of my own Money 's or rather my Wives and Childrens And to compleat all when Sir Ellis Leighton was convicted of Misdemeanors and would have cast some of his faults upon me The Malice of some Men to me have been so deep or their Capacities so shallow as to believe or pretend to believe a Criminal in his own Case to the prejudice of an innocent Man I hear likewise that his Majesty is inform'd that he Sir Ellis Leighton hath made bargains in France in my Name and with my Knowledge then which nothing is more false and doth touch me in a very tender part And now I leave it to your consideration whether there be much need of poyson or poignards to dispatch a poor old Man thus handled I had almost forgot to tell you that I have been forced to pawn my Plate for 500 l. and do owe little less in this Town so that if my Lord Treasurer would dispatch my extraordinaries and my 5 th quarter he would do nothing contrary to his Majesties Honour and Service in my poor Opinion I humbly beseech you to do me the favour to mind his Lordship of it and to pardon this Trouble from him that is with much deference and respect Honour'd Sir Your most Humble and most Obedient Servant J. Berkley FINIS