Will. III. cept that their refufals became ftronger and fharper, the more 1700. they were prefled; and sometimes they pretended, what they and they believed it would be fuch an anfwer, as he would think worth fending by another exprefs. So they think here, this matter is in a good way. He told me further, that the duke of Lorrain defired an explanation concerning the fovereignty of Bich, which, by the treaty, is to go to the prince of Vaudemont; that the duke had reasons to think he had no right to it at prefent, and therefore whatever he figned fhould not prejudice his title, till the treaty took place. This we have allowed him, and they understand that the prince of Vaudemont is to have the fovereignty, when the exchange is made. Monfieur de Torcy took notice to me again, that the French king would act in nothing without confulting the king, and he fuppofed he was fully fatisfied of it, and that he approved of what had been done. I thought it proper to aflure him of it, &c. It is certain, the credit and reputation of the king was never fo great here, as it is now. Though I can never be perfuaded they love him, yet I am confident they elleem him, and defire his friendship. I muft tell your lordship, all agree, that the duke of Savoy is rightly ferved. His minifter here is very unealy. could the Spanish fucceffion makes a great noife in the world. If the emperor be pleased, it is no great matter what others fay or do. Mr. Paul Methuen to Mr. Abraham Stanyan. Lisbon, June 15, 1700. We are likely to have a more bufy fcene of affairs than has been ufual; for, the last day of May, there arrived a courier in eleven days from Versailles to the French ambassador; which is an extraordinary diligence. The day after his arrival, the ambaffador defired a fecret audience of the king, which being granted, he remained an hour in private with him, no body being in the room but the king and himfelf; during which he fhewed him the treaty in French, that was figned by the earls of Portland and Jersey, count de Tallard, count de Briord, and eight Dutch plenipotentiaries, for the dividing the Spanish monarchy between the archduke and the dauphin, if the king of Spain should die without any children. After he had fhewed the treaty, and explained the contents of it, he made a fpeech to invite him into it, fetting out his master's great kindness fhewed to the king of Portugal on this occafion, in Mr. James Creffet to the earl of giving him fo fudden notice of Manchester. Hamburg, June 14, 1700. The late league concerning what concerned fo nearly the intereft of this kingdom. The ambaflador received no answer from the king at his audience; fo could not believe, that Charles II was in a fair way of reco- Will.III. very, and might have pofterity of his own. This was the 1700. language fo he dispatched back the cou- The earl of Manchefter to the earl of Jersey. Paris, Jan. 16, 1700. I find the French defign very foon to communicate the treaty in all parts, as monfieur de Torcy fays, fince England fays there is no occafion of deferring it, especially in thofe parts of Germany, where the king has no minifters; but, where he has, it is neceffary they fhould all act at the fame time. The nifter at Mantua is to have or- Mr. Robert Sutton to the earl of Vienna, June 19, 1700. Understanding that it would not be unacceptable to your excellency to know what measures the emperor takes in relation to the treaty newly concluded. with France, I could not but rejoice at an occafion of doing your lordship any pleasure, and take the liberty to acquaint you, that the emperor has not hiB 4 therto Wil.III. language of their public memorials; but the counts Harrach 1700. and Kaunitz, the principal ministers of Leopold, talked in a therto taken any refolutions earl of Jersey. higher on touching the treaty. All that The earl of Manchester to the Mr. Stanhope to the earl of Hague, June 24, 1700. Paris, June 26, 1700. The court being at Marly, monfieur de Torcy came Thurfday laft to Paris, and, in the conference I had with him, he told me, that the duke of Lorrain had himself figned the treaty with monfieur de Calliere, and at the fame time had wrote to the french king, that notwithstanding he did not infift on the feveral explanations, and the propofais he had made, yet he hoped they would be granted him. The chief point, and which he defires most, is, that he may not be looked upon as a guarantee, fince he had neither troops nor money to maintain it, in cafe of a war. Befides, to act against the emperor, he thought, was what in gratitude he ought not to do. It was not proper to allow him this, as I take it, for very good reafons, fince it would have been an example to others to make the fame difficulty, and especially to thofe, who have not the fame advantage by this treaty. Yet it is explained to him, that it is not expected he fhall give any other affiftance than a free paffage through his country, in the fame manner as he is already obliged to do by the treaty of Ryfwick. He alfo confents to fend fome full power to fign it at the Hague, as I underitand the king defires. Moft of the other things, he defires, and higher and more confidential ftile to the French ambaffador, Will. III, the marquis de Villars. They expreffed, in their private conferences, and of which I think I formerly acquainted you, relate to his own country, when it fhall be fubject to France, and most of It was this is granted him. well he did not stay for an anfwer from Vienna; for, as I perceive, there is but little inclination there to agree to the treaty, as it is now; for, I take it, you will fee them play another fort of game. Monfieur de Zinzendorf's courier is re- cept of it. When he found this Zinzendorf, 1700. Will. III. ferences, the strongest resentment at the conduct of the maritime powers, not unmixed with terms of disrespect towards king 1700. Zinzendorf, nor do I intend it; though monfieur de Torcy faid I might as to the firft propofal, he having declared he made it by order. Monfieur de Torcy then told me, that the treaty had been communicated to the king of Portugal, who talked of it, as if he could never confent to it; and accordingly the French minifter there fent away on the 4th inftant the courier. When the king perceived this, he foon changed his mind, and so another was dispatched, by whom he agrees intirely to the treaty, on the following conditions: 1. If the emperor does not confent within the time limited, that then he may be one in the naming of another prince. 2. That he may have two places yielded to him, that formerly belonged to Portugal: one was Alcantara, but I do not remember the other. 3. That, if he be attacked by reafon of the treaty, thofe who are concerned in it, fhall be obliged to affift him. Monfieur de Torcy did feem to think it was worth granting him these terms, fince it was the only way to engage him heartily in it; and, as for the firft article, there would be ftill three against one. The fame courier brought letters from Madrid with this account, that the council, that had been affembled upon the notification of the treaty, where the king was not prefent, had agreed, that the best advice they could give the king, was, that he should declare a prince of France for his fucceffor; the count d'Aquilar being the only one that did not confent to it: That the queen had preffed the king to difapprove of this refolution, which he would not do; and that as yet he had not declared himself. The count de Harrach had difcourfed with several of them, and especially with the cardinal Portocarrero, and others whom he thought in the emperor's intereft; and they all anfwered, that it was the only advice they could give their king. This matter is not yet public here. Monfieur de Torcy thinks it proper, that our envoy in Switzerland fhould have orders to speak privately to feveral of the chief of them, and fay, it is expected they do give leave to any troops to pass their country in cafe of a war, this king intending to give the fame inftructions to monfieur de Puyfieux, and order him to fay, that they were to obferve the fame method our king had done, and not to mention this matter in public. The earl of Manchester to Sir Lambert Blackwell, envoy at Florence. |