Nederlandse historische bronnen 10

8*

Hague, 10th December 1728

My Dear Lord, It is with the utmost pleasure, that I find by your last letter, that you accept of the proposal I made, of carrying on a friendly, besides a ministeriall, correspondence. I hope I need not tell you, how great a value I shall sett upon it; after the long acquaintance and friendship that has hitherto continued between us.

You gave me a very modest account of your pleasures at Vienna but Count Sinzendorf, who is here²⁴, gives me a better, and assures me that you pass your time there better, than your discretion will give you leave to own. A propos, of Count Sinzendorf, I should be oblig'd to you, if you would lett me know, in what degree

24 Count Wenzel Sinzendorff, Austrian ambassador in the United Provinces, 1728-1734, son-in-law of the Chancellor.

[p. 142]

of esteem and consideration, he is in at his own Court, and how farr he is in the confidence of his father in law. To tell you the plain truth, he seems a little odd; but I believe is at bottom, un bon coeur d'homme. He expresses a great desire of seeing the friendship, between the Emperor, and his old allies renew'd; and to give him his due, talks very moderately and impartially, upon the present situation of affairs²⁵.

For my own part I pass my time here, as well as I could wish and much better than I expected, I have found means, to rouze them here a little into pleasures, which they now come into pretty willingly, provided it is at my expence; a snow that has lately fallen very opportunely has furnish'd us the pleasures of traineaux²⁶, which is a favourite diversion here, and which ends, in almost a necessity of warming one another a good deal at night.

I have sent according to your directions, a passeport for your caisses to mr. Renard²⁷ at Amsterdam, who tells me they are not yett arriv'd there. I made the passeport for seven, including the Doctor.

We talk here of so many factions at the Court where you reside, that I should be extreamly oblig'd to you, if you would order your secretary when he is at leisure; to send me a short state of that Court, only for my own information.

I send you no publick letter by this post, having nothing to inform you of from hence; but concerning the affairs of Oostfrize, of which you will hear all the particulars better, from Hamel Bruyninx; I will only tell you that they are excessively exasperated here, at the proceedings of the Court of Vienna in that affair²⁸.

I have troubled you long enough, continue me only, My Dear Lord, your friendship and correspondence; and believe me with the utmost truth - - -

25 Chesterfield to Townshend, 26 Oct., 12 Nov. 1728, PRO, num. 84/302, f. 67, 99.

26 Traineau (plural traineaux) were sledges or sleighs, especially those drawn by one or more horses over snow or ice.

27 British agent at The Hague, who also played a substantial role in British espionage.

28 Townshend pressed Philip Kinsky repeatedly on this issue, and the British attempted to secure French diplomatic assistance on the matter, Townshend to Chesterfield, 29 Nov. 1728 OS, PRO, num. 84/302, f. 176; Townshend to Horatio Walpole, plenipotentiary at Soissons, 3 Dec. 1728 OS, BL, Add., num. 9138, f. 11.