AN INTERNATIONAL LAWYER JENKINS (Sir Leoline, 1625-1685, Judge of the Admiralty Court and Diplomat, Secretary of State, 1680-1684)

Autograph Letter Signed, with transcription, to Sir Richard BULSTRODE, (1617-1711, Charles II's Agent, 1674-1676, and Envoy at Brussels, 1676-1688, Jacobite and Writer), thanking him for "the last I have of yours", and assuring Bulstrode that "His Maiestie does, on this side, all he can by Speaking to the French Ambassador, and by his Orders to Mr W Chamberlain now in France, to have the French Court desist from their pretensions to Chiny, and to goe on with the Conferences at Courtray. He invites the States Generall to joyn with Him in his offices", ending "I pray God send them a good Issue", 1 side 4to., Whitehall, 13th June a little spotting and light stain to centre of page, tipped on to a matt mount, with protective paper sleeve

Since 1667, when Turenne invaded and conquered Flanders, Louis XIV had been attempting to annex the rest of the Spanish Netherlands, its capital Brussels, and ultimately the Dutch Republic. From 1673 William of Orange had been his chief opponent.
Jenkins had built up an international reputation at the Court of Admiralty on points of maritime law, neutrality and the taking of prizes. Accordingly he was chosen one of the plenipotentiaries at the abortive congress of Cologne (1673-1674), and then at the congress of Nijmegen (1675-1679). The bulk of the negotiations on the English side fell to him after his colleague Temple was recalled in 1677.
However, Louis XIV concluded separate peaces with the Dutch (August 1678), Spanish (September 1678), and the Austrians (February 1679). From February to July 1679 Jenkins stayed on as Ambassador to the Netherlands. On his recall he was thanked by Charles II, and persuaded to become a secretary of state. He found himself having to investigate Whig plots, and was involved, to his great dislike, in the recall of the City's charters in 1684.
In spite of the treaties of 1678, Louis' jurists were still adding to the French claims - here Chiny, on the Spanish Netherlands side of the border with France - and the present letter shows Jenkins still closely involved with the disputes.
Jenkins is remembered as almost a "second founder" of Jesus College, Oxford,where he was Principal, 1661-1673, and where he built the library. Among other benefactions he bought, endowed and bequeathed to Jesus the grammar school at Cowbridge where he had been educated, further strengthening the collegeís ties with Wales.
Bulstrode, a Roman Catholic convert, gleaned huge quantities of information in his post in Brussels. At the Revolution he stayed on, sending intelligence to James II at St Germain, which he and his family finally reached after he was expelled from Brussels in 1694.
Jenkins dates Bulstrode's last letter "16 N[ew] st[yle]", (continental calendar, the 6th by the English calendar), suggesting it took only a week to come.


Item Date:  1681

Stock No:  32659      £575

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