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 XXXVI. Hague, May 16. S. N. 69. (Book 36)

SIR,

I was taken up with such long Confe∣rences, upon the Marine and Surinam Affairs with the Deputies of Amsterdam and Zealand, that I had not time to give you the trouble of them, when the last post went away, which I should have been sorry for, if my Success had been likely to please you: The Sum of all Monsieur Van Benninghen's Reasonings who was the mouth of the rest, run'd upon those two points so often toucht, that we demand new methods to pre∣vent a Disease; but will not say when or where we have felt it, or any Symp∣toms of it, whereas let them but know in particular what we ask, and we may be sure of this States doing all that can be for the Kings Satisfaction. The other was, that we understand our selves too

well, and the present conjuncture to fear any injuries from them in the Indies, who have no other support here, besides our Alliance, and upon that point, said as much as I could have done my self, though with∣out any conclusion to our purpose, nor has he yet sent me a Copy of Monsieur Val∣keneer's Letter, or the Expedient proposed in it, which I mention'd about a fortnight since. So jealous are those of Amsterdam in this matter, that they cannot fall upon any sort of Proposition, but they present∣ly imagine twenty Interpretations we may raise upon it, beyond their meaning; and I believe they fear it more now, then if our Friendship were less necessary to them. Monsieur Van Benninghen promises every day to send to Monsieur Valkeneer, to pro∣pose his Expedient, and Monsieur de Witt says, if we cannot agree upon it here, Monsieur Boreel shall be instructed upon his going into England, either to give or receive Satisfaction in it; and this is all I can yet get from them, and know not how to help my self.

The Pensionary of Zealand was harder in his Arguments about Surinam, main∣taining first, that after the conclusion of the Peace, the King had no further right to interest himself in any thing that past in that Colony, no more then they in the New Netherlands, or Spain in the Burse,

or Breda, or all their other Towns surren∣der'd upon Articles, but whose Soveraign∣ty by the Peace, was given up to them. That if Articles were not observ'd, the Inhabitants might complain, but to them only who were by the Peace become their Soveraign, and not to any other Prince. But though they wav'd that in complyance to his Majesty, yet they had reason to wonder why we should press so far for satisfaction in this matter, without giving it in the wrongs, they had received from my Lord Willoughby, after such perempto∣ry commands from the King in their be∣half, and that if the Kings O••ficers would not obey him, we had reason to fear the same from theirs, and here I was to hear a long deduction of my Lord Willoughby's A∣ction, with all the aggravation that could be, but having weather'd these two points, we fell upon the Articles themselves after his having profest that they should be observ'd, and upon the fifth he argued, that the words [together with their Estates,] could mean only the product of their Estates sold; because after mention of power to sell their Estate, it is said im∣mediately after. [And the Governor in that case shall promise, that he be Trans∣ported,] 2dly, That this appear'd to be the meaning, and not that they should have liberty to carry away their Slaves, because there was another express Article

which was the 19th, to give that liberty particularly to those who would go off with the Fleet that was there, and which would have been needless, if it had been comprehended by the former Article. 3dly, That if this were so meant, they would have a priviledge more than either they had while they were his Majesties Subjects, or than any of theirs; for in none of our or their Plantations is it (as he says) permitted, that any Inhabitant who removes, shall carry away his Slaves, but he is to sell them there, because they are an essential part of the fruits of the Land, and without which, the Soil is nothing worth. These were his main Arguments, and I used the best I could to maintain my point, and we parted with assurance of his utmost endeavours, to give his Majesty satisfaction without the ruine of the Colony. The other Deputies have promised me the same, but I doubt it is only with intention, to ascertain the satisfaction of those that remove, for such of their Slaves as are necessary to the Lands there, at the current price of Slaves in those parts, for this I hear is whisper'd among them, as an expedient in the busi∣ness. But I cannot yet get their Resoluti∣on, which I doubt is something delay'd, by the present Affairs between Holland and Zealand, which are every day in agitati∣on, though a day passes not without cal∣ling

upon them about it, which is always answer'd with promise of dispatch.

Since the writing of this, I have yours of the 11th, which signi••ies his Majesties satisfaction in the Negotiations here about the Guaranty and Subsidies, and intentions to dispatch suddenly the Ratification of the first. I was surpriz'd this Morning, when Monsieur Marcschal came to me, and shew'd me the Swedish Ratification, which was just then arrived, and could wish the Spaniards had made as much hast with their Money, of which I can yet hear no News from the Spanish Ambassa∣dors, and wish, that after all these pains that have been taken to make this party, it be not broken at last by the extream Negligence, or Disorder of the Spanish Court, and Counsels; for their spoiling all their own Affairs, and ruining them∣selves, are things that, I think, God alone can help. In the mean time I know not whether the Count de Molinas being made sensible of this particular, Will contribute any thing towards it.

Sir Tho. Higgons parted from hence on Saturday for An••werp, and gave me the same assurance, I see you have received, of the German Princes disposition in the pre∣sent Affairs of our Alliance, which you would have reason to be firm in, if the

French Ambassador had any in the long Discourses and Applauses he has been ma∣king this Afternoon upon this point, that never any King had in any Negotiation given such a Coup de Maistre, and just af∣ter a War, made Holland depend more upon him, then he could have done by a Conquest. Que 〈…〉〈…〉d' avoir trou••è le def••••t de ••••••••èes et poussè son coup a•• co∣rur; and th••n, Ne •••••••••• pas le modeste là dessi••••, car vous s••••••ez qu' ils sont a vous, et le premier pas que nous serons j••••••is ••n Flandres, v••us disposerez de la Hollande comm' d'••ne de vos provinces, and twenty Strains of this kind, in which I shewed him how much he mistook, since in 8 Months time I could not make an end of one Marine Article, nor compass the execution of those of Surinam, which were Arguments enough, of the little in∣fluence we had here, or of my unsuccess∣ful Negotiations. For the rest, he turns all the fears of the Spaniards, en ridicule, says, the French King has not above 6000 Men in the Camp, has sent 7000 ef∣fective to the Relief of Candia, has no present Application, but to finish the For∣tifications of the Conquer'd places, and without the death of the King of Spain, has no thoughts but of Peace and De∣vertisement. He laughs at the Counsels here about encreasing their Forces, and at their Alarms of the Bishop of Munster's

arming and providing Ammunition, and if all be true, his Master has the sport of of being quiet himself, and yet troubling every body else. I am always as becomes me,

SIR,

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

At this Instant, Monsieur de Witt sent to excuse the delay of the business of Su∣rinam, upon the Affairs between the two Provinces, which have wholly taken them up for some days; but promises me an end of it before this week passes.