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"an affair of fuch confequence to both of them." In this Will. III. anfwer the Imperial court perfifted with little variation, ex- 1700.

would cause no difputes: As, 1. That the duke is not to quit Lorrain till he is in poffeffion of Milan. 2. That Milan fhould go to his heirs and family, as Lorrain now does. 3. That the dauphin fhould renounce all his claim. 4. That they would not agree with the emperor 'till the inveftiture from him was fettled, if neceffary, in relation to Milan. Monfieur de Tallard has a copy of this project; and, when it is figned, which will be very foon, it will be neceffary, that the king and the statesgeneral fhould fign an act to confirm the fame. Monfieur de Villars has communicated the treaty to the emperor, who declared in general terms, that he was very much inclined to the peace of Europe. By the couriers, which he was to fend eight days after, he will explain that matter further. Monfieur de Torcy fays, they have an anfwer from the French ambaffador at Rome, and the pope feems to approve of the treaty. After this he faid, it would be very convenient, England and France fhould always act in concert in the affairs of Europe; and let fall fome words, as if he understood there was a treaty on foot between England, the Emperor, Denmark, and Poland; That the Danish minifters had made feveral offers in England, &c. I told him, I thought there was nothing of that nature, and it was not very likely, becaufe we fent our fleet to affift Sweden, which was in a manner de

cept

claring against Denmark and Poland: That I fuppofed their minifter here had made propofals to this court, at least it was faid fo. But, fince the affurances he had given me, that no alliance or treaty fhould be made with them, till matters were compofed, without communicating it to the king my mafter, I was intirely fatisfied, and I hoped he would be fo likewife, reports of this nature being generally fpread to create mifunderstandings.

The fecret treaty of 1668, was figned by the father of count Averfperg, who is now with you. The emperor then confented, that France should have Naples and Sicily, all Flanders, and the Philippine islands. Count Zinzendorf fays he was banifhed for that reafon.

The earl

of Manchester to the earl of Jersey.

Paris, June 9, 1700.

The courier, which monfieur de Villars was to fend back from Vienna eight days after his arrival, is come back, Monfieur de Villars writes, that he had difcourfed with count Caunitz; that he was preffed to ftay fome days before he fent back the courier; that, when they found he could not do it, they let him know, that the emperor would, in ten days time, give him a pofitive anfwer; and that he would not take any measures with Spain;

B 3

and

Will. III. cept that their refufals became ftronger and fharper, the more 1700. they were preffed; and fometimes they pretended, what they could

and they believed it would be
fuch an answer, as he would
think worth fending by another
exprefs. So they think here,
this matter is in a good way.
He told me further, that the
duke of Lorrain defired an ex-
planation concerning the fove-
reignty of Bich, which, by the
treaty, is to go to the prince of
Vaudemont; that the duke had
reasons to think he had no right
to it at prefent, and therefore
whatever he figned thould not
prejudice his title, till the treaty
took place. This we have al-
lowed him, and they underfand
that the prince of Vandement is
to have the fovereignty, when
the exchange is mile Moa-
Lear de Torcy took notice to
me again, that the French king
would att in noting without
confulting the king, and he ip
poted he was fully fisted of it,
and that he approved of what
had been done. I thought it
proper to fire him of it, &c.
It is certain, the credit and re-
putation of the king was never
10 great here,
is rox.
Thigh I as never be per-
faded dey love him.

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the Spanish fucceffion makes a great noife in the world. If the emperor be pleated. it is no great matter what others fay or do.

Mr. Paul Methuen to Mr. Abraham Stanyan.

Libon. Jane 15, 1700.

We are likely to have a more befy fcene of affairs than has been ufual; for, the last day of May, there arrived a courier in eleven days from Verfailles to the French ambaffador; which is an extraordinary diligence. The day after his arrival, the ambañador defired a fecret audilace of the king, which being granted, he remained an hour in private with him, no body being in the room but the king and himself; during which he fhewed him the treaty in French, that was figned by the ears of Portland and Jerfey, count de Tallard, count de Brierd, and eight Dutch plenipotentaries, for the dividing the Spanih monarchy between the sichuke and the dauphin, if the king of Spain fhould die without any children. After he had thewed the treaty, and explained the contents of it, he made a speech to invite him into it, fetting out his master's great kindness fhewed to the king of Portugal on this occafion, in

Mt. James Cube to the earl of giving him fo fudden notice of

Bi-Xag, Tate 14, 1700,
The be leage concerning

what concerned to nearly the interest of this kingdom. The ambafador received no answer from the king at his audience;

fo

could not believe, that Charles II was in a fair way of reco- Will.III. very, and might have pofterity of his own. This was the 1700.

fo he dispatched back the courier to give his mafter an account, that he had obeyed his orders; and four days after he fent one of his fervants poft with the answer he received from the duke of Cadaval, his commiffary, which was, that, this being a business of great confequence, it required fome time to confider of it; and that in the mean time the king returned his mot Chriftian majefty thanks for this particular demonftration of his kindness, and affured him, that no body could defire more earneftly than he, whatfoever was for the good and peace of Chriftendom. By this anfwer it feems probable, that the king of Portugal will not take any refolution of being comprehended in the treaty, until he fees what the emperor does; and that, in order to it, he will wait for count Wallenftein, who has been fome time at Madrid, and is expected here in a few days, the king's barges being already gone to wait for him on the other fide of the river.

The earl of Manchester to the earl of Jersey.

Paris, Jan. 16, 1700. I find the French defign very foon to communicate the treaty in all parts, as monfieur de Torcy fays, fince England fays there is no occafion of deferring it, especially in thofe parts of Germany, where the king has no ministers; but, where he has, it is neceffary they should all

language

act at the fame time. The French intend and think it convenient to do it to the prince of Heffe-Darmstadt and the duke of Saxe-Gotha, who were forgot. As for the electors of Hanover and Bavaria, they leave that to us, the elector of Hanover not being yet owned as fuch by this court. The French minifter at Mantua is to have orders to communicate it there and at Parma, &c. And they have given their order for Turin. The duke of Lorrain has not yet figned, though he pretends he will. He has called a council of twelve perfons, fince which he has defired many explanations from this court to what concerns his own country, that fo they may have the fame privileges when under France. Some are allowed, but he defires alfo not to be a guarantee of the treaty, which defire is of fuch a nature, that it cannot be agreed to. We fhall foon find, whether all this is not to gain time, and to fee what the emperor will do.

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F

Wiil.III. language of their public memorials; but the counts Harrach 1700. and Kaunitz, the principal ministers of Leopold, talked in a

therto taken any refolutions

higher

touching the treaty. All that The earl of Manchester to the

has been declared is, that the emperor, for reasons very well known, thought himself obliged to communicate with Spain, which is the party moft concerned in his opinion, and that afterwards he would return an answer; which perhaps we may be forced to wait for till towards the end of the term allowed him. In the mean time your excellency will eafily judge the agreements to be very unwelcome to this court. Some of the ministers do not hide their high diflike of it. But nevertheless, though they do not explain themselves, I believe it is pat doubt, that the emperor will at length enter into it. The neceflity of it is very clear, and will be often repeated to them.

Mr. Stanhope to the earl of
Mancheter.

Hague, Jane 14, 1700. Here is a perfèd good neerKarding between De French andriador, the count de Briort, and me. I di patched two daxs by his courier, copies et the late treaty about the Spa. # Y reccefon 20 our minilers at Hamberg, Copenhagen, Sweden, and Borila, to be commuPoated to those princes, with indraci ons zo zodeavour to perPiace, den 20 4pprove and enfer into the "gerie for exe.

gx. Tim olid veer excel. tenor as dove che lame to Mr. Modon on Portugal

earl of Jersey.

on

Paris, June 26, 1700. The court being at Marly, monfieur de Torcy came Thursday laft to Paris, and, in the conference I had with him, he told me, that the duke of Lorrain had himself figned the treaty with monfieur de Calliere, and at the fame time had wrote to the french king, that notwithitanding he did not init on the feveral explanations, and the propofais he had made, yet he hoped they would be granted him. The chief point, and which he defires moft, is, that he may not be looked upon as a guarantee, fince he had neither troops nor money to maintain it, in cafe of a war. Befides, to act against the emperor, he thought, was what in gratitude he ought not to do. It was not proper to allow him this, as I take it, for very good realons, fince it would have been an example to others to make the fame difficulty, and expecially to thofe, who have not the fame advantage by this treaty. Yet it is explained to him, that it is not expected he hall give any other affistance than a free paffage through his country, in the fame manner as he is already obliged to do by the treaty of Ryfwick. He alfo contents to fend fome full power to figa it at the Hague, as I undertand the king defires. Moft of the other things, he defires,

and

higher and more confidential ftile to the French ambaffador, Will. III. the marquis de Villars. They expreffed, in their private conferences,

and of which I think I formerly acquainted you, relate to his own country, when it fhall be fubje&t to France, and most of this is granted him. It was well he did not stay for an anfwer from Vienna; for, as I perceive, there is but little inclination there to agree to the treaty, as it is now; for, I take it, you will fee them play another fort of game. Monfieur de Zinzendorf's courier is returned, and he told me, that his orders were to affure me, that his mafter was as much inclined as any body to preferve the peace of Europe; but, as the treaty was communicated in Spain, he could not come to any refolution, till he had heard from thence; I did perceive there was fomething more, and efpecially fince I faw him fo impatient to fee monfieur de Torcy, which he did prefs very much; and he faw him on Tuesday at a houfe near Marly, where he told him, he had orders from the emperor to offer the Dauphin, inftead of what he was to have in Italy, the Weft Indies. Monfieur de Torcy faid (as he tells me, and I cannot but think this court will act fincerely) that the propofition was of fuch a nature, that he did not think it proper to acquaint the king with it, neither could he imagine that England and Holland could agree to it. To which monfieur Zinzendorf anfwered, That France was able to maintain it by their fleet and troops, if they would ac

was

cept of it. When he found this would not do, then he propofed, as from himself, that France fhould have Sardinia and Luxemburg, in lieu of Lorrain,' and the emperor Milan. This as extraordinary as the other. At laft he faid, it was impoffible for the emperor to agree to the ninth article, viz. That the kingdom of Spain fhall never defcend to any one, who fhall be at the fame time emperor, or king of France, &c. After fome further arguments that paffed, monfieur de Torcy afked, Whether the emperor would fign the treaty, in cafe this article was fuppreffed? He could not fay any thing pofitively to that. I cannot tell but France would be eafy enough in this alteration; but I take it to be against the intereft of Europe to have it fo. When monfieur de Torcy acquainted me with this, I told him, that what he had propofed, was, in my opinion, of great confequence, and very unlikely to be agreed to by whoever might approve the treaty. Spain might then poffibly be joined to the empire, &c. He did own it would have difficulties, and faid, the French king would not hearken to any propofal but by common confent. I must take notice to your lordfhip, that monfieur de Villars was only acquainted with the first propofition, viz. that of the Indies, and even that was not communicated to Mr. Hop. I have not taken any notice of all this matter to monfieur de Zinzendorf,

1700.

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