as at Mastricht, and other places
named. That he advises them to offer no terms, nor accept of any, without
his privity and consent, according to agreement; and tells them, if not
so, he hath in his power to be even with them, the King of England being
come to offer him any terms he pleases; and that my Lord St. Albans is now
at Paris, Plenipotentiary, to make what peace he pleases; and so he can
make it, and exclude them, the Dutch, if he sees fit. A copy of this
letter of the King of France's the Spanish Ambassador here gets, and comes
and tells all to our King; which our King denies, and says the King of
France only uses his power of saying anything. At the same time, the King
of France writes to the Emperor, that he is resolved to do all things to
express affection to the Emperor, having it now in his power to make what
peace he pleases between the King of England and him, and the States of
the United Provinces; and, therefore, that he would not have him to
concern himself in a friendship with us; and assures him that, on that
regard, he will not offer anything to his disturbance, in his interest in
Flanders, or elsewhere. He writes, at the same time, to Spayne, to tell
him that he wonders to hear of a league almost ended between the Crown of
Spayne and England, by my Lord Sandwich, and all without his privity,
while he was making a peace upon what terms he pleased with England: that
he is a great lover of the Crown of Spayne, and would take the King and
his affairs, during his minority, into his protection, nor would offer to
set his foot in Flanders, or any where else, to disturb him; and,
therefore, would not have him to trouble himself to make peace with any
body; only he hath a desire to offer an exchange, which he thinks may be
of moment to both sides: that is, that he [France] will enstate the King
of Spayne in the kingdom of Portugall, and he and the Dutch will put him
into possession of Lisbon; and, that being done, he [France] may have
Flanders: and this, they say; do mightily take in Spayne, which is
sensible of the fruitless expence Flanders, so far off, gives them; and
how much better it would be for them to be master of Portugall; and the
King of France offers, for security herein, that the King of England shall
be bond for him, and that he will countersecure the King of England with
Amsterdam; and, it seems, hath assured our King, that if he will make a
league with him, he will make a peace exclusive