V V "V-N/N/X/V/VX

— 521 — [1681. Septembre.

JLËTTRË MCDXXVI.

Lord Hyde au Prince d'Orange. Mémoire présenté par Lord Halifax et V Ambassadeur des Etats- Généraux a Paris, au Roi de France.

Whitehall, sept, the 23 1681.

I hâve beeii so long without vvriting to your Highnesse that it is hard for me to hope for your pardon , for omitting that duty to yoit so long, especially too since your Highnesse was pleased to honour me with one of your letters since your goeing from hence, which I received just as I was goeing for Scotland, and had then time onely to give it to inylord Hallifax and recommend to him the sending away Sir Gabriel Sylvius, which was the subject of your Higiinesses commands at that time, and I find, since my returne, that the manner Sir Gabriel hath been sent in, onely to take leave, is not so as your Highnesse intended it, which I thinke was not understood hère, for, if I mistake not, Sir Gabriell's maine reasons for goeing were onely to take leave , that having come away on the suddaine, as for his owne affaires hère, it was not honeste to breake ofï' so abruptly, without returning to kisse the hands of those Princes. I know not what the King will résolve , but mylord Hallifax hath sent the effect of your Highnesses letter to him last night to Newmarkett, to be communicated to his Ma. and to receive his pleasure upon it. Since I was absent, there was a memoriall agreed upon, as I suppose your Highnesse knows, to be presented to the French King by M"" Savill and the States Ambassador, of which we expect now every day an account , but I must observe to your Highnesse that M'" Saville (who may be believed in such a point) , in his last letter hithér, wishes he had not now at this time been directed to give any memoriall, or at least not in this new method, because he says, if there were ever any time since his being at Paris that there was no occasion of complaint,

1681. Septembre.] — 522 —

it was just then, and the truth is, if there be any good efFect to be hoped from this new method of the King and States joyning together in a memoriall , it ought not to be foiled at first, by being employed upon an occasion where there is not a more then ordinary need of it.

I say nothïng to your Highnesse of my journey into Scotland, because there was nothing in it worth the communicating to you, neither hâve I any thing more to add at this time but that, being returned from that tedious journey, I shall be hère constantly, to receive any commands your Highnesse may hâve for me, and shall endeavour to give you the best account I can of them and of any thing that happons hère that may be worth your knowledge.

LETTRE IfICDXXTII.

Le Duc d^York au Prince à! Orange. Recommandation.

Edenburgh, sep, 14.

I could not refuse the recomending to you the concerns of the Lady Anne Arskine, I having been desired by severall of hir relations hère to do it; this enclosed paper is the state of hir case, which I promist ' to send to you, and hope you will shew hir what favor you can , as far as justice will permit. I wrot to you yesterday by the post, so that I shall say no more but that you shall always find me to be as kind as ever to you.

LETTRE MCDXXTIII.

Le Duc dHYork au Prince d'Orange, Le Parlement d! Ecosse vient dé se séparer.

Edenburgh, Sept. 24.

I find, by yours of the 20, that you were still in the hunting country, where, if you hâve had as good weather

1 promised.

[1681. Septembre.

as we hâve had hère, you must needs hâve past your tyme very well; for I hâve not see a finer season then we hâve now and hâve had for some tyme. By the letters of this day sennight, you will hâve heard of the Parliaments having been that day ajourned, and how well it ended. The Councell has been very busi * ail this weeke in settling ail things, in persuance '^ of what had been done in Parliament; this towne v^^ill now bevery empty, most of the people of quaHty being to go next weeke into their severall countrys. I hâve not tyme to say more to you now but the assurance of my being as kind as ever to you.

Por my soune the Prince of Orange.

lettre: nconLJiLiK.

Le Duc d^York au Prince (£ Orange, Edinbourg tranquille.

Sept. 27.

Siuce I wrot to you by the last post, I bave had yours of the 21 , by which I see you had had much raine; we had the same weather about that tyme, but since hâve had very good weather. I hâve not seen better at this tyme of yeare. This place, now that the Parliament is over, has but little newse [sturing] in it; ail things being very quiat and most of the people of quality being gone or going out of towne to their country-houses, to look after their privât concerns, most of them being to be back in November , at which tyme the Courts of justice sitt. I hâve now no more worth writing to you, so that I shall end, and that with assuring you of my being as kind to you as you can désire.

For my sonne the Prince of Orange.

1 busy. * pursaaiice.

1681. Septembre.] — 524 —

LETTRE 9ICDXXJC.

Lord Halifax au Prince dWrange, Progrès menaçants de la France»

I hâve not yet been at Newmarket, but I sent your Highnesses letter thither, the same day I receaved it, and, by the account I hâve from thence, I find Sir Gabriel Sylvius will bee immediately recalled; for as it was upon your Highnesses opinion principally that hee was sent oyer, since you conceaved it a respect due to the Princes where hee had been imployed, to go take his leave of them, so now that, upon second thoughts and by the occasion of their absence from home, you apprehend it to bee more adviseable hee should not proceed in his journey, his Ma. is easily persuaded to comply with you in it, and therefore I suppose letters of revocation are sent by this post to him and, if your Highnesse hath any commands for mee , his coming over so soon will bee a good opportunity of sending them. I need say nothing of the memoriall lately delivered in France, the States embassadour being now with you, from whom you will receave a full account of it; [at] the mean time the besieging Strasbourgh and the purchase of Cazal at the same time giveth such an alarum as must awaken those that are the raost a sleep, and for what concerneth us neerer, as a more immédiate danger to this part of the world. The Spanish embassadour informeth us that the proceedings of the French commissaryes at Courtray are of such a nature that there must bee something done very suddenly, or else the conférences will hâve no kind of efïect for the préservation of what romaines to the King of Spayne in the Low-Countries. Your Highnesse knoweth my thoughts perfectly upon this matter, and I hâve had them so long that I shall not easily bee brought to vary from them, no more than from my resolutions of being e ver vour Highnesses most obedient servant, London, Sept. 27 1681. Halifax.

[1681. Octobre.

l.ï:ttre ncnxxxi.

Conway au Prince cC Orange. Le Roi vient de nommer un Envoyé à la Haye, sous V agrément du Prince.

His Majesty hath commanded me to acquaint your

jghnesse that, out of his particular respect and kind-

lesse to you , lie hath layd aside the thoughts of emplo-

ring M*' Skelton into HoUand, and hath made choice of

mother to be his envoy to the States, if he be acceptable

to your lîighnesse. ît is M'' Haies, one of the Lord corn^^ of

le Admiralty, to whom his Ma. will not ofFer it, nor doth

my man heere know any thing of it, till your Highnesse

îhall be pleased to let his Ma. know your approbation of him.

The Spanish and Dutch Ambassadors hâve been very

irgent and pressing with his Ma. to send one over in this

Jtation , and complain of it very much as a neglect , that

it hath been so long vacant; but your Highnesse knows

it hath not been the Kings fait * , who provided one for

it, before he recald * the other, though it rancountred with

accidents, which made the same unacceptable to your

Highnesse and could not afterwards be so easily removed.

I am very sorry to heare of the successe the French bave

had upon Strasbourg and Casall, and their threatning of

Flanders. I am sure his Ma. takes it as much to hart ^ as

your Highnesse can désire, and it will probably produce

altérations among us, wherein I shall always shew the

great ambition I bave to be esteemed

your Highnesses most obedient and most devoted servit, New-Markett, 7 Octob. 1681. conway.

LETTRE 91CDXXJC1I.

Le Duc d'York au Prince d'Orange. I^e Roi de France maître de Strasbourg et de Cazal.

Edenburgh, Oct. 8.

At my returne from Glasgow on wensday last , I rece-

i fault. 2 recalled. ^ heart.

1681. Octobre.] 526 —

ved yours of the 6 , by whicli I see you had then heard of the affaire of Strasbourgh and Cassai. 1 had heard of it before I went thether, an4 now shall be impacient to know what the Germans and Italians will say to it; for this affaire cannot end so, and must hâve very considérable conséquences, but one who livs in so remote a place as this, can say but little of them. Ail things are very quiat hère and like to continu so, and so good a man as there is chosen for Lord-Mayor of London will contribut very much to the good of his Ma. service there. The ill weatlier begins to come in, so that there will be little pleasur out of doors, and now the towne is growne very empty, but it will fiU againe next month, when the Courts of justice sitt. I hâve not tyme to say more now but that you shall never find any altération in my kindnesse to you.

For my sonne the Prince of Orange.

LETTRE iriCDXXXIII.

Lord Halifax au Prince d^ Orange. Le Prince se laisse trop aller au désespoir.

Your Highnesses first letter found mee hère and, upon the receipt of it, I made hast to Newmarket, to shew it to the King, who, upon considération of what your Highnesse had written, gave mee order to send this answer from him that hee continueth in the same dispositions hee was in, when your Highnesse was hère, in relation to the affayres abroad; that, in the condition hee is in, hee hath no reason to bee forward to provoke or draw upon himselve the necessity of a warre; quite contrary, it is his interest to avoid it, as farre as it may bee done by fayre and honourable means; yet, in case of any such farther progresse of the King of France as shall appear to bee a plaine violation of the peace in relation to the Spanish Netherlands, for the préservation of whicli his Majesty and the States are most immediately concerned, hee will

— 527 — [1681. Octobre.

bee ready to joyne with the States in taking such measures as shall bee judged most proper upon such an occasion, and will call a Parliament, and do ail other things that may inable ' him tlie more effectually to help his Allyes. I would not déferre the giving your Highnesse this account, thougli I présume you may dépend more upon that which you expect from M"* van Beuninghen, after hee hath spoken with the King, who cometh to morrow hither from Newmarket. In the mean time hee hath represented the condition of Christendome to us to bee, as it is too apparent, melancholy enough, and yet your Highnesse seemeth to bee yet more despayring, which I am very sorry for, yet cannot but hope that God Almighty intendeth better things for you than are in your présent prospect. Your Highnesse knoweth my thoughts upon this whole matter, and therefore cannot doubt of ray endeavouring , as farre as lyeth in mee, to promote any thing that may tend to our common security, and, whereever I shall bee so happy as to agrée in opinion with your Highnesse concerning it, no man shall outdo mee in my zèle nor in any thing else that may shew how ambitions I am to serve you.

London, cet. 11 1681.

LETTRE mCDXXXIT.

Lord Hyde au Prince d^ Orange. Le danger de la Chrétienté est grand.

Whitehall, Oct. the 11 1681.

I received from M"" van Beuningen the honour of your Highnesses of the 15, and thinke it my duty to acknowledge it, tho for the présent I can not make any answer to the businesse he is come about. Mylord Hallifax hath been the latest with the King and is by his Ma^-^^ command appointed to acquaint your Highnesse with his présent opi-

1 enable.

J681. Octobre.] — 528 —

nion. What it may be, upon the altérations that every day produces, your Highnesse will now very speedily corne to know, for his Ma. will be in towne to morrow, and what is, to be done, is certainly to be resolved without delay. No man can doubt but the danger is great. I wish it were as easy to find a remedy, as it is to agrée on the other point. Your Highnesse doth me a great deal of justice, in being persuaded that I will contribute ail I can to the assistance of this worke; for, upon my Word and honour, to the best of my small understanding I will ever doe it, and particularly apply ail my thoughts to it at this tiniie In a very short time I shall be able to Write more at large to your Highnesse and at the présent will not trouble you more.