YOUR Majesty seems to be too sensibly Afflicted with the late Disaster of our Fleet; the Disappointment we must confess was unexpected and Surprizing, & has occasion'd no small Interruption in the Mea­sures we had taken: But however the severe Application that you have made, by imputing that unhappy Accident to the ill Fortune that attends your Affairs since you betook your self to our Protection, we cannot admit of, much less can we allow the Consequence which you seem to imply, and which your Friends are apprehensive of, that the Blame of that Disappointment should, in our Na­tion, any wayes affect your Majesty.

The Mistaken Informations you receiv'd from your Dependents in great Bri­tan, we are sensible were no otherwise represented to us by your Majesty, than as they were first communicated to you; the ill Success whereof shall be so far from obliging us to withdraw our Protection from you, that it has only added Vigor to our Endeavours, to repair by Land the Misfortune we have sustain'd at Sea. The Glory and Grandure of the French Nation has been too well estab­lished, to be shaken by one Storm.

The Success we may reasonably expect from the Siege of Namur, will be suf­ficient at least to Ballance the Insulting Hopes of our Enemies: We are already Masters of the Town, and have no reason to despair (if the Assurances given us by Vauban may be rely'd upon) of a Prosperous Progress from so formidable Forces as are now employ'd in that Service.

'Tis true, the Account of the Surrender of Great Waradin comes something un­seasonable, but we hope the Consequence is too remote, to affect the Enterpriz­es of our Summers Campaign on this side, upon which the Fortune of the War seems to depend.

We hope to perswade our People, that the Descent which the English seem to threaten upon our Coast, is rather an Ammusement than any awayes Practica­ble. There are some about us (and with whom our most Important Councils are concenred) who appear apprehensive in case of a Descent, or any other In­rode into our Kingdom of France, that it may occasion a Revolt amongst our Subjects. But we presume the Discipline we have used, has not been so ill bestow­ed as to admit of any such Rebellious Practice. Our Subjects are French men, and we have taken care to make them Catholicks, who will not easily learn the He­reticall Distinction between Revolt and Rebellion.

The Request which you make of retiring from our Kingdom, we cannot at this time hearken to. The late Obsticles in our Affairs, upon which you seem to ground your Proposal, is an irrefragable Argument for our with-holding our Consent: Forasmuch as it would be looked upon by all the World, as well Friends as Enemies, that we want either Inclination or power to protect you, which would be unsuitable to our Character, and inconvenient for the present posture of Affairs.