being no other Security but that to be had, and to do this for the future without hesitation; this would bind them with a stricter Obligation, than all the Diligence that is made ufe of, in which there is not that Security which they pretend: For if Caution and Cunning fhould be us'd, it would be no difficult matter to pretend a great Punctuality and Nicety for eight or nine months, and then to fhow that Finefs and Industry were of no use to those who had no Confidence in their Royal Word.

And if they ask this for a Trial and Experiment of what fhall happen afterwards, the Demonftration which the King his Father has given hereof, ever fince this Marriage has been treated of in earnest, to the great Benefit and Comfort of the Catholicks, is greater than any can be given in four months; as is alfo that which appears in the extraordinary Refolution which his Highness has taken, being mov'd with a fervent Love of the moft Serene Infanta, and the great Confidence he had in your Majefty, in coming to ferve you in Perfon, depending folely on your Royal Word, without any other Security.

And if he was not difpos'd to put the beft Interpretation upon the matter, his Highness might refent the little Efteem that has been fhown to his Perfon; fince his Enjoyment of what he has a Pretenfion to, and defires moft of all things in the World, is put off from time to time, and the Roman Catholicks in England are from this prefent put in the Poffeffion and free Exercise of their Religion, in the form that has been agreed fo that his Highness is not upon an equal foot with those with whom he is contracting, nor even on a level with his Father's Vaffals, nor partakes of the Bleflings of this Marriage, altho his Highness has been at fo much Pains about it for fo many years, with more danger than any other.

As to the Oath which his Holiness requires, according as his Highness is inform'd, your Majefty may very well accept of it; fince in a promiffory Oath made to another, to which one cannot be compel'd, one is not fuppod to promife more, than to endeavour, by all neceffary Cautions and Replies, to procure the Accomplishment of the Word and Oath, as appears by many Examples.

And

And for that Accomplishment, the Confidence which your Majefty may put in his Highness and his Father, is more than juft and evident, for a great many known and ftrong Reasons and Motives. And he hopes that the great and learned Perfonages who meet together in this Affembly, after having feen thefe Reasons, which they could not know till now, will agree, and concur in what they find to be of greatest weight, and further ftrengthen and confirm the Experience of his Highness's Reputation, which is pretended to be fo much against him; and hopes, without the least doubt, that they will be all of this Opinion and Perfuafion. And in cafe they do not all concur, your Majefty ought to confider and measure the Weight of Votes, and not the Number; fince it is so useful and certain in Practice and Experience, that the Confcience of your Majefty will, by following this Method, be perfectly fecure, and no one will cenfure your Actions.

For a Conclufion of all that has been faid: Since the Divines propofe fo_many Difficulties, that they put his Highness under an Impoflibility of receiving them; and fince there are many Reafons for believing that they did not give their Advice as definitive or obligatory in Conscience, but only ad melius effe:

And fince it is evident, that it would be wrong to take that Method; and befides, fince his Highness, to fatisfy your Majefty's Confcience, engages on his Faith and Honour, that not only all the other Heads, but likewife the Substance of what the Divines demand fhall be executed at the time by them limited, and by more ef fectual means than those that they have determin'd; He prefumes that your Majefty will not, by fuffering your felf to be carry'd away by that Refolution, venture to endanger and lofe the great Bleffings, which will evidently refult from this Union to all Christendom, viz. the Propagation of the Catholick Religion, which your Majefty prefers to all the reft, and the Eftablishment of a reciprocal Friendship and Love, which is fo much defir'd between the Perfons of your Majefty and his Highnefs, and our Succeffors and Kingdoms.

And finally he befeeches your Majefty to join this Tavour to thofe which he is receiving every day, which he fhall efteem more than all the Favours in the World, and

that

that is, to give as a moral Security, the Promife and Oath of a Chriftian Prince, wherewith your Majefty is fo well fatisfy'd; and thus mov'd, to overcome all the Difficulties and Scruples that might hinder the Effect and Dispatch of this Marriage, by your Royal Grandeur. That his Highness dedicates and confecrates his Perfon, and all that he poffeffes, for the Accomplishment of what fhall be agreed; and will rather fuffer the Lofs of all, and even of himself, than be wanting in the leaft Tittle of what your Majefty fhall have engag'd your Royal Word for. Moreover, his Highness will feal his Obligations to your Majefty, whofe Royal Perfon may Heaven profper with the happy Succeffes that he defires.

A Treaty of a General Ceffation of Arms in the Empire, granted by James I. King of Great Britain, for his Son-in-law Frederick V. Elector Palatine, and thofe of his Party; and the Infanta the Archdutchefs of Auftria, in the name of the Emperor Ferdinand II. and Philip IV. King of Spain; made at London the 1ft of May, 1623.

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S nothing is more to be defir'd, or ought to be more earneftly fought after by Chriftian Princes, than the Prefervation and Continuation of Peace in Christendom, and efpecially in the Empire, which is as it were the Bulwark againit all the Efforts of the common Enemy; and as in order to establish the faid Peace in the fame, it is neceffary to lay down Arms, and ceafe from all Acts of Hoftility, in order to enter into a Treaty of general Pacification, which could not have its free and regular Exercife amidft the Noife and Commotions of War; therefore his Majefty of Great Britain, and the moit Serene Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia,

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Archdutchefs of Auftria, by virtue of the Powers by which her Highness is ftrengthen'd, have deliberated to enter into a Treaty of Ceffation and laying down of Arms, and have for that effect nam'd refpectively their Commiffioners and Deputies, viz. on the part of her faid Highness, by virtue of the faid Powers, Con Carlos Coloma, Knight of the Order of St. James, Commander of Montiel and Offa, of the Council of War of his Catholick Majefty, Governor of the City and Citadel of Cambray, Captain-General of the Country of Cambrefis, and his Ambaffador Extraordinary at the Court of his Majefty of Great Britain, and Meffieur Ferdinand de Boifchot, Baron of Saventhen, alfo Knight of the Order of St. James, Counfellor of the Council of State, and of his faid Catholick Majefty's Privy Council in the Low Countries, and Ambaffador Extraordinary from the faid moft Serene Infanta, at the Court of the faid Lord the King of Great Britain. And on the part of the faid Lord the King of Great Britain, Lionel, Earl of Middlefex, Lord High Treafurer, &c. Lewis, Duke of Lenox, Master of the Houfhold of his faid Majesty of Great Britain, James, Marquifs of Hamilton, Thomas, Earl of Arundel and Surry, Great Marefchal of England; William, Earl of Pembroke, Chamberlain to his faid Majefty of Great Britain; Oliver, Viscount of Grandifon; Arthur, Baron Chichester of Belfast, Lord High Treafurer of the Kingdom of Ireland, Sir George Calvert Knight, one of the first Secretaries of State to the faid Lord the King of Great Britain; and Mr. Richard Wefton, Chancellor of the Exchequer of his faid Majefty, all of his Council of State: who in the Name and Quality abovefaid, and in virtue of the Powers and Commiffions granted them for that Effect, whereof the Tenor fhall be inferted at the end of this Treaty, have agreed together, by the Knowledg and Good-will of his faid Majefty of Great Britain, and the faid moft Serene Infanta, the Articles and Conditions which follow.

I. A General Ceffation and Sufpenfion of Arms, in the Empire, has been agreed and fettled, as well by the moft Serene King of Great Britain, and his Son-in-law, as by all thofe who take part with him; and that for the Term of fifteen Months, in which time there fhall be no new levying of Men.

II. It has been concluded and agreed, That during the faid Ceffation of Arms, there fhall be no Incurfions, taking of Prisoners or Goods, Attempts upon Places and Forts, nor any other Acts of Hoftility committed on the part of the moft Serene King of Great Britain, his Son, or thofe of his Party; nor fhall they give Aid or Relief directly or indirectly, contrary to this present Treaty, within the Limits of the Empire, or of the Confederates thereof. As alfo her Highnefs the moft Serene Infanta promifes and obliges her felf, That no Invafions or Hoftilities fhall be committed against the Perfons of the contrary Party, nor against their Vaffals, Goods, Houfes or Lands in any manner; and that there fhall be no new Levies rais'd to throw into the Palati

nates.

III. It has been agreed and concluded, That during this Treaty, neither the most Serene King of Great Britain, nor his Son-in-law, fhall keep or enter into any League or Confederacy, in prejudice of this prefent Treaty, but fhall renounce them, even as they do from this prefent; as alfo whofoever fhall commit, or be concern'd in any Invafion or Act of Hoftility within the Lands of the Empire, or thofe of its Confederates, fhall be declar'd Enemies of the Empire, and of the faid Confederates. As in like manner the most Serene Infanta declares as fuch all who fhall contravene this prefent Treaty; as well the moft Serene King of Great Britain, as the most Serene Infanta promifing, for that effect, to ufe their utmost Endeavours to hinder the Oppreffions and Hoftilities aforefaid, that fo the Peace may be reestablish'd, and Commerce render'd perfectly fecure as formerly.

IV. It has been agreed and concluded, That during the faid Term there fhall not be built on either fide any new Fortreffes or Fortifications in either of the Palatinates; but all the Forts thereof fhall remain and be left, during the faid time, in the State they are in at present.

V. It has been agreed on the part of the moft Serene Infanta, by virtue of thofe Powers, that the General Treaty of Peace, and final Accommodation of the Troubles that have arifen, and which prevail at prefent in the Empire, fhall be held between the Ambaffadors, Commiffioners and Deputies as well of his Imperial Majefty,

and