TROIS CHOSES A DEMANDER

1» Que Sa Majesté Catholique emploie ses bons offices auprès du Pape pour que Sa Sainteté reconnoisse le Prince de Galles pour roy d'Angleterre et lui accorde les mêmes honneurs et la même pension dont jouissait le feu Roy.

2» Que Sa Majesté Catholique ordonne à son ministre à Rome de rendre au

1. Charles-EJouard, le prclendant, comte d'Albany, épouse Louise de Stolberg, meurt à Florence en 1788. — Louise de Stolberg, comtesse d'Albany, eut pour secrétaire Silvio Pellico.

dit Prince de Galles les mêmes honneurs que rendaient les ministres et ambassadeurs espagnols à Rome au feu roy son père.

3» Que Sa Majesté Catholique veuille bien lui accorder un subside annuel pour l'aider à vivre avec la décence convenable à sa naissance.

Borne, february, Ihe L'Ulh 1766.

1 Ihank you for your kind letter from .Monpellier of the 2Sth last month. The loss I hâve made of the king my Falher has indeed been in ail shapes very sensible to me. Il is no doupt a great comfort to me my haveing with me the king my brother, who showes me ail possible love and confidence but thas is accompanied wilh an existe of grief in seeing him receive such hard treatment in the country in the world he aught less to bave expected it. I ain very glad to find he has pitched upon a person of your knovvn merit and zeal for to sollicit his affairs in Spain ; and am as certain that if it is possible to succeed you certainl)' will. I shall be impatient lo hear accounls of your arrivai and you may be very well assured that 1 shall be alhvays glad of occasions where I can give you proofs of the esteem and friendship I bave tor you.

Henry Cardinal.

Au comte Walsh-Serrant.

Rome, march L'6lh 1766.

I bave received your letlcrs from Madrid of the 22'' an 23'^ february, and 3'^ and lOth instant. 1 cannot but heartily approve of the sleps you hâve taken to serve me at that court. If the success does not correspond to your activity and zeal, it must be ascribed to the unlucky conjuncture of the times. I know, however, that you will ieave nothing untried that may be useful to me. But when you find that your stay at Madrid is of no further use, you will no doubt return to France, where you may be of more real service lo me at the court of Versailles, where I intend to employ you as my minister. I shall send to you, when at Paris, my powers and instructions for that purpose. It is of the utmost conséquence to me to bave a minister of your activity, zeal and fidelity at this

lasl court, silice il appears (liai Ihey must begin Ihe dance, and Ihat Spain will only copy after Ihem. I expecl, indead, you will be able lo scllle a correspondence with Don Emanuel de Roda, as well as vvilh lord Peler, and Ihal you will endeavour (o engage eilher Ihe one or the olher, or even both, to solicite my interest an Madrid. For this purpose make them kind compliments in my name; assure them oflhe confidence 1 hâve in Ihem, how sensible I am of Iheir good hearts towards me, and how much I désire to give them proofs of my esleem and friendship. Represent lo Ihem, and likewise to M. de Squillace, the necessilous slate lo which I am rcduced, and that without some subsidy from the court of Spain, I shall hardly be able lo procure the necessaries of life, and much less to perform Ihe obligation that lies on me to mantain many of my houest subjects, who hâve losl their ail in the service of my family. If any subsidy is given, it was always my intention to give the administration of il to Mess'* Joyes. 1 will give them a procuration for that effect, or if il is necessary to be in Ihe Spainish forin thoy may send me a procuration and I shall sign it. You may let them know the -particular considération I bave for them. I cannot bulinform you, that some nights ago I had a privai visil from M. d'Azpuru the Spainish Minisler hère. He said he had just received positive orders from the king bis master, as well as from the queen molher, lo inform me Ihat they had received my lelters, that it was a greal mortification to them that the présent situation of Iheir atTairs prevenled their answcring Ihem as they wished, but thati mighl always dépend on their regard und good inclinations towards me. 1 told the minisler, that from my youlh I had received so many marks of their friendship, Ihat I could not doubt of the continuance of it, and left il to himself lo make tlian a compliment in my name, sitice the sincerity of my altachment lo them could not be exaggeraled. — M. d'Azpuru menlioned lo me M. de Rodas altachment, and that he had desired him to assure me of il. I direcled him to Ihank M. de Roda, and lo say wha lever was proper from me lohim. Ile neither menlioned M. de Squillace nor Grimaldi. I know nothing else toadd to you, concerning my afîairs, but what will nalurally occur lo yourself.

My disagreable situation al Rome continues the same. In short I am fully persuaded, that you wil omit uolhiug thaï can properly be donc for me al the court of Madrid.

Last nighl, I received a lelter from lord Ronavenlure, laie grand prior of England, daled al Madrid the 15lh march ; he takes no notice of the death of tlic king iny father. He addresscs the leller ù Monsieur le baron de Douglas à Rome, and Ireals me with the appellation of royal highness. I+e cerlainly should hâve kaown long ago Ihe change of my slale. Uulil he writes me properly

I cannot Ihink of answering his lelter. He wriles me Ihat Iherc has bcen injustice donehim in his preterment, and desires my consent lo abandon spain, and to come and live with me. It seems odd that a son of the family of Berwick should be in this situation. I am a fraid he must hâve been guilty of some extravagance. But at présent there can be no question of my bringing him hère, since I can bardly mantain the very few gentlemen I hâve about me I leave it to yourself to make what use jou shall judge proper of what I now Write.

Your sincère Friend :

Charles R.

Comte de Serrant.

Rome, aiigusl 12th, 1766.

I cannot but be sensibly touched with my présent disagreeable situation. Can it be supposed Ihad the courts of France and spain will abandon me atthis critical conjunction ? From what I hâve wrote to you of late, I am persuaded that you hâve pressed the Duke de Clioiseul on this point. I hope he will keep me no larger in suspense, but come to some resolution, that I may know with certainty what 1 hâve to dépend on, in order to regulate my affairs accordingly.

I am much surprised that I hâve net heard from Don Gregorio Joyes. I sent him my instructions may the 28th, of which he has not owned the receipt. I do not suppose that my letter has miscarried. However, I write to him again, and send him a copy of what I formerly wrote. My instructions to him were little more than a répétition of those you had given him. I desired him to advise with lord Peler and Don Emanuel de Roda of the properest method to lay my situation before his Catholic Majesty. I now désire him to take the advice likewise of Don Domenico Pasqual y La Fuente, my brother's agent at Madrid, a person who has much access to and esteemed by the ministers. I think it would be proper you should inform Joyes of what I now- write you in case of any accident befalling my letter to him.

I hâve received your letter in favour of D'' Mahony. You may easily believe what weight your recommendation would bave had with me, had it bcen possible forme to bave gralified him with the title he asks. I hâve a value for him, and am persuaded of his worlh. But many of my subjects of superiour

merit would hâve claimed the same mark of distinction, and which ihe présent situation of my affairs makes me unwilling to granl.

Sensible of your unwearied zeal io serve me, I shall always wish for opporlunities to give you proofs of the particular regard and value 1 hâve for you.

You sincère Frieed :

Charles R.

Comte de Serrant.

Monsieur le Comte de SERRANT

Fiome, décember, tlie'Jlh 1766.

In hopes of heaving something more satisfactory, with regard to my affairs ad the courts of France and Spain, I hâve hitherto delayd to mention the receipt of your letters to me of theSOth august and 28th october. 1 hâve read the Duke of Choiseul's letter to you. I cannot indeed allow myself to think that the court of France will so far mistake its own interest as to abandon me, or, which is the same thing, refuse me those subsidies so indispensably necessary at présent for my support. Your zeal for my service and knowledge of my wants wili no doubt make you still urge this point with that minister. Was my case properly represented to his most Christian majesty, I am persuaded he bas too good a heart to allow me to remain in this dismal situation. I mentioned to you that in conséquence of your recommendation, I bave wrote, may the 28th, to Joyes, and not having a return. Lumisden Wrote to him again, bymy order, august the 14th, to neithcr of thèse letters bave I received any answer. I am at a loss to conjecture from whence this proceeds, and therefore désire you may write to hiin, that I may know the reason of such a disappointment. My situation hère continues too disagreeable for me to describe : 1 shall at présent draw a vail over it. Your son's advancement gives me much satisfaction, as 1 particularly interest myself in whatever relates to you or your fainily.

Your sincère Friend Charles R.

Rome, décembcr llie 16, 1766.

Your advancement gives me much satisfaction. The value I so justly hâve for you and your familycannot but engage me at ail limes to wish fort oppoiiunities togiveyou proper marks of my regard and considération.

Charles R.

For Uie Comte de Serrant, theyounger'.

Monsieur le Comte de SERRANT °.

Ce i avril 1767.

Je vous ai parlé, mon cher papa', du mariage du Prince Edouard. Rien n'étoit si vrai. On disait hier qu'il s'étoit fait avant-hier et que le duc de Filz-James avoit été le procureur, cette erreur là, est la preuve du secret qu'on y a mis. Voicy le vrai : le mariage s'est fait chez le duc de Berwick vendredy 27 mars à midy. M. de Berwick a été le procureur et M"'= de Stolberg', sœur aînée de la marquise de la Jamaïque, y éloit en personne. A 5 heures le môme jour elle est partie devant estre conduitte par M*"® Power dont vous avés entendu parler, par une demoiselle allemande qui l'a manquée de 24 heures et par M. Ryan major du reg' de Berwick, de sorte qu'elle n'est partie qu'avec M^"*' Power et M. Ryan : on a dil arriver hier dans une ville du Frioul où le Pi'ince se mariera. M. de Salm dont je tiens ces détails et qui est cousin germain, chez le père duquel la Princesse Stolberg a logée icy un mois et d'où elle est partie, m'a assuré que le pape reconnaissoit et traitteroit comme roy le Prince et qu'il y avoit des espérances icy pour la pension. Milord Harcourt a dit-on fait des plaintes qui n'ont pu ni dû embarrasser un ministre des Affaires Etrangères comme M. d'Aiguillon'. Je vais ce matin à Versailles avec M. de Salm qui me mène. Si j'apprends quelques autres détails je vous les manderai.

1. Antoine-.Ioseph Walsh, né à Cadix en 1774, mort à Serrant en 1817.

2. François-Jacques Walsh né à St-Malo en 1714, mort à Serrranl en 1782.