CHARLES IT. 241

trust was in the protection of England. Theysaw, that, if that small but important territorywere once subdued by France , the Hollanders,exposed co so terrible a power, would fall intodependence, and would endeavour, by submis-sions, to ward off that destruction, to which awar in the heart of their state must necessarilyexpose them. They believed, that Lewis, sen-ssible how much greater advantages he might reapfrom the alliance than from the subjection of therepublic, which must scatter its people, and de-press its commerce, would be satisfied with verymoderate conditions , and would turn his enter-prises against his other neighbours. They thoughtit impossible but the people and parliament ofEngland, foreseeing these obvious consequences,must at last force the king to take part in theaffairs of the continent , in which their interestswere so deeply concerned. And they trusted,that even the king himself , on the approach ofso great a danger, must open his eyes, and sacri-fice his prejudices , in favor of France , to thesafety of his own dominions.

But Charles here found himself entangled insuch opposite motives and engagements , as hehad not resolution enough to break, or patienceto unravel. On the one band, he always re-garded his alliance with France as a sure resourcein case of any commotions among his own sub-jects; and whatever schemes he might still retainfor enlarging his authority, or altering the estab-lished religion , it was from that quarter aloneVol. XI. R.

CHAP.

LXVI.

16,-7.

Uncertainconduct ofthe king.

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