Folio 164. From Colt. Slow progress of negotiations concerning Saxony's accession...

Folio 164. From Colt. Slow progress of negotiations concerning Saxony's accession to the Grand alliance: yet, though the Elector wishes it deferred until after the campaign, the [Saxon] ministers are inclined to 'conclude' it now that there are intrigues 'on foot here' which Colt fears 'will hinder this good design': the Elector would, he thinks, be content with 300,000 dollars to act with 12,000 men, which 'in reason' should lessen the Anglo-Dutch subsidies. The envoys of the two Electors 'here' [i.e. Brandenburg and Hanover] 'manage the matter underhand to free themselves and to make their merit the greater at our expence, they do not only protest they can no more be answerable for their 50,000 dollers that they have now advanced with the landgrave [of Hessen-Cassel] although they are to be paid it again but of the Römer months, but they press hard and find it very reasonable that the Emperor should also be excused his 50,000 d[ollar]s, so that the whole burthen should fall ... on the K[ing] and the S[tates], that is to say one half of them and the other half on the cercle of Upper Saxony and the city of Frankfurt'. Thinks Heeckeren has 'turned over' to them all the interest he had at Dresden, leaving him, Colt, and Ham 'to shift for ourselves'. The Elector has now gone to Torgau and is then going to Leipzig where all the diplomats are to meet him. The electoral troops on the march may be unable to be at their rendezvous before June 10/20 or 15/25. PS.: Encloses [copy of] Clary's memorial to Vienna [missing] to which there is as yet no reply. Chauvet is daily expected at Leipzig, [the Elector's] minister Bose is to inform him on everything relating to the army.

Date and Place: 1693 May 1/10 Dresden