240 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN.

c H A i>. and negociations., the dispositions of the partieslxvi. became every day more apparent.j«77. The Hollanders, loaded with debts, and haras-fed with taxes, were desirous of putting an endto a war; in which, besides the disadvantagesattending all leagues, the weakness of the Spa-niards, the divisions and delays of the Germans,.prognosticated nothing but disgrace and misfor-tune. Their commerce languished z znd \yhnt gavethem still greater anxiety, the commerce of Eng-land , by reason of her neutrality , flourishedextremely; and they were apprehensive , lest ad-vantages, once lost, would never thoroughly beregained. They had themselves no farther motivefor continuing the war, than to secure a goodfrontier to Flanders; but gratitude to their alliesstill engaged them to try, whether another cam-paign might procure a peace, which would givegeneral satisfaction. The prince of Orange, urgedby motives of honor, of ambition, and of ani-mosity against France, endeavoured to keep themsteady to this resolution.

The Spaniards, not to mention the other in-curable weaknesses, into which their monarchywas fallen, were distracted with domestic dissen-sions between the parties of the queen regent andDon John, natural brother to their young sove-reign. Though unable os themselves to defendFlanders, they were resolute not to conclude apeace, which would leave it exposed to everyassault or inroad ; and while they made the mostmagnificent promises to the States , their real

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