a powerful Republick, whofe Suffrage is always of great Weight in the Balance of Europe. Infinuations, Careffes, Menaces, all are try'd: And fo much for the Court of Vienna.

JV.

Then as to Spain, on what Footing does the propofe to maintain the Peace happily established in Europe? On the foot of joyning all her Forces to those of the Emperor, in order to revenge the least Disturbance, the leaft Moleftation, in the free Navigation of Ofiend, as an Infraction of Treaties: On the foot of improving this Concert, this Refolution taken betwixt the two Courts, to look upon as common Enemies all that are fo to his Imperial Majefty; that is to fay, to treat as such all that shall oppofe this Commerce eftablished contrary to the Faith of Treaties: On the foot of facrificing to this Plan, thofe Terms on which the Emperor was put in Poffeffion of the Netherlands: On the foot of facrificing a Republick to it, which has exhausted itself for the Sake only of his Imperial Majejety; or in Cafe the Republick was difpofed to confent to'a ruinous Accommodation; on the foot of forcing it to accept of a Mediation offered at the Sword's Point, and in a Manner that is used only from a Sovereign to his Subjects. From hence thofe violent Parties form'd in Spain, which would inevitably have proceeded to Blows, had any Thing lefs offer'd to hinder it, than the pacifick Temper of a truly religious King.

During this, an Alteration happens at that Court in which all others are concern'd. The Minifter, who was the Depofitary of that Prince's Power, and all his Secrets, falls all on a fudden into Difgrace; he takes Refuge with an Embaffador of a Foreign Power, from whence he is taken by Force, and clapp'd up in a Caftle, but for what Crime no body knew. The other Minifters, except that of Vienna, complain of it as a Violation of their Rights. The King of Spain himself thinks it a Matter of fufficient Importance for publishing a Manifefto to justify his Conduct. It was expected that this Alteration would make a confiderable one in Affairs, but the Spanish Ministry still pursue the fame Plan. Six Months were not elapfed, but a fecond Change happens likewife to the Liking of the Imperial Embaffador, and even the King's Confeffor was dif plac'd to make Room for his. This Minifter is the Sole Poffeffor of the most entire Confidence of the King and

Queen;

1

Queen; and fo complaifant are they, that they are only govern'd by his Views. By that means, the Union of the three Powers, the Empire, Ruffia, and Spain, is become more strict, and almost inviolable.

V.

All this while, there was a conftant Talk of a Reconciliation between France and Spain, upon Account of fending back the Infanta. The Court of Rome, at least, labour'd it by their Nuncio's at the two Courts; and it was thought in the greater forwardnefs, becaufe the Office of Prime Minister being at that Time fupprefs'd in France, this Alteration was look'd upon as a Satis faction given to Spain in the Perfon of the Prince who had difgutted her. But the King quickly explain'd himfelf to his Minifters at Foreign Courts, that it was not from any Diffatisfaction with the Duke of Bourbon that his Majefty did this. And in fhort, this young Monarch being already Great by his fine natural Parts, when he had an Inclination to take the Reins of Go vernment into his own Hands, had no longer Occafion for a Brime Minifter; in which he acted like his Great Grandfather Lewis XIV. whom he propofes in all Things for his Model.

Another Thing made it be conjectured that there would be an Accommodation betwixt France and Spain: And that was, the Emperor's Complaifance in confenting to the Promotion of a Prelate to the Dignity of a Cardinal, whofe Councils were to aflift the young King in fupporting the Weight of Affairs. The Declaration fince made by the King in favour of the Constitutions of Alexander VII. and Clement XI. which he requires to be regarded throughout the Extent of his Kingdom, and to be obferved as Laws equally binding both the Church and State, was looked upon as an Acknowledgement for that Promotion. But how much foever the Courts of Rome and Vienna might flatter themselves with hopes of detaching France by that Means from her Engagements with the Allies of Hanover, that fame Prelate, who, they imagined, would break thofe Engagements, has only contributed to cement them the fafter, and at the fame Time that he declared to the Pope's Nuncio, that he had no Account to render him for what paffed in that refpect, he gave Affurances to the Powers concerned, that the King would not depart from his Engagements.

VI. The

VI.

The King of Great Britain, that Monarch who weighs the Interests of all Europe' in the Balance of Equity, knew it well; his own Penetration made him Mafter of the vaft Defigns of thofe three Powers; he determined to prevent them, and for HIM to propofe and execute is but one and the fame Thing. He faw a formidable Navy in the North, threatning to cover the whole Baltick Sea, and to disturb the Neighbouring States; but he only ftretched out his Arm, and this Fleet being pent up in its Harbours, lay without any Motion, as if it had been becalmed by Inchantment. He looked towards the South, and there he faw another Power fitting out Ships, making confiderable Levies, and only waiting for the Arrival of his Treasure from the Weft, to put his Allies in Motion; upon which be did but extend the other Arm, and thofe Ships ware nailed up, as it were, in their Harbour, as if they had been under the Power of fome Spell; thofe Treafures gathering Ruft in the very Mine, became of no Manner of Service to the Perfons who expected fo much from them. The British Monarch knowing Money to be the Sinew of War, binds up the Sinew, and the whole Body becomes inactive. To fpeak without a Figure, three Squadrons fent a propos to the North, the South, and the Weft, make his Power refpected there, and every Tongue filent in their Prefence: Thus has GEORGE baffled the Efforts of the three United Powers in the Year, which is expreffed by this Chronogram:

CAESARIS, AVGVSTA, REGIS CONAMINA
RIDET ET PRÆVERTIT GEORGIVS.

Judge now, which of the two Parties was most fincere for preferving the Peace, whether the Party that armed itself on every Sides, or That which rendered all thofe Armaments of no Effect.

VII.

But as it is not enough only to think of the Prefent without making Provifion againft Futurity, that Wife King, who fees all Things at one View, refolves to ftrengthen his Alliance. Being fure of France, which a natural Interest had preffed to joyn with him for maintaining the Balance of Power in Europe, he was inclined to bring in a Republick more interested than any in the Prefervation of fuch Balance. That Republick per

ceived

ceived that the Hanover Alliance had no other View than to procure the Safety of her Commerce, and the Redress of all her Grievances. Being hemmed in by that Power of which she had moft Reafon to be diffident, the studies to engage thofe Powers for her that are nearest at Hand, to take effectual Care of her Security. She perceives the Neceffity of fixing the Balance between the great. Powers which are able to throw in Forces either to her Danger or to her Safety. She aims to be the Center of this Balance, by making a Choice of that Power from. which he has moft to hope or moft to fear. The Neighbourhood of that Power, the Subjects of Controverfy actually depending, Pretenfions which are liable at every Turn to be revived, efpecially the Stipulations with respect to Commerce, with which the Treaties of Vienna are fwell'd, do not permit her to hefitate long.

.

What's the Refult of it? At the very first Rumour, of an Alliance on foot which was to make the Republick fure of Satisfaction, the Imperial Court, 'till then unmoveable, roufes and fends a Minister in all hafte to thwart it, Which Way does he go about it? Why, by declaring, that if the Oftend Company was again to be established, perhaps it fhould not be done; but that confidering the prefent Pofture of Affairs, and that it is inconfiftent with the Imperial Dignity to retract what had been done in that Matter, it was more proper for the Republick to accede to the Treaty of Vienna. And then, to make this Prologue the better relifhed, this Minifter adds, that he is only the Forerunner of another Minifter coming from a remoter Country, with fuch Propofals as would make the Republick ample Amends for the Oftend Company. Mean time, this Republick, ftill difpofed to hear what his Imperial Majefty had to propofe for a real Reparation of its Gricvances, no fooner difcovers its firm Refolution, that its Deliberations on the Acceffion to the Hanover Treaty fhould not depend on a Crown that had nothing to do in the Affair, then the Imperial Minifter on a fudden, changes his Note, and lets fall fuch Expreffions as fhewed what would be the fatal Confequences of a Naviga-: tion, from which the Court of Vienna expects fuch an Increase of Power, and for the Support of which, Spain, and all the waft Dominions of the Houfe of Auftria, would take Arms, and the Fire of War be kindled over. all Europe.

"Tis

'Tis true, that the Imperial Minifter foon recollected that he had faid too much. He return'd again, and begged their High Mightinesses to confider, how much more wholefome, more fafe, and more glorious it would be for them to accede to the Treaty of Vienna ; and that if, in the mean Time, they were inclined to defer it for a while, they would be pleafed to fufpend any Refolution upon the Treaty of Hanover, at leaft 'till the Arrival of the Marquess of St. Philip. This Minifter arrives, preceded by a menacing Letter from the Court of Spain. He fpends nine Days in going from Brussels to the Hague, to avoid his being under a Neceflity of prefenting this Letter, which he forefaw would be attended with ill Succefs. . He was a confummate Minister, bred up in the old Maxims of Spain, and not very averfe to the new Scheme which prevails there at this Day. He frankly declar'd, the little Effect he promised himself from all the Measures that had been employ'd 'till then, to divert the Republick from acceding to the Hanover Treaty. But instead of difcovering any Anguish for the ill Success of the Letter that came from Madrid on purpose to retard the Refolution of the States of Holland, he proposes to enter into a Conference without Delay; and the very Day that he fets his Foot into the Territories of the Republick, he defires, that a Full Power might be sent to the States Embaffador at Madrid, in order to transfer the Negotiation thither.

The firmness of the Republick in rejecting so dangerous a Negotiation, convinc'd the Spanish Minifters, that the Republick was still of fome Weight in Europe; and therefore they are excufed from acceding to the Treaty of Vienna, provided that, on the other Hand, they don't engage in the Alliance of Hanover. Offers are made to them of a feeming Confent to Expedients, by which the Commerce of his Imperial Majefty's Subjects to the Indies, might be regulated on fuch a Footing, as if pos fible, might fatisfy their High Mightinesses, and put a Stop to all Caufe of Complaint on both Sides: But what Remedies could poffibly be thought of in a Commerce, which the Bufinefs in Hand is to abolish? The well known Prudence of their High Mightineffes, which has fo often been difplay'd, did not permit them to be misled by Propofals of this Nature; and one would rather think, it muft affist them to fee the Rupture which was ready to break out in the South, and in Lower Germany, and which they could not fail to refent without Delay. It

was