WE CHARLES by the Grace of God King of Sweden, &c. To the High and Mighty Lords, the States General of the Ʋ ­nited Province.

High and Mighty, how great have been the Friendships, and how considerable the Alli­ances, which have always past between Our Kingdom and the Ʋnited Provinces, no person can be ignorant of, that shall have reflected upon the memora­ble Monuments of their preservation; For the Faith, by which they are maintained, is most plain and unsuspected to all men, and the signal constancy is equally known, by which they have con­tinued so long unmoved. The transmission of this Faith, together with the Inheritance of Our Kingdom, We have taken so to heart, that we are resolved, as well to discharge our selves in point of affection to our Friends and Allies, as to follow the footsteps of our Predecessors in other Actions of Honour and Glory. Wherefore we have always taken especial care, not only to stand firm to that ancient Tye, but also to make it yet stricter, by the addition of New Obligations; which being evident to all that shall consider, how readily we our selves have either given the occasion of strength­ning our Leagues by a still closer Union, or accepted of it, when it presented it self; we make no question, but when you your selves shall reflect upon the many Advantages in these conjuncture of af­fairs, which we have neglected, together with the tedious troubles [Page] and difficulties, which we have willingly undergone, in order to the welfare of you, our good Friends and Allies; You will find no place to doubt of our fidelity towards you: while we had these things un­der consideration, and were contriving, how we might joyn Coun­sels with you, both for the restoring of a General Peace, and for the securing of it, when restored, and even promising to our selves with great joy, the hopes of seeing that Peace spedily effected, and your Affairs by the blessing of Almighty God happily composed: We were surprized to understand, that instead of the friendly inclinations, which we expected from you, you were even at that time upon con­sultations of War, and come already to a resolution of Levying of Forces, and imploying them against Us; and that only for this reason, that, since the Elector of Brandenburgh, contrary to the hopes he had given us, by a Treaty lately concluded with us, (whose only Scope is the quiet of the Empire) and not regarding of that Instrument of Peace, in the Guarranty whereof we are likewise con­cerned; and so not adjusting his proportion of Forces, by Rates, with the other Members of the Empire, in order to a Common de­fence, but by sending a distinct and formed Army, hath taken such violent Counsels, as are neither agreeable to the procuring of the pretended Peace, nor indeed safe to us, in regard that they increase those evils the Empire hath so long laboured under, and endanger those Interests, which we have a just right unto, by Vertue of the Treaty of Westphalia; we upon the consideration aforesaid, have been necessiated not to omit or neglect any of those things, which we are obliged to by the Guarranty of the said Treaty of Westphalia, or by the consideration of our proper security. And this is a matter of such a quality, as, whether we consider our good affections towards you, or our own indefagitable endeavours, for the procuring of a Publick Peace, we cannot yet but be exceedingly moved at; little expecting, that we, who have so firmly adhered to the ancient friend­ship between Our Kingdom, and Your State, and ever preserved it inviolably, and in preference to all other considerations whatsoe­ver: We, who have been ever ready to oblige your Common­wealth with all offices of kindness; and ever professed to do what­soever might conduce to the strengthning of our mutual Alliance, should come at last to be treated by you, not as Confederates, but as Enemies: In which matter, whether you have requited us well [Page] or ill, We Appeal to your own Justice. Nor can the pains, which we have impartially taken, for the restoring of Peace to the World, and to You, seem to merit at your hands, that any such Counsels should find place with you, as may endanger either our Security, or the diminution of our Honour and Safety. That passage of yours is indeed praise-worthy, where you profess your care of your Allian­ces and Confederates; But while you perswade others by your own Example, that mutual Faith is not to be broken; you must also needs determine it to be unjust, that others should therefore Arm a­gainst us, because we neither can, nor will be wanting to our Con­federate, or to the Treaty, to which we are Sworn. Nor is indeed our Treaty with the most Serene and most Potent King of France, so qualified, as that it may be called a New one, or such as owes its right and force to the present Commotions only, but stands upon such foundations, as are much antecedent in time and date to the War, in which you are now involved, and requires the same care from us, upon occasion even of the present state of Affairs, which had been as much our concern, although the War had not happened between the Most Christian King, and you; which hath thus un­happily brought so many Princes and States of Europe into mutual effusion of bloud. And truly if the Obligations of Oaths in Treaties, may pass for any security to the Allies, it is to be hoped, you will esteem your selves engaged, so to understand the cause of your other Confederates, that at the same time you take care, it be not to our prejudice, since we, who have merited nothing of this nature from you, are likewise in Alliance with you, and have Treaties between us ancient, and frequently renewed: Neither are we so transpor­ted with a blind desire of War, as to design the destruction of your Confederate, but only intent upon a timely obviating and pre­venting the dangers we are exposed to, by his Preparations, so far as is necessary for our own Safety. But if you pursue other Counsels, it will be in effect, not so much to stand to your Trea­ty, or undertake the defence of your Confederate, as to counte­nance his dangerous proceedings against us, which so much as to suspect in you, will not consist with the unfeigned and sincere affection, we have ever paid you. And as the matter in question between Us, and the Elector of Branderburgh, is wholly remote from what concerns your State, regarding only the quiet of Ger­many, [Page] and looking wholy that way, to wit, that the Treaty of West­phalia be not totaly trampled upon, and its Articles vilified and dis­pised; So that we must appear, to have rather desired the Peace of the Empire, than defended it; So neither can our Arming give You any just cause of offence, since the pure necessity of looking to Our selves hath obliged Us to this Preparation. For, there is no War inten­ed upon You, which even then for Your Safty sake We declined, when the bad condition of Your Affairs, and the just confidence of Our Success might have invited Us thereunto: Nor besides that can there be any damage or danger apprehended by You, form Our Pre­parations, which might divert the Assistance of Your Confederates, and that may hasten Your destruction, or obstruct the Recovery of what You have Lost; For it hath pleased the Divine Bounty, so to dispose of You, that standing now upon Your own legs again, the ac­cession of other helps will not be needfull, for the recovery or preser­vation of Your Commonwealth; much less those helps, which must bring danger to the Treaty of Westphalia, (which will be likewise Your own Intrest to preserve inviolable) in the subvertion of so ma­ny States of the Empire, whose Houses lye buried in the ruines of the War, and in the sighs and tears of so many miserable and perish­ing persons. In contemplation wherefore of all these things We can­not doubt, but your selves will determine, that to imploy your Armes against Us, cannot be just because not neccessary; and therefore the more unexcusable, since all hopes of Peace being taken away (which began now to appear again) without any present enforcing danger, a door is opened for a new War, whereof no man living can foretell the end. But above all other mischiefs, that will pro­bably ensue upon this War, how dreadfull will the consideration be, of those terrible Assaults of the Ott [...]man Fury, upon that an­cient Bulwark of Christendom, the Kingdom of Poland, and the for­saken State of the Christian Intrest, while the Christian Princes and Commonwealths are engaged in mutal rage and destruction, then which nothing can be more welcome to Turkish Tyranny, or more conducing to the Imposition of that Yoak upon the Christian Name? But it is now in Your power, to provide for the divisions of Christen­dom, & the concerns of Your Confederate by a remedy more gentle and safe, then can be found in the continuation of the present Ware, [Page 7] or the addition of a fresh one, which is no other, then your Resolution to perswade him by a Friendly Admonition, not to pursue his present designe, but to incline to better Counsels, and by a speedy Peace to out off and remove all impediments, and arising difficulties. And that you may be the better assured of our peacefull intentions, we most solemnly protest unto you, that as it is a matter of great grief unto us, that the Elector of Brandenburgh should have too hastily imbraced such Counsels, as are neither consistent with the Treaty made with us, not the sincere affection we have allwayes borne unto him, & to the Peace and the care of the promotion thereof, which he pretended to under­take in a common concerne with us, so likewise, as soon as the Elector either of his own accord, or by perswasion, and the interposition of your good Offices, shall be moved to retire with his Army, and shall proceed to such Counsels, as shall not obstruct, but sacili­ate the publik quiate; and that we shall perceive a sufficient provi­sion to be made for the Peace of Westphalia, and for our own Safety, which depends upon its true and faithfull observance and warranty, that we will then meet him withall the readyness imaginable, in re­corning to our former mutual confidence, and will immediately with­draw our Forces out of all such the Elector's Territories, as they have had Orders to march into: we will take care so to act, as that it may be visible to the whole World, that in the imploying of our Armies we are not govern'd by any desires of bringing on one Ware by an­other, or of asisting such endeavours, to oppose the Peace, and de­signe the oppression of others, much less to intend by, the seizure and possession of any place belonging to the Elector, the Empire, or any other whatsoever; but do purely look to the promotion of Peace, and the defence of our own just Rights and Alliances. We hope also, that this assurance and Faith which we give you, for the truth and fi­delity of our Zeal to the Peace, may be sufficient for your reliance and satisfaction, and may produce such effects, as shall let You see Your selves that there is no just cause for the drawing Your Forces upon Us, but that You will apply Your selves to such considerations and measures, as may evidence those generous and frequen [...] Protestations of Your good inclinations to Peace, and con­firm Our hopes, of finding Your proceedings eaqual and proportion­able to the good affections, We have for your selves, and all Your concerns.

But if it should happen otherwise, which God forbid, We shall bear Our selves upon the Justice that is on Our side, being most confi­dent, that Our Cause and good intentions will have together with the Divine Assistance all the Success that can be desired, and the favour and encouragement of all the Lovers of Peace and Justice. In the mean time, We have not receded in the least from the Resolution We have always owned, of living amicably with You, nor shall We be found, to have remitted any thing of the desire We have always entertained of preserving the Publick and Common Tranquility, and of contending with You only by such arguments of Friendship and good will that it may be a question, whether We are more ready, or You more inclined to such endeavours and methods, as may prove effectual for the lengthning and preserving of Our mutual Frindship, and the continuation of it to posterity. All which Our Extraordinary Ambassador and Chancellor of Our Court, the Noble and Right-trusty Edward Ehrensteen, Hereditary Lord of Forsbygard, &c. hav­ing Orders to express more at large, We refur our selves to him, and so concluding these presents, We most heartily recom­mend You to Almighty God, the Author of Peace, wishing You all happiness and prosperity. Dated, &c. the 5th. of December, 1674.