this might prevent great quarrels after peace is concluded, because France will then be at liberty to assist the Prince de Conti.

WILLIAM III. TO THE EARL OF PORTLAND.

Loo, September 1. 1697, seven o'clock in the evening.

I have this afternoon received your letter written after midnight. I confess that I am distressed that the term has passed without any thing being concluded, though I easily understand that there was good reason for the course that has been pursued. I am astonished that the Spaniards consented to it, as I know that their instructions were positively to the contrary. I am extremely impatient to learn what may have passed this afternoon in the conference of Ryswick, for I believe that it must decide every thing. I hope, therefore, that you will be able to set out to-night or to-morrow evening. I fully comprehend that you must not quit the Hague before you see something decided, but I cannot imagine that this can drag on longer than a day or two, or the French will certainly play us some slippery trick, respecting which I am not a little uneasy.

WILLIAM III. TO THE EARL OF PORTLAND.

Loo, Sept. 2. 1697, seven o'clock in the morning.

I am called up to receive your letter of yesterday, two o'clock. What I had foreseen, from letting the term expire, comes to pass. I do not know what to say to you to remedy so great a misfortune. I know very well that we are absolutely in need of peace; but I confess that the manner in which we are going to be compelled to make it, is terrible; and this would not have appeared so much before the expiration of the term, as it does at present. If Strasburg cannot be recovered, the ministers must endeavour, as much as possible, to appease the negotiators of the empire, that they may swallow this bitter pill.

WILLIAM III. TO THE EARL OF PORTLAND.

Loo, Sept. 2. 1697, eight o'clock in the evening.

This afternoon I received your letter of yesterday evening. I confess embarrassed in my life.

that I was never more

What is to be done? I

see that there is nothing so easy as to continue the war, but how we shall now make peace, after the declaration which the ambassadors of France have just made, I really know not. We must not speak of bygone matters, for which there is no remedy. I should be well inclined to make the declaration

which you propose, but, in that case, we must be absolutely resolved to continue the war, since once having taken this step we must not retract; and Heaven knows in what condition we are to continue it. Besides, I could not determine upon this declaration, without first knowing whether the Estates are disposed to it, and whether the gentlemen at Amsterdam would enter into it with good faith, otherwise we should only be deceiving ourselves. Hence, after mature reflection, I have not been able to come to any other determination, than that you should be so good as to make accurate inquiries, and learn the sentiments of the Pensionary, and other persons whom you judge to be capable of giving advice on a resolution so difficult to be taken as this, and to leave the Hague to-morrow evening, so that you may be here on Wednesday, that we may be able to converse together on a matter of such importance, and on which so much depends; I may then determine what to do. I do not see that it can do much harm to make such a declaration on Wednesday or Saturday. I know well that the sooner it is made the better. We might suffer Wednesday to pass over without doing any thing, for it is but reasonable that we should have some days to think over so weighty an affair, and I should wish that, before your departure, you should speak to the ambassadors of the Emperor, and have them spoken to for me, to ascertain whether they would be willing to make such a declaration, in order that, according to their answer, I may be the better able to take my measures.

I

am perfectly satisfied that you should write to Marshal Boufflers, as the Pensionary thinks it necessary, but I know beforehand what answer you will receive from him.

LORD VILLIERS TO THE DUKE OF SHREWSBURY. Hague, September 3. 1697.

My Lord,

I thought I might have sent your Grace word that the business was concluded; but the unreasonableness of the French has put an ill delay to it. The Spaniards, Dutch, and we, were ready last Saturday to sign, if the French would have given a convenient time to the Imperialists to come in; but this they have refused, and gave in a new project last Sunday, with the equivalent for Strasburg, which consist in the restoration of Friburg and Brisach. The step that his Majesty has thought most proper to take on this occasion, is to declare against the equivalent, as well as to shew his dislike to the proceeding of the French, as to let the world know he will not leave his allies, except he is forced to it by their own wilfulness. It is a good deal their fault to have brought things to this pass; and what the King does now, is more for his own reputation than that they deserve it. I am told that there is no danger in making this seeming resistance; for if the French persist in keeping Strasburg, our friends here will have power enough to persuade us to comply; so that I hope there is no greater hazard in the business than the loss of some time.

Sir,

THE EARL OF PORTLAND TO MARSHAL

BOUFFLERS.

Loo, September 5. 1697.

On my return to this place, his Majesty commanded me to go to you, and to speak with you of these affairs. I am delighted with a commission which will give me the honour of seeing you. I hope to be at Brussels on the 9th, when I beg you will let me know where and how I may have the gratification of seeing you. Immediately on my arrival, I shall send you a trumpeter, to inform you of it, that no time may be lost, since I cannot be long absent from this place.

LORD VILLIERS TO THE DUKE OF SHREWSBURY.

My Lord,

Hague, September 6. 1697.

At this great crisis, I cannot forbear troubling your Grace, though I wrote you last post. I find every body here (some out of a desire to the war) very angry at the proceedings of the French, which indeed are far from being reasonable. Every thing seems at a stand. Since my Lord Portland left us, we have had no orders from his Majesty: I hope those we expect will be such as will not let us, in the least, hazard our engaging again in a war, which I am sure has not hitherto been his Majesty's intention; and, as I believe no new resolution of