Memoirs of what past in Christendom, from the war begun 1672 to the peace concluded 1679

CHAP. II. (Book 2)

THE Prince was now ready to go into the Field, and told me, That before he went, he must have some talk with me in private and at leisure; and, to that purpose, desir'd it might be in the Garden of Hounslerdyke. We appointed the hour, and met accordingly. He told me, I would easily believe, that being the only Son that was left of his Family, he was often press'd by his Friends to think of Marrying, and had many persons propos'd to him, as their several humours led them. That, for his own part, he knew it was a thing to be done at one time or other; but that he had hitherto excus'd the thoughts of it, otherwise than in general, till the War was ended. That, besides his own Friends, the Deputies of the States begun to

press him more earnestly every day, and the more, as they saw the War like to continue; and perhaps they had more reason to do it than any others. That he had at last promis'd them he would think of it more seriously and particular∣ly; and so he had, and resolv'd he would marry; but the choice of a person he thought more difficult. That he found himself inclin'd to no Proposals had been made him out of France or Germany, nor indeed to any that had been mention'd upon this occasion by any of his Friends, but that of England. That before he concluded to make any paces that way, he was resolv'd to have my Opinion upon two Points; but yet would not ask it, unless I promis'd to answer him as a Friend, or at least an indifferent Person, and not as the King's Ambassador. When I told him he should be obey'd, he went on, and said, That he would confess to me, during the late War,

neither the States, nor He in par∣ticular, were without applications made them from several Persons, and considerable, in England, who would fain have engag'd them to Head the Discontents that were rais'd by the Conduct of the Court in that whole War, which he knew was begun and carried on quite contrary to the humour of the Na∣tion, and might, perhaps, have prov'd very dangerous to the Crown, if it had not ended as it did. That all these persons who pretended to be much his Friends, were extreamly against any thoughts of his marrying in Eng∣land. Their Reasons were, That he would by it lose all the Esteem and Interest he had there, and be believed to have run wholly into the dispositions and designs of the Court, which were generally thought so different from those of the Nation, especially upon the Point of Religion, that his Friends

there did not believe the Govern∣ment could be long without some great Disturbance, unless they chang'd their Measures, which was not esteem'd very likely to be done; and upon this he desir'd my thoughts as a Friend. The next was upon the Person and Dispositions of the Young Lady; for tho' it would not pass in the World, for a Prince to seem concern'd in those particulars; yet for himself, he would tell me, without any sort of affectation, that he was so, and in such a degree, that no Circum∣stances of Fortune or Interest would engage him, without those of the Person, especially those of Humour and Dispositions. That he might, perhaps, be not very easie for a Wife to live with; he was sure he should not to such Wives as were generally in the Courts of this Age. That if he should meet with one to give him trouble at home, 'twas what he

should not be able to bear, who was like to have enough abroad in the course of his Life; and that after the manner he was resolv'd to live with a Wife, which should be the best he could. He would have one that he thought likely to live well with him, which he thought chiefly depended upon their Disposition and Education; and if I knew any thing particular of the Lady Mary in these points, he desir'd me to tell him freely.

I answer'd his Highness, That I was very glad to find he was re∣solv'd to Marry, being what he owed his Family and Friends; That I was much more pleas'd that his inclination led him to endeavour it in England. That I thought it as much for his interest, as others of his English Friends thought it was against it. That the King and his Highness would ever be able to do one another more good, and more harm, than any other

Princes could do either of them, by being Friends or Enemies. That it was a great step to be one degree nearer the Crown, and in all ap∣pearance the next. That for his Friends (as they pretended) in England, they must see much fur∣ther than I did, to believe the King in any such dangers or difficulties as they imagin'd. That the Crown of England stood upon surer foun∣dations than ever it had done in for∣mer times, and the more for what had pass'd in the last Reign; and that I believ'd the people would be found better Subjects than per∣haps the King himself believ'd them. That it was however in his power to be as well with them as he pleas'd, and to make as short turns to such an end; if not, yet with the help of a little good hus∣bandry, he might pass his Reign in Peace, tho' not perhaps with so much ease at home, or glory abroad, as if he fell into the vein of

his pople. That if the Court were of sentiments different from those of His Highness, yet his Adv••••ers would make him a greater Com∣pliment in believing him as likely to induce the Court to his, as in concluding they would bring him to theirs; and if that should hap∣pen, the most seditious men in England would be hard put to it to find an ill side in such a Match. That for the other point, I could say nothing to it, but that I had always heard my Wife and my Sister speak with all the advantage that could be of what they could discern in a Princess so young, and more from what they had been told by the Governess, with whom they had a particular friendship, and who they were sure took all the care that could be in so much of Education as fell to her share.

After two hours discourse upon this subject, the Prince concluded he would enter upon this pursuit;

and in order to it, would write both to the King and the Duke to beg their favour to him in it, and their leave, that he might go over into England at the end of the Campania; That my Wife, who was then going over upon my pri∣vate Affairs, should carry and de∣liver both his Letters; and during her stay there, should endeavour to inform her self the most particu∣larly she could, of all that concern'd the Person, Humour, and Dis∣positions of the young Princess, in which he seem'd so much con∣cern'd.

Within two or three days after these Discourses, the Prince brought his Letters to my Wife, and went immediately to the Army, and she went suddenly after into England with those Dispatches, and left me preparing for my Jour∣ney to Nimeguen, where the Dutch first, and after them the French Ambassadors were arriv'd, and

consequently those of the two prin∣cipal Parties in the War.

Before I went, Du Moulin met my Chaplain in the Forhaut, and told him, He was so ill, that he knew he had not long to live, and that he could not die in quiet, without asking my Pardon for so many false and injurious things as he confess'd to have said of me since my last Ambassy there, tho' he had before had all the esteem that could be for me. He desir'd my Chaplain, since I had always refus'd to see him, that he would do this Office for him, and ask my Pardon as from a dying Man. This Moulin, after having been much imploy'd and favour'd by my Lord Arlington, during the Councels and Vogue of of the Triple Alliance, and disgrac'd by him after the change of those Measures in England, went over into Holland, was entertain'd by the Prince as one of his Secretaries, grew into great favour and con∣fidence

during the War, was made use of by the Discontents of England in their Applications at the Hague, was thought worth all my Lord Arlington's instances and endeavours when he was at the Hague, to remove him from the Prince's Service. I receiv'd after∣wards Commands to the same purpose, and compass'd it not without time and difficulty; he had not been long laid aside when this happen'd; and whether that, or the knowledge of the Prince's late resolution to pursue the Match in England, help'd to break his heart, or whether it were a Con∣sumption, as his Friends gave out, I know not, but he died soon after, and with him the Intrigues of that Party in England, that had for some time imployed him, and busied his Friends in Holland.

After many delays in the Dispatch, and exchange of the Passports, I got loose from the

Hague about the beginning of July 1676. upon my journey to Nime∣guen, where the French and Dutch Ambassadors being already arriv'd, prest very much for my coming, in regard Sir Lionel Jenkins excus'd himself from performing any acts or Offices of the Mediation, till my arrival, and contented himself to pass only the usual Visits. The dispositions I observ'd in the seve∣ral Parties towards the success of this Congress, when I went in order to the opening of it, were very different, and very unlikely to draw it to any sudden issue; but only to attend and be Govern'd by the Successes of the several Armies in the Field, and the events ex∣pected from the Actions of the Campania. The French had given all the facility they could for some Months past to the forming of the Congress, and made all the haste they could for their Ambassadors to be upon the place, desiring no

better Peace than upon the present Plan of Affairs; and hoping by their forwardness, and the great backwardness of some of the Allies, to make way for some separate Treaties with those among them who began to be impatient for the Peace. The House of Austria was sullen, as losers use to be, and so were very slow and testy in all their paces towards this Treaty; The Germans hoping for great successes of their Arms in this Campania, and the Spaniards flattering themselves with the Interests His Majesty had in the preservation of Flanders, and with the part which the Parlia∣ment in England seem'd of late to have taken in their Affairs, and both were in hopes that something might arise from one of these sides, to make room for pretensions that could not be in countenance as things stood at present. The Swede was very earnest for a Peace, as having more hopes of recovering

himself that way, than by the course of a War. Denmark and Brandenburgh were violent for continuing the War, finding the Swedes weak, divided, and unre∣lievable by France any otherwise than with their Moneys, and hoping to drive them this Summer out of Germany. The States were very desirous of the Peace, having no pretences of their own, but to get well out of a War that ruin'd their Trade, and drain'd their Mo∣ney, but they durst not break from their Confederates, not trusting England enough, nor France at all, so as to leave themselves in a condition of depending upon either of them after the Peace should be made. One general Thread run through the Councils on both sides; on the French, to break the con∣fidence and union of the Confede∣racy by different paces and advances to the several Parties in the course of the Treaty; on the Confedera∣tes,

to preserve the same confidence and union with which they had carried on the War, even after the Peace should be made. His Majesty, tho' he was offer'd by some of the Parties to be Arbiter as well as Mediator in the present differences, and was known by them all to have it in his power to make that figure as he pleas'd, yet chose the other, and gave us orders accordingly, only to perform the Offices of a bare Mediation, and to avoid the Par∣ties submitting their differences to his determination; so that upon the whole, it was easie to foresee the Congress would only prove a business of form, and proceed no otherwise than as it should be mov'd, or rather govern'd by the events of the Field.

However, the opening of it might well be call'd the dawn of a Peace; which put me in mind of the only Prophecy of this sort that I had ever thought worth taking

notice of; nor should I have done so, but that Monsieur Colbert show'd it me at my coming to Nimeguen, and made me remember to have seen it in my Lord Arling∣ton's hands in the year 1668. who told me it was very old, and had been found in some Abby of Germa∣ny. It was in these terms: * 1.1 Lilium intrabit in terram Leonis feras in brachiis gerens, Aquila movebit alas, & in auxilium veniet filius hominis ab Austro, tunc erit ingens bellum per totum terrarum orbem, sed post quatuor annos pax elucescet, & salus erit filio hominis unde exitium putabatur. Those that have a mind to give credit to such Prophesies from the course of events, must allow the Leopards

(the Ancient Arms of England) to be meant by Feras; the King of Spain by filius hominis; the Con∣gress at Nimeguen (four years after the War began) by the Dawn of Peace; and Spain's having been sav'd by the States, or the Prince of Orange, by those from whom their ruin was expected. But I easily believe, that as most Prophe∣cies that run the World, arise from the Contrivances of Crafty, or the Dreams of Enthusiastical Heads; and the Sense of them (where there is any) lies wrapt up in mystical or incoherent expres∣sions, fit to receive many sorts of Interpretations; and some perhaps from the leisure of great Wits that are ill entertain'd, and seek diver∣sion to themselves, by writing things at random, with the scorn∣ful thought of amuzing the World about nothing; so others of them are broach'd for old, either after events happen, or when they are

so probable as to be easily con∣jectur'd by fore-seeing men And it seems strange, that of the first kind (being so many) no more happen to be fulfill'd with the help of so much inclination to credit, as well as so much invention to wrest the meaning of words to the sense pretended. But whether this I mention may not have been one of the last kind, is uncertain; for in that very year it was produc'd, and given my Lord Arlington by a French Man, as he told me, the design of this War was not only laying, but well advanc'd by the Practices of Monsieur Colbert, upon the Ministers of our Court, (where he was then Ambassador) and by the violent humour of my Lord Clifford to enter the Leagues then projected by France; so that the very day the Parliament gave his Majesty a mighty sum of Money to Compliment him upon so ap∣plauded a Councel and Success as

that of the Triple Alliance in the Year 1668. That Lord, coming out of the House of Commons, where he was then a Member, could not hold saying to a Friend of mine, who came out with him, That for all this great joy, it must not be long before we have another War with Holland. And which of these two Prophesies were the more to be consider'd, or the better in∣inspir'd, I leave it to every one to guess as they please.

Nimeguen is seated upon the side of a Hill, which is the last of Ger∣many, and stoops upon the River Woal, that washes the lower part of the Town, and divides it from the Betow, an Island lying all upon flat low Ground, between the Woal and the old Rhine, which was the ancient Seat of those the Romans call'd Batavians, and for their Brave∣ry and love of Liberty, took into their Confederacy, when they sub∣jected all the Neighbouring parts of

Gaul and Germany. Betow and Woal were the ancient German, Names, and turn'd into Batavia and Voholis by the Roman terminations, as Colen and Cleve are Roman names chang'd into German. Betow signifies in the old German, fat Earth, as Velow, (a great Heathey Countrey on t'other side the Rhine) does course, or barren Earth Whether Nime∣guen came from Neomagum, or Neo∣magum from Nimegue, I cannot determin; but the old Castle, as well as many antiquities about it, show it to have been a Colony of the Romans, and it is seated in very good Air, encompas'd on three sides by great and dry Heaths, is well built, and inhabited by a good sort of People.

I excus'd my self from letting the Magistrates of Nimeguen know what time I design'd my arrival there, tho' they sent to inform themselves while I was upon the way; and I refus'd any Ceremo∣nies

at Entry, to prevent that pre∣tence in other Ambassadors, and and the troubles and disturbances such Publick Receptions might oc∣casion. However I could not escape some part of it, for which I had like to have paid a great deal more than 'twas worth. The River of Nimeguen is very rapid in the midst of the Stream, which lies near the Town, and spreads very broad upon the other side to the Betow, being upon flat grounds. The first part of it is pass'd by a very large Ferry-Boat, which held at once my two Coaches and six Horses, one Waggon with my Trunks, eight Saddle Horses, and would have receiv'd many more. This Boat is of a contri∣vance so singular, as well as so commodious, that I have much wondred never to have seen it practis'd in any other place; for the force of the Stream drives the Boat cross the River without the least

pains of the men, being kept to its course by a strong Cable extended from one side to the other, and fasten'd to a Pully set up for that purpose in the Boat; so that no stress of Weather hinders this pas∣sage, and the harder the Stream runs, the sooner 'tis made. Where the River grows shallow, and the Current slack on the Betow side, it is supply'd by a Bridge of Planks for about two hundred Paces, which are ill kept, many loose or shaking, and no defence on the sides. When my Coaches were upon this Bridge, the Cannon of the Town began to Fire, and so continued all the while I was upon the River, which was a piece of Civility well understood, and my Horses were so unruly with that noise and the clatter of the Planks, that they were much likelier to have carried me into the River than the Boat. But when with the help of my Servants on Foot that led them,

we got in there, we were safe, as in a House, and got well away to the Town, where I landed at Sir Lionel Jenkin's House, and stayed there till late in the Evening, to a∣void any Visits or Ceremonies that Night.

The next Day I was visited by the French Ambassadors, with Monsieur D'Avaux; there pass'd little but what was common upon such occasions: but the Mareschal D'Estrades, and Monsieur Colbert being of my particular acquaintance in my former Ambassies at the Hague and Aix la Chapelle, they pretended in their first separate Visits, to enter with me upon Points and terms of great Con∣fidence, and upon matters that gave me light into the whole design of France, intended by the steps of this Treaty to which they had of late show'd so great forwardness, at least in the forming of this Con∣gress and dispatch of their Ambas∣sadors,

before those of the Allies were in any motion, or perhaps disposition towards it. They both told me, That they had Express and Private Orders from the King their Master, to make me particular Compliments upon the esteem his most Christian Ma∣jesty had for my Person, and to make their Application wholly to me in the course of this Negotia∣tion, tho one of the Mediators came from residing in their own Court; but they knew very well I had the King my Master's Con∣fidence, as well as that of his Mini∣sters; and that having had the framing of this Congress from the first Overtures, and through all the Preliminaries, there was no other hand but mine capable of finishing it; and therefore they presag'd me all the glory of it. That I might reckon upon all the facili∣ty their Master could give towards

it; but after such successes in the War, and at the Head of so great Forces, both at Land and Sea, it could not be expected he should yield to restore what his Arms had Conquer'd. On t'other side, they knew very well, tho' the States were bent upon the Peace, yet the frowardness or extravagant de∣mands of their Allies, would engage them as long as they would in the War, unless the Prince of Orange would interpose his Authority, which was so great with all the Allies, that they were sure of their consenting to whatever Terms the Prince should be resolute in pro∣posing for the Peace: That to draw it therefore to a happy issue, there was no way but for his High∣ness first to agree privately with France upon the Conditions, and what every Party should content themselves with; and afterwards, in the course of the Treaty, to draw all things, by concert together,

to the scope agreed between them; in which the Prince might make use of the known temper of the States to bring it to a sudden issue, and to make a separate Peace, in case the unreasonable pretences of their Allies should hinder or delay a general one. That this part was acted by the Elector of Bavaria at Munster, who was in private con∣cert with France through the whole proceedings of that Treaty tho' he went on with the Allies in the Publick Transactions; That he ow'd the greatness of his House to this Council, and to the conside∣ration and support it had ever since receiv'd from the Crown of France. That by pursuing the same at Nime∣guen, it would be in the Prince of Orange's power to do the same for himself and his Family; and that for what concern'd his own per∣sonal Interests and Advantages, their Master had given them power to assure him, He should have the

Carte Blanche, and draw his own Conditions upon it. That tho' they had other ways of making up this overture to the Prince, yet they had order to do it by none but me, if I would charge my self with it; That they knew the Credit and Confidence I was in with the Prince, and how far he would defer to my opinions in what concern'd the Publick Inte∣rests of his Allies as well as his own; And that if I would espouse this Affair, besides the Glory of having alone given a Peace to Christendom, I might reckon upon what I pleas'd my self from the bounty and generosity of the King their Master.

This was the sum of what was said by them both, tho in several and private Visits; but I observed Monsieur Colbert to have been in∣structed with more particular Con∣fidence, and to design it with me, even apart from both his Collegues

and mine in the pursuit of this in∣telligence; but Monsieur D'Estra∣des valued himself chiefly upon his entring into it with me preferrable to all others, tho' he had several other ways of doing it with the Prince, as well as into what Pra∣ctices he should think fit with the States, by the help of so many Friendships and Habitudes as I knew he had contracted in Holland during so long a course of imploy∣ments there.

I answer'd, That I was oblig'd to his Most Christian Majesty for his good opinion, and to them for ha∣ving given it him, not having my self at all the Honour of being known to him; That I should make no ill use of this great Honour and Confidence, whether I should be able to make a good one or no: That for his Majesty's dispositions to promote the Peace, they knew them as well as I, but that many considerations had engag'd him to

instruct us the Mediators only to promote a general Peace, and not to enter into any paces towards any particular one, or separate, be∣tween the Parties, which such a private and previous concert be∣tween France and the Prince of Orange would look very like; and therefore I did not see how I could enter upon it without particular Orders from the King: That be∣sides, I would confess to them, that I did not think it would be of any great effect if I should receive them; and that the best Service I could do them (the Ambassadors) was to let them know very freely all that I knew, or at least thought of the Prince of Orange, and his dispositions in this great Affair, that they might the better guess what paces to expect from him; that I was sure, he desir'd the Peace as much as the States could do; that the weak Conduct of Spain, and distracted Councels of the Empire,

was enough to force him upon it, without many other circumstances that were too well known to trou∣ble them with. That the Prince knew very well there would be no difficulty at all in the Terms of a Peace between France and Holland, and that all would arise from their Allies, who had entred into the War only in their defence; That their Faith and Honour were since engag'd by many Treaties conclu∣ded with them, and which hindred them from making any separate Peace. That in all those Treaties the Prince's Honour was more par∣ticularly engag'd, upon which per∣sonally the several Princes Confe∣derate were known to rely more, than upon any publick Resolution, or Instruments of the States. That if any ways could be found, or offers made towards bringing his Highness out of this War, with the safety of his Honour by the satisfaction of his Allies upon any

sort of Terms, I was sure he would fall into them with all the Joy that could be; but to break from them against all Faith and Agreements by separate measures, I believ'd he would never be induc'd, but by the last extremities of the War, or necessities at home. And that for his own Personal Interests, I was confident no advantages to be of∣fer'd him, would ever be consi∣der'd by his Highness, how great soever, but that two or three Towns more or less to the Spani∣ards, for the strength of their Frontier in Flanders, would pre∣vail more with him than all could be done for his Interest in Orange or Burgundy; and that all other Propositions of advantages more than were avow'd in the course of the Treaty, were, I believ'd, what he would take ill from any that should make them; and yet when∣ever I saw him next, I would tell him of all that had past in this Con∣versation.

But for the deference they believ'd his Highness might have for my Sen••••ments, I would assure them, my Opinion was, he had none for mine, or any man's else, further than as their Argu∣ments prevail'd upon his Judg∣ment: That he had sense enough to govern himself, and I believ'd he would always trust to it, tho he might advise with other men.

After these Conversations, du∣ring the time I stay'd at Nimeguen, Monsieur Colbert made many small Attacks of this kind upon me, and sometimes contented himself only to let fall some things in Conversa∣tion, to try if I was dispos'd to enter further upon that subject: But the Mareschal D'Efirades im∣mediately after began to turn his Battery another way, which was upon the Pensioner Fagel, by the intervention of a Person of Mastricht, many of whose Letters the Pensioner show'd me upon the

same occasion; and with all the offers that could be made of Con∣sideration and Advantage to the interests of the Prince of Orange, which met with no other Recep∣tion from his Highness than what I foretold.

After the first Visits between us and the French and Dutch Ambassa∣dors, whom we only found at Nimeguen, we receiv'd a Visit from the Magistrates of the Town, who told us, They had order from the States, to remit the Govern∣ment of the City to our disposition, during the present Treaty, and to proceed no otherwise in it, than according to such Orders as they should receive from us the Medi∣ators. We told them, It was his Majesty's Pleasure, that we should not at all intermeddle with it; but that on the contrary, we should consign into the hands of the ordi∣nary Justice of the Town, any of our Domesticks that should be

guilty of any Crime against the Peace or Government of the place; and that Justice should be done upon them, according to their Faults; and that we should not take upon us to withdraw or pro∣tect them form the ordinary course of Justice, by the Rights and Pri∣viledges of that Character his Majesty had given us.

After this we applied our selves to propose some Regulations for the order and quiet of so numerous an Assembly as this was like to prove, (in a Town but too strait, and compos'd of narrow Streets) and to the establishment of some compass of Neutral Country about it, for the convenience and diver∣tisement of the Company that should compose it. For the first we gave in a Paper to the French and Dutch Ambassadors, with certain Articles, to which we desir'd their consent, not doubting, but all others that should come after,

would easily fall into what they should previously agree to upon our desire. They were these, as we gave them in French, the Lan∣guage used in all Conferences, and most Papers that pass'd in this Treaty.

1. Que pour eviter les inconvenients qui pourront arriver par le grand nom∣bre de traits dans les rues si étroits & entre des coinssi incommodes, Les Am∣bassadeurs Mediateurs proposent, De ne faire les visits, mesme de Ceremo∣nie qu' avec chacun Ambassadeur deux Pages, & quatre Lacquais; & un Carosse, a deux Chevaux & de n'aller a aucune place de Conference, ou autres lieux publiques avec plus * 1.2

d'un Page & deux Lacquais a chaque Ambassadeur.

2. Qu'en cas de rencontre de Ca∣rosses dans de lieux trop estroits pour le passage de l'un & de l'autre, chaucun au lieude s'embarasser pour le pasy ap∣portera toute sorte de faeilitè, & s'ar∣restera le premier quant il sera le pre∣mier quant il sera le premier quant il sera le premier averti que le passage est trop estroit, & fera place en cas que de son costè cela se trouve de plus facile.

3. Que les Lacquais ne porteront espée, bâton ny baguette par les rues, ni les Pages plus que de baguette seul.

* 1.3 * 1.4

4. Que les Ambassadeurs sur au∣cune crime commis par aucun de leur domestiques contre la paix publique, renonceront a la protection des dits domestiques, & les remettront aussi tost entre les mains de la Justice de la ville, la priants & autorisans de pro∣ceder contre eux selon les regles ordi∣naires.

5. Qu' end cas de quelque insulte ou querelle faite par aucun de leurs Domestiques contre ceux d'aucun auire Ambassadeur ou Ministre Publique, Les Ambassadeurs re∣mettront tels domestiques entre les mains du Maistre de la Partie offen∣see pour estre puni selon sa discretion.

* 1.5 * 1.6

The French Ambassadors re∣ceiv'd this Paper with much Ap∣probation and Compliment to us, upon the design and conception of it; and said, they were ready to give their full consent to every part of it, excepting only the second Article; but upon this they could not, without first acquainting their Master, from whom they had orders to maintain upon all occa∣sions, the Rank that Spain had yielded to them by Treaty; so that they could not stop or make way for the Ministers of that Crown, tho' they would do it for those of Brandenburgh. We told them, we doubted not but the Emperor's Ambassadors would be content to fall into the General Rule for so good an end; and that for our selves, the Mediators, who were out of all Competition by that Quality, yet we resolv'd to pra∣ctice it with the rest, and give the Example.

The French Ambassadors seem'd satisfied in their own Opinions; but however desir'd they might first communicate it to their Court. The Dutch Ambassadors wholly approv'd it, and resolv'd to con∣form their practice accordingly, unless they found other Ambas∣sadors should decline it. However, about a Fortnight after, the French Ambassadors, upon Dispatches from their Court, began to change their Language; and told us, That for the first Article, Mon∣sieur Pompone thought it not neces∣sary to restrain the Numbers of Ambassadors Trains, since they were well provided against Disor∣ders by the following Articles. Besides that, this would in a man∣ner level the Ambassadors of great∣est Kings with the Ministers of smaller Princes, at least in the eyes of the mean people, who measure the Dignity of Persons by the Train that attend them. For the second

Article they consented to it, with an Apostyle of their own upon it, providing that it should not pre∣judice the Rights of any Princes, nor ever be drawn into consequence in any other place or time: We found by these Answers, That the French Ambassadors had less Vani∣ty than their Court, and wondred to find it so avowed, and to de∣scend to circumstances so low and so minute; for tho' Vanity be a weakness, or a fault that the fewest men are without, yet it is that of all others that the fewest will own; and few private men, tho' perhaps affected with the Gazes and Opi∣nion of the Rabble, that fill the Streets as they pass, will yet pre∣tend or confess to consider them. However, we thought best to let it pass; and the rather, because we knew it was no more the sense of the French Ambassadors, than Ours; for which they had one more particular Reason, which

was The noise that run of the magnificent Preparations and E∣quipage design'd by the Marquess de Balbaces and Count Antoine, towards their appearance in this Congress: the first whereof was one of the richest Subjects of Spain, Heir and Descendent of the famous Spinola; and the other had great Revenues from the Duke of Olden∣burgh (being his Natural Son) and was chosen by Denmark, on purpose to appear with Lustre in this Ambassage: and the French Ambassadors apprehended either being out-shined by these at their arrival, or being engag'd in greater Expences upon the Vye than they expected from their Court, which usually leaves those kind of services to future Rewards, by succeeding Employments and Advances, ra∣ther than present Supplies. When we receiv'd this answer from them, we only said, Monsieur Pompone's reasoning from the mean people,

seem'd a little below the Greatness of his Master, or the style of a Great Minister; but that we should acquaint the Dutch Ambassadors with it, that they might be at li∣berty to retract the consent they had already given, since they the French, seem'd to have done so: but that, for our selves, we would observe at least the Rules we had propos'd to others, and let them follow either the rules or Examples as they pleas'd. The French would by no means allow to have refus'd them, and said, They had only told us Monsieur Pompone's Reflections upon them; but that they could not absolutely consent, till they had concerted with their Allies, the Swedish Ambassadors, whose arrival they daily expected. How∣ever, tho' they were by these wholly approv'd, yet the French Ambassadors during the Assembly, made all their first Visits with the three several Ambassadors Coaches

and Six Horses, and the whole number of their Train, which sometimes reach'd further than the space between their Houses, and of the Minister's where the Visit was paid. But we continued to make ours, only with two Horses, and the number of Servants we had propos'd, and the rest of the Rules were observ'd by all with so good effect, that for one whole year I resided there together, there never happen'd any disorder or complaint from so numerous Trains.

For the Neutral Countrey, we at first propos'd, by concert with the French Ambassadors, to extend it about three Leagues, so as to take in the Town of Cleve, which has been always celebrated for one of the pleasantest Seats of Germany; but upon transmitting this Propo∣sal to the French, a Resolution came back to their Ambassadors, to admit only two leagues from Nimeguen, and That to continue

subject to Contribution, and to Execution, upon failure of that being paid, as was usual to the Garison of Mastricht. This we thought unpracticable, with the safety of the Ambassadors, or their Retinues, that should make use of a Neutrality subject to Inroads of armed Troops upon pretence of Contribution, and admitted of many disputes. The French Am∣bassadors had Orders from their Court to go out of Town upon any occasion of Airing and Enter∣tainment: The Dutch desir'd us to let the French know, The States could not be answerable for their doing it safely, till a Neutral Countrey were establish'd without being liable to Contribution. After some time, rather than continue Prisoners to the Town, or venture the inconvenience and danger of Parties ranging within the bounds of a Neutral Countrey, a Compass was agreed, about two English

miles from the Town, and mark'd out with several great Posts erected to that purpose, within which all persons should have liberty, and no Souldier should be suffer'd to come in, upon any pretext what∣soever.

Several Pretensions were rais'd at the opening of this Congress (which was reckon'd upon the time of two Mediators arrival upon the place), about the Rights of several Princes to send Ambassa∣dors, and many disputes arose upon them. It had been agreed at the Treaty of Munster, That every Elector should be allow'd to send a Minister thither, with the Cha∣racter of Ambassador; but if they sent more than One in Commission, that the First only should be treat∣ed with Excellence, and other Ceremonies of Ambassadors. This Rule we agreed to follow at Nime∣guen: and the Elector of Branden∣burgh sent two Ambassadors thi∣ther;

but we treated the First only with the usual Ceremonies, and left the other to his Pretences and Complaints. The French follow'd our example; and the other Am∣bassadors did some one, some the other, according as their Interests engag'd them to comply with that Elector in this pretence.

Upon admission of the Electors to send Ambassadors to the Con∣gress, the same pretence was soon after rais'd by the Dukes of Lorain, Nieuburgh, and Lunenburgh: much alteration us'd upon this Subject; but the Presidents al∣ledg'd, not being found without dispute, the thing lay quiet, and their Envoys arriv'd after some time at Nimeguen.

We agreed neither to give the first Visit, nor the Hand, in our Houses, to any Character under that of Ambassador; nor to other Persons of Quality, that were not

either Counts of the Empire, or General Officers of Armies.

There was no dispute about the Rank with the Mediators; the French having first yielded it by Order of their Court, till the Impe∣rialists came, who neither yielded nor refus'd it, but seem'd desirous to have that mark of distinction allow'd between the Emperor's Ambassadors and those of all other Crown'd Heads: We held on our pretence of it from These, as well as the rest, but kept it from coming to any decision till the very signing of the Treaty, finding the Emperor not inclin'd to yield it; and knowing that if it were refus'd there, the admission granted by the rest, might come to be retracted upon that Example.

The other Ambassadors were left to their usual Pretences: The French, That all should yield to Them; and the rest, of None yielding to one another; in which

the Swedes carried the Point even with their Allies, the French, as nicely and positively as any others.

The Swedes arriv'd about the middle of August; sent first to us, and then to the French, to notifie their arrival; this happen'd late in the Evening, so we deferr'd our Compliments and desires of an hour, till next Morning; the French made theirs the same Night to Monsieur Oxenstern, first in Commission, who gave them an Hour the next Morning, and to our Secretaries who came to them about that time, they gave an Hour in the Afternoon: The Visits were made accordingly, but upon our insisting that the first Visit ought to be return'd to the Mediators, from whomsoever the first should be receiv'd, the Swedish Ambassadors, after some time to consider it, determin'd the point, and made us the first Visit, tho'

the French had first made it to them; and this was observ'd by the Ambassadors that afterwards arriv'd during my residence there.

I remember no other points of the Ceremonial, that seem to have been establish'd by the course of this Assembly, unless it was one particular to our selves, who declar'd, that we would dine with no Ambassador till the Peace was concluded, being desirous to avoid the trouble and engagements of perpetual Invitations, as well as the unkindness of Excuses, at one time, or to some person more than another; but our own Tables were open, each of us three days in the Week, two Post-days being reserv'd to our selves for business, and one for diversion or Exercise abroad; and several of the Ambassadors, especially the French, came to our Tables not∣withstanding this resolution, which

they seem'd to take a little to heart: But to make amends, we divided the Nights by turns, where there were any Ladies in the Ambassadors Houses, and where the Evenings were spent in Dancing or Play, or careless and easie Suppers or Col∣lations. In these Entertainments, as I seldom fail'd of making a part, and my Colleague never had any, so it gave occasion for a good word that pass'd upon it, Que la Mediation est oit tous jours en pied pour fair sa function;* 1.7 for I us'd to go to Bed, and rise late, while my Colleague was a Bed by Eight, and up by Four; and to say Truth, two more different Men were never joyn'd in one Commission, nor a∣greed better in it.

For business, there was very little for many Months after the Con∣gress began, till the arrival of the Imperial Ministers, only the French

Ambassadors soon after my co∣ming, demanding an audience, came to make us the offer of exhi∣biting their Plein pouvoirs into our hands,* 1.8 not doubt∣ing, as they said, of the Dutch being ready to do the same. But upon our acquainting the Dutch Ambassadors with this overture, They told us, That it was in the choice of the French Ambassadors to do it when they pleas'd; but they did not conceive the hastening of it would gain any time, since they had no Orders to make that Peace without a previous concert with their Allies; and consequently tho' the French should do it, yet they would, at present, neither exhibit their own, nor, make any reflections (as might be necessary) upon those of the French. From this Answer, the French took occasion to press the Dutch extreamly upon making instances to all their Allies to hasten to the Treaty, or else to

declare, that they would enter into Affairs without them; and not without some intimation of their Master's, being resolv'd to recal them in case this was refus'd, or much longer delay'd. The Dutch excus'd the retardments given to the Treaty so long, by the many difficulties rais'd by the French Court upon occasion of the Pas∣ports, which were not yet dis∣patch'd to some of their new Al∣lies; but however, promis'd to ac∣quaint the States with these instan∣ces, and endeavour to dispose them to fix some time, by which they would order their Ambassadors to enter into matter, unless the Mi∣nisters of the Allies were arriv'd at Nimeguen.

In these, and several other points, interceeding between the French and Dutch Ambassadors, we carried the Proposals and An∣swers from one to the other, at their Houses, by word of mouth,

which continued till the Assembly was compleated, and a place of Conference with much difficulty agreed at the Stadthouse of Nime∣guen; where after many difficul∣ties between the two Confedera∣cies, and many more between the Parties that compos'd each of them, two Chambers were at length agreed for the Parties, and one for the Mediators, by which our pains was lessen'd, but with∣out other advantage. Nor was there any point that gave us more trou∣ble than the adjusting this among the Parties; for the French were from the very first, most declaredly averse from treating either by Writings, or from agreeing to a place of Publick conference; con∣ceiving this would tend to keep the body of the Confederacy united in the Treaty, as well as the War; whereas their design was to break that union here, which they could not in the Field; and find some

way or other of entring into sepa∣rate measures for a Peace with some of the Parties engag'd. In the mean time the Allies found, or took as many occasions as they could of delaying the dispatch of their Ministers to the Congress, while they had hopes of hindring the Dutch from proceeding with∣out them; and that they believ'd might be done till this Campania should end, from the events, whereof the several Princes might the better take their measures for the conditions of a Peace, that should be propos'd or insisted on in this Treaty; and this disposition of theirs was so well pursu'd, that no other Ambassadors arriv'd at Nimeguen till November, tho' we and the French, and the Dutch, had been so long upon the place, and the Swedes soon after.

In the mean time the successes of the Campania, that were expected absolutely to govern the motions of

the Treaty, were various as to the gross of the War; but run as high to the advantage of the French, as to the disadvantage of the Swedish Affairs. By force of great Trea∣sures, and great order in disposing them. The French Magazines were always fill'd in the Winter, so as to enable them to take the Field as they pleas'd in the Spring, without fearing the weather for their Foot, or expecting Grass for their Horse; on t'other side, the Spaniards want of Money and Order, left their Troops in Flan∣ders, neither capable to act by themselves upon any sudden at∣tempt, nor to supply with Provi∣sions in their March, either Dutch or Germans that should come to their relief. Their Towns were ill fortified, and worse defended; so that the King of France March∣ing in the Head of a brave and numerous Army, took Conde in four days in the month of April this

year 1676. before any of the Con∣federates were in the Field; & in May, sent the Duke of Orleans to besiege Bouchain with some part of his Troops, being a small, tho' strong place, and very considerable for its scituation to the defence of the Spanish Netherlands. The King, with the strength of his Army, Posted himself so advanta∣geously, as to hinder the Prince of Orange from being able to relieve it, or to Fight without disadvantage.

The Prince strugled through all the difficulties from the Season, or want of Provisions and Maga∣zines in Flanders, and March'd with his Army in sight of the French King by the middle of May, the Armies continued some days facing one another, and several times drawing out in order to a Battel, which neither of them thought fit to begin; whether not willing to hazard, without necessity or advantage, so decisive an action as

this was like to prove; or whether the French contented themselves to carry their point by hindring the Relief of Bouchain, which must fall without it, while the Prince of Orange, with-held by the Spaniards from pursuing his, which was to give a Battel that the Spaniards knew could not be lost without the loss of Flanders. The Armies con∣tinued facing one another till Bouchain was surrendred the Eighth day of the Siege. The Prince return'd to refresh his Army, harass'd with so hasty a March upon so suddain preparations; and the King of France return'd home, leaving his Army under the Mare∣schal Schomberg, to attend the motions of the Enemies. The Prince fell into concert with the Spanjard and German Princes near the lower Rhine, for the Siege of Mastricht, which, tho the strongest of the Dutch Frontiers when it was taken, had been yet fortified by

the French since they possess'd it, with all the advantages of Art and Expence, and with a Garison of eight Thousand chosen Men, under Calvo, a resolute Catalonian, who commanded there under the Mare∣schal d'Estrades Governour of the place, but then at Nimeguen.

About the end of July, the Trenches were open'd by the Prince, and the Siege carried on with such Bravery, so many and desperate Assaults for about Three Weeks, that as Wagers were con∣tinually offer'd, with odds, at Nimeguen, that it would be taken within such or such a time; so we did not observe the Mareschal d'Estrades was willing to take them, or seem'd at all confident it would be so well defended. The Prince, or the Rhingrave, (who was d••sign'd for Governour of the Town, as his Father had been) were ever in the head of the At∣tacks, and made great use, as well as

proof of the desperate Courage of the English Troops upon all those occasions; many of the out-works were taken with great slaughter on both sides, but were supplied by new Retrenchments, and by all the Art and Industry of a resolute Captain, and brave Soldiers within. About the middle of August, the Prince exposing himself upon all occasions, receiv'd a Musket-shot in his Arm; at which, perceiving those about him were daunted, he immediately pull'd off his Hat with the Arm that was hurt, and waved it about his Head, to shew the wound was but in the Flesh, and the Bone safe; at which they all reviv'd, and the Prince went on without interruption in all the Paces of the Siege. But a cruel sickness falling into his Army, weaken'd it more than all the Assaults they had given the Town. The Germans came not up with the Supplies they had promis'd, and

upon which assurance the Siege was undertaken; and the Rhind∣grav••, who, next the Prince, was the spring of this Action, happening to be wounded soon after, was forc'd to leave the Camp for a Castle in the Neighbourhood, where he died; by all which the Army grew disheartned, and the Siege faint. In the mean time Monsieur Schomberg, who trusted to a vigorous defence at Mastricht, had besig'd and taken Aire, and after the Prince's Army was weaken'd, by the ac∣cidents of the Siege, March'd with all the French Forces through the heart of the Spanish Low Coun∣tries, to the relief of Mastricht; upon whose approach, and their solutions of the Councel of War in the Prince's Camp, the Siege was rais'd, and with it the Cam∣pania ended in the Dutch or Spanish Provinces. And from this time the Prince of Orange began to despair

of any success in a War, after such tryals and experience of such weak∣ness in the Spanish Forces and Conduct, and uncertainty in the German Councels or Resolu∣tions.

However, the Imperial Army took Philipsburgh in the end of September this year 1676. which was yielded for want of Provisions, and as much against common opi∣nion and expectation, as the contrary event in the Siege of Mastricht.

The Affairs of Denmark and Brandenburgh prosper'd all this while against Sweden, with advan∣tage in most of the Sieges and En∣counters that pass'd this Summer, and the first part of the Winter fol∣lowing, so that the Swedes seem'd to be losing apace all they had so long possess'd in Germany; but the Imperial Forces, tho' joyn'd with those of the several Princes upon the upper Rhine, had made no pro∣gress

in their design'd Conquests there, and were forc'd to seek their old Quarters on the German side of the Rhine, upon the approach of the French; which was a true and undisputed decision of the small success of this Campania.

After it was ended, the Parties engag'd in the War began to turn their thoughts, or at least their eyes, more towards the motions of the Treaty than they had hitherto done. The Prince of Orange writ to me, desir'd to see me for a day or two at Soesdycke near Amesfort, about a days Journey from Nime∣guen. He complain'd much, and with too much reason, of the Conduct of his Allies, the weak∣ness, or rather uselesness of the Spanish Troops in Flanders, for want of Pay, or Order; the Im∣perial Armies acting without design upon the Rhine, or with dependance upon Orders from Vienna, where the emulation of

the Ministers made such destra∣ction, and counter-paces of their Generals, that the Campania had pass'd with small effect after the promises of vigorously invading either Lorain or France. How the Dukes of Lunenburgh had fail'd of sending their Troops to Mastricht, which, with the Sickness of the Camp, had render'd that Siege ineffectual: So that he began to dispair of any good issue of the War, and would be glad to hear, I hop'd, for a better of the Peace upon our Scene at Nimeguen, after the Paces and Progress whereof he made particular enquiries. I told him how little advances had been hitherto made, by the slowness of his Allies dispatching their Mi∣nisters thither; how little success could be expected from the pre∣tentions of the Parties when they should meet, especially France pretending to keep all they had got by the War, and Spain to recover

all they had lost; how His Majesty seem'd of the mind to concern him∣self no further than the Paces of a Mediator, our Orders being only to convey the Mind or Proposals of the Parties from one to another, and even to avoid the offers of any references upon them to his Ma∣jesties determination; so that my opinion was, That it must be the War alone that must make the Peace, and that I suppos'd it would do at one time or other by the weak∣ness or weariness of one of the Par∣ties.

The Prince seem'd of my mind, and said, the events of the War would depend upon the Conduct at Madrid and Vienna before next Campania; for without some great successes, he did not believe the States would be induc'd to continue it longer; I told the Prince the Discourses Monsieur Colbert had entertained me with upon my ar∣rival at Nimeguen, in which his

Highness was chiefly concerned; upon which he replied coldly, he had heard enough of the same kind another way, which Monsieur D' Estrades had found out to Pen∣sioner Fagel; but that they knew him little that made him such Overtures; and for his own In∣terests or Advantages, let them find a way of saving his Honour, by satisfying Spain, and nothing of his Concerns should retard the Peace an hour.

After my return to Nimeguen, I found the French making all the advances they could towards the progress of the Treaty, and they were (no doubt) in earnest, being in a posture to insist upon their present possessions, and having made a great hand of this last Campania, were willing, like Gamesters that have won much, to give over, unless oblig'd to Play on by those that had lost. The Swedes were more in haste and in

earnest for the Peace than any, hoping no Resource for their losses in Germany by the War. The Dutch were grown impatient after the Peace, finding France would make no difficulty of any thing between them, offering privately by their Emissaries, especially at Amster∣dam, such a Reglement of Com∣merce as they could desire, the restitution of Mastricht, and of all satisfaction the Prince of Orange could pretend upon his losses, or their seizures in the War. But Denmark and Brandenburgh were as violent against the Peace, having swallowed up in their hopes all that Sweden had possess'd in Germany; and tho' the Emperor seem'd to pretend little after the taking of Philipsburgh, besides the restitution of Lorain and the Towns of Alsatia, to the posture they were left in by the Munster Treaty; yet they were so fast link'd both with their German Allies as

well as Spain, that they resolved to make no Paces in the Treaty but by common concert; and Spain, tho' sensible of the condition their affairs in Flanders were in, as well as Sicily, yet upon a design then hatching at Madrid, for removal of the Queen Regent and her Ministry, to introduce Don John to head the affairs of their Govern∣ment, had conceiv'd great hopes to recover those desperate infirmi∣ties that their inveterate disorders both in Councils and conduct, especially in their Finances, had for so long time occasion'd. Besides, they had confidences still given them from their Ministers in En∣gland, that His Majesty would not, after all, be contented to see Flanders lost, or would be forced into the War by the humour of his Parlia∣ment. For these Reasons, the Allies seem'd to make no hast at all to the Congress, and some of them hardly to look that way; and none

of the Parties were yet arriv'd, besides the French, the Swedes and the Dutch: But about the end of September, the French Am∣bassadors gave notice, That their Master having made so many advances to the Peace, and being so ill seconded by the proceedings of the Confederates, and their slowness in coming to the Treaty, was resolv'd to recal his Ambassa∣dors, unless those of the chief Con∣federates should repair to Nime∣guen within the space of one Month.

This we communicated to the Dutch Ambassadors, and they to the States, who after some Con∣ferences with the Ministers of their Allies, came to a resolution, That they would enter upon the Treaty themselves, if the Ministers of their Confederates should not repair to Nimeguen by the first of November, which was afterwards, upon some disputes, declar'd to be meant Old

Stile, being that of the place where the Congress was held.

The noise of this resolution of the States, was more among their Allies, than the danger, since there were ways enough to raise difficul∣ties, and spin out time after the Ambassadors should arrive, as well as before; but yet it had so much effect, that the several Confede∣rates did upon it begin to hasten away one or other of their intended Ambassadors towards Nimeguen (as Count Kinkski from Vienna, Don Pedro Ronquillo from England, where he then resided as Spanish Envoy) but not the persons prin∣cipally intrusted, or at the head of their Embassies, nor with powers to proceed further than Prelimina∣ries; And from Denmark, Mon∣sieur Heug, without any news of Count Antoine's preparation, who was appointed chief of that Am∣bassay; any more than of the Bishop of Gurke, or Marquess de Balbaces,

the chiefest of those design'd from the Emperor and Spain.

In the mean time the Dutch began to lay load upon their Allies, for their back wardness, so declar'd, in making any paces towards the Treaty; to cavil upon the obli∣gations they were under of so many great Subsidies to so many Princes their Allies, for carrying on a war which the Allies pursued for their own separate Interests or Ambi∣tion, tho' entr'd into it, perhaps at first, for defence of Holland, with whose safety theirs were com∣plicated, Hereupon their Ministers both at the Hugue and az Nimeguen, took the liberty to say publickly, upon several occasions, and in several Companies, That their Masters would pay no Subsidies to their Allies the next Campania, unless in the mean time they would by their fair and sincere proceedings in the Treaty, put the French in the wrong, as their expression was.

The Swedes had, as well as the French, offer'd to deliver us their Powers; but this was deferr'd by the Dutch to the arrival of their Allies, till after the first of No∣vember was elaps'd; The French began to press them upon it, in consequence of the States reso∣lution; and after some little de∣murs, the Dutch Ambassadors agreed to deliver theirs; so by a concert, not without difficulty, we agreed, That on the 21st of November, the several Powers should be brought to us the Medi∣ators, by the several Ambassadors, at such Hours as they should se∣verally take from us, should be deposited in our hands, and that we should afterwards communicate the Originals mutually to the several Ambassadors at their Hou∣ses, and leave Copies with them, attested by us the Mediators.

This was done accordingly; and the morning after, the Dutch

Ambassadors brought us an account of several exceptions they were forc'd to make against several ex∣pressions in the French and Swedish Prefaces to their Powers, which they said were fitter for Manifestoes than for Powers of a Treaty, espe∣cially those of justifying the War, and maintaining the Treaty of Westphalia: But the greatest stress they laid, was upon a clause in the French Powers, mentioning the Pope's Mediation, which they said their Masters could never consent to now, no more than they had at Munster. To say truth, tho' the gaining of time for the Allies coming might have some part in these exceptions of the Dutch, yet they were fram'd with great art, and shew'd the great quickness and sharpness of Monsieur Beverning's apprehension, as well as his skill and experience in these kind of affairs; being, I think without dispute, the most practis'd, and

the ablest Ambassador, of any I have ever met in the course of my Employments.

The Dutch exceptions were re∣turn'd, by others from the French and Swedes against their Powers; but with offer from both of entring into the Treaty, while these Mi∣nisters should be adjusting. The Dutch accepted it, provided the French would oblige themselves to procure new Powers, free from the exceptions raised against them, as the Dutch offer'd to do. After much debate, they all agreed in desiring us the Mediators to draw up a form of Powers to be us'd by all the Parties; We did it, and it was approv'd by them all, with some reserve only from the French, whether it would be fit to mention any Mediation, since that of the Pope's was left out, and some little Tentatives upon us, whether we would be content to leave out all mention of his Ma∣jesties

Mediation, as well as that of the Pope's? This we excus'd our selves from doing, the whole frame of the Congress having pro∣ceeded from His Majestie's Media∣tion, without any intervention of the Pope's; and the King's having been accepted by all the Parties, which the Pope's had not been; but on the contrary, the very mention of it in the Powers, de∣clar'd against by several of them. And by Orders we received from Court upon occasion of this dispute, we declared to all of the Parties, That tho' His Majesty pretended not to exclude any other Media∣tion that the Parties should think fit to use, yet he could not in any wise act jointly with that of the Pope, nor suffer his Ministers to enter into any Commerce either of Visits or Conferences, with any of His that might be employed at Nimeguen.

In November arriv'd Monsieur Heug, one of the Danish Ambas∣sadors; Monsieur Somnitz and Blas∣pyl, the two Brandenburgh Ambas∣sadors; Lord Barclay from Paris; and soon after, Don Pedro Ron∣quillo, one of the Spanish Am∣bassadors; but the last continued incognito till the arrival of Count Kintski, who whether he had ta∣ken the Gout, or the Gout had taken him, continued upon that pretence, at Colen till the new year was begun.

The Spanish Ambassador coming upon Visits to my Wife, and meet∣ing me there, found that way of entring into the present business of the Scene, as much as if he had been declar'd upon it. He agreed with the French in this one point, of desiring either the Pope's Me∣diation might be mentioned in their Powers; or that His Majesty in consideration of the Peace, would suffer the mention of his to be left

out; but the Dane on t'other side agreed with the Dutch, in refusing to admit any Power with mention of the Pope's Mediation. There arose likewise another difficulty from a seeming Expedient pro∣pos'd by the Dutch, of having from each Party several Powers granted for treating with the se∣veral Parties they were in War with, which the French refus'd, or to grant other Powers than for the Dutch and their Allies; and in these disputes or difficulties the year 1676 ended.

I enter not at all into the Detail, or so much as mention of the many Incidents that fell into the course of this Treaty upon Punctilioes of Visits or Ceremonials, because they seem to me but so many Im∣pertinencies that are grown this last Age into the Character of Ambassa∣dors, having been rais'd and culti∣vated by men, who wanting other Talents to value themselves in

those Imployments, endeavoured to do it by exactness or niceties in the Forms; and besides, they have been taken notice of by discourses concerning this Treaty, and at one time or other may be exactly known by the Original Papers of our Ambassy, which are in two or three several Hands: Whereas I intend chiefly to declare the course of this great Affair, by the more material circumstances, and from the true springs of those events that succeeded, rather than trou∣ble my self with the Forms that served to amuse so long this Assem∣bly at Nimeguen.

I shall only make two Obser∣vations upon the Ceremonial; the first is upon the Emperor's Con∣duct towards the Brandenburgh Am∣bassadors; allowing his Ministers to Treat them both like Ambassa∣dors of Crown'd Heads, though we gave it only to the first of the Ambassy upon the President of the

Munster Treaty, and were follow'd in it by the French and Swedes in the whole course of this Treaty at Nimeguen. This Pace of the Em∣peror seem'd not so much ground∣ed, as some thought, upon his compliance with so considerable an Ally, as upon a design to assist ano∣ther Pretention of his own, which is not only a difference of Place, but also of Rank from all other Crown'd Heads of Christendom; Whereas the other Kings, though they yield him the Place, yet they do not allow him a difference of Rank. But if the Emperor could by his Example prevail with other Kings to Treat the Electors like Crown'd Heads, it would fortifie the Pretensions of the Emperor to a difference of Rank, since there is a great one, and out of all con∣test between him and the Ele∣ctors.

My second Remark is, That among all the Punctilioes between

the Ambassadors at Nimeguen, none seem'd to me to carry them to such heights as the Swedes and the Danes; The first standing as stiff upon all Points of not seeming to yield in the least to the French Ambassadors, tho' their Allies and from a Crown not only of so mighty Power, but from whom alone they expected the restoring of their broken State in Germany; and the Danish Am∣bassador, upon the French Powers being exhibited in French, said he would give his in Danish, unless they would do it in Latin as a com∣mon Language; alledging, he knew no difference between Crown'd Heads; that the Danish King had been as great as the French are now, and in their present Dominions are as Absolute. Upon all which Monsieur Beverning could not forbear to reflect, and say to us, That in his Remembrance there was no sort of Competition made by those two Northern Kings

with the other three great Kings of Christendom; That the treatment of the States to them was very different, and their Ministers made no difficulty of signing any Instruments after the Ministers of the three Great Crowns. 'Tis, I think, out of question, that the pretention of Parity among the Crown'd Heads, was first made in the North by Gustavus, when he told Monsieur Grammont the French Ambassador in Sweden upon this occasion; That for his part he knew no distinction among Crown'd Heads, but what was made by their Virtue; and this Pretence was not much disputed with him in respect to the greatness of his Qualities, as well as of his Attempts and Successes; and his example was follow'd by the Kings of Denmark, and has since left Place, a thing contested among them all. 'Tis true, the French have claim'd the Precedence next

to the Emperor, with more noise and haughtiness than the rest, but have been yielded to by none except the Spaniard, upon the fear of a War they were not able to deal with; nor have they since been willing to own the weakness of that confession, but have chosen to fall into what measures they could of encouraging and establishing the Pretence of Parity among Crown'd Heads. The most remarkable In∣stance of this happen'd at Nime∣guen, where upon a publick meeting of the Allies, the Dispute arising between Spain and Denmark for the place at Table, Don Pedro consented to have it taken by turns, and at the first to be divided by lot. The French Ambassadors made their pretence of preference next the Mediators at Nimeguen, in the first return of their Visits from Ambassadors arriving; but was neither yielded to by Swede or Dane, nor Practis'd by the Empe∣rors

Ambassadors, who made their first Visit to the Mediators, and the next without Distinction to the first that had visited them. The Emperor took Advantage of the French, as well as the rest, having yielded to the Mediators, and during this Treaty made a Scruple, tho' not a Refusal of doing it, by which he distinguish'd himself from the other Crowned Heads. We were content to keep it, as much as we could, from Decision with them; but it once happen'd, that upon a Meeting with the Allies at the Dane's House, Count Kinkski was there before I and Sir Lionel came into the Room, where Chairs were set for all the Ambassadors. After the common Salutations, I went strait up to the Chair that was first in Rank, and stood before it, to sit down when the rest were ready; but my Colleague either losing his time by being engag'd in longer Civilities, or by

Desire not to be engag'd in Con∣tests, gave room to Count Kinkski (a very brisk Man) to come and stand before the Chair that was next me, and consequently between me and my Colleague: When I saw this, and consider'd, that tho' the Place was given me by the Im∣perialists, yet it was not given to the King's Ambassy; I chose not to sit down; but falling into the Conference that was intended, I stood all the while, as if I did it care∣lesly, and so left the Matter unde∣cided.

The Prince of Orange, about the latter End of December, writ very earnestly to me, to make a Step for some few Days to the Hague, knowing I had leave from His Majesty to do it when I thought fit. And finding all things without present Motion at Nimeguen, I went thither, and arriv'd the last day of the Year. The first of the next being 1677. I attended His

Highness: We fell into large Discourses of the Progress of the Treaty, the Coldness of the Par∣ties, the affected Delays of the Imperials and Spaniards, the declar'd Aversion of the Danes and Bran∣denburgh; and concluded how little was to be expected from the formal Paces of this Congress. Upon all which the Prince ask'd, if I had heard any more of His Majesty's Mind upon the Peace, since I had been last with him? I told him what I remembred of his last Letter to me upon that Subject; which was, That he concluded from the Prince's Discourses to me, that he had then no mind to a Peace; that he was sorry for it, because he thought it was his Interest to have it. That he had try'd to know the Mind of France upon it; but if they would not open themselves farther of one side, nor His Highness on the other, than they had yet done, he would content himself

with performing only His Part of a Mediator, and in the Common Forms. The Prince said, This look'd very cold, since His Majesty was alone able to make the Peace, and knew well enough what it would come to by the Forms of the Congress. That for his own part, he desir'd it, and had a great deal of reason, both because His Ma∣jesty seem'd to do so, and to think it his own Interest as well as the Prince's; and because the States not only thought it their Interest, but absolutely necessary for them. That he would not say this to any but to the King by me; because if France should know it, they would, he doubted, be harder upon the Terms: That both Spain and the Emperor had less Mind to it now, than they had at the End of the last Campania; the new Ministers being less inclin'd to it than the old had been; so that there was not one of the Allies; that had any

Mind to it besides the States. That for his own Part, he should be always in the same Mind with them, and therefore very much desir'd it; but did not know which way to go about it, at least, so as to compass it before the next Cam∣pania. And if that once began, they should be all at Sea again, and should be forc'd to go just as the Wind should drive them. That if His Majesty had a Mind to make it, and would let him know freely the Conditions upon which either he desir'd or believ'd it might be made, he would endeavour to concert it the best he could with His Majesty, and that with all the Freedom and Sincereness in the World, so it might be done with any Safety to his own Honour, and the Interests of his Country.

All this he desir'd me to write directly to his Majesty from him, as he knew I had not only Leave, but Command to do upon any

Occasion that I thought deserv'd it.

Two Days after, I saw the Pen∣sioner Fagel, upon some common Affairs incident to my Ambassy at the Hague, which had been left in the Hands of the Secretary of that Ambassay. When these Discourses were past, he ask'd me, if I had brought them the Peace from Ni∣meguen I replyed, That since he was so ignorant of what had pass'd there, I would tell him; That they had car∣ried their Matters there,* 1.9 En habiles gens. That to bring their Allies to the Congress, they had pretended to treat by the first of November, whether they came or no. That after that Day past, they had found fault with the Powers exhibited, had offer'd at new, made the Mediators course from one to t'other, spun out two Months time in these Paces, and thereby were gotten in sight both of Spanish and Imperial Ministers, which I suppos'd was the Point

they always intended, and after∣wards to keep Pace with them. The Pensioner answer'd me with something in his Face both serious and sad, That either I did not know them, and the Course of their Affairs since I left the Hague, or else I would not seem to know them: That they not only desir'd the Peace from their Hearts, but thought it absolutely necessary for them; That they would certainly have enter'd into Treaty at the time, if the French had either exhi∣bited Powers in a Form to be at all admitted, or would have oblig'd themselves to procure new ones; Nay, That they would not insist upon a Peace according to their Allies Pretensions, nor could he answer that they would not make a separate one. I said, That was a matter of such Moment, as I was sure they would think of it another Year before they did it. With this he drew up his Chair closer to me,

and began a Discourse with more Heat and Earnestness than agreed well with the Posture of Health he was in; saying, first, That they had thought enough of it already, and with thinking much, had begun to find it was without Re∣medy. That they had great Obli∣gations to Spain for entring the War to save their Country, and thereby to save Flanders too; but they had made them no ill Return, by continuing it now three Years only for the Interests of Spain, since there remain'd nothing of Conse∣quence between France and them. That they had further engag'd themselves to carry it on this fol∣lowing Year, and so would have done with the Forces they did the last, if their Allies had perform'd the Parts they had likewise engag'd. But for Spain, they took no Care, but to let them see they were resolv'd to perish; That they had sent their Fleet home from Sicily without

the Payments agreed on, and left them to be paid by the States at their Return. That not a Penny could be got of a great Sum they ow'd them for Carriages and Provi∣sions the last Summer, and which was design'd for Magazines against next Year in Flanders, without which their Armies could not march in that Country, where they were sure to find none of the Spaniards providing. That they had represented to Spain the neces∣sity but of keeping so many Forces well regulated and paid, as might defend their Towns while the Prince should take the Field with the Army of the State, and hinder or divert any great Sieges there; but not a Word of Answer. That they had then desir'd them to re∣ceive so many of the Troops of the German Princes, their Allies, as might defend their most important Places; but instead of this, they drove them out of their Country.

That for the Emperor, they had always told him, That unless his Army would march into France, or at least force them to a Battel by such Forces as might draw great Detachments of the French out of Flanders, that Countrey would not be sav'd the last Summer, or at least not the next, unless his Army took up their Quartiers this Winter in Alsatia, or on that side of the Rhine. But at Vienna they con∣sider'd Flanders as much as the Dutch do Hungary; and because the Impe∣rial Officers could better find their private Account by Winter-quar∣ters in Germany, than in a Country harass'd like Alsatia, their Armies must repass the Rhine this Winter, and thereby lose all the Advantages of the last Campania, and Hopes of the next. That for want of Maga∣zines in Flanders, two or three strong Frontiers would be lost there next Spring, before the Imperialists could take the Field; and if Cambray, Va∣lencines

and Mons were taken, all the rest would revolt, considering the Miseries they had already suffer'd, and must by a longer War. That the Prince would not be able to prevent it, or be soon enough in the Field to march, for want of Provisions in Flanders, the Country growing desolate by the unsettled Contributions; or at least, not with such an Army as to venture a Battel, or raise a Siege, while the Spanish Troops were so weak, and the French would be so strong, at a time when they had no Enemy to divert them upon the Rhine. That the Prince's Friends could not suffer him to go into the Field only to see Towns lost under his Nose, and perhaps all Flanders, while He was expected to defend it, and at the same time was rendred incapa∣ble of doing it by the Faults of the Spaniards, who yet would not fail to reproach Him, as well as his Enemies abroad, and Ill-willers

at home, that would be glad of the Occasion. In the mean time, from France they could have what∣ever Conditions they pretended, either by restoring Mastricht, a Reglement of Commerce, or any Advantages to the House of O∣range; and as to this last, what∣ever the Prince himself would demand: That to this Purpose they had every Week pressing Letters from Monsieur d'Estrades to make the Separate Peace; and tho' he should fall into it with the greatest Regret that could be, yet he did not see what else was to be done, and did not know one Man in Holland that was not of the same Mind. That he did not talk with me as an Ambassador, but a Friend, whose Opinion he esteem'd and desir'd; That he told me freely,* 1.10 Leur fort & leur soible; and would be glad to know what else I thought they could do upon

all these Circumstan∣ces,* 1.11 Et dans accable∣ment de leur Estat par une si longue guerre. I return'd his Compliment, but excus'd my self from giving my Opinion to a Person so well able to take Measures that were the fittest for the States Conduct, or his own; but desir'd to know what He reckon'd would become of Flan∣ders after the Dutch had made their Separate Peace; because the Fate of that Countrey was that wherein the rest of their Neighbours were concern'd as well as they. He an∣swer'd, It would be lost in one Summer, or in two, but more probably in one; That he believ'd Cambray, Valenciennes, Namur and Mons, might be lost in one Summer; That after their Loss, the great Towns within would not offer at defending themselves, ex∣cepting Antwerp and Ostend, for which they might perhaps take

some Measures with France, as I knew the French had offer'd Mon∣sieur de Witt upon their first In∣vasion in 1667. I ask'd him, how he reckon'd this State was to live with France after the Loss of Flanders? And if he thought it could be other∣wise than at Discretion? He desir'd me to believe, that if they would hope to save Flanders by the War, they would not think of a Separate Peace; but if it must be lost, they had rather it should be by the last, which would less exhaust their Country, and dishonour the Prince; That after Flanders was lost, they must live so with France, as would make them find it their Interest rather to preserve their State, than to destroy it; That it was not to be cho∣sen, but to be swallow'd, like a de∣sperate Remedy; That he had hop'd for some Resource from better Con∣duct in the Spanish Affairs, or that some great Impression of the German Armies upon that side of France

might have brought the Peace to some reasonable Terms; That for his own part, he had ever believ'd that England it self would cry Halt, at one step or other that France was making; and that if we would be content to see half Flanders lost, yet we would not all, nor Sicily neither, for the Interest of our Trade in the Mediterranean. That the King had the Peace in his Hands for these two Years past, might have made it when he pleas'd, and upon such Conditions as he should think fit, of Justice and Safety to the rest of his Neighbours as well as himself. That all Men knew France was not in a condition to refuse whatever Terms His Majesty resolv'd on, or to venture a War with England in Conjunction with the rest of the Allies. That the least show of it, if at all credited in France, was enough to make the Peace. That they had long repre∣sented all this in England by Mon∣sieur

Van Beuninghen, and offer'd His Majesty to be the Arbiter of it, and to fall into the Terms he should prescribe; but not a Word in Answer, and all received with such a Coldness as never was, though other People thought we had rea∣son to be a little more concern'd. That this put him more upon thinking a separate Peace neces∣sary than all the rest; That he confes'd,* 1.12 Cuncta prius tentanda, till he found at last 'twas immedicabile vulnus. That for their living with France after Flanders was lost, he knew well enough what I meant by asking; but after that, the Aims of France would be more upon Italy or Germany, or perhaps upon us than them; That it could not be the Interest of Franco to Destroy or Conquer this State, but to preserve it in a Dependance upon that Crown; That they could make

better Use of the Dutch Fleets, than of a few poor Fisher Towns, that they should be reduc'd to, if any Violation were made, either upon their Liberties or Religion. That the King of France had seen their Country, and knew it, and under∣stood it so; and said upon all Oc∣casions, That he had rather have them for his Friends, than his Subjects. But if, after all, I con∣cluded their State must fall in four and twenty Hours, yet it were better for them to defer it to the last Hour; and that it should happen at Night, rather than at Noon.

This was discours'd with such Vehemence and Warmth, that he was not able to go on; and having said, It was not a Matter to be re∣solv'd between us Two, I left him, after wishing him Health enough to go through the Thoughts and Businesses of so great a Conjun∣cture.

Next Morning I went to the Prince, and after some common Talk, told him what had past in my Visit to the Pensioner, and ask'd His Highness, If he had seen him since, or knew any thing of it? He said, No; and so I told him the Detail of it: and, upon Conclu∣sion, That he said, he saw nothing else to be done, but to make a se∣parate Peace; and that he knew not a Man in Holland who was not of his Mind. The Prince interrupt∣ed me, saying, Yes, I am sure I know one, and that is My Self, and I will hinder it as long as I can: but if any thing should happen to me, I know it would be done in two days time. I ask'd him, Whe∣ther he was of the Pensioner's Mind, as to what he thought likely to hap∣pen the next Campania? He said, The Appearance were ill; but Cam∣pania's did not always end as they began: That Accidents might hap∣pen which no Man could fore-see;

and that if they came to one fair Battel, none could answer for the Event. That the King might make the Peace, if he pleas'd, before it began; but if we were so indiffe∣rent as to let this Season pass, for his part, he must go on, and take his Fortune. That he had seen that Morning a poor old Man, tugging alone in a little Boat with his Oars, against the Eddy of a Sluce upon a Canal; that when with the last En∣deavours he was just got up to the Place intended, Force of the Eddy carried him quite back again; but he turn'd his Boat as soon as he could, and fell to his Oars again; and thus three or four times, while the Prince saw him; and concluded, this old Man's Business and His were too like one another; and that he ought however to do just as the old Man did, without knowing what would succeed, any more than what did in the poor Man's Case.

All that pass'd upon these Dis∣courses,

I represented very parti∣cularly to the Court; the first Part immediately to the King, the rest to the Secretaries of State; and ad∣ded my own Opinion, That if His Majesty continued to interpose no further than by the bare and com∣mon Offices of this Mediation in the Place and Forms of a Treaty, and the Austrians held off from the Progress of it as well as the Nor∣thern Allies, and as they had all hi∣therto done; it would certainly follow, that the French and Dutch would fall into private Negotia∣tions, and by what I could ob∣serve on both sides, were like to adjust them in a very little time, and leave them ready to clap up a Peace in two Days, when the Dutch should grow more impatient of the Slowness or Unsincereness of their Allies Proceedings in the General Treaty, or whenever the violent Humour of the People should force the Prince to fall into the same Opi∣nion

with the States upon this Mat∣ter. This I esteem'd my self oblig'd to say, that His Majesty might want no Lights that were necessary upon so nice, and yet so dangerous a Conjuncture. I had His Majesty's Answer in a long Letter of his own Hand, complaining much of the Confederate Ministers in England caballing with Parliament-Men, and raising all Mens Spirits as high against the Peace as they could; and that they had done it to such a De∣gree, as made it very difficult for him to make any Steps with France towards a General Peace, unless the Dutch Ambassador would first put in a Memorial, pressing His Majesty from the States to do it, and decla∣ring; That without it they saw Flanders would be lost,

From Secretary Williamson I had no other Answer material upon all the Pensioner's Discourses, nor my own Opinion upon the present Conjuncture, but that His Ma∣jesty,

and the Lords of the Foreign Committee, wondred I should think the French were so ready for a Separate Peace, if the Dutch should fall into those Thoughts; and that they did not remember they had ever received any thing from either Me, or my Colleague at Nimeguen, that look'd that way. Upon which, I told him the frequent Conversations I had had with Monsieur Colbert upon that Subject, and the several Letters the Pensioner had shewn me from the Mareschal d'Estrades, or his Instrument at Mastricht. But to all this I received no Answer, nor so much as Reflection, tho' I thought this part was my duty as Ambassador at the Hague, whether it were so as Mediator at Nimeguen or not.

The Prince and Pensioner were both willing the King should be comply'd with in the Government of Monsieur Van Beuningham's

Paces and Language at London; but press'd me to write once more, to know His Majesties Opinion upon the Terms of a Peace; or else, he said, it would be too late, while the Season advanc'd towards the Campania. Upon which, I desir'd him to consider, there might be three Weeks difference between his first telling his own thoughts to His Majesty, and receiving His Majesty's Opinion upon it; or sending first to know His Ma∣jesty's, then returning his own, and afterwards expecting the King's again, in case they differ'd: besides, I believ'd His Majesty would take it kinder, and as a piece of more confidence, if His Highness made no difficulty of ex∣plaining himself first. The Prince paus'd a while, and then said, To shew the Confidence he desired to live in with His Majesty, he would make no further difficulty of it, tho' he might have many reasons

to do it. That if the King had a mind to make a sudden Peace, he thought he must do it upon the foot of Aix la Chapelle, which he would have the more ground for, because it was a Peace he both made and warranted. That for Exchanges, he thought there should be no other propos'd upon it, but only of Aeth and Charleroy for Aire and St. Omer; which two last he thought imported a great deal more to France than the others, unless they would declare, that they intended to end this War with the prospect of beginning another, by which they might get the rest of Flanders. That this was all needed pass between France and Spain; and for the Emperor and this State, that the first having taken Philipsburgh from the French, should raze it; and the French having taken Mastricht from the Dutch, should raze it too; and so this whole War should

pass,* 1.13 Comme un tourbillon qui avoit cesse apres avoir me∣nace beaucoup & fait fort peu de remve∣ments au monde.

I was surpriz'd to hear a Propo∣sition so on the sudden, so short, and so decisive, and that seem'd so easie towards a short close, if His Majesty should fall into it; and I esteem'd it a strain in the Prince of the most consummate knowledge in the whole present Scheme of Affairs, and most decisive Judgment upon them, that he could have given after the longest deliberation and maturest advice. I observ'd however to His Highness upon it, That he had not explained what was to become of Lorain and Burgundy; and next, Whether he believ'd it at all likely, that France, after such acquisitions made in this War, and so many more expected, should come to

such Restitutions of what they possess'd, without any equivalent. The Prince replied, Both were explain'd by the Terms he pro∣posed of Aix la Chapelle; That for Lorain, France never pretended to keep it, but from the last Duke only. That Burgundy could not be parted with by Spain, without the French restoring so many Towns for it in Flanders as would raise endless debates, draw the Business into lengths, and so leave it to the decision of another Cam∣pania. For the second, he said, He had reason to doubt it, and did not believe it would be done, but by His Majesties vigorous inter∣position, by that he was sure it would be easily effected; but if His Majesty would not endeavour it, the War must go on, and God Almighty must decide it. That all the Allies would be glad of it; and believ'd, that upon Don John's coming to the Head of the Spanish

Affairs, there would be a new World there. That however one Town well defended, or one Battel well fought, might change the Scene. That for himself, he would confess, the King could never do so kind a part, as to bring him with some Honour out of this War, and upon some mode∣rate Terms: but if he was content that France should make them insupportable, they would venture All, rather than receive them. And for Holland's making it a separate Peace, let the Pensioner or any others tell me what they would, they should never do it while he was alive, and was able to hinder it; and he would say one thing more to me, That he be∣lieved he was able to hinder it) That if he died, he knew it would be done next day: but when that should happen, this matter must be some others care, and perhaps,

We in England, were the most concern'd to look after it.

I promis'd to represent all he had said directly to His Majesty, and so I did immediately; and the Prince went next day to Dieren, within six Leagues of Nimeguen, where I promis'd to come to him as soon as I should be possess'd of his Majesty's Answer. And I am the more particular in all these Discourses with the Prince and the Pensioner upon this great Con∣juncture, because they do not only discover the true Springs from which the Peace was afterwards deriv'd, but represent most of the Interests of Christendom, as they were observ'd by the two Persons, that next to Monsieur De Witt, understood them the best of any I ever met with in the course of my Negotiations.

After the Prince was gone, I had one Conference more with the Pensioner, who told me, he was still

of Opinion it must come to a Sepa∣rate Peace; That he had told the Emperour's Ministers the same thing; and that if they did not at Vienna fall into the Measures pro∣poss'd and insisted on by the States, before the middle of February next, they should be forc'd to make it. That if Don Emanuel de Lyra had not now assur'd them of the Remises being actually come from Spain, for payment of the last Years Charge of the Fleets, both in the Mediterranian and Baltick, ac∣cording to Agreement, the Peace could not have been kept off this Winter it self. I told him, The Prince was of another mind, and had said to me, a Separate Peace should never be made while he liv'd, and was able to hinder it; and that he believ'd he should have that in his power. The Pensioner reply'd, He should come to it with as much regret as the Prince him∣self; but that his Highness himself

might be forc'd to it by the ill Conduct of his Allies, the ill Suc∣cesses of the next Campania, and the Mutinies of the People, to which they were already but too much dispos'd at Amsterdam by the delays of the Treaty at Nimeguen. That the late Revolution in Spain against the Queen Regent and her Ministry, had shew'd enough what might be brought about by a violent and general humour of the People; and the Prince knew the Country too well, to go too far against it. That it was in His Majestie's hands to make a General Peace if he pleas'd, before the Campania begun; and perhaps it was in the Conduct of Spain and the Emperor to engage Holland in one Campania more, by the Mea∣sures they had propos'd: If both these fail'd, a Separate Peace must be made.

While I staid at the Hague, which was about a month, my Colleague

at Nimeguen had, it seems, found out a Negotiation grown between the French Ambassadors and Mons. Beverning, separate from the Mini∣sters of his Allies, and without any Communication of the Mediators, which they suspected would end in a Separate Peace. Of this they thought fit to give part to the Court, and of their suspitions upon it, as they had done in my absence; and receiv'd an imme∣diate Order upon it, That in case they found a Separate Peace con∣cluding or concluded between France and Holland at Nimeguen, they should protest publickly a∣gainst it in His Majesty's Name. This my Colleague Sir Lionel Jenkins writ to me at the Hague about the 10th of January, and was in great pain about it. He ap∣prehended the thing, but ex∣spected not to know it till it was done, and then doubted any good Consequences from our Protesta∣tion:

He desir'd I would both send him my thoughts upon it, and the same to Court as soon as I could.

I did so both to my Lord Trea∣surer and Mr. Secretary Coventry, and told them very freely, That I could not understand the reason or the drift of such an Order as my Colleagues had receiv'd to make such a Protestation. That if a Separate Peace between France and Holland were thought as dangerous in the Court, as I knew it was in the Country, the King might endeavour to prevent it, and had it still in his power, as he had had a great while: But if it were once concluded, I did not see any other effect of our Protestation, unless it were to irritate both the Parties, and bind them the faster, by our being angry at their Con∣junction. Nor did I know what ground could be given for such a Protestation; for tho' the Parties

had accepted his Majesty's Media∣tion of a General Peace, yet none of them had oblig'd themselves to His Majesty not to treat a Separate One, or without his Offices of Mediation: And if they had, I did not see why the same Interests that could make them break through so many Oligations to their Allies, should not make them as bold with a Mediator. That as to prevent the thing may be a very wise and necessary Coun∣sel, so His Majesty's Resolution in it ought to be signified as early as can be, where it is likely to be of moment to that end, which was to France: But if the thing should be first done, as I could not tell how well to ground our Offence, so I could as little how to seek our Revenge; and it would be to stay till we were stuck, and then trust to crying out. That, to the best of my sense, it were better to anger any one of the Parties before

a Separate Peace, than both of them after; and if we must strain any points of Courtesie with them, to do it rather by making a Fair and General Peace, than by complain∣ing or protesting against a Seperate One.

I thought, I confess, that this Representation from my Col∣leagues, without any knowledge of mine, or suspition that the matter was working up at Nime∣guen when I left it, and yet agreeing so much with what I had Foreseen and Represented from the Hague, and meeting such a Resentment at our Court as appear'd by the Order transmitted to my Colleagues upon it; There was little question but his Majesty would declare himself upon the Terms of a General Peace to both Parties, which I knew very well would be refus'd by neither, if he were positive in it, and supported, as he would certainly have been by the Prince. But our

Councils at Court were so in Balance, between the desires of living at least fair with France, and the Fears of too much displeasing the Parliaments upon their frequent Sessions, that our Paces upon this whole Affair look'd all like cross Purposes, which no man at Home or Abroad could well un∣derstand, and were often mistaken by both parties engag'd in the War, as well as by both Parties in the House of Commons, till the thing was wrested out of our hands.

About the Twenty Fifth of January 1677. I receiv'd his Ma∣jesty's Answer to my last dispatches by the Prince's directions, and carried them immediately away to Dieren, which was a little out of my way to Nimeguen, and there Com∣municated them to the Prince. They consisted of two Parts; The First, An Offer of his Majesty's entring

into the strongest defensive Alliance with the States, thereby to secure them from all Apprehensions from France, after the Peace should be made. The second was his Majesty's Remarks, rather than Conclusion of Judgment upon the Terms propos'd by the Prince for a Peace. That he believ'd it might be compos'd with France, upon the exchange of Cambray, Aire, and St. Omer, for Aeth, Charleroy, Ondenarde, Conde, and Bouchain: That this Scheme was what his Majesty thought possible to be obtain'd of France, tho' not what was to be wished.

I observ'd the Prince's Coun∣tenance to change when I nam'd Cambray and the rest of the Towns, yet he heard me through, & the many nice Reasons of Sir J.—W.— upon the matter, as of a double Frontier this would give to Flan∣ders, the safety whereof was the thing both His Majesty and the

States were most concern'd in, and many other ways of cutting the Feather: After which the Prince said, He believ'd Dinner was ready, and we would talk of it after we had din'd, and so went out; but as he was near the Door, he turn'd to me, and said, Tho' we should talk more of it after Dinner, yet he would tell me now, and in few words, That he must rather die than make such a Peace.

After Dinner, we went again into his Chamber, where he began with telling me, I had spoil'd his Dinner; That he had not expected such a return of the Confidence he had begun towards His Majesty. He observ'd the offer of Alliance came to me in a Letter of His Ma∣jesty's own hand; but That about the Terms of a Peace, from the Secretary only; That it was in a Stile, as if he thought him a Child, or to be fed with Whips Cream; That since all this had been

before the Foreign Commitee, he knew very well it had been with the French Ambassador too, and that the Terms were his, and a great deal worse than they could have directly from France. He cast them up distinctly, and what in plain Language they amounted to; That Spain must part with all Burgundy, Cambray, Aire, and St. Omer, which were of the value of two other Provinces in the consequences of any War between France and Spain, and all for the five Towns mention'd; That in short, all must be ventur'd, since he was in, and found no other way out. I told the Prince, that I hop'd he would send His Majesty his own thoughts upon it; but that he would think a little more before he did it. He said, he would write to the King that Night, but would not enter into the detail of the business, which was not worth the pains, but would leave it to

me. He desir'd me further to let His Majesty know, that he had been very plain in what he had told me of his own thoughts upon this whole matter, and had gone as low as he could with any regard to the safety of his Country, and his Al∣lies, or his Honour; That he doubted whether Spain would ever have consented to those very Terms; but for these he knew they could not, tho' they were sure to lose all Flanders by the War: And for himself, he could never pro∣pose it to them: but if Flanders were left in that posture, it could never be defended upon another Invasion, neither by Holland nor England it self; and he was so far of the Spaniard's mind, That if Flanders must be lost, it had bet∣ter be so by a War than by a Peace; That whenever that was, Holland must fall into an absolute depen∣dence upon France; so that what His Majesty offer'd of an Alliance

with them, would be to no pur∣pose, for they would not be made the Stage of a War, after the loss of Flanders, and wherein they were sure no Alliance of His Ma∣jesty, nor Forces neither, could defend them. He concluded, That if His Majesty would help him out of this War with any Honour and Safety, either upon kindness to him, or consideration of what concernment his own Crowns were like to have in the issue of this Affair, he would acknowledge, and endeavour to deserve it as long as he liv'd; if not, the War must go on, be the event what it would; and for his own part, He would rather Charge a Thousand Men with a Hundred, nay, tho' he were sure to die in the Charge, than enter into any concert of a Peace upon these con∣ditions.

I gave His Majesty an account of all that pass'd in this interview,

and return'd to my Post at Nime∣guen.

The Allies had taken great Umbrage at my journey to the Hague, as designed for Negotiating some separate Peace between France and Holland; but the Prince and Pensioner seem'd careless to satisfie them, and made that use only of it, to let them know that no such thing was yet intended, but that Holland would be forced to it at last, if the Emperor and Spain fell not into those measures that they had propos'd to them, both at Vienna and Madrid, for the vigorous prosecution of the next Campania, which had some effect at Vienna, but little in Spain or Flanders, as was felt in the be∣ginning of the Spring.

At my return to Nimeguen, I found that in my absence Count Kinkski was arriv'd, who was a person of great parts, of a sharp and quick apprehension, but exact

and scrupulous in his Conduct, rigid in his Opinions, never be∣fore vers'd in these sort of Imploy∣ments, and thereby very puncti∣lious; This had ingag'd him in difficulties upon the Ceremony of Visits, both with my Colleagues and the French upon his first arrival, which lasted with these till the end of the Congress, so as to hinder all Visits between them; but I had the good Fortune to retrieve all ill correspondence that had happen'd between the Mediators and him; I found likewise that a secret intel∣ligence was grown between the French and Dutch Ambassadors, which was manag'd by Monsieur Olivecrantz, the second Swedish Ambassador, and wholly apart from my Colleagues, whose inter∣vention had been only us'd when the matter was first agreed between those Parties. That Monsieur Beverning drove on very violently towards a Peace, and with little

regard of his Allies; and said, he had order from the States, De pousser l'affaire tant qu'il lui seroit possible.* 1.14 That those Ambassa∣dors had come to a sort of Agree∣ment about the from and number of Powers, which was, That the Mediators should be desir'd to draw up a form of Preamble, which should be common to all the Par∣ties, and contain nothing more, but that such and such Princes, out of a sincere desire of Peace, had sent such and such Persons to Ni∣meguen, which had been chose for the Place of Treaty, by the inter∣cession of the King of Great Brit∣tain. That the Mediators should likewise draw up an Obligatory Act, to be sign'd by the several Ambassadors, and put into their hands on the same day, for the procuring new Powers within Sixty days after the date. That the Titles in the new Powers should

be inserted, bona fide, according to the usual Stile of the Chancellary of each Court; and that an Act of Salvo should be sign'd by the several Ambassadors, for no consequence to be drawn hereafter, for the use or omission of any Titles in these Powers.

I found likewise, that these Points had been agreed among all the Allies, by the formal interven∣tion of my Colleagues, after they had first been concerted between the French and Dutch. That these Ambassadors had entred into a course of mutual Visits, owning publickly, That they did it, as necessary to facilitate the Progress of the Treaty, and that the Dutch began to talk of finishing an eventual Treaty (as they call'd it) for them∣selves, as soon as the Acts about Powers were wholly dispatched, which should not take Place till the General Peace was concluded; but after which They, the Dutch,

intended to imploy their Offices between their Allies and the French.

I found likewise, that Mr. Hide had encreas'd the Number of the Mediators in my Absence, who having been sent into Poland the Summer past, to Christen that Kings Child, and to condole with the Emperour upon the late Em∣peror's Death, had performed the first Compliment from his Majesty; but upon his coming from thence to Vienna, found the Emperour married, and so pass'd on privately home, and arriv'd at Nimeguen, soon after I left it upon my Journey to the Hague; where he came to me, after having staid a Fortnight at Nimeguen. He told me at the Hague, That upon his Return by Rotterdam, he had there met Let∣ters from Court with a Commission to stop for some short time at Nime∣guen, and take the Character of one of the Ambassadors Mediators

there, by which he might be enabled at his Return to give His Majesty an Account of the State and Progress of Affairs there. He said, this Commission was intended to find him at Nimeguen, upon the stop he made there; but having not arriv'd till he had left that Place, he was in doubt whether he should make any use of it or no, and desir'd my Advice, whether to return to Nimeguen, or to go forward for England. I easily per∣ceiv'd what this Dispatch was intended for, to introduce him into those kinds of Characters and Employments; and so advised him to go back to Nimeguen, which he did, and made a part of the Am∣bassy during a short stay there, but excus'd himself from entring into the management of any Conferen∣ces or Dispatches; so that by his Modesty, and my Lord Berkly's great Age and Infirmities, the Fatigue of that Employment lay

still upon me and Sir Lionel Jenkins, who writ alternatively the Dis∣patches from the Ambassy to Court, and the others to other Princes and Ministers, by con∣cert, all the while I was upon the Place.

I found likewise at my return to Nimeguen, some few Difficulties yet remaining, which obstructed the Dispatch intended about the Powers. For tho' the French had consented to furnish new Powers, and several for the Emperor, Spain, Denmark, and Holland; yet they refus'd a distinct one for Branden∣burgh, which these Ministers in∣sisted on; and the Dutch were in such Oligations to that Prince, that they were forc'd to do so too, tho' unwillingly, as doubting the Success with France, and foreseeing the Consequence of the same Pre∣tence to be rais'd upon it by other Princes of Germany, not only Electors, but the Houses of

Lunenburgh, and Nieuburgh, who yielded to the Electors in no Point but that one of Precedence. But the Dutch, to distinguish that of Brandenburgh, alledg'd to us, that he was Principal in the War of Sweden, and so could not be in∣cluded as an Ally only, either by the Emperor, or by the States.

The Danish Ambassador stood positively upon the common Use of the Latin Tongue between France and them in their Powers, or else to give his in Danish, if they gave theirs in French. These said, That it was a Novelty and an Impertinence; and that if in all the Intercourse that had ever been between those Two Crowns, the Language had not been French on their side, and Latin on the Danes, even in any one Instrument, they were content they should give their Powers not only in Danish, but in Hebrew, if they pleas'd. The Dane said, He could not give account

of all Presidents; that if ill ones had been hitherto us'd, 'twas time to establish new ones that were good. That his Master had more Right to do it, than any former King, being now Successive in that Crown, which was before Elective; and being more Absolute in his Dominions than any other King of Christendom; for there was now nothing in Denmark, but La volonté du Roy;* 1.15 upon all which he said, his Orders were positive, and he could not proceed without the Style he pretended.

These two Points chiefly had obstructed the final Agreement about the Powers, for near a Month; after which we prevail'd with the French to yield to new Powers for Brandenburgh, upon Assurance from the Dutch Am∣bassadors, that they expected no such Pretension for any other of their German Allies; but that if

any should be rais'd and refus'd by France, yet that should not hinder or delay the Dutch from proceeding in the Treaty. The Danish Pre∣tence about the Languages, being neither countenanc'd nor approv'd by any of his Allies, was at last yielded by him, which had been better never started, as having lost him ground in that which was intended by it, which was to establish the Principle of a Parity among Crown'd Heads.

There was an Accident happen'd likewise in my Absence, which had rais'd great Heats among the Parties. Upon Count Kinkski's Arrival, the Allies began their Meetings at his House; by which they hop'd to govern the general Resolutions, and keep the Al∣liance from breaking into any sepa∣rate Pieces. The Dutch Ambassa∣dors, who pretended to influence the Peace more than any of their Allies, stomach'd the Count's De∣sign

and Carriage at these Confe∣rences, where they said he pre∣tended to be sole Dictator, and they were unwilling to enter into plain Contradictions, or the same Heats at his own House; upon which they went to the Stadthouse, and chose there a Room for their Conferences among all the Allies, which upon the first Practice gave great Offence to the French Am∣bassadors. They said, it was a Breach upon the Neutrality of the Place establish'd by the Assembly's being there, and that the Dutch had now arrogated to themselves the Disposal of the Town-House, without common Agreement. The Dutch alledg'd, the Rooms they had taken, were not belonging to the Town, but to the Nobles of Gelderland, and were below Stairs, and that all above, remain'd to be dispos'd of still by the Mediators for the common Use of the Parties, when they should desire it. The

French were not satisfied with these Reasons, and threatned to break the Assembly. We at last prevail'd with the Allies to forbear the Use of the Stadthouse, till we drew up a formal Proposal to be made by us the Mediators, to all Parties, desiring them, That for their Ease and Convenience, all Parties would meet in one Room at the Stadt∣house, or at least the two Alliances in two several Rooms, whilst we should meet in another, and be there ready to perform all Offices between them. This last was ac∣cepted, and we design'd the several Rooms for our selves and the Par∣ties, but were forc'd to find two Rooms for the French and Swedes to meet apart, whose Competition, tho Allies, would not suffer them to meet in one, or decide it by lot, as the Spaniard and Dane had done.

There remain'd one Difficulty

more, which particularly con∣cern'd His Majesty. Both French and Spaniards, as well as Impe∣rialists, had insisted even with Emulation, That the Pope's Me∣diation should be mention'd in the new Powers, as well as his Ma∣jesty's. The Dutch and Danes both had absolutely refus'd to treat upon any Powers where the Pope's Me∣diation should be mentioned. We had likewise represented to them, how great a Difference there was between his Majestie's Mediation, that had been accepted by all Par∣ties, and the Pope's, that had been so only by a part of them; and the very mention of it absolutely refus'd by several others, to be admitted into the Powers. That his Majesty's Mediation had propos'd the Place of Treaty, exchang'd the Pasports, form'd the Assembly, manag'd all the Negotiations in it so long, without the appearance of any Minister from the Pope, or knowledge whether he

would be receiv'd if he came, or by whom his Mediation would be ac∣cepted or imploy'd. At length it was resolv'd, That the mention of his Majesty's Mediation alone, should be made in the several Powers: and so all being agreed, about the middle of February all the several Acts were signed, and put into our Hands, and by us exchang'd among the several Parties.

After this dispatch of all Prelimi∣naries to the Treaty, the several Par∣ties by Agreement brought into our hands their several propositions or Pretensions. The French seemed in Theirs to demand nothing of the Emperour and of Brandenburgh, but the entire restoring of the Treaty of Munster: Of Spain, the retaining of all they had conquer'd in this War, upon the Spaniards having first bro∣ken the Peace. From the their States General they made no Demand, but offer'd them the restoring of their Friendship, and that they will

hearken to a Treaty of Commerce. On the other side, The Empe∣rour's Demands were, That France should restore to him, to the Em∣pire, and all his Allies, whatever they had taken from them in the Course of this War, and make Reparation for all Damages they had suffer'd in it. The Spaniards demanded all the Places they had lost, and all the Damages they had suffer'd from France since the Year 1665. The Dutch demanded from France, the Restitution of Mastricht, Satisfaction to the Prince of Orange in what did concern the Principali••y of Orange, and a Re∣glement of Commerce, with a Renunci••tion of all Pretensions each Party might have upon the other. As for the great Damages they had sustain'd, they said, they sacrific'd them all to the Publick Peace, provided Satisfaction might be given their Allies.

For the Northern Kings, and

German Prinees, their Demands were so extended, that I shall forbear relating them, and sum them up in this only; That those who had gained by the War, pre∣tended to retain all they had got; and those that had lost, pretended to recover all they had lost, and to be repaid the Damages they had suf∣fered by the War. Count Kinkski deliver'd into our Hands likewise the Duke of Lorrain's Pretensions, sealed as the rest were; but we opened them not, upon the French telling us, they had not received from Court any Counter-Preten∣sions upon the Duke of Lorrain, whereof they believ'd the Reason to be, That no Minister of his had yet appeared at the Congress. Indeed their Pretensions against Lorrain, had never yet been made since the Death of the late Duke, and would have been very hard to draw up by their ablest Ministers or Advocates themselves; and therefore they

thought fit to decline them, and reserve them for the Terms of a Peace, when they should be able to prescribe, rather than to treat them.

By these Propositions of the several Parties, it easily appear'd to the World, what wise Men knew before, how little Hopes there were of a Peace, from the Motions of this Treaty in the present Circumstances of Affairs, and how it was wholly to be ex∣pected from the course and in∣fluence of future Events in the Progress of the War.

About the 24th of February, I went to the Prince at his House at Soesdyke, a Day's Journey from Nimeguen, upon a Letter from his Highness, desiring it of me. I had about a Week before written to him by the King's Command, upon which his Highness desir'd to speak with me. I went, and told him the Contents of my last Dis∣patch.

He ask'd me, whether it were from the King himself, or from any of the Ministers? I told him, it was from Secretary Wil∣liamson, by the King's Command. The Prince said, Then he knew from whence it came; but however desir'd me to read the Particulars to him, which were, the King's apprehension of a Mistake in the Prince, because the Terms men∣tion'd by his Majesty were not any Propositions (which He did not think his part to make) nor had He any Authority for it, but only a piece of Confidence he had enter'd into with the Prince. Next, That the Exchange of Cambray, was only propos'd as a thing to be wish'd, that so six Towns might be restor'd to Spain, instead of five the Prince had propos'd, which in His Majesty's Opinion would make a kind of a double Frontier to Brussels, and so leave Flanders safer than by the Prince's Scheme;

Therefore His Majesty desir'd the Prince would think further of it, and not let it fall so flat as he did by his last Answer, without trying what it could be beaten out to. But however offer'd, That if his High∣ness had any other Proposition to make to France, the King would very readily hand it over to them in the best manner he could.

Whil'st I was reading this to the Prince, He could hardly hear it out with any Patience, Sir J—W—'s Style was always so disagreeable to him; and he thought the whole cast of this so artificial, that he receiv'd it at first with Indignation and Scorn, rather than with those further Thoughts that were desir'd of him. He said, the Style of Letting it fall so flat, was my Lord Ar∣lington's; and, The Double Frontier, as it were, for Brussels, was some of the Secretary's Cresme Foitte,* 1.16 and fit for Chil∣dren. The rest he took to be all

the French Ambassador's, who would fain continue a private Treaty with him by the King's Hand, while His Master went into the Field. His Answer was very plain: That he had thought enough of it, and had no more to say at this time; That when he spoke to me so lately at the Hague, He believ'd the Peace might have been made, and upon better terms than he propos'd, if the King had desir'd them from France, either upon Kindness to Him, or upon the Interests of His own Crowns. That he was sorry to find the King's Thoughts so different from his, and that whenever they grew nearer, he should be glad to know it. But he look'd now upon the Campania as begun; and believ'd at the time we talk'd, the Guns were playing before Valencienne. That he saw now no hopes of a Peace, but expected a long War, unless Flanders should be lost, and

in that case the States must make the best terms they could. That he expected a very ill Beginning of the Campania, and to make an ill Figure in it himself, and to bear the Shame of Faults that others would make; but if the Emperor perform'd what he had promis'd, the Campania might not end as it began. That however, he was in, and must go on, Et quant on est a la grandemesse on y est (meaning,* 1.17 I suppose, that one must stay till 'tis done, because the Crowd is so great one can't get out) That he gave His Majesty Thanks for his offer of handing over to France any Propo∣sition he should make; but that never was His Meaning: For if it had, He could easily have found a directer way. That his Intention was only to enter into a Confidence with His Majesty upon the Subject of the Peace, and to owe it wholly

to him; but if any thing was pro∣pos'd by the King to France, otherwise than as His own Thoughts, it must be from the Body of the Alliance, and not from Him.

After these Discourses, the Prince went immediately away for the Hague, and I return'd to Nimeguen, where all Negotiations seem'd wholly at a stand, and so continu'd till towards the End of April. In this time arriv'd Monsieur Stratman, one of the Imperial Ambassadors; Monsieur Christin, one of the Spanish; but He and Don Pedro having only the Cha∣racter of Plenipotentiaries, and pretending thereupon the Treat∣ment of Ambassadors, and the French and Swedes refusing it to that Character, they continued incognito till the Arrival of the Marquess de Balbaces.

For Monsieur Stratman upon his Notification to the several

Ambassadors (as he said at the same time) the Dane and the Swede made him first their Visits, and after them the French; where∣upon having first made his to the Mediators, he return'd them to the Swedes, the Dane being out of Town, after which he sent to demand an Hour of the French; but Monsieur d' Estrades return'd him answer, That having fail'd of the Respect due to the King his Master, they would not admit of any visit from him; hereupon Monsieur Kinkski and Stratman desir'd us to know upon what Point the French refus'd their Visit, saying, It could be upon no other but a Pretence of Preference to all other Crowns, and expecting the first Visit to be made the French, tho' other Ambassadors had first visited the Imperialists. This they desir'd much the French would avow, believing it would embroil them with the Swedes as well as

with us, who they knew would declare against any such Pretence. But the French, upon our applica∣tion from the Imperialists, kept stanch to their first Answer, That Monsieur Stratman, avoit manquè du re∣spect au Roy leur Mai∣stre.* 1.18 That he had done it in several Points, and knew very well in what: And further than this, they would not enter into the Matter, but continued positive in refusing the Visit.

Whilst such Matters as these help'd to amuse the Congress, and keep them in Countenance, the essential Parts of the Treaty were managed in the Field: France had in the beginning of the Year block'd up Cambray and Valenciennes, about the end of February; having pro∣vided sufficient Magazines in the Winter for the Subsistence of their Forces, they began to break into Flanders, and into the Parts of

Germany on t'other side the Rhine, and with all the most cruel Ravages of Burning and Spoiling those Parts of Germany that could be exercis'd, and such as had not yet been us'd on either Side since the War began. The Allies made Complaints of this new manner of War to His Majesty, who im∣ployed his Offices towards France, to hinder such prosecution of a Quarrel, while a Peace was trea∣ting under his Mediation; but the thing was done, and their Point was gained, which was, by an entire Ruin of the Country, to hinder the Imperialists from finding any Subsistence for their Troops if they should march into Alsatia, and thereby divert those Forces that the French resolv'd to employ this Spring in Flanders, before the Dutch could take the Field, and march to the relief of those Places they intended to attack.

About the seventeenth of March,

the King of France took Valen∣ciennes, having furmounted the very Force of the Seasons, and set down before it about the beginning of that Month. From thence he march'd with a mighty Army, and laid Siege to Cambray with one part of it, and to St. Omer with the other, under the Duke of Orleans. After five days Siege from the opening of the Trenches, he took Cambray, like all the other Spanish Towns, by surrender upon Arti∣cles; but the Cittadel held out for some Days longer.

In the mean time, the Dutch having receiv'd their Payments due from Spain, and finding the French go on with their design upon Flan∣ders, whilst the Treaty serv'd but for an Amusement, resolv'd to go on with the War for another Cam∣pania; being kept up to this Re∣solution by the vigour of the Prince of Orange, in pressing them upon the Observance of their Trea∣ties,

and pursuit of their Interest, in the defence of Flanders. Upon the first motion of the French, the Prince had begun to prepare for that of his Troops likewise, and pressed the Spaniards to have Theirs in readiness to join him, and with all imaginable endeavours provided for the subsistence of his Army in their march through Flan∣ders, which the Spaniards had taken no care of. But with all the Diligence and Application that could be used, he could not come to the Relief either of Valenciennes or Cambray; but with part of the Forces of the States alone, and without either Troops, or so much as Guides furnished him by the Spaniards, he march'd directly towards S. Omer, resolute to raise that Siege with the hazard of a Battel, at what Disadvantage soever. The Duke of Orleans leaving a small part of his Troops to defend his Trenches before St.

Omer, marched to meet the Prince of Orange, and upon the way was reinforc'd by Monsieur de Lutzen∣burgh with all the Troops the French King could send out of his Army, leaving only enough to continue the Siege before the Cit∣tadel of Cambray. These Armies met, and fought with great Bra∣very at Mont-Cassel, where, after a sharp Dispute, the first Regiment of the Dutch Infantry began to break, and fall into disorder: The Prince went immediately to that Part where the Shake began, ralli'd them several times, and renewed the Charge; but at last was born down by the plain Flight of his Men, whom he was forced to resist like Enemies, and fall in among them with his Sword in his Hand; and cutting the first cross over the Face, cry'd out aloud, Cocquin je te marqueray au moins a fin de te faire pendre.* 1.19 Voice nor

Action, Treats nor Example, could give Courage to Men that had al∣ready lost it; and so the Prince was forced to yield to the Stream that carri'd him back to the rest of his Troops, which yet stood firm; with whom, and what he could gather of those that had been routed, he made a Retreat that wanted little of the Honour of a Victory; and will, by the con∣fession of his Enemies, make a part of that great Character they so justly allow him. The safety of the Dutch Army, upon this Misfor∣tune, was by them wholly own'd to His Highness's Conduct as well as Bravery in the course of this Action; after which both St. Omer and the Cittadel of Cambray were surrendred to the French about the 20th of April, by which the Spaniards lost the main Strength of their Fron∣tier of Flanders on that side, (as they had done that on the other side by

Aeth and Charleroy in the former War) and all the Hopes of raising any Contributions in France, which was a great part of the Subsistence of the Spanish Troops; so as there now remain'd nothing of Frontier consi∣derable, besides Namur and Mons to the Land, Ostend and Nieuport to the Sea; and the rest of the Spanish Netherlands consisted only of great Towns, by which no resistance could be hop'd for, whenever the French should think fit to attacque them, and could spare Men enough to garison them when they should be taken. For the Greatness of those Towns, and Multitude of Inhabi∣tants, and their inveterates Hatred to the French Government, was such, as without very great Gari∣sons they could not be held, unless upon one sudden Conquest and great Revolution, the whole Spanish Netherlands should become French, and thereby be made a new Frontier towards the Dutch

and Germans, and, like a new Con∣quest, the Seat of their Armies.

This the Spaniards thought would never be suffer'd, neither by England nor Holland, and so they seem'd to have abandon'd the Fate of Flanders to their Care, with a Resignation that became good Christians, rather than good Rea∣soners: For I have long observ'd, from all I have seen, or heard, or read in story, that nothing is so fallacious, as to reason upon the Counsels or Conduct of Princes or States, from what one conceives to be the true Interest of their Countries; for there is in all places an Interest of those that Govern, and another of those that are Go∣vern'd: nay, among these, there is an Interest of quiet Men, that desire only to keep what they have; and another of unquiet Men, who desire to acquire what they have not, and by violent, if they can∣not by lawful means; therefore I

never could find a better way of judging the Resolutions of a State, than by the personal Temper and Understanding, or Passions and Humours of the Princes, or Chief Ministers, that were for the time at the Head of Affairs. But the Spaniards reason'd only from what they thought the Interest of each Countrey. They knew Holland would save Flanders if they could, and England they were sure could if they would, and believ'd would be brought to it at last by the In∣crease of the Danger and Force of their own Interest, and the Hu∣mour of the People. In this Hope or Presumption they were a great deal flatter'd by their Ministers then in England, Don Bernard de Salinas Envoy from Spain, and Fonseca, Consul there; who did indeed very industriously foment the Heats that began about this time to appear in the Parliament, upon the Apprehensions of the

French Conquests both in Flanders and Sicily; which moved them, about the End of March, to make an Address to the King, re∣presenting the Progresses of France, and desiring His Majesty to put a stop to them, before they grew dangerous to England, as well as to their Neighbours. Don Bernard de Salinas told some of the Com∣mons, That the King was very angry at this Address, and had said upon it, That the Authors of it were a Company of Rogues; which made a great Noise in the House of Commons. The King resented it as a piece of Malice in Salinas, or at least as a Design to inflame the House; and thereupon order'd him to depart the Kingdom within cer∣tain Days. Yet, about a Month after, the Parliament made another Address upon the same Occasion, desiring his Majesty to make a League Offensive and Defensive with the States General, for op∣posing

the Progress of the French Conquests. This His Majesty re∣ceived as an Invasion of his Pre∣rogative, made them an angry Answer, and Prorogued the Par∣liament till the Winter follow∣ing.

However, France had so much Regard to the Jealousies raised both in England and Holland, of their designing an intire Conquest of Flanders, that, after having gained those three important Fron∣tier Towns so early in the Spring, and dispers'd his Army after that Expedition, that King return'd home, writ to his Majesty, That to shew he had no Intention to conquer Flanders, but only to make a General Peace, he was contented, notwithstanding the great Advantages and Forces he had at present, to make a General Truce, in case his Allies the Swedes would agree to it; which he desir'd His Majesty to inform himself of,

since he had not Convenience of doing it, for want of Liberty of Couriers into Sweden.

The Contents of this Letter was proved by the French Ambassa∣dors at Nimeguen among the seve∣ral Ministers there, till they found it had an effect contrary to what was intended, and was taken by all for too gross an Artifice. It passed very ill with Monsieur Beverning him∣self, who of all others there, was the most passionately bent upon the Peace. But he said openly upon this, That the French were to be commended, who never neglected any thing of Importance, nor so much as of amusement; that France had given their Blow, and would now hinder the Allies from giving Theirs: That the reserve of Swe∣den's Consent was an easy way of avoiding the Truce, if the Allies should accept it: That this it self could not be done, because Flanders would be left so open, as to be easily

swallowed up by the next Invasion, having no Frontier on either side. That the Towns now possessed by France, would in the time of a Truce grow absolutely French, and so the harder to be restored by a Peace or a War. That for his part, he desir'd the Peace, contrary to the Poli∣ticks of Monsieur Van Beuninghen, and the other Ministers of the Al∣lies in England; affirming always. That notwithstanding all their In∣trigues and Intelligences there, He, Monsieur Beverning, was assured, That his Majesty would not enter into the War, to save the last Town in Flanders. This Con∣fidence made him pursue all the Ways towards a Peace, and by Paces which some thought forwar∣der than his Commission, and very ill concerted with those of his Allies. About the middle of April, he brought us the Project of a Treaty of Commerce both for France and Sweden, and desir'd we

would make the Communication of them; which we did for form, though we knew that those Mi∣nisters had been before possessed of them from the Dutch Ambassadors themselves. And some few Days after, they entred into Conferences upon this Project at the French Ambassadors Houses, whom they found very easy in the Terms the Dutch insisted on for their Commerce, which was all that could make any Difficulty between them.

1677. About the end of April, the Ministers of the Allies came, and presented us their several Answers in Writing to the French Propositions, which they offered to leave with us, whenever we should assure them that the French and Swedes were ready with theirs. Upon this Communication given to the French, they were positive to give no Answer in writing, nor to receive any, alledging both

Reason and Example for their Opinion; this from the Practice of the Munster Treaty, that from the Danger of the invective Stile or Language that is apt to enter into the Writings of each Party upon such Occasions. The Allies were for some time as peremptory in their Resolution of delivering their Answer in writing; but both at last agreed upon the Expedient we proposed, of dictating to us what they intended should be said to the other Party, of our setting the Sub∣stance down in Writing, and reading it over to them first, who dictated to us, so as they might be Judges whether we had rightly ap∣prehended and expressed their meaning; and yet the thing might go in our Stile, and not in theirs; by which all Sharpness and Provo∣cation would be avoided.

About the middle of May, ar∣rived President Canon, Envoy from the Duke of Lorrain, and put

his Master's Pretensions into our Hands; upon which the Allies expected a return of those from France upon that Duke, no room being now left for delaying them from the want of a Minister upon the Place; but the French said very plainly, It was a Matter they were not instructed in; which the Allies received with great Stomach, and perpetual Complaints to us the Mediators; all professing, they were resolved not to proceed in the Treaty, without carrying on the Interests of that Duke, an equal Pace with their own.

About the End of May arrived the Pope's Nuncio; whereupon the Swedish and Danish Ambassadors resorted immediately to us, desiring to know how we intended to carry our selves in what regarded that Minister; professing themselves to be much in pain, being of one side very much pressed, the Swedes by the French, and the Danes by the

Imperialists and Spaniards, to the enterchange at least of common Ceremonies and Civilities, with a Minister for whom they all with emulation professed so great Respect and Deference: On t'o∣ther side, the Swedes and Danes pretended neither to have Instru∣ction or Example from their respective Courts, to determin them in this Matter, but said, they were resolved to observe and con∣sider the steps that should be made by us. We cut the Business very short, and declared to them our Resolution to have no sort of Com∣merce with the Pope's Nuncio, either in the Affairs of our Function, or in matters of Ceremony; and told them, our Orders from Court were so precise in this Point, that they would admit of no Debate. The next Day Monsieur Colbert and d'Avaux came formally to give us part of the Nuncio's Arrival, and of his Desire to make us his first Com∣ments,

if he might know they would be received: Our Answer to them was the same we had made to the Swedes and Danes; and soon after, all the Ministers of Protestant Princes at Nimeguen, resolved to follow our Example, and to have no Commerce at all with the Nuncio.

About the same time, after many Messages carried by us be∣tween the Parties, they were per∣swaded at last into the Agreement of delivering and exchanging by our Hands, their Answers to each o∣thers Propositions in writing, tho without pretending to pursue that Method in the succeeding Paces of the Negotiation. Nor was there need of that Caution, for this I take to have been the last Pace of any free and general Negotiation between the Parties engaged in the War and in the Treaty: nor were the Answers any thing nearer

agreeing, than the first Propo∣sitions.

The last Day of May arrived the Marquess de Balbaces, first Ambassador from Spain; and about the same time, my Lord Berkly re∣turned into England, where he languished out the rest of the Sum∣mer, and died.

About the seventh of June, the Dutch Ambassadors brought us the Project of a Treaty between them and France, digested and extended in all its Forms and Articles; and told us soon after, They had in a Conference upon it with the French Ambassadors, agreed, in a man∣ner, all the Points of it, at least that there remained but two, which concerned Commerce only, un∣determined between them, which they doubted not would be agreed likewise upon return of the French Dispatches to Court. That after their Business was ended, they would perform the best Offices

they could between their Allies and the French; and indeed by the Beginning of July, all Points were accordingly agreed between the French and Dutch, and Monsieur Beverning began to play the part of something more than a Media∣tor, pressing on his Allies towards a Peace, with Paces very earnest and something rough, and as some believed more than he had Order for, from his Masters, who yet pretended to hold Hands with their Allies. But Monsieur Beverning professed to believe that their Friends at the Hague were imposed upon by Van Beuninghen, and the Spanish Ministers at London, who still animated them with Hopes of the King's entring into the War, or at least prescribing a Plan of the Peace to be received by all parties, which Beverning believed neither one nor t'other of, and pre∣tended to be morally assur'd of his Opinion, and thereupon grounded

the absolute Necessity of a Peace.

In this Month the Duke of Zell began to make a Difficulty of send∣ing the five thousand Men he had promised to the Allies, without some new Stipulations. And the French offered a Guaranty to the House of Lunenburgh, of all their Conquests on the Swede in Bremen, upon a Neutrality to be declared by those Dukes, which began to give great Umbrages to the Allies, as well as the Swedes, of some sepa∣rate Measures like to be concluded between France and the whole House of Brunswick. The Dutch Ambassadors were likewise in Pain upon new Intelligence both from Vienna and Madrid about a separate Peace, being Treated between Don John and the French, with an Exchange of the Spanish Nether∣lands, for what should be restored them in Roussillon and Sicily. The Ministers of the Confederates made great Instances in England, That

His Majesty would recal his Troops, that were in the French Service; attributing most of their Successes in Germany, to the Bra∣very of those English Regiments. But His Majesty excused it upon the Equality of a Mediator; since there were English Troops of greater number in the Service of the Allies: Who took this An∣swer, however, for an ill Sign of that Prosecution which they hoped from His Majesty for the Relief of their Languishing Affairs. The Hopes of those great Actions promised by the Imperialists this Summer on the Rhine, began to Flat; Their Troops finding no Subsistence in those Countries which had been wholly desolated by the French in the Beginning of the Year, to prevent their March. The Prince of Orange observing all these Circumstances, and fore∣seeing no resource for the Interests of the Allies; unless from his Majesty;

and that it was likely to prove an unactive Summer in Flanders, the French resolving not to come to a Battel, and he not able to form a Siege, and oppose a French Army that should come to relieve it; he sent Monsieur Bentinck over into England about the beginning of June, to desire his Majesty's leave that he might make a Journey thither so soon as the Campania ended. He received a civil Answer, but with Wishes from the King, That he would first think of making the Peace, and rather defer his Journey till that were concluded.

About the middle of June, my Son came over to me at Nimeguen, and brought me Letters from my Lord Treasurer, to signify his Majesty's Pleasure, that I should come over, and enter upon the Secretary of State's Office, which Mr. Conventry had offered his Ma∣jesty to lay down upon the payment often thousand Pounds; That the

King would pay half the Money, and I must lay down the rest at present; tho his Lordship did not doubt but the King would find the way of easing me in time of that too. I writ immediately to my Lord Treasurer to make my Acknowled∣gment to his Majesty; but at the same time my Excuses, That I was not in a condition to lay down such a Sum, my Father being still alive, and keeping the Estate of the Family; and desiring that the King's Intention might at least be respited till he saw how the present Treaty was like to determin. In return of my Letters on the second of July, Mr. Smith, one of the King's Messengers, being sent Ex∣press, and making great diligence, arrived at Nimeguen, and brought me his Majesty's Commands to repair immediately over, in a Yatcht which he had sent on purpose for me: In obedience to this Com∣mand I left Nimeguen, but with∣out

any Ceremony, pretending only a sudden Journey into En∣gland, but saying nothing of the Occasion further than to my nearest Friends.

At my Arrival, the King asked me many Questions about my Journey, about the Congress, draping us for spending Him so much Money, and doing nothing; and about Sir Lionel, asking me how I had bred him; and how he passed among the Ambassadors there? and other Pleasantries upon that Subject. After a good deal of this kind of Conversation, He told me, I knew for what he had sent for me over, and that 'twas what he had long intended; and I was not to thank him, because he did not know any Body else to bring into that Place. I told his Majesty, that was too great a Compliment for me, but was a very ill one to my Country, and which I thought it did not deserve; that I believed

there were a great many in it fit for that, or any other Place he had to give; and I could name two in a breath that I would undertake should make better Secretaries of State than I. The King said, Go, get you gone to Sheen, we shall have no good of you till you have been there, and when you have rested your self, come up again. I never saw him in better humour, nor ever knew a more agreeable Conversation when he was so, and where he was pleased to be familiar, great Quickness of Conception, great Pleasantness of Wit, with great Variety of Knowledg, more Observation and truer Judgment of Men, than one would have imagined by so careless and easy a manner as was natural to him in all he said or did: From his own Temper, he desired nothing but to be easy himself, and that every Body else should be so; and would have been glad to see the least of

his Subjects pleased, and to refuse no Man what he asked. But this softness of temper made him apt to fall into the Perswasions of whoever had his kindness and confidence for the time, how different soever from the Opinions he was of before; and he was very easy to change hands, when those he employed seemed to have engaged him in any Difficul∣ties; so as nothing looked steddy in the Conduct of his Affairs, nor aimed at any certain end. Yet sure no Prince had more Qualities to make him loved, with a great many to make him esteemed, and all without a grain of Pride or Vanity in his whole Constitution; nor can he suffer Flattery in any kind, growing uneasy upon the first Ap∣proaches of it, and turning it off to something else. But this humour has made him lose many great Oc∣casions of Glory to himself, and Greatness to his Crown, which the Conjunctures of his Reign con∣spired

to put into his Head, and have made way for the aspiring Thoughts and Designs of a Neigh∣bour Prince, which would not have appeared, or could not have succeeded in the World, with∣out the Applications and Arts imployed to manage this easy and inglorious Humour of the King's.

I staid two days at Sheen, in which time some of Secretary Co∣ventry's Friends had prevailed with him not to part with his Place if he could help it, unless the King would let him recommend the Person to succeed him, who should pay all the Money he expected, and which the King had charged him∣self with. When I came to Town, the King, told me in his Closet all that had passed between Him and Mr. Coventry the day before upon this occasion; That He did not understand what he meant, nor what was at the bottom; for he

had first spoke to His Majesty about parting with his Place, said his Health would not go through with it, made the Price he Expected for it, and concluded all before He had sent for me over. That now he pretended he did not mean to quit it, unless he might present one to succeed him, and hoped he had not deserved His Majesty should turn him out. But the King said upon it, That, under favour, He was resolved to take him at his Word, and so He had told him, and left him to digest it as he could. Upon this, I represented to the King how old and true a Servant Mr. Coventry had been of his Father's and His, how well he had served him in this Place; how well he was able to do it still by the great credit he had in the House of Commons, where the King's great Business lay in the ill state of his Revenue; how ill such a Treatment would agree with his Majesty's Nature and

Customs, and for my own part, that it would be a great favour to me to respite this change till he saw what was like to become of the Treaty, or the War, and there∣fore I begged of him that he would not force a good Secretary out, and perhaps an ill one in against both their Wills, but let Mr. Coventry keep it, at least, till he seemed more willing to part with it. The King said, well then, He would let it alone for the present, but did not doubt in a little time one or other of us would change our mind.

In the mean time, the Design of my Journey was known; my Lord Arlington and others still asking me when they should give me joy of it, and many making Applications to me for Places in the Office; which made the Court uneasier to me, and increased my known Humour of loving the Countrey, and being as much in it as I could.

However, when I came to Court, the King fell often into Conver∣sation with me, and often in his Closet alone, or with none other present besides the Duke or my Lord Treasurer, and often both. The Subject of these Conversations were usually the Peace, and the Prince of Orange's Journey into England. The King always ex∣pressed a great desire for the First, but not at all for the other till that was concluded. He said, his Par∣liament would never be quiet nor easy to Him while the War lasted abroad: They had got it into their Heads to draw Him into it, whe∣ther He would or no. That they pretended Publick Ends, and Dangers from France, and there might be Both meant by a great many honest Men among them; but the Heats and Distempers of late had been raised by some factious Leaders, who thought more of themselves than of any thing else,

had a mind to engage Him in a War, and then leave Him in it, unless they might have their Terms in removing and filling of Places; and he was very loth to be so much at their Mercy, as he should be, if he were once engag'd in the War. That besides, he saw the longer it continued, the worse it would be for the Confederates; more of Flanders would be lost every day; the Conduct of Spain must cer∣tainly ruin all in time; and therefore he would fain have the Prince make the Peace for them, if they would not do it for themselves. That if He and the Prince could fall into the Terms of it, he was sure it might be done: And, after several Discourses upon this Subject for near a Month, his Majesty at last told me, He had a great mind I should make a short turn to the Prince, and try if I could perswade him to it; and assure him, That after it was agreed, he should be

the gladdest in the World to see him in England. The Duke and my Lord Treasurer both press'd me upon the same Point; but I told them at a long Conference up∣on it, how often I had been em∣ploy'd upon this Errand to the Prince, how unmovable I had found him, and how sure I was to find him so still, unless the King would consider of another Scheme for the Peace than had been yet propos'd to him, and wherein he might reckon upon more Safety to Flanders, as well as to his own Honour. That I had spent all my Shot, and was capable of saying no more to him than I had done, in obedience to all the Instructions I had receiv'd. That his Answers had been positive; so that some of my good Friends at Court pretend∣ed they had been my own Thoughts rather than the Prince's. That His Majesty would do well to try another Hand, and he would

the better know the Prince's Mind, if his Answers were the same to both; if not, he would at least know how ill I had serv'd him. The King said, It was a thing of Confidence between Him and the Prince, and must be so treated, and he knew no Body he had besides to send. I told him, if he pleased, I would name one? He bid me; and I said, Mr. Hyde was idle ever since his return from Nimeguen, had been entred into the Com∣mission of the Mediators there, staid with us a Fortnight or three Weeks, might pretend to return thither to exercise the same Function in my absence, since the Commission run to any two of the Number, and might take the Prince of Orange's Camp in his way to Nimeguen, perform the King's Commands to His Highness, inform himself of his last Resolu∣tion upon the Subject of the Peace; go on to Nimeguen without giving

any jealousy to the Allies, or without the noise that my going would make; since Sir Lionel had wrote to Court and to Me, That Monsieur Beverning had desir'd all Paces should stop there till my return, which he heard would be sudden, and that the King would send by me his own Plan of the Peace. The Duke fell in first to the Proposal of Mr. Hyde's going, and, after some debate, the King and my Lord Treasurer, and that it should be as soon as was possible. He was sent for accordingly, and dispatch'd away in all Points as I had proposed. He found the Prince at the Camp, but unmo∣vable in the Business of the Peace upon the Terms His Majesty had Thoughts of proceeding; gave Account of all that passed in that Conference to the King, and went straight away to Nimeguen, and writ me word of his Conver∣sation with the Prince, and that

he never saw such a Firmness in any Man.

I knew Mr. Hyde's going to reside at Nimeguen, would be of great comfort and support to Sir Lionel, who was in perpetual Agonies (as his word was) after he was left alone in that station; having ever so much distrust of his own Judgment, that tho he had the most great desire that could be to do well, yet he many times could not resolve how to go about it; and was often as much per∣plexed about the little Punctilio's of Visit and Ceremony that were left to busy that Ambassy, as if greater Affairs had still attended it. Besides, he lay under the lash of Secretary Williamson, who upon old Grudges between them at Colen, never fail'd to lay hold of any occasion he could to censure his Conduct, and expose it at the Foreign Committee, where his Letters were read to His Majesty.

It happen'd about this time, that the Spanish Ambassadors first ap∣pearing in Publick upon a new Commission to all Three, gave immediate notice of it to the Impe∣rialists, who made their Visit upon it, and were within two hours re∣visited by the Spaniards. After which, they sent their formal Notifications to all the other Am∣bassadors, and to the Mediators in the first place. Sir Lionel was in pain, having Orders to pretend the first Rank of Respect before the Imperialists, as well as other Am∣bassadors there; and not to yield it, if it came in competition. He had likewise another Order, which was, that upon Matters in Ceremo∣ny, doubtful, and not admitting the delay of new Orders, he should consult with the other Ambas∣sadors, especially French and Swe∣dish, who used to carry those Points the highest, and govern himself as well as he could by Pre∣sidents

and Examples. He consulted both these Ambassadors, whether he should visit the Spaniards, after having given the first notice to the Imperialists? And they concluded, That he should first know of them, whether it was done in form, as to Ambassadors in general; or whether it was upon the account of the near Alliance in Blood between those two Houses of Austria? That if it were the First, he ought not visit them, as having put a disrespect upon the Mediation, and distin∣guish'd the Emperor from all the other crown'd Heads, who had yielded the precedence wholly to them; which they should not have done, if the Emperor had refus'd it. But if the Spaniards affirmed it was only upon the nearness of Blood between them, none of the other Ambassadors need take any notice of it, since the same had been done between those two Crowns at Munster upon the same

score; which being there declared, it gave no offence to the Mediators, tho they were the Pope's Nuncio's, with whom there was otherwise no competition. Sir Lionel was satis∣fied by the Spaniards (who gave it him in writing) that the Visits were made only upon the score of Kindred; as at Munster; and thereupon made them his Visit, and received theirs; for which he was sharply reprov'd by Secretary Williamson's Letter upon it, who had represented it to the King as a Disobedience to a positive Order, and giving up the Point to the Im∣perialists. But being at Court soon after these Dispatches, I endea∣voured to justify my Colleague's Intentions and his Proceedings, by shewing that he had conform'd to his other Orders of consulting the other Ambassadors, and proceeding according to the best President, which was that at Munster; and that if he had broken with the Spa∣niards

upon this Point, he would have provok'd the Imperialists to declare their resolution of not yielding to the Mediators, upon which the other Ambassadors would recal the Concession which they had already made in this Point, and so hazard, if not lose, the Possession his Majesty was in, of the first Respect given to his Me∣diation. I had the good fortune to satisfy his Majesty and his Ministers, and to obtain Orders for His gracious Pardon to be sent Sir Lionel (for they would suffer it to run in no other Terms); for which however the poor Gentleman made as great Acknowledgments, as if his Fault had been much greater, and worse meant.

The rest of this Summer passed without any further Paces made in the Congress at Nimeguen, where the Messages carried and returned about the Business of Lorain, served to keep the Mediators in counte∣nance,

and no more. The whole Body of Allies pressed for an An∣swer from the French to that Duke's Pretensions, delivered in by President Canon. The French, after their former Exception, of his wanting a Minister there, raised another to stave off these Instances of the Allies, and decla∣red, they could give no answer about Lorain, till the Bishop of Strasburgh's Agents were received by the Allies, upon which the Emperor made an invincible Dif∣ficulty, declaring he would never treat with a Vassal of his own▪ And in these Conferences about Lorain, the French Ambassadors began to insinuate to the Media∣tors, That their Master never in∣tended That to be treated as a Prin∣cipal, but only as an Accessary to the Treaty.

In August arrived at Nimeguen, the Bishop of Gurck, chief of the Imperial Ambassay, and Count

Antoine of that from Denmark: The first was immediately visited by the Spainsh Ambassadors, and returned them; after which he sent his Notifications to the Mediators, and from them to the other Ambas∣sadors; upon which no Difficulty was made by them, since the Bishop made the same Declaration the Spaniards had done before upon the like occasion. That the first Visits passing between the Ministers of the two Houses of Austria, were Visits of Kindness and Consanguinity, and not of Ceremony. But Count Antoine fell into endless Difficulties upon his first arrival. He intended to have sent his first Notification to the Mediators, as others had done; but the Imperialists having notice of this Intention, sent him direct word, they expected the first Re∣spect should be given the Emperor; and this was the first time they owned that Pretension, in pre∣judice of the Honour hitherto

done to the King's Mediation. Count Antoine sent Monsieur Hoeg, his Colleague, to acquaint the Mediators with this Incident, and desire them to find out some Ex∣pedient: They excused themselves, alledging their positive Orders to expect the first Notification. The Danes were as unwilling to disoblige His Majesty, as the Em∣peror, and found no temper in this matter, after many offered both by French and Dutch Ambas∣sadors; so that Count Antoine re∣solved to leave it undecided, and to give no Notifications, nor receive or make any Visits; but however assisted at the Conferences among the Allies, and made a part of all the Evening Entertainments at Play, and in Conversation in the Apartments of the several Am∣bassadrices. And this course he observed, during his stay at Nime∣guen, which was seven or eight Months; for the rest, a Person

very much esteemed for his gene∣rous Qualities, and Gentlemanly Humour and Conversation, and yielding to none upon the Place in the Greatness and Splendor of his Equipage, wherein the Marquess de Balbaces, and Count Antoine seemed to distinguish themselves from all the rest.

About the end of July, the Prince of Orange made an Attempt upon Charleroy, rather than a Siege. This had been before concerted with the Duke of Lorain, who made a meen of entring into Champagne, on purpose to draw off the French Forces from attending the Prince's motions and design upon Charleroy; the Prince had hopes to take it by Surprize; but found them of the Garison upon their Guard, and very strong, as well as the Place, which had been fortified with all the force of Art and Expence, which could be employed upon a Place of that Compass. He sat down before it, and would have besieged it in form,

if the Duke of Lorain could have diverted the French Army from re∣lieving it; but Monsieur Louvoys, with great diligence, leaving the Mareshal Crequi with Force enough to face that Duke, assem∣bled a very great Army for the Relief of Charleroy, upon approach whereof, the Prince called a Coun∣cil of War, to resolve whether to march, and fight the French Army, or raise the Siege. The last was resolved upon debate at the Coun∣cel, and accordingly executed, and therewith ended this Compania in Flanders. But this March and Retreat of the Prince, passed not without many Reflections, not only among the Allies, but in Holland too, as if he had given over the Design upon some Intel∣ligences and Expresses between Him and the King about this time. Monsieur Bentink had gone over and returned, without any Bodies knowing his Business. My Lord Ossory happened to arrive in the

Camp, the day before the Council of War, upon which the Siege was raised, which made many think, something his Lordship brought from England, was the occasion of it: But I could never find there was any thing more in his Journey than the hopes of seeing a Battel (which was ever a particular Inclination of my Lord Ossory) and a cast of my Lord Ar∣lington to preserve himself in the Prince's Favour and Confidence as much as he could, by my Lord Ossory's keeping close to him, at a time when he saw the Business of Christendom roll so much upon the Person of this Prince.

About this time, the Assembly at Nimeguen seem'd in danger of being broken by a passionate Motion the Swedes made in it. There had been a long Contest since it first began, between the Swedes and Danes, about Freedom of Passage for the Swedish Couriers

through tbe Danish Territories, for managing the Correspondences necessary with their Court. The Danes pretended the example of France, who refus'd the same Li∣berty to the Spaniards. This Dispute had been managed by many Mes∣sages, wherewith the Mediators had been charged between the Parties, wherein the Allies of both sides took equal part: Sometimes the matter had been Treated with very Pressing Instances, and some∣times with Fainter; sometimes almost let fall, and then again re∣sumed; and thus for above a Year past; but about this time the Swedes came to the Mediators, desire their Offices once more to the Danes upon this Subject, and de∣clare, That without this Liberty insisted upon so long for their Cou∣riers, they find themselves incapa∣ble of giving Advices necessary to their Court, or receiving Orders necessary from it; and that with∣out

it, they must be forced to leave the Assembly. This Resolution of the Swedes continued for some time so Peremptory, that it was expected to come to that issue; but after some Foogue spent for about a fortnight or three weeks upon this occasion, and some Temperament found out by the Dutch for the secure and speedy passage of all the Swedish Dispatches from Amster∣dam, those Ambassadors began to grow soft and calm again, and to go on their usual Pace. Soon after, the French Ambassadors, who had Treated the Swedish Affairs and Ministers with great indifferency and neglect in this Treaty, (de∣claring to Monsieur Beverning, their Master would not part with one Town in Flanders, to Restore the Swedes to all they had lost) began wholly to change their Lan∣guage, and say upon all occasions, That France could not make Peace without the full Satisfaction and

Restitution of the Swedes; and it was discoursed, that the French and Swedes had entered into a new Alliance at Paris to this purpose; and some believed, it was by con∣cert between them, that this At∣tenite was given by the Swedes to the Congress. That the French had at that time a mind to break it, and to enter into a Treaty with Spain under the Pope's direction, and at Rome, not knowing to what measures His Majesty might be induced upon the Progress of the French Conquests, and the Di∣stempers Raised in His Parlia∣ment upon that occasion. But this Gust blown over, all was be∣calmed at Nimeguen; so that Mon∣sieur Olivecrantz left that Place about the end of August, upon a Journey to Sweden.

Till this time the Motions of Business had been Respited in the Assembly, upon a general ex∣pectation that the King was send∣ing

me over suddenly with the Plan of Peace, that he resolved should be made, and to which it was not doubted but all Parties would yield, whatever it was; so great a Regard was held on all sides, of His Majesty's Will and Power. But a greater stop was yet given to all further Paces there, by the Prince of Orange's Journey into England, about the end of September 1677. which wholly changed the Scene of this Treaty, and for the pre∣sent carried it over to London, and left all other places at a gaze only, and in expectation of what should be there Agitated and Con∣cluded.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Lilly shall Invade the Land of the Lion, bearing wild Beasts in its Arms; the Eagle shall move its Wings, and the Son of Man shall come to his assistance from the South; then there shall be great War throughout the World; but after four Years, Peace shall shine forth, and the Son of Man be deliver'd by those from whom his ruin was expected.
• * 1.2

  1. That for avoiding the Inconvenient that may happen by the great number of Coaches in the streets, that are so narrow, and the Corners so incommodious, the Ambassadors Mediators pro∣pose, Not to make any Visits, tho' they be Visits of Ceremony, with more than Two Pages, and Four Lackeys to each Ambassador; and to have but one Coach, with two Horses; and not to go to the Place of Conference, or other publick places, with more than one Page and two Lackeys to every Ambassador.
• * 1.3

  2. That when Coaches meet in these narrow places, where there is not room to pass by one another, every one, instead of contending for Place or precedency, shall mind rather to make the passage easie to one another, and stop the first, if he have the first notice that the Pass is too strait, and also give place to the other, if it be more easily done on his side, than on the other side.
• * 1.4

  3. That no Lackey shall carry either sword, staff, or stick in the streets; nor Pages any more than a little stick.
• * 1.5

  4. That the Ambassador upon any Crime com∣mitted against the publick Peace, by any of their Domesticks, shall renounce all Protection of the said Domesticks, and deliver them up into the hands of the Justice of the City; desiring, and authorizing them to proceed against them accord∣ing to their ordinary rules.
• * 1.6

  5. That in case any insult or quarrel should be made by the Domesticks of one Ambassador, with those of another Ambassador, or any other publick Minister, the Ambassadors will deliver up such of their Domesticks into the hands of the Ma∣ster of the Party offended, to be punisht at his discretion.
• * 1.7

  That the Mediation was always on foot for to go on with its business.
• * 1.8

  Full Pow∣ers.
• * 1.9

  Like able Men.
• * 1.10

  Their Strength and their Weak∣ness.
• * 1.11

  And in this distress of their State by so long a War.
• * 1.12

  All means were first to be tried.

  An incura∣ble Wound.
• * 1.13

  As a Storm that has ceased▪ after it had threatned much, and made but little altera∣tions in the World.
• * 1.14

  To push the business on as far as it is possible.
• * 1.15

  The Will of the King.
• * 1.16

  Whipt Cream.
• * 1.17

  And when one is at High Mass▪ one is at it.
• * 1.18

  Had been wan∣ting in respect to the King their Master.
• * 1.19

  Rascal, I'll set a mark on thee at least, that I may hang thee after∣wards.