rage and fpirit, not funk with age into covetoufnefs or Will. III. peevishness, was thought the fitteft perfon for that fee. 1700. France to get the duke named in the room of archduke Charles. But the truth was, that the duke, having learnt by the treaty of partition, that he had no part in it, thought to reap fome advantage from thence. For this reafon he had fent la Tour to the court of France to complain, as he did, that, notwithstanding his confanguinity, the moft Chriftian king had done nothing for him. At the fame time, la Tour made a propofition, with an offer if it was accepted, that the duke should guaranty the treaty. The propofition was, that the duke would refign to France the dutchy of Savoy with all its pretenfions, in exchange for the kingdom of Na ples. The answer of the French court was, that his propofition fhould be confidered, but it must also be laid before the other allies, England and Holland. This la Tour did, but without fuccefs. One of the principal reafons of its being rejected by king William and the States, was, that the king of France having Savoy with all its pretenfions, juft and unjust, he would be better able to affert them than the duke; and, by that means, Geneva and the country of Vaca, where the Proteftant religion is profeffed, might be in danger. Befides, it was not difagreeable to give the duke fome mortification, for having, after his peace with France, caufed a fpeech to be made to king James, which feemed directly contrary to that which la Tour had made at London, upon the king's advancement to the throne. [Lambert, Vol. I. p. 120. Mr. Sutton to the earl of Manchester. Vienna, Octob. 26, 1700. There is no answer given to the new invitation made by the contracting parties to the emperor to come into the treaty of divifion, before which it cannot be faid pofitively what his imperial majefty will conclude upon. Your excellency judges very juftly, that it appears to be his intereft to accept the offer, when the condition of his affairs is confidered; but his having refused it before, and the king of Spain being in fome measure recovered, make it probable, that he will answer again in the negative. Nevertheless it is invisible what measures are taken to fence off the blow. It is true, there have been many confultations, but either nothing is concluded in them, or no conclufion executed. And yet one fees very little emotion in the imperial family at the alarming news of the king of Spain's defperate illnefs, which would perfuade one, that they very leifurely expected another miracle to be wrought in their favour. If the offer made them after the king of Spain's death, perhaps the feeing themselves evidently unable to withstand the execution of the treaty may force them to yield to it, though Will. III. France had fent no exclufion to preclude him, not imagining he could be thought on. At first, the French court did not 1700. their averfion to it be fo great, that it must be a great ftrefs to bring them to it. They have rather chofen hitherto to abandon themselves to providence and chance. They feem to flatter themselves, that their steadi. nefs will make fome impreffion, and procure them fairer offers. The duchy of Milan, the marquifate of Final, and the Stato delli Prefidii, would in all likelihood buy their confent; and they would rejoice heartily at the bottom to fee them added to the archduke's fhare, to which they would join themfelves the duchy of Mantua after the duke's death. I am afraid they are not likely to be gratified in their defire; but they feem to think, that, rather than enter into a chargeable war, his moft Chriftian majefty will enlarge their portion. Your lordship will be more eafily and better informed, than I, of what difpofition there may be hitherto. Your excellency will obferve by the following account, in what condition this court is to oppofe the execution of the treaty. They have difcourfed a good while of remounting and recruiting their troops, and give out, that they have money ready for it. I can fcarce believe, they have money fufficient for remounting according to their own reckoning, and a great part of the colonels will not undertake the work at the rates the court offers. Yet it is faid, that aflignations are delivered to fome of them. Their troops would feem amount to seventy thousand men, if they were complete; but they are far from it, and the cavalry half difmounted. They cannot difpenfe themselves from having near thirty thousand men in Hungary and Tranfilvania. Their places upon the Rhine are very thinly garrifoned, and will never be well furnished or repaired, though there be fome artillery paffed by from Buda towards Brifac. They have no forces near Italy, and very few within a great distance of it in quarters. The emperor is between twenty and thirty millions of florins in debt, and pays extravagant intereft. It has been difcourfed, that the hereditary countries would take the payment of the debts upon them. I do not find any certainty thereof; but, if it should happen, there must be a term of years allowed for it, and they will fcarce be able to give the emperor any further aid. The chamber of finances is in fo bad a reputation, that they have no credit, and have had much ado for a long time to fupply the emperor's neceffities. I do not hear of any recruits, that are yet making, though I hearken after it; but peradventure in two months they may begin to make them, and they mult begin fome time, otherwife they will fhortly have no troops at all. In fine, my lord, it is apparent, that, whenever the king of Spain comes to die, this court will be found unprepared to make any great refiftance, as I' believe feem pleased with the choice, but it was too late to oppofe Will.I. it; and therefore they refolved to gain him to their interefts, 1700. in which they fucceeded beyond what they then hoped for. believe any body, that is acquainted with the prefent conflitution thereof, would eafily own. But they will prefume things cannot go worfe for them, than according to the difpofition of the treaty. They now hold daily conferences. We fhall fhortly fee the refult of them. I have afked audience three days together, and cannot yet have the honour to have one to deliver the king's orders. When much. He arrived here on Mon- The earl of Manchefter to the The earl of Manchefter to Mr. earl of Jersey. Paris, Nov. 3. 1700. Before I left Fontainebleau, I was with monfieur de Torcy, who, I find, is well fatisfied with the proceedings in Holland. I must own, that, during my ftay there, the king took all occafions to oblige me. You know already, that monfieur Calliere is gone to the duke of Lorrain. The duke of Savoy has declared, that he will not act against the treaty. His ambaffador here is now more in hopes than ever, that his mafter will have fome advantage in the partage;' but I found by monhieur de Torcy, that the French king was fatisfied with the divifion already made, and yet he would confent to any reafonable alteration, if that was to make the king, our mafter, eafy. This was meant in relation to our trade in the Levant; and, I fuppofe, that monfieur de Tal. lard has already told you as VOL. XV. fecretary Vernon. Paris Nov. 3, 1700. Here are letters from Madrid 50 Will. III. When the court of France had notice fent them of the 1700. king of Spain's will, real or pretended, they seemed to be at a ftand for fome days; and the letters wrote from the secretary's office gave it out for certain, that the king would adhere to the partition treaty. But madam de Maintenon had an unfpeakable fondnefs for the duke of Anjou; fhe therefore prevailed with the Dauphin to accept of the will, and fet afide the treaty; and fhe engaged monfieur de Pontchar The king of is accepted. the two acts of acceffion and ad- train The earl of Manchefter to Mr. fecretary Vernon. Paris, Nov. 9, 1700. We have now news that the king of Spain died the 1ft inftant between two and three of the clock in the afternoon, which the inclosed will inform his majesty of. The cardinal Portecarrero was declared, by a commiffion under the privy feal, chief governor during his illnefs; and by the teftament, which they have fince opened, he is continued. He fent monfieur de Blecourt a copy. The fubftance of it is, That whereas the king of Spain was fatisfied, The earl of Manchester to Mr. that the intention and defign of fecretary Vernon. Paris, Nov. 6, 1700. The account we have from Fontainebleau is, that the king of Spain is very weak, and extreme ill again, and not like to live any time. The laft will, which he made, and which I have already given you an account of, is kept here as a very great fecret, and there is no mention made of it at court, though I am fatisfied it was the occafion of fending an exprefs. There may be reafons for concealing it till they fee what the emperor will do. the renunciation, which the late queen of France, &c. made, was only in order to prevent the union of the two monarchies in one perfon; and whereas the Dauphin has feveral fons, to whom in confcience the fucceffion does belong; he does there fore appoint and declare the duke of Anjou his heir. In cafe he fhould die without children, or inherit the crown of France, then to the duke of Berry, and, if the fame fhould happen to him, then to the archduke and his heirs: and he limits it at last to the duke of Savoy and his heirs. He does alfo recommend to train to second this. They being thus prepared, when the Will. III. news of the king of Spain's death came to Fontainebleau, 1700. where the court was at that time, a cabinet council was called within two hours after, which met in madam de Mainte→ non's lodgings; and fat about three hours. Pontchartrain was for accepting the will, and the rest of the miniftry for adhering to the treaty. But the Dauphin joined, for accepting the will, with an air of positiveness, that he had never affumed before; fo that it was believed to be done by concert with the king, who was reserved and feemed more inclined to the treaty. In conclufion, madam de Maintenon faid, What had the duke of Anjou done, to provoke the king to bar him of his right to that fucceffion? And upon this all fubmitted to the Dauphin's opinion, and the king feemed overcome with their reasons. of Anjou Nov. 16. Though the matter was refolved on, yet it was not pub- The duke lifhed till five days after. For then the French king, fending declared for the duke of Anjou into his clofet, faid to him in the pre- king of fence of the marquis des Rios: Sir, the king of Spain has Spain. ⚫ made you king. The grandees demand you, the people No. wifh for you, and I give my confent. Remember only you Lambert, are a prince of France. But I recommend to you to love I. 235. your people, to gain their affection by the lenity of your government, and render yourfelf worthy of the throne you are going to mount.' All the princes of the blood came to the emperor and the king of France a marriage between the duke of Anjou and one of the archdutcheffes, in order to keep up the fame good underftanding, that is at prefent. The queen finding, that the had no part in the government, is fallen very ill. I waited upon monfieur de Torcy, who gave me an account of thefe matters, and I did endeavour to learn what measures they intended to take. The king ordered a council immediately, and I believe you will foon fee monfieur de Tallard. I can fee they are very well pleafed here with all thefe circumstances; and, what effect they will have, time muft fhew; though I am of opinion, that Monfieur Zinzendorf affures |