72 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN.

chap. Such were the established maxims at that timeuxiv. with regard to the interests of princes. It musthowever be allowed, that the politics of Charles,in making this offer, were not a little hazardous.The extreme weakness of Spain would haverendered the French conquests easy and infallible;but the vigor of the Dutch, it might be foreseen,would make the success of the English muchmore precarious. And even were the naval forceof Holland totally annihilated, the acquisition ofthe Dutch commerce to England could not berelied on as a certain consequence ; nor is tradea constant attendant of power, but depends onmany other, and some of them very delicate ,circumstances.

Though the king of France was resolved tosupport the Hollanders in that unequal contest ,in which they were engaged ; he yet protractedhis declaration, and employed the time in navalpreparations , both in the ocean and the Medi-terranean. The king of Denmark meanwhilewas resolved not to remain an idle spectator ofthe contest between the maritime powers. Thepart which he acted was the most extraordinary :He made a secret agreement with Charles to seizeall the Dutch ships in his harbours, and to fit a rethe spoils with the English, provided they wouldassist him in executing this measure. In order toincrease his prey , he perfidiously invited theDutch to take shelter in his ports; and accordinglythe East India fleet, very richly laden, had putinto Bergen. Sandwich, who now commanded