TO the end that the Endeavours of our late deare Fa­ther King JAMES of blessed memory, and our pro­ceedings since his Death in the cause of our deare and onely Sister, Brother in law, Nephewes, Ele­ctors, and Princes Palatine of the Rhyne may not be forgotten, or pretendedly unknowne, wherein we have studi­ed, and laboured nothing more then the Peace of Christendome, and the avoyding the effusion of innocent blood, by seeking the restitution and reestablishment of the Electorall house of Pala­tine in their ancient Rights, Dignities, and Possessions within the Empire, out of which they have beene by violence and force of Armes, and other undue proceedings expelled and banished, contrary to the ancient Lawes and Constitutions of the Sacred Empire Wee have thought fit for the Vindication of our owne Honour, to call to mind and to publish to the world, both a sum­mary Relation of our Actions and endeavours past, and our pre­sent resolutions in the same cause.

IT cannot be unknowne to all the Princes and Estates of Europe and more particularly to those who have had any interest or relation to the publique affaires of Germany, how both Our self, [Page 2] and our Father have, during these twenty yeares past, by many and severall Embassages, Treaties, and other negotiations, to our great expence & charges, both with the late Emperor Ferdinand, the K. of Spaine, and other Princes, and Estates of the Empire, en­deavoured by all friendly and treatable meanes to procure the re­stitution and reestablishment of Our said deare Sister, Brother in law, and Nephewes, in their antient Rights and Possessions, as the onely and possible way to settle a good and firme Peace in the Empire, and consequently with all Princes interested therein, without which it is impossible to expect or hope for a good, du­rable, and honest pacification of those troubles which have alrea­dy almost rent and consumed, and involved all the Princes of Christendome in a most bloody and destructive Warre.

And for a cleare demonstration of Our syncere intentions, not onely our owne pious inclination, and care of the publique peace, hath induced Us to omit divers occasions whereby wee might by such power as God hath put into Our hands, have prevented the violences and oppressions used to our said Sister and Nephewes; But wee have been led on, and invited thereunto by divers pro­mises, assurances, and reversall Letters, both from the late Empe­rour, and King of Spaine; and other Usurpers of the Inheritances of the Electorall House Palatine, that they would at last in con­templation of our Meditations, hearken and incline to a just and honest Peace by the restitution of the Estates and Dignities of our deare Sister and Nephewes, whereby we have beene drawne not onely to passe by our owne and the publique interest, and to forbeare to ingage our Armes in so just a cause, but also have pro­cured by our Fathers and Our authority, the withdrawing, and disbanding of the Forces of Count Mans [...]elt out of the Palati­nate, and advanced divers Truces and cessations of hostility or de­fence, onely to prepare the way of amiable Composition, accor­ding to the hopes and promises to that end given Us, and parti­cularly have caused the Surrender and deposition of some places of strength into the hands of the late Infanta of Spaine, upon re­ciprocall assurance of a finall pacification or restitution.

But what effects all these Our peaceable and Christian endea­vours have produced, and how all Our pious Negotiations have beene eyther delayed or deluded; thereby and by processe of [Page 3] time to roote and establish the usurpations of the House Pala­tine, and our Patience and Piety thereby abused, is so manifest by the continuall oppression of our said deare Sister & Nephews; that we are forced to protest that there hath beene nothing suc­ceeded to our desires or hopes, but a resolution of despaire of e­ver obtaining by the wayes of Iustice, Treaty or Amity, that which hath beene so often promised to, and expected of the Lo­vers of Christian peace.

Notwithstanding we having lately received advice from Our deare Uncle the King of Denmarck, that at last by his mediation and procurement the present Emperor and Duke of Bavaria, have condiscended to a treaty to be held at the Dyet at Ratisbone, upon the 6. day of May last past, for the reviewing and resetling of the controversies of the House Palatine, as a preparation and in­ducement to a generall peace and Amnistia through the whole Empire; And that he with some of the Electors of the Empire is accepted as Mediator of the said cause, and hath deceived strong and pregnant assurances of a better inclination and dispo­sition towards the re-establishment of the Electorall Family in their Rights and Dignities; And to that end hath procured con­venient safe conduct from the Emperour to our Nephew and his Brethren, freely to come in person, or to send their Deputies to that Dyet at the time and place appointed, with all other clauses requisite for their safeties, going, abiding, or comming from thence, and there to plead the Iustice of their owne cause, and that in prosecution thereof, he hath instructed and dispatched his Ambassadours to assist either in person, or by the Deputies of our Nephews, at the said Treaty of Pacification, and hath desired us herein to comply with him by sending our Ambassadours quali­fied and instructed to the same purpose of procuring a good, and setled peace within the Empire, according to the intimation of the Princes Electors signified to him by their Letters, thereby desiring us to assist in the present Assembly at Ratisbone.

To which end our Nephew the Prince Electour Palatine ha­ving resolved by our Counsell and advice to send his Deputies according to the invitation and hopes intimated of a good issue to be expected by the amiable way of treaty and composure.

We also have thought fit not to be wa [...]ting to so good a de­sign so concurrent to our own, & the desires of so many Princes, [Page 4] and in some hope of better fruits then hitherto all our endeavors have produced; Have resolved to make this our last legall by the way of treaties, and to lend our Ambassadours to the Emperour, and other Princes in the said Dyet assembled: And to that purpose have given him full power and instructions to contribute all our authority to the procurement and settlement of a good and blessed peace, by the reestablishment and restuittion of the possessions and dignities of our said deare Sstier, Nephewes, and Electorall Family, without which no peace can either be honest or secure. Hereby exhorting and desiring all other Kings, Princes & States, our Friends Allyes, [...]nd Co [...]federates, who shall either be pre­sent at the said Dyet, or shall have their Ambassadours, or Depu­ties there, that they will be assisting to the Iustice of so good a cause, and [...]o great a blessing as the restoring of peace to the almost desolate Estate of Germany.

But because we may have just cause to doubt by many experi­ences of our former endeavours tha [...] the issue and fruit of this mee­ting may not be answerable to our just expectation, but rather that it may produce contrary effects to the prejudice of the Iusti­cers Rights of our said Nephewes and their Familie (which God forbid) we are hereby forced to protest against all Acts, Sentences, Conclusions, or determinations whatsoever, which shall or may be had, made, or declared either in confirmation of the oppressions, and all usurpation past, or any additions thereunto for the future, as invalid and of no power or effect.

In which case (being contrary to our desires and expectation) we also further protest and [...]clare that we will not abandon nei­ther our owne nor the publique interest, nor the Cause, Rights, and just preten [...]es of our deare Sister, and Nephewes, and other Princes, and States involved within their oppressions: But that we will use and imploy all such force, and power wherewith God hath inabled us both by our owne armes, and the helpe and assistance of all our allyes and friends, to vindicate our owne honour, the pub­lique peace and redresse of the injuries, usurpations, and oppressi­ons of our said dearest Sister and Nephewes, and their now illu­strious Familie.

And hereby as we doe professe to use all our endeavours and power to promove a happy and desired peace, for the consolation [Page 5] of the distressed Empire; so we doe appeale to Almighty God, the Inspector of the hearts of all Princes, and to the world Specta­tors of all our just actions, that we will be innocent before God and the world of all the evils that may ensue, if these our last hopes shall be delayed or abused.