Diary of the times of Charles II/Volume 1/The Earl of Sunderland to Mr. Sidney, August 19
THE EARL OF SUNDERLAND TO MR. SIDNEY.
Sir,
I have showed your last letters to the King, who does approve of your dispatches. He is of opinion that the best way of securing the peace of Europe, and particularly the Spanish Low Countries, is to make a firm union between him and Holland first, and then to take in Spain, the Emperor, and any. other powers or states who apprehend the greatness of France. This will be much easier than to begin to treat at first with Spain and Holland together, which is difficult for a hundred reasons, both from our temper here, and from the delays
which the Spaniards put to every thing. Therefore, the King will stick to the project of the guarantee, of which you have a copy, and, as soon as Monsieur Van Lewin has his powers, we shall offer it to him. I have not yet read your cipher, for I left mine in London, whither I shall go in a day or two.
The Queen goes to Newmarket, and all the ladies. My uncle Algernon is a Parliament man, and had thoughts of standing in Sussex, and is very angry with you for pretending to any thing he had a mind to.
We want you most extremely here.
I am entirely yours,
Sunderland.