Letters written by Sir W. Temple, Bart., and other ministers of state, both at home and abroad containing an account of the most important transactions that pass'd in Christendom from 1665-1672 : in two volumes / review'd by Sir W. Temple sometime before his death ; and published by Jonathan Swift ...

To the Bishop of Mun∣ster.

Brussels, Mar. 19. S. N. 1666.

SIR,

YOUR Highnesse's Letter of the oth instant came in due time to my hands▪ by which I plainly find with how much Faith and Con∣••••••••y, as well as Wis∣dom and Courage, your Highness intends to or∣der your Affairs. My utmost Endeavours shall not be wanting for the advancing of them, as well as for encreasing and cultivating the Con∣fidence His Majesty hath in your Highness (on which the common League chiefly relies) especially at this time, when so many ill de∣signing Men use all En∣deavours to shake or de∣stroy it, wherein it, is hard to tell whether

their Folly or Malice be greater.

I hear every day in this City; that you Highness has made Peace with th•• Hollan∣ders, without any Re∣gard to us or our League, or so much as consult∣ing His Majesty upon it: And I pretend to be∣lieve what I 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to••••, tho' I am inwardly as∣sured to the contrary. As for Whispers and Ru∣mours, it is not my Cu∣stom either to amuse o∣thers with them, or per∣plex my self. I confess, I was somewhat moved with a Letter from the Duke of Brunswick to a Man of Understanding in this City, which I late∣ly saw and read; wherein he seems to feed himself and his Friend with hopes of a speedy Peace in all those Parts of Ger∣many, and assures him from his certain know∣ledge, that the Prince of Munster will accept it, in case it be offered to him without the greatest

Ignominy and Loss; wherein he says, the neighbour Princes use all means to engage him.

I am sorry to find the Marques Castel Rodrigo of the same Opinion; because I know, the E∣vent must be dishonou∣rable to your Highness; and will be imputed to the King my Master perhaps as Imprudence, at least, as ill Fortune. Nor do I think the Spa∣niards at this time of day so generous as to pro∣mote the League (which we hope to see confir∣med by my Lord Sand∣wich's Embassy into Spain) if they once ima∣gine, tho' but falsly, that His Majesty among such potent Enemies is for∣saken by his nearest Confederates.

On the contrary, I am entirely persuaded as well from your High∣ness's last Letter, as from your Virtue and good Sense, that you have too great a Regard for your Faith and Ho∣nour, to darken the Lu∣stre

of so fair a Life by so foul a Stain: This I do not fail continually to inform both His Ma∣jesty and his Ministers: nor do I doubt, but if Fortune shall be wan∣ting to the Justice of your Arms, so far as that your Highness shall be in Danger of being brought to the last Ex∣tremities; you will at least have that Regard to so sacred a League, and to the Honour of so great a King, as to give His Majesty timely Notice; declare the in∣vincible Necessities you lay under, and desire permission to enter up∣on new Councils.

As for us, I am sure your Highness is suffici∣ently convinced of His Majesty's Care in per∣forming his Part; and how happily he has o∣vercome the greatest Difficulties and Straits, wherein by occasion of the late Pestilence, his Revenues have been in∣volved. About ten days ago, I gave Monsieur

Rhintorf Letters of Ex∣change for 77000 Dol∣lars; He is a diligent Person, a Friend to the common League, and of equal Probity and In∣dustry. I have given him also other Letters, wherein a very Rich Merchant of Amster∣dam has undertaken to transmit 30000 Dollars more to me with all convenient speed. I have also, Orders from His Majesty to advance Mony for your High∣ness upon a great quan∣tity of Tin lately reco∣vered from Shipwreck at Ostend: And His Ma∣jesty has further given me in Charge to let your Highness know, that whatever remains shall be paid without fail.

All this matter was fi∣nish'd before Mr. Sher∣wood's departure for England; whom I have however instructed with the best Council I could, as well as with Letters of Recommendation to the chief Ministers; tho' I 〈◊〉〈◊〉 certain, His Maje∣sty's

Justice and Truth will be more prevalent in this Matter than the most importunate Sol∣licitations or Com∣plaints.

In the mean while I shall use my utmost Care and Diligence for the Service of your High∣ness, and it will be your part not to be wanting either to His Majesty or your own Honour and Safety, which are all concerned in this Conjuncture. I also beg your Highness not to be discouraged by your Enemies, not to dis∣trust your old Friends, not despaire of raising new ones.

Time for the better chan∣ges many things.

In the mean time I wish your Highness Health and Victory, and desire you will ever esteem me.

SIR,

Your Highness's most obe∣dient humble Servant.

Episcopo Monas∣terii.

Brusselles, Mar. 19. N. S. 1666.

Celsissime Domine,

REcté & tempestivè admodum mihi red∣ditae s•••••• literae Celsi∣tudinis, vestrae, 9^o Mar∣tii dataec•••• quibus plané perspexi qua•• inco••cussâ fide, & quam decorâ con∣stantiâ C. V. ressu••s sem∣per ••rnat••ur a sit, dum cas∣de•••• eximiâ prudentiâ & animo molitur inte••ea & gubernat. Mihi certe ni∣hil erit unquam antiquius isto, officio; quod semper praestiti & praestit••••us sum tam in illis omni me∣do pr••movendis, quam in formandâ, & si opus fue∣rit erigendâ sacrae suae Regiae Majestatis fiduciâ, quâ praecipuè niti videtur communis f••ederis vincu∣lum & robur, hoc praeser∣tim tempore cum multi & vafri & vertosi homines.

illam pedibus eant labefac∣tatum, majore levitate nescio, an malitiâ.

In hac urbe pacem jam ratant ••••inter C. Vm. & Hollandos, post habitis om∣nino rationibus & foederis & nostris, nedùm consul∣tâ voluntate, ego utris{que} auribus quotidiè accipio, credulitatem simulo, toto autem pectore inficias o•••• Rumoribas certè & susu••∣ris nec mihi alio•• pas••ere assuetum, nec meipsum ex∣cruciare; co••••••o••um nic paule fate•• literis Ducis Br••si•• censis viro saga•••• in hac 〈◊〉〈◊〉 transmiss••••, qu•••• ipse naperrime 〈…〉〈…〉 diligentin••, inqui•••••• & s••∣se & amicum mult•• spe∣lactare videt••r pacis in universis istis Ge•••••••••••• partibus breviter ••••st i••••∣endae; sibi{que} pro compert•• const are asserit, Principem Monasterii eam libentissi∣mè accepturum, modò fine summa ignominiá & dam∣no eam oblatam iri con∣tingat; in quo vicinos ait Principes oleam & opera•• summo jam studio impen∣dere.

Marchionem de Castel Rodrigo eandem imbibisse plané opinionem & sentio & doleo: quippe ejusmodi eventum & C. V. vitio verti necesse est, & Regi Domino meo, impruden∣tiae forsan, aut saltem in∣faelicitati. Nec Hispanos us{que} adeo jam tempori•• generosos aestimo, ut provi∣bendo foedoxi (quod jam arcti•• astrictum iri spe∣ramus nuperrimâ Comu•••• de Sandwich in Hispani∣am Legatione) fortius im∣pellant remos, si Regem Domin•••• meum inter tan∣tos hostes, ab intimo foede∣rate desertum iri, sibi ve falso persuaserint.

Ego interea tam ex po∣stremus literis, quam ex ingenti C. V. indole & ge∣nio, moribus etiam & stu∣diis, mihi è contra procul omni aleá persuasum ha∣beo, eam virtuti, fidei & gloriae nimis foeliciter li∣tassé, quam ut tot decora

tam insignis vitae tantâ 'labe infuscari ullo modo patiatur. Hoc sacrae suae Regiae Majestati, hoc Mi∣nistris regiis inculcare non desino; nec ullus dubito, si tam justis armis Fortu∣na in tantum defuerit, ut inter tot hostes C. V. in extremis se laboraturam praesentiat; quin hoc sal∣tem tanto foederi, hoc tan∣ti Regis nomini & auspi∣ciis tribuendum judicet, ut sacram suam Majestatem non inconsultam velit, ne∣cessitates insuperabiles ex∣ponat, veniam{que} demum impetret novis & alienis consiliis incundis.

Quod ad partes nostras at tinet, satis confido C. V. abunde exploratum habe••e quanto studio & opere sa∣cra sua Regia Majestas explendis ad amussim sin∣gu••••s invigilaverit, quan∣ta{que} demum faelicitate an∣gustias & difficultates sum∣mas eluctata sit, quibus per nuperam contagionem res suas praecipue pecunia∣rias involutas sensit. Ego

jam infra decem elapsos di∣es literas Cambli us{que} ad∣septaaginta septem Thale∣rorum millia valitutas, Domino de Rhintorfe 〈◊〉〈◊〉 tradidi, viro certo impi∣gro, animi{que} erga res com∣munis foederis propensissimi, nec minoris ut mihi vide∣tur probitatis quam indu∣striae. Eidem alias imper∣tii literas, per quas mer∣cator admodum opul••ntas Amstelodami in se pro∣vinciam recepit, triginta adhuc Thalerorum millia mihi: quamprimum trans∣mittendi. Eodem tempo∣re & magnam stanni mo∣lem Ostendae••••per ex nau∣fragio revulfa••, augendis C. V. ••ationibus impende∣re, inter regia jussahabeo; praecipuum{que} a sacrâ suâ Regiâ Majestate mand••••∣tum, ut C. V. persuasu•••• penitus & securam vetim, quod reliqui est sine ullâ ambagie s••••ctum iri.

Haec omnia excussa & absoluta fuisse adverten∣dum est acte appulsum Do∣mini Sherwood, quem ta∣men in transitu saluberri∣mis quibus fas erat consili∣is, & commendatoriis a∣pud

summos Regios Mini∣stros literis munitum volui; etiamsi pro comperio habe∣am, Regis Domini mei jus∣titiam insignem & fidem in violatam plus quaeremo∣niis omnibus vel preoibus maximé importunis in hac re valituras.

Ego interea curâ, opere, studio, & diligentiâ, nec desum nec defuturus sum; Celfitudim autem vestrae curae erit ne sacrae suae Re∣giae Majestati, ne sibimet ipsi defuerit, ne propriae denique gloriae nec saluti, quas in hoc cardine rerum ver•• satis perspectum ha∣bere ••••••sse est. Nec inter insurgentes hostes despon∣de•••• ••ro, nec veteribus ami•••••• ad minimum diffi∣dat, nec despere•• de ••••vis excitandis.

Multa Dies varius{que} labor mutabilis aivi

Detulit in melius.

Valeat interea C.V. & vincendo pergat; inter au∣te•••• addict issi••ios ejus{que} rèrum studiosissimos de ju∣re semper aestimet

C. V.

Observantissimum.