Folios 168-177. Letter dated [March 19 new style] at Paris from Lord Portland to...

Folios 168-177. Letter dated [March 19 new style] at Paris from Lord Portland to the King. Has received the King's letter of 2/12 March with his responses on Monsieur de Lubieres' memorandum on Orange, and will proceed accordingly. He has been to Versailles and spoken further with ministers there about the subject of his last letter, reiterating many of the points written there. The French sought to make difficulties in favour of the Princess d'Isenghien regarding the sites in Burgundy citing legal issues, but Portland reminded them that he was merely asking for the execution of treaties which positively provided for the return of these to King William, further noting the strangeness of their pre-occupation with maintaining the peace while impeding the execution of the treaties that were its foundation; King William would be unlikely to easily listen to proposals for new agreements, when the one previously made were not in force. They had little response to this and Portland speculates that they will not want to deal with one without the other, or that Comte de Tallard will offer something more agreeable to the King. As to the affair of King James, the flattering courtiers palliate it; but with regard to the assassins everyone shrugs his shoulders. Complains of the Duke of St. Albans, who has left unpaid debts and without making the usual present to the introducers. He asks the King what can be done for the regiment of dragoons at Diest, and is no longer able to subsist. As regards the state of the French treasury, he reports that there is between 60 and 80 million; though this abundance of cash is not an indication of the wealth of the kingdom, but is really due to the lack of trade and the fear of the lowering of the standard of the coinage, the King can make the same use of it, in case of need, as if it were due to prosperity. All letters from Holland and England speak of the great naval preparations (équipages de mer) being made in France: despite careful enquiry Portland has not learned of anything considerable being done.