27

king William, and infinuations, that domeftic factions had Will. III. rendered his government weak and contemptible. They af- 1700. fured

The earl of Manchefter to the me, that in England it was not

The earl of Manchefter to the could give the king, at this

Will. III. fured him, that their mafter would put every thing to hazard, rather than accept a treaty, which must reduce him to an

1700.

a speedy refolution, I am told,
that count Caunitz is ill, and
that this makes the affairs not fo
well as otherwise they would.

Mr. Sutton to the earl of
Manchester.

Vienna, July 10, 1700.
As to the treaty of regulation
of the Spanish fucceffion, I have
enly to acquaint your lordship,
that this court will not return
any pofitive answer yet. They
have received newly a courier
from Spain, but will not dif-
cover what dispatches he has
brought, and conceal their in-
tentions as much as they can
till the return of their own cou-
rier from Madrid, alledging,
they can ground nothing upon
the advices they have hitherto
received thence. However, it
may be prefumed, they will ac-
cept the treaty, though it be
very difpleafing to them. They
take no vifible measures to pre-
vent the execution of it; from
whence one may reasonably con-
clude, they fee the neceffity of
admitting it; and one cannot
wonder at their managing the
affections of the Spaniards.

P. S. I thought not to con-
ceal from your excellency,
that it appears pretty plain-
ly, that this court would
abfolutely reject the treaty,
if they had any hopes of
bettering themselves: but,
efteeming the bufinefs irre-
coverably concluded on our
fide, and not knowing how
to remedy it, they are like

abfolute

ly to turn their thoughts more upon the ways of preferving what is allotted them, than upon catching at the fhadow, and leaving the fubftance, especially if the Spaniards will comply therewith.

The earl of Manchester to the earl of Jersey,

Paris, July 17, 1700.

The last time I faw monfieur de Torcy, he told me (which he said was forgot) that it would be proper I fhould have orders

to take notice of the treaty concerning the fucceffion of Spain, to those Italian minifters, that come from courts, where our king has none, and to defire their masters to enter into the done, as a means to fecure the treaty, as France has already peace of Europe. I said I had no orders, but that I would write about it. As for Modena, I

thought it was not proper for me to take notice of, which he agreed in; fo that there are Savoy, Venice, Mantua, and Genoa. I intend to speak again to monfieur de Torcy, and have a further explanation.

I fend you a letter from monfieur d'Hervaert, who has communicated the treaty: monfieur de Torcy tells me, that it is thought, that the Swiss cantons will hardly enter into the guaranty, but they may confent to have troops raised in their country, in cafe of a war. On that occafion, he faid also, that

abfolute dependence on England and Holland, for the pre- Will. III. fervation of Spain and the Indies in his family, and, at the 1700.

to

he had fent to the French ambaffador in Portugal a copy of the treaty to be figned by that king, in the manner it was agreed on in England. He tells me, that the duke of Savoy anfwered with great profeffions, but in general terms, when the treaty was communicated him. That the French ambasfador there had now orders to let him know, that the king his master had reason to hope he might have had a more pofitive anfwer from him, especially fince there was a difcourfe, as if he had made a treaty with the emperor: which, as he did not believe, fo it was neceffary fuch difcourfes fhould be difcouraged, and that the world fhould fee the contrary. That, as for monfieur de la Tour's going to England, the French king was glad, that he took all the ways to cultivate the Friendfhip of the king of England. This will certainly put him on fome difficulties how to explain himself.

Mr. John Robinson to Mr. fecretary Vernon.

Malmo, July 5, 1700. I have seen a letter from the king of Spain to the king of Sweden, giving him an account of the treaty made about the fucceflion to his dominions; but only adding, that it is a matter of great importance, and that he (the king of Spain) is

fame

deliberating upon it. They in-
tend, I think, to anfwer, that
the king of Sweden will do fo

too.

The earl of Manchester to the
earl of Jersey.

Paris, July 23, 1700.
Monfieur de la Tour is here
and, as foon as he has waited
on this king, he intends for
Holland. I have feen him;
and, by his discourse, I find he
does not think to go into Eng-
land, when the king returns;
though the Savoy ambaffador,
here, told me, That he was to
refide there; and fo he told this
court. It will depend much on
the fuccefs of what he goes
about; and, I muft tell you,
that it occafions many conjec-
tures here, especially, fince it is
known, that the duke of Savoy
has of late fent many expresses
to Vienna, which this court
does not like: and, I have
reafons to think it will prefs him.
to declare what his intentions
are; it being his misfortune to
be fo well known, that it will
be hard for him to play the
fame game over again. His
ambaffador here is much de-
jetted; and, at the laft confe-
rence I had with monfieur de
Torcy, he was feen to come
from him in great disorder. It
was eafy to imagine, that this
was occafioned by what I have
mentioned to you.

The

Will. III. fame time, robbed him of the Milanefe. They threw out 1700. frequent overtures, that his imperial majefty was willing to

The earl of Manchefter to Mr. uncertain. The emperor must fecretary Vernon.

take up with the dauphin's fhare of the partition, or to con- Will. III. cert a new one with Lewis XIV, which should coincide 1700.

Sir Lambert Blackwell to the earl of Manchester.

Florence, July 30, 1700. I wrote to your excellency, the 23d, advifing what paffed at my audience with the great duke; and, at midnight (after the poft was difpatched) I received from cavalier Montemagni, fecretary of state, a few lines; bringing me his highneffes anfwer. Copies of both I inclofe, by which your excellency will find the great duke expreffes himself very much obliged to his majefty; but feeks to gain time by his general anfwer, without mentioning whether he will or not enter into the guaranty of the treaty my opinion being, that his highness is willing firft to know, what the emperor and Venetians refolve; and accordingly will take his measures. I do likewise send your excellency a copy of his highness's answer to the French envoy; being much to the fame purpofe, which the envoy difpatched to his moft Chriftian majefty, by a courier extraordinary; and till the return (which, he tells me, may be in fifteen days) will move no farther. I must alfo wait his majefty's commands though I intend to let the fecretary of ftate know, that my hopes were, his highness would have been more particular.

better

Mr. James Creffet to the earl of
Manchester.

Hamburgh, June 30, 1700. Your excellency plainly fees the tricking of the Danish court, in fhuffling the king our mafter into a mediation, to elude the force of his guaranty. Count Chamilly juggles to ferve the court, where he refides; which fubfifts only upon poor shifts and lies. If our Spanish treaty cannot find better and furer fupports than at Copenhagen, I thall be forry for it. Your excellency may please to acquaint the French miniftry (if you think fit) That, notwithstanding all the confidence the Danish court has in their ambassador, the count Chamilly, it has made a mystery to him of a letter lately fent from the king of Spain to the king of Denmark, upon the fubject of our late treaty: And this matter came out by accident, at fupper, at my house, two nights ago; where I had only count Chamilly and the Spanish minifter.