6 6 the Grievances of the afore-nam'd Proteftants in A. C. Silefia. 1708. And whereas the King of Sweden, by Virtue of his Guarantee of the Treaty of Weftphalia, has alfo interpos'd in their Behalf; and your Majefty has, thereupon, been pleas'd to enter into a Treaty for the Relief of the faid Proteftants, pursuant to the Tenour of the Pacification of Weftphalia: Our refpective Principals are the more rejoyc'd thereat, because the Proteftants in Shefia, are now effectually deliver'd from the Oppreffions and Injuries which they fuffer'd, without your Majefty's 'Knowledge and Confent. This moft gracious Act, being a fresh Instance of your Majefty's Clemency and Juftice, we are commanded by our Principals, to return your Majefty moft humble Thanks for 'the fame. But it appearing, by the late Treaty with the King of Sweden, that his Swedish Majefty referves to himfelf, the Power of interceding for a further 'Liberty of Confcience in Silefia, as being grounded on the 5th Article of the Pacification of Weftphalia; and that his Plenipotentiary at Breslau, has made Application for the obtaining a competent Number of Churches and Schools in Upper Silefia, ⚫ befides those already granted in the Provinces of Brieg, Lignitz, Wohlau, Munsterberg and Oelft, and the City of Breslau, and its Dependancies, for the • Exercife of the Lutheran Religion; our Principals thought it their Duty, to fecond this juft Request, because they are directed thereto by the Treaty of Weftphalia, and are withal, defirous to follow the Steps of their Ancestors, who often interpos'd their Interceffion for the Execution of Treaties, relating to Religious Affairs in the Empire, and particularly in Silefia. We affure your Majesty, in the most humble 5 Manner, That our Principals have no other Views, but to promote the true Intereft of your Majefty s "Hereditary Dominions; but that they hold themfelves oblig'd in point of Confcience, to wish for, and procure the Welfare of fuch as profefs the 'fame Faith as themfelves; and we humbly con ceive, that a Sovereign's greatest Glory and Feli P ⚫ city A. C. 1708. city lie in the Spiritual and Temporal Welfare of his Subjects. Some may urge, That the Interceffion made by the King of Sweden, and repeated by our Prin cipals, for the Allowance of more Churches to the Proteftants, feems contrary to the Treaty of Weftphalia; that therefore no Demand of fuch Allowance, can be made with Justice; And that your Majefty cannot grant it, without prejudicing the Intereft and Security of the Roman Catholics, in Silefia, where the Proteftants are tolerated out of Mercy only. On the other hand, it cannot be denied, that your Majefty's Predeceffors, out of a particular Clemency to the Proteftants in Silefia, allow'd 'them for fome time the free Exercise of their Religion: And that this Favour did not depend intirely upon the Imperial Word and Promife, which may be revok'd; but was grounded upon the Tenour of the Agreement made by the Emperors, Ferdinand II. and III. with the then Elector of Saxony: It is alfo apparent, from the 38th Article of the Treaty of VVeftphalia, wherein the Exercife ⚫ of the Proteftant Religion is imputed to the Emperor's Mercy, a folemn Promife is made to maintain and protect the fame; and that Engagement was feveral times repeated by the Emperor Leopold of Bleffed Memory; and it was not fo much as pretended, that the States and Subjects of Silefia, had forfeited their Liberty, by their Conduct, in former Wars in Germany, and by receiving the Swedes into their Country; because every thing that was tranfacted by them from 1631, to 1635, was annull'd by the Treaty, concluded at Prague; and the antient Pretence that a Sovereign has a Right to alter the Religion in his Territories, cannot avail in this Cafe, by reafon not only the Princes and States of Silefia, but alfo all the Subjects in particular, were affur'd of a free Exercife of their Religion. This is exprefly ftipulated in the Treaty of Ofnabrug, by Vertue whereof, the Crown of Sweden, as Guarantee, and the Electors and other Princes and States, have an undifputable Right, to intercede, when they fhall have Occafion, for a larger Exercise, and a greater Free Freedom of the Proteftant Faith; And it may A. C. not be amifs, to obferve, that the Proteftant Princes 1708. and States made ufe of this Right, before the Crown of Sweden concern'd it felfin Religious Affairs at the time the Treaty of Weftphalia was fet on Foot, when 'the Imperial Commiflioners having no power to grant any thing farther, it was agreed by a folemn Compact, that at least the Churches and Schools, being the principal Conveniencies for publick Worship and Inftruction, fhould remain in Statu quo, and that regard fhould be had at a proper time to Interceffions for a greater Freedom of the Proteftant Religion, as was practic'd in 1648. to which our Principals, and their Ancestors, have conftantly referr'd themselves, pursuant to the 41ft Article of the Treaty of Weftphalia. For thefe, and other Reafons, and because your Imperial Majefty has declar'd in the laft Treaty, That Regard fhould be had to Interceffions for a 6 greater Liberty of Confcience in Silefia,and the other Dominions belonging to the most Illustrious House of Auftria; we doubt not of a most gracious Anfwer to our most humble Remonftrance, in the Name of our Principals; fince we follicit the Re'ftitution only of fuch Churches and Schools, as 'have been taken from the Proteftants in Silefia, that they may be fuffer'd to enjoy the fame Liberty, as is allow'd to others in the Roman Empire, and that they may have an equal Share of your Majefty's Clemency and Affection; which they must despair of, if they fhould any longer be depriv'd of the Churches built by their Ancestors, and be oblig'd to travel a great many Miles to exercise their Religion, when their own Churches are fo near them, feveral whereof are fhut up, ⚫ and others made ufe of for worldly Bufinefs. We 'therefore intreat your Majefty, not only to permit your Proteftant Vaffals and Subjects in Silefia, to make ufe of the old Churches, but also to fuffer them to build new ones, and to protect them therein. 6 Your Majefty's fecular Intereft, and that of the Roman Catholick Religion, are fo far from receiv ing any Prejudice thereby, that both will be the more promoted and fecur'd; for both the Catho. Pi •licks A. C. 1708. Sir Philip Memorial to the Em peror. licks and the Proteftants will then know what is their own, and a good Harmony and Concord will be eftablifh'd; and the latter in particular, will, by this Means, be confirm'd in their Duty to God and their Sovereign. They will be ready to acknowledge fuch an unvaluable Condefcenfion of your Majefty, with venturing their Lives and 'Poffeffions for your Majefty's Service in this dangerous Conjuncture, and imploring God's Bleffing on your Majefty, both in their Churches and Houfes; and our Illuftrious Principals will endeavour to requite fuch an extraordinary Favour beC ftow'd on those who are of the fame Religion with 'themfelves. We recommended our felves to your "Majefty's Clemency, and remain with most humble Refpect, Ratisbon, March Your Imperial and Royal Majefty's most humble and most obedient. The Deputies and Envoys of the Electors, Princes and States at Ratisbon, who are of the Augsburg Confeffion. Thefe and other Representations, having been but little regarded, Sir Phillip Medows, her Majefty's Envoy Extraordinary, prefented the following Memorial to the Emperor: May it please your Sacred Imperial Majefty, Tis tow fome Months ago, That I had the Honour to acquaint your Imperial Majefty, 'by Word of Mouth, with the earnest Defire of "the Queen of Great Britain, my moft Gracious Sovereign, to fee the Peace and Tranquillity of the Empire, and of your Imperial Majefty's Hereditary Countries, affured, and a strict Friendship fettled again between your Imperial Majefty and the "King of Sweden, by a punctual Execution of the Treaty of Alt-Ranstadt, of which her British Majefty, at your Defire, had accepted the Guaranty. 'I took that Opportunity to recommend to your Imperial Majefty, by the Queens Order, the Con 'dition dition of your Subjects of Silefia profeffing the A. C. Reformed Religion; who, altho' not particularly 1708. nam'd in the Treaty of Alt-Ranstadt, expected, from your Imperial Majefty's Juftice and Equity, to be restored to the Rights and Privileges they had enjoyed for many Years, by Virtue of the Peace of Weftphalia; at the fame time that your Majefty was reftoring their Brethren of the Ausburgh Confeffion to the Rights they were formerly 'poffeffed of, by Virtue of the fame Treaty. And feeing the Treaty of Alt-Ranftadt had for its Bafis and Foundation the Peace of Westphalia, and that it was made only to reinforce all the Articles of the Weftphalian Treaty that had been infringed, it was not to be doubted, but your Imperial Ma jefty, in the Execution of the Treaty of Alt-Ran Stadt, would have given Order to your Commiffioners, to re-inftal all your Proteftant Subjects, without Diftinction, in the Poffeffion of all the "Rights and Priveleges they formerly enjoyed, by Virtue of the Peace of Weftphalia. 6 But fince fuch a Progress has been made in Exe cuting the Treaty of Alt-Ranstadt, in Favour of the Lutherans, that 'tis to be hoped that Matter is very near being finally concluded, to the mutual Satisfaction of all Parties concern'd; and feeing nothing ' has been hitherrto done in Favour of the Handful of Reformed that are in Silefia, I am neceffitated to put your Imperial Majefty in Mind of what 'the Queen of Great Britain expects in this Affair, both from your Imperial Majefty's impartial Justice and Equity; and in Confideration of the good Will and Affection fhe has always born to your moft Auguft Houfe, that you will not fuffer your "Reformed Subjects to mourn and lament their de plorable State, while their Brethren are praifing God with joyful Lips, for having difpofed your Imperial Majefty to restore to them the free Exercife of their Religion. That the Reformed are comprehended in the Treaty of Ofnaburg, as well as the Lutherans, and thofe of the Roman Communion, is fo clear by the Words of the Treaty, and by the fubfequent • Execution of it, that it does not admit of the leaft Cavil; And therefore her Majefty of Great Britain P. 3 is |