not be permitted to either Party, when the War is once begun, to treat of Peace with the Enemy, unless jointly, and by a Communication of Counfels; and no Peace dhall be made, unless an equitable and reasonable Satisfaction for his Imperial Majefty, and the particular Security of the Kingdoms, Provinces, Dominions, Navigations, and Commerce, for his Majefty of Great Britain, and the States-General, be firft obtained; and unlets Care be taken, by fitting Security, that the Kingdoms of France and Spain fhall never come and be united under the fame Government, nor that one and the fame Perfon fhall be King of both Kingdoms; and particularly that the French fhall never get into the Poffeffion of the Spanish Indies, neither fhall they be permitted to fail thither on the Account of Traffick, directly or indirectly, on any Pretence whatfoever: And laftly, unlefs full Liberty be granted unto the Subjects of the King of Great Britain, and the States-General, to exercise and enjoy all the fame Privileges, Rights, Immunities, and Franchifes of Commerce, by Sea and Land, in Spain, the Mediterranean, and all Lands and Places which the King of Spain laft deceased did poffefs at the Time of his Death, as well in Europe as elsewhere, which they used and enjoyed; or which the Subjects of both, or either of them by any Right acquired by Treaties, Agreements, Customs, or any other Way whatsoever, might have ufed and enjoyed before, the Death of the late King of Spain. That, at the fame Time that the faid Agreement or Peace fhall be made, the Confederates fhall agree among themfelves about all the Things that they hall think neceffary for maintaining the Navigation and Commerce of the Subjects of Great Britain and the States General, in the Lands and Dominions they may acquire, and that were poffeffed by the late deceafed Kingd of Spain, and alfo in what Manner the States-General may be fecured by the aforefaid Fence or Barrier!

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And whereas his faid late Majefty King William, and the States General, feriously ly confidering, that France was then become fo formidable from the Acceflion of Spain to the Duke of Anjou, that, in the Opinion of all the World; Europe was in Danger of lofing her Liberty, and undergoing the heavy Yoke of Univerfal Monarchy; and that the fureft Means of effecting that Defign, were to divide the King of Great Britain from the States-General; for which Purpofe all imaginable Efforts would be made ; they therefore thought it neceffary to unite in the ftrict

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eft Manner that was poffible; and to that End a Defen five Treaty and Alliance was concluded and enter'd into between them, in or about the Month of November, 1701; wherein it was, among other Things, agreed, That in Cafe the faid High Allies fhould be jointly engaged in, War, by Reafon of this defenfive Alliance before-mentioned in the Fifth Article, or on any other Account, there fhall be an Offenfive, and Defenfive, and Perpetual Alliance between them, against thofe with whom the War fhall be; and all their Forces fhall be employed by Sea. and Land, and they fhall act in Conjunction or feparately, as it shall be agreed between them.

But fince, in the Alliance with the Emperor, made in September laft, particular Care was taken of the Recovery of the Spanish Low-Countries out of the Hands of the moft Chriftian King, the faid Confederates exprefly engagé to aid one another with all their Forces for the, Recovery of the fame, And in Regard the principal Intereft of the faid Confederates confifts in the Prefervation of the Liberties of Europe, the before-mentioned Treaty with the Emperor fhall be faithfully and fincerely executed, and both Sides fhall guaranty the fame, and use, their Endeavours to confirm and render it more strong from Time to Time: That in making Peace, particular Care fhall be taken of the Commerce and Traffick of both Nations, as alfo for their Security, as well in Regard to the Low-Countries as the Countries adjacent: That when the War is begun, the Confederates fhall act in Concert, according to the feventh and eighth Articles of the Treaty of the 3d of March, in the Year of our Lord 1677 between England and Holland, which is hereby renewed and confirmed; and no Peace, nor Truce, or Sufpenfion of Arms, fhall be negotiated or made, but according to the ninth and tenth Articles of that Treaty; by which it was agreed, That when the two Allies come once to open War, it fhall be lawful for neither of them afterwards to come to any Ceflation of Arms with him, who fhall be declar'd and proclaim'd an Enemy, without it be done conjointly, and with common Confent: That Negotiation of Peace fhall be fet on Foot by one of the Allies, without the Concurrence of the other: That each Ally fhall continually, and from Time to Time, impart to the other every Thing that paffes in the faid Negotiation, and fhall ftipulate with the common. Enemy for the fame Rights, Immunities, Exemptions, and Pre

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rogatives for his Ally, as he does for himself, if fo be the faid Allies do not agree to the contrary.

And whereas the French King having got Poffeffion of a great Part of the Spanish Dominions, exercifed an abfolute Authority over that Monarchy, having feized Milan and the Spanish Low-Countries by his Armies, and made himself Mafter of Cadiz, of the Entrance into the Mediterranean, and of the Ports of the Spanish Weft-Indies by his Fleets, every where defigning to invade the Liberties of Europe, and to obftruct the Freedom of Navigation and Commerce; and inftead of giving the Satisfaction that ought juftly to be expected, had proceeded to further Violences, and had taken on him to declare the Pretended Prince of Wales, King of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and had alfo influenced Spain to concur in the fame Affront; her late Majesty Queen Anne taking Notice, that the found herself obliged, for maintaining the Publick Faith, for vindicating the Honour of the Crown, and to prevent the Mifchiefs which all Europe was threatned with, to declare War against France and Spain; did accordingly in the Month of May 1702, in the most.publick and folemn Manner, declare War against France and Spain; and in the faid Declaration, placing her entire Confidence in the Help of Almighty God, in fo juft and neceffary an Undertaking, declared, That he would, in Conjunction with her Allies, vigorously profecute the fame both by Sea and Land, being affured of the ready Concurrence of her Subjects, in a Caufe they had fo openly and heartily efpoufed. And his Imperial Majefty and their High Mightineffes, purfuant to the Treaties aforemention'd refpectively, in or about the faid Month of May, 1702, did likewife declare War against France and Spain.

And whereas the Kings of Portugal and Pruffia, the Electors of Hanover, Saxony, Treves, Mentz, Palatine of the Rhine, the Duke of Savoy, the Prince of Heffe, the Dukes of Wolfembuttle, Mecklenberg, and Wirtemberg, the Circles of Suabia, and Franconia, and of the Upper Rhine, the Bifhops of Munfier and Confiance, and other Princes and Powers, being invited by the faid Grand Alliance, and relying on the Faith thereof, did' afterwards become Parties to the faid Confederate War against France and Spain; and in the Treaty entred into in or about the Month of May 1703, between his Imperial Majefty, the Queen of Great Britain, the States General, and the King of Portual, it is, amongst other Things exprefly ftipulated, That

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no Peace nor Truce fhall be made, but by the mutual Confent of all the Confederates; nor fhall any, at any Time, be made, whilft the fecond Grandfon of the, moft Christian King by the Dauphin, or any other Prince of the Line of France continues in Spain, nor unless the Crown of Portugal fhall fully poffefs and enjoy all the Lands, Kingdoms, Ifles, Caftles, Cities, Towns, &c. with their Territories and Dependencies in Spain, or elsewhere, which it now poffeffes. And in the Treaty of Norelingen, ratify'd by her late Majefty, it is, amongst other Things, exprefly agreed, that it shall not be allow'd to make particular Treaties, but the Peace fhall be jointly treated of, and fhall not be concluded without obtaining, as far as poffible, the Re-Union of the Lands belonging to the Circles, and until at least the Security of the affociated Circles be abfolutely provided for, in the beft Manner that is poffible, and better than it has formerly been.

And whereas, to give the greatest Strength that was poffible to the Union, fo neceffary to both Nations, her late Majesty and the States, by a Treaty in the Month of June, 1703, renewed and confirmed all Treaties and Alliances then fubfifting between them; and therein it is, amongst other Things, exprefly and particularly ftipulated, That as the faid moft ferene Queen, and the Lords the States-General, are now in War with France and Spain, and are reciprocally bound to affift each other, and mutually to defend, maintain, and preferve their Countries and Subjects in their Poffeffions, Immunities, and Liberties, as well of Navigation and Commerce, as other Rights whatfoever by Sea and Land, against and in Oppofition to all Kings, Princes, and States, and particularly against France and Spain, to the End a juft and reasonable Peace may the better be obtained, that may establish the Repofe and Tranquility of Europe, it is agreed between the moft ferene Queen of Great Britain, and the faid Lords the States-General, that neither of the faid Allies shall make a Sufpenfion of Arms, or a Peace, with France or Spain, or any other King, Prince, or State, who shall moleft or attack either of the faid Allies, but in Conjuntion, and by common Confent.

And whereas the faid War was for feveral Years carry'd on with Vigour and Unanimity by her Majefty and her Allies, at a vaft Expence both of Blood and Treafure; for the Support of which, on the Part of England, many Millions have been granted by Parliament,, who, on many Occafions fince, continu'd not only to exprefs their Senfe

of the Juftice and Neceffity of the War, but did frequently give their humble Advice to the Throne, that no Peace could be fafe, honourable, or lafting, fo long as the Kingdom of Spain and the Weft-Indies continu'd in the Poffeffion of any Branch of the Houfe of Bourbon.

And whereas it pleas'd Almighty God to grant to the Confederate Arms, under the Command of their great and victorious General the Duke of Marlborough, such unparallell'd Successes, as exceeded even their own Hopes and Fears of the Enemy; and by the many fignal Victories of Schellenberg, Hochftedt, Audenarde, and Ramillies, as well as by the Conquefts of the Electorates of Bavaria and Cologn, and the Reduction of the Spanish Netherlands, and many other great Advantages both by Sea and Land; and by the Wisdom and Unanimity of their Counfels, the Glory of the Confederate Arms, and the Reputation of Great Britain in particular, was rais'd to an higher Pitch than in any former Age.

And whereas her late Majefty, in Conjunction with her Allies, wifely foreseeing that whenever the Enemy should be brought to make Overtures of Peace, the furest Way to put an end to the War, and prevent France from putting in Practice her ufual Intrigues, was by previously insist ing on fuch Conditions from France, that nothing might remain to be done in a general Affembly, but to give them the Form of a Treaty; and for thofe Reasons a Preliminary Treaty was concluded on, and was afterwards fign'd by the Plenipotentiaries of his Imperial Majefty, of her late Majefty the Queen of Great Britain, and of the Lords the States General of the United Provinces, and afterwards ratify'd by their Principals; wherein the Interefts of the feveral Allies were adjusted, in order to a general Treaty of Peace with France; and therein, the Reftitution of the Spanish Monarchy to the Houfe of Auftria, being one of the chief Causes for carrying on the War, is laid down as an immutable Foundation among the Allies.

And whereas in the Year of our Lord 1709, the King of France having firft fignify'd his Confent to the Reftitution of the Spanish Monarchy to the Houfe of Auftria, fent his Minifters to the Hague, to treat with the Minifters af the principal Allies on a General Peace; and in the Conferences held thereupon, the Interefts of all the Allies, as adjusted in the faid Preliminaries, were pofitively and exprefly agreed to by the Minifters of France, and particularly that of the Reftitution of the entire Spanish Monarchy