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354

TREA

TREATIES,

&c.

Treaty of alliance, (commonly called the grand alliance) between the Emperor and the States General, concluded at Vienna, May 12, 1689. To which the King of Great Britain acceded, December 9, 1689. Together with the feparate articles.

WILLIAM the third, by the grace of God, king of

Great Britain, France and Ireland, defender of

the faith, &c. To all and every one to whom these prefents fhall come, greeting. Whereas, a certain treaty of friendship and ftricter alliance between the moft ferene, moft potent, and moft invincible prince and lord Leopold, by the grace of God, elect Roman emperor, always auguft, and of Germany, Hungary, Bohemia, Dalmatia, Croatia, Sclavonia, &c. king, &c. and the high and mighty lords the States General of the United Provinces, was made and concluded at Vienna, the 12th day of May last past, on the emperor's part, by Leopold William, count of Konigfegg, vice-chancellor of the empire, &c. and Theodore Althete Henry, count of Stratman, chancellor of the court, his Imperial Majefty's plenipotentiaries, and counsellors of ftate: and on the part of the States General, by Jacob Hop, counsellor and recorder of the city of Amfterdam, and deputy for Holland and Weft Friezeland, in the affembly of the States General. The tenor of which treaty is as follows.

Be it known and declared, that although the treaty concluded at the Hague a few years fince, between his facred and imperial majefty, and the high and mighty lords the States General of the United Provinces, for their mutual defence, does yet remain in its full vigour; nevertheless, both his Imperial Majefty, and the faid States General, confidering the greatnefs of the common danger which threatens all chriftendom fince the last French invafion, and the unconftant faith of the French in the obfervance of treaties, have judged it neceffary to ftrengthen the conditions of the aforefaid treaty, and the former union, with ftricter and firmer ties; and, at the fame time, to confider VOL. I.

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of more effectual means, as well for reftoring as preferving the public peace and safety: and therefore the plenipotentiaries conftituted to that purpose by both parties, viz. by his Imperial Majefty, his counsellors of ftate, Leopold William, count of Konigsegg, vice-chancellor of the empire, &c. and Theodore Althete Henry, count of Stratman, chancellor of the court; and by the States General, Jacob Hop, counsellor and recorder of the city of Amfterdam, and deputy for Holland and Weft Friezeland, in the affembly of the States General, after the mutual exchange of their full powers, have covenanted and agreed in the manner following.

I. There shall be and remain for ever a conftant, perpetual, and inviolable friendship, and good correspondence, between his Imperial Majefty and the States General; and each of them fhall be obliged earnestly to promote the other's interefts, and as much as in them lies, to prevent all damages and inconveniences to them.

II. And whereas the French king has lately, without any lawful cause or pretext, attacked as well his Imperial Majefty, as the States General, by a most grievous and most unjuft war, there fhall be during the fame not only a defenfive, but also an offenfive alliance between the contracting parties, by virtue whereof they fhall both of them act in a hoftile manner, with all their forces, by fea and land, against the faid French king, and fuch of his allies, as upon exhortation to be used for that purpose, fhall refufe to feparate themselves from him; and they fhall alfo communicate to one another, their advices for the more usefully contriving the actions of the war, either jointly or feparately, for the deftruction of the common enemy.

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III. It fhall not be lawful for either party to withdraw from this war with France, or to enter feparately upon any convention, treaty of peace, or ceffation of arms with France, and its adherents, upon any pretext whatsoever, without the consent and concurrence of the other party.

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IV. There fhall by no means any peace be concluded, before the peace of Weftphalia, and thofe of Ofnabrug, Munfter, and the Pyreneans, have, by the help of God, and by common force, been vindicated; and that all things, both in church and state, are restored to their former condition, according to the tenor of the fame.

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V. In cafe any negotiations of peace or truce fhall, by common confent, be entered into, all things that are tranfacted fhall, on both fides, be communicated bona fide; nor fhall one conclude any thing without the confent and fatis. faction of the other.

VI. After the prefent war, by common confent, fhall be ended, and a peace concluded, there fhall remain between his Sacred Imperial Majefty, his heirs and fucceffors, and the States General of the United Provinces, a perpetual defenfive alliance against the often mentioned crown of France, and its adherents; by virtue whereof, both parties fhall use their utmost endeavours, that the peace to be made may remain firm and perpetual.

VII. But if it fhould happen, that the crown of France fhould again attack one or both of the confederate parties, contrary to the faid peace, at what time foever this fhall be done, they fhall be obliged faithfully to affift each other with all their forces, and in the fame manner as now, both by fea and land, and to repel all manner of hoftility and violence; and not to defift till all things are brought again. into their former ftate, according to the conditions of the aforefaid peace, and that fatisfaction be given to the party

offended.

VIII. Further, his Imperial Majefty, and the States General, fhall at all times, and by all means, and with all their forces, protect and defend all the rights of each other, against the crown of France and its adherents; nor fhall they themselves do any prejudice to each other in their faid rights.

IX. If there are any controverfies between the contracting parties, on occafion of the limits of their dominions, or that any fuch fhould arife hereafter, they fhall be accommodated and compofed in a friendly manner, either by a commiffion, or minifters deputed by both fides, without making use of any manner of force; and, in the mean time, nothing fhall be innovated therein.

X. There fhall be invited into the fociety of this prefent treaty, by his Imperial majefty, the crown of Spain, and, by the States General, the crown of England; and there fhall be likewife admitted into the fame, all the allies and confederates of either party, who fhall think fit to ener into the fame.

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