Folio 151. From Colt. Has now received the King's ratification of the subsidy treaty...

Folio 151. From Colt. Has now received the King's ratification of the subsidy treaty and stays merely for the order 'that brings the money and that I may see things so settled that I may pay the summ with safety'. No progress in fixing the commencement of the march, despite the presence of Clary who even said that 'a week or two more or less would be a matter of small consequence', against which Colt and Ham protested. The circle [of Franconia] remains unyielding in granting passage. Yet, letters indicate that the French have 'countermanded' their troops that were marching towards Piedmont and that they had 'formed some design on the Rhine', whilst at Dresden 'great sums' have been offered to delay the Elector's march by two or three weeks. The Elector will not march through Hessen 'where the wayes were unpracticable in so many defiles and montagnes'. The circle of the Lower Rhine remains unhelpful and that of Upper Saxony may take the same stance. No progress was made at a Council of ministers attended by him, Colt, and the envoy of the circle of Franconia. Afterwards he handed the Elector a letter from the King and 'begged' the Elector, eager for action, 'to be contented with the passage of two thirds of his troopes through the circle of Franconia, for that the others which were about Leipsic and lower down might easily pass Fulda and Hesse'; to which he consented and subsequently overruled his ministers, whereupon the Frankish [envoy] departed the same night to report to his 'masters' at Würzburg, Bamberg and Bayreuth; Colt expects him to return in four or five days. Free passage through Saxony for the Brandenburg forces and Hanoverian recruits on their march to Hungary: it is feared that if it is refused them, they might as well refuse it others. Difficulty in choosing commander: Brandenburg hopes for the margrave of Baden whilst Clary 'presses' the duke of Lorraine [Duke Charles of Lorraine-Commercy (1661-1702), a major-general, 1696 field-marshal who had gained wide experience in Hungarian and Serbian campaigns].

Date and Place: 1693 Apr 17/27 Dresden