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Presented by Dr. T.J. Garrett in memory of

HELEN K. GARRETT (22 October 1946 - 3 July 1970)

Formerly on the staff of Douglas Library

Queen's University Libraries

A N

E N Q U I R Y

INTO THE

REASONS

O F T H E

ConduSioi GreatBritam

With Relation to the

Prefent State of AFFAIRS

1 N

EUROPE.

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L 0 NT> O N

1 A Qr^lr^ Uv T^MFS ROBERTS III ffUT-

Printed, and Sold b^ J ^^^^^/^ v WTL

[Price One Shilling.]

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A N

ENQUIR Y

I NTO THE

REASONS

O 1' THE

Conduct of Great-Biitain, &c

H E whole Face of Aftairs, iri.^?^' rope is within the Space of the lad. Year, fo much altered ; that' it. is almofl: impofRble for the mofi: un- concerned Spectator to prevent his Thoughts from running out i/ito Queflions and Suppofirions about it. Curiofity itfelf, the loweft. Principle of all our Enquiries, will force its \\^ay' into fuch a Scene: And will expe£l, or invent, fomc Account of fo furprizing a C6^//^^ ^ from a Calm hardly paralleled by any paft Tiofpe^^m a fudden Gathering of Clouds ; which, if not Jbon difllpated, mull burll", and dilcharge them- selves fome where or other.

But when Self-Intereft is joined to this na- turil Curiofity; and it becomes a /try^;/^/ an4

A 2 ^*

(4)

National Concern, to know the main Gufes and Springs of fuch Events, as All are inteiefted in ; there Teems then to be a Right, ftri6ly fo cal- ledj to demand and receive all the Saasfadion the Nature of fuch Affairs can permit to be gi- ven. In a free Nation efpecially, whejeno Rc- folutions can be effedual without the Confent and Support of the Community, every Man, who can think .at all, will think it an injurious Treat- ment, ii^ at a proper Time, and in i proper Manner, fom^ Light be not held forth to him ; and feme fatisfaciory Solution given of fuch Appearances, as muft otherwifc very much perplex and difturb him. And one'Thing Go^ pernors themfelves are fure to find, That un- lefs they fhew fuch a Regard to Thofe who )uft- ly think they have a Claim to it, this Evil will come to pafs, that Mankind (always difpofed enough towards Diffatisfaftion^ either through a fort of natural Ill-will to Thofe above them, or through a Wearinefs under the Continuance of the fame Admintftratmi^ or through an af- fe£led "PopuLartty^ or real Tatriotifm^not fuifi- ciently inftru^lied) will take that Side of the Profpeft to dwell upon/ which will afford them mofl Matter for Satyr at Home ; and lay all the Load upon the Conduct of Thofe, in whofe Time of Tower fuch a Crifis of Political Affairs appears in the World.

All this was never more true, than in this Nation, and at this Time. Every Briton who, either by his Treafure or his Blood, by his Vote or his' Interefl, by his Perfon or his Re- pr€fentative,,Jias m Time pafl: bor'n any Part

in

( 5 )

in procurlflg the Common Peace, and eilablifhing the fcveral Intercfts, of Eitrofe : Every fuch Member of the Britifh Nation, who, by this Time flattered himfclf with Hopes of enjoying the Kefult of all our Toil^ and Taxes, and Blood, in an Univ^crfal Peace, and an extended

undifturbed Commerce, has a Right to ask,

How comes this Face of Things to be again over- clouded ? AWEurope once more in Agitation

Three Fleets from Britain fitted out at a great Expcncc, and with the utmoft Expedition fcnt

to feveral Parts of the World : And, w-hat is

moll unaccountable, the Emperor and Spahty Powers that could hardly be kept within the Bounds of Common Decency, towards one ano- ther, by all the Addrefs of two powerful Medi- diators in a publick Treaty, abandoning that Mediation ; and, in the Middle of it, privately running into one another's Arms, and uniting, in Dcfigns deftru£live to the Commerce and Rights of other Nations, with all the Marks of Cordial AfFeulion and a Refolute Friend- £hip.

Is notThis, the/w«^ of Spain of thatCoun-

try, which has always felt the Want of the Friendfhip of Britain^ more than of That of all other Nations befides ; to fuch a Degree, that it has palTed into a Troverb throughout the King- dom, 'Baz con Inglaterra^ con todos otros la Gtierra : Teace ^juith England, and War '■ji^ith

all the JVorld befides ? of that Conn try,

which reaps more Advantage from the Trade with' England^ than from That of all its other

Neighbours put together? And, Is not this the

fame

(6)

fame King, wliofe Engagements to the hiterefis and TojjeJJlQns of Br ham in his Countiy. are as folemn and ftrong, as the moft exprcfs Treaties

can make them ? The fame, who jiiil: before

the Opening the Congrefs at Cambray^ owned and ratified them all, by acceding in Form to the Quadruple Alt'iance ; and accepting, byThat, the Mediation of Britain and France ?

And above all, if we turn our Eyes to the Emperor y Is notThis the Trince^ whom we once bore upon onr Shoulders, out of the Reach of all his Enemies, and fupported by otir Strength in the Time of his own greateft Weaknels ? — - Tiie Trince^ whom our Zeal, and our Fleets, and our Trcafure, laboured to fix upon the Throne of Spain^ at a Time when Di^culties and Dangers furrounded the whole Imperial

Houfe at l^ienna ? And now, Veiled, as wc

always wiflied Him to be, with the High and AuguH Dignity He enjoys; Is not this the Em- feror, who may- juilly be faid to owe the Pre- fervation even ot all his Hereditary Countries, and of his Imperial Crown irfelf, (if we may have liberty to fay fo,) to that hazardous and unequalled March of the Confederate Army in- to Germany^ and to the happy ConLquences of it? To that Vi6iory^ in which the Britijhy *iDutchy Hanoverian^ ^rujjlan^ arid Heffian^ Troops bore fo great a Part ; aiid, in a particu- lar Manner, to that BritijJj Genera!, who pro- jected and conduced the tVhoIe? And the

fame Emperor^ who, as He was throughout tha \d.^ War the chief Obje6l of the Love and good .Willies of this Nation, fo, at the End of it, was

efta-

(7)

cllabliflied in the Pofleflion of Flanders ; and owes OJiend itlelf to thofe vidorious Arms, which had before fuppoited his Perfon, and pre- ferved the Empire for him ? And all this long Scene of Service and Toil, entered into and profecuted by us, We muft own, againft the re- peated Remonftrances of many^ that We were haifening apace to make H m a Power too great and too formidable ; and that we fbould find in Him at laft, the Enemy we then dreaded only in another ?

It is natural to every Briton to look back, and to ask thefe and the like Qaeftions. And the next Thought which fucceeds^ is almoft as natural ; That it is hardly to be fuppofed^ that thefe Powers fhould take fuch Steps without fomething to juftify them. We can hardly ima- gine it poflible, That, without fome real and high Provocation^ the Emperor could throw any the leaft Indignity upon the Crown of Great Bri^ tain\ or ad any injurious or even hard Part towards a Nation which had facrificed fo much Treafub'e and fo much Blood to his Service. And therefore, we are apt enough to conclude, (and have Reaibn to do fo, till we find it otherwife) That fome great Miimanagement on the Part of Britain ; lomc unjuftifiable Partiality towards Others ; fome Breach of Faith ; fome Outrage or other in Politicks, has been committed againft his ImferialMajefiy: Or^ that fome unpardoaable Behaviour on our Part, with Regard to his jufl: Interefts, muft have been the Occafion of a Con- duft that fo far exceeds the Common Maxims

of

C8)

of Tr'mces and States toward^ one ano- ther.

And indeed^ I fliall be very free to owHj If this be the Cafe ; if either lolemn Treaties^ or any Engagements, with the Cottrt oiViennay have been broke through ; if either Affronts, or, even Neglefts inconfiftent with the Duty of a faithful Ally^ have been Part of the ConduflR: of the prefent Court of Great-Britain towards his Imperial Majefiy \ former Appearances ought not to be fpoken of; all paft Obligations ought to be as nothing in the preient Account ; the Emperor has a R^ht to guard and ftrengthen tiimfeif by Treaties contrary^ to his former Trea- ties, and to a6: the Part He judges befl for his own Honour and Security: And wc of this Nation have no Right to tax Hhn^ either with Ingratitude unprovoked, or with Breach of Faith without the Appearance of a Juftification ; but ought to turn all our Zeal againlt Thofe, whofe Counfels, and whofc Behaviour^ upon this Sup- pofition, have made fuch a Condutl on his Part, wife, juft, and neceflary. And th^ fame muft be acknowledged with Regard to Spain alfo ; if any fuch Excuje can juftiy be alledged, on that Side.

We will now, therefore, enquire What has been the Behaviour of the King and Nation of Great Britain^ fince hjs prefent Majefty came to the Throne, towards the Emperour particu' larly: and, as we pafs, towards cS)^^/;/ alfo. AncJ. i will put the Account of this into two Teriods. The Jirji fhall be, from his Majefty's Acccdion to the Crown, to the Opening the Congrefs at Cambray : The Second^ frorn the Opening of

that

( 9 )

tiiat Qongrefs to the Signing of the Treaty of Peace at Vienna between the E-rnperor^n^ Spain,

At the Time ,\ hen his Majefty came to the Tlirone of Great Britain^ feveral Points of great Importaniie remained to be adjufted, before the Teacc of Europe could bs eiteem'd as a Thing flx'd upon any lalfing and folid'Founda- tion ; in particular, fome Things very unealy to x\\Q Emperor^ and others very much dcfircd by S^ain. In confidei-ationof this^- his Majefty, after otiier previous Treaties and Conventions, enterM directly upon thefe neceffary Points, which were fix^d in the Treaty of London^ J'^^b 11, 1718. entirely to the Emperor's Satisfaction: who was himfelf a 'Party in chat Treaty^ and confirmed with his own Hand what his Minif- ters had before fign'd in his Name. His It a* lian DominionSj always dear to him^ He juftly thought not very fecure, without the PofTeflion of Sicily ; upon which the Preiervation of Na- fles very much depends. Tliis great and im- portant Point, the King of Great Britain fix'd, as a main Article of this Treaty : and engaged, in Concert with France ^ that, Sardinia being deliver'd up to the Empcro) by Spain ^ the King of Sicily fhould accept of that Tiland m lieu of Sicily^ which He Jliould yield to the Emperor,

On the Part of Spain ^ a Favourite Point was likcwife fettled. Don Carlos ^ Son to the pre- fent ^ieeuj was eftabliiliM in. the SacceiHon of Tnfcanyj Par?na^ and Placentia : And This con- lented to, by the Emperor^ who alone was ca- pable of difturbing it ; and efFe6lually guaran- teed by the Pozi^-ers of Britain and France. I

B will

(10)

will at prefent name no other Particulars, but thcfe two principal ones. Some other Points, Circumflances, and Incidents, in order to perfedl the Peace between the Emferor and Sfaiiij re- mained to be fettle(} in a Congrefs, under the Mediation of Britain and France : And this Mediation made a. Part and an exprefs Article of this Treaty of LondoUj to which the Empe- ror long ago, and Sfain afterwards, fet their Hands, and gave their folemn Confent. The former of the two Articles now mentioned, viz. That relating to Sicily^ did not long fubfill in Words only ; but was foon aQ:ually put in Exe- cution ; and the Emperor put in PclTeflion of that Kingdom.

Hitherto, Nothing but Friendflnf appears: And perhaps, Friendlliip to Excefs. What the Emperor exceedingly defired, is granted to Him: And nothing granted to Others^ but what the Emperor himfelf had previoufly con- fented to, as a reafonable and fitting Equi- valent, Neitlier had the King of Spain any Reafon to complain, when the Succeflion of ^on Carlos in Italy was put in fo fure a Way of taking place at the Time appointed- So far indeed, was He from it ; That, before the Open- ing of the Congrefs^ He himfelf acceded to the Treaty of London^ and confented to all the Allotments made in it.

The Congrefs was at length open'd at Cambray^ Jan. 26. N. S. 172 5-4. in order to fettle ail re- maining Uncertainties, under the Care of the two mediating Powers, Britain and France, This will be a Second Teriod ; from this Opeiiing at

Cam-

( I' )

Cambrayj to the Opening of another Scene at Vienna And throu^i the whole Management of this Congrefsy the Part the Mediators a6lcd, was fo imparcial, fo equitable, fo agreeable to the Treaty of London^ which was the Bafis of this Congrefs ; that the mofl: folemn Ap- peal may be made to Both the contefttng T^owers^ Whether any one Step was taken, which could give any the leaft juii: Ground of Complaint. No Appeal is, indeed^ negelTary. The Imperial Court would loud-y have complain'd of any Condu£i: ; if there had been any towards that Court which could have deferv'd it. But there never was any Complaint oF that Sort from thence: Nor indeed could there have betn any made, widiout difcovering at the fame Time that there was nothing to complain of, but the too great Equity and Juftice obfcrv'd by the Me- diators between the two contending Powers ; and their refolutc Adherence to all Treaties \ and particularly to that of London.^ to "which this Court itfelf had confented. Nor did Spain make the leaft Complaint againft the Behaviour of the mediating Toiz'ers^ through the whole Progrefs of the Mediation ; but what arole from the con- ftant Juftice of the Mediators, in keeping with- in the Bounds of their Duty and Honour, and their not giving into any new and exorbitant Demands of that Court.

Thus, therefore, ftands the Cafe. Whilft a Mediation was happily going on, under the Sanftion of a folemn Treaty, appointing this Mediation ; and this Appointment fign'd, and cenlented to, by thefe contending Cro\Vns j with-

B i out

(12)

out any apparent DifTatisfaQIon, or even the leaft Pretence for it, a private Treaty is cnter'd into, carried on, and finilli'd 2xVienna-^ in plain Contradiction to that Ankle relating to the Me- diaticn^ by which They had folemnly obliged themfelves to fettle the Points in Difference, under the Eye and Influence of Great Britain and France: And the whole conduced with the higheft Difrefpeft to the mediating Powers, and without the leaft feeming Defire of keeping tht common Meafuresof Decency with them. Con- fidering, therefore, only the Manner and Cir- cumftances attending this TranfaCtion between the Emperor and Spain^ 2.t Vienna-^ as it was a Violation of an exprefs Article of a former Treaty fign'd by Themfelves, and an high and unprovoked Indignity offered to the Mediators ; thefe were alone enough to ju^ify the Mediators^ in anypublick Ad of due Refentmentof fuch Ufage. Bur fo far were They from fbewing any fuch Refentment ; fo far from making this open Af- front, the Occafion of an open Rupture ; that, when the Signing of this Treaty ouas firft, in Form, notified to the two Courts of Britain and France ; and . it was declared to be no other than a "Defenjive one, N^ith Regard only to the mutual Satisfadicn of the Emperor and Spain 3 and not contradictory, but perfectly agreeable, to the Treaty o^ London : So far were They from improving fuch Ufage into a pubhck Quarrel, that both at Home, and by their Mini- fters every where Abroad, They exprefs'd a great Pleafure that the Two To'-Ji'ers^ whom the Me- diators at Qambray could not bring even to

Tcrm^

( 13 )

Terms of common Civility towards one ano- ther, had found the happy Means, without the Ceremony and Aflillance of any Mediator^ to get over Diiliculties that had been declared al- moft infuperable ; and to link themfelves ia the Bands of Friendfhip, upon Terras, not incon- fiftent (as it was affirm'd) with the Repo/e of Europe. This was the great End of the Con- grefsitfelf: And, if this End were anfwer'd ; the' Mediating Powers were not follicitous about the Means ufed in compading it ; but could pals over the great Difregard fliewn towards Tlicm- lelves, in Confideration of the folid and com- mon Good obtained by this Agreement.

But in how decent a Manner foever, the Courts of Britain and France treated this Af- fair : Thofe of the Emperor and Spain {aw very well thatfuch a Step could not but be veryfhock- ing to the Mediators-^ and ilood in need of the beit Apology They could make. And very luckily (as They or their Agents thought) foV Themfelves, the Behaviour of the Court of France J in (ending back the Infanta to Spain -^ joined v/ithh's Br itannick Majefty^s not accept- ing the file 3[ediation at Cambray ; furnillied them with One as good as They could have willi'd. And therefore, the Imperial Minifters SitCdmbray, at London., and at Taris^ were very ready at firll to put it all upon this ; and to declare that, the Reafon of this extraordinary Step was, that the Court of France having affronted his Catholick Majefty in fo high and fo unpardonable a Man- ner, that Spain c®uld not m Honour any longer a£l: with the Moft Chriftian King., as a Media- tor y

( 14 )

tor ; and the King o^ Great Britain having de- clined to a£l as file Mediator, when it was pro- pos'd to. him to do lb by the Croiz-n of Sfain : This br-ke ofF all Hopts of any EfFed from the Cong -; i at Camtray ; and left his Catholick Ma- jejiy notaiag to do, &ut to fly to Vienna ; and, out Oi' a due Refentment of fo great an Injury, and the Neceffity of his Affairs, to throw him- felf entirely upon the Honour and Equity of that Court : And, more particularly^ that his hnperial Majefiyy upon Ripperda^ firft Applications, fhewed a g eat Unwillingnefs to move the A^^- gociations out of their Courfe at Cambray ; but at laft prevailed upon himfef, out of Love to the Tublick Tranquillity^ to confent to the car- rying them on at Viemtaj after he found it more and more plain, that the Refentment of Spain againfl: France^ and hi^ Eritannic-k Ma- jefly's Refufal of the Sole Mediation^ made it impoffible to proceed at Cambray.

Such was the Language of the Imperialifis^ upon the firft Notification of the Vienna Treaty^ when they thought it needful to make an Apo- logy for it. And tho^ it cannot be affirmed that the Court of Spain did itfelf exprefly of- fer this, as the firft moving Reafon of that Piece of Condud ; yet (according to the beft Accounts from Spain) upon the firft publick News of the Vienna Treaty at Madrid^ the Difcourfcs of many were taught to run that Way, and to dwell upon that fame popular To- pick. And withgut Doubt it was tliought a very cunning Part, thus to attribute fuch a Condu(El

tQ

( ly )

to fudden Rage and Paflion; that this might affbrd ibme Colour for a Treaty m Appearance fo detrimental to Spain j and a little palliate the lo'-jv Terms accepted by that Crown ; and by this means, as they flattered themfelves, remove all Sufpicion of any pernicious and unjuftifiable Se- cret b( hind the Curtain, till the due Time came for revealing it.

But as Fa^is and T>ates are ftubborn Things, nor to be fhaken by the Sound of Words and plau- fible Speeches; this itfelf proved themoft unluc- ky Praence poflible : and only opened a Door to the bcit-grounded Surpicions,that fomcthing very bad, too bad to be owned, was at the Bottom of I'uch a Behaviour.

Tlie Courts oi Great Britian and France were not io idle Speelators of the Affairs of Europe ^ but that they had long before this the moft evi- dent Proofs in their PolTeflion, that this Account of that Tranladion was impoflible to be true. I'he Refol -ition of the Cotirt of France ^ rela- ting ro the Infanta J did not come (no, not in Sutpicion) to Madrid, till March 8. N. iS*. 1724-5-. Ripperday who conducted the new Treaty^ had been fent to Vienna above three Months before that : and even his full Towers for making this clandeftine Treaty were fign^d N^ov. 22. 1724. And ibon after the Treaty of Teace was fign'd in Form at Vienna^ the publick Language at the Coui-t oi Madrid^ was, That they had looked upon the ?*^^r^ with the Emferor^ as a Thing fure ever fince the preceding Marchi<^,on which Day a Cou- rier was known to come from Vienna to Madrid^

with

( i6 )

with the News of all ^t pr'tnc'tpal Articles being adjufted, /. e. tiz'enty one '\Days only,, from the Day of the firfb News at Madrid^ of the King of France^ Refolution of annulling his Mar- riage with the Infanta,

This is fo evident a kind of Demonftration, that Perfbns of the loweft Underftanding cannot but conclude from it, how abfurd it is, to make this Refolution of the Court of France^ the firfl: Step towards an Excufe for what was refolved on, and fet on foot, with full Powers (igned for the Purpofe, above three Months before it. For who is there, that cannot immediately fee. That a Proceeding au- thorized, November xz. could not be owing to an Affront which was not heard of, till March 8. following ? And that a Treaty thoroughly adjufted, in its main Articles, at Vienna J fo early in March ^ as to be known at Madrid the Tizenty nijith of that Month, could not be fo much as facilitated, or mo- delled by what was not known at Madrid till the Eighth of the fame March : And which therefore, could not in fo few Days be fent to Vienna^ to operate there ; and the News of that Operation be returned to Madrid ?

Butjif polTlble, itwas ftili more unaccountable to draw an Excufe from his Britannick Majefys not taking upon himfelf the file Mediation at Cambray : which it was well known he could not have done without an open Affront to France; and a manifeft Violation of the ^ladruple Al- liance ; befides other Inconveniences. For it was

not

07 )

not till March (),\'J^^.t\{2it the Court o^ Spain mo- ved this. The Motion was then to be tranf-

mitted to London ; and the Anfwer to it, to be • lent back to Madi^id. This Anlwer did not arrive till about^r// 24. following: and therefore, I need not fay, could not have the leaft Part in a Trea- ty fet on Foot above four Months before, and Jign^d in Form Ap^il}> o.i 7 2 5*. at Vienna^ i. e. about a Week after his Ma jelly's declining the file Ale- diation was known at Madrid-^ and \f hen it was impollible to be known at Vien?ia. Thcfe, there- fore, were Pretences entirely foreign from the true Reafons of that Conduct. The Treaty of Vienna was authoritatively begun, and going for- ward, long before the ^Provocation from France could poflibly palliate that clandeftine and dis- honourable Proceeding. And it muH: have been brought to perfed Maturity, before the Motion was fo much as made to his Majcfty to take on him the fole Mediation ; becaufe it was even fign'd in Form before the Intelligence of the King's Refolution againft the file Media- tion could, with any Certainty j, arrive at Vien- na. And from fuch an Apology at the flr^l: Ap- pearance of the ne^j!j Alliance^ the Courts of Britain and France had a Right to be jealous; and to fufpe£l fome Secrets of a very pernicious Nature if ill behind.

But we have not yet done with this firil Scene. It is proper to obferve, that during this whole Proceeding, and for the Space of above three Months after the News of fending back the Infanta was come from France to Madrid^ the ExprefTiOQs of Frte^idjhip towards the Britijh

C Courts,

«c

ii

( i8 )

Courty ran as high as poiTible at tlie Court of fpam^ liz, to this Purpole : " That his Catho-

iick li'iajefty ''Jias rejolv'd to Jep urate him- " J^y fi^' ^"^^^ from France, and place his en^ *' tire Frknd^jtp and Confidence fokly in the

King i/Great Britain; That to this End he

ttpw defired to enter into the moft jlrici Engage^ ^^ ments fsr the rendering that Friendjhip per-

" fetual. That it iz'as hoped ^ his Maiefty

*' iz'ould fuffer the Negotiations at Cambray to g9 " on under his Mediation only:, into whose " Hands he was desikous to put all his *• Interests, ^cP whilft all this Time Rip- perdti was ading with full Toilers at Vienna^, in contradidion not only to this Mediation^ and die Meafures by which it mufl have been con- duced, iiad his Majeily accepted it ; but, as we iliaU foon fee, to all iubfifting Engagements, and m Violation of the Lu'vl's of Friendfhip and Amity between Nations. Nay, whenever that Negotiation of Ripperda's at Vienna happened toh^ toiichM upon, as a Piece of common Talk only, the Language of the Court of Spain was^ ^ That, he ''xas an enter prifing Man^ and loved '^ to make a Noife in the fVorld:'' infmuating by this, that That Court had no Part in what Ripper da was doing at Vienna,

When his Majefiy\ Reafons for not taking upon himfelf t\\Qfole Mediation were reprefcnt- ed at Madrid^ the Force of them was acknow- ledged by that Court : and at the fame Time a great Willingnefs was exprelfed to accept even of a Reparation from France,/^r the Indignity of- fcr'*dto Spain, fo it might come thro' the Hands of

the

( 19)

the King of Great Britain, and the Tleafnrethat Court iz:onld have J upon fuch a Reparation, ** in " the TrofecHt'iGH of the Negotiations at Cam- " bray in the manner, in wf. ich they " were begun; His Majcfty ^f/V/^ ^ ccmmcn " Friend to both Varties^ and One cf iz'ho/e *' Affc^ion Spain had fo often^ and particularly *' upon this lall Occafion, received the moft ef- " fenrial Proofs." I liardly need to obfervc, that at this very Time Things were lb ripe at Vienna^ that the Treaty of Peace was fign^d ifl Form, Jlpril 3 o. about feven or eight Days after this Language of Friendship at the Court of Madrid ; and after thefe earneft Defires expref- fcd, of the Continuation of the Negotiations at Cambray in theMannner in '■jihich they iji'ere begun. But this Way of Speaking did not ceafe yet : For after May-LX, on which Day a Courier ar- rived at Madrid^ with tlie News that the Trea- ty of Peace between the Emperor and Spain^ was fign'd on April 30. After this publick In- telligence of a Treaty fignM at Vienna^ the Lan< guage of the Court of Spain was full of F.x- citfes for not having ccmnmnicated i he Steps of this Negotiation at Vienna to his Bri^annick Majerty; and full of the ufual ProteiFions of " a particular Regard for his Friend{hip , " a7id a fincere ^ef re of cultivating the ftricl- " eji Union v:ith him ; together with ail AlTu- ^' ranees, " That nothing had been Jfipulated in " thisTreaty, in a?iy vjifc prejudicial to the King, *' or to the Inter efts of his Subjects j or in the " leaji contrary to any of the Engagements en- '^ ter'^d into 'ixjith him :, either feparately or joint-

C 2 ^ "•' ly

( 20 )

" ly iztth France; and Expreffions of a deep " Senfi of tide great Obligation that Court had " to his Majefty for the Proofs he had fo often '' given of his Friendfhip and Regard for the " Li terejt of S^a'm ', alvvays accompanied with *' the Hope^ that iz-hat had happened ivould in *' no iL'ife leffen his Ma jelly V Friendfhipj which " this Court entirely depended ttponj and de fired *•' to cultivate by all the IVays poffible,^'*

There were indeed Tokens and Symptoms of Evil continually, during this whole Scene of Civi- lity^ fliewing themfelves ; fully fufEcient to guard againlf all I'ruft in any fuch Profeihons, either of the Court of Madrid^ or that of Vienna : and thefe, fucceeded by worfe 2ind. wor/e Ap.- pea ranees ; and at laft, by fuch certain Proofs as can leave no doubt of a Secret Treaty of the molf dangerous Confequence between the two new Allies, And I will now mention fome, in the Order of their Time.

I. On May i. O. S, ^T^S- the Emperor'* s Mi- nifter at London notified in Form to the Cotirt o^ Great Britain^the Signing of a Treaty oiT^eace at Vienna between his Mafier and the Kiiig of Spain: and communicated a Copy of thsit Treaty at the fame Time. After AfTurances that this Treaty was made upon the Foot of the ^lad- Triple Alliance^ with ftrift Regard to ai" former Engagements, and the like; He exprefled his Imperial Majefty's Hope, that his Britannick Majefiy would accede to this Treaty ; and by virtue of that Acceffion be Guarantee to the Succeffwn to the Territories of the Emperor^ as i^ttkd'in his FamJly by a late Conftitution : and

be-

( 21 )

before he concluded, laid, " That, after the figning " of the Vienna Treaty ^Ripper da acquainted the " Emperor that there remained Hill fonie Things " to regulate between the Kin^ his Mailer, and " the King of Great Britain ; and that the King of " Spain requeued tht£';;^/rr^y to make ufe of his " Mediation^ for the lettlirg thtm : Tl at the ** Emperor had anfwer'd, that if thefe AlTairs " had any Relation to the Treaty of London *' or arofe in confequence of that Treaty ; and " vi it fhould prove agreeable to his Britan- " tiickMaiefyj he would employ his Mediation ; " but otherwife, He would not concern himfelf " with them."

To all this it was anfwer'd, " That, as for " the Signing of the Treaty at Vietina^ it was " no News here; his Majefty having already " by a Courier received Advice of it : That, " with Regard to the Guaranty mentioned, '' his Majejty could not confcnt to burthen him- " felf with new Obligations, by being Guaran- '' tee of the SiicceJJion lately eliablillied by the " Emperor ) but w^as relblved to leave his '' Hands at Liberty, in order to have it in his " Power to regard, and alTill:, his true Friends '' upon all Occafions that may arife ; and that, *^ as for what he had related as reprefented by '' Ripperda to his Imperial Majefty^ this Court " knew of nothing Britain had to fettle with " Spain^ but lome Points of Ccmmercej for ^ which there could be no need of a Mediator P

And certainly, no one can think but that it was wifely and happily judged, to refufe a ^riaranty^ which might have beeji attended < with

( 22 )

with fb fatal ConfequeriCes- For, as the Em^ £eror's Children are now Females only -^ and the Influence of that Succeffion upon Europe muft depend upon the Marriages of thefc />- P2ales ; and as no one iben knew, to what Tri;^- ces they might be hereafter married : It was wife m his Maje^y not to oblige himfelf to fupport a SucceJJion which might pofhbiy, by fome fu- ture Marriages, become formidable to the reft oi Europe-^ and fatal m the End to Britain it it\l And as it was wife, fo it is already pro- ved to be happy, that fuch an Engagement was refufed : For (as it will by and by appear) the ^ucceJ]iGn IS already in V^o{]^^^ formidable ; the Arcbdutchejfes are A^^iTi'A to the Infants of Spain , and fuch a "Poijuer arifing from this Con- jLinaion, as in all humane Probability may make the reft of Europe tremble.

Nor can the Argument taken from the Em- peror\ Guaranty of the SucceJJion here, in his Alajefty's Family, (which has been fince urged,) be of any Force in this Cafe. For, in the>//' Treaty between his Majejiy and the Emperor, this Trince abfolutely refufed to be Guarantee to our Succelfion ; and never would hear of tt^ 'till by the ^tadriiple All'iance his Maiejly had ®t>tained for Him the great Advantage of the PoffeQion of Sicily. As therefore, his Impe- rial Majefty refus'd the Guaranty of die Suc^ cejjlon here, in his Majejlfs Royal Family, m one Treaty, tho' a Treaty entered into and pro- fecutcd with perfed Amity on both Sides ; and as He would not after-awards come into it, but upon a very fignal and beneficial Acquifition to

liira'

himicif firft " fettled : This cannot be judged a

good Argument for his Alajefyy to accede to a

Treaty enter'd into and iinifh^d, not only

without his Privity ; not only without any

Regard to his Friendfliip, or any one Mark

of Refpetl: towards him ; but in open r>'i{-

refpecl to him^ as Alediator at a Congrefs then

fubfifting; and, under thefe very ditierent Cir-

cumftances, to become a Guarantee of a JV/r-

cejjion^ of the Confcquences of which, to his own

Kingdoms, and the reft of Europe ^ no Judgment

could be made, till the Marriages of the tizo

Archdutchejfes lliould come to be fettled and

known. But, to return to our prefent Subject,

This ^ropofal of the King^s being a Gua- rantee for the ne-w ejiablijh'd Succcilion in Ger- many^ [to which the Emperor could not in Rea- fon expect a Compliance] confider'd alone, gave Ground for a Sufpicion, that fome latent Mat- ter for Quarrel was now treafuring up. K'a<\ this Sufpicion juftly increafed, upon the Oxfcr of the Emperor''s Mediation^ coming at the lame Time with this Treaty itfelf. For this Of- fer fuppofcd differences between Britain and Spain : And as thefe muft be T>ifferences with- out any real Ground, (every material Thing being fettled by Treaties between thofe two Nations, ) this Jook'd like a Defign to blow up a Fire where there was none ; and to prefume an Uneafinefs between Spain and Britain^ which might be improved hereafter into an open Rup- ture.

It is impoffible, as we pafs, not to obferve how very artful the Manner of this frji Pro-

pofition

( 24 )

pofition muft now appear, fince Things have opened more to the Eyes of the World. The Offers we fee, is made for accomodating *T)if' ferences^ without naming^ or hinting at, any particular one. There could be no doubt but that the Offdr was really made with Relation to Gibraltar, The Emperor^s Minifter was not to name this : But feme time after, the Court of Madrid openly avowed, that the Mediation of the Emperor iz-hicb Spain had accepted^ was a Mediation for the Reftitntion of Gibraltar : Nay, and fome time after that, the Emperor himfelf, (as we fhall foon fee) orders his Refident here, to fliew the JVords in which he had obliged him- felf to this Mediation for Gibraltar. Again, this Ojfer is made, merely as arifing from a Dif- courfe of Ripper da! % ; v/ithout the leaft Hint of any Obligation upon the Emperor to make it, or to profecute it. And afterwards, this Offer of Mediation appears, by Order of the Impe- rial Court, as an exprefs Article of a Treaty be- tween Him and Spain, Butj what is ftill more, his Imperial Majelly by his Minifter reprefents his Anfwer to Ripper da to have been, that he would not concern himfelf in any Affair that did notarife in confcquence of the Treaty of Z^W*?;/, not even fo far as to ufe his Mediation : and after- wards (as it will prefently appear) by his Refident here, produces the Article itfelf, by which he had engaqed\im\{^\ix.o ufe his good Offices, that is^ his JSiediation^ for the Reftitution of Gibraltar-^ of that Place> the Poiledion of which was known to be afcertained to the Crown o^ Great Britainby that very Treaty of London.^ confirming theTreaty

of

( 15 )

of 1)tr€cht ; and about which therefore, it was as well known, that there could be no juft Ground for a Difference.

All this fufficiently confirms, in Event, the Juftice of that Sufptcmi of fome Secret Agree- ments between the Emperor and Spain^ which the Offer of this Mediation immediately raifed in the Court of Grif^^ Britain : And this, before the Treaty of Teace now delivered could be read and conlidered. But,

2. When the Treaty itielf was read and exa- mined ; and fuch Friejidflnp was feen to be el- tablifhed between fiich Toisjers^ upon fuch Terms \ the Confideration of this might juftly raife yet Wronger Sufpicions. For thus die Cafe appeared. Notliing was found in this Trea- ty of Peace ^ of Importance, or, fo much as m Appeai'ance, Honourable to Spain : Nothing of the Order of the Golden Fkece^ winch had been fo much infifted on at the Congrefs : Nothing of the Titles to be ufed by thefe Two Towers^ but what might eafily have been fettled there J much more to the Honour of Spain, And, if we come to Points ot much more Importance -, the Neutral Garrifons^ which, by the ^adruple Alliance^ weretobe the great Bulwarks of the SucceiTion of ^on Car lis to Tufcajiy \ and everv Thing the Mediators had proposM for his Security, and that of the Duke of Tarma^ were all loJft to Spain by this Pro- ceeding: \{hi\\k.t\\Q Emperor gains every Thing, and particularly the Guaranty of his own Snc- ceffion by Spain^ which the Imperial AmbaiTa* dors had follicited in vain at the Congrefs.

D To

(^6)

To fee, therefore, Two Towers^ full of {xxch a Rancour againft one another as had refifted the Liiluence of a powerful Mediation ioYfeve- rai Years, now m lb Ihort a Space of Time run- ning ivito ont another's finabraces, with fo much Eagefiicfs and Precipitation:— To ftnd (upon com- paring this ne'oD Treaty v^'nh for mer^TQtQi\{\onSy^ tht Crown of Sfam^ at Qambray^ fo exceeding- ly uneafy with the good Terms it was fure of obtaining by the Congrefs there ; at Vienna, fo

r^^7^//y fuBmitting to much worfe : at Camhray^

n t to be lat stied with the Emperors Faiths even with the Guaranty of Br it am and France together; at Vienna^ entirely depending upon the Faich of the fame Emperor j, without ajiy Guaranty prefent or to come : — What could be collefted from fuch an Appearance^ even upon the fir ft Reading, but that this Treaty oi Teace now communicated at London^ was not the fole Treaty made 2xVienna\ but that there muft be a fecret one ftill behind, too unjuftifiable to be yet revealed ?. And of this move Sujpicions fol- lowed thick upon one another. For,

^. Soon after the Tr^-^i^ of T^eace was figned at Vienna^ which was April ^ o . 1725. Ripper da's Infolendes towards his Majejiy j2Ln(\ even Threat- flings beg^n; and from that Time continued, till it was thr;ught moxQ politick to be move Jilent, Of thefj, the Advices from Vienna were now perpetually full. Such, for Inflance, as thefe that follow, were his common Dilcourfes.

*' If King GtOYgQ fnpports ^Vancty 'W£ kfio'w «. .~i^-(,fy rjieil.hG'W to place the Treteniicr tipcn ^*' ■ tteThrGfif.-'^Alhtxom iJi as a Great MaUybut

" com-

<(

( 27)

^' committed many Blunders : One great one iraTy *^ That he fcnt the Spanilh Fleet to Sicily ytn/fead " of Sending it to England, to dethrone the King ; **^ which might eafdy then have been done : and this *^ once donc^ the fFay had been made plain for *' euery 'Thing elfe.- — i^ifig George hadbefl con- " Jider how to come to Terms wt:h us ; for we '' have it in our Tower to fujl the Preteiid:i's " Inter efts with Efficacy." And io. all hi^ jJif- courfes of this fore, he always took i:: fur grant- edj that che O^r/'of ^/>//;/« w uld iiever'iiiake the leail Hefitation to enter into all the Mca- furesot Sfain.

His Ccnverfations of thispecuh'ar Malignan- cy towards his Britannick Ma jelly, were with- out Number, and without Mealure. And (b far wa:) he from leeming to defire, they might be kept fecrct, that one of his Speeches to his Company was this : / know all that I fay^ is told again, I am very glad of it. I fay what I fay, on Turpofe that it may be told, Xor did he fpeak with much greater Refpcd of his Ma- jefty\ Allies. Particularlyj upon the Mention of the Treaty of Hanover^ between the Kings of Great Britain^ France ^ and Trtiffa, hefaid aloud, Tes^ yes„ IVe (ball teach thefe little Gen- tlemen {'Tetits MeJ/ieurs) to make Treaties. And I will add here that, about this lame Time, a very confiderable Mail in the Court of Vienna^ was not much behind Ripperda himfelf in his Regards towards his Majefty ; when, in a Con^ verfatim, upon a Perfon's exp re/ling his T)oubt about his Britannick Majefifs undertaking to be Guarantee of the Auftrian Succeffion, he

D 2 anfwered

I

( 28)

anfwcrcd with a great deal of Emotion, Then let him look to himfelfi for we are well inform' d they begin to be weary of him in England.

We may well think thefe and many more In- fiilts and Threatnings^ from Perfons of fuch Fi- gure at that Time, fuiBcient to create new Su- JpicionSj as well as to ftrengthen Thofe already created. Such Ufage, and fuch Freedom of Language, could not arife out of nothing-^ but muft be the EffeB of fome Agreements and Re- fohitions^ not yet appearing to the World.

4. Thefe Sufpicions were greatly confirmM by the Accounts from Vienna of Ripper dd^^ Ex- preflions of another fort-, immediately after the figning the Treaty of Teace : Exprejfwns^ \ mean, dropt fometimes, as it were acciden- tally, upon feveral very important Points. He did not fcruple^ in proper Places, and upon proper Occafions, to declare in Converfation, that Spain was engaged to fupport the Ojiend Company ; and when that led the Difcourfe to Gibraltar^ he faid^ fVe know Gibraltar to be impregnable ; but by the Meafures we have now taken here^ we ajfure Our [elves we fly all oblige England to give it up. At the fame Time, he fpake of the Marriage of Don Carlos w'tth the ^/ij/f/? Archdutchefs, ^j «2 Ti^i//^ agreed upon ; ancj added, the Prince of Afturias, for whom this Match was firjl defigned-, is confumptive^ and can'^t live. And furely, fuch Expreffwns muft amount to the flrongefl Sufpicions of a Treaty^ as yet Secret^ of which thefe Three important Foints muft make a Part. This is the leaft

we

( ^9 )

we can fay of faeh Difcourfe, coming from a Principal Agent in this Nevj Alliance y though at this Time only in tlic way of accidental Con- verfation .

5. Thefe Sufpicions grew ftronger, upon the Appearance of the Treaty of Commerce : which, tho" figned at Vienna on the Day after the Treaty of '^Feace^ yet, was nat communicated to the Court o^ Great Britain by the Emperor^ Order* nor any Notification to this Hour, made, of fuch a Treaty, either before or Jince the Sign- ing it. The King's Minifter at Vienna procured a CoJ^y of it, as foon as it was printed there, and tranfmitted it to London, When this came to be read ; and when it appeared in the plaineif Light, that, by the Exprefs Words of it, fuch Altera- tions were made in the Commerce of Europe^ as muft begin in the Ruinc of our Eafi and TVefi'India Trade, and end in that of all the other valuable Branches of our Commerce : What could the Court of Great Britain con- clude from fuch a Treaty :, but that even This, bad as it is, is not all ; that there muft be fome- thing yet unknov/n to put in the Balance^ on the Side of Sfain^ for all thefe unparalleled Ad- vantages given, againft the exprefb Words ot for- mer Treaties^ to the EmJ?eror and his Subjects ; and that They^ who were capable of entring into fuch Articles as thefe, which now appeared, could not hope to fucceed in them, without other Articles^ and another Treaty^ ihll kept \n Darknefs, till the proper Time of producing it fhoLild come?

6. About

( ?^)

6. About the End of July^ or the Beginning

of Augufi^ the D of Wh n arrived at

Vienna. The Court of London was not ignorant of his real Errand : nor of the Sum of Money he received, in his Journey, towards his Expen- ces, from the Pretender's Friends. And tho' he dilguis'd his Defign a Httle, when he firfl appear'd at Vienna \ and pretended to his Ma- jefiy\ Friends there, tjiat his View was only to travel for a few Years, till the Memory of his Extravagancies at home might be a little effac'd, and his private Affairs in better order : yet, he quickly a(Eted another Part m all his Con- verfation and Condu6f. He foon grew intimate with Ri^perda^ with whom he had frequent Conferences, and from whom he was known to receive Money. He was admitted to the G?;/- verfation of the principal Terfons of the Court oF Vienna. And during his whole Stay, both He and Graham^ the Tretender*s Agent at Vi- enna^ had a very particular Intimacy with the Ruffian Minifter at that Court. At firft the Projeft was, that He was to return to England^, and do great Exploits there. But when he him- ielf began not to think England a very fafe Place for one who had laid himfelf fo open ; the Defign of his Return thither was laid afide : and another Plan was then concerted, or fending him to Rome to the Pretender, and from thence to Spain^ And before he parted from Vienna^ his i//^/;i^^^<? and Fellow-Labourer Gr^Z'^;^, had long

Con-

(50

Conferences with a Peifon of great Importance at that Court : as he had afterwards feveral

others. This QonduEi of IVh n at Vienna^

and of fo many confiderable Perfons whilft he was there^ ftill increafcd the Opinion, that the new Alliance could not be fo innocent a Thing as the pibl'ick Treaty of Teace,

7. The fmooth Language at Madrid ^y^ds by this Time gradually abated, and at length quite changed. At the End of June 1 7 2 5 . the Court of Spain openly avowed the Acceptance of the Emperor^s Mediation for the Reftitution of Gi- braltar ; but at the lame Time made the ufual Profeflions of Fricndfhip for the King of Great Britain^ and hoped that this Acceptance of that Mediation^ would not offend him. Nor did this Court make any Scruple frankly now to own that the Affair o^ Gibraltar had been from the Begin- ning a principal Point, concerted between the Em^ peror and Spain, In Confequence of this, about the Aliddle of July following, M. Grimaldo^ by order of his Catholick Majefty, wrote a Let- ter to his Britannick Majefty^ Minifter at Ma- drid j the Conclufion of which was very Pe- remptory : " That the Continuance of the Alli- " ance and Commerce of Great Britain with " Spain^ depended upon his Majefty's reftoring " Gibraltar forthwith." And the Larguage of this Courts from this Time, was of an inful- ting Strain, with Regard eves to the KiJ:g himfeif, who was then at Ha7w%er j and in Words, not very eivilj to this hffcQ:, '* Let hini n^fke

" hafte

( p )

" bafte home J and call his Parliaments andpropofi " the Kt^k'itwtYon immediately y This Alteration in the Language of the Court of Madrid ; this de- iTiandin:^ Gibraltar m fo peremptory a Man- ner^ which Britain pofTeiTes by Treaties fign'd by this King of Spain himfclf, gave another juft Ground of Sufpicion of a Secret Ojfenfive Trea^ ty^ of ar. very pernicious Nature.

8. What confirmM all thefe Sufpicions very much, was, the Reception of Ripperda at Ma- drid ; oF the Man who had been the Maker of the Vienna Treaties^ and who had ufed his Majejly in fo infolent and outragious a Man- ner. For, as before his coming thither, no Satil^ faction was ever given at Madrid^ upon Com- plaint made of thefe Affronts and Threatnings : fo, after it, all Honours ^ TroJitSy and Trtifts^ were heap'd upon him, in a Degree hardly ever known.

And it was but reafonable to conclude from hence, That^ as the Court of Spain had veri- fied one Part of his Publick Difcourfes at Vieft-^ naj by demanding Gibraltar ; fo the aggrandi- zing and honouring him in fo extravagant a Manner, without fo much as the leaft Difa- vowal of his Behaviour, at Vienna^ towards the YJin^^oiGreat Britain:, was a fort of Declaration, \R Etfeft, that his whole Condud, of which this was fo remarkable aPart, was not only not difplea^ fmg 2iX. Madrid ; but pcrfcdly agreeable to the main T>ejign^ aad Tendency of the neiv Alliance^

be-

( 3J )

begun, condudedj and finifli'd by this very Mas at Vienna. And indeed, daring as Kipper da was^'. yet, it is hardly conceivable that he would have dared to have treated his 'Britannick Majefty^ in that infolent Manner : had he not known it to be agreeable to. the ^enor of the New Jl-. liance ; and been well afTured he fhould be fup- ported in ito

. Thefe were all Sufpicions^ or fomething' itronger than Siifpicions^ built upon Appear antes.^ that could have no Interpretation put upon them ^, and could have no Meanings hov Conjiftency m them^ unlefs upon the SuPpofition of avMher. treaty between the Emperor and Spain^ belides: that made publick to the World, Bat we caa ftiil carry this Matter from Siifpicion to Certain- ty; For,

, 9. As there are Times and Seafons, when the- Difcovery of Secrets may be thought to be of fjuch lingular Ufe, as to countervail all the In« conveniencies of doing it : fo it happened in this , Cafe. Ripper da ^ now His Catbolick Majejiys Prime Minifter ^t Madrid^ thought it of the- higheft Importance to ufe all Means to prevent the, Acceiuon of the Stitch to the Treaty oiHano'vero And when he faw that otherMethods failed of this : Effed upon the T)utcb Jmbaffador thOie j he had, recourfe to thofe which he thought would tstri=^ fy the S'ates^ in their, prefent Situation,, from, all Thoughts of doing it. At the Begin&:i g there-- , fpre olFehniary^ 1725-^. with u he utmoii: Seri--, (Dufn^ and Pofitivenels^ he afTured both the SrH'

{ 34 )

tijlo and Hyntch Minifter at that Cour^ iJiat there was a fecret offenfii'e treaty between SpCiin and the Emperor ^ in which They had ob- liged theipfelvss mutually to fupport one another in their feveral Demands : And of this Treaty he told them three particular Articles, I. That the En^peror was to aflift Spain^ in the obtain- ing Gibraltar. 11. That Spaiit was to fupport the Emperor in his new Fjftahlijhmevt of the Offend Compary, III. And the Third was an MTticle^Xo fettk xht^totas o(Mo?iey on one Side, and Soldiers on the other, for the Purpofes of tins fecret Treaty, This was to influence the Tyi^tcb to judge that it would be in vain to en- <kavour to alter cr unlettle that Oftend Trade^ '^j. hich was fo refolvcd upon, and fo guarded,

M, de Kipper da might have added another fecret Engagement, into which the Courts of 'l^^iemui 2'Kt Madrid h2id entered^ ciz, to un- dertake the placing the Pretender on the Throne o^ Great jbri^ain^ and to begin with that En- terprize, before the\ proceedtd to the E-;::ecut:on of the:r further P rejects fur involving all Ettrope in Var and ConfL;/ion. Of this Engagement the Co'-Tt of Great "Britain received fch certain Intel 1 gen ce ^rcm feveral Qiiarters ,• that it is no more to be doubted, than I'befc Particulars of the fecret Oftenfivc Alliance, avowed and declared by M, de E ipperda.

Id, de Kippcrdas profefs'd Difcovery of a fecret Treaty^ was foon faither confirmed by

what

( 55 )

what followed. An Account of this frank and open Difcovery was immediately fent to the Court of Great "Britain, And, at the opening of the laft Seflion of Tarliament^ A Koble Perfon in an high Station, agreeably to that Regard he owed to his Country, and to the Sa- tisfaction due to that Align ft Jffemhiy^ of which He was a Member, publickly declared it, in the HoufeofZ.^;Y/j-, as an undoubted Truth, and what Hipper da had own'd, That there was a fecret Off en five Alhance between tlie' Bumper or and 'Spairij which contained Articles in it dedrudive of the Rights of 'Britain^ both with Regard to its Toffejfwns and its Coynmerce abroad. This pofitive and undif^uifed Declaration in Tarlia- ment^ made a great Noife without Doors. And, upon the Signilication of this, to the Court of Vienna^ The Imperial Kefident here was or- dered to give Satisfadion to the !BritiJJ:) Court, upon this Subject. Accordingly, he came to feme of His Majefty's Minifters, and read out of a Paper the Words which he faid were the Contents of the Article which His Mafter had fnter'd into, relating to Gibraltar : The which implied, that his Mafter had engaged to ufe His good Ofrices for the Relfitut^n of Gibraltar, And this was ordered to be produced, as a full and fatisfactory Prco^ that there was no fuch Thing as a fecret Of- fenfiz'e Alliance between the two Kfw Allies^, One would think indeed, that no fnch Iiffe'cv could pollibly have been intqnded by this Pro-

E 2 ceedin2

( 5^ )

(feeding, or expected from it. For, as iipon ■ tliis Occafion, it might have been naturally and jaftly expeded, as a Thing abfolutely necelTary -to the Vindication of the Court of Vienna^ that the Imperial liefidmt here, fliould have been order d to have ilievvn likewife what fol- lowed immediately this Article ^ and indeed the Treaty it feif,- of which it was a part : And as neither of thefe was ordered or fuffered to be donej the Whole of this taken together, will prove the Truth of that very Imputation, which the Court of Vienna defigned by this Step to vindicate itfelf from^ a^ from fomething unjufti- liable ahd difhonourable.

If from Vienna^ we go back once again to Madrid^ we fhall find ftill more E<vidences of a fecret I'reaty, For juft about the fame time that Ripper da fpake fo openly to the two ■Jmha([adors^ the King of Spain himfelf wrote a Letter to the States General for the fame turpofe of keeping them from acceeding to the Treaty of Hamper : which was read in the Jf- femhly of the States of Holland^ Feb, 8. N. S. i7'2 5"6o In /fcHe acquaints Them, That "He -;' ftands obliged to alTift his Imperial Majefty, in " cafe of a War, orlnfult — which He will per- ^^ form — making it a common Caufe — hold- " itigifor Enemies Thofe who fhall be Enemies " o^-hh Imperial Majefty \ All which, as de- nounced 'to the States,' who had no uneafinefs •with the Emperor^ but on account of the Oft end Cowpam^ mu(t regard only That j and can have . ^ - ^ ■ ' " no

^k*%rf«-'-:

( 57 )

no Meaning but this, that, if the l^titch fhould a(^3 merely in their own Defence, and in fup- port of their own Rights, againft that Company ; His CathoUck Majefty had entered into an En- gagement to affift the Emperor^ and fupport the Oft end Company by Force, if needful : as it was ■explained by that King's Mimjier himfelf at the Hague y in a Declaration -nade by Him, " That ^^ His Catholick Majefty would look upon what- '^ ev^er fhould be undertaken againft the OJiend " Company^ as done againft himfelf". This is an open owning of a Treaty, befides That already ^uhlkki and of an Engagement in it to fupport the OJiend Company by Force.

To proceed ; When about two Months after the firft Declaration made by Ripper da^ it was reprefented at Madrid how much the Court of Great Britain was furprized at this open Dif- covery, made to the 1 'wo Amhaffadors^ of a fecret Offeiifice treaty. No other Reply could be obtained, but, in general AVords, That the Court of Spain ftill deftred the Friendfhip of Great Britain ; and that the Engagements en- ter'd into at Vienna^ would not hinder this. Nor could any thing that was urged, mov^e that Courts either to own this fecret Treaty -, or at all to denv it. Very foon after this, the two Jmbajfa- dors thought it proper to have a Conference with Ripperda -, in which He began a little to fliuffle, and to interpret away what He had faid of an Of- fenfiz'e^reaty^ by endeavouring to perfuadeThem, That it was little more than a "Defen/ke One. : ' ■ ■ But

( 38 )

But being prefs'd by Botb^ who agreed in what He had before told them ; and required peremp- torily to anfwer, whether he had not declared to Them exprefly that there was a fecret Offen- iive Alliance between the Emperor and Spain^ He anfwered. That he bad told them fo ; and fidded, that all he had told them was true. And how indeed could he polTibly deny it, fince there was not a Foreigner of any Diftin- 6:ion at Madrid^ who had not heard him, without Referve, declare the fame about this fecret Offenfit'e Alliance ? And whom can we believe in fuch a Cafcj if not a Prime Minifter fo often affirming a matter of Fad to fo many^ whilft neither the King his Majier^ nor any of His other Mi 7iifters ^t that time denied itj or at all look'd as if they had any Thoughts then of denying it ?

And once more, when an Application was made nt Madr/dy from the Sritijh Court, with Rela^ tion particularly to the Part which Spain appeared now to take in the Affair of the Oft end Trade; at firft nothing was avowed, but an Obligation to ufe Good Offices for accom-modating that Affair. But, when a ^Pr^/'f?/}?/ was offer'd, which the Court of Spain acknowledg'd to be a very r e afon able one -^ and when upon this it was urg'd. That, (ince This Pro}X)fal was thought a reafona- hie One j if the Imperial Court fliould refufe to liften to it ^ This would be a jufl Reafon why Spain f}-iOuld not fupport the Emperor any far-^. thcr ii\ whit ^pain it felf judg'd to be un-

regfop-r

,n>

/ ...„

( 5J> )

reafonable ; It was anfwered ^"^ This could •^ not be allowed ; For Spain muft ftand by its ^' EiTgagemeuts with the Emperor". This was a plain Acknowledgment of larther EngagemmitSy and of another Sort, than thofe of a Frmidly Accommodation-, and, by juft Confequence^ of a fecret Off en five T^reaty, For iTich Engagf*ments muft be enter'd into by T^reaty ^ and this T'reaty muft be diftind: from That r already piLhliJhedy which does not contain them j and it r.iuft be an Offenfive Treaty, becaufe it / s in fuDport of an Inv^afion made upon the High ts of others j and ix\ oppofition to Thofe who a/.t only in defevfe of thofe Rights founded upc .n the moft folenin Treaties.

After all this, it is too late for the Court of Spain to link the Credit o f this T>ifcovery made b^ Ripper da to the twc ) Ambafladors ; or to think of deftroying the C Jredibility of what this Court It feif has given '? feftimony to. All the Circimftances of this A ftair, as I have related them, make it too plain to be now evaded ; And all who know any thing of Tublick Affairs^ will look upon w4iat I have now produced, as a po- fitive and convincing ". Evidence of what before was only a ftrong Stt^ "picion.

This therefore, we are too fare of,- That the now publick Treaty o f Teace^ made at Vienna^ Was it felf enter'd in to w^ithout the leaft Provo- cation fiom the Med iators ; in contradidion to an Exprefs Jrticle > of the Otiadrupk Alliance^ api^ointing thi§ Med iation alone for the adjuft-

( 4G )

ing remaining Differences ; cover'd all the time: at Madrid with the fmootheft Language, and the pretended earneft Defire of proceeding ftill at Cambray j and made up of Articles fo dilho->. nourable to SpaiUy that nothing can account for them, but the Suppofitioji of another, and this an Offenfive Treaty^ yet private : That this is not only Suppofiiion upon Con] entire ; but is proved to Us, by, Arguments too ftrong to be. denied i the repeated Affirmation of Him who was made Prime Minifier of Spain after he had made this Treaty ; the Acknowledgments in. Effed of the Two Courts themfelves of Vienna and Madrid^ with regard to Gibraltar^ and the Oftend Trade j and the Order from Vienna for producing at London an Article of a T'reaty^ in fuch Words and in fuc'-h a manner, as makes it impoiTible to doubt of ithe Reality of it.

We will now fee what Light we can get in- to the Nature o£ This fo certain Offenfi've Alli- ance j and the other T'reaiies between the Fm-- feror and Spain : and in what manner We Our felves are likely to be afle^^ed by Hhem j with regard to, the great and only Security of all Our other good things, the pret'ent Trot eji ant Royal Family i with regard to the PolTefTions of Great Britain in Spain ; with i^sgard to the fettled Rights and Privileges of t^ie Nation in Trade and Commerce ; and indeed^ in confequence of thefe, with regard to our beiiig, or not being, at , all, a Nation worth exilUng^ If after this, we

ex" '

( 41 )

elctend our View farther. We flialj fee what i:v likely to be the Fate of Europe j and what will become of the Balance of Power, if the main Defigns projedted in this late Alliance at V'ieima:^ fhouU be permitted to take effed:. lliis Enqui- ry is the only way to our making a trut Judg- ment of the Steps taken by ^ritain^ and the Powers in Alliance with it. And when we have done this, ~ Let them that are Wirifl^ he mnd flilL

I. The firft Enquiry which will offer It fclf^ upon this occafion, to the Mind of every True jBrit07i^ will arife from the Intereft AVe ajl Iiave, in the. prefervation of our prefent Trot eft ant MftahUJlomeut ^ and our concern to find out how ^This is already, or will probably be, affeifted by this New Alliance.

. I know very well how eafy and how common it \s^ to laugh at the Name of the Tretender^ whenever it is mentioned upon fuch Occalions / as a Political .^ughear^ or Scare-crew \ a mere Word, of Aiiarm j or a Puppet to be play'd by Statefmen at their Pleafure, and whenever their Defigns require it. But it would be very unfor- tiinate for Great 'Britain^ and end in the total Kuine o£ TJs and our Tofferity -, if Thofe who are - at, the Helm, iliould I'dikv themfelvc.?,' ftt.ths Pleafui'e of fncli as" wiiTi them no' good/ to' be laugh'd out of that Care aud Wakcfulnefs, wkich their King and their Country require q|^

F tHe?iC'

( 42- )

them. There is not a Day, nor an Hour, in which the necelTity of Attention to this great Point, docs not appear : Nor is there, I fear, any Crifa of Affairs in Europe pofTible, at this time, without TMs bearing a great part in it. And therefore, when a Breach with a 'Protejiant King of Great "Britain^ who loves his SuhjeUs too Boneftly to give up their greateft Concerns to the Demands of any Power opon Earth, is thought conv^enient and ufeful j no one can help concluding, from the known Principles of the Courts of Vienna and Madrid^ that the Mo- ment They refolved upon entring into' zx\Alliance fo injurious to his Brttannick Majefly^ and fo deftrudive to the Interefts of Britain: the fame Moment another flefolution muft alfo be taken : the Refolution of giving His Majejiy all the un- eafinefs they could, even in his higheft Rights ; and either forcing Him by this means to 'Their Terms j or preparing the way for zKwg oi Bri- tain after their own Hearts, from whom they may expeft all SubmiiTion and Compliance, But this is only a probable Argument. Let us come now to Faas.

I have already mentioned fome Preliminarlds j the Journey of Wb— — n to Vienna;^ and his Condu(it and Intrigues and Encouragements there • as well as Kipper das threatuing King Gsorg^'wlth the 2^r^i^^;;^«fr, before he left Vien-

^ ( 43 )

iia^. But afterwards the Appearances of a jettiei ^efign againft His Majefty and His Royal Fa- mily y foon began to thicken apace j and the ht- telligences about it to be very politive, from all the Friends of Great "Britain^ at almoft every Court of Etircpe,

In the Jirft Place, according to what had been before concerted at Vienna^ the D— * o{Wh' ' • n^ with Letters Recommendatory from young Kipperda^ went for Rome^ diredly to the SpaniJJo Minifter refiding there. By this Minifter, he was introduced to the T^retender* In the Pretenders Houfe, he was kept clofe fhut up for Six Days i to hide, if poffible, his being there : and, after very ciofe Conference^ was pofted away to Madrid^ w^here old Ripper- da^ his great and intimate Friend, was nov/ m high Credit and Honor. r.

I'hiither he came with Credentials from the Pretender j and, as a pnblick Mark of Confi- dence in him, adorn'd with a Garter, and a new Title,- and was very kindiy entertained at Ma- dridy with thefe o^^eu Diftindions of Treafon and Perjury upon him.. And tho' it was often faid, and promifcd and fworn to, by Ripperda.^ that this New Agent fliould be fent av/ay ia twenty four Hours time ; and as ftrongly fworn to, that he never admitted him, nor ever would, into his Company,- yet heflill remain'd at Ma-

F z dri.i

( 44 )

^rid without any Mark of difplcafure ,• and was known To be frequently v/ith R^pperda himfelfifi clofe Conference. His intimacy with Count Ko- ningfeCj tht Ijj^perial Minifter at Madrid^ and the jFreedoni of his Vifits to him, were very remark- able, at a time when he profefb'd himfeif to come into ^pain on no other Errand but the Preten- ders Service ^ and this, without referve to the EngUfJ} themfelves at Madrid^ who were in the Friendiliip, and even in the Service, of the Crown of 'Britain, This made It certain, that the bufinefs of thefe frequent Meetings with Pcrfons of Charaifter, both in the Spanifl^ and Imperial Service, could be no other, thi^n that which brought him to Madrid. At the fame time the late Duke of Ormond was admitted to j^rcquenr ^k^diences at Court : in which no one could think that the Interefts of his Mafter wer0 forgot. ' On the contrary. Now it was that feve- ral Projeds for the Execution of what was

the fole End of T^b- ;/s Journey to Madrid,

were kid before the Conrt of Spain^ to be weighed ^nd confidered i% their feveral Proba- bilities.

What Can the greateft Well-wif!ier to this Kep Alliance' {2.^^ in Apology for this Condud: of the Court of Spain j as well thefe Audience^ given now to the late Duke of Ormondy as the

Ivcception the D of Wh n was ^-

'~%zxsk With^ at a t.me when he came diredly \ i :', \: .> J com-

'( 45 )

commifTion'd by the Pretender ; and never at- tempted to hide the full intent of his Journey ? What can any one fay, who will but read* the fixth Artv:le of the Peace o^ Utrecht > in which the Catholick Kmg doth Tromife^ as well in his own Name^ as in that of his Heirs and SuccefforSy that they will rM at any time di- flurh'or rnoleft the Queen, her Heirs and Siiccef- fors of the 'Protepant Line^ heing in Tojfejfton of the Crown of Great Britain and the T)omi' m'ons SftbjeU thereimto ,• neither will the aforefaid Cathohck King^ or any of his Succef- fors^ gice at any time any Aid, Succour, Fa- vour or Counfel^ direUly or indireUly^ to any T erf an or Terfons^ who on any Caufe or Pre- tence Jloould hereafter endeavour to oppofe the /aid Siiccejfwn by open War^ or hy an) Confpira- cies againji fiich Trince and Princes ^ f off effing the Throne of Great Britain, hy ^virtue of the Acis of Tarliarmnt made there. And, fince his prefent Majefty came to the Throne, in Jrt 5. cf the ^ladruple Alliance (to which Quadruple Alliance thQ prefent King oi Spain acceeded, be- fore the opening of the Congrefs at Camhray) His Catholick Majefty (as the Emperor had done before) hinds bimfelf his Heirs and Succejfors^ to maintain and guaranty the Succejjion in the Kingdom of Great Britain, as eftahlijljed in the Boiife of his "Britannick Majefty now reigning ;

• as

( 4^ )

^s lihwife to defend all the l^omlnions and 'Provinces pojfejfed by his Majejiy ; and not to ghe ani grant 'any Troteciion or Refuge., to the Pretender ( there defcribed) or his ^Defrendents^ nor any Succour^ Cou,ifel^ or yllJiftance whatfo* €7'er. diroLlly or indireUly* And to ohfer've the [awe { i. €, not to give 'Reception^ Succour, (!xc.~] with reg^ard to thofe who may he Order d or Commifjiond by the [aid Terfon [the Tretender'X to difuirb the Go'Vernment of his ^ritannick Ma- jefly^ or the Tranquillity of his Kingdoms^ &c. "Let but the late and prefent Condud of the Court of Spain be compared with thefe exprefs Stipulations: and every Reader may be left to make his own Inferences from fuch a Compari- fon. To return.

The Evil I was fpeaking of, was not to reft in Words and Schemes : nor were the Projects I have mentioned, only propofed in 'Theory, Prepa^ rations were actually made in Spain^ to put the de- termined Purfofe in Execution : Of which Prepa- rations I will enumerate certain Particulars that could not be concealed.

In February 1 7 2 5-6, a Refolution was taken TO fend a Body of Troops confiftingof 12000 Men, to the Coafts oiGalicia and B if cay. There were at that Time at Cadiz feveral Spanijh Ships that were plainly delign'd for an Imbarkation : Tvv^o oFthem were of 70 Guns, one of 64, one of 5 6, one of 2 6^ and one of 24 j and .ill viduall'd for a

Hundred

( 47 ) .

Hundred Days. And at Cadiz^ it n9W was^ that 4800 Arms were known to have been bought, and deftin'd to the ^Pretenders Ser- vice. His Majefiys Minifter at Madrid did in- deed, upon the Difcovery made to Him of the Place where they lay in Pawn for a certain Sum^ take effedtual Care, by firft laying down that Sum, and afterwards paying their whole Price, to keep them out of the Hands of the firft Pur- chafers, who earneftly follicited to have them, and frequently offer'd the Money which had been lent on them. For he knew from undoubt- ed Intelligence, the PurpofeThey were intended for. Befides thefe Ships at Cadiz j there were likewife then in Spain^ three Rtijfian Men of War, one of 64 Guns, and the other two of about 40 Guns each, equipped feme time before from Petershourg^ which came to Cadiz in the Beginning of Winter 1725, to carry on the Pre- tence of Merchandize ; but in December werit from thence to St. Andero^ aod lay there the three following Months.

As to thefe .^ree Ships, the Court of Great Britain, feme time after they failed from Tc- tershourg, made a full Difcovery, by Letters from the Pretenders Agent there, and others concerned in this Tranfaftion, which fell into their Hands- that they had been fitted out ac the Expence of the Pretender 'i Friends, with the Fririty of the CotiiTt of Petenhourg^ and fent to

Spaijf

( 48 ) ^

Spain to be employed in an Expedition for tht ? Pretenders Service; and that five more had been contracted for, and were defign'd to fol- low. And accordingly, at the Time of their pafling the Sound, fo very particular a Joy was exprefs'd at Stockholm^ by a certain Tm'ty there, that it could not but be remark'd by the Friends of Great Britain at that place. And in their Paflage, when they lay in the NoTth of Scotland^ and afterwards were driven by Strefs of Weather into Ireland ; his Majefty's Officers belonging to the Cuftoms, who, ac- cording to their Duty went on Board, found all the Symptoms of Enmity to his Majejiy ^ all pcflible Tokens of a warlike Defign • and all the Fears of a Difcovisry that could fhew themfelves. And after chefe Ships v/ere fafe in Spain-, it was given out by one of the Great- eft Men in the Court of RuJ/ia, and written by another Great Man, from his Mouth, to Stockbokn, in order to influence the Swedes^ ** That the Alliance of ^Britain and Prance *^ would be of the lefs Moment; fince the Im- " perial Courts and the Tretender^ Meafures la " Spain would now find thofe two Powers full " Employment. " And it was likewife after the fafe arrival of thefe Rtijjian Ships at St. Jn- dero\ and dwring there ftay there, that the Mo- tions and Projeds of the Pretender's Friends

grew

( 49 )

grew more and more Vigorous in Spain. Not only the late Duke of Ormond admit- ted to frequent Audiences at this Jundure, but one Connoch^ the Tretenciers conftant Minifter at Madrid^ hardly ever out of Ripperdai Houfe ; and one Tomphilly^ lately con>e from England^ offering Money to all the "Brohn Of- ficers He could meet with at Madrid ; (as fe- veral of them freely affirm'd, and particularly a SwifsTroteftant^ One of thofe to whom the Offer was made) and this profelTedly upon a Defign then on foot in favour of the Treten- der.

From the Mention of thefe particular Pre- parations, Ipafs on to fhew what \J^c was in- tended to be made of the whole. So early as in Fehniary 1^2^-6) 12000 Men (as has been faid above) were defigned to be \i:vit to khe Coaftsof Galicia and TJfca}\ the {irll Pro- jed of the Court of Madrid being to make an Attempt on his Majerty's Dominions from thofe Farts. Bur as fuch a Body of Troops could not at that Jundure march thither, without giving an Alarm j the Pretence for it, made ufe of by the Court of Spain^ was, that they had certain Intelligence of a Refolution taken by the Court of Great 'Britain to land a Num- ber of Troops in that Part of the Councry; who were to burn and deftroy all before them, and even the Shipping in all the Harbours,

G Under

I 50)

Under the Cover of this pretended Intelligence, which no one in England could poflibly give, and which no one at Madrid could really be- lieve, the March of thefe Forces was ordered. But his Majefty's Minifter at Madrid repre- fenting to the Duke o^ Ripper da (yho was then Prime Minifler, and in the higheft De- gree of Trud and Confidence with the King his Mafler,) that fuch Intelligence could have no Foundation, and ewn that fuch a Defign from England was impoflible • Ripperda pro- mi fed the March of thofe Troops fhould be forborn, till a Declaration from tfee "Britijlo Court, to the Purpofe of what Mr. Stanhope had faid, could be obtained. But the true ., Reafonof delaying this March, was, that fome f)f the Pretender's Friends had reprefented to the Court of Spain^ that the fending of 12000 Men to Galicia and 'Bifcay^ without any Co- Jour of Neceffity for them, in a Country where there never ufed to be above two or three Bat- tallions, would give fuch an Alarm to England as would inevitably put us upon our Guard ; and therefore it would be more eligible to or- der that Body of Troops to Na^jarre^ on a very natural Pretext of fecuring that Frontier againft France ; but when there, they would lc« fo near Guipitfcoa^ that they might be rea- dy toimbark, on very fliort Notice^ in Tran- ' fports

( 5^ )

fports to be provided at a Port of that Province ; and be convoyed from thence by a niimber of Men of WarjOf which thofe thvQQMufcodte Ships were to be Part. They propofed at the fame time, that fo«me Ctw Ships fhould be fent with Arms from Cadiz diredly to Soot I an d -^^ and a Body of 6000 Men kept ready by the Em- perour at Oftend.

But the Court of Spa'ni^ being foon after perfeclly informed, that fuch vigorous Refo- lutions were taken, and fuch Preparations and Difpofiiions made, by Great 'Britain^ that it was in vain for them to hope for any Suc:efs at that Time from fuch an Attempt ; they fuf- peaded for the prefent the putting this DeGgn into Execution ; the rather, finding themfelves obHged to fend Part of tl-^eir Ships from C/r?- diz and St. Anderoto t\\tWeft-lndies : And the yinfcovite Ships returned home*

Thus in faQ: Itood the Cafe-, in favour of the Tretender^ at the Court of Madrid^ before •the Vigorous Meafures of Great Britain al- ter'd it. And, who that confiders the whole of this, \^ill be moved by any the ftrongeft Verbal Affeverations of that Courts againit fuch Facts ; when it is remember'd, That this whole Scene of the New Alliance^ which is acknowledged to be framed againfl our T'rade^ and our Righc to Gibraltar^ was be-

G 2 gua

( 5^ )

gun and carried on to perfection , under the Colour of the Highell: Regards to his Majefty ; and accompanied all along with the ftrongeft and moft pathetick AfTurances of Triendfloip ?

Efpecially, if we add here, what oucht to allarm the 'Britiflo Courts and was fufficient itfelf to juftify All their Earliejl Precautions. and Treparation's ; oiz. That foon after the pablifhing the Vienna-Treaties of Teacc and Commerce, They had pofitive Intelligence ; and Intelligence from more than one Perfon ; and fiich as could be entirely depended on ; That one Exprefs Article of this Jlliance between the Bmperor aiid. Spain contained an Obliga- tion in Favour of the^ Pretender ; and a Stipula- tion to make the Attempt for Him in England-, before opening the War in any other Parts. And by as undoubted Intelligence it was added. That the !Pr^f^;/^^r, in return, had fince obliged himfeii' to reftore Gibraltar and Port Mahon to the Ci'own of Spain ; to be Guarantee of the Emperor's Ofiend-Trade ; and lay open the Commerce, m our Plantations abroad, to Their Ships, with the iame Privileges as the JEngUfh themfelves enjoy. And for this Jrticle, enter'd into by the Emperor v/ith th€ King of ^^/;f, for the Service ol the ^Pretender ^ there is as Certain Evidence, as of the Being of a. Secret Treaty, of which 1 cannot think it

pc IT] ble

( 53 )

po/Iible to doubt, after what has been, and will be, fa id upon the Articks of Gihraltcir.y and the Oft end-Trade.

This brings our Thoughts to the Court of Vienna : For This Article touches the Imperial Courts equally with l^hat of Spain ; and proves the Tretender's Caufe, to be the Con- cern of the Former^ as truly as of the Latter ; and to be made fo by an exprefs Stipulation in a Treaty, And this alone is Brjidence enough of the Worft T>ifpofition towards a Kingy an HI a Kaion-, which have not deferved fuch a Return frum Vienna. For, T'his Tingle Point being certain ^ it will be of /;?2^// Impor- tance, to alled^e the Condu£l of this Court in not giving fuca publick Tokens o^ this Difpofi- tion, in Taci ; as the Other has done : which will only fhew a cautious "Prudence in the Exe- cution., but not at all any Innocence^ or Igno- rancey of fuch T)efigns. The Article alone de- monftrates the "Uejign : and that is fuificient.

But indeed, it, after this, We confider the moft piihlick Parts of the late Conduct of the Imperial Court towards this Nation ; we cannot conclude lefs than This, That there is little Defire or Thought there, of keeping any Terms with us, in any re- fped : I mean, that part of Conduct, which regards our Trade ^ not only by confe-

. quence,

( 54 )

ijucncc, but directly and immediately. At 0- fiend, and in the Netherlands, the prefent and future Fatal EffeUs of the New Eflablifhmenc are too vifible ; at the fame Oft end, which was conquered and preferved by our Arms and thofe of the T>utch' In Sicily^ refcued from the Spa- niard by our Fleets as well as fecured to the Emperor, by the good Offices ofourKing in the Treaty o^ London -, In the fame Sicily^ the kind- nefs was foon returned by a prohibition of all our TVbollen MamifaUures i and this prohibition not yet removed, bur only fufpended for a while, upon the ftrongcft Reprefentations and the plaineft Evidence, that this Proceeding was againft the Faith o^ Treaties, which made the ^ritijjj Privileges there, exa6lly the fame, as in all other 'Dominions of Spain, to which it once belonged : Thofe fame Treaties, under which the 'Duke of Savoy, at the Peace of Utrecht^ took poiTedion of this Kingdom o( Si- cily ; and under which the prefenc Emperor took it after him. And lately, in the Auftrian Dorninions in Germany, preferved from Ruine by the Arms and Money of Us and our Allies, mofl: Species of our ManufaUtires are prohi- bited. So that in every Inch of Ground His Imperial Majefty is pofTenfed of; even in thofe Countries gained by our A (Ii (la nee, and where He is as clofely bound by particular Treaties ^s the moft folema and repeated Engagements

<Cdn

( 5S f

can bind him • In all, He has a£ted the fame part towards Us, in one of our tendered Concerns. And if the hnpeyial Court be refol- ved to go on in thefe Paths ^ This alone muffc determine them to efpoufe the 'Pretender's In- tereft : as They are fully aifured of His prefcnc Majefty's firm Refolution never tamely to give up the Rights and Privileges of this NatioDj, in fo cfTential a Point as that of Trade.

But I have done: and I am fure, have faid enough upon this frft Toint^ to put it beyond all Doubt, that this New Alliance at Vienna contains in it, and vi^ill certainly bring after it, if not vigoroufly oppofed, the moft unfpeak- abie Evil loGreat "Britain ; by engaging, and attempting, to fubvert our prefent happy Ella- blifhment.

ir. I will now fay a Word or two about the Poffeflions of Great ^Britain within the SpaniJJj Dominions ; and how They mull be affeded by this new Alliance. Thefe are G/- hraltary and Tort-Mahon ; won by our Arms in lawful War ; afcertained to us as our Property by all the Parties concerned in that War; and fecured to us by all the Solemnity of Alliances, and Treaties, and particularly by this prefent King 0^ Spain himfelf, in two exprels Articles of the Treaty of" Teace figned at Utrecht, 171^. For, of the great Importance efpecially of One of them (I mean Gibraltar) I would not be thought

to

( 5<J )

to rpeak as any the leaft Motwe to a juft and brave People to value and preferve it, were not the Poireffion of it founded upon the ftridefl: Right and the moft undeniable Maxims of Pohtical and National juftice. But when that Importance^ to which Spain gives teftimony by the Eagernefs difcovered to wreft it out of our Hands, is added to the Kight of ToJ[eJJion: No one amongft us, who is a true Lover of his Country, can be eafy under the Piofpedl ©fan Alliance^ which opened it felf to Great ^ritahh with the Civil Complement from Spain of demanding Qibr altar immediately, as the Condition of the Continuance of a Friendfhip, which cannot be violated without the Breach of all Faith and Truft in treaties \ and with thQEv2peror^i>Obligatio7t^to ufe His kind Help to bring Britain to a Compliance with that ^Demand. I have already fpoke of this demand, and this Obligation^ as certain E- vidences of a fecret Offenfive Alliance be- tween the Emperor and Spain, I now fpeak of this mutual Engagement between thdfe two Powers, for the Recovery of Gibraltar^ as one of the unjuft and pernicious Conditions of their new Alliance. And, after I have before fo painly proved, That this Engagement makes one main part of it ; not only trom Ripperdas repeated Affirmation both at Vienna and at

Madrid y

[ 57]

Mndrid', but from the peremptory Language ufed at Madrid after this Alliance at Vienna\ and from the Teftimony from Vienna added to This, that there was an Exprefs Article containing the Emperor's Stipulation upon this Head ; and this T'eftimony given at Londoriy by order of the Imperial Court, in a very remarkable manner. After the Proof of this Fa£l, I need fay no more than that, if the De- ligns of this Alliance be not vigoroufly oppofed and effcdually broke, the firft unwelcome Evil to Great 'Britain muft be, To lee a place of the utmoft Importance to u?, if we will truft the ConfefTion hoth of Friends and Unemies^ wrelled from us by Torce (if it be poOTible) un- lefs we will bafely yield it up to the i/npor- tunity of Thofewho ask it; and a Place, which is our Honour, and our Strength abroad ; a great defence and Adi'antage to our extended Nai'igation ; and a Convenience to our Ships of all forts, not to be equalled by any other Place, that can be offered by that Crcwn^ which would deprive us of it.

III. But indeed this Tlacey could it be pre- ferved to us by all oar Strength afid Prudence, would be of no Importance to us hereafter; if the other Schemes of This 7i€W Alliance ftand good. It will be a fmall Comtorc to Great Britain, and little better than a Ridi-

( 58 )

ciiky^o have in polTedion fo great a Convenience ro Shipping and Tirade-, as Gibraltar is; if we are to be ftripped of that 'Trade it felf, and to be reduced to the Condition of having little o-F no Occafion for any Shipping at all. And yet, T his I think muft be the Cafe with us, if the Troje'cls of this new Union are fuf • fered quietly to fucceed.. For our Trade it felf, that Ornament and fupport of Great 'Britaiuy mufl by Degrees be fo affeQed, in almoft every Branch of it, that it cannot but naturally lelTen, Flag, and Dye^juftin Proportion as this new Jlliance gains Strcii^-h and flourifhes. There can be little Hope, li this Conjundlion pro- ceeds much farther, of obtaining any Re- drefs for the many injuries in Commerce , al- ready received j or of preventing many more^ from the Side oi Spain: and much lefs, if pof- fible, of keeping the Defigns at Oftend from having Effect ; which, taken with all their ex- tended ill confequences towards almoft all the Branches of our Trade-^. are enough to awaken all Tritons-, who have been ufed to efteem their

Commerce^ as their darling Good : a Good,

to the fupport and increafe of which, all their Treaties and jjlliances have for many Years paff fo^iely tended ; and in Comparifon of which they have defpifed, and left to Others the Jc- qutfition of TraUs of Land, and Territe-*

Ties

[ 5?]

ries to enlarge Dominion and Power. Hitiierto, We have always fliewed our feives lenfiblc that Trade was our pioper Life ^ and the Encourage- ment of this, upon an honourable Bottom, the proper Nburifhment of that IJfe. Every In- ftance of Conduc't in any in Power at Home, which has but feem'd to iJiake it a little, or to touch it, at a Dillance, m an unkindly Manner, has been found to be fb refented, as to dif unite the greatefl Friends ; and at once to unite thole of different Views amongil: \\s^ in a vigorous Op- position to it. And every Step, in order 'to de- fend and promote it, has been received v/ith imiverfal Applaufe j and reconciled and cnla'rg'd the Affections of Men to fuch BenefaClors. And with regard to Foreign Nations j every hurt, any of them do to our Conmwce ^ every Breach into the Fences and Privileges with which that is guarded and en rich 'd ^ e\'ery Shadow of a Ten- dency this way j has always been view'd here, as the high eft of all Injuries to this Nation, aad the natural Subject for the genuine and juftRercntment of every true 'Briton, And if we are not dead to all this Senfe \ ii we dill retain the properLife and Vigor oi Britons ; that \s^ of a Nation adjorn'd and fupported by the moll extended Commerce that can be boafted of by any People : "What can we think of an Alliaace between two powerful Princes, form'd, a^ainfi: the plain Stipulations of *■ H 2 Tim"

{ ^o )

Treaties^ in order to deprive us of our Glory, our Riches, our Strength, which depend all upon our Trade ; and afterwards, to defend and preferve Themfelves in their Acquifltions of our Rights ?

Thefe are not Words without a Meaning ; nor Fears merely of Iin agination fet on Work by pre- fent Refentment ; But real, Subftantial, and un~ deniable. For, if the Union of thefe two Pow- ers proceeds upon the prefent Foot ; and be not thoroughly broken in its terrible Parts j let any one fay, what hope can remain of any Bounds to 1^ fet to the Injuries our Trade has felt, and muft feel ? Will t hofe depredations and Hoftilities^ committed in the Weft Indies by the Spaniards^ under pretence of theJr Right to guard againft Clandejiine Trade j Thofe Violences, by which the w^hole Commerce of Jamaica has been well nigh deftroyed, and the Trade of that Ifland reduced to a miferable Condition, be now re- drefs'd? Or, will the Remonftrances of thefe Grievances, which have had no Effed: before the Treaties of J^ienna ^ now, after fuch trea- ties are made, meet with any better Reception at Madrid -, and procure Us a more favourable Anfwer? Will any Complaints, or Reprefcnta- tions», in fupport of the acknowledg'd Rights of the South- Sea- Company^ obtain now fo much as a Hearing at the Court of Spain j when the

Strength

{ (^l )

Strength of fuch an Allimice \^ added to the former Difinciin^tion towards any Redrefi; ^ and is fuffered by the other Powers of Europe to exert itfelf ? Or, will They, who have been hi- therto unnjoved by Right znd ynjnce^ at length 'vohntarily Uftcn to their Voices ? Or, will the Court of J^ienna^ which has flood out, hefore this Alliance, againft all SoUicitations, relinquifh the ^retenjiovs at Oft end., and adt agreeably to former T'reaties in the Affair of Cornmerce ; now after the Riches of Spain are to come in, to the Aid of former Refolutions ?

So far from this, that it is an exprefs Article^ ftipulated in this New Alliance^ that, as the 'Em- peror is to afTift Spain in the re gaining of QihraU tar ; fo is Spain obliged to fupport the Emperor in his Oft end Company^ and his Commerce.

This Article, relating to the Oft end Company^ as part of a Secret Offenfive Alliance^ C^s I have before fhewn) was more than once not only ac- knowledg'd, but boafted of, to the "Britijh and lyutch Minifters at Madrid^ by Kip per da ^ when he was prime Minifter in Spain, But we have not only this Evidence. For, as '\x\ the Af- fair of Gibraltar^ the Emperor himfelf, by pro- ducing an Article of a Treaty, gave Telhm.ony to his having enter'd into Ej^igagements relating to that Place ; fo, his Cat]? click Majefty has not fcrupled to give his own Tefiimony, that, by this

Nei:)

( c^ )

JSlew Alliance^ He has entered into Engagements to fupport the Empe)"or in his Eftabiilhment of the Oftend Company-, not only by the Language of his Court at Madrid \ but by what he wrote himfelf, and ordered his Minifter at the Hagiie^ to denounce, by way of Threatning, to the States General^ upon this Subject : of which I have given an Account before. And befides all this, it is enough to look upon the Tuhlkk Trea- ty of Commerce fign'd at Vienna May i ft, 1725. to be fatisfied, that fuch Privileges in Commerce are granted, by Spain^ to the 'Emperors Subjcifls, as are contrary to many former Treaties^ and to the moft manifefc Rights of other Nations founded upon thofe Treaties.

I iliall not enter minutely into all the Parti- culars which are of Importance^ upon this Head. The SuhjeU has been fo plainly ftatcd, and even exhaufted, before the World already, that there can be no need of any Thing farther, than to refer thofe, who have not yet look'd into the Depth of this Affair, to the fevcral Memorials of the States General^ and of thofe commifllon'd by Them, upon this Occalion j particularly thofe which were printed here, in the ^aily Courants oi T>ec. 16. 1725. Jan. 19. 2^. Feb. 5. 8. 12. and 14. 1725-5. in which all the Pretences of their Enemies are compleatly and plainly anfwiered j and the Matter placed in the moft evident Light.

( ^5 )

I will only juft ftate the T>ates and htent of tKe Treat ie:^ relating to the Commerce moft immedi- ately affeded by the new Oftend Company ; and add a Word or two about the farther Confe- quences of it.

So long ago as the Year \6og^ the &*;;^ ot Spain^ by the Truce then made with the United ^ro'vinces^ granted them their firft Privileges of Trade in the B^aft Indies ^ by which the i>utch Eaft India Company has been from that time in Poireifion of their Commerce in thofe Parts. But thefe Privileges wanted Confirmation : and this they fully obtained from the Crown of Spaiuy after long and mature dehberation, at the Treaty of Mtmfier in the Year 1648. by which, the Crown of Spain not only granted the Hollanders thefe Privileges ^ but engag'd itfelf^ to maintain and proteU them^ in the 'Enjoyment' of thefe Tri^nleges, In this Treaty the Bounds were fet to the fever al Pretenfions of the T)iitch and Cajiillans in the Eaft Indies -, and the Limits of their diftind Navigation and Commerce there, exactly fix'd : and not only all other Subjeds of Spain were totally excluded from the Eafi In- dies ', but the Cajiillans therafelves were for ever excluded from all Commerce and Navigation within the Limits of the Hollanders ; as Thefe were like wife prohibited from entring into thofe of the Cafiillans,

And

( (^4 )

And, before this, the abfolute exclufion of all the Inhabitants of tht Nether lands^irom all Trade or Commerce in the Eaft or Weft Indies^ was in the Year 1598. made an cxprefs Jrtkk in the Aa of Cejjion of the Low-Countries by 'T^hilip II. King of Spain^ upon the iMarriage of his DmghtQv IJahella to the Arch-T^uke Albert : The Eighth Article of which Cejfwn is this That " The Arch-T>iike and Arch-'Biit chefs " themfelvesj and their SuccefTors, fhall not exer- cifeany Navigation, and Commerce in thcEafi and TPeft IvdieSy under the Penalty of being de- prived of thofe Provinces -, and if any of their i^tihjeUs fliall ad contrary to this, they fliall be puniflied with Rigour^in fome Cafes even with Death itfelf, d^.' Neither wa« this at that time at all complain d of, by the States of thofe Low- Countries^ even when feveral other Conditions of the Reception of thofe new Go'vemotirs were re- monftrated againft, as fo many Grievances upon the People of thofe Provinces. Neither was there afterward any Troteji made by any Perfons concerned, againft this Exclufion^ whilft the King of Spain was concluding the Treaty of Munfter with the UnitedTroainces, This fhcws that the prefent Complaint of the Hardfhip of fuch Ex- cliifion is new and artificial -^ and comes many Years too late, as \\. comes after folemn Treaties made, and renewed, in exprefs Confirmation of this Exclufion,

To

(65 )

To proceed; Ai^tci' the Treaty oF Mu^^j^ey^ an. Accident happened, which plainly ihewed how the fjfth Article of that Treaty was underftood, not only by the "Dutch^ but by Spain alfo. One 'Bafiien 'Brower, a Subject of Spain, either of Brahant, or of Flanders^ had obtained a Perwiffion from the I\jnfr of Spain, to go to the Coafis of China, whero he carried on a very profitable Trade. "When this came to the Knowledge of the High-Council in India, belonging to the Dutch-Eaft-hidia Company, they made a fo- lemn Refolution immediately, and fent it as an Order to the Commanders of all their Ships, and to all their Sub j efts, to take this Man Prifoner; and if he defended himfelf, to u^tforce againft him. This had its efFeft . The Man never appeared any more to give them farther Trouble. Other Subjects of Sfain de- fifted from all fuch Voyages. The Crown of Spain never complained of this CotidvM -, and by this Silence plainly gave TeftimiOny to the Juftice of that Refolution, as founded upon the Treaty oi Munjler,

In the Year 1667, by a Treaty between Britain and Spain, all Privileges of Commerce and Navigation in both the Indies, were granted to his Britannich Majefty's Subjefts, in as full and ample Manner as they were granted to the Hollanders in the Treaty of Munfter, And in the Year 171^, a Treaty of Commerce was concluded at Utrecht be- tween the Queen of Great-Britain^ and this

I pre-

(.66:)

prcTent Kjf.'g of Spain: by the Firft oArtlcle of which it is declared, That, " the Treaty " of Peace, Commerce, and Alliance concluded " 2it Madrid^ in 1667, is ratified and con- " firmed by this Treaty ;" and it is added, that, " for the greater Strengthening and Confir- "■ mation ot the fame, it has been thought pro- " per to infert it Word for Word, in this " Place." Then follows that former Treaty thus ratified and confirmed.

In. the Year 1724, but one Year before this NewAlliame^Lt Fiejtna^ this fame Kjng of Spain was fo fenfible of his OhUgatio7is^ lying upon him from the Treaty of Munfter alone, that he prefented, by his Ambaffador at London^ a Me- morial agaiijfl: the Emp^erors Attempts upon Trade from Ofte72d ; in which he infilled that the Affair of the OfieJtd Company fliould be brought before the Congrejs at Camhray^ in or- der to have the faid Company abolifiicd, be- fore he could in Confcience think of confirming the CefTion oi t\\Q Netherlands to the Emperor: and urges, that, if this Cc;^//^"rw^z^i(?;/ fliould be made h"^' S^ain^ " without referving exprefsly *' to it lelf the exclufive Right on the Navi- " gation to the Indies^ in general, and with- " out Exception ; the States-General would " be rightly entitled to demand SatisfaQ:ion of -',' SPaln'yiOi' having thereby made a great Infra- " Sion of the Treaty of 'Munfier^ and would .^' be difengaged from the reciprocal Obligation " to abitaiii irom the Navigation of the Spanijlf " //////W,"" That is, in othcTr Words, that if he,

the

( 6; ,)

the Kjng of Spain fhould not fupport the ^ntch (and confequently the Engliflj alfo) r.- gainft the E?nperor''s new Eftablifliment at Ofteiid ; that the7t^ I fay, he himfelf fhould be juftly charged with a moft di(J)07w:irahle Breach of Faith, and Violation of fOiemn Treaties. Thus firand the Engagements of Spai^i, with regard to the EngUjfj and Dutch, in the Affair of their \frade to the Indies, and of the E^iipe- roy''s new Attempts at Oftend. Let us now confider the Ohlizatio^s and Engagements of the Ewp^'/dJr himfelf.

The Grand G,4.!lf ance i-joi^httwc^n tlie Er,/- feror Leopold^ Kj'^^ William^ and the States- General, is built upon this very Foundation of the E?!^ Ir [I; 2.nd Dutch Trade to the hidies. as upon a wWz2 G/^:if»ji of that .Alliance. It o- psns itfel^f with reciting, that, uppn the Death 01 Charles II. J\jng of Spain, without IlTue, the £;;;fe'ror claimed the Plight of SuccelTion to his Countries, 'a's belonging ^to the Atifinun Ea?m- ly\ and, after other Particdlars, it"fo!lows, " fo " that without fome Remedy applied; the Em- " feror will lofe his Pretenfions ; the Empire " lofe its F/^/i" in 7f^/v ; and the English and " United Provinces be deprived of the//'fe " L/^/^ of their Navigation and Commerce " in the Indies, and other Places," ^c;

Hence it appears, i. That the Eni^'eror'^s Family claiming by Hereditary Right thefe Provinces, could not rightfully claim any Powers, but what were vefbed and remained in Charles II. the King of Sfain, to whom

I 2 they

(68)

they were to fucceed ; nor poflefs them^hut up- on the Conditions^ upon which the deceafed Kjng himfelf had pofleiTed them : And that the Em.peror neither could, nor did, claim any thing that hisPredecefrors,=Kingsof*Sp/3!/;/,had parted with by folemn Treaties; and therefore neither could, nor did, claim thofe Countries, but upon the fame Terms and Conditions of Trade, on which King Charles II. o^ Spain had enjoyed them, agreeably to folemn Treaties with other Powers. 2. That the Prefervationof the Trade in the Indies^ to the E?tglijh and "Dutch^ upon the Foot they enjoyed it, and in the Manner it was carried on, to the Death of King Charles II. 0^ Spain, was one ground, and a main one, of the Grand Alliance -, and that the Emperor's Pretenfions to the Low-Countries were fup- ported by the Engliff) and 'Dutch, upon this, am.ongfi: other Conditions, that the Emperor iliould reciprocally fupport their Trade to the Indies^ ontheEoot they had conflantly enjoyed it. 3. It having been already proved, that Holland ever fince the Treaty of Munfter in 164S, &nd England ever fince the Treaty of Madrid in 1667, have carried on their Tradj to the Eafi- Indies, to the Exclufion of the Subjects of the Netherlands, by Virtue of phofe Treaties ': it follows. That, in confe- quence of this, and by Virtue of this grand Alliance it felf (by which the Emperor'^s Claim to tliefe Countries is allowed, and the Claim of the Allies to their Commerce al- fo iafirted on) tlie Emperor did in Etfed ob- lige

( 69 )

lige himfelf and his Family, whenever in Pof- felTion of thefe Countries, to take upon them- felvcs all the Obligations which the Kjngs of Spam^ to whom they fucceeded, were under, to England 2ind Holland, by former Treaties, and to fupport this main End oi t)\Q grand Alliance, relating to the Commerce of the Allies, (exprefs- ly mentioned in it,) as well as their own Pre- tenfions : and, inftead of invading them them- felves, to defend them againft all Invaders, ac- cording to the Obligations of thofe former Treaties. Nay, it was likewife exprefsly fti* pulated, in this grand Alliance, f^ippofrng it to end fuccefsfally ; That the Spanifi Netherlands ihould be (not the Property of the E?nperor ab- folutely, and without any Conditions ; but) a Barrier to the United Provinces. So that we fee, the Emperor, in the gra?id Alliance itfelf, confidered his own Right to the Netherlands, with a View to the Trade of his Q.4liies; and that the Spanifi Low-Countries were eftablifh- ed in that cAlliance, as a Defence and Guard to thole Allies, whole Trade is now going to be ruined from them.

But thefe Olligations are not only the real Intent and Confequence of the grand oAlliance : But ir. is declared in exprefs Words, in the Bar- rier TVf^O' concluded at oAntwerp, in 171^, between his prefent 'Britannick Majefiy, this l^vc[tnt Emperor, and the States-General, Avt. i. That " the Emperorf this prtf:ntEmperor) fhould " enjoy the Spanifi Netherlands, as they were '^ enjoyed, or ought to have been enjoyed, by • " the

(70)

" the late King Charles II. conformably to the " Treaty o? Rjfwkk.''^ That is, with the fame Trivileges^ and the fame Olligatio?is^ neither greater nor lefs.

After all thefe folemn Stipulations and Trea- ties here recited, is it conceivable, what has now been done in the Face of the World?— That Emferor, who was under all his Father's Obli- gations : who could not fucceed, even by his Title of Hereditary Right, to thefe Low-Cotm- tries^ but under the fame Engagements with thole Kjf^g^ of Spain to whom he fucceed s : Who himfelf, in his own Perfdn, has declared, in a folemn Treaty, that He enjoys thefe Coun- tries no otherwife, than as they were enjoyed \)y the late King of Spain ; that is, under the lame Reftri6lions and Obhgations to which tliat Kjfig was engaged : That fame Emperor, inRead of protetling the Commerce of the EnglijJ) 2ind Dutch f\*om the Invafions of others, himfelf openly invades it j inftead of p^nifliing any of his Subjedls in the NetherJands for oAt- temps of Trade to the. Ea/l-Indies, or reflrain- ing them, as he 'is" ftri^fly obliged to do, He has himklt ere^fedd. Company^ and endowed it with great Trivileges^on purpofe to Trade thi- ther; and, inllead of yielding to the juft Re- monftrances of h^'s injured Neighbours, he has fet them at Defiance, and flrengthened him- felf with a new AcceJJion of the Power and Riches of Spain,, to back this unjuftifiable Seizure of thofe Rights of Commerce, wliich arc the efiaUiJhed and peculiar Privileges of

other

, . , ; ^ 71 ) Other Countries. Such has been the Condu8: of the Etnpror.

And the part which Spain has a£led, with regard to Oflend^ and the SpaniJI) Netherlands^ is, if poflTible, ftill more extraordinary ; and more out of the common Road of dealing with Treaties and Alliances, For thus it is,— That JC^';?^ 0^ Spai7^ who enjoys his King- dom under the Stipilations of the Treaties made by his Tredecejjors : who has con- firmed them all himfelf, in his own Per-

fon : He, who in one Year declared it

would be a Breach of his Treaties, for Him ever to acquiefce in the Eftablifhment of the Oftend Ea/i'India Company : That fame King,the next Year, does much more than this. He under- takes, by this new Alliaitce, to fuf port the£/;/- feror in this very Eftablifhment. Not only this : but he grants to thefe very Ofienders, and all other Subjeds of the Emferor in the S^anijfj Netherlands, what he had no Right to grant to them, had they remained his own Subje£ts; nay, he grants them Trivileges of his Torts and Places in the Indies, greater than are al- lowed to the EfigliJI) and Hollanders them- felves : And this, not only with refpe£l to the Eaft-Indies^ hut the J Vefi- Indie s q.\{o. For by the 2d and ^d Articles of the K/V;/;;^ Treaty of Commerce, a Liberty is granted to them, to frequent, and Trade in, the Ports of the Spa- fiiJI} WeJi'Indies : Or, fuppofing this not direct- ly granted, in exprcls Words, yet they are at leall permitted to tnter into thofe Ports for

victual-

( 70

victualling or repairing their Ships : which wfll come to the fame Thing. For if they may en- ter into, and remain in thole Ports, till they have provided themfelves with all Necellaries, the Nature of the "Bullion Trade is of that fort, that no Precaution can prevent that Com- merce.

I am fenfible it may be objeQ:ed here, that the Liberty granted to the Emperor's Subjefts, by the Treaty of Vienna^ to enter into the Ports of Sfain in the Weji-Indies^ in cafe of Diftrefs of Weather, or for refrefliing them- ielves, £ff c. is no more than what was former- ly granted to his Majefty's Subjects by the Treaty oi Madrid^ concluded in 1670. But it is well known, that the Liberty granted by that Treaty, has ceafed for many Years ; and that, in order to prevent the Abufes that might be committed from fuch a PermilTion, and that one Nation might not be more favoured than another on any Pretext whatfoever in the Trade to the Weft-Indtes^ fufficient Care was taken of that Matter in the 8th Article of the Treaty of Utrecht^ by which it is exprefsly ftipulated, and declared in the following Words : Whereas among other Conditions of the general Peace^ it is hy com- mon Co?tfejit eftahlijhed^ as a chief and funda- mental Rule, that the Exercife of Navigation and Commerce to the Spanifh Weft-Indies, ffjould remain in the fame State it was in the Time of JQng Charles IL of Spain, and that therefore this Pjde may hereafter he olferved

with

(73 )

with biviolahJe Faith, and in a Manner never to he Iroken, and thereby all Canfes of Difirufl and Sufpicion conceriiing that Matter may he ■prevented and retnoved ; it is efpeciaily agreed and concluded, that no Licence, or any Termifji* on at all, JJjall at ajiy Time he given to the French, or any other N'ation whatever, in ajiy Name, or under am' Trete?ice, direRly, or in- direBly, ^^ Sail, Traffick, Sfc. to the Domini- ojts fuhjeH to the Crown of S^'din in America; except what may he agreed hy the Treaty, or Treaties of Commerce, (t\\QVQ referred to,Jandthe Rights and Trivileges granted in a certain Con- vention called. El AfTiento de Negros. And the fame Condition is likewiie ftipulated in the 34th -Article Of the Treaty o'i Utrecht, between the King 0^ Spain and the States. And there needs no other Argument to prove, that it was always luiderilood by the Court oi Spain itlelf^ in the Sen le of not fathering any Ship to enter into any Port of Spain in the JFeft-Indies, on a- ny Pretext whatever, but to oblerve, That the EfiglifJ) and 'Dutch are never permitted, though under the greatell: Diftrefs of Weatlier^or want of Provifions, to put into any of thofe Ports; but their Ships if they come in, are conftantly confifcated: and upon this very Account, that, if once Entrance were permitted, the Traifick could not but follow. Yet,notwithftanding that this is a fundamental Rule of the Treaties of Utrecht, and an Article of the general Peace, which is rtrictly obierved with re- gard to all other Nations ; it is notorioufly vio- lated, in Favour and Preference of the Emperor's Subjcds. K Ic

( 74 )

It is turther to be obferved, that with regard to the Articles of Commerce between 5p^;>, Englajid^ and HoUajid^ the Lilerty to the EngUp) and Dutch of entring into the SpamJIj Torts^w^s always exprefsly reftrained to the Torts of Eti- rope. But no fuch RefiriBion is once menti- oned in tlie late Treaty oiVie?ma^ with regard to xhii Em feror^ Subjefts. Nay, ^llthtTrivi- b^es allowed to Britain^ are in exprefs Words allowed/to^^y^^/r ; without fo much as an Ex- ception to the South-Sea-Shif., and the Aljlento Qontrati: Whereas in the Treaty of Utrecht with the Dutch J that Exception was exprefs- ly made. Thus has the King o^ Spain granted ^// oi\r Privileges, and greater, to the SuhjeBs <^f.the E'm^sror ; and,inli:ead o^-^roteBing Great "Britam^ and the Umted Trovinces^ in their Rights of Commerce^ according to former Treaties, he has now declared himfelf to be obliged and determined to protect, by Force, the Emperor and his Suljetis^ in their hiva^ fion of thofe Rights. And, from all this put together, it muft be as evident, as Words and EaHs compared, can make any thing, That the two Courts of Vienna and Madrid have foun- ded their new Alliance^ as far as it relpe£ls Trade, on the Deftru£lion of all publick Faith, the hifracHon of Treaties, and the Vio- latioiL of all that can hold together JS'm.ons in Peac^, and mutual Benevolence. .: , .

After fo, plain a Proof of the great lujuflice of the Attempt of the Imperial Court upon Trade, [vom the Spa??iJJ} Netherhvids -^ and of the King oi Spaing determined Encouragement

( 75 )

of it : It would not be improper here to con- fider at fome length t\\t Imfortance and Confe- quence of this Condu8: to opt [elves -^ were it not that This has been fet in fo ftrong a Light already, as to make it much lefs neceflary, and particularly, in a fiort Tre^tife^ Intiiled, The Importance of the Offend Compa7ty coiifidered. Yet, before I pafs from this SubjeQ:, I muft mention fbme few particular Confequences of this new Eftablifliment at Oftendy and of the jteifD Treaty of Commerce (by which fo large Privileges are granted totheSubjeds of the Ne- therlands') with regard to our Trade ; and in the end to'our Liberties^^nd our Kf %^-^,themfel ves. The United Provinces^ it is plain from their whole Condu^, efteem themfelves undone in their main Concern, if this Comj^a?j)hQ fupported. And if They are undone in their Trade; it is well known to all, who are acquainted with the Track of Merchandize, that the Gain of their Lofs in Trade will not accrue to Ejigland^ but fly to thofe Countries where this Evil be- gan. As to the Eaft-India Trade particularly ; the fame Rival, which mines That in Hdland, muft by the fame Methods inevitably mine it in Efigland. Nay, it muft ruine it iboner and more effectually here : not only ijecaufe Hol- land has the fole Property of the Spce Trade, befides other Advantages; but becaufe the Dutch Merchandizes are free from the Burthen of Cufloms ; whilft our Cufioms give the greateft Encouragement to the 0 fenders to run, and put off, a Multitude of their Goods in Evgland. The Damage and Ruine muft be the fame, as

K 2 to

(70

to onvJVe/i- India Trade, from the Trivileges granted by the Vienna Treaty of Commerce to the Emperor's SubjeOis : the Privilege of eii- tring into the SfaniJI) Ports in the Weft-Indies^ and, by unavoidable Confequence, of trading there, where neither Englifi or Dutch are ever permitted to enter upon any -pretence ; and the comfrehenfive Trivilege of enjoying all Rights which 'Britain enjoys, without any Exception ; and, by confequence, of interfering with, and hurting, not only our JJJieirto Contract^ but eve- ry Inftanceo^ Commerce- -with Spain, which we have a Right to by repeated Treaties.

Nor can the Evil ilop here, but mull of Ne-

cefTity infmuate it felf into many other of the

.'mofi: important Branches of our Trade, which

have a mutual and indilTolvible Connexion

one with another. The convenient Situation

of the Spanijh Netberlamis between the North

and the Soidh of Europe, for all the Purpofes

of an extended Trade : — The Advantage of the

Ports oi Oftend 'a.n(\ Newport, vj\\\Q\\y though

none of the heft^ yet may vye with thofe of

Holland ; and will be as convenient Harbours

iox "privateers, as €ver Dunkirk it felf was, when

the timefliall come for an avowed and forcible

Interruption to Or/r Trade and that oi Holland:

,The Goodnefs of their Rivers for communica-

•ting z\\ Merchan^izes,^t the moft eafy Rates,

■from Toii^f^ to Town ; and the later Addition

:.of fev^eraHarge Canals, ^nd Carffeways, where

rthe Rivers are wanting:— The Fruitfulnefs of

.the Country, and the eafy Price of all Provifi-

ons, very a'dvantasiousto all Manufadurers: —

The

(77 ) The Lilerties and Trivile^/s of the Towns, which Ml rubfill: ; very inviting to the fame ManufaBurers'.—T\\Q. Genius ot zhcTeoi le^ very well fitted for all the Imfrove7ne?its oF T:^.ide and Manufactures :— and, to animate tlu-m, the Experience and HiAory oF paft Times, w' ' jh will fliew them, that they havefonner'y, w di a little Encouragement from their Govern^, jrs, fiouriilied in Manufactures both IVoollert and Linnen (befides thofe many which they [iill re- tain;) the IVooUen now again reviving :o a De- gree of Goodnefs at Limhurgh^ fo as already to under-fell the Dutch themlelves ; and the Ltn- nen more eafily revived by the Advantage of the great Qiiantity of Flax growing iii tliefe

Countries: And this Experience of rbr-

mer Days pointing out to them lil^iev/ife the PofTibility and Probability of their carry- ing their Navigation to a great Pitch, in the KJumher and Strength of their Sul^png^ ixicrea- fmg by Degrees, as it always does, in Propor- tion to Manufactures and Fifieries ; and the fafter, as thefe Countries lie nearer and more convenient for enticing F'Senuen and S:dlo,\>y as well as Manufatiurers themfel ves, from hencc, upon all Occafions ; and alfo for the clandeftine Importation of WooLl from England and Ireland, to carry on their Defigns. Thefe, arjd many more Particulars fliew, that, as one Branch of Trade leads to another, and one Trial encoura- ges another ; and as all Commerce is of a fpread- ing and communicative Nature, where it meets with proper Materials^ and proper Encourage- ment \ fo this muff probably be the Cafe, if the

'Be-

( 7S )

^eglnnhjg^ of ^vil be not looked after : That not only our own Eaft and WejKlndia Trade, and that of the 'Dutch^ will be ruined by the Oftend Company, which will be the immedi- ate Effeti of it ; (or rather is fo already in a great Degree;) but alfo,that the Contagion will fpread to many other 'Branches of the Britifl) and Stitch Trade ; and convey along with it the Riches^ the Stren^th^ and the Naval Pow- er, to the fame Spanifh Netherlands.

But were it fo, that Holland alone would be the Sufferer by the Oftend Trade (which is far from being the Cafe;) yet the Ruine of Hol- land mull: carry along with it, in the end, the Ruine, of Britain. For, as thefe two Nations re- maining United, are indeed the Turn of the Balance of Europe, whenever they join them- felves to any other great Power of Europe ; and Both of them together, but barely fufficient for this Purpofe: Whatever Ruines the Trade, that is, the Riches and Strength of thefe, de- ftroys at the fame time the Evennefs of that Balance, which alone can keep Europe in any tolerable Order. And whatever Ruins any One of thefe Towers, docs as truly deflroy the fut- ficiency of that Strength, by which alone that 'Balaiice is prefcrved. And what then muft be the Confeqiience ? IVhere the Trade and Riches of thefe, or of either of thefe, fctt\e,there fettles the Power with them; and that Poza^er remo- ved from them, muft be the Deft mB ion of the ^Balance; and the Deftrudion of th'^it'^Balance muft be the lofs of the Liberties of the reft of Europe, and particularly, as Occafion fllall offer, of the Liberties of Great Britaiu\ And

( 79 )

And I need not add, that the lame Vofijh Pozfuer, which will gain all this Strength^ (for it is in a Fopfij Tower that all this muft Centre,) will have the fame Stre?igth^ and a greater IVill^ to extirpate every Appearance oiTroteftantifniy of what Denomination foever, out of Europe ; without Exception to any one Church above a- nother ; only with the fatal Excepion of a more fure and quick Blow to that Churchy a great Part of whofe Revenues, as well as the Riches of a Multitude of its Members^ arife from the "DijJ'olutioji o^MonafierieSj and the Alienation ofoAbhey-Lands ; and whofe unpardonable Crime it will be, to have been the great Support of the Refonnation^ and the Bulwark of the P rote/!: ant Caule againft Poperj\ For where can that Churchy or where can the Trote- flant Religion^ hope, I will not fay, for Countenance^ but for Sufferance \ when the \v\\o\tP rot eft a7it Power in Europe^ which, in its prefent Condition, is little better than a Creature with Pain and Difficulty iiruggling for Life, fliall be broken to Pieces by Ac- quiiitions, made by other Powers, of Riches and Force :Acquifitions, which will be a double Strength againft it, as they are taken fromThofe who alone have a Will to protetl it, and added to Thole who have a Zeal to hurt and opprefs it. And that this muft be the End of fuch Beginnings ^(u^QVQd to proceed with Succefs, and gathering Strength eve- ry Step they go, is as plain, and as true, as, That pro- ber FoodwiW give Strength gradually to the weakeft M^/?, capable of receiving it; too great to be re- fifted at laft by the [trongeft Man^ who fuffers it to be taken from himjelf\ an4 vvho by that Lofs of

(8o;

Nourishment grows weaker and weaker, as well as by the Strength added by it to the other,

I will now fay a Word more peculiarly relating to Great Britain ; and the Concern this Nation has, in its prefent Circiimftances, in the Fate of its Trade, or o'iany of the Branches of it. The two lail Wars abroad, upon which not only our own Safe- ty, but that of the Liberties of all £/^rop^,depended, and by which they were preferved ; together with the continual Attempts of our Enemies, fmce the general Peace, to load us with the Chains oiPofe- yy and tke Tretender, have run Great Britain into a vail Expence :3.nd this Expence has left behind it an immQnCQ 'Debt; and this Debt, fo juftly due to the Creditors of the Pub lick, mufl: be paid, both out of ft ricl Duty, if there be any fuch thing as fublick "Juftice, and out o^Intereft, it we have a Mind ever again, in any Extremity, to be trufted. This lies as a great and heavy Burthen upon the Minds of all true Lovers of their Country : And, I know, that for the fake of this fmgle Point, and from their earneft defire of feeing fo great a Good accompliOi- ed, without any interruptions, Alany of the beft Friends to the Tublick are ready to regret any Op- pofition made to the Defigns ot this AV7£' Alliance, as the Hrft Step to a War ; and to ask. How much better, to bear the Inconveniencies mentioned ; to fubmit to the Lofs o't Gibraltar-, to be contented with all the Confequences of the Oftend-Trade ; to connive at all the Defigns of fuch Powers united ; than to put any Stop to our Profpe£l of a gradual Paym.entof our Debts ?-Our main Bufinefs, they ar- gue, is to free our felves from that Load. ThQ Jinking

I'nud

( 8i )

Fund is a good Beginning j ^nd, if not hindied by Quarrels with Powers abroad, muft go on to di^ miniili our Debt. This Payment of our Debt, we fliould lool; after, as our Strength in future Times, and our greateft Force againft our Eiie- mies i and not fhew our felves fo concerned a- bout the Points jnft now mentioned.

On the other Side, I cannot help entirely dif* -feriog from all this. Nay, I cannot forbear to urge this very Oppofition to the Ne-jj Alliance^ as the only certain Method of taking any one Step farther towards this Great Good j as fo ab- folutely neceflary, that i&itkout it^ there is an End of all Hope of it* And I contend for the moft 'vigorous Optofitton to the Defigns of this Ne^jj Alliance^ fiJr this very Reafon, becaufe we are in Debt 5 and muft be for ever in Debt j and fhall never probably have it in our Power to pay any ^art more of that ^ebt -, if thofe Defigns go on unoppofed and unrefiited.

For in the firft Place, Tliey who argue againft it, from this Confidcration, leave out a main 'Taint I and a Point which comprehends all other Evils in it; and that is, the continued Attempts of putting the Preti'7idir upon us: which, muft fuc- ceed unlcfs we fhew our felves determined to op- pofc any Fo'Ji'er engaged in Support of fuch De- figns. And if this one thiyig fucceeds 5 it is of fmall Importance to our Debt^ what our Trade will be after this is effected. Every one can fee that a Debt, contracted in Order to keep out Him and his Family for ever, will never be paid, but by cne Univerfal Bht fpread over the Face of

L the

( 8i)

the whole Accompt , if He a^oM ever be fet- tled here, againft whom this "Debt has railed Ar- mies, and mann'd fleets, and fought many fuc- cefsful Battles. What Good therefore, towards the Payment of our Debt will a fupine Negli- sence do ! or what Account can the Credttors of the TiMck hope to find, from not oppofing an Alliance which may other wife too probably end in the eftablifhing a f'»^ here, unoer whom the leaft Evil will be this, That the Cre- ditors of the Publick will be lure of lofing at once their whole juft'D.^^ and the 7»«r./ of it > But, putting the Pretender wholly out of the &ue/lm, asaPerfonnotinBeing; Or.fuppofing ^t felves fecute from every fufire Attempt m his Favour: yet, the C«/. with RefpecT. to the Pay- mem of the'D^^^ muft very foon be the fame; (however it may happily difF« « ^f £,'her Particulars) if the Conditions of thefei\r.:£; Trf^- ties at Fknna, both VtMck andJPr/.;^/'., are, through out fupine Negligence, fufFet d to be ful- filled. For, what is the finhng Fund from which we hope for Relief J It is the Surtlus of the Troduce of the Cuftomst^n^ F'f'r'r 7 mthePaymem of the OvULtft, and of the /«/.- reft of the Nattonal Tiebt. Theie Cuftoms^K^ xL Appurtenances to Trade and Commerce Take away L7 Part of this Trade, or dmunilh it m

any Branch, ,uftfo much *" P^°P°7"/°\t minim or take away from thefe Cuftoms. The firft;i;ingthetefore,tlutmuQfeelthe<D— .« of our W^, is the Produce of our C«/^«^, and the fiift thing that muft feel theDimmut.oa

( 83 )

of our Cujiotns, is the Sinking Fund: becaufe the Civil Lift and the Intereft of the National l^cbt muft firft be paid, before anj Surplus at all can be laid apart for the Payment of the Trin- cipal. Let therefore your Trade decay ; permit the Ke'Ji: Company at Oft'ind , to make your own Eaji znd JVefl-India Trade utterly imprac- ticable j and fuffcr your own Commerce to be by Degrees tranfpianted, and to flourifh, in the Netherlands^ under the Advantages and Encou- ragements in thofe Parts juft now mentioned ;. befides the Frohibitions upon your own Manu- fadures every Day incrcafmg upon you: and this alone will immediately prevent any fuch Surplufage from remaining. For v/hat Need of \^^ords ? As Cuftoms arc the Appendages of Trade, they muft decay with it : As the Sinking Fund depends entirely on the Abundance of CuJ- toms, this muftj^r/? vanifh upon their Dccreafe. What then muft immediately become of the principal T^ebt ? And indeed, very foon after this, what muft become even of the Intereft of it : when the Cuftoms, which are the Fund for the Yearly Payment of that Intereft, are themfelves vanifh'd away ? And I will add, never after this to be recalled again.

For here is the real Diftxrence between the fjjo Methods of proceeding, now under cur Conii- deration. Ftrft, As to that of vigorous Oppo- fition to the Mcafures of the Ne'-^' Alliance \ if wefhould ailov/ to Thofe who thus argue againft it, that it may pofTibly bring on, in its natural Courfe, an Interruption to Trade, and a iJiyni-

L 2 nut ion

( 84)

nut ion of Cuftoms ; and confequently a Stop to that Payment of the National Debt which de- pends upon the abundance of thefe Cuftoms: Ytt, this is but iTemporary Stop, If thcfe vigorous Meafures meet with Succefs, and the Bleffing of Providence attend upon them, the Courfe of Trade opens itfelf again with Vigoor 5 and, the Cuftoms reviving in Proportion, the SinkingFund muft of Neceflity do fo too. And if this Me- thod of Vigorous Oppofition fhould not be fuc- cefsful 5 the Cafe could not be vvorfc than it muft be without it. Por in the other Metkod^ That of Supine Negligence, and of yielding to ail De- mands without the Attempt of any Relief; our Conduct has but one certain Event poflible, as to the Point now before us. The Sinking Fund muft, with the Decteafe of the Cuftoms, vanilh immediately: and fo muft, foon after it, the An- imal Intereft of our Debt. And then, the longer the Oftend Company continues its Commerce, ihzjironger and more extended muft it grow; and the more extended that is, the more confined jiiuft our Eaji and Weft -India Commerce be, in sll their Branches, till they dwindle into nothing; and the more the S'-Ji^eets of Trade arc tafted in the Spanifi Netherlands, and the Atiftrian Coun- tries too, the more improbable or rather impofTible It will be, ever ro recall it into thefe Parts, upon any fuch Terms as can make the CuftomSy once ruined, revive in England, In a Word, in one Way, the Diminution of the National T^ebt may be interrupted by a vigorous Opposition to Meafures abroad : but then will revive a-

cain

( 8j )

gain, and go on in its proper Channel. In the other Way,the ^zmcT>immt4tion, andLofs of the Means of paying the ^eht, and even the Inie- refi of it, will be the Pate of this Nation : and that, with this unhappy Aggravation ; that, if the Lofs comes this JVay, it is never to be retriev*d; nor any Hope left of that Payment for tl>e fu- ture.

As others therefore are moved by a Regard to this great Good to the Nation, to be averfe to all Methods of vigorous Oppofition 5 I cannot help being moved by the fame Regard, the very con- trary Way : and what They fear, becaufe we have fuch a ^ebt upon us, which ought to be paid 5 that I ''Juijhy for the fame Reafon^ becaufe we are in Debt; and that 'Z)^^/' ought to be paid; and that Debt cani^ot be paid without fuch an Oppofition as may prefcive our Commerce upon a Foundation granted to it by the moft folemn Treaties, the only Tar chafe of the Toil and Ex- pence of Britain ; and fuch a Foundatian, as alone can enable us to go on in a gradual Juftice to the Creditors of the Publick*

And in fuch a Method of proceeding. This ought to be our great Support and Confidence, that it is not an arbitrary Contention againft the Rights of any other Nation in the World ; nor a Conteft for our Trade, merely as our great Advantage, or as the In- ftrument of paying the National 'Debt, and fecuring the National Happinefs; but really and truly a Con- tention for our ftrid Right and Due, invaded with an high Hand by other Powers, againft the Faith of Treaties y as well as the Force of the highqft

Obliga-

( 85 )

Obligations. Nor can we conceive a more ab- jed Servility of Condudl, than for a Teople fo long fam'd for Commerce and Bravery, to fee their 'Darling Good, and their peculiar Glory ; the Pledge of their Libert)^, and Life of all their Property, jufl going to be forcibly and unrighte- . OLifly torn from them -, and tamely to look on- without one Struggle for fo great a Blelling, or one hearty Effort againft the Invaders of it. What can we become, if wc give our Confcnt to fuch Ruine by our own fupine Indolence and Infenfibility ; and luffer our felves to be flripp'd * of our boafted Strength and Ornament at once ; but a Nation, the moft dcfpicable of all Nations under Heaven ; expofed to the Contempt and Ip- fults of the World about us here below^ and render'd utterly unworthy, by our own Condud, of the Care of Providence above us?

IV. After all this faid upon the Confequcnces of this Ne'UJ Alliance, with a particular Refped to the Vroteftant Eftablifhment, the VojfefJionSy 2nd the Commerce, of Great- Britain j it will be very proper now to touch upon another Article of the Secret Part of it, in which, not only Britain, but all Europe in general, is extremely concern'd : I mean the Marriages agreed upon, between the Emperor and Spain ; which, added to the comprehenfive and extended Trade now likely to be tranfplanted into the Netherlands, muft conftitute a Power in one Family beyond all that we have known, Formidable and Irrifift- ible. The Marriages I ipeak of, are thofe

of

J

( 87 )

of the two Arch Dutcheffes^ Tiaiighters to the prefent Emperor, with the two Infants of Spain^ Sons to the King by his prefent ^leen. And that thefe are agreed upon, as a main and eflen- tial Point in this New Alliance^ We have the following Proofs,

I. Immediately after the Signing the Vubl'ick Treaty of ?eace at Vienna, Ripperda very free- ly talk'd of the Marriage of ^on Carlos^ the eldefi Son of the prefent Queen of Spam, with the eldeji Arch T^nt chefs, as a fixt Matter ; and that the Prince of Afturias was difregarded in this Alliance J becaufe of his 'ill Health, as he pretended at that Time : and a little while after, he fpake as openly and pofitively about the Marriages, both of T>on Carlos and his Bro- ther. One of his Convcrfations was very Re- markable, and full of fuch Circumfiayices as will not let Us doubt of the Truth of the Subjed of it.

* The King's Mtnijiers in Spain, and the whole

* Spanifh Nation, (fays He') are bitter againft me : ' but' I laugh at all that. The G^ueen will prote<a

* me. I have done her fuch Services that fhe ' can't abandon me : for thus the Matter ftands.

* The Fropofals of the Imperial Court were of

* a Marriage with the Trmce of Afturias, and

* my firft Inftruci'ions from Spain were for the ' Trince of Afturias -, but it was I, who got that ' Deftination chan<;ed. 1 wrote to the §)ueen to *■ engage the Prince of Afturias, without De- ■* lay, to a Daughter of Tortugal, that he might

* not (land in the Way of T>9n Carlos : And it

* was

( 88 )

* was I that found the Way of turning all this j

* Affair to the Advantage of her two Sons, And ' do you think I have much to Pear after fuch ' Services " ?

2. This agrees exadly with the Language of the Court of Madrid : VVherc, after the Treaty of Veate ^j^s, known to be Sign'd at Vienna^ this AUiance with the Emperor was freely fpoke of, as xh^ Queens own Tranfa£iion entirely 3 enter'd into, and condudcd by herfelf-, and the Marriage of ^on Carlos fpoke of, at firfl, without referve or Appearance of Secrecy, as a Matter agreed up- on. Nor did an y •<?«<? Per fon, who frequented the Court of Spain, make the leaft Doubt of it.

3. This will help us to Account for other Parts of the Condutt of Spain : which, without this, will be wholly unaccountable, and out of the Road of all Policy. For inftance, Suppofe only thefe Marriages j or That alone of 2)^» Carlos with the eldeft Arch T>ut chefs ; and this will fhew us. Why that Court could be btought to difcard the Neutral Garrifons^ and all other Securities furnifh'd by the §luadruple Alliance for the Eftablijhing her Son, that fame ^on Carlos, in Italy j and to truft to the Emperor's na- ked Word in fo great a Point : viz. Becaufe by this Marriage it would come about, that the Emperor, by fecuring thofe dominions in Italy for x)^w Carlos, would fecure them, at the fame Time* for the Iffue of his own ^Daughter } and fo muft of Neceflity, for che Sake of his

own

^ ^Jk. j,'^'i<M^eillSs:-^:

( 89 )

own Intereft, and the aggrandizing his own Fami- ly, be finccrc and zealous in this Affair. On the other Side, the fame Sappoluion of this Marriage gives a rcafonable Solution^ Why the Court of Spain has confentcd to, what the Spa- nijh Mmijhrs at the Congrefs would not hear of, the Guaranty of the SucceJJion in Germany y as lately eftabU(h'd in the Houfe of Aufiria: "viz. Becaufe it comes about by this Marriage, that being Guarantee to the Emperor iStKceQion in his Auftrian ^Dominioyis^ is no more than being Guarantee for the Qiieen's own Son T>on Car- los^ the future Husband of the eldeft Arch- ^ut chefs } and that Self -Inter eft muft make Spain, under its prcfent Adminiftration, fincere in this Guaranty. And upon any other Bottom, we may fafely defy the World to give a Solution of thefe^ and feveral other Appearances, in this New Alliance.

I need not go farther, and appeal to any Words that may have been dropp'd in Confidence, at the Court of Vienna itfelf, upon the Subject of thefe Marriages ; and that, with a particular Plcafure and Satisfaction exprefs'd in them : Since we have io much, and fo (Irong, Evidence of the Reality of it, from the Mouth of Ripp:rda, who made the Treaty ; and from the Language of the Court oi Spain itfelf j as wellas from ihc utter In- conflftency andUnaccountablencfs of the Proceed- ings of that Court without this Suppofition.

I acknowledge indeed, That at Vienna^ when it began to appear that what had been faid upon this Head had allarnVd Europe \ and when, in par-

M ticLilar,

(90)

tfculaf, the great Aim was to keep the Stitch from acceding to the Treaty of Hanover ; which might be haflen'd by lb terrible an Ap- pearance : Then, the whole Affair of thefe Marriages was utterly difown'd ; nay, in Or- der to deny thefe Marriages^ it was abfoluteJy denied that there was any iuch Thing in Being as a fecret Treaty between the E^nperor and Spain. I am not afraid of relating this, after all the Proofs before given of the Reality ot a fecret Treaty j and of this Article in it 5 nor at all unwilling that it fhould work as much as it can, and have all the Weight it ought to have .' For I am confident, that, as this Condud con- vinced no one Pcrfon at Vien'ria ,• and matk not the leaft Impreffio^i upon the T>iitch Mmifiery or his Mafters ,- fo it will make no Imprcilion upon Any who have read what J have before laid down, unlcfs it be this, That they who can adt an unjufiifiable Part, can, without Scruple, and with the fame Eale, bring themfelves to a peremptory and abfolute Denial of it, 'till the proper Time comes for thcix open Avowal of it.

But as this Article of thefe Marriages muft remain undoubted; we cannot help (pending a few Thoughts upon the Confcquenccs of them, or of the Firft of thein only. There is but one Life, that of the Prince of AfturtaSy between ^on Carlos and the Crown of Spain, alter the Deeth of the prefent King. There is only the fame Life between ^on Carlos and the Crown of France 5 Ihould the prefent King there dye

without

(91)

without 7/7^/^ Male '^ and the late Renunciations not take Place: both v/hich Events may happen. And as to the vaH: Hereditary Dominions of the Houfe of t^uflria, T^on Carlos will come to them by RiL;ht of his Wife. And as Experi- ence has (hewn us, for many Ages, that whoever is Mafter of thefe Dominions, and the Power that attends them, has been and muft be Emperor, noD- withftanding its being an Elective Crown : T^on Curios^ by marrying the eldeji Arch T>titchefs^ cannot tail of being Emperor. So rhar ^on Carlos may poilibly be at once. Emperor, King of France^ and King of Spahi : and have the vaft Strength and Riches of all thefc Powers united and centcr'd in him.

I have thus fiiiiiciently fhewn the many and complicated Evils of this A^c''^ AUiayice between the Emperor and Spain -^ andthejufi: i^'Ipprehtn- ftonSy and well-grounded Fears, which the Court of Great-Britain could not but entertain, from all Appearances and all Advices, about the Nature and Tendency of it, with Regard to the preicnt E- flab'.ifhment of the Cro\zm of Great-Britai?i j to ouc "Foffeffions ; our Comimrce \ our Rellgim ; our Li- berties^ and thofe of all Europe ; and, in a Word, to every Thing that ought to be Dear to Us. And now, Let any Pcrlbns amongft us, Vv^ho know how to prize th<:fe iyiefiimable Goods^ which alone make Life itfelf valuable, f.irvcy :his Mezj Alliance in every Part of it: and judge, '■^\iz- ^ ther ever hitherto anj one Scheme has appeared ' m Europe^ of a Deftrudion fo univcrfal, and

Ma * of

■ (n)

^ of a Ruinc fo extended, as This (taking the * whole together) appears plainly to be".

It is time now for us to enquire, What has been the Conduit of the Court of Great Britain, up- on the View of all thefe Evils.

1. The firft ftep they took was to renew, by a Treaty, the Defenfive Engagements fubfifting be- tween Great Britain, France, and VruJJia. But this Treaty was not let on foot till fome Months after the Ne-jj A'Uance between the Emperoitr and Spain ; and afcer the befl: Intelligences, and moft mature Confideration, of the Teyidency of that Alliance, And as this Treaty, made at Ha- nover^ has long been pubiick in the World ; I need not obferve that it is a Treaty entirely T^e- fenfive between Britain, France and ^PruJJia, for the mutual iupport of each other, againft Injuries 5 and not at all for the invading, or injuring, any Nation under Heaven.

2. Particular Regard was fhewn to the St cites Geiieral.'m the framing of the Treaty of Hanover : to which they have fince acceded. The next care was to invite the Crown of Sweden into this Alliance; that Kingdoni having fo otten and fo fucccfsfully appeared in the Defence of the Pro- teftant Religion, and of the Liberties of Europe. And the Landgrave of Heffe-Caffel, v/hofe Fami- ly has done fuch /ignal Service to the Proteftant Caufc, readily offcr'd a good Body of Troops, in iupport of this Alliance.

Thafc are the Steps which the Court of Great l^jit^m though^: fie to take as foon a§ pofliblc.

(95 )

after the Danger we were in, appeared evIJent beyond all contradiclion.

3. As the Parliament of Great Britain found their Country immediarely threatn'd in itsgreatcft Concerns from thcfe Treaties of Vienna j Both HoLifes gave his Majefty all Ajfurayice of fupport in whatever He fhould think fit to do in the prcfent critical Conjuncture. And accordingly it was ne- ceffary now to confider in earneft, what was moft proper to be done. The Court of Great Britain had evident Proof that nothing could influence the Two New Allies to Terms of Rcafon, but to fhew a "vigorous Spirit againft every pernicious or fa fpicious part of fuch an Alliance. And as all Appearances, in all Parrs, convinced them. That nothing could fo effcdually guard againft approaching Evils, as the d.rpatching fuffi- cient Squadrons of Ships to fevcrai Places ; and as they were fenlible that our hUet^ now the beft in the World, could never be of any Account, either tovv'ards our Glory or our Safety, but up- on fuch an Occailon ; They did, with all poffible Diligence, fit out Three Squadrons of Men of War : One for the IFeft. Indies^ One for the Coafts of Stain, and One for the Baltick.

It will now be askVi, as it has been indeed al- ready, What betieficiai EffeEi has this Method had ? What Good have we gaind, or what Evil have we prevented, by thefe Grand Appearances of our Fleets abroad? And if anAnfwer maybe ireafonably expected, by Thofe who ask thefe and th? like §luefiions 5 fo is it alfo a jull Expectation,

That,

( 94 )

That They fiiould be as ready to receive a Rea- Ibnablc Anfwer to them, as they are to ask them.

As to the Treaty of Hanover j I will iuppofe, no Apology can be expected for That^ after fuch a furprizing and formidable Conjunction of the T'-^o Powers of the Emperour and Spain ; the De- iign, and the Articles of which Conjun£lion ap- peai'd every Day more and more terrible to their Neighbours . The Contracting Parties in the ^4- «(7Lvr Treaty mud have been taxed Vvith hijat na- tion and Infcnfihiliiy , beyond the common Pitch of Thofe Evils, if They had not enter'd in- to 2ijiri^ and hearty Concert for their own Self- ^efencey in fuch circumftances, of prcfent Invafi- on of the Trada oi fome of them 5 and of Fore- bodings oi future Evil to them All.

But as the Qucftion here at home, chiefly, if not folely, refers to our Naval Armaments from England ; \Yhat have They produced, or. For what Reafons were They fent ? The Anfwer is very plain. As to the Squadron fent to the PFeft- Indies ; I believe there is no one who has an Eftate in thole Parts, or is concern'd in any Trade thither, who did not think it highly ncceffary to have a Strong Squadron in thofe Seas, for fecuring our Commerce; v/hich mult otherwife have been inevitably ruined,by the Depredations and Violences committed by the Spaniards for feveral Years paft without Redrefs. And if the fending of the faid Squadron has prevented the Return of the Gal- leons; no Man who is inthelcafl converfant in the Affairs of Europe, can make any doubt but that .this Incident has been the only Thing that has

hitherto

( 9T)

hitherto prevented a War in Europe, by depri- ving the Courts of Vienna and Madrid of the means of putting in execution the dangerous Schemes they had projeded.

The Squadron fent to the Coafts of Spain, was fcnt to prevent any Attempt from that Country, to difturb Us at Home : The Court of Great Britain being afllired, beyond all doubt, as I have before particularly related, that an Ojfenfi-ve Treaty was concluded at Vienna j and that an Attempt was dciign'd from Spain, and Preparations m^iking for it, at that Time, in Favour of \\\Q'Tretender»

And the Squadron fent to the Baltick was fent to pre:ventvery great Evils in thofe Parts ; there being no room to dcubr, that the Czari?2a\ real View was to go with a Fleet diredly to Stock- holm, apd under a Pretence of demanding the Ufe of the Forts, and the A^fTiflance of Sweden for the Recovery of Slefizick to the Duke of Hcljlczn, aftually to dethrone the prefent King of Swe- den\ and make that Nation abfolutely dependent on Miifcovy, It was therefore, judg'd of the ut- moft Importance to prevent this, by fending a ftrong Squadron into the Bahick 5 not only as it was the preferving a Friendly To^jner, and a 'Power Necefl'ary to the Balance of the North : but particularly, becaufe Sweden could not but be confider'd in the Nature of a Frontier and Bar- rier to Britain itfelf, to fuch a Degree, that if that Kingdom were once either made fubjed to Rujfjla, or Dependent upon it, Britain itfelf muft be in Apprehenfion of Attempts from the Ruf- fian

(9^)

Jian Ravagers, coming with their Fleet froitt Gottenburg to our Northerft Coafts : an Evil not to be cTQarded againft, after the Subjcdion o{ Sweden^ but by the Expence^ cither of a conflant Fleet upon thofe Coajis, or an armed Force in thofe Parts of our Country, which Ue moil open tofuch Attempts.

The Defigns and Views in fending out thefe Squadrons being fo unexceptionably Good ; fup' pofing that, through the T>ifpoJitwns of Trovi- dence, and the Oppofition ot Wnids and Wea- ther, Succefs had not attended upon any One of thefe Squadrons i nny, that Gr^^r and Extra- ordinary Misfortunes had followed them all : yer, They who are not fo weak as to argue from Succefs alone } They who know the Uncertain- ty of Seas^ and JVinds^ and Weather^ and have too much Underftanding to think \\\^ Event ow- Jy to be the true Criterion of Judging about the V/t[dom of any Projedt i all Perfons, I mean of good Senfe, fliould, methinks, have been ready, even in (uch a Cafe, to have applauded what was done upon fo good Grounds, and with Views lb much for the Honour and Safety of their Country. But, God be thank'd, this is not the Cafe. Every one of the Armaments has had Succefs equal to the Goodnefs of the Errand, they were all fent upon 5 and even, beyond Ex- peftation. . For, as to the Squadron in the Weft' Indies i it has not only proteded the Trade of His Majefty's Subjcds in thofe Parts from the De- predations of the Spaniards j but alfo the Ga- leons with their Stores of Money, the Strength

9f

(97 )

of the New Alliance, :ind the lif,^ of all the Trojccls concerted inir, arc kept back : and thofc Attt?npts dilappoinred which would have been made, and perhaps lucceeded, had fuch Riches come to their Aid. The Execution of the Schemes laid in Spain for an Invafion of Great-Britain, in Favour of the 'Pr^fffr/^if-r, was, at that Time, pre- vented by the Appearance of a Britifh Fleet up- on the Spanifi Coafts : and all the Evils and Diforders, as well as Expence, avoided, which an Attack of that Sort muft have occafion'J, e- ven fuppofmg it repiilfcd from hence -, and the utter Ruin and Dcftrudion, that muft have en- fued, had it lucceeded. And by the Squadron in the BrJticky the Czarinas whole Force of Ships and Galleys was kept in, within the Bounds of Safety to themfelves and their Neighbours ; Her dcftrudive Dcfigns agauTft S'ji'eden, with all their ill Confequences to Britain and to other Countries of Ettrope, prevented from Execution in every Inftance : and, after, all the boaftcd Strength of the Ships and Seamen in the Ser- vice of that Cron'n^ Rujfia itfelf, and all Europe convinc'd, that t'SJenty Britifi Men of IVar can, upon any Occallon, make them difappear as if they were not, and fneltcr themfclves in their own Ports as if they had no Views but thole of Qiiiet and Security.

But here is the great Advantage to Thofe who make fuch Enq^u'iTies as thefe we have been now confidering, without a Difpofition to be fati'^tv'd : That^i/'/'/j" prcvcnced, go for no E-ctls } and be-

N c'.ufe

( P8 )

caule they were not vifibly perceiv'd by our Eyes, nor Icnfibly felt by our Nerves, before we find thcQi at a greater Diftance from us , there- fore, They who are in the Difpcfition oi Satyr (fo much eaficr than Traife') will probably think them (elves at Liberty to deny this Freedom from luch Enjils to be at all the Effed of the Mea- fures taken 5 and to perfift in it, that no fuch E- vils would have conie, or could have been juftly fear'd, if thefe Methods had not been taken. And in this Manner, 1 own, They may talk for ever againft all poflible Light ; if the whole Scene which I have, in the former Part of thefe Papers, laid before them, be not of Force enough to work another Perfwafion in them. Yet, one Thing, 1 will affirm, ' That we, and other ' Nations arc, at prefent, adually free from ' the Evils and t^ttempts I have mention'd,

* Jince thefe 'digorous Meafures have fliew'd

* 'themfelves in the View of Europe 5 and that ' They themfelves cannot lay it was certain, (as

* others will not fay, it was in the leaft proba-

< ble) that We ihould have been free from thofe

< Evils and thofe Attempts, had ;^(?/^ thefe i\/^^/;vJ *■ been taken."

ihus therefore, flands the Affair of thefe three Squadrons. They were fent upon Defigns of the jaft Confequence, and exceedingly Honourable, to Great-Britain : And they have had tlic Succefs of fully anfwering the Ends propofcd.

It was not, we fte, to affert the Sovereignty ot the SsaSj merely by (hewing themfelves in

feveral

(99 )

feveral Parts of the World in a For;^ fuperior to that of other Nations, that thefc Armaments were fitted out. The aflerting our Sovereignty of the Seas, as a Point of mere Speculation, at a great Expence, and without any other View, may, perhaps, be a Subiecl fit for xMen of Wit to be pieafant with, and to entertain thcmfelves and their Friends upon. But to afi'ert the tS"^- njereignty of the Seas, as a 'Point of Action, up-- on a jurt Oecallon : -— To fhew xXxVi Sever eigntf in the Sight of thofe Nations, who are making their own Strength at Sea the Inrtrumcnt of Ruine to their Neighbours :--To fhew it, in Op- pofition to thcfe Nations who are contriving to convey Mifchief to ourfeives, and Alliftance to our Enemies, by the Sea itfeif : —If this be not the proper Bufmefs, and the peculiar Glory of Bri- tain, as the great eft Maritime Toner now in Europe I then our A^^i/^-is itfeif a Ridicule up- on ourfeives ; an Oftentation only, kept up at a vaft Expence; and a Piece of I'^anity, unwor^ thy of a Grave and JVife Nation. But no more upon this Part of the Subject.

Another Guieftton will be askd, What has been, and muft be, our Expence upon this Oc- cafion ? .And it will be added, Are ''^ie alone to bear fuch Burthens, without a Proportion of Expence from thofe who are our Allies : whilft Thofe whom we are oppofing, feem to be at little, or none at all ? To the firft Branch of this §lueftion. What is our Expence ? It is certainly enough to anfwer in General, Let it be what it

( ICO )

will ; if it be neceffary for ouro-jun Security, and that of Europe I if it be inclined for the preventing the greatcft Evils, and as the only Means of ^ro- curing a better State of Things : it may juftly be faid, to be not at all comparable to the Nccelli- ty for it , not to be put in the Balance againft the Mi [chiefs which might have arifen from the Want of It i and very much beneath the Good which has and will come from it* The whole Point to every true Br it en is, Whether it was nccelkty, fitting, and rcafonable :-They that think ii certainly fo, and They that think \x. -probably io^ muff be plcaCcd with it. They that think it a mere Piece of Gaiety in Thofe who prefide ; or an hafty Blunder in the Dark j will have other Re- ilntments about it : But they muft firft think them mere Mad-men, or mere Idiot s^ before they can come to this. In the mean Time, till Ibme- thing of this Sort appears, we cannot but think, Thar, if the attempting to guard ourfelves and our Neighbours from very great and comprehen- hvQ Evils, be laudable; and if the preventing the Beginnings of thole Evils can make an Expence ncceJary,' fitting, and rcafonable j then the Ex- pence upon the prelent Occafion is certainly lb. ' But as this in general is Satisfaction enough, of whatever Sort or Degree the Expence is ; provided it be a lejjfi:r E^il than what it has hitherto kept off : fo it will not be difagreea7 ble to remark, That the Expence upon thefe Jslaval Armaments is of fuch a Nature, and ac- companied with (uch CirctmfianceSj as to make

'"■■ ' "' ■' ■ ' ^ ' 'If

( loi )

it much the more tolerable in the Eyes of every Briton. The Expcnce is chiefly an Expence amongft ourrdves; and fuch as only circuiatr^s Money from one H^d to another. The Vii^ualJing To many Ships is the Advantage of our own Farmers and Graziers. The Pvig&ins our and equipping them, gives Mony to our ovv^n Builders and Workmen, The putting them into Motion when they arefb repair'd, is known to be of Service to the Ships themfelves : which other- wile lie ftill, and often receive fuch Damage, as at the End it cofls more to redify. The Em- ploying fo many Seamen is ftill employing our own Subjeds, and giving our Money to our own Country-Men : befldes the great future Benefit a- rifing from this Neceflity itlelf ; as they are kept in Adion by it, and inured to the Service of their Country^ and the more fit to defend it upon all Occafions to come. So that the Expence of our Naval IDefence, which is the true and natural de- fence of Britain j tho' it, indeed, muft be a Bur- then to thofe who pay towards it, as all Pay- ments are : yet it is a Burthen with this Ad- vantage to the Tublickj that it fends not our Mo- ney abroad 5 it lofes it not to the Nation ; it re- moves it indeed out of one Pocket into another, but it is ftill our Money, and remains among ourfehes. The Community and Body ot Subjects taken together are not the Toorcr for it; tho' the Terfons paying it to others, are fb : and if it be for their own 7iecefjary ^efence^ and for the Safety of all the P.eft qf their Polfcilions, All

hO'

( 101 )

honefl: Men among them will be glad, They are lo.

But then our Expence, the' great, is not a^ Jone. The Difpofitions made by France^ ever imce the Signing of the Treaty o^ Hanover, have more than kept pace with us, in the largenefs of the Expence. The firft Step taken by the moft Chrijlian King was, to augment his regular Troops with Twenty five Thoufand Men j and this in fuch a Manner, that they were prefently ready for Ad ion upon any Occafion. At the fame Time he order'd a Levy of the Militia, to the Number of Sixty Thoufand Men : and ap- pointed thefe to be commanded by the Ancient Officers reformed oi his old Troops ;not to mention Twelve Thoufand Invalids^ put into good Or- der, and double Officer d, for the Defence of fuch of his Cittadels and Forts as tiicy are proper for. Thefe, and other Difpofitions, which have been made to put France into a Condition to fup- port a War, if it fhould be nccefiary, amounted, for this laft Year, by a certain Calculation, to fifteen hundred and fixty thoufand Pounds Sterling j and if the Mtlitia fhould be obliged to march out of their Provinces to the Frontier?, it will amount to a far greater Sum. And by this Method it comes to pafs, That thefe fixty thoufand Militia, and twelve thoufand Invalids, remaining in Garrifons and for- tiiied Places, as the Service Ihall require j That Ktng van fend into the field, without Inconvenience, 1 65000 Men of his Regular Troops. Such has been for fome Time the 'Difpofition there, in Order to |hew thexYr^y AllieS; that Frm^e is not only in

earneft^

( 105 )

earncft, but in a well difpofed Condition of difputing any Attempts againft itfelf, or its Allies,

The United Provinces indeed, came but late- ly into the Alliance^ from the frame of their ConftittitiGn, naturally begetting ^Delays and pro- longing their T)ebates'^ and not from any Want of the Senfe of their Dangers, and the Neceflity of their acceding to the Treaty of Hanover. For from the Time of their AcceJJion to that Trea- ty, they have fhewn a Warmth and Vigour wor- thy of the Occafion. They have agreed unani- moufly upon fuch Augmentations of their Land Forces, as by fiext Spring will make them above 50000 effective Men : And the neceflary Mea- furcs are taking for their having a Fleet at Sea of Twenty Men of War. Eefides which Expenci\ ichtin^ to thcCc Augr/ient at ions, They have been at a very great Charge in providing their Maga- zines, and putting their Barrier and Frontier Places into a good Pofture of 'Defence. But whoever reads the late Refolutions aod Rtpreftn- tations of the States General i and fees with how deep a Concern, and in how pathetical a Man- ner, they fpeak of the Calamities now threatnmg thcmfelves, and the reft of Europe ; declaring their Ruine muft lye at their own Door, if all theVrovinces do not, in a Cafe of fuch Neceili- ty, confent to a6t the Part of Men in a vigorous Defence of themfelves, and readily concur in

* JVhat^ in the Opinion of their High Mighti'

* neffeSy is indifpenfably neceffary to the com-

* iDon Safety and Prffervation i and without

* which

( I04 )

* which the JVell-bemg, Liberty and Religion of

* the whole Republick, will be put to the Ven- ' ture '. Whoever reads this, and much more faid and inculcated by Them with a particular Vehe- mence,will not think,that They are not dercrmin'd to defend themfelves by all neceffary Mcalures a- gainft the Dangers now hanging over their Heads.

x'\t the fame Time, xhoi^ 'Powers^ which have railed this t^llarm, and occafioned this defenjive Expence to their Neighbours^ cannot ftir one Step in their own o-fftnjive T)eJignSy without a very confiderable one to themfelves. His Impe- rial Majeftj/y befides the many Promifcs of another Sort, which He has bcftow'd around Him, has entered into real Obligations which cannot be performed but at a very great Expence. To the Elector oi Cologne he has engaged to pay 600,000 German Florins a Year, for two Years; to the £- leBor of Bavaria^ the fame ; to the Ele£ior Ta- latin and of Treves the fame ; and to the Duke of Wolfenbuttle 200,000 Florins j befides what is ftipulated to others. Add to thefe his own great Expences, in recruiting and in refitting his whole Army, and preparing every thing of all Sorts, neceflary for Aciion : An Expence in the whole fo great ! that nothing but the vaft Advan- tages It is to receive from his new Alhance, and the Expedation of Re?nittances from Spain, could have induced him to think of it. And what then muft the Expence of Spain be ; which has not only it's own Army to put in Order and aug- ment ; not only it's own Towns and Coafts to guard 5 but the Emperor's Demands to anfwer }

And

( loy )

And what a State of things muft the Ncccili- tics oi Spain n I'cif, together with tiie T)emands of the Emperor J biing that King and his Country into ; even if his tlota with it*s ufual C^r^d? of ^joney fhould come. Home fafe: when it is well known, that, before thefe neuj Expences, ( the EfTccl of the A"(ftc Alliance) all the 0^/7 and Mi- litary Officers belonging to that Cro'i^nj and their whole Army, were in great At rears r, and all the Royal Revenues anticipated for a Year and a Half 5 and that the '■ji'kole Nation was in a State of very- great Poverty and DiftrefsJ And if fiich immenfe Expences can be run into with Zealj for the In» jury and Opprefiion of other Countries: furely^ an Expcnce, much fmaller in itfeif; and directed folcly to the Defence and Trefervation of our- felves in the Rights and Troperties \Ye are juftly in PoOeflion of, cannot be thought unworthy of the Britijh Nation ; nor unjuflinable in Thofe who have ah'cady begun it, only becaufc they thought it ablolutely rieceff.rry. But ftill other Queftions arife upon this Subject.

It may be asked, Could not the Court ^1 Great Britain ail this while have tryed otker Methods^ than allarming Eitrope with Fleets ? The Methods of a friendly Congrefsy or Pro- pofals of a more peaceable and amicable Na- ture? Was there PiO Way of proceeding, but de- manding of the Emperor^ the foie Propriety of Trade ; and engrofiing it to Br it era and Hdliand : as if other Nations had no Right to the World, befides our felves? In v/hich Way of talking there is fomeching very right, and fomething very

O wrong.'

( io6 )

wrongi For certainly it muft be granted, that we ought to prepare ourfelves with Vigour to oppofe Injury \ as well as to be ready to propofe, or re- ceive, any reafonable Methods of Accommodation. To do xhcfrji, without a Difpofuion fhewn to the latter, I acknowledge, would have been un- juftifiable. To do the latter without the frjl^ had been Wcaknefs and Folly : and could have pro- ceeded from nothing but a Total Ignorance of the plaineft Rules of political Condu<5l -y which have long ago eftablilbed It as a certain Maxinty that the beft Way to Feace upon fuch Occafions, is with the Sword prepared for the Day of Ne- ceflityj and that thofe Powers, who can fuffer themfclves to invade or demand the Rights of a- thers, will laugh at all Accommodations offered, when they fee them unaccompanied with fuch Ap- pearances as fhew the Refolution oi Thofe others to defend their Rights by Force^ it Reafon cannot prevail.

I anfwer thcreforc,to thefe and the like Q^iefiions.

1. It never could have been juftified, in the Court of Great-Britain, to have made Propofals of Ac- commodation, without the moft vigorous Meafurcs taken, which alone could make them effcdual.

2. li^ fomc of the Pretences and demands of iK\s new Alliance, no Equivalent, no Accommo- dation, could be propoled. In the Cafe of the Demand of Gibraltar', whilft the Nation feems univcrfally to concur, that no Sum of Money, nor any other Place of Strength abroad, can be any Equivalent to it : what could be propofed, but a Refolution to defend the Nation in its juft

Tojfeffi<n\

( 107 )

^ojfejfion of it -, efpecially, ilncc the whole prc- fent Conduft of Spain may aflure us, by a frefli Evidence, that it is of the utmoft Importance; and that, if that Place were once gone out of our Hands, we fhould have ftill lefs Hope of feeing Treaties obferv'd, or of hindering ourfclves from being more and more injured, on that fide, in our Commerce ? 3. In the other great Cafe, that of the Emperors new Eftablifhment at Ojiend, the Court of Great-Britain never went upon fuch an arbitrary Maxim as. That other Illations ought not to be permitted to begin and extend their Commerce wherever they rightfully could, as well as ourfehes -, or that ic'^ had any Right to oppofe fuch Attempts : But upon thefe undoubted Maxims of Truth znd R/ghty-Thzt Treaties zrc to be obfcrvcd ;-"That, when any Country is exclu- ded by Treaties from any particular Branch of Commerce, it is not to be authorized and fupported in carrying on the faid Branches of Commerce in vi- oiation of the laid Treaties ; and— -That thofeT*ow- ers which have, by tc^czicd Engagements^ obliged thcmfelves to defend and fupport the Britijh and ^utchTr^idCj are juftly to be oppofed when they themfelves come to be i\\q. Invaders ^ndT^eftroy- ers oi it. Agreeably to all this, 4. As the Court of Great'Britain has taken fuch vigorous Mea- fures as fhew the Refolution of Self defence : {o^ has it never been wanting either to piopofe, or to receive, any reafonable Method for the Accom- modation of this Matter, to the Emperor's Satis- faction 5 if He could be fatisficd with any thisg, but a Trade in open Contradiction to all Treaties.

Oz In

( io8 )

Jn particular, It was TulHciently intimated to the (ZQUi::o( y^e:i::a, that the Britijh Court pretended to nothing in this Aifair, but to defend the Right of Ttade belonging to Britain by Treaties j far from afiliming to themCelves any Right of controlling the Emptror, or his Subjccls, in any Attempts, not con- trary to thofe Treaties: That therefore, ih\\c Empe- ror would remove, this C^w/^w;', and the Seat of Trade ^ now at Oftendj to Trtejie, or any other Place in his 'Jjamimons j^sihizh. did not heretofore belong to the\5/>^7.//?7 Monarchy J ^ri/tf/« was ready qui- etly toacquiefce. And the fame was ofFer'd to the Court oi Madrid y in the form of a TropofaL when his Cathciick Majefty had juft begun to cfpoufe the Emperor's Intereji, in this Affair of Oflend,

But tho' the Coivrt of Spain not only acknow- ledged the Re^.fonabknefs of the Propofal ; but jiiade great ProfcfUons of Hope that it would t»e accepted : yet, at the fame Time, it was de- clared, That Spain was uiider Engagements to iland by the Emperor^ even fuppoHng his unrea- finable Refulal of it. And at Vienna, the Intima- tion made no ImprfJJJon at all: The Refolution there, by this appearing plainly to be. The Sup- port of the O ft ^nd Company^ and Treide from the Netherlands^ againil all Stipulations.

But however this ended at Vienna and Ma- drid 5 Jc mud have this Effect at London j to convince all Perfons, that, as no one^ either real pr pretended, Vrovocatwn from Britain^ gave the iirfl Occafion for this new Alliances (one End of >vhich was the Eftablifhmcnt of the Emperor's ^ev/ andunv/arrantabicDefigns in Trade ;) So, the " Court

( 109 )

Court of Great-Britain, in the midft of all Pre- pajiations for the ^Defence of this Nation's Rights, has not neglected to try other Methods of a peaceable and amicabk Nature 5 but fhewn a rea- dinefs to do any thing, even for prefent Peace, except to give up the AdvantageSy Rights and Privileges of Britain, of more Importance than present Peace : and thefe f^dvantages founded upon Treaties; which therefore. They who pre- fide are obliged to guard and defend, as a facred ^epofitum, not only out of Love to their 0««- ?r/ common to Them with all others, but out of feculitir Duty and Obligation ; as they are intruft- ed with this Guard:anjhip and Defence, by the Puhlick ; and as an Account of this Truft may juftly be demanded of thera.

If then, nothing reafonable, in the Way of y^f- commodation, has been wanting on their Part jThey will not eafily be blamed , (it is to be hoped rather, they will be highly commended) for This, that They have not permitted themfelves to be mif- led by any fmooth Words without Meaning; or to be hindred from taking all necefTary Precau- tions, by any Amufemmts of Congreffes^ or Em- bajjies, or Negotiations, only thrown in their Way to gain Time to others, and to lofe it to them- felves : Since it is evident, that irreparable and />- retrievable Evils might have come from the not ta- king thefe ncccflary and timely Precautions. And were it fo, that They had fpent their whole Time in fending and receiving fruitlefs MefTages back- wards and forwards, in fuch a critical Conjunc- t'are j we may venture to fay, we know the Per-

( no )

ions who would have been the firfl to charge, (and very dcfcivcdly too) the Ruine of this Nation upon them; and to have demanded Juftice againft them tor fuch a Conduft; in fuch a Time of Danger to their Country.

And indeed, fuppofmg this to have been the Cafe; fuppcfing the Court of Great Britain^ I in (uch a Situation ; with fuch repeated Advices

||. from all Parts ^ with fuch Demonftrations. of

Danger from abroad, as put out of a'l Doubt the true Nature and Deiigns of fo formidabJe an Alliance as that of the Emperor and Spain : I lay, fuppofing this Court, furrounded with all thefe Evidences, to have entered into no Mealures of Defence with any neighbouring States and 'Prin- ces-, to have taken no Steps towards preventing the Mifchief threatened j to have fent out no Na- I'al ArmammtSy either to preierve any friendly Powers, or to quaih any Attempts of others 5 Who would not rife up, and demand an Account of fuch a Conduci from Thofe who alone are to anfwer for it ? Who would not join in faying, ' Is this the Ufage fit to be given to a brare and

* confiderng People ? Is this the watchfulnefs of ^ Thofe^ whofe Duty it is to attend to every diilant

'r * View of Danger? Or, do They think fo meanly

r * of its and the "ujhole Nation, that we can fie

* nothing but what we feel-, and that we have a ' Senfe of no Evil, but what is preftnt : Or,

* that we arc fo made, that a little Expence

* would affright us from prefcrving our all; or,

* reduced to fo lo'ju a Condition of Poverty, that ' wc ^an't purchafe or furaifh out even Self-de-,

fine?

( HI )

fence to our felvcs ? Were not other Trinces and States threatned by the fame Danger ; and ready to unite with us? Muft our Fleet, the Glory (as it is call'd) of this Land, lie ftill and decay, rather than be made our Bulwark ? Our Fleet ^ failly call'd our Glory, but indeed our Shame, whilft it is laid afide as ufelcfs, at a Time when That alone might make us look too for- midable in Europe^ to be infulted or atfronted ? Or, docs even this Expmce which circulates chiefly amongft ourfelves, appear too formidable to a Nation which thofc around it envy, as the Centre oi Riches and Plenty? But why do we (peak of Expence? It is this Method of Indolence and Ina^ivity upon fuch an Occafi- on, which muft bring after it an Expe-nce much greater in itfelf; and much more hazardous in its Effe(fl: ; as Time fhall add Strength to the T)anger threatened: an Expence, which muft i

increafe our Debt, and at the fame Time ditni- 1

nifi the Hope of paying it. What Account '

can we give of fuch ^Treatment of this Nation ? As we can find none in all the known Meafurcs of \

ToliticalVrudence ; we muft fearch for it fomc- j

where elfe. --There mud befecret Reafons for '!

fuch a Condudl j and perhaps thefe may lye in the Riches of Spain^ fuffered to come fafciy home, to ftrengthen and confolidate the moft dangerous Conjun^ion that ever yet appeared in Europe \'-1\i\% and much more might judly be urged, upon the Suppofition of a negligent and una6iive Condud in this Crifis of Danger. And what Reply to make to it, I profefs 1 think it utterly impollible to tell. But

1 4

( III )

But this is not the Cafe. The Court of Gretit Br it am has aO:ed quite another Part ; and eiiter'd into that Method of ligarous Slf^ defenccy by which alone, in all human Wif- dom, there *can be the kaft Hope of preventing or rcpulfing any dangerous Attempts againft all our highefi Concerns: and 7i Met body to which No other Principle could poillbly have diredcd Thoie who have cholen it, but That of an honcft Regard to the FoJJeffionSy the Trade y the Right Sy t!\c U^ell-Beingy and the Behig itlelf, of this now happy and envied Nation.

F 1 N I S\

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