Selected quad for the lemma: ground_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	day_n	place_n	time_n	1,574	5	3.3545	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A64311	Letters written by Sir W. Temple, Bart., and other ministers of state, both at home and abroad containing an account of the most important transactions that pass'd in Christendom from 1665-1672 : in two volumes / review'd by Sir W. Temple sometime before his death ; and published by Jonathan Swift ...	Temple, William, Sir, 1628-1699.; Swift, Jonathan, 1667-1745.	1700 (1700)	Wing T641; ESTC R14603	342,330	1,298

acquainted the Baron de L'Isola with the Dutch Allegations concerning some Advances made by him as from his Majesty upon the Point of Poleroon He says however they may seem to interpret it they could not understand it by any Thing that passed from him in that private Communication which was all he entred into upon his short stay in Holland That upon his first Discourse of His Majesty's Intention to make the Treaty of 1662 the Foundation of this at present the Person he discoursed with raised two Difficulties the first that of Poleroon and the other the Continuance of the Pretensions left on either side which as they had given Occasion or at least Pretext for the present Quarrel so if they were left still undecided they might hereafter have the same Effect whereas their Desire was by this Peace to cut off the Root of all future Differences For the first Point he the Baron asked whether if all other Articles should be agreed the States would be so obstinate upon the Point of Poleroon as to endanger the Peace for that alone It was answered the French had already essay'd to do some Offices in this Particular and had brought it to this very Demand whether the States would continue the War rather than yield the Point of Poleroon and that the States had answered formally they would For the second concerning the mutual Pretensions left in the Treaty of 1662 He the Baron seemed to approve the cutting them all off but proposed that in Consideration of it the States should give His Majesty a Sum of Money in some sort proportionable to what his Pretences might amount and that if the States would make any Advance considerable in Point of the Sum He the Baron would employ all his own and his Friends Endeavours to induce His Majesty to a Condescention in this Point of Poleroon as well as that of clearing all Pretensions on either Side To this was answered that for Poleroon nothing more could be said nor any Consideration make the States yield it without the Alternative of restoring all on each side which would create Length and Difficulty in the Treaty That for a Sum of Money in Satisfaction of His Majesty's Pretensions they could not consent to any such Proposal without a particular Liquidation of what the Pretentions on each side amounted to since they believed in gross their own upon us to be higher than ours upon them And yet at the same time it was insisted that no such Examen or Liquidation should be entred upon since doing it before the Conclusion would expose the Treaty to the Danger of Delays and consequently of Accidents and leaving it to Commissioners after the Conclusion would leave Field for new Disputes This was the Sum of the Baron's Negotiation in which he made all the Advances as from himself but when he found he was not likely to bring it to any Issue by Reason of those two Difficulties that is Poleroon and the Sum in Consideration of our clearing all Pretensions he then told them as by his Majesty's Order that the Point of Poleroon touching our East India Company rather than His Majesty the King would send over some Persons Deputed from the said Company with His Ambassadours and if the States would do the same it was likely the Persons Deputed from each Company might find an Expedient in the Business This the Baron gives me for the short and true Relation of all his Discourses in Holland which having been made with one Person alone and very private I find he expected not they would have been so publick as to be alledged upon any new Negotiations Our News from the Frontiers since my last is this About the time of the French King 's coming down to Arras the Orders were given for slighting Armentiers la Basseè and Charle-Roy which being publick and begun to be executed at Armentiers a Brigetin Priest of that Town went to Arras and upon Complaints of their being left without Defence in the Times of Danger that were approaching made Application to the Governour of Arras for a Protection for their Town Within a Day or two after when the Works were about half slighted instead of the Protection came Seven or Eight Hundred French Horse and finding a Guard of about forty Men at the Entrance of the Place made a Discharge upon them killed one and wounded two Upon which those few Soldiers that were in the Town-House shot and killed three or four of the French who began to pillage some of the Burgher's Houses but this Disorder was soon appeased by their Officers after which they summoned the Peasants in and begun to repair the Fortifications kept the Governour in Restraint and carried the Matter as if this had been the Declaration of War This News coming to the Governour of Lille he seized upon some French Men he found in his Town by Way of Reprisal for those taken at Armentiers and the Marquess gave Order to the Prince of Ligny who commands the Horse here to charge any Party he should find making Courses into the Frontiers and to endeavour to bring away some Prisoners both as Reprisals for those of Armentiers and to know something of the French Pretensions After they had kept Armentiers about five Days they released the Governour told the People they came not to begin any War but only at their Invitation to protect the Town drew off at first one Party of their Men and last Friday Morning all the rest The Governour of Lille set his French Men at Liberty and the Prince of Ligny some that he had taken in a Skirmish of small Parties upon the Borders of Hainault wherein the Marquess tells me about fifty of the French were killed and near twenty taken This I am more particular in relating because it seems the first Pace of the War tho' since in a manner disavowed by the French and indeed it is generally censured as the Effect of a weak and uncertain Council to begin without any formed Design or Declaration by siezing so rashly a Place of no Moment and in the Province of Flanders where none of their Pretences lie These three last Days the Motion of their Troops has been through Philiipeville and the Frontiers of Hainault The French King was expected last Night at Quesnoy and to Day at Philippeville They have begun a Bridge upon the Sambre near a Village called Marsin au Pont a League up the River from the Place where Charle-Roy stood the Ground being on the one side Pais de Liege and on the other the Spaniards Country so we expect here they will enter that Country to morrow but which Way they intend their first Impression is uncertain the Bridge they make serving a Design either upon Namur Mons or Brussels The Spanish Forces on this Side lie between this Place and Marimount consist of about four thousand Horse and as many Foot have no formed Design but to attend the Enemy's Motion and to retire

That Monsieur de Witt for his Part thought they were a free State no longer if they should yield a Point that they not only knew we had no Ground for but were sure we knew it as well as they and that whatever the States should give upon this Occasion might be demanded at any Time by our Court upon any other since none could have less Pretence This was all the Account he thought fit at least to give me of this War But other politick Reasoners among the Dutch pretended to give several others Some said the Duke 's military Genius made him desirous to enter upon some Action abroad and be at the Head of a great Fleet against a State he never had been a Friend to That the Duke of Albermarle had long had a Peek to their Countrey upon some Usage he resented during his being an Officer there That he had a very mean Opinion of their Fleets as well as their other Forces since the Successes of the English in the first War during the Usurper's Time That some of the Ministers were possest with an Opinion of getting Money by only threatning a War without Intention of seeing it brought to Effect and had let it run on so far till it was too lare to go back Some others attribute Sir Thomas Clifford's Violence in the House of Commons and Practices with our East-India Company to a deeper Design and would have the Matter of Religion concerned in the Quarrel as their Pamphlets still endeavoured during the War and these will not believe that when all Christendome was at Peace such a War could be begun merely upon a Chicane about the Loss of a Ship or Two so many Years since There are others that lay the War upon the Conduct of France by which they say we were engaged in it That the present King was resolved to pursue the old Scheme laid by Cardinal Richlieu of extending the Bounds of France to the Rhine for which Ends the Conquest of Lorrain and Flanders was to be first atchieved That the Purchase of Dunkirk from us was so violently pursued for this End without which they could not well begin a War upon Flanders That after this they had endeavoured to engage the present Ministry in Holland to renew the Measures once taken in Cardinal Richlieu's Time for dividing Flanders between France and Holland But not succeeding in it they had turned all their Intrigues to engage us in a War which might make Room for their Invasion of Flanders whilst the two Neighbours most concerned in it's Defence should be deep in a Quarrel between themselves That they made both Parties believe they would assist them if there were Occasion and would certainly have done it That as they took Part with Holland upon our first Successes at Sea and the Bishop of Munster's Treaty so if the Successes had been great on the Dutch Side they would have assisted us in Order to prolong the War These are Discourses current in Holland upon this Subject and I had rather give you those of others upon it than any of my own The Duke of Ormond will be able to judge whether any of these Dutch Reasonings are true or which are most probable For my part I can only say that however the War began I am very glad 't is ended but sorry it has made Way for another which if it lasts any time is like to involve us and perhaps all the rest of the Neighbours either in a new War or in new Dangers For if the French shall carry Flanders as they very well may in another Campania by the Weakness and Disorders in the Government here the Dutch are sensible that they must fall to be a maritime Province to France upon the best Terms they can The Empire will expect to see them soon at the Rhine and thereby Masters of four Electors and what a Condition England will be left in by such an Accession of maritime Forces as well as Provinces to such a Power as France is already is but too easie and too melancholy a Reflection The Dutch are much exasperated at this Invasion of Flanders both as dangerous and as scornful to them in particular for they say that France till the very Time of their March gave constant Assurances to the States both by the French Ambassadour here and by their Ambassadour at Paris that they would not invade Flanders without first taking their Measures upon it with the States themselves I find our Court are as much provoked on t'other side not only upon this new Danger but also upon the French having declared War against Us in Favour of Holland without the least Pretence of Injury or other Occasion so that if we both understood or trusted one another 't is likely we should be both of a Mind in this Matter but after such a sharp War as hath been for two Years between us and such a snarling Peace as that at Breda I do not well see how this can happen before it be too late and so must leave these Contemplations to such as are in the Ministry both in England and Holland as well as Spain and the Empire to take such Measures as are wise and necessary in such a Conjuncture which is perhaps the most important that has been a great while in Christendome and may have Consequences that none alive will see the End of 'T is time I am sure that you should see an End of this long Letter and come to the Assurances of my being ever SIR Your c. To Sir George Savil. Brussels Dec. 9th S.N. 1667. SIR BEcause my Wife assures me I am not wholly lost in your Favour and Memory I will not run any further Venture of forfeiting my Title for want of laying Claim to it but make use of the smallest Occasion rather than none in a Matter wherein I am so much and so justly concerned This Place never was in worse Posture to furnish either a War or a Gazette than at this Time for the Troops are all mouldring in their Winter Quarters and as the greatest Calms ordinarily succeed the greatest Storms so since the Heat of News and Occurrences here during the late Campagne I have hardly known a Place where less of both were stirring Action and Invention seeming to have ended together There is indeed a new Difference between the two Crowns arisen this Winter which is that France talks of Peace but prepares for War and Spain talks of War but prepares hitherto as if they were sure of Peace They say at present they are off that with Portugal which is the only Thing yet in Sight that can make the other necessary to them Because my Wife tells me you were content with the last Papers I sent of the Roman News I take Occasion to continue it by the inclosed though there be seldom any Thing in it worth considering at this Distance unless it be the Style and the Quiet of that Scene which like the upper

this as that about Envoys and about the Benefits of a Quadruple League concerning which I writ my Opinion freely in one to my Lord Arlington by the last Post being the only Thing which can crown the great Work his Majesty has undertaken of settling the Peace of Christendom and giving a stop to the French Career which about ten Months since was in a fair way to over-run us all one after another and hangs still like a Cloud over all their Neighbour's Heads leaving every one in doubt when and where it will fall And till That be compass'd I shall hardly be secure of Spain's not trinkling at one time or other with France for the Remainder of Flanders at least upon such a Revolution as would arrive at that King's Death if not before Nor of the French Parties getting Ground enough again in Sueden at one Time or other to turn the Bias of that Crown towards the French Interests by the Offers of Mony which can best be made them on that Side Whereas by such a League Spain would find their Account in keeping Flanders and not fear any War which the French Pretensions there might engage them in Sueden would find theirs by some certain Subsidies from Spain even in Times of Peace and by Assurance from Them and Us of greater in case of a War Holland would be broken off from all Return into any new Measures with France and be forced to follow the common Interests and Councils of the Alliance Spain and Sueden would be both hindred from entring into any separate Concert or Treaty without Us and Holland The Emperor and Princes of the Empire and Duke of Lorrain would be glad to be admitted into such an Alliance And his Majesty would remain Head and Director of a League which would have the Glory of preserving the Peace of Christendom and checking and bounding the French Greatness at a time when no other Prince durst look it in the Face And in Case of a War breaking out from France in spight of all these Defences I suppose considering the Strength of the Alliance and the Temper of our People at home bent wholly upon these Councils his Majesty would have rather Reason to desire than to apprehend it I conceive the way of effecting such a League must be to make a Draught of it with Monsieur de Witt here if he can be finally disposed to it and that with all the Secrecy in the World and to proceed in it as near as is possible with all the Fairness and Equality in the Consideration and Comprehension of each Party's Interests which is the only way to facilitate such Negotiations and whenever we and Monsieur de Witt are agreed in it then for his Majesty to take upon him the proposing it to Spain and trying what private Advantages may be gained from that Crown in Consideration of his both proposing and effecting a Matter so much to their Advantage All that seems to be against such a Council is his Majesty's present want of Treasure which renders him in a Condition very unfit to enter into any Action abroad by provoking France As to that First the end of this Counsel is Peace and not War and seems indeed the only way to secure it by letting France see they cannot find their Account in a War for till they do that they will never leave the Designs of it Then instead of provoking France I should think this would make them much warmer in their Offers and Applications towards us when they see that without gaining us they are absolutely bound to the Peace For to say the Truth our falling at any time into the French Interests is the ready way to a War abroad wherein it may be we shall not have any present Share but shall pay for our present Quiet with dear Interest of the utmost Danger after two or three Years time Besides though our Condition is ill towards the Support of a War 't is the most imprudent Thing we can do perhaps to own it if we intend to continue any Commerce abroad whereas looking our just Debts both to our Neighbours and our Selves boldly in the Face will as it does sometimes with a Merchant hold up our Credit so high that with good future Management and the Strength of that we may help to re-establish our Estate but if not nothing can keep us up so much as being closely link'd with several other Traders of better Stock who will by that Means become engaged not to let us sink And in case of Action to succeed such a Quadruple Alliance and his Majesty's Necessities keeping him from furnishing his Part towards the Support of it 'T is not to be imagined that Spain and Holland would not do their utmost towards his Supply rather than lose his Assistance and leave him under the Temptation of falling into any new Measures with France After all this I think let his Majesty make what Paces he please either bold or tender in the way he is for I cannot think of a Change in that with the present Conjunctures I know nothing will be so necessary with the Foresight either of Peace or War as for his Majesty not to be found the next Spring without any Mony in his Treasury or Credit to raise it speedily and easily without relying wholly upon his Parliament's Supplies by any new Burthens upon the Body of the People for that can hardly be done without long and perhaps cross Debates in the House which lessen his Majesty's Credit with his Neighbours whenever they happen more than the Supplies granted can raise it And besides after so great Payments as the Kingdom has continued ever since his Majesty's Restoration especially during the last three Years though joined with the great Diminution of Mony and Trade during the War I question whether any Thing considerable can be raised in general upon the People without some reasonable Occasions of Aversion and Complaints But nothing they say is more the part of a weak Understanding and unfit for Business than to propose and enlarge upon Inconveniences without so much as offering Remedies And therefore I shall say That First methinks two Proposals which have been already a-foot are very considerable towards this End as the selling of small inconsiderable Quit-Rents where the Sum is hardly worth the Charge of raising and yet by the reason of the Trouble to the Tenant by them they will yield five or six if not ten Years Purchase more than greater Rents If this Council be tied up to these Circumstances I think it very advantageous and as prejudicial if it be suffered to go beyond them Secondly The selling of the Chimney-Mony would I suppose be easily granted by the Parliament would take off the Tax of all others most distastful to the Subjects and if sold at pretty easy and moderate Rates would be taken kindly of the People purchased readily and yield a very great Sum and the most equally raised that any could be

yet observed in the chief Ministers here who are as hard and as firm as you can imagine them But for Tricks or Jugling I do not observe either their Abilities or their Dispositions lie much that way nor I believe does any wise Man 's unless he be brought to it by the ill Condition or Necessity of his Affairs and finds no other way of living which is not yet their Case here nor will be I suppose while Flanders is preserved And so long I shall look upon them as Merchants in good Estate and Credit and who will endeavour to keep it up by square dealing But whenever they fail in that Adventure I shall grow as jealous of them as I see others are I have enquired particularly of the Spanish Ambassador and am assured by him that all Monsieur de Witt 's Discourses upon that Subject of the late Answer from Spain agreed perfectly with what he made me upon the same Occasion And I know the States Deputies at Brussels had immediate Orders from hence to apply themselves very earnestly to the Constable for the Redress of that Fault And I dare say whoever thinks that these Men here will quit a Point of Interest for a Point of Honour has taken a wrong Measure of them The Spanish Ambassador bids me be assured That the Answer from Spain will be amended and come in all Points to his Majesty's Satisfaction He goes this Day from hence towards Brussels being hastned thither by an Express from the Constable who I believe intends to make use of him in the Junto there upon whom I hear he will wholly devolve all his publick Business Having taken an Attestation from his Phisicians that his ill Health has rendred him wholly uncapable of charging himself any longer with it For Monsieur Van Beuninghen's Errand into England I suppose the Rise of it was of an old Date and occasioned a good deal by my laying often to their Charge the want of Respect they shewed his Majesty in the choice of the Ministers they sent into England who are seldom of the Province of Holland or of those Persons most considered in this State Besides when I found I was not able to bring the Business of our Marine Treaty to such a Conclusion as we proposed though I failed but in one Article which yet it seems is thought to import the whole of our Pretensions there I told them here That it would be absolutely necessary to treat it in England and bring it to some Issue there And for that purpose to send some able Person over who being perfectly intrusted in it from hence might debate it there with Persons as well instructed on our Side Upon these Grounds Monsieur Van Beuninghen's Journy was thought fit above a Year ago but his being chosen Burgomaster of Amsterdam about the same time made him then absolutely refuse it Since his Year expired my Instances still continuing for a Conclusion in our East-India Business and Mr. Secretary Trevor's Papers upon the same Subject keeping Life in it from Time to Time Monsieur Van Beuninghen began about two Months since to shew some Inclination to the Journy which has been pursued very earnestly by the States here and especially by Monsieur de Witt till it came lately on all Sides to be resolved on So as your Lordship must reckon that the avowed Errand will be the Business of the East-India Company and the clearing that part of the Marine Treaty which so long proved too hard for me here Besides this will be the Compliment they pretend to make his Majesty in sending a Person of so much Account among them as Monsieur Van Beuninghen And with the Orders of Surinam which they here reckon upon as a perfect Piece of Compliance with his Majesty And this is the Account they give the French Ambassador of this Journy adding a good deal of Monsieur Van Beuninghen's Inclination to see England in this Season That which is further meant by it is First in general to inform themselves perfectly of our Temper in the Pursuit of those Ends we have been these two or three Years last engaged in And which many Discourses and Reflections of late have made them a little suspect does not continue so equal and so warm as it began And in this Regard it will be his Business to use his best and most parsuasive Oratory to confirm us in the Pursuit of those common Interests abroad which we have of late so much advanced by our Triple Alliance and the Dependances of it And in short to persuade us that it is more our Honour and our Interest to Lead than to Follow In Pursuit of this he will I believe endeavour to dispose Us to accept a Conjunction with such Princes of the Empire as desire it upon such Measures as are proposed in the late Project I sent your Lordship drawn up by Monsieur de Witt Though I have made so good way in defending you upon this Point that I believe it would not cost much Trouble there unless you are willing to enter further into it than you seemed of late Another Point and that which I believe he will most eagerly pursue is the Prohibition of French Commodities upon which his particular Imagination has been long bent as the only sure and easy way of bringing the French Power and Riches into Decay in case the Thing could be agreed on among all or the greatest part of their Neighbours And this State having sounded the Spanish Court upon that Point received Answer That whatever England and They should agree upon Spain would readily join with Them in it By which means they suppose that besides what would be saved by both our Nations by stopping the vast Importation of French Commodities a very great Traffick would be gained by exporting our own to furnish the Spanish Fleet which supplies their West-Indies every Year in a great measure with Commodities brought them from France The Resolutions of this State go as yet no further as I can hear than to all sorts of wearing Goods and Brandy nor do I know whether this it self will be brought to Execution before they are satisfied how far we are likely to join with Them in it After which the Considerations of Wine and Salt will likewise come in Play Besides these Publick Matters I doubt you will likewise be pursued about Mr. Honywood's Widow who is Daughter to a Burgomaster of Amsterdam and so most properly under Monsieur Van Beuninghen's Protection especially being a young and handsom Widow which I hear will tempt her to go over with him herself and plead her own Cause I do not think the Intentions of his Journy go further than what I have mentioned unless he be invited to any Thing upon the Place or by some new Accident from abroad In the mean time to do him right we shall have a great deal of Reason to welcom him because he has very industriously employ'd himself in helping us to gain