The Continuation Of Mr. Rapin's History of England: From the ..., Volumen17
Por Nicholas Tindal
17121 manded in 1709, and the tariff of 1664, excepting only
the following species of merchandize, which the Dutch " should not be permitted to import into France : whale-oil,
soap, sugar, and dry fifh; as also the duty of fifty sols per
tun, which the French king would not remit.' The earl of Strasford likewise insisted, that the states should withdraw their forces from Spain and Portugal, and forthwith return a categorical answer to their proposals. During the debate, the states sent to the ministers of Prussia and Hanover, to know what they might depend upon as to the troops of their masters; to which they returned not only a favour.. able answer, but, at the desire of the states, wrote letters to the generals of those forces, to act according as those ministers had promised they should. On the other hand, the emperor's ministers, suspecting what would be proposed, fignified to the atates, that, if they agreed to a cessation of arms, prince Eugene had orders immediately to march off, with all the emperor's forces into the empire, and leave the Dutch to the mercy both of their old and new enemies, This, together with the remonftrance of the pensionary, the register Fagel, and monsieur Slingerland, inclined the ftates of the province of Holland and West-Friseland, to come to an unanimous resolution on the 9th of July, N. S. "That they were intirely disposed to put an end to this, • bloody and expensive war by a good peace : that, in order 'to that, they were ready to listen to such proposals, as • France should be willing to make in writing, in answer to "the specific demands of the allies : that, if the same were
just and reasonable, in such a case their high mightineffes would readily consent to a general peace; but that they would never depart from their engagements with their al
lies, without whose consent they could not agree to a ces• sation of arms. This resolution was fa great a mortification to the British ministers, that the earl of Strafford said, with some vehemence, " That he would go to the army, • and execute his orders.' He was prayed to defer his journey for one day, which he refused, unless prince Eugene were desired to forbear hoftilities. After some deliberation, he was told, an express should be sent to prince Eugene, to desire that he would undertake nothing till forty-eight hours
after the earl of Strafford's arrival in the army. Sir Thomas About this time à report was spread in Holland, that the Hanmers English had formed a design to seize Oftend, which was occonduct in cafioned by Sir Thomas Hanmer's repairing to that town to wards the end of June, N. S. his causing the depth of the
harbour to be founded'; and his viewing the fortifications 1712.
with the burgomaster Bawens, who was supposed to be in any
the British interest. Sir Thomas having spent some days at
Bruges and Ghent, where his presence was thought neces-
sary to prepare matters for future designs; that gentleman,
who from this time began to appear with the title of the
queen's minister, repaired to Brussels, where the earl of Straf-
ford arrived the nth of July, N. S. From thence the earl The earl of
went the next day to the duke of Ormond's army, then in- Strafford
camped at Chateau Cambresis, and found it was high time gaes to the
to separate the British forces from the Germans, between
whom there had been frequent quarrels, in which many
men, and even some officers, had been killed on both sides.
The day before, a council of war was held at prince
Eugene's quarters at Haspre, wherein it was agreed, that
the army should make a movement to attack Landrecy; that
the prince of Anhalt-Dessau should command the siege of
that place; and, if the English retired from the army, no-
thing should be omitted to carry on the war with the utmost
vigour, in order to take winter quarters in Picardy. The
earl of Strafford, foreseeing what a martial answer he must
expect, in case he should propose a cessation of arms, con-
tinued at the duke of Ormond's quarters, where he conferred
with none of the commandess of the auxiliary troops, ex-
cept the general of the Hanoverians, who was instructed to
declare, that his master; as an elector of the empire, was
obliged to follow the resolutions of the head and members of
that great body, Whether the earl of Strafford expected the
first visit from prince Eugene and the states deputies, is
uncertain ; but, if he did, he was disappointed ; and, hav-
ing notified to them his arrival in the duke of Ormond's
camp no sooner than the 14th of July, the prince and the
deputies contented themselves with returning him a compli-
ment upon
The news of the British auxiliaries refusing to march with the news of
the duke of Orinond, was variously entertained in England, the auxilia-
ries refufing according to the different inclinations and views of the fe
to obey the veral parties. Those, who had either opposed or disap- duke of Orproved the late measures, could not but rejoice at it; openly mond, vas declaring their hopes, that the confederates would carry on ceived in the war without England; others spreading reports of the England, duke of Ormond's having been threatened by some German generals ; and others again whispering about their secret Wishes, under the notion of apprehensions of a design formed by those generals to confine the duke for their arrears, and
Cond. of the
1712. even to disarm the British troops, left they should join the
French army. Whether such a thought was entertained by any of those commanfers, is very difficult to determine; but it is certain no such thing was ever proposed to the states-deputies ; and it is more than probable, that, if it had, it would have been rejected with indignation. However, it is observable, that the friends of the new miniftry were apt enough to suspect such a design, and very industrious in infusing the belief of it, in order to render the allies still more odious to the people.
However this be, the duke of Ormond found himself in a duke of Or, very uneasy posture. Upon a sup pofition, that Villars mond. would send him a satisfactory answer, and the foreign troops
persist in their refusal to obey his orders, he designed to march with all the English troops, and the artillery to Dunkirk, where he thought they would be more secure, and would have the sea open, in case the queen should think fit to recall them. But on the 27th of June he received a letter from Villars which imported, " That the king (of France)
, might very well be astonished, that, in case of a cessation, ļ the generals of the auxiliary troops should make any dif
ficulty to separate from prince Eugene ; and that it was surprizing, the Dutch should have more power over men, whom they did not pay, to make them hazard their lives, than the queen, who had paid them these dozen years, should have to persuade them not to expose themselves to
any danger.'. The duke received also the copy of a letfer from the marquis de Torcy to Mr. St. John, wherein the marquis urged, "That in the articles agreed on it was expressed, the ceffation should be between the armies
which were at present in the Netherlands: that it was up
on this view of a general cessation, so important a place as « Dunkirk was to be delivered up; that the chief motive, { which made England and France agree to a cessation, was,
that nothing might happen between the armies to interrupt < the measures, which were taken for a peace. That, to ! effect this, nothing but a general cessation would be
fufficient; and, if the enemies of peace had still the liberty, the means, and the power of acting left them, the condition, upon which the king was to surrender Dun
kirk to the queen, would not be complied with on her part: y that the king always thought, the queen was intire mistress 5 of the troops, which composed her army; and that they had all orders to follow the duke of Orinond's directions;
and therefore upon a ceffation were to forbear action, as
well as the English. That in case the English alone left
the army, prince Eugene, finding himself the sole general
at the head of great numbers of men, would hazard any
thing to come to an action, and would not at all scru-
ple to facrifice troops, which his master did not pay,
and which were to be under the prince's command only
during the remainder of the campaign. Therefore since
these proposals for a cessation neither answer the measures,
( which the
has hitherto taken for a peace, nor agreed to the articles, which had been concerted to between her majesty and the king upon that subject, the king was persuaded, that the queen would give the duke of 5 Ormond full instructions to separate the whole intire army, 6 which was in her
pay, and actually under the duke's com-
! mand, from that of prince Eugene: and, when this was
done the king would be ready to deliver up Dunkirk,
as it had been agreed upon in the articles for the ceffati-
on. This letter gave the duke good reason to hope,
that the queen would approve of his deferring to separate the
troops, and to march towards Dunkirk, till he had sufficient
assurance, that the place would be delivered up to him; where-
as now the contrary appeared fo evidently, that he should have
thought himself immediately at liberty to act in conjunc-
tion with the allies, would he have taken upon himself to
make a step of that consequence, without the queen's par-
ticular orders; but these he had further room to expect,
since the allies were now engaged in the fiege of Quesnoy,
and in no condition therefore at present of attacking the
enemy. And the duke was the less uneasy under this delay,
being sensible, that England had not been able, on her
part, to make good the condition of a general cellation, up-
on which the immediate delivery of Dunkirk was promised.
Villars, in his letter, had invited the duke to an interview,
which the duke (being no way impowered to agree to it)
declined, and excused himself in a letter to the marshal.
While he was dispatching an express with an account of all
these proceedings, a messenger brought him a letter of the
14th of June from Mr fecretary St. John, which gave the
duke an account, (That the courier returned from France
• the night before, and that her majesty's demands were
• complied with to her fatisfaction. If therefore his grace
? had any difficulties, as several were foreseen, which might
arife in taking possession of Dunkirk, he might keep his
army intire, and the measures were ready in England for
T H Ẻ H I S T 6 R = sending over troops sufficient for that service. That riothing could be more dreadful to the Dutch than this town in English hands. That he was therefore to confi
der the temper they were in; and, if he were likely to 4 have the least disturbance given him on this account, he
was to keep the fecret, send his accounts to the quèen, and in the mean time, the troops should be ready to enter
the place from England; where means would be found of o concerting things so, that the declaration for a fufpenfion
of arms should be exactly timed with the evacuation of * Dunkirk. If he had taken poffeffion, well ;-if not, they « could be able to do it from thence; and perhaps, in the
prefent ferment, he had better lie ftill, and let Dunkirk be
possessed first, and the clainour happen afterwards.' On the 5th of July came another letter, of June 20, from the fecretary, informing the duke, · That the queen had order: , ed lord Strafford to make all possible haste to the army,
with instructions, which were necessary in this critical conjuncture : That the foreign ministers had been told, that
the queen would look upon herself as acquitted from all ob« ligations of arrears or subsidies to that prince, whose « troops should refufe to obey her general's orders with• out hesitation : that his grace should declare as much « to those, who commanded them, and require a positive • answer from them: that, till ford Strafford came, the best « use, his grace could make of the intermediate time, would $ be to continue vigilantly on his guard, and to speak in o the plainest and most resolute manner to them. In this letter was inclosed the copy of one from the secretary to the marquis de Torcy of the fame date, the subject of which was, That the queen, having received an account of « what had passed, both from the duke of Ormond and " from France, commanded him to acquaint the marquis, ? how great a disfatisfaction it was to her to see, that
the enemies of peace had again found out means to retard its conclusion, by exposing the methods, by which . it was to be gained, to new difficulties and dangers. • But as she had taken a firm and immioveable resolution,
not to give the least way to those obstructions, and to con• tinue her utmost endeavours, in concert with the king;
towards establishing a general peace; so she did not doubt, 6 but she should be able to defeat the last efforts of those, who
either fought their own interest, or gratified their pri"vate resentments, in prolonging the miseries of war. That . he, in the queen's name, had declared to the ministers of
6 those