1709. Lewis XIV was tempting us with the hopes of Spain and to West-Indies, that king, by a letter to the pope, offered

the

Savoy's troops, at the very time confederacy is successful, jealothe was in alliance with them. fies naturally arise among them. I need say nothing of our own felves; and they are more concountry, that France could have

cerned, that one part should not no reason to fear any perfidious be too great gainers, and have ness from home. The charac. too much to their share, than ter of her majesty is too well that any other should not have known to give the French enough. Of which we see an grounds for any such fufpicion ;

such suspicion; instance, though a very foolish and, had we a prince of less re one, among ourselves ; our prénown on the throne, France fent masters of politics; to renwould have little to fear from der the very successes of the war him, unless he were supported odious, alarm us with new fears, by his people ; which no fove- which no body before ever reign of England has even been, thought of, and tell us, the when they have thought the war Dutch will have by this treaty a he made unjuft. But it is not better country than our own. enough to say, the allies would And, if a certain correspondence not be false, nor act against the by way of Calais, has been conintentions of a public treaty; Itinued, France might be affured, think I may affirm, they cannot that no advantage would be be fo. A single potentate is taken of the thirty-seventh armaster of his own will, and can ticle, though Spain was not react without controul; but a con- linquished in the time stipulated ; federacy can do nothing without and that therefore they might a concurrence of all parts; which, fafely sign the preliminaries ; in so unjust a cause as this, there for that the war could not be would be no reason to appre- renewed, since they might de. hend. When all the most jutt pend on it, that England would and necessary causes of a war never consent to use in fo barconcur, it is

very
hard to keep a

barous a manner, a prince, whom
confederacy long together; much fo great a party among them
less can it be imagined it should have always had so much respect
be kept up to oppress a prince, for: and, without England, they
who has done all he can to sa- know the rest of the allies could
tisfy the demands of all parties. do nothing.
Either honesty or interest will But whether it was more rea-
certainly difarm fome of them. fonable for the allies to trust
No ally, when he has gained all France, or France the allies, was
he can hope for by the war, will not left at this time to general
be willing to continue the ex reflections. What was doing at
pence of it in compliment to any this very juncture in Spain, gave
of the rest, especially when the the allies abundant cause to fas-
caufe is manifestly unjust. No; pect the sincerity of France, that
were it ever fo just, this is hard they meant nothing less than the
ly to be hoped for. When a refitution of that monarchy. No

body,

the dominions in Italy to king Charles. But, as the parlia. 1709. ment had always declared the ground of the war to be the an

reitoring

body, that looks into the ac ble. But what gave the allies a counts of that time, and fees greater jealousy than all this, how thick expresses went one was the causing the prince of upon another between France Asturias to be acknowledged preand Spain, can doubt, whether fumptive heir of Spain by all the the king and his grandson did states of the kingdom; which not perfectly well agree : and ceremony was performed with not only the news of that time, the greatest magnificence the 7th but the facts themselves shew, of April, that is, about a month that the king gave him all pof- after M. Rouillé had been in fible assurances, that he would Holland; which proceeding, you not abandon him, though it was may remember, every body was necessary for his affairs to pro

then alarmed at ; such a step mise it. This, I say, is very being plainly taken for no other plain, from what was at that time end, but to lay in matter for a doing in Spain; for, though the new war; or rather it was a demarquis de Torcy told the allies, claration, that an end could not he did not know but king Philip be put to this, as long as the might be at Paris before him, restitution of Spain was made there was not the least fign of one condition of a peace. The any intention to relinquish Spain; French ministers had but one iebut, on the contrary, there were ply to this, that their master was on the part of the duke of An- not answerable for what the duke jou all the appearances, that of Anjou had done; but that, could be of a prince that thought for his own part, he was fincere, of nothing less.

For the war and would do whatever depende was pressed with the utmost vi- ed upon him, and that theregour in all parts; Alicant was fore, if a peace was not conbesieged at a vast expence, and cluded, it could not lie at his other places in Valencia were re door. The allies, though they duced with all diligence; pre

could not think what was urged, parations were made for the fiege had any truth in it, yet, to ihew of Gironne, and the army was how far they were fiom designput into the best condition it ing to impose upon the king could be to invade Catalonia ; impoflible conditions, thought and, at the same time, the mar of an expedient, which could quis de Bay advanced close to not be refused, without discoverthe Portuguese in Estremadura, ing that France meint nothing with a design to give them battle; by this treaty, but to make in which, against the opinion of peace for themselves, and to my lord Galway, they unhap- leave the allies involved in a war pily prevented him. This did with Spain. If it was not in not look like a design to quit the king's power to oblige his Spain to king Charles; but, on andfon to retire out of Spain, the contrary, shewed a resolution they declared they would be to drive him out of it, if poíli- content with his doing what eviVOL. XVII.

K

dently

1709. restoring the whole Spanish monarchy to the house of Arftria (which indeed the states-general had never done) fo

the

E

dently was in his power; which prospect of a good peace, filled
was to deliver up to them such all people with a joy that is not
places in the Spanish dominions, to be exp.efled. They waited
as were garrisoned by his own with great impatience for the 4th
troops. But this expedient was of June : it was the next day be.
rejected ; and the marquis de fore the answer came, upon the
Torcy, thinking, I suppose, that receipt of which, monsieur Rou-
the allies infilting upon the duke ilié acquainted the allies, that
of Anjou's being recalled, was a the king could not agree to these
more specious handle to break preliminaries. The articles ex-
off the treaty upon, than the re cepted against were the same that
Tural of the expedient they pro the marquis had before disputed,
posed instead of it, he agreed at those relating to the emperor
salt to let the thirty-seventh ar and the duke of Savoy, and the
ticle stand as it is now worded; thirty-seventh. The allies were
which is perfectly agreeable to not a little surprized at this an-
the main design of the treaty, swer, and more at the haughty
and to the tenour of the other air, with which monsieur Rou-
articles; but with a reserve, as illé, in a long conference on
before, to know the king's plea- this subject, prefied his objec-
Jure, without whose further in tions; a behaviour very different
ftructions he could not fign. from what either he or the mar-
And thus the conferences held quis had shewn before ; which,
to settle these preliminaries ended there being no visible cause for,
the 28th of May, and were the they thought it was in great mea-
fame day signed by the allies. sure gasconade ; that it meant
The marquis de Torcy immedi- nothing else but to make what
ately fet cut for Verfailles, leav- advantage he could of the incli-
ing monsieur Rouillé behind, to nations the allies had without
whom he promised to return the disguise Mein to peace; and that
king's answer by the 4th of June he would at lait iecede from his
at fartheit ; which, from the ne pretentions, when he saw they
ceflity of the king's affairs, the would not; and that in all events
point the treaty was carried to, they could not, on their part,
the marquis's rank and chaiac- give up articles so reasonable in
ter, and personal merit, and the themselves, and which they had
great protestations he made of so unanimously agreed to, as ab-
his matter's fincerity, was hoped folutely necesary to make a good
would be favourable; but most and lasting peace. And what
of all from his desire to the al- they suspected did in good mea.
lies at parting, that they would fure prove to be the case, at least
haiten the ratifications of these it seemed fo; for, after having
articles with all the dispatch they infiited with so much ftiffnels
could.

upon the objections he had in
The hopes the marquis left the king's name inade, when he
with the allies, and the near perceived it had no effect on the

allies,

the duke of Marlborough could not hearken to this. He
convinced the states of the treacherous designs of the court

of

1709.

allies, his departure being fixed to prefer their safety to his own
for the ninth. The seventh in glory, and to think no facrifice
the evening, or early the next too great to procure his people
morning, he waited on the pen- a good peace: but their other
fioner ; and, as an instance of point they were much mistaken
his great sincerity and concern, in; and the breaking of the
that the treaty might not be treaty had no other effect upon
broke off, communicated to him the subjects of the itates, though
his instructions, by which it ap- it be a popular government, than
peared, that he was impowered to fill them with the utmost in-
to recede from all the other dignation against the French,
points he had before infifted on, and loud resentments of their
excepting that of the thirty-seo conftant injustice and perfidious-
venth article, which seems to ness.
have been a master-piece of But to return to monsieur
French artifice. For, if the treaty Rouillé, when he had shewn his
must be broke, it is as effectually instructions to the pensioner,
done by insisting upon one arti- which discovered so much more
cle, as upon twenty; and, which than he would own before, he
ever part the allies took, the took his leave of him, without
French would find their account: proposing any accommodation cr
for, if they could be persuaded expedient, in lieu of this im-
to give up that, which, in ap- portant article; and whether the
pearance, was but one article, truth were all out, and the was
but in effect was the substance of not fome secret iníti uctions still
all, or at least of the most im- behind, was more than any body
portant ones, then it was in the could tell. And, though this
power of the French to make

was his language the 8th in the
peace, without obliging the duke morning, they did not know but
of Anjou to quit Spain. And he might alter it before night,
if the allies could not be brought when he found the allies were
to this, the point they should not to be moved, or that he
break upon was so specious, might make a longer stay; he
that the French minifters hoped and the marquis de Torcy both
for a double good effect of it; having often fixed days for their
that it would incense the popu- departure ; but, when the time
lace in these provinces against came, thought fit to change their
their ministers, and set the king minds. And what made this
right in the affections of his peo the more probable was, that
ple, which, through the conti- monsieur Petkum, who had all
nued misfortunes of the war, he along, without authority or cha-
began to lose. And, in this last racter, gone between the mini-
point, they succeeded perfectly fters of the allies and France,
well: there were no efforts the did that morning propose to some
French were not willing to make, of the allies, that France should
to support a prince, who seemed give to them two or three towns

1709. of France in this offer, and it was not entertained. The court of Vienna (as hath been faid) was fo alarmed at the

inclinations,

1

as an equivalent for the thirty- them of what had passed, and seventh article, to be kept by affured them of their resolution them, till Spain should be quitted to press the war with the utto king Charles. But since mon molt igour, till France was ficur Perkum made this mo forced to consent to a good tion, as of his own head, with peace, count Zinzendorf thanked out any commission from mon the states in the name of the fieur Rouillé, who lodged with emperor and king Charles, for him; and the proposal was in the firmness they had thewn on determinate, without either the this occasion. The duke of rames, or fixed numbers of the Marlborough did the same on towns, that should be given, the part of the queen ; which the allies could not take any no was followed with like expreftice of it. Besides, had the of- fions of satisfaction by all the fer been never so diftinct, and other ministers that were present, made with full authority, to give with very particular marks of two or three cautionary towns, esteem to the pensionary, whom was to evade and not to satisfy. I have often thought the Gothe intention of the article, and dolphin of the states, for his was in effect nothing else, but wife and prudent conduct thro' to offer a little better barrier to the whole negotiation. I need the Dutch, in exchange for not say more to let you know, Spain and the Indies. In the that he is a plain, grave, wife mean time, monsieur R lé

man, of great judgment and abispent the day in making visits lities, quiet, unpopular, and unof leave, as designing to set out corrupt. in earnest for Versailles next All thoughts of peace being morning When night was now in appearance over, and come, and there was no room monsicur Rouillé gone, the duke to hope for any further step of Ivarlborough, who was exbeing made on his part, here tremely mortired at this change the man, who is accused of

pro of things, resolved to follow in Jonging the war, interposed, and the afternoon, and would not Mewed how little lie deserves give over all hopes of having fill such a censure. The duke of one interview more with him ; Marlborough sent to the per to which end he got to Bruffels, fionary, and the other ministers, as soon almost as monsieur Routo detire a meeting, to try once ille, and sent word before to more if any thing could be done prince Eugene (who had been to save the treaty.

But this there fome days to give the nemeeting being disappointed, there ceffary orders for afembling the was an extraordinary congress of army) but monsieur Rouille was all the ininifters the next inorn gone, before either the duke or inz, in which the deputies of prince could see him: and nothe fates having acquainted Thing was now left to the gene

Tals,

.