CHAP. LXXVIII. - PERPLEXITIES OF THE DUKE. 1708, 1709.

ONE of the principal motives which induced Marlborough to prolong his stay on the Continent was, his desire to watch the progress of the negotiations now pending between France and the States. Since the failure of the proposal made to open a public treaty with the Maritime Powers, through the elector of Bavaria, the king of France had regarded all attempts to lure them jointly into a peace as nugatory, and therefore became doubly anxious to gain some individual member of the Grand Alliance. He accordingly made many secret overtures to those chiefs of the Dutch republic who were inclined to peace, affecting a readiness to relinquish Spain and the Indies, with the Milanese and the Netherlands, provided he could obtain the kingdom of the Two Sicilies for his grandson. With this proposal, he coupled the offer of a satisfactory barrier on the side of the Netherlands, and great commercial advantages, -concessions which he was well aware would weigh with a timid and interested people like the Dutch. While, however, he thus amused his partisans in Holland, he applied to the emperor, through the mediation of the pope, offering to yield to the archduke Charles the Spanish territories in Italy, with the Netherlands, provided Philip should be allowed to retain Spain and the Indies.

The duplicity which these contradictory offers evinced, and the apprehension that some member of the alliance might be tempted to sacrifice the general good to private views, doubtless induced the Whigs to propose the unexpected declaration, which pledged the British parliament to continue the war, till the whole Spanish monarchy was restored to the house of Austria. This declaration did not, as was expected, deter the Dutch from their private intrigues. On the contrary, the pacific party continued to tamper with the French agents, and laboured to impress their countrymen with the opinion, that France was sufiiciently humbled, and that it was impolitic to prosecute the war for the advantage of other powers, since they were

"Brussels, Feb. 4. — The assurances you give in yours of the 14th of January, of being of my mind as to parties, have given me all the hopes imaginable of future happiness: at the same time I assure you that I think the principles of the Whigs are for the good of England, and that if the Tories had the power, they would not only destroy England, but also the liberties of Europe. I shall always govern my actions by joining with such as are for the good of England, but will never be a slave to either party, and consequently not expect favour from either.

"As to my being uneasy at the changes that have been made, they are very unjust, for I have the vanity to think that some letters which I wrote to the queen were of use. Lord Sunderland must be distracted, if he can have a thought of hurting or disobliging you and me, for the satisfaction of Lord Halifax. You should speak plainly and kindly to him. I shall do it when I come home; and I do with all my heart hope that Lord Somers, the duke of Devonshire, Lord Townshend, and the duke of Newcastle, will be reasonable."

"Brussels, Feb. 7.- As to the compliments I desired might have been made to Lord Sunderland, it was upon what you wrote; but you may be sure that I shall neither desire nor make any, when you have so much reason to be dissatisfied, as you must have, when you call his designs monstrous. If Lord Halifax and Lord Sunderland are so extravagant, be assured that you will find others unreasonable, which will at last tire those who now serve, and then Mrs. Masham will be able to bring the queen into what scheme she pleases, which will be that of hurting the Whigs; but I agree with you that Lord Halifax has no other principle but his ambition; so that he would put all in distraction, rather than not gain his point. But the behaviour of Lord Sunderland looks to me like madness, for it is impossible for him to have a thought of being tolerably well with Mrs. Masham. I have marked two lines in the enclosed letter, by which you may see he appre go wrong. Pray let nobody know of the let "Feb. 13.-* * * * I desire you w reasonable from me to Lord Wharton, and that Lord Somers would always follow his would serve both his queen and country. occasions, be sensible of his giving way t and Lord Sunderland; for parties are and violence than by reason. The d very honest man, but Lord Orford has pole, who I agree is a very honest ma duke of Devonshire and Lord Town the duke of Somerset is a friend to

already assured of those acquisitions which they deemed necessary for their own security.

This sentiment was not confined to the partisans of France alone, but actuated in a greater or less degree even those who were most zealous for the connexion with England, from a conviction that their country was unable to support much longer the burdens of a protracted contest. In these circumstances, means were found to continue an intercourse, which was no less advantageous to France than detrimental to the common cause. Petcum, a meddling minister of the duke of Holstein, and Bergueick, the Spanish intendant of the Netherlands, were successively employed in these negotiations; and found co-operators in Buys, pensionary of Amsterdam, and Vanderdussen, member of the secret council and pensionary of Gouda.* In addition to these clandestine overtures, more direct and explicit propositions were made, by means of Menager, an opulent merchant and able negotiator, and Rouillé, president of the parliament of Paris, who had formed intimate connexions with many considerable persons in Holland. The effect of these overtures was, a strong attempt among the pacific party to bring the rest of the States into a disposition to accede to a partition of the Spanish monarchy between the two rival candidates.

This secret negotiation was not only disclosed to Marlborough, but strenuous efforts were made by Buys and his friends to obtain his approbation of their proceedings.

On his return to the Hague from Brussels, he was visited on the 16th of January by Buys and Pancrass, president burgomaster of Amsterdam. They confidentially imparted to him the proposals of France, which had been communicated only to the chief magistrates of that city, stating that their pensionary would be ruined, should it be known that he had received such overtures without laying them before the States. They represented that they had maintained this reserve till they should know the duke's opinion, in hopes of obtaining his concurrence; and, at the same time, added, that no proposals should be received, without the approbation of the queen.

The overtures from France were these: that some persons of trust and confidence should be sent privately, with * Mem. de Torcy, tom. i. p. 229.

such proposals of peace, as would be agreeable to all the allies, with previous assurances that Spain, the Indies, Milan, with the Low Countries, should be no obstacle, and that a secure barrier should be granted to the Dutch; that, finally, as a proof of his sincerity, Louis would not endeavour to create jealousy among the allies, but would give just satisfaction to each of them, upon their reasonable pretensions. Buys and his colleague expatiated on the low condition to which Holland was reduced by the burdens of the war, and urged the necessity of peace; though at the same time they repeated their declaration, that no measures should be taken without the concurrence of the queen, and that an answer to that purpose had been returned by Petcum to Torcy.

On this delicate occasion, Marlborough acted with his customary prudence. Conscious that he was accused of prolonging the war from interested motives, he avoided exposing himself to the dangerous responsibility which he must have incurred by the absolute rejection of these offers. He therefore declined giving any opinion, but requested their permission to lay the overtures before the queen for her instructions, through the lord treasurer, under the strictest pledge of secrecy, adding, that her majesty had no greater desire than to promote a solid and durable peace. Having obtained their acquiescence, he transmitted the proposal to the treasurer for the royal consideration.* He recommended also that these overtures should be concealed from the Dutch, who were so desirous of peace, that, for the sake of obtaining it, they would willingly agree to a partition treaty But he enforced the necessity of making some declaration to the republic, relative to a plan of mutual co-operation, to prevent a schism in the Grand Alliance.

This interesting negotiation became a prominent subject in the correspondence between the general and the treasurer, and created an occasional discordance of opinion which had not occurred at any preceding period. Marlborough was apprehensive that the king of France was not yet sufficiently humbled, to agree to the terms which the allies were entitled to demand, and consequently represented the expediency of obtaining such an augmentation of force as might enable *Letters from the Duke of Marlborough to Lord Godolphin, Jan 16, and 17.