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 XL. Hague, Iune 25. N. S. 69. (Book 40)

SIR,

IT is sit to give you some respite this Post from the frequent troubles you have, of late received upon the Subject of the Marine and Surinam, I attend his Maje∣sties Orders upon the last, and shall per∣form them. If we must fall out with the Dutch, we can never do it in more nor in better company; for I know not whether we are more dissatisfied with them at this time, then France and Spain, and Sweden, and the Bishops of Collen and Munster, the two last for particular Affairs, where∣in as far as I can see, the Dutch use them something hardly, and might have spar'd it in this conjuncture. Sweden, for refu∣sing to secure any part of their Subsidies, and Spain for pressing them to secure the whole by a Aypotheque of the upper quar∣ter of Gelderland. But these and several other Re••entments of the two last, are supprest by their publick Interests and En∣gagements:

What those of the Bishop of Munster will be, I know not, nor what credit is to be given to the noise he makes. I hear the States will this week fall into the consideration of giving him some satis∣faction about the Tussle of the Countess of Benthem, and the Duties levyed by them upon his Boats of Provisions passing through the Princess of Ostrizes Country, which I am sure you have heard of some Months since, in the common papers of Occuriences, and which are the only pre∣tences he can have for breaking a Peace made at our Coast, and warranted by al∣most all the Princes of the Empire. Yet it is agreed, the Bishop has so far pro∣ceeded in his Levies of late, that he is a∣ble to bring 13 or 14 thousand Men into the Field, though the greatest part is of his own peasants. However, these A∣larms have not yet prevail'd with the States, to make the Recruits so long spo∣ken of, nor will, I believe, unless the dan∣ger grows nearer.

The Letters this Post from Madrid, bring no very good account of the Disor∣ders between the Queen and Don Iohn, but say, the last was resolv'd to come to Madrid in a few days, if all was not accor∣ded, so as by next Post, some issue is ex∣pected.

From Poland we are assured, that Senate has been forced by the Equestrian Order, to pass a Deeree for Exclusion of the Prince of Condè, and with so much heat, that one Person who had the confidence to speak for him, escaped very hardly with his Life; so as the Candidates are ••ow but two, and the last Letters from Warsaw, pretended not to judge which way the ba∣lance inclines, but seem to apprehend, least the Assembly may fall into some great Disorders, and break up without any E∣lection.

I received Letters this Morning from the Baron Bonstetten, who assures me of the Cantons having been much satisfied with the Communication of my Letters to him, Qu' a la diete de Seigniors a Baden, Ils l••y donneront une responce, ••t qu' ils sont tous a s••its incliner a tesmoigner leurs respects a sa Majestè en tout sort des ren∣contres, which is all his Letter brings me, referring me for other particulars, to the correspondent given him here by Monsieur de Witt, who tells me, that he assures them very positively, the Cantons of Baden, Berne, Lucerne, Solerne, and two more, are disposed to enter into the Tripple Alli∣ance, and that a Spanish Envoy was arri∣ved there with Money, to invite the seven lesser Cantons: So that upon the whole, he gives great hopes of that strength being added to the Alliance, which if it should

happen, would so surround France on all sides, that I suppose they might thereby be induced to leave the World some time in quiet.

I hold my Resolutions of going to Am∣sterdam, and making my attempt there to∣wards the issue of our Marine Affairs, but would be very glad, first to see your▪ thoughts upon the overture made by Mon∣sieur Van Benninghen concerning Macas∣sar. I am always as becomes me,

SIR,

Your most Faithful, Humble Servant, W. Temple.