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another's fincere and frank way of treating fince the firft overtures between us.

He

The first time I faw him, he told me, I came upon a day he fhould always esteem very happy, both in refpect of his majesty's refolutions, which I brought, and of thofe the ftates had taken, about the difpofal of the chief commands in their army, by making prince Maurice and Monfieur Wurtz campmafters-general, and the prince of Tarante and Rhingrave generals of the horse, each to command in the abfence of the other. told me all the detail of that difpofition, but ́the rest I remember not well. I laid hold on this occafion, as-indeed. I thought was neceffary, to fay what his majefty gave me order concerning the prince of Orange; which he took very well, and faid, was very obliging to the ftates; that, for his own part, he never failed to fee the prince once or twice a week, and grew to have a particular affection for him;: and would tell me plainly, that the ftates defigned the captain-generalfhip of all the forces. for him, fo foon as by his age he grew capableof it.

The next day was my audience, which paffed with all the refpect that could be given his majefty's character; and the next morning began my conference with the eight commiffioners of fecret affairs. I expofed my powers, and faw theirs; in purfuit whereof I offered them the project of the defensive league

as

as that which was to be the foundation of all: farther negotiations, and without which, perhaps, neither of us fhould be very forward to fpeak our minds with confidence and freedom, in what concerned our neighbours, being likely therein to fhock fo many great powers abroad. I told them, for the reft, his majefty having refolved, as far as he could in honour, to comply with the fenfe of the ftates, in the offices of mediation between the two. crowns; I was first to expect from them the knowledge of the ftates refolution, in cafe they were already agreed.

I took this courfe in my firft propofals, becaufe I found here that the provinces were not yet refolved upon theirs, five of them only having fallen upon that of Monfieur de Witt;: but Zealand being of opinion to agree with France for dividing Flanders; and Utrecht for fuffering France only to retain the last year's conqueft, by way of compromis, till their pretenfions were adjudged before competent arbiters, to be agreed by the two crowns, or by the joint mediators: and I was in hopes, that, knowing his majefty's refolutions to join. with them, before they were agreed among themselves, it might produce fome counfels. among them a little more favourable to Flanders, and confequently more honourable to his majefty.

After my propofals, Monfieur de Witt was, by the rest or the commiffioners, defired to

fpeak.

fpeak for them all in the conduct of our conferences; who, after a preamble of the ufual forms and compliments, upon his majesty's happy difpofitions to enter into a nearer alliance with the ftates upon the mentioned points, declared the fame refolution in the states, and allowing our confidence by a defenfive league for the bafis of the reft, faid, The ftates were very willing, de faire infufer les claufes pour la fouretè commune dans les articles de la mediation; and was large upon this argument, That the last being of very preffing hafte, as well as neceffity, and they having already order from their provinces to proceed upon it, they could not have the fame powers upon the defenfive, being a new matter, under fix weeks or two months time; but, as foon as they received them, would proceed to give their ambaffador in England powers to fall upon that treaty; which muft, for a bafis, have, at the fame time, an adjustment of matters of commerce for his forementioned reasons.

I thought fit to cut this matter short, and told them directly, I had no orders to proceed upon any other points, but in confequence or conjunction of the defenfive league! in which I thought his majefty had all the reafon that could be, both because he would not venture a war's ending in Flanders to begin upon England; and, on the other fide, knew the ftates, whofe danger was nearer, would never be capable of taking any vigorous refolutions in

their neighbours affairs, till they were fecure at home by his majesty's defence.

That his majesty thought the most generous and friendly advance that could be, was made on his fide by his propofition, being himself fo much more out of danger than they were, and fo much courted to a conjunction with France to their prejudice, as well as that of Flanders; that they had not made a difficulty of fuch alliances with princes, who had lately defmelees with them as well as his majefty; and that, God be thanked, his majefty was not in condition to have fuch an offer refused by any prince or state of Christendom.

Thefe were the fum of our difcourfes, tho' very long, and fuch as occafioned the commiffioners to withdraw thrice and confult together, though nothing was refolved, but that Monfieur de Witt and Monfieur Ibrant should Spend the afternoon with me at my lodging, to endeavour the adjufting of circumstances between us, fince we feemed to agree in fubftance.

That conference ended, as I gave your lordfhip notice that evening, upon the point, that, inftead of the province Schevelin, or any new adjustment concerning marine affairs; the ftates would proceed upon his majesty's project of a defenfive league, provided the provifional articles in the Breda treaty might be inferted and perpetuated in this; and thereupon we should expect his majesty's anfwer to what I should write that night.

D 4

The

The next being Saturday morning, I defired another conference with my two commif fioners, but could not have it till the afternoon, they being to report that morning to the fates. what had paffed the evening before. At our meeting after noon, they told me their communication of all to the itates, and their lordfhips refolutions upon them, that it was neceffary the articles provifional fhould be inferted in the treaty, fo as I began to doubt a stop of all till his majesty's anfwer, which fubjected all to uncertainties: I knew the French amballador was grown into very ill humour upon my arrival, and fallen into complaints and expolulation with feveral of the ftates; and the more because he could not fee Monfieur de Witt from my coming over till that time, though he had often preffed it, and had an hour given him the next day, Monfieur de Witt having promised to fee him as he went to church after noon.

Upon this I knew likewife he had dispatched a courier to Paris, which I thought would make no delay, and therefore refolved to fall upon all the inftances and expedients I could to draw up a fudden conclufion. I told them I defired it extremely, before I could hear again out of England, because I had left Monfieur Ruvigny very bufy at my coming away, and not unbefriended; that I feared the fame artifices of France to difturb us here; and perhaps Monfieur d'Etrades might, at his next meeting, endeavour to infufe fome jea

loufies

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