༦

fire of the King's Officers, to affift them in the Execution: In which cafe the faid Commanders fhould be obliged not to refuse

e them. Fourthly, As to the Tenth Article, there is nothing to be added, unless that the States-General, may repair and encrease the Fortifications of the Towns, Places and Forts, where they fhall have their Garrifons; but this at their own Expence. Otherwife, under that Pretext, they might feize all the Revenues of the Country.

Fifthly, As to the Eleventh Article, they think the States ought not to have the Revenues of the Chattellanies and Dependencies of thefe Towns and Places which are to be their Barrier against France; this being a fort of Sovereignty, and very prejudicial to the Ecclefiaftical and Civil Oeconomy of the Country. But the faid Prince and Count are of Opinion, That the States-General ought to have, for the Maintenance of their Garrifons and Fortifications, a Sum of Money of a Million and half, or two Millions of Florins, which they ought to receive from the King's Officers, who fhall be ordered to pay that Sum, before any other Payment.

Sixthly, And the Convention which fhall be made, on this Affair, between his Catholick Majefty and the States-General, fhall be for a limited Time.

These are the utmoft Conditions to which the faid Prince and Count think it poffible for his Catholick Majefty to be brought; and

they

they declare at the fame time, that their Imperial and Catholick Majefties will fooner abandon the Low-Countries, 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 Spanifh 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 Go

vernment.

As to the Upper-Quarter of Guelder, the faid Prince and Count are of Opinion, That the States-General may be allowed the Power of putting in Garrifons into Venlo, Ruremond, and Steffenfwaert, with Orders to furnish the faid States, with the Revenues of the Country, which amount to One hundred thoufand Florins.

As to Bonn, belonging to the Electorate of Cologn; and Liege and Huy, to the Bishoprick of Liege; it is to be understood that thefe being Imperial Towns, it doth not depend upon the Emperor to confent, that Foreign Garrifons fhould be placed in them, upon any Pretence whatsoever. But whereas the States-General demand them only for their Security, it is propofed, to place in those Towns a Garrison of Imperial Troops, of whom the States may

be

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 propos'd only in cafe that it fhall not be thought more proper to raze one or other of the faid Towns.

The Reprefentation of the English Merchants at Bruges, relating to the Barrier-Treaty.

David White, and other Merchants, Her Majesty's Subjects residing at Bruges, and other Towns in Flanders, crave Leave humbly to reprefent,

T

HAT whereas the Cities of Life, Tournay, Menin, Douay, and other new Conquefts in Flanders and Artois, taken from the French this War, by the united Forces of Her Majefty and Her Allies, are now become entirely under the Government of the States-General; and that we Her Majefty's Subjects may be made liable to fuch Duties and Impofitions on Trade, as the faid States-General fhall 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 Subjects, which is carried on with thefe new Conquefts, may be on an equal Foot with that of the Subjects and Dominions of the States-General, and not be liable to any new Duty, when tranfported from the Spanish Ne

ther

therlands, to the faid new Conquefts, as to our great Surprize is exacted from us on the following Goods, viz. Butter, Tallow, Salmon, Hides, Beef, and all other Product of Her Majefty's Dominions, which we import at Oftend, and there pay the Duty of Entry to the King of Spain, and confequently ought not to be liable to any new Duty, when they carry the fame Goods, and all others from their Dominions, by a Free Pafs or Tranfire, to the faid new Conquefts: And we are under apprehenfion that if the faid new Conquests be settled or given entirely into the Poffeffion of the States-General for their Barrier, (as we are made believe by a Treaty lately made by Her Majesty's Amballador, the Lord Vif count Townshend, at the Hague) that the faid States-General may alfo foon declare all Goods and Merchandises which are Contraband in their Provinces, to be alfo Contraband or Prohibited in these new Conquefts, or new Barrier, by which Her Majefty's Subjects will be deprived of the Sale and Confumption of the following Products of Her Majesty's Dominions, which are, and have long been, declared Contraband in the United Provinces, fuch as English and Scotch Salt, Malt Spirits or Corn Brandy, and all other Sorts of Distilled English Spirits, Whale and Rape Oil, &c. It is therefore humbly conceived, That Her Majesty, 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 Com

2

merce

1

merce or fome other way, that their Trade may be put on an equal Foot in all the Spanish. Netherlands, and the new Conquefts or Barrier, with the Subjects of Holland, by paying no other Duty than that of Importation to the King of Spain; and by a Provifion, that no Product of Her Majefty's Dominions shall ever be declared Contraband in thefe new Conquefts, except fuch Goods as were esteemed Contraband before the Death of Charles II. King of Spain. And it is alfo humbly prayed, That the Product and Manufacture of the New Conquefts may also be Exported without paying any new Duty, befides that of Exportation at Oftend, 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 feveral of the Manufa tures of Life, fuch as Caradoros, Cajant, Picoles, Boratten, and many other Goods, &c.

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 Ryfmick. The enlarging Her Majefty's Plantations in America, &c. is natu rally recommended.is

FINI S.