Letters written by Sir William Temple during his being ambassador at The Hague, to the Earl of Arlington and Sir John Trevor, Secretaries of State to K. Charles II wherein are discovered many secrets hitherto concealed / published from the originals, under Sir William Temple's own hand ; and dedicated to the Right Honourable Sir Thomas Littleton, Speaker of the House of Commons, by D. Jones, Gent.

LETTER XXXV. Hague, May 10. S. N. 69. (Book 35)

SIR,

I have received your last of the 23〈…〉〈…〉 past, and was sorry you had occasion to put me again in mind of the Orde〈…〉〈…〉 about Surinam. I gave in a Memori〈…〉〈…〉 concerning it again, the beginning of th〈…〉〈…〉 Week; but Monsieur de Witt has been o〈…〉〈…〉 of Town ever since Munday Night, a〈…〉〈…〉 for that reason I have not yet prest to h〈…〉〈…〉 my Conference, fearing in case it happe〈…〉〈…〉 in his absence, either nothing would 〈…〉〈…〉 done, as it commonly happens; or el〈…〉〈…〉 the Learned Deputies might give so〈…〉〈…〉 stop to the way of doing it, which M〈…〉〈…〉 sieur de Witt has declared his Satisfacti〈…〉〈…〉 in. But if he comes back to morrow, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hope to see the dispatch of it before th〈…〉〈…〉 next Post.

Since my last, the Act of Guaranty h〈…〉〈…〉 been Signed by all parties in the form, whic〈…〉〈…〉 goes here enclosed, and differs from wh〈…〉〈…〉

I sent before, only in the omission of two words of no moment, and which came I suppose rather by chance then on purpose. They are only the words Respectivement, and Voysias; but the omission has happen∣ed to run through all three Instruments. They are all in my possession, and like∣wise the Spanish Ambassador's Act for pay∣ment of the Subsidies, there by consent to remain till the Money on one side, and the Ratification on the other side Arrive. But yet he is so Punctillious, that he will not be satisfied, unless the word Ratifier be put in at the latter end in stead of Procu∣rer; which as I conceive▪ cannot be as it now runs, without Nonsense, since it refers to the Trois Originaux, before mentioned to be Signed by the two Kings and the States, which are in effect the same with Ratifications, and so we should oblige our selves to make a Ratification be Ratified. But yet this old Ambassador will not un∣derstand it, and I doubt will put us to the trouble of Signing new Instruments, unless Monsieur de Witt at his return can satisfie him better than I. But I suppose this change of the last Lines, if it should be made, will signifie nothing to the Instrument which the King Signs; and which if it be an Original, and not a Ratification, will end at those words, De la cause qui en te▪ cas deviendra commune. I know not whe ther the Spanish Ambassador was more Ar tificial

or no, in another change he made in his Instrument of Subsidies, where he has put in, qu' ayant traittè et adjustè avec la triple allyance touchant la Gua∣rentie et le payement de subsides, he promi∣sed. But I told him plainly the Swedes would never consent to any such Clause, nor own that they had ever treated with any Minister of Spain, touching either Gua∣ranty or Money, which they pretend to give and receive only in pursuit of their Al∣liance with us and Holland to that purpose: And the Spanish Ambassador has promis'd me, to send me another Instrument with∣out that Clause, though with much ado. Between so much Delicacy on both sides, I have had trouble enough to bring Peo∣ple together, that have not yet seen one another, and they make me much acknow∣ledgment of it on both sides, by which means I have the luck to be in both their confidence; and to find that however they are come to agree at last, yet they are but very little satisfied with one anothers manner of proceeding.

Monsieur Mareschal has once more pro∣mised me, that they will excuse them∣selves from falling upon the particular concert, till the first payment be made, and that when they do, they will go no further than Generals, and against the Vi∣olator of the Peace, without specifying one thing more than another, so as it may

be only a concert between our selves, and not to be given to Spain as was design'd, by that Grown and this State. All which, I suppose, is exactly agreeable with the Kings intentions, as I find them exprest in your last, that is, in case it cannot be defer'd without disagreeing from the two other principals; but I shall be sure to bring nothing to an issue, without first ac∣quainting you with what passes in that particular, and receiving his Majesties commands upon it. I can say nothing more of the Marine Article since my last, having not heard of Monsicur de Witt or Van Benninghen since.

They will not be so consident in Flanders, as I see, we are in England of this Summer's passing without▪ Acti∣on, but take great▪ alarm at the noise of the French Kings coming to Mary∣mon•• the end of this Month, with those Troops which they call ••a M••i••••n de Roy, and they say consist of 12000 choice Men. The States have lately had some Letters, which make several of them jealous of M••••str•••••••• like∣wise, in case of the French Troops ga∣thering in Flanders: But I hope all their designs in France this Summer, will lie towards Candia, since you say those Suc∣cours proceed, though I find by several Letters from Italy, they much doubt in

those parts, whether the French Inten∣tions that way, are sincere or not, and whether that King will not yet find some pretext to delay them till the Town be taken, which is now said to be in much danger. I am always,

SIR,

Your most Obedient, and most Humble Servant, W. Temple.