242 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN.

chap. he could expect assistance. He had actually inlxvi. secret sold his neutrality to France, and he re-1S77. ceived remittances of a million of livres a-year,•which was afterwards increased to two millions;a considerable supply in the present embarrassedRate of his revenue. And he dreaded , lest theparliament should treat him as they had formerlydone his father; and after they had engaged himin a war on the continent, should take advantage' of his necessities, and make him purchase suppliesby sacrificing his prerogative , and abandoninghis ministers.

On the other hand, the cries of his people andparliament, seconded by Dauby, Arlington, andmost of his ministers, incited him to take partwith the allies, and to correct the unequal ba-lance of power in Europe. He might apprehenddanger from opposing such earnest desires : Hemight hope for large supplies if he concurredwith them : And however inglorious and indolenthis disposition, the renown of acting as arbiterof Europe, would probably at intervals rousehim from his lethargy, and move him to supportthe high character, with which he stood invested.

It is worthy of observation, that, during thisperiod, the king was, by every one, abroad andat home, by France and by the allies, allowedto be the undisputed arbiter of Europe; and noterms of peace, which he would have prescribed,could have been refused by either party. ThoughFrance afterwards found means to resist the fame' alliance , joined with England ; yet was site then