To Sir John Temple, Master of the Rolls of Ireland.

THO' I was forced by the King's express Command, not only to leave you and my Family at ve­ry short Warning, and in a very melancholy Season, but without so much as telling you whither I was sent, yet I would not fail making you this amends, by giving you an Account of my Journey and Nego­tiations thus far, so soon as I thought it might be fit for me to do it.

When my Lord Arlington sent for me to [Page 2] Sheen, it was to let me know, that the King had received an Overture from the Bishop of Munster, to enter into an Alli­ance with his Majesty against the Dutch, from whom he pretended many Injuries; to bring an Army into the Field, and fall upon them by Land, while His Majesty continued the War by Sea: But at the same time, to demand certain Sums of Mo­ney, that would be necessary to bring him into the Field, and to continue the War: And that if his Majesty would either treat with the Baron of Wreden, (who was the Minister he sent over in the greatest Privacy that could be) or send a Minister of his own to treat with him; he doubted not an easie Agreement upon this Matter, but desired it might be with all the Secret imaginable. My Lord Arlington told me, the main Arti­cles were already agreed on here, and the Money adjusted, but that it was necessary for the King to send over some Person pri­vately, to finish the Treaty at Munster, and to see the Payments made at Antwerp, where the Bishop seemed to desire them. That I must go, (if I undertook it) without Train or Character, and pass for a Frenchman or a Spaniard in my Journey, and made me the Compliment to say, He had been per­plexed three or four Days together, to think of a Person that was not only capable of [Page 3] the Affair and of the Secret, but that was to be trusted with such a Sum of Money: But that when he had thought of me, and pro­posed me to the King and to my Lord Chan­cellor, they had both approved it, and I must suddenly resolve upon my Answer to the Proposal he mademe; but whether I ac­cepted it or no, I must keep it secret from my nearest Friends.

I told him upon the Place, I would serve his Majesty the best I could in it, tho' being a new Man, I could not promise much for my Self; that there was only one Point I could by no means digest, which was the Business of the Money, having ever been a­verse from charging my self with any bodies but my own. This made at first some Dif­ficulty between us, but at last, his Lordship was content to endeavour the engaging Al­derman Backwel (who furnisht it) to go o­ver himself with it into Flanders, and there by my Order, to make the Payment to the Bishop's Agent, and said, he believed at such a time of Infection in London, the Alderman might easily take an occasion of such a Jour­ney.

After my Instructions dispatcht, I came away in hast, and with the Secret you saw; and without more than one Days stop at Brussels, went strait with the Baron of Wreden to Coesvelt, where the Bishop then was. I [Page 4] stay'd there but three Days, was brought to him only by Night, agreed all Points with him, perfected and Signed the Treaty, and returned to Antwerp, where the Alderman performed his Part, in making the first and great Payment to the Bishop's Resident there. All this has been performed on all sides with so great Secrecy, that the Bishop has not on­ly received his Money, but raised his Troops to about Eighteen Thousand Men, without the least Umbrage given, that I can yet hear of, to the Dutch; and by all the Assurances I receive from him, I conclude that before this Letter comes to your hands, he will be in the Field; tho' some unexpected Disap­pointments about a General Officer he recko­ned upon, has a little discomposed the Mea­sures he had taken, and may (I doubt) not a little maim the Progress of them: But that will be governed by Time and Accidents; my Business was to bring him into the Field, and I have had the Fortune to do it, sooner than either they expected at Court, or the Bishop had promised upon our Signing of the Treaty.

He is a Man of Wit, and, which is more, of Sense, of great Ambition, and properly, Un Es­prit remnant: But the Vigour of his Body, does not second that of his Mind, being, as I guess, about six or seven and fifty Years old, and pursued with the Gout, which he is not [Page 5] like to cure by his manner of Life; he was a Soldier in his Youth, and seems in his Natu­rals, rather made for the Sword than the Cross; he has a mortal Hatred to the Dutch for their supporting his City of Munster against him, and is bridling those Citizens by a very strong Cittadel he is building there. He seems bold and resolute, and like to go through with what he has undertaken, or break his Head in the Attempt, and says he will perform all he has engaged, Fide sincerâ & Germanicâ, which is a Word he affects. He speaks the only good Latin that I have yet met with in Germany, and more like a Man of Court and Business than a Scholar: He says, if he fails in his Enterprize, and should lose his Country, he shall esteem his Condition not at all the worse; for in that Case, he will go into Italy, and has Money enough in the Bank of Venice to buy a Cardi­nal's Cap, which may become him better than his General's Staff, tho he has a Mind to try this first, and make some Noise in the World before he retires.

This is the best Character I can give of the Bishop, and for my Self, I can say no­thing but what you know; finding no Change at all by this Sally into a new Scene of Life and Business as well as Climate; my Health, I thank God, the same; my Kind­ness so too, to my Friends and to Home, [Page 6] only my Concernment for them in this mise­rable Time among them, much greater while I am here, than when I was with them; which makes me very impatient after every Post that comes in, and yet very apprehen­sive of every Letter I open. The Length of this I doubt is too much for once, and there­fore shall end with the Assurances of my being

To Alderman Backwell.

I Am very much in pain to find at Mon­sieur Rhintorf's Return, that he has made no Progress in his Affairs (which are ours too) during the stay he has lately made at Antwerp. But I am very much surprised to hear that I should have had any Part in this Delay, and that you should have told him, [Page 7] you had no Orders from me to pay him that Money. However, to take away all scru­ple, if any can still remain, after our last Conference at Brussels upon this Subject; I do by these Presents order and appoint you, pursuant to those Powers that have been gi­ven me from the King, to pay or cause to be payd to Monsieur Rhintorf or his Order, al [...] such Sums of Money, as you shall any ways be able to raise, either by the Sale of such Tin as is already arrived, or shall arrive at Ostend upon his Majesty's Account, with all the Diligence and Dispatch that is possible. Or in case you do not find any ready Sale for it, that you will at least pay him all such Sums as you shall be able to raise, by pawn­ing or engaging it to the best advantage you can; after this. I need say no more, than to Conjure you by all the Zeal you have for his Majesty's Service, and all the Friendship you have for me, to employ upon this Occasion, your utmost Diligence and Credit; for the Conjuncture is grown so extremely pressing at this time, that I can never say enough, to recommend this Service to your best Endea­vours.

To my Lord Arlington.

UPON Saturday last about Nine at Night, the Bishop's Agent there brought me a Desire from the Of Castel Rhodrige, Go­vern [...] of the Spanish Ne­therlands. Marques to come privately to him. We stay'd long together and talked much. The Substance was; that he had last Post writ to the Spanish Ambassadour to inform the King, that he heard the French were ready to march in Assistance of the Hollander against the Bi­shop of Munster, and had told the Spanish Ambassadour in France, they should take all Delays here in leave of Passage, for Denial: That he, (the Marquess) was resolved upon Confidence of his Majesty's late Letter and Assistance, to oppose them till he received Orders from Spain, and hopes his Majesty will not fail, of protecting and defending him in this Resolution: He speaks with much Earnestness and Passion for concluding the League between England and Spain; and ei­ther a Peace or Truce, between. Spain and Portugal; in which he very much presses His Majesty's Interposition at this Time, because nothing else will take away the Dishonour [Page 9] on the Spanish side, but the Respect given to so Great and Powerful a King's Mediation. He assures me, he has given an absolute De­nial to the Hollanders Demand, of buying a great Quantity of Corn in these Countries, which now begins to be one, among their other great Wants: That the French upon Jealousie of the Swede, sent very lately an Envoy into Holland, to join with them in pressing the Dane, to put himself into a Po­sture of making a Diversion: That for Secu­rity of these Countries, six thousand Spani­ards and Italians were in few Days expected here; these by Land, those by Sea: And that for raising German Troops, he had last Week sent five hundred thousand Gilders into Germany, from whence, if they needed, he could have twenty four thousand Men; so as he doubted not to defend these Countries, if France Assaults him. The Biass of all this Discourse was to shew, they had no great need of our Assistance, at the same time, they press so much to be assured of it; and to re­present the mutual Necessity of a Conjuncti­on between England and Spain, with all the Expressions of Affection, to His Majesty's Person and Service, that a Courtier, or al­most a Lover could use. Upon this last Sub­ject I could not let him pass, with the Dis­course of the late King's Ruine, and His Majesty's Danger at home for want of [Page 10] Friendship abroad; nor could I leave that Point, because he had so often harped upon it, till I forced him to confess, at least by Si­lence, that his Majesty was as safe at Home at this time, as either French or Spanish King.

For the rest, finding him now much war­mer than he used to seem, in the Desires of the Bishop of Munster's Success, or at least, Preservation; and finding from Alderman Backwell, that he had yet been able to raise no more Money upon all our Tin at Antwerp for the second Payment, those paltry Mer­chants combining to Ruine him in the Price of it, upon the Belief of his Necessity to sell; I would not omit that Occasion of desiring the Marquess to find some Person out, that should take it all off our Hands, with ready Money, which they might raise at their own leisure, and, I believed, with much Gains, in which I assured him, he would give His Majesty, a great Testimony of his Affecti­on to his Service, which was so much con­cerned in the Bishop of Munster's Fortunes: He told me, he would consult about it next Morning; and upon Sunday Night, sent one with a Dispatch of mine to Alderman Back­well, to know the whole Quantity and lowest Price: So that I am now in great hopes of seeing some good Issue of that Business; which I almost begun to despair of.

An Express from the Bishop of Munster came to me on Saturday last, protesting he could no longer subsist unless the Money came; an [...] Your Lordship may easily imagine, how much Pain I am in upon that Occasion, es­pecially hearing my Self so often reproached for having drawn him to so desperate an Ad­venture, so much against his own Resoluti­ons, which were, not to take the Field, till the second Payment were received, and the third assured on this side: It would look like Vanity in me, to tell Your Lordship more of what I hear too much of this kind; but I will say, that unless you take some speedy and effectual Resolution in this Par­ticular, I shall look like the veriest Rogue in the World, and such, as it will not be much for his Majesty's Honour to employ. But after all, I will tell Your Lordship free­ly, that I think all my Trains had not taken Fire, without a perfect Accident, which I had the good Fortune to improve so upon the sud­den, as to make it the absolute Occasion of the Bishop's taking the Field when he did; which I shall some time or other, I hope en­tertain you with, and will serve for a Moral to shew how small Shadows and Accidents sometimes give a Rise to great Actions a­mong Mankind; for either such, or the be­ginning of such, this bold March is like to prove. All I know of its Success, you will [Page 12] find in these Letters; one from my Lord Carlingford, to whom I cannot send Your Lordship's last, till I have farther Directions from him for my Address; the other being Part of one from a Person in the Holland Camp belonging to the Rhingrave. Twenty Rumours more we have of his Successes, but I will not yet credit them; this much I will, that nothing can probably endanger him, be­sides want of Money, and that I know him to be a Man too firm to be diverted from his Point, or slacken it without some such Maim; for he wants neither Prudence, Courage, nor Ambition. For the Hollanders, they were certainly never worse at their ease than now; being braved and beaten both at Sea and Land; flay'd with Taxes, distracted with Factions, and their last Ressourse, which is the Protection of France, poisoned with ex­treme Jealousies; yet, that must be their Game, or else a perfect Truckling Peace with England.

To the Duke of Ormond.

I Am to acknowledge the Honour I received last, by one from Your Grace of October the 25th, which gives me the Occasion to beg your Belief, that the frequent Troubles I give Your Grace of this kind, proceed from a most hearty and uninteressed Duty, with­out the least Thoughts of making any un­conscionable Advantage by such a Com­merce, or at all expecting a Return of so great value, as Your Lordship's Letters to a Ven­ture so small as mine. I confess I am ex­tremely pleased with any Testimonies of Your Grace's Remembrance and Favour to me, which I must esteem the best, and ever ac­knowledge for the first of my good Fortunes; nor shall I ever be so much pleased with any lucky Hits that may happen to me in pub­lick Employments from any other Respect, as from the Hopes of meeting some Occasion to express the Esteem and Resentment, of Kindness shew'd me, when I was idle and unknown. But, I beseech Your Grace, ne­ver to give your self the least Trouble, or [Page 14] lose Time in writing to me, upon the Score of common Civility, but to deal with me per­fectly like one of your own; and write on­ly when you have Commands to honour me, or Inclinations to oblige me; for the rest, one Word to my Father or Brother, may at any time give me the Knowledge that mine are received, which is all they pretend, and perhaps more than they deserve.

Since the Passage of the French Troops, which thought fit to touch no Part of these Dominions, we hear little of them: Their Number fell something short of six Thousand, their Horse were brave as they passed Mas­tricht; their Foot rascally, their Shoes upon their Shoulders, their Feet galled, and their Gallantry spent in giving the Dutch a thou­sand times to the Devil for their kind Invita­tion: They paid nothing as they pass'd, or false Money; took the best Treatment the Dutch could make them, with Scorn and In­solence; and drank his Majesty's and the Prince of Munster's Health, openly in the Market-Place at Mastricht; a strain I suppose of their Extravagance, rather than good Meaning: So I leave them, as they do their Colours when they can, and return this way by Couples and Leashes good Store. By the last from the Prince of Munster of the 12th instant, we had Assurance, that his Bridge over the Marsh was perfected, his [Page 15] Army joined, and that Colonel, or Baron d'Ossory (who is made a Serjeant Major de Ba­taglia) had with a Squadron of Horse, killed nine Hundred of the Dutch in a late Encoun­ter near Groning: Besides this, and the French Envoy's, Monsieur Lessyn having been dis­miss'd with General Terms, I had nothing but desperate melancholy Complaints of his Disappointments from his Friends, which I will not trouble Your Grace with at this Distance.

I had my first Formal Audience last Night from the Marquess, and was received with the greatest Expressions of Zeal and Devo­tion to the King my Master's Person and Ser­vice; of the Resentment of the Honour done him by this Resolution of a Resident here, and wonderful Compliment to the Personal Choice; as I believe Your Grace knows, good Words of all Sorts cost no Man less than His Excellency: But I am very confident, his Inclinations to Us, his Aversions to France, his Desires of Truce with Portugal, and strict League with England, are all very hearty.

To Sir William Coventry.

I Am to acknowledge both the Honour and Obligation I received by yours of November the 9th; the last of which seems so great in that Light you give it, and by those Circumstances I now see attend it, that had it come from any other hands I should have wished a thousand Times never to have received it: For, there are very few I de­sire much to be obliged to; having always thought that a sort of Debt which ought as duly to be paid as that of Money, with more Interest, and much greater Difficulty of ca­sting [Page 26] up. But knowing that all generous Persons are apt to favour and esteem their own, rather such whom they oblige, than such as serve them; I am extreamly glad to have my Name enter into the knowledge of his Royal Highness, by his Bounty and Favour in the Grant of those Passports, rather than any other way I could have taken; and beg of you, that with my humble Thanks, His Royal Highness may know I enter into his Service with this Advance of Wages, which it shall be always my Endeavour, as it is my Duty, to deserve, I owe, and should say, a great deal to your self upon this Oc­casion, but that with my Thanks for the Thing it self, I am to join my Complaints for the manner of it: I mean that you should trouble your self to reason me out of any Cu­stom or Action you would have me leave off, or say any thing upon such a Subject, be­sides, that you wish it had been otherwise; which I desire you to believe, shall in far greater Matters be from your hand Persua­sion and Command enough to me, My Pre­sumptions may be great With my Friends, but they are the easiliest check'd of any Man's alive; which is all I shall say upon this Occasion as to the future; and for the past, I will only assure you that I should not in the least have offered at what I did, had it not been at the earnest Instance of the Prince [Page 27] of Munster's Resident here; and I am to make it my Business abroad, to enter as far as I can into the Secrets, and for that end, into the Affections of such Ministers as I have to deal with; and as some Men are to be gained di­rectly by their Heart, so are others by their Hands: But, another Fault were easier to be born than a long Excuse; I will not add to it by our News, since, of all I write I am sure you know as much as you please; only, in general, our Bishop loses not Courage nor Strength upon all the great Preparations of Enemies or Disappointment of Friends. The Dutch seem to be plagued by their own God, and to grow unhappy in their own Element, the Sea having done them in the last Storms most extravagant Harms; some Letters from Amsterdam say to the Value of thirty, and o­thers, of sixty Millions; their Case may grow harder, yet if the Frosts do so from the Munster side. Our Court here is passionate towards the League between the two Crowns; as I am in the Desires of growing in your Friendship and Favour, and deserving it by any Testimonies I can give of my being,

To Dame Augustina Cary.

I Know not whether the shame of having been so long in your Debt, be greater than that of paying it so ill at last, but I am sure, 'tis much harder to be excused, and therefore shall not attempt it, but leave it to Father Placid's Oratory, tho' having failed in the substantial Part of your Business, I have little Reason to hope he will succeed better in the Ceremonial Part of mine: The Truth is, there is so great a Difference in common Sound between, It is done, and, It will be done, that I was unwilling to acknowledge the Honour of having received your Lady­ship's Commands, before I had compassed that of obeying them, which the Marquess here hath so often assured me would sudden­ly fall to my share, that I thought we had both equal Reason, His Excellency to do it, and I to believe it. This Right I must yet do him, that I never prest him in this Con­cern of your Ladyship's, but he told me, all my Arguments were needless, for the Thing should be done; and how to force a Man [Page 29] that yields, I never understood; but yet I much doubt that till the Result be given up­on the Gross of this Affair, which is and has been some time under view, your Part in par­ticular will hardly be thought ripe, for either his Justice, or Favour, which will be rather the Style it must run in, if it be a Desire of Exemption from a General Rule given in the Case: Whatever Person (after the Father's Return) shall be appointed to observe the Course of this Affair, and pursue the Lady's Pretensions here, will be sure of all the As­sistance I can at any time give him; tho' I think it would prove a more publick Service to find some way of dissolving your Society, and by that Means dispersing so much Worth about the World, than by preserving you to­gether, confine it to a Corner, and suffer it to shine so much less, and go out so much sooner, than otherwise it would. The ill Ef­fects of your Retreat appear too much in the ill Success of your Business; for I cannot think any thing could fail that your Lady­ship would sollicite; but, I presume, nothing in this lower Scene is worthy either that, or so much as your Desire or Care, which are Words that enter not Your Grates, to disturb that perfect Quiet and Indifferency, which I will believe, inhabit there, and by your Happiness decide the long Dispute, whether the greater lies in wanting nothing, or pos­sessing much.

I cannot but tell you it was unkindly done to refresh the Memory of your Brother Da. Cary's Loss, which was not a more general One to Mankind, than it was particular to me: But if I can succeed in your Lady­ship's Service, as well as I had the Honour once to do in his Friendship, I shall think I have lived to good Purpose here, and for hereafter, shall leave it to Almighty God, with a Submission as abandoned, as you can exercise in the low common Concernments of this worthless Life, which I can hardly imagine was intended us for so great a Mise­ry as it is here commonly made, or to betray so large a Part of the World, to so much great­er hereafter as is commonly believed. How­ever, I am obliged to your Ladyship for your Prayers, which I am sure are well intended me, and shall return you mine. That no ill Thoughts of my Faith may possess your La­dyship with an ill one of my Works too; which I am sure can not fail of being very meritori­ous, if ever I reach the Intentions I have, of expressing my self upon all Occasions,

To my Lord Arlington.

I Need say nothing to bring your Lordship acquainted with Mr. Sherwood's Person or Errand; yet because all Men take themselves to measure best their own Business, I would not disappoint his Desires of this Address; tho' to add any thing to what I write upon all Occasions of the Prince of Munster's Con­dition, Necessities, or Complaints, were, as I take it, just so much of nothing to the Purpose. All I will say is, that whatever His Majesty resolves to do, ought to be sud­den, and in a Lump, to provide for his ta­king the Field this Spring, with Heart and Strength, which I believe, a Sum within the Compass of a hundred of His Majesty's Subjects would enable him to do; No­thing will ever me, to give your Lordship those Testimonies I desire, of the most hear­ty constant Passion, wherewith I shall ever be,

To the Duke of Albemarle.

UPon Mr. Sherwood's Passage this Way into England from the Bishop of Mun­ster, I could not refuse him the Occasion of waiting upon your Grace, who so well knows how far His Majesty's Honour and Interests may be concerned in the Success of his Er­rand.

Tho' that Prince's Necessities may be grown great, as well as his Complaints and the Arrears of his Payments; yet I am con­fident, five and twenty or thirty Thousand Pounds in a Lump and sudden, would bring him strong and vigorous into the Field this Spring; which would prove a cheap Advan­tage to His Majesty's Arms, and perhaps the greatest in Sight, next to your Grace's com­manding this Summer's Fleet; from which we all here certainly reckon upon a Success, suitable to the rest of your Fortunes and Glo­ries, which I hope to see compleated upon the French Fleets. Mine will be great, if [Page 33] your Grace pleases to esteem me as you will ever have Reason to do,

To my Lord Carlingford.

I Have this Exception to your Service, that my Faults are taken notice of, and not my Diligence; for in your Lordship's of the 21st past, I find not the least Mention of any Letters received from me, tho' I am confident by other Circumstances, some of them must have been come to your Hands, I fear your News at Vienna is not so good nor true as your Wine; and by the Abundance of Re­ports with shallow Grounds, I doubt your Court is rather inclined to hear News than to make it. That Brandenburg is our Enemy, at least for four Months, is too certain; that Sueden is a Friend to Munster, we may guess rather from Causes than any Effects that I know of; and since neither the Emperor nor [Page 34] Spain will contribute any Thing towards the Bishop's Assistance, nor so much as the staving off Enemies, that by Dutch and French are raising up against him in the Empire it self, I know no Remedy; But yet in spight of all Force and Artifice to disarm him, I expect for my Part, to see him rather besieged in Cosvelt or Munster, than make a Peace with­out our Master's Consent, as is hoped by our Enemies, and perhaps wished by some of our Friends, for fear the Continuance of his Mu­sick should make them dance before they have a Mind to it: But I believe all their Cold­ness and Shrinking will hardly defend them, and may help them rather to lose their Friends than gain their Enemies: For we have cer­tain News that the French have made a Place d'Armes between la Fere and Peronne, where that King is coming down to the Rendevouses of Fifteen Thousand Men; and the Hollanders on the other side, are so incurably possest with an Opinion of some wonderful deep impor­tant League between us and Spain, that they are upon the very Brink of resolving a War too, and concluding a League Offensive as well as Defensive with France; at least, if the Ascendant of this Year be favourable to De Witt's Party as that of the last was, which begins to be a little doubted of late. I will not send your Lordship any English Letters, nor our Declaration of War against the French, [Page 35] in Confidence it goes along with your Pac­quet; by which you will see, His Majesty hath been as generous and civil, as the French King was rough in his, to call it no worse; but he hath begun the War with so much Heat, that I am apt to believe he will come to be cool before it ends.

I shall ill deserve your Lordship's Leave of writing often, if I do it so long and so little to the Purpose together. After I have [...]ld you, my Lord Ossory is come [...] into England, and that my Lord Arlington is for certain (as they say both in England and here) to marry the Lady Emilia my Lady of Ossory's Sister; I will give your Lordship the good Night, almost as late as I imagine you use to go to Bed, and only tell you that I am at all Hours,

To Sir Philip Warwick.

THough it be more easie and more usual to beg Favours than to acknowledge them; yet I find you are resolved to force me upon the last, without ever giving me Time of Occasion for the other. How much I am obliged to you in my last Dispatch, I am told enough by Mr. Godolphin, but more by my own Heart, which will never suffer me to believe, that a Person to whom I have been so long, and am so much a Servant, should be any other than kind to me; for that is my way of judging my absent Friends, and serves, like a Watch in my Pocket, to measure the Time, tho' I see no Sun. The very Name of Time, puts me in mind, that yours is not to be spent idly, and that you are more pleased to oblige your Friends than to receive their Thanks; and therefore I will only say, that mine are very sensible and ve­ry hearty, and that no Man is with more Reason and with more Sincereness than I am,

To Mr. Afterwarde Sir William Godolphin. Godolphin.

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 Barone [...] 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 [Page 44] 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 [Page 45] Major, may avow and disavow what he plea­ses of his Mother's Regency.

'Tis 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 'tis 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 [Page 47] 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 some Jealousie both to Dutch and French,

The Elector of Collen hath sent an Envoy to the Hague, who is there arrived to demand the Restitution of Rhinberg,

The Prince of Orange's Sister's Marriage is concluded with the Duke of Simmeren; for the Consummation of it the Princess Dowa­ger and Prince of Orange intend suddenly for Cleve. Captain Bennet and Sir John Sayers with several others are arrived at Ostend in the King's Yacht for Madamoiselle Bevar­waers's Transportation. The Captain of the Vessel approaching the Town, and pretend­ing to take a Ship belonging to that Port, and entring there for a Hollander, pursued and fired at her, till a Gunner from the Castle not knowing what Vessel ours was, gave her one Gun, but so unluckily, that it struck through the Cabbin, killed the Gunner, and shot off the Captain's Leg. I have sent Let­ters from the Marquis to the Governour at Ostend to make all Excuses and Reparations. I have just now dispatcht an Express to the Hague to desire Madamoiselle Beverwaert's Commands where and when I shall attend her Passage, which my Lord Arlington hath advised to make by Antwerp, and to leave all her Money there in my Hands, which with a hundred and fifty Thousand Dollars I shall meet there about the same Time for Munster, will make me so rich, that I think I had best take the good Time, and run away to you into Spain; but I shall never reckon up­on your Protection, longer than I have some Honesty mingled with my Kindness for you, [Page 49] and whilst I have the least of one, you may reckon upon the most of t'other that can be from,

To Sir John Temple.

AFter so hard and so long a Journey, I thought you would be glad to know I was well again in my former Station, and what was the Occasion of my leaving it so suddenly and so privately, that I could not acquaint any of my Friends with it before I went, which now I am at liberty to enter­tain you with.

This Winter has passed with much Noise, made by the Bishop of Munster in his Enter­prize against Holland with some Attempts, but little Success: The Fault he has laid in some Degree upon the Marquess here, for refusing to suffer the Duke of Bornoville to go and Command his Troops, which he durst not consent to, for fear of giving too much Offence to the French and the Dutch, at a Time when the Spaniards here are in ill Con­dition for a Quarrel: But the Bishop's chief Complaints have been, Want of those Sums of Money stipulated by his Majesty to be furnished him both before and after his ta­king the Field. Our Excuses upon the Loss [Page 53] of the Ships with Tin before Ostend, though they may serve to keep us in Countenance, yet they will not pay Forces in the Field, which he has often threatned these three Months past, must break up without speedy Supplies. In the mean time his neighbou­ring Princes of the Empire, especially the E­lectors of Ments and Brandenburg, with the Duke of Nieuburgh; seeing a Flame broke out, which must draw foreign Armies into the Empire both French and Dutch; have used first all Offices they could, to prevail with the Bishop to make his Peace with Holland, engaged the Emperour himself in the same Endeavours, and finding him steddy to his Treaty with the King, at last the Duke of Brandenburg drew his Forces into the Field, resolved to compel him by joining with the Dutch, if he could not persuade him to make the Peace; and the Duke of Nieuburg prepa­red to second him in this Design: The French were not wanting in their Offices to the same Ends; so that a private Agreement was made about the beginning of this Month, for the French, Dutch, and Munster Envoys to meet at Cleve, and there treat the Peace under the Mediation of the Elector of Bran­denburg.

Assoon as the King received this Alarm, he sent an Express immediately to command me away the instant I received it, with a [Page 54] Commission to the Bishop of Munster, and with Instructions to do all I could possibly to hinder the Peace, and with Bills of Ex­change to revive his Payments which had been long intermitted, and Promise of more to be remitted every Post, which I was to or­der into his Agent's Hands here in my Ab­sence.

I went accordingly, acquainting none with my going but the Marquess here, who gave me Twenty of his own Guards, with Com­mand to follow absolutely all Orders I should give them. I was to pass through a great deal of the Spanish Country, much infested with Dutch Parties, more of the Duke of Nieu­burg's, and more yet of the Brandenburgers, who I know were all Enemies to the Affair I went upon, and therefore thought it best to pass for a Spanish Envoy sent from the Mar­quess Castel-Rodrigo to the Emperour; and charmed my small Guard and the Cornet that commanded them, to keep true to this Note. And some of my Servants, as most of the Guards speaking Spanish, I spoke nothing else unless in private, or when I was forced out of it by some Incident.

In this Guise I came to Duseldorp where the Duke of Nieuburg happened to be; (contra­ry to what I had been informed) assoon as I was in my Inn, one of his Officers came to know who I was, and whither I was going, [Page 55] and would not be satisfied by the common Answer from my Servants and Guards, but would receive it from me; when he came up, tho' with much Civility, yet he prest me so far, that I found there was no feigning with him, and so bid him tell the Duke, that within an hour I would come and give him an Account both of my self and my Journey. I remembred the great Kindness that had e­ver interceded between His Majesty and this Prince; and tho' I went upon an Errand that I knew was disagreeable to him, yet I thought he would be less likely to cross me, if I acquainted him frankly with it, than if I disguised scurvily as I was likely to do, be­ing the Thing of the World I could do the most uneasily.

I had a Letter of Credence which I brought out of England at my first coming over, for this Prince; but passing another Way to Munster I had not used it, and so resolved to do it now: I did so, gave it him, told him my Errand; how much His Majesty recko­ned upon his Friendship, and desired his good Offices to the Bishop of Munster in the De­sign I went upon, of keeping him firm to his Treaties with the King my Master.

This Duke is in my Opinion the finest Gentleman of any German I have seen, and deserves much better Fortune than he is in; being small, very much broken, and char­ged [Page 56] with a very numerous Issue; he seems about fifty Years old, tall, lean, very good Mien, but more like an Italian than a German: All he says is civil, well bred, honneste, plain, easie, and has an Air of Truth and Honour. He made great Professions of Kindness and Respect to the King, was sorry he could not serve him in this Affair; his Engagements were already taken with the Emperour and his Neighbour Princes for making the Munster Peace, and by that Means keeping War out of the Empire. He doubted I could not serve His Majesty upon this Errand neither; for, he first believed I could not get safe to Mun­ster, the Ways being all full of Dutch and Brandenburg Parties, who had Notice of the King's Intention to send away to the Bishop upon this Occasion; and if I should arrive, he believed however I should find the Peace Signed before I came.

My Answer was short, for I was very weary; that go I would, however I succee­ded, that for the Danger of the Journey I knew no providing against it, but a very good Guide who might lead me through Ways the most unfrequented; that I would desire His Highness to give me one of his own Guards to conduct me, because none would expect a Person going upon my Design, would have one in his Livery for a Guide; and I desired he would let me pass as I had done hitherto [Page 57] in my Journey for a Spanish Envoy: The Duke, after some Difficulties at first (which we turned into Pleasantries) complyed with me in all: I took my Leave and went away early next Morning.

I never travelled a more savage Countrey, over cruel Hills, through many great and thick Woods, stony and rapid Streams, ne­ver hardly in any high Way, and very few Villages till I came neat Dortmund a City of the Empire, and within a Days Journey or something more of Munster. The Night I came to Dortmund was so advanced when I arrived, that the Gates were shut, and with all our Eloquence, which was as moving as we could, we were not able to prevail to have them opened; they advised us to go to a Village about a League distant, where, they said we might have Lodging. When we came there, we found it all taken up with a Troop of Brandenburg Horse, so as the poor Spanish Envoy was fain to eat what he could get, in a Barn, and to sleep upon a heap of Straw, and lay my Head upon my Page in­stead of a Pillow: The best of it was, that he understanding Dutch, heard one of the Brandenburg Soldiers coming into the Barn examine some of my Guards, about me and my Journey, which when he was satisfied of, he asked if he had heard nothing upon the Way of an English Envoy that was expected; [Page 58] the Fellow said, he was upon the Way, and might be at Dortmund within a Day or two, with which he was satisfied, and I slept as well as I could.

The next Morning I went into Dortmund, and bearing there; that for five or six Leagues round, all was full of Brandenburg Troops, I dispatcht away a German Gentleman I had in my Train with a Letter to the Bishop of Munster to let him know the Place and Con­dition I was in, and desire he would send me Guards immediately, and strong enough to convey me: The Night following, my Messenger returned, and brought me Word, that by eight a Clock the Morning after, a Commander of the Bishop's would come in Sight of the Town at the Head of twelve hundred Horse, and desired I would come and join them so soon as they appeared: I did so, and after an easie March till four a Clock, I came to a Castle of the Bishop's, where I was received by Lieutenant General Gorgas a Scotchman in that Service, who o­mitted nothing of Honour or Entertainment that could be given me. There was no­thing here remarkable, but the most Epis­copal Way of Drinking that could be in­vented. Assoon as we came in the great Hall, where stood many Flaggons ready Charged; the General called for Wine to drink the King's Health, they brought him a for­mal [Page 59] Bell of Silver gilt, that might hold a­bout two Quarts or more; he took it empty, pulled out the Clapper, and gave it me who he intended to drink to, then had the Bell filled, drunk it off to His Majesty's Health, then asked me for the Clapper, put it in, turned down the Bell, and rung it out to show he had playd fair; and left nothing in it; took out the Clapper, desired me to give it to whom I pleased, then gave his Bell to be filled again, and brought it to me; I that never used to drink, and seldom would try, had commonly some Gentlemen with me that served for that Purpose when 'twas ne­cessary; and so I had the Entertainment of seeing this Health go current through about a dozen Hands, with no more share in it than just what I pleased.

The next Day after Noon about a League from Munster, the Bishop met me at the Head of four Thousand Horse, and in Ap­pearance brave Troops. Before his Coach, that drove very fast, came a Guard of a Hun­dred Hey Dukes that he had brought from the last Campagne in Hungary; they were in short Coats and Caps all of a brown Colour, every Man carrying a Sabre by his Side, a short Pole-Ax before him, and a skrew'd Gun hanging at his Back by a Leather Belt that went cross his Shoulder. In this Posture they run almost full speed, and in excellent [Page 60] Order, and were said to shoot two hundred Yards with their skrew'd Gun, and a Bullet of the bigness of a large Pease, into the breadth of a Dollar or Crown Piece. When the Coach came within forty Yards of me, it stopt; I saw the Bishop and his General the Prince d'Homberg come out; upon which I alighted so as to meet him between my Horses and his Coach; after Compliments, he would have me go into his Coach, and sit alone at the back end, reserving the t'other to himself and his General: I excused it, saying, I came without Character; but he replied, that his Agent had writ him Word, I brought a Com­mission which stiled me Oratorem nostrum (as was true) and that he knew what was due to that Stile from a Great King. I never was nice in taking any Honour that was of­fered to the King's Character, and so easily took this; but from it and a Reception so extraordinary began immediately to make an ill Presage of my Business, and to think of the Spanish Proverb;

And with these Thoughts and in this Po­sture I entered Munster, and was conducted by the Bishop to a Lodging prepared for me in one of the Canon's Houses.

The Bishop would have left me immedi­ately after he brought me to my Chamber; but I told him I could not let him go with­out asking an Hour of Audience that very Evening: He would have excused it upon Respect and Weariness, and much Compli­ment; but I persisted in it, unless he would chuse to sit down where we were, and enter upon Affairs without Ceremony. He was at last contented; and I said all I could to­wards my End of keeping him to the Faith of his Treaty with the King, to the Pursuit of the War till both consented to the Peace, and to the Expectations of the Money that was due; he answered me, with the Necessi­ties had forced him to Treat; from the fai­ling of his Payments; the Violences of his Neighbour Princes, and the last Instances of the Emperour; but that he would upon my Coming, dispatch one immediately to Cleve to command his Ministers to make a stop in their Treaty till they received further Orders, which I should be Master of.

I went to Supper after he left me, but was told enough privately, to spoil it before I sate down, which was, that the Treaty was Signed at Cleve, tho' I took no Notice of it, because I knew if it were so, being angry would hurt no Body but my Master or my Self.

Next Day the Bishop made me a mighty [Page 62] Feast among all his chief Officers, where we sate for four Hours, and in Bravery I drank fair like all the rest; and observed that my Spanish Cornet and I that never used it, yet came off in better Order than any of the Com­pany: I was very sick after I came to my Lodging; but he got a Horseback on purpose to shew himself about the Town, while the rest of the Company were out of sight all the Afternoon. The Day after was agreed to give me an Account of the Affair of Cleve; upon the Return of the Bishop's Express after my Arrival; and at an Audience in the Eve­ning, with great Pretence of Trouble and Grief he confest, the Treaty was Signed, and so past Remedy, and that it had been so be­fore his Express arrived, tho' much against his Expectation, as he profest, I am sure 'twas not against mine; for I left Brussels in the Be­lief that I should certainly find all concluded; which made my Journey much harder than it could have been with any Hopes of succee­ding.

I told him, when I found all ended, and no hopes of retrieving it, that I would be gone within a Day or two, and would take my Leave of him that Night, being not well, and needing some Rest before I began my Journey: He said and did all that could be to persuade my Stay till I had represented his Reasons to the King, and received an An­swer; [Page 63] and I found his Design was, to keep me as long as he could, while his Agent at Brussels received Bills of Exchange from Eng­land that were ordered him in my Absence; so that I knew not how much every Days stay would cost the King, and that no other Service was to be done His Majesty in this Affair besides saving as much of his Money as I could. The Bishop finding me immove­able, advised me however in pretended Kind­ness to go by Collen, which tho' four or five Days about, would be the only Way that was left for me with any Safety, the Dutch and Brandenburgers having posted themselves on Purpose to attend my Return upon all the o­ther Roads; and he offered me Collonel Os­sory an Irish Gentleman in his Service to con­duct me; I seemed to accept all, and to be obliged by his Care, but wished my Self well out of it, and took my Leave, tho' he pre­tended to see me again next Day.

I went home, laid instead of going to Bed, as I gave out, I laid my journey so as to be on Horseback next Morning between three and four of Clock, upon good Friday, which I thought might help to make my Journey less suspected: I fee'd the Officer that ope­ned the Gates for me, to keep them shut two Hours longer than usual that Morning, (which I hear was performed) and so committed my self to the Conduct of the Duke of Nieuburg's [Page 64] Guide, to lead me the shortest Way he could into some place belonging to his Master. I rode hard and without any stop, to a Village eight Leagues from Munster, and just upon the Borders of the Brandenburg Countrey: There I baited, and pretended to go to Bed and stay all Night; but in an hour's time ha­ving got fresh Horses ready for four Men that I pretended to send before me; I put on a Cassaque of one of the Marquess's Guards, and with my Page, the Duke of Nieuburg's Guard, and Collonel Masjette a Flemish Of­ficer in the Munster Service, I took Horse at the back Door of my Inn, while the rest of my Company thought me a-Bed, and resol­ved to ride as far as I could the rest of that Day, leaving my Steward to follow me the next, with the rest of my Train and Guards.

I rode till eight at Night through the wild­est Countrey, and most unfrequented Ways that ever I saw, but being then quite spent, and ready to fall from my Horse, I was for­ced to stop and lay me down upon the Ground, till my Guard went to a Peasant's House in Sight, to find if there were any Lodging for me; he brought me word there was none, nor any Provisions in the House, nor could find any thing but a little Bottle of Juniper Water, which is the common Cor­dial in that Countrey: I drunk a good deal, and with it found my Spirits so revived, that [Page 65] I resolved to venture upon the three Leagues that remained of my Journey, so as to get into the Territories of Nieuburg, having pas­sed all the Way since I left my Train through those of Brandenburg, whose Engagements with the Dutch left me no Safety while I was there. About Midnight I came to my Lodging, which was so miserable that I lay upon Straw, got on Horseback by break of Day, and to Duseldorp by Noon; where be­ing able to ride no further, I went to Bed for an Hour, sent to make my Excuses to the Duke of Nieuburg upon my Haste and Weari­ness, and to borrow his Coach to carry me to Ruremonde, which was a long Days Jour­ney. This Prince sent me his Coach and his Compliments, with all the Civility in the World: I went away that Afternoon, got to Ruremonde the next, and from thence hither, not without great Danger of the Dutch Par­ties even in the Spanish Countrey: And so have ended the hardest Journey that ever I made in my Life, or ever shall; for such a­nother I do not think I could ever bear with a Body no stronger than mine.

At my Return I have had the Fortune to stop several Bills of Exchange, that would o­therwise have fallen into the Hands of the Bishop's Agent here, and to forbid the Pay­ment of the rest he received in my Absence, which tho' accepted by the Merchants at [Page 66] Antwerp, yet were not satisfied, the Time having not expired at which they were pay­able. And this Service to the King is all the Satisfaction I have by this Adventure, which has ended the whole Affair of Munster that has of late made so much Noise, and raised so much Expectation in the World. I am,

To the Duke of Ormond.

THO' my late Munster Journey has gi­ven Your Grace some Ease by my In­termissions, and me many Troubles, yet I met none of which I was more sensible, than what I received at my Return by the News of Your Grace's Indisposition. But I com­forted my Self first, that your Health is too considerable to fall, tho'it may suffer under common Accidents; and since, with the cer­tainty given me of its Recovery, in which I give Your Grace what I receive by it my Self, as much Joy, I am sure, as if I felt ne­ver so great an Addition to my own; since [Page 67] Mankind is esteemed so great a Self-Lover that these are the highest Expressions will be allowed us.

I have desired my Lord Arlington to give Your Grace in my own Letters to his Lord­ship, the Account of my whole Transaction; which I take no great Pleasure in repeating, and should very difficultly at once give Re­lations so particular, as what I made whilst the Objects, their Dispositions, and Motions were in my Eye. The Length of them may make them too much Trouble to Your Grace, of which my Father or Brother I know would be glad to ease you, and give the Minute of a Draught at large.

I so concerted with the Bishop whilst I was there, and with the Marquess here at my Re­turn, that we expect here between five or six Thousand of his best Troops upon His Excel­lency's paying Fifty Thousand Pattacons, and obliging himself to restore them upon Repayment of the like Sum whenever the Bi­shop shall have need of them; which is a better Disposal of Forces raised by His Ma­jesty's Money, than if they had been drawn over into the French Service, according to their Prospect and Monsieur Colbert's Endea­vour, who was sent to Munster on Purpose to marchand them. Whether the Duke of Nieu­burg, who seems wholly French, will make any Difficulty in giving them Passage through [Page 68] his Countrey, I know not; nor whether the Light be true which was lately given me of a War like to suceed in those Parts between that Duke and the Marquess of Brandenburg, which would in this Conjuncture mingle the Cards after the strangest manner imagina­ble.

Tho' we hear much of our Fleets being at Sea, yet we talk more here of the Dutch slow­ness, who have not yet Men for above fifty Ships, and those so disheartned and cold in the Service, that I fear nothing but their elu­ding our great Preparations by keeping close in their Harbours, till for want of Victuals we may be forced to return to ours.

My Lord Carlingford is now at Prague, un­certain upon his late Letters from Court, whether he advances this Way, or returns to the Emperour; whither, he hath dispatcht his Son; and where we have some Ground of Complaint, seeing the Emperour's Name a­mong all the other Princes in the Guarranty of the Munster Peace. The Endeavour of that Court had been much better employ'd in compassing the Peace with Portugal, which hangs yet in great Uncertainties, not to say Difficulties: Neither of which there is the least of in my being with most hearty and un­feigned Passion,

To my Lord Lisle.

I Received lately the Honour of one from Your Lordship; and by it the Satisfacti­on of finding your Health and good Humour continue, as well as my share in your Favour and Memory which I am much concerned in. I assure Your Lordship, in the midst of a Town and Employment entertaining enough, and a Life not uneasie, my Imaginations run very often over the Pleasures of the Air, and the Earth, and the Water, but much more of the Conversation at Sheen; and make me believe, that if my Life wears not out too soon, I may end it in a Corner there, tho' Your Lord­ship will leave it I know in Time, for some of those greater and nobler Houses that attend you. I am obliged by the very pleasing Re­lations you give from those softer Scenes; in Return of which, such as I can make you from those of Business, or War, or Tumult, must, I know, yield rougher Entertainment; and therefore I have sent them in a Paper which shall pass rather for a Gazette than a Letter; and shall content my self only to tell [Page 70] Your Lordship, that 'tis hardly to be ima­gined the Change which about three Weeks past have made in the Face of Holland's Af­fairs, which are now esteemed here to be upon the Point of breaking into much such a Confusion as we saw in England about 1659; Nor can any Thing almost be added in these Parts to the Reputation of his Ma­jesty's Arms and Affairs; so far, that it grows a Credit to be an English Man; and not on­ly here, but in Amsterdam it self; I am told my Lord Stafford who went lately thither a­bout a Process, has more Hats and Legs than the Burgomaster of the Town. I will not increase Your Lordship's Trouble by any en­larging upon this Subject, having offered you a much longer in the inclosed; I wish I could give you some of another Kind by sending you a little Spanish Mistress from hence, whose Eyes might spoyl your Walks, and burn up all the green Meadows at Sheen, and find other Ways of destroying that Re­pose Your Lordship pretends alone to enjoy, in spight of the common Fate of Mankind: But however your Friends suffer by it, I wish it may last as long as it pleases you; I am sure the Professions will do so of my being

To my Lord Arlington.

I Am not to be forgiven, that endeavour by one Trouble to make Room for another, and solicite Your Lordship this Way that my Wife may have Leave to solicite you in a Mat­ter wherein I can never resolve to do it my Self. Your Lordship's Friendship has left me little to desire or complain of, unless it be when I find my own Fortune so disproportio­ned to my Mind, in the Resolutions I have of doing His Majesty all the Honour, as well as all the Service I can; But how ill they a­gree in this Point (tho' I was ever Rich while I was private, even beyond my Desires) is a Story I would rather any Body should tell you than I: However, I should not bring my Wife into this Scene, but that I know she will ask nothing but my own, is a Person not apt to be troublesome or importunate, and in all kinds the best Part of

Patri Gottenburg.

REctè & per manus dulcissimae tuae sororis ac­cepi Chirothecas elegantissimè consutas, & non minus politè contextas Literas; per quas nec me elapsum memoriâ vestrâ, nec planè exutum Benevolentiâ, & sentio & gaudeo. Utro (que) nomi­ne me pulcherrimae istae Indoli per totam vestram Familiam diffusae, potius quam ulli meo merito obligatum aestimo: Habeo ita (que) & ago gratias quamplurimas, ut vero acceptiori quodam modo eas referre studeam sororem optimam exoravi, quae me (ut spero) Officio & Debito perfunctum brevi redditura est. Valeat interim Reverentia vestra, studiis propositis auspicatissimè incumbat, & ex Votis procedat, me (que) semper teneat.

To Mr. Thynn.

ABout two Days since I received the Fa­vour of Yours of the 16th past, and am sorry to be put upon the Defence in an En­counter so much to my Advantage; This had not arrived, if I could as easily have found the Way of conveying my Letters, as the Dispositions of Writing; For those I have always had about me since I knew your Sta­tion and Character, which I thought would help to bear me out in that Attempt. The little Acquaintance you are contented to own, I durst not reckon upon, because it was so much more than I deserved, and so much less than I desired; but am very glad that may be allowed of among the Obligations we have to enter upon this Commerce, tho' we need no other than our Master's Service, which may on both sides be improved by the Communi­cation of what passes in our different Scenes. I shall not engage in answering the Comple­ments of your Letter, tho' I should have much more Justice on my Side; but I am very ill furnished with that sort of Ware, and the [Page 74] Truth is, there is required so much Skill in the right tempering, as well as the Distribu­tion of them, that I have always thought a Man runs much hazard of losing more than he gains by them; which has made me ever averse, as well as incapable of the Trade. It will be to more Purpose to let you know the Confidence we have here of our Treaty with Spain being Signed in all Points to our satis­faction; but whether Portugal has or will ac­cept their Part in it, which is a Truce of for­ty five Years, I cannot yet resolve you, on­ly this I am assured, that it is feared in the French Court as well as hoped in ours.

The current News at Antwerp as well as here, is of the Dutch Merchant Fleet from Nantes and Rochel, consisting of above a hun­dred Sail under the Convoy of six Men of War, being fallen into a Squadron of about twenty of our Frigats, and few are said to have escaped: tho' this be doubted of none here, and the current Letters from Zealand as well as Ostend make it probable; yet I su­spend my Confidence till the Arrival of my English Letters, which are my Gospel in these Cases. This Coldness I know makes me lose many Pleasures, but on the other side helps me to escape many Disappointments, which light Belief in the midst of so many light Reports is subject to. The Councils or Dispositions of a subordinate Government as [Page 75] this is, are not worth troubling you with, but those in the Court here are in short what we wish them.

Those of the Scene you are in deserve much more the Enquiry; and I should be very glad to know them from so good a Hand. My Desires of serving you, can I am sure, never be known from a better than my own, which can value it self to you by nothing else, but by telling I am

To the Earl of Clarendon Lord High Chancellor.

UPon the Arrival of the last Post from Spain, which brought us the unwel­come News of our Treaty meeting an un­happy Obstruction when it was at the very Point of being perfected; Count Marsyn came to me, and after a Preface of the great O­bligations he had to His Majesty, and the Part he took in all our Interests, as well as [Page 76] those of Spain; he fell into large Discourses of the unhappy Influences any Interruption in the present Treaty would have upon the Affairs of both Crowns. He insisted much upon the Hardship we put upon the Spaniards, in not consenting to leave the Assistance of their Enemies, which was all the Advan­tage they expected from this Treaty in stead of many they gave; that the great Effect of it on both sides would thereby be lost; which was a Return into mutual Confidence, and at least the Beginnings of a sincere Friend­ship: That Spain having consented to what Terms His Majesty thought reasonable, and Portugal not only refusing them, but entring at the same into new Dependancies upon France; he could not see what could oblige His Majesty to more than offering Portugal an equal Peace, and becoming the Warrant of it. That at His Majesty's Mediation Spain had given them a Style as usual and as ho­nourable as what they desired; and if they could resolve to give them that of King in stead of Crown they had then no need or use of His Majesty's Mediation.

That whether we thought it our Interest to have a Peace or War in Christendome, we must begin by adjusting the Business of Portugal; for if we desired the first, nothing could so much awe the French into quiet Dispositions as that Peace, and ours with Holland, to [Page 77] which that would likewise be an Ingredient; If the latter, and we had a mind rather to be Seconds in a War of Spain with France, than Principals in any, (which he thought was our true Interest) nothing could make Way for it, or enable Spain either to begin or sustain a War with France, but a Peace with Portugal.

That he was confident, His Majesty's con­senting to abandon them in Case they refu­sed to be included in our Treaty, would force them immediately to accept it; that if not, and His Majesty should hereafter find it his Interest to support them upon any great Successes of Spain on that side, it would be easie to do it by Connivance, by voluntary Troops of his own Subjects, or by a third Hand, provided it went no further than to keep Spain in the Temper of yielding to the Peace upon the Terms His Majesty shall have judged reasonable: But for the present, without His Majesty's Condescension to Spain in this Point; he did not see how we could hope to effect our Treaty, or to re­ceive any Fruits of it, where new Occasions of Diffidence and Distaste would every Day arise.

These were the chief of Count Marsyn's Discourses, which he ended in desiring me that I would represent them to His Majesty's chief Ministers, and particularly to Your [Page 78] Lordship from him, as the best present Testi­mony he could give of his Zeal to His [...]aje­sty's Service and Affairs; and which he would have done himself, but for fear it might look like intruding into Matters and Councils he was not called to.

Besides this single Point upon which this Stop of our Treaty is wholly grounded; I could not but represent to Your Lordship some other Circumstances which I imagine may have fallen in and helpt to occasion it. I hear, France has declared positively to the Spaniard, that they will immediately begin the War, upon the Spaniards Signing the Treaty with us, and concluding the Truce or Peace with Portugal upon our Mediation. To this End, and to shew the Spaniards, they are in earnest, they busie themselves in ma­king new Levies, and drawing down many Troops upon these Frontiers, as well as all sort of Provisions, either for Sieges or a Camp. Upon this, I know not whether the Spanish Councils may be so faint as not to dare give the French any pretence of a Quarrel, but preserve their Quiet rather by shrinking, than making a bold Peace: Or whether being composed of Men that hardly ever lookt out of Spain, or consider any thing but that Con­tinent; they may not upon Foresight of War either continuing with Portugal or beginning in Flanders, rather chuse the first, where be­ing [Page 79] Invaders, they may give themselves what Breath they please, imploy their own Natives in the Charges of Honour and Gain, and keep all the Money spent in the War, still within their Countrey; whereas whatever comes into Flanders, never returns, and is swallowed up by so many foreign Troops as the Levies for that Service must needs draw together. There may yet another and more prudent Consideration arise with these, which may for the present delay the Conclusion of our Treaty; and that is, a Desire to sign it rather before the Winter than in the Spring, and by that Means both gain this Summer to finish the Fortification of their Frontiers here, and the next Winter to put their Army in a better Posture than they now are, or I doubt, will suddenly be for the beginning of a Cam­pagne; and if this Council should be taken by Concert with us, that no Breach of Con­fidence may grow between us by these De­lays, but the French only flattered by vain Hopes of breaking our Treaty, and thereby induced to let the Spaniard grow a Year ol­der in their Peace with them, and slacken the War of Portugal into as low Expence, and as little Action or Hazard as they can; I know nothing can be said against it, and should be apt to believe it, were the Coun­cils there, in the Breast of any one Person by last Ressort; whereas the divided Interests [Page 80] and Passions of the Councellours cannot well suffer them to fall into such a Resolution with hope of Consent, and Secret among them all.

This Reflection puts me upon another I hear from private Hands; which may possi­bly have made some Change in the Course of our Treaty; which is, that the whole Management of Affairs in the Council of Spain seems at present to be devolved into the Hands of Count Castriglio; the Confessor leaving it to him, and reserving to himself those Things only which depend immediate­ly upon the Will of the Queen, and proposing to himself during his Ministry (which can­not be long in regard of Castriglio's great Age) to make Way for his own, by growing older and practised in Affairs, as well as the Know­ledge, Obligations, and Dependances of Per­sons. Now, our Treaty having never pas­sed through Castriglio's Hands, but conduc­ted by Sir Richard Fanshaw wholly through the Duke of Medina's, (his declared Enemy) and since by my Lord Sandwich chiefly through Pignoranda's, who is a third Party; 'tis not improbable, that a new Hand may give it new Form, either to add something of his own, or to shew his Authority, or perhaps to pursue his former usual Dispositi­ons, which have been bent upon the War with Portugal: considering no Part of the Mo­narchy [Page 81] but Spain and the Indies, and I doubt, in particular, not very partial to our Alliance or Affairs.

Upon these Intimations Your Lordship will infinitely better judge than I, to what to attribute the present ill Posture of our Af­fairs in Spain, and how to retrieve it.

To my Lady Giffard written in the Name of Gabriel Possello.

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 [Page 85] 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 d [...]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. Pero si me lisonjea mi deseo y me enganna mi esperança lo que ay di bueno en esta occasion, es que me haviendo su favor ren­dido [Page 86] en un instante de viejo moco, de la misma manera me parece que su crueldad me ha luego de buelver de moco viejo, y entonces me havre a bur­lar me tanto de su hermosura quanto se puede bur­lase aore V. S. de mi passion

Bive V. S. mille annos, y se vea enamorada como yo a setenta, que con esto no se ha de olvidar entonces de.

To Collonel Algernoon Sidney.

I Received two Days since one from you of the 19/29th past; with two inclosed, which I shall not fail to convey by the English Pac­quet that parts this Evening, and with the same Assurance that usually attends my Let­ters; So that I think you may reckon upon their Safety in those Hands to which they are addressed. Your present Abode was no Secret to me before I knew it from your own Hand; That Information having been gi­ven me about two or three Months since by [Page 87] some English Gentlemen, who passed from Italy through Germany and these Parts into England; where I cannot think they made a greater Secret of it upon Occasion, than they had done here.

I am sorry your Dispositions or your For­tunes have drawn you so far out of the Reach of your Friends Services, and almost Cor­respondence; in which I doubt the Difficul­ties may shortly increase, at least this Way: For we are here at present in little hopes to see next Month end, without the Advance of a French Army into these Provinces.

I had Letters very lately from Petworth, and my Wife some as fresh from Penshurst, which left Health in both those Places; and will thereby I suppose, furnish you with News not unwelcome from

To my Lord St. Albans.

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 [Page 93] 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, [Page 94] 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

To my Lord Ambassadour Coventry.

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 [Page 96] 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 it here appears. If these Papers may have arrived already some other Way, Your Excellency will how­ever pardon my Diligence, since you receive no other Trouble than that of throwing them away. The Levies here and Musters go on with all the Care and Speed this Govern­ment [Page 97] is capable of. This Evening I am as­sured, the Twelve Hundred Italians so long expected, are arrived at Ostende. Last Night parted Don Bernard de Salinas, dispatcht from the Marquess here, to beg some Assistance from his Majesty; the present Hopes are only of Leave to recruit the old Regiment here to the Number of Two Thousand, or else to raise two new Ones, under such Of­ficers as His Majesty shall name. The Cloud threatning these Parts from France is not yet broken, and the Marches of their Troops to three several Rendezvouses make it yet uncer­tain where it will fall. Cambray, Valencien­nes, Namur, Mons, and St. Omers are in very good Condition, and the last hath three Thousand Men in Garrison besides the Bour­geoisie. The Prince of Ligni has now Four Thousand Horse effective at the Head-Quar­ters near Nivelle, where there will be Five Thousand Foot to join with them, and at­tend theit Enemy's Motion, and cover Brus­sels upon Occasion. It is most certain that if the French had begun to march when they be­gan to talk, about three Weeks since, this Countrey had been lost without Dispute, or Remedy; the Defence will be now perhaps sharper than expected. La Bassè and Armen­tiers are already slighted, and Charle-Roy is all mined within, the Mines filled with Pow­der; Guns, and Magazins drawn off, and [Page 98] ready to flie upon the first Approach of the French, which is here esteemed both a gene­rous and prudent Resolution of the Marquess, since he could not finish it in Time, nor pre­serve his Child without the Mother's Dan­ger.

I know nothing else to increase this Trou­ble besides the Assurances of my being

To my Lord Arlington.

TWo Days since came hither the News of Armentiers being seized by a Party of the French Horse, about Five Hundred strong; half of the Fortifications were alrea­dy slighted, and not above a Hundred and Fifty Soldiers left in the Town: What their next Design will be, seems not yet resolved; their Troops marching on all Parts, give the Occasion I suppose to the several Governours of Mons, Cambray, and Valenciennes, to signi­fie [Page 99] by Expresses hither the Jealousie each of them has of the Storm being ready to fall up­on their Parts.

At Cambray and Lille several French have been taken surveying the Works, and disgui­sed; but all those Places are at present in so good Condition, that the Choice may per­haps make some Difficulties in the French Councils, which I believe have been much disconcerted by the blowing up of Charle-Roy; a Resolution they expected not from the Marquess, and without which these Parts of the Countrey had run inevitable Dangers, and the most successful Invasion had been made in those Provinces where the French Pretensions lay.

The Discoursers here observe that the first Pace of the War being made in Flanders, lo­ses all the good Grace which the French en­deavoured to give their Invasion; that the Town they have taken can import no more than the Advance of their Frontiers; that they seem unresolved whether to keep it or no; how to use the Governour and Soldiers whom they took in their Beds, whether as Prisoners, or Friends, and more uncertain what to do next; that their slowness in en­tring the Countrey, and Loss of twenty Days Time, tho' they were then as ready as now, has certainly saved these Provinces; for it is constant without any Dispute that if [Page 100] they had fallen on in the beginning of this Month, Charle-Loy, Nivelle, Louvaine, Brus­sels, and Mechlyn would have cost them nei­ther Time nor Danger. From these Circum­stances the Reasoners here conclude a Weak­ness and Incertitude in the French Councils, and begin to hope they may have taken their Measures as ill among their Neighbours, as they have among themselves; and say confi­dently, that unless they are agreed with England, their Affairs are in a worse Posture than they have been these twenty Years. They begin to hope that all our late Practi­ces with the French, are aimed no further than to embark them in this Affair, and have our Revenge for the Game they play'd in enga­ging us in the Dutch War: They say, that if by Offers and Shews of abandoning Spain, we have drawn the French into this War, which hath already cost them all their Con­fidence with Holland, all further hopes of amusing Spain, and the Credit of their good Faith and Meaning with the rest of Christen­dom; that if after our Peace made with Hol­land and France, we resolve to offer our Me­diation between France and Spain, and upon the Refusal or failing of it, join with the Hollander in the Protection of these Coun­treys, enter vigorously into the War, share with the Spaniard whatever shall be gained from the French, and let Holland find their [Page 101] Account by destroying all the French De­signs of Trade and Plantations abroad; the Reasoners here conclude that if this has been our Design for these two Months past, and be pursued with the same Success it has be­gun; It is one of the greatest Councils that has ever been conceived by any Prince, and which will make the greatest Change in our own Affairs, and in those of all Christendom besides; and appear the best adjusted Revenge upon the French that ever was taken upon an Enemy.

From Breda we have got little more than the Entry of our Ambassadour, which makes us believe some Mystery in the Delays of Peace there, as well as those of War on the other side.

From Sueden I have the last Post a particu­lar Assurance of that Crown's good Intenti­ons towards the House of Austria, of their dispatching one Monsieur Tongel Envoy into Spain, who is to pass this Way, and will be Addressed to me to introduce him to the Marquess, by whose Representations the Court of Sueden desires to have their Mini­ster's Reception in Spain favoured, and his Negotiation advanced.

I am, as will ever become me to be, with equal Passion and Truth

To my Lord Holles.

I Know not with what Speed or Success three of mine may have arrived at Breda, but am apt to doubt the Certainty of this Commerce by observing that Your Excel­lency's of the 22d came not to my Hands till Yesterday, and after the Receipt of it I was so unlucky, as not to find the Baron de L'Isola till later at Night than would suffer this Dispatch: I now send it to Mr. Shaw of Antwerp with Orders to convey it by Ex­press from thence, in Case he meets no other sudden Occasion; and whatever Favour or Commands Your Excellency may hereafter design me, will come sooner and safer I sup­pose by an Address to the same Hand at Antwerp.

I acquainted the Baron de L'Isola with the Dutch Allegations concerning some Advances made by him as from his Majesty, upon the Point of Poleroon. He says, however they may seem to interpret it, they could not un­derstand it by any Thing that passed from him in that private Communication, which [Page 103] was all he entred into upon his short stay in Holland. That upon his first Discourse of His Majesty's Intention to make the Trea­ty of 1662 the Foundation of this at present; the Person he discoursed with raised two Dif­ficulties; the first, that of Poleroon; and the other, the Continuance of the Pretensions left on either side; which as they had given Occasion, or at least Pretext for the present Quarrel so, if they were left still undeci­ded, they might hereafter have the same Ef­fect; whereas their Desire was by this Peace to cut off the Root of all future Differences. For the first Point, he (the Baron) asked, whether if all other Articles should be agreed, the States would be so obstinate upon the Point of Poleroon as to endanger the Peace for that alone: It was answered, the French had already essay'd to do some Offices in this Particular, and had brought it to this very Demand; whether the States would continue the War rather than yield the Point of Poleroon; and that the States had answe­red formally, they would.

For the second, concerning the mutual Pretensions left in the Treaty of 1662, He, (the Baron) seemed to approve the cutting them all off, but proposed that in Conside­ration of it, the States should give His Ma­jesty a Sum of Money in some sort propor­tionable to what his Pretences might amount; [Page 104] and that if the States would make any Ad­vance considerable in Point of the Sum, He (the Baron) would employ all his own and his Friends Endeavours, to induce His Ma­jesty to a Condescention in this Point of Po­leroon as well as that of clearing all Pretensi­ons on either Side.

To this was answered, that for Poleroon nothing more could be said, nor any Consi­deration make the States yield it, without the Alternative of restoring all on each side, which would create Length and Difficulty in the Treaty. That, for a Sum of Money in Satisfaction of His Majesty's Pretensions, they could not consent to any such Propo­sal, without a particular Liquidation of what the Pretentions on each side amounted to; since they believed in gross their own upon us, to be higher than ours upon them; And yet at the same time it was insisted, that no such Examen or Liquidation should be entred upon; since doing it before the Conclusion would expose the Treaty to the Danger of Delays, and consequently of Accidents; and leaving it to Commissioners after the Con­clusion, would leave Field for new Dis­putes.

This was the Sum of the Baron's Negoti­ation, in which he made all the Advances as from himself; but when he found he was not likely to bring it to any Issue, by Rea­son [Page 105] of those two Difficulties, that is, Pole­roon, and the Sum in Consideration of our clearing all Pretensions; he then told them as by his Majesty's Order, that the Point of Poleroon, touching our East India Compa­ny rather than His Majesty; the King would send over some Persons Deputed from the said Company, with His Ambassadours; and if the States would do the same, it was likely the Persons Deputed from each Com­pany might find an Expedient in the Busi­ness.

This the Baron gives me for the short and true Relation of all his Discourses in Hol­land, which having been made with one Person alone, and very private; I find he expected not they would have been so pub­lick, as to be alledged upon any new Ne­gotiations.

Our News from the Frontiers since my last is this. About the time of the French King's coming down to Arras, the Orders were given for slighting Armentiers, la Bas­seè, and Charle-Roy, which being publick, and begun to be executed at Armentiers; a Brigetin Priest of that Town went to Arras, and upon Complaints of their being left without Defence in the Times of Danger that were approaching, made Application to the Governour of Arras for a Protection for their Town: Within a Day or two af­ter, [Page 106] when the Works were about half sligh­ted, instead of the Protection, came Seven or Eight Hundred French Horse, and find­ing a Guard of about forty Men at the En­trance of the Place, made a Discharge upon them, killed one, and wounded two: Up­on which, those few Soldiers that were in the Town-House, shot and killed three or four of the French, who began to pillage some of the Burgher's Houses; but this Dis­order was soon appeased by their Officers, after which they summoned the Peasants in, and begun to repair the Fortifications, kept the Governour in Restraint, and carried the Matter as if this had been the Declaration of War. This News coming to the Gover­nour of Lille, he seized upon some French Men he found in his Town by Way of Re­prisal for those taken at Armentiers; and the Marquess gave Order to the Prince of Ligny who commands the Horse here, to charge any Party he should find making Courses into the Frontiers, and to endeavour to bring away some Prisoners, both as Repri­sals for those of Armentiers, and to know something of the French Pretensions.

After they had kept Armentiers about five Days, they released the Governour, told the People they came not to begin any War, but only at their Invitation to protect the Town; drew off at first one Party of their Men, and [Page 107] last Friday Morning all the rest: The Go­vernour of Lille set his French Men at Liber­ty, and the Prince of Ligny, some that he had taken in a Skirmish of small Parties up­on the Borders of Hainault, wherein the Mar­quess tells me, about fifty of the French were killed, and near twenty taken. This I am more particular in relating, because it seems the first Pace of the War, tho' since in a man­ner disavowed by the French, and indeed it is generally censured as the Effect of a weak and uncertain Council, to begin without any formed Design or Declaration, by siezing so rashly a Place of no Moment, and in the Province of Flanders, where none of their Pretences lie. These three last Days the Motion of their Troops has been through Philiipeville, and the Frontiers of Hainault. The French King was expected last Night at Quesnoy, and to Day at Philippeville. They have begun a Bridge upon the Sambre near a Village called Marsin au Pont, a League up the River from the Place where Charle-Roy stood; the Ground being on the one side Pais de Liege, and on the other, the Spaniards Country; so we expect here they will enter that Country to morrow, but which Way they intend their first Impression is uncer­tain, the Bridge they make serving a Design either upon Namur, Mons, or Brussels. The Spanish Forces on this Side, lie between this [Page 108] Place and Marimount, consist of about four thou­sand Horse and as many Foot, have no formed Design but to attend the Enemy's Motion, and to retire for the Defence of this Place, in Case of the Enemy's marching this Way.

The general Belief here of the most Intel­ligent is, that France has had the Skill or good Luck, de nous endormir, both us and Hol­land in this great Conjuncture, and by assu­ring us of Peace upon good Terms with the Dutch, and at the same Time the Dutch of never According with us, nor breaking with Spain to their (the Hollanders) Prejudice, will amuse us both in a slow Treaty till they have made so great an Impression in these Countreys, as will give neither of us the Liberty to take those Measures upon this Affair, to which either of our Interests might lead us: And perhaps find Means to divert the Treaty at last, for coming to any Issue. They say, that delaying our Treaty for the Point of Poleroon, is losing a Dinner for Mustard; and that every Day it is deferred, endangers an irrecoverable Con­juncture, that Heaven hath given us of ma­king our Selves Considerable to whom, which way, and to what Degree we please. God send these Reasoners to be deceived, and that we may not be so, at least no more by the same Hands. I am

To Sir Philip Warwick.

I Am very sorry that I must rejoice with You, and condole with all your Friends at the same Time and upon the same Occa­sion; for tho' the Retreat I hear you have made from Business, must needs be a Trou­ble and a Loss to us all, yet I know it is an Ease and a Happiness to your self, or else a wise Man as you are, ought not to have chosen it. I will not tell you how great a Contentment I had in knowing my Business lay so much in your Way, because I never intend to pursue more, than what His Maje­sty pleases to make my Due, and I have e­ver reckoned both upon your Justice and your Kindness: But I must bear this Disap­pointment, since you are the Author of it, which is the best Consolation I can think of. In the mean Time I hope you do not intend to retire from the Commerce of your Friends, as well as that of Business; for tho' you should lock your Self up within your Walls of Frog-Pool, I shall ever pretend to have a share in you, there it self, and never omit [Page 110] any Occasions of assuring you that no Change you can make in your Course of Life, can ever make any in the Resolutions I have ta­ken of being always

To my Lord Arlington.

THE Diligence of the Posts or Favour of the Weather, have given me two of Your Lordship's, to acknowledge since my last of the 1st and 5th current, with the good News of the Dutch being beaten off at Harwich; for since we are in a Disease, eve­ry Fit we pass well over, is so much of Good, and gives hopes of Recovery: I doubt this is not the last, for I hear De Witt is resolved that their Fleet shall not give over Action till the very Ratifications of the Treaty are exchanged: In which he certainly pursues his Interest, that the War may end with so much the more Honour abroad, and Heart at home; for commonly the same Dispositi­ons between the Parties with which one [Page 111] War ends, another begins. And tho' this may end in Peace, yet I doubt it will be with so much Unkindness between the Nations, that it will be Wisdom on both Sides to think of another as well as to avoid it. All Discourse here is of the Peace as a Thing undoubted, and every Pacquet I re­ceive from England confirms me in the Be­lief that a War abroad is not our present Business till all at home be in better Order; no more than hard Exercise which strength­ens healthy Bodies, can be proper for those that have a Feaver lurking in the Veins, or a Consumption in the Flesh; for which, Rest, and Order, and Diet are necessary, and perhaps some Medicine too, provided it come from a careful and a skilful Hand. This is all that I shall say upon that Sub­ject, which I presume has before this, re­ceived some Resolution by my Lord Ambas­sadour Coventry's Arrival; for I confess my Stomach is come down, and I should be glad to hear the Peace ended, and our Coasts clear, since it will not be better; but all this while, Multa gemens Ignominiam Plagas (que) superbi Hostis, and I am sure, would not de­sire to live, unless with hopes of seeing our Selves one Day in another Posture, which God Almighty has made us capable of, when­ever we please our selves.

I am sorry to find the Commerce between [Page 112] England and Spain so far cut off, as it should seem by Your Lordship's Complaints, of having received none of a Date later than May the 1st, for mine holds yet pretty con­stant, tho' I suppose visited by the French in their Passage. On Sunday last I received one from Mr. Godolphin of the First currant, where he told me, the Treaties were sent Signed by several Ways into England, and therefore concluded some of them arrived. He seems to doubt still, the Portuguees ac­cepting their Share in it: which is the like­lier, because the Marquess tells me, he hears by this Ordinary, that better Terms may be offered them, tho' 'tis pleasant, the Spa­niard should not have yet resolved to give them the Title, when for ought I know, without it, all their own may be in Danger. His Excellency assures me they are resolved in Spain upon declating a general War both by Sea and Land, and that Way make the French unmask their Designs, that they have sent Order already to sieze upon all that belongs to the French in their Indies, who have a great Share in the Spanish Fleet that is daily expected home; that they have remitted by this Ordinary to his Excellency, a Hundred and Thirty Thousand Crowns, which is the third Remise of about that Sum, arrived since the War began; and that they have negotiated with the Fregoni, or some [Page 113] such Name, being the ablest Merchants at Amsterdam for Nine Hundred Thousand more; so that the Process seems well ente­red, and I wish them a good Issue.

We have here no Certainty of the Pro­gress of the French Arms, nor can we say that Courtray is taken, tho' the Report has continued more or less these four Days; but the Marquess would not own any Advice of it on Saturday Night; tho' he spoke ve­ry despairingly of the Town, but confident­ly of the Cittadel's holding out at least fif­teen Days, if those within it did their Duty. His Excellency makes a very different Story of the Baron of Limbeck's Defeat, which was reported here; and assures me that having carried some Relief into Courtray, He re­treated with only Two Hundred Horse, and meeting a Party of Six Hundred of the French, charged through them, killed the Cap­tain of their Vantguard with several others, and came off with the Loss only of Fifteen Men.

Yesterday Morning the Marquess went to Gant with Intentions of Returning in three or four Days; and hath left the Town so emptied by his Journey as well as the Camp, that besides the Governour, I know not of a Gentleman of my Acquaintance in it.

The Baron de l'Isola went this Morning towards Antwerp, and from thence passes to­wards [Page 114] Ostend to go over with the Convoy, which I could not persuade him to lose, tho' I endeavoured it upon a Hint in Your Lord­ship's Letter, and more upon his telling me that you had dissuaded him from coming till the Ratifications of the Treaty were pas­sed; but he says, he is confident that will be before he can arrive; that he hath sent over all his Papers and Bills of Exchange before Hand, and if he loses this Convoy, knows not when to hope for a secure Pas­sage. And if His Majesty thinks fit, will rather make a stay at Gravesend, or any other Place near the Water side, till all Jealousie of his Coming be blown over.

I give Your Lordship humble Thanks for the Letter I received to make use of Part of the Money in Mr. Shaw's Hands, for Sup­ply of what was grown due to me; and am, I am sure, at all Times, more troubled to ask it, than pleased to receive it. I was much more sensibly obliged, by the Part you was pleased to give me of the good For­tune arrived to your Family, by it's In­crease, and my Lady's Safety; and will as­sure Your Lordship you do me but Justice, to believe I am concerned in all that hap­pens to you, and more particularly upon this Occasion, of which I have made very constant Inquiries, tho' without Your Lord­ship's Trouble. I give you El para bien with [Page 115] all the Joy that can be, and the Presages of many more such Adventures; and know, my Lady began with her own Sex for no other Reason, but because the War was en­ded. My own particular Satisfaction in it is, that my Family may continue their Ser­vices to Your Lordship's, and that way make up, what I shall fall short in the Expres­sions of that Passion and Truth, wherewith I am

To my Lord Lis [...]e.

I Received lately the Honour of one from Your Lordship, which after all Com­plaints of Slowness and Dulness had enough to bear it out, tho' it had been much bet­ter address'd, but needed nothing, where it was, besides being yours. In my present Station, I want no Letters of Business or News, which makes those that bring me Marks of my Friends Remembrance, or Touches at their present Thoughts and En­tertainments, [Page 116] taste much better, than any thing can do, that is common Fare.

I agree very much with Your Lordship, in being little satisfied, by the Witts Excuse, of Employing none upon Relations, as they do in France; and doubt much, it is the same Temper and course of Thoughts a­mong us, that makes us neither act Things worth Relating, nor relate Things worth the Reading. Whilst making some of the Com­pany laugh and others ridiculous, is the Game in Vogue, I fear we shall hardly suc­ceed at any other, and am sorry, our Cour­tiers should content themselves, with such Victories as those. I would have been glad to have seen Mr. Cowley, before he died, ce­lebrate Captain Douglas his Death, who stood and burnt in one of our Ships at Chat­ham when his Soldiers left him, because it should never be said, a Douglas quitted his Post without Order; whether it be wise in Men to do such Actions or no, I am sure it is so in States, to honour them; and if they can, to turn the Vein of Wits, to raise up the Esteem of some Qualities, above their real Value, rather than bring every Thing to Burlesque, which if it be allowed at all, should be so only to wise Men in their Clo­sets, and not to Witts, in their common Mirth and Company. But I leave them to be reformed by great Men's Examples and [Page 117] Humours, and know very well, 'tis Folly for a private Man to touch them, which does but bring them like Wasps about ones Ears. However, I cannot but bewail the Transitoriness of their Fame, as well as other Mens, when I hear, Mr. Waller is turned to Burlesque among them, while he is alive, which never hapned to old Poets, till many Ages after their Death; and tho' I never knew him enough to Adore him, as many have done, and easily believe he may be, as Your Lordship says, enough out of Fashion, yet I am apt to think some of the old cut­work Bands, were of as fine Thread, and as well wrought, as any of our new Points; and at least, that all the Wit, he and his Company spent, in heightning Love and Friendship, was better employ'd; than what is laid out so prodigally, by the modern Wits, in the Mockery of all sorts of Religion and Government.

I know not how Your Lordship's Letter has engaged me in this kind of Discourses; but I know very well you will advise me after it, to keep my Residency here as long as I can, foretelling me what Success I am like to have among our Courtiers if I come over. The best on't is, my Heart is set so much upon my little Corner at Sheen, that while I keep that, no other Disappointments will be very sensible to me; and because my [Page 118] Wife tells me She is so bold, as to enter into Talk of enlarging our Dominions there, I am contriving here this Summer, how a Suc­cession of Cherries may be compass'd from May till Michaelmas, and how the Riches of Sheen Vines may be improved, by half a do­zen Sorts which are not yet known there, and which I think much beyond any that are. I should be very glad to come and plant them my Self this next Season, but know not yet how those Thoughts will hit: Tho' I design to stay but a Month in Eng­land, yet they are here very unwilling I should stir, as all People in Adversity are jealous of being forsaken; and His Majesty is not willing to give them any Discourage­ment whether he gives them any Assistance or no. But if they end the Campagne with any good Fortune, they will be better hu­moured in that as well as all other Points; and it seems not a very unlikely thing, the French having done nothing in six Months past but harass their Army, and being be­fore Lille engaged in a Siege, which may ve­ry well break the Course of their Success: They have not yet made the least Advance upon any of their Out-works, but been bea­ten off with much Loss in all their Assaults; and if that King's Design be to bring his No­bility as low as he has done his People, he is in a good way, and may very well leave, [Page 119] most of the brave among them in their Tren­ches there.

I had not need write often at this Length, nor make Your Lordship any new Professions of my being

To my Brother Sir John Temple.

HAving written so many and long Let­ters to my Father, I resolved this should be to you, tho' upon a Subject where­in he has been very desirous to be informed; which was more than I could pretend to, from any Notices of my own; having been Young and very New in Business, when I was first employ'd upon the Munster Treaty. All I knew of the Grounds or Occasions of our late War with Holland, was, that in all common Conversation, I found both the Court and the Parliament in general, very sharp upon it; complaining of the Dutch In­solencies, of the great Disadvantages they had brought upon our Trade in general, and [Page 120] the particular Injuries of their East-India Company towards Ours; And it was not easie to think any should better understand the Honour of the Crown than our Court; or the Interests of the Nation, than the House of Commons. One Thing I confess, gave me some Reflections, which was, to observe that three of my Father's greatest Friends, and Persons that I most esteemed upon ma­ny Accounts, were violently against the Councils of this War; which were my Lords of Northumberland, of Leicester, and Sir Ro­bert Long; tho' two of them were of the Pri­vy Council, and the third in a great Office, and ever bred up in Court. For my own Part, when I entred into that Affair, all I knew was, that we were actually in a War, and that the best we could do, was to get out of it either by Success and Victories, or by a fair and reasonable Peace, which I be­lieved our Treaty with Munster would make Way for; and I found some of our Ministers had no other End by it, having given over the Thoughts of any great Advantages we would find by pursuing the War; how that succeeded, and how it ended, You all know there, as well as I do here.

Upon Conclusion of the Peace at Breda, my Sister took a very strong Fancy to a Jour­ney into Holland, to see a Countrey She had heard so much of; and I was willing to give [Page 121] her that Satisfaction, after the melancholy Sence we have had here ever since the French Invasion of this Countrey. We went Incog­nito, with only her Woman, a Valet de Chambre, and a Page out of Livery, who all spoke Dutch. I leave it to her to give you an Account of what Entertainments she met with there, which she was much pleased with, especially those of the Indian Houses: For me, who had seen enough of it in my younger Travels, I found nothing new but the Stadt-House at Amsterdam, which tho' a great Fabrick, yet answered not the Ex­pectation I had, from so much Time, and so vast Expence as had been employed to raise it: Which put me in mind of what the Cavaliero Bernini said of the Louvre, when he was sent for, to take a View of it; that it was Una granpiccola Cosa. The chief Plea­sure I had in my Journey was, to observe the strange Freedom that all Men took in Boats and Inns, and all other common Pla­ces, of talking openly whatever they thought upon all the publick Affairs, both of their own State and their Neighbours: And this I had the Advantage of finding more by be­ing Incognito; and think it the greatest Piece of the Liberty that Countrey so much va­lues; the Government being otherwise as severe, and the Taxes as hard, as among any of their Neighbours.

At our Return from Amsterdam, we lay two Nights at the Hague, where I made a Vi­sit to Monsieur de Witt: I told him who I was; but, that having pass'd unknown through the Countrey, to all but himself a I desired I might do so still: I told him, m [...] only Business was, to see the Things most considerable in the Countrey, and thought I should lose my Credit, if I left it without seeing him: He took my Complement very well, and returned it, by saying he had received a Character of me to my Advan­tage both from Munster and Brussels, and was very glad to be acquainted with me at a Time when both our Nations were grown Friends, and had equal Reason to look a­bout us, upon what had lately happened in Flanders, he seemed much to regret the late unhappy Quarrel between us, which had made Way for this new War among our Neighbours. He laid the Fault of ours wholly upon Sir George Downing, who ha­ving been Envoy from Cromwel at a Time when the States were forced to observe good Measures with him; Sir George had made use of that Disposition, to get a great deal of Money from the East-India Company, who were willing to bribe his good Offices, in some Disputes that remained between the two Companies: That having been conti­nued in the same Employment by the King, [Page 123] he thought to drive the same Trade; but finding the Company more stanch, he had taken upon him, to pursue a Dispute about the old Pretensions, upon the Loss of the Bonadventure, as an Affair of State between the Nations, whereas it was left by our Treaties, to be pursued only as a Process between the Parties. That in their Treaty with Cromwel, all Pretensions on both Sides were cut off, but with this Clause; Liceat autem (to such as were concerned in that Affair of the Bonadventvre) Litem inceptam prosequi. That this Treaty having been made the Model of that, concluded with His Majesty soon after His Restoration, that Clause continued still in the New Treaty; and the Process which had been begun long before Cromwel's Treaty, before the Magistrates of Amsterdam, had still gone on after their Treaty with the King, according to the true Intention of that Clause. That Mr. Cary. who was employd to pursue it in the Name of Courtin's Executors, had brought it very near a Composition, deman­ding Forty Thousand Pounds for all Preten­sions, and the Dutch offering Thirty. That he, (Monsieur de Witt) to end this Affair, had appointed a Meeting with Mr. Cary, who had since confess'd to his Friends, that he was resolved to end it at that Meeting, and rather to take the Dutch Offer, than let [Page 124] the Suit run on; but that very Morning Sir George Downing sent for him, told him it was a Matter of State between the two Nations, and not only a Concern of pri­vate Men; and therefore absolutely forbid him, to go on with any Treaty about it, otherwise than by his Communication and Consent: That he would put in a Memo­rial to the States upon it, and instead of For­ty Thousand Pounds which he demanded, would undertake to get him Fourscore, and that he was sure the Dutch would give a great deal more, rather than venture a Quar­rel with His Majesty.

This Course he pursued, made extrava­gant Demands, and with great Insolence; made the same Representations to our Court, and possess'd some of the Ministers that he would get great Sums of Money, both for His Majesty and them, if they would suf­fer him to Treat this Affair after his own Manner; for he was sure the Dutch would go very far in that Kind, if they saw there was no other Way to avoid a War with Eng­land.

That Monsieur de Witt for his Part thought they were a free State no longer, if they should yield a Point, that they not only knew we had no Ground for, but were sure we knew it as well as they; and that what­ever the States should give upon this Occa­sion, [Page 125] might be demanded at any Time by our Court upon any other, since none could have less Pretence.

This was all the Account he thought fit at least to give me of this War: But other politick Reasoners among the Dutch preten­ded to give several others. Some said, the Duke's military Genius, made him desirous to enter upon some Action abroad, and be at the Head of a great Fleet against a State he never had been a Friend to: That the Duke of Albermarle had long had a Peek to their Countrey, upon some Usage he resen­ted during his being an Officer there: That he had a very mean Opinion of their Fleets, as well as their other Forces, since the Suc­cesses of the English in the first War during the Usurper's Time. That some of the Mi­nisters were possest with an Opinion of get­ting Money, by only threatning a War, with­out Intention of seeing it brought to Effect, and had let it run on so far, till it was too lare to go back. Some others attribute Sir Thomas Clifford's Violence in the House of Commons, and Practices with our East-In­dia Company, to a deeper Design; and would have the Matter of Religion concer­ned in the Quarrel, as their Pamphlets still endeavoured during the War; and these will not believe that when all Christendome was at Peace, such a War could be begun, merely [Page 126] upon a Chicane about the Loss of a Ship or Two so many Years since. There are o­thers that lay the War upon the Conduct of France, by which they say, we were engaged in it: That the present King was resolved to pursue the old Scheme laid by Cardinal Richlieu, of extending the Bounds of France to the Rhine, for which Ends the Conquest of Lorrain and Flanders was to be first atchie­ved: That the Purchase of Dunkirk from us was so violently pursued for this End, with­out which they could not well begin a War upon Flanders. That after this they had endeavoured to engage the present Ministry in Holland, to renew the Measures once ta­ken in Cardinal Richlieu's Time, for dividing Flanders between France and Holland: But not succeeding in it, they had turned all their Intrigues to engage us in a War, which might make Room for their Invasion of Flanders, whilst the two Neighbours most concerned in it's Defence, should be deep in a Quarrel between themselves: That they made both Parties believe they would assist them if there were Occasion; and would certainly have done it: That as they took Part with Holland upon our first Successes at Sea, and the Bishop of Munster's Treaty, so, if the Successes had been great on the Dutch Side, they would have assisted us in Order to prolong the War.

These are Discourses current in Holland upon this Subject; and I had rather give you those of others upon it, than any of my own. The Duke of Ormond will be able to judge, whether any of these Dutch Reaso­nings are true, or which are most probable. For my part, I can only say, that however the War began, I am very glad 'tis ended; but sorry it has made Way for another, which if it lasts any time, is like to involve us, and perhaps all the rest of the Neighbours, either in a new War, or in new Dangers. For if the French shall carry Flanders, as they very well may in another Campania, by the Weakness and Disorders in the Government here; the Dutch are sensible that they must fall to be a maritime Province to France, up­on the best Terms they can. The Empire will expect to see them soon at the Rhine, and thereby Masters of four Electors; and what a Condition England will be left in by such an Accession of maritime Forces, as well as Provinces, to such a Power as France is already, is but too easie, and too melancho­ly a Reflection. The Dutch are much exas­perated at this Invasion of Flanders, both as dangerous, and as scornful, to them in parti­cular; for they say that France, till the very Time of their March, gave constant Assu­rances to the States, both by the French Am­bassadour here, and by their Ambassadour [Page 128] at Paris, that they would not invade Flan­ders without first taking their Measures upon it, with the States themselves. I find, our Court are as much provoked on t'other side, not only upon this new Danger, but also upon the French having declared War against Us in Favour of Holland, without the least Pretence of Injury or other Occasion; so that if we both understood, or trusted one ano­ther, 'tis likely we should be both of a Mind in this Matter; but after such a sharp War as hath been for two Years between us, and such a snarling Peace as that at Breda; I do not well see how this can happen before it be too late; and so must leave these Con­templations to such as are in the Ministry, both in England and Holland, as well as Spain and the Empire, to take such Measures as are wise and necessary in such a Conjun­cture, which is perhaps the most important, that has been a great while in Christendome, and may have Consequences that none alive will see the End of. 'Tis time I am sure, that you should see an End of this long Let­ter, and come to the Assurances of my being ever

To Sir George Savil.

BEcause my Wife assures me I am not wholly lost in your Favour and Me­mory, I will not run any further Venture of forfeiting my Title for want of laying Claim to it, but make use of the smallest Occasion rather than none, in a Matter wherein I am so much, and so justly con­cerned.

This Place never was in worse Posture to furnish either a War or a Gazette than at this Time; for the Troops are all mouldring in their Winter Quarters; and as the greatest Calms ordinarily succeed the greatest Storms; so since the Heat of News and Occurren­ces here during the late Campagne, I have hardly known a Place, where less of both were stirring; Action and Invention seem­ing to have ended together. There is in­deed a new Difference between the two Crowns arisen this Winter; which is, that France talks of Peace, but prepares for War; and Spain talks of War, but prepares hither­to as if they were sure of Peace: They say [Page 130] at present they are off that with Portugal, which is the only Thing yet in Sight that can make the other necessary to them.

Because my Wife tells me you were con­tent with the last Papers I sent of the Roman News; I take Occasion to continue it by the inclosed, though there be seldom any Thing in it worth considering at this Di­stance; unless it be the Style; and the Qui­et of that Scene, which like the upper Regi­on, has no Share in the Storms of that be­low. And besides, as Men have more Cu­riosity to enquire how a great Man sleeps, than what a mean Man does all day long; so the very Rest and Idleness of that Roman Court, seems among the Discoursers more worth knowing, than the busie Motions of many small ones in this Northern Continent, who yet at this Time pretend to be conside­red, and to make a Noise.

This is all I can say to excuse my Inclo­sure of such Papers; unless it be, that, to tell a plain Truth, I was very glad of the Occasion to assure you, that I am ever with very much Passion, as well as with much Reason

To Sir John Temple.

YOu will wonder to see a Letter from this Place, my last having been from Brussels, without any thoughts of such a Jour­ney: And because my Stay here is like to be very short, and my Time extremely filled, I take the first Hour I can find, to give you some Account of this Adventure.

Soon after my last, an Express came to me from His Majesty, commanding me to come immediately into England, with all the Speed I could possibly make, but to take the Hague in my Way, and there upon the Credit of a Visit I made Monsieur de Witt last September, and which passed very well between us; to make him another, and let him know, His Majesty had commanded me to do so on Purpose, to inform my self of the Opinions he had, concerning the French late Invasion in Flanders, their great Success there, [Page 132] and the Appearances of so much greater this ensuing Spring; the Thoughts he had of what was the true Interest of His Majesty, the States, and the rest of Christendome upon this Occasion: That His Majesty by know­ing his Mind should believe he knew a great deal of that of the States, and thought He might thereby be enabled to take such Measures, as might be necessary for him in this Conjuncture.

I obey'd this Summons, spoke with Mon­sieur de Witt, entred into great Confidences with him, made Report of all to His Maje­sty at my Arrival here; gave Monsieur de Witt the Character I think he deserves, of a very able and faithful Minister to his State, and I thought, a sincere Dealer, very diffe­rent from what Sir George Downing had gi­ven of him at Court, who would have him pass for such another as himself, but only a Craftier Man in the Trade than he.

Upon all this, His Majesty came last Night to a Resolution of the greatest Impor­tance, which has yet passed I think here, in any foreign Affair, and begun the New Year, I hope with a good Presage, and in which the new Ministry, particularly My Lord Keeper and My Lord Arlington have had a very great Part: Mine will be to return immediately upon it into Holland, where if it please God I arrive and succeed, I expect [...] [Page 133] great deal of Satisfaction by my Errand, and much the greater by knowing that you will have a great deal in it too, as in an Affair, I remember to be so agreeable with what have been always your Opinions.

The Season of the Year is bad, and the Weather ill, and yet my Sister has been so kind, as to come with me hither from Brus­sels, and to resolve to return with me at this short Warning to the Hague, which will be a great Ease to me as well as Satisfaction, and by freeing me from all domestick Cares, leave me the more Liberty for those of my Business, which I foresee, will be enough to take up a better Head than mine. My Wife and Children continue here, till I see where my wandring Planet is like to fix; but my Brother Harry resolves to be of the Party, and take this Occasion of seeing Hol­land, and what is like to pass in the World upon this great Conjuncture. I am called away, and left Time only to add the con­stant Professions of that Duty, wherewith I am, and shall be ever,

To my Lord Arlington.

UPon last Friday at Night, I gave Your Lordship the Account, of what Ad­vance I had then made in my Negotiation, and of the Point where it was then arrested, with Desires of His Majesty's Pleasure; where­upon having spent that whole Day in De­bates, I had little Time left for that Letter, but intended to make some Amends for the Haste of it, within two Days by a Dispatch with the Yatcht, and tho' delayed a little longer, will not I hope be more unwelcome by bringing Your Lordship a fuller and final Account, which may be allowed to surprize you a little there, since it is look'd upon as a Miracle here, not only by those that hear it, but even by the Commissioners them­selves, who have had the whole Transaction of it, which I shall now acquaint Your Lord­ship with.

Upon my two first Conferences with Mon­sieur de Witt, which were the Tuesday and Wednesday; I found him much satisfied with His Majesty's Resolution concerning our [Page 135] Neighbours; but of the Opinion, that the Condition of forcing Spain, was necessary to our common End, and to clear the Means towards it, from all Accidents that might a­rise. For the Defensive League, he was of his former Opinion, that it should be negoti­ated between us; but, upon the Project offe­red His Majesty at Schevelin, by which all Matter of Commerce might be so adjusted, as to leave no Seeds of any new Quarrels between the Nations.

After two very long Conferences upon these Points, we ended with some Diffe­rence, upon the Necessity of concluding both Parts of my Projects at the same Time; but for the rest, with great Confidence and Sa­tisfaction, in one anothers sincere and frank Way of Treating, since the first Overtures be­tween us.

The first Time I saw him, he told me I came upon a Day he should always esteem very happy, both in respect of His Maje­sty's Resolutions which I brought, and of those the States had taken, about the Dispo­sal of the chief Commands in their Army, by making Prince Maurice, and Monsieur Wurtz, Camp-Masters-General, and the Prince of Tarante, and Rhingrave, Generals of the Horse, each to command in Absence of the other: He told me all the Detail of that Disposition, but the rest I remember not [Page 136] well. I laid hold on this Occasion (as in­deed I thought was necessary) to say what His Majesty gave me Order concerning the Prince of Orange, which he took very well, and said, was very obliging to the States; that for his own Part, he never failed to see the Prince once or twice a Week, and grew to have a particular Affection for him, and would tell me plainly, that the States de­signed the Captain-generalship of all the Forces for him, so soon as by his Age he grew capable of it.

The next Day was my Audience, which passed with all the Respect that could be gi­ven His Majesty's Character; and the next Morning began my Conference with the Eight Commissioners of secret Affairs; I ex­posed my Powers, and saw theirs, In pursuit whereof, I offered them the Project of the defensive League, as that which was to be the Foundation of all further Negotiations, and without which, perhaps neither of us should be very forward, to speak our Minds with Confidence and Freedome, in what con­cerned our Neighbours, being likely therein to shock so great Powers abroad: I told them, for the rest, His Majesty having re­solved as far as he could in Honour, to comply with the Sense of the States, in the Offices of Mediation between the two Crowns; I was first to expect from them the [Page 137] Knowledge of the States Resolution, in Case they were already agreed.

I took this Course in my first Proposals, because I found here, that the Provinces were not yet resolved upon theirs, five of them only having fallen upon that of Monsieur de Witt; but Zealand being of Opinion to agrre with France for dividing Flanders; and U­trecht, for suffering France only to retain the last Years Conquest, by way of Compromis, till their Pretensions were adjudged before competent Arbiters, to be agreed by the two Crowns, or by the joint Mediators: And I was in hopes, that knowing His Majesty's Resolutions to join with them, before they were agreed among themselves; it might pro­duce some Councils among them, a little more favourable to Flanders, and consequent­ly more honourable to his Majesty.

After my Proposals, Monsieur de Witt was by the rest of the Commissioners desired to speak for them all in the Conduct of our Conferences; who after a Preamble of the usual Forms and Complements, upon His Majesty's happy Dispositions, to enter into a nearer Alliance with the State upon the men­tioned Points; declared the same Resolution in the States, and allowing our Confidence by a defensive League for the Basis of the rest, said, the States were very willing de faire in­fuser les Clauses pour la souretè commune dans les [Page 138] Articles de la Mediation; and was large upon this Argument, that the last, being of very pressing Haste as well as Necessity, and they having already Order from their Provinces to proceed upon it, they could not have the same Powers upon the Defensive, being a new Matter, under six Weeks or two Months Time, but as soon as they received them, would proceed to give their Ambassadour in England Powers to fall upon that Treaty, which must for a Basis, have at the same time an Adjustment of Matters of Commerce for his forementioned Reasons.

I thought fit to cut this Matter short, and told them directly, I had no Orders to pro­ceed upon any other Points, but in Conse­quence or Conjunction of the defensive League; in which I thought His Majesty had all the Reason that could be, both be­cause he would not venture a War's ending in Flanders to begin upon England, and on the other side knew, the States whose Dan­ger was nearer, would never be capable of taking any vigorous Resolutions in their Neighbours Affairs, till they were secure at home by His Majesty's Defence.

That His Majesty thought the most gene­rous and friendly Advance that could be, was made on his Side by His Proposition, being Himself so much more out of Danger than they were, and so much courted to a [Page 139] Conjunction with France to their Prejudice, as well as that of Flanders; that they had not made a Difficulty of such Alliances with Princes, who had lately desmelèes with them as well as His Majesty; and that, God be thanked, His Majesty was not in Condition to have such an Offer refused by any Prince or State of Christendom.

These were the Sum of our Discourses, tho' very long, and such as occasioned the Com­missioners to withdraw thrice and consult to­gether, tho' nothing was resolved, but that Monsieur de Witt and Monsieur Isbrant should spend the Afternoon with me at my Lodg­ing, to endeavour the adjusting of Circum­stances between us, since we seemed to agree in Substance.

That Conference ended, as I gave your Lordship Notice that Evening; upon the Point, that instead of the Project of Scheve­lin, or any new Adjustment concerning Ma­rine Affairs; the States would proceed upon His Majesty's Project of a Defensive League; provided the provisional Articles in the Bre­da Treaty, might be inserted and perpetua­ted in this; and thereupon we should expect His Majesty's Answer to what I should write that Night,

The next being Saturday Morning, I desi­red another Conference with my two Com­missioners, but could not have it till the Af­ternoon, [Page 140] they being to report that Mor­ning to the States what had passed the Eve­ning before. At our Meeting Afternoon, they told me their Communication of all to the States; and their Lordships Resolution upon them; that it was necessary the Arti­cles provisional should be inserted in the Treaty; so as I began to doubt a Stop of all till His Majesty's Answer, which subjected all to Uncertainties; I knew, the French Ambassadour was grown into very ill Hu­mour upon my Arrival, and fallen into Com­plaints and Expostulations with several of the States; and the more, because He could not see Monsieur de Witt, from my coming over till that Time, tho' he had often press'd it, and had an Hour given him the next Day, Monsieur de Witt having promised to see him, as he went to Church after Noon: Upon this I knew likewise, he had dispatch'd a Courier to Paris, which I thought would make no Delay, and therefore resolved to fall upon all the Instances and Expedients I could, to draw up a sudden Conclusion. I told them I desired it extremely, before I could hear again out of England, because I had left Monsieur Ruvigny very busie at my coming away, and not unbefriended; that I feared the same Artifices of France to disturb us here, and perhaps Monsieur D'Estrades might at his next Meeting, endeavour to in­fuse [Page 141] some Jealousies into them, by the Rela­tion of what had passed between Your Lord­ship and Monsieur Ruvigny, three or four Days after the Date of my first Instructions: Upon which I told them frankly (as His Majesty gave me Leave) what had passed in that Affair. Monsieur de Witt asked me whe­ther I could shew him the Paper drawn up between you; and knowing I had it not, de­sired earnestly I would procure it him; assu­ring me no Use should be made of it, but by joint Consent; but saying, nothing would serve so far to justifie them, in Case of a Breach, growing necessary between them and France: I promised to write to Your Lord­ship about it, which I desire you will please to take Notice of.

I told Monsieur de Witt what Confidence I had given His Majesty of his sincere Pro­ceedings, and how I had been supported by Your Lordship in those Suggestions, against the Opinion of some other great Men: What Advantage these would take, if they saw our whole Negotiation was stop'd upon a Thing that looked like a Chicanerie; since Articles provisional till new Agreements, were in Ef­fect as strong as perpetual, which might it self be changed by new Agreements: That this would be esteemed an Artifice of his, es­pecially since he had declared upon my ask­ing him, that it was his own Opinion, (and [Page 142] that he would tell the States so if they de­manded it) not to conclude without Inserti­on of those Articles, which yet he could not deny to be of present Force; for that they allowed, but seemed to doubt, that refer­ring in the Treaty of Breda to a new Trea­ty, they would be invalidated, if a new Treaty should pass without their Confirma­tion.

I found Monsieur Isbrant was content with my Reasons, and said he would undertake his Province should be so, but Monsieur de Witt said, Holland and Zealand would not. I told them at last that I was sure, the States would not think fit, to lose the Effect of the League proposed, upon such a Point as this, and that they intended only to have the Ad­vantage of seeing His Majesty's Resolution, in Answer to my Letter before they conclu­ded, with Resolutions however, that this should not hinder at last; that I foresaw ma­ny Things might arise in ten Days time, to break all our good Intentions, and some more than I had told them, or could at present; that if they knew me, and how far I was to be trusted where I gave my Word, I would propose an Expedient to them; but being so new among them, I thought it was to no Purpose: There I paused. They desired me I would propose however; and so I did; which was, that we should proceed to draw [Page 143] up the whole Project, and Sign as soon as was possible, and that in Case I afterwards received His Majesty's Leave, in Answer of my Fridays Letter, to insert those provisional Articles, I would freely declare it to them, and insert them in a separate Article, to be a Part of the Defensive League. They both looked a while one upon another, and after a Pause, Monsieur de Witt gave me his Hand, and after a Compliment upon the Confidence he had taken in my Face, and in the rest of my Dealing since our first Commerce, told me that if I would promise them what I had said, en Homme de bien, they would ask no further Assurance of me, and provided the Treaty of Breda might be confirmed in the Preamble of this, to take away all Scruples of those Articles being of less Force than they were before; for his Part, tho' he could promise nothing what the States would re­solve; yet he would promise that he and Monsieur Isbrant would use their utmost En­deavours, to induce them to proceed upon my Proposition: And so we fell immediate­ly to digest our Project of the whole Treaty; For I made no Difficulty of the Confirmati­on proposed, knowing that new Treaties use to begin by Confirmation of the old.

I am the larger in this Relation, that His Majesty may know, upon what Reasons I engaged my Word to them in this Point, [Page 144] and thereupon may give me Leave without more Circumstances to be true to it, in Case His Majesty's Pleasure in the Point be dis­patch'd away to me, upon the Receipt of my former Letter.

After this Difficulty well evaded, we found none but in this Expression [ In Case our Persuasions to Spain should not prevail, and we should come á la Force & á la Constrainte] which I moderated at first by the Words [aux moyens plus durs] and afterwards [aux moyens plus efficaces] For we drew it up first in French: The other Additions or Enlargements I dare presume, His Majesty will not be displeased with, no more than that Article about Por­tugal, tho' I had no Instruction in it. If I have failed in enlarging upon very short and hasty Instructions, I most humbly beg His Majesty's Pardon, because I am sure I kept my Self as close as was possible, to what I apprehended to be His Majesty's Sense upon the whole, and every Part.

That Evening being Saturday, or rather that Night and Sunday Morning, we agreed upon the Project in French, and gave Order for the translating of it into Latin, which was done, and perused by me, and agreed to be­tween Twelve and One that Night, and en­grossed by Eleven next Morning being Mun­day, and at a Meeting with the Commissio­ners, jointly was Signed and Sealed, and [Page 145] mutually delivered between two and three that Afternoon, after that, Time spent in comparing the Instruments, and adjusting the Sums, computed as the Value of the se­veral Aids.

After Sealing, we all embraced with much Kindness, and Applause of my saying upon that Occasion, A Breda comme Amis, icy comme Frer [...]s; and Monsieur de Witt made me a most obliging Compliment, of having the Honour which never any other Minister had before me, of drawing the States to a Reso­lution and Conclusion in five Days, up­on a Matter of the greatest Importance, and a Secours of the greatest Expence they had ever engaged in; and all directly against the Nature of their Constitutions, which enjoi­ned them Recourse to their Provinces upon all such Occasions, and used to draw out all common Deliberations to Months Delays; and added upon it, that now it was done, it look'd like a Miracle.

I must add three Words to do him Right in Return of his Compliment; that I found him as plain, as direct, and square in the Course of this Business, as any Man could be; tho' often stiff in Points, where he thought any Advantage could accrue to his Coun­trey; and have all the Reason in the World, to be satisfied with him, and for his Industry no Man had ever more: I am sure, for these [Page 146] five Days at least, neither of us spent many idle Hours, neither Day nor Night.

After the Conclusion, I received Yester­day the Visits of all the publick Ministers in Town, except the Ambassadors, between whom, and Envoys Extraordinary, some Difficulties were arisen (they say, here first begun by Sir George Downing) which have in a manner spoiled all Commerce. None of the other failed to rejoice with me upon the Conclusion of my Business, and to ex­press their Adoring His Majesty's Resoluti­ons, which in this Conjuncture, they say, have given new Life to all the Courts of Chri­stendom, whose Councils were before, in the greatest Perplexities and Disorder that could be. They say His Majesty will have the sole Honour, of giving either Peace to Chri­stendom, or a Ballance to the Wars; and has shewn, that all must follow what he gives a Head to. Much more of this Kind I hear from all Hands, and have no Reason to doubt their Meaning what they say.

Thus far I have given Your Lordship the smooth Side only of this Conclusion, and now you must receive the rough; for ha­ving concerted with the Commissioners, that Monsieur de Witt and I should give Part of our Treaty (all but the separate Articles) to the French and Spanish Ambassadours; the first we performed this Afternoon, the last we intend to morrow Morning.

The French Ambassadour had been much surprised with our Conclusion: For upon our first Conference with the Commissioners, he had said, Tout cela s'en ira en Fumèe, & que le Roy son Maitre s'eu mocqueroit. The Day before our Signing, being told, we advan­ced very fast, he replied; Et bien, d'icy á six semaines nous en parlerons, relying upon the Forms of the State, to run the Circle of their Towns.

Upon our giving him Part of the whole Business, he replied coldly, that he doubt­ed, we had not taken a right Way to our End; that the Fourth Article of the Second Instrument, was not in Terms very proper to be digested by a King of twenty nine Years old, and at the Head of eighty Thou­sand Men: That if we had joined both to desire his Master to prolong the Offer he had made, of a Cessation of Arms till the Time we propose, and withal, not to move his Arms further in Flanders, tho' Spain should refuse, we might hope to succeed: But if we thought to prescribe him Laws, and force him to Compliance, by Leagues between our Selves, or with Spain, tho' Sueden and the German Princes should join with us; he knew his Master ne flecheroit pas, and that it would come to a War of forty Years. From this he fell a little warmly upon the proceeding of the States, saying, they knew [Page 148] his Master's Resolutions upon those two Points, neither to prolong the Cessation pro­posed, beyond the End of March, nor to de­sist the Pursuit of his Conquests with his own Arms, in Case Spain consented not to his De­mands within that Term. He said, His Ma­jesty not being their Ally, might treat and conclude what he pleased, without their Of­fence; but for the States who were their nea­rest Ally, to conclude so much to his Ma­ster's Disrespect at least, and without com­municating with him the Ambassadour at all during the whole Treaty, he must leave it to his Master to interpret as he thought fit. Monsieur de Witt defended their Cause, and our common Intentions with great Phlegm, but great Steddiness, and told me after he was gone, that this was the least we could expect at first from a Frenchman; and that I should do well however, to give His Majesty an Account of it by the first; that we put our Selves early in Posture, to make good what we have said; and that as to the Time and Degree of our Arming, he would consult with the States, and let me know their Thoughts, to be communicated to His Majesty upon this Occasion.

I was in hopes to dispatch this away to morrow Morning, but I shall be hindred till Night, by the Delay of Signing of a sepa­rate Article with the Count de Dona, where­by [Page 149] Place is reserved for Sueden to enter as Principal into this Treaty: For I have gone along in the whole Business since my coming over, with perfect Confidence and Concert with the Count de Dona, upon his assuring me, his Orders were to conform himself to His Majesty's Resolution in what concerns the two Crowns, tho' before he absolutely engages, he expects from the Spaniards by our Intercession, some Supplies for Payment of his Troops, and some other Adjustments with the Emperour, which will be treated between the several Ministers at London un­der His Majesty's Influence. In what I shall sign upon this Occasion, together with the States, I confess to Your Lordship to go be­yond my Instructions, but apprehending it to be wholly agreeable to His Majesty's In­tentions, and extremely advantageous to the common Ends and Affairs; I venture upon this Excess, and humbly beg His Majesty's Pardon if I fail. Your Lordship will be trou­bled with some Postscript to Morrow, before I dispatch an Express with the Copies to be ratified by His Majesty within a Month, tho' I hope a less Time will be taken, those of Holland having undertaken theirs on fifteen Days.

To my Lord Arlington.

SInce the Close of my long. Dispatch I have every Hour expected the Copies to be transmitted for His Majesty's Ratifica­tion, without being able to procure them: I cannot but imagine some Occasion of the Delay, may have been a Desire in them here to interpose some Time, between the Re­ceipt of my last Friday's Letter, and of this Pacquet, to the End His Majesty may in the mean Time, have dispatch'd his Orders to me about the Provisional Articles, tho' I cannot think they should be of such Mo­ment inserted or omitted, to either Side.

I now dispatch the inclosed Copies of the Treaty, in Order to His Majesty's Ratifica­tion, which is generally desired may be re­turned as sudden as possibly; the States ha­ving undertaken to have theirs ready in fif­teen Days after the Signing, and believing it necessary to proceed jointly and early, to the mutual Councils of Arming, in Case France continues the Dispositions they seem to be in at present of pursuing the War.

My Brother who will deliver this Dis­patch to Your Lordship, is able to add what particular Circumstances I may have omitted, or Your Lordship shall think fit to enquire from this Place; and what he fails, Count Dona will supply, who is a Person very well worth Your Lordship's par­ticular Acquaintance and Assistance in his Negotiations, or at least the Forms and Entrances of them; being in all Points our Friend.

Yesterday the Spanish Ambassadour recei­ved the Communication of our Treaties from Monsieur de Witt and me, with some Des­cants upon the hardship of it, but I believe, Satisfaction at Heart. I have this Day written at large, and with all the Instance imaginable to the Marquess de Castel-Rodrigo to induce his Consent, and immediately up­on the Ratifications, shall away and pursue that Point at Brussels.

I cannot but rejoice in particular with Your Lordship, upon the Success of this Af­fair, having observed in Your Lordship as well as my Lord Keeper, a constant steddy Bent, in supporting His Majesty's Resoluti­on, which is here so generally applauded, as the happiest and wisest, that any Prince ever took for Himself or his Neighbours: What in earnest I hear every Hour, and from all Hands of that Kind is endless, and even [Page 152] extravagant. God of Heaven send His Ma­jesty's Councils to run on the same Course; and I have nothing left to wish, since I know Your Lordship will continue to esteem me what I am with so great Passion and Truth

To Sir Orlando Bridgman, Lord Keeper.

THo' I know my long Dispatch by this Express to my Lord Arlington, will give Your Lordship your Share of Trouble; yet I could not omit the encharging my Brother with a particular Attendance upon Your Lordship from me, nor accompanying him with these Acknowledgments of Your Lordship's great Favour and good Opinion, even before I had the Honour of being known to you. I will presume I have done nothing since to forfeit them, as I had no­thing before, to deserve them; and that my late good Fortunes at the Hague, will help to continue what my good Fortunes alone at Brussels began, and my five Days stay at London, served to improve in so great a De­gree. Yet I will assure Your Lordship if I can make any further Advance by the Re­sentments of your Favour, by my Desires to deserve it in the Return of my best Ser­vices, or by the true Honour and Esteem of those Qualities, I have discovered in Your [Page 154] Lordship, upon so short an Acquaintance; I am very far upon my Way already.

But I will leave this Subject in the first Place, to congratulate with you upon ano­ther; which is the Success of a Council, wherein I observed Your Lordship and my Lord Arlington to have the most steddy Bent, in promoting a Resolution of His Ma­jesty's, which is on this side the Water, e­steemed generally the happiest and the wi­sest, that could ever have been taken by any Prince in such a Conjuncture, and upon Re­spects not only of his own Affairs, but even those of all Christendom besides. It is not fit for me to tell you much of what I hear of this Kind, or the Applauses given to His Majesty and his Ministers upon this Occa­sion; to tell you all, I am sure would be endless; but from what I hear, I cannot but raise at least a happy Presage of a New Year, and a new Ministry's running on together, with a Succession of the same Honour and good Fortunes both to His Majesty and his Kingdoms.

In the next Place, I will according to your Orders, give Your Lordship an Ac­count of some Particulars, that fell into this great Transaction, which I thought not fit to trouble my Lord Arlington with, as not perhaps proper, or of Weight enough, for the View of His Majesty or the Foreign [Page 155] Commmittee, and yet worth the Knowledge or Reflection of some of his Ministers, in Order to the Conduct of His Majesty's Coun­cils hereafter, both in this and other of his Affairs.

I must tell Your Lordship, that in my first Conference with Monsieur de Witt since my Return; I begun with telling him, that he could not but remember, that when I passed this Way last into England, I told him, upon what Points His Majesty desired with the greatest Secrecy that could be, to know his Opinion, and by that to guess at what might be the States, upon the present Conjuncture of Affairs in Flanders; to the End, His Majesty might accordingly take his own Measures. That His Majesty guess'd by the general Carriage and Discour­ses of the Dutch Ambassadors at London, the States were not willing to see Flanders over­run by France, but could not find they had any thing positive to say to him upon that Subject: That he had therefore sent me pri­vately and plainly to tell him his Mind up­on it, as to a Man of Honour, and who he believed, would make no ill Use of it, and (if he thought fit) to know his Sentiments upon that Affair. That, for His Majesty, he neither thought it for his own Interest nor Safety, nor for that of the States or of Chri­stendom in general, that Flanders should be [Page 156] lost; and therefore was resolved to do his ut­most to preserve it, provided the States were of the same Mind, and that it might be done in Conjunction between them; and to that End, desired to know, whether the States would be content to enter into an Alliance with him, both Defensive between them­selves, and Offensive against France, for the Preservation of Flanders. That he (Monsieur de Wit) might remember, his Answer to me was; first, much Applause of His Majesty's Resolution, great Acknowledgment of his Confidence towards him by that Communi­cation, much Assurance that the States would be of the same Mind, as to the Preservation of Flanders, which was their nearest Interest next their own: That he found, both His Majesty and the States had the same Mind as well as Interest in this Matter, but that the Distrusts remaining upon the late Quarrel between them, had kept either of them from beginning to enter frankly upon it. But since His Majesty had pleased to break it to him in a manner so obliging, tho' he could not pretend to tell me his Master's Mind, yet he would his own: which was, that the Defence of Flanders was absolutely necessary, but that it ought to be tryed first, rather by a joint Mediation of a Peace between the two Crowns, than by a Declaration of War; but that if the first would not serve, it ought to [Page 157] come to the other. That I knew, France had already offered a Peace to the Offi [...]es made by the States upon an Alternative at the Choice of the Spaniards; that he thought our Mediation ought to be offered to both Crowns upon that Foot, to induce France to make good their own Offer, and Spain to accept it. And that to this Purpose, he thought it very necessary to make a strict Alliance betweeen His Majesty and the States.

That for making an Offensive Alliance, it could not be; for it was a Maxim obser­ved by this State, never to make any, at least when they were in Peace; that for Defensive Leagues, they had them with many Princes, and he believed would be ready to enter in­to one with His Majesty; and tho' he could not at all answer, what would be the Mind of the States upon these Points, yet he had told me his; and would add, that he was not usually mistaken in theirs, and that he would at least use all his Endeavours to bring the States to such Opinions and Re­solutions.

When I had said this, and observed by his Action and Face, that he assented to this Recital, of all that had passed between us; I ask'd him whether this was all right, that I might know, whether I had mistaken no­thing in representing His Majesty's Mean­ing [Page 158] to him, nor his to His Majesty. He an­swered, that it was all right, and that he very well remembred it, and much commen­ded a Method of proceeding so exact and sin­cere, by an Endeavour to avoid all Mistakes between us.

I then told him, that I had upon my Ar­rival in England, represented all as faithfully to His Majesty as I had done to him; and that upon it. His Majesty had taken so much Confidence in his (Monsieur de Witt's) Opinion and Judgment, as well as in his Credit with the States, that he had taken a sudden and firm Resolution upon it; first, to join with the States in the Offer of a Media­tion between the two Crowns, and upon such Terms, as they and I should agree, but with a Desire, that they might be as advan­tageous as the States could be induced to for the Preservation of Flanders, and Recovery of such Places as should be most necessary to it: In the next Place, to conclude a Treaty, the strongest that could be between us, for obli­ging France to accept the Peace upon those Terms, and in the mean time for putting a stop to the Course of their Arms in Flanders. But that His Majesty thought it necessary to begin all this. with a strict League between him and the States, for their own mutual De­fence, and to this Purpose had sent me over as his Envoy to the States with full Powers, [Page 159] and the Draught of a Defensive League be­tween us; but refers the rest for what tou­ched Flanders, to what the States and I should agree.

Monsieur de Witt received this Discourse with a Countenance pleased, but yet as I mark'd, something surprized, and as if he expected not a Return from His Majesty so sudden and so resolute. He said, that the States would be much pleased with the Ho­nour His Majesty did them, and the Over­ture he made them; that I should chuse my Time whenever I desired it, for my Audi­ence; and would pass the Forms of deman­ding it from the President of the Week: That he was still confident the States would enter with His Majesty into the Mediation, tho' France gave them Hopes of succeeding by their own: That the Provinces differed in Opinion upon what Terms the Peace should be made: That Utrecht was so bold as to think nothing but Justice ought to be consi­dered in the Case; that all that France had conquered, should be restored to Spain, and their Pretensions be referred to Judgment or Arbitrage. But Holland with most of the other Provinces, were of another Mind, and considering their own present Condition, as well as that of France, thought it best, to keep the French to their own Offer; but he believed would come to Means of more Force, [Page 160] if France should recede from what they them­selves had advanced to the States. That, for the Defensive League between us, he did not know whether the late Sore were yet fit for such an Application, but would try the Mind of the States. That he doubted, they would think it like to prove too sudden a Change of all their Interests, and that which would absolutely break them off, from so old and constant a Friend as France, to relie wholly upon so new, and so uncertain a Friend, as England had p [...]ved.

I told him, that the doing what he said, would be the Effect of any Treaties of this Nature between us, let them be as tenderly handled and composed as we could: That France would take it as ill of us of them, to be stopp'd in the remaining Conquest of Flanders, as to the forced out of all they had already gained: That he knew very well, it had been long their Design at any Price, to possess themselves of the Spanish Nether­lands; and he knew as well, that it was their Interest to do so, considering the Advanta­ges it would give them over all the rest of Christendom; that it was as much our Inte­rest to hinder it, and that nothing could do it, but a firm Conjunction between us: That the States Part would be next after Flanders was gone, and therefore they had now as much need of being protected by England a­gainst [Page 161] France, as they thought they had three or four Years ago of being protected by France against England; and that they had no other Choice, but either continuing their Friendship with France, till they should see both Flanders and themselves swallowed up by such a Neighbour; or else change their whole Measures, and enter into the strictest Alliance with His Majesty for the Preserva­tion of both; and let France take it as they pleased.

Monsieur de Witt confessed the Design of France for the Conquest of Flanders, spoke of the Treaties they had made with the States in Cardinal Richlieu's Time, and lately offe­red again, for partaging it between them; and said, he understood very well the Dan­ger of such a Council and Neighbourhood, or else he should have fallen into them; but the Ventures were great on the other side too; that the States were much more expo­sed than the King; that the Spaniards were weak, and ill to be trusted by the States, be­tween whom there had never yet been any better Measures than barely those of the Munster Peace, after so great Rancors and long Hostilities. That tho' he believed the German Princes would be glad of what His Majesty proposed, yet he knew not how far Sueden might be engaged in the Measures with France, who lay here at their Backs in [Page 162] the Dutchy of Bremen. And last of all, tho' this Resolution seemed now to be taken by His Majesty and his Ministers, upon the surest and wisest Foundations, which were those of true Interest and Safety; yet no Man knew how long they might last. That if they should break all their Measures with France, and throw themselves wholly upon His Majesty by such a Conjunction, any Change of Councils in England would be their certain Ruine: That he knew not this present Ministry, and could say nothing to them; but that he knew the last too well. Upon which he said a good deal, of our un­certain Conduct since His Majesty's Return, and concluded that the Unsteddiness of Councils in England, seemed a fatal Thing to our Constitution; he would not judge from what Grounds, Mais que depuis le temps de la Reyne Elisabet, il n'y avoit eu qu'une fluctuation perpetuelle en la Conduite de l'Angle­terre, avec laquelle on ne pouvoit jamais pren­dre des Mesures pour deux Annèes de Temps. After this ended, with some Melancholy that looked a little irresolute, I told him, that as to their own Interests, he knew them, and could weigh them better than I; that after my Audience and first Conference with Commissioners, I should quickly see how the States would understand them, in which I knew very well, how great a Part he [Page 163] would have: That for our Danger, I con­fest they would be first exposed to France, and we the last, which made it reasonable they should make the first Pace to their Safety: That for Sueden, I had no Orders to negoti­ate with them, but being fully instructed in His Majesty's general Intentions, I should be glad to see them strengthened all I could, and to that Purpose if he thought fit, I would talk with the Count de Dona the Suedish Am­bassadour here, and see whether he had any Powers, to engage their Crown in any com­mon Measures for the Safety of Christendom; that if by such a Conjunction, we could ex­tend it to a Triple Alliance among us, upon the same Foundation; I believed, he would think it too strong a Bar for France to ven­ture on. That for the Unsteddiness of our Councils, I would rather bewail than de­fend it; but that I should not have made this Journey, if I had not been confident, that had been ended, and we now bottom­med past any Change or Remove. That I could not pretend to know any Body's Mind certainly but my own; but that upon this Matter, I was as confident of His Majesty's, of Your Lordship's, and My Lord Arling­ton's, as I was of my own: Upon this Oc­casion I said a great deal, not only of the Interests, but Resentments that had enga­ged His Majesty and His Ministers in this [Page 164] Council; and concluded, that I was confi­dent it could never break, but would an­swer, if ever it did, it should never be by my Hand, and was as confident I might answer the same for Your Lordship and My Lord Arlington; and that you would fall or stand upon this Bottom.

Monsieur de Witt seemed much satisfied with what I had said; assured me for his Part, he would give his Hands towards a good Con­clusion of this Affair: That he would trust His Majesty's Honour and Interest upon so great a Conjuncture, as well as the Sincere­ness and Constancy of His Ministers, whom he could judge of by no other Lights, but what I gave him; made me Compliments upon the great Confidence he had taken in me and my manner of dealing, by what he had heard and seen of me, since the first Vi­sit I made him in my Passage here, after the End of the War; and concluded, that I should see the Count Dona, and try how far Sueden was to be engaged in this Affair.

I tell Your Lordship all these Circumstan­ces, that knowing where the Difficulties have been, how they have been overcome, and upon what Advances on my side, this Knot has been tied, Your Lordship and My Lord Arlington may the better know, how to support this Affair, and make any others easie by recovering the Credit of our Con­duct [Page 165] in England, so far lost by the Unsteddi­ness too truly laid to our Charge; and at least by your own Constancy, in what you have begun, make good the Characters you have already in the World, and the Assuran­ces I have given Monsieur de Witt upon your Occasion.

That Evening I went to the Count Dona, and run over all Ceremonies of our Charact­ers, by going straight into his Chamber, taking a Chair, and sitting down by him before he could rise out of his. I told him I hoped he would excuse this Liberty upon an Errand, wherein I thought both our Masters were concerned; that Ceremonies were intended to facilitate Business, and not to hinder it; that I knew nothing to make my seeing the other Ambassadours at the Hague necessary, and so was content with the Difficulties had been introduced between our Characters; but thinking it absolutely for my Master's Service, to enter into Confidence with His Excellency upon my Errand here, I had re­solved to do it in this Manner, and if he gave me Leave, would pursue it as if our Acquaintance and Commerce, had been of never so long a Date.

The Count embraced me, gave me great Thanks for the Honour I did him, made me Compliments upon so frank and confident a Manner as I used with him; and said he was [Page 166] ready to return it upon any Thing that I should think fit to communicate to him.

After this I entred into the Detail of my whole Progress to that Time, both in Eng­land and here; of His Majesty's Reasons, of the common Interests of Christendom, of the Reception my Errand found from Monsieur de Witt, and the Hopes I had of succeeding: Of our Discourses about engaging Sueden in the same Measures, and a Desire of extending our League, into a Triple Alliance among us, for our own mutual Defence, the Safety of Flanders, and thereby of Christendom. That I knew how the Crown of Sueden had been treated of late Years by France, how close they had kept to the Friendship with His Ma­jesty, and how beneficial as well as honou­rable, such a Part as this might prove to them, by the particular Use they might be of to the Crown of Spain; and that upon any good Occasion they might be sure of His Majesty's Offices and the States, who resol­ved to enter into this Affair without any o­ther Interest, than that of the Preservation of Flanders, and thereby of their own Safety, and the common Good.

The Count Dona professed to applaud His Majesty's Council, to be confident that Sue­den would be content to go his Pace in all the common Affairs of Christendom, which he was assured of by his own Instructions in [Page 167] general; but that such an Affair as this not being foreseen, he could have none upon it: That if it succeeded, he would make all the Paces he could to engage his Master in it, as what he thought, of Honour and Ad­vantage to the common Safety: But that he would return my Frankness to him with the same to me, in telling me, that he doubt­ed my bringing it to an Issue: That he first doubted Monsieur de Witt's Resolution, to break upon any Terms with France, and close with England; not only considering what had lately passed between us, but the Interests of the House of Orange, which he must ever believe, would at one Time or o­ther be advanced by us; whereas he was sure to be supported against them by France: Therefore he believed, tho' he would not oppose it, because the States and People might run into it; yet he would find some Means, to elude the Conclusion or Effect of it, without appearing himself in any such Design: That in the next Place, since such a Treaty could not be made by the States ge­neral, without first being sent to all the Pro­vinces and Towns for their Approbation, and Orders upon it to their Deputies; he did not see how it was possible for the French Ambas­sadour, to fail of engaging some Towns or Provinces against it, and the Opposition of any one of them would lose the Effect; since [Page 168] no new Treaty could be made by the Con­stitutions here, without an universal Con­sent; That however he would not discou­rage me, but wish'd me Success with all his Heart, upon many Reasons, and among o­thers, as being so much a Servant to the House of Orange, which could not but profit by a Conjunction between England and Hol­land: And again promised, whenever I brought it to a Period, to use all his Endea­vours and stretch his Powers as far as he could, towards engaging his Master, in the same Measures with us.

In the second Conference I had with Mon­sieur de Witt, I acquainted him with what had passed with Count Dona, which he seemed much pleased with; and said, tho' we could not expect he should have Powers so gene­ral as to conclude such an Affair; yet an In­strument might be drawn up between us whereby Room may be left for Sueden, to enter as a Principal into our Alliance; and the Count de Dona had so much Credit at his Court, to recommend it there so as to suc­ceed, especially upon the hopes we must give him of obtaining Subsidies from Spain, which might countervail what they might lose from France upon this Occasion.

I then fell upon the Form of concluding this Treaty; saying, I could easily foretell the Fate of it, if it must pass the common [Page 169] Forms of being sent by the several Deputies, to all their Principals for their Result upon it: That I knew, this would take up a Month or six Weeks Time, and that nothing would be so easie as for the French Ambassa­dour, to meet with it in running that Cir­cle, and by engaging some one Member, perhaps by Money thrown among the chief Persons in some of the small Towns, to pre­vent and ruine a Council of the greatest Im­portance to Christendom, as well as to our two Nations, that had been on Foot in many Ages: That unless the States General would conclude and sign the Treaty immediately, and trust to the Approbation of their several Provinces and Towns after it was done; I should give it for gone, and think no more of it.

Monsieur de Witt seemed to think this im­possible; said, no such Thing had ever been done since the first Institution of their Com­monwealth; that tho' it was true, the States General might sign a Treaty, yet they could not Ratifie it, without Recourse to their Prin­cipals, and that they should venture their Heads in Signing it, if their Principals not approving it should question them for doing it without Orders; that he hoped the Forms might be expedited in three Weeks Time, and that all Care that could be, should be taken to prevent the Addresses of the French Ambas­sadour among the Provinces.

I cut the Matter short, and told him, I continued of my first Opinion, to see it im­mediately agreed between Me and the Com­missioners, and then Signed by the States, which might be done in four or five Days; and that the Deputies might safely trust to the Approbation of their Principals in a Point of so great and evident publick Interest: That for my Part, I know not how this De­lay, and thereby Hazard of the Affair might be interpreted in England, nor what Change in my Orders it might produce: That I had now Powers to conclude an Alliance of the last Consequence to the Safety of Flanders and this State; that if it should miscarry by the too great Caution of the Deputies in Point of Form, for ought I knew, they might venture their Heads that Way, and more de­servedly, than by signing at present, what all of them believed, would not only be ra­tified, but applauded by their Principals. With this I left him; and the rest that pas­sed in the Progress of this Affair, as well as in my Audience or with the Commissioners. Your Lordship has it in my Dispatch to My Lord Arlington, to whom you will please to communicate these more secret Springs, that by knowing the Conception, the Forming, the Throws, and Birth of this Child, you may the better consult how it is to be nou­rished till it grow to Strength, and thereby [Page 171] fit to atchieve those great Adventures, for which it seems designed.

I am ever with equal Passion and Truth,

To Mr. Godolphin.

THO' the Interruption of our Com­merce hath been long, yet I thought it necessary to renew it at this Time, and thereby let you know, what has lately bro­ken it on my Side, that you may not be­lieve any Interruption of yours has had a worse Effect upon me of late, than it ever had before, being an Accident I have often been subject to. About the end of last Month, N. S. I passed through this Place with private Commission from His Majesty, to sound the Mind of the States, in what concerns the present Quarrel between the two Crowns, and how they were disposed to join with him in the Share of a War, or Project of a Peace; to be endeavoured by our joint Offices between them. From hence I went to London, with the private Account of what I had in Charge. After five Days Stay there, I was dispatch'd back, as His Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary to the States, with full Power, to treat and conclude upon those Points, which His Ma­jesty esteemed necessary for our common Safe­ty, [Page 173] and the Repose of Christendom in this Conjuncture. Upon the 6th I arrived here, had my first Audience on the 18th; and on the 23d, were signed by me, and the Com­missioners given me by the States with full Powers, three several Instruments of our pre­sent Treaty: The first, containing a League defensive and perpetual between His Maje­sty and the States, against all Persons with­out exception, that shall invade either of them, with Agreement to furnish each other upon Occasion with forty Ships of War, of which, fourteen betwixt sixty and eighty Guns, and four hundred Men a piece one with another; Fourteen, between forty and sixty Guns, and three hundred Men a piece; and of the other Twelve, none under thirty six Guns, and a hundred and fifty Men: Be­sides this, with six Thousand Foot, and four hundred Horse, or Money in stead of them, at the Choice of the Invaded, and to be re­paid within three Years after the End of the War; the Proportions of Money to the se­veral Parts of the said Aid, being ascertai­ned in the Treaty.

The second Instrument contains our joint Obligations to dispose France to make Peace in Flanders upon one of the Alternatives al­ready proposed; and likewise to dispose Spain to accept it before the End of May; but in Case of Difficulty made by them, to dispose [Page 174] France however, to stop all further Progress of its own Arms there, and leave it wholly to the Allies to procure the Ends proposed in this League.

The third Instrument, contains certain se­parate Articles between His Majesty and the States, Signed at the same Time, and of the same Force with the Treaty, but not to be committed to Letters.

'Tis hardly imaginable, the Joy and Won­der conceived here, upon the Conclusion of this Treaty, brought to an Issue in five Days, nor the Applause given to His Majesty's Resolution, as the wisest and happiest that could in this Conjuncture be taken by any Prince, both for his own, and his Neigh­bours Affairs; nor are the Reflections upon the Conduct of it less to the Advantage of the present Ministry in England; the Thing being almost done here, assoon as my Jour­ney was known in London, and before my Errand was suspected by any publick Mini­ster there.

Three Days after our signing, the Suedish Ambassadour signed another Instrument joint­ly with me and the States Commissioners, o­bliging his Master to enter as a Principal in­to the same Alliance, so soon as some Pre­tensions he has from the Emperour and Spain are satisfied by our good Offices between them. After which, Count Dona parted as [Page 175] Ambassadour likewise from that Crown for England, where the rest of that Affair will be negotiated; and in his Company my Bro­ther Henry Temple, with the Whole Account of my Business, and the Treaties signed in Order to their Ratification, for which a Month is allowed, tho' the States promise theirs within fifteen Days after the Date. When those arrive and are exchanged. I re­turn to my Residence at Brussels, to see the Issue of this Business, which now takes up the Thoughts and Discourse of all Christen­dom, and from which most Princes, will re­solve to take their Measures.

I suppose My Lord Sandwich upon his Way, and therefore content my self only with gi­ving you this Trouble, and the Professions of my being

To the KING.

IN my last Passage hither, I had the Ho­nour of trying your Majesty's Yatcht in such a Storm, as that never felt before, and a greater no Man in Her pretended ever to have seen. The Fortune of Your Majesty's Affairs, help'd us to the Discovery of a Pi­lot Boat at a distance from the Coasts, that brought us happily in, without which we had passed such another Night at Sea, as I should not care to do, for any Thing Your Majesty could give me, besides Your Fa­vour, and the Occasions of serving You. If we had miscarried. Your Majesty had lost an honest diligent Captain, and sixteen poor Seamen, so beaten out with Wet and Toyl, that the Compassion I had then for them, I have still about me, and assure Your Maje­sty, that five or six more, will be necessary for your Yatcht, if you use Her to such Pas­sages as this: But for the rest, I believe there is not such a Boat in the Would. She returns with along, but final and happy Account of my Business, to My Lord Arling­ton, [Page 177] and with the Count de Dona, who will be better Company than along ill Letter, and deserves Your Majesty's Welcome by his o­ther Qualities, as well as his particular De­votions for Your Majesty's Person and Ser­vice.

I cannot end this Letter, without congra­tulating with Your Majesty, upon the Suc­cess of your Resolution, which occasioned my Journey hither; and which is generally ap­plauded here, as the wisest and happiest both for your Kingdoms and your Neigh­bours, and the most honourable to Your Ma­jesty's Person, that ever was taken upon any Occasion by any Prince: And the strange Success of it, hath been answerable, to the rest of Your Majesty's Fortunes and so ama­zing, that the Expressions made of it here every Hour, are altogether extraordinary, not to say Extravagant.

God of Heaven continue Your Majesty's good Health, and good Councils, and good Fortunes, and then I shall have nothing more to wish, but that You may pardon the Faults, and accept of the humble and hearty Devotions of

To my Lord Arlington.

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 [Page 183] 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 [Page 184] 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 [Page 185] 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 [Page 186] 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, [Page 188] 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 quous (que) saltem ex utrius (que) 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 [Page 189] sancta (que) Fide nuper contractae Amicitiae non modo in praesens sed in posteros colendae cavere voluerunt; And; Ad divellenda penitus quaecun (que) non modo dissentionum, sed & Litium & Altercationum Se­mina; And; Ad praecidendam spem omnem, & Expectationem quorumcun (que) 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 [Page 190] 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.

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 [Page 191] 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.

I Received by my Brother the Honour of Your Lordship's, and therein the Testi­mony of your Favour to me in a Manner so obliging, and indeed altogether extraordi­nary, that I know as little how to acknow­ledge as to deserve it; and therefore I shall not enlarge my Self upon a Subject, where I am sure not to succeed as I desire; but leave it to Time, and the constancy of my Servi­ces, to express how very sensible I am of what I owe, and how great a Value I place upon that Part, Your Lordship is pleased to allow me in your good Opinion and Memo­ry, of which I beg the Continuance, esteem­ing them among the very best of my Pos­sessions.

I have written to My Lord Arlington at large, upon the Confidence of this safe Con­veyance by the Return of the Yacht; which will give Your Lordship your Share of Trouble, but withal, a full Prospect of the Dispositions here, and consequently the pre­sent [Page 193] as well as future Estate of our Alliance, if it be pursued with the same Directness it has been contracted; and the happy Conti­nuance whereof, I am perfectly of Your Lord­ship's Mind, is the true Interest of both Na­tions, and will be the surest Support, of His Majesty's Honour, and the Kingdoms Safe­ty, as well as Satisfaction. The Expression Your Lordship pleases to make, of endea­vouring in your Station, the inviolable Ob­servation of it; I shall value before I part, to Monsieur de Witt, and the other Commissio­ners as it deserves, which will be easie to do; for I dare say very truly, that the ge­neral Opinion conceived here, of Your Lord­ships and My Lord Arlington's Honour and Sincerity, and unbiassed Pursuit of the true Interest of the Kingdom, has very much con­tributed to the Success of my late Negotiati­on, and been indeed the Spring of any Ho­nour, that Your Lordship or any others may attribute to me in the Conduct of it.

It will not become me to take no Notice, of those repeated Offers, Your Lordship plea­ses to make, in a Fashion so extremely obli­ging, to favour me in any of my own Con­cernments; and therefore I shall humbly re­commend to you the countenancing my Wife in her pursuing the Payment of my ordinary Allowances while I am abroad; since the narrowness of my own Fortunes (while it [Page 195] pleases God to continue my Father's Life to us) will not suffer me to serve His Majesty without troubling him, as I am forced to do, whenever five or six Months of my Ordina­ries are grown in Arrear. Therefore upon Your Lordship's Encouragement, I will tell my Wife, She may beg your Countenance to her when She begins her next Pursuit of that Kind; and that you may the more confident­ly own your favouring me in this Point; I will assure Your Lordship, His Majesty shall never be troubled with any Pursuits of mine, further than what he has pleased to make my Due, by my ordinary Establishment, tho' lower than that of a much cheaper Countrey, as I am informed; but that is very indiffe­rent to me; for I am perfectly content to live just in the Posture His Majesty thinks fit I should, while I serve him; and very willing to spend his Allowance and my own Revenue, but no more; which is the plain Truth of my Story: And I doubt now the Fonds at Antwerp fail, out of which I have been hither­to paid, by My Lord Arlington's Favour to me, something against the Commissioners Inclination, I may find longer Attendances upon the Exchequer, for that is grown or growing due, than my Occasions will suffer; which makes me use this Liberty to Your Lordship; tho' I should not have done it had you not now twice, and of your self encoura­ged me.

For the obliging Message my Brother brought me likewise from Your Lordship's Favour to me; besides my Acknowledgments, I shall only say, that It was, that he should be Se­cretary of State. what Your Lordship pleased to mention, would be as agreeable to my Inclinations as any thing I know; but I shall never presume to ask any Thing of that Kind from His Majesty, no more than of any other, re­ferring my Station and every Thing else, wholly to his Pleasure and Choice, whilst I have the Honour of serving him: Besides, I find every Body here and in Flanders, de­signs another Post for me, at least for a Month or two this Spring, if the Treaty happens to be at Aiz; believing, that ha­ving had so much Part in what has been done already, I am likely to have some Part in that too: And I confess, because People are fallen into this Thought, I may take the contrary for a Mark of his Maje­sty's not being satisfied with me, in what is past: and because I am by Advance instruct­ed in the Business, and acquainted with Per­sons, I should be very well pleased with it, if His Majesty finds none to serve him bet­ter, esprcially if by the Marquess's going thi­ther himself, His Majesty should find it fit, to send a Person of great Quality to maintain the Port of the Employment, and give me my Part under his Shade.

I am ashamed to have said all this of my Self and my Concernments; and beseech Your Lordship to remember, that you have drawn it all from me; and after that, to for­get it all if you please: For, to say the Truth, I am very well as I am, being of so dull a Complexion, that I do not remember any Station or Condition of Life I have been in these dozen Years, which I have not been pleased with, and a little unwilling to leave. However, what Thoughts of this Kind Your Lordship shall have of me, I desire you will please to communicate them to My Lord Arlington, to whose Favour I have been long obliged: And whatever Your two Lord­ships shall think fit in my Disposal, will be ever perfectly welcom to

To My Lord Keeper.

SINCE the writing of Your Lordship's Letter, and the scaling up of My Lord Arlington's Pacquet, I have been so far press'd by Monsieur de Witt, to send him the Article for meeting Commissioners, I desired might be added to the provisional Articles in a new Instrument that I have been fain to digest it as well as I could, according to My Lord Arlington's Instructions, and Your Lordship's since given me in your Letter. I thought fit likewise to draw up a Preamble to it, where­by it might appear, that the Intention of this Agreement, was only an Effect of our mutual Kindness, and for Prevention of any Disputes that might possibly arise to interrupt it, and for cutting off all our Enemies Hopes ever to see us any more, make Way for their Ends by our future Dissention. I will send Your Lordship a Copy on the other side of this Sheet, of both Preamble and Article, which I have been forced to draw up as hasti­ly as I could; and hope, if Monsieur de Witt thinks fit to pass it in this Form, it will be in [Page 198] all Points of more Honour and Advantage to as, even than to have had it all omitted. I desire Your Lordship to communicate all this to My Lord Arlington, and to excuse this Trouble, by Reason of His Lordship's Pac­quet being already sealed up.

To the States at first Audience.

WHereas His Majesty of Great Bri­tain the King my Master, hath al­ready found the good Effects of the late Peace, concluded at Breda with Your High and Mighty Lordships, by the general Satisfaction of His Majesty's Subjects, as well as his own; and doubts not but Your Lordships have likewise found, the same Effects among your People in general, as well as among your selves: His Majesty esteems nothing more likely to encrease the mutual Satisfacti­on, nor to assure the Safety of both Nations, than an Increase of the Confidence and Friend­ship, already contracted, between His Ma­jesty and Your Lordships, by a stricter and firmer Alliance at this Time.

And whereas His Majesty contented with those great and powerful Kingdoms and Do­minions, which Almighty God has given him by an undisputed Succession, covers no­thing from his Neighbours, nor has other Thoughts or Wishes, besides those of the common Peace and Repose of Christendom; His Majesty finds himself in this Conjuncture, [Page 202] sensibly touched by the Calamities, so ma­ny others are like to feel, from the Conti­nuance of the War lately broken out between the Neighbour Crowns, and which in Course of Time, cannot but involve most of the Prin­ces and States of Christendom, unless the Flame be quenched, before it rise too high. And His Majesty believes that nothing can so much contribute towards a safe and sudden Composure of that Quarrel, nor consequent­ly restore the Peace of Christendom, as a joint Mediation of His Majesty with Your H. and M. Lordship's (together with each others Allies) between the two Crowns now in War.

Upon these two Considerations, His Ma­jesty hath thought fit, to send me to Your Lordships with full Powers, to treat and con­clude, upon what shall be found necessary, between His Majesty and Your Lordships, in the Adjustment of all Matters, tending to these great Ends. And since nothing can bring these Negotiations to be of Effect, so much as the suddenness of their Conclusion; I desire Your Lordship's to appoint such Com­missioners as you shall think fit, with whom I may fall upon the Treaty of these Matters, and to whom I am ready to expose the full Powers which His Majesty the King my Ma­ster has given me upon this Occasion.

To my Lord Arlington.

I Did not expect to give your Lordship another Trouble from this Town, but having been detain'd here some Days by the Marquess's Stay 'till this Morning, and intending at Night to follow him for Brus­sels; I know not whether my Arrival there may be time enough to write by the Pac­quet that parts from thence to Morrow at Evening, and therefore will not venture by any Omission to forfeit my Charter of writing every Post.

I had yesterday a joint Audience with the States Deputies, and will refer your Lordship for what pass'd there, to the in­closed Memorial on our Part, and Answer given us by the Marquess, which we have [Page 280] dispatcht this Morning to Sir John Trevor, and Mr. Bouningham at Paris, by a joint Express; in hopes by their Endeavours there to bring the business to a Suspension of Arms, upon the Marquess's having now ac­cepted the Truce, to the shorter Term of­fered by France, as well as the longer pro­pos'd by his Majesty and the States.

For the Alternative, we can yet draw no Resolution from him upon it, defend­ing himself by the Necessity of first con­certing with us, how he shall be assisted, in case of France refusing both the Truce, and the Alternative. This is in the Mar­quess an Aim of engaging us by advance in the Party, and thereby exasperating France, by being threatned more directly; and so imbarque the whole Affair into the necessity of a long ensuing War: For, That Spain would much rather engage in with our Assistance, than be forced to a Peace upon our late Project; and I think, pursues its own Interest right in this Point: That of Holland is certainly oppo­site to theirs, and leads them to nothing so much as the Composure of the Quarrel, with some security of France growing no greater at least on this side.

The Marquess is large, in arguing to me, That our Interest lyes in a joint War, ra­ther than a Peace between the two Crowns, [Page 281] and that our end must have been hitherto, only to engage Holland with us in the Quarrel; and reasons from Story, and the present Genius of our People and Parlia­ment. I endeavour to quiet him in this Point, by assuring him, That whatever other Kings have thought or done, and whatever the People wish or talk; the King, in whose sole Disposition all matters of Peace and War lye, will by no Arts nor Considerations be induced to break from Holland, in the Management of this Business; nor make one Pace further in the Spaniards Defence, than the Dutch are wil­ling to join in. That his Interest as well as Honour lyes in this Resolution, agreed by so many solemn Treaties; and that we as well as the Dutch can very well content our selves with a Peace, and Pursuit of our Commerce; provided we are not a­larmed too much, and too near, with the Growth of the French Greatness: And I wind up all with pressing him still to an Acceptation of the Alternative, and to embrace the Peace according to our Project. And thus we fence here at present; of all which your Lordship, I believe, will re­ceive the Detail more at large by the Hol­land-Pacquet, in the Dispatches past be­tween me and Monsieur de Witt since my Arrival here; of which I desir'd him to [Page 282] send Copies to their Ambassadors in En­gland, to be by them communicated to your Lordship; because, more Uncertain­ty in the Nieuport-Pacquet, and the pre­sent Want of a settled Cypher, have hin­dered larger Transmissions this way, and more directly to your Lordship's Hands.

Yesterday came in the Spanish Letters, and though I have not seen the Marquess since; yet by what I have from his Secreta­ry, and the Count Monterey, I have reason to believe, That Don Juan is on his way hither, and now at Sea with conside­rable Supplies of Men and Money; which are very necessary here, either for carrying on a War, or inducing a Peace: The Particulars I cannot assure, though the common Talk is, of eight Thousand Spaniards, and six hundred thousand Crowns in Specie, and eight hundred thousand in Remise. 'Tis very possible, your Lordship may hear more there of his coming, and see him sooner than we shall here, as well as judge better; What, or how much it will import to the Effect or Defeat, the Advance or Diversion of the present Councils. What occurs to your Lordship upon it, and will relate to my Conduct here, I hope to receive from you by the first; [Page 283] not esteeming any thing well begun without a Thread at least from your Lordship to guide me, nor well per­form'd, 'till I receive your Approbati­on; upon which depends so much the Satisfaction, as well as good Fortune of, &c.

To my Lord Hallifax.

IT would be a difficult thing to answer a Letter I receiv'd lately from your Lordship, if it could ever be difficult for me to do a Duty where I Owe it so much, and Pay it so willingly. The Re­flections I make upon what you say, and what I hear from other Hands of the same kind, carry me only to consider how much by chance, and how unequally Per­sons and Things are judged at a Distance; and make me apprehend from so much more Applause than is my Due upon this Occasion, that upon the next I may meet with as much more Blame than I deserve; as one seldome has a great Runn of Cards that is not followed by an ill one, at least Gamesters that are no luckier than I. It is not my Part to undeceive People, that will make my Successes pass for Merit or Ability; but for my Friends, I would not cheat them to my Advantage it self; and therefore will tell you the Secret of all that has seemed so surprizing in my Negotiation; which is, That Things drawn out of their Center, are not to be [Page 301] moved without much Force, or Skill, or Time; but to make them return to their Center again, there is required but little of either, for Nature it self does the Work. The true Center of our two Nations now so near ally'd, is where they now are seat­ed; and nothing was in the way of their returning thither, but the extreme Jealou­sies grown between the Ministers on both sides, and from thence diffused among the People; and This it was my good luck to Cure, by falling into a great Confi­dence with Monsieur de Witt, which made all the rest easie: And there is the whole Story; that you may see how much you are either biass'd, or mistaken in all the rest you say of it. For what you menti­on of Reward, I know not how it came into your Head, but I am sure it never en­ter'd into mine, nor, I dare say, into any Bodies else. I will confess to you, that considering the Approbation and good O­pinion which his Majesty, and some con­siderable enough about him, have been abused into, by my good Fortune in this Business: I think, a wiser Man might possibly make some Benefit of it, and some of my Friends have advised me to at­tempt it; but it is in vain: For I know not how to ask, nor why, and this is not an Age, where any Thing is given without [Page 302] it. And by that time you see me next, you shall find all this which was so much in Talk to my Advantage for nine Days, as much forgotten as if it had never been, and very justly I think; for in that time it receiv'd a great deal more than its Due, from many other Hands as well as from yours. This I tell you, that you may not deceive your self by hoping to see me ever considerable, further than in the Kindness of my Friends, and that your Lordship may do your Part to make me so in that, seeing me like to fail in all other Ways. But as I remember, this is a Time with you for good Speeches, and not for ill Letters; I will therefore end this, to make you more Room for the others, and hope that none of the Eloquence you are entertained with, can be more persua­sive than a plain Truth, when I assure you that I am,

To my Lord Arlington.

I Am sorry his Majesty should meet with any thing he did not look for at the opening of this Session of Parliament; but confess I do not see why his Majesty should not only consent, but encourage a­ny Enquiries or Disquisitions they desire to make into the Miscarriages of the late War, as well as he has done already in the matter of Accounts: For, if it be not necessary, it is a King's Ease and Happi­ness to content his People. I doubt, as Men will never part willingly with their Monies, unless they be well perswa­ded it will be imploy'd directly to those Ends for which they gave it; so they will never be satisfy'd with a Government, unless they see, Men are chosen into Offi­ces and Imployments by being fit for them; continued, for discharging them well; rewarded for extraordinary Merit; an punish'd for remarkable Faults. Be­sides, in these Cases his Majesty discharges the Hardship and Severity of all Punish­ments upon the Parliament, and commits no Force upon the Gentleness of his own [Page 304] Nature, while his Subjects see, that no Tenderness of their Prince, nor Corru­ption of Ministers, can preserve them long from paying what they owe to any Forfeits of their Duty. Nor indeed, can any Prince do Justice to those that serve him well, without punishing those that serve him ill; since That is to make their Conditions equal whose Deserts are different. I should not say this to any Person but your Lordship, to whom I know part of that Justice is due. But to say Truth, the Progress and End of the last War, went so much to my Heart, and I have heard so much lately from Monsieur de Witt, concerning the carriage of it on our side, especially what fell un­der his Eye, while he was abroad in the Fleet; that I cannot but think the Par­liament may be excused for their Warmth in this Pursuit. But your Lordship can best discern by the Course of Debates, whether this proceeds from a steddy In­tention upon a general Good, or from some accidental Distempers, from which the greatest and best Assemblies of Men are not always free, especially when they have continu'd long together.

I beg Your Lordship's Pardon for my Liberty in these Discourses, to which You were pleased to encourage Me by hearing Me so obligingly those few Minutes I was allowed for such Talk or Thoughts at my last being with You, and from the Sense You then expressed of the absolute Neces­sity there was for His Majesty to fall into a perfect Intelligence with His Parliament, especially being engaged into an Appear­ance of Action abroad by the Force of this present Conjuncture.

I am ever, &c.

To Sir John Trevor.

ABout ten Days since I dispatcht a­way an Express to You (joyntly with the Deputies of Holland) whereby We acquainted You and Mons. Beuningham that the Marquis de Castel-Rodrigo had ac­cepted the Truce and Suspension of Arms proposed some Time since by France until the End of March, as well as the other proposed lately by His Majesty and the States General until the End of May. We are in some Pain to have yet received no [Page 306] Account of His Arrival, but hope this Delay will be recompenced by bringing Us news of the Treaty's being accepted in the same Terms by that Court as well as by this. However in case of any Scruple which may be raised there, for want of due Notice given of the Acceptation here, we now send You an Act of the Marquis Castel-Rodrigo, authorizing His Majesty's and the States Ministers at Paris, to ma­nifest to that Court His Excellency's said Acceptation, and thereupon to negotiate and conclude the same on that Side.

And, to the End that no Objection may be made by France against the present Ex­pedition of this Truce in order to an en­suing Treaty and Peace; We send You likewise by this Express the Marquis's last Answer to our Instances Yesterday made for the Acceptation also of the Alterna­tive, which is so full and so direct to the Ends of our late Treaty, that we have now nothing left to do on this Side; the Re­mainder of the whole Negotiation lying on your Parts at Paris, which we are here very much pleased with, seeing it is de­volved to so much abler Hands. I hope You will place the whole Strength of His Ma­jesty's and the States General's Credit in that Court upon an immediate Consent to the Suspension of Arms; knowing how [Page 307] dangerous all new Accidents may prove to the fair Hopes and Prospect in which we are at present of a Peace; and withal how far His Majesty and the States are engaged to take Part in any Action that shall begin after the Marquis's accepting the Alterna­tive, as well as all other Points of their late Project for bringing about so happy an End.

For a good Presage of this greater Peace, we received here the News of That of Por­tugal, the very Evening which brought us so happily the Marquis's Answer upon the Alternative; which has so much raised the Hearts of the Spaniards here, that we are likely to have less Thanks for pressing them so far to a prejudicial Peace, as they esteem it on this side: But since they are already obliged, it will depend wholly up­on France to hinder the Conclusion of this in the same Season with the other; which I will believe them too wise to do, as well as too constant to the Assurances they have already given His Majesty, the States, and several other Princes in this Point; of which the immediate consenting, a Suspension of Arms will shew the Mean­ing and Effect.

I shall no further increase your present Trouble than by the Professions of my being

To my Lord Arlington.

THE last Post brought me none from England, nor has this Week as yet brought me any from Spain; so that 'tis France only at this Time that entertains Us. The Dispatch return'd Us late last Night from Sir John Trevor upon the point of the Alternative, has given the Town here occasion to talk of the Peace as a Thing done; though I know not yet what the Marquis says to it, having not seen Him since; but think it possible He may be as much surprised with their Accepta­tion, as Sir John Trevor says They were with His. It seems plain to Me that France desires to pursue the War, but fears our engaging in it, and to hinder That, will use all the Address that can be to lay the Obstruction of Peace upon the Spaniards; They on the other Side desire to continue the War, provided they may be sure of our and Holland's Assistance, and to that End, if they play their Game well, they will be sure to retort the Ad­dress of France upon them, and lay the Blame of the War at their Doors, without [Page 312] which they have no Hopes of Holland's falling into their Party; who whether they are partial to the French or no in this Quarrel, are certainly partial to the Peace, and will not be drawn to share in the War but upon the last Necessity. Therefore my Business will be at present, to induce the Marquis to clear those two Scruples made by the French upon His Powers, and the Choice of one or other of the Alternatives; in which I know not what Success I am like to have after so many Advances made already as He con­ceives on His Side, and so near Don John's Arrival, at least according to the present reckoning here, which perswades us that He parted from Madrid upon the 22d. past.

I know your Lordship has the same Pa­pers I received from Sir John Trevor, and for what occurrs upon them here, I beg your Lordship's Leave that I may this once refer you to the enclosed Copy of my Let­ter this Evening to Him upon that Subject, having not Time left Me to repeat it here [...]o at large as I ought to do.

The Truth is, I never had so hard a Part upon me as I have at this Time, to keep all in good Temper between the Marquis and the Deputies of Holland; For besides that their Ends may perhaps be a little dif­ferent, [Page 313] their Complexions are extremely so: He is not the easiest of Access, nor the quickest at Dispatch; And His Officers are at the same Rate: The Dutch Deputies are all upon the Spur, and when they de­mand an Audience or a Paper, if they have it not within half an Hour, they say the Marquis Se mocque d'eux, et Ils se trou­vent obligez de l'escrire ce Soir aux Estats, et que le Marquis ne cherche que des Retarde­ments, & par la' de les engager dans la Guerre. When they receive Orders to move the Marquis in any Particular, they must have it granted the first Time it falls in Discourse, and in the very same Form and Words it runs in their Letters; and think the Marquis ought to observe the States Order and Directions as punctually as They; And will reason Him to the Death upon every Point: The Marquis who uses to owe no Man any thing in that Kind, grows ten times more difficult by that time they have talked an Hour, than He was at first; and engaging in large Discourses, gives them twenty Occasions of growing Warm upon the Place, and Wise afterwards by Interpretations, that, God knows, were never in the Case; so that in their Audi­ences, between the Marquis's Eloquence and their Leyden Philosophy, the Cards com­monly run high, and all is Picque and Re­picque [Page 314] between them; and I am to go to one and t'other next Day to set all right again, and endeavour to make them agree asunder upon Points which they could by no means agree upon together. But if I go on, I shall weary your Lordship as much as they weary Me; And therefore I shall break off this Letter with telling You only, that the Talk here is of an Attempt for the Relief of Genap, and that the Horse are drawing together for that Purpose, with what Success I know not, but am sure, the French deserve none there, for continuing an Attempt so long after the Suspension of all Enterprises was accorded.

To Sir John Trevor.

I AM two Letters in your Debt since my last by the Ordinary, one of the 8th, the other of the 12th; but I must needs say that your last has left you nothing in mine. That King's Answer is full and fair in my Apprehension, what it will appear in the Marquis's I know not; For since that Court cavils at His Acceptation of the Al­ternative, [Page 315] and calls it captious, I know not whether He may not have His Revenge at theirs. Besides, Monsieur Lionne's Letter I confess looks of a very different Style from His Master's, and, in my Judgment, Arti­ficial: Nor do I understand great Ministers reasoning upon the Intentions of Crowns, rather from common Report, from Passa­ges of private Mens Letters, or of Books made for Argument; than from the open and positive Declaration of Ministers, who ought to know their Powers best, and how to use them. Besides, they give the Spa­niards very fair Play against them in this kind of War, by an Action I am very much unsatisfied in, which is, beginning and continuing the Siege of Genap, about four Leagues from hence, now the eighth Day after the Accord granted by France for the Suspension of Arms, notwithstanding our Signification of it to the Commander of those Troops; Besides the seizing of ano­ther Castle five Days after the said Accord, though the Courier came in two Days from Paris, and the same Haste might as easily have been made upon the other Er­rand. In short, if France pretends to be believed here, they must give Deeds as well as Words; and will shew the Sincerity of their Intentions for Peace, by consent­ing to the Truce till the End of May, ac­cepted [Page 316] already here; Since, if there should be any Defect in the Marquis's Powers, it may be easily supplied with a little Time, and any Delay in the Choice of the Alter­native repaired. In the mean while, I will hope by the next Courier to give you Sa­tisfaction in those Points; For I neither know why the Marquis should be difficult in making His Choice upon the Alterna­tive, or exposing the material Clauses of His Powers, which I will assure you, are as full, in my Apprehension, as can be granted. In the mean time, this Courier goes to you with a Duplicate of Monsieur Colbert's Pass, (which was sent some time since to the Internuncio at Aix) with the Orders sent out for the Suspension of Arms, and with the Marquis's naming a Day for the Baron de Bergayck's coming to Aix, in case Monsieur Colbert can be ready in that time; Though I do not see how the Treaty can begin till His Majesty's and the State's Ministers can be there, as well as two Principals; And in that Regard as well as many others, it will be absolutely necessary to obtain France's Consent to the Truce, if they would have Us believe they intend the Peace, and in the mean time to procure Orders for the Suspension of Arms before Genap as well as all other Places.

To morrow I expect an Audience upon the Choice of the Alternative; though I confess I did not think, any more than the Marquis, that such a Declaration was ne­cessary before the Ministers meeting at Aix; but the Compliance must be on the weaker side, and to that Purpose I shall use my best Endeavours; And remain,

To my Lord Arlington.

BY Your Lordship's of the 28th past, I am put out of Pain for the Merlin Yacht, and Return of the Ratification up­on the last Treaty. The Error in the Forms of the preceding Instruments sent over for His Majesty's Ratification, was, I suppose, occasioned, as your Lordship says, by the Omission of Signing both Parts, which I confess was offered Me by the Dutch Commissioners, but being unpractised in those Forms, I chose to follow the Am­bassadors Example at Breda, who Signed but one.

Your Lordship sees how ill a Minister I am likely to make, if ever I must enter [Page 318] upon new Forms, or a Character that re­quires being more punctual in them; I shall however say no more in answer to what your Lordship has hinted to Me about the Journey to Aix, having writ­ten from Antwerp all that occurred to me upon it, after which I know very well, it becomes Me to leave all to the King's Pleasure. I have asked the Marquis, with what Character He will send the Baron de Bergayck; He says, in Quality of Plenipo­tentiary, but in the rest, with Power to take upon Him that Character the French Minister shall assume: He plainly acknow­ledges that in Right He cannot send any Man with the Title of an Ambassador, which lies only between two Soveraigns; and I know not why the Character of Plenipo­tentiary may not agree with that of Envoy Extraordinary on all Hands. But the Light in this Point must be drawn from France, and not from this Place.

Last Night at an Audience joyntly with the Dutch Deputies (which I had disposed in the Morning with the Marquis, and with Difficulty enough) His Excellency was content to declare His Choice of the Alternative, which was to leave France their Conquest of last Campagne, and like­wise to promise Us a Transcription of the most material Clauses, both to be sent to [Page 319] Sir John Trevor and Mr. Van Beuningham at Paris, to enable them to give that Court Satisfaction upon their last Objections a­gainst the Marquis's Acceptation of the Alternative. So that we have now gained the utmost Point that can be desired here in pursuit of our Treaty, and must leave the rest upon their Hands at Paris.

The Marquis took occasion at the same time to complain hard of the French break­ing the Suspension by the Attempt upon Genap, which was yielded to them two Days since upon Conditions, after a large Breach with their Cannon, and seems to be designed for a Post to block up this Town, which they would certainly do if they could possess themselves of Terveur and Vilvorde; the first being an abandon­ed Place, and the second not tenable with­out Forces to relieve it. I do not see how His Majesty and the States can refuse to oblige France to restore Genap within the Time of the Suspension, since no Pretence of Mistake or Delay in the Orders can ap­pear at all sincere without the Restitution, the Siege continuing to the eighth Day after the Accord made for the Suspension at Paris.

The Marquis seems to apprehend, that the Effects of our having obtained from Him all that France can demand in pur­suit [Page 320] of their former Proposals, or We in Pursuit of our Treaty, will be a sudden throwing off the Mask on the French Side, and making what Advances they can in the War before We and Holland are in Po­sture to enter upon Defence of this Coun­try, and therefore presses all that can be our arming, and concerting how to pro­ceed in such a Case: And I suppose His Majesty may think fit to encourage Hol­land that is so near, and already armed, to furnish them here with three or four thousand Foot, for Defence of their Towns upon the first Motions of the French to attack any of them; with assurance that His Majesty will fall into the same Course, with all possible speed and vigor, and in the ways that shall be concerted.

For the supplies of Money from hence, I can yet say no more than in my former, though I omit no Instances upon that Sub­ject: But, I doubt, in the present Posture Here, the King must lose His Right, which they say will be, where Nothing is. And I cannot yet find any Thing drawn to a Conclusion in the Negotiation with Holland for the Money upon their Towns. The Marquis shewed Me Don Estevan's last Letters Yesterday upon that Matter, which say, that the Dutch insist peremptorily up­on all the Spaniards hold in Gelderland, [Page 321] and besides, upon Damme and two other Forts in Flanders. On the other side, the Spaniards are unwilling to conclude, if a Peace be like to ensue; by which means, parting from those Places to the Dutch, and at the same time so many other to the French, would leave them hardly any thing here they would think worth their pains to keep: So that the Conclusion of this Money matter between them, will depend upon the Fr. King's Answer to the Truce till th [...] [...]d of May, and fuller declaring the Contin [...] of His Satisfaction upon the Alternativ [...] ▪ And even then I doubt it may be necessary for Me to make a Journey into Holland, for the perfecting that Treaty between them and the Marquis; who has not yet found out the Persons or Ways of treat­ing to any purpose with them. In the mean time if I knew how far I might en­gage His Majesty to arm in the Defence of these Countries, since Spain has accep­ted all We propose in our Treaty; I would endeavour to induce the Marquis to con­clude a Treaty to that Purpose, and for furnishing His Majesty thereupon, with certain Sums at certain Times, thereby to make the Debt at least from Spain a cer­tain thing whenever the Money could be found. I hope to receive some Light from your Lordship upon this in answer to a for­mer [Page 322] of mine, and the mean while will prepare the Matter with the Marquis.

I am sufficiently warned upon the Point of the Pavilion, and will hope His Maje­sty's Constancy therein proceeds from a Resolution to take those Courses and Coun­cils which may make Him as much feared abroad as any of His Ancestors were, in whose Time that Point was first gained: For, without That, our Pretensions will grow Vain at present, and in time Obsolete. In the mean while I hope, some Expedient will be foreseen that may prevent the In­conveniencies or Unkindnesses which may happen between Us and the Dutch upon this Point in the present Conjuncture; and in case of Necessity to joyn our Fleets. The Indignity offered Us by la Roche in landing armed Men in England, and the rest, seems the greatest I have ever heard of that Kind; And how far Moderation in resenting and revenging Injuries, is a Vertue in a Prince, or a State, as well as in a private Christian, I will not take up­on Me to judge: That which I know best is, that

To my Lord Arlington.

THE Day after the last English Pac­quets Arrival, I received Your Lord­ship's of the 2d. by the Dutch Resident's Conveyance, which together with some Expressions I made out of your Letter, gave Me occasion to conclude that your Lordship at the writing of it believed Me in Holland; I know not whether upon something written by the Marquis or Me, but that Journey I see, the Marquis would have depend upon the French Answer to our last Dispatch, and their consenting or refusing the proposed Truce till May, from which He supposes it will be easie to guess a Peace or a War. In the mean time I was in hopes to receive some particular Com­mands or Instructions for my Carriage in Holland, not desiring to be left so much at large; and 'tis very possible I ought to have received them by your Lordship's last; But that new Cypher will at one time or other cast Me into Despair, for by all our skill we cannot make out one Syllable of the two long Paragraphs; though ma­king out the last short one very easily, [Page 324] makes Us see the Fault must be on the Writers side; And I am apt to imagine the Exactness required to this Cypher, is more than can agree with the Haste often necessary in your Lordship's Office; ha­ving observed frequent Mistakes in the Use of the old Cypher, which yet never hindred my Collection of the Sense, whereas the least of this is mortal to the whole Paragraph.

I cannot yet come to any Adjustment with the Marquis upon the chief Point re­commended to Me, though I have often fallen upon the Discourse, and endeavoured to engage it further by the offer of a Pro­ject I have drawn up to that purpose; But He assures Me your Lordship is fallen upon it with the Count de Molina and Ba­ron de l' Isola in England, and when you have agreed it, will send it over hither for His Excellency to perfect; which I confess I think were the better way, since I am but very generally instructed in it: However His Excellency desired Me this Morning to perfect the Draught I had pro­jected, that in case we found it not con­cluded in England, it might be ended here.

I doubt, He will not be induced to part with what the Dutch demand in Gelderland, till He foresees plainly an inevitable War; And till that Conclusion, or Don John's Ar­rival, [Page 325] all will be Misery here; what could be spared being gone out upon new Levies and Recruits, and the very Spaniards late arrived here, falling already into Want; which is a piece of Husbandry of all others I cannot understand, the old Troops every day diminishing as the new Levies advance. But they assure Me, Don John brings with him in Bars a Million and a half of Crowns, and another Million and a half of the same Money in Remises; which is the Life of all Hopes here, though we cannot yet be certain of His having lest Madrid; The last Letters of the 29th past mentioning His Indisposition, at the same time with His design of parting three Days after.

Your Lordship will have sound that all I could uncypher in your last was already performed here, both upon the Choice of the Alternative, as well as Satisfaction in the Powers, and Disposition of the Baron Bergayck's parting for Aix: However, I failed not to mind the Marquis of the last this very Morning; who assured Me the Baron should certainly be there by the Day appointed, which is the 27th of this Month, and that His Equipage was already well advanced; but however the compleating of it, should not hinder His Journey. The Baron tells Me, that France upon des gn­ing Monsieur Colbert, declared His Cha­racter [Page 326] to be of Ambassador Plenipotentiary, with Reserve of joyning another to Him as chief of the Ambassy in case of the Marquis's going, but that He, (the Baron) knows not yet in what Quality He shall go, leaving it wholly to the Disposition of the Marquis.

I have this Week a long and hearty Assurance from Monsieur de Witt, of the State's Resolutions to pursue the Effects of our Treaty, with all the Vigor that can be; and for that End, of their having gi­ven the first Rendevous to their Army near Bergenop Zoom, from whence they may easily fall into the Defence of the Spanish Towns, upon the first Attempt of the French after they have refused the Peace; which they must now suddenly unmask themselves in, one way or other▪ no fur­ther Pretences being left, since our last Friday Pacquets, which were repeated by an Express on Sunday, and shall go by a­nother this Week for surety sake; (and your Lordship may be assured we omit no Cautions, we can use, in the matter of our Dispatches, of which none yet has failed us): The Suspension of Enterprises is owned by the French Commanders since the taking of Genap: So that there is little now, that furnishes Talk here, be­sides the shameless Treason by which Bur­gundy [Page 327] was lost, and of which, the Marquis d' Yenne the Governor, his Nephew the Count de St. Amour, and Don John de Batteville have chief Honor; the last being em­ployed by the Marquis to treat with the Suitzers for the Protection of that Country. The Villany and Foulness of this Action make the Spaniards say here, that a great King, should rather have sent His Lacquays, than gone Himself, to receive such a Con­quest.

To my Lord Keeper.

I Believe You may wonder on that side, as well as many do on this, both here and in Holland, at the Election the Marquis has lately made, of the Alternative offered by France, after so long a Deliberation, as might have served him, to make a wiser Choice. For if Spain had parted with the County of Burgundy, Cambray, Air, and St. Omer; tho' they had furnish'd France with a better Frontier, yet they had kept a good one for the rest of these Countries on both sides; whereas, parting with the late con­quered Places, besides their large Depen­dancies, [Page 328] which straighten their Territories, that should maintain their Armies; their whole Frontier is laid open on the side of Flanders, by the loss of Douay, Lisle, and Tournay, and on the other side, by that of Aeth and Charleroy; which leaves the Spaniards the open Towns of Lovain and Brussels for a Frontier on this side, and those of Ghent and Bruges on the other; and the Country so pierced by the French Conquest, as what remains, will be the Work, but of one Campagne, whenever the Councils or Forces of England and Hol­land, shall fail or delay to defend them.

The Reasoners here, pretend to say, that Spain could not part with the Burgundy. French County, because they must with it quit the Title they yet retain of Dukes of Burgundy; and besides, they would thereby lose their Communication wholly with Lorrain, and in a great measure, with the Empire: This last is indeed of weight, though the first be but airy: But neither of them, I take, to have determi­ned the Marquis in his Choice; And ha­ving in various Conferences, penetrated his inmost Thoughts upon this Subject, I judged it necessary to acquaint your Lord­ship with them; that His Majesty knowing perfectly the Dispositions of his Neighbors, may the better take his own Measures, in [Page 329] this great Conjuncture. But, to explain this Matter I must run it up to the Ori­ginal.

Your Lordship remembers, that after the French Invasions and Successes, last year in Flanders, and the Peace at Breda; when they found, how much both England and Holland resented the Progress of their Arms in Flanders; They sent a Declarati­on to the States General, that they were willing to make a Peace with Spain, either upon Spain's quitting all their Right to the late conquered Places; or else to the Coun­ty of Burgundy, Cambray, Air, and St. O­mers, and would leave to Spain the choice of either of these Alternatives. The Dutch were perplexed, what Use to make of this Declaration, being frighted at the Danger of Flanders, but newly and faintly recon­ciled to England, and not knowing, how we would take, the Invasion of Flanders. In these Doubts I found them, when His Majesty sent me first to sound their Inten­tions, and immediately after, to enter into Leagues with them, for our own mutual Defence and that of Flanders. The King would have joyned with them, for the recovery of all the Spaniards had lost in Flanders, either by a Peace or a War. The Province of Utrecht was for this Resoluti­on; but the Pensioner and the other six [Page 330] Provinces, were for accepting the Offer of the Alternative, made by France, and obliging Spain to make their Choice, as well as France, to stand by their own Pro­posal. Upon these Terms the Triple Ally­ance was concluded, but with different Views, both of Holland and of Spain. The truth is, Holland was unwilling to break off their antient Amity with France, and embark in a War, with the Conjuncti­on of such an old Enemy as Spain, and such a new Friend as England. They rec­koned on a Peace, upon one of the Alter­natives, and were sollicitous only, to pre­serve Flanders, as a Frontier for Holland against France, without considering the Interests of Spain further, than as they appeared to be their own. They reckon­ed certainly upon Spain's chusing to part with Burgundy, Cambray, &c. which lay far from Holland, and recovering the Towns they had lost in Flanders, by which their Country would be left defensible, at least with the Assistances of England and Holland.

On the other side, Spain, though they profess'd the greatest sense that could be, of what they owed His Majesty, upon the late generous Advances he had made in their Favour; yet they were enraged at Holland, for seconding so ill, His Maje­sty's [Page 331] Resolutions, and turning it upon the Choice, only of an Alternative, by which the Spaniards were to lose so great Terri­tories, and part with their Right to them, instead of recovering the Possession they had yet only lost. They took it, as the greatest Indignity in the World, that Hol­land should pretend to oblige the Crown of Spain to accept the very Conditions of France, after an Invasion so unjust, as they esteemed this last. They were at first, upon the thoughts of parting with all they had in the Low-Countries, to France, upon some Equivalent on the side of Spain; and thereby both end the Charge of keeping Flanders, and be revenged upon the Dutch, by leaving them open and exposed to the Neighbourhood of France. The Marquis once assured me, that most of the Council of Spain were for making this desparate Peace; and that for his own part, he was inclin'd to it, though more out of spight to the Dutch, than what he thought was the true Interest of Spain. After some Pause, this heat of the Spaniards began to cool: They saw the Spanish Crown, by parting with Flanders, must abandon all Commerce with the Princes and States on this side that Country; and that upon a new War with France, about the Successi­on, they should have no way left of di­verting [Page 332] the French Forces from falling up­on Spain it self. And so, with much ado, they resolved to accept the Alternative; but left the Choice to the Marquis here, as best inlightned in all the Interests of Flanders, as well as the Dispositions of their Neighbours.

The Marquis hated the Peace, upon either of the Alternatives, and desired no­thing but the continuance of the War, with the Assistance of England and Holland; to which he saw His Majesty inclinable, and thought the States would be induced to, rather than venture an Agreement be­tween Spain and France, for the Exchange of Flanders: He thought, that if they yielded Burgundy and the remote Frontiers, Holland would be secure, and France would perhaps be contented to let the Peace rest upon those Terms during the King of Spain's tender Life: But if he yielded all the late conquered Towns to France, Hol­land would be in perpetual Allarm, for the Danger of the rest; England would be like­wise the more concerned, and both being obliged, to be continually armed, to pre­vent the Danger or Flanders, would find it their Interest, rather to enter into such a War, as might end in a safer Peace, than by a patcht Peace, to lie always in danger of a new War, whenever France should be [Page 333] in a Condition of carrying the rest of Flanders, by any sudden Invasion, or by any Disconcert of Councils or Interests, between Us and Holland.

Besides, the Marquis imagines, that France will either endeavour to avoid the Peace now offered; or if they conclude it for the present, that being possess'd of the Frontiers of Flanders, they will not long resist the Temptation of carrying the rest, being in a manner but open Country; and thereby engage both Us and Holland, to assist Spain with all our Forces; which he thinks, must make the War prosperous, or a Peace secure. So that upon the whole, the Marquis has chosen this Alternative, not from any desire of making the Peace at present; but only in the view, either of carrying on the present War, or of making another with the Strength of his Neigh­bours.

Your Lordship may easily judge, how much the Dutch are like to be disappointed and offended with the Spaniards, for this Choice: So that I cannot pretend to guess, what is like to become of a Peace which both France and Spain come to so unwil­lingly; and which England and Holland promote upon Conditions, which they both dislike. And so I leave this perplex­ed Affair, and ask your Lordship's Pardon [Page 334] for this long Deduction, which I should not have troubled your Lordship or my self with, but that I thought you would come to know the true Springs of it no other way: And which I could not have known, if the Marquis were not a very warm Talker, and sometimes further than he intended.

To Mr. Godolphin.

I Received lately the favour of some Lines from you in a Letter of my Wive's, which were the first I remember to have seen of yours these five or six Months past, though I never failed on my part to enter­tain the Commerce between Us as became both our Stations, and the Kindness with which it began on both sides, as I thought; I am sure on mine, till I took your Silence as a civil Declaration that you were willing it should end; And the Complyance I was desirous to shew you in all things, would not suffer me to deny it you in this. I find it very difficult to answer your last otherwise than by giving you Thanks for the favour of your Remembrance, which indeed I thought had been better employ'd than upon one, who has for so long time so little deserved it. For those Expressions you are pleased to use so much below your self, and so much above me, I confess they rather confound than oblige me; since I am not fond of receiving what I despair of returning. I know no reason at all I had to be angry with you, but much rather with my self, if having been once possest [Page 343] of your Friendship, you found I did not deserve it; But as I reckoned that Loss among my ill Fortunes, so I shall among my good, whenever you, return to your former dispositions of Favour to me; tho' the Misery of the Scene where I live, will teach me to be fond of no Possessions that I am in danger of losing; and to a plain equal Man like Me, the Certainty of an Estate seems more valuable than the Great­ness of it. But I have as much Ambition for my Friends Advances, as others have for their own; And therefore rejoyce in all your good Fortunes in Spain, and wish you an Encrease of them in your next Designs.

To my Lord Keeper.

I Received some Days since the Honour of one from your Lordship of the 9th. past, and though I owe all the Acknow­ledgements that can be upon it, yet I will not so much wrong your Lordship's Time or my own Sincereness, as to enlarge them with much Ceremony. It will be enough to say, that nothing can be more obliging [Page 344] than your Favour to me, both in the De­gree and Manner of it, arising so freely from your Lordship's Bounty and Gene­rousness, as well as express'd in a way so franck and so hearty as that of your last Letter; and on the other side, that no Man can resent it more, though they may much better deserve it; And that your Lordship can never reckon more truely nor more justly, upon any Person's Esteem and Services, than upon mine, which I humbly beg your Lordship to believe. I doubt you will be troubled with my Wife's Attendances, having told Her, your Lord­ship had given Her that Liberty; If she ever pretends your Favour and Countenance further than in receiving what the King has made my due upon this Employment while I have it, or what His Majesty shall from his own Motion assign me, upon any new Commission; I disclaim Her before­hand, and declare she goes not upon my Errand; For I shall never think that too little which His Majesty thinks enough: For the rest I will be confident neither your Lordship nor my Lord Arlington in­tend I should ruin my self by my Employ­ments, or that I should at my own Charge bear out a Character, which of it self is enough to turn round a Head that has all its Life, till these last three Years, been [Page 345] used to Shade and Silence. In case the Occasion should break, and my Journey to Aix should yet fail, I ask nothing of His Majesty, though putting my self in a Posture to comply with any sudden Ne­cessity of it, has already forced me to en­ter into very considerable Expences; But in case I must go, I beg your Lordship that has Children, to consider how hard it would be for Me to perform such a Jour­ney upon my own Credit. Whatever it be His Majesty thinks fit to assign Me up­on such an Occasion, if He pleases to or­der Alderman Backwell to furnish Me with a Letter of Credit, for so much, let it be what it will, I will live according to what, that and my own little Revenue will reach, and not spare any little Presents, I have re­ceived in His Majesty's Service, where His Honour requires it: All I desire is only not to be forced into Debts, which to say the truth, I have ever abhorred, and would by my good Will, eat dry Crusts, and lie upon the Floor, rather than do it upon any other Consideration, than of His Ma­jesty's immediate Commands, and I hope those, His Justice and my Friends Favour, will prevent.

I beg your Lordship's Pardon for trou­bling you with this strange Freedom about my own Concernments, which you have [Page 346] pleased to encourage Me to, and may at any time check Me in it, with the least Discountenance, which I doubt I have al­ready deserved. But I will not encrease or lengthen my Faults by Excuses, nor trouble your Lordship, by repeating any thing of what my Lord Arlington receives from Me at large, upon the Course of Publick Affairs here; which though seem­ing to change often, in others Eyes, ap­pears to Me constant in the French De­sign of a War; which I believe nothing can alter, but the visible Marks of Force and Steddiness in their Neighbours, to oppose them.

I beg your Lordship's Belief, that as I am with very great Reason, so I am with very great Passion too,

To my Lord Arlington.

I Never writ to your Lordship in worse Health nor in worse Humour, and therefore you could never receive a worse Letter than this is like to be. The Cere­monies of my Journey your Lordship shall find in a Letter to Mr. Williamson, so soon as a Feaver which is now upon me, gives me leave, to say one more Word, than what I think of absolute Necessity; For so I conceive, all I have now written to the Marquis is. The Despight of seeing the Baron de Bergayck yet refuse to sign the Project of the Treaty, without another [Page 355] Dispatch from the Marquis, after that, I brought him, is enough to lose all Pati­ence; My ill Humour I confess, is not lessened, by seeing my self here, with equal Character to other Ministers, and without possibility in this Place, of putting my self in an Equipage suitable to them, which I could not think possible neither to provide my self before my Journey, considering the Uncertainty of it, almost to the very last, and the Assurance I came with from the Marquis, of the Treaty's being Signed the first Moment. I assured the Baron de Bergayck, that I thought it necessary, so that I hoped three Days would end our Business, which I believed, His Majesty would unwillingly see done, without his Intervention, and would be content to have all Men think as they have done here, ever since the Convention began (and perhaps every where else) that nothing could be done, till the King's Minister came, and that would immediately close the Affair. The rest I must refer to the inclosed Copy of my Letter this Night, to the Marquis, by an Express; And beg your Lordship to give me leave to rest a very weary distem­pered Head, which yet can never forget how much I am,

To my Lord Arlington.

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.

To Mr. Williamson.

MY Master being kept in his Bed by an Illness that seized him the first Night of his arrival here, and since en­creased upon him by the Constraints he was forced to the next Day in the Re­ception of the several Ambassadors; hath commanded me to give you the Account of his Journey hither, and desires you will help it to pass with my Lord Arlington for that Promise which he made in his last, of doing it himself to his Lordship upon next Occasion.

He parted from Brussels upon the 24th of this Month, with nine and twenty Persons in his Company, of which, ten in his own Livery. Besides those who belonged to him, my Lord Stafford, Cap­tain Brumidge, and Captain Wesely, did him the Favour to accompany him in his Journey, and twenty of the Marquis's Guard for his security till he came the se­cond Night into the Land of Liege. The first Night at Louvain passed without any Ceremony, not taking upon him any new Character in the Spanish Dominions: The [Page 366] second Night he lodged at Herkinraedt, a very rich Abby of Bernardin Nuns, where he was received as the King of England's Ambassador. The next Morning the Magistrates of the Town of Hassel sent to inform whether he passed by their Town of Hassel in his way to Mastricht, to the end they might do him the Honour due to his Character; But my Master desiring to avoid those Ceremonies chose to pass a private Way about a Mile from the Town; However, he found all the Road where it lay over-against the Town, crouded with People, and among them, the Magistrates of the Town, who in the High-way entertained him with a Speech, a Banquet, great store of wine, and all the great Guns of the Town at the same time.

The same Night he arrived at Mastricht, 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 [Page 367] 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 Mid­way with Compliment, and desire that they might receive him as they had done [Page 368] 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 [Page 369] 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 [Page 370] 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,

To my Lord Arlington.

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 [Page 374] 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 [Page 375] 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 [Page 376] 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 'twas 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 [Page 377] 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 own Truth as well as my Business. And so upon the 4th at Night all ended. My Dissatisfaction with the Baron Bargeyck's Conduct since I came hither, was, I confess, very great, and my Expressions upon it very free in my several Expresses to the Marquis, who it seems takes part in it, and owns it so far, as to seem most extremely ill satisfied with the Ministers using so much Earnestness here in beating him out of all those De­signs. I have had three several Letters from his Excellency since my being here, [Page 378] upon that Subject, but all so ill-humoured and so Emportèes, that I think they had been better spared, and though what was particular to Me, civil enough, yet some Expressions concerning the general Pro­ceeding wherein I had the chiefest Part, so Picquantes, that I think I have reason to resent, and am sure have not deserved it from any publick Minister either there or here; And having answered them ac­cordingly, I know not upon what Terms we are like to be upon my Return; And therefore could not forbear giving your Lordship the trouble of this Relation, to justifie my self not only to your Lordship, for there I am sure it will not need; but if you think fit, to the Count Molina, and the Baron d' Isola too, who may perhaps have received Letters from the Marquis upon our Proceedings here, of the same Style that I have done.

I have been the more earnest in bring­ing this Matter to an Issue here, (which the Holland Ambassador says, had never been done without Me,) because I con­ceived by all I have had from your Lord­ship, as well as from other Hands, not only that you desired it in England, but that the Peace was necessary for the Con­stitution of His Majesty's present Affairs: And since he has had the Glory of makng [Page 379] two Peaces so important, we have now no­thing to wish but to see him in a Conditi­on to make War as well as Peace, when­ever the Honour and Interest of his Crowns shall make it necessary; For that Necessity can, I suppose, be no ways long avoided, but by our being in a Posture to welcome it whenever it comes, and to make Advan­tage of it. And I think the best Time to fall into Councils tending to this great End, will be after the Conclusion of this gene­ral Peace, when no Engagement abroad, forces His Majesty to have so much need of Money from his People. For, the Time to repair the Harms that Storms have done a House, is in fair Weather; and, to mend a leaky Ship, she must be brought ashore.

God of Heaven send your Lordship to be an happy Instrument in the Proposal and Application of such Councils, and that we may take warning by the poor Spani­ards Example, whose ill Conduct of late in the Government has so far subjected them to their Neighbours Disesteem, and Insolence, and Humour, as well as to their Conquests, Violence, and Oppression; which I confess have been enough to put them upon such desperate Councils as your Lordship mentions, of giving up all to the French in these Countries, rather than be the bare Guardians of other Frontiers. And [Page 380] yet all these Misfortunes are the natural Consequences of their Conduct, and will never fail befalling any Prince, that fol­lows their Example. I wish That might befal the French, to temper a little, such an over-grown Greatness; but I doubt it much, from the present King's Dispositi­ons, among whose Qualities those of Care­lesness or lavishing his Treasures, I am a­fraid are none: Therefore I wish him en­gaged in some very charming Pleasures, or else in some more difficult Enterprises than his last, and where we may not have so great a Share: That which they talk on here may possibly prove so, which is drawing, or forcing the Empire to chuse the Dau­phin King of the Romans; For though his Party be grown strangely powerful in Ger­many, and, if Brandenburgh be falling into it as is believed, none will be left to the House of Austria that I know of, unless Saxony and Triers; yet such a body so dif­ferently composed as the Empire, should methinks very hardly move all one way in any new Course.

Monsieur Colbert talks of his Master's sending immediately ten or fifteen thou­sand Men for the Relief of Candy, which were a glorious and Christian Council; and in all ways that can be, to be cherished and applauded: And if any Offices could be [Page 381] done towards engaging the French Court in that Design, by Us or the Dutch, I think they were not ill bestow'd; about which I have entertain'd Monsieur Beverning, who is of my mind, and have insinuated the same Notions among the German Ministers here, who swallow it greedily; and I hope it may take Effect, and help to free all these Parts of the Jealousie which so great an Army must needs give, as this Peace is like to leave idle upon the French Hands.

I intend to begin my Journey to Brussels to morrow, Monsieur Beverning gone to day; but I doubt I shall be five or six Days upon the Way, not knowing any thing now that presses me to more than ordinary Haste.

I received 600 l. owing me upon my Employment there before my coming a­way, and was very sorry to find by a Letter of my Wife's, that the Fear she had of my being dissappointed in that Particular, made her draw up a Memorial which it seems the Council was troubled with, about my private Concernments: I may very truly and justly disown it, as I do, and hope she will be pardoned for too forward a Care and Concernment in that business: For, as to the Charge of my Journey here, when your Lordship thinks fit to command it, I shall send you the ex­act Account which my Secretary keeps, of [Page 382] all I spend, and leave it in your Lordship's Hands, for His Majesty to do as he plea­ses in it; which is all the Trouble I shall give you or my self about it.

To my Lord Arlington.

YOur Lordship's of the first current, referred me to another I was to ex­pect by the following Post, with particu­lar Directions how to pursue the Suedish Affair here; But That being not yet arri­ved, I have hitherto been only able to make some general Diligences therein, to­gether with the Holland Deputy in a joynt Audience this Morning. The Marquis's Guard consisted chiefly in these Points; That what he had promised of sending Powers to the Count Molina, was in time of War, and with Intention of engaging Sueden with Us in the Affair. That the Peace has altered that Measure; and though he had full Powers to grant what he thought fit in the time of War, whose Accidents admitted not Recourse to Spain, [Page 387] yet he had not the same in time of Peace, but had written effectually upon this Sub­ject. That, in the mean time he expect­ed to know the Effect of this League, and see the Form of Guaranty it should pro­duce, with what Concert, and what Ad­vantages for the Affairs of these Countries, of which he had yet received no particular Account from the Count de Molina. That he did not understand why Spain should satisfie the Expence of those Months which the Suedes had kept up their Troops only at the Desire of Holland, and without any Reflections upon the Business of these Countries, which was from the time of the Conclusion at Breda to that of our League at the Hague, wherein Count Dona enter'd, and which seemed the first Instance of the Suedes concerning themselves in this Coun­try or Spain's Affairs.

The Holland Deputy press'd his Excel­lency hard upon his Promise, and his de­claring to Us, that he had sent his Powers to the Count Molina, pursuing him with Res non est integra, and, Mandatum non potest revocari, and such Civil Law Argu­ments, till it grew warm, and so not very proper for a Man in ill Health, nor in my Opinion, for the Business as it stands: So that I was fain to divert it upon my ex­pectation of new Powers and particular In­structions, [Page 388] by which I hoped to be able to give the Marquis satisfaction in the Project of the intended Guaranty.

This Morning arrived Sir John Trevor's Secretary, with Directions to bring the Business of the Ratifications to a Period, by carrying one from hence for Sureties sake, in case That from Spain should fail, which is expected upon the very Treaty signed at Aix; and withal to concert o­ther Circumstances in the manner of the Exchange, which is made very imperfect in the Treaty; that is, one to be delivered at St. Germains, and the other at Brussels. I carried the Secretary this Afternoon to the Marquis, and we have fallen upon this Agreement; That to morrow he shall re­turn for Paris with a Ratification upon the Treaty at Aix, and with Insertion of the same Powers; a blank now in the Marquis's Hands being to be filled up in that Form, and to be dated the 16th currant, which will answer a Possibility of a Post going to Madrid after the 2d. when the Treaty was signed at Aix, receiving this Ratification there, and returning to Paris by the 24th, the Day this Gentleman expects to arrive there.

For the Exchange, it shall be made at Paris, and by the Hands of our Ministers there, who shall deliver the Spanish Rati­fications, [Page 389] and at the same time receive the French, with which the Marquis is content, and will proceed to the publishing of the Peace, so soon as our Ministers are possest of the French Ratifications, which may afterwards be sent hither at leisure. The Day we propose for exchanging the Rati­fications is the 26th, and the 28th, for pub­lishing the Peace, in case we receive a Courier by that time with Advice of the French Concurrence in that Day.

For the Manner of executing the Treaty, I confess I was of Opinion, nothing should be mentioned of it till the Exchange and Publication were past, since new Difficul­ties may arise upon it, which will be easiest overcome when the Thing is done, and perhaps the Parties will have begun to dis­arm: The Marquis was of my Opinion in it, and therefore has proposed only in that Point, that after the Publication, Commissioners may be appointed on both sides to meet upon it, and the Media­tors desired by both Parties to intervene likewise by their Commissioners, for the better composing of any Difference that may arise between the Parties; and to whom the Adjudication of such Difference may be referred: The Place of meeting to be Oudenard or Courtray, as most commodious for adjudication [Page 390] of the Limits which may fall in Dispute. After this Matter thus digested, and Pro­mise of the Ratifications to be in my Hands to morrow by Noon; I came away with Sir John Trevor's Secretary; But the Marquis sent after me, to desire he might speak with me alone; And told me, he was to thank me for sparing him this Morning in Disputes he was falling into with the Holland Deputy; That in short, the Dutch had cross'd him in an Alliance he was making last Year with Sueden, because they would make them­selves Masters of the Affair; and now would buy the Suedes Dependance at the Cost of Spain. That he had all the Rea­son in the World to be satisfied with His Majesty's Conduct of this Affair, but little in the Dutch; That he knew no Reason why they should not pay what they had promised to Sueden after the Treaty of Breda, nor why all the Money Spain could spare should not be given His Majesty upon a nearer League between Us, who was the only Prince had proceeded affecti­onately and generously in the Spanish Af­fairs; and who was the best able to sup­port them in case he were in Condition to make War without his Peoples Purses: That he expected the Baron Isola sudden­ly here for Conclusion of the Guaranty, [Page 391] and this Affair with Sueden; And that at last, if it must be paid by Spain, it should be all laid in His Majesty's Hands to dispose of as he pleased. I gave his Excellency Thanks for Expressions so o­bliging in what concerned our Part in this whole Affair; But desired him to take it for a Ground in all the Superstructures to be made upon the present Foundations; That Spain must not disoblige Holland even to oblige Us, but dissemble any Resent­ments they had given him, and sacrifice them to the Advantage both We and Spain received by their present Separation from France. And so our Discourses ended, and we are returned into the same good Correspon­dence we were in before I went to Aix; which had been interrupted by some Let­ters I received from his Excellency there, and some I returned in the Style I thought they deserved: It being perhaps natural to the same Men, to be the least subject to do Injuries, and the least capable of recei­ving them; For it is easie enough to find Morals for the first, but Christianity e­nough for the last, I doubt is difficult.

To Sir John Temple.

THough I doubt our late Motions may have lost or delay'd some of your Letters, which we have now been some time in want of; yet I presume ours have had their constant Course to you, though from several Parts; And though mine have not been frequent, upon the [Page 402] Permission you give me to spare my own Eyes and Time when they are otherwise taken up, and trust to my Sister's enter­taining you: Yet upon my return home after three Years absence, I could not but give you some Account of my coming and stay here; and of what I can foresee is like to follow it, both as to my own Particular, and to the publique Affairs, in which That seems at present to be so much involved.

After the Conclusion of the Tripple Al­liance and the Peace of Aix, I was at an end of my Ambition; having seen Flan­ders saved as if it had been, by one of the Miracles, the House of Austria has, they say, been used to; and the general Inte­rests of Christendom secured against the Power and Attempts of France; and at the same time the Consideration and Honour of His Majesty and his Crown abroad, raised to a Degree it has not been in for some Ages past, and we had no reason to expect it should be in some Ages to come, upon the Decline it felt after the Business of Chattam, and the Peace of Breda that succeeded it. I returned from Aix to Brussels without other Thoughts than of continuing in that Station till I grew wea­rier of it than I was like to do very sud­denly of a Place, I confess I love; But [Page 403] immediately upon my Arrival there, I met with Letters from my Lord Arlington, which brought me the King's Orders to continue the Equipage of an Ambassador, that I was in, upon my Aix Journey, in order to my serving His Majesty in the same Character at the Hague, whether he was resolved to send me, and to renew upon occasion of our late Alliances, a Character, which the Crown of England had discontinued in that Country, since King James's Time. In order hereunto I was left at liberty to take my Leave of the Marquis, and to return into England as soon as I pleased, which I did by the Way of Holland, and left most of my Ser­vants and Horses at Utrecht.

Upon my Arrival here, I was received both by the King and Court a great deal better than I could deserve or pretend; But People seem generally pleased with the Councils and Negotiations, in which I have had so much Part since Christmas last; and I understand not Courts so ill (how little soever I have been used to them) as not to know, that one ought not to lose the Advantage of coming home with the common Opinion of some Merits or good Hitts at one's Back; if one's Business be de pousser sa Fortune; And I am put e­nough in mind of it upon this Occasion, [Page 404] by several of those many new Friends one would think I had at this time of Day, as well as by some of my old ones; But I cannot imagine why I should pretend to have deserved more than my Pay of the King, for which I served Him in my late Employments; and if I got Honour by them, 'twas so much more than I had to reckon upon. Besides, I should be sorry to ask Money of him at a time when for ought I can judge by the Cry of the Court, He wants it more than I do. The Spanish Ambassador and Baron d' Isola, as well as others of my Friends, would needs be ask­ing a Title for Me, and 'tis with difficulty enough that I have prevented it; But 'tis That I am sure I never can have a mind to, and if it should ever be offered me, I re­solve it shall either begin with you, if you desire it, or if not, with my Son, which I had much rather. But I suppose, no­thing of this can happen in our Court without Pursuit, and so I reckon my self in all these Points just where I was about six Months ago, but only designed for another Ambassy, and no Man knows how That will end. I am very much press'd to dispatch my Preparations for it, by my Lord Keeper and Lord Arlington, who are extream kind to Me, as well as to the Measures lately taken by their Ministry, [Page 405] and seem to value themselves a great deal upon them. They say, all the Business the King now has, both at home and a­broad, will turn upon my Hand in Hol­land, by keeping the French from break­ing in upon our late Alliances, and the Confidence between Us; and by drawing the Emperor and Princes of the Empire in­to a common Guaranty of the Peace; and thereupon they are mighty earnest with me to hasten away. On t'other side, the Commissioners of the Treasury seem to have more mind to my Company here than I could expect: For after some of them had tryed to hinder the King's Resolution, of sending either an Ambassador at all in­to Holland (upon Pretence of so long Dis­use of that Character) or Me in particu­lar; when That could not be carried, they prepared my Way by entring upon new Regulations in the Exchequer, among which, those concerning foreign Employ­ments, brought down the Equipage Mo­ney of Ambassadors from three thousand Pounds as it has been since the King came in, to fifteen hundred Pounds in France and Spain, and to one thousand Pounds in all other Courts; And their Allowance, from one hundred Pounds a Week to ten Pounds a Day in France and Spain, and to seven in other Places. Though this be [Page 406] pretended by the Commissioners as only a Piece of a general Scheme of Parsimony they find necessary in the present Condi­tion of the Revenue; Yet I understand it as calculated just at this Time particu­larly for Me; and my Lord Arlington con­fesses, he thinks it so too, and takes part in it as a piece of Envy or Malice to Himself as well as to Me, from some who are spighted at all, that has lately passed between Us and Holland, and at the Per­sons who have been at the Head of those Councils. For my part, I resent it not only as a Thing I have not deserved, upon an Employment cast wholly upon me by the King's Choice, and, as he seems to think, by the Necessity of his Affairs; but as that which I find plainly by the short Experience of my last Am­bassy, will not defray the Expence of a­nother, with any Honour to the King or my Self abroad; And though I do not pretend to make my Fortune by these Employments, yet I confess I do not pre­tend to ruin it neither. I have therefore been resolved several times absolutely to refuse this Ambassy, unless it be upon the Terms all others have had; But my Lord Arlington puts so much weight upon my going, that he will not hear of it: He says, 'tis That our good Friends would [Page 407] have, and intend by this Usage; and that I can no way disappoint them so much as by going, and that this Rule will be broken in three Months time: That I should not consider small matters of Mo­ney in the course of my Fortune, and that the King cannot fail of making mine at a Lump one time or other: That there is nothing I may not expect from him upon my return from this Ambassy; And that if His Majesty had not thought me of absolute Necessity to him in Holland up­on this Conjuncture, he had brought me now into Secretary Moris's Place, which upon my going abroad is designed for Sir John Trevor. My Lord Keeper is of the same mind, to have me by no means re­fuse it (as he says) neither for the King's sake nor my own; And your old Friend Sir Robert Long agrees with them both; and says, after a Year or two of this Ambassy, I cannot fail of being either Secretary of State, or sent Ambassador in­to Spain; which are both certain ways of making any Man's Fortune.

With all this, I confess I find it not very easie to resolve, and very much de­sire yours and my Brother's Opinion up­on it: And that you may the better give it me, I shall tell you one Circumstance [Page 408] which weighs a little with me, though not at all with my Friends here. They are all of Opinion, the Measures the King has lately taken cannot be broken nor al­tered, however they may be snarled at by some Persons, upon particular Envy or Interest; But I see plainly there are others of another Mind. Six Thomas Clifford said to a Friend of mine in Confidence, upon all the Joy that was here at the Con­clusion of the Tripple Alliance; Well, for all this Noise, we must yet have another War with the Dutch before it be long. And, I see plainly already, that He and Sir George Downing are endeavouring with all the Industry that can be, to engage the East-India Company here in such De­mands and Pretensions upon the Dutch, as will never be yielded to on that Side, and will encrease a Jealousie, they will ever have, of our unsteddy Councils, and of our leaving still a Door open for some new Offences when we shall have a mind to take them. On t'other side, the French will leave no Stone unturned, to break this Confidence between Us and Holland, which spoils all their Measures, and with­out which they had the World before them. If they can, they will undermine it in Holland by Jealousies of the Prince [Page 409] of Orange, or any other Artifice, and will spare neither Promises nor Threats. If I should be able to keep that Side stanch, they will spare none of the same Endea­vours here, and will have some good Helps that I see already, and may have others that do not yet appear. If by any of these Ways, or other Accidents, our present Measures come to change; I am left in Holland to a certain Loss, up­on the Terms they would send me, though I should be paid, but to a certain Ruin if I should not; which I may well expect from the good Quarter I may reckon upon from some in the Treasury; And when my Ambassy ends, I may find a new World here, and all the fine Things I am told of, may prove Castles in the Air: There is I know, a great deal to be said for my going, but on t'other Side, I am well as I am, and cannot be ruined but by such an Adventure as this. I beg of you to let me know your Opinion up­on the whole; And if I could have the Confidence, I should beg a great deal more earnestly that I might see you here, since I cannot get loose to wait on you there. Till I hear from you, I shall let the Talk and the Forms of my Embassy go on, and am confident, however they [Page 410] presume, yet I can spin out the Time of my going till about the End of August in hopes of seeing you here; which will be, I am sure, the greatest Satisfa­ction that can befal