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letter is not arrived, you will send me word of it by the return of the courier, and will keep the letter till his arrival.

DE LOUVOIS.*

No. 63.

PINCHESNE TO POMPONNE.

Interviews with Matthioli- Farther Delays in the Ratification of the Treaty.

Feb. 7th, 1679.

We had hoped, M. d'Asfeld and I, according to the promises which had been given us to this effect by the Count Matthioli, through M. Giuliani, as often as we sent him to Padua, that we might be able to dispose the Duke of Mantua to go to Casale the 25th of this month, according to the King's intentions; but notwithstanding all that we have been able to allege to the Count in the two conferences we have had with him, last

*From the Archives of France.

Thursday and this morning, we have not been able to succeed, and we have therefore been obliged to defer the day of the exchange of the ratifications of the treaty till the 10th of next March; on which day the Duke of Mantua promises to be, most assuredly, and without any farther delay, at Casale.

We have despatched you this extraordinary courier, Sir, to give you intelligence of this; and we have so strongly recommended diligence to him, that we hope our letters will still arrive soon enough at Court, to afford the King sufficient time to give whatever orders his Majesty shall judge necessary, for the delaying of the march of the troops towards Pignerol.

M. d'Asfeld writes in this intention to M. de Louvois; but I will take the liberty to request you, Sir, in case the King has any new orders to give us on this affair, to order them to be sent directly to me; because, as it is possible that M. d'Asfeld may be obliged to depart before they arrive, I could not be made acquainted with them if they were sent to him, the cypher he has received from M. de Louvois being different to

We think, never

that which you have sent me. theless, we can assure you, Sir, that we do not see, from this delay of time, any reason to doubt the sincerity of the sentiments of the Duke of Mantua ; who has again assured us, through the Count Matthioli, that he is more than ever in the intention of executing the treaty he has just made with his Majesty, and of keeping the promise he has given to him.

The Count Matthioli had written to you; but as his letter was not in cypher, and did not contain any thing but what I have sent you word of in this, I have not thought it necessary to send it to you.

DE PINCHESNE.*

* From the Archives of the Office for Foreign Affairs, at Paris.

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When the affairs for which the Sieur de

Richemont is with you shall be concluded, you may, &c.+

No. 65.

DE LOUVOIS.

POMPONNE TO PINCHESNE.

February 17th, 1679.

I have given an account to the King of what you tell me, in your last letter of the 28th of January, you have done concerning the affair which is entrusted to you, and of your expecting

The sentence is left thus imperfect in M. Delort's publication. The whole letter, however, is published in the work entitled "Les philosophes et les gens de lettres des XVII et XVIIIe siècles à la Bastille." The rest of the letter does not refer to Matthioli's affair.

From the Archives of France.

the Count Matthioli soon, from the assurance that the Sieur Giuliani had given you to that effect. His Majesty was very glad to see that you still have hopes both of the success of the affair, and of prevailing upon the Duke of Mantua to leave Venice on the 20th or 25th of this month.

I have nothing particular to acquaint you with, beyond what you already know. You will continue, if you please, to inform me exactly of all that shall pass on this subject; even despatching me an extraordinary courier if you shall deem it necessary.

POMPONNE.+

No. 66.

PINCHESNE TO POMPONNE.

Reasons for the Duke of Mantua's delay in going to

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The necessity, which M. d'Asfeld and myself were under a week ago, of sending off in all haste

+ From the Archives of the Office for Foreign Affairs, at

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