about the treaty of fucceffion of Spain, which you had the goodnefs to fend me. I communicated it, in conjunction with M. de Puyfieux, to the Cantons, affembled by their deputies; he and I having invited them to enter into it, and to fubfcribe the guranty. Their answer was such as we forefaw; that is the deputies promised, that each would make a report to its fovereign. It is eafy to judge, that they will endeavour to gain as much time as they can. As the dyet is finifhed, we can have no pofitive anfwer from the Cantons; but, at another, which must be called on purpose: And we intend to push for it, when we fhall think it a fit time. If we cannot perfuade them to engage themselves, in form, in the guaranty for the execution of the treaty, we flatter ourselves, that we fhall, at leaft, obtain that they will not permit that the troops, which the emperor might fend to oppofe it, fhall país. At this we work with all our might; that is, M. de Puyfieux and I; as alfo M. Valkenier; who is arrived in Switzerland, within thefe eight days, to affift us, by order of the States-General, his mafters.

the

account of the queen of Spain's being with child; yet count Harrach had complimented her upon the report; which, fome think, he might as well have let alone. Her answer to him was, That God would do what he pleafed. I find, that, in Spain, they are refolved to court the king, our mafter. Schonenberg has been admitted to an audience of the king, and what paffed, in relation to Canales, in England, will be forgot, and another will be named. Don Quiros is certainly ordered to return to the Hague. All this matter has been brought about by the queen: And it is faid that our king has wrote to her; which has produced this good effect. In fhort, the Spanish ambaffador here takes all occafions to oblige me; which I return in the fame manner. They find it their interest to be well with England.

The earl of Manchefter to
Mr. Blathwayt.

Paris, Aug. 13, 1700. The emperor's envoy has received a courier from Spain; whom he difpatched, the fame day, for Vienna. He affures me, That monfieur Schonenberg has had an audience of the

Paris, Aug, 11, 1700. An exprefs arrived yefterday from Madrid, in his way to Vienna. He brings no further

ros has orders to go to the Hague; and that they will take no further notice of the affair of monfieur de Canales, but intend foon to name an ambassador to the king. The only measure,

they

they feem to have taken, is to put themfelves in a posture of defence.

Mr. Methuen to the earl of Manchester.

Lifbon, Aug. 15, 1700. This goes by a courier which

the French ambassador fends,'

to give his mafter an account, that he has concluded a treaty of guaranty with this court; by which the king of Portugal is obliged to maintain the late treaty of repartition, and the execution of it.

Aug. 18, 1700.

I have been forced to break open my letters, to acquaint your lordship, that the French ambafiador told me, pofitively, he had figned the treaty, the 15th, yet he did not, having obferved, juft as he was going to fign, that the Portuguefe had, in one of the articles, inferted a claufe, by which they might afterwards pretend, that they were not obliged to make war on the emperor, or Spain, until they began it. This occafioned a dispute between the ambaffador and the Portuguefe commiffioners; but all was, at laft, accommodated to the fatisfaction of the ambaffador, and the treaty figned this evening. VOL XV.

want

Mr. fecretary Vernon to the earl of Manchester.

Whitehall, Aug. 5. 1700. N. S.

I received, yesterday, your excellency's letter of the 11th inftant. That the Spaniards are fo obliging, of late, does not ing writ to them; but, I rather proceed from his majesty's havthink, they are endeavouring to create jealoufies and fufpicions between us and France; and that they have a mind to have a minifter here, next winter, to blow the coals in parlia ment, if he can, and to perfuade people to find fault with the treaty about the fucceffion to their dominions: but, I fuppofe, we fhall be very well contented, that the peace of Europe may be preferved upon thefe terms.

The report of the queen of Spain's being with child, I conceive, is the more cherished, that it may give the emperor a pretence for returning no answer, whether he will come into the The three late treaty or not. months, propofed for his decla ring himfelf, are now near expired; and we hear nothing more from Vienna, but that a certain courier, they expect from Madrid, is not yet arrived. In the mean time, we hear, the C French

French fquadrons, under the command of Nefmont and Pointi, are like to join. One would be glad to know what they are defigned for. It is faid, they will winter at Cadiz, if they do not make themselves mafters of Gibraltar.

Mr. Sutton to the earl of
Manchester.

Newftadt, Aug. 17, 1700. I am forry to acquaint your excellency, that the refolution we have fo long expected from the emperor, in relation to the treaty for regulating the fucceffion of Spain, is not fuch as was defired. Count Harrach has, to-day, acquainted the M. de Villars, and monfieur Hop, feparately, That he was commanded by the emperor, to impart to them, for their mafters information, that his imperial majefty, confidering the king of Spain to be in good health, and of fuch an age, that he might very well, with the blefling of God, hope for issue of his own, did not think it becoming, efpecially him, that was his uncle, to make a divifion of his fucceffion. He added to the M. Villars, That the emperor hoped this answer would not interrupt the good intelligence between himfelf and his moft Chriftian majefty; and that he would not proceed to the nomination of a third, which would but embroil matters the more: That, when the fucceffion happened to fall,

and

the emperor thought it justly belonged to him; and, after the extinction of the male line of the house of Auftria, to the duke of Savoy, according to Philip the IVth's will. He told monfieur Hop alfo, That the emperor defired to continue in a good understanding with the king and the states-general. I cannot fee count Harrach to-night; but fhall, doubtless, receive the fame anfwer from him to-mor

row.

If there be any thing different in it, I will acquaint your lordship with it, by the first opportunity. Your excellency is much abler than I am, to judge of the confequences of the emperor's refolution. He certainly reckons upon the friendship of the Spanish court; but, altho' he be fure of it, I cannot fee how it will answer the expectation he may have of it; or, what other means he has, to hinder the performance of the agreement already made.

health was better than ever it was; that he had named no perfon to fucceed him, nor would he. The king anfwered, that no body wished more for his mafter's health than himself; That all men are mortal: That he had no other defign in what he had done but the peace of Europe. The Spanish ambaf. fador difcourfed afterwards with monfieur de Torcy, who took notice to him, that the refolutions, that were taken in Spain about fuppreffing all penfions, were in order to maintain a confiderable number of forces, which might create jealoufies, especially if they were foreign troops. To which he anfwered, that they had been long enough the jeft of Europe, by having their affairs in fo ill a condition; that every man was mafter in his own country, &c. I find by monfieur de Torcy, that the French are apprehenfive, that the emperor's troops are to go to Milan and Naples; and he faid it had been already propofed to the republic of Venice, to pafs twenty thousand men through their territories; and, if fo, he thought it would be neceffary, that the French troops that are near Catalonia, should have orders to march to the frontiers of Spain; not that he believed there would be any occafion of proceeding further, but that this would be fufficient to hinder the Germans from going into Italy. This he defired the king fhould know. I am fatisfied, that there is fomething

placed

of this nature in hand, by what monfieur Zinzendorf lets fall fometimes in his difcourfes. Monfieur de Torcy faid, that they intended to prefs for the emperor's anfwer concerning the treaty, and that it would be convenient we should do it also.

The earl of Manchester to the earl of Jersey.

Paris, Aug. 27, 1700,

Monfieur de Torcy acquainted me yesterday with the answer the emperor has given to monfieur de Villars. He refuses to enter into a treaty concerning the fucceffion of Spain, as long as the king of Spain lives; and hopes they will not proceed to the naming of another prince, which may have ill confequences, and oblige him to take meafures to defend his right. He faid, had he feen me in the morning, he fhould have complained very much of the coolnefs and indifference they fhewed in Holland in this affair. That though monfieur de Tallard did affure them, the emperor had concerted with Spain, that his troops were to march into Italy; yet it was not thought fit to take any measures to prevent it; but that by the letter he just then received from monfieur de Tallard, he fees and tells me, that the king our mafter does agree, that both in Spain and Vienna their minifters fhall have orders to declare against it. This court does in

C 2

tend

tend to prefs the duke of Savoy to enter into a treaty with France, if he is not already engaged with the emperor. It cannot be his intereft to have the German troops fo near him, and, in cafe he refufes France, it will be demonftration, that he his acting otherwife than he has affured them.

Mr. Robinfon to the earl of
Manchester.

Helfingburg, Aug. 25. 1700, O. S. The acceffion of this crown [of Sweden] to the treaty about the Spanish fucceffion, goes very flowly forward, and thefe minifters feem to think the circumflances of their affairs ought to excufe them at prefent from taking part in it, fince the emperor has fo many ways to incommode them, especially while the war the king of Poland has begon against them continues. They feem much perfuaded that their friends will not prefs them to expose themselves, but rather first help them to a state of fafety, and then they fhall be in a condition to make returns.

The earl of Manchefter to the earl of Jersey.

Paris, Sept. 17, 1700. Yesterday I faw monfieur de Torcy. I do find by him, that they are very well fatisfied with the proceedings in Holland, in relation to the great affair, and

zans,

I do like the propofal, to engage thofe that will not enter into the guaranty, to be neuter. I did hear from other parts, that the French ministers were uneafy, and of opinion, that we did not act fairly; but I affure you, that they have no fuch thoughts here at prefent.

The earl of Manchester, to
Mr. fecretary Vernon.

Paris, Sept. 18, 1700.

I can now affure you, that this court is intirely fatisfied with the proceedings in Holland, in relation to the treaty, and there are no grounds for what is faid in other parts. I do not doubt but that there are too many that would have it otherwife; but I am of opinion, that it is not in their power to effect it.

Monfieur Schonenberg to the earl of Manchester.