self, or ratified a treaty which was not first agreed to by some minister or commissioner. And thereupon it was agreed that inquiry should be made in the Secretary's office, whether there had been any thing of this nature before; and on inquiry the next day, it being found there was none such, it was agreed that Diemar and Lord Townshend should both mutually sign the agreement by way of treaty, and that after such signing, the ratification should pass according to the usual forms. And I having hinted to Lord Townshend, that when I was to be concerned in the conclusion of an affair, it was but reasonable that I should know the beginning and the progress, he did the 12th of March send to me inclosed the copy of this matter, drawn up in form of a treaty between him and Diemar.

Thursday in Easter week, 14th April, I was at Ockham, where the Duke of Newcastle sent me by a messenger the copies of Admiral Hosier's instructions for the West Indies, and of Sir Charles Wager's for the Baltic. Hosier was at this time sailed, and Wager sailed a little after, but before this time I never saw the instructions, nor was acquainted with them.

June 20th.-The Duke of Newcastle com

municated to me the information given by Mr. Keene, the 15th instant, to the Duke, of the discoveries made to Mr. Stanhope in Spain by the Duke of Ripperda. After the Duke of Ripperda's disgrace he sheltered himself in Mr. Stanhope's house, and, whilst there, made such discoveries to Mr. Stanhope, that he did not think fit to send in writing, lest they should fall into the hands of those who might make an ill use of them, therefore sent Mr. Keene to acquaint the Duke of Newcastle with them by word of mouth, that so he might lay them before the King.

The account that Mr. Keene gave was, that Mr. Stanhope having pressed the Duke of Ripperda to inform him of the schemes that had been projected or agreed to by the Emperor and King of Spain, either with regard to the state of Europe in general, or to His Majesty's affairs in particular, the Duke began with the secret treaty of Vienna,* consisting of five articles, and three separate ones, the sub

* The particulars of this secret treaty of Vienna, related by Ripperda, are curious, and almost incredible; they rest on the veracity of Ripperda. Ripperda was an adventurer; born a Dutchman, he became a Spanish minister, and at last retired to Morocco, where he died, having attempted to establish a new religion.

stance of which he dictated to Mr. Stanhope, who took them down in writing with his own hand, and are as follows.

ART. 1. confirms and ratifies all preceding treaties made between their Imperial and Catholic Majesties.

2. The Emperor gives the eldest Archduchess in marriage to the Infant Don Carlos. 3. The second Archduchess is given to the Infant Don Philip.

4. The Emperor and King of Spain enter into reciprocal engagements to begin a war for reconquering the Duchy of Burgundy, Franche Comté, Alsace, and all the French conquests in Flanders and encroachments on Lorraine, Navarre, Roussillon, Petite Sardaigne, which are to be divided after the following manner. Burgundy, Franche Comté, Alsace, and all that formerly belonged to the House of Austria, is to be settled upon Don Carlos, and looked upon as the Austrian patrimony: Lorraine is to be restored to its Duke: and Navarre, Roussillon, and La Petite Sardaigne, to be reunited to the Spanish Monarchy.

5. The Emperor and King of Spain do mutually oblige themselves and posterity, never to give an Archduchess or Infanta in marriage to the House of Bourbon in France.

1. Separate article-That in case the present King of France should die without issue to inherit that Crown, the Infant Don Philip is to be King of France.

2. The Emperor and King of Spain do solemnly engage to assist the Pretender with their forces, in order to the putting him in possession of the throne of Great Britain.

3. Is a reciprocal engagement between the Emperor and King of Spain, utterly to extirpate the Protestant religion, and not to lay down their arms till this design be fully and effectually executed.

None of the King of Spain's Ministers besides himself knew this treaty, and that it had not been communicated to any person whatsoever, except the Emperor, the King and Queen of Spain, and the Ministers who signed it.

His Catholic Majesty was so earnest for the extirpation of the Protestant religion, that in the several letters that had passed directly between the King of Spain and the Emperor upon this subject, the King proposed, in case of necessity, to see the domains of his throne put up grandezas to the highest bidder, and dispose of all the employments for life in the Indias to the best purchaser, for promoting this scheme; and in one of his own letters, he

с

makes use of these extraordinary expressions, "Je vendrai même ma chemise."

July 28.-Received the King's orders by the Duke of Newcastle, to make Ric. Edgecombe, Esq. custos rotulorum of the County of Cornwall. Received also a sign manual to put the Great Seal to the power to Lord Glenorchy, envoy in Denmark, to treat with foreign princes.

Wednesday, June 14th, 1727.-About five in the evening, I had a letter from Sir R. Walpole, informing me that the King was dead, and desiring me to meet him immediately at the Duke of Devonshire's.

I went there immediately, and found that Sir R. Walpole, on receipt of the news from Lord Townshend, had instantly gone to Richmond, and acquainted the Prince with it, and that thereupon the Prince had resolved to be in town as fast as he could that evening. In the mean time we prepared, by the Attorney and Solicitor-General, the draft for proclaiming the King, and settled the other things necessary to be done. The King, in the mean time, came to town, and sent us word that he was ready, whenever we were ready to wait on him. Accordingly, we who were at the Duke