These are the utmost conditions to which the faid Prince and Count think it poffible for his Catholic Majefty to be brought; and they declare at the fame time, that their Imperial and Catholic Majefties will fooner abandon the LowCountries, than take them upon other conditions, which would be equally expensive, shameful, and unacceptable to them.

On the other fide, the faid Prince and Count are perfuaded, that the advantages at this time yielded to the States-General may hereafter be very prejudicial to themselves; forafmuch as they may put the people of the Spanish Netherlands to fome dangerous extremity, confidering the antipathy between the two nations; and that extending of frontiers is entirely contrary to the maxims of their government.

As to the upper quarter of Guelder, the faid Prince and Count are of opinion, that the StatesGeneral may be allowed the power of putting in garrifons into Venlo, Ruremond and Steffenswaert, with orders to furnish the faid States with the revenues of the country, which amount to one hundred thousand florins.

As to Bonne, belonging to the Electorate of Cologn, Liege, and Huy to the bishopric of Liege, it is to be understood, that these being imperial towns, it doth not depend upon the Emperor to confent that foreign garrisons should be placed in them upon any pretence whatsoever. But whereas the States-General demand them only for their fecurity, it is proposed to place in thofe towns a Rr 2 garrifon

garrifon of imperial troops, of whom the States may be in no fufpicion, as they might be of a garrifon of an elector, who might poffibly have views oppofite to their interefts. But this is propofed only in cafe that it fhall not be thought more proper to raze one or other of the faid towns.

The REPRESENTATION of the ENGLISH MERCHANTS at Bruges, relating to the Barrier-treaty.

DAVID WHITE, and other Merchants, her Majesty's fubjects, refiding at Bruges, and other towns in Flanders, crave leave humbly to reprefent,

HAT whereas the cities of Lifle, Tournay,

THA

Menin, Douay, and other new conquests in Flanders and Artois, taken from the French this war, by the united forces of her Majesty and her allies, are now become entirely under the government of the States-General; and that we her Majefty's fubjects may be made liable to fuch duties and impofitions on trade, as the faid StatesGeneral hall think fit to impofe on us: We humbly hope and conceive, that it is her Majefty's intention and defign, that the trade of her dominions and fubjects, which is carried on with thefe new conquefts, may be on an equal foot with that of the fubjects and dominions of the States-General, and not be liable to any new duty, when tranfported from the Spanish Netherlands to the faid new conquefts, as, to our great surprise, is

exacted

exacted from us on the following goods, viz. butter, tallow, falmon, hides, beef, and all other pro-i ducts of her Majesty's dominions, which we import at Oftend, and there pay the duty of entry to the king of Spain, and consequently ought not to be liable to any new duty, when they carry the fame goods, and all others, from their dominions,, by a free pass or tranfire to the faid new conquefts: and we are under apprehenfion, that, if the said new conquefts be fettled, or given entirely into the possession of the States-General, for their barrier, (as we are made believe, by a treaty lately made by her Majesty's ambaffador, the Lord Vifcount Townshend, at the Hague) that the States General may also foon declare all goods and merchandifes, which are contraband in their provinces, to be alfo contraband or prohibited in these new conquefts, or new barrier; by which her Majesty's fubjects will be deprived of the fale and confumption of the following products of her Majefty's dominions, which are, and have long been declared contraband in the united provinces, fuch as English and Scots falt, malt fpirits, or corn brandy, and all other forts of distilled Englifh fpirits, whale and rape oil, &c.

It is, therefore, humbly conceived, that her Majefly, out of her great care, and gracious concern for the benefit of her subjects, and dominions, may be pleased to direct, by a treaty of commerce, or fome other way, that their trade may be put on an equal foot, in all the Spanish Netherlands, and the new conquefts of barrier with the subjects

of

of Holland, by paying no other duty than that of importation to the king of Spain; and, by a provision, that no product of her Majesty's dominions shall ever be declared contraband in these new conquests, except fuch goods as were esteemed contraband before the death of Charles II. King of Spain. And it is also humbly prayed, that the product and manufacture of the new conquefts may be alfo exported, without paying any new duty, befides that of exportation at Ostend, which was always paid to the king of Spain; it being impoffible for any nation in Europe, to affort an entire cargo for the Spanish Weft-Indies, without a confiderable quantity of several of the manufactures of Lifle; fuch as caradoros, cajant, picofes, boratten, and many other goods.

The chief things to be demanded of France, are to be exempted from tonnage, to have a liberty of importing herrings, and all other fish, to France, on the fame terms as the Dutch do, and as was agreed by them at the treaty of commerce, immediately after the treaty of peace at Ryfwick. The enlarging her Majesty's plantations in Ame rica, &c. is naturally recommended.

END OF VOL. II.