loufies into them, by the relation of what had paffed between your lordship and Monfieur Ruvigny, three or four days after the date of my first instructions; upon which I told them frankly (as his majesty gave me leave, what had paffed in that affair.

Monfieur de Witt afked me whether I could fhew him the paper drawn up between you; and knowing I had it not, defiring earnestly I would procure it him, affuring me no ufe fhould be made of it but by joint confent: but faying, nothing would ferve fo far to juftify them, in cafe of a breach growing neceffary between them and France, I promised to write to your lordship about it; which I defire. you will please to take notice of.

I told Monfieur de Witt what confidence I: had given his majesty of his fincere proceedings, and how I had been fupported by your lordship in those fuggeftions, against the opinion of fome other great men what advan tage thefe would take, if they faw our whole negotiation was topped upon a thing that looked like a chicanery; fince articles provifional till new agreements, were, in effect as ftrong as perpetual, which might itself be changed by new agreements: that this would be esteemed an artifice of his, especially fincehe had declared, upon my afking him, that it was his own opinion, (and that he also would tell the states fo if they demanded it) not to conclude without infertion of thofe articles, which yet he could not deny to be of D 5 prefent

prefent force; for that they allowed; but feemed to doubt, that, referring in the treaty of Breda to a new treaty, they would be invalidated if a new treaty fhould pass without their confirmation.

I found Monfieur Isbrant was content with my reafons, and faid he would undertake his province fhould be fo; but Monfieur de Witt faid, Holland and Zealand would not. I told them, at laft, that I was fure the ftates would not think fit to lose the effect of the league propofed upon fuch a point as this; and that they intended only to have the advantage of feeing his majefty's refolution, in anfwer to my letter before they concluded, with refolutions, however, that this fhould not hinder at laft, that I forefaw many things might arife in ten day's time, to break all our good intentions; and fome more than I had told them, or could at present; that, if they knew me, and how far I was to be trufted where I gave my word, I would propofe an expedient to them; but being fo new among them, I thought it was to no purpose:-there I paused. They defired I would propofe however, and fo I did; which was, that we fhould proceed to draw up the whole project, and fign as foon as was poffible; and that, in case I afterwards received his majesty's leave, in answer of my Friday's letter, to infert thofe provifional articles, I would freely declare it to them, and infert them in a separate article, to be a part of the defenfive league. They both looked a

while one upon another, and, after a pause, Monfieur de Witt gave me his hand; and, after a compliment upon the confidence he had taken in my face, and in the rest of my dealing fince our first commerce, told me, that, if I would promife them what I had faid, en homme de bien, they would ask no farther af furance of me; and, provided the treaty of Breda might be confirmed in the preamble of this, to take away all fcruples of thofe articles being of lefs force than they were before; for his part, though he could promise nothing what the states would refolve, yet he would promife that he and Monfieur Ifbrant would ufe their utmost endeavours, to induce them to proceed upon my propofition; and fo we fell immediately to digeft our project of the whole treaty; for I made no difficulty of the confirmation propofed, knowing that new treaties ufe to begin by confirmation of the old..

I am the larger in this relation, that his majefty may know upon what reafons I engaged my word to them in this point; and thereupon may give me leave, without more circumftances, to be true to it, in cafe his majefty's pleasure in the point be difpatched away to me, upon the receipt of my former letter.

After this difficulty was well evaded, we found none but in this expreffion, "In cafe our perfuafions to Spain fhould not prevail, and we fhould come à la force & à la confrainte," which I moderated at first by the D 6

words

words, " aux moyens plus efficaces," for we drew it up in French. The other additions, or enlargements, I dare prefume, his majesty will not be difpleased with, no more than that article about Portugal, though I had no inftruction in it. If I have failed in enlarging upon very short and hafty inftructions, I moft humbly beg his majefty's pardon, because I am fure I kept myfelf as clofe as was poffibleto what I apprehended to be his majesty's sense upon the whole and every part.

That evening, being Saturday, or rather that night and Sunday morning, we agreed. upon the project in French, and gave order for the tranflating of it into Latin; which was done, and perused by me, and agreed to between twelve and one that night, and engroffed by eleven next morning, being Monday; and, at a meeting with the commiflioners, it jointly was figned and fealed, and mutually delivered between two and three that afternoon. After that our time was fpent in comparing the inftruments, and adjusting the fums computed as the value of the feveral aids.

After fealing, we all embraced with muchkindness and applaufe of my faying upon that occafion, A Breda comme amis, icy comme freres; and Monfieur de Witt made me a most obliging compliment, of having the honour which never any other minifter had before me, of drawing the ftates to a refolution and conclufion within five days, upon a matter of

the

the greatest importance, and a Secours of the greatest expence they had ever engaged in; and all directly against the nature of their conftitutions, which enjoined them recourfe to their provinces upon all fuch occafions, and used to draw out all common deliberations to months delays; and added upon it, That now it was done, it looked like a miracle.

I must add three words to do him right in return of his compliment, that I found him as plain, as direct, and fquare in the course of this bufinefs, as any man could be; though often ftiff in points where he thought any advantage could accrue to his country; and have all the reafon in the world to be fatisfied. with him; and for his induftry, no man had ever more. I am fure, for thefe five days at leaft, neither of us fpent many idle hours, either day or night.

After the conclufion, I received yesterday the vifits of all the public minifters in town,. except the ambaffadors, between whom and envoys extraordinary fome difficulties were arifen (they fay, here firft begun by Sir George Downing) which have in a manner spoiled all

commerce.

None of the other failed to rejoice with me upon the conclufion of my business, and to exprefs their adoring his majesty's resolutions, which, in this conjuncture, they fay, have given new life to all the courts of Chriftendom, whofe councils were before in the greatest perplexities and diforders that could be.-

They