Add MS 38493-38495

Copies of Moreau's newsletters and despatches to the King [of Poland, John III Sobieski], with enclosures (resolutions of the States-general, diplomatic correspondence, etc.) and a few other papers. The despatches are not signed or addressed, but their destination and the writer's official position are evident (e.g. from the reference to the deliverance of Vienna from the Turks, 38493, f. 6), and his name occurs in some of the enclosures (38493, ff. 14b, 16b, 37-39). The contents of the three volumes report the course of political events in Western Europe generally, but more particularly in England (especially the second and third volumes, which are almost entirely occupied with English affairs) ; they constitute, in fact, a complete narrative of the Revolution from Moreau's point of view. One of the most interesting papers is Moreau's despatch of 12 Oct. 1688 (38495, f. 28 b), a long letter describing the preparations in Holland for William's expedition and the confidence felt there as to its success. Most of the documents are fair copies without alterations, but one or two (e.g. 38495, ff. 8 b, 28 b) have many interlinear corrections, and one of the newsletters (38493, f. 158 b) is almost entirely cancelled. The periods covered by the respective volumes are : 38493. 28 May, 1686-25 Nov. 1687; 38494. 2 Dec. 1687-30 July, 1688; 38495. 6 Aug. 1688-8 Nov. 1689. Among the contents are: (i) "Memoire des livres envoyez pour le Roy a M^r, Richter a Dantsick," 1 Nov. 1686 (38493, f. 42 b); (ii) "Lettre de Mr [Jean Hérault] de Gourville sur la mort de Monsieur le Prince de Condé"; Versailles, 15 Dec. 1686 (38493, f. 46 b); (iii) Proclamations by James II, 28 Feb. 1687-6 Nov. 1688. Fr. transl. (38493, ff. 80 b, 91 b, 132; 38494, ff. 54 b, 69; 38495, ff. 33 b, 36 b, 61 b); (iv) "Memoire de ce qui est contenu dans la caisse addressée a M. Richter pour le Roy," 11 Apr. 1687: a list of books (38493, f. 95); (v) "Lettre du Grand Sultan envoyée a M^rs les Etats des Provinees-unies des Pais Bas;" Constantinople, 15 Dec. 1686 (38493, f. 121); (vi) "Memoire des tableaux contenus dans une caisse addressée a M. Richter a Dantsick . . . pour le Roy" [Aug. 1687] (38493, f. 138) ; (vii) Letters [from Moreau] to the Queen [Marie Casimire, wife of John Sobieski], 28 May-23 Aug. 1686, with one letter to "M^r le Prince de Courlande" [ ? Frederic Casimir, Duke of Courland], 23 Aug. 1686 (38493, ff. 175 b-172, reversing the volume); (viii) Lists of officers who have left the French service and retired into Holland "a cause de la persecution de ceux de la religion reformée," and of the payments made to them in pursuance of resolutions of the States-general, 7 Feb. 1686, 19 June, 1687, and of the Council of State, 16 Feb. 1686, 30 July, 1687 (38494, ff. 13 b, 17); (ix) "Liste des vaisseaux qui doivent composer l'armee navale de M^rs les Etats sous le commandement du sieur Admiral Cornelis Evertse[n]"; [May, 1688] (38494, f. 65) ; (x) "Motiva pro electione . . . D. Josephi Clementis, utriusque Bavariæ ac Palatinatus Superioris Ducis," etc., as Archbishop of Cologne [July, 1688] (38494, f. 87); (xi) "Memoire des troupes que M^rs les Etats ont a leur service" [Sept.-Oct. 1688] (38495, f. 24 b) ; (xii) "Memoire des troupes, tant d'infanterie que de cavalerie et dragons, qui seront embarquées sur la flotte" [Oct. 1688] (38495, f. 34 b); (xiii) "Ordre de bataille de l'armée navale commandee par M. le Prince d'Orange, partie de Hellevoetsluijs le Jeudi 11^e Nov. 1688" (38495, f. 58); (xiv) "Copie [or rather translation] d'une lettre ou ecrit" left by James II on his table at Rochester, giving reasons for his flight; 2 Jan. 1689 [22 Dec. 1688] (38495, f. 77) ; (xv) "Liste des vaisseaux de guerre qui doiuent etre mis en mer par les Colleges des Admirautes des Prouinees Vnies des Pais Bas conformement aux auis proposés par les Deputes desdits Colleges à leurs Hautes Puissances les 5 : et 29^e: Januier 1689" (38495, f. 89 b).