Folios 269-283. Copy of a letter from Count d'Avaux [Jean-Antoine de Mesmes, called...

Folios 269-283. Copy of a letter from Count d'Avaux [Jean-Antoine de Mesmes, called d'Avaux (1640-1709)?] [to the French King?]. Reports on what he has learned about what Lilienrodt [Niels, Baron of Lilliënrot, Swedish diplomat] told the King of Sweden and wrote to the Prince about Strasbourg and Luxembourg; d'Avaux indicates that the majority of senators were persuaded that the French King wished to cede these two towns and that he had declared as much at The Hague. Lilienrodt had also advised of the equivalents that Callieres [François de Callières, special envoy of France] had offered for the two places, and various other secret matters, which he can only have known from the Allies. The Swedish King, alarmed, had invited d'Avaux to the chancelry, where Oxenstirn [Count Bengt Gabrielsson Oxenstierna, Swedish Foreign Minister] read him a memorandum ultimately demanding that he make the same declaration to the King of Sweden as Callieres had made at The Hague. d'Avaux declined on the basis that he did not know what Callieres had declared and that the Allies had not wanted to negotiate in Stockholm but in The Hague, such that he could not express himself in the former as Callieres could in the latter; they should speak to and complain to the Allies instead and he reminded them of all that the French King had done the past four years to procure for the King of Sweden the honour of re-establishing peace in Europe. d'Avaux provides further clarifications and explanations of the nature events at The Hague. Oxenstierna insisted that the Allies would accept the King of Sweden's mediation on the basis of what was declared by Callieres but on no other basis but d'Avaux held firm and did not repeat the declaration. In subsequent discussions with Oxenstierna, d'Avaux reported that the French King had ordered in his last letters to him that he was pleased that the Allies were finally deciding to accept the King of Sweden's mediation. Oxenstierna indicated he was aware that England and Holland would accept such mediation, but that the Emperor's confirmation of the same was awaited. d'Avaux reports that he has learned in confidence of the King of Sweden's intent to name Comte d'Alberg as lead mediator, and describes him as an aged man of 'no birth' who had never engaged in business, but with good sense and known for his honour and probity.[Folio 282] Copy of a letter from d'Avaux to de Pomponne [Simon Arnauld, Marquis de Pomponne] regarding his ideas on the matter of Strasbourg.