Page:Cassell's Illustrated History of England vol 4.djvu/164

150 the new king; and there could be no justifiable cause of war with France until she attempted to renew her hostilities to neighbouring peoples. This act was a heavy blow to the emperor, who was beginning to move in defence of his claim on the crown of Spain, and to call on the different states of the empire and on his old allies, the Dutch and English, to assist him in his object.

But there appeared very few circumstances in his favour. True, he was at peace with Turkey, and could withdraw his troops from that quarter and pour them into the Netherlands; but this force alone was wholly inadequate to contend with France and Spain. The states of Germany were divided as usual. Hanover and the Palatinate were in his favour; but Louis had been busy with others, and the elector of Cologne was in his pay, and raising five thousand troops, the elector of Bavaria the same, and raising ten thousand. Bavaria, who had accused Louis of poisoning his son, and thus getting rid of him as a claimant of the Spanish crown, had now changed his note, and transferred the charge of this crime to the emperor, the young prince's grandfather. Then what were William and the States-General to do, who had now acknowledged the duke of Anjou? The emperor proposed to send prince Eugene into Italy with an army to take possession of the duchy of Milan; but on that side the pope, Clement XI., was a creature of France, and the Venetians, though favouring the emperor, saw too well the unequal contest to declare themselves openly.



Louis, notwithstanding his pretended astonishment at the demands of William and the States-General, was yet willing to renew the negotiations at the Hague; but this was with the design of engaging the Dutch in a separate treaty. As they had been induced by their fears to acknowledge the duke of Anjou without William, he hoped that they might be brought to make peace without England. Finding that the Dutch would not listen to any proposals independent of England, Louis pursued his plans for dividing the princes of the empire, whilst he drew lines on the frontiers of Holland. The Dutch, on their part, took every possible measure for their defence; they strengthened their garrisons, laid in supplies, and sent to neighbouring states to solicit assistance. It was plain that Louis, trusting to his new strength, could not long rest without renewing his encroachments on other states. Whilst affairs were in this position abroad, the anxiety of William was increased to the utmost by the war which was waging betwixt the two rival factions in parliament. In endeavouring to damage the whigs to the utmost, the tones damaged and tortured the king, who was sufficiently