Peace and Friendship Treaty of Utrecht between France and Great Britain

WHEREAS it has pleased Almighty God, for the glory of his name, and for the universal welfare, to direct the minds of Kings for the healing, now in his own time, the miseries of the wasted world, that they are disposed towards one another with a mutual desire of making peace: be it therefore known to all and singular whom it may concern, that under his Devine guidance, the most Serene and most Potent Princess and Lady Anne, by the grace of God, Queen of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, and the most Serene and most Potent Prince and Lord Lewis the XIVth, by the grace of God, the most Christian King, consulting as well the advantage of their subjects, as providing (as faras mortals are able to do) for the perpetual tranquillity of the whole Christian world, have resoved at last to put an end to the war, which was unhappily kindled, and has been obstinately carried on above these ten years, being both cruel and destructive, by reason of the frequency of battles, and the effusion of Christian blood. And for promoting their royal purpose, of their own proper motion, and from that paternal care which they delight to use towards their own subjects, and the public weal of Christendom, have nominated and appointed the most noble, illustrious, and excellent Lords, their Royal Majesties respective Ambassadors Extrodinary and Plenipotentiares, viz. her Sacred Royal Majesty of Great Britain, the Right Reverend John, by Devine permission, Bishop of Bristol, Keeper of the Privy Seal of England, one of her Majesy's Privy Council, Dean of Windsor, and Register of the most noble Order of the Garter; as also the most Noble, Illustrious, and Excellent Lord, Thomas Earl of Strafford, Viscout Wentworth of Wentworth Woodhouse, and Stainborough, Baron of Raby, one of her Majesty's Privy Council, her Ambassador Extrodinary and Plenipotentiary to the High and Mighty Lords the States General of the United Netherlands, Colonel of the Royal regiment of Dragoons, Lieutenant General of her Majesty's forces, first Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty of Great Britian and Ireland, and Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter; and his Sacred Royal most Christian Majesty, the most Noble, Illustrious, and Excellent Lords, Nicolas, Marquis of Huxelles, Marshal of France, Knight of the King's Orders, and Lieutenant General of the dukedom of Burgundy; and Nicolas Mesnager, Knight of the King's Order of St. Michael: and have furnished the said Ambassadors Extrodinary with full and ample power to treat, agree of, and conclude a firm and lasting peace between their Royal Majesties. Wherefor the afforsaid Ambassadors, after diverse and important consultations had in the congress held at Utrecht for that purpose, having at length overcome, without the intervention of any mediator, all the obsticles which hindered the end of so wholesome a design, and having invoked the Devine assistance, that God would be pleased to preserve this their work intire and unviolated, and to prolong it to the latest posterity, after having mutually communicated and duly exchanged their full powers (copies whereof are inserted word for word at the end of this instrument) they have agreed on the reciprocal notions of peace and friendship between their above-mentioned Majesties, and their people and subjects, as follows:

ANNE, by the grace of God, Queen of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, Defender of the faith, &c.; to all and singular to whom these presents shall come, greeting. Whereas the Congress that was held at Utrecht in the beginning of the last year, for making a general peace, has been drawn out into length above these fourteen months by various obstacles, which have been thrown in the way, contrary to our hopes and wishes; but now, by the favour and goodness of Almighty God (who has been pleased to inspire the love of concord more strongly into the breasts of the parties engaged in war) it seems happily to tend towards the end so long desired, and so necessary for the tranquillity and welfare of Europe; we, having at last adjusted with our good brother the most Christian. King our matters on both sides, relating both to peace and to commerce, to the end that our ministers, who have hitherto, under the title of Plenipotentiaries, applied themselves, with our highest approbation, to the discharge of this employment, may, with greater splendor, put an end to this most wholesome work, have thought fit to give them the most honourable character of our Ambassadors Extraordinary. Now know ye, that we reposing especial confidence in the loyalty, industry, experience, and sagacity in managing matters of great importance, of the Right Reverend Father in God our right trusty and well-beloved Counsellor John Bishop of Bristol, Keeper of our Privy Seal, Dean of Windsor, and Register of our most Noble Order of the Garter; and of our right trusty and right well-beloved Coufin and Counsellor Thomas Earl of Strafford, Viscount Wentworth of Wentworth Woodhouse and Stainborough, Baron of Raby, Lieutenant General of our forces, First Commissioner of our Admiralty, Knight of our most Noble Order of the Garter, and our Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the High and Mighty Lords the States General of the United Netherlands; have named, made, and constituted them, as by these presents we do name, make, and constitute them, our true, certain, and undoubted Ambassadors Extraordinary, Commissaries, Procurators, and Plenipotentiaries, giving and granting to them, jointly and separately, all and all manner of power, faculty, and authority, as also both general and special order (but so as the general do not derogate from the special, nor on the contrary) to meet and confer in the city of Utrecht, or in any other place, with the Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiaries, which the said most Christian King shall have deputed on his part, being furnished with sufficient authority, and to treat, agree, and conclude concerning safe, lasting, and honourable conditions of peace and friendship between us and the said most Christian King; and to sign for us, and in our name, all such things as shall be so agreed and concluded; and to make out such and so many instruments of what is concluded, as shall be necessary, and to exchange and mutually receive the same; and generally to do and perform all such things as they shall judge necessary, or any way conducible towards making and settling the conditions of peace and friendship, as is abovesaid, in as ample manner and form, and with the like force and effect, as we ourselves might do and perform, if we were present; engaging and promising on our Royal word, that we will accept, approve, and ratify, in the same manner and form as they have been agreed, all and every thing that by virtue of these presents shall happen to be transacted, concluded, and signed by our said Ambassadors Extraordinary, Commissaries, Procurators, and Plenipotentiaries, jointly or separately. In witness and confirmation whereof we have commanded our great seal of Great Britain to be affixed to these presents, signed with our Royal hand. Given at our palace of St. James's, the 24th day of the month of March, in the year of our Lord 17$$\tfrac{12}{13}$$, and of our reign the twelfth.

LEWIS, by the grace of God, King of France and Navarre, to all who shall see these presents, greeting. Whereas we have omitted nothing for contributing with all our might towards the re-establishment of a sincere and solid peace; and as our most dear and most beloved sister the Queen of Great Britain has shewn the same desire, and as there is room to hope, that the conferences which are held at Utrecht, for attaining to so desirable a good, will in a little time have a happy issue; and being willing likewise to apply all our care for promoting the effect thereof, and reposing entire confidence in the capacity, experience zeal, and fidelity for our service, of our most dear and well-beloved cousin, the Marquis d'Huxelles, Marshal of France, Knight of our Orders, and our Lieutenant General of the government of Burgundy, and of our dear and well-beloved the Sieur Mesnager, knight of our Order of St. Michael. For these causes, and other good considerations us hereunto moving, we have commissioned, ordained, and deputed, as by these presents, signed with our hand, we do commission, ordain, and depute the said Sieurs Marshal d'Huxelles and Mesnager, and have given, and do give to them full power, commission, and special command, in quality of our Ambassadors Extraordinary, and our Plenipotentiaries, to confer, negotiate, and treat with the Ambassadors Extraordinary, Plenipotentiaries of our said sister, provided with her powers in due form, to agree, conclude, and sign such treaties of peace, articles, and conventions, as they shall see good. We will that in case of absence of one of them by sickness, or through any other lawful cause, the other have the same power to confer, negotiate, treat, agree, conclude, and sign such treaties of peace, articles, and conventions, as shall be agreeable to the good of the peace which we propose to ourselves, and to the reciprocal advantage of our subjects, so that our said Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiaries may act, in all which shall belong to the negotiation with our said sister, with the same authority as we should and might do, if we were present in person, although there should be something which might require a more special order than is contained in these presents. We promise, on the faith and word of a King, to approve, and to keep firm and lasting for ever, to fulfil and execute punctually, all that the said Sieurs Marshal d'Huxelles and Mesnager, or one of them, in the said cases of absence, or of sickness, shall stipulate, promise, and sign, by virtue of this present power, without ever acting contrary thereto, or permitting that any thing be done to the contrary, on any cause, or under any pretence whatsoever, as like wise to cause our letters ratifying the same to be dispatched, in good form, and to cause them to be delivered, in order to be exchanged, within the time which shall be agreed on by the treaties to be made. For this is our pleasure. In witness whereof we have caused our seal to be affixed to these presents. Given at Versailles, the fourth day of March, in the year of our Lord 1713, and of our reign the seventieth. Signed LEWIS; and on the fold, By the King, Colbert.