Jean-Baptiste COLBERT DE TORCY, Marquis de Torcy (Paris 1665 - 1746)

Minister, Ambassador of Louis XIV. Son of Charles Colbert de Croissy and nephew of Jean-Baptiste Colbert. Academy of Sciences. Remarkable diplomat. Letter signed "TORCY", Fontainebleau (77) Nov. 8 (around 1700). 2pp in-folio. "Sir. The last news that the King received from Spain is so important that His Majesty (Louis XIV) thought it necessary to inform you shortly so she ordered me to send you by mail a copy of Mr. Blecourt's last letters, I would add that the Earl of Harack wrote from Madrid to Mr. de Zinzindorf that His Catholic Majesty (The King of Spain) had already lost his hearing and sight and that we were only waiting until it expired. You will inform, please, Mr. Duke of Lorraine and his friends. His Majesty orders me again to warn you that since your departure there is reason to believe that the negotiations to be held with the Duke of Savoy will turn in such a way that we can give this Prince the Kingdoms of Naples and Sicily in exchange for all his States that he would cede to the King, so Sir, you must not say anything to the Duke of Lorraine that might disgust him of the Milanese and you will always speak to him on the basis of the articles of the Treaty. Because finally His Majesty is in a position to execute it as it stands and even so the Duke of Savoy would not consent to the exchange she thought it necessary to give you this notice as soon as possible so that you can settle according to this knowledge the plan of your negotiation and you see that you must stick exactly to your instructions until you receive new orders. I received the letters you had the trouble to write to me from Château-Thierry and Nancy on the 2nd of this month..." -