Period II. rope, and which had been rather heightened that 1720 to 1727; compofed by the congrefs of Cambray, were ter

Alarms of
England.

minated in a few conferences: the two sove-
reigns, in whofe quarrels fuch a deluge of blood
had been fled, and fuch immenfe treasures ex-
pended, fuddenly contracted an alliance for the
mutual fupport of each other's interefts, without
the knowledge of thofe very powers who had for
long and ineffectually attempted to negotiate an
accommodation between them.

This alliance between the Emperor and Spain,
concluded at Vienna, confifted of three feparate
treaties. By the firft, figned on the 30th of April,
the two fovereigns confirmed the articles of the
quadruple alliance. Charles the Sixth renounced
his pretenfions to the crown of Spain; Philip ac-
knowledged the Emperor's right to Naples and
Sicily, the Milanese, and the Netherlands, and
guarantied the pragmatic fanction, or the fuccef-
fion to the hereditary dominions of the houfe of
Auftria, in the female line.

In confequence of this fudden union, the new allies were fufpected of forming the most ambitious and dangerous projects. It was not credited that Philip the Fifth would so easily have renounced that juft claim, which he could form on the Netherlands, Naples, and Milan, fhould the Emperor die without iffue male, and have guarantied the whole Auftrian fucceffion, in the female line, unless the Emperor, in return, had· promifed fome fecret articles in favour of the children of Philip, by Elizabeth Farnefe, who

wholly

་

Influ- Chapter 27.

wholly governed the counfels of Spain.
enced by these confiderations, England and France
were no less alarmed at the treaty of Vienna, than
offended at the infult offered to them as medi-
ating powers, in concluding that alliance with-
out their interpofition. Thefe fufpicions were
foon afterwards ftrengthened by the indifcreet and
violent expreffions of Ripperda; by intelligence
from the British minifters at Madrid and Paris,
and from St. Saphorin, the British agent at Vienna;
they were confirmed by the immediate demand
of the reftitution of Gibraltar, made by Spain,
as the fole and indifpenfable condition of the con-
tinuation of peace and commerce with England.

1725.

It foon appeared that a fecond and third treaty Farther trea had been figned on the firft of May. The fe- ties. cond was a treaty' of commerce; and fupported the establishment of the Oftend company, which the maritime powers confidered as contrary to the treaty of Weftphalia, and as involving in its confequences the diminution of their Indian trade. The third was a treaty of mutual defence; the two fovereigns guarantied their respective territories, and engaged to fupport each other with all their force, fhould either be attacked; the king of Spain to fupply fifteen men of war, 15,000 infantry, and 5,000 horfe, or ftipulated fubfidies inftead; the Emperor to bring into the field 30,000 foot and 10,000 horfe.

cles.

But befides these conditions, reports of other Secret artiarticles were circulated and believed; that the Emperor promifed to give in marriage his daughters,

E E 2

Period III. ters, the two arch ducheffes, to Don Carlos and 1720 to 1727: Don Philip, the two infants of Spain, and assist

Audience of

miniiter.

in obtaining by force the reftitution of Gibraltar, if good offices would not avail. In addition, it was ftrongly rumoured, and many circumftances induced the minifters to believe, that arrangements were making to place the Pretender upon the throne.

George the Firft received the notification of the Imperial the treaty of Vienna, from Count Staremberg, the Imperial embaffador, with an appearance of the moft perfect indifference. In an audience, to which Staremberg was introduced by lord Townfhend, he began by obferving, that on the propofal of Ripperda, at Vienna, to commence a feparate treaty, the Emperor had replied, the congrefs of Cambray being established for the purpose of fettling the difputes between him and the king of Spain, under the mediation of Great Britain and France, he did not fee the neceffity of altering the train of the negotiation. But when Ripperda infifted (on the part of Spain) that an attempt fhould be made to compofe their differences, the Emperor, reflecting on the difficulties derived from the mifunderstanding between Spain and France, and confidering that Spain had rejected the mediation of France, and the king of England had declined the fole mediation, conceived, that for the promotion of the públic tranquillity, it was his duty to endeavour to form an amicable compromife with the king of Spain. This attempt had been crowned with fuccefs, the

3

-treaty

com- Chapter 27.

treaty was at length figned; he was manded to communicate a copy of it to the king, and Fonfeca, the Imperial minifter at Paris, was alfo commiffioned to lay another before the king of France. He obferved, that the treaty was in all refpects conformable to the quadruple alliance, and only regulated thofe points which remained to be adjusted. He remarked, that as the Emperor had bound himself, by the quadruple alliance, to guarantie the fucceffion to the crowns of England, France, and Spain, Philip had, in conformity to the dictates of reason and justice, confented to guarantie the pragmatic fanction. His Imperial majefty, he faid, trufted and hoped that the kings of Great Britain and France would also guarantie that order of fucceffion, by acceding to the treaty, with this view, an article was inferted for the admiffion of thofe powers, who, with the confent of the contracting parties, should accede within a year; and the article was thus worded, because it was not thought proper to name France, on account of the mifunderstanding with Spain. He particularly fpecified, that although the treaty with Spain was figned, yet the Emperor had ordered his plenipotentiaries not to quit Cambray until the Spanish minifters had taken their departure, Ripperda, he added, had informed the Emperor, that fome points* ftill remained to be fettled between Spain and England; and the king his mafter re

1725

Period III. quefted the Emperor to employ his mediation to 1720 to 1727 that effect. To this requeft the Emperor had replied, that if thofe matters related to, and were the confequence of the quadruple alliance, and if the king of England approved it, he would willingly offer his interpofition, but otherwife, he would not interfere.

Reply of the king.

The king, after receiving the copy, congratulated the Emperor and king of Spain on their reconciliation. He then faid, that Spain finding it impoffible to overcome the impartiality of the mediators, and to induce them to act in contradiction to the quadruple alliance, had deputed Ripperda with a view to form a direct accommodation with the court of Vienna; that his miffion taking place before the quarrel arose between France and Spain, it was not to that event, but to the equity and firmnefs of England and France, that the overtures from Spain were to be attributed; that the hopes of fupporting the public tranquillity, and maintaining the faith of treaties, had induced the mediating powers to exert themfelves in attempting to bring the congrefs of Cambray to a happy conclufion, by fettling the objects in difpute between the Emperor and Spain, which were in themfelves fo little interefting to the two crowns. He did not take the leaft notice of the delicacy which the Emperor affected to fhew in not being the firft to recal his minifters at Cambray, nor of the demand for acceding to the treaty; and concluded by obferving, that in regard to the offer made by the Emperor, of interpofing