knows, but the parliament will not desist until forced. Count Finchenstein leaves this town to-morrow; he proposed to make a longer stay, but he has gained so little ground here, that farther delay is needless. I am, &c. &c. 1749. JOSEPH YORKE. THE DUKE OF BEDFORD TO MR. KEENE. (Most secret.) Sir, 14 25 Whitehall, May 11. 1749. Not having had before this time an opportunity of answering by a safe conveyance your private letter of the 24th of February last, I have been obliged to defer it till now, though I communicated the contents of it to his Majesty immediately upon the receipt of it. I have the satisfaction. to be able to inform you that the King is thoroughly satisfied with your conduct towards the Spanish ministers, and has directed me to suggest nothing farther to you with regard to it, than that he would have you cultivate as far as possible the friendship and confidence of those Spanish ministers, and transact your business with them as much as possible by word of mouth, rather than by formal offices in writing. The King has so great an 1749. opinion of your dexterity and knowledge of that court, that he is pleased in having his affairs treated of with those ministers immediately and personally by yourself. According to your desire, I made Major General Wall sensible that you had in every respect done justice to his court and nation in their reception of you, and I am very glad to be able to inform you, that that gentleman's behaviour here has been so agreeable of late, that he has acquired the esteem and countenance of his Majesty, and the friendship of his servants. He really seems to be a well intentioned man, a true Spaniard in his heart, and consequently, I hope and believe, more inclined to their intimate connection with England than with France. He is undoubtedly a sensible man, agreeable in his conversation, by which he has made himself many friends. I come now to the last and most secret part of your letter, I mean with regard to Farinelli.* The King leaves entirely to your discretion the giving him such assurances of favour from his Majesty as you shall judge his services may deserve, and I believe 2000l. or 3000l. properly laid out at your court may be of infinite service in the difficult negociations you have now to transact. His * Carlo Broschi, surnamed Farinelli, was born at Naples in 1705: his vocal talents are well known he was in England in 1734, where he made a large fortune; he was drawn to Madrid in 1737, where his influence became so great, that he was much courted by foreign ministers, and even by crowned heads. It was in reference to him that Maria Theresa said, when asked if she could condescend to court the aid of Madame de Pompadour, “ Have I not flattered Farinelli?" Majesty has so good an opinion of your prudence 1749. and fidelity, that he has been pleased to order me to authorise you to make such gratifications to those people who may be of service at the court you now are, as you shall judge necessary for the carrying the points you have in view into execution, provided the sum doth not exceed 3000/. sterling. I am much obliged to you for the kind offer you make me of troubling yourself with any commissions I might have in Spain, and I cannot conclude without returning you my thanks for the seeds, &c. you sent me from Lisbon. I am, &c. &c. BEDFORD. THE DUKE OF BEDFORD TO MR. KEENE. (Separate.) Whitehall, May 11. 1749. Sir, Though I am not able as yet to inform you of his Majesty's pleasure with regard to the affairs of the South Sea Company, not having hitherto been able to talk with the directors of that company, and to hear from them what it is they finally expect from the court of Spain, yet I would not, as you seem to be unacquainted with it, defer any longer sending you a copy of the declaration signed by the 1749. 13 24 Earl of Sandwich and M. de Sotomayer the th of June last, together with extracts of four letters of his lordship to Mr. Stone on this affair. You will see that by this declaration, the Spanish ministers have some pretensions to a right of calling upon us to enter into negociation with them for settling an equivalent for the years of non jouissance of the assiento and annual ship, antecedent to the company's having a right to demand the cedulas for that purpose. If this negociation for an equivalent should not succeed, the company is then undoubtedly entitled to demand the usual cedulas for the carrying on their trade for the four years that are yet to come. But, as I have above informed you, it is impossible to send you as yet the sentiments of the company on this head; I must defer till another time giving you his Majesty's orders for your conduct in this negociation. I am, &c. &c. BEDFORD. Sir, THE DUKE OF BEDFORD TO MR. KEENE. Though I have not failed duly to lay before his Majesty your several dispatches relating to the points now depending between this court and that of Madrid, yet the time of the King's servants has been so much taken up of late by parliamentary and other business, that it was impossible for me, before last Friday, to get a meeting of those Lords to whom his Majesty had been graciously pleased to refer your several dispatches, in order to my laying before the King their humble opinion thereupon. His Majesty is now pleased to direct me to give you the following instructions for your conduct, in the negociations it may now be proper to begin at the court where you now reside, in order to terminate in the most amicable and friendly manner those points which still seem to be in dispute between the two nations, and which, if kept much longer undetermined, might possibly create a coolness and uneasiness between the two courts, which his Majesty is most desirous of avoiding. The points upon which it seems necessary for you to receive fresh instructions may be reduced to these four, to wit: 1. the demand of the South Sea Company of the cedulas for the re-establishment of the assiento; 2. the increase of the evaluation of British commodities brought into the ports of Spain; 3. the omission of the specific renewal of the treaty of 1715 in the last definitive treaty; and, 4. the hint thrown out to you by M. Ensenada, that it was now time to talk of the points depending between the two nations, particularly freedom of navigation. As to the first of these points, I mean the assiento, I must necessarily postpone the giving you final instructions on that head for some time, as it has 1749. |