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A Sketch oí the History Let. 7

to a concert taken between them and the Dutch,and in pursuance of a treaty for dividing theSpanish Low Countries, which Richelieu hadnegociated. Cromwell either did not discernthis turn of the balance of power, long aftervvardswhen it was much more visible; or, difcerning it,he was induced by reasons of private interest toact against the général interest of Europe . Crom-WELL joined with France against Spain , andthoUgh he go t Jamaica and Dunkirk , he drovethe Spaniards into a necceísity of making a peacôwith France , that has disturbed the peace of theWorld almost fourscore years, and the conséquencesof which hâve well-nigh beggared in our times thenation he enstaved in his. There is a tradition, Ihâve heard it fr o m perlons who lived in thofedays, and I believe it came from Thurloe , thatCuoMWELL was in treaty with Spain , and readyto turn his arms against France when he died. Ifthat fact was certain, as little as 1 honor his mémo-ry, I íhould hâve some regret that he died fosoon. But whatever his intentions were, we mustcharge the Pyrenean treaty, aríd the fatal consé-quences of it in gréât meafure to his account. TheSpaniards abhorred the thought of marrying theirInfanta to Lewis the fourteenth. It was on thispoint that they broke the négociation Lionne hadbegun: and your lordlhip will perceive, that ifthey refumed it afterwards, and offered the mar-riage they had before rejected, Cromwell’s leaguewith France was a principal inducement to thisaltération of their résolutions.

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