A..C. " felves. That it he and the Prince could fall in 1677.

“ to the Terms of it, he was sure it might be “ done. And after sev ral Conversations upon this Subject, the King told Sir William Temple, He had a great mind that he should try if he could per. swade him to it. Sir William represented to His Majesty, how often he had been employ'd upon this Errand to the Prince ; how immortable be had found him, and how sure he was to find him so still, unless the King would conlider of another Scheme for the Peace; That his Majesty would do well to try another Hand, and he would the better know the Prince's mind, if his Antwers were the fame to both. The King faid. “It was an Affair of Confidence between him and the Prince, and must be fo treated and he knew no body he had besides to send. Sir William told the King, if he pleas'd he would name one. His Majesty bid him, and he named Mr. Hide, whose Choice was approv'd by the Duke of York, the Lord Treasurer,and the King himself. Mr.Hide was dispatch'd away accordingly, bur found the Prince resolute

in the businefs of the Peace, upon the Terms he The Prince had propos’d to Sir William Temple. of Orange Towards the end of July the Prince of Orange makes a fat down before Charleroy, and would have besiega voin Ato it in form, if, as it had been concerted, the Duke of semps, upon Lorrain could have diverted the French Army from Charleroy relieving it. But Monsieur Luxemburgh, with great

diligence, leaving the Marechal de Crequi with Force enough to Face that Duke, assembled a great Army for the Relief of Charleroy, upon approach whereof his Highness call'd a Council of War to resolve, whether to march and fight the Enemy, or raise the Siege? The last Opinion prevailid, and was accordingly executed, and therewith ended this Campagne in Flanders. But this Retreat of the Prince past not without many Reflections, not only from the Spaniards, but the Dutch also, as if his Highness had given over the Design upon some Intelligences between him and the King of Great Britain, my Lord ofory happening to arrive in the Camp the day before the Council of War, upon which the Siege was rais d.

Ths

The Campagne being thus ended the Prince of A. C; Orange return'd to the Hague, accompanied by the 1677. Lord ossory, Don Carlos, the Duke of Albemarle, and several other Persons of Quality, and about The Prince the middle of Oktober, at the pressing Instances of of Orange his Friends, rather than upon the faint Invitation Lands at of King Charles II. Embark’d for England, with a Harwich, Noble Retinue and Magnificent Equipage. His October Highness, like an eager Lover came Post from Har. 19. N. S. wich to New-Market, where the Court then was,

1677. at a Season and Place of Country-sports. The Lord Arlington receiv'd the Prince at his Alighting, making his pretence of the chief Confidence with him. The Lord Treasurer and Sir William Temple went together to attend him, and he whisperd to them both together, saying to Şir William, That he must desire him to answer for him and the Lord Treasurer one to another, so as they might from that time encer both into Business and Conversation, as if they bad been of a longer Acquaintance. This was a wise strain of

Policy, considering the Lord Danby's Interest in i tlie Court at that time, and prov'd of great use to

the Prince in the Course of his Affairs then in England; and though it much displeas'd the Lord Arlington and his Friends, yet it could norjbe won. dred at by such as knew what bad paft between the Prince and him. His Highness was very kinde ly receiv'd by the King and the Duke of York, who both invited him often into Discourses of : Business, which they were furprized to see him

decline industriously, so as the King order'd Sir 1 William Temple to find out the reason of it. His

Highness told Sir William, he was resolv'd to see the young Princess before he enter'd upon any Conferences about the Peace or War. The King laught at this nice piece of Gallantry; but how

ever to humour his Highness in it, he left Nemo y Market some days fooner than he had'intended.

The Prince upon his arrival at London, and sight of the

Lady Mary, was fo charm'd with her Person, and all those Gigns of such a humour as on had been described to him upon former enquiries, that he immediately made his Suit to the King and

the

A. C. the Duke of York. His Royal Highness was ex1677. treme cold upun the Propotal, which was very

well receiv'd and flented to by His Majesty but with this Condition, Thai the Terms of a Peace abroad might be first agreed on between them. The Prince excusd himself, and said, He must end bis fist Business before he began the other. The King and Duke were both positive in their Opinion, and the Prince resolute in his ; and faid at laft, That his Allir, who were like to bave hard Terms of the Peace, as things then stood, would be apt to believe that he had made this Match at their Expence, and for his part he would never felt bis Honour for a Wife. Nevertheless the King remain'd lo firm for three or four days, that the whole Bugness was like to break upon this Punctilio. About that time Sir William Temple went to the Prince af. ter Supper, and found him in very ill humour. His Highness told him, He repented be ever came into England, and was resolu’d to stay but two Days longer, if the King continued in bis Mind for Treating upon the Peace before he was Maried; but that before he went he must chufe how they should live hereafter; for he was fure it must be either like the greatest Friends, or the greatest Enemies: and defir'd Sir William to let His Majesty know so next Morning, and give him an account of what he mould say upon it. Accordingly Sir William Temple told the King all the Prince had said to him the Night before, and represented to his Majesty the ill Consequences of a Breach between them, considering the ill Humour of so many of his Subjects upon his late Measures with France, and the Invitations made his Highness by several of them, during the late War. The King heard Sir William with great Atrention, and then laid, Well, I never yet was deceiv'd in judga ing of a Man's honesty by his looks, and if I am not deceiv'd in the Prince's Face, he is the honefteft Man in the World, and I will trust him, and he hall have his Wife, and you shall go immediately and tell my Brother so, and that'tis a thing I am resolv'd on. Sir William Temple did lo, and the Duke at first seem'd a little surpriz’d, but then said, The King Jould be

obey'd

Prince of

24

obey'd, and he world be glad all bis Subje&s would learn A. C
of him id obey him. From the Duke of York Şir 1677.
William Temple went to the Prince of Orange, who
was so transported with this unexpected News,
that embracing him he told him, He had made him
the happiest Man in the World. Immediately after
Sir William gave an account of what had pass’d to
the Lord Treasurer, who took upon him to adjust
all the rest between the King, the Duke, and the
Prince; and indeed he conquer'd so effectually the
Duke's Unwillingnefs, by an enlargement of his
Revenue, settled upon the Post Office, that the
Match was declar'd that Evening at the Commit-
tee, before any other in Court knew any thing
of it) and next * day in Council ; and receiv'd
there, and every where else in the Kingdom, with "The Match

between the
Universal Joy. The French Ambaffador and the
Lord Arlington appeard the two only Perfons un Orange
fatisfied upon it at Court; the first not knowing and inte
how to Answer it to his Master, that an Affair of Lady Ma
that Importance should be transacted without hišry declar'da
Advice, or indeed so much as his Knowledge, in Novem. 1.
a Court where nothing before had done so for ma-N. S.
hy Years; and the Lord Arlington, that it should
pafs without his Communication, who first endea-
vour'd to keep up the Court in the Belief of his
Confidence with the Prince. After this the whole
Council went in a Body to Compliment the Lady
Mary, and afterwards the Prince ; the rest of the
Nobility did the same after their Example.

The Prince of Orange immediately dispatch'd away an Express to the States, to acquaint, chiem with what had pass’d, expecting their Approbationi of the Match with all speed, that he might the sooner repair to them for the Service of their Country. Thereupon the States General Assembled, and having maturely weighềd the Advantages which might accrue to their State from this Marriage, as for Instance, a Confirmation of the Union between England and Holland; the Establishment and Illustration of the House of Orange, and the Conclusion of the Peace fo earnestly desir'd; over and above the happy choice his Highness had

hradie

A. C. made of a Princess, every way Accomplish'd, ex1677. prest their Approbation by a Publick Edis, in

Terms full of joy and Satisfaction ; declaring, moreover, the mighty Esteem they had for lo Glorious an Alliance, and their fincere and firmi Resolution to cultivate the ancient Friendship and good Correspondence which was between his Bri

tannick Majesty and them. The Mare This Answer arriving at London on his Highring is ness's * Birth day, the Marriage was Celebrated at Consumma. Eleven at Night, but with lo little Noise, that the sed, Nov.

People knew nothing of it till the next Morning, 14. N. S.

when they gave all Publick demonstrations of their Joy; and immediately after the King, Duke and Prince fell into the Debates upon the Terms of the Peace; to which, as to that of the Match, none but the Lord Treasurer and Sir William Temple were admitted. “The Prince inlisted hard up" on the strength and enlargement of a Frontier on

both sides of Flanders, without which France, he laid, would end this War with the Prospect of beginning another with more Advantage and

Surprize, after the breaking the present Conte“deracy. That their Ambition would never end “ till they had all Flanders and Germany to the " Rbine, and thereby Holland in an absolute depen"dance upon them, which would leave them h “ an ill Condition,and England in no good one; and “that Christendom could not be safe without “ such a Frontier as he propos'd in Flanders, and of the Restitution of Lorrain, as well as what the

Emperor had lost in Alfátia. The King was content to leave that Business a little loose, upon the Confidence that France was so weary of this War, that if they could get out of it with Hohour, they would never begin another in this Reign; That the King of France grew past his Youth and Lazy, and would turn to the pleasures of the Court, and Building, and leave bis Neighbours in quiet. Upon this Sir William Temple told the King: That in the Course of his Experience of the World, he had never observ'd Men's Natures to alter by Age or Fortunes; but that a good Boy made a good,

Man