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further orders as may most effectually oblige the said troops to observe the strictest discipline, that they may make no more exactions on the people, nor commit any disorders upon their leaving that country.

As to the Duke of Mecklenburgh, you may assure the Czar, that the king never had it in his intention to do him any hardship; and that, therefore, the Czar has nothing to apprehend on that head, especially since that Prince is now become so nearly related to his Czarish Majesty.

I am further to signify his Majesty's pleasure to your Excellency, that you omit no proper opportunity of representing how much the king is in the same disposition towards the Czar, in order to renew a good correspondence with him, as an instance whereof his Majesty will send proper directions to Sir George Byng to facilitate the return of the Muscovite troops and galleys to Livonia and Revel.

Your Excellency will likewise please to represent how kindly the king takes the Czar's readiness to enter into measures with his Majesty in regard to a war or peace with the king of Sweden, as also to a treaty of commerce. And, though it be difficult to concert any measures of that nature till it be better known what disposition the king of Sweden is now in; yet your Excellency may acquaint the Czar or his ministers, that his Majesty will lose no time in a matter of this consequence; for which reason his Majesty intends to send over a minister on purpose to treat with the Czar, and has already given orders to prepare his instructions. I shall therefore give your Excellency no further trouble upon this subject; only that you would prevail with the Czar to let you know where that minister may find his Czarish Majesty, during the present uncertainty of his residence.

As his Majesty is very sensible of the confidence the Regent reposes in him, and of his friendship in having communicated to your Excellency all the overtures which have been made by the Czar for any Convention with the court of France, so his Majesty expects you will treat the Regent with the same openness and friendship on his Majesty's part, not only inform him of what has already passed between you and the Czar's ministers, but assure him that no steps shall be taken in any of these transactions with which H. R. H. shall not be made acquainted. You will at the same time be pleased to let the Regent know, that the king is per

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suaded they were H. R. Highness's good offices which have disposed the Czar to make these advances towards a right understanding with his Majesty.

I must not conclude this, without signifying to your Excellency his Majesty's entire approbation of your dexterity and good conduct in the part you have hitherto had in these transactions, and his Majesty questions not but you will improve all such further opportunities as may offer, in order to bring them to a happy issue.

I am, &c.

J. ADDISON.

P. S. I have received your Excellency's last letter of the 16th instant, which now lies before the king. I wish Y. E. would please to send your letters for the future in English, for the use of the committee, and to remain as vouchers in the office.

MY LORD,

ADDISON TO THE EARL OF STAIR.

Whitehall, June 10th, 1717. Your Excellency having in your letters represented, that the court of France, as well as the minister of his Prussian Majesty, have expressed a desire, that the king of Prussia should be admitted into the late triple alliance; his Majesty has been pleased to order the enclosed narrative1 to be transmitted to you of such transactions as have passed between the courts of Great Britain and Prussia, which will not only show your Excellency upon what foot of correspondence they have been for some time, but serve as a direction to you in what manner to treat that subject, when it shall be again proposed to you.

Your Excellency is desired not to let this paper or any copy of it go out of your hands, though, at the same time, it is not thought improper, if you shall be of the same opinion, that you show it to the Abbé du Bois.

I am, with great respect, my Lord,

Your Lordship's most obedient and

most humble servant,
J. ADDISON.

1 Not found.

SIR,

TICKELL (FOR ADDISON) TO VICE-ADMIRAL CORNWALL.
Whitehall, June 10th, 1717.

By Mr. Secretary Addison's order, I am to acknowledge your letters of May 9th and 11th, which have been laid before the Lords of the Committee; but any resolution to be taken upon them is delayed till the issue of your negotiation with the Moors shall be known. As you think something certain upon that head may be fixed by the 20th of June, the Secretary waits till he has further information from you. I am, with the greatest respect, Sir, your most obedient and most humble servant, THOS. TICKELL.

Mr. Secretary, being a little indisposed, hopes you will excuse his not writing himself.

MY LORD,

ADDISON TO THE EARL OF STAIR.

Whitehall, June 18th, 1717.

I have laid your Excellency's letter of June 16th before the king, whom Monsieur d' Iberville 1 has acquainted with the despatches received by the court of France from the Comte de la Marck, which agree in everything with what your Excellency had written upon that head. His Majesty was pleased, in answer to Monsieur d' Iberville, to let him know that he could make no step in the affair of releasing Count Gyllenborg and Baron Gortz, till the king of Sweden had disavowed in form their practices with regard to the king and the British nation; and that his Majesty was very much surprised to find the king of Sweden had told the Count de la Marck, that he would make no such previous declaration; since it is not only a very reasonable but a very necessary proceeding between States and Princes upon such an occasion.

However, the king (to show his great desire to have this matter brought to an accommodation, and at the same time to give the Regent a proof of that confidence which he places in his friendship, and of his inclination to do everything that may be agreeable to his R. H.) is pleased to order your Excellency to signify to him, that his Majesty is willing to ac

'Mons. d' Iberville was French Minister in England at the death of Queen Anne, and was so unpopular that a body of the train-bands was ordered to guard his house. Rapin, v. 398.

cept of a formal declaration from the Regent, as a mediator in this affair between the two crowns, acquainting his Majesty, that the king of Sweden does disown the practices of his minister against the king and the people of Great Britain, and that, upon such declaration, his Majesty will be ready to release and send back Count Gyllenborg, provided that his own minister, Mr. Jackson, be at the same time released and sent back hither.

And, that there may be no mistake in this mutual exchange of the respective ministers, his Majesty would be very glad if the Regent would suggest to you the method in which this exchange should be made, after such a declaration as that above-mentioned. As for the punishment of Count Gyllenborg for having engaged in practices in which he was not authorized by the king his master, his Majesty will leave that matter to the king of Sweden, whose honour is principally concerned in it.

Your Excellency will likewise represent to the Regent, that his Majesty is willing to concert proper measures with him for agreeing and settling with the States-General what relates to Baron Gortz, who, upon this occasion, you must observe, is in a quite different situation from Count Gyllenborg, Gortz being neither a subject nor a minister of the king of Sweden; for which reason, his Swedish Majesty has no right to demand his releasement.

His Majesty (considering how much time will be lost in sending for a declaration from the king of Sweden, especially since his Swedish Majesty shows so unreasonable an aversion to the making of such a declaration, which the king may with so great justice expect from him) has thought of this expedient to be proposed to the Regent, not doubting but it will convince H. R. H., and the whole world, how greatly desirous his Majesty is to remove all obstacles towards entering into a negotiation for the peace of the North, and consequently for the quiet of all Europe.

The king has directed my Lord Sunderland to acquaint his minister in Holland with what I now write to your Excellency, that he may give proper intimations of it to the pensioner and chief persons there. His Majesty also hopes (as he would have your Excellency acquaint the Regent) that H. R. H. will intimate to the States how much he does desire and expect, that no step should be taken by them in relation

to Baron Gortz, without his Majesty's concurrence. For, if they should do otherwise, it would not only be very disagreeable to his Majesty, but a kind of violation of the treaties between the king and the States-General, and consequently would tend very much to a weakening of those measures, which may be taken by the three powers, by virtue of the late triple alliance.

As his Majesty has already directed your Excellency to make suitable compliments to the Regent for having disposed the Czar to send orders for the removal of the troops out of Mecklenburgh, you are to desire the Regent to make further instances with the Czar, in case it should become necessary, that those his Royal Highness's good offices may prove effectual.

I am, &c.,

J. ADDISON.

MY LORD,

ADDISON TO THE EARL OF STAIR.

Whitehall, 24th June, 1717. Since my last to your Excellency, of the 18th instant, his Majesty has received accounts from his minister at the Hague, of what has passed in a conference with several members of the States-General, in relation to the affair of Baron Gortz. And, as his Majesty is very desirous to make that matter as easy as may be to the States, without prejudice to his own honour, his Majesty is therefore determined to go all lengths that the nature of such a proceeding can possibly admit of, as well with regard to Gortz as Gyllenborg; notwithstanding that the case of the one is so much different from that of the other. To this end, the king has been pleased to direct his minister at the Hague to acquaint the Pensionary and others in Holland with his Majesty being willing to accept of a declaration from the Regent as mediator in this affair, in lieu of one from the king of Sweden himself, disavowing the practices both of Count Gyllenborg and Baron Gortz; that immediately upon his Majesty's receiving such a declaration, he would exchange Count Gyllenborg for Mr. Jackson, by sending the former in a ship to Sweden, which should bring back the latter from thence. And that his Majesty, out of a singular regard to the very pressing instances of the States, would consent that Baron Gortz

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