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' f i I i '» .j "y—ww^^wi i i iii .m.h-wj' i mi * " LONDON; Pri^ft^ fgr A. Baldwin near the Qxfird^Jrmf mW4nPHk'4.4»e, 171a. PrJQQj^^, Where may be had, Thi Mt$ ^4 th (^9 Afinifity dtfett4e4f , ,*» H i i Is ■ Ji ':/:i'A :^ ...I- / ir \ a^. -^, i ■'' w ■ r- f I -y /• -f Cj 11 v'i ^^ ,- \ /■ -.ta ^ ■ ,T^ .f'"-^ r ..,* t At". >: ,1 ' -4 f .1. i. #• « -t^'"r- ••»• ■'•V ',■ ; V, ' i . -■ . r •: ^0 . .rf;,.'.' . ' r:- f -v.. t*i -^ i'- .^% ■^■■:^ ■'■• A-»' ;^U--' -'.■■■ ^J -it ^•'^VilL'V^ .^c '^■,'- . i » «. •JV,»,1 ' f-,; :m Ti3;:iV V^^ ■■..•?' ( ' ) ■f" ', O r~'W ■x* •>■ ;^iV*; ,\.;^v < M/, y *■ » I V J I < The OFFERS of Fkmjce n Explained. ,, ■■-■ 3tt!rr M ■w* ..' V «. F I may judg by my felf, 'tis impoffible to exprefs the Surprize, Indignation, and Concern, which the Offers of France for a General Peace mulb have fais'd in the Breafli of every true En^lijhman. Is this the good Peace we have been made to expcft ? Are tHefe the Fruits of a Succefsful War ? Is this the Provifion made for the Safety of our Allies ? this the SatisfaBion to the Emperor for his Preten- fions to the Spanijh Monarchy r this the Barrier for which the Dutch have fpent fo many Millions ? this the Security for Great Britain ? Is this reducing the EXORB i TANT PO WE R of France, and pre- ferving the tlBERTr OF EUROPE ? Is this the Refult of the private Conferences, that have been carry'd on for fix rtionths together with the Miaifters of France ? When.Monfieur Menagerh fc- ven Prclifflinary Articles firft appear'd, they were in every body's opinion fo infiifficicnt to be the Foundation of a good Peace, that all People were alham'd of thenii. The Enemies of the prefent M — —y readily concluded ffom them that we had made a feparate Peace for our felvcs, and their Friends a gi'eat while difown'd them; Many welt- meaning People really thought them feign'd, flind I havefccriat \f indication of thcprcfcnt M--— y, that A endea-* '■! .^1 4- X l: "r^^mm I CO endcivours to prove them fo, by Reafons very plau- fible, and by fuch Explications as (hew them to be ve- ry inconfiftent with t le Interefl; of us and our Allies^ and from thence infers *tis impolfible they can be i^enuine. Arid even after we were aflur'd by all our foreign News, that the fame Preliminaries had been communicated to our feveral Allies, many among us could not be perfuaded they were the lamej and for this Opinion they pretended great Authorities. But wnen the Secret could no Ionger.be kept, the Myftery ended in a French Diftindtion, That thi^e feven Proportions were not Preliminaries, but Pro- fofAls only : tho they have conftantly been calPd fo, both by France and our Allies, and by all among our felves, except the Authors of this yfcfui Dif- tiniftioni by help of which the Cheat paft ujjSDn us, and we were made (till to hope for a good Peace, fuch a one as would fully anfwer the Ends of the Grand Alliance, and fall little fliort of the late Pre- liminaries, except in what related to Sfain^ and the Indies : and for the Reftitution even of them, accor- ding to the Senfe of all former Pari ts, and the late Vote of the Houfeof Lords, wc were promised from the Throne, that all endeavours Ihould be us'd. And to make us the more eafy under the Apprehen- fions thefe i^v^a Articles had rais'd, we have been told from time to time, that the French had agreed to new Preliminaries in favour of the Allies, and par- ticularly that they had defifted from their Pretence to an Equivalent for Dunkirk \ that Strasburg Ihould be rcftor*d to the Empire j and that a conliderablc part of S^ain (hould be given to the Emperor. But what arc thcfc Cheats and Amufements like to end in? The Allies, upon the Aflurances given them that thefe Articles Ihould not be infifted on as the Foundation of the Peace, confent to a Congrefs, Conferences are open'd, and after a few previous Meetings the French explain themfelves, and offer fuchaP/^ iQraGei^eralJ'e^ce, as is below theworft Terms J ■h: A • •** * kit, . f*-^ ■ — -/**■**"'*— •Wy^^i '■'^ very plau- i to be ve- >ur Allies^ hey can be by all our i had been among us fame; and uthorities. kept, the rhat thi^e , but Pro- caird fo, ill among feful Dif- ; upon us, )od Peace, ds of the : late Pre- ■», and the :m, accor- I, and the promised Id be us'd. ipprehen- lave been d agreed and par- Pretence rg ihould illderable or. But to end en them as the ongrefs, previous id offer le worft Terms i M Terms the moft fearful could expedV: and nobody who has ofTer'd to explain Monfieur Menagerh Pre- liminaries, has cqual'd the fcandalous Explic^ation, which the French have themfelves given of them. According to which all the Ends of the War are in- tirely defeated, our Allies are on all fides expos'd as much or more to the Invafion of the Enemy^ than they were before the War began, and the Exorbi- tant Power of France prodigioully increas'd. All our Conquefts in Flanders fince the Rameliies-Cam' paign arc fcandaloufly to be given up^ and our Al- lies, after fo many Succeffes, arc to be content with much the fame poor Barrier, which the Fate of the moft unfuccefsTul Wars had fcrcM them to fubmit to J all Europe is to be left in ti^c moft precarious Condition, and confcqucntly our iMves, whofe In- tereft her Majefty has declar'd to he infef archie from that of her Allies* What can the meaning ofallthisbe? What is it has encourag'd the French^ after fo many Difgraces and Defeats, to offer fuch a di (honourable ignomi- nious Peace ? I know we fliall be bid to take hearty and to delude us ftill, (hall be told, that thefe are Offers only, and that the Allies are not oblig'd to accept them, but in their turns may make their De- mands j and that we muft not be furpri^/'d^ if the French iiOvi't offer the moft they will give at firft. But have we not been amus'd with this Cant long enough ? Have we not teen told, the French were very finccre, and would give jvfi SatisfaBion to all our Allies ? Has it not long fince been confidently reported from the mouth of the greateft Man, that we fhould have fiich a Peace at has not been made thefe two hundred Tears? And fo indeed we (hall in one fenfe, if thefe Terms or any thing like them be accepted. But if the French are fincere, why don't they pull off the Mask, and to make (hort work, fpeak plain at firft ? If they intend toconfent to a reafonable Peace, why do they offer Terms fo wide- A 2 V ly » • • I" I k ' \ i< \ (a) ly different ftom what the Allies can with Safety or Honour accept? Small Differences inay be compro- mifed j and by receding a little on both fides, mat- ters may be ad jutted, when the Parties arc agreed in the main Articles. But what appearance h there of that here ? Who can cxped the French^ after fuch Terms, will make the ConceiTiioiis that our com- mon Safety makes neceflary ? Or liow can the Allies, without fubmitting themfelves to the Mercy cf Fr*nct^ accept any thing H«ke the Terms offcr'd them ? If FrMce has the modefty to ofltr thcTe, Terms to the Allies after the many Succcflcs of fo long a War in favour of them, I would be glad to know what Terms we might have expefted from the Grand Monarch, if, he had given the Allies the De- feats he hasrecciv'd from them? If the Conferen- ces for a Peace had been opcn'd at the firft Motion of the French for it, fuch Offers after fuch a War would hardly then have been tolerable : but how thcfe fincere People can prefum%/iirr<>fip's whole days together ? Can any body imagine all this Ex- pence of Mony and Time was for Grimace only, or purely for Chat and a little trifling French Con- veriation, or to do Bufinefs? But that Bufinefs was either our own Bufinefs, or what concern'd our Allies. 'Tis true indeed, the Allies were not ac- Guainted with thefe fecret Conferences, nor con- sulted in what concerns their feveral Interefts, as they ought to have been by the eighth Article of the Grand AUiaace: bat no body can fuppofe that the -. . , . , fettling 4 \y I ^'afety or e compro- Udes, mat- art agreed :e is there enchy after t our com- tlie Allies, Mercy cf ms offcr'd ofItT thcfe. c(Ic8 of fo be glad to 1 from the es theDe- Conferen- ft Motion ich a War how thcfe fcandalouS n thcfe f\K can have fuch long , that fo and for- he Agents been fliut vh whole this Ex- ace only, nch Con- Bufioefs rn'd our not ac*> oor con- erefts, as e of the that the fettibg (5) fettling our own Affairs and the Articles relating to our felves, could be a Work of fix Months j much lefsare we at liberty t6 entertain fuch a Suspicion, after we have been told from the greatell Autho- rity, That the leafi Colour has not been given for thinking a fefarate Peace had been treated. We mult therefore conclude, that the Security, and Intereft, and Satisfaction of our Allies, were in great mcafure the Subjcft of thefe Conferences. But what fign is there of this in thefe Offers ? What appearance that the Itaft Care has been taken of them ? One would naturally have expedted, that the OfFcrs of the Frenth would have been fuch, as fliould have made feme (hew of Sincerity on their part, and carry'd in them fome fpecious Marks at leaft of the Regard we have to our Allies. But as if there were no need of Management,, nothing can be more impudent or barefac'd. There is no ap- pearance of any Concern for our Allies, no fign of fo many Conferences having been held, no fruits of fo much Intimacy between us and the French. So that if we were to judg by thefe Offers, we mult conclude, nothing at all was agitated in thefe Con- ferences, or at leaft nothing that relates to our Al- lies, or (which is molt unreafonable to believe, be- cauie molt unjuft and abfurd to do) that the In- terefts of our Allies have in thcfe Conferences been facrific'd to fome fcparate Views for our felves. This is the plain Senfc of thefe Offers, this is the Language of f/itf Co Wi/^ of the Mies \ but God for^ bid it flaould be the Defign of our M rs : God forbid the Nation fliould be deluded into fuch per- nicious Meafures, which in a few Years muft be fatal to us as well as our Allies. ' j! That thefe Apprehenfions may not be thought to be hafty and ill-grounded, the Effe ij the Articles as there Rt down, tho not numberM, are eighteen. Ihe 11 x fiift of which particularly relate to £w^/,t«^ •, and confidcring how loving and dear the French and we are become of late to one another, to the Exxlufion of all our old Friends, one would have ex pefted to' find his moit Chrifttan Majcfty in thefe Articles very gracious, and that in what relates to h.v^Lwd he hail e- "cded, or at Icaft come up to the old Preliminaries. But for what Reafons I know not, perhaps only to dilguife better their Intrigues, they arc in appearance not a little fliort of them. In the firft Article the King promifes to achmw ledg the Oneen and, the Succejfion at the figning of the Peace-, but in the former Negotiations, the ac- knowledging her is made a Preliminary : and tho the acknowledging the Succeffion in the manner her Majefty fhall think fit, may be thoughts civil Com- plement, France had rather make that Complement, than engage to own the Proteftant Succejfion by name, and according to our ABs of Parliament,, which are the words of the Preliminaries j and the -leaving them out now gives ground for various Spe- culations that I need not mention. Then for fend- ing away the Pretender^ that there is not the leaft mention of \ to oblige perhaps a Party, who would not be fo fond of this Peace, if it were not in hopes of feeing him foon, and of an eafy Corre- fpondence in the mean time. ^a ^^' The fecond Article regards the demolifliing of Dunkirk, but with two Ltmitatiom : Firft, 'Tis to be iifter the Peace : And, Secondly, upon an Ee/ui' valcnt to the King^s SatisfaEiion ', cxadly in the Lan- guage of Monfieur Menager\ Articles. But by the old S fl ordlna- a ruinous the Dai- oft cxa^X :, iiim!)er*d, irticularly oving and te to one Friends, Chrijttan and that ed, or at But for ) difguife ice not a ackfrow Ing of the the ac- and tho lanner her ivil Com- iplement, cejfion by arliamemj and the ious Spe- for fend- the lealt would not in Corre- ifliing of 'Tis to he Lan- It by the old old Preliminaries, (incc which we have made thr^e very glorious Campaigns, 'cis agreed Dunkirk (hall bcdcmolifhM, and the Harbour ruin'H, while the General Peace is a treating, and uncouditionjlly, without pretending to any Equivalent whatever. ^ And ta make this Article moft fcandaloully nniult, wc fee by the ninth Article, that Lille and TvmAy arc to be this Equivalent •, the two moft impoi-- tant Conquefts the Allies have made this War, the two belt Securities of a lafting Peace by a gcod Barrier, and the two molt fenlible Lolles France can have on that fide, with refpeft both to their Trade and Strength : To wrw.iy being the belt I^orti- fication in Europe \ and Lille^ befides its Strength, being the greatcft Mart for Trade next Lyons in all the French Dominions. And as to the firftof thefe Places, 'tis not only the heft part of a good Bar- rier, 'tis ablblutely necellluy for the prefervation of all the reft j for if it be fufler'd to be in French Hands, it makes them Mafters of the 5ck/^ t k M i -1 (8) the q\A Preliminaries. Bat, Firft, What is given us by yielding 5r.C/7ri/?tf/>fe*r^intire to us, is a very poor Buficefs^ the whole is a very fmall Ifland, and the greatell part of it is ours already : nor is it of any prefent Advantage, tho it might be capa- ble of producing Sugar, and that only *, but it is now quite unplanted, and in a manner deferted. As to Hudfon*s Bajy in the Preliminaries indeed no particular mention is made of it, but the Rights of us and the French to the feveral Parts of it, were left to be difcufs'd in the General Treaty. But the Benefit of this would alfo be very fmall at this time, fincc the Beaver Trade, which is now quite gone and neglefted, was the chief thing that made this Bay of Concern and Importance to the "Nation. But if this Article be in favour of us. Amends is made for it in the two next ^ for by the fourth, Acadia and Port Royal, which we have take^ from the Frenchy are to be reftor'd to them. Indeed jibePs Articles, and from him I fuppofe the Pofiman tells us juft the contrary. But it they had 'attended either to the Stile or to the Senfe, they could not have been ib miftaken, as to take fa Majefte for the Queen. They would either not name her, or give the Title of Britamick Majefty, as in the 9th Article relating to the Spanifit Trade ^ bc- lides, that refioring muft be to thofe 'tis taken from, which is the French : So that one. of the great Ad- vantages England has by thele Offers, is knock'd oft* by nothing elfe but a bare Tranflation of the Ar- ticle as it ought to be. This Miftake can't be fiip- pos'd to come from other hands, who would either impefc on us-,- or could be fo grofly imposM on themfelves, as not to diftinguifti what is to be gi- ven to the French^ King, and what to the Queen. What Miftakies we find therefore of that kind, I hope are to be imputed only to the little Scribblers imploy'd under them. 1 '> ^'' ''' "^^ ^^ ^ A^ '^ The I 1 ■j:i ...•*ir \ — hat is given 5> is a very rmall Idand, ady ; nor is ght be capa- j but it is ;r deferred. s indeed no the Rights 'arts of it, al Treaty. ry fmall at ich is now thing that mce to the rour of us, :t j for by h we have I to them. I fuppofe Jut if they the Senfe, as to take either not Majefty, as "radei be- ikcn from, great Ad- inock'd oft* f the Ar- t be fiip- Id either iposM on to be gi- he Queen, t kind, 1 Scribblers ;:.v ;- The (9 ) ^ The fifth Article gives us Newfoundland in the firit part of it, and in the next takes it away again. We are to ha^thc IJlandf but the French are to have the KeKc«? it» PUcemUy and the Ri^ht of catching and drymg Fijh as befqre the Wary which is indeed the great ufe of it ^ and I believe our Mer- chants would like it as well if this Article were in- verted, and we were to have that Right and that Town for our fliarc, and the French the reft. The old Preliminaries took another fort of care of this important Article, and did exprefly ftipulate, thaC France [hould quit that great Ifland intirely to Eng» land. Thefixth Article differs nothing from the 19th Preliminary, except iu the manner of Expreflion, that 'tis left to England to make a Treaty of Com- merce either before or after ilie Peace : Whereas in the Preliminaries 'tis faid, It Jliali he treated in the Principal Negotiation for a General Peace \ which is the fame thing. But poffibly for more Reafons than one this Treaty ftiay be made before a Peace *, and tho fuch a Treaty requires Time, it may perhaps appear to be concluded in a very few days, and that may convince the World, that Six Month Conferen^- c« have not been held in vain. ,; .,f Thcfe are the wondrous Concelfions made to u^ by our new Friends, which are not equal by any means to thofe granted by the old Preliminaries j and if they were a great deal better, we (hall fee they are dearly paid for in the Articles that follow relating to our AlHes, every one of whom are great SufPeiffrs by this new Scheme *, which if we were not bound in juftice and Honour to prevent, yet the Intereft we have in their Security will uecefla- rily involve us in whataffe£is them. . In the fcventh Article, the Kingconfents that the Spanijh Netherlands (hall ferve for a Barrier to the Staus *, and that the Barrier may be as inltgnificanc as poiUbk, 'tis lignify'd in this and the next Arti- 1 . cle. I t ./' -V i cle, that thefc Provinces ire ^iven to tne Eleclcr of Jlnvarht^ and are to tpntihue his^ a good I^\\y for the i>w/cfc to trult, who. lias, ohce bfetriiy*d thefe Provinces to FrjuMce^s^nd will no dou,"^vtaH6 the firlb occafion he c4,n to do'Uagaih, If hC'.eWer put in- to pofieffioiv'of them. Kothing in truth ' e^n be more ridiculous than the Gift ot thefe Province.s to t\\GFM/lor, when the Donor has them n:ot to give \ for this pretended Gift is the Contrivance' ^f the lafl: Year, and never made in due form, ot' in an authentic'k 'manner'by the puke of Anjoy^ ntix has the £W^r ever exercis'd in any of the TQ\frn5 com- prised in ihisGift any 'A<^s of Sov us n«w-fte.wbat. Addiriofithe 2v'fe/y !a^f ';i)^jn^^ make to itf Tlrey confcnt t(K\du^}HcrA'ii'mtp:*B\iitVi^^ ^>id its Difiritl., calCd Ebfiier-^ nibagt; '/^off'^Jt rio^uc, ' Yi>rck'4hh ih' C^]} clUny,- dndMcrinhnih^h'ff^i/let The* \W^6f thefe -Phccs. we 'jbvv£"tfife ]Ft^nch no . Thanfcs-fiJb'i'it having.beeii tiikca fi-pM thi^ffl iu the ' m iLd a 'f^ *. •>•'. < ■>. . r ».' ../■" } ^^. Jtameltles Cahlpaign ; ' ttte rfSft is very little, .com^. par'd With Jthe Places ^iV^rf up by th^ b'ld Prelim i- narie's, Wiiit;h add 'to tfiyfe, Lille, itouYnny, Conde^ and ii/iaLi(£^, of wlifcli the three laft were ia the!- hands pf.'ith^, French^ when. tlioie Prcli mi ilari cs were, coficliiaed'v and eitheij%/7// or fouriiay alone, are' moreWioi^h;' than kit tW'^tlidnqiieFM Puces put to- ! gfetherVyhkh by this- krticie they offet'^tW glveiip. "^^ ' Thefe^at^e the Places tlijC French conf^hted to give ^ was* into rerc we ill^aiilte dlf^Qs'd ib.lt. And "tlii^ the*' French ' confentey ?Q*; Ikctificef tp i Pfeace, without pretend- ; ing to^artythiiig incxching'e.. Butfptti^Idte Events' hkve, iri .their Opimbli,[ lb altered 'ifie Face of • Things,' tiiat ■ they ncJv^"'oflfcr but a fhiatl part of what they did theh, and for that they expeft mCich itip'rc than an Equivalent j for orle Town and * two Forts, they demancJipo« g4;' f • P^f ( tz ) his Friends-had the penoiog of it ^ and that is, that there is no notice taken of Bouchain^ as if it were not worth mentioning, or that it was con- certed ro be retaken, while the Peace is treating. 'Tis convenient to di%race as much as po|nbI« the lateG 1, and in order to it, to leflen the Glory of the laft Campaign, which will alone make his Kame immortal. If this Artifice be purely /r add, for us too, fince I muft again fay our Interefts - are infeparable. . ■ . ■) The tenth Article relates to the Commerce of the ; X>utchy and conftnts they fh^ll hdve the Tar\f of 1664.:; So far is very well *, but there follow two cruel Ex« ! ceptions \ firft, of fix forts of Merchsndizey which ] probably affed^s the moft confiderable Branches of. their Trade j and fecondly, that they Jhai pm fifty c>ols per Tun on all their $hifs that come into France. This is not only Ihort of what was granted in the ; old Preliminaries, which agree to the Tarif of 166^ [ withoutany Exception,' and to an Exemption from . the .! a ■,•! I I ii 1"^ ( v4S ■■' tfce fifty Sols /<^ fun j but ' etcri'^^tb what tlidy d-' greed to at tlie /treaty of HefyncL when that Im- P'otltion was tak6n' off in. thfe fUlIei^' words pollible, iri a feparate Article : and in thfc Bbd^ of the Tr^a- 1^ of Commerce then ma^e, Vis ftijjulatc& 'Ijl tKe ' twelfth Article, That the tarif of 16(^4, O'jatl be dh' " f i^^rtot to^gfet what the Dutch iti to lofe, 'Cts YC^* riuChbeyoiid'nT^'fcbmprehchlioh. '' • " ' ^hc cl6l^enth Article relates to. ther grtfaf^ini or trJdeto^\iiS6afjiJI) /»^/f/, .Whith'is- iettlerf.jiVfrUV: was appreifiinaed frorn Monfleiirv^ffew^ffn'i* I^reli- ihiriaries, W^f fengland 4«i/ Hbllarfd jfjall h' aHoiv'd ' td't^^de thither y tH the fanie manned dshe}oreihcDe\iih . of. king C\ijMt. And fo'fdt is indeed cOilftrrtla-". Me to the lait'Clailfc of th^ eighth AfticlcJ'of the drand Ailiancfey t"t what foR6'\^?, diredly co'ntrar , difts the prccedinjg Claufe,. which' tnoft cx:prefly fti- \ pulates, tvhc'n tirahflated as It xjd|ht to be ^ and not^ as the Author. W/))'^ a;7/«^.:has tdrruptcd 'it\\fh^ri the 'Preach Jltali fiat be petniltteU io fa'd tlnthei- on ^^tC'^ '^ count of Tra^k dfre^ly oY itiitrc&iy^ on, 4ny jteterice ' wTfiatfoever. And this the ^r^Mcp'il fen ted t6' io the '. feventh Preliminary Article, inthelery latite ^Vbi^ds,'' ^ Btit in thfefe new Oifers they teilCfs, the K(n^ vfill; promife that the French fl^all .fubmit to the f^e R^Cf- ^ gnlations with rel^jeft to the ^mrticrce and Navi^^ gation of t\\t Sfariifh Indie SyO^ other Nations* This'" is" a fi"ngle Claufe, but Mountains hang by ir, Moun- tains of Gold and Silver, which will be tranisfet'ct \ from us Id Frafite^ by admitting them into this ' Tirade •, which England thought or fo moch impor- ^ tanccwhen the Grand Alliance Was made, thatttnerc : is no one thing fo particularly guarded againft, iri ■ the whole Ti'eaty. But the fntereft oi England, it / feems, is clwtig'd; or Common S«nfc is- aat'^\it* fame .|f itttm ^i : "tiidy I-' that Im- he ffH- tl'ijl the hdH he'db- o'mjiidfce-. ilje Death .,. fttlfcrrrta- 1 1<5 bf ttie rcomtra-, refly fti-^ [and not preterit f* 6 10 the ' bt'^s.'"^ d Navi-,, : This^ Mouh- nsfet'd \ ito this ' impor- rt there ioftin and^ it fame ( 15 ) jfi'iie it was. The §-fw^ are innocent, harmkf^ ' Crcat;to^i thdr Pft^er ^r Trade can't,' h,urt us, t>\ejj, are Qujf 'fJarUug FavQiirites v the only formidable E-. ' nem^ ^^n^landixil^ Dutch. The Sleighbourhoo4' of \x.ptli>ie(iak At^Yyisho combm^dvilth the reft of, Eurbpe a,ve not a lilatdi for Irancey 'is greatly tp*. he fearM : but thjE/eonielledly exorbitant Power of f, ^Popijh Prince, tU- i»v,etier^ate Enemy of our Religion^ Sand i^ation, is to l^e spurted, eftabliflv'cf, aggranf^ diz\l, at the Expe|\ce of all our Allies, particularly. of the fu reft Ally.' we have, the States -y&t the Ex-. pen(^of what isdearp to'iis than our Allies, out' fetmi bur Religion," our Liberty, our Trade, wliicE cirj iievQr be fafe till France is hurabledt' Thus the Grancl Alliance is broke, with refpcA jo ,the Securit^^ and Commerce of us -and the States. "\ *^ : ", ];^,,. '..'^{*; The three next Articles regard the Enfperor'; but' bcfoi'c 1 enter upon thenii 1 niuft obferve the Security , ihc'^efjch King ^iv^s,' that he wiltjObferve ^he ftinie lie^vlaJtion^ in. Trading to the Sphtjh Indies^ as 07* tjicr ISftioiis do ': he cqnfents, That all the Pottnr! {tlftes^ of, 5^;?/a», which is the Granary to Naples? Shall the Towns ontheCorfft of Tufiany^ which fo nearly affeft'the Safety of the Ertperor's Doniiaions in ttaly, be* faffcirM to rttiiain In French Hands ? SmW the Emperof, inftead of recovering by Treaty the Parts of ' tfte Monarchy he is not yet pbnefs'd 0^ give \ip thoiehe i^'l ShalJ he be difpoflefsM of Ci- taldhi^^'itid tlieafljiKrent l/le$, when he has a Right tb- m who^e > $tra11 it be thooght a Favour to let -.--■ r i/ic(t keep i iJiAft t)f what ie lv^re;5idy Matter 6f^ W^ iJ'aVOtiT, th^t lie jhuff, w'corlpderauonolif^ Wjrifn Wftetenfimi t9theiiherrhrts'if'tP>e " ' Monarchy J I ^ ft; /I $ .iv^.. #.'*f J- ..^<^;iV.:-;'j Ufage, as is , and while ho have one , therefore; e is refblv'd are able to Vance of it j )X France^ is , therefore, iblely upon ce kept his eft to break IS the States ; is a great nijh Monar- t, whigh is France^ not II the fubfe- be content t a ftrange \ make one Did Prdnct id Sardinidt hey expeft ith fuch a e hands of to Naples? v^hich fo Donjinions 7 Hands? by Treaty Dflefs'd 0^ fs'd of Ca- as a Ri^ht rour to let »laftef 6ff Hiott fjfju &h^f'tic' Monarchy^ Monarchy^ and vpithdraw his Troops ? Good God ! What Articles are thefe? This is giving Peace with a witnefs to EurofCy according to the old Style bf France j whereas 1 was Fool enough to think, it was now our Turn to give Peace to them. l^hus the great End of the War, the 5;)^W/?j Suc- ceflion, is given up in three Words, againft all juftice, all Treaties, againft the exprefs Declaration of the Firft Grand Alliance, and the plain Intention of tlic Second j and inftead of a juft and reafonable Satif- fa(ftion, thefe is not fo much referv'd by thefe Ofiers to the Emperor, as in the Eighth Article we engage to vfe our vtmofi Endeavours to recover fir him : for there by Kame arc rackon'd up (befidesyWi/^w and Naples') Sicily^ the Lands and Iflands on the Coaft of Tujcany, and in the Mediterranean, that belong to Spain i in which the Commerce df England and Hol- land, as 'ti« there exprefs'd, is cmcetr^d, as teell ai the Security of the Emperor's Hereditary Cburiiries. If no body^wcrc to fuffer by the Lofs of Spain, but the Emperor himfelf, it might be matter of left Concern perhaps \ but what he lofes We Idle, Who are more interefted in the Rcftitution of thie SpSifi Monarchy, than the Emperor himfelf j and what we both lofc, Fr4»« gets, which mu ft prove in the^nd equally the Ruin ot us both. But fo mdch has been faid by others, and fo well upon this Subjeft, tha^ I have not Patience to fay more : if ne are undone, we are undone. If this Article, which We are fo much concern**! in, don't afftft us^, modi lefs Mil we have any Senfe of the Hdrdfhips put on oiir Allies' in thofe that follow. In the Thirteenth, for the Conlblation of the Emperor arid Empire, they are told, they ftiall hav^ the fame Frontier they had befote this War : This is Monileur Menaoer*s Convenient farrier* Bat tOuld 6ne {ti|ipofe, that by tholfe Words no Conceffibn' ac all liould be rfiade? that the Empire fhoiild be left in the fame defencelel^ State, in a Worfe State thW C , s it li ^1 >■ V 1^': ', % it ought to have been in by the Treaty of Refwick^ the Articles of which, 'ili well known, were never executed ? Shall the Emperor, for his Lofs of Sfairiy for his vclinquifhing fome Parts of that Monarchy which he is adually poiTefs'd of, have no Compcnfa- tion made upon the Rhine f How different is this from the Old Preliminaries ? where, befides the Cel- fion of the entire Monarchy to King Charles^ 'tis a- greed, that the French Ring fhall, with the Ceflion of Landau, reftore Strashurg^ with Fort Kehl, and Brif-'^'t and demolijh, at his oxen Ex fence, all the firong Places he has built uton the Upper Rhine, from Bafil fo Philipsburg*, whicn by thefe new Offers will lie open to perpetual! nvalion, in its whole extent, without one Place in the hands of the Empire for its De^nce on the left fide of that River, and but one on the right. Let the worft Peace be made that can be, the Empire, one would think, might be al- ways fecure of a Eood B^^rrier, while the Emperor is in pofleflion of the Countries of two Electors, the R^ftor^tion of whom to their Eleftorates furely is worth fomething ; a^d yet I can't find by thefe Offers, that the leaft Inch of Ground is to be given for it. In the Fourteenth Article the King demands their Re'efiablijhment in the amplefi manner pojfihle 5 and that in conjideranion of all the Terips above fpe- ciffd \ but what thefe Terms are^ I confefs, I can't perceive, there being no one thing granted, that the French could hav^ deny'd after the moft fuccefs- ful War, or wbic^h is not in the foregoing Offers abundantly overpaid for. I'm fure thofe Eledors in Juftice never ought to be intirely rcftor'd j nor can any Reftoration of them be made with the Safe- ty either of the Emperor or Empire, if their De- fence b^ not ^ore effedually provided for, than is to be expefted from thefe Offers. This fingie Article, in point both of Intcreft and Honour, is of fo n^uch Confequence to France, that the compaffmg of it, is alone worth all tfie Cbn- / ' ccffions ^•>r., .^'~\^ »• ' Refwick^ :re never of Spairty Vlonaixhy ompenfa- >t is this s the Cel- fj, 'tis a- rie CeflTioa ^ehl, and Cy all the line, front )\Tcvs will le extent, npire for /and but [nade that ^ht be al- Emperor Eleftors, tcs furely by thefc » be givert demands pojfihle i hove fpc , I can't ed, that fuccefs- 1 Offers Ekaors 'd •, nor he Safe- eir De- than is cefTions prtf tended to be made to the Allies in thefe Offers, tho no other Confideration were given for them, and tho it were limited as 'tis in the Old Preliminaries, where 'tis agreed, among other things in prejudice of thefe Eleftors, that the Imperial Decrees, by which the Vpper PaUtinjite^ and the Dig- nity of Fir ft Elcdor, arc given to the Eledor PaLi- tine^ fliall continue in force. All that the King really offers for the entire Reftoration of thefe Eledors, is in the Clofe of this Article, where 'tis propos'd in return, to own the Ninth Elcdorate, and the Title of the King of Prvffia : this is a true Fremh Bargain, two Words (for they are nothing more) are thought to be an Equivarlent for two Eleftorates. But in the Old Preliminaries a great deal more is promis'd to the King of Prwjp^, witliout any Con- dition tack'd to it : 'tis there ftipulated, not only that his Title (hall be own'd, but that he fliall not ^ be diftnrb'd in the poffeffion of Ncufchatel and K«- Itn^^in, The next Article declares, That as to Savoy^ E- V£ry thing Jhall be reft or" d on both Sides-, that all may be as it was before the War. But how can that pof^ fibly be? Has not the King deftroy'd Mommelim^ the only Place of Strength in all Savoy f And is not that whole Country by that means expos'd to France^ whenever they pleafe to pick a Quarrel? And what is of more confequence. Did not the French King difmantle all the ferong Places he took in Piedmont before the Battle oi Turin? a barbarous piece of Cruelty and Revenge unheard of in former Wars, as many other Inhumanities were, till praftis'd by his moft Chriftian Majefty. 'Tis impouible, there- fore, to put the Affairs of the Duke of Savoy'in the, State they wefe in before the War, if he is to give up the Places he has taken from France^ as by this Article he muft. The Allies in their Conferen- ces had fo much regard to the Interns of this Prince, C 2 ^^^ . that : I .< i •> m^ft if^' I' ' } - ( 10 ) that thev not only ftinulatcd in the Preliminaries, that he Ihould keep aU the places he was then pofTefs'd of, that he might hj^vc a* tole^ab^c go^od Barrier ^ but by the Thirty Second Article room was rcferv'd for his Royal High^efs to make fuch further Demands as he fhould think necelFary. Some People perhaps will .irctend, that we need be in no Concern tor the luterclls of this Prince, lince there appears to be fo good an Undcrftanding betweei his M rs alfo and thofe of France-^ and the Talk of a certain Match with the Princcfs of Piedmont, may be thought a fufficicnt Proof of the King's intended Kindnefs to him. But till there is ^)etter Ground for fitch a Report, whgt Credit can one give to it ? The Fifteenth Article concerns poor Portugal^ who are not to have the leaft Conliaeration for all they have done or fuifer'd this War, nor any Bene- fit from their Treaties witli us : in order to which they and their Treaties have been handled la the manner we havefeen*, tho no one Alliance, no not all the Alliances made this War, have been fo bene- ficial to us as thofe with Portugal : nay, if Monfieur Trouin had been able to keep any footing in their American Dominions, they might have eJ^pe^ed to be left in a worfc Condition than they vyere in bor fore the War j for *tis not faid, that if any Placei^ have been taken, they (hall be reftor'd ^ but if there be any Dijfercna. to fettle. Endeavours fliall be w^d t9 agree it amicably: which Words in the Mouth of a French M- — ^—r, if it be left to be fettl^ after the Peace, mean jufl nothing, as appears by tiheiv ' Ufage of every one of the Allies in all former Trear ties, and particniary that of Rcfwick. By the Seventeenth Article the King conlents to concert Mea fares for preventing the Union of the CrowiiS of France and Spain on the fame Head. Bvt after what our Eyes have feen, we may be fure all -?,. Meafures --■^-.^^^y It we need his Prince, ierftanding of Ff^ce ^ tie Princcfs t Proof of It till there hat Credit r Portuiaif tion for all ' any Bene- r to which led Ia the ice, no not in fo bene- ' Monfieur g in their ^ped^ed to ere inbor any Placeji tit if there be Hi*d t9 outh of a tl«;d after by tihqir merTr«ar >nf€ntR to on of thp :ad. Bpc )e fure a^ Meafufes ( »• ) Meafures of this kind have at the bottom no Mea- ning in them. Stronger Renunciations can't be made, than thofe that have been broke, and therefore we may be very confident; all' future ones, when Occa^' (ion ferves, will bebro^cin the fame manner j aiid of this the Profi)cd\isnot very remote, there being by the unexpcded Death of the Dauphin, nothiag now, between the Duke pf j4nJou and the Crawn of France, but the Lives of two fmall Infants -, whicl, will mal^e it bis Iptereft more than ever to govern Sfain with an Eye to France, and to take fuch Mea- lures, as (hall, upon occal^on, fecure the Dependance of one upon the other, and render the firft in e^^ no more than a Province to the laft. And furc thfc Apprehenfion, when it is fo near, will alarm us in carneft, and bring us to our Wits again : not that the Difference is very great, whether they be united ornotj for £»rflj? fubmit tamely to its ^ture lnvafion% what muft be the Confequence ? No one Pow6r upon the Continentj nor all together, can make head to purpofe againft France^ without the help of England* What then l>all England do ? Shall it lit ftill, an4 fee all the Powers of Eurofe fub- du'd one after another to the arbitrary Will of one? And (hall we think the Evil will not in the end reach our felves ? But why do I ask, what Ejg' land will do in that Cafe ? It will then have no Li- berty '..^ikMi are the ur Mena- folemnly we muft for fome Spirit of be thefe Hies into , the fame ' and Ho- rty, and ' )f things. 1 Offers ? Peace can 1 confefs, of France at no bo- I any At- ipon their flatter'd ive been a tT; to dif- n the li- ed to it. re People ce ihould rs (hould lits future No one ler, can the ? Shall Oft fub- Will of in the lat £jg' teno Li- berty thoot "I .■■.■•■'••: i^i) ■; . bcrty "^f Choice, if the Defigns in favour of the P — ^-r fucceed *, and when England^ France and Spain are in Hands fo intimately join'd, what ran oppofe a Deluge of Pc^cry and Slavery brealwg in upon us, and overfpreading the whole Earth ? 1 dread the horrid Confequences that not our Pofierityy but our felvts Ihall feel, if they are not prevented by a good Peace, which 'tis certain from thefe Offers there are not the leaft hopes of. But it will he faid, as 1 have hinted in the begin- ning, that thefe Offers are not decljive^ tha:: the Al- lies will give in their Demands, and that France will for a Peace make confiderahle Abatements. Arc they that fay fo fur^ of this? If they are, why don't they let our Allies know, what they are to trultto? Why don't thcyrejeft fuch a fcandalous Flan at firft fight? What Union and Harmony can be expected among the M rs of the Allies, if thofeof one Prince appear to be in the Secret with France^ while the reft are fhnt out, as if they were ^^ediators only, and not treating in conjundion with |their Friends ? And what is the meaning of this Article in the Sufflemem^ which is one of Abel Roper^s own Papers, and I need fay no more to prove its Authority ? The words are thefe : Hague^ Feb. 1 9. N. S. fpeak- ing of a Conference upon the Anfwerthat is to be given to the French on the 5th of Afarch, " The De- '' (Ign of the faid Conference was 4s well to agree upca the Demands and Pretenlions of this State, as upon the Method in which the Anfwer of the *' Allies ought to be return'd. 7 he Qucftion be- *' ing. Whether it Ihould be done by all the Allies, *' &c. in conjundion i or whether the Mi niflers of *' each Prince or State fhould deliver in their Prin- " cipals Demands feparately : It is the Opinion of " the Brinjh Plenipotentiaries, it feems, that this '5 lail Method ought to be obfcrv'd^ whereas the '' Impcri- ^rn ikii iit m: ■;k ' :« ! ( H ) *<■' Imperialifis indi^, that it ought to he done joint- «t ly." The Reader will judg whether this is the ' belt Method to oblige the French to make confidera- hie Abatements, But 1 may venture to foretel, that either the French have not promis'd to make fuch Abatements, or that if they have, 'tis not in the power of thofe they have been made to, to oblige them to keep their Words. That feme Abatements will be made, no body can doubt ^ for example, Sicily^ and the ToTtfns en the Coaft of Tufcany may be given to the Emperor v what was promis'd the Empire in the Refwyck Treaty, but not perform'd, may be pro- inis'd again, and be as well performed j the Duke of Savcy may have what is ftipulated in the old Preliminaries, and Tome other trifling ConcefTions niay be made : but the great Points, a good Barrier for the Empire and Holland^ is not from thefe Offers to be hop'd for •, the prefervation of our Spanijh Trade can never upon this foot be cffeftually fe- cur'd. The whole therefore will come to this? Some Coaceflions fuch as thefe will, I prefartie, be ifiade, the Allies will think them very unreafona- ble, fomc other People perhaps may not be of their Minds : In the mean time the Campaign will draw on ^ for want of timely Supplies, Recruits, Horfes and Magazines, the Enemy .will be in the Field firft •, and having notliing to apprehend on the fide of Flandcrsy they will invade the Empire with a vaft Army, and force a Submiflion to the moft unjuft and unreafonable Terms. • « ^ This may perhaps a little ftartle honeft ]V(cn^ but the way is prepared for us to cxpeft the worft, our Allies are by a great Writer all render'd contemp- tible and odious, their Treaties Withusdamn'd, and their whole Condu(fJ cenfur'd. This is to make u« in- dolen- and unconcern'd ^ but if any remains of Senfe, of Intereft and Honour are Itft, and we arc (hock'd V.-r' i 'it M done joint- this is the le conjidera- r the French s^ments, or er of thofe im to keep ill be made, (y, and the iven to the I pile in the lay be pro- \ the Duke in the old Conceflions food Barrier chefe Offers our Spanijh feftually fe- ne to thisf prefartie, be unreafona- beof their 1 will draw lits, Horfes Field firft •, the fide of ivith a vaft molt unjult )neft Men , t the worft, 'd contemp- amn'd, and make us in- ns of Senfc, arc ftock'd at P >' < 15 ) dt tbc Tliottghts of fuch Terms, there will be A ircady Aoiwcr, We would haUe procured bmer Terms for thenty but could not prevail', !*tis their ovm fa$dt^ it can^t he helf^d^ ^tis now too late, we mufi fubmit y they mvfinow make Peace on the befi Terms they can* or he content to carry on the War alone ', the Terms fvt dur felves aure pretty good, and Delays will only [ervt ttf make them worfe \ a feparate Veace therefore rather than none at all. IMuft it be ? Well, then it MUST, j^atal Word! 6h may it ne*er be heard ! May the Glory of the BrltijhAtms, and the Wifdomofouf Cobncils, ellablifli the Repofe and Safety of the ^orld, and procure this unhappy Nation all the Bleffings of a lafting hon arable Peace. A icpa- rate Peace is not yet made *, and when I confider her Majefty's molt Gracious Speech, her Inftruftions to her Ambafladors, the Concern ihe has exprefs'd for her Allies, and the AddrefTes of both her Hou- fes, and particularly the Indigudtion with which the Houfe of Lords have refentcd thefe laft Offers in their Addrcfs of the 1 5th, I refolve againft all other Appearances to hope it never will. But my greatelt Reliance is on the good Provi- dence which has fo often appear'd in our behalf, when our Condition, thro our own Folly, has been moft helplefs. The fudden Turn given to Affairs by the Dauphin^s Death, an Event which nothing but Providence has any (hare in, is a new Decla- ration of God in our Favour, that he is Itill willing to fave us out of the extreme Dangers we are threa- tenM with, if we are but willing to be fav'd our felves. The Prorj;)ed, this iurprizing Incident gives a King, who is almoft at the end of his own Days, of a long Minority after him, will naturally make him defirous to leave his Kingdoms difengagM from fo ruinous a War. This he muft greatly be con- cern'd for, if he has any Bowels either for his People D or ■1 .^«., .. '-1*. ^wp-""'^w«pw"^»P!W»^^?"i»^' "" I. "mf^' mt^i § win i*fcn^ dM id^dW wl GbtlSd li&ii, if (key <3d n^ linlt^ In t£]^ BiU mnan -,, mk #t Mv# i^Kim^ it90 flfib^i fit, ' 1 .' « .bi * ■J ^-■Kf , Ti^ <»'i^ii i i i» ||i Mi i |> i Bii i i i i ii i »< i «i i i . i i<| ii . ii wW i iu