Memorials lately Presented by the French and English Ambassadors to the States General of the Ʋnited Provinces.

THE sincere desire that the King, my Master, has to maintain the Tranquility of Eu­rope, will not suffer his Majesty to see the great Preparations for War, both by Sea and Land, made by your Lordships, without taking the measures that Prudence (the continual Companion of all his Actions) inspires him with to prevent the Mischiefs, these Warlike Preparations will certainly draw after them.

And altho the King perswaded of the Wisdom of your Councils, would not imagine that a State should so easily resolve to take up Arms, and to kindle a War, that in the present Juncture it cannot be otherwise than Fatal to all Christendom: Nevertheless his Majesty cannot believe your Lordships would engage your selves in so great Expences, both at home and abroad, to entertain in Pay so many Foreign Troops, to put to Sea so numerous a Fleet so late in the Season, and to prepare so great a Train of War, if you had not a Design formed answerable to the greatness of these Preparations.

All these Circumstances, my Lords, and many others, that I may not here produce, per­swade the King, my Master, with Reason, that this Arming threatens England: Wherefore his Majesty hath Commanded me to declare to you on his part, that the bands of Friendship and Alliance between him and the King of Great Britain will oblige him not only to assist him, but also he will look on the first act of Hostility, that shall be committed by your Troops, or by your Fleet, against his Majesty of Great Britain, as a manifest rupture of the Peace, and an overt breach with his Crown.

I leave to your Lordships Prudence to reflect on the Consequences that such Enterprises may have, his Majesty not having ordered me to make you this Declaration on his part, with­out his sincere Intention to prevent (as I have already had the honour to tell you) all that may trouble the Peace of Europe.

THE Count d'Avaux, Extraordinary Ambassadour from the Most Christian King, has receiv'd order from the King his Master, to let your Lordships know, that as his Ma­jesty is inform'd of the approaches that are made towards the Frontiers of the Electorate of Cologne, against the Cardinal of Furstenberg, and against the Chapter: He is resolv'd to maintain the Cardinal and Chapter, in their Rights and Priviledges against all those who shall disturb them therein. His Majesty assures himself that those who love the conserva­tion of the publick Peace, will not offer any act of Hostillity against the Cardinal and the Chapter, nor against the Places and Countries of that Electorate, whereof the Government and Administration does belong to them.

The Marquess d'Albyville's Memorial.

THE Great and surprising preparations for War made by your Lorpships by Sea and Land, in a Season when ordinarily all action, especially at Sea, is laid aside, giveing just Cause of surprise and allarm to all Europe, obliges the King my Master, who has had nothing so much in his mind since his accession to the Crown, as a continuation of the Peace, and good Correspondence with this State, to order the Marquess d'Albyville his Envoy Extraordinary to know your Highness's Intentions thereby.

His Majesty, as their ancient Ally and Confederate, believes it Just to demand this Know­ledge, which he hoped with good Reason to have heard from their Ambassador; but as he sees this devoir of Alliance and Confederation neglected, and that such Power is raised with­out communicating the Intent in the least to him, he finds himself obliged to Reinforce his Fleet, and to put himself in a Condition to maintain the Peace of Christendom.