L.ETTRE HCCliXIII

Sir W. Temple au Prince d^ Orange, Traité entre V Angleterre et les États-Généraux.

London, 18 Jao. 1678.

May it please your Highnesse. No man could bee

more obliged then I was by the honor and kindeness of

your Highnesses last letter, wherein you were pleased to

complaine of my not going over with the project which

M*^ Thinne carryed and to expect some good reasons for

my excuse. I had but too many, which were very ill

health at that time, a necessity of attending some affairs

fallen then upon mee by my fathers death, and besides,

to say truth, a dislike of such a projects beeing drawne

in to paper, because I knew it would bee impossible for

rour Highnesse to conclude it in forme and yet keepe

[it secret, and that, when it came to bee knowne, it

jwould loose your Highnesse and the States the confidence

)f severall of your Allys and a good deal of crédit perhaps

nih. them ail; so that I thought it was to putt a great

Jtraine upon your Highness , without encreasing the

jtrength of those measures which had been taken before

)etween His Majesty and your Highness upon the same

>ccasion. And, for my parte, I hâve alwaies thought

there was nothing to bee done for His Majesty but , either

to keepe out of the warre , or else to goe into it in con-

1678. Janvier.] — ^^^ —

junction with the whole confederacy , which I beleeve will be no raore then needs, considering how late wee hâve fallen into thees counsels. I am apt to thinke that the whole warr dépends upon Tournay, so farr as that Condé would bee given in the condition tis ' now in , which they say has been made with vast expence one of the very best places of the whole provinces. But they seem resolute heere to abate nothing of the proposall, and the Duke the most of any man in this opinion, and rather inclined now to refuse the peace upon the very tearms proposed then to accept it upon lesse. If your Highnesse hears thees conjectures from no other hande, you will pleas to take no notice of them, though I should bee glad to know your Highnes opinion upon them and what you thinks the Spaniards would [beej ; since you can judge best on that side, where you best know the présent condition of Flanders and what hopes or dispaire there may bee of keeping it, till wee can come into the game with a good stake. For, if Ypre, Dixmude and Nieuport should bee lost, wee should hâve such an aftergame to play as would very hardly bee recoverd, and the conduct of the Spaniards seems not onely to leave them but Ostende itself in danger. I wish His Majesty and your Highnesse in this conjunction both the wisest counsels and the happyest fortunes you can propose to yourselves , and shall ever bee, with perfect dévotion and truth. Sir,

your Highnesses most faithfull and most obedient humble servant,