their harbours adequate to such a voyage, were capable of carrying fifty thousand families, or about two hundred thousand persons.(1)

No sooner did the confederate kings perceive the new spirit with which the Dutch were animated, than they bent all their efforts to corrupt the prince of Orange. They offered him the sovereignty of the province of Holland; to be held under the protection of France and England, and secured against the invasion of foreign enemies, as well as the revolt of his own subjects. But William, from motives of prudence, if not patriotism, rejected all such pro-. posals. He was sensible that the season of danger was over, and that the power which he already enjoyed by the suffrage of his countrymen, was both more honourable and less precarious than that which must depend on princes, who had already sacrificed their faith to their ambition. He therefore declared, that he would sooner retire, if all his endeavours should fail, and pass his life in hunting on his lands in Germany, than betray the trust reposed in him, by selling the liberties of his country.(2) And when asked, in a haughty tone, if he did not see that his country was already ruined, he firmly replied, "There is one way by which I can be certain never to see the ruin of my country; and that is, to die in disputing the last ditch!"(3)

The Dutch, however, were much disappointed in finding, that the elevation of the prince of Orange to the dignity of stadtholder had no influence on the measures of his uncle, the king of England. Charles persisted in his alliance with France. But other circumstances saved the republic. When the hostile fleets approached the coast of Holland, with an army on board commanded by count Schomberg, they were carried back to sea in so wonderful a manner, and afterward prevented from landing the forces, by such stormy weather, that Providence was believed to have interposed miraculously to prevent the ruin of the Hollanders ;(4) and Lewis, finding that his enemies gained courage behind their inundations, and that no farther progress was likely to be made by his arms during the campaign, had retired to Versailles, in order to enjoy the glory of his success, which was pompously displayed in poems, orations, and triumphal arches. Meanwhile, the other states of Europe began to discover a jealousy of the power of France. The emperor, though naturally slow, had put himself in motion; the elector of Brandenburg showed a disposition to support the states; the king of Spain had sent some forces to their assistance; and, by the vigorous efforts of the prince of Orange, and the prospect of relief from their allies, a different face of affairs began soon to appear.

Of all their friends or allies there was none on whom the Dutch relied more firmly for relief than the English parliament, which the king's necessities obliged him at last to convene. But that assembly was too much occupied with domestic grievances to have leisure to attend to foreign politics. Charles, among his other arbitrary measures, had issued a general declaration of indulgence in religious matters, by which the Catholics were placed on the same footing with the Protestant sectaries. The purpose of this measure was easily foreseen, and excited a general alarm. A remonstrance was framed against such an exercise of prerogative: the king defended his measure, and the hopes and fears of all men were suspended in regard to the issue of so extraordinary an affair. Besides his usual guards, the king had an army encamped on Blackheath, under the command of marshal Schomberg, a foreigner. Many of his officers were of the Catholic religion; and he had reason to expect that his ally, the king of France, would supply him with troops, if force should become necessary for restraining his discontented subjects, and supporting the measures they had, by common consent, agreed to pursue.

(1) Burnet, book ii. Voltaire, Siècle, chap. ix. The reflections of Voltaire on this subject are truly ingenious and striking. "Amsterdam, the emporium and the magazine of Europe, says he, wherein commerce and the arts are cultivated by three hundred thousand inhabitants, would soon, in that event, have become one vast morass. All the adjacent lands, which require immense expense, and many thousands of men, to keep up their dykes, would again have been overwhelmed by that ocean from which they had been gained, leaving to Lewis XIV. only the wretched glory of having destroyed one of the finest and most extraordinary monuments of human industry." Id. ibid.

(2) Temple's Mem. part ii.

(3) Burnet, book ii.

(4) Id. ibid.

But Charles, although encouraged by his ministers to proceed, was startled when he approached the dangerous precipice; and the same love of ease which had led him to desire arbitrary power, induced him to retract the declaration of indulgence, when he saw how much hazard and difficulty there would be in maintaining it. He accordingly called for the writing, and broke the seals with his own hand.(1) But the parliament, though higly satisfied with this compliance, thought another step necessary for the security of their civil and religious liberties. They passed an act called the TEST: by which all persons, holding any public office, besides taking the oaths of supremacy and allegiance, and receiving the sacrament, according to the rites of the church of England, were obliged to abjure the doctrine of transubstantiation. Even to this bill the king gave his assent; and the parliament, in recompense for these concessions, granted him a considerable supply for his extraordinary occasions, as they expressed themselves, disdaining to mention a war which they abhorred.(2)

But Charles, though baffled in his favourite project, and obliged tacitly to relinquish the dispensing power of the crown, was still resolved to persevere in his alliance with France, in the Dutch war, and consequently in all the secret designs which depended on such pernicious measures. With the money granted by parliament, he was enabled to equip a fleet, the command of which was given to prince Rupert, the duke of York being set aside by the test. Sir Edward Spragge and the earl of Ossory commanded under the prince. A French squadron joined them, commanded by d'Estrées and Martel.

The combined fleet sailed towards the coast of Holland, where three indecisive battles were fought with the Dutch, under De Ruyter and Van Tromp. The last, however, claims our attention on account of its obstinacy. Tromp immediately fell along the side of Spragge, and both engaged with incredible obstinacy. Tromp was compelled once to shift his flag, Spragge twice to quit his ship; and, unfortunately, as the English admiral was passing to a third ship, in order to hoist his flag, and renew the dispute, a shot struck his boat, and he was drowned, to the regret even of his enemies. But the death of this gallant officer did not pass unrevenged. Van Tromp, after the disaster of Spragge, was repulsed, in spite of his most vigorous efforts, by the intrepidity of the earl of Ossory.(3)

In the mean time, a furious combat was maintained between De Ruyter and prince Rupert. Never did the prince acquire more deserved honour; his conduct being no less conspicuous than his valour, which shone with distinguished lustre. The contest was equally obstinate on both sides, and victory remained long doubtful. At length, prince Rupert threw the enemy into some confusion; and, in order to increase it, sent among them two fireships. They at once took to flight; and had the French, who were masters of the wind, and to whom a signal was made, borne down upon the Dutch, a decided advantage would have been gained. But they paid no regard to the signal. The English, seeing themselves neglected by their allies, therefore gave over the pursuit; and De Ruyter, with little loss, made good his retreat. (4) The victory, as usual, was claimed by both sides.

While the Dutch, my dear Philip, thus continued to defend themselves with vigour by sea, fortune was still more favourable to them by land. Though the French monarch took Maestricht, one of their strongest bulwarks, after a siege of thirteen days, no other advantage was obtained during the campaign. Naerden was retaken by the prince of Orange; and the imperialists, under Montecuculi, after having in vain attempted against Turenne the passage of the Rhine, eluded the vigilance of that able general, and sat down suddenly before Bonne. The prince of Orange, by a conduct no less masterly, leaving behind him the other French generals, joined his army to that of the empire. Bonne surrendered, after a short siege. The greater part of the electorate of (1) Echard. Burnet. Rapin. The people were so much elated at this victory over the prerogative, that they expressed, with bonfires and illuminations, their tumultuous joy. Ibid.

(2) Journals, March, 1673. Echard, vol. iii. Burnet, book ii.

(3) Carte's Life of the Duke of Ormond. Burchet, p. 404.

(4) Burchet. Basnage. Echard. Kennet.

Cologne was subdued by the Dutch and Germans; and the communication between France and the United Provinces being by that means cut off, Lewis was obliged to recall his forces, and abandon his conquests with the utmost precipitation.(1) The very monuments of his glory were not completed, when he returned in disgrace: the triumphal arch at the gate of St. Denis was yet unfinished, after all cause of triumph had ceased !(2)

A congress under the mediation of Sweden, held at Cologne during the summer, was attended with no success. The demands of the confederate kings were originally such as must have reduced the Hollanders to perpetual servitude; and although they sunk in their demands, in proportion as the affairs of the states rose, the states fell still lower in their offers, so that it was found impossible for the parties, without some remarkable change of fortune, ever to agree on any conditions. After the French evacuated Holland, the congress broke up. No longer anxious for their safety, the states were now bent on revenge. Their negotiations at the courts of Vienna and Madrid were approaching to a happy conclusion. The house of Austria in both its branches was alarmed at the ambition of Lewis XIV., and the emperor and the Catholic king publicly signed a treaty with the United Provinces before the close of the year. Forgetting her ancient animosities against the republic, in the recent injuries which she had received from the French monarch, Spain immediately issued a declaration of war; and, by a strange reverse in her policy, defended the Dutch against France and England, by whose aid they had become independent of her power!

The boundless ambition of Lewis XIV., together with the dark designs and mercenary meanness of Charles II., which led him to a close alliance with France, had totally changed the system of European policy. But a run of events, which it was not in the power of the confederate kings to reverse, at last brought things back to what is now esteemed their natural order. The first of these events was the peace between England and Holland.

When the English parliament met, the commons discovered such strong symptoms of discontent at the late measures of government, that the king, perceiving he could expect no supply for carrying on the war, asked their advice in regard to peace. Both houses thanked him for his condescension, and unanimously concurred in their advice for a negotiation. Peace was accordingly concluded with Holland, by the marquis De Fresno, the Spanish ambassador at the court of London, who had powers for that purpose, and added the influence of his own court to the other reasons which had obliged Charles to listen to terms. The conditions, though little advantageous, were by no means degrading to England. The honour of the flag was relinquished by the Dutch; all possessions were mutually restored; new regulations of trade were made, and the republic agreed to pay the king near three hundred thousand pounds towards reimbursing the expense of the war. (3) Charles bound himself to the states, by a secret article, not to allow the English troops in the French service to be recruited, but would not agree to recall them. They amounted to ten thousand men, and had greatly contributed to the rapid success of Lewis.(4)

Though the peace with Holland relieved the king from many of his difficulties, it did not restore him to the confidence of his people, nor allay the jealousy of the parliament. Sensible of this jealousy, Charles, who had always been diffident of the attachment of his subjects, still kept up his connexions with France. He apologized to Lewis for the step he had taken, by representing the real state of his affairs; and the French monarch, with great complaisance and good humour, admitted the validity of his excuses. order still farther to atone for deserting his ally, Charles offered his mediation to the contending powers.

In

Willing to negotiate under so favourable a mediator, the king of France

(1) Henault, 1674.

(3) Articles of Peace, in the Journals of the Lords.

(2) Voltaire, Siècle, chap. x.

(4) Hume, vol. vii. The king's partiality to France prevented a strict execution of his engagement relative to the recruiting of these troops. Id. ibid. See also Dalrymple's Append.

VOL. II.-0

readily acceded to the offer. As it was apprehended, however, that for a like reason the allies would be inclined to refuse it, sir William Temple, whose principles were known to be favourable to the general interests of Europe, was invited from his retreat, and appointed ambassador from England to the states. Temple accepted the office. But reflecting on the unhappy issue of his former fortunate negotiations, and on the fatal turn of counsels which had occasioned it, he resolved, before he sat out on his embassy, to acquaint himself, as far as possible, with the king's real sentiments in regard to those popular measures which he seemed to have resumed. He therefore took occasion, at a private audience, to blame the dangerous schemes of the cabal, as well as their flagrant breach of the most solemn treaties. (1) And when the king seemed disposed to vindicate their measures, but blamed the means employed to carry them into execution, that excellent minister, no less prudent than patriotic, endeavoured to show his sovereign how difficult, if not impossible, it would be to introduce into England the same system of religion and government that was established in France; that the universal bent of the nation was against both; that many, who appeared indifferent in regard to all religions, would yet oppose the introduction of popery, as they were sensible it could not be effected without military force, and that the same force, which should enable the king to bring about such a change, would also make him master of their civil liberties; that in France, it was only necessary for a king to gain the nobility and clergy, as the peasants, having no land, were as insignificant as our women and children-whereas, in England, a great part of the landed property was in the hands of the yeomanry or lower gentry, whose hearts were high with ease and plenty, while the inferior orders in France were dispirited by oppression and want; that a king of England, since the abolition of the feudal policy, could neither raise nor maintain an army, except by the voluntary supplies of his parliament; that granting he had an army on foot, yet, if composed of Englishmen, it would never be induced to serve ends which the people so much hated and feared; that the Roman Catholics in England were not the hundredth part of the nation, and in Scotland not the two-hundredth; and it seemed against all common sense to hope, by any one part, to govern ninetynine, who were of different humours and sentiments; that foreign troops, if few, would only serve to inflame hatred and discontent; and how to bring over at once, and maintain many (for no less than threescore thousand would be necessary, to subdue the spirit and liberties of the nation), was very hard to imagine.(2)

These reasonings Temple endeavoured to enforce by the authority of Gourville, a French statesman, who had resided some time in England, and for whose judgment he knew Charles had great respect. "A king of England," said Gourville, on hearing of our dissensions, "who will be the MAN of his people, is the greatest king in the world; but if he will be something more, by God! he is nothing at all." The king, who had listened with impatience at first, seemed now open to conviction; and laying his hand on Temple's, said with an air of sincerity-" And I will be the MAN of my people!"(3) When Temple went abroad, he found a variety of circumstances likely to defeat the purpose of his embassy. The allies in general, independent of their jealousy of Charles's mediation, expressed great ardour for the continuance of the war. Spain had engaged Holland to stipulate never to come to an accommodation until all things in Flanders were restored to the same situation in which they were left by the Pyrenean treaty; the emperor had high pretensions on Alsace; and although the Dutch, oppressed by heavy taxes, might be desirous of peace, they could not, without violating all the principles of honour and policy, abandon those allies to whose protection

(1) The cabal was now in a manner dissolved. Clifford was dead; and Ashley, created earl of Shaftes bury, had gone over to the popular party, in order to avoid the danger of an impeachment, when he found the king wanted courage to support his ministers in those measures which he had himself dictated. Buckingham, in consequence of his wavering and inconsistent conduct, was become of small account; but Lauderdale and Arlington were still of some weight.

(2) Temple's Mem. vart ii, chap i.

(3) Id. ibid.

they had so lately been indebted for their safety. The prince of Orange, who had vast influence in their councils, and in whose family they had just decreed the office of stadtholder to be perpetual, was besides ambitious of military fame, and convinced that it would be in vain to negotiate till a greater impression was made upon France, as no equitable terms could otherwise be expected from Lewis.(1) The operations of the ensuing campaign did not contribute to this effect.

Lewis XIV. astonished all Europe by the vigour of his exertions. He had three great armies in the field this summer: one on the side of Germany, one in Flanders, and one on the frontiers of Roussillon; and he himself, at the head of a fourth, entered Franche-Comté, and subdued the whole province in six weeks. The taking of Besançon was matter of great triumph to the French monarch. He loved sieges, and is said to have understood them well; but he never besieged a town without being morally certain of taking it. Louvois prepared all things so effectually, the troops were so well appointed, and Vauban, who conducted most of the sieges, was so great a master in the art of taking towns, that the king's glory was perfectly safe. Vauban directed the attacks at Besançon, which was reduced in nine days, and became the capital of the province: the university and the seat of government being transferred to it from Dol.(2)

Nothing of importance happened in Roussillon: but in Flanders, the prince of Condé, with an inferior army, prevented the prince of Orange from entering France by that quarter: and after long avoiding an engagement, from motives of prudence, he attacked the rear of the confederates, when an opportunity offered, in a narrow defile near Seneffe, a village between Marimont and Nivelle; threw them into confusion, and took great part of their cannon and baggage. The prince of Orange, however, less remarkable for preventing misfortune than for stopping its progress, rallied his disordered forces; led them back to the charge; pushed the veteran troops of France; and obliged the great Condé to exert more desperate efforts, and hazard his person more than in any action during his life, though now in an advanced age, and though he had been peculiarly distinguished in youth by the impetuosity of his courage. William did not expose his person less. Hence the generous and candid testimony of Condé, forgetful of his own behaviour: The prince of Orange has acted in every thing like an old captain, except in venturing his life too much like a young soldier.(3)

The engagement was renewed three several times; and, after sunset, it it was continued for two hours by the light of the moon. Darkness at last,

not the slackness of the combatants, put an end to the contest, and left the victory undecided. (4) Twelve thousand men lay dead on the field, and the loss on both sides was nearly equal.(5) In order to give an air of superiority to the allies, and to bring the French to a new engagement, the prince of Orange besieged Oudenarde; but Souches, the imperial general, not being willing to hazard a battle, he was obliged to relinquish his enterprise, on the approach of Condé. Before the close of the campaign, however, after an obstinate siege, he took Grave, the last town which the French held in any of the seven provinces.(6)

Turenne, who commanded on the side of Germany, completed that high reputation which he had already acquired, of being the greatest general of his age and nation. By a long and hasty march, in order to prevent the junction of the different bodies of German troops, he passed the Rhine at Philipsburg, and defeated the old duke of Lorrain, and Caprara, the imperial general, at Sintzheim. With twenty thousand men, he possessed himself of the whole palatinate, by driving the allied princes beyond the Neckar and the Maine. They returned however, during his absence in Lorrain, with a prodigious army, and poured into Alsace, where they meant to pass the winter. He came back upon them unexpectedly; routed the imperialists at

(1) Temple, ubi sup. Voltaire, Siècle, chap. x. (3) Temple's Mem. part ii. chap i.

(5) Voltaire, Siecle, chap. xi.