1709.

ton complain'd to the Imperial Ambaffador of the, A. C. Violation of their Neutrality: But that Minifter declar'd, That he knew nothing of that March, and was confident the Emperor, his Mafter, was not privy to it; and therefore they must apply themfelves either to General Merci, or to the Minifters of Great-Britain and Holland, who would be able to give them a better Information of that Affair. This Anfwer very much furprized the Deputies of Bafil, who were at the fame time under no mall Apprehenfion of the Refentment of the French King, whofe Ambaffador being come to Baden, while the General Diet of the Swifs Cantons was there affembled, he made to them the following Speech:

Magnificent Lords,

Cantons,

ALL Europe knows that the King my Mafter, in The French granting to the Laudable Helvetick Body, a AmbasaNeutrality for the Forreft Towns, and the Coun- dor's Speech tries mention'd in the Declaration concluded in the to the Diet "Year 1702. had no other defign in view than to fhew. of the Swits you, in a moft fenfible manner, how much he has at Sept. 7. "Heart the Tranquillity of your Country, which he N. s. has preferr❜d to his own private Advantages, without any regard to the Damage his Troops would fuffer thereby, and his exceffive Expences he has been put to, upon that account. "Tis therefore to you, Magnificent-Lords, the Prefervation of thofe Towns and Countries is owing, feeing his Majesty only out of regard to you, has moft religioufly obferv'd a Neutrality fo prejudicial to his own Intereft. Could he give you more effential Proofs of his Cordial Friend, fhip, and of the Regard he has always for you? The King treated with the Emperor; he has not relied on the Word of his Enemies, but only upon your own; I did alfo entirely rely upon it my felf, when on the 7th and 17th of Auguft laft paft, you had pofitively affured me in Writing, that your Fron tiers fhould be carefully guarded, and I inform'd the King and his Generals therewith. You fee, Magnificent Lords, what has happened fince, and you know that it is thro' the fault of one of your Members, that your laudable Republick has been fhamefully affronted. I could wish with all my Heart, for your Reputation's fake, that the Box (Caffette)

a

1709.

3

A. C.(Caffette) of Count Merci, had not brought to Light fome Things, which I fhould be glad my felf not. to know: But I cannot forbear to tell you, That your Conduct in this Affair, will fhew whether or no you have deferved that the Enemy should think you capable of Corruption and Infidelity. I do not pretend, Magnificent Lords, to confute the Reafons alledged by certain Minifters, to endeavour to juftifie,by Chymerical Inftances, the Violation of your Territory; for the Letter you took the Pains to write to me the 22d paft, faves me the trouble of anfwering thofe Suppofitions, which fall of themfelves. If you are truly difpos'd to revenge the Affront offer'd to you, the King has in your Neighbourhood an Army as ftrong as that of the Enemy, commanded by a General, whofe Wildom, Experience and Valour you are entirely acquainted with. But if your Glory induces you to use your own Forces for a juft Reparation, I fhall not prefume to offer any Advice to fo wife and prudent an Af.. fembly. I come therefore, Magnificent Lords, to ask you what Meafures you intend to take, to give the King a fuitable Satisfaction; to procure the Reparation of an Injury, which does equally prove the Contempt the Enemy have for your Nation, and the little Care they take to keep their Word; and to guard better for the future your Paffes, as you are fo folemnly engaged to do. The Defeat of the Imperialists at Rumerfheim, has not cured them of the defire of attempting a new Infraction; and your Intereft as well as Honour, requires that you fhould oppofe it; for it would be a difhonourable Reflection upon you, if the Count de Bourg was oblig'd a fecond Time to make them repent their Imprudence. I am obliged to tell you, That the, King's Army is to regulate their Motions according to your own. I wifh, Magnificent Lords, that your Refolutions give me Caufe to ufe, with his Majefty, my good Offices, referring my felf for the reft, to the Letters I fent to you fince the 20th of Auguft.

Baden, Sept, 7. 1709.

Befides

1709.

Befides this Memorial, the French Ambaffador ufed ma- A. C. ny Arguments with the feveral Deputies of the Canton, to inflame them against the Imperial Court, for the Violation of the Neutrality of the Canton of Bazil; the Intrigues of Count Trautmansdorf in relation to the Diffe. The Swifs rences of Tockenburgh, and the new Pretenfions of the Bi- Deputies fhop of Conftance; but the Deputies convinc'd him by Answer. their prudent Anfwer, That they were not to be influenced by his Rhetorick, in an Affair of fuch Confequence. They told him, amongst other things, 'That tho' they had Caufe to refent the Proceedings of the Imperialifts, yet they were of Opinion, France had no Reafon to raife fuch Clamours about the Paffage of the Imperial Troops through their Territories, fince he (the French Ambaffador) had timely Notice of their Defigns; but had not required the Helvetian Body to fend any Forces to defend the Paffes, at the Charge of 'the Moft Chriftian King, according to the very Terms of the Convention made in 1702, concluding, That if ' he made that Step, and that the Cantons had refufed or delay'd to fend their Troops, he might indeed pretend a Satisfaction; whereas he had no Colour or Pretence to infift on any by Virtue of the faid Convention. However, That Minifter did fo far engage the Popish Cantons in the Intereft of France, that in the Draught of the Expoftulatory Letter, which the Diet refolv'd to fend to the Emperor, their Deputies inferted fome violent Expreffions, which would certainly have given great Offence to the Imperial Court; but the Proteftant Deputies oppos'd the fame, and the Letter was written in a more moderate Stile. The Ambaffador return'd to Solothurn fomewhat pacified: But the French having, about this Time, affembled a Body of Troops within a Mile of Bazil, and making great Preparations at Hunningen, as if they defign'd to bombard that City, the other Cantons fent thither a good Number of Troops to their Affiftance; and took fuch Measures for the Security of their Frontiers, that the French did not think this a proper Jun&ure to exprefs any further Resentment, than to feize upon the Corn and Revenues, belonging to thofe of Bazil in Alface.

The Campaign in Piedmont and Dauphins fell this Year, Differences much fhort of Expectation. On the 22d of May, N. S. between the Count Thaun arriv'd at Turin from Milan, to concert Mea- Courts of fures with the Duke of Savoy for the Military Opera- Vienna tions; but he foon found, that the whole Weight would and Turin fall on himself, his Royal Highness refusing to go into the Field, by reafon the Imperial Court ftarted fome Difficulties about Vigevano, and other Dependencies of the G Milaneze,

A. C. Milaneze, yielded up to his Royal Highnefs. The Court of Vienna infifted to have this Dinerence adjusted by 1709 Commiffaries, but this was oppos'd by the Duke of Sa voy, who pretended, there was no need of fuch a lingring Negotiation, to find out the Literal Senfe of the Treaty concluded with him by the Emperor; and thereupon made preffing Inftances with the Queen of Great Britain and the States General, the Guarantees of that Treaty, for the punctual Performance of it. The Maritime Powers, confidering with what Firmness and Conftancy the Duke of Savoy had adhered to the Grand Alliance, when reduced to the laft Extremity: "and what Zeal for the Common Caufe he had lately fhewn, in rejecting the advantageous Offers that were made him on the Part of France, to allure him to a feparate Peace, efppus'd his Royal Highnefs's Intereft with Warmth; and thereupon the Queen of Great Britain fent Major-Ge neral Palmes to Vienna, to prefs that Court to put an End to a Difference, which might prove of dangerous Confequence to the Confederacy, and to the Houfe of Auftria in particular. That Gentleman being come to Vienna, prefented the following Memorial to his Imperial Majefty:

Major-Gen.
Palmes's
Memorial

to the Em

peror.

FER Majefty the Queen of Great Britain and their

very much at Heart, whatever may contribute to carry on a vigorous Campagne, in order to procure an ho nourable and lafting Peace; the faid two Powers have commanded me, to lay before your Majesty the Scheme and Projects of the War, as alfo the great Charges the Allies have been at, to enable the Army of the Duke of Savoy to act offenfively. They have likewife order'd me, to reprefent to your Imperial Majefty the Neceffi. ty of giving Satisfaction to his Royal Highnefs fome "way or other, before the opening of the Campaign, that he may be encourag'd to push on the faid Projects. And funce the Treaty, which has been concluded between your Imperial Majefty and his Royal Highness the Duke of Savoy, is not yet entirely perform'd: The faid two Maritime Powers hope and expect, that your Imperial Majefty will be pleafed, to give to his Royal Highnefs the Country of Vigevano, or an Equivalent for the fame; but feeing that feveral Differences have already rifen about the Latter, they are of Opinion, that the beft Means, to bring this Matter to a Conclufion, will be, to yield him the faid Country of Vigevano. "The Two Powers aforefaid, being fenfible of the great Ser

vices, the faid Prince has done to the most Auguft Houfe of Auftria in particular, and the Common Caufe in general; and that he will be in a Condition to perform greater Services now, than heretofore, recom mend to your Imperial Majefty very earnestly, to use all poffible Means, by which his Royal Highness may be more and more engaged in the Intereft of the most Auguft House of Auftria, and as to what concerns what is due to him the faid Powers aforefaid with, that your Imperial Majefty would accept one of the Expedients 'propofed by that Prince. And because his Royal High'nefs has caused to be imparted to me here, that he has intimated to the two Maritime Powers his Refolution not to go into the Field in Perfon, in cafe the Treaty, relating to his Demands was not executed one way or other; I leave it to your Imperial Majefty to confider what Uneafinefs fuch Proceedings will create in England and Holland, efpecially in the prefent difficult Circumftances of Affairs. Her Majefty the Queen having commanded me to be at Turin, before the opening of the Campagne, if poffible, it would be very acceptable to Her, to hear, before that Time, that all the Hindrances, which may obftru&t the Execution of Projects fo 'well concerted, are remov'd. I humbly intreat your Im perial Majefty to caufe an Answer, upon the abovemention'd Articles to be given me, as foon as poffible may be.

6.

A. C.

1799.

A few Days after, Major-Gen. Palmes prefented ano- May 13thi ther Memorial to the Emperor, which was as follows:

Aving received fresh Orders from Her Majefty Another

I find my felf obliged to reprefent to your Imperial Ma- from the jefty the Uneafinefs She is in, upon advice, That, not- fame to the withstanding all the Interceffions and Offices of the two fame. Maritime Powers, there is yet little reafon to hope,

that the Treaty concluded with his Royal Highness the Duke of Savoy, of which they are Guarantees, fhall be fully executed, which however they moft earnestly wifh, to fee accomplish'd; That his Royal Highness may be encourag'd, to ufe all poffible means, at the Head of his Army, to improve this Opportunity of the 'Ill-Condition of the Affairs of the Common Enemy to the Advantage of the Common Caufe. To make an end of this Matter, and prevent the ill Confequences, which the Refolution of that Prince of not acting in Perfox might effect in the Netherlands in this nice Juncture, Her Majefty, the Queen, has commanded me to offer Her good

G 2

Offices