Earls of Middleton, Lords of Clermont and of Fettercairn

1 82 The Earls of Middleton.
from him to M. de Croiffy, who after a long preamble
of his respect for the king, our master, and his earnest
wishes of what was proposed, started several diffi-
culties of a year old, as want of money, the difficulty
of transportation, the want of a place of security, and
the danger of their being beaten. To which I returned
not only the old answers, but such new ones as the
present conjuncture afforded ; which will not be neces-
sary to repeat, since I have always acquainted the
king, our master, with what I thought might be said
on such an occasion. He told me he would represent
what I said to the king. I could perceive that what
he objected was not so much from himself as what he
supposed might be by others, which are indeed so
very weak that I cannot but entertain good hopes,
notwithstanding M. de Pontchartrain's dry answer.
For it cannot be supposed that they will undertake
anything till they have seen the disposition of the
enemy's forces, both by land and sea; and when they
do, they perhaps will keep the secret from us as they
can ; nor ought we to wonder at it, after the alarm
that was given last spring. I can find by the courtiers
that M. de Pontchartrain is the only man, at this time,
that has any interest with his master. For my part,
I should be very glad to be confined to Constantinople,
on condition the Lord Melfort could carry our master
home. But it is very probable that M. de Phillipeaux