needful to make use of the feveral Arguments of that Nature, your Majefty, Sir, hath had too much Caufe to defert an Ally, who in this War hath fought nothing but his particular Advantage, and who in Cafes of moft Importance hath laid nothing lefs to heart, than the Intereft of your Majefty, that we fay no worfe; and if your Majefty does yet in the leaft doubt thereof, let not your Majefty Content your felf with what the French Partizans tell you, but let that be well examin'd which was done laft Year at Utrecht between the French Minifters and our Deputies, and you may fee the Sincerity of the Proceedings of your Allies. It is certainly enough to convince you, to Read the Propofitions which the French, at that time, made to us, wherein you cannot find one fingle Word that Concerns your Majesty, and in the mean while our other Deputies were detain'd at Hampton-Court, without your being pleafed to give them Audience, they at Utretcht would have had us enter into, and accomplish a Treaty without Participation with your Majefty: And to Conftrain us the more they declar'd to us, that in Cafe we agreed not to all that they demanded of us, within the time of Five Days, they should then make new Demands of us. We could, befides thefe, produce divers other Overtures, which have been made to us fince that time, wherein your Majefty hath been as little confider'd; but because that kind of dealing hath not been fo publick, tho' really fuch, we fhall not infift thereon; and fhall fatisfie our felves with the laft Proof of Obligation your Majefty hath from your Allies, in giving you to Confider what paffed in the Sea Fight, of which we defire no other Teftimony nor Judges, than those who had the Command of the Fleets of your Majefty, with all the rest of the Officers and Soldiers. But in Reference to us, as our Allies have dealt a quite different other way, for which we are bound by Obligations, which we cannot enough Exprefs; fo on the other hand, we are entred into a Covenant with them thro' an indifpenfible Neceffity, and therewith for the Welfare

Welfare of all Europe. And Laftly, as we have already faid, we cannot feparate from them without our Destruction, and the Hazard of the Well-being of Christendom. Your Majefty ought not to Wonder that we cannot Confent to break our Word, nor to take it ill that we propose to your Majefty the pursuit of your true Interefts, and to take a Refofution, which will be fo Honourable and fo Righ teous, as well Profitable for your Kingdoms and Neighbours,

Hereto we will yet add, that a particular Trea ty is fo much more Neceffary and more Juft than the Conferences of Colen, which do abfolutely stand ftill thro' the strongly Opinionative denial of France, for fome Months paft, to grant the Paffes requifite for the Minifters of the Duke of Lorrain, one of our Allies, and to Confent that he might be accepted as an interested Perfon in that Treaty of Peace.

This, Sir, is what we have thought fit to reprefent and offer to your Majefty, for Answer to the most Principal of your Letters, and hereupon we hope, that how little Reflection foever your Majefty hall make upon it, you will acknowledge that more cannot in Juftice be Demanded of us; being not willing to believe that your Majefty, without Neceffity or Profit, will continue to Favour the Arms of France, not only against us, but alfo against others, your oldest Allies, who are oblig'd to own our Caufe, or that you will any longer endanger the Prefervation of Europe and the Proteftant Religion. We fhall with great Impatience expect the Refolution of your Majefty, upon which the Quietnefs and Profperity of fo many Nations depends. And mean while we Pray God to accumulate Happinefs upon your Reign, and to bless your Royal Perfon with Health and a long Life.

The

The Spanish Ambaffador's Memorial to King Charles II.

SIR,

THE

HE Misfortunes of Europe being fo much augmented by the Calamities of War, have at length oblig'd the Princes thereof, to a more earneft apprehenfion of that Ruin, which is Threatned by the Arms of France, and the strange Progrefs thofe Arms have made. For his moft Chriftian Majefty not contenting himself to leflen the Power of Holland (which was the Principal Motive and Foundation of the War,) hath thought fit to penetrate into the Bowels of the Empire, and by overthrowing the Peace thereof, introduce those Outrages that always atttend War, infomuch, as his Imperial Majefty in Order to Repel the Afpiring Defigns of France, hath driven it to the Violent Remedy of Arms; and all the Princes of the Empire have been fo awakened with Jealoufies, as to Confederate with him, not only for the Security of their own Dominions, but for the common good of all; nothing being more evident to them than that the Augmentation of France must be founded on the Subjection of all others. Wherefore his Imperial Majefty having, upon these so Important and Juftifiable Grounds, entred into a League with the States General of the United Provinces, and the Two Branches of the Houfe of Auftria being in their Interefts fo much the fame, the Queen, my Mistress, has found herself oblig'd to Unite with both thefe Powers, in order to reftrain the Ambi tious Designs of France, and to restore Chriftendom to the Tranquility it enjoy'd; Though at the fame time fhe is filled with Sorrow and Compaffion for that Effusion of Blood which must flow. on all fides from this War, and the inevitable Ruin that must attend thofe Countries that are at prefent involved in the Infelicities thereof. But be ing defirous to prevent fome greater Evils yet, and that between Spain and this Crown nothing may

arife or difturb the good Correfpondence which hath been hitherto maintain'd; fhe cannot but obferve how your Majefty is United with the Crown of France, and this, at a time when the faid Crown, as all Men do conclude, and by the abandoning fo many of their late Conquer'd Places, is demonftrable, are refolving to Unite and pour all their Forces on the Dominions of the King, my Mafter, making them the unhappy Seat of the War; fo that if your Majefty partakes therein, it is impoffible but many infupportable Offences must arife. And therefore, her Majefty being excited by that true and fincere Defire which fhe hath always had, and which hath been ftill teftified in Spain for the Confirmation of your Majefty's Friendship, and Augmenting the Felicity of your Reign; whereof what your Majefty owed in fo many Occafions to the Love and Services of the late King Philip the. Fourth, my Master, of bleffed Memory, is fufficient Proof; and alfo what the Queen my Mistress hath laboured (in all things that have occurred) to manifeft: I am now further commanded to prefent unto your Majefty's Royal Confideration the great Union that is by Nature Establish'd in the Interests of this Crown with Spain, and alfo the great Conveniences that will refult to your Majefty, and your Kingdoms, in admitting a Peace with Holland. For your Subjects being freed from the Calamities of the War, and Enjoying the advantages of a free: Trade, muft needs grow Rich in the fame Proportion that others will Confume, till this Flame be extinguish'd. Wherefore I am in her Royal Name commanded to propofe to your Majefty, That the States General will yield, in the matter of the Flag, to the Content and Satisfaction of your Majefty; that they will make reftitution of all Countries, and Prizes which the Arms of the faid States General, during this War, have taken or may take out of Europe upon like reftitntion made. to them. And lastly, That although their Expences have been exorbitant, they will give Eight Hundred Thousand Patacoons, to be Paid as followeth, That is to fay, One fourth Part in the fame time that the Ratifications of the Treaty of

Peace fhall be deliver'd, and the refidue in Three Terms; one of them to be in the First Year after the end of the War, one other the Second Year, and the laft in the Third Year, by equal Proportions; and the faid States General will give Čaution fufficient, and to the Satisfaction of the Queen my Mitrefs. Thefe are the Propofitions which the Queen, my Miftrefs, commands me to put into your Majefties Royal Hands, from whofe Magnaminity, the hopeth, that at her interpofition you will admit the fme and thereby do an Ation as to the World, adible; by inclining the Minds of all to reftore Christendom to its antient Repofe) and to your Subjects most defirable, by their owing to your Majesty's Piety, an Exemption from the Troubles, Mitery, ad Ruin of War, and Enjoying the Bletting of Peace, and the Freedom and Advantages of their Trade. And I cannot but promife my felf from Confiderations of this Importance, a fpeedy, favourable, and Benign Answer to return to the Queen, my Mistress, thereby to bind up in a clofer Tye of Friendfhip the Thoughts, and Inclinations of the Subjects of both Crowns; for fhould a contrary Anfwer be given to the Adjustment that is propofed on fuch reafonable Terms, Spain must be oblig'd to take other Measures for its Security; it being incompatible that fincere Friendship, or a Peace, can fubfift between the two Crowns, if your Majefty will Perfevere in the Engagements of this War. London, Dec. 1673.

Marques del Fresno.

His Majesty's Answer to the Spanish Ambassador's Memorial.

HIS Majefty having feen and confidered a Me

morial deliver'd to him by his Excellency the Marquifs del Fresno, Extraordinary Ambaffadour from the Catholick King, bearing Date the 1: Inftant, Commands this Anfwer to be made thereunto: That he was not a little furprised to find the Contents of this Paper confirm to him the Report

of