CHARLES II.

2Z7

not in their resources, the first maritime powerin Europe. The Dutch , •while in alliance withthem against England , had supplied them withseveral vessels, and had taught them the rudimentsof the difficult art of ship - building. The Englishnext, when in alliance with them against Holland,instructed them in the method of fighting theirships , and of preserving order in naval engage-ments. Lewis availed himself of every opportunityto aggrandize his people, while Charles, funkin indolence and pleasure, neglected all the noblearts of government; or, if at any time he rousedhimself from his lethargy, that industry, by reasonof the unhappy projects which he embraced, wasoften more pernicious to the public than hisinactivity itself. He was as anxious to promotethe naval power of France, as if the safety ofhis crown had depended on it; and many of theplans executed in that kingdom , were first, it issaid 5 , digested and corrected by him.

The successes of the allies had been considerablethe last campaign ; but the Spaniards and Impe-rialists well knew , that France was not yetsufficiently broken, nor willing to submit to theterms which they resolved to impose upon her.Though they could not refuse the king’s media-tion, and Nimeguen, after many difficulties, wasat last fixed on as the place of congress; yetunder one pretence or other, they still Relayedsending their ambassadors , and no progress was

CHAP,IX VI.

1 ( 574 .

Congress okNimegmn.

' WeUvood , Burnet, Cose.