CHARLES II.

US

account, a desire of fortifying himself by an intimate c u a p.alliance with France. So early as 1664, he had lXv*

oftered the French monarch to allow him with- is70.

out opposition to conquer Flanders , providedthat prince would engage to furnish him withten thousand infantry, and a suitable number ofcavalry, in cafe of any rebellion in EnglandAs no dangerous symptom at that time appeared,

We are left to conjecture, from this incident,what opinion Charles had conceived of thefactious disposition of his people.

Ev en during the time, when the triple alliancewas the most zealously cultivated, the king neverseems to have been entirely cordial in thosesalutary measures , but still to have cast a longingeye towards the French alliance. Clifford, whohad much of bis confidence, said imprudently,

" Notwithstanding all this joy , we must have aK second war with Holland. ” The accession ofthe Emperor to that alliance had been refusedby England on frivolous pretences. And manyunfriendly cavils were raised against the Stateswith regard to Surinam and the conduct of theEast India company \ But about April 1669,the strongest symptoms appeared of those fatalmeasures, which were afterwards more openlypursued.

De Wit, at that time, came to Temple; andtold him, that he paid him a visit as a friend,

D’Eftrades, sistjulv, 1667.

See note sC] ac the end of the volume.

Vol. I. L