Quadruple Alliance of 1718SEPARATE and SECRET ARTICLES.
Art.I. WHEREAS the moft ferene and moft potent king of
Great Britain, and the moft ferene and moft potent the moft
Chriftian King, as likewife the High and Mighty Lords the States
General of the United Netherlands, by virtue of the treaty
between them this day concluded and figned, have agreed on
certain conditions, whereby a peace may be made between the
moft ferene and moft potent emperor of the Romans, and the
moft ferene and moft potent king of Spain, as alfo between his
facred Imperial Majefty aforefaid, and the king of Sicily, (whom
hereafter it is thought fit to call the king of Sardinia) which con-
ditions they have communicated to the three princes aforefaid,
as a bafis of the peace to be eftablifhed between them. His facred
Imperial Majefty, being moved by the moft weighty reafons
which induced the king of Great Britain, the moft Chriftian
King, and the States General aforefaid, to take upon themfelves
fo great and fo wholefome a work, and, yielding to their cir-
cumfpect and urgent counfels and perfuafions, declares that he
doth accept the faid conditions or articles, none of them
excepted, as fixed and immutable conditions, according to
which he agrees to conclude a perpetual peace with the king of
Spain, and the king of Sardinia.
II. But becaufe the king of Spain and the king of Sardinia
have not yet confented to the faid conditions, his Imperial
Majefty, as likewife their royal Britannick and moft Chriftian
Majefties, and the States General aforefaid, have agreed to allow
them for confenting thereto, the fpace of three months, to be
computed from the day of figning this prefent treaty, as judging
this interval of time fufficient for them duly to weigh the faid
conditions, and finally determine and declare themfelves
whether they are willing to accept them as fixed and immutable
conditions of their pacification with his Imperial Majefty, as
from their piety and prudence it may be hoped they will do,
and, following the example of his Imperial Majefty, that they
will be induced to moderate their paffions, and out of regard to
humanity, that they will prefer the publick tranquillity to their
own private opinions; and at the fame time not only fpare the
effufion of their own people’s blood, but avert the calamities of
war from the other nations of Europe : to which end their Bri-
tannick and moft Chriftian Majefties, and the States General of
the United Netherlands, will jointly and feparately contribute
their moft effectual offices, for inclining the faid princes to fuch
an acceptation.
III. But if, contrary to all expectation of the parties above
contracting, and the wifhes of all Europe ; the king of Spain,
and the king of Sardinia after the term of three months elapfed,
fhould decline to accept the faid conditions of pacification
propofed betwixt them and his Imperial Majefty, fince it is not
reafonable that the tranquillity of Europe fhould depend upon
their refufal, or private defigns, their Britannick and moft
Chriftian Majefties, and the States General, do promife that they
will join their forces with thofe of his Imperial Majefty, in order
to compel them to the acceptance and execution of the aforefaid
conditions. To which end they will furnifh his Imperial Majefty
jointly and feparately with the felf-fame fuccours which they
have agreed upon for their reciprocal defence by the feventh
article of the treaty figned this day, unanimoufly contenting that
the moft Chriftian King fhall, inftead of foldiers contribute his
quota in money. And if the fuccours fpecified in the faid feventh
article fhall not be fufficient for compaffing the end propofed,
then the four contracting parties fhall without delay agree of
more ample fuccours to be furnifhed to his Imperial Majefty,
and fhall continue the fame till his Imperial Majefty fhall have
reduced the kingdom of Sicily, and till his kingdoms and
provinces in Italy fhall enjoy full fecurity. It is farther agreed,
and that in exprefs words, that if, by reafon of the fuccours
which their Britannick and moft Chriftian Majefties, and the
lords the States General fhall furnifh to his Imperial Majefty, by
virtue, and in execution of the prefent treaty, the kings of Spain
and Sardinia, or either of them, fhall declare or wage war againft
any one of the faid contractors, either by attacking them in their
dominions or by violently detaining their fubjects, or fhips,
their goods and merchandizes by fea or land, in that cafe the
two other of the contracting powers fhall immediately declare
war againft the faid kings of Spain and Sardinia, or againft him
of the two kings, who fhall have denounced or waged war
againft any one of the faid contracting powers; nor fhall they lay
down their arms before the emperor fhall be poffeffed of Sicily,
and made fecure with regard to his kingdoms and provinces in
Italy, and likewife juft fatisfaftion fhall be given to him of the
three contracting powers, who fhall have been invaded or fuf-
fered damage by reafon of the prefent treaty.
IV. When only one of the two kings aforefaid who have not
yet confented to the conditions of peace to be made with his
Imperial Majefty fhall accept them, he likewife fhall join himfelf
with the four contracting powers, to compel him that fhall
refufe the faid conditions, and fhall furnifh his quota of fuc-
cours according to the diftribution to be made thereupon.
V. If the Catholick King out of regard to the publick good,
and a perfuafion that an exchange of the kingdoms of Sicily and
Sardinia is neceffary for the maintenance of the general peace,
fhall agree thereto and embrace the conditions of peace to be
made with the emperor as above ; and on the other hand, if the
king of Sardinia fhall reject fuch an exchange, and perfift in
retaining Sicily; in that cafe the king of Spain fhall reftore Sar-
dinia to the emperor, who (faving his fupreme dominion over
it) fhall put the fame into the cuftody of the moft ferene king of
Great Britain, and of the lords the States General, for fo long
time, till Sicily being reduced, the king of Sardinia fhall fign the
above-mentioned conditions of a treaty with the emperor, and
fhall agree to accept the kingdom of Sardinia as an equivalent
for the kingdom of Sicily ; which being done, he fhall be admit-
ted into the poffeffion thereof by the king of Great Britain and
the States General. But if his Imperial Majefty fhould not be
able to conquer Sicily, and reduce it under his power, in that
cafe the king of Great Britain, and the States General fhall