Page:Cassell's Illustrated History of England vol 3.djvu/476

462 and Louis. This suspicion the ambassadors did their best to root out, and Hollis and Russell engaged to attach to the supply conditions which should cause the king to reject it. The ambassadors promised that Louis, on his part, should use all his influence to cause a dissolution of parliament, and to ruin Danby, measures which the opposition earnestly desired. They even offered money to the opposition, and asked lord Ru?sell to give them the names of such persons as they should reward for their services in this matter. Russell repelled the offer with indignation, and replied that he should be sorry to have anything to do with men who could be bought with money. They did not, however, find others of the patriots quite so scrupulous. Louis, at the same time, was at work at the Hague, insinuating through his agents that William, now connected with England, was joined with Charles, whom the Dutch most cordially hated, in a common scheme for ruling Holland and England by a military force, and that their only safety lay in peace and disbandment of troops. Their arts were so successful, that the Dutch began to cry for peace on any terms.

Kirby warning Charles II. of the Assassination Plot.

When parliament met on the 28th of January, Charles. announced that he had made a league offensive and defensive with Holland, for the protection of Flanders, and that if France would not consent to a peace on fair terms, they would endeavour to force it; but that he should require to put ninety ships into commission, and raise thirty or forty thousand troops, and a liberal supply would be necessary to defray the cost. This was the very thing that the country