L.ETTRE 19ICDXL.II

Lord Halifax au Prince cC Orange. Il faut encourager le Roi dans ses bonnes dispositions.

I should hâve hoped that his Ma. answer to the States Embassadours would hâve given your Highnesse satisfaction in ail the parts of it, since it hath in a good measure silenced the objections of those hère who seldome fayle to strike at the weak part of any thing that is done by the Government. I do not find the Embassadours think it necessary to presse any explanation concerning Luxembourgh, it being so plainely comprehended in the words of the answer, that the mooving any thing further in it would look like an unreasonable distrust, which would bee of very ill conséquence , whilst the King is in a disposition that your Highnesse hath reason to approove, and therefore hee ought to bee incouraged and cherished in it, and not thrown back, by offering any thing to him that looketh like a suspition, for which there is not suffîcient ground. You will receave a full account from your Ministers hère, of the resolutions taken in order to the aifayres abroad, and I hope they are such as will incline your Highnesse not to despayre altogether so much of us, as you may hâve done for the time past. I cannot prétend that my opinion should hâve much weight, but I do truly believe that, if upon the représentation intended to bee made to the King of France , there shall not bee some reasonable satisfaction given in the raatter of Luxembourgh, his Ma. will call a Parliaraent , without which hee is in no condition of making good the least of his ingagements to his Allyes. Your Highnesse shall never bee disappointed in the beleefe you hâve that I will contribute my endeavours, in my small capacity, to ail the publique ends that may put us in such a condition at home as may inable us to help our friends abroad. In the mean time I must not omitt to congratulate with your

[1681. Décembre.

Highnesse , for the discovery of a thing that is not capable of any good interprétation , and , whether you are particularly concerned in it or not, I am sure it concerneth you to hâve a great deal of caution , as well to gratify your friends, that would préserve you, as to disappoint your enemies that would destroy you. My warmest wishes for your prosperity shall ever attend you, being, as I am , so sincerely devoted to your service. London, Dec. 2 1681.

LETTRE MCDJCIilII.

Lord Hyde au Prince d! Orange, On sent la nécessité â efforts réunis contre la France.

Whitehall, the 2 1681.

I humbly thanke your Highnesse for the honour of your letter of the 2 and am very glad to find the Kings answer had given so much satisfaction to the people there, and I am confident your Highnesse will find his Ma. will doe ail that can reasonably be expected from him. There was a conférence on wednesday last in the mornîng between the Spanish and Dutch Ambassadors , and some of the Kings Privy Councell, of which I am sure Mons. van Beuningen will give your Highnesse a very particular account, and I hope he will not forgett to lett you know that the manner of conferring was not as of the businesse of severall Princes and States, but as one common interest; there were severall things proposed and the first was that the States might be desired to hâve 16 thousand of theire troops on the frontiers, to be employed in case of necessity for the releife of Luxembourg; whereof one halfe, if they did come to action, should be payd by the King; but our weaknesse and incapacity of paying troops without the assistance of the Parliament is so well knowne that it need not be disguised, so that by the

1681. Décembre.] — 536 —

Kings servants it was not thought advisable he should engage himselfe into any expence , without the advice and suport of* a Parliament. At last it was concluded, by the consent of every body, that one Memoriall more should be delivered to the King of France by the King's minister and the States jointly, purely upon the point of Luxembourg, after which it seemed to be the opinion of every body présent at the conférence that the King should be.desired to call a Parliament, in case the French King's answer were not such as might be wished for, which I confesse I doe not expect it will , and therefore doe reckon upon a Parliament to be summoned in a short time, and doe onely wish that they and every body on ail sides may meet in a temper to answer the expectation the world hath of them. I am sure, if they doe not, it will be worse for us ail then if they had not mett. Your Highnesse knows my mind upon the summe of this affaire, that there are some things that must not be complyed with, and, for my owne poor vote, it shall ever goe of that mind, that no streights nor conjuncture ought to prevaile with the King to part with any of the essentiall prérogatives of the Crowne, or to agrée to any thing wherein he thinks his honour and conscience is engaged to the contrary.

We were ail extremely surprized yesterday with the news from the Hague of a désigne of seizing on your Highnesse and carrying you away; I know not what to make of it, till we hear more of the particulars. I hope God will protect and préserve you from ail your enemys, both private and publicke, and continue you an instrument of glorious and great actions, and I hope too that you shall never need the service of so inconsiderable a créature as I am, but I am sure no man liveing shall ever pay you more duty nor with greater zeale and passion for your prosperity.

— 537 — [1681. Décembre

LETTRE JfICDXLIV.

Le Duc d^ York au Prince cT Orange. Araire de Lord Shafisbury.

Dec. 3.

By the last post I receved two of yours, the one of the 28 of Nov. and the other of the 2>of this month; by

|the first of which I see you were well pleased with the

lanswer his Ma. had given to M. van Beunings mémorial, but sure you will hâve been troubled at what has past

lin Lord Shafsburys affaire; for certainly never any thing was so strange as the behavior and doings of the grand-

îjury, nor so insolent and seditious as what was done after it in the Citty by the rabble; but I hope to heare his Ma. will récent ' it as becoms him , and now ail the world may see what that rebellions party designs. We are hère in great quiat; I wish things may continu so els where, which is ail I hâve now to say but that you shall ever find me as kind to you as you can désire. For my sonne the Prince of Orange.

LETTRE 9ICDXLV.

Le Duc d^York au Prince d^ Orange. Nouvelles.

Dec. 17.

I hâve just now receved yours of the 12, but it is so late that I hâve hardly tyme to say any thing, the post being just ready to go. I see by your letter that a french. officier of dragoons, that commanded the party which were to bave carried away the French man from Amsterdam, was condemned to be beheaded, but that you had pardend ' him. I do not find by your letter that you thought they had any other désigne then that for which they say they came, tho 't was reported hère they had some more ' resent. * pardoned.

1681. Décembre.] — 538 —

considérable désigne, butt lett it hâve been what it will, I ara glad you were not aimed at by thera. The Dutchesse had yesterday a most terrible fall from hir horse, but, God be thanked, she had no other harme then the brusing both hir legs. I hâve not tyme to tell you the particulars, but hâve given my daughter a larg account of it. I must end, which I do with assuring you that you shall always find me to be as kind to you as you can désire.

For my sonne the Prince of Orange.

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LETTRE ncnxMuVi.

Le Duc d'York au Prince d Orange. Évasion du Comte dArgyle.

Dec. 24.

I hâve receved yours of the 23, by which I see you were corne back to the Hage. As for affairs in England, I shall say little to you of them, since they are so uncertaine and I at such a distance that great altérations may happen, even before I know any thing of them. If Lord Argile be gone to London, as we beleve hère, you may hâve heard, before you hâve this, of his having made his escape out of the Castel, on sunday night last; it was easi enough for him to do it, since he was not keept close prisoner; I thinke it had been better for him he had not gone away; for, tho he was found guilty by the jury, his life was in no danger, which he and his freinds knew very will, and they and ail the world blâme him, for having made his escape. Sentence was yesterday, and not till then, pronounced against him. We hâve had for thèse three days last past very cleer frosty weather, which is the best weather we hâve in winter, but it seldom continus long. Ail things are very quiat hère, so that I hâve no more to say but that you shall still find me to be as kind to you as you can désire.

— 539 — [1682. Janvier.

LETTRE MCDXLTII.

Le Duc âlYorh au Prince d^ Orange. Nouvelles.

Edenburgh, Jan. 7.

I receved yesterday yours of the 2 and wish that this yeare may be better to us ail then the last was. This place dos not afFord much iiewse, now ail things being very quiat; as for the E. of Argile, 't is not yett certainly knowne where he is; I am very confident he went into England, but 't is reported very positivly that he is come back into this country, which he may do with great security to himself, this being a country where 't is very easy to keep one self so as not to be found. We are very impacient hère to know what answer will be given in France to the memoriall given in there by [M'"] Savile and your minister there, as to Luxembourgh. Ail thing are very quiat hère and like to continu so, the day for taking of the test is now over, and there are very few considérable men that hâve refused it, of which number Duke Hamilton one, and, as others of them, will lose his offices, which by it fall into the Kings hands. We hâve had very warme tho windy weather ail this winter, and very little frost, and but once snow, and that lay but two days; which is ail I hâve to say but that you shall still find me as kind to you as you can désire.

liETTRE JfICDXLiTIIl.

Le Duc à! York au Prince â! Orange. Nouvelles,

Edenburgh, Jan 24.

I hâve receved yours of the 20 and by it see you had not then heard what his Ma. had resolved upon the refusai made by the French to receve a joynt mémorial from the English and Dutch ministers in that court. Before this getts to you, you will hâve been informed

1682. Janvier.] — 540 —

of the answer M"" Savile has had, and what resolutions will hâve been taken at London upon it; for, by the letters I had this day from thence, I find they were every day expecting the answer from France. This place affords little newse , nothing having followed what happned at Lanerck, so that I hâve no more to say but that I shall always be as kind to you as you can désire.

For my sonne the Prince of Orange.