CXLII. Marlborougsh au Grand-Pensionnaire

St. James’s the 17m Decr (*) 1706.

Sir,

I have receiv’d the favour of your letter of the 215

(*) Sir Cloudesly Shovel. Marlborough Dispatches, II. 35, 272. Coxe , II. 86. .,Sir Cloudesley Shovel, a popular officer and a whig” — V. aussi l'ouvrage de M. de Jonge, Gesch. v. het Nederl. Zeewezen, IV. 2e partie, p. 312, 354.

(+) Cette lettre se trouve parmi les Dispatch. IT. 254.

instant, and have heard nothing more from Mr Sersanders than that he had given an account to the Elector of what had passed at the Hague, of which he tells me he had sent you the like intimation. — I am of opinion we ought to be very cautious not to give the least encouragement to any plan, that may be inconsistent with what was agreed on and communicated to all the foreign Ministers, and therefore, if any such thing should be offer’d, no countenance ought to be given to ti. |

You may remember when it was under deliberation at the Hague, L told you my thoughts that it would be both for the service and for the honour of your troops, that your squadrons should be of equal force with the rest of the army. Therefore I hope the addition of eight men to a troop will meet with no difhculty; and [ think you may depend that the Queen will be ready to encrease her foot by an equal proportion to the charge you are at; in order whereto, I should be glad you would send me, assoon as may be, an estimate of the numbers and expence of this augmentation on your part.

I likewise pray you will explain to me that part of your letter, wherein you tell me some Princes of the Empire give money to the Emperor to furnish their contingent for them, and let me have some instances of it, that I may be the better able to write on this subject. In the mean time, you may be sure Her Majesty is not wanting to press the Court of Vienna to exert themselves beyond what they have done hitherto.

As for the affairs in Itely, you know Comte Sinzendorff was told, that England and Holland consented the twenty eight thousand men they pay in that country, should continue there only conditionally that the Emperor

should furnish fhirteen thousand foot recruits , and four thousand recruit horses , to enable the Duke of Savoy to act offensively, and éo enter into France , eïther by Dauphiné (*) or Provence. He promised these conditions should be complied with, and ’t is what we must insist upon, — We are taking further measures with the Duke of Savoy’s Ministers here, which shall be communicated to you, as any thing is agreed on. By this means we may hope to make such a diversion, that France will not be in a condition to send any considerable succours to Spain, and that there will be no necessity of transporting any troops thither from Italy, which others may flatter the King of Spain with, and make him depend upon it to the great prejudice of the service; but for my part the difficultys seem so great, that [ think we ought not to give him the least encouragement to expect it.

Our officers are very busy in the country making their recruits, and [ doubt not but they will have their numbers ready in due time, — I am truly,

Sir , Your most faithfull obedient Servant, Le Pr. et Duc de Marlborough.

My head eakes so that you will excuse my making use

of Mr. Cardonels (+) hand.

(*) Coxe, III. 198.

(+) Adam de Cardonel, esq. ,,the confidential secretary (secrétaire intime) to the duke of Marlborough.” Coxe, Memoirs. I, XXII.