[The following is printed from the original.] Count Volkra's Declaration, 1716, about the Trade in the Auftrian Netherlands. Milord, VOUS m'avez témoigné qu'on fe plaint ici des contraventions à l'article 26. du Traité de la Barrière; et j'ai eu l'honneur de vous communiquer ce que Monfieur le Comte de Kinigsegg a répondu là-deffus. Je puis vous déclarer outre cela, qu'on fe tiendra à l'avenir exactement à l'obfervation du fufdit article 26. du Traité de la Barrière, du 15 Novembre, 1715, et à la convention de Londres, du 26 Juillet, 1715, comme encore à la déclaration du 14 Novembre, 1715; à favoir, qu'on louera les droits fur la petite draperie d'Angleterre, fur le pied des gros draps, fuivant la diminution exprimée dans la fufdite convention de Londres, fans aucune altération, jusques à ce qu'on en fera convenu autrement entre l'Empereur et le Roi nos maîtres; mais que pourtant les marchands donneront caution de payer le furplus, fi l'affaire fera ainfi déterminée entre les deux refpectives Cours. J'efpére, Milord, que vous ferez avancer, fans plus m. de delai, l'emprunt de 200 piéces, felon la convention faite là-deffus, en vous affurant que Je fuis, avec une très-parfaite eftime, Milord, Votre très-humble et très-obéiffant ferviteur, Londres, ce 1716. Aout, Le Comte Volkra. [The [The following is printed from the copy which was published by authority in 1718.] The Treaty of Alliance for fettling the Public Peace, figned at London, 22 July GEORGE, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, Duke of Brunswick and Lunenburg, Arch-Treasurer of the Holy Roman Empire, and Prince Elector, &c. To all and fingular, to whom these presents shall come, greeting. Whereas a certain treaty, containing as well the conditions of peace to be made between the Emperor of the Romans and the King of Spain, and between the faid Emperor and the King of Sicily, as the terms of a mutual alliance made between us and our good brother the faid Emperor of the Romans, and our good brother the moft Chriftian King, and our good friends the High and Mighty Lords the States General of the United Provinces of the Netherlands, by Plenipotentiaries on both fides fufficiently furnished with orders and authority for the fame, in our city of London, the twenty-fecond day of July last past, O. S. has been concluded and figned in the form and words following: In the Name of the moft Holy and undivided Trinity. Be it known to all whom it doth concern, or may any way concern. Whereas the most Serene and moft Potent Prince, George, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Duke of Brunswick and Lunenburgh, Elector of the Holy Roman Empire, &c. and the moft Serene and most Potent Prince, Lewis the Fifteenth, the most Christian King, &c. as likewife the High and Mighty States General of the United Provinces of the Netherlands, being continually intent on preferving the bleffing of peace, have duly confidered, that however, by the triple alliance concluded by them on the 4th of January, 1717, their own kingdoms and provinces VOL. I. S were were provided for, yet that the provifion was neither fo general nor fo folid, as that the public tranquillity could long flourish and last, unless at the fame time the jealoufies which were still increafing between fome of the Princes of Europe, as perpetual occafions of variance, could be removed: and being convinced by experience from the war kindled the last year in Italy, for the timely extinguishing whereof, by a treaty made in the year 1718, they agreed amongst themselves upon certain articles of pacification, according to which a peace might be brought about and established between his Sacred Imperial Majefty and the King of Spain; as likewife between his faid Imperial Majefty and the King of Sicily; and farther gave a friendly invitation to his Imperial Majefty, that, out of his love for the public peace and quiet, he would receive and approve the faid articles of convention in his own name, and accordingly that he himself would accede to the treaty made by them, the tenor of which is as followeth. Conditions of Peace between his Imperial Majefty and his Royal Catholic Majesty. 1. For quieting the disturbances lately raised contrary to the peace of Baden, concluded the 7th of September, 1714, as likewise to the neutrality established for Italy by the treaty of the 14th of March, 1713. the moit Serene and most Potent King of Spain obliges himself to reftore to his Imperial Majefty, and accordingly fhall immediately, or at the fartheft after two months, to be reckoned from the exchange of the ratifications of this prefent treaty, actually restore to his faid Imperial Majefty the island and kingdom of Sardinia, in the condition wherein he feized it, and fhall renounce, in favour of his Imperial Majefty, all rights, pretenfions, interefts, and claims upon the faid kingdom; fo that his Imperial Majefty fully and freely, and in the manner which he judges beft, out of his love to the public good, may difpofe of it as of his own property. II. Whereas II. Whereas the only method which could be found out for fixing a durable balance in Europe was judged to be this, that it should be an established rule that the kingdoms of France and Spain fhould never go together, or be united in one and the fame perfon, or in one and the fame line, and that thofe two monarchies fhould henceforward for ever remain feparate; and whereas for confirming this rule, fo neceffary for the public tranquillity, thofe Princes, to whom the prerogative of birth might have given a right of fucceeding in both kingdoms, have folemnly renounced one of those two kingdoms for themselves and all their pofterity; fo that this feparation of the two monarchies has paffed into a fundamental law in the general affembly commonly called Las Cortes, which was received at Madrid the 9th of November, 1712, and consolidated by the treaties of Utrecht, the 11th of April, 1713; his Imperial Majefty, being willing to give the utmost perfection to fo neceffary and wholesome a law, to take away all ground of fufpicion, and to promote the public tranquillity, doth accept and agree to those things which were done, ratified, and established in the treaty of Utrecht, with regard to the right and order of fucceffion to the kingdoms of France and Spain, and doth renounce, as well for himself, as for his heirs, defcendants, and fucceffors, male and female, all rights, and all and every pretenfion whatfoever, not one in the leaft excepted, on any kingdoms whatsoever, dominions, and provinces of the Spanish monarchy, whereof the Catholic King was acknowledged to be the rightful poffeffor by the treaty of Utrecht, and will caufe to be made out in due form accordingly folemn acts of renunciation, which he will caufe to be published and registered in the proper courts, and promises that he will exhibit the ufual inftruments thereupon to his Catholic Majefty, and to the contracting Powers. III. By virtue of the faid renunciation, which his Imperial Majefty has made out of regard to the fecu S 2 rity rity of all Europe; and in confideration likewise that the Duke of Orleans has for himself, and for his defcendants, renounced all his rights and claims upon the kingdom of Spain, on condition that neither the Emperor, nor any of his defcendants, fhall ever fucceed to the faid kingdom; his Imperial Majefty doth acknowledge Philip the Fifth to be lawful King of Spain and of the Indies, and doth promife to give him the titles and prerogatives belonging to his dignity and his kingdoms and moreover, he will allow him, his defcendants, heirs, and fucceffors, male and female, peaceably to enjoy all thofe dominions of the Spanish monarchy in Europe, the Indies, and elsewhere, the poffeffion whereof was allowed to him by the treaties of Utrecht, nor will he directly or indirectly disturb him in the faid poffeffion at any time, nor will he claim to himself any right to the faid kingdoms and provinces. IV. In return for the renunciation and acknowledgment made by his Imperial Majefty in the two foregoing articles, the Catholic King, as well in his own, as in the name of his heirs, defcendants, and fucceffors, male and female, doth renounce in favour of his Imperial Majefty, his fucceffors, heirs, and defcendants, male and female, all rights and claims whatsoever, none in the leaft being excepted, upon all and every the kingdoms, provinces, and dominions, which his Imperial Majefty doth poffefs in Italy or the Netherlands, or may accrue to him by virtue of this prefent treaty; and he doth wholly abdicate all rights, kingdoms, and provinces in Italy, which heretofore belonged to the Spanish monarchy, amongst which the marquifate of Final, yielded by his Imperial Majesty to the republic of Genoa in the year 1713, is undertood to be exprefsly comprehended, and he will caufe to be made out accordingly folemn acts of renunciation in due form, which he will caufe to be published and registered in the proper courts, and promises that he will exhibit the ufual inftruments thereupon to his Inperial Majefty and the contracting Powers. His Ca |