Nay, even in the Reign of Charles I. a League Offenfive and Defenfive was made Anno 1625. betwixt him and the Dutch, for Defence of the United Provinces, against the Power of Spain; therefore 'tis ftrange that they, who pretend fo highly to revere the Memory of that Prince, should find fo much fault now with a Barrier-Treaty, for defending the Netherlands against the more formidable and dangerous Power of France. In the following Collection there are alfo Treaties, which fhew the Care our Governments have taken from time to time about our Commerce with the Houses of Auftria, Bourbon, and the Dutch, &c. which are not only neceffary for the Information of our Statesmen, but to be confulted by every Patriot, and especially thofe concern'd in Trade.

Here the curious Reader may alfo find a large Account of those fatal Marriage-Treaties betwixt Charles I. and the Infanta of Spain, and afterwards with Henrietta Maria of France; by which we may fee, that the Origin of the Growth of Popery and Arbitrary Power in Great Britain is of a much older Date, than the Expulfion of the Royal Family by the Ufurpation and Rebellion, to which it is ufually, but falfly, afcrib'd by a Set of Men, who can efpy a Moat in their Neighbour's Eye, but not the Beam in their own.

It has alfo been thought fit to add here the Contract of Marriage betwixt Lewis XIV. of France, and Donna Maria Terefa of Spain, fince it gives a great deal of Light into the prefent Controverfy, and the Causes of the War betwixt the French King and the Confederates, and tends much to illuftrate the Treaty of the Pyrenees contain'd in the firft Collection.

For the like reafon there is here added the Treaty of Munfter between Spain and Holland, and between the Empire and Sweden, which was omitted in the former Book, tho abfolutely neceffary for the full understanding of that Treaty, which has been, and is, ftill like to be of the greateft Confequence to Europe.

After all, 'tis not pretended that this Collection is perfect, tho it may juftly be faid to be the beft that has hitherto ap pear'd in our Language. There remain feveral important Treaties, even of a late Date, which the Publishers cou'd not now come at, and may make another Collection neceffary hereafter. In the mean time, to fupply that Defect as much as poffible, we fhall give a brief Account of fuch of those Treaties as feem to be moft material. And as Religion ought to have the Preference of every thing elfe, we shall begin with those which relate to the Concern and Guaranty of the Crown of Great Britain, for the Prefervation of the Proteftant

Religion

Religion in France, as we find them in a Memorial printed at the Hague in 1712. in behalf of the French Proteftants.

This Right of the English Crown to protect the Proteftants of France, is own'd by French Popifh Authors, as well as by Proteftant Authors of our own. 1. The firft Inftance mention'd in that Memorial is from Walfingham's Inftructions, Aug. 11. 1570. where Queen Elizabeth's words are repeated thus: "We " doubt not, fays fee, but you will confider how much it con"duces to our Peace, and that of our Kingdom, that the "French, who profefs the Reform'd Religion, fhould be main"tain'd-Therefore 'tis our Pleasure, that on all occafions, "wherein you can contribute towards having the Edict ob "ferv'd, you spare no Labour or Pains."

2. There's a Letter from Walfingham, dated from Paris, Aug. 21. 1570. to the Chief Secretary of State in England, wherein we have thefe words: " According to her Majefty's "Orders, and the Advice of Mr. Walfingham the Ambaffador, "I have fignify'd to Mr. de Cavanes, one of the Deputies of "the Princes (meaning Proteftants) that her Majefty fent "me hither only for their Interefts. They know this already, "and I'm inform'd that a Gentleman is come from the Queen "of Navarre, and other Grandees, which the French King "knows well enough, to thank her Majefty for the favour "fhe has done them during their Troubles."

3. The Author of Cardinal Richlieu's Life, Book II. p. 332. Anno 1627. fays, "That most of the English Proteftants "look'd upon the Ruin of Calvinism in France, as a Forerun

ner to the Ruin of the Proteftant Religion in England." 4. The Prefident Jeannin, in his Letter to the French King, July 23. 1622. to be found in his Oeuvres Melees, pag. 235. fays, "The King of Great Britain dreads the weakening of

thofe of his Religion in the Kingdom of France, and for " that reafon he will use all his good Offices to bring about ❝a Peace.

But to come to the Treaties themselves. 1. The Memorial tells us, That as foon as Queen Elizabeth mounted the Throne of England, fhe took upon her the Protection of the Proteftants of France, who were unjustly perfecuted, and contributed all that he could for their Prefervation by her Counfels, her Mediation, her Mony and her Troops. And we are inform'd by Mezeray, in his Abridgment of the Chronicles of France, that the ingag'd to protect them, by a Treaty made at Hampton-Court, Septemb. 20. 1562. 2. Mezeray tells us, that in 1568. Queen Elizabeth's Minifter was one of the Mediators of the Peace, concluded with them at Lonjumeau near Paris. 3. The Memorial tells us, That it was principally by Queen Elizabeth's means that Henry IV. eftablish'd the Edict

of

of Nantes. 4. The Memorial informs us, that K. James I. continu'd to protect the Proteftants of France, and that he told the Marefchal de Bouillon, Ambaffador from that Crown in the Regency of Queen Mary de Medicis: "If the Queen your Miftrefs will break the Edi&ts granted the Proteftants "of her Kingdom, I would not have her to think that the "Alliance which I have made and confirm'd with France, "fhall hinder me from affifting and protecting them." 5. King James's Ambaffador affifted on his part at the Treaty of Loudun, made with the Proteftants in 1616. And the President de Gramond, Hift. Gall. lib. 2. p. 108. owns," That it was by "the Mediation of the King of Great Britain, that the Ge"neral Affembly of the Proteftants held at Rochel accepted "the Terms propos'd to them by the Court of France; and "the Proteftants infifted upon it, that the English Ambaffador "fhould fign the faid Treaty as Mediator." 6. In 1621. and 1622. the English Ambaffador follow'd the Court of France at the Sieges of Montauban and Montpellier, and was Mediator of the Treaty concluded with the Proteftants before the latter. 7. K. Charles I. was Mediator and Guarantee for the Treaty of Pacification made betwixt the Court of France, Feb. 6. 1626. as is own'd by Baffompierre in his Embaffy to Swifferland, and the Mercure Francois, Tom. XIII. pag. 122. And at that time the English Ambaffadors gave the Proteftants a Declaration under their Hands and Seals, of their Mafter's Mediation and Guaranty. But the French Court having broke this Treaty, King Charles fent a Fleet, under the Duke of Bucks, to the Relief of Rochel; and the Duke begins his Manifefto with a Declaration, that the Kings of Great Britain had always concern'd themselves in the Affairs of the Proteftants of France: That his Mafter had become Mediator of the laft Peace, and made ufe of his Authority and Threats to bring the Proteftants into it on disadvantageous Terms to fave the French King's Honour, and likewife became Guarantee for his fulfilling it; therefore he could not but in Honour take Arms to revenge himself of the French Court, (who had made him an Accomplice in their Treachery) and to vindicate his own Integrity and Zeal for reftoring the Proteftant Churches of France, which he would always prefer to every thing else. And the fame was told the Council of Rochel by Mr. Becker, Secretary to King Charles I. who faid, That his Mafter had ingag'd his Word for the execution of that Treaty with the French King's own Confent, and that he would rather lofe the half of his Kingdom, than fuffer them to perish. 'Tis alfo afferted by the Duke of Roban, in feveral Parts of his Memoirs, that King Charles I. was Guarantee of that Trea

And the Author of that Duke's Life tells us, K..Charles

promis'd to make use of all his Troops, and to come in Perfon to fee that Treaty executed. And the fame appears by the Journal of the Siege of Rochel. This is prov'd by many other Authorities, for which we refer to the Memoirs, and was own'd by King Charles I. himself, and the Lord Keeper Coventry in Parliament, when he defir'd their Affiftance for a War upon France, because of her Breach of that Treaty. 8. King William III. of Glorious Memory afferted his Right of Guaranty for the Proteftants of France. (1.) When the Duke Schomberg his General join'd with the Duke of Savoy to invade Dauphine, the Duke publifh'd a Manifefto, by the King's Order, wherein he expreffes himself thus: "The "Kings of England being Guarantees of the Edict of Nantes, "by the Peace of Montpellier, and feveral other Treaties, "the King my Mafter thinks himself oblig'd to maintain "that Guaranty, and to procure the Eftablishment of that "Edict." (2.) King William, in the 7th Article of his Inftructions to his Plenipotentiaries at the Treaty of Refwick, expreffes himself thus: "There's another thing which we "could not forbear to make known, that touches us very fen"fibly; 'tis the deplorable Condition of the poor French "Refugees. This, we do not only from a Motive of Chrif"tian Charity and Compaffion for the Sufferings of an in"nocent People, who profefs the fame Religion with us;

but as we are more particularly oblig'd thereunto as King "of these Realms, by folemn Tranfactions and Ingagements "which we find our felf oblig'd by betwixt our Royal "Grandfather King Charles I. of Glorious Memory, towards "the Proteftants of France, and that by the Confeffion, and "with the Good Will and Confent of the moft Chriftian "King then reigning; fo that it ought not to be thought "ftrange, if we concern our felf more than any other Prince "or State on this occafion, and on any other that may offer, as "in an Affair which more particularly belongs to us. Our "Will is, that when you come to treat of this Affair, you "declare your felf how fenfible we are of their Sufferings, "and that 'tis our Defire to join our utmoft Efforts with "those of other Princes and States who are of the fame Re"ligion, and have the fame Intereft with us to procure their

"Re-eftablishment."

Could these particular Treaties above-mention'd be come at, it would not only be much for the Honour of our Nation and Religion, but might be of great use to direct those concern'd in Negotiations, to get the French Proteftants reftor'd to their full Liberties.

There are likewife fome late Treaties of great Importance, which the Publishers could not come at; fo that all

that

that can be done at prefent, is to give a brief Account of them, as follows, from a Piece intitled, La France toujours trompeufe dans fes Negociations, printed here in 1710. by order of Count Gallas, and therefore may be depended upon as authentick,

The firft is the Treaty betwixt the Confederates and the King of Portugal; in the firft Article of which it is ftipulated, "That the Emperor, Great Britain and the States General, "fhall unanimously join their Endeavours with the King of "Portugal, that the moft Serene Archduke Charles, fecond Son "to his Imperial Majefty, be put in poffeffion of the whole "Spanish Monarchy, as it was enjoy'd by his Catholick Ma"jefty King Charles II."

The fecond is a Treaty made by the fame Potentates with the Duke of Savoy, in the 6th Article of which we have these Expreffions, "That her British Majefty knowing that the evi"dent and uncontrovertible Right of his Royal Highness to "the Succeffion of the Spanish Monarchy, was declar'd by "the Will of Philip IV. of Spain of Glorious Memory, to "take place immediately after the House of Auftria, the fpe"cially engages her felf, by her own Act and Deed, to main"tain his Royal Highness in his entire Right; and promifes "That she will never confent to any Treaties of Peace or "Accommodation, nor ever fign any that may in the leaft "prejudice his faid Right; and that he will never fuffer any "third Prince to be introduc'd or eftablifh'd in any of the "Dominions of the faid Spanish Monarchy, preferably to his "Royal Highness."

The Preliminaries of 1709. and the Treaty of Gertruydenberg having made a great noife in the World, and being the fubject of much Debate, we think it proper to give the fol lowing Hiftory of that Matter from the faid Piece.

The Campaign of 1709. being equally fuccessful to the Allies with, thofe which preceded, it was no fooner finish'd, than France had recourfe again to her ufual Artifices. She follicited that the Negotiations might be renew'd, and accordingly they were refum'd by Letters, on both fides. And the only Subject of this new Negotiation, was to see if the Difficulties which France made about the Execution of the 4th and 37th Articles of the Preliminaries, could be remov'd by an Expedient: For the French Minifters affur'd the Confederates, that the moft Chriftian King would approve and conform himself to all the other Articles of the Treaty of Preliminaries, if they conld once agree about the two Árticles above-mention'd.

This new Negotiation being continu'd for fome time in writing, the French King fignify'd his Defire, That he might

be