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account, a defire of fortifying him felf by an intimate ciiap.alliance with France . So early as 1664, he had L xv.
offered the French monarch to allow him with* 1
out oppofition to conquer Flanders , providedthat prince would engage to furnifh him withten thonfand infantry, and a fuitabfe number ofcavalry , in cafe of any rebellion in England 3 .
As no dangerous fymptom at that time appeared,we are left to conjecture, from this incident, •what opinion Charles had conceived of thefactious difpofition of his people.
Even during the time, when the triple alliancewas the moft zealoufly cultivated, the king neverfeems to have been entirely cordial in thofefalutary meafures , but ftiil to have caft a longingeye towards the French alliance. Clifford, whohad much of bis confidence, faid imprudently,
C£ Notwithftanding all this joy , we ratift have a“ feeorrd war with Holland. ’’ The acceffion ofthe Emperor to that alliance had been refufedby England on frivolous pretences. And manyunfriendly cavils were railed againfl the Stateswith regard to Surinam and the conduct of theEaft India company *. But about April 1669',the ftrongeft fymptorr.s appeared'of thofe fatalmeafures, which were afterwards more openlypurfued.
De Wit, at that time, came to Temple; andtold him,, that he paid him a vifi't as a friend *
8 D’F.flrades. atft.Ttilv, 1667.
4 See note T C j at the end of the Volume.
Vor.. XL L