The Duke of Shrewsbury[30] executed this important commission with that speed and success, which could only be expected from an able minister.  The French King immediately yielded to the whole scheme Her Majesty proposed; whereupon directions were sent to the lord privy seal, and the Earl of Strafford, to sign a peace between Great Britain and France, without delay.

[Footnote 30:  Swift writes to Abp.  King, October 20th, 1713, that the Duke of Shrewsbury “is the finest gentleman we have, and of an excellent understanding and capacity for business” (Scott’s edition, xvi. 71).  See also Swift’s remarks in “The Examiner,” No. 27 (vol. ix, of this edition, p. 171), and note in vol. v., p. 377. [W.S.J.]]

Upon the second day of March, the two British plenipotentiaries met those of the allies in the town-house at Utrecht; where the lord privy seal addressed himself to them in a short speech, “That the negotiation had now continued fourteen months with great slowness, which had proved very injurious to the interests of the allies:  That the Queen had stayed thus long, and stopped the finishing of her own peace, rather than leave her allies in any uncertainty:  That she hoped they would now be all prepared to put an end to this great work; and therefore had commanded her plenipotentiaries to tell those of the allies, That she found it necessary to conclude her own treaty immediately; and it was her opinion, that the confederates ought to finish theirs at the same time, to which they were now accordingly invited by Her Majesty’s orders.”  And lastly, his lordship declared, in the Queen’s name, “That whoever could not be ready on the day prefixed, should have a convenient time allowed them to come in.”

Although the orders sent by the Queen to her plenipotentiaries were very precise, yet their lordships did not precipitate the performance of them.  They were directed to appoint as short a day for the signing as they conveniently could; but, however, the particular day was left to their discretion.  They hoped to bring over the Dutch, and most of the other allies, to conclude at the same time with the Queen; which, as it would certainly be more popular to their country, so they conceived it would be more safe for themselves:  besides, upon looking over their commission, a scruple sprang in their minds, that they could not sign a particular peace with France; their powers, as they apprehended, authorizing them only to sign a general one.  Their lordships therefore sent to England to desire new powers,[31] and, in the mean time, employed themselves with great industry, between the ministers of France and those of the several allies, to find some expedient for smoothing the way to an agreement among them.

[Footnote 31:  “Lord Bolingbroke, who says he has not sagacity enough to find the objections that the plenipotentiaries had made to their first full powers, for their satisfaction, sends them a new commission, and repeats to them positive orders to sign and conclude with France....  These difficulties of the plenipotentiaries made my lord treasurer, who never failed to exert himself when he found it absolutely necessary, think it high time to interpose his authority;.... and as his lordship never yet appeared in vain, all further obstructions at Utrecht were after this soon removed.” ("Report from the Committee of Secrecy,” 1715, pp. 103, 104.) [N.]]