Jersey, Edward Villiers, First Earl of.

on the negotiations leading to the Peace of Ryswick and other diplomatic, political and personal matters, a substantial series of warm and informative letters to a friend and fellow diplomat, with one contemporary transcript of an undated letter, 258 pages, plus integral blanks, 4to, chiefly from the Hague but also Ryswick, London, Paris, and Loo, 2 August 1696 to 1 August 1704, mounted in a modern volume, professionally restored, one or two pages faded

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"...I think it is as hard with allies to make peace as war..."

This series of letters begin in August 1696 when Villiers (soon to be created Earl of Jersey) was envoy-extraordinary to the states general of the United Provinces and his friend Richard Hill had been appointed envoy to Brussels. The purpose of the mission soon became public:

"...The great secret is divulged, yesterday the Pensioner declared to the congress that france, by monsieur Cailliere [François de Callières], offered the treaties of Westphalia and Nimegue [Nijmegen] for a foundation to begin a treaty for a general peace, the Ministers will acquaint their masters with the declaration and get their answer to it as soon as possible, I fear this business will drawl [sic] out longer then our conveniency requires for every minister thinks to make himself necessary by making difficulties..." (4 September 1696)

Villiers played a central role in the negotiations that brought to an end the War of the Grand Alliance, which had pitted Louis XIV against the British, Dutch, and the Holy Roman Empire, and in nearly 70 letters over the following 15 months Villiers gives a detailed and personal narrative of the gradual progress of the negotiations. Preliminary agreement had to be reached on issues such as the site of the final talks; it was only on 18 January 1697 that Villiers could report the suggestion of Callières "that the ministers of the Allies should stay at the Hague, the French at Delft, and to treat at Ryswick". More substantive preliminary issues were the French recognition of William III as King of England and territories occupied by the French such as Lorraine and Luxembourg. Villiers's comments on the latter typify his pragmatic attitude: "...Cailliere offers Luxembourg as it is, provided his master is considered for the fortifications that he has added to it, however unreasonable that is, do you think it is good oeconomy to be at the vast expence of the war rather then give a french million and a half which Cailliere askes for the fortifications of Luxembourg?..." (18 December 1696)

There was continual tension among the allies and suspicion that one or other ally might make a separate peace with the French, with Villiers reporting particular concern about the attitude of "this potent house of Austria" and keeping a shrewd eye on opinion back home ("...I fear that if the expectation of a Peace were wholly taken away our Parliament would be less ready to supply the necessities of the war..."). Military action continued until the late summer of 1697 and Jersey reports fighting in the Rhineland and, on 15 January 1697, the departure of the Baron of Pontis on his audacious raid on Cartagena ("...I think there is no doubt but that his design is for the west Indies...").

On 31 May 1697 Jersey writes that "our negociators could not prevail with the French to hearken to a cessation they have now too good an opinion of their arms I hope they will be of another when our troops are come from the Rhine", but negotiations took a more positive turn over the following months, especially following crucial meetings between the Earl of Portland and the French Marshal Boufflers, on which he reports on 13 July 1697. By September peace was close and Jersey's nerves were fraying ("...I cannot help fearing the worst whilest one is in doubt..."), and on September 20 he writes from Ryswick itself: "wee are here in expectation to sign the peace, it is impossible for me to tell you all the particulars of it, the Emperour and Empire have till the 1^st of Nov: to come in, and I believe most of them in their hearts are glad of it, except for subsidies Brandenbourg and Hesse Ministers who are very angry." This letter has a ragged post-script written at 3 in the morning: "the peace is signed".

The most remarkable event at the Hague not relating to the peace negotiations was Jersey's presence at a meeting between William III and the Russian Tsar Peter the Great, then travelling around western Europe incognito and shortly to visit England. Jersey was clearly amused by the incongruous location for this remarkable meeting: "I have seen a czar he is a handsom man and very capricious, the interview between the King and this mighty stranger was in a tavern" (13 September 1697). The letters are full of references to political figures of the time – such as King William's Dutch favourites the Earls of Albemarle and Portland, the Duke of Shrewsbury, Matthew Prior, and the Prince of Vaudémont – as well as Jacobite activities and a wide range of personal subjects ("...Champagne wine they say is very scarce and consequently very dear, but I must have some..."). Another recurring subject was the health of the Spanish King Charles II.  "I dread the disorder that his death must cause" he wrote on 26 December 1696, and the following February he warned that the Empire "would be glad to have all Europe in Armes to fight their cause" over the succession; in the event Charles's death did indeed lead to another European war just four years after Ryswick.

In November 1697 Jersey was back in London, writing to Hill of "horrible cabals", complaining of Parliament's reluctance to fund a standing army ("...you know the necessity of having an army, everybody here is not of that mind..."), and mentioning the fire that gutted Whitehall Palace. He was appointed to Paris in April 1698 but his letters to Hill from there are relatively few in number, and by May 1699 he was back in London. The last letters in the series date from 1704. They report on Jersey's dismissal from office by Queen Anne ("...the manner was a message from the Queen by Mr secretary to let me know that she thought it for her service to put the staff in some other hands...") and comment on the situation in Savoy, where Hill was stationed after the opening of the War of the Spanish Succession ("...recruits both of men and money are still expected from Vienna, your brave duke deserves better, but sure he foresaw what would happen, I cannot think him dupe of a german count...")