Images de page
PDF
ePub

It being manifeft, that the French Court defigned A. C. once more to gain Time, and amuse the Allies with 1709. a fpecions Negotiation, the Queen of Great-Britian, refolved likewise, to exhort all her Allies to a vigorous Prosecution of the War; particularly those who during the whole Course of it, had been moft backward, in feconding her Majesty's extraordinary Efforts. Hereupon, Her Majefty wrote the following Letter to the General Diet of the Empire, affembled at Ratisbone.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

Letter to

Moft Illuftrious and Wife Men, our dear Friends, The Queen's WE have formerly exhorted you feveral Times, the Diet of

[ocr errors]

'fo to order Matters, that the War, which the Empire. was fo juftly begun, and fo fuccefsfully carried on hitherto, might still be continued in all Parts, against the Common Enemy, with fo much Vigour, that 'we might the fooner and the more effectually attain the End which we proposed to our felves, for 'fo many Years paft: But we think it convenient at this Time, to renew our Sollicitations in the most 'preffing Terms, with all the Confederate Princes and States: And we inftantly defire you, seriously to take this our Letter into Confideration, and not 'to fuffer it to be altogether fruitless and ineffectual. 'We have to deal with an Enemy equally Crafty and Vigilant, who lets no Occafion flip, wherein · he may hurt us or our Allies, either by Cunning or " Force of Arms. We fee how obftinate, and of what irreconcileable Spirit he is; and that nothing is farther from his Thoughts than Peace, which he pretended to the laft Spring with fo much Deceit. We find, there is neither Honefty nor Sincerity in him; which plainly appears by the Artifices with which he endeavours to amuse the Allies; and by the Answer he lately made to Monfieur de Pettecum, Refident of Helftein. We also take notice that he raises Recruits with all poffible Diligence; that he confiderably augments his Forces, and that he erects great Magazines of Ammunition and Provifions. Wherefore, fince Peace is not to be obtained but by the Continuation of the War, there is a Neceffity incumbent on the Allies, to make their utmoft Efforts, to have on Foot a much greater Number of Troops, than for the Time

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

'paft,

A.C. $709.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

paft; in order, as far as it lies in our Power, to prevent the Enemy's Defigns. It would be needlefs to fhew at large, with how much Trouble, Vigilance and Care we have endeavour'd to promote the Good of the Common Caufe; and how we have not neglected, as often as the publick Wel'fare feemed to require it, both to augment our Troops beyond our Quota, and to expend vaft Sums of Money. And now, when we are like to enjoy the Fruits of the Victories formerly gain'd over the common Enemy, we are still ready to augment our Forces to the utmost of our Power, that the other Allies being awaken'd by our Example, may likewife augment their Troops beyond what they have done hitherto. Wherefore we renew our repeated Inftances with you, as being the Illuftrious Council of the whole Empire; That by your Credit, Advice and Encouragement, you may exhort all the Electors, Princes and States to make great Efforts; so that the Army of the Empire may be early in the Field, more numerous than heretofore, and well fupply'd with Provifions and Money. It were fuperfluous to represent to you, how much it concerns the Allies, that there be on the Upper-Rhine, a powerful Army against the Enemy, not only to cover the Frontiers of the Empire, but likewife to extend the fame: That by retaking from France the Territories that Crown has ufurp'd, he may not be in a condition either to carry the whole Weight of the War into Flanders, or to gain fome Advantage over you, and in fome manner retrieve her Affairs by the great Number of her Troops, on which the relies. You cannot but obferve, with how many Dangers, Incon'veniencies and Difficulties we are threatned from the Difunion and Negligence of the Allies: Whereas, if every one fhould furnish his Quota in time, as he ought, and is able, the Confederate Forces 'would be fo confiderable and numerous, that 'there's no reason to doubt, that, with God's Blef fing, we fhall gull down the Spirit of that proud Enemy, and force him at laft to confent, even against his Will, to the Peace which he has hitherto fo haughtily rejected, upon fuch Conditions as may for ever fecure the Repofe and Tranquility of Europe.

As

As for the reft, we heartily pray God to take you in to his Holy Protection. Given at our Palace of St. James's, the 26th of December, 1709. O. S.

[blocks in formation]

We have, in our laft Year's Annals, taken Notice of the publick Affront offer'd in London, to Monfieur de Matueof, the Muscovite Ambaffador; and of the Methods that were us'd to give him, the Czar, his Mafter, and, indeed, all foreign Princes, Satisfaction; but that Minifter feeing with Impatience the Slowness of our Judicial Proceedings, and having written several preifing Letters to Mr. Secretary Boyle, the latter, on the 11th of January, 1708-9, O. S. return'd him the following Answer:

[ocr errors]

SIR

A. C.

Did not think fit to return a fpeedy Answer to Mr. Secre'the Two Letters, of the 27th of November and tary 4th of December laft, N. S. with which your Ex-Boyle's cellency was pleas'd to honour me; because I could Letter to not inform you what Satisfaction our Laws would the Mufafford, againft thofe who put that grevious Af- covite front upon your Excellency's Perfon: But being Ambaffaapprehenfive, that too long a Silence may be tador. ken for a Want of due Refpect for your Excellency; or that I have not been fufficiently follicitous to put in Execution every thing that is incumbent upon the Queen's Majefty, in order to procure the promis'd Reparation; I could no longer forbear making Anfwer to your Excellency, to affure you, That the Refentment you exprefs of the faid outragious Affront (particularly in your Letter of the '27th of November, ult. ) cannot be greater than the 'Indignation which her Majefty has conceiv'd upon 'that Account: And I doubt not but Mr. d' Ayrolle, 'according to the Inftructions he has receiv'd, has already notify'd to your Excellency, That the indifpenfible Forms of the Laws of this Kingdom cannot admit of a final Determination of that Af

6

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

A. C. fair, till the next Seffions of our Courts of Judica1709. ture; which is fo well known, and fo firmly reguVlated here, that in order to punish any Malefactor for the moft enormous Crimes, even Treafon against her Majefty's facred Perfon, he must be brought to his Trial according to the ufual Forms eftablifh'd in this Country. I am perfuaded, that your Excellency's Sagacity and Equitableness will induce you ever to diftinguish between the Infolence and Bruitifhnefs of fome particular fenfless Men, and the Marks of a very particular Efteem and Refpect, which you have upon all Occafions receiv'd, as well from the Queen as from Perfons employ'd in the highest Offices of the Government; and that your Excellency will be fo juft as to believe, that they would not have fail'd to give you the most ample Satisfaction long ago, if the Means ' of doing it were as ready at Hand and practicable, as the Queen's Inclination is forward to fatisfie his 'Czarish Majefty thereupon.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

Therefore, I hope your Excellency will repre'fent the State of this Affair to his faid Czarish Majefty, after the most favourable Manner, affuring him, That nothing has been neglected by, and that nothing for the future fhall be omitted, which tends to procure all the Reparation that the utmost Rigour of the fundamental Laws of this Kingdom can afford. And farther, if this be not found fufficient, and any Thing else can be fuggefted, that be in the Queen's Power, whereby the may exprefs her high Displeasure against those who committed fo notorious an Infult, which may contribute to the Maintaining of Amity and good Correfpondence between her and his Czarish Majefty, fhe will not fail, on her Part, to be always ready to do it. Upon that Account, I lately propos'd, by the Queen's fpecial Order, to the Parliament of Great-Britain, that a BILL might be brought in for Eftablishing and Securing the Privileges of Ambaffadors, and other foreign Minifters, as well "to prevent the like Outrages for the future, as to notifie, at the fame Time, to the whole World, how far Her Majefty, and the whole British Nation, deteft the Violence that was offer'd to your Excellency's Perfon and Character: But, foraf

6

much

much as her Majefty is defirous of nothing more than to be in a Capacity of giving fufficient Satis'faction in this Affair, and fhe is abfolutely difpos'd ' to do all that lies in her Power, for that purpose; we are perfuaded that his Czarish Majefty will not forbear having fo juft a Regard to the Queen's Friendship, and the ancient Alliances between the Two Crowns, that he will not infift upon her at"tempting Impoffibilities; and that he will not undertake any Thing which may in any wife be prejudical to the good Correfpondence, that has been hitherto maintain'd between both their Majefties, and which (as I hope) will continue for ever.

[ocr errors]

"I have the Satisfaction to inform your Excel ́lency, That the Queen had no fooner Notice that · two young Mufcovite Princes, the Relations of his Majefty, were arriv'd in this Kingdom, but fhe forthwith gave Orders for their Reception and Entertainment, with that particular Diftinction and Respect which is due to their high Birth. As for 'what Concern I my felf may have in executing the Queen's Orders on this Emergency, I fhall difcharge my Duty with a great deal of Delight; and 'I can affure your Excellency, at the fame Time, 'that no Perfon in the World can be more forward in expreffing to you, upon all Opportunities which 'fhall offer themselves, with how great Efteèm and 'Respect I am,

SIR,

A. C. 1709.

[blocks in formation]

To this Letter the Ambassador of Muscovy wrote the fol-
lowing Answer at the Hague, the 25 Jan: 0. S.
5 Feb. N. J. 1709.

SIR,

covite

I Had the Honour to receive your Letter, dated The Muf'from Whitehall, the 11th inftant, O. S. and I Amballa 'find therein many Declarations and Promifes for dor's An'the future, as to what relates to the Reparation of fwer, dated 'the unparallel'd Affault made upon me by the Rab- Hague, ble; which Promifes are directed to his Czarish Jan. 25. Majefty, O.S, 170.

« PrécédentContinuer »