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Show [ 23 J of his·w;;e Counfels, as well d ·t'.taifthe.Ad:: vantage of pis incomparable Valoul : vhis is the Language ia which the State5,.JWh'o have h.1d fo much Experience of him, alwa:ys fpeak bf this great Ma1r; a ii1.fficientReafon with1ome, to undervalue him, who know nothing themfelves, but are taught to think whatever tile Dutch do muft be wrong. But to go oil ~ as the Sufpicions the French gave 'Of t'heiv lntincerity, made the States purfue the moft effeB:ual Meafures for an early Campaign; fo it put them upon taking the heft Care they cou'd, that if no good fuou'd come from the Renewing of the Conferences, they might prevent the Mifchief they apprehended was detign'd by them. And therefore, tho they gave leave for the Conferences to be renew'd, they wou'd not fuffer the Minifters of France to come into the Heart of their Country, till the Point in difpute ihou'd be agreed. Since the French pretended to except to nothing but the 37th Article, and faid, they had an Expedient for that which, they doubted not, wou'd give content; this being an Affair 1 which, in all appearance, requir'd but little time, and feem'd not to require many Conferences; the States propos'd, upon .Antwerp being dil!ik'd, to fend their Deputies to col}fer with the Minillers of France either at Moerdyke orGertruydenberg. The French lik'd ~either of thefe Places, but when no other cou'd be obtain'd, they chofe the !aft; where they arriv'd the 1oth of March, but were met the Day before by the Deputies of the States at Moerdyke, where was held the firft Con'ference: which fufficiently fuewid, what · · · · · · ' ~nd ~r [ 19 J !lender Hopes tbete were of an1 great Godtt frnm them. The Mini!l:ecs of Era11ce were the Marquis d: V.xeHes and the Abbe de Poligna1 Men exfrem~ly weU qualify'd for the Butinefs they cam!!' upbn 1 And ' the Depu1!ies on the part of th~ ·St~<tes, were Meflieurs Buys and VanderdufTen; the •fame by whom the lirft Conferences with Monfieur Rouil!e were manag'd the :![ea.r before; abd who are known, which I. fuou'd have mention'd in my !aft, to have no A verlion to a Peace, if it cou'd be had on reafohable Terms. Thefe Conferences, which were begun on March the 9th, continu'd till 'July; on the 25th of which Month, the French Minifters left Gertruydenberg. So that thefe Conferences lafted more Weeks than they fuou'd have been fulfer'd to do Days; th~;re being but one lingle Point, by their own confeffion; in difpute ; which is the only Fault that I believe any body can lind in the part the St:ares had in the management of this Affair; and they were as fentible themfelves of it, as any body elfe cou'd be. They knew the Advantage the French made of the fray of their Plenipotentiaries in Holland; which contributed extremely to keep up the Spirits of the People in France, and make them bea.r patiently the continuance of the War, and rthe arbitrary and violent Methods made ufe ,of 'to fupport it. Bread and Pe~<ce was the cry of the common Pepple all over France ; and the Court was continually afraid of Tumults in the great Towns, and1 in the remoter Provinces; which made .it n;celfary to quiet them with the moft fpe~lous-Appearances of Peace, which they . . . all. |