564 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN.

CHAP. into a passion. a Co'd’s-fifft said he , his 'usualixvi. oath, “ does my brother of France think to servei« 7 S. me thus ? Are all his promises to make mect absolute master of my people come to this?

Or does he think that a thing to be done with* c eight thousand men?”

Van Beverning was the Dutch ambassadorat Nimeguen, a man of great authority with theStates. He was eager for peace, and was per-suaded , that the reluctance of the king and thejealousies of the parliament would for ever disap-point the allies in their hopes of succour fromEngland. Orders were sent him by the Statesto go to the French king at Ghent, and to con-cert the terms of a general treaty , as well as pro-cure a present truce for six weeks. The termsagreed on were much worse for the Spaniards,than those which had been planned by the kingand the prince of Orange. Six towns , some ofthem of no great importance, were to be restoredto them: But Ypres , Conde, Valenciennes, andTournay, in which consisted the chief strengthof their frontier , were to remain with France.

Great murmurs arose in England when itwas known , that Flanders was to be left in sodefenceless' a condition. The chief complaintswere levelled against the king, who , by his con-currence at first, by bis favor afterwards, andby his delays at last, had raised the power ofFrance to such an enormous height , that itthreatened the general liberties of Europe. Charles,itneafy uadqr these imputations, dreading the con-