grefs their Deputies for Foreign Affairs made a No- A. C. A Letter from the Elector of Bavaria, to the The Elector of Bava ria's Let THE IE Moft Chriftian King, Sir, finding that fame. O-ter to the vertures of Peace, which he had caus'd to be made in MarlboDuke of a private manner, inftead of producing the Effect of makrough. ing known his Difpofitions towards procuring a General Peace, have been look'd upon, by ill-defigning Perfons, as an Artifice to dif-unite the Allies, and make an Advantage of the Mifunderstanding that might be created among them; has refolv'd to fhew the Sincerity of his Intentions, by renouncing all fecret Negociations, and openly propofing Conferences, in which means may be found for re-establishing the Tranquillity of Europe. The moft Chriftian King is pleas'd to charge me to inform you of this, and to defire you to acquaiut the Queen of England with it. I give the like Notification, on the Part of the most Chriftian King, to the States General, by a Letter that I have written to their Field-Deputies; and he would do. the like with Regard to the other Potentates that are at War with him, had they Minifters near at hand, as you are, to receive the like Intimation; be having no Defign to exclude any of the faid Potentates from the Negocia tion that fall be begun in the Conferences he propofes. Moreover, for advancing a Good fo great and neceffary to Europe, which has too long fuffer'd the inevitable Cala 1 1706. A. C. mities of War, he confents that a Place may forthwith be chofen between the two Armies, and after their being feparated, between Mons and Bruffels, in which you, Sir, with whom the Interests of England are fo fafely entrusted, the Deputies which the States fhall please to nominate, and the Perfons whom the King of France hall impower, may begin to treat upon fo important an Affair. The D. of rough's I am extreamly pleas'd, Sir, to have fuch an Occafion to write you this Letter, being perfwaded it will leave no room to doubt of the Sentiments of his moft Chriftian Majefty, which may be fo benificial to all Europe. You will be glad to give an Account of it to the Queen of England, without Lofs of Time, and to whomfoever elfe you fall think fit: I fall expect your Anfwer, Sir, to acquaint the meft Chriftian King with it; and fhall be always ready, Sir, to do you Service. Mons, Oct. 21: 1706. Sign'd, M. Emanuel, Elector. The Anfwer from the Duke of Marlborough to the SIR, Answer. Having communicated to the Queen, my Miftrefs, what your Electoral Highness did me the Honour to write to me in your Letter of the 21ft of laft Month, of the Intention of the moft Chriftian King to endeavour to reeftablish the Tranquillity of Europe, by Conferences to be held for that Purpofe between Deputies on both fides; her Majefty has commanded me to answer your Electoral Highnefs, That as She has receiv'd with Pleafure this Notice of the King's Inclination to agree to the making of a folid and lafting Peace with all the Allies, being the fole End that oblig'd her Majefty to continue this War till now; fo She will be very glad to conclude it in concert with all Her Allies, on fuch Conditions as may fecure them from all Apprehenfions of being forc'd to take up Arms again after a fhort Interval, as has fo lately happen'd. Her Majesty is alfo willing I fhould declare, That She is ready to enter jointly with all the High Allies into just and necessary Measures for attaining to fuch a Peace, Her Majefty being refolv'd not to enter upon any Negociation without the Participation of Her faid Allies: But the Way of Conferences that is propos'd, without more particular Declarations on the Part of His moft Chriftian Majefty, does not Jeem to Her to be proper for obtaining a truly folid and lasting Peace. The States General are of the fame O pinion a pinion: Wherefore your Electoral Highness will rightly A. C. judge, that other more folid means must be thought on to 1706. attain fo great an End, to which Her Majesty will contribute with all the Sincerity that can be wish'd, having nothing fo much at Heart as the Relief of Her Subjects, and the Tranquillity of Europe. Your Electoral Highness will always do me the Justice to be perfwaded of the Ref pet with which I have the Honour to be, &c. I Hague, Nov. 20. 1706. A Letter from the Elector of Bavaria to the Field- The Elector Bava ria's Let ter to the Doubt not, Gentlemen, but you are inform'd of the Diff pofitions which the most Chriftian King as intimated for a Year past, by different Ways, according as. Opportu- Field Denities have offered, to put an End to the War which for puties of Several Years has afflicted the greatest Part of Europe.the States. The most Christian King has done this with a fincere Intention to forward the Conclufion of a folid and lasting Peace. In the mean time the Perfons who acted herein having done it fecretly, because they were not authoriz'd to act otherwife, thofe who are not inclin'd to Peace have mifinterpreted thefe firft Proceedings, and reprefented them as a Defign formed to feparate the States General from the Allies, in order afterwards to make an Advantage of their Difunion. Such a Defign is too much contrary" to his most Christian Majesty's real Intentions, to fuffer: them to be any longer fufpected: Wherefore he has deter mined to propofe, that Conferences may forthwith be open'd, in which thofe whom he shall empower may, together with thofe who fhall be empowered by the Queen of England, and the States General, feek the means of concluding a lasting Peace. He has caufed the fame Declaration to be made to the Duke of Marlborough by a Perfon of Trust,'' to whom I have explained his Sentiments, that he may inform his Grace; And 'tis with Pleafure I difcharge the Comiffion he has given me to tell you, Gentlemen, that being perfoaded of your good Will to contribute to fo great a Good, he would be very glad that the States General fhould empower you to affist at the Conferences pro pos'd, which he confonts may be held injuch Place as fhall be judg'd convenient, between the Twp Armies for the Time they keep the field, and afterwards between Bruffels and Mons. I defer you to inform the States General of these Difpofities of the most Christian King, to A. C. to which I hope theirs will be conformable, for the Quiet and Good of Christendom. I expect their Answer by you; and am, Gentlemen, wholly yours. 1706. The States Answer. Mons, Oct. 21. 1706. Sign'd M. Emanuel Elector, Answer to the Elector of Bavaria's Letter, by the Deputies of their High Mightineffes. My Lord, Y Our Electoral Highness having done us the Honour to acquaint us, by your Letter of the zift of October last, with the Intentions of his Moft Chriftian Majefty to forward the Conclufion of a folid and lafting Peace, by propofing the fending of Deputies on both Sides to fome Place between the two Armies, or after their being foparated, between Mons and Bruffels, to enter upon Conferences on fo important a Subject; we did not fail to impart it immediately to the States General Tour Electoral Highness having made the fame Overture to the Prince and Duke of Marlborough, their High Mightineffes did not think fit we should return you an Answer before the faid Prince and Duke had his Anfwer from England: This is the Reason why we have not done it fooner. At present their High Mightineffes have order'd us to acquaint your Electoral Highness, that they have receiv'd with great Pleafure the Affurances you give them of the fincere Defire of his Moft Chriftian Majefty to feek Means to attain, as foon as may be, to a folid and lafting Peace with all the Allies. 'Tis juft fuch a Peace that they wish for and defire. All who know the Inclinations and Interefts of their Republick will cafily agree to this: Nor would this State ever have enter'd into the War, could they have maintain'd the Peace with fome Security. Your Electoral Highness knows with how much Care and Sincerity their High Mightineffes have labour'd for that Purpose; but as thofe Efforts proving ufelefs, they were, conftrain'd to take Arms, together with their High Allies, for the Defence of their Liberty and the Publick Safety; fo they will be very glad to lay them down, as foon as pof fible, when they can do it to the Satisfaction of all their Allies, and on fuch Conditions as may give reasonable Grounds to hope, they shall not be obliged to take them up again after a fhort Interval of Time, of which the Examples and foort Continuance of former Treaties of Peace make them apprehenfive. In the mean time their High Mightineffes are ready to enter, jointly with their Alliess into all juft and neceffary Ways that may lead to a gene- A. C. ral Peace: But that of the Conferences propos'd, without 1706. a more particular Declaration of his moft Chriftian Majefty's Intentions, does not appear to them to be proper for the End propos'd; nor has it appeared to be foto Her Majefty the Queen of Great Britain, no fuch fufficient Overture having yet been made to them, as they could think ought to be communicated to their Allies, well knowing they would find no Satisfaction therein. Wherefore more proper means must be thought of for attaining this great End, in which their High Might ineffes will concur when they fhall fee a better profpect of it; the Sincerity of their Defires of Peace being fufficiently known. We have the Honour to acquaint your Electoral Highness with their Sentiments, and to affure you, that we are, with very much Respect, Hague, Nov.19.1706. My Lord, Your Electoral Highness's moft After the Reading of thefe Pieces, the Deputies of the States made a Speech to the Congrefs, purfuant to the Inftructions contain'd at large in the following Paper : An Extract of the Refolution of their High Mightineffes Refolutions the States General of the United Provinces of the ofthestates Netherlands. General about the Propofals of Friday, Nov. 19. 1706. Effieurs Tullecken and others,. Deputies of Peace made 'their High Mightineffes for Foreign Af. by France. fairs, reported to the Affembly, That Meffieurs Van Collen and Cuper, two of their High Mightineffes Field-Deputies, did in a Letter directed to the Regifter Fagel, dated the 24th of October last, fend one from the Elector of Bavaria, dated the 21ft of the fame Month, written to their High Mightineffes Field-Deputies, and delivered to the 'faid Meffieurs Van Collen and Cuper, who only were then with the Army; by which Letter the Elector of Bavaria propofes, in the Name of the moft Chriftian King, the holding of Conferences in fome Place |