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 ...

From Mon∣sieur de Wit.

Hague, Feb. 25. 1668.

SIR,

THE Bearer hereof delivered me the Letter you did me the Honour to write to me from Antwerp of the 24th. Instant; wherein I behold with Pleasure your Zeal and Diligence for the

Advancement of our common Affair; as also the good Dipositi∣ons that your Offices have already raised in the Mind of the Mar∣quis of Castel-Rodrigo, and the Appearance of a more satisfactory De∣claration we shall re∣ceive upon the com∣mon Request to be made him from the K. of Great Britain and this State. I delayed not to communicate and deliberate the Con∣tents of the said Letter with the States Com∣missioners deputed up∣on the Subject of our last Negotiations; and we hope you will judge as we do, that it is ab∣solutely necessary for his Excellence to de∣clare himself without further Delay or Re∣serve, agreeably to what his concluded be∣tween England and this State, without de∣siring before-hand any Concert more particu∣lar than that which is

made, signed, and ra∣tified between us and our Masters: For since the King of France has seen by his last Con∣quests how weak and negligent the Spaniards are, 'tis to be feared, that if the Marquis lets the Month of March expire, without plainly declaring himself as we desire, the King of France may be very glad, after the Expira∣tion of the said Term, not to be oblig'd by virtue of his Word gi∣ven, to make the Peace upon the Alternative; but may make use of the Time and Disor∣der of the Spaniards, to surprize Luxenburg, and a great part of what remains to the King of Spain in the Nether∣lands; and to order his Affairs afterwards as Occurrences shall hap∣pen. The States Gene∣ral are oblig'd, and en∣tirely resolv'd, in case of Refusal from the King of France, or any

Evasions from that side, after it has been insinuated to him that the Marquis has accep∣ted either part of the Alternative; to exe∣cute in the most vigo∣rous manner possible, what is contained in our third separate Ar∣ticle; and by conse∣quence, jointly with England to break into open War against France, to act in con∣cert, not only for Defence of the Nether∣lands, but also, and a∣bove all, to attack and infest France by Sea, by Descents, Invasions in∣to the Country, and all other Ways. But because it must be pre∣supposed in publick, that the King of France after having given his Word to the States, and afterwards by a circu∣lar Letter, not only to the King of Great Bri∣tain and the said States, but also to many Prin∣ces of Germany; will not break a Promise so

solemnly made; we cannot by any means enter into Concert and League with Spain, be∣fore this Case effectu∣ally arrives: And we think that such a League and Concert made before the Sea∣son, would be likely indeed to produce the Effect the Marquis de∣sires; but which is far from his Majesty of England's Aim, or that of the States; for you cannot but know, that his Excellence would pre∣fer the Continuance of the War with our As∣sistance, to the Con∣clusion of the Peace upon the Alternative; and his Majesty, as well as the States, pre∣fers this Peace before the Continuance of a War, whereof they must bear all the Costs and all the Profit be to the King of Spain. Now, we comprehend very well, that such a Concert and such a League as his Excel∣lence

desires, would put the King of Erance upon an absolute ne∣cessity of continuing the War; because if he should comply af∣ter such a League made with his Ene∣mies, it would appear publickly, that he was obliged to it by this Bond, and consequent∣ly by his Enemies themselves. And there∣fore the Matter is ju∣diciously enough pro∣pos'd by his Excellence for arriving at his End; but since it would make us miss of ours, we hope you will put the Marquis off it, and make him quit all Hopes of en∣gaging us by the force of his great Genius, to enter of our own accord, where we have no mind to come but upon a fatal Ne∣cessity. I think his Excellence does wrong to the King of Great Britain and the States, in not trusting their

Affection and their Honour, which are concerned, as well as their Interest, after the Alliance, and the Peace they have already made together: but if after his Excellence has accepted our Propositi∣ons, the King of France shall happen to draw back or seek Evasions; then the King of Great Britain and the States General entring into the Party, and even into a Rupture with France, it will be very just and proper to con∣cert with his Excellen∣cy after what manner to act in the Territory of the King his Ma∣ster; and yet in the mean while not omit entring into Action without the least loss of time. Therefore it will be no way ne∣cessary for me to be upon our Frontiers to∣wards the End, pro∣pos'd by his Excellence, which besides will be

wholly impossible for me; much less to send any body from hence to Brussels, since the States Deputies, who are there at present, are the same we should chuse for the End de∣sired: For I assure you I can name no body in whom the States as well as I in particular can have greater Con∣fidence, whereof I do not doubt but they will give you Proofs, as well as of their Sin∣cerity and good Con∣duct. I desire you therefore, Sir, to use them with as much Freedom as me, and I will engage they shall do the same by you. And if you have been at all satisfied with my manner of trans∣acting, as I have been extremely with yours, that you will be also satisfied with that of the said Deputies. For the rest we ap∣prove extremely the

Diligence you make on all sides in sending to the Ministers of the King of England, and the States now at Paris: And from your common Offices we promise to our selves an Universal Peace in Christendom, to the great Advan∣tage of the Publick, and the Eternal Glo∣ry of your selves, which no Man desires more than he who is,

SIR,

Your most humble, and most affectio∣nate Servant, de Wit.