port our tottering house, which, without great industry, will be undermined; but this is between you and I only. Remember the fright we were all in a little before you left England; 'tis that I am to write to you about. So ease my troubled mind, for I smell a rat.
Mr. Gilbert Spencer is in hopes you may be chose; you see how hard it is to leave off when one is writing to one who is trusted as you are, and with so good reason.
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
