Table of contents

1712.0927.Fa

1¹



Addressed:
E: Dartmouth


Versailles the 16/27 Sep:^r 1712

My Lord

Vpon the receit of your Lordsp's of the 4^th/15
I translated into French D^r Henchman's addi­
­tions proposed to be added to the Draught
of renonciation, and communicated the same
to mons:^r Torcy; who was of opinion that
in the general it amounted only to Abun­
­dans Cautela,² and had no objection to
having those additions as˂In˃serted³ but the
time We may lose in getting it done,
since these Observations as your Lordsp
sent them were only preparatory to those
w:^ch should be in some time sent as
perfected and in Latin: in the mean time
as to these words


It is further humbly submitted whi­
­ther this might not be made more
effectual by inserting the names
of such persons as the right of
Succession shall be declared to
devolue vpon by this renonciation,


2
(after the words passé et transmis.)
He had a most terrible Objection, that
besides that it leads into a long and
vseleſs obscurity, not tending to the
Renonciation of Spain but to the suc­
­cession of France, it contains one matter
of the greatest Importance to France w:^ch
is that Philip a forrein Prince does
actually take vpon him to settle the
Succession of France, w:^ch was just the
point we thought our selves grieved in,
when by the barriere treaty the Dutch
were made Guarantés of our Succession
An other Objection he made was that
Philip enumerating all the Princes in
their order that could come to the crown
of France, (and that too at our Instance)
would be really entitled to resume the
right of his birth in case these prin­
­ces fayl, since he could be looked
vpon to renonce no further than
is specifyed in this Enumeration

3
whereas the manner in w:^ch the K: of Spain
explains himself has much more
force, and is subject to no inconvenience
as to it's Construction and to no limi­
­tation as to it's Expression

On Sunday I received your Lordsp's of
the 10^th and 11:^th by w:^ch I find L^d Lexing­
­ton has all his orders and is parting
for Spain, I haue explained to mons^r
Torcy every particular of your letter
relating to the manner in w:^ch my Lord
will proceed vpon his arrival into that
Kingdom, his private audiences, his
treating w:^th the Ministers, and his
recognizing the King's title, and assu­
­ming the Character of Ambassad:^r w^th
all w:^ch this Court is perfectly satis­
­fied: orders are given from hence
accordingly, particularly to the French
Envoy Ex:^ry at Madrid to show my
Lord all the Civilities, and perform

4⁴
all the good offices w:^ch may be in his
power. I presume my Lord is fully
instructed as to any addition to or al­
­teration in the Instruments of
Renonciation, and not having heard in
your last letters further from D^r
Henchman, I beleiue I haue troubled
you with mons:^r Torcy's objections to
what may probably be but Speculation
and as the D:^r terms them, his own
private thoughts.

I haue acquainted mons:^r Torcy that
Portugal has consented to a Cessation
of Arms, of w^ch this court has sent
Expresses to Madrid and to Utrecht.
As to Ships carrying corn from great⁵
Britain and fish from Newfoundland
to Barcelone or Portugal, their ap­
­prehensions are groundleſs; they
are comprehended in the Cessation;
Provisions de bouche, Commeatus
was never thought Contrebande

5
(except going to a City beseiged;) besides
that the term of 6 Weeks is now so
far expired that it will scarce be
practicable to draw vp an Agreement
on this head, w:^ch otherwise I found
mons:^r Torcy had no objection to, but
there being no occasion for it; the
Portuguese having consented to a
Suspension takes off, (your Lordsp
sees) great part of the question,
and what I haue already writ putts
the whole I hope, out of dispute—

I haue transmitted to mons:^r Pontchar­
­train the Duplicates sent to her
Maj:^ties Gov:^rs in America, and the
Triplicates w:^ch mons:^r Torcy sends to
Spain, in order to their sending like
Copyes to be transferred to you
in Engl:^~ in all these kind of Matters
as France acts for the Court of
Spain, so I easily perceiue, small

6
opposition arises from thence to any
thing proposed by these people, thô
they do it with all the seeming Caution
and tenderneſs imaginable, for fear
the Spanish Punto and dignity
should be offended.

The K: agrees to the release of all prison
­ers of War that are her Maj:^ties subjects
for the 29^th Sep:^r NS: as your Lordsp
sees by this draught of his Maj:^ties
proclamation w^ch I send you inclosed
vpon w^ch Her Maj:^ties pleasure will
reciprocally be published, and your
Lordsp will send Me a Copy of it
there are several English taken at
Denin, but these having deserted her
Maj:^ties g˂G˃eneral, and being actually
in forrein service are not to ˂˄ be˃⁶ compre­
­hended in the general Liberty

Vpon this agreement between England
and France mons:^r Torcy writ some
days since to Spain, and thô He

7
has not as yet an answer, he does not
doubt but that Spain will comply
with the proposition of a general
release of all Prisoners between that
Crown and G: Britain as soon as
possible: He has writ again yesterday
naming the 15^th of next Month as
your Lordsp proposes, and as you
may account that I shall haue that
Crowns Declaration on this subject,
so as soon as I shall receiue it I
shall transfer it to your Lordsp.

Mons:^r Torcy has sent the Duplicates
to our Command:^r in cheif in Spain
by the ways of Rousillon and Genes:⁷
and from Spain there is a great com­
­plaint sent heither, that our people
at Gibraltar giue too public an
encouragement to the Jews, and
haue oppressed and even forced away
their religious Orders from the place:

8
they desire that a speedy end may be
putt to these Abuses,

I haue a complaint of an other Nature
w:^ch is, that vpon the Cessation, English
Vessels load Dutch goods in the
Ports of Holland for France (and for
Spain particularly:) and that this
trade is actually carrying on at
Amsterdam, this Abuse is prejudicial
to Us as well as France, and I presume
will be soon remedied⁸

Directions are sent to Toulon for the
reception of the two Ships that are
ordered thither to attend the D: of
Argile: it is to be supposed that they
will at their Entry Salute the
Port and the Admiral's Pavillon
as is vsual⁹ (says mons:^r Pontchartrain)
vpon the Occasion

I beg your Lordsp's answer to mons^r
de Pontchartrain's 3 questions, in
w:^ch Lord Bolingbroke will aid Us,
His Lordsp having here spoke w^th

9
mons:^r Pontchartrain vpon the same
Subject.

As to Passeports, I am sorry the terms
haue offended the North Britains and
that These were printed and sent to
Rambouillet to be signed there by the
Grand Admiral before the terms could
be altered: thô when mons:^r Ualincourt¹⁰
asked Me if Ireland did not always be­
­long to Eng:^~ and if Scotland had not
always been comprehended vnder the
name of Eng^~ in such passes for
100 Year past I must own I had not
much to answer. if your Lordsp pleases
to haue a Declaration from hence
that Scotch and Irish ships are com­
­prehended vnder the name of English
it will be very easily obtained, in
the mean time we shall find no diffi­
­culty as to the security of our Ships
w:^ch is the only design of our gi­
ving or receiving passeports.

14˂0˃ ¹¹

in the Draught of the Proclamation
for the general release of Prisoners
your Lordsp sees s˂t˃he Stile is, la
Reyne de la grande Bretagne, and
dans la Grande Bretagne et autres
Etats en dependants, w^ch words I
chose as comprehending all her Maj:^ties
Dominions: and in all Instruments for
the future the like Stile will be
vsed; or otherwise as you may instruct
Me to ask it:

As to the Number of Passeports, I
send your Lordsp 480: w:^ch as much
as I remember added ˂˄ to˃¹² the Number al­
­ready transmitted to England, will
make You indebted: 161. w^ch you
will please to send accordingly
these people hardly count their
Passeports, being ready to send
you more or less, as you shall
ask, I would therefore think it

15˂1˃
for her Maj:^ties service that the same Gene­
­rosity should be observed on our
side, and that you would be pleased
to transmit rather more than less
of the due Numerical quantity

I haue delivered yo:^r Lordsp's letter to
mons.^~ Tallard, and return you his
acknowledgements of Her Maj:^ties favour.
I am obliged to your Lordsp for your
kind assurance that my Powers and
Instructions shall be here by the
next: I hope they are in the way, and
particularly my friend Drift, for I
haue no body to assist Me in the writing
one line, w^ch is one reason of my
dispatches coming so imperfectly
to yo:^r Lordsp:

I am with great respect
My Lord
Your Lordsp's most ob^t
and most humble ser^t

MPrior.

turn¹³

The inclosed is a Case recommended
to Me in a particular manner by
mons:^r de Torcy, and as such I haue
mentioned it to the Earl of Oxford
with whom yo:^r Lordsp will be pleased
to confer in order to the Complain­
­ant having as much favour as
may consist with Iustice a little
veering towards Mercy

mons:^r de Biron as appears by this
ill-writ Memoire vnder his own hand
thinks himself her Maj:^ties prisonier
has been esteemed such as he says by
the D: of Marlebrough, and desires
to know if He is free, or to whom
He is to address himself in case
He is not.

I shall send the Ratification of the
explanatory Article by the next
Courrier: your Lordsp will be pleased
to return the Instrument signed by mons^~
Torcy (first) that I may giue it back
to him when I giue him our
Ratification, w^ch as yet I keep by
Me—

2.

Endorsed:
M^r Prior.
Versailles Sept. 16/27 1712
copy'd

Notes
1.
Prior numbered the pages of this letter through page 11. At pages 10 and 11, he made an error in numbering which he corrected by overwriting. He did not number the final pages of the letter.
2.
All underscoring is Prior's.
3.
The revision was achieved by overwriting.
4.
Conservation material has been laid over the numeral, but it is still legible.
5.
From the beginning of this line to the end of the page, the text has been highlighted with a vertical line drawn along the left margin. The ink suggests it was drawn by Prior.
6.
Prior indicated this interlinear insertion with a caret.
7.
I. e. Genoa
8.
This paragraph has been highlighted with a vertical line drawn along the left margin. The ink suggests it was drawn by Prior.
9.
The a is so heavily inked that the bowl is closed. Prior added a stroke to open the bowl.
10.
I. e. Valincour
11.
An html transformation of this number may not accurately display the overstrike that indicates deletion as the overstrike may fall across the horizontal line of the numeral.
12.
Prior indicated this interlinear insertion with a caret.
13.
This word, in Prior's hand, points to the following postscript.

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