commerce with Holland are treated, it may be inferred that it is by no means their intention to keep the treaty of peace, inasmuch as they declare positively to the Dutch merchants that they shall not have what is granted to them by the said treaty, which is the treaty of the year 1664.

Your Majesty will see by my letter of yesterday that they wanted to impose upon me in the affair of the ceremonial, and but for the very positive answer which I returned I believe that they would have insisted. You may judge of the whole piece by all these samples.

I have this moment been informed that MONSIEUR has spoken to the King about allowing me to pay my respects to him at Marly. This his Majesty has granted; but he did not wish me to go there now, because the fountains are not yet in order owing to the ice, and he wants me to see them in all their splendour. I do not think he will return thither till they are in order, which will probably not be before Easter.

WILLIAM III. TO THE PENSIONARY HEINSIUS. Kensington, March 1-11. 1698.

I

I learn with pleasure, that the affairs in Sweden appear to be taking a more favourable turn. should like if it were possible to renew the treaties of alliance with that crown; but, especially, as you rightly judge, it would be necessary to comprise in them the guarantee of the treaty of Ryswick.

Since Mr. van Heekerem* protracts his stay in Sweden so long, it appears to me that, seeing the state of affairs is changing for the better, he should profit by it, to complete as much as possible the matter concerning the alliance, for, it might happen, that in the sequel, we might not have so favourable an opportunity, and the party of France might easily regain the upper hand. The project of a treaty to be concluded with Denmark, which you have transmitted to me, pleases me much, but I can scarcely imagine that it will succeed.

From the conversation which you have had with Bonrepos, I perceive that matters still go on in the old way. I confess, that if the Republic were forced to abandon the tariff, contrary to the express letter of the treaty, there would be no longer any reliance to be placed on the treaties with France, and that the most deplorable consequences would result for all other affairs. On the other hand, it is now impossible to draw us, on this ground, into a new war, without which, nevertheless, no remedy is to be expected. But it will be the same with every other infraction of the treaties; and where will that end?

WILLIAM III. TO THE EARL OF PORTLAND.

Kensington, March 2.-12. 1698.

I am very glad to learn from your dispatches of the 7th and 8th, which I have received this

* Ambassador of the States-General to the court of Sweden.

morning, that my letters have reached you safely, and that you continue to receive so many marks of attention and civility. For the things, &c. &c.* I do not believe that you have ground for much hope. I shall not speak to Count Tallard concerning the removal of King James till you think it is time to do so, though I do not see that there can be much harm in it. I have nothing to add, with respect to business, to what I stated in my preceding letters. Things remain in statu quo.

I shall see the Duke of Shrewsbury at the beginning of next week, after which I shall be better able to inform you of all our intrigues here. I do not think that I can appoint, or, at any rate, send, an ordinary ambassador to France before your departure, for reasons which I will explain on your return. I think that Prior must be left there till I send one.

This is all that I have to say to you at present, and that it is impossible to be more deeply attached to you than I am, and shall be to my last breath.

As I lately mentioned my health, I must now tell you that it is as good as usual; and, as the fine weather now begins to set in, I shall be able to be more in the open air and take exercise. I have been three weeks together without going down stairs. I cannot conceal from you that I have never been more vexed and melancholy in all my life than I am now.

*Sic in the original.

THE EARL OF PORTLAND TO WILLIAM III.

(No. I.)

Paris, March 13. 1698.

After the second letter which I had the honour of writing to your Majesty on the 8th, I made my entrée on the following day. Mr. Prior will send you an account of the ceremonial, for the use of the ambassadors who may succeed me. *The whole passed without any difficulty or dispute, till I had been conducted to the hotel of the ambassadors. The King had sent the Duke d'Aumont, his first gentleman of the bedchamber, to compliment me. After this, the Duchess of Burgundy sent the Marquis de Villacerf. They then began to make new pretensions, requiring me to go and receive him half way down the steps, as I had done the former nobleman; and I refused to receive him except at the door of the ante-chamber, which is at the top of the stairs. This gave rise to a lengthened dispute, during which he was standing half-way up the steps, and I at the top, while messengers passed backwards and forwards between us. At length I sent him word that I would descend some steps to meet him, and, that if this did not content him, it would be best for each of

*"9 Mars.- Milord Portland fit son entrée à Paris, qui fut magnifique, mais moins cependant qu'on l'avait cru." Dangeau.

The Manuscript Journal is probably a copy of the diary written by Prior. The account of the entrée is omitted: it is of great length, and presents no interest.

us to go our own way without my having the honour of seeing him, for that undoubtedly I should do no more; upon which he came up. On going out I had another difficulty in conducting him back to the carriage I did not see him depart, on which the conductor of ambassadors made. great complaints to me. A moment afterwards the Marquis de Sassenage came, the same dif ferences arose: the conductor of ambassadors behaved impertinently in public, which obliged me to treat him as became a person who has the honour to represent your Majesty; upon which the dispute ended for the time, and I received the latter as I had done the former; but the conductor of ambassadors was confounded and irritated.

After this, the Marquis de la Rongère came from MADAME; but the conductor of ambassadors came to inquire whether I would receive him as he desired. I replied, that I should receive him as I had received the gentleman who came from MONSIEUR. He said, that I ought at least to see him depart after having conducted him down the steps, and that otherwise he would not get out of his carriage. I replied, then he might remain in it, for I should not receive the gentleman whom MADAME sent to me otherwise than I had received the gentleman who came from MONSIEUR; that it was contrary to all that had ever been done, and contrary to the memoranda which my instructions bound me to follow; upon which he retired abruptly, though he was to have staid and supped with me.