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Travendal had by no means accomodated. Some thought Will.III. the duke of Savoy under engagements at Vienna; but it feems 1700. moft

it perfectly cleared up, that there is no alteration in the intention of the king my mafter. The bufinefs was proposed to the States of the province of Holland, as to those, who were the most interested in it; for it was not apprehended, that any obftacles should be met with elsewhere, if the confent of that province was had. That was alfo the best way to make the fecret of this affair lefs apt to be divulged.

Sir, If it has been reprefented to you, that the king my matter might have made ufe of the credit he has with the States, to caufe this treaty to be concluded; I will own, that the king has a great deal of credit in that country. But this credit does always conform itself to the manners and cuftoms of the country; and, tho' the States had found no objection, the bu finefs could not have been ended without the consent of every city, which could not be had in lefs time than a month or three weeks, as the penfionary and the earl of Portland have given count Tallard to underftand. But, whilft his orders did not give him leave to wait for the conclufion of the affair, the king my matter hopes, that your majefty will renew your orders to Monfieur de Tallard, or will fend orders to Monfieur de Bonrepos, to endeavour to remove all obftacles, that fo the project of the treaty may have its effect.

The French king's answer..

I own I was a little fuprized, that the affair was not finished at the expiration of the time, and before the king your mafter did fet out for England. I am fatisfied with the affurances, which you now give me from him, that he continues ftill in the fame intention; and I hope he will still continue to contribute all he can with the States. As for me, I am ftill of the fame mind, and I act with the fame fincerity. I will foon fend monfieur de Tallard with the neceffary inftructions.. "That the

When I faid, "reafon the States of Holland

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were not fooner acquainted "with it, was, that it could "not be proposed to them, till "it was known, whether the "Imperialits would come in or "no" the king faid, "They "have had time enough given "them, and even too much.” As to count Tallard's having orders to come away, the king took no notice of it, nor that he had been informed of every step. Upon my faying, "Monfieur "Tallard has been informed of "all that has been done in this "affair, and has even feen all "the letters, which Mr. Hop

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Will.III. moft probable, that he refolved to defer making terms for 1700. himself, till the treaty took place; and was not without

repos had any orders, faying, "That the king my mafter is "defirous that your majefty "fhould be informed by mon"fieur Tallard, or monfieur "de Bonrepos, of all that paf“ses; and even the States will "always have a great regard " for all that comes from your "majesty." The king anfwered, "In this affair I confi"ded only in monfieur de Tal"lard; and I know very well, "that the king your mafter has "more credit than I in Hol"land on this occafion." When I faid, "That the king had recommended it to the care of "the pensionary, and that we "hoped, that the difficulties were fuch as might be fur"mounted." The king anfwered, "That he hoped fo

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too; and that he imagined, "that fomebody would come "from the States into England; "and that the treaty would be "figned there." The king faid alfo, "As you know, I have it "under the hand of the king 66 your mafter, as he has it un"der mine." Then I faid, "I "have alfo, Sir, particular or"ders to tell your majefty from "the king, that as he had "acted on this occafion with "an open heart, and with all

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hopes,

"master, that I will do the "fame."

Mr. Prior fet out on the faid 15th of November 1699, with this account of the audience, for London.

The earl of Manchester, to the earl of Jersey.

Paris, Nov. 21, 1699.

The fame day Mr. Prior left this place, I went to Versailles, and had my audiences, where paffed what is ufual on fuch oc cafions. The king expreffed himfelf in very obliging terms, mentioning the great defire he had to continue the good cor refpondence, that was now fo well established ; and that he did again repeat to me what he had formerly affured me of, &c. I made monfieur de Torcy a vifit, where I took occafion to dif courfe of what had paffed in my private audience. I knew he expected it, and was alfo willing to find out his fenfe of the mat. ter. He faid, That the king had acquainted him with it: That I had fully explained the whole proceeding to his majefty: That monfieur de Tallard was to fet out on Monday next. He did ftill seem to infift on the great credit our king had with the States, and, laughing, faid, he wondered I fhould leffen it. I told him, I did own the States had always fhewn a great regard to every thing that was propofed by his majefty: That the affurances I had given

hopes, that, upon the emperor's refufal, he should be no- Will.III. minated the next. The Swifs cantons, being applied to, de- 1700.

this king, were, that he had recommended it, and would continue to do it; fo that nothing would be wanting on his part: That though there were great hopes of a good conclufion, yet, till it was agreed to by the States, it was more than could be faid, that they would certainly do it. On the whole, I find the court impatient till it is done, by faying, No time was to be loft: That the king of Spain's life was very uncertain: That, by the laft account they had, he was ill again. I waited on monfieur de Tallard this morning, and his discourse was much the fame. He gave me to understand, that, though monfieur de Bonrepos would feem to be concerned in this affair, he was not: That he hoped to find all things ready at his return into England, which would be on Saturday next: That he had all the duty imaginable for the king: That his intentions were and always would be, to endeavour to continue a good underftanding between our mafters. To which I replied, as was proper on fuch an occafion," I "hope monfieur de Tallard will "be fo just as to give it the "fame turn in England he does " here."

The earl of Manchester to the lord chancellor Sommers.

Paris, Dec. 8, 1699. As to the affair that paffed in Holland this fummer, I cannot fee why the States fhould make

.clined

any difficulty, fince the year before they did agree to a propofal of that nature; and the fame reafon does ftill continue, unlefs they were defirous to fee firft the fuccefs of their tariff there, which was yesterday settled and exchanged.

The house of Auftria will never agree to any thing till it is too late. Besides, they think our interefts is fo much concerncd, that we fhall at all times procure them fome conditions ; and, on the other fide, the fear they have of difobliging Spain makes them fo very cautious, as not to come into any propofal whatever. I must confefs, I am impatient to fee the conclufion of this matter. For, in cafe it has not the effect we always propofed, I shall be sorry it has gone fo far: and I know this court will be much diffatisfied with us, and may be with fome reafon. All I have acted in it has fucceeded as was defired,

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WILLIII clined giving their guaranty. In fhort, of all the princes, 1700. to whom it was communicated, not one appears to have come into it, but the king of Portugal.

the occafon, but I fancy it is fomething in relation to the counters of Berlips. All lind was, that I was afored, that the king my mater would contribate all he could to bring that matter to a good concision. He anfwered, that the king was fully fatisfed of it.

Count Zinzendorf had in an dience of the sing this day, have ing just received a courier with the news, that the queen of the Romans was brought to bed of a daughter. The king told him, as he is, in a very obliging manner, that he had given or ders to monteur de Villars to take his acdience of the Arcaduke in the manner the empefor fhould think it. So that at present this court feems denrous to oblige the emperor as much as they can.

The

would produce a new war in Earope, in cafe thote measures, that were propoied, were not fri agreed to. I could give him no other aníwer, than that I believed he was fatisfied nothing would be wanting on the king my mater's part; and that I believed monfèur de Tallard was acquainted with what paffed. He faid he believed not; for that he had asked an au dence of the king, but could not have it, by reason the king was to go to Hampton-Court; and that at that time there ar rived three pots from Holland, I told him, that I did not doubt bet monteur de Tallard had told him how eaty of accefs the king was: that I had seen him fpeak to the king about business, even without fo mach as asking an audience, or acquainting the fecretary of State with it. I

The earl of Mancheffer to the faid, as for myself, that I thought

earl of Jeriey.

Paris, Dec. 31, 1699.

I never fee monfieur de Torcy, but he speaks to me of the great affair. On Tueiday lait I was there; I found him appearing a little more concerned: he faid, that matters were fill under fuch uncertainties, that they could rot tell what to depend on : That he did not find that this a fair was any way advanced: That the king of Spain had been indifpofed again fince his return to Madrid, and might die of a fudden, which probably

if monteur de Tallard had not left Holland fo fcon, it might have facilitated this affair. To which monfieur de Torcy anfwered, that they had nothing to do with the States, having only treated with the king of England: That monfieur de Bonrepos was come to Paris, fo that they had no ambaffador there, feeming to infift very much on this point, that it was not in the least their business: That feveral months were paffed fince the time they had reafon to believe this matter would have been finished, &c. I cannot tell but he expected fome

15

The two princes more immediately concerned in its opera- Will.III. tion, viz. the emperor, and king of Spain, loudly declared

light from me, or it may be monfieur de Tallard is uneafy, and has made them fo. I found by monfieur de Tallard, the night before he went from hence, that he thought by Christmas this matter would certainly be ended. He faid,

against

1700.

State of the court of

Torcy has received by an ex- Vienna.
prefs a letter from monfieur de
Tallard, of the 30th of Decem-
ber, N. S. which is two days
fresher than ours. He feemed
much better fatisfied than the
time before.

of Manchefter.

I

229

in cafe it had a good conclufion, The earl of Jersey to the earl
he should be very glad to stay in
England; if not, he hoped he
fhould be recalled, and fome
other fhould be fent. It may
be, that this court was of the
fame opinion; and that, find-
ing the contrary, it makes them
doubtful of what the fuccefs will
be. Monfieur de Torcy never-
thelefs did not feem to make
any doubt; he only faid, that
in cafes of this nature, time was
not to be loft.

Whitehall, Jan. 11, 1700. The great affair is come to a good conclufion; the province of Holland, having confented to it, except fome little referve, which will be of no confequence. Your excellency will be pleafed, as you may occafionally difcourfe with monfieur de Torcy, to let him know this; which may prevent any thing, that Tallard may reprefent

The earl of Manchester to the otherwife, on this fubject.

earl of Jersey.

Paris, Jan. 6, 1700.

I am in hopes the grand affair goes on well, fince monfieur de Torcy, difcourfing yesterday with me, as he generally does, told me, that the penfionary of Holland had told monfieur de Bonrepos, that the province of Zealand had given their confent; and, there being fince fome time paft, it is hoped we fhall foon know the fuccefs; which will make this court eafy. Monfieur de Torcy pretends, they have propofals of treaties from all parts, but that the king does much more defire and feek that with the king of England than any other. Monfieur de

The earl of Manchester to the
earl of Jersey.

Paris, Jan. 27, 1700.
I was yesterday with mon-
fieur de Torcy; who had re-
ceived an exprefs from monfieur
de Tallard, with news, That
the affair was concluded: That
the only difference that remain-
ed, at prefent, was, That the
States would have their part
figned in Holland; and mon-
fieur de Torcy did not well
know how this could be done,
the French king having no mi-
nifter there. I found monfieur
de Torcy very well pleafed ;
and, in cafe that matter is not
otherwife agreed on, I could

per

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