The Dutch ministers were wholly disconcerted and surprised, when the lord privy seal told them, “That a suspension of arms in the Netherlands would be necessary; and that the Duke of Ormonde intended very soon to declare it after he had taken possession of Dunkirk.”  But his lordship endeavoured to convince them, that this incident ought rather to be a motive for hastening the States into a compliance with Her Majesty.  He likewise communicated to the ministers of the allies the offers made by France, as delivered in the speech from the throne, which Her Majesty thought to be satisfactory, and hoped their masters would concur with her in bringing the peace to a speedy conclusion, wherein each, in particular, might be assured of her best offices for advancing their just pretensions.

In the mean time the Duke of Ormonde was directed to send a body of troops to take possession of Dunkirk, as soon as he should have notice from the Marechal de Villars, that the commandant of the town had received orders from his court to deliver it; but the Duke foresaw many difficulties in the executing of this commission.  He could trust such an enterprise to no forces, except those of Her Majesty’s own subjects.  He considered the temper of the States in this conjuncture, and was loth to divide a small body of men, upon whose faithfulness alone he could depend.  He thought it not prudent to expose them to march through the enemy’s country, with whom there was yet neither peace nor truce; and he had sufficient reasons to apprehend, that the Dutch would either not permit such a detachment to pass through their towns (as themselves had more than hinted to him) or would seize them as they passed:  besides, the Duke had very fairly signified to Marechal de Villars, that he expected to be deserted by all the foreign troops in Her Majesty’s pay, as soon as the armistice should be declared; at which the marechal appearing extremely disappointed, said, “The King his master reckoned, that all the troops under his grace’s command should yield to the cessation; and wondered how it should come to pass, that those who might be paid for lying still, would rather choose, after a ten years’ war, to enter into the service of new masters, under whom they must fight on for nothing.”  In short, the opinion of Mons. Villars was, that this difficulty cancelled the promise of surrendering Dunkirk; which therefore he opposed as much as possible, in the letters he writ to his court.

Upon the Duke of Ormonde’s representing those difficulties, the Queen altered her measures, and ordered forces to be sent from England to take possession of Dunkirk.  The Duke was likewise commanded to tell the foreign generals in Her Majesty’s service, how highly she would resent their desertion; after which, their masters must give up all thoughts of any arrears, either of pay or subsidy.  The lord privy seal spoke the same language at Utrecht, to the several ministers of the allies; as Mr. Secretary