Page:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 3.djvu/374

366 other three; and by the grand alliance, whatever we or Holland should conquer in the Spanish West-Indies, was to accrue to the conquerors. It might therefore have been hoped, that this maritime ally of ours, would have made up in their fleet, what they fell short in their army; but quite otherwise, they never once furnished their quota either of ships or men; or, if some few of their fleet now and then appeared, it was no more than appearing: for they immediately separated, to look to their merchants and protect their trade. And we may remember very well, when these guarantees of our succession, after having not one ship for many months together in the Mediterranean, sent that part of their quota thither, and furnished nothing to us, at the same time that they alarmed us with the rumour of an invasion. And last year, when sir James Wishart was dispatched into Holland to expostulate with the States, and to desire they would make good their agreements in so important a part of the service; he met with such a reception as ill became a republick to give, that were under so many great obligations to us; in short, such a one, as those only deserve, who are content to take it.

It has likewise been no small inconvenience to us, that the Dutch are always slow in paying their subsidies; by which means the weight and pressure of the payment lies upon the queen, as well as the blame, if her majesty be not very exact. Nor will this always content our allies: for in July, 1711, the king of Spain was paid all his subsidies to the first of January next; nevertheless he has since complained for want of money; and his secretary threatened, that if we would not farther supply his majesty, he could