king William, and infinuations, that domeftic factions had Will. III. rendered his government weak and contemptible. They af- 1700. fured

take your measures together. It is in relation to the late treaty with France concerning the fucceffion of Spain. I cannot tell how acceptable it will be to the great duke.

manner in which they have
communicated the treaty. I
faid I had no reafon to think
otherwife. This may be oc
cafioned by what monfieur de
Zinzendorf may have faid to
him, for he as good as told

The earl of Manchefter to the me, that in England it was not

earl of Jersey.

Paris, July 7, 1700.

I fuppofe the pacquet was gone before yours of the 20th of June came to Whitehall, becaufe it came by itfelf, and I

did not receive it till I was returned from Verfailles, fo that I

could not discourse with monfieur de Torcy concerning those matters. He told me, however, as to what you write in relation to the ninth article, that he had mentioned it to

M. de Zinzendorf, who has promised to fend immediately courier to Vienna, for he had no pofitive orders to fay, that this was the only point the emperor infifted on. M. de Zinzendorf alfo took notice of it to me, and fays he will do what lies in his power. I must tell your lordship, that he does what he can to be well here, and endeavours to procure merit to himfelf both with the emperor and this court.

liked, that the treaty fhould be
made fo public. Monfieur de
Zinzendorf is of opinion, that
the king of Spain will never de-
clare for a prince of France,
but rather for the arch-duke.
This we fhall now foon fee.
The Spanish ambassador has as
yet received no orders, and car-
ries himself in the fame man-.
ner as he did before the treaty.

The earl of Manchester to Mr.
Sutton at Vienna.

I am obliged to you for your
letting me know what thoughts
they have where you are con-
cerning the treaty, and I find
you write much the fame with
what they have here from thence.
I cannot but think the emperor,
will judge fo well of his own
intereft as to accept it at laft,
efpecially when he fees Spain
is inclined to fettle the whole
fucceffion on a prince of France,
of.
which I fuppofe you have heard
All the council, except
count d'Aquilar, were of opi-
nion, that the best advice they

The earl of Manchefter to the could give the king, at this

earl of Jersey.

Paris, July 8, 1700. Monfieur de Torcy has afked me, if the king approved of the

juncture of affairs, was for him
to declare the duke of Anjou his
fucceffor. I cannot tell but this
may make fome alterations at
your court, and bring them to

Will. III. fured him, that their mafter would put every thing to hazard, 1700. rather than accept a treaty, which must reduce him to an abfolute

a fpeedy refolution. I am told,
that count Caunitz is ill, and
that this makes the affairs not fo
well as otherwise they would.

Mr. Sutton to the earl of
Manchester.

Vienna, July 10, 17c0.

ly to turn their thoughts more upon the ways of preferving what is allotted them, than upon catching at the shadow, and leaving the fubftance, especially if the Spaniards will comply therewith.

earl of Jersey,

Paris, July 17, 1700.

As to the treaty of regulation The earl of Manchester to the of the Spanish fucceffion, I have only to acquaint your lordship, that this court will not return any pofitive answer yet. They have received newly a courier from Spain, but will not difcover what dispatches he has brought, and conceal their intentions as much as they can till the return of their own courier from Madrid, alledging, they can ground nothing upon the advices they have hitherto received thence. However, it may be prefumed, they will accept the treaty, though it be very difpleafing to them. They take no vifible measures to prevent the execution of it; from whence one may reasonably conclude, they fee the neceffity of admitting it; and one cannot wonder at their managing the affections of the Spaniards.

P. S. I thought not to con-
ceal from your excellency,
that it appears pretty plain-
ly, that this court would
abfolutely reject the treaty,
if they had any hopes of
bettering themselves: but,
efteeming the bufinefs irre-
coverably concluded on our
fide, and not knowing how
to remedy it, they are like

The last time I saw monfieur de Torcy, he told me (which he faid was forgot) that it would be proper I fhould have orders to take notice of the treaty concerning the fucceffion of Spain, to those Italian minifters, that come from courts, where our king has none, and to defire their masters to enter into the treaty, as France has already done, as a means to fecure the peace of Europe. I faid I had no orders, but that I would write about it. As for Modena, I thought it was not proper for me to take notice of, which he agreed in; fo that there are Savoy, Venice, Mantua, and Genoa. I intend to speak again to monfieur de Torcy, and have a further explanation.

I send you a letter from monfieur d'Hervaert, who has communicated the treaty: monfieur de Torcy tells me, that it is thought, that the Swiss cantons will hardly enter into the guaranty, but they may confent to have troops raised in their country, in cafe of a war. On that occafion, he faid also, that

abfolute dependence on England and Holland, for the pre- Will. III. fervation of Spain and the Indies in his family, and, at the 1700.

me, that the duke of Savoy an- The earl of Manchester to the

Will. III. fame time, robbed him of the Milanefe. They threw out 1700. frequent overtures, that his imperial majefty was willing to

The earl of Manchester to Mr. uncertain. The emperor muft fecretary Vernon.