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 Sir William Godolphin.

Hague, July 3. S. N. 1670.

SIR,

I HAVE not had any Thing of late worth your Trouble, nor any of yours by me to acknowledge; though I should have been glad to have received from your Hand the Assurance of what comes to me more uncertainly from others, of the Ca∣tholick King's perfect Recovery, and the Junto's Disposition to admit simply of his Majesty's and the King of Sueden's Arbi∣trage, as was proposed. The great Dead∣ness of the Season in point of News would have excused you this Trouble, but that the Sueaish Minister here begins to pursue me hard for my Offices towards the Spa∣nish Court for the second Payment, which he reckons to be already due by the Expi∣ration of eight Months since the delivery of the Guaranty. But Monsieur de Witt and I are both of Opinion, the Spanish Ambassador's Act may very well be con∣strued to signify eight Months from the signing of the Concert, which Spain al∣ways insisted upon as an essential Part of

the Guaranty: And to begin the Pay∣ments only upon the signing of it, which was the last of January past; by which Calculation the second Payment will grow due at the End of next September. But this is fitter to be argued by Spain than by us: And that which is more necessary, is for Them to provide so as the Mony may be ready here by that Term, to re∣cover by the Fairness and Ease of this Pay∣ment the Credit they lost in Sueden by the Difficulties of the last. In the mean time, if you can persuade the Spanish Court to signify to the Suedish Minister either there or here, that they have been put in Mind of it by you; and have it so much in their Care as to provide that it shall not fail at the end of September, which They take to be the Term it grows due; you will I suppose perform an Office both necessary and grateful to all the Par••ies interessed in that Affair. The Dutch would have en∣joyned it to their Minister, if they had any present at Madrid; ••he Want of which gives you more tha•• your Share in these Transactions. They would fain engage Monsieur Beverning to accept of that Em∣ployment; wh••ch I wish for your sake, but I doubt its succeeding.

The Prince of Orange intends to go for England about the end of this Month; and my Lord Ossory is shortly expected here, to attend him in his Journy.

I am always SIR,

Your most obedient humble Servant.