the

its divifion and repartition : His majesty orders his extraordinary ambaffador, refiding in this kingdom, to make known to the lords juftices of England, the refentment which these unheard-of proceedings create in his majefty, especially during the life of a monarch, who is of fo fit an age to expect (for many years) an heir, fo much defired by all nations, that without a deteftible avarice, no one. would fuffer himself to be carried away with the ambition of ufurping the dominions of others.

That, if this were not connation or government would be trary to the law of nature, no fafe against the machinations of the strongest and most malicious; whereas reafon, and not force, fets bounds to nations.

That, if it were lawful for foreigners to concern themselves about the succession of kings and fovereigns, there would be no ftatutes or municipal laws to be obferved; nor would any laws be free from the outrages of others, more especially those of the crown of England.

That, if watches were set upon the indifpofitions of fovereigns, no health would be conftant, no life fecure, while both depend on the hand of the Almighty, who is the arbiter of life, death, and empires.

That the impreffions which one kingdom makes upon another, to tempt the allegiance of the fubjects, and excite their minds to infurrections, are an

offence, and breach of the good faith, which ought to be obferved among Chriftians, and more particularly among allies and friends.

That it ought not to be prefumed, of any prince or nation, and ftill lefs of the king of the Spanish nation, that they are fo negligent, as not to take proper measures, upon future and unexpected accidents (if this should happen) to fecure the public peace, and the repofe of Europe, which has been the aim of the king and nation for fo many ages, as it is now, and always

will be.

That, if there is not a speedy end put to these proceedings and projects, there will doubtlefs break out a direful and univerfal war over all Europe, difficult to be stopped when it is defired, and fo much the more prejudicial to the English, as they have but just felt the effects of innovations, and of the late war. This matter is fo worthy of confideration, that it is not doubted but it will be thought fo by the parliament, the nobility, and the whole English nation, which has never been wanting in prudence and forefight.

The fame nation muft confider their own particular interefts, and their commerce and treaties with the Spanish king and nation; the alteration, divifion, and partition of which would neceffarily be very detrimental to them; and all this

the

may be prevented by defifting from the project in hand, and by not promoting innovations, deftructive at all times to empires and kingdoms.

That the ambaffador extraordinary of Spain will manifeft to the parliament, in the next feffions, the just resentment which he now expreffes, in the fame manner as his mafter has caufed it to be fhewn to all the public minifters of the kings, princes, and ftates, that refide at the court of Madrid.

The tranflation of the paper fent, to the Spanish ambaffador, and which was written in French by Mr. fecretary Vernon, and dated, the 30th of September, 1699.

His majesty having feen the paper, which the fecretary of the ambaffy of Spain has lately delivered, by order of your excellency, to the lords juftices of the kingdom; his majesty thinks the contents fo infolent and feditious, that in refentment of fo extraordinary a proceeding, and which can by no means be ju ftified by the law of nations, he orders, that you go out of his dominions precifely in eighteen days, to be counted from this notification; and that you keep in your houfe till your departture. I am alfo ordered to let you know, that thefe are the orders of his majefty, that no writing be any more received from you nor any of your domeltics.

tereft,

Manchester.

Madrid, Nov. 5, 1699. By the inclofed copy of the complaint I have made here against the marquis de Canales's proceedings, your excellency will judge I have feen his infolent and feditious paper. They readily received mine, which I much doubted they would not; and it was fent within an hour hither from the Efcurial to the council of state. This was the day before yesterday in the morning, and they have been in clofe confults ever fince. I have advices from feveral hands, and fome from perfons of the first rank, that the refolution will probably be moderate; and that they will difown their ambaffador, fo far at least as to the brutality of his expreffions, and it may be as to the fubftance, now they find the world generally cry out against the folly, as well as infolence of it; though I am fatisfied he had orders to do the thing, but not in that manner. This makes me willing to give them time to bethink themselves before they run on headlong into mifchiefs, against which they are fo ill provided, and it is a latitude my orders allow me. Befides that if I can prevent a breach, and procure his majefty humble fatisfaction, I fhall believe I do both him and my country good service.

Stanhope's paper to Don Antonio de Ubilla, delivered at the Efcurial, the 3d of November, 1699, N. S.

Don Alexander Stanhope, envoy extraordinary of the king of Great Britain, kiffes the hands of Don Antonio de Ubilla, and fays, that he has orders from the king his master, immediately to pass to the royal knowledge of his Catholic majefty the just motive of complaint given him by a paper, which the fecretary of the marquis de Canales, by order of his mafter, delivered to the lords juftices of England in London, of which the adjoined is a true copy, and from whose contents, befides the rude and provoking language, it is manifeft the defign of it was to ftir up fedition in his kingdoms, by appealing to the parliament and people of England against his majefty; which is to own them fuperiors to his royal perfon, than which nothing can be more abfurd and contrary to the conftitution of the government of the kingdom of England; and is what the faid marquis de Canales, ambaffador from his Catholic majefty, neither ought nor could be ignorant of, after fo many years refidence in it. Notwithstanding which the paper is full of contumelious terms to his majefty's perfon, making use of feveral artifices, of infinuations and threats, purpofely to breed a misunderstanding and

tives, that neceffitated the king, his mafter, to fend the declaration, he lately did, to the marquis de Canales; and Don Alexander Stanhope having no other orders but to return to his majefty's royal prefence, as foon as poffible, he communicates this to Don Antonio de Ubilla, that he may please to put it into the royal knowledge of his Catholic majefty, whom he befeeches at the fame time, with all humble fubmiffion, to order fuch paffports to be given him, as will be neceffary for fuch a voyage; and Don Alexander Stanhope remains Don Antonio de Ubilla's most humble and affectionate fervant. Madrid, Nov. 6. 1699.

Mr. Stanhope's anfwer to the conductor of ambaffaders, when he came with a meffage from the king to order him to leave the Spanish dominions in eighteen days, and not ftir out of his houfe, till he should begin his journey. You will pleafe to tell his Catholic majefty from me, that I will punctually comply in all that you have intimated to me by his royal order, because in fo doing I fhall obey the orders of the king my mafter, as his Catholic majefty cannot but have been informed by Don Antonio de Ubilla, to whom I communicated it two days ago by my fecretary at the Efcurial, defiring at the fame time paffports

necessary for my voyage; that I am glad to fee their two majefties minds fo unanimous, and defire they may continue the fame in all other matters.

The fubftance of the earl of Manchester's audience of the French king at Versailles, on Sunday, Nov. 15, 1699.

SIR,

The king my mafter having found, that Monfieur de Tallard was, by his inftructions, obliged to quit Holland before he figned the treaty, which was projected with your majesty, relating to the fucceffion of Spain; his majesty has ordered me to defire this private audience, to affure you, Sir, that the king continues in the fame fentiments that treaty. Your majesty knows he was always of in regard to very well the good offices employed by the king my mafter, to make the Imperialists enter into it. He has alfo done all he could to make the States like it. His majefty continues to act as he did. As to what concerns the king's figning it, he caufed the earl of Jerley to come into Holland exprefly for this end; and I doubt not, but the count of Tallard will have told your majesty, how often the king my master has offered to fign it, to fhew, that he was ready to do all that depended on him. Your majefty will give me leave to be a little long, in teiling how this affair has pailed, that fo your majefty may have