Sensible of his own approaching dissolution, foreseeing the inevitable necessity of a continental war, and anxious for the maintenance of that system, which it had been the labour and boast of his life to uphold, he was desirous that the political and military powers should be transferred to one, who, with abilities equal to the emergency, might possess the confidence of the country, and the good will of his successor. In no one were these requisites united except in Marlborough. Accordingly William selected him to command the forces in the Netherlands, and to negotiate the treaties, which were to be formed with foreign powers, for the renewal of the grand alliance. This choice, as judicious in itself as it was honourable to his feelings, was almost his last act before he quitted England, to organize the most formidable confederacy, which had yet been marshaled against France.

Marlborough accompanied the king abroad, and saw with regret his rising displeasure against the tories, though it was the natural consequence of their hostility towards his person, and factious opposition to his measures. He hoped, however, that the party with which he had identified himself, had made reparation by their zeal in voting the supplies. He trusted, also, that the absence of the king from England would allow the feelings of resentment and mortification to subside. A change which had taken place among the dutch adherents of William, inspired him with additional confidence. The earl of Portland, his own personal enemy, who had been chiefly exposed to the attacks of the tories, was now supplanted by Keppel, a young nobleman of good family, who from the post of private secretary was rapidly promoted to high honours, created earl of Albemarle, and distinguished with the garter. This nobleman had manifested toward him great respect and confidence, professed a favourable disposition towards the tories, and promised to communicate such information as might enable him to ascertain the real sentiments of his royal master.

CHAPTER 9.

1701-1702.`.
1702.

Marlborough accompanies king William to Holland-Intrusted with the conduct of the negotiations for the grand alliance-Difficulties arising from the situation of the European powers--Concludes treaties with the emperor and the states-With Sweden and Prussia-Correspondence with lord Godolphin-Intrigues for a change of administration, during the stay of Marlborough at the Hague-Anxiety of Marlborough to avert the fall of the tory ministry-Death of James the second, and acknowledgment of his son as king of England, by Louis the fourteenth-Effects of this acknowledgment in England, and unpopularity of the tories-The king embarks for England-Dissolves the parliament-Changes in administration-Death of William-His dying recommendation of Marlborough to his successor.

MARLB

ARLBOROUGH embarked with the king at Margate, on the 1st of July, and reached the Hague on the 3rd, prepared to fulfil his instructions.

He commenced his negotiations under inauspicious circumstances. Louis had no sooner accepted the will of Charles the second, than he carried into execution the measures which had been previously matured, for securing tranquil possession of the spanish throne. He directed his first attention to the Netherlands, whence he most dreaded an attack. He gained the elector of Bavaria, to whom the government had been confided, by the deceased monarch, and not only secured the frontier fortresses, but detained 15,000 dutch troops, who, in virtue of a convention with Spain, formed the garrisons of the barrier towns. The loss of so large a body, consisting of the flower of the army, and the sudden advance of a french force towards the frontier, intimidated the dutch; and to obtain the liberation of their captive troops, they

acknowledged Philip as king of Spain. Their example induced the tory ministry to extort a similar recognition from William.

At the same time, Louis affected great anxiety to dissipate the alarms conceived both in England and Holland, by the transfer of Spain to a Bourbon prince, and dispatched d'Avaux to the Hague to open a negotiation. On the arrival of Marlborough, the discussion was still pending, and no expedient was neglected to alarm or lure the states. Indeed pensionary Heinsius himself, though zealously attached to William, was persuaded that an arrangement might yet be effected, and expressed his hopes that Louis would give satisfaction to the emperor rather than incur the risk of a war.*

To prevent the invasion of Spain on the only accessible quarter, Louis had formed a treaty of alliance with Portugal. He obtained also the recognition of Philip, in the Milanese and the Two Sicilies. By a treaty with the duke of Savoy, he secured the command of Italy; while the occupation of Mantua and the neighbouring fortresses, with the consent of the respective sovereigns, not only opened the principal passages into Lombardy, but afforded the means for a direct attack against the Austrian dominions.

Germany was at this time agitated by civil and religious feuds, which facilitated the intrigues of the french monarch, and many of the princes openly embraced his cause.

The emperor Leopold was the only sovereign from whom the slightest opposition to the encroachments of France could be expected; but he was embarrassed by the disorder of his finances, by a rising rebellion in Hungary, which was fomented by french intrigues, and by the prospect of new aggressions from the Turks. Yet, amidst these dangers and difficulties, he stood in the breach, with a spirit worthy of his magnanimous ancestry. He was indeed secretly instigated by William to maintain the interests of

Marlborough to lord Godolphin, August 6, 1701.

his house, and the dignity of his character; and urged to make an immediate effort in Italy, with the hope that a momentary success would encourage the well-intentioned, and rouse the European states, in defence of their independence.*

Accordingly Leopold publicly protested against the usurpation of the spanish throne, and dispatched an army across the Trentine Alps, under the command of prince Eugene, with the design of making a prompt and effectual impression in a quarter where the nature of the country circumscribed the enemy in their means of defence. Already had the hero of Zenta displayed his characteristic spirit of enterprise by scaling the natural barriers of Italy, and establishing his army on the border of Lombardy; and all Europe waited, in anxious suspense, the result of the approaching conflict.

Hitherto William had himself directed his political, as well as military system. But on this occasion he confided the negotiations, arising from such new and critical circumstances, to Marlborough, being fully convinced of his judgment and abilities, and conscious of his influence over the English ministry.

As a preparatory step, a subsidiary treaty had been signed with Denmark, before the king's departure from England; and overtures were now made for a series of alliances with different princes and states.

The negotiation was not confined to the states of Germany, but extended to those of Denmark, Sweden, and Muscovy, whose mutual jealousies might have raised obstacles to this extensive system of confederation. In the arrangement of a plan, which embraced the varied interests of the greater part of Europe, our able negotiator had to bring to unison, the wishes of his own sovereign, the selfish timidity and political prejudices of the british ministry, the commercial cupidity of the dutch, the captious and grasping spirit of the German states, and, above all, the lofty pretensions of the emperor, who strenuously asserted the rights of

* Count Wratislaw to the earl of Marlborough, Vienna, May 4, 1701.

his family to the whole spanish monarchy. In this delicate task his abilities and discretion were eminently conspicuous, and his consummate address was displayed in soothing mutual jealousies, and reconciling discordant views. His correspondence with his friend lord Godolphin enables us to throw additional light on these important transactions.

Among the negotiations committed to his management, one of the most difficult, was that with Sweden. Charles the twelfth had excited general admiration, by heroism almost romantic, as well as by a series of enterprises, distinguished no less for boldness of design, than for promptitude and vigour of execution. Having humbled the Danes and Poles, he was engaged in wreaking his vengeance on the czar, Peter, whom he had recently defeated at Narva, with a great disparity of force.

It was an object of high importance to conciliate a monarch who held the balance of the North; for besides an auxiliary force, which he was entitled to claim from England, in virtue of existing treaties, he might, by again embroiling himself with Denmark, have frustrated the engagement lately formed for drawing subsidiary troops from that kingdom, and its dependent duchy of Holstein. This object, however, was not of easy attainment. Although Charles was inclined to the alliance with England, and jealous of French preponderance, Louis spared no flattery to captivate his lofty spirit, and gratify his love of applause. He had applied with still more success to his venal ministry; and remittances to a vast amount, which were traced from Paris to Stockholm, proved, that the french court would neglect neither bribes nor intrigues, to secure the alliance of Sweden.

The knowledge of these circumstances prompted Marlborough to overstep his usual caution in hastening the arrangement. He pressed the english ministry to fulfil their promise of furnishing a considerable quantity of cloth and salt-petre, for the use of the swedish army, and importuned Godolphin to obviate the difficulties which arose in the course of the negotiation. To counteract the influence of french gold, he lavished presents on