A. D. 1667-8. Reasons on which the triple al liance was founded. as a principal in the war with Spain. He proposed the securing to England Ostend and Newport, on condition that the English fleet should join with the French. Besides the offer of these ports, he represented the advantages of attacking Spain in the West Indies, which would divide her forces, and render her incapable of resistance. Some of the ministry were for closing with this proposal; but it was urged, on the other hand, that it would be attended with most pernicious consequences: that our commerce with Spain would immediately cease, and those advantages would be lost which she had granted by the treaty lately ratified at Madrid: that, if England should gain Ostend and Newport, France would soon be able to drive her out of them when she had got possession of the rest of the Netherlands: that she only wanted to be mistress of the principal ports there to obtain an absolute dominion of the sea that the sale of Dunkirk had proved an irrecoverable misfortune: that, by our connivance, and even assistance, France had considerably increased her shipping; for whereas, not above three years before, she had scarce twenty men-of-war, she had now above treble that number, and was every day with great application augmenting them that, if she was suffered to become a maritime power, she would soon, by her wealth and industry, command the commerce of the Indies and of Europe, which it would be then too late to think of preventing: that England would only become the instrument of aggrandizing France, by uniting the Low Countries to her dominions; and either plunge herself into another war with the Dutch, who could never consent to see such ports in the hands of either England or France, or, at least, would force Spain to offer a carte blanche to France: that it appeared, by Monsieur de Lyonne's paper, that upon England's joining with Spain and the United Provinces, France would quickly desist from her enterprise; and that Sweden, which had been ill-treated by France, being weary of serving her interest, might be easily induced to act a proper part, in concert with England and the United Provinces: and lastly, that such an union with France, and another war with the Dutch, would raise and spread a general discontent throughout the nation. These arguments prevailed; and a plan of a treaty was immediately formed, which Sir William Temple, as mentioned before, was sent to the Hague to execute. A. D. 1667-8. A.D. 1667-8. Terms of By this treaty a defensive alliance was made between the King of England and the States: the treaty. they obliged themselves to use their utmost endeavours to induce the French king to stop the progress of his arms in Flanders, and to leave it wholly to the allies to procure the ends proposed in the league. In case the French king should reject the conditions proposed to him, and pursue his conquests, it was agreed that the allies should join their forces with the Spaniards, in order to oblige him to comply with the terms of the Pyrenean treaty. It was agreed, likewise, that they should use their endeavours to establish a peace between Spain and Portugal; a war having subsisted from the time that the Duke of Braganza had obtained the kingdom of Portugal by the famous revolution of government which had taken place in that country. By such a peace Spain would be at greater liberty to withstand the encroachments of France in the Netherlands. The Earl of Sandwich was sent ambassador to the two crowns; and the negotiations were so happily carried on, under the guaranty of England, that, about the same time the defensive alliance with Holland and the peace with Spain were proclaimed, Sir Robert Southwell, envoy to the King Peace be tween Spain and Portugal. of Portugal, arrived in England, February the 19th, 1667-8, with the account of a treaty's having been concluded between Spain and Portugal, on the 13th of February, at Lisbon. A. D. 1667-8. Aix-la As the court of France had appeared, upon the Treaty of first news of the removal of Lord Clarendon, ex- Chapelle. tremely jealous of England's union with Spain,* it was justly alarmed at the conclusion of these several alliances; and, soon after, struck up a peace with Spain, which was ratified at Aix-laChapelle, May the 2nd, 1668. The three allies, England, Holland, and Sweden, were guarantees of the peace; and an envoy from England was sent to several princes of Germany, to invite them into the guaranty. France. France waited for a more favourable opportunity to carry her designs into execution; and, in the mean time, she retained even by the terms of the treaty a great part of her conquests. The maxim upon which she constantly acted was, to Policy of make no scruple of breaking through any treaties, and to be the first to enter into a war, as hence she was sure to take her enemies unprovided, and to gain conquests at an easy rate; and then, at a peace, to affect a moderation in receding from * Turenne's instructions to Ruvigni. A. D. 1667-8. State of the English council. part of her acquisitions, in order to retain the rest. By a steady adherence to this conduct France has been extending her dominions ever since the reign of Louis the Eleventh. Another maxim which has, likewise, greatly contributed to the grandeur of France, has been to enter immediately into a treaty when an union against her grows formidable. Thus she constantly keeps her own interest in view, and constantly pursues it; making war without anger, and peace without friendship. Though France secured some important acquisitions by the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, the forcing her, in a manner, into the peace was no small point gained, considering the inactivity of the court of Spain, and its inability to maintain a war, and considering the terms on which England and Holland at that time stood with regard to France; for England and Holland were both of them weakened by the contest with each other, and the king and the Duke of York were secret well wishers to the French designs. The end which was, in a certain degree, obtained by the treaty, might have been, and probably would have been, farther pursued, if the opposition to the French interest could have been |