Accordingly I again sent Sieur de Giey to Brussels to inform the Sieur de Bentinck, that if he thought fit to repair this afternoon to the same place, at the same hour, and in the same manner as before, I would not fail to go thither and have a conference with him. This morning I received a letter from the Sieur de Giey, in consequence of which I shall not fail to go to the village of Brucom at the hour appointed. Sire, MARSHAL BOUFFLERS TO LOUIS XIV. Camp of Sainte-Renelle, July 15. 1697. M. de Bentinck and myself met at Brucom about three o'clock in the afternoon, in the same manner on both sides as the first time. After an interchange of civilities, we alighted from our horses, and M. de Bentinck having asked me whether I had had the honour to give your Majesty an account of our interview, and whether I had received an answer, I replied in the affirmative; and, before proceeding to business, I began by telling the said Sieur de Bentinck all that your Majesty did me the honour to direct by your letter of the 12th, on the subject of the Prince of Orange, as well on his eagerness to merit the return of your Majesty's favour, as on the esteem which your Majesty feels for the Prince of Orange; giving him to understand, as your Majesty has directed me, that the steadfastness displayed by the Prince of Orange in connections hostile to your Majesty's interests, gives you ground to believe that those which the good of Europe now requires your Majesty to contract with him will be equally durable. M. de Bentinck expressed lively joy at these obliging assurances on the part of your Majesty, and told me that he would give a very faithful account of them to the Prince of Orange, who would be greatly rejoiced at them, desiring as he does the esteem and friendship of your Majesty, saying, that he had the commands of the Prince of Orange to tell me that I might assure your Majesty that no person had more esteem, veneration, and respect for your Majesty than the Prince of Orange (these are his own words). He added further, that even if the inclination of the Prince of Orange himself did not lead him to entertain all these feelings towards your Majesty, his own interest would induce him to endeavour to be on good terms with your Majesty. After having declared to M. de Bentinck that I would punctually and gladly execute this commission, and that I could assure him beforehand that it would be very well received by your Majesty; I said, to enter on our subject, that the Prince of Orange might easily judge by the conditions which your Majesty has offered for the restoration of peace, that you prefer the public tranquillity to your own interests, which you have sacrificed, by giving up fortresses at once so numerous and so important as those which your Majesty is ready to abandon to your enemies; but that though they have found in your Majesty a spirit of accommodation which they could not have hoped for, when nought but your interest was concerned, yet when your Majesty's honour was in question you would never suffer the least violation of it; that it was wounded by the proposal which was made to your Majesty to name the King of England in the treaty, and to engage to cause him to quit your Majesty's kingdom; to which I added all the other arguments which your Majesty has done me the honour to point out on this head, to show him how far your Majesty was from consenting to it, though you are nevertheless willing to engage, and to consent in good faith not to assist directly or indirectly the enemies of the Prince of Orange, without any exception; pointing out to him at the same time, that this expression, "without any exception," independently of the good faith and sincerity of your Majesty, leaves no suspicion of a restriction in favour of any person whatsoever, as it comprehends all in general. He told me that the Prince of Orange was very sensible of the repugnance which your Majesty must feel to name the King of England in the treaty, and also to oblige him by the treaty to quit your Majesty's kingdom; and that as it was by no means his wish to ask any thing which might be personally unpleasant to your Majesty, he would willingly consent that the King of England, com monly called King James, should be neither named nor even designated in the treaty; but that since the safety of the Prince of Orange was at stake, he desired that, in concluding the peace, instead of naming King James, terms might be found which should give entire security that your Majesty will not favour directly or indirectly the King of England, nor the cabals, secret intrigues, and rebellions, which may take place in England; and that, to make matters equal on both sides, and not to give occasion to designate King James in any way, the Prince of Orange might be reciprocally obliged to use the same terms as those employed by your Majesty, that is to say, your Majesty, promising and engaging by the treaty not to favour or assist, directly or indirectly, the enemies of the Prince of Orange with any exception or restriction; and likewise not to favour, in any way, the cabals, secret intrigues, factions and rebellions which might occur in England, the Prince of Orange would, in like manner, engage and promise by the treaty not to favour, directly or indirectly, the enemies of your Majesty, without any exception or restriction; and, likewise, not to favour in any way the cabals, secret intrigues, factions, and rebellions, which might occur in your Majesty's kingdom; and as for requiring your Majesty to promise by the treaty to make the King of England quit your kingdom, the Prince of Orange was sensible that the same repugnance which your Majesty had to naming him, would make it yet more painful to you to engage by the treaty to oblige him to quit your kingdom; that, therefore, he did not require it of you at present, and that no mention should be made of it in the treaty, but that the Prince of Orange hoped that, after the treaty was signed and peace concluded, your Majesty, sincerely desiring to render it firm and stable, would intimate to the King of England that he should, of his own accord, resolve to reside elsewhere, to remove all suspicion, and that nothing in the sequel may shake the solidity of the peace which both parties sincerely desire to render durable. So that with regard to this point, of not naming King James in the treaty, and of obliging him at present to quit your Majesty's kingdom, the Prince of Orange entirely desists from it, and desires only that while he is not named, equivalent terms may be found which may give the same securities as if he were named; and which shall assure the Prince that he shall enjoy in England the peace which will be given to all Europe. With respect to the principality of Orange, * ** MARSHAL BOUFFLERS TO MARSHAL VILLEROY. July 16. 1697, 9 o'clock, P. M. On alighting here, M. de Giey came to meet me, and to say that my Lord Portland had commis |