An Answer of the States-General of the United Provinces, To the Memorial of the Extraordinary Ambassador of Sweden, Relating to a PEACE.  
Thus Concluded in the Meeting of the High and Mighty Lords, States-General, in the Hague. Novemb. the 17th, 1674.  
THE State's General of the United Provinces having seen and examined the Memorials of the Heer Ehrensteyn, Ambassador of the King of Sweden to this State, which was delivered to them on the 28th of August, and the 24th of October last: Have found themselves obliged to return him this Answer, That they had hopes, that the Answer which they returned to him the 25th of July last, was sufficient to satisfy the whole World, that They with their Allies have always had, and yet have, a sincere and good Inclination to a lasting Peace; And therefore it was not needful to use any more Arguments to persuade them to that to which they are so much Inclined, and have done their uttermost Endeavour. Yet their Lordships do find themselves highly engaged to his Majesty of Sweden, for his great Zeal and Endeavours to turn a Destructive War into a Peace; And that they will not be unmindful upon all occasions to give real Demonstrations of their Thankfulness to his Majesty; And also upon all occasions acknowledge the good Offices and Endeavours which the foresaid Ambassador hath done to the same End. But this State would willingly have been dispensed from giving any more Arguments; the World being sufficiently satisfied of their Peaceable Inclinations; especially, considering what they had done in their former Answer: But considering the foresaid Ambassador, in his foresaid Memorials, seems to suspect, That the Arms of this State, with those of their Allies, do seem to set backward the Peace, and redound to the Prejudice of some Princes and States, especially in Germany; For which Reason their Lordships do find themselves absolutely obliged to Reiterate to the foresaid Ambassador, That it cannot be Imputed to Them, as being the Cause of the present War, and of the Calamities that proceed from thence; And all the World must know, That it did not a little trouble them, when his Majesty of France was pleased to turn that Affection which his Majesty and his renowned Predecessors have had for this State, into Anger and Indignation; And therefore they hope his Excellency will be pleased to consider, That this State at that time gave their Allies and Friends, as also His Majesty of Sweden, to understand the Fear they had of the War which His Majesty of France would Declare against them; For which reason they have done their uttermost by all their Friends and Allies to divert His Majesty from this his Intention: Declaring also, That with good Conscience they could say, They did not know of any Treaty which they had made with His Majesty which they had broken; And yet they are willing to give His Majesty all Contentment and Satisfaction for any Offence they had Committed. But they were so unhappy, that all their Endeavours which they had done by His Majesty, and all their Presentations by Message, were without Success; And on the contrary, His Majesty hath done his Endeavours to draw the Friends of this State into a War against them: So that this State leaves it to all the World to judge to whom this War, and all the Effects of it, are to be Imputed; and whether any thing of this War may be Imputed to this State, who have done all that was possible to continue in Peace with His Majesty. And when it pleased God to give such Success to the Arms of His Majesty, that this State was almost swallowed up, this State was not wanting in their Endeavours to be released of this War, and to come to a Peace: But His Majesty was pleased to propose such hard Conditions, that they were forced to resolve to continue in War, notwithstanding the Dangers which did attend them. And when His Majesty of Sweden was pleased, from a Generous Mind, for the good of this State, to present his Mediation to His Majesty for the extinguishing of this War; His Majesty was never pleased to explain himself in any Propositions for a Peace; or at least those that were proposed were judged so Unreasonable, that they were not to be accepted of. It is well known to all the World, That the Allies of this State did well foresee, with Compassion, the Effects of this War. The King of Spain was the first, who not being engaged, that assisted this State; and His Majesty the Elector of Brandenburg was the first that engaged with them as a Party; and His Majesty the Emperor came in to the Treaty, to assist the foresaid Elector; which was so ill resented by His Majesty of France, that the Spanish Netherlands suffered as much by the French Army before as after the War was Declared between the two Kings. His Majesty fell also so heavy upon the Dominions of the Elector of Brandenburg that he was forced to seek out for his own security. So that this State finding themselves stripped of all Supplies of his Majesty of Spain, and the Emperor, and Brandenburg, and destitute of all Allies; So that it must be reckoned as a wonderful favour of God, that they being destitute of all Allies, and getting no Honourable Terms of Peace of His Majesty of France, notwithstanding a● 〈…〉 they should enter into a nearer Alliance with the Empire, and Spain, and the Duke of Lorraine, there being no other way in the eye of Reason to help themselves; So that the Reason of these Alliances must be retorted upon those that were the Cause of them, and not upon the States. So that there is no Persons of Honour, but will give Praise and Honour to this State, for their continuing faithful to what they have promised to their Allies, who engaged themselves with them, in the time of their Straits and Necessities; And the States are bound in faithfulness to declare, That their renowned Allies have Declared as occasion hath presented itself; and demonstrated, that they are always inclined to a lasting and durable Peace; and that they had not the thoughts to seek the suppression of others, further than related to their own welfare and security. And that all their Allies, in all their Treaties, have inserted as a special Ingredient, the Preservation of the Westphalia Treaty. So that it is no small trouble to this State, that the foresaid Ambassador seems to suspect, that this State with their Allies were of Sentiment to break the Westphalia Treaty, or to infringe the least part of it, and thereby give his Majesty of Sweden occasion to stand up for the Preservation thereof. For this State have formerly declared, and do now declare to the Ambassador and Mediator, That they with their Allies were always ready, and now are, to give to His Majesty of Sweden such Security, that they do not intent any thing to the least prejudice of the Westphalia Treaty, as he himself shall desire of them, when His Majesty shall be pleased to give them the like Security, that so all Suspicion of this nature may be taken away from each other.  
This State must needs acknowledge, That they cannot apprehend why this Ambassador and Mediator should propose his Opinion, as that this State do show the less Inclination to the Peace, by reason of the League which is lately made with the Elector of Brandenburg, the Duke of Brunswick and Luningburgh, they Employing their Arms against his Majesty of France; as though thereby the Peace was made the more difficult and that thereby the Arms of these tended to the oppressions of the Standen of Germany, and that thereby the Treaty of Westphalia would be in danger, of which His Majesty of Sweden stands as Guaranteur. When-as indeed the foresaid Alliance tends to no other end, but to come to a good and lasting Peace, and the preservation of the Westphalia Treaty; it being the only thing the foresaid Princes had in their eye in the making of this Alliance; so that the foresaid Princes have the same thing in their eye as His Majesty of Sweden hath so many times declared to have, having nothing in their aim but the Common Good; they pretending to nothing else in the Treaty of Peace, but a good and lasting Peace, and the preservation of the Westphalia Treaty; having taken Arms for no other end than to preserve the Emperor as Head of the Empire, and the Decrees of the Empire, in those good and honourable Intentions for which they were made, they themselves being Members of that honourable Body; so that it would seem very strange to this State, That the Ambassador and Mediator should express himself so suspiciously in his foresaid Memorials, with relation to this Alliance: If they were not fully satisfied of his upright and sincere Intentions for the forwarding of a Peace, and of those good offices which he hath done to that end; and that those former expressions do only proceed from the fear that possesseth his mind, That the foresaid Princes have only engaged themselves for particular ends; and that thereby the good work which he with so much trouble hath begun should be retarded: But their Lordships now believing that the foresaid Ambassador is now convinced, as indeed the truth is, That these Princes have only engaged themselves into these dangers, only to follow their Head and decrees of the Emperor, without reflection or relation to any particular Interest, but only to bring the Empire to a desired Peace, and the differing parties to quiet again; do hope that the Ambassador will think them worthy of praise and honour in this their good Intentions; and it is hoped His Majesty will not stand in their way, but will, so much as belongs to him as a Mediator, add as much as can be desired to the same 〈◊〉 This State 〈◊〉 very 〈…〉 Allies cannot subsist in the Empire, without some prejudice to the Standen: But yet this State and their Allies have done and yet do their endeavours to prevent all prejudice that might come to the Empire thereby; and to bring their forces into the lands of the enemy; but they cannot believe that his Majesty of Sweden will look upon it as unreasonable, and as a breach of the Westphalia Treaty, That the Emperor and the Princes thereof do use their Arms to force the King of France to go with his Army out of the Empire, and leave them in quiet, from those many oppressions which they have so often felt; for otherwise the Empire would be lest as a prey to those that will but attack it: And this State supposeth, that not only they, but the whole World must judge with them, That the zeal of those that seek to maintain their own freedoms, notwithstanding the dangers that attend them, are worthy of great praise, and that such a defence is permitted to all: But on the contrary it is a plain infringing of the Westphalia and Akens Treaty without consent, nay against the wills of the Standen of the Emperor, and the King of Spain, to march with great Armies over the Lands and Jurisdictions of the Emperor, especially those that would not join with His Majesty, or those that seemed the most convenient for him to attain his ends, therewith using them as enemies, taking away, demolishing, or fortifying at his pleasure such Places as he thought good: And therefore with reason we may expect, that His Majesty of Sweeden, as being Guarenteur of the Westphalia, and Akens Treaties, will show his displeasure against those that were the Authors and disturbers of the Rest of Europe, by so needless, and so unrighteous a War as this is: Who having no regard to Treaties and Agreements, have brought the Empire, and their neighbouring Country into a flame; And that His Majesty will not molest those that stand up only in their own defence for the public quiet, without having respect to any particular advantage of their own; in regard they have no other way left open for them. This State doth acknowledge with all thankfulness, and praise the goodness of the great God, that hath restored their 〈…〉 ●nd hath released them from a great part of this War, and do with nothing less than that they were wholly released, and their Allies brought again to Rest and Peace, in regard they by experience do know what it is to have the burden of a War: But this State do not know wherein they have been wanting in their endeavours, for the forwarding of the Peace; and are willing to be informed from the foresaid Ambassador, not in general terms which cannot be answered; but in specie, and in particular, what they could have done more; but this State supposeth, that they should stand guilty before God and all the World, and that they could never answer it, if they should not be faithful to their Allies in what they engaged, who were stirred up by God to assist them in their troubles; and this only is the cause why they persisted, That the Duke of Lorrain's Agents ought to have passports to appear at the place of Treaty, declaring that otherwise they could not proceed: And they suppose there is none that can say they did ill in this respect, for demanding that, to which they were bound to by Treaty, which is not denied to any: This being a House which is reckoned for one of the Illustrious in Europe; and one, as His Majesty hath many times declared, that he was willing to restore to his Country again: So that the retardment ought not to be imputed to this State with any reason, nor to any of their Allies, who in this respect have demanded nothing but what was reasonable in itself: But it must be imputed to His Majesty of France, who hath refused a thing that is so common and customary, and yet persisted therein; whereby he evidently declares, he hath no intention to come to a Treaty of Peace. And what relates to the release of Duke William of Furstenburgh, which the Ambassador insists upon, His Excellency may take notice, That this State, nor none of their Allies, excepting those whose Subject he was, had any hand in his Imprisonment, neither had they any knowledge thereof: But it seemeth strange that this State should be solicited to Intercede for a Person that openly vented against the Ambassadors of this State, and declared as a thing in which he much gloried, That he had been Fifteen years busy to bring our Country into that Labyrinth in which at present it is involved; and that according to his own saying, he had been the Author of so much mischief as was now brought to pass, with the shedding of so much innocent blood as hath been shed, not only in our Country, but also in Germany; So that this State, and as they believe all Christian Princes must look upon him as a disturber of the common good, and that the great God hath not only righteously let him feel a Prison, but may suffer something else to fall upon him as a punishment for his most wicked deeds; of which he himself hath made his boasts. And therefore it will be very unacceptable to peaceable men, That a Treaty should be broke off for not releasing so great a disturber: And though this State would have been glad to have heard that His Majesty of France had pitched upon a place of Treaty, requisite for all our renowned Allies, or at least that His Majesty of Sweden had pleased to have done it, in regard they would not be willing to have this good work come to nothing; therefore this Ambassador and Mediator may declare to His Majesty of Sweden, That this State do leave it to His Majesty to pitch upon what place he shall think best; whether it be Franckfort, Hamburgh, or Aken, where it was before, of which the foresaid Ambassador hath made so often mention; and that this State are well assured, That their renowned Allies will make no difficulty to send their Ambassadors to any of the foresaid places; and desire from our hearts, that any of the foresaid places may be chosen, the sooner the better; and that God would be pleased to bless the good intentions of His Majesty of Sweden, and the unwearied endeavours of this Ambassador, that they may carry away the honour and the glory, That by their endeavours Europe may be freed from so great a War, and brought to quiet again; to which end this State will contribute what is possible for them to do.  
Thus concluded in the meeting of the High and Mighty Lords, State's General, in the Hague. November the 17th. 1674.  
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