may hope to see the public tranquillity restored; or whether the preparations of war are to be renewed.

"This, sir, is what the most christian king has communicated to the king, my master, and which his majesty has commanded me to impart to you. He does in no manner pretend to prescribe rules to your majesty, since your prudence will best judge what is most for your glory and interest; but however he thinks these proposals deserve a serious consideration. And, because there is no mention made of England, the king, my master, has made it already his business to incline the most christian king not to insist upon that which might put a stop to the general peace. In the mean time, the king, my master, thinks it necessary that, in order to advance a work so profitable and beneficial to all EuTope, a negotiation be set on foot; and his majesty is the more confirmed in this opinion by reason the winter will soon be over; and that it is to be feared, lest by delaying till the next campaign, an opportunity be given to France either of enlarging her conquests, or by a powerful irruption into Germany, and the superiority of her forces, to divide the confederacy; which would give a just pretence to that crown of recalling the offers she has already made, and render a peace very difficult, if not altogether impossible. The king, my master, does not only offer to become guarantee with all the princes and potentates that will concur with him, but likewise to unite himself, in particular, with your majesty, by a most strict and indissoluble alliance.

"Upon the whole matter, the king, my master, is persuaded that nobody has more reason to contribute to this peace than your majesty, since it will confirm to

:

you the glory and advantages you have gained during the war; and will besides make Europe to be eternally beholden to your majesty for the peace she groans after, If your majesty thinks that there is any thing defective in relation to the security of the peace, or that wants to be either altered or explained, the king, my master, engages to procure to your majesty all the satisfaction imaginable and if you are pleased to confide in his mediation, he will manage it to your majesty's entire satisfaction. Lastly, the king, my master, has commanded me to assure your majesty, that being upon several accounts concerned in the prosperity of your royal family, he will, to the utmost of his power, promote its interest and advantage; and desires your majesty to be persuaded that all the advances he has made in this af fair have no other aim, and are grounded on no other principle.

Had the mediation of the king of Denmark, thus handsomely and liberally offered, been fortunately accepted, the war might probably have been shortened some years in its duration; as there is every reason to believe that peace might have been at this time obtained, upon as good, or better terms than those it was afterwards concluded upon at Ryswick, A. D. 1697. But the confederacy had not yet relinquished the hope of humbling the pride and power of France; and experience only could teach them the necessity of lowering the tone of their demands, as they became gradually and reluctantly convinced of the vanity of their too sanguine expectations. From this æra, however, France seemed anxious not to inflame the resentment of the

confederate powers, by aiming at new conquests; and during the remaining years of the war, she stood merely upon the defensive, in the grand scene of action in the Low-countries: and her efforts were.chiefly exerted in Spain and Italy, with a view to compel the courts of Madrid and Turin to acquiesce in her propositions for peace; without entertaining any wish or design to retain her conquests beyond the Alps or the Pyrenees.

600

MANIFESTOES

OF

KING JAMES,

RELATIVE TO

THE PEACE OF RYSWICK,

A. D. 1697.

DURING the negotiations at Ryswick, king James published two manifestoes; the first addressed to the catholic, the second to the protestant powers of Europe, filled with extravagant assertions and querulous complaints, to which no sort of regard was paid by either, They were, however, for a time viewed in a serious light by the court of London, and a very able and excellent answer was, in consequence, drawn up under the immediate inspection and special direction of king William himself. But upon being apprized that to answer the manifestoes in question, would be only to give them that sort of credit which they did not at present possess, the design was dropped. In order that the pains bestowed upon the answer might not, however, be wholly lost, it was thrown into a new form and published, after a considerable interval, not in the name of the king, but as the reply of a private individual.* The manifestoes of James are very long and tedious, but a few extracts

* Ralph, vol. ii. p. 730.

from them may be of use, as well to exhibit a specimen of the spirit in which they are written, as to introduce with propriety and effect the answer of William.

The abdicated monarch begins his FIRST memorial with acknowledging his apprehensions that truth itself might not prevail against the prejudices of the times, but he could no longer conceal the reasons which ought to induce the catholic powers to contribute to his reestablishment, without failing in his duty to God, to himself, his son, and his people. He ascribes all his sufferings to his religion, which was no sooner discovered, says he, but it gave rise to the persecution against him. His government he declares to have been so just and moderate as to procure him the affection and esteem of all good men. Yet no sooner did the prince of Orange set foot in England, than the greatest part of the nation revolted; and he was abandoned and betrayed by his oflicers, his domestics, and even his own children. And the princes, his confederates, drove his ministers from their courts, and treated his majesty as a declared enemy. Every body knew that, by the fundamental laws of England, the kings of England were answerable for their actions to none but God alone; that, however, his majesty had done nothing but what had the sanction of those laws, and the approbation of the twelve judges.

That there was a defensive alliance subsisting between him and the states general, which he had never violated; whereas the states, instead of assisting him against every invader, had enabled the prince of Orange to invade their dominions, while Van Citters, their minister

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